SUNDAY 17TH FEBRUARY 2019

Businesses Suffer N2.737tn Loss on Election Postponement Airlines lament losses over cancellation of election

Obinna Chima, Goddy Egene, Chinedu Eze and Chris Uba

The decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the presidential and National

Assembly elections earlier scheduled for yesterday will cost businesses in the country about $7.605 billion (N2.737 trillion). The amount is about two per cent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP),

which is approximately $427 billion.

Some states had declared Friday a work-free day, which has clear economic implications. In addition, many businesses and financial

institutions also operated half-day last Friday because of the elections, just as the three tiers of government deployed their personnel to special assignments in relation to the elections.

More so, university lecturers as well as international observers had been deployed to states, lodged in hotels, ready for deployment to the polling centres. All these have dire cost implications for the

economy.

Speaking in a telephone chat with THISDAY yesterday, Chief Executive of the Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Continued on page 16

FIRS Enforcement Move Threatens Investors Confidence … Page 85 Sunday 17 February, 2019 Vol 24. No 8715

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INEC: Polls’ Postponement not Politically Influenced Outrage, shock, disbelief trail shift Buhari: I’m deeply disappointed Atiku: they can’t postpone destiny Moghalu: it’s a manifestation of recycled failure Donald Duke: it's a national disgrace Saraki tells Nigerians not to be deterred You’ve disgraced us, Oshiomhole tells INEC Buhari shedding crocodile tears – Secondus Tinubu: it's painful, but Nigerians must remain committed We’re confounded, says NBA ACF condemns shift ECOWAS, AU, EU, UK others call for calm Our Correspondents As indignation, surprise, and disbelief continue to dominate reactions to the postponement of yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the commission has said there is no political motive behind its action. INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, stated this at a press conference yesterday in Abuja. Yakubu cited logistic problems as reason for the deferment of the general election to February 23.

The electoral body had in the early hours of Saturday announced its decision to reschedule the general election by one week, with Presidential

and National Assembly elections earlier scheduled for February 16 shifted to Saturday, February 23, while Governorship, State Assembly and FCT Area Council elections earlier scheduled for March 2 would now hold on Saturday, March 9.

But many Nigerians were not persuaded of the cogency of the commission’s basis for the election postponement.

However, in a further explanation at a press conference yesterday, INEC insisted the postponement of the election was not politically motivated and had nothing to do with security concerns. It said the shift was unfortunate, yet necessary in the overall interest Continued on page 8

Odinkalu, CAN Challenge El-Rufai over Claims on Kaduna Killings … 10

INEC Chairman Prof Mamood Yakubu, addressing stakeholders in Abuja yesterday on why the elections slated for 16th February had to be postponed Julius Atoi

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͹Ϳ˜ ͺ͸͹΁ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

PAGE EIGHT INEC: POLLS’ POSTPONEMENT NOT POLITICALLY INFLUENCED of Nigeria.

But, fielding questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday, President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), expressed his disappointment at the postponement of the polls, saying the action underscores INEC’s inefficiency.

The presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Moghalu, Senate President Bukola Saraki, and APC national leader, Senator Bola Tinubu, were among prominent Nigerians who reacted to the poll shift yesterday.

Postponement not politically influenced – INEC Trying to absolve itself from allegations of political manipulation, INEC told a press conference it addressed after a meeting with stakeholders that in the last one week, flights within the country had been adversely affected by bad weather, which made it impossible for it to deliver materials to some locations.

Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, said the one week adjustment was painful but necessary in the overall interest of the country’s democracy. Yakubu said the commission had implemented 13 of the 14 activities in the timetable and schedule of activities for the elections, which it issued on January 9 last year.

Despite the postponement of the general election by one week, INEC said campaign and distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) remained closed.

Yakubu explained, “There has been delays in delivering ballot papers and result sheets for the elections, which is not unusual. All the ballot papers and result sheets were ready before the elections despite the very tight legal time-frame for finalising nomination of candidates and dealing with the spate of legal challenges that accompany it. In this regard, the commission has been sued or joined in over 640 court cases arising from the nomination of candidates.

“As at today, there are 40 different court orders against the commission on whether to add or drop candidates. The net effect of these is that there is usually roughly a one-month window for the commission to print ballot papers and result sheets and either fly or transport them to several destinations until they finally get to each polling unit “Unfortunately, in the last one week, flights within the country have been adversely affected by bad weather, For instance, three days ago, we were unable to deliver materials to some locations due to bad weather.

“We therefore had to rely on slow-moving long haulage vehicles to locations that can be serviced by air in spite of the fact that we created five zonal airport hubs Abuja (North Central), Port Harcourt (SouthSouth and South-East), Kano (North-West), Maiduguri and Yola (North-East), and Lagos (South-West) to facilitate the delivery of electoral logistics.

“Apart from these logistical challenges, we also faced what may well be attempts to sabotage our preparations.

In a space of two week, we had to deal with serious fire incidents in three of our offices in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area of Abia State, Qu’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, and our Anambra State Office at Awka.

“In all three cases, serious disruptions were occasioned by the fire, further diverting our attention from regular preparations to recovery from the impact of the incidents. In Isiala Ngwa South, hundreds of PVCs were burnt, necessitating the recompiling of the affected cards and reprinting in time to ensure that the affected voters are not disenfranchised. I am glad that all the cards were quickly reprinted and made available for collection by their owners.

“In Qu'an Pan Local Government Area, our entire office was razed, destroying all the materials prepared for the elections printed register of voters, ballot boxes, voting cubicles and several electricity generating sets. All Registration Areas and over I00 polling units were affected by the fire. We recovered quickly and have since replaced everything destroyed.

In addition, we secured a suitable building from which to conduct the elections.

“Perhaps the most serious was the fire incident in our Anambra State Office at Awka, which destroyed over 4,600 Smart Card Readers being prepared for the elections. These Card Readers take at least six months to procure. Despite this setback, we have practically recovered from this by mopping up every available.”

He added, “I want to appeal to Nigerians and all other stakeholders for their understanding in what has been a very difficult decision for the commission.

“Our decision is entirely taken by the commission. It has nothing to do with security, it has nothing to do with political influence, nothing to with the availability. We believe that ultimately this is for the good of our democracy and country. I wish to assure you of our commitment to free, fair and credible elections.

“As Chairman of INEC, and on behalf of the commission, we take full responsibility for what happened and we regret any inconvenience our decision might have caused. Our decision is not politically motivated and was not taken because security challenges.”

On the rescheduled activities, the commission said configuration of the Smart Card Readers would take place between February 17 and February 21; receipt and deployment of sensitive materials to local government areas would take place between February 20 and February 21; while refresher training for ad hoc staff would be held on February 21.

The commission said deployment of personnel to RACs will be done on February 22 before the elections on February 23.

Buhari: INEC inefficiency

is

Buhari, while answering questions from journalists

yesterday in Abuja, said he was disappointed by the postponement of the polls, stressing that the action shows the inefficiency of INEC. He said INEC had the time and resources it required to conduct the elections as scheduled.

The president lamented that the commission that had consistently claimed that it was ready for the polls could postpone the elections at the last minute.

“Yes I am disappointed because INEC has got all the time and resources needed, and INEC was given all it needed to conduct the polls,” Buhari stated. He added, “Therefore, (it was) supposed to work according to their programme.

They were given all the resources. They had all the time and they kept on telling us up to the last minute that they were ready.

“The fact that they are not ready means there is some inefficiency along the line.”

He apologised to Nigerians over what he described as INEC's inefficiency and appealed to the citizens to patiently wait for the next one week to eventually cast their votes.

“They should be patient, let them come out a week from today and vote. I apologise for this inefficiency because they have to use their own resources to go back to their various polling units at their own expense if they are all that committed,” he stated.

Atiku: It’s hand of Esau, voice of Jacob Apparently, insinuating political manipulation in the decision of INEC to shift the polls, Atiku called the postponement “a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob”.

The former vice president said in a statement he personally signed that the plan of the presidency and INEC was to provoke the public in the hope that they would react negatively and that would be used as excuse for further anti-democratic acts.

According to Atiku, “The Buhari administration has had more than enough time and money to prepare for these elections and the Nigerian people were poised and ready to perform their civic responsibility by voting in the elections earlier scheduled for Saturday, 16 February, 2019.

“This postponement is obviously a case of the hand of Esau but the voice of Jacob. By instigating this postponement, the Buhari administration hopes to disenfranchise the Nigerian electorate in order to ensure that turnout is low on the rescheduled date.

“Nigerians must frustrate their plans by coming out in even greater numbers on Saturday, 23 February and Saturday, 9 March, respectively.

Knowing that the Nigerian people are determined to reject them, they are desperate and will do anything in their power to avoid their rejection by the Nigerian people.”

He called for patience on the part of the electorate.

“We can extend our tolerance a few more days and give them our verdict via our votes.

“Maintain the peace and be

law abiding. Do not react to this provocation with anger, violence or any action that might be exploited by those who do not want this election to hold. Remain calm. We will overcome this. You can postpone an election, but you cannot postpone destiny,” Atiku stated.

man enough to reject the script and walk away. Remember Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, he retired into ignominy. Your fate may not be different. Regardless of how well the future elections may go, it is now contaminated.

I feel so sorry for one I held in such high esteem."

“I am shocked, disappointed, I am disgusted. You must go ahead and apologise to Nigerians. You have embarrassed us as a nation,” Oshiomhole said. He said the commission should have announced the postponement at least 48 hours to election.

Saraki tells Nigerians Buhari shedding Moghalu: it signposts not to be deterred crocodile tears over recycling of failure Saraki advised eligible voters election postponement The presidential candidate not to be deterred by INEC’s – Secondus of Young Progressives Party (YPP), Kingsley Moghalu, said the postponement marked the recycling of failure by the two leading parties, APC and PDP. In a statement he personally signed, Moghalu said, “It is unfortunate that fellow citizens and myself woke up this morning to learn that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has postponed the presidential election and election into the National Assembly slated for today by one week. Elections for the governorship and the state Houses of Assembly, originally slated for March 2nd, have also been moved by one week.

“The postponements are burdensome and their implications are quite serious.

School children would now face further disruptions to the school calendar. Economic activities will suffer further setbacks. And Nigerians who have travelled to various parts of the country to vote or monitor the elections that would have held today now face logistical nightmares.

“These postponements are further signposts of the incompetence of the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and they represent the recycling of the failures of the past PDP governments. The general elections were also postponed in 2015 under the PDP government.”

Donald Duke: Postponement, a National Disgrace On his part the presidential candidate of SDP told the INEC chairman bluntly that the postponement was national disgrace. "Putting it lightly and as respectfully as I can, the postponement of the elections is a national disgrace.

I listened to your interaction with stakeholders and thought it pathetic that you were seeking sympathy and understanding.

I likened you to an Olympian who has 4years to prepare and at the Olympics itself, forgets to bring along his kit. You spoke about poor weather (harmattan), bad roads etc. So lame and so plebeian, you failed above all to take responsibility. Not say it, take it. You and I know that no proper nation state in the world will accept what the commission has done. You ought to resign.

"Clearly there’s more here than meets the eye. I have been in government and I’m not naive, this is not your initiative, this is a script given you to play. Basically, its designed to financially wear out the opposition. PDP did same, theirs was a week or so to the elections, yours is 4hrs to the commencement of voting.

Literally taking it to the “Next Level.

"Unfortunately, you are not

last minute postponement of Saturday's presidential and National Assembly polls. He said this in a statement on Saturday.

The senate president, who is also Director-General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, stated, “Nigerians must continue to be strong and determined to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.

Next Saturday, they should try and forget the current setback and troop out en masse to vote for their preferred candidates.

Not voting because of the postponement is not a good option for Nigerians. My appeal to our people is that we must still go out next Saturday to exercise our franchise.

“Let me urge our people to continue in their determination to cast their votes. They should remain resolute and come out en mass next Saturday to vote for the PDP. The Atiku-Obi ticket have the momentum on its side. This postponement will not slow us down. We have seven more days to get more voters to come out next Saturday and vote massively for PDP candidates.”

To INEC, Saraki advised, “They should move swiftly to smoothen all the rough edges. The commission must ensure we do not have a repeat of what happened today. We have been saying it that the 2019 elections should be a clear improvement on that of 2015.”

He emphasised the need for a change in the leadership of the country, saying, “Nigerians are wiser. They will definitely punish this government that has displayed incompetence, lack of capacity and foresight and vote for the team that will get Nigeria working again.”

Saraki further said, “Waiting till just a few hours to commencement of voting before announcing postponement of elections is extremely sad. Nobody can quantify the difficulty that this will bring to people at every level. I empathise with youth corps members who have been relocated from their places of primary assignment to assist with the conduct of the elections. My thoughts also go to civil servants who left their bases to go and vote in their hometowns. I also sympathise with millions of ordinary Nigerian traders whose businesses were suspended because of the no movement order. Thus, the costs of this postponement are incalculable.”

Oshiomhole to INEC: you’ve disgraced us National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole, questioned why INEC waited till 2am on Saturday before announcing the postponement of the elections.

National Chairman of PDP, Prince Uche Secondus, accused Buhari of engaging in an insincere show of grief over the deferment of the elections.

Secondus said in a release by his special assistant on media, Ike Abonyi, that the president’s spirited attempt to extricate himself from the electoral malady merely exposed the hypocrisy of his administration.

He said conducting a general election was the most important national assignment of any government in four years and for the President and Commander in Chief, who is privy to every intelligence, to try to feign ignorance of the challenges of INEC, was the height of government insincerity to the people.

Secondus said the events leading to the postponement could not have come to both the president and INEC as a surprise given that the president's niece, Amina Zakari, was chairperson of the electoral operations and logistics committee of the commission.

The PDP chairman said Buhari's blame game was in line with his usual way of being unaware of anything happening around him, saying he should simply accept the reality of his woeful failure. He said APC and INEC should stop their hide and seek game and agree with themselves that what God had sealed could never be thwarted by any human scheming.

Postponement regrettable, but remain committed to democracy, Tinubu tells Nigerians

APC National Leader and CoChair of the party's Presidential Campaign Council, Bola Tinubu, said the postponement of yesterday's Presidential and National Assembly elections was painful, but the electorate should not relent in their commitment to democracy.

“Do not allow this delay to deter you from the expression of your democratic rights. What you had set your mind to do on February 16, keep your mind and heart on for February 23,” Tinubu said, in a statement he personally signed.

The former Lagos State governor said though he appreciated the enormity of the logistical challenges involved in elections in a vast country like Nigeria, “We are still pained that the Commission could not meet this challenge within the time allotted.

“We are also perplexed that INEC literally waited so late in the day to make known the obstacles preventing it from keeping faith to the election schedule. INEC could have and should have given the nation more ample and earlier Continued on page 16

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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SUNDAY COMMENT

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

POSTPONEMENT OF T HE P RESIDENTIAL POLL: M ATTERS A RISING The Yakubu-led INEC has a second chance to make a good impression

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he Presidential and National Assembly elections were supposed to hold yesterday across the country. But as it had happened on different occasions in the past, dread eventually overtook anticipation when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced a postponement less than six hours before polling. That action threw spanners in the works and raised questions about the capacity and preparedness of the commission. It is therefore our hope that INEC will spend the coming days to put its act together in a bid to meet the essential requirements necessary for free and fair elections.

In announcing the postponement in the early hours of yesterday, INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu said a careful review of the “implementation of its logistics and operational plan, and the determination to conduct free, fair, and credible elections, the commission came to the conclusion that proceeding with the elections as scheduled is no longer feasible.”

Consequently, the presidential and national assembly elections were rescheduled to hold on February 23 while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections will take place on March 9.

It is a shame that INEC seems incapable of learning any lessons from previous experiences. In 2011, the presidential election was postponed on the day of the poll and in 2015, even though the government in power at the time instigated the postponement on security grounds six weeks before due date, the commission itself was ill-prepared.

We are particularly worried that this development could dim public confidence in the electoral process and dreadfully raise tensions in the polity. That is aside the costly disruptions it has

We are particularly worried that this development could dim public confidence in the electoral process and dreadfully raise tensions in the polity. That is aside the costly disruptions it has already caused for several people

Letters to the Editor

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lections in Nigeria have always been a haute cuisine sautéed with tribalism since the 1920s.

Nigerian elections, since the Clifford constitution allowed for inclusion, has constantly held the trappings of tribalism and regionalism as seen today.

In the early times, the tussle between Obafemi Awolowo and Nnamdi Azikiwe became evident as a struggle for political gains. Azikiwe did feel left behind because he was not Yoruba despite his understanding of the culture and the language, hence he lost elections in Lagos.

These long-held lines of acerbic tribalism have characterized the political consciousness of the Nigerian state. This became evident in the Post-independence elections after a hung parliament and Azikiwe sought a coalition of his NCNC and NPC because he couldn’t trust the Action

already caused for several people: the schools that are closed, the weddings/burials already planned, the scheduled conferences and those who have had to travel to other locations to vote. We are not even talking of the enormous cost that goes with the postponement estimated to be around N6billion, and the inconvenience for the mobilised National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members many of whom slept under dehumanising conditions on Friday night only to wake up yesterday to the unfortunate news of the postponement.

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S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R EDITOR SHAKA MOMODU DEPUTY EDITORS OLAWALE OLALEYE, TOBI SONIYI 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 DIRECTORS ERIC OJEH, PATRICK EIMIUHI ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR SAHEED ADEYEMO CONTROLLERS ABIMBOLA TAIWO, UCHENNA DIBIAGWU, NDUKA MOSERI DIRECTOR, PRINTING PRODUCTION CHUKS ONWUDINJO TO SEND EMAIL: first name.surname@thisdaylive.com

he challenges ahead are daunting.

For INEC to conduct the elections by the rescheduled timetable, it is important for the candidates and leaders of their parties to be mindful of their utterances as well as rein in their supporters. They must also avoid all acts of omission or commission that could lead to violence. This is an election that should serve as a test of our political resilience as a people, an election that should prove the doomsayers wrong and show that democracy is not too frail a plant to survive the Nigerian climate. As late in the day as it may seem, we believe such is still possible.

It is unfortunate that far too much blood has been spilled already. In its election-eve statement on Friday, Election Monitor, an NGO that tracks cases of violence, said since August last year, a total of 122 deaths, 256 people injured in 145 unique incidences were tracked. “These cut across almost every state of the federation with some regions clearly experiencing higher levels of pre-election violence than others”, said the group which listed all the cases with dates and venues.

We understand the competitive nature of this presidential election. Even though 73 candidates are on the ballot, the contest is essentially between the incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). All things being equal, a winner is expected to emerge from between these two candidates.

In signing a peace accord last week, both Buhari and Atiku reaffirmed their commitment “to refrain from making or sponsoring public statements, pronouncements, declarations or speeches that have the capacity to incite or cause violence, before, during, and after the elections”.

In the days ahead, it is very important for these two candidates to live up to their words. But the greater responsibility is with INEC that now has a second chance to make a good impression. We hope they realise that there is no longer any margin for error.

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 (950- 1000 words). They should be sent to opinion@thisdaylive.com along with the email address and phone numbers of the writer.

Tribalism and Nigerian Politics Group and Awolowo.

Despite the torrential seas of tribal sentiments and political horse trading, the visible charge has always been that of Maximilian Azeglio who said “We have built Italy, it is time to build Italians.” The question is, have we done this over the years?

The 1964 elections brought another gale of coalition of confidence and horse trading. This time, the charge was led by Akintola’s disagreement with Awolowo and with his fluency in Hausa language, Akintola used the NNDP to scuttle the southwest because of political gains and a strong tribal sentiment by the virtue of language. These sentiments led to the “wetie” riots that led to wanton killings and destruction.

Anyway, this was short-lived as the military coup scuttled the government and Nigeria never remained the same after the Kaduna Nzeogwu-led coup. This impasse led

to the a risorgimento of the military in Nigerian political landscape. The tribal lines deepened, killings and reprisals became the new normal.

Wives told their husbands to defend their clan by killing fellow military officers and all of this snowballed into the civil war.

When democracy returned in 1979, the military ironically had become part of the political class and it was only time for the military to come back. They had tasted power and it had corrupted absolutely. They did this in 1983, Muhammadu Buhari said he could change Nigeria.

The only time Nigerians saw beyond the clad of nepotism was 1993. MKOo Abiola had run an inclusive campaign mixed with his chequered past and being a philanthropist. But his inhibitions were his past relationships with the military class; it proved extremely difficult for his friends to trust him not to

get rid of them. When the June 12 election was annulled Nigerians revolted. We had voted irrespective of tribal sentiments.

Abiola-Kingibe was a Muslim-Muslim ticket, but the military had other ideas. It would interest you to know that Atiku Abubakar ran in the 1993 SDP primaries against Abiola.

The annulment brought a new wave of an interim government led by Ernest Shonekan and the Military returned with a brutal dictator Sani Abacha. Nigeria became a pariah state with embargos and sanctions from the international community.

The Super Eagles couldn’t defend their Nations Cup title in 1996 due to Abacha’s endless spat with President Mandela. It is bewildering Adams Oshiomole forgets all of that due to political gains. It is also funny he forgets his endless mistreatments in the hands of the military.

After Abacha’s death, a return to democracy happened and the military generals became the ruling class. The class of 1966 became the new political class

in 1999. Olusegun Obasanjo did two terms and asked for a third, before Atiku Abubakar, his vice denied him. Musa Yar’Adua was elected as President in 2007 in an elections frothed with irregularities.

Goodluck Jonathan, from the Ijaw tribe of the Niger-Delta, the first of its kind in the Nigerian leadership hierarchy, had his time until he was defeated in 2015 by Muhammadu Buhari; while all of this went on, the tribal sentiments still reigned supreme.

While all the tribal sentiments rage, a third force emerged. A new breed of Nigerian politicians, who are technocrats and working professionals, brought a lot of hope and purpose and various polls have touted they will get close to 10% of the votes in 2019. I call them “MOSOFE,” an acronym for Moghalu,Sowore and Fela Durotoye. The question is: would this new breed end the politics of tribalism in Nigeria? Are they going to yield to the words of Azeglio by building Nigerians?

I wait for answers.

––Rufai Oseni, rufai@rufai.com.ng

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

NEWS

Acting News Editor Gboyega Akinsanmi E-mail: gboyega.akinsanmi@thisdaylive.com, 08081986590

Odinkalu, CAN Challenge El-Rufai’s Claims on Kaduna Killings Tobi Soniyi in Lagos and John Shiklam in Kaduna Former Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Chidi Odinkalu yesterday described as false, the statement from the Kaduna state government that 66 people were killed in attacks on Kajuru Local Government Area of the state.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna

State, also debunked what it described as the false alarm raised by the state government over the killings.

While Odinkalu spoke during a programme on Channels Television yesterday, the CAN debunked the killing in a statement by the Chairman of Kaduna State, Rev. Joseph Hayap.

Spokesman of Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Samuel Aruawan, had said the killings reportedly

took place in eight settlements across the local government area.

El-Rufai also confirmed the incident, noting that the report of the killing of about 66 Fulanis in Maro, Kajuru local government was quite tragic,” el-Rufai said.

According to him, these deliberate killings are designed to attract reprisals and destabilise that local government during the election. But the

security agencies are containing the situation and I’ll be also visiting to also calm down afraid nerves and some arrests have been made already.”

Speaking on Channels Television yesterday, Odinkalu accused el-Rufai of lying about the number of casualties and the timing of the attacks, saying while killings were recorded in the Kajuru last week, the casualties were not more than 11.

He said he contacted many

DISAPPOINTED, BUT HOPEFUL...

L-R: Former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon; Director, African Affairs, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Boubakau Adamou and Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Mohammed Ibn Chambas, at a meeting between Photo: Julius Atoi stakeholders and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) after election shift in Abuja...yesterday

sources in the state, including residents, traditional and religious rulers and nobody confirmed the incident resulting in 66 deaths. That story, if you noticed, that story was broken by the Kaduna state governor with his publicist, Muyiwa Adekeye standing by his shoulder.

“No police officer, no SSS officer, no security person in the vicinity and he was throwing out words that were calculated to be very incendiary on the eve of very difficult elections about a location that is very difficult and has had historical problems of violence across communities.“I spent all of last night from all the sources in Kajuru and nobody can verify or substantiate that there has been a killing of 66 people in Kajuru over the past few days.”

The lawyer asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pay close attention to the comments of politicians in the election period.

He added: “INEC has got to deal with this kind of reality. It is not just logistics. It is politicians with all manners of design and I think it is important as we deal with the story of this question of postponement, to begin to call out politicians to order. “You cannot on the eve of a very difficult election, stand by yourself with your publicist, and be talking about the killing of 66 people of one ethnic group and be talking about it with a celebratory air, that is beyond irresponsible.

“And I think people across all political divide must call out the Kaduna state governor and any other governor in this country who tries this kind of thing, on the eve of this type of event in our country, must be called out.

“I am saying this with a resent of responsibility, all I spent my life doing in this election is dealing with violence and atrocities. And when I heard this story yesterday, as I said, I spend the entire night calling all the sources I know in Kajuru. I spent a lot of time working on southern Kaduna.

“There were some killings in Kajuru last week up until Saturday or Sunday. And the best numbers we can get, every life matters so I am not saying this carelessly, about 10, 11 people were reportedly killed in Kajuru.

“As a matter of fact, there are still victims from that killing at St Jerat Hospital. The governor indeed was at St Jerat hospital on Tuesday. When did this killings that he talked about happen?

“No bodies, no police officer, no cameras. Let him tell us where he got these bodies from because this is too serious for any governor to say and get away with at this election. We must never allow that story to get away. 66 Nigerians killed, that is 66 too many. If any Nigerian claims that 66 people were killed in Kajuru this week, including the governor of Kaduna, let us all go and verify. It is not true.”

APC Destroyed N500m Property During Gombe Rally, Dankwambo Alleges tAPC denies allegation, demands evidence Kayode Fasua Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo yesterday said the rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) last Thursday resulted in the destruction of public utilities worth over N500 million, accusing the APC of hiring political thugs from neighbouring states.

Dankwambo expressed disappointment that many government properties were

either vandalised by the thugs at Nafada, the hometown of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Alhaji Bayero Nafada during the rally. allegation in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Press Affairs, Alhaji Junaid Abubakar Usman, noting that during the invasion by political thugs, no fewer than 30 citizens were injured and are still in critical condition in various hospitals.

He explained that the APC “has been disrupting the existing peace in Gombe since they began their rallies and on Thursday during their last rally, went extra violent as they not only pulled down Nafada and Dankwambo’s billboards and destroyed his posters, but also went to the extent of destroying public properties.

“They set ablaze many private and government vehicles, burned down houses and damaged so many public

infrastructure that will take government over N500 million to restore.

“Gombe has been a peaceloving state since Dankwambo came into power, but the APC has now disrupted the peace, creating an atmosphere of fear wherever they go campaigning.

“Since Dankwambo came into power, all the thugs he met on ground have been reformed and given jobs and are now living decent life. You can see

Okowa’s Special Adviser Assassinated in Delta

Election Shift: T.B Joshua Warns Trouble Makers

Sylvester Idowu in Warri

Kayode Fasua

Ngozi Ijei, Special Adviser to Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa on Community and Youth Affairs, was shot dead in Ekpan, Uvwie Local Government Area.

A security source confirmed the incident to THISDAY yesterday, noting that Ngozi was assassinated Friday night.

The source said the late special adviser was a key player in the political unrest in the area for a very longtime.

THISDAY gathered that his assassination created tension in the volatile community and that the youths in the community had mobilised to attack perceived enemies.

However, THISDAY sources

said, the timely deployment of soldiers from 3 Battalion, Effurun to the community saved the situation.

Prior to deceased’s appointment by Okowa in 2016, Ngozi was standing trial for sundry crimes, including murder, but was controversially released from prison before being appointed Special Adviser on Community and Youth Affairs.

His murder on Friday night was the latest in a bloody chapter which has seen an increase in insecurity in Ekpan and Jakpa Road areas of Uvwie council. It would be recalled that at least six persons were killed in the area in the past two weeks in the latest upsurge of violence before the botched February 16 general elections.

In the aftermath of the postponed general elections, founder of the Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN), Prophet T.B Joshua, has warned potential trouble makers to desist, as any untoward act will backfire.

Joshua, who had earlier predicted that the coming elections would be postponed, said no matter what any trouble maker did, Nigeria would not break but stand. In a post on his twitter handle yesterday (Saturday), Joshua stated, “Those who will cause trouble will see trouble and those who will cause peace will see peace, but the nation, Nigeria, will stand.

Earlier last week, the cleric had predicted that the elections

would be shifted as he stated, “The Nigerian election may likely be postponed because of many challenges.

“In whatever way, God is in control…God will not allow anything to happen to Nigeria.

It is just a cloud that is hovering. Be calm. This nation has a strong bond with God. Nigeria will stand.”

Joshua also enjoined Nigerians to draw close to God, in order to attain their destined goals. “If you want to be all God has called you to be, you have got to spend time with Him and learn from Him, at His feet. Take care of the depth of your relationship with God and Jesus will take care of the breadth of your success,” he counselled.

some of them in uniforms on the road as marshals. Definitely, the thugs that the APC brought are from outside the state.”

In a swift reaction yesterday, the Publicity Secretary of Gombe APC, Mrs. Naomi Jewel Awak described the governor’s claims as concocted lies to attract sympathy.

According to Awak, our rallies throughout the 11 local government areas in the state have been very peaceful; peaceful to the extent that we did not

even match a lizard.

She said it was the PDP thugs that launched “attacks on the APC members in Nafada.

The vehicles they destroyed are still there for everyone to see, why we rushed our injured members to the hospital.”

Awak declared that her party would win the coming elections, as some key figures in the state’s PDP had defected to the APC, praising Goje for working hard to reposition the APC.

INEC, APC Have Vindicated Us, Says Rivers PDP Ugo Aliogo The Rivers State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council yesterday described the postponement of the general election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a vindication of its earlier position that the electoral body is working with the All Progressives Congress (APC)led federal government to truncate the country’s democracy.

The Director of Information and Communications of the state PDP Campaign Council, Emma Okah, noted that no matter how long INEC, working in conjunction with the APC government continues to ridicule Nigerians by postponing the elections, they would

one day hold and Nigerians would certainly vent their anger on them for the frustration and hardship they have brought upon the land. Okah stressing that the postponement was premeditated and a clear indication that the APC-led federal government is afraid of the elections having seen the hand writing on the wall that failure was knocking at its door.

He regretted that after several assurances by the federal Government and the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu that the elections would hold as scheduled, they still made a mockery of Nigerians with the last minute postponement which shows that the APC-led government can not be trusted

by Nigerians.

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NEWSXTRA In a Leaked Tape, Tinubu Promises APC Members Good Money If Buhari Wins Admits saying Osun doesn’t have his kind of money Says he’s bankrolling Buhari’s election campaigns singlehandedly Bayo Akinloye The National Leader of All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has promised to give a substantial amount of money to the party faithful if their votes can secure reelection for President Muhammadu Buhari.

Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, also disclosed that he had enough money to bankroll elections without requesting any money from Buhari or dipping his hands in Lagos State’s treasury.

He made the remarks in a leaked audio tape THISDAY obtained yesterday from an authoritative source that pleaded anonymity.

In the tape, Tinubu said, “For all those who have come to Bourdillon, you know why we are here. We are here for mobilisation. You know what I mean by mobilisation.

“So, as registered APC members, you have to go and get your neighbours to come out and vote for the APC. It is after I have seen the favourable results of the elections that I will bring out good money.

“Buhari does not have the money that I want to steal and he doesn’t have the money I want to take from him. Also, he does not have the war chest for this presidential election.

“Therefore, whatever I’m promising you is for real – and it is coming from my own pocket. It is not until I go to Alausa before I can get money to give you.”

He, however, told the APC supporters who had come to visit him in preparation for the now postponed presidential and federal parliamentary polls that he would reward them financially after they had

“delivered victory” for Buhari.

Explaining why, Tinubu stated: “Before now, party faithful would gather here around me like ants around sugar, asking for mobilisation.

They always succeeded in getting something substantial from me with many of them from the same areas.

“That was then. This time it does not matter if your footwear wears out. Once you can deliver in this election, I am committed to give money that is substantial. We’ll never lack.” The maverick politician also stunned his supporters when he admitted demeaning the people of Osun State.

Until now Tinubu had denied making any denigrating statements regarding the financial capacity of the state.

“I was called names (after making a misguided statement in Osun State during its governorship poll). I made a misguided utterance but I got away with it.

“In Osun, they were grumbling that the governorship candidate in the last election was brought from Lagos; Aregbe (former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola) too was brought from there and now it’s (Adegboyega) Oyetola...they were complaining.”

Tinubu said he could not understand why some people in the state would complain about his choice of Aregbesola and later Oyetola.

He argued, “So, when we trained your children; after training them they got the brain and experience. They’ve acquired the know-how. Will it be bad for them to return home to fix things that are broken? How much really is your (Osun people) money that I want to embezzle? You (Osun

Two Killed, 13 Vehicles Burnt in Akwa Ibom Okon Bassey in Uyo

Two persons were yesterday killed and thirteen vehicles destroyed on the eve of the postponed presidential and National Assembly elections in Akwa Ibom State.

Sources told THISDAY that the incident occurred on Friday night at Nto Edino, the Headquarters of Obot-Akara Local Government Council of state.

The hoodlums were said to have invaded the council headquarters and attempted to hijack the sensitive materials for the elections while being distributed to officials.

In the course of the invasion there was an exchange of fire between the hoodlums suspected to be political thugs and security operatives which led to the death of the two persons.

“As we speak two persons have been killed and thirteen vehicles burnt down already in the Local Government

headquarters. The crisis started between the security personnel and some thugs when INEC staffs were distributing sensitive materials for the elections.” a source said.

In a reaction yesterday, the senatorial candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Dr Chris Ekpenyong, said some All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwarts in the local government area were responsible for the crisis.

Ekpenyong, who hailed from Obot-Akara said he was in Uyo monitoring the distribution of the materials when news got to him that there was crisis going in the local government and that two persons have been killed and buses destroyed.

Ekpenyong said he knows those who instigated the crisis and had already made a formal complaint to the police authorities to pick them up in order to prevent future occurrence of the crisis.

people) don’t have the kind of money that I have. Their king was there seated when I said so.

“I said: ‘You don’t have the kind of money that I have.’

If I’m going to change your (Osun people’s) money it will be coins.’ I never knew I was being recorded and that was how the video went viral. For that reason, I have to be guided

in my speech right now in order to avoid saying a similar thing today.”

Last September, Tinubu had claimed that his statement was twisted and intended to

cause “bad blood” and thus pitch him against the Ataoja of Osogbo, Jimoh Olanipekun (in whose palace he made the disparaging comment) and the people of the state.

PROMOTING GOOD HEALTHCARE...

L-R: Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor, Tam Brisibi; Area Manager, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Sam Daibo; Queen of Egbema Kingdom, Gold Oro; Director-General, Delta State Contributory Health Commission, Ben Nkechika, during the inauguration of the Egbema health facility in Polobubo, Delta State...recently

S’Court Resolves 44-Year-Old Anambra Land Dispute Tobi Soniyi The Supreme Court has upheld the ownership claim of the people of Umuagama village (Ukwulu) and Oranto/Akpu village (Ukpo) in Anambra State to a disputed parcel of land that had pitched them against their neighbours in Okpuloji Abba Town.

In upholding the respondemts’ claim, the apex court dismissed the appeal against the decision of the Court of Appeal, Enugu which had earlier made similar findings.

A five-man panel of the court, headed by Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, resolved all

the four issues, identified for determination, in favour of the two sets of respondents - listed as representatives of Umuagama village (Ukwulu) and Oranto/ Akpu village (Ukpo).

Court documents revealed that the people of Okpuloji Abba Town, Umugama Village Ukwulu and Oranto/Akpu Village (Ukpo) have been locked in dispute over the parcel of land in the area since early 1970.They went before the High Court of Anambra in 1975 in a suit marked: AA/53/75 and a subsequent one filed in 1977, marked: AA/11/77.

Both suits were later consolidated, and in a judgment by then

SDP Warns against Hijack of Released Electoral Materials Omololu Ogunmade in Abuja The Social Democratic Party (SDP) yesterday in Abuja expressed concerns that some unscrupulous individuals might exploit the opportunity of the elections’ postponement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to hijack the already released electoral materials to rig the forthcoming polls.

The party which described the postponement as wanton and arbitrary, expressed suspicion that INEC might be playing a game against the interest of the electorate, warning the electoral commission against allowing itself to be used by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to manipulate the polls

under the guise of postponement.

A statement by the National Chairman of the party, Chief Supo Shonibare, on behalf of the National Working Committee of the party, whose faction had adopted the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as its presidential candidate, listed various adverse effects associated with the postponement.

Shonibare also listed the consequent pains and discomfort that the postponement had unleashed on citizens, saying the party was disappointed that the ruling APC failed to prepare for one general elections in almost four years.

Chief Judge of the court, Justice Obiora Nwazota, delivered on November 12, 1999, the court declared the title of the disputed land in favour of the people of Umuagama Village (Ukwulu) and Oranto/Akpu Village (Ukpo).

Okpuloji Abba Town, through its representatives - Uyaemenam Nwora, Eric Uzoma, Emesi Okeke, Gabriel Okoye and Nwude Igweonuwu - appealed the decision at the Court of Appeal, Enugu.

The Court of Appeal, Enugu, in its final decision on June 27, 2016 dismissed the substantive appeal on the grounds that the appellants failed to compile

and transmit record of appeal within the stipulated period, as provided in Order 8 Rule 4 of the Court of Appeal Rules 2011.

The court also dismissed the appellants’ motion, in which they had sought to direct the Chief Judge of the High Court of Anambra State to re-assign the consolidated suit for hearing afresh, on the grounds that the court’s Chief Registrar had declared the record of proceedings missing.

Uyaemenam Nwora, Eric Uzoma, Emesi Okeke, Gabriel Okoye and Nwude Igweonuwu, acting for Okpuloji Abba Town, subsequently appealed to the Supreme Court, in SC: 589/2016.

Group to Deploy 250 Election Observers in Lagos Ugo Aliogo An election observer group, Values Reorientation Initiative and Advocacy at the weekend disclosed that it would deploy 250 observers in the next presidential and National Assembly elections across Lagos State.

The group, however, called the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security personnel, political parties, electorate and stakeholders to maintain the standard that character the pre-election activities to ensure violence free exercise.

The Executive Director of the group, Mr. Larry kayode-James disclosed this at a news conference he addressed at the weekend to give a pre-election report in Lagos State.

At the conference, the ex-

ecutive director commended the INEC on the preparation so far for the Smooth conduct of the general elections.

According to him, the preelection process was conducted professional and in accordance with the stipulated law.

He added that it had been a long tradition that caused some measure of irregularity as most people were either disenfranchised or the credibility of the elections questioned by some stakeholders.

James explained the 250 observers had been deployed “to observe the poll across the 245 wards in 20 local government areas of the state. We have deployed one observer per ward, while the remaining five will serve as coordinators for effective operation.

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OPINION Manifesto for Corporate Nigeria It is in the interest of the corporate world to have a strong, vibrant and united country, writes Anthony A. Kila

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s Nigeria moves towards her first ever 20 years of uninterrupted democracy, it is time for Nigerian businesses and those that pay (or at least should be paying) more than one form of tax or rent to rethink their place in the country’s affairs and start to take clear, organic and consequential positions.

To achieve and better understand an organic position here, we need to go beyond Émile Durkheim by first creating a collective ethos. Businesses in Nigeria and those individuals or professionals that pay more than one form of tax or rent need to perform an ontological exercise: They need to look at themselves, reconsider their essence, uniqueness and convince themselves that they, as assets holders, creators of employment, wealth and productive ideas actually own an unequal share of Nigeria. Yes, every Nigerian citizen is a stakeholder in Nigeria, but the shares owned by corporate Nigeria are not just by birth or residence, they are shares paid for with investments, commitment, and their bet on Nigeria.

With the consciousness of this unique position, the corporate part of the country can then go on to theorise and demand a voice and place as the “fifth estate of the realm”. The request for such recognition is not just a right, a legitimate request or a self-serving position. It is in reality a duty for the benefit of the whole country as no nation can truly develop or progress until those that own assets, create employment, wealth and produce ideas have a truly influential say in the affairs of the nation.

To politicians vying for office, the corporate world must have the legitimate and transparent ambition of influencing the political process and agenda by making known what they as an organic body consider important and feasible. The corporate world must be ready to ask questions, argue and expose what will not be feasible or beneficial to the country from their own standpoint. To be truly efficient, the engagement with aspiring politicians and political parties need to go beyond the tokenism of dinner speeches and the individual search for relevance with politicians or placement of friendly candidates and parties.

As businesses and individuals, corporate Nigeria has the power to raise and donate more money to politicians and groups than most private citizens. Corporate Nigeria must exercise such power. To make the best of such earned position, these donations must however not be automatic or based on some vague sympathies. Their donations must be conditional. An aspiring politician or party must know that the corporate world will not hesitate to withdraw support from a hostile or non-discerning candidate or group and that she will indeed support a friendly and understanding competing politician, group or party.

With those in power, the corporate world must always be vigilant, generally proactive and articulately vociferous when need be. To be able to do so, Corporate Nigeria has to be of course independent, and conscious of her identity.

Just as the government is careful not irritate labour unions, Corporate Nigeria needs to place herself and her positions in a way that will make government seriously consider her whilst making decisions.

In a country wherein politics, religion and ethnicity unproductively influence and dominate so much, too much, of people’s lives, Corporate Nigeria needs to create, propa-

To politicians vying for office, the corporate world must have the legitimate and transparent ambition of influencing the political process and agenda by making known what they as an organic body consider important and feasible

gate and defends her own space, standards and values.

She needs to inspire people to aspire to the corporate world, seen as a space where merit and talent above all truly matter than any other affiliation.

Rather than complain about the state of education, Corporate Nigeria needs to work with institutions of learning to produce the kind of graduates that can increase productivity and bring about innovation.

Where the bureaucracy of the state is proving to be an impediment to achievement rather than a guarantee of standards and commitment, Corporate Nigeria needs to turn to private institutions that are more dynamic and by nature more business friendly with the caveat that the latter provides world-class standards in their teaching, learning and research.

