Nyako surrenders to EFCC quizzed

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62418

N150

TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

No power to disclose Buhari, Osinbajo's assets — Code of Conduct Bureau

Onitsha petrol tanker fire: 8

Tears as victims' relations besiege hospitals

7

ALLEGED N15BN MONEY LAUNDERING:

Nyako surrenders to EFCC, quizzed

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

•Returned to the country Saturday; EFCC grills him for 10 hours A

B U J A — EMBATTLED former governor of Adamawa State, Admiral Murtala Nyako, yesterday, surrendered to anti-graft agency, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, where he was quizzed for more than 10 hours over allegation of money laundering running into N15 billion.

Nyako voluntarily returned to the country

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNIST:

America's war against FIFA •P.48

Mr & Mrs VISIT—From left: Former Governor of Ekiti State,Dr Segun Oni; National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode; Chief Bisi Akande and APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; during a visit by national leaders of APC to the new governor of Lagos State,in Abuja,yesterday.

BOKO HARAM: Youths kill, bury Okada rider in Rivers community C M Y K

e Se

ide Ins

Buhari meets Service Chiefs today

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2—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

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POCKET CARTOON

NAVY—From left: Flag Officer Commanding, Western Naval Command, Rear Adm. Jonathan Ango; Commanding Officer, NNS Wey, Navy Town, Ojo, Lagos, Commodore Celestine Odiase and Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Usman Jibrin, inaugurating a project in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Nyako surrenders to EFCC, quizzed Continues from page 1 following the exit of President Goodluck Jonathan. Nyako had before now blamed his travails in the hands of security and anti-graft agencies on the former President Goodluck, whom he accused of persecuting him for saying that he (Jonathan) committed genocide against the North-East in the name of fighting Boko Haram.

Quizzed for 10 hours Vanguard learnt that Nyako, who returned from self-exile on Saturday, was at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja where he was detained and quizzed for over 10 hours, yesterday.

The former Chief of

Naval Staff reported to the EFCC around 10 am but was still with his hosts as at 8pm.

Neither the Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Lamorde, nor its spokesman, Wilson Uwujaren, was available to speak on when Nyako would be freed.

Shortly after being impeached from office in July last year, the EFCC moved against Nyako but he outsmarted them and fled to an undisclosed European country, where he had been taking refuge until last Saturday.

In January, the EFCC declared him wanted in connection with the diversion of state funds amounting to N15 billion. When he could not be arrested, his son, Abdulaziz, was declared wanted in February this

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Just because a person smiles all the time, doesn’t mean their life is perfect. That smile is a symbol of hope and strength — Lesson learned in life quotes

U

LTIMATELY, humanity is one and this small planet is our place of abode. If we are to live in harmony, each of us needs to experience a vivid sense of universal altruism. It is only this feeling that can remove the self-centered motives that cause people to deceive and misuse one another.

If you have a sincere and open heart, you naturally feel self-worth and confidence, and there is no need to be fearful and hateful of others.

At every level of society – families, tribal, national and international - the key to a happier and more successful world is the growth of compassion. This does not even require being deeply religious, nor do we need to believe in an ideology. All that is necessary is for each of us to develop our good human qualities. Try to treat whoever you meet with friendly candor. It opens the door to being happy as you practice living a life of compassion.

year, claiming that his father used him to siphon state resources.

Several top officials, who worked under Nyako, have also been questioned by the EFCC over alleged money laundering but none has been prosecuted or convicted by the agency.

How it all began Former Governor Nyako who was impeached by the Adamawa State House of Assembly in February was declared wanted alongside his son, Abdulaziz Murtala by the EFCC. Charges against them, include criminal conspiracy, stealing, abuse of office and money laundering.

In his reaction, Nyako blasted the EFCC for declaring him wanted, saying the anti-graft agency’s latest ambush on him was the last kicks of a dying horse, as President Goodluck Jonathan, would soon be kicked out of office.

Nyako, who spoke through his media assistant, Ahmed Sajoh, said: “I am not aware of being declared wanted.

But that is good. If you are wanted by a rogue system, it means you are a good person. Has this government gone after anybody that is bad?

They only run after the good people and allow the bad people to roam around them, live happily and enjoy

whatever bad things they are doing.”

Nyako said then that he was not surprised at the latest action of the EFCC and noted that many more Nigerians would be declared wanted by the government.

The EFCC had in June 2014, shortly before the former governor was impeached, frozen bank accounts belonging to Adamawa State in what it then called a precautionary measure to safeguard the state treasury amidst evidence of looting uncovered by its operatives.

The commission had alleged massive looting of the treasury by top officials of Adamawa State government under Nyako, a development that, at the time, led to the arrest and questioning of key officials, including then Secretary to the State Government, State Commissioner for Finance, Commissioner for Higher Education, Accountant-General of the State and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry for Local Government.

The EFCC said at the time that its investigation was triggered by petitions alleging massive looting of the treasury by the governor and his cronies through an illegal department called Special Programme and Project Units, SPPU, which engaged in over invoicing and inflation of contracts.

FG, states, LGs expenditure on GDP grew by 42.81% in 2015 — NBS

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BUJA—THE National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), yesterday puts the final expenditure on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the three tiers of government at 42.81 per cent in the first quarter of the year.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by the StatisticianGeneral of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale.

It said that the figure was higher than the -7.53 per cent and 16.56 per cent recorded in the first and fourth quarters of 2014 respectively.

According to the NBS, during the first quarter of the year, the general government final expenditure grew by 42.81 per cent year-onyear in real terms, higher than the -7.53 per cent in the first quarter of 2014.

It noted that the -7.53 per cent was also lower than 16.56 per cent recorded in the fourth quarter of 2014.

“In real terms, the share to expenditure on GDP declined from 8.54 per cent in the fourth quarter in 2014 to 8.34 per cent in the first quarter of the current year,” the NBS said.

It said that the shares recorded in the first quarter were however higher than the shares recorded in first quarter of 2014 which was put at 6.0 per cent.

“In real terms, the expenditure on the Gross Fixed Capital Formation (Investment) component of the GDP grew at a slower rate, both relative to the preceding quarter and to the corresponding quarter of 2014,” the NBS said.

It stated that nonresidential buildings and purchases in machinery and equipment year-onyear growth was put at 9.72 per cent in real

terms.

The NBS said that the figure was down from 20.08 per cent and 12.45 per cent recorded in the first and fourth quarters of 2014 respectively.

“While net exports of goods and services maintained a positive balance in the first quarter of 2015, growth has slowed considerably as a result of decline in exports.

Nominal growth declines

“Nominal growth declined by 57.70 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, lower than the 50.49 per cent growth recorded in the first quarter of 2014.

“In real terms, net exports also slowed, growing by 36.23 per cent year-on-year, down from 35.81 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2014,” the NBS said.

It stated that Compensation of Employees (COE) slowed during the first quarter of 2015, decreasing by 2.49 per cent year-on-year (nominally) and in real terms, declining by 9.99 per cent year-on-year.

“In nominal terms, National disposable income grew by 3.61 per cent in the first quarter of 2015, down from 10.56 per cent recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2014.

“During this period, household consumption accounted for 76.10 per cent of national disposable income and 16.34 per cent of income was devoted to savings.

“In real terms however, household consumption represented 67.28 per cent, while savings accounted for 23.29 per cent of the national disposable income in the first quarter of 2015.”

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Pandemonium as robbers storm two banks in Lagos

By Evelyn Usman

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A G O S — PANDEMONIUM broke out yesterday at Omitoro, Ikorodu area of Lagos, following sporadic gunshots from a 10-man robbery gang.

The robbers, said to have stormed the bank in two vehicles, reportedly announced their presence with volleys of gunshots, sending fear-stricken passers-by and motorists scampering for safety.

They were said to have gained entrance into the banking hall, but could not locate the bank’s vault as the staff with the vault’s keys reportedly went into hiding.

Customers were reportedly ordered to lie down as the operation continued. It was, however, not clear how much they carted away, as they were said to have hurried out of the bank, following the arrival of teams of policemen.

While that was ongoing, another gang attempted to break into the Ijede branch of a

second generation bank.

But the operation was reportedly foiled.

Eyewitnesses said the robbers could be the fleeing ones from the earlier bank robbery.

Eyewitnesses further told Vanguard that some people sustained varying degrees of injuries during the ensuing stampede.

Contacted, a staff of one of the affected banks, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the robbery operation but was quick to say: “It was a failed attempt as they did not gain entrance into the banking hall.”

Spokesman of Lagos State Police Command, Kenneth Nwosu, who also confirmed the attack, said no life was lost, adding that policemen repelled the robbers.

No arrest, according to him, was made. He added that investigation was ongoing.

Tension in Imo communities over father-of-seven's suicide

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—CONFUSION has enveloped the people of Umueze II in Ehime Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, following the discovery of the lifeless body of a man identified as Levi Uduji, hanging from a tree close to their Onoezeala stream.

Vanguard investigation revealed that the incident occurred at a place the natives call Ubara Umuoparaiwe farmland, adjacent a stream.

Meanwhile, although the remains of late Uduji had been buried, tension is mounting between two neighbouring communities: Umuoparaiwe, where the incident occurred, and Umuduruoma, where Uduji hailed from.

Apart from being angry that Uduji defiled their land, Umuoparaiwe said late Uduji’s kinsmen buried his remains near the suicide scene and carried out some rituals without their consent and approval.

The late Uduji, a father of seven, hailed from Umuduruoma village, Umuozu autonomous community, but had spent the greater part of his life in Benin, Edo State, with his family before relocating home.

A villager, who spoke to

Vanguard on grounds anonymity, said the deceased left his house with the impression that he was going to visit his sister at Umuezeala Owerre, adding that nobody knew he hid a wrapper in a polythene bag.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, could not be reached for comments at press time.

PERCHED HIGH: In Bauchi, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

13-yr-old girl sues Lagos Commissioner over collapsed school fence

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—A 13-year-old girl, Miss Chisom Oparaugo, has dragged Lagos State Commissioner for Education before an Ikeja High Court over alleged injuries she suffered, following collapse of Clegg Girls School fence.

Joined as defendant in the suit is the Executive Chairman, Lagos State Government Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB. According to the suit, Oparaugo is claiming against the defendants the sum of N857,081, being the cost of her medical bills and expenses incurred during her

hospitalisation, due to the injuries suffered from the collapse of the fence on July 17, 2011.

Oparaugo is suing through her father, Mr. Aggrey Ikechukwu Oparaugo.

The claimant is asking for N2.5 million, being the cost of legal fees for the institution of the suit and N250,000,000 as remedies for her present and further life damages.

During yesterday ’s proceeding before Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye, counsel to the claimant, Mr, Osagie Rubson, informed the court that the matter was for settlement at the Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR. Rubson told the court that in

line with settlement, sometime June last year, they met with the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), who agreed to offer N1 million.

The claimant’s counsel (Rubson) noted that since their last meeting with the Permanent Secretary last year, no money had been offered as settlement.

After listening to the claimant’s counsel, Justice Ipaye asked the Chief State Counsel, Mr. Akin George, to follow up on the matter to the Permanent Secretary (Pedro) for amicable settlement and Justice Ipaye adjourned the matter till July 15 for trial.

NYSC probes corps member's mysterious death in Ilorin

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN—THE National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has commenced a probe into the mysterious death of a youth corps member, Mrs Yetunde Shukra Idowu, who was found dead on a street in Ilorin penultimate Sunday with bruises on her head and other parts of her body.

To this end, the DirectorGeneral of NYSC sent a top delegation, led by the Director of Corps Welfare and Inspectorate, Mr. Michael Ahile, to Kwara State yesterday, to meet the stakeholders on the incident.

The delegation met with the

state Director, Department of State Services, the police and the Emir of Ilorin.

They were received at the palace by Mogaji Are, Alhaji Aremu Zubair, who promised that the Emir would act on the issue.

Alhaji Zubair described the incident as unfortunate, stressing that such brutal killing was alien to Ilorin.

The head of delegation, Mr. Ahile, said: “The NYSC management received the news of the death of Miss Yetunde Idowu with a heavy heart, particularly the circumstances surrounding her death.

“So the Director-General of NYSC delegated us to come

down to Kwara State to discuss with the security agencies and the traditional institution here to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of this corps member.

“The NYSC places importance on the welfare of corps members and when things like this happen, particularly when they border on death, NYSC does not take it lying low and that is why we are here in Ilorin.

“We are here to see all the security agencies and the traditional institutions that they should use their good offices to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death of this corps member.

“Corps members are on national assignment and it is the responsibility of all of us to protect them, particularly the security agencies and the traditional institutions and host communities.

“So we want to condemn, in very strong terms, the death of this corps member and we call on the security agencies to unravel the circumstances surrounding the death and the people behind it.

“NYSC will not tolerate killing of corps member and we call on all the security agencies and the traditional institutions in this state to do everything possible to find out who killed this corps member.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—7

Man defiles two daughters, nieces in Ibadan

By Ola Ajayi & Fisayo Ogunwale

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BADAN—OYO State Police Command has arrested a man who allegedly defiled his two under-aged biological daughters and two of his nieces, all between 14 and 17 years.

The crime was allegedly committed at Moniya in Akinyele Local Government Area of the state.

Though the suspect, a herbalist, denied the incest allegation, saying he was being held for a crime he did not commit, the confessions of the four girls took many people at the state police headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan by surprise as they narrated how the father had sex with them at different times.

While parading the suspect, identified as Tajudeen Awoniyi, Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammed Katsina, said the accused person had carnal knowledge of his own daughters whenever he was drunk.

The commissioner alleged

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The children, aged between 14 and 17. The suspected defiler father, Tajudeen Awoniyi (right). PHOTOS: Dare Fasube. that the suspect would give black soap to the other two nieces before having sexual intercourse with them one after the other.

Nieces’ story

Speaking with newsmen yesterday, one of the victims (names withheld), said: “My sister and I are the nieces to Tajudeen Awoniyi.

“His daughters came to our house and asked us to follow them to their place. On getting

Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Muhammed Katsina (left) and his men at a suspected ritualist den in Isese of Badaku village, Ibadan, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

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BADAN—A shrine, suspected to be a hideout for kidnappers has been discovered by Oyo State Police Command at Isase, Ojoku, in Ona Ara Local Government Area of the state.

Fake dollar notes and posh cars were discovered at the shrine, which is located in a very remote place, by a team of policemen led by the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Muhammed Katsina.

The cars include two Toyota Camry, with number plates LAGOS AAA-125 and LAGOS AAA-207 DH; and another

Tears as victims' relations besiege hospitals

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

there, her father told us he would give us soap by midnight which we must use to bathe.

“Around 1a.m., he woke me up, gave me a black soap and asked me to go and take my bath. After taking my bath, I went to him and he placed something under his tongue and asked me to sleep on a bench.

“He had sex with me.

Afterwards, I was bleeding and he asked me to go to bed. By morning, he sent my sister and

Police uncover underground cell, shrine in Ibadan

By Ola Ajayi

ONITSHA PETROL TANKER ACCIDENT:

Nissan Almera, with number plates LAGOS AGL 882 DF. Other items found at the shrine include idols, charms, cowries and mats.

There was an underground cell where captives were believed to be kept. Also discovered in the place was a substance that looked like palm oil and salt, which were poured on some statues.

Though two of the suspects escaped, policemen arrested one of them whose name was given as Ismail Adesina, 43.

Confession

He denied the allegation that they were ritualists, but

confessed that he and others at large were using the shrine to dupe their victims.

He added that they collected between N150,000 and N250,000 from their victims, depending on the extent of deceit.

The suspect said they had been using the shrine for the past four years.

He said: “We have deceived up to five persons, comprising four men and one woman. The woman came to us because she was barren. We asked her to bring N150,000 or N200,000.

“We built this place ourselves.

We do the work of Babalawo here. Our clients used to come from as far as Abuja.

“I hail from Beyerunka, Ibadan. My father was a Babalawo. But my father was not a fraudster like me.

“The owners of the cars are our partners that usually bring customers to us.

“My wife divorced me and went away with the two kids she had for me. She left me about two years ago because she asked me for money and I did not have.

“I have been into this business before the divorce issue came in.”

The police commissioner said he had spread his dragnet to catch the fleeing suspects wherever they might be.

me out of his house.”

The sister, who is about 16 years old, corroborated the story, saying “after taking my bath at night, he tied my mouth with cloth so that people would not hear me when I cried.

“He had sex with me afterwards and by morning he sent me out of his house.”

He’s been sleeping with me since last year—Daughter

One of his daughters also said: “My father has been sleeping with me since last year.

Whenever he comes home drunk, he sleeps with me and my sister (names withheld). He had slept with me three times now since last year.”

He once threatened my mother with cutlass—Sister

The suspect’s sister said: “When I came back from where I travelled to, I did not meet my daughters at home. So I asked the people around and I was told that my brother’s children came to my house and my daughters went out together with them.

“I said they could not have slept in my brother ’s place because it has been a while I saw him. The next day as I was about to pray around 6:30a.m., my brother showed up.

“I was scared because I usually get scared when I see him since the day he threatened my mother with cutlass to release his children for him when they were still little.

“So he told me that my daughters slept in his place and he had asked them to go back the next day. It was not until the third day that I saw my daughters. Someone staying around brought them home.

“One of them was holding her tummy. I later took them to the hospital where we found out about the incident and I had to call the police.”

The victims, who dared their father and told the police the whole story, further explained that they kept sealed lips for fear of being beaten by the herbalist.

NEWI—TEARS flowed freely, yesterday, as relations of victims of last Sunday's petrol tanker fire incident in Onitsha, which claimed 69 lives, besieged hospitals where the victims were taken.

As early as 6a.m. yesterday, hundreds of people living in Onitsha, Asaba and environs thronged the scene of the accident and Toronto Hospital, Onitsha, the nearest hospital to the scene of the incident, and other hospitals where surviving victims were admitted.

Meanwhile, one more person was confirmed dead yeaterday, bringing the total number of victims to 70.

Confirming the death of the latest victim, simply identified as Ajee, a driver admitted in Toronto Hospital, Chairman of Anambra State branch of Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRSC, Professor Peter Emeka-Katchy, said no other death, aside from that of Ajee, had been recorded in any of the hospital the wounded victims were taken to.

He said: “Right now, I am leaving the scene of the accident at Upper Iweka after visiting Toronto and General Hospital, Onitsha, for St. Charles Boromeo Hospital for forensic tests on the victims.

“You know that if we do not get that test, it will be difficult to identify the corpses and that means if we do not succeed, it will be mass burial for the victims.

“There is no truth that 48 more people have died as a result of the accident.”

Vanguard investigations revealed that it was the mortuary attendants at some of the hospitals visited that gave the information that 48 more victims had died.

Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Uche Eze, could not confirm the purported 48 deaths and all efforts to get him to speak proved abortive.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

We lack power for now to display Buhari, Osinbajo’s assets —CCB

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA — NIGERIANS who are itching to see the net worth of President Muhammadu Buhari and his vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, may need to wait a bit longer, as the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, which keeps custody of the assets declared by the two leaders, says it lacks the power to make them public for now.

Chairman of the CCB, Mr. Sam Sada, who spoke exclusively to Vanguard through his Special Assistant, Mr. Gwimi Sebastian Peter, said only the National Assembly is vested with the powers to decide the terms and conditions under which such documents could be made public.

The chairman said even though the Constitution of Nigerian made it clear that the agency should make available to the citizens the assets declared by public officials, the same law vested the National Assembly with the power to decide the terms and conditions for making such materials public.

Sada explained that the CCB was ready to comply with the terms and conditions specified by the National Assembly on the matter but would only do so once the law was amended.

He said: “While the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) and the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act give the bureau powers to receive assets declarations, verify, examine, keep in custody and enforce compliance when there is a breach, the responsibility of determining how and on what terms asset declarations will be made accessible to the public was left to the National Assembly.

“Several National Assemblies have come and gone since the establishment of the CCB without addressing the matter.”

Lacuna in FOI Act When his attention was drawn to the provisions of the Freedom of Information Act, which makes it compulsory for the CCB to make available to media houses and other interested Nigerians the assets of public officers, the chairman said the FOI Act could not override the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution.

He said that there was a lacuna in the FOI Act, which makes it difficult for the bureau to make public the assets

declared by public figures.

Regarding what Buhari and his vice submitted to the agency, the chairman said while it was rather too early for Nigerians to ask the President and his vice to make public their assets, it was necessary for them to exercise some patience and see what the two leaders would do after having voluntarily filed their assets with the CCB.

What the

constitution says Sub-section 3c of Section 153 of the 1999 Constitution actually takes away the right it intended to give to the CCB to publicly display the assets of public officers by stipulating that only the NASS can decide the terms and conditions for making such assets public.

The section is yet to be repealed many years after it was made.

The same section also seems to have rendered impotent Section 4 of the FoI Act 2011, which states: “A public institution shall ensure that information referred to in this section is widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means, including print, electronic and online sources, and at the offices of such public institutions.”

Buhari and Osinbajo had

last week secretly filed their assets with the CCB, thereby reneging on the pledge by the President to publicly declare his assets if elected into office.

But some aides of the President argued last night that Buhari might make a public declaration of his assets as his administration takes shape in the days to come.

They argued that the declaration of their assets by the two men was to demonstrate their determination to break away with the opaqueness that had attended government activities in the past and pave the way for change.

Fuel crisis persists despite FG, marketers' assurances

By Michael Eboh

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BUJA — DESPITE the assurances by stakeholders in the petroleum sector on the resolution of the crisis in the sector, fuel scarcity has persisted in Abuja with widespread sharp practices recorded across almost all the petrol stations.

Of note is the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, mega stations along the Kubwa Expressway, where some officials of the outlet connived with some policemen and security agents to frustrate motorists and heighten the suffering of Nigerians.

Specifically, when Vanguard visited the petrol station, some policemen stationed outside the entrance were collecting N1,000 from some motorists and allowing them to enter into the petrol station through the exit gate, thereby, leaving other motorists who had queued for hours stranded.

Only 9 out of 40 pumps dispensing Also, of the over 40 pumps in the station, only about nine were dispensing to motorists. Two of the pumps were selling to the hundreds of vehicles on the queue, while the rest were selling to black marketers and other motorists who have bribed the officials of the petrol station and policemen at the gate.

Spokesperson for the NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe and Managing Director of the NNPC Retail Limited, operators of the mega

Civil servants resuming duty after the Democracy Day holiday, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN

stations and other NNPC retail outlets, Mr. Chris Osarumwense, refused to respond to enquiries and complaints sent to them over the issue, even as the situation continued late into the night at the petrol stations.

One of the motorists said he had been on the queue since 5 am but was not yet halfway to the entrance of the petrol station because of the sharp practices in the station.

Black marketers have field day The source, who does not want his name in print, said: “Some motorists and black market operators came through the other side of the road, choosing not to queue, they drove straight to the exit gate of the petrol station,

where they offered N1,000 bribe to some policemen, military men and the officials of the petrol station stationed at the gate. The exit gate is then opened for these people to go in.

“As this is going on, people on the queue remained on the spot for several hours, without any movement.”

Another motorist, who also chose to remain anonymous, said: “The black marketers come mainly in Volkswagen Golf cars, with extra tanks at the boot of the vehicles. After filling the tanks of their vehicles, the attendants go ahead to fill the extra tanks at the back of the vehicles.

Sometimes, these tanks collect as much as 270 litres of petroleum.

“These black marketers bribe policemen and officials

of the NNPC mega stations to the tune of N3,500 per trip and this illicit act is not only happening here, but in other NNPC stations across Abuja .”

The NNPC retail outlet along the Abuja-Nyanya Expressway was selling at N120 per litre, while the NNPC station at Zuba in Abuja were selling to motorists at between N100 and N120 per litre.

Black marketers continue to have a field day even at the front of the NNPC headquarters in Abuja, and on the roads leading to the office of the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR. Furthermore, most of the petrol stations in Abuja were shut, while the few that were selling were besieged by a large number of motorists.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—9

Buhari meets Service Chiefs today over Boko Haram

By Kingsley Omonobi & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA — THE fate of all the Service Chiefs will be determined today as indications emerged, yesterday, that President Muhammadu Buhari, in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces will meet with them.

Sources said the main agenda will be the battle against terrorism and the relocation of Command and Control Centre of the military to Maiduguri, Borno State capital. It was gathered that the Service Chiefs may be asked to voluntarily retire from service to give way to new appointees.

According to the source, the plan of President Buhari to relocate the Command and Control Centre to Maiduguri in order to put an end to terrorism did not receive the support of the military high command, hence he needs those who would be ready to work in line with his thinking.

Last Friday, the President in his inaugural speech said victory over the Boko Haram would remain a mirage unless the Command and Control Centre (service chiefs) is relocated to the theatre of operation.

He had said: “The most immediate is Boko Haram insurgency.

Progress has been made in recent weeks by our security forces but victory cannot be achieved by basing the Command and Control Centre in Abuja.

“The command centre will be relocated to Maiduguri and remain until Boko Haram is completely subdued. But we cannot claim to have defeated Boko Haram without rescuing the Chibok girls and all other innocent persons held hostage by insurgents. This government will do all it can to rescue them alive.”

7th Division already in Maiduguri

Already, the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, created by former Army chief, Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika (rtd), commanded by a General Officer Commanding, and made up of two brigades and seven battalions of about 900 officers and soldiers per battalion is in Maiduguri. They are backed by the 3rd Armoured Division of the Nigerian Army with headquarters in Jos, Plateau State.

Military sources express reservations

Though President Buhari’s speech was hailed by many people, military sources, who spoke with some journalists, yesterday, in Abuja expressed reservations about the directive which they see as an “attempt to frustrate and humiliate our chiefs before sacking them.

“Some of us have analyzed the speech and our conclusion is that President Buhari did not appreci-

ate the efforts put in place in fighting the terrorists. In the whole speech, he did not commend us at all but instead seemed to agree with the cynics that we have not been observing human rights in our operations.

“He went further to praise our counterparts in the neighbouring countries who are not in the theatre of operation but were encouraged only to help block their borders to prevent the terrorists from escaping to re-mobilise. As if that was not enough, President Buhari said he wants our Command and Control Cen-

tre relocated to Maiduguri. What for?

“We are involved in about nine operations in the country now. If the directive is carried out, then our focus will primarily be on terrorism at the expense of other criminal activities such as kidnapping, armed robbery, piracy, pipeline vandalism and others.”

Directive alien in military operations

According to the source, “Such a directive is alien in military operation anywhere in the world.

It is an attempt to frustrate, humiliate our chiefs before sacking

them. How do you ask our service chiefs to be in the same place with their commanders?

Where is the respect? If he wants them to go, he should simply tell them; rather, he is coming with a blackmail so that he would say he wanted them to remain but they ignored his order so that they might be subjected to humiliation and frustration before kicking them out of the service.”

Asked if the service chiefs have met with the President over the issue, our source explained that Buhari did not speak with them before giving the order.

“How will they meet him without his invitation and if it is to-

morrow they would be meeting him for briefing, we don’t know; may be he would ask them to go or ask them to obey his directive before kicking them out,” the source said.

The service chiefs who came into office on January 16, 2014 are Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen Kenneth Minimah; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu; and Naval Chief, Vice Admiral Jibrin Usman.

Meanwhile, the President held a closed door meeting with the National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) at Defence Headquarters, yesterday.

Details of the meeting were not made available as the NSA refused to comment on the subject of the meeting.

PDP'll bounce back in 2019 —Govs zVow to remain in the party zPurge yourselves before opposing Buhari, Ribadu charges PDP Senators, Reps

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT — GOVERNORS elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday expressed optimism that the party will regain power in 2019 as they pledged not to defect from the party.

The governors spoke at a retreat for the party members elected into the 8th National Assembly even as one of the PDP governorship candidates in the last election, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, charged the PDP National Assembly memberselect to purge themselves of corruption if they are to present strong opposition to the All Progressives Congress, APCled administration.

The governors while pledging their determination to remain in the party, charged senators-elect and members-elect to the 8th National Assembly to dish out quality debates during deliberations in the House, stressing that it would shore up the fortune of the party in the next elections.

The governors who spoke were, Nyesom Wike of Rivers, Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta, Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe, Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom, Ifanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, while Chief Dave Umahi of Ebonyi was represented by his deputy.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, who was expected to be the special guest of honour was absent.

Wike advises party

The host governor, Wike, advised the party to play the role of credible opposition to promote the corporate interest of the nation.

He said: “No one can honestly deny the PDP its due credit for successfully nurturing, stabilising and consolidating

RETREAT: From left: Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha and Senate President, David Mark at a one-day retreat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Assembly members-elect in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Nigeria’s democracy to heights never imagined in the country’s chequered political history.

"Power has changed hands and our party is the official opposition at the centre. We do not have any choice than to play this role that has naturally fallen on our party effectively as possible.”

Governor Dickson, who apologised for the absence of President Jonathan, said the retreat was timely, adding that it would prepare the party for its new role as an opposition party.

He said the ruling party at the centre was yet a political party.

He further enjoined all stakeholders to work assiduously for the PDP to win the next elections.

We're committed to stay in the party

Reaffirming the commitment of the governors to remain in the PDP, Governor Dickson said he was in the opposition for sometime so was already familiar with life in opposition party.

He said: “We governors of the

party are committed to stay in the party, work with leaders of our party to ensure that the party wins the next round of the elections. We must collaborate to win the elections. The governors are committed to stay in the PDP. There is no governor considering any move to cross over. We are determined to stay back and build our party."

In their separate goodwill messages, Governors Dankwambo, Okowa, Udom, Ugwuanyi, said the party should properly position for the next election.

“As the only re-elected governor of PDP in Nigeria, I want to say we will support our party to ensure we reclaim victory in 2019, " Dankwambo said.

Former governor of Kano State and immediate past Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau advised leaders of the party to strengthen internal democracy, noting that the party should build criticisms around issues and not individuals. According to him, the foregoing would

further consolidate the party and endear it to Nigerians,

Ribadu charges PDP Senators, Reps

On his part, Ribadu, who was the party ’s governorship candidate in Adamawa State, called on legislators elected on the platform of the party to purge themselves so that they could approach the APC administration on the platform of equity.

He said: "But to keep government on its toes, ensure fiscal discipline, minimise corruption in the system and ensure strict compliance to appropriation and due process.

You, the legislators, have to go to equity with clean hands. You must demonstrate personal will and commitment to be above board if you really want to checkmate others."

Meantime, the Senate President, David Mark lamented the gale of defection from the party, urging members to stay back to build the party ahead of the next elections.

10—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Amosun throws weight behind LG autonomy zSlams governors opposing it

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—GOVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State yesterday gave his strong backing for the autonomy of local governments in the country, saying that any governor opposed to it must be benefiting from his state-local government joint account.

Speaking to newsmen on his first working day in office after a tour of the ministries in the Governor’s Office, the governor said: “I support President Muhammadu Buhari on this local government autonomy. We are creating Local Council Development Areas. We are waiting for the new State House of Assembly to be inaugurated because this outgoing Assembly could not have completed it if they had opened discussion on it.

“By July, all local government chairmen will be completing their three years tenure in office and we are going to conduct LG elections and creation of the LCDAs. That is what we want to do.

“The autonomy issue is in my interest. Some governors said that granting autonomy to LGAs is not going to favour them. Those governors that the autonomy thing will not favour are those governors that deduct from local government

allocation from the federal allocation."

Affirming that there was nothing tempting to attract anyone towards the local government funds, he said: “Truly, what is coming from the Federal Allocation is no longer enough. There is no money.

For me, this development will even put more challenge on the LGs and LCDAs. If they want autonomy, let them take their autonomy.

“If they can’t pay salaries, they won’t come back to me. If they can’t pay teachers or embark on developmental projects, they

know that they are the ones that cannot pay and not the state.

“Our traditional rulers are there when they are having their JAAC meeting. For me, I want them to have the autonomy, even as I speak now, the allocation from the federal account is grossly inadequate."

WOLRD MILK DAY: From left: Biodun Oni, representating the Director, Basic Education Service, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Ore Famurewa, Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, Miss Aderinsola Ayegun, pupil of Deby Niky Nursery/Primary School, Egbeda, and Dolapo Otegbayi, Marketing Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, during the presentation of prizes to winners of the Vision Nigeria Art Challenge, organized by Peak Milk to mark the 2015 World Milk Day in Lagos, yesterday.

Lagos Assembly passes taxi regulations law, moves to ban private operators L

By Ebun Sessou

AGOS—THE Lagos State House of Assembly has passed into law the road traffic regulations on taxi operations in the state.

The House has also set in motion the move to ban unregistered taxis popularly called ‘kabukabu’ in the state.

