I've been in cage for 16 years-JONATHAN

...towards a better life for the people

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

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VOL. 25: NO. 62377

N150

MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

IMPEACHMENT: Police beef up security in Ekiti

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I've been in cage for 16 years —Jonathan •Asks Nigerians to sacrifice for Buhari to succeed •Buhari'll restore dignity of black man —Rawlings

By Ben Agande

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BUJA — BARELY a month to his exit, having lost the Presidential election, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, reviewed his sojourn in government and declared that he has been in a cage for 16 Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

After the storm •P.19

Buhari and the economy: Which way forward? •P.44

Mr & Mrs EASTER CELEBRATIONS: TOP LEFT: President Goodluck Jonathan (left) interacting with children during Easter church service at Aso Villa Chapel in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. BOTTOM LEFT: From left: The Archbishop of Kaduna Diocese, Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon; Provost, Cathedral of St. Michael, Very Rev. Samuel Nwaeze and The People's Warden, Mr John Akinola, at the Easter Sunday Service, in Kaduna. Photo:Olu Ajayi. TOP RIGHT: From left: Hon. Justice Cynthia Nwoka, Deputy Chancellor Asaba Diocese; Mr Abiodun Adefulire; Most Rev. Ephraim Ademowo, Bishop of Lagos/Dean, Anglican Church; Princess Adejoke Orelope Adefulire, Deputy Governor, Lagos State and Hon Justice George Oguntade, Chancellor Lagos Diocese, during the Easter Sunday Service at the Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye and BOTTOM RIGHT: Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin of Ibadan Arch-diocese, during a procession for the Easter Sunday Service at the Cathedral of St Mary, Oke Padre, Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube.

PRESIDENTIAL POLLS:

The untold story of the peacemakers 48 C M Y K

How to save our economy, captains of industry tell Buhari 21

PDP, APC in fierce battle for Lagos, Rivers, A-Ibom 8

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

VISIT: Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (middle); Alhaji Shehu Oladunjoye (2nd left) and others during Obasanjo's visit to traders at Itoku market, Abeokuta, on Saturday. PHOTO: WUMI AKINOLA.

I've been in cage for 16 years —Jonathan Continues from Page 1 years.

President Jonathan, who bared his mind when the Christian community in Abuja paid him the traditional Easter homage, said he has had enough and expressed gratitude to Nigerians for giving him the opportunity to serve.

While describing himself as one of the luckiest Nigerians today, President Jonathan said Nigerians had given him opportunity to serve the country in the last 16 years at different levels of leadership, noting that he remained grateful to God and the people of the country for

providing him with such privilege.

His words: “This Easter period coincides with when I’m leaving but I always say I’m one of the luckiest Nigerians. From 1999, I have been in the hands of government. I am yet to see somebody who is luckier than me.

“I was in the hands of governments for 16 years, not in government as a parliamentarian, because if you are in the National Assembly or state House of Assembly, you take care of yourself in your house. I was in a cage being taken care of by the government. But I think it is enough and I am happy. Help me

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

IF you want to be great at something, be great at being your most treasured self. Life is about connection, and how can you give apart of yourself to someone to hold onto if you don’t know yourself?

— Nikki Rowe

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HEN an individual is downhearted, there’s less of this energy of life called intention flowing through that person. We must always remember that nothing is disallowed by the universal mind. What you think you tend to attract and be, whatever is not allowing us to be happy is being disallowed by us.

And from Wayne Dyer comes this meaningful advice: “If a friendship or partnership requires the submission of your higher original nature and dignity, it’s simply wrong. When you truly know what it is to love, as you’re loved by your Source, you won’t experience the kind of pain you did in the past when your love was unnoticed or rejected.”

You are love. You emanated from pure love. You’re connected to this Source of love at all times. Think this way, feel this way, and you’ll soon act this way.

And all that you think, feel, and do will be reciprocated in exactly the same fashion.

Believe it or not, this principle of the right person showing up has been in place forever. It’s only the ego that’s kept one from seeing it clearly.

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thank God for that.”

Nigerians must sacrifice for Buhari to succeed —Jonathan Jonathan said the incoming President, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) can only succeed if Nigerians cooperate with him and are ready to make sacrifice for the nation.

He said those countries which succeeded achieved such success because of the sacrifice of its people.

According to him, “as a people, what I always believe we should ask is what sacrifice are we making? It is not about supporting Jonathan or government.

Now, Buhari is coming on board, it is not about supporting Burhari or his government but what sacrifice are you willing to make for government and for the nation as an individual?

“Nation-building depends on the sacrifice of individuals and the patriotism of the citizens.

These are two key elements, and we must be ready to sacrifice for our nation.

“If you are a businessman and you say you are supporting government but you don’t pay tax, how do you expect that government to survive?

That government will not survive. To me, whenever I travelled to different countries and saw things work, I realised those

things didn’t fall down as manna but people made sacrifice.

"Therefore, in Nigeria people must also be ready to make the required sacrifice.

Whoever becomes president is immaterial so long as the citizens are happy. Our children go to school, when we are sick they go to good hospitals and of course the economy blossoms.”

Nigeria has lowest VAT in ECOWAS sub-region The president explained that Nigeria has the lowest Value Added Tax, VAT, of five per cent in the entire Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, sub-region, wondering whether Nigerians will accept an increase of about 12 per cent from the in-coming government of Buhari, for instance.

He said: “In ECOWAS sub-region, for example, Nigeria has the lowest VAT of five per cent payment, while other countries pay up to 12 per cent. If, for instance, Buhari decides to increase VAT from five to 10 per cent, will Nigerians support him?

That is sacrifice and we must make sacrifice."

Sambo lauds Jonathan

President for the leadership he has provided the country resulting in huge infrastructural development in different sectors.

He said Nigerians will soon realise that President Jonathan is a great man who meant well for the entire country.

Sambo also commended President Jonathan for conceding defeat to the Presidentelect, saying: “Your action has saved Nigeria and made you tall in the comity of nations. Your name will ever be put in gold not only in the history of Nigeria but also the whole of Africa.

I am proud to have been your vice, you will ever remain my teacher."

President Jonathan had attended a church service earlier to celebrate Easter at the Aso Rock Chapel where the Chaplain, Venerable Obioma Onwuzurumba, enjoined Christians to emulate Christ.

He likened the President’s action to the death of Jesus Christ which, according to him, was necessary to save the world.

Present at the homage were the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan; Minister of FCT, Senator Bala Mohammed; Olajumoke Akinjide; President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Abuja Chapter, Israel Akanji; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Ayim; Head of Service of the Federation; Primate Anglican Communion, Nicholas Okoh and the Deputy Governor of Sokoto among others.

Buhari 'll restore dignity of black In his remarks, Vice man President Namadi —Rawlings Sambo commended the

Meanwhile, former Ghanaian President, Mr Jerry Rawlings, has hailed Nigerians for voting in General Buhari as the next president, saying the former military ruler would “ restore the dignity of the black man.”

According to Rawlings in a statement yesterday, “Nigerians have taken the lead in the rejection of corruption. Nigerians did not just vote anyone.

They voted for a man whose integrity is extremely high. Nigeria is tired of corruption and the choice of this leader is a clear indication of where she wants to go.

"I hope General Buhari will put together a team whose understanding of the power of the people recognizes and respects the will of the people.”

He said Buhari must meet sky-high expectations as he settles down to his new office, adding: “The election result is a manifestation of the people’s resolve to confront corruption, dishonesty and exploitation. This is a clear message to the new leadership. A bold step has been taken towards a new Nigeria and the in-coming leader cannot be unaware of what is expected of him.”

Top of Rawlings’ wish list is that Buhari restores the dignity of the black race, a task the former Ghanaian leader argued the incumbent President Jonathan failed at.

He said: “General Buhari owes it to his people and to black Africans, the restoration of our pride and the black man’s dignity.

“The image of President Jonathan, a Nigerian President climbing up the stairs to go and complain about Boko Haram to a French President is an image I hope I will not see again.”

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Five family members burnt to death in Delta auto crash

By Festus Ahon burnt beyond recognition, S A B A — T R A G E D Y the source, who does not struck, weekend, as five want his name in print, told persons of the same family newsmen that the ill-fated were burnt to death in a ghastly motor accident around Kwale on the Ughelli/Asaba express way.

The five victims, according to a dependable source, were roasted to death after the vehicle they were travelling in

By Jimitota Onoyume to Asaba collided with another vehicle travelling in the same ORT HARCOURT— direction which lost one of its UNKNOWN gunmen tyres.

Noting that the two vehicles Saturday night reportedly involved in the crash were assassinated a prominent

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vehicles were moving towards Asaba, the state capital but were plying separate lanes on the dualised road.

He said: “Unfortunately, the vehicle on the primary lane had a burst tyre which scaled

it over the road dividers to hit the other vehicle. ‘’The two vehicles burst into flames apparently as a result of the impact of the contact.

The five occupants of the other vehicle whose identities

are yet to be ascertained, were also burnt, while the two occupants of the vehicle that had a burst tyre were rushed to the hospital.

“The chances of survival of the injured victims are very slim as they had severe burnt all over their bodies. The possibility of internal bleeding cannot also be ruled out,” he said.

Gunmen kill prominent chief in Egbada community

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chief in Egbada in Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government area of Rivers State and the Ochi Ohia, Chief Okwu Osia.

The incident came barely 24 hours after Chief

Christopher Adube and eight others were shot dead in his residence at Obrikom in the same local government area.

At press time, Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Muhammad, had yet to respond to a text message from Vanguard on the issue.

Meanwhile, Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the killings weekend in the local government area.

Chairman of the party, Mr Davies Ikanya, in a statement signed by his media aide, C h i e f Chukwuemeka Eze, said the deceased were allegedly killed by thugs hired by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

4 in police net over alleged kidnap of landlord’s ward

By Esther Onyegbula

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HE Rivers State Police Command is currently investigating four men over the alleged kidnap of a 15-year-old boy identified as John Idhodaye.

The suspects identified as Timothy Iluaka, Ebuka Ebueke, Mofoni Adams and Victor (surname unknown) were arrested after John Idhodaye’s belongings were discovered in Iluaka’s apartment.

It was gathered that Idhodaye, a JSS1 student, lived with his guardian at the Eliozu East West Road in Port Harcourt, Rivers State until Febuary 24th when he left home for school at the GEOCO international college in Port Harcourt. He reportedly went missing on Febuary 24, 2015 and efforts to locate him have proved abortive.

A family source, who identified herself as Madam Goodnews said “John left home that fateful day for school but did not return home. His guardian whom he has been living with for close to two years became agitated and they went to his school to look for him. One of his classmates told John’s guardian that John did not come to school but he called him to come to the house to collect his textbook. The classmate said John came from the back flat where the tenants live to talk to him. ''It was after John’s guardians heard this that they went to the tenant’s Mr. Iluaka’s apartment and saw John’s clothes, books, shoes, bags and other belongings including some household goods like TV and DVD John stole from his guardian’s guest room and kept in Iluaka’s room.

According to her “One of Mr. Iluaka’s brothers called Mofoni was in the room but John was not there with him. John’s guardians questioned Mofoni about John’s whereabouts but Mofoni could not give any reasonable answer so they invited John’s family members living in Bori Camp.

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.John Idhodaye, the missing teen John’s family took Mofoni to Bori Camp but shortly after Mr. Iluaka came home with police that his landlord abducted his brother. We don’t know if the policeman he came with are genuine because he left after he learnt that John was missing. Mr. Iluaka took to his heels too after he could not explain why John’s belongings are in his room. To our surprise, the soldiers at Bori Camp released Mofoni. They said they got a call from Iluaka to release him and Mofoni too went into hiding.''

The matter was later reported at the police command and a team of policemen laid ambush and arrested Mr. Iluaka, Mofoni and Ebuka at the Ronuomasi junction when Iluaka came to receive some of his household goods from Ebuka on Febuary 28, 2015. Since

then, efforts have been on to find John but he has not been seen. We are concerned that police might have been comprised; as they are not investigating the case properly”.

Vanguard gathered that, there was a time the police tracked John’s phone number to an apartment in Port Harcourt but the owner of the apartment refused to allow the policemen in. ''The man identified simply as chief called the DPO of Mimi-okoro Police Division and he stormed the four bedroom apartment with policemen in three patrol vehicles and told the Divisional Police Officer from Akporo police station who was there with his team to track John to leave the house that there was order from above for the police men to leave the house and stop tracking John’s number.''

“We received with utmost shock the killing of a monarch and nine other members of APC by hoodlums hired by the PDP leadership in Rivers State on April 3,” he said.

Continuing, the party said over 50 members of the party had been allegedly murdered by the PDP in the state.

“Several of our members have been arrested and molested, property of our members are vandalised on daily basis. ‘’Our local government secretariats at Okrika and Andoni were bombed and our rally at Okrika were disrupted by gunmen from PDP, while one of the aborted Okrika rallies saw the death of a police man. ''Besides, during the March 28 polls, the entire world saw the rape of our democracy by PDP working in tandem with INEC, Army and Police, denying the people of Rivers State the opportunity to choose their leaders, while allotting votes to other parties as they deem fit,” Ikanya said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 —7

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8 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HIEFTAINS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are lobbying for the release of an estimated N11 billion said to have been left over from the presidential campaigns for the purpose of prising Rivers and Lagos states among others from the All Progressives Congress, APC. The lobby for the funds being mounted by some presidential aides is being routed through governors known to have the unflinching ears of the president. However, one of the governors from the SouthSouth who is under pressure from the presidential aides is, however, not inclined to their cause believing it to be a last minute move by the aides to harvest what is left in the PDP accounts.

The move by the PDP is coming against concurrent moves by the APC to retain control of the two states on the basis of what party officials claim is the need of having Lagos and Rivers in the control of the ruling party for political and economic expediency.

The pressures on him for funds for the governorship election nonetheless, President Goodluck Jonathan has called for total reconciliations among all Nigerians urging them to put the recent presidential election behind them being “children from the same womb, Nigeria.”

The president’s assertion was contained in his facebook page where he also urged Nigerians to learn to make sacrifices during critical periods like this.

Vanguard learnt that some Presidency officials including a once very visible official and another public official who is a director-general in one of the federal agencies were at the forefront of the lobby. Their efforts, it was learnt, was to mobilise funds for the party to win governorship election in crucial states like Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Plateau.

A source privy to the lobby and who was a witness to one of the engagements with a South-South governor said: “They came to meet oga and wanted Oga’s help in mobilising funds from what is left of the campaign funds to channel it to the struggle to get Lagos, Rivers and Plateau States,” the source disclosed.

The lobbyists in support of their argument gave the need to whittle down Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s influence, as they claimed that losing it to the APC would give Governor Amaechi unhindered influence across the South-South states.

For Lagos, the lobbyists cited the state’s economic potential as the reason for pulling it out of control of the APC. The presidency lobbyists who are apparently acting without the support of the president, it was learnt were rebuffed by the C M Y K

PDP, APC in fierce battle for Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom ...Presidency aides plot to fetch N11bn campaign funds

VISIT: President Goodluck Jonathan receiving a card from the FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed (2nd right) and the Minister of State FCT, Mrs Olajumoke Akinjide (right), while Vice President Namadi Sambo (left) watched with others during the Easter Homage paid by FCT Residents on the President at the Aso Villa, Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida governor but according to sources privy to their efforts, they have remained unrelenting even as at the weekend.

Their efforts were being matched by the APC, which Vanguard learnt, is also intensifying efforts to retain Rivers and Lagos States besides plucking Akwa Ibom State from the PDP. One prominent official of the APC disclosed at the weekend that sustaining control of Lagos and Rivers as being pivotal to the realisation of the party ’s

plans for keeping a politically stable country.

“We must all come to the same platform to avoid political distractions,” the source disclosed. As one of the strategies of the APC, senior party officials have since the presidential election results were released been meeting influential leaders of the non–Yoruba populations who they believe voted massively for the PDP. The party it was learnt was also trying to build on the momentum from its victory in the presidential elections to

make inroads into Akwa Ibom State.

APC activists in the state, Vanguard learnt, are now projecting their campaigns on that front pushing that the state must not be left in the hands of the opposition.

The efforts by the PDP and APC party activists nonetheless, President Jonathan is apparently taking himself above the fray seemingly projecting the idea of a statesman as he weekend called for unity among Nigerians.

The president in an Easter

message to his Facebook friends on Saturday called on all Nigerians to put aside the divisions that characterised the campaigns even as he lauded Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy.

He said: “As we celebrate Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I want to celebrate all Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy which is the only vehicle for the continuous growth and stability of our dear nation. Easter is the culmination of the Lenten season, a time to imbibe Christ’s teachings of reconciliation with God and each other.”

Noting the symbolism of the elections falling during the Easter holidays, the president continued: “This year ’s celebration of Easter is taking place at a period of very critical national choices and decisions, during which we must all be prepared and willing to make sacrifices for greater unity, peace, political stability and progress in our beloved country.

“As a nation, we must accept that the Presidential elections are behind us and reconcile our differences as children born from the womb of one mother, Nigeria. I am confident that we will do this,” the president said.

As at press time yesterday, the posting made by 5.17 p.m. on Saturday had attracted 35,935 likes and been shared by 2,935 persons.

National Peace Committee may be retained after polls

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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BUJA—THERE were indications in Abuja last night that the National Peace Committee that brokered the peace deal signed by political parties in Nigeria prior to the 2015 elections might be retained and given a more visibility.

A member of the committee, who spoke to Vanguard, pointed out that prominent many Nigerians who were impressed by the work of the committee, had sought a more permanent role for it in the nation’s political landscape.

The Committee, which is chaired by former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar, successfully midwifed the peace accord

endorsed by both President Goodluck Jonathan and his main rival, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, who went on to win last week’s polls.

Although the official did not say in which office the committee might be domiciled, he pointed out that the federal government and its key officials were also excited by the work of the committee, which also had top religious, political, economic and media leaders, among them, Sam Amuka, the chairman of Vanguard Media Limited and Alhaji Aliko Dangote, of the Dangote Group.

Asked to explain how the committee got President Jonathan and Gen. Buhari to sign the peace accord, the committee member explained

that the members were shocked to see the enthusiasm shown by the two leaders in appending their signatures to the peace document.

“It was a thing of joy to all of us that Jonathan who was on his way to perform the ground-breaking ceremony of a project in Asaba that day, had to create time to sign the peace accord just like Buhari, who was in Lagos the previous day and some flight challenges to come to Abuja.

“But as soon as the two men got information from the national peace committee that they were expected to sign the document and commit themselves to peace before, during and after the election, they immediately reported at the venue for that purpose.

“That is why we need to

thank them for the love and commitment to the survival of this country. By the actions of the two men, Nigeria has been able to shame doomsayers who had predicted its disintegration in 2015,” the source said.

It will be recalled that President Jonathan who had committed himself to the peace accord was the first to call and concede defeat to Gen. Buhari last Tuesday even before the result of the presidential and National Assembly elections were announced by the INEC, a precedent never heard of in Nigeria.

The gesture has boosted Jonathan’s political profile even in defeat at the polls conclude last week amidst hitches, which the umpire and observers said were not enough to discredit the outcome.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 9

By Leke Adeseri, South West Regional Editor & Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI – OFFICERS and men of the Ekiti State Police Command have beefed up security network in Ado Ekiti and various parts of the state following the impeachment threat by the 19 All Progressive Congress, APC, lawmakers against the state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose.

Speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, the state police Commissioner, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, said the command has put up a 24-hour surveillance around Ado Ekiti, the state capital particularly the state House of Assembly.

His words “Security personnel have been placed on alert while high visibility patrol is being conducted around Ado Ekiti. We know the tension generated must have caused some apprehension, but we are being proactive because the security of lives and property and general peace of the people is our topmost priority. We are leaving no stone unturned to ensure safety of our citizens and for everybody to go about their normal business without fear or harassment.''

The 19 APC lawmakers were said to have served notice of gross misconduct against Governor Ayodele Fayose, but the governor claimed ignorance over the letter, describing the APC lawmakers as jesters.

Omirin’s security detail restored In a sudden twist of fate, the Police authorities were, yesterday, quoted as directing that the full security details of the factional Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, be restored with immediate effect.

The development follows the restoration of the Department of State Service, DSS, personnel attached to Omirin earlier in the day through a directive said to have been issued from Abuja, according to a source close to the Speaker.

It is expected that the Omirinled lawmakers would hold a plenary session at the Ekiti state House of Assembly on tomorrow, having adjourned after their sitting last Thursday at the same venue.

The 19 All Progressives Congress lawmakers in the Ekiti State House of Assembly had last week initiated moves that may lead to impeachment proceedings against the embattled Governor Fayose.

The Speaker forwarded a notice of gross misconduct to the governor, with a copy of the notice also being sent to his deputy, Dr. Olusola Eleka.

But Fayose in his characteristic manner said the APC lawmakers should stop acting like “jesters”, describing the purported impeachment notice as the “joke of the century.” According to him, the script being acted by the APC is a failed one because no one, C M Y K

The National Co-ordinator, Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Dr. Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, held a breakfast meeting with PDP National Assembly-Elects in Lagos State, at the Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, yesterday. Also in attendance were State House of Assembly candidates and TAN Executives. Dr. Ubah (7th left) with the National Assembly-elects and State House of Assembly candidates at the meeting

Impeachment: Police beef up security in Ekiti •Omirin’s security details restored •Ekiti people will defend their mandate – Fayose •As Adeyeye slams Ekiti APC lawmakers no matter how highly placed, will be allowed to test the will of the Ekiti people.

Offences levelled against Fayose In the letter by the 19 lawmakers entitled, “Re: Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct,” sent to Fayose, the APC lawmakers listed eight impeachable offences against the governor.

The offences bordered on impunity, brigandage, stalking and other constitutional breaches including alleged invasion of the House of Assembly with thugs and miscreants, instigating an unconstitutional takeover of the House by seven legislators to sit in contravention of Section 96(2) of the 1999 Constitution, and prevention of the 19 APC legislators from performing their duties with the use of security agents and armed thugs.

Other allegations listed in the notice are: sponsoring an unlawful impeachment process in the house, spending Ekiti State funds without the requisite constitutional approval in contravention of the constitution and running the government without legally constituted Executive Council in contravention of Section 192(2) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

They also accused the governor of operating an illegal 2014 budget as well as sponsoring and instigating illegal sitting of the House in contravention of Section 96(1) of the Constitution.

Ekiti people will defend their mandate – Fayose Meantime, Fayose was, yesterday, said to have described his governorship as a mandate freely and wholeheartedly given

by Ekiti people, saying; “Ekiti people who are the owners of my mandate will defend it against political usurpers, whom they had rejected twice in the last nine months.”

According to his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor also urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mahmud Mohammed, to sustain his stand of not allowing the use of the judiciary to change the outcome of elections.

Impeachment threat, a distraction, says Fayose Fayose, who described the impeachment bid and Supreme Court judgment being made by the All Progressives Congress (APC) as plots to distract him from concentrating on governance and the coming Saturday’s House of Assembly election, called on members and supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State not to be distracted from their goal of delivering all the 26 Assembly seats in the State to the party.

He said, “Sovereignty belongs to the people and the people of Ekiti State on June 21, 2014, surrendered their sovereignty to me to be their governor for four years. Instead of respecting the wish of Ekiti people, which they again affirmed on March 28 and will further affirm on April 11, the APC people that were rejected in two free and fair elections have been trying all tricks to return to power through the back door.

They filed several cases in their bid to stop my inauguration as governor and even committed murder in the process.”

Speaking further, Governor Fayose said, “The Speaker of the State House of Assembly then, Dr Adewale Omirin, was assured of assuming office as Acting Governor and that informed his non-attendance of my inauguration, as he was still hoping that even on October 16, 2014, a court order would be gotten to stop my inauguration.

Their evil plots against the mandate of Ekiti people failed

then, but up to now, they are not relenting. Today, though Omirin has been duly impeached, he still believes he can be Acting Governor while Dr. Kayode Fayemi that was roundly rejected

by Ekiti people is also boasting that he will return to power through the instrumentality of the court.

“However, let me warn the APC as a party to respect the wish of Ekiti people as the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan respected the wish of Nigerians on the election of Major General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd). Any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of Ekiti people, using whatever instrument will be resisted by the people themselves because power belongs to the people and they have handed it to whom they desire to exercise till October 16, 2018. The APC gladiators in Ekiti should, therefore, emulate President Jonathan and the PDP by waiting till 2018 to try their luck again.”

Adeyeye slams Ekiti APC lawmakers Meantime, the Minister of State for Works, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, has warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its members in Ekiti State to tread cautiously so as not to endanger democracy in the country, saying; “posting notice of impeachment of a State governor online when the House of Assembly never sat to pass any Motion for Impeachment is not only ridiculous, but criminal.” The minister said it was necessary that the President-Elect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) should call members of APC in Ekiti State to order so that they don’t by their desperation for power in Ekiti State truncate democracy on Nigeria.

Meanwhile,the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Ado Ekiti branch has cautioned both members of APC and PDP not to cause breach of peace in the state.

According to the statement by the

Ado Ekiti branch chairman, Dr Foluke Dada, yesterday, the association urged all the stake hohders in the state to intervene so that the state will not be turned into a theatre of war.

The NBA equally called judicial staff operating under the banner of State Judiciary Staff Union (JUSUN) to suspend its current strike action so that all pending matters affecting state matters could be adjudicated upon in the interest of all.

Omirin insists there's no hiding place for Fayose Meanwhile the factional speaker, Dr. Omirin, last night insisted that the move against the governor was not a joke saying that Governor Fayose would soon realise that there would be no hiding place for him.

Insisting that the move against him was constitutional, the speaker also dismissed the claims by the speaker of the G7 legislators, Dele Olugbemi, saying that the governor and his appointed speaker were acting in ignorance.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker, Wole Olujobi, Omirin said Ekiti issue was a matter of rescuing democracy from the gridlock of executive lawlessness and impunity into which the state had been driven by the governor.

He said, “It will soon dawn on Fayose and his aides that the matter at hand goes beyond exuberant media skirmishes that are being deployed to rally support for the governor.

Attention of the world has shifted to Ekiti State following the leaked tape detailing electoral fraud perpetrated to give Fayose victory.

After that, several issues in Ekiti State are being questioned on the place of the constitution in nurturing democracy in the country, and as responsible citizens, we must act right to make democracy work.”

10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

APRIL 11: Lagos to recover 16-year loss to FG — FASHOLA

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has urged residents to vote en-masse for All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the state, Akinwunmi Ambode so as to recover all it has been denied by Federal Government in 16 years.

Fashola who made the remarks at the weekend during a political rally, said that for the past 24 years since the capital of Nigeria was moved to Abuja, all the support which Lagos used to get to maintain its infrastructure ceased, adding that the Saturday election will provide an ample opportunity for the state under an APC government to get all that it had been denied by a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led FG for the past 16 years.

The governor, while thanking the people for their massive support during the last Presidential and National Assembly elections, charged them to ensure that they give double the number of votes that he got during the 2011 governorship polls to Ambode on Saturday.

Fashola added that in 2007, he got about 800,000 votes to be elected and that in 2011, it doubled to 1.5 million and he expected that the people would re-enact the same feat by giving the APC flag bearer not less than three million votes to

By Lawani Mikairu

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ICAN ENDORSES AMBODE: From left, President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alhaji Aderemi Bello; President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr Chidi Ajaegbu; All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode and ICAN Vice President, Mr Femi Deru (FCA) at the Akinwunmi Ambode Endorsement by ICAN in Lagos. be elected on Saturday.

The governor said despite the fact that his term of office is running out, he would continue to stand by the people come rain or come sunshine to provide service till his last day in office.

He said the number of votes scored by the APC during the Presidential and National Assembly elections should be doubled in Agege on Saturday so that the PDP could be finally

silenced in Lagos as it had been silenced at the federal level.

Speaking on the over 52, 000 void votes recorded in the state, the governor enlightened the voters to be more careful with the way they thumbprint the ballot papers and ensure that the thumb printed portion does not overlap into another column which may invalidate the vote.

He also urged the voters to take their time in ensuring that the ink

on the ballot papers dry up before they leave the secluded point where they would thumbprint and ensure that their votes count.

Fashola said the same political party, PDP, that was responsible for withholding funds of local governments in the state and terrorizing the residents with FERMA thugs, a notorious feat that was re-enacted recently on the streets of Lagos is now the same party jostling to rule Lagos.

EASTER: Adeboye prays for peace, Kumuyi lauds Jonathan

By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

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EW days after the INEC declared the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari winner of presidential elections, the Vice President-elect, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and the governorship candidate of APC in Lagos, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode attended the April special edition of Holy Ghost Service of the Redeemed Christian Church of God tagged: “Touch me oh Lord”, at Redemption Camp, kilometer 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

General Overseer of the church, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, leading the large congregation to appreciate God for divine peace being experienced in the country after the presidential election, enjoined the people to pray that the current peace should continue, even as his wife had earlier charged the congregation to pray for the continued peace of the nation.

On the theme of the programme, Pastor Adeboye explained that whenever God touches anything, such a thing experiences a miracle, God’s touch brings death back to life, it brings hope, joy C M Y K

TAN denies endorsing Ambode for Lagos governorship

which he said money cannot buy.

“When God touches a man such person becomes spiritually activated, God’s touch brings new beginning, victory that destroys the enemy”.

For conceding defeat, Kumuyi hails Jonathan Similarly,

General

Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi has commended President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for accepting defeat and congratulating his challenger and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Kumuyi made this known through the church secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemata at a chat with newsmen during the church’s ongoing annual Easter camp programme tagged “The Power of the cross” at the Deeper Life Church Camp ground on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Ogun State.

AGOS—THE Tr a n s f o r m a t i o n Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, yesterday denied endorsing the All Progressives Congress ,APC, governorship candidate for next Saturday election, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode. This is coming on the heels of the chairman of TAN, Dr. Ifaenyi Ubah raising alarm over the threat to his life, family and businesses in Lagos.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, Uba said TAN had never shifted its support for the PDP and he also denied talks about the group meeting with the Oba of Lagos to endorse the APC candidate. Ubah also said he is been threatened owing to his support and his investment to the cause of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its governorship candidate in the state, Jimi Agbaje.

He said “My life, my family, and my businesses in Lagos are under severe threat in Lagos state because of the role I am playing in PDP and in my support for Jimi Agbaje.

I have no regret for supporting President Jonathan and Agbaje. My position and that of TAN’s support for the PDP has also not changed. Some persons have called, others have sent text messages to me saying my life and businesses is no longer safe. Some have quarried why am fighting the APC in Lagos.”

GOV POLL: Akiolu, ICAN root for Ambode

By Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—THE traditional ruler of Lagos, Oba Riliwanu Akiolu, yesterday, urged the Igbo who are mostly traders in Lagos to vote for the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, in the next Saturday ’s governorship elections in their own interest.

The Oba, who gave the advice at a meeting with Igbo leaders in Lagos in his IgaIdugaran palace, Lagos Island, said the Igbos have to show appreciation for

being warmly welcomed in the state.

In his response, Chairman council of Ndigbos in Lagos, Chief Gordian Dimojiaku said people of Igbo extraction in the state have completely declared their intention to support the APC candidate in the state.

He explained, “Just yesterday (Saturday) we shut Alaba International Market and other notable markets in the state to campaign for Ambode and that is one of the measures we have taken. ''There are other plans to ensure that all the Igbos in the state throw their weight

behind the APC candidates in Lagos.”

Lagos will benefit from Ambode’s experience – ICAN

Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode has been hailed for the extraordinary leadership qualities and uncanny professionalism that stands him out as an excellent public and private sector administrator, the qualities that make him best fit to steer the ship of Lagos into further excellence.

Ambode who was the

Special Guest of Honour at a lecture organized by the Ikeja District of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (IDSICAN) yesterday, at the Sheraton Hotel, Lagos.

Ambode was the focal point of an academic research titled “The Effects of Leadership Quality On Public Expenditure Management: Evidence From Lagos State Treasury Under Akinwunmi Ambode As Accountant General”, which was performed to decipher the skill-sets with which he succeeded at shouldering the financial responsibility of the nation’s largest economy for a period of six years.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 11

Ogun SDP denies merging with PDP

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE Social Democratic Party in Ogun State has denied forming an alliance with any political party ahead of the governorship

APRIL 11: Ondo PDP faction signs accord with APC

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE–AHEAD of Saturday House of Assembly elections, a faction of the embattled Peoples Democratic Party PDP in Ondo state and the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state have entered into an accord to ensure total victory for all the APC candidates in the election.

Business Mogul Jimoh Ibrahim is the convener of the meeting and the promoter of the agreement.

The agreement was reached at a meeting held weekend at the country home of Ibrahim in Igbotako, in Ondo State.

It was tagged “Igbotako Accord” and was signed by the state Chairman of the APC Hon. D I Kekemeke and the Chairman of the faction Dr. Olu Ogunye, Ondo state PDP chairman.

In a communique signed at the end of the meeting the leaders called on all citizen of the state to vote en mass for all APC candidates contesting for membership of Ondo state House of Assembly in order to stop apparent drift in governance of Ondo state.

“The meeting deliberated on the political, economic situation and the political realities on ground in Ondo state and concluded that a United front of both APC and PDP in the state is required to restore the hope of the people in governance and stop further economic and social slide in the state.

This according to the leaders “necessitated the call for all citizen of state to vote for all APC candidates as a way of strengthening the legislative arms of government in Ondo State.

election in the state.

The party reacted to a news item on a radio station in Abeokuta that, it had merged with the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, ahead of the governorship election in the state.

The governorship candidate, Senator Kamor Odunsi at a press conference in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital denied the report, saying it is malicious, fake and mischievous.

Odunsi who was flanked by his running mate and current deputy governor of the state, Prince Segun Adesegun and the state’s party chairman, Chief Olu Agemo, said the rumoured merger with the PDP was being circulated by unscrupulous elements .

According to him, the action was

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SOGBO—OSUN State Police Command has warned residents of the state that it would repel any act of violence and lawlessness during and after the coming State House of Assembly.

