TUESDAY 22ND JANUARY 2019

IMF Cuts Nigeria’s 2019 Growth Forecast to 2% Obinna Chima The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has sliced Nigeria's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) projection for this year to two per cent, down from the 2.3 per cent it had predicted for

the country previously.

The fund stated this in its World Economic Outlook (WEO) update titled, “A Weakening Global Expansion,” released yesterday.

The multilateral institution attributed its decision to lower

the country’s growth projection by 0.3 percentage point to softening crude oil prices.

The benchmark Brent crude price fell yesterday to $62.35 a barrel, while US crude futures were down 23 cents at $53.57 a barrel.

However, the IMF in the latest report anticipated that in sub-Saharan Africa, growth would pick up from 2.9 per cent in 2018, to 3.5 per cent in 2019, and 3.6 per cent in 2020.

It said, “For both years the projection is 0.3 percentage

point lower than last October’s projection, as softening oil prices have caused downward revisions for Angola and Nigeria.

“The headline numbers for the region mask significant variation in performance,

with over one-third of subSaharan economies expected to grow above five per cent in 2019–2020,” it explained.

Continuing, the report stated: “Global growth in 2018 is estimated to be 3.7 percent, as Continued on page 6

Appeal Court Refuses to Stop Onnoghen's Arraignment … Page 8 Tuesday 22 January, 2019 Vol 23. No 8679. Price: N250

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PDP, Others Kick as FG Alleges Opposition Parties Mobilising Terrorists for Violence Presidency plotting to frame our leaders, says CUPP Iyobosa Uwugiaren, Shola Oyeyipo, Adedayo Akinwale and Udora Orizu in Abuja The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday lead opposition parties and civil society groups to raise the alarm over alleged plot by the federal government to clamp down on their leaders under the guise of fighting insurgency.

The alarm bell rang, following the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s claim at a press conference in Abuja yesterday that the federal government had intelligence that opposition parties were gathering terrorists and armed bandits to cause mayhem in the country with a view to disrupt Continued on page 6

Presidency: Obasanjo Playing Last Political Game Tinubu, APC leaders hit former president over Buhari

Segun James in Lagos and Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri Barely 24 hours after former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s, scathing comments on President Muhammadu

Buhari’s administration, alleging sundry misgovernance and accusing the All Progressives Congress-led government of plotting to compromise the general election, the presidency Continued on page 8

INEC Uncovers Politicians' Fresh Strategy for Vote-buying ... Page 6

GETTING SET… L-R: Head, EU Delegation to Nigeria, Ambassador Ketil Karlen (left), and Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during a meeting between INEC and EU delegation on the commission’s preparedness for the forthcoming general election, in Abuja…yesterday JULIUS ATOI

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PAGE SIX

INEC Uncovers Politicians’Fresh Strategy for Vote-buying Resist APC’s pressure to rig election, PDP urges electoral body Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Less 25 days to the presidential election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday that it had uncovered new plot by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations as collection points for cashfor-votes and other forms of material inducement to voters on election day.

This is coming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chairman of INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to resist pressure from the presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by rising above the manifest compromises and conduct free, fair and transparent elections next month.

Yakubu disclosed the plot yesterday, while playing host to a delegation of European Union (EU) Election Observer, led by the Chief Observer, Ms. Marie Arena, and ECOWAS Observers’ Mission at the headquarters of the commission.

He said there was no doubt that the country’s electoral processes are getting better and votes count, adding that the commission would continue to progressively improve on elections and protect the sanctity of the vote.

Yakubu stated, “However, following recent consultations with stakeholders across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, the attention of the commission was drawn to a new plan by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations, as collection points for cash-forvotes as well as other forms of material inducement to voters on election day. We are aware of this trick. It will not work.�

The chairman also reiterated that the bulk of ad hoc staff for election duties would be drawn from the pool of young Nigerians serving in the National Youth Service scheme, stressing that the commission has established clear criteria for drawing from students of tertiary institutions to make up for any shortfalls.

According to him, “This has been the practice over several electoral cycles. Similarly, collation and returning officers are drawn from senior academic staff of federal universities led by the vice chancellors. We have already commenced the process following our meeting with the vice chancellors last week. In addition, there is a clearly established system of vetting all election duty staff before they are engaged. “Therefore, the claim that the

commission has outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors is the usual allegation on the eve of elections, and should be disregarded. With 25 days to the 2019 general elections, the commission’s attention is firmly focused on the conduct of credible elections.

We will not be distracted into a fatuous debate.�

The chairman, however, assured the EU that preparations for the election is on course, stressing that the commission has had a series of assuring meetings with the security agencies in order to ensure that processes are protected, the right of voters to vote freely safeguarded, access for observers and the media guaranteed, the election transparent and the outcome a true reflection of the will of the Nigerian people.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Arena, said that EU would be deploying 40 observers during the elections in all states of the federation. “We really appreciate this work that we have to do together here in your country for democracy, for the Nigerian people. Because without democracy there is no development, there is no freedom, there is no economy,� she stated Arena noted that the

EU would also have its parliamentary observation mission on ground during the elections.

She added, “We will issue two preliminary reports after the election. We will work strongly with all the stakeholders of this country. We will also have the final reports two months after the election with recommendations.

We really appreciate the work that INEC has done with the previous recommendations after the 2015 elections.�

Also, the leader of ECOWAS observers mission and former Chairperson of Electoral Commission, Ghana, Ms. Charlotte Osei, said that the mission of the delegation was to let INEC know that ECOWAS would be deploying both long term and short-term observer mission.

She added that during the elections, the mission would be focusing on legal, media, operations, gender and disabilities.

Meanwhile, the PDP yesterday advised the chairman of INEC to resist pressure from the presidency and the APC and conduct free, fair and transparent elections next month.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja the Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the entire

nation is worried, saying that the palpable fear of every Nigerian today is whether the INEC boss can conduct an election, which would be indeed free, fair, credible and transparent. “The PDP has reviewed all the circumstances surrounding the activities of the INEC as presently constituted, and after a careful appraisal of comments by critical national and international stakeholders, we challenge INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to rise above the manifest compromises and conduct the 2019 general election in a transparent manner,� the PDP’s spokesman added.

He said the party already has information that “the geo-spatial centres created by the INEC Chairman in the six geo-political zones have also been dubiously duplicated by Mrs. Amina Zakari in all the zones, from where APC and Buhari presidency intends to assemble fictitious votes and transmit same to INEC’s data base and situation room.�

Ologbondiyan alleged that Yakubu is being compromised by the APC and the presidency to rig the next month elections.

He added that this scenario was also feared to be the reason INEC was succumbing to pressure by the presidency to

retain Mrs. Amina Zakari, a president relation, as head of the collation centre, where she was being positioned to alter genuine results and allocate fictitious figures in favour of Buhari.

According to Ologbondiyan, “We are also aware that the processes of employing Adhoc staff that will function as electoral officers, particularly in the presidential election have already been compromised to favour the APC under Mahmood Yakubu’s watch to manipulate the process.�

He stated that presently, more than half of the card readers to be used in the elections have been rendered obsolete and non-functional, less than 25 days to the elections, noting that card readers have not been upgraded. “We have it on good authority that these will be used to create confusion on election days and facilitate the use of incident form, which will hamper transparency,� Ologbondiyan added.

The PDP, therefore, called on INEC chairman to demonstrate his credibility and ability to conduct free, fair and transparent elections by taking urgent and decisive steps to show that he has not been compromised by the APC and the presidency.

PDP, OTHERS KICK AS FG ALLEGES OPPOSITION PARTIES MOBILISING TERRORISTS FOR VIOLENCE the forthcoming general election.

Other groups that cried out yesterday were the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere; the Southern/Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMLF); and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), who spoke of alleged plot by the President Muhammadu Buhariled government to frame up opposition leaders for alleged security breaches in order to prepare grounds for their arrest.

Speaking in the same vein, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was desperate to remain in power, adding that the party’s self-succession plan was very real, hence, the unsubstantiated allegation by the ruling party and its government.

They stated this while reacting to what the PDP described as ‘’irresponsible and ludicrous’’ allegation by Mohammed that opposition parties were mobilising Boko Haram and armed bandits to provoke chaos during the general elections.

The federal government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, yesterday alerted Nigerians to plans by some ‘’unscrupulous opposition elements’’ to scuttle the general elections by orchestrating widespread violence. ''Having realised that their fortunes have dwindled badly ahead of the polls, the desperate opposition is orchestrating widespread violence with a view to truncating the elections, thus triggering a constitutional crisis that could snowball into the establishment of an interim government,'' the minister told a press conference in Abuja.

He added, ''Before you accuse the government of crying wolf, let me tell you, gentlemen, that we have credible intelligence that armed bandits and Boko Haram insurgents have been

mobilized to engage in massive attacks and other acts of violence in several states across the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.’’ He said a Benue-based armed criminal group, led by Mr. Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, had been commissioned to strike soft targets in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States, while in Kano State, a group of notorious miscreants had been mobilized by some prominent opposition leaders to provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections.

Mohammed added, ''There is also an international dimension to the evil plan. Some armed mercenaries from Niger Republic have been contracted to attack top government functionaries, including state governors, across the Northwest between now and the elections.’’ He, however, assured of the federal government's commitment to a credible, free, fair and peaceful elections, hence it is taking every possible measure to counter ''these evil plans by unpatriotic anarchists.''

The minister appealed to all Nigerians to be vigilant in the days ahead, and urged the media to help in sensitizing members of the public on the observed threats, which are capable of disrupting the elections. ''The punch line of our long running campaign on security - if you see something, say something - remains relevant, perhaps even more, at this time,'' he said.

Mohammed said all the relevant agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will work together to ensure that Nigerians are alerted to the dangers posed to the forthcoming elections by ''unscrupulous, unpatriotic and desperate characters, who will

not hesitate to destabilise the country if they cannot achieve their inordinate ambition.''

However, addressing a press conference yesterday the Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, stressed that the PDP had noted that the claim exposed manifest complicity at very high level.

According to him, “In the light of this and the already displayed desperation by the APC ahead of the general elections, the PDP calls on Nigerians to hold President Buhari directly responsible for any escalation of violence in our nation.�

Ologbondiyan stressed that the PDP had severally alerted the nation that the APC and the presidency, having come to the reality of their imminent and disgraceful loss at the polls, have embarked on a strategy to foment crisis in the country and blame the opposition.

He stated, “On behalf of Nigerians, we thank Alhaji Lai Mohammed for mustering the courage to bring the nefarious plans of the APC to the public.

The PDP and Nigerians are prepared for a peaceful election in defence of our democracy. “It is imperative to state that the PDP finds the claims of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, irresponsible and ludicrous. It is just a measure for building the ground for framing up, and arrest of leading members of the opposition as he has just confirmed our concerns.�

Ologbondiyan said that it is known to all Nigerians and the world that PDP is a party that preaches and function by peace, adding that the party had conducted rallies in many states and geo-political zones without a record of violence.

He noted that the APC cannot make a similar claim of a peaceful rally in its few attempts at interacting with its members and the public, adding that its party primaries ended in violence and multiple

deaths.

The party spokesperson said that APC rally in Lagos State ended in a fiasco and recorded fatalities, saying that its presidential candidate is known all over the world for inciting supporters against peace-loving Nigerians, when he said that ‘baboon and dogs will soak in their blood.’ On its part, the CUPP debunked the accusation by the minister, describing the allegation as ‘’outrageous, laughable, and sign of mental disorientation,’’ and accused the presidency of plotting to frame up opposition leaders.

The CUPP’s spokesman, Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the presidency was plotting to frame opposition leaders with fake allegations, using what he described as a vessel that is intellectually empty.

He noted that the opposition did not and will not engage in the act of supporting bandits or terror-related activities aimed at disrupting an election that they are destined to win landslide.

He said, "The fear of defeat has now made Buhari government to be running from pillar to post and throwing baseless allegation and with no facts to substantiate, all in a bid to frame the opposition. ‘’Let it be known that come 2019, the opposition coalition candidate Atiku Abubakar will crack Buhari like crackers biscuits and no amount of fake news or stupid accusation of sponsoring bandits can stop that.

"Every accusation the opposition has made against the APC was backed up with facts and evidence that it actually happened. Lai Mohammed and the APC are making baseless accusations. They should provide the evidence or shut up."

He alleged that Buhari is a well-known patron of Miyeti Allah and pro-bandit group, while Lai Mohammed is their

spokesperson, adding that the 16-page address titled, 'Points for Concern and Actions' issued on Sunday by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was a clear evidence that Boko Haram and other security issues worsened under the APC administration.

"In 2018 alone, thousands of Nigerians across the country were slaughtered through Boko Haram attacks. The security situation has deteriorated with kidnappings everywhere and Boko Haram terrorists are more in action under this administration and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this," he said.

Also reacting to the allegation, the national spokesperson of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, who spoke on behalf of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMLF), said such allegations should have been backed up with evidence and appropriate punitive actions, suspecting a secret plot to frame up members of the oppositions for selfish political agenda.

Odumakin stated, "That is a weighty allegation, and these people should now know that they are in government, they are no longer in opposition.

If they have such weighty allegation, they should bring out the evidence and arrest whoever is doing so. ‘’But, if you can't bring out the evidence, that is irresponsible. You are just making political allegations as if you are still in opposition, when you have all the apparatus of the state.

"For you to come on air and make such allegations without arresting those who are involved is totally irresponsible,’’ Odumakin said.

The National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, and her ANN counterpart, Mr. Akinloye Oyeniyi, while also reacting to the allegation by the minister,

described it as an unfounded allegation.

Kolapo said Mohammed is just crying wolf when there is none, adding that the ruling party is already running helter-skelter because of what Obasanjo said in his piece.

According to her, “Every Nigerian knows that the APC will do anything to remain in power. Lai Mohammed is telling Nigerians what they want to do. Everyone knows that this government is very desperate, the plans of self-succession is really very clear, that is why you see them hounding everybody right, left and centre. ‘’They know that Nigerians will revolt and they are indirectly begging Nigerians not to revolt because they know when Nigerians revolt they maybe call for interim Continued on page 8

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NEWS

Appeal Court Refuses to Stop Onnoghen's Arraignment Courts order Buhari, others to maintain status quo Alex Enumah in Abuja The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday refused to stop the scheduled arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Abdul Aboki, refused Onnoghen's request to stop his arraignment at the CCT while delivering ruling in an exparte application moved

by Onnoghen's lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

Onnoghen was initially scheduled for arraignment on January 14, 2019, over a six-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

But the arraignment was adjourned to January 22, on account of improper service of the summons on the CJN. In a motion on notice, brought before the court yesterday, counsel to the applicant, Awomolo, asked the appeal court to restrain the CCT from going ahead with the trial slated for January 22. He also asked the court to stop the suit requesting him to step down as the CJN. The senior lawyer submitted that it is settled law that once a matter is before the appeal court, trial courts cease jurisdiction, pending the determination of the matter at the appellant court.

However, counsel to the federal government, Mr. Emmanuel Omonuwa, who claimed he got to know of the matter on Monday and needed time to file a response,

Appeal Court President, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa prayed the court for a short adjournment.

While he stated that the court process was served on the Federal Ministry of Justice at close of work on Friday,

Omonuwa, however, said he came to court out of respect he had for the court.

Awomolo did not oppose the prayer for adjournment but sought order of the court to ask the respondent to maintain status quo.

But Omonuwa countered that there were three orders stopping the trial already, adding that all the orders are subsisting and have not been set aside.

In a short ruling, Justice Abdul Aboki, held that there was no need for another order and adjourning till January 24 for hearing of Onnoghen's motion on notice.

Meanwhile, with Justice Onnoghen due to be arraigned before the CCT today, the Federal High Court in Abuja and National Industrial Court have reinforced its order restraining

the tribunal from proceeding with the arraignment.

In the first order, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja restrained President Muhammadu Buhari and the CCT from taking further steps in the arraignment Onnoghen.

The court also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), Justice Onnoghen, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, a Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Chairman of the CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar, to maintain status quo ante pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The judge gave the interim orders after listening to a motion ex-parte brought by the Action Peoples Party.

The complainant in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/67/2019, urged the court to among others order the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants whether by themselves, officers, agents, servants, privies or otherwise however from removing the 3rd defendant (Onnoghen) as the CJN pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

The plaintiff also prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining them from appointing or directing the fourth defendant (Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad) to take over as the Acting Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria pending the determination of the motion on notice.

pound has depreciated about two per cent as Brexit-related uncertainty increased. In contrast, the Japanese yen has appreciated by about three per cent, on higher risk aversion. “Several emerging market currencies—including the Turkish lira, the Argentine peso, the Brazilian real, the South African rand, the Indian rupee, and the Indonesian rupiah – have staged recoveries from their 2018 valuation lows last August to September. “Emerging market and developing economies have been tested by difficult external conditions over the past few

months amid trade tensions, rising US interest rates, dollar appreciation, capital outflows, and volatile oil prices. In some economies, addressing high private debt burdens and balance-sheet currency and maturity mismatches will require strengthening macroprudential frameworks. “Exchange rate flexibility can complement these policies by helping to buffer external shocks. Where inflation expectations are well anchored, monetary policy can provide support to domestic activity as needed. “Fiscal policy should ensure

debt ratios remain sustainable under the more challenging external financial conditions.

Improving the targeting of subsidies and rationalising recurrent expenditures can help preserve capital outlays needed to boost potential growth and social spending to enhance inclusion. “For low-income developing countries, concerted efforts in these areas would also help diversify production structures (a pressing imperative for commodity-dependent economies), and their progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.�

away with broom out of Nigeria.

Ota farm should be enough - a retirement place for Obasanjo to keep quiet.

"Who among Nigerians will not recall how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government under Obasanjo had been notorious for rigging elections. No government has upheld the tenets of democracy like the government of President Buhari. We asked for the recognition of June 12 from Obasanjo; he refused. But President Buhari as an honest man with integrity heard our cry and recognised June 12.

"Even if the forum of association of angry old men refuses to vote for Buhari, we will give him 95 per cent votes.�

Tinubu noted that four years ago, the APC had promised to put the ship of Nigeria to the right direction, adding that the party had fulfilled the promise.

The National Chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, said Obasanjo’s attack was out of frustration.

He said the former president was unsettled when he saw what happened in Delta State during the APC campaign there and hurriedly went to the toilet five times over running stomach.

He said, "The people writing epistle now watched how money meant for security was appropriated by not only the PDP but generals. Under their watch, over 20 local government areas of Borno State was taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists before the coming of President Buhari. “Today no matter what they want to say, there is no local government where Boko Haram is hoisting their flag. All the 27 local government areas of Borno have been liberated

by APC government.�

Also speaking at the rally, the Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Council and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said his security details were withdrawn under PDP government.

He added that due to the PDP rigging formula, vote did not count in South-south during past elections except announcement of results as the party wished.

In his remarks, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, assured Buhari of over two million votes from the state during the election.

He said, "We in Borno State, we don't know any other party than the APC. Allah brought President Buhari to deliver people of Borno from the hands of our oppressors. By the grace of Allah! Allah! Allah!, come February 16, 2019, if we are not the first highest voters for you, we will be the second.�

Buhari, who addressed the crowd in Hausa, thanked them for their support and restated the commitment of his administration to fight against corruption, insecurity as well as improve the economy if re-elected in next month election.

The campaign team was welcomed to the state by unprecedented crowd, which was aided by the declaration of a public holiday by the state government.

One of the low points in the campaign was when one of the pavilions collapsed injuring dozens of people during a stampede.

The people who came to see the president as he mounted the podium to give an address were stampeded.

Rescuers from the Red Cross moved several wounded persons to the State Specialist Hospital for treatment.

Continued on page 8

IMF CUTS NIGERIA'S 2019 GROWTH FORECAST TO 2% it was last fall, but signs of a slowdown in the second half of 2018 have led to downward revisions for several economies. “Weakness in the second half of 2018 will carry over to coming quarters, with global growth projected to decline to 3.5 per cent in 2019 before picking up slightly to 3.6 per cent in 2020 (0.2 percentage point and 0.1 percentage point lower, respectively, than in the previous WEO). “This growth pattern reflects a persistent decline in the growth rate of advanced economies from above-trend levels— occurring more rapidly than

previously anticipated—together with a temporary decline in the growth rate for emerging market and developing economies in 2019, reflecting contractions in Argentina and Turkey, as well as the impact of trade actions on China and other Asian economies.�

It also noted that concerns about inflationary effects from earlier oil price increases and, in some cases, closing output gaps or pass through from currency depreciation had led central banks in many emerging market economies - Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Thailand- to

raise policy rates since the fall.

It also stated that foreigncurrency sovereign credit spreads have edged up for most countries and risen substantially for some frontier markets, with investors generally lowering exposure to riskier assets, while emerging market economies experienced net capital outflows in the third quarter of 2018.

According to the IMF, “As of early January, the US dollar remains broadly unchanged in real effective terms relative to September, the euro has weakened by about two per cent amid slower growth and concerns about Italy, and the

PRESIDENCY: OBASANJO PLAYING LAST POLITICAL GAME found its voice, saying the former president is playing his last political game.

The presidency received support from the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, who said Obasanjo was an expired politician that had become irrelevant in the scheme of things.

Speaking yesterday on Arise News Network, a sister broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Obasanjo would be demystified by the outcome of the February 16 election.

According to him, the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election would lead to the end of the political relevance of the former president.

"We thank him for whatever he has done - positive or negative, but what Nigerians are going to say in a couples of weeks at the polls, is what matters most. I tell you, Obasanjo is playing his last political game.

He is going to be defeated; he is going to be worsted; he is going to be ridiculed; and he will have no voice again after the election," he boasted.

Adesina argued that Obasanjo had been playing God in Nigeria, which stopped with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari.

"Every administration that came after his own in 1979, he played God. He tried to lead them by the nose; he tried to direct them, which way to go.

But he met a different person in President Buhari. He is now saying, 'rather than have this person that refuses to listen; that refuses to kowtow to me, I will work against him.' He has been working against him since last year. Again, it is democratic

liberty," he said.

The presidential spokesman insisted that the problem was that the former president was behaving like a man, who defeat was starring in the face; hence the desperate action he had resorted to. "When defeat stares people in the face, they react differently. Remember in those days when we play boyhood soccer, when you are being badly beaten, at a stage during the game, you can say I'm not playing again," he said.

Adesina however, regretted that Obasanjo had refused to throw in the towel in defeat.

"Chief Obasanjo sees defeat ahead in the polls. Instead of raising his hands in surrender, he has decided not to. Rather, he has gone into the panic mode. He wants to incite Nigerians, not just Nigerians, but the international community against President Buhari. It's a lost battle. Nigerians know who to believe, they know who to trust, they know who to vote in. It's not for him to say vote for this person or not. He has just one vote. He has the liberty to cast that vote whichever way he wants,� he told Arise TV. Adesina said Buhari had abiding respect for Obasanjo not only as his former boss when the president was Minister of Petroleum Resources, but as his Commander-in-Chief in the Armed Forces where respect for seniors is sacrosanct.

He said Obasanjo was simply being a hypocrite by crying foul against a possible electoral fraud, saying the former president conducted the worst election in the political annals of the country to the point that even the beneficiary of the election admitted that the election was mired in irregularity.

"He is not in a position to

talk about free and fair election," Adesina stated.

Asked if the government would use the opportunity of the latest attack on Buhari to investigate the $16 billion allegedly spent on power by former president and possibly prosecute him?

Adesina said it was sometimes necessary to use discretionary powers in the fight against corruption and move on.

He also said it was a House of Representatives' panel constituted in 2009 to probe the power sector under Obasanjo which uncovered the figure, insisting that the claim has been in public domain since then.

"At times, you need to use discretion and move forward.

It was a panel that came up with the sum of $16 billion and it is in public domain," he said.

Asked if discretion is applied in the war against corruption, Adesina said, "There is nothing you don't use for," emphasising that in certain battles, the use of discretion is sacrosanct.

Also reacting to the former president’s searing attacks on Buhari, Tinubu and a couple of leaders of the ruling party yesterday came down heavily on the former president.

The APC bigwigs who gathered in Maiduguri, Borno State for the party’s presidential campaign in company with the president, took turns to attack Obasanjo for his tongue lashing of their standard bearer.

Leading the attack was Tinubu, who described Obasanjo as one of the expired leaders that should have retired to his Ota farm and remain quiet.

He said, "It is unfortunate that expired leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo is ranting and lying.

Don't trust him. We are sweeping all the cobwebs of corruption

PDP, OTHERS KICK AS FG ALLEGES OPPOSITION PARTIES MOBILISING TERRORISTS FOR VIOLENCE

government.�

The ADC spokesperson noted that if anybody is planning to disrupt this election, it is APC, and not any other party, stressing that if there is free and fair election, there is no way APC would come back to power.

Kolapo said, “All we are telling INEC is to ensure free and fair elections, and for the security agencies they should live up to their responsibilities; they should ensure that if people go out to vote, they are safe; people should be able to exercise their civic right without molestation, without intimidation of any form.�

On its part, ANN described the accusation by the APC-led federal government as illogical

and one of the last signs of a rejected government looking for whom to blame for its impending woes.

Oyeniyi said that opposition parties are too busy with their altruistic duty of rescuing Nigerians from the claws of the Buhari’s government, whose incompetence and directionless has caused rise in Boko Haram and bandits activities.

He said, “Without even denying the claims made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed, Nigerians already know who Lai is and what trauma the government he's serving is. So, we advise President Buhari to throw in the towel, beg Nigerians for forgiveness and go home to rest.�

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INEC Uncovers Politicians’Fresh Strategy for Vote-buying Resist APC’s pressure to rig election, PDP urges electoral body Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja Less than 25 days to the presidential election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said yesterday that it had uncovered new plot by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations as collection points for cash-for-votes and other forms of material inducement to voters on election day.

This is coming as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Chairman of INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to resist pressure from the presidency and the All Progressives Congress (APC) by rising above the manifest compromises and conduct free, fair and transparent elections next month.

Yakubu disclosed the plot yesterday, while playing host to a delegation of European Union (EU) Election Observer, led by the Chief Observer, Ms. Marie Arena, and ECOWAS Observers’ Mission at the headquarters of the commission.

He said there was no doubt that the country’s electoral processes are getting better and votes count, adding that the commission would continue to progressively improve on elections and protect the sanctity of the vote.

Yakubu stated, “However, following recent consultations with stakeholders across the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, the attention of the commission was drawn to a new plan by some political actors to use food vendors around polling units with large voter populations, as collection points for cash-forvotes as well as other forms of material inducement to voters on election day. We are aware of this trick. It will not work.�

The chairman also reiterated that the bulk of ad hoc staff for election duties would be drawn from the pool of young Nigerians serving in the National Youth Service scheme, stressing that the commission has established clear criteria for drawing from students of tertiary institutions to make up for any shortfalls.

According to him, “This has been the practice over several electoral cycles. Similarly, collation and returning officers are drawn from senior academic staff of federal universities led by the vice chancellors. We have already commenced the process following our meeting with the vice chancellors last week. In addition, there is a clearly established system of vetting all election duty staff before they are engaged. “Therefore, the claim that the

commission has outsourced the recruitment of election duty staff to partisan actors is the usual allegation on the eve of elections, and should be disregarded. With 25 days to the 2019 general elections, the commission’s attention is firmly focused on the conduct of credible elections.

We will not be distracted into a fatuous debate.�

The chairman, however, assured the EU that preparations for the election is on course, stressing that the commission has had a series of assuring meetings with the security agencies in order to ensure that processes are protected, the right of voters to vote freely safeguarded, access for observers and the media guaranteed, the election transparent and the outcome a true reflection of the will of the Nigerian people.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Arena, said that EU would be deploying 40 observers during the elections in all states of the federation. “We really appreciate this work that we have to do together here in your country for democracy, for the Nigerian people. Because without democracy there is no development, there is no freedom, there is no economy,� she stated Arena noted that the

EU would also have its parliamentary observation mission on ground during the elections.

She added, “We will issue two preliminary reports after the election. We will work strongly with all the stakeholders of this country. We will also have the final reports two months after the election with recommendations.

We really appreciate the work that INEC has done with the previous recommendations after the 2015 elections.�

Also, the leader of ECOWAS observers mission and former Chairperson of Electoral Commission, Ghana, Ms. Charlotte Osei, said that the mission of the delegation was to let INEC know that ECOWAS would be deploying both long term and short-term observer mission.

She added that during the elections, the mission would be focusing on legal, media, operations, gender and disabilities.

Meanwhile, the PDP yesterday advised the chairman of INEC to resist pressure from the presidency and the APC and conduct free, fair and transparent elections next month.

Addressing a press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said the entire

nation is worried, saying that the palpable fear of every Nigerian today is whether the INEC boss can conduct an election, which would be indeed free, fair, credible and transparent. “The PDP has reviewed all the circumstances surrounding the activities of the INEC as presently constituted, and after a careful appraisal of comments by critical national and international stakeholders, we challenge INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, to rise above the manifest compromises and conduct the 2019 general election in a transparent manner,� the PDP’s spokesman added.

He said the party already has information that “the geo-spatial centres created by the INEC Chairman in the six geo-political zones have also been dubiously duplicated by Mrs. Amina Zakari in all the zones, from where APC and Buhari presidency intends to assemble fictitious votes and transmit same to INEC’s data base and situation room.�

Ologbondiyan alleged that Yakubu is being compromised by the APC and the presidency to rig the next month elections.

He added that this scenario was also feared to be the reason INEC was succumbing to pressure by the presidency to

retain Mrs. Amina Zakari, the president's relation, as head of the collation centre, where she was being positioned to alter genuine results and allocate fictitious figures in favour of Buhari.

According to Ologbondiyan, “We are also aware that the processes of employing Adhoc staff that will function as electoral officers, particularly in the presidential election have already been compromised to favour the APC under Mahmood Yakubu’s watch to manipulate the process.�

He stated that presently, more than half of the card readers to be used in the elections have been rendered obsolete and non-functional, less than 25 days to the elections, noting that card readers have not been upgraded. “We have it on good authority that these will be used to create confusion on election days and facilitate the use of incident form, which will hamper transparency,� Ologbondiyan added.

The PDP, therefore, called on INEC chairman to demonstrate his credibility and ability to conduct free, fair and transparent elections by taking urgent and decisive steps to show that he has not been compromised by the APC and the presidency.

PDP, OTHERS KICK AS FG ALLEGES OPPOSITION PARTIES MOBILISING TERRORISTS FOR VIOLENCE country with a view to disrupt the forthcoming general election.

Other groups that cried out yesterday were the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere; the Southern/Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMLF); and the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), who spoke of alleged plot by the President Muhammadu Buhariled government to frame up opposition leaders for alleged security breaches in order to prepare grounds for their arrest.

Speaking in the same vein, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) said that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was desperate to remain in power, adding that the party’s self-succession plan was very real, hence, the unsubstantiated allegation by the ruling party and its government.

They stated this while reacting to what the PDP described as ‘’irresponsible and ludicrous’’ allegation by Mohammed that opposition parties were mobilising Boko Haram and armed bandits to provoke chaos during the general elections.

The federal government, through the Minister of Information and Culture, yesterday alerted Nigerians to plans by some ‘’unscrupulous opposition elements’’ to scuttle the general elections by orchestrating widespread violence. ''Having realised that their fortunes have dwindled badly ahead of the polls, the desperate opposition is orchestrating widespread violence with a view to truncating the elections, thus triggering a constitutional crisis that could snowball into the establishment of an interim government,'' the minister told a press conference in Abuja.

He added, ''Before you accuse the government of crying wolf, let me tell you, gentlemen, that we have credible intelligence that armed bandits and Boko

Haram insurgents have been mobilized to engage in massive attacks and other acts of violence in several states across the country, including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Benue, Kano, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara.’’ He said a Benue-based armed criminal group, led by Mr. Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, had been commissioned to strike soft targets in Benue, Nasarawa, and Taraba States, while in Kano State, a group of notorious miscreants had been mobilized by some prominent opposition leaders to provoke massive chaos before, during and after the elections.

Mohammed added, ''There is also an international dimension to the evil plan. Some armed mercenaries from Niger Republic have been contracted to attack top government functionaries, including state governors, across the Northwest between now and the elections.’’ He, however, assured of the federal government's commitment to a credible, free, fair and peaceful elections, hence it is taking every possible measure to counter ''these evil plans by unpatriotic anarchists.''

The minister appealed to all Nigerians to be vigilant in the days ahead, and urged the media to help in sensitizing members of the public on the observed threats, which are capable of disrupting the elections. ''The punch line of our long running campaign on security - if you see something, say something - remains relevant, perhaps even more, at this time,'' he said.

Mohammed said all the relevant agencies under the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture will work together to ensure that Nigerians are alerted to the dangers posed to the forthcoming elections by ''unscrupulous, unpatriotic and

desperate characters, who will not hesitate to destabilise the country if they cannot achieve their inordinate ambition.''

However, addressing a press conference yesterday the Director of Media and Publicity, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, stressed that the PDP had noted that the claim exposed manifest complicity at very high level.

According to him, “In the light of this and the already displayed desperation by the APC ahead of the general elections, the PDP calls on Nigerians to hold President Buhari directly responsible for any escalation of violence in our nation.�

Ologbondiyan stressed that the PDP had severally alerted the nation that the APC and the presidency, having come to the reality of their imminent and disgraceful loss at the polls, have embarked on a strategy to foment crisis in the country and blame the opposition.

He stated, “On behalf of Nigerians, we thank Alhaji Lai Mohammed for mustering the courage to bring the nefarious plans of the APC to the public.

The PDP and Nigerians are prepared for a peaceful election in defence of our democracy. “It is imperative to state that the PDP finds the claims of Alhaji Lai Mohammed, irresponsible and ludicrous. It is just a measure for building the ground for framing up, and arrest of leading members of the opposition as he has just confirmed our concerns.�

Ologbondiyan said that it is known to all Nigerians and the world that PDP is a party that preaches and function by peace, adding that the party had conducted rallies in many states and geo-political zones without a record of violence.

He noted that the APC cannot make a similar claim of a peaceful rally in its few attempts at interacting with its members and the public, adding that its party primaries

ended in violence and multiple deaths.

The party spokesperson said that APC rally in Lagos State ended in a fiasco and recorded fatalities, saying that its presidential candidate is known all over the world for inciting supporters against peace-loving Nigerians, when he said that ‘baboon and dogs will soak in their blood.’ On its part, the CUPP debunked the accusation by the minister, describing the allegation as ‘’outrageous, laughable, and sign of mental disorientation,’’ and accused the presidency of plotting to frame up opposition leaders.

The CUPP’s spokesman, Mr. Ikenga Ugochinyere, said the presidency was plotting to frame opposition leaders with fake allegations, using what he described as a vessel that is intellectually empty.

He noted that the opposition did not and will not engage in the act of supporting bandits or terror-related activities aimed at disrupting an election that they are destined to win landslide.

He said, "The fear of defeat has now made Buhari government to be running from pillar to post and throwing baseless allegation and with no facts to substantiate, all in a bid to frame the opposition. ‘’Let it be known that come February 16, the opposition coalition candidate Atiku Abubakar will crack Buhari like crackers biscuits and no amount of fake news or stupid accusation of sponsoring bandits can stop that.

"Every accusation the opposition has made against the APC was backed up with facts and evidence that it actually happened. Lai Mohammed and the APC are making baseless accusations. They should provide the evidence or shut up."

He alleged that Buhari is a well-known patron of Miyeti Allah and pro-bandit group,

while Lai Mohammed is their spokesperson, adding that the 16-page address titled, 'Points for Concern and Actions' issued on Sunday by former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, was a clear evidence that Boko Haram and other security issues worsened under the APC administration.

"In 2018 alone, thousands of Nigerians across the country were slaughtered through Boko Haram attacks. The security situation has deteriorated with kidnappings everywhere and Boko Haram terrorists are more in action under this administration and nobody should deceive Nigerians about this," he said.

Also reacting to the allegation, the national spokesperson of Afenifere, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, who spoke on behalf of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMLF), said such allegations should have been backed up with evidence and appropriate punitive actions, suspecting a secret plot to frame up members of the oppositions for selfish political agenda.

Odumakin stated, "That is a weighty allegation, and these people should now know that they are in government, they are no longer in opposition.

If they have such weighty allegation, they should bring out the evidence and arrest whoever is doing so. ‘’But, if you can't bring out the evidence, that is irresponsible.

You are just making political allegations as if you are still in opposition, when you have all the apparatus of the state.

"For you to come on air and make such allegations without arresting those who are involved is totally irresponsible,’’ Odumakin said.

The National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Mrs. Yemi Kolapo, and her ANN counterpart, Mr. Akinloye Oyeniyi, while also reacting to the allegation by the minister,

described it as an unfounded allegation.

Kolapo said Mohammed is just crying wolf when there is none, adding that the ruling party is already running helter-skelter because of what Obasanjo said in his piece.

According to her, “Every Nigerian knows that the APC will do anything to remain in power. Lai Mohammed is telling Nigerians what they want to do. Everyone knows that this government is very desperate, the plans of self-succession is really very clear, that is why you see them hounding everybody right, left and centre. ‘’They know that Nigerians will revolt and they are indirectly begging Nigerians not to revolt because they know when Nigerians revolt there maybe call for interim Continued on page 8

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Appeal Court Refuses to Stop Onnoghen’s Arraignment Courts order Buhari, others to maintain status quo Alex Enumah in Abuja The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal on Monday refused to stop the scheduled arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT).

A three-man panel of the Court of Appeal led by Justice Abdul Aboki, refused Onnoghen's request to stop his arraignment at the CCT while delivering ruling in an exparte application moved

by Onnoghen's lawyer, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).

Onnoghen was initially scheduled for arraignment on January 14, 2019, over a six-count charge of alleged non-declaration of assets filed against him by the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB).

But the arraignment was adjourned to January 22, on account of improper service of the summons on the CJN. In a motion on notice, brought before the court yesterday, counsel to the applicant, Awomolo, asked the appeal court to restrain the CCT from going ahead with the trial slated for January 22. He also asked the court to stop the suit requesting him to step down as the CJN. The senior lawyer submitted that it is settled law that once a matter is before the appeal court, trial courts cease jurisdiction, pending the determination of the matter at the appellate court.

However, counsel to the federal government, Mr. Emmanuel Omonuwa, who claimed he got to know of the matter on Monday and needed time to file a response,

Appeal Court President, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa prayed the court for a short adjournment.

While he stated that the court process was served on the Federal Ministry of Justice at close of work on Friday,

Omonuwa, however, said he came to court out of respect he had for the court.

Awomolo did not oppose the prayer for adjournment but sought order of the court to ask the respondent to maintain status quo.

But Omonuwa countered that there were three orders stopping the trial already, adding that all the orders are subsisting and have not been set aside.

In a short ruling, Justice Abdul Aboki, held that there was no need for another order and adjourning till January 24 for hearing of Onnoghen's motion on notice.

Meanwhile, with Justice Onnoghen due to be arraigned before the CCT today, the Federal High Court in Abuja and National Industrial Court have reinforced its order restraining

the tribunal from proceeding with the arraignment.

In the first order, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court Abuja restrained President Muhammadu Buhari and the CCT from taking further steps in the arraignment of Onnoghen.

The court also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), Justice Onnoghen, Justice Ibrahim Tanko, a Justice of the Supreme Court, and the Chairman of the CCT, Mr. Danladi Umar, to maintain status quo ante pending the determination of the motion on notice.

The judge gave the interim orders after listening to a motion ex-parte brought by the Action Peoples Party.

The complainant in the suit FHC/ABJ/CS/67/2019, urged the court to among others order the 1st, 2nd, 4th, 5th and 6th defendants whether by themselves, officers, agents, servants, privies or otherwise however from removing the 3rd defendant (Onnoghen) as the CJN pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.

The plaintiff also prayed the court for an order of interim injunction restraining them from appointing or directing the fourth defendant (Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad) to take over as the Acting Chairman of the National Judicial Council (NJC) and as the Acting Chief Justice of Nigeria pending the determination of the motion on notice.

pound has depreciated about two per cent as Brexit-related uncertainty increased. In contrast, the Japanese yen has appreciated by about three per cent, on higher risk aversion. “Several emerging market currencies—including the Turkish lira, the Argentine peso, the Brazilian real, the South African rand, the Indian rupee, and the Indonesian rupiah – have staged recoveries from their 2018 valuation lows last August to September. “Emerging market and developing economies have been tested by difficult external conditions over the past few

months amid trade tensions, rising US interest rates, dollar appreciation, capital outflows, and volatile oil prices. In some economies, addressing high private debt burdens and balance-sheet currency and maturity mismatches will require strengthening macroprudential frameworks. “Exchange rate flexibility can complement these policies by helping to buffer external shocks. Where inflation expectations are well anchored, monetary policy can provide support to domestic activity as needed. “Fiscal policy should ensure

debt ratios remain sustainable under the more challenging external financial conditions.

Improving the targeting of subsidies and rationalising recurrent expenditures can help preserve capital outlays needed to boost potential growth and social spending to enhance inclusion. “For low-income developing countries, concerted efforts in these areas would also help diversify production structures (a pressing imperative for commodity-dependent economies), and their progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.�

away with broom out of Nigeria.

Ota farm should be enough - a retirement place for Obasanjo to keep quiet.

"Who among Nigerians will not recall how the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government under Obasanjo had been notorious for rigging elections. No government has upheld the tenets of democracy like the government of President Buhari. We asked for the recognition of June 12 from Obasanjo; he refused. But President Buhari as an honest man with integrity heard our cry and recognised June 12.

"Even if the forum of association of angry old men refuses to vote for Buhari, we will give him 95 per cent votes.�

Tinubu noted that four years ago, the APC had promised to put the ship of Nigeria to the right direction, adding that the party had fulfilled the promise.

The National Chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, said Obasanjo’s attack was out of frustration.

He said the former president was unsettled when he saw what happened in Delta State during the APC campaign there and hurriedly went to the toilet five times over running stomach.

He said, "The people writing epistle now watched how money meant for security was appropriated by not only the PDP but generals. Under their watch, over 20 local government areas of Borno State was taken over by the Boko Haram terrorists before the coming of President Buhari. “Today no matter what they want to say, there is no local government where Boko Haram is hoisting their flag. All the 27 local government areas of Borno have been liberated

by APC government.�

Also speaking at the rally, the Director General of APC Presidential Campaign Council and Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, said his security details were withdrawn under PDP government.

He added that due to the PDP rigging formula, vote did not count in South-south during past elections except announcement of results as the party wished.

In his remarks, the Borno State Governor, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, assured Buhari of over two million votes from the state during the election.

He said, "We in Borno State, we don't know any other party than the APC. Allah brought President Buhari to deliver people of Borno from the hands of our oppressors. By the grace of Allah! Allah! Allah!, come February 16, 2019, if we are not the first highest voters for you, we will be the second.�

Buhari, who addressed the crowd in Hausa, thanked them for their support and restated the commitment of his administration to fight against corruption, insecurity as well as improve the economy if re-elected in next month election.

The campaign team was welcomed to the state by unprecedented crowd, which was aided by the declaration of a public holiday by the state government.

One of the low points in the campaign was when one of the pavilions collapsed injuring dozens of people during a stampede.

The people who came to see the president as he mounted the podium to give an address were stampeded.

Rescuers from the Red Cross moved several wounded persons to the State Specialist Hospital for treatment.

Continued on page 36

IMF CUTS NIGERIA'S 2019 GROWTH FORECAST TO 2% it was last fall, but signs of a slowdown in the second half of 2018 have led to downward revisions for several economies. “Weakness in the second half of 2018 will carry over to coming quarters, with global growth projected to decline to 3.5 per cent in 2019 before picking up slightly to 3.6 per cent in 2020 (0.2 percentage point and 0.1 percentage point lower, respectively, than in the previous WEO). “This growth pattern reflects a persistent decline in the growth rate of advanced economies from above-trend levels— occurring more rapidly than

previously anticipated—together with a temporary decline in the growth rate for emerging market and developing economies in 2019, reflecting contractions in Argentina and Turkey, as well as the impact of trade actions on China and other Asian economies.�

It also noted that concerns about inflationary effects from earlier oil price increases and, in some cases, closing output gaps or pass through from currency depreciation had led central banks in many emerging market economies - Chile, Indonesia, Mexico, Philippines, Russia, South Africa, Thailand- to

raise policy rates since the fall.

