SUNDAY 24TH FEBRUARY 2019

Amaechi Using Military to Hold Me Hostage, INEC Official Cries Out Wants me to write results

Olaseni Durojaiye

An official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mrs. Mary Efeturi, has cried out in a WhatsApp group that the Minister of Transportation, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, is holding her hostage with

the military personnel.

According to her desperate message, Amaechi wants her to instruct collation officers to collate results in the presidential election that held yesterday which

she resisted, leading to her being held hostage by the minister, who has threatened not to release her until she carries out his wishes, which is to write results.

Her SOS message on the

WhatsApp group, which went to her superiors reads: “Sir, I am still held within my office and the Minister of Transportation is insisting that I instruct the collation officers to collate results. He

said that I cannot leave the office because he has military personnel on ground."

Effort by THISDAY to reach her by phone proved abortive. As at the time of filing this report this

Buhari Loses Aso Rock Vote, Atiku Loses Polling Unit… Page 8

morning, it was unknown whether she stood her ground and resisted the minister’s pressure or yielded.

Also, THISDAY learnt that INEC officials at the commission’s Abuja head office were still making frantic efforts to secure her release.

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Massive Turnout, Logistic Glitches,Violence as Nigerians Elect President, N’Members Buhari: I’ll congratulate myself because I’ll win I look forward to peaceful transition, says Atiku Impressive turnout excites Saraki Obasanjo charges losers to accept defeat Obi worries about process APC killing Nigerians, burning ballot boxes, alleges PDP Violence, disruption mar voting in parts of Lagos Army: Lieutenant, 6 assailants killed in Rivers INEC scores self high, despite challenges 16 persons died in election day violence, says Situation Room

By Our Correspondents Massive turnout, minor logistic challenges, and widespread violence characterised yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections in the country held amid tension and apprehension.

Accreditation and voting commenced as early as 8am in many locations, while in some places, they did not start till early afternoon. But the process was generally commended by many of the political actors and voters.

Reports of late arrival of voting materials in any centres were also rife, causing delays and unease among voters in some of the affected areas.

In response to the reports about delayed commencement of voting, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared that the election at polling units

where the voting process did not start as scheduled would be extended by the amount of time lost. INEC National Commissioner in charge of Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, made this known while giving an update on the election, the challenges encountered and the solutions put in place by the commission.

Okoye stated, "As most of you are aware, we did promised the Nigerian people that most of the polling units will open by 8am. Based on that, it is at 12 noon we decided that it was important for us to give an update of where we are, the progress we have made, the problems we have encountered, the challenges we are resolving and some of the solutions we have provided in relation to Continued on page 8

American Bar: Onnoghen's Susupension Troubling... Page 16

TRUST BUT VERIFY...

President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, at his polling unit in Daura, Katsina, double-checking his wife, Aisha's ballot paper

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

PAGE EIGHT

Buhari Loses Aso Rock Vote, Atiku Loses Polling Unit Osinbajo fails in his polling unit Former vice president makes up in Saraki, Dogara’s

By Our Correspondents Indications of a projected tight race began to emerge last night after President Muhmadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC) lost to his main opponent, Alhaji Abubakar Atiku of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the overall results of the polling units inside the presidential villa. Buhari trailed with a total of 1,013 votes against Atiku’s 1,030 votes.

In the same vein, the PDP defeated the APC in the overall senatorial election results, with a total of 1,081 votes against 1,008 scored by the APC in the two polling units. The opposition PDP also defeated the APC in the House of Representatives election with 1,046 votes to APC's 995 votes.

But in his native Katsina State, the president scored the highest number of votes cast at his Polling Unit 003, Sarkin Yara, Daura, with a combined 523 votes, while Atiku recorded five votes.

Buhari’s Polling Unit is split into two - A and B. He scored 302 votes at the A section of the Polling Unit, where Atiku recoded two votes. Four votes were however recorded for the Accord Party, even though it had adopted Buhari as its presidential

candidate. At the B segment of the Polling Unit, Buhari went ahead with 222 votes against Atiku's three votes.

The result at Polling Unit 003 A was announced by the Presiding Officer, Mr. Ali Abdullahi, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), while Mr. Yusuf Armah presided over segment B of the Polling Unit.

Buhari also defeated the former vice president at his Ajiya 012 polling unit, in Adamawa State, with 186 votes to Atiku’s PDP 167 votes.

Continuing his fragile winning streak, Buhari defeated Atiku at the polling unit of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in Ogun State, where the president got 87 votes, and the PDP candidate polled 18 votes.

But what the president gained at his unit, he lost at the senatorial contest to a relatively unknown Accord Party. The APC candidate in Katsina North senatorial district, incumbent Senator Kaita Baba-Ahmad, polled 248, losing at Buhari's polling unit PU003 to the least expected candidate of Accord Party, Lawal Nalado, who scored 263 votes. The PDP candidate, Usman Mani, scored two votes.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo however, failed to win his polling

unit as he was roundly beaten by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Alhaji Abubakar Atiku who won the election for all positions at the polling unit of the vice president. The PDP won in the two voting points of the Polling Unit 033. For the presidential election, the PDP polled 425 votes while the APC had 229.

For the senatorial election, the PDP had 414 votes while the APC had 261. For the House of Representatives election, the PDP had 268 while the APC had 190 votes.

Atiku had been making up for his losses with wins at the polling units of other prominent party men, including Senate President Bukola Saraki and House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara. At the two polling units of the Senate President, Ode-Opobiyi Ajikobi 005/006, in Ilorin, Saraki delivered Atiku with 219 votes to APC’s 68 in the first, while scoring 234 to APC’s 152 in the second unit. Also at Unit 005, PDP scored 269 at the senatorial contest while the APC polled 59; at the House of Representatives level, PDP scored 255 votes and APC got 53.

At Unit 006, PDP polled 280 for the senatorial election and APC 120, while in the House

of Representatives contest, PDP scored 269 votes and APC polled 130 votes.

At Dogara’s Central Primary School PU 007A, Gwarangah, Bauchi State, the PDP scored 285 votes to APC’s 15, while 19 invalid votes were recorded.

However, at Atiku’s Ajiya 012 unit, APC also scored 187 votes to PDP’s 120 in the senatorial contest, while the House of Representatives poll saw the APC parting with 145 votes, PDP getting 121, and African Democratic Congress (ADC) scoring 63 votes.

senatorial votes to 1,081 as against APC's 1008, with 73 votes difference.

In the House of Representatives' election, whereas APC polled 531 votes as against PDP's 525 at polling unit 021, the opposition party polled 521 votes to defeat APC with 466 votes at unit 022, thus bringing the total PDP votes in the House of Representatives election to 1,046 as against APC's 995 votes, with 51 votes difference.

Buhari Rejected in Aso Rock

In Ogun State, the governorship candidate of the PDP, Senator Buruji Kashamu, also delivered his ward for Atiku.

At polling unit 026, Okesopen, Ijebu-Igbo, the PDP presidential candidate polled 138 votes to defeat the APC presidential candidate, who scored 110 votes.

Also, at the Ogun East senatorial contest, the PDP candidate, Ayoola Sosanwo, defeated Senator Lekan Mustapha, the APC candidate. Sosanwo scored 160, while Mustapha polled 108.

The APC governorship candidate in Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, failed to deliver his polling unit for Buhari, as Atiku won. At his ward 03, polling unit 2, Ita-Osanyin, Iperu 1, Ikenne

At the two polling units in the Presidential Villa, Atiku defeated Buhari in polling unit 022 with 525 votes to the president's 465, while Buhari defeated him in polling unit 021 with 548 to 505 votes, thus bringing the total votes for Atiku to 1,030 while Buhari's total votes stood at 1,013, with 17 votes difference.

The total votes scored by the PDP at the senatorial election at unit 021 was 535 as against APC's 531, with only four votes difference. At polling unit 022, PDP scored 546 votes to defeat APC, which scored 477 votes, thus bringing the total PDP

Local Government Area, Atiku scored 124 votes while Buhari, polled 118.

But Governor Ibikunle Amosun delivered his ward 6, polling unit 8, Ita-gbangba, Itoko, Abeokuta South Local Government Area, for the APC. Buhari won by 50 votes to defeat Atiku, who polled 20 votes.

At the Ogun Central senatorial contest, Amosun won by 55 votes to beat the ADC candidate, Rt Hon Titi Oseni-Gomez, who scored 17 votes.

Amosun, Kashamu Udom, Akpabio Deliver Deliver Units Polling Units

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel delivered his Ward Awa 1, Unit 1, Onna Local Government Area, to Atiku. Also, the former senate minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, secured his unit, Ukana West 2, Unit 9, Essien Udim Local Government Area for Buhari.

Buhari scored a total of 1, 553 votes to win in the ward, while the PDP presidential candidate had 11 votes.

In the senatorial election result also, Akpabio won with 1, 533 votes, while the PDP senatorial candidate, Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, Christ Ekpenyong, got four votes.

Continued on page 85

MASSIVE TURNOUT, LOGISTIC GLITCHES, VIOLENCE AS NIGERIANS ELECT PRESIDENT, FEDERAL LAWMAKERS some of these challenges."

He explained that in relation to the opening of polls, some of the states had as at noon recorded 100 per cent opening of polls, while some recorded over 90 per cent.

The breakdown of the opening of polls as at noon, as provided by the Election Management Support Centre (EMSC), set up by INEC, showed that Osun, Ondo, Kastina, Kebbi, Ekiti states recorded 100 per cent opening of polls. Kwara, Kogi, Anambra, Niger, Edo, Benue, and Cross River states recorded over 90 per cent poll opening, while Ogun and FCT recorded more than 70 per cent.

Yobe, Taraba, Lagos, Jigawa, Enugu, and Akwa Ibom recorded more than 60 per cent opening of polls; while Oyo, Sokoto, Adamawa, Borno, Delta, recorded more than 30 per cent; and Nassarawa and Kaduna recorded more than 50 per cent opening of polls.

Okoye said there was no report of opening of polls from Rivers State, while Kano recorded 0.18 opening of polls as at noon.

But the commission blamed the late opening of the polls in some states to the late arrival of the members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and security issues, among others, which Okoye said were being addressed at the time.

Okoye said in a few places where malfunctioning of the smart card readers was recorded, the commission directed the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and electoral officers to replace all the faulty smart card readers.

He stated, “In other places where there are a few challenges in relation to Smart Card Readers verifying or authenticating, all the members of the technical support staff that have been posted to registration areas are already on ground and are addressing some of these issues, and we are confident that as we progress, before the close

of polls, most of these issues would have been identified and rectified.

"We also received reports in a few states of the inability of some voters to get to their polling units on account of security issues. The INEC chairman is in touch with heads of all the security agencies that are providing support in relation to this election and in all the places where people have experienced challenges; he has personally called the heads of these agencies and some of these issues have been addressed."

Okoye said as the election progressed, most of the issues that could arise would be addressed. "What the commission has decided is that in any of the states, where polls opened at 9am, there will be an extension of one hour. In any place where polls open at 10am, there will be an extension of two hours and it progresses that way," he said.

He also said a few states that had issues with result sheets, which had been resolved.

Buhari: I’ll Congratulate Myself Because I’ll Win President Muhammadu Buhari, in company with his wife, Aisha, voted at his Polling Unit 003 Kofar Barau III Gidan Niyam, in Daura Local Government Area of Katsina State. Buhari, who was listed as Voter No. 187, carrying the Voter Identification Number 90F5B 02C90 29569 4732, arrived the Polling Unit located along Waziri Road, Tone Quarters, Sarkin Yaura A, in the vicinity of the palace of the Emir of Daura about 8am. He was duly accredited and within 10 minutes, completed the voting procedure.

The president told journalists that he was happy that Nigerians decided to exercise their franchise and the process was going on well.

However, responding to a question on whether he would congratulate the winner if he lost, the president said, "I will

congratulate myself, because I expect to win this election."

He waived at the reporters and departed immediately for his house.

Other members of the president's household also listed at the same polling unit included his wife, Aisha as voter 182.

Hadiza, Safina and Ibrahim were numbered 183, 189 and 184, respectively.

I Look Forward to a Peaceful Transition, Says Atiku But the presidential candidate of PDP, Atiku Abubakar, said after voting that he looked forward to a peaceful transition, apparently insinuating his possible defeat of Buhari. He, however promised, to accept the outcome of the election if transparent, free and fair. Also in company with his wife, Titi, the former vice president, who voted at Ajiya 012 polling unit in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, said as a democrat he would accept the outcome of the election.

Atiku said he was impressed with the massive turnout of voters and the peaceful manner the people conducted themselves, even as he appealed to the security and INEC officials to be transparent and fair to all so that the mandate of the people would not be tempted with.

Saraki, Mohammed, Others Commend Voter Turnout At his Ode-Opobiyi polling unit 005/006, Ajikobi ward in Ilorin West local government council, Senate President Bukola Saraki voted at 10.20am together with his wife, Toyin; mother, Florence; and son, Seeni. He expressed satisfaction with the massive turnout of voters.

He commended the peaceful atmosphere witnessed during the exercise and urged residents to maintain the peace, while enjoining them to remain patient to enable them to vote within the stipulated time frame.

The senate president, however, decried the late arrival of voting materials in some polling units within the Ilorin metropolis.

He called on INEC to redress such anomalies in subsequent elections.

In Kwara State also, Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described the 2019 elections as historic. He said this in Oro, Irepodun Local Government Area, shortly after voting.

"It has been largely peaceful here. The observation raised here is that there was a certain polling unit in Oro ward 2 where the card readers are not functioning," said Mohammed, who cast his vote at polling unit 006 Oro ward 2 around 11:30am.

The PDP governorship candidate in the state, Hon. Razak Atunwa, voted at his Efue/Berikodo 002 polling unit in Asa local government council of the state and lauded the turnout of voters. He said the development showed the commitment of Nigerians to vote for a new government that would add value to their wellbeing.

The turnout was also commended by the governorship candidate of the APC in the state, Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq. Abdulrasaq, who voted at Idi-Igba polling unit in his Adewole ward, noted that the card readers were not functioning properly in some areas. But he urged the electorate to exercise patience and remain on queue to be able to vote when the hiccups were resolved.

The PDP senatorial candidate for Kwara North Senatorial District in the polls in Baruten local government council, Hon. Zakari Muhammed expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the election.

Obasanjo Charges Losers to Accept Defeat Former President Olusegun Obasanjo charged losers in both the presidential and National

Assembly elections to accept defeat, in the interest of good democracy.

“In any competition, there will always be winners and losers. What anybody in any competition must be prepared for, as a good sportsman, is that he or she that wins should show magnanimity.

"For instance, if I lose, I will also bow down graciously. That is what any competition is all about. If your purpose of going to competition is that you must win at all cost, then, that is no longer a competition. I know, INEC will make amends for the shortcomings ahead of the next election,” Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo who arrived at Ward 11, Unit 22, Olusomi Compound, Totoro Road, Sokori, Abeokuta North Local Government Area, in a black Lexus Jeep marked AAD 24 TF (Ogun), at 11:10am and cast his votes at 11:15am, complained about the delay in getting the election materials.

Obi Complains About Harassment

by Security Operatives The vice presidential candidate of the PDP, Mr. Peter Obi, and his wife, Margaret, voted at 8:55am at his Amatutu Village polling Unit, Agulu ward 2, in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Speaking to journalists after casting his ballot, Obi said it was too early to confirm that the process was going smoothly.

But he promised to confirm so later in the day after reaching out to voters in other parts of the country.

He, however, said security agents the previous night went after some known PDP stalwarts in the state, adding that he was also harassed by security agents but refused to elaborate.

“The answer to your question is capital yes. Most of our members, including myself, were harassed by security agents last night…I cannot speak further than this, but you just heard me say yes. The

answer to that question is yes, I was also harassed,” the former governor stated.

Police Arrest Journalists in Anambra Meanwhile, five journalists from major national dailies were arrested by a team of fully armed police officers close to the home of Mr. Peter Obi. The officers, who came in five unmarked police vans, fully loaded and arms, had trailed the journalists from the home of the vice presidential candidate where they went to cover him during the voting.

The police officers, who refused to identify themselves, simply blocked the vehicle used by the journalists and ordered them out and collected the key to their vehicle. They later left the journalists but drove off with the vehicle keys, leaving the reporters stranded.

The journalists, Mr Nwanosike Onu of The Nation, Geoffrey Anyanwu of Sun, David-Chyddy Eleke of THISDAY, Vincent Ujumadu of Vanguard, and Tony Okafor of Punch, were never given the opportunity to even introduce themselves, despite wearing the INEC apron provided for journalists.

One of the officers told the journalists that they were on instruction, and would not listen to anyone, not even journalists on duty.

Uba Experiences Difficulty Voting Earlier in another part of Anambra, Chief Chris Uba, candidate of the PDP for Anambra South senatorial district, could not vote due to the malfunctioning card reader at his Polling Unit 015 in OtiOgbata Ward. All eyes were on this ward where the Uba brothers, Andy and Chris, slugged it out on the platforms of different political parties. Andy Ubah is the APC candidate.

When Chris Ubah arrived at Continued on page 10

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

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SUNDAY COMMENT

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

NOW, T HE WAITING BEGINS…

The candidates and their supporters should exercise restraint as they await the result of the election

A

fter a false start by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which saw to the postponement of the presidential and national assembly election initially scheduled to hold on 16th February, the exercise finally held yesterday. Across the country, a slew of young and old voters, including many first-timers, defied the odds by waiting for hours in line in several poll stations just to cast their ballots.

With the results being tallied, it is important for INEC and the security agencies to ensure that the efforts of Nigerians were not in vain.

Whether for the national assembly seats or the presidency, the outcome should reflect the wishes of the electorate.

In signing a peace However, it accord in January, is disappointboth Buhari and ing that old Atiku reaffirmed problems still their commitment manifested in to refrain from several states of the federation yesterday. making or sponsoring public There were recurring logistical problems that statements, suggested the inability of pronouncements, INEC to conduct a hitchdeclarations or free election. Some of speeches that the challenges include non-performance of card have the capacity readers, late arrivals of to incite or cause polling officials, inadequate violence, before, security arrangements during, and after which allowed hoodlums the elections to disrupt the exercise in some areas and outright violence. There were a few fatalities and cases of ballot snatching and destruction. Reports from Bayelsa, Lagos, Ebonyi, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Zamfara and Kogi were particularly unedifying as the exercise was marred in some areas by recourse to brigandage.

There were also incidents of vote-buying. We hope the authorities will investigate some of these electoral offences and bring the culprits to book.

In a rare display of statesmanship on Friday, Presi-

Letters to the Editor

dent Muhammadu Buhari reminded Nigerians that while democracy remains the most beneficial way to select a nation’s leaders, it also “requires a combination of patience, tolerance, compassion, diligence, wisdom and hope.” These traits, which he affirmed “exist in us the Nigerian people”, will be sorely tested in the coming hours as the people await the first batch of results from the federal constituencies across the country for both the House of Representatives and Senatorial seats.

But the big one is that of the presidency that could take days to tally up.

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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

iven how high the stakes usually are with such elections in Nigeria, it is no surprise that there are already accusations and counteraccusations by politicians across the divide. There will be more in the coming hours and days. It is not something that should worry Nigerians. It is part of the usual rites. But we are not oblivious of the competitive nature of this presidential election. Even though 73 candidates are on the ballot, the contest is essentially between the incumbent President Buhari of the ruling 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.

While casting his vote alongside his wife, Patience, in his village of Otuoke, Bayelsa State yesterday, former President Goodluck Jonathan urged that any candidate who loses the election should accept defeat. Nobody is perhaps more credible in the country to render such an advice to the two leading candidates. In signing a peace accord in January, 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”.

If these two candidates live up to their words in the days ahead, there will be no need to worry over the outcome of the elections that should help to advance the cause of democracy in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, we also call on their supporters to exercise restraint as they await the results. Those who voted yesterday must come to terms with the fact that whatever they do or say in the coming hours or days will not change anything.

By voting, they have performed their civic duty as citizens.

So, arguing with people in the social media or fighting on the street is pointless and counter-productive. We urge all Nigerians to remain calm as they wait the definitive results from the presidential and national assembly elections from INEC.

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.

Do We Still Need Law Courts?

I

t is no longer news that President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the police, the armed forces and other security personnel to make sure that ballot box snatchers pay with their lives.

Considering the position of the person that gave this order, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, it is certainly an order that could be carried out. But carrying out this order will undermine the Electoral Act 2010, administration of criminal justice act, the constitution and ultimately the role and functions of the law courts and judiciary at large, whose primary functions and

responsibilities are to interpret the law and pass the judgement on accused persons.

With an order that whoever committed such offence should pay with his life instantly without following laid down rules and procedures, it means such person is taking the law into his/her hands to do otherwise and which is tantamount to illegality.

Section 129 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended) provides that, “any person who snatches or destroys any election material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment". It appears that the punishment spelt out in this section was not

strong enough to deter anybody from committing the stated crime. And the best thing to do is to call for the amendment of the law.

Again, Nigerians should not forget that the opportunity to reform the Electoral Act by signing the amendment bill, an opportunity to increase the penalty for ballot box snatching from 24 months to say five years was given to President Muhammadu Buhari in November, but refused to assent to it in December 2018. Rewriting the law to make it capital punishment for ballot box snatching does not go down well with many Nigerians because it is

jungle justice.

It is also worthy to note that every public official in Nigeria, from the rank of the president down to local government councillors, took the oath of an allegiance to obey the rule of law, protect the citizens and uphold the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Such that, they can only approve the elimination of life by the pronouncement of the competent court of jurisdiction.

What is more surprising to many Nigerians is the fact that such pronouncement was not made when it was needed. One expected it at a time when Boko Haram and herdsmen were busy killing hundreds of Nigerians across the country and many are still dying on daily basis. Even this

jungle justice is not extended to other bandits like kidnappers and assassins.

Evans, the suspected kingpin of kidnappers who confessed to the crime at the time he was arrested was not shot at sight. He is being tried in the court of law. If such high level crimes did not attract brute force, why should ballot box snatching offence? Does it mean we place more value on ballot box than human lives?

Moving forward as a nation and for us to minimize the level of bloodshed, I think it is very important our security personnel are guided by their rules of engagement, and not to take the law into their hands.

––Omale Omachi Samuel Centre for Social Justice, Abuja.

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

ELECTIONS... ELECTIONS... ELECTIONS... ELECTIONS... ELECTIONS...

MASSIVE TURNOUT, LOGISTIC GLITCHES, VIOLENCE AS NIGERIANS ELECT PRESIDENT, FEDERAL LAWMAKERS his polling unit a few minutes past noon, he was surprised at the massive turnout. However, many who had arrived as early as 8am could not cast their votes because the card reader malfunctioned.

He told reporters, "You can see the turnout is very impressive but I was shocked that the card reader is not working. I didn't cast my vote. My wife couldn't cast her vote. I don't know when we will vote. I want it to be on record that we didn't cast our votes. We are waiting.

“You can see the crowd here.

Nobody can cast their vote.

INEC said we can't use incident forms. So, you can't do anything manual. Everything must be electronic and must allow people to vote the candidate of their choice. This is democracy. It must work like that."

Ubah, who expressed hope in the process, insisted that the votes must count.

"When my own has this type of problem, what is happening elsewhere? INEC can't tell me that after postponing election by one week they can't get their card reader right? How can these people feel happy going home without casting their votes? Nigeria must give me opportunity to cast my vote," he said.

Ambode Happy with Polling Process Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, voted at his home town in Epe, accompanied by his wife.

Ambode voted at 10:01am at ward A5, polling unit 033, Ogunmodede College, Ajaganabe Area, Papa Epe. Speaking to journalists after casting his ballot, the governor commended the peaceful process and asked the people to come out and exercise their franchise.

He said, “I have just performed my civic right; I have voted successfully in my polling unit and from the information I already have across the state, I can observe that the election is going on peacefully across the state.

“I am delighted that Lagosians have been very cooperative. We have had a peaceful night and ever since the morning also, everywhere has been very peaceful."

Fintiri, Jibrilla Affirm Election Peaceful Governorship candidate of PDP in Adamawa State, Hon. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, voted at Kirchinga 004 polling units in Madagali Local Government Area, where Boko Haram insurgents invaded recently. But he affirmed that the election was peaceful.

Adamawa State Governor and candidate of the APC, Bindow Jibrilla, who cast his vote at 10:15am at Abu Muwachi of Kolore ward of Mubi North Local Government Area, also expressed satisfaction with the massive turnout of voters.

Oshiomhole, Obaseki Optimistic APC Will Win In Edo, speaking with journalists after casting his vote about 11.44am, APC National Chairman, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, commended the process and expressed optimism that APC would win with a big margin.

Oshiomhole said, "I have been voting here for a very long time, but the crowd that came out today is very unprecedented and at the same time orderly

and peaceful. It is a sign that APC will win landslide".

In Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki arrived at his polling unit, Emokpae Primary School ward, at 9:55am to cast his vote.

His presence drew the attention of other voters who abandoned their queues to catch a glimpse of him on his queue, where he joined other electorate.

Speaking to journalists after voting, the governor said, "This is my voting unit and it is quite orderly for the 20 minutes or so I have been here. It has been quite orderly. I am quite impressed with the presence of the security personnel at the polling unit. As I was just driving in here, I saw a lot of security personnel here."

Shettima, Others Vote amid Attack Scare In Maiduguri, determined voters trooped out in large numbers, despite the early morning attacks on the town by suspected Boko Haram members. The people of the town had been woken up about 5:40am by large explosions, gunshots and sound of warplanes hovering over the area. The explosions were on for about an hour as the military were believed to have engaged the insurgents, who tried to attack the town.

Investigation by our correspondent revealed that 16 heavy artilleries were shot in the crossfire.

The insurgents were believed to have shot the missiles from there enclave in Sambisa Forest into the town, with two landing at the Teachers' Village IDP’s camp, one at the Garrison command and another at the runway of the airport.

The insurgents, who had earlier attacked Zabalmari, about 15 kilometres from Maiduguri, on the election eve, tried to enter main Maiduguri on Saturday but were repelled by soldiers.

During the Friday attack, the insurgents, who came in about four motorcycles and two trucks, told the people of the area that they did not want them to participate in the election.

The army and the police were quick to douse the tension by giving out information that it was friendly fire and a show of strength.

But when our correspondent went out to monitor the election, a large crowd of people were seen voting, though the town was heavily militarised.

Some of the voters who spoke to our correspondent said they came out about 9am to cast their votes after they heard that the town was not under attack and that it was just the military test running their ammunitions. They also disclosed that the officers of INEC were late to the polling units as they started coming out from about 8am.

Governor Kashim Shettima, who cast his vote at the densely populated Lamisula area, said he was impressed with the whole exercise. He said the people showed their will to vote against the evil machination of the Boko Haram, who had wanted to disturb the entire process with the early morning attack.

Shettima, who spoke to journalist after voting, said his people defied the insurgents’ threat and participated massively in the election.

He said, “I call on people to come out and vote despite the early morning scare. We must defy the Boko Haram insurgents’ threat and show them that they are defeated. They attempted

to scare, make people afraid so as to prevent them from exercising their franchise, but we are resolute and triumphed over them.

“You should come out and vote candidates of your choice, even if you are not going to vote for me and President Muhammadu Buhari.”

Okorocha, Izunazo Vow to Deliver Their Areas From the South-east, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha expressed confidence that President Muhammadu Buhari would win in the state.

Okorocha voted at 10.35am at his Ogboko ward in Ideato South local government of the state.

His counterpart in APGA, Senator Osita Izunaso, who voted at his Obeakpu ward in Orlu East LGA expressed satisfaction with the turnout of voters in his area and was confident, too, of winning the senatorial seat for the zone.

However, in other locations, voting was delayed. At Isiekenesi Central School 4, Ideato South the delay was in connection with the insistence of members of APGA that the ballot papers were short by 300.

About 9am, electoral officers, polling agents and law enforcement agents had gathered at the Town School Ibeku in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area, collecting materials for onward movement to their various polling booths in Ngurunweke, Ngurunwenko, Lagwa and Ibeku.

Those of Enyiogwugwu and Ahiato were believed to be doing same in Mbutu, while those in Uvuru collected their materials within the period.

Ayade Says Election Peaceful Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of yesterday’s elections, describing the exercise and turnout as both peaceful and massive.

Ayade accompanied by his wife, Lynda, arrived Kakum Town Hall, Ipong polling unit, Obudu with registration area code CR/09 about 11:05am. They were accredited and later voted.

Speaking shortly after voting, Ayade said, "I am here in my own polling unit and I am happy that we have a very peaceful and massive turnout here in my ward and indeed my polling unit.

“I am also very happy with the conduct, certification and quality of training that the INEC officials and ad hoc staff have received."

Mark Proud of the Peaceful Process Former Senate President, Senator David Mark, expressed delight with the peaceful conduct of yesterday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

Mark, who spoke after voting at his Otukpo country home in Benue State, emphasised that peaceful conduct of election was possible in Nigeria if politicians and relevant authorities complied with the rules of the game.

According to him, “The peaceful exercise so far in the state is reassuring that elections can be conducted orderly in Nigeria. I expect that this peaceful trend that is characteristic of my ward and home is replicated in every part of the country. For me, election should be a game that must produce a winner or loser. We do not need to lose our heads

because of election”.

Akpoti Complains Over 2015 Materials In Kogi State, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) for the Kogi Central senatorial district, Natasha Akpoti, expressed concern over her observation concerning the use of 2015 electoral paper in some polling units in Ihima, Kogi Central. Akpoti, who spoke to journalists shortly after casting her vote at her Kuroko ward 022, said she got the report with dismay that INEC was issuing 2015 ballot papers to voters in Oboroke polling unit.

She said she had already notified INEC to register her protest. But she expressed cautious satisfaction with peaceful conduct so far at the election.

On his part, Senator Mohammed Ohiare expressed satisfaction with the peace observed at the election, which he said showed the degree of understanding and readiness by the people to express their political desire.

He said, "You have been round Kogi Central and have seen for yourselves. In my area here in Karaworo ward, the atmosphere has been peaceful; no incident of violence anywhere and that is commendable."

Again, Rivers Boils as Four Die There were disturbing reports of violence from Rivers State. no fewer than four people were said to have died at the time of filing this report.

The APC has alleged that one of its chieftains and former Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area of the state, Chief Mowan Etete, was killed alongside his elder brother and also his cousin in Asarama.

In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, the party also said one of its ex-officio members of the State Executive Committee, Ignatius, was shot dead at Ajakaja, also in Andoni by suspected political thugs.

But the police have yet to confirm any of the deaths.

However, heavy gunfire was reported in Abonema, headquarters of Akuku Toru Local Government Area of the state. THISDAY gathered that many voters were scared away from the polling stations.

Consequently, INEC suspended voting in Bonny and Akuku Toru council areas pending the return of normalcy to the area.

Lagos Wallows in Ethnic Violence Serious violence was reported in some parts of Lagos State, particularly in areas believed to be heavily populated by the Igbo, like the Ago Palace Way, Okota, over alleged plans to prevent the Igbo from voting for fear of preference for the opposition. Violence in some of these areas, including one that happened at Unit 17 on Frederick Fasheun Street, were however covered in short video recordings, which have since gone viral. They alleged connivance between APC thugs and some members of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (APC), while INEC officials and security operatives watched almost helplessly.

Thugs reportedly stormed many of the polling units in the identified areas, distorting the voting process and in some cases burning already thumb-printed ballot papers.

Citing a personal experience on his Facebook page, Earl Okezie, wrote: “Just returned home after surviving attacks from APC thugs, who went from polling unit to polling unit with a huge concentration of Igbo voters in Ago, Okota area, disrupting voting proceedings and scattering polling units.

“They hit me to the ground as they tried to snatch my phone querying why I should video what was going on.

When they couldn't, one of them who I suppose knows me insisted I must delete the videos. Meanwhile, others kept hitting and cursing me. Many were disenfranchised and many injured as they ran for safety.

“From Nwachukwu drive, to Balogun, Jemtok, Sijuola, Street to areas around Ago last Bus Stop, Ali Dada, etc all in Ago Palace Way/Okota area were held hostage by APC thugs because they had directives not to allow Igbos vote.

“Unfortunately, INEC officials and security agents stood by helpless. What could they have done anyway? It's a pity.”

El-Rufai, Sambo, Sani, Applaud Election Process Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, commended Kaduna people for the massive turnout for the presidential and National Assembly elections. ElRufai, who voted about 1:20pm after waiting on the queue for over four hours, before casting his vote at his Angwan Sarki polling unit, also commended the people for their patience in spite of the late commencement of voting materials.

He said so far, the election had been peaceful as there were no cases of violence and called on INEC to address the challenges being faced in the next elections.

Similarly, former Vice President Namadi Sambo and his wife Amina, who voted at the Swimming Pool Road, Police College, Kaduna, commended the high voter turnout and the peaceful conduct of the elections so far.

“I am pleased with the turnout of people to vote, and I am also happy with the orderliness of the process. I pray we have peaceful exercise," Sambo said.

Likewise, Senator Shehu Sani, who spoke with journalists after voting at his Angwan Sarki, unit 021, Kaduna North Local Government Area, said he was not happy that the process was delayed for hours. He, however, said, “The process so far went on relatively well as there are no reported cases of violence so far and we are grateful. It has stated well but it is too early to start commending INEC.” Although there was massive turnout of voters, there was late arrival of voting materials at most polling units within Kaduna metropolis.

In places like Sabon Tasha, Barnawa, Narayi High Cost, Kawo area, Romi, Tudun Wada, among others, voting either started by 11:00am or 1:00pm.

Orji, Emenike Flay INEC over Process in Abia INEC received knocks in Abia State over the late commencement of voting in the state. Senator Theodore Orji, who is seeking re-election in Abia Central senatorial district, expressed disappointment over the sloppy electoral process in Abia.

"I'm not happy with what is happening here. INEC, after causing high pretension

for us last week following the botched election has shown that it was still not prepared for the election," he said.

The former governor of the state was only able to cast his vote at 1.30pm on his return to his polling unit at Ugba Primary School, Umuahia, having first gone there by noon without voting as the process was yet to commence.

"My position is that my people should not be disenfranchised.

INEC should allow the people to vote until the lost hours are recovered," Orji said. Also, a chieftain of the APC in the state, Chief Ikechi Emenike, flayed the INEC for the shoddy development.

In most of the over 2,000 polling units across Abia, voting did not start before 1.00pm.

Emenike, who voted at polling unit 011 at Okpuala Umukabia at 1.45 pm, was the second person to vote at the polling unit. He told journalists afterwards that INEC in Abia State had exhibited "incompetence" which Mr. President had complained about.

"INEC in Abia has refused to key into the change mantra of Mr. President by making sloppy arrangement for the polls in the state," he said, adding, "This is one way of trying to disenfranchise people."

Meanwhile, voters at the Abia State University, Uturu (ABSU) were unable to cast their ballots due to inadequate supply of ballot boxes and other electoral materials. It was gathered that INEC was only able to supply five ballot boxes instead of 33 needed for the 11 polling units in the university community.

The voters, who had been waiting to cast their votes were said to have protested against the huge shortfall of ballot boxes and INEC polling officials left to go and bring the remaining boxes but did not return.

Similar situations were recorded in many other areas.

Army: Lieutenant, 6 Assailants Killed in Rivers The Nigerian Army said six assailants and a lieutenant were killed during attacks by suspected political thugs in Abonnema, headquarters of Akuku Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State. A statement yesterday by Acting Director Army Public Relations, Colonel Sagir Musa, said, “Information reaching Headquarters Nigerian Army (NA) revealed that troops of 6 Division on a legitimate duty of protecting lives and properties of law abiding citizens and ensuring a conducive environment for peaceful conduct of 2019 General Elections in Abonnema, Akuku Toru Local Government Area (LGA) Rivers State were attacked by some hoodlums.

“The pre-planned attack occurred in between Charles and Bob-Manuel’s compounds in Abonnema Town at about 1:00pm on the 23rd February 2019.

“The attackers barricaded a major road into the town and laid an ambush in the adjoining built-up areas from where they opened fire on our unsuspecting troops when they attempted to remove the barricade.

“The gallant troops fought their way through the siege and in the process killed six of the assailants. However, we lost a lieutenant in the encounter.

“Preliminary investigation indicated that one Roland Sekibo, - the Chairman Akuku Toru LGA, Omodo - the CSO Continued on page 12

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

NEWS REVIEW

Election Day Violence: Were PDP Strongholds Deliberate Targets?

Samuel Ajayi examines reports of violence during the February 23 presidential and parliamentary elections and the claims that these occurred in so-called strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP

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hen President Muhammadu Buhari gave his shoot-at-sight order against ballot box snatchers, he drew a lot of opprobrium from Nigerians who felt such a pronouncement should not have come from the nation’s number one citizen. However, there were those who felt the President was in order as the declaration would scare away mischief-makers during elections.

The February 23 presidential and parliamentary elections were largely held across the nation but not without incidents as ballot boxes were snatched, ballot papers burnt and even some voters attacked with some people reportedly killed.

In Ago Palace Way, a popular area in Lagos State, which is believed to be a PDP stronghold, voters were arriving at polling stations in the area when hoodlums struck and chased them away, destroying electoral materials, especially ballot papers.

According to reports, no voting took place in the area as the hoodlums ensured that electoral officials could not set up and start the process of voting.

Evelyn Emesim, a resident of the area, wrote on her Facebook page that hoodlums destroyed voting materials in some areas and burnt them in other areas.

“Area boys have refused people voting in Ago Palace Way , Okota, Lagos. They are using all sorts of weapons to drive people away from the polling centres shouting ‘leave Lagos, leave Lagos. They burnt the voting materials in some areas,” Emesim wrote in a live update.

In Surulere, another area in Lagos, suspected APC thugs invaded polling centres and chased would-voters away. There were unconfirmed reports of other areas where people were asked who they intended to vote for before they could be allowed to cast their vote at designated polling units.

Similarly, in Delta State, three people were killed in Amokpe in Sapele Local Government Area.

According to a report in PUNCH newspaper, accreditation and voting were ongoing when hoodlums armed with guns emerged from nowhere and started shooting into the air to scare away voters. In the process, three people were killed on the spot while another one died in the hospital. Policemen and other security operatives that were at the polling units where the shooting took place allegedly took to their heels.

However, the hoodlums were unable to snatch the ballot boxes as soldiers who were monitoring the polls thwarted their efforts.

In Akokotoro and Bonny local government areas of Rivers State, voting could not take place as heavy gunfire rent the air as would-voters were on the queue to be accredited in order to cast their votes.

The INEC Commissioner and head of the Commission’s Voter Education and Information Committee, said in a state-

ment that the commission would reschedule elections where there were reports of violence since no election had taken place in the areas.

“We received reports of violence and ballot box snatching which took place in Akokotoro and Bonny Local Government area of Rivers State and some parts of Lagos and Anambra States. We are waiting for reports and we have told the Resident Electoral Commissioners in the states to submit reports. So long as polls didn’t commence before the violence, it is assumed that there was no voting,” Okoye stated.

While INEC prepares to review reports of these disturbances, concerns are being raised by the PDP and political observers who claimed the violence was perpetrated in PDP strongholds, arguing that the Ago Palace Way in Lagos is mainly populated by Igbo who are perceived to have sympathy for the PDP presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

In the same vein, the area where three people were killed in Delta State was considered another stronghold of the PDP. This has raised suspicions that perhaps, these acts of violence did not take place by happenstance but was carefully planned to disenfranchise those they believed might want to vote for the PDP. In a related development, the Eastern Peoples Forum (EPF) has condemned in its entirety reported cases of intimidation and alienation of Igbo voters in Lagos and Kano during the February 23, Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

The National Coordinator of the group, Elder Ken Emechebe, in a statement yesterday said that these seemingly patterned incidents from were intended to spark tension, and force registered Igbo voters to lose interest in the voting exercise and abandon their voting responsibilities and polling units.

He stated: “We condemn in its entirety reported cases of intimidation and alienation of Igbo voters in Lagos and Kano during the February 23, Presidential and National Assembly Elections.