Some businesses and individuals have done well for themselves in the mist of existing chaos and uncertainty that characterises Nigeria, like most underdeveloped countries, all will however do better in a system that is organised and wherein certainty and transparency is the norm. It is not enough to go solo anymore. Corporate Nigeria needs to identify and work all its constituencies from the small trader that sells on a counter to the professional that pays house rent and office rent to the Ltd and Plc. organisations scattered across the and country, they need to find a way to work together. There is general distrust and fear of partnership in country but this fear needs to be overcome through clear laws and shared values absorbed and practiced by a new generation of modern producers.

Contrary to what they all claim, it is never really in the interest of government or other social structures to see a strong, independent and united corporate world but contrary to what they think, it is in the interest of the corporate world to have a strong, vibrant and united country.

Corporate Nigeria needs to find herself, her voices, unite to save herself and her country or both will never reach their true potential.

–– Kila is a Jean Monnet professor of Strategy and Development. He is currently Centre Director at CIAPS

INEC and Postponement of Elections Paul John writes that the postponement of the elections is scandalous

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hen I hear people say that Nigeria is the giant of Africa, I always ask one question: in what sector are we the giant? Is it in the rule of law or in application of the principle of separation of power? Is it in our technical know-how? Are we a giant in our ability to conduct free and fair elections at scheduled date or are we a giant in maintaining our election dates in the past 12 years? Prof Attahiru Mohammed Jega, the electoral umpire during Jonathan’s administration told us that the postponement then was for our security forces to subdue terrorism in the Northeast at a level that would allow for free conduct of elections in the region. We accepted that because it seemed plausible and to some extent believable.

Now, Prof Mahmood Yakubu has told us that the reason for this postponement was because some INEC materials were recently destroyed and some other INEC materials had not reached their final destinations. Were those materials destroyed yesterday, dear Prof Yakubu? How long does it take to replace materials if you and your commission were serious and have no skeletons in your cupboard?

What prevented you and your INEC from putting such unforeseen contingencies in your earlier plan and budget?

That tells you the level of thinking and preparedness of those who are at the helm of affairs. The white man designed four tyres in a car and still made provision for one or two spare tyres.

When will the black man learn? Are you telling me if the black man was the person buying white slaves during the era of slave trade that he would not impregnate all the female slaves and used the male slaves for rituals thereby creating problems for his children yet unborn? However, the white men utilized the free labour offered by the slaves for their industrial revolution and to boost their agricultural sector hence food security was not and will not be an issue to their children yet unborn.

Having seen what transpired in Nigeria for more than three years, I decided not to allow others alone to take the decision of who leads us in this country. When you allow others take a decision for you, you would of course bear the brunt of it because when petrol pump price was increased,

it affected all and not the urchins that collected N1000 at the polling units and voted in the leaders. In view of this, I ensured I registered on the last day of INEC voter’s card registration in my village because of my tight schedules.

Also, since Rivers State police command had earlier announced the restriction of movement after 2359 hours of Friday, 15th February 2019 till 1600 hours of Saturday,16th February 2019, I left Port Harcourt where I reside at 1400 hours on Friday for my village, Okwoko Autonomous community, Ndiagbo-Nkporo in Ohafia Local Goevrnment of Abia State in a journey estimated at maximum of three hours but I got home at 2200 hours “courtesy’’ of the Port Harcourt –Enugu express road which the APC federal government fixes on the media and not on the road. That was an extra five hours wasted.

I don’t need to talk of the time police officers on the road will waste you because we are in a country where an innocent citizen is searched and his car will be thoroughly searched but kidnappers and armed robbers would operate unchallenged and at times carry their victims to their destinations ‘’peacefully’’ and on time. If you want to talk, they will ask you: do you want to teach us our work, even when their work is obviously pleading to be taught.

My in-law was kidnapped in December 2016 and during the incident some eye witnesses bravely copied the registration number of the car the kidnappers used in the operation. We reported the matter with all details to the security agency and they assured that they were on top of the situation. To avoid much digression, the day we caught the kidnapper, it was the same car that he used in coming to collect the ransom.

If INEC could not use four years to plan for elections and to put in place all unforeseen contingencies in their plans, where lies their competence? I have told people that care to listen that the Nigeria I met can be governed by anybody and anybody can head any position because occupying a leadership position does not require your mental capacity, it only requires your name being there. No wonder one of the former governors that was rumoured to be ‘brain-dead’ from an accident was finally allowed to complete his tenure. Being a leader in Nigeria

requires you to wear babariga and agbada, helping friends, relatives and cronies get contracts under the guise of Nigerian version of due process!

We are the giant of Africa but we cannot even boast of a fixed date of election. In America the date of their election is called Election Day. Election Day in the United States of America is the Tuesday following the first Monday in November. It can fall on or between November 2 and November 8.

It is the day when popular ballots are held to select public officials. These include national, state and local government representatives at all levels up to the president. Who fuels my car when I will expectedly be coming back to my village next week?

What happens to those who had printed their wedding invitation cards and others that have fixed their events and occasions on 23rd February and March 9th?

Who bears the cost of reprinting the invitation cards or rebooking the halls and other event centers? What of those who had booked their flights on the said new dates? At times we talk of economic instability.

Which wise investor can invest in a country where the electoral umpires can postpone election less than six hours to the election or where the president can remove the CJN on a purported court injunction when same president has refused to obey other court orders for the release of Sambo Dasuki and El-Zakzaky?

As lawyers always say: I put it to INEC that the postponement of this election is to include APC candidates in the ballot paper in Rivers and Zamfara States. Was it not recently reported that Attorney General of the (APC) Federation had written to INEC to postpone Zamfara State National Assembly election?

On Thursday,14th February 2019, as I was driving through Aba-road in Port Harcourt, I saw a trailer load of APC supporters campaigning with posters of different APC candidates. I was confused. It was a friend that told me later that APC supporters were protesting that their party should be included on the ballot papers for National Assembly election. Here, anything is possible.

––Dr. John wrote from Nkporo, Abia State.

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LETTERS Wisdom of Polygamy and Election of Leaders

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efore the advent of the one man one wife practice prevalent today in some parts of Nigeria, our traditional society across Nigeria and indeed Africa accepted polygamy as a way of life. In fact most adults today in Nigeria either had parents or grandparents who practiced polygamy hence grew up in homes of many wives and many children with different mothers.

Apart from our cultures, even the scriptures made it clear how a polygamous husband should relate and be just to his wives. In Deuteronomy 21 verse 15, God through His Prophet Moses said thus: If a man marries two wives, one beloved and another "hated"... he must be fair to both of them and should not rob the rights of the hated for the one he loves. That means even God endorsed polygamy but with a condition of being fair to all.

On the issue of even hating one of the wives, I believe that no human being should be hated for any reason and that human beings should learn to tolerate and help one another to overcome their weaknesses

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Pastor T.B. Joshua

rather than hate fellow human beings. For me, every human being is created good but many have lost their direction and what a leader, especially in the context of Nigeria of today should do is to overlook all forms of anti- nation building sentiments being

exhibited and promoted by some citizens and politicians, and rather help Nigerians discover themselves, in order for them to be restored to the initial good nature God created in them.

Now, coming back to the issue of polygamy, it is of note

that irrespective of the bickering and challenges associated with it, the polygamous men were able to manage the entire family and today most of our great leaders came from such families. But, the question is, how were these men able to handle those challenges of many wives yet succeeded in bequeathing to us a society of high cultural, communal and moral values?

In my view, one of the things I can identify is that the men/husbands were able to balance the interests of the various wives as well as treated everybody equally in the family. Reason: if they didn't treat the family with that level of wisdom, there is no way there wouldn't have been noticeable explosive crises in such families. That is not to say they had a perfect union, but like other people practicing monogamy, nobody has a perfect union but the ability to manage the challenges in a marriage as they arise make the union successful.

Secondly, the commitment to the workability of the marriage was total because divorce was not a ready option in those days. All these factors and others not mentioned here

Falasha Jews of Ehugbo

ear reader, refer to four preceding articles of SPIED on this tabloid as follows: ‘Last War Is ISIS Not North Korea’, ‘What Is In A Name’, ‘Zodiac Signs of Israel, and ‘Order of Hebrew Alphabet’ respectively published on January 12, 18 and February 3 and 10, 2019. Secondly, please note that the books of Moses were not written before Adam, yet Genesis told the story of creation.

To get on with ‘Falasha Jews of Ehugbo’, it would appear that, in Ozizza-Elia-isha, a tender or bid at bet of pool, is part of the rite to manhood, of boys ‘umuena’.

Umuena which dive as in scuba, into the deep, by the bank of Cross-river, to retrieve ‘oku’ or ‘njah’, a cloven-shaped sacred earthen-ware for taking of fire.

Njah-oku, njoku, retrieved, as a supposed take of fire from the hearth of Mermaid, a process known as ‘ikpa-uri oku mbiri’ ie ‘Okurin-obiirin’, with the njoku of umuena, the ‘njah-umuena’.

Ndjamena, near Lake-Chad, where the archetype was left behind, en-route the isle of Elia-Isha, by Isha-char.

Elia-Ishachar left Chad with momo, Imomo nwa ne-oriete, ‘nweriete’, his younger brother, of Zebulun. ‘Zebu-nonu-ne-oriete’, a metaphor for Zebu-cattle, eaten by tender-men of Zebulun, the sons of ‘Ne-oriete’, a sobriquet for Leah, their mother, said to be tender-eyed. Tender ie a Bid at bet.

Bid of ‘Aru-nsi’ ie a fart at stool. Aru-Nsi-bid, a colloquial reference to the coming to stool as in Exo1:16, of Hebrew women, midwifed

by Egyptians. Gen29: 7, Dt 28:54-56, Gen33:13. ‘ Ndi AruNsibid’, ie the people of Nsibid,

arrived the Isle of Elishah, the Elia-Isha-char. Ishachar, who was said in Gen49:14, to be ‘a strong ass couching between two burdens...’, a reference to ‘ima-okali’ as ‘ewa’, ie a knowing, of what the day holds, at day-break in wrestling known as ‘mgba’rewa. Ewa amari as okali, Calendar of Ages the agenda to know as a chart of days in number, by the children of Ishachar said to have understanding of the timing of Israeli-agenda Psm90: 12, 2Chro12:32.

From the Isles of Elishah Ezek27:7, Elia-isha-char, moved on to Ehugbo, a jungle that was to be mingled by Hebrews and kayamen, the ‘oha-odu’ and the aborigins of which were a people of yaw ie Ur. Yaw-oriauba-Ehoma, ie yaw that ask for an offering of fish, at ‘Ehoma’, a fishing festival they are forbidden to participate. Yaw oria uba, Yoruba, whose king is the Ooni, ‘Oni-itsha’, King of Isha. Isha of the course of ‘Ezeke in Abia’, ie ‘Ibu-Ezeke’-el, Ezekiel the king of Ozizza, called ‘Ezeaayi’. Isha a subject of Ooni, of yaw, the aborigins, planted ‘abor’, a palm-plantation at ‘Amaebor, in Ezi Uhere’, on the mountains of the Leopards ‘oba-ugwuagu’, a barn of yaw, Ur-ban of the ancients. With time the Egu began to covet Ishas’ vine-yard.

Moreover, Isha was a fisherman and a merchant, destined as in Dt33:19, to live by a river, an enchanted river across which his sons would perform Ndjamena rite and swim across as ‘ima-iyi-egwu na ntelite-isi-jii’, a euphemism for Elishas’ snapped axe-head to ask as njoku, a baptism of fire as it were and for his Passover known as ‘Ikeji’-hiover, ie manna, in the stead of

‘IkeJi-zor-us’ a foreshadow of his over-past, at the communion of his cross. ‘Ikeji’, a feast of the elia-isha-bath on sabath day.

The Egus, Ishas’ erstwhile host, known as ohaodu, were said to have tails like monkey and believed to have the power of curse ‘agum-onu’. They insisted that Isha would leave on the condition that his new settlement would be named ‘Ezi-Uhere’ in honour of Egu hospitality. With time the ‘I’ in Ezi prefix was to silence the ‘U’ in Uhere suffix, resulting in ‘Ezi-Ihere’ the place of shame, so to speak. Nevertheless Ishachar acceded and left with, his younger brother, of Zebulun, a descendant of momo, Uhere-Oko-oroo, who settled at agbo-nde-ihere-okoro, ie the south of nde-ihere-okoro as it is known till this day, while ‘Elu’, the north, was taken up by Isha and Ekpo-Ishachar his brother of the tribe of Ishachar Ekpo, who was so nicknamed for his merchandise along the coast of the cross-river and bight of Biafra. Isha, was to leave Ekpo there, for much rivalry, and moved over to the surburbs of ugwuegu at Imama, leaving Ekpo at Elu Ezi-Ihere.

There Ekpo continued to leverage on his proximity to the Cross-river for commerce and the rite of ndjamena, and ‘ima-iyiegwu’, egwuiyi amara as a spear of ‘ogboro’ to pierce the side of mast-Ur Gen28:12, an effigy of Christ the rock, which were the traditional rites of passage to adult-hood or initiation of boys ‘umuena’ into man, hood of Joshuas’ second circumcision ‘ndogo’ Jn19:34.

Boys that thereby become men, fit to enter ulogo as ikpu-ulogo, a euphemism for entrance of the temple Dt23:1, Jn5: 8 and 14.

Ulogo, the logo or emblem of

Judah, his blame for the divine cup of Joseph in the mouth of Benjamins’ sack of corn, known as Iko-onu-oka in bush of Joseph, known as ‘ohiaisi-jii’, an initiation ‘ubu’ nde He-buru.

Initiation into ‘Ogo-cult and perimeter of the shrine which manna daa naya’, as dusk to dawn curfew for fall of Manna, that fell as Ofala. Ofalafels of Isha, Ofalaisha, Falasha, a jewish feast of Oni-itsha, the lost sheep of the house of Israel, gone astray on his way back to Ur, the yaw-barns.

Ofala known by the Isha-ozizza, as iko-onu-oka, the cup in mouth of sack of corn to grind in prison as price-sons to enter Ulogo, Shebas’-verandaPo-tent, by men in en-trance of the door of ntutu-ekwe, a regiment of the Reginas of rome, romance soldiers, ‘nde-uruikpo’, a metaphor for the cup of abomination and filthiness ‘iko-akwukwa’, an adultery Mkk5:19, Judg16:21, Iko, a festival, of nde-Ehugbo, the land of yaw. Isha-char not only came with the calendar ‘okali’ and calculation ‘arum-ogu’, he also brought along with him, Jacobs’ sack-cloth of Amu, his ‘okpaa-etere’ after wrestling ‘mgba’as his halt on thigh across penuel at ‘Eli’ sunrise.

Sunrise for the dial of ahaz, ‘ihazi’ or‘igor-anyanwu’, of okpaa-enwudere as in a hold of Jacob, on the heel of Isau, the fall guy. Elia-isha, Elisha, was one of the first men, ever to see chariot of van-ish. He began to make ‘Elia-sha-car-avan’, ox-drawn-carts of van, with which his descendants left the middle-east, driven by Ozizza ie Uzza and Ahio, and got up to Chad but could not ply the jungles of Ehugbo. Judg 16:21, 1 Chro13:7, 1kg20:9 ––ElejeAbili-Willy, Lagos

made marriages to overcome serious challenges in those days since everyone was creative and ready to make sacrifices to make things work since there was no going back.

This is the same scenario we find ourselves today in Nigeria. Since we have agreed to stay together as a country, we need to apply the wisdom of successful polygamous marriages to harmonise all the ethnic groups and different interests in order to build a solid nation for all.

As a nation, the lesson to be learned here is that any Nigerian leader who aspires and becomes the President of the nation must see himself or herself as a polygamous husband that has many wives and interests to cater for fairly and justly. Also, anybody aspiring to lead Nigeria and turns his face to only one of the wives (ethnic or religious groups or interests) and the other women notice it, he should of course know that he wants to make the family/nation crises ridden

and underdeveloped because you cannot marry a woman into your home and neglect or abandon her and you expect her to be silent forever.

Nigeria is a polygamous marriage of different ethnic groups, cultures, traditions, religions and other interests, therefore, every ethnic group, religion and citizen should be treated fairly and equally for Nigeria to excel in the comity of nations.

Therefore let all those aspiring to be Nigeria leaders learn the lessons of successful polygamous marriages and apply such to the management of all ethnic groups, political parties, religions, professional and social groups, etc., in the constituencies they are expected to lead. If our leaders adopt this attitude, the cooperation needed for Nigeria to grow speedily will be achieved.

––Esanerovo Agbodo, eagbodo@gmail.com (See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

Can This Election Still Be Free?

O

n April 2, 2011, INEC shifted the national assembly election by seven days (to April 9), citing “logistics and operational” problems. And it took this decision while voting had already commenced in some parts of the country.

Really, what happened was that the electoral umpire had sent election materials meant for the governorship polls scheduled for April 16 to some states instead of those for the legislative election. This was an epochal, embarrassing logistics failure by INEC. However, the Commonwealth Observer Mission in its report on April 18 said INEC managed to hold a “reasonable election” on the rescheduled date. In other words, that the exercise was shifted did not “totally negatively” affect its outcome.

“The experience of 2 April should not have happened.

While INEC managed to hold a reasonable election on 9 April and improved its performance further on 16 April, it clearly needs to improve on its organisational capacity,” it said.

In fact, the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Washington DC, US, gave INEC some accolades for the conduct of the rescheduled national assembly election.

Here is what it said in its report: “Reports from NDI observers contrasted markedly with observations recorded during the 2007 polls, when systemic and widespread irregularities subverted the overall credibility of those elections. In this election, (April 9 rescheduled national assembly election), polls were conducted in a generally calm and peaceful atmosphere, with many Nigerians

demonstrating eagerness and determination to vote despite long queues and hot weather conditions.”

On February 7, the 2015 general election was shifted by five weeks, seven days before the exercise. Though INEC relied on security advice and not problems of logistics in taking the decision, the rescheduled election was largely free, fair and peaceful.

This is according to some international observers.

So, it is clear that rescheduling an election may not colossally affect its turn-out or credibility. I know this is a difficult position to hold at this time that many Nigerians would like to have the head of INEC on a spike, but we must look beyond emotions and a bit into the nitty-gritty.

However, it is grossly irresponsible of INEC to have postponed the election nine hours before the schedule.

Really, it is gravitationally sloppy of it. The electoral body had four years to prepare for the exercise; this tardiness can simply not be excused.

Importantly, INEC should not lease itself to political influence. Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation, had pensively asked the electoral body to postpone conducting any election in Zamfara State so as to accommodate candidates from the APC. The party has been banned from fielding candidates in the state owing to the fraudulent primary elections it conducted.

As it is, if INEC succumbs to this wheedling, it will be clear that it did not postpone the election for logistics reasons, but for political reasons.

––Fredrick Nwabufo, fredricknwabufo@yahoo. com.

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BUSINESSES SUFFER N2.737TN LOSS ON ELECTION POSTPONEMENT Mr. Bismarck Rewane, listed the costs associated with the postponement of the elections to include direct cost, disruption cost, opportunity cost, consequential cost, and reputational cost.

Rewane explained: “With Nigeria’s GDP at about $427 billion, divide that by 365 days, you will get the GDP per day of $1.170 billion.

“So, the fact that everybody stopped work today (Saturday), there is a direct cost of $1.170 billion. Then, there is the disruption cost.

“Disruption cost is that you multiply the daily cost by three. That is because if I had booked a wedding today and now I have to shift the date again. So, that is $1.170 billion multiplied by three.

“Then, there is what is called the opportunity cost. That is, the things people would have done today, which is about 50 per cent of the direct cost.

Then, there is what is called the consequential cost, which is usually twice the direct cost.

“That is a total of almost $8 billion, which is about two per cent of Nigeria’s GDP.” Furthermore, he identified reputational cost, which according to him, could not be quantified. This has to do with the damage the election postponement would have done to the country’s reputation considering, especially from the perspective of foreign investors and the foreign election observers.

“We have investors that have made their projections about this election and they never factored in this postponement,” he said, just as he expressed disappointment over the development.

According to Rewane, “Normally, if you have a project, you ought to be reviewing it every day. So, the fact that they (INEC) knew and announced the postponement five hours to the election, shows total lack of preparedness and it is disappointing.

“But the hope is that what they haven’t achieved in four years, we can achieve in seven days. Our hope is that they would do something dramatic.

“Remember that in 2015, the outcome was more important than the process, but in 2019, the process is more important than the outcome. Therefore, if for any reason, what you have done is to jeopardise the process, it only makes the fact that there is going to be a contest by all aggrieved parties after the election.

“So, the costs are mounting and the clock is ticking and we hope the clock is not a time bomb.”

Airlines count loses

Major Nigerian airlines, Air Peace, Arik Air, and Dana Air, cancelled a total of 145 flights with a projected revenue loss of about N290, 000, 000 on Saturday, due to the sudden postponement of the elections.

The airlines decried the situation the announcement of the poll postponement had put them, saying it did not give them any chance to prepare to operate some flights later in the day.

THISDAY learnt that airlines earn about N2 million revenue from high load factor of a Boing B737 for one hour flight, which could be higher, depending on destination. So, the airlines which largely operate medium size aircraft for their domestic flights lost that revenue in addition to the fact that they would still pay their crew and other services for the day they did not work.

Corporate Communications Manager of Air Peace, Chris Iwarah, told THISDAY that the airline cancelled about 90 flights, including domestic and regional services. He said what was most painful about the cancellation was that the same number of flights would be cancelled next Saturday and the airlines were obliged to refund their passengers 100 per cent of their fares, despite the fact that banks have collected

their commissions on the payment.

Iwarah said, “We cancelled about 90 flights today. This is a huge loss to our operations, but we take it as sacrifice for the stability of the country, but the sacrifice amounted to nothing when the election was cancelled.

“Our customers will come for refund and we will pay them their fare 100 per cent despite the fact that banks have taken their commission and next week we will do the same thing. We sent messages to all out customers about the cancellation and directed our offices in the town to remain closed for security reasons.”

He stated that the effect of the cancellation would not be felt for one day, but would continue to recur for the next six months. According to him, if the announcement of the postponement had come earlier, the airline would have adjusted its schedule and operated some flights.

Spokesman of Arik Air, Adebanji Ola, who spoke in the same vein, said the airline cancelled about 45 flights and noted that although five days before Saturday, Arik Air had notified its customers about the cancellation of Saturday flights, passengers still bought tickets because ticket purchase was already in the system.

He regretted that similar cancellation would be done next Saturday and March 9, 2019, which would be a huge loss for the airline.

On his part, Head of Communications at Dana Air, Kingsley Ezenwa, told THISDAY that the airline cancelled about 10 flights but expressed the hope that it would operate Lagos-Abuja and Lagos-Port Harcourt in the evening of Saturday.

Experts decry cost on economy Director General, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and

Industry, Mr. Muda Yusuf, argued that the postponement had implications for confidence in the electoral process. Yusuf stated, “The trouble was that the notice of postponement came too late to allow economic players to make alternative use of their time.

“It was a major disruption to economic activities in the country. Borders were shut, schools were closed, ports were shut - all these have implications for operating costs.

“In the maritime sector, importers will bear additional demurrage cost because of the longer cargo dwell time at the ports.

“The cost to the nation's treasury of the election rescheduling will be almost double as a large part of processes will be repeated in a week's time.”

His counterpart at the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr. Tim Olawale, noted that the salient questions arising from this shift were numerous. According to him, companies closed early or declared holiday last Friday, which also had its cost implication.

He stated, “Businesses are still grappling with the costing of the loss. There is also production exigency that demands staff working on Saturday on the assumption that there would be election.

“These had led to irreversible commitment by management to pay overtime and in some cases double the normal rate.

“And of course there is the massive disruption in logistic flows. Reservations in hospitality firms were cancelled with great loss and in some instances rescheduled for the days newly announced for the elections.

“This will necessitate fresh cancellations of bookings with attendant losses,” he explained.

Similarly, Majority of stock market stakeholders said the sudden postponement of the elections would impact

negatively on the market and have dire consequences for investment decision.

Political risk due to the 2019 elections and other factors had led to the market to decline 17.8 per cent in 2018. While the investors adopted a wait and see attitude in January which further depressed the market, patronage was increased in the month February as most investors shrugged off the election jitters.

This led to a gain of over N712 billion by the market.

However, the postponement would extend the uncertainties and concerns of political risks in the market.

Chairman of Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Partick Ezeagu, said uncertainty was the greatest phobia that afflicted any market and even more applicable to the capital that is very sensitive to uncertainty in the political fate of a sovereignty.

“For the capital market in Nigeria, the delay in the conduct of election and the fact that it happened less than six hours before the election was to commence. Investors will react negatively unless a very credible reason is adduced and effectively disseminated urgently,” Ezeagu said.

To Group Chief Executive Officer of Emerging Africa Capital Group, Mrs. Toyin Sanni, the postponement would definitely have some impact on the market. According to her, the development has lengthened the waiting time for investors who had already adopted wait and see approach to prospects of investing in Nigeria.

“In investments, the longer the waiting time for any outcome, the higher the perception of risk. Also, the postponement indicates that we may not as a country have all our act all together thus increasing concerns about the possibility of the election process being smooth and hitch free,” she said.

Sanni added that the development could also raise, in some quarters, fears that the process itself may be manipulated.

“Anything that reduces the perception of transparency affects our attractiveness and credibility and investment destination,” she said.

Another stockbroker, Mr. David Adonri of Highcap Securities Limited, said, “Every sector of the economy including the capital market will be disastrously affected.

It will further erode investors’ confidence, which is already at a low ebb.”

Similarly, Mr. Sola Oni of Sofunix Investment, said the postponement was a sad commentary, adding that it would deepen Nigeria’s political risk with dire consequences for investment decision.

Oni stated, “The shock caused by the announcement may jolt foreign portfolio investors who have been apprehensive of the presidential election. It is not unlikely that trading on the stock market may be moderated by this development as it is capable of further eroding investor confidence in our market.

Every political decision has direct or indirect impact on the financial market. I think the time has come for our leaders to stop making Nigeria a laughing stock before the international community.”

However, Garba Kurfi of APT Securities and Funds Limited said the postponement might not have much negative impact on the market given the growth the market had recorded in the last two weeks.

“Although it has a cost to the economy but may not affect our market due to expectations of companies’ results which have started coming into the market. We are expecting the market to continue to rise in anticipation of good results to be declared by companies,” he said.

INEC: POLLS’ POSTPONEMENT NOT POLITICALLY INFLUENCED warning. This could have perhaps lessened the pervasive disappointment that we all now feel. It also would have helped people better order their steps.”

Tinubu said, “We appeal to all who actually came out to vote and to those who intended to vote today, to maintain your commitment. Do not allow this delay to deter you from the expression of your democratic rights. What you had set your mind to do on February 16, keep your mind and heart on for February 23.

“INEC has stated the reason for the delay and has expressed regret over the inconveniences it has caused. We must take INEC’s statement at face value and hold to the belief that INEC understands even more than ever the sober and grave responsibility it has to our nation and our democracy. INEC can only properly discharge that responsibility by conducting free and fair elections. While we cannot go back to repair what did or did not happen to cause this postponement, we all must encourage INEC to do all that is necessary so voting can smoothly proceed on February 23.”

INEC lacks capacity, says APC Campaign Council The Presidential Campaign Council of APC deplored the last-minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections, saying

INEC has displayed lack of capacity to deliver. A statement by its Director of Strategic Campaign Communication, Festus Keyamo, said the council was disappointed by the shift of the poll.

The statement titled “We condemn the postponement of the elections, but urge our teeming supporters to be patient and determined,” said, “We have just received with great disappointment and disillusionment the announcement by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of its decision to postpone the Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/House of Assembly Elections to Saturday, February 23, 2019 and Saturday, March 9, 2019, respectively.

“We condemn and deprecate this tardiness of the electoral umpire in the strongest terms possible. President Muhammadu Buhari had since cooperated fully with INEC by ensuring everything it demanded to conduct free and fair elections were promptly made available to it. This news is therefore a huge disappointment to us and to our teeming supporters nationwide and around the world, many of whom have come into the country to exercise their franchise.

“We do not want to be forced to a situation of announcing our total loss of confidence in INEC, because we know where that would leave our

democracy.”

NBA: we’re confounded The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) said it was baffled and disappointed by the poll shift

by INEC “in the wee hours” of the morning.

“We are confounded by the postponement, considering the serial assurances that INEC had, prior to this morning, given of its preparedness for the conduct of the elections; INEC had also expressly assured that postponement of the elections was not howsoever in contemplation.

Our disappointment is compounded by the fact that none of the reasons that INEC has proffered justifies the postponement; all the reasons, with some diligence, could have been remediated,” NBA stated.

It added, “It was particularly unkind for INEC to announce the postponement only hours to the opening of the polls for the national elections today, knowing as we all do that most Nigerians register for elections in their states of origin and had travelled there from their various stations to exercise their civic rights. The cost in man-hours, resources and inconveniences cannot be readily quantified not to mention the risk to personal safety.

“Worse, we run the risk that some who may have to return to their work stations early next week may not be able to

travel again for the rescheduled polls next weekend. We read the INEC announcement and listened to its broadcast to hear how INEC intends to mitigate that possibility and nothing was said in that regard.

“INEC needs to be reminded that a free, fair and credible election starts with the preparations therefor by the Electoral Commission. If the Commission is unable to exercise its functions without avoidable glitches, it is difficult to see how it could justifiably impose sanctions on infracting political parties who give excuses for their infractions similar to the ones that INEC has given today for the postponement of the elections.

Regulatory authorities such as INEC require discipline and foresightedness to carry out their functions. It is only by imbibing those twin virtues, amongst others, and showing same by conduct that they can justifiably sanction infracting parties over whom they exercise regulatory control.

“NBA hopes that the new dates of 23 February 2019 and 09 March 2019 for the rescheduled elections are sacrosanct and the preparations therefor will be foolproof and glitch-free.”

NBA urged the electorate “not to give up or tire out. We must give INEC the benefit of the doubt and turn out in our numbers to vote for the parties of our choice on the rescheduled dates for the elections.”

CSO Coalition urges Nigerians to remain steadfast A coalition of civil society groups, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, asked the electorate to be more than determined to exercise their franchise to elect new leaders, despite the rescheduling of the elections. It urged the voters, especially those who are civil servants and traders that travelled home to cast their votes, not to be disillusioned or exhibit apathy towards the elections.

Addressing a press conference on Saturday in Abuja at the Situation Room Election Hub at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, the Convener, Clement Nwankwo, said, “We condemn in the strongest terms the treatment of National Youth Corp members.

The heart-breaking pictures of these brave young men and women, sleeping in open fields without any arrangement for their security and safety is disappointing. We call on INEC and indeed all Nigerians to reach out to these youths and provide whatever support necessary to keep them fed and safe.”

ACF condemns postponement The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) condemned the waste of resources and inconveniences occasioned by

the postponement of Saturday's elections. Spokesman of the forum, Muhammad Ibrahim, in a statement on Saturday said although the ACF was not privy to the nature of the challenges INEC faced, it maintained that the postponement should have been announced in good time to avoid the waste of resources and time incurred by stakeholders.

ACF stated, “The ACF learned with regret the INEC’s decision to re-schedule the elections slated for 16th February and 2nd March 2019, citing logistic challenges as the main reasons for the postponement.

“ACF appreciates the concern raised by INEC regarding its logistic preparation and its constitutional power to reschedule the elections for the express purpose of ensuring credible, free and fair elections that would meet universal acceptance.

“However, though ACF is not privy to the nature of the challenges and the time INEC noticed them, the forum thinks the shift should have been done earlier in order to reduce cost and inconveniences for all the parties concerned.”

It said, “The earlier assurances given to Nigerians by INEC that it would deliver on credible, free and fair elections on schedule, heightened the enthusiasm of the people to look forward to the scheduled 2019 general elections.

Continued on page 86

5 ) * 4 % ": t SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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Abe

Cole

Yari

Amosun

The Road to 2019 Flashpoints to Watch (XXIII) With the rescheduling of yesterday’s elections, expectations might have been altered greatly as the nation journeys to the elections next week. Olawale Olaleye writes

Y

esterday’s postponement of the 2019 elections was by every measure an anticlimax of the week’s electioneering activities.

With the period of campaign over and everyone set to put the election behind them, the compelling rescheduling, according to INEC, changed the mood of the nation and by extension, might have altered the equation ahead of the rescheduled dates.

Typically, a majority of the stakeholders had begun to read meanings to INEC’s audacious decision, many of them insinuating it could be a ploy to rig the election in favour of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC).

But unknown to the international community, the United States and the United Kingdom had been advocating the imperative of a credible election and in the case of Nigeria, contended that its gains would spread across the whole of Africa.

But as the two main political parties came out to condemn the postponement even though INEC too stood by its action, saying it was in national and collective interest, there were unconfirmed reports from insiders, which hinted that INEC was actually under intense pressure to go ahead with the election regardless, a development that could have undermined the credibility of the entire process if agreed to.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s nationwide broadcast on Wednesday, where he tried to do a last minute sales of his candidacy also attracted its own criticisms as many reckoned he lost the opportunity with a rather poor content

that was deemed as only self-serving and not advocating collective interest. In fact, Atiku thought it was a farewell speech.

In the same stretch, former president Olusegun Obasanjo had to battle allegation that he left the country on the eve of the postponed election, whereas he was at home. The insinuation was that the shepherd had abandoned his ship midway into a long walk.

Generally, last week was essentially in the mood of the election until INEC threw in the shocker. And one of the low points of the week in question was the ‘untrue’ story from Kaduna that about 66 people died on the eve of an election, a story believed to have been put together by the state government as part of its own campaign strategy even though it was dangerously divisive, given the religious slant.

While that was being pondered including the decision by a former United States President, Bill Clinton to stay back from witnessing the final signing of the peace pact between the two leading candidates – Buhari and Atiku – on the grounds of the reactions that trailed a statement by the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai that foreign observers, who interfere with the election would return in body bags, the election postponement was the seal that ended some of the productive engagements of last week.

But just as these were ongoing, the states too continued to battle their challenges, a majority of which could have been properly situated with the outcome of yesterday’s election had it held. But then, some of the states posted interesting reports last week as part of their countdown to the presidential and national assembly elections.

RIVERS Now a Closed Chapter!

The crisis besetting the Rivers State chapter of the APC came to a sad denouement last week, when the Supreme Court upheld the judgment of a lower court, which failed to recognise the candidates presented by the party for this year’s election. This was a battle with many cases at the different courts and all of them ended up against the interest of the APC in the state.

There were beliefs that the state government of PDP might have helped the APC to fail in that avoidable expedition. But by the ruling of the apex court, however, nearly 50 positions were denied members of the APC, albeit on account of their own poor management of the many tendencies in the party.

Although the party tried to protest their plight in the week, when its members blocked the INEC office in the state, it was a move in futility as the matter was purely a legal concern and addressed as such. Sad as it is, the fate of the APC offers a serious lesson in political leadership and going forward, it is hoped that the actors would have learnt their lessons.

ZAMFARA Running against Time If there was any state chapter of APC, whose political fate was long determined, it was Zamfara State and INEC, despite the many threats, has refused to cringe. The inability of the Zamfara APC to field candidates for this election was a development guided by statute and so, manipulation became somewhat

impossible.

Of all the courts that had also ruled on the matter concerning the state, the overriding ones had always exempted the state from being recognised by INEC. It was also for the same reason that when the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Abbakar Malami, allegedly wrote to INEC, instructing it to enlist candidates of Zamfara, the commission was helpless, because it is a case already determined by law.

This, in spite of the postponement of yesterday’s elections, Zamfara APC stands to gain or lose anything. It is neither in reckoning nor in a position to make any case as far as this election is concerned. All it is doing for now is running against time.

OGUN The Joke of a Rally Last Monday, Ogun State held its own presidential rally and mid-way into the show at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, things started to fall apart as members of the party from other states appeared to have congregated in the state, mainly to openly fight the governor, Ibikunle Amosun and by extension embarrass him.

Unfortunately for these visiting leaders, Amosun seemed popular with his people, who stood up against the oppression of the minority few, who had stood before a crowd that was majorly Amosun’s and ran him down.

While Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had even tried to be a bit diplomatic and civil, the evidence of poor formal education as displayed by the immediate past governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, literally incited the

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THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XXIII) crowd and set the place on fire.

Although in spite of the confusion that later ensued, the rally was believed to have achieved its purpose, attempts to later blame Amosun for the crisis thereafter failed, because a majority of the people realised it was a design to undermine him in his state. Above all, what happened last Monday was a strong indication that election in Ogun State is a serious matter.

Ayogu Eze, who was initially the candidate of the party, was trying to put up appearances on the turf, that has since changed immediately a court stood down the candidacy of Eze and recognised one George Ogara.

Unfortunately for the APC, it has been a rather impossible task fighting a governor, who is not only running on sterling record, but also boasts the capacity to manage the various tendencies in the state, nearly effortlessly. Enugu is still standing and firmly for the PDP.

KADUNA A Dangerous Resort to Rumour On the eve of the postponed election, the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai had alleged that there was a killing of some 66 Fulani, a development that created serious panic and also believed to have influenced the INEC decision on the election. But it has turned out that the report was a hoax by el-Rufai as it has no semblance of truth with happenings in the state.

Now, the development has caused serious concerns, both locally and internationally as people believed it was a mischief conceived by el-Rufai to set the state on fire and by extension the country. In fact, there is a movement now against the governor, seeking clarification to the hoax raised at the level of el-Rufai.

Whatever the Kaduna governor intends to achieve with this, it may have been badly punctured with the Saturday postponement. But beyond that is the need to unravel the reason a governor would resort to cheap gutter politics, hinged on sheer falsehood. Kaduna has by this development brought needless attention unto itself and at the same time, el-Rufai has inadvertently strengthened his opponents in the state.

CROSS RIVER Sprawling in Confusion The battle between Senator John Enoh and the Minister of Niger Delta, Usani Uguru Usani, over who is the authentic governorship candidate of the APC in Cross Rivers State has yet to subside.

With multiple and conflicting court rulings on who should be the candidate of the party, it may appear that the battle for the standard bearer of the party may be far from over. Even in the last days of campaigns, both candidates were still out on the field in search of votes.

It is not sure yet whose name is on the list of INEC although it was the hand of Enoh that President Muhammadu Buhari raised and handed the party’s flag, Usani has not given up and the party has continued to sprawl in confusion in the state.

BORNO Flashes of an Ugly Plight Borno has never left anyone in doubt as to its challenges. It has been under the menace of insurgency for many years and in spite of the songs of technical defeat by the federal government,

KANO The Game Changer

El-Rufai

Enoh

Saraki

Ganduje

nothing has changed significantly about the plight of the people.

Weeks ago, Governor Kashim Shettima of the state cried to the president about the plight of his people, who are daily being killed by Boko Haram. The president though promised to change their story by paying more attention to the state; it didn’t appear he recalled even making such promise.

But last week, the unthinkable happened in the state when the convoy of the governor was attacked by the terrorists, leaving no fewer than four people dead, including a soldier. Such a scary development has gone ahead to confirm the reign of the anti-social group in the state. And with that one ugly flash, Borno is clearly on the edge.

sustaining a scratch.

Regardless, it does appear that the government and its agents are not done with Saraki. He is seen as one thorn in their flesh hence they are not relenting from seeking his fall. The next move against him is an unusual concentration on Kwara for this election. And this, they are doing without moderation and the possibility of an unseen tomorrow.

As small as Kwara is in terms of size and population, it got two men of the DSS posted to it for the elections, one of whom is said to be DSS’s number two and all to sit on Saraki and possibly strangulate him. Whilst no one knows yet what and how they intend to achieve this, Saraki’s game is tighter and would not watch them ride roughshod over him.

KWARA Battle against Saraki Shifts to Kwara For over three years, the government of Muhammadu Buhari has frontally gone after the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, with such determination that sought to destroy him politically.

From allegations that he forged the rules book that was used to elect him to allegations of false asset declaration and a poorly planned removal scheme, Saraki has survived all without as much

Until last week when the PDP held its presidential rally in Kano, the state had almost been conceded to the incumbent as part of its catchment areas in the North West. This assumption was further given fillip to when it became impossible for the governor to visit the state for a couple of years.

But all that changed last week, when Kwankwasiyya, a movement loyal to a former governor of the state and senator, Rabiu Kwankwaso, mobilised its members, who crowded and choked the street of Kano in clear and open support for the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

That rally has since been tagged the game changer, with an effect that transcends the state. That Kano has always been a natural flashpoint every election year, the control and influence currently being boasted by Kwankwaso is not only exciting, but also disturbing.

NIGER Taking an Awkward Chance

Consistently, Enugu has secured and still maintains its place in all of the extrapolations ahead of this year’s election. A strong PDP state with a governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, generally deemed as performing, the state has been written off at different times as impenetrable for the opposition APC. Although the APC through Senator

While others are consolidating ahead of the elections, using everything humanly possible to enhance their chances, the Niger State Government, last week dissolved the 25 local government areas of the state, having served out their three years constitutional terms.

Curiously, what would have happened in other places is an extension of their tenure to cover the period of election before discarding them. In other words, they would have been deemed useful for the elections.

But with the dissolution, it is either that their electoral value is non-existent and the governor needs to appoint others who would be able to deliver for the period of the election or that the governor is under intense pressure to expand the frontiers of political patronage. The local government usually comes handy.

Whichever one is deemed appropriate, the state government under the leadership of Governor Abubakar Sani Bello has taken a rather awkward chance with this idea, politically, and it is yet to be seen how this pulls through for him at the polls.

Buhari

Atiku

ENUGU Still Standing Firm for PDP

Situating the Presidential Run

T

he presidential election suffered a major setback last week with the postponement of the exercise on the grounds of logistics. Also, in the week, the two candidates of PDP and APC signed for the second, a peace understanding that would ensure nothing goes wrong.

Although the elections have been rescheduled for next week,

the cancellation is also yet another opportunity by the parties to review their current stand and firm up their places of advantage.

