I renew my pledge to crush B-Haram— BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62420

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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N150

THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

I renew my pledge to crush B-Haram— BUHARI

•Five years of this evil sect is enough, he says •Minimah, Badeh, Amosu relocate to Maiduguri tomorrow

By Kingsley Omonobi, Ben Agande, with agency reports

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B U J A — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, in Niger Republic renewed his vow to crush the Boko Haram Islamic sect, saying "five years of the presence of this evil sect is enough."

Speaking at a news conference in Niger during his first visit outside the country since inauguration, Buhari expressed confidence in the ability of the Nigerian military to overcome and eradicate Boko Haram.

At the news conference

Continues on Page 5

CBN—EFCC operatives leading fresh suspects in the N8 billion CBN staff fraud to court in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday.

BELOW RIGHT: Some of the suspects being brought to court in a Black Maria by prison officials. Photos: Dare Fasube.

Senate passes 46 bills in 10 minutes 8

COLUMNISTS:

Coming to terms with governance •P.17

Prof Odekunle's cheap analysis

•P.19

Taming the Nigerian First Ladies •P.19

ALLEDGED N300BN FRAUD: Ex-Borno Gov, Sherrif 9 surrenders to EFCC

War crimes: Nigeria, Amnesty trade words C M Y K

57

Senate approves life sentence for rape; 10 yrs for incest 54

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

BUHARI IN NIGER—President Muhammadu Buhari (L) being received by Governors Kashim Shettima of Borno State; Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State; Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State and others during his arrival at the Niamey International Airport, Niger Republic, yesterday. Photo: Olamikan Gbemiga.

I renew my pledge to crush Boko Haram—BUHARI Continues from Page 1 with Niger ’s President Mahamadou Issoufou, he also said that Nigeria will soon take over from Nigerien soldiers who occupy towns liberated from the Islamist militant group. He noted that the Nigerian Army which has earned a good reputation worldwide remains a virile fighting force.

His words: “I renew my commitment to track Boko Haram into a corner, to destroy it. Five years of the presence of this evil sect is enough. On the issue of the Niger military positioned in cities of Nigeria, I think in the next four weeks we will be able to replace them with Nigerian forces so they can return to their country”.

Buhari said the other nations would provide weapons and help restore infrastructure destroyed

by the insurgents. He also thanked Niger for hosting as many as 150,000 refugees who fled insecurity in Nigeria to Niger.

A statement signed by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity quoted the President as saying that because of the peculiarity of insurgency, Nigeria will require the assistance of its neighbours.

“I am four days in office today and we have already started the process of ending the insurgency,” the President said.

He disclosed that in the course of the over five hours meeting he held with heads of Nigeria’s Armed Forces and security agencies on Tuesday, on-going

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Be like a duck, paddling and working very hard inside the water, but what everyone sees is a smiling and calm face — Manoj Arora

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OMPASSION is by nature gentle, peaceful and soft, but it is a very powerful virtue. It is those who easily lose their patience who are insecure and unstable.

So, when a problem first arises, try to remain calm and humble, and also maintain a sincere attitude and be concerned that the outcome is fair. Of course, others may try to take advantage of you, and if your remaining detached only encourages unjust aggression, adopt a strong stand. This, however, should be done with compassion, and if it is necessary to express your views and take strong countermeasures, do so without anger or ill-intent.

You should realize that even though your opponents appear to be harming you, in the end, their destructive activity will damage only themselves. In order to check your own selfish impulse to retaliate, you should recall your desire to practice compassion and assume responsibility for helping prevent the other person from suffering the consequences of his or her acts.

operations against Boko Haram were reviewed for better results.

President Buhari said that because of the peculiarities of terrorism, the movement of terrorists across borders and the unconventional nature of the war against terror, Nigeria will continue to seek the support of neighbouring countries in its bid to overcome Boko Haram.

The President said that his visit to Niger was to seek more support from the country in bringing a quick end to the atrocities of Boko Haram.

President Buhari said he would hold similar meetings on security and the war against terrorism with the Chadian authorities after leaving Niamey today.

The President said Nigeria would also require the assistance of other nations and multilateral institutions to rebuild areas that have been adversely affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and rehabilitate displaced persons.

Niger President commends Buhari

In his remarks, the President of Niger commended President Buhari for making Niger the first country he will visit after his inauguration.

“Your decision to move the military command of Nigeria to the North-East has further strengthened our conviction that the war against terrorism will soon come to an end,” he told President Buhari, while assuring him that Niger will continue to support Nigeria in the fight against Boko Haram.

“Niger is ready to help flush out Boko Haram and protect its borders, its people and their property,” Issoufou said, adding that a new multinational force of 8,700 troops from Nigeria, Niger, Chad, Cameroon and Benin to combat the insurgency in the Lake Chad region will become operational in the coming weeks.

At the opening of bilateral talks between Nigeria and Niger earlier, President Buhari praised his host’s contributions to the on-going multinational effort against terrorism, insurgency and cross-border crimes.

“Permit me also to acknowledge the consistency with which the government and people of Niger Republic have stood beside Nigeria under all circumstances. I would like to convey the appreciation of Nigeria for the sacrifices by Niger in the on-going efforts to counter the menace of the Boko Haram insurgency.

“Niger Republic has over the years, proven to be a reliable ally to Nigeria both at bilateral and multilateral levels. It is our hope and aspiration that this special relationship would be further consolidated during my administration.

“My administration will bring new impetus and a renewed commitment to the efforts to wipe out the menace of the Boko Haram insurgents. As a first step, we have directed the relocation of the command post of the counter-insurgency operations to Maiduguri until such a time that the insurgency is completely defeated.

“Another issue of concern to us which is closely associated with the insurgency in the region is the influx of refugees and other displaced persons. We are aware that currently, there are over 150, 000 displaced persons comprising refugees and returnees taking refuge in various parts of Niger.

“Our administration will work closely with governments of the affected states to continue to provide humanitarian assistance to the displaced persons and their host communities.

“The ultimate objective, however, remains to end the insurgency and facilitate their return to their homes,” President Buhari said.

Minimah, Badeh, Amosu relocate to Maiduguri tomorrow Meanwhile, in compliance with the directive by President Buhari that the Command

and Control headquarters of the Nigerian Armed Forces should relocate to Maiduguri, the epicentre of the Boko Haram terrorist group, Vanguard can report authoritatively that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Kenneth Minimah is to lead principal staff officers and some directors to Maiduguri tomorrow.

The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu will also relocate to Maiduguri with a contingent of his principal staff officers and some directors at NAF headquarters.

Vanguard gathered that both the Army and the Air Force, which are directly prosecuting the war on terrorism from the air and land, are critical to the plan of the Buhari administration to rout Boko Haram out of the North East, while the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin will move to Maiduguri next week.

Already, Vanguard was told that temporary office and accommodations are being erected for the service chiefs and PSOs relocating to Maiduguri.

In the first instance, it was learnt that the Chiefs of Operations, Chiefs of Logistics, Provost Marshals’ and Directors of Intelligence and Information departments of the Army, Air Force and Defence Headquarters will move to Maiduguri for effective coordination of the onslaught against Boko Haram.

Aside the movement of the Command and Control top brass of the armed forces, Vanguard gathered that the Army High Command has directed the deployments of more troops from the 81 and 82 divisions of the Nigerian Army while more aircraft from the Special Operations Group, Logistics Command and the Mobility Command are to be deployed to swell those from the Tactical Air Command for the operation.

Asked if the issue of funding which was cited as one of the major problems for delay in

wiping out the Boko Haram terrorism menace has been tackled, the military source said: “The President has taken care of that issue. He said nothing will stand in his way to clear out the embarrassment that is Boko Haram. That is why the movement is immediate.”

On what becomes of the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army whose headquarters is located in Maiduguri, the source said, there will be no problem or clash, noting that a separate location and office is being created for Army headquarters.

“Due to the urgency of the relocation, the office of the Chief of Army Staff and his personal aides will be in place, the principal staff officers will be accompanied with maybe one or two critical directors and of course, there will be various support staff in place drawn from the services headquarters”, the source added.

It will be recalled that President Buhari had a four-hour meeting with all the service chiefs during which he was briefed about the security situation regarding Boko Haram terrorism and what it will take to carry out his directive to move the Command and Control headquarters to Maiduguri, Borno State.

Asked how long the Command and Control Centre will be in Maiduguri, the source said, “as long as the Commander-in-Chief wants, but since the relocation is not for a jamboree, the objective will be to get the job done as soon as possible which is military fashion.

“But that does not mean other security challenges confronting the country will be given less attention. The economic livewire of the country, the maritime domain will continue to receive adequate attention as well as other contemporary challenges in several parts of the country.

"That is why we have GOC’s, AOC’s and FOC’s in various divisions and equivalent.”

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Police detain complainant over electricity bill dispute

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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HE Police at Tolu Police Division, Ajeromi-Ifelodun area of Lagos, have detained a woman identified as Hope Macaulay, 23, for reporting a dispute between her sibling and a neighbour at the station.

The woman had gone to the station at about 9p.m., Tuesday, to report the case which ensued while she was at work but was detained and made to sleep behind the counter till yesterday.

Although Superintendent of Police, Michael Falayi, who ordered the woman detained, failed to state reason for her detention, the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, of the station said the woman was detained for security reasons, so she could not be attacked on her way home.

However, at dawn when the woman was to return home, she was asked to pay for her bail, an indication that her detention was motivated by other factors.

Recounting her ordeal, the woman said she went out on Tuesday morning to Victoria Island and returned home at 7p.m. to see that a dispute between her brother and a neighbour had ensued in her residence and made for Tolu Police Station to seek amicable resolution of the matter.

The woman was released yesterday after the DPO asked parties in the dispute to write an undertaking never to quarrel over electricity bill.

Housemaid docked over N7m theft

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—POLICE, yesterday, docked a 25year-old house help, Queen Onalo, before a Tinubu Magistrate's Court over alleged theft of N7 million from her employer.

The defendant is facing a twocount charge of conspiracy and stealing levelled against her by the police.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against her.

According to the prosecutor, Daniel Ighodalo, the offence is punishable under Section 285 (7) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.

Magistrate O. M. Ajayi granted the defendant bail in the sum of N200,000, with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till June 22.

25-yr-old man sets self, house ablaze

By Anayo Okoli

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M U A H I A — TRAGEDY struck, yesterday, at 12 Bonny Street, Umuahia, Abia State, as a 25 year-old man set himself and the family house ablaze.

The man, Tochukwu Ogbonna, alias Mbe (meaning tortoise), had attacked his mother with a machete, inflicting severe injuries on her.

The woman is said to be lying critically ill at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

Trouble started when the

young man was said to have approached his mother on an undisclosed issue.

He was said to have also attacked their domestic dogs, which he cut into pieces.

Vanguard learned that police were called in to arrest the deceased, but he was said to

have escaped, set their house ablaze and threw himself into the fire.

Some residents of the area said he was a drunk, while others described him as suffering a mental problem.

The state Police Command confirmed the incident.

SCAVENGERS: At a refuse dump on Wunti Central Market Road, Bauchi, yesterday.

NAN PHOTO.

Rivers fatal dog meal: Death toll rises to 11 zCommunity fingers local gin imported from Ogun

By Davies Iheamnachor

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OJI in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State was yesterday thrown into confusion as the death toll from the suspected dog meat meal rose to 11.

Five persons died two days ago after consuming the meal.

The increase has forced the community to announce that anyone who was at the restaurant should present himself for preventive steps to be taken.

However, a source told Vanguard that the death was not caused by the dog meal, but by a local gin allegedly brought into the community from a SouthWest state.

Chief Brain Ogbonda told Vanguard after a meeting of elders and chiefs of Woji, that the cause of the death was not the dog meat, but a local gin a visitor allegedly brought to the bar from Ogun State.

He said enquiries from those who were in the bar on Sunday revealed that all the people who drank the local gin brought in by the man from Ogun State, who claimed to be celebrating his coronation as a traditional ruler in his community, died.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Pauline Akpan, wife of one of the deceased, confirmed that his husband told him that one of his

friends invited him to the dog meat restaurant in celebration of his (the friend’s) coronation.

The owner of the dog meat

restaurant has been detained at Woji Police Station, while the man who brought the local gin to the bar is yet to be identified.

Customs men batter FAAN security officials at Lagos Airport zWe’re investigating—CUSTOMS zRelationship cordial at higher level—CSO

By Lawani Mikairu

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AGOS—SIXTEEN days after a Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, officer was beaten comatose by Air Force officials, five security staff of the agency were also brutalised yesterday by men of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.

Colonel Carl Onalu, Chief Security Officer, Lagos Airport, said: “The customs men were entering the restricted areas of the airport.

“They were in uniform, but without reflective jackets and On-Duty-Card, ODC. “Our officers said they will not allow them go to the air side without the appropriate uniform, which they resisted and descended on our men. The uniform does not grant you access to restricted areas of the airport.

“What happened was

unfortunate and I have called the airport commissioner of police and even the headquarters of Customs service in Abuja is already aware of this.

Apologies, arrests, meeting

“Everybody is interested in the case and there would be a security meeting to deliberate on this issue.”

He added that FAAN management had seen its Customs service counterpart, who apologised for the incident.

He said: “Those concerned have been arrested and issued queries. But we are also requesting for the copy of the disciplinary action that would be meted out to the officers that perpetuated this act for our record purpose.

“As I speak with you, even the headquarters at Abuja has already called and the CAC too is very sorry about what happened and they promised

that this will never happen again.”

On measures to prevent a recurrence, Onalu said: “We are going to call airport security meeting and we will ensure that this act will never happen again.

“At the higher level, there is good working relationship, but there is a disconnect at the lower level. Everybody has a role to play at the airport. There are rules governing every action.”

Speaking also on the incident, the Deputy Comptroller, Customs, Mr. Mohammed Nurudeen Musa, said investigation was going on to ascertain what happened between the Customs men and the FAAN officials.

He said: “We cannot speculate about what happened today until investigation is concluded.”

Musa said the relationship between the Customs men and other security agencies at the airport was cordial.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—7

Police nab 4 suspected kidnappers in Delta

By Emma Amaize

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DANA: Families of victims of Dana plane crash at the 3rd anniversary of the accident in Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

French tourist robbed, killed in Ebonyi; wife molested zCouple left France in December 2014, going to Calabar zITINERARY: Badagry-Abeokuta-Benin-Onitsha-Enugu-Ebonyi zPolice arrest 32 suspects; I can recognise attackers, says widow

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI—A French couple, Mr. Nagnan Denis, 52, and his wife, Mrs. Nagnan Mee Lavaud Liana, 53, were on Monday night attacked by gunmen in their home at Abomege axis of Onicha Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The attack led to the death of Denis, who was allegedly shot in the leg and given machete cuts in different parts of his body, until he lost consciousness and died.

The state Commissioner of Police, Maigari Dikko, said 32 suspects were in the early hours of yesterday arrested in connection with the incident, and that they were being transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, for further interrogation and prosecution where necessary.

Dikko said the victims were tourists, who travelled through several countries to get to Nigeria, adding that about 1,150 Euros and N13,000 were stolen from the victims by the hoodlums.

Arrested

Dikko said: “32 suspects were

arrested in the early hours of this morning (yesterday) and they were currently being transferred to the SCID for investigation and screening.”

According to him, the wife of the victim who reported the incident to the police said she will be able to identify the people who killed her husband if she saw them.

He said: “We got the report yesterday from the DPO of Onicha council about the French nationals, a couple; they were tourists who left their country in December 2014 and arrived Nigeria through Badagry on May 3.

“They passed through Abeokuta, Benin, Onitsha, Enugu to Ebonyi with their vehicle; they were passing through Ebonyi to Calabar, when the incident happened.

“They arrived Abomega in the night. According to the widow, her husband had complained that he was tired and since it was late, they decided to pass the night there.

Attacked

“They did not report their presence to any law enforcement agents around, but decided to look for a place that has natural shelter and so they

went two kilometres off the road to pass the night.

“They found a quarry site and decided to camp there.

According to the wife, when they were at the location, a motorcyclist and another man asked them who they were.

“Unless investigation proves otherwise, we are thinking that the motorcyclist was the informant to the hoodlums because an hour after he left, three people came into the camp. By then, they had already erected their tent atop the vehicle.”

Dikko, who noted that the

police headquarters and the French Embassy had already been communicated over the incident, said the deceased was shot by the hoodlums during an argument, and then further inflicted machete cuts on him.

He stated that arrangements were on to ensure that the deceased, whose body had been deposited in a mortuary in Enugu State, was transferred to France without delay.

Dikko also reiterated the readiness of the command to clampdown on the activities of miscreants in the state.

A R R I — POLICEMEN in Delta State have arrested four members of an infamous kidnap gang in the state, while a vigilante group shot a suspected bandit at Agbarho.

Police Public Relations Officer, Delta State Police Command, DSP Celestina Kalu, who gave an account of the arrest of the suspected kidnappers, said: “On June 2, the DPO of Oghara Division arrested Ovie, Peter, Emmanuel and Idoro, and handed them over to the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad Asaba for consolidation of investigation.

“The suspects were arrested in connection with incessant incidents of kidnapping in Oghara and environs. Investigation into the case yielded positive results as the suspects confessed their membership of a kidnap gang and said their armourer was one Felix and that one Kehinde usually provided vehicles for their operations.

“Based on their confession, on June 3, at about 2a.m., operatives swung into action and arrested the said Felix and Kehinde at Sapele town.

“Items recovered from them include one locallymade pistol and three live cartridges. Meanwhile, investigation is going on.”

Also, at Agbarho, vigilante men on patrol, along Osaha Junction/ Ehwere Road, shot dead a suspected bandit.

Guests panic, as 10 die after meal at Katsina wedding

By Isiaka Oyibo

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ATSINA—THERE was confusion yesterday at Nadangoro area of Katsina metropolis as no fewer than 10 persons were feared dead and many others hospitalised after a wedding meal.

The incident, Vanguard learned, is already causing panic among residents of the

area, as most of the guests, who ate or drank anything at the ceremony, are being contacted by friends.

They are all now undergoing treatment in various hospitals in the town.

It was learned that most of the affected victims had complained of stomach ache shortly after leaving the ceremony, while some died

hours after being admitted in the hospitals.

A staff of Federal Medical Centre, who pleaded anonymity, said the hospital had received a number of cases relating to the incident.

“I think, from the information gathered so far, the case of some of the victims has to do with food poisoning,” the staff said.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Senate passes 46 bills in 10 minutes

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA — THE Senate was thrown into rowdy session, yesterday, following the passage of 46 bills into law less than10 minutes they were introduced by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Ita Enang.

The 46 bills had recently been passed by the House of Representatives and transmitted to the Senate for concurrence.

Before the passage, the Senate had said the life of the 7th Assembly would expire in few days time and that enough resources had already been expended in processing the bills, hence there was the need to pass them and forward same to the President for his assent.

Consequently, the Red Chamber invoked Order 1 (b) of the Senate Standing Order 2011 as amended to adopt a special procedure on the bills for concurrence.

Besides, the Senate suspended Order 79 (1) of the Senate Standing Orders and deemed that all the bills as having passed first, second and third readings on the floor of the Senate and concurred same as well as reproduced and circulated them to Senators.

According to Enang, the “bills by this resolution are hereby read and deemed read a third time and passed, to be transmitted to the President for assent in accordance with the Acts (Authentication) Act, and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

“That the votes and proceedings containing all bills be produced for adoption, as passed by the House.”

Uproar in the chamber

But immediately after the Senate President put the bills to voice vote where the “ayes” had their way, there was uproar in the chamber as some senators, especially Senator Domingo Obende, Edo State, and George Sekibo, Rivers State, opposed the passage of the bills in less than ten minutes.

Senator Mark's efforts to calm down frayed nerves could not yield any positive results and he then told the aggrieved Senators, who did not agree with the passage of the bills, to write their names and signatures so that it would be looked at again today.

46 bills passed

The 46 bills are: Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Establishment etc) Act (Amendment), 2015; Office of the Nigerian Financial Ombudsman Bill; Institute of

PRESENTATION: Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State (left) being presented with a plaque by Alhaji Muhammed Abubakar, Governor of Jigawa State and immediate past National President of Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) during a courtesy call in Government House, Calabar. yesterday.

Chartered Trustees of Nigeria Bill; National Convicts and Criminal Records (Registry) Bill, 2015; Community Service Bill; People’s Bank of Nigeria Act (Repeal) Bill and Nigerian Bank for Commerce and Industry Act (Repeal).

Others are National Commission for Rehabilitation Act (Repeal) Bill; Maintenance Orders Act (Repeal) Bill, 2015; Federal Saving Bank Act (Repeal) Bill 2015; Loan (State Development) Act (Repeal), 2015; Nigerians in Diaspora (Establishment) Commission, 2015; Electronic Transactions Bill, 2015; and Chartered Institute of Statiscians of Nigeria, 2015.

Also passed are the Nigerian Metallurgical Industry Bill, 2014, Federal Audit Commission Bill, 2015, National Centre for Agricultural Mechanisation Act (Amendment,) Bill, Nigerian International Financial Centre (Establishment, etc) Bill, Investment and Securities (Amendment) Bill and Nigerian Communications Satellite, Bill, Federal Capital Territory Education Resources Centre (Establishment) Bill; Labour Institutions (Establishment); Witness Protection Programme Bill; Institute of Mediators and Conciliators Bill; Legal Education Act (Establishment) Bill; National Health Insurance Commission Bill; National Economic Intelligence Committee (Establishment)

Act (Repeal) Bill.

The rest include Federal College Dental Technology and Therapy Bill, Federal Capital Territory College of Nursing and Midwifery Bill, Oaths Act (Amendment) Bill, Federal Capital Territory Hospital Management Board (Establishment) Bill, Passport (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Amendment) Bill, Chartered Institute of Management Accounts of Nigeria.

Also passed are Federal Capital Territory Water Board (Establishment) Bill, Institute of Local Government and Public Administration Bill, Whistle-blower Protection Bill, Family Economic Advancement Programme (Establishment, etc) 2015, Family Support Trust Fund Act (Repeal) Bill, Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (Guarantee) Act (Repeal) Bill, Treasury Management Bill 2015; Legislative Powers and

Privileges Act (Repeal and ReEnactment) Bill, Anti-Torture Bill, 2015; Lobbyist (Registration and Regulation) Bill, National Hospital for Women and Children, Abuja (Establishment, etc) Act (Amendment) Bill, Nigerian Prisons Act CAP, P29 LFN 2004 (Repeal and ReEnactment) Bill 2015 and Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Act 2010 (Amendment) Bill 2015.

In an interview with Vanguard, Senator Enang said: “We decided to bring this now because we do not have any more time to do the legislative duties to take and conclude it.

“It has been passed, it was thoroughly examined by the House of Representatives.

Those ones that we have passed which some people may say we did not thoroughly examine, the House has passed them believing that we thoroughly examined them.

“I chair the Rules and Business Committee, I have examined all these bills, I circulated all the copies to all the Senators.”

On why the bills were coming together when the life span of the 7th Senate expires in two days, Senator Enang said: “It is coming now because it is only today that we have, and if we do not, all the Bills would have become rubbish. These bills will be transmitted to the President for assent.”

He said with the passage of bills, the total number of bills passed by the Senate had increased to over 100.

14 killed, injured 19 in another Maiduguri blast

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI — BARELY 24 hours after a suicide bomb attack at Maiduguri abattoir that claimed 25 lives, another Improvised Explosive Device (IED) exploded yesterday at a market on Baga road, Maiduguri killing 14 people while 19 others were injured.

The explosive, according to an eyewitness, Audu Isa, was planted at the entrance to the market opposite Ibrahim Taiwo Divisional Police Station and exploded at about 5.14 pm as traders and customers were rushing to beat the 7pm curfew.

Baga road is also a few metres from the headquarters of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army.

According to Isa, “this blast was devastating and shocking, as the explosion rocked Bolori, Ummarari, Jajeri, Federal lowcost estates and Pompomari axis, sending smoke into the air for 15 minutes, before the Nigerian Red Cross (NRC)

and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) rescue teams rushed to the scene to evacuate bodies and the injured ones.

"At the time the rescue teams reached the market, I counted 11 dismembered bodies with some of the limbs ripped off.”

Hamidu Ibrahim, a member of the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF) that had been patrolling the Baga-BoloriPompomari axis of Maiduguri metropolis also said: “This explosive was hidden in a black polythene bag and planted in one of the entrances to the market and park before the suspected bomber detonated it at about 5pm.

He said the rescue teams of NRC and NEMA evacuated 11 bodies with 19 injured persons to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital and State Specialist Hospital, Maiduguri.

He said some of the injured persons had burns on their backs and faces, while others

died before reaching hospital.

“Tuesday’s blast at the abattoir was, however, different from the one that exploded at the Baga fish market and park, because the detonator of the explosive was not sighted like the one of this afternoon that killed 11 people at the spot,” said the vigilante youth.

An official of NEMA also said that the agency’s rescue team was able to evacuate 11 bodies to the hospital mortuary for identification, while 19 injured were taken to hospitals for treatment.

“I cannot give you the exact number of casualties, but certainly there are some injured ones that are in critical condition,” said NEMA official.

Confirming the incident yesterday, the Borno State Police Command said that unidentified number of people were killed in the market blast. A police source also said that it was difficult to give the number of casualties at press time due to the rainstorm that came after the blast.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—9

Senate Presidency: Tension as APC picks criteria next Senate President must possess candidate zzLists No candidate for Senate President, Deputy — PDP

By Henry Umoru & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

zDenies plotting to change norms

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BUJA — THE criteria recently announced by the National Working Committee, NWC, of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on how the Senate President in the 8th Senate will emerge is generating ripples among senators.

Meanwhile, it was learnt last night that the meeting between the APC leadership and senatorselect where a consensus on the issue of the Senate President was to be resolved may have been shifted.

One of the two camps was said to have pressed for the shift because of the insufficiency of the support it was expecting to show to the party leadership.

The APC NWC, at its meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Tuesday night, had listed certain criteria which the next Senate president must possess.

Some of the criteria stipulated that the party’s candidate for the post must come from the geopolitical zone with the second highest number of votes after the North-West during the Presidential election held on March 28.

It also said that the next Senate president must not have any corruption charges hanging on his or her neck and should be one of the most ranking senators in the current Fourth Republic.

A senator privy to the meeting said the leadership of the party was mandated to, within three days, present the most eligible aspirant as consensus candidate for the post based on the listed criteria during inauguration next week.

The two leading contestants are Senators Bukola Saraki (Kwara Central) and Ahmad Lawan ( Yobe North ).

Two groups, “Like Minds Senators” and the “Senate Unity Forum” who were supporting the candidature of Saraki and Lawan respectively, had claimed to have secured the endorsement of enough numbers of senators to win the race.

While the Saraki camp compiled a list containing the names of 34 APC senators- elect, the Lawan loyalists claimed that 40 APC senators-elect had endorsed the Yobe senator as their consensus candidate.

Senators-elect express fears The development is generating serious confusion because there are just 59 APC senators-elect expected to be inaugurated in the 8th Senate following the death of Ahmed Zannah (Borno North) last month.

Some of the Senators-elect who commented on the matter, expressed fears that the decision

Sheriff surrenders to EFCC over alleged N300bn fraud

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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VISIT: The archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke

(middle) leading other clerics in prayers, during their visit to the scene of the tanker accident, in Onitsha, yesterday. Photo: NAN

of the APC to use criteria, considered strange to the rules of the Senate and constitution of the country, could be counterproductive.

The party had planned to announce its preferred candidate between Lawan and Saraki during a meeting with the senators-elect today, in Abuja.

But those who reacted to the issue urged the leadership of the party to allow the most popular aspirant to emerge through a due process that would be free, fair, credible and generally acceptable to all concerned.

Melaye cautions NWC In his reaction, Coordinator of the Like Minds Senators-elect, Dino Melaye, cautioned the NWC against too much interference in the affairs of the Senate because the upper legislative chamber is guided by rules.

Melaye said: “The NWC is there to offer advice and not to determine those who will contest leadership positions on the floor of the Senate. The constitution of Nigeria and the rules of the Senate are clear on how a Senate president could emerge.”

Further investigations revealed that the imposition of a consensus candidate on the APC senators-elect might rub the party of the position because the opposition lawmakers might take advantage of the division to present a candidate.

No candidate for Senate

President, Deputy — PDP Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said yesterday that it has no candidate for the offices of the Senate President and Deputy Senate President.

The PDP, however, denied the allegation that as a party, it was plotting to change norms at the National Assembly where the party with the majority of elected senators or members of the House of Representatives presents the leadership at the National Assembly.

Speaking with journalists, yesterday, PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, who noted that the party, which has now become the new opposition in the National Assembly, was not contemplating imposing the leadership for the Senate, however, denied that it was plotting to present the present President of the Senate, Senator David Mark as a candidate for the Presidency.

Metuh, who stressed that it was an established norm that the party with the majority presents leadership at the National Assembly, said: “That was not part of the PDP retreat for members of the National Assembly in Port Harcourt. PDP has no such plot to upstage the All Progressives Congress (APC) in presenting leadership at the National Assembly, contrary to the known norms.

“The truth is that it was not discussed at all at the Port Harcourt retreat. The truth is that we have no candidate for Senate President or Deputy Senate

President. The truth is that we are ready to present a credible opposition to the All Progressives Congress as the ruling party. We wish President Muhammadu Buhari success and hope he would be able to turn around the economy.”

According to the PDP spokesperson, the Port Harcourt retreat only commended Senators David Mark and Ike Ekweremadu for stabilizing democracy and National Assembly, adding: “So, it is not true that PDP is plotting to present a candidate for the Senate President and Deputy Senate President.”

PDP not plotting to present Mark —Senators Also ahead of Tuesday’s inauguration of the 8th Senate, some PDP Senators from the South-West, South-South and South-East geo political zones of the country have denied the report that the PDP was plotting to present the incumbent Senate president, David Mark as a candidate for the Senate President.

In their various comments, former chairman of the PDP in Delta State and the Senator-elect for Delta North, Peter Nwaoboshi; PDP Senator-elect for Imo State, Samuel Nnaemeka Anyanwu and Senator Duro Faseyi from Ekiti State, separately denied that the PDP took a decision in Port Harcourt to present David Mark as the Senate president candidate.

BUJA— BARELY a week after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, threatened to declare him wanted over alleged laundering of over N300 billion during his tenure, the former Borno State Governor, Ali Modu Sheriff, last night voluntarily surrendered to the agency for interrogation.

The former governor walked into the hands of his interrogators at the commission’s head office in Abuja at 6pm and was immediately taken in.

A top source at the commission confirmed to Vanguard that Sheriff was quizzed over N300 billion allegedly taken from the coffers of the state without any work done with it as claimed by his administration.

“We want the former governor to also explain to us how N13 billion taken from local government joint account in the state was used and what it was used for,” the source said.

Sheriff is alleged to have claimed that his administration used the sum to execute some infrastructural projects to prepare the ground for the inauguration of the administration of his successor in 2011.

But the anti-graft agency said last night that no such project was executed and the money not accounted for in addition to the N13 billion said to have vanished form the state’s local government joint account.

“I can confirm to you that the former governor of Borno State is with us and we cannot say for how long our operatives will keep him. We really want to know the truth from him before deciding on whether there is enough evidence to charge him to court or not,” the official said.

Last week, the commission had served notice of his intention to declare Sheriff wanted if he continued to ignore his invitations.

Sheriff is the second former governor to surrender voluntarily this week to answer questions bordering on their tenure.

Former Adamawa governor, Murtala Nyako, surrendered on Monday and has been admitted to bail on personal recognition over N15 billion fund alleged to have been laundered during his administration.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

AMBODE TO LASTMA, VIO OFFICIALS: Stop

forcing yourselves into motorists' vehicles

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SECURITY MEETING: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (middle), Secretary to the State Government Mr. Tunji Bello (4th left), Lagos State Commissioner of Police Mr. Kayode Aderanti (3rd left), Director, Department of State Service, Mr. Little John (2nd left), Assistant Director, DSS, Mr. Salami Yinka (left), Commander, 9 Mechanized Brigade, Major General Ahmed Mohammed Sabo (3rd right), Commander, NNS Beecroft, Olokun, Apapa, Navy Commander Daniel Ikoli (2nd right), and Commander, Air Force Base Ikeja, Air Commodore Lere Osanyintolu during the first state security council meeting at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja.

LAGOS SPEAKRSHIP: Intrigues force shift

of inauguration L

By Ebun Sessou

AGOS—INTRIGUES over who emerges the next speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly may have overflowed from the camp of the memberselect with prominent party leaders entering the fray to dictate direction for the members.

Postponement

The intrigues, it was learned, led to the postponement of the inauguration earlier scheduled for today to next Monday. At the heart of the dispute are two members, Rotimi Abiru (Shomolu II) and Mudasiru Obasa (Agege I), both ranking members in the House elected into the Eighth Assembly of the House.

Abiru is presently in his second term and starting a third term while Obasa is in his third term and starting a fourth term.

A prominent leader of the party, it was learned, had insisted that the decision on the emergence of the next speaker should be based on ranking. That decision which was allegedly welcomed by the majority of the members-elect it was gathered, saw Obasa taking the ascendancy over Abiru and was set to be elected as speaker today before a last-minute decision to postpone the inauguration.

The prominent leader of the party in the state it was gathered was, however, not pleased with the inclination of the members and thus summoned a meeting with the legislators in his residence for today, a decision that led to the postponement of the inauguration.

Members-elect said yesterday that the decision was to enable the House reach a consensus on the

issue.

It was learned that those campaigning for Abiru led by the outgoing speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, and Princess Adefunmilayo Tejuosho were opposed to the earlier arrangement of enthroning Obasa today.

Support of prominent leaders

They were supported by the prominent leader of the party in the state who has influence on the members elected on the platform of the APC, and it is believed that he may sway them towards electing Abiru on Monday.

However, Hon. Funmi Tejuosho who is also starting a fourth term and had initially

thrown her hat into the ring before stepping down for Abiru had also sought for the strict implementation of the ranking rule and for the contest to be restricted to her and Obasa, the only other member going to the House for the fourth term.

Ikuforiji's candidate

While Speaker Ikuforiji, who is not returning is backing Abiru, his deputy, Kolawole Taiwo who is also not returning to the house is backing Obasa.

Ploys by the candidates to outwit one another have overtime been checked by the different campaigns. At one point, the two different camps sought to get the endorsement from the outgoing House through a vote of confidence but such efforts did not see the light of the day.

Agreement not reached

The lawmakers also could not reach an agreement on the issue during their induction workshop at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Amuwo Odofin last week.