“Following reports that hoodlums set ablaze thumb-printed ballot papers at Ohafia Street, Ago Palace Way in Isolo Local Government Area of Lagos, and denial of Igbo voters access to cast their votes at polling units in Sabon Gari Area of Kano, we call on the INEC; International Observers; and security agencies in the country to take note of these anomalies which do not in any way reflect the free, fair and credible elections INEC had promised.”

The group noted that it expected the INEC and security agencies to have made adequate arrangements for security of voters and voting materials across the country during such national elections.

Emechebe added, “Thugs’ invasion of polling units, carting away of electoral materials and setting ablaze of thumb-printed

Buhari ballot sheets should not be happening at an election that INEC stated it was ready to conduct creditably.”

The group therefore called on the electoral body to rectify these anomalies and fix date for elections to be re-conducted at these affected places and any other places where such anomalies happened.

It also called on INEC to ensure that adequate security are put in place to ensure that thugs and lackeys of politicians do not disrupt the voting processes further.

“Security agencies to step up and do their jobs. Security agencies cannot fold their arms and watch political thugs disrupt the national election, they must thus realised their loyalty is first and only to Nigeria and no one else,” the group stressed.

Observers are also asking what happened to the president’s order that ballot box snatchers be shot at sight as there were no reports that most of those who perpetrated the violence were arrested.

For instance, in Ago Palace Way, witnesses reported that security operatives looked the other way while the hoodlums were chasing away would-be voters and destroying electoral materials.

MASSIVE TURNOUT, LOGISTIC GLITCHES, VIOLENCE AS NIGERIANS ELECT PRESIDENT, FEDERAL LAWMAKERS Akuku Toru LGA and Kenneth of Kula currently at large were the masterminds of the unexpected/ unprovoked attack.

“To this end, the NA strongly hereby state that perpetrators of this ambush will be made to face the full wrath of the law.”

APC Killing Nigerians, Burning Ballot Boxes, Alleges PDP PDP accused APC of killing innocent Nigerians, snatching and burning ballot boxes during yesterday’s presidential election and National Assembly elections. The main opposition party stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC leadership must know that they were directly responsible for the killings in Rivers State, the violent snatching of ballot box and burning of electoral materials in Lagos and various other states where compromised security agents were used to directly interfere in the electoral process.

The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, said PDP was already compiling a list of infractions and killings as well as securing the identities of individuals who played roles in these the atrocities.

He stressed, “The unleashing of violence is the major part of the script by the APC to intimidate Nigerians and disrupt the election, in their bid to enforce the now failed President Buhari’s self-succession plot.

“In Lagos state, the world watched in amazement as security agents aided APC thugs to invade polling centres, disrupt electoral process, manhandle voters, destroy and burnt electoral materials, including ballot papers and boxes.

“In Rivers state, voters were shot and killed by agents of the APC in their desperation to manipulate the elections.”

The party, however, saluted the resilience, courage and sacrifices by Nigerians, across the board, in resisting the Buhari’s anti-democratic forces and insisting that their votes must count,

against all odds.

It said Nigerians across the country were exceptionally upbeat in their resolution to vote out this incompetent, violent prone and corrupt APC administration, despite the machinations of the Buhari Presidency “This election has shown President Buhari and in particular, certain individuals in Lagos state, who thought that they were emperors, that the will of the people is bigger than them.

The APC turned the election into a war but Nigerians have shown that nobody can suppress their resilient spirit.”

The party called on INEC to ensure that all votes count as Nigerians are following all the figures from the polling units. It noted that having come thus far and after making huge sacrifices, Nigerians would never accept any result that does not reflect the reality of their already expressed wishes and aspiration at the polls.

16 Persons Die Election Violence, Says Situation Room The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room said it received reports that about 16 persons had lost their lives due the violence that characterised Saturday's presidential and National Assembly elections. It said the 16 deaths occurred across eight states, including, Borno – 2, Bayelsa - 2, Rivers - 6, Yobe - 2, Kogi -2, Ebonyi – 2, Lagos – 1, and Zamfara – 1. In Lagos State, In Lagos State, the civil society coalition said there were reports of disruption of voting by suspected political thugs who shot in the air in some places and set ballot boxes and papers on fire in others in the Okota, Isolo and Oshodi suburbs of Lagos, just as there were other reports of violence caused by non-arrival of INEC officials and materials.

Executive Director, Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre, and Convener, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Clement Nwankwo, who issued the statement of the coalition yesterday also

said reports of smart card reader failures were significant during yesterday's election.

The statement said, "Situation Room received reports of several instances of smart card reader failure which have necessitated INEC officials resorting to manual accreditation. This was reported in Binji Local Government Area in Sokoto State and Owerri North LGA in Imo State.

"States where card reader challenge is prevalent also include, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Abia, Nasarawa, Kebbi, FCT and Kaduna. The Situation Room restates, strongly, that there should be no voting without proper card reader authentication."

On the conduct of security personnel, the Situation Room said it received isolated reports of security personnel acting in an overreaching manner in some states, particularly Rivers, Akwai Ibom, Delta and Kogi states.

The statement reads: "The Situation Room notes with concern the rising incidences of violence and reported deaths in some states of the country.

At the time of this statement, Situation Room has received reports of about 16 deaths across eight states: Borno – 2, Bayelsa - 2, Rivers - 6, Yobe - 2, Kogi -2, Ebonyi – 2, Lagos – 1, and Zamfara – 1.

"Situation Room calls on INEC and the security agencies respond swiftly to these issues and arrest culprits as promised by the Inspector General of Police."

The Situation Room further stated that there were incidences of vote buying across Lagos, Niger, Edo, Kwara, Kano and Katsina states.

INEC Scores Self High Meanwhile, INEC said despite hitches associated with violence in some states and Smart Card Reader failure, it was satisfied with the conduct of the presidential and National Assembly elections. INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Voter Education and Publicity, Mr. Festus Okoye, stated this Saturday during his second briefing where he updated the press

on the conduct of the elections.

He said, “As at this moment, INEC is generally satisfied with the process and the procedures for the conduct of these elections, notwithstanding the challenges relating to the commencement of polls in some polling units.

“When I briefed you earlier in the day, I did say that some poling units opened on time and some polling units did not open on time. Between 8a.m and 10a.m in the morning, the summary of the polling units that opened stood at 67.91 per cent, the polling units that opened after 10a.m stood at 16.96 per cent.

“So, at this moment, we recorded a total of 92.76 per cent of the polling units that opened.

With regards to challenges associated with the Smart Card Readers (SCRs) in some polling units, most of these challenges were resolved on time.”

Okoye added that the electoral body was still receiving reports relating to incidents in some states of the federation, especially in Akuku Toru and Bonny local government areas in Rivers State. He noted that as long as the commission could not deploy in those areas, the implication was that polls did not open in the areas.

Okoye said, “The commission will hold consultation with relevant authorities and the RECs in relation to these areas and will announce the date when polls will take place in some of these areas especially in relation to areas that may be affected in House of Representatives and senatorial elections.

“We heard reports of burning of electoral materials in Lagos, we heard report of burning of electoral materials in some part of Anambra State, we also heard reports of violence in places, like Rivers.

“So, we are just waiting for reports, we need to clarify, we need to be sure about these reports before we take final decision in relations to them.

What we are waiting for is the official reports of some of these places for us to take a decision.”

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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 24, 2019

OPINION Electoral Violence: Our Pass Or Fail Model Election-related violence provides an effortless means of destroying a nation, argues Chiijoke Mama

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igerian politicians have mischievously taught Nigerian voters and ordinary citizens to use a very ineffective model for evaluating political performance. The pass or fail model of assessment (as mutually exclusive) is a flawed model for evaluating performance both in manufacturing and public administration.

Those who use it in politics (and most people do) often do so to callously whip up voters sympathy and inspire hate. In this model, President Muhammadu Buhari has either failed Nigeria (fail) or President Buhari is the best president (pass). For every critical thinker both positions are wrong. For them as well, Mr. Atiku Abubakar is either the worst person to lead this country (fail) or the only saint that can fix Nigeria (pass); both positions are unintelligent. A proper assessment of anybody will involve a robust evaluation performance over a number of elements or criteria, with each criterion receiving a discreet score.

The pass or fail thought process is used by politicians to demonize opponents; creating a false fear that Nigeria will become totally bad once one candidate wins or become totally good once the other loses. In spite of the very rife pass or fail mentality in Nigeria, citizens should see both positive and negative aspects of every leader (even if its skewed) and within that, accept that their emergence or failure at the polls could bring both positive and negative outcomes, although one form will often be greater than the other. While voters must make some choice between competing candidates in a given election, rejecting the pass or fail syndrome lowers the inherent fear of confronting an unpleasant outcome and raises each citizen/politician’s tolerance and willingness to accept election outcomes. It won’t be the end of life and the worst is not about to happen. If this is not accepted by politicians and voters then election violence is unavoidable.

Election-related violence provides one of the most effortless means of destroying a nation. Politicians who instigate it - often overwhelmed by the false or legitimate feeling of a lost mandate - are usually thoughtless about its real impacts. What appears to be pockets of violence, could easily (in this election cycle

ambience) cause instability for decades within a promising country.

Beyond the peace accord signed in Abuja on 13th February by the presidential aspirants, there is a call, as well, for non-presidential aspirants who are powerful politicians and who have a duty to this country to give its citizens peace, irrespective of the outcomes of the election.

Today more than ever, the utterances and even facial expressions of those who lead us will matter. If this nation boils, the smoke will eventually reach every home and there will be no excuse for bringing Nigeria to ruins, even as the world awaits the great and unrealized potential of this country. Those who designed the democratic system of governance were prudent enough to provide legal and legitimate channels for pursuing electoral injustices and the street is not one of those.

Irrespective of any perceived overbearing and illegitimate influence of anybody on these legal channels of seeking redress; aggrieved politician have the patriotic duty to shun violence in all its form. That in itself will be the first prove of leadership and love of country. Those who lose elections if they are incumbent also owe the nation a peaceful and rancour- free transition, irrespective of their opinion as to the fairness of the process. Thank you, Goodluck

Those who designed the democratic system of governance were prudent enough to provide legal and legitimate channels for pursuing electoral injustices and the street is not one of those

Jonathan.

Nigerians are mostly docile politically and will rarely revolt voluntarily due to election outcomes – this we know! No finger will be lifted in Kano nor a single knife lifted in Mushin, if there are no orders from upper hierarchies. Even the most violent criminal in Onitsha will not come out of his hideout – of his own initiative – as a response to any unpleasant outcome of the election. This apparent docility explains the taciturn posture of Nigerians battered by decades of oppressive leadership and economic woes. What is my postulation? Post-election violence are organized, carefully orchestrated and nurtured by aggrieved politicians. Given this postulation the utterances, postures and actions of all notable Nigerian politicians become critical as the nation awaits the outcomes of the now concluded voting.

The sermon to those leaders who care is this; yesterday’s election being the fifth Presidential election since Nigeria’s democratic journey began in 1999, could easily become the worst election in history. While the masses are the immediate victims (since people and property in unsecured neighbourhoods are often targeted) violence itself is largely fuelled by a false sense of entitlement to victory which is preceded by the ignorant use of pass or fail performance measures and its eventual outcome can rarely be predicted.

This morning 24th February 2019, as the Nigerian nation awaits the outcome of the Presidential election concluded yesterday, a gloomy horizon stretches across the length and breadth of this nation. Ordinary citizens economically bloodied by failed promises of over 20 years, and most of who care less about who becomes president, are now burdened with the hawkish posture of powerful leaders. The risk of losing their lives in the event of post-election violence grips strongly. People are living in the fear that decades of labour can easily go down to ashes in a matter of minutes, as an expression of dissatisfaction by a third party, who he neither knows nor care about and who is nevertheless secured in his home. To Nigerian politicians and voters alike, we all need peace!

––Mama is the Founder of Meiracopp Nigeria Limited and a Doctoral Researcher in Business Management.

Interrogating Nigeria's Voter Data Simbo Olorunfemi writes that the UK Guardian’s report on Nigeria’s voter data is mischievous

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arly hours of Monday morning, just as I was about to go to bed, I chanced upon a report by The Guardian UK, shared by two of my friends. It was titled "Nigerian voter data 'statistically impossible' analysis shows". Guardian has now changed the title of the report, just as it has been fiddling with the main story, editing and re-editing it.

With just a casual read-through, I could immediately tell that something was not right with the report. I sensed mischief. So, to my friends, I said: "I have serious reservation about this story. How do you claim that something is statistically impossible yet no single reference to the data to buttress the claim?

What is the point? That the figures were artificially boosted at the same ratio across all the states? How daft an assumption to make?

So, with the way the technology deployed is supposed to work, ghosts that have been inserted into the register will vote spiritually to influence the outcome? I guess this is one of those reports deliberately planted in the orchestration to discredit the results. It has too many gaps. Why are they updating the story on the strength of someone contesting their claim? I hope I can squeeze out some time to process the data to see what the scatter diagram will look like."

I could no longer go to bed, I had to put in some time into digging further, interrogating the claims and engaging the voter data for the purpose of establishing correlation and generating my own scatter graph to place side by side with theirs. I eventually went to bed at 3 a.m. But by 8 a.m. I was back at my desk. First shock for me, was that while I was asleep, Guardian UK had gone to work on the story, removing the statistics it had put up as basis for making that wild claim about Nigeria's voter data.

But the original story could still be tracked down to other sources who had run with it, including our own 'Punch' which, had slapped it on its page, even with such brazen claim that the Voter Register

by INEC had been cooked up, if we would call the allegation by the The Guardian UK by its right name.

The Guardian UK makes two major claims: One. Analysis of the INEC data of new voters registered between 2017 and 2018 reveals that "for each of the country’s 36 states and its capital... INEC has increased the number of new registered voters by almost exactly the same percentage across all states."

"Plotted on a scatter line graph, there was a 0.99 correlation across all the states, without a single outlier. According to three separate data analysts, the parity cannot be a coincidence, and two of them called it a “statistical impossibility”. “Only God works that closely,” one said. The correlation is a “statistical impossibility” and does not reflect Nigeria’s demographic changes, according to data analysts working with the Guardian.

"On average, voter registration in each state increased by 2.2 per cent between April 2017 and January 2018, and by 7.7 per cent for the whole registration period ahead of Saturday’s election."

Two. The paper also looks back to 2015 and reveals thus: "Additional data seen by the Guardian also shows irregularities in registration for the 2015 election, until now considered to have been free and fair. An analysis of separate figures shows that manipulation may have happened in favour of Buhari’s party, which was running in opposition to Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party. A clue may have been dropped last July when the INEC, perhaps inadvertently, publicly referenced a different set of results from the one on which Buhari’s victory was based. Both documents showed 29.4 million votes were cast. But according to the original results, 31.7 million accredited voters participated in the election, whereas in the second set of results, that figure dropped to 23.6 million."

These are rather serious claims and allegations. There is no way one could come across this and simply roll onto the other side of the bed. One would have to dig. What did I find out?

Starting with the first claim, my first instinct was to establish correlation, dumping some of the data from 2015 and 2018 into SPSS to process, analyse and generate a scatter graph. I did immediately find that the level of correlation for the data inputted was at a significant level. But then, I pulled back to ask - why would it be strange that there is correlation between 2015 and 2018? What significant demographic changes could have occurred?

I went back to the report by the paper to read, noticing its claim that the said article “was amended on 15 February to reflect doubts over the way in which analysts who spoke to the Guardian had interpreted new voter registration data for the 2019 election." The report also incorporates the response by Nonso Obikili the paper cites as an Economist who told them that the correlation “in itself, it’s not an indicator of any kind of electoral malpractice or manipulation...and that the correlation in the registration figures across states was “what you would expect, because demographic changes don’t happen very quickly.”

In any case, is it not often said in statistical analysis that correlation is not causation and to assume so could lead to correlation fallacy? If indeed correlation had been established, would it not have been lazy and unprofessional to immediately assume causation, without a consideration of many other factors that could have precipitated correlation? Except there is an agenda being pursued or a predetermined objective for the exercise, possibly prompting the choice of a scatter graph, among all tools, it is difficult to see the sense in the line pursued by The Guardian and its data analysts.

But then, not to forget, the paper had, in fact claimed a uniformity in the percentage increase of voter registration across all the states, upon which its claim of statistical impossibility rests.

What does the data say? I had only analysed the voter registration figures for a few states to come into the realisation that such a claim can only be resting on shaky, possibly fictitious legs, as there was nothing to suggest such claims could be valid. I was not surprised that on return to the story, The Guardian UK had edited out those figures.

On the second claim by the paper alleging irregularities in registration for the 2015 election, one would have wished that the paper will reference this data and '"separate figure" it has come by upon when it comes to this conclusion that "manipulation may have happened in favour of Buhari’s party, which was running in opposition to Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic party."

This is not to defend Buhari or INEC (unnecessary in my view).

But the fact is, apart from the problem with the data, where The Guardian UK leans, in this story, is easy to see from its summation on the incumbent's record and silence on the opposition's record or reputation.

What should be of concern is the "additional data" The Guardian has come by that it will neither publish or even make a reference to elements from it to buttress its claim. The election results for 2015 have always been in the public domain. They have been subjected to review by the public, civil society and even the court. At no point has there been such a claim as the paper makes of two sets of results, one reading 31.7 million accredited voters and the other 23.6 million accredited voters, whereas 29.4 million votes were cast. Perhaps The Guardian does not know, these data were organically generated from bottom up with different layers of collation and verification. Where did the paper come by this data?

Guardian alleges that "a clue may have been dropped last July when the INEC, perhaps inadvertently, publicly referenced a different set of results from the one on which Buhari’s victory was based." Yet there is no evidence presented to back that allegation.

The link inserted by the paper as proof takes one to a completely unrelated story about registration of more political parties. Where and when did INEC publicly reference a different set of results, as Guardian UK alleges?

–– Olorunfemi works for Hoofbeatdotcom, a Nigerian Communications Consultancy and publisher of Africa Enterprise (See concluding part on www.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 24, 2019

15

LETTERS Re: Osun Guber Elections: The Weight of Injustice

E

ven in fiction, there are elements of truth. This may have informed one of the most celebrated global fiction writers, Chinua Achebe, of blessed memory, in a treatise captioned “The Truth of Fiction’’, once delivered at the then University of Ife in 1978, to postulate that “For when a desperate man wishing to believe something however bizarre or stupid, nobody can stop him. He will discover in his imagination a willing and enthusiastic accomplice. Together they will weave the necessary fiction which will then bind him securely to his cherished intention.’’

The foregoing represents exactly what Achebe intended in his writing as seen to be the mind-set of Ibrahim Sarafa, who authored the piece, “Osun Guber Elections: The Weight of Injustice” in THISDAY Sunday February 17, 2019.

In summary, all the writer had essayed to do was cast doubt on the integrity of the governorship poll that brought in Governor Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola and by extension the electoral umpire.

Achebe had continued thus “The fiction which imaginative literature offers us is not like that. It does not enslave; it liberates the mind of man. Its truth is not like the canons of

Governor Oyetola

orthodoxy or the irrationality of prejudice and superstition.

It begins as an adventure in self-discovery and ends in wisdom and humane conscience’’–this is where the author of the above titled article goofed culminating in his write-up.

The question now is that going by the tenor and diction of the piece under review, how can we situate Ibrahim Sarafa’s article within the context of literary writing and scholarship? I recognise the

probable opprobrium that may attend such classification but the inconvenient truth is that the writer grossly falls under “malignant fictionist.”

This submission is without any apology.

Obviously, the writer is unhappy with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s declaration of the September 22 election in Osun as inconclusive. But he has failed to justify his grouse within the ambit of the law since the umpire, INEC acted

within the ambit of Nigeria’s electoral law. In a nutshell, we expected the writer to go a bit further and shed light on the illegality of INEC’s action.

But he failed in this duty.

In response to the piece which borders on the credibility of the re-run poll, we must emphasise that the United States Consul General, John Bray, who was part of the observer mission was quoted by various media platforms, both online and conventional and affirmed the credibility of the re-run election.

In a similar vein and most importantly to puncture the assertion of our writer, Madam Evelyn Ogunjobi, Executive Director of Centre for Democratic Growth had this to say: “Kudos should be given to the government and the people of Osun State for conducting themselves in peaceful manner, no harassment of anybody, vote buying menace is drastically reduced unlike the first ballot, security agents are up to the task, INEC officials arrived at polling units right in time, everything went on smoothly.’’ Of course, such assessments of the rerun election were legion even if some naysayers have gone desperate to rubbish what was no more than a decision by the electoral umpire to ensure that a true winner of the contest emerged.

Resolving the writer’s

Name Re-Numbering Matrix

R

eference is made to my series of SPIED articles since January, which is expected to have been searched out with King James Version of the scripture to follow this level of application.

You would probably recall that in ‘What Is In A Name’ published on January 18 2019, I had concluded with the sense that can be made out of the word ‘Name’, applying Rev15:2, among other references as SPIED. I had concluded with the Beast as prince of Persia, the sea of glass ie sea-men ‘Nzi’ as karma, the Beast-marks as per cent-age of agenda, the harps as per-harps of chance in bet, the number of beast name as per number 666, i.e. the beast-market for buying and selling of name numbers in manu-usari ogwu, the borrowed vessel, while his image, was said to be ime-agenda. In retrospect, image is ime-age-pott, pottageime which would appear as in Lk1:58-63 and 2Kg4:1-7, a metaphor for a table of stone ‘mkpume ogbo ogoro’ ie the key of sign-boarding of ark.

Ark zo chigara naya. Zo chiga ark, made as sign and done as key. Key-stone and cousins of the birth and mother-labouroratory.

Laboratory of enter-price, enterprise-token, the one cent as coin-dey. Kehinde, the one sent to borrow vessels for conference of name seminar.

Seminal-vesicle for a rite of

fun-El. Funneling oil from a-pot, age of Isau as Jacobs’ im-age in a mirror. Miri-Ur, the water of lime light, to ogle at a go. Google of the print out of Jacob, the Second-us as object of Isau, the First-us. Isau objected as the first-born that open the matrix Exo13:15. Ma-tricks of number, of the name Secondus that was Festus and name of Festus that is Secondus as the elect in a matrix. Ma-matricks in a film as feel me, of their father Isaac Gen27:21, filming Jacob in a motion picture.

Picture of the minutes, as an un-biblical record. Umbilical cord at seminal-confer-rence of name, for adoption of Secondus as witty next to Fest-us the first-born but not at birth. Bet on the palmetryx, of red-oil pottage of the Patrick-star, Jesus, the I Amu-let and Ese-a-JujuPeter, the rock Mt 16:18 Acts 19:35, Lev14:15, Jn21:25, Gen 25:29-33. Palmetry which refers to the matrix of lines on palm, mapping the road to destiny and end of birth.

Destiny as his calling or vocation, vocalization in thy mention of name as the size.

Size that ceased birth as a nickname. Nickname, which is a deed of sign made and done as key. Donkey, as sign meant to bring forth the tablet of stone, as key-board for type of name.

Name of numbers conferred at seminar, in a conference-room for audition by the mother as echoed by the wall. Wall gecko with feet, de-feeted serpent Gen3:14, in audition.

Audition of a count of

number of name at the conference of births’-cousins from Abia, the course of his mother Elisabeth. Elia-isa-bet, the ogbor-manu-facture. In-fraction of his cousins which are the children of his aunt, the sister of his mother, the wife of his father. Father that could not say yea, to births’-right name ‘John’ the resolution of his cousins as endorsed wish. Father that is also the husband of his mother.

Mother that said nay to ‘John’, in anticipation of births’ wrong name ‘Elijah’, the name of one of his relatives that is gone, as the left-incarnate. The left, that was to be type-righted and spelled ‘John’ by the father. John that was not the left, but right of birth to lifetime-seasons of life chance-weathers. Whether profit instead of loss at bet on pool of re-sources of river havilah-bank.

It becomes a truth we can hold to be self-evident that time and chance Ecc 9:11, of birth, depends on a conference of names numbered and by implication the type of assignment and size of calling, his destiny. It should then, equally behove on us that census is in-cense-us God, as it were.

This was so in the instances of attempt to re-number Israel

by David and the numbering of the kingdom of Babylon, as a head-count for the sword.

To number is agum-onu, ie a curse.

Names are placed on birth as an imprecation with implication. Jacob was a crooked person until made straight in

blessing as Israel.

So blessing is to be made straight-forward ie onye goro ago agoziri as in Lk13:13. That was implicit in Isaac’s reference to his son in Gen 27, saying, ‘... is he not rightly named Jacob, a sup-planter...’ Sup-plantation is double standards of one plant as a hybrid-ing of another, a transmutation as in photocopy-cat, or star-sign switch off and on in elect-trick as red oil-rigging, of name re-numbered Gen27:16-15, Lev 19:19. Jacob sup-planted Isau, who should as a crop, yield after its’ own kind, just as animals, in calling as spelled

by Adam Gen 2:19. To number a people or someone, he has to be underneath you, so that cursing or blessing can have meaning and performance as an exercise of authority.

The son of Peor that ride on witches as if it were horses, ie Baylam, bay-lamps, a wilo was said to live by the seaside, the wharf, dwarf was he, Num22:56, Num 22:21-28. Baylam was kept at bay, of pigs missing as pygmies Mk5:13-9. He had to seek a higher pedestal in search of the entirety of Israel’s population in total number for any left-over would invalidate his demon-graphics.

A curse is psychosomatic, Sycomore-matrix tree as it were, was needed by another man of little stature, Zacchaeus, as a higher ground from which he might re-spell the name Jesus, in knowledge of him who he was, in other words of Lk19:3-4 ––Eleje Abili-willy, Lagos

grouse over the inconclusive nature of the September 22 poll, it is further instructive to state that INEC relied on its 2015 guidelines in doing so, having done so in Kogi State earlier and same has received judicial approval. In furtherance of the above, the apex court, in Hon. Faleke v. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) & Anor (SC. 648/2016), held thus: “The provision is clear and straight forward and did not require a foray into any other provisions in the Manual for it to be effected.

“There is no dispute as to the fact that the margin between the votes scored by the late Prince Audu and the appellant on the one hand and Capt. Wada and Arch.

Awoniyi, on the other was 41, 619 which was less than the total number of registered voters in the 91 polling units where votes were cancelled. I therefore agree with the court below that the 1st respondent was correct to have declared the election inconclusive on the basis of the number of registered voters in the 91 affected polling units.

Having regard to the clear provisions of the Election Manual, it would have been wrong for any electoral official to base his decision on any other consideration, such as the number of registered voters who had collected their PVCs, or the geographical spread of the votes already cast. Clear and unambiguous provisions must be given their natural and ordinary meaning. Neither the court nor learned counsel is entitled to read into a provision what it does not contain’’ I want to assume that the writer of the above article monitored the Osun governorship poll last year and would therefore be irresponsible to premise his submissions on mere conjectures. By the facts of that exercise, the only legally plausible solution is to declare the election inconclusive

since the margin between the leading contenders was less than the number of the cancelled votes. INEC’s decision therefore could only be in pursuit of electoral justice and not Sarafa Ibrahim’s imagined “injustice”. The burden of injustice can therefore only be on those who wanted to play the fast one on the mandate of the people.

On the issue of pensions and gratuities which the writer has alleged Aregbesola administration of showing lackadaisical attitude to, it is apposite to reiterate that in February last year, the National Pension Commission (NPC) lauded the overriding commitment of Osun State and 11 other states to the scheme, adding that Osun has been punctual in her remittances to the Contributory Pension Scheme. We must not forget that before the National Pension Commission made a press release regarding the above, the opposition led by Peoples Democratic Party, had gone to town, brandishing all sorts of lies and calling Osun State Government unprintable names.

In the history of the state, it is on record that the Rauf Aregbesola administration had committed the highest form of state resources to pensions. For instance, Aregbesola it was, who ordered that the state’s total commitment to pensions payment be upped from a monthly N150m to about N600m.

Even at a time when the bailout plan of the federal government for states could not take care of pensioners, it was the same former Governor who pleaded with the active workers in the state to allow the passive workers (pensioners) to be considered in the disbursement of the funds at the time.

––Semiu Okanlawon, Director, Bureau of Communication & Strategy, Office of the Governor, Osogbo, State of Osun.

A Brooding General

T

hat name Lt. Gen. Alani Akinrinade (rtd.) evokes in me memories of my youth at the army barracks when my father was still in active duty. In soldiering, a general is immensely pained if his corps of fighting men is needlessly wasted in battle; the more painful if the enemy is a rag-tag bunch of religious fanatics who lack proper military training and etiquette.

Thus, I did not see reason why Gen. Akinrinade launched a very bitter tirade against Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo (rtd.) in a series of full-page advertorials in a handful of newspapers of Wednesday 8th February 2019.

It was very obvious that Gen. Akinrinade bore some kind of personal grudge against Gen. Obasanjo because I was at a loss to understand the pro-Buhari posture of Gen. Akinrinade and, remarkably, this General-to-General

broadside momentarily punctured the widely-held opinion that one Yoruba man will always cover for another Yoruba man no matter the circumstance.

What Gen. Akinrinade should know is this: Gen. Obasanjo proffered wise counsel to Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) because Obasanjo cared for the wellbeing of Nigeria and his critical notes to Buhari was administrative elixir in the least.

If Gen. Buhari has not got his security policies right, and Boko Haram terrorists keep overrunning our army bases, then all retired generals should join Gen. Obasanjo to condemn Gen. Buhari’s shoddy handling of the affairs of state.

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

16

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

NEWS

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

American Bar: Onnoghen’s Suspension Troubling Says removal of CJN breaches UN principles on judges Tobi Soniyi in Lagos American Bar Association (ABA) yesterday said the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen, by President

Muhammadu Buhari undermined the rule of law in Nigeria.

In a statement by its President, Mr Bob Carlson, the association said Buhari’s decision to suspend the CJN few weeks

to the general election was troubling.

ABA said the circumstances under which Onnoghen was removed amounted to a breach of the United Nations Basic Principles on the Indepen-

dence of the Judiciary.

The statement read, “The American Bar Association expresses its hope that Nigeria’s 2019 elections on Saturday will be credible, fair, free and transparent.

MY DECISION...

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode casting vote at Ward A5 Polling Unit 033, Ogunmodede College, Epe during the presidential and National Assembly elections...yesterday

“The ABA is concerned about recent events that could undermine the country’s rule of law and calls for calm as Nigerians prepare to go to the polls.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension during this election period of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, the official responsible for overseeing the election, is troubling.

“The independence of the judiciary and the separation of powers are essential to ensuring Nigeria’s adherence to the rule of law. The basic precept of checks and balances requires that an action with such monumental consequences be accomplished strictly and unambiguously in accordance with the processes and procedures of the governing law.

“Failure to observe the basic precepts of checks and balances could raise questions about the legitimacy of the outcome of the forthcoming election.

“The UN Basic Principles on the Independence of the Judiciary assign all governments the duty to ensure the independence of the judiciary and to guard against inappropriate or

unwarranted interference with the judicial process.

“The ambiguous circumstances of Chief Justice Onnoghen’s suspension appear to be in breach of the provisions of the UN Basic Principles governing the grounds and process for the removal of a judge.

“On the eve of the largest election in Africa’s history, the ABA calls upon President Buhari, the Nigerian government, and all stakeholders to respect the rule of law, commit to violence-free, fair elections, and exercise restraint throughout the entire process.”

With more than 400,000 members, the American Bar Association is one of the largest voluntary professional membership organisations in the world.

As the national voice of the legal profession, the ABA works to improve the administration of justice, promotes programmes that assist lawyers and judges in their work, accredits law schools, provides continuing legal education, and works to build public understanding around the world of the importance of the rule of law.

Tinubu: Bullion Vans Never Conveyed Ballot Papers to My Residence Gboyega Akinsanmi

The National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu said the bullion vans seen at his Bourdillon residence on Friday were not loaded with ballot papers as widely reported, but with money belonging to him.

Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State, also said the cash was not from the Central Bank of Nigeria

(CBN), neither from any government agency or department as claimed in different reports on the social media.

He made the clarification after voting at Polling Unit 047, Ward 3 located at Sunday Adigun, Alausa yesterday, describing those circulating the photographs of the bullion vans on the social media as mischief makers.

Photographs had gone viral on different social

media platforms on Friday showing two bullion vans driven into Tinubu’s residence on the eve of the presidential election.

A number of political supporters clustered at the entrance of Tinubu’s residence in Bourdillion while the two bullion vans were driven driven into the expansive home.

Consequently, Nigerians had reacted angrily at the photographs with some alleging that the presidency

had allocated a sum of N5 billion to Lagos and Rivers States each to buy votes in yesterday’s presidential election.

Confronted with questions on the bullion vans, Tinubu said: “Bullion vans?

Are those ballot paper?

Excuse me. Is it my money or government money? I do not work for government.

I am not in any agency of government.

“Let anybody come out to say I have taken any con-

tract from the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the last four years,” the national leader said.

According to him, they should prove it. I am on my own, and I am committed to my party. So, even if I have money to spend in my premises, what is your headache?

He said, “Excuse me, if I do not represent any agency of government and I have money to spend,

if I have money, if I like, I give it to the people free of charge as long as not to buy votes.

“So, who are those watching my house and looking at Bullion vans? They must be mischief makers. They report falsehood. Their lies are numerous. It is because they are jobless.”

Tinubu was a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1992 to 1993, and governor of Lagos state from 1999 to 2007.

Glo Social Media DSS Dismisses Staff in Competition Excites Youths Ekiti over Bribe

New Yoruba Magazine Hits News Stand

Olaseni Durojaiye

As business opportunities keeps expanding and players in various sector of the economy are connecting all over the world on a per second basis, a new business magazine to be published in indigenous language is set to hit the news stand.

The magazine to be known as Asejere desires to promote commerce and entrepreneurship among the people of the South West region of Nigeria, wherever they may be. The newspaper is expected to promote economic ingenuity of the Yoruba people.

Asejere will be the first and only indigenous language publication dedicated solely to the promotion of commerce in the South West states and beyond. It shall be published in the most lucid Yoruba language.

Speaking to newsmen last week, the Acting Editor of Asejere Magazine, Ms.

Nigerian telecommunication multinational, Globacom Nigeria Limited has introduced online talent competition, #GLOIN60SECONDS aimed at giving thousands of Nigerian youths exhibit their talents the social media.

The telecom giant gave details about the competition in a statement by its Corporate Communication Office yesterday, noting that a good number of Nigerian youths were thrilled by the prospect of the competition.

The statement said Nigerian youths “have gone buzzing on the social media platforms, uploading exciting videos that can earn them a slot in the finals of the competition.

“Following the presentations of cash prizes to several batches of winners in the competition, a lot of

videos, ranging from drama skits to dancing, comedy, poetry, singing and other creative activities have been uploaded by thousands of youths vying to win either the N1 million grand prize or the five consolation prizes of N200,000 each.

“The competition offers participants the opportunity to upload a one-minute video of themselves showcasing their talents on their social media accounts such as Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #GLOIN60SECONDS. The video could be on music, dance, comedy, poetry or any other creative ability.”

The statement added that seven lucky contestants with the highest video likes “are selected every week and rewarded with a sum of N50,000 cash in the challenge which started on December 10, 2018.

Alex Enumah in Abuja The Department of State Services (DSS) has announced the dismissal of one of its personnel, Mr. Otelemaba Jaja, who allegedly involved in bribe taking from motorists during the performance of election duties in Ekiti State.

The department said this in a statement its spokesperson, Mr. Peter Afunanya, a picture of Jaja had surfaced on the Social media wherein he was presented as negotiating with a motorist for financial patronage.

The statement said immediately the news broke, the service “initiated a line of investigative actions. These include the search and identification of the said Officer; his withdrawal from the duty post and issuance of a Memo as applicable to his cadre and rank.

“In line with the Service’s disciplinary procedures, Jaja was tried in an Orderly Room and summarily dismissed. The Service’s staff are already aware how serious it abhors offences against discipline and that it is no respecter of persons and ranks.

“Jaja instant dismissal is in accordance with the DGSS’ avowed commitment to, among others, promote discipline in the Service. It may be noted that the DGSS’ stance on issues concerning discipline has continued to prove his intolerance for misconduct and discreditable behaviour.”

The statement stressed that while it condemned in its entirety the infamous act of the dismissed staff, the DSS urged the public to note that Jaja is no longer a member of the DSS.

Sinmisola Ajadi said the newspaper which is being published by Hebron Media Concepts will be another addition to the indigenous language newspaper market and by extension the vibrant Nigerian newspaper market.

The publishers promised to protect and expand commerce and economic principles of the Oodua states and communities by focusing on entrepreneurship, investments and business opportunities while pursuing quality and excellence in the conduct of its affairs.

Ajadi also noted that the reason for the establishment of the paper is to fill vacuum and the need for market women and men, traders, artisans which constitute a big percentage in the small and medium scale sector to have a voice of their own.

5 ) * 4 % ": t SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2019

17

18

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

Uduaghan

Yari

Amosun

Kwankwaso

The Road to 2019 Flashpoints to Watch (XXIV) With results of the presidential and national assembly elections still coming in, the fate of the next round of the general election is dependent largely on the outcome, writes Olawale Olaleye

W

hile the full results of the presidential and national assembly elections are still being awaited, jitters had already been sent down the spines of many states on what is about to happen in the upper week, when the governorship and states houses of assembly elections would hold, precisely on March 9.

The current discomfort in many of the states has not been made easy by some of the results, which had begun to give an idea of what might have happened and where.

Although ahead of yesterday’s elections, the major political parties did not halt their familiar recriminations, a majority of which centred on alleged plans to either rig or violate the peace accord, which sought to ensure the sportsmanship spirit at the end of the polls, it was not unexpected given what is at stake.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for instance, had accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of violating the peace pact especially that it was not comfortable with President Muhammadu Buhari’s shoot-on-sight order against prospective ballot box snatchers.

PDP also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of hoarding presidential results sheets in some areas – an allegation the commission did not even bother to respond, but rather concentrated on its assignment.

However, with 72.7 million Permanent Voter Cards in the hands of eligible Nigerian voters, in addition to the accredited 73,000 observers – local and foreign – it was not surprising that the turnout yesterday was massive across the country.

Whilst the exercise was largely peaceful in many parts of the country, pockets of violence in states like Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Oyo and Anambra had automatically compelled a postponement of the elections in some of the affected states to dates that are yet to be announced by the commission.

This, notwithstanding, extrapolations in the states are still very much in top gear and in anticipation of the results of yesterday’s election especially, that the state elections are next on INEC’s schedule, all things being equal by March 9.

Thus, whilst the calculations in many of the states still remain the same except that wherever the final results of yesterday’s election swings could alter some of the dynamics, a few are still workin-progress, whilst others battle some rather curious contradictions, that could make or mar them, ultimately.

ZAMFARA Having a Last Laugh?

With a Court of Appeal ruling, which came soon after the rescheduling of the initial polls, Zamfara State chapter of the APC heaved a huge sigh of relief, as it was relisted for the elections after months of being retired to the trash bin of election history.

Although signs that this might eventually happen had given way last week, when the airwaves were permeated with reports that the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the federation, Abubakar Malami was reported as asking INEC to relist Zamfara, a request he not only declined as making but which INEC was also said to have turned down on the basis of subsisting court orders.

Finally, a different court gave the green light through a different ruling and Zanfara APC appears to be having a good last laugh by participating in yesterday’s

election and hoping to do even well in the coming one.

DELTA What Happened to Uduaghan?

Two days before yesterday’s election, there was a report that an Abuja High Court had nullified the candidacy of a former Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan as the senatorial candidate of the APC for Delta South, on account of a suit

by AVM Terry Omatsola Okorodudu, challenging his choice.

But Uduaghan had quickly come out to dismiss the report of his nullification, saying there was no such thing. Truly, he participated in yesterday’s election, although exit poll reckoned it didn’t quite look good for him However, with the performance of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, which delivered PDP’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar without equivocation, the next round of election might as well be predictable in the state. Okowa is seeking a second term in office and looks good to clinch it.