Also, reactions to the cancellation have also proven that the entire world takes the Nigerian election very seriously and these fears would be laid to a final rest next Saturday, when the elections have been rescheduled.

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FMDQ OTC Sheds N2.63trn in Turnover, Largest in 4 Years Bamidele Famoofo

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he Fixed Income and Currency (FIC) market on the platform of the FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange has recorded its biggest drop in turnover (month-on-month) in four years as at the end of January 2019.

Turnover, according to figures made available by FMDQ OTC, registered a 14.85 percent or N2.63trillion decrease in the first month of business activities in 2019.

It was the first time in the history of the market when value will record such a magnitude of drop.

Effort to get an explanation for the unprecedented turnover drop from the company proved abortive as at the time of press as officials contacted on phone declined comments saying they were not in the position to explain the performance.

Meanwhile, THISDAY investigation revealed that the closest to the drop recorded in January 2019 was in 2017 when turnover dropped by 13.09 per cent or N1.65trillion.

History has also shown that it is the culture in the FIC market for investment activities to start lower than it ended the previous year.

Record shows that turnover of transactions carried out in the FIC for the month of January 2016 settled at N7.35trillion; a N80.23billion (1.08 per cent ) decrease over the value recorded in December 2015.

In the same manner, turnover of transactions carried out in the FIC market for the month of January 2017 amounted to N10.65trillion; a 13.09 per cent N1.65trillion reduction while for the month of January 2018, turnover amounted to N11.71trillion; a 1.28 per cent decrease (N0.15trillion) from the value recorded in December 2017.

Howbeit, on year-on-year basis, turnover in the last four years have recorded an appreciation except in 2016 when it recorded a 33.56 per cent or N3.71trillion drop.

Year-on-year, turnover increased by 28.78 per cent or N3.37trillion as at January 2019.

Breakdown of investment activities in the market in January 2019 showed that the Treasury Bills (T. bills) and Foreign Exchange (FX) market segments remained the major drivers of turnover in the FIC market, jointly accounting

for 78.69per cent of turnover in January and higher by 2.21 percentage points from their contribution to turnover in December (76.48 per cent).

Total FX market turnover in January 2019 was $14.91billion, representing a 35.36 per cent ($3.89billion) MoM increase from the turnover recorded in December 2018 ($11.01billion).

According to FMDQ, “The increase in FX turnover in January can be attributed to the 150.61 per cent and 0.61 per cent rise in Member-Clients and Inter-Member trades which was only marginally offset by the 27.55 per cent decrease in Member-CBN3 trades.”

“Contrastingly, turnover at the Investors & Exporters (I&E) FX Window in January 2019 recorded 22.42 per cent ($1.11billion) and 26.86 per cent ($1.41billion) MoM and YoY decreases respectively to close at $3.84billion from the $4.95billion and $5.25billion recorded in December and January 2018 respectively,” FMDQ explained.

Analysis of FX turnover by product type showed that FX Spot was the main driver of the overall increase in FX turnover, with a MoM increase of 462.93 per cent ($7.84billion). FMDQ disclosed that the increase in FX Spot could be attributed to FX inflow for investments in the higher yielding FGN5 fixed income securities.

Conversely, FX Derivatives recorded a MoM decrease of 42.34 per cent ($3.95bn), driven mainly by a 44.89 per cent decline in Member-CBN FX Swaps turnover, while turnover in FX Futures also declined by 35.66 per cent . In January, the 31st Naira-settled OTC FX Futures Contract (NGUS JAN 30 2019) with total open contract of $515.09million matured and was settled on FMDQ, while a new 12-month Futures contract (NGUS JAN 29 2020) with a notional principal of $1.00billion and futures price of $/N364.65 was listed on the OTC Exchange In January 2019, the Nigerian Naira appreciated against the US Dollar at the I&E FX Window, gaining 97 kobo to close the month at $/N363.03 (from $/N364.00 recorded in December 2018). However, relative to January 2018, the Naira has depreciated by N3.03 ($/N360.00 in January 2018).

Similarly, the CBN Official Spot rate appreciated by 25 kobo to close at $/N306.75 (from $/N307.00 recorded in December in 2018). The $/N rate at the Parallel market appreciated

by N2.00 to close at $/N361.00 (from $/N363.00 recorded in December).

Total T. bills (including OMO6 bills) outstanding recorded a MoM decrease of N0.16trillion to close at N2.58trillion as the CBN continued mopping up liquidity via its OMO auctions to curtail build-up of inflationary pressure. FGN Bonds remained flat at N8.26trillion as at January 31, 2019.

Furthermore, the split in sovereign debt between long and short-term debt as at January was 76:24 (long vs. short term), close to the target ratio of 75:25 outlined in the Debt Management Strategy (2016 - 2019) Monthly Trading Intensity in the T. bills and FGN Bonds markets decreased marginally from 0.49 and 0.09 in December 2018, to 0.46 and 0.08 in January respectively, as the 12.77 percent rise in T. bills and FGN Bonds outstanding did not result in similar or higher growth in turnover. T. bills within the 6-12 months maturity bracket remained the most actively traded in January 2019, accounting for 44.57 percent of the total FI market turnover.

Weighted average yields on short, medium and long-term maturities on the sovereign yield curve decreased by 0.80ppts, 0.07ppts and 2.18ppts respectively in January 2019.

Yield spread between the 3-month T. bill and the 10-year FGN Bond decreased by 217 basis points (bps) to close at 3.18ppts in January 2019 (1.01ppts in December 2018) Turnover recorded in the Repos/Buy-Backs segment of the Money Market was N2.45trillion in January 2019, representing a 27.39 percent (N0.92trn) MoM decrease from N3.37trillion recorded in December 2018, and a 31.78per cent (N0.59trn) YoY increase from the turnover recorded in January 2018.

Furthermore, Unsecured Placements/Takings closed the month with a turnover of N49.95billion, representing a 11.68 per cent (N6.60bn) MoM decrease from N56.55billion recorded in December 2018, and a YoY decrease of 58.58 per cent (N70.66billion).

Average O/N7 NIBOR8 decreased by 6.20ppts to close at 19.09 per cent in January 2019 from 25.29 per cent reported for December 2018, indicating an increase in liquidity in the inter-bank market Total number of executed trades reported on the E-Bond Trading System in January was 13,636 representing a 13.47 percent (2,122) MoM decrease from the number of trades executed in December (15,758), driven by a MoM decrease in T. bills and FGN Bonds trade by 2,059 (14.07 per cent ) and 63 (5.62per cent ) respectively.

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With Improved GDP Growth, Experts Seek Increased Investment, Inclusive Growth Beyond the euphoria of gross domestic product (GDP) growth recorded for last year, government must thrive to boost output in critical non-oil sector and ensure growth translates to poverty reduction, writes James Emejo

A

gainst the backdrop of poor economic indices particularly regarding latest unemployment rate, which shot up to 23.1 per cent from 18.8 per cent as well as its weak recovery in previous quarters, Nigerian economy, no doubt beat analysts’ expectations going by the strong growth of 2.38 per cent it posted in the fourth quarter of 2018 (Q4, 2018), indicating a 0.55 percentage rise compared to the 1.81 per cent growth recorded in the preceding quarter. On an annual basis, the economy grew at 1.93 per cent in 2018, largely buoyed by the non-oil sector.

In fact, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), in the Nigerian Gross Domestic Product Report for the fourth quarter and full year 2018, stated that in monetary terms aggregate nominal GDP stood at N35.23 trillion, higher than N31.27 trillion recorded in Q4, 2017, representing a nominal growth rate of 12.65 per cent while real GDP growth stood at N19.04 trillion.

However, nominal GDP for the whole of 2018 stood at N127. 76 trillion, representing a nominal growth rate of 12.36 per cent when compared to N113.71 trillion in 2017.

Also, average daily oil production stood at 1.91 million barrels per day (mbpd), lower than the 1.94 mbpd in Q3 2018 as well as 1.95 mbpd recorded in Q4,2017.

The oil sector contributed 7.06 per cent to real GDP in Q4, down from 9.38 per cent in Q3 and 7.35 per cent in Q4,2017.

For 2018, the contribution of the oil sector to aggregate real GDP was 8.60 per cent, compared to 8.67 per cent in 2017, the NBS further noted.

Oil sector recorded a negative real GDP growth rate of 1.62 per cent (year-on-year) in Q4 2018, indicating a decline of –12.81 per cent relative to the growth rate recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2017.

On the other hand, the non-oil sector contributed 92.94 per cent to real GDP in Q4, 2018, slightly higher than the 92.65 per cent recorded in Q4 2017.

The non-oil sector grew by 2.70 per cent in real terms within the review period. This is 1.25 per cent higher than the growth rate recorded in Q4 2017, and 0.38 per cent higher than the growth rate recorded in Q3 2018.

On an annual basis, the non-oil sector recorded a growth rate of 2 per cent in 2018, performing considerably better than 0.47 per cent in 2017.

For 2018, annual contribution of the non-oil sector was 91.40 per cent compared to 91.33 per cent in 2017.

Even though the latest performance have been commended and celebrated particularly by government officials and economic handlers, who had somewhat politicised the outcome especially amid the general election, concerns have been expressed over the fact that growth had never translated into better employment generation and poverty reduction as people have only gotten poorer.

Reacting to the country’s GDP growth, however, the presidency said the performance reflected clear indication of the effectiveness of the economic policies of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, said with the maintenance of the growth trajectory, the economic diversification objectives of ERGP were set to be realised.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, expressed delight over the performance of the economy in the fourth quarter of 2018, particularly given that growth was largely driven by the non-oil sector which grew by 2.70 per cent in the quarter, posting a growth of 2 per cent for full year 2018, representing the strongest growth in non-oil GDP since the fourth quarter of 2015.

According to him, the performance reflected the Buhari-led administration’s continued implementation of targeted policies, programmes and projects across various MDAs and other sectors of the economy as set out in the ERGP.

Economic activities at the Lagos Port

Analysts have nonetheless stressed need for increased investments in the country in order to achieve better and sustainable growth.

However, an economist confided in THISDAY that though the performance of the economy is encouraging, “government need to sustain the tempo and consolidate on our economic diversification effort as encapsulated in economic recovery and growth plan, while also ensuring the growth is not epileptic with little or no translation to job creation and improved welfare of Nigerians.�

Also, Professor of Finance and Capital Market at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, said though a welcoming performance, the growth still felt short of the growth projection in the 2018 budget.

According to him, “It is not yet Uhuru though.

A GDP growth rate of 1.9 per cent in 2018 is a far cry from the about 3 per cent target projected in the 2018 budget. “This is good news. It is remarkable for an economy that exited five quarters of negative output growth in a row only a few months ago. “This performance has a lot to do with the recovery in crude oil price and output, accretion to foreign reserves and the associated stability in the foreign exchange market. “It is also reflective of some of the policies and measures put in place by the government to stimulate the economy including the Anchor Borrower programme, which has boosted the agric sector as well as other interventions by the CBN to ensure that credit is channeled to the real sector. “It would appear also that the government’s investment in infrastructure especially power, rail and roads is beginning to yield fruits. It is evident from the recent GDP figure that the economy has returned to a path of positive growth.

He , however, expressed concern that growth had not been a “job-led growth considering that unemployment rate actually increased just about the same period, between Q3 2017 and Q3 2018, from 18.8 per cent to 23.1 per cent, according to the National Bureau of Statistics.� “So, we need to begin to focus on inclusive growth. This is because GDP growth alone, although necessary, is not a sufficient condition for economic development. “The challenge therefore is for the government to

ensure that the GDP growth rate is not only above the annual population growth rate of about 3 per cent on a sustainable basis, but that such growth is driven especially by the employment-elastic sectors of the economy such as manufacturing, ICT, construction etc as opposed to the oil sector which contributes less than 10 per cent of GDP and employs less than 5 per cent of the population. “In other words, going forward, the government should intensify ongoing efforts at powering the economy through the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises for inclusive growth.�

Also, analysts at Cordros Capital Limited advised government to focus more on structural reforms rather than popular reform to be able to sustain growth in 2019.

In its assessment of developments in the economy particularly as elections are conducted, it noted among other things that, “Amidst elevated headwinds, economic growth to remain robust Incorporating insights from our review of growth drivers over Q4-18, we frame our outlook for 2019 by taking into consideration, the impact of politics ahead of the general elections. In addition, we also answer the burning question of a possible resurgence of security challenges in the Niger-Delta region, and its risk on crude oil pipeline attacks, which could dampen oil production and thus, oil earnings. “For one, we believe the incumbent government’s focus on popular reforms instead of structural reforms for much of Q1-19 will act to impede growth particularly in the first half. That said, credit to President Buhari’s regime, the Niger Delta Avengers agreed to a ceasefire at the twilight of 2016 on account of the administration’s conciliatory efforts and higher amnesty allocation in the 2017 and 2018 budgets (NGN65 billion per annum). Nigeria’s exit from recession in 2017 owed much to the foregoing, with oil production averaging 1.95mb/d since Q3-17 (Q3-16: 1.61 mb/d). “We are largely optimistic of a peaceful election process and expect that the amnesty programme will be sustained, irrespective of the outcome of the election. Against the foregoing, we estimate oil production to average 2.05mb/d (2018 average: 1.93mb/d), translating to 2019FY oil GDP growth of +5.8% y/y.�

Furthermore, analysts told THISDAY that the performance of the economy last year necessitated the need for increased investments in the country in order to achieve better and sustainable growth.

Renaissance Capital’s Global Chief Economist, Mr. Charles Robertson, in a note to THISDAY, pointed out that for Nigeria to achieve better long-term growth, ideally oil price would have to rise, saying with high oil prices, Nigeria tends to grow at over five per cent.

In addition, he called for a doubling of investment to GDP in Nigeria, in order to industrialise and effectively diversify the economy. “A tripling of electricity consumption (not just generation, it has to be distributed too) – is essential for industrialisation and diversification. A more competitive currency – the market rate today is overvalued by about 20 per cent,� Robertson argued.

Comparing Nigeria’s GDP performance to other oil exporters, Robertson stated that the country only did better than Equatorial Guinea, Republic of Congo and Venezuela, but worse than other of its peers. “Nigeria is probably no longer the biggest economy in Africa – if we use the market exchange rate, which averaged 362/$. Note however, we can’t be sure as we don’t have South Africa’s 2018 GDP figures so it’s possible the IMF forecasts for South Africa in 2018 is too high,� he stated.

Chief Executive Officer of Cowry Assets Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, who spoke on telephone with THISDAY, attributed the impressive performance recorded in the Q4 of 2018 to heightened economic activities due to the yuletide. “If you look at 2017 also, the last quarter was 2.17 per cent, which was also the highest in that year. So, if you compare the full year GDP of 1.93 per cent with that of other countries at our level of development, most of them are doing more than six per cent. So, I don’t think we have any reason to celebrate a GDP growth rate of 1.93 per cent, especially with our population growth rate of about three per cent,� Chukwu said.

But FXTM’s Global Head of Currency Strategy and Market Research, Mr. Jameel Ahmad, argued that with the stronger Q4 growth, Nigeria could be gaining economic momentum.

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An Attempt to Diversify the Economy In line with its Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), the federal government recently sealed a deal with Africa Import and Export Bank (Afreximbank), Bank of Industry (BOI) and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) to establish economic zones that will boost manufacturing GDP by 20 per cent, and increase revenue by $30billion as well as create 1.5 million jobs all by 2025. Bamidele Famoofo examines the government’s readiness to implement the project and deliver its benefits to Nigerians in seven years

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he ambition of government to shift revenue focus from oil has recorded another milestone with the signing of agreement between the federal government, Afreximbank, Bank of Industry and the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA), to create three special economic zones, where made in Nigeria goods will be produced and exported to earn foreign exchange for the country.

The ultimate goal of government for signing the deal to establish six manufacturing hubs in the six geo-political zones of the country as highlighted in its economic blueprint christened the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) is to boost manufacturing thereby boosting the contribution of the sector to Gross Domestic Plan (GDP) to at least 20 per cent in the next seven years. Government through the special economic zones planned to increase the nation’s revenue by $30billion-about N9.15trillion (at the current exchange rate of N305 to a dollar)- and also generate 1.5million jobs all by 2025.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who presided over the signing of the agreement with three out of five development financial institutions (DFIs), inside Aso Rock, said the Made in Nigeria for Exports (MINE) project aims at positioning the country as the pre-eminent manufacturing hub in sub-Saharan Africa and as a major exporter of made in Nigeria goods and services regionally and globally. “This is a presidential special priority intervention aimed at using the zones to attract substantial foreign and domestic investment for the development of worldclass facilities dedicated to export-oriented manufacturing in a range of industries across Nigeria,� Buhari explained.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enelamah, added that the ministry was facilitating the setup of the economic zones throughout Nigeria for specific goals, including to help overcome the infrastructure disadvantages faced by local manufacturers, and promote the cluster effects gained by locating similar manufacturing businesses together.

He recalled that the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) identified the development of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) as a major strategic tool to accelerate the implementation of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP).The projects in the pilot phase include Enyimba Economic City in the South-east zone, Funtua Cotton Cluster, North-West; and Lekki Model Industrial Park, South-west.

Execution Plan To ascertain that the project hits the ground running, on June 2018 the Nigeria Special Economic Zone Investment Company Limited (NSEZCO) was set up as the special purpose vehicle to deliver project MINE and harness the federal government’s spending on the SEZs. “With the signing, the investment company in the special economic zones (SEZ) will become operational�, the president said.

The federal government set up NSEZCO Limited as a vehicle for participating in public-private partnerships involving federal and state governments and local and foreign private investors to develop new Special Economic Zones all over the country, offering world-class infrastructure and facilities at competitive costs.

Buhari also said, the federal government

Enelamah

MD, NSIA, Mr. Uche Orji

President, Afreximbank, Bennedict Oramah

was implementing a comprehensive plan. The plan includes, “the invitation of experienced Special Economic Zone developers and operators to partner with us to upgrade the federal government owned Free Trade Zones in Calabar and Kano, to offer world class standards of infrastructure and facilities.’’ “Whilst we await the completion of the process of bringing in these investors, the Federal Executive Council has approved the award of contracts in excess of N19.45 billion for the needed investment in Calabar and Kano Free Trade Zones and work is currently ongoing. This is the highest amount of capital investment ever in the history of these zones�, FG hinted.

According to Buhari: “We have allocated substantial funds to upgrade the capabilities of our people and the systems in the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority to strengthen it as a regulator of our Special Economic Zones; and we are allocating substantial resources to the provision of “outside the fence� infrastructure to ensure that our Special Economic Zones are connected to global, regional and domestic markets. We are reviewing our incentive framework to ensure competitiveness relative to the other countries with whom we are in the race to attract export-oriented global manufacturing investment.�

He added that the federal government will extend the early successes achieved in ease of doing business to the areas critical to globally competitive export-oriented manufacturing operations. “On governance, oversight of the project rests with the Honourable Minister of Industry, Trade & Investment, supported by the Honourable Minister of State and the Permanent Secretary, who comprise the leadership of MITI. “The leadership of MITI is supported by a Project Steering Committee (SteerCo), with membership drawn from a cross section of stakeholders, set up to support project oversight, governance and implementation. “It meets on a regular basis to review progress of project implementation, proffer advice and assist in problem solving.

interest in making the dream come true.

Already, both Afreximbank and Export and Import Bank of China have committed $1billion (about N305billion) to the project.

Enelamah, who made the revelation also said there is plan in the budget to fund the execution of the project. “NSEZCO intends to raise at least $500 million in equity over the first five years in order to execute its ambitious strategy of becoming a leading investor in special economic zones in the country. The other investment partners are the African Development Bank (AfDB) and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC),� Enelamah added.

Apart from securing direct funding for the SEZs projects, there are indications that government is making effort to boost infrastructure development in the country that will have a direct impact on the actualisation of the project.

For instance, Buhari approved the establishment of a Presidential Infrastructure Development Fund (PIDF), which is to be managed by the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority (NSIA) for specific investment in critical road and power projects across the country.

In line with the agenda, the National Economic Council (NEC) on May 17, 2018, authorised the initial transfer of $650 million (about N198.25billion) to the NSIA from the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) Dividend Account, as seed funding for PIDF. “This initiative aims to eliminate the risks of project funding, cost variation and completion that have plagued the development of the nation’s critical infrastructure assets — such as the 2nd Niger Bridge, Lagos to Ibadan Expressway, East—West Road, Abuja to Kano Road, Mambilla Hydroelectric Power — over the last few decades. This commitment by the President and NEC, allows all state governments to own an economic interest in the project companies that will be professionally developed and managed by the NSIA. The investments will yield returns, which will diversify revenues to states, improve the fiscal sustainability profile of the federation and ensure Nigerians benefit from modernised Infrastructure for decades to come. The PIDF will secure counterpart funds required for projects being co-developed with China Exim and China Develop,� FG disclosed.

ERGP Reviewed ERGP was launched in 2016. It was aimed at stimulating the economy, activating growth of non-oil sector and delivering a robustly diversified and sustainable economic growth and development.

Also, it was designed to among others, sustain private sector growth, help businesses grow capacity, and remove bottleneck to business growth.

The implementation of the ERGP plan started yielding results when in 2017, less than one year after its launch, Nigeria jumped 24 places on the World Bank Doing Business index, and was listed among the 10 most reforming economies globally, feats that attracted accolades and commendation for the federal government’s economic policies.

The ERGP articulates government’s vision for the country and lays the foundation for long-term growth. The underlying philosophy is to optimise local content and to empower local businesses. The three strategic objectives of the plan are to: restore and sustain growth; invest in the people; and build a globally competitive economy.

Speaking about government’s commitment to make the ERGP work and deliver on its promises, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, during one of the strategic sessions to articulate the plans, said: “The ERGP is unlike others introduced by governments in the past. At its core is a focused approach to its implementation, supported in particular, by the highest level of political will, from the President himself through to our civil servants on the ground. It is no longer business as usual for us in government.�

He said, following the six weeks of lab work, which included the participation of around 300 individuals from the government, working to resolve issues and problems presented by captains of industry, “we as a government are clearer today as to what we can do today to remove the regulatory and bureaucratic bottlenecks within the ambits of the law.� “The reality is that if we say that we are committed to improving the business environment and serious about making our economy more market-driven, we cannot but take the outcomes of the Labs very seriously.�

Funding Besides government equity commitment to drive the project, five DFIs have shown

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹Ϳ˜ ͺ͸͹΁

WAHEED OLAGUNJU

Olagunju

Domestic and Foreign Investors Must Collaborate to Fully Harness Nigeria’s Economic Potentials His career trajectory and accomplishments in Development Banking and Public Service spanning over 28 years speak volume of his resilience, determination and penchant for continuous capacity building. Dr. Waheed Olagunju, who joined the Bank of Industry’s (BOI) precursor institution of the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) in 1990 as senior manager rose to the position of executive director, Business Development in 2012, when he became the first career staff to attain such a height. He was reassigned as executive director, Small and Medium Enterprises (ED,SME) in August 2014. Olagunju scored another first as the only career staff, who acted twice as managing director & chief executive officer of the bank between April and May 2014 as well as between February 2016 and May 2017 in addition to his responsibilities as ED, BD and ED,SME. Under his leadership of the SME Directorate between 2014 and 2018, the bank’s annual lending to SMEs rose phenomenally from the average annual lending of N1.8 billion in previous years to N28.3billion by 2018. In this interview with Raheem Akingbolu on his development banking career journey, Olagunju speaks about the various developments that led to the establishment of BOI in 2001 and in its transformation from a marginal national development finance institution (DFI) into an internationally rated AA organisation. As he retires at the age of 60 years after 28 years in the development banking environment, where he had considerable domestic and international exposure, he also opens up on his plans in retirement to deploy his vast experience, knowledge and expertise to offer advisory services to national and subnational governments, players in the private sector and civil society organisations across Africa as well as the international development community

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹Ϳ˜ ͺ͸͹΁

25

For More Enabling Environment, There Should be Massive Improvement in Infrastructure

H

ow was it like serving the bank for 28 years ?

I have to start by giving gratitude to the Almighty God and the people He used to guide my 28-year career at the 60-year-old bank. When I joined NIDB in 1990, I did not know that I could go this far. Well, here I am retiring after heading five different departments/directorates that included serving as company secretary for 16 years, and concurrently as general manager strategic planning, corporate secretariat and corporate communications for six years and subsequently as executive director for six years during which I acted as MD & CEO twice. Within the 28-year period, I served under six chief executive officers of NIDB/BOI, many board chairmen and directors as well as supervising ministers.

I was actively involved with the reconstruction of NIDB into BOI (2000-2001) and the consolidation of the mandates of NIDB, the Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry (NBCI) and the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) into that of the Bank of Industry.

I worked with Messrs KPMG, the consultancy firm that was engaged to handle the exercise and the leadership of the Federal Ministry of Industry.

In the early years of BOI, I also coordinated the institutional and management study of BOI that was undertaken between 2004 and 2005 by the Swedish Consultants (Messrs Swedish Development Advisers), who were appointed by the African Development Bank. Similarly I played leading roles in the implementation of their recommendations that formed vital input into BOI’s paradigm shift that was launched in 2006. So, with all sense of humility and by the special grace of God, It’s been a great opportunity to have been part of the remarkable teams led by four outstanding CEOs that turned the institution around from a marginal national development finance institution (DFI) into an internationally AA rated organisation.

Specifically under my leadership of the SME Directorate between 2014 and 2018, the bank’s annual lending to SMEs rose phenomenally from the average annual lending of N1.8 billion in previous years to N28.3billion by 2018. When I acted as MD & CEO between 2016 and 2017, the bank recorded remarkable improvements that culminated in BOI’s ratings by international and domestic rating agencies being upgraded and affirmed by 2016. While Moody’s assigned BOI Aa1 in 2016 up from Ba3 of 2015, Agusto’s rating of AA- in 2016 was higher than A+ of 2015. AA+ assigned by Fitch in 2015 was affirmed in 2016.

With all you that you have put into BOI, are you satisfied with the bank’s contribution to Nigeria’s industrial development?

Considering where the bank was in 2001, when the turnaround began under BOI’s pioneer MD & CEO, Dr. Lawrence Osa-Afiana and the meteoric efforts put in by his three successors – Ms Evelyn Oputu, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa and the incumbent MD, Olukayode Pitan and what the unaudited highly impressive numbers looked like in quarter 4 of 2018 under the present management and board, I would say BOI’s sustained turnaround would go down as one of the most successful in the annals of efforts at transforming state owned enterprises in Africa. Incidentally, my doctorate dissertation was on BOI so I am speaking from an enlightened position and as a participant in the process. The sustained improvements in the key parameters are in thousands of percentage and testimonies abound from thousands of micro, small, medium and large entrepreneurs across the country who have benefited from BOI’s facilities.

Many of them have continued to be showcased on the bank’s weekly television programmes.

Therefore, I am satisfied with BOI’s contributions to Nigeria’s industrial development and I have no doubt that it would be sustained provided the quality of leadership at all levels are not compromised and insulation from political interference sustained- situations that have been the bane of many state-owned enterprises in Africa, especially publicly owned development finance institutions.

How would you react to those who feel the bank has not done much since the contribution of the manufacturing sector to Nigeria’s GDP has remained single digit

Olagunju

for decades?

We need to appreciate that capital is just one of the factors of production. There are a lot of other things that must be in place for a country to become industrialised. While Nigeria’s 200 million population which if well harnessed could be translated into rich human capital and potentially huge market with strong effective demand as well as its globally strategic coastal location, favourable climatic conditions and vast natural resource endowments are factors that could catalyse our country into becoming an industrialised nation where the manufacturing sector would contribute up to 20 per cent of its GDP, these factors are not sufficient for actualising its industrial development potentials. For Nigeria’s environment to be more enabling, there needs to be massive improvements in infrastructure such as electricity, rail and inland water ways as well as road network which gratifyingly are now being addressed. We also need to re-educate our population from being job seekers towards entrepreneurship as we need millions of entrepreneurs, who can efficiently convert our several comparative advantages in agriculture, mining, petroleum as well as the creative industry into competitive advantage.

Boost in indigenous entrepreneurship is crucial for the development of Nigeria’s private sector where increased collaboration is required between Nigerian entrepreneurs and their foreign counterparts, who would only invest in Nigeria if Nigerians are investing in Nigeria. Here is the importance of Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s refinery, petrochemical and fertilizer plant which is the biggest in the world. This would engender more desired foreign direct investments into Nigeria as opposed to the hot money from portfolio investors that could be withdrawn as speedily as they are invested in money and capital markets.

Considering our youthful demography, Information and Communications Technology is another potential growth area. A lot could similarly be achieved through the construction industry driven by significant local inputs. If we are to fully harness our natural resources and add value to them, we would not have enough manpower to operate our economy. This is the basis for my assertion that unemployment in Nigeria is artificial. I am, indeed, an incurable optimist, when it comes to Nigeria’s prosperity prospects. Now all these require huge investments that cannot be undertaken with insufficient domestic financial resources especially considering that the average savings rate is about 15 per cent.

According to some schools of thought, Nigeria needs to constantly invest up to 40 per cent of its annual GDP to record double digit growth rate consistently over a period of twenty years to attain industrialised nation status and per capita income of about $15,000 provided our annual

population growth rate does not exceed 3 per cent. So, if we need to invest 40 per cent of our annual GDP and the annual rate of savings is 15 per cent, there is a funding gap of 25 per cent that has to be filled by external financiers whose doing so would be predicated on their level of confidence in Nigeria as measured by many factors including the depth of our democracy, adherence to the rule of law, the perceived level of corruption etc. Here in lies the absolute need for BOI’s upward trajectory to be sustained as it is very well placed to mobilise considerable suitable financial resources in support of Nigeria’s industrialisation. All staff of the bank are conscious of this and are irrevocably committed to adhering to global best practices in all its undertakings and maintaining the institution’s high international ratings.

Looking back what would you attribute your successful career in development banking to considering that you were initially a broadcaster ?

First and foremost, the grace of God as I did not plan to go into banking. Secondly in implementing His design God also brought me into contact with some ordained executors of His plans for me. His chosen executors turned out to be my benefactors and very good bosses in NTA, NIDB and BOI from whom I learnt quite a lot about broadcasting, banking and life in general. Thirdly, God crowned my diligent efforts as I actually worked very hard, underwent considerable training on the job, and retraining whilst improving myself educationally. In addition to my Bachelor ofArts and Master of Social Sciences degrees that I bagged from the University of Lagos in 1981 and 1984 respectively as well a professional certificate in Investment Appraisal and Risk Analysis from the Queens University, Canada in 2013 and a Doctorate Degree in Business Administration from the Paris School of Business in 2017, I also obtained a certificate in Executive Development in 2018 from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, United States of America. Other contributory factors have been humility, perseverance and crowning all these with prayers for divine guidance in absolute submission to God’s best wishes for me.

Talking about my broadcast career, the assignments that I undertook and how I handled them consistently stood me out, as my reports were always research based. Practising broadcast journalism well broadens ones views and also gives one considerable domestic and international exposure. As head of the economy desk, I developed a Communication Support Programme for the Structural Adjustment Programme that met with stiff resistance from most Nigerians in the mid 80s. It was while undertaking these assignments on behalf of the federal government

that I met and related with highly knowledgeable and distinguished personalities from various backgrounds in and outside Nigeria who made lasting impact on me in terms of knowledge acquisition and experience sharing as well as value formation that got me prepared for my development banking career at the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank.

I was virtually embedded in the national economic management team that included Alhaji Abubakar Alhaji, Dr Kalu Idika Kalu, Dr. Chu SP Okongu, Chief Olu Falae and interacted with the international development community.

I had to educate myself, read a lot and learnt a lot about other countries implementing structural adjustment programmes in Africa, South America and Asia. It was like undertaking crash programmes in development financing as I attended many international development fora and visited, several times, the world’s leading multilateral development finance institutions and interviewed their chief executives such as Mr Barber Conable of the World Bank, Mr. Mitchell Camdesus of the International Monetary Fund, Sir William Ryre of the International Finance Corporation and the late Mr Babacar Ndiaye of the African Development Bank. I was also at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA). This exposed me to the workings of these international financial institutions.Another major organisation I interacted with was the European Investment Bank. In fact, I covered the negotiations that led to the fourth Lome Convention in 1989 under the European Economic Community’s partnership with countries in the Africa Caribbean & Pacific regions. I give this background to establish the fact that by the time I joined NIDB in 1990, I had proper understanding of what a national DFI does. I would say that I was also lucky to have served under successive chief executives and boards of NIDB/BOI as well as supervising ministers, who gave me the opportunities. Because it is one thing to have the potentials, undertake self-improvement capacity building programmes and quite another to be given the chance to realise those potentials. In this regard, I remain grateful to Mallam Ibrahim Aliyu through whom I joined the NIDB in 1990 and his successor, Alhaji Saidu Kasumu, the last MD of NIDB. Ms Evelyn Oputu, who became the second MD of BOI in December 2005 added strategic planning to my schedule in January 2007 when I was promoted General Manager in charge of strategic planning, corporate secretariat and corporate communications. She also recommended my appointment as executive director, business development in December 2012. Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa reassigned me as executive director, small and medium enterprises in 2014. see concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹Ϳ˜ ͺ͸͹΁

ÎÓÞÏÎ Ìã Demola Ojo ×ËÓÖ demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Eko Hotel Raises the Bar with Lagos Irish Pub Demola Ojo

I

t hasn’t been officially launched, but it’s no secret that the place to be for a truly unique pub experience is the new Lagos Irish Pub at Eko Gardens, one of the units that make up the hospitality and entertainment behemoth known as the Eko Hotels and Suites.

The recent upgrade at Eko Hotel is unmistakably visible. The lobby and walkways at the main building and other parts of the hotel are beautifully lit, giving it a glitzier look than before, while the decor has been upgraded.

There is also an increase in the dining options with the recent introduction of the My Thai restaurant and of course, the Lagos Irish Pub. The Irish Pub is a rotunda set within the calm environs of Eko Gardens. There is ample space, including an outside section separate from the cosy inner confines. You can smell luxury in the air; the pub is tastefully furnished with premium leather and well-crafted, finely-finished wood.

The plush leather seats are in earthy tones, brown bar stools complemented by burgundy lounges and dark green sofas.

Luxury is what sets LIP apart and it would be difficult to find a pub anywhere that measures up in this regard.

Irish pubs have existed for roughly a millennium. Traditionally, they are chosen for their proximity to home or work, the availability of a particular beer or ale or a good selection of drinks, good food, a social atmosphere and the presence of friends and acquaintances.

There is generally a very close and mutual understanding and informality between the customer and the staff and, in many cases, virtually all of the regular customers will know each other very well.

That warm and friendly atmosphere extends to outsiders as well and it is not uncommon for strangers or tourists to be drawn into conversations with locals.

The Lagos Irish Pub ticks the boxes when it comes to the convivial atmosphere and the sense of community. It is commonplace, rather than rare, to see guests mixing and dancing to the tunes of the live band, a three-man South American ensemble with a female lead singer.

Her sonorous voice is adept at switching from Latin pop to contemporary blues.

Sometimes guests are serenaded with jazz

A section of the new Lagos Irish Pub

versions of the most popular hip-hop tunes.

The clientele is as eclectic as the music served, as diverse as the options on the food menu.

On one of the occasions this writer was there, young upwardly-mobile Lagosians coming in after work to relax, rubbed shoulders and chatted with a popular Nigerian senator enjoying a night out with his family, while a large group from the Dominican Republic joined the band in the singing and dancing.

A couple of Italian men and a Chinese joined in reciting lyrics from popular Nigerian songs playing from the speakers during an interlude.

LIP is the favourite haunt for many other nationalities either passing through Lagos or

who have temporarily settled, including the many Brits who can’t believe their luck. All revelling in the authentic pub atmosphere.

Large lamps and colourful glazed glass are just as prominent as the multiple TV screens which make sports viewing a pleasure.

Lofted above the oval bar and accessible via a spiral staircase is a DJ booth, warming up for the lucky jockey that will be commissioned to thrill the classy clientele.

The food and wide variety of drinks are - in keeping with the pub theme and culture – affordable and in many cases, served at a lower price than other outlets within the hotel, a pleasant surprise when you consider the pub’s luxurious feel.

The addition of the Irish Pub is in line with what sets Eko Hotel apart from the

Africa’s Travel Indaba Rescheduled for May 2-4

T

he 2019 Africa’s Travel Indaba will take place from May 2 – 4 at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban.

This new date comes after the Indaba had to be rescheduled, following an announcement that the South African national elections will be held on the initial dates of May 6-8.

Following the announcement, a task team was set up by the CEO of South African Tourism (SA Tourism), Sisa Ntshona, to explore all available options and it was decided that moving Indaba forward was the best possible option.

The task team took into account various factors and permutations in reaching the new date.

“The national election is the cornerstone of our democracy and is a celebration of our freedom in South Africa,” Ntshona said.

“It’s an important date and occasion for all South Africans and we need to acknowledge and respect the date. At the same time, I must express my heartfelt gratitude to the Tourism industry for their understanding of the situation.

“I have received many calls, emails and texts with advice and support. I am really impressed to experience how the tourism sector gets together. I also want to thank the Indaba Organising Committee involved with Indaba…for being accommodating with regards to the change,” Ntshona added.

“We will now work with all our trade partners to ensure that there is smooth transition into the new date as many would’ve had plans in place already for the previous date.

“We still have a key role to play in achieving Indaba’s objectives of selling South Africa and the continent to the rest of the world,” the Task team assured.

CEO SA Tourism Sisa Ntshona

competition, not just in Lagos but further afield: the number of country-themed restaurants and bars the hotel boasts of.

The menus at these outlets transport customers to different countries through culinary experiences unique to them.

My Thai restaurant serves the best of authentic Thai cuisine, the Sky Restaurant remains Asian fusion with a French twist, the Red Restaurant is Chinese, Crossroads is Mexican, 1415 at Eko Signature serves seafood and steakhouse, and the Lagoon Breeze offers continental dishes.

Also, the restaurant formerly known as the Grill Steakhouse at Eko Suites is now an Afrocentric restaurant. Now known as 88 Restaurant, it offers tasty African dishes in a posh setting.

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BUSINESS/PERSPECTIVE

IMO Council: As Nigeria Looks to Return to Category C Vincent Obia

E

arly this month, Mr. Rotmi Fashakin gave a lecture to an in-house audience of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and SafetyAgency (NIMASA).

It was not about CAPITEL-D, an acronym for the new core values taking root at the agency where he serves as Executive Director (Operations). Rather, it was about the attempts by the federal government, through NIMASA, to regain Nigeria’s “lost glory in the comity of maritime nations�, as the agency’s Director-General, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, put it three years ago when an audit raised a question mark over the sector’s performance. It was about efforts to get Nigeria back to Category C of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Council, from where the country fell about seven years ago. “A Finding is a major non-conformity; while an Observation is lesser non-conformity, and Areas for Further Development is also a non-conformity of a lesser degree than an Observation,� Fashakin explained, portraying palpable emotion as he described how Nigeria came to lose its prized status in the maritime world and the determination of NIMASA’s management to reclaim it.

The same emotion has driven the Dakuku-led management of NIMASA to spearhead various actions to return Nigeria to the 20-state IMO Category C. Category C comprises countries, which have special interests in maritime transport or navigation and whose election to the IMO Council will ensure the representation of all major geographic areas of the world. Nigeria lost election into the council in November 2011.

Then, in 2016, a report of the IMO Member State Audit Scheme (IMSAS) raised queries about Nigeria’s maritime sector. IMSAS is the mandatory audit of all IMO member states, “commenced from January 1, 2016, with the aim of determining the extent to which they give full and complete effect to their obligations and responsibilities contained in a number of IMO treaty instruments. “The mandatory IMO instruments included in the scope of the scheme cover safety of life at sea (SOLAS 1974 and its 1988 Protocol); prevention of pollution from ships (MARPOL); standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers (STCW 1978); load lines (LL 66 and its 1988 Protocol); tonnage measurement of ships (Tonnage 1969); and regulations for preventing collisions at sea (COLREG 1972).�

IMO, a specialised agency of the United Nations, was established to develop and adopt regulatory and enforcement legislations for international shipping, while governments are responsible for implementing them. The audit scheme is part of the efforts to standardise shipping as a global business.

When a government ratifies an IMO convention, it agrees to make it part of its national law and to enforce all of its provisions. Apart from governments, other actors in the enforcement of international safety, security and pollution prevention standards as they relate to ships and shipping activities are Recognised Organisations (ROs), shipping companies, and shipboard personnel or seafarers. But, ultimately, the buck stops with the governments.

The IMO instruments implementation code for member states’ audit covers the following areas: strategy for compliance with the international obligations as well as its monitoring, assessment, and improvement; ratification and domestication of IMO conventions; and scope, which covers conventions on safety of life at sea, prevention of pollution from ships, standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers, load lines, tonnage measurement of ships, and regulations for preventing collisions at sea.

Member states are, thus, required to fully implement the following nine mandatory instruments: the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 1974 as amended; the Protocol of 1988 relating to the International

Dakuku

Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS PROTOCOL 1988); the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships 1973 as amended (MARPOL 73/78); the Protocol of 1997 to amend the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL PROTOCOL 1997); and the International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for seafarers, 1978 as amended (STCW 1978. Others are the International Load Lines 1966 (LL 1966); the Protocol of 1988 relating the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966 (LL PROTOCOL 1988); the International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships 1969 (TONNAGE 1969); and the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collision at Sea, 1972 as amended (COLREG 1972).

The IMSAS audit follows a procedure that includes Planning, Preparation, Conducting the Audit, Reporting, Member State Corrective Action Plan, Audit follow-up, and Records.

Nigeria was found wanting in some aspects of the IMO instruments implementation code for member states during the 2016 IMSAS audit.

But it has tried to close up the gaps by doing the necessary things.

The Final Report of the IMSAS audit of Nigeria had a Finding on strategy, which has been closed out in the country’s Corrective Action Plan. There was also a Finding on Nigeria in the area of assignment of responsibilities and obligations to ROs. This, too, has been closed out in the Correction Action Plan, with the Ros Agreement.