The State Commissioner in charge of election, Mr. Sam Okaula gave the warning in a statement issued and signed, copy of which was made available to C M Y K

“I,Senator Kamorudeen Akinola Babalola Odunsi, on behalf of myself and the party do hereby describe the news as politically motivated, unfounded, mischievous, false, fake and handy work of political spin doctors.

“I hereby state categorically before you that I shall by the grace of God contest the gubernatorial election solely on the platform of Social Democratic Party comes April 11, 2015”,.

While fielding questions from newsmen, Odunsi, Adesegun and Agemo said, many interest and political groups have approached them to form alliance but, they have resolved not to either merge nor form alliance with any political party in the state.

LECTURE: From left; Mezuo Nwuneli, MD, Sahel Capital; Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry; Adedoyin Odunfa, MD/CEO, Digital Jewel Ltd; Jimi Agbaje, PDP governorship candidate for Lagos State/guest speaker; Opeyemi Agbaje, author of the book “Democracy without Democrats and Uncomplex Strategy” and Tosin Runsewe, chief client officer/Group CEO, Mansard Group, during a lecture and book presentation in honour of Opeyemi in Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

Obasanjo to Nigerians: Repeat March 28 on April 11 winner of the election during Obasanjo told newsmen “Since

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—FORMER President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has charged Nigerians to repeat what they did at the presidential and National Assembly elections, which produced the Presidentelect, Major General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress (APC)as

POLLS: Osun Police warn against violence

By Gbenga Olarinoye

aimed at damaging the credibility of the SDP, it’s image and integrity.

He said “ two days ago, specifically on the 3rd of April, 2015, a radio station based in Abeokuta went on air with a news item purporting that our party, SDP, has merged or formed alliance with another political party.

“I state categorically and emphatically that our party has neither the intention nor plan to merge with any political party.

So, there is no iota of truth in the damaging radio news item which we in SDP described as malicious, unfounded, baseless and a wild imagination which could only have existed in the authors mind.

newsmen in Osogbo.

The command noted that it is prepared to ensure the maintenance of law and order stressing the need for everyone in the state to ensure that the existing peace within the state is religiously maintained.

According to the CP, “the Command wants to repest that acts of violence and lawlessness have no place in the state and will therefore be repelled.

the coming governorship and state assembly elections.

Obasanjo stated this, weekend in Abeokuta, during his surprise visit to the popular Itoku market in Abeokuta south local government area of the state.

Obasanjo, who had arrived the market at about 4:30 pm visited the few adire (local fabric) stores, local herb section and other segments in the market.

While addressing the traders, Obasanjo said since he returned from Abuja as President, he had not been opportune to visit the market in the spirit of Easter, stating that he just felt it was appropriate to do it during the season.

Obasanjo, who spoke in Yoruba says: “Since I came back from Abuja, I have not come here to say hello to you. But, it occurs to me that I can do it during this Easter period and that is why I have come. How is market and hope you are all faring well? Response was given spontaneously by the jubilation traders.

I came back, I have not really visited any market. I have come to do two things. I have come to give them Easter greetings and to find out how they are doing in their market.”

‘Why Osun must vote APC in Assembly poll'

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE All Progressives Congress in Osun state has warned that the state will be at risk of halting the remarkable development it has experienced in the last four years, if it allowed any candidate of the People’s Democratic Party to become a member of the State House of Assembly.

This, the APC said, “is because the PDP in Osun, at the Jonathan-led Federal Government are sworn enemies of the nature and scope of the socio-economic and infrastructural development which the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesolaialed APC government has effected in the state.

The APC, according to a statement by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi in Osogbo yesterday noted that, “any PDP candidate in the House of Assembly therefore will have only one mission - to frustrate and stall whatever project Ogbeni plans to implement for the benefit of the people of the state”.

According to the APC, “since 2011, the PDP had been boasting that it would reverse all the gains the people of this state have made within the last four years under APC governance, if it had won the governorship election.

But PDP lost”.

“Then they resorted to Federal might to starve the state of funds, to frustrate a lot of projects which were ongoing. But God, in His absolute mercy, used Nigerian people to vote out the Goodluck Jonathanled PDP government.”

Amosun, Isiaka disagree over alleged N2.5bn foreign loan

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—OGUN State governor, Ibikunle Amosun and the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Gboyega Isiaka have disagreed over the need to shop for a fresh N2.5bn foreign loan.

Isiaka, in a statement signed by the Director of media, Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organisation, Ifekayode Akinbode, in Abeokuta at the weekend alleged that Amosun had sourced for the loan from an unnamed foreign bank for part payment of the N1.5 billion

deductions from workers’ loans and cooperative savings.

He further alleged that the government was broke and that the contractors handling some projects of State Universal Basic Education Board had abandoned the projects because of the paucity of fund.

But the state Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun, denied the claim, saying, the PDP governorship candidate needed to be tutored on financial engineering.

Adeosun said the government was not broke despite diminished federal allocation, noting, the projects in question were not abandoned for lack of money.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

DELTA GOV POLL: Urhobo in last minute move to field single candidate

By Perez Brisibe

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GHELLI—AHEAD of the April 11 governorship election in Delta State, the political class of the Urhobo nation is in a last minute move to adopt a single candidate from its two sons, Chief Ovadje Ogboru and Olorogun O'tega Emerhor, both of the Labour Party, LP and All Progressives Congress, APC, respectively.

In achieving this feat, the group, at a meeting, weekend, constituted a six-man committee with Chief Godwin Ogbetuo as chairman while former House of Representatives member representing Ethiope constituency, Mr Solomon Edojah, will serve as secretary.

According to Edojah, the committee which was set up by the Chief Joe Omene Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, has Prof. Godini Darah, Mr. David Edevbie, Dr. John Akwara and Chief Adogbeji Ideh as members.

Making the disclosure, Edojah said: “Though both Chief Omene and Chief Tuesday Onoge were asked to

stay away from the meeting to allow for frank discussions, the committee which is expected to submit its report on Tuesday for adoption, is to come up with strategies on how best to actualise the Uvwiamuge

Declaration with a view of producing a governor of Urhobo extraction and total reconciliation of the UPU crisis.

“The Urhobo people are putting heads together as

regards the governorship election and the reality of the APC victory during the presidential elections. Very soon, we will come up with one candidate that will be acceptable to all Deltans.”

STAKEHOLDERS' MEETING: Mr. Jerry Akpan, PDP spokesman, Ikot Abasi federal constituency, speaking at the Eket senatorial district's stakeholder's meeting for PDP governorship candidate, Udom Emmanuel.

....As Okere-Urhobo endorses Okowa, Omovie

By Daniel Gumm

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ARRI—THE people of Okere-Urhobo Kingdom in Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State, have thrown their weight behind the state's Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa and the member representing Warri South Constituency 2 in the state House of Assembly, Mr Dennis Omovie, saying they deserve better deal from the state government.

They spoke at the Orosuen Palace in Okumagba Layout, Warri, when prominent elders, women, youths and chieftains of the PDP in the kingdom played host to Omovie.

President-General of OkereUrhobo, Chief Emmanuel Okumagba, in his remark called on Okere-Urhobo people to vote en masse for Dr. Okowa, Omovie and other PDP candidates in Saturday's polls.

Spokesman of OkereUrhobo, Chief Wilson Eboh, tasked Omovie to address the non-payment of salary to traditional rulers of Urhobo extraction in Warri, saying that their counterparts in other councils in the state are paid C M Y K

salaries.

Responding, Omovie assured the people of OkereUrhobo of better representation if given another mandate in

the April 11 polls, promising to back people of OkereUrhobo to produce the next representative of Warri South Constituency 2 come 2019.

According to the lawmaker, if Urhobos back the PDP governorship candidate, they stand a good chance of producing the next Speaker of the state House of Assembly.

APRIL 11 POLLS: Fears over possible violence in Rivers LG

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— PRESIDENT, Kalabari Youth Federation, Mr Livingston Memberi, has expressed fears that the April 11 governorship and state House of Assembly elections may be characterised by violence in Asari Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Livingston, who observed the last presidential and National Assembly elections in the council under the aegis of Reclaim Niger, said shooting and snatching of electoral materials occured in several wards during the elections.

He appealed for increased security presence in the council to stem any violence during the elections.

He said: “I fear that there might be violence in Asari Toru council during the

governorship election. So, to avoid a repeat of same, there should be heavy security presence to save the situation.”

According to him, there would have been a major clash between members of the

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Wednesday when the parties had their rallies in Buguma, headquarters of the council, but the presence of soldiers in the area saved the situation.

Dickson urges Christians to imbibe virtues of Christ level of religious tolerance in the

By Samuel Oyadongha

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E N A G O A — A S Christians the world over celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, has called on adherents to see Easter as a period for sober reflection on the real import of Easter and the positive virtues Christ stood and died for.

In his Easter message to the people of the state, the governor noted with satisfaction, the high

state and enjoined Christians, Moslems and adherents of other religions across the country to see each other as one and the same people, with a common destiny and live peacefully with one another.

The governor, also commend Bayelsans for their peaceful conduct, before, during and after the Presidential and National Assembly elections and urged the people of the state to remain peaceful and love one another, as the state and nation prepare for another round of polls.

Agbor monarch congratulates Buhari, Jonathan

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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HE Dein of Agbor Kingdom, Obi Benjamin Ikenchuku, has congratulated the President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), on his victory at the just concluded presidential election.

In his congratulatory message in Agbor, Delta State, the monarch also commended the President Goodluck Jonathan, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, and Nigerians for the peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly poll.

While attributing the victory of the former Head of State at the polls to the resilience of the human spirit and sportsmanship, the monarch enjoined the duo of the President and President-elect to sustain the peace by ensuring a peaceful transition.

POLLS: LG chair assures of PDP victory in Delta

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HAIRMAN of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Francis MakuEyituoyor, has expressed optimism that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa will emerge victorious in the coming April 11 election.

He lauded President Goodluck Jonathan for his self-effacing conduct in congratulating the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, for winning the presidential election.

Maku-Eyituoyor described President Jonathan as an exceptional patriot, who placed peace and unity of Nigeria above self interest.

He also congratulated the president-elect for his victory and enjoined him to raise the bar of the transformational development set on course by the Jonathan presidency.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—13

POLLS: No more police molestation in Rivers, Amaechi assures G

OVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has assured of peaceful coexistence among the people of the state, saying that there will be no more police brutality or molestation.

Speaking, weekend, with All Progressives Congress, APC, supporters during his Ward to Ward campaign in Emohua and Ikwerre Local Government Areas of the state, he urged the people to vote for Dr. Dakuku Peterside, APC governorship candidate in the state for the April 11 governorship poll.

Amaechi said: “On Saturday, I expect everybody to come out and vote. There will be no police molestation again.

There will be no army harassment again. Any policeman that molests you must be preparing to retire and this time, it will not be retirement, it will be punishment for retirement, so come out to vote. We are expecting you to come out and vote.

“The reason why I am running from ward to ward is to encourage you to come out because after what the police and the army did last time, everybody will be afraid to come out. On Saturday, we should all come out to vote and as your governor, I urge you to vote for APC.”

He re-emphasized that his government will set up a commission of enquiry to look into election-related deaths in the state during the March 28 presidential election.

According to him, those found guilty by the law would be punished according to the law.

“We have agreed to set up a

commission of enquiry to investigate all the killings so far. So, all those people who killed, we shall punish them.

Whether they like it or not, they must account for everybody they killed.

“For the police, we believe that by now they must have learnt their lesson. We believe that by now they must have

known that they were politicians and not officers of the Nigeria Police. This Saturday, we expect them to be Nigeria Police and not Nigerian politicians.”

While in Emohua, the governor campaigned in Ogbakiri, Ibaa, Obele, Rumuewhor Odegu and Elele.

BRIEFING: Sen. Abe (middle), Victor Giadom, DG GTCO (right) and Gokana CTC Chairman, Kadilo Kabari addressing newsmen before handing over the thumb printed ballot papers to the State CID.

Group gives Shell 14 days ultimatum to relocate from community

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—A NIGER Delta group, Iduwini Volunteer Force, IVF, has given a 14-day ultimatum to Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, to vacate its community or face unpleasant unrest.

In a letter to President Goodluck Jonathan made available to newsmen in Yenagoa, the group said the ultimatum become necessary after the oil company unlawfully terminated a running contract between the community and the company signed in 2007 and after all attempts to get the company to see reason failed.

The Iduwini Volunteer Force has consequently directed all its unit commanders to be on alert, warning that at the end of the 14 days ultimatum, should Shell refuse to see reason, it would have no choice but to commence immediate attacks and the process of restoring their full privilege as contained in the said surveillance contract C M Y K

document.

The group in the letter, said: “Your Excellency will recall that as Governor of Bayelsa State from 2005 to 2007, you graciously intervened in the lingering crisis between the Iduwini Volunteer Force and SPDC, where it was resolved among others.

“For peace, security and safety of oil companies

activities within the Iduwini area of SPDC operations, that a running surveillance contract amounting to N8.002 milliion per year be awarded to the leadership of the Iduwini Volunteer Force and it was awarded.

“The surveillance contract which started in 2007 and was dutifully carried out by the leadership of the Iduwini

Volunteer Force and payment for 2007 made and while in 2008 without any known breach of contract, SPDC, unilaterally stopped the contract till date. Our boys are, however, still rendering the services of securing oil facilities in the aforementioned areas as contained in the contract paper."

‘Buhari’s victory, turning point in nation’s democratic system'

By Daniel Gumm

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ARRI—DELTA State Woman Leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Janet Oyubu, has described the emergence of General Mohammadu Buhari (rtd) in the March 28 presidential election as a turning point in the nation’s democratic system.

Oyubu, when she addressed scores of APC women from the three senatorial districts in the state, yesterday, commended

the active role they played during the presidential election, where Gen. Buhari emerged victorious and enjoined them to do same in subsequent elections.

According to her, the victory of the president-elect has opened ways for all APC candidates in both the governorship and House of Assembly elections, adding that they should vote wisely in Saturday’s elections.

“We have started moving

forward and there is no going back. We must ensure that APC takes over from the PDP henceforth. Gone are the days when APC was an opposition party, rather we will continue to dominate the political system in the country,” the APC chieftain stressed.

She enjoined all party faithful to vote for Olorogun O’tega Emerhor for governorship of the state, explaining that they cannot afford to be in the opposition.

Airhiavbere, ex-service men, others dump Edo PDP for APC

By Simon Ebegbulem

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E N I N — B A R E LY one week after the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari won the presidential elections, over 3,000 persons including retired army officers in the state, led by the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2012, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere, who ran against Governor Adams Oshiomhole, dumped the PDP on Sunday, for the APC. Gen. Airhiavbere, who was the National Coo r d i n a t o r , Goodluck2Goodluck campaign organisation, before defecting with his supporters in Benin City, said that his decision to join the APC was informed by the need to join the “Team of change that has come to the nation in the March 28 election.

“Any politician who means well for this state will ground their arms of hate and join the change train of the APC government ably led by Adams Oshiomhole."

Manager thanks constituents, wants same support for Okowa

By Emmanuel Aziken

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ENATOR James Manager, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta South, who won the just concluded National Assembly elections, has expressed appreciation to his constituents for reelecting him to office and called on them to extend the same support to Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa in this weekend’s election.

Manager, in a statement, also called for the same support for the PDP candidates in the state legislative elections.

He said: “I sincerely express my gratitude to all men and women of Delta South senatorial district for voting me as their senator during the National Assembly elections."

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

North-East APC demands office of Senate President or Speaker

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—AHEAD of the inauguration of the 8th National Assembly, the North East chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has opted for the offices of Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

The zone made the demand against the backdrop of its contribution to the party, even as it said it had eminently qualified candidates for the positions.

A statement signed yesterday in Abuja by APC National Vice Chairman, North East, Engr.

Babachir David Lawal, also urged the voters in the region to massively vote for the APC at the governorship and state House of Assembly elections on Saturday.

The statement read: “In recognition of this immense contribution to the party ’s victory, I want to seize this opportunity to call on the APC National leadership to cede either the Senate Presidency or Speaker of the House of Representatives to the region where we have an abundance of talent and eminently qualified candidates for these

positions. ‘’This will set the region on a course of accelerated development that it so desperately needs. But for us to reap the full benefits of an APC government at the centre, we must also have APC in government in the six states in

our zone. ‘’This will facilitate coordination and planning of development and infrastructure projects that will have to be embarked upon by both tiers of government.

An opposition government in any of the states will destroy

this synergy and put any prospect of our rehabilitation, reconstruction and reconciliation in jeopardy. ‘’Therefore I call on all registered voters in the region to massively come out and cast their votes for the APC on Saturday.”

INVESTITURE Catholic Bishop of Okigwe Diocese Rt Rev. Edward Osuegbu presents the Award of Administrative Excellence to the governorship candidate of PDP in Imo State, Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, during an investiture organized by the Cathedral Church of St. Barnabas Okigwe, Imo State, weekend.

Electoral fraud characterized presidential poll —LP

By Emman Ovuakporie

A

B U J A — T H E Labour Party yesterday declared that though the March 28 presidential election had come and gone, it was characterized by military intimidation and substitution of authentic figures.

National Chairman of the party, Abdulkadir Abdusalam, told newsmen at the party’s secretariat that instances abound in most states of the federation where ad-hoc staff engaged by the Independent National Electioral Commission, INEC, and military men openly thumb printed ballot papers in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He said it was observed that in most polling units in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, electoral materials were not made available before 12 noon, adding that agents of the PDP and military men coerced voters who were mainly supporters of the Labour Party, to thumb print on PDP logo.

He explained further that PDP agents openly shared money during the voting in most of the polling units C M Y K

monitored by Labour Party agents across most states in the South Eastern part of the country.

“This is as army officers involved deployed to collation centres terrorized people, beat up others and scared away everyone before mandating INEC staff to enter military vehicles, taken to Ohankwu, headquarters of Ezzamgbo Local Government Area in Ebonyi State and coerced to change the authentic result in favour of the PDP,’’ he said.

Abdusalam, while reeling out

report of electoral malpractices in most states of the federation, demanded for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, in charge of Akwa Ibom State for alleged connivance with government officials in the state in the distribution of fake ballot papers and result sheets.

In Jere LG in Bornu State, according to the Labour Party helmsman, election was marred by irregularities in most polling units as ad-hoc staff and their supervisors

violated electoral rules by conveying ballot papers to police stations, instead of LG collation centres, where APC agents thumb printed votes in the absence of other political party agents.

In totality, the Labour Party cried foul over what it termed massive electoral fraud by the two leading parties in the country, the PDP and APC which denied the party of electoral gains and warned against a repeat of same in the forth coming gubernatorial elections.

Buhari thanks Emir of Borgu for forgiveness

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

B U J A — PRESIDENTELECT, Mohammadu Buhari, yesterday commended the forgiving spirit of the Emir of Borgu, Niger State, Dr Halliru Dantoro, who he detained while investigating corrupt leaders during his regime between 1983 and 1985.

Buhari said as the Head of State, he took responsibility for the actions of his government, including those not directly instructed by him.

He thanked the Emir for not holding such against him, even though he revealed that they had long reconciled.

Buhari made the remarks during a congratulatory visit on him in Abuja by the emir who led a delegation of his council members.

He also extended his gratitude to other leaders such as former Minister Finance and Agriculture, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, for not personally holding him responsible on the fate they suffered in his government, promising that as a democratically elected president, he would ensure fairness and justice for all Nigerians.

Responding, the Emir pledged the support of his people to ensure the success of Buhari’s government.

Jonathan was architect of his defeat —UNONGO

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—ELDER statesman and deputy leader of Northern Elders Forum, NEF, Wartaregh Paul Unongo, has stated that President Goodluck Jonathan was the architect of his own defeat at the last presidential election.

The one time Minister of Power and Steel in the Second Republic, who spoke yesterday to reporters at his Makurdi residence, maintained that the

defeat of President Jonathan was a product of the enormous blunders and slip ups the president committed in office.

The elder statesman said Nigerians were taken for granted by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and ended up paying the price for their overbearing confidence.

Unongo said: “This I told the president when I honoured his invitation three days to the presidential election. I had gone there with one of my sons, former military administrator of

Katsina State and one time senator, Joseph Akaagerger.

“During our conversation I told him about the numerous mistakes he had made which would cost him his re-election.

As we spoke, I saw a different president because from the manner he spoke with me, he is someone who believes in the Nigeria project.

“I saw a human face in him.

This was different from the kind of picture that the people surrounding him presented to Nigerians, which sort of

pictured him as an abusive and insensitive president.

“I told him that those presenting him before Nigerians had done great damage to his image and I strongly advised him to take bold steps to redeem his image (though I did not mention conceding defeat) and I can say that Jonathan took my advice.”

The elder statesman, however, submitted that with the emergence of General Muhammadu Buhari, there was hope for the nation.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—15

Ebonyi Labour Party media director defects to PDP

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI — THE Media Director for Labour Party governorship candidate in Ebonyi State, Dr. Chike Onwe, weekend, defected to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, with a pledge to support the ambition of the party’s governorship candidate, Engr. Dave Umahi.

He stated that his decision to shift camp became necessary, following his discovery of the developmental initiatives inherent in the PDP governorship candidate and the yearning of Ebonyi people that power should rotate to Ebonyi South senatorial district.

Onwe, who is also the immediate past state Commissioner for Information, called on his teeming supporters and friends to join him in ensuring that the political ambition of Engr. Dave Umahi came to fruition on May 29, 2015.

“After a long look ahead, a searching look inwards, a wide look around and a far look upward, I came to the conclusion that his Excellency, Engr. Dave Umahi, the Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, should be supported to win the election to occupy the seat of the governor of Ebonyi State by May 29, 2015.

“From my personal interaction and engagement with Engr. Dave

Umahi, I am convinced that he will build on the foundational legacies of Governor Elechi, while also working hard to expand the development frontiers for every Ebonyi person to maximise his/ her potentials.

“Therefore, in response to the dictates of conscience and the demand of reason, I wish to join His Excellency, Engr. Dave Umahi, to pursue the dream of consolidating on the gains we have already recorded as a

people and taking Ebonyi to another level. ‘’As I appeal to the understanding of my admirers for this shift, I call on my friends and supporters to join me in this critical decision.”

EASTER MASS: Little Miss Amara Nnebedum, presenting flowers to Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, during a special Easter Mass, at the Madonna Renewal Centre Chapel, Nkpor, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

It’s not easy to play opposition politics in Nigeria — Ngige

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—STILL basking in the euphoria of the victory of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the March 28, 2015 presidential election, the former governor of Anambra State and the senator representing Anambra Central, Dr. Chris

Ngige, observed, weekend, that it had not been easy playing politics of opposition in Nigeria, in view of the domineering attitude by those in government.

Ngige, who received a hero’s welcome organised by members of APC in Anambra State on his return from Abuja, said he played opposition politics for 10 years and, therefore, knew how the shoe

pinched.

He said: “I must thank all those who remained steadfast in APC because playing opposition can be frustrating and tempting. ‘’Though I was receiving overtures from the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, I rejected them because the principles on which we formed that party were jettisoned and

ELECTION: PDP'll win Ebonyi governorship

with ease, boasts party scribe

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI — Ebonyi State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, weekend, boasted that it would win the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections with ease as the party has penetrated all the 13 local government areas of the state.

In a statement by the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Apostle Benjamin Obaji, the party affirmed that its victory at the last presidential and national elections were a clear testimony of the strength and capacity of the

party to win the next election in the state.

According to the party scribe, what is left for Ebonyi people is to turn out in large large numbers on April 11 at individual polling unit, to vote for the PDP in the state.

Obaji added that the candidates of the party for both the governorship and House of Assembly elections were credible and had the support of Ebonyi people and stakeholders behind them.

The statement read in part: “Right from the inception of the present democratic process in 1999 till date, Ebonyi has proven

its unshakable alliance with PDP as it showed on the just concluded presidential and National Assembly elections of March 28, 2015.

“We want urge the people of Ebonyi to increase the percentage recorded in the last presidential election from 83.5 per cent to 99.5 per cent to prove that they appreciate the contributions of the PDP towards the economic viability of Ebonyi people.

“It is no more a speculation or an assumption that Ebonyi State remains the home and one of the strongholds of the PDP in the country.”

bastardised.

“At the amalgamation of some political parties to form APC, I decided to run for governor but many notable politicians told me that though I am a good candidate, it was better for me not to run because I must never be allowed to win as the forces against me were numerous “However, I insisted on running because God had told me that APC would form the next Federal Government. Though I did not win the governorship, I was consistently telling our people that APC was the best bet for Igbo in Nigerian politics.

“But many Igbo people, who are benefiting from Federal Government contracts, decided to sacrifice the future of their children and children’s children. I know many of these Igbo contractors cannot play opposition politics and their next move may be to move into APC. “Let me assure consistent members of APC that we are going to screen those who may wish to join us in APC. While our doors will remain open to welcome new members, we will only admit those who are good, as we will not make it an all comers' affair.”

EASTER:

Obiano tasks Nigerians on sacrifice, nation building

T

HE GOVERNOR of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, has called on Nigerians to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice as an imperative tool for nationbuilding.

In a special message for Easter, entitled, 'The Supremacy of Sacrifice to Human Advancement and Nation Building,' Governor Obiano observed that “Nigeria is on the cusp of change and the situation requires greater introspection and better appreciation of the place of sacrifice in the handling of the delicate issues of nationhood.”

According to him, at no time is humanity more vividly reminded of the significance of sacrifice to human progress and nationbuilding as the period of Easter.

“Indeed, every Easter, the entire Christendom is forced to recall that our salvation is a product of priceless sacrifice, that there can be no progress without sacrifice,” he observed.

Governor Obiano happily observed that President Jonathan demonstrated a deep understanding of the imperatives of sacrifice to nation-building when he accepted the collective wish of Nigerians for change and congratulated the PresidentElect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) on his victory in the presidential election.

On the coming House of Assembly election in Anambra State, Governor Obiano called on Ndi Anambra to vote for all the candidates of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to ensure that the momentum of purposeful leadership in the state is sustained.

“We need a peaceful legislative assembly and a cordial relationship between the three arms of government to continue our push to expand the frontiers of excellence in Anambra State. We can only achieve this by voting for all the 30 candidates seeking election into the Anambra State House of Assembly on the platform of APGA. I urge you to vote for them,” Governor Obiano said, and further assured the people that all arrangements had been made to ensure that their votes would count this time."

16 —Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

EASTER:

Bishop Okeke counsels Nigerian politicians

By Vincent Ujumadu AWKA —THE Catholic Bishop of Nnewi Diocese, Most Reverend Hilary Okeke, has urged Nigerian politicians not to remain indifferent to the needs of the people.

In his Easter message, Bishop Okeke observed that Nigerians, including the politicians, needed conversion of their hearts more than structural transformation.

According to him, changing structures without generating new convictions and attitudes will only ensure that those same structures will become, sooner or later, corrupt, oppressive and ineffectual.

The message read in part: “We are praying for Nigeria in distress, but the evils in our country are mounting.

Deceit, falsehood, infamy, corruption, violence and threats of violence are increasingly the order of the day."

“The viral effects are there for everybody to see – a country blessed with human and material resources, but cannot provide and maintain basic amenities for the generality of the people because those who have access to the material resources of this country exploit them for their own interest.”

“Nigerians never give up the quest for monetary and other material gains and inducement attached to the work. This is evident from the ease and constancy with which Nigerian workers resort to strikes, prolong strikes and yet insist on receiving their full pay for the time they are on strike when they render no service.

“This is unjust and immoral and a change of heart and disposition can make Nigerians, especially those in the public sector, more service –oriented for the progress of our country.”

The cleric described as sad, a situation whereby those seeking political offices allegedly distributed millions of naira in order to be voted into office, adding that such people would not have the interest of the people at heart when they get into office.

APRIL 11 POLL: Be ready for a

surprise, Enugu PDP tells APC

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU — DIRECTORGENERAL of Peoples Democratic Party campaign

organisation in Enugu State, Chief C.O.C Egumgbe, has said the party was not deterred by the electoral defeat suffered at the national level during the presidential election.

According to him, the "PDP is prepared than ever to win the governorship election on April 11, 2015."

Egumgbe in a press statement yesterday, advised

MEETING: From left, HRH Oba Rilwan Akiolu 1, of Lagos; Eze Gordian Dimojiaku, Eze Ndigbo, Amuwo/Oriade Local Goverment Area, Lagos State, and Chief Waheed Ayeni, the Sasore of Lagos, during a meeting between the Oba of Lagos and Ndigbo, where Ndigbo pledged their support for All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Mr.Akinwunmi Ambode yesterday.

APC members in Enugu State to be ready to accept defeat on April 11, 2015 and exhibit similar sense of sportsmanship as exemplified by President Goodluck Jonathan, "when the PDP coasts to victory.

“No amount of blackmail, intimidation, deceit, smear campaign and negative propaganda against the PDP will deter it from winning the remaining elections in Enugu State under a transparent, peaceful, free and fair exercise.

“That the PDP suffered in the presidential election was an unfortunate accident that will not in any form affect the goodwill and popularity the party enjoys in Enugu State and that the incident has rather strengthened the party and made it stronger for the challenges ahead,’’ he stated.

He added that the party was also “strengthened by the fact that it has popular and acceptable candidates for the elections, especially its governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who has distinguished himself creditably in public service as a technocrat and an experienced politician with a vast knowledge of the needs of the people.”

Ex-Anambra Gov tasks Buhari on corruption, education

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA — FORMER Anambra State governor, Dr. Chinwoke Mbadinuju, has asked President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, to tackle corruption head-on once swornin on May 29.

Mbadinuju also said that religious intolerance among Nigerians should be looked into

by the incoming government to halt the wave of divisions occasioned by the vice.

The former governor, who spoke to journalists in Abuja, said that Buhari’s victory was divine, having been favoured him on his fourth attempt at the presidency of Nigeria after three previous failed attempts.

He said: “Personally, I believe that Buhari’s victory is of God. If God was not in it, then he could

not have won. I believe in acts of God. And anything we do in life, if it is good, it is God Himself who made it possible. ‘’Or you can begin to change and do it the way of God. So, it is a very beautiful development to have Buhari as the next President of Nigeria on May 29.

“Take corruption for instance, you know, he has been hitting on this issue of corruption and we are aware that President Jonathan

You're starving us of funds, Enugu lawmakers tell Chime …say it amounts to executive rascality

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU — MEMBERS of Enugu State House of Assembly have cried out over alleged starving of funds from the executive in the running of their overhead costs, saying such impunity was unknown in law.

According to the lawmakers, the attitude of the governor and his team amounts to executive rascality.

The lawmakers, therefore, ordered the State Accountant General, Pascal Okoye, to pay

the overhead of members by Wednesday this week or be ready to face the wrath of the House.

The AG was earlier summoned to appear before the House, last Thursday, the same day the House rejected the N11 billion loan request from the governor.

He was summoned to explain why the members have not received their overhead/imprest. At that sitting, he did not show up but rather sent a correspondent to the House, claiming he was hospitalised.

The Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odo, said at the plenary that it was disheartening that for reasons not known, an arm of government should be grounded by another arm of government and described the development as belittling to the Enugu State House of Assembly and the legislative arms all over the world.

Members of the House had last Thursday unanimously refused to authorise the state government to obtain N11 billion loan, describing the request as ill-timed and unjustified.

shocked everybody when he said corruption is not the problem, but stealing. ‘’The incoming President has been hammering on corruption.

I think that is what it should be.

But whether it is corruption or stealing, I think these are vices that we should not allow.

“It is a good lesson in the sense that he lost his past bids because of this problem of religion, he missed it because he did not get enough votes. The same problem continued until he corrected himself. ‘’I believe that where he had made mistakes in the past, he was able to correct them this time around and that is why he won.

It was very clear that it was the experience he had then that he applied this time around.”

Mbadinuju also asked Buhari to reform the education policies of the out-going government.

“Nothing gets swept when it comes to governing because it is a matter of relay race. What you do now, another person comes, it takes the baton, runs and gives to another person.

"In terms of education, we believe Jonathan tried but opposition must say what they want to say, good or bad. That’s the job of opposition otherwise they are not performing.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 17

C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 IF we are to judge the future of Nigeria by the promises that appear on election posters, Nigeria is about to become one of the most developed countries in the world.

Candidates and their parties have managed to capture issues affecting Nigerians and listed them for solution, once they get our votes. Are we not used to politicians and their pranks? What is different from what they promised in 1999 and 16 years after?

Have they not just given the challenges new dimensions to get our attentions? How have those who are making the promises improved our lives since 1999? We should ask more questions, particularly how they intend to execute the lofty promises we always hear during campaigns since the economy can hardly support them.

The major difference this time is that there are more promises, which issue from the degeneration Nigeria has undergone in 16 years. The decay is deeper. We would notice it if we also pay attention to the misgovernance in the States. Like the central government, which has challenges explaining its stewardship, the States and their local governments have run on minimal accountability to the law or the

Let's Ask More Questions people. Past promises of accountability were never fulfiled.

Justice, equity, reflected in the rights to life, security, and access to education, employment, health services, housing, electricity, rails, roads and other means of transportation are basic issues common to Nigerians. Portable water is unavail-able.

It is no surprise that there is inade-quate water for industrial, commercial and agricultural uses.

During fire outbreaks, we evince wonderment that fire trucks arrive without water. Failure to attend to these matters in sustainable manners leaves the country under-developed. How would

winners of the elections address them?

Millions of Nigerians are living through grinding poverty from childhood to adulthood. The political class in its hurry to succeed itself skirts gloomy statistics that paint pictures of Nigeria’s poverty in bold, frightening hues. They speak about leadership, changes in the structure of governance, constitu-tional amendments, and most importantly, allocation of resources. Rights of the individual to life and the prosperity that our country holds are merely thrown in to complete the works, since modern constitutions parade human rights credentials.