C’RIVER Still Complicated for APC Whilst the PDP in Cross River is not confused about its governorship candidate in the state since Governor Ben Ayade has been nominated to return, the APC has been oscillating between Senator John Enoh and Minister of Niger Delta, Pastor Usani Usani.

In one breath, a certain court ruling would recognise Enoh and in another, a different ruling, often by a court of coordinate jurisdiction would affirm the choice of Usani. Before the postponed election, Enoh was the

candidate. But as at last night, Usani was the man.

Naturally, while they both would have worked for the same candidate in the person of President Buhari in yesterday’s election, what is likely to happen in the next election is beyond the guess of anyone, at least, for now.

OGUN Little Shake-up in the Gateway State The outcome of yesterday’s election is yet to fully assume shape hence extrapolations were still fluid while turning in this report. But all the candidates that matter in the state delivered not just their units to themselves, they also did for the presidential candidates of their choices, at least, for starters.

Unfortunately, Governor Ibikunle Amosun went into the election bereaved, having lost one of his aides, Niyi Adesanya, who had accident on the eve of the election and died immediately. But the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, survived.

Regardless, the governor proved to be his own man in his areas, even though he faced stiff competition from other contenders, who sought to displace him. But the eventual results would point the way forward for him and the state and that would be known later today.

KANO A Battle Unending Since the PDP message rally, which changed the tenor of projections ahead of yesterday’s election, the rivalry between the two main parties had escalated to the point that violence also resumed amongst supporters of the two parties.

A recent attack on the convoy of Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, which

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FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

THISDAY WEEKLY GUIDE TO 2019

The Road to 2019: Flashpoints to Watch (XXIV) claimed many lives, had indicated the possibilities of what to expect during yesterday’s elections. But, curiously, there were practically no reports of violence from the state.

However, in Kano, the outcome of yesterday’s elections would not be enough to settle the current scores between allies-turned-archrivals, even the March 9 elections would merely be an extension. This is so because the battle is now one of ego and supremacy and it does not usually end or go away except one party is fully decimated.

RIVERS What Next for APC? It is interesting to know that the Rivers APC has not finally given up on its chances in the last part of the elections despite the Supreme Court judgment, which seemed to have sealed its fate.

Some recent reports had stated that the party might be considering reinitiating a new legal process that would reconsider its interest the same way Zamfara made it at the end of the day.

But with the level of violence witnessed during yesterday’s elections in the state, it is clear that Rivers might remain what it is: a violence-freak oil rich state, whose respect for human lives is nil.

Well, whilst there is nothing wrong in APC trying its luck again for as long as it is within the ambit of the law the same way luck smiled on Zamfara, the resort violence should not just be a concern for all, but considered a scourge that must begin to receive serious attention. Even if APC did not eventually run on March 9, there is no likelihood that violence would not still trail the governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

LAGOS Nothing is Certain Yet Again, Lagos, with the turn of events in yesterday’s elections, has proven to be truly no man’s land. That the governorship candidate of the ruling party in the state, Mr. Babajide SanwoOlu lost his unit and the elections turned violent in areas with high Igbo population also meant that the political leadership in the state cannot afford to take anything for granted.

Although elections have been postponed in some parts of the state as a result of the violence that erupted, the dynamics of yesterday’s election is emboldening to the opposition and reassuring that indeed, in Lagos, anything in possible.

And with the way the non-indigenes were treated yesterday, the state is definitely preparing for a non-indigene governor in the foreseeable future. This is Lagos and nothing is definitely cast in stone.

KWARA Between O t’o ge and O t’un ya The current battle for the soul of Kwara State is evidently not one predicated on altruism and decent political thinking otherwise it would not be that to lead the battle for the avowed change from the other side is a child of

Amaechi

Sanwo-Olu

But when the Police Commissioner in the state, Ahmad Abdulrahman came out to say that he warned the governor to stay away from quoting unverified figures especially when investigations were still ongoing but refused to heed his advice, it was almost certain that the governor might have done so with an ulterior motive more so if the timing must be considered a factor.

Leader of the Southern Kaduna People, Solomon Musa, also corroborated the police’s account, when he said the alarm raised by el-Rufai was more or less a script being acted. Sadly, the entire treatment of the matter had put el-Rufai in very bad light and truly confirmed there might have been more to it than meets the eye.

Well, el-Rufai reportedly delivered his polling unit, while some of his political rivals lost theirs, it is not certain if this would translate into total victory for him, even if it did, his disposition already carries with it an impossible leadership burden that his current demeanor cannot embrace.

ADAMAWA Will This Work for Bindow?

Saraki

Akpabio

the political dynasty on this side, which they claim to detest.

Certainly, it is a movement hinged on hate, greed and desire to have the common patrimony in a different hand, not for collective good but the advancement of a political agenda other than the good of all.

Bukola Saraki is the leader of the PDP and by extension, the state. He leads from this side. On the other side, however, is his younger sister, Gbemisola, who fell out with his brother because she felt he stood in her way to becoming governor.

And how it has therefore become sensible to align behind the two, labeling one some funny names and clothing the other, who had hitherto benefited from the dynasty in borrowed garb belies logic.

Well, the fight is clearly between o t’oge, meaning enough is enough and o t’un ya, which translates, let’s continue with the journey. It is for this reason that the o t’o ge movement is likely to fail, because it is not genuine and mostly instigated by eternal forces with vested interests in the state.

Perhaps, o t’un ya now has a rare opportunity to rejig the dynasty and rearrange the current structure for the good of all, thus fully shutting the door of opportunism against the sponsors of o t’o ge.

A’IBOM Challenging the Uncommon Transformer The outcome of yesterday’s general election will tell of the political future of a former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, who was believed to have abandoned the ship he labored to build for the uncertainty in the heat of poor political calculations.

Although his exit from the PDP shook the party across the region and had changed the thinking and political direction ahead of the elections, it also hardened the incumbent governor, Udom Emmanuel, who in the face of provocation kept his cool and held the forte till now.

How Akpabio wriggles out of this will determine the future of his political career and by extension, his political leadership and place in the state. This, indeed, is the real test of strength for him and the choices he made at a most crucial time.

Although the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar lost his polling unit with about 20 votes, projections still show that the totality of Adamawa votes might still go his way. But how this would help Governor Jubrilla Bindow on March 9 is yet to be seen.

Suffice it to say that about 11 other governorship candidates had reportedly stood down for him last week, but how much weight do they carry, both as individuals and as a bloc? Whichever way the presidential and national assembly elections go, it still does not guarantee his victory.

What will guarantee his election is his performance more so that he is running against PDP’s Ahmadu Umar Fintiri, another strong material that is certainly not a pushover in the politics of the state.

But going forward, Bindow must fasten his seatbelt and be ready for a road rage.

ENUGU A Tip of the Iceberg

Governor Nasir el-Rufai’s last week alarm that about 66 Fulani were killed on the eve of the rescheduled elections, a figure that has since increased, had raised serious national concerns especially, that it came from a sitting governor, who was supposed to know better.

Of all the South-east states, Enugu has been singled out for many reasons as impregnable. This is not only because the governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, can comfortably run on his stellar record, but more because he has provided leadership across all interests without preference for any.

Yesterday, results from Enugu showed that that Governor Ugwuanyi is truly in charge of the state and not just what was being said about him. That he delivered with such shattering precision settles every debate surrounding his leadership of the state.

That, however, was just the first leg of the test of his leadership; the second leg beckons on March 9. But it appears no one is worried. If he could deliver someone else with such force, he would labour less worrying about his election. Ugwuanyi is believed to typify the power of example, both in good governance and political maturity.

Buhari

Atiku

KADUNA Unmasking the Lies

Situating the Presidential Run

T

his particular box in the guide to 2019 ends this Sunday. The presidential election, after an initial postponement, finally held yesterday and the results are being awaited alraedy.

A tight and tough race had been projected many weeks ago between Buhari and Atiku, with a majority of them clearly advancing an Atiku victory, although nothing appears to

have changed much with the projection except that results are being awaited.

But regardless of whoever wins the race for the nation’s top job between these two northern Muslim Fulani brothers, the THISDAY guide to the 2019 election ceases to situate the presidential run from next week. Congratulations in advance to whoever wins the race whenever INEC announces the results.

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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 Ëž FEBRUARY 24, 2019

PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2019 IN PICS

Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo casting his vote at his ward in Lekki, Lagos

Senator Bukola Saraki and wife, shortly before they cast their votes at the Ajikobi Ward, Ilorin Kwara State

PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar being attended to by an electoral oďŹƒcer shortly before he voted at his Jada Ward, Admawa State... yeterday

Former President Goodluck Jonathan and wife, Patience shortly before they cast their votes in Otuoke, Bayelsa State

Voters running to safety after some alleged APC thugs disrupted voting exercise at Polling Unit on Jemtuk Street, Ago Palace Way while mpolice personnel looked on ... Saturday Photo: Kunle Ogunfuyi

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson moments before he cast his vote ... Saturday

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah and wife shortly before they cast their votes in Shaare, Kwara State... yesterday

Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi voting at his ward in Ibadan, Oyo State ... Saturday

Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-rufai accompanied by his wives as he made his way to his polling unit to voteday

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu casting his vote ... Saturday

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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 Ëž FEBRUARY 24, 2019

PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS 2019 IN PICS

Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun casting his vote yesterday

Senator Oluremi Tinubu casting her vote ... Saturday

PDP Governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje and wife show o their PVC shortly before they voted in Apapa, Lagos yesterday

Former Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko moments after he voted ...yesterday

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi casting his ballot at his ward in Ijan Ekiti ... Yesterday

Senator Solomon Adeola undergoing biometric confirmation before he voted ... yesterday

L-R: Team Members of the African Union Obervers, Youssel Kenmoud; Ashmef Natloof and Team Member,Commonwealth Elections Observers Mission, Dr Lesley Clark at ward 0027 at Maitaima Secondery School Abuja during the Presidential and National Assembly elections ... Saturday Photo:Julius Atoi/THISDAY IMAGES

Minister of Power, Works & Housing, Babatune Fashola voting at a polling unit in Surulere, Lagos

Enugu State Governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, casting his vote at Amube Ohom Polling Unit, Orba Ward II, Udenu Local Government area, Enugu State during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections...yesterday

Osun State Governor, Gboyega Oyetola spictured as he cast his ballot at Iragbiji, Osub State yesterday during the Presidential and National Assembly Elections ... Saturday

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5 ) * 4 % ": t SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2019

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

BUSINESS

08033204315, 08111813084

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NIMASA’s Cabotage War of Attrition The move by Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency to end cabotage waivers, though commendable, will not succeed, if the ‘waiver clause’ in the Cabotage Act is not expunged, writes Eromosele Abiodun

O

n May 9, 2003, former President Olusegun Obasanjo signed the cabotage bill into law. To stakeholders in the maritime industry, that was one of the best decisions taken by the Obasanjo government. In their view, the development opened a window of limitless opportunities for not only those in the shipping business, but the entire nation and the economy as a whole. Cabotage came into being in Nigeria with the enactment of the Coastal and Inland Shipping Act 2003. The provisions of the Act made it clear that only indigenous ship owners have the mandate to carry out coastal trade and inland shipping.

The Act set out the limitations on foreign operations of cabotage shipping and the tight conditions under which exceptions can be allowed. These provisions are set out in sections 3 to 6 of the Act, which prohibit coastal carriage of cargoes and passengers, except by wholly Nigerian-owned, manned, built, and registered vessels.

It also restricts towage by tugs or vessels to those wholly owned by Nigerian citizens, just as it limits carriage of petroleum products and related oil and gas shipping services to vessels of Nigerian ownership. Furthermore, the Act prohibits domestic trading in the inland waters of Nigeria, except by vessels wholly owned by Nigerians.

However, the purpose for which the act was enacted may have been defeated as most indigenous players in the industry are still been crowded out by foreigners. According to numbers released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),Nigerian-owned vessels accounts for only 12 per cent of annual oil trade market. The major point of the matter is that rather than allow the letters and spirit of the cabotage act to work, a particular clause in the act flawed everything. This is the waiver clause.

This clause has over the years been exploited by multinational companies with the excuse that Nigerian players do not have the facility, capacity and competence to play in critical areas. Many have questioned why the relevant agencies have not made effort over the years to get rid of this clause by proposing amendment to the national assembly for proper action. This is why some stakeholders are against the move, last week by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to harass foreign shipping companies over the matter.

Clampdown on Vessels The bid to put an end to non-compliance to the cabotage act did not start just last week. A few years ago, NIMASA announced that it had started seizing vessels for violating provisions of the Cabotage Law, which states that Nigerians should be employed onboard vessels.

Director of Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services at NIMASA, Ibrahim Jubril, who disclosed this at the time said the agency had also acquired fast intervention vessels for the purpose intercepting erring vessels.

Jubril also said in order to have an accurate data of available maritime labour in the sector, NIMASA has recently come up with an electronic register of all maritime labour in order to ensure jobs are provided for them in line with the Cabotage law.

He said, “On the part of NIMASA as a regulator, we have put in measures to ensure full implementation of the Cabotage Act in Nigeria, particularly on the fourth pillar which has to do with building of ships, carriage of cargoes and the manning aspect of it. We have come up with an electronic register of all maritime labour that would enable us plan better for the industry, such that whenever there are identified jobs for seafarers, it would be carried out by Nigerians and Nigerians would be placed on the job.

“In line with the Presidential executive order, we have come out in full force, in terms of our enforcement, to ensure that only Nigerians are

An oil tanker vessel sailing away

engaged onboard. Before the release of the Presidential order, NIMASA came up with a marine notice which stated that we would have zero tolerance for any waiver at all.”

Operational Guidelines The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency had at the time issued new set of operational guidelines to International Oil Companies (IOCs) as it concerns engagement of seafarers and dockworkers as provided for in the Cabotage Act. The guidelines, which were disclosed to the IOCs and other stakeholders at a sensitisation seminar on the implementation of the agency’s statutory mandate on offshore operations in respect of maritime labour and cabotage, the then Director, Maritime Labour Service of NIMASA, Juliana Gunwa, noted that same are to be fully complied with.

Gunwa gave the guidelines which would attract penalties for defaulters as follows: All IOCs/ facility operators are to engage only maritime labour employers registered with NIMASA as agencies for outsourcing of seafarers/ dockworkers. All IOCs/facility operators are to engage only maritime labour that is registered with NIMASA as seafarers/dockworkers; All IOCs/ facility operators are to ensure that only maritime labour employer that have conditions of service validated by NIMASA are engaged on their facilities.

Others are that all IOCs/facility operators are to ensure that employers of maritime labour implement the agreed conditions of services for the maritime labour industry; “All IOCs/ facility operators are to engage the cabotage services department of NIMASA for advice and periodic assessment on status of compliance with the Cabotage Act 2003 and manning of cabotage vessels. All IOCs/facility operators are to ensure that only registered operators of ports, terminals, jetties, offshore platforms and vessels are qualified for service contracts on/in connection with their offshore facilities. “This will be implemented as a “fatal flaw” during the tendering process.

She told the stakeholders that the agency will soon commence enforcement of the provisions of the Cabotage Act as it concerns engagement of seafarers and dockworkers in the oil and gas sector.

Instructively, an official of the agency had

at the time admitted that NIMASA had some challenges in the enforcement of the Cabotage Act because they do not have a database on numbers of vessels providing marine services to offshore operations of the IOCs. The official also blamed the IOCs for not cooperating and not being open in the declaration of number of offshore marine vessels in their employment, as well as need to seek NIMASA‘s approval in all pre-tender for offshore and related contracting processes.

NLNG Vessel Detained Rather than fix this administrative lapse, the NIMASA last week detained NLNG Limited’s vessel over alleged violation of the Cabotage Act, a move analysts say, may result to scarcity of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), better known as cooking gas.

It was gathered that the detention of ‘MT Navigator Capricorn,’ the only vessel that supplies cooking gas to Nigeria’s domestic market, created supply crisis, leading to a hike in the price of the product.

The vessel, which brought 13,000 metric tonnes of LPG to Lagos from NLNG’s Bonny Island plant in Rivers State, was detained for about 10 days by NIMASA at the NOJ Jetty at Apapa after it had discharged its product.

NLNG brought in the new vessel to replace ‘MT Gas Providence,’ which used to supply LPG to the domestic market.

THISDAY investigation revealed that the new vessel, which started operation in the country in 2018 brings in LPG every two weeks to Lagos for the licensed off-takers appointed by the NLNG to distribute LPG to the domestic market.

However, the refusal of the maritime regulator to allow the vessel to sail back to Bonny Island to continue its two-weekly voyage to Lagos, created supply crisis.

NIMASA Ban Waivers Meanwhile, NIMASA had in a statement stated that it has commenced clampdown on vessels that do not comply with the provisions of the Cabotage Compliance Strategy introduced last year, to ease the implementation of the Cabotage Act of 2003 in Nigeria.

Director-General of NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside in the statement said the agency would no longer encourage the application of any form

of waivers under the Cabotage Act, particularly from the oil firms operations because such do not help the growth of the Nigerian maritime sector and economy at large.

He said: “Our laws forbid foreign vessels operating in our territorial waters save for compliance with the Cabotage Act. There shall be no sacred cow when we commence clampdown on erring vessels.

“We want to increase the number of Nigerians who participate in the marine aspect of your business and we are working closely with the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) to have a joint categorisation of vessels operating under the Cabotage Act in order to ensure the full implementation of the Act.” Already, he said a detention order for a Motor Tanker, MT NAVIGATOR CAPRICORN, which is a LPG carrier, has been approved for contravening sections of the Cabotage Act. The vessel, he stated, was first boarded in October 2018 and all infractions of Cabotage non-compliance were noted and communicated accordingly to the charterer/owners representatives with a 90 days’ grace period to comply.

“The 90 days expired on January 31, 2019. It is noteworthy that the owners made undertaking to remedy the notable infractions when the vessel was issued a detention warning in October 2018.

“While NIMASA is currently engaging the owners and charterers of the vessel on the need to comply with the laws of the land, MT NAVIGATOR CAPRICORN has been moved to Lagos Anchorage to allow space for other LPG vessels to discharge at the NOJ Jetty,“ he said.

Peterside had recently led the agency officials to meet with the Oil Producers Trade Sector (OPTS) in Lagos where he urged industry players to draw up a five-year strategic plan for the cessation of application for Cabotage waiver and also pursue the utilisation of Nigerian-owned vessels for marine contracts.

In August 2018, NIMASA had introduced a new Compliance Strategy for Cabotage Implementation in Nigeria to ensure full implementation of the Cabotage Act, 2003 to secure jobs for qualified Nigerians in the maritime sector.

The agency via a Marine Notice suspended considerations for applications of grant of waiver on manning for prescribed categories of officers in vessels engaged in Cabotage trade.

24

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚Î

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Implications of Proposed Tomato, Milk Importation Ban for the Economy In this piece, James Emejo writes that the proposed decision by government to ban the importation of tomato products and milk into the country could be yet another turning point in its diversification agenda

D

etermined to strengthen the economy following a negative growth of 1.5 per cent in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2016, the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had evolved the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP) for the period 2017–2020.

The plan among other things mapped out government’s strategy for achieving sustained and inclusive growth by focusing on economic recovery in the short-term, and structural reforms aimed at diversifying the economy to return it on a path of sustained and inclusive growth over the medium to long-term.

Before now, many people believed government was only paying lip service to the issue of diversification partly because there was no substantial proof in terms of job creation in the non-oil sector and as oil revenue continued to dominate government’s fiscal strategy and food import bill continued to exert huge pressure on the country’s external reserves.

Worried by the development and the need to pursue self-sufficiency in food production as well as diversify the economy, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele, took a bold initiative in June 2015 to excluded importers of 41 goods and services, which the country had comparative advantage of producing locally from accessing foreign exchange at the Nigerian foreign exchange markets, in a determined effort to encourage local production of these items.

Although his decision was initially met with fierce criticisms from largely those who benefitted from importation of these items, it has now gradually been established that the CBN governor’s move was the best for the economy and was long overdue.

Though the 41 items, now 42, with the recent addition of fertiliser to the list, are not banned or prohibited outrightly by the CBN, importers are no longer qualified to access forex from the CBN or the official market to buy these items from overseas.

Emefiele, had recently disclosed the various initiatives embarked upon by the apex bank to encourage domestic production, had resulted in the country’s monthly import bill falling significantly from $665.4 million in January 2015, to $160.4 million as at October 2018, representing a drop by 75.9 per cent and an implied savings of over $21 billion on food imports alone over that period.

The CBN’s intervention in agriculture, particularly the Anchor Borrower Programme (ABP), which has caused an unprecedented revolution in local rice production, leading to massive employment generation in the sector had been severally applauded.

Apart from saving the country huge amount of forex, especially at a time when the reserves had witnessed fluctuations occasion by drop in oil prices in recent times, the ban on the now famous 41 items had also encouraged more people to embrace farming given that it has now been de-risked to a large extent by the CBN- with thousands of direct and indirect jobs created till date.

It was based on the successes recorded from the restriction of forex to the banned items that the CBN governor recently hinted that tomato products import will soon be placed on full ban by 2020, given the ongoing revolution in the tomato industry in the country.

He believes Nigeria has all it takes to be self sufficient in tomato production.

Speaking recently in Kaduna during an inspection tour of Gino Tomatoes Farm, which is a subsidiary of GBfoods Africa, Emefiele reiterated the need to ban tomato importation and further hinted at consideration to also prohibit the importation of milk into the country.

Commenting after inspecting the farm and its processing facilities, the CBN boss who was

A tomato plant

Ogbeh

EmeďŹ ele

accompanied by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, wooed other investors to tow the path of Dangote and Gino Farms to invest massively in tomato production in order to be self sufficient as well as export and attract foreign exchange into the country.

He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for insisting that “it is time we produce what we eat and eat what we produce.�

He said the tomato and milk sectors had enormous potentials, which could translate into massive job opportunities for the teeming unemployed population.

According to Emefiele, we should just be grateful to God that we are in a position where we are witnessing these things and many more would happen. “Whether we like it or not, as long as we are producing this for our consumption and possibly for export, there is no choice other than to ban this. “And there are various other products as

well. I keep talking about milk: before I was born 60 years ago, milk was being imported into the country and I have told WAMPCO that look, we need to come back.�

He said: “What does it take to produce milk; is it not to fatten the cow, give it water, give it the necessary nutrients and it will produce milk for you. “Yet, they say milk cannot be produced in Nigeria. We will confront it and I think they also should get ready to join in this train.�

He said tomato farmers had further assured that “If we continue this programme in a very tenacious manner, that in two years, Nigeria will not only be self-sufficient in producing these tomatoes, we will also begin to export tomatoes and I am sure. “We want to ask other people who are interested, to please join. Join and let us earn foreign exchange from exporting tomatoes rather than spending foreign exchange importing tomatoes into Nigeria.�

Meanwhile, Emefiele’s affection for the

development of agriculture has been coveted by stakeholders who meant well for the economy especially farmers who continued to attest to the benefits of the apex bank’s intervention.

Ogbeh, particularly commended the CBN governor for refusing to cave in in the face of mounting opposition in some quarters to abandon his desire and commitment to diversifying the economy through laudable interventions in the agricultural sector.

According to him, the CBN has been pushing the agriculture programme with direct support by funding through programmes in the Ministry of Agriculture. “People have called him (Emefiele) names and criticised him. But if he had not devised the means of bypassing the mountains of obstacles confronting production in this country, by today, the story of Nigeria would have been a horrible one.�

Supporting the ban of tomatoes and all items which could be locally produced, the minister said: “In a short while, I assure you we will stop anybody importing tomato paste into this country. “It is going to happen faster than people think. So, let the smugglers beware; production not smuggling; production not importation - definitely not importation of what we can produce.�

He added: “Our children need to have jobs; our farmers need to have jobs. Farmers are entitled to happiness, good living and we have abandoned them in the bush for too long. Now that people are joining hands to give them life, we are most grateful. “And we believe the future we have been dreaming of is here. And go tell Nigerians that tomatoes are being grown here on a scale which in a short while, will make us exporters not importers of tomato products. “Our target is two years from now, no more import of tomato products, simple.�

No doubt the restriction of forex on tomato, milk and others relevant agricultural produce will offer tremendous opportunity for diversification of the economy, and significantly reduce unemployment and poverty in the country.

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

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BUSINESS/ PERSPECTIVE

Viability of Internet Marketing in Nigeria Anita Solomon

T

he internet is a bustling marketplace, which allows people with skills, talent, and business ideas to pursue their dreams of becoming successful online entrepreneurs. However, despite the abundance of opportunities on online, there seems to be a major challenge in Nigeria or for Nigerians as a result of the bad reputation brought on by the scam artists (419), the lack of resources, information, and the drive/passion to achieve this dream.

That being said, with the right guidance and coaching, starting and running a successful online business is very possible.

First of all, one must realise that working online is not a get rich quick scheme, but a legitimate work or job opportunity that requires hard work, dedication, consistency, focus and other trappings of a brick and mortar business excluding the initial capital investment. With the right mindset, anyone, who is ready to put in the hours and make a long-term commitment, will be able to have success working online.

Working online requires the willingness to learn and discipline to do the work. Being focused is very important because it is easy to get distracted with the next big thing out there. If you have a laptop or smartphone, and wireless connection, you can work from anywhere. You can even run a successful online business, while working a full-time job.

Internet marketing is undoubtedly a cheaper option than employing a sales workforce in an offline business. One major benefit of IM is that it does not require much experience or formal education to venture into it. This is definitely something worth exploring for many Nigerians out there.

With the creation of sites like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social sites, offline businesses or brick and mortar businesses have a better chance of reaching a wider audience. The IM savvy individual will see this as an opportunity to sell a social media marketing service to a prospective offline business. It is all in the packaging.

Why limit yourself to selling only in Nigeria when it is called the World Wide Web? Who Can Work Online?

Virtually anyone can work online, students, business owners, employees, stay-at-home moms, men, women, etc. All that is required is access to the internet and a smartphone or laptop (or both). In Nigeria today, there are millions of idle and jobless people, who use the internet on a daily basis and have access to tools that can make them fortunes in the long run. Social media, for instance, is an underutilised and misused gold mine.

Three Proven Online Business Models You Can Start Today There are many online business models or opportunities for a savvy individual to earn a sustainable income, but we’ll be talking about three of those business models.

Blogging: “Blogging for money” is a prevailing trend in Nigeria today as you would notice blogs like Bellanaija and Lindaikeji ranking in the entertainment, fashion and lifestyle industry. These blogs are targeted primarily at the Nigerian audience and earn their income from paid advertising and Adsense, etc.

Despite the fact that there is an explosion of blogs around the world every day, there is still a chance to set one up and build a loyal readership.

Blogging can provide work opportunities that can be a potential springboard to full and part-time monthly income. With a blog, you can make money by advertising through direct ad sales or through ad services like Google Adsense. With this sort of service, you earn a percentage of the advert cost each time someone clicks on the ad displayed on your site. This is otherwise known as ad publishing.

You can also earn a living through blogging with affiliate marketing, creating and selling your own information products, or selling your own physical products or services.

The key with blogs is having both high-quality content and the implementation of solid monetisation features. The real fuel though is the content, focus on posting helpful, useful content with an eye on making your articles keyword rich and optimised for the search engines, and real people.

You can start blogging on just about any topic.

However, you should choose a niche that is evergreen, and research the revenue potential behind it. You also want to pick a niche that you will be comfortable writing about for a long time.

Freelancing: Working on the premise that you have a specific knowledge or skill that has a market value, you can start earning income selling your skills online for a fee. If you are proficient at any of the following: · Article writing · Graphic design · Website design · Copywriting · Social media marketing/management · Transcription · Voice Over · Video editing · Content Marketing, etc ... then you should consider going into business for yourself as a ’freelancer’.

The market is hot and you are in demand because thousands of businesses are looking to outsource the jobs they can’t, don’t have the time, or don’t want to do. There are internet marketers looking for others to take care of things like graphics, website design, and content creation or handling customer support.

Outsourcing is a way of getting your products created and generally speeding up your business development timeline. Marketers or businesses outsource things they cannot or don’t want to do so they can concentrate on things they can do well.

There are many sites you can join and lease your skills. It is worth checking out sites like upwork and fiverr. Doing a search on Google for sites you can sell your skills will yield a lot of results.

Freelancing is really a lot of work, but it is one of the guaranteed ways you can make money online without spending any to invest. Most people, who make money working as freelancers, end up using said earnings to invest in other online business models.

Social Media Marketing: This is one of the

fastest growing online business models in Nigeria.

Today, there are thousands of Nigerian owned businesses on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. More brands are turning to social media daily to improve brand awareness and build a thriving online presence. A skilled social media marketer is in the right position to get paid for such gigs.

However, to earn from social media marketing, just like all other business models, you have to learn/develop yourself. Some of the required skills that will help you excel include; content marketing, public relations, customer service, social media strategy, community growth & management, content creation, etc. You will also need a good understanding of how the various social media platforms work.

As a social media marketer/manager, you can make money from managing social media profiles for brands and businesses. You can also earn through influencer marketing, affiliate marketing, or selling your own products.

The best thing to do is choose just one model, and focus on it until successful. Even though some of these models can be mixed and matched, it’s best to put off doing that until you’ve got your core model running and producing a profit.

In conclusion, note that the longer you remain visible in your niche, the greater chances for long-term success. It’s much harder to establish credibility if you’re dabbling in two or three businesses at once.

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚Î

DAPO OLUMIDE

Olumide

Why Nigerian Airlines are Uncompetitive and Struggle for Survival Captain Dapo Olumide, the former managing director of Virgin Nigeria Airways and currently the CEO of Ropeways, is a household name in the Nigerian aviation industry and beyond. Olumide, who is a fellow of the prestigious Royal Aeronautical Society in England grew through the ranks to become the deputy managing director of Aero Contractor, which it transformed to a business to consumer airline from a business to business airline. He was also credited for the turn-around of Virgin Nigeria Airways, which was beleaguered with huge financial debt. Olumide, who spent over 30 years in aviation before he retired, tells Kunle Aderinokun and Chinedu Eze that Nigerian airlines struggle and remain uncompetitive due to poor infrastructure at the airports, lack of local maintenance facility and wrong business models adopted by the airlines. Excerpts:

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚Î

27

An Airline Needs a Niche Market to Succeed

W

hy don’t Nigerian airlines thrive for a long time?

There are factors thatareresponsible for this. I left the aviation sector the first time in 2006, when I left Aero Contractors. And I left for several reasons. One was because in the 20 years to 25 years that I have been there no improvement on airport infrastructure. And the growth of the industry is premised on only two things, one is the infrastructure and the other one is maintenance.

This is because without airport infrastructure the challenges are too great. I want to take you back to 2006 and 2007. Then the domestic runway at the Lagos airport was closed, it was not operational.

And even till today, it doesn’t have functional night landing capabilities. It still doesn’t have the capability to land in the opposite direction of the runway. For example, during Harmattan, when you have strong wind coming from the North, ideally it should land in the other direction, but we are still forced to land with the tailwind, which is actually dangerous.

Look at the runways, the airport infrastructure, and I want to separate the two. When we talk about the airport, it is about the environment; I am not talking about the terminal. This is an area where a lot of people mix things up when we talk about airport infrastructure; they all go to talk about terminals. That is a separate discussion because if you are privatising(again, another misconception); if you are privatising an airport you actually privatise the terminal building. The runways and associated infrastructure around it is actually the responsibility of the government agency or the state.

However, you can’t concession the whole thing; it will be a very brave concessionaire that will take such responsibility. So, you can see that infrastructure is grossly inadequate at our airports.

To secure facilities at the airports you ought to have perimeter fencing, which is patrolled with cameras and vehicle inspection all the time.

So that is on the one hand, airport infrastructure is inadequate. Secondly, maintenance. Aircraft are highly maintenance intensive in terms of cost.

We don’t have the facilities in Nigeria, what we have are small snippets and sections, but you can’t do the whole package. You can’t do the entire spectrum of maintenance required on a typical commercial aircraft. Helicopters and small aircraft can be maintained in Nigeria, but when you talk about commercial aircraft from a regional jet and above, we don’t have the capabilities. Yes we can doA-Check or B-Check, but when it comes to C-Check, you got very few facilities here for C-Check.

Aero can now conduct C-check and I give credit to them, but generally in Nigeria, we don’t have the ability for operators to maintain their aircraft here. So they bear that huge cost of having to fly the aircraft abroad for maintenance. That is a huge expense, so you are no longer competitive. You are complaining about the foreign airlines coming in here, they have an advantage, of course, they do.

Because they do the maintenance of their aircraft right where they depart from and they don’t have to worry about the cost of obtaining visas and paying for crew change and buying tickets for the crew because they are right there, they live about five miles away from the airport and the training facility is about five miles from the airport. The aircraft is maintained right at the airport so their cost is much, much lower than yours.

So those are the two big issues that I find holding back the industry. But there are other issues as to why operators in Nigeria are failing and have consistently failed.

What are the solutions to these problems?

First of all, you have to identify what the challenges are. I will give you the solution but you have to identify what the challenges or problems are. The first thing is that there is the infrastructure side and then there is the operator side, the two go together. And I just mentioned the infrastructure side of what the challenges are.

We don’t have the maintenance capabilities and we don’t have the airport infrastructure. Again if you have a commercial aircraft, and if you leased it for example, you are committed to probably 200 hours a month from the lessor. But I don’t see any operator in Nigeria operating an aircraft up to 150 or 160 hours a month for many reasons.

One is that airports in Nigeria close after certain

Olumide

hours at night. For example, a lot of them close and even if they are open, passengers are reluctant to land at airports in Nigeria that are so far away from town. And that has to do with the security implication going by road from the airport into town. So many people are reluctant to embark on such a journey. And then you also have the problem of aircraft not keeping to schedule; they don’t keep to time and their departures. So you have the infrastructure that is holding back the airlines. Then you have the airlines themselves holding themselves back, that is for many reasons and it has been the same since I was a young co-pilot back in 1979, nothing has changed.

Another factor is the business plan. The business model of the airlines here is by and large wrong and their financial modeling is also wrong. We like to do what they call going for the low-hanging fruit, everybody wants to go to Abuja. But the more the airlines go to Abuja, the more capacity they are putting on the route and therefore the lower their load factor would be; therefore, their yield will drop and they will earn less money. You will find that all over the world, and if you look at Nigeria as well, the airlines that succeeded in the early stages were those that had a niche market.

And that is the key to a successful airline. You’ve got to find your niche and stay there. Look atAero in the old days, it was corporate airline for oil and gas to Port Harcourt and Warri. The airline wasn’t going to Abuja, Sokoto or Yola, it only operated to two airports Warri and Port Harcourt. That was its niche and it made a great name for itself.

If you look at Nigerian Airways, it was a great airline because it had a niche market, which was flying long haul, the domestic operation wasn’t profitable because of the government, they had to go to every airport. But on the long haul, they were good. They pushed out Pan Am from coming to Nigeria, they were in a niche market because they had the patronage of Nigerians. It had nothing to do with the Fly Nigeria Act, it is because they had a good reputation and that is your niche market.

Virgin Nigeria had a good reputation because it was in a niche market. You will remember when I was running it I created that niche, which was international standard. We never reduced our standards from international standard, which was number one, and number two, we went on time, I made it a priority that all our flights had to go on time. And if your flights go on time you can actually charge more than other airlines because people will use you. So, that is the niche the niche was to fly on time.

Why are we doing wrong in Nigeria?

So in Nigeria, we operate with very poor business plans, the business models are wrong.

We all want to do the same thing whereas you should be thinking outside the box and you can actually make more money that way. And again the financial model that determines the revenue of an airline, the profitability is not done properly.

It is a very simple set of numbers they put in there

but they always get it wrong when it comes to things like the maintenance reserves. Because with maintenance reserves there are certain cost elements associated with the aircraft, landing gear, hardware consumables and so on. All of these things put together are called maintenance reserves and it means one thing, reserves means you are putting money aside. Because those checks, those expenses are due maybe in a year from now, maybe five years from now, but every hour you fly the aircraft, you should set aside a reserve. Let me simplify it by saying a savings account. You have to have a savings account somewhere, where you put that money and don’t touch it. This should be separate from your ticket sales, don’t touch it, so that when the maintenance comes you have the money for it. But Nigerian airlines don’t do that and so they suddenly find themselves saying they don’t have the money for it. That is on the one hand. Then we operate old aircraft, the problem with old aircraft.

What has age got to do with it?

I am not one who is concerned about the age of the aircraft because that is actually irrelevant; it is all about maintenance. You could see when the queen did her birthday in England, you have World War II aircraft flying overhead Buckingham palace, so it has nothing to do with the age of the aircraft it is all about maintenance.

So, why is it that we have a problem here? It goes back to what I said at the beginning which is, we don’t have the maintenance facilities here to maintain these old aircraft. And an old aircraft is an aircraft older than 10 years because beyond that age it goes into what they call an aging aircraft maintenance programme. And with that in mind your cost of maintenance doubles, for many reasons.

Again, old aircraft are cheap to acquire or lease, but they come with an Achilles heel, which means that yes it is cheap to lease or buy but the maintenance cost is going to be double what a person with a new aircraft is going to experience.

Let me use a Boeing 737 as an example, because that seems to be the stable aircraft in Nigeria.

The 737 classics or all of them have what they call CFM 56 engines. Now the CFM 56 is very sensitive when it comes to flight cycle issues. A cycle is when you start the engine and then shut it down at the other end. The Boeing 737 was designed for one and half hour flight. If you fly it for one and half hours, the cost that you see in the brochure when you buy the aircraft would be spot on. If you fly the aircraft for longer than one and half hours like three and half hours, your maintenance cost will come down. But if you fly it for less than one and half hours, your maintenance cost goes up. Why? Because when you start an engine and taxi it to the runway and you take off and you apply full power to take off, the engine is under stress. And there is going to power all the way up till cruising altitude and then you descend and land, you stress the engine and shut it down. But if your flight is three hours the

engine is cool for a long time in flight but if you are just flying for 40 minutes, Lagos to Owerri or something like that, you are stressing the engine.

So your maintenance cost is going to be pretty much double than what it was if you did a one and half-hour flight. That is not in the model, they didn’t factor that when they were building their financial model to determine the cost of maintenance on the aircraft. They didn’t realise that when they fly for only 40 minutes that the maintenance cost would double.

You also have issues with high operating cost in our environment, the operating cost are very high. Because the charges you receive from the authorities are very high, much higher than other countries. But even if they weren’t; the fact of the matter is that because fuel is so expensive here, you hear operators say our fuel is 40 per cent of our operating cost, yes. I would tell you why it is 40 per cent. It is so because you are operating old aircraft. In developed countries the cost of fuel for their operation is 25 per cent. Why is it 25 per cent and ours is 40 per cent? It is not because their price of fuel is low; it is because in those environments it is all about efficiencies.

They are operating new efficient aircraft. Then you have the infrastructure, I spoke to you about the airport infrastructure. When you know the cost of what our operators go through in changing tyres, brakes, because of debris on the runway, it is huge. We don’t sweep our runways. You read in the newspapers about Dubai airport, every morning before the runway is open, they have these four vehicles that sweeps the runway, they have the inspections and so on. These are things that we don’t do here so we have small debris that damages the tyres and the tyres have to be changed. These are all additional cost that impact negatively against our operations.

Then we also have the issue of on time performance (OTP). You might argue and say what does on time performance has to do why airlines in Nigeria are not successful? Well it is a very simple thing, if you don’t go on time you will lose your market, there is no rocket science about it. I have always been of the opinion that, you know you can actually have an airline that goes on time every flight. And it doesn’t need to have catering onboard. Because the priority of people or the passengers is OTP, on time performance, that is all they want. They want to go where they are going and know that they can schedule their lives and plan their lives around that. But again we can get away with it here because of lack of enforcement.