Announcing the postponement of the inauguration in a statement issued yesterday, the director of information at the assembly, Mrs. Bose Lambo, said: “This is to inform the general public, especially invited dignitaries that the Proclamation/ Inauguration of the 8th Assembly, ( Lagos State House of Assembly), earlier scheduled for Thursday, 4th June, 2015 at the Assembly Complex Chambers, has been postponed till Monday, 8th June, 2015, due to unforeseen circumstances.

“All inconveniences are highly regretted, please.”

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

AGOS—GOVERNOR Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, yesterday warned officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA and Vehicle Inspection Officers, VIOs to desist from forcing themselves into vehicles of suspected traffic offenders.

Ambode gave the warning during an interactive session with officials of LASTMA, Kick Against Indiscipline, KAI and VIO at Government State House, Ikeja, said the act negates the administration’s promise to residents prior to the 2015 governorship election.

The governor said: “I want LASTMA, KAI, and VIO to help this government deliver on the promises made to the public, and there are two promises: to make life simpler for every resident of Lagos and make each resident happier than before.

“I don’t want officers that will torture my citizens. They may be offenders but don’t torture them. Don’t jump into their cars to enforce arrest. This is where you have to be creative and use technology in the implementation of the law. For now, no harassment.”

Lagos tanker fire blamed on LASTMA as victims count losses

By Olasunkanmi Akoni, Bose Adelaja & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—EYEWITNESSES of the fire disaster in IyanaIpaja area of Lagos State sparked by a petrol tanker have blamed officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Authority, LASTMA, for causing the accident.

The LASTMA officials were alleged to have pursued the tanker until it fell off the bridge at Iyana-Ipaja upon which it caused the inferno that injured 14 persons, razed 34 buildings, 44 shops and 21 vehicles.

Residents also blamed the government for failing to renovate the bridge which has been faulty for more than 15 years.

Meanwhile, officials of Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, yesterday visited the scene again to carry out an assessment of the victims as ordered by the state governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode.

The incident happened around 1a.m on Tuesday when the tanker which was moving from Agege end of the road lost control and fell off the bridge on getting to Ipaja Road, spilling its content which spread to five

adjourning streets on the axis.

Victims count losses

As at yesterday, the victims were still counting their losses hoping that the state government will come to their aid as promised.

One of the victims, Mr. Emmanuel Chime, who lost a supermarket to the inferno, lamented that about N15m worth of goods were lost to the fire.

Another victim, Obinna Ojiakor, a boutique owner, said about N10m worth of goods were lost to the incident.

Also, a record company owner, Remi Odus said, “LASEMA

officials were here today (yesterday) and they have done the enumeration of the victims, we hope they will live up to our expectation.”

However, some residents blamed the incident on unidentified officials of LASTMA, who were alleged to have chased the tanker driver before the incident occurred around 12.30am.

Residents of the area who spoke with Vanguard, also said the nearly 40-year-old bridge became weak following an auto crash which occurred about 15 years ago.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 11

N8BN FRAUD: CBN staff own posh cars, petrol stations, palatial buildings, court told zAs more CBN staff, others are remanded in prison

I

Ola Ajayi

BADAN—THE court trial of some Ibadan based bankers indicted over the theft of N8 billion worth of mutilated banknotes was yesterday told of the stupendous wealth of the suspects.

The suspects, including a selfacclaimed illiterate bank staff were alleged to have acquired petrol stations, shopping malls in Nigeria and abroad, exotic cars, supermarkets, among others.

Mr. Ayodeji Alase, one of the suspects and a holder of primary six certificate, was alleged to have acquired property including a duplex at Oluyole, a shopping complex, warehouse at Podo, Challenge and a fenced plot at Dugbe in Ibadan.

He was also alleged to own a four flat building at Apeye, two plots of land, five-bedroom flat in Apete, Ibadan, a supermarket at New Garage, Apata Expressway.

However, a mild drama took place in the court as Alase, delayed the proceedings of the court, claiming he did not understand English language after working for years at First Bank Plc as a cash officer.

Alase, who had earlier answered questions asked him by the trial judge, Justice A. O Faaji wanting to know the whereabouts of his counsel and his name, however, turned around to tell the same judge that he did not understand English language when the first count charge was read to him.

Rotimi Jacob, SAN, who tried to fault his claim said the accused was employed as a guard but was promoted to a cash assistant in the bank.

The trial judge then said since he insisted he did not understand

English, an interpreter had to be used to translate the charges to him in Yoruba and also the proceedings of the court so that the accused would not be shut out.

The interpreter initially secured, however, found the job difficult forcing the judge to screen another person for the job of interpretation.

The other accused persons, Olaniran Muniru Adeola, Ayodele Festus Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano and others were all alleged to own property in South Africa, petrol stations, cement shops, schools, supermarket, exotic cars, buildings in several places. All

the eight accused persons, who were docked were denied bail and were remanded in Agodi Prison pending the determination of the bail applications they had filed.

All the efforts by Mr. Olayemi Fasina, counsel to Alase to present an oral bail application were unsuccessful as the court told him that it would be unfair to hear his oral application when other counsel had filed their applications.

The cases were heard in batches by the court. The first batch of accused persons who were slammed with a 28-count charge, are Kolawole Babalola, Olaniran Adeola, Toogun Phillip, Ayodele Adeyemi, Isiaq Akano, Oyebamiji

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Dayo Johnson

By Daud Olatunji & Ifeyinwa Obi

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BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized 90 bags of Indian hemp weighing 1,259kg from suspected traffickers in the border town of Imeko in Imeko-Afon Local Government Area of the state.

It also intercepted smuggled goods worth N122.5 million.

The Customs Area Controller for the Ogun Command, Haruna Mamudu while briefing newsmen, yesterday, in Abeokuta, said Customs officials along the Imeko axis of the state made the seizure which was neatly packed in 359 parcels and 90 sacks from traffickers operating in the area .

Group cautions against attack on Jonathan’s ministers

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INAUGURATION: Governor of State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle), member, State of Osun House of Assembly, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye (left) and former Commissioner for Environment, Professor Olubukola Oyawoye, after the inauguration of the 6th Assembly in Osogbo.

Ondo regent, aides kidnapped KURE—THE Regent of Akungba-Akoko community in Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State, Princess Oluwatoyin Omosowon and three of her aides were yesterday kidnapped by unknown persons.

The kidnapped regent was coming from the 65th inaugural lecture of the Federal University of Technology Akure, FUTA when the kidnappers ambushed her convoy on Owo-Oba Akoko Expressway.

The regent, whose community hosts the university was said to have been invited to the inaugural lecture by the university and was provided an official university vehicle which conveyed the regent and her aides before the unexpected occurred at about 3:30pm on Tuesday.

The official vehicle was said to

Akeem, Ayodeji Alase, Ajiwe Sunday Adegoke and Idowu Oguntade, who is still at large.

Three officials of the CBN were among the accused while others were from Wema Bank Plc and First Bank Plc. The three CBN staff, who were docked yesterday also appeared among a new set of accused.

They were Toogun Phill, Kolawole Babalola and Olaniran Muniru Adeola.

Rotimi Jacob, SAN, who had a retinue of other counsel held brief for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which prosecuted the accused persons.

Customs seizes 90 bags of Indian hemp, smuggled goods

have been intercepted by gunmen, after which, the occupants were led into a getaway car.

Following information received, the Police later recovered the university’s official vehicle where it was abandoned.

Two aides of the regent were reportedly found near a bush close to where the kidnappers dropped them off.

However, angry residents of the town took to the streets to protest the abduction of their traditional ruler.

Commercial activities were completely paralysed as shops, banks, government offices and markets were hurriedly closed down.

Reports had it that the authorities of the university have sent the students home to guide against the spillover of the protest to the institution.

The protesters blamed the university authority for the kidnap, saying adequate security was not provided.

While appealing to the mob, the caretaker chairman for Akoko Southwest, Mr. Wale Suru urged the protesters to be calm as the traditional ruler would soon be released.

Suru said that an emergency security meeting will be held to assess the situation and the report will be forwarded to the appropriate authorities for immediate action on the release

of the Regent and others.

The Ondo State Police Commissioner, Mr Isaac Eke, who visited the town, confirmed that two of the kidnapped persons have been released.

Eke assured that his men had been deployed to secure the release of the Regent.

Vanguard gathered that all State Security Service operatives had been put on alert to ensure the release of the regent who is in her 40s.

She is the third regent of the town after the death of the traditional ruler of the town Oba Adekanye Omosowon over 11years ago.

OVE On Nigeria, a political action group has urged Nigerians to stop attacking ministers who served under the Jonathan’s administration as the elections were now over and President Goodluck Jonathan has successfully handed power over to President Muhammadu Buhari, who now leads Nigeria.

In a statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator Mr Clem Aguiyi, yesterday, it frowned at a report that immediate past Petroleum Resources Minister Mrs. Diezani AlisonMadueke, had made several attempts to seek the face of the EFCC Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, in the bid to stave off charges of corruption against her.

It said “she has not been indicted by any court in Nigeria neither are we aware of any invitation to her to appear before the EFCC for any supposed crime.

Amosun orders removal of Jonathan's portraits from offices

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BEOKUTA—GOVERNOR Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has ordered the removal of portraits belonging to former President Goodluck Jonathan still adorning various government offices in the state.

Amosun gave the directive

during his visit to a number of offices and ministries during a routine visit to government establishments.

A mild drama ensued when the governor sighted Dr. Jonathan’s portrait in one of the offices at the Ministry of Finance

at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Yetunde Onanuga, Head of Service, Modupe Adekunle, and number of Permanent Secretaries, could not hide his displeasure when he saw the former president’s portrait still hanging on the wall.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, June 4, 2015

Delta Assembly dumps Uduaghan’s DESOPADEC restructuring bill

By Emma Amaize

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SABA—DELTA State House of Assembly has discarded the bill initiated by the immediate past governor of Delta State, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, to restructure Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The bill, which came up for deliberation, yesterday, was adjourned sine die, a technical way of throwing it out.

Vanguard learned that some of the lawmakers who were wary of the bill found justification in the pronouncement of the new governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, in his May 29 inaugural address that he had plans to reorganise the commission.

Meanwhile, reactions have trailed the dumping of the bill as it was gathered that the chairman of DESOPADEC, Mr. Oritsua Kpogho, has tendered his letter of resignation.

Loyalists of the founding father of Host Communities Producing Oil and Gas, HOSTCOM, in the state and pioneer DESOPADEC chairman, Chief Wellington Okirika, preferred to wait and see Okowa’s amendment to the existing DESOPADEC bill before making comment, while the group led by the national

chairman of HOSTCOM, Chief Alfred Bubor, commended the House for “killing” the bill.

Chief Okirika, who was in Asaba, yesterday, said on phone that he would want to study the situation before making any comment.

However, National Coordinator of HOSTCOM, Prince Maikpobi Okareme, who was opposed to the bill, was joyful.

He said: “I want to commend Delta State House of Assembly for formally killing the satanic

DESOPADEC bill at its Wednesday (yesterday) sitting.

“I also hail DESOPADEC chairman, Mr. Kpogho, for giving 30 days notice to quit as DESOPADEC chairman, a position he was appointed to more than three years ago after first serving as the pioneer director of finance.

“HOSTCOM calls on Governor Okowa to discuss with leaders of HOSTCOM from Delta State towards reconstituting a DESOPADEC board within

30 days as previously agreed before his election.”

Some members of the oil communities in the state had threatened to shut down flow stations in the state if the House did not pass the DESOPADEC bill initiated by Governor Uduaghan, but their leaders decided after Okowa stated that he would restructure the board and management of the commission in his inaugural speech, to wait and know his game plan first.

DONATION: From left: Mr. Obinna Nweje, GM, Eastern Region Operations, MTN; Mr. Ejie Francis, Principal, Model County Junior Secondary School, Ikwerre Etche, Rivers State and Mr. Innocent Entonu, Senior Manager, South – South Region, MTN, during the presentation of desk tops for the e-library donated to the school by MTN as part of its 21 Days of Y’ello Care activities.

Edo Assembly approves sack of Owan West council boss

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HE Edo State House of Assembly, yesterday, approved the sack of the suspended Chairman of Owan West Local Government Area of the state, Mr Godwin Aigbodion.

The approval is sequel to the consideration of the report of the House Committee on Local Government’s Commission of Enquiry report into Aigbodion’s alleged gross misconduct.

Mr Paul Ohonbamu (APCEgor), chairman of the committee, said it discovered that the suspended chairman lacked the basic competence to head the council.

Ohonbamu said the chairman was ignorant of the law establishing the local government, adding that he was incompetent.

He said the committee also discovered that the suspended chairman’s financial recklessness plunged the council into huge debts.

The committee, therefore, recommended that the suspended chairman be relieved of his position following his inability to exonerate himself from all allegations levelled against him.

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The committee further recommended that the vice chairman, Mrs Regina Okun, be confirmed substantive chairman of the council forthwith.

The committee also recommended that the Treasurer and the Head of Service of the

local government be suspended for three months for aiding and abetting Aigbodion.

The Speaker, Mr. Uyi Igbe, therefore, directed that copies of the resolution be sent to the governor and the Commissioner for Local Government and

Chieftaincy Affairs.

Igbe also said the document should be served on Aigbodion and Head, Local Government Service Commission for immediate action.

Amnesty programme, jamboree for criminals —MEND

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By Perez Brisibe

GHELLI—MOVEMENT for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta, MEND, yesterday, described the Federal Government’s amnesty programme for ex-militants as a jamboree meant for criminals in need of pardon.

MEND, through its spokesman, Jomo Gbomo, while congratulating President Mohammadu Buhari on his swearing-in as President, lampooned those calling for the sustenance of the amnesty programme saying: “We have always noted that the amnesty programme was a jamboree meant to address demands of people who accepted they were criminals in need of pardon.

“The programme does not address the real reasons genuine agitators

went into the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger Delta.

“Our struggle for fairer share of oil proceeds for the development of the Niger Delta and the overall betterment of the country, is based on principle such that any person with a sense of decency such as President Buhari, can rise up to handle.”

Reiterating its support for President Buhari, it warned stakeholders in the region against distracting him saying, “While we respect the rights of any group to decent agitation, we warn those whose sole aim is to distract Buhari from focusing on the task ahead as he needs time to clear the pile of corruption, underdevelopment and advance equity in the Nigerian federation.”

Itsekiri group flays implementation of amnesty programme

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ARRI—THE Itsekiri National Development Initiative, INDI, has frowned at what it called the selective implementation of the presidential amnesty programme, especially as it concerns the Itsekiri beneficiaries.

INDI, in a statement by its chairman, Dennis Mene, said that at inception, the Itsekiri were given just 500 slots while less than 100 have been sent for their studies, adding: “We have over 100 Itsekiri students with admissions to study in the United Kingdom for their Masters and Ph.D., as well as 300 skilled and vocational students, who up till date are yet to be sponsored, while it is on record that the Ijaws are regularly being sent for their studies/training overseas.”

He said that among the beneficiaries, “73 of them are yet to receive their monthly stipend from January to December 2013, although this has been brought to the attention of the amnesty office but they have remained mute about it.”

INDI urged the President Muhammadu Buhari's administration to investigate, review and restructure the Presidential Amnesty Programme “with a view to ensuring fair play, equity and justice for all beneficiaries under the programme so that maximum dividend of the programme will rebound to the advantage of the Nigerian society.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—13

Rivers: Probe of my tenure, witch-hunt —AMAECHI F

ORMER governor of Rivers State, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, has described the proposed probe of his tenure by his successor, Governor Nyesom Wike, as a deliberate witch-hunt.

Amaechi said that Wike has gone ahead with his plan of threatening, coercing and blackmailing officials of his administration, especially civil servants, into making false and bogus statements that would make legitimate government transactions appear as corrupt practices.

In a statement by his media aide, David Iyofor, Amaechi urged Rivers people, the media and the public to be watchful and discern the fraudulent attempts by Governor Wike to discredit him and his administration.

He said: “As I noted earlier in a previous statement, Wike is going ahead with his plan of attempting to deride and discredit me and my administration, by blackmailing and coercing key government officials including DFAs, Permanent Secretaries and others to twist and distort legitimate government transactions in his desperation to cook up, and fabricate baseless, concocted and unfounded cases of corruption against me and the administration I ran.

“Only on Tuesday, Wike tried to threaten, harass, blackmail and coerce Permanent Secretaries and Directors of Finance and Administration, DFAs, in various ministries, parastatals, agencies, among others, in the state into doing his bidding of painting Amaechi as corrupt in the administration of the state. The

state bankers and some of our contractors are also not spared in his mission of tarnishing Amaechi's reputation. As a matter of fact, Wike has only one agenda as he governs Rivers State: to portray me as corrupt, by whatever means, no matter how ridiculous and phoney it looks.”

Amaechi also described as a

fraud the video and pictures of the looted and vandalized Government House that Wike has been showing.

“The images are also fraudulent, arranged and executed by Wike to enable him vote billions of naira from the state treasury to renovate and refurbish the place, while also accusing me of corruption."

AGM: From left: National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Sir Sunny Nwosu; Chairman, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mr. Atedo Peterside; Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Sola David-Borha; and Director, Mr. Dominic Bruynseels at the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the company in Abuja, yesterday.

Obuah laments condition of Rivers Government House

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HE Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Rivers State chapter, Prince Felix Obuah, has expressed concern over what he called the deplorable condition of Rivers State Government House, Port Harcourt and liaison offices in Abuja, Lagos and other places, following alleged removal of property by the immediate past administration.

Obuah called on Governor Nyesom Wike to do everything possible to recover the removed property, while all the perpetrators are brought to book.

He said that the development was responsible for the delay in the use of the Government House by the new governor and his aides, adding that with the level of things removed in all offices, halls, rooms and the entire premises of the Government House, one was not sure that the place can be ready for use in the next three months.

He wondered why some key officers of the former administration were not ashamed of such disgraceful,

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embarrassing and criminal acts, but to issue statements denying what is evident, as a visit to the Government House leaves no one in doubt of the

fact of the incident.

The PDP said it was not happy that the people of the state have been thrown into a pathetic situation when they

do not deserve it, considering the huge resources available to the previous administration for the development of the state and empowerment of the people.

Send corrupt ministers to prison, Gbagi tells Buhari

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—FORMER Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, yesterday accused some immediate past ministers in the country of massively enriching themselves while in office, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that they go to prison after probing them.

Gbagi said that the kind of money in the hands of some persons in Nigeria was enough to plunge the country into war in the next 10 years, adding that the money must be returned by such persons for the provision of infrastructure.

Speaking with Vanguard in Abuja, he urged President Buhari not to spare any rod in his anti-corruption crusade, stressing that the president must be decisive if he must succeed in taking Nigeria to the promised land.

He said: “President Buhari must be decisive if Nigeria must succeed as 2015 must be seen as the year when Nigerians enjoyed democracy.

“He should ensure that no rod is spared. Buhari has no right to grant pardon to anyone that has committed crime against the country because he is not a court. We hear that there are negotiations to grant pardon to some persons. Everyone

should be made accountable.

There should be no negotiation. He will lose respect from Nigerians within six months if he does not ask all those people to vomit the money they stole.

“He should follow them. No matter who they are, they must go to jail. You cannot be wealthy in England, Germany and other nations without showing how you got the money. Someone in Nigeria may have only one car and no house before becoming a governor, a minister or special adviser. But when he is elected or appointed, once he leaves office, he becomes a billionaire and will start intimidating and harassing the people.”

Bayelsa speaker, leader retain seats

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA —THE fifth Bayelsa State House of Assembly was, yesterday, inaugurated with Kombowei Benson retaining his seat as Speaker of the House while Abraham Ingobere representing Brass III was elected Deputy Speaker.

The former Deputy Speaker, Sam Ateki's return bid to the House was checkmated by new entrant, Israel Goli of All Progressives Congress, APC. Kombowei, who also headed the fourth legislative Assembly was reelected to lead the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, dominated Assembly in which the APC and All Progressives Grand Alliance, PGA, have a member apiece making him the longest serving Speaker of the House.

The Leader of the House, Peter Akpe, also retained his seat as Leader of the House with a new entrant, Mietema Obodor, emerging new deputy leader of the House.

Bishop Ichofe for burial

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HE Rt. Rev. Abel Ichofe (retd.), a Senior Bishop of African Church Nigeria, is dead, aged 82.

He will be interred on June 5, in his home town, Eku, Delta State.

He is survived by a widow and many children amongst whom is Mr. Anthony Ichofe of Delta State Oil Producing Areas D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, Warri, Delta State.

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Senate urges Buhari to review Nigeria’s foreign policy

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—THE Senate has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to begin work at reviewing Nigeria’s foreign policies to ensure greater respect for Nigeria, especially in Africa.

The Red Chamber also called on the President to work towards ensuring that the country had permanent positions in all institutions of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS. The position of the Senate came following a motion presented on its floor during yesterday’s

plenary, by the Deputy Senate President and Speaker of the Parliament of ECOWAS, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, PDP, Enugu West, and other senators/ members of the Nigerian National Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament.

The Upper Chamber, which also called on ECOWAS to take steps to bring about a common visa regime as well as common currency in the sub-region, said its position was as a result of the huge sacrifices the country had made in terms of human and material resources to promote regional integration, peace and stability.

The Deputy Senate President, had in the motion, made to mark ECOWAS at 40, recalled that the

organization was established by a treaty of Lagos, signed on May 28, 1975, with the core objective of promoting regional cooperation and integration in order to raise the living standards of the people of the region, maintain and increase economic stability, strengthen relations among the member states and contribute to the progress and development of the African continent.

In the motion, the sponsors said they were aware that Nigeria’s former head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), played a major role in the formation of the regional body, adding that they were not unaware that the regional body had gone a step further to promote democracy,

Oshimili North protesters urge Delta REC to withdraw Ajudua’s Certificate of Return

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CROSS section of protesting politicians drawn from different communities of Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State have staged a peaceful protest at the office of the Delta State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Elder Aniedu Ikaiwak, to ask him to withdraw the Certificate of Return issued to Princess Pat Ajudua, PDP candidate in the just held House of Assembly election in the area.

The protesters in their numbers

led by Chief Patrick Okonkwo, a former councillor; Hon. Charles Okwali, and Mr. Afam Okonji told newsmen that they were in the office of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to inform the REC to “urgently withdraw the Certificate of Return and give it to Chief Tony Azuya, who had the mandate of the people and actually won the election as exemplified in the massive votes cast for him by the electorate in the area.

The protesters remarked that

though "Chief Azuya had sought redress at the election petition tribunal, there is need to bring to the notice of the INEC authorities the massive rigging, snatching of ballot boxes, thumb printing and mutilation of the genuine result sheets used at the election by thugs allegedly hired by PDP members in the area and their candidate.

"Chief Azuya is generally our choice and accepted candidate to represent us in the state House of Assembly.”

regional peace and socio-political stability in continent.

In its resolution, the Senate commended ECOWAS for successfully stamping out military rule and other forms of unconstitutional take-over of power in the sub-region as well as gallantly weathered the storms of internal conflicts and wars, terrorism, insurgency and other various forms of socio-political upheavals.

The Senate, however, regretted that even as it was the biggest contributor to the regional body, Nigeria had not shown what it called “keen interest in the management of the funds of the ECOWAS,” just as it noted that Nigeria’s sub-regional influence was continuously waning.

Earlier, in his contribution to the debate on the motion, Senator Ayogu Eze, PDP, Enugu North, while supporting the motion, urged Nigeria to play its expected role within Africa and globally.

He said: “Those of us who are Nigerians, who participate in the affairs of ECOWAS are either at the parliamentary level or at the level of the commission. I have come to the conclusion that unless something drastic is done with regard to the structure of Nigeria’s position in ECOWAS, Nigeria should quit that organization.

“Nigeria bears about 70 to 80 per cent of the levies and bears almost 90 per cent of running the

commission and the parliament.

In fact, the parliament has just been renovated at the expense of Nigeria.”

Also contributing, Senator Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central, said: “It is important for senators to understand why we are where we are. The foundation of Nigerian foreign policy is Africa and until the National Assembly and Federal Government decide to change the theme of the Nigerian foreign policy, what we are advocating will not change.”

Senate President, David Mark, in his remark, thanked the senators for the motion, saying the motion came timely because, according to him, there was every need to review the country’s foreign policy.

“Clearly, there is a problem with our foreign policy and I think we do need to review it. Not reviewing it in terms of Africa being the piece of our foreign policy, but at least, in the implementation stage.

“I think we have not put in enough energy and determination to implement the foreign policy, the way we have articulated it on pages of papers.

"It is a shame that if we conceded truly that because we have the headship, we cannot then get any other commissioner. That will be a big shame because if we conceded that, then, we must do a proper thinking on it because it is unacceptable," Mark said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 15

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16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUN E 4, 2015

Ascend Mate7 shoots Huawei to top 3 globally

By Ediri Ejoh

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HE SHIPMENTS of over 20 million units of Huawei's Ascend Mate7, which comes with several features has spurred Huawei to the number one Chinese brand and third leading brand globally.

The research, which was carried out by the TrendForce, placed Ascend Mate7 third after Samsung and Apple.

Mate7, which was popularly described as one of the best large-screen phones money could buy, especially with its plethora of high-end and innovation features, was the first Chinese company to be listed as one of the world’s top 100 brands in 2014.

Report shows that the company achieved a market share of 7.0 per cent out of the total worldwide smart-phones shipment of 291,220, but emerged the third in the first quarter of 2015 as against its stand as fourth place with 6.9 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Similarly, on China top five smart-phones shipment, the company emerged first with 19.2 per cent, out of the total shipment of 106, 800 recorded in the first quarter of 2015, as against its second position with 18.0 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2014.

However, the Director Communications and broad management, Huawei Nigeria Consumer BG, Mr. Olaonipekun Okunowo, maintained that its package was aimed at sustaining growth momentum created and to consolidate Hauwei’s leading position in the market.

20 feared dead in Enugu auto crash .Life of every Nigerian matters, says VP Osinbajo

By Vincent Ujumadu, Nwabueze Okonkwo, Francis Igata & Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NUGU—NO fewer than 20 persons were yesterday feared dead in an auto crash that occurred along 9th Mile-Nsukka expressway, Enugu State, while several others sustained severe injuries.

This came on a day the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, visited the scene of the petrol tanker accident in Onitsha that claimed 70 lives, declaring

that the life of every Nigerian citizen mattered to the Federal Government, irrespective of status or where he resides.

The accident in Enugu occurred at about 6.15 pm, a few metres away from an alcoholic beverage company, situated at 9th Mile Corner.

An eyewitness account revealed that a heavy duty truck suffered brake failure and rammed into two commercial buses filled with passengers.

The accident came barely three days after a tanker laden with 33,000 litres of fuel suffered brake

VISIT: From left, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra, Chief Medical Director of Toronto Hospital, Dr. Emeka Eze, and other officials, during the visit of the Vice President to the scene of petrol tanker accident, in Onitsha, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

6 roasted by suspected cultists in Igbokoda area of Ondo State

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—SIX people have reportedly been killed by a notorious cult group, known as Tale, in the oil rich community of Ilaje in Ondo State.

The vehicle in which they were travelling to rescue a kidnapped

boy was ambushed and set ablaze by the suspected cultists.

Vanguard gathered that the deceased were in a Jeep on a rescue mission of some people kidnapped and taken to the forest when they were ambushed and their vehicle set ablaze.

The group had constituted itself into a terror gang in the

Survivor of Orient Petroleum attack recounts experience

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA— ONE of the workers of Orient Petroleum Refinery at Aguleri Otu in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State (names withheld), yesterday, recounted his experience in the hands of the attackers suspected to be from Kogi State, saying it was by the grace of God he was still alive.

Speaking with Vanguard, the middle aged man said the workers suspected that something was going to happen when they came to work to discover that all the security operatives were gone.

His narration came as the police commands of Anambra and Kogi states were said to have begun a C M Y K

failure and rammed into a motor park at Upper Iweka, Onitsha, killing 69 persons.

The source further revealed that most of the passengers were suspected students of the University of Nigeria, Enugu campus, returning to their various destinations, following the closure of the institution over one month power outage.

However, police spokesperson, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu, in a statement, revealed that three persons died on the spot,while others who sustained severe injuries were rushed to the

joint meeting to stop further confrontation in the area.

The Orient Petroleum staff, who escaped with injuries during the attack said: “We were surprised when we came to work to discover that there were no police and army personnel normally stationed at the refinery.

"As we were discussing the development, we suddenly saw a large number of men dressed in black and wearing red coloured head gears running towards the company.

“They were fully armed and they started shooting indiscriminately, which made the people run in different directions. I was lucky to find a shelter where I hid and as the workers ran away, they set construction equipment

belonging to a company working in the refinery ablaze.

“Because I knew the terrain very well, I managed to escape to safety with my wound. Up till this moment, we are still wondering how Kogi people knew that the set of security personnel in the refinery were to be changed that period. What this means is that there is somebody within the company, who informs them of the happenings and movements in the refinery.”

Meanwhile, people residing around the pontoon area within the vicinity of the refinery, said they were living in fear, following information that filtered into the area that Kogi people were boasting that they were their next target.

community and traditional rulers in the council area had risen in unity against its activities.

It was gathered that the Tale group reportedly kidnapped one Banji Orofin, who was taken to a forest after which a search party, including the police, went on a rescue mission for him.

A report was said to have been made by some youths who are keeping a tab on the activities of the group that some of the cultists were seen moving a body to the forest around 9:30p.m.

Consequently, a Jeep was sent by some leaders to rescue the kidnapped boy only for the group to ambush the car and set it ablaze together with the occupants.

Speaking with newsmen, the Olu Of Igbokoda in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, said he had called on relevant security agencies to come to the aid of the town over the activities of cultists who had been tormenting the people of the area.

Oba Odidiomo confirmed the killing of the six persons by the group who set their vehicle ablaze.

Police image maker, Wole Ogodo, said the Police were still investigating the report, adding that the details will be made open by the command after a thorough job.

hospital.

The statement read: “The auto crash involved a diesel truck with registration number AWKk 311 XB,believed to have lost control as a result of suspected brake failure, hit two buses with registration numbers UWN 406 XA and UWN 57 XA. The truck also hit a motorcycle before it ended up in a ditch.

“All the persons that were injured were rushed to Our Saviour Hospital, 9th Mile Corner, while the deceased have been deposited at the hospital’s mortuary.”

Meanwhile, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said, yesterday, in Onitsha, Anambra State, that the life of every Nigerian was important to the Federal Government, irrespective of status and where he/she is resident.

He spoke after visiting the scene of the incident where about 70 people died, following an inferno caused by a tanker loaded with fuel.

Osinbajo, who was accompanied by his host, Chief Willie Obiano and the senator representing Anambra Central senatorial district, Dr. Chris Ngige, said President Muhammadu Buhari was very concerned and pained by the fuel tanker tragedy that he felt it was not enough to send a condolence message and asked him to come and commiserate with the people of Anambra State.

He said: “I came on the instruction of President Muhammadu Buhari, who was greatly disturbed by the unfortunate accident.

“He asked me to come and first commiserate with Governor Obiano and Anambra people. He was very concerned that he felt it was not enough to issue condolence message and so asked me to come and commiserate with the people.

“I have been taken round to see the heroic action of the hospital staff and those involved in the emergency. Unfortunately, many lost their lives, but some have seen today and are responding to treatment” On arrival, Osinbajo visited nearby Toronto hospital where some of the patients of the accident were receiving treatment.

He told a large crowd that gathered around Asaba park, scene of the accident, that he had also been discussing with Governor Willie Obiano on possible ways of the Federal Government cooperating with the state to forestal further accidents.

He commended Governor Obiano for undertaking to settle the hospital bills of the victims.

While briefing the Vice President, Obiano gave the casualty figure as 42 dead and 17 injured.

He also said Anambra State government had banned long trucks and petrol tankers from plying the roads in Anambra during the day.

Obiano said the government had also banned heavy duty vehicles from plying state roads, adding that they often trans-load their contents on getting to state roads.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 17

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attended Kashim Shettima’s inauguration for a second term as governor of Borno State last weekend in Maiduguri. There was colour as to be expected of Borno; but there was also a somber thread to Governor Shettima’s thought as expressed in the opening sequence of his speech. It was understandable against the backdrop of a sixyear insurgency and the indescribable levels of destruction of lives and property that Borno has witnessed. How the people have managed to continue to get by, smile and laugh, hope and work, must be great advertisement for the human spirit. They even put up the famous Borno Durbar on Saturday but the backdrop had been two hours of firing of mortars and anti-aircraft weapons into Maiduguri, between midnight and 2am. By Saturday afternoon, Maiduguri witnessed two suicide bombings and the casualty figure began to mount. It seemed Boko Haram had chosen to test the resolve of Nigeria’s new president, Muhammadu Buhari. He, afterall, had vowed to crush the insurgency and security would become a major item in what must be a full in-box for the new president.

But things had appeared too slow at the beginning when there were no announcements of the first appointments of aides by the President within the first 48 hours. Thankfully by late Sunday evening, we knew the spokespersons and the Chief of Protocol. For Buhari, not even the best preparation can be enough to take in the enormity of troubles that Nigeria can throw at its president. Unlike when he first came to power in December 1983, Nigeria of 2015 possesses a completely different picture in practically every endeavour.

There is first of all the issue of demography; 75% of the population is under the age of 35. Incredibly enough, this is the majority of our population that chose to believe in Buhari’s message of change; they were his often, unpaid advocates and defenders in cyberspace and it was this generation of Nigerians in the main, who also voted massively and whose votes midwifed the administration of change!

Buhari must discover the creativity to keep the young on side by making their

Buhari’s presidency must deliver on security, which was one of the central points that he canvassed during the campaign

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Coming to terms with governance aspirations for education, skills and jobs the central concern of his administration.

Unfortunately, these cannot be easy, given the depth of rot that he has inherited. This is the reason why I do feel worried for him.In the age of social media and of very restive youth, the honeymoon period for the administration cannot be very long.

To underline the central place of security in the new architecture of governance, Buhari met the security chiefs

by Tuesday this week and would be setting out into our neighbouring countries of Niger and Chad, without doubt, to strengthen regional cooperation in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency. It is heartwarming that Buhari chose the “near abroad” as the first places to visit, thus setting a tone for what hopefully,

might likely become a trend into the future. Buhari’s presidency must deliver on security, which was one of the central points that he canvassed during the campaign. The Chibok Girls must return home so that we can find closure; the Nigerian armed forces should be given a new fillip in order to finish off the insurgency and the decision to move the command centre of the counterinsurgency to Borno is a most useful step in that direction. Nigerians want to see resolve and a much better managed security system that will reflect the military background and know-how of the new president. This will include managing the resistance that could ensue from a military/security system that has an entrenched interest in keeping things going as

they have so disastrously gone, under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

If the security reform envisaged can be described as a familiar terrain for President Buhari, it is clear that his most difficult decisions will have to be made in re-positioning the economy. Nigeria is in a very bad way economically and there can be no prettifying the position. This is where Buhari will deal with the largest collection of banana peels. Can we get by with an economic structure programmed to create the levels of inequalities and frightening destitution that are the hallmarks of Nigeria’s social existence today? And can the uncritical surrender to the market and neo-liberal orthodoxy (in short, more of the same)be the way to pull out of the current crises that we face?