Those seeking our votes have played major roles in our blighted past. We should question them more intensively. Where do they stand on citizenship rights, security of lives and property, regional autonomy, immunity for elected officials, state and regional police? What is the fate of our children whose circumstances our laws consistently impoverish? Nigeria is in dire need of practical ideas for its future.

Expectations are that the 2015 elections would elect leaders who think about Nigeria beyond themselves.

OPINION The resurrection: Glamorisation of a fallacy?

ByBobson Gbinije “The heights reached and attained by great men, were not attained by sudden flight.

They toiled all night , whilst others slept”.Edmund Burke FROM time out of the reach of memory, through the Paleolithic age to the present era, philosophers, occults, men of God, free thinkers, necromancers and metaphysicians, etc have sanctimoniously postulated and didactically moralized on the truth and otherwise of The resurrection of Jesus The Christ.

In Mein Kammpf, Adolf Hitler said: “By means of shrewd lies unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that Heaven is Hell and Hell Heaven… The greater the lie the more readily people will believe them.” Chairman Mao Tse Tung of China further corroborated this fact about the “mechanics” and “dynamics” of propaganda.

He said “the greatest catalyst to mass mobilization is brain–washing the people through misinformation and disinformation hype”. Is this what has happened to the issue of the resurrection?

The resurrection is the spiritual bulwark, supernatural plinth and the fundamental fulcrum upon which the Christian’s faith, hope and conduct rotates. It is the locus classicus, the foundation and the prodigious matrix with which and on which the believer’s faith is built.

The resurrection has dual implications for most believers, especially the Christians. They believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and C M Y K

rose again on the third day (Matthew Chapter 28 verses 1 – 14) and hence their definition of “Resurrection” is to “rise” from the dead”. This, they believe, was foreordained, actualized and exemplified by Christ Jesus. Most religious sects believe in the Resurrection, but some others do not believe in Christ not to talk of his Resurrection.

The Muslims believe in the Resurrection, but not of Jesus Christ in the mode of the Christians.

They believe that on the day of Judgement the Almighty Allah will resurrect all mankind to face judgement according to their works. As recorded in the Holy Koran Sura 75 Ayat 1 – 6 “I swear by the day of resurrection and by the self-reproaching soul. Does man think we shall never put his bones together again? Indeed. We can re-mould his very fingers. Yet man would ever deny what is to come. When will this be, he asks, this day of Resurrection? But when the sigh of Mortals is confounded and the moon eclipsed; when sun and moon are brought together on that day man will ask: whither shall I flee? No. there shall he be informed of all that he has done first and last. He shall be a witness

The “Resurrection Power” is the ultimate Power capable of changing every spiritual and physical situation

against himself, even though he has to offer excuses.”

The Christians, Muslims and many other sects have a platitudinous symmetry of belief in the final resurrection and judgement. But some Judaistic Proselytisers, Agnostics, Gnostics and Atheists do not believe. Does this make the Christians belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ a lie? In his book The Universal Fraud, Professor Atuns Josef, the Historiographer, posited thus: “The monumental hoax that their Christ rose from the dead remains the most bizarre dissimulation of falsity ever. It is calculated to hoodwink the intellect, venerate and apotheosise an allegorical story. It has no basis whatsoever with pragmatic reality.”

If it is true that Christ did not rise from the dead, then Christians are truly fraudulent 419ers and their counterfeit doctrines are cantankerously at variance with their professed and proclaimed morality. The basis of their belief is dangerously hollow and all their vociferous evangelical works, so-called miracles and the much vaunted blood of Jesus and Holy Ghost fire are in vain. The miracles they perform are of the Devil. They practice a fake and powerless religion and all their selfrighteousness will end up in Gehenna. The “Edenic tragedy” and the subsequent “Adamic fall” shall remain with mankind eternally.

Christ, we are told, came to die for mankind so that our sins can be forgiven. But since there is no resurrection we remain in our waiting state of sin. “But, God forbid”.

The excavation of the “Shroud of Turin” in the middle of the 14th century – a shroud reputed to be the actual burial cloth of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God has remained an

enigmatic relic to theologians and scientists for over 200 years. This shows that Christ was a human personality who many testified to have seen and his resurrection is abundantly proven by his disciples. Buttressing the resurrection issue with submissions from the Holy Bible will be begging the dialectical matter. But it remains the cardinal authority on the resurrection of JESUS THE CHRIST. The Bible states with the most unmistakable and pertinacious exactitude that Christ Jesus rose from the grave on the third day (Luke 20:36, John 5: 29, Rom. 6:5, Phil. 3: 10, Heb. 11: 35, Rev. 20:15). But the most fundamental attestation to the resurrection is the power in the “RESURRECTION POWER” which many believer experiences by faith.

The “Resurrection Power” is the ultimate Power capable of changing every spiritual and physical situation. It is capable of raising the dead, healing the sick, defeating and conquering Satan the devil and all his evil machinations. It wouldn’t have been so, if Christ Jesus did not rise from the grave. The resurrection is pragmatically and palpably real because we can feel and see the power of God Almighty in ACTION. As we celebrate the Easter season, let us continuously call to mind the glorious resurrection of our Lord, Saviour and JESUS THE CHRIST whose crucifixion and resurrection empowered us to tread the earth in His glory. Satan the devil would have made a public show of mankind without the resurrection. Let us also remember our own resurrection on the last day by walking steadfastly in reverential fear of God – •Mr. Gbinije, a social critic, wrote from Warri, Delta State.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 —19

T

HE 2015 General election storm was expected to be rough. But the greatest fear was not before or during the turbulence; it was the anticipated after effects. Many feared postelection violence. But a phone call conceding defeat and the general body language of out-going President Goodluck Jonathan saved many lives. He had often said nobody’s ambition was worth the blood of Nigerians. This was put to test, and we are the better for it as a country, and as A few months ago, I had a discussion with one of the most committed apostles of the change doctrine. I wanted to understand what it really meant. We were both veterans of the Prodemocracy struggles of the 1990s and he was particularly helpful during the January 2012 antifuel price increase protests. He explained that for him, change was about two things; cutting arrogant PDP to size and instituting a culture of Nigerians changing government at will.

So change was an idea whose time had come, and no force could stop it. Given this, President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari was at the right place at the right time in Nigerian history just as Barrack Obama had been in the United States in 2008 when Americans demanded change.

This is not to negate the fact that both men are dodged fighters who struggled against traditional odds and triumphed.

The ruling PDP had seemed quite impregnable. But the signs that it could lose this election had been visible long before now. One of them was the ability of opposition parties to unite. This was the first time this was happening in our history. Another

Af orm Aftter the st storm first, was that main stream politicians from North West and the West agreed to work together.

Then there was the unprecedented breaking away of some governors from the ruling party to ally with the opposition.

These were followed by the successful Presidential primaries of the APC. Also, the APC overcame a disability; the Jonathan administration had a number of achievements to show case including the fact that not only had the rails began to run again, but new lines have been built or are under construction. Tertiary education had been vastly expanded with the establishment of fourteen new universities.

Developments had also been recorded in agriculture, airports renovated and Nigeria becoming the largest economy in Africa.

Also, the Jonathan administration had showed unprecedented tolerance of opposing views, signed the Freedom of Information law, respected court orders while political assassination that was once rampant, was virtually unheard of in the administration.

On the reverse side, it was criticized for corruption and inability to check the Boko Haram

insurgency.

In contrast, the APC had mainly promises and the need for change. The APC successfully lured the PDP from issue-based campaigns, to a propaganda war in which all was fair and game.

The APC machine was more efficient; grinding on ceaselessly and drawing in whoever was interested. In contrast, the PDP machine seemed every now and then, to be in need of refurbishing. Generally, the campaigns showed that the Jonathan administration needed more efficient persons.

The APC successfully lured the PDP from issue-based campaigns, to a propaganda war in which all was fair and game

Going into the elections, not many would have been prepared for the virtual collapse of the PDP in a number of states where they had incumbent governors. That the elections were free and fair, is relative; some of the votes recorded in some states were simply incredible. This implies that our democracy still needs a lot of culturing. So also does open political debates; most of them were actually exchange of insults.

It was sad to read otherwise intelligent Nigerians on whom the future of the country should rest, simply engaging in insults rather than debate issues.

In Buhari’s moment of triumph, Jonathan by conceding defeat and calming the country, stole some of the thunder. His exemplary statesmanship in deciding to gracefully bow out and hand over a united country to the opposition, coupled with the fact that he had established an electoral system that was largely independent, means that Jonathan has set very high standards. He has written his name in gold in Nigerian electoral history, and many will now be willing to overlook some of the shortcomings of his administration. If Buhari at 72, could run and win the Presidency, the last might not have been heard of Jonathan who is just 58.

Certainly the man of the moment is Buhari; he now has the onus to deliver on his electoral promises and try to meet the high expectations of the electorate.

There are some promises he made in the heat of the campaigns which I do not expect him to deliver on, such as bringing the Naira at parity with the dollar.

This is more so when he does not

The P eople's cchoice: hoice: S k People's Sttor oryy of Goodluc Goodluck

By Dan Amor & Dominic Kidzu

R

EFLECTION on the existing number of books on President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan might well raise doubt about the desirability of adding to them. But since research does not stand still and its more assured results often take long to reach the handbook, there may be a place for a brief account of the man described severally by different people as a leader who is humble and simple to a fault. Yet, to read Rev. Father Charles A. Imokhai's The People's Choice, his lucid account of the life and times of the Nigerian leader, is to embark on a delightful journey.

Segmented into four parts, the 194 page book published by AuthorHouse, United Kingdom (February 2015), circulates how gorgeously a child from a humble state did swing across the gloomy and multitudinous chasm of the Niger Delta to become President of the world's most populous black nation by divine providence. As a priest and religious thinker, who has worked for over forty-five years in Nigeria, Liberia and the United States of America in various pastoral and administrative capacities, fortified with a doctoral degree in social anthropology from the University of Columbia, USA, Father Imokhai has produced a book which will have a remarkable vogue and influence in Nigerian youth.

Like General Yakubu Gowon, former Nigerian Head of State who wrote the foreword to the book states, the book, in an easily readable format, tells the story of an ordinary farm boy's rise from his obscure village in Otuoke, Bayelsa State to the pinnacle of leadership as Number

One citizen of our dear country, Nigeria.

And, like he also enthuses in his foreword, The People's Choice is work in progress "because The Presidency under Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR is still unfolding." The book which incidentally does not have on its cover the picture of its focal subject, would keep the prospective reader wondering who it's talking about.

Yet on launching into the foreword, the reader is now confronted with the reality of the subject, the figure about whom has clustered the yearnings, the ideals, and the aspirations Nigerians have for themselves and their country. That symbolic Goodluck also stands between the reader and the book. Jonathan does not pretend about his humble background.

We know what happened and we cannot undo that knowledge. We read The People's Choice with a different eye. The present changes the meaning of the past. We can get the record straight, as historians like to put it, but the meaning of that straightened record is inextricably

The book portrays President Jonathan as the incipient choice of the Nigerian people, and the disarming reality is that however complex the calculus of political action, at the end one has to live by one's own convictions

involved in the meaning we also try each day to discern in the confusion of the living present.

In reading through the book, it was painfully obvious that Jonathan deserves much more attention and approval than he has received. The book reveals so much of the President's past which were shrouded in sheer rumour and blackmail. What we had had of his story, however, seemed not only fascinating, but certainly very much at odds with his image as an excruciatingly shy scholar whose clever but scientific mind supposedly spun archetypes like the wheels on a one-armed bandit. His scores and grades both in WAEC and GCE and in the university are astounding contrary to the mouthing of fifth columnists and bookmakers.

Written with a spare and disciplined prose style that serves the author so well, the book contains a blend of intelligent humane insight and passionate conviction. The narrative flow in linear and uncomplicated everyday easy-tounderstand English. Couched in measured cadences, the author has caught perfectly an era that teeters between the beat and boozing cynicism of the fifties when Goodluck was born and the righteous amorality of the present. It is existing to rediscover our imagination of what life was and what it is presently. We found its potent qualities so amusing, reaffirmed and consolidated by the discriminating passage of time.

Again, the style is free-flowing and intuitive; the form is highly structured, even arbitrary. There is self-conscious allusiveness, symbolic and literary. But the

espouse a radical economic policy. His tenacity is not in doubt, but from now on, he would be an open book to be read by the public.

However, a major change agent who has succeeded in rewriting the country’s history, is Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC National Leader. He was instrumental in uniting opposition parties, helping to organize acceptable primaries, and whose group provided the Vice President-elect, Prof Osinbajo. Tinubu shares with Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the ability to attract young, bright and intelligent people who are not afraid of innovations. Like General Shehu Yar’Adua and MKO Abiola, he has the ability of making friends across all known divides; regional, ethnic, religious and cultural. Back in 2003, he was the main governor that resisted the then President Olusegun Obasanjo. The prediction by many leading politicians was that he would not be re-elected Lagos State Governor. It turned out that he was the only Governor re-elected in the West. From winning one state, he and his team went on to win the governorship elections in five additional states; Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Edo States. With the 2015 elections, he has moved to the centre stage of power in the country.

After the election storm, the debris have to be cleared, reconstruction carried out; there is an economy to run, electoral promises to be kept and a country to be put back on track. Four years, even eight years is a short time; an alert electorate will be watching.

book is conceptually methodical. The People's Choice should not be read as a document of an era, however, but as a fine narrative of a Nigerian journey. Yet, like nearly all biographies, this is not a fully balanced work. There are the inevitable gaps occasioned either by a basic lack of material or by the author's personal decision to limit research time which might have added further weeks or months to an already overdue deadline.

Interestingly, a peep into its four major parts and nineteen chapters: Jonathan, Goodluck, Education, Patience Oba, Teacher, Civil Servant; Gubernatorial Campaign, The Rise of Bayelsa State, Strategy for Developing Bayelsa State, Governor D. S. P. Alamieyeseigha, Unfinished Business: Bayelsa Partnership Initiative (BPI), The Vice President, The Good Die Young: The Vice President as Acting President, President Jonathan; The People: An Imperfect Union, The MultiParties' Primary Saga; Democracy: A Process, Democracy: The result, and Conclusion, will reveal an acute attention to detail, refreshing perspectives on conventional subjects.

Given Father Imokhai's treatment of the problematic of the Nigerian condition, The People's Choice is a must read for all those who care deeply about the Nigerian testament, who are concerned about its debilitating circumstances, and who are committed to its future and the flourishing of its latent potentials. The book portrays President Jonathan as the incipient choice of the Nigerian people, and the disarming reality is that however complex the calculus of political action, at the end one has to live by one's own convictions.

•Amor & Kidzu, wrote from Abuja.

20 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 ARIES: Those of you who are ambitious and hard working will have more to show for their efforts. However, if you fail to respect the law and its agents, you’ll be disappointed today.

Be loving.

TAURUS: You will need to guard against deception. It is important you are more concern about both your immediate and far future. Be more practical.

GEMINI: Those of you who are moderately ambitious are in for a good day. As Neptune and the Moon are at loggerheads, it’s important you don’t take partners for granted.

CANCER: Even if there is minor misunderstanding within your working arena, the whole thing will work favourably for you. You just have to be your practical self. Watch what you eat, drink and the state of your health.

LEO: Some of you will start to see the result of your recent romantic escapade. Try your best to consolidate on success you have recorded yesterday. This is the wrong time to gamble at all.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T is not I uncommon to find man reeling

out a catalogue of why he could not do anything. It is an a b n o r m a l condition, he will say. But if we must face the truth, man

Is any condition normal? will be nothing without challenges confronting him.

Do you think God couldn’t provide everything for us?

Why do you think

TERROR MUDA

God commanded us to have dominion over all things? Everyone of us have a huge sense of satisfaction

in “Never say goodbye”

anytime we overcome a major challenge. That is the joy.

There is no normal condition anywhere. But the condition will be normal when the man is normal.

Think about it!

By Lanre Kehinde

VIRGO: Much will depend on how willing you are to cooperate with others, especially those within your base of operation. Lovers may be in for a romantic day. Try to be more family-minded.

LIBRA: Don’t believe that every information supplied to you is correct as there is the possibility of deception. Make sure you are as practical as possible within your base of operation.

Yet success will be yours today.

SCORPIO: As the saying goes, ‘money is the root of all evils,’ you will need to watch carefully your financial transactions today so that costly misunderstanding’ll be averted.

SAGITTARIUS: Not everybody within your base of operation is honest with you today. Yet, success is your portion today.

Those of you who are more financially ambitious will have a rewarding day. Be loving.

CAPRICORN: Your good days are closer to you more than you imagine now but you will need to be a little bit careful today who you repose confidence in. Lovers will smile.

AQUARIUS: Not all friends can be trusted with money today when temptation to deceive you is very strong. The more secretive you are, the better for you.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

PISCES: The Moon and Neptune are at loggerheads, therefore, you’ve got to watch your step so that you don’t work against your own interest.

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat th ttoo the As tr ological datee and place of bir birth Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What are my characters?

Dear Joshua, I was born on April 4 making me an Aries person. I want you to tell me about my character according to my Aries Star.

Fayemi, Lagos.

Dear Fayemi, When next you write an Astrologer it is better you include your full birth data. I have published characteristics of the twelve zodiac signs (Aries inclusive) many times but may be you are just coming on board so I am giving it to you.

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF ARIES-YOUR SUN SIGN Being natives of the first Zodiac sign, Arians are forced most times to rely on their initiatives by necessity rather than mere wishful thinking. And as the saying goes “necessity is the mother of invention” they bring new ideas and techniques that make them respectable leaders both in the academic world and in business/professional circle.

However, that is not to say Arians cannot record any meaningful progress without going through severe pain or difficulties. You are the ambitious type who truly crave for importance and recognition. And the Aries cardinal connection will induce you to take practical actions that will ensure your becoming very prominent.

Arians are truly active and impatient. The element of fire in their system makes them enthusiastic set of people with abilities to instil confidence in others and burn themselves and others with fire of desire to excel. That is another talent for leadership. If they (Aries born people) can cultivate consistency, they would wear down any opponent- be it physical or other-wise.

Influence of Aries indicates leadership ability, boldness, ruggedness, aggressive approach and competitive spirit. Mars that rules Aries makes it’s natives combatants in many ways and most often times they are winners. Arians are strong headed.

Through powerful Mars, Aries born people feel their needs and wants profoundly and then give in to strong desire - especially as it concern their wishes.

You will agree with the fact that desire often leads to ambition, thus most Arians are ambitious and if any body dare to block their ways or try to obstruct their gravitation towards the peak of the mountain of glory, they would result to aggression. Even if any body willingly or unconsciously undermine their authority, the person will be made to know who is in charge. The quality of Aries is cardinal. That is why it is important for an Arian to be in control or else, he/she will not be totally happy. In other words, you will need to work towards your becoming independent or very prominent along your career line (or business-wise).

Part of human body (anatomy) related to Aries is the head. It’s symbol is ram while it’s element is fire. Both human head, fire and ram are known for strongness. That is why most Arians are very heady, stubborn and ever willing to dominate others. Arians believe in healthy argument and they will not hesitate to exhibit this trait even if others with considerable influence are trying to lead his/her subordinates astray. As a result of this argumentative trait, they can earn themselves names. For sure, Arian can be quick temper.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

APRIL 6, 2015

Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE, PETER EGWUATU, FRANKLIN ALLI, GODWIN ORITSE, ROSEMARY ONUOHA, NAOMI UZOR & JONAH NWOKPOKU

B

usiness executives and sectoral groups in the economy have made a list of 23 recommendations to the Presidentelect, Major General Buhari (retd) on the management of the economy under his administration.

Speaking to Financial Vanguard in separate interviews, the stakeholders comprising operators in the capital market,

C M Y K

industry, maritime, insurance, trade and industry, e-business and advertising advised the President-elect to start from where his predecessor stopped and build on its achievements.

The recommendations are as follows on sector by sector basis.

Capital Market

Capital market operators called on the incoming government, to address the infrastructural gaps in the economy by using capital market instruments.

The operators said, “The capital market can finance the entire infrastructural gaps if the government can deploy fiscal incentives to deepen the market by

encouraging the companies in the telecoms, power and aviation and oil and gas sectors of the economy to get listed on the securities market.

The coalition of capital market operators under the aegis of the capital market alliance, which comprises Albert Okumagba, President Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS, Mr. Emeka Madubuike, Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria, ASHON and Mr. Victor Ogiemwonyi, Chairman, Association of Issuing Houses of Nigeria, AIHN noted that, “At present, the Nigerian capital market is underutilized relative to its absorptive capacity.

Therefore, the Federal Government’s goal of diversification of the economy would be reinforced if the capital market is deepened to enable it fund the capital expenditure over the short term to medium term period.

Speaking, Okumagba said, “The core capital market operators should work with the regulators to come with pragmatic timetable which will be endorsed by the Federal Government for the commencement of viable commodity exchanges which are either privately owned or government owned. The commodity market should be developed in such a way to provide underlying instruments on which other structured products in the financial market can be developed to increase the number of tradable instruments in the capital market. For instance, futures, options and other

derivative instrument on the underlying assets available in the commodity market.”

He further stated that promotion of national savings is better achieved through comprehensive review of the rules and regulations guiding the Collective Investment Scheme, CIS. “In the same vein, there is a need to amend all clauses that are affecting the operations of the Pension Commission, to ensure its developmental impact on activities in the capital market,” he added.

Suggesting how to attract companies to get listed on the Exchange, Mr. Madubuike said, “Incentives should be given to listed companies and prospective companies to be listed so as to have some advantage over unlisted companies. We propose some tax incentives for listed companies and those that are in the process of getting listed.”

Continuing, he said, “Policies that would promote marketability of agricultural products should be enunciated and implemented to boost operations of the commodities exchanges. Also governments at the highest level must continue to make positive statements and assurances that will engender investors’ confidence.”

In his own comment, Mr. Ogiemwonyi said, “Government borrowing rate in the capital market should drop to avoid crowding out of funds in the capital market so as to make the market attractive for private sector to raise funds. We are ready to support the Federal Government in advisory capacity at any time the need arises on how the capital market can be fully utilized to drive economic growth and development in Nigeria.”

He further stated that the Federal Government should accord regulatory support to the two existing Over-the Counter, OTC Markets- National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD) and FMDQ platform to Continues on page 22

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Cover Story

VOCATION AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION – A KEY TO IMPROVING NIGERIA’S DEVELOPMENT. PART 5

A

PRESENTATION - From left: Mezuo Nwuneli, Managing Director, SAHEL Capital; Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry; Adedoyin Odunfa, MD/CEO, Digital Jewel Ltd; Jimi Agbaje, PDP gubernatorial candidate, Lagos State/guest speaker; Opeyemi Agbaje, author of the book “ Democracy without Democrats and Uncomplex Strategy” and Tosin Runsewe, chief client officer/Group CEO, Mansard Group, during a lecturer and book presentations in honour of Opeyemi in Lagos on 02/04/2015. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU

Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari Continues from page 21 enhance expansion of their operations in the financial market.

Trade and Industry

T

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI on its part, urged the incoming government to ensure acceleration of reforms on the Oil and Gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream and downstream segments of the sector.

Reacting to the implications of Buhari’s election for the economy, the Chamber in a communiqué signed by its President, Alhaji Remi Bello, commended the Presidentelect, Mohammadu Buhari, for his victory and President Goodluck Jonathan, for his demonstration of statesmanship and nobility.

The LCCI urged the incoming administration to ensure acceleration of reforms on the Oil and Gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream and downstream segments of the sector, as this would save the economy the current huge foreign exchange used for importation of petroleum products.

“Ensure the blocking of all fiscal leakages and wastes in Government, especially in respect of the management of petroleum products subsidy, immediate review of JTF activities in the Niger Delta area where revenue is being lost daily due to oil theft, pension funds, import duty waivers, ghost workers in the MDAs, Service Wide Votes and

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crude oil theft. Prioritise government expenditure to boost investments in critical infrastructure. Address the challenge of high cost of governance, collapse of the rail system, poor power supply also demand urgent attention,” he said.

He said the chamber urges the incoming administration to address the fundamental of the high cost of doing business and low productivity which could be ascribed to macroeconomic factors, institutional challenges and structural issues, adding that, there is need to sustain the momentum of the war on terrorism and insurgency in parts of the country.

“Ensure a level playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives etc. Ensure the sustainability of selected policies and programmes of the present administration which

Improve the scope and depth of financial intermediation for the benefit of all investors in the economy irrespective of size

currently offer value to the economy. Ensure robust consultation with the Private Sector bodies for inputs into policy formulation processes.

Improve the scope and depth of financial intermediation for the benefit of all investors in the economy irrespective of size. Guidelines for accessing intervention funds should be reviewed and made less stringent.

Investment incentives should be of universal application to all investors in a given sector,” he stated.

He said the Council urges all aggrieved candidates in the electoral process to channel their grievances through appropriate channels in accordance with the electoral law, stressing that, peace and tranquillity is paramount for the progress of any economy, and any society for that matter.

According to him, the chamber also wants the new administration, to give attention to the plummeting oil price and the impact on the fiscal outlook present a significant challenge to the incoming administration.

“It is therefore critical to manage expectations at this time. The outlook for many macroeconomic indicators is not bright with foreign reserves dropping below $30 billion and persistent pressure on the naira exchange rate.

Meanwhile, the success of the presidential election will definitely mitigate the anxiety and uncertainty that characterised the business environment before the elections. Investors’ confidence will be positively impacted by these developments,” he said.

Continues on page 23

s the Roman Historian, Plutarch (AD 46-120?) had noted “The mind is not a vessel to be filled but a fire to be kindled.” Given their corrupt and greedy lifestyles Nigeria’s leaders do not seem to care about integrity or moral values.

They are good at predicting the future without creating it. As Peter Drucker has observed “If you want to predict the future, create it.”

In Nigeria, the growing problem of unemployment in the country has contributed largely to the worsening problem of poverty among the populace.

Unemployment according to Olaitan (1996) leads to frustration and disillusionment which may result in crime or drug abuse in a futile attempt to escape from and forget the pains and humiliation of poverty and lack. The problem of unemployment, he further stated, has worsened as millions of school leavers and graduates of tertiary institutions have not secured gainful employment over the years.

Unemployment has posed a serious problem not only to the welfare of individuals but also to that of their families.

Many able bodied and highly qualified persons who could not secure gainful employment have remained economically dependent on their parents. This is because they lack the necessary occupational skills to be self employed and to effectively function in today’s world of work. These occupational skills can be provided by technical and vocational education.

According to Abdulahi (1994) technical education is that aspect of education that involves the acquisition of techniques and application of the knowledge of the science for the improvement of man’s surrounding.

Technical and vocational education prepares one for the world of work with which the individual become reliant and can make contributions to the development of the society.

As employers look for new

talents every year from new graduates, it is important to not only have a solid education but graduates that have features that stand out from the rest of the graduating students. With the economy being more globalized than ever, it is important to have a background and a skill set that allows graduates to become immersed in the global economy right from graduation (Cote, 2007). It is important for these students or graduates to have skills in innovation in technology education and entrepreneurship to be ready to fit into the global market place on which today’s economy depends on. Entrepreneurial Skills Needed by Technical and

Technical and vocational education prepares one for the world of work with which the individual become reliant and can make contributions to the development of the society Vocational Education.

Leadership is not a major cause of Nigeria’s underdeveloped status. Nigeria can become an economic power-house (and realize its visions) only if proper attention is given to education and technological development and promotes and rewards creativity, and channel its material and human resources to productive use. The leaders must recognize the relevance of technical and vocational education in national development and adopt and adapt what works in developed nations. The resources being wasted in the on-going false rebranding campaign should have been used to re-brand the nation’s education sector. No amount of rhetoric (or fanciful slogan) would solve Nigeria’s sociopolitical and economic problems.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 23

D

uring the student union election in 1979/80 at the University of Benin, one Liad Tella, who was of the economic and Statistic department thought the university community how sacred facts can and how effective statistic can be used for electioneering campaign.

Talla entered the race for the student union election to the office of Student welfare two weeks to the election. When he announced his candidacy to the class, he was taken as a joker. He neither printed posters nor embark on elaborate campaign like others.

He simply went to the library and took stock of the seats available in the library. He did the same for Hostel accommodation and the cafeteria then. What he did next was to ask from the authorities the number of students in the school and what was the ideal facilities the students were supposed to have in the various infrastructure name above. He got the data and was armed for the manifesto night.

When it was his turn to speak, Tella just told the student body number of seats in the library and how many were supposed to be there, he said the same of the hostel accommodation, the cafeteria and what the students were missing by the university not providing adequate facilities for them to study without tears.

Before he finished, the man who no body gave a chance was endorsed by all the students with a chat, Tella, you have won, Tella you have won.

I decided to reflect on this experience in my student days based on the hollow nature of the electioneering campaigns going on in the 2015 bid for the various elective post.

Nigeria politicians have left the substance and chasing shadow with our country men looking helpless. These politicians are not making any measurable promise to the electorate. They are just

PDP, APC your promises are vague dancing naked to amuse the electorate.

Each time they mount the rostrum they speak vague and foul language devoid of facts and figure. There is no new idea of how to deal with the economic and social problems that have plagued the nation.

I will deal with corruption.

What is the level of corruption you plan to deal with? In what sector, arm of government do you have this high level of corruption, how much is Nigeria losing per year due to corruption. The parties have not conducted any study, they have no idea how much is being lost and how to block the loopholes. What are the new plans to deal with corruption, Nigerians are not being told yet we clap our hands for vague speeches made on soap box.

Nigerians know that the major development challenges facing the country today are corruption, insecurity, economy that is unemployment/poverty, power, infrastructure, etc; health and education. The ongoing campaign shows that the two political parties do not

understand the depth of the economic problem facing the country. They both have no credible agenda to deal with the issues, especially within the context of the evolving global economy and Nigeria’s broken public finance.

A look at what happens in other part of democratic world, Party and leaders who do their home work usually come up with policy framework where programmes and policies they intend to pursue ie Party manifesto are fully costed and strategies to finance and implement them are spelt out.

There is no new idea of how to deal with the economic and social problems that have plagued the nation

Neither APC nor PDP can make such claim. To any Economist any plan without the cost outlay is nothing but a wish-list. They are not telling us how much each of their promises will cost and where they will get the money. None talks about the broken or near bankrupt public finance and the strategy to fix it.

Each talks about agricultural revolution, what type of agriculture are we planning to implement? What are the value chains the agric policy will pursue? What light industries are coming on stream and where are they to be located?

Who are how they to be financed are? What is the cost estimate for such projects?

How many jobs are to be created from the sector per annum? These are questions that they are avoiding to answer. What is the export strategy for the surplus that will be created form investment in agriculture?

Which market is Nigeria targeting for export? And what plans are in their manifesto to free Nigeria from dependence on import especially petroleum imports in order to save the

naira from continued devaluation?

In response to the question of where the money will come from, some Nigerians, journalist inclusive are quick to say that the problem of Nigeria is not money but the management of resources. This is far from the truth. To deliver an efficient national transport infrastructure alone according available estimate will cost $3.05 trillion per in the next 30 years about $25 billion per annum even by corruptionfree, cost-effective means estimated by National Economic Council.

These politicians should stop lying to Nigerians and tell the nation how both parties would fund their programmes. This crop of new generation politicians should learn a lesson from Chief Obafemi Awolowo who was asked in 1978 and 1979 electioneering campaign about his promises of free education and free medical services.

He, Awolowo always reeled out figures about the amounts he would save from various ‘ waste’ including the tea/ coffee served in government offices. The issue here is that he would always do his homework before making any pronouncement. Evidently, from what the two major political parties are offering it does not seem that they are offering Nigerians any serious deal.

Cover Continues from page 22

Maritime

National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, also called on the incoming government to look into reports of various committees set up by the current administration instead of setting up new ones.

He said, “All the reports of all the committees that have been piling dust, whether seen or unseen but without any action taking place should be looked into. It is not a matter of setting up further committees but they should look at previous committees.”

Shittu also expressed hope that the Buhari administration would review the implementation of the controversial national automotive policy.

Founder of the National

Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, on his part said Buhari’s emergence as President-elect clearly showed the desire for a different approach to governance by Nigerians.

He said, “What is happening in Nigeria is not about Buhari but a march towards sustainable democracy in Nigeria.

“It is not about Buhari, it is not about Goodluck . It is about good governance in Nigeria, it is about Nigerians becoming critically aware of their environment, economy and their well being.

“From what we have seen now, we can see that Nigerians are consciously and deliberately

•Tunji Olugbodi, Managing Director, verdant Zeal becoming very very interested in what happens around them.

The emphasis right now should be sustainable attack on the issues of corruption.

“What should we do to stem corruption in Nigeria as the cankerworm and what I will say to Nigeria is that it is not that Buhari is an angel but it is the perception that people have about him with an intent to really stamp out corruption in Nigeria.”

Chairman, Association of Registered Freight Forwarders (AREFF), Dr. Frank Ukor was however unhappy with the outcome of the election.

He however called on the All Progressives Congress and the newly elected president, General Muhamadu Buhari to focus more attention on the maritime sector because of its importance to the economy.

“We expected the new President to pay attention to the

maritime industry because that is the second highest revenue yielder. I hope the people there will not steal all the money,” he said.

E-Commerce

T

he President/CEO Shoptomydoor.com, an international online shop, Nduka Udeh said the President-elect must through his anti corruption stance, bring more transparency into the business landscape in order to drive foreign direct investment.

He said: “While it is still too early to see and know what the future holds for the economy until the incoming president lays out his economic agenda, foreign investors are typically Continues on page 30 C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Business & Economy

CIMA Global business challenge now in Nigeria

BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

C

IMA, the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants has invited entries from undergraduates in universities, polytechnics and monotechnics across Nigeria to participate in this year ’s CIMA Global Business Challenge (GBC).

The GBC is an international business competition hosted in conjunction with Barclays across 26 countries. This is the first time that Nigeria will compete in this prestige competition which allows undergraduates the opportunity to test their skills and showcase their talent.