Why? I will give you three reasons, one is lack of enforcement, lack of passenger rights, most passengers don’t know what their rights are just like on the road. They don’t realise that they have a right to complain. If a passenger knows his rights and he complains to the authorities and the authorities impose a penalty on the airline or let’s use a random example, which is not applicable, but let’s say for every hour your flight is delayed you must compensate the passenger N20, 000 and you have a 100 seats in the aircraft, that is N200, 000. If you do that delay every flight, during the day all the flights will be delayed, it will quickly come to about N10 million. The airlines themselves will know that they can’t sustain this, and they better start going on time. But until that happens they know that they can get away with it.

If you go and research on the European Union laws on passenger compensation and rights it’s very expensive. But here you can complain to the authorities but they just file it somewhere.

I don’t know of any airline that has been fined or received a penalty. Then we have issues of manpower, you know, for some reason, I have never understood it, we don’t train in Nigeria, why? We want everything to be ready made, look at the stories with pilots, every pilot even from flying school must go and get a Boeing 737 type rating by himself before he is going to be employed. But this is what they call quick sand; the airline is going deeper and deeper into this mud because in the short term it is workable.

I only want trained pilots, I only want trained engineers, I only want trained cabin crew, super.

But when the board of that airline goes on retreat and somebody raises the question, sir, do you realise that the average age of Nigerian engineers is 48. And the average age of Nigerian management is 53. see concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER Ëž ÍşÍźËœ ͺ͸͚Î

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

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Bolaji Fajenyo | bfajenyo@afrinvest.com

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

30

Ë&#x153; Ëž FEBRUARY 24, 2019

MARKET NEWS

NSE, FMAN Launch Mutual Funds Platform for Retail Investments Goddy Egene In a bid to provide a solution that will enhance visibility for the listed mutual funds, promote financial inclusion and stimulate retail investor participation in the capital market, the Nigerian Stock Exchange in conjunction with Fund Managers Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria

(ASHON) and the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc on Friday launched the NSE Mutual Fund trading platform.

A mutual fund is a pool of funds brought together by a professional fund manager from several investors to invest in selected underlying securities.

The underlying securities can be one or a combination of the following: stocks, fixed

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

income securities, real estate and commodities. A mutual fund portfolio is structured and maintained to match different investment objectives. The type of mutual fund an individual invests in depends on their financial objectives and appetite for risk.

The launch of the trading platform will enhance market professionals, issuers, fund managers and investors with a

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 21Feb-2019, unless otherwise stated.

reliable, efficient and an adaptable exchange hub in Africa, to save and to access capital. Through this platform investors can pool funds into chosen basket of securities which have proven to be a veritable means to optimise returns and reduce risks.

Also, the trading platform will help market participants to facilitate electronic transactions with seamless interaction between

NSE, CSCS Plc, fund managers and brokers dealers. Investors would have the benefit of a single view of their mutual fund investment and ease variety of transactions like subscription, redemption, cancellation among others.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are delighted to provide a solution that will enhance

visibility for the listed mutual funds and promote financial inclusion, while stimulating retail investor participation in our market. The trading platform will facilitate the ease of doing business in trading and distribution of mutual funds, it will inspire small savers thereby promoting financial inclusion which is an important focus of our members.â&#x20AC;?

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 163.70 164.11 3.48% Afrinvest Plutus Fund 100.00 100.00 11.00% Nigeria International Debt Fund 278.89 279.43 2.17% 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 2.20% ACAP Income Funds 0.62 0.62 11.59% 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 13.28% AIICO Balanced Fund 2.28 2.31 2.83% 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 17.44 17.97 5.12% ARM Discovery Fund 371.22 382.41 4.09% ARM Ethical Fund 29.26 30.14 3.62% ARM Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.57% 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 104.58 105.31 3.35% AXA Mansard Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.54% 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 13.85% Paramount Equity Fund 12.16 12.26 2.95% Women's Investment Fund 106.02 106.56 2.32% CORDROS ASSET MANAGEMENT LIMITED assetmgtteam@cordros.com Web: www.cordros.com, Tel: 019036947 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Cordros Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.67% Cordros Milestone Fund 2023 100.06 100.48 Cordros Milestone Fund 2028 102.70 103.26 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 13.46% Coronation Balanced Fund 0.86 0.86 Coronation Fixed Income Fund 1.15 1.15 2.31% 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 12.42% EDC Nigeria Money Market Fund Class B 1,000,000.00 1,000,000.00 12.98% 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 1,211.99 1,212.77 2.24% FBN Heritage Fund 147.44 148.81 2.81% FBN Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 14.19% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Institutional 115.50 115.84 1.41% FBN Nigeria Eurobond (USD) Fund - Retail 115.45 115.79 1.62% FBN Nigeria Smart Beta Equity Fund 154.49 156.76 2.99% 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 1.25 1.27 2.26% Legacy Debt Fund 3.30 3.30 1.72% Legacy USD Bond Fund 1.04 1.04 0.65% 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 3,045.79 3,078.29 2.09% Coral Income Fund 2,809.31 2,809.31 2.57% 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 12.82% Nigeria Entertainment Fund 109.08 109.60 1.98% 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 13.52% Vantage Balanced Fund 2.20 2.23 2.42% Vantage Guaranteed Income Fund 1.00 1.00 15.93% Kedari Investment Fund (KIF) 123.11 123.34 -1.44%

LOTUS CAPITAL LTD ďŹ ncon@lotuscapitallimited.com Web: www.lotuscapitallimited.com; Tel: +234 1-291 4626 / +234 1-291 4624 Fund Name Bid Price Offer Price Yield / T-Rtn Lotus Halal Investment Fund 1.16 1.19 1.73% Lotus Halal Fixed Income Fund 1,090.14 1,090.14 1.92% 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 11.83 11.92 2.79% 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 1.38 1.40 7.64% PACAM Fixed Income Fund 12.34 12.40 1.11% PACAM Money Market Fund 10.00 10.00 14.23% 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 121.90 122.45 0.96% 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 2.06% 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 2,389.24 2,404.11 5.42% Stanbic IBTC Bond Fund 192.31 192.31 2.46% Stanbic IBTC Ethical Fund 1.00 1.01 5.79% Stanbic IBTC Guaranteed Investment Fund 251.20 251.23 3.66% Stanbic IBTC Iman Fund 170.49 172.40 4.51% Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund 100.00 100.00 13.26% Stanbic IBTC Nigerian Equity Fund 8,792.21 8,898.76 5.33% Stanbic IBTC Dollar Fund (USD) 1.12 1.12 3.57% 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 0.42% United Capital Bond Fund 1.62 1.62 1.69% United Capital Equity Fund 0.71 0.72 -0.35% United Capital Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 13.15% United Capital Eurobond Fund 108.15 108.15 0.83% United Capital Wealth for Women Fund 1.10 1.10 0.53% 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 11.44 11.60 7.53% Zenith Ethical Fund 12.46 12.58 3.85% Zenith Income Fund 20.97 20.97 8.88% Zenith Money Market Fund 1.00 1.00 12.24%

REITS NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

5.95 118.75 51.93

-39.35% 0.00% 0.03%

Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

10.94 118.06 92.89

11.04 120.61 94.64

3.63% 0.66% 4.78%

Fund Name FSDH UPDC Real Estate Investment Fund SFS Skye Shelter Fund Union Homes REIT

EXCHANGE TRADED FUNDS Fund Name Lotus Halal Equity Exchange Traded Fund SIAML Pension ETF 40 Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 Fund

VETIVA FUND MANAGERS LTD Web: www.vetiva.com; Tel: +234 1 453 0697 Fund Name Vetiva Banking Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Consumer Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva GrifďŹ n 30 Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva Industrial Goods Exchange Traded Fund Vetiva S&P Nigeria Sovereign Bond Exchange Traded Fund

funds@vetiva.com Bid Price

Offer Price

Yield / T-Rtn

4.34 7.55 15.37 12.57 149.24

4.38 7.63 15.47 12.77 151.24

8.56% -0.92% 2.81% 1.66% 3.94%

NAV Per Share

Yield / T-Rtn

107.13

17.03%

INFRASTRUCTURE FUND Fund Name Chapel Hill Denham Nigeria Infrastructure Debt Fund

The value of investments and the income from them may fall as well as rise. Past performance is a guide and not an indication of future returns. Fund prices published in this edition are also available on each fund 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

24.02.2018

Beatrice Abel-Ubeku On Her Tragedy, Travails and Triumphs

ASSISTANT EDITOR OLUFUNKE OLAODE/funkola2000@gmail.com

32

T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͰͲ, Ͱͮͯͷ

COVER

Beatrice Abel-Ubeku

On Being a Woman of Substance Her persona is summed up in grace, glamour and goodness. Mrs. Beatrice Abel-Ubeku, wife of the first indigenous Managing Director of Guinness, the late Dr. Abel Ubeku, is a woman of substance and an enduring poster of capable wife.

She has always been a rallying point for women and the downtrodden. Selfless and resilient, her humanitarian gestures have earned her regional and international recognition. Funke Olaode writes about the widow’s triumphs and travails; and her struggle living in the shadow of her husband following his demise

T

he late Dr. Abel Ubeku’s infectious smile, larger-thanlife image and jovial nature could still be felt as his large portrait hung on the wall of the grand living room gazes endlessly at every visitor.

He used to be a boardroom colossus becoming the first Nigerian managing director of Guinness Nigeria. It has been over four years since he passed on, his better half, Beatrice – fondly called Betty – has been holding forth for the man who showed her how to love.

Mrs. Beatrice Ubeku is an extraordinary woman in grace, goodness and godliness.

In a flowing orange gown, she embodies passion and serenity –all this she attributes to God and the love of her life, Ubeku.

In her various conversations, her late husband seems a permanent fixture.

“Well, if you have God and a husband like Abel Ubeku, who was a very handsome and disciplined man you would exude calmness. I lived with him for 45 years before he passed away in 2014.

He gave me peace. Aside from that, I also enjoy abundant grace from God Almighty.

All of this has given me that aura of calmness at all times,” she tells THISDAY. Since the demise of her husband, Betty had withdrawn from active life, wearing a pall of bereavement in silence.

“I had a deep pain that I lost my husband suddenly when I was looking forward that we were going to live together till the end. So it was like a blow from nowhere. He was a good man that I can’t forget easily. He was good to me, tutored me and encouraged me. I may

be out of public glare but I am still very much involved in philanthropy works,” she says.

“I once worked with UNICEF in the past on HIV/AIDS and exclusive breastfeeding. My state – Delta State – came sixth when it was rated by the Federal Ministry of Health at the time.

I was a vocal person for West African Women Association (WAWA) which comprises of 16 African countries. I have a team of women and school children working with me. I played a key role with one the day governors under Lions Club. They were part of the international exchange programmes that involved 22 countries and Nigeria participated. This makes me happy that I am touching lives.”

This year something dramatic happened in her life. Her soul was lifted and her spirit came alive a week ago. She was the cynosure of all eyes on February 3 when her late husband was given a posthumous award alongside the late Alhaji Maitama Sule and the former VicePresident, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, at the 2018 Silverbird Man of the Year Awards held at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

On that day, gorgeous in a forest green dinner gown, she walked majestically to the podium to collect the award.

Betty describes the moment: “I have been down because of the challenge life has thrown at me since my husband died but the grace of God is sufficient for me.

This award has wiped away my tears. I am grateful to Silverbird for honouring this gentle and brilliant man who contributed his own quota to Nigeria.

Beatrice with husband and first indigenous managing director of Guinness, the late Dr. Abel Ubeku

57

FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

COVER

My husband was a good man.

Education is key and he encouraged me and some other women whom he came across through my networking.

Some of these women are lawyers today because he spoke to their husbands that a woman’s place is not in the kitchen alone. He believed a woman who is empowered was invaluable. In my case, he pushed me and it came to a stage he said, ‘Betty you have to go to school’ Abel-Ubeku

On Abel Ubeku, Her Marriage and Life after Death I got to know about the award through phone calls from family and friends that there is good news that I should tune in to Silverbird TV that my late husband was nominated for a posthumous award.

I thought it was a joke. I waited patiently until I got an official letter from the management of Silverbird to receive the award on behalf of my husband. I was overwhelmed.”

The death of her husband remains a touchy issue as she feels the most important part of her has been taken away from her. His death must have shaken her to the core.

“I was devastated because he was a good man. Education is key and he encouraged me and some other women whom he came across through my networking. Some of these women are lawyers today because he spoke to their husbands that a woman’s place is not in the kitchen alone. He believed a woman who is empowered was invaluable. In my case, he pushed me and it came to a stage he said, ‘Betty you have to go to school’. When I married him I didn’t have a degree. It was a setback for me because I met him early when he came on a threemonth holiday teaching job with the late Senator Chukwumerije in my school –City College Lagos in the 1960s,” Betty recollects.

Then, she adds: “His elder brother was our next-door neighbour. During our time, there was no girlfriend and boyfriend.

Once you had a suitor your parents take a decision but my uncle insisted that I must

go to the university. This uncle of mine was a lecturer in Ibadan and took me to live with him on holiday. From there, he took me to Adeola Odutola College in Ijebu-Ode as a boarder. So I forgot about my suitor, Ajegunle and Lagos.”

However, Betty and Ubeku’s path crossed again when she chose to work instead of going to a university to further her education.

“I was working at Pay and Record office in Apapa before I moved to UAC in Lagos. This man (Ubeku) was on my trail.

To further solidify his intention when his company then, NTC wanted to send him abroad for training, he was ready to pay my dowry so I can accompany him as his wife. I still turned him down. He went abroad for the training and was writing letters. He eventually came back from abroad and showed up. He persisted and even came with his brother – Jeremiah – to ask for my hand in marriage.

“I even confronted him about his marital status. He said his marriage was over that it was well-publicized. Finally, my father was invited to Lagos by my uncle, Dr. Uzoro. The family persuaded me and a decision was taken. This was in 1969. After the traditional rites, we became husband and wife in 1970. When we came back to Lagos my husband threw a big party for me to celebrate our wedding that year. I was there in the bank working but the issue of pregnancy was a problem,” she reveals.

Betty thinks her husband was an unusual man who was always true to his words.

She says: “My inability to have children for him didn’t make his love for me wane for a moment. He was like, ‘my first marriage failed and this one must not fail’. He stood by me when I sought medical help in the best hospitals abroad trying to have a child.

The late Prof. Bello Osagie and his wife who just passed on took up the challenge with me. Bello-Osagie came to my husband to move me to Crown-Well Hospital in the UK. My husband just got the Guinness job. The Bello-Osagies stood firmly by me. Hakeem, Sheri and others were in a boarding school in the UK. “The Osagies housed me in their home in England and the children were wonderful.

Then the challenge came: I was in and out of the hospital. The last outing for me in the UK in the 1980s was rough and I remember in the theatre my husband saying to me: ‘Beatrice, child or no child, you are my wife. He comforted with and sat me down and said I want you to agree with me that child or no child, you are my wife.’ He stood by those words even when I thought otherwise,” she recounts.

Eventually, Betty had to go back to school.

“He encouraged me to get a degree.

So I gained admission to study Business Administration graduating in 1989. I was offered admission to study for my master’s which I had put on hold to date. Abel Ubeku was a loving, caring and adorable man. His words were his words. His integrity was unquestionable. He would tell me: ‘Beatrice, I don’t want you to go and start any property project behind me. We have two beautiful

homes in the village and one in Victoria Island.

“Are you going to sleep in two rooms at a time?’ And if he knows any of his friends that wanted to help me, he would simply say: ’Do you want to take my wife?’ It was that kind of home and laughter that we built together. We settled our quarrel in our room. He said he would support my charity works. He was a kind man. If my path crossed his again 1,000 times I would marry him because he was a man of integrity who showed me how to love irrespective of life challenges,” Betty, in emotion-laden tone, says.

She also talks about the love and support she has received from friends since her husband’s death. But has the posthumous award wiped away her agelong tears?

In unmistakable words, she says, “His award has wiped away my tears.

By virtue of his position in various places he had worked, I was exposed to the world. He became the first indigenous black man to head Guinness. When I left my banking career to focus on my charity works, he supported me. I was at Beijing ’95. I was one of the women who spoke on behalf of Nigeria on CNN. I am happy that he pushed and exposed me.

This makes me very strong.

“Those are the legacies of Dr. Abel Ubeku for me. He wrote three books: dedicated one to his mum and dedicated the second one to me. Child or no child, he took me for who I am and he loved me to the end.”

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͰͲ, Ͱͮͯͷ

FOCUS

Charles Aniagolu

ARISE TV Has Put Africa on Global Map When broadcast journalists get to work on breaking news, interviews and analyses, it’s a moment that separates men from boys.

Charles Aniagolu, a news anchor with ARISE TV makes live news casting look easy. Beyond his signature voice, good looks and delivery, he practises his craft with command, comfort and clarity. Having worked with the British Broadcasting Corporation, ITN, Sky News and CNN, Aniagolu is with ARISE TV as the lead news anchor. He speaks with Adedayo Adejobi about his works, successes and passion. Excerpts:

W

hat do you see as the biggest challenge for Africa?

I think leadership is clearly the biggest challenge. You’ve got to have the right leaders, and with the kind of vision (of the Chairman of THISDAY and ARISE TV) Nduka (Obaigbena) has, as evident in the setting up of ARISE News. I’ve actually wondered why he cannot get into politics. If he can power through the sort of things he did with ARISE and THISDAY, perhaps he can transfer those skills to politics. But what I think we need is a great visionary with consistency of policies who would see them through. And it’s not just about building infrastructure. It’s about putting the wherewithal to maintain that infrastructure. But more importantly to carry out that revolution in the minds of your citizens, you have to inspire them, create a vision and bring them into that vision.

In Africa because most of the leaders are sub- literate, they don’t have the capacity to inspire people. They don’t

know how to do it, which is why the resort to force and violence. But you need a revolution in the minds of people and in order to do that. You need somebody who is almost like a philosopher leader who understands the philosophy of a nation as well as practical things you need to do to move that nation forward and I think that is grossly lacking in Africa.

I think until we get away from some ethnic politics and focus on merit and institute meritocracy, there is clearly a big challenge Africa What do you see as the gaps in journalism in Nigeria and how do you think they can be closed?

What is lacking often times is education. The medium you use to communicate is English if you don’t have a command of English you won’t be able to deliver. I find absolutely unintelligent of some people you write bad scripts, those who don’t have the requisite journalistic experience, and the problem of the ethics where people collect money, I find completely unethical. It completely destroys the whole point of Journalism which is supposed to be a watchdog on behalf

Aniagolu

of the people on the leadership. But when you go and collect money from those people, you compromise yourself. It’s same thing as corruption.

That’s basically what it is and the problem is people don’t seem to understand what they are doing. The whole brown envelope is a syndrome; an absolutely unacceptable in journalism.

It astonishes me that it’s not just the journalist, you have people in positions of leadership who tell you they are fighting corruption and then at the end, they are sharing big money. It has happened to me several times and I’m like ‘please don’t even think about it’. I’m talking about very senior Nigerians and they look at me strangely. I tell them under no circumstances would I receive it (brown envelope). On the other hand, journalists have to survive; so if there’s no consistency of remuneration you open them to that kind of thing. So it’s a due responsibility, but I think the onus is greater on the journalist to say these are the ethics of my job. If for instance the judiciary goes to collect money to dispense its job, when you compromise that, you destroy not

only the independence of the judiciary but the foundation of society and that foundation is the rule of law and the law of contract. But when you undermine that, you destroy the very foundations of a society and in the same way it is just as dangerous for a journalist to do that.

But do you think Nigerian journalists are globally competitive?

I’m seeing some absolutely fabulous writers – some of those who write in newspapers, including THISDAY – some of them very good in terms of their ability to write and understand the issues in the society. But beyond that there are other things where you often don’t have firsthand journalism. For example, there has been an insurgency raging in the North.

I’ve travelled and when the Chibok girls were taken, ARISE TV was the first national crew to go there and I was the reporter who led the team there when the Dapchi girls were released. I was there in Yobe State and we did a documentary.

What I find lacking is you don’t find that kind of first-hand reporting. A lot of people would say ‘they said’ without going there to find the story and give that independent verification – and often times you’ll sit here and see that the

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FOCUS The Nigeria of My Dream AFP press or foreign journalists telling you what is going on in Nigeria. It’s astonishing. I know there are a lot of things that hold back reporters here and I think the potential is certainly there with quite a lot of talented people, but I feel the key things are proper education, maintenance of the ethics of the profession and then having the ability to go out there and tell the story. I think in varying degrees, there are still a lot to be achieved in those directions.

What do you think is the future of journalism in Nigeria and on the African continent?

I think Nigeria particularly has given the world – in fairness to Nigeria – very robust journalism. If you look at the period of military, the annulment of the 1993 presidential election, we had a very intrepid press. You have the Dele Giwas.

These were people who were prepared to give their life for a story. To that extent they were consistent, by challenging the government and drawing the attention to bad governance, human rights violation and all sorts and I must say they worked very closely with some of the human right activists. So, to that extent they would certainly be remembered as great patriots who did a lot for this country and to move this country back to the right path of Democratic rectitude. To that extent they have to be congratulated.

So the problem is like leadership, it’s like taking one step forward, two steps backward. You have incredible journalists who sacrifice a lot and give their life’s push to up the bar. People like the Duke – Nduka Obaigbena – who try to maintain a very objective line which is absolutely essential in journalism especially in a country like Nigeria where there are many divisions and many are trying to get you to their own side, you have to be absolutely objective and I think he’s done that with ARISE and THISDAY. What will you call the highs and lows of your job as a news anchor at ARISE TV? Like I said we led the team in 2014.

We broke the news internationally of Chibok girls who were kidnapped. That was the high point for me, especially when we produced documentaries on Dapchi girls. I think ARISE TV has put its name and stamp on international journalism and has succeeded to put Africa on the map from the journalistic point of view as people who have the ability to tell their own story and I think without the shadow of doubt that in itself is a very significant achievement.

Have you had the opportunity of feedback from other competing international news organisations like CNN and BBC? There have been quite a lot of people who worked at the British Broadcasting Corporation, CNN, Aljazeera and also working with ARISE TV, so there’s that symbiotic relationship and I think there are rooms for improvement. But I’m sure if ARISE TV isn’t doing something right they won’t be coming to ARISE. Your show on the 2019 elections, dissects contemporary, critical issues without fear or favour. How do you see 2019 elections panning out?

It’s unpredictable at this point to be honest. I think the opposition led by Atiku Abubakar and the incumbent

Aniagolu

administration led by (Muhammadu) Buhari, almost have equal chances. We don’t know what is going to happen.

Looking at the two sides; they have their strengths and weaknesses. I think what would be astonishing is if a third force beyond those two was able to cause a really dramatic upset – that would be interesting. Because in 2015 what caused the upset which was dramatically interesting was the fact that an incumbent which has never happened before was removed from office and the incumbent conceded.

That was a remarkable period in Nigeria’s political history. Whether or not we are going to get that kind of dramatic development in 2019 I don’t know. Whether or not the promises that are being made now are going to be fulfilled, it’s a matter for the people to access. What we are trying to do in ‘Nigeria in 2019’ is to show Nigerians as much as possible, to challenge those promises, so we put their feet on the fire as it were, but ultimately it’s up to the Nigerian people and I think there are so many factors beyond the clarity of the two main parties. So many other things like ethnicity, poverty but we have to wait and see. But the real surprise, real upset would be if a third force would be able to come in and I’m very impressed by the rare range of presidential candidates. I think each one of them, the more prominent ones and perhaps the members of the third force; because I think they have to work hard. When I mean third force, the lesser well-known parties they probably have done their home works much better than the two

bigger parties who have the reach and can master the sort of voter participation and voter clout that can knock the other two off their feet.

What is the Nigeria of your dream?

The Nigeria of my dream is a place where certain things must be put in place – education is number one. You can’t have dreams of improving the society and economy and raising people out of poverty without having a proper educational system. Education is not just also about passing your exams. It’s also about instilling in people values that deter them from corruption, violence and all kinds of things and give them a sense of belonging. I would like to see a country where the issue of ethnicity is longer in the front burner. I think it’s absurd in a country like Nigeria with so many ethnic problems, you continue to perpetuate that by insisting that people may have been born and grown up here, but they come from somewhere else. That’s ludicrous. I’m a Nigerian but I was born in Scotland. As far as people in the UK are concerned I’m British and wherever I’m born is where I’m from and it makes no difference. I’m a British citizen. If somebody lives in northern or western Nigeria and they are from the Niger Delta and their children are born and brought up in the north or west that’s where they should come from.

That’s the right. It’s the same country, so I think those things hold back Nigeria and I would like to see those things disappear.

Arise TV broke the news internationally of Chibok girls who were kidnapped. That was the high point for me, especially when we produced documentaries on Dapchi girls. I think ARISE TV has put its name and stamp on international journalism and has succeeded to put Africa on the map from the journalistic point of view as people who have the ability to tell their own story and I think without the shadow of doubt that in itself is a very significant achievement

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T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R ˾ ͰͲ, Ͱͮͯͷ

ENCOUNTER

Oke Maduewesi

Turning Lemon into Lemonade for Widows While most companies engaged in special giveaways and treats for their customers on St Valentine’s Day, the CEO of Zaron Cosmetics, Oke Maduewesi, showered widows with tender love and care.

Vanessa Obioha reports

Maduewesi (2nd left) surrounded by some widows during her Valentine’s Day outreach Madue

O

ke Maduewesi was just 30 years old when she lost her husband in the 2005 Sosoliso plane crash. At the time, she was working in the banking industry and pregnant with her

Maduewesi

second child.

But like the popular saying ‘When Bu life gives giv you lemons, make lemonade,’ Maduewesi Madu turned her grief into passion by pur pursuing a dream in the beauty industry. indust She knew that she needed more than the th banking job to keep her body and sp spirit alive. An entrepreneurial fire was ignited ig in her and she followed it with aall her might and passion. She left the th bank ban and went abroad to have her Masters Master in Business Administration from ffrrro om o m th the University of Leeds. Her key goal go g oal al was w to create a recognised brand in Africa Afri rica that will impact lives. At the time, she ssh he had ha no idea what that would be. She just jju ust st k knew n she had to find a product and a channel chann to distribute it. ch The T h end-product of that research is Zaron Zaro on n Group of Companies. Formed from ffrro om m th the combination of her daughters’ names, naames Zara and Ona, Zaron has become n the tth h hee leading lea cosmetic brand in Nigeria aan nd beyond. be and Alt Although she shies away from the spotlig Maduewesi is a source of spotlight,

inspiration to many young women and widows.

Understanding the emotional needs of widows, Maduewesi has for many years through her Valentine’s Day outreach to widows, impacted on the lives of women who suffer same fate of losing their beloved.

This initiative of hers has helped bring succour to aching souls through acts of sisterhood.

“Widows don’t have romance. They don’t have anybody wishing them happy Valentine’s. You know that feelings that couples get, they don’t have that,” said Maduewesi, explaining her choice to celebrate widows on this particular day.

This year’s edition like previous ones focuses on reaching out to, and helping deprived widows lessen the burden that is tied to being a single mother. She does this through a series of activities that are projected to pamper, celebrate, and empower them. For its seventh edition, selection process started in last December.

Even with little or no fanfare, the turnout was impressive. This shows the increased awareness of the brand’s corporate social responsibility through the years. Sieving from that pool of entries, 30 widows were selected.

Assembled at about 10am last Thursday, each entrant was treated to a makeover session. Head, Business Development and Communication for the brand, Ebony

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FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ˾ T H I S DAY, T H E S U N DAY N E W S PA P E R

ENCOUNTER

Creating a Perfect Romance for Widows Nzimiro stated the significance of the makeover treat.

“Zaron is known for being the brand that redefines the essence of beauty, so while makeup can do a lot on the outside, true beauty starts from within. When you are happy, even your skin shows it. With or without makeup, you radiate. So, even as a makeup brand, with a lot of these women... because they have been through so much hurt and pain, and hardship, they tend to look or seem a bit dried up from the inside out. Even after just spending a couple of hours with us, you just see them start glowing, and that’s the beauty from within.”

Maduewesi’s arrival was preceded by praise and worship session from the widows who were received at the top floor of the one storey building that serves as headquarter for Zaron cosmetics. For this occasion, she donned a minimalist blue flower patterned, free flowing jumpsuit which defied any expectations –held by most – of meeting a flamboyantly dressed fashion executive. Her fashion effort for the event was a stripped down choice that didn’t overshadow the essence of the day – to appreciate the less fortunate in the circle of widows. Commanding respect with a touch of humility, she graciously introduced herself and answered a few

questions from the members of the press before heading upstairs to be with her invited guests.

She was met upstairs with cheers from a group of women from different ethnic and religious backgrounds. A score and half, Maduewesi united them under her roof to share her life’s journey following the loss of her husband to the fatal Sosoliso plane crash that claimed lives in 2005.

In what turned into a heart-to-heart session, each widow took turns indulging the listening audience to their tales of woe, and how they have managed to keep head above water.

Their experiences ranged from being forced to leave their husbands homes, relatives showing sexual interest in them, to excommunication from the families they were married into. These inhumane acts not only left them financially incapacitated, it left them with emotional and mental scars. Amid uncontrollable tears from an overwhelming sense of loss, Maduewesi was more than eager to lend a physical shoulder to support them as they succumbed to emotions.

“I’m a widow,” Maduewesi said beaming. “It’s funny I’m smiling and saying it, I’m a widow, so I know the challenges that widows go through, and I know that God has really, really been very

faithful to me. I mean, I can’t completely solve their problems but I’m trying to just send love , and help them because I know it is tough being a single mom, it is tough having to lose that person you love. So, we are just trying to spread love and make sure that we minimise their pain. We can’t completely take it out, but we reduce their pain.”

On the contrary, not all were tearyeyed. A handful rose proudly on their feet to support and encourage the rest, telling them that the widow status is a new chapter in their lives they must learn to embrace in order to surmount the pressures often tethered to it, in order to raise their children, and build better communities.

Perhaps out of personal experience, Maduewesi believes in giving back to help less fortunate ones establish themselves with whatever venture they choose for livelihood. To wrap the event, she handed seed money to each to help them start up a trade, or reinforce the current one they are invested in. As each widow received their cheques, they knelt in awe, but Maduewesi was quick to get on her knee to embrace each one. For each time she repeats this, she rose with a newly empowered widow who not only got a beauty makeover, but one who gets a fresh start at life.

This year’s edition like previous ones focuses on reaching out to, and helping deprived widows lessen the burden that is tied to being a single mother. She does this through a series of activities that are projected to pamper, celebrate, and empower them. For its seventh edition, selection process started in last December.

Even with little or no fanfare, the turnout was impressive. This shows the increased awareness of the brand’s corporate social responsibility through the years. Sieving from that pool of entries, 30 widows were selected

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THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

POLITY

Edward Onoja,Yahaya Bello and Simon Achuba

Confidence Crisis Unsettles Kogi Government For some time now, there’s been no-love-lost between the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello and his deputy, Simon Achuba, a development which now threatens the peace and progress of the entire government, writes Yekini Jimoh

T

he crisis between the Governor of Kogi State, Alhaji Yahaya Bello and his deputy, Elder Simon Achuba took a different dimension sometime last week, when the deputy governor cried out over the withdrawal of his security details by the governor.

It all started before 2015 general election, when Achuba who was a member of PDP defected to APC in May 2015 and became the running mate to Bello, who was sworn-in on the 27th January 2016 without a deputy.

The circumstances that led to the choice of Achuba were occasion by the death of the Abubakar Audu, the standard bearer of the APC in the November 2015 governorship election in Kogi State, who died a few hours before the declaration of the election results.

Hon. James Faleke was Audu’s running mate, who was expected to step into the shoes of his principal, but he could not achieve the feat after the tedious litigations that ended at the Supreme Court in favour of Bello.

Faleke, thus, felt cheated by the apex court and declined to pick the deputy governor’s position, describing the judgment as ‘cash and carry’. However after series of consultations, horse-trading and political maneuverings, Achuba eventually emerged the deputy governor and was sworn in on Tuesday, February 10, 2016/by the state Chief Judge, Justice Nasiru Ajanah, having gone through confirmation by the state House of Assembly.

Problem however started, when the former deputy speaker with his experience, advised the governor to always carry everyone along so that the aggrieved members who had left the party could come back.

Some cabal in government particularly, the Chief of Staff to the governor Chief Edward Onoja, who does not believe in the idea, took the bull by the horn to call the deputy governor to order.

Since March last year, the deputy governor has been sidelined by those in charge in the state, such that he no longer attends any government function.

What more, his role has been taken over by Onoja and at times, the assignments meant for him are assigned to either the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Matthew Kolawole or the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Mrs. Ayoade Folashade Arike.

The crisis was further exposed last November, when Bello travelled out of the country and handed over to the Speaker, Matthew. The development created uproar from stakeholders but within 24 hours, a circular granting the deputy governor a two-month holiday was circulated.

Achuba had been accused of having secretly visited Senate President Bukola Saraki, who doubles as the Director General, Atiku Presidential Campaign organisation at the latter’s official residence in Abuja last November. Those who have hinted that Achuba will defect to PDP by December during the PDP presidential campaign to the state were, however, disappointed as he stayed back to do the battle in spite of the alleged ill-treatment against him.

His salary and impress were said to have been stopped by the governor, while power supply and water have been disconnected from his official residence and office.

His alleged sin has also been visited on a former Chairman of Ibaji local government council, Mr. Thomos Ofor. He was removed from office as Chairman, because he was loyal to Achuba, who happened to come from the same local government as him.

Also, Mr. Honorious Aromeh, who was Senior Special Assistant on Political Matters to the deputy governor, was also removed from office as a result of the crisis.

Some weeks ago, Onoja visited Ibaji the local government, the base of the deputy governor and accused him as being enemy within.

Speaking at a town hall meeting, Onoja specifically accused the embattled deputy governor of taking kickbacks from road contractors working on some roads in the area.

He disclosed that the deputy governor was under investigation for his alleged offence, blaming him for the failure of the government to deliver its mandate to the good people of Ibaji. He berated Achuba for Ibaji’s backwardness, saying they would be surprised by some of the revelations he was about to be given, concerning their son.

He noted with disappointment that since the inception of the Fourth Republic, the area has continued to give political supports to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without any benefits to show in terms of infrastructure developments or the elevation of any of their sons or daughters to higher positions in the state.

But in a swift reaction, Hon. Aromeh, a former Senior Special Assistant on political matters to the deputy governor, described Onoja as a sinking man, saying the comments made by the chief of staff, clearly portrayed him as a man with the spirit of lying and wondered how a person in the capacity of the governor’s aide would sit in public to derogate the office of the Deputy Governor by formulating lies all in an attempt to cover the inadequacies of a government.

“Who was the contractor that alleged that the Deputy Governor collected kick-back? Was it because the Deputy Governor also collected kick-back that Bassa road is not completed? Was it because the Deputy Governor collected kick-back that roads in the Western and Central Senatorial Districts are not done.

“Was it because the deputy governor collected kick-back that made projects ongoing to be inconclusive, and why the government cannot commission a project in three years, while workers and pensioners are not being paid salaries and pension for between 30 and 35 months?”

The SSA described as blatant lies, allegations that the deputy governor tried creating disaffection between the Attah Igala and the government, pointing out that, “The Attah Igala is a father to the deputy governor and all their discussions at all-time centre on the growth of Igala land.

The situation became critical, when Achuba, a week back

addressed Journalists at his official residence, where he made it known to the world that his life was in danger.

Ahuba, at the press news conference, said he was shocked after returning from a trip to his village, where he had gone for the rescheduled elections to find the gate to his official residence empty without any of his security personnel.

“I was surprised to see that all policemen attached to my house have been withdrawn. I then put a call across to the Commissioner of police, Hakeem Busari, who also expressed shock and promised to give an urgent attention.

According to him, “After about an hour, I called him again but he refused to pick my call. I sent a text message to him and up till now, he has not got back to me.”

The deputy governor said that the police commissioner was pretending if he claimed not to be aware and called on the Acting Inspector General of Police to intervene so as to maintain law and order in the state.

He also called on the federal government to intervene in the affairs of Kogi State, whose citizens have been subjected to series of hardships through the anti-people policies by those who forget that power is transient.

“When God gives you privilege to rule a people, the people should not be taken for granted, you don’t have to use force for your policy to scale through if they are popular and people oriented.”

He said that the point of departure between him and the governor was in the area of urging the government to do things according to the will of the people to which no one have been listening.

When contacted, the Director-General, media and publicity to the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, said “It is not the responsibility of the Governor to give security even to himself. The security heads do. So, the governor is not responsible for posting security to the deputy governor. So, if his claims are true, kindly get in touch with the security agencies to give explanations.”

On its part when contacted, the police commissioner, Busari said “He contacted me and I told him I was going to look into it and I’m working on it to know what to do. I want to contact the ADC to the Governor why the deputy governor’s details were withdrawn.

I spoke to the deputy governor – I think this morning that I was going to do something about.”

According to him, “He requested for two extra policemen prior to the withdrawal of his details. I don’t know if those two were given to him before the withdrawal of his details.

“We post policemen to Government House but I think it’s the ADC to the governor who is the person in charge of security at the Government House. He posts them. There is no problem. We will send two policemen there pending when the issue will be resolved,” he said. But barely 30 minutes after the press briefing, all the security details of the deputy governor were restored. However, the last, clearly, have not been heard of the crisis of confidence between the duo and as time passes by, the chaff would be separated from the grain.

FEBRUARY 24, 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

63 with LANRE ALFRED 08076885752

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

Still on Kemi Adeosun

No amount of mouthwatering perks associated with a new political office would make Kemi Adeosun, the disgraced former Minister of Finance make her return to Nigeria or public office. She has told friends and associates that she has given Nigeria, and everything that has to do with her, a wide berth. She also confided in them that she is not in a hurry to get a job abroad.

Nobody in her shoes should.

Though she was in office at a most troubled time in the annals of Nigeria, during which the economy plunged into a devastating recession, Adeosun, given Nigerian public officials’ access to wealth, is made for life.

Add to that propensity, the fact that for three years, she sat atop Nigeria’s treasury with the concomitant powers, getting a job should not feature in her plans in the next few years.

Adeosun resigned her plum appointment over allegations that she forged her National Youth Service Corps certificate.

The matter raged on for several months before she eventually resigned. In her resignation letter addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari, she noted that she was shocked by the outcome of the investigation done on the allegation that her NYSC certificate which she had earlier tendered as Commissioner for Finance in Ogun State was not genuine. “I was born and raised in the United Kingdom, indeed my parental family home remains in London.

Mrs. Obi

Amaechi

Abe

For Their Selfish Interests…

Amaechi, Abe Become Losers The worst kind of enemy has to be the friend that you have been through the trenches together, knows your weaknesses and strengths and best kept secrets. It is why the bitter fallout of the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and his estranged friend and lifelong political associate, Senator Magnus Abe representing Rivers South-East Senatorial district, is as destructive to both of them and all that they represent, as the accusations and counter-accusations are becoming too sordid and sensational.

The genesis of their fallout is the refusal of Amaechi to support Abe’s governorship ambition despite, according to the latter, ‘Amaechi promising the entire leadership of the Ogoni Nation the same governorship.’

Abe is from the Ogoni clan. As the leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, their refusal to find a common ground led to a legal tussle over whose faction’s primary election should be recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the eventual disqualification of the APC from the general election.

Early February, the Supreme Court ruled that the APC will not field any candidate in Rivers State in the general election, except for the presidential polls. This, effectively, nullifies the ambitions of Amaechi and Abe and their supporters. Before then, a Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt had nullified the primaries conducted

by the two factions of the party and also restrained them from presenting Tonye Cole, Amaechi’s choice or Abe, and other candidates of the party.

Last Friday, while reacting to claims that he was working for Governor Nyesom Wike to destabilize the party, Abe claimed that Amaechi knows him well enough to know that he cannot be used by anybody to do something he does not believe in.

Citing an example, he recalled, “Amaechi as governor worked with me and he is aware that several times he ordered me to do things that I considered wrong, or incompatible with my principles, I not only refused to carry out such orders but I always told him to his face that I would not do them and I never did. When he ordered me to go arrange to bomb the INEC office in Port Harcourt after the 2015 elections, I told him to his face that I cannot be part of any action that would involve violence and death because of politics.”