Or will the Buhari

administration find other propeople means to stem the slide into an anarchic state of nature? How will the interests of the imperialist powers influence choices made in economic management? This isn’t an idle question because, on Sunday, President Buhari will be travelling out to attendthe G7 summit holding in Germany. The British Prime Minister David Cameron had in fact urged Buhari to come to the summit with a “wish list”.

But it was also reported that Cameron also sought Buhari’s “backing” for “free trade”, which the President’s office described as having the support of a number of countries. But “free trade” as sought is actually not in our interest, since the Economic Partnership Agreement, EPA, between the EU and African countries seeks that African countries open up to 83% of their markets to European imports. African countries cannot compete with Europe, meaning that these imports will clearly destroy existing and future industries in Africa, including Nigeria, if Buhari accepts the invitation to “support free trade”. President Buhari is beginning to come to terms with governance.The work at hand demands that everybody pulls in the same direction to succeed; but the political situation conditions every decision that will be made and that is never easy given the various tendencies at work!

Remembering the struggle in Western Sahara A

BUJA, our nation’s capital, has this week been hosting an International Conference on Western Sahara.

Titled “Towards the Liberation of Africa’s last Colony ”, the conference brought progressive intellectuals, students and leaders of the Nigerian working class movement together with delegates from around the world. The African Union was there and for the first time in a long time, the world converged in Abuja for a very worthy cause in support of African liberation.

The struggle of the people of Wester n Sahara, officially known as Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR, is the last issue on the African Agenda of anti-colonial independence. It is a shame and a blot on the humanity of all of us, that the people of that phosphate and fisheries rich country have remained colonised, not by the Spanish, that were the original colonizers, but another African country, Morocco. Morocco’s intransigent refusal to withdraw from its illegal annexation of Western Sahara, backed by the imperialist powers and reactionary Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, has prolonged the suffering of the heroic Saharawi people, who have refused to accept annexation as the end of their long struggle for independence, which had a fierce armed phase, that was suspended, in pursuit of a peaceful route towards

decolonisation.

This week’s international conference has come at a most poignant moment in Nigeria’s own history and it possesses a remarkably symbolic element that we must not lose sight of. It was during his first coming as Nigeria’s military Head of State, that General Buhari recognised the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, SADR. Nigeria’s proactive recognition of the Saharawi struggle as basically a decolonisation issue, helped to ginger African support for SADR and the country was admitted into the Organisation of African Unity, OAU and its successor body, the African Union, AU. Nigeria’s Foreign Minister at the time, who spearheaded the recognition of SADR, was Professor Ibrahim Gambari, who would go on to post a very distinguished international diplomatic career in the United Nations system. It was Professor Gambari that delivered the keynote address at this week’s international conference. The fact that the conference has held and has been so well attended, reflects the new dawn in Nigeria and the possibility that Nigerian Foreign Policy might be coming back to its old tradition of support for progressive human endeavours, but especially a more activist leadership for issues that affect the African continent and its peoples. Under the Jonathan administration, Nigerian Foreign Policy, if it ever really

existed, had departed from its traditions of independence and support for anti-imperialist struggles. Goodluck Jonathan opposed the African consensus, by supporting the imperialists’ (USA, Britain and France) bombing of Libya in 2011, much to the chagrin of other African countries. Blinded by his servile groveling surrender to imperialist diktat, Jonathan could not see the interconnectedness between the opening of the road to hell, which the Libyan invasion represented and the proliferation of sophisticated arms in West Africa, including inside Nigeria with the sophistication that the Boko Haram insurgency assumed after Ghadaffi was overthrown in Libya. The same man would bow to the diktat of the Zionist state of Israel, when a mere telephone call from the utterly reactionary Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, led Jonathan to betray the Palestinian people in a vote at the United Nations.

Progressive humanity has converged in Abuja this week to remind us all that for as long as a part of the African continent is occupied, then no African country or the individual African for that matter, can claim to be free. We worked collectively to end the intransigence of apartheid and imperialism in Southern Africa, and one after the other, colonies like Mozambique, Angola, Guinea Bissau, Zimbabwe and

Namibia gained independence.

Similarly, the African and international resolve terminated apartheid. The only part of our continent remaining under colonisation is Western Sahara(SADR). The new turn in Nigerian life has provided a progressive backdrop for Africans to work in a determined manner to ensure that we collectively help to ensure the complete decolonisation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic. In 2009, I travelled in the camps of Southern Algeria as well as the liberated areas of Sahara to get a first hand account of the position of the Saharawi people.

What I took away from that trip was the sacredness of hope that liberation will eventually come to its people as well as the anger of the youth of Sahara, that the world is not pressurizing the Moroccans as much as they should, to end the incongruity of an African country becoming the colonizer of another African people. We must therefore assist the process that will end this blot on our collective conscience.

This week in Abuja, Nigerian students, progressive intellectuals and working people picketed the Moroccan Embassy, as part of actions in support of decolonisation of Western Sahara. It will be noted around the world, that Africans have not abandoned the Saharawi people!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 THE momentous 2015 political transition successfully closed with the swearing into office of the various elected executive officers, particularly President Muhammadu Buhari and the various state governors on May 29.

It was a process that rendered Nigeria an enigma of sorts before the world. The elections were supposed to produce massive violence and bloodletting. Some even predicted possible disintegration of Nigeria. Nothing close to these predictions happened.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan, by conceding the election to Buhari, gave Nigeria an opportunity to make seamless transfer of power from the ruling party to the opposition, the first time in Nigeria and a great departure from the norm in most African elections.

Having settled into the office he

Challenges Before Buhari once occupied as a military officer and for which he contested four times, Buhari at 72, is saddled with the patriotic duty of healing wounds inflicted by the most abrasive electioneering process in Nigeria’s history. The voting pattern illustrated a deeply divided country, with 17 States in the old North and four States of the old West bunching together for Buhari and the All Progressives Congress, APC, while the old East and a sprinkling of States from around the country remained with the defeated Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

Happily enough, the President in his inaugural speech, made it clear he would be the President of everyone and not a President for any particular individual or group. We expect him to be true to his words and his oath of office by governing Nigeria without bias and thus give everybody a sense of belonging.

Some are saying Buhari is taking off rather slowly. They should understand that he needs to be democratic, away from authoritarian ways of military rule. Quick actions are necessary to sustain the hopes of Nigerians he raised

during the campaigns, but they have to be legitimate. He needs massive support to succeed. If he leaves things too late, the task would be more arduous.

Buhari should focus on the three priorities he promised: security, economic diversification and war on corruption. He should proceed with personal examples and ensure members of his team take the cue. Our people should live in a safer country, and the economy should be made to benefit everyone and give our people better living conditions.

Relentless emphasis on cutting cost of governance, by reducing luxuries attached to public offices, in line with the lean times, is important. Austerity measures are necessary for the country to mobilise resources it requires for development.

We wish President Buhari success as he sets out to make a difference.

OPINION

Change and illusion of sitting on the fence (2)

By Gerald Azike Continued from yesterday pg 18

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HEREFORE, to actualise the change of building a new Nigeria, all hands must be on deck. We may begin from a few areas. First, there is an urgent need to recalibrate our individual mental thought patterns as Nigerians. Our new categories of thought must include the aphorism “things must be done right for Nigeria to change and succeed”. This demands that the existential question of the meaning of life must be settled for a start. It is a sine-qua-non for a new Nigeria since the manner with which we lead our lives is an answer to an already posed question, what is the meaning of life?

Everything we do in life is an answer to this question even when we are not conscious of it. Is the essence of life for me all about pleasure and comfort, or is there something more?

As Heraclitus noted: “If happiness consisted in the pleasures of the body alone, we should call oxen happy whenever they come across bitter vetch to eat”. Therefore, the new C M Y K

pattern of change must include the truth that life is not all about what I can grab out of it since that is the fertile ground of corruption.

Secondly, the change must include a new appreciation of our diversity as a blessing rather than as a curse. Hyping our ethnic differences in the past has clogged the wheel of our national progress for too long. Some ethnic flag-wavers among us have destroyed our collective destiny by their neverending rant. Of course, I am not an unrealistic optimist who does not know that there are myriads of difficulties involved in managing our divergences. However, that cannot continue to hold our collective progress by the jugular since the testimony of history puts lie to such logic. Homogeneous groups do not

Some ethnic flag-wavers among us have destroyed our collective destiny by their never-ending rant

populate the most advanced nations of the world. Several examples can suffice to buttress this. The Flemish and Walloons of Belgium, the Scottish, Wales, Irish and English of United Kingdom, or even the Catalonians, who are different from the rest of the Spanish populace, are all perfect examples. They have tensions existing together in these different nations, yet all belong to the industrialized nations of the world.

Therefore, diversity is never a Nigerian peculiar problem; rather it is a human problem (or blessing). We all must believe in one project called Nigeria, for united we stand.

Thirdly, the change must involve a new attitude to our civic responsibilities. As Nigerians, we must uphold our collective destiny through a new way of doing things.

Our old dilettantish way must give way to real professionalism in whatever field we are. This must extend to being whistle blowers since that will be one of the best ways to hold our leaders responsible. The stories of crimes caught on the private cameras of Nigerians that have led to

arrests and trials are among the heart warmers of the new Nigeria. All those who made promises of change to us from the President to all the elected leaders must be constantly heckled to vexation any time they digress from the new path of change. But above all, we all must be the new agent of that change since no other person can fulfill my own part in the corporate existence of our nation.

Finally, I would want to close this piece with Jesus’ warning in the Scripture where a man who had experienced some changes in his life, did not do anything positive to advance and protect it. He placed his hope on external factors by not doing anything positive with his newfound situation until the evil spirit that was cast out came back with seven more deadly ones (MT. 12: 43-45). Friends, for the new Nigeria to be real, we can no longer indulge ourselves in soporifics. Otherwise, our nation will be worse than it is now. We must build a new Nigeria, but all must participate asartisans of that change. The President cannot do it all alone. With God on our side, we can surely succeed. Let the Change begin with me! God bless you all.

Rev. Fr. Azike wrote from Rome, Italy

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

— 21

Use domestic investment to fight pover ty – KPMG

By Michael Eboh

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From left: Team leader, International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) Audit & Technical Officer, Aviation Security, Audit Section, Mr. Steven Neu; Aviation Security Audit (ICAO), Mr. Karen Zadoyan; Chief Aviation Security, ICAO/Auditor (Namibia), Mrs. Wenny Mueller and Inspector, AVSEC, Civil Aviation Authority, Mr. Nuno Miguel Ferreira Fortes at the the opening ceremony of the ICAO Security Audit at NCAA Annex, Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

IHS sponsors Economist Intelligence Unit Report to better understand Nigerian SMEs

By Omoh Gabriel IHS Towers (“IHS”), a mobile telecommunications infrastructure provider in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, has sponsored a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, titled “Enabling a more productive Nigeria: Powering SMEs”.

The report launched yesterday, to coincide with the World Economic Forum on Africa, sets out the factors that empower small and medium enterprises (‘SMEs’) and looks to

$134. 15

1.45

$3,1116. 00

4. 00

$12.23

-0.09

$64.85

-0.64

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

195.95 298.3339 216. 0741 207.9266 1.5712 0.3078 271.4275 31.6126 52.2478 28.9683 272.8016

identify both what is driving growth as well as the issues that are holding them back.

Issam Darwish, Executive Vice Chairman and IHS Towers Group CEO, said in a remark said “Many of us are invested in Nigeria’s future prosperity, yet little is known about the universe of Nigerian SMEs and the entrepreneurs behind them, particularly the obstacles and enablers of their growth. This report recognises the efforts of government institutions in supporting SMEs but also importantly shines a light on the innovative thinking embedded in this vital part of Nigeria’s economy.

It helps us all to understand what can be done to support their growth and drive their productivity.

“The importance of mobile telecommunications and its role as a leapfrog technology is readily apparent from this study, affirming our belief that an enhanced mobile network materially

-0.47

CENTRAL 196.45 299.0951 216.6254 208.4571 1.5753 0.3178 272.1201 31.6937 52.3811 29.0422 273.4977

196.95 299.8564 217.1768 208.9877 1.5793 0.3278 272.8127 31.7748 52.5144 29.1161 274.1938

CBN Exchange Rate as at 3/ 06 /15

This report recognises the efforts of government institutions in supporting SMEs but also importantly shines a light on the innovative thinking embedded in this vital part of Nigeria’s economy

contributes to the growth of both urban and rural businesses, with the potential to reduce societal inequality. For example, a way to lessen the urban-rural digital divide is to deepen the application of mobile to agriculture, the sector in which the majority of Nigeria’s rural dwellers work. Combined with improved mobile networks in rural regions, the penetration of ICT across wider geographies will significantly support favourable income distribution trends throughout the continent.

“For IHS this report is fundamental to our business. Our belief is that the future economic and social development of Africa will be accelerated exponentially by mobile connectivity, and our team of over 2,000 engineers in five countries is focused on making this happen. We are committed to developing the communities we serve, and to help people and businesses across the region build a powerful, prosperous future.”

The report published today, looks at SME productivity across five categories – policy, transport, technology, energy and finance, combining SME interviews from across the country, with expert insights.

The findings suggest that Nigeria’s government has supported SMEs by reducing the costs of registering a business and through the launch of SME-targeted funds.

However, further attention should be given to the tax system - Nigerian SMEs are subject to complex and overlapping rules which need to be streamlined and simplified. In addition, import and customs charges are often unpredictable and costly, placing an additional burden on businesses, with no recourse available through official channels.

PMG has called on Nigeria and other African countries to focus on growing domestic investment and in promoting inter-African trade as this will help in reducing poverty in the continent.

Chairman, KPMG Africa & National Senior Partner, KPMG Nigeria, Mr. Seyi Bickersteth, in his presentation, ‘Nine mega-trends shaping the future of Africa’, also maintained that African countries can effectively reduce poverty only through sustained economic growth and development and also through effective governance.

He stated that despite the huge benefits of foreign direct investments (FDI), African countries must make efforts to pursue domestic investments, going by its contribution to economic development.

He said, “The reality is that effective governance is integral to sustainable economic development. For instance, the best way to reduce poverty is through continued economic development, where successful development and economic growth is dependent on a functioning and responsible government that wants to implement change for the benefit of its people.

“To put this into clearer perspective, while Africa is enjoying a continuous flow of foreign direct investment (FDI), it needs to be noted that it is domestic investment that fuels national economies, and increasing inter-African trade will make Africa more globally competitive.”

Bickersteth further lamented the numerous barriers hindering economic integration in the African continent, especially in the area of political will.

Continuing, he said, “While independence certainly has not led to political stability and liberation in every African country – and in some countries there is still a long way to go – this was a huge turning point in African history.

Unfortunately, achieving true unity remains a challenge as Africa is made up of 55 very different countries – and all at different levels of liberation.

“That said, governance is progressing and, although it will take more time to navigate through all the complexities, we should not forsake any movement towards achieving the African Dream of panAfricanism. “Today, seven of the 10 fastestgrowing economies in the world are in Africa and the continent is increasingly moving more into the global limelight as a promising investment destination – despite preconceived risks of investing in turbulent times.

“A significant amount of the growth that is being experienced and enjoyed in key markets across Africa is as a direct result of governments being able to successfully implement far-reaching economic and political reforms, thus creating more conducive business and investment climates.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

All business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid

,

,

Characteristics of successful entrepreneurs

R

egardless of your definition of success, there are a great number of common characteristics that are shared by successful business people. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed for your business to succeed.

Do what you enjoy What you get out of your business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, chances are you won’t succeed.

If you don't enjoy what you're doing, chances are you won't succeed

Take what you do seriously You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked and not staying motivated and keeping their noses to the grindstone.

Plan everything Planning every aspect of your business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research.

Manage money wisely The lifeblood of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid.

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (02/06/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

195.95

196.45

196.95

298.3339 216.0741 207.9266 1.5712 0.3078 271.4275 31.6126 52.2478 28.9683 272.8016

299.0951 216.6254 208.4571 1.5753 0.3178 272.1201 31.6937 52.3811 29.0422 273.4977

299.8564 217.1768 208.9877 1.5793 0.3278 272.8127 31.7748 52.5144 29.1161 274.1938

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Be customer focused Your business is all about your customers, or clients, period. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused. One of the biggest features and often the most significant competitive edge a small entrepreneur has over the larger competitors is that he can offer personalized attention.

Project a positive image You have but a passing moment to make a positive and memorable impression on people with whom you intend to do business.

Business owners must go out of their way and make a conscious effort to always project the most professional business image possible.

Competitive advantage A business must have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. This is nothing more than a fancy way of asking the vital question, “Why will people choose to do business with you or purchase your product or service instead of doing business with a competitor and buying his product or service?” In other words, what one aspect or combination of aspects is going to separate your business from your competition? Will it be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalized service, better customer service, better return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these?

Accessing small grants and loans (1):

United States African Development Foundation

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

S

mall businesses generate a lot of employment, improve local technology and produce many products and services that support larger companies and industries. Because of the important roles they play in economic growth, many governments and international organisations set up several grants and loans to support small and medium scale enterprises (SMEs) in Africa.

Applications for these grants and loans are usually free, but not many people know about these opportunities or even bother to apply for them.

Some of these include: African Guarantee Fund (AGF), United States African Development Foundation (USADF), and African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), among many

others.

USADF The United States African Development Foundation (USADF) was established with a unique mission to by-pass layers of government inefficiencies by working directly with the most needy communities in Africa. Its programs respond to local project requests by actively engaging the local community group or enterprise in the design and implementation of the projects. This ensures that outcomes best address the real community needs.

The core operating principles of the Foundation include: Focus program activities on marginalized communities in Africa; Invest in Africans and their ideas through participatory development; Ensure projects produce long term social and economic results and; Promote African led and managed field project support.

Others are: Achieve the

highest levels of openness and transparency; Support and develop an equal opportunity, results driven staff that rewards hard work, dedication to the mission, and personal success; and Model high effectiveness and low overhead operations.

USADF grant is available to entrepreneurs in more than 19 African countries, including Nigeria. It provides funding to small-scale agricultural producers, small and medium-sized businesses and communitybased organisations.

Applications are free and very straightforward. It supports African-led development that grows community enterprises by providing seed capital and technical support. This empowers those who are least served by existing markets or assistance programs to become a part of Africa’s growth story.

The Foundation works with small holder farmers; youth;

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (03/06/15) Last 60.14

Change ($) -1.12

% Change -1.83

2.65

-0.05

-1.67

12.28

-0.04

-0.32

134.20

+1.50

+1.13

3,127.00

+15.00

+0.48

women and girls; and communities recovering from major crisis. It works by building a network of African expert support providers; identifying community enterprises with potential; providing an integrated package of support and; managing for results Eligibility USADF provides funding for the following types of groups: Agricultural Cooperatives and Small-scale Producer Groups - Organizations formed by a group of smallscale farmers, artisans, or producers to achieve some or all of the advantages of large-scale marketing and production. Communitybased Oganizations (CBOs) Organizations made up of a group of people who come together to accomplish a common goal or a set of goals tailored to meet the development needs of their community.

African Intermediary Organizations (AIOs) - Organizations that work directly with very lowincome people and underserved groups.

The majority of USADF’s funding agreements range between $50,000 and $250,000. Application for grant is free, there is no fee associated with grant application, and should be directed to USADF Country Representative.

USADF has two major priorities when considering

USADF grant is available to entrepreneurs in more than 19 African countries, including Nigeria

request for funding a project: Does the application come from an African community group or organization that represents its own development priorities and includes the participation of the poor in setting project objectives?

Does the application represent a project that could provide maximum benefit to an underserved and underserved population group?

Project applications are evaluated on the basis of potential benefits to the community, potential for job creation, workers income improvements, long term profitability, and managerial strengths and capabilities.

O r g a n i s a t i o n requirements The organisation must be 100 percent African-owned and managed. It must be a legally recognized African entity (or in the process of becoming legally registered.

Registration must be completed before any funding may be provided). It must demonstrate that it has successfully worked together and has the potential to productively utilize development funds.

The ownership and management must be in agreement on the problem to be addressed and have a commitment to benefit their community.

The organisation must have basic functional management and controls to use and account for USADF funds.

Benefit requirements The proposed project should represent both the applicant’s and targeted beneficiaries' identified needs. The outcome of the project must provide real (measurable) benefits to the community. Benefits include job creation, increased incomes levels, improved market access, and quality of life improvements.

What is unethical and disturbing is when employees have chosen not to add value to the organisations paying them

,

Are CEOs solely responsible for salary payment in organisations?

“Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves”...Friedrich Nietzsche

S

urprisingly, a lot of employees still have the kind of mindset I will refer to as SWAP mindset.

SWAP stands for “Salaries Will Always be Paid”.

Realistically, it is ethical and legal that organisations should pay their workers or employees' salaries as at when due. On the other hand, what is unethical and disturbing is when employees have chosen not to add value to the organisations paying them.

In this instance, they just come to work for coming sake without doing even the least that is expected from them. These classes of people do not care what may happen to their organisations tomorrow in as much as their salaries will come today. They work for themselves and not for their organisations. Discussing with one another, they say things like: “Please don’t kill yourself for this organisation” or “Is your father the owner of this company?”

M

y goal for this insight is for us to understand who is responsible for paying our salaries in organisations.

First and foremost, it is only a company or an organisation that has not been run down (that is alive) that can pay salaries. Even the CEO will only receive financial reward in a company that has not gone under. Now we can begin to understand that both the CEO and the other employees have individual roles to play in ensuring the growth and sustainability of their organisation. I have

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

No one is responsible for paying your salaries except yourself

had cause to ask directly from participants who have attended my training at one time or the other about who is responsible for paying their salaries. A lot of them mentioned their CEOs, Board of Directors, and Human Resources Department, etc. But no one mentioned himself or herself as being responsible.

No one is responsible for paying your salaries except yourself. If no one is adding value to the organisation, definitely the organisation might find it difficult to stay afloat let alone paying salaries. So see yourself as the most recognized person responsible for paying yourself.

A

s soon as we are in the payroll of any organisation, we owe that organisation a huge

obligation. The foundational obligation comes from understanding that our organisation is now our business. At a session, I have asked people if they have ran a personal business before and almost all of them said no. That means what they are doing presently in their organisation is their business. Moreover that business (the work they are doing) has being taken care of their personal and family needs. With this in mind, every employee should take ownership of the business and their roles. They should see their organisation's business as their own business. They should also begin to understand that when they are playing their part, when they are adding value, when they are exceeding expectation (or at the least, meeting expectation), they are crediting the till box from which their salaries will come from.

Final note: Having ownership mentality will help us to see our organisation as our business first and foremost.

Like I always say, no one will want his or her business to fail. Everyone has a role to play. It is not only the CEO or the top management that is expected to play the role of growing the organisation.

Everyone that earns a salary should justify why he or she is on the payroll.

Most importantly, everyone should bring his or her value to the table in order to fertilize the organisation for more growth. That way, we all shall say we have a “breathing” organisation that is alive to put money in our pockets.

For your views perspectives Email: uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093 www.hainescentre.com

or

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

T

he Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) is the portion of customer’s deposits that banks must keep as cash with the CBN or in their vaults. This ratio determines the amount of cash available to banks for lending to customers and also the interest rate at which they lend.

Prior to its meeting last month, the MPC practiced discriminatory CRR policy which stipulates 75 percent CRR for public sector deposit and 20 percent CRR for private sector deposit.

But the MPC, at its last meeting which held from Monday May 18th to Tuesday 19th it harmonised the CRR for both public and private sector deposits at 31 percent.

According to the communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, nine of the eleven members of the Committee voted in favour of harmonising the CRR. The nine members are: Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor, CBN; Mr. Adelabu, Adebayo, Deputy Governor, Corporate Services Directorate; Dr. (Mrs) Sarah Alade, Deputy Governor, Economic Policy Directorate; Alhaji Barau Suleiman, Deputy Governor, Operations Directorate; Dr. Joseph Nnana, Deputy Governor, Financial System Stability; Alhaji Balami, Dahiru Hassan; Mr. Daniel-Nwaobia Anastasia; Mr. Lawson Stanley; Alhaji Yahaya, Shehu.

Two MPC members voted against harmonisation namely Alhaji Garba Abdul-Ganiyu and Uche, Chibuike.

Justifying Harmonisation Summarising the argument for harmonisation, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele stated, “Furthermore, the Committee considered that the current discriminatory CRR on public and private sector deposits has not only constrained the policy space but could inspire moral hazard by private market participants.

Consequently, it was recognised that while additional tightening measures may not be appropriate now to avoid overheating the economy, harmonisation of the CRR was imperative in order to curb abuses and improve the efficacy of monetary policy.

Argument against Harmonisation Abdul-Ganiyu and Chibuike however argued against harmonising the CRR, saying there is no justifiable reason for such policy decision. They argued that the discriminatory cash reserve ratio was rendered ineffective by banks that deliberately undermined the policy by reclassifying public sector deposits as private sector deposit, and the failure of the CBN to punish the malpractice by applying appropriate sanction.

Presenting his argument

BRIEFS Ecobank may go for out-of-court settlement with Ex-CEO Tanoh

E

cobank Transnational Inc. said it may end its battle against former Chief Executive Officer Thierry Tanoh through an out-of-court settlement.

The bank may seek an agreement with Tanoh this year over damages exceeding $35 million awarded by West African courts against his former employer, Ecobank CEO Albert Essien said yesterday in an interview in Cape Town at the World Economic Forum on Africa.

“Although the court process will go on, we will ultimately settle amicably,” Essien said.

I cannot stop the court process till we have a settlement. Both options will for now be pursued.”

•Emefiele, CBN Governor

Dissenting voices against harmonisation of Cash Reserve Ratio

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE against harmonisation of CRR, Abdu-Ganiyu in his personal statement said, “I have absolutely no reason at this MPC meeting to vote for a harmonization of CRR. I have listened to and contemplated all the arguments put forth. But I am not convinced. It was clear to me based on available data that it was not valid to claim that the policy was not successful.

What was clear was that the policy particularly from December 2014 was being undermined by deliberate reclassifications that needed to be penalized. The right solution was enforcement of the rules of the game not changing the rules. The claim that discriminatory CRR was fiscal policy is not valid and as revealed by Staff Reports, discriminatory CRR is being effectively implemented in Brazil to achieve their peculiar objectives. The CBN Act gives MPC the responsibility of attaining price stability and supporting the Federal Government to achieve its economic objectives. What is more, the fifth principal object of the Central Bank is to act as

banker to the Federal Government and provide economic and financial advice to the federal government.” It is important and necessary for policy success that the CBN is able to be an effective banker and economic and financial adviser to the Federal Government and that the Federal Government supports the CBN to fulfil its responsibilities.”

Further Argument Harmonisation Chibuike in his personal statement, said, “I am personally not convinced that

It is important to assert that sabotaging monetary policy because of micro interests has grave repercussions for the nation’s economy

this is the right policy at the present time. My position on this matter is based on some important factors.

In the first place, it is pertinent to note that charging CRR on public sector deposits is an anomaly. This is because by law, the CBN is the banker to government and as such, it is expected that all government deposits should be domiciled in the CBN. In practice, this legal requirement has arguably been subverted for a long time now because of personal interests of government operatives and policy makers. Although the Federal Government has for over a decade been mouthing its determination to operationalise the TSA, it is obvious that it is yet to muster the political will to do so.

The policy of putting a high CRR (75%) on public sector deposits was adopted because of the need to sterilize some of the money that should legally be in the CBN coffers. In other words, MPC simply decided to force the Government to comply to a reasonable extent with the laws of the land with respect to ensuring that at least most of the government monies are removed from the

A commercial court in Ivory Coast last month ordered Ecobank’s local unit to pay Tanoh 8.2 billion CFA francs ($14 million). That was on top of $22.5 million Tanoh was awarded in January and February by courts in Ivory Coast and Togo. A London court blocked those two rulings in April, a judgment Tanoh’s lawyer said he would challenge.

Tanoh left Lome, Togo-based ETI, as the bank is known, more than a year ago after regulators investigated allegations of fraud and poor governance while he was CEO. He denied wrongdoing and took the bank to court for wrongful termination and defamation. ETI says Tanoh’s contract was based on British law and that the two West African courts have no jurisdiction.

ETI will sell a stake in Ecobank Nigeria Ltd. by the end of 2015 to boost the unit’s capital, Essien said. Ecobank Nigeria is ETI’s biggest subsidiary with $9.4 billion of assets.

ETI, whose largest shareholders are Johannesburg-based Nedbank Group Ltd. and Qatar National Bank SAQ, owns all of Ecobank Nigeria.

“It will be up to Ecobank’s shareholders if they want to buy equity in the Nigerian business,” he said.

Essien will step down this year, because he has reached the bank’s mandatory retirement age. A successor will be named this month, he said. ETI is due to hold an annual general meeting on June 19 in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 25

CONFERENCE: From left; Dr Pascal Anosike, Director, Centre for African Entrepreneurship and Leadership, University of Wolverhampton; Prof Miceal Barden, Dean School of Social Science, University of Wolverhampton; Prof Faruk Haruna, Vice Chancellor, Niger State University of Education; Prof Geoff Layer, Vice Chancellor, University of Wolverhampton; Prof Anthea Gregory, Deputy Vice Chancellor, University of Wolverhampton; Mrs Ajoke Ogunsan, CEO Executive Trainers; Prof Victor Peretemode, Vice Chancellor, Delta State University and Dr Ayodele Ogunsan at the just concluded Higher Education Conference in the United Kingdom.

Graduate unemployment, time-bomb in Nigeria

By Dayo Adesulu

A

S graduate unemployment rate soars in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and South Africa, report has revealed that students in these sub-Saharan African countries no longer see their future in conventional salaried employment, but rather in selfemployment.

The research which was conducted by more than 6000 final-year students and focus groups with students in all four African countries is a focal point of discuss at the ‘Going Global’, the British Council’s annual conference for leaders of international education in London.

According to National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.90 percent in 2011 from 21.10 percent in 2010.

Unemployment Rate in Nigeria

Kogi govt owes teachers N23bn NUT PG. 27

Probe allocation, IGR of higher institutions, TMG urges Buhari PG. 28 C M Y K

averaged 14.60 Percent from 2006 until 2011, reaching an all time high of 23.90 Percent in 2011 and a record low of 5.30 Percent in 2006.

According to the Statistics South Africa,unemployment rate in South Africa increased to 26.40 percent in the first quarter of 2015 from 24.30 percent in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Unemployment Rate in South Africa averaged 25.27 percent from 2000 until 2015, reaching an all time high of 31.20 percent in the first quarter of 2003 and a record low of 21.50 percent in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Quoting Ghana Statistical Service, unemployment rate in Ghana decreased to 5.20 percent in 2013 from 5.96 percent in 2010. Unemployment Rate in Ghana averaged 8.82 percent from 2001 until 2013, reaching an all

time high of 12.90 percent in 2005 and a record low of 5.20 percent in 2013.

Unemployment Rate in Ghana is reported by the Ghana Statistical Service. In Ghana, the unemployment rate measures the number of people actively looking for a job as a

According to National Bureau of Statistics, unemployment rate in Nigeria increased to 23.90 percent in 2011 from 21.10 percent in 2010

percentage of the labour force.

Kenya National Bureau of Statistics says, ''unemployment Rate in Kenya increased to 40 percent in 2011 from 12.70 percent in 2006. Unemployment Rate in Kenya averaged 22.43 Percent from 1999 until 2011, reaching an all time high of 40 Percent in 2011 and a record low of 12.70 Percent in 2006.

Meanwhile, the findings by the researchers represent the second published report of a three year research project ‘Universities, Employability and Inclusive Development’ (2013-2016), commissioned by the British Council and being led by a research team at the United Kingdom’s University College London Institute of Education. The research which focuses

Continues on page 26

Commissioner tasks stakeholders on state’s educational policies

By Amaka Abayomi

T

HE Commissioner for Education in Lagos State, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye has tasked stakeholders in the education sector to adhere to the state’s education policies for the betterment of education in the state.

Oladunjoye, who gave the advice at a stakeholders’ forum with proprietors of private schools in Lagos State on Education Quality Assurance organized by the Office of Education Quality Assurance, emphasized the commitment of the state government in ensuring the safety of the children in the state’s schools as the template already established will be sustained by the incoming administration.

She said the state government is doing its best to raise the standard of education in the state as well as provide necessary infrastructures which can only be achieved with the support of the stakeholders. To this end, she urged private schools proprietors to support the incoming government.

Hinting that the incoming government at the federal level has promised to adopt the Lagos State educational model, Oladunjoye urged the school owners to ensure that they are duly registered with the state government for accurate data so that infrastructures can be planned for.

Earlier on in her speech, the Director General, Office Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Commissioner tasks stakeholders on state’s educational policies Continues from page 25 Earlier on in her speech, the Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, said “the aim of this forum is to have a robust interactive session in which all issues will be discussed to move education forward and to intimate you about the new trend in the discharge of our responsibilities as education

UNVEILING: From left; Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye;

Director General, Office of Education Quality Assurance, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo; and DirectorGeneral, Lagos State Safety Commission, Mrs. Dominga Odebunmi, at the unveiling of schools approval signage in Lagos State.

Graduate employment time-bomb in Nigeria Continues from page 25 on Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, and the UK for comparative purposes aimed at projecting and exploring the role of higher education in fostering employability and developing just and prosperous societies.

At the conference, the report findings were launched and discussed by a panel of students from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and the UK. The report states that for many graduates, the great promise of the university has not been fulfilled adding, ‘’Diplomas have not provided automatic white-collar employment as may have been the case in previous decades, and in some contexts such as Nigeria, employment rates are no better for graduates than for those with primary or secondary level qualifications.”

The report shows a rising focus on self-employment instead of salaried employment – seen most obviously in Kenya, with a staggering 64 per cent of students aspiring to be self-employed. In the UK, the proportion of students who are in self-employment or starting their own business six months after graduation is only 4 per cent.

A clear finding from the survey is that for universities to be able to play a significant role in the continent’s social and economic progress, African institutions should not view students just as consumers, providing ‘valuefor-money’ products that will be attractive to the market, but should include them as primary stakeholders in the collective task of ensuring a rich and relevant learning environment.

The survey pointed out six key issues which include; students no longer see their

future in conventional salaried employment. Giving back to their communities is an important goal for students and Careers services and skills development programmes are underutilised. Others are, students from disadvantaged backgrounds face an uphill struggle. Universities are still characterised by rote learning and despite the critical problems, students are unwilling to speak out about the problems their universities face.