It also stated that foreigncurrency sovereign credit spreads have edged up for most countries and risen substantially for some frontier markets, with investors generally lowering exposure to riskier assets, while emerging market economies experienced net capital outflows in the third quarter of 2018.

According to the IMF, “As of early January, the US dollar remains broadly unchanged in real effective terms relative to September, the euro has weakened by about two per cent amid slower growth and concerns about Italy, and the

PRESIDENCY: OBASANJO PLAYING LAST POLITICAL GAME found its voice, saying the former president is playing his last political game.

The presidency received support from the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, who said Obasanjo was an expired politician that had become irrelevant in the scheme of things.

Speaking yesterday on Arise News Network, a sister broadcast arm of THISDAY Newspaper, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, said Obasanjo would be demystified by the outcome of the February 16 election.

According to him, the outcome of the forthcoming presidential election would lead to the end of the political relevance of the former president.

"We thank him for whatever he has done - positive or negative, but what Nigerians are going to say in a couple of weeks at the polls, is what matters most. I tell you, Obasanjo is playing his last political game.

He is going to be defeated; he is going to be worsted; he is going to be ridiculed; and he will have no voice again after the election," he boasted.

Adesina argued that Obasanjo had been playing God in Nigeria, which stopped with the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari.

"Every administration that came after his own in 1979, he played God. He tried to lead them by the nose; he tried to direct them, which way to go.

But he met a different person in President Buhari. He is now saying, 'rather than have this person that refuses to listen; that refuses to kowtow to me, I will work against him.' He has been working against him since last year. Again, it is democratic

liberty," he said.

The presidential spokesman insisted that the problem was that the former president was behaving like a man, who defeat was starring in the face; hence the desperate action he had resorted to. "When defeat stares people in the face, they react differently. Remember in those days when we play boyhood soccer, when you are being badly beaten, at a stage during the game, you can say I'm not playing again," he said.

Adesina however, regretted that Obasanjo had refused to throw in the towel in defeat.

"Chief Obasanjo sees defeat ahead in the polls. Instead of raising his hands in surrender, he has decided not to. Rather, he has gone into the panic mode. He wants to incite Nigerians, not just Nigerians, but the international community against President Buhari. It's a lost battle. Nigerians know who to believe, they know who to trust, they know who to vote in. It's not for him to say vote for this person or not. He has just one vote. He has the liberty to cast that vote whichever way he wants,� he told Arise TV. Adesina said Buhari had abiding respect for Obasanjo not only as his former boss when the president was Minister of Petroleum Resources, but as his Commander-in-Chief in the Armed Forces where respect for seniors is sacrosanct.

He said Obasanjo was simply being a hypocrite by crying foul against a possible electoral fraud, saying the former president conducted the worst election in the political annals of the country to the point that even the beneficiary of the election admitted that the election was mired in irregularity.

"He is not in a position to

talk about free and fair election," Adesina stated.

Asked if the government would use the opportunity of the latest attack on Buhari to investigate the $16 billion allegedly spent on power by the former president and possibly prosecute him?

Adesina said it was sometimes necessary to use discretionary powers in the fight against corruption and move on.

He also said it was a House of Representatives' panel constituted in 2009 to probe the power sector under Obasanjo which uncovered the figure, insisting that the claim has been in public domain since then.

"At times, you need to use discretion and move forward.

It was a panel that came up with the sum of $16 billion and it is in public domain," he said.

Asked if discretion is applied in the war against corruption, Adesina said, "There is nothing you don't use for," emphasising that in certain battles, the use of discretion is sacrosanct.

Also reacting to the former president’s searing attacks on Buhari, Tinubu and a couple of leaders of the ruling party yesterday came down heavily on the former president.

The APC bigwigs who gathered in Maiduguri, Borno State for the party’s presidential campaign in company with the president, took turns to attack Obasanjo for his tongue lashing of their standard bearer.

Leading the attack was Tinubu, who described Obasanjo as one of the expired leaders that should have retired to his Ota farm and remain quiet.

He said, "It is unfortunate that expired leaders like Olusegun Obasanjo is ranting and lying.

Don't trust him. We are sweeping all the cobwebs of corruption

PDP, OTHERS KICK AS FG ALLEGES OPPOSITION PARTIES MOBILISING TERRORISTS FOR VIOLENCE

government.�

The ADC spokesperson noted that if anybody is planning to disrupt this election, it is APC, and not any other party, stressing that if there is free and fair election, there is no way APC would come back to power.

Kolapo said, “All we are telling INEC is to ensure free and fair elections, and for the security agencies they should live up to their responsibilities; they should ensure that if people go out to vote, they are safe; people should be able to exercise their civic right without molestation, without intimidation of any form.�

On its part, ANN described the accusation by the APC-led federal government as illogical

and one of the last signs of a rejected government looking for whom to blame for its impending woes.

Oyeniyi said that opposition parties are too busy with their altruistic duty of rescuing Nigerians from the claws of the Buhari’s government, whose incompetence and directionlessness has caused rise in Boko Haram and bandits activities. He said, “Without even denying the claims made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed, Nigerians already know who Lai is and what trauma the government he's serving is. So, we advise President Buhari to throw in the towel, beg Nigerians for forgiveness and go home to rest.�

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Group News Editor Ejiofor Alike Email Ejiofor.Alike@thisdaylive.com, 08066066268

Again, Oshiomhole Urges Buhari to Probe Obasanjo Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja The Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has

again called on President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate former President Olusegun Obasanjo for the alleged misdeeds during his

Don’t Allow Treasury Looters to Return to Power, Osinbajo Tells Nigerians Victor Ogunje in Ado Ekiti Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has advised Nigerians to resist the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from returning to power in 2019 election, saying the motive behind the party’s desperation is to allegedly loot the country.

Osinbajo said Nigeria’s economy would have collapsed but for President Muhammadu Buhari’s honesty, stressing that only a honest and selfless leader can be trusted with the nation’s wealth.

In spite of the barrage of attacks by eminent Nigerians and opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) branding the tradermoni policy as a‘jamboree’, Osinbajo described the scheme as “one of the major policies of President Buhari’s government, because it was centred around the youths and poor Nigerians”.

He spoke in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, during a Roundtable and Mentorship Programme on Micro, Small and Medium Scale enterprises(MSME).

The Tradermoni programme was implemented in Ado Ekiti metropolis, Ikere and Omuo Ekiti in Ekiti State.

He also visited Iworoko Ekiti, where a truck killed 15 persons a couple of weeks ago to commiserate with the indigenes of the town.

Osinbajo said Nigerians would

be plunged into another round of embezzlement if the PDP succeeded in wresting power from the present Buhari’s government, which he described as prudent in terms of financial management.

He said the government will establish special micro finance banks - People’s Money Bank and Entrepreneurial Bank to drive the tradermoni and Market Money policies, where beneficiaries will get between N100,000 and N500,000 to establish MSME to drive the economy.

“Many of our leaders are not responsible; so, Nigeria needs an honest man to lead the people and President Buhari is doing just that. Don’t allow anybody to deceive you. President Buhari is an honest man. Our problem in this country is that many of our leaders are stealing our money; so, you must disallow them from coming to power again,” he said.

He said Ekiti will benefit from Lagos-Kano railway line that is underway when completed, saying this project was targeted at strengthening the economy of each of the benefiting states.

“Rather than stealing money, President Buhari is doing more to strengthen the youths through N-Power, Tradermoni, School Feeding Programme, Lagos-Kano rail line, Calabar—Asaba-Abuja Railway line, among others.

IG Orders Decentralisation of SARS The acting Inspector-General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the immediate decentralisation of operations of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) unit.

This is as a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Abuja urged Adamu to be professional and non-partisan during the forthcoming general election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that before the current development, operations of SARS were centralised at the Force Headquarters.

SARS operations were recently reorganised following alleged unethical conduct by personnel of the unit.

Adamu gave the order yesterday at a meeting with officers in the rank of Commissioners of Police and above in Abuja.

He said that with the new arrangement, commissioners of police in the 36 states and the FCT would assume full command and control on all SARS in their commands.

The police boss said henceforth the SARS unit

in the force headquarters, would be under the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID).

He said that the DIG FCIID and CPs would be held liable for any professional misconduct resulting from the operations of the units in their commands.

Adamu also directed them to evaluate the units in their commands and submit a report to his office within two weeks.

The police boss also announced the disbandment of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) and Special Tactical Squad (STS) and other quasiinvestigation and operation units of the force.

He said that the DIG FCIID would take over and review all cases being currently handled by the units.

Adamu said that a comprehensive reorganisation of the Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counterterrorism unit and Special Protection Unit (SPU) would be undertaken.

“This re-positioning process will eventually cascade down to the zonal and state command levels,” he said.

tenure.

He said Nigerians should hold the former president responsible for 65 per cent of the problems that have bedeviled the country in recent times, since he superintended over the affairs of the country for 13 years.

Addressing the party’s presidential campaign rally in Yobe State, yesterday, Oshiomhole accused Obasanjo of allegedly bribing legislators during his tenure.

Oshiomhole said: “President Obasanjo ruled the country for 13 years, so whatever are the sins of Nigeria, Obasanjo carries 65 per cent of the burden of that sin. He introduced corruption to the National Assembly giving every senator N100 million, and

House of Representatives N50 million.

“Where did he get that money from? Mr. President, in the name of Almighty God, you have a duty when you are re-elected; you have a duty to use this broom. We know it will be shorter, and you know the shorter the more effective it will be. You must find answers, with all due respect, to the mismanagement that Chief Obasanjo did,” he said.

Oshiomhole who also addressed the party faithful in Hausa, said Obasanjo was exhibiting desperation because he was afraid of his betrayal having seen the turnout everywhere President Buhari has gone for campaign.

He also alleged that Obasanjo

and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were jittery that the president has been able to withstand the rigour of campaigns and has pulled large crowd at every rally.

According to him, Obasanjo and his PDP collaborators believe that the President Buhari will not be able to campaign.

“They said the president is not campaigning when he said that Bola Tinubu will lead the campaigns.

“As a matter of a man of honour, he said Asiwaju you will lead my campaign, which is just a statement of modesty, acknowledging that there are other parties.

“They said he should come out, lead it by himself. When he decided to lead the campaigns,

they said that everyday he is campaigning,” the APC chairman said.

On his part, President Buhari used the opportunity to thank the people of Yobe State for supporting his election in 2015, noting that he had fulfilled the promise made to reduce the cost of fertiliser to enable farmers improve on their productivity.

The president cautioned that the federal government will not tolerate any attempt to hoard or sell fertiliser above approved price.

Buhari who spoke to an excited crowd of party supporters who thronged the Yobe Township Stadium also vowed to deal with those engaged in smuggling of food stuffs, particularly rice.

DISCUSSING CAMPAIGN STRATEGY...

President Muhammadu Buhari (right), discussing with National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, at the North-east zonal presidential rally of the party in Maiduguri, Borno State...yesterday

Lagos Assembly Foils Ambode’s Attempt to Present 2019 Budget Gboyega Akinsanmi

The Lagos State House of Assembly yesterday rejected the request of the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to formally present the 2019 appropriation bill valued at N852.317 billion.

Contrary to the position of the office of the Chief Press Secretary to the governor that the 2019 budget would be presented yesterday, the request was not listed as part of the agenda of the state House of Assembly for the day.

THISDAY findings revealed that Ambode had since last week contacted the state assembly that he was ready to present the 2019 budget, though it was not clear if the assembly agreed to the governor’s request to present the budget yesterday.

Based on the invitation to journalists for the budget presentation, the state house correspondents trooped to the state assembly for the exercise.

However, the correspondents were denied access to the legislative chambers, the venue of the budget presentation.

THISDAY observed that Ambode’s security aides including Chief Security Officer (CSO) were on ground at the state assembly, apparently awaiting the arrival of the governor, whose attempts to present the budget proposal since December 28, 2018 had met brick wall.

THISDAY also sighted the convoy of the Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule, at the Assembly complex while the governor’s anti-bomb operatives were fully on ground for the exercise.

Despite high expectation that the budget would be presented yesterday, security operatives at the assembly denied the state house correspondents access to the legislative chamber after waiting for about 30 minutes or more for the presentation of the 2019 budget.

After about 30 minutes, a police officer, who introduced himself as officer-in-charge, asked the state house correspondents to leave the assembly complex, perhaps acting on the directive of the speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa.

The police officer claimed that he received information from the speaker that the lawmakers would not take the governor’s budget presentation as earlier expected.

He said the speaker was having a private meeting with other lawmakers and would not want to be disturbed.

He, therefore, said the assembly would entertain budget presentation, thereby directing all journalists to leave the complex.

He said, “I know you are journalists and here for your job but the budget will not be presented today. The speaker and the lawmakers are having a private session and would not like to see people at the lobby”.

Ambode had been having frosty relationship with the lawmakers after he fell out with the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

There were reports of attempt to impeach Ambode, though the speaker denied it.

At a plenary in November 2018, however, Obasa said the governor would determine

whether he would be impeached or not.

The speaker, however, denied the reports that the assembly was plotting to impeach the governor if he refused to fund the governorship and legislative elections from the state treasury.

Obasa noted that the reports of some social and traditional media platform on the impeachment plan “is not true. I received telephone calls from prominent citizens over the alleged impeachment plan against the governor. Honestly, we had no such plan”.

He lamented that the Solidarity Group of Nigeria (SGN) and factional Chairman of Lagos APC, Mr. Fouad Oki “have been alleging that we threatened the governor to open the state treasury for us and that we threatened to impeach him if he failed to do so.

“So, nobody can threaten us, if it happens, because we are representatives of the people. We do not need the wailers to guide us in performing our duties. It is not out of place for us to do our job,” he said.

TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWS

Again, FG, ASUU Talks End in Deadlock Buhari orders Ngige to resolve all pending issues Onyebuchi Ezigbo and Kuni Tyessi in Abuja Another meeting between the federal government and striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) yesterday night ended without any agreement.

This is coming as President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to do everything possible to end the three-month-old strike by university teachers.

The president of ASUU, Prof.

Abiodun Ogunyemi who spoke to journalists on the outcome of the deadlocked meeting stated that, “the meeting is not conclusive; so, we are going back to consult with our members.

They gave us their reactions to our proposals but there are still grey areas we are trying to sort out ; so, until we finish our consultations you will know our own reaction”.

When asked to state specifically what the grey areas are, the ASUU president said, “the most critical of all is the revitalisation fund and this is

Buhari: My Christian Brothers Stood by Me When Fellow Muslims Worked against Me President Muhammadu Buhari has condemned the attitude of some Nigerians who hide under the guise of ethnicity and religion to perpetrate injustice.

Buhari said this when he hosted the staff who worked with him during his tenure as military head of state between 1984 and 1985.

According to the Cable, Buhari said using religion and ethnicity as smokescreen “is just corruption, pure and simple”.

He said those who ruled against him at the courts in 2003, 2007, and 2011 election tribunals were Muslims from the north but those who defended him were Christians from the south.

“I was recently forced to talk to somebody I respect a lot about Nigeria. I said in 2003, when I started out, complaints about presidential election used to start from the Court of Appeal. The president of the court then was my classmate in secondary school for six years. Himself, myself and Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, were classmates,” the statement read.

“My lawyer, Mike Ahamba, was Roman Catholic and an Ibo man. My first witness was in the box. Ahamba said he needed the register of voters in certain constituencies and states to prove that votes were just allocated, and not true reflection of what existed in the constituencies. He asked them to record his request and sign. They did so.

“When they came to give judgment later, the matter was not mentioned at all. In the panel was another Roman

Catholic and Ibo, who raised his hand and said, this is what Buhari’s lawyer had said. Did we write to those constituencies and states to submit the register?

If so, why is it not in the judgment? They just shut him up. He had to write a minority judgment. Of course, he’s now our Ambassador in United States of America.

“I petitioned the Supreme Court. Who was the Chief Justice - a Muslim, probably a Fulani, from Zaria. After 27 months, we went. Ahamba addressed the court for 2 hours and 45 minutes. They went in, came out after about 45 minutes, and said they were proceeding on vacation the next day. They were away for three months, making it 30 months in all. When they came back, they dismissed the case within 45 minutes.

“In 2007, they repeated the same thing. Who was the Chief Justice - a northerner and Muslim. After 18 months, they dismissed the case.

“The third time, who was CJN - a Muslim, Fulani man from Jigawa. After eight months, he dismissed the case. This bloody nonsense about Nigeria on ethnicity and religion is just corruption, pure and simple.

Wherever we find ourselves, let’s pray to God that we maintain our faith. That’s all we have.

“I try to do my best, and pray to God to help me. May God Almighty give us the ways and means to continue to do our best for the country. Whatever religion we follow, let’s do it seriously, as finally, we would appear before God.”

After 11 Years, Ladoja’s Trial Ends Court reserves judgment Davidson Iriekpen The 11-year-old trial of a former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, for alleged N4.7billion fraud came to a close yesterday at the Federal High Court in Lagos, with the court reserving judgment.

Justice Mohammed Idris reserved his judgment after counsel representing parties had adopted their final addresses before the court.

Ladoja was charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) with converting N4.7 billion from the state’s treasury to his personal use.

He was re-arraigned along

with Waheed Akanbi, his former Commissioner for Finance on 11-count charge of money laundering and unlawful conversion of public funds.

They had pleaded not guilty to the charges, and were granted bails.

Evidence in the trial closed on November 17, after Ladoja had given his evidence before the court.

The court had then adjourned for adoption of final addresses.

Adopting his address yesterday, the prosecutor, Mr Oluwafemi Olabisi, urged the court to hold that the prosecution had been able to establish its case against the accused based on evidences adduced.

very central to our work as academics and unless that area is addressed, members may not accept to call off the ongoing action,” he said.

Ogunyemi said the lecturers are asking for a minimum of N50 billion to restart the revitalisation fund.

On his part, the chief negotiator, Ngige, said that substantial progress has been made during last night’s talks.

Ngige who spoke to journalists after the over two hours’ meeting with ASUU said that the meeting has gotten substantial agreements in about seven areas although he failed to list those areas.

On whether the federal government has agreed to pay the N50 billion demanded by ASUU, the minister said that the federal government has only accepted to the amount owed since the previous

administration.

According to Ngige, the federal government has started defraying the end allowances owed the university teachers, adding that it has starting releasing N15.4 billion shortfall in payment of salaries.

He also said the government has agreed to spend some money on the revitalisation fund irrespective of the fact that the government had earlier released from TETFUND account about N163 billion.

Ngige stated that “most of the issues have been resolved, they going back to their people to consult”. On when negotiation is likely to reconvene, the minister said that it will be at the instance of ASUU since they have asked to be excused to go and consult with their members.

Ngige said that contrary to insinuations that the federal government is weak and not

applying its powers to the end the strike, the government was only trying resolve issues amicably in order to avoid bringing the whole sector to a halt, especially now that elections are around the corner.

Meanwhile, President Buhari has ordered Ngige to do everything possible to end the three-month-old strike by the university teachers.

Ngige disclosed this in a statement issued yesterday during the resumed negotiation with the leadership of ASUU. The statement issued by the Assistant Director, Press at the ministry, Ms. Rhoda Illiya, said the president told the minister that the strike must be called off at the end of yesterday’s meeting.

“Mr. President has directed me to pass the night here until all issues that have kept our children away from school are

resolved and the strike called off,” Ngige said.

“The president has also directed him to impress upon you, the imperative of little sacrifice from all sides, knowing full well that the revenue of the federation has dwindled from what it was before the present administration assumed office,” Ngige added.

The president, he added, was concerned by the prevailing crisis in the university system, hence his steady commitment to a “holistic approach to tackling the rot through adequate funding, notwithstanding the dwindling accruals.“ “The president told me to assure you of his determination to reposition our universities as he would do everything possible to cast the present challenges in our tertiary education to the dustbin of history,” the minister added.

BILATERAL COOPERATION…

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State (left); and Chinese Ambassador to Nigeria, Zhou Pingjian, at the Forum on the Belt and Road Initiative and Production Capacity Cooperation between China and Nigeria, to mark the Chinese New Year, held in Lagos...recently

Court Restrains EFCC, Police, DSS from Arresting Fani-Kayode, Odumakin An Abuja Federal High Court has restrained the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police from arresting or detaining Femi Fani-Kayode and Yinka Odumakin.

Justice John Tsoho, gave the order yesterday following an ex parte application argued by Mr. Chukwuma MachukwuUme (SAN), on behalf of the duo.

Machukwu-Ume told the court that the three security agencies were planning to arrest and detain his clients over comments they made with regard to the travails of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

“The spokesman of the EFCC, Mr. Tony Orilede, was alleged to have made the threat to arrest them publicly at a conference where he represented the EFCC chairman.

“He said they are doing everything possible to arrest these two gentlemen just for speaking their minds.

“The EFCC is established to pursue corruption and not

comments made by Nigerians, expressing themselves,” he said.

The lawyer told the court that his clients had gone into hiding for fear of being arrested for merely expressing their freedom of speech, alleging that their family lives had also been affected by the alleged threat.

Machukwu-Ume told the court that the application was brought pursuant to Section 6 (6)(b) and Section 46 of the 1999 Constitution as well as Order 4 Rules 3 of the Fundamental Rights Procedure Rules.

He urged the court to grant the order restraining the respondents from arresting and detaining his clients pending the determination of the application on notice.

Justice Tsoho said that he was satisfied that the applicants had made a case that their lives were being threatened.

“I am satisfied that the applicants have made out a case for the court’s intervention.

“Accordingly, the respondents are restrained from

either arresting or detaining the applicants on grounds of the applicants’ public statements pending the determination of

the application on notice,” the judge ruled.

The judge adjourned the matter until February 4.

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5 ) * 4 % ": t TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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COMMENT

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

THE POLITICS OF EDGAL’S REDEPLOYMENT

The authorities did well by returning the Lagos Police Commissioner to his duty post, writes Edwin Eboigbe

O

n Sunday, January 13, 2019, Lagosians were greeted with the news of the redeployment of the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Imohimi Edgal, to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, as Commissioner of Police in charge of the Explosive Ordinance Unit.

In Edgal’s place, it was also announced that Mr Kayode Egbetokun, who was hitherto in charge of the said Explosive Ordinance Unit, would be in charge of the Lagos Command in acting capacity until confirmed by the Inspector-General of Police.

Egbetokun, a former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to a chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, was coming in as police honcho in Lagos barely one year and about four months into the tenure of Edgal in the state.

Edgal was appointed the substantive CP in Lagos on September 1, 2017, having served in acting capacity after the redeployment of his predecessor, Fatai Owoseni, now retired.

The immediate task before Edgal then was how to deal with ritual killings being brutally spearheaded in the Ikorodu axis by the notorious Badoo cult group and activities of kidnappers who were having a field day perpetrating their illegal trade, especially in the eastern axis of the state. Lagosians would recall how people were abandoning their abodes due to the activities of the Badoo cult terrorizing the people of Ikorodu.

Their modus operandi then was to use grinding stones, mortar and pestle to smash their victims on the head and then flee the scene with the blood of such victims, to be thereafter used for ritual purposes.

As a community policing expert and an operational cop to the core, Edgal rose to the challenge and was able to curb the activities of the cult group, as well as generally ensured drastic reduction in crime rate in the state. Till today, the man who is alleged to be the ring leader of the dreaded cult group, one Alhaji Abayomi Kamal Alaka had fled the state and yet to return, having been declared wanted by the police under the leadership of Edgal. Many shrines belonging to the cult group have also been destroyed both in Lagos and even outside the state, especially neighbouring villages in Ogun State, in several operations led by Edgal, which also resulted in arrest of key suspects.

Today, one can safely say that Badoo cultists have been degraded in Lagos, while crime rate has also gone down significantly. Indeed, the city-state is now being referred to as the safest place to live in Africa.

It is also a common knowledge that Edgal is well known as an officer who does not sit in his office to give directive. He would lead the operation, no matter how volatile the place is.

The issue of human rights of citizens has also been given priority by Edgal, who is also believed to be a no-nonsense CP. The implication of this development is that members of the public now have confidence in the police, while the morale of rank and file of the Lagos Command had considerably been boosted. With the proactive measures and feats attained so far in the state in terms of security, one wonders the motive behind the

FOR THOSE PUSHING THE AGENDA OF A FUNDAMENTAL CHANGE IN SECURITY ARCHITECTURE OF THE STATE, IT IS APPROPRIATE TO ADMONISH THEM TO SHEATHE THEIR SWORD IN THE INTEREST OF PEACE AND STABILITY AS THE CRIMINAL ELEMENTS MAY TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ANY LAPSES IN SECURITY

sudden redeployment of Edgal out of Lagos.

The question begging for answer is ‘why should anyone at this crucial point in time come up with such redeployment of a cop that is widely acknowledged to be doing well?’ Why the attempt to replace him with a police officer who is a known aide of a major politician in the state? And why the various and surreptitious attempts to damage his image by some people who are not comfortable with his presence in the state? All hands are pointing towards politics based on the violence that greeted the official flag-off of the campaign of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state on January 8, 2019, where a chieftain of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Musiliu Akinsanya, aka MC Oluomo, was brutally attacked.

Several interpretations have been given to it with some party stalwarts accusing the police boss of failing to do enough to prevent the fracas in the first place. But these critics would not tell the world that if not for the prompt intervention by the police the ‘bad boys’ would have had a field day. Characters like MC Oluomo have been known to be working for a certain politician in the state and his political interests across the country. There are also many reports in the public domain that confirm the fact that such people play a major role in elections, but the link to the police leadership in the state is what discerning minds are questioning.

As a fact, this is what is used to rig elections before now in Lagos. It is one of the tools to consummate the hegemony of a certain godfather in the state but this time around, it seems the narrative is changing.

However, kudos must be given to President Muhammadu Buhari for sanctioning the reversal of Edgal’s redeployment because, for him, there is need for peace and stability in Lagos as the engine room and commercial nerve centre of the country, and so he has opted to do the right thing. As a seasoned officer with respect for orders, Edgal was said to be preparing to hand over to Egbetokun who was already fully prepared to take charge, packing his vehicle in the space reserved for the CP, and coming with his chair and other personal effects, when another order from above ostensibly from the new Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu and approved by the President, directed that status quo be maintained. For those pushing the agenda of a fundamental change in security architecture of the state at this critical point in time when major elections - Presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State House of Assembly, are lurking, it is appropriate to admonish them to sheathe their sword in the interest of peace and stability of the polity, as the criminal elements may take advantage of any lapses in security, and thus rupture the tranquility being enjoyed in the Centre of Excellence, Lagos. Thanks goodness, the powers that be at the centre are pragmatic and understand the adverse consequences of any breach in security in Lagos, being the fifth largest economy in Africa and a major contributor to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the country.

Hence, it behooves on every stakeholder to fall in line.

Eboigbe wrote from Festac Town, Lagos

PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE: BETWEEN BUHARI AND ATIKU Jude Ndukwe argues that President Buhari is central to the Presidential debate

T

he much-talked about Presidential Debate scheduled to hold on Saturday, January 19, 2019, at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja, has come and gone but not without its dramas that have kept Nigerians wondering and talking about so many things including why the incumbent, President Muhammadu Buhari, shunned the debate, and why his closest challenger, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, excused himself from it after realizing that the incumbent was not going to be in attendance.

The debate was supposed to be a Presidential Debate. Such debates world over lose their essence once the incumbent is not present, and it is unthinkable that the incumbent in the US, for example, would miss out on such a debate since the debate is designed to scrutinize the performance of the incumbent/his party and extract commitments from the contenders. It is therefore unfortunate that President Buhari did not see it fit to seize this all important opportunity to engage his challengers in particular and Nigerians in general through the debate. His absence totally vitiates the importance of the debate and obliterates its essence just like a well-advertised world heavyweight boxing match is scuttled by the absence of the reigning champion. No matter how well publicized the match is, it does not even matter if the tickets were sold out and the arena packed to the rafters, the excitement, the anticipation and expectations of those following developments both at the venue and other places dissipates at the speed of light once the reigning champion chooses to stay away from the match for whatever reason.

Such a disappointment cannot even be assuaged or compensated for by the challenger no matter how much he tries to entertain the crowd with shadow boxing and showboating which is what a Presidential debate without the incumbent is.

In fact, in developed democracies, presidential debates are usually organized for only the top contenders, and in the case of the US, between just two, the Democrats and the Republicans. While there

are usually dozens of other political parties fielding candidates for the presidential elections in the United States, only candidates of the two major contending parties feature in Presidential debates after the parties’ primaries. Although candidates of the other parties have always been in the contest, their chances of victory are very slim and insignificant to the extent that the debate feature only the top two contenders. If it was in the US, the Presidential debate would have been strictly between the top two contenders, in this case, President Buhari and his closest challenger, Atiku Abubakar. The verdict, based on what happened on Saturday, would have been that the debate would not hold since Atiku turned up but Buhari was nowhere to be found near the venue. In fact, he was in faraway Plateau State, showing total disregard for the debate, as always.

Just like in Nigeria, apart from the major political parties, there are also such parties with considerable influence in the American political system but which are not invited for Presidential debates. The wisdom in this is that it allows the contenders with the realistic chances of having ample time to scrutinize one another. For example, former New Mexico governor, Gary Johnson, was the presidential nominee for the Libertarian Party (LP) at the 2012 US general elections. Johnson had votes in every state in America except only for Michigan and Oklahoma.

His total votes in the election were over one million.

Again in 2016, the LP fielded Gary Johnson, and this time round, he received over four million votes in the presidential election.

Another party with similar strengths as the Libertarian Party in the US is the Constitution Party.

The strength of this party can be measured by the fact that its gubernatorial candidate at the Colorado election in 2010 actually came second with 36.4% of total valid votes cast, beating the candidate of the Republican party to third position.

It is noteworthy that despite their strengths, only candidates of The Republicans and The Democrats tango in the US’ Presidential Debates. If the debate

was to be in America, the debate would have been strictly between Buhari and Atiku, and the natural and correct thing to do when the incumbent is not present is for the organizers to call it off and or for the top contender to excuse himself as he cannot debate against himself. One is not saying that the other contenders are not important, it is just that having narrowed the contest to two major contenders with the most realistic chances of winning, they need time to scrutinize each other and marshal out their points.

Atiku was absolutely right in excusing himself from that Presidential debate after seeing that the other major contender, Buhari, was absent. Debates are not just addresses or rallies, they are ultimately a stage where “opposing arguments are put forward� by the debaters. In fact, another dictionary described it as to “argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner�. One of the synonyms for debate is to “dispute� on an issue. At this stage of our national life, we can no longer be taking certain things for granted. If it was a debate on critical national matters, who would Atiku be debating or disputing with on these issues?

Does Kingsley Moghalu know why our soldiers are being killed on a regular basis by a ragtag Boko Haram despite trillions of naira budgeted and spent on the military in Buhari’s almost four years tenure?

Can Oby Ezekwesili provide answers to why the Buhari presidency keeps making excuses for those who murder our fathers, rape our mothers, wickedly rip out the unborn from their wombs, maim our children, sack communities and forcefully take over other people’s lands without any repercussion or even as much as a challenge from our security forces under Buhari as Commander-in-Chief? Could Fela Durotoye have been able to provide answers to why Nigeria became the poverty capital of the world under the Buhari administration with all its known inefficiencies, gross incompetence and blatant ineptitude? Who among them could have explained why the fight against corruption under this administration has been turned to a fight against opposition? Who among them would have been

able to provide answers on why appointments are lopsided and why Nigerians have been so bitterly divided along parochial lines under the Buhari presidency?

Critical issues and questions of national importance would have come up at the debate to which only the incumbent would have answers to.

But what is the essence of a debate of presidential candidates when the one to give answers to those issues plaguing us as a nation is not there to either defend himself and his administration or give explanations as to why certain things happen under him which have left Nigerians bewildered.

Such disputing on the podium would then give all the candidates including the incumbent chance to put forward what they would do differently going forward. This is why a debate is between the forces for and those against. It is not a narrative exercise, it is an argumentative one, and when one critical party to the salient points to be raised at the debate deliberately makes himself unavailable, it rubbishes the very essence of the debate.

This is the reason why the other contenders should have also insisted that they would not participate in the debate if Buhari was not going to be there. What was the essence of all they said about the precarious situation of the country when the man at the helm of affairs was not there? Who were they disputing with? Or, rather, who were they debating with? The truth is that all the other candidates who chose to go ahead with the debate did not do so because they are comfortable with the fact that Buhari was not present or that they love Nigeria and Nigerians more than Atiku, but only seized the opportunity of rare free live television coverage provided by the occasion to speak of their ambition and have their faces on camera. That is the hallmark of desperate politicians who would compromise standards and rightness just to further their own personal interests which they masquerade as national interest. jrndukwe@yahoo.co.uk

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EDITORIAL 2019 POLLS: On Your Marks…

The INEC should ensure that the elections are free and credible

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ith the release last week by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the final list of eligible candidates for the 2019 presidential, national and state assemblies’ elections, the attention of stakeholders is now focused on whose name is missing and why. For instance, the ruling All Peoples Party (APC) has no candidates for both Rivers and Zamfara States as far as INEC is concerned. In many other states, there are also contentions as to the real candidates for different offices though the final word may come from the courts. Meanwhile, the INEC guidelines which set the template for the conduct of the election have played into some hostilities.

The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) and Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) have kicked against certain proviWE URGE THE sions while carpeting COMMISSION TO GUIDE INEC for not engaging them in prior AGAINST ANYTHING consultations. One THAT WILL SUBTRACT the controversial FROM THE CREDIBILITY of guidelines has to do OF THE ELECTIONS with the banning AND GIVES ROOM of collation officers FOR SUSPICION OR from making or receiving telephone SPECULATION calls during the tallying of votes. This was reportedly prompted by the experience from last September Osun State governorship election when some believed a call received by a collation officer might have influenced the outcome of the election. After a run-off poll, Mr Gboyega Oyetola of APC who came second in the first election, was declared winner.

Also not well received by some of the opposition parties is INEC introduction of the simultaneous accreditation and voting, which had worked effectively during some of the rerun elections in the states.

Even if we side with INEC on the continuous method

Letters to the Editor

of accreditation and voting because it is less time consuming and more efficient, the electoral umpire should take into account some of the points being made by the opposition to improve on the process.

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T H I S DAY EDITOR BOLAJI ADEBIYI DEPUTY EDITOR DAVIDSON IRIEKPEN MANAGING DIRECTOR ENIOLA BELLO DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTOR KAYODE KOMOLAFE CHAIRMAN EDITORIAL BOARD OLUSEGUN ADENIYI EDITOR NATION’S CAPITAL IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN MANAGING EDITOR JOSEPH USHIGIALE

T H I S DAY N E W S PA P E R S L I M I T E D EDITOR-IN-CHIEF/CHAIRMAN NDUKA OBAIGBENA GROUP EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS ENIOLA BELLO, KAYODE KOMOLAFE, ISRAEL IWEGBU, IJEOMA NWOGWUGWU, EMMANUEL EFENI DIVISIONAL DIRECTORS BOLAJI ADEBIYI, PETER IWEGBU, ANTHONY OGEDENGBE DEPUTY DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR OJOGUN VICTOR DANBOYI SNR. ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR ERIC OJEH ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS PATRICK EIMIUHI, SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

TO OUR READERS Letters in response to specific 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.

OKOWA: RIGHT MAN FOR THE JOB

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elta state has never had it this good for a long time, talking about governorship without any fear of equivocation on all fronts, governor Okowa is in front of all others in terms of infrastructure, provision of hospital and educational institutions, etc. The state made giant strides. No wonder the people gave him a name “THE ROAD MASTER’’. Except you are in Delta State, you will not understand how the people came by the name. The simple reason which all Deltans can testify to its massive road constructions in all the three senatorial districts.

As a matter of fact, if one is to use that as an index, you might not be able to say which one is his own senatorial district because his presence in all the three senatorial district is unimaginable. I came across someone from Central senatorial district i.e. the home of the main contender of the gubernatorial seat (APC) and the man didn’t seem to know another name than Okowa-the right candidate.

In line with his smart agenda on wealth and job creation (poverty alleviation) he has given poverty a hot chase out of Delta State. He has transformed lives and

owever, it is not only the guidelines that are making some people to waver about the credibility of the 2019 election.

Bickering among the political parties was heightened a fortnight ago with the posting of INEC Commissioner, Mrs Amina Zakari as head of the collation centre. The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tagged the posting a deliberate ploy to rig the forthcoming election. Many other parties have raised questions on what compelled the appointment. While the matter is purely administrative and INEC has explained what her role would be at the centre, we urge the commission to guide against anything that will subtract from the credibility of the elections and gives room for suspicion or speculation.

It is noteworthy that the campaigns have been largely peaceful, although there are also pockets of violence in a number of states. This “end justifies the means” approach to politics has over the years provided the incentive and motivation for politicians and power seekers to believe that all is fair and acceptable in electoral politics. This is why we have consistently advocated a review of the remunerations and other perks of public office holders. Perhaps we will begin to see a reduction in violence if and when the fat allowances attached to the elective offices are slashed considerably. When people realise that public office is no longer an avenue to “share the booty” but to render service, the tendency to seek election at all costs and by all means will end. It is our hope that with the appointment last week by President Muhammadu Buhari of Abubakar Adamu as the acting Inspector-General of Police, we will witness a violence-free election. Fortunately, the new IGP has committed himself to doing his job creditably and professionally. That is reassuring. A good security network will go a long way to strengthen INEC’s capacity to conduct a credible election.

empowered a good number of farmers, market men and women, butchers, youths, etc., by giving them loans and grants. A lot of free training was also done on skills acquisition which the youths benefitted hugely from; this has drastically reduced unemployment index. It is a common knowledge that there is a significant drop in crime rate because most youth are now constructively engaged. He is a seasoned politician of a different breed.

In a country where most politicians are known to make empty promises, here is a man who has fulfilled all his electoral promises. We hail all his electoral promises. We hail our action Governor “Ekwueme” Talk Na Do! What a befitting title.

I can only imagine what Delta State will become if this illustrious son of our state is in the saddle for another four years. As a matter of fact, I cannot imagine otherwise as that will mean a lot of retrogression for the state. I therefore appeal to all Deltans in the interest of our great state to kindly cast your votes for His Excellency, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa whom I have no fear to call the chosen one of God come March 2, 2019. To enable him perfect that which God has started using hm to do in Delta State.

Theodora Azinge (JP), Asaba

LEAVE SAMUEL ORTOM ALONE

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asically, it is infra-dig for the Presidency, through the now usual and boring medium of Garba Shehu, to pick on the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and seek to bully him into silence; Garba Shehu has no moral right to advise Ortom to face the internal problems besetting Benue State if the external one, national in scope, of armed foreign Fulani tribesmen and jihadists encamped around the Benue Valley has not been solved by the Commander-in-Chief. The Presidency should dislodge and eliminate these terrorists first and then Mr. Ortom could be held accountable for less than satisfactory governance, provided the EFCC quit seeking avenues to freeze the Benue State Government’s account and all monies due to Benue State from the bailout fund, the Paris Club refund, and the Excess Crude Account are duly paid to this state with all relevant details made public. In a true presidential democracy, no governor should be seen as the enemy by the president.

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

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019

POLITICS

Group Politics Editor NSEOBONG OKON-EKONG Email nseobong.okonekong@thisdaylive.com (08114495324 SMS ONLY)

TRENDING NEWS

Emmanuel Woos Akwa Ibomites with Completion Agenda Nseobong Okon-Ekong and Amos Etuk write that Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has presented his score card, while seeking support for a fresh mandate

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t was a gathering of the believers in the Divine Mandate superior performance of Governor Udom Emmanue of Akwa Ibom State as he formally flagged off his campaigns for a second term, using the opportunity to present his manifesto to the people of the state.

Well heralded and attended by a mammoth crowd once again, the vent showcased and re-affirmed the strength of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state as various groups, chieftains and stakeholders of the party thronged the Uyo Township Stadium, venue of the programme as the governor laid the Completion Agenda for his second term in office.

Emmanuel arrived the venue to a rousing welcome amidst thunderous cheers by thousands of supporters and well-wishers who came out early and had taken over the venue in what political pundits predicted correctly would be another defining moment in the new direction of consolidation of the present administration.

A day before during the 2019 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in the state, Emmanuel paid tribute to fallen heroes of the Nigerian Armed Forces with a great emphasis at the solemn occasion on their sacrifices as gallant soldiers with the spirit of patriotism that we may live as a people in peace and unity.

That occasion was also significant in the state as the perching of a pigeon on the stool of the governor during the symbolic release of pigeons to signify peace upon the land was viewed as divine signal approval of Emmanuel’s leadership and authority to the seat of power.

Bishop Emmanuel Kure who offered prayers at the campaign flag off described the day as the beginning of the victory song for the people of Akwa Ibom State. He declared that the next four years under Emmanuel will be the Season of Jubilee and the symbolic blowing of the horns was a clear signal to herald the new dawn of government on the shoulders of Emmanuel.

The Director General of the Divine Mandate Campaign, Otuekong Idongesit Nkanga who set the tone for the array of goodwill messages in his remarks was emphatic on the choice of the people to support the PDP to victory once again as he urged party faithful to defend their votes. ‘’ We must stand firm with the PDP, protect our votes. We are witnessing an ambience of peace and prosperity in our dear state with the establishment of 15 industries which has guaranteed the future of our children,’ he said.

The Fathers of Faith led by Arch.Bishop Cletus Bassey re-affirmed the support of the Church behind Governor Udom Emmanuel, the youths led by Comrade Aniefiok Iwaudofia re-assured the governor that he has served as a model to the younger generation and with the future assured, there would be a basis for his re-election, while Senator Helen Esuene who spoke on behalf of the women said that as mothers, the peace upon the state in the present dispensation was a landmark phenomenal achievement which every home in the state has acknowledged.

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State and wife Martha (middle) flanked by Chairman South-south Governor’s Forum and Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson (left ) ; Speaker AKHA Hon Onofiok Luke (right) Deputy Governor during the presentation of manifesto and Flag off of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in the state at the Uyo Township Stadium For the people of Eket Senatorial District, they were proud to have produced a leader who has taken governance to a new phase of national and international focal destinations. In the words of Obong Obot Etokafia who spoke on behalf of the area, ‘’Emmanuel is a genius and we are proud to have produced an inspirational leader, a trademark of integrity.’.

Senator Bassey Albert Akpan who spoke on behalf of the people of Uyo Senatorial District re-affirmed the stand of his people to support Emmanuel for a second term and that the position of Uyo Senatorial District in 2023 would never be compromised. ‘’Emmanuel is the best choice and the people of Uyo Senatorial District stand with him. Your performance has been exemplary. We are a stronghold for your re-election and we will never compromise our stand for our interests in 2023,’’ Akpan re-assured the governor.

The National Legal Adviser of the PDP, Barr.

Emmanuel Enoidem while speaking for the people of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District stated that there was no alternative to the re-election of the governor insisting that no selfish interests of any clique of individuals can sway the minds of the people of the area. ‘’ There is no alternative to your re-election.

It is not possible for a candidate who couldn’t be deputy governor and complete his tenure to govern Akwa Ibom State. Their selfish interest has united them and they will fail,” Enoidem re-assured.

For the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, they have remained steadfast with the administration of Emmanuel. In the words of the Speaker of the State Legislature, Rt.Hon. Onofiok Luke who spoke quoting from the Bible, 2nd Chronicles 32 boldly stated that one with God is majority describing the governor as a leader with courage. ‘’ We are proud of your leadership. Do not be afraid, be courageous, the hand of God Almighty is with Governor Emmanuel, victory is assured,’ Luke stated.

For the state chairman of the PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, the event was an opportunity to appreciate God’s blessings upon the party with development achieved under Emmanuel ‘’Today, the manifestation of God’s blessings is upon us all as a people. We are witnesses to the testimonies that abound within the party. We will never be intimidated, we will defend our votes. No man can play God with the people of Akwa Ibom State, Ekpo boldly stated.