Abe said further, “His refusal as a leader to accept responsibility for his actions is the reason the party is in this state. The bulk of the fight against Wike in 2015 was in my senatorial district, I led the fight in person from the front even in the face of clear personal danger. It is unfortunate that rather than face the real issues, the minister has continued to engage in name calling, inciting violence, and abusing those that can help to find solutions.”

The friendship between Amaechi and Abe dates back to their days as members of the Rivers State House of Assembly during when he became the minority leader while Amaechi became Speaker. Interestingly, both men were born in 1965, three days apart – Abe was born on May 24, while Amaechi’s birthday is May 27.

Amaechi remained a legislator from 2003 to 2007 while Abe served during the same period as a commissioner of information under then Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili. Amaechi went on to succeed Odili as governor and appointed his friend as the Secretary to the state government.

In 2011, when Amaechi was reappointed for a second term, Abe won election as senator and got a second term in 2015. So, from their early days as young politicians, their fates had been intertwined. Their point of divergence, however, was Amaechi’s insistence to support Tonye Cole, oil and gas billionaire and co-founder of Sahara Energy as governorship candidate. Abe refused to accept his leader’s choice, went ahead to conduct a parallel congress that predictably produced him as governorship candidate, and instituted the court case that has now done their party in. Now, both men have, as things stand, lost out in the battle for who controls the political and economic spoils of one of Nigeria’s richest state.

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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 ˾ ͰͲ, Ͱͮͯͷ

HIGHLIFE

The Igbinedions Mourn: The Esama Still in Shock At 84, the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion has seen the best and the worst sides of life. Nothing should shock him again, really. But the tragic death of his favourite grandson, Osaretin, last week, has left the old man in numbing shock. Osaretin is the second son of former governor of Edo State, Lucky Igbinedion and his wife, Eki. He died alongside his nephew, Esosa Oyemwense, in a fatal auto crash in Texas, the United States on February 15 afternoon.

A freight truck pulling multiple trailers collided with their car near North Slide and Clovis Highway in Texas, USA. The semi-truck, owned by Old Dominion Freight Line, was carrying hazardous material. A Lubbock Fire Rescue hazmat team was brought in for clean-up because of worries about a chemical spill but the hazardous material inside of the trailer was contained.

The driver of the truck was taken to the hospital with minor injuries while

he cut short the life of two promising young Nigerians. Osaretin’s father, the former governor, had returned to Benin, the Edo State capital, to prepare for the rescheduled presidential elections when news reached him.

Esosa, on the other hand, is the son of his wife, Eki’s younger brother, Nowa Oyemwese. 23-year-old Osaretin graduated from the University of Pittsburgh’s College of Business Administration with a degree in marketing and a minor in economics.

He has also recently completed a Master of Science degree in International Management at Northeastern University and was planning to return home in a few months. Now, it is his corpse that would return home, all hopes and aspirations dead and buried, leaving behind a grieving family and an inconsolable grandfather. Sympathizers have been thronging his parents’ home in Benin, as much as they have been consoling his grandpa, the Esama.

Osanebi

Sitting on the Fence?... Wisdom of Ibe Kachikwu

Imoukhuede

As different ministers under President Muhammadu Buhari are pulling their weight in their respective states and beyond, meeting stakeholders and canvassing for votes for the reelection of the president, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has been coldly indifferent and detached or so. The last time he was seen during electioneering was at the presidential campaign in Warri,

the Delta State capital on January 16.

Independent sources say that while Kachikwu is not a featherweight in a state where the All Progressives Congress, APC, is blessed to have Great Ogboru, with his massive grassroots appeal, as the governorship candidate; and former two-term governor of the state, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, as a senatorial candidate, among others, the heat of his weight is not being felt.

Kachikwu is being flayed for refusing to pull his weight, which is giving many people close to him, worries. The allegation now is that the minister is a closet supporter of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate.

Kachikwu and Atiku have been friends for several years predating his appointment as Minister and Group MD of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Another source said Kachikwu has allegedly been bitter with the Buhari administration since he was removed as Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in 2016.

It would be recalled that Kachikwu was first appointed GMD in August 2015 to wide public acclaim. In November, he was further appointed as Minister of State which he combined with his GMD portfolio.

In July 2016, he was removed as NNPC GMD and replaced by Dr. Maikanti Baru. Indeed, since the appointment of Baru, the relationship between the two First Class brains has been frosty. This climaxed with the leak of a memo Kachikwu wrote to the President accusing his successor at the NNPC of, among other things, insubordination and sharp practices.

Baru did not take it lying low as he fired back with the same venom until the presidency waded in. Despite concerted efforts by the presidency to thaw the ice between the two eggheads in the wake of the leaked memo, recent revelations have proved that there is no end in sight to their long-drawn face off. Dr. Kachikwu was also said to have felt slighted that he doesn’t have as much access to his principal as he wanted which might have resorted to his current aloofness. Does he think he would fare better under an Atiku administration?

Femi Otedola’s Last Daughter, Temi, Is Hooked The last time billionaire Femi Otedola had a party was the burial of his late father, Sir Michael Otedola, the former Governor of Lagos State, in May 2014. Well, that hiatus is about to be broken.

The self-effacing billionaire may have cause to gather family, friends and associates together in no distant time as his beautiful daughter, Temi, has been hooked.

Her boyfriend, the music star, Tosin Ajibade, otherwise known as Mr Eazi, has popped the question. Last Valentine’s Day, the international songster laid out a dining table for the pleasure of Temi with whom he had been involved for the past two years. He captioned the picture as ‘Will You Be Mine’.

There was a corresponding video of the couple goofing around with large ‘love’ goggles as Mr Eazi later flashed a card bearing ‘Be Mine’.

Close friends said the music star is serious about spending the rest of his life with the billionaire heiress who is just 22.

The son of a successful pilot, 27-year-old Mr Eazi is a mechanical engineering graduate of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. He is the pioneer of Banku music, a fusion sound he describes as a mixture of Ghanaian highlife and Nigerian chord progressions and patterns. In a recent interview, he described how they met. “I met Temi in London. Her sister (DJ Cuppy) invited me for an event somewhere in Knightsbridge. She (also) invited her sister (Temi). And by the time (Temi) came, (Cuppy) was already playing, so she came to the table and all of a sudden, it was just me and Temi sitting down.

So, obviously, you have to socialise, so I said, Hi what’s up, my name is Mr Eazi.”That was the beginning of a romance that has taken the couple round different continents.

They were together at the Alakijas’ glamorous wedding in London and have been to Ghana where Mr Eazi also calls home. Temi, on the other hand, is a fashion blogger and the last child of the billionaire.

When she graduated recently with a Bachelors Degree in History of Art from the University College London, her father gifted her a Range Rover.

Temi Otedola

FEBRUARY 24, 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

Bolanle Ambode Celebrates 55th Birthday without Pomp or Praises

Bolanle Ambode

Life is transient. Power is ephemeral.

For the First Lady of Lagos State, Bolanle Ambode, February 15th would have made her realize the poignant reality of that saying. That day, she clocked 55, a landmark birthday, no doubt. Unlike the previous years, especially since her dear husband became the governor of Nigeria’s richest state, advertorials in newspapers and every available media usually buffeted her from all corners of the globe. Some hailers once mounted a billboard to celebrate her birthday.

But music has changed. The horde of sycophants has now reduced.

Apart from a few advertorials from close friends and half-hearted birthday wishes, Mrs. Ambode’s 55th birthday passed like any ordinary day. Men and women who rode on her goodwill to societal acclaim conveniently forgot to place congratulatory messages to her in foremost news dailies as they did years ago. The silence of the social circuit and Nigeria’s high society as one of their own

Traffic Bar: The New Watering Hole for the Island In-Crowd It has been a long time coming. Since the closure of other hip, respectable hangouts like A-Bar and La Casa, owned

by Folly Coker (who is now the Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, NTDC), some of the greying silver-spoons like Femi Akande, Hakeem Muri-Okunola and Sola Ojora among others have had to make do with whatever new lounge or bar that is close to them to unwind and network.

There was no regular convergence for these middle-aged ‘ballers’ as it was in the days of A-Bar and La Casa. For a long time, nowhere felt like home again. Some of them had to return to the traditional watering holes like the Boat Club and Ikoyi Club but the energy, youthfulness, and dynamism of La Casa were not there for them.

The upscale Quilox, which should have been a veritable stomping ground, has been taken over by boys with no traceable source of wealth. Quilox ’s

major clientele are the pant-sagging celebrities and bourgeoisie. The big boys were in limbo, socially. Again, the proprietor, Shina Peller, was never a part of the Island Crowd and so he and his outfit are still considered outsiders and kept at arm’s length by the guys who actually own the Island nightlife.

With the coming of Traffic Bar, however, the Island in-crowd, the real thoroughbreds, those whose names resonate, now have a semblance of what they had missed. Owned by Chuks Iroche, the younger brother of Chief Sunny Iroche, a successful banker and former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chairmanship aspirant, Traffic Bar actually started in Abuja. And we gathered that is the go-to place for top politicians and businessmen who desire a cozy place to chill and network.

The Lagos branch opened a few months ago and in its short stint, has quickly won over the hearts of many.

Hakeem Muri-Okunola

From the store design and decor to their staff, Traffic symbolizes a culture of pioneering, electrifying and captivating creativity in all its activities.

Aftermath of Visionscape: Nothing Has Changed, Really!

Obasa

The intrepid and well-fed rodents still scurry through the streets in broad daylight. Their refuge is the heaps of putrid refuse that dot the landscape from Iganmu to Ikeja and everywhere in-between.

Nothing has changed since Visionscape, the Dubai-based environmental utility group, shut down its operations last October, paving way for the private sector

partnership, PSP, operators to resume refuse collection and disposal as ordered by the Lagos State House of Assembly.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, said, “We insist that we don’t know anything about Visionscape because we were not consulted before they started work. We once wrote the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Akinyemi Ashade, not to pay Visionscape again and he would return any money he paid to them after our instruction, to the coffers of the state government.” Yet, they had been operating in the state for over two years under the Akinwunmi Ambode administration’s Cleaner Lagos Initiative.

Visionscape effectively left Lagos in October 2018.

In a statement signed by Simon Reading, Chairman of the Board of Investors, he noted that management took the decision following heightening political tension in the state and reported cases of attack on its employees and destruction of its operational vehicles and equipment. “Security reports brought to our attention contain details of a surge in violent attacks on the trucks/ equipment and, in some cases, the operators. Of utmost concern are the recent developments surrounding the turbulent political environment wherein it was reported that the opposition in the upcoming gubernatorial race used subversive language about the residential collections contract and called it “a misadventure.”

Prior to the coming of Visionscape, the PSP operators were in charge of refuse collection and disposal in Lagos. Governor Ambode championed the controversial

multimillion-dollar Visionscape deal conceived as the brightest, revolutionary idea to reform the established waste management processes for a megalopolis like Lagos.

The contention was that there was a need for the issue of waste to be properly addressed because waste needs storage (bins), aggregation (transfer loading stations), processing (material recovery/ recycling) and proper disposal (engineered sanitary landfill).

To pave the way for the deal, Ambode cancelled the existing contracts with the PSP waste managers and consequently, brought in Visionscape Sanitations Solutions Limited and its strategic partners for deployment of waste management infrastructure.

Believing that he was in cahoots with the state government on the deal, the waste managers sought former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s intervention. He promised to speak with the governor and quipped philosophically, “If it is not broken, don’t fix it.”

Alas, Visionscape, despite all its fanciful mini waste disposal trucks, the colourful aprons of its staff, and multimillion-dollar investments, could not deal with the mammoth wastes in Lagos. Soon, Lagos became a euphemism for dirt. Everywhere you turned in the state, heaps of dirt with the concomitant reproduction of vermin, became a common sight. Lagos was back to its pre-1999 days. Even after Visionscape’s departure, the state remains as dirty as it was months ago.

clocked 55 leaves much to be desired.

This is so because her husband is on his way out of the government house. In fact, his term runs out on May 29, 2019, about three months away. Nobody, it seems, feels the need to curry her favour any longer, alas. Ambode fell short of the benevolence of his party’s leadership which went on to deny him a second term ticket. It is the first time it would happen in Lagos State since the return to democracy in 1999.

Death of Nigeria’s First Super Model, Yemi Fawaz...Her Unfulfilled Dreams Had death tarried, Nigeria’s first supermodel, Yemi Fawaz, would have loved to see her 33year old daughter, Magadelene Oluwatosin, get married but fate truncated her earthly journey at 64. On Wednesday, February 20, Oluwatosin, broke the news of her mother’s death on Facebook; “It is with great sadness that I am announcing the passing of my Mother, Deaconess Yemi Fawaz.

We thank God for her well-lived life and for her strong faith in the Lord Almighty. Her homegoing arrangements will be announced soon. I ask that you keep our family in your prayers and I am grateful that she was able to touch you all in so many ways.”

Born in Nigeria to a Lebanese father and a Nigerian mother, the fair-skinned beauty had a successful career as a fashion and photographic model, beauty promoter/consultant, fashion designer, events organizer, chef and a restaurateur. She opened the first modelling school and professional modelling agency in Nigeria and West Africa. When she became born again in 1991, she quit modelling. She was diagnosed with enlarged heart, also known as congestive heart failure in 1999 and relocated to the United States of America where she eventually passed on. She is survived by Oluwatosin.

Fawaz

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24 , 2019

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Adebayo Adeoye bayoolunla@gmail.com; 08054680651

SOCIETY WATCH

Prince Tonye Princewill’s Political Catastrophe When Prince Tonye Princewill emerged as the Labour Party candidate in the build-up to the 2015 governorship election in Rivers State, he changed the political calculation in the state, as he became the toast of all.

However, prior to that time, the Prince of Kalabari had represented the Action Congress in the 2007 election, a situation that made many think that he had successfully built his political base.

As a result, many had thought that the billionaire would surely get the job at the Brick House.

But surprisingly, the dream met a kiss of death.

Society Watch gathered that it took him a long time before he was able to get over the shock, and he licked his wound for a longer period of time because a lot of his money went down the drains Although he is now a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, he dare not aspire for a political post for what a source described as his “nonelectoral value”.

The light-skinned businessman, who has interest in both upstream and downstream oil and gas, information technology, environmental waste management and aviation services, was born in the United Kingdom to the family of King T. J. T. Princewill, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari Kingdom of the Amachree Dynasty of Rivers State.

His father was a professor of Medical Microbiology before he became a monarch.

Princewill, who also holds a PRINCE 2 Project Management Practitioner Certificate from the United Kingdom, started off his career with Shell as a Reservoir and Well-site Petroleum Engineer.

He also worked with the UK’s Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency, the Department of Trade and Industry (United Kingdom) as Risk Analyst.

Princewill’

Olakunle Churchill’s New Love At the moment, Olakunle Oladunni Churchill, CEO, Big Churchill Haven Limited, cannot be happier.

The reason is not unconnected to the fact that he has now found a new love.

In other words, he has found a potent balm to his aching heart, since his marriage to his estrange wife, Tonto Dikeh, an actress, crashed.

Society Watch gathered the businessman has once again been hit by the Cupid arrow, as he is said to be having a sizzling romance with a Ghanaian lady simply known as Nana.

Nana, who graduated from a South African university, has reportedly swept Olakunle off his feet so much so that he

is considering taking her to the altar very soon.

It will be recalled that Churchill and Tonto’s wedding had gained media attention, particularly because of Churchil’s relationship with former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

But the marriage that produced a son didn’t last long due to irreconcilable differences.

At the onset of their marital palaver, Tonto had gained the sympathy of many, while Churchill was able to win some people to his side.

But last year, things became messier when the actress took to the social media to throw shades at Churchill.

Churchill

Who Wants Pacific Group Boss, Deji Adeleke, Dead?

Although billionaire Deji Adeleke is from a large family that parades several politicians, he tries as much as possible to keep away from politics.

So, he prefers to mind his business. Even when his late younger brother, Isiaka, was in the Senate, he was only concerned about his vast business empire.

But immediately after another of his younger brother, Ademola, went into politics following the death of Isiaka, Deji, who is the chairman, Pacific Group, was caught in the web of Nigeria’s murky waters of politics.

Though he cannot be said to be involved in active politics, he is considered as one of the top financiers of the party in the state.

For his role in sponsoring the opposition party, the PDP and his brother, who is contesting the ruling APC’s governorship victory in court, he is said to be presently under alleged security threat.

In view of this, the chieftains of the party are said to be worried about his safety based on security reports that some dark forces may be after his life.

Consequently, the Osun State chapter of PDP petitioned the Inspector General

Adeleke

of Police, Abubakar Adamu Mohammed, alleging threat to the life of Deji.

The letter titled “ Security Alert: Attempt To Cause A Breach Of Peace, Attack The Convoy Of Our State Chairman And Our Leader, Dr. Deji Adeleke, By The Duo Of Adejare Bello And Bashiru Ajibola And Their Cohorts” and signed by the state Chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo and the party’s Secretary , Prince Bola Ajao, read in part: “Sir, this is to bring to your notice a very reliable intelligence report we got following a clandestine meeting attended by Adejare Bello and Ajibola Bashiru (the APC Osun Central Senatorial candidate). t5hey have perfected plans and already mobilized thugs to attack the convoy of our state Chairman, Hon. Soji Adagunodo and our leader, Dr. Deji Adeleke while on the campaign tour of the state , particularly, Ila and Ifelodun local councils.

“It is very important and urgent for the security agencies to check and call them to order and also hold them responsible for any breach of the peace in this respect.”

The Director-General of the DSS, , Osun State Commissioner of Police and the state Director of DSS were also copied.

Celebrating Florence Ita-Giwa @73 Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, otherwise known as Mama Bakassi, means different things to different people.

To some, she is a notable politician who has been in the forefront of the struggle for the betterment of her people.

To some others, she is a philanthropist and a fashion icon. She is also widely acknowledged to have positively impacted her society.

Little wonder, her profile continues to soar higher. Her position as one of the most famous women in the Nigerian social and political circles is incontestable.

In the past years, she has been involved in a lot of things, including activism, politics, business and more.

Interestingly, her involvement in all these is not to court cheap publicity or relevance.

At 73, she still graces the covers of newspapers and celebrity magazines, while paparazzi still run after her at events to take her pictures for her ever beautiful face and timeless fashion sense.

Perhaps, this explains why at birthday never goes unnoticed. She is like a big masquerade that dances at the market square.

Last Tuesday, the woman of substance marked her 73 birthday. Though it was devoid of loud celebrations, many, particularly her beneficiaries, still found their way to her home to show their appreciation for her kindness and compassion.

It was gathered that the birthday was celebrated with her children and a few friends in Calabar.

But it was also gathered that the birthday

would be celebrated in a grand style at the opening of her new Echoes of Calabar Restaurant on March 3, at Akin Olugbade Street, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The birthday party as well as the launch will be graced by the high and mighty in the society.

She was born in 1946 in Cross River to the late journalist, Beatrice Bassey-Ita. After her secondary education, Ita-Giwa travelled to Kilburn Polytechnic, U.K., where she graduated in Nursing. She landed a job as a representative for the Beecham Pharmaceutical Company.

In a search of personal development, she moved to Standall Pharmaceutical, where she was made a representative in Lagos State.

In 1992, she was elected a member of the House of Representatives of Representatives Committee on the Devolution of Power, a membership she held until June 12 election.

Again, in 1994, she was re-elected into the constituent assembly, a decision that would lead to her to prepare a new constitution for Nigeria.

That same year, she earned the name “Mama Bakassi” after her involvement in the Bakassi tussle.

By 1999, Ita-Giwa had established herself as a defender of the people such that she was elected a Senator representing the Cross River South constituency and member, Committees on Rules and Procedures, Environment, Foreign Affairs, Women, Niger Delta and Drug & Narcotics.

In 2003, she became a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and was

Ita-Giwa

appointed as President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters.

Asides politics, the philanthropist runs the Bakassi Children Foundation, which caters to the education of Bakassi creeks children from the ages of one.

Only recently, she was awarded The Sun Lifetime Achievement Award.

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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 24, 2019

SOCIETY WATCH

Bola Tinubu’s Special Birthday Gift

Tinubu

As a loving wife to one of Nigeria’s billionaires, she can afford to thrown an elaborate birthday bash if she so desires.

But unlike some others in her class, Bola, wife of the Oando Group Chief Executive, Wale Tinubu, prefers a fairly quiet life.

So, last Monday when she added another year to her eventful journey in life, she refused to make any noise.

Interestingly, less than 24 hours to her birthday, the loving mother got a gift: she was elected as a fellow of another prestigious United Kingdom association, the ICSA: The Governance Institute.

The Institute is a non-profit professional body championing high standards of governance and development of value, skills and effectiveness of company secretaries and professionals in all sectors.

Excited Tinubu wrote on her social media platform: “Good governance for non-profits means better accountability, transparency and quality ratings.”

This, it was gathered, has been her priority rather than globe-trotting, visiting

expensive shops to buy diamonds and gold.

Beautiful Bola runs her own law firm, Olajide Oyewole LLP and remains one of the very few wealthy ones who are so passionate about changing the world.

She has remained unshaken in her resolve to end child sexual abuse in Nigeria.

In pursuit of this noble quest, she established the first free children’s helpline in Nigeria- Cece Yara Foundation.

The foundation helps in the prevention of child sexual abuse in Nigeria, and has even opened the Cece Yara Child Advocacy Centre, a state-of-the-art forensic suite for children who have experienced sexual abuse, in Lagos.

This great initiative earned her the recognition of being named among the BBC’s 100 Women of 2018.

The list celebrates 100 inspiring and influential women ranging from age 15 to 94 from around the world.

Chisco Boss’Daughter, Chiamaka, Weds Penultimate Saturday, the Chairman of Chisco Group of Companies, Chidi Anyaegbu, played host to family members and friends within and outside the country when his beautiful daughter, Chiamaka, got married to her heartthrob, Chukwudalu Anulude, son of an Anambra High Chief Judge, Justice Gloria Anulude.

The wedding, which had all the trappings of a classy event, kicked off with the holy solemnization at the St. Johns Anglican Church, Falomo, Ikoyi, Lagos.

After the church service, the ceremony continued at the beautifully decorated Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos for the reception chaired by Dr. John Nnia Nwodo, who is the President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.

There, it was obvious to all that the bride’s father had a commanding sense of hospitality, as the gaily dressed guests were treated to continental, Chinese and local delicacies and expensive wines.

Hip-hop sensation, Reekado Banks, spiced up the party with his hit banger songs and a popular band, The Veentage Band, also serenaded the guests.

The roll-call of the guests included the duo of super billionaires, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola.

Others were Bola Shagaya; Fidelity Bank Managing Director , Nnamdi Okonkwo; Joke Shogunro; popular legal practitioner, Mike Igbokwe SAN; Gen. Ike Nwachukwu(retd.) and his wife, Gwen Nwachukwu; top socialite and businesswoman, Joke Sogunro;

former Lagos Commissioner and DirectorGeneral of the Budget Office for the federation, Ben Akabueze, among notable others.

The bride studied IT Management at the University of Sheffield, UK, and is an IT consultant, while the groom is also an expert in programming and software technology.

Oba AbdulFatai Akamo’s Glitz

Oba AbdulFatai Akorede

The Olu of Itori, Ogun State, Oba AbdulFatai Akorede Akamo proved his status as the chairman of the Progressives Obas Forum with a large presence of traditional rulers at his Itori Day.

Since May 2018 when the forum was inaugurated, Oba Akamo has been a rallying point for other obas to the delight of Ogun State and local government.

Owing to this, Oba Akamo enjoyed the compliment of his colleagues, who were also decked in the colourful ankara fabrics worn by all guests including their hosts, Oba Akamo himself. The annual occasion saw the top socialite oba in his hospitality best, welcoming crème-la-de-crème of the society from home and in the diaspora to his exquisite palace which can match any A-class architectural masterpiece.

The beautiful queen , Olori Faderera Barakat, was also in her usual best attending to invited dignitaries, including her personal friends who had come to share the mood with her and her youthful looking hubby.

Olori Akamo played a key role in coordinating some activities, especially before the occasion. Itori town wore a glamour look from the entrance on LagosAbeokuta expressway with bill boards, banners and other promotional items informing the public of the ongoing grand function in the town.

The arrival of Oba Akamo to the dance

floor was dramatic as he was led by a group of ladies who showcased the culture of the land with applause from the mammoth crowd. The traditional ruler freely mixed with his people, all of whom were hailing his every step till he paused some metres away to the high platform of the stage.

“I cannot thank God and my ancestors enough for this year’s Itori Day. It was an event to remember for good. The success of every function is measured by the number of people in attendance. You can see for yourself that this is a well-attended show.

It is good for us; it is good for the town because somehow the economy feels the effect.

“I thank all traditional rulers too numerous to mention now. They came and stood by me. It shows the extent of our good relationship. My friends and committee that put it together are also commended for a job well done,” he said.

Chairman of the Planning Committee, Chief Bankole was also full of praise for members of his committee for the sacrifice and commitment towards staging the big show. “I am also very happy and urging us not to rest on our oars because the big one is also coming up,” he noted.

Kayode Eso’s New Passion Kayode Eso is a man full of pragmatic ideas and beautiful dreams.

Over the years, he has nurtured and developed ideas that have inspired people across the country.

In line with his dreams, the talented man has yet come out with another beautiful show ‘WED’ that would debut at the Balmoral Convention Center in Federal Palace Hotel from the 29th of March to the 31st of March, 2019.

The WED Show as gathered is a combination of different related events with the leading one being WED Expo the largest wedding exhibition in Nigeria and in addition, this year is the WED Runway which will feature top wedding designers and bridal houses.

The WED Runway will also feature upcoming designers who are doing extraordinary things in the wedding fashion industry.

There is also WED Talks which will serve as an educative platform for intending brides and grooms and their families, it will feature top industry experts who are leaders in their field of work and will give the best tips and also discuss on trends for the year 2019. The WED Talks platform will also have discussions on the wedding business as a whole which will allow for more educative discussions. The beauty of the WED Show is that it is a 100% free event with so much to offer attendees as well as millions in discounts and giveaways.

If you are looking to get married in 2019 or before 2021 then the WED Show is the place to be as you will be able to get the best deals from vendors that are exhibiting which include but not limited to planners, decorators, makeup artists, bakers, lighting experts, designers, gift and souvenirs, caterers, cocktails, and any business related to weddings there are also opportunities for corporate organizations that have products related to the wedding industries like drink companies, insurance and financial services, furniture companies, electronics and many more The WED Show is a power packed event that will play host grand finale of different contests like the Bridal Face Off which is a contest of makeup artists, Wedding Bake Off which is for bakers, these are national contests that would bring people from all over the country to witness greatness in the wedding industry. The organizers have advised the interested vendors that want to book a space to do so early to avoid last minute rush as the booking of stands are officially open.

Esho

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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 24, 2019

LOUD WHISPERS

with JOSEPH EDGAR (09095325791)

The Duke: And INEC Did it This INEC can shame person! You know as a weekly column you try to write stories that are not dated. That will transcend time and still remain fresh by Sunday. I have really been adept at this, weaving and twisting stories so that by the time you come back from church or shrine you will still have a refreshing column. But this INEC baba just shame me last Saturday. I had written my column with the mind that by the time it gets to the public, the elections would have been held and we would just be watching the counting of the votes in preparation for party and drinks. Only for me to wake up that Saturday morning by 4 am, reach for my phone as I usually do to make sure that the Duchess has not infiltrated the phone - mbok, the day the woman will break my password, not even the IG of

Police can save my life. Anyways, I started seeing some funny things about elections being postponed at 2 am. I jumped up, rushed to the TV set and behold see the INEC chairman’s big head telling me that due to ‘logistics’ reasons the elections have been postponed for a week. As I was trying to wrap my head around this, my phone started ringing and it was CITY FM wanting me to come on air to discuss the issue. They offered to send a car to come and pick me which I refused. I said I will drive myself. Got to the station and it was a live programme and the phones did not stop ringing. Nigerians did not even let me talk abeg. They were just calling in in anger, they blamed every body o, from head of logistics of INEC to Buhari, to even Jesu Onyigbo. Nothing they did not say at the end I found myself playing

the role of INEC spokesman pleading for calm that it is just five days. After all, Jonathan’s INEC did their own for 6 weeks and the country did not go up in flames. Mbok, for me this is not the end of the world. It has happened and there is nothing we can do again especially as you would be reading this a day after Saturday when the elections are expected to have purportedly held. All we can do as I write this moment without any powers of clairvoyance is to sincerely hope that I will not wake up on Saturday morning this time around only to hear from the great INEC chairman that he has postponed the elections to next Olympics and this time not blame it on logistics and weather but on the fact that his wife refused to give him (you know what).

Only in Nigeria. We keep praying.

Yakubu

Tinubu

Adeyanju

El-Rufai

Atiku

INEC AND HEAD OF LOGISTCS VACANCY

go on. So when you are ready, I have like 100 candidates to replace that your head of logistics so I can send them to you for assessment and immediate recruitment. I even have three ready to replace you, just say the word and I bring them to Abuja weather permitting. Please don’t let me laugh, professor.

me with excitement. I had written fervently for his release stating very clearly that the man did not have the kind of influence and capacity to warrant such attention from the authorities. This one na to just suffer the boy small because all him talk na just noise. I thank whoever it is that orchestrated this release and pray that God will bless the person or people even as I wish that their children will not see same. As for you Deji this is time for you to be reflective and be much more strategic in your pursuits. I read you statements and their hollowness makes me cringe. They are usually not well thought out and delivered with the crassness of a drunken sailor. Nigeria needs your boldness and courage but a refined and well-coordinated Deji not this one that you are jumping around with Charly boy from one market to beer parlour. Clean up your act, push for a Senate or House of Reps seat and take your fight there. Since we cannot take the Presidency – these old men will ensure that, let’s fill up the National Assembly and make it the bulwark of the struggle. Welcome and take a well deserved rest, if you don’t know what to do, go to Uyo and be eating Afang until you get yourself brother.

Me I believe you o, do not mind those who are trying to play politics with the issue but if I were in your shoes, I will be worried at the credibility issue this is throwing up. Any ways, you remain the Chief Security officer of the state and should know abi. Is it CAN who don’t know anything beyond collecting tithes that should know better? It is well my lord, we will secure peace not only in Kaduna but in the whole country. Well done and say hi to madam, please tell her I have been looking everywhere for her book but can’t find it, should I send the money through you to her?

You know me I can find trouble o.

Immediately I heard the Chairman of INEC throw all the blame on the head of logistics, I asked people with cognate experience to start sending their CVs so that we can assist the Chairman plug that hole. The current Head of Logistics in INEC don suffer. Some people say it is the famous ‘niece to the president’, others say na one Igbo man, but whoever it is, the person deserves to be sacked or he should resign. But you know Nigerian thing, they will just be sitting down there and be blaming other things like pot holes, rain, bad weather and the fact that mangoes are not in season. This Chairman, na funny man. There is nothing he did not blame for the cancellation, even the perceived problem between Tuface and his wife was mentioned as another reason. Let me tell both of them a story, that is chairman and head of logistics. I was doing party at our Hotel – The Hamilton in Lekki and my Head of Logistics who is not as heavily paid and pampered as yours promised me twenty ‘babes’. I went to town announcing that the party will be party to end all parties and people started showing interest. Just like you o, I called press conference and started sending out pictures of the ‘hostesses’ that is what we call them. People started giving their wives various stories including poor weather for their inability to find their way home so that they can make it to the party on the D-day.

I saw only five ‘hostesses’. He started giving the kind excuse you were giving that night, ‘fire burn their hostel’. One got pregnant a day before, some got stuck in Lekki traffic, others could not escape their husbands’. As a firm chairman, not your kind o, I did not postpone the party o, I sack the man on the spot.

Rushed to the cinemas where you get plenty lonely women and invited them to the party, offering them free drinks and strong prospect of getting husband. At the end, we got over 50 hostesses and we had a swell party. So my lord, the lesson here is that no matter what, the party must go on, no excuses, the show most

REMI TINUBU: WANTED IN THE OTHER ROOM

You see, I have railed against Tinubu so much on this page, that even me don come dey tire for him matter. But just as I vow to move to some other targets like Amosun and Oshiomhole something will just happen. I am looking at a report now that is quoting him as saying that he was against mummy’s third term push for the Senate. I laugh, almost pee in my pants. This daddy must really have us all on some kind of cheap drug to be saying these things to us and expect us to just swallow. So according to the report, he had kicked against her third term and wanted her back home but the GAC led by one Prince Olusi, I hear that is another very powerful daddy – I had tried to meet him last December for some private talk, but as I no be card carrying member of APC, that did not work – that ‘convinced and insisted’ that mummy must come back and because they were very insistent and persuasive daddy saw reasons with them and allowed it. But surprisingly in the case of Senator Ashafa and Ambode they suddenly lost their convincing power. You see the sooner Daddy realizes that he is the champion and as such does not need to tell us these stories, the better. We have agreed, we do not need any rationalizations of your actions, it’s ok. We accept. No contest. Mummy can go for twelve terms unopposed, no problem. We are very happy that she is representing us and in fact we would not have it any other way. As far as our constituency is concerned it is mummy that we want. Mbok, make I go chop and sleep, I tire.

Laugh won’t let me concentrate now o.

DEJI ADEYANJU: JUST IN TIME

The news of this brother’s bail has hit

NASIR EL-RUFAI – IS IT 66 0R 130?

You see this my oga is now the issue not even his principal again. His penchant for body bags and morbid stories is making him the person in the spotlight. Funny enough, I like him o and would be the first to stand with him were he on the ballot as President. But each time I try to yab him small fear will just be catching me especially with the way he dealt with my brother, the chocolate city guy who has shelved his activist career following the way the Kaduna state government dragged him. As I no get money to pay my pikin school fees as a result of the wonderful economic policies of the APC, I would be doing myself great disservice to carry El Rufai wahala add to my own. It’s just that I want to say one small thing, why are people finding it difficult to believe you sir on this matter? First was 66 and then people said bring evidence and while we were waiting for that, it has now grown to 130.

ATIKU $1M: WHERE’S MINE?

The kind of money they say this Atiku has been giving out since this election is really mind-boggling o. If you do the maths, you will see that Bill Gates cannot stand beside Atiku on the Rich List. I saw a calculation of how much he paid the delegates to secure the ticket in his party and also how much he has been said to have offered all INEC RECs nationwide to secure his victory. Me, I did not know that Atiku was this loaded o. If it is true, let us kuku just sell the country to him and collect receipt. Thankfully the INEC has come out to debunk the latest one which they said he offered the Adamawa person including a house in Dubai as false. Himself when he carried strategy session that he could have held at Whispering Palms here in Badagry to Dubai why won’t they say he is offering people houses in Dubai? If you ask me, I will say that politics has a lot to do with timing and destiny. When it was Buhari’s turn, all the forces aligned and gave him the position despite the incumbent. Remember he tried all of three times with all sorts of running mates all to no avail. When his time came, it was a shoo-in. The same I will say of Atiku, if this is his time, then all the forces will align and he will enter. No smear campaign, intimidation, victimization ( I hear his lawyer has been arrested?) Can stop him and if it is not his time no matter what he does even if he promises the INEC Chairman the Eiffel Tower in Paris he will not enter. I suspect though that this might be his time, but that could too much

69

FEBRUARY 24, 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

Bishi, DSS boss

Cole

Mahatma Ghandi

Afang talking so don’t take me seriously o.

Anyways, baba if you are truly doling out these kinds of monies we are hearing don’t forget to send some to Shomolu o. Funny.

Buhari, Ballot Box and Death

DSS – LET’S HAVE A DISCLAIMER

Mbok, if I was told I would never believe. I saw the video clip o. Oga was struggling to contain himself when he said it o. He said anybody who indulges in ballot box snatching or causing wahala during the elections would be doing that at the risk of his life. Now coming on the back of the other statement from that other person – fear dey catch me to call him name, the one who talked about body bags you begin to see the mindset of our leaders that is if we can still call them that. As usual the almighty supporters have continued to support the statement which in my own estimation calls for anarchy or how else do you explain the leverage this statement gives our already trigger happy uniformed personnel in the matter? So instantly the rule of law, the constitutionally prescribed process of administering justice should be thrown away because one

The statement said to be issued by the Service Public Relations people stating very clearly that the former oga is not influencing or controlling the service in any way is very commendable o. The statement was said to have gone ahead to advise Nigerians to beware of engaging the former oga on any matter relating to the service. This is highly commendable if it is true o. The DSS remains a highly disciplined and integral part of our national security apparatus and as such cannot be subjected to the level of manipulation that has been suspected. What you people do not know is that I have had an engagement with them before o. My wife ‘jammed’ one of their madam car and they took all of us into their office in Shangisha. Please o before I enter trouble is DSS the same as SSS because be like say na SSS carry us o. But whatever, the way they treated us with respect and professionalism must be commended. They put us in a room and only allowed us to watch NTA. That was the punishment, boredom almost kill me as I watch NTA for almost 12 hours. I cry, I shout, which kind station be this, mbok at some point I offered to be flogged instead of being subjected to watching this kind station. But today is not for NTA, their time is coming. After the long hours one oga sent for us, apologized to us and explained why our accident had compromised national security.

Enjoined my wife to be more careful next time and that one was still shouting, ‘do you know who I am’, I am Mrs Joseph Edgar like I was not standing beside her there in captivity. You know how women can be making mouth, ‘my last boyfriend was DPO at Shomolu police station, my sister is in-law to the head of traffic wardens, we will sue, keyamo is our neighbour. I realized that if I don’t do something, the woman will make this nice man change his mind. I just deny her o, that she is not my real wife o, that when I transferred her dowry through GTB Mobile App, the thing reversed and give me back my money so technically she is not my legal wife and as such our matter should be handled separately. But the nice gentleman, just smiled and told me that he understands what was going on and that I should go and sin no more. One agent even escorted us outside making sure we were safe. As we reach main road, I just take okada and leave my madam before she go jam Vice President wife, that one no be NTA dem go give us watch. Mbok, don’t let me forget what I was talking about, please let us follow up this statement with disclaimer. You know that one they used to put the person picture and say the man whose picture appears hear is 4 feet , 2 inches, with grey beard and speaks Hausa and French very fluently is no longer in the employ of the agency.

ORTOM, NOT THAT HARD

Now everybody is talking tough, even those that cannot shoot catapult are threatening to spill blood. You see what that Buhari’s statement is causing now. Even my usually very calm Benue Governor, Ortom is talking tough saying that they will spill blood to defend democracy. I don’t know where all these illiterate talks are coming from. When we will achieve political maturity, I will be very happy o. Shebi we all have CNN and watch how normal people do their politics. Do you hear people in UK stating about losing their lives from snatching ballot box or spilling blood. Too much Nollywood movies according to Saraki is worrying these people. All these

baba is vexing. As I watched, all I could see was frustration and badly hidden anger at things not moving the way it was expected to move and just coming from the stone throwing incident in Abeokuta, mbok this fatherly role thing just tire daddy.

He quickly remove the robe of democrat and began to issue threats and stern warnings. Daddy, calm down everything will be ok. Ballot snatchers will be dealt with in a civilized and democratic manner and the elections will go on smoothly without the arbitrary lynching of people. Nigeria will survive trust me , we always do and like I told you last week, no matter what happens take it either on the chin if it goes against you or like a father that you are if it goes for you. Leave all this gra gra, it is not working. Nobody is afraid again o. We just want a secure and prosperous country. Thank you.

Ken Etete

crying with her. These things get to me, I can be weak like that. I had only N20,000 on me and told her I was coming to give her while I went looking for the money. As I dropped the phone, I broke down and cried like I had just lost my mum. My daughter Chantal hugged me and joined in the tears. A widow, her only son, fire, no money, can it ever be this bad? I swore to raise the money that day. I immediately sent out a broadcast to my friends, great people, reached out to people like Ken Etete, Chike Ireogunam, Segun Faloye and other great souls who would like to remain anonymous and pronto N1.1m dropped in an hour. I fell on my knees as the alerts kept disrupting my phones. Nigerians were jumping in to assist.