Presenting the regulation before the assembly members during the valedictory sitting of the outgoing 7th Assembly, yesterday, Majority Leader of the House, Ajibayo Adeyeye said that the approval of the regulation was long overdue.

Adeyeye reminded the lawmakers that the regulation, as forwarded to the House by the state Ministry of Transportation and handed to the House Committee on Transportation, headed by Bisi Yusuf, will ensure that every taxi cab operator in the state, will obtain a license from the ministry to operate.

Adeyeye noted that the Ministry of Transportation would be empowered to arrest any operator, who does not have a license to operate.

Funmi Tejuosho representing Mushin constituency 1 said that the regulation was necessary as the lives of Lagos residents would not be put at risk.

Also, Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Rotimi Abiru however observed that the definition of cab should be made clear as he said that there were yellow cabs, black and red cabs as well as the private cabs that are operating

in Lagos at present.

Responding, the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji noted that the Lagos state government already has plans to make the state a megacity.

Ikuforiji noted that any substandard item would not be

allowed in the state henceforth.

He said: “In developed countries, you see the kind of taxi cabs that operate, unlike what is obtainable in Lagos State presently. We need to regulate the operations of taxi cabs so that the operators would have access to loans.”

We won't be Fayose's rubber stamp —Ekiti lawmakers-elect

By Dapo Akinrefon & Gbenga Oke

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DO EKITI—MEMBERSelect into the next Ekiti State House of Assembly have rebuffed insinuations of Governor Ayodele Fayose being a violent man even as they have pledged not to be his rubber stamp.

The lawmakers-elect have also promised that next House of Assembly would be devoid of rancour saying “our agenda is peace in Ekiti State.”

The legislators said this during a courtesy visit to Vanguard Corporate office in Lagos.

Leader of the delegation, Pastor Kola Oluwawole, who is being tipped to be the next speaker of the Ekiti State House

of Assembly said even as they would show every form of cooperation to Governor Ayodele Fayose they would not be a rubber stamp house.

Dismissing insinuations that the next House would eventually be crisis prone, he said: “By the grace of God, there will be no more troubles because we are all stakeholders and we have a stake in Ekiti peace.

“Our agenda is peace in Ekiti State because we have had enough storm and it is time for peace. We are looking forward to having peace in Ekiti State for the next four years. There is going to be a kind of mutual understanding and relationship between the executive and the legislature, a synergy that will promote peace, given the hope

and aspirations of the masses of the Ekiti masses. We will also ensure that checks and balances are properly done in a way and manner that will promote peace in the state.”

On Governor Ayodele Fayose being a violent man, he said: “I think the larger perspective of people that our Governor is a violent man is wrong. He cannot be a violent man and still have that kind of popularity. He is a man of honour and that is why the people voted for him enmasse.

"You can see that during the governorship election, people voted for him 100 percent.

During the state house of assembly election as well, they voted PDP 100 percent. That is a rare privilege you can get in Ekiti State and in our state, he is being regarded as a friend of the poor.”

Akindele returns as Ondo speaker

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—THE first female Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Ms Jumoke Akindele was yesterday returned unopposed as the 8th Assembly was inaugurated.

The new House of Assembly is comprised of 21 members of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and five members of the opposition All Progressive Congress, APC. Akindele, who was elected unopposed by the new Assembly of 26 members pledged that the legislators would work with the executive arm of government for the development of the state.

The 8th Assembly was inaugurated by the governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko following the dissolution of the 7th Assembly.

Foreign products constitute 80% of counterfeits in Africa —SON

L

By Ifeyinwa Obi

AGOS—THE African Organisation for Standardisation, ARSO and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, yesterday disclosed that products imported from countries outside Africa constitute over 80 per cent of substandard goods found in markets in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

The Director-General, SON and President of ARSO, Dr. Joseph Odumodu, made this known during the stakeholders launch to announce a three-day expo for Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, of all African National Standards Bodies, NSBs, slated to hold this month in Abuja.

Odumodu, lamented that the influx of the substandard goods into the nation’s market and the continent was deliberately carried out by people intent on undermining the African market and diminishing the value for money in the usage of such products.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 11

By Kingsley Omonobi, Jimitota Onoyume, Gbenga Aribiyi, Henry Umrou & Samuel Oyadongha

Investigations revealed that the action of the Police High Command may not be unconnected with several complaints and petitions from both the opposition APC whose members have accused the Fayose led administration of trying to curtail the freedom of their members.

A

DO EKITI—AGAINST perceived moves to impeach Governor Ayo Fayose, the hierarchy of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, stepped up pressure on President Muhammudu Buhari to prevail on his party faithful and security agencies to check the disruption of the peace in the state.

The impeachment moves allegedly spearheaded by the outgoing members of the State House of Assembly, remained a matter of speculation yesterday even as it was claimed that the 19 legislators belonging to the All Progressives Congress, APC, may storm the state today.

Yesterday, the state was enveloped in tension as stalwarts of the PDP from the 16 local government areas of the state set up camp in the legislative complex as a way of dissuading the APC legislators. The stalwarts were yet to leave the complex as at press time yesterday, even as security men took position around the vicinity.

Heavily armed policemen cordoned off all the roads leading to the Assembly Complex and prevented those not on official duties at the State Secretariat that was located on the same axis, from gaining entry.

Pupils of SUPEB Nursery and Primary School which is directly located opposite the complex were forced to close for the day at about 12.45 pm contrary to 2.45 pm they usually closed.

While the PDP national leadership and governors called on the president to sustain the peace and rein in his party members, Governor Fayose in a plea to President Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mohammed Mahmoud called on them to prevail on the 19 lawmakers to stop the alleged “act of impunity and illegality.”

Meanwhile, due to the vacuum left by the retirement of the former Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 8, Lokoja, Ekiti inclusive, the Inspector General of Police, has appointed Lawan Tanko as the AIG for Zone 8.

PDP, govs kick

Acting National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, Governors Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa) and Emmanuel Udom (Akwa Ibom), in separate reactions on the sidelines of the retreat for PDP National Assembly memberselect in Port-Harcourt, also called on the president to resist the lure of siding with his party in the moves to remove Fayose from

PDP threatens to mobilise

VISIT: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (right), decorating the newly elected President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina with the state's lapel pin during a visit to the Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday.

Tension mounts in Ekiti over plot to impeach Fayose zGovernor appeals to Buhari, CJN zAs PDP Govs, Metuh caution APC lawmakers office.

Governor Dickson, in a chat with newsmen, enjoined Buhari as President of the country to spare Ekiti and other parts of the country another round of crisis by calling the lawmakers to order.

He said “our democracy should not be in jeopardy as a result of the politics going on in Ekiti State. There is need for the rule of law to be followed in what is happening in Ekiti State. You are all aware that the assembly has only two or three days to round up so you can imagine what nature of impeachment proceedings can be conducted, according to our laws and constitution, within these days.”

Governor Udom of Akwa Ibom State, who also condemned the development in Ekiti State, said the Federal Government should allow democracy survive in the country. He also queried why tribunals in PDP controlled states were relocated to Abuja, saying the action would not augur well for the nation’s democracy.

Earlier, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, Prince Secondus, rejected what he said were underhand schemes to remove Governor Fayose from office.

“Mr President the looming political crisis in Ekiti State where the governor had not been served with impeachment notice but the members have been camped in Osun State. As I speak to you now, they are moving to Ekiti to forcefully, against all known laws, impeach Governor Fayose. He

has not been served, and this is the rule of law. We want to bring it to the attention of everyone and the international community”, Secondus argued.

Fayose appeals to Buhari, CJN

Governor Fayose, on his part, called on President Buhari and Justice Mahmoud to call the 19 APC lawmakers to order.

Fayose, who spoke with newsmen at the Governor’s Lodge over the tension elicited by the speculated move of the APC legislators, insisted that all the entitlements of the APC lawmakers have been paid contrary to Speaker Adewale Omirin’s claim that they were yet to be paid.

The governor flaunted copies of the Skye Bank cheques dated May 26, 2015, issued to the lawmakers to corroborate his claim. One of the cheques, which bore the name Boluwade Bolie Kehinde was received on behalf of the lawmaker and had a sum of N2,149,052 .37on it Fayose said it would amount to illegality for the embattled speaker, Adewale Omirin to continue to hold claim as the speaker when actually he had been removed from the post as far back as November 2014.

His words: “They have been dropping the name of President Muhammadu Buhari as giving them the backing to impeach me.

How can an Assembly, whose tenure will wind up on Thursday be planning this? I wonder why the issue of the past should be allowed to come to play now.?

“As at the date the court gave the order, I mean April 23, Hon Adewale Omirin was not the

speaker. It will be wrong for the court order not to be respected.

This is illegality and I want to raise this for the public to know.

“Omirin has gone to court to challenge his impeachment and later withdrew such, which means he accepted he had been impeached and a cost of N100, 000 was awarded against him.

So, he is not the Speaker. I am calling on well-meaning Nigerians, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mohammed Mahmoud and President Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in this matter."

“How can somebody be living in another State and planning to invade his state? This is something else and I view this as a major crime anyone can commit against his people”, the governor added.

Commenting on the controversy over the payment of the salary and entitlements of the lawmakers, Fayose said they had been paid by last week Wednesday.

“They came to collect the cheques in Ado Ekiti in company of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr Toyin Ojo."

Tanko takes charge of Zone 8

Meantime, due to the political crisis in Ekiti State and the vacuum left by the retirement of the former Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 8, Lokoja, the Inspector General of Police, has appointed Lawan Tanko as the AIG for Zone 8.

Tanko was until his appointment, the AIG in charge Mobile Police Force at Force HQ.

Meanwhile, the national leadership of the PDP accused the APC lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly of being desperate to wreck havoc on the state before the end of their tenure on Thursday, having failed in their mission to unseat Governor Fayose.

While commending the people of Ekiti State for their courage in standing by Governor Fayose, the PDP urged President Buhari to call the lawmakers to order, especially given the olive branch already extended to them by the governor in the interest of peace and development of the state.

The PDP, however, urged security agencies to be on high alert and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order in the state.

The PDP in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh asked the outgoing lawmakers to steer clear or face the party’s wrath.

The statement read: “The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, alerts of plots by outgoing Ekiti APC state lawmakers to cause confusion and trigger mayhem as a means of securing political control of the state, but warned that its members will be fully mobilized to stiffly resist the scheme.

“We wish to state in very clear terms that we would not condone any more move by the APC lawmakers to subvert the will of the people of Ekiti state as expressed in the mandate freely given to Governor Ayo Fayose.

“These outgoing APC lawmakers whose mandates have already been withdrawn by the people, should watch their steps and not in any way take our civility and Governor Fayose’s deportment for peace, unity and harmony for granted.

“We issue this as a final warning. Our members and supporters in Ekiti state are able, willing and ready to defend our mandate using all available instruments granted by the law.

We have the capacity and will have no other option unless the APC lawmakers retrace their steps and embrace peace.

Enough is enough.”

The party underlined that the position of the Federal High court on the status of the lawmakers and proceedings of the House regarding the odious plot to impeach Governor Fayose was clear, adding that it would not in any way “condone or tolerate any move by the APC lawmakers to subvert the course of justice.”

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, June 2, 2015

Amaechi, Wike trade words over Govt House property

By Jimitota Onoyume

Dr Banigo, former Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru, former Attorney-General of the state, Frank Owhor, acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Uche Secondus, former Minister of Sports, Dr Danagogo, former Minister of Trade and Investment, Kenneth Kobani and Rivers State PDP Chairman, Mr Felix Obuah.

Others were the former deputy governor of the state, Engr. Ikuru, state Chairman of the PDP, Mr Obuah.

“It is unimaginable that the beds, chairs and official crested rugs in the governor’s official quarters were removed. Even the foam they left is Mouka foam, which they used to replace the original foam,” Obuah said.

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government, yesterday, berated officials of the previous government in the state for allegedly removing property from Government House, Port Harcourt, while vacating office.

Deputy governor of the state, Dr. Ipalibo Banigo, made the allegation while speaking with newsmen at Government House, after some leaders of the state were conducted round the premises of the State House .

Governor Nyesom Wike took the leaders to the residential quarters, offices and the Banquet Hall where furniture, television sets and electrical accessories were allegedly removed.

But former governor of the state, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has denied the allegation, saying that it was an attempt by Wike, to intimidate, threaten and blackmail officials of his (Amaechi’s) administration, including civil servants, into making false claims against him (Amaechi) and his wife, concocting claims that cannot be substantiated.

The prominent Rivers State leaders on the tour with Governor Wike were the Deputy Governor,

Amaechi allegation

Amaechi said that Wike had gone to ridiculous and absurd lengths to show his imaginary claims of vandalisation in Government House in his bid to vote billions of naira for renovation of the place.

He said, “I am aware that this (Monday) morning, (yesterday),

Amaechi, who debunked claims

by Wike that Government House, Port Harcourt was vandalized, described Wike’s utterances as another cheap smear campaign and ploy to siphon billions of naira from the state treasury under the guise of renovating a ‘vandalized’ and ‘looted’ Government House.

In a statement by his spokesman, David Iyofor,

C

A L A B A R — GOVERNOR Ben Ayade of Cross River State, on his first day at work, yesterday, locked out scores of workers from the Governor’s Office complex in the state capital for reporting late to work.

The governor, according to a source, reported in his office at 7.30 a.m., for duties and to his chagrin at 8.45 a.m., most workers except a few cleaners, were still not at their duty posts, prompting the governor to instruct the security personnel to shut the gate.

According to a senior official in the Governor’s Office, the workers in the office were informed that Governor Ayade travelled to Abuja shortly after his inauguration on Saturday to attend a meeting with President Mohammadu Buhari on Monday, not knowing that the governor did not travel as planned.

“Normally, when a new person resumes here, we usually come to work early because we expect that he too, with the enthusiasm of a new appointment would report early but the information we got misled us as he did not travel as

C M Y K

planned,” a worker said.

He said the governor later pardoned the latecomers after warning that he would not tolerate indolence to work and henceforth anyone who comes late to office would be disciplined as he had to start with his office before moving to the ministries,

COMMISSIONING: From left: MD/CEO, Rainbow Town Development Limited, RTDL, Chima Ucheya; Group Head, Retail Banking, South, Rosemary Asiegbu; Head of Finance, FBN Holdings, Wale Ariyibi and Business Development Manager, Port Harcourt South, FirstBank, Charles Osondu, at the commissioning of the completed first phase of Rainbow World Estate, in Port Harcourt.

since charity begins at home.

“We hear the meeting with the President has been shifted to Wednesday but in any case the governor pardoned us and told us to be alive to our duties as he would not tolerate indolence and idleness by workers during his time,” he said.

Don’t scrap Amnesty, NDDC, ex-militants beg Buhari

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—THIRD Phase amnesty leaders, yesterday, appealed to President Muhammad Buhari not to scrap the amnesty programme, the pipeline surveillance contracts and the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, which they said were the only tangible benefits being enjoyed by the people of the oil rich region.

Addressing newsmen shortly after a meeting of the third phase leaders in Ughelli, Delta State, National Secretary of the body, Tam Odogwu, noted that the appeal was predicated on the fact that the relative peace in the Niger Delta was made possible and sustained by

“The question to ask is, did Wike know what was in my former bedroom before now, to conclude that the bedroom was vandalised?

Did he speak with or review with the Permanent Secretary of Government House, who is the chief accounting officer, before jumping to such hasty and misguided conclusion?”

denies

C-River gov locks out workers for lateness

By Emma Una

Wike in company of his coterie of court jesters took some video cameramen and photographers on a tour of the Governor ’s residence inside Government House. He took them to the Governor’s bedroom where he made further claims that the place have been vandalised.”

the interventionist mechanisms.

Pledging their support for the new administration, Odogwu said: “The 1,338 third phase ex-militant leaders expressed their appreciation to the Chairman of the presidential amnesty committee, Mr. Kingsley Kuku, for his efficient management of the amnesty programme which he said has recorded unquantifiable successes.

“We, however, frown at the empowerment package approved by the National Assembly through Kuku's efforts because it is grossly inadequqte, considering the large number of exmilitant leaders in the third phase. We, therefore, call on the new administration to review it.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—13

Ex-militant leaders blast anti-amnesty programme campaigners

By Onoja Innocent

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created good fortunes for a clique in the area, whose efforts were always directed towards causing frictions in the oil-rich area.

They called on Buhari to be vigilant and make efforts to discern the elements making

inflammatory comments and unpalatable suggestions to his government through the media as they could be his arch-enemies who do not want his government to succeed.

They alleged that most of such anti-amnesty

propagandists were those who, through the instrumentality of youths, vandalise oil pipelines for selfish gains and who are currently disappointed over the prevailing peace in the region.

OMADI—NIGER Delta ex-militant leaders have cautioned President Muhammadu Buhari to be wary of persons campaigning for the scrapping of the amnesty programme granted Niger Delta ex-agitators, accusing them of being wolves in sheep’s clothing whose only ambition is to instigate chaos in the region.

Speaking in Warri, Delta State, after their meeting, the ex-militant leaders, under Phase 2 of the amnesty programme, congratulated President Buhari for his inaugural speech, particularly his pledge to tackle the Niger Delta situation, adding that agitators and well-meaning Niger Deltans were committed to creating the enabling environment the for prosperity of his administration if he would so abide by his words.

Speaking for the exagitators, Delta State chairman, Phase 2 of the amnesty programme, Mr. Kingsley Muturu, and OKOWA ASSUMES OFFICE: Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State (middle), newly National Vice chairman of the appointed Secretary to State Government, Mr. Festus Agas (right) and Permanent Secretary, group, Mr. Collins Arigo, said Government House, Mr Benson Oborho, as the governor assumed office in Government that crises in the Niger Delta House, Asaba, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

I was labelled tribalist due to my fight for Bini race —Uzamere

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—THE leadership of All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State set aside their political differences, yesterday, to grace the 60th birthday celebration of the senator representing Edo South senatorial district of Edo State in the Senate, Senator Ehigie Uzamere.

The senator who reeled out his achievements in his eight years in the Senate, said that he attracted 315 projects to his constituency, which according to him, spread across the seven local government areas in his constituency.

According to him, the projects which are verifiable, include health centres, transformers, boreholes, road construction, town halls and civic centres.

He said: “I created unfettered accessibility between myself and my constituents. Regular interface with my constituents afforded them the opportunity to ventilate their feelings especially on the place of Edo South in the power equation of Edo State and the nation.

“They were particularly aggrieved that our people were always cheated in key appointments into federal

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institutions especially those located on our soil.”

He said that the concern raised by his people led to his struggle that Bini sons were made Chief

Executives at NIFOR, University of Benin and the Psychiatric Hospital in Benin City.

He commended the old ACN and the PDP for giving him the opportunity to serve in the Senate

for two terms, just as he commended Governor Adams Oshiomhole “for offering his hands for me to hold and his shoulders to lean on,” when he was in the then ACN.

Buhari urged to give NDDC Board more time

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political pressure group, Niger Delta Voice in All Progressives Congress, APC, NIDEVA, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to give the current management of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, more time to execute many of its development projects in the nine constituent states of the commission.

In a statement by Ambassador Sokari Afiesimama, National President and Daddy Gigi, National Leader, Security and Intelligence, NIDEVA, called on President Buhari to accept the recommendations of the pioneer leaders of the Niger Delta struggle that the present board be allowed to complete the numerous projects it has initiated.

NIDEVA frowned at the attempt by some failed political leaders in the region, who have brought nothing but disunity and inter ethnic

bitterness and rivalry in the area to cause the dissolution of the board of the NDDC

without any genuine reason and replace them with their cronies.

Oshiomhole disowns group

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, dissociated himself from a seminar organised by a Niger Delta group slated for today in Abuja.

The governor, in a statement by the state Commissioner of Information, Mr Louis Odion, said: “In a newspaper advert, the group named ‘Gatekeepers a Foundation, Change Ambassadors of Nigeria and Niger Delta Media Professionals’ listed the Edo governor as one of the keynote speakers.”

Oshiomhole said: “My attention has been drawn to a statement by an amorphous body purporting to be speaking for Niger Delta. This so-called group is unknown to me. No one met or contacted me, much less mentioned the idea of any conference or the motive behind it to me. For anyone to have gone ahead to advertise a seminar with my name

without even the courtesy of my fore-knowledge is patently fraudulent and unacceptable.

By this statement, I hope this body will stop promoting themselves with my name.”

A-Ibom gov declares three-day fast for peace

A

KWA Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has declared a three-day fast for people in the state to pray for peace and good governance.

Governor Emmanuel gave the directive during a thanksgiving service and re-dedication of the new administration.

“Let us love one another and let us share God’s goodness with each other irrespective of ethnicity, religion or political affiliation. We must remain worthy of God’s love, for as God releases his love to us, we must also release same to all of humanity.

“The good people of Akwa Ibom State entered into a covenant with my humble self and graciously invested in my mortal hands the responsibilities of the office of the governor of our dear state."

DESOPADEC commissioner urges Ndokwa to appreciate road project

By Tare Youdeowei

T

HE Delta State Oil Producng Areas Development Commission, D E S O P A D E C , Commissioner representing Ndokwa nation, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has charged the people of Ndokwa to appreciate the road project being executed by the commission in the area.

Commissioning the Johnson Oriaku one kilometre road, Obiaruku, recalled when as a young boy his father’s car sank on that road and expressed joy that he now has the responsibility to tar the road.

The Udoka community praised former Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan for the completion of the street light and the road project.

14—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

New appointments at The Sun

NN seeks temporary approval to prosecute crude oil thieves, others

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HE BOARD of Directors of The Sun Publishing Limited has approved the appointment of a new Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief to succeed Mr. Femi Adesina whose appointment as Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari was announced, Sunday evening.

The new Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief is Mr. Eric Osagie, the former Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-inChief, who was until now on secondment to the New Telegraph as Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief.

A new Deputy Managing Director/Deputy Editor-in-Chief has also been appointed. He is Mr. Steve Nwosu, who, until now, was the Executive Director, Corporate Services.

In the same vein, a new Managing Director/Editorin-Chief has been appointed for the New Telegraph. She is Mrs. Funke Egbemode, who was, until now, the General Editor of The Sun. All the appointments take immediate effect.

Osagie, whose journalism career spans over 25 years, joined The Sun Publishing Limited in 2002 as pioneer Editor of Abuja bureau, and was later promoted Editor, Northern Operations.

In 2008, he was appointed Special Adviser, Public Affairs and Strategy to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

He returned to The Sun the following year as Managing Editor. In 2010, he became Executive Director, Special Services.

By Evelyn Usman

T

HE NIGERIAN Navy, NN yesterday, requested for a temporary approval from the legislative arm of government to prosecute crude oil thieves and other sea criminals, pending when such approval would be passed into law, with a view to fast tracking the dispensation of justice.

Already, the Navy according to the Chief of Naval Staff,CNS, Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, had written to seek permission from the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation to this effect without any response.

Lamenting the effect of the delay in judgement of sea criminals on the Service, Jubrin, who was in Lagos state to commission some projects under the Western Naval Command, to signal the end of the week-long programme marking the 59th anniversary of the NN, disclosed that already jetties were being damaged by seized ships.

According to him: “ When these criminals are arrested and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission,EFCC; The Nigeria Police or the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, they are taken to court.

Ibusa wants elite's action

I

CEREMONY: President of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu (right), discussing with the Special Guest of Honour, Mr. Emmanuel NNorom, while ICAN Vice President, Otunba Femi Deru, observes, during the induction ceremony of ICAN new members.

CLINICAL TRIAL: NAFDAC approves 50,

Ebola candidate vaccine in 3yrs

By Chioma Obinna

N

ATIONAL AGENCY for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC yesterday, disclosed

that the agency has approved 50 clinical trials including the recent Ebola candidate vaccine since the creation of its clinical trial unit in 2002.

Clinical trials are research

By Michael Eboh HE INDEPENDENT Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, said yesterday, said it had directed its members to commence 24 hours sale of petrol nationwide to help ease the current fuel scarcity.

To this end, President of IPMAN, Mr. Chinedu Okoronkwo, in a statement in Abuja, called on the Nigeria Police to provide adequate protection for its

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permission from Ministry of Justice but we have not got that because it needs the constitutional amendment before that is given to us. The area we are dealing with now is how to push it forward to the National Assembly, so that they will look and see if that is still a possibility.

“But if that is not quick enough, we are asking for a temporary approval for us to take these criminals to court on our own . If the EFCC, Nigerian Police and the NSCDC have this capacity, we have lawyers also.

The most astonishing part of the problem is that here is a ship with stolen products , who then is wasting whose time in delivering judgement.?

He was however quick to exonerate his officers and men from the drastic drop in crude oil which figures according to the Oil Producers Section ,OPTS report showed a sharp reduction at 400 barrel per day as against 2.4 million barrel five months ago.

DELTA HOUSE POLL MURDER:

SCARCITY: IPMAN commences 24 hours fuel sale

T

But we don’t get prompt judgement . Sometimes these arrested ships create problem for us. For instance ,where we berth them will reduce the length of sea room for other ships to ply the waterways , especially within the channels. Our jetties are now being damaged by these ships.

“As if that is not enough, on each ship we deploy an officer and a minimum of four of Ratings. On daily basis we also pay to maintain them. This, I must tell you was never budgeted for . That is why as much as possible, we want quick dispensation of justice.

“We have written to seek

members.

According to him, members had been given directive to sell products for 24 hours daily to reduce the long stretch of queues at different filling station across the country.

The president who expressed concern about the queue at filling stations said the measure was to ease the scarcity and make the product available for motorists.

He said, “We are not part of the strike that gave birth to the scarcity but when the system is burnt all other parts of the body would be affected.

“Major marketers, transporters owners and drivers, in one way or the other had issues to resolve.

“If this thing persist we will all suffer we may not even be able to pay our workers, but we are happy that the whole issue has been resolved. We have directed our members to service the nation 24 hours.

studies that explore whether a medical strategy, treatment, or device is safe and effective for humans.

Disclosing this, yesterday, in Lagos during 3rd Nigerian Annual Clinical Trial Summit with the theme: 'Advancing Global Clinical Trials in the West African Sub region,' the Director-General of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, further disclosed that it has inaugurated a 30–man Clinical Trial Technical Working Group with a view to strengthening its regulatory capacity in clinical trial as well as broaden access of Nigerians to new drugs.

According to him, Nigeria can no longer afford to continue to be small player within the clinical research community. He said the goal of the Agency is to make Nigeria a clinical trial destination hub in the world.

Reeling out the benefits of clinical research to the development of the health sector and to the patients, Orhii urged Nigerians not to see participants in clinical research as scapegoats rather as a way of contributing to the science of prevention, diagnoses and treatment of diseases.

BUSA—THE Leadership of Ibusa Community Development Union, ICDU, an apex body of all indigenes of Ibusa at home and in Diaspora, has called on some of its prominent sons and daughters, to use their positions and find out from the police authorities what is holding the arrest and prosecution of all those fingered in the snatching of ballot boxes and murder of one Emeka Onianwa and injuries meted on some youths at the just held House of Assembly election in the community.

The elite include the immediate past Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ezeoba (rtd), Chief Peter Okocha, Prof. Pat Utomi, Mrs. Akpan and the former adviser to the former President Goodluck Jonathan, Prof. Nwanze Okidegbe and others.

Speaking in an interview with newsmen, spokesman of ICDU worldwide, Mr. Patrick Agetue on behalf of the community expressed dismay over the delay in bringing the culprits to book.

Agetue recalled that in 2007, 2011 and 2015 when the incumbent member representing the area princess, Pat Ajudua contested the House of Assembly election, the community witnessed wanton destruction of property, death of Livy Ajufo Mavis Onyeka Achuzia and Chiazor Nwadei and recently Emeka Onianwa while some youths who sustained severe injuries melted on them by the thugs hired by some politicians "are till date lying ill in the hospital."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUN E 2, 2015 —15

UNN shut as students' riot looms

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE management of University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN, has asked students to vacate their hostels i m m e d i a t e l y, Va n g u a r d learned.

A source told our correspondent that although the UNN management said the closure was a temporary break, it was actually meant to avert a riot which would have been carried out by the students within the week.

A dependable source told

Vanguard that they had been faced with acute water scarcity and epileptic power supply for a long time.

The statement from the university management by Okwun Omeaku, its Chief Public Relations Officer, read: “This is to bring to the notice of all

O

WERRI—THE indefinite industrial action embarked upon by staff of Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, FMCO, enlarged yesterday, as members of the Association of Resident Doctors, ARD, joined the fray.

Before the leadership of ARD directed its members to join the strike, the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwifes, NANNM, the National Union of Allied Health Practitioners, NUAHP and the Medical and Health Workers Union, MHWUN, had earlier deserted their offices in protest against alleged accumulated administrative pains and high handedness of the hospital’s

Medical Director, Dr. Angela Uwakwem.

When Vanguard visited the hospital, yesterday afternoon, the workers, who wore all black attires, also carried placards with varying inscriptions, chanting all manner of derogatory songs as they marched peacefully round the establishment’s premises.

Some of the workers, who spoke to Vanguard at the scene of the protest, explained that the industrial action would be one month old tomorrow.

“The strike would be one month old tomorrow. It is very sad to note that instead of being sober and reflecting on the labour impasse that has brought the much fancied medical establishment to its

directed to vacate their hostels within the next 24 hours, that is, not later than 6pm. on Tuesday, June 02, 2015.”

The development was already generating angry reactions from the students, who said it would even worsen the sour relationship with the university authorities.

88 post-UTME candidates under prosecution for impersonation

FMCO doctors join strike

By Chidi Okwopara

students and the entire university community, that the University of Nigeria shall proceed on a twoweek mid semester break with immediate effect.

“Consequently, all academic activities on the campuses are hereby suspended for the period.

“Students are by this notice

knees, the medical director opted to engage hack writers to malign workers,” Ezugwu said.

The labour leader noted that workers had been very peaceful in their demands, insisting, however, that nothing short of a critical investigation into their allegations against the medical director would placate them.

Meanwhile, the workers have listed their grouse against the medical director in a release, HU/GFM/01/07, dated May 19, 2015, and signed by all the labour leaders, including the chairmen of NUAHP and NANNM, Ezeugwu Clifford and Uhiara Catherine respectively.

According to the release, the aggrieved workers insisted that Uwakwem should step aside for thorough investigation and audit of her administration.

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA—ABOUT 88 postUniversity Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, candidates are being prosecuted in Anambra State for alleged impersonation in the last examination at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Joseph Ahaneku, stated this, yesterday, while briefing journalists on achievements of his administration within one year in office.

He said the candidates were arrested by the university and handed over to the police that were now prosecuting them, adding that about 400 candidates who had come to impersonate during the examination were on

the run.

“We had to track down the impersonators because we have upgraded our admission process.

We have digitized almost everything by introducing biometric machine which we will continue to bring sanity not only in our admission process but in controlling our students,” he said.

To ensure early release of results to students, the vice chancellor said the authorities of the institution resolved that lecturers who failed to release their result to students after one month of the examination would forfeit their salaries.

Ahaneku further stated that the university had not increased school fees for students and did not intend to do so, adding that the issue of hostel accommodation was being tackled headlong.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Avoid strikes under Buhari administration, UNIZIK VC tells unions

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—VICECHANCELLOR of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Professor Joseph Ahaneku, yesterday, appealed to industrial unions in Nigerian universities to avoid strikes under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in the interest of the country’s education.

Addressing reporters as part of activities to mark his one year in office as the vice chancellor of the university, Ahaneku observed that the long strike embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan disrupted academic activities in universities.

He urged the unions to give the Buhari administration time to fix things in the country, including university education and called on them to exercise restraint in their demands to enable the new government settle down.

Abia House elects new speaker

By Anayo Okoli

U

MUAHIA—ABIA State House of Assembly has elected a new speaker, Allwell Asiforo Okere, who was former deputy speaker.

His new status followed the election of the former speaker, Ude Okochukwu, as deputy governor of the state.

The elevation is coming seven days to the expiration of the 5th House.

Okere, who represents Ukwa East state constituency, took the oath of office administered by the Clerk of the House, Johnpedro Irokansi, during the plenary of the House in line with Section 92 (1) of the 1999 Constitution and also Section 7 of the Rule Book of the House.

Emeka Ejiogu, representing Umuahia North State constituency, moved the motion for the change of election of Asiforo to fill the position vacated by the former speaker who resigned on May 28, 2015, to become the deputy governor of Abia State.

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Okada riders dare Anambra govt, defy ban

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA— COMMERCIAL motorcycle operators, popularly called Okada riders, yesterday, defied Anambra State government’s ban, preventing them from operating on some major roads the state’s urban centres.