On the role of flag states as regards surveyors, the audit scheme requires a flag state to define and document the responsibilities, authority and interrelation of all personnel who manage, perform and verify work relating to safety and pollution prevention. A flag state should also ensure that personnel are qualified and have the requisite experience and technical knowhow to do the work.

In the 2016 audit report, there was a Finding that Nigeria did not comply with the criteria for selection, qualification and training of surveyors. In

the Corrective Action Plan, however, a consultant was engaged to do a draft policy on recruitment, selection, qualification and training of flag state surveyors. It is hoped that the policy would resolve the issues of employment and placement of surveyors.

On the responsibility of flag states with respect to marine safety investigation, the IMSAS audit report on Nigeria contained a Finding that casualty investigations were not conducted in compliance with the mandatory rules of impartiality, objectivity and independence of investigators.

The non-conformity has been amended in the proposed review of the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007.

Under the audit scheme, the obligations and responsibilities of coastal states include provision of radio communication services, meteorological services and warnings, search and rescue services, hydrographic services, and aids to navigation.

The IMSAS audit of Nigeria identified all the above as Areas for Further Development. But in the Corrective Action Plan recently submitted to IMO, there were adequate steps to provide the services.

There were Findings as regards the rights, obligations, and responsibilities of port states, which include provision of port reception facilities, Port State Control, and keeping a register of fuel oil supplies. Nigeria had findings on all these, but they have been closed out in the Corrective Action Plan.

On the whole, the final report of the IMSAS Audit of Nigeria in 2016 contained 11 Findings, one Observation, and seven Areas for Further Development. Nigeria has taken necessary steps to fill the gaps.

But of particular importance are the attempts by NIMASA to bridge the shortfalls in the ratification and domestication of relevant IMO conventions.

States have the responsibility to ratify relevant IMO conventions, domesticate them, and promulgate regulations to give full and complete effect to them to ensure safety of life at sea and protection of the environment. The IMSAS audit of Nigeria had many findings in this area. But the Legal Unit of NIMASA, with

the support of the agency’s management, has moved extensively to try to erase the deficits.

There are ongoing processes by the unit to amend the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007 and NIMASA Act, 2007, and it has engaged a consultant to work on the two Acts.

Dakuku disclosed last month in Lagos that Nigeria had so far ratified 40 IMO and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, covering maritime safety, labour and marine environment. The director-general who spoke during the 8th Strategic Admiralty Law Seminar for Judges organised by NIMASA in conjunction with the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), also explained that 19 of the conventions had been domesticated by way of regulation, adoption or incorporation under the Merchant Shipping Act, 2007.

He stated that the agency was working with the Federal Ministry of Transportation, under the auspices of an inter-ministerial committee, to ratify additional six IMO conventions before the end of 2019.

The conventions are the Hong Kong International Convention for safe and environmentally sound recycling of ships, 2009; Protocol Relating to Intervention on the high seas in cases of oil pollution casualties (Intervention Protocol), 1973; and 1996 Protocol on limitation of liability for maritime claims (LLMC).

Others are 2002 Protocol relating to the carriage of passengers and their luggage by sea (PAL) 1976; International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Fishing Vessel Personnel (STCW-F) 1995; and the Protocol of 2005 to the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Act against the Safety of Maritime Navigation.

Dakuku assured that NIMASA was working with relevant stakeholders under the IMSAS Corrective Action Plan Committee to ensure that all queries raised in the 2016 audit report on Nigeria’s maritime sector were addressed to facilitate the country’s re-election into Category C of the IMO Council.

Implementation of the International Ships and Ports facility Security (ISPS) Code is one area the current management of NIMASA has done very much to eliminate non-compliances.

When Nigeria lost its IMO Council seat in 2011, the country’s implementation status was less than 13 per cent. But the compliance level has since risen to over 80 per cent.

Dakuku had in 2016, shortly after his appointment, said the IMSAS audit was in line with NIMASA’s vision for the maritime industry, stressing, “With the active support of the Honourable Minister of Transportation and the leadership of the agency, which is forward looking, focused, and determined, Nigeria will certainly regain its lost glory in the comity of maritime nations. NIMASA will immediately settle down to work to address these findings.�

By reforming, domesticating international conventions and protocols, and embracing global best practices, Nigeria is hoping to restore its maritime credentials.

The country has submitted its Corrective Action Plan, which contains details of the remedial actions and timelines, to IMO. While late preparation was widely alleged as reason for Nigeria’s failure to make the Category C election at the last IMO Council voting in November 2017, there is no doubt that the country is prioritising early preparation ahead of the November 2019 assembly. And indications are that Nigeria would be a favoured candidate for Category C at the next IMO council poll.

But as Fashakin has cautioned, the IMO Secretary General may send the IMSAS audit team leader to follow-up Nigeria’s Corrective Action Plan with an on-site visit. “Hence, there is a compelling need to complete all pending actions, such as the ratification of treaties, the amendment of Merchant Shipping Act, review and promulgation of regulations, getting necessary approval of the draft Guidelines and Policies, and due execution of all the agreements,� he stated.

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29

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ͚ͿË&#x153; ͺ͸͚Î

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Culled from: Afrinvest â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s Nigerian Economic

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| aebo@afrinvest.com

Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

Investment Research Robert Omotunde | romotunde@afrinvest.com Jolomi Odonghanro | jodonghanro@afrinvest.com

30

Ë&#x153; Ëž FEBRUARY 17, 2019

MARKET NEWS

Shareholders Get N1.1bn Dividend as Transcorp Hotels Posts N3.7bn ProďŹ t Goddy Egene Transcorp Hotels Plc has reported a profit before tax (PBT) of N5.0 billion for the year ended December 31, 2018, showing an increase of 35 per cent from N3.7 billion posted in 2017. Profit after tax jumped 37 per cent from N2.7 billion to N3.7 billion.

In appreciation of Transcorp Hotelsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; esteemed shareholders,

the directors of the company have recommended N1.14 billion as dividend, which translates to 15 kobo per share.

Commenting on the results, Managing Director/CEO of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Mrs. Owen Omogiafo said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are pleased with the overall performance of our company as evident in the year on year growth. This demonstrates the strength and quality of our

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 â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sharesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; on the

business strategy to consistently provide world-class luxury services to all our guests and redefine the hospitality standards in Africa.â&#x20AC;?

According to her, the impressive growth in revenue can be attributed to the sale of the newly upgraded rooms in Transcorp Hilton Abuja. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We keep up the pace with global advancements in technology and are proud to say that Transcorp Hilton Abuja is the first hotel in

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 14Feb-2019, unless otherwise stated.

Nigeria to launch the â&#x20AC;&#x153;ICE appâ&#x20AC;? a digital application that delivers personalised experiences to guests,â&#x20AC;? she said.

In the year under review, Transcorp Hotels Plc was recognised by local and international bodies for being a pace-setter in the hospitality industry. Some of the notable awards are the Hospitality brand of the Year Award by the New

Telegraph awards 2018, Sectorial Leadership Award in the 2018 PEARL awards by the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the Corporate Governance Award at the Annual Directors Awards from the Institute of Directors.

The flagship hotel of Transcorp Hotels Plc, Transcorp Hilton Abuja once again emerged the winner in the World Travel Awards for the 4th Consecutive year in the

following categories; Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading Business Hotel, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading Hotel, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading business hotel, Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading MICE Hotel and Nigeriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Leading hotel suite.

The hotel for the 3rd consecutive year also received the Seal of Excellence, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Signum Virtutisâ&#x20AC;? for the Seven Stars Business Hotel-Africa and Best Luxury Hotel-Africa.

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 163.62 163.97 3.41% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 278.68 279.15 2.08% 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 0.86 0.87 2.03% ACAP Income Funds 0.62 0.62 11.37% 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 13.25% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.29 2.31 2.89% 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 17.35 17.87 4.56% ARM Discovery Fund 369.50 380.64 3.61% ARM Ethical Fund 29.00 29.87 2.69% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.47% 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 104.10 104.83 2.88% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.25% 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 14.06% Paramount Equity Fund 12.08 12.18 2.28% Women's Investment Fund 105.92 106.43 2.21% 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 12.67% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 100.06 100.48 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 102.57 103.08 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 13.05% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.86 0.86 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.14 1.14 1.96% 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 12.38% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.99% 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 1,208.74 1,209.51 1.96% FBN Heritage Fund 146.20 147.53 1.95% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.16% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 115.46 115.91 1.38% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 115.42 115.87 1.59% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 153.72 155.98 2.48% 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 1.23 1.25 0.97% Legacy Debt Fund 3.29 3.29 1.47% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.04 1.04 0.55% FSDH ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD coralfunds@fsdhgroup.com Web: www.fsdhaml.com; Tel: 01-270 4884-5; 01-280 9740-1 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Coral Growth Fund 3,006.64 3,036.97 0.75% Coral Income Fund 2,801.03 2,801.03 2.27% 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 12.85% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 109.02 109.51 2.12% 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 13.64% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.20 2.23 2.39% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 16.04% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 122.22 122.44 -2.15%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD fincon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.17 1.19 2.14% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,087.53 1,087.53 1.68% 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 11.88 11.95 3.13% Meristem Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.40% 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 1.37 1.40 7.34% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.43 12.49 1.83% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 12.83% 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 121.58 122.14 0.70% 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 1.02 1.02 1.81% 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 2,364.68 2,379.24 4.36% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 191.75 191.75 2.16% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 0.97 0.98 2.63% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 250.69 250.73 3.45% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 167.84 169.71 2.88% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 12.80% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,627.84 8,731.36 3.39% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.12 1.12 3.47% UNITED CAPITAL ASSET MANAGEMENT LTD unitedcapitalplcgroup.com Web: www.unitedcapitalplcgroup.com; Tel: +234 803 306 2887 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn United Capital Balanced Fund 1.20 1.21 0.48% United Capital Bond Fund 1.62 1.62 1.51% United Capital Equity Fund 0.70 0.72 -0.76% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.18% United Capital Eurobond Fund 108.31 108.31 0.98% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.10 1.10 0.50% QUANTUM ZENITH ASSET MANAGEMENT & INVESTMENTS LTD service@quantumzenithasset.com.ng Web: www.quantumzenith.com.ng; Tel: +234 1-2784219 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Zenith Equity Fund 11.40 11.56 7.39% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.50 12.62 4.09% Zenith Income Fund 20.91 20.91 8.65% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.64%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.95 118.53 51.90

-39.35% 0.00% 0.03%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

11.01 118.79 92.39

11.11 121.36 94.13

4.35% 1.29% 4.21%

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 Griffin 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.31 7.62 15.29 12.86 148.86

4.35 7.70 15.39 13.06 150.86

7.63% 0.03% 2.24% 4.01% 3.68%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

Thevalueofinvestmentsandtheincomefromthemmayfallaswellasrise.Pastperformanceisaguideandnotanindicationoffuturereturns.Fundpricespublishedinthiseditionarealsoavailableon each fund managerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s website and FMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

A

WEEKLY PULL-OUT

17.02.2018

Oba Akinola Akinrera

On His Grit, Grace and Goals ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

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Oba Akinrera with Olori Adetokunbo

Oba Akinola Akinrera

From Oil industry to Monarchy

Oba Akinrera being presented with staff of office by the deputy governor of Osun State, while Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi watches in admiration

“Kaa-bi-yee-si! Kaa-bi-yee-si! Kaa-bi-yee-si!” the tuneful salutation comes and goes in crescendo amidst the pomp and circumstance. The air is literally filled with myrrh. It is a delight to see the confluence of cultures, class, and colours. In royal splendour, he sits majestically on a sofa. His shimmering traditional attire is matched with glittering beads. His countenance irradiates with a serene smile that exudes warmth and conviviality. Until December 13, 2018, His Royal Majesty, Oba Akinola Oyetade Akinrera, Latiiri I, Olubosin of Ifetedo Kingdom in Osun State was a corporate man whose resilient and can-do spirit helped him to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer, writes Funke Olaode

“K

aa-bi-yee-si! Kaa-bi-yeesi! Kaa-bi-yee-si!” the tuneful salutation came and went in crescendo amidst the pomp and circumstance. The air was literally filled with myrrh. It was a delight to see the confluence of cultures, class, and colours. The celebratory drumbeats reverberated around the town. The chiefs and the subject wore expansive smiles and danced their hearts out. Everybody seemed to be having a breath of fresh air.

Their mood was no misplaced and their joy unmistakable. It was a new day and there was somebody among them who was going to open a new vista in their lives. Everybody wanted to have a glimpse of him. With keen eagerness to be part of the auspicious day, they sang, danced and praised the new king in town.

Few moments in their life are like this. It is little wonder they were savouring this very occasion.

In royal splendour, he sat majestically on a sofa. His shimmering traditional attire was matched with glittering beads. His countenance irradiated with a serene smile that exuded warmth and conviviality. Until December 13, 2018, His Royal Majesty, Oba Akinola Oyetade Akinrera, Latiiri I, Olubosin of Ifetedo Kingdom in Osun State was a corporate man whose resilient and can-do spirit helped him to achieve his childhood dream of becoming a lawyer.

Before ascending the throne, Oba Akinrera, a lawyer, was a public servant

with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) which he joined in 1992. Prior to that, he had worked as a teacher and a police officer.

“I grew up at Ifetedo in Osun State and at the age of seven my parents took me to Ipetumodu also in Osun State where I started my primary education. I attended CAC Primary School, Ipetumodu. My father was a farmer and my mother was a trader, trading largely in palm oil. I had my secondary education at Ifetedo Grammar School, Immediately after that, my Alma Mater gave me a teaching appointment which I did briefly,” the monarch said.

Continuing, he disclosed: “From there, I went to Oyo State College of Education now Osun State College of Education, Ilesha. I finished from there in 1987. In 1988 while I was looking for a job, I joined the Nigeria Police Force. I worked as a police officer between 1988 and 1992.

In 1992, I joined NNPC in Lagos. It has been my ambition to be a lawyer and that desire was burning in me. In 1993, I went to the Lagos State University, Ojo and did a Diploma in Law. In 1997, I went to the University of Lagos to study Law and graduated in 2004. It was an evening programme which was abolished while I was there but they (the university management) allowed us to finish. I went to the Nigerian Law School the same year and was called to bar in 2005 while still working with NNPC,” he said.

In the face of his disjointed academic trajectory, Oba Akinrera admitted that one

thing has kept him going is the grace of God, determination and being focused.

“When you look at of someone being determined and focused, you see that in the end it boils down to the grace of God who has helped me and make me realise very early in life, the kind of background which I found myself and the need for me to work harder so that I could get myself out of it. Today, when I look back and see what God has done for me or what is doing in my life and I compare it to my background it amazes me. And that is why I encourage upcoming boys and girls that they should have faith in God, plan for themselves,” Akinrera stated.

“Yes. It is important because if you have faith in God and work hard things will walk in your favour. And God can bring you as something out of nothing. That is the lesson and I thank God for backing that childhood dream of becoming a lawyer and I thank God that I achieved it.”

While recounting his journey to the throne, Oba Akinrera says apart from lucky, the successive Obas saw him as a potential leader, which endeared him to them. Again, the frequent promotion by successive kings later catapulted him to the throne.

Going down memory lane, he recounted, “My gradual ascension to the throne began 10 years ago in July 2008 to be precise when the late Oba Tiamiyu Oyekunle Adegbite made me the Agoro of Ifetedo. To be honest, I didn’t take it serious. Unfortunately, he died in November 2008 of that year. Oba Isaac

continued with the good work which Oba Adegbite had started. He consolidated it by elevating me from the position of Agoro to the position of Otun which is like a second in Command on January 3, 2011.

The baba who was Balogun until then died on January 15, 2015.

“I was elevated to the position of Balogun which made me next in command. Unfortunately on Friday March 9, 2018, Oba passed on and the mantle of leadership fell on me and on November 22 I was crowned at Ifetedo by my people which coincidentally was the day the Osun State government made the announcement for my appointment. And in December 18th, 2018 we had elaborate coronation at a celebration presided over by the deputy governor of Osun State with His Imperial Majesty, Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi in attendance.”

From the corporate world to the throne, Oba Akinrera thinks his transformation was a matter of evolution, describing himself as a grass-roots person.

“Well, it is not that difficult especially for me as I have always been in the midst of my people in Ifetedo. For instance, I was privileged to build my country home in my home town over ten years ago. I made it a point of duty to be at Ifetedo at the interval of two months where I spend my weekends. And since 2011 when I became the Otun of Ifetedo, that position comes with a lot of responsibilities. I attend the meeting of council of chiefs every fortnight. I have always been part of Ifetedo Day, Olojo Festival etc.,” he said.

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His Evolution, Ambition and Coronation Oba Akinrera as a traditional ruler is also an Elder at Christ Apostolic Church (CAC). How does he strike a balance between being a traditional ruler and a spiritual leader?

He explained: “I think there has been an erroneous impression about position of an Oba. As far as I am concerned, the throne has not turned the Oba to become a Satan or being fetish unless a person chooses to be so. I can’t joke with my faith as a Christian and as an elder of Christ Apostolic Church. Even though I am fully prepared to serve my people but don’t intend to go into any activity or activities that I won’t be able to defend before my God. “You see when you look at Ifetedo Community we have people practising the three religions: Islam, Christianity and the traditional one. And even before I was born they have been co-exciting in peace and harmony and as an Oba I want to ensure that I continue to lead them in manner that will promote that peaceful co-existence.”

Speaking on his plans for his kingdom, he said efforts are being made on various programmes that will drive the town’s economy.

“My plan is to collaborate with well-meaning and illustrious sons and daughters of the town and also partner with Friends of Ifetedo to see how we can bring development to Ifetedo especially in the area of industries. In no distance future, we are planning to set up Ifetedo Development Council which is going to be our power house where we intend to draw out our plans. It is being championed by one of illustrious sons of the town, Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN, and other eminent sons and daughters of Ifetedo like Surveyor Kayode Akinbola who is Apesinola of Ifetedo Kingdom.

“It is in that forum that I intent to present my agenda so that we can see how we can collaborate and move the town forward. The purpose is to provide job and empower the teeming youths.

Apart from that, I also have a plan to do empowerment programmer for the youths: a kind of skills acquisition programme training. We are talking to one institution in Iwo and another one in Lagos so that

they can acquire skills and be on their own. Another area we are looking at is agriculture because we have the land and want to formulate it in a manner that would be attractive to the youth particularly in the area cassava plantation.

I know by the time they start doing it and making money they will develop interest in it. In the area of culture, I want to develop some of our cultural activities such as Olojo festival, etc.,” Akinrera disclosed.

However, for him there is no gain without pain as he talked about his newfound status and the issue of privacy.

“It has taken away my privacy,” Akinrera began. “I have been in a position where I have to be restrictive in the sense that I can’t talk with my friends the way I used to do openly. Even in privacy. I can’t exchange banters with them and when they want to greet me they have to prostrate. Again, I have to be in agbada all the time. I can’t wear suits again. The last time I wore a piece of suit was November 15, 2018.

“When I came back from office that day I called my daughter and said ‘that if you want the picture of the last day your father wore suit you can start to take it because once I remove it that will be the end of me wearing suit. Being an Oba has taken away my privacy, my choice of dressing and the way I interact with people.”

Oba Akinrera as a modern monarch and an elder in his church also believes in one wife. His love between Oba and his Olori Adetokunbo is well pronounced.

Olori Adetokunbo is his second shot at marriage having lost his first wife a few years back.

“We got married three years ago and since then we have become inseparable.

She is being very supportive of me and my vision. She sees my children as her own and the throne as her own cross.

I am an oba but it is not in my plan to marry another woman because I know God is going to protect her for me and won’t have any cause to cry over her and the children. I have told the church that I want to remain a member and an elder. The issue of having two women is completely ruled out,” he stated.

Oba Akinrera

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Pastor Yakubu with wife and one of the saxophonists

Pastor Peter Yakubu

Turning 50 is Breakthrough for Me Because My Dad Died at 40 Down-to-earth, thoughtful and inspirational, the Pastor of Prevailing Life Ministries (Prevailers’ Arena) Peter Yakubu, is one of Nigeria’s clergymen with a vision for a new Nigeria and the desire to uplift souls languishing spiritually and materially. When he turned 50 recently, Yakubu, in this interview with Olaseni Durojaiye talks about his journey, joy, and Jesus. Excerpts:

Y

ou just celebrated your birthday. What are your reflections on life?

Everyone would wish they have another chance of reliving their lives so they can make some adjustments, correct the wrongs and live their lives better. I’m rather filled with gratitude to God in spite of the wrongs, errors, failures, and shortcomings. Because, looking back, I see many ditches I would have fallen into that He kept me from. Many sins He should have killed me for. But He had mercy on me. It’s 50 years and that’s not a joke.

A lot has happened. I’m grateful I’m still here.

How has your upbringing

helped you to live a fulfilled life so far?

Upbringing! I was born a nominal Christian but not raised a Christian like we try to do our children today.

My dad was a disciplinarian whose key agenda for his children was to give them the best of education but died earlier than he saw that fulfilled.

I was already in the School Of Basic Studies, ABU Zaria when he died.

So, I couldn’t continue with ABU after graduating from SBS. Later, I sought admission into Obafemi Awolowo University OAU, Ile-Ife. Being in OAU was altogether a different experience for which I am eternally grateful to God. That was where I found legs for my destiny.

It was there I found meaning to life.

That’s when I learned to trust God for the next moment. My growing

up life was not really too eventful until I found Christ. It was in Christ I began to find fulfilment. Life became meaningful and purposeful from that time on.

Tell us, have you always wanted to be a clergyman?

Sometimes, we speak as children not knowing we are declaring our tomorrow either by creating it prophetically or speaking what has been ordained. Though, not strictly a Christian adherent, as a child, I went to the Christ The King Catholic Church in Sabon Gari, Zaria. I attended the catechism and wanted to be a mass servant. I would declare, then, to whoever cared to listen that I was going to be an archbishop (certainly, a Catholic Archbishop).

But, I desired to be a pilot. The school

of aviation being in Zaria and friends of the family managing the school, it appeared I won’t have a problem going in to be pilot.

But, my mom discouraged me on the ground that pilots don’t have homes. They are mostly up in the sky and away from home. She suggested I go for medicine, which then became my dream. I would go to the General Hospital Zaria and befriend some of the doctors and ask if I could go in with them into the theatre and for the ward rounds. My secondary school was a walking distance from the hospital.

So, I go there after school. But, as I said, I found legs for my purpose in the university where it became clearer that my place is in the pulpit not in the hospital. So, those childhood confessions of being an archbishop found fulfilment rather than the

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FEBRUARY 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

FOCUS Clocking 50 and My Journey to Finding Jesus eternity we will celebrate but life here: a good life on earth.

academic pursuits.

How will you describe your spiritual journey to date?

Positive. It’s been interesting as I grow daily in the knowledge of Christ.

His mercy is indescribable. Even when I try to experiment with fire, He comes true for me in His mercy. My spiritual journey has been exciting and more colourful is the fact that we can never exhaust the knowledge of Him as we keep pressing to know more. Knowing Christ is the best and greatest thing that has happened to me.

Now He comes more real than ever before as we see the practicalities of what we read in scriptures manifesting for us in our day to day lives. He is coming more real to me now. Like a friend of said, ‘Even if it is proven now that there was never a Jesus Christ or that He is not real, it is too late for me.’

Can you tell more about your church?

Prevailing Life Ministries was founded in October 2005. The Church is called Prevailers’ Arena. We have seen God, again and again, prove Himself to be true for us. We started the church on a property we leased from where we built – and still building anyway –, our own structure where we are right now on LagosAbeokuta Expressway. We moved in there last year.

We are an evangelistic church that believes in the Apostles Creed.

We preach the full gospel and we are strongly into deliverance. God has blessed us with outstanding testimonies of notable miracles and healings and we are a praying church.

You cannot take fasting away from us. We believe in the lordship of Jesus Christ over every sphere of life. We are a family church and sincerely love ourselves. Anyone joining us for the first time will immediately feel at home and there is no room for regrets with us.

… with son, Davis

Your church seems to be thriving. What is the history behind the growth?

That, I really don’t have a direct answer to because, one, growth is relative. Two, I don’t know of any precise history that is responsible for church growth except that God gives the increase. So, my experience or lack of experience cannot be attributed to church growth. We owe it all to the grace of Almighty God. Who are your spiritual mentors?

Apostle Paul said you can have a thousand mentors but one father.

As a church, we are directly affiliated with The Fountain of Life Church and have the elegant Pastor Taiwo Odukoya as our father. But I report to a very few other fathers in the faith for instructions, corrections, and others who keep me in check. They are Rev. Isaac Omolehin, Apostle Anselm Madubuko, and Rev. Mosy Madugba.

Men of proven integrity and true to the call. Fathers, indeed they are.

When you’re not working as a clergyman, what do you do?

Well, basically, the job of a clergyman is a full-time job, especially as a pastor, it is more or less a 24 hours a day, seven days a week’s job. However, I use my free time for recreation: when I am not with my family I go for sports. I play football; I swim and occasionally play lawn tennis. Not so much of events.

Other times I relax by watching the television.

Being 50 is often seen as a golden age. Of what significance is your golden jubilee?

I have never been 50 before. This is my first time. So I really don’t know what to make out of it other than that I am excited. Nonetheless, it means a lot to me. My father died before he was 40, and I had had some internal pressure as if trying to remind me of something. But, thanks to God who has given us the victory and all that pressure was eroded. It is of immense significance to me because I made it to 50 – which is a landmark breakthrough for me. I made it in sound health which is a great testimony. Above all, at 50, I am in Christ and still saved.

That is the most outstanding of them

Is the church being run along with your wife?

Yes, my wife works side by side with me in the ministry work though she has a secular job. She is a strong backbone and a great coach. Of course, she’s a great gift from God for me and God has blessed us with many children.

L-R: Becky Chuba, Pastor Yakubu and Utom

Do you mind if your children chose your spiritual path?

I certainly will not mind if that is what God has called them to do. I, however, will not force it on them.

Everyone has his calling and purpose from God and no parent should impose their wishes or desires on their children.

With Pastor Sunday Abang

all. The person that convinced me to go for the fellowship where I gave my heart to Christ 31 years ago just escorted me there and went back. He didn’t go in to be saved. The person who received me and led me to Christ, a young man, was reported dead many years ago in the United States of America. You see, I have every reason to be grateful.

For some, celebrating this milestone includes thinking of the downtrodden, the poor and the hungry. Are any activities for your birthday?

For me, it’s not just because it’s a milestone; it has always been a major part of all my birthday celebrations and at other times even when I am not celebrating. These thoughts are supposed to be a permanent part of our lifestyle and we classify them as

works or good work.

The life expectancy in Nigeria is, unfortunately, the lowest in all of West Africa. The average life expectancy is around 54.5 years with men living an average of 53.7 years and women living an average of 55.4 years. Do you think a time will come humans will be celebrating eternity?

That time if I understand you well is the time when only children will occupy this planet. I still believe strongly that Nigeria will rise again and the conditions of living will greatly improve. We are only waiting for that time God promised us when sane and right-thinking persons will start to steer the rudder of the leadership of this country in the right direction. Believe me, that time will come. At that time, it will not be an

What have been your challenges and blessings leading a thriving church like this?

One of the major challenges is having to run alone, I guess. Being called into the pastoral office is a lonely call. You are easily misunderstood and despised when you do not want to run like every other person because you are not called to run like them. We are different individuals with different callings. Our goals are different and as such our destinations and results are not the same, but, many times you are expected to yield same results as others and that you do things the same way as others. No. That’s not correct. This is difficult to make many understand. But we keep a straight face if we hope to please Him who has called us. Success is doing things the way He asked you to and achieving His desired results not the expectations of people.

The blessings come from those who believe in you and join their hands together with you to see that Gods will is done. And the greatest of it all is complete obedience to His will and call, even when nobody believes or understands you. You see Him come true for you. That is really pleasing.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ EBRUARY 17, 2019

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT

Nigerians Lament Implications of Postponed Elections Olaseni Durojaiye

F

ollowing the rescheduling of the general elections the Independent National Electoral Commission (INECC), Nigerians from all walks of life have continued to react to the postponement and lamenting the disruptions the new dates will cause in their economic and social lives even as they said decision will affect them economically as well as disrupt their calendar particularly as it affects social engagements.

INEC announced the postponement of the elections in the early hours of Saturday 16 citing hitches in its operational and logistic plans. The electoral umpire had initially fixed the National Assembly elections for February 16 and that of Governorship, State Houses of Assembly Election and the Federal Capital Territory Area Council elections for March 3.

Nigerians in their numbers condemned the postponement lamenting that it has exposed them to economic loss and disrupted academic and social calendars even as it will increase the travel cost of many Nigerians who travelled to their home states to cast their votes.

In an interview with this newspapers, Managing Director of MediaPro, an Integrated Marketing Communications company in Lagos explained that the economic implications of the postponement is huge and irrecoverable adding that it will cause politicians to spend more on the campaign trail.

“The economic implications of the shift in the date of elections is huge and cannot really be quantified as billions of naira have been lost due to the paralysis of business that ought to have taken place in the last 12 hours of people not going out for their daily business activities because they have unwittingly conditioned their minds towards not stepping out today other than to go about the voting exercise but truly people just took the day as a free holiday day.

“In addition, on the political side, politicians are going to be spending more than they budgeted as the window of advertising opportunities is further extended by at least five more days till Thursday next week as well as other communications tools like below the line materials,” he explained.

THISDAY investigations also show that the postponement will also affect academic calendar of both public and privates schools in the country. Some proprietors of private schools in Lagos who spoke on condition of anonymity said the postponement will affect their academic calendar haven announced the commencement of the Mid-Term Holidays to coincide with the initial elections dates so that the children could be within the safety of their homes and under the care of their parents.

The owner of a nursery, primary and secondary school is based in Lagos said her school will go on with the Mid-Term Holidays as announced earlier adding that other holidays may be declared to accommodate the new dates for the governorship, states house of assembly and FCT Area Council elections.

“As it is, we have announced the Mid-Term Break to accommodate the exigencies of the elections initially fixed for February 16, as it is; we cannot call off the break and asked the children to return to school. My school will allow it run its full course. As for the other election after the presidential election, we will cross the bridge when we get there,” she declared.

However, in a swift reaction to the situation, the Lagos State Government through the office of the Deputy Governor announced a readjustment in the school calendar in reaction to the rescheduled general elections.

In a statement signed by Director General, Education Quality Assurance in the state’s Ministry of Education, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, directed all private and public schools in the state to resume on Monday 18 of February. The statement further directed that the school management and owners private schools a revised academic calendar.

“I have the directive of Her Excellency, Deputy Governor of Lagos State to inform ALL Lagos State stakeholders and the general public that the state government is compelled by the change in election dates to further review the 2018/19 school academic calendar as stated below.

“All schools resume Monday 18th February, 2019. All schools in Lagos are expected to close on the following dates: Friday 22 February and to resume on Monday25th. Friday 8th March and to resume on Monday 11th March,” the statement read.

In the same vein some of the parents who spoke with this newspaper stated that the postponement will disrupt the academic calendar parents lamented that the postponement will affect their initial plans for returning their wards to school after picking them up ahead of the initial February 16 date for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Yakubu Speaking with THISDAY, a parent, Wale Bada described the decision of INEC as insensitive to the plight of Nigerians and lamented that the postponement has disrupted his initial plans bordering on the schooling calendar of his daughter who schools in Ogun State adding that he was waiting on the management of the his ward’s school before deciding on the next line of action.

“Honestly, the postponement is destabilizing. I picked my daughter up from school with the hope of taking her back to school on Tuesday, now that the election has been rescheduled for next Saturday, does it mean I will take her back to school on Tuesday then return to pick her on Friday? As it is I am at a dilemma, I just can’t figure out how to handle it just yet. I am just waiting to hear from the school’s management before I will decide on how to deal with the situation, but, it is not a pleasing situation in the least,” Bada explained.

Meanwhile, Nigerians with social engagements already fixed for the new dates have also joined in the lamentation chorus as they cue what will become of their events. One such person said he was mindful of the initial dates when she fixed her wedding for 23rd of February.

THISDAY findings also discovered that a sociopolitical organisation, Brodas Across Nigeria had fixed its quarterly General Assembly for the week of 22nd of February through 23 February. The reaction of the organisation could, however, not be got as at going to press.

While lamenting the clash of her wedding date with that of the rescheduled elections, Miss Rita Osawende, a Benin based bride-to be, pleaded with

INEC to revisit the date adding that she had shifted the date from February 16 to 23 due to the clash with the date of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

“INEC please help me revisit this issue. The original date was fixed for February 16, but as soon as I knew its elections day, it was postponed to February 23.

“What do I do; all arrangements have been made. I have printed and distributed my invitation cards for the wedding. I am so confused,” she said.

Other families have however commenced shifting dates of their social engagement in reaction to the new election dates. THISDAY findings also showed that the families of Late Prince Joseph Enosegbe had shifted the burial plans of their mother, Princess Deaconess Mary Enosegbe from the initial date.

In a WhatsApp message the family stated that “due to the postponement of the election, we the Enosegbe family regret to announce the postponement of the final burial ceremony of our mother Mrs. MARY ENOSEGBE from March 8th, 9th and 10th to the following weekend March15th, 16th and 17th 2019.

We are sorry for the inconvenience this might have caused you. God bless you as you honour our invitation.

Findings by THISDAY among petty traders and artisans in Lagos, many of who said they are dependent on daily sales for the upkeep of their family, revealed a huge anger directed at INEC. The traders and artisans said that the postponement will double their economic loss adding they could not open for business yesterday even after the elections were called off.

FEBRUARY 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

High Life Bukola and Gbemi Saraki: Will They Ever Settle?

They are supposed to be, literally, two peas in a pod. As children of the same parents, Bukola Saraki, the incumbent Senate President, and his sister, Gbemi, a two-term Senator, also share a striking physical resemblance. That is however where the similarities end. Politics has driven a wedge between the siblings and, by extension, the Saraki family.

Bukola is a two-term governor of their native Kwara State and is seeking a third term as a Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial district.

Gbemi, an Economics graduate of the University of Sussex, UK, was first elected a member of the House of Representatives in 1999 on the platform of the All People’s Party, APP, before being elected a Senator in 2003 and 2007 as a PDP member.

Attempts by their late father, Oloye Olusola Saraki, to make Gbemi succeed her brother as Kwara State governor failed as Bukola instead pitched his tent with the incumbent Governor Ahmed Abdulfatah.

So committed to the Gbemi for governor project was their late father that he went ahead to float the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) on which she eventually ran and lost.

Bukola simply refused to release the Saraki structure for his sister. This polarised the family but father and son reportedly made up before he passed in November 2012. As if that was not enough, in 2011, Bukola took over Gbemi’s seat in the Senate thus leaving her in a political wilderness.

She would defect to the APC on the eve of the 2015 elections.

The political struggle might have shifted to their social life. When Bukola hosted the cream of Nigeria’s business and political elites at the ‘introduction’ ceremony of his daughter in 2018, Gbemisola was conspicuously absent. No excuses except enduring bad blood could have enforced her absence.

Now, the elder brother has returned to the PDP on which platform he seeks a return to the Senate while Gbemi remains with the APC, which has further fanned the embers of a simmering political rivalry within the Saraki family.

Soon after Bukola’s return to the PDP and fallout with President Muhammadu Buhari, Gbemi, in a Facebook post, reaffirmed her support for Buhari’s reelection and the APC. “I maintain my unwavering support for President Muhammadu Buhari, now and for his re-election in 2019, and for the success of our party, the APC, in Kwara State and across the federation. All members of my political organisations including GRS Movement (GRSM); GRS Foundation (GRSF); GRS Friends on Facebook (GRSFOF), Paramount Women Forum (PWF) and GRS Grassroots Youth Movements (GRSGYM) will begin to implement the first phase of our ‘Get-Out-The-Vote’ for PMB and APC. Politics is a public service to the people and we ought to conduct it with dignity, peace and love for our fellow citizens,” she wrote.

61 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

...Amazing lifestyles of Nigeria’s rich and famous

After Months of Building Castles in the Air, Tonye Cole Resigns to the Fickle Finger of Fate

The boisterous music has stopped.

So has the vociferous singsong of hailers and praise singers who had coined different gubernatorial nomenclatures like ‘Excellency’, ‘Awaiting Governor’, and ‘Incoming’ among others, for Tonye Cole, the factional governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State.

After months of building castles in the air and fantasising about his presumptive position, the Supreme Court, last week, ruled that the APC will not field any candidate in Rivers State in the general elections, except for the presidential polls. This, effectively, nullifies the ambition of APC and Tonye.

The first sign of trouble was when the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, dismissed an appeal instituted by the party, challenging the ruling of the Justice Chiwendu Nworgu of the Rivers State High Court, which nullified the party’s wards, local governments, and state congresses for filing in names of its

candidates after the stipulated time in the constitution.

Prior to that, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt on January 7, had annulled the primaries conducted by the two factions of the party and also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from presenting Tonye or his major traducer, Senator Magnus Abe, and other candidates of the APC in the 2019 governorship election. A very successful businessman by every standard, Tonye resigned from Sahara Energy which he co-founded with his friends (Tope Shonubi and Ade Odunsi), to dabble into politics. With the apex court ruling, Tonye’s friends and hangers-on who had hoped it would be their time in the sun had he win the governorship election have now thinned out, looking for where to eventually pitch their tent in the years ahead. Tonye is currently a dejected man having left his position as ED in Sahara while his foray into politics as not only cost him money, it almost cost him his life.

Cole

Gbenga Elegbeleye Bets for a Living

Elegbeleye

Former Director General of National Sport Commission Otunba Gbenga Elegbeleye is on a roll right now. Like a trained dog with an excellent nose for sniffing out juicy bones, the Ondo State APC Chieftain is peerless when it comes to discovering little-known avenues for beneficial investments.

While many rich men happened to have stumbled on their fortunes, Otunba Gbenga doesn’t depend on chance to score big. Recently, he cast his business net into the waters of sports betting and launched iBet to challenge the duopoly of NairaBet and Bet9ja in the Nigerian betting sector. To say the business has turned into a money-spinner would be the understatement of the century.

IBet has become the cow that never

runs out of milk for Otunba Gbenga as he smiles to the bank on a daily basis.

The company which was launched to tremendous fanfare not too long ago has grown so much that the other two big betting companies cannot help but look over their shoulders in trepidation.

The APC bigwig and one-time house of representatives member is on top of the world. Thanks to iBet and his other businesses, he has been contributing monetarily to the party’s election campaigns, especially the presidential election. He 8s also the proud employee of thousands of young Nigerians who would otherwise be roaming the streets.

No wonder he treats any matter that concerns his betting company with utmost care.

How Abimbola Fashola Takes Care of Homefront

Many a man or woman who had won and tasted power or had it imposed upon him or her, with much understatement, find it extremely difficult to adjust to life without power. Stripped of the accoutrements and delightful frills of office, they wander about donning masks of moral fiber and nurturing behind their masks, an appalling and impregnable conceit of themselves. They find it even more cumbersome to relate with ordinary folk they had known before they came by power. Ultimately, they choose to live lives of quiet displeasure if they no longer have access to the corridors of power. Caught amid ordinariness, if they do not blow their own trumpets, it is because they feel you are not fit to listen to the performance.

However, Abimbola Fashola, former First lady of Lagos State, is remarkably different from such characters. Since she left office with her husband, Babatunde

Fashola, at the expiration of the latter’s second term as Lagos governor, Abimbola has been very quiet. A very nice and decent woman, she maintained a life of pleasant decorum and sociability while in office and even outside the corridors of power. Beneficiaries of her friendliness testify that when she was the first lady, she honored all invitations to events and high-octane parties. Since she left the government house however, fans of the former First Lady have been wondering what she had been up to. She is hardly seen in the social and political arenas and she has never been one to lust feverishly for the spotlight. Where is Abimbola Fashola? While fans and acquaintances mull over her likely whereabouts, let’s hope Bolanle Ambode, incumbent First Lady and wife of Lagos Governor, Akinwumi Ambode, would take a cue from her predecessor and tow a path of nobility and enviable grace.

Fashola

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HIGHLIFE

Mr Money! About Ossai Osanebi’s Mammoth Wealth Friday Ossai Osanebi is the Deputy Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly. At 38, he is the youngest member of the Assembly and in his third term as a legislator representing Ndokwa East constituency. But that is not the story. Friday is loaded and he doesn’t hide it. And he has been throwing money around like a drunken sailor. Check any high-octane shows in town; you would be shocked that he would be physically present, rollicking and frolicking and generally having a blast. He follows the activities on the social calendar with decent abandon.

But that is where the positives end.

The gangling Material and Metallurgical Engineering graduate of the Enugu State University (ESUT) sent social media abuzz and agog during the week when pictures of his obscenely magnificent home hit the internet. It broke all the tenets of modesty and brought superfluity to walk on all its fours. Some mischief makers labelled him “Monetary slut” when another school of thought believe that he is just a fortunate Nigerian who was lucky

to have met money par chance when it missed road.

Yes, an architectural masterpiece by all ramifications, the interior of the stately home is made out in gold and it is as gaudy and gasp-inducing as they come. Indeed, he spared no expense in fitting out the house, the kind of which is only seen in American hip hop music videos. In his expansive compound are a sparkling white Rolls Royce Wraith and a Bentley. Of course, posers have been raised as to the source of his mammoth wealth. Many say if he could have such home, what would the Speaker of the House or the Governor have? Yes, Delta State is one of Nigeria’s richest states and Ossanebi has been in the frontline of its politics for the past eight years thus, giving him an edge in reaping from its wealth. Apart from a passing reference to the fact that ‘At a tender age, Osanebi found his feet in the global oil and gas market and became a very successful businessman’, there is no record of his career trajectory or businesses.

Politics, no doubt, is his primary source of wealth. In his first coming as a

Osanebi

legislator, Ossanebi was Chairman, House Committee on Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC), where he was said to have cleaned out massively.

Between AIG Imoukhuede and Funke Kuku...

Imoukhuede

Funke

Sometime last year, the news was all over high society circles and blogosphere that Funke, the fashion-entrepreneur daughter of Federal Inland Revenue

Services, FIRS, boss, Tunde Fowler, was going to give marriage another shot having found in Aigbovbioise AigImoukhuede Imoukhuede a man she

could spend the rest of her life with. Aig is the Head of Coronation Capital Markets Division of Coronation Merchant Bank and younger brother of former MD/CEO of Access Bank Plc, Aigboje Imoukhuede.