Nigerians will not let this boy die. As I ran into the ward, a Lagos State parastatal called in that their cheque was ready. So instead of N650,000 we got excess of N1m for the boy.

The mother collapsed in tears, the hardened nurses and doctors also joined in the teardom and the Duke led the wailing as I transferred the first tranche of N730,000 to her. A fatherless boy she wailed….. It was so gut-wrenching as I looked into the courageous boy’s eyes. He wanted to live, he will live, God will let him live. Please N1,000 can save lives just walk into any hospital and give somebody N1,000 and you will be amazed what that money can do to a life. God bless all who gave me money. God will really bless you my friends.

MUMMY EDGAR CALLS

Buhari

statements are provocative and should not be coming from leaders. It is the thugs that should be talking like these and the leaders calming down frayed nerves with consensus building and compromise which is the hallmark of democracy. So my dear Excellency, please if you made that statement which I doubt, kindly recall from that path and begin to preach brotherliness, reconciliation. If you don’t know how, please read the following autobiographies – Martin Luther King, Mahatma Ghandi, Barack Obama and that of the Duke of Shomolu. These great men especially the Duke of Shomolu preached peace. You have been advised.

PRESSURES OF A SAINT

So I usually help sick people raise money on the side. Working with a sweet beautiful visionary – Chile Udemgba and the 1k miracle

group we have raised over N8m from just N1,000 monthly contributions for patients at the Gbagada General Hospital in the last 12 months. Chile has been so profound in this push that she has single-handedly grown the group from just two of us to over 400. You should see the way she moves from ward to ward disbursing funds to people who as low as N5,000 risk losing their lives. We are suffering in this country o. I tell you. Well, the gist today, is that of the young widow who called me early on Tuesday morning. She had got my number from Sunday Michael, a childhood friend who told her that I could do it. Her 8-year-old son had been involved in a fire accident which gutted 80% of his body, she was in tears she needed my help and knew that I could save her son. Now she needed N650,000 for an urgent operation, her son was on life support. She was in mad tears and I started

Kai, one busybody went to show my mummy my column in faraway Uyo. She did not find it funny o. She immediately called me to give me a piece of her mind o.

Did the federal government pay my school fees, don’t I know she is a widow, why am I writing and abusing people in the papers, don’t I want to live to bury her and I am yabing Buhari? Don’t I know who Buhari is or have I forgotten she was in the Army and knows these people very well? That if I was crazy enough to yab anybody, why can’t I yab Atiku who is a civilian and knows how to forgive.

That what is wrong with me going to yab Buhari. Buhariiiiiiii. Kai. When I find out who went to show her the paper, I will do my own Buhari on the person’s head. She did not end it there o. That I should give her the Editor’s numbers that she wants to instruct him never to carry my articles and that if he ever carries my articles, she will come to Lagos to knock his head. Mbok, laugh want catch me. As she will read one she will call and shout- aghhh Tinubu, you yab Tinubu….. this boy is mad o. She worked in Lagos state as a nurse and she knows these people ooo. How can you live in Shomolu and be yabbing Tinubu, he will castrate you o.. Your father was a peaceful man o, where did she get this kind son from.

It is your Yoruba wife that is confusing you, I told you not to marry her, now see what you have turned into. Are you Fela, are you Gani, who do you have behind you? If they come for you, who will stand for you? Is it Ibibio people in Uyo who can barely afford Afang that will have money to pay lawyer? Kai, my mama worry o. So I dey beg, please help me fish out this person so I can deal with him o.

My mama no understand that the struggle is my life and like Ortom, I am ready to spill my blood for this fight.. no be that kind blood o.

Mbok, I laugh my mama tire. I tell her to calm down, that it is not today I started yabbing Tinubu that the baba is ignoring me jo but the Buhari own, I go take her advice since I no want yab am at the expense of my life. Lolllll life is sweet. Please all Nigerians let’s try and no let this column reach Ewet Housing Estate in Uyo. This plea goes to newspaper vendors, busy-bodies and all well-meaning Nigerians to adhere to this strictly; make my mama no go get BP for Nigeria problem o. I cannot shout.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

70

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ARTS & REVIEW A

PUBLICATION

EXPLORING 3SOME WITH OLISA ADIBUA PAGE 73

24.02.2019

GILLES COULONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S TALE OF NOMADIC RESILIENCE Coulon

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 24, 2019

72

ARTS & REVIEW\\EXHIBITION

Another photograph by Coulon

One of Coulon's photos

GILLES COULON’STALE OF NOMADIC RESILIENCE Through the lens of an award-winning French photographer, viewers are offered glimpses into the lives nomadic pastoralists, Okechukwu Uwaezuoke reports

W

ith 30 photographs split into three broad segments, Gilles Coulon succinctly tells his story. This was in an exhibition, titled Transhumances: Mobilité à Risques (Transhumance: Mobility at Risk), which opened on February 20 by 6 pm at the Onomo Hotel along the waterfront Boulevard du Mono in the Togolese capital, Lomé.

According Coulon, the works featured in his exhibition, which ends on March 3, come in three sizes. These sizes, which gratify his curatorial whims, sharpen the focus of his visual story. There are big-sized, medium-sized and small-sized ones. The big-sized ones, he explains, summarise the important moments of his visual narrative, while the mediumsized ones are all about the heart of the story.

As for the small-sized photographs, they depict only the nomadic herders crossing a river.

And the story? It is the familiar story of a seasonal movement of livestock between Burkina Faso and Togo. For this project sponsored by the organisation Acting For Life, Coulon first accompanied the pastoralists, during the dry season, from Fada N'gourma in Burkina Faso on their southward movement to Togo in February 2016 in search of more favourable pastures and new livestock markets. Subsequently, he would embark on their homeward journey with them northwards, during the rainy season, in June that same year.

Thanks to this French photographer’s lens,

the viewer follows closely on the tracks of these herders. He admires their resilience even under the most inhospitable conditions. But then, he is also astonished by their solicitude for the welfare of their animals.

Talking about the animals, they seem to be familiar the minutest details of during their journeys. These include the contours of each slopes as well as the colours of the grass along their trajectory. Like a close-knit family unit, they follow on the heels of the herders.

A habitué of the pastoralists’ long and arduous seasonal movements, Coulon draws the viewer’s attention to the men walking behind and in the midst of the horned animals. Somehow, these men are rarely in front of their herd. With their shepherd's staff balanced on their shoulders, they plod on towards uncertainty. Sometimes, the photographer seems to scour into the consciousness of these shabbily-dressed men, seeking fleeting traces of anguish and weariness asserted themselves on their lean faces. Then, there is also his obvious fascination for the frugal lifestyle of these stoic men, who only carry along with them their shepherd's sticks, plastic bottles and a plastic sheet to protect them in rainy weather.

“I focused my work on the concept of mobility,” he says during an interview at the Onomo Hotel’s poolside lounge. This is what he calls “permanent movement” and seeks to show through his photographs. “These people have a mysterious notion of space and are all the time on the move.

They hardly rest and the animals never sleep.”

He recounts the intense weeks he spent with the shepherds, moving from one location to another oblivious of the dangers lurking around the corner.

Through sharing their every moment, he was able to gain access into the inner world of these men.

He, thus, gained the trust of their “rouga” – a kind of local chieftain – and, subsequently, their trust. But, apparently, this trust does not extend to showing him alternative routes they take when avoiding the ruinous tolls they have to pay on each of their animals on their conventional itinerary.

Each of these pastoral groups so wellorganised that have a person to take care of each of their needs. There is, for instance, someone assigned with responsibility of taking care of the provisions.

Though Coulon tells a story that follows a lineal sequence, the works are haphazardly displayed on the walls of the hotel’s expansive ground floor lounge, not arranged in any particular chronological order. This slapdash of still shots hints at the fact that he has been hindered by the peculiarity of the improvised exhibition space. Even his initial intention to display the small-sized photographs in a way that would evoke a mosaic was thwarted by the space constraint.

For obvious reasons, Coulon prefers coloured photographs to monochrome. First, there is his wish to delineate the variety of colours. Then, there is the fact that images shot in the dry season tend to assume a monochromatic hue with their subdued colours. Meanwhile, the colours of those shot in the rainy season tend to be more intense.

Talking about colours, the 1997 first prize-winner of the “Daily Life” category of the World Press Photo has always had a fascination for contrasts. In the course of his three decades of professional practice, he has hop-scotched from documentary photography to commissioned photo-journalistic

works for the press. This is with the artistic side of photography lurking somewhere in his consciousness. He, for instance, once worked on a project focussing on neon lights, which was titled White Night and another project based on darkness in African cities.

Spending three weeks with three different groups of nomadic pastoralists afforded him the opportunity to capture rare painterly moments for the visual appreciation of posterity. In one of the photographs, for instance, he captures a group of the herders in moonlit night scene.

The photographer’s play with space aids the viewer’s contemplation of the progression of men and beasts through barren, dusty landscapes, above which hovers cloudless skies and doleful horizons. Apparently, his first work on herders’ seasonal movement between Mali and Mauritania in 1996 amply prepared him for this more recent work. To realise this, he needed to insert himself into different clusters of pastoralists. Thus, he was able to document several still moments for posterity.

Indeed, this exhibition lives up to aficionados’ expectations of an insightful take on the recurrent seasonal movements of the pastoralists, known as transhumance. It opens the eyes of many to the fact that these horizontal migrations are fraught with risks, bordering on climatic conditions as well as on economic and political changes. It follows as the logical climax of a three-day journalistic workshop, which focused on transhumance in both the coastal and the Sahelian countries of West Africa. Fifteen journalists from Senegal, Mali, Burkina-Faso, Niger, Chad, Nigeria, Benin, Togo, Ghana and the Ivory Coast attended the three-day workshop, held at the Institut Français in Lome, Togo.

AWARDS

Set for Its 2019 Competitions, NLNG Calls for Entries

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call for entries has gone out to intending contestants for the 2019 edition of the three Nigeria LNG-sponsored prizes: The Nigeria Prize for Science, The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Literary Criticism Prize. This was recently made public by the prizes’ advisory boards.

Contestants for both the science and literature prizes, which are now in their 15th year, will be gunning for the cash prize of $100, 000 each, while the Literary Criticism Prize contestants will be eyeing its N1 million prize money.

For the literature prize – which annually rotates among the literary genres of prose fiction, poetry, drama and children’s literature – the focus this year is on children’s literature. The prize honours the author of the best book by a Nigerian author on any of the four literary genres. Meanwhile, the Literary Criticism Prize, which also aims to promote Nigerian literature, will

receive entries on works in literary criticism of on the subject, especially critical essays on new writings.

The call for entries for the literature prize and literary criticism, which actually opened on February 15, closes on April 5.

Professor Obododinma Oha will chair the panel of judges for this year’s Literature and the Literary Criticism competition. Professor Oha, poet, editor and a translator, is a professor of Semiotics, Stylistics, and Creative Writing at the Department of English, University of Ibadan. He writes poems in English and Igbo.

Other members of the panel include Professor Asabe Usman Kabir and Dr. Patrick Okolo. Professor Kabir is a professor of Oral and African Literature at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto. Dr. Oloko, a Senior lecturer at the University of Lagos Nigeria, specialization in African postcolonial literature, gender and cultural studies.

The winners of the Literature and Literary Criticism prizes will be announced at an award ceremony in October 2019, to commemorate

the anniversary of the first LNG export from the NLNG’s Plant on October 9, 1999. The Science Prize winner as usual will be revealed earlier in the year.

It will be recalled that three winners emerged in the prize categories in 2018.

They were Soji Cole who clinched the Literature Prize award with his play, ‘Embers’, Dr. Peter Ngene was awarded the Science Prize, for his work in “Innovation in Electric Power”, and Professor Isidore Diala, a professor of African Literature at Imo State University, Owerri, took home the Literary Criticism Prize.

The Nigeria Prize for Literature has rewarded eminent writers such as the late Ikeogu Oke (2017, Poetry) with ‘The Heresiad’; Abubakar Adam Ibrahim (2016, Prose) with ‘Season of Crimson Blossoms’; Sam Ukala (2014; Drama) with ‘Iredi War’; Tade Ipadeola (2013; Poetry) with his collection of poems, ‘Sahara Testaments’; Chika Unigwe (2012 – prose), with her novel, ‘On Black

Sister’s Street’; as well as Adeleke Adeyemi (2011, children’s literature) with his book, ‘ The Missing Clock’.

Other awardees are Esiaba Irobi (2010, drama) who clinched the prize posthumously with his book ‘Cemetery Road’; Kaine Agary (2008, prose) with “Yellow Yellow”; Mabel Segun (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature) for her collection of short plays, ‘Reader’s Theatre’; Professor Akachi Adimora-Ezeigbo (co-winner, 2007, children’s literature) with her book, ‘My Cousin Sammy’; Ahmed Yerima (2006, drama) for his classic, ‘Hard Ground’; and Gabriel Okara (co-winner, 2005, poetry) for his book Chants of a Minstrel and Professor Ezenwa Ohaeto (co-winner, 2005, poetry) for his book The Dreamer: His Vision.

“The Nigeria Prize for Literature and The Nigeria Prize for Science are part of Nigeria LNG Limited’s numerous contributions towards building a better Nigeria,” says NLNG’s Manager, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Andy Odeh.

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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 24, 2019

ARTS & REVIEW\\THEATRE

EXPLORING 3SOME WITH OLISA ADIBUA Yinka Olatunbosun

O

lisa Adibua, one of Nigeria's most influential personalities on radio and television has more than one reason to be involved in the production of Jude Idada's sexually provocative stage play, 3some. As a co-producer with Joseph Edgar on this theatre project, his career's trajectory couldn’t have been more defining than it is now, representing over 30 years in the entertainment business. For those who knew him upclose, his interest in contemporary theatre is not a flitting crush but a long-standing love affair. Bred in the United Kingdom, he had been enthralled by the theatre spirit long before relocating to Nigeria to find a barren theatre culture.

He had since been impregnated by the burning passion to explore stage productions.

He fell in love with the screen- stealing young minds during his youthful days as the presenter of the show, Soul with Sprite on Nigeria's first private television, Clapperboard Television. Little did he know that he’d cultivated a generation of followership who saw him embrace other interests in reality show hosting such as in the first season of Big Brother Naija and the talent hunt show, “Naija Sings.” While at Cool FM, he was the force behind MTN Top Ten Countdown, relishing the assortment of music dropping on the airwaves and clubs too.

A busy man, compere-in-chief, presumably born with a strong pact with nightlife, he wasn’t difficult to spot as he made his way to a VIP lounge in a hotel in Lekki Phase I during a private birthday party for Marvelous Dominion, a member of cast in 3Some play, which is a much anticipated show in June.

Tearing him away from the heart-pounding sounds from the DJ, and the strippers on the prowl, it was an opportunity to learn about his recent commitment to contemporary theatre.

“I have a passion for what I do,” he gushed. “It wasn’t about money. I always knew that money was going to come. It wasn’t about that at all. It was about trying to elevate our own industry to the international level. When it came to music for instance, I wanted to show that there were other layers; that Nigeria has many strings to it. Reggae was the prominent music of the period. I love reggae but I wanted to show that there were other dimensions to our music.”

The story of the evolution of hip-hop in Nigeria is incomplete without the mention of Adibua's contribution to the street acceptance of the music genre.

“With the release of the first pidgin rap album by Junior and Pretty, I was there and I also know that I didn’t want to be in music alone,” he disclosed. “I wanted to be in other spaces. So, I was in television making different programmes, producing all kinds of programme. I was doing events. I got involved in sports and other things. My own desire is to be an all-round person, in terms of media and entertainment.”

In the reality food show, Bukas and Joints, Adibua gave a good account of his gift of selling snow to the Eskimos as he recounted, with the aid of visuals, the allure of indigenous Nigerian food and drinks.

“I’m involved with media and entertainment, theatre, film and radio,” he said. “Theatre was one of my first passions. I did a lot of stage plays in England where I went to school. I did some plays when I came back as well. I just kept seeing it die and though there were a few custodians who kept it alive, it was as if the younger generation weren’t into it because TV was taking over; Nollywood was coming through. It’s good to see that not just Joseph Edgar and I but other people are trying to make sure that it gets bigger. Theatre for me is the ‘realest' and ‘rawest' form of entertainment. And it is a platform for people who want to do things in the entertainment scene. You want to be a great actor or comedian, that live experience to be on stage with the audience, interacting which is instant karma. It is the most important way to grow and get the grounding. To become an executive producer of musicals is just a natural thing to do.”

With roots in Edo State, Adibua's dynamic career has made him a cultural staple. For those years of persistent hard work, he has good reasons to smile to the bank. Now, it is about making others do the same.

“I’m lucky enough to be comfortable enough to invest in things like these and to do it, not just for money but for people who can benefit from it to create a whole eco-system and we are getting support from the corporate world right now.

“There is nothing like the energy you get from watching a play live; knowing that the dancers and musicians are there in front of you. You might have the CD or your phone, but you still want to see it live.”

3some, written by Jude Idada, is quite controversial for its adult content. Rated 18, the stage play takes the mask off the subject of sex and sexual preferences using powerful dialogues and scenes of sexual simulation. Adibua who had co-produced Isale Eko and Oba Esugbayi with Edgar is indeed eager to move away from the historic play tradition

Adibua on set

Adibua

to a more contemporary theatre form.

“It’s a very controversial. We did it on purpose and it’s different. It’s not the usual kind of stuff. It’s edgy and we want to expand; to do something different from the traditional plays with song and dance. It’s good for the industry to get such a play and see how people react to it. It’s going to be a little hard to get the corporate bodies to support it. They might think the content is too racy. They are very cautious and guarded about their image. They don’t take chances. They want to see some other brand do it first before they jump in. It will be a great talking point when people see it. There is so much content that we have to keep it raw.”

3some is a psycho-erotic play production which tells the story of a young couple in a troubled marriage. The intervention of the wife's mother and her deep insights into a male’s sexual preference and a female libido constitute the conflict of the drama.

“In our society, we have hypocrites. We have high moral standards yet we don’t maintain them. We have people who say A in public and practice B in private. We

need to discuss issues that affect us instead of pretending to be hypocritical and puritanical. The world has changed and things have moved on. We can’t be living in the wrong century. We have to bring people to this century and to say this is what is going on right now,” he explained.

The sexual simulation scene in the play might be seen by conservatives as an attempt to objectify women. However, Adibua argued that it is not the men who dictated this trend in sexuality.

“Whether we do it or not, women will objectify themselves anyway. That is the power they have over men. It’s the way the world had been. It’s the way our human nature is built.

For me, men are the weaker sex not the women. Men spent their entire lives to please women. That to me is weakness.

“Every man out there is trying to make money get a big house, trying to impress some lady out there. A man would do what a woman wants him to do if he loves that woman,” he said.

Adibua promised that the June production of 3some at MUSON Centre, Onikan will have a few twists; be edgy and loaded with allegory.

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F ͺͼ˜ ͺ͸͹΁ ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

INTERNATIONAL Mistreatment of Nigerians Abroad, Election Postponements and PMB’s Manu Militari Mania of Governance

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igeria is currently playing host to three critical issues in the conduct and management of Nigeria’s foreign policy: unending mistreatment of Nigerians abroad, development of culture of postponement of general elections in Nigeria, and the manu militari that has come to characterise the attitudinal disposition of President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) in the governance of Nigeria under a democratic setting.

As regards mistreatment of Nigerians abroad, the Buharian administration may not be solely held responsible for it as Nigerians have, from time to time, been brutalised in different countries of the world before the advent of his administration in 2015. Mention can be made of the xenophobic attacks to which innocent Nigerians had been and are still subjected in South Africa.

Nigerians have been brutalised in and deported from Libya several times. Nigerians have also been deported from Great Britain, Nigeria’s colonial master and from many countries of the European Union many times. In all cases, there is no clear concrete case to which one can refer that had been taken up seriously by the Government of Nigeria to investigate to a logical conclusion.

Records have only shown threats non-acceptance of maltreatment, while, in truth, they have always been brutalised without the Government being able to go beyond declaratory protests.

Exceptions are made to the time of Chief Ojo Maduekwe and Ambassador Olugbenga Ashiru as Foreign Ministers, under who the rules of reciprocity were sometime applied.

What is noteworthy about the mistreatment of Nigerians as at today under the Buhari administration is that the brutality to which Nigerians are being subjected is taking place in Ghana, a Member State of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Perhaps more disturbingly, President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) is the current Chairman of the regional organisation.

Why is this so? Additionally, in the many cases of mistreatment of Nigerians under PMB, Nigeria’s foreign policy has only succeeded in always justifying the policy of the very countries mistreating Nigerians. Nigerians have always been condemned or adjudged guilty. They are promptly advised to behave well in their host countries. Government, unfortunately is myopic to the extent that behaving well has not always prevented animosities vis-a-vis Nigerians on the basis of mere envy, which is the main dynamic of the mistreatment of Nigerians in Ghana.

On the issue of election postponements, it is gradually becoming a culture to which the people of Nigeria are also acquiescing.

Nigeria’s political history has shown that election dates had been shifted in the past. The most recent under Nigeria’s Fourth Republic are those of 2011, 2015, and 2019. The reasons for the postponement of the three elections were the same: logistics and insecurity. Do Nigerians and their governments ever learn from their past? There is nothing to suggest that lessons are learnt nor is there any pointer to the readiness to seek to learn from the past and the reason cannot be far-fetched: little or no emphasis is placed on the essence of election-holding.

Whereas, regular election is an important element of any democracy. More important, the significance of regular general elections, especially when such elections are seen to have been freely and credibly organised, can always be gleaned from many perspectives. First, all elected public officials and governments are believed to have been given legitimacy or the full mandate of the people to act on their behalf on the basis of rule of law. With the enjoyment of legitimacy, ousting an elected government necessarily becomes very difficult to do, as the standing rule of the African Union leaders is that elected governments cannot be removed by use of force or coup d’état. Military professionals are therefore told in clear terms that there is no room for military politics in a civilian setting.

Second, the world of today is that of democracy and information technology in which the claims of national sovereignty are necessarily now limited by collective or international sovereignty.

We are now in a world in which the claim of right to exclusiveness of competence over domestic jurisdiction is being jettisoned. In fact, at the 1991 Franco-African Summit held in La Baule, France, it was made clear that development assistance would only be given out on the condition of democratic governance.

VIE INTERNATIONALE with

Bola A. Akinterinwa Telephone : 0807-688-2846

e-mail: bolyttag@yahoo.com

As for PMB’s mania of manu militari in the political governance of Nigeria, this appears to be the most unfortunate of the three critical issues. It is most unfortunate because PMB easily forgets that he is no longer a military Head of State of Nigeria, but an elected President of Nigeria. As a military Head of State, governance can, without serious query, be by promulgation of decrees or by simple application of the military principle of ‘obey the last order’ or ‘obey before complaining.’ Under any normal democratic circumstance, every policy making and action must first and always be guided by the rule of law, even when national security interest is at stake. Most unfortunately, however, PMB has always neutralised his goodwill and alleged patriotism with manu militari-driven decisions and policies.

Without any whiff of doubt, PMB rightly or wrongly believes that he has the right to do and undo in his quest to exterminate corruption. The belief can be right if it is guided by rule of law.

The belief should also be commended, but the commendation again should only be condoned to the extent of the extermination is guided by rule of law. The latest in the series of PMB’s mania of manu militari in political governance is his directive to the law enforcement agencies to shoot at sight any person found to be engaged in election malpractice, especially in ballot box snatching.

PMB wanted to convince Nigerians about his sincerity of purpose in regard to his readiness to ensure a free, fair, and credible election.

This readiness cannot be enough because the directive can also be taken advantage by the same law enforcement agents and politicians to aggress their perceived enemies. The police can shoot an innocent person and then hide under accidental discharge and ballot box snatching. Consequently, most Nigerians have listened to PMB but it is doubtful that most Nigerians believe him.

The public confidence enjoyed by PMB in 2015 appears to have sharply declined by at least 50%. This is the bottom line of the fears of the international community and the ongoing general debate on the question as at today. It is also for this consideration that the international community is not only interested in Nigeria’s politics, but also particularly why Nigeria’s 2019 General Elections is generating much foreign policy and international interest.

Mistreatment of Nigerians in Ghana Buhari Put differently, dictatorship was made a condition for disqualification for foreign aid. The decision also explains why France and other development partners sought and are still seeking to provide assistance in combating dictatorship in all its ramifications. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Organisation of African Unity, now the African Union, officially declared thereafter that, under no circumstance would any government that came to power by coup d’état, would not be allowed engagement in the activities of the organisation. Thus, military coup and dictatorship is officially outlawed as a means of political governance in Africa.

Third, even when there is use of force within the framework of democratic governance, it is generally accepted in the context of collective security, as well as in the general context of defence of the helpless people. For instance, there is the Principle of International Responsibility to Protect (IR2P). This is a principle initiated by Canada and adopted at the United Nations World Summit in 2005 with the ultimate objective of fighting genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. It is the United Nations Security Council that has the responsibility for the required protection whenever the need for protection is so decided.

In essence, the underlying principle is that a government may be selfish to the extent of having to seek the extermination of some of its people, or unable to protect its own people against imminent dangers to the lives of the people. In this regard, the international community considers that it has the legitimate right to intervene in order to protect the unprotected people in distress. The global concerns are necessarily in defence of democracy directly and indirectly. This largely explains why the global community is always much interested in the organisation of any presidential election in any part of the world. The case of Nigeria’s 2019 general elections cannot, therefore, be an exception.

that the maltreatment of Nigerians abroad is largely a resultant of how Nigerians are treated back home at the domestic level, how this domestic treatment is also perceived and interpreted internationally, and why this situation of mistreatment cannot but continue in the foreseeable future, mainly because the Government of Nigeria does not have any known policy of how to protect Nigerians outside of Nigeria. Foreign policy under PMB is reactive and quite far from reflecting the existing thrusts of foreign policy, especially the quest for Nigerianocentricism. A reactive foreign policy can never anticipate, and therefore, cannot protect. If Nigerians are mistreated abroad and are also subjected to electoral extra-judicial killing, what then is the usefulness of being a Nigerian.There is the need for a self-reappraisal

Relationship between Nigeria and Ghana has been difficult in recent times, essentially because of the discriminatory official taxes placed on community traders in Ghana. The deportation of 723 Nigerians from Ghana is an expression of the deterioration in the ties, and the understanding of which must be put in its correct context. Nigerian businessmen are said to have engaged in retail businesses normally reserved for Ghanaians. Any non-Ghanaian seeking engagement in the retail businesses are required to pay some bills or, by the July 11, 2018 order of quit notice, quit their businesses.

The Ghanaian authorities have sealed over 400 Nigerian-owned shops, in the Ashanti region of Ghana, particularly in Kumasi.

Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Nigeria’s Deputy Senate President and former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament intervened to mediate the crisis. He explained that he discussed with the Regional Minister of Ashanti and also a former Deputy at the ECOWAS Parliament, Hon. Osei-Mensah, who not only assured of the safety of Nigerians in Ghana, but also promised to ‘take up the matter with the authorities to ensure that the shops were reopened immediately.’

The Ghanaian Foreign and Regional Integration Minister, Ayorkor-Botchwey came to Nigeria in September 2018 to explain that the quit notice ‘has nothing to do with our ECOWAS brothers and sisters. It was more to do with other nationals. She admitted that ‘there is a problem that Nigerians and other ECOWAS citizens have been cut up in this issue of traders being given quit notice to exit our markets with their retail trade which is by law of Ghana reserved for Ghanaians.’ If the quit notice has nothing to do with Nigerians, why the deportation of the Nigerians?

It is useful to note here that the Minister’s consideration of Nigerians being cut up in the quit notice as a problem is most unfortunate.

It is, because the Minister said the Ghanaian government ‘is doing what it can, sitting with the Ghana Traders Association to ensure that there is that understanding that it has nothing to do with Nigeria and other ECOWAS traders.’ This statement was made in September 2018 during her courtesy visit to her counterpart in Abuja. In spite of these assurances, not less than 723 Nigerians have been deported in the past one year.

True, the deportation of Nigerians raises an important question on the future of regional and continental integration. Can there really be integration in its true sense or à l’Union Européenne? When will Nigeria have a policy of self-protection at home and abroad?

Nigeria’s Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, has said: ‘but you heard that Ghana deported some Nigerians. It is the right that every country has, but it is a right we have never exercised but which we are going to exercise now. It is just the law, every foreigner who has legitimate papers to come to Nigeria is welcomed, if you want to work in Nigeria the same regulation that applies in your country that you must get a work permit applies here, go and get a work permit. If you don’t have a work permit here and you are in my site, I will take you out...’ (vide Chijioke Jannah, ‘Buhari’s minister blows hot over deportation of Nigerians from Ghana, reveals FG’s plan on foreigners, Daily Post. ng, February 22, 2019).

(See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.com)

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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 24, 2019

CICERO

Editor:Olawale Olaleye Email:wale.olaleye@thisdaylive.com, SMS: 08116759819

IN THE ARENA

Waiting for Mr. President Coming from the experience of last week, the entire nation is currently on tenterhooks as they await results of yesterday’s rescheduled presidential and national assembly elections, writes Olawale Olaleye

L

ast week’s postponement of the general election offered some sorts of resets for the nation’s political and electoral process – both negative and positive.

While some would think the decision by INEC’s leadership was instructive to prevent the unintended from happening, there were those who thought that such a last-minute postponement was indicative of INEC’s seeming incompetence.

Whatever it was, those elections were cancelled and yesterday, the rescheduled ones were held across the country. Whilst INEC reiterated the fact that yesterday’s elections were adequately prepared for, boasting the confidence of a good delivery, the result of its efforts is yet to be officially announced.

Thus, later this evening or at the very latest, by noon tomorrow, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) would release significantly the results of yesterday’s presidential and national assembly elections.

The elections, being the first bout of the series that is to continue on March 2nd and 9th respectively, are the most important, because they involve election into the nation’s top job as well as those at the national assembly, who are local development allies of the executive arm of government.

It’s been a long way coming before arriving at this juncture, which puts everyone on tenterhooks especially, when last week’s postponement, is factored into account.

The presidential bout, curiously, was an election that restricted choices of the Nigerian people to between the next level exponents and the champions of making Nigeria work again.

As it is common knowledge, the choice between the Peoples Democratic Party’s Atiku Abubakar and the All Progressives Congress’ Muhammadu Buhari is not a very exciting let alone pleasant one. Indeed, it appears more like a re-enactment of the 2015 experience. Often described as one between two evils, identifying the lesser one, however, was the main task of yesterday’s election.

Certainly, it goes without saying that yesterday’s elections were largely trapped by many of the indicators that ultimately informed the eventual choice of the 2015 election, between the incumbent, Buhari and former president Goodluck Jonathan.

And since yesterday’s election had been trailed by different polls, nearly all of which predicted that the former vice-president, Atiku would win, first by 8 per cent and subsequently by 14 and 21 per cent, the election was naturally heated and competitive.

Although those managing Buhari had refused to buy such verdicts, they also showed off other

projections that equally tipped their candidate as likely to win yesterday’s election. In all, the truth of the polls would manifest in the next few hours, when results of the elections would be formerly and officially released.

It is worthy of mention that the issues defining the 2015 elections were tactically reduced to a tripod of the economy, security and corruption, albeit for strategic emphasis and ease of political communication, which by implications challenged the ability of the Jonathan administration to address the core of demands for good governance.

But this year, there was a rather short walk to the issues, largely controlled by the simple narrative of capacity and the unity of Nigeria, going forward. It was kept simple and short.

Atiku, for obvious reasons, had secured crucial endorsements from the least likely and very important quarters in the run-up to the polls, the same way Buhari stole the momentum from Jonathan and became the issue in the countdown to 2015.

Of course, as the incumbent, the same way Jonathan was goaded on even in the face of imminent defeat in 2015, Buhari’s handlers did not see

the extrapolations as genuine and had therefore dismissed Atiku’s alleged momentum, including the polls as insignificant to the factors that would determine the votes.

It is trite to assume now that those nuances may not be relevant anymore. The elections had come and gone, the results are what are being awaited now. If Atiku eventually wins as being projected, it would mean that the mudslinging notwithstanding, the Nigerian people resolved to choose the lesser evil by embracing the “let’s get Nigeria working again” slogan.

On the contrary, if Buhari was re-elected, it would mean also that the people were not only comfortable with the evil they had known for quite a while, but that they also believe that his combination could actually take the country to the next level.

However, while the choice of the eventual winner is germane to the future of the nation, a summary of the choice would simply mean that the Nigerian people believe ultimately in the individual and his capacity to turn things around, either Buhari or Atiku, for as long as the process is free, fair and credible.

P O L I T I CA L N OT E S

Are We Ever Going to Grow Up?

B INEC Chairman, Yakubu

efore agents of destruction descended on the political space and bared their fangs on unsuspecting voters yesterday, reports from different parts of the country had shown relatively peaceful and orderly elections, such that political actors and voters alike had expressed a high degree of satisfaction with INEC’s preparedness.

But these agents refused for INEC to savour this glory before they unleashed their terror. From Rivers, where four persons were reportedly killed to Anambra and Lagos, especially in areas heavily populated by non-indigenes,

reports of ballot snatching, burning of voting materials and disruption of the voting process were both shameful and disturbing.

That Africa’s most populous nation would still travel such reprehensible path in this time and age leaves much to be desired. Will Nigeria ever grow up or the people would have to live with such animalistic tendencies every four years? As it is, reports of pockets of violence had already cast a pall on the entire process and except scapegoats are made of such actions with strong message of sanctions, the nation might continue to go round this vicious cycle for a scary long time.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

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BRIEFINGNOTES Leah Sharibu: Already Forgotten?

One year in captivity, it appears the fate of the last of the Dapchi girls, Leah Sharibu, kidnapped on February 19, 2018 by a faction of the Boko Haram, is no longer looking good, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

T

uesday, February 19, marked one year since Leah Sharibu was snatched by the terror group, Boko Haram, and carted away like a spoil of war. And for a whole year, the 15-year-old girl has been away from the comfort and warmth of family and friends, leaving her to a fate one can only imagine.

Like Chinua Achebe, one of the most celebrated global icons of the scripting vocation exhibited in many of his widely read fictive narratives, Yoruba people, also blessed with a rich and robust collection of proverbs and wise sayings, often espouse that ‘Omo mi ku san ju omo mi nu lo’, meaning “That one’s child is dead is a better pain to live with than one’s child is lost.”

One could easily live with the death of a child on account of the fact that death is an eventuality and that the deceased has only gone to rest, as against that a child is lost, forcing you to hope, often times, for the impossible. That, of course, comes with a lot more mental torture.

And now, that the child is a girl, vulnerable and open to violations of all sorts, is made even worse, harrowing and soulravaging given the knowledge that the hapless and helpless girl is in the custody of some depraved, maniacs masquerading as armies of salvation on earth.

Certainly, no parent would wish same for their girl-child. Matter-of-factly, no parent would wish to trade place with Leah’s.

For Leah’s father, Nathan, his daughter’s continued stay, against her wish with the Boko Haram would appear a promise made but not kept by the federal government of Nigeria.

His displeasure with government is understandable, even if some ultraSharibu apologists of the administration continue to argue that it was no fault of the administration that she was snatched, from the country’s geographical territory, which the administration swore an oath to protect alongside those resident within it.

“The Federal Government assured me that this administration would do its best to rescue my daughter. Besides, President Muhammadu Buhari sent two ministers to my house in Dapchi, Yobe State to assure us that she would return home safely.

“Since then, I have not heard anything from the federal government again. The other bodies that have been deeply concerned about the development are only the churches and Muslims that are trying their possible best. The government has been silent on this issue. I am only pleading with government as I always do that they should do their possible best to see that my daughter returns safely.

“She is still a young girl and all of us have children in our homes. You can imagine my situation since then. Today is one year that she has been held captive.”

Indeed, religious organisations – Christians and Muslims alike, and some Civil Society Organisations (CSO) have been in the vanguard of the advocacy to rescue the innocent girl.

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has been particularly active in this regard. From enjoining Nigerian across faith lines to pray for her safe return and calling on government to do its very best to secure Leah’s release, the umbrella body of Nigerian Christians has been unrelenting in its push for her release.

As a demonstration that she has not been forgotten, the whole of Dapchi community, both Christian and Muslim decided to fast and pray on Tuesday to commemorate her one year stay in captivity. Also, in Lagos, peaceful protest held around the city as witnessed by THISDAY around Anthony inter-change in Mainland Lagos. Similar marches and demonstrations also held at the nation’s capital.

The recent call by CAN President, Rev Samson Ayokunle on Nigerians to pray for her safety even while still in the custody of Boko Haram follows in this regards. According to media reports, beyond calling for prayers, CAN has also met with President Muhmmadu Buhari on the need to rescue Leah.

“We also recall that the federal government later began a negotiation with the abductors for the return of the victims. And one month later, that decision yielded results as the terrorist group drove the ab-

ducted students back into the heart of Dapchi on March 21, 2018, as agreed with the federal government.

“The sight was unbelievable as terrorists entered the town in triumph and had the temerity to even harass their parents for sending their children and wards to school against their teachings. No single security operative was in sight to call them to order.

“To worsen the situation, it was not all the 111 abducted girls that were returned. We later learnt that five of them had died while the only Christian girl among them, Leah Sharibu, was denied freedom because of her faith!”

In a statement, CAN said, “It is reprehensible, wicked, ungodly and condemnable that this innocent girl is being persecuted for her faith; every opportunity CAN leadership has to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari is being used to prevail on his government to get her released.

“There was even two occasions when the terrorists reportedly signalled their readiness to release Leah, if the government is ready to pay her ransom, but there was nothing being done in this regard.

“All that were returned were said to be set free on the payment of the ransom though this was denied, nobody buys the denial. And even if no kobo was paid and now the terrorists are willing to negotiate, what sacrifice is too much to get her free?” the statement read.

Without mincing words, the PMB administration has not lived up to its oath of office and responsibility to protect every one living within the borders of the country; and this is without bias for the gains so far recorded in the fight against the terror group. Rather, it is a call to do more and bringing back Leah should rank high in the priority agenda.

In the midst of this all, it is heart-warming that the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has not made a campaign singsong out of the Leah Sharibu issue as did the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) prior to the 2015 general election.

The way the APC made the Boko Haram menace and the Chibok Girls kidnap a major campaign issue going into the election, one would have expected that by now the group would have been completely annihilated.

And if annihilating the group was becoming tougher than expected, securing Leah shouldn’t be especially, given that the same government secured the release of her fellow abductees last year making her the last hostage remaining.

Truth be told, Leah Sharibu’s continued stay in captivity is a drawback for the incumbent administration even with its promises to the girl’s parent. It does not in the least confer the sweet fragrance of rose flower on the government.

On the contrary, the administration’s continued silence on the issue makes the government come across as insensitive and insensate to the girl’s plight unless there is something the government of President Buhari is not telling the country regarding the matter.

And as the nation progresses with the elections, may the spirit of Leah Sharibu guide everyone into doing that which is both right and deserving for the good of the nation.

NOTES FOR FILE

Not Forgetting the Many Killings

Adamu

Many equally important developments were lost in the rage that trailed last week’s postponement of the general election. But, for the record, they are too important to be left without a mention. Do you know that even without President Muhammadu Buhari’s shoot-on-sight order, there were many killings connected to the postponed elections?

For instance, in Benue, an APC local government chairman in Ohimini, Mr. Boniface Okloho was shot and killed in the period. In Delta State, Mr. Lawrence Ijei, an aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, was killed alongside his driver. Two women were killed in Kogi State during a protest by women.

Two supporters of the PDP were shot dead in Ebonyi State while one Captain and 11 civilians were reportedly killed in both Katsina and Niger States respectively. There were several others that could not be captured here.