Areas restricted for Okada and tricycle operators include Amansea –Awka expressway, Zik Avenue and Arthur Eze avenue

in Awka, as well as BorromewUpper Iweka, Awka Road, Oguta Road, New Market Road and Old Market Road in Onitsha. Two major roads in Nnewi, the Oba –Nnewi and Nnobi –Nnewi roads were also affected.

The ban took effect, yesterday.

However, while the operators complied in the morning , they later swarmed the restricted streets without fear.

Some of them, who spoke to

Vanguard in Awka and Onitsha, said they were ready to confront government on the issue because they had nothing else to do.

According to them, the restricted areas are the major areas they do their business because the affected roads traversed the cities.

The riders added that once somebody was on one side of the town, there was no way he could cross over to the other side.

Passengers were also patronizing them freely, with

some of them hoping that the ban might eventually fail.

Following the announcement of the restriction last week by the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Uju Nwogu, the operators said they would not operate yesterday to enable them take decisions on the government’s order.

It was gathered that officials of the motorcycle operators met early yesterday and directed their members to operate to see what government reaction would be.

Anambra govt bans sale of alcohol at motor-parks

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

N

NEWI—ANAMBRA State government, yesterday, banned the sale and consumption of alcohol and also expressed its resolve to ban heavy duty trucks from plying state roads in the day time as part of a renewed drive to secure the lives of the citizenry and check the massive damage they cause on the roads.

RETREAT: From left, Facilitator, Okoro Akunna; another facilitator, Chris Okeke; CEO, The Access Governor Willie Obiano made Media, Mary Ikoku; Abia State governorship candidate of the All Progressives grand Alliance APGA, this known after visiting victims Dr. Alex Otti, and member, representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency, Hon. Chugbo Enwezor, during of accident that resulted from two days retreat for members of Abia State House of Assembly, elected under the platform of APGA, break failure of a petrol tanker entitled,‘Socio-Economic Regeneration of Abia State through Effective Legislation,' in Lagos. which crashed into Asaba Park, Upper Iweka, Onitsha.

Governor Obiano visited Toronto Hospital, Onitsha, yesterday, to sympathize with the victims, and promised that the state of the peace. They were, however, He advised parents and government would bear the cost

By Chidi Nkwopara dispersed by the State Police guardians to always keep a tab of their treatment.

“We will soon announce the Command,” the commissioner on the activities of their children said. and wards to discourage them approved roads which the WERRI—IMO State The Imo police boss, who listed from acts and conducts capable vehicles will henceforth ply, and police command has exhibits recovered from the of jeopardizing peace and relevant agencies have been confirmed the arrest of no fewer suspects as Biafra uniforms, Biafra security in the society. directed to regularly stop and than 68 members of Movement ID cards, Biafra flags and some “We have just one country called check the heavy duty vehicles to for the Actualization of the buses, regretted that most of those Nigeria and we cannot have two ensure that they are in good Sovereign State of Biafra, involved in the act never knew flags for the same country," the condition, while sales and MASSOB, for unlawful when and how the civil war was commissioner said. consumption of alcohol and hard assemblage and procession. drugs have been banned at the fought in the country.

Disclosing this to newsmen in parks,” he said. his office, yesterday, the Describing the Commissioner of Police, Mr. accident as a big Austin Evbakhavbokun, said “62 tragedy, Governor of the figure arrested had been Obiano said his to a standstill in the commercial city administration was

By Anayo Okoli charged to court for conspiracy, as residents, commuters, motorists working in collaboration belonging to unlawful society and and residents of Aba trooped out in with the Federal Road conduct likely to cause breach of MUAHIA—A Pro-Biafra their numbers to have a glimpse of Safety Corps, FRSC, to peace.” group, Indigenous People of what was happening. introduce initiatives that The commissioner, however, Biafra, IPOB, drawn from the South will help minimize road Security was, however, provided by disclosed that the leader of the East and South South states of the the police who stationed their patrol mishaps, some of which movement, Chief Ralph country, has in Aba, Abia State, vehicles at strategic junctions in the include installation of Uwazurike, from investigations honoured fallen heroes, who died in road signs and speed city. conducted, was not associated the Nigerian-Biafran war. here was also an Armoured limits as well as with the group.

Numbering about 10, 000, the group Personnel Carrier stationed at Ehi marking of the roads.

Evbakhavbokun said that the gathered as early as 9a.m., in front of He recalled that his Road/CKC junction to ensure that self-styled freedom fighters had administration had last Christ the King Catholic Cathedral the march did not turn violent or month inaugurated the stormed Owerri, the state capital Church, Aba, and in sub-groups hijacked by hoodlums. in buses from all directions to State Emergency marched through the streets of Aba According to members of the group, Management Board, celebrate Biafra Day and after which they reassembled at the the exercise was staged to honour SEMA, to coordinate remembrance of their fallen same spot where they took off. some of the Biafran warlords who emergency response heroes without previous notice to The group marched peacefully for died during the Nigerian-Biafran activities in the state, the police. eight hours through Ogbor Hill area civil war.

“They were clad in MASSOB/ adding that the prompt to Aba-Owerri road, Tonimas-Umule They said the exercise was also arrival of the fire brigade Biafra uniforms with varying axis, Ariaria, Port Harcourt road aimed at further pushing for a and ambulances had insignia and marched towards the through Flyover Bus Stop among realization of the sovereign state of ensured the casualty Port Harcourt-Owerri federal rate was reduced others.

Biafra. highway, chanting war songs in maximally.

The procession almost brought traffic such a manner as to cause breach

Police arrest 68, arraign 62 MASSOB members

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Pro-Biafra group honours fallen heroes

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—17

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18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 A MAJOR challenge that change faces is the attitude of Nigerians who believe the only government in Nigeria is the federal government. We have at least 812 governments in Nigeria – the Federal Government, 36 States, the Federal Capital Territory, and 774 local government councils. In Nigeria, we have governments, not just the one in Abuja.

If we add the agencies, ministries, and parastatals that these governments control, the numbers increase, since some of the agencies are their own governments, barely allowing their operations to undergo scrutiny of the legislature.

When we speak of change, the enormity of the task is most times under-stated. The Federal Government alone has more than 800 parastatals, some of which are illegal, there are no laws establishing them, yet they get annual budgets. Since many of the parastatals are unknown, Nige-

How We Can Reject Change rians do not know what they do, and how they do them.

Away from the Federal Government, where the attention is concentrated, each State has replications of the ministries and agencies of the Federal Government. Many of them have the same defects as their counterparts at the centre. Some of them are even worse, but like Abuja, we chose where to pay attention, and things that we ignore forever.

Then there are the local government councils. They are the first tier of government, the nearest to the people, and the

foundation of the other two tiers.

They are non-existent in many States with the attendant challenges they have created for the welfare of Nigerians.

Section 7 (1) of the Constitution emphasises the importance of the local government councils, “ The system of local government by democratically elected local government councils is under this Constitution guaranteed; and accordingly, the Government of every State shall, subject to section 8 of this Constitution, ensure their existence under a Law, which provides for the establishment, structure, composition, fi-

nance and functions of such councils ”.

The abuses in local government councils constitute some of the highest incidents of lawlessness in Nigeria. The National Assembly has shown no interest in the violation that non-adherence to Section 7 entails. Since 1999, local governments have existed at the whim of governors who manage the funds allocated to local government councils. Change should run from the local government, through the States to the Federal Government. Do Nigerians think of all arms of governments when they speak of change? Change cannot be complete with if we exclude the States and local government councils.

Change cannot affect other tiers of governments if we keep excluding them from attention appropriate to their duties to Nigerians.

Unless we think of an inclusive change – and focus less on Abuja – we would have rejected change.

OPINION

Buhari's limtus test

By Mike Nkwocha

T

HE nation is agog with the inauguaration of Muhammadu Buhari as the President and Commander-in-Chief, Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Many congratulatory messages and recommendations are in the media by way of editorials, press releases,view points, analysis and advertorials covering several issues of national importance. Mine is by way of advice to Mr. President on a critical issue that may be the beginning of erosion of his excellent leadership credential or reduce the momentum of his reform and restoration agenda if not carefully handled or avoided completely.

In a democracy, political parties are the engine room for fertilisation of ideas before they are introduced to the public or implemented by the government. Events in a ruling party is always crucial to the success or failure of its government.

Therefore, it will be wise for Mr. President to keep an eye on the internal politics of his party.

In doing so,it is important for the President to note that the problems of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, started with recklessness and we don’t- give-a-damn attitude of the party leadership. A small seed which germinated into a big barren tree was sown as soon as the military handed over power to the PDP. One would easily recollect the sad emergence of “Ghana- must -go-

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bags” as an instrument of money transfer in politics and executive interference which led to the unfortunate imposition of late Chief Evans Enwerem as the President of the Senate against the clear wishes of senators who preferred late Dr. Chuba Okadigbo (oyi of oyi) as their leader. Initially, ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo was not willing to be drawn into the contest but when all manners of blackmail and misinformation including alleged conspiracy by his then Vice,Atiku Abubakar , was applied by his associates and confidants,Obasanjo entered the fray to enforce the imposition of Chief Enwerem.

That singular act started the game of musical chair in the leadership of the National Assembly for the rest of 16 years of PDP's stay in power and ultimately unleashing a chain of unpleasant events that led to the loss of power by the party.

Today,history is about to repeat itself if lesson is not learnt from PDP's failure and warning of political pundits absorbed by APC and it’s leaders. President Buhari has made it clear that he does want to be drawn into leadership contest in the National Assembly.

But no one can say how long he will resist the machination of the “magicians” who are using all sorts of subterfuge to draw him into

It will be impolitic for him to tilt the balance against one side

the arena of conflict. The President as a necessity, must beat off every effort aimed at pushing him into making the mistakes of his predecessors in office because as it is, he may likely be the only beacon of hope in the moment of crisis which looks certain to erupt in his party as time progresses. His statement that he will stay above board in the National Assembly leadership contest like “Caesar’s wife” is statesmanlike. It is the type of leadership that is expected from him and such behaviour explains the reason for public adoration and respect.

However, manipulators of the system and power mongers within his inner circle are not expected to leave him in peace. They will be unrelenting in creating many unpleasant scenarios about some aspirants just to suck Mr. President into the vortex of the conflict.

But Buhari should always keep in mind his high standard and principle. These qualities are personality profile that will be handy at critical times within the life span of his Administration. He must continue to stand firm like the Rock of Gibraltar to withstand the intrigues and power play in Aso villa and his party.

Like it was with the PDP, this is a make or mar assignment for the APC. Will the exercise be characterised by 'Ghana-must -go bag' and imposition of leaders thereby setting a strong foundation for the eventual implosion of APC? How far can internal democracy and free choice be allowed to go in the contest? Or will wheeler dealers succeed in pushing the President into abandoning his lofty pedestal by endorsing aspirants to leadership positions in the National Assembly? What manner of National Assembly does the APC want? Is it a

docile and pliable National Assembly or a vibrant and development oriented one? Is it a Leadership responsible to its members in particular and Nigerians in general or a leadership responsible to Godfathers and top party apparatchik? These questions and few others will be answered by President Buhari and APC in the days ahead. It is then that Nigerians will find out for themselves if hope in President Buhari and APC is justified or misplaced. The emmergence of National Assembly leadership will clearly indicate whether it is business as usual or whether the nation is indeed about to experience a nice breath of fresh and vitalising air. There is no controversy that the greatest undoing of the PDP was impunity characterised by power to “one strong individual “alone. Will manipulators drag Buhari and the APC to walk the same infamous path. It is only time that will tell. The contenders of leadership in the National Assembly are strong supporters and,in local parlance, “boys” of President Buhari and it will be impolitic for him to tilt the balance against one side thereby igniting a dangerous political tremor within the rank and file of the party.

There won’t be any justification for president Buhari to set in motion any action that may destroy the present solidarity in the APC. There is no justifiable reason for President Buhari to negate his now famous inaugural speech: “I belong to Everybody and I belong to Nobody”. The leadership contest in the National Assembly is the first test of that statement *Mr. Nkwocha, a political analyst, wrote from Awka, Anambra State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015— —19

Any change for civil and public servants?

By Sunny Ikhioya

H

OPE! That is what Nigerians are living for daily. It is a season of expectations. The baton of leadership has just changed hands. Lives of ordinary Nigerians have been so messed up by those appointed to lead them that they near comatose – no electricity, no water, no jobs, no good roads, health care services and more – yet we trudge on. It did not start today.

Since 1999, we have lived on hope and because of the Nigerian factor, we have not been able to take any action against those who have turned our hopes to hopelessness.

Now there is palpable excitement in the air about the expected change. One can almost feel it, breathe and touch it. Will our cravings be assuaged? Let us look at one sector that will determine whether the expected change will be a mirage or a reality – the Civil and Public service.

I remember with nolstalgia the change that I practically experienced in July-August, 1975. Murtala Mohammed had just overthrown the government of Yakubu Gowon in a military

coup, before now, the land papers – deed of conveyance - of my family property in Warri had been in a file at the Lands ministry, Benin, in the defunct Bendel state.

I was just out of secondary school then; my father summoned me to go to Benin to collect the documents, giving me the necessary references and directions. I got to Benin, traced the office and the officer in charge and on presenting my references, I was asked to sign the register for collection and the documents were released to me. The entire process did not take fifteen minutes. When I got back to Warri, my father could not believe the ease and speed the entire process took and was vey elated. That was the change then – no bribe, no connections, a young man of barely 17 years of age, undertaking such an important assignment in a government ministry and getting his request granted within record time. You could see fear on the faces of those government officials; nobody wanted to step on the wrong side of the law and so could not afford to be careless.

Since the death of Murtala Mohammed, successive governments have ran the affairs of this country and things have

gone progressively worse. Will Buhari be able to bring out that discipline from the Nigerian civil servants?

It is very important that we bring attention to bear on this sector as the civil/public servants are responsible for implementation of government policies and directives; they also exercise supervisory control over essential government parastatals and even private companies. The civil service as it is today, is at its lowest ebb, things that ordinarily belong to the citizens by right are now turned to privileges; applications for land or building approvals

If standards are introduced in public institutions, with disciplinary measures taken against those who flout them, there will be considerable improvement in all aspects of our public life

Buhari, Boko Haram and the hiring of mercenaries

By Godwin Etakibuebu

M

OST newspapers across Nigeria on Tuesday May 19th, 2015, came out with almost the same bold headline: “Buhari slams military for hiring mercenaries”, with a small rider which says “it is a shame it can’t secure 14 out of 774 LGAs in the country”. The retired Army Major General was speaking when the elite members of the Arewa Consultative Forum paid him a courtesy visit in Kaduna.

Ordinarily, President Muhammadu Buhari, ought not to be challenged on this subject matter for some reasons.

One, he is a retired major general of the Nigerian Army. Two, he has seen hostility during his days as a combatant. Three, he once led an onslaught, during his service days, against another religious insurgents [not of class of Boko Haram though] in the Northeast of the country, when he even pursued them [insurgents] into Republic of Chad territory during the days of Shehu Shagari in the Second Republic. Four and most importantly [for the purpose of this discussion], Buhari was the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces for twenty months after overthrowing the democratically elected government of the Second Republic.

The man was on his professional terrain therefore when he passed that damned judgement on his own constituency which is the military. If it is agreed that a former military commander, a former military Head of State, a former Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces was better positioned to say what he said, that itself will be suggestive of precluding any counter opinion on the subject matter from other quarters, most importantly, from any “bloody civilian”. But to come to such conclusion shall remain another C M Y K

fallacy of historical presentation, again, for some cogent reasons.

There are too many military strategists all over the world who are not professional soldiers, yet they are the beacon or custodian of knowledge in technics wars, impacting same to the professional soldierswho go to fight battles with excellent results. Go to the best military academies all over the world, you will discover that most acclaimed excellent and brilliant officers with glorious war achievement records passed through the tutelage of these “bloody civilians” strategists.

What this has proved is the fact that military knowledge in prosecution of warfare is not an exclusive monopoly of professional soldiers.

Another reason is the fact that machineries of prosecuting war, like arms, ammunitions, other hardware [which included but not limited to tank, armoured personnel carrier, night vision goggle, bulletproof vests, helicopter gunship, bomber planes plus

It is also enough revelation for us; mostly the “bloody civilians”, and of course to the “havebeen-to” retired military officers, that sometimes, their military knowledge, when they were there in active service, might have been outdated

now take as long as ten years in some ministries and nobody is doing anything about it.

Consequently, people recourse to building their houses without the required approved plans because any delay in developing the property ia an invitation to encroachment by undesirable elements.

The story is same for all government ministries and parastatals, whether in education, health, aviation, immigration, tax, judiciary, all sectors. Files are delayed unnecessarily and even get lost in transit with no culprit brought to justice. This is the state of our civil service. Can President Muhammadu Buhari effect the required change in the civil service? That will be the day.

Buhari has something going in his favour to make this change realistic, he is perceived as one of high integrity and prudent. So, his examples can serve as a beacon or a guide for all government and public officials to take cue from.

With the above situation, the workers are very well aware that with him, it will not be business as usual. So, we do not need much campaigns or enlightenment programmes.

What is required is to put in place adequate standards and indices that will be used to determine productivity of the government workers. By the time performance is appraised according to job

other heavy and light equipment of the Navy are products manufactured by institutions outside the military. These institutions are primarily properties and jurisdiction of the civilians’ community which the military in Nigeria would arrogantly refer to as “bloody civilian”.

We can go on and on to articulate many other reasons why military operational knowledge is no more exclusive property of retired military officers like the case at hand –”Buhari slams military for hiring mercenaries”.

Let us move on to discuss the issue but not without giving another reason in a very recent case when the Nigerian Military High Command was chastised by another former retired four star general of the Nigerian Army, a former Head of State, Olusegun Obasanjo and the reply the military top hierarchy gave to “Oga”.

Unfortunately the acrimonious altercation was about President Buhari and his certificate; which he claimed was with the Army Headquarters. The Army HQ replied their former C-in-C in a particular manner which irked General Obasanjo, and in his usual character, “washed down” the Army HQ “for not displaying proper military respectful conduct in dealing with their superior”. In putting the record straight, while replying “Oga” Obasanjo on the matter, the Military High Command affirmed that “it could be that their former C-in-C [Obasanjo] is out of tune with the modern day trend in the military, either in training, operation and other procedure”. That was enough word for General Obasanjo on the subject matter. It is also enough revelation for us; mostly the “bloody civilians”, and of course to the “havebeen-to” retired military officers, that sometimes, their military knowledge, when they were there in active service, might have been outdated.

Coming down to the matter in discuss, the newspapers’ report of Tuesday, May 19th, quoted Buhari as having expressed “disappointment with the way the military handled the war against insurgency in the North East, wondering why the military could not secure 14 out of the 774 local

output, they will begin to sit tight.

For example; no official should close for the day without been in position to determine his productivity for that day. All jobs are measurable in terms of quality, quantity, time and money. We must put timelines in place to treat public and private applications, permits, approvals and so on in government establishments, that will eliminate delays, bribes, extortions, loss of files, poor service delivery from government officials.

If standards are introduced in public institutions, with disciplinary measures taken against those who flout them, there will be considerable improvement in all aspects of our public life.

Every government ministry is important to national development and all must have standards of measurement to determine efficiency.

If Muhammadu Buhari can effect change in this direction, he will be leaving behind a legacy that will stand the test of time and a model for others coming behind to follow.

Can he effect this change? Only time will tell.

*Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

government councils in the country without the assistance of ‘South African mercenaries’”.One only hope that Buhari's outburst against the military at this time is not against the background of his certificate matter narrated above and the way the military High Command responded to it because Oga Buhari neither need to have been disappointed nor even wondered, and this is for simple reasons.

One, the Nigerian military sent to the war “was not waiting for the South African mercenaries” but were waiting for modern weapon of warfare. They were waiting because over thirty years, all previous Head of States and Presidents, including Buhari[Military Head of State from 1984 -1986], refused to equip the military with modern warfare weapons. So the military waited [oh, they were dying while supposedly waiting as troops and officers were being slaughtered on daily basis by the more equipped Boko Haram insurgents]until President Goodluck Jonathan procured all the necessary weapons, hence the difference that has told the history of victory we now have in the North East.

Two, military philosophy of going to war [holy war as the theory implies] is to “annex, defeat and conquer”. The Boko Haram group, made up of well-trained soldiers with sophisticated modern weapon of war, came to annex, defeat and conquer, just like their brothers [ISIS] are doing in the Middle-east, but it is now a fact of history that with the modern war weapons Jonathan procured, the same Nigerian military revised the situation –not one local government out of 774 in Nigeria is in the hands of any insurgents, even as of the time the Buhari spoke. My conclusion is that President Buhari ought to praise and eulogise his “boys”, with a standing ovation, for “following the very good operational procedure he bequeathed on them”. *This copy was sent in before the inauguaration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

•Mr. Etakibuebu, a commentator on public affairs, wrote from Lagos.

20—Vanguard, TUESDAY 5 TUESDAY,, JUNE 2, 201 2015

Onitsha fuel tanker fire:

Crowd throng hospitals to identify victims •Death toll now 70

By Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha

B

ARELY 24 hours after last Sunday’s ill-fated fuel tanker fire that killed 69 persons inside the Asaba Motor Park at the popular Upper Iweka axis in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, rescue operations yesterday continued in earnest at the accident scene, while a mammoth crowd thronged various major hospitals in the city to see if they could identify the victims.

A visit to the scene and hospitals yesterday afternoon showed individuals, organisations and families moving from one hospital to the other, particularly those who were expecting their relations back home from various destinations within the weekend.

Some of the major hospitals were besieged by anxious crowd of individuals in frantic search of their relations. They included the General Hospital, Onitsha; St. Charles Borromeo Mission Hispital, Onitsha and Toronto Hospital, a private hospital located very close to the accident scene.

Ralph Uwazuruike, the MASSOB leader, yesterday, he commiserated with all the family members of the dead and prayed that God, in His infinite mercy, shall grant them the fortitude to bear the heavy loss”, adding that they were in the hospital with the wife of their bereaved member to evacuate the body home for immediate burial.

Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRCS, Anambra State, Prof. Peter Emeka Katchy, also confirmed to Vanguard Metro yesterday in his office at Onitsha that one more person died to bring the death toll to 70, while 29 were still critical in the various hospitals.

Katchy also confirmed that

*Men of the NRCS carrying out rescue operation at the scene

MASSOB identifies chieftain among the dead

At the Onitsha General Hospital, yesterday, leadership of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, in Anambra North Local Government Area said they have so far identified one Chief Donatus Nweke, its Regional Administrator in charge of Anambra West Local Government Area, as one of the deceased fire victims.

Speaking to newsmen at the hospital premises while trying to prevail on the hospital management to release the remains of the late Chief Nweke to them to be taken home for burial, the leader of MASSOB in Anambra North Zone, Mazi Chris Mocha said the 54-yearold Nweke who hails from Amagu village, Amuri in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State, until his death in the unfortunate incident, was a pioneer member of the movement in Anambra State.

According to Mocha: “When the sad news was broken to Chief C M Y K

*Fire fighters battling to put out the inferno Governor Willie Obiano had shortly after visiting the scene on Sunday, given a directive to the management of the nearby Toronto Hospital to give proper medical attention to all the injured victims at the expense of the state government.

At the scene of the incident, members of the NRCS and other security agencies were seen still checking the burnt vehicles in search of valuables and possibly human bodies.

The fire which started at about 3pm was the outcome of a petrolladen tanker ramming into the Asaba Park and exploding thereafter when the driver lost control of the vehicle due to sudden brake failure.

Among the dead victims were the tanker driver and his conductor, a pregnant woman, little babies, drivers and passengers boarding vehicles at the park, several individuals at

news-stands along the park, as well as hawkers within the vicinity.

The tragic incident also threw residents and travellers within the commercial city of Onitsha into panic as many wailed

The tragic incident threw residents and travellers into panic as many wailed uncontrollably at the sight of the charred and mangled bodies of the victims and critical conditions of the injured

uncontrollably at the sight of the charred and mangled bodies of the victims and critical conditions of the injured.

However, some of the eyewitnesses who spoke to newsmen, argued that the death toll was far higher than the official 69 mentioned by the NRCS. According to an eye witness, who identified himself at the scene as Victor Ugwumadu, the tanker caught fire about 10 minutes after ramming into the building which resulted in many persons being trapped in the rubble.

He said as the inferno raged on, men of the Fire Service from Okpoko and Onitsha Main Market fire stations who tried to put out the fire were helpless as they ran out of water so early.

He said he saw a combined team of policemen from Okpoko, Area Command, Central Police Station, Onitsha, Fegge, Awada

and Inland Divisions with officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Red Cross and State Security Services, DSS, battling to rescue the victims casualties.

He said some angry youths at the scene wanted to block the expressway in protest but for the timely intervention of the security operatives.

Also speaking at the scene, Mr. Iyke Nzegwu, a Chief Superintendent of Fire Service from Okpoko Fire Station, lamented that the organisation was incapacitated in handling emergency situations owing to government negligence. He said that Okpoko station has only one functional vehicle out of three, adding that they ran out of water as soon as they arrived the scene which led to the escalation of the inferno.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration, DCP Makama, who visited the scene on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Hosea Karma, said that the incident was highly regrettable and suggested that government should always take proactive measures in forestalling future occurrences by providing all the necessary materials in case of any fire outbreak.

The Onitsha Unit Commander of the FRSC, Anthony Metta when contacted for comments said that his men were still at the scene trying to handle the situation, adding that 22 bodies had so far been recovered and deposited at a nearby morgue while rescue operations continued.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

— 21

How we discovered N8bn currency fraud —CBN

COMMISSIONING: From left: General Manager in charge of Asaba Zone, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Sunday

Ilegar; former Governor of Delta State, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan and his Deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama during the commissioning of a brand new ICT Centre built and donated to the state by Zenith Bank as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility, in Asaba.

By Babajide Komolafe

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday explained how it discovered the N8 billion currency fraud.

In a statement issued yesterday, Director, Corporate Communications, CBN, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu said, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) would like to inform the general public of the chronology of events that led the Management of the CBN to handover some unscrupulous staff to

The CBN has also conducted a nationwide audit of all 37 branches of the Bank and found that this was an isolated scheme at Ibadan Branch

the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for prosecution.

“During a routine internal audit of the Bank’s Cash Destruction activities in September 2014, the CBN Briquetting Panel comprising Senior Bank Staff from different branches noticed some anomalies at the Ibadan Branch, and immediately reported this to the Bank’s Management. On further investigation ordered by the Governor, it was discovered that a systematic scheme, which has been on for several years, was being run in which mutilated

higher denomination notes originally meant for destruction were swapped with lower denomination currencies.

This practice known as interleafing, basically labels a box with a higher value than its true content.

“As soon as the Bank’s internal investigations concluded beyond reasonable doubt that some wrongdoing had occurred, the affected members of staff who are middle-level officers were, depending on gravity of offence, either summarily dismissed or immediately placed on indefinite suspension on 21 October 2014, and all handed over to the EFCC for further investigation and prosecution. The CBN has also conducted a nationwide audit of all 37 branches of the Bank and found that this was an isolated scheme at Ibadan Branch. The Bank will continue to collaborate with the EFCC to ensure that affected CBN staff, as well as their accomplices in some commercial banks, are brought to justice.”

Recall that the EFCC on Sunday said that it has arrested six top officials of Nigeria’s Central Bank and 16 other workers of commercial banks for stealing and putting into circulation defaced and mutilated Nigerian currency notes to the tune of N8 billion meant for destruction.

The Commission said that the suspects have already been taken into EFCC custody preparatory to their arraignment at the Federal High Court, Ibadan on Tuesday, June 2. The trial will run till June 4 in a bid to speed up the prosecution of the suspects by the court.

Review energy sector, analysts tell Buhari $131. 20 $3,073.00

-12.00

$12.07

0.09

CURRENCY BUYING DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

5.05

$67.05

-0.49

59.97

-0.33

CENTRAL

196 196.5 197 302.0556 302.8262 303.5967 214. 2868 214.8335 215.3801 206.882 207.4098 207.9375 1.5977 1.6017 1.6058 0.3144 0.3244 0.3344 275. 0583 275.76 276.4617 31.5916 31.6727 31.7537 52.2639 52.3972 52.5305 28.7411 28.8144 28.8877 272.6556 273.3512 274.0467

CBN Exchange Rate as at 01 / 06 /15

By Ediri Ejoh

W

ORRIED by the dwindling fortune of the energy industry, experts have called on the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari to critically review the sector, as infrastructural decay, and other forms of irregularities continue to threaten its growth.

In a telephone chat with Vanguard, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Sahara Power, Mr. Kola Adesina, said that the National power infrastructure is inadequate for steady power supply in Nigeria.

“Aggregated available domestic gas cannot wheel more than 5000 megawatts and the available transmission lines may not take 5000 megawatts.

There are however some new plants that may help generation if there is gas,” he said.

He also stated that Nigerians must learn to pay more in electricity tariff if we must move forward. “The only way out is if government can afford to pay subsidy. I have been long enough in the business to know that government

will often wish to pay but will often and always fail,” he added.

Adesina explained that the electricity market is largely unmetered and there is no market or regulation for non- existent or unmetered goods.

He also said that over 60 percent of the power problem is tied to theft in the sector. According to him, “We must stop stealing electricity. This is 60 percent of the problem. Even the elite, people in authority, barracks, government offices, state houses, universities, most Asian companies in Nigeria consume huge sums of energy without paying.

On his part, Managing Director/CEO, Grew Relentech Specialist, oil and gas company, Mr. Sergius Ikemu, argued that there were so many aspects in the industry that one can look at and say it needed better handling. “But on a broader sense, there is the nagging issue of how the sector is regulated.

“If we take the PIB as an aspect, over the period of last administration, the issue of re-engineering the sector was debated all through yet, there was no concrete progress. This if properly handled would have been one less area

that the administration of Buhari would have to worry about. However, lack of leadership was the biggest issue in the energy industry.

Oil and gas However, the Principal Consultant, LONADEK Nigeria Limited, a firm of oil and gas consultants, Dr. Ibilola Amao, stated that the decay in the oil and gas industry for some time, can be attributed to the frequent changes in the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. According to her, “There were quite a lot of legitimate oil and gas activities stalled because the NNPC Board did not meet as frequently as required (the NNPC Board must meet regularly and submit report progress report – mandatorily).

“GMD’s were sacked and replaced in a very haphazard manner and too many critical decisions were left to the whims and caprices of Madam Minister.

“Also, a lot of fraudulent activities and practices characterized Nigeria’s downstream activities,” she said.

She also said that the subsidy regime was flawed with irregularities .

22 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

,

Beta Glass Company Plc has proposed a dividend of 62 kobo per share to its shareholders for the financial year end of 2014 as the closing date for its register has been fixed for 12thJune, 2015.

TOP 10 PERFORMING STOCKS

BY PETER EGWUATU

R

ed Star Express Plc has led the cream of top ten gainers in the Main Board sector of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE last week, rising by 41.5 per cent or N1.57 to close at N5.35 per share last Friday from N3.78 per share penultimate week.

The company last year paid a dividend of N206 million to its shareholders for the financial year ended March31, 2014.

Red Star has consistently paid dividend to its shareholders since its shares were listed on the NSE. The company is a provider of logistics solutions and is a licensee of Fed Ex. It was incorporated in Nigeria under the Companies and Allied Matters Act , CAMA on July 10, 1992, commenced business on October 12, 1992 and became a public company on July 9, 2007. It was listed on the NSE on November 14, 2007.

Beta Glass Company Nigeria Plc trailed behind RedStar Express Plc on the top ten chart, rising by 33.2 per cent or N9.97 per share to close at N39.97 per share from N30.00 per share. Beta Glass Company Plc has proposed a dividend of 62 kobo per share to its shareholders for the financial year end of 2014 as the closing date for its register has been fixed for 12th June, 2015.

The company reported revenue of N16.6billion in its full year result of 2014, indicating a growth of 18 per cent from N14.09 billion in the period of 2013. Profit before tax increased by 63 per cent to N3.3 billion from N2.05 billion in 2013. Profit After Tax, PAT increased by 62 per cent from N1.474 billion to N2.391 billion in 2014, Earning Per Share, EPS up by 62 per cent from 295kobo to 478 kobo in 2014.

Presco Plc trailed Beta Glass on the top ten gainers ‘chart gaining 16.9 per cent or N5.11 per share to close at N35.20 per share from N30.09 per share penultimate week. Presco Plc has recorded N2.153 billion in its financial year ended March 31, 2015 as against N2.108 billion posted the corresponding period of 20`15. Its Gross Profit stood at N1.3 billion in 2015 as against N1.09 billion in 2014.