The return of thousands of members back to the party including Rt. Hon.(Engr.) Ignatius Edet, a former Speaker of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly alongside the Chair of Chair of the Positive Change Movement of Senator Udoedehe with 5,000 supporters was a major milestone as they denounced the impunity and deceit in the All Progressive Congress (APC) with the dark days of violence and other social vices.

For Emmanuel, the candidate of the PDP for the March 2, 2019 governorship election, the presentation of his manifesto was a time to take

stock and a re-affirmation of his commitment on the Completion Agenda. ‘’We must rise to defend our future, we are not traitors, we are people of integrity and we must avoid the dark days of violence. Our manifesto is consolidating Akwa Ibom State to industrial excellence, he stated while laying out his visionary template for the future.

The manifesto of Emmanuel is re-assuring as it addresses and focuses on the consolidation of the strides of the administration in all sectors that will enhance a prosperous future for the people.

The Completion Agenda, as announced by Emmanuel seeks to sustain the set targets of full implementation of the five point agenda of his administration. It will involve the continued patronage for large-scale foreign investment and the development of micro, small and medium enterprises to boost entrepreneurship.

The Completion Agenda will focus on industrialization, aviation development, agricultural growth, security, human capacity development rural and riverine area development, maritime development as well as the consolidation on the industrial revolution in the state as the projected dependence on statutory allocations will reduce with an improved Internally Generated Revenue, above all, an enabling environment of peace for a thriving and prosperous future.

NOTE: Interested readers should continue in the online edition on www.thisdaylive.com

OSUN GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION TRIBUNAL UPDATE

Tribunal Castigates INEC for Wasting Time

By Our Reporter The Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal resumed yesterday with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) receiving harsh criticism for failure to present witnesses for examination before the tribunal.

The chairman, Mohammed Sirajo, chided INEC for failing to organise itself and for employing ‘delay tactics’.

“Borrow a leaf from the petitioners. They were organised and ready and were able to present 80 witnesses. They are not in government, yet they

are this organised and can plan their resources,” the panel chairman declared.

The sitting had opened with the counsel to INEC, Mr. Kpodum, seeking adjournment till next week on the ground that the witnesses to be presented before the tribunal were not yet available.

The counsel who apologized profusely, however, got more than what he bargained for when the tribunal chairman tackled him with a barrage of questions and condemnations for treating the tribunal with levity.

“Election petition is an emergency and so

must run from day-to-day unlike regular court proceedings. Borrow a leaf from the petitioners.

We are constrained by time. Our albatross are the lawyers; you like to see us suffer. What is so difficult in presenting your witnesses?”

“We have read your submission. What is delaying your witnesses. Is it that you have not prepared them since the time you submitted the evidence?”, the panel chairman retorted.

Counsels to the All Progressive Congress (APC) and Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State Lasun Sanusi (SAN) and John Bayeshea (SAN) respectively, however, supported the INEC counsel,

explaining logistics issues behind the inability of the witnesses to appear.

The counsel to the petitioner, N.O.Oke (SAN) in his contribution supported the concerns raised by the panel chairman as he said the development pointed to INEC having no defence against the petition of his client.

“My Lord, if INEC has no defence against our petition, I urge them to throw in their towel and surrender now to our petition,” Oke said.

Ruling on the matter, the tribunal rejected request for adjournment till January 24 and ruled that the sitting was adjourned till tomorrow (today).

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T H I S D AY ˾TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019

NEWS

Accord Party Adopts Babayemi For Osun West Senatorial Seat Femi Ogbonnikan The Osun State chapter of the Accord Party (AP) has adopted the Osun West Senatorial flag bearer of the Action Democratic Party (ADP), Omooba Dotun Babayemi, as its consensus candidate in the forthcoming general elections.

The AP led by its state chairman, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Opawuyi, senatorial leader, Alhaji Ayoola Fatai, and all local government chairmen across the district, who paid a surprise visit to convey the message of the adoption to the ADP senatorial candidate at his Gbongan home, described the flag bearer as articulate, competent and responsible.

According to the State Chairman of the AP, the endorsement became necessary in order to declare the stand of the party early enough without ambiguity.

He stated that Accord party is for the people and has carried out a detailed survey and research of all the candidates jostling for

Abia Governorship Candidate Promises Accountability Nseobong Okon-Ekong

the Osun West Senatorial seat, the result of which proves that only Babayemi was capable of delivering the dividends of quality representation to the people of the district.

“Accord Party will deliver at least 22,000 votes to the ADP candidate.

Our party leaders are also in support of the endorsement and we promise massive mobilization and votes for Babayemi’s election into the upper chamber of the National Assembly,” said the AP chairman.

Responding to the offer, Babayemi expressed gratitude to the leadership of the Accord Party and promised to represent the people and interest of Osun West at the National Assembly with unrivaled devotion and indefatigable commitment.

Other members of the AP’s delegation and as well as the ADP’s elders in the entourage were elated and re-dedicated themselves to the election of Babayemi

The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate for Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, has promised that accountability and prudent management of resources shall be his guiding principle when he becomes the next governor of Abia State.

Otti told the committee of traditional rulers in Isuikwuato, led by Eze Ukandu, that he had signed a contract with Abia people and not a kobo of the money that belongs to the state shall be stolen under his watch as governor.

“Instead of me to steal Abia money, I will put in the little that I have, because God has blessed me, just like His Royal Majesty has spoken,” Otti pledged at Eze Ukandu’s palace, while addressing the council of traditional rulers who had gathered to welcome him on a campaign tour of Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Abia State.

The director media and publicity of Alex Otti Campaign Organisation, Mr. Kazie Uko, reported that Otti as saying that the problem with Abia State was that successive PDP governments, since 1999,

had failed to invest in the people they governed, in addition to not investing in critical infrastructure.

“Investing in the people is not a favour. That is what I always tell leaders. If you invest in, say, someone’s education and the person graduates, he or she will invest in you. But because successive governments in Abia State have not been about the people, they have not bothered to invest in the people, rather they have misappropriated funds meant for the development of the state,” he said.

Otti, however, declared that

Abia State will not be in this state of grief for much longer, for, according to him, relief was just around the corner. He said: “I know where all the money and investment in this world are. There are funds lying idle all over the world, but you have to know that these funds are available before you can get them and put them to good use. That’s the attraction of my governorship. I have the reputation and people trust me to be able to attract those funding. What is required is for the people to enthrone a right-thinking government, in Abia.”

Akwa Ibom Governorship Candidates Honour BBC Debate Okon Bassey Four governorship candidates for the coming general election in Akwa Ibom State presented their policy before a live audience at a platform organised by the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) tagged ‘Governorship Debate with BBC News Pidgin.’

The programme at the permanent site of the University of Uyo (UNIUYO) had in attendance the governorship candidates of the Abundance Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Iboro Otu, the Peoples Progressive Party, Ekong Eyo, the Young Democratic Party (YDP), Ezekiel Nya-Etok and the Young Peoples Party (YPP), Nature Udoh.

However, the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Udom Gabriel Emmanuel and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Obong Nsima Ekere were absent at the BBC News Pidgin Governorship debate due to official engagements outside the state.

The Editor of the BBC Pidgin Service, Adejuwon Soyinka, explained that 10 states were selected for the governorship debate expressing the hope that the governorship candidates in other states chosen will equally honour the invitation.

“This is the first governorship debate organised by the BBC News Pidgin. We chose to come to Akwa Ibom because of the interesting development in politics in the state and similar debate will hold in Port Harcourt.

“It is the audience that determines the candidate and ask us to invite them for the debate of this nature. We are audience led. We listen to the audience and try to serve them with what they requested of us.

“It is an opportunity created to deepen democracy in Nigeria, create opportunity for candidates

to listen, interact and meet with the people, electorate and explain to them what they want to do.

On the absence of the two candidates from the debate, Soyinka said, “I am totally indifferent. What we have done as BBC is to create a platform for the candidates to interact with the electorates. The candidates were chosen on the invitation of their people. Other candidate who could not make it have given their reasons.

“Ultimately, the judgment call is not for me is for the electorate and good people of Akwa Ibom whom this gentlemen are proposing to lead.

On his impression of the debate, he said “I am impressed with what happened today I am happy with the turnout of Akwa Ibom people from different segments of the society, I am happy with the engagement from the audience and people online.

“I fill fulfilled that the purpose of this exercise has been achieved and the purpose was to create that platform for interaction and get responses,” he said.

The governorship candidates were subjected to various forms of questions bordering on their knowledge of governance and why they want to be the governor of the state.

They also answered questions on how to improve the economy, Internally Generated Revenue, health, education, agriculture, reduce unemployment, tackle insecurity, infrastructure, and improve on the environment .

Explaining his absence, Governor Emmanuel said the debate clashed with another official function outside the state that was of great importance.

The state Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Mr. Charles Udoh who advanced reasons for his principal’s nonappearance said the BBC officials were duly informed with a plea for a shift in time.

UNITED FOR ONE GOAL

R-L: Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Elder statesman, Alh. Bello Kirfi, Bauchi State PRP Governorship candidate, Prof. Ali Pate and PDP Governorship candidate Sen. Bala Mohammed at a press conference announcing formation of a grand coalition of political parties and stakeholders united against Governor M.A Abubakar of Bauchi State, at NUJ Secretariat, Bauchi...recently

CUPP Expresses Confidence in Abubakar’s Ability to Salvage Nigeria Segun James Chairman of Conference of United Political Parties (CUPP) in Lagos state, Chief Tunde Daramola has said that in view of the dire economic situation of the country, only an astute manager like former Vice President Atiku Abubakar can salvage the country from the precarious situation.

Daramola who is also the state chairman of the Africa Democratic Congress (ADC), however, insisted that that only effective mobilisation of Nigerians ahead of the election

would ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) was removed from office.

Daramola stated at the official inauguration of CUPP in the state stressed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate had drawn out a clear plan on how to move the country forward, saying that the group would work as a unit to defeat the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the presidential election.

According to him, “we are happy that the inaugurations which have been forth coming have been done. CUPP was

initially 38 parties, but today I can tell you we have 50 parties.

With this, the citizens are going to be better for it. We are going to spoil the rigging plans of the APC. “The party chairmen have all pledged their loyalty to Atiku, but we are going to bring them back and enlighten them about the modalities,” Daramola said.

Earlier, a former minister, Chief Abimbola Ogunkelu who is also the coordinator of Atiku Abubakar’s presidential campaign organisation in Lagos State said that only the former

Vice president and presidential candidate of the main opposition could salvage Nigeria from the current woes bedeviling it.

Ogunkelu disclosed that the PDP candidate had drawn out a clear plans on how to move the country forward, while emphasizing that the ruling APC and incumbent administration of Muhammadu Buhari has failed the nation.

He further stated that the PDP was aware of the rigging plans of the APC in the forthcoming election but has devised plans to counter such moves.

Vote for Candidates with Proven Integrity, says Community Leader A leading promoter of Islamic charity and property merchant, Mr. Sahedd Adeyemi Lawal has emphasized the importance of voting for candidates with proven integrity, who also respect the tenets of Islam in the general election.

He made the submission at a seminar to sensitize chief imams and ulamas (Islamic scholars) on their role in the 2019 polls.

While commending the clerics and scholars, he cited the Hijab issue in Lagos and also

the lack of an Islamic Centre in Nigeria. “As we come to sensitize ourselves and share knowledge on Islam, I want you all to motivate your members to vote in gubernatorial candidates in Lagos. People should not misunderstand Islam as it is a religion of peace and tolerance. Just as we don’t force people to accept Islam, we don’t want people to convert our members but allow us to worship Allah the way we were instructed to worship

Him.” Speaking more on the theme of the seminar, “Towards a Hitch-free Elections and Dividends of Democracy”, Lawal noted that a hitch free election was sacrosanct for peace to pervade in the land.

He urged the candidate that will emerge as governor of Lagos in the next dispensation to lead with honour.

He said further that one of the key things every that should guide voters was to identify leaders the people

can trust and those who can relate with the people.

Lawal enumerated the qualities of the leader the people of Lagos should look out for. He said, “A leader must be somebody we can put our trust in. Whoever we are voting for must be able to accommodate us. He must have confidence. He has to be the kind of person that will involve the Muslims before making decisions. He will recognize us. He must be truthful.”

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WEEKLY PULL-OUT

22.01.2019

SIEGE ON DAILY TRUST: A THROWBACK TO MILITARY DICTATORSHIP?

The Daily Trust Newspaper Head Office, Abuja

2/DASHBOARD

22.01.2019

Effect of an Arbitration Clause on Jurisdiction of Court PAGE 4

Work with INEC to Achieve Free, Fair Elections, Law Professor, Oyebode Charges CSOs PAGE 5

Entry Opens for 2nd Edition of Babalola’s Law Dictionary Quiz Competition for Young Lawyers PAGE 5

Supreme Court Affirms MCSN’s Legal Status and Rights PAGE 6

QUOTABLES ‘.....Perhaps, unlike any other Government, President Muhammadu Buhari, his whole approach is that institutions should just do their work.....He did not even know, that there was going to be any arraignment until Saturday evening. The Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau, is completely new....But, the specific instruction given to him is that, if you receive a petition, whatever it is, go through the process.’

– Professor Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, Professor of Law, Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

‘Social Skills are Very Important, in building a Successful Legal Career’ PAGE 6

‘We affirm that, President Muhammadu Buhari knows that the continuous assault on critical institutions of State, is a defining feature of dictatorship, not of a democracy....’

– Seriake Henry Dickson, Lawyer, Governor of Bayelsa State, on behalf of PDP South South Governors of Nigeria

Limits of the Principle that No One is Above the Law or that All Citizens are Equal before the Law PAGE 7

COLUMNISTS DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, OFR, FCIARB, PH.D, LL.D Constitutional Democracy, means a system of government, in which political and governmental power, is defined, limited and shared by a grundnorm called the Constitution, which provides inbuilt checks and balances.

This column seeks to fiercely discuss constitutional, legal and political issues, with a view to strengthening, deepening and widening the plenitude and amplitude of democracy and good governance, without fear or favour.

The writer of this column, Dr. Mike Ozekhome, SAN, is a Constitutional Lawyer, Human Rights Activist, Pro-Democracy Campaigner, Notary Public and Motivational Speaker. He cofounded the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Nigeria's pioneer human rights league, on October 15,1987, the Universal Defenders of Democracy (UDD), in 1992, and with Chief Gani Fawehinmi and others in 1998, the Joint Action Committee of Nigeria (JACON), to push out the military. In his early days, he lectured at the University of Ife. Dr. Ozekhome is an author of many books. He is also a Special Counsel at the International Criminal Court (ICC), at The Hague.

ABUBAKAR D. SANI Abubakar D. Sani holds a Bachelors degree from the University of Maiduguri, and has been in active private legal practice since he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.

He is the Principal of Abubakar D. Sani & Co., which has offices in Abuja and Kano. " INSIGHT" aims to unravel, analyse and proffer solutions to numerous anomalies in Nigerian law and practice, particularly statutes, vis-avis the Constitution, International Treaties and Conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory, Judicial Precedent and other relevant statutes and issues.

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

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Onnoghen: Truth and Unanswered Questions

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Still on the CJN fter reading our publication last week, an individual who had been through the asset declaration process, telephoned me and took me through it.

He said that, after filling the form, he went through DSS screening (serious interrogation and grilling).

Subsequently, the DSS must have undertaken its own independent investigation, before issuing its final report. In this individual’s case, he had forgotten to declare an account which had been dormant for several years, and had very little money in it. The DSS found the account, and included it in their report. The DSS would have discovered the truth since 2016, or whenever the CJN did the asset declaration.

In any event, only a moron would attempt to conceal funds, whether lawfully acquired or otherwise, in a bank account in GTB or Standard Chartered Bank, held in their name or that of a closely connected relative or associate. Most of those who have been caught so far, kept their monies in cash, in the most unlikely locations - it’s probably better to keep money which you don’t want to be found, in a “shalanga”(pit latrine) or “posi”(coffin) in the cemetery!

The question on the minds of many is, why the conspiracy of silence until the eve of the elections? Could it be that, the powers that be, are concerned that, with some of the recent court decisions not being in favour of the APC, for example, the Rivers State APC Gubernatorial candidates’ case, victory at the Tribunals and Courts, if major election petitions end up there, is not assured them, and they would rather have someone who they perceive to be more pliable, in the CJN’s seat?

In case you did not know, the next in line to the CJN, is from Bauchi State. The Chief Judge of the Federal High Court is also from Bauchi State, while the President of the Court of Appeal, is an indigene of Gombe State, which was carved out of Bauchi State. The Chairman of INEC, also hails from Bauchi State! While I in no way impugn their integrity, I must ask how pleasant it looks to the eyes of the world (because the world is watching), for the CJN, the Lone Ranger from Cross River State, to be pushed out of office ‘without due process’, and replaced by another Bauchi indigene on the eve of the elections? It looks BAD. Could this be the reason why the Petitioner prayed the CCT for an order that the CJN desist from performing his functions until the determination of the matter at the CCT, probably using Section 231(4) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended)(the Constitution), which permits the President to appoint the most senior Justice of the Supreme Court to act, when the CJN is unable to perform his functions, to back up the prayer?

For the avoidance of doubt, the CJN can only be removed “by the President acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate” (Section 292(1)(a)(i) of the Constitu-

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen

tion) - “shi ke nan”! Some have cited Section 158(1) of the Constitution which provides inter alia that, “In exercising its power to make appointments or to exercise disciplinary control over persons, the Code of Conduct Bureau, NJC..... shall not be subject to the direction or control of any other authority or person”, as the authority for the CCT to try his Lordship. That is, that the CCT is not subject to the NJC. On the other hand, Section 21(b) Part 1 Third Schedule to the Constitution empowers the NJC to recommend to the President for removal from office, judicial officers, and to exercise disciplinary control over them. Do these constitutional provisions contradict themselves? If they do, the decision in FRN v Nganjiwa 2017 LPELR-43391 (CA) has settled the position of the law on this, by pronouncing that, in the case of judicial officers (including the CJN), the NJC is the body charged with the power to discipline judicial officers first. It is also interesting that this same CCT which is seeking to arraign the CJN, in May 2018 or so, in the case of FRN v Ngwuta, declined jurisdiction in the matter, ruling that a judicial officer cannot be investigated or prosecuted by the CCT, without first being disciplined by the NJC. The Truth Do you really want to hear the truth? Or shall we continue to be politically correct, and pretend that majority of Nigerians from the South have not concluded that, in our country, at least in this present dispensation, there are two sets of Nigerians – the Northerners and the others?! Similarly, we have two sets of laws, the one for APC members and their cronies, and the other, for Nigerians in general.

PLEASE! All that “We, the People of Federal Republic of Nigeria....And to provide for a Constitution for the purpose of promoting the good government and welfare of all persons in our country on the principles of freedom, equality and justice, and for the purpose of consolidating the unity of our people....”, blah, blah, blah – is simply fiction and hogwash, in present day Nigeria.

Why do I say so? We are still reeling from the shock that practically all our security agencies are headed by Northerners, and President Muhammadu Buhari (Baba) did not seize the opportunity to, at least, a little bit, redeem his image as a core tribalist and “Arewacentrist” (as one commentator described him), by confirming Mr Seiyifa as the Director General of the DSS; he has further compounded the injustice, by brazenly appointing another Northerner from Lafia, Nasarawa State, Abubakar Adamu, as the acting Inspector General of Police (IG). Are there no high ranking Bini, Igbo, Calabar, Delta, Yoruba, Benue or Rivers indigenes, who are also qualified to be IG? Though, I must say that, this new IG seems to have hit the ground running.

Let me be blunt. Do you think Baba and APC deserve the votes of the South? Do you blame Afenifere, for telling their people

Chairman, Code of Conduct Tribunal, Danladi Umar

not to vote for Baba, in the face of all this ‘Arewacentrism’? Why should any sensible person who is not from Baba’s part of the country, give their votes to someone who has zero consideration for them, and treats them as second class citizens in their own country? Because, some selfish, greedy, power hungry “Political Daddies” who could not care less about you or me, but care only about supporting a cause, because its either their “get out of jail free card”, or it’s about perpetuating themselves, their families, their ambitions and their pockets, tell me to?

What amuses me the most, is how this administration uses strategic people or Southerners to do the hard, dirty work to achieve its goals, and then when it comes to rewarding their efforts with worthy appointments, they take the appointments to the North. Baba had run for the Presidency three times, and lost. We all saw that it was when people like the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined forces with Baba and mobilised all their followers to vote for Baba, he was re-packaged as a ‘born again democrat and change agent”, that he eventually won the 2015 election. When it was time to choose a Senate President, a position which Dr Saraki wanted, Baba and his kitchen cabinet or ‘cabal’ as they are popularly called, suddenly preferred Senator Ahmed Lawan to Dr Saraki. People started asking, “Who is this Lawan? Where was he, during the packaging and campaign?” Not just that, this same CCT that has metamorphosed into a weapon of mass destruction against any threat or opposition, was also used to try to chase Dr Saraki out of office.

What did Senator Tinubu, who was not just a main key to Baba’s success, but aligned with the Baba/Lawan group for the Senate Presidency get? Not much! Senator Tinubu was forgotten and sidelined for three years.

Come mid to late 2018, when the elections were upon us, in order to secure the South West votes again through Senator Tinubu, he was once more reckoned with! Senator Tinubu, a word of advice - “Pashon ti won fi na iyale, lo ma fi na iyawo” (the big stick that was used to beat the first wife, is the same one that will be used to beat the second wife)”.

Breach of the Constitution I have consistently cried out, about all the equality and federal character provisions in the Constitution like those in Sections 14(3) and (4), 17(2)(a), 17(3)(a) and 42, but Baba, his advisers, kitchen cabinet and decision makers, are not listening (or ‘unaware’ as is the usual excuse). Majority of these appointments, are unconstitutional.

Federal Character Commission The Federal Character Commission (FCC), a Federal Executive Body created by virtue of Section 153(1)(c) of the Constitution, and saddled with the primary duty of working out “an equitable formula subject to the approval of the National Assembly for the distribution of all cadres of posts in the public service of the Federation and of the States, the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force.....” (Third Schedule Part 1 C Sections 7-9 of the Constitution), is DEAD. For sure, if the FCC was alive and functioning, it would have denounced these unconstitutional appointments, and sought legal redress (as it is empowered to do by the Constitution), against these tribal injustices. The National Police Council, is also COMATOSE. Police Service Commission I am however, slightly encouraged by the statement made last week by the Police Service Commission (PSC)(created by virtue of Section 153(1)(m) of the Constitution), denouncing the illegal transfer of Police Commissioners, especially as the elections are upon us. The PSC informed the public that, all transfers which were done by the former IG, without the endorsement of the PSC, are null and void.

The Third Schedule Part 1 M Section 30(a) and (b) of the Constitution, charges the PSC with the duty of appointing all persons in the

ONIKEPO BRAITHWAITE

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

“DO YOU THINK BABA AND APC DESERVE THE VOTES OF THE SOUTH? DO YOU BLAME AFENIFERE, FOR TELLING THEIR PEOPLE NOT TO VOTE FOR BABA, IN THE FACE OF ALL THIS ‘AREWACENTRISM’?”

Police to offices, except the IG, and exercising disciplinary control, including dismissal, over them. How then, did the former IG brazenly breach the provisions of the Constitution, act with so much impunity and partisanship, to the extent that he thought it fit to transfer the former Chief Security Officer of the APC Party Leader when he was Lagos State Governor, back to the State as the new Police Commissioner, just in time for the elections? We are yet to dispose of the Amina Zakari/INEC/Baba conflict of interest saga, and the former IG goes ahead to do the same in Lagos, the most populated State in Nigeria, with the highest number of registered voters!

Laches and Acquiescence The problem with us as a people, is that we love crying over spilt milk. We are constantly guilty of laches and acquiescence, that is, we sit on our rights, and do not exercise them timeously, or we stand by and allow our rights to be infringed upon, and then when the outcome is undesirable, we then complain.

It is time to change that narrative, firstly, by not only voting wisely, but encouraging everyone you know, to do the same. At least, critically examine the person who is set to run in an election. I felt quite reassured about my position, when I saw a clip of Baba’s rally in Kogi State last week, where he said more or less the same thing as me - he urged the people to “Please, reflect on what we have done....”, that is, for those seeking re-election, evaluate their past performance. Baba also said, “I assure you I will follow the system. Anybody that is found responsible, we will get him, take away the money from him, and put it in the Treasury”. Indeed, like the system was followed in Abdulrasheed Maina’s pension fund scam case, like it was also followed in Babachir Lawal’s grass cutting scam case.

Secondly, we must develop a culture of accountability, and voting people out of office when they do not perform. This practice will in no small measure, ginger up our Politicians into performance, knowing that if they do not perform or satisfy the people, they will not be re- elected. Which means that, INEC must be strengthened, so that rigging of elections becomes a thing of the past, so that our votes actually count. If not, Nigerians will remain in bondage, at the mercy of a continuous string of bad leaders.

4/LAW REPORT

22.01.2019

Effect of an Arbitration Clause on Jurisdiction of Court

T

Allied Matters Act (CAMA) shall be made by Originating Summons. Finally, he urged the Supreme Court to invoke its powers under Section 22 of the Supreme Court Act, to hear and determine the Originating Summons.

In his response, Counsel for the Respondent stated that, the use of the word ‘may’ in Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act, implies that the court has a discretion whether or not to invoke its powers, and that meeting the conditions stated in INAKOJU v ADELEKE (supra), is not the only considerations for invoking Section 15.

He argued that, the effect of the lower court’s finding that the suit ought to have been instituted by way of pleadings or petition, is that the suit was not properly instituted, and as the Federal High Court could not hear the case as presently constituted, it follows that the Court of Appeal could not assume jurisdiction as required under Section 15. Finally, Counsel submitted that, Order 2 Rule 1 of the Companies Proceedings Rules, does not stipulate Originating Summons as the only way of instituting an action of this nature.

Facts

he Appellants instituted an action against the Respondent at the Federal High Court, Lagos, by way of Originating Summons, seeking inter alia, the determination of the question on whether the 1st Appellant is a major shareholder in the Respondent, and has acquired shareholding right to participate in the control and day to day management of the Respondent, as per the agreements of the Memorandum of Understanding of 7th July, 2008. The Respondent filed a Preliminary Objection to the suit, on the ground that the Appellants had not complied with the Arbitration Clause in the Memorandum of Understanding. The Respondent also filed a Counter- affidavit and written address in opposition to the Originating Summons. The trial court heard arguments on the Originating Summons and the Preliminary Objection together, and in its judgement, upheld the Preliminary Objection and declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit. The Appellants appealed to the Court of Appeal, who allowed the appeal and set aside the judgement of the trial court. Dissatisfied with the part of the judgement where the Court of Appeal declined to invoke its powers under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act to hear the Originating Summons on its merit, and the finding of the Court of Appeal that the filing of processes by the Respondent in respect of the Originating Summons did not amount to taking steps in the proceedings within the meaning of Section 5(1) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, the Appellants further appealed to the Supreme Court.

Issues for Determination 1. Whether the Court of Appeal was right, when it held that the processes filed by the Respondent after filing its Notice of Preliminary Objection do not amount to steps taken in the proceedings.

2. Whether, having regard to the conditions laid down by the Supreme Court in the cases of INAKOJU v ADELEKE (2007) 4 NWLR (Pt 1025) and OBI v INEC (2007) 11 NWLR (Pt. 1046) on the conditionalities which must be met before the Court of Appeal can exercise its powers under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act, the lower court was right to have declined exercising its powers to determine the substantive Originating Summons, despite the fact that, the Appellants had met the laid down conditions.

Arguments On issue 1, Counsel for the Appellant contended that, the only step a Defendant may take pursuant to Section 5(1) of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act (ACA), is to apply to the court for stay of proceedings pending Arbitration and that if he takes any other step, he would be deemed to have waived his right. He relied on OBEMBE v WEMABOD ESTATES LTD. (1977) 5 SC 70. He stated that, the Respondent not only filed a Preliminary Objection to the Originating Summons, but filed a Counter- Affidavit and Written Address in opposition to the Originating Summons and other processes. The Respondent did not even object to the Preliminary Objection and the Originating Summons, taken together by the trial court. Counsel submitted that, the court having found that the Respondent took further steps in furtherance of the substantive action, ought to have gone on to hold that the steps taken amounted to a waiver of the Respondent’s right to insist on an order of court striking out the suit or staying proceedings pending Arbitration.

In his response on issue 1, Counsel for the Respondent argued that, the Respondent’s Preliminary Objection was not based on Section 5(1) and (2) of the ACA, but challenged the jurisdiction of the trial court to entertain the suit because the Arbitration agreement, which is a condition precedent to instituting an action in court, had not been complied with. He submitted that, the Respondent’s prayer was for an order striking out the suit, relying on LSWC v SAKAMORI CONSTRUCTION (NIG) LTD (2011) 13 NWLR (Pt. 1262), to the effect that the Court has a prima facie duty to act upon the agreement between the parties, and must not be seen to encourage a breach of a valid Arbitration Clause. He argued further that, since Section 5(1) and (2) of the ACA was not considered at the trial court, the Respondent’s right to defend the action by filing a counter-affidavit and other processes in the suit, remained intact. Finally, he submitted that, since the counter-affidavit to the Originating Summons was filed pursuant to the order of the court, the Respondent could not be said to have voluntarily waived its right to raise an objection to the hearing of the matter.

Hon. Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC

In the Supreme Court of Nigeria Holden at Abuja On Friday, the 6th day of July, 2018 Before Their Lordships Musa Dattijo Muhammad Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun Chima Centus Nweze Amiru Sanusi Ejembi Eko Justices, Supreme Court SC.990/2015 Between 1. Mainstreet Bank Capital Ltd 2. Mainstreet Bank Securities Ltd .........

Appellants And Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation Plc. ............Respondent (Lead Judgement delivered by Hon. Kudirat Motonmori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun, JSC)

On issue 2, Counsel for the Appellants stated that, Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act has been judicially interpreted in a number of cases including INAKOJU v ADELEKE (supra). He referred the court to factors that would guide the court, in determining whether to invoke its powers under Section 15. He submitted that, all the conditions as stated in INAKOJU v ADELEKE (supra) were met in the present case, and the Court of Appeal was therefore, bound by the decision in that case.

Counsel submitted that, the lower court erred when it held that Section 15 could not be invoked, because of the conflicting affidavit evidence before it. He stated that, assuming without conceding that there were material conflicts, they could be resolved by recourse to the affidavit evidence relied upon by the parties. He relied on JEV & ANOR v IYORTOM (2014) LPELR – 23000 (SC). He argued that, transferring the suit to the general cause list is erroneous and contrary to the provisions of Order 2 rule 1 of the Companies Proceedings Rules which provides that, save for the exceptions stated therein, every application under the Companies and

“AN ARBITRATION CLAUSE DOES NOT OUST THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT; THEREFORE, AN OBJECTION TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT, IS, IN EFFECT, AN APPLICATION TO STAY PROCEEDINGS PENDING ARBITRATION”

Court’s Judgement and Rationale In resolving issue 1, the Supreme Court held that an Arbitration agreement is an agreement by which two or more parties agree that present or future disputes shall be resolved by Arbitration. Arbitration is consensual; the parties have a choice and can decide to have their dispute resolved by a Court of law or by an Arbitrator. The duty of the Court is to respect and pronounce upon the wishes of the parties, and not to make contract for them. Section 7 of the Memorandum of Understanding, the agreement between the parties, provides that, any dispute arising therefrom may be resolved in accordance with the provisions of the ACA. An Arbitration Clause does not oust the jurisdiction of the court; therefore, an objection to the jurisdiction of the court, is in effect an application to stay proceedings pending Arbitration. This is provided for in Section 5(1) of the ACA. The Supreme Court held further that, in a suit commenced by way of Originating Summons, the affidavit and counter-affidavit thereto, constitute the pleadings. Relying on OBEMBE v WEMABOD ESTATE LTD (Supra), the Court quoted what amounts to taking steps in a proceeding thus: “A party who makes any application whatsoever to the Court, even though it be merely an application for extension of time, takes a step in the proceedings.

Delivery of a statement of defence, is also a step in the proceedings.” Where a party takes a step in the proceedings, he will be deemed to have waived his right to insist on recourse to Arbitration.

In the instant case, the Respondent filed a counteraffidavit and written address; motion on notice seeking extension of time; and an affidavit of compliance. The Supreme Court agreed with the lower court that, the filing of all those processes amounts to taking steps in furtherance of the substantive suit. The Court however, disagreed with the lower court, that the steps taken by the Respondent does not preclude it from applying for a stay of proceedings pending Arbitration, according to Section 5(1) of the ACA. Finally, the Supreme Court agreed that the lower Court made the right decision in setting aside the judgement of the trial court and transferring the suit to the General Cause List, as this has the same effect as a refusal of the application for stay of proceedings.

On issue 2, the Supreme Court held that, a careful perusal of Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act will reveal that the Court of Appeal has a wide discretion as to what steps it should take in any of the circumstances set out therein. The conditions that must be satisfied have been set out in a number of cases, including INAKOJU v ADELEKE (Supra). The Court disagreed that, all the conditions had been met in the instant case. It stated that, the proceedings in the suit are contentious, and thus, not suitable for determination upon an Originating Summons. The Supreme Court concluded that, the conditions for the invocation of the powers of the lower court under Section 15 of the Court of Appeal Act to hear and determine the suit as a court of first instance, were not met in this case, and the lower Court was right to decline to do so.

Appeal Dismissed.

Representation Dr. Charles Mekwunye with Ekene Nwosu Esq. for the Appellants.

Adenrele Adegborioye with Ezenwa Ibegbunam Esq. for the Respondent.

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

22.01.2019

NEWS/5

VALEDICTORY SESSION

2019 HIGH COURT RULES

L-R: Hon. Oshodi J, Hon. Alogba J, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Opeyemi Oke, Hon. Coker J and other Lagos High Court Judges at the Valedictory Session held in Honour of Late Sir Otunba Yomi Oshikoya, former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State at the High Court Foyer, Igbosere, Lagos, last week

L-R: Hon. Alogba J, Chairman of Rules Committee, Chief Judge of Lagos State, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke, Hon. Candide Johnson J, Chairman of the Backlog Elimination Program, Hon Okuwobi J, Admin Judge, Ikeja and Solicitor-General, Lagos State, Mrs. Funlola Odunlami, at the launching of the 2019 High Court Rules & Practice Directions at the Conference Room, High Court, Ikeja yesterday

Work with INEC to Achieve Free, Fair Elections, Law Professor, Oyebode Charges CSOs Stories by Akinwale Akintunde Ahead of general elections, a Professor of International Law and Jurisprudence, Akin Oyebode, has advised the civil society organisations (CSOs), to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to conduct free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.

Oyebode gave the advice in his Keynote Speech, which he delivered at the 15th Chief Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture, held in Lagos last Tuesday.

The theme of the Lecture, which was organised by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja Branch was: “Securing the Independence of INEC – A Panacea for Free, Fair and Credible Elections in Nigeria”.

“The independence of the body must be safeguarded and guaranteed by a conscious and vigorous civil society, in a position to defend it from any and all attempts to whittle down its ability to function, without let or hindrance.

“The necessity for a nexus between INEC and civil society,

in order to enhance its independence is pretty obvious. In its quest for independence, INEC has few to turn to, other than civil society.

“Accordingly, civil society should enlist in the vanguard of sentinels, for the independence of INEC in the overall interest of the polity. For, it is not enough that INEC has done justice to all the parties, that fact must be placed squarely in the public domain; and perhaps, the best instrumentality for effecting this, is civil society.

“It is totally unacceptable as is currently alleged, for INEC to be taken hostage and made an object of blackmail by political forces and vested interests, in a rabid bid to interfere in its activities and bend it, in order for it to see things their own way. While there is tremendous foreboding across the land for the next elections and, especially the aftermath thereof, it is important that we keep hope alive and insist on what is right, if we do not want to validate Murphy’s Law. “The central position of the electoral umpire in the

optimal functioning of the electoral process within a democracy, can hardly be over-exaggerated.

Where and when the independence of the electoral body cannot be taken for granted, one can as well bid goodbye to free, fair, credible and transparent elections. However, an unbiased and non-partisan electoral body, does not drop from the sky. It has to be created and nurtured by law and driven by men and women of unimpeachable character and the right disposition, for it to effectively perform its ascribed role. More important, the independence of the body must be safeguarded and guaranteed, by a conscious and vigorous civil society, in a position to defend it from any and all attempts to whittle down its ability to function, without let or hindrance.

“In our own circumstance, Nigeria would seem to have its job cut out for it. The parties in contention, would wish they had INEC on a leash, but then, they should have an alert and vigorous civil society to contend with. However, the question we

have to answer now is, is civil society ready, willing and ready to stand up for and with INEC in the face of a clear and present danger to its very existence and optimal functioning?”, he said.

The erudite Professor of Law has also advised the electoral body, to exercise discretion in the implementation of its recently released Electoral Guidelines, due to the controversy trailing it.

“Undoubtedly, INEC is empowered to issue necessary and proper guidelines, to facilitate its activities.

“However, INEC’s power should be exercised with discretion, in order not to bring the roof down on everyone.

“For example, the registration of 91 political parties, however well-intentended, is today reminiscent of a case of the medicine being worse than the disease.

“INEC is well advised to remember the dictum that the road to hell is paved with good intentions and, therefore, in the application of laws, it should not wreak greater injury on the

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Entry Opens for 2nd Edition of Babalola’s Law Dictionary Quiz Competition for Young Lawyers Entry is now open to all eligible Lawyers, for the 2nd Edition of Babalola’s Law Dictionary Quiz Competition for Young Lawyers.

According to the organiser of the competition, Mr. Olumide Babalola, entry opens from January 1, 2019 to February 28 2019.

Speaking at a press conference to herald the 2nd edition of the quiz competition, Babalola, who is the Editor of the Nigerian Law Dictionary, said the competition is being organised in a bid to deepen the culture of reading and knowledge of legal terminologies, among young Nigerian Lawyers.

He said only young Lawyers of 0-5years post call, are eligible for the competition and they can enter for it by logging on to www.bldcompetition.com.

According to Babalola, like the 1st edition, which held at the Onikan Youth Centre, Lagos on June 1, 2018, the 2nd edition promises to be equally keenly contested.

“The competition will have 10 finalists contest for varying prizes ranging from the 1st prize of N250, 000.00 cash with electronic law reports, the second prize of N150, 000.00, and third prize of N100, 000.00 respectively, and other consolation prizes.

“The qualifying rounds, will be held in Lagos in March 2019.

“The grande finale will be held in Lagos on the 7th day of June, 2019 and the event is proudly sponsored by: Probitas Partner LLP, - Perchstone & Graeys, Hybrid Consult, - Law Pavilion Electronic Law Report, - FWLR, - Esher & Makarios, Esq. Magazine, - www.nigerianlawyer.com, - www. dnllawandstyle.com, - www. baristerng.com, - and Olumide Babalola LP. “Entry opens from 1st January, 2019 to 28th February, 2019, while the Grande finale holds in Lagos on the 7th day of June, 2019”, he stated.

Temidayo Adewoye, an Associate at the law firm of Perchstone & Graeys, emerged winner of the maiden edition.

Court Restrains Cyprian Igweh from Parading himself as Chairman/Managing Director or CEO of Bolingo Hotels Justice Babatunde Quadri of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has restrained Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, from parading himself as the Chairman/Managing Director or Chief Executive Officer of Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited, Abuja.

The Judge also declared that, by virtue of the notice dated June 15, 2009 by the Board of Directors of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited, and the ordinary resolution dated July 6, 2007 to the effect that Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, should vacate his office as Director and Chairman/Managing Director of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers, Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, has been removed as the Chairman, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the hotel.

The court ordered by a mandatory injunction that, Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, render an account and disclose the financial standing of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers, Abuja to the counter-Claimants from October 16, 2006 till the date of judgement (December 14, 2018) in the suit, within 14 days from the date of such order.

In his ruling, Justice Quadri declared that the two hundred million units of shares of the late Chief Joseph Uchechukwu Igweh, in Bolingo Hotels and Towers, had not been transmitted in line with the resolution of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers dated May 18, 2006.

Specifically, the Judge declared

that the purported transfer of the two hundred million units of shares of the late Chief Joseph Uchechukwu Igweh, in the Bolingo Hotels and Towers by Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, to himself, was ultra vires, illegal, unlawful, improper, invalid, and null and void and of no effect whatsoever, as the said shares were not transmitted with the consent, authority and approval of the Board of Directors of Bolingo Hotels and Towers, and/or in line with the Articles of Association of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited.

The court ordered that a general meeting of the members of Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited be held, in accordance with statutory

requirements within 21 days from the date of judgement and that a nominee of the Corporate Affairs Commission, not below the rank of Principal Manager in the Commission, should attend, guide and supervise both meetings of the Board of Directors and the members of Bolingo Hotels, at the time of holding the said meetings.

Justice Quadri ordered the Corporate Affairs Commission to produce all the files of the Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited registered as RC No. 13, 571 at the meetings, and also ordered the Commission to regularise the files in its custody by expunging from the said file, all forged documents filed by Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh

with the said Commission, as may be identified by the counter-Claimants at the meetings.

Trouble began when the late Chief Joseph Uchechukwu Igweh, died on October 22, 2005 in the Bellview plane crash at Lisa village, Ogun State. At that time, two of his children, Chijioke Igweh and Chizoba Igweh, were shareholders in the company.

There was internal wrangling over who takes control of the company, based on the perception that Chief Igweh’s widow, Dr. Mrs. Becky Igweh, was making moves to have exclusive control of Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited.

Thereafter, Dr. Mrs. Becky

Igweh, filed a suit No.: FHC/ ABJ/CS/237/2006 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, wherein she sued 3 of the children and Corporate Affairs Commission, but, Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, championed the course of his younger siblings and advised them to all go back to United Kingdom, while he defended the suit filed by Dr. Becky Igweh.

However, both parties (Cyprian and Becky) reached an agreement, and the terms of settlement was only signed by Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh. The terms of settlement was made the consent judgement of the court on October 11, 2006.

Prior to the settlement move,

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6/

22.01.2019

Supreme Court Affirms MCSN’s Legal Status and Rights Akinwale Akintunde The Supreme Court has once again, affirmed that the Musical Copyright Society Nigeria (MCSN) doesn't need the approval as collecting society or an exemption as one, to enforce it rights.

The Apex Court gave the judgement in an appeal filed by MCSN in Suit No. SC 425/2010 - MCSN v Compact Disc Technology Ltd, Nu Metro Home Entertainment (WA) Ltd and Nu Metro Retail Nigeria Limited.

In a unanimous decision, a panel of five Justices of the Supreme Court decided that, Section 15(a) (now Section 17) and Section 32 (now Section 39) of the Copyright Act (as amended), which require a collecting society to seek the approval or exemption of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC) before it can enforce its rights, do not apply to the MCSN. The panel, consisting of Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Hon. Justice Amina Adamu Augie and Hon. Justice Sidi Dauda Bage, set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal which held that, MCSN can't enforce its rights unless it is approved as a collecting society or given an exemption by the NCC. In the lead judgement delivered by Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, the Supreme Court held that, "I am in agreement with submission of the learned counsel for the Appellant, that the Copyright (Amendment) Decree No. 42 of 1999 which introduced Section 15a (now

17), is not retrospective.

“In fact, the Decree specifically stated its commencement date to be 10th of May, 1999.

Based on the above, I am of the humble opinion that since the law makers have specifically stated that the commencement date for the Decree "to be 10th May, 1999”, it is clear that the law makers never intended the decree to have a retrospective effect. We rely on and adopt the statement of law in the case of AFOLABI v Governor of Oyo State (1985)16 NSCC (Pt.2) Vol. 16, page 11512 as follows:"A law is said to have retroactive effect when the commencement date is earlier in point of time than the date of commencement, for example, Tribunal of inquiry(Validation etc) Decree No. 18 of 1977 which was considered by this Court in the case of UWAIFO v AG Bendel State & ors(1982)13 NSCC 221 at 232, was dated the 18th day of March, 1977, but therein stated specifically that it shall be "deemed to have come into effect on 29th July, 1975".

“Indeed the commencement of the Copyright (Amendment) Decree No. 42 of 1999 was clearly provided for to be 10th May, 1999 which is not earlier than 1986 and 1990, when the exclusive rights in the copyright works were transferred to the Appellant.