These killings were too many and when factored into account, Buhari’s blanket order to security operatives, who have never been guided by the rules of engagement, it is worthy of note that everyone maintains absolute caution as they go about their activities today while results of the elections are being awaited. Nevertheless, government must prove to be more responsible with the security of lives and properties.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

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CICERO/ISSUE

What about Underage Voters?

President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive ordering a shoot-on-sight on potential ballot boxes snatchers is limited in scope, writes Olaseni Durojaiye

P

resident Muhammadu Buhari’s recent directive to security personnel to shoot ballot boxes snatchers has further sent the discussions around the 2019 general election into frenzy with varied reactions.

Both the traditional and the social media have been awash with different interpretations and reactions to the directive, even from some notable legal practitioners, who went further to justify the directive with sections of the nation’s supreme law, the constitution.

President Buhari reportedly made the statement while addressing leaders of his party at an emergency meeting in Abuja, convened in the aftermath of the elections postponement.

In his speech, he had warned against interference in the electoral process and implied that he had given security agencies the go-ahead to be “ruthless” with anyone found wanting of violating the electoral law.

Buhari said: “Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb, it may be the last unlawful action you will take.

“I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs, snatch ballot boxes or to disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

Indeed, ballot box snatching has for long blotted the nation’s elections. Political thugs sponsored by politicians and often afforded security cover have made nonsense of many elections by disrupting the voting process through ballot boxes snatching and making away with it.

The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) is also known to have gone ahead to announce supposedly valid results in the same polling units where election was disrupted by ballot boxes snatching. Some of the supporters of the president alleged “shoot-on-sight order” based their endorsement of the order on this premise.

However, many contended that the directive was needless even though the practice it seeks to stop was real, arguing that the nation’s constitution clearly states the appropriate penalty for election violators including the snatching of ballot boxes. But so is underage voting which the president was silent on.

Expectedly, many people had condemned the president’s statement. Some interpreted it to mean a license to kill citizens at the slightest assumption of an attempt to snatch ballot boxes; others welcomed the veiled directive as the solution to ballot boxes snatching which is not unknown to the nation’s democratic practice.

Instructively, the electoral act (2010) prohibits anyone from snatching electoral materials. Section 129 subsection (4) of the electoral act prescribes a maximum two years imprisonment for offenders.

The section reads thus: 129 (1) No person shall on the date on which an election is held do any of the following acts or things in a polling unit or within a distance of 300 metres of a polling unit: (a) canvass for votes; (b) solicit for the vote of any Some underage voters during a recent local government polls in Kano State voter; (c) persuade any voter not to vote for any particular candidate; (d) persuade any voter not to vote at What about underage voters which is very prevalent the election; in the North of the country? Could the president have (e) shout slogans concerning the election; (f) be in avoided the issue of underage voters because of allegation possession of any offensive weapon or wear any dress or that his 2015 victory benefitted from the aberration? have any facial or other decoration, which in any event is As a matter of fact, insofar as ballot box snatching is calculated to intimidate voters; (g) exhibit, wear or tender an aberration, underage voting is also a big drawback on any notice, symbol, photograph or party card referring to the nation’s democratic credentials and an abuse of the the election or Disorderly conduct at elections Offences on electoral process. election day Underage voters made news headlines after the last (h) use any vehicle bearing the colour or symbol of a Local Government Elections in Kano State. political party by any means whatsoever; (i) loiter without Shortly after the election results were out, photos of lawful excuse after voting or after being refused to vote; underage voters surfaced on the Social Media to the shock (j) snatch or destroy any election materials; and (k) blare of the whole nation. Afterwards it became known that the siren. (4) Any person who snatches or destroys any election photos came about due to the in-fighting between a former material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to governor of the state, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso and his 24 months imprisonment. former deputy and incumbent governor, Abdullai Ganduje.

Section 128 of the act adds that “any person who at Interestingly, the issue of underage voters has gained an election acts or incites others to act in a disorderly traction, particularly on the Social Media since the manner commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a president bared his mind on the issue of ballot boxes maximum fine ofN500,000 or imprisonment for a term of snatching.

12 months or both.”

Some commentators argued that since the practice is Section 131 of the same act further states that anyone, synonymous with the North of the country and the two who uses force, threats, violence or restraint, is liable on leading candidates – President Buhari and former Vice conviction to a fine of N1million or imprisonment for a President, Atiku Abubakar – are both from the North, they term of 3 years. will both benefit from the practice.

However, beyond the back and forth and the However, others countered that the scourge of constitutional arguments around the directive, a few underage voters is another form of electoral malpractice questions beg for answers. Do people still snatch ballot and should be condemned with the same vigour with boxes in this age of electronic rigging perfected at the which the president condemned the snatching of ballot critical stage of the electoral process, which is voter boxes. registration?

Those who held this view insisted that before President

Buhari can be perceived as desirous of free, fair and credible elections, he must go the whole hog and in very strong terms make pronouncement against underage voting.

It was however a welcome development when the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council declared the party would not the condone participation of underage voters in yesterday’s rescheduled presidential election.

The Director of Planning and Monitoring, APC Campaign Council, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, said no underage person will be allowed to participate in voting during the election in Abuja, while presenting an electoral guide that would assist APC poll agents in their assignment during the election.

“By the nomenclature of it, underage voting is unlawful. If you are not old enough to vote, why should you even go and register in the first place. So, it shouldn’t even arise; it shouldn’t happen; why should an underage person go near the polling station on the Election Day if the process is what it should be? Let us take it for what it is: the Act is impersonation and the law is very clear on what should happen to whoever is caught doing so,” he said.

As reassuring as Fashola’s clarification was, many still expected that such clarification should have come from the residency, adding that if it had, it would carry much weight as did his take on ballot boxes snatching.

Besides, it is argued that the security personnel, who are expected to enforce such directive are not answerable to Fashola but Buhari, leading to the conclusion that Fashola’s intervention was a face-saving move to stave off criticism of President Buhari’s silence on underage voters.

THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

78

SUNDAYINTERVIEW Aminu Bello Masari

Masari

Obasanjo Not Qualified to Discuss Credible Elections Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, is a former Speaker of the House of Representatives.

He recently played host to some select journalist and fielded questions on sundry national issues.

Olaseni Durojaiye presents the excerpts:

I

t is election season once again and not surprising, you are seeking re-lection as governor of Katsina State, in what way would you say you merit a second term in office?

When we came into office in 2015, security was a major issue of concern. In fact, those who had the means packed their bags and left the country, thinking that after the election here will be violent. We thank God that the election came and there was no violence. In fact, it was one of the most peaceful elections ever held in Nigeria. The incumbent didn’t contest the outcome of the election either in court or on the pages of newspapers. The losing party accepted defeat even before the final results of the election was announced.

Regarding what we met on ground, of course, you’re aware of the security challenges as a result of Boko Haram in the North-east of the country so much so that it had reached Abuja and beyond. Again when we came in, the oil price had started going down, at a point it was 27, 28 United States Dollar (USSD) per barrel of oil. Yet the country kept going. At the time, too many states could not pay workers’ salaries, with some owing as much as over two years workers’ salaries.

And we’re not talking of pension and gratuities that had even been forgotten in some states.

In our state, about a year before we came in, an incident happened in one of the local government areas that claimed the lives of about 250 people, because of activities of cattle rustlers and bandits. Former President Goodluck Jonathan was here at the time campaigning for his re-election. When we came in, cattle rustling had become an everyday occurrence and killings were no longer news. Daily you hear that five people were killed, the next day you hear eight; it was as if that was a part of normal life.

But immediately we came in, we started putting measures in place to address the security challenges. Although we have not completely eliminated the security challenges as a result of Boko Haram and that of cattle rustlings, at least we have reduced it to a manageable level. The measures that we have put in place have ensured that it is no longer a threat to normalcy. Governments both at the federal and state levels are working to make sure that the issue is no longer a threat to normalcy in the country.

In terms of infrastructure, what we met on the ground when we came in was decayed infrastructure, abandoned schools and hospitals, not to talk of unpaid bills, which we inherited. If you saw what we met on the ground, you would wonder what the immediate past government did with all the huge resources that they got. That government left I think

N8.53 million. They left N3 billion in SURE-P account, all the money that the government left was not up to N4 billion.

We also met 3,200 workers, who were removed from the government payroll. These are people that were not sacked or suspended from the service. Their names were simply removed from the payroll and when we came in, we met them in court. The same government, when they lost election in February, employed about 1,020 new people into the state’s civil service.

On the one hand, you removed some people’s names from the payroll and on the other hand, after losing election, you went on to employ people. Why? Because they wanted to set us up to fail. According to what people were saying, they were expecting that in three months, the state would collapse under our government.

But we were undeterred. In fact, when we were campaigning we had told the 3,200 people that when we come into office, we will look into their cases even though they were at the Nigeria Industrial Court in Kano State.

There was also the case of teachers in public schools that have not been promoted not even once in well over eight years. At that time, we didn’t have up to five consultant doctors. The government before us inherited about 1,142 nurses but when we came in there were only 942 nurses in

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SUNDAY INTERVIEW t A0#"4"/+0 /05 26"-*'*&% 50 %*4$644 $3&%*#-& &-&$5*0/4 t Continued fromPg.78 the state. The population is increasing but the number of nurses was deceasing. It was the same with medical doctors. No consultant doctor was willing to come to Katsina State.

The education sector, as regards primary and secondary school education, which was the foundation of a good basic education, was a total mess, when we came in but we made it a priority of our administration and we have made massive interventions in the sector.

The minimum number of pupils in a class was 100, because there were not enough classrooms in the schools. In both primary and secondary schools, the deficit of classrooms as at the time we took office was about 13,000. In some places, only the walls of what used to be classroom blocks were still standing, in other places even the walls had given way. Today, in Katsina State, that is history.

I remember a village we went to in Basari Local Government, when we were campaigning, there was an accident involving one of the villagers and he died, so we went into the village to condole the family. What was left of the primary school in the village was the foundation; the school was constructed in 2013 and by 2015 nothing was standing anymore. But now we have reconstructed the school as we have done so many others.

So, that was the situation we met when we came into office and that is why we say our own mission is restoration – to restore the honour, dignity and pride of the people of Katsina State, because our people have a reputation with education.

When the colonialist came they met a functional Islamic education system in place in Katsina, which was only second to the one that was in Timbuktu. That was why the colonialists established the first post primary school here in Katsina.

The remains of the minaret of the place are now part of the national archives. For those of you who are interested in history, you will find out that throughout the first, second and third republic and even the military and police officers of northern extraction you will find out that 90 per cent of them either schooled here in Katsina or are natives of Katsina. That’s why we have been able to produce two former Inspectors General of Police in MD Yusuf and Ibrahim Coomassie; the former Chief Justice of Nigeria Muhammed Bello; Chief Justice of the Court of Appeal Mamman Nasir.

There are several retired generals of the Nigerian Army, who are from this state. Look at the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, and the current president, President Muhammadu Buhari, who schooled under the Native Authority here in Katsina for nine years.

So, we have history and our people are ready and willing to learn but the opportunities were not available to them.

When we came in, in the ratings of West African Examination Council (WAEC) and the National Examination Council

So, what qualifications does Obasanjo have to tell people about leadership? The media are the ones promoting Obasanjo. Who is he to talk about election? During that presidential election, the ballot paper on which I voted was like any other A-4 paper. I voted on a piece of paper – no serial number.

What credible elections did he conduct? What are his achievements apart from third term?

(NECO), Katsina ranked 33, we were only better than three states in the whole of the country. In those examinations, we were presenting 40,000, 50,000 and all we were getting was a maximum of 11 per cent of those who passed English and Mathematics.

Mind you, this includes students of Katsina State origin, who are resident in Lagos, Port Harcourt or Abuja. Once he fills Katsina as his state of origin, the computer automatically collates the results for Katsina State. What we found when we came into office in 2015 was that from that 11 per cent that passed the examinations, the percentage of those resident in Katsina was not up to five per cent; even the ones from within Katsina were from private schools. And then you know what, the teachers who teach in the privates schools were hired from public schools. Public healthcare system didn’t exist when we came in.

The Katsina water supply system was commissioned in 1972, the treatment plant aspect of it was completed in 1981, yet the dam has not work for a single; and many of the parts that are needed for it to function are in bad shape yet the previous Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government got about N980 billion from the federal allocations in eight years.

The facts are there with the Ministry of Finance.

Confronted with that barrage of challenges, did you ever feel overwhelmed by the scale of problems that you were confronted with so much you feel like abandoning the job?

We knew it was bad, but never knew it was this bad. In any case, leadership is about having the courage to face the most difficult task. If I run away from Katsina, where will I go? My relations including my siblings that are in the village, where will they go? There was no time at which I feel like quitting the job. Rather, what kept me going was faith. I had faith that even though the job was challenging yet doable and that we could do it, what was required was a lot of sacrifice and we were lucky, up till now we are one of the first states to pay their salaries into the federation account.

We are also proud of what we have been able to achieve in the area of education that we promised; in agriculture, water supply, security, provision of healthcare delivery. What we have achieved in three and half years, they couldn’t achieve it in eight years. The rehabilitation in the educational sector for example, is being done to the last. We are not just flooring the classrooms, we are building the schools and the floor are being done with pure terrazzo so in the event of a worst case scenario, the school children can sit on the floor and we have rebuilt 282 classroom blocks. We have also built 746 new classroom blocks at primary school levels. We have remodelled and completely upgraded and remodelled all our girls’ secondary schools.

What are you promising the electorate, as you go about your re-election campaigns?

What we are promising them is what we promised them during our first term, because the fundamental issues in Katsina still remain the issues of education, issue of security and how to make clean water available and accessible to the people all year round. As at last September, we have built over 786 bore holes across the states and I am not talking about the ones that the local governments have built, because since we came, the local government councils had built no less than 100 each.

Where do you get the money from considering that the state cannot be said to be very rich?

We got it from the federation account of course.

What is the internally generated revenue of the state like?

It is bad as it has been, because we have not put in place the infrastructure for the IGR. What do you generate IGR from when people don’t even have businesses to run? We are just now putting in place the infrastructure that will make generating IGR possible.

In this part of the country, the state revenue is dependent on what you are able to get from the federation account. Our IGR comes from the taxes that contractors pay, personal income tax like pay as you earn and a few others.

The IGR of the state has not been buoyant since the abolition of poultry and cattle tax, which was what the Native Authority depended on back then.

In that case, when you hear of a drop in the price of oil in the international market, what happens to your pulse?

I don’t let that get at me in any significant way. I believe if we survived when it was around $27 per barrel, we will survive still. You know what, when things were rosy, everybody can lead but only visionary and courageous people can lead and lead well as we are doing when things are not rosy.

The issue of insecurity in the state being in the same geopolitical zone with states like Kaduna and Zamfara is cause for concern. How are you responding to the challenge?

We are still battling with the issue of security. When we came in, the major security issue was cattle rustling within the states. Of course, you know we have borders with Kaduna and you know what is going on in Kaduna, Zamfara, Niger Republic especially in the forest area. However, we were able to curtail the issue of cattle rustling through constant security patrol and maintenance of strong internal security. But when we had that under control suddenly kidnapping came up.

What we are fighting now is kidnapping and really, the issue of kidnapping is on the decrease. What happens is that

Continued on Pg. 80

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SUNDAY INTERVIEW t A0#"4"/+0 /05 26"-*'*&% 50 %*4$644 $3&%*#-& &-&$5*0/4 t Continued fromPg. 79 because I cannot pad the budget without the active connivance of the political head of that ministry.

During out time there was nothing like padding. What obtained during our time was that we put in what is called constituency projects. How that came about was that in 1999, all the governors and members of the National Assembly were elected without the influence of the other, when we went into the National Assembly, most of the governors then didn’t regard members of the National Assembly as anything.

today, you hear that they have set up base in one local government area and when our security forces dislodge them from that place, they run to another local government. The problem really is as a result of our borders with Kaduna, Zamfara and Niger, which are all forest areas and they are so vast, because of that, they can easily come and attack in our state or go in from Kaduna and carry out attacks. That is why it is difficult to totally eradicate the menace but we are trying, because all the governors of Kaduna, Zamfara and Katsina had agreed that everybody takes care of his borders, because we know that if we do, incidences of banditry will reduce, then, again the military and the police are also on the ground, providing security as well.

Where do you draw motivation from and this is for two reasons: you were head of a firebrand House of Representatives during the turbulent period of the third term? Again, you did mention earlier that you met huge challenges on the ground when you assumed office as the governor of the state.

Well I will say first and foremost from God almighty, because I lost my father when I was two years old, so, practically I was brought up by my mother. That said I have never been afraid of challenges all my life, probably because I grew up as an orphan and I had to fight through life. I have had to fight to get everything that I have. So, probably that has help too, but really, it is a question that I cannot answer. I can only say it is from God. The gale of defections to the APC from the opposition PDP has also been on the rise in Katsina, what is the attraction?

Those who doubted us in 2015 have come to realise that we are doing what they were not able to do. We are giving leadership that they were not able to give and that accounts for why notable politicians have been joining our party.

During the last administration, commissioners do not have access to this office (Governor’s office). The commissioners could spend up to 30 days trying to see the governor, but now commissioners and other state officials just walk in here as they like and that is because we run an open-door administration.

The politicians that you referred to are our friends, either in politics or in governance and most of them have come to realise that this is where leadership is being provided. And like we have always said, we are not in government for rulership but for leadership You always sit at the edge of the conference table, do you ever seat behind your desk at all?

I have never sat on that seat.

Why? This seat does not appeal to me. If you go to the president’s office, I don’t think his desk it is as high as this one. The seat reminds me of Jean Fidel Bokassa when he was crowned Emperor of Zaire, so I detest the seat.

If that be the case why have you not dispose of it?

It is government property, even as the governor of the state, I have no right to dispose of government property.

Are you saying you have never sat on it even for once?

The only time I sat on it was after our swearing in on May 29. They insisted I sit on it to take some official photographs. I have never sat behind that desk after 29th of May 2015.

What are the chances of your party in the North-west considering that the opposition PDP insists they are very popular in the region?

They are popular where? Who are the people driving the PDP here in the North-west? The best you could say is Tambuwal in Sokoto; name it. Our politics is not like that, in fact, Tambuwal has his own seniors even in Sokoto PDP. I have my own leaders here in Katsina APC and I cannot singlehandedly claim ownership of APC in Katsina. The reality is if you say PDP is popular in the North-west, then, tell me where in the zone.

Is it with Kwankwaso in Kano with his 87 votes at the PDP presidential primaries in Port Harcourt, not all the delegates from Kano to the convention voted for him? Where is the PDP in the North-west?

And if you are talking about PDP in Katsina, who are the people left in PDP here; virtually all the notable politicians have left the PDP and joined us in the APC. Today is a Saturday and the time is 10 minutes to eight pm and here you are still tending to state matters, what is your normal day like how do you relax?

We normally resume here at 10.00am, after taking our breakfast, we resume here at 11.00am at the latest, when we don’t have engagements outside of the Government House and we don’t close from work until between 11.00 pm and mid night every day.

You were once the Speaker of the House of Representatives and now the governor, what are the differences between the two offices? Are there any similarities and what are the experiences that you garnered as a Speaker that has impacted on how you discharge your duties as a governor

Let me start from the last part of the question, from my little experience, people who have served at the national level have a better understanding of issues than people who spent time at the state level. They have better understanding of Nigeria, better understanding of issues and better understanding of the society, because of that exposure. If you carry out a survey, you will find out in most cases, I am not saying in all cases, those that have served at the federal level do better than those that do not have that kind of experience.

It makes you a better person; if someone from here who has not had the experiences of serving at the federal level is talking, he may be talking about Duara to Funtua, the two ends of the state. But for somebody, who has served at the federal level, who has been to Bonny Island in Rivers State, to Bama in Borno State and Ilela in Sokoto to Badagry in Lagos and then Abuja, he will look at the other person and laugh, because he will be talking from his little and narrow experiences. So, his perception and understanding of issues are totally different from that of the other person who has a much wider view and understanding of the issues.

However, the problem that people who have served at the federal level have when they come down to serve at the state level is how to come down to the level of the people at the state level, how to use their experience to relate and communicate with them so that they understand him and he understands them too.

And then, there is no basis for comparison between a Governor and the Speaker. The governor is the chief executive of the state and has direct access to the resources of the state. He can construct housing project, road project and schools project for the people, but a Speaker or Senate President cannot do any of the three. The best he can do is to put his interest in the budget and lobby the president or the appropriate minister to implement the project so that he can be seen to have made an impact in his constituency.

The pressures are also different. The pressure in the House of Representatives and the Senate are more intense because every member of the legislature, all of the 360 members of the House in the case of the House of Representatives are qualified to occupy the seat of the Speaker so you are only first among equals. It is a position that you can go into and come out as an ordinary person, likewise you can go in and become a Senator President and come out as an ordinary Senator.

To balance and carry your colleagues along with you is not easy especially in the House where most of the politicians there are politicians on the move. While a majority of the senators are on retirement in the senate, members of the House are like a new river rearing to go; it is eroding, corroding along its course. It is different from when it has reached the end of its course. It is very calm, so, there is a wealth of difference between the two in terms of caution. But as a governor, everybody here is at my beck and call.

The issue of padding has become a recurrence every at budgetary cycle. What is your perspective of it?

The issue of padding didn’t happen during our time. That said, no member of the National Assembly can pad without the connivance of the Executive, because ultimately they are the ones to implement the budget so if I pad the budget in connivance with a minister, the minister is equally guilty,

As it were then, when a governor construct and commissions a project in let’s say my community, local government or constituency, you find that the Commissioner or a member of the state house of assembly, or even a minister often incite the members of the area against the National Assembly member, they would say something like, your representative at the National Assembly, what has he done for you?

What project has he initiated or commissioned in your area whereas we are in the same party and supposed to share the credits when our party initiates, completes and commissions projects in a particular constituency. Unfortunately that is not what you get. Instead, you find yourself being sidelined by a commissioner or another political appointee, even by a member of the state house of assembly, who is angling for your seat, which was what gave rise to the issue of constituency project.

People want to insert projects in the budget so that they can go back home and say I have brought this and that is what the local governments in the state should actually be doing, because the federal government has no business with constructing bore holes, primary healthcare delivery clinics, even constructing housing scheme is not the business of the federal government.

The reality is that we inherited some of these practices from the military era and we have not been able to do away with them. And with that kind of incitements against them, members decided that if that is the case they must insert a project, lobby the ministry and make sure they do the project so that when the next round of elections comes, they will have something to show. But we did no padding of the budget when I was in the House of Representatives either as a member or as a Speaker..

You have worked closely with both former President Obasanjo and President Buhari, what is your take on their recent disagreements leading to media spats?

They are both human beings so it is normal to have disagreements. You see, I wonder if former President Obasanjo does take time to consider some of his actions; even the beneficiary of the presidential election that he conducted, late president Umoru Yar’Adua – may his soul rest in peace – admitted during his inauguration that that the election was a fraud and set he set up the Uwais Committee.

So, what qualifications does Obasanjo have to tell people about leadership? The media are the ones promoting Obasanjo. Who is he to talk about election? During that presidential election, the ballot paper on which I voted was like any other A-4 paper. I voted on a piece of paper – no serial number. What credible elections did he conduct? What are his achievements apart from third term?

Obasanjo enjoys criticising every government since he left government. Is he telling us that he is a saint? Even if he is a saint, nobody has the kind of investments that Obasanjo has. Have you been to the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Abeokuta? Even the president of the United States of America could not have that kind of library in his local government area. What former president Obasanjo is doing is not right; he has no respect for his age.

The restructuring debate has been topical for so long, what is your perspective of the issue?

There are so many meanings to restructuring.

What does it mean to you?

I will support restructuring if it is done in such a way that it does not weaken the federal government, because we have seen cases of insurgencies like the Boko Haram, Niger Delta militancy, if you have a very weak federal government, then, we are in serious problem. But sadly, like I said earlier, what is the business of the federal government with the construction of bore hole? What is the business of the federal government with primary education? There are so many things that are not federal just as there are so many things at the state level that are local and should be the responsibility of the local government.

But if you are talking of restructuring by way of creation of more states and local government – we started with three regions, then four; we had 12 states then 19 states, then 21 and we now have 36 still people are clamouring for more; so it means the solution to the problems is not the creation of states or more local governments.

What will solve the problem is to allocate resources and allow the people to pursue the issues of their development on the basis of their concept and understandings. During the first republic, a Sokoto man contested election and became a Mayor in Enugu. It was never an issue. The fundamental issue is a just leadership. If you have a just leadership, people will stop asking where you are from. And that is one thing about President Buhari. He has never taken anything down to Katsina simply because he is from here.

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

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Major Tasks before National Assembly

SMS: 08116759819

ÎÓÞÙÜ˝ Olawale Olaleye ×ËÓÖ˝ áËÖÏ˛ ÖËÖÏãÏ̶ÞÒÓÝÎËãÖÓàÏ˛ÍÙ×

The National Assembly resumes plenary on Tuesday, February 26, to attend to major legislative businesses pending before it, including the 2019 Appropriation Bill and the National Minimum Wage Bill, report Deji Elumoye and Shola Oyeyipo

T

he election of members of the 9th National Assembly took place yesterday in the 109 senatorial districts and 360 federal constituencies across the country.

With the results of the federal legislative seats and that of the presidential poll currently being sorted out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), members of both the Senate and the House of Representatives some of whom were candidates in yesterday’s elections are billed to resume plenary on Tuesday having adjourned legislative business last month.

At the Senate, two major bills that will engage the attention of members are the 2019 Appropriation Bill, which was presented to a joint session of the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari last December and the National Minimum Wage Bill, also transmitted last month by the president to the federal legislature.

Since the presentation of the 2019 budget estimate about two months ago, never a day was the issue listed on the Order Paper of the Senate before it went on recess. It is however expected that with the resumption of plenary, the issue would be listed for deliberation by the Senators.

ChairmanoftheSenateCommitteeonAppropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje, will set the ball rolling by formally presenting the 2019Appropriation Bill before his colleagues for necessary legislative work.

President Buhari had on Wednesday, December 19, 2018 unveiled the N8.83 trillion federal budget estimate for the 2019 fiscal year.

The 2019 total budget estimate is N300 billion lower than the N9.1 billion being implemented for 2018 fiscal year. According to Buhari, N4.04 trillion or 50.31 per cent is earmarked for recurrent expenditure and N2.03 trillion representing 22.98 per cent for capital projects. Other estimates are N492.36 billion for statutory transfers, N2.14 trillion for debt servicing and provision of N120 billion as sinking fund.

These estimates are expected to be scrutinised by the senators especially at the committee stage, when ministers and heads of parastatals will be put on the spot to defend their budgetary allocations.

The report of the eight-man ad-hoc committee on the National Minimum Wage Bill set up last month by the Senate will be another issue for debate at the Red Chambers.

However, the ad-hoc committee headed by the Senate Chief Whip, Senator Sola Adeyeye, had expressed concern over the inability of the committee to meet since its inauguration about a month ago.

Adeyeye said last week that it’s been very difficult getting the other Senators that make up the committee to meet.

According to him, “I have been trying but I’ve not succeeded in reaching committee members”.

He, however, expressed optimism that the committee “will definitely meet on Tuesday if plenary reconvenes on that day but if plenary did not resume, because of the postponement of the election, the committee will be meeting early next week”.

Other members of the committee include Chairman of the Senate Committee on Labour, Senator Abu Ibrahim, Senator Shehu Sani (North West), Senator Sam Egwu (South East), Senator SuleimanAdokwe (North Central), SenatorAdeola Olamilekan, Senator Francis Alimikhena (South South); and Senator Binta Masi Garba (North East).

Only two out of the committee members, namely Senators Adeyeye and Ibrahim did not seek reelection into the Senate and were not involved in electioneering campaign unlike the other six members who were busy in their various senatorial districts canvassing for votes.

This actually accounted for the inability of the committee to meet before now. The report of the ad-hoc committee will determine how soon the Bill will be passed by the Senate as it has to be discussed at plenary.

Once this is done, the Bill which had earlier been passed by the House of Representatives, which increased the national minimum wage to N30,000

Saraki and Dogara

from N27,000 proposed by Muhammadu Buhari will undergo concurrence.

The Senate had on January 24, considered the National Minimum Wage Bill, which passed through second reading. It also set up an ad-hoc committee to study the provisions of the bill and make necessary recommendations to the senate within two weeks.

At the lower chamber of the National Assembly, the resumption of plenary on Tuesday will see the House continuing from where it stopped as regards the debate on the 2019 Appropriation Bill, which passed second reading on Tuesday, January 29.

Speaker Yakubu Dogara had then referred the Bill to the House committee on Appropriation and all other relevant standing and subcommittees to work on it.

Before this, members had put the Minister of Budget and National Planning on notice to urgently correct what they tagged “irreconcilable differences” in figures presented in the 2019 budget.

House members had shown more than a passing interest in urgently passing the budget, such that even at a point, when a Lagos lawmaker representing Ajeromi-Ifelodun federal constituency, Hon. Rita Orji raised an observation that the House did not form the required two-thirds quorum in the debate for the 2019 budget as only 43 members were present, the Speaker replied that she was not the custodian of the register.

Responding to Orji’s observation, Dogara had said, “You are not the keeper of the register, so you cannot determine quorum. This is politics time, some members come around to sign the register and leave. You don’t keep the register, so you cannot draw my attention to the issue of quorum.”

From his utterances and body language, it was obvious that Dogara wanted a quick passage of the budget and that reflected in the fact that despite the errors observed in the document, it has passed through second reading in the House of Representatives.

It is however not clear whether or not the corrections have been effected, but considering the need for the lawmakers to embark on their recess to enable them campaign ahead of yesterday’s presidential and NationalAssembly elections, they only looked at the budget in the general principle perspective but not in details as regards those errors identified.

Hon. Adamu Chika, representing Shiroro/ Rafi/Munya of Niger State and Hon. Ahmad Patigi, representing Edu/Moro/Patigi federal

constituency of Kwara State were the duo who pointed out that the 2019 budget was fraught with many errors in figures.

Hon. Chika had pointed out some errors in the budget, saying “I will raise some issues, which have to do, one, with the Ministry of Education, two, Ministry of Finance and three, Ministry of Budget and National Planning and then, one observation with the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).”

According to him, in the education ministry budget, in part C, which is the recurrent expenditure, which consists both the personnel and overhead, while the budget is N462.2 billion, the summary of the budget by the MDAs, in number 41: 0.5.1.8 personnel changed to about N539.6 billion and overhead, there is N33.5 billion now making it that the total recurrent expenditure, when you go by the summary by the MDAs has changed to N539 billion, stating that “I don’t know why that figure was added at that level.”

He further said, “When you go to Ministry of Finance, the budget of the ministry in the recurrent expenditure in part C is N10.8 billion, however, there is also an error when you go to the summary, which is number 21: 2.2.0, personnel is N7.4 billion, which is okay, but when you go to the overhead, it now becomes N2.26 trillion and therefore that has also changed. Now the total which is now personnel and the overhead is now N2.27 trillion.

That has also changed.

“In the Ministry of Budget and Planning, in the part C is N9.3bn, however, when you go to the summary by MDAs, which is number 28: 0.2.3.8 personnel in the Ministry of Budget and Planning has now become N66.21 billion. Then overhead also changed there; it is now N832.2 billion. Then the total, which is personnel and overheard in that aspect has now become N1.49 trillion.

“The capital also has changed to about N655.9trillion, now giving us a total allocation of the Ministry of Budget and Planning, instead of N9.3bn has now become N2.15 trillion.

“Also, at the capital, which is D aspect, page 118 appeared only as ‘Federation.’ We don’t have any MDAcalled federation, however, when I continued with the research, I realised that in that federation, there is a capital component of N31.8 billion, but when I continued to search, I realised that federation, I found it in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), so why did they write federation?”

On his part, Pategi, who brought out faulty

figures in the budget of the Ministry of Finance, particularly in the summary detail, said “Anytime we discover it (error), they can attend to it.

“We know that we are discussing the general principles. It will still get to the committee level and all those can be done. As for the ministry, we can get the Minister of Finance and the Chairman of Finance and Chairman of Appropriations to liaise with these three bodies; the Budget Office, the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and the Ministry of Finance.”

Dogara, thereafter, directed that relevant committees should liaise with the Budget Office to correct the errors, after which the Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, moved the motion for the second reading of the budget, which was seconded by the Chairman, House Committee on Rules and Business, Hon. Edward Pwajok.

Another observation was that even while the budget passed the second reading, the 2019-2021 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and Fiscal Strategy Paper (FSP) has not been passed.

While the position of the law is that the MTEF/ FSP should be before the National Assembly for ratification by September of each year, President Buhari transmitted it to the lawmakers on November 6, 2018 and he presented the 2019 budget on December 19, 2018.

In the framework of projections on which the budget was drafted, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) projected a $60 oil price benchmark, oil production volume of 2.3million barrels per day, exchange rate of N305 to $1 and gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate of 3.01 per cent.

Therefore, the lawmakers will be expected to look closely into the errors with the hope to fine tune it, align the MTEF/FSP with current realities and conclude other legislative work on the budget on resumption of plenary.

Significantly, the House of Representatives had amended two provisions of the New National Minimum Wage Bill forwarded to it by President Buhari, and approved N30,000 as the lowest wage payable to workers in the country.

By that decision, the House overrode the National Council of State which had approved N27,000 as the new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had welcomed the passage of the national minimum wage bill, and urged the Senate to concur with the House of Representatives by adopting N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER ˾ ͺͼ˜ ͺ͸͹΁

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with DEMOLA OJO demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

SOCIAL MEDIA BITS

Last week on social media, the President talked tough, INEC felt the heat, and Ibom Air took off...

esterday was the second attempt

by Nigeria’s electoral body, INEC, to hold the 2019 presidential and parliamentary elections after it was postponed by a week.

If the lead up to the polls is anything to go by, the results of the elections will probably be disputed. This is because the leading parties traded accusations about who was responsible for the initial botched effort. They both agreed on something: INEC was at fault. Then they went on to accuse each other of conniving with the electoral body.

APC chairman Adams Oshiomole was very vocal in his condemnation of INEC and its chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu.

At a point he called for his resignation, “seconding Secondus”, as he said, referring to the earlier suggestion by PDP chairman Uche Secondus that the electoral body’s boss step down.

In fairness to INEC, it made a big show

of proving its readiness the second time around by holding daily briefings with stakeholders. Unfortunately, there were still many instances of ballot papers and result sheets finding their way to the wrong locations, lending credence to the assertion that the elections were being wilfully sabotaged.

The week proceeded at a dizzying pace.

Monday was the APC caucus meeting which was unusually broadcast live (The PDP followed suit). The highlight was President Buhari talking tough, as he let those who intended to rig the elections that it was at the expense of their lives. He had already instructed the security forces to be ruthless, he said.

His statement precipitated a heated debate on social media, between those who supported the President’s posturing, and those who claimed that it encouraged jungle justice. There’s a prescribed punishment for running foul of electoral laws and

FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ˾ THISDAY, THE SATURDAY NEWSPAPER

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SOCIAL MEDIA BITS being shot isn’t one of them they contended.

Those in support weren’t having it; “Snatch at your own risk” was coined into a hashtag which trended for more than one day. Ballot box snatchers and vote riggers are worse than armed robbers as they steal the “collective destiny of a nation” they opined.

Still on the subject, the hashtag “This is GMB” also trended, with GMB referring to General Muhammadu Buhari rather than his new toga PMB with “P” standing for president.

Interestingly, both his supporters and detractors made reference to the hashtag: the former as proof that he was in charge; the no-nonsense leader they yearn for, who will show no mercy to the corrupt. To the latter though, it was evidence that the “draconian ruler” was finally baring his fangs. Tyranny, they screamed.

The President’s wife, Aisha Buhari also weighed-in; “This is GMB taking Nigeria to the Next Level” she tweeted, accompanied by the thumbs up emoji, as she shared a video of her husband laying down the law.

With a history of criticising her husband’s government on occasion, it wasn’t clear if it was a show of approval or the height of

sarcasm.

The day after the caucus meeting, the President held a meeting with security chiefs. The next day, he bemoaned the amount of foreign currency flooding the country, “intended to influence the elections” he said. But commentators on social media made a joke of it: we’ve been looking for foreign investment, so maybe this would suffice.

The alleged proliferation of dollars was not responsible for the naira to dollar rate crashing to 184/1. That was a mistake by Google, which as you can imagine, set social media on fire on Friday.

The PDP’s candidate Atiku Abubakar was in the news too, but mostly because of his stated intention of privatising NNPC if he becomes president. It once again put the corporation in the spotlight amid allegations of gargantuan official corruption.

Akwa Ibom State launched its airline, Ibom Air, last week. Expectedly - and understandably - the PDP got on board, trumpeting it as evidence that it is a party of achievers. They contrasted it with the Nigeria Air project floated by the APC but which never took off.

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FEBRUARY 24, 2019 ˾ THISDAY, THE SUNDAY NEWSPAPER

THE ALTERNATIVE

with RenoOmokri

Leah Sharibu: A Year in Captivity

L

ast year, I wrote a book, Leah Sharibu: The Girl Boko Haram Left Behind. I raised a significant amount of money from that book, all of which I gave to Leah’s mother, Rubeccah (not Rebeccah) Sharibu. I did it because I have a daughter that is the same age as Leah and I almost had a heart attack when my daughter was younger and, unbeknownst to me, she played a game of hide and seek with me and I could not find her for five minutes.

I thought I had lost my daughter. I began panicking. I ran to strangers. I was beside myself. And then my daughter revealed her four-year-old self and I was so relieved. I was so overjoyed that I did not bother to even scold her for playing such a prank on me.

Leah Sharibu is not playing a prank on her parents, Nathan and Rubeccah. She was taken against her will by Boko Haram, along with a hundred and ten other girls. Whereas all the other girls were freed, Leah was refused her freedom because she would not convert to Islam.

That feeling that I had for five minutes is a feeling that Nathan and Rubeccah have had to endure for one year. I cannot even imagine what they must have been going through.

I have never met Leah, but in writing my book, I had cause to carry out investigations all the way to her parents’ home in Dapchi. There is a void in her mother’s life.

Rubeccah, Leah’s mum, is passionate about education, and her passion overflowed to her daughter, who is incidentally the best student at her school, Government Girls Science and Technical College, Dapchi.

In her Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations, Leah had 9 As. She often taught other students at her school and is very studious. This is not just a girl with a past. Leah is a girl with an even brighter future.

Her mother has been teaching for twenty-two years and it just makes you wonder if the Sharibu family were targeted by Boko Haram especially when you consider that Leah’s father, Nathan, is a policeman, attached to the Special Protection Unit.

Sadly, Nathan was serving Nigeria by protecting Very Important Persons in Adamawa at the time Boko Haram abducted his daughter.

What have we as Nigerians done for the Sharibu family? The Buhari administration has made promise upon promises, none of which they have kept. They have shown a willingness to use their so called ‘back channels’ to Boko Haram to broker the

Sharibu release of other hostages, but not Leah. Why? Let me serve Nigeria notice that I will never forget Leah. I will keep making trouble until she is released. On Tuesday the 19th of February 2019, I was at the Nigerian High Commission in London, leading protestors along with my friend Mervyn Thomas. We handed in a letter of protest to President Buhari, which was received by the head of Chancery at the Commission.

The British media was there, and I was interviewed. Liberty Radio in particular, wanted to know why I kept Leah’s flame alive and the truth is that I do it because she inspires me. Apostle Peter was an adult male and yet he denied my Lord and Saviour, Jesus, three times within the space of one evening.

Leah was a fourteen-year-old girl when she was abducted, yet she refused to deny Jesus Christ (and still refuses to do so according to the testimony

of Aisha Wakil, popularly known as Mama Boko Haram, who has insight into Boko Haram’s operations and who testified that Leah still refuses to renounce Jesus).

That type of fidelity is commendable. Leah is my hero. Could I have such strength under similar circumstances? I doubt it. I have to salute such courage. I know of nobody that I have met who is as brave as Leah.