The company Profit Before Tax, PBT climbed to N859.8 million in 2015 financial year as against N595.7 million in 2014. Presco recorded N556.7 million profit after tax in the 2015 financial year as against N406.7 million in 2015, while its Earning Per Share, EPS was N0.56 as against N0.40 in 2014.

Cap Plc came fourth on the gainers chart. It appreciated by 14.9 per cent or N5.34 per share to close at N41.00 per share from N35.66 per share.

Cap Plc’s recently released result for the financial year ended March 3, 2014 shows that Revenue up by 12.8 per cent to end N6.986 billion from N6.196 billion in the corresponding period of 2013; Operating expenses went up by 9.8 per cent to hit N1.367 billion from N1.245 billion in 2013; Operating Profit went up by 16.8 per cent to N2.231 billion from N1.911 billion in 2013; Profit Before Tax grew by 17 per cent to N2.442 billion from N2.087 billion; Profit After Tax, PAT surged by 17.3 per cent to N1.661 billion from N1.416 billion; Earnings Per Share, EPS grew by 17.3n per cent to N2.37 from N2.02.

Cap Conoil Plc occupied the fifth position as it gained 13.2 per cent or N4.79 per share to close at N41.00 per share fromN36.21 it closed penultimate week. The company acquired aircraft fullers recently.

Other gainers in the top ten chart include TotalFinaElf Plc , which garnered 11.9 per cent or N18.50 per share to close at N174.00 per share from N155.50 it closed penultimate week. It was followed by 7 7UP Bottling Company Plc , rising by 9.9 per cent or N16.00 per share to close at N178.00 per share from N162.00 per share.

Okumu Oil Palm Company Plc was in the top ten gainers’ chart occupying the eight position. It gained 7.6 per cent or N2.09 per share to close at N29.50 per share from N27.41 per share, followed by Unilever, which inched up by 6.4 per cent or N2.69 per share to close at N45.00 per share from N42.31 per share.

Lafarge Africa Plc occupied the 10th top gainers chart as it appreciated by N4.00 per share or 4.3 per cent to close at N98.00 per share from N94.00 per share it closed penultimate week.

INVESTOR'S ,

How CBN, Savannah Bank destroyed Victim

By Babajide Komolafe

M

ANY lives and businesses have suffered and are still suffering due to the sudden closure of Savannah Bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the seeming inability of the owners of the bank to raise capital to reopen the bank.

Below is the account of one of our readers, Mr. Uche Ephraim, on how the Savannah Bank saga led to the sudden and early death of his father.

“Thank you very much Izu Emmanuel and God bless the Publisher of Vanguard Newspaper for making the voice of the voiceless heard in Nigeria. What Savannah bank did to my family cannot be told with living mouth.

"All the earning of my father was saved in Savannah Bank for the purpose of the children but all turned to a disaster just at the moment we needed it most. This act brought untold hardship to my family and the shock of the bank liquidation did not spare my dad’s life as

AGM : From left, Dr. Edugie Abebe, Director, Mr. Nnamdi Okaf Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) Chairman, all of May & Baker Nigeria Pl Meeting, AGM held in Lagos

he suffered shock and finally gave up the ghost when there was no hope!

"A school teacher, who retired as a vice principle but was unfortunate not to marry early enough. So the children could not enjoy his role as a father when he was in active

All the victims of the bank should register and let us devise means to channel our problem and have it resolved

MARKET NEWS

By Peter Egwuatu

T

he Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) said it is set to engage the Federal Government and the Directorate of the National Youth Corps Scheme (NYSC) on the need to integrate capital market operations into the entrepreneurial scheme of NYSC to avail the fresh graduates a more comprehensive exposure to the capital market operations.

Recall that the Federal Government institutionalized entrepreneurial training in the NYSC scheme to enable the fresh graduates develops a new capacity aside from their academic background.

This is part of the strategy to promote self-employment for the youths by de-emphasizing dependence on white collar jobs.

It was gathered that if the plan comes through, many of the young graduates would make career in the capital market after their NYSC primary assignment. Already, CIS has been at the fore front of investor education for the NYSC members every quarter. Many of the fresh

Capital market: CIS to engage FG, NYSC on entrepreneurial scheme graduates lack in-depth information about opportunities provided by the capital market and how they can take advantage of such.

Only last month the Institute commenced discussion with the Ministry of Education on the need to accredit its Diploma Courses for admission into higher institution and make such qualifications acceptable for employment in the civil service.

Meanwhile, in continuation of its regular enlightenment programme for the youths, the institute visited the 2015 Lagos State NYSC orientation camp Batch B recently to educate young graduates about the capital market. The CIS team was led by the Head Research and Technical, Mr

Arize Nwobu who spoke extensively on how fresh graduates can make a career in the capital market.

Nwobu explained how the Institute is saddled with the responsibility of training and certification of Nigerian Graduates on the Capital Market. Nwobu noted that stock broking is a noble business that is based on trust and integrity. According to him, for anyone to practice securities and investment in Nigeria he or she must be a member of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers. He explained that the Institute has approved a 50 per cent rebate on registration fee for all serving corp members in the country.

He further stated that serving corp members who had

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 —23

service. But the man did plan and saved for his family. In fact his ‘ will’ clearly suggests a man who planned for the future but the country is not a respecter of citizens hence things go just anyhow. It hurts till today even CBN has not taken a stand on the depositors of the defunct bank

and instead what it is interested is N6 ATM charge.

That is nonsense.

"Even Biometric Verification Number (BVN) itself is nonsense because if I don’t have money, how can I deposit in various banks? The BVN, if needed should have been for those in government offices or if you have a certain amount of money in the bank.

"Then you will be called for BVN. Let CBN act and give me my money inherited from my Dad’s will locked-up in Savannah Bank. I will go into legal battle with the owners of the bank and it is only God that can tell the damages they have caused. Thank you Vanguard for the opportunity to express myself, I will follow this case to a logical conclusion. Please help us form a pressure group.

"All the victims of the bank should register and let us devise means to channel our problem and have it resolved.

We will get headquarter in all geopolitical zones and have representatives. With that we can have this matter resolved.

Nigeria should devise a means to bring culprits to book.

God of vengeance will not let us down.

Protect our interests, minority shareholders tell Gwarzo Shareholders have urged the newly confirmed Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, to ensure the interest of minority shareholders is not jeopardised in the capital market by protecting them from multinationals.

Anono

By Providence Obuh

M passed through universities and polytechnics were eligible and qualified to explore the benefits and opportunities in the capital market and end up practising as stockbrokers, securities analysts, investment bankers and portfolio managers who are currently the major players in the capital market.

Many of the fresh graduates lack in-depth information about opportunities provided by the capital market and how they can take advantage of such

,

INVESTORS SPEAK

d my father---

for, Managing Director, and Lt. Gen. lc at company’s 64th Annual General

,

S FORUM

He should be able to ensure that decisions taken by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting are actually implemented into the system

He therefore urged the corp members to take advantage of being part of this noble course by enrolling for the CIS professional examination while serving the Nation. He also emphasised that only CIS certified graduates can practise stockbroking.

While appreciating the speaker and the entire team from the Institute, the State Coordinator, Mr. Cyril Akhanemhe remarked that it was quite thoughtful of the Institute to have brought great opportunity for the corp members, he then urged the corp members to take advantage of exploring the opportunities available to them during their service year.

The institute’s Second Vice President, Mr. Dapo Adekoje is already working on some modalities to increase the membership base through aggressive awareness programme. The Institute has become a beehive of students’ visit as many of them are yearning for knowledge of capital market operations and how to take advantage of an array of opportunities in the market.

r. Godwin Anono, C h a i r m a n P r o f e s s i o n a l S h a r e h o l d e r s Association: Gwarzo should be able to transform the capital market. He should look into stock brokers who are contravening the laws and interested in collecting and spending money meant for investment where shareholders are at the receiving end. He should maintain unity between foreign investors in the capital market.

He should be able to set rules that will guide the market and make certain decisions on the management of the capital market. There should be a check on operators and anyone found to be defaulting any of the rules should be punished accordingly.

He should be able to ensure that decisions taken by the shareholders at the Annual General Meeting are actually implemented into the system. He has a lot to do.

Nwosu

We should open our eyes and SEC should help us, if Nigerian Stock Exchange is not willing to help us to stop what is going on

At the venue of the AGM, there should be SEC r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s , representatives from the registrars, the auditors and other agencies representatives.

They should also go back and review the rules of the capital market whereby the multinationals are trying to buy up all the shares from minority shareholders

Mr. Sunny Nwosu, National Coordinator of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN): Gwarzo is also a professional, he should ensure that the shareholders are not short changed because the responsibility of SEC is to protect the interest of shareholders.

They should also go back and review the rules of the capital market whereby the multinationals are trying to buy up all the shares from minority shareholders.

They should review it. It does not make sense that they make Nigerians to patronize them for profit making and that profit equitably shared between Nigerians and the technical parties.

You can see Unilever, they want to take one billion shares from Nigeria at the hike of the price to pay and yet these are the Nigerians they depend on to patronize their product. It is s very important for SEC to go back to drawing board.

We should open our eyes and SEC should help us, if Nigerian Stock Exchange is not willing to help us to stop what is going on. Again, Gwarzo must not condone the back door way of doing things.

24 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Promoters may renew bid to licence Construction Development Bank

By Jude Njoku

P

ROMOTERS of the unregistered Construction Development Bank may renew the bid to licence the bank which is expected to alleviate the funding problems currently bedevilling the construction industry in Nigeria. The renewed bis is sequel to the huge debts being owed contractors and consultants by the three tiers of government and their agencies/parastatals.

The bank which was being promoted by the built environment professions and the Federation of Construction Industry, FOCI, among other stakeholders, became stillbirth following the inability of stakeholders to meet the mandatory N25 billion capital base required by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN for registration of new banks or renewal of the operating licence of existing banks.

Indications that the stakeholders may renew their bid to get the bank registered emerged in separate interviews by Vanguard Homes & Property with two of the key promoters.

The arrowhead behind the floating of the specialised bank, Mr. Segun Ajanlekoko noted that the issue of housing would have been considerably reduced and infrastructure development tackled more holistically, if the Construction Development Bank was allowed to take off.

“Every time I have the opportunity to talk about funding, I see the opportunity that we had through Construction Development Bank to help this country grow so big and achieve rapid

Mr. Olusegun Ajanlekoko

Ongoing construction site in Nigeria... Is construction bank the panacea to poor funding of such projects? development in terms of infrastructure, which includes housing. Unfortunately, the bank was not licensed, maybe because we were not mature for it at the time it was being canvassed. But I always believe that the time will come when everybody will key into the dream and it is coming gradually. If we had the Construction Development Bank, the issue of housing would have been considerably reduced and infrastructure development would have been tackled more holistically than what government is doing. People will have confidence in a private-sector run

Economy, CASLE, said.

His views were corroborated by the President of the Federation of Construction Industry, FOCI, Mr. Solomon Ogunbusola, who hinted that the stakeholders may take a second look at getting the bank registered. “ About ten years ago, we moved the idea of having a Construction Bank. The idea then was that we all register and introduce this construction bank to the government; that once they give us jobs, we deposit all our papers/ documents to the bank and through the bank, the government will be paying us and if the government cannot

Lagos gets material recovery facility

By Kingsley Adegboye

Every time I have the opportunity to talk about funding, I see the opportunity that we had through Construction Development Bank to help this country grow so big and achieve rapid development

Construction Bank than in a government organisation.

Government has set up an Infrastructure Bank but what is the impact? Who are being serviced? For me, it is not serving the interest of the nation but the interest of a selected few. Until we are sincere and see this Construction Development Bank as a must and government gives its tacit support by helping it to access some long-term funds, it will be a problem to develop this country as rapidly as it should be,” Ajanlekoko who is the current President of the Commonwealth Association of Surveying and Land

pay, they (bank/government) will now liaise between themselves. That was the time they were doing what they called recapitalization of banks with a minimum capital base of N25 billion. When that thing came up, we discovered that many banks went out of the market and there was no way we could get N25 billion at that time. That was how that idea died. We have discussed it several times in our meetings. If we can be encouraged, maybe by the Ministry of Finance and Works Ministry, it will easier and cheaper and more effective for us. It is a very good and welcome idea and we shall look at it second time, to see if we can do it,” he said. “ If government, for example, redirects the policy on pensions funds towards longterm loanable investable funds, it will create the necessary funds that will be put into this kind of construction bank and it will yield a great effect on the whole nation. There are unclaimed dividends, huge resources. If one trillion Naira only from the pensions fund is used to invest in this long term construction development, it will change the entire country dramatically; just to use it to do our railways reconstruction and roads. I am an optimist, I still believe that something will come out of the construction bank, not the ones they are doing. We gave them all the idea, they take it from you and turn it to Infrastructure Bank that is run by themselves. The same thing did with Urban Development Bank which has crashed. No government can run these entities successfully, not in our environment,” he said.

T

HE

Lagos state government has built the first ever Material Recovering Facility, MRF in the country. The MRF is a project undertaken by West Africa Energy Group in collaboration with the Lagos State Government aimed at ensuring environmental sustainability in the state through waste recycling and creation of small scale entrepreneurial schemes in the catchment area.

Immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babatunde Fashola who spoke at the

commissioning of the multimillion naira plant, said he was optimistic that the Facility located in the Igando area of the state would improve the environment and create more job opportunities for the people of the state.

Fashola who commended the effort of West Africa Energy Group in the initiation of the project, stated that effective environmental management and sustainability was part of the fulfillment of his promises to transform Lagos state.

The former Environment commissioner, Mr. Tunji Bello commended LAWMA and West Africa Energy for the laudable project, stating that

it would be a reference point in solid waste management in the countr y. He further revealed that the MRF, when fully operational, would provide support to the manufacturing sector through the provision of waste off-takers such as plastics,papers and metals, leading to reduction in cost of production and more employment opportunities.

In his address, the Managing Director, LAWMA, Mr. Ola Oresanya said that completion of the MRF was a dream come true. He thanked the former governor and host community for their cooperation, especially by permitting the use of their land for the purpose.

The CEO West Africa Energy Group, Mr. Paul O’Callaghan, said that the facility at full production would process waste from more than 130 PSP trucks per day. According to him, the staff strength sourced from the local community would be increased from 120 to 350 personnel of skilled, semiskilled and unskilled workers.

Other people that delivered their goodwill messages includes the GMD of First City Monument Bank, Mr. Ladi Balogun, the chairman of Association of Waste managers of Nigeria, AWAM, Mr. Bode Coker, and a representative of Igando community.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 25

We laid enduring foundation in housing sector —Eyakenyi

By Jude Njoku

I

MMEDIATE past Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi took a critical look at her one-year stewardship and posited that she had laid an enduring foundation for her successors to build upon. Eyakenyi who was emotional when she received board members of the parastatals in the ministry who came to bid her farewell, noted that although she came from outside the built environment, she was embraced and supported by all. “ I only spent a year in office but it looks like four years. I have made friends but have also stepped on sensitive toes. But that was the job I was sent to do,” she said.

The former Minister used the opportunity to recount the scorecard of her administration.

Mrs Akon Eyakenyi, former Minister of Lands, Housing & Urban Development.

ensure full optimisation of land for rapid socio-economic

development,” she said.

Other achievements listed by Eyakenyi include the development of a framework for undertaking a National Housing survey.

“A framework for conducting a National Housing Survey was developed with the overriding goal of establishing whether Nigerians are adequately housed or not. When undertaken, the Survey will help to establish the true state of housing deficit in the country (instead of relying on forecasts and projections), the quantum of investments needed to meaningfully address the housing gap, as well as the capacity requirements for

transforming the housing and urban development sector on a sustainable basis,” she said.

She disclosed that a 30-year concession agreement for sand filling and development of infrastructure in FESTAC Phase II, covering an area of 1,126 hectares between the Federal Housing Authority, FHA and Messrs New Festac Property Development Company was signed. A total of 7,000 plots will be realised and sold to members of the public for housing development under the scheme.

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN and Federal Housing Authority, FHA, were both strengthened to perform

Draft roadmap for the housing and urban development sector

According to her, a 30-year (2014-2043) draft roadmap for sustainable transformation of the housing and urban development sector was finalised and approved as a national framework of action by the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development at its meeting in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital in December, 2014 .

Similarly, the revised National Building Code was finalised to ensure improved professional and ethical standards in the housing and urban development sector. The code will competently address other emerging challenges of building and construction in Nigeria, including improving standardization in the housing sector and stemming the rising trend of building collapse across the country.

Development of a zero draft National Land Policy The former Minister disclosed that under her watch, a zero draft National Land Policy was developed. “When finalised, the administration/management of land and land resources will be better coordinated in order to

A framework for conducting a National Housing Survey was developed with the overriding goal of establishing whether Nigerians are adequately housed or not

TOUR: From left: Mr. Earl Castor, Chief Executive Officer, Aesbus Knowledge Solutions,USA; Dr. Solomon Olatoye, Director, Aesbus Knowledge Solutions,USA; Mr. Lanre Okupe, Chairman, Cornerstone Real Estate Limited and Mr. Moshood Ajayi, Project Coordinator during the investors’ tour of Cornerstone Housing Estate,Orgun.

Environmentalists seek legislation to save earth from further degradation

By Funmi Olasupo

E

nvironment stakeholders have called on all industrial concerns, business prompters and governments across the world to embark on sustainable use of earth resources for the betterment of mankind.

The call was made during a one-day programme organised by SMEFUNDS, Carbon Credit Network in partnership with the World Bank and United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP to commemorate this year’s Earth Day. The theme of this year ’s Earth Day Celebration was: What would you rather do or say to save the Earth?

Opening discussion at the forum, the Chief Executive Officer, SMEFUNDS Mr. Femi Oye lamented the degradation of the earth

through unscrupulous human activities.

According to him, some of the uncoordinated human activities which have inflicted serious damage on the mother earth include indiscriminate felling of trees, high intensity of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium NPK application in the agricultural sector.

Apart from destroying land nutrients, he also stated that NPK has the potential to impact negatively on the human reproductive system, thereby resulting in low sperm count in men.

He then implored participants to respond to all these diverse effects on the mother earth adding that “for us to live in a future we desire, we need to act now.”

Oye also called on all Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of planting trees, explained that it is through that the

health of the people and that of the earth could be protected.

In her presentation entitled, “Going Green”, the CEO, ARARAT-JODI Consult, Mrs. Irene Adepitan, stated that man is responsible for the alteration in the state of the earth which is manifesting in rising temperature. She explained that it is also the responsibility of man to bring it to its healthy state.

According to her, restoring the earth to its healthy status is not by choice, but a must, failure of which may spell doom not only for the present generation, but also those coming behind.

She linked the wave of disasters springing across the world to the impact of human activities on the mother earth, adding that “the earthquake is consequently the impact of human activities on the mother earth.”

Assets declaration: NIESV canvasses issuance of evaluation certificate

By CALEB AYANSINA

T

HE Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, NIESV has called for the mandatory issuance of evaluation certificate to public office holders who declare their assets. This measure, according to the land professionals, will check fraudulent assets declarations.

The President of NIESV, Olorogun James Omeru alleged that it had become a common trend among public officials to indulge in anticipatory assets declaration. According to him, some public officers declare their assets in anticipation of what they would get at the end of their tenure.

Olorogun, who made the call in Abuja, said the institution would like to partner with the incoming government of Muhammadu Buhari to fight corruption and entrench transparency in governance.

He insisted that assets declaration without a valuation certificate amounts to not being seriousness in the fight against corruption.

“We note specially that the election promise of the incoming government dealt squarely with corruption among public servants in this country. Much of the proceeds of corruption by public officers are invested in landed property assets and it is a constitutional responsibility of all public servants or officers to declare their assets before and after occupying an office.

“We contend that to give credibility to the process, Valuation Report/Certificate must accompany the asset declaration form.

The valuation report will indicate clearly, the type and nature of asset, the location (with photographs) and value. This will discourage false and anticipatory declaration.

The NIEVS boss complained that they had approached the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB on the matter on several occasions but the CCB refused to give attention to their submission.

“We made representations to Code of Conduct Bureau on a number of occasions but because the system is not serious about fighting corruption, they have refused to respond positively. It is our hope that the new government will be more transparent,” he said.

On land reforms, the estate surveyors maintained they have the capacity to partner with the government, if given the chance to address problem associated with land reform and titling.

26— Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Dubai property index negative first time in four years

D

ubai property prices fell in April as a property index in the emirate turned negative for the first time in four years The residential prices index started declining from the second quarter of last year – in line with the fall in oil and gold prices, according to Reidin, a property information company.

The index dropped about 3 per cent in April from the same period last year, Reidin said.

Apartment sales prices dipped 0.8 per cent in April from March and declined 3.6 per cent from a year ago.

Villa sales prices fell 1.8 per cent month on month, but edged up 0.4 per cent year on year.

Although apartment rents fell 0.6 per cent month on month, villa rents dropped just 0.2 per cent month on month.

The addition of 2,000 new apartments and villas in the first quarter of this year was expected to add to pressure on sales and rents, according to a report last month from MPM Properties, the real estate consultancy unit of Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank.

That influx expands the total supply of residential villas and apartments to 471,000, with another 19,400 units expected to be added during the duration of this year.

After property sale prices surged in 2013 and last year,

Dubai’s residential market is cooling after the introduction of the federal mortgage cap and the doubling of property registration fees.

“These regulations have slowed the rate of growth, bringing prices and rents to more sustainable levels,” said Richard Paul, head of residential valuations at Cluttons.

“The fall in oil prices since the middle of last year has also

These regulations have slowed the rate of growth, bringing prices and rents to more sustainable levels

created some uncertainty and is now beginning to be priced into the market.

“An upward creep in completions has added to the level of supply.”

The values for villas and apartments are expected to weaken for the rest of the year as buyers wait for the market to reach its trough.

Although rental demand remains healthy, there is growing choice because new

developments will be released across the emirate.

“We foresee the rental market to be stable for the next 12 months in both villas and apartments,” said Mr Paul.

In Abu Dhabi, apartment prices fell 1 per cent in April from March, while villa prices dropped 1.2 per cent. Still, rent values rose 1.8 per cent in April from March.

Apartment buildings in Dubai

WaterAid lauds African leaders resolution to stop open defecation by 2030

By Jude Njoku

M

essrs WaterAid, a nongovernmental organisation, NGO campaigning for improved water supply and sanitation, has lauded African leaders for resolving to eliminate inequalities and end open defecation in their countries by 2030.

The NGO in a statement signed by its communications Manager, Oluseyi Abdulmalik also lauded the leaders for pledging to work towards giving every person access to safe sanitation and good hygiene. The pledges were made in Dakar, Senegal at the end of AfricaSan 4, a conference of African governments, civil society and development partners.

“Recognising that poor sanitation in Africa undermines the continent’s social and economic development and has serious health impacts on the population, including diarrhoea, African ministers

responsible for sanitation and hygiene have committed to universal access by signing the Ngor Declaration on sanitation and hygiene.

Ngor – meaning ‘dignity’ in Wolof, the Senegalese national language – is an ambitious declaration highlighting the commitment of African countries to put the elimination of open defecation among their top priorities, and advance towards the aspirations of the Sustainable Development Goals to reach everyone, everywhere with clean water and basic sanitation by 2030.

The Ngor declaration also emphasises the importance of eliminating inequalities, which will require redoubled efforts to reach the poorest, those living in slums or remote rural areas and other marginalized groups.

Sanitation is to be understood as a service, rather than simply infrastructure – including work to change behaviours as well as the safe management of faecal sludge,

a pressing issue especially in informal urban settlements.

Reacting to the declaration, Head of West Africa for WaterAid, MS Mariame Dem said WaterAid is “glad to see this commitment from African leaders to re-evaluate priorities and fast-track progress on sanitation, to eliminate open defecation and bring better health and dignity to their citizens.

Poor sanitation in Africa undermines the continent’s social and economic development. It also carries serious health impacts

"These are ambitious commitments; with political will and financing, they are achievable. “Every man, woman and child in the world deserves the dignity of a safe, hygienic toilet. Yet nearly 650 million Sub-Saharan Africans are still without access to basic sanitation. We know that ambitious commitments alone are not enough. Leaders need to deliver on their promises.”

The timing of the Ngor declaration is critical. Poor sanitation in Africa undermines the continent’s social and economic development. It also carries serious health impacts.

Diarrhoea kills 400,000 children in Sub-Saharan Africa each year and causes the loss of an estimated 1-2.5% of GDP annually from medical costs and reduced productivity.

While the proportion of people practising open defecation in Sub-Saharan Africa decreased by 11 percent between 1990 and 2012, the actual number of

people forced to relieve themselves at roadsides and in fields has actually grown by 33 million, because of the continent’s rapid population growth.

WaterAid analysis suggests at current rates of progress, Sub-Saharan Africa will not meet even the original Millennium Development Goal on sanitation – to halve the proportion of people without access to basic sanitation — for 150 years.

Abdulmalik also quoted the Representative of WaterAid in Nigeria, Dr. Michael Ojo as saying that “In Nigeria, the proportion of people practising open defecation between 1990 and 2012 has only decreased by one percent.

“This figure needs to change and progress must be accelerated if the country is to experience real development.

Universal access means ensuring everyone everywhere has access to a safe, hygienic toilet at home, at school, in health centres and in other public places.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—27

THIS WEEK June 2, 2015

7th World Water Forum to mobilize creativity, innovation, and know-how around water, owards global collaboration on water challenges

June 4, 2015

International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression, to acknowledge the pain suffered by children throughout the world who are the victims of physical, mental and emotional abuse.

June 5, 2015

World Environment Day, as recognised by the United nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, is aimed at showcasing how the well-being of humanity, ultimately depends on the responsible management of the planet’s natural resources.

June 7, 2015

National Cancer Survivors Day is a celebration of life! that takes place all over the world on the first Sunday in June.

Science World

DNA editing could reduce sickle cell symptoms

A

USTRALIAN and American researchers say editing the DNA of human blood cells has the potential to significantly reduce the impact of hereditary blood diseases such as sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia.

In their study, published in Nature Communications, the researchers demonstrate that a benign mutation can be artificially introduced into red blood cells. The result could be a reduction in the symptoms of blood diseases, they say.

Hereditary blood diseases like sickle cell are caused by mutations in the genes that produce haemoglobin. In the case of sickle cell, the inheritance of two mutant genes — one from each parent — causes haemoglobin to form long strands. These twist blood cells into rigid crescent shapes, which can restrict blood flow, leading to pain and organ damage.

Similarly, thalassaemia causes abnormal haemoglobin production that leads to the destruction of red blood cells.

Both diseases are common in Continues on Page 29

• Some refugees at the IDP Camp, Yola, Adamawa State.

Life inside the IDPs camp •Eyewitness account

By Edeh Chinenye

W

E arrived the Internally Displaced Persons, IDP, camp in Yola on Friday, May 21, 2015 at the beginning of a 3-day visit spearheaded by the Foundation for African Cultural Heritage, FACH. I was on the entourage as a representative of the Doctors Health Initiative, DHI. Others that were also part of the team were from the Uduimo Itsueli Foundation and Fertility Care Centres of Africa.

The visit was targeted at IDPs from Sambisa Forest especially the pregnant women who were said to have been placed at Malgwi Camp, Yola.

We got there only to find out that they had been moved withing the week, to an undisclosed place in Abuja by the Presidency.

So we visited two other Camps: Maikwi and NYSC major Camp all in Yola, Adamawa State. These Camps had IDPs from different localities in Adamawa State.

The IDPs in the first camp are from Michika Local Government, Adamawa.

They are predominantly farmers.

On interaction with them, they related how they were invaded on the 6th of September, 2014 around 10:30 am by the Boko Haram group whose target initially was to kill all the males in the community, but many escaped through a nearby mountain and from there escaped to relatives and to the Gibson Jalo Military Camp near the IDPs Camp for security.

They recalled how the insurgents abducted some of their

young girls while the women ran away with their children, and on learning that their husbands were at Maikwi Camp, joined them there.

They told sad stories about how their houses were burnt down, their seedlings destroyed and their villages left desolate.

We observed there were functional mobile clinics at the camps and quite a number of the IDPs were relatively healthy looking. However, they complained of tasteless food.

They were about 300 in number including women and children.

Some of the little children looked malnourished.

The orphans and those unable to locate their families are apparently, suffering psychologically.

One particular woman urged me to take her son along with me when I was ready to leave

International bodies including UNICEF and UNFPA as well as national bodies such as the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, and state bodies like the Adamawa State Emergency Management Agency, ADSEMA, were present.

In my opinion, UNFPA might have been involved in the relocation of the pregnant women as ordered by the Presidency.

Requests to go back home Quite a number of the persons I spoke to indicated that they wanted to go back home and also complained of being urgently short of money.

They said their need was about N2,000 ($10) for transportation and maybe a little extra cash for seedlings.

There were complaints of being treated like prisoners in the Camp.

It was gathered that about 75 percent of them that were lucky to obtain some funds, had gone back home, even though government officials said the villages are not yet safe.

FACH went along to the camp with bags of rice, beans, flour

HOLE-IN-HEART:

Praise seeks N2.5m for corrective heart surgery

—Page 30

and gallons of cooking oil. There were doubts whether the donated items would be distributed judiciously.

Other persons I spoke to lamented that their children are not going to school, but were being instructed by volunteers among the IDPs themselves, even though they are not trained teachers.

The orphans and those unable to locate their families are apparently, suffering psychologically. They asked us for toys and biscuits, in the belief that we were relatives on a visit.

One particular woman urged me to take her son along with me when I was ready to leave.

On the second day, Saturday 23rd May, 2015, we visited the NYSC Camp located at Damari in Gira Local Government, Yola.

It is the largest Camp for the IDPs. The population of refugees is at least 5,000, including women and children.

The people there are from different Local Governments uch as Michika, Magana etc. The official who received us, said the Boko Haram re-visited Magana last week and abducted dozens of women, and that is why they are saying the places are not safe,

Continues on Page 29

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Without the health sector, Nigeria cannot have economic progress — Dr. Jide Idris, former Commissioner for Heallth, Lagos State

E

RSTWHILE Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, was the centre of attraction last week during a sent forth organised in his honour by the the cream of private medical doctors in the country. who appreciated him forr his exploits in shaping fortunes of the Lagos state health sector over the years.

In this interview with Chioma Obinna, Idris, who for eight years, held sway at the helms of the affairs of what is widely acknowledged the most sophisticated health ministry in the country, speaks amongst others, of his successes and challenges as well as the importance of the health sector. Excerpts: The beginning In 1999, there were things that put in place by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu when he was Governor. He set up different committees to address, one was on health. He established a committee headed by late Prof Olikoye Ransome-Kuti and that committee looked at the health sector and gave its recommendation; where it felt there were challenges. A major one was the primary healthcare; two, how to take care of the poor, and three, health promotion, disease prevention and the issue of immunisation, etc.

That committee gave some recommendations and when I came in and we looked at them and I said to myself the recommendations had made my job a bit easier. We saw the areas of challenge they highlighted.

When we came we did not have to start grumping. We decided to start addressing all those issues.

If you remember all those programmes that were started, such as blindness prevention, immunisation, HIV and AIDs etc., we were addressing them one by one.

But the challenge was that if we wanted to do health insurance and everybody was talking of free health, we realised that it is more like a financing scheme for any health system. If you have health system with no financing mechanism then you would not go far because no government can raise all the resources for the health sector.

As we got along a couple of years, we decided to have a review of the whole system. That was when we decided to embark on reform of the sector.

Health reform We sensitised people on the need for reform. Reform basically is to look at areas of challenge that we need to address. We must understand that reform on its own is not the end product. As you are solving a problem, other problems will come up. To restructure the h system, we are going to address the system of infrastructure, human resources.

We went about sensitising people and the essence was that restructuring the system has to be reorganising the system itself.

What we did was to let the ministry be seen to be doing what it was meant to do, which was policy making, planning and monitoring and research. We created avenues for people who would provide service delivery so that the hospitals and the facilities would do their bit but let us do the monitoring.

We faced the issue of primary healthcare knowing that primary healthcare is the bedrock of any health system. That is where 70 percent of the basic health problems can be resolved. Once you can resolve that, other things are easier to achieve. That is what health reform is all about.

In the process, we decentralised so many things. To make it easy for decision making so that people can go about doing

MSF, Ebola Alert partner

T

HE Spanish arm of Médicins Sans Frontières - MSF Spain is partnering Ebola Alert, the Nigerian Ebola prevention and response service in the testing of an Ebola Education Web Application targeted at the urban communities in Ebola affected countries in West Africa.