“The issue therefore, raised on retrospectivity of the Act, can be said to have been settled by this Court as seen in the case of Ojokolobo & Ors v Alamu & Ors (1987) 2 NSCC 991, wherein it was held per Karibi-Whyte (JSC) thus, "the

presumption of retrospective is displaced by the provision of a commencement date which is a future date”.

Continuing, Mary Peter-Odili (JSC) added, "In fact the learned counsel for the Appellant, has referred this court to the earlier recent case before this court in Adeokin Records & Anor v Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria(Ltd/ GTE) delivered on 13th July, 2018, which lead judgement was delivered by Ejembi Eko (JSC), which settled the questions right before this court now. That decision impels this court to hold that, the exclusive licence of the copyright musical works which forms the basis of the suit at the trial court, was transferred to the Appellant since 1986 and 1990 respectively, while the provisions of the Copyright Act, 2004 came into force on the 10th day of May, 1999, and so the Act cannot be said to affect the rights already transferred long before its commencement date.

“Therefore, just as the court held in Adeokin Records & Anor v Musical Copyright Society of Nigeria (supra) on 13/7/18, the matter is properly before the trial Federal High Court, and since the Court of Appeal went outside the clear situation, this court is best suited to intervene and hold that the position taken by the Court below is not the proper stand as supported by facts on ground, in context with the necessary statutory provisions. The conclusion is that, the appeal is allowed, and the decision of the Court of Appeal set aside with the restoration of the decision of the High

Court. It follows that, the matter is remitted to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for assignment to a Judge, to have the matter determined on its merits expeditiously.

“Appeal allowed. Parties to bear own costs", she held.

The recourse to the Supreme Court arose, when MCSN sued Compact Discs Technology Ltd, Nu Metro Home Entertainment (WA) Ltd and Nu Metro Retail Nigeria Ltd. in 2007 for the violation of its copyright. As a defence, the Defendants claimed that, having no approval as a collecting society or an exemption from the NCC, MCSN had no locus standi to institute the suit under the Copyright Act as amended.

Justice J. E Shekarho of the Federal High Court thought otherwise, and ruled in favour of MCSN. The Defendants disagreed with the ruling, and appealed to the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal. The Court of Appeal panel of I. M. M Saulawa (JCA), P. A. Galinje (JCA) and R. O. Nwodo(JCA), agreed with Compact Discs Technology Ltd and its sister companies that without NCC’s approval or exemption, MCSN had no locus to institute the case.

Dissatisfied, MCSN through its counsel, D. A. Awosika and Associates, appealed the decision of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court, which now set aside the decision of the Court of Appeal.

MCSN was represented by Dada Awosika Esq. and N. F. John (Miss).

Legal Personality of the Week Dr. Ayodele Akenroye

‘Social Skills are Very Important, in building a Successful Legal Career’ Please, give a brief introduction of yourself My name is Dr. Ayodele Akenroye, a Criminal Litigator and Anti-Corruption Lawyer based in Toronto, Canada, where I specialise in defending individuals at all levels of courts in Canada, and advising corporations in developing effective Anti-Bribery and Anti- Corruption programs.

I graduated from the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, in 2007. I obtained my LL.M degree from the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada in 2011. I earned my Ph.D. in International Criminal Law from McGill University, Montreal, Canada in 2018. I was called to the Bar in Nigeria in 2008; Manitoba Canada in 2013, and Ontario Canada in 2015.

I am listed as Counsel eligible to appear at the International Criminal Court, The Hague, Netherlands. I am also listed as an AntiCorruption Expert with Transparency International.

I am a recipient of several academic awards including the Sir Lionel Brett Prize for the Best Student in Criminal Procedure at the Nigerian Law School; Graduate Excellent Scholarship at McGill University, Montreal, Canada; Judge Freedman Scholarship at the University of Manitoba, Canada, to mention a few.

I have worked in areas of anti-corruption, criminal law, peace and security, human rights, transitional justice, rule of law with United Nations-affiliated organisations, including the International Criminal Court at The Hague, Netherlands.

In 2017, I was a Visiting Professional with the Prosecution Division of the Office of the Prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, and assisted in the prosecution of Dominic Ongwen - a child soldier - for 70 counts of crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed after 1 July, 2002 in Northern Uganda.

I taught a graduate level course as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

I was also appointed by the Government of Manitoba, Canada as a Deputy Chief Commissioner (Administrative Law Judge) with the Residential Tenancies Commission, where I adjudicated housing disputes for two years.

Most recently, I was a Research Fellow with the

for it, in my opinion, I did not put up a very effective cross-examination.

Dr. Ayodele Akenroye

International Anti-Corruption Academy, Vienna Austria, where I worked on implementing effective income and asset declaration compliance mechanisms for public officials in Nigeria.

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

One of the challenges I have faced, was trying to qualify as a Lawyer in Canada. I had to write some challenging examinations and look for a place to complete my articles (equivalent to chamber’s attachment in Nigeria), before I could be admitted to the Bar in Manitoba. It was a very daunting process, but I persevered and completed the process.

Another challenge was when I started my law firm immediately after I was called to the Bar in Canada, as an immigrant. It was tough generating clients, and combining the business and the practice of law together, while simultaneously completing a challenging Ph.D. program.

What was your worst day as a Lawyer?

My worst day, was during a particular criminal trial. Despite spending several hours preparing

What was your most memorable experience as a Lawyer?

My most memorable experience, was when I argued an Application for Judicial Review at the Federal Court of Canada, and all of my submissions were adopted on the merit by the Federal Court Judge. The oral hearing was scheduled for 90 mins, but it lasted less than 15 minutes. I was stunned as the Judge entered the court and said “Mr. Akenroye, I have read your Memorandum of Argument, and I agree completely with your submissions. I am ruling in your client’s favour”. The Lawyer representing the Department of Justice, Government of Canada, could not say a word. As a result of this judgement, my client was able to return to Canada after being held down outside of Canada for more than a year!

Who has been most influential in your life?

So many people have contributed to getting me where I am today, so it would be a gross injustice to single out just one person.

Prof. Ademola Abass, took an interest in me after I randomly emailed him, as an undergraduate student, in my second year. He introduced me to the world of international law, provided the much needed mentoring, and he was instrumental in securing my first internship with ECOWAS Commission, Abuja.

Dr. Odunola Orifowomo of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo, University, taught me how to write an academic article, and carefully critiqued my first academic article, while motivating me that I have what it takes to become a fine scholar. He also allowed me to use his office and personal computers, while I was an undergraduate student, to look for scholarship opportunities abroad.

My elder sister – Mrs. Ileola Adesina - a lecturer at the Nigerian Law School, provided wise counsel and emotional support to me and believed that I could excel at whatever I commit myself to.

My father – Chief A. E. Akenroye. He influenced

me to pursue excellence in all I do, work very hard and be ethical. He was an astute and distinguished scholar, and constantly challenged me intellectually, laying the foundation for my success in law. Our intellectual exchanges, contributed to making me academically curious.

Why did you become a Lawyer?

I come from a family of lawyers (three of my siblings are Lawyers) and I was influenced by the grandeur of law exhibited by my father.

He retired as a Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Ondo State. As early as when I was 3 years old, my Dad would take me to the annual opening legal year opening ceremony.

I was charmed by the splendour of seeing all the Judges in their magnificent red robes and all the Lawyers in their black robes. My father very closely nurtured me, to become a Lawyer.

What would be your advice to anyone wanting a career in law?

To succeed in any capacity as a Lawyer, requires diligence. Strong oral and written communication skills are equally vital to a Lawyer. Social skills are also important, in building a successful legal career. These social skills also include, excellent listening ability and high emotional intelligence, which you will need while working with clients, opposing counsels, Judges, in order to build relationships and gain confidence.

Beyond that, seek out mentors early on in your career, to succeed, especially for those without an established network. A mentor can impart legal wisdom gained by several years of experience, and critique your work.

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

I would have become an Anglican Priest.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?

My career path has in more recent times taken me towards public international law and anti- corruption law. I see myself contributing significantly to the international legal order and strengthening the institutions of governance in Nigeria and beyond, as an expert in the area of anti-corruption law and international criminal law.

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Limits of the Principle that No One is Above the Law or that All Citizens are Equal before the Law The ‘Professor of Professors’, as he is fondly referred to by his admirers, learned Senior Advocate, Ben Nwabueze, discusses the recent move to arraign the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen, describing it as disgraceful, degrading and embarrassing, and concluding that, the issue of public interest was not taken into account, when the Federal Government made the decision to arraign the CJN

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he principle stated above is a salutary one, but its application is necessarily limited by inevitable exceptions.

Head of State We take, first, the power given by Section 89(1)(c) of the Constitution to the Senate or the House of Representatives to “summon any person in Nigeria” to appear before it, to address it on the state of the nation and to answer questions relating thereto. Relying on its power in that behalf, the House of Representatives on 25 January, 2018 summoned President Buhari to appear before it. I immediately decried the summons in a public statement, pointing out that, while the President is not expressly exempted from the power, he is not bound by it, on the ground that the President, as Head of State (Section 130(2)) embodies, personifies or incarnates the Nigerian State, and, as such, does not come within the meaning of the term “any person in Nigeria”. His position as Head of State, constitutes an exemption to Section 89(1)(c), but the exception does not mean that he is above the law.

I further advised that, so long as President Buhari remains our Head of State, he must be accorded all the rights, pomp and dignity appertaining to the office, including the right to appear before the National Assembly whenever he chooses to do so, but not under a summons, defined by the dictionary as “a command or order by authority to appear,” and that when he does so appear before the Assembly for any purpose, he is there in state, i.e. as the state – what is called an act of State. Happily, my advice was heeded by the National Assembly, and the summons has not been pursued, and may not be issued again.

Heads of the three arms of Government In more or less the same way as the President, as Head of State, incarnates the Nigerian State, so does the Senate President, as head of the National Assembly, incarnate the legislature i.e. the legislative arm of government, and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, as head of the Judiciary, incarnate the Judicature, i.e. the judicial arm of government. The executive, legislature and judicature, compose the Nigerian State. The head of each of the three arms of the government, are entitled to, and must be accorded, all the rights, pomp and dignity appertaining to their offices.

Second, the recognition of “the essential co-equality” of the three arms of government, and the mutual respect by each of the rights, dignity and pomp due to the others, is epitomised in the principle, the principle of the separation of powers, “that makes one master in his own house,” and precludes another organ from imposing its control on the other or others. “The independence of each organ requires that, its proceedings shall be free from the remotest influence, direct or indirect, of either of the other two powers.”

That is the U.S. Supreme Court expounding the principle of the separation of powers, one of the great pillars of our constitutional democracy.

Arraignment of the CJN: Affront to the Doctrine of Separation of Powers The disgrace, degradation and embarrassment caused by the arraignment of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the head of the third arm of government in the country, before the Code of Conduct Tribunal in the way and manner the arraignment was done in this case, is an affront, not only to the doctrine of the separation of powers, as well as to the office of CJN, but to whole country. To echo the words of President Buhari himself, reacting to the jeering he was given at the joint session of the National Assembly when he

“THIS MAKES IT WHOLLY UNTENABLE, TO SAY THAT THE PRESIDENT WAS UNAWARE OF THE ARRAIGNMENT BEFORE IT TOOK PLACE. IF THIS IS IN FACT,. THE CASE, THEN, THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT WORKING THE WAY IT SHOULD”

Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen

was there to present the 2019 budget, “the whole world is watching us.” Yes, the world is watching us, as we needlessly subject the head of the third arm of our government to disgrace for a “misconduct” that is, in its nature, only technically a criminal offence.

its potentiality to impinge on the relations of government with other countries and with influential communities and interests within the country, the Attorney-General may need to take the matter to the highest level of the government.

Hence Section 174(2) requires him to exercise his power of control by himself personally or through officers of his department delegated by him.

The above constitutional requirement is reflected in the provision of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act that the “prosecutions for all offences referred to in this Act shall be instituted in the name of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by the Attorney-General of the Federation or such officers in the Federal Ministry of Justice as the AGF may authorise to do so.” (Section 24(2). Without authorisation or delegation by the Attorney-General, the power of control given to him by the Constitution cannot be exercised by any officer in his Department - so held by the unanimous decision of all the seven participating justices of the Supreme Court in Att-Gen of Kaduna State v Hassan (1985) 2 NWLR 983. In his concurring judgement in the cases, Uwais JSC said at pages 513 – 514: “There can be no doubt that the powers given to the Attorney-General of a State under Section 191 of the Constitution belong to him alone and not in common with the officers of the Ministry of Justice. Such Officers can only exercise the powers when they are specifically delegated to them by the Attorney-General. The delegation usually takes the form of a notice in the Official Gazette. As there was no Attorney-General appointed for Kaduna State at the time material to this case, his powers under Section 191 could not have been delegated to the Solicitor-General.”

Amazingly, the decision of the Supreme Court in the Saraki case in 2016, made no reference to the decision of the court in the Hassan case. No attempt was made to give reasons for not following it, or why it does not apply in the Saraki case.

With respect to the issue of the public interest in the present case, was the public interest ever taken into account in the decision to arraign the CJN before the CCT? Is it in the public interest that the accused, as head of the third arm of government, should be so arraigned for the technical offence of omitting or failing to declare certain named assets?

Did the AGF sign the arraignment papers by himself, or authorise an officer in his department to do so, from which the obligation arises on his part to have brought up the matter at the level of the government. This makes it wholly untenable, to say that the President was unaware of the arraignment before it took place. If this is in fact the case, then, the government is not working the way it should.

The constitutional validity of the Law Officers Act 2004 is questionable.

Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN, Professor of Law

The CJN and the CCT With regard to the arraignment of the CJN before the CCT, it is misconceived to regard and treat the head of the third arm of our government in the same manner and in all respects as an ordinary citizen is treated, all in the name of the principle that all citizens are equal before the law, and that nobody is above the law. No exemption from the criminal law is thereby claimed for the CJN, but the way and manner of enforcing the law should accord due respect and decorum for the dignity attached to the office.

There is, third, the question whether the “misconduct” for which the CJN is arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), warrants and justifies the humiliation and disgrace meted to him. The Charge Sheet dated 10 January, 2019 indicts the CJN on a six count charge of “omitting or failure to declare” certain named assets in his Assets Declaration Form. All six counts are, in their nature, what may be described as technical offences in the sense that they involve no grave moral obloquy like fraud, stealing, receiving money or other valuable thing as gratification for performing or not performing an official act in favour of a person, other cases of corruption or corrupt practice truly so-called, homicide or other such heinous acts. The acts of which the CJN is accused, are technical offences which, considering that the accused is the holder of the office of Chief Justice of Nigeria, could have been dealt with in a manner that would not expose the office, the country and its machinery of government to such disgrace and degradation.

Fourth, prosecution for criminal offences is a very sensitive and volatile function, capable of damaging the relations of the country with other countries and even its relations with influential communities and interests within the country. The exercise of the function is more volatile, because of the wide range of officials charged with it – the Police and numerous other law-enforcement agencies.

This makes the control of criminal prosecutions, a critical function of government, necessitating the vesting of the control of the function in a high official of the State by the name of Attorney-General who, as the Chief Law Officer of the Government, is expressly authorised by the Constitution to exercise the control (Section 174). In exercising the control, the Constitution enjoins the Attorney- General to “have regard to the public interest” (Section 174(3). The public interest consideration demands that, because of the sensitive and explosive nature of criminal prosecutions and

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Siege on Daily Trust: A Throwback to Military Dictatorship?

The recent military siege on the Daily Trust Newspaper Offices in Maiduguri, Abuja and Lagos, and the arrest of Regional Editor, Uthman Abubakar and a Reporter, Ibrahim Sawab, has been condemned by many, including the Nigerian Guild of Editors, and described as brutal and primitive. Others see the incident as not just a serious threat to press freedom and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, but an assault on democracy. Media Law Experts, Richard Akinnola and Emmanuel Onwubiko describe as unconstitutional, the military infraction on press freedom, while urging the press to exercise discretion in disseminating sensitive information

Weighing Press Freedom Against National Security Richard Akinnola

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What is National Security? he term National Security is very fluid, depending on who is interpreting it. To some socially concerned people, lack of employment, poverty and social inequality constitute “National Security” challenge. As a matter of fact, these twin factors have been largely responsible for the mass revolution in the Arab world, which was triggered off when an oppressed man set himself ablaze in Tunisia, leading to the ignition of revolution in that country.

However, to those in government, particularly in Africa, National or State Security, has been elevated to personal interest of those at the helm of affairs. Security agencies, for example, have arrogated to themselves what constitutes national security. There have even been suggestions in the past by some security outfits, that instead of the press to publish certain things, they should just notify the agencies. A school of thought believes this amounts to self censorship.

Looking at this issue from this context, it would appear that part of the modus operandi of security agencies, is to get Editors to inform them of perceived security threats instead of publishing same. With due respect, I disagree with this method.

James Deaken, an American journalist who covered the White House for over 25 years and should know better posits: “The government and the press should function at arms length. If they do not stay apart, if their purposes are forced into an artificial and unnatural agreement, the nation is harmed.

The purpose of the press and the purposes of the government are not the same, should not be the same, cannot be the same”. I agree entirely with him.

Press and Freedom of Expression Though Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) gives everyone, including the press, freedom of expression, it is subject to the limitations contained in Section 45(1), as no right is absolute. For every right, there is a corresponding limitation.

But, there will always be a conflict between the right of the people to know, and national security implications.

Although, the presence of the Official Secrets Act of 1962 in our statute books, seems to

Nigerian Army v Daily Trust: Responsible Security Reporting Emmanuel Onwubiko

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be of concern despite the passage of the Freedom of Information Act (FOI),. it should be gratifying that that Section 28(1) of the FOI Act seems to have taken charge of that concern, where it states that “Notwithstanding anything contained in the Criminal Code, Penal Code, the Official Secrets Act, or any other enactment....”

However, Section 12(1) of the FOI Act exempts “disclosure of which may be injurious to the conduct of international affairs and the defence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.

Perhaps, it is necessary to quote relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act, which a public official may adopt.

Section 1 (1)”subject to subsection (3) of this section, a person who transmits any classified matter to a person to whom he is not authorised on behalf of the government to transmit it; or obtains, reproduces and retains any classified matter which is not authorised on behalf of the government to obtain, reproduce or retain, as the case may be, shall be guilty of an offence.

2. A public officer who fails to comply with any instructions given to him on behalf of the government as to the safeguarding of any classified matter which by virtue of his office is obtained by him or under his control, shall be guilty of an offence.”

Ironically, this law was promulgated by Nigerian’s first civilian democratic government, and has remained in force since September 13, 1962.

As the name connotes, the intent of the law is to keep in government’s closet, what it purports to be its secrets, issues that ought to be in public domain, which is quite at variance with the FOI Act and Section 22 of the 1999 constitution, which gives the media the responsibility to make government accountable to the people. The law, no doubt, is antithetical to openness, accountability and democratic norms, and should be repealed without further delay.

Unfortunately, my recourse to the judiciary in respect of this in 1999, met with brick wall.

In view of the large casualties of Nigerian ECOMOG soldiers in Sierra Leone, I had approached the Ministry of Defence to avail me the total casualty figures of Nigerian soldiers, and also how much Nigeria had spent on ECOMOG in Liberia and Sierra Leone. The Ministry refused and I went to court. But the court, in its ruling in FHC/L/CS/99 Richard Akinnola v General Abdulsalami Abubakar & 4 Ors, held that “The right to disclose information by Government touching its Armed Forces or regarding its operation

President Muhammadu Buhari

of war, is not a Fundamental Right within the provisions of Chapter IV of the 1979 Constitution, which in essence is what this application is all about.”

Professor Geoffrey R. Stone’s Submission No doubt, this issue of press freedom and national security has always been a global concern. It is apposite at this juncture, to refer to an excerpt of the submission of Geoffrey R. Stone, a Professor of Law at the University of Chicago, to the House Special Committee on Intelligence, in anticipation of its consideration of possible legislation to deal with the publication of classified information by the press in 2006, particularly with the First Amendment still in force: “A central question before the Committee is this: Should the United States criminally punish the press for publishing classified information? This inquiry poses a prospect unprecedented in American history. For more than 215 years, the United States has managed to flourish in the absence of any federal legislation, directly prohibiting the press from publishing government secrets. The absence of such legislation, is no accident. It clearly fulfills the promise of the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom . . . of the press." The First Amendment, is not an absolute. The press

Chief of Army staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai

may be held accountable for publishing libel, obscenity, false advertising, and the like. As the Supreme Court observed more than sixty years ago, ‘such utterances are no essential part of any exposition of ideas, and are of such slight value as a step to truth that any benefit that may be derived from them, is clearly outweighed by the social interest in order and morality’. But, government secrets, are something else entirely. There is nothing inherent about government secrets that would

“IN PRINCIPLE, THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO PUNISH THE PUBLICATION OF "ILLEGITIMATE" SECRETS, AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO PUNISH THE PUBLICATION OF "LEGITIMATE AND NON-NEWSWORTHY" SECRETS. THE MIDDLE CATEGORY, WHICH IS NO DOUBT THE LARGEST, IS THE MOST DIFFICULT TO ASSESS....”

make their publication of only "slight value as a step to truth”. To the contrary, the publication of government secrets, may be extraordinarily valuable to the proper functioning of a self-governing society. Indeed, the very notion that the United States would punish the press for publishing government secrets, seems incompatible with the most fundamental tenets of public accountability.

But, of course, there are secrets and there are secrets, and in exploring this matter, it may be helpful to distinguish three different types of secrets.

“First, there are what we might call, "illegitimate" government secrets. In this category of secrets, government officials are attempting to shield from public scrutiny, their own misjudgements, incompetence, misconduct, venality, cupidity, corruption, or criminality. In a self-governing society, it is vital that such secrets must be exposed.

What makes this difficult, is that government officials attempting to maintain such secrets, may invoke the claim of national security as a cover. We know from historical experience that, this happens all-too-often.

“Second, there are "legitimate but, newsworthy" government secrets. The publication of such a secret, may harm the national security and have substantial “value as a

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he right to information, is a component of the broader right to freedom of expression and of press enshrined in Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights 1984 (UDHR), Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights 1966 (ICCPR), Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights, 1981(ACHPR) and other international human rights instruments.

Nigeria, is one of the few countries in Africa, which has a constitutional provision guaranteeing access to information, and a specific law which further reinforces the provision with procedures and penalties for non-compliance in the Freedom of Information Act (FoIA) which was passed in May, 2011.

Section 34(1) of the C.F.R.N 1999, states that “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference".

Section 39 of the C.F.R.N 1999, on the right to access to information. Notwithstanding, Section 39(1) of the CFRN 1999 sufficient legal basis exists, which guarantees access to information which are vital to the smooth function of democracy. A positive state obligation to protect access to information pursuant to Article 9 of the African Charter which has been domesticated as Nigerian Law. This gives effect to the original intent of the Constitution, as a living document.

Sensitivity of National Security vis a vis Right to Freedom of Information The Official Secrets Act 1962 and the National Security Agencies Act 1986- two main statutes which permit limitations on access to information. According to Section 39(3) and Section 45(1) of the CFRN 1999 " the limitations must be "reasonably" justifiable in a democratic society. The challenge arises, when information is sought to be restricted either on general grounds of public interest under the FoIA 2011, or on the more specific basis of national security, under the National Security Agencies Act, or for some other reasons permitted by other statutes.

Moreover, "National Security" has no precise meaning in Nigerian Law. And it has not helped, that the Constitution broadly confers power on these Agencies to limit access to information in the interest of defence, without clearly specifying the test by reasonable justification, that the limitation must fulfil.

However, "Classified Matter" provided by Section 9 of the Official Secrets Act, which defines it as" any information or thing which under any system of security classification, from time to time in use by or by any branch of government, is not to be disclosed to the public and of which the disclosure to the public would be prejudicial to the secret of Nigeria".

The problem with the statutes is that, they are extremely vaguely worded, and confer extraordinary broad powers on agencies that are saddled with the responsibility of classifying information. As a result, the power to classify information in the interest of national security, has been broadly abused in Nigeria; it has fostered secrecy around Government activities, and has been used as a ploy for Official Corruption, to limit press freedom and other civil liberties. A few instances of judicial exposition on the legality of limitations on access to information in Nigeria, can be found in sedition cases. The most prominent of these are, DPP v CHIKEOBI (1961) All NLR 186 and ARTHUR NWANKWO v THE STATE (1983) FRN 320. There has been no authoritative pronouncements on the subject, by the Nigeria's Apex Court.

The interpretative approach to constitutional provisions, thus, remains underdeveloped and uncertain. Nonetheless, sedition laws continue to be asserted by the Nigerian Government, against press freedoms especially.

In conclusion, reasons for the prominence given to the right to access to Government-held information, is essential for the health of democracy. The quality of democratic governance is improved and strengthened, by public participation in decision making processes.

But, in itself, public participation, cannot be effective access to information. Moreover, a legally enforceable right to Government-held information, will enhance efficiency and accountability, and boost public confidence in Government. In other words, Government-held information actually belongs to the people, unfortunately, the people's ability to access such information, is often impeded by the traditional reluctance of Government Agencies to release information in their possession.

Invasion of Daily Trust Offices This writer is monitoring the development, regarding the reported invasion of the premises of the national office of Daily Trust Newspapers in Abuja, and its regional office in Maiduguri, Borno State, a few days back.

At first, when my attention was called to it, I expressed shock that this could happen in an era whereby the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has entered the annals of our national history as the head of the Army that significantly improved

“....WE THINK IT IS WRONG PROFESSIONALLY, AND A DANGER TO THE SANCTITY OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, FOR THE MEDIA TO LEAK A PLANNED MILITARY OPERATION AGAINST A TERROR GROUP THAT ENJOYS THE BACKING OF ISIS. THE MEDIA MUST EXERCISE THE GREATEST DISCRETION AND REPORT RESPONSIBLY, BECAUSE THE CORPORATE HEALTH AND EXISTENCE OF NIGERIA IS ENDANGERED.....”

relations between the civilian and military citizens in Nigeria, with the institutionalisation of a full department to coordinate civil and military relations, which is headed by a senior General with offices spread across all the command structures of the military establishment.

It was Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf , who entered into partnership with numerous credible civil society platforms and professional groups, aimed at the mainstreaming of the respect of the fundamental human rights in the organisational and modus vivendi/operandi of the Nigerian Army.

So, when this information reached my desk, I made extensive contacts with people who should know the in and out of government institutions, and I learnt that a certain report detailing a planned internal military operation by the Nigerian military in the ongoing counterterrorism war, may have caused the bad blood between the usually friendly Nigerian Army, and the ever responsible media in Nigeria.

This writer acknowledges that the Daily Trust, is one amongst the very best, in terms of professionalism and ethical conduct in carrying out their jobs. Indeed, most media analysts rate the Daily Trust, as one of the very few Newspaper institutions that has supported the current administration and has consistently supported the ongoing counter-terror war. This report detailing proposed military operations,

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

10/COVER

22.01.2019

WEIGHING PRESS FREEDOM AGAINST NATIONAL SECURITY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 step to truth”. For example, the publication of secret information that Army rifles routinely misfire, might be both harmful and beneficial to the national interest. Or, the publication of secret information that the security of our nuclear power plants is inadequate, might both endanger and further the national interest. In such situations, it is often difficult to know which effect predominates.

“Third, there are "legitimate and nonnewsworthy" government secrets. The public disclosure of such secrets may harm the national security and have only “slight value as a step to truth”. An example would be a publication disclosing that, the United States has broken the enemy's code, in circumstances in which this disclosure furthers no legitimate public interest. Of course, whether any particular publication furthers a legitimate public interest, is commonly a matter of dispute, so, it may be easier to state this category in the abstract than to apply it in practice.

“In principle, the government should never be able to punish the publication of "illegitimate" secrets, and should be able to punish the publication of "legitimate and non-newsworthy" secrets. The middle category, which is no doubt the largest, is the most difficult to assess, because there are both real costs and real benefits to disclosure. A central challenge to a free society, is to distinguish wisely among these three types of secrets. Particularly in the context of criminal prosecutions of the press, the problems of complexity and vagueness can be daunting. To provide reasonable guidance to the press, avoid chilling the publication of information that is important to the public interest, and limit the dangers of unchecked

Even if Daily Trust overreached itself by publishing that story, and the Army authorities were sufficiently angry over it, laying siege to all its premises in Maiduguri, Abuja and Lagos, is totally wrong and unacceptable in a democratic clime.

What the Army ought to have done, was to liaise with the Attorney-General of the Federation to prepare charges against the Editor, not the resort to such a crude jackboot siege.

This was the line towed in the Second Republic, when the Attorney-General of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide, SAN, in 1982, charged to court, the Editor of Sunday Concord, Dele Giwa, for allegedly contravening the Official Secrets Acts.

Richard Akinnola, Director, Media Law Centre

Members of the military pictured outside the Daily Trust offices in Abuja

prosecutorial discretion, we need clear, simple, straightforward rules. Such rules, by definition, will be imperfect. They will inevitably protect either too much or too little expression, and they will inevitably protect either too much or too little secrecy. This is a dilemma.”

No doubt, this is the dilemma we face today and the argument continues.

Nigeria Army v Daily Trust However, in respect of the Nigerian Army/ Daily Trust saga, how do we contextualise the CNN coverage of the Iraqi forces war in dislodging ISIS from its territory, with the Daily Trust story? In the CNN report, they

NIGERIAN ARMY V DAILY TRUST: RESPONSIBLE SECURITY REPORTING could have been avoided in the interest of national security and in line with the social responsibility role of the fourth estate of the realm. There is little doubt that, the report may have destroyed the essence of the combat operations been panned by the Nigerian Army.

The Nigerian Army, we must admit, has done so much and paid supreme sacrifices to work towards ensuring the preservation of the territorial integrity of Nigeria.

“Recall that there is the expert opinion that, national security is the requirement to maintain the survival of the State through the use of economic power, diplomacy, power projection and political power.”

“The concept developed mostly in the United States after World War II, initially ocusing on military might, it now encompasses a broad range of facets, all of which impinge on the non- military or economic security of the nation and the values espoused by the national society.”

Furthermore, “I hereby restate a universal view that in order to possess national security, a nation needs to possess economic security, energy security, environmental security.”

“Security threats involve not only conventional foes such as other nation-States, but also nonState actors, such as violent non-State actors, narcotic cartels, multinational corporations and non-governmental organisations; some authorities include, natural disasters and events causing severe environmental damage in this category.”

“Measures taken to ensure national security include: using diplomacy to rally allies and isolate threats, marshalling economic power to facilitate or compel cooperation, maintaining effective armed forces, implementing civil defence and emergency preparedness measures (including anti-terrorism legislation), ensuring the resilience and redundancy of critical infrastructure using intelligence services to detect and defeat or avoid threats and espionage, and to protect classified information using counter-intelligence services or secret police to protect the nation from internal threats.”

In the same vein, I know that the media has a responsibility to inform, educate and entertain the citizenry and to check abuses in the polity. Both the media and military

were reporting that the US-backed Iraqi forces would soon attack ISIS- held territories like Mosul and Fallujah, while the Daily Trust story spoke about Nigerian Army planning to retake Baga from the terrorists.

However, considering the heavy casualties suffered by the Nigerian Army in recent times in its war against Boko Haram, discretion should have been exercised by the newspaper in the treatment and usage of the story. But, again, we are faced with a situation where, the Army itself had denied that Baga fell.

So, if Baga did not fall, there shouldn't be any fret over its supposed plan to retake Baga as published.

“EVEN IF DAILY TRUST OVERREACHED ITSELF BY PUBLISHING THAT STORY, AND THE ARMY AUTHORITIES WERE SUFFICIENTLY ANGRY OVER IT, LAYING SIEGE TO ALL ITS PREMISES IN MAIDUGURI, ABUJA AND LAGOS, IS TOTALLY WRONG AND UNACCEPTABLE IN A DEMOCRATIC CLIME”

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

institutions, are subject to rule of law.

As Head of the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), to therefore, read in the middle of the day, that men of the Nigerian Army invaded Daily Trust head office in Abuja after taking over the Newspaper’s regional office in Maiduguri, Borno State and arrested the Regional Editor, Uthman Abubakar and a Reporter, Ibrahim Sawab, indeed, came to us as a rude shock.

Take note that, I have already mentioned that, in the last three years, the hierarchy of the Nigerian Army has demonstrated maturity and commitment towards domestication and mainstreaming of virtually all international human rights provisions into their operational manuals, and that pragmatic efforts have been made by the hierarchy to ensure that its operatives respect the fundamental human rights of citizens and the soldiers. Several indicted human rights violators have been sanctioned, even as many more of such cases are in their different stages of adjudication, through the instrumentality of internal conflict resolution mechanisms and the mechanics of the human rights investigative desks set up in all military formations by the Chief of Army Staff, under the supervision of the department of civil and military relations.

The soldiers reportedly forced the gate open at the head office, and drove in with three Jokic vans loaded with armed soldiers, just as everyone in the building, was asked to move to the ground floor while they move computers.

We are making efforts to verify these accounts, and to urge for restraint.

Caution The writer, hereby urges the military authority, to show greater restraint and embark on the search for a legal and or amicable resolution of whatever conflict may have arisen between the military institution and the media. The media workers arrested, should be released forthwith.

It is a fact that, Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (the Constitution), confers on the media the right to serve as ombudsmen and gate keepers for the preservation of good governance and the respect of the fundamental

“THE HASTE TO WRITE A SENSATIONAL PAGE 1 STORY TO CAPTURE THE IMAGINATION OF BUYERS AND ADVERTISERS, MUST BE MITIGATED BY THE URGENCY OF THE NOW, TO PRESERVE OUR NATIONAL SECURITY, BECAUSE IF THERE IS NO NIGERIA, THERE WILL BE NO NIGERIAN MEDIA”

human rights, as enshrined in Chapter 4 of the Constitution. But, at the same time, we acknowledge the strategic place of the military in line with Section 217 of the Constitution, in which case the territorial integrity of the country ought to be protected by all means.

Section 22 of the Constitution provides thus: “The press, radio, television and other agencies of the mass media shall at all times be free to uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Chapter and uphold the responsibility and accountability of the Government to the people.”

Section 217 (1) and (2) states:- “There shall be an armed forces for the Federation which shall consist of an Army, a Navy, an Air Force and such other branches of the armed forces of the Federation as may be established by an Act of the National Assembly; The Federation shall, subject to an Act of the National Assembly made in that behalf, equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective for the purpose of – defending Nigeria from external aggression; maintaining its territorial integrity and securing its borders from violation on land, sea or air; suppressing insurrection and acting in aid of civil authorities to restore order when called upon to do so by the President, but subject to such conditions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly; and performing such other functions as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.”

The threat against the corporate existence of Nigeria by the armed terrorists of Boko Haram and other terrorist elements affiliated to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is grave, so, all hands ought to be on dec, to defeat the terrorists once and for all. The media must guard against any sensational reportage, that is capable of undermining or ruining the strategic operations of the gallant soldiers who bear the brunt of waging this war, so that our lives can be preserved and protected.

Although, the Nigerian Army under the Constitution, has no judicial powers of the Federation which in Section 6 is domiciled with the Judicial arm of the Federation, and therefore, couldn't have embarked on the use of measures that may be deemed as resorting to self-help measures, rather than use the instruments of the law to press charges, we think it is wrong professionally, and a danger to the sanctity of our national security, for the media to leak a planned military operation against a terror group that enjoys the backing of ISIS. The media must exercise the greatest discretion and report responsibly, because the corporate health and existence of Nigeria is endangered, and indeed, we are indirectly in an era of enforced emergency, created by the dare devil

terrorist activities of Boko Haram terrorists.

I would suggest that whatever professional sacrifices the media must give to preserve the sanctity of the territorial integrity of Nigeria and conserve national security, must be done now that Nigeria faces the greatest threats against our very existence as a nation and a people. The haste to write a sensational page 1 story to capture the imagination of buyers and advertisers, must be mitigated by the urgency of the now, to preserve our national security, because if there is no Nigeria, there will be no Nigerian media.

This piece will not be complete without reminding the military hierarchy of the doctrine of ‘compact’, which I know that Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf, is vastly knowledgeable about.

Brigadier General T.E.C. Chiefe (Rtd) Ph.D of blessed memory, wrote in his phenomenally rewarding legal book titled “Military Law in Nigeria Under Democratic Rule”, that: “The soldier is part of the society, and also a citizen.

Being a soldier, does not remove him from the society, but puts on him a specially conjured status called ‘compact’. He enjoys all the rights of a citizen, except those he surrenders by virtue of his being a soldier”.

“Upon acquisition of military status, both civil and military law govern him. In support of this position, Takai submits that “the soldier, by becoming a soldier, does not relinquish his identity or status as citizen with the rights and obligations contained in the Constitution. He remains subject both to the civil and military laws, a situation described by some jurists as a ‘compact’.” This duality of status was aptly described in Grant v Gould, where it was stated that, a soldier does agree and consent that he shall be subject to the military discipline, and he cannot appeal to the civil courts to rescue him from his own compact.”.

“The doctrine of compact was further explained

by Justice Willes in Dawkins v Lord Rokeby when he said “But with respect to persons who enter into the military state, who take His Majesty’s pay, and who consent to act under his commission, although they do not cease to be citizens in respect of responsibility, yet they do by a compact which is intelligible and which requires only the statement of it to the consideration of any one of common sense, become subject to military rule and discipline.”

The Army and Media must synergise, to serve the public interest of Nigeria. There should be, no animosity.

Emmanuel Onwubiko, a former Federal Commissioner of Nigerian National Human Rights Commission, Head of Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)

22.01.2019

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ADMINISTRATION OF THE JUSTICE SECTOR IN NIGERIA ‘Ministering Justice’ is a road map and a memoir; a book not just about the time spent by the authors in public service in the justice sector, but also about our appreciation of the office of Attorney General as a catalyst for the rule of law, which itself is a proven stimulant for social and economic advancement.

The aim of the office and the book is to continue to encourage the reform and re-engineering of Nigeria’s justice sector institutions for the effective administration of justice and promotion of the rights of citizens.

It covers, among other things, a treatise on the evolution of the office and the Ministry of Justice; and also offer recommendations for justice sector reform, and other initiatives.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Olasupo Shasore, SAN, is a member of the inner bar in Nigeria having been conferred the distinction in 2006. A former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Lagos State Nigeria (2007 – 2011) and Chairman, Lagos State Law Reform Commission (2012-2015). He is currently a partner with a leading Law firm, ALP. He is a frequently appointed expert on Nigerian Law, seasoned in both International Commercial & Investment law Arbitration.

Akeem Olajide Bello, PhD, is a Senior Lecturer, Department of PublicLaw, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos, Nigeria. He was Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Public and Constitutional Law (2007-2011) and a Law Reform Commissioner, Lagos State Law Reform Commission (2012-2015). He is an expert in public law, criminal justice and justice sector reform.

We are proud to announce the book presentation as follows:

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22.01.2019

TALKING CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY DR. MIKE OZEKHOME, SAN, OFR, FCIARB, PH.D, LL.D

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False News and Freedom of Expression: The Nexus (Part 1)

F Introduction

reedom of expression is one of the fundamental rights, which are universally recognised and protected.

Indeed, the Constitution of most countries in the world, including Nigeria, have expressly provided for the protection of this right because of its importance and relevance to the enhancement of personal liberty and democracy. Specifically, Section 39(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of expression as a fundamental right.

The right to freedom of expression is also protected under the Universal Declaration of Humans Rights (UDHR) and the various regional instruments and conventions on human rights, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right which came into force in 1986.

The importance attached to freedom of expression, is not a new idea. In early modern Europe, thinkers such as John Milton and John Locke emphasised their opposition to censorship, as a part of the development of democratic government. Most famously of all, the first amendment to the United States Constitution said: “Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.”

Article 19 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Humans Rights (UDHR) states: “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers” The benefits of freedom of expression, are not only in the sphere of politics. The Nobel Prize winning Economist, Amarya Sen even went as far as to say that, countries with a free press do not suffer famines. Whether or not that claim is literally true, the general point is that, freedom of expression-encompassing media freedom-is a pre-condition for the enjoyment of other rights.

However, the right to freedom of expression like most other rights, is not absolute. There are recognised restrictions and exceptions to this right, one of which is to be found in Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The law of defamation, also forms an exception to the right to freedom of expression. As we will discuss below, freedom of expression is a right that may be limited in a number of circumstances, such as to protect the reputation of others (and may be suspended all together, in times of national emergency).

This write up aims at critically x-raying the legal and constitutional guarantee to freedom of expression in Nigeria, and the extent to which the exercise of this right is being curtailed by our laws, especially with respect to spreading of false information on social

media. The role of the Nigerian courts in balancing the conflicting interests between freedom of expression and protection of reputation and/or preventing the spread of false information, is also examined.

To achieve this, we intend to examine the provision of Section 45 of the 1999 Constitution, as well the celebrated American case of SCHENCK v U.S (1919).

To begin, let us critically appraise the legal/constitutional guarantee of right to freedom of expression.

Legal/Constitutional Guarantee of Right to Freedom of Expression The right to freedom of expression is guaranteed and protected in Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria in the following terms: 1. Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.

2. Without prejudice to the generality of sub section (1) of this section, every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions provided that no person, other than the government of the Federation or a State, or any other person or body authorised by the President on fulfilment of a condition laid down by an Act of National Assembly, shall own, establish or operate a television or wireless broadcasting station for any purpose whatsoever.

The right to freedom of expression, is also guaranteed under the various international instruments on human rights and fundamental freedoms. Thus, Article 19 of the Universal Declaration on Human Rights provides as follows: Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinion without interference and to seek, receive and impart Article information, and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.

Similarly, Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights provides for the right to freedom of expression as follows: 1. Everyone shall have the right to hold opinions without interference. 2. Everyone shall have the right to freedom of expression; this right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or print in the form of art or through any other medium of his choice.

Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights also provides for the protection of the right to freedom of expression in the following terms: 1. Every individual shall have the right to receive information. 2. Every individual shall have the right to express and disseminate his opinion within the law.

Generally, freedom of expression connotes the liberty of every person to openly discuss issues, hold opinions and impart ideas without restrictions, restraints or fear of punishment. It is undoubtedly, a right to be enjoyed by every person who is not under

“....THE RIGHT TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, IS ONE OF THE ESSENTIAL FOUNDATIONS OF A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, AND THE BASIC CONDITION FOR ITS PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENT”

any bondage on disability. In every human society, Nigeria not being an exception, the desire and freedom of an individual to hold an opinion and share the same with a listener of his choice, is a fundamental one. This is because, a person has the right to have a perspective of the world, the circumstances around him, and the people he interacts with. Indeed, true freedom of a person or persons would be elusive, if it is not possible to ventilate one’s viewpoint or share one’s opinions with others in the society. Therefore, freedom of expression is one of the essential ingredients of every democratic society. Accordingly, Nwabueze maintains that free speech and a free press, are instruments of self-government by the people, because they enable the people to be informed and educated about affairs of government, thereby enabling them to form and express intelligent opinions on such matters. He therefore, concludes that, free dissemination and discussion of ideas and opinions, are indispensable to democratic government.

Freedom of expression is also regarded as a basic condition, for the progress of the society and the development of mankind.

The European Court on Human Rights in HANDYSIDE CASE (EHRR) 737 at R 49, confirmed this position when it held that, the right to freedom of expression, is one of the essential foundations of a democratic society, and the basic condition for its progress and development. In the same vein, Osita Eze (1999) asserts that, freedom of expression is of great importance to the human race, as free exchange of ideas tends to promote harmony and societal development; while suppression of the freedom of expression, often leads to conflict and instability.

The freedom of expression guaranteed in the Nigerian Constitution and the various International Instruments on human rights and fundamental freedom, has three constituent elements; namely, the freedom to (1) hold opinions (2) receive ideas and information (3) impart ideas and information.

The freedom to hold opinions can only be manifested, when the opinions are communicated without adverse consequences.

