FG plotting to sabotage smooth handover — APC

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62396

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

How I survived cancer,

by Okonjo-Iweala 9

BATTLE FOR SAMBISA FOREST:

Troops rescue 160 more 8 women, children

AGM: From left: Mr. Uzoma Dozie, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer; Dr. Chris Ogbechie, Chairman and Ms Nkechi Nwosu, Company Secretary, all of Diamond Bank Plc during the bank’s 24th Annual General Meeting, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

FG plotting to sabotage smooth handover — APC •Says Jonathan’s ‘anger’ is misplaced aggression •We'll not surrender to any blackmail •Adds outgoing administration trying to hide something

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BUJA — THE All Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday accused the out-going President Continues on Page 5

UNILAG confers honorary doctorate degrees on Adeboye, Onosode, Danjuma •Pgs 16 & 54

Mr & Mrs

RESCUED: Some women and children rescued from Boko Haram by Nigerian troops in Sambisa Forest, Borno State, yesterday. PHOTOS: DEFENCE INFORMATION. MORE PHOTOS ON PAGE 14

S’West teachers groan under poor welfare, See pull-out inside overwork C M Y K

Brewing crisis between Jonathan AFTER THE 2015 POLLS: and Buhari •P.17 Coloured and colours Sweet victory and of genocide transition teams •P.19 its problems •P.29

2—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

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POCKET CARTOON

MEETING: President Goodluck Jonathan (4th left); Vice-President Namadi Sambo (3rd left); Secretary General, World Customs Organisation, Mr Kunio Mikuriya (4th right) and other Heads of Customs Administrations in West and Central Africa after a meeting with President Jonathan in Abuja, yesterday.

FG plotting to sabotage smooth handover —APC Continues from Page 1

Goodluck Jonathan administration of plotting to hinder a smooth handover of power to the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) on May 29.

President Goodluck Jonathan had, on Wednesday, accused the APC of acting like a parallel government and trying to stampede his administraton out of office by making impossible demands in the terms of reference of the President-elect’s transition committee.

Briefing newsmen after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Minister of National Planning, Abubakar Suleiman, a

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member of Jonathan’s transition committee, said the council frowned at the terms of reference of the in-coming government and warned that the President’s magnanimity should not be construed as cowardice.

He said the council agreed that Dr Goodluck Jonathan remains the President of the country until May 29 and the incoming government should avoid creating a parallel government.

Misplaced aggression

Responding yesterday to President Jonathan’s accusation, the APC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said it was becoming apparent that the

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

E more aware of how to take charge of your life experiences …listen to your inner voice— Take Heart Quotes Listening to your inner voice takes practice to hear your true desires. Your passion will often come as a whisper or chance event that reminds you of what’s important and what makes you happy. Have you ever been thinking about a friend when the phone rings? “I was just thinking about you!” you exclaim.

“What a coincidence!”

The word, coincidence, means that two events happen at the same time, like your thinking about your friend and your friend’s call. When this happens, it is never an accident. Your friend and you are connected in ways that your eyes, ears, nose, skin and tongue cannot show you but that your intuition did.

Have you ever had a feeling you shouldn’t do something and then done it anyway? “I knew I shouldn’t have trusted him/her,“ you say. That is right. Your intuition told you, but you wanted so much to trust that you ignored it.

Multisensory perception and intuition are the same thing, but multisensory perception is a more accurate name. Most people think that intuition is a hunch that occurs now and then, but it is more that that. It is a very sophisticated system that allows you to know more than you can with your five senses.

As we become more and more intuitive—and we all are—we encounter different kinds of experiences.

Be aware of how to take control of your life. Listen to your inner voice.

Jonathan administration will not fully cooperate with the incoming government, despite its public posturing in that regard.

The party also described as “an act of hostility and a patently-misplaced aggression the unnecessary vituperation against the incoming Buhari administration by the Jonathan government, ostensibly because of the terms of reference of the Buhari transition committee but in reality part of an orchestrated plot to sabotage the transition.”

It rejected the continued blackmail by the Jonathan administration as a result of President Jonathan’s concession of defeat, wondering whether the concession, gracious as it was, has now become a shield for all wrong doings.

The party said: "We are sick and tired of being blackmailed by the Jonathanians. Gen. Buhari won the March 28 Presidential elections fair and square, having satisfied both constitutional and other statutory requirements.

"We have no apology for our victory, and the concession of defeat – while it may have increased the political stock of President Jonathan – has by no means diminished the historic and emphatic victory of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress."

Outgoing administration trying to hide something

Justifying its claim that the Jonathan administration was plotting to hinder a smooth transition of power, APC said: “While the outgoing

government had earlier issued a memo to all ministries, departments and agencies to make sure their handover notes are ready

by April 20, the same government has now reversed itself and said the handover notes will not be ready until May 14.

"With the new date, the Buhari transition committee will have little or no time to take a thorough look at the handover notes or seek clarification on knotty issues, effectively handing it (Buhari Transition Committee) a fait accompli as far as the handover notes are concerned. This does not augur well for a smooth transition and gives the impression that the outgoing administration is trying to hide something.

"By its dilly-dallying on the date for the readiness of the handover notes from the MDAs, the administration’s posturing that it is ready to hand over has been exposed as nothing but a smokescreen."

On parallel govt

APC described as illogical and strange, the claim by the Jonathan administration that the President- elect was trying to set up a parallel government simply because he has set up his own transition committee and given it terms of reference meant to guide the members on the discharge of their duties as members of that committee, wondering how those terms of reference have become the concern of the outgoing Federal Executive Council.

According to the party, "in case the Federal Executive Council has forgotten, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress was declared the winner of the March 28 Presidential Election by INEC. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari is, therefore, today the President-elect and the All Progressives Congress the incoming government. It is, therefore, illogical to accuse the President-elect and the incoming government of setting up a parallel government.

"It is either the outgoing Federal Executive Council has something to hide or is bent on sabotaging the incoming government.

There can be no other reasons for the misplaced aggression that was exhibited in that illintentioned, unprovoked and vitriolic statement from the Jonathan government."

It said that to put the matter beyond doubt, the party has decided to publish in full the terms of

reference in question so that Nigerians can judge for themselves whether there is anything suggestive of intimidation or running a parallel government in the document.

We won't surrender to blackmail APC warned the Jonathanians not to overstretch the goodwill which the President has earned by his gracious concession even before INEC officially declared Gen. Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the March 28 Presidential election, saying while it was momentous, it was not unprecedented in Africa, where power has changed hands peacefully between the ruling and opposition parties in several nations.

The party asked: "Are they now saying that because the President conceded defeat, the incoming administration can no longer ask legitimate questions or seek clarifications that may arise from the handover notes?

"We will not surrender to any blackmail, subtle or otherwise. We shall ask questions and ask for explanations and clarifications whenever and wherever we deem such necessary. We cannot run a transparently honest government or fight corruption if we are prevented from asking legitimate questions and seeking clarifications from the outgoing government during the transition process. Let the Jonathan administration not tie our hands behind our back just because he conceded defeat after losing an election."

The Terms of Reference

The party then reproduced the Terms of Reference for Buhari’s Transition Committee which state thus: z To develop a clear framework for liaison with the out-going administration for purposes

of a smooth hand-over/ take-over. zTo receive hand-over documents from Ministries, Departments and Agencies and itemise the most important or most urgent issues confronting the incoming government. zTo review and make preliminary assessment of the balance sheet of government with particular emphasis on: zThe status of assets and liabilities of government. zCash flow position of the government. z Quantum of public domestic and external debt of government and their deployment. z Government’s outstanding contractual obligations and its ability to meet such obligations. z Status of implementation of capital projects. z Under-take a preliminary assessment of the security challenges facing the country, and the z Counter-insurgency measures taken by the government thus far. z Counter policy measures being implemented in the Niger Delta to deal with unrest and major economic crimes in the area. In particular the status of the Amnesty Programme. zReadiness of the Police and other national security and intelligence agencies in addressing threats to law and order. zProvide a brief overview of CBN, NNPC, NCC, Customs and FIRS. zSuggest “quick fixes” which will result in tangible, visible and practical measures so that change will be seen after 30 days, after 100 days, after six months of the administration taking office. z Make any other observations which in view of the committee would be helpful to the transition and take-off of the new Administration. z Report back to the President-elect in two weeks.

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Man docked over cult membership

By Bartholomew Madukwe & Jane Echewodo

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31-year-old man, Taiwo Adoti, has been charged before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos, over alleged membership of a secret cult, known as Black Axe. The accused was alleged to have committed the offence on March 18 at NNPC, Ejigbo, Isolo area of Lagos.

He was arraigned on a three-count charge of membership of Black Axe confraternity and unlawful possession of one locallymade double-barrelled shotgun without license.

Magistrate Afunwa granted the accused N200,000 bail with two sureties that must have a verifiable office or house address.

The matter was adjourned till May 22.

... 40-yr-old for stealing 31 animals

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HE police, yesterday, arraigned a 40-year-old man, Hassan Abubakar, at Gudu Upper Area Court for absconding with 15 cows and 16 sheep.

The accused, a resident of Funtu village, Abuja, is standing trial on a fourcount charge of criminal breach of trust, cheating, criminal intimidation and theft.

The prosecutor, Inspector Umoh Inah, told the court that one Mrs Bola Disu of Zuma Barracks, Abuja, reported the case at the FCT Police Command, Abuja, on March 26.

He said the complainant gave the accused 15 cows and 16 sheep in June 2010 to rear for her and also paid him a monthly salary of N30,000.

He added that the accused eventually absconded with the animals and that police investigations revealed that the suspect sold them.

The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The judge, Alhaji Umar Kagarko, granted the accused N2.1 million bail, with one surety that must reside within the jurisdiction of the court.

He adjourned the case to June 5 for hearing.

Pandemonium in Abeokuta as bullion van crushes motorcyclist to death

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U T A — PANDEMONIUM broke out, yesterday, in OkeIlewo area of Abeokuta, Ogun State, when a bullion van belonging to one of the new generation banks reportedly crushed a 22-year-old man, Gbenga Okesola to death.

Vanguard gathered that the incident occurred around 11a.m., as the van knocked down the victim, who was riding a motorcycle around the OPIC Roundabout, ran over him and dragged him on the road for about five metres, before it stopped.

It was further gathered that the policemen escorting the van reportedly dragged the victim from under the van, while he was still breathing, dumped him by the roadside, and zoomed off with the vehicles.

zJustice 'll be done— POLICE would have survived if he had been taken to a nearby hospital as soon as the inicident occured.

Police story

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, said the bullion van belonged to a new generation bank in the state and was driven by a supernumerary policeman, popularly known as Spy, trained by the bank to move cash from one point to the other.

He disclosed that the driver

of the bullion van had been arrested and that they had the bullion van in their custody.

He said: “A bullion van belonging to one of the new generation banks knocked down a motorcyclist at OPIC Roundabout, and he fell under the vehicle.

“The vehicle dragged him for about five metres before the police escort pulled him out and abandoned him. This was what angered the people.

“They have the right to protest, but they became violent

and started attacking law enforcement agents, passers-by and even journalists.

“We had to apply minimum force to disperse them and also to take the corpse of the victim to the mortuary.

“Presently, we have arrested the driver of the bullion van and the vehicle too is our custody.

The law will take its course and justice will be done.

“If the policemen attached to the van are found to be culpable, they will be made to face the wrath of the law.”

Riot

The action of the Policemen was said to have angered other commercial motorcyclists, who had their park at the roundabout, as they unleashed violence, attacking law enforcement agents and passers-by.

Attempts by men of Police command in the state to curb the violence made things worse as the aggrieved protesters hauled stones and other missiles at a detachment of regular and riot policemen, who were later despatched to the scene.

The policemen had to fire tear gas canisters to disperse them. Doors of eateries, commercial banks and shops in the area were quickly shut, as residents ran for their lives.

A source told Vanguard that the victim, a carpentry apprentice, was on his way to the computer village in the area to buy a memory card, when the incident occurred.

An eyewitness, Bunmi Adewale, said the victim

LASU: Students of Lagos State University, LASU, Ojo, protesting continuous closure of the institution in Lagos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Two sentenced to 150-hr community service over N1,500 Railway scrap

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—AN Ebute Metta Chief Magistrate’s Court, Lagos, yesterday, sentenced two men to 150 hours community service, for conspiracy and stealing of metal

scraps.

The convicts, Lazarus Godfrey, 27 and Ishaq Sanni, 25, pleaded guilty to the two-count charge of conspiracy and stealing before Magistrate K. O. Ariyo, who stood in for Magistrate Nurudeen Layeni.

Two policemen arrested for beating petrol attendants in Ondo sell fuel to them at MCR Filling sergeant, reportedly removed

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—TWO anti-riot policemen were, yesterday, arrested for allegedly beating up two petrol attendants in Akure, Ondo State capital, as fuel scarcity bit harder across the state.

Vanguard learned that the suspects were in detention for causing public nuisance by beating a female attendant, named Esther Abba and another attendant for failing to

Station, Akure.

The policemen stopped to fuel their car at the filling station, which was not dispensing fuel.

The female attendant reportedly told them that they had exhausted their consignment and had not received supply in the last three months.

The policemen then demanded to see their fuel dump, but the attendant said she would need authorization to do so.

One of the policemen, a

his belt and beat the female attendant with it, following which there were exchanges of abusive words.

The other attendant later joined and a free-for-all ensued.

Owner of the station, Mr. Tope Omileye, said he rushed down to meet a rowdy atmosphere and then “locked up the policemen in one of my offices.

“I reported the incident to police authorities and officers came and took them to ‘A’ Division Police Station.”

Policemen from the Railway Command of Nigeria Police, said Godfrey, a security officer with the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC, stole the said metal scrap from the railway compound and sold same to the second convict, Ishaq.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, Inspector Emmanuel Silas, are punishable under Sections 409 and 285 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2004.

At the resumed hearing of the matter yesterday, the prosecutor informed the court that the convicts had stolen the scrap on April 25, at Running Shed workshop, of NRC, Ebute Meta Junction.

The prosecutor said the stolen metal scraps are worth N1,500.

The convicts’ lawyer, Mr. F. S. Oladele, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy in its sentencing, arguing that they were first-time offenders.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—7

Court jails Igbinedion, former PA over money laundering

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

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Students and commuters stranded after school as scarcity of petrol persisted in Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Protesting pipeline vandals kill pregnant woman in Ogun

By Evelyn Usman

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ROTESTING pipeline vandals went on rampage in Arepo area of Ogun State, shooting a pregnant woman dead.

The vandals, as gathered, were protesting the arrest of one of theirs by security men from Donyx Global Concepts Limited, one of the companies contracted by the Federal Government to secure pipelines in the South-West region.

The company, as gathered, is owned by one of the factional leaders of the Odua Peoples Congress, OPC. Report has it that officials of Donyx, who acted on tip-off, stormed the creeks Sunday, while vandals were siphoning petroleum products from a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. One of them was said to have been arrested, while transporting some of the siphoned product out of the vicinity, while his colleagues bolted on sighting the officials.

A 50-litre jerry can filled with petroleum product was recovered from the suspect.

However, residents of the area were reportedly jolted Wednesday, following sporadic gunshots from the vandals, who stormed the area to continue with the illicit act and at the same time called for the release of their colleague.

In the process, a stray bullet was said to have hit the pregnant woman, killing her on the spot.

A resident of Arepo, (names withheld) said: “There were heavy gunshots from the pipeline area. It lasted for more than 30 minutes. It was like a war theatre, as the vandals

were ready to kill anybody. One woman was killed.”

An official of Donyx, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the incident, stating however, that the company was not deterred by the activities of

the pipeline vandals.

“They were protesting the arrest of one of their members by our men and started shooting indiscriminately, which led to the death of a woman and another person injured,” the official

said.

Efforts to reach the Ogun State Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Odejobi, to ascertain whether any arrest was made failed as his phone rang without response.

11-yr-old boy disappears after beating by father

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—THE Adekunle family in Onipanu area of Lagos State has raised alarm, following the disappearance of their 11-year-old son, Marvellous Adekunle on Wednesday.

Marvelous, a Junior Secondary School 1 student, reportedly disappeared from his parents’ home on Matanmi Street, Onipanu at 6.30a.m.

Vanguard gathered that the boy, an only child, had been wearing a long face since Monday, after he was beaten by his father, Festus, for taking his laptop to school.

It was gathered that he was washing dishes outside, while his father was taking his bath, preparatory to leaving the house with his son.

However, when he came out of the bathroom, Marvellous was gone.

The man was said to have left the house, apparently thinking that his son would later return home to prepare for school, an act he was said to be known for.

However, when his father called home later, he was informed that Marvellous had not returned. It was learned that when his mother was contacted in Abeokuta, Ogun State, she reportedly told her husband not to bother that their son would return home.

She was said to have

ENIN—MICHAEL Igbinedion, the younger brother to former Governor Lucky Igbinedion and the then Personal Assistant to the governor, Mr. Patrick Eboigbodin, were yesterday, sentenced to prison by a Federal Court High Court sitting in Benin, Edo State, over money laundering charges brought against them by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. While Igbinedion, who is the second accused, was sentenced to six years imprisonment with an option of N3 million fine, having been found guilty on three of the charges, Eboigbodin was not that lucky as he received a two-year imprisonment without an option of fine.

Trial judge, Justice Mohammed Liman who pronounced the sentence, added that the sixth accused, PMI Security Nigeria Limited, which is a corporate body, be shut down and its assets forfeited to the state government.

Policeman rapes 7-yr-old girl

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

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Missing Marvellous. informed that Marvellous had at one time strayed from home and returned after some days.

Speaking with Vanguard, a relation, Moses Ekundayo, said: “We have reported the incident to Policemen at

Alakara.

“Marvellous had been staying with his father for about one year, after leaving his mother who is working in Abeokuta.

His father was transferred from Ogun State to Lagos.”

ANO— THE Police in Kano State have arrested a police Corporal, Sani Salisu, for allegedly raping a seven years old girl.

A statement by the state police spokesperson, Magaji Majia, said that the officer lured the girl and violated her inside a kiosk located at Mangoron Mahauta Brigade Quarters, Kano metropolis.

Majia said the arrest was in line with the command’s effort to flush out bad eggs within its rank and file.

The statement added that the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, had directed immediate transfer of the case to state Criminal Investigation Department for investigation.

The statement assured of the determination of the police to keep the matter in public domain with regular update on the matter.

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

By Evelyn Usman & Ndahi Marama

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IGERIAN troops yesterday engaged Boko Haram terrorists in a fierce battle in Sambisa forest and in the process rescued about 160 more hostages taking the total number liberated this week alone to nearly 500.

The Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman, who disclosed this to newsmen in a statement, said, “We are still trying to compute the actual number of those rescued. But tentatively there are about 60 women of various ages and around 100 children”.

Usman said one woman was killed in the fighting and eight other rescued hostages were injured. A soldier was also killed and four others wounded.

He further said two major combat tanks and high calibre ammunition used by the Boko Haram terrorists were recovered while many others were destroyed.

The latest rescue comes after the military said on Tuesday it had found 200 girls and 93 women kidnapped by the militants and held in the forest.

Usman has said the former hostages did not include the 219 girls snatched from their school on April 14 last year but the Defence headquarters said it was too early to tell.

The first release of 200 girls and 93 women was announced on Tuesday, raising hopes that some of the 219 girls snatched from their school in Chibok in April last year were among them.

Usman, in the statement, said: “I wish to inform you that today (Wednesday) evening, troops of 7 Division Nigerian Army also cleared several terrorists’ strong points and training camps within Sambisa forest, Borno State, Nigeria.

“The troops have also rescued additional women and children.

They have been evacuated to a safe zone for further processing.

“During the encounter, unfortunately we lost a soldier, while four others were wounded in action. The troops have also killed several Boko Haram field commanders and foot soldiers and destroyed two Armoured Personnel Carriers, two Buffalo vehicles mounted with AntiAircraft Guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles.

“The gallant soldiers also recovered one Anti-Aircraft Gun, one General Purpose Machine Gun, one Rocket Propelled Grenade and several AK-47 rifles. Sadly, one woman died and eight other women sustained gunshot wounds.

Razed insurgents' camps

“So far, the troops have destroyed nine terrorist camps in the forest. This is in addition to the four destroyed yesterday. The destroyed camps includes Wulari Bukar, Gangala, Anguwar Bakwai and Jigide.

FOR SPEAKERSHIP: From left— members-elect, Mr. Babangida Ibrahim, Mr. Jagaba Adams Jagaba, and Mr. Yakubu Dogara, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on House Services, during Dogara’s declaration for the Speakership of the House in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

100 children, 60 more women rescued as battle rages in Sambisa Forest zBoko Haram’s top commanders killed z9 terrorists camps destroyed, weapons recovered Others include Kotorima, Lagara Bello and Lagara Fulani among others.

“I am glad to say that troops’ morale is very high as they are poised to accomplish the task of destroying all terrorists’ camps and rescuing all those held hostage by the terrorists.”

“We would like to reassure them that the momentum of this operation will be sustained until that Sambisa forest is comprehensively cleaned out and all Nigerians held captive within the bowels of the forest are rescued. There is great hope for the recovery of more hostages of the terrorists.

Profiling the rescued

... not over

Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade at a briefing yesterday also confirmed the rescue of more women He said: “The true identity of some of the rescued women and girls are yet to be ascertained. At the moment, what is uppermost and of priority is their movement to a conducive place where they are now undergoing thorough profiling to verify their true identity, where they come from, how they found themselves in the forest, etc.

“Additional number of persons is still being recovered from the forest.

Until such comprehensive profiling is done, nobody can confirm whether they are among the Chibok girls or not.

“Whoever they may be, the important thing is that Nigerians held captive under very severe and inhuman conditions have been freed by our gallant troops.

“The joy and sense of hope being expressed by many Nigerians on hearing about the rescue operation is therefore understandable.

“The mission is not over, until we reach the end before we can say if the girls are there. As I am talking to you today, more women and girls are being rescued and others are coming out from the forest, that is why it is difficult to give an exact number; and some of these people have to be stabilized because of the trauma they have undergone for God knows how long.

“After calming them, we will then ask certain questions. This is not something you do in a hurry.

Expatiating on the operation, Olukolade said, “The troops have commenced operations deep into the Sambisa forest after sustained aerial bombardments by the Nigerian Air Force. The main objective is to decimate and clear the terrorists from the forest which is their last bastion.

“The well coordinated operation is already yielding results as troops in the last few days rescued 200 girls and 93 women and an additional number of hostages. Over 13 terrorists camps including the notorious ‘Tokumbere’camp in Sambisa forest have been

captured. Other camps overran and destroyed include Wulari Bukar, Gangala, Anguwar Balowai, Jigide, Kotorima, Lagura Bello, Laguna Fulani among others.

“Several Field Commanders and foot soldiers of the terrorist group have lost their lives, some armoured personnel carriers, Bufallo vehicles mounted with Anti-Aircraft guns, a truck and several Hilux vehicles were destroyed by troops. Also recovered from the fleeing terrorists are a number of Anti-Aircraft guns, General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPG) and several AK 47 rifles.

Unfortunately though, we lost one soldier in the course of the operation while 10 others have so far been wounded.

“Already, the dislodged and disorganized terrorists are in flight in different directions and running helter-skelter in the expansive forest. There is no longer any respite or sanctuary for them; they will be pursued and tracked down, not minding the daunting challenges in the mission including hundreds of land mines and difficult terrain of the Sambisa forest.

“It should be noted however that the essence of this operation is not to kill everybody in sight. We encourage any of the combatants who is desirous to surrender to come out, as the forest will no more be tenable as a haven for their activities.

In the same vein, innocent

civilians among those in flight are also encouraged to report themselves to the troops. We will continue to treat civilians in the most professional and humane way.

“We thank all Nigerians for their continued prayers and support and assure them that ‘Never Again’ shall forces of darkness reign supreme in our country.”

COAS' words

Meanwhile, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Kenneth Minimah, yesterday in Lagos, stated that the Nigerian Army was working towards bringing insurgency to a close, following the change in the dynamism of the fight against terrorism.

Speaking during the commissioning of the newly refurbished 81 Division Officers’ Mess built by the General Officer Commanding, Major General Tamunomeibi Dibi, the Army Chief stated emphatically that winning the war against insurgency was achievable.

To this effect, he disclosed that the troops would continue to edge further into the Sambisa forest with a view to destroying more terrorist camps and rescuing abducted Nigerians .

He said: “We will continue to push to bring major operations in the fight against insurgency to a close. That is what is achievable and we are working towards that.

“It is our wish that we find the Chibok schoolgirls.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 9

We'll prosecute security personnel for electoral offences — BUHARI ...Asks Oshiomhole, Okorocha, Ameachi to document offences in Edo, Imo, Rivers

...As S/East APC caucus presents Onu for SGF

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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of the SGF”.

Okorocha who is the chairman of the caucus added that Buhari’s victory had helped them from being

forced into going on exile.

“We (South east, APC) are more victorious than you are on your victory at the presidential election. May

of us would have gone on exile if you had lost.

Although, we could not deliver the south east to you, what we were able to do however was to cut down the 7.2 million votes the PDP had projected to get from the

south east”, he said.

Also speaking, Onu expressed joy that Buhari’s victory has brought unity to the country.

He said “Nigeria is more united now. The division that existed in the country had been reduced due to Buhari’s victory”.

Responding, the presidentelect thanked the caucus for cutting down the volume of votes for the ruling PDP in the zone and reassured them that his government would not discriminate against anyone irrespective of tribe, party or religion.

BUJA—BARELY four days after he vowed to probe the Nigerian National Petroleum Corperation, NNPC, over the missing $20bn, the presidentelect, Mohammadu Buhari has said that his government would not spare any security personnel found guilty of electoral offences in the last general elections.

He said that the crimes of ballot snatching and the prevention of the use of card readers by soldiers must not go unpunished Making particular reference to Edo, Imo and Rivers States, Buhari said that he had already instructed the affected governors to document all offences alleged to have been perpetrated by the personnel.

According to him, those to be prosecuted cuts across the Nigerian Ar my, Police, Department of State Security Service, DSS and other paramilitary organisations.

Buhari disclosed this when he received in audience members of the South East Caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC who were at the Defence House in Abuja to congratulate him on his electoral victory.

He commended the efforts of Governors Rochas Okorocha, Adams Oshomole and Chibuike Ameachi of Imo, Edo and Rivers SOUTH EAST DELEGATE VISIT BUHARI: From left, Senator Chris Ngige; All Progressives Congress, APC Chieftain, States for preventing the security personnel who attempted to Chief Ogbonnaya Onuh;, President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari; Governor of Imo State, Owelle Rochas Okorocha; snatch the ballot boxes and Senator Osita Izunaso and Senator Ifeanyi Ararumen chatting during the South East Delegates' visit to congratulate the President disallow the use of card readers. Elect and push for National recognition by President Elect at the Defence House in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan He said that the governors literally fought on the streets of their respective states to prevent soldiers and some officers of DSS who were involved in the crimes from executing their mission.

Anyim Pius Anyim, the repeatedly sought to encourage denied appointing Price

By Emmanuel Aziken Meanwhile, the south east Secretary to the Government of him using her triumph over the WaterHouse Coopers to conduct caucus was primarily at the the forensic audit of the Nigerian BUJA—A rare insight the Federation, SGF, at the service disease.

Defense House to solicit Buhari’s into the past physical which remarkably brought Tributes from several speakers National Petroleum Corporation assistance in getting the slot of challenge of the coordinating together his associates from both centered on how Oronto built (NNPC). the Speakership or Deputy minister of the economy and sides of the political divide bridges across political divides.

Reacting to a suit against her, Speakership of the House of minister of finance, Dr. Ngozi including former Governor Dr. Fayemi, Hon Uche filed by SIAO Partners, a group Representatives Okonjo-Iweala emerged Kayode Fayemi, Pastor Tunde Onyeogocha leading members of three accounting firms, over But outside this, the caucus yesterday when she disclosed Bakare who brought greetings of the All Progressives Congress, breach of Nigeria’s local content also presented the former that she survived cancer 15 from General Muhammadu APC spoke in that direction and laws, Okonjo-Iweala in a Governor of Abia State, Dr. years ago affirming the scare Buhari, ministers, former they were buttressed by Pastor statement, wondered why the Ogbonnaya Onu as their is not the end of life. chairman of Economic and Bakare. aggrieved firms could not do their preferred choice for the office of She spoke at the service of Financial Crimes Commission, Tributes also came from former work thoroughly to determine the Secretary to the Government songs for the late Oronto EFCC Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, Governor Diepreye certain basic facts about the issue. of the Federation, SGF. The statement, signed by her Douglas, special adviser to the Senator-Elect Ben Murray Bruce, Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa Okorocha who led the caucus president on research and deputy managing director of State, Dr. Sam Amadi, chairman Special Adviser, Mr. Paul said “We know that we have lost documentation that held in Thisday, Mr. Kayode Komolafe National Electricity Regulatory Nwabuikwu, said, “It has come out for the position of the senate Abuja last night. among several others.

Commission, Rev. Nnimmo to the attention of the presidency because we did not The service was attended by In her remarks at the occasion, Bassey, Yinka Odumakin, Ken Coordinating Minister for the have ranking senator returned to a cross section of the society Dr. Okonjo-Iweala said: “Oronto Saro Wiwa among others.

Economy and Minister of the National assembly, we from civil society, government, and I had two similarities in life, Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjohowever appeal and we believe the media, the clergy among we both had cancer. I had my last ...Denies appointing PWC Iweala that SIAO Partners, a that you will be generous enough others. surgery, 15 years ago and I to audit NNPC group of three accounting to consider the south east region President Goodluck Jonathan shared my experience with him,” Meanwhile, Mrs. Ngozi firms, has filed a suit against to be considered for the position was represented by Senator she said, narrating how she Okonjo-Iweala, yesterday, her before a Lagos High Court.

How I survived cancer, by Okonjo-Iweala

A

10 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Airtel boss, Ogunsanya predicts growth for telecoms industry

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A G O S — MANAGING Director and Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Nigeria, Segun Ogunsanya, has said the Nigerian telecoms market offers multiple growth opportunities, stating that with 78% mobile penetration as at December 2014, there is massive untapped market potential just as he also opined that broadband uptake is set to rise as demand for more stable internet grows from the residential and business segments.

Ogunsanya, who was speaking yesterday at the Businessday CEOs Forum held in Lagos, disclosed that 47 million subscriptions are expected between December 2014 and December, 2019, saying that this demonstrates massive untapped market potential and continued strong total telecoms revenue growth driven essentially by mobile data.

Providing insight on the theme; ‘Nigerian Telecoms Industry: Five Years Ahead’ he noted that strong growth is expected from mobile financial services over the forecasting period and operators should ensure they are able to offer products to the large unbanked population of Nigeria, whilst growing demand for mobile apps and e-commerce will have a positive knock-on effect on mobile operators.

According to the Airtel CEO, Nigeria offers exciting opportunities for telecoms investors as a large population with rising incomes positions the country as one of the most attractive destinations for investment on the African continent.

Ogunsanya further opines that Nigeria has massive bandwidth capacity from the four undersea cables that has yet to be exploited.

Lagos Assembly directs removal of tankers from Apapa expressway

By Ebun Sessou

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AGOS—THE Lagos State House of Assembly has directed that all tankers and trucks parked on the Apapa- Oshodi Expressway be removed with immediate effect.

The House gave the directives at a plenary session earlier this week.

Speaking, a member representing Somolu constituency 1, Rotimi Olowo who moned the motion, said, in order to safeguard the lives and

properties of Lagosians, especially those who live and work in Apapa and its environs, concerned authorities, including NUPENG and Commissioner of Police should call the relevant bodies to order.

In his contribution, Lanre Ogunyemi representing Ojo ll, said “The issue calls for serious concern, adding that OshodiApapa expressway experience is harrowing and sad one and should be condemned by all.

He observed that Governor babatunde Fashola had visited the area severally to appeal to the

L

AGOS—ACTIVITIES at the office of the Lagos State governor, Babatunde Fashola were disrupted by students of the Lagos State University, LASU, protesting over the continued closure of the institution by the management led by the Vice Chancellor,

Akande in her submission solicited for an enforcement of the state’s existing traffic law towards bringing the situation under control.

According to her, “offenders should be made to face the law, saying that this can only be achieved if the enforcement machinery is strengthened to bring the culprits to justice.

“The solution to the problems lies in effective enforcement of the State traffic law. If one offender is prosecuted diligently according to the law, others will comply.”

Ex-ICPC chair, Ayoola calls for fresh approach in war against corruption

By Innocent Anaba

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VISIT: Vice President-Elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (middle); flanked by Deputy Governor Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire (left); and the General Manager, Lagos State Electricity Board, Mrs. Damilola Ogunbiyi, during a visit by the Vice presidentelect to the Lagos Solar projects in GRA Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

Lagos generates N2.433trn in eight years, spends N2.7trn

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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A G O S — T H E administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State generated total revenue of N2.433 trillion through Federal allocation, Internally Generated Revenue,

IGR and others in the last eight years.

It also spent over N2.7 trillion in providing infrastructure and other economic needs for residents during the period under review.

Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, who disclosed this

Students protest continuous closure of LASU

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

tanker drivers to maintain decorum and strict compliance with the state traffic Law. He lamented that in spite of the situation in Apapa expressway, the FG has not taken any concrete step to abate the situation.

He however urged the State government to do everything possible to redeem the situation and come to the aid of Lagosians by curtailing the unnecessary hardship that has affected both individual and the state’s economy, trade and business.

Meanwhile, the deputy majority leader of the House, Lola

Professor John Obafunwa.

The protesters, who stormed the governor’s office at about 1pm, barricaded the entrance immediately, demanding for immediate re-opening of the school.

The protest came one month and seven days after the institution management shut the school on March 23rd, to allow the students

participate in the just concluded 2015 general elections.

Vanguard however gathered that aside the electoral violence cited by the school management, the acrimony between the Non Academic Staff Union, NASU and the school management, which accounted for the postponement of the 20th convocation scheduled for March 18 and 19, 2015.

yesterday, in Alausa, Ikeja at a briefing explained that the total revenue generated represents 89 percent of the total expenditure by the government.

According to him, “The total revenue generated by the administration is N2.433 trillion through Federal allocation, Internally Generated Revenue, IGR and others, representing 89 percent of the total expenditure by the government. The aggregate budgetary expenditure in the last eight years by the present administration is N2.749 trillion.”

He explained “What these translate to is that only 11 percent of the state’s expenditure has been funded from debt. Of course not all the revenue was generated through IGR. Only 59 percent (N1.4 trillion) of the budgetary expenditure was funded through IGR.''

AGOS—FORMER Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, Chairman and retired Supreme Court justice, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, yesterday, said the “fight against corruption needs a more holistic and deeply thought-out strategic approach” than is the case presently.

He added that “corruption thrives in any nation where there is an abiding culture of lawlessness such, for example, where there is little or no enforcement or implementation of legislation.”

Speaking at the yearly lecture of PUNUKA Attorneys and Solicitors with the theme “Anti Corruption and Bribery Laws: Extra Territorial Application and Lessons For Business and Government Agencies,” which he chaired, he said “There cannot be any doubt that Nigeria shares the concern expressed by the international community in the United Nations Convention against Corruption, about “the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and the rule of law.

“It cannot be denied, however, that Nigeria’s perception of the fight against corruption is strong in sentiment and emotion but abysmally weak in action and commitment. As long as we, at all levels of society, pay lipservice to the fight against corruption, it will take longer to rout it in our nation.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—11

I became blind after drinking ogogoro, by Ode-Irele survivor I

By Ola Ajayi

BADAN—ONE of the survivors of the Ode-Irele methanol poisoning, Mr. Olorunwa Jero, yesterday, recounted his ordeal in the throes of death.

Jero, a father of six, who is a vulcaniser, narrated: “By the time I was brought here, I had gone blind. I could not identify my wife, I could not identify anything. I did not even know when I arrived here.

"But I thank God and the management and staff of University College Hospital, UCH, for bailing me out. I can see all of you here clearly. I can even identify the clothes each one of you is putting on.”

The victim commended the teaching hospital for its timely medical intervention which he said saved his life.

Meantime, UCH management, yesterday, confirmed that five victims of Ode-Irele methanol poisoning were responding to treatment.

The victims were said to have taken the methanol while consuming a local gin.

Confirming that the toxin was detected in the blood and urine of the victims, Professor Temitope Alonge, Chief Medical Director, UCH, said the five victims were transferred to the teaching hospital on April 18 adding that they had regained their lost sight as a result of taking the chemical.