The App - All Against Ebola - applies gamification, storytelling and characterisation for communicating basic prevention practices to its users. It showcases real life scenarios and information on how to live healthy in those conditions To progress to the end of the application, users will take test questions which will graduate users from Apprentice to Intermediate and finally to Advanced Player. In its testing phase, the application hopes to gather feedback from Ebola-literate, tech savvy and gaming minded users - the reason Ebola Alert became the partner of choice.

According to Monica Jimenez, project managers of All Against Ebola at MSF Spain, "user feedback is key as we hope to use that to drive the next phase of the application development; we therefore urge experts to spare some time to play and share their views in order to advance this initiative."

To partake in testing the App, visit www.allagainstebola.org on your PC or mobile device.

•Dr. Jide Idris. their work without coming the centre to get direction.

Responsibility and accountability That was when we decided to set up the Hospital Board for different hospitals to let them take decisions at that level. Gone are the days when you wanted to take a decision when you are in Badagry you will now have to come to Lagos.

If you recall, in those days, most hospitals were mere consulting rooms. If you didn't have a proper facility to work then the people would not work. The doctors were restless because they had nowhere to work and no tools to work with. Hard decisions had to be made. Of course we made some decisions, some people were not happy but the decisions we made were for the benefit of the people.

We addressed the issue of infrastructure, refurbishing hospitals, building new ones, modernising some. We needed to divert money to do that. Some things had to suffer. You could not recruit as many people as you

Even when I am on sick bed, I still have to stand up and go round the churches in this environment to beg, not only for money but anything they can assist us with. My

wanted. But again, Lagos state has a huge population, as you are making progress more people are coming in and adding to your burden.

Healthcare financing The major issue we were addressing was healthcare financing. How do you cater for the poor? Whether you like it or not, a lot of people are poor. That was why we decided on free health schemes. But how do you provide free health services when you don't have resources? If you are going to provide free health, you will spend a lot of money which is not there.

That was why we have to adjust, and say, children 12 years and below and adults from 60 years are treated free. Even to provide that was a huge challenge. Any government would have to look at how to raise funds to address the health sector which is the issue of the health insurance scheme.

So Nigeria or Lagos will not be different. We decided to do pilot project in this area and see how people would react so that we can see our mistakes and see how we can address them.

We are running four pilot schemes now. We have seen what could be done. Luckily , the House of Representatives has passed the bill and it has been assented to by the Governor.

The next thing is implementation. If the Law is properly implemented, the poor will be properly protected, service delivery will be better because, now, you are raising more resources. You can bring in the private sector to improve the number of people you have that can provide services.

Government now can plan with the money and face public health infrastructure which is what the

role of government is including disease prevention and health promotion.

Health Infrastructure Everybody is talking about Ebola but we are not there yet because the public health infrastructure is not there. We are on our way but we are not there.

We still need to sit up. The media has to enlighten the people on hand washing etc. People need take responsibility about their health.

The health sector is complex but without it, you can't have economic progress. People have to be healthy before they can be productive. We have made progress because different administartions increased budgetary allocation to the health sector. We still have a long way to go. Another major challenge in the health sector is human resource.

Trying times Most trying times for me were the period of strikes. I understand the strikes happened because the health workers were not happy.

The conditions of service are there but they are poorly paid.

That is a fact. But, again, you have to weigh what they are paid and the resources of the country.

If you need to make progress, all those things have to be addressed. Nobody will be happy if the health workers are on strike because it is the people that will suffer. That is why we must do everything within our capability to ensure that those strikes do not happen. The health workers must learn to resolve their issues without strike, without putting people at a disadvantage.

They must embrace dialogue.

Again, there are roles government has to play. It is a two-way thing. In this world, if you fight a battle or war, at the end of the day, those who fight the war will come back to the table to dialogue. So why kill people?

Why allow people to die? It takes courage, it takes determination and commitment for health workers to sit down,d iron things out and work together. But it can be done.

Message to successor In the spirit of Lagos there is continuity. Governor Fashola built on what Asiwaju Tinubu did and I am very sure that Governor Ambode will build on what Fashola has done.

Our benchmark is different and Lagos state is better for all.

Success It is always good when given the privilege to do something, you make that place better than you met it. I did not do it alone. Jide Idris worked with some dedicated teams. Many times we fought and many times we laughed. Some people say Idris shouted. It is a matter of opinion.

Some people say he will just look at you and when you finish talking, he will say bye bye. But the fact remains that everybody came with something positive and we worked together as a team.

Nobody is an island. We worked together and Lagos state is better for it.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—29

Life inside the IDP camp

DNA editing Continues from Page 27

Continued from Page 27 because security has not been fully restored.

There were many orphans and widows in the Camp.

One of the pregnant women gave birth the day we visited. A few of the widows recounted that their husbands were killed by Boko Haram in August while others were killed on 8th of September, 2014.

We interviewed them and discovered many have no clear plans for the future; some want to trade in provision s or as store keepers.

The orphans were asked if they will like to go to rehabilitation centres in Abuja, Lagos or other states, many said indicated interest while a few said no.

They said they needed to go to school while the widows desire to be sponsored to start a trade or acquire skills.

During a medical outreach in both Camps, drugs provided by FACH were distributed free of charge. At the 2nd Camp, we presented relief materials consisting clothes, food items, tissue paper, slippers, and some household items Interestingly, when these items were being presented and taken into the store, the IDPs expressed cynicism as to whether they would be given to them on the long run.

They taunted the officials repeatedly, but praised the Catholic Bishop of Adamawa for his generosity and concern.

•Cross section of graduands during the joint graduation ceremony and presentation of prizes held at LUTH recently.

LUTH graduates 325 nursing professionals

T

HE Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, Idi Araba, Lagos has awarded diplomas and certificates to 325 graduands from eight Schools of Nursing. Midwifery and other training programmes for the 2013/ 2014 academic session.

At the joint graduation ceremony and presentation of prizes ceremony held recently, the health institution’s Deputy Chairman, Medical Advisory

Committee, Dr. O. Fasanmade, in his report, said the graduands successfully completed their academic pusuits inNursing, Midwifery, Post-Basic Nursing, and Health Information Management.

Others are Basic Dental Nursing, Psychiatry/Medical School Work, Community Health Officers’ Training Programme and Medical laboratory Sciences.

Fasanmade gave the breakdown of the graduands as follows:

Nursing, 47; Midwifery, 39; Post Basic Nursing Accident & Emergency, 36; Post Basic Nursing Ophthalmic Programme, 30; Post Basic Nursing Paediatric Programme, 35 and Post basic Nursing Perioperative Programme, 33.

Others are Basic dental Nursing, 14; Health information Management, 40; Medical & psychiatry social work, 10 and Community health officers training programme, 41.

Africa and the Middle East, and sickle cell alone kills nearly 200,000 people a year.

In the womb, babies create a form of haemoglobin that is different from the one in adults, which allows a foetus to take on oxygen from the mother’s blood.

If produced in patients with genetic blood disorders, this foetal haemoglobin has the potential to compensate for their faulty adult version, reducing symptoms.

The DNA mutation that produces the helpful haemoglobin can be introduced into cells by using particular proteins that cut into the target cell’s DNA. Breaks in DNA can be lethal to cells, so they have in-built machinery to repair any nicks as soon as possible by grabbing any spare DNA that seems to match.

The technique has been tested only on blood cells cultured in the laboratory. If future tests show that it can be used safely on extracted blood stem cells, the technique might be used as a treatment, the researchers say.

The potential advantages of this treatment is that it has no sideeffects, is less intrusive and could be cheaper than the regular medications and blood transfusions commonly used to treat blood disorders, according to the authors. Crossley notes, however, that editing DNA would be difficult in developing countries because it requires expensive medical technology.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

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Some of the positions may look intimidating but there are others that you and your partner can learn easily.

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I got back on Sunday and found that your people had delivered the Magic Mike to my wife. I didn’t know what to expect because I am more used to X Again but I liked it. It gave me firm erections and I did not have headaches. So I just wanted to let you know I am a happy customer – Akin You are welcome Akin. Hope you had a good trip – Uche My wife bought a lubricant from your site because she was having painful intercourse. Your wife recommended the Climax Burst Lubricant for her. What she forgot to tell you is that she also needs something for arousal because getting in the mood is quite difficult for her – Memphis Okay. There are many different adult novelties that can arouse but if she is looking for an arousal lubricant or gel, then get her the Encounter Orgasm Gel or Horny Honey Arousal Gel. Both are very good for arousal. Good adult movies are very good at arousal too. If she is keen on those, then get her One Wild and Crazy Night or Are We in Love – Uche I watched a documentary about penis enlargement and enlargement exercises were recommended. Any idea how I can learn those?

You can do them with a penis pump. Potent Enlargement Pump is very good. And then get the film A Matter of Size. It details enlargement exercise methods – Uche Thank you for helping me out with this premature ejaculation matter. I am so relieved and I will tell my friends about this Prolonging Ointment. Lots of men are suffering because of this - Kelechi You are welcome – Uche The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 07086754515 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

NIMR advocates more investment in Nigerian children

By Chioma Obinna

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HE Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, Prof. Innocent Ujah, has stressed the need for governments to invest in children saying that, 'children are the most nation's valuable resource'.

Speaking during a symposium organised by the Institute's Maternal, Reproductive and Child Health Research Group, Ujah said failing to invest in the children today would perpetuate the cycle of underdevelopment in a country.

He said the way and manner a nation cares for the welfare of her children is a reflection of such nation's level of social and economic development.

Noting that children's day should be a day filled with activities devoted to promoting the objectives and ideals of the rights of the child said the institute has been carrying out research on issues concerning children with a view to finding solutions to the problems.

Ujah said a research carried out by the institute on Child Sexual Abuse in 2014 among adolescents at the community level using Mushin as the study community said findings showed that the prevalence of sexually abused

The DG regretted that the number of street children was on the increase despite the best national, regional and global efforts to ensure wellbeing of children

•L-R: Deputy Director of Finance and Accounts, NIMR, Yunusa Yahaya Ogaji, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University, LASU, Prof. Fidelis Njokama and Head Research Group and Former Director General NIMR, Prof. Oni Idigbe, during a symposium organised by the Institute to mark this year’s Children’s Day in Lagos. children was as high as 23.6 percent.

The result showed that out of - school adolescents and those with dysfunctional

homes as well as low socioeconomic circumstances were at increased risk of sexual abuse.

"Access to formal education by children was thought to be

a factor for the improved standard of living of children in the community. Further research that will include a representative sample for

Praise seeks N2.5m for corrective heart surgery

By Gabriel Olawale

L

IFE has little meaning for Praise Omonhimoria, aged one year and five months, no thanks to a nagging health problem. Born with a hole in the heart, he has been denied the excitement and indulgence of infancy enjoyed by his contemporaries.

Presently, his situation is so bad he can hardly breathe.

Irrespective of how conducive the room he sleeps, Praise wakes up sweating and agitated. He vomits almost every meal he is given, and is perpetually hungry.

Recent medical examinations revealed that his condition is critical and an urgent corrective surgery that will cost N2.5 million is his only saving grace.

But this is easier said than done.

Raising this sum is a big challenge for Vincent Omohimoria, Praise’s father, who is currently running from pillar to post.

Vincent, a driver and his wife, a trader are their wits end over their son’s predicarment.

Narrating the ordeal, the father who was in tears said the doctor’s

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diagnosis has made him really afraid.

"The hospital said that my son's life is at risk and he is likely to suffer heart failure as a result of the hole in his heart. He said the heart is failing very fast and the hole is enlargening." Vincent is

• Praise Omonhimoria

appealling to well meaning Nigerians for assistance, said he has spent his life savings to procure palliative care for the boy.

"We are appealing to Nigerians for help. My son’s current health situation is not encouraging at all and we are scared. The doctor has

adviced that he should be flown abroad for corrective heart surgery and the estimated amount required is N2.5 million.

We are pleading for help to save the life of our child."

A doctor's report from a repeated echo cardiogram shows that Praise is suffering from a congenital heart disease.

The report signed by a Consultant Paedriatic Cardiologist at the Department of Child Health, UBTH, Professor Wilson Sadoh, noted that he requires corrective heart surgery.

The report says: “A repeat echocardiogram done on the 9th of February, 2015 showed the following, a 10.3mm Secundum type, Atrial Septal Defect, ASD shunting from left to right. The right atrium is markedly enlarged and fractional shunting-50.3 percent.

"The patient is currently symptomatic for heart failure and is failing to thrive. He would therefore need corrective heart surgery."

If you are touched by Praise’s plight, kindly send your donation to Vincent Omohimoria, First Bank 2027635949 or contact 08038601975 for more details.

Nigeria is inevitable if an informed and evidence based policy would be made for effective implementation," he stated.

Speaking on the theme :"The Burden of Street Children in Nigeria", the DG regretted that the number of street children was on the increase despite the best national, regional and global efforts to ensure wellbeing of children.

"Street children fall into this category. They are found in every city worldwide. They are most neglected even sometimes victimised by the society which ought to protect and care for them.

“The lack basic services like education, health, and shelter which should be their fundamental rights but unfortunately are taken for granted by various governments and organisations even children in more fortunate circumstances.

He said as research institute the onus is on them to carry out a nationwide research to determine the magnitude of street children, the predisposing factors, and suggest ways of reducing the burden for informed policy by the three tiers of government as well as philanthropists that would address the menace.

Head of the Research Group, Dr. Oliver Ezechi regretted that many street children have ended up as drug addicts and other crimes.

He said the symposium was to educate the school children on the dangers of such vices and the need to stay away from crime.

In her lecture entitled: "Burden of street children", Dr. Nkiru David noted that though street children are visible they are most invisible.

Aa study conducted in Enugu, Ibadan, and Kaduna showed that more females are more on the streets than males. "In Enugu about 414 were discovered, Kaduna 1,959 and 1,931 was found in Ibadan.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—31

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

We're committed to quality service delivery — TNL boss *Tackles Hilux, Yaris recall problem

T

HE Managing Director of Toyota Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kunle Ade Ojo has reiterated the company’s resolve to quality service delivery to its customers in Nigeria.

The Managing Director while speaking at the company’s annual award at the Civic Centre recently, said the recent worldwide recall by Toyota corporation is being given the desired attention in Nigeria, as owners of the offered models will soon be called to bring the vehicles for correction of the problem.

“We are determined to maintain our culture of quality product delivery to our numerous customers across the country,” he said, adding that there was no cause for alarm over the recall as Toyota dealers are well prepared to handle the problem. The Managing Director noted that Toyota Nigeria, despite all odds, has maintain the number one position in Nigeria over the last decade.

Toyota recently recalled two of its models, the Yaris and Hilux pickup to address the air bag problem.

Ade Ojo had last week briefed the press at the company’s head office in Lekki, Lagos, that the affected models were the Toyota Yaris produced between 2003 to 2005 and Hilux pick-ups produced between 2003 and 2007.

Although Mr. Ade Ojo said Toyota vehicles were

•Toyota Hilux not the only models affected by the problem, he noted that they were taking proactive measures to tackle the problem as a market leader and responsible corporate organisation.

The problem, according to him, had to do with airbag affecting auto manufactures worldwide, of which Nigeria is one of the countries affected.

Toyota, he said, had discovered that the airbags of some of these two models produced between 2003 and 2007 may not actively deploy in the event of a crash, thereby endangering the lives of the occupants of the vehicles. This, he said, have been traced to defective inflater module that may not activate the safety air-bags due to accumulation of moisture inside the inflator in case

of frontal collision, thereby causing abnormal deployment of the airbag.

To this end, he said, Toyota Nigeria Ltd, in conjunction with Toyota Japan, will be taking the bold step to contact

soon as they get the details of the units involved, they will be inviting them for the replacement of the parts.

Asked if the models imported through unauthorised dealers would be handled by his company, the Toyota boss

Chinonso, three others for Ford Ranger Odyssey contest in Namibia

F

OUR Nigerians, all males, have qualified to represent the country at the 2015 Ford Ranger Odyssey contest, scheduled to hold in Namibia next month. The Nigerian representatives include Ugochukwu Onuiri who came first in the contest, Moyosore Fawole and John Amadi who came

L-R: Justin Ngini, Assistant General Manager, Ford, Coscharis Motors; Ugochukwu Onuiri, Winner; Moyosore Fawole, 1st Runner-Up; John Amadi, 2nd Runner-Up; Abiona Babarinde, General Manager Marketing & Corporate Services, Coscharis Motors; during the 2015 Ranger Odyssey In-Market Competition organized by Coscharis Motors recently.

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owners of the affected models to address the problem.

According to him, not all the units of the models are involved but a particular batch of the models of which they are collating the details, adding that as

said that Toyota Japan will only give them details of the Hilux and Yaris genuinely imported into the country by Toyota Nigeria Ltd, which makes it difficult for them to know whether the ones imported through other sources were affected.

He said: “As a corporate organisation, we had vigorously advertised on the need for customers to buy their Toyota cars from Toyota Nigeria Ltd and what we have record of are those vehicles we sold.

Any vehicle brought through grey market, we hardly have the record” adding that priority will be given to Toyota Nigeria customers.

Already, the Toyota boss said they were working with their dealers to tackle the problem.

“We are going to do trainings for our technicians and dealers on how to handle the problem and there is no cause for alarm,” he stated.

second and third respectively at the keenly contested event held at Coscharis Motors racing ground Awoyaya, Lekki, Lagos.

The fourth represent was the winner of last year ’s contest, Mr. Chinonso Okezuo who won the Ranger Odyssey event in 2014 but couldn’t travel to Namibia for the major event due to the outbreak of ebola in Nigeria.

Ford increased the number of contestants from Nigeria from one to four this year, which may positively result in Nigeria emerging the winner in Namibia.

Addressing the contestants before the kick off of the event, the Group Managing Director, Coscharis Group, Mr. Josiah Samuel described the event as a special one, which was the second in a row of the annual Ford Ranger Odyssey inmarketing event.

The Group Managing Director who was represented at the occasion by the General Manager Marketing and Corporate Services, Mr. Babarinde Abiona stated that the “Ford Ranger Odyssey contest is an in-market event which has increased awareness and established Ford in the 4 x 4 leisure market as well as appeal to wider

The Ranger Odyssey is not a race nor is it a rally, but an extremely tough adventurous expedition

demographic while displaying the Ranger’s ‘Built Ford Tough’ off road capability.”

He noted that though the winner of the maiden edition of the event in 2014 in Nigeria, Mr. Chinonso Okezue was unable to represent the country in the international event last year in Namibia due to the travel ban resulting from the ebola crisis in the country, he had been given another opportunity to join the three winners at the 2015 event.

According to him, “the Ranger Odyssey is not a race nor is it a rally, but an extremely tough adventurous expedition.

It will however include elements of competition where participants could test their 4x4 driving and mechanical skills, endurance, courage, stamina, perseverance and resilience against the worst that nature could offer.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—33

By Theodore Opara

Mercedes-Benz reveals new naming G

ERMAN luxury automobile brand, Mercedes-Benz has put in place a new naming system for its complete model range. The brand has changed recognised car models and introduced a range of new names, which started towards the end of 2014.

The brand that is constantly producing new vehicles, believes that this is the right time to go ahead and reorganise, due to plans in the near future. By 2020 MercedesBenz aims to have 30 new models in its p o r t f o l i o worldwide, 11 of them will be entirely new cars.

The new naming strategy was put in place to make the car models easier to understand.”After more than 20 years of continuity involving some of the most recognised and successful product names in the world, we are now making our system of vehicle nomenclature even more understandable. Bearing in mind the international appeal of our brand, our plan has been to devise an even simpler, more transparent and more logical system for the designations of our model series, with the aim of providing clear orientation for our customers,” says the Vice President Marketing & Communications at Mercedes- Benz, Dr Jens Thiemer during the launch of the new nomenclature.

Prior to the name change, Mercedes-Benz

used core lettering to distinguish models. For example A-, B-, C-, E- and S- Class, will still remain the same and the changes only affect models known as ML, GLK, GL andthe SLK. To simplify matters, the models have been divided into categories, which are: SUVs, four door coupes, roadsters and AMGs. Firstly, all crossovers and SUV models will start with GL, a spin on the G-Class model. Further changes to these models include: the GLK becoming the GLC, the ML/M-Class is now GLE, GL has changed to GLS and the GL is now the GLS. Both the GLA and

Mercedes-Benz ML to be known as GLE class.

By 2020 Mercedes-Benz aims to have 30 new models in its portfolio worldwide

the future lower case letters will be used.

For example ‘c’ stands for compressed natural gas, ‘d’ will be used to describe diesel engines, ‘e’ for electric drive, ‘f’ for fuel cell and ‘h’ for hybrid.

AMG and Maybach models are viewed under a separate division and will have another naming.

Mercedes-Benz says, “We are convinced that our new nomenclature will support us in achieving this objective.

The logic built upo n the basis of the core model series will enable our customers to find their way round our growing product portfolio far better”.

Hyundai, Access Bank launch Buy Now, Pay Later Finance

H

YUNDAI Motors Nigeria Limited in collaboration with the Access Bank Group have new vehicle finance scheme that could help prospecting customers to procure affordably priced brand new Hyundai vehicles and commence payment after three months.

Headlined ‘Buy now, pay later’, the initiative aims at encouraging patrons to buy new Hyundai vehicles instead of used cars.

Both institutions inked this declaration at a brief ceremony in Lagos, where Access Bank and Hyundai Motors Nigeria enumerated the benefits of

the scheme that would enable customers take possession of the vehicle upon contribution of 10% equity only.

Access Bank PLC Executive Director, Personal Banking, Victor Etuokwu who made this remark after signing the Memorandum of Understanding said: “We have brought together two Nigeria most powerful brands, Access Bank - a tier one banking group and Hyundai Motors Nigeria, a member of Stallion Group and a foremost automobile dealerships to give Nigerians opportunity to own brand new cars at

Gov. Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State (right) presenting a plaque to Diana Chan, Chairman/CEO of CIG Motors during a courtesy call on the governor in Abeokuta.

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G-Class are unchanged.

The four door coupe and roadsters now follow with the first two letters CL or SL. From these models, only the SLK is changing to become the SLC, but this will not take effect until 2016.

Mercedes-Benz will also be separating engine types according to the nature of the fuel used. In

From left: Mr. Victor Etuokwu, Executive Director, Personal Banking, Access Bank PLC, Mr. Parvir Singh, Managing Director, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited with Amaechi Okobi, Group Head, Strategic Brand Management, Access Bank PLC at the signing of MOU for Hyundai-Access ‘Buy now, Pay Later’ auto finance at the Hyundai Motors Nigeria corporate office Victoria Island, Lagos. affordable rates via a liberalised process.”

Etuokwu said the Access Bank/Hyundai Motors auto finance is unlike others designed for individual patrons and employees who earn a living to buy choice Hyundai vehicles without necessarily committing their life time savings.

He listed other benefits of the scheme which can also be accessed by fleet operators and institutions as: unrestricted admittance to select Hyundai range; discounted pricing with unprecedented low and fixed interest rate throughout the tenor; waiver of commitment fee;

three months moratorium for principal and interest payment; free vehicle registration and free service for one year or 20, 000km.

The Access bank director said these significant incentives is intended to encourage patrons to buy functional brand new vehicles.

Explaining that buying a brand new car isn’t luxury, Etuokwu said: “It is only a part of your tool to work efficiently.”

In his remark after putting his signature on paper, Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited Managing Director Parvir Singh had in his comment said: “We will continue to invest in new marketing

initiatives that can endear Hyundai vehicles to customers and help them drive responsibly, and of course, we are convinced this programme will attract perceptive customers and subsequently raise our market share.”

Singh who enjoined customers to take advantage of this marketing adjunct said: “You can be part of this bonanza by simply walking into any Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited accredited dealership in Nigeria to get a profoma invoice for your choice car and a deal is struck with Access Bank PLC thereafter,” he said.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—35

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36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 37 YOUR LUCK TODAY

By Joshua Adeyemo

LEISURE

Phone : 08056180139

CANCER; You’ve had enough of fun in the recent times and it’s now time you settle down for hard work in order to prevent avoidable trouble. Be patient please.

LEO; Your concentration level and determination are the pillars of your success today. Yet you’ll need to respect your senior colleagues and protect your image VIRGO; It’s true you’re willing to work harder but you just have to drop both aggression and mental arrogance to allow things to roll accordingly. Then, you’re accident prone within your working arena. Respect the law and its agents today.

LIBRA; Serious thought may be giving to matters of the heart but it’s better you tarry a while. Joint ventures of short duration today may be an invitation to avoidable trouble SCORPIO; If you back your financial plans with concrete and positive actions things’ll go according to your desire. If you fail to realise importance of your spouse you would work your way into avoidable trouble; aren’t you tired of crisis?

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

A

lady recently said to me - This weather is just not friendly. The sun is too much. Let the sun subside before I do it.

And I looked at her and said, supposing it starts raining now what will you do? The

The Weather truth is that the weather has never be friendly. Of course, it is not the business of the weather to be friendly to you. But your duty is to do

TERROR MUDA

everything within your power to be able to use the weather as it is. Tell me, have you ever seen a perfect weather? Whether rain or sun, people

in “Never say goodbye”

have always complained. Yet, some people are making fortune from it, rain or sunshine.

You too much do the same. For he that must succeed does not need to look at the weather.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS; Your intelligence, competence and level of concentration may today bring you envy, which you don’t deserve within your working arena in a negative form but.

CAPRICORN; The Moon highlights your Solar second house of money which is good but, if you try to buy true love with money, you’ll be disappointed AQUARIUS; The Moon in your Star sign’ll gives you new confidence and with new supports from the powersthat-be, it’s like you are now un-stop-able. But be cautious, especially with the veterans within your base of operation PISCES; Better days are ahead of you but, you will today need to do away with non-productive argument and/or agreement. Try to be more diplomatic now.

ARIES; If what you’re doing today ’ll depend on tomorrow’s event it’s better you’re more careful now. Even things may not go according to your personal plans today.

Yet it’s important you plan both your immediate and far future carefully now.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS; If you take to aggression, your ego would be deflated by your superior colleagues, but your being co-operative in a civilised way’ll prevent trouble GEMINI; Those willing to put you to shame one way or the other ’ll be disappointed with the turn of things today. It’s good to secure support of your spouse.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send your date and place of birth to the Astrological Counselling, P .M.B 1 00 7, Apapa, Lagos P.M.B 100 007,

About my Success?

Dear Joshua, I am interested in your Astrological counselling. Kindly tell me everything about myself, especially my finance and career; would I be rich eventually, if yes what should I do to make it happen quickly.

Okezie, Ogun.

Dear Okezie, There are indications of financial success for you but you can not change what Almighty God Has designed for you talking about the timing (the quickness you talked in your letter) Certainly however no failure for you Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy, together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planets in Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted you to both Accountancy profession and the academic world.

Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’ll not be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSINESS. Because Neptune (the planet of OIL) was very comfortable when you were born. It will not be out of place if you have filling stations as time goes by, because you are basically a GAS PERSON. Another money spinning vocation for you include writing either along your line or for film making industry; it is important you exhibit the higher quotient of creativity in your innerself.

Yes your dream of becoming A Professor will come to reality. Politics is another area you are not looking at now but will surely come. Do you say why? Because Aquarius is equally political Venus that was powerfully placed when you were born is all about MONEY. Thus you have special ability to make money. And as it was at positive angle to disciplined Saturn, you are not giving to serious frivolity. One major challenge here is envy by others but you will eventually overcome. Another source of challenges is your love life which looks not totally balanced.

Basically you are a family minded person. You are equally loving and caring. But sometimes your love of freedom get better off you to the resentment of your closer partner(s).Then some other times it is other party’s fault making love-business very interesting. And unless you are more careful and determined you may marry more than once.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

38—VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

rigged, the PDP had maintained that the elections were free and fair.

According to a report by Stakeholder Democracy Network on Rivers governorship polls, the organisation described the Rivers election as the most extensively disrupted in the country.

According to the group, “Polls were canceled in local governments that totalled a population of at least 458,089 voters just under 20% of the voting population in the state.

Violent incidents were reported throughout the day, the worst of which occurred in the morning of Saturday 11th, including several reported deaths and attacks on party representatives, journalists, and election officials.”:

•Amaechi and Wike: When the going was good

RIVERS: Unceasing rivalry JUST hours after he stepped into office, Governor Nyesom Wike has been fanning allegations against his predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi. For many it is no surprise, as it is a continuation of their old rivalry

By Gbenga Oke

T

HE stage appears set for the mother of all political battles between the All Progressives Congress, APC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State.

There are fears that the state which saw several acts of electoral violence prior to the 2015 general election may boil this time as a result of political differences between its leading political actors.

Even though both parties led by their governorship candidates signed a peace deal before the elections, the peace deal did not hold as many were killed or injured with houses burnt during the presidential and governorship elections with APC mostly affected.

Indeed, the victory of the PDP left the APC with no other option than to head to the tribunal to retrieve what the party termed “stolen mandate”.

With Governor Nyesom Wike piloting the affairs of the state and former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi most likely to play a vital role in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, an old rivalry will just be reignited.

Before Amaechi’s exit from office, several situations led the

duo into pointing accusing fingers at one another. A situation many consider might further deepen the crises in the state.

Part of the crises includes arguments between Wike and Amaechi over the probe of Amaechi’s transactions in office, the setting up of a panel of inquiry into the election violence.

The PDP is also likely to approach the court in its effort to nullify the local government elections which were conducted towards the tail end of Amaechi’s administration.

These and many are likely to trigger another round of crises in Rivers State.

Panel of inquiry as a political tool After the governorship elections in Rivers State, the former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi set up a panel of inquiry to look into the killings and destructions that took place during and after the elections.

The setting up of the panel was met with mixed feelings from indigenes of the state. For some, it was a welcome idea while some felt it was a political tool to fight Amaechi’s perceived enemies.

As this argument went on, PDP in Rivers State instituted a suit

at the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt challenging the setting up of the panel.

The PDP claimed Governor Amaechi was not qualified to set up a commission of inquiry having been partisan and personally involved in the subject matter of the proposed inquiry of which he accused the

Indeed, the victory of the PDP left the APC with no other option than to head to the tribunal to retrieve what the party termed stolen mandate

PDP of masterminding.

However, Amaechi pointed out that the reason for setting up of the commission was to investigate why the victims were killed, who killed them, under what circumstances and that the commission was expected to make recommendations that would help government forestall future occurrences.

He said, “When I visited Obirikom in the Ogba/Egbeme/ Ndoni Local Government Area, in the household of one late Chief Christopher Adube, nine persons were killed by assassins. Those killed were his three children, his younger brother, two gatemen and two other persons while two of the late Chief Adube’s children are still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital”.

Rivers’ election extensively disrupted Elections might have come and gone, but the scars it left in the mind of many in Rivers State might not go away in a hurry. In several parts of the state, several people were hacked to death, some houses burnt while many perceived to be political opponents were either beaten up or kidnaped.

The outcome of the election has turned out to be a major argument between the supporters of both parties in the state. While the APC and election observers maintained that the elections were massively

APC clears 22 councils in Rivers polls Another subject which is likely to become a subject of litigation is the just concluded local government elections.

The APC won in the 22 local government areas that were contested for in the local government elections held forcing the PDP to kick and reject the outcome.

The PDP, which had gone to court to challenge the council polls, had boycotted the elections claiming the timing was wrong and the process not transparent.

The PDP had approached a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt for an order to stop the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) from releasing updated voters’ register to RSIEC for the conduct of the May 23 local government council elections in Rivers State.

However, Justice Lambo Akanbi adjourned the matter after hearing from counsel to Rivers State government and RSIEC, Beluolisa Nwofor, who informed the court that he had entered an appeal at the Court of Appeal challenging the jurisdiction of the court to handle the matter and the motion on notice to restrain further injunctions and/or proceedings on the matter.

While the arguments was still going on, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) issued Certificates of Return to the 22 local council chairmen elected on the platform of the APC during the last elections.

In reacting to the development, the State PDP chairman, Felix Obuah, has urged citizens to disregard the result of the polls which he likened to a charade and futile exercise. According to him, the action of RSIEC was “fraudulent, illegal and in flagrant disobedience of an order by a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt that status quo be maintained.

Probing Amaechi’s govt Just few days to the end of Amaechi’s tenure as Governor the state, Nyesom Wike, who was still governor-elect then

Continues on page 39

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—39

Living above suspicion will give you joy — SEN EMODI was swept away.