This is therefore, inseparable from freedom of speech. It can be said that, it incorporates the right to hold and express dissenting views, and the right to comment on matters of public interest. Democracy implies the recognition of scepticism, as a vital element and attitude in the lives of free men. Any law or Act that tends to deny people of the right to express their opinion, would be regarded as undemocratic and tyrannical,

and would portray the government of the day in bad light.

Thus, the attitude of some government owned media, which, in spite of clear non-discrimination clauses, refuse to air or carry the views of an opposition party, is reprehensible, as it amounts to a contravention of the right to freedom of expression. However, the negative effect of such actions is no longer felt, as there are so many privately-owned media houses in Nigeria today, which are ready to air or carry views which are contrary to those of government.

The freedom to receive ideas and information, is also an aspect of the right to freedom of expression and the press. It prevents the government and individuals, from preventing a person from receiving information and ideas that are available to the public. Thus, where there is a riot and journalists have taken notes or filmed the incident, the seizure or destruction of such notes or films by government security agents, will be a violation of the constitutional right of the citizens to be informed.

The right to impart information, whether in oral or written form and through any medium, is indeed, the actualisation of freedom of expression. Thus, any individual is free to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of such opinions, ideas or information.

In construing the scope of freedom of expression under Section 36 of the 1979 Constitution, which is impari materia with Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution, the Supreme Court, in OKOGIE v A.G. LAGOS STATE (1981) 1 NCLR 218, held that, the section confers untrammelled right on any individual, to establish and run any educational institution as a medium for the dissemination of ideas.

The court stated clearly that, the word "medium" used in the said section of the Constitution, is not limited only to the orthodox mass communication media, but could reasonably include schools. Thus, any statutory abolition of private primary schools, would constitute a violation of the right of proprietors of these schools to freedom of expression. Whether the right to impart information involves the right of non-disclosure of the source of information, is an issue of unresolved controversy. (To be continued).

Thought for the Week If we don't believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don't believe in it at all.” (Noam Chomsky).

22.01.2019

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CJN Asset Declaration Brouhaha: Much Ado about Nothing In this article, Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe who interestingly starts off by stating that, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Honourable Justice Walter Onnoghen is not a favourite person of his, seeks to demonstrate that there is no merit in the attempt to try the CJN at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, by showing that he has committed no offence under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act

Y

es, you heard me correctly: all the hoopla and the feverish ballyhoo about the alleged infractions of the Honourable Justice Samuel Walter Onnoghen, GCON, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), merely amount to making a mountain out of a molehill.

The CJN is not my favourite person, and I am sure I am not his favourite person too, as we have had run-ins of recent. However, we have a fascist, dictatorial and tyrannical attempt, to illegally and unlawfully seize the judicial institution, and further cripple and decimate the administration of justice system in Nigeria. I will, therefore, shelve my differences with the CJN, and side with law and order.

Many articles and essays have already been written about the proper procedure for investigating, and bringing a Judicial Officer to account (through NJC and/or Senate). I will, therefore, focus on the allegation that those of us opposed to this shameful and embarrassing assault on the Judiciary, are hiding under procedural technicalities to defeat the “MERITS” of the charges against the CJN. I will demonstrate that, there is no merit in the attempt to try the CJN before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), by showing that the CJN did not commit any OFFENCE under the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act. No Offence has been Committed First, and very importantly, the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act (“the Act”), provides that this matter should not be taken to the Tribunal. Section 3(d) of the Act is significant. By Section 3 of the Act: “The functions of the Bureau shall be to- (d) receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of this Act, and where the Bureau considers it necessary to do so, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal established by Section 20 of this Act in accordance with the provisions of Sections 20-25 of this Act: PROVIDED that where the person concerned makes a written admission of such breach or non-compliance, no reference to the Tribunal shall be necessary”. I urge the reader to please pay attention to this proviso. The CCB and/or those who leaked the whole issue to the media, claim that the CJN admitted to making a mistake and/or omission in the course of declaring his assets. Assuming that is so, how come charges were drafted and filed in court against the CJN, when the Act clearly and expressly states that, when a person concerned makes an ADMISSION of such breach or non-compliance, the matter should not be taken to the Tribunal? The Act used the word “SHALL” not “MAY”.

In the case of Nwankwo & Ors. v Yar'Adua & Ors (2010) LPELR-2109 (SC), (2010) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1209) 518 S.C., the Supreme Court stated as follows: "Paragraph 6(1) states that- "No motion shall be moved. All motions shall come up at the pre-hearing session, except in extreme circumstances with leave of Tribunal Court." The foregoing is surely a mandatory provision, because the operative word there is "shall". The word “shall” when used in a statutory provision, imports that a thing must be done. It is a form of command, or mandate. It is not permissive, it is mandatory. The word shall in its ordinary meaning is a word of command, which is normally given a compulsory meaning as it is intended to denote obligation." Per. Adekeye, J.S.C. (P. 78, paras. C-E)” There are thousands of similar judicial authorities.

Our courts have also pronounced on the effect and significance of a proviso in a statute or enactment. The Court of Appeal in the case of Ukpe v The Registered Trustees of the Apostolic Church of Nigeria & Anor (2012) LPELR-19709 (CA), stated as follows: ''The purpose of a proviso, is to cut down or qualify something which has gone before, usually called the enacting clause. See Anya & Ors v State (1965) NWLR 62 at 64 and Nabham v Nabham (1967) NMLR 130 at 135. The main part of a section of a statute or rule of court, is not to be construed so as to render the proviso redundant. See R. v Leeds Prison (Governor) Exp. Stafford (1964) 2 Q.B. 625. In Lloyds & Scottish Finance, Ltd. v Modern Cars & Caravans (Kingston) Ltd. (1966) 1 Q.B. 764 Edmund Davies J. (as he then was) held that, a proviso is "...of necessity ...limited in its operation to the ambit the section which it qualifies." In Attorney-General v Chelsea Waterworks Co. (1731) Fitz 195 it was held that "...it speaks the intention of the makers." per TUR, J.C.A (Pp. 33-34, paras. E-A).

Similarly, the Court of Appeal in the case of Fayemi & Anor v Oni & Ors (2010) LPELR-4145(CA) stated as follows: "The essence of a proviso, is to restrict the effect of the provision. But, if the language of a proviso makes it plain that it was intended to have an operation more extensive than that of the provision, it must be given such wider effect. If a proviso cannot be construed reasonably, otherwise than as contradicting the main enactment, then the proviso will prevail on the principle that "it speaks the last

Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen

intention of the makers" Attorney-General v Chelsea Waterworks 1731 Fitzg 195 and NDIC v Okem Enterprises Ltd. (2004) 10 NWLR (Pt.880) 107." per Salami, P.C.A. (Pp. 105-106, paras. F-A).

From the foregoing, it is clear that the last intention of the lawmakers is that, once a mistake or omission has been admitted, no charges SHALL be filed before the Tribunal.

Reasons for the Charges against the CJN The provisions are so clear and express, that it becomes apparent that the only reason the Presidency, using the CCB purportedly to frame charges against the CJN, is not because they have any merits to their case which they know will fail as with all the others before it, but to blackmail the CJN, sully his name, besmirch his reputation, embarrass and condemn him in the eyes of the public, many of whom are gullible, make his position untenable, fabricate a fictional crisis of credibility in the Judiciary, which is now playing out, as politicians and partisan interests have inevitably jumped into the fray, and then, hiding under or taking advantage of the contrived and deliberately manufactured upheaval, force or humiliate the CJN into resigning from office. Let me hastily add that, the CJN should never contemplate such a course of action which is not only cowardly, but a great disservice to the legal community and all men of good conscience.

The Incompetent Charges Let me now, briefly look at the six-count charges themselves.

It is an understatement to say they are incompetent. In count 1, it is alleged that the CJN committed an offence contrary to Section 15(1) of the Act, but that subsection does not create any offence at all. Only subsections (2) and (3) of Section 15 create offences. By virtue of Section 15 (2) of the Act, any statement in any declaration found to be false “shall be deemed to be a breach of this Act”. By virtue of Section 15 (3) any property or assets acquired by a public officer after any declaration required and which is not fairly attributable to income, gifts or loans approved

“THE CJN IS NOT MY FAVOURITE PERSON, AND I AM SURE I AM NOT HIS FAVOURITE PERSON TOO, AS WE HAVE HAD RUN-INS OF RECENT. HOWEVER, WE HAVE A FASCIST, DICTATORIAL AND TYRANNICAL ATTEMPT, TO ILLEGALLY AND UNLAWFULLY SEIZE THE JUDICIAL INSTITUTION, AND FURTHER CRIPPLE AND DECIMATE THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE SYSTEM IN NIGERIA”

by this Act, “shall be deemed to have been acquired in breach of this Act, unless the contrary is proved”. On the contrary, Section 15 (1) merely provides that written declarations of Assets in the prescribed forms should be made, but does not state that failure to do so “shall be deemed to be a breach of this Act”. Anybody familiar with the rules of interpretation of statutes, will appreciate the fact that omission to declare a particular asset is therefore NOT a breach as contemplated by the Act, especially when the proviso to Section 3(d) of the Act, is factored in. In this regard, the relevant rule of interpretation, is the “Expressio unius est exclusio alterius” rule, which means that the express mention of one thing in a statutory provision, automatically excludes any other which otherwise would have been included by implication. See PDP v INEC (1999) 11 NWLR (Pt. 626) 200; Buhari v Yusuf (2003) 14 NWLR (Pt.841) 446; Ogbunyiya v Okuda (1979) 6-9 S.C. 32. By specifically and expressly stating that infractions of subsections (2) and (3) of Section 15 are breaches of the Act, but not saying so in respect of subsection (1), the makers clearly intended that omissions/ mistakes are not a breach capable of becoming an offence. From the foregoing, Count 1 is incompetent.

Counts 2-6 relate to allegations that the CJN omitted to declare certain accounts in his declaration, and this is alleged to contravene Section 15(2) of the Act, but the problem is that as highlighted above, Section 15(2) of the Act creates an offence of making false statement in the Asset Declaration Form which no one has alleged against the CJN. Obviously, omission to make a declaration and making a false statement in a declaration are worlds apart. Again, counts 2-6 are incompetent.

The CJN is alleged to have stated that, the monies found in the accounts were legitimately derived from his estacodes, salaries, allowances, emoluments, etc. This has not been contradicted yet by anybody, and therefore, we must accept that they were so derived. The CJN occupies two dual offices: (i) Chief Justice of Nigeria and (ii) Chairman, National Judicial Council. As head of an independent co-equal branch of Government, and in the course of carrying out his administrative and official functions, the CJN attends many official engagements locally and internationally for which he will earn substantial estacodes/allowances, including in various foreign currencies. The CJN did not operate any foreign accounts, as many erroneously believe, rather, he had monies in some foreign currencies paid into his domiciliary accounts in Nigerian Banks. Therefore, he is being oppressed for mistakenly omitting to declare some LEGITIMATELY EARNED INCOME, not because the monies were obtained by bribery and corruption.

The argument that ignorance of the law is no excuse, which I have heard so much, does not apply here. There is a big difference between ignorance of the law, and ignorance of facts. The former is no defence, but the latter is. What the CJN is accused of is a mistake of fact, not of law. In any event, both ignorance of law and of fact for the purpose of Assets Declaration, are excused

by Section 3(d) of the Act already highlighted.

Finally, the reader should indulge me, as I move away from the legalities to the moralities of this matter: Has President Buhari declared his Assets? Who has seen it? Who has verified it? Is a purported declaration shrouded in secrecy, THUS UNVERIFIABLE, actually a declaration? Nobody has seen Buhari’s Assets Declaration forms. Hundreds of applications by Civil Society Organisations, individuals and institutions, mostly pursuant to the Freedom of Information Act, have been largely ignored by the Code of Conduct Bureau, and in the few instances they bothered to respond, they state that the form is a “classified document”. By the CCB & T Act, the declaration should specify the properties, assets and liabilities, not only of the public officer concerned, but also those of his spouse and unmarried children under the age of 21 years. Instead of publishing his Assets Declaration Forms, the President, via a press statement by Garba Shehu, his Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity, in September 2015, gave a brief summary of what is alleged to be the Assets of the President. No word about his liabilities. No word about his spouse or children. No way of confirming that, what we were told in the Press Statement is actually what was declared on oath in the Form. Any member of the public ought to be entitled to scrutinise the President’s Assets Declaration Form, just as the ARDI scrutinised that of the CJN, and others have scrutinised that of the Senate President.

It is incredible and the height of hypocrisy, for the President to set for others, examples he does not intend to follow himself.

Nothing vitiates the merits of a case than its being tainted with malice and hypocrisy. Even the Holy Book (English Standard Version) admonished: “You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye”.

Nnamdi Nwokocha-Ahaaiwe, Esq., Legal Practitioner, Abuja

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22.01.2019

INSIGHT ABUBAKAR D. SANI

xL4sure@yahoo.com

08034533892

Nganjiwa v FRN: The Limits of Judicial Precedence

S Introduction

ince the Court of Appeal delivered its seemingly groundbreaking decision in the above-cited matter, the belief has gained traction that judicial officers in Nigeria bear something of a charmed life, situated somewhere between the outright constitutional immunity enjoyed by the President, Governors and their Deputies, and the rest of us ‘lesser mortals’ who enjoy no such protection. This is because, the case seemed to confer a procedural immunity of sorts on Judges, as it apparently established a rule that before a Judge can be prosecuted (or even investigated) by law enforcement agencies such as the EFCC, disciplinary proceedings against him/her by the National Judicial Council (NJC), must first be concluded.

In the words of Hon. Justice Obaseki Adejumo, JCA, who delivered the judgement of the court, “If any judicial officer commits a professional misconduct within the scope of his duty and is investigated, arrested and subsequently prosecuted by security agents, without a formal complaint/ report to the NJC, it will be a usurpation of the latter’s constitutionally guaranteed powers under Section 158 and Paragraph 21 Part 1 of the Third Schedule, thereby inhibiting the NJC from carrying out its disciplinary control over erring judicial officers, as clearly provided by the Constitution.” For good measure, the court added that “it is only when the NJC has given a verdict and handed over such judicial officer (removing his toga of judicial powers) to the prosecuting authority, that he may be investigated and prosecuted by the appropriate security agencies”.

What are the reasons for the decision?

Those of us trained in the art of the law know that, the value of a judicial decision as precedent is circumscribed by its facts. So, what were the facts of Justice Ngangiwa’s case? The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned His Lordship before the High Court of Lagos State, on a 14-count charge, which essentially accused him of “unlawful enrichment” in his capacity as a Judge of the Federal High Court. The charges were for alleged violations of the Economic and Financial Crimes Act: to the best of my knowledge, they were not for violating any other law, such as the Code of Conduct for Public Officers in Part 1 of the Fifth Schedule to the Constitution.

This is important, because Judges or judicial officers are public officers by virtue of Paragraph 5 of Part II of the 5th Schedule to the 1999 Constitution, and like rest of the 15 other categories of public officers in that List, they are bound by the Code of Conduct for Public Officers contained in Part I of the 5th Schedule to the Constitution. By virtue of Paragraph 12 of the Code, “any complaint or allegation that a public officer has committed a breach or has not complied with the provisions of the Code shall be made to the Code of Conduct Bureau”. This body is a creation of Section 153(1)(a) of the Constitution.

The powers of the Bureau are spelt out in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of the 3rd Schedule to the Constitution.

In particular, Paragraph 3(d) & (e) thereof empower the Bureau to, “ensure compliance with, and, where appropriate, enforce the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law relating thereto”, as well as to “receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any other law in relation thereto, investigate the complaint and, where appropriate, refer such complaints to the Code of Conduct Tribunal”.

What about Judges?

Section 153(1)(i) of the Constitution establishes the National Judicial Council, whilst Paragraphs 21(b) & (d) empower the Council to “recommend to the President (or State Governors) the removal from office of (Federal and State) judicial officers” respectively, as specified in the Constitution. Additionally, Section 292(1) of the Constitution provides that a judicial officer may be removed from office, inter alia, for contravention of the Code of Conduct. So, clearly, judicial officers are subject to the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, under the Constitution.

To my mind, the question is: are the respective powers of the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal and the NJC over judicial officers co-extensive?. Can both of them investigate judicial officers who are alleged to have contravened the Code of Conduct for Public Officers, or are their respective powers over judicial officers (if any) mutually-exclusive? That

is the question. I believe that the Court of Appeal did not purport to answer this question in Justice Nganjiwa’s case, as that issue did not arise for its determination, simply because, Justice Nganjiwa was not charged with violating the Code of Conduct for Public Officers. Neither was the Code of Conduct Bureau/Tribunal in any way involved in his trial. On the contrary, the “prosecuting authority” in the case, to use the words of the court, was the EFCC, which, unlike the CCB and CCT, was established by the National Assembly and not the Constitution. This difference is significant, as not only is the Constitution supreme, its provisions are co-equal and should be construed as a whole.

Who does the case bind?

The assumption that the decision in Justice Nganjiwa’s case lays down a general principle that judicial officers are exclusively under the purview of the NJC - regardless of the nature of any allegations against them (including contraventions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers) - is based on a flawed understanding of the concept of judicial precedent. This misconception has elicited many an admonition by our appellate courts. In DONGTOE v CIVIL SERVICE COMMISSION OF PLATEAU STATE (2001) 9 NWLR pt. 717 pg. 132 @ 155, the Apex Court held that, “a decision is an authority for what it actually decides, and judgements should be read in the light of the facts on which they were decided”.

Similarly, in OKAFOR v NNAIFE (1987) 4 NWLR pt. 64 PG. 129, the Apex

“TO CONSTRUE THE DECISION IN NGANJIWA’S CASE, AS STIPULATING A DEFINITIVE RULE THAT, THE CODE OF CONDUCT BUREAU MAY ONLY INVESTIGATE A JUDICIAL OFFICER FOR CONTRAVENING THE CODE OF CONDUCT FOR PUBLIC OFFICERS AFTER THE NJC HAS INVESTIGATED....WOULD BE MISLEADING....”

Court, again, per Oputa, JSC), held that “the ratio of any case should not be pulled by the hair of the head, and made willy nilly to apply to cases where surrounding circumstances are different” .

In the same vein, in EKWUNIFE v NGENE (2002) 2 NWLR pt. 646 pg.650 @ 667, the Court of Appeal held that “for the ratio of a cited case to govern a latter case in hand, the latter case has to be similar (or) identical to the cited case.

In common parlance, the latter case has to be on all fours with the cited case”.

Finally, in ADEGOKE MOTORS v ADESANYA (1989) 5 S.C.N.J 80, the Apex Court, also per Oputa, JSC, opined that “There is now a tendency among our Lawyers, and sometimes, among our Judges, to consider pronouncements made by Justices of the Supreme Court in unnecessary isolation from the facts and surrounding circumstances of those particular cases in which those particular pronouncements were made. I think it ought to be obvious now that, it is the facts and surrounding circumstances of any given case that frame the issues or decision in that particular case.

Pronouncements of our Justices, whether they are rationes decidendi or obiter dicta must, therefore, be inextricably and intimately related to the facts of the given case. Citing those pronouncements without relating them to the facts that induced them, will be citing them out of their proper context”.

Conclusion I believe that, it is the exclusive constitutional prerogative of the Code of Conduct Bureau to enforce the Code of Conduct for Public Officers against judicial officers; by virtue of Section 158(1) of the Constitution, that power “shall not be subject to the direction or control of any authority or person”.

To construe the decision in Nganjiwa’s case, as stipulating a definitive rule that the Code of Conduct Bureau may only investigate a judicial officer for contravening the Code of Conduct for Public Officers after the NJC has investigated and “removed the judicial toga” from him/ her, would be misleading and that decision would have been completely cited out of its factual context.

In my view, the fallacy of that position, is exposed by the fact that, assuming it was correct, by the time the NJC makes that determination, the CCB/CCT would have no role to play anymore in the inquest, as the NJC would have done the job for it. It is settled that, a constitutional power (such as that of the NJC to discipline judges), cannot be used by way of condition to attain an unconstitutional result; in the same vein, a constitutional provision (e.g., that of the CCB/CCT over public officers) should not be construed so as to defeat its evident purpose: ATT-GEN OF BENDEL STATE v ATT-GEN OF THE FED (1981) 10 S.C. 131.

For the foregoing reasons, I humbly submit that the powers of both the NJC and the CCB/CCT over judicial officers are mutually-exclusive: in respect of the of Code of Conduct for Public Officers, the CCB/CCT enjoy a constitutional monopoly, whilst the NJC possesses a similar power in relation to judicial misconduct, which is not alleged to be a contravention of that Code.

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Last Wednesday, January 16, 2019, a Valedictory Session was held at the Foyer of the Lagos High Court, in honour of late Sir Otunba Yomi Oshikoya (KJW), former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State (1992-1994), who passed on to eternal glory on December 26, 2018 (Boxing Day).

Below are some of the personalities who were in attendance, including the Chief Judge of Lagos State, Honourable Justice Opeyemi Oke, who presided at the Session.....

Princess Folorunsho Oshikoya, Taiwo Kola-Balogun and Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Opeyemi Oke

L-R: Bolaji Ayorinde, SAN (behind) and Attorney-General, Lagos State, Adeniji Kazeem, SAN and Lagos State Solicitor-General, Mrs. Funmilola Odunlami

The Widow of the late Sir (Otunba) Yomi Oshikoya (KJW) along with their children who are Lawyers. L-R: Their two sons, Mr Gbenga Oshikoya & Mr Babatunde Oshikoya; their daughter Mrs Taiwo Kola-Balogun

Front L-R: Mrs Bimbo Akeredolu, SAN, former Attorney-General of Ogun State, Mr Chuka Agbu, SAN Behind L: Mr Yode Delano, SAN

Olasupo Shasore, SAN, former Attorney-General, Lagos State (left) and Stephen Kola-Balogun, former Commissioner for Youths and Sport, Osun State, and son-in-law of Otunba Oshikoya

L-R: Children of Sir Otunba Yomi Oshikoya, Mrs Feyi Ogunneye, Mr Babatunde Oshikoya, Mrs Taiwo Kola-Balogun, Mr Gbenga Oshikoya, Ms Kehinde Oshikoya & Ms Omotola Oshikoya

L-R: Dele Belgore, SAN, Seni Adio, SAN, Mr. Gbenga Oshikoya, Ebun Sofunde, SAN, Babatunde Oshikoya, Hon Justice Animahun and Abimbola Williams-Akinjide, SAN

L-R: Mr Babatunde Oshikoya, Hon. Justice Oyeban-Abdullahi, Princess Folorunsho Oshikoya, Taiwo Kola-Balogun, Seni Adio, SAN and Funke Aboyade, SAN

L-R: Vice Chancellor Lagos State Univervity Professor Fagbohun, SAN, Mr. Gbenga Oshikoya, Mrs. Taiwo Kola-Balogun and Mr. Ebun Sofunde, SAN

WORK WITH INEC TO ACHIEVE FREE, FAIR ELECTIONS, LAW PROFESSOR, OYEBODE CHARGES CSOS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 polity”, he said.

The Professor said that, the electoral umpire should desist from anticipatory implementation of electoral laws.

“For example, while the use of smart card readers or electronic transmission of election results might appear justifiable on account of their enhancement of the electoral process, it is untenable to do so without an effective legislation thereto”, he said.

Citing the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, SAN as example, the Chairman of the occasion, Justice Adewale Abiru of the Court of Appeal, urged young Lawyers to imbibe exemplary courtroom and legal practice conduct of senior colleagues.

“I wanted to chair this lecture, so that I can share the virtues I learnt from Chief Gani Fawehinmi.

“He taught me that, in order to have a successful practice, you have to invest in your practice, he had one of the best law libraries in the country, and he was also a very courteous person.

“I did not work in his chambers, but this was what I learnt from going to court to listen to and watch Gani Fawehinmi.

“I hope young Lawyers today, will imbibe this. “If there is a senior you will like to replicate, go to court and watch him.

Gani Fawehinmi was my light in my darkness of legal practice, and I thank him today”, Abiru said.

Earlier, in his address of welcome, Mr. Monday Ubani, the Chairman of the Gani Fawehinmi Annual Lecture Planning Committee, noted that Fawehinmi, SAN, SAM, played enormous roles in the development of politics in Nigeria.

“You and I are aware of the roles played by the late Gani Fawehinmi, in the development of our political space, especially when INEC refused to register some political parties in Nigeria.

“He pursued that matter in the judiciary to a logical conclusion, and got a reprieve that opened the space for other parties.

“For that singular act, most of these ‘Not-Too-Young-To-Run’, have found homes to emerge as presidential candidates,” he said.

Other senior Lawyers who also gave remarks at the lecture include former NBA President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN, former NBA General Secretary, Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN, Human Rights Lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, and INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Mike Ighini, amongst others.

COURT RESTRAINS CYPRIAN IGWEH FROM PARADING HIMSELF AS CHAIRMAN/MANAGING DIRECTOR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5 Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, unilaterally changed the Lawyer appointed to represent his interest and that of his siblings who are Defendants in the matter, and unilaterally appointed Suleiman Usman, SAN, who is now the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Sokoto State.

Part of the terms of settlement was that Dr. Becky Igweh would relinquish her shares in Bolingo Hotels and Towers and be paid 10 percent of the hotel's value; set aside the Will of their late father, while Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh will be head of the family and solely handle the administration of the Estate; Dr. Becky Igwe was to hand all title documents of the Estate to him, and she would in turn be paid N250, 000.00 every month as upkeep; Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh was to be transparent in handling the affairs of the Estate.

Upon assuming those responsibilities and being granted Letters of Administration, Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh turned around

to say that the Estate belonged to him, and declared himself Chairman, Managing Director, Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited.

In a bid for other Directors to correct this anomaly after discovering various infractions, they issued a notice on Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh pursuant to the Memorandum and Articles of Association of Bolingo Hotels and Towers, for his removal in office.

The day after they obtained an order on June 11, 2009 to hold Board meeting of Bolingo Hotels and Towers, because Cyprian Igweh had influenced some officers in Corporate Affairs Commission to place a caveat on the file of Bolingo Hotels and Towers Ltd with CAC, for preventing his siblings who are all directors from removing him from office.

Upon this, Bolingo Hotels, Cyprian Igweh dragged Chuma Igweh, Eyinnaya Igweh, Chijioke Igweh and Corporate Affairs Commission to Federal High Court, Abuja in Suit No: FHC/ ABJ/CS/343/2009, where he contended that the other Directors

were no longer Directors, because they had not paid for the shares allotted to them by virtue of the unilateral call on shares made by Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, and that the shares of their late father belonged to him.

He commenced action by writ of summons. However, the 1st - 3rd Defendant filed their defence and counter-claim against Bolingo Hotels and Towers Limited, Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh and Corporate Affairs Commission, where they also made their claims and prayed for reliefs to the effect that, the shares of their late father in Bolingo Hotels had not been transmitted to Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh, and they were still Directors in Bolingo Hotels and Towers Ltd. After Cyprian Okechukwu Igweh through his Lawyer refused to open their case after 6 years upon the application of the Defendants pursuant to Companies Proceedings Rules, the Writ of Summons was converted to an Originating Summons.

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THE GOOD OLD DAYS!

(Culled from Social Media)

T H I S D AY Ëž Í°Í°Ëœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

20

FEATURES

Group Features Editor: Chiemelie Ezeobi Email chiemelie.ezeobi@thisdaylive.com, 08152252325

Drumming Support for the Next Level Sunday Ehigiator writes that for President of the Emmanuel Umohinyang Foundation and Coordinator of Re-elect Buhari Movement, Emmanuel Umohinyang, his advocacy is based on the need to keep the nation on a steady progressive course

E

for Nigerians to compare.

"Therefore, we must avoid voting people without character to rule over us. Forget what is being put outside there that they have changed, and Nigerians has forgiven them. I don’t know where they got that theory from, but I can tell you, Nigerians are very much aware of that evil era. And that evil era is gone and gone forever. Well, if the PDP tomorrow decides to change its name, it is not really the party we are talking about, it is the actors who played the key roles in destroying our system; these are the people we are talking about. And those same people are coming back again to say they want to rule us. We will not allow it. I can assure you that come February 16; Nigerians will rise, and ensure that these people do not find their way, either through the front door, back door, or even through the window, back to power."

mmanuel Umohinyang is a man that wears the toga of many offices- a legal counsel, philanthropist and president, Emmanuel Umohinyang Foundation, as well as Coordinator of Re-elect Buhari Movement (RBM). Notwithstanding the large portfolio he manages, he ensures none suffers at the hands of another.

While his current passion and advocacy is tailored towards the RBM given the time frame before the forthcoming general elections, his interest in his foundation hasn't waned one bit as he has in recent times feted over 1000 widows and most recently, alongside old students of West African Peoples Institute (WAPI), Calabar, Cross River State, powered the scholarship of 12 indigent students.

Philanthropic Cause According to him, Emmanuel Umohinyang Foundation was 10 years as at December 23, 2018, adding that what they do in the foundation is just to look around and see to it that those around feel the impact of why they are alive.

He said, "A man cannot be said to be serving God if you cannot serve the people. So what the organisation is just out to do is to help the widows, orphans, the physically challenged and the indigent people in the society, and it is just a way of giving back to the society that has helped you to where you are. That is the purpose of the foundation. I think in the last 10 years, we have touched over N3 million lives, and we are still counting. By the grace of God we hope that the eleventh anniversary will be better than the tenth.

"You must also understand that we learnt from the best. President Muhammadu Buhari also has a foundation called Katsina Foundation, since he retired from the military, and he has been doing so well with that foundation. And the wife has also taken towards that direction with the Future Assured program. Get to their website and see the wonderful projects her Excellency’s Future Assured program has been doing. Some of us were in the office in the past where we criticise the office of the First Lady as unconstitutional, I agree. But if you look at what this woman had done, in the last three and half years, we would have had reservations on such attacks on the office. So all I am saying is that, there is no way we can go back to our homes and sleep comfortably when the generality of the people are in pain. How do you cope in an environment where you are able to eat three square meal a day, and your next door neighbour has not been able to eat one square meal. This is the purpose of the foundation, and the foundation has been doing that in the last 10 years, and we will not get tired, we will continue to do it."

RMB Movement To many who know him, his servitude in giving back to the society, was perhaps one of the many reasons why he got involved in RBM, a social advocacy cause that intends to ensure that President Muhammadu Buhari secures another four-year tenure in office. The movement as it were, has already garnered momentum over time and has presence at the national, state, local governments including at ward and unit levels across the federation.

But in his own words, the group's endorsement of Buhari is in obedience to the late sage Gani Fawehinmi's directive in 2007. Going down memory lane he said: "In 2007, after our great mentor; Late Chief Gani Fawemi contested election in 2003, and elected not to contest the 2007 election, he called us and told us that henceforth, we should give our support to the current president of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari. It was widely reported, when he raised Buhari’s hand as a man he endorsed for the 2007 election.

"Outside that endorsement, we have equally taken our time to look at Nigeria from 1999 to 2015, and we couldn’t fault the position taken by the erudite lawyer. We watched events too; first, the coming of President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1999; that administration was just for eight years and Atiku Abubakar was the vice. We also watched the brief period of the late Musa Yar'Adua. We also saw the five years of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. And I think the last administration gave us the zeal not to continue to sit on the fence, but to also join and see to it that our country does not

Recycling Umohinyang go the way the elite wants it. And on that note, in the month of June, we called ourselves and felt we should see what we can do to contribute to help our country move away from this part of destruction that we find ourselves.

"It was on that note we threw our weight behind President Muhammadu Buhari as a candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC). To the glory of God and the support of Nigerians, coupled with the technology that was introduced in 2015, we won the election. If you look at what the president has done between that period and now, you cannot compare it with the 16 wasted years of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). So our RBM became a child of destiny.

Hence, we sat down and also felt we needed to project the works of this current administration.

"And as you know, RBM may be a political pressure group, but we belong to different political parties.

Some of our members don’t even belong to APC, including me. And so, we have a focus, and that focus is to support mr. president in February election.

Not for any particular gain, but to see to it that the pattern the government has taken to reshape and rebuild our country is sustained. And I think that is one reason why RBM was formed, and the only reason why RBM is in existence. I also want to reassure you that by the grace of God, by the time we get Nigerians to get the president reelected, on February 16, next month, we will also hold a press conference where we will shut down the platform of RBM because it is not there to galvanise support for any other person; not even the governorship candidate of any party. " On why they feel the president deserves a second term he said, "Fortunately, I come from the South-south part of the country, but I don’t play ethnic politics.

I want to give you one illustration. In 2010, when the former president, Goodluck Jonathan wanted to go and campaign in Anambra, he stood at Onitsha Bridge and said that if he does not finish the second Niger Bridge, by 2015 he would go on exile. As much as we love Jonathan as our brother, it is not enough.

And that is why the country is where it is, because we feel that whenever whosoever comes in, we pet that person. Even when he is doing things that are wrong, we continue to give the person support, without necessarily calling the person to order or pointing at the slope he is descending to.

"You also remember the electricity, which he launched the road map here in Lagos. The promises he gave?

When you now look at a man that was prided as a PHD holder; you and I would have gone to sleep on the pretext that, ‘now we have a PHD’ in the saddle, things will change for good. When you also look at his brief history, on September 16, 2010, when he was declaring; the day he brought the infamous ‘I have no shoe doctrine’, one could say for a man who has gone through these suffering in life, the people will be his people. To his credit, he may have meant well, but peradventure, the government was hijacked, because under Jonathan we saw the worst kind of government ever we can ever imagine. It was under that administration you saw corruption develop legs, wear cloths and was walking round the system. It was a government that allowed the door to the treasury to be widely opened, including the windows and all kinds of

shenanigans found themselves in.

"It was also the reason why so many were killed because there was no money to procure weapons.

The story of Jonathan will not be told now. A time is coming, a generation is coming and they will come and open register, and all the atrocities that administration committed will be brought to the front burner for all to see."

On the inroads made by the group he said: "We have gone round without even depending on government data to speak for government. We have structures from the national to the zonal and the state coordinators, to the council supervisors, to the wards, to the units; so all we need to do was to call them and send a message, for them to go round their units, wards etc. and send us pictures of what this administration has done. And we have those pictures live. And we can attest to it that President Muhammadu Buhari has done excellently well.

"In three and a half years, what PDP could not smell for 16 years. It is only normal for us to say, let us give him another four years. And that is the point we have taken. We have seen other candidates that have shown up; I think 73 of them at the last count. We are not saying that some of the candidates cannot perform; yes, they can. But we are saying that; ‘look, the constitutional provision eight years was not automatic. But in the past we have run it in an automatic manner, where somebody can rise up and say to our faces that ‘there is no vacancy in the villa’.

"We have had in this country when a famous man by name ‘Mr. fix it’ sits down and decides who wins an election. He sits down to tell you there is no vacancy, and indeed, there is no vacancy. But that was those ugly days when election was written in their various homes. Not now that the ballot is being counted, not now that your votes is showing forth, not now that people’s thumb is their power.

So I am saying that, from what the government has done, they deserve our support. And that is why RBM is going all out to see that the president gets a second term and do more for Nigeria."

Security Umohinyang, who addressed the three key areas the president had promised to tackle in 2015, especially in the area of security said, "It is ridiculous when you mention PDP, because you and I were in this country when force Headquarters was blown up; when UN house in Abuja was blown up. Are you talking about the Iyanya blasts? We were in this country and we know that insurgents held four to several local governments in the country. Their flags were everywhere. There were not just collecting taxes; if you fail to pay you are dealt with, rules were brought in, our constitution was desecrated. The sovereignty of Nigeria was obvious to the whole world that it was under threat and I don’t see where they said they did anything about insurgency. They failed woefully, and I know that Nigerians are people who have retentive memory; we knew what happened under PDP in terms of insecurity. This administration may not have gotten it 100 per cent, but you cannot take if from President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration; he has gotten 85 per cent in terms of security. And I challenge the PDP to put their score card forward,

Responding to the fact that those actors who were part of those that spoilt the system in 16 years are now part of APC he said: "You have raised a valid point; that some of the alleged looters are now in APC. It is very easy for one to allege, it is for you then to bring those proof to the table. Secondly, these people that you said have returned back to APC, have their case been stopped? The constitution makes provision for freedom of association. And I do not see as a political party, a man wants to defect from one party to the other, and would be denied because he has a case pending in court. They have not been convicted. Even those that are convicted still have the rights to belong to whichever association they want to belong. But all I am challenging is that, whosoever have decamped to APC, there is not even one person, who has been convicted or under investigation that the president has said; 'EFCC, ICPC or the police to stop investigation'. I am not aware of any. And I am not also aware of any who has a case in court, whom the government of the day have said, for the mere fact that he has come to join us, your sins are forgiven. I think all these people are still going to trial. At least a governor who defected to APC was convicted. It would have been easy for the president to say, ‘for coming in attorney general, get him off the hook’. But this president, I can assure you will never do that. One thing we enjoy is that we have a honest man in the saddled, and that is the difference between now and the last 16 years. I can assure you that, for those who have joined the party, no one will be spared. Immediately your hands are soiled, you will face the music. The court will pronounce on you and you will go and answer your case.

Expectations On what more to expect from this government this 2019, if elected again he replied thus, "if you know mr. president, he is not giving to talking too much. And some of us who have close relationship with him, we know when he speaks, he speaks from his heart. Yes, the PDP started the issue based campaign strategy. But when they saw the fire of principles was hot on them, they had no issues to put forth. These are people, who mismanaged the country for 16 years. They went back and started talking about the president's family members owning Keystone, Etisalat, and I am not going to be surprised if tomorrow they tell you that, the president himself owns Emirate airline. These are people who don’t have anything to tell Nigerians. But I want to reassure you that the president stands on his three points program. He still stands on security, corruption and economy. And he has done relatively well in the last three and a half year. It is only normal in my place, when somebody have done well; you tap him in the back and tell him to continue".

His take on the recent statistics that shows the high rate of poverty and unemployment in the country was that the present government inherited a rotten foundation that must be methodically rebuilt.

With all these structures in place, it is no gainsaying that Imohiyang's hope is to use the RBM to galvanise votes for the president considering the makeup of its members spread across different political parties.

With all these structures in place, it is no gainsaying that Umohinyang's hope is to use the RBM to galvanise votes for the president considering the makeup of its members spread across different political parties.

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FEATURES

Para Powerlifters: Nigeria’s Unsung Heroes Chronicling Nigeria’s sporting history won’t be complete without the accomplishments and medals won by the para powerlifting athletes of the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, writes Ojo Maduekwe

E

ach time someone compiles a list of Nigeria’s greatest sports people, they are very likely to capture the following names: Jay-Jay Okocha, Hakeem Olajuwon, Segun Toriola, Kanu Nwankwo, Mary Onyali, Dick Tiger, Vincent Enyeama, Hogan 'Kid' Bassey, Blessing Okagbare, Sunday Oliseh, Chioma Ajunwa, Stephen Keshi, Rashidi Yekini, Mercy Akide, Segun Odegbami, Muda Lawal, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Teslim Balogun, Christian Chukwu and Enefiok Udo-obong.

These are some of Nigeria’s greatest in the history of football, table tennis, long jump, basketball, athletics, and boxing. Although some of them are dead now, the special place they enjoy in Nigeria’s sporting history is such that when discussed by sports lovers, their accomplishments prompt a nostalgic feeling.

But a compilation of the greatest sports people in Nigeria won’t be complete without names like Bose Omolayo, Lucy Ejike, Kehinde Paul, Loveline Obiji, Roland Ezuruike, Ben Nsimi, Ishiaku Ruel, Ibrahim Olaitan, Ibrahim Abdulazeez, Nwosu Ndidi, Oluwafemiayo Folashade, Latifat Tijani and Nnamdi Innocent.

You are probably wondering who these people are? They are Nigeria’s finest achievers and unsung sport heroes, representing the country in a category that like themselves, was once disregarded for much of its history; I am talking about the para powerlifting sector of Nigeria’s sports sector. These people are not just some African champions, their medals span across the globe.

A cross section of Nigeria's para powerlifting athletes, the federation team and representatives of the federation sponsors

Para Heroes No Nigerian athlete have won medals, gold and silver, back to back like the para powerlifters have been doing every year in major para powerlifting competitions across the world. Their recent wins in the continent and international stage have been very phenomenal. Presently they are rated the best globally.

Take Lucy Ejike for example, she was listed on the official website of the World Para Powerlifting as one of the five big stars to watch out for in 2019. Described in the post as a “legend�, Ejike currently holds the world mark of the 142kg category she had set at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

Between 2000 and 2016 Ejike competed at five para powelifting games, winning three golds and two silvers, and was named Female Athlete of the Year at the 2016 Nigeria Sports Awards. Recently she sealed silver in the women’s lightweight at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia. She also cleared the bar at 131kg to win gold medal at the 2018 African Championships.

Roland Ezuruike is another Nigerian legend.

He started the sport in 2014, where he won silver at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

This was his first and only silver since then.

Ever since, he has been on a gold winning spree. He topped the podium at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, and in 2017 he won his first World Championship title in the men’s up to 54kg with a 180kg lift.

He won his maiden Commonwealth Games title in Gold Coast, Australia, in 2018, extending his three year-long winning streak. Months before the commonwealth games, he had taken gold at the 9th Dubai World Cup. We also have Bose Omolayo who last year, at the 2018 World Para Powerlifting African Championships in Algiers, made history by breaking the women’s up to 79kg world record on the final day of competition.

Omolayo lifted 137kg in her second attempt, but then failed to clear the bar at 139kg in her third attempt, only for her to succeed in lifting 139.5kg in the fourth.

This feat meant that Omolayo broke the world record of 138.5kg that China’s Xu Lili had set at the Mexico City 2017 World Championships.

At the same Algiers outing, Loveline Obiji, Nigeria’s London 2012 gold medalist defeated Egypt’s Randa Mahmoud lifting 145kg to finish first in the over 86kg. It was the first time Obiji had beaten Mahmoud since 2012.

Nnamdi Innocent, who was Nigeria’s Rio 2016 bronze medalist (200kg), took gold in the men’s up to 72kg competition, winning ahead of Algeria’s Billel Bouchefra (151kg) and Uganda’s Muhamed Nigo (125kg). At the end of the outing, Nigeria ended top of the overall medals table

Queen Uboh, President Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation with 11 golds and two silvers.

For their many victories, the World Para Powerlifting describes Nigeria as “home to several of the world’s strongest powerlifters�, and the 2018 World Para Powerlifting official world rankings places Nigeria in good position.

Nigeria’s para powerlifters are not just the best in the world; they’re known to hold the highest world record at various international championships. Nigeria is the defending champion of Commonwealth Games, having won the six available medals in a 2010 and 2014 outing.

Medals so far won by the athletes are the highest ever won by any federation of Nigerian athletes till date.

Last year, the six para powerlifting athletes that represented Nigeria in the powerlifting events of the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia, each clinched a medal, returning with a total of six medals. Also at the event, Esther Onyema set a new world record after securing a lift of 131kg.

Queen of Para Powerlifters The president of Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation, Queen Uboh, who is indeed considered the Queen of Nigeria’s Para Powerlifting sport is passionate about the athlete’s welfare, and as president of the federation continues to tirelessly canvass for support from private sponsors.

Recounting the feat of the federation last

year, she said the para powerlifters “made sure the nation anthem was heard, even where the able-bodied athletes couldn’t succeed. We went with only six athletes to Gold Coast and each of them came back with a medal. If we had presented more than six athletes we would have won more medals".

She once said, “Most stakeholders in the country do not really care and think about these disabled athletes, who even with their condition continue to make this nation proud anytime they have the opportunity to represent their fatherland.�

Sponsorship The fortune of the federation and the athletes has since changed under her leadership. Private organisations are now tripping over themselves to support the federation. Presently, the list of sponsors for the 2019 International Para Powerlifting Competition include FrieslandCampina Wamco, makers of Peak milk; other sponsors are Heritage Bank, Total Nigeria Plc, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), AirFrance KLM, Ginklat Capsule, Lagos State Government, Lagace Water and the Ministry of Youth and Sports.

2019 Host Following their sterling performance over the years, Team Nigeria didn’t just win medals; they

also made the country proud and positioned it well in the world para powerlifting community such that Nigeria will be hosting the 2019 International Para Powerlifting Competition running through January 24 - 31.