Alonge, who said this while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan, warned people to be

wary of taking local gin so as to avoid s similar unpleasant experience.

According to the CMD, series of tests were carried out on the victims and the samples of the three drinks they took.

The medical practitioner said: “On April 18, the Consultant Pathologist with the Ondo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Osasan, called to seek the assistance of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, in the management of five patients who survived the OdeIrele neuro-toxicity saga who were completely blind.

‘’We agreed to take over the management of the patients but requested for the samples of the local gin that were incriminated along the fresh blood and urine samples of the patients. ‘’I contacted the consultant neurologist on call, Dr. Steeve Oluwole for a comprehensive evaluation of the patients because of the clinical presentation of the patients that had died and the ones that survived since they all pointed to neurotoxicity. ‘’In addition, the clinical pharmacologists led by Professor Catherine Falade, the laboratory

scientists and specialists advisers to the hospital, Professor Segun Ademowo, were all contacted for the biochemical analyses of the blood of these patients as well as the urine in addition to the three samples of local gin that was reportedly consumed by the patients.

He added that all the relevant health personnel worked for almost two weeks before they detected the likely cause of the neurotoxicity exemplified by sudden blindness and correlated their findings with the toxicants in the blood, urine and the local gin samples.

BRIEFING: From left: Chairman, Medical Advisory Council, CEMAC, Dr. Femi Afolabi; Consultant Neurologist, Dr Mayowa Owolabi, CMD UCH, Prof. Temitope Alonge and a survivor of the Ode-Irele local gin poisoning, Mr Olorunwa Jero, during the media briefing by the mangement of UCH Ibadan on the five patients who suvived the Ode-Irele neurotoxicity incident. Photo: Dare Fasube.

19 Ekiti APC lawmakers shun peace meeting with Fayose

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI—LEGAL icon, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), who is chairman of the elders committee on resolution of the ongoing tussle between the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in Ekiti State House of Assembly and the state governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has expressed disappointment with the lawmakers for their decision to shun the peace meeting, saying he would continue to toe the path of peace and development of the state The 19 APC lawmakers who are bent on impeaching Fayose had, in the last minute to the meeting slated for yesterday at the private university of the legal luminary, announced their unwillingness to attend the meeting.

The statement signed on behalf of the lawmakers by Wale Olujobi, claimed they had information that majority of their members would be arrested by the government at the venue of the meeting.

However, despite the absence

of the lawmakers at the peace parley, Governor Fayose and the seven Peoples Democratic Party lawmakers attended the meeting.

Amid tight security, other personalities at the meeting were, Chief Deji Fasuan, a retired permanent secretary in the old Western Region and CoChairman, Ekiti Council of Elders, former Minister of National Planning, Chief Ayo Ogunlade, former Secretary General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, among others.

Also in attendance at the meeting were, the state Police Commissioner, Mr Joshua Ibine and the Director of the Department of State Services, Mr Duke Fubara, who led over 200 security personnel to provide security at the meeting.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Babalola, who displayed several text messages exchanged between him and Omirin, said he took it upon himself to assure Omirin and his group that nothing would happen to them and that none

of them would be arrested for any reason.

He said with the assistance of the state CP and the state Director of DSS, that no fewer than 200 security operatives were drafted to the venue of the meeting for the security and safety of the lawmakers.

He said he decided to mediate in the crisis between the governor and the lawmakers because of his stake in the ‘Ekiti Project’, adding that he had earlier received letters from the Nigeria Labour Congress and Chief Kunle Olajide on the need to resolve the lingering crisis.

Why Ekiti peace meeting failed, by APC lawmakers The 19 APC lawmakers in Ekiti State House of Assembly, however, explained why the peace meeting brokered by Chief Afe Babalola between them and Governor Fayose failed to hold as scheduled.

The lawmakers in a statement

by Speaker Adewale, Omirin’s Special Adviser on Media, Wole Olujobi, explained that

while they appreciated peace moves initiated by the eminent lawyer, surrounding circumstances gave away the governor as not prepared for any resolution of the crisis.

Election Tribunal begins sitting in Ogun

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, commenced sitting as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Gboyega Isiaka, submitted his petition against the victory of the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Isiaka dragged Amosun, his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and Resident Electoral Commission in the state before the tribunal claiming to have won 14 local governments out of 20 councils in the state.

Isiaka while speaking with newsmen, in Abeokuta shortly after he submitted his petition, acussed officials of INEC of conniving with some leaders of APC in the state to manipulate the results of the election which he said were favourable to him shortly after the election on Saturday ‘based on the field reports’ .

According to Isiaka, "I had a clear lead in 14 local governments while the gap was very close in the six other council areas of Ogun Central Senatorial district and Ado-Odo-Ota in Ogun West senatorial district."

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Don’t scrap amnesty programme, Presidency cautions Buhari

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA: A federal official, yesterday, gave reasons why the in-coming Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s administration should not contemplate scrapping the Presidential Amnesty Programme for ex-militants in the Niger Delta region, warning that any attempt to terminate the programme will ignite fresh unrest in the region.

Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, who gave the warning in a chat with journalists shortly after a meeting to review activities of the programme in Abuja, noted that the Amnesty Programme is rather a moral and not a political programme, which could be easily tampered with by the in-coming government.

He said: "I know what is beautiful about the outgoing government and programmes of this government that the in-

Edo APC to PDP: Stop defecting to our party

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—EDO State All Progressives Congress, APC, has said that it does not want the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to die in the state, admonishing its members to remain in their party to form a formidable opposition to the ruling APC rather than defecting. The party also told those who recently defected to its fold not to expect political appointments in a hurry, explaining that the old members of the party will be considered first for any appointment before they would be considered.

Vanguard learned that some PDP members, particularly some of those who left the APC for PDP last year, have been making frantic efforts to return to the party but are being resisted by leaders of the APC. Consequently, some of such people were said to have approached the National Chairman of the APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun, to assist them join the party.

coming government should not tamper with.

"The basic one is the Presidential Amnesty Programme. They know that this is a laudable programme.

Any negative touch on this programme will affect thousands of lives. We know where we are coming from. We are coming from a background

of 685, 000 barrels per day of oil exploration; it was that bad in May 2008. Today, we have 2.2 million barrels, 2.3million barrels and sometimes beautifully 2.6 million barrels production per day.

"So, Nigeria at a period like this when the price of crude oil is this low, with production very high, still at this point

comparing that to 2009, we would not love to experience pre-2009 in the Niger Delta. The Niger Delta is calm, it is peaceful, it is stable, courtesy of the Presidential Amnesty programme in terms of funding and monitoring.

"We expect that the in-coming government will positively review and get it better for our people."

INAUGURATION: Akwa Ibom State governor-elect, Udom Emmanuel (right); his deputy, Moses Ekpo (left) and the state PDP Chairman, Paul Ekpo, during the inauguration of the 22-man Transition Committee in Uyo, yesterday.

Court halts sitting of Rivers Commission of Inquiry

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT—A Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has restrained the recently constituted commission of inquiry into political killings in Port Harcourt by the state governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, from going ahead with its activities in the state.

The commission was to commence sitting next Monday after it had received memoranda from interested persons.

Respondents in the suit are Prof.

Chidi Odinkalu, chairman of the commission, nine other members of his body, Governor Amaechi, Attorney General of the state, Nigeria Police Force, Inspector General of Police and the state Commissioner of Police.

Trial judge, Justice H. Nganjiwa, in his ruling in the suit by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, challenging the commission, restrained “the respondents from taking further steps in connection with the sitting

of the Commission of Inquiry instituted by Governor Amaechi, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutor injunction.”

The court noted that in view of the urgency attached to the matter, time was of essence, and abridged the time for the respondents to file their response, which they must do within three days upon service of processes on the plaintiff.

Justice Nganjiwa adjourned further hearing in the matter till May 6.

Court sacks Delta APC exco

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—A DELTA State High Court sitting in Asaba, yesterday, sacked the Prophet Jones Erue-led state executive of the All Progressives Congress, APC, describing the congress that brought him on board as illegal, null and void.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by Chief Adolo Okotie-Eboh, challenging the conduct of the congress that

brought Prophet Erue and his executive on board, trial judge, Justice Matthew Obi, said the congress held on April 26, 2014 breached the APC electoral guidelines.

Barring Prophet Erue and other members of his executive from parading themselves as Delta State executive of APC, the court ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to stop recognizing and dealing with Erue and his

team.

The court ordered that a fresh congress be conducted to elect a new APC executive in Delta State.

Reacting to the judgment, Chief Okotie-Eboh said: “I believe that we have been vindicated because from day one, this is what we have said that the issue is that the congress was not properly conducted. Today (yesterday) we are happy that justice has been done.”

No plans to dump PDP for APC —WIKE

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IVERS State governor-elect, Mr Nyesom Wike and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have described an alleged All Progressives Congress, APC, claim that Wike intends to defect to APC, as the height of malice, baseless and mere wishful thinking of the propagators of such falsehood.

Wike, in a statement by his media aide, Mr Simeon Nwakaudu and Rivers PDP in a statement by its Chairman, Mr Felix Obuah, insisted that Wike remains a loyal and committed member of the PDP, adding: “It is unthinkable that the governor-elect, and PDP leader in the state is considering dumping the party for the APC because doing so is like preferring hell which the APC represents to paradise.”

Nwakaudu statement said, “Wike is a committed member of PDP and has not entered into any negotiation with the APC with the aim of defecting to the party. He got his mandate to lead Rivers State to recovery and redemption on the platform of the PDP and will exercise the mandate on this noble platform."

Madam Ajobo passes on

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RS Rebecca Ajobo of Otokutu village in Ughelli South LGA, of Delta State, is dead aged, 85 .

Service of songs holds on May 7, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, OdionOghara, Warri, Delta State, while the funeral service will hold on May 8, at athe same venue.

She is survived by children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and other relatives.

Late Madam Ajobo

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 —13

C M Y K

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

President Jonathan warns PDP defectors to APC A

Ben Agande

BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, warned members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who were defecting to the All Progressives Congress, APC, to have a change of mind as they will soon return to the party with “empty stomach.”

The President, who gave the warning at the Presidential Villa, while receiving the PDP Presidential Campaign Organization, PCO's, report from its Director General, Ahmadu Ali, called on the party members to come together and work towards building a stronger party that would retain power in subsequent elections.

Saying that though he never consulted anybody before calling General Buhari to concede defeat, the President said he did so on behalf of all members of the party.

His words: “I still believe though we have lost presidential election, some national assembly elections, governorship elections especially in the north, PDP is still the dominant party. Let us

not judge PDP by the result of the presidential election.

“Our duty is to go back and identify areas of challenges so that the party will come up strong and play the role as a very strong party. PDP is still the most organized party; it is still the party that is not owned by anybody, it is still the party that whatever you are you can

get to any level with your competence.”

“So I encourage members of our party to remain loyal to the party, not to be so disillusioned because we lost presidential election and decide to go where they think they will fill their stomachs or something. I have been here for five years plus, and I know you hardly satisfy

even 15 per cent of those who work for you.

“The members, who are crosscarpeting will come back on an empty stomach because the other party will first of all take care of their primary members before they get to you; they know you are coming because you are hungry and before it will get to you the food will be gone.”

While stressing that the PDP remains a formidable party, president Jonathan argued that even in the areas where PDP lost, “the difference is just 2.5 million votes and if you look at the areas where it is perceived that PDP scored so low, PDP couldn’t have got those kinds of scores, but the elections are over, the country first.”

FG’s post-dated N156bn SDN to marketers matures …As scarcity persists

By Sebastine Obasi, Ediri Executive Secretary of Ejoh and Mildred Ibrahim MOMAN, Mr. Femi Olawore,

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HE POST-DATED N156 billion Sovereign Debt Note, SDN, paid to Major Marketers Association of Nigeria, MOMAN, matured, yesterday, raising hope of an end to the one-week old fuel scarcity.

However, fuel scarcity persists in different parts of Lagos, as long queues were seen in filling stations, while hawkers of the product were having a field day.

Reacting to the payment of the Federal Government’s SDN,

said: “The SDN government paid is for batches N to S. SDN should not be post-dated normally. We love the government and we took it. Government paid part of the foreign exchange without the interest.”

However, most filling stations visited by our correspondents recorded long queues of motorists, while some stations were shut as the attendants claimed to have run out of stock.

The situation had led to serious traffic logjam along some of the major roads in Lagos metropolis Oando filling station in Lawanson

Bus Stop Surulere, Forte Filling station Fadeyi, Ikorodu Road, NNPC filling station, Abule and Total filling station, Agege, all recorded long queues of motorists.

Most of the filling stations visited by our correspondent had some of the station’s attendant dispensing between N100 and N130 per litre against the official price of N87.

Some filling stations located at both Lagos Island and Victoria Island recorded long traffic, hawkers of the product were seen making brisk business by selling 25 litres for N5000.

A motorist, identified as Mr Jacob Ibrahim, who spoke with

Vanguard at Ife-Oluwa Nig. (ENT) ltd, had this to say, “As at last week, when scarcity had not begun, some filling stations along Badagry road, were already selling petrol at about N87 per liter, but now it has gone up to N100.”

Along Apapa road, Conoil, Forte oil, Mobil and Oando petrol stations were shut to motorists, as one of it attendants who preferred anonymity told Vanguard that they have run out of the product.

Also along the Olodi Apapa road, Total filling station was seen dispensing fuel but with long queues of motorists to attend to.

Sambisa Forest victims of Boko Haram insurgency

RESCUED: Some of the women and children rescued from Sambisa Forest, in Borno State, as victims of Boko Haram insurgency rescued by Nigerian troops. Photos: Defence Hqtrs.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 15

WORKERS DAY: Enugu NLC appeals for

enhanced salary package

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE Nigeria Labour Congress,NLC, Enugu State chapter has appealed to the incoming administration of Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to distance itself from the anti-labour policies of outgoing Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration in the state.

The NLC said that Chime’s administration was owing backlog of workers' salaries and gratuities and asked Ugwuanyi to negotiate with workers to sort out the problems when sworn-in as governor.

Out- going chairman of the Congress in the state, Mr. Chukwumaife Nze spoke against the backdrop of subsisting litigation with the union over the implementation of minimum wage.

“Minimum wage is not what one can settle in court. It is what you negotiate with labour on its implementation. We are expecting enhanced salaries and allowances from the incoming administration.

“The incoming administration should look into the backlog of arrears of gratuity owed primary

school teachers as well as the Water Corporation and Daily Star newspaper workers, among others.

“The housing scheme, which is in place now should be expanded to allow more teachers benefit. Our workers are facing hard times trying to pay school

fees for their wards in public schools in the state.

“This incoming administration will do well if it reduces school fees to enable the children of workers access education which is the hallmark of any government towards tackling poverty, insecurity and unemployment.

“The idea of engaging auxiliary teachers in the state should be jettisoned by the incoming administration as it must employ experienced teachers who will boost standards in our educational sector,” Chukwumaife said.

VISIT: The white man who flew the last plane that brought relief materials into defunct Biafra through Uli Airport under the auspices of Joint Christian Aids, Phili Philip (2nd left) now 86, his wife, Jean Philip (2nd right), with the former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi (1st left), and Dr. Tim Menakaya (1st right), in London, during Mr. Obi's visit.

...Labour leaders commend Obiano on workers welfare

By Vincent Ujumadu

H

OURS TO the commemoration of the 2015 Workers Day, labour leaders in Anambra State have lauded the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano for taking the welfare of workers in the state to a new height and setting a

precedent in government and labour relations.

The labour leaders, who spoke in an exclusive interview in Awka to herald the May Day celebration, said that Governor Obiano had shown remarkable compassion in his relationship with organized labour, paying attention to their needs.

Describing Obiano as a

“Labour-friendly Governor,” the newly elected Anambra State Chairman of NLC, Jerry Nnubia and the state Chairman of the TUC, Okechukwu Ifeanyi observed that the governor had shown extraordinary commitment towards the welfare and working conditions of workers in Anambra State Enumerating the governor’s

notable gestures to workers in the past one year, Nnubia pointed at promotions and advancement, increase in workers’ salaries, opening of employment windows, payment of backlog of arrears of salaries owed Water Corporation staff, payment of Local Government Pensioners,and giving workers bags of rice.

Group blasts Igbo leaders seeking favours from Buhari

By Jonah Nwokpoku

A

GROUP, under the aegis of International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law-Intersociety, has condemned the activities of some Igbo leaders who are seeking political favours from the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari in the guise of representing the interest of Igbo people in Nigeria.

In a statement, entitled: ‘’Bastardization of right to ethnic identity: A critical evaluation of the despicable activities of redcapped Igbo natives in Nigeria,’’ and signed by the its Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, it decried the desecration of Igbo leadership titles and hijacking of the Igbo affairs by people they described as ‘’merchants of Igbo miseries.’’

The statement read: “While other Nigerian public figures are busy studying the new political calculations occasioned by the

ethno-religious emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as the President-elect for the purpose of collective social, economic and political benefits/developments for their people and landscapes, "these charlatan red-capped individuals of Igbo extraction are busy wangling their ways to Daura, looking for what goes into their pockets, using misleadingly Igbo interest as bargaining chips.

“When the two million Igbo

registered voters residing in Lagos State were denied Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs,

by Professor Attahiru Jega, the socalled Igbo leaders, sided with electoral enemies of their race and said nothing.

"But when other registered Igbo voters with PVCs, elected three of their sons and daughters as well as three other non-Igbo citizens as new members of House of Reps under the platforms of

PDP and Accord Party in Lagos State, during the March 28 National Assembly poll, these soiled citizens turned the historic victory into political merchandise.

"They red-capped themselves in Idumota and Alaba markets and rushed to the palace of Oba of Lagos to trade off the ethnic identity rights of the Igbo race for blood cash leading to historic death threats against the Igbo."

Stop disturbing INEC over polls, REC tells politicians

A

WKA—THE Anambra State Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Mr. Edwin Nwatalari, yesterday, advised politicians in the state, who were aggrieved over the outcome of the just concluded general elections to go to court, rather than ventilate their anger on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Speaking during the issuance

of certificates of return to the 30 Anambra House of Assembly members–elect at the Commission’s headquarters in Awka, Nwatarali said nobody in the Commission, including the National Chairman, "has the powers to reverse any result declared by any returning officer.

“I want politicians to stop calling us on phone over these election issues because it won’t

make any difference.

“I don’t have the powers to change the situation and it is only a competent court or tribunal that can change any result declared by the returning officer,” he said.

He expressed dissatisfaction over complaints by some politicians that they were rigged out in the poll, insisting that INEC was not the proper place to lodge such complaints.

Engineers move to check building collapse

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—WORRIED by incessant collapse of buildings across the country, the Nigeria Society of Engineers, NSE, has asked its regulatory arm, Engineering Regulatory Monitoring, ERM, an arm of the Council for the Registered Engineers, COREN, to up its ante by checking the rate of building collapse nationwide.

NSE Vice President, Mr. Babagana Mohammed spoke at a dinner, organised by the Commissioner for Inter Ministerial Duties, Enugu State, who is one its members, Mr. BelovedDan Anike.

According to Babagana: “As a body of professionals, we will like the incoming government to assign portfolios to professionals to man various key sectors in the country."

Crisis rocks Wabba-led NLC in Abia

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA— CRISIS is rocking the Abia State chapter of Ayuba Wabbaled faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, as the immediate past State Executive Committee, SEC, has called for the cancellation of the election held last week.

The election saw the emergence of Chief Uchenna Obi-Igwe as chairman of the faction in the state.

The Joe Ajaero-led faction also held its own parallel election which produced Uchenna Ezekiel as chairman.

But some members of the Ayuba Wabba camp, led by the immediate past NLC chairman in the state, Sylvanus Eyeh, have kicked against the results of the election conducted in the state, saying it was not conducted in accordance with the law.

According to Eyeh who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, the election committee sent from Abuja violated laid down rules during the election as it allegedly merely picked Obi-Igwe as the winner.

16—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

University of Lagos 2014 convocation

From left, Professor Amos Utuama, Delta State Deputy Governor; Professor Babajide Alo, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic and Research); General Yakubu Gowon (retd), former Head of State, representing President Goodluck Jonathan; Professor Jerry Gana, Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Governing Council, University of Lagos, and Professor Rahamon Bello, Vice Chancellor, during the University of Lagos, 2014 convocation, at Akoka Campus, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Bunmi Azeez

From left, Professor Jerry Gana, Professor Rahamon Bello, decorating Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, with honorary doctorate degree, and Professor Duro Oni, Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services).

From left, Professor Jerry Gana, Professor Rahamon Bello, decorating General Theophilus Danjuma (retd), with honorary doctorate degree, and Professor Duro Oni.

From left, Professor Gana, Professor Bello, decorating Deacon Gamaliel Onosode with honorary doctorate degree, and Professor Oni.

Cross-section Ph.D graduands.

From left, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, Alake of Egbaland; Mrs. Hauwa Longe, and Joy Nunieh.

From left, Mr. Musliu Smith, former Inspector General of Police; Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, 1st National President, UNILAG Alumni Association, and Mr. Obafemi Olapade, former Chairman, Court of Governors, College of Medicine, UNILAG.

From left, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo, Olu Owode of Egbaland, Oba Najimudeed Adebari, Onitiro of Egbaland, and Pastor Tope Tokoya.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 —17

Brewing crisis between Jonathan and Buhari transition teams

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HILE addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, Alhaji Abubakar Suleiman, the Minister of National Planning, accused General Muhammadu Buhari’s transition team of making impossible demands, acting like a parallel government and trying to stampede and intimidate the Jonathan administration out of office.

According to Suleiman, who did not specify the exact items and issues that had caused offence, Executive Council Members “take exception to some of their utterances and terms of reference…[and] frowned at most of the statements.”

Suleiman, having reminded his audience that Jonathan is still the President of Nigeria, went on to say that Jonathan’s government “remains resolute and committed to the various programmes and projects it is pursuing and the government will continue to do that until the morning of May 29. “

Olive branch Then he rounded off his complaint by saying that: “The magnanimity of Mr. President should not be taken to be cowardice and that is why Mr. President and indeed Council Members enjoined Nigerian people to see the olive branch extended…as a way of keeping this country intact, as a way of ensuring peace in Nigeria…whatever the outcome of the election. What is important is Nigeria’s national interest...The transition process is on course in terms of hand over notes and briefs; we have covered almost 80 per cent of our assignments.”

I have warmly – and sincerely saluted Jonathan on this page for graciously accepting defeat last month. And I commend Suleiman and his colleagues for getting on with the handover process in what appears to be a civilised manner.

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•President Goodluck Jonathan But I must confess to being intensely irritated whenever Jonathan’s supporters and subordinates carry on as if he has made a Mandela-esque sacrifice that is so epic that it entitles him to canonisation or an invitation to head the United Nations!

Yes, it’s nice that Jonathan shrugged philosophically, smiled rather than sulked (publicly at least) and started to plan his exit as soon as Buhari won.

But he was doing his duty, NOT doing Nigerians a massive favour!

He was only doing what any sane person would have done if they’d been in his shoes! It is not as if he could have easily gotten away with ignoring reality like a madman and clinging to his throne and dragging us into a civil war!

My view, on reflection, is that Jonathan didn’t have much choice and that stubbornly refusing to climb down and

I must confess to being intensely irritated whenever Jonathan’s supporters and subordinates carry on as if he has made a Mandelaesque sacrifice that is so epic that it entitles him to canonisation or an invitation to head the United Nations!

move on would, under the circumstances that prevailed at the time, have been stupid, psychotic and self-destructive.

And, frankly, I don’t buy Suleiman’s whinges. I am a peripheral member of the APC’s transition team (via its media/ publicity sub-committee), so I guess I’m biased. But I personally think that APC folks

•Buhari, President-elect have been very restrained and that Buhari himself has been very respectful towards the man he is about to replace.

If I’d been in Buhari’s shoes, I would be making a huge fuss about Jonathan’s decision to merrily dish out new appointments at the eleventh hour!

In the past few days, Jonathan has hired a new MD of NPA, new IG of Police and a new SEC CEO and Chairman.

Isn’t it in bad taste to behave like this four weeks before your impending departure? Should such jobs not be left for your incoming successor?

Should journalists be overtly partisan?

T

HIS weekly Vanguard column is not the only space in which I express support for the APC. I also regularly express my pro-APC views on Facebook, the online social media site. And most of the people who respond to my Vanguard and Facebook comments don’t have a problem with the idea of a journalist openly supporting a particular political party.

They (quite rightly, if you ask me!) regard me as a Nigerian citizen who is as entitled as they are to voice my preferences.

However, a significant number of respondents feel that journalists should always be “totally objective”, in public

Apologies galore

P

LEASE be kind enough to forgive me for not always being able to personally respond to Vanguard readers.

I receive too many emails and text messages every week to communicate with every respondent on a one-to-one basis.

But I try to address your concerns on this page; and a topic that comes up again and again is the belief that my open support for the APC is inappropriate.

fora at least. Some even accuse me of having been bribed handsomely to support the APC; and I want to explain my position to folks who believe that I am violating the ethics of my profession.

There are different types of journalist. And if I were a newsreporting type of journalist, I would hide behind a mask of impartiality and report on current affairs in a purely factual manner, without adding any opinions to my articles.

News reporter If I were a news reporter, I would tell you, in a completely unemotional way, that X or Y happened and leave it at that.

And I’d quote APC and PDP spokespersons without letting you know whether I agree or disagree with them.

But I am not a reporter. I am a columnist, which means that I am allowed to be highly opinionated and tell you – without mincing words - how I feel about the things that politicians say and do…and the things they don’t say or don’t do.

I am allowed to say that Jonathan has disappointed me to the point where I desperately want someone else to be given a chance to run this

ailing nation.

Some columnists are cool customers who calmly sit on the fence and offend nobody.

And there is nothing wrong with such uncontroversial blandness.

But it is also fine to be a feisty character who makes robust remarks about famous folks and burning issues. When I’m in the UK, I support the Conservative Party. When I am in Nigeria, I will openly support anyone I think can do the best possible job. And, for now at least, I am not ready to be “totally objective” because I feel that Buhari is more likely to cleanse and galvanize our society.

And, by the way, I am motivated by principles rather than money and nobody can bribe me to praise someone I don’t believe in or to abandon someone I believe in.

Responses to: donzol2002@yahoo.co.uk or to 0802 747 6458 OR 0811 675 9752 (texts only).

PLEASE KINDLY NOTE THAT UNLESS YOU REQUEST ANONYMITY, YOUR COMMENTS MAY BE PUBLISHED, WITH YOUR NAMES AND CONTACT DETAILS ATTACHED.

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2014 FEWER speeches could be hollower than the ones that would be made nationwide to mark Workers’ Day, today. Speeches are traditional, their contents remain traditionally empty, especially during transitions, as we are witnessing. Millions of jobs have vanished with the turbulent economy, globally, but particularly in our economy that depends mainly on crude oil exports.

Workers’ agitations have moved from conditions of service to pleading for their pittance to be paid regularly, a vain hope in most private organisations.

Governments are worse culprits. Unpaid workers’ remunerations, in some States run into months.

Hundreds of thousands of workers would gather at venues across Nigeria, to make fiery speeches about dearth of jobs, sing solidarity tunes, lament shrinking welfare of the employed, and preach the importance of labour. If governments remember the day, their officials would be around to placate labour, delve into routine statistics about job creation.

Everybody heads home, until next year’s speeches.

Things are getting worse. Government policies, poor security, and the ubiquitous challenges from electricity supply, lower Nigeria’s attraction to

Special Labour Day investors. The rise in unemployment, rated as high as 50 per cent, according to some statistics, is evidence of the impact of policies that emphasise the welfare of politicians and top government officials, over development of infrastructure that would enhance job creation.

Some who marched at last year’s rallies are now jobless. Unemployment statistics are worse for youth with thousands of university graduates jobless, some more than five years after graduation. More join the queue with every graduation ceremony.

Hardly is there a part of the country without a strike over workers’ welfare. A month hardly passes without a union or the other being on strike.

Governments ignore strikes, for months. It does not matter whether they are by lecturers or doctors.

We have waited for three years for the 11 million jobs Minister of Trade and Investment Mr. Olusegun Aganga promised by 2012. His statistics came from the presumptuous calculation that each of Nigeria’s 11 million medium and small-scale industries would create at least a job each, immediately, we have 11 million jobs.

Nigerians know the jobs did not materialise even if the only explanation could be the discernible poor supply of electricity. Improvement in electricity and other infrastructure that could help in creating jobs appears distant. Instead of a review of progress made on the key issues that affected labour last year, today’s rallies would be grounds for more promises, lamentations, and possibly optimism since new governments are weeks away.

Strikes, agitations over unpaid salaries, the teeming crowd of the unemployed, and relations between unemployment and rising security issues, should make governments act quickly.

Promises have run their full course.

OPINION The Uche Chukwumerije I knew

By Yemi Fakayejo

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HAVE a burden in my spirit after the death of Comrade Uche Chukwumerije, erstwhile Secretary of Information under the Interim National Government, ING. I find the passing of Comrade Chukwumerije very painful to bear. Not that he was too young to die, but that he was too good to depart at this time. However, when I read the column of Professor Olatunji Dare in The Nation of Tuesday, April 28, 2015 entitled: "Remembering Uche Chukwumerije", the burden I bore since April 19, 2015 when he died was lifted.

I was a correspondent of the Voice of Nigeria reporting activities at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa when Chief Chukwumerije was appointed first into the cabinet of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in early 1993 as Information Secretary and later as member of the ING under Chief Ernest Shonekan. In Prof. Dare’s column, he had relayed a private conversation between himself and Comrade Chukwumerije to the effect that he believed Gen. Babangida would not perpetuate his tenure longer than August 27, 1993 and that should he (IBB) failed to keep his promise, he (Chukwumerije) would resign.

I now know better. This is because soon after the suspension of the collation of results by Prof.

Humphrey Nwosu’s National Electoral Commission following the June 12, 1993 elections, Comrade Chukwumerije had briefed State House Correspondents to the effect that the ‘’issues relating to the elections would soon be amicably resolved and that a democratically elected government installed’’. However, in the C M Y K

morning of June 23, 1993 when the election results were annulled, many of us (reporters) were shocked and confused. I recalled meeting Comrade Chukwumerije at the access point to the inner chambers of the Aso Rock and tried to get his reaction on the annulment. What I found was most shocking! The Secretary of Information was not aware of the annulment.

When I restated the fact that the annulment was announced by Chief Nduka Irabor, then Chief Press Secretary to the Vice President, Augustus Aikhomu, Comrade Chukwumerije was more angered. He stormed out of my presence to the office of Chief Duro Onabule, the Chief Press Secretary to President Babangida, and complained bitterly about the development. He wondered why the election results were annulled in spite of the reassurances he gave the media few days before

Chukwumerije gave Nigeria his best; he was thorough, quickwitted and compassionate

the incident of June 23, 1993. He threatened to resign.

Chief Onabule expressed same sad feelings about the annulment insisting that he would appreciate it if Gen. Babangida left office without such unnecessary controversy occasioned by the annulment. Before some journalists , Chief Onabule advised Comrade Chukwumerije not to resign. ‘’You can’t abandon ship at this stage. We are all in it together. If you take such drastic step, your resignation may be misinterpreted,’’ Onabule advised. Comrade Chukwumerije was now to battle the aftermath of the June 12 annulment as if he was part of the plan. A burden, he revealed, was painful.

I also recalled a unique discussion between Chief MKO Abiola, Comrade Chukwumerije and Chief Onabule at the presidential villa one afternoon. As a usual practice, whenever Chief MKO Abiola visited the Aso Rock Villa, he paid a courtesy call on Chief Onabule at his office.

On this occasion, Chief Abiola met Comrade Chukwumerije at Onabule’s outer office and said: ‘’Comrade, In Sha Allah, in my government, you shall get a prominent role’’. ‘’Hahaha, no, no, Chief, I shall not be part of a bourgeois government under your leadership’’, Chukwumerije retorted. ‘’You got it wrong; I am a man from a very humble background.

It’s just that when I hear the tinkling of coins at a distance, I go after them,’’ Chief Abiola countered. Chief Abiola further said of Chief Chukwumerije: "Comrade, I know for a fact that when you are given any assignment, you do it to the best of your ability’’. They all laughed. That was the kind of frankness with which Comrade Chukwumerije was imbued.

He would ask for divergent opinion on issues

before aligning his thoughts. However, once those thoughts are made, he stuck to them. A very reliable person who courted my friendship as if we belonged to the same generation.

Comrade Chukwumerije would always draft press releases by himself. I learnt a lot from his skills in communicating difficult tasks. He never wrote more than a page of press statement, noting that the language must the succinct and straight to the point.

In this era where politics has polarised the nation on ethnic lining, Comrade Chukwumerije would remain a detribalised Nigerian. For instance, he was instrumental to my quick rise in career at the Voice of Nigeria.

At the heat of the June 12 crisis, I had engaged a delegation of traditional rulers in an interview where the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuade, had briefed State House Correspondents. On that occasion, I asked some questions which espoused what the Babangida administration wanted to hear as feedback from traditional rulers in justification for the June 12 debauchery. Thereafter, I was approached by Comrade Chukwumerije who commended my interview skills and thereafter began to ask me some questions about my career. The aftermath led to my being promoted to the position of Principal Reporter.

Indeed, Senator Chukwumerije gave Nigeria his best in all capacities he served. He was thorough and ardently consistent, easy-going, soft-spoken, highly cerebral, quick-witted and compassionate. I doff my hat for a gentleman to the core. May God bless his soul and grant him eternal peace.

•Mr. Fakayejo, a lawyer, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Coloured and colours of genocide P

OPE Francis unfortunately, fell victim of the academics and politicians who coloured the commemoration of the centenary of the Armenian genocide. To this group, genocide is genocide depending on the perpetrators and the victims.

However, if the perpetrators are powerful or have strong allies, genocide become mere murder, killings or at worst, massacres.

Even the April 24, 2015 date marked as the centenary, was a political decision to coincide with the day, Allied troops from France, Britain, New Zealand and Australia invaded Turkey.

Although that day, Turkey started rounding up the Armenian minority Christians thought to be sympathetic to the invaders, it was on May 29, 1915, that the Temporary Law of Deportation was passed under which about one and a half million Armenians were exterminated.

Genocide is the wholesale, systematic extermination of a people, nation or ethnic group.

Despite this simple and straight forward definition, it has taken Europe a hundred years to agree

that what happened to the Armenians was genocide. Until now, the United States and countries which see Turkey as ally, do not acknowledge this as genocide. As for Turkey, it was a war, and no crimes were committed.

Many Western academics claim that this was the first genocide in history. They do so because they do not want to accept centuries of genocide perpetrated by their countries against non-white populations.

Pope Francis almost fell into this trap, but modified it; the Armenian genocide was not the first, but it was “…the first genocide of the Twentieth Century” Even on this score, the Pontiff is wrong. While the Armenian genocide was over two years from 1915, that of the Namibians by the Germans was for over three years from 1904.

The Namibian genocide in which the Germans, after series of massacres, then at gun point, forced , whole populations into the desert with no water, food or medicines, was eleven years before the Armenian genocide began. In this process, the

Germans wiped out eighty percent of the Herero people and fifty percent of the Nama. It was in Namibia that Germany experimented with various means of mass extermination and using human beings for medical experiments to validate racist hypothesis that non whites are inferior beings. These same methods and experiments were put to use thirty five years later

by Nazi Germany in the genocide against Jews and blacks.

Contrary to claims that the Armenian genocide was the first, or one of the first cases of genocide, the fact is that human history is replete with such cases mainly by Europeans against non-white populations. One of the most serious is the Australian continent where from January 26, 1788, Britain started off loading the worst dregs of its prisons. Violent criminals and convicts on death row received reprieve if they agreed to be transported to Australia. With British Government backing , these criminals simply wiped out whole populations of the

How can we build a new humanity when many academics and politicians seek to conceal historical genocide because their race perpetrated them against non white people?

The brewing Nigerian Xenophobia

By Clement Udegbe

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ENOPHOBIA is an abnormal or strange fear or contempt, of that which is foreign, especially of strangers or people from different countries or cultures. A wave of xenophobia carries with it, racism, isolationism, ethnocentrism, jingoism, racial or ethnic intolerance.

This implies that we have quite a good number of xenophobes in Nigeria. They are in politics, religion, businesses, and represented in all walks of life. It has nothing to do with education, training, exposure, or religion. It is the fear, hatred or contempt that leads the sufferer to destroy, kill or reject anything that is different from what he otherwise is used to. Life and property that is not theirs mean nothing to them, and they abound in Nigeria.