At that time, my opponents asked if an Igbo woman became the governor, who would be breaking the kolanut. I told them that I would appoint a commissioner for kola breaking and that settled the mischief.

When it was time for the Senatorial election, they felt a woman should not be given the opportunity to join the Senate.

They didn’t believe I was going to win. They were fighting me, but I was determined. They felt that no Igbo lady had done it before, why must it be me. But I insisted and at the end of the day, I won my election. My mandate was taken away and given to somebody who didn’t stand for election. But at the end of the day, I got back my mandate and became the first Igbo woman to be a Senator. I am excited about it because it gave others the opportunity and confidence to come out.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

SENATOR Joy Emodi, widely hailed as the Joy of the Senate on account of the leverage and lucidity she brought to bear in her representation of her constituents during her stint in the Senate in this interview ahead of her 60th birthday penultimate Saturday spoke on her lessons on life and politics.

Excerpts:

D

ID you just stumble into politics or has it always been a passion?

At the University of Nsukka then, we had only two hostels for ladies and I could remember that I stood for election and became the Hall Chairman of my hall, ‘Balewa Hall’. The reason I went for that position was because there were a few policies that did not go down well with undergraduates in my hall. That was why I contested the election and was able to effect those changes in that hall. That was how I developed interest in politics and joined the student wing of Aminu Kanu’s PRP. So, I was first a student activist.

And honestly, when I joined politics, I never knew I was going to stand for any election. I thought I would just be there supporting other people. We were in politics then as students because of the manifestoes from various political parties. We didn’t know then that you should be in politics to make money.

The PRP’s manifesto was talking about how to use the instruments of government to better the lots of the people, about an egalitarian society. We were young and were taken by the manifesto. We were even contributing our pocket money.

Well, at the end of the day I got married, forgot about politics then later, I found myself back into politics, still driven by the same principles of using instruments of government to better the lots of the people.

I was in the Congress for National Consensus- CNC during the General Abacha transition programme. We had some patriotic Nigerians who impacted my political life positively. We had Dr. Olusola Saraki, Senator Barnabas Gemade, Prof. Jubril Aminu, Dr. Abel Ubeku, etc. An executive was put in place and I found myself as the National Legal Adviser. I was still young then, but these gentlemen believed in

•Emodi: Politicians should respect the other person’s view me.

By the way, I met them at the 1994/95 Constitutional Conference. I was not given the opportunity to win the election to the Conference. Some people were against me going to Abuja for the Conference, but the people at the grassroots insisted.

With little or nothing, I beat my opponent. They were busy throwing money around, but I was only cooking food and at the end of the day, I won my election with not less than 70 per cent.

But, when I went to the Constitutional Conference, I worked so hard. I have always believed in the saying that, “Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion”. I told myself, I must not make any mistake and must not be seen where I ought not to be seen. If not, as a young lady, a lot of stories will start going round. That was how Dr. Saraki discovered me at the Constitutional Conference and brought me into their association. He supported me and we had proper election and I won to be the National Legal Adviser of their organization, CNC. It was in that process we were looking for candidates for election that Prof. Jubril Aminu pointed that I had potentials and would be a very good candidate for governorship and that it will be good for the party to put me forward. He supported me and talked to Prince Arthur Eze to assist me. I was almost there before the death of the then Head

of State, General Sani Abacha. I was already coasting home to victory because my party in Anambra state had already taken over the entire House of Representative seats, Chairmanship of local governments, etc. We won overwhelmingly. Few weeks to governorship election, the Head of State died. May his soul rest in peace. I would have been the first female governor in this Country, but the whole exercise

You were once a Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters.

What was the experience like?

I must tell you that I enjoyed my job because I had a formidable team that I was working with. I enjoyed the trust of the National Assembly Members. That was why throughout my tenure, they were so corporative. And throughout the two years, we didn’t loose a single Bill. Except one ministerial nominee that was not able to make it, due to local politics in his State, everything went smoothly. I remain grateful to the leadership of the National Assembly.

Even though there were some controversies and distractions coming from some busy bodies around Mr. President, we both didn’t allow that to affect our relationship. I was the Special Adviser to Mr. President, but there were so many other ‘special

advisers’ moving all over the National Assembly, complicating simple matters.

There was a time they told Mr. President not to come to the National Assembly for presentation of budget. It was funny because I didn’t see any reason why he should not come for the presentation of budget that he would be booed. I insisted he must come and I did my homework with the Members of the House of Representatives and the leadership. The President eventually came and could not believe what he saw.

They were so cooperative and while he was making the presentation, he was applauded.

So, what he was initially told was a lie. In fact, they felt I should be the one to present the budget, but I said that it would not happen during my tenure. If that had happened, honestly, I would have resigned on my own. He eventually presented it. But sadly, the President didn’t present budget in person again since I left.

What advise do you have for the present generation of politicians, especially women?

My advise to politicians is to respect the other person’s view.

Avoid desperation. It gives one negative drive. And again for ladies, know that Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion. What a man can do and get away with, you can do and never get away with it. If you want to join politics, join it for the principle, that principle must be to help.

Women are more compassionate.

At 60, what kept you looking so young?

What has kept me looking calm every time is the spirit of contentment, not being desperate about anything Distinguished, if you had the opportunity to do your epitaph, what would that be?

I would write “Here rests a woman who contributed the most she could to make the world more beautiful and meaningful than she met it” or just “To God be the glory” because I think that I have lived a fulfilled life.

RIVERS: Unceasing rivalry I must tell you that I enjoyed my job because I had a formidable team that I was working with. I enjoyed the trust of the National Assembly members

Continues on page 38 stated his government will probe Amaechi’s administration.

According to him, his administration will carry out a forensic audit of all government accounts.

Wike’s statement, however, did not go down well from Amaechi, who responded by saying that a thief could not say he was corrupt.

Amaechi during his birthday lecture in Port- Harcourt said, “I have been listening to Mr. Nyesom Wike and I have been trying not to reply him. He has been accusing me of corruption,

and I have been trying to keep quiet over the issue of corruption.

A thief cannot call me corrupt.

The first lesson he needs to learn is that he was Chief of Staff to my government. If I have no records, I have records on him.”

Amaechi went further, “One way we succeeded in moving this state forward was that we refused to probe Dr. Peter Odili’s government, despite the pressure on me to probe Dr. Odili’s government, because at the end of the day, they will not ask me the number of persons I probed, but what I did while in government.”

40 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

By Ikenna Asomba

L

AST Friday, while thousands of Lagosians came out en masse at the Tafawa Balewa Square (TBS), Lagos to celebrate the inauguration of Akinwunmi Ambode as the 14th Governor of Lagos State, it was tears for youths of Gbaji-Seme, a border community in Badagry West Local Council Development Area of Lagos State, as they lamented lack of electricity for 16 years.

According to the youths, who stormed the inauguration venue in their hundreds, under the umbrella of GbajiSeme Border Youth Initiative (GSBYI), the community with over 30 villages and a population of about 100, 000 people, has been in perpetual darkness since 1999.

The electricity crisis resulted from a devastating rainstorm which destroyed almost all the electric polls and transformers that connected the villages to the national grid.

Since then they said, promises by successive administrations at the local, state and federal levels to fix the problem have gone unfulfilled.

Disturbed by this, the youths said they mobilised themselves to the TBS, to felicitate with Ambode, as well as bring their plight to his attention.

Chanting solidarity songs, the aggrieved youths carried various placards bearing inscriptions such as ‘We voted for change, please change our 16 years of darkness in Seme Border, Badagry West LCDA,’ ‘16 years of total blackout in Seme is not democratic,’ ‘Darkness is evil and devilish. Please give us light,’ ‘We are tired of 16 years in darkness.

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, please save our souls,’ ‘APC our messiah, grant us electricity and other social amenities at Gbaji-Seme Border,’ and ‘Please let there be light in Seme-Border, 16 years in darkness is enough.’

Speaking to Vanguard, the President of GSBYI and former President, Lagos State University Student Union Government (LASU-SUG), Comrade Badaru AbdulBasit, expressed optimism that Ambode would improve on the landmark achievements of his predecessors.

According to AbdulBasit, it has become imperative at this early stage, to draw the attention of the new governor to their plights, as previous attempts to draw the attention of the LCDA, State and Federal Governments, through

•Gbagi-Seme youths during their march at the inauguration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode...

AMBODE’S INAUGURATION:

Tears, as Seme border youths lament 16yrs without electricity writing have fallen on deaf hears.

He said this had left them to dehumanising conditions, as they spend humongous bills on fuelling power generating sets at their homes and business places.

AbdulBasit, said: “We are here to felicitate with the new Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode. As you can see from our banners, our community of over 30 villages with a population of about 100, 000 people has been subjected to total darkness

since 1999, without electricity.

We see this as a calculated attempt to shield the poor in our communities from the dividends of democracy.

“Electricity is something we believe government should provide for the masses on a platter of gold. Our community is close to the international border, the highest revenue generating

border to the government. It’s a shame that we have no electricity over the last 16 years. We are therefore appealing to Governor Ambode in his magnanimity, to come to our rescue, as soon as he settles down in office.”

According to the former student activist, some of the affected villages are; Aivoji, Oglogbo, Gbethrome, Asakpo,

Boglo, Fanuvi, Yard, Ashipanu, Kenwewemeh, Pengbo, Bapo, Azangbeme, Aketegbo, Wesere-Topa, Hovemeto, Tota, Shito, Gbegbome, Petimeh, Falola, Ozinigbo, Kparada, Akpato, Whaigbemeh, Akoro-Koji, Ogorin-Beach, Thosivi and Yenawa among others.

LASTMA adopts new measures to lower traffic mishaps

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T It’s a shame that we have no electricity over the last 16 years. We are therefore appealing to Governor Ambode in his magnanimity to come to our rescue

HE death of famous musi cian, Dagrin following a head-on collision with a stationary vehicle sometime at Idi Oro, Mushin, Lagos is perhaps one of the memorable recollections of the dangers of abandoned vehicles on the road.

Dagarin until his death was a rising music star probably destined for greater heights in his calling.

His demise and subsequent eclipse from the stage is undoubtedly one of the deadly consequences of having stationary or abandoned vehicles on the highway.

Dagrin’s case was not an isolated incident. Countless persons have run into such vehicles left on the roads in Lagos State

•Dagrin lost his life to auto-crash by their owners for one reason or the other.

The vehicles are either left on the road on account of breakdown, abandoned by thieves or left carelessly by their owners or drivers. In some cases, as in

the case of Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, tankers and trailers have constituted themselves into a nuisance that apparently defied the best intentions of the

Contnued on Page 41

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 41

Lagos reconsiders Makoko Floating School

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

I

T is a parallel that would amuse some, but the comparison of Makoko and its shanties on Lagos lagoon with Venice, the idyllic European love zone is not totally out of place.Both Makoko and Venice share the physical description of people living on top of water and move around using canoes. But that is about where it stops given the dilapidation and reeking odour that is the lot of the people in Makoko.

The community with over 4,000 structures with about half of the structures on top of water has a network of roads in the community spreading from the backyard of the University of Lagos, Akoka to the Adekunle axis of Yaba which can be navigated by canoe.

Out of concern about the environmental and other negative living conditions of the area, the Lagos State government had two years ago banned the floating school that was the main source of education for the people of the area.

The government it appears has backtracked on the issue and is considering the structure in the development plan for the waterfront community.

This came a year after the floating school received nomination for the Design of the Year 2014, at a competition overseen by London’s Design

•The Makoko Floating School Museum where it competed with 14 other structures selected across the world.

The entry from Makoko was a three storey building jointly constructed by the residents of Makoko/Iwaya Waterfront Community, Yaba Local Council Development Area, LCDA, United Nation Development Programme, UNDP/Federal Ministry of Environment Africa Adaptation Programme, AAP and NLE Works, Nigeria.

The building is expected to accommodate 100 pupils and

A technical team for the project has been identified while a proposal was presented to the State Executive Council for consideration and approval

their teachers.

The three-storey building with an area of 220 metres was built on a foundation of 256 plastic drums and powered by solar panels suspended on the roof, aimed at achieving the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, Goal II, which is to boost universal primary education.

According to NLE Works, the school is an “innovative approach to address the community ’s social and physical needs in view of climate change and a rapidly urbanizing African context. Its

LASTMA adopts new measures to lower traffic mishaps Continues from Page 40 state government.

It is believed that if the authorities had been alive to their responsibilities in removing such abandoned vehicles that Dagarin and many others who lost their lives or limbs on account of such abandoned vehicles would have avoided such calamities. ‘’Broken-down trucks are allowed to stay on the road; sometimes for one or two weeks without caution signs to other road users. These broken down vehicles cause traffic gridlock without the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC or Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, and police personnel caring to tow them away,” Mr Alade Ojo, a motorist lamented.

Now, in a determined effort to reverse that trend, the Lagos State Transport and Management Authority , LASTMA last week launched 23 tow vehicles of various capacities to further ensure free flow of traffic as well as eliminate possible ac-

•The LASTMA towing trucks cident as a result of broken down vehicle or indiscriminate parking on the road.

Speaking to Vanguard, the Deputy Comptroller of LASTMA, Mr. Philip Ogunlade said the tow vehicles would assist the agency to improve service delivery, ensure free flow of traffic, removal of broken down vehicles from the roads and enhance general implementation of traffic laws.

Ogunlade said the Lagos State Government, through LASTMA, has also embarked on various reforms to reposition and re-engineer the agency for better service performance.

According to him, LASTMA has gone through systematic reforms and taken giant steps that will improve its human and institutional capacity to ensure accident-free and unimpeded flow of traffic in Lagos State.

He explained, “This new height was possible because the state government at various times and opportunity has demonstrated confidence, support and trust in the Agency to function efficiently and effectively in line with the world best standard practices. It is in furtherance of this, that the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Babatunde

Fashola supported the agency to rejuvenate the medium and high capacity tow vehicles that have been incapacitated for years in order to boost the operational capacity of LASTMA.” In addition, Ogunlade said the agency has consistently embarked upon human capacity building, and over the years, with scores of LASTMA personnel that have undergone local and overseas training in order to improve traffic management efficiency and service delivery. “This is coupled with other trainings on good conduct; interpersonal relationships, quick response to road safety and emergency and how to operate within the ambit of the law. “ He added that the combination of training was responsible for the existing cordial relationship between the agency, stakeholders and the motoring public. Such public support and goodwill in the course of duty performance is responsible for the increase in motorists voluntarily complying with the traffic laws in Lagos State.

main aim is to generate a sustainable, ecological, alternative building system and urban culture for the teeming population of Africa’s coastal regions.”

The secretary of the community, Mr. John Keke who spoke to Vanguard recently, said that they would be happy if the state government considers the structure in its regeneration plan for the community.

Another resident, Mr. Ade Aguntor, added that since the structure was constructed, the ground floor has served as relaxation point for traders on the lagoon, adding “The structure has withstood every storm that had occurred in the community. ” According to him, “this was the reason we demanded that rather than demolish the structure; the government should include it in its redevelopment plan.”

Yielding to the residents demands, the state government in a document released recently said “A Non-Governmental Organisation, NGO, NLE Works has shown interest in the regeneration programme for the community. It has designed a floating structure for African Water Communities and erected a prototype, Floating School, at Makoko community.

This administration is considering the prototype with a view to incorporate it into its development plan for the community.”

Ogunlade said further that as part of the ongoing revolution at the Agency, various departments have been reorganized, repackaged, upgraded and equipped with the state- of- the- art modern facilities to perform efficiently as expected of modern day traffic management institution.

He stressed that at the same time, the serenity that pervades working environment across the state is conducive to boost officers’ morale.

The agency and state government have placed a premium on traffic officers’ welfare, safety and security through the provision of insurance and welfare packages and annual award programme in appreciation of dedicated staff,” he stated.

Ogunlade while explaining that the measure is to further maintain discipline among officers and ensure that they operate within relevant laws and operational guidelines added that hundreds of officers have been disciplined with many dismissed for various acts that were at variance with the Lagos state civil service rules and regulations.

“In the same vein, the Provost

42—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Okowa assumes office, suspends civil service recruitment exercise

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—DELTA State governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, assumed office yesterday with a prayer session at the Government House Chapel.

Okowa, who was accompanied by his wife, Edith, state Deputy Governor, Mr Kingsley Otuaro, political aides and associates, joined in the devotional session by staff of the Directorate of Government House.

Speaking at the brief service, the governor urged Deltans to continually pray for the success of the programmes and policies of their leaders, stressing that prayer was the key to success.

“Christians, especially Deltans, have a burden to pray every day for the success of the state. Delta State will go places by the grace of God. I want to assure you all that I will always join this devotional service every morning throughout my tenure,” he said.

He called for the support and understanding of Deltans for the success of his administration.

In his exhortation, the Chaplain of the Chapel, Rev. Ben Golley, urged Dletans to shun negative

DTHA speakership: Delta leaders declare support for Igbuya

D

ELTA leaders have described the Delta State House of Assembly Majority Leader, Chief Monday Igbuya as a highly focused person, noting that he is humble, dynamic and a natural successor to the outgoing Speaker, Mr Peter Onwusanye.

The leaders, in a statement in Asaba by their Chairman, Chief Ngozi Idigun, said: “If the succession is about continuity, keeping up the tempo of sustainable development and lifting the state and the people to the greatest height, then Deltans have the answer in Monday Igbuya.”

He explained that the backing of Igbuya by prominent Deltans for the speakership of the state, was due to his track record as former chairman of Sapele Local Government, Chairman, House Committee on DESOPADEC and Majority Leader of the House.

criticisms, excessive and unnecessary praises, stressing that they need to pray for their leaders and support them for the growth of the state.

Okowa later inspected a guard of honour mounted by the Nigeria Police and was taken round the various offices and halls in Government House by the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Benson Oburoh.

Meantime, Governor Okowa has suspended the ongoing recruitment exercise into the state civil service.

He said that the suspension was sequel to the flawed process which he said was fraught with sharp practices.

In a statement by the state Head of Service, Mr Patrick Origho, Governor Okowa, said: “It is public knowledge that the process was fraught with sharp practices, ranging from abuse of office to sale of job slots and therefore, cannot by any stretch of the imagination be adjudged as credible. No flawed process produces a credible exercise. This abysmal handling of the exercise

culminated in the suspension of the chairman and members of the commission and the setting up of an administrative panel to review the recruitment process.”

He appealed to Deltans for support and understanding on the suspension of the exercise, assuring that action will be taken to study the report of the Administrative Panel at the appropriate time with a view to strengthening the Delta State Civil Service Commission and ensure transparent recruitment process.

PROCLAMATION: Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (left) proclaiming the state House of Assembly, yesterday.

Wike blasts Rivers NBA for failing to resist interference in judiciary

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday lashed out at the state chapter of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, for failing to fight against the issues that crippled the judiciary in the state for almost one year.

Meanwhile, workers resumed early yesterday at the judiciary complex in Port Harcourt with most of them saying “happy new year,” apparently referring to the protracted strike that kept them at home since June last year.

Swearing-in

The governor, yesterday in Government House, Port Harcourt, while swearing in Justice Daisy Okocha as the acting Chief Judge in the state, said he was surprised that senior lawyers who should have resisted what he termed the evil that rose against the judiciary, kept quiet.

Wike, who also swore in Justice Christy Nwankwo as acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal, recalled failed efforts

by the previous government to stop his swearing in as governor of the state on May 29.

Thanking God for his successful emergence as governor of the state, Wike charged those newly sworn in to discharge their duties responsibly, stressing that nobody should be victimised.

He reminded the acting Chief Judge and the acting President of the Customary Court of Appeal that it was time to rebuild the state.

He said he will work out details to guarantee autonomy for the judiciary.

He said: “As a lawyer, I am highly disappointed by the action of the NBA. The actions that the NBA is taking now are belated.

Suspending the former AttorneyGeneral of the state is coming late in the day. They failed to speak up when everything was going wrong. We got to that level of decadence because NBA failed to act.

“If I believed in self preservation, I would have appointed my wife as acting Chief Judge. But I am a person who believes in due process. All through my leadership, we will

follow due process in all appointments and actions.”

Financial autonomy

The acting Chief Judge, Justice Okocha, lauded the governor for the financial autonomy granted the judiciary, saying the judiciary will build synergy with all arms of government to move the state forward.

She said she was going to set up a task force to decongest the prisons that were already over stretched with inmates because of the crisis in the state judiciary that lasted close to one year.

She assured that there would be zero tolerance to indiscipline and corruption in the state judiciary.

Justice Okocha later addressed members of the NBA and staff of the judiciary at the judiciary complex, urging them to do their jobs diligently.

“The judiciary is our constituency. It is our pride. Let us all do our jobs very well.

Judges should judge well.

Magistrates and everyone should do their jobs well. In all things give thanks to God, so the Bible says," she said.

A-Ibom gov appoints SSG, key aides

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—GOVERNOR Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State has appointed Mr Etekamba Umoren, Chief of Staff to the immediate past governor, as the Secretary to the State Government, SSG and Pastor Bassey Umoh, former Auditor General of Local Government as Permanent Secretary, Governor ’s Office.

Also Mr. Ekerete Udoh, immediate past Director of Media and Publicity for Udom/Moses 2015 Campaign Organisation was appointed Senior Special Assistant, Media and Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Aniekpeno Mkpanang, the Permanent Secretary (Protocol) in the immediate past government, is the new Permanent Secretary, Special Services Department, SSD. Others include Mr. Edmond Uffang, Protocol Chief Offices and Pastor Daniel Akwatang as the Special Assistant to the Governor on Religious Affairs while the Finance and General Purposes Committee, FGPC, is now chaired by the governor himself.

Otuaro's Ward Chairman congratulates Okowa

By Akpokona Omafuaire

W

ARRI—THE Okereknkoko Federated Community Secretary and Gbaramatu Ward Chairman, Mr. Ernest Bebenimibo, has commended Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State for appointing Kingsley Otuaro from his ward as his deputy.

Bebenimibo gave the commendation, yesterday, in a chat with Vanguard after a thanksgiving service.

He said: “I am happy to have produced the deputy governor of the state from Gbaramatu Ward and from my village. I had earlier produced the Warri-South West Local Government Area, Chairman, George Ekpemupolo. I congratulate Governor Okowa for choosing my brother."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015— 43

Okorocha lauds Adesina's appointment as SA on Media to Buhari

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OVERNOR R O C H A S Okorocha of Imo State has commended President Muhammadu Buhari over the appointment of Mr. Femi Adesina, the Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Sun, as his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, describing it as a good one.

He also commended the President for the appointments he had made so far, including that of his Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

The governor said the appointments of these individuals into positions they fit into was a step in the right direction, adding that the appointment of Mr. Adesina would serve as an indication that whatever one did, there were others watching him.

The governor noted that Mr. Adesina had performed credibly as a media practitioner.

He expressed the confidence that Mr. Adesina and other appointees, especially in the media team of the President, would do well since their appointments could also be described as round pegs in round holes.

He asked God to give them the needed wisdom to deliver on the jobs.

APC blasts Enugu council chairmen over unpaid salaries By francis igata

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NUGU—ENUGU State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC,

yesterday, vowed to drag to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, council chairmen in the state for owing staff salaries.

Vanguard’s checks revealed

that most of the council chairmen reside in hotels, apart from choice houses they acquired in highbrow area of Independence Layout Enugu, but owe up to three-five months

Jonathan's become most important political figure in Africa —Sen Obi

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA — FORMER Special Adviser on Inter-party Affairs to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Senator Ben Obi, has described his former boss as the most important political figure in Africa, considering the manner he handled the outcome of the last general elections in Nigeria.

Speaking during a civic reception organized in his honour by the leadership of his Awka Kingdom in Anambra State, Obi observed that if Jonathan had not conceded defeat, the story would have been different in the country and in the

entire Africa.

“By that singular act, former President Goodluck Jonathan has emerged the most important political figure in this continent and we pray that God will continue to keep him and give him the wisdom to continue to work for mankind,” he said.

Going down memory lane, Obi recalled that he was not in the camp of President Jonathan before the primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2010 as he (Obi) was supporting General Gusau for the presidential ticket, adding, however, that once Jonathan emerged the flag bearer of the

party, everybody worked together for the success of PDP presidential candidate.

According to him, despite his initial opposition to his candidature, Jonathan picked him as his Special Adviser and gave him the national honour of the Commander of the Order of Niger, CON. Obi also prayed that God would give President Muhammadu Buhari the wisdom to govern the country well, adding that he "has all it takes to make Nigeria great."

He commended the people of Awka for the honour, advising them to continue to toe the path of peace and support for the government of the day.

salaries to staff.

Frowning on the development, chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Ben Nwoye, said: “It is the culture of corruption that has pervaded the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the past 16 years.

“PDP has used government resources to enrich itself for themselves and their cronies.

They have unrepentantly used government funds to service themselves and a few of their friends.

“Now that a government APC is at the centre,we will ensure that all those who are involved are brought to book. ‘’Their practice is to float projects, divert the funds and abandon the projects. Their other ploy is the ‘ghost workers scheme,’ where monies meant for the payment of the actual workers are diverted into private pockets.

“We will petition the EFCC and those who used public funds to enrich themselves will be brought book.”

Onitsha traders protest over Marine Market onwership tussle

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—TRADERS at Marine Modern Market, Onitsha, yesterday, shut down and marched to Onitsha High Court in solidarity with their leaders for the peaceful resolution of the lingering crisis over the ownership of the market that had lasted over seven years.

Over three thousand traders, including women, were at the court as early as 7.30a.m. to register their support for their leader’s effort in ensuring that the matter, which had been in the court, was resolved amicably.

The traders also joined their leaders who had been attending

the courts alone to appeal to Anambra State government to intervene by calling all the parties involved in the suit to dialogue, so it could be resolved amicably for them to have peace of mind.

The traders' genuine intention for peaceful resolution of the ownership tussle was displayed by their resolve not to carry any placard or do anything to show they were protesting.

They rather comported themselves to show that they were open to dialogue with both the government, to whom they had been paying stallage fees and other levies, and the contenders to the ownership of the market.

Speaking with newsmen at the court premises, chairman of

Marine Modern Market Traders Association, Chief Vincent Ifeme, and a former Chairman of the market union, Chief Raymond Ezedozie, said, irrespective of the fact that the traders dragged the contenders to court over ownership of the market, they were open to dialogue and possible resolution out of court.

Chief Ifeme said the traders were not interested in who won or lost the case but were interested in ensuring that there was peace in the market, so the traders could do their businesses without fear of any harassment, intimidation and possible ejection from the market.

On his part, Chief Ezedozie said: “Government can single-

highhandedly resolve the matter without the traders going to court because the traders have been paying them stallage and other fees in the market.”

He wondered why some people would be disturbing the traders and threatening to evict them when they were paying to government.

Narrating how they came into the market, Chief Ezedozie said: “In 1982 the land on which the market was built was compulsorily acquired and gazetted by Anambra State government for the overriding interest of the public, and the government of Chief Emeka Omerua opened the place as a market in 1987."

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

Message to Muhammadu Buhari as President of Nigeria

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t is a new government, a government of change.

A government which belongs to everybody and nobody at a go. Moments ago her citizens rattled against change and for change. President Buhari should lead us well. -Miss Chika Dike, NYSC member

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ith our dwindling for tunes in oil prices, President Buhari should concentrate the first one year on revamping the power sector, subsidise agriculture and build refinery. While he does these, he should ensure EFCC is arranging recoveries from treasury looters. Miss Ikeri Zinny, Model

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e should not over load himself with many programs but take few things and do them perfectly well andmake sure there will be power all over the country for 12 months. -Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Student

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uhari-Osinbajo admin istration should fix the grade one federal roads in the country and ensure that employment is made available to the youths.

They should never compromise corruption. All the APC governors should fix all state roads. -Mr. Martin Onuigbo, Worker

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ith time we shall be able to tell how Mr. Buhari has truly sanitized himself first from Nigeria’s common sin and terrorism, and will as well probe his compatriots of looting our national treasury and prompting the country's underdevelopment. -Mr. Peter Ekpo, Worker

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resident Buhari and Professor Yemi Osinbajo are worth leading the country to the promised land. I am glad they have both declared their assets like the late Yar Adua and Jonathan did, stating their worth from the very beginning. -Miss Chioma Ani, Model

44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

APC slams Wada over appointment of caretaker chairmen for LGs L

By Boluwa Obahopo

OKOJA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the appointment of caretaker chairmen for the 21 local government councils in Kogi State by Governor Idris Wada, describing the action as an ‘’impunity of the executive.’’

National Coordinator of the Loyalty Group in the party, Dr. Goodman Akuh, who spoke yesterday in Lokoja in an interview with journalists said the use of co-ordinator or whatever name as head of a local government, ran contrary to the judgement of Justice Alaba Omolaiye-Ajileye of Kotokarfe High Court which removed the previous chairmen and ordered fresh elections into the council areas.

According to Akuh, “Justice Omolaiye- Ajileye, had delivered a judgement on Monday, December 8, 2014, in respect of a suit instituted against the state government and state electoral commission, SIEC, and declared that membership of the SIEC that conducted the May, 2013 local government election was constituted contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution as amended.

“The judgement also ordered for a fresh and properly

conducted council poll in the state. But despite the judgement, the Kogi State government last week appointed 21 Senior Special Assistants, SSAs, to take over the administration of the local governments from the Directors of Local Governments.

“This is alien to our

Constitution, unacceptable and unconstitutional.

The appointment of coordinators is an act of impunity by the state governor, Capt. Idris Wada.”

Akuh, however, admonished the new caretaker chairmen not to step into their council secretariats as the APC has

instituted a suit challenging the action and would also sue the coordinators for contempt of court.

“I warn those appointed to stay clear of their councils as it is illegal for them to spend tax payers money. Anybody who does so will be dragged to court for prosecution,” he said.

BRIEFING: From left: Dr. Olumuyiwa Oludayo, Registrar, Covenant University; Brovo Kim, MD, Samsung Electronics West Africa; Uzoma Dozie, Chief Executive Officer, Diamond Bank Plc; Yomi Adedeji, Manager Partner, Softcom and Victor Ezenwoko, Executive Director, Regional Businesses, Lagos and West, at the Future Reading University Conference briefing in Lagos.

We'll renegotiate our coexistence in Nigeria —IJAW NATION

By Ikenna Asomba E N A G O A — EMINENT sons and daughters of the Ijaw nation have agreed to re-examine the state of the Ijaw ethnic nationality in Nigeria, noting that they will immediately initiate the process of renegotiating the basis of their coexistence with other ethnic nationalities.

They disclosed this position at a Pan Ijaw Stakeholders Summit with the theme “The Ijaw Agenda Beyond May 29, 2015,” held between May 2729, at Dr. Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre and Ijaw House, Yenogua, the Bayelsa State capital.

Co-hosted by the Ijaw National Congress, INC, and the Bayelsa State Government, the event which witnessed the presentation of papers by notable Ijaw scholars and other resource persons, was graced by more than 1, 500 people drawn from 78 Ijaw clans, traditional institutions, professional and socio-political bodies among others.

The summit in a 13-point communiqué, signed by its Chairman, Prof. Nelson

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Brambaifa and Secretary, Pastor Power Aginighan, however, thanked Nigerians for the rare opportunity given Dr. Goodluck Jonathan to preside over the affairs of the country.

Among other things the Summit noted that “the Ijaw nation today is at a critical moment in its history and called on all Ijaw leaders, sons and daughters to be united at this auspicious moment for

the challenges ahead, adding that "it has expressed its desire for self determination, total rejection of the unjust legal order that robs resource owners of rights to their resources.”

Yari promises to continue with ‘better life' projects

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By Salisu Maradun

USAU—THE Governor of Zamfara State, Alhaji Abdul Aziz Yari has said that his government had paid N23 billion out of the N47 billion it inherited from the government of Mahmuda Shinkafi in 2011.

The figure paid, according to the governor, represents about 48 per cent of the total amount owed to various banks and organizations across the country.

Yari spoke in an interview with Vanguard shortly after he was sworn in for a second term in office in Gusau, the state capital.

He said his government would concentrate on developmental projects, particularly those that had to

do with the improvement of lives of the common man in the state.

According to the governor who was emotional over the turn-out of the people who converged at the venue to witness his swearing in, said his administration will not leave any stone unturned toward realising the dream of the people with whose mandate he was occupying the seat.

The governor also explained that his government would not relent in its efforts to ensure continued peaceful coexistence among the people.

He said: “Whoever thinks that he is only there to create problem and tension among the people should just pack his luggage and leave the

state, because there is no room for that as we cannot fold our arms and allow some undesirable elements to disrupt the peace which we have been enjoying for decades.”