Reacting to this survey and seeking a way forward to the dawnward trends, Tony Reilly, the British Council’s Director in Kenya, at the conference said: “Higher education is becoming increasingly important in the context of the knowledge society, and governments and development agencies alike are showing greater recognition of higher education’s critical contribution to development in the post-2015 agenda.’’

He said, if Africa is to harness the enormous potential of its burgeoning next generation and reap a demographic

A clear finding from the survey is that for universities to be able to play a significant role in the continent’s social and economic progress, African institutions should not view students just as consumers

dividend out of its youth populations, the issue of graduate employability needs to be first understood and then tackled head on.

He averred that given the significant lack of rigorous research in the four countries in question, it was essential to develop a strong evidence base on the subject as a means of informing national policies, institutional reform and programme interventions.

“We hope the findings of our research will help UK universities to build sustainable partnerships with their Higher Education counterparts in sub-Saharan Africa, and that these partnerships will act as a significant nexus of positive change” Reilly said.

According to him, a major challenge for the region is that higher education systems have been allowed to expand without corresponding resources, leading to questions being asked around the quality of graduates exiting universities into an already congested job market.

The report argues that as been the case in primary education in the past two decades, a shift of conception is needed from access to quality, or access with quality and relevance.

On his part, the author of the report, Dr Tristan McCowan said: “A revealing aspect of the research is that students in the survey were for the most part positive about their universities, despite the serious concerns over quality expressed by other stakeholders. ‘’It seems they either lack a benchmark by which to evaluate their institutions, or are aware of their shortcomings, but do not feel at liberty to criticise them. ‘’Informally, students express their concerns, but they lack channels through which to influence their institutions.’’

quality providers.”

While appreciating the contributions of the stakeholders, Soyombo advised them not to rest on their oars, urging them also to keep up the good work.

“I urge the already standardized schools to mentor and assist those who are still below the expected level because you are not just helping them but you are helping yourselves.”

Probe allocation, IGR of higher institutions, TMG urges Buhari

By Caleb Ayansina

A

BUJA – TRANSITION Monitoring Group (TMG) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to look into money allocated to the higher institutions of learning including their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), with a view to ensuring judicious use of educational resources in the country.

The group alleged that an unfathomable level of corruption is going on in the nation’s education system, as money given to them is not properly used.

The chairman of TMG, Com. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, who called for the probe in a press conference on the expectations of Nigerians from the Buhari’s administration, in Abuja, said there must be a standard education system for the nation to succeed.

He said; “All the grants and allocations made to institutions of higher learning should be probed.

The revenue generated from students, money collected from government is not properly used. There is fraud going on and it must be looked into.”

TMG insisted that the best way to improve the standard of education in Nigeria is to ensure that it is better funded.

“The change of baton we all look forward to is one which the Nigerian people expect to thoroughly reverse the decay in the system.

“In education, we hope to see better funding and a mechanism to address the challenges confronting the sector. Nigeria is as good as the quality of the manpower which its educational institutions are able to produce,”Zikirullahi said.

Kogi owes teachers N23bn — NUT

By Boluwaji Obahopo

N

IGERIA Union of Teachers, NUT, Kogi State chapter has said that the State Government is owing the Basic Education Teachers in the State N23 billion.

The State NUT Chairman, Comrade Suleman Abdullahi, who stated this in Lokoja while speaking with journalists said N8.7billion of this debt are arrears of four years leave grant.

Abdullahi said the sad development has reduced the zeal of the teachers in discharging their duties adequately in the State, “With this development, there cannot be commitment from a teacher who is sick and hungry. There cannot be commitment from a teacher who is not sure of what he would be paid and when he will be paid”.

The NUT boss however charged the State Government to show more commitment and be proactive on the welfare of teachers, “At present, teachers can not pay medical expenses of their loved ones nor feed well while they are being ejected from their houses due to inability to pay rent.

“Government has done not less than six screening exercises since 2008 to date but the question is why has there not been official position by the government on all these reports? We expect the government to use the report to determine the number of teachers, pay four years leave grant, pay outstanding from the various percentages, implement promotion and pay salaries as at when due,” he said.

Abdullahi also denied the allegation that the union executive has compromised the welfare of basic education teachers, “Welfare of members is the union’s priority and, it is only an irresponsible government that would resort to bribing union officials and continue to have bad image.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 27

SUCCESS RECIPE WITH UDEME ARCHIBONG successrecipe2009@gmail.com www.worldlightbearersint.com 08035095243

If It’s to be, it’s up to you O

DONATION: Save Our Needy, a non governmental organisation, distributing school bags to pupils of St. Michael's Nursery and Primary School I & II and Alaworo Nursery and Primary School, Ojo-Okokomaiko during their maiden edition of helping students.

MTN staff storm 12 schools to boost digital learning

By Glory Ekwenuya

I

N its passion for education development, MTN operations across 22 countries in Africa and the middle East are uniting to kick off their annual staff volunteerism initiative during the 21 days Y’ello Care programme. The 21 days Y’ello Care is a period when MTN staff contribute both in cash and in kind to develop students.

Speaking at the occasion held at its corporate office in Lagos, the CEO, MTN Nigeria, Mr Michael Ikpoki said that over the next 21days, there will be various community building activities which employees of MTN will engage in.

According to him, this year ’s theme tagged

“Investing in Education for All” will focus on digital learning. He said: “As limited access to quality education continues to plague Africa’s growth and development, the role of digital learning in ICT era is becoming more compelling. This is because digital learning brings to the table, immediate, diverse and customized access to worldclass education and beyond that, a multiplicity of opportunities for advancement."

The CEO who reiterated MTN's commitment to increase and consolidate its efforts in contributing to the nation’s education sector, pointed out the application of digital learning as focal point within the 21 days.

“We are once again

presented with a unique platform over the next 21days, to contribute to this kind of impact while also leading the delivery of a bold new Digital World to our customers,’’ he added.

He specifically noted some key projects, which include: Establishing Digital Learning Facilities in Libraries of 12 schools in six MTN locations nationwide, Book Reading Sessions, Train-the-Teacher Project, Y’ello Tutor Project,Environmental Beautification Project, Fund Raising Campaign, to mention a few.

He, therefore, urged every MTN users to make a personal commitment to participate in as many of these activities as possible.

Leaders in academia to brainstorm on best practices in education mgt

By Dayo Adesulu

I

N a bid to bring together leaders in academia, business, government and civil society, to discuss and identify best practices for integrating sustainability and responsibility into management education, PRME Secretariat of the UN Global Compact Office is set to host the 6th PRME Assembly on June 23-25, 2015.

The PRME initiative facilitates organizational change, inspiring and recognizing higher education institutions that embed corporate responsibility and sustainability into their curricula, thereby producing business leaders equipped to manage the complex challenges facing business and society.

This year one of the main discussion points will be the involvement of business and management education in contributing to the

forthcoming UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Since the initiative’s launch in 2007, over 600 institutions have signed up to PRME. Inspiring examples will be presented at the forum, including Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria, which introduced a Managerial Anthropology programme; an approach to teaching a more holistic, human-centred vision for business than the

This deepened understanding of human nature helps students to be better able to lead and relate to selves and others

traditional economic outlook.

Speaking on the essence of the assembly Kemi Ogunyemi, Professor, Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University, Nigeria said; “This deepened understanding of human nature helps students to be better able to lead and relate to selves and others. It emphasises the importance of fostering human dignity and human flourishing and enables responsible use of freedom. In the process, it empowers the students to be true leaders, whether informally or formally, in their future careers.”

PRME signatory schools and universities are working to improve responsible management worldwide through innovative strategies and initiatives.

The Global Forum will provide a space to identify global trends for 2015-2030 and will include business and management education.

n the side walks of life thoughts; the images or the crowd of people are pictures you hold in your mind standing still in diverse groups and the actions you take or from diverse cultures of diverse your behaviour. These things races blaming and create the conditions and complaining; if I had money...; experiences of your life. Here’s if I had a good education...; if I the rub, “We are where we are had someone to help me...; if and what we are because of our only the boss appreciated me...; choices and until we take if conditions around me were absolute responsibility for our different...; if I hadn’t failed...; choices we will not be able to if I didn’t have a past...; if I create or experience the future could meet the right people...; we want.” Therefore, if we if I could marry the right really want to change the person...; if I could live my life circumstances and experiences over again...; if I only knew of our lives, we must begin by how...; and the voice trails off changing ourselves; that’s the into silence. reason success is “inside-out”.

The road less travelled is the But many people have made it road of taking absolute an “outside-in” approach that’s responsibility for the outcome why they remain stagnant of our destiny. The road where they are. frequently travelled is the road Our life is the product of our with the inscription which says, choices.

Our genetic “I am not responsible; it’s the composition or hereditary traits, problem in the environment; our upbringing and childhood it’s my upbringing, my experiences, environmental background; it’s the influences, people and weaknesses of other people; it’s circumstances of life the circumstances over which I undoubtedly influence us; but have no control; Therefore, it’s these factors do not determine not my fault and there’s the outcome of our lives. We are nothing I can not a product of our do about it condition or except there’s conditioning, but an external We cannot rather we are a change my life product of our choose our will not get choices. Our life is better.

No background determined by our doubt these choices. Within you or who our external factors lies the power to do exist but if change your life parents are, these were the through the power but we can determining of choice. factor for the We cannot choose choose what outcome of our our background or we become in who our parents lives nobody could have ever are, but we can our lives succeeded. choose what we Success become in our lives. responds to the We cannot choose individual who make use of our physical attributes, but we whatever tools life has handed can choose and shape our over to him. Life always hands personality. We cannot choose over to us something our nationality or race, but we worthwhile that can make a can choose our sphere of difference in our lives. Life can influence. We have never been never leave you with nothing. able to choose our temperament The problem lies when we do or our talents, but we can not recognize or we minimize choose to develop them into a the value of what life gives to masterpiece. We cannot choose us. Most of us rather than people’s opinion of us, but we focusing on what life have can choose the opinion we have given to us, we focus on what of ourselves. Neither can we we do not seem to have and we choose people’s attitude discard what we have. When towards us, but we can choose we focus on what we can how we respond to them. We change, we gain control over could not choose our our destinies and stand a upbringing, but we can chance of influencing what we certainly choose our upshot. We do not have control over. But cannot choose what the weather when we focus on what we do will be, but we can choose our not have control over, we lose feelings about the day. We may our ability to effect a change and not be able to choose all our we become helpless in gaining circumstances or conditions, but control over our lives. As a we can choose what we can do result we come up with a lot of about them. We are able to “if only”; “I can’t”; “I have to” choose our actions, but we are to excuse or abdicate us from not free to choose the responsibility. Excuses make consequences of those actions. failure out of men but taking And all in all, our choices absolute responsibility to determine our chances in life. succeed makes champion out of Therefore, if you really want men. The only things you have to change your life, it’s up to absolute control over are your you.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNNE 4, 2015

Time for class action suit against NUC, CLE, NLS and JAMB (2)

TRAINING: From left; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Osun State, Mr. Lawrence Oyediran, representing theDeputy Governor; a guest; Managing Partner, Axiom Learning Solutions Limited, Mr. Ani Charles Bassey-Eyo and Managing Director, Vetiva Trustees Limited, Ms Ifeoma Udom, during the closing ceremony of the two-day teachers’ training programme, in Osogbo, Osun State.

Ndiomu Foundation boosts Osun teachers’ practical teaching skill ...As Axiom Learning get participants’ thumb up

By Bashir Adefaka

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HE Charles Bebeye Ndiomu Foundation has carried out its social responsibility by taking the second edition of its ‘Train the Trainer Initiative’ to Osun State where it staged, for selected number of teachers from across Osun State, a two-day extensive training programme in classroom management and activity oriented lessons in core subjects.

At the closing ceremony of the training programme, held in Ataoja High School of Science, Abere, Osogbo, Osun State, the foundation, according to Managing Director of Vetiva, Ms Ifeoma Udom, was said to have thought Osun fit as beneficiary of this year ’s edition of the annual ‘train the trainer initiative’ with intent to spread the benefits to a generality of Nigerians having held the first edition a year ago in Bayelsa State.

Managing Partner of Axiom Learning Solutions Limited, Mr. Charles Bassey-Eyo, who said his organisation is a learning and development company working with public, private and third sector organisations in ensuring effective learning and development solutions, was happy the Osogbo teachers training event was a success.

He said, “We worked with the state ministry of education and SUBEB and we asked for teachers that will not retire in the next five or ten years because we want to ensure that we don’t just give skills and those skills are leaving the state teaching service.”

Osun State Deputy Governor, Otunba Titilayo Laoye-Tomori, represented by the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Mr. Lawrence Oyeniran and Chairman of the State Universal Basic

Education Board (SUBEB), Mr. Felix Awofisayo were on ground to appreciate the good gesture of the Charles Bebeye Ndiomu Foundation. They were particularly appreciative of the training expertise displayed by Axiom’s facilitators and promised to continue from where the training stopped.

Essentially, the deputy governor said investing in education has always been at the top of Governor Aregbesola’s list “hence the partnership with the Charles Bebeye Ndiomu Foundation to assist in retraining of the teachers to increase student performance and decrease teacher anxiety.”

Vetiva’s boss, Ifeoma Udom, in her address on behalf of the foundation, said, “We have set for ourselves a mission to promote the quality of education in various communities across Nigeria and to provide accessibility to standard education by desiring youths through the provision of educational infrastructure, scholarship schemes and teachers’ training programmes. It is in line with this objective that we

I must confess to you that I have learned a lot for the two days we have been taken through this training

commenced the Train the Trainer Initiative which was first introduced in 2014 in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, where the Foundation in conjunction with the Bayelsa State Universal Basic Education Board successfully organised a twoday training of secondary school teachers across the state.

"This second edition of the programme, we are very pleased to observe, has been warmly received by your esteemed state. Participants have been successfully trained on activity oriented lessons on the components of an effective lesson delivery in core subject areas. It is our understanding that the participants have maximally benefited from this two-day exercise and the feedback is that they are eager to go back to their respective schools and put into practice the knowledge that they have gained here,” she said.

Participants, who spoke with Vanguard Learning during the closing ceremony include Mrs Oluwatoyin Omidiran of Unity High School, Osogbo and Mr. Emitoma Hussein of School of Science, Iragbiji, both in Osun State.

Omidiran said, “I must confess to you that I have learned a lot these two days we have been taken through this training. If you look at the theme, ‘classroom management and activity oriented lessons in core subjects,’ you would agree with me that the training succeeded in empowering me in practically imparting quality knowledge to the students without stress. I teach Agricultural Science and I learned that students understand quickly what they can lay their hands upon and easily remember it when exam comes."

four years in its law programme – “Governments are best classified based on provisional approval. by considering who are the JAMB lists it in its brochure “somebodies” they are in fact without warning prospective endeavouring to satisfy.” lawyers of the status of the Alfred North Whitehead, 1861university. Then, totally avoidable 1947, in ADVENTURES IN disaster occurs. In the middle of IDEAS. the fourth year, the NUC asked the But, it is not only governments university to close down its law which we should ask the question. programme. Several hundred All agencies of government and students suddenly find, to their even Non-Government horror, that they were never law Organisations, NGOs, need to be students all along. Where does a asked the same question – Level-400 student start all over especially when their decisions again? Would the university affect other citizens. The National refund ALL the tuition, and other University Commission, NUC, fees collected from the victims of the Nigerian Law School, NLS, what, in effect, was a grand scam?

Joint Admission and Who will pay for this? Only a Matriculation Board, JAMB, all totally unethical society would Federal government agencies; as expect the victims to accept their well as the Council on Legal losses as an act of God when every Education, CLE, which is not an step of the way to this tragedy was agency of government combine to paved with willful conduct by determine the fates of those government officials. embarking on law as a profession If JAMB was derelict in its in Nigeria today. Perhaps the time duties, NUC is worse. Again, one has come when Nigerians should should ask: who are the be asking the question: “who are “somebodies” the Commission the “somebodies” each of these wants to satisfy? The calamity organizations is established to which the NOUN episode satisfy?” Just as important are the represents is only a tip of the ice following questions: “are those berg where NUC’s contribution to the segments of society they the destruction of university should seek to satisfy? And are education is concerned. they doing it?”

Accreditation, which should have One way of looking at these been a professional and issues is to go outside the impassionate exercise sometimes profession. Elsewhere, it is has become a goldmine for those generally assumed that the sent to conduct the exercise. The consumers represent the Nigerian Factor crept in years ago “somebodies” every organization and it has never left. seeks to satisfy – especially when Last year, I visited one of the the consumer, directly or newly approved indirectly, has to p r i v a t e pay for the goods or universities. services provided.

Conducted round Since those the various embarking on a prospective career in law pay Irrespective of faculties, the for the education, c i e n c e starting from who else NUC sdepartments were JAMB to the NLS, of the greatest with information might be concern to me. In in-put from the the process, I was serving, it is NUC, it should be introduced to the fair to assume that not serving person charged the consumers to with equipping the students well be satisfied are the laboratories – who aspirants. Each of was too eager to these bodies is show me the expected to museum pieces he organize its own called “ultra-modern”. Like a aspect of the process in such a grown up man who stubbed his manner as to ensure fairness to all toe on a hoe, in front of younger concerned. people, seeing that “ultraStarting with JAMB, aspirants modern” laboratory, hurt so much should expect not to find listed a to laugh, but I was also too old to university whose law programme cry. So, it is not the accreditation is not accredited. In the case of of law programmes of universities “provisional accreditation” that needs review; it is the entire candidates should also be process of accreditation to stop informed how long the university Nigerian universities from had assumed that status. The sending out graduates employers reason should be clear without condemn as unemployable. elaboration. Aspirants need to Irrespective of who else NUC know the risk they are taking by might be serving, it is not serving applying to study law at a students well. The disasters we university without full have experienced with law accreditation. In pharmaceutical education (abolition of part-time Marketing this is called “full courses, allowing unlimited disclosure” – which is placed in period for “provisional every package of prescription accreditation” etc) could not have drugs. All possible side-effects and occurred without NUC allowing contra-indications are spelt out. them to get started in the first The patient takes the drugs wellplace. aware of the risks involved. That For the unfortunate victims, the is only ethical. monumental errors of the NUC Compare this with what occurs had been costly – financially and with aspirants for law education morally. They have actually in Nigeria. A university (name ruined lives. withheld out of sympathy for the Again, who will pay for this? school) enrolls students for over

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 —29

Women advocate greater role in education

By Elizabeth Uwandu

S

ENATOR Oluremi Tinubu has called on women to be empowered both in the academia and in vocational skills as this will aid development of the nation.

She made this known at the launch of Women in Colleges of Education, (WICE) magazine and award ceremony, hosted by Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, WICE chapter.

Among those honoured were Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the immediate past Deputy Governor of Lagos state, Chief Mrs Adejoke Adefulire, and one of the youngest professors of the institution, Dr. Ajayi Raphael.

Tinubu who was represented

by Mrs Doyinsola Adeniji, expressed joy over the good works of the association and urged for greater professional growth for women.

"Women need empowerment in different sectors for them to function optimally in any field of life, and educational empowerment can't be over emphasised as it promotes development and growth of any country.’’Tinubu said.

The mother of the day, former Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs Adejoke Adefulire who was represented by the Permanent Secretary , Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs Ogunmola Modinat, said WICE is a formidable body that will receive every support it needs to attain its goals.

The Provost of AOCOED, Mr, Olalekan Bashorun thanked the executives of WICE for empowering women in different vocational skills and for coming with a magazine that will project women's image.

Mr Bashorun pledged greater assistance to WICE and pleaded that women meet regularly to effect positive change in the college as more efforts are needed to see the dreams of the organisation fulfilled. ‘’The chairperson, the executives and all registered members of WICE should come together regularly with love to improve in the areas of positive growth of the College," added Mrs Bashorun.

World Milk Day: Peak milk celebrates with 65 schools

WINNERS: From left; Mrs. Ibiyemi Jegede, Lagos State Ministry of Education; Ore Famurewa, Corporate Affairs Director, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc; Miss Chika Mbewu, pupil of Headstart Private School, Isolo (first prize winner); and Dolapo Otegbayi, Marketing Manager, FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc; during the presentation of prizes to winners of the Vision Nigeria Art Challenge organised by Peak Milk to mark this year's World Milk Day.

By Amaka Abayomi

I

n commemoration of this year ’s World Milk Day and to mark 60 years of nourishing Nigerians, FrieslandCampina WAMCO, makers of Peak Milk, celebrated with over 270,000 children from 273 private and public schools in Lagos State.

Themed ‘Celebrating 60 years of Feeding Future Aspirations’ and to demonstrate the brand’s commitment to feeding aspirations, an art and craft challenge tagged ‘Vision Nigeria Art Challenge’ was initiated across selected schools in the state aimed at allowing children, with their Art teachers, to showcase their vision of Nigeria by using Peak cans, pouch and sachets to create a vision of the

Nigeria they wish to live in.

Stressing that Peak milk is sure to make their dreams come true, the Marketing Directo, WAMCO, Mr. Tarang Gupta, said daily consumption of Peak milk will keep them healthy and strong to enable them achieve their dreams and change the fortune of Nigeria.

At the end of the grand finale for winning schools held at the Indoor Sport Hall, University of Lagos, Head Start Private School, Ire Akari, Isolo, won the first prize of N250,000, while Deby Niky Nursery/ Primary School, Egbeda and Wellspring College, Omole Phase 2, came second and third and went home with N150,000 and N100,000 respectively for the renovation of their schools’ art studios to further aid the development of their artistic

and creative skills.

Surprise gifts of Samsung Galaxy tabs were given to the top 10 art teachers who supported the children to create the different artistic inspirations while all 65 participating schools received N50,000 each for makeover of their art studios.

Recall that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) had, in 2001, created the World Milk Day in order to reflect on all the goodness that milk represents and since inception, FrieslandCampina WAMCO has been leading Nigerians in celebration as well as reaching out to consumers across the country through enlightenment of milk as an essential nutritional beverage for a healthy life style.

How we’re grooming young entrepreneurs in schools — NB

By Ikenna Asomba

I

N a bid to tackle the

alarming deterioration of the nation’s education sector, as well as the attendant unemployment rate, the Nigeria Breweries Plc (NB), last Friday, gathered over 500 students from across five schools, in Lagos, to enlighten them on the right career paths to take.

Among the participating schools at the event tagged ‘Beyond the School’, a career and guidance counselling initiative of Nigerian Breweries-Felix Ohiwerei (NB-FO) Education Trust Fund, were SSI-SS3 students of Oregun Senior Secondary School,

their course of study that may help them to get into jobs or help them to be self_employed.

“The initiative is designed to provide vital information to the students to enable them get into careers that suit their aptitude, personality, interest and skill. Since the inception of the initiative, we have visited five schools and have impacted over 1, 300 students,” he said.

Similarly, the Project Champion and wife of the Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Director, NB, Mrs. Clementine Vervelde said: “This is a new generation, so we need to guide them. The kids need to believe in themselves to be achievers in

life. With the O r e g u n ; N i g e r i a n Ve t l a n d Breweries-Felix S e n i o r Ohiwerei (NBSecondary Education S c h o o l , The initiative is FO) Trust Fund, we A g e g e ; try to guide the Government designed to kids in their S e n i o r provide vital career paths by Secondary School, Ikoyi; information to the giving them the B a p t i s t students to enable r i g h t information.

Senior High them get into Meanwhile, S c h o o l , Bestman Games O b a n i k o r o careers that suit in a bid to and Eric their aptitude, inculcate in the Moore Senior personality, students lessons High School, interest and skill in personal Surulere. finance engaged Speaking on them in the the occasion, Hasbro’s iconic K u f r e Monopoly Board Ekanem, Game. The five Corporate Affairs Adviser, NB, disclosed participating schools locked that since 1994, the fund has horns in the City of Lagos been used to support various Monopoly tournament, which educational projects across 40 saw Alabi Samond winning the 1 st Prize of N500, 000 communities.

Ekanem said such projects educational trust fund and include the building of over N100, 000 cash; Emmanuel 250 classrooms, 22 libraries in Peter won the 2nd Prize of primary and secondary N500, 000 educational trust schools, as well as the fund and N50, 000 cash, even donation of laboratory as Ayoade Yusuf, Afolabi equipment and other Azeez, Mojid Mariam and materials to tertiary David Komi won the 3 rd Prize with N50, 000 institutions.

His words: “Nigerian educational trust fund and Breweries believes our youths N10, 000 cash each.

Other winners were: Odofin and teenagers have a role to play in the national Rofiat, Jimoh Abeeb, Godwin Ebarumeifo development and education, Elizabeth, which remains the Priscilla and Akinwumi cornerstone of any Dolapo, 4th Prize with N50, meaningful and sustainable 000 in cash and Adeyemi development. This belief has Adeshina, Ayomide Oseni, continued to drive our quest Ayoola Joseph, L awal to contribute towards a more Ibrahim and Olawale Bayode functional and effective all winning the 5th Prize with education sector.

N20, 000 in cash. Also, all “Beyond the School involves the students went home with giving career talks aimed at a city of Lagos Monopoly helping SS1-SS3 students in board and goody bag from selected schools to choose Nigerian Breweries.

30—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

By Ebele Orakpo

C

OMMUNITY service is one of the programmes that set the American University of Nigeria (AUN) apart from other institutions of higher learning in Nigeria.

In a 2013 interview with Vanguard, AUN President, Dr. Margee Ensign had said that as an American-style university, every student is required to work in one of the community development projects.

“Community service (CS) is a graduation requirement for all students regardless of their major. We are a university that teaches students to understand Nigeria’s challenges.”

During CS, students experience first-hand the challenges facing the country and proffer solutions. And so at the last Commencement ceremony, the Class Valedictorian/ Overall best graduating student, Ms Hephzber Ifunanya Obiora and Class Speaker, Ms. Marvellous Imabeh in a chat with journalists, spoke glowingly on how AUN has impacted them, especially the CS programme, and called for its inclusion in Nigerian university curriculum.

C

ommunity service is voluntary work intended to help people in a particular area. So AUN students are engaged in various CS projects such as STudents Empowered through Language, Literacy and ARithmetic (STELLAR) project, where they provide critical assistance to primary school children in Adamawa State by conducting afterschool classes, writing books and translating same to local languages, coaching students for external exams etc.

Learning Resources Literacy project which targets teachers; Adamawa Peacemakers Initiative, established to foster peace and harmony in the region; ICT Training to various groups; Women Empowerment Initiative and Sustainability Initiative which aims to spur local economic development by providing hands-on training for local people while at the same time protecting and enhancing the environment.

Recounting her experiences at the AUN, Marvellous Imabeh said she was grateful for the location of the university.

"I am grateful that AUN was not located in Abuja or Lagos.

It is located in Yola where you get to see that you are privileged among other people. People would say they would give back to society when they have millions. But here, with the little you have, you start to impact people’s lives.

Best graduating student, class speaker extol virtues of AUN’s community service programme …call for its inclusion in Nigerian varsity’ curriculum

*Marvellous Imabeh...I am grateful that *Hephzber Obiora...If you work hard for AUN is located in Yola something and you deserve it, you will get it "Having to go for community service among poor people, you now begin to think: how do I give back to society? What do I do even when I have not finished school yet? So, everything is just, how do I give back and how do I impact?

"I suggest Nigerian universities borrow a leaf from AUN. Initially, when I came to the school, I didn’t understand why I had to do community service. But over time, when I had to go out to see people who were grateful for the little they had, compared to where maybe if they seize light for 30 seconds, you are saying 'oh my God', and you see people who’ve not had light for three weeks, you begin to see something that you should be grateful for. You go back and know that you are not living for yourself. You are living for a larger cause; you are sent into this world for a larger cause."

Shun tribalism: Hephzber Obiora who received many awards including cash awards, advised young people to shun

tribalism and be determined because that is the key to success.

"My advice is to let tribalism go. If you work hard for something and you deserve it, you will get it. Do not say, this is the North, I as an Igbo cannot succeed. Everything has been done fairly and justly without recourse to tribalism.

So, I am really happy and I say away with tribalism.

Having to go for community service among poor people, you now begin to think: how do I give back to the society

Determination: “I have always believed that nothing can stop a man that is determined. So, I believe that no matter what is happening, in spite of the insecurity, it is God that keeps life. If you are determined to succeed, wherever you are in the country or in the world, you will definitely succeed."

Choose courses based on your passion: Obiora, past Honours Society president said AUN gave her the very best.

"After sitting for JAMB, if you took Arts or Science, they restrict you to what you have taken. That is totally wrong.

The American system gives you the chance at any given time in your life. In secondary school, I was forced into the Sciences because it is only in the Sciences that you had competitions. But I knew I loved Arts. If I had gone to Babcock University, they would have kept me in science.

Although I would have made it in science but that is not where my strength is.

AUN gave me chance to change my major to English and Literature. I came here with the intention to do Information Systems because I like the name. But along the line I realised that programming is not actually my stuff. I changed to Business. I realised that this is good but when I am in my classes, I feel like writing poems instead of reading books on mathematical computation. It was at that point I decided to switch over to English and Literature.

Since then, I have been happy. I have found my rhythm. Today, there is no question in English Language or Literature that I cannot answer. I am so sure about it.

"The professors teach you so much until you discover yourself, your talent, what you are really good at. In that case, you can conquer the world."

Obiora said she hopes to write books based on Nigerian history.

"Nigerians don’t know what exactly Nnamdi Azikiwe did and who Aguiyi-Ironsi is. But then, we all claim to be Nigerians, so I will write stories based on Nigerian history. I hope that people will read them and learn more about this country."

Imabeh said AUN gave her a chance to explore. "You don’t have that in a regular Nigerian university where you are expected to follow a set of rules in doing your course. But here, you have professors who are not too strict, who unlike most Nigerian professors allow you to explore, make your mistakes and they pick you up; you have friends who are not looking at how rich or poor you are.

There is this wholeness and oneness mixed."

American University of Paris honours AUN President

I

n another development, President of the AUN, Dr. Margee Ensign, has been awarded an honorary doctorate by the American University of Paris (AUP) "for her leadership role in using education to promote peace, community development, and empowerment through a local platform, the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), which she chairs."

Ensign was honoured alongside Lisa Anderson, President of American University of Cairo and Benjamin Millepied, Director, Paris Opera Ballet during the AUP Commencement on May 26 in recognition of their contributions to a specific field or to society in general, which are consistent with the university’s mission and core values.

They especially praised AUN’s engagement with the refugees of northeast Nigeria, providing food aid to more than 270,000

*Dr. Margee Ensign addressing the audience internally displaced persons sheltering with family members in Yola.

President Ensign who has so many laurels including the African Business Roundtable’s Distinguished Leadership Award for Educational Excellence in 2011; African Leading University of the Year Award by

African Leadership magazine in 2012; Rotary International Paul Harris Fellowship in 2012; Adamawa State Peace Ambassador Award also in 2012; African Leadership Award from the World Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility in 2014, and in 2015, the women’s wing of the

Jama’atul Nasril Islam in Nigeria recognised her contributions to leadership, philanthropy and the education of women and girls in northeast Nigeria, urged the new graduates to find solutions to old, new, and unprecedented problems challenging the world today.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—31

Children’s Day: Safeguard promotes childern’s hygiene

By Amaka Abayomi

I

N its bid to further promote the health status of Nigerian children, Procter & Gamble’s anti-bacterial soap, Safeguard, has partnered with the popular TV series, Nnenna & Friends by Wale Adenuga Productions, to host over 7,000 children to a fun-filled and educational Children’s Day celebration.

Addressing the children, Safeguard’s Brand Manager, Tolulope Pogoson, said the brand was excited to sponsor the Nnenna & Friends Children’s Day celebration because it is a platform for the company to demonstrate its dedication to the health of Nigerian families, particularly the children, who are the leaders of tomorrow.

Encouraging them to remain healthy in their journey to become tomorrow ’s leaders Pogoson said the future awaits children who reach for their dreams

and stay physically healthy.

“In order for you to attain your dreams of becoming future leaders, you must stay healthy and strong. It is important you observe basic hygiene rules which involve washing

your hands regularly with Safeguard soap; ensuring you have your bath with any of Safeguard’s soap; and ensuring your environment and surroundings are clean at all times.”

She further said that

the Safeguard soap offers the family double protection against germs for up to 12 hours and, that is why it is the only anti-bacterial soap that has been endorsed by the Africa Medical Association (AFMA).

3 pupils get Tecno's N300,000 scholarships

By Ogo-Oluwa Delakun

I

N a bid to support education and its important role in students, smart phone maker, Tecno Mobile has awarded scholarship to three outstanding pupils in Lagos State.

The scholarship award worth N100, 000 to each student was in commemoration of the 2015 children’s day celebration .

Accordingly, Adebanji Ayomide of Royal Kristion College, Daniela Ajayi of Corel Peak School, and Martins Aneleba of Masuvic Glory School all in Lagos State were among among the students that got the

scholarship award.

Similarly, Tecno as part of its support also provided educational materials and stationery to the selected public schools.

At the event tagged Talent Boom, students from 28 primary schools in Lagos converged and demonstrated their intellectual ability to clinch the coveted prize.

The Talent Boom is part of Tecno’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, and a diversification towards educational support.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Ugochukwu Richard, Tecno’s Marketing Executive said that the annual event was Tecno’s way of improving

the standard of education in Nigeria and encouraging brilliant students in the society.

According to him: “Tecno is not only about buying and selling. We have identified the need to improve the standard of education, that is why we decided to sponsor this event every year on children’s day.

“In this country where we have several talented people, there are several students who do not have opportunities to excel despite their gift. The scholarship that we give them will go a long way in their life and will also pass a message about the importance of hard work and reading.

Vivian Fowler underscores commitment to girl child education

By Tare Youdeowei

T

HE founder, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls, Chief Leila Fowler, has reiterated the commitment of the college to ensure that proper education of the girl-child is carried out to enable them attain the desired level in the society, as there should be concerted efforts to train, nuture and develop the required capabilities and competences for the girl child.

The renowned educationist stated that it has become extremely important to focus on the girl child and offer her qualitative education while imparting moral values in her. She added that since inception, Vivian Fowler College has remained focused on improving the lives of the girl child both morally and academically, as there is the need to nurture girls to grow, live and function as unique and respectable wives, mothers and professionals of tomorrow.

According to her, one of the ways the school exposes the students to proper training is through practical sessions with women who have succeeded in their chosen field of human endeavour.

Mrs Emmanuella Fashola, the wife of the former Governor of Lagos State, came to spend a day with the students and she exposed them to basic fundamentals of growing up as virtuous women.Several sessions through the annual career and counseling fair have also been utilized to provide platforms to guide the students on career path. The school places high premium on guidance and counselling in view of the sensitive nature of the girls as they plough through the adventurous world of adolescence into adulthood. The school engages professional counselors to speak to the students in order t achieve well balanced moral and academic growth.