Xenophobia was exposed to the world

by South Africa a few weeks ago, but it had been there growing, in their minds.

The people who live there who saw it, felt it, but swept it under carpets. After the end of apartheid in 1994, contrary to expectations, the incidence of xenophobia increased, such that between 2000 and May 2008,at least 67 were killed in series of xenophobic riots.

In 2012, an advert by Nandos, a South African Restaurant Chain, displayed antiimmigrant feelings in the diverse nation.

At that time, several TV stations including the state-owned South African Broadcasting Corporation refused to run it, according to BBC News; “You know what’s wrong with South Africa? All you foreigners. You must all go back to where you came from,” the advert’s voiceover growls as immigrants disappear in puffs of smoke. The advert ends with an

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indigenous Khoisan South African carrying hunting equipment saying: “I’m not going anywhere. You *$&@#* found us here.” Yet nothing happened.

Let's face it, Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini’s anti-immigrant comment that that foreigners need to “pack their bags and leave”, simply echoed what has been resonating in the minds of his people, hence it caused the spark.

Had the King not said it to start the violence, the son of Jacob Zuma, or somebody would have said it to spark the fire, because the people were just waiting for someone in authority to encourage or empower them , which was just what King Godswill did.

If given another chance, they would kill, destroy, and maim visitors, and foreigners, especially Nigerians, because it is a deep seated mental condition. These people thought that with the end of apartheid, they would sit down and jobs, and money, positions of power would bacon

Xenophobia, and ethno-fobia has been brewing in the north and South West, and unless the incoming government opens up this carpet to deal with it , Nigeria sits on a keg of gun powder!

Aborigines. It was an undeclared, dirty war in which the British colonialists and settlers used massacres, poisoned local water sources, introduced small pox as a biological weapon, and paid financial rewards for whites who captured Aborigines. The official policy was to kill the men, abduct the women and if possible, stop them from further procreation, while the children were kidnapped, depersonalised and brainwashed. They became known as the Stolen Generations.

Great Britain and the settlers went to great lengths to destroy records of their atrocities in Australia. But some of the records that survive showed that for example, the Tasmania Island, the size of Ireland, had a population of six thousand indigenes when it was invaded in September 1803 by settlers, seventy five percent of them convicts. Within eleven years, even with births, the locals had been reduced to two thousand, the rest, wiped out. In 1832, the indigenes had been reduced to two hundred, at which point they were packed off to a prison called Wybalenna where the rest of them died. In other words, the inhabitants of Tasmania, became extinct. Between the 18th and 19th centuries, the British exterminated ninety percent of the Aborigines; by 1900, one million Aborigines had been killed and over 100,000 children abducted. What is this but genocide?

In Fiji where the colonialists deliberately introduced measles in 1876, forty thousand of the local populace of 140,000 was wiped out.

The Europeans got to America in 1492. By 1900, the indigenous Indian population had been

on them, to pick and choose what they would do at any price of their fancy. Then came these foreigners, led by Nigerians with their strange competitive spirit in business, and social matters, displacing them and shattering their dreams for ending apartheid. If Jacob Zuma and his ANC is not delivering the dividends of democracy, they should change him and his party as we just did, but criminals must be punished for killing Nigerians, and African foreigners.

South Africans never really liked Nigerians, while Nigeria have always treated their assaults on our people with kid gloves, from the time of the Yellow fever travelling card issue, till now. I understand that Nigerians have lost lives and property valued at over N84million.

Nigerian government whether APC or PDP, must see to it that South Africa not only repays for all damages but presents a list of culprits to be prosecuted, and jailed for this heinous crime against our beloved nation.

Nigeria should target South African business interests in Nigeria for some limited deterrent restrictions, in such a way, that they must not sack any Nigerian during the period, of the restrictions. Let the Nigerian Directors in South African businesses tell them to respect Nigerians, and stop daring us.

As for me, I will change my main line from MTN to GLO from henceforth, and from DSTV to any other indigenous cable, just to tell them, that they must not target Nigerians again! After all, GLO is hundred percent Nigerian. ALL Africans must as of right respect Nigerians and Nigerian investments in their nations.

This is because we respect them, and will never kill or chase them.

South Africa fought GEJ's attempt to procure arms to fight Boko Haram through their country, and seized our money. The incoming APC government must bear in mind that any nation that sabotaged our efforts to fight Boko Haram

reduced by eighty percent mainly through warfare, the introduction of blankets infected with small pox and forced mass relocations. When under the Indian Removal Act of 1830, Cherokee Indians were moved, half of the population died in what became known as the Trail Of Tears.

Genocide was a weapon used in the Spanish colonization of Latin America. In one of the documented cases by Dominican Friar, Bartolome de las Casas, the local population of four hundred thousand in Hispaniola, was reduced to two hundred within a few decades. In the Congo Free State which Belgian King, Leopold II regarded as his personal estate, sixty percent of the populace was wiped out by the Belgians.

The genocide list which include those of Cambodia, Rwanda and Bosnia is long. But how can humanity learn and say ‘Never Again!’ if almost all the perpetrators with the notable exemption of Germany in the case of the Jews, refuse to admit their guilt? How can we build a new humanity when many academics and politicians seek to conceal historical genocide because their race perpetrated them against non white people?

Why would Turkey not threaten countries over Armenia when it has friends like the US and Italy that massage its ego?

Pope Francis in commemorating the Armenian genocide centenary, argued that “…concealing or denying evil is like allowing a wound to keep bleeding without bandaging it” This is true, not just for the Turkish, but also all who deny genocide by whatever colour or colouration.

is opposed to our dear Country, not just GEJ or PDP per se.

Back home, Nigeria needs to avoid the South African experience.

A total of over 30,000 persons have been killed since 1980 beginning from the Matatsine riot in Kano, and Kaduna States, targeting non- indigenes, and people of other religion, which was swept that under our carpet of wickedness, without compensations to any.

In Plateau State, alone, over 1000 Christians have been killed by Muslims in the past four years. Hausa Fulani Herdesmen, armed with AK 47 Rifles, have been killing people in Bauchi, Plateau, Benue states and recently in Enugu State. All swept under our carpet.

As if to welcome the President Elect, Boko Haram/Herdesmen have killed more in Benue State, recently, with same story and response. Boko Haram is a northern phenomenon, and have been attempting to invade the South. It must not be under our carpet.

During the last campaigns, things got so bad, that a king of Lagos cursed Igbos, and we have swept it under carpet.

Like the Zulu King, the last outburst of the King of Lagos was a release out of the abundance of the heart of his people. Area Boys in Lagos are so emboldened since after the last elections, and we are sweeping it all under carpets. Ethno-phobic killings would have followed but for the grace of God upon Nigeria, and the average Yoruba man.

Xenophobia, and ethno-fobia has been brewing in the north and South West, and unless the incoming government opens up this carpet to deal with it , Nigeria sits on a keg of gun powder! It behoves GMB, to either dissolve the foundations of xenophobia in Nigeria, or nurture it to the peril of APC, and the nation.

•Mr. Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MAY 1, 2015

Insurgency: Lifeline for 100 orphans in Kano

By AbdulSalam Muhammad, Kano

U

NTIL lately, little or no attention was paid to the plight of thousands of kids orphaned by six years of debilitating insurgency in the North-East of Nigeria. This explains why news of the Kano State Government’s decision to adopt 100 kids from the front line states last Tuesday made headlines around the world.

The young lads, aged between three,four, five and six, were victims of insurgency that had torn family set-ups to shreds.

Most of the kids are too young to remember their names, that of their parents and where they hail from. None of them could recall what led to their present fate.

Interestingly, their 750kilometre journey from Maiduguri, in the North East to Kano in the North West where they were to begin a new life in a home far away from home was shrouded in top secrecy to ensure the safety of the already vulnerable children.

Although Kano had its own fair share of security challenges, but it was nothing compared to what has become the order of the day in the North East states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

While in Kano, they were treated to a brief colourful ceremony attended by a select audience in a highly but fortified government building.

*A cross section of the kids during the reception in Kano

Formal education It was during the ceremony that the Kano State Government announced scholarship to each of the 100 kids who were to commence their formal education at a government-owned special boarding primary school up to the university. Explaining why his outgoing administration took the decision, Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwanwaso, said that “my administration was moved by the condition of the internally displaced children leading it to

design the school to accommodate 100 pupils from the fronline states of Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe.”

Kwankwaso stated that “the special intervention programme is aimed at taking up full responsibilities of 100 children who are between ages of five and six whose parents are either dead,displaced or lost as a result of the insurgency”.

The Kano Governor further said that “under the boarding school arrangement, the state government will take care of the children’s education, training, upbringing, feeding, clothing,

security, health care and accommodation”.

Kwankwaso noted that the state government would continue to look after the children until they complete their education, adding that if the security situation in the frontline states improves and it is certified safe for them to return home, they will go home.

Kwankwaso revealed that the plight of the children deprived of parental care and concerns as a result of the security challenges in the affected states was brought to his attention by the local National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA.

ROVING CAMERA

•Homeless children sleeping under the Cele pedestrian bridge along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. Photo: Akeem Salau.

C M Y K

He revealed that the state Commissioner of Health has been directed to appraise the medical condition of each pupil with the view of identifying those that need special medical care.

Kwankwaso advised the kids to pay attention to moral and academic excellence and should not allow their immediate past to weigh them down.

In separate remarks, three of the kids, Ibrahim Maina, Saidu Ishaku, and Muhammad Idris expressed joy for the love shown to them by Kano State Government, as they stressed that “this is life in a home faraway from home”.

Muhammad Idris, six years, in an interview explained thus: “I am number four in a family of six but I cannot tell the whereabouts of my father, my mum and others”.

He added: “I hope they would join us one day here to enjoy this same privileges offered by the Kano Government”.

In an emotion-laden speech, Borno State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Hajiya Fanta Shehu, who played a key role in the handing over process said: “Out of the 100 orphans, 73 were selected from the motherless home, while 27 were from persons with disabilities.”

Security advice Hajiya Shehu disclosed that under the arrangement, “Kano State Government had agreed to train the kids in special schools from primary to tertiary levels”.

Hajiya Shehu added thus: “On our part, we have provided the beneficiaries with books and other relevant materials to augment what their new host has provided.”

In line with security advice, the children are for now shielded from the public glare as the location of the school is shrouded in secrecy, and what happes in and around them would remain exclusive to both the officials of the Kano state Government and their Borno counterpart.

On his part, the Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, said: “Borno State would forever remain grateful for the gesture, and this singular gesture has given not only signs of relief to guardians, caregivers of the orphans but also sense of belonging to the people of Borno”. A top politician in Kano, Comrade Saidu Bello, said that the philanthropic gesture by the Kano State government would certainly open the door for others to emulate, adding that “in a every aspect of life, a noble example always comes from one man and others would follow suit.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

From left: Samson Akejelu, Marketing Manager, Spectranet Ltd; Mike Ogor, Head of Marketing, Spectranet Limited; Chief Ezekiel Fatoye, Director, Spectranet, and Hycent Nwabuisi, Account Director, Lowe Lintas at the launch of Spectranet new logo in Lagos.

Citibank seeks reforms in power, agric, oil and gas sectors

By Bartholomew Madukwe

C

hief Operating Officer, Citibank, Mr. Akin Dawodu, has called on the incoming government to introduce reforms in three critical sectors of the economy namely, oil and gas, agriculture and power.

Dawodu made this call while speaking at an aviation forum organized by Citibank in Lagos, titled “Leveraging Global Banking Trends for Smart Aviation in Nigeria.”

Explaining the impact of the recent policy in the foreign exchange market on the aviation sector, Dawodu said,

$137. 65

-0.50

$2,967.00

49. 00

12.94

-0.23

$65.05

0.41

57.25

0.19

CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

196 299.8016 214.3842 204. 7639 1.6472 0.3042 2721. 392 31.5891 52.2639 28.7323 273.2828

CENTRAL 196.5 300.5664 214.9317 205.2863 1.6514 0.3142 272.0851 31.6701 52.3972 28.8056 273.98

197 301.3312 215.4786 205.8086 1.6556 0.3242 272.7774 31.7511 52.5305 28.8789 273.6771

CBN Exchange Rate as at 29/4/15

C M Y K

“Due to changes made by the Central Bank, interbank market has been shut and liquidity was quite thin. The aviation industry has been restricted to the Interbank market for a few years and has not directly affected the

change in the foreign exchange regulations.

“However, poor liquidity also means that airlines have to queue with other buyers of foreign exchange. The naira has been under pressure all years, we

— 21

expect that the intensity will reduce as we approach a new administration,” he said.

According to him, a lot of growth in the GDP is in the services sector, while the informal sector suffers taxation.

“We expect that the new government will kick off a reform agenda that will be focused around oil and gas, agriculture and power. Solving the power problem is greatly necessary to lift the Nigeria economy,” Dawodu added.

The Account’s General Manager, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, Mr. Adeola Peter, who represented the Director General, Captain Muhtar Usman, asked the bank for partnership by training pilots in the nation’s aviation industry.

“NCAA since inception has the mandate to train and we are training.

In the future, we want to do everything to secure safety. We want to partner especially with banks and all stakeholders. We want to encourage them to train so as to have improved performance.

We believe that consolidation will make airlines operate smoothly,” he stated.

Peter noted that the re-certification of USA-FAA Category 1 was for the second time secured in 2014, after another rigorous audit.

He maintained that NCAA would be looking at possibilities of tax incidents and other measures that may help airlines survive.

The event was well attended by captains in the aviation industry and finance experts who identified lack of credible information as a factor affecting the efficiency of the aviation sector.

FG orders MDAs to adopt new accounting method

By Michael Eboh

T

he Federal Government has directed all ministries, departments and agencies (MDA) across the three tiers of government to transit from cash-basis accounting to accrual-basis accounting in view of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) compliance by 2016.

Speaking at the launch of the ‘Accrual Accounting Manual IPSAS-Compliant’ in Abuja, Vice President Mohammed Sambo, also called for budgetary provisions to be made to aid in the process of identification and valuation of all government assets in line with concepts of the accrual method.

Sambo, who was represented by Mr. Bashir Yuguda, Minister of State for Finance, stated that the adoption of the Accrual Accounting method is part of the Federal Government’s initiative aimed at promoting transparency and accountability in the public sector.

He said, “With the launch of the Manual, government hereby directs that all public sector entities must fully comply with its provisions. Budgetary provisions should also be made to assist in the accrual accounting concepts especially in the process for identification and valuation of all

government assets.

“To this end, I employ all public sector entities across the three tiers of the Nigerian federation to accept, adopt and embrace this manual for use as we begin the IPSAS Compliant Accrual Accounting in Nigeria by 1st January, 2016.”

Sambo further explained manual has been designed as a comprehensive guideline for the practice of IPSAS compliant Accrual-Accounting in public sector entities across the federation.

He added that the manual provides the policies, process and procedures

We expect that the new government will kick off a reform agenda that will be focused around oil and gas, agriculture and power

to comply with in the recognition, recording and reporting of financial transactions public sector entities.

Also speaking, Mr. Danladi Kifasi, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, said the decision of the Federal Government to pursue the adoption of the accrual accounting method in compliance with IPSAS is in line of its awareness that public funds are held in trust for the people in the provision of infrastructure services and key social amenities.

He further stated that the Accrual Accounting method will further engender trust between the government and the citizenry.

He commended the individuals and organizations responsible for drawing up the ‘excellent and easy-to-use’ manual, while he also lauded the Ministry of Finance for providing an enabling environment for the committee to thrive.

In his own presentation, Yuguda stated that in the preparation of the manual, inputs were received from a number of stakeholders, including the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, ANAN, universities, ministries, departments and agencies in the three tiers of government.

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Dangote Cement Shareholders okay N102bn dividend

By Peter Egwatu

S

From left: Private Sector Development Adviser, Department for International Development (DFID), Ms. Alessandra Lustrati; Consultant, Digital Financial Services, Ms. Susie Lonie; Chairman, Board of EFInA, Mr. Yemi Cardosa; Consultant, Digital Financial Services; Ms. Lesley-Ann Vaughan and Chief Executive officer, Enhancing Financial Innovation Access (EFInA), Ms. Modupe Ladipo, during the launch of EFInA Request For Proposal 6 event and workshop in Lagos.

hareholders of Dangote Cement Plc have unanimously approved the N102 billion dividend recommended by the board for the 2014 financial year.

The shareholders, who gave the approval at the sixth Annual General Meeting (AGM)of the company held in Lagos on Wednesday commended the board and management for the performance of the company amid the challenging operating environment.

They were alcove very pleased with the dividend, which translates into N6.00 per share and pay out ratio of 63.5 per cent. Dangote Cement ended 2014 with a

IFC boosts Zenith Bank’s lending portfolio with $100m

By Nkiruka Nnorom

I

nternational Finance Corporation, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has signed an agreement to provide a $100 million loan facility to Zenith Bank Plc to allow the bank increase its lending to a variety of important economic sectors, boosting economic growth and job creation in Nigeria.

The $100 million loan facility will be provided from IFC’s own account and Zenith Bank Plc will use the facility to reduce the lending gap in critical sectors. The facility will help reduce the infrastructure funding gap in the country, particularly in the power sector.

The lack of infrastructure has been identified as a key impediment to private sector development in Nigeria.

Zenith Bank will continue to explore business opportunities in strategic sectors that will bring the much needed development to boost Nigeria’s economy.

Peter Amangbo, Group Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, said, “As reputable leaders in the African banking industry with superior performance, Zenith Bank will continue to explore business opportunities in strategic sectors that will bring the much needed development to boost Nigeria’s economy. By partnering with IFC, we hope to increase our lending activities and further strengthen our leadership position.

Eme Essien Lore, IFC Country Manager for Nigeria,

said, “IFC is demonstrating its commitment to support the real sector in the country through financial intermediaries. As part of that effort, IFC is working with Zenith Bank Plc to help finance these critical sectors and contribute to the development of the economy and especially to create a sustainable source of infrastructure finance in Nigeria.

Zenith Bank Plc with headquarters in Lagos, has more than 350 branches in Nigeria. The bank grew its shareholder ’s fund of

N20million in 1990 to N552.64 billion as at year ended 2013.

IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, is the largest global development institution focused exclusively on the private sector. Working with private enterprises in about 100 countries, the institution uses its capital, expertise, and influence to help eliminate extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.

In 2014, IFC provided more than $22 billion in financing to improve lives in developing countries and tackle the most urgent challenges of development.

revenue of N392 billion up from N386 billion in 2013.Administrative expenses rose from N25.9 billion to N274 billion, while sales/distribution expenses increased from 35.6 billion to N37.4 billion. Finance cost soared by 140 per cent from N13.7 billion to N32.9 billion. Profit before tax stood at N184.7 billion, compared with N191 billion.But the company paid an income tax of N25.2 billion in 2014, as against a tax credit of N10.5 billion 2013. The N25 billion tax charge resulted from the expirations of the tax exemptions on some lines of the company’s business.

Consequently, the company ended the year a PAT of N159.5 billion, compared with N201 billion in 2013.

Meanwhile, indications emerged at the AGM that shareholders have a bright future in the company given the massive expansion project being embarked upon by the company in 16 African countries, outside Nigeria.

Returns from the African projects are expected to start reflecting on the company’s account from this 2015 financial year. Already, the company’s new plants in Senegal and Cameroun have commenced operations. The Cement plants in Ethiopia and Zambia are also expected to start production next month. The new Senegalese plant, located in Pout district, about 75 kilometers from Dakar, the country’s capital, is expected to create more than 1,000 jobs, with a total production capacity of 1.5 million tons annually.

Fidelity Bank posts N34.8bn revenue in Q1

By Nkiruka Nnorom

F

IDELITY BANK Plc has announced gross earnings of N34.8 billion in its first quarter ending March 31, 2015.

The figure posted represents a 12.5 percent growth over N309 billion recorded by the bank in first quarter of 2014.

Highlights of the financial statement showed that it grew before tax by 5.6 per cent to N4.7 billion from N4.4 billion in the same period in 2014, while the profit after tax also grew by the same margin to N4.0 billion from N3.8 billion in 2014.

The bank’s fee income increased by huge 54 percent to N9.2 billion as against N6.0 billion reported in equivalent period in Q1 2014.

The operating income at N21.6 billion was 14.4 percent increase over N18.9 billion recorded in Q1 2014, while net loans increased by 1.0 percent to N546.9 billion from N541.7 billion in December

2014.

While the total equity increased by 2.9 per cent to N178.0 billion from N173.1 billion in December 2014, total assets increased by 0.8 per cent to N1.196 billion from N1.187 billion in December 2014.

However, total expenses increased by 12.9 per cent to N14.4 billion from N12.7 billion in Q1 2014.

Nnamdi Okonkwo, Managing Director/CEO of the bank commenting on the results said: “In the quarter ended March 31 2015, we built on the successes of the last financial year as we remain committed to delivering sustainable earnings and improved asset quality. Notwithstanding the headwinds witnessed in our industry, we recorded a 5.6 per cent growth in profit before Tax (PBT) to N4.7 billion putting us on the right path to achieving our 2015 FYE guidance.

“Deposits declined by 2.7 per cent in the quarter under review as we continue to replace more expensive wholesale

funds with cheaper retail deposits. Our retail banking strategy continued to deliver impressive results as core retail liabilities increased by 7.7 per cent in Q1 2015, while e-banking income from increased cross-selling of products to the expanding retail customer base also grew by 49.3 per cent.”

Continuing, he said, “Risk assets grew marginally by 1.0 percent with NPL declining to 3.8 per cent and cost of risk at 0.8 percent. We continued with our balance sheet optimization which saw average yields on earning assets improve by 100bps and net interest margin inched up to 6.2 percent during the quarter.

“We remain focused on the execution of our medium term strategic objectives in the Retail/SME/e-Banking and Niche Corporate Banking segment and look forward to deliver another positive set of results in the second quarter,” Okonkwo added.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 23

How seed business transformed me — Sawadogo ON losing his job with a tyre company in Burkina Faso in 2008, Mr. Abdoulaye Sawadogo turned to farming to eke out a living and to feed his family. Today he is not only feeding his family, but is impacting on the society as a seed producer.

He is happy today that he has become employer of labour and no longer an employee, writes JIMOH BABATUNDE.

I

AM Abdoulaye Sawadogo, the Managing Director of Neema Agricole, a seed company in Burkina Faso. The company was established in 2008 after I lost my job with a tyre producing company and then decided to go into farming primarily to feed my family.

“Though I have been involved in farming on part time since 1994, but not until 2008, when I lost my job that I decided to take to farming and establish a company.”

He did not start by going into seed production immediately but started out planting mostly banana for the market, at the same time producing maize for the family.

It was in the course of cultivating maize that he learnt about improved seeds developed by scientists and he went after it. “When I started I was cultivating mostly banana for the market, at the same time producing maize for the family use before I learnt that there was improved varieties of maize developed by scientists and went to get for my farm.”

World of seed production That moves paid off as he unknowingly began a journey into the world of seed production. “After planting those improved seeds not withstanding that I planted late, I discovered I had more yields than my neighbours who planted early.”

The feat did not go unnoticed by the neighbours who came asking how he achieved the miracle which he explained to them and started giving them same seeds to plants.

“It was from here the idea of selling seeds came to me and I went to the scientist that I needed training in seed production and that was how the journey started.”

For Abdoulaye Sawadogo, seed production has become a rewarding choice for him, apart from being employer of labour; he was producing maize on one hectare of land before, but now plants on more than 800 hectares of land.

“I was producing not more than 100 metric tonnes before, but today I produce several thousand tonnes. My company

has several employees and from every angle there is growth that comes with great satisfaction.”

He added that part of the satisfaction he has is that the company has been able to impact positively on the community as they have been able to buy an ambulance for the community, gave food to schools and less privilege homes.

Abdoulaye Sawadogo is proud that he has made a name for himself as a professional seed producer in his country, Burkina Faso and beyond as his company was in 2012 named the best seed company in Africa by Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

Speaking on his company relationship with AGRA, Sawdogo did not mince words

when he said “AGRA has made me the business person I am today as the head of a major seed company in Burkina Faso. I have benefited a lot from trainings and technical support that has made me who I am today“ AGRA to him has been a pillar of support as they have “given me the support and encouragement to the level I never dreamt of getting to in this business. Now I believe more in myself than ever before.”

Before AGRA, he had 18 temporary staff, but today the company has 27 full staff, he works with 125 outgrowers on permanent basis and the casual workers are over 1000 people.

For him meeting the 10,000 metric tonnes of annual seed production and sales target for seed companies is achievable in a year with the technical support from AGRA and what he has on ground, but to him there are other issues that need to be taken care of like warehous-

Sawadogo ing, market and creating awareness among farmers.

“The issue of warehousing, the issue of number of agro dealers that will buy from you and enough marketing capacity to get to the farmers are things to be considered.

“If you produce 10,000 metric

tonnes of seeds , the question is how do you raise awareness among the farmers, so it involves a lot of preparation and strategy as well as others things not to produce the seed itself but to set up a total system.”

How we contained spread of avian influenza — Avong

By Gabriel Ewepu

F

OLLOWING the outbreak of avian influenza popularly called bird flu in Nigeria, which affected poultry farms in18 states resulted to huge losses by farmers, the Registrar, Veterinary Council of Nigeria, VCN, Dr. Markus Avong, explained how the disease was contained.

Avong said the federal and state governments in partnership with donor agencies put in place swift

measures to contain the further spread of the disease and the result was tremendous.

He said: “The result really is that the containment limited the outbreak to just 18 states and of course we are expecting a decrease of the amount of the disease in the 18 states.

The consciousness of the farmers in those states and indeed their risk perception of the disease have increased.

“The entire emergency preparedness structure put in place during the 2006 and 2008 avian influenza outbreak

was resuscitated both at the federal and state levels. Some inputs were equally given to farmers, and also donor countries were part and parcel of the technical committee at the federal level, which include the World Bank and others.

“Awareness was created among the farmers and before the outbreak the risk perception index of avian influenza was very low among the farmers but when the outbreak occurred with much education perception of the

Long-term sector investment boosts Somalia’s trade with Gulf States

S

OMALIA in 2014 exported a record 5 million livestock to markets in the Gulf of Arabia thanks to heavy investments in animal disease prevention backed by the European Union and the United Kingdom, FAO said today.

This is the highest number of live animals exported from Somalia in the last 20 years.

The export data, collected by the FAO-managed Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit (FSNAU), indicates that Somalia exported 4.6 million goats and sheep, 340,000 cattle and 77,000 camels in 2014,

worth an estimated $360 million.

Livestock is the mainstay of the Somali economy, contributing 40 percent to the country ’s Gross Domestic Product.

“This is a key milestone for the Somalia’s livestock sector that reflects the large investments being made to support the commercial development of the livestock sector to become more competitive in international markets,” said Said Hussein Iid, Somalia’s Minister of Livestock, Forestry and Range.

“This is important for both

Somalia’s economy in general and for the livelihoods of the millions of livestock owners throughout Somalia. The sector’s potential is enormous,” Iid added.

“This shows that despite the challenges, the Somali people are successfully working to improve their economy and food security,” said Richard Trenchard, head of FAO’s office for Somalia. “FAO and our partners are committed to remaining engaged and involved in supporting those efforts.”

Buyers from Saudi Arabia,

risk of the disease increased, because getting the awareness of the risk increases the consciousness about it on what to do and not to do to curtail, and that helped to a large extent in containing the disease.”

However, he further stated that poultry business has bounced back following the containment as there was gradual picking up of patronage of poultry products in the states.

“Again because of the success in containment the poultry and poultry product business is picking up. As at that time the disease was on there was a drop in patronage.

“From my investigation poultry farmers in Jos were finding it difficult to sell their poultry products and I am aware the market is picking up. In other words, even those whose farmers were not affected somehow suffered because of poor patronage but now picking up,” Avong stated.

On the area of compensating poultry farm owners according to Avong they have been compensated, which also served as an important strategy of control during the 2006, 2008 episode of the disease, although he said quiet a lot of birds were lost to the disease.

24 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY1, 2015

BRIEFING: From left: Alhaji Remi Bello, Deputy National President, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture NACCIMA; Chief Bassey Edem, Acting National President and Iyalode Alaba Lawson, Deputy National President during a media briefing by NACCIMA on the State of the Nation, in Lagos.

BoI provides N18bn loans to industries in South West

By Franklin Alli

T

HE Bank of Industry (BoI) has provided N18 billion loans to industrial firms in the South West region of the country in the last one year to strengthen their operations.

The South West states comprise Lagos, Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo; Ekiti and Kwara state.

Speaking during the commissioning of the bank’s state office in Ibadan, Oyo State, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of BoI, Rasheed Olaoluwa , disclosed that since last year till March 31, 2015, they had provide loans in excess of N18 billion to industrialise the South-west geopolitical zone of the

country.

He explained that of the N18 billion, over 80 firms and micro enterprises spread

Oyo State is very crucial to BoI’s strategy of ensuring that our development finance services are brought closer to the people of the State especially in our bid to vastly improve our service delivery efficiency

across Oyo state as at March this year were given over N10 billion.

“Oyo State is very crucial to BoI’s strategy of ensuring that our development finance services are brought closer to

Why most SMEs don’t grow – MD, Bobby’s Mart

By Naomi Uzor

A

n industrialist has explained why most companies in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector are not growing in Nigeria.

Mr. Odulaja Oluwafemi Samuel, the industrialist and

SME contractors demand timely payment for transactions

By Providence Obuh

T

here is a need for the President-Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari to set agenda for combating late payment in commercial transactions to Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the country.

Credit Managers who spoke on behalf of the SMEs said that timely access to cash is critical for SMEs business success and there must be a condition for every government contract that SME contractors must be paid within 30 days, pointing out that it should be passed down the supply chain. In a statement, Registrar/CEO, Institute of Credit Administration (ICA), Prof. Chris Onalo, said that the there must be a policy of paying bills involving supplies and other business transactions that has been carried out by SMEs for big companies, starting with the government within one to two weeks from the date of submission of invoice.

Onalo said, “SMEs are the lifeblood of

the people of the State especially in our bid to vastly improve our service delivery efficiency, while also reaching out to all parts of the entire South West Region,” he stated.

According to him, Oyo State Government had also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with BoI in 2012, which culminated in the establishment of the OYSG/BOI Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) Matching Fund Scheme to the tune of N1biillion.

“To date, the bank has recorded a total loan approval of N375 million in respects of 68 enterprises.

Of this amount, a total of N225 million had been disbursed to 35 enterprises. Additional disbursements to 17 other enterprises in the sum of N104 million is currently being processed while some of the new beneficiaries have been presented with cheque amounting to N124.17 million”, he added.

On his part, Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, who was represented by his Deputy, Moses Alake Adeyemo, expressed optimism that the new BoI’s regional and state offices would deepen the bank’s developmental impact in these states.

the economy, their innovation, speed and flexibility is vital for sustainability.

Government economic policy must be designed to accommodate how important cash flow is for the SMEs. Your government should take significant steps to ensure that SMEs continue to deliver the innovation and flexibility in our match toward Nigeria’s economic independence and prosperity.

“Every day across Nigeria, dozens of SMEs go bankrupt as their invoices are not paid and as a result, jobs are lost and business opportunities remain unexploited, stalling the country’s return to economic growth. To end this damaging trend in our business system, there is need for the president-elect to set agenda for combating late payment in commercial transactions throughout the country.

The government on her own part must compel her ministries, departments and agencies and other authorities to pay for goods and services supplied by SMEs within three weeks or, in very exceptional circumstances, within 30 days.

Managing Director, Bobby’s Mart, said, Nigeria don’t have that system in which an SME will come up with a good business plan and the financial institution will come to his/her aid.

“We just keep hearing something like SMEs fund; there is so many funds allocated to that, but where does it go.

In developed countries, you have a business proposal, you approach a bank, they look at it; they help you modify, they help you look at the viability and feasibility; and they fund.

But here, the banks just want to bring your money and they charge at will; because you don’t have anywhere to seek redress they don’t give you the services” he said.

He said Bobby ’s Mart, a subset of a company registered as Eternal Alfa Omega Concept Limited, has the opportunity to be neighbours to two ferry jetties, in Ikorodu, and that the basic thing about the super mart is to bridge the gap between the past and the present.

“We have the opportunity to be neighbours to two ferry jetties, and on daily basis you have like 300 cars struggling to come in (that’s for those cars that can make it here).

BRIEFS Cobham takes over as NACCIMA DG

T

he Nigerian Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), has announced the appointment of Barrister Emmanuel Cobham as its new director general.

Cobham,a lawyer, journalist, broadcaster, and administrator had worked in the public and the private sector managing information and providing leadership in the last twenty five years.

Barrister Cobham served as a Senior Reporter, Newscaster and Correspondent Anchor, Nigerian Television Authority, Channel 9, Calabar, and NTA Network Center, Lagos, 1984 to 1991. He served as Chief Press Secretary to the Executive Governor of Cross River State, 1992 to 1993; Director of Press Affairs to four (4) other Military Governors /Administrators of Cross River State, between 1993 and 1999.

He was a Director of information, Cross River Civil Service Commission, Director, News and Current Affairs, Cross River Broadcasting Corporation between 19992003, Legal Officer, African Union Commission, AU Mediation on the InterSudanese Peace Talks on Dafur, Sudan, 2005-2006; Special Assistant to Chairman, Ceasefire and Security Arrangements Commission, A.U Abuja; Litigation Officer, Messes Tochukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) & Associates, Abuja 2007. He practiced as a Legal Practitioner between 2007 and 2010.

IFC to coach IoD on corporate governance

I

FC, a member of the World Bank Group, and the Institute of Directors Kenya, (IOD) have entered into a partnership to promote best practices in corporate governance among businesses and institutions in Kenya.

Corporate governance refers to the structures and processes by which companies are directed and controlled. It makes companies more accountable and transparent to investors and gives them the tools to respond to stakeholder concerns. Manuel Moses, IFC Head of East Africa said, “By partnering with IOD Kenya, IFC seeks to boost good corporate governance and encourage productivity among Kenyan institutions, which in turn will drive growth and development in Kenya.”

He stated that under the new three year partnership, IFC will provide training and skills development programs to IOD Kenya members, any of whom are corporate directors

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 25

By JIMOH BABATUNDE, with agency reports

T

HOUSANDS of spectators lined the streets of Seychelles’ small capital city weekend to watch and cheer as over 50 colorful floats paraded for this fifth Carnaval International de Victoria.

It was a true melting pot of cultures in Victoria as countries from near and far flew their national flags in a colorful parade which snaked through the streets of the small capital.

Well before 3 o’clock, the floats had aligned on Bois de Rose Avenue where the performers were already in the mood to dance and sing for the many spectators on the streets.

From Bois de Rose Avenue, the floats went on Latanier Road to perform in front of the VIPs seated at the International Conference Centre, then made their way to the streets of Victoria, and in the Stad Popiler car park where many other high officials and members of the public were.

The first float in the parade was a replica of a giant land tortoise mounted on a truck.

The giant land tortoise, known as Per Kobe, enthralled many of the spectators who were in Victoria as it reminded them of the one that paraded the streets of Victoria in the first carnival ever which was organized in 1972.

It was the Seychelles Car Hire Association that had come up with this brilliant idea to showcase one of the most important parts of the country’s flora and fauna, and heritage.

Spectators cheered as the four beauty queens 6 Miss United States of America Elizabeth Safrit, Miss Australia Courtney Thorpe, Miss Tanzania Happiness Watimanywa, and Miss Seychelles…another world 2014 Camila Estico were the ones on the Per Kobe float.

The biggest float was the one

*Children parading in colourful clothes at the Kiddies Carnival during the SeychellesCarnival

The Seychelles carnival:

True melting pot of cultures for United Concrete Products Seychelles, while the delegation from Nias Island was the first international float in the parade.

For the children, it is surely the many cartoon characters in the Italian float that amazed them.

Minnie Mouse, Smurf, Sponge Bob, and their friends gave an unforgettable carnival experience to the children.

The country ’s own Miss Seychelles…another world contestants for this year were also part of the float. They were on the Seychelles Tourism Board’s float which was all about showcasing the unique selling points of the islands.

The Seychelles Tourism Board’s float was among the over 30 floats that had registered to take part in this year’s Carnaval

Kiddies carnival in Seychelles reached new heights in a marriage of tourism and culture with the protection of the environment

International de Victoria, which is celebrating its fifth anniversary.

Brazil, Dusseldorf, China, and Cape Minstrels from South Africa were among the faithful carnival floats, and this year again they were in the streets of Victoria to give amazing performances.

Newcomers like Ivory Coast and Swaziland gave spectacular performances, showcasing the beauty and diversity of the cultures on the African continent.