He is in his late 40s and has never been married.

Conversely, Funke was formerly married to Abiodun Kuku, son of Ogbeni Oja, Bayo Kuku. They had a destination wedding that was the talk of the town in years back before the marriage crashed in 2013 just after two years. Alas, just as the news of the impending made the round, it has fizzled out completely and there is no more buzz around the hitherto loved up couple. At the time, Aig and Funke’s story read like a passionate verse in a treatise of love. They could barely do without each other and soon became a reference point for experienced and budding romantics alike among their coterie of friends, relatives and other loved ones.

What has happened to all their grandiose plans and starry-eyed promises to spend their greying days together? Has the relationship run its full course or the news of marriage was just a ruse by mischief makers?

The Billionaire with a Heart of Gold: Julius Rone Reaches Out to the Less Privileged in Abuja, Delta As the universe celebrated the last St. Valentine’s Day with loved ones, exchanging gifts and all, one of Nigeria’s youngest billionaires, Julius Rone, chose to celebrate the day differently. Instead of bearing expensive gifts for his privileged kith and kin and associates, Julius reached out to the despaired and downtrodden in Delta State and Abuja with lifechanging gifts. As would later be revealed, it was not the first time he was celebrating Valentine’s Day with those without loved ones.

Even when he was unavailable in previous Valentine’s celebrations, he reached out to foundations that cater to widows under his ‘widow’s mite’ program simply to make them happy.

Likewise, for the past few years, instead of throwing heart-thumping parties on his birthdays, he spends his day with the less privileged and kids in orphanages in and around Abuja where he has an eye-watering home.

Sources close to him say since he made good, noiseless but far-reaching philanthropy has been his watchword; his philanthropy is innate, a voluntary act which cannot be manufactured.

He provides a wide range of social welfare programs with the intent to be the voice of those who desperately need help. He nurtures a robust interest in the humane and chooses only to see the sunny spokes behind the darkest pall. For as long as memory permits, he paints picturesque scenes in lives severely marred by squalor and seeks to mend small damaged lives here and there which was what he did on Valentine’s Day. Of course, he has so much to thank God for. From a humble parentage, Rone has worked his way, with guts and grace, through the wilderness of life to become one of Nigeria’s leading businessmen.

He is the CEO of UTM Group, with subsidiaries like UTM Dredging Limited, a provider of logistic support in engineering, construction, equipment rental, leasing, procurement, supply and general labour service to the oil industry; and marine services company, UTM Offshore, among others.

On the Trail of the Newest Oil Guru, Abdulwasiu Sowami Even when Prudent Energy and Services Ltd was named in the list of companies involved in the subsidy scam, the name, Abdulwasiu Sowami, never elicited a flicker of recognition. Yet, he is the very powerful and prosperous Managing Director of the indigenous oil company which prides itself as wholly owned by private Nigerians. Several years after that subsidy debacle, Sowami went about his business without attracting any attention until he bought some shares of Forte Oil owned by billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, recently. Despite his intimidating

wealth and stature, Sowami is hardly goaded to believe himself capable of feats otherwise unachievable if he were of modest means. The billionaire magnate who lives a life of modesty does not subscribe to the usual vanities that eventually consume his fellow deep pockets in the circuits of the filthy rich. Even though his company recently bought some shares of Forte Oil, he still shies from living loud; he lives in the middle class neighbourhood of Agbalajobi Estate, Ogba area of Lagos State.

Notwithstanding, everybody is

talking about him. Close friends, family, business associates and even casual acquaintances believe he has arrived. They believe that it is only a matter of time before he yields to the charm and grandeur of money. When he does, he will join his peer in the mad dash for private jets, luxury yacht and apartments in posh locations across the world. They believe that the oil mogul will discard his garment of modesty very soon but sources close to him argue that no amount of money could make him lose his towering modesty and grace.

Rone

FEBRUARY 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

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HIGHLIFE

Tuface Idibia’s Marriage Imperilled?

Just when the world thought that superstar singer, Tuface Idibia, had eschewed his past life of serial philandering that led him to have children from multiple women, and had become a responsible husband and family man, he gave his fans cause for worry days back when he posted a couple of cryptic tweets symptomatic of trouble in his marriage to actress, Annie Macaulay. The mother of two had first posted on her Instagram story, “Due to unfortunate circumstances, I am awake,” adding a while later, “Be picky with who you invest your time in, wasted time is worse than wasted money.” Not long after, Tubaba, as he prefers to be called now, tweeted, “I am sorry to say that I have f*cked up so much. I have f*cked up as a role model, as a father and as a husband. Annie, I’m sorry, I know you tried your best.” Prior, both were the ideal celebrity couple, exchanging love messages on social media and appearing together in public as their schedules permitted. So adorable is the couple that the Coca Cola Company used them and their brood for its ongoing Mama Di Mama campaign. The shock of their eerie tweets thus put many on the edge of their

Idibia

seats.

While many fans think it could be a publicity stunt, others opine that only an angel can put up with the singer’s philandering ways. Indeed, apart from his immense singing talents, Tubaba achieved another level of fame with his libido, impregnating several women and birthing along the line about eight children. Just recently, he was the cynosure of eyes at a popular club in Lagos and trending topic on social media when Pero Adeniyi, the mother of three of his children and socialite daughter of businessman, Jide Adeniyi of Poatson fame, had a public reconciliation with Annie who supposedly usurped her in the life of the Benue State-born singer.

Nigerians thought they had moved on from the Pero/Tuface drama until recently when a viral video of Pero, in a crowded Lagos club, surfaced, hugging and cuddling Annie, Tuface’s legitimate wife, with the latter, hands clasped, muttering repeatedly, “I am sorry.”

Tuface later joined the tear-filled scene and also broke down in tears as he was cuddled

by Pero who stonily told him to get a grip of himself. His other baby mama, Sumbo, is now

The Amazing Lifestyles of Nigerian Bank MDs Some bank bosses try so hard to develop a lifestyle that would never request their presence. Some would attend every party as a measure of courtesy but having gotten there; fade indistinctly into the background like some yellow butterfly on a sallow wall.

But some become the life of the party and that is what separates them from all.

Gaiety is the most outstanding feature of this latter lot. Unlike many other bank MDs and CEOs of financial institutions, they endeavour to lose themselves and have undiluted fun thus dismissing the

notion top bankers and bank bosses can never take time away from their hectic schedules to unwind. A visit to town will amuse you. Stroll into any high octane show or high society shindig and you would be astounded to see many bank MDs supposedly prim and proper rocking the party and having the time of their lives. Even though they are unarguably the pillars responsible for the survival of the financial sector, these bank CEOs have learnt to work hard and party hard. By the same gusto and doggedness of spirit by which they

cultivate the nation’s financial sector, the play hard and groove hard in often wild and scrupulous abandon. They live on the edge and dare exploit tropes even certified daredevils wouldn’t dare.

And what’s their modus operandi?

They frequent high profile night clubs, land and sea race tracks, polo turfs, golf clubs, celebrity hang outs and exclusive gentlemen and leisure clubs. There, in the company of like minds, they deploy their stupendous wealth wildly and adventurously in pursuit of unparalleled highs and fun.

Diezani Alison-Madueke Resurfaces In London In the new world of beleaguered former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, the glamour and freedom that hallmarked her reign under the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan seem like a generation ago. Those privileges have now been replaced by acute paranoia and living incognito. Considered as one of Nigeria’s foremost fugitives, Diezani hasn’t been to Nigeria since 2015.

After many months of shying away from the spotlight which was her orbit for many years, the former minister, who faces charges of corruption was allegedly sighted recently by a Twitter user (@ osquare78) in London, “casually strolling, hooded and furtive”, tweeted: “Guess who I just saw in NW, London? Diezani Alison-Madueke. When she noticed I wanted to snap her, she quickly moved very fast away from me. I was gonna come down to ask her abt our yams, but the traffic was moving.”

The so-called sighting opened a floodgate of comments on the social media platform, many wondering if she was no longer cancer-stricken and being held by the UK security agency. Diezani may be the most publicly derided woman in modern-day Nigeria, but you can’t deny that she’s a woman of steel. Despite countless against allegations against her by the EFCC and its huff and puff to extradite her, nothing has happened.

In spite of the UK NCA’s momentary holding in its custody as a “person of interest”, Diezani has continued to live as a free woman in the UK. She had even written to the EFCC to respond to accusations against her. The anti-graft agency felt she was trying to evade justice

married to a pastor. Pero came to limelight as the wife of a New York-based businessman, Tunde Borokinni. She would attain a different kind of social acclaim when she dumped him to become Tuface’s lover. Together, they have three kids. Their stormy relationship hit the icebergs due to her rumoured domineering nature among other factors; Pero dominated the love life of the singer so much that he was said to live in constant fear of her whether or not she was around. At the height of his fame, Pero once accosted him in public to make certain domestic demands. When the heat became too much, especially as Tuface went on to father other kids by other women, Pero relocated abroad and bade the singer and his baggage goodbye. Tuface went on to surprisingly marry the actress, Annie, further ripping into pieces Pero’s tender heart.

Not much was heard from Pero until a few years back when her mum was down with a kidney ailment and it behoved her to donate one of hers which she did. It’s been two years since the successful transplant and mother and daughter are alive and hearty to tell and retell the story.

What Death Stole from the Braithwaites…

Death scorns royalty like it does, commonplace natives of the boondocks. The grim reaper without doubt shows deference to no one irrespective of class or social clout of its victims; little wonder it stole into the home of elder statesman, Tunji Braithwaite, just as it would, the home of average folk, to wrest his life off his son, Folayan. It is mourning yet again in the home of late elder statesman, Tunji Braithwaite, as his first son, Folayan, has died. He was 62.

A law graduate of the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and Buckingham University, England, Folayan was the Founder and General Overseer of Restore Church of Christ. According to his younger brother, Olumide, who broke the news, the late Folayan was a sickle cell patient and died of heart failure in a hospital on Lagos Island. He left behind an aged mother, siblings, his wife and a set of twin girls. No announcement has been made yet about his burial.

The deceased was the son of Dr Braithwaite, a brilliant lawyer and counsel to among other prominent Nigerians, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Fela Anikulapo Kuti. He was a presidential aspirant in 1983 on the platform of the Nigerian Advance Party (NAP) which he founded. He contested other elections but never quite made a dent. Dr Braithwaite died in March 2016 at the age of 82.

Alison-Madueke

in the UK. However, last year, the EFCC made a media glitz announcing to the world that it had begun a move to extradite the former petroleum minister. EFCC, how far?

Some have argued that the supposed Diezani walking the street of London might be a look-alike. Even if the individual was Diezani and she was cancer-stricken, does that mean people who have suffered some form of cancer don’t recover and live a happy, healthy and hitch-free life? Some Diezani-obsessed Nigerians need to take a break from their own insane sanity.

Instead of being obsessed with the former minister, Nigerians should please urge the EFCC to expedite action on its extradition efforts. Is the UK government blocking its request?

You may call Diezani names but she made a lot of men and turned their starless nights to bright days. Beyond her two major cronies, Aluko and Omokore, there are so many young briefcase-businessmen who made a kill under her and if permitted then, would have died for her. Alas, life has happened...you only know your true allies when the chips are down.

Braithwaites

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17 , 2019

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Tongues Wag Over Moses Aito’s Whereabouts Where is Moses Osarieme Aito, owner of the defunct Earth Airlines?

This is one of the questions on the lips of many who know the story of Aito, who used to be a top player in the nation’s aviation sector in the ‘90s.

In those days, he made headlines in major newspapers and magazines, especially because his airline ran daily scheduled flights from Lagos to Abuja.

Accordingly, as the managing director of the airline, his name opened a lot of doors for him wherever he want.

Indeed, not a few believed that the future looked so bright for him, as he enjoyed government’s patronage, which made many of his competitors green with envy.

But like joy that has a slender body, the thriving business suffered a setback owing to the inclement business environment then.

As a result, he reportedly battled with huge accumulated staff salaries and other unpaid debts running into several millions of naira.

In the face of it all, the Edo State-born businessman tried his best to salvage the situation, but his efforts amounted to naught.

After due consultations, he later ventured into the oil and gas business.

But surprisingly, the move only offered him a temporary relief, as he soon ran into debts.

Faced with this challenge, he relocated to Ghana for survival.

Today, the story has not changed for the better.

The once respected socialite, it was gathered, only sneaks into the country once in a while to stave off harassment from numerous debtors breathing down his neck.

Oyinlola Serenaded at 68 Always do the right thing; that way, whether in your presence or absence, people will countinually remember you for good. That is exactly what Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, former governor of Osun State is enjoying today.

Oyinlola on, February 3 clocked 68, and family, friends and political associates were on hand to celebrate and serenade him, including top politicians, business executives, first class monarchs as well as creme de la creme in the state.

The Okuku prince and political stalwart is one man who constantly has leadership thrust upon him, as he is also a one time military head in Lagos State.

Oyinlola

Sanwo-Olu’s Wife, Ibijoke’s Rising Profile For some time now, the profile of beautiful Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, wife of the All Progressive Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Lagos State, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, has been on the rise.

The reason is not far-fetched.

Society Watch gathered that since her husband emerged victorious in the party’s primary last year, she has suddenly become a darling of many, especially top society women in and outside the state.

It was revealed that many who ordinarily wouldn’t have had anything to do with her have suddenly found their way back to her, as they now surround her like bees to honey, thereby turning her home and office into a Mecca.

This is particularly because she is said to have her husband’s listening ears.

Although she is ordinarily not a very sociable person, Ibijoke, however, has picked high-flying social life to meet up

with public life and is now the darling of many Lagos high society women, who are already falling over themselves to invite her to events and parties.

Evidence of this newfound love came to the fore when she celebrated her birthday last month.

Unlike in the past, the recent birthday celebration was different, as she was showered with gifts and encomiums from her new found friends.

Apart from the fact that she has been tirelessly garnering support for her husband and has been perceived as the next Lagos First lady by supporters, she had been involved in rendering quality and accessible healthcare services in Nigeria, while she was Medical Director, Somolu General Hospital, Lagos.

Now in her middle age, she has four children, who are all grown and ready to support their parents in their political adventure.

Ibijoke

Buruji Kashamu’s Conquering Spirit

Kashamu

Without recourse to exaggeration, politician and businessman, Buruji Kashamu, has proved to his detractors that he is indeed a cat with nine lives.

The more you try to bury him, the more he sprouts like a seed in a fertile soil.

The billionaire, who sits atop many businesses across the country, in the past has faced many challenges that would ordinarily consume a lilylivered person.

But the senator representing Ogun East Senator District has proved beyond reasonable doubts that he is indeed a warrior and a master of the game.

Even though he appears as a lone fighter, many of his enemies are never his match.

Since he made his intention known to contest the number one job in Ogun State, the wealthy man, who is seen as controversial by many, has fought so

many battles within the state PDP. But he emerged victorious in all the legal battles so far.

A source revealed to Society Watch that his heavy financial war chest has given him on edge.

Some say the Ijebu-Igbo-born senator knows how to spend money as he never spares any amount to get whatever he wants.

Much dirts have been thrown at him. Many had thought that he had lost out in the race for the governorship ticket, but they were caught by surprise when his name appeared in the final list of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Though his opponent, Ladi Adebutu, is said to be running from pillar to post to upturn the court’s decision, Kashamu, at the moment, holds the ace and is having the last laugh.

Top Businessman, Wale Adesina’s Entrepreneurial Skill Top businessman and popular socialite, Wale Adesina, fondly called Wale Saranda, needs no introduction.

His company, Western Quarry, has injected fresh innovations in the mining sector with the production of exotic, prefabricated and customized granite slates and slabs in different sizes and shapes.

For the Ogun State-born businessman, the drive to contribute to the economic growth of Nigeria is the inspiration behind the establishment of his company.

One of his visions is stakeholders’ participation in the infrastructural development efforts of the government.

The company boasts of the largest fleet in the Southwest region, where the company is headquartered.

Interestingly, he is faring well in his other businesses.

Adesina

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

SOCIETY WATCH

Quincy Ayodele’s Bold Move

Ayodele

When Quincy Ayodele pioneered her herbal slimming business 22 years ago, many could not hide their shock, wondering why she would want to go into that kind of business considered for the not too educated.

However, she was unfazed; she rather focused on her calling.

Today, she can’t be happier, as she is living her dreams.

It was gathered that the Ogun State-born foremost herbal slimming expert, on the occasion of her 60th birthday celebration in Dubai, announced that she was stepping aside and handing over the

management of the soar-away outfit to her two daughters, Marita and Tobi , who have been directors in the company.

The children, it was gathered, were said to have rebranded the products from the stable of the outfit to world-standard.

They have introduced the brand to the social media, and placed the products on international platforms like Amazon and the Oscars.

They are currently expanding the products to include weight-friendly grains and foods for export, and so much more.

Femi Otedola’s Glowing Tribute to Mum Femi Otedola, Chairman of Forte Oil, is a businessman, philanthropist and art aficionado.

Though he does not own a church and has never claimed to be a ‘man of God’, he has done so much for the church.

Those who are close to him say he is also a bibliophile.

But if there is one book that he has made his companion, it is the holy Bible.

He treasures scriptural injunctions so much, particularly what his Creator says about mothers.

Particularly Proverbs 23:22-24, that says, Listen to your father who gave your life and do not despise your mother when she is old. “ If you are in doubt about the extent he has imbibed the biblical teaching on the status of mothers, then, you may need to seek a meeting with him.

But you need not go that far. Why? It is said that he hardly takes any decisions in his private and business life without consulting his octogenarian mother, Lady Doja Otedola.

To further prove his deep respect for his mother’s sagacity and abiding love, Otedola, also the Chairman of Geregu Power Plant, last week, put up a picture of Otedola with mum him and his dear mom on his Instagram with the caption to the picture. page.

Waxing poetic, he wrote: “Spent It was not the first time he was Monday morning with my dear mother. celebrating his beloved mum on the social She is the most important thing before I media, but he pleasantly wowed many

start my week! Still a Mummy’s boy.”

Otedola has continually told anyone who cares to listen that he would not have been what he is today if not for his mother’s love, care, prayers and guidance.

Again, Gibraltar Boss, Olu Okeowo Honoured

Okeowo

A few days ago, the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, held its Medilag Alumni High Table Fund Raising Dinner, amidst pomp and circumstance.

Though the event has come and gone, one of the highlights was the recognition given to businessman and property merchant, Sir Olu Okeowo.

The Chairman of Gibraltar Construction was so honoured for his tremendous support to the institution and charitable heart.

It will be recalled that the property mogul had donated a building to the Department of Physiotherapy at the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Idi Araba.

The building named Sir Olu Okeowo Physiotherapy Centre is said to be worth several millions of Naira.

The commissioning was graced by top scholars, businessmen, politicians and high level government officials.

The billionaire highly regarded, respected and honoured in the society and describe as a man of excellence, integrity, and an exemplary leader when it comes to giving, does so effortlessly and willingly but without calling for unnecessary publicity. But according to another quotes which says ‘’No act

of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. It has been a season of recognition and awards for the chairman of Gibraltar Construction.

Only in December 2018, the generous moneybag was honoured with an honorary doctorate of Science by the Wesley University, Ondo, Ondo State during its eighth graduation ceremonies.

Okeowo, who has numerous estates scattered around Parkview, Ikoyi and Banana Island, Lagos is a lover of humanity and an embodiment of philanthropy.

No doubt, he seems to believe so much in the words of an English writer, John Bunyan, who says, “You have not lived today until you have done something for someone who can never repay you.

Okeowo is man of proven and immense wealth, a lover of humanity and an embodiment of philanthropy, whose milk of humane kindness, like an inestimable fountain, has endlessly flowed to whet parched throats and soothe frayed nerves across the land

Yemisi Wada’s Romantic Note For beautiful Yemisi, nothing can be more heart-warming than the fact that she is loved by her husband, Dahiru Wada.

The beautiful lady, who recently became a grandmother, does not hide her love for her husband.

Society Watch gathered that Yemisi, a lawyer, showcased her poetic gift, on her instagram page, last Sunday when her husband marked his birthday. ‘’My darling darling Dahiru, Uncle MD, my ride or die, the only one who spoils me silly even though we can fight. But I don’t know two people who could be seemingly so different but still so similar and so tight as you and I. No one should try and settle our fights cos only us get us.. you’re a husband and a father closest to perfection as anyone can describe and we love love love you sooo much for it. How about all yoilu teach me and expose me to daily?

“How about the dreams we have that you strive to make come true. I love and respect you to the moon and back and I would say ‘yes’ over and over again and add ‘please’ to it for that matter.

Sweetheart I pray long life, in good health and much more to celebrate be your portion in this life because you are sooo worth it.

“You make marriage an easy walk in the park and enjoy my love in the fullness thereof. Happy birthday darling, ’’ she wrote.

The mother of five was formerly married to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain, Femi Fani-Kayode.

Following the crash of the marriage that produced three beautiful daughters, she later got married to the son of Alhaji Inua Wada, a prominent and respected politician in the First Republic 17 years ago.

Since then, the top player in the oil and gas sector has been a blessing to her. In return, Yemisi, daughter of the late Justice Bayo Adeniji, has never shied away from appreciating her husband’s love for her even in public.

Wada with her hubby

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

The Duke – Did I Vote APC? By the time you read, the presidential election would have come and gone.

The question that I am sure you all are yearning for an answer to is how I voted.

Did I vote APC? Well my answer to you all is askor!!!!!!. That is how we used to answer this kind question in those days. Yes askor, wetin concern you, is that the problem in Nigeria today? Well, the election has come and gone and no matter the outcome the most important thing is for us to do all that is possible to preserve the unity of the country. This is very critical. We cannot after all these years since Independence continue to

be behaving like political kindergartens throwing away umbrellas like a toddler after being refused a taste from the mother’s breast milk. We must remain tolerant, calm and patient. I know the issues that pervade us are very vexatious especially with the way things have been run in the last four years, this still doesn’t throw up a justification for violence, bigotry or ethnic separatism. This is me in my own little way trying to evoke the spirit of oneness no matter the outcome of the election. Both victor and vanquished must come together to sue for peace. The election threw up a lot of issues, it gave

us the platform to discuss some of these issues both sensibly and irrationally.

Scorecards were thrown up and promises were made. For me, in all the noise, I think the love for one Nigeria was enhanced by the dirty fight to rule it. The voices of separatists’ movements were finally eclipsed and the need to keep Nigeria one was enhanced. The Duke says well done to all combatants and would be inviting both winner and loser to a cocktail dinner as soon as everything is calm. Both party chairmen should kindly contact my office for a definite date. Please no stone throwing at my party o, I don’t tolerate indiscipline.

Tinubu

Dokubo

Obasanjo

Amosun

JAGABAN’S LAST POLITICAL DAYS?

off during an Atiku Presidency and the reason is simple. Those ones know how to wheel and deal. They can cut deals and they recognize the importance of negotiations and compromise in policy formulation and execution. The ride has been long and rewarding, we have witnessed democratic despotism laced with popular acclaim and an obviously shallow attempt to stand with the masses. But the truth is that like every other thing, the influence at some point will have to ebb. This inevitability cannot be stopped, slowed or diverted. It can only be embraced and prepared for with a veritable succession plan. The Jagaban should immediately start looking at his lieutenants for a credible succession and here lays the ‘killer’ problem. Not because there are not any credible candidates but because this empire has been built on the personal carriage of one man, a huge charisma and a willy-nilly dependence on native intelligence, wit and boldness. These sterling qualities would be very difficult to have them replicated in any one person. If it is not the Jagaban, it cannot be the Jagaban.

Awolowo tried it with Jakande who was nicknamed ‘baba kekere’, it did not really pan out despite the fact that Jakande was a performer. So do we see a Baba kekere in Aregbe? Mbok, make I just keep quiet. My book is coming out on this phenomenon; please wait for it, na only N500 I go sell am. So go collect your trader moni and wait for it. Thank you.

style. We need to be more circumspect, mature and deal with the issues with facts. Please my brother, all the rants only add to the wahala. This your last video that I watched asking for people to come and vote is commendable. People like you who have a voice can only do well to shout and mobilize people towards the democratic process and also point them towards the credible protection of their votes. Only then can we achieve developmental sustainability. I like you o, especially that your big belle that makes you look like an Ijaw Father Christmas.

I like the way you talk, even though I don’t like some of the things you say. I like your boldness, your courage under fire, your fearlessness and most of all your charisma. My 10-year-old daughter after watching the video asked why you were so angry and why you were shouting so much. I tell her that hungry is catching you that maybe you never chop. I cannot tell her what the true situation was because that would be ‘messing up her tiny mind’. My brother can you try a senate position. Voices like yours in the Senate would go a long way to safeguard our democracy. No vex again, pele no worry. It will be well. I don yab you small but if I no yab you who go yab you? Calm down, no be fight, na democracy.

I panic and delete the information out of fear. That is how I now went to my friend Ugodre’s well respected website NAIRAMETRICS. The thing is even worse o, an additional N166billion was borrowed just last October 2018 according to the PENCOM report they were quoting. Mbok I just went back to the group and decimated the PhD man with facts. My people it is over, we have finished. So they have taken about 70% of our pensions to do tradermoni oooooooo. How will they pay back, what is the plan? If these monies were not used for regenerative purposes then this generation of Nigerians and their children’s children and those ones grand children have been sold into eternal damnation. The pension reform that was carried out by the Obasanjo regime was brought about to sanitize the situation after government could not meet its obligations. The reforms threw up the credible system that has generated these kinds of funds and were expected to be ring-fenced. But with the issuance of these government instruments which I must say are said to be risk-free is making me fear o if government cannot pay back nko,. The sovereign rating of our country of Bb- (stable) is not enough comfort o hence this obituary I am writing o. This is not APC or PDP matter or Obasanjo being expired milk. This is DISASTER.

You know I am a certified scholar of Nigerian politics. I belong to the Kunle Amoo school of politics having passed through his tutelage at the Political Science department of the University of Ibadan where I came out in flying colours. I swear ask them, the records are still there, I know some APC people are laughing and doing their nose one kind. Yes o. So today, I will attempt an intellectual peep into the immediate future of this colossus. Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been nothing but a force in our body politic. After fighting the Military Government of Sani Abacha to a standstill on the platform of NADECO, he emerged the single most important politician in the south west after parlaying his formidable influence from Lagos throughout the south west.

But let me say this, as I look critically at the evolving scenario post-election, I sense an ebbing of his powers. The situation where he threw away the umbrella was just a symbolic admission to himself on the growing frustrations he is facing in keeping it all together. For him, a win or lose for his party will do nothing to assuage his downward spiral.

I see a second-term Buhari working assiduously to cage him, limit him to his base and possibly trying to yank off the base from him. He would not be allowed to continue to exercise control of a powerful city state like Lagos the way he has. And with the possible movement of Ambode to the center on the back of this seeming victory, Jagaban will have to be at his wits’ end to contend with that onslaught.

We have already seen how the failed Ambode Impeachment went. I think if you ask me, the Jagaban will be better

ASARI DOKUBO: CALM DOWN! Na wetin na? Na only you dey? Every day I will just be seeing you on Instagram ranting and shouting. The issues on the ground cannot be resolved with this your

OBITUARY – OUR PENSIONS You know I belong to this Habib Bank Alumni whatsapp group and discussions there can be passionate. So I dropped a report that the Federal Government through the issuance of Treasury Bills and Bonds has borrowed about N6trillion out of the whole N8trillion.

Na him one man say he get PhD come attack me o; call am fake news. Me sef,

Yakubu

IBIKUNLE AMOSUN – WHO IS YOUR DADDY? As I watched his big cap, I felt like s………. him. My anger was boiling over. He was shouting in Yoruba, ‘Don’t disgrace me, don’t disgrace me, our father is here’ and finally what did they do to his father? They stoned him.

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FEBRUARY 17, 2019 ˾ T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R

LOUD WHISPERS

Duke

Which kind of son is this? A son who will not respect his father, worked for his father’s humiliation and at the point of the very humiliation, stands up and shouts in kangaroo voice don’t disgrace me when he had already sowed the seed of the disgrace. I am sure the senator has never heard of the phrase ‘loyal party man’ because if he has, he would have accepted the position of the party to field Dapo Abiodun and go with the flow. But for very obvious reasons he decided to go to another party while still supporting his father but fighting the party for other positions. Who does that? This is nothing but ‘bole ka ja’ politics and he saw the fight as the crowd pelted them on stage tired of all the shenanigans. The APC has said they will deal with him but they themselves are not serious people.

This whole thing did not start from the day the stones and pure water sachets were thrown. This has been going on for sometime now. Why they did not take decisive action to collect Ogun state from him beats my imagination and this is what you get when some persons are bigger than structures. Chief Amosun has tried to blur the lines created by structure by saying since you won’t take my candidate I will leave to another party and still remain loyal to just one man - the President. This is Amala politics played by Amala people of the Amala Party and what do you get in return, pellets and stones. Na wa!

SDP: JOKERS IN THE PARK I hear they have suspended Donald Duke and maybe Jerry Gana, their Presidential candidate and I blame them not. Last week I had written about Donald Duke and had mentioned that he would have fared better within PDP than in all these contraptions that are a little better than town unions. In fact it is even an insult to compare town unions to this one sef. How many hours to election, you are suspending your candidates?

The reason is not far-fetched: these were platforms that were set up for shallow pecuniary reasons or as shadowy platforms to be merged at the right time and infused into any of the major parties.

Either way, for a person like Donald Duke to be enmeshed in such a dance is really sad. My brother, don’t worry, come back home, retrace your steps and go back to where you truly belong and start afresh. I don’t know what the future holds for you but no be this one. These ones na real jokers in the park.

Cole

Davido

Buhari and Atiku: Well Done and Congrats!

I really want to thank these two old men for the way they carried themselves throughout the campaigns and for once again showing in their efforts that Nigeria remains the very soul of our existence. I thank them for carrying this campaign with discipline, patriotism and so much energy. You will almost not believe that they are two very old men – if you check their real age sef, dem go don reach 100.

They jumped, humped, flew, walked, jogged across the length and breadth of the country, campaigning, telling stale jokes, exhorting, pleading, threatening and hoping that we will cast our votes for them. For all these I say thank you. I also want to thank the Vice President Prof. Osinbajo for doing a yeoman’s job during the season. You all tried, thank you.

But now the most critical part of the process has begun, which is the part where the votes will be counted and the results released after which if we are not careful we will start seeing ostrich dance by either party.

I plead with the two of you who are the main contenders to fear God. As the results are being announced please do not send Orubebe kind people to jump on stage o. I know people like Oshiomhole on the APC side and Dino Melaye on the PDP side are looking like those kinds of people. They should be restrained and not allowed anywhere near those places so that we can have a seamless exercise. All dissents should be taken

through authorized processes of complaints and should any of you decide to go to court kindly allow the judiciary do its job. Please Buhari this is not the time to carry corruption battle go Judge backyard.

You had all of four years to do that.

Please do not use EFCC or DSS to intimidate the judges, let them go and fight Boko haram for this period until the results are announced and we are happy. If you see the way they arrest civilians, you will laugh. They will just be jumping and rolling on the ground with red jacket and face mask as a result of too many American films. Lol. Both of you, this should not be a ‘do or die’, you have served us enough especially you Buhari, you have been there since primary school for Daura under various guises. So if the people say you no try, please don’t argue, just accept it as the will of the people. Same for you Atiku.

You know I just found out that you were the oga of Customs during the 53 suitcases saga when your opponent was Head of State. You too have enjoyed enough so if Nigerians say we no gree this time you too don’t argue, just go and relax with your many wives. In fact take a new one. I can assist you with that. So my brothers once again, I say thank you for a job well done. It is now time for us to unite and grow this country. This na my fervent plea to both of you – Buhari and Atiku. God bless both of you.

the paramount leader of your village was on the floor, I began to pray for your safety. You see no be everything person can do. That battle ground no be your own, you belong to us. Come back to Lagos so that we can continue with our life; that one was too dangerous. Come and even see sef, they have given you new name. They now say, ‘refused APC Gubernatorial Candidate of the APC’.

This is not good. The good thing is that at least you did not lose in the primaries and unlike my good friend Professor Utomi who was led to another venue while the primaries were still going on. You were not humiliated. It’s good, come let’s do a welcome party for you. You truly deserve one. We go try another time. Thank you.

DAVIDO: A SALUTE! Me I am beginning to respect this young man with the definite stand he has taken in politics. Now this could be as a result of his family’s long history in politics. Whatever the case, the young man has shown uncanny courage by pitching his tent in one camp. I have started following his social media handles and his posts are quite profound showing a huge understanding of the issues. He has talked about power that the youth control, he has talked about the need to remain resilient despite onslaught by the powers that be. He has talked about taking a stand against tyranny and oppression. Those he is referring to I don’t know o. But the truth is that he has very unlike his colleagues shown a clear understanding of the issues and what needs to be done.

Followed his performance at the Port Harcourt rally of the PDP and was really impressed with the way he handled the crowd. The war is not yet won, I swear with people like Davido, we just might see a concise and pragmatic push by the youth to bring about a refreshing change.

CODE OF CONDUCT TRIBUNAL OF LIFE!

TONYE COLE – DUST YOUR FEET My brother you have fought the good fight and have shown uncanny resilience and courage and I think it is time you come home and dust your feet and relax.

He don do as we say it in Shomolu. When I saw the footage where they were firing shots as you spoke and you continued standing when everybody else including

Danladi, CCT Chairman

Buhari

Atiku

I don’t know if I am looking for trouble o. But I really cannot resist this quip at the CCT. As this was going to bed, I was seeing news feed saying that the CCT has ordered the arrest of the suspended CJN. This na real CCT of life.

Well, they must have their reasons so I will keep quiet. Just that with elections so near, this kind of thing suppose be on a slow so that other motives will not be read into it. Why the hurry to finish this case in record time. Not this same judiciary that there are cases that last forever but then again as a layman, what do I even know? The suspended suspect already has like 600 SANs to argue his case, he should not be my worry.

Anyway, I greet the Chairman or is it the Chief Presiding Officer of this body even as I wish him well and good proceedings.

Let’s hurry up and finish this case abi or what else can one say?

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ EBRUARY 17, 2019

PERSPECTIVE Osun Guber Elections: The Weight of Injustice!

Ibrahim Sarafa

O

n Saturday September 22, 2018, Osun State people woke up to the dawn of great expectations and hope of better days ahead; this was the day they were going to exercise their democratic franchise of electing a governor that would oversee the state for the next four years as stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, who was at the tail end of his administration as his constitutionally stipulated two-term limit would lapse on November 26, 2018, thus making the elections imperative.

As early as 7:00am, eligible voters were seen on the streets making their way to their various polling units where they are to cast their votes. By 8:00am, queues were already seen formed and INEC officials were on hand to commence the voting processes, that is, voters’ accreditation through verification of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) by the Smart Card Reader Machines deployed by INEC. Officially, 48 political parties fielded candidates for the election, but in actuality, there were only five major candidates that were seen as serious contenders in the electoral contest.

These are: the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate; Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola; Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate; Senator Ademola Adeleke; a former Deputy Governor and Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate; Otunba Iyiola Omisore; two former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Moshood Adeoti and Alhaji Fatai Akinbade, who are the candidates of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) respectively.

The expectations and determination of the voters in the election was glaring in the manner they presented themselves and this ensured a violence-free exercise in almost all the polling units in the state. Even though, reported cases of vote-buying was a bit of concern, there was, however, significant reduction from the usual experiences from recent past gubernatorial elections held in other states of the country, notably Edo, Anambra and particularly Ekiti state.

Given the level of coordination and comportment by the electorates, election was concluded in most polling units before the official closing time of 2:00 pm and as soon as it was time, presiding officers in most of the polling units wasted no time in collating and announcing the votes polled by each of the major contenders. The process went on into the night and Osun people stayed glued to their television and radio sets to hear results of officially collated scores from each of the 30 local governments as they were being announced at the State Collation Centre in Osogbo, the state capital.

By 11:00am of Sunday September 23, 2018, official results from most of the 30 local government areas had been collated, putting PDP’s Senator Ademola Adeleke ahead with comfortable lead of over 5,000 votes before the INEC State Returning Officer (SRO), Professor Joseph Afuwape; called for a break in the exercise to allow more results to come in.

Upon resumption from the break and collation, the figures started to change amidst consistent and stern protests of wrong computations of figures by the PDP State Agent; Mr Dele Adeleke, despite these protests which were aired live on all major TV stations, Professor Afuwape kept on overruling the protested figures and went on to collate the figures thereby reducing PDP candidate’s lead to a slim margin of win, having polled 254,698 to APC’s Gboyega Oyetola’s 254,345, with a difference of 353 votes, elections in 7 polling units out of the total of 3,010 Polling Units in Osun State were also cancelled by the Professor during the collation.

Before the PDP could roll out the drums for this expected slim victory, the INEC State Returning Officer (SRO), Professor Joseph Afuwape, called for another short break, indicating that he would make a pronouncement on the result by 1:00pm when the break was supposed to end.

When he returned by noon, he shattered the joyous expectations of Osun people as he shockingly, declared that; “Unfortunately as the returning officer, it’s not possible to declare anybody as the clear winner of the election on the first ballot.” Explaining that the total registered voters in the seven polling units where elections were cancelled due to incidences of over-voting and violence is 3,498 votes and that since the figure is higher than the difference (353), between the two leading candidates, “I, Joseph Adeola Afuwape, hereby, declare this election inconclusive,” the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, pronounced.

His declaration evoked shock, anger and utter disbelief not only in Osun State but across the entire nation! Months, weeks and days prior to the polls, the PDP had expressed great fears and doubts about the neutrality of INEC officials and impartiality of security personnel before, during and after the polls and this very strange decision by the SRO simply confirmed these fears!

Indeed, earlier before the declaration by INEC SRO, the PDP through its governorsip campaign spokesman, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, stated that intense pressures was being mounted on INEC to declare the election inconclusive and pave the

Oyetola way for a rerun poll in a desperate bid to deliver victory for the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola. Despite series of irregularities, manipulations, and illegal deductions of votes scored by the PDP candidate which resulted in the reduction of well over 13,000 votes from his total votes tally, thus necessitating the rerun! Though, PDP, through its national and state party organs, protested the decision of INEC and threatened legal action to force the electoral umpire to declare its candidate winner, it, however, agreed to partake in the contrived Rerun poll that was scheduled to hold on Thursday September 27, 2018.

Since the contrived Rerun would only cover 7 polling units but spread across four local governments, INEC indicated that voters in Ife South Ward 8, Unit 10; Ife South Ward 7, Unit 12; Orolu Ward 9, Unit 3; Orolu Ward 8, Unit 1; Orolu Ward 8, Unit 4; Osogbo LGA Ward 5, unit 17; and Ife North LG, Ward 10, Polling Unit 2, Oyere II, should be prepared for a fresh election exercise on the 27th of September, 2018. However, indications that the rerun poll would be marred by violence played out barely 72 hours to the new date as hoodlums chased away, brutalized and arrested resident PDP agents, voters and supporters in the affected areas in Orolu local government area from their homes, with some taking refuge at the town’s traditional ruler’s palace.

Early on Thursday, the contrived rerun day, widespread reports of violent attacks on perceived supporters of PDP inundated the airwaves; TV, Radio and social media handles. This included how thugs recruited and imported from Lagos were preventing voters from accessing their polling units and casting their votes across the 7 polling units of the scheduled contrived rerun exercise!

These were reported and later corroborated by oral and video evidences where ONLY voters with either wristbands or caps bearing the insignia of the Osun state government or who tie a white handkerchief around their wrists were allowed into the polling units to cast their votes. Journalists, local and international observers were also not spared from the crude impunity that marred the contrived rerun poll, forcing INEC to express on its official twitter handle, @inecnigeria that it “is disturbed about reports that accredited media and observers are being arrested or prevented from operating in some polling units. This is being taken up with the security agencies.”

Notwithstanding the clear acts of violence, mayhem and obvious disenfranchisement of eligible voters who favoured PDP, INEC still proceeded to accept “results” from the polling units and announced the APC candidate, Gboyega Oyetola, whose votes tally had soared after the contrived rerun sham to 255,505 against PDP’s Ademola Adeleke’s 255,023 votes. Professor Joseph Afuwape’s announcement was met with fierce rejection by the PDP who declared the contrived rerun ‘election’ as one of the worst days in the history of Nigeria’s democracy and called it “a black day for the nation”.

“What we have witnessed in Osun shows clearly that the APC is not ready for a free, fair, credible and transparent election and we are afraid that President Muhammadu Buhari will not hand over if he loses the general elections slated for next year,” PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus stated.

Incidentally, the PDP lines of protest and condemnation tallied with those of all local and international election

monitors and observers, such as the UK, EU and US teams in the appraisal of the contrived rerun poll submitted that there were incidents of harassment and intimidation of voters. In the joint report read by the US Consul General, Mr. John F. Bray, the team of international observers noted that “The missions of the United States, European Union and the United Kingdom observed voting at polling stations in Osun today Thursday 27 September, 2018. We witnessed what appeared to be incidents of interference and intimidation of voters and have reports of harassment of party monitors, journalists and domestic observers.”

Their findings were complimented by an array of local observers, especially a civil society organisation, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), which report concluded that the Osun rerun election ran contrary to democratic norms and standards. In the report signed by CDD Director, Idayat Hassan, it detailed the open partisanship of security agents and how voters and observers were denied access to polling units.

Excerpts from the report reads “At Ajegunle Roundabout, which leads to Polling Unit 003, Ward 9, in the Orolu LGA, security personnel mounted barricades to obstruct observers and deny them access to the polling unit . Observers were arrested and taken to a nearby police station. A CDD observer, Kemi Busari, was arrested by the police on the pretext that she took pictures around a polling unit. CDD also observed attempts by the security forces to prevent some voters who allegedly belong to an opposition party from accessing PU012 in the Olode Ward 07 in Ife-South Local Government Area, even after showing their PVCs.” Another report by the Situation Room Election monitoring group (page 37) wondered why INEC having cancelled votes cast in the 7 polling units in the election of 22nd September due to violent acts, would turnaround to accept votes from same PUs from even worse acts of electoral violence and malpractices?