NANS expresses concern over administration of UBEC, JAMB, others

By Caleb Ayansina

N

ATIONAL Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has expressed resentment over the manner agencies under the education ministry, particularly the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board Examination (JAMB) were being run, saying their operations were embedded in secrecy.

The group also revealed that they were compiling some disturbing findings in the agencies, which it would soon forward to the anti-graft agencies for proper investigation.

NANS in a statement signed by its Public Relations Officer, Comrade Ezekiel Nwankwo, in Abuja, noted that it had made frantic efforts over time to make inputs in the formulation of policies but was rebuffed.

The statement reads in part, “UBEC has consistently tried to blindfold unsuspecting Nigerians of failure of state governments to pay-up their counterpart fund to access the fund, while its staff remain enmesh with corruption allegations. We hereby demand more openness in the administration of UBEC as it is not a secret cult.

“Also, recently, NANS had cause to call on the management of JAMB to ensure that the E-testing which it brought was seamless to ensure that Nigerian students desiring higher education were not extorted nor made to suffer unduly during the exercise.

“But regrettably, all the advice we offered was ignored and in place JAMB management clearly demonstrated that they were out to extort money from students and parents with all manner of charges rather than providing a credible platform for admitting students.

“It is unacceptable that JAMB sold the examination form for N4,000, and turned around to sell scratch cards for checking the examination results at N1,500."

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Exhuming Thomas Sankara and history of his revolution

By HUGO ODIOGOR, Foreign Affairs Editor with agency reports

W

HEN Captain Thomas Sankara was assassinated on October 15, 1987, it was a dark testimony regime he had instituted in former Upper Volta which he changed to “Burkina Faso”, meaning “Fatherland of Upright Men.” But his countrymen were not so upright as his childhood friend Captain Blaise Campaore conspired with local and external forces to kill him.

Three days before his death, a French journalist had asked Sankara if he ever feared for his life and how much trust he had for Campaore, his second in command and childhood friend.

Sankara had given Campaore visible position and power in running one of the world’s poorest countries. Sankara told the reporter that ‘’if Campaore plots against him, there was nothing that could save him or frustrate the plot”.

Unknown to Sankara, Campaore was the insider in the conspiracy between France and Cote d’Ivoire to stop his’s four year Socialist-Marxist revolution that was hitting at the root of poverty and underdevelopment in Burkina Faso and West Africa as a whole.

Three days later, gun men busted into his presidential office where he was in a meeting with his aides. The armed men were later found to have been trained in Cote Dvoire from where they moved in to Quagadogou for the operation.

The armed men were later identified to be members of Charles Taylor ’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL).

Sankara tried to ran away but he was caught on the staircase and rained with bullets. That was the end of the Sankara revolution and the eventual 27 year reign of Blaise Campaore who became one of the disastrous examples of leaders in Africa.

Campaore prevented the family of Sankara from taking his body as he was buried along with other loyal solders that tried to fight back. Campaore, the sonin-law of the Felix Houphouet Boigny, then president of Cote d’Iovire were the strongest supporters of Mr. Charles Taylor who invaded Liberia from Nimba country in December 1989.

It is instructive to note that the invasion of Liberia from the bor-

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der with Cote d’Ivoire came two years after the assassination of Thomas Sankara.

Both Campaore and late Boigny were stoutly opposed to the military mission of West African States (ECOMOG) which was set up in 1991 to put a halt to the barbaric execution of the civil war in Liberia.

The outcome of the Liberian war which lasted for 13 years shifted attention away from Sankara and the infamy of Blaise Campaore. Blaise Campaore met his own waterloo last year when angry protests by the citizens of Burkina Faso forced him to abandon his plan to perpetuate himself in power pressures from the family of Sankara has forced the new helmsman in Ouagadougou to Mr. Michael Kafando to order that the body of Sankara should be exhumed for examination and to be given a befitting burial.

Kafando has also ordered a full investigation into the plot that led to the death of Captain Thomas Sankara who was hailed as Africa’s Che Guevara.

The Sankara Revolution At 33, Captain Thomas Sankara launched a revolution to transform Burkina Faso. He launched nationalisation and land distribution programmes in the country. He pushed up school enrolment from 6% to 22% and increased the national vaccination programme to 2.5 million. Several health centres were opened while massive construction of road and rail transport were embarked upon. Sankara ordered the planting of 10 million trees to combat drought and desertification in his country. He declared war on corruption by

His body was unceremoniously dumped in a makeshift grave in the dead of the night, which quickly became a shrine for thousands of people who file past it to pay their respects.

•Sankara placing himself on less than $500 a month. His ministers were on low pay as well. Low profile was maintained in public life. He strongly opposed foreign aid.

Under Sankara the government also prioritised gender equality, working towards the end of female genital mutilation, forced marriages and polygamy.

The tragedy that robbed ‘Africa’s Che’ from his family may also have preserved his place among the stars as Sankara is still much revered across Africa today.

Discontent with the Revolution Discontent with the revolution set in when he tried to alter the traditional institutions. Sankara stripped traditional chiefs of their rights and privileges. He set up “revolutionary people’s tribunals” to try former public officials charged with political crimes. Opposition parties and unions were banned and media freedoms curtailed. Striking teachers were fired and replaced by young people with no experience.

The people became suspicious of his political philosophy. Sankara was caught off guard when gunmen burst into his office and gunned him down along with 12 aides. His body was unceremoniously dumped in a makeshift grave in the dead of the night, which quickly became a shrine for thousands of people who filed past it to pay their respects.

There has been popular feelings that the new regime should give Sankara a decent burial.

Exiled Compaoré, has always denied involvement in the killing, insisting that the “facts are known” and he has “nothing to hide”.

But whatever the outcome of the exhumation, a deeper, more troubling mystery will remain: whether Thomas Sankara’s revolution would have survived.

Fear of Domino effect Watchers of international politics have argued that Sankara led one of the most creative and radical reforms in Africa from 1983 to 1987. There

were fears that the success of his revolution might be followed in the other African countries.

Many believed that this led to his early death which France was suspected to have spearheaded using Houphouet Boigny as the arrow head.

In 1985 Sankara said”‘I would like to leave behind me the conviction that if we maintain a certain amount of caution and organization we deserve victory... You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness. In this case, it comes from nonconformity, the courage to turn your back on the old formulas, the courage to invent the future. It took the madmen of yesterday for us to be able to act with extreme clarity today. I want to be one of those madmen.

We must dare to invent the future.’

Legacy of an incorruptible man •A major anti-corruption drive began in 1987. The tribunal showed Captain Thomas Sankara to have a salary of only $450 a month and his most valuable possessions to be a car, four bikes, three guitars, a fridge and a broken freezer. He was the world’s poorest president.

• Sankara refused to use the air conditioning in his office on the grounds that such luxury was not available to anyone but a handful of Burkinabes.

• When asked why he had let it be known that he did not want his portrait hung in public places, as is the norm for other African leaders (and as Blaise Compaoré does now), Sankara said ‘There are seven million Thomas Sankaras’.

LANDMARKS OF SANKARA REVOLUTION r for the Feb 1984 Tribute payments to and obligatory labou traditional village chiefs are outlawed. nalized.

4 Aug 1984 All land and mineral wealth are natio r Volta Uppe ial colon the from The country’s name is changed meanages langu local ent differ two to Burkina Faso, words from ing ‘Land of the Incorruptible’. d to go to 22 Sept 1984 A day of solidarity: men are encourage the cons selve market and prepare meals to experience for them ditions faced by women.

Oct 1984 The rural poll tax is abolished.

2.5 million Nov 1984 ‘Vaccination Commando’. In 15 days fever and w yello , ngitis meni st again children are immunized measles. are required 3 Dec 1984 Top civil servants and military officers give half a to nts to give one month’s pay and other civil serva cts. proje ent month to help fund social developm 1985 and a 31 Dec 1984 All domestic rents are suspended for s. begin am progr n ructio const massive public housing n trees to millio 10 plant to aign camp a of ch 1 Jan 1985 Laun slow the Sahara’s advance. ersary of 4 Aug 1985 An all-women parade marks the anniv the Revolution. conserva10 Sep 1985 The mounting hostility of the region’s kro, Côte ussou Yamo in ing meet a tive regimes is revealed at d’Ivoire. aign in nine Feb-Apr 1986 ‘Alpha Commando’. A literacy camp indigenous languages involves 35,000 people. blindness End of 1986 A UN-assisted program brings river under control. d’état along 15 Oct 1987 Sankara is assassinated in a coup with 12 aides.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4 , 20 15—33 2015—33

By Funmi Komolafe

T

he Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC) has an agenda for the government of President Mohammadu Buhari.

These and other issues were made known by none other than the president of a faction of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba at a meeting with a group of journalists in Lagos.

Labour Watch was part of the meeting.

Since our lives revolve round the economy, it was therefore not surprising that Comrade Ayuba Wabba expressed concern about the economy.

He put it this way: “We are very concerned because the economy has not done well.”

Comrade Ayuba said his leadership of the NLC in consultation with the new government will consider seriously how to cushion the effects of the economy on workers and also the issue of the national minimum wage.

He said the priority of the NLC under his leadership will consider “issues of immediate concern and long-term challenges of Nigerian workers and how we want it addressed."

Pending wage issues

The labour leader said the leadership of his organization is not amused that quite a number of states are owing workers their due wages. He reiterated his May Day call that workers should down tools in any state where they are being owed salaries.

NLC unity

Since such a forum would not have taken place without journalists asking questions about the division in the NLC, Comrade Wabba said all efforts are in place to ensure that the NLC remains a united and stable organization.

This, he said, is paramount because “there is no division in the working class. Poverty does not discriminate on the basis of religion or ethnicity”.

Ayuba affirmed that in unity lies the strength of any organization, including the trade unions and central labour organizations.

Petroleum industry

Of course the issue of petroleum subsidy and scarcity of petroleum products was discussed.

For about 30 years, the Nigeria Labour Congress has held on to a position of nonwithdrawal of subsidy and insisted on certain conditions which must be met before subsidy on petroleum C M Y K

NLC sets agenda for Buhari’s government … urges FG to tackle corruption in the oil industry

pay no longer takes the worker home.

Wabba however said “We (government and the governed) must work together as a people to bring about the desired change.”

He commended all Nigerians for the success of the general elections which saw the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari as President.

SURE-P corruption: Who are the culprits?

•Comrade Ayuba Wabba, NLC president products can be withdrawn.

Since it appears that the marketers are a cabal holding the nation to ransom, the government of the day must play their game or the nation is grounded.

Comrade Ayuba Wabba made his thoughts on this known.

“There has been inherent corruption in the process. The primary essence of governance is about the welfare and well being of the citizens.”, He added: “Subsidy is not a bad idea but in Nigeria, there is corruption inherent. The figures being quoted as subsidy is not commensurate with falling oil prices at all”.

He added that if Nigeria fails to address the challenges in the system, we may continue to be in need of a commodity which we ought to have in abundance.

As he put it: “As a country we have a responsibility to make sure our system is being run transparently.”

Recalling the NLC position on the issue of subsidy, Comrade Ayuba said “we gave conditions that our refineries be made to work but nothing has happened.

"We should be able to refine the products for domestic use and export to the African market”.

He said though the Federal Government issued licences to investors for the building of refineries, nothing has

•President Mohammadu Buhari

happened.

The labour leader said “the money used as subsidy is enough to build refineries,” wondering why the Federal Government has failed to make our refineries work.”

Insecurity

The NLC leader in his May Day address noted that the challenge of insecurity has “violated our sovereignty” as a nation making, us believe the dark days are here but he commended the nation’s armed forces for their efforts, saying “as a nation, we should stand together”.

He mentioned the missing

Recalling the NLC’s position on the issue of subsidy, Comrade Ayuba said “ we gave conditions that our refineries be made to work but nothing has happened. We should be able to refine the products for domestic use and export to the African market

Chibok girls, saying “our hearts go to the girls and their parents”, even as he is hopeful they would be reunited with their families.

Wabba also recalled that last year, some workers who were returning from the Abuja National Rally were murdered by the insurgents, and expressed hope that the challenge would soon be over.

Media support

The leadership of the NLC speaking through Wabba also sought the co-operation of the media, especially in its efforts to build a vibrant labour movement.

He appealed to the media to focus on issues that will reconcile and bring about unity in the labour movement.

His view was echoed by his deputy, Comrade Peters Adeyemi who said the labour movement is working not just in the interest of workers but the interest of the entire citizens of this country.

Adeyemi said “this leadership is determined to rekindle the hope of Nigerian people in the labour movement.”

For him, “ if General Buhari is to address the issue of corruption, then he has to pay Nigerian workers”.

Organized labour is of the view that with devaluation, the minimum wage has also been devalued and take home

One of the achievements touted by the Jonathan administration is the creation of jobs through the Subsidy Reinvestment Programme, SURE-P. The programme which was a fall out of Labour’s struggle against oil subsidy was completely different in Lagos.

Rather in Lagos, they were used as political thugs.

They were assembled by the old toll gates dressed in tshirts with the inscription “The Presidency, SURE-P/ FERMA, Federal Task Force.

While there they constituted a nuisance to residents and engaged in confrontation with officers of the Lagos State Traffic Management Agency (LASTMA).

The able men and women who were compelled to be part of the crowd when Governor Ayodele Fayose came to Lagos to thank people who voted for him in Ekiti are now crying foul.

They alleged that they have been duped as they were made to pay about N40,000 each before being enrolled.

Forms were allegedly collected at the residence of a PDP chieftain .

Labour Watch can confirm that immediately after the March 28 election, the officers of this fake SURE-P programme sneaked into the offices to loot the furniture and other items there.

It would be recalled that FERMA, a federal government agency dissociated itself from the Lagos ‘ unique SureP’neither is the Federal Ministry of Labour & Productivity, which is the coordinating ministry of a number of SURE-P programmes.

Now that these young men and women have been duped, should the culprits go on unpunished? That would be the height of injustice. These applicants were swindled and still got no jobs. The new government must ask questions and apply the big stick where necessary.

This is one case that justice must be done and seen to be done. Otherwise, there is no Change.

34 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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r Olu Daramola, SAN was called to the Bar in December 1993. Before then, he studied Political Science at the University of Ibadan He obtained two Masters Degrees in law, the first from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife and the second in Maritime Law, from the University of London. He is a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, Nigeria and UK. He has been in active legal practice since his call to bar and he was elevated to the Inner Bar in December 2008. In this interview, Daramola who specialises in commercial litigation and arbitration spoke on the last constitution amendment, his expectations from the new administration and how the government can tackle corruption.

Excerpts: The intervention of the Supreme Court on the dispute between former president Good Luck Jonathan and the out going National Assembly, over the fourth alteration act of the 1999 constitution was timely.

Do you think the matter should have gone to the Apex Court?

It is clear from the Constitution that power is shared by the three arms of government. It is not open to debate that the president has veto power and that the national assembly can override the veto. The law making process involves the National Assembly passing a bill. The bill is forwarded to the President for his assent so that it can become law. The president may decide to veto the bill but the national assembly can override the veto and pass the bill into law without presidential assent.

To me, it is not an issue that should have been taken to court in the first place. It is not proper for the Government to go to court to seek to prevent the national assembly from exercising a power given to it by the Constitution.

One of the contentious issues in the constitution amendment was the separation of the offices of Attorney general/ and Minister/Commissioner for Justice. Do you agree that the office should be separated and who in your own opinion should be the number one law officer at Federal and State level respectively?

To me separating the office of the Minister of Justice from that of the Attorney General will not change anything. It does not

•Daramola: We look for ways to avoid confronting a problem headlong.

Buhari should ensure credible lawyers are appointed judges — Daramola

By ONOZURE DANIA make any of them to be more effective. On the contrary, rivalry can develop between the two officers as to their respective functions and powers. What is important is to appoint a credible lawyer as the Minister of Justice and Attorney General. If we have two people who are not credible occupying the two offices, I don’t see how they can make any difference.

Meanwhile, the country would be saddled with maintaining the two of them when no effective services are being rendered. The problem with us in this country is that we run away from addressing the real issues. We look for ways to avoid confronting a problem headlong.

For instance many people without thinking will tell you

that it is the immunity clause that is responsible for the pervasive corruption in Nigeria. This is a laughable proposition. If immunity clause is responsible for corruption, how may ex-

He has the power to appoint Judges on the advice of the National Judicial Council, he must use this power effectively and ensure that only credible persons are allowed to mount the judicial saddle

governors have been jailed or effectively tried since they left office?

All those public officials whose terms expired, how many of them are in jail?

Mind you the only persons who are entitled to immunity from prosecution under the Constitution are the president, vice-president, governor and deputy governor. None of them signs government cheques. If a governor perpetrates fraud through his commissioners and accountant general why are the law enforcement agencies not going after the officers? After all, they are not covered by the immunity granted to the governors. The immunity granted to the governor is only for the period when he is in the office and there is no limitation of time in prosecution of crime.

Separating the offices of the

2015 general elections and survival SBL confab to raise issues affecting Nigeria’s business environment of democracy in Nigeria —Pg 36

—Pg 37

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Minister of justice from that of the Attorney General will only lead to duplication of offices which create more financial burden for the government. It is not the way to go with our dwindling resources. It is high time we began to merge some offices to reduce cost of governance.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria recently, said that there are too many fake lawyers in the system, how do you think this issue can be addressed?

It is unfortunate that there is no profession in Nigeria including the medical profession that deals with human life where you don’t have fake practitioners.

In England you cannot hear of fake lawyers because proper records of practitioners accessible to the public are kept.

Until we begin to keep proper records, the issue of fake practitioners will continue to plague the system. I am aware that NBA is presently addressing the issue by trying to establish a data base for all lawyers enrolled to practice in the country. They are also working on seals. The Supreme Court should create on its portal a section where members of the public can access the name of all lawyers in the country. If this is done, it will be difficult for fake practitioners to have easy ride Continues on page 35

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 35

Buhari should ensure credible lawyers are appointed judges — Daramola

Continued from page 34

on the system.

As a lawyer, how will you advise the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari on improving the judicial sector?

First and foremost, the government must ensure that judicial officers are well paid.

This will attract the best legal minds in the country to the bench. Second, the president must appoint credible lawyers to the Federal courts as judges.

He has the power to appoint Judges on the advice of the National Judicial Council. He must use this power effectively and ensure that only credible persons are allowed to mount the judicial saddle.

What do you think the Government should do to tackle corruption in the country?

The main reason why the electorates voted massively for Buhari was because he was seen as a man of integrity who would deploy all necessary arsenals to fight corruption and restore the integrity of the country. He cannot afford not to deliver on the promise. Happily, he has an eminent lawyer who is well respected for his integrity as a deputy. The war against corruption must be fought centrally from the presidency to the local government. There are many States where no single official has been prosecuted by the State Governments since 1999.

Does that mean we do not have corrupt people in the State? The anti-corruption agencies must scrutinise budget implementation at all levels of government to see areas where contracts are inflated or not executed at all. Several means have been devised to steal public funds and make stealing look legitimate. Many government officials use companies where they have interests as consultants to perform the very tasks they were elected to perform.

Security vote is another means through which public officials steal public funds. As a first step, all public officials must be made to do open declaration of assets. Jonathan lost the moral

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com C M Y K

•Daramola:There is nothing in the EFCC Act that is not covered by the criminal code. battle against corruption when he refused to follow his predecessor in declaring his assets publicly. Many states made laws where they awarded jumbo terminal benefits for some selected officials which include annual overseas medical check-up and treatments.

This is another area of corruption because such laws guarantee a permanent life of obscene luxury for political office holders while the people continue to wallow in misery and poverty. What is the morality of allowing a president or a governor who cannot build functional hospitals for his people to be given the privilege of overseas treatment even when he has left office?

I have never heard that the president of America, the chancellor of Germany or British Prime Minister travelled to another country for medical treatment but here, Nigerian public officials take it as a pride and status symbol.

To sustain the confidence of the Nigerian people, the new government must depart from the ungodly and sadistic trend of spending the bulk of the nation’s resources only to secure comfort for the tiny minority of

politicians in public office.

President Buhari must resist pressure to use political appointments to compensate those who worked for his success at the polls. He must appoint credible persons who can help him lift Nigeria to the first world. This is his chance and he must utilise it so that history can remember him for good. With the resources we have in this country, there is no basis for mass poverty and suffering. He must ensure that only those who want to serve are in Government and not the

To sustain the confidence of the Nigerian people, the new government must depart from the ungodly and sadistic trend of spending the bulk of the nation’s resources only to secure comfort for the tiny minority of politicians in public office

political merchants who have held the country down by their greed and callousness.

The cost of running government must be reduced drastically to discourage profiteers from seeking public office. There is no reason why a senator should earn more than a professor in a university.

It is only in Nigeria that all categories of political office holders can be clamouring for life pension. If his anticorruption crusade succeeds, he will have enough money to provide infrastructure across the country. In fact, his economic and political programmes will only succeed to the extent of his success in the anti-corruption crusade. For me, he has started well by refusing to be drawn into the controversy of selecting or nominating leaders of the National Assembly. It is not the business of the president to nominate or even advise the National Assembly on who should be their leader.

The due process office must work to prevent fraud in the conduct of Government business and not function as a clearing house of corruption.

He must devise a way of watching the watchers. The anti-corruption officials must be strictly monitored in the discharge of their duties and must not be allowed to operate as loose cannons.

The cleaning exercise must start with the law enforcement agencies or else no tangible result will be achieved.

Recently, a bill on Violence Against Person’ Prohibition that had spent almost 12 years in the National Assembly had just been passed, how do you react to this?

All these issues are already in the criminal code, so also are issues relating to corruption.

There is nothing in the EFCC Act that is not covered by the criminal code. It has always

been the law that violence is unlawful, so I do not see any new thing the law is bringing on the table.

Rather than enforce existing laws, we keep on making new laws in the vain hope that the new laws without more will prevent the problems we are seeking to address. It does not work that way. No matter how good a law is, unless it is properly enforced, nothing will change in the society.

The point is that we like multiplying things and all these will not change anything. All that need to be done is to amend the criminal code to bring it up to date and not creating new laws to address issues already covered by the law.

Eight drug offenders, including four Nigerians were recently executed in Indonesia, and the development has brought to the fore again desirability or otherwise of death sentence. What is your position on this?

Personally, as a pacifist I don’t subscribe to death sentence for any crime but in saying that, we must not lose sight of the damage being done to the society by drugs. Drug pushing constitutes a serious risk to the health of any society and any responsible government cannot fold its arms and allow the illicit trade to continue unchecked.

When Buhari executed three drug pushers in 1984 most drug pushers avoided Nigeria because they knew that the implication of being caught was death sentence. If you are issued visa to some of the countries that retain death sentence for drug pushing, it would be clearly spelt out in a booklet given to you that the offence attracts capital punishment. A person who knows the implication of taking hard drugs to some countries but decides to take the risk can only blame himself.

36 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

2015 general elections and survival of democracy in Nigeria

By Joseph Daudu, SAN

T

Benson SAN lecture.

The power to prosecute and bring offenders to justice is a necessary adjunct to police powers. Indeed, stakeholders maintain the unassailable position that power to prevent and apprehend criminals without a corresponding power to prosecute is an exercise in futility.

Consequently when the Electoral Act 2010 provides in section 150 (2) of the Electoral Act that ‘Any prosecution under this Act shall be undertaken by legal officers of the Commission or any legal practitioner appointed by it.” It has expressly and openly emasculated the Police in its task of securing electoral peace and harmony.

This section has far-reaching implications; firstly, it removes prosecutions of electoral Offences from the Police and the Federal and States Ministries of Justice and restricts this

hese statistics do not include those deaths that were unreported or those that were premeditated politically motivated assassinations, arson and other mayhem unleashed on the populace by politicians and their thugs. These deaths do not also include the Boko Haram attacks in Bauchi, Gombe and Yobe States during the elections which claimed several lives.

Factors militating against the effective use of police powers during general elections The impression one gets is that these acts of violence and mayhem can proceed unchecked and unabated, important exercise to legal without the intervention or officers of INEC or legal control of the law enforcement practitioners appointed by the agencies in Nigeria. The commission. The implication is question arises why the NPF that criminal prosecution will be is seemingly helpless and centralised Quere? Has INEC hapless in the prevention of got the manpower to prosecute these criminal activities? even 10% of electoral offences?

Indeed when arrests are made By divesting the police of why do the suspects powers to appear invincible prosecute such and beyond the s u m m a r y prosecutorial reach The power to offences, who will of the law prosecute and investigate the enforcement offences, because, agencies? Under bring offenders the fall-out of this the Police Act the to justice is a prosecutorial ban prosecution is that the police necessary p o s s e s s e s will lose an undoubted powers adjunct to interest in to prosecute investigations. At police powers offenders in any rate, it is violation of our settled law that penal legislations before any the Hon Federal Attorneycourt in Nigeria appropriately General can take over or designated for such an discontinue any criminal exercise. It is therefore a proceedings in the Federation regrettable matter that the or State. So what is the National Assembly has created functionality of this provision? an unsalutary state of affairs by It seems clear that the provision denying Police the which seeks to preserve the complimentary power to independence and integrity of prosecute offenders elections under the Act by apprehended by it for limiting participation in committing electoral offences. prosecution to INEC staff or J.B. Daudu SAN, delivered lawyers briefed by her, loses this lecture at NBA Ikorodu sight of clear constitutional th branch 10 annual B.O. provisions which fetter its

•Joseph Daudu, SAN

power to do so. For instance section 214 of the 1999 Constitution which prescribe that there shall be only one police force in Nigeria and the provision of section 174 and

211 which vest powers to prosecute criminal offences on the Attorney-General of States and the Federation. Secondly, has the Commission the man power to prosecute all offences

charged to court in the Federation? The answer is in the negative, prosecution is expensive and rigorous business, and it is also a specialized art. Till date, INEC Legal Department is not equipped to prosecute any offender under the Act as the necessary facilities are not in place. In any event, the Commission has stated on many occasions that it does not possess the wherewithal to carry out such additional functions that will cause distraction to its core duties.

Great care has to be taken to organise and dedicate a battery of lawyers in the INEC legal department to prosecution of cases. The essence of a democracy is to have functional machinery of Government, which in turn will provide safety and stability for her people to express their political rights in any atmosphere devoid of rancour and instability. In other words, where hoodlums are allowed to operate freely, troubling innocent by-standers, wishing to cast their votes and or exercise their civic rights, without let or hindrance, the credibility of the election and the integrity of those elected through such chaotic situation would have suffered a fatal blow.

Court fixes July 9 for hearing of N500,000 suit against lawyer

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA - An Onitsha Magistrate Court in Anambra State has fixed July 9 for further hearing in a N500,000 suit filed by a businessman, Chief Ntomchukwu Atuchukwu, against a legal practitioner, Charles Ononye.

The matter which was earlier scheduled to come up before Chief Magistrate Mike Okonkwo on May 28 could not hold because the defendant (Ononye) said he was served the hearing notice on May 27.

The defendant (Ononye), through an application, informed the court that he already had a pending matter before the Court of Appeal Enugu Division, on the same

From left: Lagos NBA Chairman, Alex Muoka; 2nd Vice President NBA, Taiwo Taiwo; NBA President, Augustine Alegeh SAN, and NBA National Publicity Secretary, Gbolahan Gbadamosi at a media briefing in Lagos.

date, hence a new date on July 9 was fixed by the court.

Atuchukwu (Claimant) through his counsel, Akosa Egwuatu, had dragged the Ononye to court, asking him to refund the sum of N500,000 which he allegedly collected from him (Atuchukwu) sometime ago to give to his client, Okey Onuma, as settlement fee (N1.2 million) for a land dispute between himself and Onuma but failed to issue him with a written settlement agreement as an acknowledgement for the receipt of the the said amount.

In his statement of claim, Atuchukwu informed the court that he gave Ononye two different bank cheques amounting to N500,000 as first instalment for N1.2 million agreed upon by himself and Ononye to settle Onuma so that he could hands off the ownership claims of the land.

The claimant explained that it was when Ononye failed to issue him with a written agreement that he stopped the post-dated cheques he already issued to him (Ononye) for the balance of N700,000.

He further told the court that he bought the said land from one Emembolu as the rightful owner but as he was developing it, Onuma, through his lawyer, Ononye, sued him to an Onitsha High Court II to

restrain him from further trespassing on the land by way of interlocutory injunction, but the then presiding judge of the court, Justice Pete Obiora, dismissed the injunction for lack of merit.

The claimant stated that following the dismissal of Onuma’s injunction, he continued with his erection of the fence and shops on the land until it was allegedly demolished the structures over night.

According to the claimant, he dragged Onuma to Nteje Magistrate Court II presided over by Chioma Amuluche where he is currently claiming N1 million for damages on the disputed land, adding that at a stage Ononye approached him and advised that he should pay his client (Onuma) some amount of money as settlement fee to enable him vacate the land.

Atuchukwu further said it was based on Ononye’s advice that they negotiated and agreed that he should pay Onuma N1.2 million as settlement fee on three instalments, saying that it was the first instalment of N500,000 he gave to Ononye to remit to his client (Onuma) that Ononye failed to issue him with a settlement agreement, hence he decided to go to court to recover his money.

C M Y K

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 37

Eastern Bar holds dinner

SBL confab to raise issues affecting Nigeria’s business environment

T

he international convergence of business lawyers, policy makers, regulators, judges, the business community and academics, which takes place annually in Nigeria is set to open this Sunday in Lagos.

The 9th Annual Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association, Section on Business Law, NBA-SBL, which begins on June 7, 2015 with an opening dinner, will be a Davosstyle beehive of information aimed at broadening the perspectives of the business community and business lawyers on issues pertaining to the Nigerian economy, borrowing from China, the power sector and more and will last until June 9.

Expected to feature some of the best legal, policy formulation, regulatory, financial, business and legal minds at this year’s event, the conference would also center around ‘Long-term Global Economic Trends and Implications for Nigeria,’ ‘Improving Nigeria’s Ease of Doing Business Index,’ ‘Raising Money for Projects: Latest Trends in Nigerian Financing’, ‘Nigeria’s Power Privatization Process: Learning Curve and Next Steps,’ ‘Value-based Pricing for Legal Services,’ ‘Nigerian Content and the Service Industry,’ ‘Chinese Lending in Africa,’ among other key sessions, there is no doubt that it will be plentiful harvest for the investing public and the entire business community.

Speaking about preparations for this year ’s event, the Chair of the 2015

Conference Planning Committee, Mr. Ayuli Jemide has stated that participants should expect an engaging, rich, diverse, deep, informative and farreaching conference, where a carefully selected panel of speakers and discussants will be x-raying these topical issues in great detail.

He said, “The conference is structured to bring value to a large target audience, the Public Sector, the Private Sector, international investment community, the judiciary and those in the informal sector of the economy.There’s a large offering for all participants. This year we will focus on regulators and how their work and the rules they set can enhance our economic growth.

“With a panel which cuts across the public and private sector, we will deliberate on issues in various areas of the law, business and our socioeconomy. We will engage them; facilitating discussions around these topical issues and exchanging ideas in an open forum.

We know that many of these ideas are discussed at both federal and state level and we are hopeful that the outcome of this conference will influence and direct policies,” Mr. Jemide stated.

According to the programme rolled out by the CPC, Day one of the Conference will feature key sessions designed to engage industry regulators in a dialogue on the Conference theme, “Regulators as Catalysts for Economic Growth” and will also raise major talking points that affect Nigeria’s business environment.

Institute of Advanced Legal Studies charts ways for pension scheme

T

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

HE plight of the retirees and pensioners in Nigeria overtime took the center stage at a pension administration reform roundtable organised by the Nigerian Institute of Advance Legal Studies, NIALS, to further strengthen pension frameworks in the country.

In his address, the director general, NIALS, Professor Adedeji Adekunle, represented by Prof. Lanre Fagbohun, director of research said the institute reputed for legal research and development put up the roundtable to further discuss how to advance the legal frameworks on the administration of pension scheme in the country.

He said, the outcome of the discussion will enhance the scheme in the country and make it stand on robust footing.

The keynote speaker, Mr. Tony Aletor, Vice Chairman, Capital Express Holdings, in his address, spoke on the plights of retirees in the country before the advent of the civilian administration, saying that recent efforts by the government have made it possible for the country to have a monolithic funded and Defined Contributory (DC) scheme which unified and standardized the public and private sectors pensions.

According to Aletor, pension issues have become worrisome over the years, which led the government to set up committees to address the problems.

He said, ‘’pension problem and its excruciating plight of the retirees in the

country for decades appear to have defiled all solution which the topic has become particularly more prominent since the rebirth of democracy in 1999'’.

He noted that several committees were set up to by the federal government to provide lasting solution to the situation which latter came up with the pay as you go system that he said has woefully failed.

Speaking on the Pension Act, Aletor said the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 2002, through the recommendations of a committee presided

by Fola Adeola which put up the framework of the Pension Reform Act No. 2 of 2004.

He said the statute revolutionized pensions administration in Nigeria by introducing sweeping changes directed at saving the collapsing public section pensions under the 1990 Pensions Act, harmonizing and regularizing the private sector schemes, and establishing a virile and functional pension system in the country.

Speaking on the pension reform Act 2004, he said, ‘’After 10 years of regulation of the CPS which was replaced by pension reform Act 2014 was to make provision for the uniform contributory pension scheme for public and private sector in Nigerian and related matters.”

He noted, “Among other provisions, the main outstanding improvements on the 2004 statute are the extension of the scope of coverage by the scheme to include public service of the states and the public service of the council."

The Eastern Bar Forum, EBF, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, recently held its dinner in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. The event had in attendance notable lawyers and bar leaders.

From left: Chairman Governing Council EBF, Mr. Ogbonna Igwenyi, former General Secretary NBA, Mr. Emeka Obegolu and General Secretary EBF, Mr. S. Long Williams.

From left: Second Assistant Secretary, NBA, Adimabua Ephraim Nweke, Assistant Publicity Secretary, Seth Nwokolo and Assistant Financial Secretary, Cecilia Ugbuji.

From left: From left: Dr. Cklaimz Enamhe, former Chairman NBA Ikeja branch, Richard Ogbeche and former Chairman NBA Ogoja branch, Marc Enamhe.

From left: Former Chairman, NBA Calabar branch, Mba Ukwnene, Ikenna Onuoha, former Chairman NBA Calabar branch, Mrs. Nkoyo Amah, former Chairman NBA Calabar branch E. O. E. Ekong, former Chairman NBA Nsukka branch, Gerald Ezeh, Idongesit Anana and George Fortune.

From left: Former Assistant National Financial Secretary NBA , Steve Ononye, Mrs. Ada Obi-Obinna Edozie and Mrs. Uju Okongwu.