National winning teams will travel to Warsaw, Poland, in August to compete in the global final for the title of GBC Global Winners. CIMA offers an international qualification in management accountancy and is the world’s leading and largest professional body of management accountants with over 227000 members and students in 179 countries.

Full-time undergraduate students with a passion for business and finance are invited to register for the Nigeria GBC challenge by 17 April. Teams of four register online at www.cimaglobal.com. Teams of four compete by analysing a case study based on CIMA’s test of professional competence and submitting a 3000 word report by 28 April. Once reports are submitted and assessed, four teams are selected and the final short-list will be announced.

These teams are invited to participate in the Nigeria final in Lagos on 30 May 2015.Commenting on the 2015 GBC, Ijeoma Anadozie, Country Manager, CIMA said: “The Global Business Challenge is an internationally acclaimed platform which helps students exhibit the knowledge, skills and competency needed to make them future business leaders, while giving them a unique opportunity to test their analytical skills revolving around business and financial management.

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INVESTITURE - From left: Newly conferred fellows - Commercial Director, Promasidor, Kachi Onugbogu; Vice President, National institute of Marketing of Nigeria, Rotimi Olaniyan; West Africa Managing Director, Kimberly Clark , Mrs Lola Daniels; and Managing Director, PZ-Healthcare, Mr. Alex Goma , at the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria Investiture ceremony in Lagos

Dangote, Saipem, seal joint venture agreement in Central, West Africa

By PETER EGWUATU

D

angote Industries Limited has entered into a multi-million dollar Joint Venture agreement with Saipem, the Italian engineering and construction giant that will operate in Nigeria, Central and West Africa markets.

The agreement has given birth to a new company named Saipem-Dangote E&C. According to a statement from Dangote Group, the

company, Saipem-Dangote E&C is a significant new player in the Nigerian ,

Saipem and Dangote Group have a track record of successful collaboration

Central and West African market, with high technical and financial capabilities.

The statement quoted Group Executive Director, Dangote Group, Mr. Devakumar Edwin as saying that the new company aims to secure complex Engineering and Construction projects and to execute them at the highest levels of efficiency in terms of costs and timing, while maintaining sufficient flexibility to adapt to different project requirements.

Saipem and Dangote Group have a track record of successful collaboration, drawing on the strengths and competences of both Companies. Dangote’s financial strength, expertise and standing in the Sub– Saharan African market will complement Saipem’s unique capabilities in E & C. This new partnership confirms the shared commitment of the two groups to both the Nigerian market and sub-Saharan Africa more widely.

Edwin, said “We are confident that our partnership with Saipem will position us as a major player in the oil & gas sector.

Dangote’s financial strength, expertise and standing in the sub–Saharan African market will complement Saipem’s unique capabilities in E & C in developing new business. Saipem values the satisfaction of its clients in the energy industry, tackling each challenge with safe, reliable and innovative solutions.

Dangote Industries and Saipem shall gain mutual benefit from this partnership”.

Saipem Central Africa Regional Manager Giuseppe Surace said: “the combination of two excellences like Saipem and Dangote in Central Africa creates a new efficient and sustainable way of working along the whole value chain.”

Dangote Group is one of Africa’s largest industrial conglomerates. It has been a key investor in the Nigerian economy for a number of years, and is seeking to help the country create a more efficient industrial and energy infrastructures, via strategic investments in a number of upstream oil and gas projects.

ICAN appointed IFAC capacity building partner T

he Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria has been appointed by the International Federation of Accountants (IFAC) to provide capacity building services to Professional A c c o u n t a n c y Organizations (PAOs) under a programme funded by the UK Department of I n t e r n a t i o n a l Development (DFID).

Under this programme, DFID will provide £4.935 million to IFAC over seven years to be used to strengthen PAOs in at least 10 DFID focal

countries to enable them play a greater role in furthering economic development in their various Countries.

Much of the work ICAN will do in this regard will be in countries where DFID is attempting to reduce extreme poverty. ICAN would provide technical assistance, training and mentoring to professional accountancy bodies in several countries in Africa and beyond to enable them establish and run their own Professional Accountancy Institutes.

This new IFAC/DFID mandate is an addition to the institute’s current mentoring role in Cameroon where it is

helping to train and provide technical assistance to the Cameroonian Institute.

(Ordre National des Experts comptables du CamerounONECCA) ICAN is empowered to set standards of knowledge and skills to be attained by persons seeking to become members of the Accountancy profession in Nigeria.

The Institute has more than 39,000 members and 120,000 students on its registers and conducts professional examinations twice in a year.

ICAN members hold sensitive positions in strategic management in different local

and multinational firms, home and abroad and also serve the public sector in different capacities.

Its vision is to be a leading global professional body while its mission is to produce world-class Chartered Accountants, regulate and continuously enhance their ethical standards and technical competence in the public interest.

The Institute is engaged in broadening the frontiers of the profession in Africa by mentoring sister professional accountancy bodies for international recognition.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 25

Homes & Housing

Nigeria attracted N780bn real estate investment in 2014

By YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report

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igeria attracted $3.96 billion (about N780.12 billion) on real estate development in 2014, which is 11 percent of the total sum of $36.4 billion expended on infrastructure construction projects in the country.

Data recently released by Deloitte African Construction Trends report placed Nigeria at the top of West African countries in major infrastructure construction projects in 2014, with the country spending $36.4 billion on major infrastructure construction projects for the year 2014. The total expenditure includes both foreign and local as well as public and private sector investment.

Investment has been on the rise following the re-basing of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to $509.9 billion in April 2014. According to the report, the projects range from Water which took 39 percent, Energy and Power (17 percent), Oil and gas (17 percent), Transport (15 percent), Real Estate (11 percent) and Manufacturing (1 percent).

“Whereas South Africa was previously the choice market in Africa for scalable operations, Nigeria now has a more attractive profile, offering scale and strong growth,” Deloitte said in the report. Yet the country faces some lofty hurdles if it is to realise its required infrastructure developments.”

The report noted that West Africa exhibited a strong level of growth with the total value of projects under construction increasing from $50 billion to $75 billion year- on-year, although there was no change in the number of projects qualifying for the report this year. Although the region still accounts for just half of the level of investment in Southern Africa, it is starting to close the gap, consistent with Nigeria’s new title as the biggest economy in Africa.

Deloitte further noted that South Africa has significantly more value in projects under construction or development than Nigeria does, showing that while a market may have scale and growth, it also needs a stable business environment, which Nigeria struggles with.

According to the report, reforms and development plans implemented by the Nigerian government are

beginning to take effect, with the privatisation of the staterun Power Holding Company of Nigeria virtually complete and an increasing number of Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) entering the market.

There is also significant activity underway in Lagos (the commercial capital), which accounts for more than 60 percent of non-oil GDP. “Some of the more noteworthy moves in the country have been the breaking ground on a second Niger Bridge. It could boost the Nigerian construction industry, improving East-West trade and helping to progress the nascent PPP model,” the

report said. The transport sector where Chinese companies dominate could also emerge as one of the strongest sources of growth

Whereas South Africa was previously the choice market in Africa for scalable operations, Nigeria now has a more attractive profile, offering scale and strong growth

for the Nigerian construction industry over the medium term, according to Deloitte.

Two projects that demonstrate such dominance are the $1.49 billion Lagos to Ibadan railway contract, which has been awarded to China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), and the Olokola Deepwater port project, awarded to the China Ocean Shipping Group. Other noteworthy projects are the Bonga NW Project, Eko Atlantic City, Lagos Light Rail, Abuja Light Rail in the Federal Capital Territory and Abuja Centenary City.

inister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, has said that government is worried with the cost of construction in Nigeria which ranks among the highest in the world.

She challenged quantity surveyors to help redress the trend, noting that they have a big role to play in finding solutions to it. “Quantity Surveyors indeed hold the key to unravelling the mystery behind high project costs, especially those ones not derived from inflationary factors within the economy but which arise from factors other than market forces. Take for instance, the common practice whereby contractors attempt to mitigate perceived risks associated with projects for which they are bidding by translating those risks into monetary values which are invariably transferred to the overall project costs. Some of such risks include design, funding, high interest rate, security, foreign exchange, fluctuation etc. All these risks have huge impact on the cost of projects in Nigeria,” she said.The minister said that a template has to be designed for determining cost bands and ranges for various types of projects so as to instil sanity in the planning and preparation of capital budgets.

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YABATECH floats mortgage bank aba College of T e c h n o l o g y (YABATECH) in Lagos said it would float a mortgage bank, to train the students on industrialisation.

Head, Public Relations Unit, YABATECH, Mr Charles Oni, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the capital deposit had been paid to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). He said that the bank would provide an allencompassing training and would also be used for the collection of tuitions fees.

“The process is ongoing now; once we get the CBN’s nod, we will float it. So many members of staff are investors; shares were sold to staff, so

M

US mortgage applications surge on spring demand

Mass housing development

Y

FG laments high construction cost

that they can be part of the venture. We publicised the availability of shares over time and as at today, the capital outlay has been perfected. And all that is being awaited now is the CBN’s nod, to ensure that the bank operates as required,” Oni said.

He said the college had put in place a Banking and Finance Department, to handle the bank and to also train the students. Oni said that the college was introducing the bank to provide comprehensive knowledge for students on how to go into industrialisation, production, marketing and banking.

“Presently, students pay all their fees online; the Bursary Staff do not handle cash any more. Everything is done online; so, the bank will help in the collection of fees. The bank will be situated within the college, and a site has been located for the project.

Technically, YABATECH is ready for the take- off of the bank,” he said.

Oni said the bank would be able to sustain itself and would also serve as an additional revenue earner for the institution. “The original concept is that it will be used as a training platform for students in the Banking and Finance Department,” he added.

espite volatility in interest rates, mortgage applications moved decidedly higher last week, continuing their strong stride into spring.

Total volume increased 4.6 percent sequentially, on a seasonally adjusted basis for the week ending March 27, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

“This week’s mortgage application survey falls right into line with recent indications that home sales – new, existing and pending – are on the rise, as is consumer sentiment,” said Lynn Fisher, MBA’s Vice President of research and economics.”

Mortgage applications to purchase a home rose 6 percent week to week and were 8 percent higher than one year ago. Applications to refinance, which are more dependent on interest rate levels, rose 4 percent for the week and are 44 percent higher than they were one year ago.

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Banking & Finance

Skye Bank builds capacity for MSMEs for economic growth

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s part of its efforts to strengthen and empower the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSMEs) businesses in the country, Skye Bank Plc is to commence a series of capacity building workshops and seminars in some priority sectors for owners of small and medium scale businesses.

According to a release issued by the bank, the objective of the seminar series is to empower the MSMEs for growth by providing insights into common issues which affect their operations, namely management, operations and finance.

The statement further said by bridging the identified skillgaps, the entrepreneurs can become sufficiently scalable to contribute to the development of the economy, especially in the area of employment generation.

“For Skye Bank, the empowerment programme is a strategic scheme which forms part of the delivery of its SME banking promise which is to nurture businesses for growth”. The maiden edition of the Skye Business Seminar Series is focused on two sectors ie general commerce and manufacturing and is scheduled to take place in Onitsha on April 16, 2015, and monthly thereafter. As part of the value adds for the MSMEs, we have partnered other stakeholders such as Business Development Support Providers, the Bank of Industry, Computer Warehouse Group and Microsoft”, the statement said.

According to the bank, the seminars would also provide networking opportunities for the entrepreneurs, with the benefits expected to be reaped in many folds.

The statement explained that Skye Bank has been appointed by the Central Bank of Nigeria as one of the banks to disburse the N220BN MSME Fund, adding that the bank was in strategic partnership with other Development Finance Institutions to provide affordable financing over a long term.

Beyond financing, the bank is introducing a best in class business account with compelling benefits to MSMEs such as reduced bank charges (free cheque book, free debit cards); flexible options; discounted pricing on loans and much more.

Audacious, innovative leadership crucial to business success — CEOs

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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Director/Chief Executive, Digital Jewels Limited and Mezuo Nwuneli, Managing

usiness organisations need leadership that is audacious, innovative and diligent in order to succeed in the increasing competitive environment, said a panel of chief executives.

The panel comprised Rasheed Olaoluwa, Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industr y, Tosin Runsewe, Chief Client Officer/Group CEO, Mansard Group of Companies, Adedoyin Odunfa, Mnaging

Director, Sahel Capital/AACE Foods Limited.

They spoke on Business Strategy in Nigeria, during the presentation of two books, “Uncomplex Strategy” and “Democracy without Democrats” written by Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje, Chief Executive Officer of RTC Advisory Services Limited.

Speaking on the importance of leadership for business success, Runsewe, said, “Leadership from the context of vision, understanding where the business is going to be headed and how to get

WORKSHOP - From left: Mrs. Peju Ibekwe, Head, Brands, Sterling Bank Plc; Miss. Adeola Alli, Head Education Unit, Sterling Bank Plc; Dr. Dolapo Ogunbanwo, Executive Director, Caleb Group of Schools and Mrs. Folasade Abiola of Financial Institution Training Centre at the Parenting Workshop organized by Caleb Group of Schools in collaboration with Sterling Bank Plc.

Sterling Bank boosts agricultural sector with increased funding

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he Agricultural sector received a major boost at the weekend as Sterling Bank Plc restated its commitment to the strategic growth of the Sector by increasing the proportion of loans allocated to it from the total loans earmarked for disbursement to various sectors of the economy from five percent to 10 percent in 2015.

The Bank will also be willing to partner with major stakeholders – both private and government in the sector to ensure that farmers begin to see agriculture more as a business.

Speaking at the 2015 Conference organized by the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in collaboration with the International Association of Research Scholars & Fellows (IARSAF), the Bank’s Group Head, Agric Finance, Mrs. Bukola Awosanya stated that the five percent allocated to the sector in 2014 was fully disbursed to the various sub sectors across the value chain for the financing of various projects nationwide.

Mrs. Awosanya who disclosed that the Bank is a major financier of one of the largest rice mills in Nigeria as well as a state of the art soya bean oil milling plant, stated that the Bank

had also provided fund to finance poultry businesses.

Mrs. Awosanya who also led a delegation from the Bank to the Deputy Director General, Partnership and Capacity Development of IITA, Dr. Kenton Dashiell said that the decision of the Bank was informed by the need to provide adequate funding in alignment with the on-going reforms in the sector aimed at repositioning it as an attractive business proposition, an input provider for the manufacturing sector and a key foreign exchange earner for the country.

The president of IARSAF, Mrs. Bunmi Ibitoye who commended the Bank for its contribution to the growth of the sector in Nigeria called on other corporate bodies to emulate Sterling Bank by providing funds to support research works being carried out by professionals in the field to solve major issues confronting the sector.

Mrs. Ibitoye also urged banks to encourage the sector by granting loans to small farmers at affordable interest rates which “today stands as a major problem confronting operators especially start -ups”.

there, and what resources are needed to take the company from point A to point B, and why it is important to go in the direction of point B and not point C to another."

Olaowlu however pointed out that leadership must have audacious vision and be diligent in executing the vision. He said, “There is a need for audacity. Businesses that succeeded have been very bold in terms of how they set their vision. And you need to have a vision that some people consider unrealistic today but because you believe in that vision, you work towards it seriously and it is achieved. The other one that comes behind it is ability to execute. Everybody knows what to do but the problem is actually doing it, and that is why execution is very important. You must be able to roll up your sleeves and move everybody in the organisation towards attainment of that vision, or that audacious goal you have set for the business.

Speaking from the perspective of an investor in the agricultural sector, Mezuo identified passion and proximity to the business as critical success factors in the agricultural sector. He said, “One thing we need to see is passion from the management team. We need to see them excited and passionate about the businesse.

"We also need to see a desire and willingness to stay close to the business. This is essentially critical in our space because you have a situation where the capital is in Lagos, or the urban centers, and the businesses are in the small towns or the villages. So if you are the managing director of an agribusiness and you are sitting in Lagos, it is not going to happen. Wherever your business is, you have to make sure the entrepreneur is there, he is monitoring the business to minimise leakages, he is helping the team and helping to add value.”

Odunfa on her part noted that adoption of technology and innovation has played a key role in the success of businesses in the last decade and would continue to do so. She said in addition to these, is the need to master the operating environment and understand the security risks of technology.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 27

Banking & Finance

Businesses see higher interest rates, further fall in Naira value •Demand for loans rise amidst decline in supply

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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n spite of optimism of improved economic conditions, businesses across the country said that they expect the naira to further depreciate, while interest rate and inflation rate would continue to rise.

These were highlights of the Business Expectation Survey (BES) conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last quarter. “Majority of the respondent firms expect the naira exchange rate to depreciate in the current and next quarters, as the confidence indices stood at –14.7 and –5.1 points, respectively.

Respondent firms expect inflation rate to rise in both the current and next quarters, as the confidence indices stood at 18.5 and 7.3 points, respectively. Respondent firms expect the borrowing rate to rise in both the current and next quarters as the confidence indices stood at 10.6 and 4.9 points, respectively ”, the survey revealed.

The Business Expectations Survey (BES) is a quarterly survey of leading firms drawn from Business Establishment updated frames of Central Bank of Nigeria and the National Bureau of Statistics. The BES result provides advance indication of change in the overall business activity in the economy and in the various measures of activity of the companies’ own operations as well as selected economic indicators.

The survey for the first quarter of 2015 was conducted between February 2nd and 13th. The survey indicated that, “Respondent firms were optimistic on the macro economy as the business condition in Nigeria was expected to improve in Q1 2015.

The optimism was driven by the opinion of respondents from the services sector (7.2 points), followed by wholesale/retail trade (4.1 points) and industrial (1.6 points).

“Respondents’ optimism in the volume of total order and the internal liquidity position, buoyed the volume of their business activities in the current quarter. Similarly, the positive outlook in access to credit by the majority of firms upped the financial condition of firms in the review quarter.

“The positive outlook in the volume of business activities of

the firms implied improved prospects for employment in the next quarter. The sector with the highest prospect for employment is the services sector followed by wholesale/ retail trade, industrial and construction.

“The respondent firms emphasized that insufficient power supply was the major factor constraining the business activity in Q1 2015. Other constraining factors are high interest rate, financial problems, com- petition, unfavourable economic climate and unfavourable political climate.”

Demand for loans rises amidst decline in supply

Meanwhile, Businesses and households have increased demand for loans while default rate improved. This was revealed by the Credit Conditions Survey (CCS) conducted by the CBN last month. The survey however revealed a decline in availability of loans to households.

The aim of the survey

The availability of secured credit to households decreased in Q1, 2015 but was expected to increase in the next quarter

according to CBN is, “Understand trends and developments in credit conditions. This quarterly survey of bank lenders is an input to this work. Lenders were asked about trends and developments in credit conditions in the previous and next quarters. The survey covers secured and unsecured lending to households; and lending to non-financial corporations, small businesses and to non-bank financial firms.

The survey revealed that, “The availability of secured credit to households decreased in Q1, 2015 but was expected to increase in the next quarter.

Changing liquidity positions remained a major factor behind the decrease; lenders further reported that tight wholesale funding conditions also made significant contributions.

“Lenders reported that the availability of unsecured credit to households increased in Q1, 2015 and it is expected to increase further in Q2, 2015.

Lenders reported that changing cost/availability of funds, market share objectives and changing appetite for risk contributed to the increased availability of unsecured credit in Q1, 2015.

“The overall availability of credit to the corporate sector increased in Q1 2015 and was expected to increase further in Q2, 2015. The important factors contributing to increased credit availability were changing sector specific risks, changing economic outlook and market share objective.

“Demand for secured lending for house purchase and

consumer loans increased in Q1 2015, and were expected to increase further in Q2, 2015. Despite lenders stance in tightening the credit scoring criteria in the current quarter, the proportion of loan applications approved in Q1, 2015 increased.

“Demand for unsecured credit card lending and an overdraft/personal loan from households increased in the current quarter, and are expected to further increase in the next quarter. However, demand for unsecured credit card lending from small businesses was expected to decrease in Q1, 2015, while demand for overdraft/ personal loans from small businesses was expected to further increase. In spite of the tightening in the credit scoring criteria in total unsecured loan applications in Q1 2015, the proportion of approved households total loan applications improved in the current quarter.

“Lenders reported increased demand for corporate credit across all firm sizes in Q1, 2015. It is expected that credit demand would further increase for all businesses in the next quarter except for demand from OFCs. Following the narrow spread between bank rates (on small businesses and OFCs) and MPR, the proportion of loan applications approved for small businesses, medium and large PNFCs increased in Q1, 2015 and further increase is anticipated in the next quarter”.

AfDB presents Regional Integration Index

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he African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Union Commission (AUC) and the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), has presented preliminary data on the continent’s Regional Integration Index to the 8th AUECA Conference of Ministers.

The meeting focused on progress made on Africa’s Regional Integration Index.

The Africa Regional Integration Index is the boldest attempt to date to collect data on the impacts of regional integration in Africa.

The initiative is funded by the AfDB’ s Africa Trade Fund , ECA’s African Trade Policy Centre, the African Centre for Statistics, and the AUC. To meet their goal, the three institutions collected data on 28 indicators for almost the entire continent. Data on some 50 indicators for seven pilot countries were collected as well, and national statistical focal points underwent training.

African Union Chairperson, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, ECA Executive Secretary Carlos Lopes and AfDB Vice-President and Special Envoy on Gender, Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi, attended the presentation and welcomed the progress the institutions have made towards finalizing the index. Among the emerging results, there appeared to be a strong performance by Southern Africa in the area of trade integration.

Fidelity Bank wins the 2014 Green Era award

F

idelity Bank at the weekend won the Green Era Award in recognition of the Bank’s Green initiatives.

Announcing the award at a gala night during the 2015 Green Economy Forum in Germany, Association OtherWays Management & Consulting, organizers of the event said that Fidelity Bank was adjudged the winner of the award having come tops in all the parameters set for the award. Specifically, they said that the Bank’s drive for long term economic development; contribution to reduction in greenhouse emissions and ability to manage environmental risks in customers’ businesses among others won the award for the Bank.

Receiving the award, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc. Nnamdi Okonkwo thanked the organisers of the event for honouring the Bank. Okonkwo, who was represented by the Head, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Chris

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Corporate Finance

CAP Plc unveils ‘Copper Orange’ as 2015 year colour BYPRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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hemical and Allied Products, CAP Plc, makers of Dulux brand of paint and the technological licensee of AkzoNobel has named ‘Copper Orange’ as the 2015 Colour of the Year.

‘Copper Orange’ was unveiled as the 2015 Colour of the Year in line with the AkzoNobel global tradition and the Dulux brand thought leadership positioning in the paint in Lagos.

The 2015 Dulux Colour of the Year- ‘Copper Orange’ is a sun burnt colour that is inviting, surprising, warm and adventurous. It captures the natural palette of the earth, human interaction and encourages experimenting because it has a depth that combines perfectly with other colours such as pinks, neutrals, whites and other orange hues, as well as metallic colors and wood tones Delivering his keynote address at the event, the Group Managing Director, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah revealed that the Dulux Colour of the Year initiative signifies the confluence of a great brand and an impactful idea about one of the central themes of life - colour.

One of the outcomes of the Colour of the Year initiative is the elevation of the art of colour beyond the mundane and prescribed usage and application of colour including the various icons and manifestations.

He stated that the theme for the 2015 Dulux Colour of the Year - Explore, was strategically chosen to depict the mood for the colour which encourages everyone to explore everyday opportunities.

Ettah added that Copper Orange totally captures the everyday mood and the five trends that support it which are adventure, unseen spaces, him and her layering and friendly barter in tandem with the prediction of colour experts, based on research, that a warmer spectrum of reds and oranges is emerging, one that reflects a more positive global outlook.

Zenith Bank set to boost retail banking

By PETER EGWUATU

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enith Bank Plc, a quoted company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE has stated its readiness to deepen the retail space of the banking industry, using its high technology and innovative products.

The bank over the years has used technology as one of its major advantages, to service its customers and deliver impressive returns to shareholders in the process. It has equally established itself as a leader in corporate and investment banking, with the KPMG’s ‘Nigeria Banking Industry Customer Satisfaction Survey of 2014’ confirming the bank’s position as the most customer focused bank in the country in both the retail and corporate segments.

Meanwhile, with the e bank’s entry into the retail space, more customers will now be able to access efficient service delivery that hitherto have been available to only high net worth customers and corporate.

Retail space: The bank’s offering in the retail space include the Aspire account targeting the youth; the eaZySave classic and eaZySave Premium accounts both of which have zero MD/CEO, Zenith Bank, Mr. Peter account opening balances; as well as the Zenith Premium Amangbo, Gold and Zenith Premium Platinum, both of which are COT free and interest bearing.

The KPMG survey, which Others are: a visionary and level, which has enabled it to confirmed Zenith Bank’s status revolutionary company with remain competitive through as the most customer focused strong focus, innovative with the series of banking reforms bank, focused on the perceived popular brands of high in the country. quality of customer service quality; engaging in human The bank, Nigeria’s biggest delivery by banks from the capital development and high

by Tier-1 capital sees customer’s perspective across capacity building and an technology as an enabler and the retail, corporate/ indigenous company with high as a generator of new commercial and small & local content. Good corporate opportunities. “We are medium sized enterprises governance practice, high forward-thinking, (SME) segments. And for 2013 shareholder interest and benchmarking trends in and 2014, Zenith Bank led as value, harmonious industrial technology to shape our future the preferred by customers. relations, friendly and good coupled with our practical For the second consecutive working environment, global delivery on a highly automated year in the retail segment, and internationally recognised platform that makes us Zenith Bank emerged as the (Multinational) and size of unique,” Amangbo recently most customer-focused bank company/largest in Africa/ said. “As the country ’s closely followed by Diamond industry leader were other information technology (IT) Bank who moved to second parameters used in arriving at infrastructure improves, our (from last year’s fourth place) their inference. leading edge in IT keeps us with GTBank in third place.

Going forward: well positioned in the global Aside being the most Run by a stable board and banking community to sustain customer focused bank, Zenith management, Zenith Bank has our offering of exceptional EBank’s performance on all created a professional banking services. This is parameters has been environment where complemented by our risk recognized by other bodies. A individuals are encouraged management system that survey conducted by and can aspire to achieve their creates a blend that not only PricewaterhouseCoopers potential. Currently under the grows our customers’ (PWC) to determine the most management of Peter businesses but also respected companies and chief Amangbo, Zenith Bank has a strengthens them. Our credit executives in Nigeria, Zenith pool of talents at both the management system stresses Bank emerged first among the middle and top management rational procedures and banks. In arriving at the transparency,” he was quoted conclusion, PWC said a as saying. respected company is defined Five year financial results: by these enviable parameters: The bank has been posting A good corporate citizen, impressive financial results We are forwardwhich is socially responsible over the years, rewarding thinking, with high ethical standards; a trusted company, which benchmarking trends shareholders with equally impressive dividends. For promotes good values with a in technology to instance, five year unique and excellent shape our future performance from 2009 to 2013 leadership style, coupled with coupled with our showed steady growth in profit strong management principles and returns on investments. practical delivery on and structure plus a smooth For instance, revenue grew a highly automated succession plan as well as a from N277 billion in 2009 to very resourceful company with platform that makes N244 billion in 2010, N307 excellent business culture. us unique billion in 2012 and N351

billion in 2013. Profit before tax rose from N35 billion, to N50 billion in 2010, N61 billion in 2011, N101 billion in 2012 and N111 billion in 2013.

Shareholders have been benefitting from the growth witnessed in the profitability over the years. Shareholders got a dividend of N11 billion in 2009, N26 billion in2010, N29 billion in 2011, N50 billion in 2012 and N54 billion in 2013.

2014 Financial results Zenith Bank grew gross earnings by 14.76 per cent to N403.3billion, up from N351 billion. Interest Income grew by 15.9 per cent from N272 billion to N313.4 billion, while non-interest income rose by 39.1 per cent to N90.1billion.

Profit Before tax (PBT) increased by 12.8 per cent from N106 billion to N119.8 billion while Profit After Tax (PAT) for the year rose by 8.6 per cent N91.5 billion to N99.5 billion. The board has proposed a dividend of N1.75 per share. Return on average equity stood at 18.7 per cent, while return on average asset stood at 2.9 per cent. Loan to deposit was 68.2 per cent up from 55 per cent in 2013. Cost to income ratio was 55.2 per cent, as against 55.7 per cent in 2013. Net margin was 24.7 per cent compared with 27.1 per cent.

Analysts’ comments Assessing the full results, analysts at FBN Capital Limited, said the bank met its full year PBT target of N120 billion, implying an 8.3 per cent growth.

According to them, the fourth quarter (Q4) PBT 2014 PBT worked out as N33.0 billion, up 19.7 per cent. “Q4 2014 PAT growth was less impressive at 6.5 per cent because tax more than doubled and other comprehensive income fell 78 per cent. While funding income grew by a modest 3.9 per cent to N63 billion, non-interest income more than doubled to N29.7 billion,” they said.

The analysts added that the picture was similar for the most part down to the PBT line: double-digit q/q growth on the revenue lines more than offset cost/loan loss expense increases.

“Again, non-interest income was the standout performer: it grew by 96 per cent q/q.

Notwithstanding, PAT fell by 9.1 per cent q/q because the impact of a marked reduction in other comprehensive income proved significant.

Relative to our forecasts, PBT was ahead by 26 per cent and PAT by 15 per cent. The difference in magnitude between the two percentage figures was down to the tax rate (13.9 per cent) coming in well ahead of our 4.5 percent forecast,” they said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 29

Corporate Finance

UNVEILING - From left: Group Managing Director, UACN Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah; Managing Director, Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide; and Chief Finance Officer, UACN, Mr Abdul Bello, at the unveiling of the 2015 Dulux Colour of the Year held in Lagos

Operators renew call for CIS investment option Stories by NKIRUKA NNOROM

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perators in the capital market have renewed their call for local investors, especially retail ones, to access capital using the Collective Investment Scheme, CIS, as an option.

They noted that leveraging the collective investment scheme would reduce the level of exposure to risks and ensure that their investments are managed professionally.

According to the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Sanni, investing through fund managers remained a better option for retail investors because the fund managers are better placed to maximize investments opportunity the way an individual investor cannot.

She observed that investors tend to shun the CIS due to inadequate knowledge, urging the fund managers to do more to create awareness of how the market could be accessed through the CIS. Sanni explained that the Funds pooled through the fund managers have separate custody just as the Pension Fund, adding that there is also a separate trustee that handles any complain or challenges from the fund manager to the regulator.

She acknowledged that earlier, the CIS that were introduced in the market were not properly managed and were not adequately supervised and so, investors had nasty experiences. But, she added that the regulators have gone much further to put in place

very effective mechanisms through which the schemes are now managed. “And, I think it is very, very safe to invest in CIS now” the United Capital boss said.The Managing Director Cranes Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Ezeh in his own contribution said that although mutual fund does not enjoy the kind of patronage equities enjoy, it is a very good investment option to explore the market.

He encouraged investors to take advantage of the depression in stock prices to buy units of well-managed mutual funds in order to benefit from the capital appreciation over time.

Ezeh explained that while investors rarely patronize mutual funds in Nigeria, participation in some other financial markets is higher through mutual funds rather than by direct investment in equities. For instance, in

Unlike equities, a CIS is generally not traded on a Stock Exchange but investors buy and sell units to/ from the fund manager at any time

Brazil, 10 million more investors participate in the market through mutual funds, while only 500,000 invest directly in the market, he said.

Explaining how CIS works, Ezeh said by pooling funds of several individual and corporate investors, it gives investors access to investments that they will ordinarily not have access to.

“Unlike equities, a CIS is generally not traded on a Stock Exchange but investors buy and sell units to/from the fund manager at any time. Shares are created and sold to new investors on a continuous basis so you can either invest a lump sum or on a regular monthly basis,” he said.

According to him, the operation of the entity is based on the principle of the diversification of risk.

Speaking in the same vein, Deputy Managing Director, ARM Securities, Ms. Jumoke Ogundare said that mutual fund subscribers in Nigeria presently stands at 250, 000 in spite of over 160 million of its population. Delivering a lecture on the theme ‘Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) in Nigeria’, Ogundare explained that CIS is an open ended collective investment scheme that issues redeemable units and invests primarily in transferable securities or money market instruments.

Listing the benefits of CIS, she said it reduces investment risk through diversification, lowers transaction costs, while less sophisticated investors obtain the opportunity of higher returns by having a registered professionals manage their investments and re-investment of income.

Account submission: NSE gives quoted firms 30 days grace

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he Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has granted quoted companies that are yet to submit their 2014 year end financial reports and accounts a 30 day grace period from the due date of required period submission to do so. In a notice announcing the extension, Josephine Igbinosun, Head, Listing Regulations Department, NSE, said the extension would be initially applicable to companies whose year-end is December 2014.

According to her, the extension became necessary in view of some of the challenges being experienced by listed entities in meeting their regulatory filing obligations with the Exchange.

She listed some of the observed challenges to include the change of date of the general elections, which impacted on the meeting calendars of some Boards, adding that companies with primary regulators had to be considered as well due to the need for them to obtain prior approvals from their various primary regulators before their financial

statements are released to the public.

“While we believe that the timely disclosure of financial information is critical to stakeholders in the capital market, particularly the investing public, the challenges which the listed entities are facing are germane.

“Consequently, in view of the extenuating circumstances, the Exchange has decided to grant all listed entities a grace period of 30 days from due date of the required financial periodic submissions, commencing with companies whose year-end is December 2014,” Igbinosun said. “During this period, the Exchange will not apply the tag- Below Listing Standard (BLS) beside the names of entities on the X-Complaince Report which is published on its website and will also forbear from imposing any financial penalties pursuant to the provisions of Section 30.3 of the Amended Listing Rules during the grace period,” she added. Meanwhile, only 45 quoted companies have so far submitted their various 2014 yearend financial reports to the Exchange.

Wall Street up ahead of holiday; data lifts payroll hopes

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.S. stocks rose in a broad advance on Thursday as a reading on the labor market came in better than expected, raising hopes that Friday’s payroll report would show similar strength.