In June 2018, Nigeria was given the hosting rights after the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) visited the country to inspect facilities and hotels to evaluate the country’s preparedness to host the event. The Lagos Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island was chosen as venue for the event.

At the Lagos outing, Nigeria will be showcasing 60 athletes, made up of 20 new revelations and 40 renowned and celebrated powerlifters that will compete against 10 other nations, and with 20 gold medals at stake.

The Governor of Lagos, Akinwunmi Ambode had pledged the state’s readiness in hosting the event when the Minister of Youths and Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, led a delegation of members of the International Paralympics Committee and the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation to the governor in June 2018.

This is a long time coming, the making of history; one that has seen the Nigeria Para Powerlifting Federation doing everything in its capacity to see the country delivers a world class event. This epoch making event is a huge responsibility for Nigeria since our athletes are rated the best in the world.

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IMAGES

T H I S D AY Ëž ÍŻÍłËœ Ͱ͎ͯ͡

Photo Editor ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜ ÔËÖË Email Ă‹ĂŒĂ“Ă™ĂŽĂ&#x;Ă˜Ë›Ă‹Ă”Ă‹Ă–Ă‹ĚśĂžĂ’Ă“Ă?ĂŽĂ‹ĂŁĂ–Ă“Ă Ă?Ë›Ă?Ù×

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, acknowledging cheers from the traders, during the inauguration of TraderMoni, at Oba and Ekiosa Markets Benin, Edo State...recently

L-R: Director, Human Resources, Airtel Nigeria, Gbenga Owolabi; Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Babatunde Fashola; MD/CEO,Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya and Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah at the 2019 edition of the Airtel Employees Knowledge Series in Lagos...recently

L-R: President, Clearing Agents Association, Republic of Benin, Mr. Clement Wouitin; Customs Comptroller, Ogun State Area Command, Michael Agbara; Regional Director, African Integration Festival, Mrs Theresa Botoku; Customs Area Controller, Igolo, Republic of Benin and Secretary General, Inter-Border Forum, Dr.Bonny Botoku, at the Inter-Border Forum Togetherness Dinner at Igolo Customs OďŹƒcer’s Mess, Igolo, Republic of Benin... recently PHOTO: YOMI AKINYELE

L-R: Guest Speaker, National Mathematics Colloquium, Prof. Olabisi Ugbebor; Prof. Godwin Chukwu; and President, Mathematics for Life Foundation, Mr. Omoniyi Osuntuyi, at the 2019 Annual Mathematics Conference and Exhibition, in Lagos....recently

L-R: Baba Ijo, United African Methodist Evangelical Church, Abule Ijesha, Lagos, Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya,rtd; The Otun Baba-Ijo, Elder Folorunso Oladepo, and Patron of the Church, Senator, Anthony Adefuye during the presentation of an award to Adefuye at the Church’s 2019 Annual National Conference in Lagos...recently

L-R: National Sales Consultant, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Dr Ayodele Ogunsan: Managing Director, Peugeot Automobile Nigeria, Boyi Ibrahim: and Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria Bayo Onanuga during the oďŹƒcial launch of the new PEUGEOT Pick up at NAF Conference Centre Abuja...recently

L-R; Communications and Government Aairs Director, GSK Nigeria, Mr. Omongiade Ehighebolo; , National Funds Development and Communication Coordinator, SOS Villages Nigeria; Mr. Gboyega Fadowole-Aje; Representative of the General Manager GSK Consumer, Mr Soji Awotiwon; HR Manager, GSK Consumer, Mrs Oziofu Okwuosa and , Legal Director GSK Nigeria, Mr. Uchenna Uwechia during a cheque presentation by GSK to SOS Villages Nigeria in Lagos...recently

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T H I S D AY ˞ ͰͰ˜ 2019

BUSINESSWORLD

Group Business Editor Obinna Chima Email obinna.chima@thisdaylive.com 08024557078, 08152447875

ÍŻ Íś Ëœ Í° ÍŽ ÍŻ ͡ MONEY MARKET OVERNIGHT OBB

REPO 16.17% 15.33%

CALL 1-MONTH 3-MONTH

17% 16.25 % 16.88%

S & P INDEX INDEX LEVEL 1-DAY MONTH-TO-DATE

360.68% 0.05% 1.04%

S & P INDEX 1/4 TO DATE YEAR TO DATE

1.04% 1.04%

EXCHANGE RATE N306.85/1US DOLLAR* ĚŠ

Quick Takes Interswitch Announces New Oerings

CHANGE OF GUARD

L-R: Executive Director, Transcorp Plc, Chris Ezeafulukwe; President/CEO, Valentine Ozigbo; Managing Director/CEO, Transcorp Hotels Plc, Owen Omogiafo and Chairman, Transcorp Hotels Plc, Emmanuel Nnorom, during the farewell dinner held for Ozigbo and welcome party for Omogiafo in Abuja‌recently

43,000 Rural Homes, Businesses to Benefit from N1.95bn REF Stories by Chineme Okafor in Abuja A total of 43,000 households and businesses in rural communities across Nigeria will be electrified by mini grid power systems and solar home systems (SHS) to be built with the N1, 952,583,434 billion sourced by the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), from the monies that had accumulated in the Rural Electrification Fund (REF).

The REA which disclosed this in Abuja recently, explained when it handed over the REF awards to beneficiary operators, that the projects to be implemented by 14 indigenous firms for SHS, and 14 for mini grids, would have 19,130 SHS deployed to

ENERGY rural communities, while 12 mini grid systems would be built as well.

The SHS would cost N999, 667,434, while mini grids would cost N956, 916,000; both creating opportunities for the beneficiary rural communities to access affordable and reliable electricity for improved economic growth; education; and health care services.

The Chief Executive Officer of Nayo Tropical Technologies which got a grant of N96.3 million to build a mini grid power system in Kebbi state, Mr. Anayo Okenwa, explained that the grant was a big push to fast track electricity supplies to

rural communities in Nigeria. “This will give us the needed soft landing in financing our projects; it gives us opportunity to go further to rural areas to invest in rural mini grids. This is the best way to fast track access to energy for rural people in Nigeria by using distributed power, in this case, solar energy,� said Okenwa.

He further explained: “I am getting roughly N96.3 million, and we are to match that amount which is about 50 per cent of the project cost. We are covering Kare and Dadin Kowa communities, we are building 90 kilowatts projects just about 900 meters from Niger Republic border with Nigeria in Kebbi and Sokoto, the remote end of Kebbi. “Our case is unique, we have

capacity to deploy quickly more than the other companies and we are hoping to call the agency to commission in the next three weeks.�

Okenwa, also talked about the conditions attached to the grant, saying: “The conditions attached to the project is that it has to be beneficial to the rural people, and if you don’t raise enough funds to match the grant, then the grant will be pending and you have to prove that it is sustainable, that is lasting in its operations. A lot of stakeholders monitoring comes to play here.�

Similarly, Mr. Oneil Lajuwomi, who runs a Lagos-based renewable energy firm, Wavelength Continued on page 24

‘India, Spain, France Bought Oil Worth N1.787tn from Nigeria in 2018’ The Nigeria Natural Resource Charter (NNRC), which is part of a global initiative designed to help governments and societies effectively harness the opportunities created by natural resources, has disclosed that three countries – India, Spain and France, were the biggest buyers of crude oil produced from Nigeria’s oil fields in the Niger Delta in 2018.

NNRC which promotes policy reform of the Nigerian extractive sector using its 12 economic principles known as ‘precepts’ as a guide, explained in a twitter chat that the three countries bought crude oil worth N764.88 billion; N522.12 billion; and N500.31 billion, respectively from Nigeria in 2018.

Combined, it stated that the

ENERGY monetary value of crude oil bought by the three countries was worth N1.787.31 trillion.

Also, five other countries - South Africa, Netherlands, Indonesia, Brazil and United Kingdom - bought oil worth N1.298.45 trillion, while the United States and Canada bought oil worth N400.66 billion from the country within the same transactional period. “India is the highest importer of Nigeria’s crude oil, purchasing N764.88 billion worth of the commodity; followed by Spain with N522.12 billion and France, with N500.31 billion respectively. “Other buyers are South Africa, Netherlands, Indonesia, Brazil and United Kingdom,

valued at N335.28 billion, N276.37 billion, N256.3 billion, N226.2 billion and 206.3 billion respectively. United States and Canada bought crude oil worth N201.65 billion and N199.01 billion respectively,� said the NNRC on its confirmed official twitter handle.

Similarly, the NNRC has highlighted the need for Nigeria to adopt proper resource management framework in its oil and gas revenues.

It explained at a recent workshop in Lagos that whatever natural resource a country is endowed with, proper management of revenues accrued from it decides the rate of growth, and quality of development of that nation or otherwise.

The workshop which was

organised in collaboration with the Nigeria Institute of Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS) deliberated on the needs for proper policy that would help Nigerians benefit maximally from its oil and gas resources.

At the workshop, Mr. Israel Aye, who is the founding partner and current managing partner of Primera Africa Legal, explained that the degree of prudency applied to the management of resources and revenues that accrue from natural resource will determine whether it will be a blessing or a curse to the people.

According to him, countries that just mine and trade their natural resource tend towards Continued on page 24

The Interswitch Group has announced a new oering for the acquisition of its Interswitch SKIDATA parking system.The new oering is a package that allows for exible payment plans and budget-friendly implementation options, with a guarantee of after-sale support and maintenance. Interswitch is partnering with SKIDATA (its technical partner) to provide parking solutions that eases access for vehicles and people.The solution focuses on products for car parks, shopping malls,estates,parks,andeventfacilities.Theserangefrombarriersand columns, to automated payment machines, cash desks and validation systems to access readers, marketing and customer loyalty solutions and tickets - as well as the SKIDATA tools for reporting, control, and monitoring. Group Head, Corporate Solutions at Interswitch, Olawale Akanbi said: “We are very excited about the new Interswitch SKIDATA parking solutions oer. Considering the current economic realities, customersareincreasinglybecomingpricesensitive,andweunderstand this. “Being a customer-centric organisation, we are committed to oering our customers best value for their money.This is why we have introduced this oer with the exible payment plans, budget-friendly implementation options, with the after-sales support service.â€?

Akanbi, explained that the Interswitch SKIDATA parking solution holds huge beneďŹ ts for professionals such as property developers, facilities managers, mechanical and electrical companies, ITsolution contractors,carparkingcompanies,projectmanagementcompanies,etc.

The beneďŹ ts include: blocking o revenue leakages and increasing proďŹ ts, Intelligent and secure access management systems, Data and report management with reliable insights, Optimization of operational processes which increases eďŹƒciency and turnover, and Bespoke ticketing models.

C&F Porter Novelli Wins Awards

C&FPorterNovelli,oneofNigeria’sleadingpublicrelationsagencies has announced that it recently won two awards at the Lagos Public Relations Industry Gala and Awards, LaPRIGA. Outofthe13categoriesofawardspresentedattheeventwhichheld in Lagos, the 25-year-old public relations agency won the LaPRIGA Awards for the Model Agency of All Time and the LaPRIGA Lifetime Achievement Awards. The LaPRIGA Awards for the Model Agency of All Time was presented to the agency in honour of its leadership and relevanceintheindustry,employingglobalbestpracticesandprocesses for a variety of communications projects, while the LaPRIGA Lifetime Achievement Awards was presented to its Chairman for his signiďŹ cant contribution to public relations practice, leading consulting teams on complex communications programmes over the years.

Responding to the awards, the Chairman, C&F Porter Novelli, , Nn’emeka Maduegbuna, dedicated the awards to the management and sta of the company and everyone who worked with the agency in the last two decades. “We thank the Lagos State Chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations for the honour. “We remain proud of our works and achievements. We will remain focused on providing the best services to our clients and maintaining our position as the Model for other Public Relations outďŹ ts in Nigeria.

Sudan’s Ination Rises to 73%

Sudan’s ination rate increased to 72.94 per cent in December from 68.93 percent in November, Reuters quoted the state news agencySUNAtohave.SinceDecember19,Sudanhasseenwidespread anti-government protests, triggered by price increases and limits on cash withdrawals. Sudanese security forces ďŹ red tear gas on Sunday at several hundred protesters and chased them down side streets, a Reuters witness said, as anti-government protests entered their second month. Near daily demonstrations set o by a worsening economic crisis have shaken Sudan. Protesters have called for an end to President Omar al-Bashir’s three-decade rule, blaming him for the country’s problems.

Bashir has blamed the unrest and accompanying violence on foreign “agents� and rebels from the western region of Darfur, claims he repeated on Sunday. In Sunday’s protests demonstrators had blocked Al Arbaeen street, one of the main arteries in Omdurman, across the Nile from the centre of the capital Khartoum.

“I know many people have said what we need is a larger budget.

We all want a larger budget.

Indeed, Nigeria deserves a much larger budget. Our budget is too small for our needs and everybody can see that. However, we have to find the money. There is no point having a large budget that you can’t fund. So, this is a budget we believe we can fund�

Minister of Budget and National Planning

Senator Udoma Udoma

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BUSINESSWORLD 43,000 RURAL HOMES, BUSINESSES TO BENEFIT FROM N1.95BN REF

Integrated Energy Services, stated that rural communities would be relieved from the troubles of poor or lack of electricity supplies to their homes and business places with the new systems to be deployed. “We are one of the grant awardees from the REA to provide solar home systems to rural areas, and this is remarkable that we are getting support from the federal government of Nigeria to deploy solar home systems to customers in rural areas which have actually suffered neglect. “They survive on polluted fuel which is poisonous to their health. The worth of our project is N139 million and our 50 per cent grant for that is N70 million and we are to deploy 1445 solar home systems in about five Ogun state communities,� said Lajuwomi. ‘INDIA, SPAIN, FRANCE BOUGHT OIL WORTH N1.787TN FROM NIGERIA IN 2018’

poverty because its economy will lose the benefits of the value-chain in processing of such commodity, while those who process the commodity before it is exported and also incorporate its use within the economy of that country tend towards prosperity as they enjoy the benefits of the value-chain.

He noted that the oil and gas resources in Nigeria have in the past six decades been poorly managed, which has deprived the country of its full potentials and benefits.

Among several issues that needed to be address for Nigeria to gain maximum potential in the petroleum industry according to a paper presented by Aye, included legislatives obsolescence and uncertainty; unclear terms for domestic refining; cost assessment control; lack of fiscal neutrality; high barriers to entry; zero royalty in deep offshore; non-value adding incentives; windfall from price increase; multiple taxation; insufficient clarity around Production Sharing Contracts (PSC); and declining competitiveness.

Group Business Editor

Obinna Chima

Capital Market Editor

Goddy Egene

AgriBusiness/Industry Editor

Jonathan Eze

NERC: Togo, Others Owe Nigeria N37bn for Electricity Chineme Okafor in Abuja Three of Nigeria’s international customers who were supplied up to 300 megawatts (MW) of electricity in 2018, are still indebted to the country, a quarterly report from the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has disclosed.

The countries – Togo, Benin and Niger Republics, are represented in the trans-border power trade with Nigeria by two firms – SociÊtÊ NigÊrienne d’ElectricitÊ, Nigerien Electricity Society (NIGELEC) which is the government firm responsible for electric power generation and transmission in Niger, and CommunautÊ Électrique du BÊnin (CEB Sakete) which services both Togo and Benin Republic.

According to the NERC report obtained by THISDAY, the three countries as at September 2018, had not paid any money for electricity sent to them. Cumulatively, their debt to Nigeria’s power market for the first three quarters of 2018 was N37.045 billion ($121.062 million).

The report noted that from January to September, NIGELEC owed N10.086 billion, while CEB Sakete owed N26.959 billion.

Both international customers reportedly did not make any attempt to pay for electricity sold to them.

The development followed a recent claim by electricity generation companies (Gencos) in Nigeria the federal government was taking power from them and selling to countries in the West African region under

Senior Correspondent

Raheem Akingbolu (Advertising) Correspondents

Chinedu Eze (Aviation) Linda Eroke (Labour) Eromosele Abiodun (Cap Mkt) Ejiofor Alike (Energy) James Emejo (Nation’s Capital) Chineme Okafor (Energy) Ebere Nworji (Insurance) Reporters

Nume Ekeghe (Money Market) Nosa Alekhuogie (e-Business

the West African Power Pool (WAPP) on non- commercial but diplomatic terms.

The Gencos had stated that the agreement on the daily export of about 300MW of electricity to African countries did not take into account the commercial framework in Nigeria’s electricity market such as the Multi Year Tariff Order (MYTO) upon which they also produce power, and had insisted that the deal was shrouded in opacity as they often do not know the monetary benefit accruing to

them from such sales.

However, in the NERC report, NIGELEC accumulated electricity bills of N0.778 billion; N0.925 billion; N1.190 billion; N1.181 billion; N1.202 billion; N1.181 billion; N1.190 billion; N1.206 billion; and N1.233 billion between January and September, while CEB Sakete raked in N2.33 billion; N2.525 billion; N2.852 billion; N2.775 billion; N3.381 billion; N3.103 billion; N2.635 billion and N2.742 billion in electricity bills to Nigeria within the period.

Meanwhile, the NERC also reported that service complaints received by the 11 electricity distribution companies (Discos) in the country in the third quarter of 2018 were 128,791 against 153,227 received in the second quarter of 2018.

It noted that while the number of complaints decreased within the period under consideration, the proportion of the number of complaints resolved by Discos also improved to 75.6 per cent from the 61.2 per cent recorded in the second quarter of 2018.

According to the regulator, Benin Disco had the highest number of complaints followed

by Ikeja Disco, while Yola Disco recorded the lowest customer complaints.

In terms of complaint resolution, Eko Disco had the highest resolution rate of 98.9 per cent followed by Yola Disco which recorded a resolution rate of 97.9 per cent; and Jos - 90.1 per cent. It added that the development reflected better performance in dealing with customer complaints.

PARTNERSHIP

L-R: President, Total Coop, Olawale Olasoji; Managing Director, Germaine Auto Centre, Mr. Vincent Ezeh; and Past President, Total Coop, Mr. Louis Ogeifun, during the official opening of the Germaine/Total Coop Lube Bay in Lagos‌recently ETOP UKUTT

Akinwuntan: Ecobank Committed to Improving Lives in Nigeria Obinna Chima The Managing Director of Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Akinwuntan, has said the panAfrican bank is committed to improving lives of Nigerians and others in Africa.

According to Akinwuntan, the bank is also focused on aiding the growth of the Nigerian economy and has continued to roll out initiatives to make life easier for Nigerians by improving access to financial services.

The Ecobank boss said this during an interview in Lagos.

He said the bank remains

the gateway to payments across Africa and serve African multinationals. “We are proud of the likes of Dangote, present in various countries across Africa and we work closely with them. We are proud of all African multinationals be it the telecom or export businesses; they find Ecobank as a very strong partner,� he added. The Ecobank boss urged Nigerians to take advantage of the numerous opportunities in the Nigeria.

Akinwuntan, maintained that fundamentals in the Nigeria economy remains strong. “You look at the demography

of the population of the country, over 50 per cent are less than 30 years old, that speaks of growth potential. “Nigeria does have it challenges but in terms of the economic activities, it demonstrates a huge growth potential. You look at the intellectual capacity within the economy, as this is an aspirational economy, an economy where the average participant believes strongly he or she can do better. “And therefore for us the focus in Nigeria should remain the fundamentals. One, is infrastructure, power, rail in order to harness the significant

potential in Nigeria. “Kenya is exploring tourism, Ghana is exploring tourism, Togo has focused on being the relevant port for commerce within West Africa. We have so much potential in Nigeria, I think what Nigerians should begin to focus and discussing more is the opportunities we have and really highlighting where we have comparable advantage and do need to scale,� he added.

Speaking about Ecobank’s efforts to drive financial inclusion, Akinwuntan pointed out that the bank has a wide range of physical location, with more than 400 of them as branches.

“But more interestingly we have more than 4,000 agency locations known as Ecobank Express points, which is really our approach to bringing banking to every neighbourhood. “And our ambition is to have 50,000 of such locations this year, such that in every neighbourhood you can access an EcobankExpress point to either do a cash deposit, cash withdrawal and actually make it more convenient for our customers to approach a banking location to open an account, to get an instant card and to participate in the financial economy.

CEO Alleges Award of Contracts to Incompetent Firms by IOCs Peter Uzoho

Comms/e-Business Editor

Emma Okonji

NEWS

The Managing Director/CEO of Engineering Automation Technology Limited (EATECH), Mr. Emmanuel Okon, has decried the continuous award of contracts by International Oil Companies (IOCs) to local firms with weak systems and structures, saying the trend posed severe threat to the quest to grow the technical capabilities and manpower

base of indigenous firms in the oil and gas sector.

Okon, who spoke to journalists after being inducted as a Fellow of the Institute of Oil and Gas Research and Hydrocarbon Studies (IOGRHS) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, recently, lauded the federal government for coming out with the Local Content Law in the oil and gas sector. He said the law had assisted in the establishment of vibrant

indigenous oil and gas service company in the country.

He, however, alleged that there had been a rise in recent years in cases of poor regulations leading to IOCs awarding contracts under the Local Content Law to “companies without systems and structures to sustain their workforce once the job is completed.� “It’s the trend we now see in the industry and it is a total negation of the essence of the

local content law; once they complete the job they shut down, park out and throw out the workers,� Okon said. “This is not the way to guarantee and deliver the next generation of skilled workforce for the Nigerian oil and gas industry and regulators should step in and halt this trend by ensuring IOCs give jobs to local firms that have structures and systems and that can always sustain their

workforce into the next project,�

Okon added.

According to him, there was the urgent need for regulatory agencies such as the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) to be strict in their oversight functions to ensure local firms build solid structures that can withstand the test of time in the course of project execution for IOCs.

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ENERGY

Shindi: Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Industry Remains Attractive The Chief Executive Officer of Brevity Anderson, organisers of the annual Nigeria Petroleum International Summit, Mr. James Shindi, spoke to select journalists on current issues in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. Ejiofor Alike provides the excerpts: How attractive is Nigeria for oil and gas investment?

If you take into account Nigeria’s condensates production, the daily average production is over two million barrels. There is a very realistic capacity to upscale the country’s proven reserves to 40 billion barrels within the next few years, so this market will continue to remain attractive for a long time. Even if there are no new oil findings, you are looking at another roughly 45 years or so of supply at current rates. However, when you start to look at the huge gas reserves of well over five trillion m3, which ranks Nigeria as possessing Africa’s largest gas reserves, the picture looks even better. This surely has to be the investment destination of choice and will continue to be.

What is the federal government’s objective with the organisation of the annual international petroleum summit?

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) took the decision to approve the event in its current format with a private sector operator to create an international platform for high-level discussions around the hydrocarbons sector, which helps lead Africa’s response to the current and future challenges in the sector. It is one of the ways Nigeria continues to provide leadership in the sector on the continent.

The event, being the property of the federal government, also means that all key government decision makers attend; to network, provide answers to burning questions and also, listen to feedback from stakeholders. And with a focus on technology and innovation, the aim is to grow the event into a must attend meeting for unveiling of major technological breakthroughs. We are already starting to see this happen and we at Brevity Anderson feel absolutely delighted to be on this journey with the Federal Government.

What is the main thrust of this NIPS2019, the second edition?

Issues around oil market stability continue to be on every stakeholder’s front burner. When you speak to both producers and consumers, you soon get the sense that price volatility hurts both sides. This sort of market instability means that investment decisions are either delayed or in some instances scrapped all together. Since 2014, we have been seeing more and more producersturning exclusively to short-cycle projects, the long-term effect of this will definitely have an impact beyond just oil markets. Within the context of OPEC and APPO, Nigeria continues to play a leading role in driving talks to help stabilise the market.

I would like to stress here and at the same time, commend the Federal Government for deliberately taking concrete steps as part of a bigger strategy of bringing down production costs while initiating the right policies to attract additional investment. For example,

SpeciďŹ cally, how many speakers, exhibitors and participants are you expecting to attend?

We are planning for about 100 top-level speakers from both Nigeria and abroad. To date, we have confirmed attendance from over 45 countries with more being expected. We are planning to welcome 3,000 participants, including visitors. Certainly, NIPS 2019 will be the place to be to make those deals happen.

For instance, for capacity issues, we have now decided to move the official opening ceremony of Monday 28th January 2019 to the Nicon Luxury Hotel while the main conference and exhibition will still hold at the International Conference Centre, just next door once the opening ceremony is concluded.

How will this year’s edition be beneďŹ cial to participants and exhibitors?

The event will be attended by top decision makers from both the public and private sectors and staged on a government-to-government, business-to-business and government-to-business levels, thus, there will be something for everybody. The reports from this event go directly to the highest levels of decision-making.

This is certainly not just another talk shop.

Shindi the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu announced a roadmap to attract an additional $10 billion worth of new investment into the sector in Nigeria alone.

We are seeing a real shift from just talk to tangible action. Against this background and the technological advancement (or lack of it in some regard), geo-political activities and other very existing topics, the event creates the perfect platform to engage stakeholders as the event will take place at different levels; Government-to-Government, Business-toBusiness and Government-to-Business. Nigeria International Petroleum Summit (NIPS) 2019 will certainly be the place to be between January 27th and 30th 2019. We are glad to report to you that we have received significant amount of interest from both local and international players, including national delegations from seven countries, headed by top political and economic leaders. For example, Khalid al-Faliih, the Saudi Energy Minister, during his recent visit to Nigeria, specifically mentioned that Africa and in particular, Nigeria, remains a

key partner in forging partnerships and he is looking forward to returning to our great country in 2019 both to the NIPS event and to further deepen the special relationship between both countries. Amongst other international delegates, the Norwegian State Secretary (Deputy Minister) for International Development Jens FrølichHolte also confirmed his participation at the NIPS 2019.

What are the highlights of the 2019 summit?

There will be a Ministerial Session, an Executive Round Table, a session on OPEC, Energy Revolution, Offshore& Marine Session amongst other interesting sessions. There will also be some pleasant surprises. I will not be letting the cat out of the bag just yet. However, we are excited to announce that at N.I.P.S. 2019, we will be incorporating the Honorary Patron’s Dinner/Awards, where Patrons and Corporates will be honoured during a spectacular evening of business, culture and fanfare. The evening is sponsored by Total.

What kind of support are you currently receiving from stakeholders, including OPEC? The support has been tremendous. The OPEC Secretary General, Dr. Barkindo, led an official delegation to the maiden edition and they will again be attending with an official delegation, along with other key stakeholders in 2019. From an organisational point of view, the NNPC under the leadership of Dr Maikanti Baru and as the national host has been unwaveringly robust in its drive to make a success of NIPS 2019. Our media partners are working round the clock to promote the event in new and creative ways. The Presidency, PEF, PPPRA, DPR, PTDF, PTI, NCDMB have all been tremendous in their support. Then or course, we have the outstanding Minister of State Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and his excellent team of lieutenants who continue to make themselves available literally round the clock. We have enjoyed the best possible working relationship any PPP partner could wish for. The civil service structure at Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources driven by the amiable Permanent Secretary, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan has been immense. To put this into context, some of our planning meetings have held on weekends and we have had the Honourable Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary sit through hours of details each time. The heads of the various agencies under the Ministry of Petroleum have also been exemplary to say the least. The Executive Secretary of NCDMB Simbi Wabote has been colossal. You get the sense that NIPS is indeed a national treasure that is here to stay.

80 Liberians Undergo Power Sector Training in Nigeria Peter Uzoho and Oluchi Chibuzor As part of efforts geared towards developing human capital in the West African power sector, the National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN), has commenced training of 80 electricity workers from the Liberia Electricity Company (LEC) on power generation, distribution and transmission.

The four-week programme organised by the West African Power Pool (WAPP) and funded by the Africa Development Bank (AFDB)

was aimed at promoting West African Countries’ integration on power sector training and experience sharing among West African countries.

Speaking at the launch of the programme in Lagos Thursday, the institute’s acting Director-General, Mr Ahmed Nagode, said WAPP came together to help grow and improve the technical skills of LEC personnel, adding that the trainees would in turn use this acquired knowledge to resolve their nation’s power challenges.

Nagode said: “Leverag-

ing on the strength of one another through proper synergy has proven to be a catalyst for growth and development. World-class companies and institutions have at one time or another sought partnership with each other to grow. WAPP has worked for many years with training providers to establish programmes that put in place necessary instruments for the skilled manpower needed in the power utilities of its member countries.�

He said the course was designed in groups and that

the participants would be trained in Lagos and at Kainji Dam in Niger State, stressing that specifically, the objective of the training was to improve their capacity on electricity generation, customers care, basic power system protections, distribution and transmission network.

Nagode added: “The training will also increase their capacity in effective power supply and revenue collection. The second WAPP programme training scholarship for LEC staff was funded by AFDB with about 130,000 dollars

focused on value creation themed in discussing practical examples, various approaches and potentials.�

However, the Director, Administration and Finance, WAPP, Mr Babab Jarjusey, said the vision of the association was to integrate the national power systems into a unified regional electricity market with the ultimate goal of providing in the medium and long term.

Jarjusey, further explained that the association’s “vision also dwell on a regular and reliable energy at competitive cost to the citizenry of

the ECOWAS region. Our mission is to promote and develop power generation and transmission infrastructures as well as coordination of power exchange among the ECOWAS member states.

Lending his voice, Coordinator, Capacity Building Programme, Mr Mamadun Alpha-Sylla, commended NAPTIN for the bold steps taken in ensuring adequate training of LEC staff through the collaboration of WAPP, and urged the trainees to remain focused to achieve desired goals.

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NEWS

Azinge: CAC Registered 327,676 Business Names inThreeYears Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano The Acting Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Mrs. Azuka Azinge, has said a total of 327,676 business names were registered while 41,719 Incorporated Trustees were registered in the last three years.

According to her, the breakdown of the filings showed that registered companies recorded 145,329 fillings, business names recorded 26,593 filings, while 18,156 incorporated trustee filings were returned in the period under review.

Speaking in Kano at the weekend, during a customers/

stakeholders forum, Azinge said the incentive was extended from 1st January to 31st March 2019, to enable more micro small and medium scale enterprises (MSMEs) formalise their businesses. Azinge, disclosed that the Commission recently dispensed with proficiency requirement for the registration of all forms of businesses. She also put the total number of entities that had been registered by the commission since inception to date at 2,853,692.

The breakdown of the figure showed that 1,671,079 businesses were registered as limited liability companies, 1,115,429 entities were registered under business names

while the remaining 67,185 were registered as incorporated trustees. The CAC added that it registered 85,635 new companies in 2018. It said the number of newly registered companies dropped by 2.57 per cent in 2018, compared to the 87,891 companies that were registered in 2017. The commission had under its Business Incentive Strategy (BIS) reduced the cost of business name registration from N10,000 to N5,000,for a period of three months covering October 1 to December 31, 2018.

The BIS is aimed at creating a window for MSMEs to formalise their businesses so that they can own corporate accounts with

banks, have access to loans, grants and other government interventions.

Azinge said upon the expiration of the initial three months window, the commission received several requests from states and other agencies seeking an extension of the 50 per cent fee reduction promo.

She said in view of the benefits of the BIS, coupled with the demand for extension by stakeholders, it became imperative to further extend the period to March 31 of this year to enable more MSMEs to formalise their businesses. “Only recently, the commission extended the BIS to encourage

small businesses to formalise their businesses by registering same with the commission. “During the initial three months of the BIS registration, activities increased tremendously.

For the months of October and November 2018, a total of 39,074 business names were registered.�

She added that in the third quarter (July to September) 32,504 were registered and from October to December a total of 66,687 companies were captured.

The acting registrar general said the commissioned had embarked on some reforms with a view to improving on its services being rendered to

the teeming business men and women across the country.

Azinge said, “CAC was able to make provide a platform for direct registration by first directors/subscribers, digitalisation of its legacy records, full decentralisation of its operations, development of company registration portal and provision of 24 hours online registration of businesses. “The commission also colocated its ICT infrastructure to guarantee uninterrupted availability of service 24/7, provided a robust website and removal of requirement for proficiency certificate for business registration.�

NAHCO to Partner ICAN on Capacity Development The Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc. (nahco aviance), has expressed its preparedness to partner the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) on human capacity development.

Speaking with a delegation of the IkejaDistrict of the Institute who paid her a courtesy visit at the company’s head office in Lagos, the Group Managing Director, Mrs. Olatokunbo Fagbemi, said the group would partner with ICAN in organising inhouse training for staff who are accountants and others who are non - accounting staff of the company for capacity development and financial literacy.

Commending the role its chartered accountants play in the development of the company, Fagbemi said nahcoaviance boasts of a sizeable number of chartered accountants and that the Company had always supported their participation in ICAN programmes. “At NAHCO, we believe in training and retraining of staff. That is why we have a semi-autonomous unit called

Learning & Development enabled with global affiliations, which handles aviation related training for the Company.

Members of our staff are some of the best trained in the industry.�

She disclosed that the company would leave no stone unturned in giving the best training to its staff.

Explaining why the company had to run a harmonised group structure, the GMD said since the company is a group with a number of subsidiary companies, it has to be properly run as a group in a way that bring value to shareholders.

In his response, the Chairman, IkejaDistrict of ICAN, Mr. Oni Olalere, commended the management of the Company stating that ICAN was happy with the level of support NAHCO had been giving to its members working in the Company and also the IkejaDistrict of the Institute.

He called for more cooperation between NAHCO and the Institute in areas of training and sponsorship of the Institute’s events.

NiMet, Unilag Sign MoU on Climatology The Nigerian Meteorological Agency(NiMet), has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU), with the University of Lagos (Unilag).

The MoU, which centred on the promotion of activities relating to meteorology/ climatology, and climate change in Nigeria, would also feature collaborative researches between the parties, especially in the sphere of marine meteorology in view of UNILAG’s proximity to water.

In his opening remarks, the Director-General/CEO of NiMet, Professor Sani Abubakar Mashi, said, “One of the objective of this collaboration is to enhance capacity of the two organisations with a view to providing relevant tools that will enhance the delivery of products and services to different sectors of the Nigerian economy. NiMet would also wish to leverage

on your human resources to improve our services and manpower.�

The data being generated from Meteorological station established in the University of Lagos are expected to be for the good of Nigerians and jointly supervised by NiMet and the University.

The Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Ogundipe Oluwatoyin, who thanked the DG/CEO NiMet, for the novel gesture, said besides the human resources exchange program enshrined in the MoU, the university is willing to heed to the advice from the NiMet Director General by establishing a program in the university on meteorology.

This, the VC alluded, would boost its students base as well as contribute towards the promotion and endearment of the discipline into the minds of Nigerians.

PRODUCT LAUNCH

L-R: Senior Marketing Manager, Spectranet 4G LTE, Jagadish Swain; Chief Executive Officer, Ajay Awasthi; and Head of Marketing, Mike Ogor, during the launch of Spectranet ACE MiFi in Lagos‌recently

Konga,Visa Collaborate on e-Commerce Emma Okonji Electronic commerce giant, Konga has partnered Visa, one of the world’s leader in digital payments, in their bidto revolutionise the e-commerce sector in Nigeria.

By leveraging the delivery of digital and secure payments solutions across key segments of the Konga Group’s business portfolio, the strategic partnership is positioned to drive greater efficiency in the sector.

While ensuring a digitallydriven and rewarding payment experience for consumers, the partnership is expected to offer shoppers and merchants on Konga’s online platform as well as walk-in customers to

its growing number of offline stores nationwide, a seamless digital payment experience when they pay exclusively with Visa.

Among the many exciting benefits of this partnership, shoppers who use the KongaPay app will be issued a digital Visa card which will enable them to make payments everywhere Visa is accepted, both partners said in a statement.

In addition, users of the KongaPay app would be able to pay digitally at the time of delivery of their items by simply scanning the Quick Response (QR) code provided by Kxpress delivery agents – a development that will lend further ease and convenience to the payment process and elevate standards

in the e-commerce sector.

General Manager, Visa West Africa, Kemi Okusanya, said: “Partnerships are key for us at Visa, as we constantly look for new opportunities to ensure that more people have access to unique payment experiences that are seamless, fast and secure. “We are extremely delighted to unveil this strategic partnership with Kongawhich is positioned to further simplify the payment process and raise standards in the Nigerian ecommerce sector. “When it comes to making e-commerce transactions, people are continuously looking for the most convenient and secure ways to pay for products and also use several payment

platforms when they travel to other parts of the world. “What we have done with this partnership is to incentivise the process and provide more value to customers who pay with Visa,� she added.

The co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Konga Group, Nick Imudia, disclosed that the partnership with Visa would hold immense potential for e-commerce in Nigeria. “With this partnership, we are bound to witness a digitallydriven and effortless payment experience for all classes of customers on the Konga platforms – online shoppers, visitors to our offline stores nationwide, merchants, third-party clients and other stakeholders.

Germaine,Total COOP Seal Deal Germaine Auto Centre has entered into a partnership with the cooperative of Total Nigeria to enable the latter access to vehicle maintenance and repair services.

The partnership between Total Staff Multipurpose Cooperative Society and Germaine led to the launch of a new lube bay which would cater to Total Upspring Company Nigeria Limited staff, as well as other corporate organisations in that vicinity.

Managing Director of Germaine Auto Centre, Vincent

Ezeh, explained the terms of the contract in a statement, saying: “I am excited about the partnership because it gives us the opportunity to go into Total and be able to reach out more to customers.�

He further added that the contract also gives Germaine the opportunity to take over all the entire fleet of Total, and “I’m talking about vehicles way over a thousand units, if you put everything together with their corporative and staff and that will depend on the service

we are able to give.�

On the other hand, the President of Total Coop, Olawale Olasoji said the cooperative was delighted to have opened a lube in partnership with Germaine Autos. “The idea for us was that we wanted to have the confidence that we are in good hands in regards to servicing and maintaining our cars coupled with the comfort of being able to do that in an environment that is easy for us to access without going through long and stressful queue that

a normal car servicing centre experience.�

For about 20 years, Germaine has existed as an integrated automobile dealership, known for automobile purchase (new and certified pre-owned), servicing, spare part sales and vehicle body work by providing quality service to individuals and corporate organizations.

Ezeh further said “the value of service that they provide is not the question owing to the fact that they have qualified and well trained technicians.�

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INTERVIEW

Konan: Africa Assured of Economic Prosperity with Efficient Border Control The Director General of ShieldAfrica, a pan-Africa security symposium focused on highlighting and solving security challenges in Africa, Mr. Stephane Konan, in this interview with Chineme Okafor, ahead of the upcoming fifth edition of the expo in Abidjan, capital of Ivory Coast, says sustainable economic prosperity for Africa can happen when the continent adopts efficient borders’ control mechanisms. Excerpts: I understand the ďŹ fth edition of the ShieldAfrica expo is holding in Abidjan this month. What will it look like?

The International ShieldAfrica expo 2019 will be holding from January 22 and 24. It will be hosted at the Police Academy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, with over 150 companies from 25 different countries registered to exhibit at the expo. We have seen this exhibition truly become the security and defence event of reference in Africa. We have seen more engagement from the government and private sector meaning this expo will be the biggest and most well attended to date with dignitaries and security chiefs from all around the world in attendance.

The principal theme for the expo centres on border security and control, does this suggest Africa’s troubles with terrorism will be the focus?

The principal issue with border security and control is the management of the borders.

With over 89,000 kilometres of border that needs surveillance at all times, this in itself is a massive task but of course one of the key issues of border control will be to address the fight on terrorism and how we can protect ourselves and our countries from this real threat. We will be fostering discussions with government officials and private sector security experts to look at all the viable solutions to create a safer Africa and create cooperation on a government-to-government level. As we all know, borders are the epicentre of population movement, transit of goods and merchandise from one country to its neighbours and we understand the necessity of having an efficient border control process that will untimely lead to better economic posterity and security for our countries as result. We have some of the best border security experts in attendance and we hope to create an environment that will see that every possible solution is made available to our attendees.

How many countries, foreign delegations and visitors do you expect to attend the expo?

The Ivorian authorities have officially invited the ministry of interior and ministry of defence of over 50 African countries to attend this event.

Of course, some countries will be represented by their police directors and heads of security forces, there will be a number of key political figures and senior figures from the army and ministries of defence and we will also see top CEOs of the leading defence contractors in attendance. We are expecting over 3,000 visitors throughout the expo from various sectors of the security and defence community. We have also invited key delegations from ECOWAS

Konan (Economic Communities of West African States); the European Union; and World Bank to name but a few.

When you created this platform in 2013 in Abidjan, what did you set out to achieve?

I realised that there was no security expo of note in Africa, and all the key expos were being held abroad – outside of Africa, and I felt with the security challenges we faced and the amount we spend on defence and security in Africa that there was a need to create a platform in Africa that we could benefit from to allow for ideas and solutions to be presented without leaving our continent. So Shield Africa was setup and the first event was held in 2013 in Abidjan, we have grown within the years to become the security expo of reference that now draws key figures from the security and defence world to attend in Africa. So, in a nutshell, we created ShieldAfrica for our African counterparts to benefit from us bringing international expertise and solutions right to their doorsteps. I will like you to know that the success of the expos we held from 2013

to 2017 ensured that ShieldAfrica become a staple in the international calendar, and this was due in part to the way I wanted to organise our exhibition to reflect the core values of our vison which is excellence and professionalism of the highest level and thus we needed to deliver an event that did just that.

Abidjan was chosen as the city to host the event due to its geographical location in Africa, with easy access by road, sea or air and as a modern evolving city with first class hotels, centres and infrastructure it was the perfect fit to host an event of this magnitude.

You recently changed the format of ShieldAfrica, and now want it held biannually and no more annually, why did you do that?

I changed the format in 2017 from an annual event to a biannual event as all security expos globally were being held biannually. With the way the event has grown over the years we now needed more time to deliver a top tier expo and with the amount of companies participating and

exposing, it become unfeasible to host an annual event. We are delighted with the growth of this expo as it has now become the focal point of all things defence and security and we needed to ensure we delivered a first class event that can cater to all the needs of our attendees.

Will the expo talk about cyber security as well?

Indeed, we will be focusing on the current need for more cyber security solutions and this is one of the key areas ShieldAfrica has focused on due the current realities in Africa.

Cyber security will be heavily represented but as mentioned we will be addressing every area of security and defence with the largest and most well respected security and defence companies such as Airbus, Atos, Rapfael, Tracip, Q Cyber, Verient and Thales all attending and having presence at the exposition. We are very excited and proud to have such a roster of companies and delegation in attendance for what will be an amazing few days that we hope will shape how we address security in Africa.

Sanwo-Olu Unveils 5-Point Economic Blueprint for Lagos Peter Uzoho Ahead of the upcoming 2019 general election, the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has unveiled his administration’s five points agenda for the socio-economic development of the state, if elected as governor.

The agenda tagged ‘THEME’ includes Traffic management and Transportation, Health and

Environment, Education and Technology, Making Lagos a 21st Century Economy, and Entertainment and Tourism.

Sanwo-Olu, who unveiled the plan with his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, at a ceremony in Lagos, promised to give priority to the private sector as a critical stakeholder in the economic development of Lagos.

The APC guber candidate assured that his administration would create a conducive

business environment to attract investments and industries, support the growth of the local economy, and empower the workforce using local talent to drive job and wealth creation.

He also said he would encourage youth development and provide support for key economic sectors like agriculture, housing and security, noting that through all these, Lagos would become truly a 21st century economy.

Sanw-Olu said: “We under-

stand that the engine of growth for any government is the private sector. We know that the critical people that we need to enable, empower and give them as much reference as they require is the private sector.

The private sector control over 80 per cent of the GDP of the State. So we said to ourselves that what are the things the private sector want from us?

What are the things they want us to be doing differently. “And so we engaged with

them and part of the things they want us to do is one, security. It is so so important that for you to have continuous foreign direct investment you must have an environment that is safe, that is secure, and that you can sleep with your two eyes close. So we are going to be heavy on security to enable them create jobs for our people. “So apart from security, the other thing they need is power.