38—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

•Akume:

•Lawan: Interested in the Senate Presidency

•Mark: Outgoing Senate President

•Saraki: Another aspirant for the Senate Presidency

led to the assumption that Senator Mark and his machine were well behind the aspiration of Senator Lawan. Supporting Lawan was also good politics for Mark as it seemed logical for him to support a friend than Senator Akume and Saraki, both of whom had sought to deny him his place of glory in the Senate.

Senator Akume had nearly denied Senator Mark the presidency of the Senate in 2007 when he mustered almost 40 votes in the Senate leadership contest of that year.

Mark and Akume, who were reportedly chummy political friends were believed to have fallen apart before the 2007 general elections due to some still inexplicable reasons.

When Mark mustered his return to the Senate in 2007 against Akume’s desire, the later was to challenge him in the contest for Senate President despite the earlier endorsement given Mark by the PDP few days before President Olusegun Obasanjo left office.

In the end, Akume failed in his bid and then shifted towards the opposition, becoming the leader of the opposition against his former party, the PDP in his native Benue State.

Senator Saraki’s aspiration for Senate President was also seen as a no go area for the Mark team given the cold relationship between the senator and the outgoing Senate President especially as reflected in the days leading to the defection of Saraki and some other senators from the PDP. Besides, Senator Saraki is also believed to have his eyes on

SENATE PRESIDENT: David's dangerous marks THE leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC is meeting today with the party’s senators-elect in a second meeting aimed at dousing the dissonance in the Senate leadership contest.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T

HOUGH no agenda was given for the meeting scheduled for Abuja there is little doubt that the meeting will centre on the leadership contest in the Senate which has seen the emergence of two strong candidates on the platform of the party.

The two candidates who have apparently polarised the party into two are Senators Bukola Saraki and Ahmad Lawan from Kwara and Yobe States respectively. The two men have captured the centre

stage in the contest forcing lesser minions like Senator Ali Ndume and George Akume who had earlier shown interest to back down from the race. Senator Akume who is the outgoing Senate Minority Leader climbed down to endorse Senator Lawan and is now positioned as his deputy in the leadership contest. Senator Ndume on backing down is now pushing for Senator Saraki.

Until recently, the outgoing Senate President, Senator David Mark had largely been believed to be working behind the scenes for the emergence

of Senator Lawan on the basis of the political chemistry behind the two men which has seen Senator Lawan in the past being accused of being a closet member of the PDP. Though, a member of the opposition, Lawan is known to be in the inner caucus of the David Mark Senate a tradition that follows his close working relationship with Speaker Aminu Masari in the PDP controlled House of Representatives between 2003 and 2007.

The suggestion of the good understanding between him and the PDP had in the past

Besides, Senator Saraki is also believed to have his eyes on the presidency in 2019.

Many politicians also say that Senator Mark may also have his own eyes on 2019

the presidency in 2019. Many politicians also say that Senator Mark may also have his own eyes on 2019.

Given the difficult relationship between Mark and Akume, it was not difficult to realise why Senator Mark would not support Akume.

Also, given the alleged convergence of the ambitions of Mark and Saraki towards 2019, it was also easy to see why the Senate President was not seen to be supporting his potential rival.

The two reasons also mixed together to favour Senator Lawan, the supposedly closeted member of the PDP. However, the permutations in the contest as concerning Senator Mark seemed to have been altered by the new working relationship between Senators Lawan and Akume.

Would Senator Mark sit down and allow his perceived political foe, Akume, to overtake him in the ranking at home and in the Senate?

That is the issue and challenge that is now confronting the Lawan campaign. Those in the Lawan camp who had taken the support from the Mark machine for granted are now having to restrategise given the new alliance they now share with Akume.

The development is what is now fuelling suggestions of Mark entering the fray himself to capitalise on how he can make a killing in the face of the division in the APC. If Mark enters the contest, he as usual would do it subtly. If he does so, he would surely not enter at the point of weakness.

With 49 senators on the platform of the PDP, and the APC having 59 senators, only 10 votes separate the two parties. It is such a fear of Mark’s moves that may have drawn the leadership of the APC into seeking a consensus in the contest.

The APC has every reason to move cautiously. As an ordinary senator prior to 2007, Senator Mark won a reputation of leading the largest bloc of senators with more than 70 senators pledging allegiance to him.

In his eight years as Senate President, there has been no single report of an attempted putsch quite unlike the years before his advent. Mischief makers allege that he was the one that strew the banana peels that fell the several Senate Presidents before him and that once he got to the office he quickly packed away the banana peels.

The capacity and capability of such a man who also has the political shrewd Senator Ike Ekweremadu behind him could not but have roused the APC to action. But whether the APC has woken up late is another issue given the hardened positions that have been taken by the Saraki and Lawan campaigns.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—39

SUPPORT FOR JONATHAN:

Why S-East won't succumb to blackmail — Sen Uzodinma

By Emma Nnadozie

SENATOR Hope Uzodinma is returning to the Senate for a second time on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to represent the Imo West Senatorial District.

Uzodinma, who is the outgoing chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation and a leader in the PDP in this interview, speaks on the fate that befell the party and how it can be repositioned for higher goals. Excerpts:

W

HAT would you advise the new administration to do in this regard?

It would not be really much of advice because the people there now are also very experienced.

We do not need classroom pontifications to be able to reposition our country. Do this, don’t do that. But having said that, I think what the new administration should tackle is to restore order in the society. The society is very disorderly. There is a lot of impunity. And let me hasten to say that this is not limited to only those in power.

There is disorderliness even in our private lives. It does not need coercion to do that but a reorientation of Nigerians to love and trust each other. If we restore brotherly love among ourselves, then the other problems, about economy, about security and what have you, will be half way solved. We are having problems because Nigerians do not cooperate with one another. But I can see silver lining in the horizon. With the enthusiasm shown by Nigerians to the just concluded transition, I believe things will be better.

You are a key player in the nation’s politics and top member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is this not an indictment of your party which has been in power for 16 years?

It is not an indictment because the thing I am talking about is about attitudes, some cultural, some even religious. It is not only politics. It is to the credit of PDP that we have come this far, to the stage where we can hold elections peacefully and follow it up with a smooth transition. Before the last general election, there were talks that Nigeria was going to disintegrate following the 2015 election. It is to the credit of the PDP that that did not happen. The other day, President Muhammadu Buhari acknowledged publicly that the

•Uzodinma: The PDP has succeeded in stabilizing the country so far

The body language and utterances of the President do not in any way suggest that he will discriminate against any section of the country. He has stated that in black and white

opposition party. Well, in ordinary political parlance that may be right. But I can assure you that the PDP will not be involved in the conventional rabble rousing opposition. It will do it maturely, not like a party desperately wanting to grab

power. After 16 years in the saddle, the party and its leaders have seen it all. But beyond that, the PDP is there to avail Nigerians the experience it had garnered over the years. Happily, the President has said he will make use of those who can help

VICTOR NDOMA-EGBA: Portrait of legislative excellence

By Missang Oyama

telephone call he received from Dr. Goodluck Jonathan even before all the results of the Presidential Election were announced was one single act that saved the nation from crisis.

That is to the credit of PDP of which the former President is a product. The PDP has succeeded in stabilizing the country so far.

So, we expect the new administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to make progress from where the PDP stopped.

What role do you see your party playing in that regard?

The PDP will, of course, play the role of contributing in further stabilizing the polity. You guys in the media say PDP is now an

his administration no matter which political party they belong to. Beyond that, you will agree with me that it is in the interest of the country that the PDP remains strong in order to offer credible opposition though not in the conventional way of rhetoric.

The PDP is now a college of highly experienced people who can still play critical roles in shaping the destiny of our country.

You are from the South-East whose people generally gave more of their votes to the former President. Do you see any problems with your people getting integrated into the new system?

There is no such problem as far as I am concerned; both from the side of the people of the SouthEast and that of the administration of President Muhammdu Buhari.The body language and utterances of the President do not in any way suggest that he will discriminate against any section of the country. He has stated that in black and white.

It is impossible to have everybody vote for one political party or one candidate in an election, especially in a plural society like ours. I think we should stop raising the issue of how the South-East voted. It is not an issue at all. Those abusing Igbo for voting the way they did in the last general elections have failed it completely.

It is unnecessary blackmail because apart from that the APC got a lot of votes in the SouthEast. This is not the first time Igbo have shown steadfastness in their preferences. They did it in 1993 when they voted massively for the late MKO Abiola despite that they had their highly respected son, Sylvester Ugoh, as Vice-Presidential candidate of the rival party. Why have we forgotten all that? The Igbo will of course give support to President Muhammadu Buhari and his administration.

V

ENI, Vidi, Vici-I came, I saw and I conquered.

THE above statement reportedly originated from a letter Julius Caesar wrote to the Roman Senate around 46 BC, after achieving victory against Pharnaces II of Pontius at the Battle of Zela.

The statement represents a fitting description of the personality of Senate Leader Victor NdomaEgba (SAN) at this auspicious time in our nation’s history.

In his first term in the Senate, in 2003, NdomaEgba had the unique honour of being the first senator to chair the media and publicity committee; clear indication of a man with the understanding and capacity to play for the highstakes at the highest level in our body polity.

This saddled him with the responsibility of interfacing the Nigerian Senate with the Fourth Estate of the realm and by extension the entire nation as the spokesman. I daresay he discharged his duties so creditably that, today, his tenure is

still a landmark on how to run the media committee in the Senate.

Unlike Julius Caesar, Senator Ndoma-Egba never engaged in a military battle but rose to the rostrum of the Nigerian National stage and has, now, acquitted himself an adept master of wits.

His engagements were on the platform of strenuous legislative and political sphere where he conquered with admirable degree of intellectual prowess.

For keen followers of the parliament in the country, whenever there’s mention of Senate Leader, Nigerians immediately remember the enigmatic lawmaker from Kwara Central senatorial district, Senator (now late) Abubakar Olusola Saraki.

In the Second Republic, Senator Saraki’s image loomed large because of the adept manner he ran the Senate chamber.

Today, I daresay that, in the Fourth Republic, NdomaEgba has raised the bar such that any mention of Senate Leader, the image that immediately comes to mind is that of the senator from Cross River Central senatorial

Continues on page 40

40—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Expectations as Udom Emmanuel takes over leadership

By Chioma Onuegbu

O

N whether Udom Gabriel Emmanuel as the governor would perform in office or will not is currently the topical issue of discussion and arguments in different circles in Akwa Ibom State since after his swearing-in into office last Friday.

There is no gain saying the fact that the people’s expectations of his administration will be high because of the recorded achievements of his predecessor.

Political observers, his admirers, and particularly loyalists and stakeholders of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP who spoke to Vanguard immediately after the handing over ceremony were, however, optimistic that he would perform beyond following his track records and antecedents in the banking sector.

In the opinion of Saviour Akpan, Executive Director of Community Policing Partners: Justice, Security and Democratic Reforms COMPPART Emmanuel has no reasons why he would not perform in office because the foundation has already been laid down by his predecessor Godswill Akpabio.

According to Akpan, “There is no government that can perform up to expectation when there are illiterate citizens who do not understand the difference between government and governance,

Continues on page 39 district.

For 12 years, Senator NdomaEgba deeply invested in the business of law-making and nation th building. As the Leader of the 7 Senate, his style and temper fostered the evolution of the Nigerian Senate into a vibrant regal institution with a cohesive bond; forged by commitment to the common good.

When he speaks in the chamber, or out of it, Senator Ndoma-Egba evokes imaginative flights and builds confidence in the minds of millions of Nigerians, young and elderly, to the creative contemplation that there is hope for our nation.

It is trite to restate here that his engagement in the Senate has seen agitation for the liberation of the less-privileged and downtrodden in our society.

This is evident in the Bills he has sponsored/ co-sponsored and got passed into law and Motions he has sponsored/co-sponsored on the floor of the Senate.

Senator Ndoma-Egba may be physically slender but, the Leader (as he is fondly called), exudes appreciable towering gait and carriage with an aura of magnetic influence.

A man of prodigious intellect, he has shown capacity and

transparency and accountability to governance. The citizens on their part must engage elected political office holders to fulfil their campaign promises.

“Also for Udom Emmanuel to succeed he must ensure that there is clear cut separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature and the Judiciary as already provided in section, 4, 5, and 6 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended. This provision should be given life through the active engagement of the citizens in the different arms of government even though the constitution is not water-tight.

The content of the governor’s

However aware of the expectations from his government, Governor Emmanuel in his inaugural speech reassured the people of his determination and commitment to deliver on his campaign promises

speech for Manasseh Umoette, a youth leader from Ikot Ekpene local government area clearly indicates that he was well prepared to face the tasks awaiting him.

He stressed “His agenda for the state for me shows that he has come with a mission to add value to what is already on the ground. The argument in some quarters is that he came from the corporate world and therefore may not understand the language of politics. But I believe he can surmount any obstacle as he moves to stir the affairs of the state if he tries as much as possible to stay away from sycophants” On his part former military administrator of the state and Director General of Udom Emmanuel’s Campaign Organization, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga said that the people’s expectation from governor Emmanuel should not be outside his 5 point agenda.

“He has promised us job creation.

He has promised us poverty alleviation, wealth creation. There will be economic and political inclusions, Infrastructure consolidation and development.

And the 12 things he listed during his inaugural speech are all categorized under his 5point agenda.

On the ongoing litigation challenging Udom Emmanuel’s emergence as the winner of the

•Emmanuel April 11 governorship election in the state the PDP loyalist described the litigations against the governor as mere distractions, stressing “What you can change you change, what you cannot change youcannotchange.Immediatepast governor Akpabio went through the same thing. Frank Okon is now satisfied because Akpabio is out of office. All he had wanted was to see Akpabio out of office. God is going to see us through because the distraction is going to be quite unnecessary.

However aware of the expectations from his government, Governor Emmanuel in his

inaugural speech reassured the people of his determination and commitment to deliver on his campaign promises which he said he intends to achieve through the collective cooperation and positive contribution from all Akwa Ibom people.

His words, “Akwa Ibom people you have kept the covenant, and I will keep my own part be executing the programmes I enunciated during my official declaration to run for the office of the governor which includes to leverage and build on the uncommon transformation of my predecessor.

VICTOR NDOMA-EGBA: Portrait of legislative excellence dexterity in lawmaking, legislative advocacy and proficiency in building bi-partisan alliances.

In 12 years, he has set the pace as a congressman of immense consequence with thirty eight (38) Bills to his credit. Those who should know would boldly acknowledge that this is an unprecedented feat in the history of parliamentary representation in Nigeria. Victor, as his peers would callhim,hasbecomeanundeniable revelation in Nigeria’s political scene.

At the Senate, Ndoma-Egba worked to enlarge and enrich his people to the best of his ability.

Through legislative advocacy, he attracted 76 quality projects worth over N7 billion to his senatorial district spanning six local governments in Cross River Central.

The Federal Specialist Hospital in Ikom, the Trans-African Highway through Etung axis, several erosion control projects from Abi to Boki Local Government Areas and others too numerous to mention.

At the last count, Senator Victor Ndoma Egba-Egba has influenced 191 employment opportunities for his people, at both state and federal ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).

Between 2003 and 2014, 685 indigent students across the Senatorial District have been awarded scholarships from undergraduate to Ph.D programs in Nigerian universities.

The free computer training programme he initiated in 2003, few months after his inauguration as a Senator of the Federal Republic subsists till today.

Through that scheme, 13, 450 are now computer literate.

The CBN/Ndoma-Egba Entrepreneurial Training Program where more than 120 constituents have been trained in various vocations and empowered with start-up capital, is an eloquent testimony of the his commitment to better the lot of his people.

An alumnus of the famous class of ’78 Law School graduates that has produced some of the best legal luminaries we have in the

country today.

Names like Justice Walter Samuel Onnoghen (JSC), former NBA presidents, Bayo Ojo, SAN, Olisa Agbakoba, SAN, and Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN. Others are, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Paul Erokoro, SAN, Bala Ngilari (immediate past governor of Adamawa State) and others.

At the age 27 he was appointed Commissioner for Works and Transport in the old Cross River State (now Cross River and Akwa Ibom States) at the time his father’s classmate was a Permanent Secretary in the Ministry.

Unlike the ‘prophets’, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba’s contributions to nation building were recognized by the Federal Government with an award of Officer of the Federal Republic(OFR) and subsequently, Commander of the Order of the Niger(CON).

If parliamentary representation is about experience, the fact that millions of Nigerians find galling is: Why is a man of this calibre and standing exiting at this critical

•Ndoma-Egba moment of our nation’s history?

This is left to the Cross River State PDP apparatchik to answer.

However, the consolation is that his life and work in the Nigerian Senate would stand out by any criteria, his vibrant legacies would bequeath posterity and his imprints imperishable.

•Oyama is a social commentator. He writes from Lagos, Nigeria and can be reached at: missang_oyama@yahoo.com, missangoyama@gmail.com.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—41

Breastfeeding beats breast cancer lower their chances of developing the diseases become.

Research shows that one other benefit of breastfeeding babies, includes healthier immune systems and fewer breathing difficulties. The research by epidemiologist Sir Richard Doll - who discovered the link between lung

By Jennifer Aladetan

M

OTHERS who breastfeeding still shy away from breastfeeding their babies because they think their breasts would go flat, need to have a rethink.

In the first place, breastfeeding does not cause the breast to go flat. Whether or not a woman breast feeds, her breasts would go flat more as a result of ageing and other physiological processes in the body.

Breastfeeding, according to paediatricians, provides health benefits for mothers beyond emotional satisfaction. Such health benefits include; cancer prevention, and protection from infectious diseases.

But perhaps one of the most important benefits of breastfeeding is that it does appear to protect against breast cancer, probably by affecting levels of estrogen in a woman's body, Breastfeeding seems to help prevent, or at least delay, the onset of celiac disease, possibly by introducing tiny amounts of gluten to a baby through the mother's milk.

In developing countries in Africa and Asia, women breastfed each of their babies for an aver-

cancer and smoking - may now lead doctors to tell mothers that breastfeeding could protect them from the disease. It was also found that a woman’s risk fell by just over eight percent for every birth.

However, women who have breastfed experience reduced rate of breast cancer in life, thereby providing other health benefits in their babies including protection against celiac diseases.

HCPAN tasks FG on health insurance

By Esther Onyegbula

T

• Breastfeeding is best.

New mothers reduce their breast cancer risk by breastfeeding, and the longer they continue, the lower their risk becomes

age of 30 months. Since breast milk is the ideal nutrient for the new born, all women should be encouraged to breastfeed their children for cancer prevention.

New mothers are believed to reduce their risk of breast cancer by breastfeeding their babies, and the longer they continue, the

HE Lagos State chapter of Health Care Providers Association of Nigeria (HCPAN) has called on government to play by the rule and get relevant stakeholders involved in the decision and programme roll-out of the National Health Insurance, NHIS in the state.

They have also among other demands urged the government to periodically review the capitation

by NHIS, taking into consideration, inflation and unstable economy.

They made the calls at the Mid Year General Meeting of the chapter held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry conference centre, Lagos State.

The Chairman, Dr. Tunji Akintade called on the government

to be well advised and involve all stakeholders rather than operating with one segment of the sector and leaving others in the dark.

“The providers have been pained over the years while other stakeholders have been laughing to the bank, yet provide the services. Let us play by the rules.

We are ready as a stakeholder to roll out quality services to Nigerians with good mobilisation from government and waivers as enshrined in our submission.

We are also glad to hear that government has given some waivers to MNOs so as to increase our capitation, but they should also factor in prevailing inflation rate at all times.

Our request is for uploading of all our certified members on the platform following accreditation through the NHIS.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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Afterwards be very careful and get the people who live with you to get tested too – Uche Months ago I wrote you about low semen quantity during ejaculation and you recommended Explosion Ejaculate Volumizer. I loved it so much that I bought several bottles but now it is finished and I cannot find it anywhere - Maurice Maurice there are a few supplements that increase semen quantity when you take them. Max Load is a good example and does everything that Explosion does from increasing semen quantity to enabling sweater intercourse during climax. So whenever you cannot find Explosion, look for Max Load. They both do the same thing – Uche I find that whenever I have intercourse with my wife and I climax, it takes a long time for me to get the energy and erection to have sex again. My wife is not happy even though she will not complain. But I know her well enough to know that she is not happy – Jide Jide this happens to some people. Sometimes it takes a while to get energy and firm erections for subsequent intercourse sessions. But there are supplements that can help you. Max Stamina for instance does just that. It gives the energy and instant erections for multiple rounds of intercourse. So you can try that. If you don’t find it, get Rhino 5 or X Again Platinum Enhancer – Uche Many years ago, I used to buy pheromones for sexual attraction from you guys. My favourite was the Pure Instinct Pheromone that comes in one small blue bottle like that. But I don’t see it again – Mohammed Yes we have not had it recently but I think it is back in stock. The makers have repackaged it and it now comes

in a clear bottle. Call the office about it with the numbers below or check for it at www.zeevirtualmedia.com . There are also great alternatives like the Beaux Gest Cologone for attracting women and the Max Attract Cologne as well – Uche My rabbit vibrator just stopped working and I don’t know why. Please can you help me get another one? It is light pink in colour and the name is Hunni something.

I don’t remember but I bought it from you last year – Justina You must be talking about the Hunni Bunny rabbit vibrator and yes you can get it. Just call the numbers below or visit the site. Did you leave your batteries inside after use? That normally kills the vibrator when there is battery leakage. If that is what happens, never leave the batteries inside after use- Uche Hello sir, I am sorry that I didn’t call to thank you after you helped me in March. Please accept my apologies. I later tried the Gladiator Power Cream like you suggested and since I started using it, I have been able to last longer during intercourse. I am grateful and so is my Madame – Felix You are welcome – Uche At 54 years of age, I no longer feel a sexual urge. My husband is 52 and is still very energetic if you know what I mean. I need your help – MrsGaruba As we age, our sexual hunger diminishes but it can be revived. Look for Kangaroo for her supplement. I don’t know if we still have it but it will transform your love life.

Spanish Fly can help too – Uche That is all for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for their privacy. Adults in need of these treatments/novelties can call 07086754515 or 08053911233 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.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Edo bans agents from collection of taxes, levies

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—EDO State Government has banned agents from collection of taxes and levies from artisans, market women, taxi and bus drivers on behalf of local government areas in the state.

Chairman of Edo State Board of Internal Revenue Services, Chief Oseni Elamah, who addressed newsmen in Benin, also announced the disengagement of Akugbe Ventures, a private company responsible for collecting levies from commercial drivers in the state on behalf of the state government.

He added that unions such as Road Transport Employees Association, Drivers’ Welfare Scheme and National Union of Road Transport Workers, were barred forthwith from collecting union dues on the highways, noting that the extant laws forbade government from engaging agents for the purpose of collecting taxes and levies from citizens.

Tribunal threatens contempt charge against INEC's legal adviser

By Tom Moses

U

YO—THE Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has served the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Legal Adviser, Mr Uche and former Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General of the state, Mr. Uwemedimo Nwoko, warning notices against further actions that could frustrate the inspection of materials used in the March 28, presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The tribunal, yesterday, frowned at Uche's perceived partisan conduct and alleged confrontational disposition, stressing that he risked being committed to prison for contempt of court.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Akwa Ibom North West senatorial district, Mr. Inibehe Okori, in the petition against the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senator-elect, Chief Godswill Akpabio, had accused the defendants of trying to frustrate the court’s order to inspect ballot papers used in March 28 National Assembly

He insisted that revenue accruing to the government at all levels were supposed to be collected in a prescribed manner and not through agents or consultants.

According to him, “The law gave government the power to generate revenue to render services to the people. The proviso there is that nobody has

the power to mount road blocks in whatever name on the highway to collect revenue.

“We have written to the police to enforce the cashless revenue collection of Edo State Government.

We are implementing the Federal Government law which forbids anybody from mounting roadblock under the guise of

collecting revenue. Any member of the public that is harassed or intimidated should report such persons to the police “We urge the police to arrest culprits because the law does not allow the collection of revenue on our highways or streets. Whenever you pay, demand for government official receipts,” he added.

SWEARING-IN: Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State (middle); his wife, Dame Edith (2nd left); deputy governor of Delta State, Mr Kingsley Otuaro (left); the newly sworn-in SSG, Mr. Festus Agas (2nd right) and his wife Kevwe, during the swearing-in of the SSG on Wednesday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Dickson assents to widows, widowers protection bill

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N AG OA — B AY E L S A State governor, Mr Seriake Dickson, has signed the Widows and Widowers’ Protection bill 2015, into law.

This brings to 50, the total number of bills signed into law so far in the life of the administration.

Dickson, in Yenagoa, explained that the new law was designed to offer protection to the vulnerable group in society, particularly widows and widowers, against harmful

cultural and traditional practices.

The governor commended Mrs. Agatha Goma for the sponsorship of the bill, noting that henceforth, marriage to a relation of a deceased spouse against the individual’s wish and compelling a widow or widower to do any of the several acts contained in the law would be considered unlawful.

He pointed out that women were most affected in some traditional practices, which he described as negative, stressing that the law seeks to offer protection to them.

“The Widows and Widowers’ Law of our state deals with a lot of negative cultural practices, particularly those affecting the womenfolk in our society. I like to appreciate the contributions of the member who sponsored this bill, Agatha Goma.

“We need to protect women, particularly those who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances because sometimes, our cultural practices are not friendly to widows who lose husbands and breadwinners.

This bill has stepped in to offer some protection to them,” he said.

NDDC to partner tertiary institutions in turning out quality graduates

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—NIGER Delta D e v e l o p m e n t Commission, NDDC, has promised sustained partnership with universities, polytechnics and colleges of education in the Niger Delta region to turn out quality graduates from the institutions.

The member representing Delta State on the Board of NDDC, Chief Tom Amioku, gave the assurance while

commissioning a multi-million naira engineering workshop project at the Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, in Ethiope West Local Government Area, for the development of the people of the state and its neighbours.

Amioku, flanked by the Delta State Director, NDDC, Mr Gbubemi Ogor and other management staff of the commission, said: “NDDC embarked on the construction of the Engineering Workshop

project for the training of our students who will be better equipped to fill the gap in providing the technical expertise for the success of local content agenda.”

The scope of the project, according to the NDDC boss, include “Construction of Mechanical and Electrical workshop with administrative offices, provision of electrical materials and fittings and also plumbing and engineering installations.”

Urhobo ex-militants urge Ogboru, Emerhor to sheathe swords

By Christopher Njoku

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OMADI—EXMILITANTS under the aegis of Coalition of Urhobo Ex-agitators, have called on the Labour Party governorship flag-bearer in the just concluded general elections in Delta State, Chief Ovedje Ogboru, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship flag-bearer, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, to sheathe swords in their legal battle against the winner of the governorship election, Sen. Ifeanyi Okowa.

The ex-militants in a statement by their Chairman, H.M. Ebirie, noted that the state needs peace and progress for the well-being of all.

Umanah passes on

D

R. Ime Umanah, chairman of Imesco Group of Companies, is dead.

A statement by his son, Ime Umanah Junior, said that Dr. Umanah, who died on May 25, was a c o n s u m m a t e businessman, a selfless politician and philanthropist.

He added that funeral arrangements will be announced by the family later.

Pa Ganagana for burial

L

ATE Elder M. D. Ganagana who passed on April 18, 2015 will be buried tomorrow.

A devoted Christian and community leader, the late Pa Ganagana was one of the earliest educated men in his Enekorogha Town in Burutu Local Government of Delta State. He remained a great positive influence on the community until he passed on.

He was elected Councillor (Works) of Burutu Local Government Area, old Bendel State, on the platform of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria between 1979 and 1981.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—43

Youths Must Work teachers owed 11 months stipends

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

W E R R I — TEACHERS engaged by Imo State government, under its Youths Must Work scheme in 2013, have cried out to Governor Rochas Okorocha to clear their 11 months arrears of stipends.

The aggrieved citizens also asked the state governor to fulfil his 2014 promise of converting their engagement into a permanent and pensionable status.

According to a release

by Chinwe Osuji, the teachers who were employed in 2013, expressed the hope that they would have been celebrating their conversion with Okorocha’s second tenure.

Osuji recalled that the governor invited the Youths Must Work teachers and addressed them at the Heroes Square, Owerri, in March 2014, where he promised to convert their engagement to permanent employment after one year.

While expressing regret that the governor’s promise had remained a mirage thereafter, the teachers also said their status remained unchanged, despite passing through all manner of screening.

The angry teachers said they could no longer feed or transport themselves to and from their schools of posting.

Stakeholders cry out over epileptic power supply in the S/East

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE low power supply from Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, has elicited outcry from stakeholders in the South-East geo-political zone.

This is even as the University of Nigeria, UNN, closed its Enugu and Nsukka campuses for two weeks, owing to

students’ protest over one month power outage in the ivory tower.

Director General, Enugu State Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Agriculture and Industry, ECCIMA, Mr. Emeka Okereke, who was close to tears as he spoke to Vanguard, lamented that there had not been any significant improvement in power supply since the privatisation of power.

He said: “The incessant power

outage in the South-East region has affected beyond businesses to the standard of living. Most businesses have closed shops owing to power outage. ‘’The situation has led to disengagement of staff and recruitment of cheap labour which has impacted negatively on the overall output of companies.

“Our expectations were high when we learnt of privatisation.

IBC workers protest

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—STAFF of Imo B r o a d c a s t i n g Corporation, IBC, Owerri, have threatened to shut their radio and television channels, if Governor Rochas Okorocha failed to clear their three months arrears of salaries.

The obviously angry IBC workers read the riot act, yesterday, when they peacefully marched to Government House, Owerri, to lay their complaint.

Some of the placards carried by the aggrieved workers read: “IBC staff are dying, pay us,” “Our

families are suffering,” “IBC worked hard for your re-election, owing us is a bad way to thank us,” “Must we die before we are paid?” and “These are very bad times for IBC workers.”

Addressing newsmen at the scene of the protest, the spokesman of the protesting workers, Tony Elucheanyi, disclosed that all the labour unions in IBC were part of the protest.

“The three industrial unions that are part of this peaceful protest include the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union, RATTAWU, Nigeria Union of

Journalists, NUJ, and Nigeria Union of Civil Service, Secretarial and Stenographic Workers, NUCSSASW,” he said.

The labour leader said that despite the governor’s claim that he had paid all outstanding staff salaries in the state, staff of IBC were yet to receive their April emoluments and were not sure when the May 2015 salary would be paid.

“The March 2015 salary was hurriedly paid to workers, when the IBC management got wind of our impending protest march to Government House,” Elucheanyi said.

Gov Ugwuanyi resumes, inspects roads, govt offices

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE governor of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has said his administration was committed to addressing the socio-economic needs of the people to make life better for the citizens.

Ugwuanyi made the promise when he undertook an inspection visit to some parts of Abakpa Nike, Ogbete Main Market, ESUT Teaching Hospital, Park-Lane and National Grammar School, Nike.

At ESUT Teaching Hospital

Park Lane, the governor said government would pay the hospital bills of nineteen nursing mothers at the maternity ward and that of Amanda Kalu and Dennis Amanda in the surgery and gynaecology wards, Ugwuanyi, who was conducted round the hospital wards by the Chief Medical Director, CMD, of the hospital, Dr. Gabriel Njeze, said his administration would ensure that Enugu State was a preferred destination in healthcare delivery services in Nigeria.

At Abakpa Nike and Ogbete

Main Market, Ugwuanyi was received by a mammoth crowd of enthusiastic residents and traders from Abakpa Timer Shed and Ogbete Main Market.

Addressing the traders, Ugwuanyi revealed that the purpose of the visit was to meet with them, thank them for their support and also inspect roads.

He described the condition of the Nike road and Nike-Lake road by-pass as very deplorable, assuring them that in no distant time reconstruction work will start on the road.

At Ogbete Main Market road

y view on Buhari’s decision to name his Chief of Staff and aides is that there is no hurry in life.

Let him not hurry and end up making a lot of mistakes in his appointments, as seen in times past. I want him to select them well because we need no excuse.

-Mr. Olaleye Abayomi, Student

under construction by the Arab Contractors, the governor was assured by the Site Manager of the company, Mr. Sameh Mustapha, that reconstruction work on the road would be completed in a month.

Governor Ugwuanyi, who was accompanied on the tour by his deputy, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, was received at National Grammar School, Nike, by the Principal, Mr. Godfrey Ezika.

Addressing the students, the governor described education as one of the biggest industries in the state.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

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But, apparently, the investors do not have the capability to turn around the sector. We have been moving round a vicious circle since the past 16 years. ‘’Now the problem has been attributed to vandalisation of pipelines supplying gas to the thermal stations.

“We cannot keep going in vicious circles. Since there has not been any improvement in power supply, we will have to revisit the concessioner. The confidence we reposed on then has waned.

"We do want excuses. The gasto-power plant idea has not worked because of the distance to thermal plants and vandalism.

The investors must be made to deliver quality service for the value of money paid.”

Similarly, a group, Enugu Unity Forum, EUF, led by Mr. Tahil Ochi, has charged the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari to make good its promise of providing 40,000mw for the next four years.

Ochi said: “All efforts should be geared towards supporting Buhari to actualize the promise of yearly 5,000mw in power supply."

Your view on Buhari's decision to choose aides

M

r.

President, please, appoint God fearing people that will be able to carry the responsibility bestowed on them conscientiously.

I wish members of Buhari’s team good luck.

But contact me if you need a reserve. -Mr. Onuigbo Austin, Unemployed

S

eriousness of situations could inform change of persons. It will not be good to name adviser for a job he may not be able to effectively handle, but may be good for a different job. That to me is the wisdom behind studying those hand-over notes. -Mr. Egwali Chinedu, Communicator

W

e are in an unusual situation at the moment. I’ll expect GMB to extract commitment to deliver from each of his officers after presenting them with the exact situation as at time of hand-over.

Otherwise, it will be a case of square pegs in round holes. -Mr Ogunyemi Ibrahim, Student

I

will say justice hurried ly done is justice de layed; therefore, taking a bit of additional time to do it right, first time is a good way to go. I thank President Buhari for encouraging continued democracy so that everybody will partake in moving Nigeria forward. -Miss Mabel Ogechi, Worker

B

asically, Buhari's emergence as President of Nigeria is what everybody really wants to make life better for the people.

Hence, Buhari should not take too many aides to avoid making it expensive to run the government.

God bless Nigeria, that is all! -Miss Rose Okonta, Student

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

Plateau gov, Jang in war of words over N104bn debt J

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

OS—GOVERNOR Simon Lalong of Plateau State and his predecessor, Jona Jang yesterday traded words over accusations that he (Jang) left a huge debt of N104 billion in his hand over note to him.

Lalong spoke while addressing Judiciary workers who visited him at the old Government House.