Jobless claims unexpectedly fell in the latest week, suggesting the labor market continues to expand at a solid clip even as economic growth has stalled. The report follows lower-than-expected readings on private sector employment and manufacturing on Wednesday.

Investors were looking ahead to the March jobs report, which will be released Friday, a stock market holiday for Good Friday. As a result, market participants will be unable to trade off the report until Monday.

“People are looking ahead to the jobs report and right now it would be a surprise if it was weaker than expected,” said John Carey, portfolio manager at Pioneer Investment Management in Boston, though he said playing it ahead of time could be tricky.

ECB makes QE bonds available for lending to ease liquidity woes

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he European Central Bank began a bondlending program to help unclog markets snarled up by its own debt-purchase plans introduced last month to boost growth and stave off deflation.

The move is important because it reduces the risk for traders that the region’s bond market becomes dysfunctional after the cost of borrowing securities in the repurchase market climbed due to a shortage of collateral, threatening to reduce liquidity. Bonds purchased under the ECB’s quantitative-easing program will be made available for lending from Thursday, the Frankfurt-based central bank said on its website.

“The aim of securities lending is to support bond and repo-market liquidity without unduly curtailing normal repo-market activity,” the ECB said in its statement. “ C M Y K

30 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Cover Story

Six candidates for position of IMO Secretary-General

By GODWIN ORITSE, with agency report

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y the established deadline of 31 March 2015, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has received the nominations of six candidates, nominated by their Governments for the position of Secretary-General of IMO. The election for the post will be held at the 114th session of the 40-Member strong IMO Council, which meets from 29 June to 3 July 2015. The decision of the Council will be submitted to the IMO Assembly, which meets for its 29th session from 23 November to 2 December 2015, for its approval.

The nominations received includes Mr. Andreas Chrysostomou Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Vitaly Klyuev Russian Federation, Mr. Kitack Lim Republic of Korea, Dr. Maximo Q. Mejia, Jr. Republic of the Philippines, Mr. Andreas Nordseth Kingdom of Denmark and Mr. Juvenal Shiundu Republic of Kenya.

BATNF reiterates commitment to enhancing smallholder farming practices

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he British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, BATNF has reiterated its commitment to government’s poverty alleviation schemes with its strategic investments which are targeted at smallholder farmers, to improve their productivity and therefore earn decent incomes from their agricultural activities. Abimbola Okoya, General Manager, BATNF, while speaking at an interactive session organised by the Foundation for its key stakeholders, to map out new strategies to boost agricultural productivity with a focus on better ways of enriching smallholder famers, said that their activities are focused on where they could achieve the most impact in the agriculture value chain.

“The BATNF has recorded remarkable milestones through the deployment of strategic intervention schemes focusing on provision of potable water supply, vocational skills development, agricultural development, and environmental protection since its establishment in 2002,” said Ms Okoya, while addressing stakeholders at the conference which held in Ibadan, Oyo State, last week.

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•Victor Ogiemwonyi

•Emeka Madubuike

•Albert Okumagba

Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari Continues from page 23 more impressed and confident in a society with little or no corruption. With the no nonsense stand of the President-elect, we expect to see a much bigger interest in investors wanting to push funds into Nigeria. Stability in the exchange rate will also definitely lead to more companies resuming trade as before and this we hope to see with the emergence of not just the APC candidate but mainly due to the peaceful nature of the transition.”

On his part, founder, drinks.ng, Lanre Akinlagun said the gains made in the information and communications sector must be sustained through the retention of the current minister of ICT, Dr. Omobola Johnson.

He said: “It is difficult to say exactly what he will do but we in the IT sector do hope that he retains the minister of communication technology because the lady that was there was committed and he had lots of plans on ground that are yet to be implemented and do not need to be abandoned. This is because, as this government is leaving, there will be no way to ensure that those laudable plans are followed. But in all, one cannot really predict what the direction will head until he begins to appoint his cabinet members.”

In the same vein, founder/ CEO hotels.ng, Mark Essien said: “Buhari’s government should continue the policies launched by the Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson, which has led to a surge in ‘serious’ ecommerce start-ups.”

Insurance

Following the election of

General Muhammadu Buhari as President-elect of Nigeria, insurance operators tasked the incoming administration to ensure that economic growth should be the main focus.

Insurance operators who reacted to the victory of Buhari noted that he should come out with a blueprint for the economy that will enhance the living standards of Nigerians.

Deputy Commissioner for Insurance, Finance, Mr. George Onekhena, said that the insurance industry was entering a new phase of transformation with the Jonathan’s administration; as such, operators expect the trend to continue because the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM, which is the regulatory body for insurance practice in the country, is highly structured.

Onekhena said, “NAICOM is a structured entity and all the transformation programmes we have introduced in the sector are also well structured, as such the new government will continue with the structure on ground to ensure sustainability.”

Onekhena said that the policy measures being embarked on

by NAICOM to transform the insurance sector are not political programmes; as such these reforms should be sustained to ensure continuity.

Chairman of Nigerian Insurers Association, NIA, and Managing Director of Linkage Assurance Plc, Mr. Godwin Wiggle said that operators are waiting for the new government to come out with its blueprint for the economy.

Director General of Nigerian Insurers Association, Mr. Sunday Thomas said that the new government will have to come out with its own agenda for the economy and ensure

that the government takes insurance seriously.

Thomas said, “We hope that the new government will implement some of the issues of restructuring that we have been talking about in the insurance sector. We expect increased government patronage of insurance, compliance with compulsory insurances as well as insurance of government assets, as well as review of the mode of taxation on insurance services.

In all, we expect the new government to build on the achievement of the previous administration.

Managing Director of FBN Insurance Life, Mr. Val Ojumah added that the main focus of the incoming administration should be to stabilise the economy and allow continuous growth. According to him, if the economy is stabilised and there is continuous growth, every sector of the economy will grow and will have a positive impact on the people and the country as a whole.

Advertising

Felix Aighobai, Director, Sales, Euro Global Foods and Distilleries

The main focus of the incoming administration should be to stabilise the economy and allow continuous growth

Limited, said, “We expect him to start from where his predecessor has stopped.

Somebody has created a legacy to encourage the industry, and I know very well the way the government has been running in Nigeria.

People will work to surpass what they meet on the ground.

Since being the newly and democratically elected President. I expect him to do better off based on that expected hope.

Bolaji Okusaga, Managing Director, The Quadrant Company, “He is working with some economist at the moment people like Pat Utomi.

He has not released any policy position, so we cannot begin to make any permutation, but the fact that there has been a peaceful election, and a winner has emerged, and that the loser has conceded defeat, alone, is enough confidence for the economy, as it takes off the risk of political uncertainty.

So in that end I believe better things are ahead.

Ikechi Odigbo, Chief Operating Officer, DDB Lagos The fact we have had a fairly successful electoral process and we have had a situation where both presidential candidates have comported themselves in maturity, particularly with the incumbent extending hand of fellowship and being graceful in defeat and conceding with honour and dignity, that Nigerian democracy has experienced a huge boost, because for the first time we have seen a successful transition of leadership from one political party to another.

And what that will definitely do is to give the incoming regime the much need leverage them to build because there would be greater confidence in the democratic system, there will be greater confidence in our political Continues on page 33

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 31

Business & Economy

By PETER EGWUATU

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he Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC has released six new rules to the capital market as one of these rules is rule on trading in unlisted securities.

Unlisted securities are those private and public companies’ shares that are not quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. The unlisted securities seek to ensure that all securities of unlisted public companies are traded within securities exchanges that are registered with the commission.

Under Section 313(1) of the Investments and Securities Act 2007, the Securities and Exchange Commission [“SEC”] is empowered to make Rules and Regulations for effective regulation of the Nigerian Capital market.

Commenting on this rule, NASD Plc stated “ We at NASD believe this new rule will introduce new levels of transparency to the Over the

Rule on trading in unlisted securities ustification: To ensure that all securities of unlisted public companies are traded within securities exchanges that are registered with the Commission

SEC out with new rules on capital market Counter , OTC market in Nigeria. It will enable best practice by operators: protection for investors: better price discovery for the market in general and a much deeper, more liquid, capital market. We believe a dynamic and responsive rule making process is also a vital ingredient for rapid but organized growth and we look forward to the continued development of our markets.”

In addition to the Rule on

trading unlisted Securities, other new rules that were recently published by the SEC are: . Code of Conduct for Rating Agencies; . Code of Conduct for Underwriters; .

Code of Conduct for Trustees; Rules on Securitization and Rules on National Investor Protection Fund.

Rule on trading in unlisted securities ustification: To ensure that all securities of unlisted public companies are traded within securities

exchanges that are registered with the Commission.

First , all Securities of unlisted public companies shall be bought, sold or transferred only by means of a system approved by the Commission and under such terms and conditions as the Commission may prescribe from time to time.

Secondly, no person shall buy, sell or otherwise transfer securities of an unlisted public company except

through the platform of a registered securities exchange established for the purpose of facilitating overthe-counter trading of securities.

Thirdly, any unlisted public company, director, company secretary, registrar, broker/ dealer or such other persons who facilitate the buying, selling or transfers of the securities of an unlisted public company otherwise than through the platform of a duly registered securities exchange, shall be liable to a penalty of not less than ¦ 100, 000 in the first instance and not more than ¦ 5, 000 for every day of default.

CIS, Perfection Nominees partner on membership drive

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n pursuit of the strategic drive to attract youths into its membership structure, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has sealed a pact with a frontline capital market operator, Perfection Nominees Limited to deploy its technical and professional strength to mobilize over 150,000 potential applicants for the institute’s Professional Diploma in Securities and Investment.

This business and marketing relationship was consummated with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) by both parties at the week end in the Institute’s chamber. By the MOU, Perfection Nominees would mobilize over 150,000 young Nigerians annually and

present them to CIS for training, examination and certification as a prelude to launching the young Nigerians into the financial world. This is expected to assist in actualizing the National Strategy for Financial Inclusion and Savings.

The long term plan is to develop young entrepreneurs.

By the MOU, the institute would recognize Perfection Nominees as a non-exclusive representative with associated benefits of agreed discount for its efforts among others. The beneficiaries would also create financial planning houses for the operators in the entire financial market and the government sector.

At the last count, the institute has signed an MOU with no

fewer than seven major organizations on the same subject. At the signing ceremony, the Chief Executive Officer, Perfection Nominees, Reverend Samuel Olayemiexpressed optimism that the goals of the MOU were realistic and therefore a c h i e v a b l e .

Olayemicommended the institute for the bold initiative aimed at creating job opportunities for young Nigerians. “I feel delighted that I have an opportunity to serve the institute. I identify with the caliber of the Institute’s President and his team as well as aggressive focus of the administration. I have no doubt that the outstanding Bill that would further

internationalize the operations of the stockbrokers would be signed.”,Olayemi said at the week end.

Responding the institute’s President, Mr Albert Okumagba explained that involvement of a professional of Olayemi’s standing would reinforce the mobilization of the youths to create the muchneeded financial power house for the entire system.

Okumagba noted that the institute’s position had been graciously endorsed by the Federal Government as one of the means of boosting youth empowerment in Nigeria. He commended Perfection Nominees on its corporate decision to take advantage of the unique marketing opportunities provided by the CIS. Okumagba had earlier said that the ultimate objective of launching the young Nigerians to the new professional opportunity was to provide back-up staff for all operators within the ambit of the financial market including insurance, pension fund, stockbroking firms, issuing houses, securities markets and other categories. The signing ceremony was attended by the Institute’s Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Mr AdedejiAjadi.

Perfection Nominees is a management consulting firm with a strong background in capital market activities. The company also creates opportunities for business, advancing corporate goals and engages in general trading.

The CIS is saddled with the duty of determining what standards of knowledge and skill are to be attained by those who aspire to become professionals in stockbroking, portfolio management, asset management, investment management and allied fields of specialization.

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32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 33

Commodity Index

Cover Story

March 27-April 2, 2015

•Ikechi Odigbo, CEO, DDB Lagos)

•Bolaji Okusaga, Managing Director, The Quadrant company

Economy: Stakeholders list options for Buhari Continues from page 30 and we have had a situation where both presidential candidates have comported themselves in maturity, particularly with the incumbent extending hand of fellowship and being graceful in defeat and conceding with honour and dignity, that Nigerian democracy has experienced a huge boost, because for the first time we have seen a successful transition of leadership from one political party to another.

And what that will definitely do is to give the incoming regime the much need leverage them to build because there would be greater confidence in the democratic system, there will be greater confidence in our political process.

And this would impact positively on the economy. I expect that the stock market will begin to find buoyancy.

I believe that the foreign investors will begin to look back to Nigeria again, and look back to the Nigerian market with positive confidence that have crossed over the threshold, that season of uncertainty, that season of mere upheaval and unrest. We have crossed that threshold, and we have entered into a new era of stability that will greatly boost confidence in the Nigerian market both within and outside.

I actually believe this is a most remarkable outcome for Nigerians that we have had a situation that for the first time in our history, the loser has contributed immensely to creating

this very positive atmosphere. And the winner needs to continue to build on that. It’s a big win for our economy. It’s a big one for every Nigerian.

Summary of recommendations

S

tart from where your predecessor stopped; lBuild on the achievements of the previous administration; lDo not build new anti corruption agencies but build on existing ones lDevelop blueprint for the economy that will enhance the living standard of Nigerians; l Bring more transparency into the business landscape in order to drive foreign direct investment; lEnsure the blocking of

Address the fundamental of the high cost of doing business and low productivity; Ensure a level playing field for all investors across all sectorswith regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives

all fiscal leakages and wastes in government, especially in respect of the management of petroleum products subsidy, pension funds, import duty waivers, ghost workers in the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, Service Wide Votes and crude oil theft. lUse capital market to fund infrastructure; l Promote national savings through Collective Investment Schemes; lIntroduce incentives to encourage listing on the stock exchange; l E n h a n c e marketability of agricultural products with policies that boost operations of commodity exchange; l Make positive statements that boost investors’ confidence; lReduce government borrowing to avoid crowding out private sector; lImplement measures that will encourage transparency, accountability, adherence to rule of law; l Focus on reforming the petroleum industry and shedding it off the reputation of opaqueness; lImplement policies that guarantee a change that is more pragmatic; lAccelerate reforms in the Oil & Gas sector in order to attract more private investments in both the upstream & downstream segments of the sector; l Address the fundamental of the high cost of doing business and low productivity; lEnsure a level playing field for all investors across all sectors with regard to import tariffs, funding opportunities, tax incentives;

34 —Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Nasarawa State Budget as metaphor for unrealistic state budgets “Nasarawa to spend N107.9bn in 2015”, PUNCH, January 1, 2015.

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he report by Umar M u h a m m e d disclosed that “The budget which was christened the budget of “sustainability” would be funded with resources from the Federation Account, internally generated revenue [IGR] Value Added Tax, and SURE-P.” Commissioner Danazumi, for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, who delivered the budget on behalf of ailing Governor Al-Makura, could be forgiven for not realizing that he had delivered the most unrealistic and unsustainable budget in the state’s history. But, Danazumi need not feel bad. Nasarawa state is merely following in the foot-steps of other states which had presented budgets to their States’ Houses of Assembly.

Simple arithmetic tells us that a state budgeting to spend N107.9 bn (N108 rounded up) would need to generate N9bn per month from all sources in 2015. The question is how realistic is this for Nasarawa?

To start with, SURE-P as a

source of revenue has closed shop in reality. Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will soon reveal that truth to everybody. But, when the Federal budget is based on crude oil selling at $65 per barrel and the current price is under $57 per barrel, there will be no subsidy anymore. So out goes an entire revenue source from the estimates.

Value Added Tax, VAT, could be up or down from last year’s actual revenue collected depending on how much VAT rate is increased and how much is actually collected in 2015. But, with crude prices going downwards, there is every chance that the Nigerian economy might contract and VAT collection might drop.

However, SURE-P and VAT are minor variables in the budget estimates. Together they cannot account for more than fifteen per cent of the budget estimate. The bulk of the revenue expected to fund the budget of “sustainability” will come from the Federation Account, FA, and IGR. The question is: how well has Nasarawa performed in deriving revenue from IGR? The answer is: very poorly.

In an excellent report titled “States struggling to pay salaries”, DAILY TRUST reporter, Nurudeen Abdallah, on December 15, 2014, page 5, disclosed that, with the exception of Lagos, Rivers, Delta and Kano States, which generated N384.5bn, N87.9bn, N50bn and N24bn respectively, no other state got close to N25bn. Nasarawa actually achieved IGR N4.1bn in 2013. The 2014 result might not be different.

That leaves us with the revenue from FA to provide the bulk of the funds for 2015. And it is precisely on this account that the Nasarawa state budget, as well as those of other states fall apart. As things stand right now, the Nasarawa state House of Assembly will be wasting everybody’s time, raising false hopes among the people if it expects the state to raise N108bn this year. Here is the evidence.

The October 2014 allocation to states from the Federation Account, should have served as a warning to the states. All the states collected far less than they had collected in a month in more than two years.

Nasarawa collected only N5bn

from Abuja. That sum included FA, VAT, and SURE-P allocations. And it also included the state’s share of the Excess Crude account which will not longer be disbursed as long as crude prices remain low. Furthermore, the FA was made from crude selling at well over $80 per barrel. The FA allocations for 2015 will be made from crude selling at $60 or less and without ECA and SURE-P funds. Certainly N9bn revenue per month can at best be regarded as a gross error, at best; or an unwarranted joke at worst.

Again, it needs to be repeated that Nasarawa is not alone in making this monumental mistake at a time when every state needs advice on how to put together a really sustainable budget. Readily available information on other State budgets which represent the prevalent flight from reality include the following: Benue N8.5bn per month budget versus N5.2bn expected; Borno N14.8bn budget versus N7.7bn expected and Gombe N7.5bn versus N3.8bn. One cannot help wondering if ALL the state governors intend to print their own currencies to make

up the shortfalls they will experience in 2015.

The Speakers of the State Houses of Assemblies and the Honourable members, if they love their people would be welladvised to put the interest of the people above partisan and selfish considerations. If budgets which cannot be implemented are passed, the people will suffer immeasurably. Civil society groups in every state should also rise to the occasion. The states that will be destroyed through a bogus budget belong to all of us. Politicians, irrespective of political party should not be allowed to bring unprecedented civil unrest nationwide on all of us.

NEXT: FOR HOW LONG WILL THE COUNCIL OF STATES REMAIN SILENT? The Council of States includes all former Heads of State alive – Obasanjo, Shagari, Buhari, Babangida, Shonekan, Abubakar and Obasanjo again.

For how long will they keep quiet while the nation sinks?

For once silence is not gold; it is either acquiescence or cowardice.

Both are unbecoming of Elder Statesmen….

Micro-Finance

Post-election: ICAN wary of undue pressure on naira …commences 50th anniversary celebration he institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, has said that there should be a rethink on the undue pressure on naira after elections. President of the Institute Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, made the position at a press brief in Lagos, as a kick off of its 50th anniversary celebration coming up in September this year, where he highlighted some of the achievements made and challenges it addressed within the years.

Excerpts:

keep taking about what we think is right whether government accepts or not. So when we advise government and they don’t accept, there is nothing we can do. But we have had situations where government because of our strong positions changed mind on the printing and introduction of N5, 000 bills during the Sanusi regime. Sanusi came to our conference that year and confirmed that it was because of ICAN’s letter to the President that led to the stoppage of the printing and introduction of the N5, 000 note.

To what extent has your recommendations to the Federal Government been accepted?

We are more like a pressure group, if we advise government, send letters to them on what we think is the right way to and they decide not to accept our advise, there is automatically nothing we can actually do, advocacy is about participating in the policy making process ensuring good governance, we do not have power to insist that we feel is right should be implemented.

But it is our responsibility to

On naira devaluation The pressure on the naira is as a result of the fact that this is basically an import based economy. Everything we use are imported and we need to pay in dollar. Why we are not producing is because we don’t think, we are oil producing economy and we are not even adding any value in terms of thinking of what to process and then export. Except we deal with our appetite in foreign goods, foreign services we will continue to import. The enormous amount of money that is being remitted by the elites

By PROVIDENCE OBUH

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•Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu abroad can also cripple this economy. We need to have a totally descent attitude to the way we leave. The austerity measures wouldn’t deal with the problem of the economy, we

If you are borrowing to invest, then you are borrowing in anticipation of a greater consumption in the future that will return your capital and cost of fund and probably add something on top

need to deal with the amount of naira we have in circulation.

Starting from cutting down the cost of governance, you can’t be putting your budget at 65 percent per dollar per barrel when it is obvious from look that you have not been able to achieve sixty in order to achieve fifty. Everybody is borrowing, Lagos state is borrowing a lot of money, even the federal government to fund recurrent budget and you are not investing. If you are borrowing to invest, then you are borrowing in anticipation of a greater consumption in the future that will return your capital and cost of fund and probably add something on top.

But here we are borrowing to consume, to run the government. That model I have not seen anywhere it has worked. After the elections I expect the tiers of government to seat down and have a rethink on the issue of undue pressure on the naira currency.

How far has the whistle blowers fund been accessed?

The whistle blower fund, we set out a N50 million and a board of trustee to administer that fund we are considering about seven applications

possibly to access that fund as I speak. Before the advent of the whistle blowers fund, the institute has carried out things that we felt are necessary when our members are unduly harassed either in the law court or anywhere else, we have had to go to court to hold brief for our members and especially when we think they are doing the professional thing, I don’t want to give instances but am sure of about two or three of that in the last three years and we will continue to do that because these are the necessary things that will make for a better profession and a better society.

Some of the Challenges addressed We mentored Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN) to becoming a member of over two bodies internationally, before now we had an issue with ANAN that we went to as far as the supreme court and for us to now help to encourage to lift their standard to the point of now saying that we think this will help to strengthen their processes and profession in the country, I think that also a resolution in itself and again is one of the resolutions that we have been able to achieve within the Nigerian Jurisdiction. We have also signed an MOU with the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 35

Tax Matter

Tax relief for pioneer companies T

he Nigerian Government has over the years put in place many different and overlapping incentive schemes to attract both local and foreign investment. Tax exemption is generally regarded as an industrial investment device; many developing countries like Nigeria offer it as one of their major incentives. Basically, tax incentives are designed to encourage investments in certain preferred sectors of the economy and sometimes geared towards attracting inflow of foreign exchange to complement domestic supplies for rapid economic development.

Tax exemption otherwise known as tax holiday is one of the most widespread tax incentives. Tax exemption simply means a period of exemption from payment of taxes imposed by the government and this may be complete or partial. The granting of pioneer status, for instance, gives a company a preferred position in getting established, usually through exemption of income tax payment.

A pioneer company is a company that engaged in manufacturing, processing, mining, servicing and agricultural industries whose products have been declared pioneer products on satisfying certain condition as determined by the Industrial Development Coordinating Committee (IDCC) of the Government under the Industrial Development (Income Tax Relief) Act Cap 179 LFN 1990. The pioneer tax holiday is for an initial period of three years or subject to further extension of two years or five years (once and for all without further extension).

• Enabling Act Act Chapter 179 laws of the federation of Nigeria (LFN) 1990 but first enacted by Decree No22 of 1971 and commenced on 1/4/1970. st Commencement Date 1 April, 1970 • “An Act to repeal and reenact, with major changes, the industries Development (Income Tax Relief) Act and to make provision for tax relief for certain industries that may be issued with pioneer certificates by the minister and other matters ancilatory there to”.

Conditions: ?

Industry is not being carried out on a suitable scale as required and there are prospects for further development in the industry or its product. ?

If it is in the public interest to encourage the industry or its product. ?

Application may be made for the inclusion of a product on the pioneer list MODE OF APPLICATION ?

All application to be addressed to the Minister. ?

State the status of the C M Y K

company. ?

Give details of qualifying capital expenditure to be incurred. ?

Give sources of qualifying capital expenditure and estimated cost. ?

Specify location of Assets. ?

Date of production of pioneer products. ?

Any by product not being a pioneer product.

TERMS OF PIONEER CERTIFICATE ?

Must be in terms of the application to which it relates. ?

Specify permissible byproducts to be produced. ?

Specify period within which company must be incorporated and conditions to be endorsed ?

Pioneer status will only be issued from a date when company was incorporated and shall be effective from a date not earlier than the date on which the application was submitted to the minister or date of incorporation, which ever is the later. ?

Any other condition will be specified by the minister ?

The minimum Tax relief period not exceeding five years to be stated 3(6)(a-b) Amending of Pioneer Certificate to Add New Product

For losses incurred within the pioneer period, the cumulative amount will be deemed for computing total profits to have been incurred on the day, next following the pioneer period

Section 4 (1) – (3) allowed a company during its pioneer period to make application in writing to the Minister to add a new product.

RETROSPECTIVE PIONEER OPERATION • Where a pioneer certificate is to be operative from a retrospective date, all acts shall be treated as not having been closed or not having happened and all taxes paid (if any shall be repaid as soon as may after the expiration of three months from the production day.

PRODUCTION DATE • No later than one month when the company is going into commercial production (marketable quantity), the company shall apply in writing for the certification of its production date.

• Not later than one month after the production date or any extended period granted by the FIRS, the company shall make application in writing to the FIRS for the certification of the amount incurred as qualifying capital expenditure prior to the production date.

Cancellation of Pioneer Certificate i) A Company may apply for cancellation ii) If a company contravened any provision of the Act or failed to meet conditions set.

Tax Relief Period i) Commencing from the production date, it shall continue for three years (but can be extended):ii) for another one period of two years (if the standard and rate of expansion are satisfactory), local raw material utilization expansion, training and development of Nigerians, Government Policy Priority) iii) Five years (once and for all).

TRANSITION FROM PIONEER STATUS Conditions of Old Trade or Business of a Pioneer Company ?

The old trade shall be deemed

to ceased permanently at the end of the tax relief period. ?

The pioneer company deemed to have set up a new trade on the day next following the end of its relief period. ?

All capital expenditures incurred and used by a pioneer company shall be deemed have been incurred on that day next following the end of its tax relief period. ?

Where it incurs a Net loss, that loss shall be deemed to have been incurred on the date on which its new trade commences i.e. it will be allowed to deduct all the losses brought forward from the pioneer period ?

The company must submit to the FIRS a list of its assets for certification. ?

At the end; the FIRS will issue a certificate of qualifying expenditure. ?

The Board is expected to issue the company for each year, the amount of income as ascertained and loss as arrived at (if applicable).

Treatment of Capital Allowances and Losses • A capital expenditure incurred shall be deemed to have been incurred on that day next following the end of the pioneer period. I.e. regardless of the number of years granted a pioneer company, all capital expenditures incurred in line with the provision of the second schedule within the periods shall be deemed to have been incurred after the Tax relief period.

• For losses incurred within the pioneer period, the cumulative amount will be deemed for computing total profits to have been incurred on the day, next following the pioneer period i.e. it will be allowed as a deduction in the new business.

DOCUMENTATION REQUIRED

BY FIRS ?

Memorandum and Articles of Association ?

Certificate of Incorporation ?

Answer to standard questionnaire ?

Pioneer Certificate issued ?

The period approved ?

Production date ?

Products and by-products ?

For a going concern, the Audited accounts ended before the production date to be furnished (regardless of the number of months).

Rendition of Returns ?

The conditions governing the submission of tax returns in CITA are applicable to a pioneer company. ?

One year from commencement of production date. ?

Period of one year successively. ?

Last year of the relief period. ?

Example: Kano Money Lender Ltd was granted a pioneer st status commencing from 1 July, 1999. The company has 31/12 as its accounting date. The period granted was for five years. ?

At the expiration of the pioneer period, it submitted accounts st for the years ended 31 December, 2004 and 2005 you are given these additional data C M Y

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

E - Commerce

Dutch inspectors arrest Uber employee

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n Uber Technologies Inc. employee in Amsterdam was arrested after refusing to cooperate with inspectors raiding the company’s offices.

“The company wasn’t cooperating during the raid, so one employee has been arrested,” Elif Bagci, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Environment and Infrastructure’s inspection department, said by phone.

She declined to identify the employee. The inspectors raided Uber ’s Amsterdam’s office for additional information following an inspection last week.

“Uber continues to cooperate with the Dutch authorities, but wants to safeguard the privacy of Uberpop drivers and passengers,” the company said in an e-mailed statement sent via an external communications agency. The company didn’t immediately return calls for additional comment. Uber’s ride-sharing application UberPop was ruled in violation of local taxi regulations by a Dutch court in December. The traffic and transport inspection has so far caught 27 drivers using the app and Uber was ordered to pay a maximum fine of 100,000 euros ($108,000) on March 6. Uber has appealed the ruling and is still operating its basic UberPop service while the case is pending.

Google fails to dismiss privacy lawsuit over Google Wallet

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federal judge has rejected Google Inc’s request to dismiss a lawsuit accusing the technology company of invading the privacy of users of its Google Wallet electronic payment service by sharing their personal information with outside app developers.

In a decision last week, U.S. District Judge Beth Labson Freeman in San Jose, California said Google must face claims it breached users’ contracts, violated the federal Stored Communications Act which limits disclosure of electronic records, and violated a California consumer protection law. She also dismissed two other claims.

Freeman said Google Wallet users may try to show that Google “frustrated” the purpose of its own privacy policy by allowing “blanket, universal disclosure” of their personal information to app developers whenever they bought apps in Google’s Play Store.

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‘NIPOST holds key to unlocking e-commerce potential in Nigeria’ Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ndustry analysts have called for the repositioning of the Nigeria Postal Service, NIPOST to unlock the potential of e-commerce in Nigeria.

Reacting to recent report by Financial Vanguard on why local investors are not investing in e-commerce, a commentator who simply identified himself as Nedum said until the authorities put in place a structured logistics platform to address delivery challenges, ecommerce in Nigeria may never fare successfully.

According to him, “Distribution is fractured and on its knees,” and that, “Until NIPOST is totally overhauled and restructured in a way that

slow delivery of a package from one end of Nigeria to another end of Nigeria will take at least three days, Business to Consumer, B2C and Consumer to Consumer, C2C kind of e-

With a revitalized NIPOST, Nigerian SME’s would be able to reach not just the Nigerian market, but tap into the markets of other African countries around us

commerce will never be achieved in Nigeria.”

He said, “NIPOST to me is underutilized. The Federal government should do all it can to turn NIPOST around to operate like the mail/package service delivery services of any developed countries like the United States Parcel Service, USPS. This model can be copied.”

“NIPOST,” he maintained, “has the potential to reshape Nigeria and create an environment where Foreign Direct Investments, FDI’s would start gushing into this country.”

He said: “With a revitalized NIPOST, Nigerian SME’s would be able to reach not just the Nigerian market, but tap into the markets of other African

PREMIER - From left: Meg Otanwa, Damilola Adegbite Attoh, Anee Icha and Beverly Naya, cast in the Airtel Nigeria-sponsored reality TV show “Before 30”, during the premiere in Lagos.

Uber, others partner All Amber to host Mobile West Africa

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axi hailing service, Uber, MTN and Etisalat Nigeria will partner with All Amber, the organisers of technology conferences across Sub-Saharan Africa, to host the 5 th edition of Mobile West Adfrica which will take place in Lagos from April 21 to 23, 2015.

Other organisations that have confirmed sponsorship and will exhibit at the event include Airtel Nigeria, Eskimi, VConnect, Gidi Mobile, Opera Software, MoboFree, MyMusic, Basebone, Mozilla, Jovago, Wiko Mobile and MTech Communications.

Speaking on the support received from these organizations, Founder of All Amber, Matthew Dawes said: “The amount of industry support we’ve received is unprecedented and it’s an illustration of how far the event has developed since it started

in 2011. To secure MTN, Airtel and Etisalat – as well as international players like Mozilla, Opera and Basebone – and then have the support of key local stakeholders such as Eskimi, Gidi Mobile, MTech and MoboFree reflects the will

within the industry to keep it moving forwards.

“The conference has come a long way in the last five years, more so than I could have hoped for, and I want it to continue to facilitate progress.

countries around us.”

“NIPOST to me is the key to unlocking e-commerce in Nigeria. Reposition NIPOST and e-commerce will exponentially take off in Nigeria,” he added.

Recall that the Ministry of Communications Technology recently went into partnership with online retailer Konga.com to facilitate distribution of items bought on Konga shops through the NIPOST outlets in UNILAG. The collaboration was a pragmatic attempt at addressing logistics and delivery issues experienced by e-commerce operators in Nigeria.

Also speaking recently, Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson said NIPOST is not only being statically positioned to address e-commerce challenges but to also play a more divergent role in driving economic growth in the country especially in areas of financial and digital inclusion.

She said: “When we look at NIPOST today, we see the biggest retail infrastructure in the country, with over 3,000 outlets. We see NIPOST at the centre of three initiatives: the country’s financial inclusion strategy, digital inclusion strategy and e-commerce strategy. From a financial inclusion point of view, NIPOST has more outlets than any bank in the country. The ministry of communication technology and the Central Bank are working together so that NIPOST can become an additional platform for any bank in the country. Private sector partners are also needed to help upgrade some of the NIPOST outlets and connect the 3,000 branches with modern technology. At this point, the outlets can either provide physical banking services or virtual services, performing the role of mobile money agents.”

CSR: PEP donates over N20m worth of items to charity

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n line with its Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR thrust, PEP Stores Nigeria, a retail outlet specialized in clothing, Home wear, footwear, as well as other fast moving consumer goods has reached out to three orphanages in Nigeria, donating over N20 million worth of items.

Beneficiaries of the gesture include: Beth Torry Home for the mentally handicapped, Little Saint Orphanage, and Hearth of Gold Hospice which also had part of their buildings renovated.

The company spent about N1.5Million in fixing doors and furniture at Little Saint branches in Egbeda, Ogudu and Abole and Heart of Gold in Surulere it donated items

(Clothing and Foot wear) valued at about N11.5 Million to Little Saints Orphanage, Lagos and another N6.8 Million worth of items to Beth Torry Home for the mentally handicapped. According to the General Manager, PEP Stores Nigeria, Mr. Deon Conradie, the donations of the items to the Orphanages and the renovations is in line with the company’s strong belief in giving back to the society in which it operates as a socially responsible corporate citizen.