We have had meetings with the

two Discos in Lagos – Eko Disco and Ikeja Disco. We cannot begin to relay the details but we have said to them that they need to know that excuses will not be tenable; our people, Lagosians require light like yesterday. “So we said to them that whatever they need to do to ensure that we get that light, we will work with them, we will put investment on the table to ensure that we get light. We have resolved to provide 24/7 power for Lagosians.�

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T H I S D AY ˾ TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019

PROPERTY & ENVIRONMENT Firm Insists on Innovative Engineering Solution in Health, Safety, Environment As Nigeria aims to establish itself among the 20 largest economies of the world by the year 2020, an indigenous firm, Safety Consultants and Solutions Provider (SCSP) has identified the need for innovative engineering solution to assure safety of lives, properties and businesses in Africa. Bennett Oghifo and Omolabake Fasogbon report

E

nvironment, health and safety (EHS) is a discipline and specialty that studies and implements practical aspects of environmentalprotection and safety at work. The workplace should be a safe environmentwhere employees can do their jobs without the fear of injury or death. Thankfully, there are many ways businesses can reduce the risk of workplace accidents through the implementation of various safety plans.

As development of the African environment is increasingly being characterised by rapid technology transformation, and social, political, and economic disruption, businesses and livelihoods are being impacted either positively or negatively.

Interestingly, this same situation has ushered in an era of new opportunities for passive and active fire protection measures in ensuring safety of lives, business continuity for sustainable growth and development in the African region.

The effect of poor understanding and absence of set performance benchmarks for evaluating, assessing and investigating niche specific operational risks is now more glaring especially in the Nigerian economy.

This weakness continues to result in massive loss of life, environmental damage, economic hardship and financial losses.

As an intervention agent, an indigenous firm, SCSP has therefore, taken the initiative to provide innovative engineering solutions in the area of health safety security, environment and operational risk management consultancy services.

SCSP is a life, safety, security and environment-conscious firm, a worldclass integrated engineering solution and operational risk management consultant with an insistent focus on organised emergency preparedness planning, response and control which are necessary for reducing escalation of fire emergency situations. The collective ability to learn, adapt, evolve, collaborate and implement projects have enabled SCSP to absorb disruptive forces, emerge stronger and survive in the face of challenging business policies.

The mandate to become a leader in operational risk management solutions in the areas of life, fire safety and security is evident in their project delivery strategies. SCSP partners with the original manufacturers such

Members of staff of SCSP during a training with RCPL on safety system in Lagos… recently

as Johnson Controls International (formally known as TYCO), SFFECO, NAFFCO UAE, Safety First Aid, 3M Company and Leader Group for guaranteed and economic supplies of safety equipment. SCSP also delivers services in line with global best practice and industry standards such as NFPA, ISO, OSHA, IBC, SABS, BS and Nigerian Fire Services, has continued to guarantee safety and reliability of safety management systems for their clients.

SCSP regularly organises capacity building and conferencing between interested candidates and OEMs to update them on all major initiatives and best practices obtainable worldwide.

In recognition of the company’s excellent performance spanning over almost nine years and its contribution towards nation’s development, Mrs.

Antonia Beri the Technical Director/ Chief Consultant of SCSP has received various nominations from both media and safety organisations.

The vision of the company is also to enhance awareness for the need and availability of fire safety and operational risk management systems.

It has made tremendous progress in the past eight years and undertaken several prestigious projects within the country. The company has executed projects in all sectors of the economy most especially in oil and gas, construction and manufacturing industries. On the domestic front, SCSP has flawlessly executed various mega projects such as HAZOP/HAZID/ SIL studies for significant projects such as O&G and manufacturing facilities. station. Also, Life And Fire Safety Philosophies for major operators in the Aviation, Hospitality, Finance and

ICT sector.

According to Beri, “SCSP is going global in a major way having expanded footprint to Ghana and Gambia and shall not relent in fulfilling the promise of reaching new geographies to execute mega projects.”

She reaffirmed the company’s commitment to increasing life and environmental safety, saying all projects are designed and executed using global standards and codes as benchmarks with enhanced levels of reliability, efficiency and durability.

The company, she said is currently engaged with prestigious projects like development of life and fire safety master plan and procurement of safety equipment for the new Lagos Nestav hangar, development of HSSE-MS for DEEKAY Group, Installation of Fire Hydrants, Detection and Alarm system for facilities nationwide.

Lifemate Begins 2019 Outdoor Furniture Swap Lifemate Nigeria Limited, one of the leading furniture manufacturing company and the foremost provider of super quality furniture products have announced to the public of the upcoming 2nd Edition of the Annual Sofa Swap promotional campaign. “It’s that time of the year again, when Lifemate customers from all our branches nationwide can enjoy amazing discounts and offers,” the company said in a statement yesterday.

The maiden edition of the sofa swap promo was lunched September last year 2018 and the promo was launched to give opportunity to customers and those who desire to experience the high quality service delivery of the company furniture products. The promo gave Nigerians the opportunity to exchange their old Sofas to new ones. The Company have announced that the sofa swap promo is back, and this year promises a lot

more excitement than ever before and the swap for this year 2019 will be on outdoor furniture.

The marketing Manager of the company stated that the Outdoor furniture swap promo is for the duration of one month starting from the 27th of January to 27th of February 2019. She added that, Customers who bought outdoor furniture from Lifemate from the year 2016 – 2017 who desire a new outdoor furniture Rattan

frame design are advised to bring the furniture products to exchange for a new Rattan frame design. The company is adding to the festivities with surprisingly great offers. Customers can enjoy 13% discount on the entire collection of the New Outdoor furniture rattan frame design they will like to swap.

In her statement, She encouraged customers to start the New Year 2019 with a new look for their homes, using

Lifemate outdoor furniture that can impress Mother Nature. According to her, we believe the space outside your home should be as warm and inviting as that of inside. So we offer luxury outdoor furniture with unparalleled quality and sophisticated styling from the industry’s leading brands such as Rattan garden sofa set, Rattan garden dining set, chaise lounge, Lloyd Flanders and many more.

The mega outdoor

swap promotional sales will also continue at all Lifemate branches Nationwide (Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Warri) which means all our customers who bought outdoor furniture from lifemate from 2016 - 2017 can pick up some amazing outdoor furniture that are chosen to suit the needs and taste of the customers at a whopping 13% discount in all Lifemate branches nationwide.

5 ) * 4 % ": t TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

29

30

T U E S DAY Ëž JANUARY 22, 2019

BUSINESS/MONEYGUIDE

LCCI Urges W’Bank to Review Ease of Doing Business Indicators Nume Ekeghe åÓÞÒ Ă‹Ă‘Ă?Ă˜Ă?ĂŁ ĂœĂ?ĂšĂ™ĂœĂž The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has advised the World Bank to review its Ease of Doing Business Index to reflect the reality of each country.

The Director-General of LCCI, Muda Yusuf, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday.

He noted that a country-specific criteria was desirable and not just using the same indicator for every country, saying that countries vary in their peculiarities and challenges. “Some of the indicators in the Ease of Doing Business composition do not properly capture the critical variables in our own environment. “Issues of power, transportation, security and our regulatory environment are not captured. We

need to address all these other variables that are not on the list of the ease of doing business parameters. “If you look at the present indicators, it is about construction permit, ease of starting business, credit, reforms, trading across borders, amongst others. “There are some issues on the parameters that are not fundamental to our own business environment in terms of impact. “In many of those countries that you roll out these parameters, security is not an issue, power and transportation are taken for granted; whereas in our environment, these are very big issues,� he said.

Yusuf, said it was cogent for the World Bank to include these excluded variables in order to have a parameter that reflects the reality of each country.

According to him, the excluded variables were factors that should

be addressed as they drive the cost of doing business in the country, which invariably affect the ease of doing business and the business environment.

The World Bank Doing Business Index (DBI) is an annual ranking that objectively assesses prevailing business climate conditions across 190 countries based on 10 Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) indicators.

The Index offers comparative insights based on private sector validation of reforms delivered in the two largest commercial cities in countries with a population higher than 100 million, and the report consequently features Lagos and Kano states for Nigeria.

A nation’s ranking on the index is based on the average of 10 sub-indices: Starting a business; Dealing with construction permits; getting electricity; registering property; getting credit and protecting investors.

Jaiz Bank to Relax KYC Requirements to Boost Financial Inclusion James Emejo Ă“Ă˜ ĂŒĂ&#x;ÔË The Managing Director/Chief Executive, Jaiz Bank Plc, Mr. Hassan Usman, has reiterated the bank’s commitment to facilitating financial inclusion to a large segment of the society who are currently excluded from its financial services.

To this end, he noted that the targeted group or those who don’t have access to financial services would be allowed to open account without meeting the strict Know Your Customer (KYC) requirements including utility bills, international passports among others.

According to him: “These people don’t have that but the policy allows us to open accounts for people at that level.

These accounts are opened as financial inclusion accounts and then graduate into the next level but what we are trying to do is

to use channels such as agency banking, our own branches and other digital avenues to allow as many people to come on board and also empower them with little credit.�

He said once the pilot programme succeeds in Katsina, it would then be rolled it out across many other locations. “We are aggressive in this area of financial inclusion. Our experience with the pilot so far is exiting because people like to be supported. The only challenge is in convincing beneficiaries that the money is not free, that it will have to be repaid. Everyone would like to be supported financially,� he said. Speaking at the National Financial Literacy Stakeholders’ Conference in Abuja recently, he said the bank- being itself a child of financial inclusion policy of the federal government to provide non-interest banking for those who prefer it- would ensure

that there is deep penetration of financial services to ordinary citizens. He said the financial institution had been part of the process of ensuring financial inclusion through agency banking and use of technology to reach the unbanked.

He said: “We are running a pilot in a village in Katsina State where we will interact with women entrepreneurs that are selling akara (bean cake), fura de nunu and such other micro businesses so that we can empower them. “We are not going there primarily to get deposit but to empower them with small credits so that they will now in turn generate wealth. What we are trying to do at this stage is to empower these women groups both in the villages and the cities so that they can get some financing that they presently lack to develop their business.�

CardinalStone Advises NEM Insurance on AFIG Funds investment CardinalStone Partners Limited acted as the financial adviser to NEM Insurance Plc on the equity investment by AFIG Funds LLP. AFIG is a private equity firm registered in Mauritius and headquartered in Dakar, Senegal.

NEM Insurance is a non-life insurance company which commenced business in Nigeria in 1948, as Edward Turner & Co. and has over several decades emerged as a leader in Nigerian insurance industry. The company became quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in 1989 following its privatization by the Federal

Government of Nigeria.

Speaking on the transaction, Chief Executive Officer, NEM Insurance, Tope Smart, said: “CardinalStone was very instrumental in spearheading an efficient process that ultimately paired NEM with the ideal partner.

Their commitment and demonstrated professionalism in negotiating and managing the transaction was highly commendable�.

Also speaking on the transaction, Managing Director, CardinalStone, Michael Nzewi,

said: “We are honoured to have assisted NEM to secure a suitable growth partner as it embarks on its next phase of growth.

We believe that this strategic partnership will serve as a major catalyst in driving the ongoing penetration of insurance in Nigeria and will provide NEM with the right platform to continue delivering exceptional service and quality products to its customers�.

CardinalStone is one of the leading indigenous investment banking, securities and investment management firms.

Buhari to Inaugurate CBN Centre of Excellence at UNN President Muhammadu Buhari will on Thursday, January 24, 2019, inaugurate the PostGraduate Centre of Excellence built by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and donated to the University of Nigeria, Enugu State.

The project, which is part of the Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to the educational sector, is sited in the Enugu campus of the university.

This followed similar projects in the University of Ibadan and Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

The world-class Post-Graduate School project, according to the CBN, comprises a Faculty building and a hostel, consisting of a 497-seater auditorium, four lecture and four tutorial rooms, traditional and e-libraries, a teleconference room and 133-room hostel.

Spokesperson of the CBN, Isaac

Okorafor, disclosed in a statement that the aim of the Bank, in conceiving the project, was to ensure that students at post-graduate levels in economics, accounting, banking and finance, business administration and statistics study in a serene environment that would stimulate effective learning with a view to building human capacity for the financial services sub-sector.

MARKET INDICATORS MONEY AND CREDIT STATISTICS

(MILLION NAIRA)

MARCH 2018 Broad Money (M2)

24,303,049.86

-- Narrow Money (M1)

10,912,604.10

---- Currency Outside Banks

1,668,378.21

---- Demand Deposits

9,244,225.90

-- Quasi Money

13,390,445.76

Net Foreign Assets (NFA)

15,619,134.18

Net Domestic Assets(NDA)

8,683,915.68

-- Net Domestic Credit (NDC)

26,267,136.53

---- Credit to Government (Net)

3,823,345.45

---- Memo: Credit to Govt. (Net) less FMA

5,433,209.43

---- Memo: Fed. and Mirror Accounts (FMA)

-1,609,863.98

---- Credit to Private Sector (CPS)

22,443,791.08

--Other Assets Net

-17,583,220.85

Reserve Money (Base Money)

6,746,646.49

--Currency in Circulation

1,668,378.21

--Banks Reserves

4,357,551.58 Ëž Ă™Ă&#x;ĂœĂ?Ă? Ě‹

Money Market Indicators (in Percentage) Month

March 2018

Inter-Bank Call Rate

15.16

Minimum Rediscount Rate (MRR) Monetary Policy Rate (MPR)

14.00

Treasury Bill Rate

11.84

Savings Deposit Rate

4.07

1 Month Deposit Rate

8.82

3 Months Deposit Rate

9.72

6 Months Deposit Rate

10.93

12 Months Deposit Rate

10.21

Prime Lending rate

17.35

Maximum Lending Rate

31.55

Ëž Ă™Ă˜Ă?ĂžĂ‹ĂœĂŁ ÙÖÓĂ?ĂŁ Ă‹ĂžĂ? Ě‹ ͯ͹Ϲ

OPEC DAILY BASKET PRICE AS AT THURSDAY, 17 JANUARY 2019

The price of OPEC basket of fourteen crudes stood at $60.90 a barrel on Friday, compared with $59.63 the previous day, according to OPEC Secretariat calculations.

The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes (ORB) is made up of the following: Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Djeno (Congo), Oriente (Ecuador), ZaďŹ ro (Equatorial Guinea), Rabi Light (Gabon), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia), Murban (UAE) and Merey (Venezuela).

SOURCE: OPEC headquarters, Vienna

31

T U E S DAY ˾ JANUARY 22, 2019

MARKET NEWS

Zenith Bank Board Approves 2018 Audited Accounts Goddy Egene The board of directors of Zenith Bank Plc has approved the bank’s financial results for the year ended December, 31, 2018. In a notification to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the Company Secretary-General and Counsel, Zenith Bank, Mr. Michael Otu, said that the results was approved on January 18.

“Consequent upon the ap-

proval, the said audited accounts will be forwarded to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for approval in line with regulatory requirements after which the bank will notify the exchange of the results,’’ Otu said.

THISDAY had reported that the board of the bank would meet to approve the results and final dividend for the year.

Meanwhile, trading resumed on the exchange on a negative note yesterday after seven days

P R I C E S MAIN BOARD

F O R

DEALS

of growth. The NSE All-Share Index (NSE ASI) shed 0.88 per cent due to profit taking cent to close at 30,732.72 compared to 31,005.17 posted on Friday.

Also, the market capitalisation, which opened at N11.562 trillion lost N102 billion or 0.88 per cent to close at N11.460 trillion.

Seplat led the losers’ chart, dropping by N46 to close at N530 per share.

Mobil Oil trailed with a loss of N8 to close at N180, while

S E C U R I T I E S

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N )

Dangote Cement was down by N4.90 to close at N190 per share.

Lafarge Africa dipped 40k to close at N12.40, while Etranzact depreciated by 31 kobo to close at N3.25 per share.

On the positive side, Cement Company of Northern Nigeria led the gainers’ chart , appreciating by N1.80 to close at N26.90 per share. NEM Insurance followed with a gain of 12 kobo to close at N2.60, while FCMB Group appreciated by

T R A D E D MAIN BOARD

A S

seven kobo to close at N1.83 per share.

Linkage Assurance added five kobo to close at 61kobo, while United Bank for Africa grew by five kobo to close at N7.35 per share.

A breakdown of the activity chart shows that Diamond Bank was the most active stock, exchanging 239.36 million shares worth N497.89 million.

Guaranty Trust Bank followed with 119.35 million shares valued

O F

at N3.79 billion, while Zenith Bank sold 26.11million shares worth N563.19 million.

NEM Insurance traded 21.16 million shares valued at N57.46 million, just as FBN Holdings transacted 15.97 million shares worth N115.64 million.

In all, exchanged 499.21 million shares valued at N5.53 billion in 3,874 deals, compared with 300.80 million shares worth N3.76 billion traded in 3,317 deals on Friday.

1 5 / 0 1 / 2 0 1 9 DEALS

MARKET PRICE

QUANTITY TRADED

VALUE TRADED ( N)

˾ TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

32

Tuesday, January 22 2019

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 INDEX

Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index Sheds 0.74% Yesterday, the Thisday Afrinvest 40 Index shed 74bps to

Fundamental Performance Metrics for THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 Index

close at 1,392.26 dragged by losses in GUARANTY (-0.8%), Ticker

DANGCEM (-2.5%) and SEPLAT (-8.0%). These stocks ĐƵŵƵůĂƟǀĞůLJ ĂĐĐŽƵŶƚ ĨŽƌ ϯϭ͘ϭй ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ŝŶĚĞdž͘

Current Price

Price Price Previous Current Change Change Price Weighting YTD Index to Change Date

THISDAY AFRINVEST 40 1,392.26

ŽŵĞƐƟĐ ŽƵƌƐĞ ZĞǀĞƌƐĞƐ 'ĂŝŶƐ͙ ASI down 0.9%

/Ŷ ƚŚĞ ĮƌƐƚ ƚƌĂĚŝŶŐ ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ ŽĨ ƚŚĞ ǁĞĞŬ͕ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďŽƵƌƐĞ bucked its 7-ĚĂLJ ƉŽƐŝƟǀĞ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ĂƐ ůŽƐƐĞƐ ŝŶ

ROA

P/E

P/BV

-9.8%

39.2%

20.0%

7.6%

5.7x

0.7x

5.3%

14.0%

Guaranty Trust Bank PLC

31.70

-0.8%

18.5%

-8.0%

-8.1%

34.1%

5.6%

4.7x

1.8x

8.5%

21.2%

21.50

0.0%

12.1%

-6.7%

-6.7%

23.7%

3.4%

3.7x

0.9x

12.8%

27.1%

190.00

-2.5%

9.5%

0.2%

2.2%

20.1%

9.8%

19.8x

4.2x

5.5%

5.1%

1,450.00

0.0%

8.3%

-2.4%

-1.7%

85.8%

26.3%

26.2x

20.4x

3.3%

3.8%

2 3

Dangote Cement PLC

4

Nestle Nigeria PLC

5

Nigerian Brew eries PLC

6

FBN Holdings Plc

81.00

0.0%

6.0%

-5.3%

3.4%

13.8%

6.4%

27.1x

3.9x

4.6%

3.7%

7.30

0.0%

5.1%

-8.2%

-8.8%

6.6%

0.8%

5.2x

0.4x

3.5%

19.1%

3.3x

0.5x

11.6%

30.0%

0.5x

3.4%

43.1%

11.5%

7

United Bank for Africa PLC

7.35

0.7%

4.4%

-4.5%

-5.8%

15.4%

1.8%

8

International Brew eries PLC

30.25

0.0%

3.7%

-0.8%

-4.0%

-23.8%

-3.2%

dragged the All Share Index ;͞ASI͟Ϳ Ϭ͘ϵй ƐŽƵƚŚǁĂƌĚƐ ƚŽ

9

SEPLAT Petroleum Development C

530.00

-8.0%

3.1%

-17.2%

-17.2%

25.9%

15.3%

ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ ϯϬ͕ϳϯϮ ƉŽŝŶƚƐ͘ ŽŶƐĞƋƵĞŶƚůLJ͕ zd ůŽƐƐ ǁŽƌƐĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ

10

Access Bank PLC

11

Ecobank Transnational Inc

DANGCEM (-2.5%), SEPLAT (-8.0%) and WAPCO (-6.3%)

Ϯ͘Ϯй ĂƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ĐĂƉŝƚĂůŝnjĂƟŽŶ ĚĞĐůŝŶĞĚ ďLJ EϭϬϭ͘ϲďŶ ƚŽ ƐĞƩůĞ Ăƚ Eϭϭ͘ϱƚŶ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ĂĐƟǀŝƚLJ ůĞǀĞů ƐƚƌĞŶŐƚŚĞŶĞĚ ĂƐ volume and value traded increased by 66.0% and 47.0% to

Divinden Earnings d Yield Yield

1

Zenith Bank PLC

-0.74%

ROE

7.4x 2.3x

5.60

0.0%

2.9%

-17.6%

-13.8%

14.1%

1.7%

2.3x

0.3x

14.00

0.0%

3.0%

0.0%

-2.1%

12.1%

1.0%

4.4x

0.5x

-1.2%

42.9% 22.7%

12

Stanbic IBTC Holdings PLC

47.00

0.0%

2.7%

-2.0%

-2.0%

35.7%

4.6%

7.0x

2.2x

2.1%

13

Unilever Nigeria PLC

37.00

0.0%

2.6%

0.0%

0.0%

24.7%

11.5%

17.2x

2.6x

1.4%

5.8%

14

Lafarge Africa PLC

12.40

-3.1%

1.8%

-0.4%

3.3%

-53.7%

-7.9%

0.8x

11.7%

-50.8%

14.4%

15

Guinness Nigeria PLC

71.00

0.0%

1.4%

-1.4%

-1.4%

8.8%

5.0%

19.1x

1.8x

2.8%

5.2%

ϰϵϵ͘ϮďŶ ƵŶŝƚƐ ĂŶĚ Eϱ͘ϱƚŶ ƌĞƐƉĞĐƟǀĞůLJ͘ dŚĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ

16

Okomu Oil Palm PLC

82.00

0.0%

1.5%

7.6%

7.6%

39.3%

29.7%

7.8x

2.7x

3.7%

12.8%

ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀŽůƵŵĞ ǁĞƌĞ DIAMOND (239.4m units),

17

Total Nigeria PLC

195.00

0.0%

1.3%

-3.9%

-3.9%

34.6%

7.5%

6.8x

2.2x

8.7%

14.7%

18

11 PLC

180.00

-4.3%

1.3%

-3.0%

-3.0%

38.0%

16.8%

6.0x

2.0x

4.4%

16.6%

5.1%

GUARANTY (119.3m units) and ZENITH ;Ϯϲ͘ϭŵ ƵŶŝƚƐͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŽƉ ƚƌĂĚĞĚ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ďLJ ǀĂůƵĞ ǁĞƌĞ GUARANTY ;Eϯ͘ϴďŶͿ͕ ZENITH ;Eϱϲϯ͘ϮŵͿ ĂŶĚ DIAMOND ;Eϰϵϳ͘ϵŵͿ͘

DŝdžĞĚ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ WĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ^ĞĐƚŽƌ ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ǁĂƐ ŵŝdžĞĚ LJĞƐƚĞƌĚĂLJ͕ ĂůďĞŝƚ ŶĞŐĂƟǀĞůLJ ƐŬĞǁĞĚ͕ ĂƐ ŽŶůLJ Ϯ of 5 sectors under our coverage closed in the green. The Insurance index advanced the most up 1.5%

19

Flour Mills of Nigeria PLC

19.45

0.0%

1.0%

-15.8%

-12.4%

7.6%

2.3%

6.7x

0.5x

20

Oando PLC

4.40

-1.1%

1.1%

-12.0%

-8.3%

10.9%

1.7%

3.7x

0.3x

21

Fidelity Bank PLC

2.02

0.5%

1.1%

-0.5%

-0.5%

11.3%

1.5%

2.6x

0.3x

5.4%

38.0%

22

Transnational Corp of Nigeria

1.22

-3.9%

1.0%

-7.6%

-5.4%

13.6%

3.0%

5.8x

0.7x

1.6%

17.2%

23

Dangote Sugar Refinery PLC

14.50

0.0%

0.9%

-4.9%

-2.0%

32.6%

16.4%

5.8x

1.7x

12.1%

24

Diamond Bank PLC

2.08

-1.0%

0.8%

-4.6%

-3.3%

-5.8%

-0.7%

15.0% 27.3%

0.2x

17.3% -33.7%

25

FCMB Group Plc

1.83

4.0%

0.6%

1.7%

8.4%

1.2%

2.4x

0.2x

5.8%

26

UAC of Nigeria PLC

8.80

0.0%

0.5%

-9.7%

-7.9%

0.4%

0.2%

69.2x

0.4x

7.4%

1.4%

27

Sterling Bank PLC

2.05

2.0%

0.6%

7.9%

7.9%

10.6%

1.1%

5.4x

0.6x

1.0%

18.5%

41.8%

28

Presco PLC

62.00

0.0%

0.4%

-3.1%

-3.1%

37.0%

24.8%

2.4x

0.8x

3.2%

40.8%

29

NASCON Allied Industries PLC

18.00

0.0%

0.4%

0.0%

0.0%

47.0%

17.5%

9.4x

4.2x

8.3%

10.7%

30

Forte Oil PLC

30.00

0.0%

0.4%

4.5%

7.1%

84.6%

8.3%

12.3x

2.3x

8.1%

on the back of gains in NEM (+4.8%), LINKASSURE (+8.9%)

31

Union Bank of Nigeria PLC

6.75

0.0%

0.4%

20.5%

20.5%

5.3%

1.0%

12.2x

0.7x

8.2%

and WAPIC (+5.0%). Similarly, the Industrial Goods index

32

Julius Berger Nigeria PLC

28.40

0.0%

0.4%

41.3%

28.5%

7.9x

1.2x

3.8%

33

PZ Cussons Nigeria PLC

11.85

0.0%

0.3%

-2.1%

-3.7%

1.1x

1.3%

34

Chemical and Allied Products P

31.50

0.0%

0.2%

-9.6%

-9.6%

66.2%

30.2%

14.7x

9.8x

6.5%

35

Wema Bank PLC

0.61

-1.6%

0.2%

-3.2%

-3.2%

6.6%

0.8%

7.0x

0.5x

36

Beta Glass PLC

55.00

0.0%

0.1%

-19.5%

-19.5%

17.7%

11.5%

6.7x

1.1x

1.9%

15.0%

37

Dangote Flour Mills Plc

6.55

0.0%

0.2%

-4.4%

-0.8%

13.4%

3.8%

6.5x

0.8x

3.1%

15.5%

ŝŶĐŚĞĚ ŶŽƌƚŚǁĂƌĚƐ ďLJ ϭ͘Ϭй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ŵŽĚĞƐƚ ŐĂŝŶƐ ŝŶ CCNN ;нϳ͘ϮйͿ͘ KŶ ƚŚĞ ŇŝƉƐŝĚĞ͕ ƚŚĞ Kŝů ĂŶĚ 'ĂƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ůĞĚ ƚŚĞ ůŽƐĞƌƐ͕ ĚŽǁŶ ϰ͘ϱй ĨŽůůŽǁŝŶŐ ƉƌŝĐĞ ĚĞƉƌĞĐŝĂƟŽŶ ŝŶ SEPLAT (8.0%) and OANDO (-ϭ͘ϭйͿ ǁŚŝůĞ ƚŚĞ ďĂŶŬŝŶŐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŝŶ the red on the back of losses in UNITY (-4.4%) and WEMA (-

12.7%

6.8% 14.3%

38

Cement Co Northern Nigeria PLC

26.90

7.2%

0.2%

38.7%

38.7%

34.2%

19.6%

6.5x

2.0x

4.6%

15.4%

39

Transcorp Hotels Plc

6.10

0.0%

0.1%

0.0%

0.0%

6.9%

3.8%

11.9x

0.8x

2.1%

8.4%

40

AXA Mansard Insurance PLC

1.86

0.0%

0.1%

1.6%

1.6%

10.5%

3.3%

9.7x

1.0x

3.2%

10.3%

ϭ͘ϲйͿ͘ ,ŽǁĞǀĞƌ͕ ƚŚĞ ŽŶƐƵŵĞƌ 'ŽŽĚƐ ŝŶĚĞdž ĐůŽƐĞĚ ŇĂƚ ĂƐ T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V o l u m e

T o p 10 G a i n e r s

ƚƌĂĚĞƐ ǁŝƚŚŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƐĞĐƚŽƌ ǁĞƌĞ ƵŶĂďůĞ ƚŽ ŵŽǀĞ ŝŶ ŝŶĚĞdž͘ T ic k er

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ^ĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ tĞĂŬĞŶƐ

P ric e

ĚĞĐůŝŶĞ ƌĂƟŽͿ ǁĞĂŬĞŶĞĚ ƚŽ Ϭ͘ϳdž ĂƐ ϭϯ ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞĚ against the 18 stocks that declined. The top outperforming ƐƚŽĐŬƐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ ĚĂLJ ǁĞƌĞ LINKASSURE (+8.9%), dZ E^ (+7.4%) and CCNN ;нϳ͘ϮйͿ͕ ǁŚŝůĞ ETRANZACT (-8.7%),

We

expect

yesterday͛s

ƉĞƌĨŽƌŵĂŶĐĞ ƚŽ ƉĞƌƐŝƐƚ ŝŶƚŽ ƚŽŵŽƌƌŽǁ͛s trading session, as ǁĞ ŵĂŝŶƚĂŝŶ ŽƵƌ ŶĞĂƌ-term bearish outlook for the ĚŽŵĞƐƟĐ ĞƋƵŝƟĞƐ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ͘

A B CTRA NS

0.29

7.4%

GUA R A N T Y

26.90

7.2%

Z EN IT H B A N K

26.1

0.0%

0.51

6.3%

N EM

21.2

4.8%

J A IZ B A N K

0.53

6.0%

FB NH

16.0

0.0%

WA P IC

0.42

5.0%

F ID ELIT YB K

9.6

0.5%

N EM

2.60

4.8%

A C C ESS

8.2

0.0%

LIVEST OC K

-1.0%

119.3

-0.8%

1.83

4.0%

FCM B

7.5

4.0%

ST ER LN B A N K

2.05

2.0%

UB A

6.1

0.7%

C A VER T ON

1.93

1.6%

ET I

5.2

0.0%

T o p 10 L o s e r s

T o p 10 T r a d e s b y V a l u e

P ric e

P ric e C hg %

3.25

-8.7%

GUA R A N T Y

530.00

-8.0%

Z EN IT H B A N K

563.2

0.0%

R ESOR T SA L

0.24

-7.7%

D IA M ON D B N K

497.9

-1.0%

SOVR EN IN S

0.24

-7.7%

FB NH

115.6

0.0%

M B EN EF IT

0.20

-4.8%

NB

85.4

0.0%

C UST OD IA N

6.15

-4.7%

ET I

72.3

0.0%

UN IT YB N K

0.87

-4.4%

N EM

57.5

4.8%

180.00

-4.3%

A C C ESS

45.9

0.0%

1.22

-3.9%

UB A

44.1

0.7%

12.40

-3.1%

CCNN

37.2

7.2%

ET R A N Z A C T SEP LA T

T R A N SC OR P WA P C O

(A Dealing Member of the Nigerian Stock Exchange)

239.4

FCM B

M OB IL

Afrinvest Securities Limited (RC 603 315)

P ric e C hg %

D IA M ON D B N K

T ic k er

stocks.

Vo lum e

8.9%

SEPLAT (-8.0%) and RESORTSAL (-ϳ͘ϳйͿ ǁĞƌĞ ƚŚĞ ƚŽƉ underperforming

T ic k er

0.61

CCNN

/ŶǀĞƐƚŽƌ ƐĞŶƟŵĞŶƚ ŵĞĂƐƵƌĞĚ ďLJ ŵĂƌŬĞƚ ďƌĞĂĚƚŚ ;ĂĚǀĂŶĐĞͬ

P ric e C hg %

LIN KA SSUR E

T ic k er

Value

P ric e C hg %

3796.0

-0.8%

Investment Research

Brokerage Ayodeji Ebo | aebo@afrinvest.com

Robert Omotunde |

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Jolomi Odonghanro | jodonghanro@afrinvest.com

romotunde@afrinvest.com

33

T H I S D AY Ëž Ëœ ÍşÍşËœ ͺ͸͚͡

MARKET NEWS

Lafarge Africa Extends Rights Issue Closing Date to January 28 Goddy Egene Lafarge Africa Plc has extended the closing date of its rights issue to Monday, January 28, from Saturday January 26.

Lafarge is making a rights issue of 7.434 billion shares of 50 kobo each at N12.00 per share, on the basis of six new ordinary shares for every seven ordinary shares held as at 4 December 2018.

The company intends to raise N89.21 billion from the issue.

However, in a notification yesterday, the company said it had received the approval of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the issue to close on January 28 as against January 26, earlier announced since January 26 is not a business day.

The board of the company last September got shareholders’ nod to raise additional capital at extra-ordinary general meeting (EGM). And in order to create shares to accommodate future

A Mutual fund (Unit Trust) is an investment vehicle managed by a SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) registered Fund Manager.

Investors with similar objectives buy units of the Fund so that the Fund Manager can buy securities that willl generate their desired return.

An ETF (Exchange Traded Fund) is a type of fund which owns the assets (shares of stock, bonds, oil futures, gold bars, foreign currency, etc.) and divides ownership of those assets into shares. Investors can buy these ‘shares’ on the

issuances, the directors equally asked for the authorised share capital of the company be increased from N5 billion to N10 billion by the creation of 10 billion, additional ordinary shares of 50 kobo each, ranking pari passu in all respects with the existing ordinary shares of the company and that the new shares thus.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Bruno Bayet, had said the company has a refinancing plan

floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

A REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) is an investment vehicle that allows both small and large investors to part-own real estate ventures (eg.

Offices, Houses, Hospitals) in proportion to their investments. The assets are divided into shares that are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

GUIDE TO DATA: Date: All fund prices are quoted in Naira as at 18Jan-2019, unless otherwise stated.

that was aimed at preparing it for future development in Nigeria, improving the company’s leverage as well as strengthen its profitability.

Hence, the proposed N89.21 billion right issue subject to all corporate and regulatory approvals.

Speaking at the EGM, Chairman of Lafarge Africa, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun said: “The additional capital to be raised will further help to deleverage the company’s

balance sheet and provide head room for the expansion of our business.�

According to him, the board of directors is mindful of the support of all our shareholders through the difficult but necessary journey to transform the company into a more agile and correctly financed business ready to benefit from the potential opportunities in Nigerian building materials (market).

He also assured shareholders

that restructuring of the capital structure of the company largely completed through the past year would help to significantly reduce the cost of financing and currency translation risk.

Balogun added that the company is implementing a new route-to-market initiative aimed at supporting the anticipated growth in demand as the country gradually recovers from recession and as foreign exchange rates stabilise.

Offer price: The price at which units of a trust or ETF are bought by investors.

Bid Price: The price at which Investors redeem (sell) units of a trust or ETF. Yield/Total Return: Denotes the total return an investor would have earned on his investment. Money Market Funds report Yield while others report Year- to-date Total Return.

NAV: Is value per share of the real estate assets held by a REIT on a specific date.

DAILY PRICE LIST FOR MUTUAL FUNDS, REITS and ETFS MUTUAL FUNDS / UNIT TRUSTS AFRINVEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD aaml@afrinvest.com Web: www.afrinvest.com; Tel: +234 1 270 1680 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Afrinvest Equity Fund 155.35 155.47 -1.88% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 279.12 279.31 2.19% ALTERNATIVE CAPITAL PARTNERS LTD info@acapng.com Web: www.acapng.com, Tel: +234 1 291 2406, +234 1 291 2868 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ACAP Canary Growth Fund 0.84 0.85 0.07% ACAP Income Funds 0.62 0.62 10.80% AIICO CAPITAL LTD ammf@aiicocapital.com Web: www.aiicocapital.com, Tel: +234-1-2792974 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AIICO Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.00% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.23 2.25 0.28% ARM INVESTMENT MANAGERS LTD enquiries@arminvestmentcenter.com Web: www.arm.com.ng; Tel: 0700 CALLARM (0700 225 5276) Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn ARM Aggressive Growth Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Discovery Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Ethical Fund N/A N/A N/A ARM Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A AXA MANSARD INVESTMENTS LIMITED investmentcare@axamansard.com Web: www.axamansard.com; Tel: +2341-4488482 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn AXA Mansard Equity Income Fund 99.97 100.67 -1.21% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.44% CHAPELHILL DENHAM MANAGEMENT LTD investmentmanagement@chapelhilldenham.com Web: www.chapelhilldenham.com, Tel: +234 461 0691 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Chapelhill Denham Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.13% Paramount Equity Fund 11.44 11.74 -2.28% Women's Investment Fund 100.40 102.97 -2.11% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.21% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 96.24 96.50 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 98.94 99.35 CORONATION ASSEST MANAGEMENT investment@coronationam.com Web:www.coronationam.com , Tel: 012366215 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coronation Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.42% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.83 0.83 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.13 1.13 0.81% EDC FUNDS MANAGEMENT LIMITED mutualfundng@ecobank.com Web: www.ecobank.com Tel: 012265281 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class A 100.00 100.00 12.69% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.76% FBNQUEST ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD invest@fbnquest.com Web: www.fbnquest.com/asset-management; Tel: +234-81 0082 0082 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn FBN Fixed Income Fund 1,193.93 1,194.15 0.71% FBN Heritage Fund 141.96 143.16 -1.01% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.46% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 114.75 115.13 0.76% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 114.75 115.13 1.00% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 145.41 147.55 -3.06% FIRST CITY ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD fcamhelpdesk@fcmb.com Web: www.fcamltd.com; Tel: +234 1 462 2596 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Legacy Equity Fund 1.18 1.20 -2.91% Legacy Debt Fund 3.26 3.26 0.56% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.03 1.03 0.23% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 2,935.70 2,964.23 -1.64% Coral Income Fund 2,777.38 2,777.38 1.42% GREENWICH ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmanagement@gtlgroup.com Web: www.gtlgroup.com ; Tel: +234 1 4619261-2 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Greenwich Plus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.75% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 106.60 106.95 6.47% INVESTMENT ONE FUNDS MANAGEMENT LTD enquiries@investment-one.com Web: www.investment-one.com; Tel: +234 812 992 1045,+234 1 448 8888 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Abacus Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.44%

Vantage Balanced Fund 2.12 2.14 -1.33% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 16.02% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 120.20 120.38 -3.78% LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.22 1.24 0.61% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,076.06 1,076.06 0.63% MERISTEM WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD info@meristemwealth.com Web: http://www.meristemwealth.com/funds/ ; Tel: +234 1-4488260 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Meristem Equity Market Fund 11.11 11.19 -3.42% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.78% PAC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD info@pacassetmanagement.com Web: www.pacassetmanagement.com/mutualfunds; Tel: +234 1 271 8632 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn PACAM Balanced Fund 1.34 1.37 5.08% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.29 12.35 0.70% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.63% SCM CAPITAL LIMITED info@scmcapitalng.com Web: www.scmcapitalng.com; Tel: +234 1-280 2226,+234 1- 280 2227 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SCM Capital Frontier Fund 120.25 120.75 -0.42% SFS CAPITAL NIGERIA LTD investments@sfsnigeria.com Web: www.sfsnigeria.com, Tel: +234 (01) 2801400 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn SFS Fixed Income Fund 1.01 1.01 0.69% STANBIC IBTC ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD assetmanagement@stanbicibtc.com Web: www.stanbicibtcassetmanagement.com; Tel: +234 1 280 1266; 0700 MUTUALFUNDS Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Stanbic IBTC Balanced Fund 2,309.26 2,323.26 1.96% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 191.72 191.72 2.15% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.93 0.94 -1.58% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 248.31 248.35 2.49% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 163.04 164.87 -0.06% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.86% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,327.91 8,428.56 -0.14% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.11 1.11 3.02% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Bond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Equity Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Money Market Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Eurobond Fund N/A N/A N/A United Capital Wealth for Women Fund N/A N/A N/A ZENITH ASSETS MANAGEMENT LTD info@zenith-funds.com Web: www.zenith-funds.com; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 10.94 11.09 2.64% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.30 12.41 2.02% Zenith Income Fund 20.88 20.88 8.37% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.30%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.95 117.98 51.79

-39.35% 0.05% 0.00%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.56 112.93 86.90

10.66 115.38 88.53

0.10% -3.71% -1.98%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

3.78 7.20 14.39 13.36 144.64

3.82 7.28 14.49 13.56 146.64

-5.59% -5.50% -3.74% 8.04% 0.76%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund manager’s website and FMAN’s website at www.fman.com.ng. Fund prices are supplied by the operator of the relevant fund and are published for information purposes only.

TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

34

INTERNA TIONAL

UK Begins EU Citizen Registration Amid Uncertainty, Stress May plans return to EU to discuss Irish backstop Millions of EU citizens living in Britain can register from Monday for settled status after Brexit, an official said on Monday.

A research group warned that many could still be left out in the cold and some EU nationals are attending support groups to cope with the stress.

Britain is home to about 3.5 million EU nationals and many of those will need to apply for inclusion on a new “settled status” register before July 2021 if they want to stay.

Britain is due to leave the EU on March 29 this year.

Britain’s interior ministry on Monday began the first public testing of the registration system for all EU citizens, who hold a valid passport and any non-EU citizen family members, who hold a valid biometric residence card.

“From the very beginning we have been clear that securing the rights of EU citizens living in the UK is our priority,” Immigration Minister, Caroline Nokes, said.

Nokes added that the new settlement scheme would be “easy and straightforward” to use.

A private phase of testing of EU citizens working for health service trusts and universities in the North-west of England

between November and December involved almost 30,000 applications and none was rejected.

However, research group British Future said the scheme could harm vulnerable groups such as the elderly and people with limited English or computer skills, and warned of a new `Windrush’ scandal unless the government addressed its shortcomings.

Britain apologised in 2018 for its “appalling” treatment of thousands of Caribbean migrants – the “Windrush generation” – who were denied basic rights after a tightening of immigration policy, in spite of having lived in the country for decades.

Some were wrongly deported.

After Brexit, some EU nationals could be left “destitute, barred from working, at risk of exploitation and unable to access basic services” under the new scheme, the British Future report said.

With just over two months left until Brexit, there is still no agreement in London on how and even whether it should leave the world’s biggest trading bloc.

In a sign of the anxiety felt even by some longtime EU citizens living in the UK, the

Swedish Church in London hosted a discussion last week of problems they face because of Brexit.

Freelance writer and German national Anette Pollner, who has lived in Britain for almost 30 years but does not have a British passport, said she was terrified that her settled status application would be rejected.

Her settled status would be rejected because she may not have the correct documents to prove her right to remain.

Pollner said she had experienced increased hostility toward her since Britain voted by 52 per cent to 48 per cent in June 2016 to leave the EU after more than four decades.

“Since the referendum we have been living in a state of constant fear,” she said.

“I am taught a lesson every single day that I am not welcome here in so many different ways.

“When people hear my foreign accent it’s a kind of racism, they respond to me just

like they respond to someone, who has a different skin colour.”

British psychotherapist, Susie Orbach, said EU citizens living here had faced much greater uncertainty over their rights since the referendum, and some felt Britons no longer wanted them around. “The issue of Brexit has hit my consulting room from the day after the vote, where there was absolute shock and confusion,” she said.

“For some people, who may have even been brought up here in England but have not ever turned themselves into citizens it’s been very confusing and quite scary.”

Meanwhile, British Prime, Minister Theresa May, said Monday she plans to return to Brussels to discuss changes to the deal she agreed with EU leaders last month, despite an overwhelming rejection of the draft text by MPs last week.

“I believe we can make progress” on the so-called Irish backstop, she told parliament,

adding that she would be consulting MPs about possible changes and “then take the conclusions of those discussions back to the EU”.

Acceding to a key demand for after Brexit from the opposition Labour Party, May also promised “a guarantee that not only will we not erode protections for workers’ rights and the environment but we will ensure this country leads the way”.

May promised a more consultative strategy on Brexit that would include parliament but also business leaders and civil society but her statement essentially offered no solutions.

She also rejected opposition proposals for a delay in the Brexit date and the holding of a second referendum and said she would not rule out a no-deal Brexit.

She said a second referendum “would set a difficult precedent that could have significant implications for how we handle referendums in this country,”

referring to the failed Scottish independence referendum of 2014.

Much of her statement was focused on the legal guarantee to keep the Irish border, known as the “backstop”.