Tribunal grants Sen Adeyemi leave to inspect election materials

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By Boluwaji Obahopo

OKOJA—THE National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State has granted Senator Smart Adeyemi leave to inspect and recount all election materials used in disputed areas during the March 28 National Assembly election in Kogi West Senatorial District of the state.

Sen. Adeyemi who was the Senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for the senatorial district had filed a petition at the tribunal through his lawyer, Mr. J.O. Olatoke, SAN. challenging the declaration of Mr. Dino Melaye of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as the winner of the poll.

Adeyemi’s counsel had requested in the petition that the tribunal should allow the examination and counting of the ballot papers used at the disputed polling units during the election at the trial to ascertain the lawful votes cast.

During the pre-trial, Olatoke had brought a motion on notice before the tribunal for an application to direct the 3rd respondent, that is the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to bring to the tribunal original ballot papers, ballot papers stubs and all the ballot boxes used and unused in the disputed areas during the election.

Plateau Gov appoints aides

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OS—PLATEAU State Governor, Simon Lalong, yesterday, appointed the first set of his aides with the former Minority Leader, in the state House of Assembly, Mr. Rufus Bature, becoming the Secretary to the State Government, SSG. This was contained in a statement by the Permanent Secretary, Policy and General Services, in the State Civil Service, Mr Izam Azi. Lalong also announced the appointment of Mr John Dafa’an as Chief of Staff, Government

House, with Yusuf Hawaja as his deputy, while Mr Silas Vem is to serve as Deputy Chief of Staff, Deputy Governor’s Office.

Also, appointed was Mr Emmanuel Nanle as Director of Press Affairs just as Prof. John Wade, the pioneer VC of Plateau State University, Bokkos, was named the new Director-General, Research; Mr Cyril Tsenyil was named the Accountant-General,evenasMrCletus Kangkum, former Director, Administration,JosUniversityTeaching Hospital,wasappointedasthePrincipal Private Secretary, PPS, to Lalong.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—45

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BEYOND THE SCHOOL: From left— (Front row) Mr. Edem Vindah, Corporate Media/Brand PR Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Mrs Catherine Ogunrinde, Principal, Eric Moore Senior High School, Surulere; Mrs Clementine Vervelde, wife of the MD/CEO, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Project Champion, Beyond the School; Mr. Kufre Ekanem, Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries Plc; Mrs Ini Onuk, MD/CEO, Thistle Praxis; Mr. Adegbola Abiodun, Regional Programme Coordinator, Junior Achievement Nigeria; Mrs Emete Tonukari, Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, with students of Baptist Senior High School, Obanikoro, during Beyond the School programme at Terra Kulture, Lagos.

AGM: From left— Mr. Olufemi Oguntade, MD/CEO; Mr. Larry Ettah, Chairman; Mr. Adekeke Yusuff, Company Secretary, and Engr. Dipo Ashafa, Non-executive Director, all of Portland Paints & Products Nigeria Plc, at the 2015 Annual General Meeting in Lagos. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

WORKSHOP: From left: Mr Adib Hobeica; Dr Chima Ezedinma, Officer-in-charge of United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, UNIDO, in Nigeria; Mr Omotanwa Awobokun and Mr Mithat Kulur, Programme Trainer at the opening ceremony of a six-day workshop on capacity building for NIRP, in Kaduna yesterday.

CELEBRATION: From left— Dr. Oluyemi Olawaiye, Founder, YELOTO African Children Foundation; Mr. David Ogo-Tsegah, President, The Arrows of God Orphanage; Dr. Regine Bruny-Olawaiye, Co-Founder, YELOTO; and Mr. Umerah, Staff of the orphanage, celebrating Children's Day in Lagos.

ITF AWARD: From left— Mr. Osvaldo Behr, Country Manager, Franks International Oil Field Services Nigeria Limited; Mr. Pomark Zakka-Kaatpo, Head, Finance and Accounts, Industrial Training Fund, ITF, Port Hacourt; Mr. Benjamin Ogaji, Area Manager, ITF Port Harcourt/representative of the DirectorGeneral of ITF, Juliet Chukkas-Onaeko, and Mr. Posat Sarpiya, outgoing Head of Training, ITF Port Harcourt, during the fund's award ceremony in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. PHOTO: Nwankpa Chijioke.

VOLUNTEERS: From left— Dr. Annah Nultu; Dr. Farouk Dau, both volunteeers, and Dr. Oladele Abiodun, Programme Director, Directorate of Technical AID Corps, during departure of volunteers to Rwanda, in Abuja.

REP-ELECT/CHILDREN: Mr. Tajudeen Obasa, member-elect, House of Representatives, for Ojo Federal Constituency, and his wife, Aishat (middle, behind), celebrating children’s day in Ojo, Lagos.

CHILDREN'S DAY: Management staff of Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, at the Arrows of God Orphanage, Ajah, donating food and other items to the orphanage in commemoration of Children's Day.

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—47

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48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

The PDP and its phobia for election petitions

By Jesutega Onokpasa

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FIND rather amusing, the People’s Democratic Party ’s unfolding dread for petitions challenging its self-awarded victories in the recently held elections.

Most comical are the stupefying arguments an assortment of its daily bread rank and file has constructed in making the party’s case against being taken to court for very shameful electoral crimes.

Many of the party ’s more irritating members have posited that no one interested in its brand of ‘development’ should be dragging its candidates to court since election “petitions will only distract elected officials from delivering on their mandates.”

The problems with this obviously idiotic objection to the rule of law are legion. In many ways it is synonymous with a notorious armed robber scolding the prosecution for filling charges against him because having to defend himself in court would distract him from mounting further robbery operations against other innocent members of the public.

Election Tribunals Additionally, it presupposes that the ‘victories’ in contention were legitimate in the first place. Well, that is exactly why the tribunals exist. They are created to confer legitimacy on elections or withhold the same depending on the evidence before them.

Anyone with a problem with election tribunals is thus only as good as the horrid vigilante who seeks the ouster of the jurisdiction of the courts, preferring rather to be prosecutor, judge, and jury in his own cause.

Similarly, revolting is the argument that the All Progressives Congress, APC, having won a majority of contests at all levels of the elections, should be satisfied with what it has achieved and let sleeping dogs lie by basically ignoring any objectionable electoral conduct on the part of the PDP, however

blatantly criminal they might be.

This obviously can be likened to the kidnapper objecting to the victim pressing charges against him because the ransom collected was only a fraction of the victim’s total worth! Thus according to the logic of the PDP, anyone may legitimately be kidnapped as long as the kidnappers restrict themselves to demanding only what the victim can afford!

Perplexing trend Another profoundly perplexing trend in the PDP is to allege that the APC was equally guilty of electoral crimes during the elections and then to surmise that as such it is only fair for each party to be allowed to keep what it was able to grab. Whether or not the APC committed such crimes is not within the capacity of the PDP to determine.

Again that is why the courts exist and nothing stopped the PDP from dragging the APC to the tribunal if indeed it genuinely believed it had a legitimate case to raise with regard to the perpetration of electoral fraud against its candidates. If you feel genuinely aggrieved, you go to court. If you can go to court but refuse to, then the legitimate assumption is that you lack a case. What is certainly bizarre is where you resort to

Election petitions are a veritable tool for deepening democratic culture, strengthening institutions and reengineering society

recrimination and proceed to accuse your opponent of crimes for which you would have been better served by simply taking him to court. Indeed, this curious objection resembles a murderer objecting to answering for the crime because, according to him, the victim murdered someone else before he, in turn, slaughtered him!

The PDP has also suggested that it be allowed to keep what it presently has because the APC ought to reciprocate the “magnanimity of Goodluck Jonathan by conceding victory and Congratulating Muhammadu Buhari…”

While Jonathan’s conduct is certainly commendable, it is not entitled to be rewarded by letting anyone get away with breaking the law.

This would only amount to letting the thief keep what he stole because he profusely apologized to the victim before robbing him blind!

At any rate, the law strictly envisages that a political party is only entitled to the quantum of victories it legitimately acquires and no more.

That the APC won at federal level does not in any way entitle the PDP to rig at state level and be allowed to keep whatever number of mandates it was able to steal.

Election petitions are a veritable tool for deepening democratic culture, strengthening institutions and reengineering society.

Only kleptomaniacs and pathological election riggers should be afraid of either going to court or being taken there.

Amidst the plethora of laughable objections the PDP has raised to being challenged at various tribunals is the claim that its victories are legitimate. If indeed they are, the party should welcome the opportunity of reinforcing them in court with open arms.

Any reluctance to doing so immediately raises suspicions of red-handed guilt on the part of the PDP. ONOKPASA, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Warri.

America’s war against FIFA W

HEN you think about international soccer, the United States of America hardly crosses your mind. If there is a 4th world in global soccer, the U.S. may even be classified in that group.

Over the decades, the U.S. has been carving for itself the reputation of the old people’s retirement home for soccer legends who have clearly past their prime or are in the twilight years of their fame in the beautiful game.

Talk about Pele and his move to the New York Santos in the 1970s to help launch soccer in the U.S. When David Beckham needed a place to see off his years in soccer, the Los Angeles Galaxy appealed to him as a nice retirement resort. As I write, Steven Gerrard (Liverpool) and Frank Lampard (Manchester City) are on their way to the U.S. to sign off on their elegant soccer careers. That is the way things have been and may continue to be in the next years ahead as famous soccer stars who wish a comfortable retirement migrate to the U.S. But, if you followed the news in the U.S. last week, you might have thought the country was in the league of Brazil, Germany or Spain in world soccer.

The word ‘FIFA’ dominated the news, not on the field of soccer, but because of the action taken by the newly crowned attorney general of the United States, Loretta Lynch.

This iron-lady of the U.S. Justice Department read out her indictment and intent to prosecute hitherto sacred cows in the FIFA hierarchy; not just one but seven of them on charges of multi-million dollars in organized corruption and bribery.

While reading her charges against the lords of FIFA, Lynch declared that “These individuals and organisations engaged in bribery to decide who would televise games, where the games would be held, and who would run the organisation overseeing organised soccer worldwide. They did this over and over, year after year, tournament after tournament.”

This spacecraft of bribery and corruption is estimated to have moved at an incredible speed that gulped up $150 million over twenty-four years.

Election of Blatter

But the irony was that while the U.S. officials were blowing hot smoke over FIFA, the organisation was busy re-electing FIFA President Sepp Blatter for

his fifth four-year term. It was a presidential contest that saw African and Asian countries firmly pitching their tent with Blatter who they believe to have worked so hard over the years to pay attention to the development of soccer in their territories.

In his victory speech, Blatter told the audience that “I am the president now, the president of everybody……I am not perfect, nobody is perfect, but we will do a good job together, I am sure…I take responsibility to bring back FIFA where it should be.”

He then valiantly added that: “At the end of my term I will give up FIFA in a strong position.”

And in what looked like a swipe at his European and American critics he added this: “The Congress are of the opinion that I am still the man to solve the problems.”

Need to clean FIFA’s stable of corruption

U.S. Attorney General

Lynch may not agree with Blatter. Lynch’s actions on the eve of what was to be Blatter ’s crowning glory spoke loudly about her undeclared wish for Blatter to quit. There is little debate that there is need to clean FIFA’s stable of corruption, but Lynch’s highly publicized action against the soccer body on this comparatively drop-ofwater-in-the-ocean sum of $150 million squandered over twenty-four years raised some eyebrows over the main objectives of Lynch’s strategy.

The fact is that high-level corruption and under-thetable financial shenanigans are not new in America. So, why did Lynch choose to clean FIFA’s “small” stable when there is a huge ranch that needs serious cleaning in her backyard? This web site shows a glimpse of the Olympic level corruption and financial scandals that

Why did Lynch choose to clean FIFA’s “small” stable when there is a huge ranch that needs serious cleaning in her backyard?

rocked and continue to rock the U.S. (http:// www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/ frontline/businesseconomy-financial-crisis/ untouchables/how-bankof-americas-16-65-billionsettlement-compares/).

In August 2014, the report published by PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) entitled “The Untouchables” revealed that “In the five years since the (2008 US financial and mortgage) crisis, government authorities have won nearly $83 billion in credit crisis and mortgage-related settlements from the nation’s six largest banks by assets. Over that same period, the banks have earned more than $320 billion in profits.”

In other words, corruption and financial scandals are multi-billion industries in the U.S. The six big banks mentioned in “The Untouchables” story defrauded the American public, imperiled the American economy and walked away with huge profits, only to agree to shed just about 26 percent of their ill-gotten profits, not their entire assets, and continue to do business in the country.

Overall, the titans of Wall Street continue to thrive in their questionable ways of making money off the backs of impoverished Americans. Yet, Lynch’s justice department has not moved against them with the speed and determination she exhibited in charging at Fifa.

Here is how an article (May 28) in Zero Hedge, a web site that looks at the other side of the establishment, examined Lynch’s action: “What is just as ironic is that the one reason the US determined it has jurisdiction over the case is only because FIFA’s corrupt officials had used US banks as intermediaries to funnel and otherwise launder bribes and other flows of funds.... How many people were arrested in the DOJ’s crackdown on criminal US banks? 0. How many people are arrested as part of the DOJ’s crackdown on FIFA: 14. One can start to sense an agenda in play.”

2018 World Cup

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin already sees Lynch’s action against FIFA as an effort to derail the 2018 World Cup awarded to his country. In an interview he claimed that “We are aware of the pressure that he (Blatter) was subjected to in relation to Russia holding the 2018 World Cup.” He may have a point. Last weekend, the English FA chairman Greg Dyke called for the boycott of the 2018 world cup in response to Blatter’s reelection and questioned the validity of Fifa’s principle of equal voting power for each of the organization’s member states.

As overtly well intentioned as the move to hold Fifa accountable might be, could it be a subterfuge for what the public is not privileged to know for now?

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—53

Be the change you want to see Dear sir

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E cannot but thank God that we voted for change and change has come to stay. We must not fail to comprehend that those who seek change, must also change. Change is the only constant thing in life and everyone desires a change for the better.

This change is what Nigeria has been waiting earnestly for and it has arrived.

We have heard change, voted for change and change is here. But as the saying goes, charity begins at home hence this change that has come, must first begin with you and I. It is useless talking to a deaf man and expect him to do your will. It would not work. All you need do is to learn how to speak the language of the deaf to enable you pass your message to him. That is why we Nigerians need to change our way of thinking, our approach to life, the way we act, react and transact our businesses, before we can experience a national change.

Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time.

Change starts with you, be the change you want to see. If you want our leaders to be more accountable, be accountable yourself. If you want corruption out of the nation, then you must be prepared to rid yourself of corruption.

We are the ones we’ve been waiting

for. We are the change that we seek. I am sorry to disappoint you, but no change can be actualised unless the one who wants a change changes. This implies that so many things have to change in our lives before we come to terms with the change that has been promised us.

Nigeria has to change the tribalistic, religious, social and educational differences that seem to be the bane of the nation. Nigerians have to live as one and forgo any grudge we have against others. We have to lift up the banner of patriotism and nationalism through peaceful co-existence and understanding. Let’s look into the future and desire to create a beautiful world for our children and generations to come.

We should live our lives bearing in mind that life is so short and that what ever opportunity we have to do good, we should not hesitate to utilise it.

Putting a smile on someone’s face, adding value to someone’s life and living exemplary lives should be our priority. We should be our brothers keeper and defend the rights of fellow Nigerians.

OLUBORODE ANUOLUWAPO.A Dept of Mass Communication, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo.

Amaechi and the derogatory advert on Jesus Dear sir

I

read a nauseating advert in the Vanguard edition of Wednesday, May 27, 2015, sponsored by a faceless Phrank Shaibu who claimed to be a Consultant, Public Communication and Strategy.

The said advert titled 50 Golden Cheers to a Dogged Warrior described Amaechi as the Lion of Ubima. In a veiled reference, the President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan was described as the jesus of Otuoke and his wife as the baby jesus of the Rock.

The author/originator of the mischievous advert is lucky because Jesus stood for peace and Christianity is a religion of peace that abhors violence.

If some other religious leaders who can never be a match to Jesus Christ, are abused the way and manner some use-

less individuals abuse Jesus, this country would be on fire today.

It is also commonplace for jesters who pride themselves as comedians to insult the person of our Lord Jesus Christ and so-called Christians would sit there laughing. Those jesters should crack such useless jokes with the names of these other religious leaders and let’s see whether they would be alive to eat their ill-gotten money.

Back to the Amaechi advert, I advise the outgoing governor to quickly repudiate the writeup which described him as the Lion of Ubima with brooms to engage in a warfare. The earlier he does that, the better for him

Pastor Uzoma Chinonye Lagos Island.

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Pentecostal Churches should build hospitals Dear sir,

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ERMIT me to use your widely read newspaper to appeal to the Pentecostal Churches to emulate the Roman Catholics. They should, like Catholics, build hospitals to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians.

I agree that they minister to the spiritual needs of the people but they should realise that the physical aspect will also go a long way in the service to God and humanity.

One needs to visit our hospitals to appreciate the pains Nigerians go through everyday in the hands of our medical personnel. This is not as a result of neglect from our doctors or nurses but because they are overwhelmed by the multitude that need urgent attention. In some of these hospitals, emergencies are rarely attended to because appointments have been booked earlier with the doctors. The

traffic snarl is not helping matters as many patients requiring prompt medicare, hardly reach the hospitals on time to be attended to.

I do not expect free medical attention but we need hospitals to meet the needs of the teeming healthcare seekers in Nigeria.

It is only very few people that can afford the amount charged by the private hospitals that are available. To say that many Nigerians are poor is an understatement. Our Lord Jesus Christ demonstrated this by providing food to the hungry before ministering to their spiritual needs.

I implore our spiritual fathers like Pastors Adeboye, Kumuyi, Oyedepo, Oyakhilomi etc to give this matter the seriousness it deserves.

•James O. Adeyemi, Vanguard Media staff

Presidential fleet

What a wastage! Why would the presidency maintain the Presidential Air fleet with over 10 billion naira yearly, when some states in Nigeria get less than two billion naira every month from the Federal Mobilisation Fiscal Commission as allocation? Why maintaining up to 10 aircrafts when leaders of other developed countries travel in charted commerial aircrafts?

The Britsih Prime Minister has no Presidential aircraft; members of the British Government charter either British Airways or Virgin Altantic most times. The question is, can we maintain the Presidential airfleet in the face of our dwindling economy?

Enough of these wastage.

U. Desmond.+2347061933595

Oil theft and missing trillions

NNPC’s

Gen. Buhari now has enough materials to work with regarding the rot in our oil and gas sector. From Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede Ministerial Verification Committee which metamorphosed into a Presidential Committee to the Dotun Suleiman Committee on Governance and Control Task Force to the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force headed

by Nuhu Ribadu to recent Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative, NEITI audit reports, the revelations are not only damning, the conclusions of all of them are that both the upstream and downstream operations of our oil and gas sector are in trouble. No one knows how much oil Nigeria actually produces, if there were an authoritative figure, the truly horrifying scope of corruption would be exposed..

A.O. Obi Esq+2348056009586

Political leaders and their utterances Nigerian leaders should learn from the strong demeanours and qualities of former heads of states, Gen Yakubu Gowan and Gen Abdulsalam, who are respected leaders, with deep temperance. They are devoted to uniting and moving the nation forward! Nigerian politicians should emulate these mature leaders and don’t overheat the polity with volatile utterances. Nigeria is greater than any individual. It remains one Nigeria, while its people are transient. patriots! Let’s build our nation.

Tony OgunAmahwe+2348051112924

Exorbitant prices of prepaid meters

to ease their pains, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company is busy over billing customers without providing up to five hours power monthly.

Prepaid meters are offered at exorbitant prices with threats of flat by flat billing using estimated billing method for services not rendered.

Customers are made to buy poles and pay for fixing fallen cables.

Anonymous writes in from Lagos State

South Africa’s xenophobic attacks The South African’s memory is indeed very short! If the South Africans carrying out xenophobic attacks on innocent fellow Africans residing and doing their legitimate business in their country had been good students of history, they would not descend into anarchy to reward good brotherliness with evil. Back in the 70s, Nigeria was tagged a frontline state through her stuggle to end the apartheid regime in their country. The South Africans perpetrating deliberate murder are ingrates and to worsen the matter, the Zulu King was alleged to have caused the black on black violence through unguarded utterances.

Our politicians must learn lessons from this careless talk to preserve unity and peace in this country. To the blood -thirty South Africans, they must be told in clear terms that they do not have a monopoly of violence.

Ndehigwo Idiroko +2348024209181

Fuel Impor Importt ation

President Buhari should disagree with the idea of importing fuel into our country by oil importers. Instead they should build their private refinaries since they are intrested in crude oil business Peter +2347061158706

South Africa’s xenophobic attacks South Africans should not be forced into being Africans. Their leaders are insincere with the situation on ground. There is this feeling of rivalry and superiority South Africans exhibit everywhere especially when they see Nigerians and other Africans.

They always insist that they are South Africa not Africa. Apatheid is still inherent in their mentality. They need decolonization.

Okey Brown-Ajaegbo.

Lagos.+2348181167166

It is appalling that while Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company plans to give free meters to her customers starting from June 20015

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,

54—Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Media aides explains Buhari's absence from Presidential Villa zSays President 'll not rush ministerial appointments

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—SENIOR Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu said the President could not resume his official duties at the Presidential Villa due to the renovation work going on at the place, yesterday.

According to the presidential spokesman, “they claim some renovation work was going on. The place is being cleaned up for his occupation.

“The contractors are working probably at their own pace. I am not saying he is comfortable where he is at his rented house but he is operating from there. When the villa is ready, he will move in.”

Asked when the President would release the list of his ministers, Shehu said the President would take his time before making the appointments He said: “I have no idea, but it is not something anybody will rush because you know that the National Assembly will have to approve.

When are you going to have National Assembly in place? That is the question.”

AWARD: From left— Toyin Akinkuotu, Ondo State Head of Service; Governor Olusegun Mimiko and Dr. Rotimi Adelola, Secretary to the State Government, during the presentation of Almagamated Union of Public Corporational Services Employees, AUPCSE, 2015 Merit Award at the Governor's Office, in Akure, yesterday.

Alleged N6.5bn fraud: FG withdraws charge against Sylva zHis int’l passport must be released promptly—COURT zSignee of withdrawal notice unknown

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Federal Government, yesterday, asked Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to terminate further hearing on the six-count criminal charge that was preferred against the former governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Timipre Sylva, by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The directive came on a day the court had fixed for the antigraft agency to call witnesses and tender exhibits against the

BBC World Service introduces advertising to websites

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DVERTISERS will now have the opportunity to reach Hausa-speakers (outside the UK) in key BBC Hausa territories such as Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Ghana as BBC World Service has introduced advertising to its language websites.

By this introduction, the Broadcasting Corporation aims to generate revenue that can be reinvested in highquality journalism and innovative technology BBC Hausa Editor, Mansur Liman, in his comment said: “BBC Hausa website is a

destination of choice for Hausa-speakers, wherever they are, with its offer of upto-the minute news, features and analysis, bringing to life developments in Nigeria, Niger, Ghana and Cameroon and around the world.

“As our website starts carrying adverts, its editorial content will continue to stand out for its truly independent and impartial news coverage presenting all sides.

“This new development will provide the opportunity to invest further in the site for the benefit of audiences.”

ex-governor who was accused of masterminding the illegal diversion of funds from the Bayelsa State treasury, while he was in power.

He was specifically accused of siphoning over N6.5 billion from the Bayelsa State treasury between October 2009 and February 2010.

When the case was called up yesterday, counsel to government, Chief O. J. Nnadi (SAN), told the court that he got an instruction from an Assistant Director of Legal & Prosecution at EFCC, Mr. J. A. Ajogbane, to withdraw the charge.

He further tendered a “fiat” for the discontinuance of the criminal charge, which he said was issued to him by the Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mr. M. S. Diri, on behalf of the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF. “My Lord, I am disappointed that after opposing initial bid to quash this charge, this morning, I was directed to withdraw the charge,” Nnadi submitted.

Disagreement over directive

Responding, the EFCC lawyer, Mr. Ojogbane denied ever directing the prosecutor, Nnadi, to discontinue the matter, saying he was surprised by the submission.

He said: “My Lord, the instruction I got from my own

Director, Mr. Chile Okoroma, was to appear in court today with the DPP, who I was told will come this morning to withdraw this charge.

“When I came to court this morning and did not see the DPP, I approached the learned silk and he confirmed to me that he was briefed by the office of the AGF. It, is therefore, not correct for him to say that EFCC asked him to withdraw this charge.

“EFCC did not ask me to come and withdraw the charge.”

However, Ojogbane told the court that the DPP spoke with him on phone before the proceeding commenced.

EFCC lawyer said: “My Lord, I can confirm that I am aware that this charge is to be withdrawn this morning by the office of the DPP, the reason being that there are two similar charges against the accused person before the Federal High Court.

“Government, through the DPP, has therefore decided to terminate this charge to focus on the one before the other court.”

Sylva seeks acquittal, return of passport

Meanwhile, though Sylva through his lawyer, Mr. Israel Olorundare (SAN), did not oppose the withdrawal application, he urged the

court to dismiss the charge and discharge the accused person.

He equally prayed the court to issue an order restraining EFCC from arresting his client again in respect of allegations contained in the six-court charge.

Sylvaý also begged the court to order the release of his international passport and other travelling documents he surrendered as part of the conditions upon which he was earlier granted bail.

In his short ruling after the matter was stood down for about 10 minutes, Justice Chukwu said after reviewing arguments by all the parties, he had no option than to terminate further hearing on the matter.

He stressed that Section 174(b) (c) of the 1999 Constitution imbues the AGF with both the power to issue fiat for the prosecution of criminal cases and to delegate someone, including DPP, to withdraw charges pending in court.

Justice Chukwu held: “In the circumstance, this application is granted as prayed, the charge is accordingly struck out and the accused is discharged properly. The international passport of the accused person is to be released to him promptly.”

Meanwhile, the person that signed the said withdrawal notice, which was dated yesterday, was not known, considering that the office of the AGF is currently vacant.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 55

Jigawa gov sacks Emir of Dutse as DCDA chairman D

By Aliyu Dangida

U T S E— G O V E R N O R Muhammad Abubakar Badaru of Jigawa State has sacked the Emir of Dutse, Alhaji Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi as the chairman of Dutse Capital Development Authority, DCDA. This was contained in a

statement by Government House in Dutse the state capital.

According to the statement, other appointees who were relieved of their positions included all non-statutory or non tenured board members and chairmen of all Jigawa State Ministries, Departments and

Agencies, MDA’s, including the Pilgrims Centre officers.

Local government secretaries and education secretaries of the 27 local government councils were also affected were local government secretaries who were directed to handover to their respective directors of personnel management, DPM, with

immediate effect.

The emir of Dutse was last month appointed board chairman of DCDA by former Governor Sule Lamido. The appointment was seen to be controversial as most people in the state believed that the emir pressurised Lamido to offer him the slot, saying it amounted to greed.

I won't tolerate indiscipline, says Gov Ortom

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By Peter Duru

AKURDI—GOVERNOR Samuel Ortom of Benue State, yesterday, said that he would be firm in dealing with issues bordering on indiscipline just as he would insist that the right thing must be done.

He spoke when he resumed for work officially at Government House in Makurdi, the state capital which was immediately re-named as the Benue People’s House.

“I have come with carrot and stick. No one would be punished unnecessarily except those who fail in their responsibilities. I will ensure that you succeed in your work.

“I will also not hide anything, this is the covenant I have made with God and the Benue people.

I will insist that the right thing must always be done. I have imbibed the culture of excellence and not mediocrity. I want the best for Benue,” he said.

Addressing the over 500 staff at the complex, Ortom cautioned that his administration would not condone indiscipline, truancy and lateness to work.

The governor, however, pledged to be fair to all by ensuring that justice and equity prevailed in all his dealings by entrenching core values like discipline, selflessness, transparency and accountability.

His words: “I have come with carrot and stick. No one would be punished unnecessarily except those who fail in their responsibilities. I will ensure that you succeed in your work.

“I will also not hide anything, this is the covenant I have made with God and the Benue people.

I will insist that the right thing must always be done. I have imbibed the culture of excellence and not mediocrity. I want the best for Benue.”

Ortom promised to reward those who work hard and punish the disobedient and lazy ones.

Responding, the Permanent Secretary Government House, Mr. Eugene Ivase, pledged the loyalty of the staff to the new administration.

SYNOD: From left: Lay Synod Secretary, Mr Clement Atie, Diocesan Registrar, Mr John Omughele, Bishop of Kaduna Anglican Diocese, Most Revd. Josiah Idowu-fearon, and Bishop of Kafanchan Diocese, Rt.Revd. Markus Dogo, at the Diocese of Kaduna 20th Synod in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Energy crisis looms as Seawolf workers protest unpaid salaries

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By Michael Eboh

BUJA—THE Nigerian economy risks another economic shut down in the next couple of days, as workers of Seawolf Oilfield Services, yesterday, promised to work with the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, to compel the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, to pay them their 22 months’ salary arrears.

A recent strike by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, branch of NUPENG and PENGASSAN following disagreements over the transfer of operatorship rights in some oil wells, almost brought the Nigerian economy to a standstill, as businesses and homes were starved of petroleum products and power supply for several days.

Speaking at the premises of AMCON in Abuja, during a peaceful protest organized by workers of the company, Mr. Christian Okojie and Mr. Godfrey Okoloba, Chairmen of NUPENG and PENGASSAN, Seawolf branch, respectively, told Vanguard that the workers were last paid in December 2013

and January 2014, adding that they are presently being owed 22 months outstanding salaries.

They stated that the workers had met with the management of AMCON in Abuja three weeks ago, where the Managing Director of AMCON, Mr. Mustapha Chike-Obi promised to address the situation within 48 hours.

They said: “Till today, he has failed to resolve the issue and the 48 hours have since elapsed. We have written them severally over the promises they made three weeks ago, yet they refused to meet with us. That is the reason we decided to stage this protest.”

The company’s three oil drilling rigs had been seized by AMCON for about a year now, depriving the company of any means of generating income to pay off its indebtedness and its workers.

The rigs, when operational, are capable of generating a minimum of $150,000 per day.

In a sharp reaction the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Asset Management Company of Nigeria Mr. Chike Obi told Vanguard in a Telephone interview that the workers’ union were simply blackmailing AMCON believing that as a government agency it would accede to their blackmail. He said that Seawolf was indebted to

AMCON and it seized its assets in order to recover its money. He said that AMCON has no direct relationship with the said workers.

Niger Gov appoints new SSG

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—NIGER State governor, Malam Abubakar Sani Bello, has appointed some of his aides.

Bello appointed Alhaji Shehu Umar Danyaya a retired civil servant, as Secretary to the State Government, SSG while Mikhail Al-Amin Bmitosahi, a former member of the House of Representatives was made Chief of Staff with Dr. Ibraheem Dooba, a teacher and a columnist with the Daily Trust newspaper becoming the Chief Press Secretary. Also, Haruna Mamman Vatsa was appointed Director of Protocol with Yusuf Waili becoming the senior special assistant, timekeeping and schedule.

These appointments are with immediate effect.

The new SSG has spent many years in the public service both in Niger State and Abuja while the new chief of staff was the Director General, DG, for Governor Abubakar Sani Bello Campaign Organisation.

However, Dooba on the other hand worked as a member of the media team during the campaign. He has a Ph.D in Information Technology and attended courses at Harvard University, London School of Journalism and some universities in Malaysia.

ABUTH doctors begin indefinite strike

By Agaju Madugba

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ARIA—MEDICAL doctors under the platform of Association of Resident Doctors, ARDS, at the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, Shika, Zaria, yesterday embarked on an indefinite strike action over alleged non payment of salaries and other entitlements.

The development led to the evacuation of patients on admission, by their relations and families.

A statement by the union, tagged, Why doctors are on strike,” explained that, “doctors in the hospital have been selectively paid percentages of their legitimate salaries since January, 2015 but from our findings, the Federal Government has adequately cash-backed ABUTH Zaria to pay doctors salaries in full.”

The union’s President, Dr.

Tuko Moses Tari, who spoke with reporters later told reporters that, “other federal teaching hospitals, Sokoto, Jos, Kano Katsina, National Hospital, Bodan, Lagos, Gombe and Enugu, have all paid their doctors in full.

“In the midst of this problem, 44 resident doctors were illegally sacked by the management of our hospital and they have refused to reinstate them despite assurances and proven illegality.