Notting Hill Roadshow Company was the last float in the parade. With colorful costumes and pulsating music, Notting Hill, lead by Claire Holder, had spectators dancing and closed the parade on a beautiful note

NIHOTOUR, Coy sign MOU to promote professionalism in hospitality industry ...as institute convokes 500 May 16

By Caleb Ayansina

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HE National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, NIHOTOUR, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with the Trans African Homes and Estate Management Services to promote professionalism in the hospitality industry in Nigeria.

The MOU is to collect data on hotel classification to ensure proper standardization and classification of hotels in the country. It will also focus on training of workers, as well as giving recognition to hotel owners, who exhibit good managerial acumen in the hospitality industry.

To this end, the institute has fixed

May 16, to hold its first Convocation Ceremony for about 500 graduating students from its Training School, across eight campuses in the country, for the award of Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in hospitality management, tourism management, etc.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, in Abuja, the Director General of NIHOTOUR, Mrs. Chika Balogun said the bedrock of hospitality industry is training, adding that her agency would not relent in its efforts to fulfil its mandates.

She said they had been working with the relevant bodies to improve the level of professionalism in the industry, “We are worried over the state of some hotels in our cities and it is time we start to

proffer sanctions to hotels that fail to operate within the approved guidelines.”

Continuing Mrs Balogun said: “We discover that many people establish hotel because they have money to do so, but they are not very conversant with management skills required to run hotels and these have contributed to the problem we are having in hospitality today. “We are working very hard to revamp the entire curriculum system for NIHOTOUR and now again NBTE in its magnanimity has approved that NIHOTOUR as an authentic trainers for National Vocation Qualification (NVQ) which means certificate acquired through a NIHOTOUR programme can be bench marked globally.

with their float.

Kiddies carnival: Kiddies carnival in Seychelles reached new heights in a marriage of tourism and culture with the protection of the environment Hundreds of little masquerades paraded at Freedom Square in the centre of Victoria for the second edition of the Seychelles Kiddies carnival.

Children’s playground The 2015 Kiddies carnival started at children’s playground “ Paradis des enfants” and ended up in Freedom Square where the children, through their displays, gave an adorable show to the public. The little masquerades weighed their costumes and themes on originality.

Their performances were of stunning quality. Alain St.Ange, the Seychelles Minister for Tourism and Culture congratulated the children for their carnival outfits made from recycle materials.

“This Kiddies carnival is bringing in a new culture. Our children are showing the way in the new drive for the consolidation of our island’s sustainable tourism approach.

The schools that participated today are real leaders because they have put all the talking and discussions behind them and came forward to be counted as serious partners of the islands drive for sustainable tourism by creating world class displays using only recycle materials” Minister Alain St.Ange said.

26—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

ZONING: APC dancing on the ceiling

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

UNEASY lies the head that wears the crown, and so, chieftains of the All Progressives Congress, APC now seem to be learning in the days leading to their assumption of leadership of the country.

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HE party which is set to take over the reins of government at the federal level later this month, and then the leadership of the two chambers of the National Assembly next month, is now battling to fit its new crown on the head.

After a series of meetings, party leaders are yet to resolve the thorny issue of the leadership of the National Assembly, causing party leaders who only few weeks ago were clinking glasses after their election victory to resort to back-biting and acrimony.

Indeed, normally friendly party sources have been on edge as they have sought to assuage inquisitive journalists pressing them on the dithering over the issue.

“It is better we take our time on the issue than be rushed into a mistake,” one party source confided last Wednesday.

Party spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who has also been at his wits' end in managing the situation was forced to issue a statement last week debunking assumptions that the leadership of the party had resolved issues around the zoning of offices.

•Oyegun: APC National chairman

•Tinubu: APC national leader

•Lawan: Wants Senate Presidency

•Saraki: Eyeing Senate Presidency

•Akume: Another candidate for Senate leadership

The meeting of the national leaders, however, did not approve the recommendation of the NWC following what multiple sources alleged as a heated debate between some of the leading lights of the party.

Sources disclosed that the meeting resolved that the president-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun to resolve the impasse by setting up a smaller committee to resolve the issue.

The decision, it was learned was upon the passionate appeal of a national leader of the party from the South-West that the issue be resolved by the smaller committee as according to him, the National Executive Committee, NEC of the party would be too unwieldy to resolve such sensitive issues.

As at press time yesterday, that committee was yet to meet or even be constituted. Sources in the party claim that key officials of the NWC are unhappy that the proposal of the NWC worked out under the chairmanship of the

national chairman was being taken to an unrecognised organ of the party for ratification.

“The NWC feels that it is wrong for the body to have sat down and

worked out a proposal on the issue only for it to be dismissed or taken to another body which is not even recognised for ratification,” a source privy to the development told Vanguard.

It was as such not surprising that upon the confusion that Mohammed, the party spokesman issued his statement asserting that the party was yet to reach a decision on the issue of zoning of party offices.

It is that development that has now thrown up all permutations into play in the consideration of zoning. Whereas until last week it was almost certain that the positions of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives were going to the North-Central and SouthWest respectively, party sources now say that nothing is certain as forces anxious to push their zonal and personal political interests are now working to adjust the permutations originally put forward by the NWC. Indeed, until recently, only Senators George Akume, the

•Buhari: President-elect

Zoning of offices He had said: “In the true tradition of the APC, all issues of public interest will be handled transparently and conveyed to Nigerians through the usual communication channels.

“No appointments have been made and no offices have been zoned. The main concern of our party at the moment is to ensure a smooth transition and to hit the ground running, in the overall interest of the long-suffering people of Nigeria.

“At the appropriate time, Nigerians will be informed of the appointments made and the offices zoned.”

The statement was in the wake of reports following a meeting of national leaders of the party called to consider the formula reportedly adopted by the National Working Committee, NWC of the party on the zoning of the national offices.

The NWC formula, according to normally authoritative sources was to the effect that the Senate President be zoned to the NorthCentral, Speaker of the House of Representatives to the SouthWest, Deputy Senate President to the North-East Senate Leader Northwest, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, South-South and the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation, South-East.

Indeed, until recently, only Senators George Akume, the Senate Minority Leader and Senator Bukola Saraki, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment were known to be in the race for Senate President

Senate Minority Leader and Senator Bukola Saraki, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment were known to be in the race for Senate President. Both of them from the North-Central and had been working seriously to woo support from within and outside the Senate caucus. Akume it was claimed was being seriously backed by a national leader of the party, Senator Bola Tinubu against the formidable forces marshalled by Senator Saraki.

Saraki’s hand had been strengthened by the advocacy of Gen. Buhari that zonal caucuses be allowed to produce their choices for any position allocated to them. That was to the advantage of Saraki who it was learnt had already marshalled support for his ambition from many of the states in the NorthCentral, especially given his support for many of the senatorselect during the campaigns.

Saraki’s ascendancy has, however, been challenged by the serious lobby of the North-East caucus to produce the Senate President or Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The North-East caucus of the party which already has the position of chairman of the Board of Trustees, BoT, it was learnt feels that it deserves more especially given its ringing endorsement of the APC and its presidential flag bearer, Buhari in the recent past.

Lobbying for the position It was as such not surprising that a number of leading senators-elect from the region are now seriously lobbying for the position. Among the leading figures involved in the campaign for Senate President from the region are Senators Ahmad Lawan from Yobe, Ali Ndume from Borno, Danjuma Goje from Gombe and Senator-Elect, Binta Garba from Adamawa.

Of the lot, Senator Lawan’s campaign seems to be the most potent and the most threatening to the aspiration of Saraki, the most formidable candidate from the North-Central. One of the selling points his canvassers are selling is his expertise on National Assembly matters, being the oldest member of the National Assembly in the contest.

Lawan was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1999 and re-elected in 2003 before moving over to the Senate in 2007.

Unconfirmed sources say that Lawan’s support which was originally conceived as a project by the Yobe State caucus of the Continues on page 27

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—27

•Jonathan: Lost re-election

•Mu'azu: PDP chairman

•Akpabio: Chairman PDP govs

Forum

Why PDP govs want Mu’azu, NWC members out •Our hands are clean — NWC members FOLLOWING the trouncing of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the last general elections of March 28 and April 11, things are no longer rosy between PDP governors and national officers of the party.

A

By Henry Umoru

PART from losing the presidency, which it has held for 16 years, the PDP lost its majority in the National Assembly and will be the leading opposition in the next dispensation having won 46 senatorial seats out of 109 while the All Progressives Congress (APC) cornered 60. The same thing applied in the House of Representatives. From a height of 21 state governors, the party has only 13 slots now. It lost in its traditional states of Adamawa, Plateau; Niger, Kaduna, Benue, Bauchi and Jigawa.

Consequently, governors elected on the platform of the PDP want the National Chairman of the party, Alhaji Adamu Muazu and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC to take the path of honour and resign immediately.

Path of honour This was the outcome of the marathon meeting of 19 PDP governors held between Tuesday night and early hours of Wednesday at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja where the governors resolved that it has become imperative for the national officers to go and pave the way for a new leadership.

PDP leaders’ post-election gathering The meeting, which was the first of its kind since the PDP lost the presidency after 16 years of leadership to the Presidential

Candidate of the APC, MajorGeneral Muhammadu Buhari, retd, was a post-mortem on the election and to discuss the way forward for the party, especially the move to heal inflicted wounds, re-strategise and reposition the party.

It was gathered that Mu’azu; the National Legal Adviser, Victor Kwon and all the 19 governors were at the closeddoor meeting. Chairman, Prince

Uche Secondus and the National A source at the meeting told Vanguard that Mu’azu and his team were later asked to excuse the governors.

Soon after they left, sources said the governors agreed that the party would need fresh persons and against that backdrop, Muazu and his team must pave the way for the fresh blood that would be required to reposition the party.

NWC in marathon meeting Following the decision of the governors, who want to take total

control of the party, members of the NWC rushed into a marathon meeting even though they were said to be on two weeks break.

To prevent staff and others from knowing about the emergency meeting, they held it in the office of the National Chairman rather than at the traditional NWC hall with the National Secretary, Professor Wale Oladipo; National Woman leader, Chief Kema Chikwe; National Financial Secretary, Elder Bolaji Anani; National Treasurer, Bala Buhari; National Legal Adviser, Barrister Victor Kwon; National Auditor, Wole Adeyanju; Deputy National Secretary, Onwe Solomon Onwe and National Youth leader, Abdullahi Maibasira in attendance.

As the meeting of the NWC was going on at Wadata Plaza, Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, who dressed casually in Tee- shirt, walked in.

Vanguard gathered that Dickson who went straight to the

Following the decision of the governors who want to take total control of the party, members of the NWC rushed into a marathon meeting

office of the National Chairman, was said to have delivered the message of President Jonathan on the need for the leadership to resign.

NWC members fight back, call for public hearing As a way of fighting back, members of the NWC are poised for a show down with the governors as they have vowed not to resign. They are calling for a public hearing into who caused the collapse of PDP between the governors and NWC. The leadership of the party is insisting that at the public hearing, members, stakeholders and leaders of the party would listen to views from everyone to ascertain who created problems that led to the poor performance of the party.

According to the PDP leadership whose tenure ends next year, the best option is to allow a smooth transition, cautioning the governors that resignation as an option would not work.

Govs arm-twisted us to impose candidates They alleged that the governors arm twisted them to get whatever they wanted as that was the cause of the problem and not them as members of NWC. According to members of the NWC, apart from Delta and Ebonyi states, all the PDP governors got the candidates they wanted as they pushed unpopular candidates.

However, to present a united front some leaders of the party have waded in to break truce between the governors and the NWC.

ZONING: APC dancing on the ceiling Continues from page 26 party has received the blessing of the national leader of the party, Tinubu who it was claimed had to forsake Akume for Lawan in a strategic political move that was also premised to safeguard the aspiration of his political godson, Femi Gbajabiamila for speaker of the House of Representatives.

It was a development that left many in the party in confusion for most of this week. That confusion was not helped by the ascendancy of the popular chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on House Services, Yakubu Dogara from Bauchi State for speaker of the House.

Dogara’s aspiration it was gathered, has now become the most potent threat to Lawan’s aspiration for the Senate Presidency given that the two men are from the same geopolitical zone.

Ascendancy of the Dogara campaign was one that was eliciting concern among some stakeholders given what some claim to be the increasing

determination of his supporters to do a Tambuwal; that is their determination to jettison any zoning arraignment that knocks off their man in the same way that the outgoing speaker of the House, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal rocked the zoning pattern of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in 2011.

Dogara’s popularity, some claim is rising in a way that could reach that of Tambuwal’s in 2011.

Meanwhile with the threat to the coherence of the party on the issue, there are fears that the party may be unable to stabilise the issue until another one or two weeks at the earliest.

Definitive pronouncement Sources say that the NEC of the party which is to take the definitive pronouncement on the issue may not meet until another one or two weeks because a number of key leaders of the party including governors have either travelled or are planning to travel

•Gbajabiamila •Dogara out of the country for a rest after the campaigns.

It is as such not surprising that the development is now fuelling fears of the possibility of the PDP caucus which has about 49 members playing a fast one on that day.

Given the past roles of the outgoing Senate President, Senator David Mark in Senate power intrigues, many are not putting any conspiracy plot by him to foist a leadership either led by himself, another PDP senator or a renegade APC senator on the Senate. Achieving that feat is not untenable for Senator Mark given that the

election of a Senate President is simply by simple majority.

Removing a Senate President is even more cumbersome as it requires a two-third majority.

Given that scenario, it is no wonder that APC officials are very apprehensive. It is an apprehension that the party spokesman, Mohammed had in the days of yore when the party was in the trenches against the “clueless, rudderless and incompetent” PDP. Alhaji Mohammed like many in the leadership of the APC are as such careful not to be cast in the same robes as the PDP and hence the reason party leaders are calling for caution.

28—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

I’m pained by Jonathan’s defeat — Ifeanyi Ubah •Buhari can’t ignore Ndigbo •TAN was not funded by FG National Coordinator of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah in this interview barres his mind on the outcome of the 2015 general elections among other issues.

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O what extent was TAN significant during the electioneering period?

We are happy about the impact we have made in the polity. I believe that within a very short period of time we will be able to make our mark on the political landscape. We were able to draw attention to the activities of government as well as mobilise the grassroots for a more robust political engagement.

Our activities generated incisive discussions regarding the choice of candidates and also added colour and substance to the political space.

The best outcome is the inputs of associations like TAN other than political parties in enlarging the political space.

Many are of the view that the Igbo put all their eggs in one basket by solely supporting President Goodluck Jonathan and that life in the opposition may not augur well for them What is your take on this?

It was expected that the Igbo will vote for Jonathan. The Igbo had quite a number of opportunities in his administration.

House of Assembly or in the House of Representatives. If the APC has not given Igbo that opportunity in Lagos, we think there is still animosity against the Igbo in the state. There are large populations of Igbo in many parts of Lagos so it is expected that political parties factor these issues in their choice of candidates for elective offices. What we have done by supporting the PDP is not something that we want the Lagos State government or any person whatsoever, to be angry with. They should take this as an opportunity to go back to the drawing board and see how we can be accommodated. All that we ask for which is to be involved in the scheme of things.

Nigerians are members of parliament in the UK, why can’t people be elected in places where they have spent all their lives? We are not only talking about Igbo, we want this for all Nigerians, no matter where they come from.

The elections have come and gone. We should go back to the drawing board and plan for the next line of action. I’m grateful

Number of opportunities Even though Jonathan did a lot for the Igbo most of the things he did were for the North. The Kashbila Dam is the biggest project handled by Jonathan’s administration and it was cited in the North. The Abuja and Kaduna railways are also in the North.

Irrespective of that, the Igbo are still appreciative of the things he did for us. Be that as it may, my position is that General Buhari should consider the Igbo and make them his friends and if possible do more than Jonathan did for us.

On plight of Ndigbo in Lagos For 16 years that the APC has been in power, they never cared about giving an Igbo man a slot to vie for an elective position in the Lagos State

The election has come and gone, I would not like to open the old wounds especially when the main actor in the whole episode has conceded defeat

•Ubah: TAN was not funded with government money

to the residents of Lagos who through their votes showed that it is the candidate that matters and not where he comes from.

What do you think Ndigbo should do to remain relevant in mainstream politics?

My advice is not to Ndigbo alone, my advice is to the government of Nigeria. The government should embrace all Nigerians irrespective of their tribes or tongues. Our leaders must build a nation where people get what they deserve and are not deprived of what they rightly deserve on account of where they come from or do not come from.

People must also live in peace wherever they find themselves.

They must also respect the culture of their localities.

On the incoming government?

The government should carry Ndigbo along by giving us additional states. That is one thing that is very important. If you do this for Ndigbo, there is no way you will not be appreciated. Ndigbo are not asking for so much from the government. We only ask for good governance, infrastructural development in Igboland, a conducive business atmosphere, level playing field, and security of lives and properties. You know, they voted Jonathan because his government guaranteed them these. So, they say we can give South East additional

state, so that we have six states, like the other zones. For example North-West has seven. We don’t want seven.

Just give us six, like others. We will, like others, be reassured that we are part of this federation.

The second way to reassure Ndigbo and cultivate their trust is to make them an integral part of the in-coming government.

This is of utmost importance.

In any case, I wonder how any government which excludes Ndigbo because they did not vote en mass for the President will function.

Leadership quialities Such a government will unfortunately portray itself as petty and vindictive. I however do not think that General Buhari will be persuaded to exclude or ‘punish’ Ndigbo.

He does not strike me as such a person. He is a great Nigerian with exceptional leadership qualities.

Ndigbo have a special gift, which any government will be glad to tap into. You cannot do without the Igbo or indeed any ethnic nationality in Nigeria.

So, it is my opinion, that General Buhari and APC need to show love to Ndigbo. And once you show any Igbo man that you can accommodate him, such relationship will profit everyone.

There are insinuations that TAN was funded with government money, others say that you funded TAN with your money. What is the true position?

TAN was not funded with government money. TAN is a Non Governmental Organization (NGO). We have a lot of friends that have been supporting us. Political campaigns cost so much money, so it is natural to expect that we spent good money on our media and grassroots campaign. We are glad that our members and supporters were very supportive in contributing towards these campaigns. I believe that Jonathan is a good man, who meant well for this country, and I supported him.

One thing that attracted me so much to Jonathan is the love and passion he has for Nigeria.

His humility in conceding defeat shows the extent of his great love and belief in our nationhood. His statesmanship saved our nation from the likelihood of post-election turmoil.

Having spent so much on TAN, do you have regrets that Jonathan didn’t win?

Yes and no. You don’t invest and wish that the investment would go the way this one went. The election has come and gone, I would not like to open the old wounds especially when the main actor in the Continues from page 29

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—29

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HE results of the 2015 elections are now known and believed to be accepted by all, without the familiar ‘Nigerian factors‘ of superficially crying over sour milk. A commendable standard has been set by the present Nigerian political leaders that whether win or lose , the post election period would be peaceful, leaving the doubtful aspects of the various results to the determination of the country‘s respected judicial system.

It is generally acknowledged that the bane of past elections – rigging- has been frontally attacked through the use of INEC‘s Permanent Voters‘ Card (PVC) and its accompanying agent, the Smart Card Reader.

By that innovation, genuine voters could be separated from cattle, ghosts and fishes, of the old despicable voting mechanism.

Though the PVCs and the card readers could not claim hundred per cent success in many polling units, they could be well rated (B+) in their first difficult and dangerous assignments. In fact, not all registered voters were able to collect their PVCs (and thereby, disenfranchised illegally), and some of the card readers were observed to be stubborn and unwilling to work in many areas, leading to the use of old unreliable manual system, which in some areas, encouraged rigging.

Since there would always be bye-elections, (National, State and Local Council elections), the INEC officials should, certainly, have learnt useful lessons from their recent experience.

The other form of electoral irregularity reported were tampering with the Result Sheet which could be wrongly filled or falsely altered in favour of a particular candidate, and also, the stealing of ballot boxes. The expectation of many Nigerians is that if there is good training of INEC officials and the change of attitude of many voters that only votes should determine results of governance, then many enlightened citizens would see politics as a decent game, and voting, a rewarding exercise. At

AFTER THE 2015 POLLS: Sweet victory and its problems the moment, judging by the last political exercise, Nigerians should congratulate themselves for moving towards real democracy of choosing the leaders they wanted.

As recorded in my previous contributions, the political contest had been lost and won. The ruling Peoples‘ Democratic Party (PDP) had been soundly beaten in the national elections and decidedly defeated in the States that the party is still in control.

The successful party (a combination of conservative and pseudo-liberal politicians) had miraculously snatched power without observable differences in political ideology and economic philosophy from the defeated party. Some observers see the APC and PDP as the two sides of

However, the general and immediate problem of the country is that of mass unemployment, which to me, is the root cause of insecurity and insurrection

the same coin – their leaders appear to be budding capitalists with insatiable taste for wealth and power.

The APC in its own part said: we could do better with the oil money, and the voters convincingly agreed. The PDP on the other hand pleaded: give us more time to improve, and the voters said, no, to a political policy which is anchored on political division (winner-takesall mentality) and whose economic order is structured on WAIT-GO-STOP, during the last sixteen years. It has been a tale of economic transformation into destitution and poverty, in a supposedly oil rich nation.

There is no doubt that on May 29, 2015, there will be a change – a new APC government under the present elected President, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), but a new government under the existing political and economic systems in a politically and economically divided nation – a country where poverty is endemic, and ethnicity, virtually enthroned.

What should be expected from the APC and its seemingly enlightened leadership?

Certainly, it should not be a government of REVENGE, but one of progressive enlightenment. It should be a situation where ministers are chosen for their latent ability to deliver and not for reward for help in winning elections, e.g.

“BOW and GO” syndrome of the present era in screening

ministerial appointments. The outgoing cabinet, according to some analysts, portrays the trait of doing very little, as much as possible, in a condition of mediocrity.

There is no doubt that the new government will be confronted with the vexatious question of the “conditions of the Nigerian Question”. Put simply, Why is Nigeria what it is today with blessings of natural material and human resources? And Nigerians do have the right to ask many awkward questions.

As it has been noted, “a man who is ignorant of the society in which he lives, who knows nothing of its place in the world, and who has no thoughts about his place in it, is not a free man, even though he has a vote” - the PVC. Many of the country‘s problems are based on deficient political structure – a 36-State structure without consideration for economic viability or cultural similarity. Except in few cases, some states harbour oppressive majorities and restive but rebellious minorities.

The last National Conference made some useful suggestions which President Jonathan, in his election campaigns, promised to implement. Not many voters believed him since there was no government White ‘paper‘ on constitutional reforms placed before the Parliament.

The National Assembly‘s latest attempt to amend the 1999 Constitution was not approved by

the President.

Unfortunately, the APC did not actively support the 2014 National Conference but its manifestoes contain some thoughts on True Federalism.

How that could be achieved without Oil Money has not been satisfactorily explained in a situation where every State awaits anxiously for the monthly distribution of Oil Money. And Oil is not a commodity found in every state of the country.

The new government, if it is to be taken seriously, will have to tackle Power Supply through many options - Thermal, hydro, solar and coals (all which we have in abundance). Many analysts think that the privatisation policy of power supply in the country has been done in hurry.

Urgent review It needs an urgent review to save us from imminent darkness.

It is a matter of applying common-sense economics to involve the States (or political zones) in funding electricity generation.

However, the general and immediate problem of the country is that of mass unemployment, which to me, is the root cause of insecurity and insurrection. It is believed that where strong hands which are capable of producing goods and services, are kept idle, Satan in all its majesty, will create suitable jobs for them.

The reasonable option is total infrastructural developments through massive injection of public funds into the national economy. This is where oil revenue is needed as an engine of growth and not something to be splashed on conspicuous consumption (federal and many state governments spend more than 70% of the oil revenue, on their recurrent expenditures).

Unfortunately, the present national budget of N4.43 trillion does not indicate positive thinking between capital and recurrent postures.

I’m pained by Jonathan’s defeat — Ubah Continues from page 28 whole episode has conceded defeat. We have to move ahead at this juncture. We must unite to move Nigeria forward.

Jonathan has conceded defeat to General Buhari.

If you are in a boxing ring, and your coach throws in the towel, that is the end of the game. I have chosen to respect his position and indeed that of Nigerians, even though it would have pleased me greatly to see Jonathan win.

What becomes of TAN now that PDP has lost the election?

Our primary objective is to advocate for good governance and the transformation of Nigeria. We will continue to stand on the legacies of President Jonathan and watch from the stand to see what the

President-elect will offer Nigerians. Since he made electoral promises to Nigerians, we expect him to keep those promises which made Nigerians to vote him in.

I want to however, note that we will support him in every way. Apart from this, TAN will pursue other objectives which include the establishment of industrial parks in six geopolitical zones of the country.

Geopolitical zones As we speak now our foreign partners have shipped the first phase of the park which will be installed at the regions that are ready. The industrial park will also serve as a vocational

training centre for the youths.

TAN will also engage in humanitarian activities.

Reaching out to the less privileged in the society to see areas we can help. Also TAN will be involved in sports development because youths are very much active in this area.

Your name was mentioned severally during the fuel subsidy scam investigation, can you enlighten us on how the matter ended?

The Aig Imoukhuede committee, without giving me the right of fair hearing, declared that it had indicted me for fuel subsidy scam. The Committee claimed to have indicted me even when their findings showed that we imported the products . It was

a farce. The Committee clearly had a mind-set of what it wanted to achieve. I believe there was a bit of conspiracy against me. It was all geared towards taking over my company.

I stood firm in resisting the injustice. I dragged the Federal Government to the House of Representatives and insisted on a public hearing so that they can prove their case to the whole world. The committee made mistakes.

Looking at my lifestyle or the things I have achieved within a very short period of time, they thought I had my hands deep into the scam. I have always insisted that anyone who has anything against me, should come out and show it to Nigerians.

Till date, I have never been charged to any law court for the so-called subsidy scam. I have in fact been cleared by the relevant security agencies after very intensive and rigorous investigations.

What kind of relationship do you envisage between Buhari and Nigerians?

The first publication I made after his victory was to congratulate him. We prayed to God to give him the wisdom, good health to rule Nigeria. If I get to understand General Buhari better than I understand him now, I will be closer to him.

If he needs me, I will be there for him. He will be our President. I have always had respect for him. I wish him well. I have an open mind and my doors are always open.

30 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

I don’t mind dating D’banj — Imelda J Sonorous voice singer, Imelda Ada Okwori popularly known as Imelda J, who was once romantically linked with the Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswan is one of the hottest Afro pop singers in Nigeria. She came into the industry some years back. With several singles to her credit, Imelda has carved a niche for herself in the country’s music scene. In this interview, she opens up on her alleged romance with ex-Kennis music star, Jaywon and how she’s ready to give all in order to go nestling with the Koko master, D’banj. She also talks about her collboration with Fuji king, Obesere.

By Iyabo Aina

W

HAT are you working on at the moment?

I just released my new song titled “Jisoro.”

It’s making waves online but we are yet to commence the full promotion of the single. You may want to know what inspired the song? I didn’t want to release my music the way everyone does. I feel people are bored with that trend. I feel I should speak directly to my fans through my new song, and then give them a feel of my music. There’s so much that gets between the music, the artist and the fans.

This is straight from me to my fans.

How did you begin your journey into the world of music?

It started while I was in the university. I was the choir mistress during my secondary school days. I entered for many competitions and won laurels. When I got admission into the university, I tried to visit the studio. I was

with Nelson Brown I went to the studio for the first time in Lagos. That was some six years ago when I was still an undergraduate.

Why did you venture into music?

Unlike other singers who started from their church choristers, music runs in my family. My mum was into music. She had a musical group while she was in secondary school. When I was growing up, she saw the talent in me and helped me to nurture it.

But unknow to many, I started singing before I joined the choir.

How many songs have you done so far?

I have done several singles. I could call it an album because I didn’t release it to

the global market. For now, I have a single titled, ‘My Love for You’ featuring OJB Jezreel,which gave me my first international award. I have also worked with K-Solo, Side One, Jaywon, Phenom among others. My latest single is ‘Jisoro.’ The video will soon hit the market.

Do you still refer yourself as an up and coming female singer?

I am still an up and coming singer. That I have been in the industry for six years now and won several awards does not make me a big star. But I have moved on. I am not where I was then.

Aside music, what else do you do for a living?

I love anything business. I’m currently investing in so many things that I wouldn’t want to talk about now. When everything is set, you will know what it is.

How is your relationship with Jaywon like, after it was rumoured that you were having an affair with him?

I didn’t have any problem initially with Jaywon until mouth started wagging that we were dating.

People around me started misbehaving and Jaywon started saying all kinds of things, confirming that he was having an affair with me. But its maturity that matters here .

Jaywon and I were not friends. We were like normal day to day friends but people didn’t understand and when the rumour surfaced, his crew handled it in a very poor and immature way.

Their reactions were negative as they went about writing so many things about me. I felt bad but at the end, I just let go and I’ve forgiven them from the bottom of my heart.

How do you combine your music with your private life?

That is my personal life. I don’t like sharing it with the public because if you want to have peace, keep that away from the public domain. When it’s time for the public to know, they will know.

Every singer seems to be exploring the theme of sexuality to promote their brands. What’s your own strong point in music?

For me, I think it depends on the kind of song I am doing. For instance, if my song is going to preach peace and unity, I don’t need to expose my body. Also, if my song is talking about inspiration, I don’t need to go wild as well. But I think every video should interpret what the song is talking about. If my song is talking about dancing and clubbing then I have to give it what it deserves and Continues on page 31

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—31

Synopsis

A

recently cheated on married woman falls for a younger man who has moved in next door, but their torrid affair soon takes a dangerous turn.

I don’t mind dating D’banj Continues from page 30 that is entertainment. But the only thing I won’t do is the video vixen which has to do with showing my boobs and other part of my body.

What is the most touching experience of your life?

I’ve had so many touching experiences, and someday I will share my story with the world . This is because I’ve seen a whole lots of things in my life. Being an artiste, you are faced with a situation where you cannot help and not even your money. When I wanted to release my song title “Bread and Butter”, I was scammed to sign an agreement with a company which later turned out to be fraud and that actually discouraged me then from releasing the song. So as a female artiste, we face a lot of challenges everyday because I can’t even remember my most touching experience anymore because I have had a lot of it and it’s like an everyday thing for me. But for one thing, I never give up.

Another thing is that he is the kind of person I actually look forward to working with because he is legend one can mix his or her fusion with to bring out something very unique.

Is there any man in your life presently?

It’s personal, whether there is or not, I don’t like discussing my private life. Sometimes, when you are in a relationship and you make it public, they help you ruin it . So, its better you keep that part of you to yourself.

Who is your male celebrity crush?

The only male celebrity I have a crush on is D’banj. Reason being that I love him and because he is very focus. D’banj is a superstar who looks beyond the music industry. He dares even when it might fail and those are the qualities that attracted him to me including his lips. I think he’s a spirit-filled kind of person like me. I don’t mind having a relationship with him.

If I want to go to the studio and the man is not allowing me, he is not my kind of man.

What is the craziest thing you’ve ever done in your career?

I think that was when I used my first school fees to buy a keyboard and that was during my university days. Funny enough, my dad didn’t get angry at me. According to him, he knew I was going to do that. That is the craziest thing I’ve ever done.

Are you planning to do collaboration with the A-list artistes?

Actually, I just did collaboration with Obesere because I feel like delving into Fuji music. Aside working with Obesere, I have also recorded a lot of songs with popular artistes which are yet to hit the airwaves. But very soon, I will be dropping my song with Obesere.

How would you describe Obesere as a Fuji artiste?

Obesere is a gentleman, cool and one of the good souls I have ever come across in the industry.

What kind of man would you like to spend the rest of your life with?

I love freedom and being happy. I don’t like someone who is domineering. For instance, if you are the kind of man that wants to go out and play snookers or football. As long as it is going to give you happiness and it’s not going to cause you any harm, I have no reason to stop you. Equally, if you know my music is my source of joy, my man should be able to support me financially and otherwise. He should be there for me. If he’s not well-to-do, I know he does not have but if he does, I know he should be there for me. If I want to go to the studio and the man is not allowing me, he is not my kind of man.

What does sex mean to you?

To me, sex is highly spiritual because if I don’t love someone I cannot kiss the person. But something happened sometimes ago when a male fan kissed me on stage. I believe sex is more divine than the way people see it. I respect sex a lot and I think it should be sacred.

STOP PIRACY NOW! STOP BUYING PIRATED MOVIE AND MUSIC CDs, DVDs. IT IS KILLING THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY.

TOP MOVIES OF THE WEEK · · · ·

FAST AND FURIOUS 7 NIGHT CRAWLER PAUL BLART 2 BLACK OR WHITE Schedule commencing from Friday 1st – 6th May , 2014.

SILVERBIRDCINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND The Next Door : 1:50pm, 9:00pm Black or White : 2:00pm Project Almanac : 11:50pm4:05pm, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 12:00pm,4:15pm, Fast & Furious 7 : 1:25pm,6:30pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA The Boy Next Door : 1:20pm7:15pm,9:10pm, Project Almanac : 8:35pm Black or White : 11: 20am, Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 10:45am,6:40pm Out Cast : 4:40pm Fast & furious 7 : 12:40pm,3:20pm,6:25pm,8:40pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC The Boy Next Door : 1:10pm,3:00pm,4:50pm,6:45pm,8:30pm Top Five : 2:30pm,6:50pm,8:50pm Black or White : 12:10pm,4:30pm,6:10pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 12:40pm,2:30pm,4:20pm,8:40pm Out Cast : 12:00pm4:40pm Fast & Furious 7 : 1:10pm,3:40pm,6:20pm,8:10pm,9:00pm Love or Something Like That : 1:10pm,3:20pm,5:40pm,8:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS CEDDI PLAZA , ABUJA Black or White : 11:00am, Project Almanac : 3:10pm,7:05pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 9:05pm Fast & Furious 7 : 11:30am,4:15pm,9:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT The Boy Next Door : 4:50pm,6:40pm,8:25pm Top five : 11:00am,3:00pm,7:00pm Black or White : 2:30pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 11:00am,12:45pm Out Cast : 9:00pm Fast & Furious 7 : 11:00am,4:00pm,6:30pm,9:00pm Son of a Gun : 12:50pm,4:45pm,6:50pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, WARRI Project Almanac : 10:35am,12:30pm,4:40pm,6:40pm,8:40pm Black or White : 12:00pm,4:15pm,8:15pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 10:25am,12:15pm,2:10pm OutCast : 10:00am,2:15pm,6:30pm Night Crawler : 8:30pm Fast & Furious 7 : 10:30am,1:00pm,6:00pm,8:30pm Chappie : 2:25pm,3:40pm6:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 11:40am,1:35pm,4:00pm,6:15pm,8:10pm Fast & Furious : 12:50pm,1:20pm,5:45pm,6:20pm,8:20pm Night Crawler : 3:30pm,4:00pm Son of Gun : 11:45am,1:55pm4:10pm,6:20pm,8:30pm Love or Something Like That : 11:50am,1:45pm,3:50pm,6:00pm,8:10pm Chappie : 11:40am,2:00pm,4:20pm,6:40pm,8:10pm OZONE CINEMAS SABO YABA The Boy Next Door : 3:50pm,5:15pm,7:05pm Top Five : 7:45pm Project Almanac : 11:00am Black or White : 12:25pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 1:25pm Out Cast : 3:50pm,6:20pm, Fast & Furious 7 : 2:40pm,5:10pm,7:55pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS LAGOS The Boy Next Door : 2:10pm,6:10pm,8:10pm,10:10pm Black or White : 1:10pm,3:40pm Paul Blart Mall Cop : 12:55pm,2:55pm,4:55pm OutCast : 1:45pm,6:15pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT The Boy Next Door : 1:10pm,5:15pm Black or White : 9:20am,9:50pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 2:10pm GENESIS DELUXE CINEMAS, ENUGU The Boy Next Door : 12:20pm,7:10pm Black or White : 10:00am,4:50pm Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 :10:40am,3:00pm,4:55pm,6:55pm Love or Something like That : 12:35pm,8:45pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, LAGOS Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 10:45am,4:30pm,10:10pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, KANO Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 3:35pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, APAPA Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 11:55am,3:35pm Out Cast : 7:40pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 2:10pm,4:00pm Out Cast : 10:40am,12:30pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS SAMONDA Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 10:10am,4:00pm Out Cast : 8:15pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, CALABAR Paul Blart Mall Cop 2 : 12:00pm,1:45pm,3:35pm,5:20pm,7:10pm,9:05pm Love or Something Like That : 2:20pm,4:35pm,6:50pm

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

C M Y K

VOL. 1: NO. 18

FRIDAY, MAY 1 1,, 2015 therefore has about three more years to spend in the Abere Government House, Osogbo.