The delegation was led by the state Chief Judge, Justice Pius Damulak.

However, in a swift reaction, Jang debunked the report attributed to Lalong that he left such a staggering debt profile and urged Lalong not to engage in cheap publicity to mislead the people over the state’s alleged indebtedness by resorting to trivialities but focus more on improving on his modest achievements.

Jang who reacted through his Special Assistant, Media, Clinton Garuba in a statement in Jos yesterday.

But Lalong had said that apart from the non-payment of seven months workers’ salaries and arrears owed to pensioners in the state, nothing was left in the state treasury.

His words, “I want the Judiciary to know that the past administration left N104billion debt as documented in the handing over note to me and there is also no kobo left in the treasury of the state and we will have to battle again with the seven months of unpaid salaries of workers including those of the pensioners in the state.”

On his part the Chief Judge, Justice Damulak decried the under funding of the state judiciary during the past administration and called on the governor to regard the judiciary as a key sector which should not be toyed with.

Lalong yesterday also had several meetings with critical stakeholders, including permanent secretaries, local government chairmen and heads of tertiary institutions on how to move the state forward.

He said that he would not dissolve the local government

councils but rather seek their coorperation and loyalty for the development of the state.

However, in his reply to the allegations, Jang’s Media Aide, Garuba said: “While it is true that in the hand over notes given to the new administration, the debt profile is as made available to newsmen, it must be pointed out that the Jang administration did not borrow N104 billionn as is being insinuated in some quarters.

“The immediate past government only borrowed an external debt of about N18 billion

with evidence of several developmental projects to show for it. The balance of the said N104 billion spreads across contractual agreements for ongoing projects and those approved but not yet mobilized and outstanding of six months salaries of civil servants.”

He further pointed out that Jang was committed to the development of Plateau State beyond individualism and party affiliations and therefore ready to “ work with the Lalong administration in the task of moving Plateau further to take its place of pride in the comity of states in Nigeria.”

AWARDS: From left: Gary Jeffery, Partner and Director, Sullivan, Ifeanyi Amah, Group Executive Director, ipNX and Segun Okuneye, Head, Network Services, ipNX, at the Frost and Sullivan awards in London

NUTGTWN lauds Customs over seizure of textile materials K

By Agaju Madugba

ADUNA—THE National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, has commended activities of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in the fight against smuggling.

Reports indicate that men of the NCS recently discovered 75 illegal warehouses in Kano harbouring contraband textile materials worth about N319.9 billion.

“We commend the Customs for the seizure of the smuggled textile materials,” the textile union said in a statement in Kaduna yesterday.

Describing smuggling as economic terrorism, the statement signed by the NUTGTWN General Secretary, Comrade Issa Aremu, noted that threat to the realization of the great

potential of Nigeria in textile production is high influx of counterfeit and smuggled goods.

He said: “Over 90 per cent of Nigeria’s huge market size is dominated by smuggled and counterfeit goods, killing local companies in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos, Guzau, Aba and Port Harcourt, and millions of direct and indirect local jobs.

“Remarkably too, smuggling denies the government the much needed revenue in unpaid customs duties.

“According to the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Diko Abdullahi, the duty value of the goods in one out of the uncovered 75 warehouses in Kano is N4.2bn.

“When we add the value duties of all the 75 warehouses, one will appreciate the enormous loss of revenue to the government.

“We are reassured by the Comptroller General of Custom’s resolve to prosecute the smugglers including the

reported four Chinese nationals linked with the seized contraband textile materials in Kano.

“However, all the above efforts will be in vain unless the seized contraband textile materials are burnt in public like seized drugs, otherwise they will find their way to the market thereby defeating

the ongoing efforts to curtail smuggling.

“We once again call on President Muhammadu Buhari to reconstitute the Presidential Task Force on destruction of seized textile materials once chaired by the current Governor of Kaduna state, Malam Nasir El-Rufai.”

Jigawa to revive abandoned Dutse IPP

By Tina Akannam

D

UTSE—JIG AWA State government has pledged to revive the abandoned Dutse Independent Power Project, DIPP, initiated by the former governor, Saminu Turaki’s administration, adding that the imported electric generators which would have supplied power to Dutse, the state capital and other cities in the state were still lying idle 10 years after they were purchased.

Governor Muhammad Badaru Abubakar spoke when he visited the power station yesterday and lamented that the PDP government refused to install them due to reasons known best to it.

Badaru noted that if installed, the generators would generate four megawatts of electricity to the state capital and boost the economy of the people, assuring that his government would soon revive the project to improve power situation for the benefit of the people.

The governor pointed out that though price of diesel was high, it was cheaper when compared with what ministries, extra ministerial departments and government agencies used to fuel their standby generators.

The Dutse and Kazaure IPPs had begun test transmission, while that of Gujungu which generators were neatly packaged in the premises were initiated about 10 years ago by the Turaki’s administration.

Buhari not a miracle worker —OKOYE

K

By Agaju Madugba

ADUNA—RIGHTS activist and member of the 2014 National Conference, Festus Okoye, said it will be unfair for Nigerians to expect President Muhammadu Buhari to turn around the fortunes of Nigeria overnight.

Okoye who represented the civil society at the Conference also told Vanguard in an interview in Kaduna that former President Goodluck Jonathan may have convened the conference for selfish political gains.

According to him, the Nigerian people expect so much from Buhari but must balance the expectations against the economic, social and political realities of the Nigerian state.

His words: “Nigerians must realize that the change promised may be gradual and graduated and Buhari’s assumption of office may not translate to a quantum leap in the fortunes of the Nigerian people.

“Muhammadu Buhari is assuming office at a period of

national drift and confusion and at a time Nigeria is in darkness and the Nigerian people sleep at various filling stations across the country.

“He is assuming office at a time when some civil servants are owed salaries of between three to twelve months and at a time of apprehension and trepidation.

“Every facet of the Nigerian society needs the attention of the new President but I think the President should first address the decay and decline in three areas."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015—45

(middle), and his professional colleagues, during a send forth ceremony organised by members of Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, AGPMPN, in Lagos.

WARDC: From left — Mrs Uloma Osuala, Deputy Country Director, International Foundation for Electoral System, IFES; Dr. Abiola AkinyodeAfolabi, Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC; and Mr. Ifeanyi Adigwe, Programme Officer, WARDC, at the Centre's briefing on the Electoral Violence and Post-2015 Elections in Lagos.

SKYE SMART: From left— Mr. Rasheed Bolarinwa, Head, Corporate Communications; Mrs Abimbola Izu, Executive Director, Corporate Services, both of Skye Bank; Aniwura Peacemaker-Dada, Snr Analyst, Client Service, Quadrant PR, and Bola Akanbi, Associate Director, Client Services, Centrespread, at Skye Bank's briefing on the launch of Skye Bank Smart Thematic Campaign in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

UNILAG/NIPR: From left— Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, Chairman, Centre of Excellence, University of Lagos, UNILAG, Lead Speaker; Mr. Joseph Okonmah, Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Lagos Chapter; Dr. Rotimi Oladele, President/Chairman, Governing Council, NIPR; and Oladipo Jolaosho, Head, Mass Market, Airtel Nigeria, at the 2nd NIPR Lagos Stakeholders' Conference at UNILAG.

ETISALAT INTERSHIP : From left— Ibrahim Dikko, Vice President, Regulatory & Corporate Affairs; Stephane Beuvelet, Chief Technical Officer, and Plato Syrimis, Director, Customer Care, all of Etisalat Nigeria, at the Etisalat Telecommunication Engineering Programme Internship closing ceremony in Abuja.

Y'ELLO CARE: From left— Mr. Michael Ikpoki, CEO; Mr. Akinwale Goodluck, Corporate Services Executive; Mr. Tsola Barrow, Sales and Distribution Executive, and Mr. Olubayo Adekanmbi, Chief Marketing Officer, all of MTN Nigeria, at the opening ceremony of 21 Days of Y’ello Care, 2015 edition tagged Investing in Education for All, in Lagos. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez.

FUJI WINNER: From left— Odunlade Adekola, Yoruba movie actor/ producer; Olaniyi Afonja, Yoruba movie actor; Mfon Bassey, Brand Manager, Goldberg Lager Beer; Joseph Bodunrin, Regional Business Manager, West, both of Nigerian Breweries Plc; Akeem Okiki, winner of 2015 Goldberg Fuji T'o Bam; Alhaji Sikiru Agboola, Fuji music veteran; Bayo Faleke, Splash FM on air personality, and King Wasiu Ayinde, K1, Fuji icon, at the presentation of cheque to Okiki in Ibadan.

NNENNA & FRIENDS: Tolu Pogoson, Brand Manager for Safeguard (2nd left, behind) with Nnenna (middle) and friends at the children's day celebration

by Safeguard anti-bacterial soap at the National Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos.

HONOUR: Dr. Jide Idris, former Lagos State Commissioner for Health

C M Y K

46— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

*Ready to cast their vote...But it was with tears in some places

TRANSITION: High cost of blood, tears and more Odi, told VF.

By Charles Kumolu

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T is no longer news that fol lowing the outcome of the 2015 presidential election, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has since given way as President to be succeeded by General Muhammadu Buhari. The new President was sworn in on May 29, Nigeria’s acclaimed Democracy Day. It was the ninth peaceful transfer of power and perhaps the most intriguing in Nigeria’s 55 year history as an independent nation. Like the transitions of 1960, 1965, 1979, 1983, 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011, the processes leading to 2015 general elections were typically Nigerian in every sense, as all the peculiar oddities inherent in the nation’s electoral process strikingly manifested.

However, while the euphoria of change lingers, it must be noted that the exercise

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which would culminate in the transfer of the reins of government on May 29, 2015, could not be written off to have only reproduced the fault lines in Nigeria’s political culture, as few developments signposted an uncommon readiness to get the country back on track.

These election-related occurrences from November 16, 2014 when electioneering activities commenced till date, came at a huge cost to the citizenry as well.

Indeed, records were made and long held myths shattered, leaving many with mixed tales concerning the activities heralding the election of Nigeria’s fifth executive President.

Some burning issues worthy of note include election-related violence, ethnic rivalry, North and South dichotomy, further collapse of the economy, depreciation of the Naira, drop in Foreign Direct Investment, FDI, fall of the stock market, mismanaged relation-

ships, abandonment of governance and disenfranchisement of voters.

Those who spoke to Vanguard Features,VF, opined that these events and issues are too critical to be ignored whenever the 2015 general elections are discussed. ‘’What the nation saw in human, material, economic and even strategic cost, were in proportions never seen before. They are too critical to be ignored. It becomes very important that they are looked into with the view of ensuring more acceptable developments in future. Yes, it was not new that Nigeria was taken to the cliff because by all laws of social science, the country had always been on the edge. Every other thing experienced during the just concluded elections, came at price tags of varying degrees,‘’ the President, Federation of Election Monitors, Comrade Joseph

Ethnic rivalry/North and South dichotomy Like Odi observed, the election divided the country along primordial, ethnic lines that had historically been a prominent feature of Nigerian politics.

The millions of networks, family links, ethnic loyalties, religious bonds, among others, that make the country

Nigeria was taken to the cliff because the country had always been on the edge; every other thing experienced during the elections came at price tags of varying degrees

work in spite of often being on the edge, were destroyed.

Regrettably, these social, political and economic connections that create leaders and ultimately prevent wars in an often volatile nation, were mortally threatened during the election.

At the expense of national unity, politics of brinkmanship was displayed by members of the two leading political parties, supporters and kinsmen of candidates. For instance, kinsmen of outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan, in a move that whipped up ethnic sentiments, threatened that should the President lose, hell would be let loose.

Notably among those behind such threats were Alhaji Muhajhid Asari Dokubo and High Chief Government Ekpemupolo. Also, the First Lady, Patience Jonathan reportedly made statements considered insulting to the sensibilities of the North.

She was alleged to have said at a campaign rally in Calabar that: “People in the North breed more children than they

Continues on page 47

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 —47

High cost of blood, tears and more Continued from page 46 can cater for. Our people do not give birth to uncountable children. Our men don’t give birth to children they dump in the streets. We are not like people from that part of the country (North)”.

She was apparently referring to the Almajiri system in the North, a lower stratum of children whose condition, her husband claimed to be addressing with the establishment of Almajiri schools in some states in the North. The combination of these scathing remarks got the polity overheated, leading to mass movement of people to their places of origin in the build up to the polls.

Depreciation of the Naira

The value of the country’s currency was another casualty as the Naira further lost its value against the United States dollar.

Indeed, the development further impacted negatively on the country’s already struggling economy. A few weeks to the election, the exchange rate was N225 to the dollar against the official rate of N197.

Some Bureau De Change operators told VF at the peak of that crisis that the high demand for dollars by Nigerians, especially politicians, was responsible for the high exchange rate witnessed in the country.

The preference for the dollar by politicians then was such that many feared that the dollar would replace the Naira as the country’s official currency.

Drop in Foreign Direct Investment Prior to the commencement of the electioneering activities, the volume of trade with foreign nations was considered robust.

But given the tensed political climate occasioned by politics of brinkmanship, Nigeria witnessed a sharp drop, leading to incalculable economic losses.

Little wonder an international research firm, Standard Chartered Global Research, said in its report that the postponement of the election added pressure on the economy.

“The election delay puts at risk our call for further policy tightening at the March MPC meeting. With oil prices still languishing at low levels, resulting in minimal injections into the FX reserves, we expect the reserves to come under further pressure, perhaps dropping to about six months of import cover,” the firm stated.

Abandonment of governance In Nigeria, the practice has always been to dedicate the second and third years in the life of an elected government to governance, while politicking takes a large part of the fourth year. This scenario played out in Nigeria as government activities practically took the back seat. VF checks showed that more time and resources were actually dedicated to election -related issues than governance.

In a few places and instances where the business of governance was attended to, policies were often moulded by political persuasions.

Both governors seeking reelection and outgoing ones were more concerned with election matters at the expense of their primary statutory functions. The same thing applied to Federal and state lawmaking houses, as the legislators hardly met during this period.

For instance, President Jonathan in a move to woo voters in the South West, literally relocated to the zone for about two weeks at the height of the electioneering campaigns.

Electoral violence Numerous incidents of election- related violence took place in different parts of the country. Although electoral violence has been a recurring feature of electioneering campaigns in the country, it assumed epic proportions at the last polls. These improper conducts were common sights in all the geo-political zones. In fact, the National Human Rights Commission reported that no fewer than 58 people died ahead of the polls. The report which was released in February, said 61 incidents of election violence occurred in 22 states, resulting in the death of 58 persons.

There were other incidents of violence during the presidential and governorship polls. Apart from the human casualties, several people had their prized possessions and means of livelihood destroyed.

This sad story is being told in Rivers, Ebonyi, Imo, Akwa Ibom, Benue, Plateau, Bauchi and even Lagos where killings and destruction of property featured prominently.

Ebonyi: Four killed,

*A protest mob primed for violence in Rivers State

eight vehicles vandalised In Ebonyi State, the political violence that took place during the governorship election claimed about four persons while over eight vehicles were destroyed. Although VF could only confirm four deaths, unconfirmed reports claimed that the death toll rose to seven. The violence recorded occurred before and during the election in 13 local government areas in the state. The deaths occurred mainly in the North and Central senatorial districts. The violence was traced to the alleged decision of Governor Elechi to use an opposition political party to make good his vow that his Deputy, Dave Umahi, would never emerge victorious at the polls.

Harvest of deaths in Akwa Ibom

The elections in Akwa Ibom State were marred by violence. No fewer than six persons were killed, while eight were injured in Nsit Ibom and Nsit Atai local govern-

Sixty-one incidents of election violence occurred in 22 states, resulting in the death of 58 persons; several people had their prized possessions destroyed

ment areas of the state. In Ukpum Ete Ward 1, Ikot Abasi Local Government, sensitive and non-sensitive materials were snatched away by thugs. The situation was the same in Mkpat Enin LGA where two Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, adhoc staff were injured. Election materials were also snatched in Eket and Ibesikpo Asutan local government areas. These materials were later recovered by the Police.

Monarch, four others killed in Benue

In Benue State, the district head of Utange in Ushongo local government area, Zaki Joseph Kumbur, and four others were reportedly killed.

This came just as INEC offices in Tarka and Ushongo local government areas were attacked by suspected hoodlums who also snatched ballot boxes in several polling units around Makurdi and other parts of the state, in the wave of crisis and violence that affected the polls in the state.

A breakdown of the reported killings showed that two persons were shot dead in Zaki-Biam in Ukum local government area, one person was gunned down at the North Bank area of Makurdi while another person was killed in Gwer Local Government Area.

Party supporter shot dead in Plateau In Plateau State, a young man at nearby Ali Kazaure polling station in Jos North Local Government Area was shot dead by a security operative. The deceased, alleged to be a supporter of one of the political parties, had engaged a supporter of another party in a scuffle before the security personnel standing by intervened to end the

quarrel. The timely intervention of other security agents saved the situation and normalcy was restored in the area.

Councillor beaten to death in Bauchi

In Bauchi State, the Chairperson of Bogoro Local Government Area, Hassana Arkila, confirmed the death of the PDP Councilor for Gizaki/ Badagari Ward, Mr Musa Daniel. He was allegedly beaten to death by angry youths while on electoral duty. Arkila described the attack on the Councillor as unfortunate and linked the incident to saboteurs of democracy.

In Lagos State, two corpses found in Oshodi and along Apapa – Oshodi Road were linked to the polls.

Rivers of violence, blood

Heavy shooting was reported in Ozuoba and Rumuolumeni in Obio Akpor Local Government Area of the state. No fewer than six people were reported killed in various parts of the state.

The State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, who was almost attacked by irate youths when he stopped over at Omagwu, in Ikwerre Local Government Area, to probe allegation that electoral materials meant for the area had been diverted, described the election as a sham.

Armed political thugs allegedly invaded a collation centre in Buguma in Asari Local Government Areae, killing at least five persons and burning some houses. A police patrol vehicle, the house of the State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West, and INEC polling centre in Kalabari National College in the town were razed by unknown arsonists.

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48 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 49

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50—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUN E 4, 2015

APGA warns Gov Ikpeazu over plans to suspend inauguration of Assembly Stories by Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—ALL Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State, has warned the new governor of the state, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, not to start a constitutional crisis in the state by carrying out an alleged plan to suspend inauguration of the legislature next Monday.

The party warned that such crisis would affect the development of the state and described it as an aberration.

APGA’s warning followed an announcement which the state radio, BCA, had been airing for some days now to the effect that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu would not inaugurate the 6th Abia House on Monday because INEC had not issued Certificates of Return to all the 24 members of the House elected in last April’s general elections.

The announcement was signed by the Clerk of the State House of Assembly, Mr. John Irokansi.

The statement said the inauguration was suspended indefinitely and that the inauguration could only be done when all the 24 House members got their authenticated Certificate of Return.

The life of the 5th Abia House of Assembly, now under the speakership of Alwell Asiforo Okere, will officially come to an end on June 8, and the governor is expected to inaugurate a new House to work with him.

But in a swift reaction to the statement, APGA, the main opposition party in the state, denounced such action as an aberration, and warned that the governor had no power to suspend the inauguration of the state legislature.

The new state chairman of the party, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, said the governor had no power to suspend the inauguration of the House of Assembly once the life of the current House came to an end next Monday.

Ehiemere explained that all the elected new House of Assembly members had received their Certificate of Returns from INEC, except Isiala Ngwa South Constituency where fire gutted INEC office and materials and no body was declared winner of the election.

Also, a senior lawyer and former chairman of Aba branch of NBA, Mr. Uche Awah, said the governor had no constitutional power to

suspend the inauguration of the new House after the life of the present House expired.

Awah said: “Once the life of House comes to an end, he must inaugurate a new House; you don’t create a vacuum in government. He does not have the power not to inaugurate.”

The APGA chairman said

information reaching them was that Governor Ikpeazu had suspended the inauguration, saying that APGA totally rejected the action because it was unconstitutional.

Showing its disdain for the alleged plan to suspend the inauguration, the party warned that “ordinarily, His Excellency

is swimming in the ocean of hot water,” saying after June 7, he could no longer operate with the current House.

“We are saying that it is an aberration because every other state in the country would inaugurate their legislature, Monday.

....Gov makes first appointments

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MUAHIA—ABIA State governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has made his first set of appointments five days after his swearing-in, naming a mixture of new and old hands from the immediate past administration of Governor Theodore Orji.

Dr. Eme Okoro was named the Secretary to the Government, while Mr. Chijioke Nwakodo and Chief John Nwangborogwu were named Chief of Staff and Deputy Chief of Staff respectively.

Mr. Godwin Adindu, a former media assistant to former Governor Theodore Orji was

appointed the Chief Press Secretary, while Mr. Ojo Maduekwe and Ugochukwu Emezue, also a former media aide to Orji, were appointed Special Adviser and Special Assistant on Media.

Others appointed by Governor Ikpeazu include Mr. Valentine Okpechi, Director of Protocol, Emma Nwabuko, Special Adviser on Project Monitoring and Implementation; Chief Ukpai Agwu Ukpai, Special Adviser on Special Duties, while Obinna Oriaku was named the Special Adviser on Economic Affairs.

Also appointed were Austin

Ufomba, Special Adviser on Public Partnership and Investment Promotion; Dike Kalu Uduma, Special Adviser on Due Process and Capt. Awa Agwu (retd), Special Adviser on Security, a post he also held in the administration of former Governor Theodore Orji.

Solomon Ogunji, an excommissioner was appointed Special Adviser on Urban Renewal of Aba, and Chinedum Elechi, a former Deputy Speaker of the state House of Assembly was appointed Special Adviser on Legislative Matters.

VISIT: From left, Chairman, NUJ Enugu State Council, Louis Dilibe; Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, and Vice Chancellor, Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Professor Christian Anieke, during her courtesy visit to the university, in Enugu, yesterday. Photo: NAN

ANAMBRA CHIEF Judge, Justice Peter Umeadi, yesterday, granted bail to 13 Awaiting Trail Inmates, ATI, at the Onitsha medium prison as part of his annual prison visitation.

Ten of the released inmates were males, while three were females. Their offences ranged from alleged murder and conspiracy, juvenile offence, robbery, to attempted kidnap.

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By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—SPEAKER of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has said he would continue to respect, cherish and empower Nigerian youths since they remained the backbone of the nation’s future.

Ihedioha gave the declaration, yesterday, at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO, while flagging off the second phase of the Training and Research Development for Imo youths.

“Youths remain the backbone of the nation’s tomorrow. I will not abandon our youths, even after leaving public office.

I will continue to respect, cherish and empower them,” Ihedioha said.

The speaker explained that decision to use the Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies of FUTO was deliberate because he attached so much importance to youth development and empowerment.

Ihedioha, whose message was delivered by his aide, Sir Bright Nwelue, also explained that the training was aimed at helping youths to be economically self-reliant, especially in these days of mass unemployment.

After giving a litany of benefits accruable to the participants at the end of the training, Ihedioha urged the participants to take the workshop seriously because it would assist them in their future endeavours.

Police move to curb attacks by Fulani herdsmen on Opi-Ugwuogu-Nike road

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—WORRIED by incessant attacks on residents and motorists plying

Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka road, Enugu State police command has directed the immediate take-off of Unity Police Division at Iyioku-

Ibagwa Nike.

The newly constructed Ugwuogo-Nike-Opi-Nsukka road by former Governor Sullivan Chime had been

Anambra CJ grants bail to 13 inmates awaiting trial

By Vincent Ujumadu

Speaker flags off youth entrepreneurial programme in Imo

The Chief Judge directed that one Naomi Etim, aged 23, who hailed from Ikot Ekpene in Akwa Ibom State, and has been in detention for three years and eight months for alleged sale of her son, should be taken to her village by her counsel and the prison authorities and handed over to the head of her clan due to her mental state.

Also released on bail was 36year -old Ifeoma Onwuaghalu, who had been in detention for four years for alleged murder of

her husband during a brawl.

Her late husband’s family was said to have forgiven her and had applied to discontinue the matter.

Others granted bail were Onyemachi Obinweaku, detained when she was 15 years for abandoning her two months old baby, and Ifeanyi Okeke, who was detained after the person he fought with died two weeks after.

The Chief Judge said the prison visit was an interventionist measure and not to clear all the cases, adding that it was to enable

him have a feel of the inmates and how the wheel of justice machinery had been running.

He lamented a situation where those concerned with justice administration brought suspects to court without adequate information on them.

Anambra State Controller of Prisons, Mr. Oladipo Yusuf, canvassed regular visits by Chief Judges in the country to the prisons to address many cases that had been left unattended.

under serial attacks from Fulani herdsmen who raped, maimed, kidnapped and killed hapless residents.

The Police Commissioner, Adamu Mohammed, said: “This measure is aimed at taking policing to the rural populace for a safe and secured environment.

“The Division is to cover Ibagwa Nike,Amokpo-Nike,EdemNike,Amoji-Nike,Ogbeke Nike, Mbano-Nike and Ugwuogo-Nike formerly under Abakpa Division.

“The idea is for police to be nearer to the people and establish its presence on that route to mitigate the activities of miscreants who have been terrorizing innocent members of the public.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 51

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52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

FOCUS

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 53

How my Father was Kidnapped in Nigeria — Chimamanda

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Y father was kidnapped in Nigeria on a Saturday morning in early May. My brother called to tell me, and suddenly there was not enough breathable air in the world. My father is 83 years old. A small, calm, contented man, with a quietly mischievous humor and a luminous faith in God, his beautiful dark skin unlined, his hair in sparse silvery tufts, his life shaped by that stoic, dignified responsibility of being an Igbo first son.

He got his doctoral degree at Berkeley in the 1960s, on a scholarship from the United States Agency for International Development; became Nigeria’s first professor of statistics; raised six children and many relatives; and taught at the University of Nigeria for 50 years. Now he makes fun of himself, at how slowly he climbs the stairs, how he forgets his cellphone. He talks often of his childhood, endearing and rambling stories, his •Chimamanda with parents words tender with wisdom.

Sometimes I record his Igbo

By Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie low shadow of itself. “Give them what proverbs, his turns of phrase. A they want,” he said. “I will not survive disciplined diabetic, he takes daily if I stay here longer.” My stoic father. never use “righteous” in a nonwalks and is to be found, after each It had been three days but it felt like pejorative way.

But something shifted meal, meticulously recording his weeks. in my perception of language.

The carbohydrate grams in a notebook. He Friends called to ask for bankveneer of irony fell away. It felt true. spends hours bent over Sudoku. He account details so they could donate Later, I repeated it to myself.

My swallows a handful of pills everyday. toward the ransom. It felt surreal. Did father would be fine because he was a His is a generation at dusk. it ever feel real to anybody in such a “righteous man.”

On the morning he was kidnapped, situation, I wondered? The scramble he had a bag of okpa, apples and to raise the money in one day. The understood then the hush that bottled water that my mother had menacingly heavy bag of cash. My surrounds kidnappings in packed for him. He was in the back brother dropping it off, through a Nigeria, why families often said little seat of his car, his driver at the wheel, circuitous route, in a wooded area. even after it was over.

We felt on a lonely stretch between Nsukka, Late that night, paranoid.

We did not know the university town where he lives, my father was if going public would and Abba, our ancestral hometown. taken to a clearing jeopardize my father’s life, He was going to attend a traditional and set free. if the neighbors were meeting of men from his age group. A While his blood complicit, if another two-hour drive. My mother was sugar and pressure member of the family might planning their late lunch upon his were checked, my be kidnapped as well. return: pounded yam and a fresh father kept “Is my husband alive?” soup. They always called each other reassuring us that my mother asked, when the when either traveled alone. This time, he was fine, kidnappers finally called he didn’t call. She called him and his thanking us over back, and her voice broke. phone was switched off. They never and over for doing “Shut up!” the male voice switched off their phones. Hour after all we could. This said.

My mother called him hour, she called and it remained off. is what he knows “my son.”

Sometimes, she Later, her phone rang, and although how to be — the said “sir.” Anything not to it was my father’s number calling, a protector, the father antagonize him while she stranger said, “We have your — and he slipped begged and pleaded, about husband.” into his role almost my father being ill, about Kidnappings are not uncommon in as a defense. But the ransom being too high. southeastern Nigeria and, unlike there were cracks How do you bargain for the similar incidents in the Niger Delta, in his spirit. A drag life of your husband?

How where foreigners are targeted, here it in his gait. A do you speak of your life is wealthy or prominent local bruise on his back. partner in the deadened tone of a residents. Still, the number of “They asked me to climb into the business transaction? abductions has declined in the past boot of their car,” he said. “I was “If you don’t give us what we want, few years, which perhaps is why my going to do so, but one of them picked you will never see his dead body,” the reaction, in the aftermath of my shock, me up and threw me inside. voice said. was surprise.

Threw. The boot was full of My paternal grandfather died My close-knit family banded things and I hit my head on in a refugee camp during the together more tightly and held vigil something. They drove fast.

Nigeria-Biafra war and his by our phones. The kidnappers said The road was very bumpy.” anonymous death, his they would call back, but they did not.

I imagined this grace-filled unknown grave, has haunted We waited. The desire to urge time man crumpled inside the rear my father’s life.

Those words — forward numbed and ate my soul. My of a rusty car. My rage “You will never see his dead mother took her phone with her overwhelmed my relief — body” — shook us all. everywhere, and she heard it ringing that he suffered such an Kidnapping’s ugly when it wasn’t. The waiting was indignity to his body psychological unbearable. I imagined my father in a and mind. melodrama works diabetic coma. I imagined his And yet he because it trades on octogenarian heart collapsing. engaged them in the most precious of “How can they do this violence to a conversation.

“I human emotions: man who would not kill an ant?” my tried to reach their love.

They put my •Chimamanda mother lamented. My sister said, human side,” he father on the phone, with her “Daddy will be fine because he is a said. “I told them and his voice was a Orange prize righteous man.” Ordinarily, I would

I

The image of my father shut away in the rough darkness of a car boot haunted me.

Who had done this? I needed to know.

I was worried about my wife.”

The next day, my parents were on a flight to the United States, away from the tainted blur that Nigeria had become.

W

ith my father’s release, we all cried, as though it was over.

But one thing had ended and another begun. I constantly straddled panic; I was sleepless, unfocused, jumpy, fearful that something else had gone wrong. And there was my own sad guilt: He was targeted because of me.

“Ask your daughter the writer to bring the money,” the kidnappers told him, because to appear in newspapers in Nigeria, to be known, is to be assumed wealthy. The image of my father shut away in the rough darkness of a car boot haunted me.

Who had done this? I needed to know.

But ours was a dance of disappointment with the authorities.

We had reported the kidnapping immediately, and the first shock soon followed: State security officials asked us to pay for anti-kidnap tracking equipment, a large amount, enough to rent a two-bedroom flat in Lagos for a year. This, despite my being privileged enough to get personal reassurances from officials at the highest levels.

How, I wondered, did other families in similar situations cope? Federal authorities told us they needed authorization from the capital, Abuja, which was our responsibility to get.

We made endless phone calls, helpless and frustrated. It was as though with my father’s ransomed release, the crime itself had disappeared. To encounter that underbelly, to discover the hollowness beneath government proclamations of security, was jarring.

Now my father smiles and jokes, even of the kidnapping. But he jerks awake from his naps at the sound of a blender or a lawn mower, his eyes darting about. He recounts, in the middle of a meal, apropos of nothing, a detail about the mosquito-filled room where he was kept or the rough feel of the blindfold around his eyes.

My greatest sadness is that he will never forget.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

FG pleads with ex-militants over May allowances

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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B U J A — T H E Presidential Amnesty Office has appealed to former agitators in the Niger Delta to be calm and eschew any act that would disturb the peace of the region.

The Amnesty Office, in a release by the Head of Media and Communications, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said the appeal became necessary following the apprehension caused by INSPECTION: From left— Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, Deputy Governor; Governor the delay in the payment of Ibikunle Amosun and and Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, Head of Service, all of of Ogun State, the May 2015 stipends and inspecting offices at the state secretariat, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, yesterday. in-training allowances to onshore and o f f s h o r e beneficiaries of the programme.

It explained that the delay was occasioned by the o n g o i n g transition process pornography or more and sexual offences by criminalises people who at the federal

By Johnbosco a fine of N2 million as well criminalising certain acts deliberately lace drinks level.

Agbakwuru & It, however, as 14 years jail term for such as sexual tourism, with drugs to sexually Joseph Erunke sexual offences. child pornography and abuse victims, prostitution a s s u r e d Presenting the report in cultural and religious of persons with mental beneficiaries that BUJA—HENCEFORTH, anybody the chamber yesterday, sexual offences in our disabilities, among others. the funds for May of the criminal jurisprudence. found guilty of rape, child Chairman sex tourism or deliberate Committee on Judiciary, passage of HIV/AIDS to Human Rights and Legal For witnesses, too innocent citizens, and Matters, Umaru Dahiru, “The new law also other sexual offences, will said the bill seeks to provides for effective redefine and consolidate witness face life imprisonment. protection This was contained in existing laws on sexual programme to protect the Sexual Offences Bill offences. victims and witnesses in Sponsor of the bill and trial for sexual offences. sponsored by Senator Senate Chris Anyanwu, which Chairman, “It also provides for was passed into law Committee on Defence, c o m p u l s o r y yesterday by the Senate. Navy, Senator Anyanwu d o c u m e n t a t i o n , The bill, among others, who represents Imo East, supervision of sexual prescribes life expressed happiness on offenders and medical imprisonment for gang the passage of the bill, treatment for victims, rape, 10 years for incest, which had been pending which is in line with the another 10 years in the Senate since 2013. global trend and finally, Senator Anyanwu said and most importantly, it imprisonment for child the Sexual provides for adequate Offences law and stringent punish“seeks to make a ments to perpetrators.” comprehensive The new sexual legislation on offences law also

Senate approves life sentence for rape, 10 years for incest A

Flour Mills rewards distributors

F

LOUR Mills of Nigeria Plc has rewarded distributors with gifts ranging from Sport Utility Vehicles, SUV, to overseas trips and smart TVs. The event was part of the company ’s launch of three new products into the market across the country. The new products are Daily Instant Cereal, Golden Penny Margarine and Golden Penny Vegetable Oil. Group Managing Director and Chairman of the company, Mr. Paul Gbededo, and Mr. John C o u m a n t a r o s , respectively, said the products carry the Golden Penny seal of quality.

Delta APC members fault PDP comments on tribunal

By Oboh Agbonkhese

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HIEFTAINS of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State have said there was no substance to allegations that APC had connived with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and security agents to influence the outcome of petitions at electoral tribunals in Delta, Akwa Ibom and Rivers states.

They said members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, who do not feel comfortable should follow due legal process, instead of crying wolf where there was none.