Leah’s story is so inspiring that one of the parents, whose daughter was also abducted, has chosen to convert from Islam to Christianity, because of the faith Leah has shown. I cannot reveal his name, because that would threaten his life. But I know his identity and he said (his exact words) “The God of Leah is the true God”.

What can you do to help Leah? I want you to pray for her. Do not pray any old mechanical prayer. No. Pray a prayer of faith. Prayers work. I am living proof.

When I spoke to Ahmad Salkida, the journalist with the most reliable link to Boko Haram, he was doubtful as to whether Leah was even alive.

After my conversation with Mr. Salkida, I felt so downcast. I was depressed.

And then I did what I always do when I am downcast. I prayed. I went on my knees and prayed to God not to allow Ahmad’s suspicions be the reality. And God hears my prayer, because about 6 weeks after my prayer, Boko Haram released a proof of life video.

The word of God works when you work it. In Mark 9:23 Jesus said “all things are possible to him that believes.”

That is such a pure and truthful statement that you cannot rebut whether or not you are a Christian.

When I asked Rubeccah what her greatest desire on earth is, she responded thus: “To sleep and wake up to see that Leah is back home”.

As long as I, Reno Omokri, am alive, fulfilling Rubeccah’s desire, would be one of the major purposes of my life.

I believe with all my heart that Leah Sharibu will be rescued and Rubeccah will go to sleep one day and wake up the next and see Leah with her eyes. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

May God bless Leah and may God bless her family.

Reno Omokri Bestselling author of Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years.

PERSPECTIVE

Why Tribunal Upholds Fayemi Election Tobi Soniyi x-rays the judgment of the Ekiti State Governorship Election Tribunal which upheld the election of Kayode Fayemi as governor

O

nMondayJanuary28,theEkitiStateGovernorship Election Tribunal, which sat in Abuja dismissed the petition filed by the People’s Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Prof.

Kolapo Olusola, in the election held on 14th July 2018 for lacking in merit.

The three members of the panel led

by Justice Suleiman Belgore with Justices E.G. Omukoro and Aliyu Usman as members unanimously held that the election which returned Dr Kayode Fayemi of the All Progressives Congress was conducted in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act. Among others, the petitioners had alleged that: Fayemi was not qualified to contest the election; that he was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast at the election; that the election was invalid by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended); and that Fayemi’s election was invalid by reason of corrupt practices.

To substantiate their allegation of electoral malpractices, the petitioners said there were violence, hijacking and snatching of electoral materials, thuggery, intimidation of voters, inducement of voters with money to mention just a few.

In line with our adversarial justice system, he who alleges must prove, the onus was on the petitioners to prove their allegations.

And that was where the problem started for the PDP and its governorship candidate. It is easier to make allegations, but adducing credible evidence and calling the necessary witnesses to

NEWS REVIEW testify in support of the petition has always been a difficult task for anyone seeking to overturn an election. The case of the PDP in Ekiti State was not going to be an exception.

Justice Belgore, in delivering the tribunal judgment has no problem coming to this conclusion. He said:”There are 2, 195 polling units in Ekiti State. The complaint is in 1,458 of the units. Meaning, no complaints whatsoever in 737 polling units. In petitioners’ endeavour to prove the alleged infractions and irregularities in the 1, 458 polling units, they called only 41 polling units agents.

Leaving a total of 1, 417 polling units with no eye witnesses to attest to or confirm or give credence to all the allegations alleged to have occurred in them during the election.

“So 41 polling units agents as witnesses, is in our view too scanty, grossly few and inadequate as to make any significant impression.”

With this finding alone, the tribunal has no problem upholding the arguments of respondents’ counsel Lateef Fagbemi, Akinlolu Olujimi and Charles Uwensuyi, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria.

These senior lawyers had asked the tribunal to dismiss the petition on the grounds, among others that the petitioners did not prove the allegations they alluded to in their petition.

“The obvious implication of calling this scanty and insufficient number of polling unit agents as witness (41), for 1, 459 polling units is that a big puncture or damage was done to the case of the

petitioners”, Justice Belgore added.

Apart from calling inadequate witnesses, most of the result sheets tendered by the petitioners in order to prove their claim that they garnered more votes than the respondents were faulted by the tribunal.

It is also trite that unless and until the petitioners have satisfactorily proved their entitlement to the reliefs sought, no duty arises on the part of the respondents to answer or put up a defence.

This forced the tribunal to hold that, “the petitioners have thus failed to prove that they scored the highest number of votes in the said election as to lead to a grant of the reliefs sought by them and to annul Fayemi election and declaration as winner of the election.”

Earlier, the tribunal has dealt with the petitioners’ allegation that Fayemi had been indicted for fraud and financial embezzlement by a judicial commission of enquiry and that he was therefore disqualified from seeking election into the office of governor.

Petitioners’ counsel, Mallam Yusuf Ali, SAN argued that by virtue of the official gazette and white paper issued by the Ekiti State Government pursuant to the report of Justice S. Oyewole Commission of Inquiry, Fayemi stood disqualified to contest the governorship election. The whitepaper has purportedly banned Fayemi from holding any public office for ten years.

However, the respondents’ counsel countered the argument saying that the First Alteration to the Constitution had changed the law.

(Reader should See concluding part on www.thisdaylive.

T H I S D AY, T H E S U N D AY N E W S PA P E R ˾ FEBRUARY 24, 2019

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NEWSXTRA Ballot Box Snatcher Burnt to Death in Lagos Police arrest four for burning ballot boxes Gboyega Akinsanmi A group of aggrieved voters yesterday clamped down on a suspected ballot box snatcher simply identified as Demola; stoned beyond recognition and finally burnt to death in Okota, Oshodi-Isolo Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Lagos State.

The detail of how was summarily killed was revealed in a video tape, which showed some irate young voters throwing stones and other objects at the victim, who bleeding unceasingly before his assailants set him ablaze.

As indicated in the video, Demola, allegedly a leader of Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), had escaped with his motorcycle after leading some hoodlums to snatch ballot boxes in Okota, when he was apprehended and stoned to death, with his motorcycle burnt.

One of his assailants in the video was heard saying, “That is Demola. He is a leader of OPC. They have stolen our votes. They have stolen our votes in Okota. See him lying down.”

Another assailant in the video screamed that they “have stolen all the votes. That is Demola there; the head of OPC. He was the one that led them to come and scatter everywhere. He was the one that led them to come and scatter the votes. You will die like a thief.”

Before Demola was burnt to death yesterday, THISDAY obtained another video tape showing some political thugs that disrupted voting in the polling unit of Fuji star, Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde (KWAM I).

The video showed that after sending voters away, the thugs broke all ballot boxes at the polling units and set them ablaze without restraint from security agents attached to the polling units.

Some voters captured in the video were screaming, running here and there as well as accusing the leadership of All Progressives Congress (APC) in the area of sponsoring political violence that disrupted the process.

In Oshodi, Oshodi Local Government Area (LGA), a former member of the House of Representatives, who spoke privately with THISDAY, alleged that some political thugs invaded some polling units and made away with the ballot boxes.

Both Oshodi and Okota are the strongholds of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In 2015, the APC lost all legislative elections in Okota and Oshodi to the PDP, a situation that ignited interests in the 2019 contest.

However, the State Police Command yesterday claimed that it arrested four persons in connection with the disruption of voting and destruction of voting materials in Okota.

The Commissioner of Police,

Buhari Loses Aso Rock Vote, Atiku Loses Polling Unit Speaking after the declaration of the result, Akpabio commended INEC for conducting a peaceful election in the state. He blamed the PDP for rigging and using thugs to perpetrate illegality.

The senator said, “When I was a governor I gave respect to the people. I did not use thugs. I am a lawmaker and will never allow myself in anything that will disrupt Buhari’s administration. I am pleading that election should not be war as we are peaceful in this unit.”

El-Rufai Wins Polling Unit, Shehu Sani Loses Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, delivered his polling unit in the presidential election in state, trashing the PDP with 371 votes to 44 votes. But Shehu Sani, senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, who defected from the APC to the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) to seek re-election, was defeated in his polling unit at Anguwan Sarki.

Sani who was elected on the platform of the APC in 2015, defected to PRP to seek re-election after he was denied the APC ticket. In the presidential election at his unit, the APC polled 292 votes while PDP got 23 votes.

In the senatorial election, Sani polled 51 votes while his opponent, Uba Sani of the APC, scored 236 votes.

Atiku Clears Votes in Ekweremadu’s Unit Deputy Senate President and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for Enugu West senatorial zone , Ike Ekweremadu has won all the votes cast at his Amachalla Primary School Mpu, in Aninri council of Enugu state.

Ekweremadu also delivered 100% of the votes cast for the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the House of Representatives with the All Progressives Congress, APC scoring no votes.

Out of the 499 valid votes cast, the PDP scored 468 votes for Presidency, 490 for Senate and 492 for House of Reps.

Other parties scored zero.

The electorates had turned out at the Amachalli polling zone as early as 7:30 am to caste their votes and waited till it was around 9 am due to card reader related challenges.

Speaking to newsmen after he cast his vote, the deputy Senate president who hopes to return to the senate for a record five times expressed satisfaction with the security situation.

He however regretted that voting was yet to start in some polling units even though the electorates were on ground, citing incomplete ballot papers and lack of network for voter accreditation as some of the challenges.

Mr. Zubairu Muazu made the claim during a visit to the affected polling units alongside an Assistant Inspector-General of Police monitoring elections in Lagos State, Mr David Fo-

lawiyo.

Muazu said that suspects would soon be charged with disrupting elections and damage to election materials, acknowledging that hoodlums

set ablaze some ballot boxes at Polling Unit 18 located at the junction of Ohafia/Ago Palace Way, Okota.

The incident occurred midway into voting at the booth,

causing voters and INEC ad-hoc staff to run for safety.

The hoodlums also disrupted voting at Polling Unit 23 located on Baba-Ewe Street/Ago Place Way.

JUNGLE JUSTICE...

Demola, allegedly working for All Progressives Congress (APC), set ablaze after disrupting voting at Polling Unit 018, Okota, Ago Palace Way, Lagos State...yesterday

Boko Haram Attack Stops Gaidam from Voting Michael Olugbode in Maiduguri The people of Geidam in Yobe State were rudely woken from sleep as Boko Haram struck the town yesterday, thereby preventing the state governor, Mr. Ibrahim Gaidam from voting.

The governor could not exercise his civic right due to reports of attacks on two communities in the early hours of Saturday.

The first attack occurred in Gaidam town early in the day, which has already been brought under control and voting is now underway there.

Residents of the town told our correspondent on phone that the attackers were sighted at Maladari, a

village located 7 kilometres to Geidam town around 3:23 am.

They arrivedGeidam around 6:35am and began shooting sporadically from all directions.The residents of the town, including women, aged have to flee the town.

One of the residents Mallam Abubakar told our correspondent at about 10am that: “I am currently taking refuge at Yunusari, the home town of the state governor.”

He said many residents had to flee in different directions.

When asked about the elections, he said: “I am talking of my safety, you are talking of elections. We fell and I doubt if any of us is planning to go back there today. I do not

think any of us even leave with our PVC.” He said that many residents that fled the town are in the bush with their wives and children without direction.

“We are suffering, we don’t know what to do, some of us could not even think of election.”

Geidam town had fallen under Boko Haram attack in recent times. During past attacks many soldiers were lost, including civilians and the warring Boko Haram.

The report said the security agencies would seek to reinforce and increase security around the governor for him to travel to cast his vote.

However, increased security around the governor will mean that vital secu-

rity resources that are needed elsewhere in the state would have to be diverted and allocated to the governor.

Millions of Nigerians are today voting to elect a president that will lead West Africa’s most populous country for another four years.

The voters will also elect 468 members of the National Assembly: the Senate and the House of Representatives.

A total of 73 presidential candidates are participating in today’s election.

However, the contest is expected to be between incumbent President Muhammadu Buhari of the APC and ex-Vice President Atiku Abubakar of the PDP.

Army: We Have No Plan to Kill Wike Aret Adams Foundation Institutes Professorial Chair at UNIPORT tion on February, 15.

Olaseni Durojaiye The Nigerian Army yesterday denied reports that its officers attempted to assassinate Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike.

In a statement issued on Saturday night by the army spokesperson, Musa Sagir, the Nigerian army described the report as bogus and an outright falsehood.

The governor was reported to have highlighted recent attempt at his life after receiving members of the British entourage at the Rivers State Government house on Friday.

Wike alleged that soldiers attached to the General Officer Commanding Division; (GOC) 6, attempted to kill him, after they barricaded the road leading to his private residence, ahead of the postponed elec-

Responding, the army said Wike was “acting out of frustration” from the failure of the state governor’s repeated attempts to tarnish the image of the army.

“The Nigerian Army (NA) wishes to respond to the bogus and unsubstantiated allegations being peddled by the Governor of Rivers State, Mr Nyesom Wike. Some of his rancorous claims were that the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 6 Division, Maj Gen Jamil Sarham purportedly sent troops to cordon off his residence prior to the rescheduled General Elections on the 15th of February 2019. The Governor further went on to allege an assassination attempt on his life, which he claimed, was orchestrated by the GOC 6 Division.

Olaseni Durojaiye The Aret Adams Foundation at the weekend disclosed that the foundation has instituted the Aret Adams Professorial Chairs at the University of Port Harcourt in collaboration with Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC).

The foundation announced that its 16th Lecture Series would hold February 28 at the Agip Recital Hall of Muson Center Lagos, noting that the theme for the annual lecture was “Emerging Middle-Level Producers in Oil & Gas: Challenges and Opportunities” A statement by the foundation’s Programme Coordinator, Mr. Akin Jokojeje at the

weekend said Chief Executive Officer of First Exploration & Petroleum Development Company Limited, Mr. Ademola Adeyemi-Bero and former Managing Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd and Chairman, StanbicIBTC Bank Plc, Mr. Basil Omiyi would be the Guest Speaker and the Chairman respectively.

Jokojeje disclosed that panelists for the 2019 edition would include an executive with Schlumberger Nigeria Limited, Mr. Nosa Omorodion and President, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN); Mr. BankAnthony Okoroafor and Group DMD, Access Bank Nigeria Plc, Mr. Roosevelt Ogbonna.

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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 24, 2019

NEWSXTRA Court Grants FG’s Plea to Prosecute JPMorgan over $875m Malabu Oil Deal Alex Enumah in Abuja A High Court sitting in London has granted Nigeria’s plea to allow it proceed with the trial of JP Morgan Chase over allegations bordering on misappropriation of State funds in the sum of $875 million.

The presiding judge, Justice Andrew Burrows gave the order on Thursday in respect of the alleged infractions involved the sale of the Oil Prospecting License, OPL 245, otherwise known as Malabu Oil. This was revealed in a statement

by Mr. Salihu Isah, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN).

The statement disclosed that following the orders of the London

Court, JPMorgan Chase, a United States bank “has failed to halt its prosecution by the federal government.”

The statement said in a 26-page verdict, Barrows held that Nigeria “has reasonable grounds to proceed with the trial. The defendant bank has failed to establish that the claimant has no real prospect of success.”

The statement said, “Burrows held the bank ought to suspect the payments were fraudulent and therefore had a duty to protect the Federal Republic of Nigeria until its concerns were cleared up.

“That duty of care entails that the defendant bank could not simply follow the mandate of abiding by the instructions given by the claimant because the bank’s duty of care, as its core, was to protect the claim-

Aiteo Pays DPR $82m to Renew OML 29 Lease for 20 Years Chineme Okafor in Abuja Documents obtained yesterday in Abuja by THISDAY have shown that indigenous oil and gas company – Aiteo Group, has completed its payment of $82 million to the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for the renewal of its operational lease on Oil Mining Lease (OML) 29.

According to the documents, the company on January 22, 2019 reportedly made the last and final payment of $18, 23,000.00 to the DPR to bring the total amount of payment for the renewal of the oil block for another 20 years to $82,006,468.23.

One of the documents contained the spread of the payment to the DPR in the ratio: $18,455,000.00 paid on January 22, 2018; $9,227,500.00 and $9,227,500.00 both paid on January 22, 2018 and November 6, 2018. Another sum of $20 million was also paid to the DPR by Aiteo on December 18, 2018 and $6,866,468.23 paid on November 14, 2018, and then $18, 23,000.00 paid on January 22, 2019.

A letter to the Director of the DPR, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, by the Executive Vice Chairman of Aiteo, Mr. Benedict Peters,

intimating him of the full payment, and which contained an acknowledgment stamp of the DPR was also sighted by this paper. The letter was dated January 23, and DPR acknowledged receipt of same on January 24, 2019.

It was recently reported that the energy firm was struggling with repayments of some debt and may not meet up with the renewal fee of the prolific OML 29.

However, the documents indicated Aiteo had taken a huge step towards securing its control of the asset for another 20 years with its full payment of the renewal fees.

Sources in the company also told THISDAY that besides the full payment of the renewal fees, the company has also met all conditions precedent for the renewal of its oil mining license.

“Most importantly, it has finalised payments of the sum of about $82 million to the Department of Petroleum Resources in respect of the license renewal. Aiteo paid the renewal sum in six tranches, with the last payment made on 22 January 2019, exactly a year after the first instalment.

ant against being defrauded by not paying out unless and until it was ‘off inquiry.”

Earlier, JPMorgan Chase had argued that the case should be dismissed as it had received sufficient approvals from Nigerian authorities beforeallowingthetransferoffunds fromagovernmentaccounttothose controlled by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mr. Dan Etete.

The payments, after a 2011 settlement, aimed to end several years of battle over the ownership of a lucrative but controversial oil licence thathasensnaredRoyalDutchShell and Eni in corruption investigations in Milan, Italy.

The statement said the licence for the c block was shuffled back and forth between Shell and Malabu Oil & Gas, a Nigerian oil company controlled by Mr. Etete and which was first awarded development rights in 1998 when he was also in charge of petroleum resources, but he has denied any wrongdoing.

It said this led the Federal Government to now seek compensation, claiming it was “the victim of a serious fraud” as a result of bribes made to former and current Nigerian politicians and oil executives through the transfer of funds via Malabu accounts.

It alleges that although JPMorgan Chase had reasonable grounds to believe the payments out of the government account were intended to defraud the customer, the bank went ahead in breach of its “duty of care”.

Even as the bank had said it had “no responsibility” to look behind any payment instructions, the judge said this was not consistent with the agreement the bank

had with its client.

However, the bank was quoted to have said after the

judgment that While today’s judgment “is disappointing, it does not address the underly-

ing claim, which we continue to believe is completely without merit.

WHOSE MONEY?

Bullion vans conveying money into the residence of the National leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu in Ikoyi....on Friday

Soldiers Kill Photographer, PDP Ward Chair in Bayelsa Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa and Sylvester Idowu in Warri Armed men, suspected to be soldiers, yesterday killed a Government House Photographer, Mr. Reginald Dei and one other person at Oweikorogha, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

In a similar case, three persons were reported dead in Amukpe, near Sapele, Delta state while two other persons, who sustained varying degrees of injury, were hospitalised..

In Bayelsa, THISDAY findings revealed that Dei, who was in his early forties, was killed alongside the Ward Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the area, Mr. Seidougha Taribi.

One of the sources said the two victims of the electoral violence were killed while they were in their houses and waiting for the votes which had been concluded in their Ward to be counted.

The source, who craved to speak privately with THISDAY, said the assailants

shot victims to death in their residences for reasons yet to be ascertained.

But the Spokesman of the Joint Task Force (JTF), Major Ibrahim Abdullahi, told newsmen that soldiers were not involved in any skirmish in Southern Ijaw.

Chairman of Bayelsa PDP, Mr. Moses Cleopas said in a statement he issued yesterday that the death of Dei and Seidougha brought the number of the PDP members killed by some thugs allegedly working for the All Progressives Congress (APC) to three.

He accused some opposition members and a Surveillance Contractor in Nembe as being behind the violence that rocked Opu Nembe and Bassambiri.

In Warri, Delta State, three persons were yesterday reported dead in Amukpe, near Sapele, Delta state.THISDAY learnt that the deceased were eligible voters who were trying to cast their votes.

The incident, according to findings, happened along old Eku road Amukpe, Sapele Local Government Area, Delta State.

Disappointment as Gunmen Kill One in Ibadan

Akeredolu’s Support for AA Sabotages APC in Ondo

Kemi Olaitan in Ibadan

James Sowole in Akure

The presidential and National Assembly poll yesterday recorded its first known disaster around 2 pm on in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State after a school boy was killed by suspected urchins known as ‘One Million Boys’.

THISDAY findings revealed that the incident happened during the collation of results at Ward 2, Ibadan South East Local Government, and was confirmed by former Deputy Governor in the state, Amb. Taofeek Arapaja.

An eyewitness account said the boy, Monsuru, who just finished his secondary education at St Luke’s College in Molete, Ibadan was killed.

Many residents believed the

thugs belong to the group called ‘One Million Boys’.

“Votes were being collated when the assailants came into Lako Compound, Kudeti, the same ward where Ambassador Arapaja voted and they started shooting sporadically.

It led to the death of Monsuru.” account said indications that there would be trouble started manifesting when loyalists of Zenith Labour Party started removing the banners and posters of other political parties in the vicinity and replacing them with those of their candidates.

Speaking on the incident, Arapaja, a chieftain of African Democratic Congress (ADC), said security was not tight enough.

However, voting was marred irregularities in different parts of the state yesterday with former governor of Oyo state Senator Rasheed Ladoja, the governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party, Mr. Sharafadeen Alli and his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterpart, Mr. Seyi Makinde expressing disappointment in the conduct of the elections.

The trio expressed their feelings after they casted their votes in their respective polling units in Ibadan.

They said there were complaints of card reader’s malfunctioning, late arrival of voting materials and late commencement of voting.

The internal crisis that rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senatorial primary in Ondo North District took toll on both the APC and the Action Alliance (AA) allegedly supported by the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

The crisis led to the defeat of the APC candidate in many polling units in Ondo North District.

At Imeri Ward 9 Ose Local Government, the PDP candidate scored 503 while the APC and the AA candidates scored 314 and 279 respectively.

At Isinido Ipe Akoko Unit 2, the AA candidate scored 32 votes while APC scored

78 votes as PDP candidate scored 158 to beat both AA and APC. Also at Ijebu 1 Ward 4 Unit 008, AA scored 71 while PDP polled 75 and APC 31.

The situation also affected adversely the performances of the APC presidential candidate in many units apart from Owo Local Government that was delivered to APC in most units of the local government.

Akeredolu lost the senatorial poll in his unit to AA while the APC won in both Presidential and House of Representatives polls.

The governor along with his wife Betty voted in Unit 6 Ward 5, Owo Local Government area.

In the presidential election,

the APC scored 147 votes while PDP scored 30 votes while in the senatorial poll, AA candidate, Dr Tunji Abayomi scored 125 votes compared to 33 votes scored

by APC and 30 votes of the PDP. However, the governor won the unit for APC in the House of Representatives candidate, Timehin Adelegbe scoring 130 votes while the PDP candidate polled 23 votes and AA candidate 14 votes.

In Akure South, the Secretary to the State Government, Hon Sunday Abegunde lost his unit marginally to the PDP in the presidential, senatorial and House of Representatives polls.

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

87

SUNDAYSPORTS

Edited by Demola Ojo Email: demola.ojo@thisdaylive.com

Man United Host Liverpool, Eager to Slow Reds’ Title Challenge Demola Ojo

M

anchester United host Liverpool today, hoping to put a dent in their bitter rivals’ push for a first league title in 29 years.

Between then – when Liverpool were by far the preeminent team in England - and now, United have been champions 13 times, in the process usurping their rivals to become the number one team in England with 20 league titles to the Reds’ 18.

Knowing this, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says his side will do everything they can to get a result today.

The Merseysiders travel to United sitting second in the Premier League, but with this afternoon’s clash being their game in hand on leaders Manchester City, the Reds will go back to the top of the table if they avoid defeat at Old Trafford.

“It’s a big one,” said the German. “They are in a good moment, physically strong, defend and attack well. Full of confidence. We will try everything to get a result there.

“They’re full of confidence, that’s clear. We will go there as good as possible prepared. You never know. It’s open until the final whistle. We try and use that time.”

However, United are going for a 12th win in 14 matches in all competitions since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer replaced previous manager Jose Mourinho

Liverpool won 3-1 in the reverse fixture in December

in December.

In fact, United remain unbeaten in nine league matches, having last tasted defeat at Anfield in December - a 3-1 loss that brought the end of Mourinho’s reign.

And Solskjaer knows all about eagerly-anticipated

encounters with Liverpool.

“I’ve played in a few of these myself and I know the magnitude of it for the fans, for everyone who works here, the staff,” said United’s caretaker boss.

“There have been many comments about, ‘this is the big one’ and ‘we’re looking forward

to this one’.

“Then it’s our job to be focusing and channelling all that energy into performance mode. It’s not about emotions.

“I understand that emotion can be brought into it, but we have to stay focused and controlled but with some fight in us as well.”

Anthony Martial and Jesse Lingard could return for Unoited today. The duo were expected to be out until early March with injuries sustained against Paris Saint-Germain, but both may be available for Liverpool’s visit, with Solskjaer more optimistic about Martial (groin) than Lingard (hamstring).

David de Gea is set to return in goal after Sergio Romero started Monday’s FA Cup win at Chelsea.

Antonio Valencia, Matteo Darmian and Marcos Rojo are still fighting their way back from injury.

Liverpool will still be missing the likes of Dejan Lovren (hamstring), Joe Gomez (ankle) and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (knee) with injury, but Virgil van Dijk does return after being suspended for Tuesday’s Champions League draw with Bayern Munich.

Liverpool won the reverse fixture 3-1 and are looking to do the league double over Manchester United for the first time since 2013-14. They’re already the side to do the Premier League double over the Red Devils more than any other in the competition (4).

Only Manchester City and Chelsea (6 each) have won more Premier League away games against Manchester United than Liverpool (5).

Sarri under Pressure as Chelsea Face Man City in League Cup Final African Tour: Torgah Wins Eko Challenge Cup Olawale Ajimotokan

Vincent Torgah wrapped up an excellent week by winning the Eko Challenge Cup at a canter. The Eko Challenge Cup was the first of the 16 tournaments projected to come on board on the new African Tour this year.

The Ghanaian finished on the high by carding -6 under par 66 to bring his haul over 72 holes to -18 under par.

He was also the only player to return the rounds of 60s in four days over the breathtaking Lakowe Lakes Golf Estate, Lagos, having grossed 69-67-68 in the preceding days.

Torgah asserted his supremacy over his biggest adversary, Sunday Olapade, as the pair once again extended their rivalry that started in the old West Africa Tour to the newly expanded African Tour.

Torgah, who won five times on the West Africa Tour last year, led with an unassailable margin of 12 strokes, beating Olapade from MicCom Golf and Country Club, Ada, Osun State, into second place.

Emos Korblah had a great outing in spite of only securing his Tour Card through the Qualifying School on the eve of the tournament. The veteran Ghanaian shot– 3 under par 285 to finish in third position.

Christopher Ambe of Nigeria grossed + 2 over par 290 to sit in third position ahead of Franscico Perez of Spain and Sunday Odegha of Nigeria, both who tied for fifth at +3 over par.

Mike Ubi of Nigeria and Visitor Mapwanya of Zimbabwe also tied for seventh, while Pierre Nji of Cameroon placed ninth.

Nigeria’s threesome of Chidi Tobias, Kamilu Bako and Francis Epe all finished in a three-way tied for 10th at + 9 over par.

Under fire manager Maurizio Sarri leads a stuttering Chelsea side against rampant Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley today.

This is against a backdrop of rumours that the Blues are searching for Sarri’s replacement, with England’s assistant manager, Steve Holland, the latest name being mentioned.

City won the competition last year and will be looking to defend their title for the first time, while a final win would ease the pressure on Sarri and Chelsea. The game comes two weeks after their last meeting in the Premier League, in which Manchester City ran away with a 6-0 victory, but City manager Pep Guardiola does not think the game will have a bearing on today’s result.

“I don’t like to play the same team in a short period of time when you have beaten them before,” he said.

“They are incredibly professional players, they are proud and bright and will do extra. We are going to play the type of game you have to play in a final and try to win the title.

“Of course it is not the most important title of the season but once we are here in an amazing stadium against a top side, we want to prepare to win.”

Chelsea made it into the last 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, but Sarri says his side cannot make the same sluggish start as they did against Malmo at Stamford Bridge.

“It would be a disaster, of course. I think that we played the first 30 minutes without confidence.

Nervous. We were unable to move the ball very fast.

Sarri needs a good result today We were in trouble on their pressing. Then a little bit better in the last 15 minutes of the first half and then, after the first goal, very well.”

John Stones (groin), Benjamin Mendy (knee) and Gabriel Jesus (hamstring) are doubtful for today’s final and Guardiola refused to confirm if Arijanet

Muric - who has played in goal in the previous rounds - would start ahead of Ederson.

There are also question marks over who will be Chelsea’s goalkeeper at Wembley, with Kepa Arrizabalaga missing Thursday’s Europa League game with a hamstring injury. Should he be sidelined again, former Man City goalkeeper Willy Caballero will deputise in his place.

Pedro and Davide Zappacosta have also been suffering with illness this week and are doubtful.

Both teams are set to face-off in a League Cup final for the first time - both sides have won the trophy five times previously, with only Liverpool winning it more often (eight times).

Chelsea have already lost three times at Wembley this season, losing in the Community Shield against Manchester City and in the Premier League and League Cup semi-final against Spurs.

Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus has scored more goals than any other player in this season’s League Cup (5) - but all five have come against League One sides (one v Oxford, four v Burton).

Should one, or more, of Manchester City trio David Silva, Vincent Kompany and Sergio Aguero score, they could become the first players to score in back-to-back League Cup finals since Didier Drogba did so for Chelsea in 2006-07 and 2007-08.

Sergio Aguero has scored 13 goals in 16 appearances in all competitions against Chelsea for Manchester City, only scoring more often against Newcastle United for the Citizens (15).

Messi Scores 50th Hat-trick as Barcelona Win at Sevilla Lionel Messi scored the 50th hat trick of his career to help Barcelona twice recover from a goal down and win 4-2 at Sevilla yesterday.

Messi’s first came from a superb volley before he curled home from the edge of the area and then clipped in a neat finish to complete his treble.

It was the 32nd hat trick of Messi’s La Liga career, while he has notched eight in the Champions League, three in the Copa del Rey, one in the Spanish Super Cup and six in international competition with Argentina.

He is second in the all-time La Liga list behind former Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo, who has 34, but the two are tied on 44 club hat tricks in all competitions.

That makes them the joint holders of the all-time record for the most hat tricks scored for a club in Spain.

Messi leads the statistics for Europe’s five

Messi celebrates with team mate Ousmane Dembele yesterday

major leagues, with 25 goals and 11 assists so far this season.

His treble moved Barca 10 points clear at the top of La Liga ahead of Atletico Madrid’s game against Villarreal today, but speaking after the match, he said they were not getting

carried away.

“No, that’s not one hand on the title -- there is still a long way to go,” he told beIN SPORTS. “But it was an important win because it helps us maintain our lead over our rivals. It’s always tough to win [at Sevilla]. They always make it difficult.

“You go through different spells in a season.

You can’t always play at a great level. We have been on a run -- if we’re being honest -- in which we have not been playing our best football. But today we were back to being ourselves.”

Barca’s win came after a run of one victory in five games and sets them up for this week’s double-header against rivals Real Madrid.

They face Madrid at the Bernabeu twice, first in the Copa del Rey semifinal first leg on Wednesday and then in the league on Saturday.

Sunday February 24, 2019

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& RE A S O

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Price: N400

MISSILE

American Bar Association to Buhari “President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension during this election period of Chief Justice Walter Onnoghen, the official responsible for overseeing the election, is troubling.”

– American Bar Association in a statement faulted the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

SIMONKOLAWOLE SIMONKOLAWOLELIVE!

simon.kolawole@thisdaylive.com, sms: 0805 500 1961

The Morning After

I

f you ask me, I would say there are three critical stages of elections in Nigeria — and each is potentially explosive. The first is pre-election, where campaign rhetoric is usually a major trigger for tension. There could be episodes of violence, although they are not usually widespread. The second is the election day. It could be peaceful in the main, but we hardly avoid the skirmishes, voter intimidation and ballot-snatching. And there is the third stage: the post-election.

That is usually where all hell is let loose by the losers. We have now navigated the first two stages and anxiously await the third. We can, at least, breathe a bit until the final results are announced.

How well did we do in the first two?

There was too much bile pre-election, a lot of bad blood generated by dangerous rhetoric, and the most disturbing was the amount of fake news on the social media. I thought I had seen everything in 2015 but it definitely got multiplied this year. The good thing, though, is that we seemed to be better prepared this time around. We had websites doing fact checks round the clock, and there were many good-natured people on the social media who took it upon themselves to counter the influx of fake news. I received many of such. I once confronted one of the fake news senders and he replied me: “All is fair in war.”

I was a bit shocked that despite the fact that the two leading candidates, President Muhammadu Buhari and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, are of the same ethnic origin and religious affiliation, people still found a way of whipping up ethno-religious sentiments. That means I celebrated too early in my article, The Good Thing about Buhari vs Atiku (October 14, 2018). I did argue then that because of their similarities, the oft-divisive electioneering would be altered. I was partially wrong. There were still whispers and murmurs about Biafra and jihad. But, compared to the 2011 and 2015 elections, I would say the purveyors of sectionalism did not make much success of it this time around.

The election day, unfortunately, reproduced similar results from the past — death and destruction. I somewhat expected ballot hijack, voter intimidation, late arrival of voting materials, non-arrival of materials, excesses on the part of security agencies, violence and killings, to be honest, but I projected that they would be minimal and would not impact on the overall health of the elections. I cannot make a definitive statement on that for now because things are still unfolding, but the videos and pictures I saw yesterday from Rivers and Lagos were quite disheartening. There were cases in other states. I would still say it was not a disaster overall, but certainly we can do much better.

From today, we enter the most critical stage.

The bloodiest cases of electoral violence in Nigeria have always occurred post-election.

The “Operation Wetie” of the first republic was post-election. In 1983, the old Ondo and

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman

Oyo states went up in flames post-election, leading to death and destruction. Western Nigeria earned the notorious tag, “Wild Wild West”, because of its history of electoral violence. The 2011 post-election violence might be the worst in our history with nearly a thousand people killed, including youth corps members. Violence usually breaks out when people think their candidates have not been fairly defeated, although it is often instigated.

The post-electoral stage can be further divided into two. There is the danger of violence over the final results, and even if we overcome this, there is still the carry-over when people behave like sore losers for years. President Goodluck Jonathan lost the 2015 elections and conceded, but for four years his supporters were yet to concede.

Many of them immediately turned President Muhammadu Buhari into an enemy and started wishing him failure even before he was sworn in. They came up with different devices, including creating and sustaining vile propaganda against him. I am not saying Buhari is blameless, but I think some people went overboard.

This post-election bitterness is something we have to learn to handle well in Nigeria.

This is always my philosophy: no matter whom we supported or voted for in an election, the moment a winner has emerged, we just have to move on. Any candidate that is aggrieved should go to court to seek justice. That is a more decent way of addressing grievances than inciting violence and turning the country upside down. We all will suffer the consequences. If Nigeria is not at peace, the citizens can never be at peace. If we make life unbearable for a sitting president because he was not our choice at the ballot, we make life unbearable for ourselves as well. That is the truth.

After elections, we have to begin to think about the progress of Nigeria first and foremost. We must perish the notion of “my way or the highway”. It is not in the best interest of our country. While the winner must adopt a philosophy of “no victor, no vanquished” and become leader of all — including those who didn’t vote

for him — the loser must also accept that there is nothing to be gained by seeking to pull down the winner in order to extract a pound of flesh. Whether or not we like it, if the president fails, we will all face the consequences. I wish we can allow this truism to sink in properly. I repeat: if the president fails, we will all face the consequences.

This election was a straight fight between Buhari and Atiku. No matter who wins, the next item on our agenda as Nigerians should be how to engage with him constructively in the interest of national peace, unity and progress. Pulling the winner down will only pull Nigeria down. I have a fundamental belief and this guides my attitude to human beings: there is nobody who is completely good or totally bad. Every human created

by God has good and bad sides. Buhari is not perfect. Atiku is not. In that case, I would rather tell myself that whoever wins between them will become my president and it is my duty to make sure he succeeds.

I would like to conclude by making two points. One, we don’t have to like the decision of the majority of Nigerians at the polls but we have to respect it. Democracy, stripped of decorative definitions, does not guarantee that the best and the brightest, or saints and popes, would win. You win because you have the majority of votes.

You have the majority of votes because the majority of voters chose you for one reason or the other. Therefore, the moment you do not have enough votes to defeat your opponent, you have to accept the result in good faith (or challenge the it if you think something untoward happened). All of us need to respect the outcome.

Two, a lot of bad words have been exchanged between the supporters of Buhari and Atiku in the last few months, but we have to accept that most of us wish Nigeria well. We want our country to be one we can be proud of. We have competing visions for the country. We may not see eye to eye, we may not be able to come to a consensus on our visions for Nigeria, but we generally mean well. However, we can only actualise these visions if we have a Nigeria that is standing. If we burn down the country, if we turn the country upside down, how will these visions find expression? Common sense says we need a country first before we can actualise our visions.

My overall argument is that no matter who wins between Buhari and Atiku, we have to move. We shouldn’t spend the next four years at each other’s throat. Both men have strengths and weaknesses. Neither of them is perfect. As a Nigerian citizen, all I care about is how my country can become a better place. How can we tackle unemployment and poverty? How can we have transparency and accountability in government? How can Nigeria become a land of delight? I will never relax until we have a better country. It is not about my ethnic group or political preference. It is about Nigeria. We can all be winners in this game.

And Four Other Things…

WELL DONE, NIGERIANS While we await the outcome and the vital statistics of Saturday’s elections, I want to say I was impressed with the general turnout. Nigerians have demonstrated yet again that they are getting more and more interested in exercising their democratic rights. I thought the postponement would lead to apathy but I was pleasantly surprised. Our usual ailments — late arrival of materials, system malfunction, ballot snatching, violence, intimidation and deaths — still showed up, yet I think it was by and large a successful exercise. The next stage is for the winners to be magnanimous and for the losers to concede, or institute legal challenge, without recourse to violence. #HopeRising.

KAJURU KILLINGS A communal clash between the Fulani and the Adara ethnic groups in Kajuru LGA of Kaduna state has led to the deaths of over 100 human beings and Nigerian citizens. However, with the arguments that followed, I can see nothing but primordial and sentimental reactions. Yet, if I have to say this yet again, the real issue is that the Nigerian state has failed its citizens for the umpteenth time. That is what should worry everybody — no matter our prejudices and biases. Who is guilty? Who is the aggressor?

Who is the victim? These are the focus of our discussions, rather than the failure of the Nigerian state to protect its citizens despite huge security votes. Tragic.

KEYAMO’S TREASON Defending President Muhammadu Buhari’s controversial statement that those who snatch ballot boxes “will do so at the expense of their lives”, his campaign spokesman, Mr Festus Keyamo, said ballot-snatching is the same as treason and the punishment is death. The last time I checked, no Nigerian law classifies ballot snatching as treason. Even in cases of treasonable felony, suspects are still arrested and put on trial before they are killed. This applied even when Nigeria was ruled by the military. When people like Keyamo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) who should know better, make this kind of pronouncements, then our trouble has just started. Worrisome.

AND FINALLY… An American man wrote a profound obituary of himself shortly before he died two weeks ago. Mr Geoffrey Turner, 66, died of lung cancer after decades of smoking. “I was an idiot who made the same stupid decision, day-after-day,” he wrote in the Albany Times Union. “If you’re a smoker - quit - now - your life depends on it… even though I knew it may eventually kill me, I chose to deny the truth to myself… The pain and suffering I caused my family was not worth the perceived ‘satisfaction’ that really did nothing more than waste money...”

And then the clincher: “The moral of this story - don’t be an idiot. Remember, life is good - don’t let it go up in smoke.” Lit!

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