Similarly, in Ekiti, Governor Ayodele Fayose, who initially had an aborted stint as governor in 2003, has however, been unsettled since his second coming. He still has about three more years to spend in the Ekiti Government House, situated on the Ayoba Hills in Ado-Ekiti.

As part of efforts to continue the free education policy introduced by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while he was the Premier of the old Western region, South West governors promised free education in their states.

However, while Awolowo’s free education policy cut across the basic and tertiary levels of education, what is practised in these states is an ‘abridged’ version which is restricted to the basic level of education (From Basic 1 to Basic 12).

Increased enrolment

AFTER 2015 ELECTIONS:

S’West teachers groan under poor welfare, overwork

By Ikenna Asomba

T

HE much-anticipated 2015 general elections have come and gone. But, issues that were left unaddressed in the education systems across the South-West states have begun to resonate, countdown to the assumption of office by the various State governors on Friday, May 29, 2015.

In Lagos State, following the expiration of the second-term of Governor Babatunde Fashola, a new helmsman who was elected on April 11, will be assuming office at the Alausa Government House, Ikeja, on May 29. He is Governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode.

In the neighbouring Ogun State, Governor Ibikunle C M Y K

Amosun was re-elected and will therefore be returning to the Oke-Mosan Government House, Abeokuta, on May 29.

Interestingly, in Oyo State,

As part of efforts to continue the free education policy introduced by the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, South West governors promised free education in their states

Governor Abiola Ajimobi broke the one-term jinx to become the first governor of the state to be re-elected for a second-term. He will be returning to the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, on May 29.

Unlike, Lagos, Ogun and Oyo, elections were not held in Ondo, Osun and Ekiti States as the governors are still serving

their terms in office. In Ondo, Governor Olusegun Mimiko, was re-elected for a second-term in October 2012. He therefore has about one year to spend in the Alagbaka Government House, Akure.

In Osun, Governor Rauf Aregbesola was re-elected for a second-term in June 2014. He

IN THIS EDITION

Our ordeal as teachers in Ogun schools — ASUSS Pg 2 & 3

How Lagos has fared in its education intervention projects

Pg 4

Despite the benefits of this free education policy across the South-West states, one of which is increased enrolment of school-aged children in schools, Vanguard, in this report, examines the apparent challenges posing as clog in the wheel of progress to the educational system in the region.

These issues border on welfare of teachers and students; poor performance of students in national examinations such the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and Senior School Certificate Examination (internal) conducted by the National Examination Council (NECO); heavy tax reductions on teachers’ salaries and severance packages; continued retirement of teachers, with little or no replacement; poor and delayed payment of teachers’ salaries, among others.

They apparently cut across these states, Vanguard gathered.

No end in sight on Lagos, Ogun states’ boundary face-off Pg 5

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

OGUN STATE

By Daud Olatunji

T

HE 2015 governorship election in Ogun State, has come and gone, but one spill-over following Governor Ibikunle Amosun into his second term in office is that teachers of public schools in the state seem not to be on the same page with him.

The contending issues border on the system of running free education, alleged poor administration of deduction scheme, failure to appoint Principals-General, the choice of Education Commissioner and Director of Education Ministry, as well as alleged failure to recruit teachers into the teaching service scheme, among others.

The State Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Comrade Akeem Lasisi in an exclusive interview with Vanguard explained why teachers in public schools are not too happy with governor, decrying that these issues pose a clog in the wheel of progress of the state’s education system. He however, suggested a way forward.

Welfare of teachers According to Lasisi, no nation can rise beyond the literacy level of our citizenry and there is no way you can handle education with a levity, that is why we believe attention should be directed towards the development of education in the state. We are supporting the state government provided the welfare of teachers are properly taken care of. In the first instance, we would want the government to implement the balance of 12.5 per cent teacher’s peculiar allowance we have already collected.

Salary relativity Because we have started collecting this money before the former administration introduced salary relativity and it is our right.

We would love Amosun’s government to start giving the balance of the 27.5 percent because if the teachers are happy they will teach effectively. Again, we would like the governor to pay our salaries with our deductions.

This deduction is part of the worker’s salary and there is no way you could get any extra money for any cooperative unless you go into deduction of your salaries into certain quarters. For you now to pay the deduction without the salaries may bring suffering to workers in the state especially teachers.

As we are aware, teachers are public servants, there is no way you will get extra pay apart from your salary and if you need a very large sum of money, there is no way you will get that in the teaching profession unless you go and borrow from cooperatives or a bank. We would love our salary to be paid with our deduction in the state.

Recalling Principal-Generals Apart from this, when you are working, your prayer is that you C M Y K

*Segun Odubela, Ogun Education Commissioner

*Ogun ASSUS Chairman

Our ordeal as teachers in Ogun schools — ASUSS reach the pinnacle of your own profession if you are a teacher the pinnacle of your profession is to become the Principal-General.

Formerly, we have five Principals-General, but now left with just one Principal-General.

We don’t want our own profession to go into extinction. An average student in the country today will not say that he wants to become a teacher because they don’t feel happy whenever they see their teachers.

The reason is this; if you are a lawyer working with the state government you will eventually become a Solicitor-General for the state, if you are a surveyor working for the state you will eventually become a SurveyorGeneral of the state, if you are a teacher you will be praying to become the Principal-General for the state because that is the pinnacle. For you now to remove the Principal-General from the profession, that means you want the teaching profession to go into extinction. We would love the government to at least restore our Principals-General back to five.

Recruitment of teachers: Teachers continue to retire, even teachers continue to die, there is no way we can prevent that, there were no replacement even as this number of teachers in the state began to reduce. We would love the state government to recruit more teachers for us in the state, because, we want to have effective teaching. For a teacher to teach 37 periods per week, If I will not deceive you, such teacher can’t be effective. It is only when you have an adequate number of period to be taught in a week that you will have an effective teaching. So, there is need to

recruit teachers in the state at least to fill the existing vacancies in the state.

Appointment irregularity in teaching service commission: When you look at our commission, I mean teaching service commission, the edict that set up this commission in 1991 is already outdated. Knowledge they say supersedes power and when you have knowledge you demand for your right.

As at the time Teaching Service Commission was set up, the directive was that directors will be brought from the civil servant to head teaching service commission as directors, while should that be, we want our own teachers to control teachers, when you go to local government service commission you will see an employee of local government as the director in the local government service commission.

When you look at our commission, I mean Teaching Service Commission, the edict that set it up in 1991 is already outdated

Of all the five commissions in the state, I am talking of the local government service commission, teaching service commission, civil service commission, House of Assembly service commission, judiciary service commission. It is only in the teaching service commission that you will not see the experts in the field directing the colleagues. If you go to judiciary service commission you will see lawyers there as directors, it is the same in the civil service commission. But in the teaching service commission you will only meet civil servants there as directors, why should that be?

If lawyers can control lawyers, doctors can control doctors, if local government staff can control local government staff, we want our own teachers to also control teachers because it is he who wears the shoes that knows where it pinches. If teachers are directors in the teaching service commission they will know where the shoe pinches. If I know that if you don’t collect your salary I won’t collect mine, then, I will take the job seriously.

I am not saying our directors in the commission are not doing their best, what if these sets of directors are transferred and we are not lucky to have better directors that would have the interest of teachers at heart . So, we would love a situation whereby teachers can also control teachers as it is done in other commissions in the state.

Rural allowance still N1, 000 since 1997: Apart from that, when you look at our grass-root schools in the state, since the introduction of rural allowance since 1997, N1, 000 was introduced as rural

allowance up till now, the rural allowance has not been increased. What’s the value of N1, 000? How would teachers be encouraged to staying in these grass-root schools with such a paltry sum. This is the major reason why most of the teachers want to stay in the urban centres compared to this rural areas. The N1, 000 should be increased to at least N10, 000, so that our teachers can be encouraged to teach in the rural areas.

Teaching profession Again, we expect the governor to pay our running cost as and when due. A situation whereby you will be owing schools running cost up to three or four terms will not do justice to teaching profession in Nigeria and especially in Ogun state.

There is no way as an administrator of a school you can administer the school without collecting your running cost as and when due. If you note the fact that we are running a free education, there is no way the head of a school will ask any student to go and bring a single kobo to the school, that is purely illegal and we don’t want to live on illegality, and if we don’t want to live on illegality.

Legality must be carried out. We want this administration to pay our running cost as at when due.

And not only this, the consumable items like WASCE items, if government can pay for WASCE fees they should also pay the consumable cost along side, because if you want to do the

Continues on page 3

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 3

OGUN STATE

Our ordeal as teachers in Ogun schools — ASUSS secondary school holder will have the knowledge, and whatever you have gained at the secondary school level will be useful even after graduating from the university, but ,instead of this, government added 37 subjects and there were no teachers to teach these subjects, when we were just almost three months to writing of the exam, when there were no facilities for all the subjects. You want us to be taking plumbing at the secondary level, though it’s a very fine idea but do we have the facilities to run these programmes. If government had provided all of these at the secondary school level, a student who finishes from the university and doesn’t get a job could start something on his own and start employing others too.

Continues from page 2 exam, there is no way consumable will not be bought to do practicals during the exam so as government is paying for WASCE fees they should also pay for consumable cost.

Also you know teaching profession is a noble profession and we involve in academics we would love if the state government will be granting study loans to teachers in the state, if you are employed in the state as an NCE teacher, if we get the means, teacher also will be happy to be called doctorate degree holders provided we get study grant loans from the government. If study grant loans could be giving to other parastatals especially to those in the health sectors why should the government not give study grant loans to the teachers too. We want to see many of our secondary schools teachers with doctorate degree holders even with professorial title because we are ready to do this, provided we get running grant from the government.

Running grant We would love the government to also introduce the registration of external student for NECO exam, there is no way you would have bad elements and not have good elements, if government decides to cancel the registration of this exam, the implication is that the higher education potential of that state will reduce. In Ogun state, if one thousand students are supposed to get admission into higher institution, if you don’t allow them to repeat the exam you will not get up to three hundred students who will get admission.

A student that fails exam and you don’t allow such student to re-take the exam there is no way such student will get the opportunity to get admission to higher institution. So we would love it if re-introduction of external registration is considered, even though there are bad effects like exam malpractice, but, that only happens when you allow it, if we allow for the re-introduction of external exam you give students more opportunities to have higher education potential, we would also love that the re-introduction is made with modification to curb examination malpractice.

Then apart from this, secondary school teachers are also part of the working class in the states, civil servant in the state are being awarded with Jerusalem and Saudi Arabia slot why are they leaving teachers behind. I can say categorically that for the past five or six years none of my members has been sponsored to C M Y K

*Students in a classroom. either Jerusalem or Saudi Arabia, we also want our own share of the state benefits. Teachers should also be sponsored to Mecca and even for further study abroard.

We also want to have better communication gap between the government and secondary school teachers, because where there is no effective communication, rumour thrives , the communication between teachers and the government should improve. At least if you have a work force of about 11 thousand, there is no way you will not need an effective communication between the workers and the government, in a situation whereby the government stays aloof to the teachers, rumour will thrive , so, we would love a better communication to be established between the teachers and the new government.

On free education I will talk as a teacher, as a parent and also as a labour leader. There is no where you will run a free education and you will have a better education. we don’t need to deceive ourselves, there is a need to improve upon the way we run our own free education here. It is good to run free education because we are in a political era, you will want your people to benefits from you, but at the same time parent should be carried along to have a say in the running of the free education by paying support levy, and even the WASCE fees, parents should pay half and government should balance the payment. A situation whereby the government will pay the whole fees for the exam parent will be less concern on the performance of the students, because, it was not the parents that paid for the exam, but, if you allow the parents to have a say in the

payment of WASCE fees, they will not want their children to fail.

Look at what is happening in our schools these days, ask parents when last did they buy a text book for their children they will tell you the government will pay, ask them when last did they ask their wards what he or she did in school they are less concerned.

This is because they are not the one paying for the exam, look at the parents sending their children to private schools they always want to know how their children are doing because they are the one paying and they would want to know the effectiveness of the school.

But in a situation whereby the parents are not paying, they will be less concerned about the performances of their wards. But if you allow them to partake in the running of the free education they would want to know the performances of the children in the school, they would want to know the performances of the teachers in the school. When you don’t allow them to pay a single kobo for the exam they would be less concerned . And that is why we continue to record failure

There is no where you will run free education and you will have a better education

in our schools, look at the students of these days ,collect their phones you will see many love messages, when teachers are teaching them they will be concentrating on another thing and their parents will not even bother to look into that because they are not paying.

Amosun’s administration introduces free education, we are not against that, but, we want the state government to improve on the way the free education is being run, we cannot collect school fees from the students.

Collection of school fees But, when the government is not paying running cost how do we run the school ,but, if you allow the parents to pay what we call Parent Teachers Association, PTA support levy or maybe you allow them to pay certain levy, even if the government refuses to boost structure in the schools then we can use these levies to provide infrastructure in the school. But if the government insist on making it 100% free then we would see the result we will get at the end of the day.

On employment: It is because of the type of government we have in this country that we are having problem, there is no way government will provide automatic employment to generality of the citizenry in the country, look at some of the private universities we have now, they run academic calendar and also an entrepreneurship calendar. If our curriculums are effective we will not have the problems we are facing today.

Look at what is happening in WASCE and NECO during last session, 37 new subjects were introduced into the curriculum set up, subject like carpentry, plumbing , catering and so on. If we had improved on this, even, an ordinary

Entrepreneurship subjects Because the knowledge he has gained at the secondary school level will be improved upon. By the time you are teaching them all these entrepreneurship subjects, a student will concentrate at least on one to the subjects, if i know i have interest in husbandry that means if at all i finish from the university and i don’t get employment then i will improve on the husbandry i had interest in while at the secondary school. We want our government to remove the game of politics from education, a situation whereby you make a barrister the minister of education what will be the outcome, even though he passes thorough secondary school and primary school he does not know anything about teaching in the state.

Everything burdens on orientation and resuscitating the efficiency and administration of education in the country. When we improve on all these, problems will be erased.

On plan to return Mission schools Never should a reasonable union be a party to that, most of these schools were established before the creation of Ogun state. As at the time the schools were established many of them just had two class rooms, look at the level of infrastructural development that has now occurred in most of these missionary schools and remember as at the time the government took over the schools from them they were paid what we call honorarium, are they now returning the entitlement now and look at the explosion in all these schools now. Let us take for instance the secondary schools in Abeokuta now, by the time the government took over these schools the population of the students was not even up to hundred, look at the explosion at the schools now.

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

LAGOS STATE

•Students of Ajeromi Ifelodun Secondary School, AIJSS (alias Sinclair), sitting on tryes during lesson hours.

•A block of classrooms of another primary school within the school’s premises.

Poor rating for Lagos education intervention projects

By Ikenna Asomba

W

ITH a population of over 21 million people, a recent statistics released by the Lagos State Government (LASG), revealed that it currently provides free education across 1,009 primary schools, 348 junior secondary and 327 senior secondary schools in the state, with an attendant increasing population of school-aged children put at 4.5 million.

Over the last 16 years, the successive administrations in the state had introduced several intervention programmes to thrust the state’s educational system to a higher pedestal. The recent being the Lagos Eko Secondary Education Project (LESEP). It introduced this project in partnership with the World Bank to enhance learning outcomes of the public juinior and senior secondary schools.

Overall education The project according to LASG, is aimed at complement its efforts towards improving the overall education in the state.

However, this intervention projects which critics say have gulped huge monies running into millions of dollars, seem not to have put to end the myriads of problems faced by the state’s educational system.

For instance, in 2014, a rights group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), in a Freedom of Information request, filed a suit against LASG before a Federal C M Y K

High Court, in Ikoyi, over alleged failure to release information and documents on the spending for the past five years on furniture and other facilities in public schools in Lagos state.

The organisation said it sought the order of the court for the Lagos State Government to release information on spending of the 2009 World Bank loan of $90 million (N13.5 billion) meant to improve education in the 639 public secondary schools in the state, and details of projects carried out to improve infrastructure and facilities across primary and secondary education in Lagos State.

However, Fashola, at the launch of a book entitled “Eko Project: A Legacy of Excellence,” which was a documentation of all the different projects executed since 2009, said the deployment of the funds had helped improved students performance in public examinations as performance had improved from 7 per cent in 2009 to 41 per cent in 2013, charging teachers to work towards achieving 61 per cent WAEC performance in the nearest future.

Similarly giving details of the spending, Ms Ronke Azeez, Special Adviser to the Governor on Eko Project disclosed that the $90 million loan provided direct funding to schools between 2009 to 2013.

According to her, “N2.4billion of the loan was spent on the training of 16, 445 teachers and 7, 998 principals during the programme period, while N2.1 billion was spent on students tracking and assessment over the period and N480 million was also

spent on teachers mentoring programme and allowances of volunteer teachers.”

The Special Adviser said an average of N10 million was released to each of 667 schools during the period while N40 million was released to each of 104 federal unity schools under the Step-B project. Azeez said the government procured 839 projectors, 753 internet modems, 3,441 soft-wares, 656 generators for schools during the period. To improve reading culture during the period, the government created 525 libraries, 305,000 textbooks, 423 students work book and about 10,899 reference materials.”

She added that “the government spent some of the funds on 7, 786 white boards, 20,592 mathematical set , 4668 teaching modules, and procurement of 52,532 furniture.”

However, investigation by Vanguard, revealed that despite

Despite these intervention projects, many pupils and students across public schools in the state still sit on bare floor, tyres, broken furniture and windows

these intervention projects, many pupils and students across public schools in the state still sit on bare floor, tyres, broken furniture and windows.

Recall that on November 7, 2014, Vanguard did a report of the Ajeromi Ifelodun Secondary School, AIJSS (alias Sinclair), in the popular ghetto city, Ajegunle, titled: “Lagos secondary school where students sit on floor, windows to receive lectures.”

In the school, Vanguard gathered that the JSS1 and JSS2, annually, parents whose children got admitted into JSS1, are usually compelled to pay N2, 000 for the provision of furniture (chairs and desks).

It was learnt that parents who failed to pay the said amount have their children sit on bare floor, tyres, broken furniture, classroom windows, or even stand during lessons. Arguably, this is the situation in some of the schools across the state, especially those in suburb areas.

When Vanguard visited AIJSS, on Wednesday, students were still seen sitting on bare floor, tyres, broken furniture, classroom windows, and standing during lessons. It was however observed that LASG, has commenced the building of new blocks of classrooms in the school, which is still at its foundation state, following that report, last year.

This appalling situation is also witnessed in some schools recently visited by Vanguard in the Badagry and Epe areas of the state. Aside the menace of overcrowded classrooms, deficit of furniture and other learning facilities, Vanguard gathered that

another major menace in the state’s education system is the apparent dearth of teachers, as well as alleged heavy tax withdrawal from teachers’ salaries, and the delay in paying them their pension packages, among others.

Speaking to Vanguard, a teacher who has been teaching for over 15 years in the state, but pleaded anonymity, decried that the dearth of teachers places a heavy burden on the few teachers currently in the employ of the state.

Public schools She said: “The Lagos State Government led by Governor Babatunde Fashola, has though done well in revamping the state’s education sector, but the issue which gives us concern is the apparent dearth of teachers to the over-crowded students population, across public schools in the state. Owing to the free education policy of the state government, a lot of parents are now bringing their children to Lagos public schools. Truth be told, the Lagos State Government has not employed teachers in the school system for some years now.

This leaves us in burdensome situation of excess work-load.

“That is why you discover that I am covering over eight classes in a day. I alone teach English Language and Home Economics in my school. I have to cover from JSS1 A to G in a day. What time do I have to prepare my lesson notes? What time do I have to cover the subjects curriculum for each of these classes? The fact remains that our children in Lagos will continue to have poor outings at national examinations, if this deficit of teachers is not addressed by the incoming administration of Akinwunmi Ambode,” she cautioned.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 5

LAGOS STATE

No end in sight to Lagos, Ogun states’ boundary face-off •As creation of LCDA induced border dispute in Lagos lingers

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

HE tripartite body of the National Boundary Commission, NBC, Lagos State Boundary and the Ogun State Boundary Committees, comprising of town planners, physical planners, officials of the state Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, are currently enmeshed in yet to be resolved boundary dispute between the two neighbouring states.

Also the state boundary committee is also confronted with series of boundary disputes across the metropolis with a view of resolving the issues.

It should be noted that boundary department of the Lagos State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs oversees boundary issues and ensures a cordial and mutual relationships with other states with which Lagos states shares a boundary.

The functions of the department are derived from the statutory duties of the Lagos State Boundary Committee and the National Boundary Commission Law enacted in 2006, which established the state boundary committee.

Boundary committee The ministry also oversees the resolution of conflicts and enhances security in the state.

However, for over seven years of the present administration under the leadership of Governor Babatunde Fashola, there were various land disputes with some resolved and others still unresolved.

Some of the disputes include: The recent settlement of border dispute between Ilogbo-Eremi.

Boundary and land dispute involving the Onilogbo of Ilogbo-Eremi, Philip family and Bamgbose Idolabumo Ruling house of Ilogbo-Eremi in Olorunda Local Government Area (Badagry Division) was resolved by the ministry.

OdeOmi boundary dispute between Lagos and Ogun States The Lagos Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs had in the wake of the crisis submitted all relevant documents to the National Boundary Commission in support of the claims of Lagos State on ownership. The border community is replete with C M Y K

•The boundary between Lagos and Ogun State at Ojodu Berger. natural gas that can fetch the two states billions of naira.

Confirming the boundary dispute with the Ogun State Government which has lasted for over 100 years, was yet to be resolved by National Boundary Commission, state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Ademorin Kuye, while speaking with newsmen in Alausa, Ikeja, expressed

confidence in the capacity of the commission to resolve amicably the dispute in collaboration with its boundary committees, which both states set up to deal with the issues.

Kuye, added that in the last 12 months Lagos has collaborated effectively and in a friendly manner to trace and demarcate Sections A and B of the interstate boundary.

The commissioner added that

the committees had been working together “to ascertain the status of pillars and beacons both in Agbara sector in section A and Kuona village to Imagba village and Omu creek in section B. The joint field team was done under the auspices of the NBC.” But Kuye acknowledged that the Section C portion of the 1913 boundary line proclamation, starting from Omu Creek and ending at Ode-

Omu border town towards the Atlantic Ocean, “is yet to be successfully demarcated.”

According to him, “We strongly believe that the tripartite body of the NBC, Lagos State Boundary and the Ogun State Boundary Committees will soon find amicable solution to the Section C covering the distance of 7.5 Kilometres of our common boundary which is about one hundred years old.”

Although, Fashola of Lagos State and his Ogun State counterpart, Senator Ibikunle Amosun were able to resolve boundary issues in 15 communities bordering the two states, but were unable to resolve the knotty Ode Omi crisis.

A meeting between Fashola and Amosun in Abeokuta, Ogun State in October 2012, ended in deadlock as there was no concrete agreement reached on the issue.

A communiqué released at the end of the meeting stated: “The outstanding issues in respect of Sector C, specifically Ode Omi, will be addressed at a later date.”

In 2011, officials of the Lagos State Ministry of Rural Development also visited the neglected community and claimed that 70 per cent ownership of the rich gas community, saying the survey of the land was signed by former Governor, Lateef Jakande in 1983 which gave the land to Lagos.

Immediately after that declaration, the Ogun State Government vehemently dismissed the claims of

Continues on page 8

5, 483 marriages formalized at Lagos registries’ in 2014 — LASG •N36bn was spent annually by residents on merriment

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

L

AGOS State Government has said no fewer than 5, 483 marriages were formalized at different registries’ in year 2014.

Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy affairs, Mr. Ademorin Kuye who disclosed this in an interview with Vanguard, said that these statistics represented the total number of marriages formalized at registries, saying “some must have been conducted through different religious institutions; and may not have been brought to government notice.”

According to him, “5, 483 marriages were formalized at different registries’ in year 2014.

And I don’t know whether that is huge or not for the year under the review. We hope that more people will get their marriage formalized.

“The marriage unit of the

ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs generated revenue into the state coffers through the issuance of 120 special licenses “The control mechanism put in place by the ministry has helped reduced the proliferation of

marriage institutions and curbed the activities of con-men who aimed to dupe innocent citizens,” Kuye added.

The commissioner noted this further corroborated the statistics released by the state government that N 36 billion was spent

•Main gate of Alimosho LGA.

annually by residents on merriment and entertainment in the state.

Kuye said the statistics was a product of a recent research conducted by the State’s Ministry of Economic Planning and Budgeting, saying “this justified the reason local Governments demand that anyone organising events in the state must pay the Merriment Tax.” He stated that there was merriment tax in the constitution. It is part of the rate Local Governments can collect.

We have not fully utilized the benefit of the entertainment industry in this state”.

He explained that this was the study of night life carried out by the government in five local governments including Agege, Mushin, Ifako-Ijaiye and Ikeja and another local government. It showed that more than N36 billion was spent on 1555 parties held within the period.

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

ONDO STATE

Ondo: How quarry destroys 80-yr-old cocoa farms resumed on April 13 this time with more vigour and desperation.

“Two bulldozers were brought in and in a twinkle of an eye, countless number of cocoa trees were uprooted and destroyed. “ On April 14, 2015 two fully armed Police Officers, five forest guards as well as the forest officers. In charge of the area stormed our clients farmlands and effected the arrest of seven of our clients.

They were handcuffed like criminals and whisked to Ofosu Police station.

They gave names of farmers arrested to include femi Ogunniyi, Pastor Simon, Pastor Yele, Samuel Fadipe, Pastor Alabi, Baale Elebisere and Ahmed Kolawole.

The arrested farmers were later released after being detained till late that night.

According to them two other companies interdrill Quarry company and Levant Quarry company have joined in the destruction of their farmland.

By Dayo Johnson, Akure

C

OCOA farmers in Elebisere community near Ofosu in Idanre Local government area of Ondo State watched helplessly as bulldozers mauled down their Cocoa farmland on which they had toiled for over 80years.

Tears flowed freely as their source of livelihood was destroyed by agents of a quarry company who stormed the community with armed men ostensibly to intimidate them to submission.

Consequently, the farmers have cried out to relevant authorities to help halt the criminality going on in their Community and bring to book those responsible for the willful destruction of the economic trees.

In order not to take laws into their hands, the community has approached the Afe Babalola Chambers to seek for Justice and deliverance from oppression by some few personalities “under the guise of carrying out quarry activities therein” The farmer through their Counsel, Idowu Lanre Alabi from the Afe Babalola Chambers have cried out over massive destruction of their farmland by armed security officers acting on the instruction of E. B & H, a quarry company operating in the community.

Quarry company They have petitioned the inspector General of Police IG, the state governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko, the traditional ruler of Idanre Oba Fredrick Aroloye , the Assistant Inspector General of Police AIG, the Divisional Police Officer, Ofosu police Station, Ofosu of an impending crisis over willful destruction of the source of livelihood .

The petition alleged that bulldozers were brought by the armed security operatives to destroy hectares of their Cocoa farmland without prior notice.

They have therefore called for the stoppage of the “criminality going on presently at Elebisere village, near Ofosu, effect the arrest and prosecution of all the personalities responsible for the massive destruction of our client cocoa farmland.

They said that the personalities are hiding under the guise of carrying out quarry activities.

According to the petition, strange men whose identities could not be ascertained were first noticed in may last year when they started marking some trees and rocks located within the farmland with white C M Y K

•Spokesman of Ondo farmers paints “They also cut down a sizeable number of cocoa trees.

Our client felt aggrieved and promptly challenged them The matter was later taken to the Olu of Ofosu Henry Bankole who denied knowledge or approval of the activities of the strange men.

They alleged further that another six strange faces showed up the following week but fled before they could be challenged Another set of strange faces according to the petition showed up in the community with fully armed security and they descended on the farmland” without any prior notice or resort to the owners of the farmland destroying several hectares.

Trailer loads of iron rods The petition added that they returned the following day in company of a white man who representing the quarry company known as EB & H company.

“Sometimes in March 2015, the representatives of the company came with trailer loads of iron rods which they deposited on our clients farmlands. On April 8, they company came with bulldozers and commenced massive destruction of cocoa trees belonging to our client. The estimate runs to several millions of naira.

The petition said that a meeting involving the Olu of Elebisere, the Lisa of Ofosu, Bale of Ofosu and representatives of the affected

farmers was inconclusive following a charged atmosphere when the farmers were instructed by one Olufisayo Olatunji not to go to their farmland anymore or they might be shot.

Four officials of the Federal Ministry of Mines and Power were invited by the farmers to “ appraise the brazen activities of the company and they reportedly expressed their reservations on seeing the massive destruction and promised to write a report on their findings.

“Strange enough up till the time of writing this correspondence, nothing has been heard from neither the officials nor the appropriate Ministry.

They alleged that the willful destructive operation at the Cocoa farmlands of their clients by agents of the company

Tears flowed freely as their source of livelihood was destroyed by agents of a quarry company

Destruction of farmlands The farmers said the activities of the company “ represent the most sordid, wicked and callous exhibition of impunity.

“As they say, he who deprived one of his means of livelihood clearly deprived him of his life.

The way things are going at Elebisere Village, If not quickly halted, may lead to a serious breach of the peace of the area with its attendant serious consequences.

“We state emphatically that up till the time of writing this petition, not a single kobo has been paid to our clients by anyone neither have they been approached by anyone before and after the destruction of their Cocoa farmland s which destruction is still ongoing.

“Simply put, the situation at hand represents the worst form of man inhumanity to man, hence the urgent need for your prompt and decisive intervention before it gets out of hand.

“It is not out of place to state that a large Chunk of cocoa produced by Ondo state through Idanre axis comes from Elebisere Village.

But speaking with South West Voice, the Director of E. B. & H granite Companies alleged to have destroyed the cocoa farmlands, Engineer Timothy Oluwafemi said that compensation have been paid to the owners of the farmlands.

Engineer Oluwafemi pointed out that the company would not have invaded the community if it has not gotten an approval of the state government.

“ We have paid the state government compensation after they valued the economic trees and also the owners of the farmlands and in addition we have promised them employment opportunities. “ We are not the only company operating there, why are they attacking us. There are other Chinese companies there why are they not approaching them too for compensation.

“Our company has paid them N3.5million as compensation.

We have shown them enough kindness and human face. We are ready to carry them along let them reciprocate Also contacted, the Natural Resources Commissioner Tunde Atere told South West Voice that the farmers are illegal encroachers in government forest reserves .

Atere said that the numbers of years they have been allowed to occupy the reserve illegally was not an excuse.

According to him the granite companies operating in the Community have a license from the Federal Ministry of Mines and a go ahead order was given by the state government.

He confirmed that compensation has been paid to the farmers on the economic trees that were destroyed by the E. B & H granite company.

The Commissioner said that the farmers have no justification to disallow the companies from operating in the community which is part of government forest reserve.

Affected farmers But one of the affected farmers Fatai Akinloye who spoke with South West Voice said they have not been paid any compensation by any of the company. But instead the companies have destroyed their source of living.

Akinloye said maybe the company paid the said compensation to the wrong people in the Community.

He also said that past administration in the state collected a huge amount of money from the farmers as levies/ rates in the 90s after it was discovered that they have been farming in the reserve for such a number of years.

The farmer wondered why the present government decided to send them to the unemployment market by taking side with the companies.

South West Voice further learnt that an alleged supremacy tussle between a traditional ruler, a Baale, an Olu and a Lisa in the area may have deprived the farmers their own share of the compensation.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 7

ONDO STATE

Mimiko's deputy: Olanusi out, Oluboyo in report, the majority of the House Hon Ifedayo Akinsoyinu from Ondo West moved the motion for the consideration of the report and it was seconded by Hon Olatunji Dairo from Owo 11.

After considering the report and relying on the conclusion of the probe panel that the deputy governor was culpable, Hon Akinsoyinu moved the motion for his impeachment and was seconded by Hon Aladetan Oyebo from Ilaje 11.

Aladetan said based on the recommendation of the probe panel that indicted the deputy governor “ I am seconding the motion that he be impeached and removed from office forever” The speaker Rt Hon Jumoke Akindele therefore called for a voice vote and all the 22 Lawmakers that were present supported the impeachment of the deputy governor.

Rt Hon Akindele ruled that since the deputy governor has been found culpable of all the seven allegations of gross misconduct leveled against him, he stands impeached and removed from the office.

By DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE – THE axe finally fell on the 73 year old deputy governor of Ondo state, Alhaji Ali Olanusi as he made history as the first politician occupying such an exalted position to be impeached in the 39 year old state.

Ironically the sun has set on him in a state known as the Sunshine State.

His fate was decided within one week and his political activism of over 40 years was rubbished by a seven man probe panel headed by a retired Chief Magistrate who found him culpable of all the seven allegations of gross misconduct slammed on him by the House of Assembly members.

Popularly called “Jasper”. The former deputy governor according to political observers in the state was removed because he was “ too ambitious even at his age to become a governor by the back door”.

However, while he licked his wound, fate smiled on another illustrious son of Akokoland who replaced him barely two hours after he was sacked by the State House of Assembly.

Alhaji Lasisi Olugbenga Oluboyo 53years was a former Agriculture Commissioner until his elevation to the enviable position of the deputy governor according to one of his Directors in the Ministry was in one of the state government farms outside the state capital when a call was put through to him that his attention was needed at the state House of Assembly.

Worried, he reportedly made some telephone calls but none of his friends could offer him an explanation for the urgent call from the Assembly.

Urgent call Even a telephone call to the member representing his constituency in Akoko North East in the House of Assembly who may leak the reason to him Hon Fatai Olotu could not connect. He was at the plenary discussing his nomination as a deputy governorship.

It was when he got to the assembly that he knew that his status was about changing for the better as members of the ruling PDP who had stormed the Assembly when they got the information cleared the way for “ His Excellency”.

While fate smiled at Oluboyo. aka. “ Omo Oba” (Prince) the sun however set for Olanusi.

As if that was not enough, another drama played out when Oluboyo was about to be sworn in as his former colleagues in the State Executive Council (EXCO) stood up to welcome the new C M Y K

•Oluboyo in handshake with Mimiko Deputy governor. He quickly jumped to a seat reserved for him without waiting for them to exchange pleasantries with him.

Tears of joy tickled down his cheeks and that of the wife, Alhaja Fatimat.

All through the ceremony, he gazed at nothing in particular ostensibly unable to fathom his sudden elevation.

The journey to nail the political coffin of Jasper started like a child’s play and by the time he realized that fire was on the mountain, it was too late for him.

Political observers wondered why he did not resign after the coup he planned with others who had since abandoned him failed.

It was believed that since his new Party-APC failed to secure their “dreamed majority” seats in the last House of Assembly election in the state, he would have saved himself the shame that his impeachment would have on his political garment by resigning, thereby beating those that were ready to put a knife into him from behind to their games.

But Olanusi it was learnt was waiting for the right time to strike by halting the panel from submitting its report to the House of Assembly. It was another miscalculation on the part of Jasper.

As he was planning, those in the other camp were equally strategising on how to tidy up all loose ends and see the back of the deputy governor.

Olanusi impeachment and replacement could best be described as well scripted movie by his perceived enemies that hunted him till he finally fell.

An impeachment notice was served,the Chief Judge of the state inaugurated a probe panel , it came out with its report after counsel of the deputy governor appeared before it, submitted its report to the House of assembly,

a nominee was sent to the assembly for approval and confirmation and a new replacement was sworn-in. All these script lasted barely a week.

Viewers were deprived of the drama that could have played out. No thanks to the deputy governor counsel, Dr Benson Enikuomehin who chickened out mid way into the main drama.

But the most surprising aspect of Olanusi travails was that not even his Muslim brothers and sisters within and outside the state rose to defend or plead for him.

He fought alone within the state, even leaders of the APC in the state backed out of the scheme to oust the governor immediately his party (PDP) won 21 out of the 26 seats in the state assembly leaving only five seats for the opposition APC. His backers mainly the leader of APC Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Osun state governor Rauf Aregbesola could not help him either. Even his juncketing from Akure/ Osogbo and Lagos States yielded no feasible results

Olanusi impeachment and replacement could best be described as well scripted movie by his perceived enemies that hunted him till he finally fell

Removal from office

•Alhaji Ali Olanusi that could save him from the hang men.

A leader of the party in the state confided in South West Voice that the impeachment of the Deputy governor “ is a lost battle” but we shall try our luck in the Court.