But while these brazen and reckless affront on constitutional democracy was going on, Osun people were in shock, dazed and stupefied and couldn’t believe that their will, freely expressed at the first ballot on 22nd September, would not be respected. In addition, it was obvious even to the blind, that the contrived rerun election was simply a ploy to upturn a clear victory earlier given to their preferred candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke!

Grave silence could be felt across the state and supporters of APC had probably read the mood of their environment such that they couldn’t roll out the drums for celebration just as it did when Rauf Aregbesola secured reelection in 2014.

The tense atmosphere was palpable and fears of a mass revolt against perceived electoral heist and injustice carried out in a crude and most barbaric manner in the full glare of the world; could be allowed to stand! However, patriotic leaders of the opposition PDP led by the Candidate himself; Senator Ademola Adeleke reached out to their teaming supporters and appealed to the citizens to remain calm and law abiding while they seek legal redress at the Election Petition Tribunal.

Since that brazen impunity and inglorious perfidy contrived by INEC officials in collaboration with the APC and its federal and state governments apparatchiks which brutally violated the fundamental rights of the citizens of Osun State to freely choose who their governor after the eight locust years of record-setting financial indebtedness, pain and misery of Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration; the entire citizens are asking; “When will justice come?”

The elderly and retirees owed years of pensions, the masses pauperized by their government’s failed policies, the students with their schools shut down for seemingly endless months, the sick and infirmed with no access to quality healthcare, civil servants owed years of salary arrears, all are asking; “When will justice come to Osun State?”

President Buhari along with his campaign train on his visit to Osun and at an interactive session with all the traditional rulers from across the state, admitted openly that his APC struggled at the last gubernatorial election and that they had had to use a lot of “resources” and managed to win using “Remote control”. One begins to wonder why he had to remind the people of Osun the still very sore pain and anguish of the controversial election.

But the reminding may be divine.Three takeaways are discernible.First,democracy sustainability demands a reversal of the rigged outcome.Two,cleansing national conscience is impossible without restitution.And third,the political class in power at the centre should use the case at the Tribunal as a national cleansing avenue by ensuring non-interference in the adjudication process.

Let it be clear, 2018 Osun State gubernatorial election is different! There is unanimity of global opinion from elder statesmen, human rights bodies and activists, civil society groups, international observers, electronic and media organizations, and the electorates, on the demonstrated injustice that was the contrived rerun election of 27 September 2018.

This injustice must not stand!

––Ibrahim Sarafa,a freelance journalist sent this piece from Osogbo,Osun state.

ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

STORMZY IS PUBLISHING THESE 21-YEAR-OLDS' "BLACK GIRLS' GUIDE TO UNIVERSITY" PAGE 71

17.02.2019

BISI SILVA, PHENOMENAL LADY OF THE ART WORLD, DEPARTS Silva

EDITOR OKECHUKWU UWAEZUOKE/ okechukwu.uwaezuoke@thisdaylive.com

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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ARTS & REVIEW\\TRIBUTE

BISI SILVA, PHENOMENAL LADY OF THE ART WORLD, DEPARTS The art community was stunned by the news of the death of Centre for Contemporary Arts founder Olabisi Silva, on February 12, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

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hock waves rippled across the art world. Somewhere in Lagos, last Tuesday afternoon, Olabisi Silva, the founder of the Centre for Contemporary Art, Lagos, gave up the ghost.

She had been battling an undisclosed ailment, which had kept her away from the public’s view for a while. Indeed, Talks about her protracted illness had recently been discretely making the rounds in the art community.

Yet, none seemed prepared enough for the inevitable. For instance, former Goethe-Institut, Lagos’s director Marc-André Schmachtel recalled speaking to her a “few months ago” while “she was still in the hospital in Hamburg”. According to Schmachtel, “her voice was weak, she complained about the German food and was looking forward to getting back to Lagos. But she had so many plans! Now, she is gone, a terrible loss for her family and for the Nigerian and international art world...”

Actually, it was the Spanish-born architect and art aficionado Jess Castellote who virtually broke the news for many in the art community with his Facebook post: “I’m in shock!!! Bisi had been sick for months and receiving treatment in London. She returned to Lagos a couple of weeks ago...” Also, her elder sister, actress Joke Silva, had taken to her Instagram page where she had posted Bisi Silva’s photograph with the caption: “Thou mastering me, God.” Then, the tributes poured in. Friends and associates worldwide took to the social media platforms to mourn. From the US, the artist Olu Oguibe, who had first met Silva while having his first solo show in London in 1990, concluded an emotional Facebook post with the words: “What a monumental loss! What a monumental loss! Can’t hold back the tears even in this public internet café! What a terrible, terrible loss!” Back in Lagos, the Arthouse Contemporary Limited in its official Facebook page described the late curator as “a phenomenal woman”, thanking her for her “contributions and dedication [to] the advancement of the Arts”. Nike Monica Okundaye, who owns the biggest art gallery in Lagos, sent in a message from Belgium, where she had gone for

Olabisi

a Bonhams auction exhibition alongside two other Nigerian artists. She expressed her profound shock on “the passing of our dear associate. Then, the US-based Professor Sylvester Okwunodu Ogbechie in his blog described her as “the greatest change agent I knew” while the African Artists Foundation said in its official Facebook page that it was “deeply saddened by this news”, expressing its gratitude for “the opportunity to experience her light in this world.” Also, the Lagos State Government, through the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture Steve Ayorinde said: “RIP, Bisi. The arts community will miss you.”

More messages came from galleries like the USbased Axis Gallery, GreenHouse Art Empowerment

Centre and Thought Pyramid Art Centre as well as artistic leading lights like Kolade Oshinowo, Moyo Okediji, Chinwe Uwatse, Janine Systma, Cassava Republic’s Bibi Bakare-Yusuf, Suzanne Preston Blier, Crown Troupe of Africa’s Segun Adefila, spoken word artist Wana Udobang and Guild of Fine Artists president Sam Ebohon, among others.

Ms Silva’s influence on the Lagos art scene had been galvanic. Flashback to sometime in 2002. She had returned from the UK, where she had lived and studied, to the scene, which albeit vibrant, was stuck in a groove.

Curatorial practice was just a nebulous concept and virtually non-existent. Consequently, the Lagos exhibition circuit was fixated on the traditional media of painting and sculpture.

Installation, performance, video and sound art were ignored and deemed foreign. Ditto other mixed-media forms of expression. Even photography still struggled to burst free from the fetters of predictability.

Collaborating with the Lagos-based Mydrim Gallery, she had organised the Institute of Visual Arts and Culture (IVAC) lecture series, which hosted renowned international art personalities. Among these were the British artist and art historian of Caribbean-descent Eddie Chambers, the US-based Nigerian art historian and curator Chika Okeke-Agulu and the Ivorian art curator Yacouba Konate.

Fast-forward to 2007. This was the year she founded the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA) in the mainland Lagos neighbourhood of Yaba. Then, she had explained that she wanted a place “far from the madding crowd”, in an obvious reference to the fact that most of the galleries in the megalopolis were concentrated around the “Island” neighbourhoods of Lagos Island, Ikoyi, Victoria Island and, to some extent, in Lekki Phase One. Before that, she had been one of the curators of the Dakar Biennale, called Dak’art, in 2006 and later in 2007 curated two exhibitions at the Seventh Biennial of African Photography in the Malian capital, Bamako.

She would also become a co-curator for the Second Thessaloniki Biennale of Contemporary Art in Greece in September 2009. This

was the year that saw her, among other things, feature as a curator at the Johannesburg Art Fair.

She also co-curated the late J. D. ’Okhai Ojeikere’s exhibition in the Finnish capital, Helsinki in 2011 as well as a transcontinental collaboration across three venues in the US and Nigeria in 2012 and 2013.

On the local art scene, she had curated exhibitions by such renowned artists as Ndidi Dike, George Osodi, Lemi Ghariokwu and Lucy Azubuike, among others.

A former editorial board member of the feminist art journal N Paradoxa, she had contributed to2 several international art publications like Art Monthly, Untitled, Third Text, M Metropolis and Agufon as well as for THISDAY. As for Ms Silva’s 12-year-old pet project CCA, it has evolved into an institution. Long before her death, she had taken a keen interest in Iheanyi Onwuegbucha’s ambition to become a curator.

According to Onwuegbucha, who is now an associate curator at the CCA, he had first met Ms Silva in Enugu in 2014, while he was still working as the festival secretary of the annual Life in My City Art Festival, also known by its acronym LIMCAF. “She asked me about my plans for the future and I told her I wanted to be a curator,” Onwuegbucha recalled. “Ever since, she followed my work and progress. In 2017, while I was studying at the University of Leeds, she called to encourage me and enquire about my future plans. At the end of my programme, she visited me in London and invited me to work with her at [the] CCA, Lagos. That was how Bisi has nurtured numerous young curators across Africa.

Always looking out for emerging talents, eager to give advice and encouragements...”

Onwuegbucha also disclosed that Ms Silva, even from her sick bed, “never stopped giving: professional advice, financial support and encouragements to all who needed them. She will be greatly missed by the CCA, Lagos family whom she had nurtured like myself.” He also prayed that “the phenomenal legacy she left behind will be kept and her dream of a purpose-built library for contemporary art will someday be realised.” Meanwhile, the art world continues to reel in shock. For a long time, the memory of this phenomenal art personality, who has impacted on many young artists, will continue to linger.

DRAMA

Inside The Grand Finale of Beeta Playwright Competition Yinka Olatunbosun

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gip Recital Hall Onikan, Lagos was a beehive of activities, as theatre practitioners and budding playwrights met for the grand finale of the second Beeta Playwright Competition.

From the foyer to the stage, the drama took different shades in forms of camaraderie and a medley of drama presentations drawn from some of the plays written by the finalists.

Sponsored by Union Bank of Nigeria, the competition empowers new voices in the theatre by identifying raw talents and refining these through a series of workshop.

In the welcome address by the founder, Beeta Universal Arts Foundation (BUAF), Bikiya Graham-Douglas, she revealed that 348 entries were received from 30 states in Nigeria.

“Our judging panel once again chaired by Professor Ahmed Yerima included industry experts such as Ego Boyo, Ago Jaiyesimi, Shuaibu Husseini, Kenneth Uphopho and Ibiso Graham-Douglas,” she said.

According to her, the competition strengthens the value chain in the performing arts industry

in Nigeria, empowering writers, directors, actors, students and other professionals in the ecosystem.

“At Beeta, we are passionate about telling organic contemporary stories and understand the responsibility that comes with this,” she declared.

After a rigorous search, ten finalists were selected and they were all seated in the auditorium in time for the ceremony. The 2019 finalists include Shehu ZochSoch for his play, Tick Tock More Talk; Kelvinmary Ndukwe for Transparent; Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim for Jagagba; Ekpeno Ukut for Room 7; Joshua Alabi for Beyond the Wig; Ruhee Ojigbo for Mr. Macaroni; Kehinde Aremote for ALove Like This; El Osas Iyalekhue for Sharky Boy; Adenike Olokunbola for Echoes of the Drum; Elias Ozikpu for Queen Akwadze.

Ojigbo emerged as second runner-up; Alabi was announced as the first runner-up while Ibrahim won the competition. Interestingly, both the first runnerup and the winner were finalists at the previous edition of the Beeta Playwright Competition.

Alabi, who is one of Nigeria's finest theatre exports to the Europe, missed out on the workshop for this edition due to international commitments. Still, he was elated to have made it to the top two position.

“I feel like screaming but I don’t want people to feel like something is wrong with me,” he said. I’m happy because not many organisations in Nigeria

Bikiya Graham-Douglas; Head of Corporate Communications, Union Bank of Nigeria, Winner Ogochukwu Ekaidem, Abdul-Qudus Ibrahim and Shaibu Husseini

are doing this. Science, Technology and Mathematics usually get all the attention but this is ‘just’ writing and it is such a big step.

“I am just meeting all the finalists today although I have read the synopsis of their plays. There is something writing can do to the world. It has a way of changing. My play, Beyond the Wig is about rape, incest and other sexual violence and how our society is trivializing it.”

The winner, Ibrahim was surrounded by cameras and friends as he basked in the

euphoria of being a winner at his second time as a finalist at the competition.

“I’m so excited. This is so amazing. When I got called, I couldn't believe it. When you have a dream, keep believing it. Don’t give up on your dream,” he said.

Incidentally, the winner of the previous edition, Paul Ugbede recalled how he came to Lagos in 2015 to chase his Nigerian dream when he learnt about this competition and made a submission that won. He had recently been on the shortlist for the African Playwrighting Competition.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

ARTS & REVIEW\\MOVIES

STORMZY IS PUBLISHING THESE 21-YEAROLDS' "BLACK GIRLS' GUIDE TO UNIVERSITY"

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tormzy's commitment to social activism, black empowerment and backing a generation of new voices is a far cry from the fruitless Instagram posts and woke hashtags we've come to expect from liberal-minded millennial celebrities and influencers. The British grime artist actually cares – and puts his money where his mouth is.

2018 has been a big year for the Stormzy social enterprise – in July, the 25-year-old announced his own book imprint with Penguin Random House, #Merky Books, to platform fiction, nonfiction and poetry by new talent, and just a month later it emerged he'd founded a scholarship to send two black students to study at the University of Cambridge this year and next to increase BAME representation, a notoriously sore point for Oxbridge.

Far from cynical PR ploys to garner adulatory headlines, both of this year's initiatives were passion projects dreamed up by the south Londoner, with him approaching each establishment with the idea. Coming from a man who's rapped about his mental health, backed hardworking nurses, supported Jeremy Corbyn's left-wing agenda and famously slammed Theresa May's response to the Grenfell tragedy at the Brit Awards, his new commitments to lifting up other young black people may not be surprising, but they're groundbreaking nevertheless.

Two young people to benefit are 21-year-olds Chelsea Kwakye and Ore Ogunbiyi, co-authors of the first book set to be published by #Merky Books after his own release, Rise Up, this month. The pair, both of whom graduated from Cambridge University this summer, have penned Taking Up Space, a "black girls' guide to university", due to be Ore Ogunbiyi and Chelsea Kwakye released next summer. With chapters tackling everything from white-dominated curricula to self-care and dating, it's aimed at the started Cambridge that I learned a lot about race and how others view future generations of young women who'll likely encounter some of me, which affected how I viewed myself. One white boy told me I was the same overt racism and micro-aggressions they faced. the first black person he'd ever spoken to. As a black student, you don't Kwakye, who now studies law in London, and Ogunbiyi, a journal- get the luxury of just being a student – every day you have to fight your ism master's student in New York, met at a careers fair just before corner and talk about race.

Cambridge and forged a friendship that has survived countless dire O: I think I was equally naive. My boarding school had a diverse student nights out and now, co-writing a 60,000-word book together. student population and I assumed everywhere would be like that. That Refinery29 sat down with the pair to discuss micro-agressions, white wasn't the case, and my natural reflex was to think, I need to find all the boyfriends and being surrogate "big sisters" to other black girls. black people, wherever they are, and stick with them. It was like, oh my Why did you want to go to Cambridge in the first place, as goodness, everyone's got to be just as shocked as me and we need to opposed to any other university? And what did you make of stick together because this is awful and this is horrible and I don't know the application process? how to deal with this.

Chelsea: I went to a state school in Chingford [northeast London] Ore, in 2016 you were involved in a campaign to take down and actually didn't want to go to Cambridge originally. I had to be and repatriate a bronze cockerel owned by the university that dragged through the application process. In my eyes Oxbridge was for was looted from Africa in the 19th century. Were either of you at politicians or people who wanted to go into government. But when all aware of the university's often problematic history before you I sat down to think about it properly, I realised I was capable and applied? thought, Why not? It was the best university for the subject I wanted O: I can't say I was. Just before I got to university I became aware of to do, history. The support I received from school was limited: one ideas and concepts like whiteness, neocolonialism and the ways that mock interview. At the time I was really grateful, I didn't know any colonial power dynamics still exist in the UK and across the world, but different. I was the only one who ended up getting in. seeing that personified at university was novel and unexpected. I wasn't Ore: I was at a private Catholic girls' boarding school in Surrey and aware of how it would be personified at Cambridge until I saw the was in an 'Oxbridge club' of about 20 students who were interested cockerel. in applying to Oxbridge but I would say, flat out, that no one put C: My family's perception of Cambridge clouded my judgement. their money on me, although I did get support from school. When I They came to the UK from Ghana and see Oxbridge as the pinnacle of spent some time in Cambridge for a summer course, my first thought education, which I'd guess is the same for a lot of parents. From them I'd was, Oh my god, it's so cute, with their little bikes and cobbled streets. internalised that it was the best university and I should be proud to get I now try to help other black girls who don't have that same support in. When you go to a university like that, you then start to think, Should that I did.

I criticise the best university in the world? My mum sat me down and What were your preconceptions of Cambridge before you said something like, "Be careful because you might jeopardise your place arrived, and did you fear being treated differently from other and we wouldn't want that." students because you were black (and therefore in the minorO: Yeah, also my dad was so set on me getting into Cambridge that ity)? he was telling people I was going there before I even had my interview.

C: Looking back, I was really naive. When you go to university This made me not want to tell him, "Dad, actually, I'm kind of strugyou think, This is a fresh start, a clean slate, but it was actually when I gling." This meant I kept a lot of things in at the beginning. Everyone

ARTS BRIEF

Third Chinua Achebe Int'l Conference Holds In May Yinka Olatunbosun

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n its third year, the Chinua Achebe International Conference is set to bring world-class scholars to Nsukka to interrogate African studies and chronicle its perpetual presence. An initiative of the Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, this conference is an annual event, research-driven with focus on the continent's issues in relation to the other nations of the world.

The conference is designed to reflect the uniqueness and diversity of the continent and articulate appropriate theoretical and methodological framework to the construction and reconstruction of concrete facts as well as the challenges that beset the

continent.

The event will help form a suitable network with national and international institutions of research, promote cooperation with African partners and generate the polemics and methodologies needed to catapult African studies to the apogee of intellectual renaissance .

The conference, which holds from May 22 to 25 has as theme, “Contemporary African Studies and chronicle for perpetual presence”.

Some of the sub-themes for the conference include Pan-Africanism and African Development; African Diaspora Studies; Africa and World Economy; Peace and Conflict Resolution in Africa; Political and Economic Future of Africa; Humanitarian Aid and African Consciousness; Graphic Art, Music and Drama in Africa; Migration and African Studies; Gender and Queerism in African Studies; Literature, Orature, Film and Cinema in Africa, among others.

was rooting for me and I didn't want to disappoint them by saying I was unhappy.

C: It comes back to the responsibility of becoming the representative of a whole community as a black student. Not only are you the only black person in a room, you're also the only black person who goes to Cambridge from the community.

How would you describe the cultural side of student life at Cambridge? What did you make of the nights out, food options and everything else you might want that would be quite easy to find in London?

C: We made our own

spaces. When everyone went to Cindies, we would have a house party and play music that we would vibe to, and Ore lived in a house so she was able to cook things and bake. But we did go to some club nights and I wanted to make friends with everyone.

O: Yeah, we did try. Some people who were like, "I'm not going to that night because they're not going to play any music I like." Sometimes I wish I'd made that decision earlier on, because often I wasn't enjoying myself or meeting people I liked. I tried the 'out of your comfort zone' thing and it didn't always work, I wasn't being myself.

Did other students make an effort with you, particularly white students?

C: Yes, a lot of my friends, even to this day, are white. It was only once I started getting more involved with ACS [the African Caribbean Society] that I started meeting black people. For example, my boyfriend is white and that was never a big friction point. It happened naturally, we were friends and then he became my longterm boyfriend. My experience was positive but that definitely wasn't the experience for a lot of people.

O: I tried a lot with them but it got to a point where if I'd died in my room, I don't think they would have checked on me. They all seemed to gel really well and liked going out together, and it took me a while to find my group. But I don't think that's because they were white, we just didn't have a connection.

In your book you seek to prepare black girls for the "ignorant white students who might touch and smell their braids in freshers' week". Did you expect any overt racism at Cambridge yourselves?

C: Micro-aggressions like someone asking to touch your hair were so normalised that that didn't even spring to mind when you said "racism". I was very lucky to not have been the victim of any overt racist attacks, but I heard a lot of stories.

O: I wrote an article for a student paper titled "A letter to my fresher self: Surviving Cambridge as a black girl" and the accompanying photo is of me with a group of white students touching my hair. People think the picture was staged but it actually happened and someone took a picture of it. I wrote the piece during the Christmas holidays and when I came back to uni, people didn't look at me in the same way. I felt like I couldn't walk into college because people were looking at me and thinking, She wrote that article, who does she think she is?

Also, when I'd talk to other students about Cambridge-specific things, people would sometimes assume I went to [neighbouring] Anglia Ruskin University rather than Cambridge. This happened to me twice in a week. I'd said nothing to make them think I was at ARU. They couldn't possibly conceive that I might go to Cambridge, which wasn't overt racism but a racist prejudice of what I can and can't do.

The emotional, mental health side of university can be tough for any student, and the Oxbridge environment can be particularly cutthroat, with everyone comparing themselves to each other. How did you deal with this on top of the microaggressions you constantly came up against?

C: Sometimes I'd have to literally isolate myself. One time I was sitting in my room working and I could hear a group of students talking about how they'd spent £600 that month and one girl joked that it's because she was "going to brunch too often". I was sitting there fuming because I was living off £200 and had to go home and work in between vacations. There are loads of different caveats that make it harder for black students, like not being able to make friends or talk about race because no one looks like you.

There's a chapter in the book about dating as a black woman and your experience, Chelsea, of being in an interracial relationship with your white boyfriend for the last three years. How would you describe this?

C: I don't think our relationship would work if these were swept under the carpet. We're frank when we talk about it. I won't hesitate to pull him up if I think he has done something and he won't hesitate to do the same. Obviously I'm more likely to do it. We have honest conversations and he's really open-minded and curious. The other day we were talking about history and he asked me: "What history do you relate to?" In my first year of university it was tough because I was learning so much about race and whiteness and stressing about the paradox that my boyfriend was white. Initially there was a lot of internal conflict but then I realised, I'm not with him because he's white, I'm with him because this is someone I like and he likes me, but that's not an excuse to sweep these issues under the carpet.

Finally, what are you hoping to achieve with the book?

C: I want it to act as a hug to black girls and to say that you can go to university, you can have a really good time but these are the things to be aware of, and this book will be here to help you through those times.

O: I want it to prepare black girls better, so that a black girl somewhere will know how to approach a situation because we told her about it. I want black girls to feel like they have big sisters in us through this book, in case they end up in spaces where they don't find mentors or support systems.

-Taking Up Space will be published by #Merky Books in June 2019 and is available for pre-order now.

––Culled from www.refinery29.com

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CICERO

Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

Typical of INEC! Yesterday’s postponement of the presidential and national assembly elections is characteristic of the Independent National Electoral Commission, writes Olawale Olaleye

F

or three consecutive elections – 2011, 2015 and 2019 – the eventual resort to postponing elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) almost at the shortest and disrespectful notice is becoming a familiar but nasty practice, not when the INEC had the luxury of four years to prepare for the elections.

In 2011, whilst voting had begun in some parts of the country and others struggling to settle down, the announcement came that the election had been postponed and a new date chosen. The reason for the postponement was basically logistics. Crass!

The helpless Nigerian voter therefore watched as INEC got away with that ‘rape’ occasioned by its own incompetence.

Again, in 2015, after all had appeared set for the presidential election, so much that the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) was already playing with the date of the election as a fondly campaign slogan – FeBuhari – INEC mooted the idea of postponement, this time citing security reasons.

And true to their plan, that election was moved also by a week. INEC, which had four years to prepare for the exercise fumbled, but got away with taking Nigerians and the world for granted and nothing happened.

At an emergency meeting late Friday night, which spilled into the early hours of yesterday, the INEC leadership had decided that it was unable Yakubu, INEC Chairman to go ahead with the elections again, importance of this election as well as its cost citing logistics reasons. Weeks before Friday, INEC implications, this particular INEC leadership has had boasted that come rain or shine, the elections since assuming office, left no one in doubt about its would hold as scheduled. capacity to deliver a good job. With its first set of But all of that changed within minutes, which necessitated an emergency meeting, in the course of assignments declared inconclusive for a long time, which the idea to postpone the election was mooted, it left not many in doubt that it could also through sheer indiscretion set the nation on fire. perfected and announced.

It was actually one of the reasons that retaining Now, there is something about the INEC leaderProfessor Attahiru Jega, former INEC boss, immeship, which exposes its sheer incompetence, dating diately after the 2015 election was an idea many had back many years that this joke of postponement embraced, because there was an evolving improvewas first toyed with. And because nobody had been ment through the window of time, which suggested sanctioned when it first started let alone see it as that had he stayed back, he would have perfected what it is – competence – it is fast becoming part of the process so much that the nation could have the nation’s electoral culture to postpone the first embraced a near-perfect system at this election. But bout of the elections, either on the day of the elecJega was too much in a hurry to go as if he did some tion or just a few hours to kick-off. kind of wrong that couldn’t see him wait a day more.

This chosen path by the INEC leadership has, Yesterday’s postponed elections, being the first sadly, reinforced the joke on Nigeria as a rather unbout of the series that was to initially continue on serious country, which does not pay attention to the March 2, were the most important, because they most important things but devotes time, attention involved election into the nation’s top job as well as and resources to frivolities. Whoever has four years those at the national assembly, who operate within to prepare for an assignment and on the day it was the same three arms zone in Abuja, the nation’s meant to deliver fails, is not fit to continue to hold capital. such an office, much less one as sensitive as INEC. Postponed now to February 23, while the second Apart from being grossly insensitive to the

round is now billed for March 9, there was no doubting the fact that the election was a choice between the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress’ Muhammadu Buhari. Although not a very exciting one, it was the reason it was described as a choice between two evils.

Needless to say that the election had been trailed by different polls many of which predicted an Atiku victory, the handlers of the incumbent, Buhari, had also tried to spin some polls, which equally tipped their candidate as likely to win the election.

But the rather fascinating angle to the battles of pollsters was that all those who predicted an Atiku victory actually predicted Buhari’s too in 2015, including this newspaper (THISDAY), which has continued to maintain a dignifying intervention in the nation’s political and electoral process at every turn.

Whilst the issues defining the election of 2015 were strategically reduced to a tripod of the economy, security and corruption, which by implications challenged the ability of Jonathan to address the core of basic demands of governance, the short walk to this year’s election was largely controlled by the narrative of capacity and some pan-Nigerian concerns.

And in what seemed to support many of the predictions that tipped an Atiku victory, the former vice-president had secured critical endorsements from the least likely quarters in the run-up to the poll, the same way Buhari stole the momentum from Jonathan and became the issue in the countdown to 2015.

Of course, as the incumbent, just the same way Jonathan was goaded on even in the face of imminent defeat in 2015 – Buhari’s support base had continued to savour unceasing cheering, dismissing and discarding Atiku’s alleged momentum, including the polls as unlikely to translate into votes.

Those nuances would not have been relevant again had the election held and results announced. If Atiku had eventually won as predicted, it would have meant that regardless of his alleged and perceived shortcomings, the Nigerian people resolved to try something else that “could get the nation working again”.

But if the incumbent, against all expectations, had been re-elected, it could have meant too that for the second most critical time in the world’s political history, pollsters failed, coming after the Donald Trump victory, and that their predictions might no longer be bankable. It could also have meant that in spite of his palpable inadequacies, Nigerians still chose to embrace the next level.

What would have been most important was for all sides to accept the outcome of the election, regardless of who won. Predictions or no predictions, Nigeria is bigger than each of the candidates and the results, expectedly, could have been seen as reflecting the voices of the Nigerian people for as long as the process was free, fair and credible.

However, since the elections have been moved upward by a week, the expectations are not likely to change much, more so that the jury is still out on an ugly choice between the two evils. Finger crossed!

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Ogun APC Rally: Blame Not Amosun

Q

Amosun

uite expectedly, the chaotic outcome of last Monday’s presidential rally in Ogun State has since become a subject of public debate, with a majority of them struggling to shift the blame at the doors of Governor Ibikunle Amosun of the state.

But whoever was present at the stadium or had been able to do an objective analysis of some of the videos trending on the social media – away from the resort to mob lynch – it was not difficult to tell how a former governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola

and the National Chairman of APC, Adams Oshiomhole, through their inciting utterances set the place on fire.

That aside, the disposition of a few leaders of the party, which corroborated the demeanors of Adams and Aregbesola, showed that they not only came to fight Amosun and embarrass him, they were also prepared to unsettle the atmosphere of the rally. That the crowd foght back in defence of their governor was not Amosun’s fault but of those who lacked the discretion to act decently at a rally the governor laboured hard to put together. Amosun is certainly not to blame.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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BRIEFINGNOTES BANDITRY, INSURGENCY, AND ELECTIONS IN NORTHERN STATES

This, Indeed, Is Scary!

The recent attacks on the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, is a disturbing development, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

T

he deadly attack on the convoy of Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, last Tuesday, was both a very audacious move on the part of the anti-social group and a hint at the group’s rising boldness might have been buoyed, perhaps, by some of their successful raids on some military formations in recent times, during which they made away with military hardware from the armouries of the military formations.

The attack, which occurred along the Maiduguri-Gambu road, leading to the Chad Republic, however, claimed about five lives including that of a soldier. The governor was on a campaign mission to Gamboru-Ngala late Tuesday, when his convoy came under attack by the Boko Haram upon arrival at Logomani Village, a notorious Boko Haram hideout.

Early reports suggested that the attack may have been avoidable, yet it didn’t take anything away from the import of the attack, which includes the fact that the terror group is far from being defeated as claimed by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to the reports, the governor ignored warnings from the soldiers on the ground in Dikwa town not to continue on the MaiduguriGambu road since it was dusk.

Upon the insistence of Governor Shettima to continue on the campaign trip, the soldiers allowed the governor’s convoy to continue on the Gamboru-Ngala road but refused to accompany Shettima...a subliminal message According to the alert posted his convoy and provide it with security cover. on the website of the United States embassy in Nigeria, the Only last December, Governor Shettima had cried out that insurgent group planned to attack security and infrastructure, the state was under siege. Before then, the terror groups had as well as markets, hotels, and malls. conducted several daring raids on military formations in The United States embassy in Nigeria, in the post on its towns and villages in both Borno and Yobe States. website in January, had stated in late January that, “There is At the meeting with President Buhari, Shettima wept like an increase in ISIS propaganda videos specifically directed to a baby deprived of his cherished toy and pleaded for help Nigeria and the ongoing civil unrest in Borno State and the to curtail the raids on different parts of the state by the Boko Northeast.

Haram fighters.

“ISIS West Africa (ISWA) and Boko Haram have both stated The picture painted by the governor during the meeting they plan to disrupt the upcoming 2019 presidential election was reminiscent of the pre-2015 reign of terror in the Northby conducting attacks on Nigerian Security and infrastructure, east. At the time, Boko Haram hoisted their flags in several as well as places of gathering such as markets, hotels, and towns and villages it had captured from fleeing Nigerian malls. troops.

“While we have no specific threat information to the U.S. The photographs of tearful Shettima elicited a deserving Embassy or within Nigeria during the election season, U.S. response from the president, who assured him that security citizens in Nigeria should remember to follow personal would be stepped up even as the military re-jigged its security precautions on a regular basis.” operations and personnel at the theatre of war.

Analysts contended that the failure of the nation’s military The latest onslaught on the convoy of the governor is a to prevent the attack even after the intelligence heads-up confirmation of his fears that the gains recorded in the fight against insurgency particularly in the state, are being gradually from the Americans was suggestive of the tardy handling of intelligence reports on the part of the nation’s military high lost for whatever reasons. It is also a confirmation of the command. concerns by some Nigerians, who had held the position that Some other analysts added that the excuse that the terror the fight against the Boko Haran was either losing steam or group fights unconventionally does not exonerate the military had come to its tether’s end strategy-wise. from flaks on account of the recent strikes in which towns and Instructively too, the attack came barely four weeks after villages were pillaged and lives lost. the United States Government through its embassy in the Commentators maintained that not even under the Jonathan country alerted that the group was planning to launch series administration did the group launched such a bold move on a of attacks in the North-east of the country aimed at disrupting sitting governor. Though the campaign convoy of the incumthe general election.

bent president was then attacked by the group while he was still a candidate, the Jonathan administration was quick to rise in defence of candidate Buhari and subsequently repelled the insurgents.

Up until now, it is unthinkable that the group could contemplate attacking the convoy of a sitting governor much more carrying out the attack, given that the governor’s convoy would ordinarily be heavily guarded due to the security challenged in the North-east, particularly Borno State.

Now that it has happened, the attack is suggestive of the group’s growing boldness and question the claim by the President Buhari administration that the terror group has been technically degraded.

The revelations that some towns and villages in the state have fallen under Boko Haram control further buttress the conclusion that the terror group was far from being technically defeated even if they no longer held as many local government areas as they held at the height of their reign in the region in 2014.

Rather, it calls for a re-evaluation of the war strategy being adopted by the Nigerian state and its troops.

It is noteworthy that many analysts and commentators maintained that the country strategy in the fight against terror is reactive rather than proactive.

Those who held this view argued that after fighting insurgency for so long, that the country’s forces were yet to infiltrate Boko Haram is worrisome.

They added that the in-fighting within Boko Haram, which led to the split that gave rise to the Islamic State of Islam for West Africa (ISIWA) presented the country a golden opportunity to infiltrate the group.

Former Governor of Cross Rivers State and Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) Donald Duke shared this view recently during an interview with THISDAY. Mr. Duke had argued that Nigeria’s approach to security was still reactive as against being proactive, adding that after fighting the Boko Haram for so long, the country should have infiltrated the group. “There is no thinking in the way we do things. We have been fighting Boko Haram for seven years and we’ve not infiltrated Boko Haram. By now, we should have infiltrated them. That is intelligence gathering, so what we are doing is reactive. 80 per cent of security is intelligence gathering,” Duke stated.

It is however sad that security has degenerated so badly in the country, even beyond the North-east. In the North-west states of Zamfara, Katsina and Kaduna, cattle rustling, banditry and kidnappings are still of troubling proportion.

In the latest attack, much as supporters of the administration may want to blame it on Governor Shettima on account of the fact that he did not listen to security warnings by the soldiers, it has dented the much vaunted claim of the administration that it has technically defeated the terror group.

Rather it suggested that the administration has failed in its core duty of securing the lives and property of Nigerians, who voted it into power particularly, the people of the North-east, who live at the mercy of the terror groups.

As it is, the attacks have further heightened fears that the election may not hold in the North-east particularly in Borno State. And if it holds, clearly, it would be coloured by an atmosphere of fear caused by a prevailing security challenge and not due to political tension orchestrated by political gladiators in rival political parties.

NOTES FOR FILE

Clinton’s Diplomatic Retreat

Clinton

Former United States President, Bill Clinton was supposed to be in the country last week to witness the signing of the peace pact between the two leading presidential candidates, Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar. The news of his presence alone was exciting to the political class before the diminutive Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, propounded the “body bag” theory.

Immediately this happened especially, that the ruling party and their mob allies had thrown their weights behind him, coupled with the backing he seemed to have received from the federal government, which scolded

the international community for alleged plans to interfere in the nation’s political process, Clinton stood down his visit, because he did not want to be cited as meddling in the election.

Unfortunately, Clinton’s diplomatic retreat was a major indictment on the nation’s international relations particularly, as it concerns certain individuals in the mode of Clinton. If it was okay for these people to intervene (not interfere) in the process in the 2015 election that produced Buhari, blackmailing the international community now is grossly undiplomatic and might have consequences.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

CICERO/REPORT

Lessons from Rivers APC Debacle Right now, Rivers APC is in a political mess, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

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he fight-to-finish in the Rivers State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), which led to last week’s Supreme Court judgment that barred the party from fielding any candidates in this year’s general election, might have come as a bitter lesson for all, especially the nation’s political gladiators.

On the surface, it would seem like the pronouncement of the Supreme Court barring the Rivers State APC from fielding candidates in the elections had handed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Governor Nyesom Wike, an easy victory, but the APC has itself to blame for it.

It sounded absurd, but the party has by its in-fighting and inability to embrace collegiate leadership, where decision-making is collective, recorded an inglorious feat, as the first ruling party not to present a single candidate in a general election in a particular state.

This will go down in the nation’s democratic culture just as it will rub off negatively on the political careers of both the Minister of Transportation and leader of APC in the state, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi and the senator representing Rivers North-east, Magnus Abe. It is arguable that this is what you get when leadership is intolerant. But interrogating the Rivers APC debacle further revealed that the two main gladiators, Amaechi and Abe, have their faults and share the blame of the misfortune that has befallen the party in the state, although Abe gets more blame for deciding to burn down the house he belongs for whatever reason, least of all because he was being shut out.

It is not difficult to glean that Amaechi’s leadership style was a challenge on the whole. It is the same with many political leaders across the nation’s six Amaechi and Abe geo-political zones. Therefore, Amaechi is not alone. He only just got his fingers burnt. stormed Abe’s residence sometime in 2017, where he allegUnfortunately, he is a classic beneficiary of all that is edly confronted him in the presence of his wife and him wrong in being a totalitarian. Former president Obasanjo Abe off in the present of his wife. demonstrated same dictatorial tendencies towards Abe’s sympathisers contended that the move was Amaechi in the run-up to the 2007 election, Amaechi needless and that it was the last straw that rendered rebelled, approached the courts and he won back his the camel invertebrate. But going forward, the senator stolen mandate. decided on an all-out war with his former leader and The Supreme Court had recently upheld the order of a close associate. And thence began the war of attrition and Federal High Court, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, nullifying the fight to the finish that has caused the party so dearly. the APC primaries in Rivers State. The trial court held Amaechi’s fault stemmed from his refusal to embrace that the primaries were held in disobedience to a court a collegiate leadership style, where all the leaders are judgment barring the party from conducting congresses involved in decision-making and more importantly, alpending the determination of a suit filed by 22 aggrieved lowed some measure of control of their areas of influence. members of the party.

Critics believed his handling of the crisis could have been The ruling of the apex court set aside that of the Court better. of Appeal, Port Harcourt, which in October upturned the Truth be told, Amaechi should not have completely interlocutory order of the high court. alienated Abe from the party’s activities and primary In a lead judgment delivered by Justice Sidi Barge, the process even as some observers reasoned that it was apex court had held that by virtue of section 11 Rule 5 wrong of him to have conducted the party’s primaries of the Supreme Court rules, the appeal against the High against the ruling of a court of competent jurisdiction, Court ruling, having been withdrawn by the APC, was regardless of being a lawyer or not. bound to be dismissed.

Abe also comes in for some blame. By his refusal to Barge had said, “It is my considered opinion that this abide by the agreement to first grow the party before any appeal must be given a decent burial. The appeal having consideration of personal ambition exposed him as one been withdrawn at the lower court by the respondent, it is who places personal interest above that of the party. deemed distilled.”

Analysts opined that this remains a major undoing The matter leading to the verdict dates back to 2013 of the nation’s democratic culture and politicians, and the or thereabout. That was shortly after Amaechi defected better the practice is jettisoned the better for the nation’s to the APC with his political structure as the incumbent political development. governor of the state. At the time, Abe was the Secretary Abe’s resolve to approach the law courts also signpost to the Government of River State and was eyeing the his disdain for the principle of party supremacy. The governorship. But after some horse-trading, which saw reasonable route to go for any apostle of party supremacy Peterside Dakuku emerging the governorship candidate, would have been to approach the party hierarchy rather he was handed the Rivers North-east Senatorial seat on than the courts. the APC platform.

In trying to absolve him of the charge of ignoring However, immediately after the 2015 elections in principle of party supremacy, his sympathisers argued which APC failed to win the governorship but which that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the Abe was lucky to have won his election, Amaechi had party had already sided with Amaechi, adding that allegedly enjoined every party member to temporarily Amaechi had even resolved to rub it in by adopting the suspend their political ambition and concentrate on winners take all approach often preferred by the nation’s building the party into a formidable force capable of political gladiators. conveniently wresting power from the PDP and Governor Even then, it is foolhardy on the part of Abe to be Nyesom Wike in the state. hell-bent on destroying the party in the state just to spite Abe would have none of it and surreptitiously went Amaechi. He forgot so soon he was no one without the about building a structure of his within the party, with party but now he knows better. which he planned to vie for the party’s governorship Interestingly, Abe’s resolve to humble the party ticket come 2019 because he thought Amaechi would not further swelled the conspiracy theory that he was in bed support him. A few meetings were reportedly held with with Governor Wike in executing the plot. The allegation the objective to douse the tension but he stuck to his guns draws plausibility considering that the tactic of inserting as would Amaechi. fifth columnists within the ranks of rival political parties Matters, however, reached a head when Amaechi is not new in the nation’s party politics.

During the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, PDP had recruited the National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Ambassador Mamman Yusuf as its mole. The PDP was believed to have deployed the same trick on the All Peoples Party using Don Etiebet when he was the party’s National Chairman.

In the recent past, the PDP had alleged that former factional National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Alli Modu Sherriff was a mole of the APC planted within its fold to destabilise the party. Time will tell whether Senator Abe fought an altruistic battle or not.

The days ahead will reveal what his motivations were even as the conspiracy theory included that Abe and Wike had struck an agreement on how to reward the former for his role, besides the latter footing the legal fees of the protracted legal battle.

According to those bandying the theory, Wike had agreed to concede a handful of commissioner slots to Abe in his second term cabinet, and that sooner than later, Abe would dump the APC for the PDP and coalesce his political structure into the PDP ahead of 2023, when he would be allowed to actualise his ambition to govern the state on the platform of the PDP. Ultimately, the actions of Hon. Amaechi and Senator Abe will have far telling implications for the fortunes of the APC in Rivers and the political development of the state.

One of the implications of their ego-fuelled political battle is that it would deprive about 50 aspirants of the APC the opportunity to test their popularity with the electorate in the state even as the electorate will be denied the chance to vote for their preferred candidates, who belong in the APC. Of all, that amounts to plentiful dashed hopes and dreams. It is also capable of turning the state into a oneparty state.