“This CSR initiative is part of our brand’s DNA. PEP believes in giving back to the communities it serves and each PEP region is empowered to give back to the communities at a local level,” he said.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 37

Insurance

NCRIB charges incoming govt to give insurance deserved attention

By ROSEMARY ONUOHA

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he Nigerian Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, NCRIB, umbrella body of all insurance brokers in Nigeria has charged the in- coming government to ensure that insurance is given its pride of place in all strata of government operations.

According to the NCRIB, no economy could develop without taken into cognizance the place of insurance and risk management.

President of the NCRIB, Mr. Ayodapo Shoderu, who commended the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari and applauded the electoral process for ensuring that the wishes of Nigerians counted at the polls, challenged the president-elect to start giving serious thoughts to strategies for growing the nation’s economy through the provision of infrastructural development and creation of jobs in order to enhance quality lives for Nigerians and by so doing increase their disposable income.

Shoderu noted that the

SEMINAR - From Left: Mr Asamah Kadiri; Mr Obafemi Agaba, Partners, Jackson, Etti & Edu (JEE); Mr Sola Dosunmu, Head, Corporate & Regulatory, British American Tobacco Nig Ltd; Mrs Uwa Ohiku, Partner, JEE; Mrs Imomoemi Ibisik,; Group Head, Legal Services, Heritage Bank Ltd; Mr Yomi Badejo Okusanya, MD/CEO, CMC Connect Burson Marsteller; Mr Bode Sojobi, Head, Legal Services CHI Ltd; Mr Koye Edu, Managing Partner, JEE; at a seminar on Dispute Resolution and Crisis Management of Corporate Entities hosted by JEE. of the election was already an enabling peaceful conduct of the creating impacting positively on the election and emergence of a environment for further economy, given the response new President has paved the deepening of the democratic of market forces to the political way for the socio-economic process, noting that he had by process. According to him doing joined the and political stability of so “there is an inextricable link prestigious league of the Nigeria. between politics and economy He also commended the global statesmen and eminent and whatever affected one incumbent President, fellows. would definitely affect the Goodluck Jonathan for Shoderu noted that the result other”

European reinsurers post strong performances but growth limited - report

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he major European reinsurers have posted very strong full-year results for 2014 and continue to be well capitalised, with underwriting results that have been profitable owing to the absence of sizeable natural catastrophes and ongoing reserve releases.

The reinsurers also show a continued focus on capital management, resulting in share buy-backs and increased dividend payments, as well as repurchasing and replacing existing hybrid debt.

In a new report by A.M Best, titled, “European Reinsurers Post Strong Performances but Growth Limited,” A.M. Best analyses the full-year financials for Lloyd’s and the four largest European reinsurers – Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re and SCOR SE. The report also identifies trends among the six listed (re)insurers operating at Lloyd’s – Amlin, Beazley, Brit, Catlin, Hiscox and Novae.

The report notes that the quest for yield is leading to an adjustment in investment portfolios, although London market companies remain

Mansard gets top place in insurance sector

more conservative. “The largest four reinsurers and Lloyd’s have posted good investment results, with returns on investment (ROIs) of between 2% to 4.6% in 2014,” said Carlos WongFupuy, senior director, analytics. He added: “These are encouraging given the low interest rate environment; however, A.M. Best observes that returns are being driven partly by historical fixed interest investments, which are still generating relatively high yields, and realised gains on equities and real estate.”

The major reinsurers all enjoy strong capitalisation, as measured by A.M. Best’s proprietary capital model, Best’s Capital Adequacy Ratio (BCAR), yet still achieve a strong return on capital and surplus. As yields are at record lows in other economic sectors, investors remain attracted to the reinsurance market.

According to the report, reinsurers face challenges as soft market conditions persist and concerns mount regarding the sustainability of reserve releases.

Catherine Thomas, director, analytics, said: “Organic growth is limited, with rates remaining under pressure and certain lines of business underperforming, leading to a need to underwrite risks more selectively. Reinsurers are seeking opportunities for expansion into emerging markets and new lines of business.”

Reinsurance rates and terms

Organic growth is limited, with rates remaining under pressure and certain lines of business underperforming, leading to a need to underwrite risks more selectively

and conditions are under competitive pressure from alternative capital, as evidenced by the 1 January renewal period. In A.M. Best’s opinion, further price reductions are likely.

Traditional and alternative capacity remains plentiful and a single large catastrophe is not expected to have a significant impact on current market conditions.

Yvette Essen, director, industry research, Europe & emerging markets, noted: “Major losses combined with a sustained recovery in interest rates could reduce the sector’s attractiveness to alternative capital.

However, the exceptionally low yield environment is expected to continue with any increases in interest rates likely to be gradual.

Furthermore, alternative capital is increasingly provided by pension funds rather than opportunistic investors, which may be less likely to reallocate their investments given that insurance-linked securities represent only a relatively small proportion of their substantial asset portfolios.”

ansard Insurance plc’s o u t s t a n d i n g performance has again been recognized as it was selected as one of the top quartile (first place in Insurance Category) of publicly listed Growth Strategy Leaders in Nigeria for the year 2015 awards season. This award honors “best of the best” growth companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange in Nigeria and was presented by MSY Analytics, (a teaming partner and Nigerian representative of global research and growth consulting giant, Frost & Sullivan).

According to MSY analytics, ‘Using a weighted scoring methodology, the performance and financials of all publicly traded companies on Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) as of December 31, 2014 were evaluated across several metrics such as total shareholder returns, revenue growth and profitability growth. From within this pool, we selected elite group of ten top companies per industry and Mansard ranked #1 in the Insurance Industry.”

The organizers further disclosed that emerging and frontier markets represent over 50% of world GDP & over 2/3 of global growth and thus a strategic focus area for investors around the world.

While African continent is home to several of these markets, Nigeria (a key frontier market) enjoys a unique position as the largest GDP in Africa.

Moreover, Nigerian Stock Market was among the 10 best performing markets around the world during 2013 and is expected to be an attractive market for both domestic as well as global investors for coming decades.

On receiving the award, Mr. Taiwo Adeleye, Head of Mansard’s Marketing and Corporate Communications Group, appreciated MSY Analytics for the honour accorded Mansard and he noted that Mansard has remained the biggest insurance company on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for several years.

The 2015 Growth Strategy Leaders award was presented during the Wharton Club of Africa (WCA) Executive Investment Summit & CEO Forum 2015 in Lagos.

38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

People in Business

Research can lead to jobs, security

By EBELE ORAKPO

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igeria is suffering from unemployment and insecurity because over the years, we have neglected the aspect of research. If we do proper research and commercialise it, then it can lead to emergence of industries and these industries will first generate a lot of income, products and employment and Nigeria will be a better place to live in,” These were the words of Professor Peter Onwualu, former Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) and a visiting professor at the National Universities Commission.

He spoke with Vanguard recently.

Excerpts: been able to properly Successful nations: capture something as simple According to Prof. Peter as biometrics. But with Onwualu, if Nigeria invests in proper research to come up researchers and research with the required institutions, she will join the technology, even if I am league of successful nations. registered in Abuja, I should "Name any successful be able to vote anywhere. country and you discover "What research does in a that the bedrock of their community is unimaginable success is research done by and the problem we have in both government and private Nigeria is that we have not sector. The results of such paid adequate attention to researches actually fuel the research. The Federal economy. A country like Government has been trying China has used research to because the innovation/ come up with new products research sector in Nigeria is it is exporting. huge, the biggest in Africa."

"For instance, more and more research is being done Poor funding of to improve on the telephone. research institutes: When the mobile handset "Why is it that with all these came out, it was just for institutions, we are not making and receiving calls. benefitting from the result of Somebody did research and research? Over the years, the found they can incorporate research institutions have a camera, video, clock, not been properly funded calculator, etc. These are all and so they have not grown products of research and it is to keep pace with the times. in all sectors of the Some of the laboratories are economy,” he said. outdated and so the researchers are not able to do Health: "Today, when the kind of research they are Nigerians are seriously ill, supposed to be doing; they go abroad and you begin researchers don’t get enough to wonder what the problem funds to do research that can is? Is it that our medical impact the society. Part of the doctors are not properly problem is that most of these trained? No! We’ve seen research institutes are evidence that they perform funded by government and better than others when they we have all seen that it is go abroad. The only impossible for government difference is that in Nigeria, to do everything. The private they do not have access to sector has not been technology. It is difficult to forthcoming in terms of get specialized equipment supporting researchers and for cardiology, cancer yet, they are the beneficiaries detection, heart diseases etc of some of these research because we are not doing works. Unfortunately, most enough research in the of the big industries that sector. Nobody is producing should be supporting hospital equipment in research have their R&D base Nigeria and because they are in their parent countries. very costly, the average That is why many of them shy hospital in Nigeria cannot away from supporting afford them. People are research. Otherwise, if they doing research on how to have problems, they will run treat cancer with very high to researchers who can technology with little side investigate the problem and effects. proffer solution," he stated.

Election: "In developed countries, it is almost Investing in impossible to rig elections commercialisation: because they use technology "Part of what I have been but in Nigeria, we have not doing at NUC is to look at the

f a c t o r y where it will b e manufactured and that is a different t h i n g altogether, investing in commercialisation.

•Professor Peter Onwualu models of research-industry relationships that can work and promote commercialisation. Many of these results from our research institutes are still in the labs and workshops. They get caught up in what is called the valley of death. You develop something and just at the point of getting it to the market, it falls into the valley of death and that is the end.

"That is why you hear that Mr. A invented a car and before you know it, the story dies down. It is because a researcher comes up with an idea/product, and to get it into the market, he must have a

If the researcher comes up with something that is patentable, it will be patented and the industry cannot steal the idea from him

Concept of triple helix: "In 2014, I did a research to come up with policies that can b r i n g researchers a n d industry together which resulted in what we call the Concept of the triple helix. This means there are three groups of people that must work together in a helix form government, researchers and industry/ entrepreneurs. The reasons collaboration among the three has not been very strong are: Trust: A lot of industrialists hide under trade secret and don’t open their doors to people, including researchers. The developed world has solved this problem through intellectual property, trademarks etc. Once you have a very good intellectual property regime, if a researcher is going to work with an industry, they sign non-disclosure documents so that if you come into the factory and you see some trade secrets, you don’t go and reveal them. At the same time, if the researcher comes up with something that is patentable, it will be patented and the industry cannot steal the idea from him. Once you have that legal framework, people can work together."

R&D: "Many industries are not ready to spend money on product development; they are more interested in just producing and making profit.

We found that in other places, government uses some policy incentives to encourage industries to spend money on research. If you are producing A and every year you make N1 billion profit which is taxed, if we have a policy that says you can devote 10 per cent of the N1b on looking for ways to

improve the product and get tax rebate for doing that, it becomes an incentive for the industry and many will be happy to comply.

"We also recommended one scheme called Knowledge Transfer Scheme where an industry and a research institution form a partnership. Example, an industry that produces fruit juice wants to come up with a new product - mixed fruits.

They need to do some research.

"Under this partnership, a researcher in food science, food technology or food engineering can leave the university for six months or more and be resident in the factory, working to come up with this new product.

"Once he succeeds and they are producing, he goes back to his university. This way, he gains a lot of practical knowledge which will improve his teaching; at the same time, the industry has benefited from his knowledge. It is a win-win situation. But for this to work, somebody has to pick up the bills and since most industries may not want to pay, this is where government can come in.

Government can pay or if the industry pays, government can reduce their tax.

"If this is followed through, these industries can begin to look at how to add value to our natural resources and then the economy will naturally grow, you will have more and more industries springing up, creating jobs, processing our raw materials and when these industries are thriving, they pay tax. So in our national budget, you will not only see crude oil, you will also see corporate tax from industries operating within the economy.

Wake-up call: "So I believe that research has a lot to contribute towards the development of the Nigerian economy. This is the time for us as a nation to wake up.

As an engineer, I can pick a phone and within 30 minutes, I can tear it apart and bring it back together. If I am able to do that, it means I can make a phone but how do I do that? I must have those machines required to couple them together and these are machine tools which we are not yet producing here.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 39

Aviation

Lagos, Abuja airports to be certified soon

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

NCAT graduates 12 ATC Cadets

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irector General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority of Nigeria (NCAA), Capt. Muhktar Usman has said that the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and the Nnamdi Azikewe International Airport, Abuja will soon be certified by the agency.

Disclosing this development to newsmen during an interactive session, Capt. Usman pointed out that work at the two international airports were at advanced stages adding that as soon as the work were completed, the airports will be commissioned.

According to him, “Against the backdrop that no airport is certified in Nigeria, NCAA is working tirelessly to ensure that the Lagos and Abuja airports are certified. Work have reached advance stage in those two airports and we hope that sooner than you think, they will be certified.”

He further noted that the agency is adequately preparing for the Universal

On the audit, we are preparing for the audit, there are processes and we have started it in terms of manpower training and retraining, equipment and all the necessary things that needed to be done

DEBATE - From left: Dr Bright Okogu, Director-General, Budget Office of the Federation; Mr Demola Akinrele, SAN; Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, former foreign Affairs Minister; Mr Akinfela Akoni, President, Executive Committee, The Oxbridge Debate 2015; and Prof. Konyin Ajayi, Moderator, during the debate organised by The Oxford and Cambridge Club of Nigeria. Photo

by Lamidi Bamidele Safety Assessment Audit in June by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) stressing that the agency was currently engaging its workers in rigorous training programme for this purpose.

“On the audit, we are preparing for the audit, there are processes and we have started it in terms of manpower training and retraining, equipment and all the necessary things that

needed to be done. I am hopeful that we will scale through the audit” Capt.

Usman noted.

Also, he stressed that on the allegation that NCAA dismissed 187 workers last year which were yet to be recalled by the agency, he said that the Federal Government has set up a committee to look into the matter adding that whatever decision reached by the government will be binding

Easter: FAAN cautions air travelers on airport rules

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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s Christians celebrate Easter, air travellers in the country have been advised to adhere strictly to airport rules and regulations in order to have seamless trips.

The General Manager, Corporate Communications, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr Yakubu Dati in an interview with some aviation correspondents on measures put in place by the organisation to ensure a hitch free passengers movement

NIMET alerts road users, airlines on improved visibility

By FAVOUR NNABUGWU

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on the agency.

Capt. Usman further pointed out that as the new DG of the agency he was going to bring his wealth of experiences that he has gathered over the years in the industry just as he noted that he left as Commissioner of the Accident Investigation Bureau before assuming office as the DG assuring that before his 5 years term expires he would ensure safety in the aviation industry at all times.

he Nigerian Meteorological Agency ,NIMET, has drawn the attention of road users and airlines to improvement in the visibility of the atmosphere as the dust haze clears off in most parts of the country from the weekend. NIMET, in a statement made available to our correspondent in Abuja last Thursday, said, the dust will begin to clear in the coming days and improve visibility as the days go by.

According to the agency, “As the pressure system continue to weaken in the coming days, and the moisture laden southwesterly winds from the ocean continue to advance inland, the dust particles will begin to clear and the visibility will also improve progressively northwards in the coming days.” It had predicted that from April 2, 2015, the country would experience poor visibility in moderate dust haze in some parts of the

country that would reduce visibility to as low as 200 meters in States like Maiduguri and to 800 meters in Gombe.

According to the Nigerian Meteorological Agency, the development has led to reduction in visibility in some parts of the country to as low as 300 metres and the situation will prevail for a while.

Contrary to that, the agency said the improve visibility will not affect flight operations adversely like it earlier did because the atmosphere (especially the south and central states) is already having enough moisture to cause the raised particles to fall off the atmosphere early leading to improved visibility.

The agency which gave the dust forecast on January 7, and April 2, 2015 respectively, informed the public of possibility of dust outbreak that will affect parts of the country up to the month of April 2015 when the Northeasterly winds will still be dominant over the northern region.

advised intending air passengers to take advantage of passenger service portal to plan their trips.

According to Dati, “intending air passengers can get necessary information needed such as airline delays, on time departures and flight cancellations from www.aviationportal.com.ng before embarking on their trips”.

He also cautioned passengers not to carry on board prohibited items such as liquids and inflammable items stressing that such items must be checked in adding that failure to do so will attract seizure at check-in points.

Dati further advised travellers on international trip to approach the screening points as soon as they check in to avoid delays.

He advised them to secure their luggage and should not be left in the hands of anyone at the airport adding that any luggage left unattended will be destroyed by security agents.

He further said FAAN in line with the minister’s directive has concluded plans to ensure that no single tout was operating at airports.

fforts by the Nigerian A i r s p a c e Management Agency, NAMA, to boost critical manpower capacity were given a boost last Wednesday, as the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology,NCAT, Zaria, graduated a set of 12 cadet Air Traffic Controllers on Basic Aerodrome and Approach Control Course as well as Flight Training. The ATC Cadets who began the training early last year will commence on-the-job training (OJT) in some designated airports across the country for the Basic Air Traffic Control License.

Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the agency, Engr. Ibrahim Abdulsalam has commended the cadet ATCs for their ‘’hard work and perseverance throughout the training period leading to a successful and impressive result”. In a statement, Engr.

Abdulsalam expressed delight that ‘’the agency is making remarkable progress in bridging the manpower gap in the critical sector of operations”.

AISAN holds interactive session with operators

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he Muritala M u h a m m e d International Airport, MMIA, branch of the Aeronautical Information Services Association of Nigeria (AISAN) has held an interactive forum with airline operators and other end users of aeronautical information in order to appreciate customer satisfaction with its services. AIS as a key department in NAMA provides critical information that ensures safety and security for airspace users.

The forum which was attended by representatives of airlines, aviation agencies and the Nigerian Air Force provided the opportunity for stakeholders to exchange ideas on how aeronautical information could best be managed and disseminated. In her remarks at the occasion, AISAN Chairman, Mrs Titilayo Ayinde tasked everyone to cooperate with the agency as it strives to fast track the AIS Automation project.

40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 41

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42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Economy Stories by EMEKA ANAETO, Economy Editor

Amidst election fever, business community sustains confidence

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n the heat of the just con cluded electioneering campaigns for presidency, Nigerian businesses appeared very confident that the economy would bounce back from the low keyed first quarter 2015.

This was the outcome of the Business Expectations Survey by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently conducted and released last week in Abuja.

Respondents were drawn from the Industrial, Construction, Wholesale/Retail Trade and Services sectors made up of: Financial Intermediation, Hotels and Restaurants, Renting and Business Activities and Community and Social Services.

The overall confidence index (CI) which stood at 8.4 index points indicates the respondent firms optimism on the macro economy as the business condition in Nigeria is expected to improve in First quarter (Q1) 2015. The respondents were reacting just before the elections were postponed from the earlier February dates.

At 46.4 points, the overall CI for second quarter (Q2, 2015) indicates that the respondents expect that the macro economy would improve. The optimism in Q1 2015 is driven by the opinion of respondents from the services sector (4.4 points),

•Godwin Emefiole, CBN Governor followed by wholesale/retail trade (2.7 points) and industrial (1.9 points).

Also, the expected drivers for the optimism on the macro economy in the second quarter are services (17.9 points), wholesale/retail trade (13.9 points), industrial (10.3 points) and construction sectors (4.3 points).

In the survey on Macro economic outlook by type and size of business the drivers by type of business for the optimism on the macro economy in the first quarter are ‘neither importer

nor exporter’ category (7.5 per cent), followed by ‘importer’ category of respondents (0.8 per

The drivers by size of business for the optimism on the macro economy in the first quarter are the small, medium and large firms

cent) and ‘exporter’ category (0.3 per cent).

The percentage distribution of respondent firms by type of business shows that ‘neither importer nor exporter’ category of the respondents constitutes the highest percentage of responses (73.0 per cent), followed by ‘importer’ (16.5 per cent), ‘both importer and exporter’ (7.9 per cent) and ‘exporter’ (2.6 per cent).

The drivers by size of business for the optimism on the macro economy in the first quarter are the small, medium and large firms whose contributions are 6.3, 1.3 and 0.7 per cent, respectively.

The percentage distribution of respondent firms by employment size shows that small size firms constitute the highest percentage of responses (78.6 per cent), followed by medium size firms (14.2 per cent), and large size firms ( 7.2 per cent).

In the Business Outlook Index on the Macro Economy by Sector the survey shows that Business sentiment across all sectors was optimistic in the

Supply of Credit improved in Q1 2015 — CBN

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has released its report on credit conditions in the financial system. According to the report the availability of secured credit to households decreased in the first quarter of 2015. The apex bank however said this condition is expected to reverse in the second quarter.

CBN also said changing liquidity positions remained a major factor behind the decrease while lenders (banks) further reported that tight wholesale funding conditions also made significant contributions.

However the banks reported that the availability of unsecured credit to households increased in Q1, 2015 and it is expected to increase further in Q2,2015.

They also reported that changing cost/

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availability of funds, market share objectives and changing appetite for risk contributed to the increased availability of unsecured credit in Q1, 2015.

The overall availability of credit to the corporate sector increased in Q1 2015 and was expected to increase further in Q2, 2015. The important factors contributing to increased credit availability, according to CBN, were changing sector specific risks, changing economic outlook and market share objective.

On the demand side of the credit market, according to the CBN report, demand for secured lending for house purchase and consumer loans increased in Q1 2015, and were expected to increase further in Q2, 2015. Despite lenders stance in tightening the credit

scoring criteria in the first quarter, the CBN report indicated that the proportion of loan applications approved in Q1, 2015 increased. Demand for unsecured credit card lending and an overdraft/ personal loan from households increased in the first quarter, and are expected to further increase in the second quarter.

However, demand for unsecured credit card lending from small businesses was expected to decrease in Q1, 2015, while demand for overdraft/personal loans from small businesses was expected to further increase.

In spite of the tightening in the credit scoring criteria in total unsecured loan applications in Q1 2015, the proportion of approved households total loan applications improved in the first quarter.

first quarter and likely to remain so in the second quarter.

The indices of the services, wholesale/retail and industrial sectors stood at 12.6, 10.0 and 7.5 points, respectively. The construction sector was however downbeat at –4.3 points in the review quarter.

The distribution of respondent firms by sector shows that services sector constitutes the highest number of responses (653), followed by wholesale/ retail (508), industrial (465) and construction (254).

In the survey of Business Confidence on Own Operations by Sector the respondents’ confidence index on own operations in the first quarter was less optimistic across all sectors when compared to the level a year ago. The confidence index of services, wholesale/retail trade, industrial and construction sectors stood at 20.8, 15.2, 6.5 and –5.9 in Q1, 2015 from their levels of 24.5, 23.3, 19.3 and 16.7 in the corresponding quarter of 2014, respectively.

The average capacity utilization index (CUI) at 15.0 points in Q1, 2015 dipped by 12.6 points when compared with the 27.6 points achieved a year earlier.

In the survey of Access to Credit and Financial Conditions The financial condition index in the first quarter stood at 12.1 per cent and was driven by the services (7.2 points), wholesale /retail trade (4.1 points) and industrial sector (1.6 points).

Respondents’ optimism in the volume of total order and the internal liquidity position, buoyed the volume of their business activities in the first quarter. Similarly, the positive outlook in access to credit by the majority of firms upped the financial condition of firms in the review quarter.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 43

Advertising & Promotions

Positioning: When Legend consumers take blind ‘Taste to Tell’ STORIES BY PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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vertime, legend extra stout has continued to position itself as a credible stout choice in the stout market, despite daunting challenges.

This invariably has given it the toga the ‘Real Deal.’ This proposition has however sustained the brand’s growth since its re-launch in 2009 in the midst of other high profile stout brands; like Williams Dark Ale, Wilfort, Castle beer which have been playing in the regional markets, except for Guinness and Castle beer.

Legend’s current campaign tagged: ‘Taste and Tell,’ which berthed in Owerri, Imo state, precisely, Umunkoto on the ever busy Nekede road cannot be mistaken for a town meeting going by the gathering.

With displays, even a visitor could tell something was up in the vicinity. The event was the nd 2 edition of the Legend Extra Stout, ‘Taste and Tell’ campaign which had transversed parts of Lagos and Benin, rewarding consumers who took the blind taste test, and able to differentiate Legend stout from the three glasses filled with other stout brands marked ‘A’ to ‘C.’ The venue littered with a few other brands from Nigerian Breweries, NB Plc, where consumers swayed to contemporary hit songs from the blast of strategically positioned speakers within the arena. The event went full blast when the compere De-Don came on stage reeling out rib cracking jokes hulled at the Igbo extraction.

Like the Lagos and Benin activations which featured Yoruba and Benin cultural performances respectively, the Owerri leg also featured a performance by ‘Nna Nyelu Ugo’ cultural group. The audience were taken aback to the soulful rendition of traditional folk songs.

However, the high point of the event was when the audience played the ‘Taste & Tell game.

The ‘taste-and-tell’ game, involved a blind taste game where volunteer tasters taste several drinks poured into cups marked ‘A’ to ‘C’ after which they were asked to identify the cup that contained Legend Extra stout. Participants who correctly identified the cup were rewarded with prizes such as 9.5kva generating set, LED TV and a refrigerator among other things.

The game conducted in

Cloned version of Share-A-Coke campaign may hit market

batches of three volunteer tasters produced two out of the three tasters- Vitalis Chilaka, a 300 Level under graduate of Quantity surveying, Federal Polytechnic, Uwana, and Augustine Chukwuebuka, and upcoming artiste correctly identified the glass that contained Legend Extra Stout after tasting the unidentified drinks in the first batch. For their feat, Vitalis and Agustine were rewarded with a 32’ inch LED TV and refrigerator respectively.

Reacting to their winnings the duo attributed it to their loyalty to the Legend brand for a long

This proposition has however sustained the brand’s growth since its re-launch in 2009 in the midst of other high profile stout brands

A

ACTIVATION - From: Left: Emanuel Agu, Marketing Manager, Lager and Stout, Nigerian Breweries Plc., Gift Chukwuoti, winner of 9.5kva generating set, and Paul Ehioghae, Area Sales Manager, Owerri, also of Nigerian Breweries Plc., during the Legend Extra Stout Taste &Tell activation in Owerri. time during which period they Gift Chukwuoti, a 500L have become accustomed to the medical Student at the bitter taste of the brand.

University of Nigeria, Nsukka From Augustine, “Legend has emerged the winner in the been my best drink for over third batch and was rewarded four years now. You can’t be with a 9.5kva generating set. loyal to a brand like that and His words: “this is quite fail to distinguish it from other surprising for me; I’m really brands even when blind short of words. “I’ve been a folded. Almost all stout brands Legend Extra Stout loyalist for have bitter taste, but the bitter four years now, so I couldn’t taste of Legend Extra Stout is have missed that unique bitter unique”. taste.”

Access Bank deploys ‘Easy-top-up’ for airtime recharge

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urchasing direct airtime has become the new phenomenon taking place between banks and mobile service providers, Access Bank joined the fray while depoying ‘Easy-top-up’ as its customers can now buy airtime directly.

‘Easy-top-up,’ is a quick, convenient airtime recharge service which discards use of physical recharge cards or PINS. With the product, account holders can buy airtime from any network by dialing a dedicated code *901*Amount#.

It could be recalled that in the early days of GSM, subscribers had to struggle to buy recharge cards from vendors, who sometimes are not within reach.

Although different steps have been taken to resolve the challenge especially with the introduction of online recharge whereby one needs to go through the steps to log onto an internet banking platform just to buy airtime. The bank said when a customer’s airtime runs low, a quick way to recharge is by dialing the code, within seconds the customer’s airtime is credited even when

the customer has zero Naira in his or her phone.

In keeping with its commitment to inclusive banking services and channels,the bank said it had ensured that its products and services appeal to every sector of the Nigerian economy as well as the retail segment, from the young and elderly, to the student and the professional.

However, the bank the service is restricted to only its account holders with daily transaction limit of N5,000.

Regardless of time and location, customers can recharge at their convenience as long as the customer has a phone and Access Bank account.

The top up amount is debited directly from the Customer’s account. The service is instant, available 24/7, 365 days a year and compatible with all mobile networks in the country, the bank stated. As part of its continued growth strategy, Access Bank said its focused on mainstreaming sustainable business practices into its operations. The Bank strives to

deliver sustainable economic growth that is profitable, environmentally responsible and socially relevant it noted.

Group Managing Director/ CEO of Access Bank, Herbert Wigwe said, “our primary inspiration in developing these products is our increasingly technology savvy customer base; a customer base that wants to be empowered with self-service options that enable them take charge of the way they live, work and play. By creating and disseminating these products we not only spread financial services to an ever increasing proportion of the population but also wake up dead capital.”

Speaking of the product, Head of Product Management & Innovation, Olugbenga Agboola, said, the bank has flair for creating technology drivenservices that are sustainable, scalable that can meet local needs adequately.

“Access Bank’s ‘Easy-top-up’ is an example of such service with a strong focus on creating “moments of pure delights” for our customers.

cloned version of the Share-A-Coke campaign embarked upon by Coca Cola Nigeria Limited, CCNL, may hit the market soon. Owners of the campaign who have complained of the intention of a competing brand to copy the campaign declined to make further comments on the issue, saying it became privy of the move as market indicators showed that the campaign has recorded an unprecedented milestone in the annals of the brand’s existence.

Investigation conducted by Vanguard revealed that many carbonated soft drink, CSD’s manufacturers declined to comment on the issue, this thus prompted the investigator to sample the opinion of brand consultants.

Mr. Mukaila Oladosu, Director Interbrands in his opinion said that Coke has remained number one not because its been most profitable, but because of top of the mind awareness creation. Though in Nigeria, there have been some lull in its marketing efforts, but only recently it came again more radically and more creatively in such a way that it has a bonding relationship with consumer. I am talking about their Share a Coke campaign.

NIMN inducts 24 new fellows

..as Koledoye gets staff of office

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he National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), recently inducted 24 prominent Nigerians as fellows of the institute.

With 18 of the fellows were upgraded from associate membership of the institute to fellows, 6 others were prominent Nigerian professionals who had contributed their quota to the development of marketing practice in the country.

The institute also held an investiture ceremony for the president and chairman of Council of the institute, Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye, to formally inaugurate the new council of the institute. Koledoye who was formally handed the staff of office at the elaborate marketing event, witnessed by notable marketing practitioners in the country, would run the affairs of the institute for the next two years.

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44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

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xpectedly, goodwill messages have deservedly, poured in from far and wide to congratulate the clear victor of the 2015 elections and President Elect, Mohammed Buhari, may not be unduly disturbed that President Jonathan’s inspirational and totally unexpected early acceptance of defeat, ironically, favorably raised the incumbent’s rating as a statesman beyond the pedestrian perception induced by his performance in governance. Indeed, despite the complimentary economic growth rates gleefully presented by Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, sadly, more Nigerians joined the already bloated poverty ranks. Indeed, the horrid level of insecurity, apparently instigated by ethnic and religious divide, may infact find their true origin in the pervading level of poverty nationwide.

Consequently, expectations are high that Buhari will provide an antidote to poverty and corruption; clearly, our poverty cannot be blamed on an inhospitable climate or a shortage of natural resources.

Infact, citizens from nations with considerably less natural endowments may be excused for decrying what they consider to be an inexplicable inequity by Providence. In reality, our inability to galvanise our resources to the greater benefit of the critical mass is actually caused by the application of fiscal and monetary strategies that are antagonistic to consumer demand, and job creation.

Consequently, if Buhari must succeed, he would need to quickly reverse the ratio between capital and recurrent expenditure, such that well over 60% of total annual revenue projections would be dedicated to the enhancement of social infrastructure and human capacity in place of the

Buhari and the economy: Which way forward? prevailing humonguos salaries and allowances of public servants.

Clearly, Buhari would need to also reduce the duplication of functions by various MDAS as per the recommendations in the Oronsanye report, but government must be careful to minimise the inflow of new entrants into a jobless market.

Similarly, the new administration should be wary of increasing the current debt to GDP ratio, as this is a sure road to another oppressive debt burden. A situation where a relatively stable nation like Nigeria with its immense reserves and resources borrows at Shylock rates of over 15% is totally unacceptable for what are clearly risk free soverign debts. Furthermore, Buhari must immediately interrogate why our foreign reserves earn minimal interest, while we inexplicably go cap in hand to borrow externally at over 7% interest rate.

Incidentally, the yet to be assented 2015 budget, accommodates about 20% deficit; consequently, government will borrow over N1Trillion Naira and pay between N100- N150bn as interest charges to fund part of its recurrent (consumables and salaries etc.) budget. It is ironical that such huge government borrowings will exist simultaneously with the unyielding ‘obstructive’ Naira surplus deliberately created by the CBN. Buhari’s Team must therefore, hit the ground running and readily jettison Jonathan’s 2015 budget proposal, so that a fresh Appropriation bill can be presented to the National Assembly before July 2015.

We may also consider 29th May to May 28th as fiscal year to align with our established Election Time Table and thereby prevent politically induced budget truncation on the advent of a new Leadership halfway into the year.

Furthermore, in view of the abysmal performance in the power sector, Buhari should take a closer look at how Nigerians were left with over N400bn debt after the privatization of the distribution Network of the former PHCN. It is equally curious that almost 2 years thereafter, government continues to breastfeed the Discos with selective interest waivers, which have not guaranteed low tariffs or improved performance. In view of cost implications, the new dispensation should advisedly fast track the adoption of gas for generating power, as gas is considerably cheaper at below $3/cubit mitre and remains a much cleaner form of energy; besides our gas reserves are multiple times in excess of crude oil reserves.

Furthermore, Buhari will equally need to shine his eyes

Buhari would need to also reduce the duplication of functions by various MDAS as per the recommendations in the Oronsanye report

is responsible for the apparent increasing poverty observed amongst pensioners and retirees as unjust reward for service to their fatherland.

Additionally, high inflation rates also constrain consumer demand, which normally drives investment and industrial expansion decisions, to create those jobs, which reduce the unemployment rate.