“With regard to the backstop, despite the changes we have previously agreed, there remain two core issues: the fear that we could be trapped in it permanently; and concerns over its potential impact on our Union if Northern Ireland is treated differently from the rest of the UK. “So I will be talking further this week to colleagues — including in the DUP –- to consider how we might meet our obligations to the people of Northern Ireland and Ireland in a way that can command the greatest possible support in the House,” she said.

The 10 MPs of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) give the government its working majority in parliament.

S’Africa Turns down Zimbabwe Request for $1.2bn Loan South Africa turned down a request from its southern African neighbour Zimbabwe for a 1.2 billion dollar loan in December, a spokesman for the finance ministry said on Monday.

National Treasury spokesman Jabulani Sikhakhane said in Johannesburg that “South Africa doesn’t have that kind of money.”

Zimbabwean officials were not immediately available for comment.

Zimbabwe was hit by antigovernment protests last week

after a hike in fuel prices stoked anger over an economic crisis.

Police say three people died during demonstrations that turned violent in the capital Harare and second city Bulawayo.

But human rights groups say evidence suggests at least a dozen were killed.

Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Sunday that he would return home from a European tour and skip the World Economic Forum in Davos to address the crisis.

President’s Inauguration in DR Congo May Be Postponed The swearing-in of the newlyelected president of DR Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, may be postponed by two days until Thursday, a source in his coalition said Monday.

“According to the information I was given this morning, the (ceremony) has been put off until Thursday,” Lydie Omanga, spokesman for the opposition coalition which backed Tshisekedi in the race to succeed outgoing President Joseph Kabila, told AFP. Kabila’s deputy head of cabinet, Jean-Pierre Kambila, said: “a meeting will take place at 5:00 pm (1600 GMT) today to settle the matter.”

“If the ceremony does not take place tomorrow, it will be on January 24, without doubt,” he added.

Sources close to the presidentelect said Monday that aspects of the ceremony remained to be decided. Invitations notably have to be sent to foreign heads of state and government, they said.

The timetable of the national electoral commission, which oversaw the long-delayed elections across the vast country, provided for the new head of state to be sworn in on Tuesday, January 22.

Tshisekedi’s announced victory was legally challenged by runner-up Martin Fayulu, who called the outcome “an electoral coup” — an alleged stitch up between Kabila and Tshisekedi.

Leaked figures from the provisional vote count appear to point heavily in his favour.

But the Constitutional Court on Sunday dismissed his appeal.

Kabila came to power in 2001 while war raged in the vast and mineral-rich country.

He extended his term by two years from 2016, unleashing protests that the security forces bloodily repressed.

Tshisekedi, 55, is the son of the late veteran opposition leader Etienne Tshisekedi, who died in February 2017, aged 84.

African countries that had expressed reservations about the provisional results of the election have begun to acknowledge Tshisekedi as the next president.

And the African Union, which previously said it had “serious doubts” about the figures, said Sunday it had “taken note” of the court’s ruling.

It also said it was postponing sending a high-level delegation to Kinshasa on Monday to try to ease the dispute.

Britain’s Prime Minister, Theresa May, answering questions about her Brexit agenda by British MP’s at a Parliamentary liaison committee meeting in London…recently AFP

Zimbabwe Court Rules against Internet Shutdown Zimbabwe’s High Court on Monday ruled that State Security Minister Owen Ncube had no power to order the internet shutdown which took place during last week’s nationwide protests.

“It has become very clear that

the minister had no authority to make that directive,” judge Owen Tagu said in a case brought by human rights lawyers and journalists.

The shutdown occurred as the security forces cracked down on protesters following

a wave of anti-government demonstrations which turned violent.

David Halimana, the lawyer representing the complainants, said the ruling meant “mobile network operators are with immediate effect required

to give full and unrestricted access of internet to all their subscribers”.

Halimana said that, in terms of the law, only the state president has powers to order an internet shutdown.

Operators in Shock as Ugandan Govt Bans Sports Betting President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda has ordered that no new sports betting company should be licensed to operate in the country.

He also ordered that the licences of existing companies should not be renewed.

The Minister of State for Finance in charge of Planning, Mr David Bahati, revealed on Sunday that the President believes sports betting has diverted the attention of youth from hard work.

“We have received a directive from President Museveni to stop licensing sports betting, gaming

and gambling companies. The President has now directed the board which has been regulating them…. From now onwards, no new companies are going to be licensed. Those which are already registered, no renewal of licences when they expire,” Mr Bahati told a church congregation at Rugarama Hill in Kabale Town on Sunday, at the closure of a four-day conference where he represented the President as chief guest.

In just a few years, betting shops, a lot majoring in football, have sprang up in cities, towns

and villages across Uganda, and other parts of the African continent.Sports betting operators have however expressed shock and disbelief at the announcement, lamenting that it endangers their investment.

A report by AFP quotes Samuel Mutekanga, an operator at one of the leading sports betting companies in Kampala, Betway, as saying that he was shocked by the decision. “The directive is not only a surprise but shocking. It is a danger to our investment,” he said.

“Were we consulted? No.

How can such a ban come in a pedestrian way? Where does it leave the money we have invested?” he added.

Patrick Lubaale, another sports betting official at Galz Betting in downtown Kampala, said thousands of people depended upon the industry.

“If the president is complaining about the negative effects on young people, we have already been sensitising the public about the irresponsible betting and people are aware about this, but this should not be reason to ban the trade,” he said.

5 ) * 4 % ": t TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

NEWS

Secondus, Lamido Accuse APC of Destroying Nigeria with Incompetence Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, and a former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, have berated the All Progressives Congress (APC) for allegedly destroying the country with its incompetence.

Secondus and Lamido spoke yesterday at the party’s presidential rally in Jigawa State.

Secondus said the massive turnout at the rally was a clear indication that power was returning to the party and the state is already on the train to rescue Nigeria.

According to him, “We

are bringing in an energetic and competent person, Atiku Abubakar ,with experience to tackle poverty created by the APC. The choice before us is between competence and incompetence, between broken promises and a man ready and equipped for the job.”

Also, Lamido said that

failure is the culture of APC and must be voted out of office.

He said, “My people, today I bring to you a man who truly loves you. The candidate is our own son here; he is our own. Therefore, he has a right to demand our vote.

“And because the choice today is between competency

and incompetent, between security and insecurity, between broken promises, lost hope and someone that will give hope. It is also between falsehood and true, between genuine political leaders and not para-civilians.

“Others are para-civilians and they don’t understand compassion, love and peace

are alien to them. So, the family of PDP all over Nigeria is counting on Atiku Abubakar.

We trust you, because we know you can do it.

“Failure is not part of our culture; failure is the culture of APC. We are party of people who are brothers and sisters,” he added.

Fayose Received $5m from Dasuki, Obanikoro Tells Court Davidson Iriekpen A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos that money was given to former Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State from the impress account of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), in June 2014.

Obanikoro gave evidence in the trial of Fayose before Justice Mojisola Olaterogun.

Fayose is facing charges of N6.9 billion fraud.

He was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on October 22, 2018, alongside a company, Spotless Investment Limited, on 11 counts.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was granted him bail in the sum of N50 million with one surety in like sum.

Substantive trial began on November 19, 2018, with the EFCC calling four witnesses.

Yesterday, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) appeared for the EFCC, while Messrs Kanu Agabi (SAN) and Olalekan Ojo (SAN), represented the first and second accused respectively.

Jacobs then called on Obanikoro, the fifth prosecution witness, to give evidence.

The counsel led the former

minister in evidence.

Jacobs asked him where he was in 2014 and he told the court that he was the Minister of State for Defence.

The Counsel asked him to tell the court what he knew about the case. The witness testified that in June 2014, when Ekiti State governorship election was near, he received a call from the accused, enquiring from him if there was any ‘message’ for him from Dasuki.

The witness said that he told Fayose that there was none but promised to check with the NSA and give Fayose a feedback.

He told the court that eventually, the NSA confirmed to him that he had a “message” for the accused and that the funds would be made available.

The prosecutor then showed the witness exhibit E to confirm if it was the account to which the funds were transferred, and the witness replied, “Yes”.

The witness told the court that on June 13, 2014, and June 16, 2014, funds were posted into the account, adding that the funds were from the impress account of the NSA. He said he asked the accused how he wanted the money, and he told him that some amounts should be paid in Naira and others in dollars.

Buhari Mourns Loss of Lives at Maiduguri Rally Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari last night said he deeply condoled with the families of those who lost their loved ones at yesterday’s campaign rally in Maiduguri, Borno State.

He also prayed for the quick recovery of the injured.

A statement by Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said the tragedy occurred when a pavilion climbed by party faithful at the massively-attended rally crashed.

According to him, several party men and women who had wanted to have a vantage

view of the speakers at the rally climbed the roofs of the pavilions. He said consequently, one of the pavilions crashed, claiming the lives of some of the spectators, while others got injured.

“I am shocked to hear about the loss of lives following the tragic incident at the stadium this afternoon in Maiduguri.

May Allah repose the the souls of the deceased.

“I understand that the Borno State government, the Red Cross and other aid agencies are taking steps to help affected people.

May Allah repose the souls of the deceased and heal the injured”, Garuba quoted the president as saying.

FG Reinstates TETFund Executive Secretary, Bogoro Kuni Tyessi in Abuja

The federal government yesterday reinstated the Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund), Prof. Elias Bogoro, as the organisation’s substantive boss.

In a terse statement from the Federal Ministry

of Education, which was signed by the Deputy Director, Media and Publicity, Mr. Ben Bem Goong, the reinstatement takes immediate effect.

Bogoro who served from April 2014 to Febuary 2016 takes over from his successor, Dr. Abdullahi Bichi.

GIVING BACK TO SOCIETY…

L-R: Emir of Maradun, Maradun LGA of Zamfara State, Alhaji Garba Mohammed Tambari; Group Executive Director, Government and Strategic Relations, Dangote industries Limited, Mr. Mansur Ahmed; Hon. Sirajo Madugu; one of the beneficiaries; Programmes Operations Manager, Aliko Dangote Foundation, Musa Bala; Project Director, Dangote Rice, Robert Coleman, during the presentation of food materials

by Aliko Dangote Foundation to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Maradun, Maradun LGA of Zamfara State ...yesterday

APPEAL COURT REFUSES TO STOP ONNOGHEN’S ARRAIGNMENT The judge warned parties to observe the rule of law “by not doing anything that would tamper with the res (subject matter) in this matter pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

Before adjourning the case to January 29 for the hearing of the motion on notice, Justice Ekwo further ordered for substituted service on the 1st, 3rd and 4th defendants (Buhari, AGF and Justice Ibrahim Tanko) “by delivering the processes of the 1st defendant to the 2nd defendant at the Federal Ministry of Justice, Abuja.

The processes are also to be delivered on the 3rd and 4th defendants to the Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court at the apex court’s complex in Abuja.

In the second, the National Industrial Court reinforced its order restraining the tribunal from proceeding with the trial of the CJN. The NIC had earlier on January 15 restrained the CCT from proceeding with the arraignment of the CJN before adjourning till January 22 for the hearing of motion on notice.

At the resumed sitting yesterday, the NIC renewed its restraining order against the CCT. The reinforcement of the order followed an ex-parte application moved by the claimant’s counsel, James Igwe (SAN), who said there was difficulty in serving the CCT Chairman, Justice Umar, the court’s papers personally.

The only defendant at the hearing yesterday was the NJC represented by Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN).

Stop CJN’s Arraignment Now, NBA Tells Buhari

However, The NIC had earlier on January 15 restrained the CCT from proceeding with the trial before adjourning till January 22 for the hearing of motion on notice.

At the report resumed sitting yesterday, the NIC renewed its restraining order against the CCT. The reinforcement of the order followed an ex-parte application moved by the claimant’s counsel, James Igwe (SAN), who said there was difficulty in serving the CCT Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, the court’s papers personally.

The only defendant at the hearing yesterday was the National Judicial Council (NJC) represented by Dr. Garba Tetengi (SAN).

However, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has demanded an end to the trial of the CJN. The lawyers’ union asked the federal government to discontinue the trial and “follow the rule of law.”

In its statement, the NBA argued that only through the Senate can the presidency remove Justice Onnoghen.

“Ahead of the scheduled resumption of proceedings at the CCT tomorrow (today), January 22, 2019, the NBA again calls on the executive branch of the Federal Government of Nigeria to discontinue forthwith the prosecution of the CJN, Justice Onnoghen, before the CCT, the NBA said in the statement signed by its President, Paul Usoro.

The NBA said it was obvious that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is bent on removing Justice Onnoghen from office, but added that the presidency can only achieve the alleged objective, through

the support of the Senate.

“Having become obvious that the immediate goal of the Executive is to remove the CJN from office, we urge the government to follow due process in attaining that goal.

“Due process is not followed when the executive branch of government files an interlocutory motion before the CCT for the removal of the CJN. “Such an application disparages, and assaults due process as enshrined in Section 292(1)(a)(i) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) (“the Constitution”).

“The said Section is very explicit on the due process for the CJN’s removal when it stipulates as follows: S.292(1)(a) (i) “A judicial officer shall not be removed from his office or appointment before his age of retirement except in the following circumstances. . . in the case of . . . Chief Justice of Nigeria . . . by the President acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate.”

According to the NBA, the law does not permit the current measures adopted by the government to remove the CJN. It added that any attempt to remove Justice Onnoghen would imply that the CJN was treated order than a judicial officer.

“The Constitution leaves no room howsoever for the removal of the CJN from office, whether on a temporary or permanent basis, other than through the process afore-quoted. Being a country governed by laws, the FGN owes us a duty to comply strictly with these provisions of the constitution for the removal of the CJN.

“We, therefore, urge the executive branch of the federal government to please retrace its steps and discontinue the entire proceedings before the CCT forthwith and follow the constitutional procedure aforestipulated.”

The NBA reiterated its call for the NJC to be briefed about the matter so that the judicial body executes the process for the discipline of the CJN. “With respect to the trial of the CJN before the CCT on the assets’ declaration charge, the NBA stands by its Statement of January 22, 2019.

Established judicial precedents dictate that the allegations must be referred to and handled by the NJC and it is only after the NJC’s pronouncement thereon against the CJN can the FGN prosecuting agencies proceed against him before any tribunal or court of law. For as long as the CJN remains a judicial officer, that process avails him and is mandatory of compliance by the FGN. “Should the federal government, however, succeed in removing Justice Onnoghen as the CJN pursuant to the provisions of Section 292(1)(a)(i) of the Constitution, there would be no need or requirement for the FGN to fulfill the NJC pre-condition ahead of his possible prosecution. With such a constitutional removal from office, Onnoghen would cease to be a judicial officer and the allegations against him would not need to be determined by the NJC ahead of any possible prosecution.”

The NBA added that the federal government has only two options in the matter.

TUESDAY JANUARY 22, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY

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NEWSEXTRA

We Will Resist APC Rigging Plans in Lagos, Agbaje Vows Segun James The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, yesterday vowed that the party would resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to rig the forthcoming general election.

Speaking in Eti-Osa in a town hall meetings being convened across the state, Agbaje told residents that PDP is determined to prevent the rigging that had robbed him and other parties’

candidates of victory in 2015.

He stated that the people of the state should resolve to guard and protect their votes this time.

Agbaje, who narrowly lost the position to the incumbent, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, in 2015, told his audience that the PDP in the state would do everything lawful to win all elections in the state.

According to him, unlike the current dispensation that had spent the last 19 years and colossal budgets that had

not led to any remarkable improvement in the lives of Lagosians, Governor Lateef Jakande’s four years had been replete with unforgettable achievements in several areas.

Speaking in Yoruba, Agbaje said: “This (governorship) election is a process that would lead to the freedom of our people. It is a process that would

free us from tyranny, graft and waste. APC members know that they have been rejected by the people and the only option left for them to remain in power is to rig. “This time, we are ready for them. There won’t be any opportunity for them to rig the coming elections. I am urging our women to come out. You know if the women prevent you

from wrongdoing and you try to force it, it would fail. We will vote peacefully and make sure that our votes count at the end of the day.”

He lamented the fact that the people of Lagos State were in dire need of potable water, promising that when elected, his government would make conscious efforts towards

resuscitating the moribund mini-water works across the state.

The PDP governorship hopeful assured residents of the various communities in Lekki axis of the state that his government would build a new coastal road and demolish the toll gate on the Lekki-Epe expressway.

Miyetti Allah Endorses Ugwuanyi’s Second Term Bid Members of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACABAN), in the South-east geo-political zone has unanimously endorsed Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for a second term in office for entrenching peace and good governance as well as his accommodating gesture in governance.

The jubilant cattle breeders, who trooped out in their numbers to the Government House, Enugu, on a solidarity visit to Ugwuanyi, described him as a “kind, accommodating, ever focused and progressive governor” and promised him that “no single vote from us will miss during the governorship election”.

Presenting their stance, the chairman of the association, Alhaji Didado Sidikki, appreciated the governor for his “manifest love for our people living in Enugu State”, informing him that “we freely carry the message of your welcoming attitude to our kiths and kin in the Northern parts of Nigeria”.

“We do this as proof that the oneness that Nigerian leaders preach is in practice in Your Excellency’s domain”, the group said.

They also commended Ugwuanyi “for setting the pace for enduring peace amongst the people of Nigeria”, stressing that “Gburugburu is a true representation of that leader who is ever willing to accommodate and protect Nigerians plying their legitimate trade under his watch in Enugu State”.

Applauding the governor’s spirit of tolerance “at the moments of trial consequent upon the dynamics of a growing society”, the group said that the governor has involved them in the governance of the state through “strategic appointments and recognitions” and equally “demonstrated true leadership”.

They maintained that Ugwuanyi is “our model” and a leader who should be emulated.

“Having considered all these Your Excellency, our people unanimously raise our voices in supporting your acceptance to have a second shot at the governance of Enugu State through the instrumentality of the coming gubernatorial elections.

“We lend our weight in support of your re-election project as we share the belief that when a route is good you make it twice.

Respect the Law, Osun APC Tells Obasanjo The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State has advised former President Olusegun Obasanjo to respect the law and avoid making comments that are subjudice.

Obasanjo, as part of his statement titled: “Points for concern and action” at the weekend, alluded to last September’s Osun State governorship election as “conclusive but declared inconclusive” by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) “despite all advice to the contrary.”

But in a statement issued yesterday by its Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr. Kunle Oyatomi, the APC in Osun State said: “It is a pity that our respected former president is using the privilege of his position to express an opinion that is subjudice to a case that is already before the election petition tribunal and is currently being litigated.

“His comment on the Osun State governorship election is a matter that should be left to the court to decide.

“Expressing an opinion on it at this stage is not only unlawful; it is a glaring disrespect for the rule and process of the law.

“This is more so because ex-President Obasanjo is using that case which is still

disputed to illustrate unfairly his allegation that INEC cannot be trusted to run a free, fair and credible presidential election next month.

“We advise Chief Obasanjo to limit his comment on a matter that is subjudice, otherwise, he would be laying a precedent that would be unhelpful to the rule of law.

“Under our Electoral Law and the provisions of our Constitution, INEC has the responsibility to conduct elections in the country and it is also empowered to declare an election valid or invalid if there are sufficient lawful reasons to do so.

“Osun State’s case is not the first such instance of invalidation of a particular election which is deemed to be inconsistent with the laws of the Federation as stipulated by the Constitution and the Electoral Law. “Neither the APC nor the PDP or even Obasanjo, can make a pronouncement on whether or not an election is conclusive or inconclusive after INEC has made a pronouncement. Only the court has such powers.

“Obasanjo’s comment is not only unsolicited, it is an unacceptable interference in the process of the court of which he has no legal right to do”

GRAND RALLY...

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, addressing a crowd at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaign rally for Ikwerre Local Government Area at Omagwa....yesterday

Police Refuse to Release Melaye, Move to Arraign Him on Fresh Charges The police have refused to release the Senator representing Kogi West, Dino Melaye, despite meeting his bail conditions, TheCable understands.

On Friday, a high court in Abuja granted Melaye bail on health grounds after about two weeks in detention.

Yusuf Halilu, the judge, had

granted the senator bail on health grounds.

The bails conditions included presenting three sureties who reside and have properties in Abuja. The lawmaker met the conditions on Monday.

Melaye has been in custody since he surrendered to the police on January 4 after an eight-day

In a strange twist, Garba Shehu, the alternate Presidential spokesman, in a written response even suggests that President Obasanjo is sick, and he should

“please get well soon”. He refers to him as a “coward” and a “90year old liar.” Garba Shehu was a Presidential Assistant during the Obasanjo years (1999- 2007).

siege was laid to his Abuja residence.

The police alleged that supporters of Melaye shot one Danjuma Saliu, a police officer in Kogi state, in July. They said Saliu has been in hospital since that time and is not responding well to treatment.

Speaking with TheCable on

Monday night, an associate of the senator who did not want to be named, said as of 7pm, Melaye was still being held in police detention.

The source said despite the order of the court that had been served on police, they are attempting to arraign him “on fresh charges” today.

THE OBASANJO BOMBSHELL Obasanjo was his boss and benefactor even if he worked directly with Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Now, the same Garba Shehu says Obasanjo is

sick! Does he have a medical report to confirm that? Who really should get well soon?

Garba Shehu’s current boss or Obasanjo?

Ikot Abasi Backs Ekere’s Governorship Bid The paramount ruler of Ikot Abasi Local Government Area, Edidem Udo Ntok Obom, has declared that the election of the gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives’ Congress (APC), Obong Nsima Ekere, as Governor of Akwa Ibom State is the collective desire of Ikot Abasi people.

The monarch made the declaration on Sunday at his palace in Okon, Ikot Abasi, when Ekere and his campaign team paid homage on him and clan

and village heads of the area, ahead of the APC governorship campaign flag-off in Uyo, the state capital. Leading a prayer session for Ekere and his running mate, Dr. Amadu Attai, Obom said: “His desire is our desire. What he wants is what Ikot Abasi wants.”

He prayed for God’s guidance and protection to enable Ekere emerge victorious in the election.

The monarch thanked the APC standard bearer, who he described as the governorship candidate that will be Governor,

for exhibiting the trait of a good son by coming to inform his fathers before flagging off his campaign.

In his remarks, Ekere recalled past efforts by some Ikot Abasi politicians to win the governorship position of the state and pointed out that the area now has the best chance for the position.

He used the opportunity to dispel insinuations in certain quarters that Akwa Ibom State would lose the position of Managing Director of Niger

Delta Development Commission (NDDC) once he resigns, stressing that the President was bound by law to appoint his replacement from the state.

Ekere reasoned that Akwa Ibom State could not afford another four years of “bad administration”, lamenting that the state has fallen from the industrial heights of steel, ceramic and battery industries of the era of former Governor Clement Isong to the bottom of toothpick and pencil industries of the present government.

Buhari Group Rallies Support for APC, Berates Obasanjo Udora Orizu in Abuja The former National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and leader of Forward With Buhari, an Independent Campaign group working for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji AbdulKarim Daiyabu, has said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo has no moral right

to criticise the president as he is more guilty of the offences he is accusing the president of.

Daiyabu who spoke at a news conference in Abuja yesterday said that Nigerians should ask the former president to account for the huge revenue generated under his watch including, the $16 billion wasted on the power sector which produced no power.

He also said that the former President Obasanjo committed about 125 impeachable offences during his eight-year rule, while saying that the PDP was only crying of rigging plots because they were afraid of losing the elections and are looking for excuses to advance for their loss.

Daiyabu alleged that both Obasanjo and his former

deputy Atiku Abubabar, have hidden agenda, which led to the sudden support of the former president for his estranged deputy.

He said: “We are not surprised about what he says outside the prison. If you could remember, he was sentenced to prison for life. But somehow, some people brought him out and made him president.

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ÍşÍşËœ ͺ͸͚Π˞ T H I S D AY

TUESDAYSPORTS

Group Sports Editor Duro Ikhazuagbe Email duro.ikhazuagbe@thisdaylive.com 0811 181 3083 SMS ONLY

CAF CONFEDERATION CUP

Rangers Draw Maghreb Oppositions in Group Stage Femi Solaja Nigeria’s representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup competition, Enugu Rangers will have to go through a thorny path in the quest for continental glory this season.

This was aftermath of the group stage draw ceremony held in Cairo yesterday and the Flying Antelopes will make two more journeys to North Africa where they will play Etoile du Sahel and CS Sfaxien both of Tunisia in Group B of the second tier continental club competition.

The draw was after Rangers elimination of Bantu FC of Lesotho at the weekend. The fourth team in the group is Salitas of Burkina Faso.

Interestingly, just as Group B has two Tunisian clubs, so also Group A which has the same colouration of pitching three clubs from the same countries.

Holders Raja Club Athletic was drawn in the same group with fellows RS Berkane and Hassania Agadir in Group A. The odd team of the group is AS Otoho of Congo. . The outcome serves a replica of the 2012 edition

of the second-tier continental club championship when three Sudanese team; Al Merreikh, Al Hilal and Ahly Shendi were in the same group. The other team was Interclube of Angola.

It was the highlight of the draw held yesterday at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.

Former Cameroon forward Patrick Mboma assisted the draw process conducted by CAF Deputy General Secretary Anthony Baffoe.

Whilst Group A had three teams from the same country, it was a near similar situation in Group B and Group C, with two teams from the same countries.

Tunisian duo Etoile du Sahel and CS Sfaxien are in Group B alongside Enugu Rangers of Nigeria and surprise packets, Salitas, from Burkina Faso.

In Group C, Zambia has two clubs – Nkana and Zesco, with Asante Kotoko (Ghana) and Hilal (Sudan) the other

teams. For Kotoko and Hilal, they have old scores to settle after being in the same group for the maiden edition of the CAF Confederation Cup in 2004.

Five-time African champion Zamalek of Egypt leads the line-up in Group B. The rest are Kenyan champions Gor Mahia, Petro Atletico of Angola and Algeria’s NA Hussein Dey. Below are the details of the draw; Group A – Hassania Agadir

(Morocco), AS Otoho (Congo), RS Berkane (Morocco), Raja (Morocco) Group B – Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia), Rangers (Nigeria), Salitas (Burkina Faso), CS Sfaxien (Tunisia) Group C – Zesco (Zambia), Al Hilal (Sudan), Asante Kotoko (Ghana), Nkana (Zambia) Group D – Gor Mahia (Kenya), NA Hussein Dey (Algeria), Petro Atletico (Angola), Zamalek (Egypt)

Ex-internationals Set to Inspire Voters for Election In a bid to motivate the nation’s youth to actively participate in this year’s elections, Tap initiative has finalized its plan for a novelty match tagged #PVCFootball to be played by the Super Eagles’ 1994 and 2013 AFCON winners at National Stadium Surulere, Lagos, on the 9th of February 2019.

At the meet and greet, which was attended by football legends such as Victor Ikpeba, Nduka Ugbade, Taribo West, Mutiu Adepoju among others, the Executive Director of Tap Initiative, Mr. Mbasekei Martin Obono, said he acknowledged the distinguished 1994 and 2013 AFCON players as, “The greatest football team ever produced by Nigeria�.

He said that bringing the two teams together would inspire a cross-generational bridge between the Millennials and the Generation X as well as unlock the memories and youthful passion of both demographics, encouraging those with the most potent memories of the AFCON and their favorite Nigerian football idols to go to the nearest PVC Collections and get their voters card.

This comes after INEC released

a report indicating that 51.1% of registered voters are between the ages of 18 and 35.

On the 19th of January 2019, TAP Initiative will kick off its football viewing center campaign in Gombe, Lagos, Imo, Kaduna, Cross River, and Abuja ahead of the #PVCFootball awareness match to dialogue, encourage and educate young people on the need to vote. While the #PVCFootball match is free, spectators will be required to show their PVCs to gain entrance into the stadium.

Former African Footballer of the year, Victor Ikpeba and an ambassador for the initiative said he appreciated Tap Initiative for their confidence in the former Nigerian team and the opportunity to be a part of a national cause to get the right leaders elected. “I am happy that Tap is nonpartisan. If this country needs a change. I am ready to create awareness through all my online platforms to encourage people to vote. We support what Tap iNitiative is doing and I commend their effort.�

Three Sodje Brothers Jailed over Charity Fund Fraud Former Super Eagles defender, Efe Sodje, 46, and his brothers, Stephen Sodje, 43, and ex-rugby player Bright Sodje, 52, were found guilty and jailed for the fraud in 2017.

According to British judicial authorities, the case can only be reported now following the conclusion of a separate trial involving the former Reading and Nigeria footballer Sam Sodje, 39.

Earlier yesterday, he was cleared at the Old Bailey of money laundering. But it was a case of sporting family siphoned off cash from their own charity set up to help African children.

The fraud trial in 2017 had heard how the family set up the Sodje Sports Foundation (SSF) in 2009, ostensibly to help provide facilities in Nigeria.

However, cash raised at black-tie dinners, auctions, charity football matches and a clay pigeon shoot went into

Sodje bank accounts, prosecutor Julian Christopher QC said.

In once instance, in 2011, there was a gala dinner at the Lowry Hotel in Manchester for the SSF and the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital.

The ÂŁ150-a-head black-tie event raised almost ÂŁ11,500, but Mr Christopher said “not a pennyâ€? went to the hospital.

Judge Michael Topolski QC told the defendants: “You have brought shame upon yourselves and your family.�

He said “at least ÂŁ63,000 can be shown to have been received by the fundâ€?, and added that this did not include cash donations.

The defendants “went out of their way� to ensure that proper records were not kept, he said.

Any good works done in the past would be “forever tainted by their dishonest and disreputable conduct�, he added.

LMC Chief Operating OďŹƒcer, Salihu Abubakar and LaLiga oďŹƒcials pose with the participants

LaLiga Coaches Conduct Clinic for NPFLYouth Coaches Over 60 youth coaches based in Nigeria have converged on Abuja to be part of the annual NPFL/ LaLiga Youth Coaching Clinic which kicked off on Monday at the Media Centre of the Abuja National Stadium.

It is a follow up to the progress recorded in its first two editions which have had over 100 coaches learn new coaching skill sets.

Contents to be shared will include more complex technical aspects of the Spanish methodology on how to develop young talents and it will be the advanced level 3 (professional) syllabus where the coaches will be taken through more complex ways.

It will be a continuation of level 1(foundational) and 2 (intermediate) training from the first and second editions which were both successful.

Speaking at the event, Chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) Shehu Dikko, who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Salihu Abubakar, pointed out the importance of the third edition whilst also stressing that gaining more knowledge should be paramount on the minds of the participants. “We are happy that this clinic has come to this stage, the advanced level. Of course, this is the third one; we had the foundational in 2017 and intermediate module in 2018. “LaLiga has placed so much importance to this training and that is why they have brought two of their best tutors for this project. With the sharing of their methodology with us, it will help in synchronizing our philosophy

that will be the envy of everyone in the world,� he stated.

Abubakar also expressed his delight following the progress made as results are already showing with the progression of players who passed through the initial NPFL U15 Promises tournament from their youth clubs to their various professional clubs.

For Managing Director, LaLiga Nigeria, Javier Del Rio, the reward of the partnership between NPFL and Spanish League is worthy of note as there is notable progress made since the partnership was signed between both leagues.

Del Rio also urged participants to be serious and take full advantage of the advanced course. “I encourage you to make the best out of the course. The trainers we have here have a lot of experience, so ask as many questions if you haven’t and also

pay full attention to all they have to teach. “The potential of football in terms of the huge talents in Nigeria is bigger than probably any other place in the world, the talent here is unlimited. So you are the ones to properly train them to be future stars,� Del Rio pointed out.

Jose Angel Garcia and Juanjo Guerra will be in charge of the clinic which is expected to run for the next five days and it is expected to precede the annual NPFL U15 Future Promises Tournament.

The NPFL-LaLiga partnership was signed in 2016 and has since recorded a number of exchange projects between the two leagues, including a tour of Spain by an NPFL All-Star team, and the opening of the LaLiga Nigeria office in Abuja.

Sheath Your Sword, Egbe Urges those Fighting NFF Leadership Chief Executive Officer of Monimichelle Sports Facilities Company, Ebi Egbe, has appealed to those fighting the leadership of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to sheathe their sword in the interest of the nation’s football.

Egbe who spoke at the weekend in Lagos said what those distracting the Amaju Pinnick led board of the NFF “are not only causing untold damage to Nigerian football but dragging the nation backward.�

He noted that the country may achieve little or nothing at the end of the day, no thanks to the “Pull Him Down� position taken by some stakeholders, who are fighting the board for selfish reasons, rather than national interest. “We know where all the noise some people are making about the embezzlement of funds in NFF are coming from.

We know they are motivated by the leadership tussle in the Glass House.

“But the truth is that there can not be two NFF Presidents in Nigeria at the same time. The elections in Katsina have come and gone. Winners emerged and what one expects from genuine stakeholders is to accept the result and support those running the Glass House. “All the squabbles right now would only be winding back the hands of the clock for Nigerian football. If this summer Nigeria fails to lift the AFCON trophy in Egypt, we know those to

hold responsible,� Egbe warned.

Egbe, A FIFA licensed match agent further pointed out that the fact that all the nation’s football stakeholders are not on the same page is de - marketing Nigerian football. “If we keep fighting, sponsors won’t come in to buy into the nation’s football project and this unfortunately is what some stakeholders fighting Pinnick want. I urge them to do a rethink,� Egbe concluded.

5 ) * 4 % ": t TUESDAY, JANUARY 22, 2019

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Tuesday January 22, 2019

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Price: N250

MISSILE Presidency to Obasanjo

“It is a notorious fact that in dealing with any leader that he failed to control, he resorted to these puerile attacks. As the grand patron, more correctly the grandfather of corruption as described by the National Assembly, Chief Obasanjo released the letter purely for the reason of rescuing his thriving corruption establishment.”

– Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu,reacting to Obasanjo’s claim that the forthcoming polls will not be free and fair.

TUESDAY WITH REUBENABATI abati1990@gmail.com

The Obasanjo Bombshell “Former President Obasanjo is a courageous patriot and statesman who tells truth to power when he is convinced leaders are doing wrong” – Muhammadu Buhari, March 4, 2015.

“Buhari is sick in the spirit, body and soul. Let’s beg him to go and rest…Let’s give chance to another person” – Olusegun Obasanjo, January 21, 2019.

O

n Sunday, President Olusegun Obasanjo addressed a press conference at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) in Abeokuta where he gave the equivalent of a state of the nation address which was essentially a testimonial on the performance of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, an assessment of the integrity and credibility of the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) vis-a-vis the upcoming 2019 general elections, and a general commentary on recent developments in the country and the tactics and methods of the incumbent administration.

This is the second time in the last one year that President Obasanjo would be taking on the Buhari administration in an extensive and provocative expose. In his 2018 intervention, Obasanjo had advised President Buhari not to bother to run for a second term in office because his performance was disappointing and even more importantly, he would need more time to go and attend to his failing health.

He accused Buhari of cronyism, nepotism, incompetence and failure to bring about the change that he promised Nigerians. The former President’s advice was ignored at the time. Professor Itse Sagay, the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption who hijacked the job of the President’s spokesmen launched an attack on Obasanjo. He told Nigerians that Obasanjo is “irrelevant” and he needs to show President Buhari ‘some respect.” Titled “The Way Out: A Clarion call for Coalition for Nigeria Movement” (January 23, 2018), the Obasanjo letter then generated ripples within the polity and energized those seeking a third force as an alternative to the PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress.

We should all take special notice of the fact that this was all in the month of January 2018, precisely in the third week. On the anniversary of that very episode, almost exactly to the day, President Obasanjo has intervened again. If his January 2018 letter to Buhari was hot, this one of 2019 is explosive. The 2018 letter was 13 pages long; the 2019 contribution titled “Points for Concern and Action” runs into 16 pages. But the key difference is not in the additional three pages; it can be found in the fact that Obasanjo’s tone in this latest one is not advisory at all. This is a brutal, dismissive, utterly condemnatory commentary which seeks to consign the Buhari administration to the ugly chapters of Nigerian history. The style of writing is lucid, frank, assertive, no one is left in doubt that Obasanjo considers the Buhari administration a mockery of sorts, some of its programmes such as TraderMoni “idiotic”, and its management of the country’s security situation, utterly laughable.

Having once declared that this government does not deserve a second term in office, and having shown his preference for the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Obasanjo, without an obvious hint of partisanship, tells us that the Buhari administration is adopting desperate tactics to rig the 2019 general polls.

He takes on the Independent National Electoral Commission and accuses it of crossing the “redline” with “blatant partiality, duplicity, and imbecility”. Imbecility! Now, that is a very strong

Buhari

word. According to Obasanjo, INEC can only convince us otherwise if it redeploys Ms. Amina Zakari, the INEC commissioner in charge of the collation of results who happens to be related to President Buhari by marriage, and by conducting free, fair and credible elections.

The big take-away from the 16-page commentary is Obasanjo’s concern about how the Buhari administration seems to have compromised all institutions of state, and how in recent times, it has also taken on the task of humiliating and denigrating the Nigerian judiciary. The unkindest cut is the comparison of President Buhari to General Sani Abacha. This comparison is not helped by the fact that President Buhari himself once described Abacha as a “hero”. Many Nigerians consider Abacha a villain. He presided over a period in Nigerian history, 1993 – 1998, regarded as the “years that the locust ate”. When he died, there was ‘dancing in the streets”. The people jubilated and said: “Never Again”. When President Obasanjo says we are back to the Abacha era, he is clearly saying that Nigerians are currently under a military dictatorship. He notes quite instructively, that “criticism, choice and being different” have become near-impossible under President Buhari.

These are very carefully chosen phrases. They constitute the very essence of democracy and fundamental human rights - to deny citizens the right to speak, the right to choose, and the right to be different is an assault on everything that makes us human or a nation. Why for example should an Igbo person not be good enough for the position of Inspector General of Police or any other security chief position? Why must everyone who criticizes the government consistently suddenly have a problem? Why should the membership of the ruling party become a form of life insurance?

Obasanjo makes a strong case for democratic principles, and the urgent need to protect those principles from being violated by those who are committed to self and selfish interests.

Obasanjo is so impressively quotable, virtually every line from his pen drips with venom and journalistic topicality, his words sound like stones, hitting their targets with devastating force, drawing “blood” and pain. He does the job of the opposition in this January 2019 piece, barely 28 days to Nigeria’s general election, better than the opposition itself. Obasanjo may not always be right, and he has had cause to revise his assessment of people and circumstances when confronted with a different set of facts and variables, but his timing is always carefully chosen, his courage to speak up is unmistakable, and he is probably the only Nigerian statesman alive today who

speaks, whenever he does on public issues, with a startling combination of poignancy, histrionics and a ricocheting effect. For this reason, he manages to capture the attention and imagination of both local and international audiences.

His blistering, bleaching, blinding attack on President Buhari is the last thing a sitting President seeking a second term in office, wants or needs at this time. Obasanjo has just told the whole world that Buhari is planning an “electoral coup” against the people of Nigeria: their right to choose, their right to differ, their right to be different. In addition, he says: “It is clear from all indications that Buhari is putting into practice the lessons he learned from Abacha. Buhari has intimidated and harassed the private sector, attacked the National Assembly and now unconstitutionally and recklessly attacked and intimidated the judiciary to cow them to submission.” So, who is left? Perhaps, the media, wrongly omitted by President Obasanjo.

Whatever happens, Obasanjo has achieved his objectives. One, he has managed to put down the Buhari administration. The last time he did that to a sitting President, the opposition quickly rushed to him and made him the arrow-head of the “anybody-but-Goodluck Jonathan” coalition.

Their conspiracy succeeded and Jonathan lost the Presidency. The myth that Obasanjo can make and unmake any Nigerian President became part of the national folklore, and it continues to flourish.

The flip side of that however, is that if Obasanjo fails this time around and Buhari for any reason whatsoever wins the 2019 Presidency, and the myth thus evaporates, he, Obasanjo and others who are staking everything on Buhari leaving Aso Rock, may be the ones who may have to leave town. This is what their characterization of the Buhari administration tells us.

Two, whatever happens, Obasanjo and others who share his views have already raised very serious legitimacy questions about President Buhari and his party. Less than a month to Nigeria’s 2019 Presidential election, they are already hacking down any claims to legitimacy in the event of an APC victory. The APC can claim all the votes, but the election will be dismissed as fraudulent. Ahead of the elections, the APC has been set up for a post-election legitimacy crisis, the implications of which no one can fully imagine. But if the APC loses, that may well not be an issue. The result will be praised as a true reflection of the people’s wish. You may not like Obasanjo, but he is not just another voter with a PVC, the way many of his critics respond to him simplistically. He has a voice, a voice that resonates across continents. He has international credibility, the kind of credibility that transcends local bickering. The relationship between him and President Buhari has been a stuff of classical romanticism. With his latest commentary, that has ended in a bitter, feuding divorce.

Three, his statement is couched in the language of statesmanship. He is raising “concerns” and calling for “action.” It is not a crime under any jurisprudence for a former Head of State and a former President who is also a global eminent person to raise such concerns about his country.

The world will listen. And Obasanjo knows.

However, the standard response from government spokespersons is to dismiss every piece of criticism as sour grapes and to impugn the integrity of the critic. This is a default position in the governmentpublic communication process. It is so, I must explain, because what is called criticism in Nigeria can be sometimes biased, uninformed, partisan, sponsored or downright malicious. This in itself is a reflection of the level of our development.

In Third World politics, the stomach rules the

head, emotions suppress reason, idiots become kings, imbeciles pose as wise men. In practical politics, every political leader believes his own vision of reality. In his mind, he wants to do his best for his people. He wants them to love him. From the little that I have seen, there is no political leader who wants to be disliked. Power is like an injection: people react to it differently.

It is something about the DNA. It is also something about the level of exposure, beliefsystem, competence, knowledge, strength of character and the quality of the environment in which the leader finds himself. Nonetheless, when someone comes along and sticks a pin into that balloon, and bursts the bubble, those who protect the leader, and the leader himself are bound to fight back, oftentimes viciously. To that extent I can understand the viciousness with which President Buhari’s handlers have gone after President Obasanjo in the last 72 hours. I have been through that route before. When President Obasanjo attacked President Goodluck Jonathan under similar circumstances a few years ago, it was my duty to put out a quick rebuttal. I dismissed the attack on President Jonathan as “mischievous and reckless”. The President himself later took on the battle and responded to every point raised

by President Obasanjo in what became a famous epistolary war in Nigerian politics. That war produced at least three books!

Both Presidents have since reconciled, and have been visiting each other, but there are persons in Abeokuta who have not forgiven me till today for responding to Baba because as far as they are concerned, it was wrong of me to support a man they regard as a “kobo-kobo” against a man they consider an icon. The Jonathan administration’s crisis with President Obasanjo had its long-term effect, but when the fire burned, it was Mrs. Patience Jonathan who stepped in to stop further responses from our end. The only witness to that story is Senator Andy Uba. I will tell that story some other day.

Despite that experience, I must confess that I am shocked beyond words by the official responses to President Olusegun Obasanjo’s January 2019 state of the nation statement. The counter-attack is pointless, for it is exactly the kind of tonic Obasanjo needs. It will be difficult to convince anybody locally or internationally that Obasanjo is uninformed or that he has some ulterior motives, or that he is sponsored. The man has earned a global reputation that grants him the privilege to pronounce on world matters with the credibility of an oracle. The totality of his public career has brought him to that place of security, and that is why his almost life-long spat with his arch-rival, Professor Wole Soyinka has not had any effect on either of the two well-placed gladiators’ reputation.

INEC promised to study Obasanjo’s submissions and has offered a polite, reassuring re-affirmation of its resolve to be independent and run a free and fair election. In comparison, the Presidency has embarked on a name-calling offensive as various officials and party chieftains raise questions about Obasanjo’s moral integrity – his record as military Head of State, and later as President – the usual things – Third Term, Odi massacre, and anything else that can be thrown into the net. They forget that Obasanjo is not running for President. By calling him names, they merely reinforce his claims and the more they abuse him, the more they give further credence to his declaration that the Buhari administration does not tolerate “criticism, choice and being different.” Obasanjo set a trap for them. They have walked into it, so unwisely.

Continued on page 37

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