Going by the nature of the nation’s politics where the multitude often gravitates towards the ruling party for patronage, it stands to reason that many of the footsoldiers of the APC in the state would dump the party after the general election when political patronage is hard to come by.

Even if the APC wins at the presidential election, a quest to which the actions of the duo has dealt a severe blow in the state and in the South-south, it is left to be seen how Amaechi will accommodate all political actors from the state needing political patronage.

In the final analysis, what Amaechi and Abe have done will tell on the outcome of the presidential election in the Rivers State, which in any case the APC does not stand any chance of winning.

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Chris

Andy

Ifeanyi

Anambra South Senate: A Battle of the Uba(h)s Next month’s race for Anambra South senatorial seat promises to be interesting as the seat might have been unofficially conceded to anyone with Uba(h) as his last name, writes David-Chyddy Eleke

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ome February 16th, the trio of Andy Uba, Chris Uba and Ifeanyi Ubah, will slug it out at the Anambra South Senatorial seat election. While Andy is vying on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), his younger brother, Chris, is doing that on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The third candidate, Ifeanyi Ubah, is not in any way related to the first two, hence his Uba with ‘h’, maybe for purposes of clarity and distinction. He is vying on the platform of the Young Peoples Party (YPA).

But the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may likely not feature in the election as its candidate, Nicholas Ukachukwu, has been stopped by the court for not being properly nominated by his party. This, therefore, leaves the race to the Uba(h).

All three have been or are still major players in the politics of Anambra State, and aside attempting to call the shots themselves as governors, had also played the role of the godfathers, making them kingmakers in the state. But this time, they have resolved to play zonal politics, in the hope of representing their people in the senate.

Andy Uba: A Struggle to Stay Relevant

The quiet, humble and soft-talking Andy came to limelight during the era of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo as the president of Nigeria. He was known to be a very powerful aide then, and reputed to be the closest to the president.

During the period, Andy sought to play a role in who became the governor of Anambra State, and his words then were laws. From his Uga, Aguata home, it was said that he had a hand in all that attained elective positions then, from the governor to national and state assembly members.

Andy is a two-time senator and gunning for the third.

His foray into the senate was like reaching for the available, as the governorship position he first sought remained elusive. In 2007, Uba had made it to the governorship office, after he won the Anambra 2007 governorship election with a margin that was wider than could be imagined. He was said to have even scored more votes than the actual number of voters registered in the state.

He was sworn in, but his reign lasted only 17 days, after Peter Obi, who was earlier sworn in as governor in 2016 after ousting Governor Chris Ngige went to court again to force him out as the court interpreted the tenure of Obi and agreed that he had to stay for the statutory four years.

Uba then retired home, only to return in 2010 on the claims of being a governor-in-waiting, insisting there was no need for election. Again, he failed as the 2010 governorship election held and reproduced Obi as governor for a second term.

As the 2019 general election draws near, Uba will have to show his mastery of politics by keeping his seat, more so as one of the contenders of the seat is his younger brother,

Chris Uba, both of whom have previously laid claims to superiority in politics.

But as the election approaches, not much have been seen of Andy in the field, but a source who claimed to be close to him said, “The senator plans to take the zone by storm. Politics is not going about making noise, Andy is planning, the rest can be wasting their money now, but I can assure you that when Andy appears, he will take the zone by surprise. Of course, you know him; he is popular and equally rich. He has done a lot for the people of this zone, and I am sure he will return to the senate.”

Of course, Andy Uba has to return to senate if he must remain politically relevant in 2022, when another governorship is due and which has remained his ultimate goal.

Chris Uba: A Kingmaker Wanting to be King

Chris is popularly called Ochiagha (war general). He is about the oldest and most influential PDP member in the party today in Anambra. He still stands as a member of the PDP board of trustees and has hitherto played the role of a kingmaker in Anambra politics. At some point in the politics of the state, when the PDP was still the dominant party, for anyone to be appointed or elected into any position, Ochiagha has to be in the know.

What makes this year’s election most interesting in Anambra South is the fact that Chris has thrown his hat into the ring for the contest himself. He seems to be wearied of making kings, and has now realised that he could be a king himself.

It may be his very first time of contesting an elective position, but Chris is no pushover in politics. Many known names in Anambra and beyond owe their ability to have won and served in one position or another to him. He has also been everywhere in the seven local government areas that make up the Anambra South zone, and has campaigned very vigorously for the position.

During a recent campaign in the zone, Chris was quoted as saying, “I have sent a lot of people to the senate, and I even sent my elder brother, Nnamdi (Andy), but I don’t understand what he is doing there. That is why I want to go there by myself. If you send me there for just one term, in the next election, you people will buy me gifts and beg me to go again.”

In another forum, he was said to have also claimed that in a family of three men: Ugochukwu Uba, Andy Uba and Chris Uba, it was surprising how the first two would be addressed as senator, and he would not be, and that it was for that reason he was ready to run for the seat.

Chris, who is known to be a grassroots politician, has surprisingly managed to win the major politicians in the zone to his camp. One of his supporters, Mr Calistus Ezennia told our correspondent that there was no doubt that Ochiagha would win the election.

“Now that Ukachukwu of APGA is out of the game, I don’t see anyone challenging Ochiagha in this election.

He is the man to beat. Not even his brother, Andy is strong

enough to challenge him, and Andy knows it. He is even the reason Andy has been winning elections, so now that he is in the race himself, you can imagine what will happen,” Eze said.

The junior Uba had also boasted that now that he was in the race, he would retire his elder brother, first by winning the senatorial contest between them. He has a lot of known politicians to whom he has done one favour or another, working for his senatorial ambition.

Ifeanyi Ubah: Banking on His Goodwill

Another powerful politician in the race for Anambra South senatorial election is Ifeanyi Ubah. He is an oil mogul, with a deep pocket and a good record traceable to the empowerment of youths and women of Anambra South and the state at large.

Ubah commands a cult-like following from youths and women of the zone, and what he has going for him is the kind of supporters he has. They are ready to swim and sink with him. His followers attach their individual successes to his own success, believing that Ubah being as generous as he is, once he makes it, they too will surely make it.

Though he is seen to be vying on a relatively obscure party, Young Peoples Party (YPP), where he took solace after he was denied the ticket of the party where he contested with the wife of the late leader of the party, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu and Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu.

But because of his popularity, despite moving to YPP, Ubah still doesn’t lack support as all his supporters from APGA simply dumped the party when he left and joined him in his new party. It will not be a surprise if Ubah makes it to the senate on a relatively unknown party like YPP. His candidature recently received a boost, when 20 political parties in the state, which didn’t have candidates for the Senate election, adopted him as their candidate for the election, promising to ensure his victory.

Spokesperson of the parties, Isaac Onuka, who is also the chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), said they decided to adopt Ubah as a consensus candidate after considering many factors such as capacity, competence and love for the people. He said Ubah was the most capable and competent candidate for the seat, because of his track records, as well as his youth and women empowerment initiatives.

Onuka said: “Ifeanyi Ubah has touched many lives in all facets and deserves to represent Anambra South at the Senate for purposeful representation. These parties adopted him and will work and canvass for votes for him door-to-door so that comes February 16, 2019, he will emerge victorious.

“The decision to adopt Ubah as a candidate by the political parties was taken in good faith for the interest of the people of Anambra State. The parties you see here are 20 in number: People Democratic Congress, People Progressive Party, Accord Party, Kowa Party, Mass Movement of Nigeria, Freedom and Justice Party among several others.”

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

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CICERO/REPORT

Sulu-Gambari and Saraki at a function

Power Shift and the Future of Kwara The quest for power shift by Kwara North is the issue in next month’s governorship election, writes Hammed Shittu

T

he agitation by the people of Kwara North senatorial district of Kwara State is hinged on the fact that they have never produced a governor in the state since the return of Democracy in 1999.

But the zone has continued to produce the deputy governor of the state, which the people claimed has not been fair to them since they are also part of the state.

For them, what is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander since the two other senatorial districts in the state – Kwara central and Kwara south – had taken their respective slots in the leadership control of the state.

According to them, the late former governor of the state, Alhaji Muhammed Lawal, hailed from Kwara central and ruled for four years, while Senate President Bukola Saraki, also from central, ruled for another eight years before the outgoing governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, who hails from Kwara south took over and is about to complete his eight years in office.

Given this political reality, the people of Kwara north, prior to the commencement of electioneering for the 2019 elections in the state, had started agitating for the need for the political stakeholders especially, the political parties to ensure that someone from the zone is considered for pick as their governorship candidate.

Some people from the zone, comprising majorly youths, elders, women, royal fathers, last year at a forum, insisted that any political party that failed to pick its governorship candidate from Kwara north would not be supported by the zone.

But despite their threats, all the parties failed to pick their governorship candidates from the zone, a situation that has continued to generate serious concern, on who will emerge the next governor of the state.

For instance, the two main political parties in the state, APC and PDP, picked their candidates from the Central. While the APC picked Alhaji Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq from Ilorin, which falls within the senatorial district, the PDP also picked Hon. Razak Atunwa from the same Ilorin. And soon, other parties in the state followed suit by picking their governorship candidates from central.

Although the people of the Kwara north have remained committed to their course on the power shift, political pundits believe that, the continue picking of candidates from central especially, by the two leading parties was based on the strength of higher votes in Central as whoever will emerge victorious in any election must count on the zone.

But as the election draws nearer, the leadership of the PDP decided to take a strategic move as a way to woo the people of the north for support before the polls by brokering a deal and understanding that would cede power to them easily.

The deal, according to THISDAY checks, was to ensure that power shift to the people of the zone in the next election cycle.

At a meeting held in Ilorin recently, the leadership of the PDP led

by Saraki, in attendance with the royal fathers of the zone and Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the PDP said the party’s

governorship candidate, Atunwa if elected, would serve only one term of four years in office and the power will shift to Kwara North senatorial district come 2023 in the state.

The party also agreed to concede the position of Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and Speaker of the State House of Assembly to the zone if Atunwa wins his election.

The communique read by the Director General of Mandate 2019, Professor Suleiman Abubakar, stated: “The sole purpose of the meeting was for us to have an understanding on specific terms on issues bordering on power shift, cohesion, giving sense of belonging and inclusiveness to our people across all the three senatorial districts.

“The conclusion of the meeting is that there will be power shift to Kwara North in 2023. Also, the positions of Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and Secretary to Kwara State Government have been zoned to Kwara North in the post-May 2019 government.

“The understanding has been committed to writing and signed by all key stakeholders present. Traditional rulers from Kwara North Senatorial District and Emir of Ilorin, Sulu-Gambari were consulted on the understanding and they gave their royal blessing to the terms and contents.

“In their speeches at the meeting, the traditional rulers expressed support for any move that will ensure equity, justice and unity among all the various zones in the state. They also noted that their decision to serve as witnesses is based on the need to ensure that political leaders honour and respect the contents of the understanding and work for peace and progress of the state before, during and after the general election.

“Also, in return, the people of Kwara North have agreed to deliver the bloc vote from the zone to the PDP in the general election. We believe this understanding aimed at re-enforcing the unity, harmony and even development of our dear state is definitely necessary for the continued progress of Kwara State now and in the future.”

Commending the pact with the people of the Kwara north ahead of 2019 and 2023 elections in, former top bureaucrats from Kwara north senatorial district have praised the understanding.

In a statement signed by Alhaji Dabarako Mohammed, a former Head of Service, on behalf of former top civilian servants and opinion leaders from the district, they described the arrangement as a positive move that would guarantee peace, unity, inclusivity, equity, even development and justice among the various zones in the state, The leaders of thought noted that the people of Kwara north senatorial district had been yearning for solid representation in the post-2019 government in the state and that since the PDP had been thoughtful enough to offer them a plan, which recognises the importance of the zone in the political equation, then, the party should rest assured that it would have bloc votes from the zone at all levels in the coming elections.

“The PDP move shows its leaders are very thoughtful,

calculating and honest to know that equity and justice are what can guarantee development, peace and unity. That plan has re-assured our people that they are appreciated and recognised as equal stakeholders in Kwara State. Our people will definitely reciprocate that insightful and foresighted gesture with overwhelming votes.

“It is now the duty of those of us who are opinion leaders to work with our traditional rulers, socio-cultural groups and other mobilisation agents to inform our people on the need to massively turn out during the elections and vote for the party that has demonstrated their love for us. And that is the PDP,” the leaders stated. The group added that they have no fear that the terms and content of the agreement would be respected and honoured as the signing was witnessed by traditional rulers from the North and Central Senatorial Districts and the fact that the PDP gubernatorial candidate has publicly acknowledged and expressed support for the understanding has given necessary assurances to the people about its feasibility.

“We call on our people to ignore the rantings and claims of those who think that the power shift understanding was a desperate move or that it came out of any coercion or intimidation. The PDP leaders voluntarily out of their own political sophistication, ingenuity and understanding of the politics of the state, made the plan and it is acceptable to us. We shall abide by it and make it work,” the group added.

But some elders from the zone under the aegis of Kwara North Elders Forum of the APC recently dissociated itself from the reported agreement with Saraki and PDP. The elders said the purported memorandum of understanding reached with Saraki, traditional rulers and stakeholders from the north was a charade.

Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the state capital, leader of the APC elders, Senator Ahmed Mohammed said the traditional rulers from the zone and the Emir of Ilorin, Sulu-Gambari were corralled to witness the alleged undertaking to give authenticity to the pact.

“The royal fathers were corralled in place as witnesses to the solemn undertaking being executed in recognition of the perceived monumental injustice suffered in the last 16 years of our political inter-relationship with the Saraki dynasty. For the avoidance of doubt, we hereby wish to state categorically that contrary to the impression that the agreement is meant to create in the public mind, the vast majority of our people are more than ever before united in purposeful determination, in concert with others across the state, to do away with bad leadership that the PDP has offered over the years.”

Evidently, the issue of power shift to the northern part of the state will continue to generate a lot of concerns, but the quick pact signed recently with the people of the zone by the PDP leaders might have provided some respite, thus presenting a greater platform for the PDP to address the feelings of the people of the zone as well as establishing the chance for the PDP to move ahead during the poll.

As it currently stands, the challenge has been thrown back at the APC to come up with a better deal for the people of Kwara north in its bid to evenly square up with the PDP.

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T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 17, 2019

CICERO/INTERVIEW

Ize-Iyamu: It’s Game Over for Election Riggers Lawyer and businessman, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, erstwhile Chief of Staff to former Edo State governor, Chief Lucky Igbinedion and later the Secretary to the Edo State Government, before flying the PDP governorship flag in 2016, is the Edo State PDP Director-General of the Atiku/Obi presidential campaign. In the interview with Iyobosa Uwugiaren, he addressedsundrynationalissues,especiallytheunfoldingpoliticaleventsinthecountry.Excerpts:

A

s the DG of the Atiku/Obi Presidential Campaign Organisation in Edo State, what are the chances of PDP winning election in the state?

Our chances are very bright. Some months ago, people were worried that we were not doing much. But in the past few weeks, that has changed. We have been able to do rallies in the three senatorial districts and we have also gone round most of the local government headquarters. We are also doing ward rallies in some places and in some places we are doing house-to-house and street-to-street campaign.

Today, we played host to our Vice-Presidential candidate, Mr. Peter Obi, who had an interactive session with a lot of professionals and associations in the state.

All these outings have been overwhelming in terms of turnout and in terms of support. The issue is very simple: the APC has to justify their election four years ago. Four years ago, they promised to turn the country around. They talked about change and how in some few months everything will change.

They told us in three months Boko Haram will be a thing of the past. They told us in six months the power problem will be fixed. They told us there was no need for subsidy, that it is a fraud. They told us they had the know-how to give Nigerians three million jobs annually.

They told us the naira/dollar rate was ridiculous, that they would bring it down. They made so many promises: pump price was too high; and Nigerians were impressed and they won the election. But, four years has come and the question is, are you better off?

Of course, there is nothing they promised that they have been able to fulfill. But even beyond that, between the time that they vilified the PDP and now, which one is better? How much was a bag of rice now? Can you sleep now? Only today we heard that a former member Ize-Iyamu of the Edo State House of Assembly, a good friend of And of course, the President’s statements about mine and nice gentleman, who is contesting again for House of Nigerians, especially outside the country, have also not helped Assembly for APC, has been kidnapped, right in his own house, investments into Nigeria, because a President, who continues to not on the road – not on highway. make derogatory statements about their people cannot expect So, the insecurity is now getting to our doorstep. It is no longer foreign investors to come in. And of course, their policies have been far because sometimes, they would say that part of the road is extremely inconsistent. dangerous or that time of the day. But now, even your own house is So, there is the capital flight – there is no inflow coming in. So, not safe. I am sorry to be using it as an example but sometimes we what do you expect? The reality is that they have not performed must point to what is factual. We saw the governor of Borno State well. When you hear some of the amount they claim to have in tears recently. I didn’t see him in tears during former President recovered, the billions they boast about, what are they keeping Goodluck Jonathan’s time. I heard the governor of Zamfara State these monies for, when inflation is growing every day? Why are actually saying that they should declare a state of emergency in his these monies not ploughed back into the system? All the monies state, because the situation has gotten out of hand. Yet, insecurity they got back from Abacha, what have they spent them on? was a major point in their three-point agenda of APC. They said they are spending it to feed children in schools. But, I have been trying to find a school in Edo State, where these meals But they still claim to have done so much in reducing are served that is costing the federal so much billions. I am yet to insecurity in Nigeria compared to what happened before the identify one school in Edo State that is benefitting from this kind 2015 general election. Isn’t that correct? of scheme. And I asked myself, is it that they now discriminate That is not true. If the country was bad as they tried to paint it, with our commonwealth? Edo is a principal contributor to that how come INEC was able to declare election results in the 36 state, commonwealth. We are an oil-producing state. We have the highest especially in Borno State? INEC did not abandoned Borno and gas reserves in this country. So, if they are feeding school children, they did not abandoned Adamawa, they did not abandon Yobe Edo State should be among. and incidentally, these are states that the APC won! So, it would In any event, Edo cannot be among those he termed unfriendly have been strategic for PDP to even use insecurity as a basis not to states that should suffer, because they did not vote for him. At least, do election in those states. the governor is APC. One should have thought that if some states But former President Jonathan asked for time to deal with the were to be favoured, Edo State too would be favoured more so, situations and they said they ordered for security equipment that that the two chairmen that APC has had now in a row are from they believed would assist to deal with that situation very quickly this state. But I don’t know the schools. The money that they have and really, the moment the equipment arrived, people saw the gotten, what are they using it for? Oil has had a good price per Boko Haram seriously being put on the defensive and before we barrel for some time now, what have they done with the money? knew it, the areas became safe enough to do elections and elections If you look at the trillions of naira they have borrowed in the were done. past two years for capital projects, you will be shocked. Where are So, for anybody to say that the situation now is better than these capital projects? Where are they? And is Edo State no longer when we handed over is ridiculous, because by the time we among the 36 states in the federation that the federal government handed over, Boko Haram had virtually been reduced to almost will borrow trillions of naira and Edo State will not benefit in terms nothing. If you say it is not true, then how did you get the of these projects? The biggest APC project that I know of in Edo results you got? Is there any local government in Yobe, Borno or State is the so-called five-star hospital former governor Adams Adamawa states where results were not declared? I am not aware.

Oshiomhole, who is their national chairman built, which President So, it means that President Goodluck Jonathan did a yeoman’s Buhari came to commission with fanfare. job – a great job. But today, we know there are states under the But years after, the hospital is still not functional. The president control of Boko Haram and this is a government that came out came to commission a building that was called a hospital. A publicly to say that Boko Haram had been decimated. And later building that has no hospital equipment, a building that had no on when people started asking, they said that Boko Haram had doctors, no nurses and yet, a president came to that building and been “technically defeated.” That is the new word. I don’t know the commissioned it. That, again, tells you the inadequacies of the difference between ‘defeated’ and ‘technically defeated’. president, because a man who is competent and has capacity, will May be what they meant was that theoretically, Boko Haram do a thorough inspection of a place your name is being associated has been defeated but practically, they are still fighting them, with. But, the president came there, they capitalised on his illbecause I am still trying to understand that word ‘technically health, took him to the reception and one or two places and gave defeated’. But, the reality is that Boko Haram is still very strong in him the impression that everywhere was fully equipped and he our territories. Before they said they were looking for soft targets commissioned it. Until today, the place is not functional. but we know they are still controlling territories.

What does Atiku/Obi Presidency mean to Nigeria?

The argument of the APC government at the federal It means hope; it means better education; it means job level is that the administration has not been able to perform opportunities; it means restructuring; it means respect for the rule of the way it expected or the way the government promised, law; it means peace and unity of Nigerians, and equal opportunity because PDP government left virtually nothing for them in of Nigerians irrespective of tribe and religion or place of origin. the treasury. Is that strong enough an excuse?

The only way things can change in this country is for this change You know that is not true. The records are there. When they to happen, because there is a huge difference between where we came in, the economy was not in recession. It is their policies and are now and where we ought to be. I have the greatest respect for their statements that created the downturn that we experienced.

Pastor Osinbajo. We are both from the same church. He is a pastor,

I am a pastor.

But the reality is that under the times we are in now and considering the fact a vice president is the chairman of the National Economic Council, we need somebody who is vast in economic matters – somebody that can turn the situation we are in now around. And even Osinbajo will agree that in the area of economics Peter Obi is head and shoulder above him. In the same way, there is no way he can compare Atiku and Buhari. Buhari is spent.

With the greatest respect to him, Buhari should be enjoying retirement. Buhari has clearly shown that he is not fit and that he no longer has what it takes to rule a country like Nigeria.

He cannot even rule an organisation let alone a country as vast and as complex as Nigeria. Atiku is well-prepared for that job. He has been vice president of this country. He is a leading player in the private sector. Peter Obi had been governor for eight years. We are all aware of the economic miracle he performed in Anambra State – the prudence and smartness with which he managed the state’s finances. He is also a major player in the private industry. So, with these two men combine, there is no doubt that our economy will have a new lease of life and you know too that a lot of the things we suffer today, like insecurity are tied to the very bad economic situation.

In the midst of hopelessness arising from no jobs, our youths become easy targets for those who want to recruit for all kinds of terrorist and criminal activities. Atiku and Obi will get Nigeria working again, will engage our youth by creating jobs that will engage them. If these youths are working, you will find a drastic decline in some of the challenges we are facing right now with security.

The presidential election is a few weeks away.What in your opinion is this election

about?

The choice is very serious. If we maintain the status quo, then this country is doomed. So, this election is about the survival of Nigeria. This election is about the survival of the rule of law; this election is about putting an end to tyranny and dictatorship; this election is about putting an end to deceit, lies and propaganda. This election is about ensuring freedom of worship; this election is all about ensuring that the principle of federal character is respected in our country, because what we have seen in the past three and a half years is terrifying.

The judiciary has been bastardised; the National Assembly has been humiliated; the press has been caged; political parties have been prosecuted and Nigerians are in captivity. So, this election is: do we want to continue in bondage or do we want freedom? I don’t think anybody who has opportunity will choose to remain in chains. Nigerians want to be free. Nigerians know that they have been deceived, and Nigerians see this election as the only legitimate way to remove the chains that is all over them.

But, going by what happened in the governorship polls in Edo, Ekiti and Osun States, is there hope for free, fair and credible elections?

You know when somebody continues to cheat you, oppress you, continues to steal from you, in a particular manner, after your initial lamentation you begin to think, assess, evaluate and strategise on what needs to be done. We took a lot of things for granted, we trusted INEC; we thought the rules will be honoured – free and fair. But, having realised that we are dealing with very unscrupulous elements that would do anything to remain in power, this election cannot be business as usual. In this election, we are mobilising our members to be extremely vigilant. In the election, Nigerians will resort to self-help if those in authority decide to pervert the law. Thank God the international communities have begun to issue warnings, realising that Nigeria is now in bondage, issuing warning to those in authorities and those entrusted with the task of doing the elections.

Their irregularity will not be tolerated. Manipulation will not be tolerated. Intimidation will not be tolerated. So, I can assure you that we are going to take steps to follow the process. There will be no breathing space for those who think they can manipulate the process. And I want to just advise them: money is sweet but money without life is useless. They may need to be careful not to go and endanger themselves, because Nigerians have had it and they should not go and allow Nigerians take laws into their own hands.

The best thing that can happen to all of us is to allow the genuine winner to emerge without attempting to change results.

So, we are going to follow it. I’ve learnt a lot of things and we are not going to trust them – as we did in the past. We will not go home until the results are publicly announced and of course, we must have copies to take home, so that even when they want to change it, at least we have the original results. A lot of things were taken for granted in the past; I can assure you it won’t happen again.

What roles would you want your people to play here in ensuring free, free and credible elections?

The first thing is that they must go and collect their PVCs. It is not enough to say I registered but I have not bothered to collect my PVC. Please, don’t be too busy to leave your PVC with INEC. (See the concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͯ͵˜ Ͱͮͯͷ

INTERNATIONAL US Withdrawal from, and Russia’s Suspension of, the INF Treaty: The Implications for Nigeria

I

NF is Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces. The INF Treaty is the short form for the “Treaty between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the Elimination of their Intermediate-Range and Shorter-Range Missiles.” It was initially done on December 8, 1987 and entered into force on June 1, 1988.

Following the policies of Glasnost (openness in the context of government transparency and increased freedom of expression) and Perestroika (restructuring) by party Secretary, Mikhail Gorbachev and the eventual self-dismantlement and collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR), also simply referred to as Soviet Union, the bilateral character of the INF Treaty became multilateral with the accession of former Soviet republics of Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine in 1992.

The agreement is one of many others done to maintain international peace and security, especially in Europe, but life is being taken out of the treaty with the mutual disregard for it by the signatories. The United States decided to withdraw its commitment to INF Treaty on February 1, 2019. In the same vein, Russia also suspended its own obligations resulting from the treaty the following day.

Without doubt, the signing of the INF Treaty was largely informed by two sets of consideration. The first is a resultant of the principle of sanctity of agreements, requiring absolute compliance with obligations created by agreements voluntarily contracted. In this regard, Article VI of the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons is here relevant. Secondly, the US and the Soviet Union were mindful of the devastating consequences of any nuclear war for all mankind. This consideration necessarily required the quest to ensure strategic stability, as well as seek to prevent the risk of outbreak of war. Put differently, the need to ensure an environment that would be conducive to the strengthening of international peace and security, was a desideratum.

From this perspective, the INF Treaty is important because of its objective and operational coverage. In terms of objective, the treaty seeks mutual protection and security, especially strategic stability in Europe. The treaty banned the deployment of nuclear missiles in Europe, meaning that both signatories guaranteed a nuclear missile-free European territory.

In terms of coverage, it covers deployed and non-deployed ground-based short-range missiles with an extent of between 500 and 1000 km. It also covered deployed and non-deployed groundbased intermediate-range missiles with the capacity of between 1000 and 5,500 km. These missiles were not to be deployed and therefore were to be destroyed.

And true enough, both the US and the former Soviet Union kept to the spirit and obligations of the treaty. In 1991, the Soviet Union destroyed 1,846 missiles while the United States destroyed 846 missiles. All inspection activities stopped in May 2001. With the destruction on both sides, it means that, before the destruction of the missiles, the Soviet Union was already more militarised than the United States in this area of ground-based short- and intermediate range missiles.

The problem, however, began in 2014 when the United States accused Russia of non-compliance with the obligations of the treaty and Russia similarly began not only to explain its own side of the issue but also accused the United States of unfaithfulness to the same INF Treaty. President Vladimir Putin of Russia made it clear that Russia is not interested in any new arms race with the United States. However, Russia is being forced against its will to engage in an arms race with the United States. In this regard, President Putin declared: ‘naturally, we are not going to turn a blind eye to the deployment of American missiles, which present threat to our (Russia) security... We will have to take effective counter-measures.’

In fact, the Russian government made efforts to organise a briefing session for the diplomatic community in its capital on the fate of the Treaty and on the present situation on the banned short- and

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

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intermediate- range land-based missiles. The US diplomats ignored the briefing session and simply said it wanted to withdraw from the obligations of the Treaty.

And true enough, the accusations and counter-accusations reached their crescendo on Friday, February 1, 2019 when the United States announced its intention to withdraw its commitment to the INF Treaty with effect from the following day, Saturday, February 2, 2019. The United States gave six months’ notice of complete withdrawal. On this same day, Russia reciprocally announced the suspension of the INF Treaty, meaning that there is no longer any control of nuclear missiles, with the exception of the 2010 New Start Treaty which still limits the deployment of strategic nuclear warheads to only 1,550 and which is also expected to expire in 2021. Will this treaty be renewed or not, especially in light of the deepening disagreement over the INF Treaty?

In this regard, President Donald Trump not only gave Russia 180 days to quickly destroy its violating missiles and launchers in order to avoid new arms race, but also declared as follows: ‘we (United States) will move forward with developing our own military response options’ to Russia’s suspect missiles. This declaration could be explained and understood against US suspicions that, far back in 2013, Russia had already developed a new ground-launched cruise missile contrary to the obligations contracted within the framework of the INF Treaty.

Without doubt, Russia had developed a new ground-launched cruise missile but denied any infraction on the basis of the obligations of the INF Treaty. Russia submitted that the range of its cruise missile was not up to what was prohibited. This argument cannot be waved aside simply because missiles that were prohibited, both shorter and intermediate, were between 500 and 5,500 km range.

The implication is that any missile with a range outside what is banned may not be illegal.

US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, said countries must be held accountable when they break the rules. Russia has jeopardised the United States’ security interests, and we can no longer be restricted by the treaty while Russia shamelessly violates it.’ More interestingly, Donald Trump has it that his administration is ‘committed to effective arms control that advances United States, allied, and partner security, is verifiable and enforceable, and includes partners that fulfil their obligations.’

In the eyes of the United States, Russia is certainly one of the partners that do not fulfil their obligations. In the eyes of the Russians, the culprit is the United States. The Deputy Foreign Minister of Russia, Mr. Sergei Ryabkov, accused the United States of producing armed drones that were the equivalent of the prohibited land-launched cruise missiles. The Americans refuted the allegation and argued that they are surely not missiles, and therefore, the armed drones do not constitute an infringement of the INF Treaty.

In his State of the Union address, Donald Trump said the United States had ‘followed the agreement to the letter, Russia repeatedly

violated its terms. That is why I announced that the United States is officially withdrawing from the INF treaty.’

Russians argued that the United States have developed new missiles and do have the intention to deploy them in Europe.

Such deployment ‘will be a crisis of security for the European countries.’ In this regard, Mr. Ryabkov, on Thursday, February 13, 2019, warned the Washingtonian authorities not to deploy any medium-range missiles near Russia’s borders in Eastern Europe.

He underscored the possible consequences of deploying weapons in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, as doing so would have violated the INF Treaty from which the United States had withdrawn.

As the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister actually put it: I will make every possible effort to stop the United States from deploying missiles. I am sure that everyone who is somehow involved in our foreign policy, defense, and security activities will work as a team to prevent a situation that would mean everything that was a cornerstone of European security for decades has perished.’ The first import of this warning is that, if the United States is prevented from deploying any medium-range nuclear weapons near its own borders and the Russian shorter and intermediate-range cruise missiles can reach European territory, then the whole of Europe can expect to be frontally faced with nuclear weapon insecurity in the foreseeable future.

What is also important to note about the foregoing is that both countries have truly not kept to the spirit of the treaty. They are both rearming. The accusations of one against the other, as well as the counter-allegations are nothing more than politics to which all African countries, especially Nigeria, should pay special attention for various reasons. First, Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (SALT I and II), Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, as well as the various non-nuclearisation accords signed by many countries, are nothing more than fraudulent agreements consciously done by the powerful countries to give the impression to the whole world that they are much interested in the maintenance of international peace and security, but which is not always true.

Whereas, the truth of the matter is that, when weapons, arms, their launchers, etc, become obsolete in the light of development of new ones, the major powers quickly come together and negotiate, as well as sign agreements that will only allow for the destruction of the irrelevant weapons but without stopping the development of new and more powerful weapons.

And perhaps more unfortunately, developing countries are consciously denied the sovereign right to have access to the development of nuclear capability under the guise of their non-capacity and capability to manage the effects of possible nuclear explosion.

The extent to which the powerful countries accept the non-nuclear powers to develop nuclear capability is limited only to peaceful uses, even though the processes of developing nuclear capability for purposes of war and peace are the same.

Now that the fate of the INF Treaty has become uncertain, how is Africa going to be affected? Come 2020, the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty Review Conference is expected to take place. What is the position of African countries? How is Nigeria preparing for this under the new administration? Strategic scholars have pointed to the likelihood of the United States deploying the Precision strike Missile, which is said to be similar to the Russian Iskander-M ballistic missile with a range exceeding the previously announced 500 km. The development of another land-based cruise missile of the JASSM family that currently exists in air-launched versions has also been initiated.

In this regard, what and where is the place of Nigeria and Africa?

Why should some countries arrogate the right of development of nuclear weapons to the detriment of others? The possibility of a World War III is no longer ruled out. In the event of another World War, how will African countries align? Will African countries be free from nuclear attacks? What really is and should be the correct approach to the international politics of non-nuclearisation?

Africa and Nuclear Non-proliferation Politics South Africa is probably the first country in Africa to have developed nuclear weapon with the assistance of the United States.

The nuclear programme began in 1974 as an anti-Soviet project within the framework of the Cold War politics. It was for deterrence. In this regard, South Africa constructed six gun-type nuclear weapons. However, in less than ten years after the development, the Government of South Africa voluntarily abandoned the project and acceded to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) as a non-nuclear weapon State in 1991. The initiative coincided with the beginning of the post Cold War era which ended in December 1989.

It is useful to note that the origins of the nuclear programme is traceable to 1948 when the South African government established the Atomic Energy Board, a precursor to the Atomic Energy Corporation, to develop the uranium mining and trade industry. In 1957, South Africa signed a 50-year nuclear collaboration agreement with the United States which enabled South Africa to acquire a nuclear reactor and the supply of highly enriched uranium (HEU) fuel. The nuclear reactor and 90% HEU fuel were delivered by an American company, Allis Chalmers Corporation, to South Africa and were located in Pelindaba, near Pretoria, in 1965.

In 1967, South Africa succeeded in constructing its own reactor, called Safari-2, the first, being the US-assisted reactor.

President Trump and President Putin

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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SMS: 08116759819

Usman Nafada

John Enoh

Buruji Kashamu

Hope Uzindinma

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Sunny Ogbuoji

Abdulaziz Nyako

Ahmad Lawan

Kabiru Marafa

15 N’Assembly Members Who Dare To Be Governors Fifteen members of the 8th National Assembly have their eyes on the governorship seats of their states. But will they change the equation on March 2, report Deji Elumoye and Shola Oyeyipo

W

ith the conduct of the presidential and national assembly elections across the country yesterday, the last round of elections for the governorship and state Houses of Assemblies will hold on March 2. Already, INEC had a few weeks back displayed the list of candidates of the various parties vying for both the governorship and the state legislative seats.

The list however includes 15 members of the National Assembly, who won their parties’ tickets last year to run as gubernatorial candidates in their respective states. In the Senate, eight members of the upper chamber of the National Assembly including ranking and first time Senators are itching to be governors during the March 2 election, while the seven others were from the House.

A first time Senator representing Cross River Central Senatorial District, Senator John Enoh won election into the Senate on the platform of the PDP in 2015 but defected in May, 2017 to the APC. He has 20 years of experience as a lawmaker, both at the state and federal levels, having served as a member of Cross River state House of Assembly from 1999 to 2003 and later, a member of the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2015.

Enoh is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance and a member of the Constitution Review Committee headed by the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu. His gubernatorial ambition was recently threatened with the judgment of a federal high court sitting in Calabar, which declared that Enoh was not the authentic APC governorship candidate for Cross River State. He, however, insisted that the ruling did not invalidate his candidature.

Usman Nafada He represents Gombe North Senatorial District and is running for Gombe governorship seat under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), having defeated 12 other aspirants during the party’s primaries last October. The Senator enjoys the support of the outgoing state governor, Ibrahim Dankwambo and this went a long way to enhance his success at the party’s primaries.

Nafada, before his election to the Senate was deputy speaker of the House of Representatives between 2007 and 2011. Although a popular candidate at home, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is giving Nafada’s PDP a run for its money in the election.

Sunny Ogbuoji The Ebonyi South Senator, who defected from PDP to APC in 2017, is Vice Chairman of the Senate Committees on Appropriation and Special Duties.

He co-sponsored many bills including same sex marriage bill but solely sponsored the Nigeria Agriculture Quarantine (Establishment) bill 2015, which was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari in 2018.

Ogbuoji, in the last few years, also ensured the employment of 123 Ebonyi indigenes including 106 senior staff and 17 junior workers into the federal civil service.

John Enoh

Abdulaziz Nyako Son of a former governor of Adamawa State, Murtala Nyako, junior Nyako represents Adamawa

Central at the Senate and was a member of the PDP before defecting to African Democratic Congress (ADC) in 2018. He is a member of special duties committee of the Senate and his legislative interests include security, navy and the maritime.

In September, 2018, Nyako was elected unopposed as ADC governorship candidate for Adamawa State and polled 2,235 out of the 2,274 votes cast by delegates from 226 wards in the 21 local government areas of the state.

Buruji Kashamu The Ogun East PDP Senator, who is Vice Chairman of Senate Committee on states and local governments, was expelled on August 1, 2018 by the national leadership of the PDP. But Kashamu approached the court on the matter and Justice Valentine Achi of the Federal High Court, Abuja ruled that his expulsion was unlawful.

He emerged Ogun PDP governorship candidate in spite of the opposition of the national leadership of the party and following the withdrawal of Adeleke Shittu, who notified INEC about his withdrawal on November 16, 2018.

Hope Uzindinma The ranking Imo West Senator defected from PDP to APC under which platform he is contesting to be Imo state governor. He is Chairman of the Southern Senators Forum and also chairs the Senate Committee on Customs as well as being a member of the Senate Committees on Aviation and Constitution Review.

Jeremiah Useni A retired three-star general and PDP Plateau South Senator is a member of the Senate Commit-

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15 N’Assembly Members Who Dare To Be Governors tees on Defence, Constitution Review as well as Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions. He won PDP gubernatorial ticket for Plateau State at the party’s primaries held in Jos, Plateau State capital in October, 2018. He appears to have a sweeping support for his ambition despite his age.

Kabiru Marafa The ranking Senator won election into the Senate in 2011 under the platform of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to represent Zamfara Central but defected to APC in 2015. He is Chairman of Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and had also served as Chairman of Senate Committee on National Identity and National Population.

Marafa belongs to a faction of the APC in Zamfara and was expected to have contested the party’s primaries in Gusau, the state capital last October. But with some of the conflict rulings, which seem to cancel out the APC, Marafa might be missing in action on March 2.

However, in the House of Representatives, the governorship gladiators include two members from the same state running as governor and deputy governor on the platform of the same party.

David Ombugadu/ Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo In Nasarawa State, the PDP has launched a very strong campaign aimed at wresting the North Central state from the ruling APC. The incumbent House of Representatives member representing Akwanga, Nasarawa-Eggon and Wamba federal constituency, David Ombugadu, clinched the gubernatorial ticket of the PDP. Interestingly, he picked another House member Hon. Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo representing Awe/Doma/Keana federal constituency as his running mate.

Young, eloquent and presenting very pragmatic leadership skills, Davematics as Ombugadu is fondly called is leveraging his achievements in Nasarawa State political sphere. His intervention in making the famous College of Education, Akwanga upgraded to the standard of a University and in many other areas might prove positive for him on March 2.

The duo will face a former Managing Director of Dangote Sugar, Abdullahi Sule, who is the APC candidate and enjoys the support of outgoing Governor Tanko Almakura. While Sule counts on the support of AlMakura, Ombugadu hopes to capitalise on the unresolved feud between Almakura and a former governor, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

Rasak Atunwa Representing Asa/Ilorin West federal constituency of Kwara State, Hon. Razak Atunwa is the PDP governorship candidate in the state. He is the chairman, House Committee on Justice. He headed the House Committee investigating corruption in the award of Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245.

At 36, he was appointed the commissioner for Land and Housing in Kwara State in August 2005, Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs (2006 - 2007), Commissioner for Works and Transport (2007 - 2009) and Commissioner for Finance (2009 - 2010).

In 2011, he was elected into the Kwara State House of Assembly to represent Owode/Onire constituency on the PDP platform. He was later elected Speaker of the Assembly at the inauguration of the seventh legislature.

Atunwa was elected a member of the House in 2015. An avid reader, he is a licensed pilot certified in Nigeria and the United Kingdom. Above all,

David Ombugadu

Adekunle Akinlade

Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo

Tony Nwulu

he enjoys the support of the incumbent Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

Adekunle Akinlade Widely touted as the anointed choice of the outgoing Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade represents Egbado South and Ipokia federal constituency of Ogun State.

He is Deputy Chairman, House committee on Climate Change and member of finance, Insurance, public procurement, Army, Steel and Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Committees.

Though his candidacy has pitted Governor Amosun against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, who preferred Dapo Abiodun and supported him to win the ruling party’s ticket, the lawmaker is not relenting on his ambition.

Convinced that he is capable of winning the election, Akinlade opted for the Allied People’s Movement (APM) where he won the governorship ticket to contest in the March 2 race.

The young and savvy politician is obviously equipped with requisite experience needed to lead the Southwest state if voted. He holds a degree in Political Science from Lagos State University.

He is an alumnus of the prestigious Lagos Business School (LBS) and John Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, USA. He attended the 2013 Entrepreneurship short study course at the University of

Linus Okorie

Wisconsin, USA. He cut his political teeth in Ogun State and wormed his way to Governor Amosun’s heart, when he was appointed Senior Special Adviser (SSA) on Taxation and Revenue in July 2011. Aside the support he enjoys from Governor Amosun and other notable political figures in his state, Akinlade’s ambition is further boosted by the fact that the Yewa part of the state, where he comes from has never produced a governor of the state.

Tony Nwulu Hon. Tony Nwulu was elected member of the House of Representatives on the platform of the PDP. He recently dumped the PDP for Unity Progressive Party (UPP) on which platform he is pursuing his governorship ambition in Imo State. The young lawmaker represents Oshodi Isolo, Lagos federal constituency.