Buhari is clearly aware that Naira devaluation only facilitates deepening poverty as clearly evident as the Naira steadily fell from its exalted exchange rate of a stronger Naira to a dollar; conversely, a stronger Naira will lift more Nigerians from poverty.

Similarly, Buhari should interrogate why the Naira exchange rate steadily depreciated even when our reserves exceeded $60b.

Incidentally, weaker Naira rates will, irrespective of crude oil price level, also instigate higher fuel prices domestically and make the abolition of fuel subsidy very unpopular. On the other hand, stronger Naira rates will reduce fuel prices domestically, and ultimately eliminate subsidies, to make the imposition of a sales tax on fuel possible; furthermore, a stronger Naira will also make fuel smuggling unprofitable and unattractive and ensure uncontested deregulation of the downstream sector by civil societies.

Clearly, the excruciating burden of ever surplus Naira, also feeds the pool that facilitates corruption and is also responsible for abnormally high inflation and interest rates and is equally responsible for unyielding Naira depreciation.

A disciplined investigation will surely reveal that systemic surplus Naira is primarily caused by CBN’s creation of fresh Naira values for monthly distributable dollar revenue.

SAVE THE NAIRA, SAVE NIGERIA!!

in the area of monetary policy and strategy. As a first step, his Administration should put a stop to the looting of public funds with the obnoxious Treasury Bills Scam.

An arrangement where banks are positioned to make over N600bn in 2015 as interest on government loans, which are not applied to any productive or socially enhancing purpose, is clearly obscene. In successful economies, Monetary authorities mop up or reduce any burdensome surplus cash in the system by borrowing at minimal rates below 2%. When government borrows at 10% and above for what are essentially risk free sovereign debts, banks expectedly become reluctant to lend to other borrowers, thus crowding out the real sector from the cheaper investible funds which could spur enterprise and industrial production and create more jobs. The President Elect should not be hoodwinked by CBN’s usual propaganda that inflation, interest and exchange rates cannot remain harmonious; clearly, in several successful countries, the respective Central Bank monetary policy rate consistently remains below 3% rather the oppressive 13% currently adopted by CBN. Furthermore, inflation rates above 3% are also anathema to social welfare and therefore decried in more successful economies; regrettably, we shamelessly celebrate inflation rates which are nearer 10%, despite the reality that all static incomes would lose over 50% of purchasing value every 5 years in such event. The income contraction caused by inflation

Business & Economy NGBA, AHK Nigeria explore opportunities for German businesses in Delta

By PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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delegation from the Nigerian German Business Association (NGBA) and AHK Nigeria have embarked on an interactive and fact finding mission to Delta State to explore opportunities for business by member-companies in the state.

The trip which was prompted by the invitation of the Economic Adviser to the state governor, Mr. Afam Obiago, resulted in a meeting in Asaba, the state capital, with C M Y K

representatives of Chambers of Commerce from four cities in the state including Asaba, Ethiope, Sapele and Warri.

The delegation comprising of the Delegate of the German Delegation of Industry and Commerce in Nigeria (AHK), Mr. Andre Roenneand the Nigerian German Business Association (NGBA) Chief Operating Officer, Mrs. Jennifer Anoyika, also paid courtesy visit to the state’s Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Dr. Chris Ekiyor.

According to Mrs. Anoyika,

the delegation was well received and opportunities for German companies in all sectors including energy, construction and technology were discussed.

During the visit, Dr.Ekiyor expressed keen desire for the participation of German investors in various initiatives in the state, particularly the Export Free Zone under construction. The delegation also visited the Delta State OneStop-Shop Initiative (DSOSSI) which is positioned as a destination for investors looking to do business in Delta State.

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha Nkiruka Nnorom CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Group Business Editor Deputy Business Editor Energy Editor Asst. Business Editor Snr Bus. Correspondent Insurance Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Maritime Correspondent Energy Reporter Industry/Agric. Reporter Maritime Reporter Insurance Reporter Capital Market Reporter

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Media/Marketing E-Commerce Industry Micro Finance Graphics Department

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Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 45

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46—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Easter Day celebrations, church services around Nigeria

From left, President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief of Staff, Brigadier-General Jones Arogbofa; Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr. Johnkennedy Opara; former Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu, and others, during Easter church service at Aso Villa chapel, in Abuja, yesterday. Photos: NAN, Diran Oshe, Dare Fasube, Olu Ajayi, Abayomi Adeshida, Biodun Ogunleye & Akeem Salau.

President Jonathan, receiving Easter greeting card from Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, during Easter homage to the President, in Abuja. With them is the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission, Mr. Johnkennedy Opara.

From left, Admiral Akin Aduwo,CFR (rtd), Chief Shade Okoya; HRH Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, Nkiru Anumudu, Chief Rasak Okoya, Chief Gbenga Obasa, and Chief Ayo Iroche, during the 2015 Easter celebration organised by HRH Erelu Abiola Dosunmu, in Lagos, yesterday.

From right, Chief Imam of the National Mosque, Ustaz Musa Mohammed; Chairman, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Israel Akanji; Primate of the Anglican Communion, Bishop Nicholas Okoh; Minister of State, FCT, Oloye Olajumoke Akinjide; FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed; President Jonathan; Vice President Namadi Sambo; Catholic Bishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Head of Service to the Federation, Mallam Danladi Kifasi, and the FCT Senator-Elect, Senator Philip Aduda during the Easter Homage paid by FCT Leaders on the President at the State House Banquet Hall, Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday.

Archbishop of Ibadan Archdiocese, Archbishop Gabriel Abegunrin during the procession for the Easter Sunday service, at the Cathedral of St. Mary, Oke Padre, Ibadan, yesterday.

From left, Vicar's Warden, Mr. John Baba, Archbishop of Kaduna Diocese; Most Rev. Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Provost of the cathedral of St. Michael; Very Rev Samuel Nwaeze, People's Warden, Mr. John Akinola, and Curate ,Rev. Joseph Adeniyi, at the Easter Sunday service, in Kaduna, yesteray.

From left, Hon. Justice Babasola Ogunade, Chancellor, Lagos West; Rt. Rev. & Mrs. James Odedeji, Bishop Lagos West; Rt. Rev. Sunday Adewole, Bishop of Jebba; Venerable Abel Ajibodu, Dean of the Cathedral, and others, during a special thanksgiving service and Easter celebration, at Archbishop Vinning Memorial Church Cathedral, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

From left, Very Rev. Rufus Atolaye, Prelates Chaplain; Rev. Oladapo Daramola, Director of Media and Public Relations, Methodist Nigeria; His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche, Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, and Very Rev. Stephen Adegbite,Proto-Presbyter, Methodist Church of The Trinity, Tinubu, during special thanksgiving service, at the Methodist Church of The Trinity, Tinubu, Lagos .

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 47

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48—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

•President Goodluck Jonathan, former Military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), former Chief of General Staff, Ebitu Ukiwe; business mogul, Alhaji Aliko Dangote and John Cardinal Onaiyekan during a meeting of Peace Committee members at the presidential villa in Abuja.

PRESIDENTIAL POLLS:

The untold story of the peacemakers THE pivotal role of some elders in dousing the tension that preceded and followed penultimate Saturday’s presidential election is one that has until now been largely untold.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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HE picture of President Goodluck Jonathan relaxing with General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, John Cardinal Onayiekan was one that gripped the attention of some inquisitive Nigerians as results of the presidential elections were churned out.

What could have brought these men with varied exposure to public limelight together continuously? That Dangote with his multiple business interests across the continent could be pinned down to Abuja was a wonder for some.

As the results of the 2015 presidential elections showed the incumbent president losing to his challenger, Muhammadu Buhari, the men alongside a few others worked the clock to mellow the tension that had gripped the C M Y K

polity.

Nigerians who watched the television picture of the statesmen parley with the president would have picked up the irony through the personae of General Abubakar. Even though, he spent only 11 months in office as Nigeria’s ruler, the former head of state has arguably become the most sought after former Nigerian leader for international peace shooting engagements.

Peace shooting engagements Whether Abubakar whispered the fact that it is not how long but the exit mode that paves, the way to international statesmanship to President Jonathan remains in the realm of imagination.

However, what is increasingly coming to the fore is the fact that the Abubakar led committee played a significant role in

bringing down the tension that gripped the polity prior to and after the presidential election.

The committee’s major achievements may have been well unreported. Even so is the membership of the committee that went beyond the men and women that were seen on television parleying with the president and his main challenger, Muhammadu Buhari.

Besides Abubakar, Dangote, Ukiwe, Onaiyekan and Sultan Abubakar– who were seen in public projecting the decisions of the larger body, other members of the committee were Bishop Matthew Kukah, Alhaji Muhammad Musdafa, Lamido Adamawa; Primate of Anglican Church, Most Rev. Nicholas Okoh; President, Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and Justice Rose Ukeje.

Others are Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, a former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi; Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Mr. Sam Pemu-Amuka, Prof. Ameze Guobadia, Prof. Zainab Alkali; and a former President of

Nigerian Bar Association, Dame Priscilla Kuye.

The concept of a peace committee arose from fears from concerned stakeholders including some international organisations about the possibilities of uncontrollable violence during and after the elections. In the last general elections in 2011 as many as 600

Nigerians who watched the television picture of the statesmen parley with the president would have picked up the irony through the personae of General Abubakar

persons were said to have died on account of the violence that followed the declaration of the results of the presidential elections.

Ahead of the 2015 elections two separate government bodies, the Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs and that of the National Security Adviser had been working separately on how to avoid a repeat of the 2011 bedlam.

Institutional stakeholders Eventually, the two bodies converged with other institutional stakeholders including the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP and European peacebuilding organisations to work out a framework to douse tension.

The convergence of ideas led to the General Election Sensitization Workshop on NonViolence which took place in Abuja on January 14 at the end of which 11 presidential candidates including Jonathan for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and Buhari for the All Progressives Congress, APC agreed to adhere to a set of conduct that disowned vicious campaigns and violence.

Though there were 11 signatories, eyes were focussed

Continued on page 49

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—49

Continues on page 48 on the two leading candidates and their parties, Buhari and Jonathan.

Chief Emeka Anyaoku who according to sources was one of the early canvassers of the accord chaired the final ceremony during which he read out the five cardinal points of the accord signed by the candidates.

PRESIDENTIAL POLLS: The untold story of the peacemakers

The accord read thus:

•To run issue-based campaigns at national states and local government levels. In this, we pledge to refrain from campaigns that will involve religious sentiment, ethnic or tribal profiling, both by ourselves and all agents acting in our name.

•To refrain from making or causing to make in our names or that of our parties any public statement, pronouncement, declaration or speeches that have the capacity to incite any form of violence before, during and after the elections.

•To forcefully and publicly speak out against provocative utterances and oppose all act of electoral violence whether perpetuated by our supporters and or opponents.

•Abdulsalam

•Ukiwe

•Dangote

Critical sessions

Respected statesmen •To commit ourselves and political parties to the monitoring of the adherence of this accord if necessary, by a national peace committee made up of respected statesmen and women, traditional and religious leaders.

•All the institutions of government including INEC and security agencies must act and be seen to act with impartiality.

Erstwhile United Nations Secretary-General, Mr. Kofi Annan was the special guest of honour at the workshop and his presence seemed to bring the moral weight of the international community on the candidates.

The declarations as agreed by the candidates were subsequently framed as the Abuja Accord which the candidates vowed to abide by.

The accord also provided for the creation of a National Peace Committee that would serve as a platform for the implementation, monitoring of the accord and also as a platform for mediation on issues that may arise between the signatories.

Following this, Bishop Kukah was now asked to help convene the committee and his brief was to get, according to a source, “people who have credibility, people who have cross-national appeal and are not obviously partisan.”

Membership of the committee was essentially framed to represent different interest groups and only those who were seen not to be politically biased or compromised were selected.

Dangote, for example, was there

made sacrifices. The story was told of how one committee member needed for one of the strategic engagements was stranded in one of the northern states and another committee member learning of it had to arrange one of his private jets to ferry him.

Enthusiasm for the committee’s work even overflowed from non members. One airline operator who is not a member of the committee but who monitored the activities of the committee closely on learning that a committee member was stranded somewhere in the north had to arrange a plane to pick up the member whose presence was crucial in one of the critical sessions of the committee.

•Akinyemi

•Onaiyekan

to represent the business committee, the religious leaders

While the politicians were on the rostrums, the committee was on its part working behind the scene in sessions with political actors and public officials

•Oritsejafor

•Kukah

•Amuka

•Sultan

were also selected while the Lamido Adamawa was selected principally to represent the interest of the Northeast.

Bishop Kukah who runs the Kukah Centre was chosen as coordinator and provided his centre as the secretariat of the committee that was now styled as the National Peace Committee.

Former head of state, Gen. Abubakar then became chairman of the committee. His choice was primarily fitting. The former head of state had become a well sought United Nations cum African Union trouble shooter who etched himself as an international statesman after he he implemented a smooth transfer to democratic rule after fate put the

leadership of the country in his hands in June 1998.

Logistics support for the committee primarily came from the UNDP and a number of other international organisations including Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue which is based in Geneva, the same body which had earlier provided support for the dialogue that followed the post-election conflicts in Kenya and Liberia.

The committee members, however, did not demand or receive any financial rewards for their work from the UNDP as all of them primarily saw their engagement as a call to national duty.

Indeed, several of them even

However, optimism that the signing of the accord would immediately douse tension was, however, farfetched. While the presidential candidates stuck to the letters of the accord, their subordinates and associates were seemingly unbothered as they continued with the campaign of calumny and sometimes as in Rivers State, an orgy of violence.

While the politicians were on the rostrums, the committee was on its part working behind the scene in sessions with political actors and public officials in control of some institutions involved in the conduct of the elections.

Among those engaged were the Inspector General of Police, Abba Suleiman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Prof. Attahiru Jega, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and armed service chiefs.

In all the meetings, the focus of committee members was to win the support of the institutional heads towards ensuring that the principles of the Abuja Accord were adhered to.

The committee’s only currency was the moral authority of the members of the committee which was brought to bear on both the candidates and the head of the institutions.

Remarkably, penultimate Wednesday, three days before the presidential election, the committee members again met with the president and again won his support for the Abuja Accord.

Inherent in the accord was that the candidates would abide by the results of the election and cause their supporters to also do the same. Following the meeting

Continues on page 50

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

SARAKI DYNASTY:

How PDP's flaws reunite Bukola, Gbemi Even though she is not a candidate in any of the elections holding this year, Senator Gbemisola Saraki is about the most keenly watched politicians in Kwara State at the moment.

By Emmanuel Aziken and Demola Akinyemi

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ENATOR Bukola Saraki, the new king on the bloc in Kwara State is reported to have done almost everything to appease his immediate younger sister for his action in passing over her to support Abdulfatah Ahmed for the governorship four years ago.

Visits, emissaries, childhood reminisces were said to have been of no effect in assuaging the hurt of Gbemisola who lost the 2011 governorship election to Ahmed upon the support thrown to the later by her brother.

When the opportunity opened for her to spite her brother a year ago, she wasted no time when the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP opened its doors to her after the brother left the party for the newly emerged All Progressives Congress, APC. However, the elders in the PDP only took her in only to widen the gulf with her brother it apparently dawned on the former senator.

Gbemi and her brother Bukola and their late influential father, Olusola form a unique partnership in the country’s political firmament in being the

only family to have produced three senators.

That image is, however, said to be the envy of many political stakeholders in Kwara who allege that they cannot serve father, brother and daughter.

So, when she returned to the party and Abuja sought a heavy weight politician in Kwara to serve as minister to counter the influence of Bukola, Gbemi was a top name that came for consideration, but the antiSaraki feeling helped to ensure that she was eased out of consideration.

Gbemi it seemed took it in quietly and pushed forward the process of seeking the PDP’s governorship ticket. Again she lost out, but her associates and several other independent observers allege that the process was skewed.

Even more embarrassingly for her was the fact that Senator Simon Ajibola who emerged as the governorship candidate was one her supporters claim answered to Gbemi while they were all in the Senate together.

Besides, insiders in the Gbemi camp alleged a systematic attack on her structures within the party. It was as such no surprise that throughout the presidential campaigns that

•Bukola

•Gbemi

Gbemi stayed away, a development that inevitably worried party chieftains.

Over time it again increasingly emerged that

It was as such no surprise that throughout the presidential campaigns that Gbemi stayed away, a development that inevitably worried party chieftains

Gbemi was about to make a statement.

A signpost to her exit from the PDP came to the fore in mid February when she visited Ilorin and was received by a mammoth crowd who were conveyed in a long entourage of buses. Conspicuous in the convoy were beautiful posters of the radiant Gbemi noticeable by the absence of the logo of any political party.

It was not surprising that top party chieftains in the state immediately sought to woo her.

Initially, she was given the slot of the deputy governor but taking it as an insult she reportedly immediately turned her back on it.

In apparent move to stave off her exit from the party the PDP state chairman, Akogun Iyiola Oyedepo and the secretary Barrister Abdurazaq Hassan in separate press statements pleaded with her to consider

PRESIDENTIAL POLLS: The untold story of the peacemakers Continued from page 49 with the president at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa, Abubakar told State House correspondents: “We have come as one to see Mr. President as the Commander-Chief of the country and to tell him what we have discussed with all the stakeholders and the role he as the Commander-In-Chief has to play and also what we expect him as a contestant in this race.

“We have briefed him and he has given us his assurance of conducting free, fair and violence-free elections.

And this is what this committee is all about.”

Following the meeting with the president, the committee also met with Buhari early on Thursday morning after which the two men were brought together again to reaffirm their adherence to the Abuja Accord.

The work of the committee did not end there as after the elections they again continued contacts with the two major candidates as the results came out. The landmark role of the committee was laid in history by the fact that Abubakar first disclosed news of the telephone call

from the president to Gen. Buhari during one of the shuttles between the two candidates.

Abubakar and some members of his committee were on a visit to the president to thank him for making sure that the election went on peacefully in most of the country when he also revealed that the president had conceded defeat in the election.

He said: “We were at the middle of a meeting with the international observers to try to see how we can still water the tension down, when gladly I called Gen. Buhari that we are going to see him, he told me that Mr. President had called him at about 5:15pm and congratulated him and conceded defeat.

Acceptance of result “In the history of Nigeria, I think this is the first time a contestant has called his rival to congratulate him and through this point, President Jonathan maintained a point that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. “He has proved that he is a man of his word because during our interaction on this peace committee he has always maintained that he is going to accept the result of the elections whichever way it is done. “And

he has proved this.

As Abubakar said that Tuesday minutes after the president made the historic phone call to Buhari.

While stakeholders conversant with the altruistic role of the committee in averting post-election violence have lauded the role of committee members, Dr. ArthurMartins Aginam, the head of the committee’s secretariat and who is also executive director of the Kukah Centre lauded the president for his unselfish commitment to the accord.

“Credit should go to the president and if he wanted not to be a statesman he could have chosen that path and it is not as if anybody put a gun on his head or prevailed on him and he had said all through the campaign that his ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian and what he did was simply a reaffirmation of all that he had been saying.”

Besides the president, the IG, Jega and especially the committee members would be etched in history for their historical role in averting what possibly could have been a type of violence never seen in the country.

her efforts and investments in the party and reconsider her alleged plan to dump the party.

Gbemi tactically kept her distance from them and from the speculations about her political trajectory.

That was until the eve of the presidential and National Assembly election when she arrived Ilorin to a mammoth reception organised by her supporters.

From the airport, the convoy moved to the Saraki family home where she symbolically told her supporters to vote for the broom party.

An eye witness account disclosed that Gbemi told her supporters to take into consideration that the presidential election fell on the same day as the Environmental Sanitation Day. She was as such reported to have told them to sweep their environments thoroughly with their brooms.

Defection of women leader “All of you know that tomorrow March 28 is the last Saturday of the month and also the day for the presidential elections, I urge you to sweep your environment very well with your brooms,” a source present at the occasion reported her as saying.

She was quoted as having directed her supporters to vote for the APC at all levels.

An indication to her imminent defection from the PDP was given by the defection of the women leader of the PDP in the state, Mrs. Nimota Suleiman penultimate Sunday. Mrs. Suleiman is a well-known associate of Gbemi.

Sources close to the former senator confided that, the national leadership of the APC may storm Ilorin, the state capital anytime soon to receive her into the APC fold.

The return of Gbemi to the fold would only harden the already difficult grounds in Kwara for the PDP. But for the Saraki family compound Gbemi’s return would only soften the grounds with tears of joy.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 51

APC assures Lagos of more federal presence

L

AGOSIANS have been enjoined to vote enmass for the candidate of the All Peoples Congress, APC, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode in the April 11 governorship election for Lagos to continue to enjoy more federal presence which had been denied them under the out-going PDP led Federal Government. In a door to door campaign embarked upon by the Strike Team, one of the Independent Campaign Groups, ICG, for the election of the APC governorship candidate, Lagos electorate were strongly advised to vote for the APC candidate whose party had already won at the center for Lagos to keep enjoying the support of the Federal Government under the present dispensation.

Atere lauds Nigerians

T

HE Bishop of the Di ocese of Awori (Anglican Communion), the Rt. Revd. (Dr) Johnson AkinAtere, has said that the peaceful conduct of the March 28 presidential election has rekindled hope of a new nation where peace and justice shall reign.

Atere, who made this remark during a sermon at a special Easter Sunday service, with the theme‘Good Hope through Grace’, at the Cathedral of St. James Church, Ota, Ogun State, stressed that the election of General Muhammadu Buhari has raised the hope of Nigerians with the promise of change while President Goodluck Jonathan’s desire to concede defeat portrayed him as a worthy ambassador of peace whose rare character gave hope that Nigeria was on the path to more greatness.

Easter: Oritsejafor, Akinde urge Nigerians to emulate Christ’s sacrifice

By Sam Eyoboka & Olayinka Latona

N

ATIONAL President of Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor and the Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Lagos Mainland, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Prof.

Adebayo Akinde, have stressed the need for sustained peace in the country, arguing that there is nothing greater than peace and love as enunciated by God

and demonstrated by President Goodluck Jonathan recently.

Referring to President Jonathan’s demonstration of statesmanship in last month's presidential elections, Pastor Oritsejafor, in his Easter message to the nation, argued that such attitude should be the point of reference for all our political leaders in subsequent elections.

Oritsejafor explained that Easter stands for the suffering,

Islamic council counsels Christians

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

T

HE Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, has urged Christians across the country to allow the spiritual renewal in the Easter season to serve as a means of redefining the course of developing the country.

In a statement from the president general of the council who also is the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar to the president, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, he congratulated the Christian community on the occasion of Easter.

In the statement signed by Prof.

Is-haq Oloyede, the secretary general, the Muslim body said, both Christians and Muslims are bonded by common ancestor; stressing that it called for an urgent attention to redress the distrust within the two major faiths and strengthen inter-faith communication among the faithful.

The statement said, “As a religious festival commemorating a significant landmark in Christianity, Easter serves as a springboard for spiritual renewal, religious re-awakening and general rebirth. It is our hope and prayer that this sprits or reawakening and rebirth would be allowed to define our national course. Äs people of faith united

by our common ancestor, Prophet Ibrahim, the recent history of distrust within our faith communities and weakened efforts at inter-faith communication require urgent attention of all of us. Easter serves to re-direct our attention to those values and ideals that we traditionally share in common, which had defined us before the recent expediency.”

NSCIA, however, raised alarm over the poor attention given to the study of both Islamic and Christian Studies in our schools, which it said must be addressed timely. It said, “Specifically, Your Grace would appreciate that before our eyes, both Islamic and Christian Studies as independent school subjects have been downgraded to mere topics under a subject in our basic school curricula. Other tragedies bordering on trust had befallen us but we thank God for this golden opportunity of Easter and its symbolic message of renewal.”

It called for a vibrant partnership to address “issues pertinent to building a strong and vibrant nation,'' adding, ''let us put the past behind us as we deem the largely peaceful elections, and this period and opportunity to make a new beginning in the spirit of fasting, prayer, penance and cooperation.”

power over death and grace through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross of Calvary. He said, “dear brothers and sisters, Christ died and rose once for all, and for everyone, but the power of the Resurrection, this passover from slavery to evil to the freedom of goodness, must be accomplished in every age and in our nation. So this is the invitation which I address to everyone: Let us accept the grace of Christ’s Resurrection especially at this stage of our national life. And so we ask the risen Jesus, who turns death into life, to change hatred into love, vengeance into forgiveness, war into peace. Yes, Christ is our peace, and through him we implore peace for all of Nigeria.”

Oritsejafor maintained that “peace for Nigeria is what I bring to you at this celebrations, may unity and stability be restored permanently in Nigeria.,'' adding, “I also pray for peace for the incoming administration led by Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) with optimism that Nigeria will witness peace and progress under his administration. May the risen Lord, the conqueror of sin and death, be a support to you all, especially to the weakest

and neediest. Thank you for your support to our leaders and on behalf of my family I wish you a wonderful Easter celebrations.”

Addressing newsmen, yesterday, during an Easter Sunday divine service, Most Rev. Akinde at the Cathedral of St. Jude Anglican Church in Ebute Metta, Lagos, said God is set to do a new thing for the country, describing Easter as a victory over Satanic operations, good over evil, and God demands that “we live holy lives because God is holy and does not tolerate iniquity”.

He said the resurrection of Jesus Christ symbolises the love of God towards mankind, stating that this is not the time for Nigerians to hold on to their tribal cleavages but instead God wants us to love one another unconditionally. God is love and Christians must show love to everybody. We must be prepared to make sacrifice. Jesus made sacrifice for you and I through that sacrificial death on the cross at Calvary.”

To the incoming political leaders, Most Rev. Akinde said they must learn from recent history and keep their campaign promises to the people of the country by refraining from leaving debts for generations to come.

L-r: President-elect, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari welcoming the chairman, Bulet Construction Ltd., Mallam Ismaila Isa, while others watched during the courtesy visit by Katsina Leaders to the President-Elect at the Buhari Campaign Office, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

OPINION M.D.Y usufu: A tribut e M.D.Yusufu: tribute

By Adedeji Badejo

A

LHAJI Mohammed Dikko Yusufu Nigeria’s third indigenous Inspector General of Police, former presidential aspirant and a blue blood from Kastina State passed away on Wednesday, April 1 2015 after a protracted illness.

He was 85. Born of an aristocratic ancestry, by the time he grew into adulthood, after completing Arabic education in Kano, MD had been infected with radical idealism, courtesy of Sa’adu Zungur and Mallam Aminu Kano who were both leading members of Northern Elements Progressive union (NEPU). He joined NEPU in earnest and rose through the ranks to become

its secretary in Katsina provinces.

This radical opposition to entrenched privilege was to define his early life. But he was saved from further radicalism when he was thrusted into Northern Nigerian civil service, where his left-wing leaning attracted suspicion. MD joined the Police Force in a dramatic manner; he eyed the foreign service of independent Nigeria but ended up in The Nigeria Police Force.

He however distinguished himself in a career spanning 17 years (1962-1979), He was commissioner of police for the Northern Nigeria, head of special branch and eventually the Inspector General of police from 1975-1979. He retired honourably to his ancestral Katsina home, only to cause a stir by planting

conspicuously the flag of the Peoples’ Redemption Party (PRP) in front of his house! PRP was the radical and progressive party formed by the late Mallam Aminu Kano with whom he shared a revolutionary spirit. He later served as the chairman, board of directors, Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Chairman, Arewa Consultative

The most daring of his political activities was his presidential ambition which amounted to challenging the late General Sanni Abacha

Forum (ACF) and founded a political party, Movement for Democracy and Justice. Perhaps, the most daring of his political activities was his presidential ambition which amounted to challenging the late General Sanni Abacha. He was eventually sidelined in the scandalous adoption of Abacha as a consencus candidate by the existing parties.

However, he gained tremendous goodwill from within and outside Nigeria for his doggedness against tyranny. In spite of his attainment in life coupled with his aristocratic background, MD remained humble, accessible and respectful. May almighty Allah grant him Al-Janaat Firdaus. And give his family and friends the fortitude to bear this huge loss. Adieu MD! *Mr. Badejo, a political analyst, wrote from Lagos.

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

You could harbour kidney disease for 15yrs and not know — Dr. Olugbenga Awobusuyi, Consultant Nephrologist, LASUTH IN recent times, the spate of kidney (renal) diseases and kidney failure has been a real source of worry. In this chat with Sola Ogundipe, Dr. Olugbenga Awobusuyi, a Consultant Nephrologist (kidney specialist), and member, Nigeria Association of Nephrology, NAN, re-echoes the importance of early detection and proper management in prevention and management of kidney disorders. Awobusuyi, a professor of internal medicine at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, and Fellow, National Post-Graduate Medical College, speaks on the need for constant health checks and adoption of healthy lifestyles. Excerpts:

R

ENAL failure affects the rich, poor, young and old, regardless of status. It is a disease that has a very high prevalence in our society. The only reason why people are not aware of renal failure is that most times it doesnt have symptoms until late in the course of the disease.

Someone could be harbouring renal disease for 10 to 15 years and only become symptomatic years after developing the disease fully. At the very early stage, most people are not aware of it until very late in the course of the disease and this is a major issue.

By the time symptoms begin to show, it is very late in the course of the disease and treatment becomes very expensive. This is why we continue to have occasions like the World Kidney Day and the MTN Foundation Screening Exercise and such screening programmes in Nigeria. The emphasis right now is to detect kidney failure and begin early treatment.

Prevalence of renal failure Most studies on the general population of Nigeria of say 18 to 21 percent of the adult population is close to about one fifth of the adult population and that is very close to what we find in hypertension. We must also take into cognisance that there are different stages of kidney failure.

The very early stage is common but the very severe stage is what we don't see. Yes, it is on the rise all over the world because the major factors that are causing kidney diseases are increasing in the entire population.

Chief among them is hypertension which is becoming a lot more rampant and the kidney is a target organ for damage. This is the commonest cause of kidney failure in Nigeria. Another factor is diabetes. Most people visit fast food eateries and ingest a lot of calories that are not needed in the body and at the end become diabetic. Meat has a major role to play in kidney disease. HIV is also a major cause. Although

many HIV patients are living longer with the drugs they are taking, some of the drugs also cause kidney failure and so there are quite a number of HIVrelated kidney diseases.

Infections such as Hepatitis B and C could also cause kidney damage. There is the Auto Immune Disease in which the body produces substances meant to wade off infection or invasion that could damage some part of the tissue. Ordinarily these substances don't attack the organs but in people with Synthetic Lupus Erythematosus ( SLE), it tends to have effect on their organs and kidney damage is a problem they encounter.

In elderly patients, especially men with prostate enlargement , obstruction to flow of urine leading to back pressure on the kidneys ultimately causes kidney damage. Common infections such as typhoid and malaria cause acute kidney injury that may lead to chronic kidney disease.

Women who develop very high blood pressure during pregnancy could end up with chronic kidney disease. Patients who have sickle cell disease are also liable to developing chronic kidney disease as a complication.

Drug abuse: Misuse of medication can cause kidney failure. It is not unusual to see people taking paracetamol, with steroids. These drugs tend to cause kidney damage or Analgesic Nephropathy. An analgesic is a drug used to kill pain and when consumed in large quantity over a long period, they can certainly cause damage to the kidneys.

The other aspect is native medication - the herbs people take. We are sure that herbs certainly cause kidney failure; we have seen many people come down with kidney failure after taking these herbs. The “holy water”, which is greenish because it has been made with perfume and all sorts, causes people who take it to come down with renal failure after consuming it.

Shagamu used to be known for its red suya and people have

•Dr. Olugbenga Awobusuyi. developed Haemolysisfragments in the red blood cells after taking the suya. It is not exactly the suya that causes the damage but a deficiency in certain enzymes. The red suya causes some sort of stress on their red blood cells and causes the cells to fragment. When the cells fragment, they release a lot of haemoglobin in the blood and that is what damages the kidneys.

Certain injections taken as requirement for certain x-ray procedures can lead to the development of kidney failure, especially in diabetics.

Measures taken by NAN: We have been at the forefront of disseminating information to the community through various channels. One is the MTN partnership, which has bee on for

Hypertension and diabetes are becoming a lot more rampant and the kidney is a target organ for damage. They are the commonest causes of kidney failure in Nigeria

four years now and every year we run community health screening programmes. In the programme, we have an education and interactive session where a member of NAN or somebody in the renal care profession talks to the common man in the language they understand. A member of NAN from Calabar, for instance, will render the session in Efik. We also take advantage of the World Kidney Day. We screen members of a select community.

The screening is usually free but we solicit support and get screening materials for people to get their blood and urine tested.

We do their blood pressure and check blood sugar. What we are trying to do basically is to screen and detect kidney diseases early.

Not only are we detecting it, we also refer them to hospitals where they can meet professionals, get assistance on the abnormalities detected and get treated.

Early detection: We can treat and cure the patient if the kidney disease is detected early. There are many aspects to kidney disease. One is diagnosis - you can treat the underline cause of that kidney disease. When the cause is treated then it's not likely that the patient will end up on dialysis. I must quickly say that with kidney disease irrespective of the cause, once you have substantial damage, the tendency is for progression of the disease.

We can identify factors that lead to progression of the disease, treat them and more often than not, reduce the rate of its progression.

If someone needs dialysis in six months time we might be able to add four to five or even 10 more years to the time that person would need dialysis. There are

times we actually stop the progression. It depends on so many factors.

The other aspect that is also crucial in patients who have renal disease are the heart related problems they might have. Most patients could die of heart related problems and cardio-vascular disease even before getting to any stage where they would require dialysis. The beauty of early detection is that we also screen for cardio-vascular issues and prevent death and deterioration.

Number of cases:After our community health screenings, the hospitals get overwhelmed with the number of people coming in to access their kidneys and those we found to have kidney diseases during the screening. The screening exercise has brought a lot of enlightenment. Another aspect of the MTN screening exercise is to create awareness about the dialysis units in those areas.