“Today, June 1, 2015 culminated the high point of over a year period of intensed deliberation, discussion and negotiation with the ABUTH management and by extention, the Federal Government of some burning issues that affect the welfare and training and quality of service delivery in the hospital in Zaria.

“The doctors agreed on Sunday that unless the Federal Government wades into their problems and the management addresses their grievances, they will not return to work.

56 — VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 2 , 2015

Fighting rages in Y emen amid ne w Yemen new diplomatic push J

ETS from the Arab coalition have targeted Houthi rebel positions in their stronghold of Saada on Yemen’s border with Saudi Arabia.

The strikes against the rebels yesterday came as Yemeni officials said diplomats’ attempts to bring an end to the conflict at talks in Oman had made some progress.

The Saada attacks followed Sunday’s strikes against military targets in Sanaa and on rebel fighters in the port city of Aden, where the Houthis are involved in pitched battles with armed groups loyal to President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

Political sources in Oman confirmed yesterday that diplomats were brokering talks between US and Houthi officials in the capital Muscat.

Independent politicians in Sanaa said the new diplomacy had succeeded in narrowing gaps between the Houthis and the exiled government to pave the way for eventual UNbacked negotiations in Geneva.

“There’s progress in the talks toward an agreement on a long truce and reviving political dialogue,” one politician told the Reuters news agency, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The UN envoy to Yemen, Ismail Ould Cheikh Ahmed, has also achieved headway towards convening talks in Geneva, Yemeni government spokesman Rajeh Badi said.

He said progress was made on “the date, agenda and framework for the Geneva talks and the parties that attend the meeting” and that a formal announcement was expected within hours.

Ould Cheikh Ahmed was in the Saudi capital Riyadh for talks with Yemeni President Hadi, his deputy, vice-President Khaled Bahah, and other political figures.

Before that, he held discussions with Houthi leaders in Sanaa.said talks in Oman to end the conflict had made some progress

*Yemeni tanks and fighters set for battle, as politicians prepared for talks in Oman to end the conflict.

Vatican defends Australian Cardinal in child abuse row T HE Vatican yes ter-day moved to defend its finance chief George Pell after he was accused by one of Pope Francis’ commissioners for child protection of being “almost sociopathic”.

Spokesman Federico Lombardi said Peter Saunders, who called for Pell to be dismissed over allegations he covered up abuse and denigrated victims, was expressing his “personal views” and not speaking on behalf of the commission.

Cardinal Pell, formerly the top Catholic cleric in Australia, has replied to all questions posed by the authorities and his defence “must be considered reliable and worthy of attention and respect,” Lombardi told journalists.

Pell has become embroiled in the probe in his homeland which last week heard evidence from paedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, who

abused at least 50 boys over two decades.

The cardinal, who accompanied Ridsdale to court in 1993 when he admitted the abuse, has repeatedly denied knowing about any of the offences, helping move the priest to another parish or that he tried to buy a victim’s silence.

Yesterday , Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

requested he give evidence when the inquiry next meets at a date to be determined. Pell said he would be present at the hearing.

Peter Saunders, a British victim of child sexual abuse who was handpicked by the pope six months ago to be one of the church’s commissioners for the protection of children, said Pell should be removed from his Vatican role.

*Australian Cardinal Geor ge Pell

Kerry heads back to US with surgeon for broken leg treatment

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ECRETARY of State John Kerry was headed home to Boston from Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday for medical treatment on his broken leg.

Accompanied by orthopedic surgeon Dennis Burke and additional medical personnel, the 71-year-old Kerry departed Geneva aboard a U.S. military plane after fracturing his right fe-

mur on Sunday when he struck a curb with his bicycle and fell on a regular Tour de France route in France located southeast of the Swiss city. He had been receiving treatment at Geneva’s main medical center, HUG. “Headed back to Boston,” Kerry said in a tweet. “Look fwd to getting leg set & getting back to @StateDept!

Meantime, work goes

on. Big thanks for wellwishes. #Onward.”

In a French-language tweet, Kerry thanked the local Swiss and French police and emergency workers, calling them “real professionals.”

State Department spokesman John Kirby said earlier that Burke would monitor the secretary’s condition en route and “ensure he remains comfortable.”

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GRAPHIC mobile phone video obtained by the BBC appears to show militants from Islamic State (IS) torturing a 14-year-old Syrian boy.

The footage, filmed by a defector from the jihadist group, shows the boy being beaten while he hangs by his wrists.

The UN has accused IS and other armed groups in Syria and Iraq of torturing and killing children. Children have also been recruited, trained and used on the battlefield.

Another teenager told the BBC how he fought and killed for the al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front at the age of just 15, and that when he switched to IS he found 13-year-olds being indoctrinated.

Electrocution The mobile phone footage shows Ahmed hanging a foot or so off the ground. He is blindfolded, and two masked men, dressed head to toe in black, pace the ground in front of him. One has a knife and a pistol; the other strides around the room with an AK-47.

They hung Ahmed from the ceiling by his

IS, state militants ‘filmed torturing Syrian boy’ arms and then the beating started. He was just 14 when IS captured and tortured him. I thought I was going to die and leave my parents, my siblings, my friends, my relatives all behind. I thought I was going to die. They started lashing me, electrocuting me in order to confess. I told them everything”.

Nightmares In the IS-controlled northern Syrian city of Raqqa, Ahmed had sold bread to make a living.

Two men he knew asked him to put a bag near an IS meeting place. Ahmed had been duped into planting a bomb. His age was unimportant to his torturers. The abuse lasted two days. When they electrocuted me, I used to scream calling for my mother,” he said. “But as soon as I did, [one of the torturers] used to up the voltage even more.

NATO flexes muscles in Baltics, Poland

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S-led NATO drills yesterday began in the Baltic states and Poland, a move intended to reassure Russia’s nervous neighbours amid tensions over Ukraine.

Russia’s increased military presence in the Baltic Sea and regional airspace since its annexation of Crimea from Ukraine last year has jangled nerves in the area, which lay behind the Iron Curtain 25 years ago.

More than 6,000 troops from 13 NATO countries are participating in the Saber Strike 2015 drills

in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, all EU and NATO members.

“This is one of the biggest exercises in Lithuania since we joined NATO” in 2004, Major General Almantas Leika, commander of Lithuania’s land forces, told reporters in Vilnius.

“The huge allied presence demonstrates solidarity with the countries of this region,” he said, adding that Lithuania is hosting the command centre for the drills.

NATO has been guarding the skies over the three small Baltic states since 2004.

US paratroopers, part of the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) jump with parachute during a military drill near the village of Ramjan.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, JUNE 2 , 2015 — 57

Boko Haram:

Buhari visits Chad, Niger tomorrow N

IGERIA’s new Pres ident Muhammadu Buhari will this week make his first foreign trip since taking office, travelling to Chad and Niger for talks on Boko Haram, his spokesman said yesterday.

Shehu Garba said the two-day trip starting tomorrow will focus on “matters of security”, with the cooperation of Nigeria’s neighbours seen as crucial to ending the Islamist uprising which has claimed more than 15,000 lives since 2009.

Buhari was sworn in last Friday and vowed in his inaugural speech to crush the insurgent group he described as “mindless” and “godless”.

But Boko Haram attacked some 12 hours after the new president took the oath of office, hitting homes in the key northeast city of Maiduguri with rocket-propelled grenades overnight on Saturday.

Later, a suicide attack at a mosque in the city, which is the Borno state capital, killed at least 26 people.

Suspicion immediately fell on the insurgents.

The militants then raided two towns in Borno’s neighbouring state of Yobe on Sunday, torching public buildings and looting food and fuel stores.

Niger shares a border with both Borno and Yobe while Chad borders just Borno in Nigeria’s extreme northeast.

Former president Goodluck Jonathan’s administration had long complained that Nigeria’s neighbours were not doing enough to contain Boko Haram as they fled military

pursuit by crossing porous borders.

A four-nation offensive that also includes Cameroon has won significant victories since February but there are fears of Boko Haram regrouping, especially in remote border areas.

Buhari said little regarding his specific plans for regional security cooperation other than to thank the three nations for their efforts to date.

President Muhammadu Buhari (C) waves to the crowd during his inauguration ceremony in Abuja on May 29, 2015

Nkurunziza warns against another coup in Burundi B URUNDI’s President Pierre Nkurunziza, whose controversial bid to seek a third term has sparked weeks of civil unrest and a failed coup attempt, yesterday warned against any fresh move to try to unseat him.

Addressing supporters in his hometown in the north of the country, Nkurunziza thanked those who backed him after a top general launched a failed coup while the president was out of the country in May for a summit.

He “warned any person who tries to take power by overthrowing elected institutions”, saying “any such attempt will go nowhere”, a statement from the ruling CNDD-FDD party said.

Nkurunziza also “called on party members to be vigilant so that the achievements of democracy are safeguarded,” the statement added.

The crisis in Burundi erupted in late April after the ruling party designated Nkurunziza, in power for 10 years, as its candi-

date in upcoming elections. Weeks of street protests, which were brutally suppressed, left at least 30 dead.

The opposition and rights groups say the president’s third-term bid violates a constitutional two-term limit as well as a 2006 peace deal that ended a 13-year civil war.

Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader from the Hutu majority and a born-again Christian, insists he has

ISING greenhouse gases have boosted rainfall in the Sahel region of Africa, easing droughts that killed 100,000 people in the 1970s and 1980s, in a rare positive effect of climate change, a study said yesterday.

The report adds to debate about the causes of a greening of the Sahel region, south of the Sa-

hara Desert from Senegal to Sudan. It said a continued rise in greenhouse gas emissions was likely to help more rainfall in the region in future.

“Amounts of rainfall have recovered substantially,” said Rowan Sutton, a professor at the National Centre for Atmospheric Science at Britain’s Reading Uni-

•President Pierre Nkurunziza

Lion kills female American tourist in South Africa

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lion killed an American woman at a private park in Johannesburg yesterday, the park said.

The lion attacked the woman who was sitting on the passenger side of a vehicle with the window down in violation of park regulations, said Scott Simpson, assistant operations manager at the Lion Park.

“We can confirm she was American and the consulate has been informed,” Simpson said.

Climate change boosts rain in Sahel region: study

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every right to stand again because he was elected to his first term by parliament, not directly by the people.

Burundi’s parliamentary elections are currently scheduled to take place on June 5 while the presidential election is slated for June 26. On Sunday, regional leaders called for the polls to be delayed by at least a month and a half but stopped short of telling the president to abandon his re-election campaign.

versity and co-author of the study in the journal Nature Climate Change.

“And it was a surprise that the increase in greenhouse gases appears to have been the dominant factor,” he told Reuters. Sahel summer rainfall was 0.3 mm (0.01 inch) a day higher from 1996-2011 than the drought period of 196493.

Earlier, the U.S. Embassy said it had received reports of an “incident involving a U.S. citizen” at the Lion Park and was ready to offer “any assistance possible.”

The Lion Park is a popular destination for tourists who can drive in their own vehicles through large enclosures where lions roam freely. Visitors can also pet lion cubs in smaller pens.

The lions and woman's car

S/Sudan expels UN humanitarian worker

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OUTH Sudan has de cided to expel the world body’s top humanitarian official based in the conflict-torn nation, according to the UN, which called on the government to immediately reverse its decision.

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon condemned the move by the Juba government to expel the UK’s Toby Lanzer, deputy head of the UN Mission in South Sudan as well as its humanitarian

coordinator, the UN said in a statement.

“The Secretary-General calls on the government of South Sudan to reverse its decision immediately,” the statement said.

“He further urges the government to cooperate fully with all United Nations entities present in South Sudan.”

The statement said Lanzer has been “instrumental in addressing the increasing humanitarian needs of conflict-affected

communities in the country, and ensuring that lifesaving humanitarian assistance reaches the most vulnerable.”

Lanzer’s term was due to end shortly and the UN announced on Friday that his replacement will be Eugene Owusu of Ghana.

South Sudan’s UN mission has not yet provided an explanation about Lanzer’s expulsion, according to the Reuters news agency.

58 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

Transfer talks.... transfer talks.....transfer talks.....

Costa ‘desperate to return’ to Atletico Madrid D

IEGO Costa is desperate to leave Chelsea and return to Atletico Madrid, it has been claimed.

Spanish sports daily Marca carries reports on Monday morning that the Brazilian-born centre-forward is unhappy in London and even willing to take a pay cut to move back to Madrid.

“Although his season has been notable in a sporting sense,” the report says. “Diego Costa is not happy at Chelsea.

“His problem is his lacking of adaptation to London, to the rainy English climate, the language and the food.

“All of these have been key in moving the striker

to make contact with the Atletico Madrid directors... with one objective. To return home, to the club he arrived at at 17 years old.”

Despite the £35million signing doubling his wages on moving to the Premier League, the Spain forward is willing to take a significant cut in his salary to seal a return.

Atleti boss Diego Simeone is reported to have contacted Diego Costa to try and seal his return but while Chelsea are reluctant it will be difficult for the 26-yearold to force a move unless he is willing to submit a transfer request.

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•Diego Costa eyes Atletico Madrid return.

Falcao continues talks with Chelsea Filipe Luis to return to over £25m move Spain. Centre-back Joao

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HELSEA and Monaco are expected to continue talks this week over the possible transfer of Radamel Falcao.

Monaco vice president Vadim Vasilyev is understood to have already met Valencia and Juventus about the possibility of selling the Colombian, with Monaco looking to recoup around £25m.

Chelsea want two strikers following Didier Drogba’s departure with Falcao and Aston Villa’s Christian Benteke on their list. Benteke wants to play in European competition but would prefer to stay in the Premier League too.

Jose Mourinho is also a fan of Gonzalo Higuain at Napoli, who has been discussed by Manchester United and Atletico Madrid despite his indifferent finish to the season.

•Falcao

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ONACO have confirmed that striker Dimitar Berbatov has left the club.

The Bulgarian forward moved to Stade Louis II from Fulham in January 2014 and he scored 13

Atletico Madrid defender Toby Alderweireld is an option too for Chelsea as they consider allowing

praising the 34-year-old for his “character, his professionalism and his great talent”.

Monaco president Vadim Vasilyev added:

Miranda has also been discussed with Alderweireld keen to join a club where he plays regularly.

RSENAL are not interested in signing Arturo Vidal because they already have plenty of good central midfielders, according to Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman admitted as much following the Gunners FA Cup final triumph over Aston Villa.

When asked about the Juventus midfielder, he replied: “Arturo Vidal?

You must be from Chile!”

“We have good midfielders and at the moment we are not looking at Arturo Vidal.”

The Gunners are well stocked in the centre of the park with Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere, Santi Cazorla, Francis Coquelin, Mathieu Flamini and captain Mikel Arteta all competing for places, not to mention a number of young stars coming through the ranks.

Vieira among favourites for Newcastle job N

•Vieira

Monaco confirm Berbatov departure goals in 38 Ligue 1 appearances.

Berbatov, though, will not be extending his stay, with Monaco releasing a statement on Monday

Arsenal not interested in Vidal

“He is clearly among the greatest strikers who have played for Monaco. We are proud of what he brought to the club and wish him the best in the future.”

EWCASTLE plan to speak to a series of potential candidates for the vacant post of head coach once again as they attempt to move on swiftly from near-disaster.

Managing director Lee Charnley, as he did following Alan Pardew’s departure for Crystal Palace in January, intends to hold informal talks with several men in order to gauge both what they have to offer and whether or not they could work within the prevailing system at St James’ Park.

It is understood Patrick Vieira, head of Manchester City’s elite development squad, is among a small number of contenders with whom

•Berbatov

discussions will be held, with the name of long-term target Steve McClaren, now a free agent following his sacking by Derby, also on the list.

Watford sign Prodl on five-year deal

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ATFORD have taken their first step towards establishing a foothold in the Premier League, signing Austrian international defender Sebastian Prodl on a fiveyear contract from Werder Bremen.

The Hornets beat Leicester to land the 6ft 4in centre back, who has won 49 international caps.

Prodl was happy to sign despite Watford being on the brink of parting company with Slavisa Jokanovic, the head coach who led them to promotion, after talks about a new contract broke down over his pay demands.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015 — 59

U20 WC: Goals galore on Day 3 •28 goals in four matches

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total of 28 goals were scored in four games on Day 3 of the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Nigeria and Brazil kicked things off in Group E - the enthralling encounter eventually ending in a 4-2 win for the South Americans.

Goals from Isaac Success and Musa Yahaya handed the Flying Eagles the lead after Gabriel found an early opener, before Judivan scored his first of two goals on the day just after the half-hour - the game was deadlocked at 2-2 at the break.

Second-half substitute Boschilia handed Seleção the advantage once again before Judivan sealed all three points for the five time champions following a mistake by Nigerian keeper Joshua Enaholo, who let the ball slip through his legs.

At the same time Group F favourites Germany

hammered Fiji 8-1 in Christchurch.

Hany Mukhtar netted a hat-trick for the Europeans, while Niklas Stark chipped in with a brace to condemn the islanders to an embarrassing defeat.

Marc Stendera, Grischa Promel and Marvin Stefaniak also got their names on the score sheet for the rampant 1981 champions the debutantes, though, would have something to smile about, Iosefo Verevou’s goal three minutes after the break the Pacific nation’s first in Under-20 World Cup history.

Hungary moved top of Group E with a convincing 5-1 win over North Korea. Powerful forward Bence Mervo fired a hat-trick for the Europeans, who completely over-ran the Asian side in New Plymouth.

present a team on merit and that if Ihenacho and co believed they could just walk into his squad, then they were day dreaming!

The team list against Brazil did not reflect that opinion. That those who played and won the African Championship were sacrificed for the “big names” ran contrary to the famous football dictum of not changing a winning team.

Five minutes into the match, Brazil drew blood, menacing from the porous left back position. That our boys woke up and drew level, even going ahead 2-1 was a miracle of sorts as they could not hold on to the lead allowing the Brazilians to level up at half time with intelligent cut to measure passes that left our defence bewildered. It should be noted that goalkeeper Enaholo was pathetic in the handling of aerial balls.

Mention must be made of the goal shyness of the Nigerian attackers no thanks to the tendency to waltz in with the ball, fluffing a number of incredible chances that came back to haunt them.

Falcons can surprise Sweden — Mmadu

BY BEN EFE

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Kelechi Iheanacho (r) controls the ball during the 6-goal thriller against Brazil.

Bassey lauds Udom over Akpabio in office…..”

Int'l Stadium The board member of the

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OR his magnanimity and largeness of heart in naming the Akwa Ibom International Stadium

F/Eagles Conttinues from BP the team or person you support goes on to win.

If the result is on the contrary as it happened on Monday morning, then you wish you had not missed your sleep.

However as a sports commentator you are condemned to the benefit of a first hand information and knowledge which can only come from watching a match live.

Five minutes to the end of the Nigeria and Brazil match I sent a text to Sports Editor Tony Ubani telling him that the better team won and that we not only surrendered the midfield, but were goal shy.

Before now, the media, stakeholders and even the Flying Eagles Technical crew had made us believe that all we needed to win the U20 World Cup in New Zealand was to make an appearance.

We had no respect for Brazil, while they played mind games selling the opinion that they were scared of us.

I sensed trouble when I saw the team list.

Coach Manu Garba had said he was going to

FIFA WWC:

The second half saw the Brazilians in total control as the Nigerian midfielders could not support the attack, ending up with faulty passes most of the time.

A strikers goal by the over age looking Gabriel Boschilla and the amateurish blunder by Enaholo completed the regrettable rout of a team many believe will win the cup.

Panic changes in the second half, including the withdrawal of Iheeanacho did nothing to change the situation as the clock ticked perilously towards full time On Thursday June 4, the Eagles have the luck of the draw when they play a Korea team humiliated 5-1 by Hungary. It is a match that will afford them the opportunity or righting all the wrongs…..shots at sight, compact midfield, water tight defense, confident goalkeeper.This will be a chance to come back into contention, wary of the result of the match between group leaders Hungary and Brazil that will go a long way in determining the fortunes of the Group going forward

after his predecessor in office, Governor Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State has received the commendation of renowned sports administrator, Paul Bassey.

The FIFA Match Commissioner, CAF General Coordinator and Instructor on Club Licencing said in Uyo on Friday that “….. sports been my culture medium, His Excellency made my day by that singular declaration, even the first

•Gov. Udom

Nigeria Scrabble Federation said he was in Uyo to be part of the swearing in ceremony and he was delighted to see Governor Akpabio not only commissioning new projects but naming them after prominent sons and daughters of the state. “ You can therefore imagine my joy when His Excellency Governor Udom Emmanuel decided to ‘pay him back’ by naming the architectural delight after him.

“The building of that stadium, one of the best in the world, was all Akwa Ibom needed to get to the pinnacle of world sports and Governor Akpabio said that much on commissioning day last year, when he prayed for the effective utilization of the infrastructure to hone the skills of Nigerian athletes.''

Ronaldo Conttinues from BP final La Liga game of the season meant he finished with 48 goals from 35 appearances.

His nearest competitor, Lionel Messi managed 43 from 38 appearances for Barcelona. Ronaldo’s total was two short of the all-time record of 50 goals that won Messi the title in 2012.

Ronaldo also won the Golden Shoe in 2008 while he was at Manchester United,

2011 with Real Madrid and shared it with Luis Suárez last year.

Manchester City ’s Sergio Agüero was a distant third with 26 Premier League goals, while Jonathan Soriano of Red Bull Salzburg came in fourth with 31.

Barcelona’s Neymar shared fifth place with Internazionale’s Mauro Icardi, Antoine Griezmann of Atlético Madrid and Luca Toni of Verona.

ORMER Falcons m i d f i e l d e r, Maureen Mmadu has urged the Nigerian team at the 2015 Women World Cup to go all out, if they hope to beat the Swedes and have a good start.

The Super Falcons have been training in Toronto ahead of their June 8 opener against Sweden in the group D pairings, regard as the ‘group of death’.

Mmadu, the highest capped Nigerian female player stated that the Swedes may be good on paper they are beatable.

“The Super Falcons have everything going for them. They can upset the Swedes.

“Nigeria should be aggressive.

Stay compact in defending and also attack them very fast when they dispose the Swedes when the Falcons win the ball high on the field,” said Madu who is coaching Sweden.

She urged the Super Falcons to shun all kinds of distractions amidst reports of their kits not getting to them yet.

“The girls should be focused. And we back home must not distracted them with off field issues. They have all it takes to making it out of the group,”said Mmadu.

Musa extends CSKA deal

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UPER Eagles striker Ahmed Musa has signed a new deal with Red-Blues until the end of the 2018/ 19 season.

“Negotiations went very smoothly,” general director Roman Babaev confirmed. During the talks we were concentrating on technical details, as Musa’s intention to continue performing in Red-Blues shirt was obvious from the first day. We are delighted that Ahmed prolonged his contract with the club.

60 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

F/Eagles ‘ll survive the group – Uchegbulam

By Jacob Ajom

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ORMER executive committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amanze Uchegbulam has attributed the 2-4 defeat the Flying Eagles suffered in the hands of their Brazilian counterparts to lack of tactical discipline.

In a chat with Sports Vanguard yesterday, Uchegbulam said, “it was a good match. The boys(Eagles) actually tried and gave it their all. What happened was the case of lack of concentration, a trait that is typical of our senior players – lack of tactical discipline.”

Uchegbulam further observed, “in terms of individual skills, our players matched them and if they had utilised the chances they created, they

Ugbade fumes

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LYING Eagles assistant coach Nduka Ugbade has reacted angrily to the side’s disturbing 4-2 defeat to five-time champions Brazil.

The Eagles were pegged 2-4 by the South American giants in Monday’s group match at the ongoing Fifa Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Ugbade said his wards paid undue respect to the Brazilians in a match they had a clear chance to end on a high.

“It was a very bad result, the 2-4 loss to Brazil. I never expected it’s going to be like that even though we understand that we are confronted with difficult opponents. It’s not a match we should lose the way it turned out.

“We created several chances but could not maximise the opportunities and got punished. I believe a lot of things went wrong in the clash."

would have beaten the Brazilians. They created more chances, but the Brazilians were quicker on the ball and more exposed.”

Uchegbulam faulted Coach Manu Garba’s three-pronged attacking option which saw Isaac Success, Taiwo Awoniyi and Iheanacho starting the game. “I though either Success or Awoniyi should have started from the bench. Starting all three was counterproductive as it turned out. But it is a gradual process.”

Uchegbulam advised coach Manu Garba to psyche the players up and tell them to be more clinical in front of goal. “That is the only way through which they can survive the group.

They have a good team and I believe they will progress,” he said.

HOT CHASE ... Nigerian defenders chase a Brazilian striker during the match

U-20 W/Cup: F/Eagles lose to Brazil in opener

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RAZIL came from 2-1 down to beat African champions Nigeria in the opening Group E matches at the Under-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

The two sides put defence aside and ploughed every-

thing into an attacking game that produced some stunning goals as five-time winners Brazil emerged 4-2 winners.

Brazil took the lead against the Flying Eagles after just five minutes with

Garba promises F/Eagles fightback

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OACH Manu Gar ba has said his team will fight back into contention in the U20 World Cup after they fell 4-2 to five-time winners Brazil in an opening group game on Monday.

They face North Korea

on Thursday, before they take on Hungary in a final group game at the weekend.

“It was a very disappointing result but I never expected us to lose so woefully to Brazil,” said Manu after the loss to the South Americans.

Isaac Success scores the requaliser against Brazil

“Two of the goals were goalkeeping errors and should not happen in such a competition like the World Cup. “Even their second goal to draw the game level at 2-2 should not have been allowed by the defenders."

a close-range shot by Gabriel Jesus but it was a short-lived lead.

Nigeria had no trouble getting in behind Brazil’s back four resulting in a sensational strike for Isaac Success who stepped around the keeper and slammed the ball into an open net.

A flurry of shots at both ends of the field resulted in Musa Yahaya putting Nigeria 2-1 up inside 30 minutes.

Judivan equalised just before half-time for Brazil

and Boschilia regained the lead on the hour mark with a long-range shot that deflected in off the right-hand post.

The comeback was complete when Judivan bagged his second and wrapped up the game with a tap-in off a goalkeeping error.

Hungary thrashed North Korea 5-1 in Monday’s other Group E match.

Next up for Nigeria is North Korea while Brazil play Hungary on Thursday.

How we beat Nigeria — Brazil Coach

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RAZIL coach Rogerio Micale has explained that a change of tactics at half-time led to his side’s 4-2 victory over Nigeria in a Group E New Zealand 2015 U-20 World Cup clash on Monday.

Micale said at the postmatch press conference that his team offered the Flying Eagles of Nigeria too much space in the first half, particularly through the midfield.

“We had expected to face a really good side in Nigeria and we weren’t mistaken on that front,” he told the FIFA website. “We started very well, but then the opposition gradually got on top and prevented us from playing our game.

We shored things up in

Coach Rogerio Micale the middle of the park again in the second half and then looked to exploit the wings, which paid dividends.

“We will keep playing like this [high defensive line] and hopefully we will improve in the other matches because the guys will be more used to each other.”

Brazil face Hugary in their next game on Thursday.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—61

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62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

French Open: Serena survives Stephens Nadal knocks off Sock set up Djokovic clash ...Safarova knocks out Sharapova scare S R ERENA Williams continued to struggle through the French Open draw on Monday, huffing and puffing her way into the quarter-finals with a 1-6 7-5 6-3 win over fellow American Sloane Stephens. While defending champion Maria Sharapove was shown the exit door.

Stephens broke serve three times in the opening set against the 2002 and 2013 champion.

Williams, the 19-times grand slam winner, broke serve twice in the second set to level.

Stephens then faded away as Williams broke for a 3-2 lead in the decider before finishing the match on Stephens’ serve with a dipping crosscourt backhand winner.

She next faces 17th seed Sara Errani of Italy for a place in the semi-finals.

Williams, who hit 43 unforced errors, has had to work hard to make progress this year and labelled her performance

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AFAEL Nadal earned a landmark French Open win over Jack Sock and will now meet Novak Djokovic in the last eight.

Nadal, a nine-time champion at Roland Garros, steamrollered Sock after fending off a brave fightback from Jack Sock in a 63 6-1 5-7 6-2.

Nadal broke in the first game when Sock netted a simple backhand, and he quickly had a double-break

3-0 lead when Sock put a forehand into the net.

Djokovic laid down a marker ahead of a mouthwatering French Open quarter-final with Rafael Nadal with a dominant victory over Richard Gasquet.

The world number one demolished 20th seed and home hope Gasquet, cruising to a 6-1 6-2 6-3 success on Court Philippe Chatrier.

Federer, Murray face familiar foes

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•SHARAPOVA .... Another bad day at work. unprofessional after defeating Germany’s AnnaLena Friedsam in the second round.

She also dropped the first set in the third round against former world number one Victoria Azarenka.

Sharapova’s impressive sequence of French Open results ended was knocked out 7-6(3) 6-4 by

13th-seeded Czech Lucie Safarova in the fourth round on Monday (Tuesday NZT).

The second-seeded Russian had reached the previous three finals at Roland Garros, winning in 2012 and 2014, but could not handle her opponent’s steely forehand.

Safarova, who had never reached the quarter-fi-

nals on the Paris clay in 10 previous attempts, hit 20 forehand winners to unsettle the former world number one on Court Philippe Chatrier.

“I felt like I had small openings, that I played a good few points, I just wasn’t able to keep that level up today,” Sharapova told a news conference.

OGER Federer and Andy Murray swept into the French Open quarter-finals.

Second seed Federer, the 2009 champion, made the last eight for the 11th time with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over France’s Gael Monfils and goes on to face Davis Cup-winning teammate Stan Wawrinka.

British third seed Murray ended the hopes of another home player, seeing off unseeded Jeremy Chardy 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

He will next take on seventh-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer. Federer raced through the final two sets on Monday in just over an hour after the last16 tie was delicately poised at a set apiece when it was suspended in the chilly gloom of Sunday evening.

“I feel fresh and pumped up to be back in the quarter-finals again after missing out last year,” said Federer, who was beaten by Ernests Gulbis in the last 16 in 2014.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015—63

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 2015

French Open: Serena comes back from the brink — Pg. 62

European Golden Shoe: Ronaldo beats Messi C

RISTIANO Ronaldo ended the season without winning a trophy for Real Madrid but at least he can console himself by taking home the European Golden Shoe for a record fourth time.

Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Getafe in Real’s

Continues on Page 59

Sharap! It’s ova Pg.62

FRENCH OPEN —The world No 1 and top seed made a series of unforced errors before coming through 1-6 7-5 6-3

That Flying Eagles faux pas against Brazil

BY PAUL BASSEY

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AKING up by 2a.m. to watch a match can be exciting if

Under-20 World Cup: Nigeria lose to Brazil Details inside

Continues on Page 59

Results Germany Nigeria Korea DPR Uzbekistan Mexico Qatar Senegal Serbia

8 Fiji 2 Brazil 1 Hungary 3 Honduras Tomorrow’s matches v Uruguay v Portugal v Colombia v Mali

1 4 5 4 5am 5am 5am 8am

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

DOWN ACROSS 2 Press (4) 1 Face (4) 3 Dwell (4) 4 Novel (3) 4 Story-teller (8) 6 Fly (4) 5 Sharpen (4) 9 Sphere (3) 6 Of sound (5) 10 Opposite (8) 7 Mineral (3) 11 Gas (4) 8 Concerning (5) 14 Consume (3) 12 Quilt (5) 16 Sharp (5) 13 Unsoiled (5) 19 Raised (8) 21 Pick-me-up (5) 14 Newt (3) 15 Principle (5) 23 Stayed (8) 17 Employing (5) 24 Fish (5) 18 Ooze (5) 27 Gratuity (3) 20 Decrease (8) 31 Instance (4) 22 Top (3) 33 Start (8) 25 Praise (5) 34 Meadow (3) 26 Rid (5) 35 Asterisk (4) 28 Prima-donna (4) 36 Tree (3) 29 Record (4) 37 Imitate (4) 30 Pace (4) 32 Ocean (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Intend 5, Suffer 8, Creature 9, Echo 10, Per 12, Stern 15, Urn 17, Ill 18, Yen 19, Peg 20, Extol 21, Ilk 22, Ire 23, Out 24, Lid 26, Plain 29, End 33, Harm 34, Absolute 35, Beaten 36, Embody.

DOWN: 2, Nerve 3, Edam 4. Doubt 5. Spear 6. Free 7. Ether 10, Pupil 11, Rigid 12, Sleep 13, Extra 14, Nylon 15, Unite 16, Naked 25, Inane 27, Learn 28, Issue 30, Noted 31, Omit 32, Club.

How to Play Sudoku

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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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