Report had it that the APC leaders have contracted an erudite Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Oyo State Chief Adeniyi Akintola to dust the papers and challenge his impeachment in Court.

Presenting the report to the assembly members,it’s chairman Mr Olatunji Stanley Adeniyan said that the deputy governor is culpable in all the seven allegations of gross misconduct leveled against him.

Adeniyan declared that “ having found all the seven allegations established against Alhaji Ali Olanusi, the Deputy governor of Ondo State and placing reliance on the meaning of gross misconduct as defined in section 188 (11) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended. “ We hereby find that the allegation of gross misconduct has been proved against Alhaji Ali Olanusi the holder of the office of the deputy governor of Ondo state of Nigeria.

Following the submission of the

She said that the Lawmaker have spoken with one voice which is beyond 2/3 majority.

Adding that 22 members supported his impeachment.

The speaker directed that all properties in the custody of the deputy governor be returned with immediate to the Permanent Secretary in the office of the Deputy governor. “ The Permanent Secretary in the Deputy governor office is empowered to retrieve all the properties by all lawful means.

The house later reconvened some hours later to consider a letter from the governor Dr Olusegun Mimiko on the nomination of a replacement to the impeached Deputy governor to avoid a vacum.

After the letter was read by the Clerk of the House, the Speaker directed the House Committee on Selection to interface with the nominee.

The committee led by the Deputy Speaker Hon Emiola Dare later met with the nominee for about 45minutes and reported to the plenary that the nominee is fit mentally and physically to occupy the position.

Emiola added that Oluboyo is appointable, academically qualified and should be confirmed by the Assembly.

The speaker said that following the recommendation of the selection Committee the nominee is hereby confirmed and ratified as the Deputy governor of the state after being properly and appropriately screened.

8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

NIGERIA’S POLITICAL CONFIGURATION?

Yoruba, others back to Pre-1952 era slowly on constitutional reform leading ultimately to what HE final results of the general was then known as ‘self elections are now out. The government’ and finally election results threw up new patterns independence in 1960.

One spectacular and new cultural behavior of the major pattern of nationalities that constitute Nigeria. cooperation or rather After 60 years the pattern of alliance, rapprochement and governance has coalition was that changed or is likely to change consistently the Eastern Block substantially if not completely. comprising what is Prior to February 1952 described as the now South/South golden days of colonial rule, Nigeria was South/East governed by a strong unitary government and (minus of course manned mostly by expatriates.

Delta which was part It was true that a handsome number of Western Region of educated elites or professionals were ‘admitted’ into the public service of the Region extending Nigeria. By this time, East or West, from Eti Osa in North or South Nigeria was ruled by one Lagos to Asaba} have unitary government headed by a consistently allied governor or governor general. I recall with what was known here as I did in my book “Political as North.

The Eastern block Gladiators of my time” that an Easterner, has never been in Jerome Udoji was A.D.O. (Assistant District Officer) for the Ekiti Division of opposition by whatever the then Ondo Province, both the D.O, interpretation that can be given to that and the Residents were stationed at expression.

On the other hand, the West then Akure, the Provincial capital.

Following the so called general extending from Lagos to the fringes of elections {it was more or less a selection Ekiti and Kabba Province has only joined process among the educated elites of the federal government peripherally on 1952) Regional governments were two occasions. The first time was when established in Ibadan, Enugu and the dissident Akintola Group which emanated from the Action Group of Kaduna.

Nigeria, subscribed To further emphasise members to federal the unitary nature of cabinet hence we had It was the government/ Ayo Rosiji and some political arrangements Aktntola’s others representing the were called Group of crusading Western Block.

Provinces.

The second time the It was after a fairly that brought it Yoruba West was in the gestation period that home to the federal government was the political entities during the civil war Yoruba that were given their real when Gen. Gowon names - Western they could no invited Obafemi Region with Awolowo to be the longer be headquarters in Finance Minister (they Ibadan, the Eastern outside the called him and Northern Regions Commissioner) and mainstream with headquarters in Vice-Chairman of the Enugu and Kaduna of Nigerian Federal Executive respectively.

Council. politics Because of the In most liberal terms, nature of the Nigerian Awolowo was de-facto society (a Prime Minister under a conglomeration of tribes, nationalities and clans), Dr. military dictator Head of State.

It is appropriate to admit that other Azikiwe, the leading politician in times some leading Yoruba politicians English Speaking West Africa saw the who were in the NCNC (National necessity to go ‘home’, to the East that is, Enugu to head the Regional Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons or National Council of Nigeria Citizens) government, East of the Niger.

The imperfections in the Nigeria were Ministers in an NPC - NCNC political system and government thus federal coalition government.

That was the nearest time the Yoruba took a firm root in the hey days of nation had been part of federal set up colonialism in Nigeria. Naturally, prior to the operations of the 1979 because of the different culture, constitution.

The pattern indeed, the advancement and exposure, the three Regions to which our country was nomenclature has always been an NPC/ divided proceeded and progressed at NCNC coalition with the former being senior partner and latter junior partner. different paces.

It is therefore appropriate to say that The British Administrators willingly obliged political organizations and for the period prior to the Obasanjo governments that wanted to proceed administration the Yoruba West had

•South West map

By Deji Fashuan

T

C M Y K

always been outside the political pale.

Yo r u b a leaders, almost all of them political doctrinaires, prefer that arrangement.

It was Akintola’s crusading that brought it home to the Yoruba that they could no longer be outside the mainstream of Nigerian politics.

The above illustration has been made to put the present situation side by side with our previous political experience.

The Yoruba for far too long had been condemned or condemned themselves to knocking at the doors. In retrospect, this is a disservice to the Yoruba nation which is entitled like any other nationality not only to be part of the cake bakers but also eaters - the latter for want of appropriate words. More so when we, 250 tribes and clans speaking over 200 languages, agree to continue lo live together.

As of now, there is so much imbalance in top political and public service positions in the M.DAs. In a country where citizens are assumed to be equal, this cannot continue. The outgoing Secretary to the Government of the Federation has been fingered as contributing to the imbalance. The imbalance is so appalling, so brazen and in some cases crude and primitive that it offends against civilized behavior.

The last general election is a watershed and renaissance of Yoruba’s erstwhile position on national issues.

For even though most of the South/ South and South/East are grouped into one political enclave, I don’t see the South/South, South/Eastern politicians not taking active parts or not taking prominent positions in the ensuing dispensation. By nature, by drive and by orientation our friends across the Niger will not repeat being in opposition. Having tested power for more than half a century, it is unlikely they will not gravitate to the new dispensation. This is not necessarily a minus for them, it shows our brothers across the Niger are realistic and in the long run will not ignore their interest in the scheme of things. The Yoruba may not necessarily accept this as a policy but the realities of the Nigerian society and mode of governance do not give room for ‘they’ and “us’.

Finally, it is advisable for the incoming administration to think Nigeria, act Nigeria and live Nigeria.

No end in sight to Lagos, Ogun states’ boundary face-off Continues from page 5 ownership of the community by Lagos, saying the land belonged to Ogun State.

Similarly, a boundary dispute between the two states arising as a result of ownership of land around Agbara in Olorunda Local Development Area and Isheri Oke was handled by the Joint Team of both states to fashion out a technical report on the disputed areas.

At tripartite meeting between the joint team and National Boundary Commission sometime in the first term of Fashola administration presented their findings, with each state arguing why it should be the rightful owner of the disputed lands.

In her presentation, the then Lagos State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Sarah Adebisi Sosan accused the Ogun State counterpart of encroaching on Lagos lands, arguing that Ogun State Government had capitalized on

urbanization to encroach on Lagos land.

According to her, when the state was created in 1967, all its LWBCS pillars were buried in these areas which were then considered “remote and rural”.

She added that the Ogun State government took advantage of the spill over effects of urban development of Lagos State to encroach on Lagos lands a situation she said has “deprived the people their ancestral connection to their roots”. Her Ogun State counterpart, Alhaja Salmat Badru who was represented by Prof. Anthony Asiwaju however, punctured Sosan argument, insisting that Lagos was the actual culprit in the accusation of encroachment. She alleged that Lagos State encroached on Ogun land in order to generate revenue.

Both states had been claiming to be the authentic owner of some parcels of land around Agbara in Olorunda Local Development Council Area and Isheri Oke area of Lagos State for many years.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 33

34 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Negligence, an UNVOICED cause of maternal death in Nigeria

Dolapo.....gone!

By Josephine Agbonkhese

D

OLAPO Adesanya was a 36-year-old bubbling career woman in one of the leading Nigerian banks.

Already a mother of two, it was with optimism and joy and she looked forward to delivering her third child. “I’m not new in the game of childbirth,” she possibly must have thought all the while, with no premonition of the disaster ahead.

Trouble, however, began 36 weeks into that pregnancy, with severe pains in her lower limbs which landed her in hospital, one of the biggest private hospitals in Lagos, on March 31. She got some dosage of paracetamol as the pain was said to be ‘normal.’ But it rather became worse, eventually confining Dolapo to a wheel chair until she delivered that baby prematurely at 36 weeks on April 4.

The long and short of the story is: Dolapo died in hospital on April 5, rendering three children motherless. Her husband is till date blaming her death on postdelivery neglect by the hospital.

Another case

Folake Oduyoye was one year younger than Dolapo when she became pregnant with her fourth child, whom she delivered C M Y K

through a complicated Caesarean Section, CS, in a private hospital in Lagos. The complications worsened and she eventually landed in one of the teaching hospitals in Lagos, where she accrued an outrageous bill of about N1.4 million. Her husband, a small-scale printer, could not pay up and she was detained at the hospital on October 31, 2014.

Folake died 43 days into that detention. Cause of death? She fell ill while in detention, but was neglected and restrained from seeking treatment outside, because of unpaid debts.

T

HOSE were just two of the countless cases of maternal deaths that have occurred lately in Nigeria, a country said to be the second highest contributor to maternal death worldwide, after India.

Ironically, while other factors remain in the limelight as reasons for the high maternal death rate in Nigeria, negligence on the part of health workers, as identified in the aforementioned cases, is downplayed in most cases. And the trend keeps increasing.

Hyped factors

Nigeria popularly accounts for about 13 percent of the global maternal death rates with an estimated 36,000 women dying in pregnancy or at childbirth each year. While direct causes such as

...while other factors remain in the limelight as reasons for the high maternal death rate in Nigeria, negligence on the part of health workers...is downplayed in most cases

haemorrhage, sepsis, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (eclampsia), complications of unsafe abortion and obstructed and/or prolonged labour are blamed for 75 to 80 percent of these deaths, the remaining 25 to 20 are attributed to illnesses such as anaemia, hepatitis, tuberculosis, malaria or STIs aggravated by pregnancy.

No percentage is attributed to reckless abandon, which is increasingly becoming a ritual amongst health workers in most medical facilities across the country, a phenomenon most Nigerians would attest to.

For example, husband to late Folake, Mr. Oduyoye, who was with his wife at the hospital during her detention, testified that several women died in his presence due to failure of the hospital management to attend to them for one reason or the other.

Several others, he also disclosed, were at the same time in detention for inability to pay bills.

Accordingly, recent studies conducted by Lancet Studies, Women Advocates Research & Documentation Centre, WARDC, and the Centre for Reproductive Rights also show that maternal deaths have increased by 56 percent, while hospital deliveries fell by 46 percent as many women in rural, and even urban communities, now dread going to hospitals. It is definitely high time some policy took a stand against this inimical act of negligence.

Revisiting Dolapo’s neglect

Husband to late Dolapo, Mr. Segun Adesanya, believes his wife’s death could have been avoided if she was properly attended to and not treated with levity.

He narrated to a Vanguard reporter: “If they (the hospital) are denying it, they should call me for a face-to-face encounter; let them tell me if they did not abandon my wife for five hours and if she was actually in good condition when they wheeled her to the ward after delivery.

“While she was on admission, she kept telling the doctors that she was in too much pain and begged them to carry out a CS on her.

Unfortunately, one of the doctors told her that if she was in pain she would not be sitting like that. I was taken aback when the doctor said that.

“She insisted that she must be taken to the theatre room.

They then asked us to sign for CS, which we did.

“After delivery, she was again abandoned. We, however, did series of tests and results did not come out for days. Her x-ray results came out but we were told the person to read the report would resume on Tuesday.

They said I should go and call the doctor to see if she could read it.

“To my greatest surprise, we discovered that around 10.30am she couldn’t move her legs or respond to calls again. It was at that point they brought oxygen and by that time some black things started coming out of her mouth and they began asking if I gave her agbo.

“I believe if there was an experienced doctor around, he would have known it was a blood clot. Since it was not detected, the blood spread to the second leg and got to her liver,” Segun added with emotion.

*Folake Oduyoye...gone too!

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 35

Christine Ogbeh of Quorum Event; Liz Ashdown, Head of Spirits, Marketing & RTDs, Diageo Nigeria; Ufuoma Udjoh, Baileys Brand Manager and Lara Rawa of Eventi Cocktails at the Baileys Mothers Day Tea party which held at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos over the weekend

Baileys' Mother's Day bonds mothers and daughters

By Prisca Sam-Duru

T

HE mother is just one of the two biological players in the procreation arena but is indisputably the closer parent to every child. This bond which starts at birth, through weaning and beyond is so strong that it exists well into the child’s adulthood. This makes the term, mother, carry a touchy and emotional tug anytime it is mentioned. It has come to be synonymous with affection, care and love. Little wonder the world had designated March 15 every year to the celebration of mothers and what they have come to represent.

In Nigeria, like in many other countries, although many brands celebrated this year ’s Mothers’ Day with heartfelt messages of love, good wishes and appreciation to that special woman in everyone’s life, one brand stood out in its own celebration.

Baileys ran a Mothers’ Day campaign, themed “I am…because of my mother” which gave Nigerians a platform to highlight aspects of their lives that were brought about by the industry, tenacity, love and care of their mothers.

The highpoints of the campaign were the Mother’s Day Tea Parties in Abuja and Lagos and the ladies Night

Out in Benin during the weekend of the Mothers’ Day. The tea parties, a very classy special event in the UK and debuted in Nigeria, were avenues for invitees to have quality timeout with their mothers, appreciating them for what they did in their lives.

The parties kicked off with an enchanting evening of fun in Abuja on Friday, March 13, 2015 with R&B Singer, Seyi Shay giving a wonderful rendition of her hit song “Irawo” in tribute to her late mother and every other mother.

The celebration train then moved to the Metro Event centre in Benin City where guests were treated to a night of music, comedy and merriment.

Resident comedian and compere, MC Casino, ignited the audience with his rib cracking jokes and the multiple awards winning artiste, Waje, crowned the event with her superb performance. The highlight of the night was a ‘toast to mothers’.

The grand finale of the Mothers’ Day parties, an exquisite Tea party, took place at the Tree Garden of the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos with the fast rising artist, Korede Bello of Mavin crew, and Seyi Shay warming the hearts of guests. The event was hosted by the Beat FM Baileys Boutique team of

Stephanie Coker and Fade Ogunro, and had in attendance high fliers in the entertainment and fashion industries such as Banke Meshida, Sasha P, Yvonne ‘ vixen’ Ekwere, Kaylah,

Onobello and many others some of who attended with their elegantly dressed mothers.

Guests at the tea party were given the opportunity to pay tributes to their mothers and

there were trivia sections where daughters were quizzed to know how much they can tell of their mothers.

Facebook competition winner, Gregory Ebalunegbefo Ojefua, who attended the Lagos Tea party with his mother, affirmed that he had a great time at the event, appreciating the opportunity to treat his mother to a great time, “Today was so much fun. It feels good to make time out to say ‘Thank you’ to my mum in this special way and spend some time with her. She is special to me, and i feel so fulfilled because my mom is happy”.

For Baileys Nigeria, this year’s Mothers’ Day activities started long before March 15, 2015 with a series of captivating activities to mark the Day. It started with the “I am… because of my mother ” video activity which enlisted celebrities and well known public figures to show their appreciation to their moms in an emotional way and posting the videos of those wonderful moments on the social media space. They were also to tell the ‘ world’ who they have become by virtue of their mother ’s influence in their lives.

A-list makeup artist and CEO of BMPRO, Banke Meshida and OAP Fade Ogunro kicked off this phase of the campaign and other Influencers like Stephanie Coker, Hauwa Mukan, Toke Makinwa, Temidayo Abudu and Feyi Mbanugo quickly took up the gauntlet and the activity trended in the social media space.

Post 2015 DG: Moves to end poverty by 2030 will be realised if... — Group

By Funmi Olasupo

A

BUJA - Moves to eradicate poverty by 2030 with the Post 2015 Development Goals (DG), set to be unveiled at the United Nations in September this year, will be realize if issues of girls and women is prioritize, the ONE Campaign group has said.

Speaking at the launch of ‘Poverty is Sexist Campaign’ in Abuja, the Executive Director of ONE Africa, Dr.Sipho Moyo stressed that efforts should be directed where the need is greatest, in both the poorest countries, to boost the prospects of girls and women, who are disproportionately affected.

This therefore point on the need for Nigeria and other African nations to refocus more on the development agenda on gender equality.

This she said will serve as a means of unleashing the potential for human, social, political and economic development.

She opined that the benefits of investing in girls and women will be felt across the nation saying; “the evidence shows that the social return of investing in girls and women accrues universall to boys and men too.

“This being the African Union Year of Women Empowerment, it is our opportunity to seize and promote the advancement of humankind by insisting on policy interventions by our

African governments that promote and ensure equal opportunities for women and girls.” Moyo said.

Also speaking, Director General, National Center for Women Development, NCWD, Lady Onyeka Onwenu who joined the advocacy said although, progress is being made in women empowerment but there is still more to be done.

According to Lady Onyeka, political parties still do not accord women the opportunity to vie for political offices saying that women are ill represented.

“Political parties have not given women the opportunities to vie for office. Laws are made in the Senate and House of Representatives – but women are not properly represented there.

“We must ensure that all political parties take into consideration that women are marginalized.

Our constitution must ensure this by prescribing a minimum number of seats for women.” she said.

The campaign which was launched at a policy forum was also attended by representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Traders (NANTS), Equity Advocates and Save the Children Nigeria among others.

Also adding their voice to the campaign are; Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Genevieve Nnaji, Omawunmi and D’banj.

C M Y K

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—37

With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Another look at the ‘Internet of Things’

By LAJU IREN

A

CCORDING to Gartner, Inc., a technology re search and advisory corporation, there will be nearly 26 billion devices on the Internet of Things by 2020.

When British visionary, Kevin Ashton, first coined this term in 1999, he probably would never have imagined such tremendous growth in IoT. The term has become a catchall phrase for all of the devices, concepts and technologies that are inspired by the vision of a future driven by interconnected smart devices. IoT devices have the incredible potential to enhance user convenience by simplifying how users interact with their technology.

Concepts that just a few years ago, where only the imagination of sience fiction producers are now a reality.

As a leader in innovation and product development, LG Electronics says it has established itself at the forefront of IoT-related technology. LG HomeChat is perhaps the best example of cutting-edge, futuristic IoT technology that is already widely available. An application that allows users to

interact with their appliances through text messages, the incredible HomeChat system helps users get the most out of the technology in their home.

Through HomeChat, users can do far more than just issue commands to their appliances.

Appliances that are part of the HomeChat network notify users once tasks have been completed or even respond to questions.

By bringing together the best LG software with the company ’s top-tier home appliances, LG’s HomeChat gives users complete control over their devices from anywhere on the planet.

Additional benefits One of the additional benefits that comes with the full internet connectivity of LG’s HomeChat appliances is that the operating parameters of the devices can always be updated. For example, users can download new settings for their washing machine or new recipes for their oven. LG’s premium Inverter V and Classic Inverter V residential air conditioners

implement a number of features that are designed to make operation as intuitive and effortless as possible.

This feature allows users to take complete control over their energy consumption with the simple press of a button. Users can select different levels of cooling depending on the outdoor temperature or how many people are in the room.

Active Energy Control, AEC, offers three different usage levels, helping to cap power consumption (at 80, 60 and 40 percent respectively) and slash energy bills. While these Active Energy Control settings reduce power intake, LG’s powerful air

LG has long been recognized as an IoT innovator, a tradition that it upholds with its new smartphone app that harnesses Wi-Fi connections to grant users remote control of their RAC solutions

Top Tech Tips: How to use Twitter like an expert

T

witter is an easy-to -use, so cial media platform, which anybody can learn how to use almost instantly.

There are several quick and easy to use features that, no matter how basic your understanding of Twitter, you can master within minutes - and have you tweeting like a pro in no time.

If you want to take your Twitter experience to the next level, there are some key tips that can take you from a casual user to a full Twitter expert. Try the following tips:

U

se a good profile picture and Twitter biography Help your followers put a face to a name! Put up a profile picture that tells people something about you, your interests, and your passions.

The same can be said for your Twitter biography: users want to follow interesting people that discuss engaging topics or who have engaging discussions on

Twitter. Let your biography tell your story to potential followers.

Popular Nigerian comedian Ali Baba (@alibabagcfr) is a great example of how you can use Twitter to tell your story for you: Ali Baba’s profile briefly highlights the things that matter most to him. With over 227,000 followers, there is no doubt that Ali Baba’s information and tweets have helped him gain andedicated following.

U

se memorable hashtags If you have something interesting to contribute on a subject, use the hashtag feature on Twitter to make this happen. The hashtagfeature allows any person interested in specific subjects to follow your thoughts and directly link your tweets to a specific subject feed.

Simply put the hashtag symbol (#) in front of the words or subjects that you want to have searched, and Twitter will help you do the rest.

U

se the email notification cen ter

With the integrated apps, widgets, and desktop or online tools (such as TweetDeck) Twitter provides you with many ways to keep updated on what people are sharing on your timeline. If you don’t have access to these features all the time, however, you can always set up your Twitter account to send you email notifications. These alerts will let you know whenever somebody marks your tweet as a favourite, when your tweet has been retweeted, or even tell you when you have been mentioned on Twitter.

By following these tips, you are on the fast track to becoming a Twitter expert.

conditioners are still able to effectively cool homes and businesses.

LG has long been recognized as an IoT innovator, a tradition that it upholds with its new smartphone app that harnesses Wi-Fi connections to grant users remote control of their RAC solutions.

The app allows users to set their desired home temperature from anywhere, ensuring the ideal home environment by the time that they arrive home. In addition, the app provides users with real-time energy usage information, alerting them when their electricity consumption has reached pre-set limits.

In addition to dynamic control options, LG’s Premium Inverter V and Classic Inverter V incorporate advanced technology that enhances user health and comfort.

In addition to helping save energy, LG air conditioners use several filtration systems to remove harmful household particles. The Micro Dust Filter powered by 3M Technology uses electrostatic charges to capture microscopic particles, including allergens such as pollen and dust.

The Plasmaster™ Ionizer Plus generates over three million ions to sterilize and deodorize to minimize allergens and bacteria.

Thanks to Plasmaster™ Autocleaning, the interior of the air conditioner is maintained by drying off the heat exchanger and then sterilizing the interior once more with Plasmaster™ ions.

This helps eliminate mold and odors.

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

No child needs to be crippled by polio (2) — Dr. Tunji Funsho, Chairman, Polio Plus Committee

By Chioma Obinna

Continued from yesterday

I

MPACT of 2015 elections on polio: The experience of elections in 2011 made us plan in advance to ensure that those things that militated against successful immunisation during that period did not happen again. We put in place a lot of measures. One of those measures was to engage the traditional leadership more because they are constant and are always there. The second thing is to ensure that funds are made available well in advance.

There are pockets of situations but we know the areas that have issues. We concentrated our advocacy in those areas to ensure that those things that caused set back in 2011 don’t occur this time.

Insurgency and polio: It is much better now. There was a time in the whole of Borno state we could not immunise any child. But we have moved far away from that. As soon as state of emergency was declared, we moved on and we were able to reach more children. In those areas we could not do routine or house to house immunisation. We have permanent health teams, these are vaccination teams permanently on standby. When the security agencies feel that this particular area is safe for the team to come in and go out, they will inform us and the permanent health team could now go in there, immunise the children and come out.

Why Nigeria is still battling polio

Up till about 2006, we were making very good progress until suddenly some states

• Dr. Tunji Funsho

One of the ways to prevent it is by providing potable water and other environmental measures to ensure that the virus does not get to the child.

Immunisation is to protect the child if the child now comes in contact with the virus

in the north said no more vaccination because of rumours that the vaccines were polluted with sterility drugs and HIV and so on. For about three years in some states there was no immunisation at all. It took us about three years to get over.

If we had continued the way we were in 2006 we would have eradicated polio long ago. It is that set back that took us back to square one.

Importance of polio vaccination: Polio is caused by a virus not spirits, or ogbanje in the East. It harbours in dirty environment. In other words it thrives in polluted sewages and drainage areas. You can only catch polio by ingesting it into your mouth. You cannot catch polio by living with somebody with polio or if somebody with polio coughs in your face.

You have to ingest food or drink that has been contaminated with the virus. One of the ways to prevent it is by providing potable water and other environmental measures to ensure that the virus does not get to the child. Immunisation is to protect the child if the child now comes in contact with the virus.

How to prevent polio: You need the vaccines and there is an injectable one which we are actually starting to introduce.

There was a pilot in Yobe and Borno States in August last year. And Kano started using the injectables last month. It is going to be launched throughout the country during this NIPDs. It is being used in conjunction with the OPV. It tends to boost the immune level much faster. It has worked very well.

There are studies to confirm the efficacy.

First step is prevention of the contamination of the child. While the second step is to give the vaccines. The polio vaccine is one

of the safest vaccines in the world. That is why we have been able to eradicate polio in many parts of the world using the same vaccine. If it was injurious, we wouldn’t have got to this level of having less than 400 cases around the world by last year and in less than 30 years of using the same vaccines, 22 countries, Muslim and Christian, have eradicated polio.

Therefore there can be no truth that it is injurious. There is no evidence that it causes HIV. No child has come down with HIV. If it is sterility agent, by now the population of most parts of the world would have started to come down because we started using this vaccine on a large scale since 1987. That is 28 years ago. There is no evidence either in social studies or even in population studies. It is a very safe vaccine. It is a vaccine you can take as many times as possible. It gives you a much higher chances of immunity.

Types of polio virus; We used to have polio virus type 1, type 2 and type3. We have not seen the type 2 now for more than six years anywhere in the world. We saw type 3 last in Nigeria in November, 2014. Literally, we don’t see types 2 & 3 anymore. We are now left with type 1. But even in those parts of the world that have not seen polio for more than two decades, like the United States, they still give their children polio immunisation because as long as there is polio in any corner of the world, no child is safe. The vaccine is given to children under the ages of 0 to 5 years. It is a harmless vaccine.

Significance of Rotary Flame in Nigeria: Polio flame is an advocacy tool. It is also to get more funds. It is just an opportunity to celebrate the polio free status of India and encourage us that we can see light at the end of the tunnel. For Nigerians, though we are 99 percent there, we are not there yet. So we need to keep the fire burning until no child ever again succumbs to polio and Nigeria is certified free by WHO.

Population control: Group raises alarm over Western agenda

By Sola Ogundipe

A

GROUP, the Foundation of African Cultural Heritage, FACH, has raised alarm about a grand plan by the Western countries, led by the US, to "colonise the mind” of the average African.

At a media forum in Lagos tagged "United Nations Language, The African Perspective", a medical practitioner and women’s health advocate, Dr. Nkechi Asogwa, in a presentation entitled "The Grand Plan" opened the lid on what she described as an attempt of achieving the "colonisation of the mind" by the Western World, which is destroying the African cultural heritage by making Africans believe their continent is over populated.

Asogwa, a member of Doctors Health Initiative said: “We are raising alarm because we found out last December that a particular drug, Depo-Provera, was being shipped into four African countries including Nigeria as a means of achieving family planning goals.

“But we also discovered that this particular drug has been banned in the US because of side effects related to it. We heared there are powerful groups making cheaper versions of the drug known as the $1 contraceptive pills and pushing it to poorer countries.”

Pointing out that the drugs in question cause thrombosis and embolism which lead to stroke, heart attack, breast cancer, etc.,

•L-R: Rhosyln Thomas, Brian Clowes, Uju Ekeocha, Dr. Nkechi Asogwa, Wendy Wright and Sonnie Ekwowusi, a legal practitioner, during the media forum organised by the Foundation of African Cultural Heritage, FACH, in Lagos recently.

Asogwa observed that people were being given the drugs without being told about these dangerous side effects.

“We investigated and found out that truly there is an ideology behind this, It is not just to enable women not to have children, but because some population controllers have an agenda.

Also speaking, Wendy Wright, Vice President, Centre for Family and Human

Rights Institute, C-Fam, a New York-based organisation corroborated Asogwa’s stand.

Wright, a veteran pro-life advocate, recounted: “We came to Nigeria to make people aware of the sexual and reproductive rights agenda and effort to impose abortion and homosexuality in Nigeria and other countries in Africa.

“Our work is focused on the UN's prolife issues and many people are not aware of

how UN agencies are already treating abortion as if it’s right and trying to implement it into countries through NGOs working in those countries to pressure the governments to change the laws on abortion and sexual rights.”

Brian Clowes from Human Life International, spoke of a top secret document known as National Security Study Memorandum 200 (NSSM-200), a.k.a The Kissinger Report, declassified by the White House in 1989.

Clowes said the NSSM-200, subtitled "Implications of Worldwide Population Growth For US Security and Overseas Interests" laid out a detailed strategy by which the US would aggressively promote population control in developing nations in order to regulate (or have better access to) the natural resources of these countries.

Clowes alleged that the document identified India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Mexico, Indonesia, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Ethiopia, Colombia and Nigeria as primary targets of US-funded population control efforts.

Uju Ekeocha, who spoke on the "Landscape of Western Cultural Imperialism in Africa" said components of the family as the backbone of the community composed of a man and a woman married under recognised law, sex & intimacy, children, parents and unity, are lacking in most western families with the collapse of their family culture.

Vanguard, FRIDAY , MAY 1, 2015—39

Re: Official commissioning of Effurun flyover bridge Dear sir

I

WISH to draw your attention to Page 10, Vol.17: No 949 of the Saturday Vanguard publication of April 18, 2015 captioned: “Uduaghan commissions Effurun flyover bridge in Warri”.

The above caption to say the least, is the height of deceit, misinformation and very bad or yellow journalism.

How can a news medium such as the Vanguard which is so widely read, descend to dishing out absolute falsehood and untruths.

Would reporters in the Vanguard family pretend that they do not know that there are 25 Local Government Council Areas in Delta State?

And that Uvwie is one of such councils with headquarters in Effurun. How can a reporter cause a publication imputing that Effurun which is the headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Council is in Warri. For the avoidance of doubt, Warri is the headquarters of Warri South Local Government Council.

How can a reporter cause a publication imputing that Effurun which is the headquarters of Uvwie Local Government Council is in Warri

Therefore, to report and cause to be published the falsehood that Effurun is in Warri is most regrettable, annoying and an act capable of causing communal strife.

We demand therefore that your medium should cause to be published a correction of this falsehood within seven days, failing which, we would be left with no choice but to do the needful.

We trust that your paper, being a responsible organisation, will take steps to correct this apparent political and geographical misrepresentation and falsehood.

Misrepresentation and falsehood We also would like to draw your attention to the paid advert informing the general public of the opening of Delta Mall by Shoprite on May 14, 2015 in your publication Vol. 25 No. 62386 of Friday, April 17, 2015 at page 4.

The Mall is located in Effurun but the advert says it is in Warri.

We shall appreciate if you take some pains to do the right thing by advising your clients when they approach you with information that are incorrect.

We hope that you will treat these matters with the seriousness that they deserve. Thanks as we await your prompt corrective publications.

Kindly accept the assurance of our regards.

Chief MacDonald O. Ugbewanku (JP), FNIVS, ANIVS, RSV President General Uvwie General Improvement Union, Effurun, Delta State.

SA’s xenophobic attacks

We may think the killings and lootings going on in Johannesburg and other cities of South Africa aganist foreigners are not related to us but we forget that we are all Africans. The government of South Africa needs to put a stop to the killings, not accepting the excuse that the black migrants are taking all the jobs and leaving the citizens to be jobless. We are all brothers, stop the killings and stop the anger. Let unity and love reign.

Anonymous writes in from Lagos state

Just concluded Anambra State elections

Anambrarians decided to vote APGA in the just concluded House of Assembly elections to heed the plea of the state governor to secure his seat and save the party from total anhiliation in the nation’s political landscape only. The voting pattern has no bearing to the pattern adopted in the presidential and national assembly election held on 28 March 2015 Barr. Anthony Obi +2348056009586

Presidential election

At last, a new dawn has begun in Nigeria. The era of peace , progress and unity has just started. I advise Nigerians to be on the pace of God because there is no longer a place for lame politicians and unworkable policies. Nigeria is on the right track.

Anonymous +2348137518785

Still on general elections

Elections have come and gone, let those who won rejoice and those who lost accept defeat. The era of corruption has gone, this era, it is your performance that will speak for you, not public stolen funds. Gen. Buhari must prove to Nigerians that truly he is a man of integrity. God bless Nigeria and better days ahead. Uduebor Osaro. +2348059826021

Still on presidential elections

Coker-Orile roads need urgent ` attention Dear sir

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ERMIT me to use your widely read newspaper to draw the attention of the incoming government in Lagos State to the plight of residents of Coker village in the Coker-Aguda Local Council Development Area.

Virtually all the roads in this thickly populated neighbourhood are in distress and require urgent attention of both the State and Local Council Area.

Most of the roads are impassable and with the advent of the rainy season, residents of the area are in for serious trouble.

The road from WEMA Bank through Alafia, (Alhaji Opere Street) is so dilapidated and undulating that even pedestrians find it difficult to use. The worse sce-

nario occurs whenever there is a downpour. It is annoying that the bank and some transport companies who have their offices within the vicinity, cannot even carry out remedial work on the road.

The Alafia -ECWA Road is another deathtrap. Apart from these two ‘major’ roads in the community, other street roads have also suffered from the neglect of past administrations.

Many residents have attributed their plight to the fact that most people living in the area are non-indigenes of the South-West geo-political zone.

The incoming Ambode administration should endeavour to correct this anomaly.

Chinonye Azoro Coker Village

The pauperization of the franchise has been forestalled by the patriotic and statesmanly conceding of defeat by Ebele Jonathan. This is a gigantic plus for democracy and concretizes the basis of our march to nationhood. No victor no vanquished and we must set out at dawn.

Congratulations to all Nigerians, Gen.Buhari and Jonathan.

Chief Bobson Gbinije,Mandate Against Poverty(MAP)Warri.+2347068621168

Advice to President-elect

Soon Gen. Buhari will start receiving praises from all parts of the country, praises he never received when he was campaigning. Even those that were putting different cartoons castigating him are now singing a new song. Buhari should know his true friends. He should know that those

people praising and congratulating him are the same people that sponsored those adverts against him. If Gen. Buhari must appoint his cabinet members, it should be on merit, Nigerians are counting on him.

Uduebor Osaro.+2348059826021

Power supply development

and

energy

With a population of 170million and a flunctuating mega watts of 4200, there is no miracle for ‘stable’ power supply. With Nigeria’s population, experts emphasize that the nation needs70000mega watts which is a long way to go in the energy sector.

Why can’t each state generates up to 360mega watts, in two years? There won’t be development if the country lacks stable power supply.

Tony Ogun-Amahwe +2348051112924

Averting corruption

Obviously, corruption that has built up over years in Nigeria can be corrected peacefully. But to initiate change, Gen. Buhari must take a decisive step of prosecuting any person with the slightest wind of scandal or corruption. If he summons the courage to do that,he will become Nigeria’s leader, not just President.

Francis. +2348068471517

South Africa’s xenophobic attack

Like a wildfire , the xenophobic attacks with roots in Durban, South Africa spread to other parts of the country causing loss of lives and property. The prepetrators accuse immigrants of taking jobs in their country where official figures put unemployment at 25 percent though economists claim this figure might be higher. It is imperative that the Federal Government takes drastic and urgent steps to avoid any further harm to Nigerians living in South Africa.

Udeagha R., Aba+2348056095412

Rhetoric on presidential assent

Presidential asssent is a part of the law making process, which the president can withhold for justifiable reasons. Until the content of the draft amendments of the constitution and the reasons givem by the President for withholding his assent are put in the public domain, arguments for or against the action of the President remain rhetoric.

But what the President could have done is to assent to provisions that are not offensive to existing provision or considered by him to be obnoxious- such as making pension for legislators as a constitutional provision rather than as an Act of parliament.