The Imo State-born lawmaker in an official letter presented to the House, stated that he officially resigned his PDP membership on Tuesday, July 24, 2019, adding that his choice to defect to UPP was a right step in the right direction, having studied and considered the party’s credibility as a sure bet to actualise his gubernatorial ambition in Imo State come 2019 election.

He also disclosed that it was in line with the overwhelming yearning of the Imo State youth who had lost interest in PDP and the ruling APC. The youthful lawmaker sponsored

Rasak Atunwa

Sunday Marshal

the celebrated “Not Too Young To Run” bill that has enjoyed massive endorsement, both home and abroad.

Putting the act to test, Nwulu who said he was sure of victory stated that his victory has been ordained by God to lead Imo state out of the hands of corrupt leaders.

Linus Okorie The governorship candidate of the Young Progressive Party (YPP) in Imo State is another House member, who wants to be governor. He is the member representing Ohaozara/ Onicha/Ivo federal constituency of Imo State. He said his basic objective was to change how things were being done in Imo State, where he is pursuing his ambition.

“I have been trying to change what is wrong with our state,” he said, lamenting a situation, where the political class impoverishes and takes advantage of the people in the state to win elections, saying such practice is “dead on his arrival.”

His position is that the people of the state should shun any zoning arrangement, because it has not produced any positive result in the history of Nigeria and Imo State in particular.

Sunday Marshal In Kaduna State, House of Representatives member, Hon. Sunday Marshal, was picked as a running mate to the governorship candidate of the PDP, Isa Ashiru.

THE L AWMAKERS AT A GLANCE SENATE Usman Nafada (Gombe State) John Enoh (Cross River State) Sunny Ogbuoji (Ebonyi State) Abdulaziz Nyako (Adamawa State) Buruji Kashamu (Ogun State) Hope Uzindinma (Imo State) Jeremiah Useni (Plateau State) Kabiru Marafa (Zamfara State)

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES David Ombugadu (Nasarawa State) Mohammed Ogoshi Onawo (Nasarawa State) Rasak Atunwa (Kwara State) Adekunle Akinlade (Ogun State) Tony Nwulu (Imo State) Linus Okorie (Imo State) Sunday Marshal (Kaduna State)

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with DEMOLA OJO demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

SOCIAL MEDIA BITS

Last week on social media, presidential campaigns climaxed, Governor Amosun caused conflict, and INEC postponed polls…

B

y the time you read this, you should know who was elected or re-elected Nigerian president yesterday. That was supposed to be the plan until INEC abruptly postponed the presidential election, and those of federal lawmakers on election day.

Many were asleep when in the wee hours of yesterday, the electoral body announced that elections would now hold this Saturday, a week later than scheduled.

The gubernatorial elections were also postponed by a week, with the new date set for March 9. Hopefully.

The announcement was met with uproar as a disappointed nation took shots at INEC on social media.

An interesting angle though, was that among the top trends on Nigerian twitter (along with INEC, Amina Zakari, Election and CorpersNotSlaves) were, Canada, Toronto and Ontario. Unfortunately, it

seems a large number of Nigerian youth have little hope in the country.

The past few months have been dominated by the build-up to these elections and captivated a nation which - by voter register numbers - is/was willing more than ever, to decide who leads them into the future.

Hopefully, this zeal still remains.

The elections have also attracted attention internationally. The international dimension - especially the US, UK and EU - put a few people in government circles on edge. It prompted President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to pen an opinion editorial published in a couple of national dailies titled Tomorrow Never Dies. It was a last minute attempt to push his principal’s case for another term.

The President himself broadcast a speech to the nation, basically appealing for more time to come good with his promises. It was the climax of a re-election campaign that

FEBRUARY 17, 2019 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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SOCIAL MEDIA BITS saw him go to all 36 states of the country and by his admission, proof that he is fit enough to stay at the helm.

The critics weren’t having it. He travelled more within the few weeks of seeking another mandate than he had done in the previous three and a half years, they said.

And he barely ever addressed the populace until he needed votes.

The main opposition party, the PDP, was in an upbeat mood leading to the election, as the campaign of presidential flag-bearer Atku Abubakar gathered momentum.

Especially as it seemed the ruling party was becoming its own worst enemy, considering events in Ogun State.

In the curious case of Ogun, the governor – who plans to contest a Senate seat under the banner of the APC – is supporting a candidate from another party, Adekunle Akinlade of the APM, against his party’s gubernatorial flag bearer, Dapo Abiodun.

Things got to the point where dignitaries, including President Buhari, were pelted with stones by a livid mob. Governor Amosun begged them not to disgrace him in front of the President but the harm has, surely, been done.

You can argue that the disgrace was self-

inflicted considering his conduct, which was televised.

The gubernatorial race in Lagos might just be as interesting, depending on the outcome of this week’s presidential elections. However, it seems the candidate of the APC, Jide Sanwo-Olu aka “Incoming” has taken it for granted that he would win.

He’s already casting his eye on performing well enough to be re-elected. His PDP opponent, Jimi Agbaje, will have a lot to say about that.

Last week came the revelation that 91 million Nigerians now live in poverty, which is roughly half the population. A result of this is the insecurity that bedevils the nation.

Terrorists had the audacity to ambush the convoy of the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, with attendant casualties, while gunmen killed scores in Kaduna in separate incidents last week.

Hope for a brighter and more prosperous future lies as much with the private sector as it does with government, and in this regard, Africa’s richest man Aliko Dangote is blazing the trail, as was acknowledged and celebrated by fellow industrialists after a Valentine’s Day visit to his refinery under construction in Lagos.

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POLITY

Amosun

Oshiomhole

APC and the Rage Within Unlike the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode who conceded return ticket in the interest of peace, his Ogun counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and his allies took advantage of the All Progressives Congress’ preaidential campaign in Abeokuta last Monday to protest the injustice they suffered in the hands of some powerful interests in the party, Gboyega Akinsanmi writes

A

mid deep-seated anger, the All Progressives Congress (APC) held its presidential rally in Abeokuta last Monday. Unlike other states where the APC held presidential rallies, the Abeokuta’s event was, for most observers, one of the worst the party ever organised since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the 2019 political campaigns

officially open.

Two reasons explained the poor rating of the rally, which to a fault portrayed the APC as a party that lacks a reliable conflict management mechanism. First, a number of party faithfuls converged on the MKO Abiola Stadium to welcome President Muhammadu Buhari. Yet, the crisis, which has been an enduring feature of Ogun APC, escalated to a point of public harassment at the rally.

Ordinarily, the gathering of party faithfuls should have been used to sell Buhari’s candidature to the undecided voters in the country’s sophisticated region. However, it became an avenue for a show of strength for the two factions in Ogun APC – the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun on the other hand and the state’s former governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba.

Evident in different reports, Amosun’s allies from the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and supporters still remaining in the APC took over the MKO Abiola Stadium, the venue of the rally.

They protested the outcome of the primaries that produced the APC governorship candidate, Mr. Dapo Abiodun on October 2, 2018 and denied Osoba’s supporters access to the venue of the rally.

Second, Osoba’s supporters were not just denied access to the venue of the rally. Amosun’s supporters, especially those who defected to the APM, pelted the APC National Chairman, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole with stones and booed the APC National Leader, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the point the president was about to present the party’s flags to the APC governorship candidate in the state.

And so rapidly, the situation degenerated to the throwing of objects at the party leaders. Even, the security agents could not bring about order easily. As a result, Amosun promptly intervened, appealing frantically to calm his supporters down. At that point, his intervention could not produce much result, which indeed x-rayed the depth of frustration the party faithfuls were going through.

For many Nigerians that watched the rally alive on Channels TV, it was nothing, but a true show of shame for the ruling APC. But for Amosun and all his allies across the political divides, it was a reward of injustice, which they claimed they had suffered in the hand of powerful forces that allegedly manipulated the outcome of the primaries that produced the governorship candidate.

Is Amosun’s call for justice actually just? This question cannot sufficiently be answered without an inquiry into what transpired prior to the conduct of the APC primaries between September 29 and October 2. Amosun had come up with a list of consensus candidates for over 40 elective positions without the input of the Osoba faction. But the Osoba faction rejected the list, which they claimed, did not represent the decision of the majority members of

Ogun APC. Consequently, the Osoba faction ignored the consensus list. It also conducted the primaries for all elective position in the state, which it claimed, were in accordance with the guideline of the APC National Working Committee. Like it did in all its state chapters, the NWC set up a panel to observe the primaries and determine whether the process was in line with the guidelines.

One of the leaders in the Osoba faction, Senator Akin Odunsi claimed that the NWC panel did not just observe the process, but indeed supervise the conduct of the primaries that produced all candidates contesting about 40 elective positions in Ogun APC. On this ground, the NWC rejected the consensus list and accepted the outcome of the primaries the Osoba faction conducted.

To the face of the national leaders, Amosun had threatened to work against the APC in the state’s governorship contest. He had equally declared support for Hon. Adekunle Akinlade, the APM governorship candidate in Ogun State. He had also said he was still in the APC “to ensure Buhari win landslide” in the state and protect his allies contesting on the APC platform.

Even though its guidelines only recommended primaries and not consensus, the NWC could not convincingly resolve the internal crisis of Ogun APC in a win-win situation, which analysts argued, could have helped unite the warring factions rather than bring the party to a point of national ignominy last Monday. Otherwise, this does not suggest the NWC will oppose consensus candidates, especially in a situation where the party stakeholders subscribe to it.

However, the case of the Ogun APC is not different from the case of Lagos APC. Although there is no faction in Lagos APC, the chapter is as divisive as that of Ogun State. Like Amosun’s case, the panel of the NWC never supervised the process the produced, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu as the APC flagbearer in Lagos State. Yet, the NWC accepted Sanwo-Olu and rejected Akinlade, whom the Amosun camp produced as the consensus candidate and later emerged the APM candidate.

But in Lagos, the state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode conceded return ticket in a statewide broadcast, which according to findings, unsettled his supporters across the state.

Ambode’s reason for concession is plain and clear. In his concession speech, Ambode claimed that he had conceded to avoid a crisis situation, which he believed, might bring down the platform that offered the opportunity to be the governor of the country’s most strategic state in terms of investment and population.

After Sanwo-Olu’s emergence, Ambode held different strategic meetings with principal officers of the State House of Assembly, cabinet members and the APC leaders in the state.

His message at the meetings was simple and direct. It was a message of assurance and commitment to the APC and its victory in the 2019 elections. It was a message of peace and unity, which he said, were only conditions essential for the APC to win elections at the state and federal levels.

Ambode’s approach is better captured in his concession speech, which the party stakeholders described as patriotism.

In the speech, Ambode made it clear that the time “has now

come for the state to move forward in order that the gains of the last three and half years are not lost… The APC is a great party, and the interests of our beloved state must always supersede that of any person or group.”

It was on this ground that he made a solemn pledge “to support our party’s gubernatorial candidate in the 2019 elections and work for the success of our dear party.” Likewise, Ambode promised “to ensure a smooth transition in the remaining period of this administration and ultimately to the new governor, come May 2019.”

Despite his concession, reports showed that Ambode had become a punch bag for Lagos APC. The governor had been accused of funding the state’s leading opposition candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje without proofs. At different times, he had been threatened with impeachment, the last of which almost brought governance to a standstill in the state. Aside, he had been accused of not funding the APC candidate.

Yet, from all indications, the APC never did anything to address the extreme case of injustice and unfair treatment that Ambode, one of its most trusted patriots, had been suffering in the country’s most politically ambivalent state. This is exactly what Amosun cannot tolerate in Ogun State, even when the emergence of his consensus candidate did not satisfy the guidelines the NWC set for the conduct of the primaries.

With the disruption of its rally in Abeokuta, however, the NWC had decided to discipline Amosun. The reward of antiparty activities, according to the APC Constitution, is expulsion.

By implication, according to an APC leader, Amosun may be expelled or at least suspended for a period of time after the 2019 elections. But how will his suspension or expulsion bring the party together and re-unite foes that the party’s flawed primaries produced in almost all its state chapters?

Already, an APC leader said the crisis “is fast eroding the support base of the APC in the state, and it may cost victory.”

Aside, the party leader claimed that the failure of the APC leaders to compromise in certain situations and shift grounds when necessary “has cost the party victory in Rivers and Zamfara State, even before the elections. It is a clear case of self-defeat.”

In Lagos, Ambode willingly conceded to Sanwo-Olu in the interest of peace and unity. Ordinarily, the APC leader said, Ambode’s approach should be a lesson for key actors in other states. But that was not the case in Rivers, Imo, Ondo, Osun and Zamfara States, where its erstwhile aspirants “are now contesting on different political platforms to realise their political aspiration.” Across all its state chapters, the ruling APC is entangled in intractable conflicts, which was purely due to the clash of some entrenched political interests and the quest for the presidential ticket in 2023. But one of the APC leaders observed that the crises “brazenly threaten its victory at all levels. 2019 must be sure for the APC before talking about 2023.”

Even if it eventually wins the presidential contest at last, as some well-respected opinions revealed, the party will definitely lose some governorship and legislative seats in some of the crisis-ridden states and may not even survive the rage of its chieftains and members aggressively seeking fairness and justice within and without.

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NEWSXTRA FIRS Enforcement Move Threatens Investors Confidence James Emejo in Abuja Only recently, business owners were awakened to cruel bank transaction notifications running into millions of naira undertaken without their consent.

On further enquiries from their respective banks, they were shocked to learn that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) had issued fiat to financial institutions to put lid on accounts of suspected tax defaulters.

“We just woke up, saw notifications from our banks that the FIRS told them to put a lien of an outrageous amount in taxes we are owing; that was about a N100 million,” one of the affected business owners told THISDAY on conditions of anonymity.

The Executive Chairman, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr. Tunde Fowler, recently disclosed that the sum of N23 billion had been recovered from 45,000 tax defaulters, who had over N100 million as turnover in their respective bank accounts.

He further hinted that a new batch of 40,000 millionaires would be targeted in this year.

However, the latest mode of clampdown on businesses, which had failed to comply with their tax obligations have been severely criticised in some quarters, including FIRS staff and renowned tax and audit authorities.

A source further told THISDAY that some staff of the revenue agency had even

urged affected individuals to seek legal redress as the move

by Fowler was unprecedented, with grave implications for the growth of small enterprises which are critical for economic development.

Famous audit firm KPMG, had promptly questioned the FIRS move, describing it as “draconian”.

It stated: “We note and salute the FIRS’ objectives to bring delinquent taxpayers into the tax net and consequently increase the federal government’s tax revenue.

“However, the current practice whereby the FIRS issues fiat to freeze taxpayers’ bank accounts generally and to demand that SBs pay alleged outstanding tax liabilities from customers’ bank balances without recourse to affected persons, is draconian.

“This will cast doubt on the federal government’s drive to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria, diminish the credibility of the Nigerian tax system, and erode investors’ confidence in the Nigerian economy.”

The company also called on taxpayers to “ensure that they fulfill their civic obligations by paying the right amount of taxes and filing relevant tax returns with the tax authorities, as and when due”.

Apparently, under pressure from critics over its unpopular actions to compel compliance through seizure of accounts, Fowler had within the week halted the freezing of bank ac-

Again, Boko Haram Attacks Maiduguri, Kills 11 Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri At least 11 people were killed yesterday as Boko Haram gunmen and suicide bombers attacked a suburb of Maiduguri, the Borno capital, the State Police Command said.

Apart from 11 persons that were killed, 15 others were injured in the attack at and Polo general area.

Witnesses said the attack occurred in the morning as residents were responding to the postponement of the general election early yesterday.

The postponement of the polls limited the spread of news of the attack, with many in Maiduguri only getting to learn of the attack hours later, residents said Witnesses said four Boko Haram fighters — three with suicide vests on their bodies, and one armed with a rifle — invaded their neighborhood and immediately began to shoot sporadically while the suicide bombers blew themselves up.

In Gwozari, Muslims who went to pray in the morning had to cut short their prayers after hearing the sound of gunfire. But as they made their ways out of the mosque, the gunman shot at them killing two and injuring many.

According to eyewitness, one of the suicide bombers tried to enter a mosque where people were observing their

morning prayers but before he got closer, most them had started fleeing. So, the gunman opened fire from a distance and killed two people.

The other assailant detonated his suicide vests at a different location called Kushari where he killed himself and a fleeing child, he said.

The third suicide bomber wondered into Maiduguri neighborhood called Polo where he detonated himself amidst fleeing people. Three persons died in the explosion.

A resident of Polo said one of the civilian-JTF operatives was able “to shoot the gunman accompanying the two suicide bombers in the leg before a soldier came to shoot the injured gunman dead.”

The Borno State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Damian Chukwu said the injured were taken to the hospital and clearance operation “is currently being carried out at the location by a joint team of Explosive Ordnance Department, the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), the Police Mobile Force, the Civil Defence and the military.”

The attack occurred barely 24 hours after Ahmad Salkida, the Nigerian journalist known for his professional access to Boko Haram, tweeted that about 50 Boko Haram fighters were spotted camping at somewhere behind Maiduguri, called Ajilari-Cross.

counts of tax defaulters for 30 days.

According to him, the directive became necessary in view of the large number of taxpayers, who had besieged its offices in their bid to regularise their tax positions, coupled with the inconveniences they encountered during the process.

But in spite of the criticisms

bedevilling the FIRS measures, particularly the seeming lack of due process in freezing bank accounts, the service appears unperturbed and has maintained that it possessed powers under its Establishment Act to take the steps.

Justifying its actions, FIRS spokesman, Mr. Wahab Gbadamosi, responding to THISDAY

enquiries maintained that “tax is anchored on law, the basis of tax is law in the first place” stressing that the FIRS Establishment Act (FIRSEA), Company Income Tax Act (CITA) among others already provided the basis for its actions.

Quoting relevant sections of the Act, Gbadamosi said, “The Service may require any person

to give information as to any money, fund or other assets, which may be held by him for, or of any money due from him to, any person.

“Also note that Section 49 of CITA further empowers FIRS to take all the steps we have taken with respect to recovery of tax debts from billionaire and millionaire tax defaulters.”

CALLED TO SERVICE...

L-R: The Prelate, Methodist Church, Samuel Kanu-Uche; Lay President; Folu Aremu, Peter Olorunfemi and Gbolahan Olayomi at the enthronement of Archbishop of Lagos at Wesley Cathedral Olowogbowo, Lagos ...recently

Oando Shares Industry Knowledge with Visiting Kenyan Students Olaseni Durojaiye Nigeria’s leading indigenous oil and gas company, Oando Plc has held a two-day knowledge transfer session with Masters of Oil and Gas Law (LL.M) students from the Strathmore University Law School, Nairobi, Kenya at its head office in Victoria Island, Lagos.

In a statement by its Corporate Communication Office, Oando was selected by the university as the preferred indigenous sector leader for the academia visit on the basis of its knowledge pool gained from operational experience across the full energy value chain, success stories of pioneering initiatives within the sector, a diverse and local workforce and finally its impact on both

the local and African oil and gas industry.

The statement said the students wanted to acquire firsthand knowledge of the Nigerian oil and gas sector and take practical learning to apply to the nascent Kenyan oil sector on conclusion of their studies.

According to the statement, Oando gave the students the indigenous perspective, specifically the process of building an indigenous company to international standards in a dynamic environment as well as a 360 degree session on the company’s operations in the full energy value chain.

On day one, the statement said the students “were opportune to learn the intricacies and the importance of Environment, Health, Safety,

Be Calm, Peaceful, Agbaje, Jegede Tell Electorate Kayode Fasua and Olaseni Durojaiye The gubernatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos state, Mr. Jimi Agbaje yesterday urged voters to remain calm in face of the postponement of the 2019 elections. Also, former PDP governorship candidate in Ondo State, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede (SAN) has described the shift in the polls as a great shock.

The duo made the remarks in separate statements yesterday, expressing optimism that the postponement would help the PDP consolidate its support base.

In a statement by the Direc-

tor, Media and Publicity of the Jimi Agbaje Campaign Council, Mr. Modupe Ogunbayo, Agbaje said the development “will afford the PDP to consolidate its hold on grounds already held at all levels of contest across the country and guarantee victory for the party.” Agbaje urged party faithful and all Nigerians “to remain calm and avoid violence of any kind as a reaction to the poll postponement.

“Rather than resort to violence I urge Nigerians and our supporters to remain steadfast and unwavering in the resolve to vote out the ruling party from office on the new dates announced for the elections.”

Security and Quality (EHSSQ) in the oil sector facilitated by Kayode Boladale General Manager, Operations Integrity, Oando Energy Resources, the upstream subsidiary of Oando PLC.” Cited in the statement, Oando’s commercial team led

by Akinbambo Ibidapo-Obe, General Manager, Commercial, took the students on a virtual tour of the company’s assets, current and future production capabilities and prospects for the future. Following in quick succession was a session by the Legal department, which the students were very keen on, being Masters of Oil and Gas Law (LL.M) students.

Also, the Senior Legal Advisor, Efuntomi Akpeneye spoke about the difference between

in-house and public lawyers, explaining the various legal regulations guiding the industry and how these have evolved over time.

Speaking at the training session, a student from the university, Faith Waigwa said Oil and gas experience from an African company done by Africans was the kind of knowledge they sought.

According to the student, our expectations for this visit have been surpassed. We have a proper benchmark in Nigeria.

We are so grateful for the fact that we’ve had insight from knowledgeable individuals from a cross section of departments on various aspects of the business and sector. It has truly been a robust learning experience.

Chellarams Introduces New Product Leading Fast Moving Consumer Group (FMCG) firm, Chellarams Plc has extended its real active product line with the introduction of Real Activ Malted food drink.

The new product was unveiled before members of the public including trade partners and the media at the company’s premises in Lagos.

The drink which contains 12 essential nutrients with immense nutritional benefit is targeted at mainly at children who need to be active in school and at play and adults who require constant energy for work even as it contains the appropriate amount of sugar need.

In an interview after the launch Commercial

Director, Chellarams Plc, Raj Totlani said the benefits of the new drink are numerous adding that the company already has in a place a roadmap to make it available all of the country.

“Real Activ Malted Chocolate drink is packaged specifically produced in Holland for the Nigerian market; it is packaged in Nigeria; of course our long term plan is to produce it in Nigeria.

“The core target of Real Activ malted chocolate drink are children, it contains 12 nutrients that give energy that they require to be active in school and at play.

It’s taste is smooth just as it digests and dissolves easily, and it is a quick source of energy.

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͹Ϳ˜ ͺ͸͹΁ ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT ...

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT ...

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT ...

INEC: POLLS’ POSTPONEMENT NOT POLITICALLY INFLUENCED "The political parties and NGOs embarked on vigorous campaigns and sensitization programs on the need to a free and fair elections. Foreign and domestic election observers mobilised themselves to participate in today's elections process.

“Unfortunately, five hours to the scheduled elections the same INEC has reversed itself, citing logistic challenges.

"ACF and indeed all Nigerians have no option but to accept the reasons advanced

by INEC and to have faith that it will live up to its promise to hold the re-scheduled elections on the 23rd February and 9th March 2019The forum called for calm, restraint and prayers for the peaceful conduct of the elections.

“It is only our collective resolve to respect the tenets of democracy that will strengthen our unity and peaceful coexistence," the statement added.

CDHR calls for probe The Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) condemned the postponement and demanded a probe to unravel the issues behind the development. A statement

by CDHR President Malachy Ugwummadu said the shift “cast serious shadow on the credibility and integrity of the entire election process.”

The group also demanded, “Appropriate sanction to relevant persons who failed in their responsibility and consequently took this decision in order to serve as a deterrent,” saying, “Consideration for decentralisation and unbundling of INEC along the multifaceted responsibilities of that commission have now become imperative.”

ECOWAS, AU, EU, UN, others call for calm

The international poll observers expressed concern over the election postponement, but called for calm.

In a joint statement, they said, “We, the Heads of the international election observation missions and the United Nations present in Nigeria, have taken note of the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2019 general elections due to logistical and operational challenges. While we note that this decision has caused disappointment for many, we call on all Nigerians to continue to remain calm and supportive of the electoral process as INEC works to implement its new timeline.

We urge INEC to use this time to finalise all preparations and ensure that the new election dates are strictly adhered to.

We encourage INEC to provide regular updates and information to the public on its preparations in the coming days and weeks to enhance confidence and trust

in the process. As we continue to closely observe preparations across the country, we stand in solidarity with the people of Nigeria in their desire for credible and peaceful elections.”

The statement was signed

by Economic Community of West African States Election Observation Mission - Her Excellency Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Former President of Liberia; African Union Election Observation Mission - His Excellency Hailemariam Desalegn, Former Prime Minister of Ethiopia; Commonwealth Observer Group - His Excellency Dr Jakaya Kikwete, Former President of the United Republic of Tanzania; and Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa Election Observation Mission - His Excellency Rupiah Banda, Former President of Zambia.

Others are European Union Election Observation Mission Maria Arena, Belgian Member of the European Parliament;

National Democratic Institute/ International Republican Institute Election Observation Mission His Excellency Festus Mogae, Former President of Botswana and Her Excellency Vaira VeFreiberga, Former President of Latvia; Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, Ambassador Boubakar Adamou, Director of African Political Affairs; and United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr Mohamed Ibn Chambas.

British High Commission: we align ourselves with heads of international observer missions The British High Commission, Abuja, in a statement last night

by British High Commissioner to Nigeria, H.E. Catriona Laing CB, said it supported the position of the international observers on the postponement of the Nigerian elections.

The statement said, “The British

High Commission supports the joint statement made by the heads of the international observer missions on the postponement of the 2019 Nigerian elections.

“We recognise the frustrations of many Nigerians, including those involved in the delivery, supervision and observation of the election and those who travelled considerable distances to exercise their democratic right to vote.

“We urge the Nigerian people to be patient, support the democratic process and come out to vote next weekend in the rescheduled elections. We urge all political parties to exercise moderation and to preserve an atmosphere of peace and calm to allow elections to take place in a secure environment.

“The British High Commission remains a staunch supporter of Nigerian democracy and will continue to support the 2019 elections, including through redeploying our observer team to be present next weekend.”

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͹Ϳ ͺ͸͹΁

87

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by Demola Ojo Email: demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Man City Continue Quadruple Chase, Reach FA Cup Q/Finals

M

anchester City continued their hunt for a quadruple as they broke Newport County’s resistance yesterday to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals and end the League Two side’s memorable run in this season’s competition.

Newport, fresh from beating Leicester City and Middlesbrough, produced another strong display in the competition to hold Pep Guardiola’s men at the interval.

But two Phil Foden goals and strikes from Leroy Sane and Riyad Mahrez ended Newport’s hopes and denied them the chance to become the first side from the fourth tier to reach the last eight since 1990.

The Welsh side even missed the best chance of the first half, when Ederson produced a diving save to deny Tyreeq Bakinson’s close-range header.

The second half belonged to the visitors as Sane broke the deadlock from close range six minutes after half time.

Foden doubled the advantage with an excellent dribble and finish, before Padraig Amond scored a late goal that gave the hosts brief hope of a fightback - and maintained his record of scoring in every round of the competition.

However, Foden ensured there was no

Mahrez Foden and Sane were all on the scoresheet

grandstand finish with his second goal moments later and Mahrez scored a fourth in injury time.

Newport County’s fans gave their side a standing ovation at full time as their weary players did a lap of honour.

There was no overstating the gulf between these two clubs - Newport, with a squad value totalling £70,000, against Manchester City, the world’s most richlyassembled squad at around £450m.

When Sergio Aguero was scoring the most famous goal in the history of the Premier League to fire Manchester City to their first Premier League title in 2012, Newport were still floundering in non-league.

They have been the story of this season’s competition, having stunned Premier League Leicester City and Championship Middlesbrough in rounds three and four.

And, against all the odds, there seemed a chance that run might continue when Mickey Demetriou’s long throw was flicked on in the 15th minute, only for Ederson to superbly claw away Bakinson’s point-blank header from six yards.

They did, however, give their fans a moment to savour when a long ball in the 88th minute caught City cold and allowed Amond to clip home and raise the roof in Newport.

City’s consistency this term means they are still fighting for trophies on four fronts, with the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea to come next week for the Premier League leaders, who are still in the Champions League and who have been in fine form throughout 2019.

Bruised United Visit Stuttering Chelsea Tomorrow U20 AFCON: F/Eagles Lose Third Place to S/Africa Once more, penalties proved the undoing of Paul Aigbogun’s Nigeria U20 squad as South Africa’s Amajita picked up the bronze medal of the 2019 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Niamey yesterday.

Failure to put away a number of opportunities that came their way proved fatal for the seven –time champions, who endured the humiliation of finishing outside the medals’ range at the tournament for the first time.

Peter Eletu, who was starting for the first time as the Nigerian camp tried to lift the morale of the boys following Wednesday’s penalty shoot-out defeat to Mali in the semi finals, fluffed what was a good opportunity in the 32nd minute when the ball fell invitingly to him just outside the Amajita’s eighteen –yard box during an onslaught. He instead hooked the ball listlessly over the bar.

The unflattering features of poor passes, aimless shots and pathetic lack of marksmanship that saw the Flying Eagles end up with the wrong end of the stick on Wednesday were again in full flow, and the encounter was a stinging reminder of the fact that Aigbogun and his assistants have to re-jig the squad before the World Cup finals in Poland in three month’s time.

Alhassan Adamu, who scored the goal against host nation Niger Republic that made the Flying Eagles finish at the top of Group A and earn a place at the World Cup, fluffed Nigeria’s first kick in the shoot –out, following a dismal show by both teams in regulation time.

South Africa scored all their kicks to earn the bragging rights after both teams finished their Group A clash scoreless on Matchday 2.

Today, the impressive Lionceau du Teranga of Senegal will lock horns with Mali’s Junior Eagles in the final match of the championship.

Fresh off being taught a football lesson at Old Trafford by PSG in the Champions League, Manchester United have the opportunity to qualify for the quarter finals of the FA Cup as they visit an out-of-sorts Chelsea.

Injuries to Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial means there is an opportunity for the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku to feature, both of whom have been largely restricted to bench duty under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

The caretaker manager said: “It’s a chance for anyone who plays, if it’s Alexis or Romelu or who starts or Tahith Chong or Angel Gomes.

“Anthony and Jesse have done very well for us, they’re vital in the attacking part with their attributes with their pace but then again with Rom and Alexis, they’ve got different skillsets so they will be able to show what they can do.”

Meanwhile, Gianfranco Zola admits Chelsea are facing a crucial period in their stuttering season, after winning two and losing two of their last four games in all competitions by largely contrasting scorelines.

Assistant coach Zola said: “We know that it’s a crucial moment. It’s very challenging, I think the key will be to face each task by only thinking about that task.

“The first one is going to be United and we come into this game after a good performance in the Europa League. It’s a good challenge, it’s actually what we need to do right now.

“We know that we have to be consistent. We all know this. It’s important everyone knows the situation and is working on it, players, coaches and club.”

Along with Lingard and Martial - who were injured in Tuesday’s 2-0 loss to PSG in

Man Utd duo Alexis Sanchez and Romelu Lukaku have found game time hard to come by under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

the Champions League - Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian are also absentees because of minor injuries.

Chelsea have no fresh injury concerns ahead and will give a late fitness test to Ruben Loftus-Cheek after the recurrence of his persistent back problem.

Left-back Marcos Alonso could return after being omitted from Maurizio Sarri’s squad for the trip to Sweden in midweek.

This will be the 14th FA Cup tie between Chelsea and Manchester United - the Blues have triumphed in each of the last four, including the final last season.

Manchester United have lost three of their five FA

Cup matches against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, winning 5-3 in 1997-98 and 2-0 in 1998-99.

Chelsea could become the first team to eliminate Manchester United in five consecutive FA Cup meetings.

In all competitions, Manchester United have won just two of their last 22 away games against Chelsea (D7 L13), failing to win any of their last nine.

United have eliminated the FA Cup holders 10 times, more than any other side in the competition’s history. They last did so in 2011-12 against Manchester City.

La Liga: Atletico Climb above Real into Second Place Atletico Madrid yesterday moved above city rivals Real into second place in La Liga after Antoine Griezmann’s second-half goal saw off Rayo Vallecano.

The only goal of the match came in the 74th minute when Alvaro Morata, on loan from Chelsea, set up the Frenchman, whose shot went in off Jordi Amat. It was Atletico’s first win in three matches after defeats to Real Betis and Real Madrid earlier this month.

Real Madrid will return to

second if they beat Girona at home today.

Atletico are next in action on Wednesday, when they entertain Italian champions Juventus in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, before a home La Liga match against Villarreal next Sunday.

Diego Simeone signed a new contract earlier this week to stay as Atletico’s manager until 2022 and his side remain seven points behind leaders Barcelona, who beat Real Valladolid 1-0 yesterday.

Griezmann celebrates his goal

Sunday February 17, 2019

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MISSILE

CSO to INEC “Any suggestion that the election be held in a staggered manner will be totally unacceptable and would be a recipe for a disastrous election.”

– Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room reacting to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) decision to postpone the Presidential/National Assembly and Gubernatorial/House of Assembly Elections.

SIMONKOLAWOLE INEC’s Bolt from the Blue SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

W

hen your wife is pregnant and gives birth at the end of nine months, you cannot claim you were caught unawares and so you couldn’t buy items for baby delivery ahead of time. Since 2015, we had known that we were going to hold another general election in 2019. It is every four years.

It is there in the constitution. We knew we would need ballot papers, ballot boxes, inkpads and result sheets. We knew the geography of Nigeria. We have meteorologists who forecast the weather all the time. We knew that some locations have peculiarities at a particular time of the year. We knew we would need to fly materials earlier for ease of distribution. We knew. There is nothing new under the sun.

The postponement of the 2019 general election by one week — even if by one day — is yet another spectacular testament to the pathological incompetence ruining our country. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) told us a million times that it was ready for the elections. Literally a million times! Unlike in 2015 when the postponement was forced by the military hierarchy who said they needed more time to “diminish” Boko Haram, most Nigerians never saw the latest one coming — a few of hours to the opening of the polling stations!

Is there any other country in the world where elections are scheduled and routinely postponed every four years?

The two things we should normally worry about in our elections are rigging and violence.

We have a history of stuffed ballots, voter suppression, ballot-snatching, violence and killing. Since the colonial masters left our shores in 1960, almost every election we have conducted by ourselves is filled with all these shenanigans. Only God knows how many Nigerians have been maimed or killed in electoral violence. Our elections are usually a do-or-die affair. But, increasingly, we now have to add a third worry: uncertainty of electoral timetable. It has become a recurring decimal. Since 2011, we have been postponing elections despite having all the time in the world to prepare.

In 2011, we had actually started voting in the federal parliamentary elections when Prof.

Attahiru Jega, then-INEC chairman, asked us to calm down. INEC had discovered, midway, that we didn’t have enough result sheets. The elections were moved twice. Four years later, we did not keep to the timetable again, this time at the instance of the security chiefs who curiously requested more time to fight Boko Haram. Many were convinced that the PDP was afraid of losing the polls.

Senior INEC figures would later confess in private conversations that the postponement saved the umpire from a disastrous outing.

They were not ready for the original February date, they said.

It was more dramatic in 2007. We almost did not have an election. To put it more bluntly: we practically did not have an election. What we eventually did was a charade, so much so the results were merely written after the selfinflicted chaos. As it was, President Olusegun Obasanjo did not want his vice-president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, to succeed him. The two had publicly fallen out before the 2003

Yakubu, INEC chairman

presidential election. Obasanjo was virtually forced to pick Atiku as his running mate for the second term, but he immediately set out to neutralise his deputy after the general election. The killer punch was branding Atiku as “corrupt” — a nickname that has stuck since then.

Obasanjo set up an administrative panel headed by Prof. Ignatius Ayua, with Mrs Oby Ezekwesili as a notable member, to probe Atiku over the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) affair. It indicted Atiku and barred him from holding public office. INEC, under the inimitable Prof. Maurice Iwu, quickly disqualified Atiku from the 2007 elections because of the indictment. It was at this stage that the judiciary stepped in and declared that any indictment must be accepted by a court of law. It stopped tyranny on the one hand but castrated INEC on the other. Today, INEC cannot disqualify candidates even if they present forged certificates. It has to be the courts.

Atiku fought all the way to the Supreme Court to fight his disqualification after the corruption charges against him had been quashed by a high court. On the day the judgement was to be given, Obasanjo declared a public holiday so that the court would not sit. In the interim, INEC had printed the ballot papers without including Atiku. (In those days, pictures of candidates were also on the ballot.) A senior government official reportedly asked Iwu: “What if Atiku won his court case and has to be on the ballot?”

Iwu dismissed the possibility. However, five days to the election, the Supreme Court ruled that Atiku must be on the ballot.

Shamelessly, INEC rushed to South Africa to start printing 65 million ballot papers overnight.

The Nigerian contractor instantly made billions of naira from the turmoil. Eventually, more than half of the ballots did not make it to Nigeria before election day. In fact, they were later abandoned at a warehouse in South Africa. A South African newspaper made fun of us. It is not today that the South Africans started disrespecting us. Even the ballots that made their way to Nigeria did not have serial numbers, and many polling units did not have voting materials. A military aircraft flying materials overnight crashed, killing the pilot and INEC officials.

In the end, Iwu simply blessed Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (PDP) with 24,638,063 votes, awarded 6,605,299 to Gen. Muhammadu

Buhari (ANPP) and allocated 2,637,848 to Atiku. Iwu also took time out to tongue-lash the opposition parties for complaining about the shoddy elections. He reminded them that only PDP had billboards and posters across the country and they should not complain about Yar’Adua’s 24.6 million-vote windfall.

Yar’Adua, it must be said, acknowledged that the election was a mess and promised to carry out electoral reforms. For all intents and purposes, we did not hold a presidential election in 2007, no thanks to INEC. We simply wrote the figures.

Things have certainly improved between 2007 and 2019, but we are still far from getting things right. Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC chairman, has given us cause to worry and doubt his pledge to conduct credible elections.

For a man who told Nigerians again and again and again and again that INEC was ready and that nothing would make him postpone the elections, this is nothing but a big let-down.

His budget was passed as presented to the National Assembly; nothing was cut. This was to forestall excuses. I also understand that all his requests to the president were treated within 24 hours. He assured all of us —Nigerians and foreigners alike — that all was set.

What does it take to get materials to locations? Do we need God to come and help us take ballot papers and result sheets from Abuja to Kaura Namodia and Ikot Ekpene?

It is all about logistics. It is about meticulous planning. Plan A, Plan B, Plan C and even Plan D. It is all about painting scenarios, simulating movements and asking the big question: WHAT IF? Someone said Nigeria is very big, geographically, so it presents a logistical challenge and I am asking: so how many years do we need to distribute voting materials across Nigeria? We continue to advertise our incompetence to the whole world. It is one of the reasons we are hardly respected in the comity of nations.

The best way Prof. Yakubu can compensate for this disappointment is to organise a transparently free and fair general election.

I agree that he deserves a second chance.

After all, Prof. Jega started on a shaky note but ended up on a creditable note. I will not write off Yakubu just yet. But he has to realise that he has dropped the ball. We should be getting better with every election, not going backward. The town is filled with rumours over Yakubu’s motives, with both the ruling party and the opposition accusing him of working for one side or the other. Millions of Nigerians have also suffered economic losses because of this postponement. We deserve much better.

This unfortunate turn of events has, predictably, provided a golden opportunity for fake news entrepreneurs. One of such is that Mrs Amina Zakari, President Buhari’s “blood niece”, is the INEC commissioner in charge of electoral operations and logistics and — you know it — she was the one that sabotaged the elections. In fact, the commissioner in charge of logistics committee is Mr. Okechukwu Ibeanu, not Amina. The re-assignment was done as far back as October 2018! For me, I want the general election done and dusted so that we can face other national issues. It has become a serious distraction. Let’s just do it and move to the next phase of our lives!

And Four Other Things…

MINION MALAMI Mallam Abubakar Malami is arguably the most substandard attorney-general Nigeria has ever had. It is not just a problem of crass partisanship but also gross incompetence. Sections 158(1) and 160 of the 1999 Constitution specifically declare the operational independence of INEC in simple English, yet Malami, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), audaciously directed the electoral umpire to postpone elections in Zamfara state in favour of his party, the APC. Pray, is he the attorneygeneral of APC or the attorney-general of the federation? This same minister comically swore in Mr. Adams Oshiomhole as APC national chairman in 2018. Shame.

CROWD CONTROL One of the most amusing aspects of electioneering in Nigeria is the crowd at rallies. The “my crowd is bigger than yours” game is regularly played by the two leading parties. People will see a stadium filled with supporters and scream: “This man has support.” Meanwhile, it may be just about 100,000 people in a state with two million registered voters! Even if everybody at the stadium votes for you, it still does not mean you would win. The sad part for me, though, is the poor crowd management skills of the Nigerian security agencies. There will always be stampede and suffocation. It is a regular feature. I look forward to an election season when there will be zero death at rallies. Paramount.

CREDIBLE WHAT? How can we have credible elections when security agencies continue to participate actively in intimidating and harassing the opposition? In Lokoja, Kogi state, on Friday, police surrounded the home of the former governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, who was playing host to PDP leaders across the senatorial zones ahead of the now-postponed elections. The street was cordoned off. In Akwa Ibom, same day, the army withdrew soldiers from the government house — a clear signal of “you are on your own”. On Thursday, in Niger state, the EFCC arraigned the PDP governorship candidate, Mallam Gado Nasco, and Dr. Aliyu Babangida, exgovernor, for fraud. Level-playing field?

Indeed.

AND FINALLY… The postponement of the general election has elicited a lot of comments from the social media. No matter what, Nigerians will always find something to cheer them up in the midst of the gloom and the anger.

Indicting INEC, one Twitter user wrote: “They should just sack every one at @ inecnigeria and hire 10 event planners from Lagos, you will see how the elections will happen today today!” Another user said: “INEC, with its ₦189 billion budget and four years to prepare, managed to behave no differently from a Nigerian tailor who collects ₦15,000 for your wedding outfit but switches off his phone on the day he is supposed to deliver.” Comical.

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