In separate interviews, Mr. Robinson Ariyo, APC House of Assembly candidate for Warri Constituency I in the last election, and Prince Valentine Egbe, APC Chairman for Warri South council, said since the officials and security agencies were appointed during PDP’s government, it was APC that should cry foul.

stipends and other allowances had been released and was intact, but that the office was awaiting the required directive for disbursement in the absence of a substantive chairman of the programme or a Special Adviser to oversee the programme.

It urged the former agitators to reciprocate the good gesture of President Muhammadu Buhari, who in his inauguration address on May 29 assured of investing heavily in the programme, by maintaining the peace at this time.

It said: “This is a transition period. So it is important for citizens, especially the former agitators, to be patient with the new government, which needs time to settle down to the serious business of governance.”

The office also dismissed as untrue an allegation by some former agitators that the Director of Finance and Accounts, Mr. Peter Ayoola, was planning to divert funds meant for beneficiaries, saying such act was impossible given the strict accounting system in place at the federal level.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 55

Convicted soldiers seek court intervention

COURT MARTIAL:

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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AGOS—FIFTY-four soldiers of the Nigerian Army who were convicted last year December by a court-martial have challenged the death sentence passed on them before a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja.

In the suit No: FHC/Abj/CS/484/ 15, the soldiers comprising 45 private soldiers, two corporals and eight lance corporals filed an originating summons through their lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, asking the court to stop the military from carrying out the judgement of the court martial.

Defendants in the case are the Nigerian Army and the Chief of Army staff, Kenneth Minimah.

The soldiers, in their summons, queried the refusal of the Chief of Army Staff and the Nigerian Army to make public, the findings of the general court marital as required by law, while it as illegal.

They also prayed the court to determine whether the refusal of the defendants to either confirm or review the death sentence, or make a copy of the judgement delivered by the court martial available, is legal.

Besides, they want the court to determine whether the death sentence passed on them can be carried out in spite of their case pending before the appeal against the conviction and sentence which the accused intend to file at the appellate court.

The soldiers also sought to determine whether the death sentence can be carried out without an approval or a

prerogative of mercy from the president, and whether it is legal to deprive them of visits from their lawyers and family members.

To this end, they prayed the court to declare that they are entitled to visitation from their lawyers and family members as

well as a review of the judgement.

They further requested that the conviction and the death sentence should not be carried out pending the determination of an appeal by the appellate court and an approval or a prerogative mercy from the

President.

They also asked the court tos uspend the execution of the judgement, direct the military to make the findings of the court martial public and direct the Army Chief and the Nigerian Army to permit their family members and lawyers to visit them.

CELEBRATION: Mr. Victor Gotevbe, Administration &Human Resouces Manager, Vanguard Media Limited (left), and Mr. Andrea Pompermaier, Italian Consul-General in Nigeria, during the Italian National Day celebration at the Italian Embassy, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

2015

IMAGINE CUP: Team Nigeria, 32 others advance to global finals

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By Emeka Aginam

AGOS—AFTER spending countless hours evaluating more than 150 students, projects from 64 countries in the World Semifinals, Microsoft judges have announced 33 finalist teams, including Team LifeWatch from Afe Babalola University, AdoEkiti, Ekiti State that will compete in the global stage next month in Seattle, Washington, the United States.

Running in its 13th year, Microsoft Imagine Cup is a global student technology programme and competition that provides opportunities for students across all disciplines to team up and use their creativity, passion and knowledge of technology to create applications, games and integrates solutions that can change the way we live, work and play.

With projects that are entertaining, inspiring, and innovative, the thirty three teams will fly their country’s flags at the global stage.

Microsoft to release Windows 10 in 190 markets globally next month

By Emeka Aginam

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A G O S — TECHNOLOGY giant, Microsoft has announced that Windows 10 software will be available beginning July, 29th, 2015 in 190 markets globally as a free upgrade to customers running Windows 7 and Windows 8.1.

With this development, new Windows 8.1 devices will also easily upgrade to Windows 10, and many as many retail stores will help upgrade new devices.

Built with help from more than four million people around the world, the product marks the start of a new era of personal technology, designed to empower people to do great things.

Some of the new features include: the return of the Start menu, an all-new Internet browser, and Cortana, a digital personal assistant making to Google Now or Apple’s Siri.

From the return of the Start Menu to the variety of innovative features,

Microsoft created a more personal, fun and productive Windows experience.

Enabling hundreds of millions of people around the world to upgrade to Windows 10 for free, the software is expected to deliver ongoing feature innovations and security.

Optimized for both keyboard and touch, the Windows 10 upgrade is designed to be compatible with Windows devices and applications.

“Windows 10 is a new

generation of Windows designed to empower you to do great things,” Terry Myerson, executive vice president, Microsoft., said, adding that, “Windows 10 starts to deliver on our vision of more personal computing, defined by trust in how we protect and respect your personal information, mobility of the experience across your devices, and natural interactions with your Windows devices, including speech, touch, ink and holograms.”

Okowa commended over choice of SSG

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By Christopher Njoku

SABA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Crusaders has commended the Delta State Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa on the appointment of Mr. Ovie Agas as Secretary to the Delta State Government, SSG. The group in a statement made available to

newsmen shortly after the new SSG was sworn in Asaba said the appointment was a reflection of the caliber of persons available to work with the new administration.

President of the group, Prince Suru Diden, while underlining the preparedness of PDP Crusaders to partner with the new administration,

said the era of “monkey dey work, Baboon dey chop” are long gone and urged the new SSG to see his appointment as an opportunity to contribute to the development of the State.

Earlier, the Publicity Secretary of the group, Michael Tidi had stressed that the appointment was made based on competence as the governor believe that

Agas can add value to his government.

His words: “I heartily commend our dear Governor on the choice of SSG in the person of Rt. Hon. Ovie Agas. I have known Agas as a focused, brilliant and hardworking gentleman Delta State can boast of. He is coming to the position of SSG with a robust knowledge of the workings of government.”

56 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4 , 2015

More than 10,000 jihadists killed since coalition raids

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Ukraine battle tests cease-fire to breaking point A

major battle erupt ed yesterday on the western edge of the main separatist rebel stronghold in eastern Ukraine, leaving more than a dozen dead and threatening to tip the country back into full-blown war.

Rebels in the city of Donetsk reported 15 dead between civilians and combatants in territory under their control.

The Ukrainian Interior Ministry said at least one person was killed in Marinka, the government-held town where fighting was centered.

Ukrainian presidential adviser Yury Biryukov cited the General Staff as saying three Ukrainian soldiers died in combat and that another 30 were wounded.

Each side is blaming the other for sparking this round of unrest.

Ukraine’s General Staff said in a statement that rebels deployed around 1,000 fighters and dozens of tanks and self-propelled artillery systems in a major offensive that started before dawn.

The statement said the attack was a flagrant violation of a February cease-fire agreement.

The head of the separatist armed forces, Vladimir Kononov, said his fighters had engaged only in defense measures after an all-out assault by the Ukrainian army.

“At around 03:45 a.m., the Ukrainian side carried out a provocation by shelling our positions practically along our entire front,” Kononov said.

Kononov listed several positions far apart from one another along the 450-kilometer (280-mile) front.

Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk

ORE than 10,000 jihadists have been killed in air strikes against the Islamic State group over a nine-month coalition campaign, US deputy secretary of state Antony Blinken said on Wednesday.

“We have seen enormous losses from Daesh (IS), more than 10,000 since the beginning of the campaign and this will end up having an impact,” Blinken told

IS militants use water as weapon in western Iraq

I A firefighter works to extinguish the fire at a market destroyed after shelling in Donetsk, Ukraine, accused Russia of inciting the fighting. Ukraine and the West assert Moscow supplies rebels with manpower and powerful

weapons. Russia rejects those claims as unfounded.

Yatsenyuk urged the

leaders meeting at the G7 summit in Germany this weekend to condemn Russia.

SLAMIC State militants have closed gates of a dam on the Euphrates River in western Iraq, reducing the water and giving them greater freedom of movement to attack government forces downstream on the southern bank, local officials said.

The militants have redirected the flow of water to their advantage on the

India , U.S agree on ground-breaking defense projects

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NDIA and the United States have sealed an agreement to jointly develop protective gear for soldiers against

to expand security ties between countries that were on opposite sides of the Cold War but have since drawn closer against the rising weight of China.

The United States has become one of the main sources of weapons for the Indian military, and under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Makein-India” program has offered joint development and production of military technologies.

While the two projects approved are modest in scale, India and the United States are also exploring collaboration at the higher end of technology, Carter told reporters.

“We have big ambitions, and jet engines, aircraft U.S. Defence Secretary Ash Carter (C) walks with India’s Defence Minister carrier technology are big Manohar Parikar after his ceremonial reception in New Delhi, India , projects that we’re yesterday. working very hard on,” he said. biological and chemical warfare, and another on building generators, defense officials said

yesterday.

The projects were cleared as U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter held talks with Indian leaders

Iran nuclear talks resume at expert level in Vienna

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ALKS among officials from world powers on curbing Iran’s controversial nuclear program resumed in Vienna yesterday , and the Iranian delegation will join the negotiations today , U.S. and European Union officials said.

U.S. negotiator Wendy Sherman and Helga Schmid, the EU’s political director, were part of the meetings on Wednesday in

French radio, without specifying whether the losses were in Iraq or Syria.

Blinken was speaking a day after an international conference in Paris in which 20 or so representatives of the anti-IS coalition pledged support for Baghdad’s plan to claw back territory from the marauding jihadists who have conquered large parts of Iraq and Syria.

the latest round of talks, which are in their final month before a June 30 deadline for a deal with Iran. Questions arose over whether a deal could be reached on time after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry broke his leg a day after talks with his Iranian counterpart, Mohammad Javad Zarif, in Geneva over the weekend.

State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf

ing to overcome obstacles to a final nuclear agreement. Diplomats have said that inspections of Iranian military sites by the International Atomic Energy

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said on Wednesday she was confident Kerry would be “part of these talks at the end.” The sides met for six hours on Saturday try-

Agency, the U.N. watchdog, and access to Iran’s nuclear scientists are two of the most contentious issues being addressed in current talks.

battlefield around the city of Ramadi. But the tactic also threatens southern provinces with drought and the water has been reduced to worrying levels, the officials said.

The Euphrates has acted as a barrier between the militants who control its northern bank and progovernment forces who are trying to advance towards Ramadi on the other side.

A spokesman for the governor of Anbar province, of which Ramadi is the capital, said security forces would now have to redeploy along the river to prevent the insurgents from infiltrating.

Boston leaders: Video proves black suspect not shot in back

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knife-wielding black man killed while under surveillance by an anti-terror task force had discussed “committing beheadings” and “harming police officers,” a law enforcement official said yesterday.

These details of the threat that prompted Boston police and FBI agents to confront Usaama Rahim on a sidewalk in Boston were described as authorities moved swiftly Wednesday to manage public perceptions of the shooting.

Rahim’s family is prominent among Muslims in Boston, where his mother is a nurse at Boston University. His older brother, Ibrahim Rahim, is a scholar known for preaching that violence is anti-Islamic after the Boston marathon bombings.

US sees drawn-out fight vs IS amid claim of Assad-IS collaboration European nations has carried

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US-led coalition united against the Islamic State met in Paris this week against the backdrop of militant victories in Iraq and Syria that

underscore the coalition’s struggles to get ahead on a constantly shifting battlefront.

The coalition of mostly Middle Eastern and

out airstrikes, supported ground operations, and shared intelligence in an bid to halt the self-described Islamic State.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 4 , 2015 — 57

War crime: Nigeria army, Amnesty trade words over Boko Harram battle ...DH dismises report, says its blackmail

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HEAmnesty Interna tional and the Nigerian Army are trading words over Boko Haran battle.

The Nigerian military abuses have caused the deaths of some 8,000 civilians in the fight against Boko Haram extremists, the Amnesty said in a report yesterday.

The London-based human rights group named senior officers it wanted tried for alleged war crimes and called on Nigeria’s newly-elected government, led by former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari, to look into the abuses.

“The Nigerian military, including senior military commanders, must be investigated for participating in, sanctioning or failing to prevent the deaths of more than 8,000 people murdered, starved, suffocated, and tortured to death.”

If correct, those figures would exponentially increase the estimated toll from the nearly 6-year-old Islamic uprising, put at about 13,000 dead.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Defense denounced the report as “biased” and another attempt by the organization to “blackmail” the military hierarchy.

Boko Haram has been fighting to impose Islamic Law across Nigeria’s north, massacring civilians and kidnapping thousands of women and children, but Amnesty alleges that the military also has committed atrocities.

The soldiers have detained more than 20,000 people — some boys as young as 9 and often on scant evidence and then held them in brutal conditions that resulted in many deaths, alleged the report.

“Former detainees and senior military sources described how detainees were regularly tortured to death hung on poles over fires, tossed into deep pits or interrogated using electric batons,” said the report.

The organization called for the Nigerian government to promptly investigate five officers for war crimes: Maj. Gen. John A.H. Ewansiha, Maj. Gen. Obida T. Ethnan, Maj.

Gen. Ahmadu Mohammed, Brig. Gen. Austin O. Edokpayi and Brig. Gen. Rufus O. Bamigboye.

It also said the chiefs of defense and army staff, and their two predecessors, should be investigated for potential command responsibility.

Amnesty said it interviewed 412 people over several years for 130-page report, including victims, relatives, witnesses and activists as well as military officials.

The military spokesman Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade said past allegations had been investigated and there had been no proof to justify prosecution.

Meanwhile, the Defence Headquarters has noted with dismay the gruesome allegations made by the Amnesty International against some senior military officers serving and retired of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

The Major General, Director Defence Information, Chris Olukolade, in a statement said that it was unfortunate that all effort made in the allegation was geared towards continuation of blackmail against the military hierarchy in which the organisation had embarked upon as far back as the inception of military’s action against terrorist in the North East.

“The officers mentioned in the report have no reason, whatsoever, to indulge in the allegation made against them.

“It is unfortunate that the organisation just went out to gather names of specified senior officers, in a calculated attempt to rubbish their reputation as well as the image of the military.

The action, no doubt, depicts more of a premeditated indictment aimed at discrediting the country for whatever purpose.

“Each of the previous allegations had been thoroughly responded to and cleared in the public and officially.

“The title down to the body of the allegation smacks of the extreme bias, which is disturbing coming from an otherwise reputable organisation that is ex-

A man walks by a tank left by Boko Haram militants between Michika and Marabara, two cities recaptured from Boko Haram by the Nigeria military early this year. pected to be Just and fair to all. Unfortunately in this case, has taken a premeditated position, which is far from noble.

“ It is curious that a body that has never been able to seriously condemn terror in Nigeria now claims to have done an extensive

research with the aim of discrediting the nation’s effort at curtailing teror.

“It is clear that Amnesty International (AI) becomes

more active in presenting distractive allegations whenever the terrorists are losing ground in the battle.

It is very unfortunate that Amnesty International has used this report to further confirm its questionable interest in the counter-terrorism effort in Nigeria”, he said its people.

UN says Libya at risk of becoming failed state ...criticizes S/Sudan for expelling aid official

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HE UN’s Libya envoy told rival sides attending new peace talks yesterday that the North African “country really is at the limit” and risks becoming a failed state.

UN Support Mission in Libya chief Bernardino Leon exhorted those attending talks in Algiers to acknowledge their common interests, particularly their fight against the Islamic State group, and to stop demanding new concessions of each other.

Economically, he warned that Libya’s institutions are running out of money to pay salaries and that, even if oil production returned to normal, it would not generate enough revenue to sustain public finances.

Leon also pointed to continuing political impasse, as representatives of the internationally recognised government in Tobruk and the Fajr Libya militia alliance that controls the capital remain at odds.

“The competing governments (are) not advancing, not flagging very clearly a decision to reach an agreement, while we have seen terrorism, we have seen Daesh (IS) becoming more and more important in the country,” he said.

Meanwhile, UN Security Council took a swipe at South Sudan yesterday

The United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Toby Lanzer. over the expulsion of a UN aid official, saying the decision showed Juba’s disregard for the plight of

UN aid coordinator and deputy envoy Toby Lanzer was declared persona non grata on May 29 for warning the country was headed toward collapse after 18 months of war.

The Security Council noted that Lanzer ’s expulsion followed a warning from the World Food Programme that South Sudan was facing its worst food crisis since independence in 2011.

Mujuru challenges Mugabe for power after apology

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ORMER vice president Joice Mujuru has apologised to Zimbabwe’s people for her role in President Robert Mugabe’s government, in a move seen by allies as a step towards challenging him for power.

Mujuru worked with Mugabe during the 1970s bush war and after independence and was until December seen as the leading candidate to succeed him.

But the veteran leader last year accused her of

Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe

plotting to unseat him from office, a charge Mujuru denied.

She lost her positions in government and the ruling ZANU-PF party.

[ID:nL6N0TT2J7] Mujuru issued a public statement on Tuesday, taking blame for ZANUPF’s failure to deliver on promises to Zimbabweans and called her dismissal inevitable because her vision diverged from that of Mugabe and the ZANU-PF leadership.

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FIFA payment of $10m was not W/Cup bribe –SA Minister F

IKILE Mbalula, the South African sports minister, has denied his country bribed Fifa officials in order to secure votes for the 2010 World Cup. A payment of $10m made to the Caribbean Football Union in 2008 is central to the recent corruption allegations that have engulfed Fifa, a storm that has grown since last week when US and Swiss authorities made numerous arrests in Zurich and resulted in the resignation of Sepp Blatter on Tuesday.

South Africa were awarded the 2010 World Cup in 2004 ahead of Morocco, but the US indictment released by America’s department of justice last week alleged that: “a high-ranking Fifa official caused payments … totalling $10m – to be wired from a Fifa account in Switzerland to a Bank of America correspondent account in New York … controlled

by Jack Warner”.

Warner was then president of Concacaf and the US indictment alleges that the $10m payment made through Fifa channels resulted in three members of the organisation’s executive committee voting in favour of the World Cup being awarded to South Africa.

Mbalula told a press conference in Johannesburg: “The South African government and local organising committee has not paid any

NFF Continues from BP house pay for ticket refunds and bonuses to the tune of $8,000(each), a bill NFF officials claim was too much to pay for playing Chad considered outsiders in African football.

Though they were not happy with the massive wage bill, they however have decided to carry on in the spirit of good relationship with Keshi.

The 15 professionals, some of whom should be on holidays in Nigeria already are to join the remaining eight homebased players Keshi retained for the same match.

*Jordan, 2010 CEO

*Sep Blatter

Okocha, Odiaka to flag off Basalt Cup E

In another development, those waiting to see Sylvanus Okpala team up with the technical crew of Keshi would have to wait for a long time as the football house are reluctant to bring him on-board.

Following his wrongful disengagement after the Eagles won the Nations Cup in South Africa in 2013, Okpala dragged the football house to Court of Arbitration for Sports where he won the case. ‘’We’re currently paying for his huge money as directed by CAS and are morally not obliged to bring him in now’’, an official of the federation said.

BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA

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bribe to anyone to secure the rights to host the 2010 Fifa World Cup. We will approach the United States authorities through the diplomatic channels to share with us the indictment and any information that they have to enable us to study the facts carefully and to take appropriate action.

X-SUPER Eagles mercurial play maker and chairman of the Delta State Football Association, Austin a Jay-Jay Okocha will be the Special Guest at the opening ceremony of the Basalt Cup competition for primary schools in Anioma South, Delta State.

The Inter-Primary School Football Competition is only open to Primary Schools in Aniocha South Local Government Area, Delta State, christened “BASALT CUP. According to a release issued by the Chairman of the Organizing Committee, BASALT CUP 2015, Mr. Mike Okwuechime, the opening ceremony and kickoff is slated for Sunday 7, June at Ezemu Girls Grammar School (Play ground) Ubulu-Uku, Aniocha South Local Government Area.

An official said the competition was being organized and spon-

Four teams ready for Democracy Polo tourney

sored by Basalt Oil and Gas Limited it’s contribution towards the promotion and development of sports particularly, football in the area. “It is also aimed at identifying raw talents that would be groomed to become future stars,”

he added.

The ceremony promises to attract the who is who in the sports industry both within and outside the shores of Nigeria. Okocha will be honored on that day along side another ex-international, Monday Odiaka.

Face-lift for Navy Base football pitch soon – Jubrin

BY EVELYN USMAN

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HE football pitch at the naval base, Mobile road barracks in Lagos will soon be given a face lift, fifty-three years after it was constructed. Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jubrin, made the pronouncement yesterday, during a visit to the base to commission some projects.

He said the pitch was significant and should not be left the way it is presently, because most Nigerian professional footballers started their careers there.

Chelsea Continues from BP games, plus equal shares of the domestic TV deal (nearly £22m), overseas TV deals (£27.8m) and commercial income from the leagues sponsors, such as Barclays (£4.4m).

Manchester City were second in the table and are second in the cash league with £98.5m, but Manchester United are the next highest earners (£96.8m) despite finishing fourth because they were live on TV more than third-placed Arsenal, who are fourth in the money table with £96.5m.

The 20 clubs involved

Commissioning some refurbished buildings inside the base, Jubrin explained: “I was driving through the barracks during one of my visits to Lagos and discovered that this place had not been touched since its establishment in 1962 and decided to give it a face lift.

This is the first leg of its refurbishment. As time goes on, we will look into the football pitch that gave birth to the likes of late Rashidi Yekini, Kanu Nwakwo, Emmanuel Amunike Samson Siasia , Taribo West among others”. in the 2014-15 season will split £1.6 billion in league cash for the campaign, from Chelsea at the top down to the lowest earners, QPR, who take £64.9m for finishing rock bottom. This is the biggest sum ever earned by a bottom-placed club.

The amounts paid to each club are detailed in the accompanying table.

The merit money is split depending on finishing position, with QPR getting £1,244,898 finishing in 20th place, and the clubs above getting that sum multiplied by the number of places they finished above QPR, up to Chelsea’s merit money of £24,897,960 for first place.

LL is now set for the maiden Abuja Democracy Barbeque and International Polo Tournament organized by the ultra modern 1212 Polo and Turf Club billed to take place this Saturday. Addressing the media yesterday ahead of the event, Captain of the 1212 Polo and Turf Club, Isyaku Idris said four teams; Dee Bee Farms, Max Air, Nigerian Army and Sokoto Kalambaina will compete for honours at the event.

According to him, there will be two tournaments namely; the Democracy Cup to be competed for by Nigerian Army and Sokoto Kalambaina while the ExxonMobil Cup will have Dee Bee taking on Max Air for supremacy.

Idris said the Club is an organization aimed at bringing a world class Polo, Horseracing and other equestrian games into Nigeria, adding that they also take pride in promoting peace and unity in the country.

Nigeria Super Six Academies Cup holds in Lagos

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LL is set for the 2015 edition of football competition for soccer academies in Nigeria. The tournament, Super Six Academies U18 features the top youth soccer academies in Nigeria who present their top players. Venue is the National Stadium Surulere, Lagos, from June 16 to 21. The inaugural edition of the tournament in 2014 was won

by Kwara Football Academy, Multisports Services Limited, organizers of the tournament said in a statement.

The invitational tournament which will be hosted by Cowbell Football Academy will be witnessed by a crowd of football enthusiasts, local and foreign scouts

who are looking for talents which abound in the academies and all over Nigeria, as well as NPL club Owners, Managers, Coaches and the Sports press.

The Cowbell Football Academy started in 2007 as Earlystart Football Academy and today has over 650 boys and girls in three centres in Lagos, Surulere, Ikorodu and Ipaja. The CFA provides a launch pad for youth football with internationally accredited coaches and supervisors and foreign assistance.

Reputed to be one of the most organized football academies in Nigeria, the Cowbell Football Academy is owned by Multisports Nigeria Limited.

Benitez

stronger. We are bringing in a coach who has always wanted to be manager this club.

Someone who is known for his methods and for his professionalism.’

Perez read out a list of Benitez’s list of trophies won including the Champions League he won ten years ago with Liverpool and two ligas won with Valencia.

He added: ‘He knows this club. He is one of ours. He arrived here as a 13-year-old and I imagine it is very special for him to take over the club as its manager today. Dear Rafa, welcome home.’

Benitez was presented as Madrid boss at a press conference on Wednesday after a tour of the club’s Valdebebas training ground.

Continues from BP former Liverpool manager gave one of the shortest opening speeches of any coach taking over the club in the last 15 years.

‘It’s emotional to come home,’ he said. ‘I don’t know what to say. I want to make sure we win things and the team plays well.’

The 55-year-old manager who returns to the club where he cut his coaching teeth as a youth team managaer having reached C-team level as a player, was flanked by wife Montse and presented to media and directors by president Florentino Perez.

Perez said: ‘We are convinced the arrival of Benitez will make us

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62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015

NO LOVE LOST .... Novak Djokovic (left) consoles Rafael Nadal after their game yesterday.

French Open: Djokovic sends Nadal packing N OVAK Djokovic took his French Open pound of flesh from Rafael Nadal, after the world number yesterday dispatched Nadal regareded as the king of clay with a 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 win. J Djokovic came in the higher seed – No. 1 to Nadal’s No. 6 – but Roland Garros is Nadal’s playground. He’d won nine of the last 10 titles there, amassing a career record of 70-1.

Nadal has twice defeated Djokovic in the final. He’s knocked Djokovic out of the tournament six times, including the last three years. If Djokovic hoped to complete a career Grand Slam, he’d eventually have to get past Nadal.

Djokovic jumped out to an early lead, breaking Nadal to go up 2-0. Despite the lopsided score, they were pushing each other to every edge of the court in astonishing

rallies, none more amazing than this: Djokovic eventually took the point in that rally. He’d expand his lead to 4-0 before Nadal started to fight back, winning four straight sets of his own to even it at 4all. Each held serve in the next two games to go to 5-all.

Djokovic held serve, then broke Nadal to complete the set, 7-5. Djokovic had completely regained control. He wouldn’t reliquish it again. He took the second set 6-3.

That put him up two sets to love, the first time Nadal had ever lost the first two sets in a bestof-five match on clay courts.

...meets Murray in semi-final

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NDY Murray pre served his 100 per cent claycourt record in 2015 to reach the French Open semi-finals with a 7-6(4) 6-2 5-7 6-1 win over Spanish warrior David Ferrer on Wednesday.

While the rest of tennis world was transfixed with the Novak Djokovic-Rafa Nadal blockbuster that was simultaneously being played out on the main Philippe Chatrier stage, Murray

went about his task in a businesslike manner to reach the last four in Paris for the third time.

A backhand volley winner gave him the first set, and after squandering a match point in the third set, the British third seed sealed his 15th successive win on red dirt with an unreturnable serve.

He will next face world number one Djokovic for a place in the final.

Serena erases Errani

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N stark contrast to her previous three matches, top-ranked Serena Williams overpowered Sara Errani on Wednesday to reach the French Open semifinals with a 61, 6-3 win.

A two-time champion in Paris, Williams extended her unbeaten record against the 2012 French Open runner-up to nine matches.

The 19-time Grand Slam champion got off to sluggish starts and lost the opening set in her last three matches. She didn’t have that problem today. ‘’It was very important C M Y K

for me to take a very good start,’’ said Williams, speaking in French during her on-court interview. ‘’The last four French Opens in a row she’s been to the quarterfinals or better, so I knew I had to play very well today.’’

Williams, who will play in her fourth Roland Garros semifinal match against Timea Bacsinszky, finished with 39 winners to Errani’s nine.

The other women’s semifinal will pit seventhseeded Ana Ivanovic against No. 13 Lucie Sa•Serena farova.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 — 63

Champions League Final Countdown Mascherano: ‘the beast’ behind Barcelona’s beautiful football

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MONG the thou sands of internet compilation videos of Barcelona’s football there are a handful that don’t involve flicks, tricks and bicycle kicks – they are the ones dedicated to the skin-saving tackles of Javier Mascherano.

They are not as pretty as Leo Messi’s best 100 goals or Xavi’s greatest assists but they have been fundamental in the club’s success since 2010.

The man who admitted to ‘tearing his anus’ in one goal-saving challenge on Arjen Robben for Argentina last summer at the World Cup has been stretching himself to the limit for Barcelona since his move to the Nou Camp in 2010.

His tackle on Nicklas Bendtner against Arsenal in the Champions League last 16 in 2011 was one of his greatest.

An Adriano error had left the Danish striker with only Victor Valdes to beat.

Mascherano didn’t just arrive from nowhere to get ahead of Bendtner but he steered the ball back into the path of his advancing goalkeeper.

‘It was just my turn to be there at the right moment’ he said after the game.

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THE BEAST... FC Barcelona's star, Javier Mascherano celebrates one of their Champions League victories.

Neymar: Juve 'll be Barca’s hardest game N EYMAR has pre dicted the Champions League final against Juventus will be the most difficult game of Barcelona’s season.

The sides meet on Saturday in Berlin and Neymar, speaking to Sky Sport Italia, offered his thoughts on the contest.

“We know Juventus.

Juve’re psychologically in better shape — Zaccheroni

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LBERTO Zaccheroni believes Juventus are “psychologically in much better shape” than Barcelona in the Champions

•Tevez

Puyol: Xavi deser ves CL

League Final.

The showdown is on Saturday night in Berlin and one of the two sides will complete the Treble, having already won their League and domestic Cup trophies.

“Juve have a 40 to 50 per cent chance of doing it,” exJapan manager Zaccheroni told Sky Sport Italia.

“On a psychological level the Bianconeri are in much better shape, because they go into this as outsiders and nobody expected this.

“Playing against Barcelona always gives extra energy to opponents. If Barça were to lose, it would be treated as a failure. They feel obliged to win and reach the Final with a lot of pressure and tension.

They are a great team and haven’t reached the final by chance. It will be a tough game and we have to be at our best,” he said, Mundo Deportivo reports.

“I think the match against Juventus will be the most difficult of the season. I want to make history and we are very close.

“I don’t know if the three with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez is the strongest attack in history but we are making history and it’s a great honour.”

Neymar also revealed details of a wager made over the final, and he is facing a new look if Barca are successful.

“If we win the final, I will dye my hair blonde, along with my friends,” he promised.

Sport adds that Neymar also weighed in on the Dani Alves situation, the right-back looking set to leave Camp Nou. “I hope he stays,” Neymar said. “If I was the President I would have renewed his contract.”

•Neymar

ARLES Puyol is hopeful his former Barcelona teammates can help Xavi Hernandez end his Camp Nou career with a Champions League success.

Xavi is set for his final Barca game when Luis Enrique’s side meet Juventus in Berlin on Saturday and the club’s former captain, who retired last year, has been speaking about the occasion on Catalan radio.

“I hope [Xavi leaves after winning the trophy,” Puyol said, Sport reports.

“I have confidence in the team and it would be a very beautiful way to finish his time as a Barca player. A player like him deserves to leave Barca that way.

“He could leave the way I would have liked to.”

Puyol added a little more about his own departure, and explained what Xavi would experience lifting the trophy as captain as opposed to the other times he’s claimed silverware.

“Xavi has lifted trophies but I hope he can lift the Champions League and he’ll see that it’s different,” Puyol said.

“Like when I asked Eric Abidal to lift the Champions League. He fought hard and demonstrated to us you always have to fight.

“I’d already told Abidal and I hope Xavi gets to do it. It’s hard to explain what it’s like when you lift a trophy.''

Barcelona have total respect for Juventus — Rakitic

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VAN Rakitic says Bar celona have ‘100 per cent respect’ for Champions League final opponents Juventus.

The Catalans are viewed by many as being favourites for the match, but the Croatian international doesn’t see it that way.

“This is my first Champions League final,” Rakitic told reporters at the club’s media day.

“I’m excited, because it could be a very special day. We have to win.

“Are we favourites? We don’t think that way, we have 100 per cent respect for Juventus. We know we have to play the best game possible.

“Juve are very strong all over the pitch, they’re very competitive, not to mention their quality.

“We have to play with the maximum intensity to win.”

•Rakitic

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 4, 2015 '

Benitez in tears as he returns to Madrid

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AFA Benitez was in tears on Wednesday as he fulfilled a lifetime’s ambition taking over Real Madrid.

Continues on Page 59

NFF spends N120m to play Chad N

EXT week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against minnows Chad would see the Nigeria Football Federation spend a whopping N120 million to settle bills of the large party of professionals invited for the match which takes place in Kaduna.

Coach Stephen Keshi’s invitation of 15 professional players Continues on Page 59

*Madrid president Florentino Perez (right) described Benitez as ‘one of ours’ and welcomed him back to the club

Chelsea grab £99m for EPL title success

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HELSEA’s Premier League title success earned them £99million in total prize money according to official figures - the most ever earned by a single club in one season from central funds.

The precise eye-watering sum was £98,999,554, made up of £24.9m ‘merit’ cash for finishing top of the table, £19.98m ‘facility fees’ for being in so many live TV *CONTEST: Kelechi Iheanacho (10) and Brazil defender Jorge contest for the ball in the opening Group E match of the 2015 U-20 W/Cup Brazil won 4-2.

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

Continues on Page 59

*Chelsea’s Premier League title success earned them a record £99million in total prize money

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS: 1 Restraint (6) 5 Church (6) 9 Supple (5) 10 Guard (6) 11 Ascended (6) 12 Lukewarm (5) 14 Grumble (4) 17 And not (3) 18 Speed (4) 20 Giant (5) 22 Sickened (5) 23 Sunbathing (7) 24 Precipitation (5) 26 Weary (5) 29 Guide (4) 30 Couch (3) 32 Appointment (4) 33 Senior (5) 35 Deceive (6) 36 Front (6) 37 Keen (5) 38 Stretch (6) 39 Modern (6)

DOWN 1 Boil down (6) 2 Reiterate (6) 3 Aperture (4) 4 Temptress (5) 5 Seat (5) 6 Crowd (4) 7 Mail (6) 8 Itched (6) 13 Aimed (7) 15 Firearm (5) 16 Founded (5) 18 Inflexible (5) 19 Principle (5) 21 Fruit (3) 22 Insect (3) 24 Toboggan (6) 25 Bird (6) 27 Devastate (6) 28 Proper (6) 30 Whine (5) 31 Postpone (5) 33 Paradise (4) 34 Unusual (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 4, Satan 7, Hymnal 9, Pod 10, Rid 12, Night 13, Scum 15, Dirge 17, Repose 19, Used 20, Scene 22, Tap 24, Deluded 27, Pev 28, Seedy 31, Area 33, Abated 35, Wafer 37, Pull 38, Scrap 39, Din 41, Key 42, Delete 43, Glued.

DOWN: 1, Thesis 2, Impure 3, War 4, Song 5, Adieu 6, Achieved 8, Lido 11, Disturbed 14, Mend 16, Read 18, Peep 21, Clerical 23, Pest 25, Leaf 26, Deep 29, Educed 30, Yelled 32, Awake 34, Arid 36, Aped 40, Net.

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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