Presidential assent to amendments should not be global. Lets the National Assembly publish its amendments and full content of the President’s refusal to assent for the public to make informed judgement between the two. ...Anonymous, Lagos State

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deed and words return back to us sooner or later.

Be kind to get kindness back in return.

Simon Adewale08056180103, Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable.

Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

40 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

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AST week we discussed about the power of dua. We cannot exhaust the importance of dua. The recently concluded general elections was a pointer to the fact that dua changed the expectation or otherwise prediction of abysmal failure and break up of Nigeria as a nation.

We have not only recorded an enviable success, we have raised the bar in the quest for democracy among the comity of nation. As it were, prayer is a catalyst for change. It is the only thing that can change an impending and imminent catastrophe and in fact alter the destiny of man.

Today, looking at the lessons of the whole episode in the country today, I consider Quran Chapter 18, Suratul Khaf relevant to this moment. The Surah is always a light that illuminates the soul of every Muslim especially when dealing with how people can fit in into the vicissitude of life in the face of challenges.

This particular chapter of the Glorious Quran always come to my mind not only as a prayer but also as a lesson we must learn in life. It’s parables refer to the brevity, uncertainty and vanity of life.

Life as a journey Life as a journey is full of many paradoxes which can only be subdued with clear knowledge, patience and fortifying the soul with untainted spiritual powers that can halt the incursion of evils.

As a tip, if you want to achieve that recite Suratul Khaf a lot.

How has the mighty fallen? The major has become the minor. For a party which had boasted brazenly that it will rule for 60years controlling 75 to 80 percent of the controllables in Nigeria has become minor. Power has become powerless.

The tantrums of war and hate have become watershed for peace and love. These paradoxes and vicissitudes of life are everyday lessons for those who are wise.

In this chapter, the parable of a man who is puffed with the good things of life such as power and money is brought to naught (verses 23-44) Apart from the stories of the mysterious teacher who showed Moses how life itself was a parable and that of Dhul-Qarnain, the powerful ruler who made an iron wall to protect the weak against the strong in this chapter,

Jumada Al-Akhir 21, 1436 A.H.

Lessons of Suratul Khaf the story of the Companions of the Cave who slept therein for a very long time and yet thought it was for a day or less is very relevant and interesting.

Like the unbelievers had asked: Who were “the Companions of’ the Cave”? The same question was asked the Prophet (s.a.w) among others by the Makkan pagans to test whether the Prophet possessed any knowledge of the hidden and unseen things. Allah, however, not only gave a complete answer to their questions but also employed the three stories to illustrate the vanities of life and supremacy of the will of Allah.

“The Companions of the Cave” believed in the same doctrine of Tauhid which was being put forward in the Quran and that their condition was similar to the condition of the persecuted Muslims of Makkah.

Companions of the cave On the other hand, the persecutors of the Companions of the Cave had behaved in the same way towards them as the unbelievers of the Quraish were behaving towards the Muslims.

Besides this, the Muslims have been taught that even if a Believer is persecuted by a cruel society, he should not bow down before falsehood but emigrate from the place all alone, if need be, with trust in God. Incidentally the unbelievers of Makkah were told that the story of the Companions of the Cave was a clear proof of the creed of the Hereafter, for this showed that Allah has the power to resurrect anyone He wills even after a long sleep of death.

The story of the Companions of the Cave has also been used to warn the chiefs of Makkah who were persecuting the small newly

formed Muslim Community. At the same time, the Holy Prophet w instructed that he should in no case make a compromise with their persecutors nor should he consider them to be more important than his poor followers.

On the other hand, those chiefs have been admonished that they should not be puffed up with the transitory life of pleasure they were then enjoying but should seek after those excellences which are permanent and eternal.

In the story of Khidr and Moses, the lesson contained is: “You should have unflinching faith in the wisdom of what is happening in the Divine Factory in accordance with the will of Allah.

As the reality is hidden from you, you are at a loss to understand the wisdom of what is happening, and sometimes if it appears that things are going against you, you cry out, ‘How and why has this happened’. The fact is that if the curtain be removed from the “unseen”, you would yourselves come to know that what is happening here is for

You should have unflinching faith in the wisdom of what is happening in the Divine Factory in accordance with the will of Allah

the best. Even if some times it appears that something is going against you, you will see that in the end it also produces some good results for you.

The same with the story of ZulQarnain, for it also admonishes the unbelievers: “0 you vain chiefs of Makkah you should learn a lesson from Zul-Qarnain. Though he was a great ruler, a great conqueror and the owner of great resources, yet he always surrendered to his Creator, whereas you are rebelling against Him even though you are insignificant chieftains in comparison with him.

Besides this, though ZulQarnain built one of the strongest walls for protection, yet his real trust was in Allah and not in the “wall”. He believed that the wall could protect him against his enemies as long as it was the will of Allah and that there would be crack and holes in it, when it would be His will : whereas you who possess only insignificant fortified abodes and dwellings in comparison with him, consider yourselves to be permanently safe and secure against all sorts of calamities.”

While the Quran turned the tables on the pagans of Makkah who had tried to “expose” the Holy Prophet, in the end of the Surah the same things have been reiterated that were stated at its beginning: “Tauhid and the Hereafter are absolutely true and real and for your own good, mend your ways in accordance with them and live in this world with the conviction that you are accountable Last week we discussed about the power of dua.

We cannot exhaust the importance of dua.

The manifestation of dua in the recently concluded general elections was that it changed the expectation or otherwise prediction of abysmal failure and break up of Nigeria as a nation.

We have not only recorded an enviable success, we have raised the bar and lifted our democratic experiment to a higher pedestal.

Nigerians including the non Muslims appreciate the power of prayers.

Quran Chapter 18, Suratul Khaf, is always a light that illuminates the soul of every Muslim especially when dealing with how people can fit in into the vicissitude of life in the face of challenges. This particular chapter of the Glorious Quran always come to my mind not only during dua, but also, as a pedagogical material when ruminating about life. It’s parables refer to the brevity, uncertainty and vanities of life.

Life as a journey is full of many paradoxes which can only be subdued with prayer, clear knowledge, patience and fortifying the soul with untainted spiritual powers that can halt the incursion of evils. As a tip, a regular recitation of this Surah will lift the spiritual position of the reciter, just as the Prophet (s.a.w) recommended it every Friday.

This Surah was sent down in response to the three questions which the pagans of Makkah, in consultation with the people of the Book, had put to the Holy Prophet in order to test him. These were: (1) Who were “the Sleepers of’ the Cave”? (2) What is the real story of Khidr? and (3) What do you know about Zul-Qarnain?

These questions, no doubt were surreptiously asked by the unbelievers to test whether the Holy Prophet possessed the knowledge of the hidden and unseen things. Allah, however, not only gave a complete answer to their questions but also employed the three stories to the disadvantage of the opponents of Islam.

Opponents of Islam In response, he told them that: “the Companions of the Cave” believed in the same doctrine of Tauhid which was being put forward in the Quran and that their condition was similar to the condition of the persecuted Muslims of Makkah. On the other hand, the persecutors of the Companions of the Cave had behaved in the same way towards them as the disbelieveds of the Quraish were behaving towards the Muslims. Besides this, the Muslims have been taught that even if a Believer is persecuted by a cruel society, he should not sucumb to falsehood but emigrate from the place, if need be.

Incidentally the unbelievers of Makkah were told that the story of the Companions of the Cave was a clear proof of the creed of the Hereafter, for this showed that Allah has the power to resurrect anyone He wills even after a long sleep of death as He did in case of the Companions of the Cave.

The story of the Companions of the Cave has also been used to warn the chiefs of Makkah who were persecuting the small newly formed Muslim Community. At the same time, the Holy Prophet has been instructed that he should in no case make a compromise with their persecutors nor should he consider them to be more important than his poor followers.

On the other hand, those chiefs have been admonished that they should not be arrogant with the transitory life of pleasure they were then enjoying but should seek after those excellences which are permanent and eternal.

The story of Khidr and Moses has also been related in such a way as to supply the answer to the question of the disbelievers and to give comfort to the believers as well. One of the lessons contained in this story is this “You should have full faith in the wisdom of what is happening in the Divine Factory in accordance with the will of Allah.

Continues next week

Jumada Al-Akhir 21, 1436 A.H.

Ahmadiyya schools are secular, but there‘re separate devt plans for Ahmadis — AbduRafi •Advises against xenophobic reprisal attack

By Aderonke Adeyeri AS the 43rd annual National Youth Convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, draws nearer, the National President of the Youth Organisation, AbdulQadir AbdulRafi in this interview bares his mind on religious tolerance, how Nigerian youth can contribute meaningfully to the peace and development in the country. Excerpts:

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HIS appears to be a separate plan for Ahmadiyya schools?

The syllabus was meant for Ahmadiyya children.

Ahmadiyya schools are secular institutions and they work with the government syllabus. We have a separate development plan for the Ahmadi children.

Therefore, the syllabus was designed primarily for the Ahmadiyya children and it serves as an outline to teach them inside the mosqueWhat informed the choice of this year ’s theme, ‘the role of Nigerian youths in peace building, reconciliation and national development’?

The choice of this year’s youth convention theme was informed by the transition from one civilian government to another.

We thought about looking into the areas where the government had done well and look into the areas where there are pitfalls and the need to merge the two so that Nigeria can progress.

We believe that the major ingredient for national development is the need to have a continuous holistic policies.

What are the roles of the youths in ensuring peace and national development?

The last election showed that we have a lot of roles the youths can play for peace and national development. Recent statistics show that 70% of Nigerians are made up of the youths and that makes them vulnerable to a lot of undue influences. One of the ways the youths can ensure development is by shunning electoral violence and other forms of violence in all ramifications. We believe that

•AbdulQadir AbdulRafi, Youth President we don’t have to fight over anything. What we need to do is to consult. Our interest is national development and this would make us have a meeting point. We must eschew violence and corruption. This will make us develop better attitude and love for our nation.

What are the efforts of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Nigeria, in passing down essential information to families so that the youths will not become a tool for violence and menace to the society?

One of the major thrust of the Ahmadiyya community is to have Muslim families that do not condone violence. We guide against domestic violence. If domestic violence is reduced to a large extent, cases of broken homes would be reduced and there won’t be children without proper upbringing on the streets. The Ahmadiyya community laid so much

We want every Nigerian child to have a right to quality basic education, also, government should provide avenues for empowerment

emphasis on the development of the family because they constitute a vital part of the society. We are working with our parent organization in order to improve family training. Also, we give pre-marital consultation to our youths before they get married as well as marital consultations and counsellings to all members who are married. We also engage in mentoring programme for the Ahmadi children and the Ahmadi youths.

As part of your social responsibility, what are the things communities benefit from you?

We will be having free medical services. Although we are not doing any surgery but we are giving out free eye glasses and free eye screening.

We are doing it in conjunction with the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat and another voluntary organisation, “Humanity First”.

We are also clearing a blocked drainage which is about 70 metres and the debris would be used to fill the damaged part of the road.

What do you think government should do to encourage the youths in playing their part in nation building?

There was a policy that was introduced recently by this administration, students were told to pay a certain amount for insurance so that they would be able to complete their education. This type of policy cannot grow the country. All over the world, quality basic education is a right of any child born in that country. We believe

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 41 that government should lay second class citizens. The more emphasis on quality South African government education at no cost. We want should also look into the areas every Nigerian child to have a of youth empowerment, right to quality basic education. provision of social amenities for Also, government should their youths so that they can provide avenues for conquer the challenges facing empowerment. The incoming them.

I will also appeal to the government has outlined empowerment program as part Nigerian government to look of what the youths should critically to the issue of the expect from him during his Chibok girls and ensure they electioneering campaign. We are brought back safely. believe that if it is actualized, Government must also do their the Nigerian youths would have best to ensure that such a sense of belonging. For the problem does not re-occur in youths to really believe in the future. We believe that Nigeria, government has to be government is a continuum, we more responsive in provision of want to implore the incoming basic social services for the government to look critically to youths and the country in what other governments have done and look at the areas that general.

What advice do you have for are commendable and continue the youths in the face of such that they can rejuvenate xenophobic attack in South and bring in new policies that will strengthen the Nigeria Africa?

The xenophobic attacks South economy and the citizens.

How can we advance Africa is experiencing is as a result of poor education. I want religious tolerance in our to strongly appeal to Nigeria polity?

Ahmadiyya does not tolerate youths never to consider a reprisal attack because an eye and will not tolerate religious for an eye makes the world go intolerance. We believe in the blind. Retaliation is not a saying of Prophet Muhammad response or the solution to the (SAW) that a child is born pure. xenophobic attacks on It is the parents that turn a child foreigners in South Africa. I do to either a Christian, Muslim or not support a situation whereby a Jew. We believe that humanity the youths of a particular is made up of people who are country would not benefit from pure and we have to explore the the resources of their country purity and advocate more on therefore, I would implore the our individual differences. The South African government to do differences can be overcome whatever they can, to ensure that when we discover the basis of the citizens of the country enjoy our interactions which is the benefits of independence national development and and they should not be seen as global integration.

Stand firm against corruption, Ahmadiyya urges Buhari

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HE leadership of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria has urged the President - elect, General Muhammadu Buhari to stand firm against corruption and other vices plaguing the country, as he prepares to take the mantle of leadership for positive change towards socio -political and economic emancipation of Nigeria on May 29, 2015. This admonition was contained in a statement issued at the end of the National executive committee meeting of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat at its headquarters in Lagos.

According to the (Amir) Head of the Islamic organisation, Dr Mashuud Adenrele Fasola , “We admonish that the incoming regime should stand firm in the pursuit of truth, social justice and fairplay,

probity, transparency, accountability, security of life and property, in the combat of insurgency, barbarism, and violation of human rights, and in the eradication of poverty and promotion of welfare for the generality of all without any discrimination whatsoever in all sincerity and in principle and practice.”

“The Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Nigeria believes that this is the only way to enjoy the protection, favour and special blessings of God of all creation,” the statement reads.

The organisation called on Nigerians not to relent in their prayers for God’s forgiveness, perfect protection, excellent guidance, sound health, and long blessed life of service to humanity for the President-elect and other elected leaders.

Ahmadiyya youths hold annual convention

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HE Youth wing of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat, Nigeria holds its annual convention in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State.

The annual assemblage themed: Role of Youth in Nation Building and National Development will begin today at the Gate-way Stadium, IjebuOde.

Special lectures, in door games, medical camp, community development project, among other activities have been lined up for the three day event.

Every year, Ahmadi Muslim youth gathered to discuss issues relating to global peace, unity, youth and national development in different locations across Nigeria.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Okirika, HOSTCOM back Uduaghan’s reformation of DESOPADEC

By Emma Amaize

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SABA—FORMER Chairman of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Chief Wellington Okirika, Host Communities of Nigeria Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, Delta State and Oil and Gas Producing Communities on 13 per cent Derivation Fund, have described those kicking against Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s bill to restructure DESOPADEC as uninformed.

Chief Okirika, a founding member of HOSTCOM, told Vanguard, that “Governor Uduaghan’s bill for a law to provide for the establishment of the ‘Delta State Oil Producing Areas Commission, Five Ethnic Nationalities Oil Producing Areas Development Agencies, Five Ethnic Nationalities Oil Producing Areas Investment Corporations and for Other Matters Connected Therewith’ is the best thing to have happened to oil communities in the state.

“The governor is doing the right thing. This has been our agitation for the past 20 years. I initiated the agitation for a better life for oil producing communities. The

JTF donates borehole to Jonathan's maternal home

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta codenamed Operation Pulo Shield, has sunk and donated a water borehole to Akipelai community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The project is part of the Major General Emmanuel Atewe-led JTF carrot and stick approach in the fight against illegal oil bunkering and theft in the Niger Delta region.

The borehole, which is sited at the premises of the Community Secondary School, Akipelai, was commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan’s mother, Mrs. Eunice Jonathan, a native of the community.

Mrs Jonathan, who thanked the JTF Commander for his efforts towards eradicating illegalities in the Niger Delta region, lauded his professional approach in carrying out the mandate of the Task Force.

agitation of the founding members of DESOPADEC, which I am one, is for direct allocation of the money to the oil communities and that is what this bill seeks to achieve.

“DESOPADEC is an interim arrangement by us to get the Presidency at the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, to allow the release of the 13 per cent derivation fund through the state government to the oil communities since the argument then was that there was no structure to disburse the fund.

“Governor Uduaghan should be

congratulated, rather than crucified for the bill which is exactly our recommendations at the National Conference. By creating development agencies and investment corporations for each of the ethnic oil-producing nationalities in the state, he is fulfilling our agitation.”

Chairman, Delta HOSTCOM, Mr. Benjamin Iwetan, who also spoke to Vanguard, said: “My appeal is that those being misled to shout down the bill should have a rethink and support it because the agencies will bring oil money directly to our people.

“A situation where you have a powerful chairman, secretary and

commissioners spending the money on our behalf will no longer exist when the bill is passed into law."

National Secretary of Oil and Gas Producing Communities on 13 per cent Derivation Fund, Mr Hendrix Opukeme, who spoke in the same light, said: “The fund has not really been trickling to the oil communities before now as expected, but with the bill, each ethnic nationality will have its own oil producing development agency and investment corporations that will be sited anywhere in its terrain and people will feel the impact of the oil money."

CERTIFICATES OF RETURN: From left: Rivers State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dame Gesila Khan and Mr Evans Bipi, during the presentation of certificates of return to the state House of Assembly members in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo. Nwankpa Chijioke.

PDP group demands dissolution of party’s NWC

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT—A GROUP, Coalition of South-South Peoples Democratic Party Elders, has called for the dissolution of the Adamu Muazu-led National Working Committee of the PDP, adding that a technical committee should also be immediately constituted to reposition the party ahead of 2019 elections.

Spokesman of the group, Chief Tamuno Tekena, in a statement, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, said that they were consulting with the leadership of the party in the region, stressing that it was part of efforts to consolidate the party in the region.

According to Tekena, they had met with Chief Edwin Clark, Chief Tony Anenih, adding that the party will not wait till the next election year before it begins to rebound.

He appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that the party is firmly

restructured before bowing out of office on May 29.

The body also enjoined members to remain in the party, boasting that it would

reclaim the presidency in 2019.

They also lauded the federal government for the success so far recorded in the fight against Boko Haram.

Tinubu, Buhari architects of democracy in Nigeria —EMERHOR

By Onoja Innocent

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R E S I D E N T- E L E C T , Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd) and All Progressives Congress, APC, National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, have been described as the architects of modern democracy in Nigeria.

Delta APC candidate in the just concluded governorship election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, said the two men worked hard to rescue Nigeria from the stranglehold of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which he alleged had crumbled the socio-economic structure of the country in the last 16 years.

Emerhor, in a statement by his Director of Media and Political

Communication, Dr. Fred Oghenesivbe, said: “Now, there will be a great light at the end of the tunnel for Nigerians who have been fasting and praying for “change” occasioned by the reckless corruption in high places in government.”

He said that the misrule of the PDP provoked Tinubu, Buhari and other progressives to deploy time, treasure and talents to rescue Nigeria from the un-progressive cabal.

Emerhor said “Asiwaju Tinubu and Gen Buhari have finally etched their names in global political hall of fame through their commitment to the entrenchment of structures that produced our democratic experience as a nation."

Delta Trade Expo kicks off May 8 AS part of efforts to diversify the economy of Delta State, the state Ministry of Commerce and Industry has concluded plans to hold the Delta Trade Expo Beyond Oil. The trade expo will hold in Asaba from May 8 to 16.

The event which is expected to expose the potentials of the state to local and international investors is supported by Charlesville Technologies in partnership with DACCIMA. The Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr Chris Ekiyor, said the state government has provided the enabling environment for prospective investors, adding that modalities have been put in place to ensure a hitch free trade fair.

He called on business men and women, corporate organisations, local and foreign investors to take advantage of the Delta Trade Expo to showcase their businesses and products.

CEPEJ condemns xenophobic attacks in S-Africa

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NIGER Deltabased civil society group, Center for Peace and Environmental Justice, CEPEJ, has condemned the xenophobic attacks by South African rampaging youths on black migrants, including Nigerians.

National Coordinator of CEPEJ, Sheriff Mulade, described as barbaric the attacks on other Africans residing in South Africa and blamed the perpetrators for being cold hearted in carrying out such depraved acts.

Mulade, in a statement in Warri, Delta State, expressed dismay over the attacks on fellow Africans and questioned the spirit of unity and oneness as espoused by African Union charters.

He charged the South African government to rise to the occasion by deploying more security operatives to the streets to protect the lives and property of the foreigners, saying that the present efforts by the government were inadequate to stem the tide of the nefarious activities of the youths.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 43

Sambo calls for full compliance with IPSAS

Abia supplementary polls, free, fair, credible —Nigerian observers

By Anayo Okoli

By Jonah Nwokpoku

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MUAHIA—DOMESTIC observers who were accredited to observe the just concluded supplementary governorship and House of Assembly elections in Abia State have described the polls as free, fair and credible.

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ICE PRESIDENT, Arc. Namadi Sambo, has called on all stakeholders in the pubic sector to comply with the adoption of the International Public Sector Accounting Standards which implementation will come into effect by January 1, 2016.

Sambo stated this while speaking at the launch of the IPSAS Accrual Accounting Manual in Abuja.

Represented by the Minister of State, Finance, Amb. Bashir Yuguda, Sambo described the development of an Accrual Accounting Manual as a pivotal milestone and deliverable towards the implementation of IPSAS. “The Manual has been developed as a comprehensive guideline for the practice of IPSAS compliant Accrual Accounting in public sector entities across the federation and it provides the policies, processes and procedures to adhere to and comply with in the recognition, recording and reporting of financial transactions of the public sector entities," he said.

On his part, the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Jonah Ogunniyi Otunla, while appreciating all the stakeholders for their commitment in making both the manual and the launch of it a success, noted that accountants and auditors should be trained and retrained for efficient deployment of the accrual manual.

Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, the state capital at the end of their assignment in the state, the Coalition of All INEC Accredited Domestic Observers, CAIADO, which participated in the April 25, 2015 polls in the state, said the election was free, fair and peaceful in all the places they visited.

According to a spokesman for

the group,Moses Ebahor, the election which was held in nine local government areas, however, witnessed low turn-out of voters in some councils. ‘’There were adequate security personnel, including the police, Army and civil defence,” in all the areas visited, Ebahor added, noting that there was marked

improvement in the use of the card readers during the election compared to the previous ones.

He also, said that the people of Abia State demonstrated high sense of patriotism with high level of maturity and peaceful coexistence and scored INEC 80 per cent in the conduct of the elections.

Some PDP chieftains worked against Jonathan's re-election —Sen Adokwe

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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B U J A — S E N AT O R Suleiman Adokwe, representing Nasarawa South on the platform of the Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, said that some chieftains of the PDP in collaborating with the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, worked against the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Senator Adokwe in an

interview with journalists in Abuja, decried what he described as institutional conspiracy by ranking members of the PDP at the federal and state levels in connivance with the APC to ensure victory for the opposition

NAFDAC raids Aba market, arrests two, seals two shops over fake product

By Eric Ugbor

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BA—IN its continued efforts to rid the nation's markets of fake and unwholesome products, officials of National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Tuesday, raided the Eziukwu Market in Aba, Abia State.

During the raid, which lasted several hours, two traders who were alleged to be involved in the sale of fake instant cold water

starch product were arrested.

The NAFDAC officials from Lagos, in addition to arresting the suspects, also sealed their shops while hundreds of cartons of the fake product worth several millions of Naira were seized.

Speaking after the operation, the Chief Regulatory Officer, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, NAFDAC, Uche Uzoma, said his office got information about the faking of the product, which was being manufactured by Cormart at Ilupeju, Lagos, adding that it was

based on the strength of the information, that they moved in and raided the Eziukwu Market.

“We seized about 100 cartoons of the fake product and we are going to send them for laboratory analysis to confirm their status and from there, we take it further.

“Once the product is confirmed to be fake, those arrested would be prosecuted, of course, with the approval of the management.”

He said the agency had spread its dragnet to ensure that the fake products in other markets were confiscated.

Urhobo group insists on change in Delta

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N URHOBO electoral awareness group, Urhobo Grassroots Mobilisation Network, has condemned the unwillingness of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials to ensure free and fair elections in Delta State, saying that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP's, celebrations of victory in the

recently held governorship election, will be short-lived.

In an interactive session with newsmen, in Orerokpe, Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, the group, through its coordinator, Mr. Tiomemena Ategor insisted that the PDP's victory "cannot stand the test of time against the challenge being

mounted against the process by the All Progressives Congress, APC. “The illegitimately acquired victory of the PDP in Delta State is the product of the PDP rigging machine that has held Deltans hostage for the past 16 years, thereby rendering the state comatose,” the group said.

party.

He said that President Goodluck Jonathan suffered an unprecedented betrayal by his party members adding that he also suffered the same betrayal by his closest friends in the senatorial election he contested for on March 28.

He said that the conspiracy against President Jonathan and the PDP even included nonpoliticians who did everything possible to stop the party.

“I maintained that there is a complete institutional conspiracy to shift the government from the PDP to the APC at all costs," Adokwe said.

Obodo for burial

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R. ANTHONY Obodo of Ibite Awhum, Udi Local Government of Enugu State is dead, aged 73.

He will be buried on May 6, 2015, at his country home, Ibite Awhum.

Burial rites will start on May 4 - 10, 2015.

He is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren and many Late Mr. Obodo relations.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Boko Haram defeat before May 29

W

hen a matter is fresh in Nigeria almost everybody becomes interested in it, but after a while everything goes down as if nothing ever happened. I do not think such attitude towards issues of such magnitude is proper. -Miss Chioma Ani, Model

D

asuki should know that not all Nigerians are fools. The hide and seek game is over. Even if Buhari will use koboko to release the Chibok girls, no problem. Let him revisit his campaign promises.

-Miss Sophia Osuji, Graduate

T

hose who organised the phantom kidnap of the Chibok girls to instigate overthrow of Jonathan will soon realise they may have shot themselves on the foot because they are bound to produce the girls now whether dead or alive.

-Miss Chika Dike, Banker

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nyone who thinks the Chibok girls are real needs to have his heads examined. It was a well doctored kidnap for a purpose. Chibok girls are a scam organised by APC for political purposes. This is what we call civilian overthrow. -Mr. Chinedu Chinweoda, Businessman

T

he elections have ended, but the repercussions from the historic event shall continue to generate reactions for many days, weeks, months, years and perhaps for all time. Thank God, now we have a Muslim president. -Mr. Obim Nwosu, Customer care agent

A

ccording to the National Security Adviser, our military will liberate Sambisa Forest before May 29, and this is not an impossible task. The President-elect should do everything possible to help in achieving it. -Mr. Martins Ifeanyi, Photographer

44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

COPEM congratulates Amori over poll victory

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APELE—DELTA State College of Physical Education, Mosogar, has congratulated Senatorelect and Senior Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Ighoyota Amori, on his victory in the justconcluded Delta Central Senatorial election, saying Chief Amori’s good work in government and amongst his people has swayed the masses to vote en masse for him.

Meanwhile, a release by the institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Ufuoma Churchill, has said a year two student of Political Science department of the institution, Miss Mary Okorhi, will be representing the Athletics Federation of Nigeria, AFN, in 100 meters hurdles at the on-going second CAA African Youth Championship, taking place in Mauritius.

Earlier, the student has won a gold medal in the same event in the Nigeria Colleges of Education Games, NICEGA, last year.

In a congratulatory letter signed on behalf of the institution by Prof.

Clement Nwawolo, as well as Prof. Emmanuel Ojeme, the school’s Provost, Chief Amori was described as “having shiny footprints on the sand of time whose presence in the hallowed chambers of the Senate will bring better days to his people, the school and all Deltans.”

Ortom vows to probe Suswam's govt

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE Benue State governorelect, Dr. Samuel Ortom has vowed to probe the outgoing Gabriel Suswam- led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, administration in the state.

Ortom spoke to reporters yesterday in Makurdi, the state capital, while reacting to the criticisms trailing the recent donation of eight Sports Utility Vehicles, SUV, to himself, his deputy and their spouses.

Represented by the Deputy Governor-elect, Mr. Benson Abounu, he said the vehicles would not be put to use until after the May 29 handover date.

“We collected those vehicles because they were bought from government coffers and because of the kind of stories and rumours we hear concerning government property and vehicles, we did not want anything to happen to the cars and that was why we took possession of them.

“Moreover, when we take over we will look into the books; we will also find out how much was spent in purchasing those cars among others. So whatever we do will certainly be in tandem with the wishes and aspirations of the people of Benue State who massively voted for change in our state and not the contrary.”

On plans by the outgoing administration to install first

SIGNING CEREMONY: From left; Finance and Strategy Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc. Mr. Ron Plumridge; Head, Debt Capital Markets, FMDQ OCT Plc. Mr. Kobi Bentsi-Enchill; MD/CEO Guinness Nigeria Plc, John O’Keeffe; and, Executive Director, Corporate and Institutional Clients, Standard Chartered Bank, Oluremi Oyindasola Oni at the N10 billion Commercial Paper signing ceremony held at Guinness Nigeria Headquarters on Wednesday. class chiefs in the state, Ortom cautioned against the move.

“Considering the importance of the traditional institution in our state, it is unacceptable to rush the passage of this law.'' ''Our state has been literally grounded and the most important objective at the moment should be how to offset salaries and allowances owed workers and stabilize for a smooth take off. We learnt he (Suswam) is planning to do this around May 4 and May 6, 2015,” Ortom added.

He also frowned at the last

Isoko activist hails APC, decries Delta, South-south polls

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Isoko activist, Comrade Ogaga Mukoro, has congratulated the All Progressives Congress, APC, for defeating the Peoples Democratic Party PDP in the recently held general elections, describing the victory of the party and the emergence of its presidential N

candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari as the next President of Nigeria as sign of complete paradigm shift in the governance of the country.

In a statement made available to newsmen yesterday in Oleh, Delta State, Mukoro claimed that the PDP, having completely failed the nation in the past 16

AFC concludes debut Eurobond issue

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N April 22, 2015, Africa Finance Corporation (AFC), an African Supranational financial institution, priced its inaugural US$750 million 4.375% 5-year international bond. This represents the first issue under AFC’s US$3,000,000,000 Global Medium Term Note Programme.

The issue’s settlement date is April 29, 2015 with a maturity date April 29, 2020. The proceeds of the issuance will be used for general corporate and financing purposes and to repay all amounts outstanding under an existing bridge facility.

The Eurobonds were placed following a seven-day roadshow across three continents and involving meetings with over 100 institutional investors. The final order book was more than six times oversubscribed at over US$4.7

minute massive recruitment into government ministries, parastatals and agencies as well as indiscriminate promotion, maintaining that while some of the recruitments were fresh, others were being backdated or documented as replacements.

“We want to warn that these recruitments, however documented in addition to the promotions, are in bad faith and cannot stand. Beneficiaries must be aware and civil servants being used to perpetrate this illegality must face dire consequences.”

billion from 315 investors, enabling a well-diversified distribution among international institutional investors across Asia, Europe and the US. The bonds will be listed on the Irish Stock Exchange.

AFC is a multilateral development financial institution dedicated to infrastructure financing in Africa, primarily

through debt and equity investments, project development and financial advisory services.

It commenced operations on November 1, 2007 and is focused on bridging Africa’s large infrastructure deficit by financing projects that have high developmental impact on the economies of African countries.

Oba Solomon Hambolu laid to rest

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—THE late paramount ruler of EkirinAdde Community of Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Oba Solomon Ige Hambolu has been buried.

Hambolu died on December 3,

2014, at the age of 75.

Among those who graced the occasion are former Chief of Staff to the President, Prince Shola Akanmode; Governor Idris Wada, represented by the Commissioner for Agriculture, Zaccheus Atte, Kogi State Deputy Governor, Mr. Yomi Awoniyi, and others.

years, it was a welcome development that change had finally come to the relief of the masses.

Mukoro insisted that while there were credible elections in most parts of the country, there were no meaningful elections in most parts of the South-South geo-political zone, lamenting that in Delta in particular, the PDP subverted the popular will of the electorate by massively rigging the elections as never witnessed before in the state.

While commending the governorship candidate of the APC in Delta, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor for insisting on invalidating the polls and reclaiming his mandate, Mukoro said hope for change remained alive in Delta, assuring Emerhor that all progressives across the state are firmly behind him.

According to him: “I call on the national leadership of APC to stand behind their candidates in Delta and other South-South states to reclaim their mandates in order to avoid a situation where there is no major oilproducing state in the APC family. They must not abandon the richest part of the country to be looted by PDP, as we too in the Niger Delta are clamouring for change.”

Akwa Ibom APC denies congratulating Udom

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ORUM of All Progressives Congress, APC, Local Government Chapters Chairmen in Akwa Ibom State, has debunked claims that it congratulated the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr. Udom Emmanuel in the last governorship election in the state.

Briefing newsmen in Uyo, the group’s chairman, Mr. Nkereuwem Okpok said it was misleading for anyone to have done that when the APC, did not accept the outcome of the poll.

His words: ‘’Our attention has been drawn to a press conference statement by some people, who claimed to be Chapter Chairmen of the APC in the state on April 28, 2015.

In the press statement, they issued a congratulatory message to Udom Emmanuel, the PDP Governorship candidate in the April 11 election.

“The individuals, who addressed the press conference are neither members nor chapter chairmen of the APC in the state. They are imposters, pretenders and hirelings. They are are going about deceiving people in the name of politics.

We are the authentic chapter chairmen of the APC in the state; and we are the ones that had signed a communiqué dated April 19, 2015 in which we reaffirmed our support and loyalty to our Party, the APC and our governorship candidate, Mr Umana Okon Umana.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—45

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GLO WINS: From left— Mr. Gbenga Adebayo, Chairman of Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria; Mr. Steve Stretch, Head of Glo Gateway; and Mr. Femi Odutan, also of Glo Gateway, during the presentation of Submarine Cable Company Award for Glo 1 to the telecom firm at the Beacon of ICT Awards in Lagos. Glo also won Best Telecom Company and Most Innovative Company of the year awards.

MTN APPTITUDE: From left— Mr. Richard Iweanoge, General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN; Dr. Jonathan Doerr, Managing Director, Jumia Nigeria; Olubayo Adekanmbi, Chief Marketing Officer, MTN; and Massimiliano Spolazzi, CEO, Kaymu Africa, at the launch of MTN APPtitude campaign in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

LCCI/BoI: From left— Mr. Waheed Olagunju, Executive Director, Small & Medium Enterprises, Bank of Industry, BoI; Chief Nike Akande, Deputy President, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, LCCI; Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD\CEO, BoI; Alhaji Remi Bello, President, LCCI, and Mr. Ganiu Mohammed, Divisional Director, SME, BoI, during a courtesy to BoI.

DIRECTORS' INSTITUTE: From left— Sir Remi Omotoso, Guest Speaker; Mr. Yemi Akeju, 1st Vice President; and Mrs. Eniola Fadayomi, President, both of Institute of Directors, IoD, during the institute's new members' evening in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

HEALTH TALK: From left— Professor Michael Ibadin, Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital; Mr. Akin Fadeyi, Chief Executive Officer, Bufferzone Limited; Mrs. Olajoke Balogun, Zonal Coordinator, South-West, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS; and Dr. Munkaila Yusuf, CMD, Muhammed Abdulahi Wase Specialist Hospital, Kano, during the Health Access Season II talk show of NIHS in Lagos.

NURSES/UNILEVER MoU: From left— Abdurafiu Adeniji, National President, National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, NANNM; David Okeme, Brand Building Director, Unilever Nigeria; and Olumide Aniyikaiye, Category Manager, Skin Care and Deodorant, at the signing of Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, between Unilever and NANNM in Lagos.

WESTERN UNION/UEFA: From left— Adejumoke Ajayi, Head, Remittance, Ecobank Nigeria Plc; Ebere Nwaolikpe, Assistant Marketing Manager, ECOWAS, Western Union Financial Services Incoporated, and Anietie Bassey, Head, Sales and Alliance Management, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, at the Western Union/UEFA-Frontline Association, FLA, challenge prize handover ceremony in Lagos.

AWARD: Chief Kenny Martins, Executive Chairman/CEO GreenSpring Nigeria Limited and National Co-ordinator, Police Equipment Foundation (left), receiving a plaque from High Prince Leye Babalola, during an award ceremony as a Fellow of the Institute of Company and Commercial Accountants, ICCA, of Nigeria.

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

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US reaffirm commitment to developmental issues in Nigeria

By Vera Samuel Anyagafu

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HE US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle has declared areas his country's interest was in assisting Nigeria to grow its economy.

Speaking at the just concluded Earth Day Anniversary in Abuja, Entwistle who appeared satisfied with Nigeria’s elections stated that Nigerian democracy now shines like a beacon across the continent, saying it is important for Nigerians to come together with a clear set of priorities for the future.

According to him, the US looks forward to a new chapter in its relationship with Nigeria, and is deeply committed to working with the government and people of Nigeria for many years to come.

Disclosing that President Obama places great importance on protecting the environment for future generations as both a key aspect of his domestic agenda and U.S. foreign policy, he stated that one of the areas both countries can work together is protecting the environment.

By this, “both countries are sure of protecting the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the land that supports and sustains us.

Environmental challenges like climate change, overfishing, and

increasing acidity of our oceans, in addition to air pollution. None of these challenges respect international borders and they injure us all. None of us are disconnected from these impacts, and the environment writ large is at great, great risk today."

Noting that the US government was taking steps towards ensuring a better bilateral developmental assistance in most pressing global environmental issues, he stressed that, “in places like New Orleans and the Niger Delta, the rise in sea levels could push people from their homes. We are also assisting the Nigerian government in developing a renewable energy market by providing partial-risk guarantees to promote increased private sector lending to the clean energy sector and we are very proud of our partnership with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, where together we are researching and developing improved technologies that will enable farmers to adapt to climate change. One area of ongoing concern he stated at the meeting is Nigeria’s power utility system."

Ambassador Entwistle lamented the frustration resulting from the sporadic power outages that negatively affect both

personal and professional lives noting that these disruptions affect nearly all businesses, but are most detrimental to manufacturing companies.

“Many Nigerian businesses and households are not lucky enough to have climate-friendly power backup systems, relying instead on inefficient diesel generators. Those generators are now estimated to form the largest block of Nigeria’s CO2 emissions.

Establishing a reliable,

environmentally friendly electrical grid should remain a top Nigerian government priority.

This is also an issue President Obama is working to address through his Power Africa Initiative. Power Africa aims to bring power to 20 million people on this continent, through partnerships with governments and private industry,” he submitted Still emphasizing on the Power Africa Initiative, he said that

Nigeria is the lynch-pin to the success of the Power Africa initiative, saying that the fundamental restructuring of the power sector that has been started here in Nigeria is the most ambitious such effort in Africa, and the US government has been a major partner in moving it forward, just as USAID has been helping Nigeria restructure the generation and distribution companies, and helping Nigeria’s regulatory bodies to craft regulations that will enable the power sector to thrive."

Chinese consulate, solidifying China-Nigeria partnerships

By Anozie Egole

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HE Chinese Consulate Consul General, Mr. Liu Kan, has expressed the need for Nigeria and China to continue in efforts towards maintaining healthy and cordial bi-national relationships to allow progression in key sectors of both countries’ economies.

Kan said that Nigeria and China share various similarities disclosed that Nigeria is one of China’s good friends and both countries have enjoyed very close, symbolic relationship. In his keynote message at the event marking the country’s good relationship with Nigeria in various areas, the Consul General, who also hosted a good

number of teachers and about 50 pupils of the Itedo Nursery/ Primary School, Lekki, Lagos, expressed satisfaction on seeing both the teachers and pupils in fulfilling participating spirit.

He told Vanguard that the occasion was used to showcasing some of the country’s rich culture and tradition, and also part of solidifying the bi-national relationship between China and Nigeria. “We wish to welcome you to our Consulate and hope that you have a nice time with us as we host our Open Day celebration today. We are hoping that your generation of Nigerians will know more about China, her people, history, culture and friendly relationship with Nigeria. China has a long history

of over 500 years spreading across civilizations, and today, we are contributing enormously to the development of the world.

Nigeria is one of China’s good friends; both countries have enjoyed very close, symbiotic relationship."

Similarly, two officials of the Consulate, Mr. Xu Xinglong and Mr. Yu Guo, took the visiting pupils and their teachers on a guided tour round the Consular offices, showing them Chinese Visa application procedure and Chinese national symbols and their meanings. The pupils and their teachers also visited Chinese historical photographic gallery where they were shown the bilateral exchange between China and Nigeria.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015—51

EPZ: Navy calls for resettlement of Ugborodo IDPs

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—OUTGOING Commander, Nigerian Navy Ship, NNS Delta, Commodore Musa Gemu, has said that the realisation of the Federal Government's $16 billion Export Processing Zone, EPZ, will not materialise unless the issue of internally displaced persons in volatile Ugborodo, the host community, was amicably resolved.

Gemu, yesterday at the NNS Delta base in Warri, Delta State, during a farewell parade held in his honour as he handed over to Commodore Aliyu Sule, who succeeds him as Commander, said: “The ground breaking has been carried out to lay foundation for take-off of the EPZ project.

However, unless the Ugborodo people address the issue of internally displaced persons,

realization of this project is still a long journey.”

Gemu added that the NNS Delta destroyed over 3,500 illegal refinery camps and 230 wooden boats laden with suspected stolen crude oil, among top achievements of his 14 months tenure at the Warri Naval Command.

He expressed joy in the realization that no life was lost in the fight against illegal oil bunkering and pipeline vandalism on the waterways, attributing the feat to the collective efforts of men of the command and good spirited members of the public who provided useful information.

Commodore Sule who took over from Gemu told newsmen that he will build on the achievements of his predecessor by ensuring that the waterways were safe for economic activities.

VISIT: From Left Comdr. Aliyu Sule, Commander NNS,Warri; Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State and Commander Musa Gemu, outgoing Commander NNS, Delta, during a courtesy call by outgoing Commander NNS, Delta on Governor Uduaghan. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Due process was followed in land allocation, Ferife tells DTHA

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—IMMEDIATE past Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development in Delta State, now in the Directorate of Special Infrastructure, Sir Patrick Ferife, has said that although the exercise may not be entirely perfect, due process was observed in the allocation of lands in the

state during his tenure in the ministry.

Appearing before the adhoc committee set up by the Delta State House of Assembly to investigate allocation of lands in the state in the last four years, Ferife, who addressed the Sam Obi-led five-man committee, said that upon assumption of office in 2011, it was observed that there were three major

government land acquisitions in the capital territory, Ibusa, Ugbolu and the core area of Asaba.

He said that much was done to ensure that genuine applicants got allocations of plots of land, disclosing that the ministry had over 3,000 applicants that completed all the processes waiting to be allotted a place.

He told the committee

Workers’ Day: Tension in Delta as two NLC factions mark event in Asaba

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—TODAY'S Workers’ Day in Delta State will be marked in an atmosphere of tension in the state as two newly inaugurated factions of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, celebrate the occasion in Asaba.

Both Delta NLC factions, one led by Williams

Akporeha and the other by David Ofoyeno, which emerged last week from the crisis rocking the national body, are billed to hold different Workers Day rallies in the state capital today.

The Akporeha faction in a statement, yesterday, shortly after a meeting with congress leadership, said that it will celebrate the event at the Saint Patrick’s

College playground with Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan expected to grace the occasion.

Ofoyeno, in similar fashion enjoined all Delta workers to join the parade to celebrate the workers day today.

A key faction member who spoke on condition of anonymity told Vanguard in Warri: “The event will determine the faction in charge."

Udom Inaugurates 21-man Transition Committee

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By Tom Moses

HE Akwa Ibom State governorelect, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has inaugurated a 21-member transition committee with a charge to ensure a hitchfree transition to the next administration, come May 29.

The committee, which was inaugurated at the state banquet hall in Uyo, is chaired by Chief Sunny Akpadiaha, a former Head of Service in the state, while Mr Udeme

Ufot serves as the Vice Chairman and Emmanuel Enoidem as Secretary.

Mr Emmanuel, while inaugurating the committee thanked all political stakeholders and noted that the committee's composition cuts across the academia, political class, business class and assured that his government will build a state that gives opportunities for all.

The governor-elect went further to read out a 10point reference for the

committee which includes to “gather information on the existing structure of the outgoing government and recommend appropriate reforms for overall improvement and better efficiency of government, ascertain the financial position of the outgoing government, assets and liabilities, revenue base and r e c o m m e n d improvements thereof, as well as take inventory of vulnerable and invulnerable physical assets of government.”

that some reforms he introduced in the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Development as commissioner had helped improve services in the

ministry, especially in the area of comprehensive documentation of lands.

He explained his absence in the last two sittings of the committee,

saying that he was out of the country on a two-week vacation and regretted any setback it might have caused the committee.

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NLC tasks Buhari on worker-friendly policies

By Kelechi Azubuike

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AGOS— A faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Mr. Joe Ajaero, yesterday, at a pre-May Day rally in Lagos, urged the incoming government of General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), to keep its campaign promises to Nigerians and pursue worker-friendly policies to avoid confrontation AGM: From left— Jibril Aku, Vice Chairman, Board of Directors; Sarah Alade, Chairman, with organized labour.

This came as a professor of Board of Directors; Bola Koko, MD/CEO, and Atinuke Taiwo, Company Secretary, all of FMDQ Political Science, Abubakar OTC Plc, at the 3rd annual general meeting of the firm in Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

Momoh, advised leaders of the two factions of NLC to reunite for the c o u n t r y ’ s development, because it would take a while for the to the gains of the past ad- tributions to humanity in “Anywhere we find our- economy

By Dayo Adesulu ministration, particular- their various fields of selves, we should work by recover.

Momoh was AGOS—THE au- ly in the education sec- profession. the challenges that surthorities of Univer- tor, was for the incoming General Danjuma was round us. We must build guest speaker at the pre-May Day sity of Lagos, UNILAG, government to complete conferred with Doctor of on every sign of hope.” has conferred Honorary the implementation of Science; Deacon OnoUNILAG's Pro-chancel- s y m p o s i u m Doctorate degrees on the the Needs Assessment sode, Doctor of Letter, lor and Chairman, Board organized by the General Overseer of the Funding programme. and Pastor Adeboye, of the Governing Coun- Ajaero-led faction Redeemed Christian Professor Bello said: Doctor of Science. cil, Professor Gerry Gana, of NLC in Lagos.

Speaking on The Church of God, RCCG, ”We like to also draw the In his remark, Adeboye urged the graduands to Labour Movement Pastor Enoch Adeboye; attention of the incom- said: “God is sovereign be change agents. immediate past Chair- ing government to the because he only can proman, UNILAG Governing need for a funding mech- mote from the lowest to Council, Deacon Gam- anism that will insulate the highest. The worst aliel Onosode and Gener- higher education from promotion is the one gival Theophilus Danjuma fluctuations in the coun- en by the crowd, because (rtd). the same crowd that protry's economy.

Professor Rahamon “This is the only way mote you today can cruBello, UNILAG's Vice universities can become cify you tomorrow.”

Chancellor, made this stable and maximally He, however, revealed known at the third day of contribute positively to that he had three doctorthe institution's convoca- the economic develop- ate degrees: two he tion, yesterday. Profes- ment of the nation. worked for, but the third, sor Bello also urged the “UNILAG is gradually coming from UNILAG, incoming government of becoming a postgraduate was given to him free of General Muhammadu university. 45 percent of charge.

Buhari (rtd) to consoli- our graduating students He said: “It was in this date on the gains record- are with higher degrees. university I gave my life ed in higher education by “We have produced to Christ, started hearing the outgoing Jonathan 103 Ph.Ds and we are from God and was oradministration. happy about this, be- dained a minister of God.” He noted that Jona- cause many of the Ph.D He used the opportunithan’s administration holders will be able to fill ty to preach to all, advisgave tremendous sup- the yawning gap in the ing that those that had port to educational de- newly-established uni- not repented to do so to velopment and chal- versities.” get promotion from God, lenged the incoming govOn the honoray de- which he said was parmaernment to build on it. grees, he explained that nent.

He said one of the best the recipients were seIn his brief remark, ways of consolidating on lected due to their con- Deacon Onosode said:

UNILA G conf er orat e UNILAG confer erss honorar honoraryy doct doctorat orate degrees on A debo Adebo deboyye, Onosode, Danjuma L

Stakeholders petition Jonathan over Warri Port Terminal B

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ARRI— OFFICIALS of Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE; National Council on Privatization, NCP, and the Ministry of Transport have been accused of plot to take over Warri Port Old Terminal ‘B’ in Delta State “for themselves through their cronies.”

This accusation was made by NPA Warri Port Stakeholders’ Forum in a petition dated April 28, and addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan.

In the petition, entitled Re: Fraudulent Concession of NPA Warri Old Port Terminal ‘B’ by the BPE/NCP, the stakeholders queried the rationale behind BPE/NCP officials delving into concession process of the said terminal when “there is a body already set up by law to undertake such concessioning.”

The petition, signed by Messrs Emiko Oghomienor, Tommy Gbugbuda, Oritsema Olley and Jonathan Duris Orugbor, on behalf of the stakeholders, vowed that they “shall ensure that the incoming administration deals with this issue frontally and there shall be no hiding place for these acts and the officials behind them.”

They called on the Presidency to put a stop to the activities of BPE/NCP to save Warri Port Terminal ‘B’ from imminent collapse.

and the Quest for Good Governance, he said: “The economy is not going to recover soon, no matter who is coming to take over the governance of the country.”

He argued that the price of oil was at its lowest, while the exchange rate and poverty level was on the increase, saying “73 million youths that are unemployed will not get jobs in one month. 10.5 million children that are out of school are not going to be reabsorbed in one month.

“The over 5,000 kilometres of bad roads in the country are not going to be fixed in a month. More than 80 percent in Lagos do not have access to portable. Deplorable wages will not be fixed in one month.”

Earlier, addressing the marching workers at Maryland, Ajaero said the rally was to alert the government on the need to keep to its electoral promises.

He said workers would hold government accountable for poverty, increase in employment of casual workers and poor education.

Mr. Tokunbo Korodo, Lagos State NLC Chairman, said workers would continue to draw government’s attention to their needs.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 55

WORKERS' DAY: We paid N17bn salary arrears, gratuity in 2 yrs — YERO

By Wole Mosadomi, with Agency report

G

OVERNOR Mukhtar Yero yesterday said that his administration paid backlog of salaries, allowances and gratuities of workers amounting to N17 billion within the two and a half years of his administration in the state.

“Salaries were always paid as at when due just as allowances were paid and we also settled pension and gratuity arrears that accumulated since 2006, amounting to over N17 billion,” he said in his message to mark today’s Workers Day. In the statement by his Media Aide, Ahmed Maiyaki, Yero congratulated workers in the state as they commemorate this year’s workers’ day saying “I salute the courage and

patriotic commitments of majority of our workers towards moving Kaduna State forward. This was evident by the level of support we received during this period that we have

Suspended Kwara lawmaker stopped from entering Assembly complex

By Demola Akinyemi

I

L O R I N — A suspended member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Iliasu Ibrahim, representing Ipaye/ Malete/Olooru constituency, who was reinstated by the court was yesterday prevented from entering the assembly complex for the second

Uniben Fishery students hail Don’s elevation to professorship

By Christopher Njoku

B

ENIN CITY— MEMBERS of the National Association of Fishery Students (NAFIS) University of Benin Chapter, has hailed the elevation of renowned academician and scholar, Prof. V.A Okonji, to the status of a Professor.

The association, whose entire membership thronged the Don’s office to express their happiness over the development, spoke through its President, Comrade Iyang Uko Francis, describing Prof. Okonji in glowing terms, as a man whose achievements in the

been in office.”

He then expressed appreciation to civil servants in the state for the immense support they gave his administration in the last two and half years.

academic world can never go unnoticed.

“Sir, we are proud to be associated with you. Your towering intellectual sagacity is next to non.

That the institution has chose to elevate you to the level of a Professor is not by accident. You have worked tirelessly to earn any good thing this life can ever give”, Iyang said.

In his response, Prof.

Okonji, who noted that his love for the institution has prompted him to earn all his degrees in the institution, promised to give all his best to justify the confidence reposed on him by the institution.

time in a week.

The house leadership however claimed that it was not aware of the court judgement being relied on by the law maker, adding that as far as it was concerned, Ibrahim was still on suspension.

The legislator, who is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was suspended in 2013 but approached the court where his suspension was nullified on June 13, last year.

The court in its judgement directed the House to pay all his 22month salaries and allowances.

However, Ibrahim had tried to enter the House on Tuesday but was prevented from doing so.

The same scenario played out yesterday at the Assembly gate along Asa Dam road at around 9:20 am.

The security men at the gate first stopped his car for about five minutes to inform their superior about the lawmaker’s presence.

A team of security men at the assembly including the Police, NSCDC officials and an Department of State Services, DSS, operatives numbering six later arrived and had lengthy discussion with the lawmaker for about one hour, 30 minutes.

Enugu San Carlos farms invaded

T

HE multimillion Enugu Sancarlos Farms was yesterday invaded by farmers from Enyimba and Agbudu communities in Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State. As early as 5am in the morning, farmers numbering over hundred barricaded the gate leading to the farm site.

The project is a partnership between Enugu State government and a Mexican company.

Speaking to reporters on why the action was taken, the spokesperson of the farmers, Comrade

Uchechukwu Akachukwu, noted that since 2012 when the government informed the communities of their plan to site the pineapple farm in the communities, all the promises made by the government and the company that they communities will be allowed to have their own farms side by side with the company have not been fulfilled. ''Rather they came up with the excuses that they will not tolerate cross pollination with their own breed, hence the farmers are all dying because their land have

been taken over and they can no longer cultivate their farms,'' Akachukwu said.

In the same vein, the agreement reached between the company and the communities concerning payment for the economic crops and trees on this land have yet not been paid. ''All entreaties made to the company and the governments have been in vain. Children of these farmers he noted have not been going to school.

Already over 1200 hectares of land have been cultivated,'' he noted.

56— VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 1 , 2015

Pakistani court jails 10 for Malala attack A

court in north-west Pakistan has jailed 10 men for life for the 2012 at t a c k o n e d u c a t i o n activist Malala Yousafzai. who was 15 at the time, was shot in the head on board her school bus in the Swat v a l l e y. T h e a t t a c k shocked the world.

She was awarded last year ’s Nobel Peace Prize for campaigning for children’s rights, despite the risk to her life. Officials say the 10 men, who do not include the man named as chief suspect, belonged to the Pakistani Taliban.

Ataullah Khan, a 23year-old militant, was identified by a police report at the time of the shooting - but he did not appear in the list of 10 men convicted yesterday. They were tried in an anti-terrorist court in Swat. Also not

Malala Yousafzai was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her campaigning work included in the list of the 10 sentenced, according to an unnamed security official quoted by Reuters, were the gunmen who boarded the bus and shot Malala. The exact charges the men faced

r e m a i n u n c l e a r. A lawyer from the local District Bar Association told the BBC that this was “ not an open hearing”.

Pa k i s t a n i o f f i c i a l s believe local Taliban leader Mullah Fazlullah ordered the

attack. He is thought to be in Afghanistan. Ms Yousafzai, now 17, was treated for her injuries in the UK and currently lives in Birmingham with her family. They are unable to return to Pakistan because of Taliban death threats.

A

key U.N. climate fund hit a snag yesterday as major donors including the United States and Japan failed to meet a deadline for converting their pledges of climate aid into signed agreements.

The Green Climate Fund — intended to become the main international channel of climate finance for developing countries — said it had inked deals for 42 percent of the $10 billion that governments pledged last year. It needs to hit 50 percent to start considering projects for funding — something it hopes to do before a major climate

US, Japan miss UN climate change fund deadline summit in Paris in December.

Executive Director Hela Cheikhrouhou urged governments that haven’t finalized agreements to do so “urgently” so the fund can start allocating money.

The U.S. pledged $3 billion to the fund while Japan promised $1.5 billion.

Nepal Quake: Two more rescued after five days

T

WO people have been rescued from the rubble of buildings in Kathmandu, five days after an earthquake that killed at least 5,500 in Nepal.

A 15-year-old boy told the BBC he survived by drinking water from wet clothes and eating clarified butter.

Elsewhere, a woman was

pulled from a collapsed block where she had been trapped alongside three bodies.

Meanwhile, bad weather is hampering the delivery of relief to remote villages, a Nepali government spokesman said. The government has been criticised for its response to the disaster.

Kenya admits negligence on Garissa massacre was ignored and the

K

ENYA’s interior minister yesterday admitted that intelligence

CAR: Hollande rules out amnesty for rapists

F

OURTEEN French soldiers are implicated in a probe into the alleged rape of children in the Central African Republic, a judicial source said Thursday, in what could be a potentially devastating scandal for the army.

The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said that “very few” of these soldiers had actually been identified in an ongoing investigation based on the statements of six children aged nine to 13.

This came as French President Francois Hollande said there will be “no mercy” for any soldiers found to have abused children in the Central African Republic. The authorities are probing claims that 16 French soldiers abused children at a camp for internally displaced people.Witnesses in a refugee camp in Central African Republic’s capital say French soldiers who were supposed to

security response botched regarding the Islamist massacre of nearly 150 people at Garissa university.

“There was lack of coordination on the side of the officers, there was intelligence that this place was going to be attacked,” Interior Minister Joseph Nkaissery told a parliamentary committee.

Nkaissery said security should have been “beefed up” but was not, and that once the attack began a “lack of coordination” undermined the response.

Militants from Somalia’s Al-Qaeda-linked Shebab rebels killed 148 people during the assault on Garissa university in northeast Kenya on April 2.

It was the group’s deadliest attack to date.

Ebola: S/Leonean schools re-open after nine months

C •French President Francois Hollande protect civilians sexually assaulted young children.

People living inside the

camp near the airport spoke out Thursday, a day after French prosecutors military authorities said

they were investigating allegations of sexual abuse in Bangui, the capital.

200 Senegalese die in boat disaster

A

T least 200 Senegalese died in the boat disaster off the coast of Libya earlier this month, officials say.

More than 750 migrants are thought to have died when the boat capsized off the coast of Libya on 18 April.

A Senegalese official

told the BBC that survivors of the shipwreck and Senegalese associations working in Libya had confirmed the figures.

HILDREN in the West African nation of Sierra Leone finally resumed classes almost nine months after the Ebola outbreak forced schools to shut down.

On arrival they were greeted by buckets of chlorinated water and teachers armed with digital thermometers.

Though new cases have dropped sharply over the past few months, nobody was taking any chances.

But amid continued fear of crowded spaces and an economy battered by the restrictions put in place to fight Ebola, just a fraction of students

actually turned up.

In one classroom in the Tengbeh Town neighbourhood of Freetown, just 11 out of 105 Class 1 pupils arrived.

Their bemused-looking teacher said some of the parents were still too afraid of letting their children associate with others for fear of catching Ebola.

“After so long time at home it’s tough to get them back in the system,” said Isabel Rissogill, a researcher with Save the Children.

“Some are too busy working to support their families.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 —57

C M Y K

58—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 —59

C M Y K

60 —Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

Vanguard CLASSIFIED ONWUKA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onwuka Melinda (Linda) Amaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Njoku Melinda (Linda) Amaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Family Change of Name We formerly known and addressed as Sir, Nwadi Ikechukwu Onuegbu family of Uruezenyi kindred, Urua Amada Village in Oraukwu, in Idemili North LGA, Anambra State: 1.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 — 61

Fed Cup round of 64: Enyimba begin title defence against Nasarrawa Feeders D

EFENDING champions Enyimba International FC will face Nasarawa Feeders FC in the Round of 64 in the Federation Cup competition.

The draw was held yesterday at the Main auditorium of the FIFA Goal Project Technical Centre in Abuja.

Nembe City will battle with Bayelsa United in a derby tie. Plateau United will face Shooting Stars SC while Inter FC are up against Dolphins FC amongst other interesting pairings.

The round of 64 matches will take place on 13th and 14th May. Winners of the Federation Cup which is a knockout competition, will represent Nigeria at the CAF Confederations Cup.

F

CELEBRATION ... Players of Enyimba FC of Aba celebrating one of their goals in a match

GTBank Lagos Principals Cup: Ikotun Snr High School for final

BY JACOB AJOM

I

•Anu

KOTUN Senior High School female football team yesterday zoomed into the final of the 2015 GTBank Lagos State Principals Cup finals after a 3-1 thumping of Government Senior College, Agege at the Onikan Waterfront.

The match which began in a high tempo witnessed speed, rugged defending and attacking football at its

best. Ikotun girls captained by peerless Salihu Anu were on the offensive in the early minutes of the first half, and they soon proved why they got to the semifinal when Amusilem Chinnerem spotting jersey number 7 slotted home the first goal.

Attempts by Government Senior College, Agege girls to level scores only ended up exposing their rear. Captain Anu increased the tally with a clever finish just before the

Adenuga is our back-bone — Ladipo

P

RESIDENT General of Nigeria Supporters Club, Dr Rafiu Ladipo has described Multi billionaire Globacom Chairman, Dr Mike Adenuga as the backbone of the club. ‘’He’s the back-bone of the Supporters Club. He is the one man who has kept us moving from strength to strength. He has showered us with money countless times. He is an uncommon Philanthropist who loves sports because he knows the joy it brings to millions of Nigerians’’, he said as he continues to count the blessings of the award-winning Supporters Club of Nigeria.

Ladipo said that Dr Adenuga was a cheerful

Okpekpe IAAF Road Race: Okaeben named events director

end of the first stanza.

On resumption, the girls from Agege pulled one back, raising hope for a possible equaliser that would have dragged the match into extra time. But that was not to be as Chinnerem was not done yet. She was on hand to put the match beyond the hard fighting Agege girls with her second goal of the match to put scores at 3-1.

Captain of the victorious girls from Ikotun, Salisu Anu was declared man of the match. By this feat, the school has now qualified for the final and will meet Oriwu Senior Model college Ikorodu who defeated CMS Girls Senior Sec School Bariga 4-3 on penalties Wednesday.

Plateau SWAN tasks Yakmut on sports dev

BY MARIETHERESE NANLONG

T

HE Plateau State Chapter of Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, SWAN has congratulated Dr. Alhassan Yakmut over his appointment as the Acting Director General, National Sports Commission describing it as putting a round peck in a round hole.

In a statement issued yesterday in Jos and signed by Thadeus Yilmen and Agabus Pwanagba, Chairman and Secretary of SWAN respectively, the Association added it was optimistic in the Acting DG’s ability to turn the

Keshi

JOYFUL ... Supporters Club members drumming supports for Eagles giver who has touched the lives of many Nigerians. ‘’He is our hero. When he gives, he gives in millions.

N10 million, N20 million and N30 million.

Where else can we have

somebody like Dr Adenuga?’’, the PG asked without waiting for an answer before saying; ‘’in Nigeria. He is a Nigerian and Nigerians love him andweareproudofhim’’.

Continues from BP persons he recommends. That is why we have the technical committee. You don’t expect them to accept just anybody the head coach recommends.”

The federation boss said they were aware of the looming 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the board would do everything

ORMER Edo State Sports Commissioner, Chris Okaeben has been named the Events Director of the 3rd IAAF Okpekpe Road Race, while Stella Nwala serves as the secretary of Secretariat. Okaeben who was newly elected into the Edo state house of Assembly will also coordinate all the activities of the race in the state as well as interface between the state government and the organisers of the race.

Director of Organisation, Zack Amodu stated that the Organising Committee intends to take the third edition to a higher level because the race has been accorded a bronze label recognition by IAAF.

possible to ensure Keshi’s assistants were named soon. “We know they should get started as the qualifiers are near. Keshi and the technical committee have been talking on the issue of his assistants and I am sure they will come up with something for the board to consider in no distant time,” he said.

fortunes of the NSC around.

DSTV Continues from BP the super-fight on SS6 and SS6 HD to enable all DStv Premium viewers to watch the action in High Definition. The build-up to the live event will begin at 8pm and headed by former boxer, Brian Mitchell, with a professional record of 45-1-3 and a panel that includes Phillip Ndou, who fought Mayweather in 2003, and legendary referee Stan Christodoulou. Viewers will also be treated to breaking news, extensive behind-thescenes coverage, documentaries, one-onones with Mayweather and Pacquiao, plus past fight highlights involving the pair.

The rights also include live streaming, which is available to Premium subscribers on the SuperSport app. The build-up will culminate in The Fight of the Century which will air from the early hours of Sunday on May 3rd.

62 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

The Big Fight...

No trash talk, no jawing, no shoving, no theatrics.

Well, not from the fighters, anyway. With Mayweather-Pacquiao just less than 48 hours away.

Neither fighter (nor their teams) had much to say about the other side that wasn’t complimentary.

The two fighters spoke with interviewers from their respective networks, and gave little insight beyond, “Hey, buy the fight.”

Pacquiao: All things are possible On how he’s feeling “I feel excited and ready, relaxed. I have peace of mind for the fight.”

On comparing this to other big fights “It’s one of the biggest fights. I can say that.

It’s a historic fight.”

On staying so relaxed in the media blitz “I’m enjoying doing this. I’m happy to fight on Saturday. Finally, this fight is happening.

I’m excited for Saturday.”

On his confidence that he’ll beat Mayweather “The Lord my God that I am serving, He will deliver him into my hands on Saturday.”

Floyd: I know what it tak es tto o takes win at this level

Flo yd ‘ll Floyd not show up —Roach

I

“ t’s business. It’s my

job. I’ve been here before. I know what it takes when it’s a fight of this magnitude. I’m happy to be a part of this event, the biggest fight in sports history.”

On what he saw in Pacquiao’s eyes “I can’t really say. I can’t really judge him by how he looks, because he could come out and fight a total different way. We’ll see how everything plays out Saturday.”

On how he makes the fight exciting without being reckless “We’ll just have to see.

If you go back in my archives and check my fights out, I gave people a lot of exciting fights. I wish I could’ve been a pay-per-view star early in my career, but I wasn’t. It took years and years of hard work, and I’m truly blessed.”

On being bigger and maybe making Manny go backwards “Manny Pacquiao fights better going backwards. He’s a fighter who likes to move backwards and fight. He’s a guy who can’t fight as good going forward, but going back he can fight extremely good.”

On what fans can expect to see “You guys have to buy the pay-per-view. If you’re at home, buy pay-per-view right now. This is an event that you cannot miss.

The biggest fight in boxing history. I’m in tiptop condition. I’m pretty sure he’s in tip-top shape also.”

C M Y K

On his motivation as the underdog “It’s motivated me more and it’s helped me a lot. It’s given me the encouragement, the focus. I love to be an underdog.”

On how he feels being involved in this type of event “Amazing beyond my imagination that I can be like this. I cannot imagine that the Lord, He gives me these blessings. It’s amazing, if you have faith in the Lord, a relationship with the Lord, all things are possible.”

M

My son‘ll knock out Pacquiao —Mayweather Snr

F

loyd Mayweather Senior has warned Manny Pacquiao his son has trained harder for their Saturday showdown than any of his

other fights.

Mayweather Sr is convinced the MGM Grand bout will end in a stoppage victory and see Floyd Jr extend his un-

beaten record to 48 fights. “I’m going to give you the honest truth.

Floyd may be working a little bit harder than he normally would,” Mayweather Sr said.

“It’s not a strategy, it’s not a plan, it’s nothing.

He’s just a normal opponent who is going to get his ass whupped.

“In a situation like this we take it serious. If I see somebody say he’s going to whup me, I’m going to take it serious.

He is totally prepared and we’re going to make sure we run Pacquiao out of this town.”

Asked how confident he was in a Mayweather win, Floyd Sr added: “100 per cent.”

And pressed about a stoppage, he went a lit-

Ma yw eather is a scared little man —Tyson Mayw yweather

I

‘ ron’ Mike Tyson

has described Floyd Mayweather as “delusional” and a “small, scared man.”

America’s former heavweight champion offered his opinion on the unbeaten American fighter after insinuated he was a better fighter than the iconic Muhammad Ali. Speaking at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Tyson, who became the

youngest heavyweight champion in history when he won the title in 1986 at the age of 20, said: “He’s very delusional. He can’t listen.

“If he was anything like Ali he would take his kids to school by himself. “He can’t take his kids to school by himself. He’s a very small, scared man. “Greatness is not guarding yourself from the people. Greatness is being accepted

by the people.”

Tyson has given fresh backing for Manny Pacquiao ahead of the fight, with Tyson having previously predicted that the Filipino would have the measure of his opponent.

“Floyd doesn’t throw anywhere near 100 punches a round. He is more of a scientific fighter, he really plots a lot, he poses whereas Pacquiao is feinting and moving around,” he said.

tle further, saying only: “110 per cent.”

Pacquiao appeared to be completely unfazed by the prediction as he arrived in Las Vegas ahead of schedule on Monday night – posing for pictures with his family, all smiles.

Former IBF and WBA welterweight champion Paulie Malignaggi is also backing Mayweather, but expects Pacquiao to cause him problems.

And he wonders if a knockout victory will prove possible for the undefeated Mayweather, such is the staying power of the Filipino great. “Mayweather is favourite and I agree with it, but this is certainly the closest odds you will ever get Floyd Mayweather at,” Malignaggi said.

ANNY Pacqui ao’s trainer says he fears Floyd Mayweather might not turn up for Saturday’s superfight in Las Vegas.

But Freddie Roach said of Mayweather: “I really am wondering if he’s going to turn up on the night.

“I don’t think any fighter is afraid, but I don’t think he wanted this fight. He was forced into a fight he didn’t want to take.”

Roach added: “I just don’t know why Floyd has gone quiet for this fight. His speech is very subdued.”

Five-weight world champion Mayweather, 38, was unmoved by Roach’s claims, stating: “I’ll be there. “I talked trash in the past but this fight sells itself, so I don’t have to.”

Roach said Mayweather’s camp had also made a complaint about the protective cup that Pacquiao will use, citing that as further proof of Mayweather’s fragile state of mind.

Roach said the Nevada Commission had inspected the cup at Pacquiao’s training camp and approved it.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015 —63

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MAY 1, 2015

The big fight

•Mayweather

•Pacquiao

‘Fight of the Century’ to air on DStv S

UPERSPORT International has rights to air the ‘Fight of the Century’ bout taking place this weekend between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao in Sub-Saharan Africa.

From this Saturday, 2nd of May, DStv will air Continues on Page 61

Why Keshi can’t pick assistants

BY JACOB AJOM

R

ETURNEE Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi does not have the power to select or appoint his own assistants, his employers, the Nigeria Football Federation have clarified.

In a chat with Sports Vanguard in his office at Onikan Stadium, NFF first Vice President and chairman of the Lagos State FA, Barrister Seyi Akinwumi said Keshi lacked that prerogative.

Asked why the coach was not allowed to pick his assistants, Akinwumi

quipped, “ will he pay them from his pocket?”

He said the federation was not excluding Keshi from the process of getting his assistants.

“The most he can do is to recommend who he would like to work with.

Based on his recommendation the

technical committee would then sit and consider the candidates.”

He however, made it clear that the committee was not bound to take his recommendations hook, line and sinker. “It depends on the kind of

Continues on Page 61

ALONE••• Keshi yet to get assistants.

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Dulcet (5) 7 Ration (5) 8 Pick-me-up (5) 10 Fire-raising (5) 12 Noise (3) 13 Step (5) 15 Burdened (7) 17 Dog-house (6) 19 Prosecute (3) 20 Tidiest (7) 23 Dregs (4) 25 Secure (4) 26 Satan (7) 30 Shrub (3) 31 Oppose (6) 34 Stream (7) 37 Circumference (5) 38 Strive (3) 39 Prickle (5) 40 Reimburse (5) 41 Heron (5) 42 Combine (5)

DOWN 1 Absolutely (5) 2 Blemish (5) 3 Burrow (6) 4 Cupid (4) 5 Deity (7) 6 Collier (5) 9 Nothing (3) 11 Meaner (7) 13 Art (5) 14 Seraph (5) 16 Owing (3) 18 Merciful (7) 21 Animal (5) 22 Cabin (5) 24 Dream-like (7) 27 Hint (3) 28 Remorse (6) 29 Quilt (5) 32 Char (5) 33 Precipitous (5) 35 Tear (3) 36 Lean (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Sapid 7, Flee 8, Incite 9, Amaze 11, Her 13, Pad 15, Aped 16, Era 18, Else 19, Profane 20, Dear 22, Dare 23, Toppled 25, Crew 27, Tor 28, Mere 30, Kid 31, Did 33, Renew 36, Divide 37, Away 38, Plead.

DOWN: 1, Sleep 2, Sea 3, Pea 4, Die 5, Act 6, Atlas 10, Zero 11, Haddock 12, Related 13, Pleased 14, Deleted 16, Erupt 17, After 18, End 21, Row 24, Lore 26, Rigid 29, Rival 32, Sin 33, Rep 34, Nee 35, Wad.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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