There are areas where these dialysis units have made dialysis cheaper. In most places, dialysis treatment is far more expensive than what the MTN Foundation dialysis unit charge which is N15,000. On the average in Lagos, you need about N25,000, so it is about N10,000 cheaper.

NAN and MTNF NAN gives MTNF professional advice. We tell them what the requirements are for those dialysis units and NAN members are usually the nurses, doctors in those units as well as the hospital staff. For community screenings, NAN provides the logistics in terms of project management or design of screening while MTNF provides financial support.

It is a win-win partnership.

MTNF is achieving its main objective and NAN is also playing the role of making the health of Nigerians better with regard to kidney diseases.

The hospital provides whatever is necessary to run and maintain the machines. MTN handles the funds and provides the staff salary. The payments people make during this screening is used to run and maintain the machines used during the process.

Local capacity: We don’t have sufficient local capacity or local expertise in this area of specialization. NAN has drafted a renal care policy and submitted to the National Assembly. We have created awareness, gone to the Ministry of Health and tried to get attention in the high places.

In partnership with the MTNF we are looking at influencing policies because that is what will affect a lot more people than dialysis units and public awareness programmes.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—53

C M Y K

54—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

EASTER: Political, religious leaders sue for peaceful co-existence Y

By Umar Yusuf

OLA—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s candidate for Saturday's governorship election in Adamawa State, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has enjoined Christians and Muslims in the state to always preach peace, saying that it was the only prerequisite for any meaningful development.

He made the call on the occasion of Easter Sunday, even as special church services were held throughout the state to mark the day.

In a statement issued in Yola by the Head of Media Nuhu Ribadu Campaign Organization, Mallam Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, Mallam Ribadu noted that without peace, no meaningful development could be achieved.

He, therefore, called on leaders of the two religions to preach to their followers the need to be their brother ’s keepers, irrespective of their faith and belief.

Nuhu Ribadu called on the people to exhibit the peaceful conduct exhibited during the presidential election in the governorship election scheduled for this weekend.

Meanwhile, in his sermon to mark the Easter Sunday at a special church service, the Bishop of Catholic Diocese of

Yola, Most Reverend Stephen Dami Mamza, urged Christians to use the period of Easter for a sober reflection and rededicate themselves to the service of God. Bishop Mamza called on Christians to re-examine their faith in God, stressing that recent happenings worldwide called for such re-examination.

The bishop called on the federal and state governments to hasten the rehabilitation of victims of Boko Haram insurgency in their various

homes, hoping that with the prayers of all Nigerians, the issue of insurgency attacks had become a thing of the past.

In his sermon, Bishop Peter Makanto of the Upper Room Cathedral, tasked Christians to change their lifestyle and re-dedicate more to the service of God. Bishop Makanto used the occasion of Easter to commend Nigerians for the mature nature they conducted themselves during the recent presidential election and

enjoined them to show the same spirit of sportsmanship during the governorship and states Houses of Assembly elections.

The cleric observed that the peaceful conduct of the presidential election had disproved the notion that Nigerians could not conduct peaceful elections, maintaining that the last general election would mark the beginning of peaceful coexistence among the generality of Nigerians.

CARNIVAL: Members of Otu-Oma Iwere Cultural Society of Nigeria during the 21st annual masquerade carnival 2015 of the group in Lagos, yesterday. Photo by Diran Oshe.

Jigawa APC gov candidate vows to support Buhari in job creation

By Aliyu Dangida

D

UTSE—JIGAWA State gubernatorial candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Badaru Abubakar Talamiz, has promised to support President-elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, in his efforts to alleviate the extreme poverty and provide job opportunities for Nigerians, if elected as governor of the state Alhaji Talamiz, who made the promise while congratulating General Muhammad Buhari on his emergence as elected President of Nigeria, said Nigerians had great expectations for Buhari to bring conducive atmosphere and positive change in their lives.

According to him, majority are suffering from extreme poverty due to lack of good governance by the outgoing government in the country.

Talamiz explained that C M Y K

Jigawa people, particularly youths, were among the victims of extreme poverty and unemployment initiated by PDP government all over the nation.

He noted that providing infrastructure without

manpower was useless to any society and that an APC government would provide ample opportunities of employment for the teeming youths in the state.

Badaru further explained that

God blessed Jigawa state with a fertile land, adding that if utilised properly, thousands of youth would secure employment to depend on themselves.

Buhari'll lead Nigeria to greatness —OGBEMUDIA

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—FORMER governor of old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, has expressed confidence that the President-elect, Gen Muhammadu Buhari, will lead the country to greatness, saying his resilience in coming to lead the country a second time was a reflection of his antecedents in the army.

“I have known him since 1963 when he was commissioned into the Nigerian Army. I had the privilege to see some of his confidential reports written by

his commanders in which he was described as a young officer with boundless energy, and willing to continue when others are tired.

“Energy and resilience he has truly demonstrated in politics by winning a historic election at the fourth attempt. I am confident that he will lead Nigeria into a remarkable era,” he stated.

Ogbemudia admonished members of his party, the PDP, to use the defeat they suffered in the presidential election to demonstrate capacity to be a viable alternative party.

Commending President

Jonathan for exhibiting statesmanship after the declaration of the result, Dr Ogbemudia urged the PDP to reflect on what led to the defeat of the party. He said: “This is an opportunity to begin to demonstrate capacity as a viable and credible alternative in the service of the nation. A peep into what went wrong is called for.

“The President, Dr Jonathan, by his conduct has demonstrated both sportsmanship and statesmanship. The verdict of history will be favourable to him,” he said.

Tsav tasks Buhari on blueprint to tackle corruption

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI— F O R M E R Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Abubakar Tsav, has called on the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to prepare a blueprint to tackle what he described as institutionalized corruption in Nigeria.

Tsav, who yesterday in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, congratulated Gen. Buhari on his victory at the presidential poll, cautioned that the task ahead of him was enormous.

He said: “Expectations are high. He is coming in to rule a country which is battered by institutionalized corruption, brazen impunity, collapsed economy, insecurity and joblessness of our youths."

EASTER: Saraki urges Nigerians to make sacrifices

By Demola Akinyemi

I

LORIN—THE senator representing Kwara Central in the National Assembly, Senator Bukola Saraki, has urged Nigerians to make huge sacrifices and place the country on a high priority.

The former governor stated this in his Easter message made available to Vanguard in Ilorin.

The message reads: “At this moment when Nigeria is globally celebrated on her emergence of a new democratic dispensation, I extend a hearty felicitation to our dear Christian families all across the country.

“By historic effect, Easter corroborates quite well with the present situation of our country. Nigeria needs socio-political resurrection in order to return hope to her people. “ For this to come to life, we all need to make huge sacrifice and place this nation on a high priority."

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015—55

APC’ll win Saturday’s gov poll—Igbokwe T

HE LAGOS chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has expressed optimism that the electorate will return it to government next Saturday during the governorship elections, saying the rival Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, cannot reap from what APC has laboured for.

The party, in a statement, weekend, by its Publicity Secretary, Engr. Joe Igbokwe said, “we’re confident that the enlightened and sophisticated voting populace will renew our mandate by endorsing our governorship candidate, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode and our House of Assembly standard bearers at the polls.

"The outcome of the presidential election which our candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari won convincingly has set the template for continuity and progress in Lagos State.”

Igbokwe said the PDP will be day-dreaming if it thinks Lagosians will pitch their tent with a party that had been rejected by the generality of Nigerians.

“Is it now that our party is controlling the centre that our people will vote for a dying PDP? Would Nigerians have rejected the party on March 28 if the PDP had done well in the past 16 years? Igbokwe asked.

According to him: “We should not forget that Lagos has been the envy of other states in terms of development, good governance and performance since 1999 under the same political platform and despite victimisation and lack of cooperation from the Federal Government.

“If the APC government in Lagos has been able to do this much and take the state to enviable position in 16 years without federal support, then things can only be better

now that the APC has won the presidency “There are so many reasons Lagosians should not vote for the PDP in Lagos. It is the PDP that frustrated the Lagos State Government’s plan to build the 4th Mainland Bridge that would have eased traffic on Eko Bridge, Marina Bridge and the 3rd Mainland Bridge.

“The PDP has been ferocious

in its opposition to the creation of additional local government areas in Lagos which has a population that is as large as that of three West African nations combined.

“The PDP will be asking for too much if it expects the votes of Lagosians who reside in those 37 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, that were created by the APC

COMMEMORATION: Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (middle); the Ataoja of Osogbo, Oba Jimoh Olanipekun (right), and former Senator, Osun Central senatorial district, Senator Bayo Salami, during the Special Jumat Service commemorating the victory of General Muhammadu Buhari, at the just concluded presidential/National Assembly elections, last Friday.

Forgive, be your brothers’ keeper, Buhari tells Nigerians

P

R E S I D E N T- E L E C T, G E N E R A L Muhammadu Buhari has called on Nigerians to use the occasion of the Easter season to forgive those who might have wronged them during the electioneering period and

come together as brothers and sisters to rebuild Nigeria.

Chronicling, the supreme sacrifice of Jesus Christ to save mankind from sin and other man-made imperfections. Buhari said that Nigerians must emulate

Kwara gov's aide asks electorate to vote for APC

By Demola Akinyemi

I

LORIN — AN aide of Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Mr. Segun Karunwi has urged the people of Magaji Are ward 1 and Ward 2 of Ilorin East area of the state to troop out en masse on Saturday and vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the governorship election.

Mr. Karunwi in a statement in Ilorin, yesterday, commended the electorate of the two wards for their massive support for the APC in the last election, assuring that their efforts would be rewarded with C M Y K

government to further take development to the grassroots.

“Lagosians are no fools and they have always identified with the progressives.

"We in APC can vouch that our people are enlightened enough not to fall victims for the tricks of the PDP, a party that does not have the interest of the masses at heart.”

more government presence in the areas.

According to him,”their turn-out was massive in the last election and the electorate's efforts must be acknowledged and appreciated particularly with more presence of the government efforts, if Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of APC is re-elected in next week’s election.

Mr Karunwi who was also an aide of Senator Bukola Saraki when he was the governor of Kwara state urged the electorate to remain peaceful and conduct themselves in an orderly manner while casting their ballot in the next

election.

He also commended various security aides in the state for performing their professional roles towards ensuring a peaceful election across the state.

“The various security agencies did very well by displaying a very high professionalism in ensuring a peaceful elections,this need to be acknowledged, for an improved and better performance in the next election. The same goes with INEC staff and the youth corps members who performed their duties creditably well”, he said

the virtues which continued to make Easter a significant part of the lives of many Nigerians.

A statement yesterday by Dele Alake, Director of communications, APC campaign organisation quoted Buhari as saying that, “Nigeria needs all of us now to banish hunger, abolish poverty, demolish injustice and furnish our nation anew with uncommon patriotism and exemplary sacrifice.

“As we turn a new page in the history of our great nation, as we open a new chapter in the struggles of our people to create the social and economic conditions that will make possible equal opportunities for the children of the poor and rich; for the graduates from North, South, East and West, we need to bury the conflicts of the past so that we can cherish the harmony that our new democratic republic shall bring.”

President-elect Buhari then enjoined all lovers of democracy in general and voters in particular to help shape a better and greater Nigeria with the votes that they will cast in the April 11 polls.

Central, West African countries to hold summit on Boko Haram

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ENTRAL AND West African leaders will hold a summit next week to fine tune their campaign to crush Boko Haram, who appear to be losing ground in the face of a regional military offensive.

The April 8 talks will be the first since Nigeria’s election a week ago, which was won by Muhammadu Buhari, a former military leader who has vowed to rid his country of the “terror ” the Islamist militants have sown.

The West African regional bloc ECOWAS said in a statement Sunday that the meeting in the Equatorial Guinea capital Malabo came “in the face of the mounting and increasingly bloody attacks by the fundamentalists against Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.”

The Malabo summit is being jointly organised

by ECOWAS and the Economic Community of Central African States, ECCAS.

Don't downsize the workforce, Labour Party tells Buhari

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BUJA — NATIONAL body of Labour Party, LP, has advised the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), not to retrench workers just to save cost when he takes over.

The National Secretary of LP, Dr. Olukayode Ajulo in a statement, on Sunday, in Abuja, also reminded the President-elect that the Minimum Wage Act was due for review as provided in the legislation where it stipulated that the minimum wage should be reviewed every five years.

Ajulo explained that the LP decided to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan during the presidential election because of his pro-workers policies, adding President Jonathan set a good example by being the only government that did not overtly or covertly retrench workers.

56 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, APRIL 6 , 2015

French public radio strike rumbles on after talks fail

Pope expresses worry over bloodshed T in Libya, Yemen, Syria, others •Hails Iran nuclear peace agreement

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HILE expressing deep worry about bloodshed in Libya, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and elsewhere in Africa, Pope Frances in his Easter peace message yesterday, praised the framework nuclear agreement with Iran as an opportunity to make the world safer, Cautious hope ran through Francis’ “Urbi et Orbi” Easter message, a kind of papal commentary on the state of the world’s affairs, which he delivered from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Square.

He had just celebrated Mass in rain-whipped St. Peter’s Square for tens of thousands of people, who huddled under umbrellas or braved the downpour in thin, plastic rain-slickers.

Easter day is “so beautiful, and so ugly because of the rain,” Francis said after Mass about Christianity’s most important feast

•Pope Francis salutes as he arrives for an Easter mass, in St. Peter’s square at the Vatican, yesterday day. He expressed thanks for the flowers which bedecked the square and which were donated by the Netherlands, but the bright hues of the azaleas and other blossoms seemed muted by the gray skies.

Yemen conflict: Houthi rebels make gains in Aden

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EMEN’S Shia Houthi rebels have made more gains in the city of Aden, despite air strikes by a Saudi-led coalition.

Fighting in the southern city has intensified as rebels and forces loyal to President Abdrabbuh Mansour Hadi battle for control.

Countries including China have stepped up efforts to evacuate their citizens amid the w o r s e n i n g humanitarian crisis.

The Red Cross has been given permission by the coalition to bring aid into

Yemen by plane.

It says that two planes have been approved by the coalition. One will be a cargo plane carrying vital medical supplies, and the second a small passenger plane with

T

WO teenagers from northern England have been arrested on suspicion of preparing for acts of terrorism, British police said yesterday.

A 14-year-old boy from Blackburn and a

Lausanne, Switzerland, and aimed at ensuring Iran doesn’t develop a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu presses U.S to seek better deal on Iran

I

SRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the United States on Sunday to seek a better deal to curb Iran’s nuclear program and said he would press American lawmakers not to give Tehran “a free path to the bomb.”

Netanyahu said he

British teenagers arrested on terrorism offences

•Houses have been destroyed by the air strikes C M Y K

Francis made his first public comments about the recent framework for an accord, reached in

16-year-old girl from Manchester were arrested on Thursday and Friday respectively as part of an ongoing investigation and have both been bailed until May 28, Greater Manchester Police said in a statement.

has spoken with both Democrats and Republicans in Congress nearly two thirds of House of Representatives members and a similar number in the U.S. Senate - about the Iran nuclear issue.

The Israeli prime minister has been strongly critical of the framework agreement struck on Thursday between world powers and Iran, saying it threatens the survival of Israel.

In appearances on U.S. television on Sunday, Netanyahu did not repeat his assertion on Friday that any final agreement should include a commitment

by Iran recognizing Israel’s right to exist.

“This is not a partisan issue. This is not solely an Israeli issue,” Netanyahu said of the interim nuclear agreement, speaking on CNN’s “State of the Union” program.

“This is a world issue because everyone is going to be threatened by the pre-eminent terrorist state of our time, keeping the infrastructure to produce not one nuclear bomb but many, many nuclear bombs down the line.”

HE longest strike in a decade at France’s public radio broadcaster has left paralyzed news stations playing music and shows no sign of ending after weekend talks failed to defuse a standoff over cost cuts.

Radio France chief Mathieu Gallet has warned the group could run out of money within months if no measures are taken, and said the strike is costing 1 million euros a week.

The 18-day-old dispute at Radio France stems from concerns over job losses and service reductions aimed at reining in a budget deficit expected to reach 21 million euros this year.

The strike has added to

the headaches of Francois Hollande’s unpopular Socialist government. It has decided to keep its level of grant to Radio France unchanged over the next three years and has called on the broadcaster to cut spending.

In talks on Saturday, management offered not to merge the group’s orchestras, one potential cost-saving measure, but did not address other concerns, unions at Radio France said in a statement.

Gallet has set a target of 50 million euros in savings over the 201519 period and proposed cutting 200 to 300 jobs through voluntary redundancies, out of a staff of some 4,900.

Afghan Taliban publish Mullah Omar biography

T

HE Afghan Taliban have published a surprise biography of the reclusive Mullah Mohammed Omar, to mark his 19th year as their supreme leader.

The 5,000-word biography on their main website clarifies disputed facts about his birth and upbringing.

It lists his favourite weapon - the RPG 7 - and says he leads a simple life and has a “special” sense of humour.

It says Mullah Omar, whose whereabouts are unknown, “remains in touch” with day-to-day Afghan and world events.

The US state department has a $10m bounty on Mullah Omar, who has not been seen since the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.

It was Mullah Omar’s backing for al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden that sparked the campaign.

Israelis targeted UN peacekeepers in Lebanon

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CONFIDENTIAL Spanish military report on the death of a Spanish UN peacekeeper in Israeli shelling in Lebanon said he was manning a post that appeared to have been targeted, a newspaper reported yesterday.

El Pais cited extracts from the report which drew on testimony from soldiers following the January 28 incident when the Israeli military shelled border areas following a Hezbollah attack that left two Israeli soldiers dead.

Corporal Ivan Lopez Sanchez, who was stationed nearby, told investigators that the UN position was clearly targeted.

“Every time, they corrected the trajectory from Majidiye to the 428” post, where the UNIFIL peacekeepers

were stationed, he said.

Spain and Israel have agreed to carry out a joint probe into the death of 36-year-old corporal Javier Soria Toledo.

Another Spanish soldier, Sergeant Julio Xavier Garcia, echoed Sanchez, saying the shells initially fell about 500 metres (yards) north of the UN post and then they “corrected the trajectory towards the position.”

A third soldier said fragmentation bombs were used in the attack and that the shelling finally appeared to target the main watch tower.

El Pais quoted a UN report which said that Israel had warned the UN peacekeepers at 11:40 am not to venture out, without giving any explanation.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 6 , 2015 — 57

Italy rescues 1,500 migrants in Mediterranean

Kenyan govt names attack mastermind T

HE Kenyan gov ernment says Mohamed Mohamud, also known by aliases Dulyadin and Gamadhere, is the mastermind of Thursday’s Kenya university terror attack, according to a tweet from the country’s Interior Ministry.

Al-Shabaab, an al-Qaeda-linked militant group based in Somalia, took responsibility for the attack, according to the U.S. Embassy in Nairobi.

Mohamud is “credited with having an extensive terrorist network within Kenya,” according to a ministry document given to CNN. Earlier the ministry posted a “Most Wanted” notice for Mohamud in connection with the attack. It offers a reward of 20 million Kenyan shillings, which is about $215,000.

“We appeal to anyone with any info on #Gamadhere to share with relevant authorities and security agencies,” the Interior Ministry posted on Twitter.

Mohamud is currently in charge of external operations against Kenya, the document says, and he is the regional commander within AlShabaab in charge of the Juba region. In this role, he commands the militia along the border and “is

*KENYA ATTACK: Grieved families of the affected victims. responsible for cross-border incursions in the country.”

His network extends within the Dadaab refugee camp, the document says. Dadaab is the world’s biggest refugee

NKNOWN assail ants shelled the north Mali town of Gao yesterday , killing one person and wounding three others, according to military sources and residents.

Mali’s desert north suffers frequent assaults by Islamist militants despite a military operation led

by France to drive fighters out of the region.

Separatists are also involved in conflict.

The firing began around 6 a.m. (0200 EDT). “There were three or four explosions,” a military source said.

In 2012, Tuareg separatists tried to take control of the north but their rebellion was soon hijacked by better-armed C M Y K

ber ’s quarry attack, which killed at least 36 people. In that attack, Al-Shabaab militants separated non-Muslim workers from their Muslim counterparts and killed them.

Ebola: Sierra Leone’s eastern district records first case

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IERRA LEONE’s eastern district of Kailahun, once a hotbed of Ebola, has recorded its first case in nearly four months, threatening progress made to stamp out the disease, officials said at the weekend..

A 9-month-old boy tested positive for Ebola af-

N/Mali town of Gao hit by mortar bombs

U

camp, home to thousands of people, according to the United Nations.

Mohamud has claimed responsibility for several attacks in the past few years, including Decem-

and funded militants linked to al Qaeda.

Last month, the rebels turned down a U.N. peace plan hammered out with the Malian government in several months of talks, saying it did not address the roots of the conflict.

ter dying in Kailahun, the district on Guinea’s border that recorded Sierra Leone’s first Ebola case last May and was for months the epicenter of the crisis.

Kailahun went from recording up to 80 infections per week in June to zero cases at the end of last year. Nearly 3,800 people have died of Ebola in Sierra Leone but numbers of weekly cases are falling as steps to control the disease take hold. However, Winnie Romeril, a spokeswoman for the World Health Organisation, said local and foreign experts had been dispatched to investigate the case after the positive test result.

Kenema and Kono, two other eastern districts, have recorded a handful of cases in recent months but Kailahun’s successes had been cited as examples for other areas to follow.

S

OME 1,500 mi grants trying to cross the Mediterranean to Italy in five different boats were rescued in one day, Italian coastguards said Sunday.

Four coastguard vessels and an Italian navy ship intervened Saturday to save three large boats carrying migrants off the Libyan coast after intercepting distress calls from satellite telephones, only to find two other migrants boats in difficulty nearby.

The Italian vessels were on Sunday transferring the migrants to the island of Lampedusa and the Sicilian ports of Augusta and Porto Empedocle.

In a separate incident on Saturday, 318 migrants were brought to the Sicilian port of Pozzallo after being rescued off Libya by an Icelandic navy ship taking part in a patrol for the EU borders agency Frontex.

The migrants included 14 children and five pregnant women, authorities said.

The number of migrants entering the EU illegally in 2014 almost tripled to 276,000, according to Frontex, nearly 220,000 of them arriving via the Mediterranean.

The chaotic situation in Libya has sparked a rise in migrant boats setting out for Europe from its unpoliced ports carrying refugees fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa.

*Illegal migrants stand in an immigration holding centre located on the outskirts of Misrata recently

Head of Egypt's Jihadist group killed

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GYPTIAN security forces have killed the head of a jihadist group responsible for deadly attacks on police, an interior ministry statement said yesterday.

It said Hammam Mohamed Attiyah was killed in an exchange of fire

with security forces during a raid on an apartment in southern Cairo.

No date for the incident was given, and there was no immediate confirmation from Ajnad Misr Attiyah’s reported death came hours after the group claimed responsibility for a bomb-

ing that killed a policeman in an affluent Cairo neighbourhood. Interior Ministry spokesman General Hani Abdel Latif, describing Attiyah as a “fugitive terrorist”, said he was “plotting and preparing to carry out criminal plans”.

The statement said At-

tiyah belonged to the jihadist Ansar Beit alMaqdis — now affiliated with the Islamic State group (IS) — but broke away in 2013 to found Ajnad Misr. Ajnad Misr “is accused of carrying out 26” attacks on police, mainly in Cairo, that have killed several peo-

Vanguard

CLASSIFIED KALU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Miriam Kalu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Akangbou Miriam. All former documents remain valid. General please take note.

AMAMI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Bridget Oghenesuvwe Amami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. B r i d g e t Oghenesuvwe Odibo Temisa. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

EZEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Anesthesia Onyinye Ezeh, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Mark Anastasia Onyinye. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWOSA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwosa Maureen Nkechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Izuogu Maureen Nkechi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

GOVERNMENT—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss G o v e r n m e n t C o n f i d e n c e Eyenimere, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Abonne Confidence Eyenimere. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A M ATA K E — I , formerly known and addressed as Akpos Amatake, now wish to be known and addressed as Akpos Joshua. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OBIEBI—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Obiebi Omonigho Celestina, now wish to be known and addressed as Omonigho Celestina Oniomughare. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

58—Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 —59

C M Y K

60 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

Re-Club Licensing, Dolphins and Professionalism in Club Administration

Emenike in ‘shock’ after Fenerbahce bus shooting T S

UPER Eagles strik er Emmanuel Emenike says he and his Fenerbahce teammates were left in shock after their team bus was shot at by a gunman on Saturday night in Turkey.

The Turkish league leaders were travelling to Trabzon airport to fly back to Istanbul, following their 5-1 victory over Rizespor, when the shooting happened.

The driver was taken to hospital, but no players were injured in the attack which Emenike described as a ‘scary moment’. “The incident left several players in shock on a day we should be celebrating a big away win,” Emenike told BBC Sport.

“I was on the phone with my brother when I heard the loud sound and I thought one of our tyres had busted because the bus was swerving on the road.

“But when I found our security officer in front of the bus I knew something must have gone awfully wrong.”

The 27 year old Emenike says it was not long before they realised someone had been hurt.

“We quickly realised the security guy was the one who hit the break, and he said the driver [who was already soaked in blood] had been shot.

“The word ‘shot’ came as a big shock but when we saw blood and the shattered driver ’s side window, it quickly turned into a scary moment for everyone on the bus.”

Enyimba Continues from Back Page

Kadiri Ikhana started with goalkeeper, Femi Thomas and it proved to be an inspired move as he produced saves right out of the top drawer to keep Smouha at bay in the 15th and 39th minutes.

Smouha had the ball in the Enyimba net on 20 minutes but the goal was disallowed for offside.

The Egyptians were the better side early on and almost took the lead on the stroke of half time C M Y K

*Emenike

CAF accept ruling to give Morocco 2017 Nations Cup place

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HE Confederation of African Football confirmed on Sunday that Morocco will be able to play in the qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.

On Thursday the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned CAF’s ban on Morocco

from the 2017 and 2019 events. But on Friday CAF’s director of communications Junior Binyam told BBC Sport: “There are many meetings to be held before the way forward is known.

“Let’s see what will happen. The draw is

but were again denied by the outstanding Thomas who was standing firm like the Rock of Gilbrater.

Smouha appeared to be struggling to cope with the absence of the home faithfuls at the Alexandria Stadium, Alexandria, as the contest was decided behind closed doors.

Enyimba’s task was made arguably more arduous when playmaker, Kingsley Sokari was sent off in the 70th minute.

Ikhana responded swiftly and threw on Ifeanyi Anaemena for

Andrew Abalogu as the veteran trainer looked to plug holes in midfield.

Enyimba continued to be pushed deep and the pressure eventually led the concession of a penalty 10 minutes from time.

The penalty was converted by Hani Al Egeizi as Smouha took the lead on the day, levelling matters on aggregate before Hermann Kouao fired in the crucial second at the death.

Enyimba thus crashed out 2-1 aggregate and will now ponder what might have been.

supposed to take place on 8 April.”

On Sunday, the Confederation of African Football announced they had accepted the ruling

by CAS following a meeting of the African body’s executive committee, and outlined the reasons on their website.

“CAF, which joined the authority of the jurisdiction of the CAS, has committed to implementing the decisions and will comply with this ruling despite the contradictions observed in the CAS decision.”

Hayatou

BY HARRY IWUALA

HE Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) attracted the attention of two respected opinion leaders in sports. One is my senior ‘Malabite’ and seasoned Sports Journalist turned football administrator, Paul Bassey.

The other is Lawyer whose passion for Journalism is such that one can also take the liberty to address him as a Sports Journalist, Godwin Dudu-Orumen aka Football Aficionado.

Bassey wrote in his weekly column in the Vanguard newspaper on March 23 while Dudu wrote in his blog on March 27 and both focused on some aspects of the game with Bassey interrogating the Club Licensing Regulation and Dudu expressing angst at league club coaches. My comments therefrom is not to join issues with the gentlemen but to amplify facts that they may not have acquainted themselves with and taken note of the extensive work done to develop the Club Licensing document in Nigeria.

Bassey was reacting to the unfortunate sacking of Dolphins FC from the CAF Confederation Cup as a result of their failure to arrive Tunis on time for their first leg clash with Club Africain.

Incidentally, this was happening when he was in Cairo for the CAF organized seminar for Club Licensing Instructors which Bassey and four other Nigerians were recently appointed to be.

It was delightful to see such a writer with huge readership take up the matter of Club Licensing which the League Management Company (LMC) has persistently pursued to get the clubs embrace since early 2013. While his piece was evoked by the Dolphins debacle and therefore did not throw considerable light on what Club Licensing could bring on the table for football in Nigeria, Bassey also wrote in such a way that did not acknowledge the tremendous work that led into

the ranking of Nigeria as one of the frontline African leagues to have adopted the policy.

It was not fair to suggest that Dolphins and perhaps other clubs have been licensed in breach of requirements simply because Dolphins didn’t get their logistics right. It is akin to a company whose driver crashed their vehicle to put the blame on the Federal Road Safety Commission which licensed the said driver. Club Licensing provides for periodic assessment and it is only at that point that any licensee that defaults can be sanctioned based on the gravity of the deficiency. Europe that has internalized club licensing going back to 2007 when FIFA first decreed it still has clubs that breach the requirements. Parma in Italy, Portsmouth in England and Glasgow Rangers in Scotland are just a few of clubs that fell on hard times and had their licenses withdrawn. Their problems cannot rightly be considered a failure of regulation.

Club licensing was adopted before the commencement of the 20132014 season. A public lecture and sensitization session was held for premier league club managers before the start of that season in Abuja.The implementation started then. It was on the basis of this that the LMC had refused to register Nembe and Giwa for the season.

In domesticating the CAF Club Licensing Regulation, the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) required clubs to provide Financial Performance Guarantee (FPG) a unique requirement that sought to safeguard the financial health of the clubs given the prevailing nature of club ownership in the country. The problem of Dolphins last month and Heartland in 2013 arose from the lack of assured and sustainable access to fund and this will continue to be the case for most state-owned clubs except that safety net of FPG is in place.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 61

CAF Cup: Warri Wolves qualify •to face FC MK

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ARRI Wolves became the first Nigerian representative to go past the first round in CAF club competitions this year after they held Dedebit of Ethiopia to a goalless draw Sunday.

Wolves thus advanced 2-0 aggregate and will now face DR Congo’s Football Club MK Etancheite (FC MK), who sent packing Sudanese team Al Ahly Shandy.

MK beat Al Ahly Shandy 5-1 in the

second leg on Friday.

They are back-to-back Congo cup winner in 2013 and 2014.

Despite missing the services of captain Azubuike Egwekwe and goalkeeper Okemutie Odah, coach Paul Aigbogun-tutored side held their own in Ethiopia.

FC MK are appearing in the CAF Confederation Cup for the second time, their first being in 2014 when they could not go beyond first round.

•Warri Wolves players celebrate.

Martins fires Sounders to win

Balogun scores in Germany N

I G E R I A international Leon Balogun scored his fourth goal for German Bundesliga 2 side Darmstadt 98 on Sunday as they beat Bochum 20.

The goal-scoring defender hit the target in the 77th minute to take his goals’ haul in the league this term to four.

Darmstadt 98 are now third on the league table with 48 points from 27 games, just a point behind Kaiserslautern in the automatic promotion spot.

Balogun played at right back for Nigeria in friendlies against Uganda and South Africa late last month

F

ORMER Super Eagles striker Obafemi Martins, scored his third goal of the MLS season, as Seattle Sounders beat Houston Dynamo 1-0.

Martins turned a defender to beat Houston goalkeeper, Tyler Deric, to seal the win for Sounders on Saturday night despite playing the final 35 minutes with just 10 men.

Martins’ goal came in the 39th minute as Seattle quickly countered off a Houston turnover.

Martins collected a pass from Clint Dempsey, did a 360degree spin around Houston defender Jermaine Taylor and put enough power on the shot that Deric’s deflection couldn’t keep it out of the net.

•Martins

•Balogun

Akpeyi: I’m not Eagles No. 1 G OA L K E E P E R, Daniel Akpeyi, insists he is not yet the first choice of the Super Eagles despite good commendations from fans in recent times.

“There is big competition [in goalkeeping department of the Super Eagles]; I can’t say I am no.1 now.

Vincent remains the undisputed number one of the team and we his understudies are still looking up to him,” Akpeyi told SL10.

“Until it is time for a match and the coach tells me I am starting then I am no.1 but for now I am not number one.”

C M Y K

Enyeama shines in Lille win

V

•Akpeyi

I N C E N T Enyeama, who claimed to be nursing a back injury and so withdrew from international duty with Nigeria, played all 90 minutes as his French club Lille beat Reims 31 on Saturday.

Enyeama won his 100th cap when Uganda upstaged Nigeria at home in a friendly in Uyo last week.

But the goalkeeper opted out of a second friendly against South Africa in Nelspruit after

officials said he has suffered a back injury.

Surprisingly though, Enyeama was fit to play for Lille days later in a French Ligue 1 match.

The home win ensured Lille remain in eighth place on the Ligue 1 table with 44 points from 31 matches.

The goalkeeper, an international since 2001, has hinted on bringing down the curtains on an illustrious career that has seen him feature in three World Cups and win the AFCON in 2013.

•Enyeama

62 — Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

B

God, give us sports loving governors

,

ECAUSE Sports is also part of Nigeria, there has arisen a call for “change” in the Nigerian sports circles.

Some have fallen short of calling the President Elect to “interfere” in the affairs of sports which they believe and strongly too, needs to be overhauled.

I thread carefully.

The first block I want to eliminate from my subconscious is the notion that football represents sports in Nigeria. We are very quick to judge sports in Nigeria by the barometer of football. If the Eagles (Nothing Super about them anymore) fail to qualify for the Nations Cup, then Nigeria sports has failed.

Far from it.

Incidentally, there has been so little coming from the domain of other sports that we have allowed even the media to trample us with football idosyncracies.

Back to the topic of the day. There is no gainsaying the fact that sports is such a neglected industry here.

The business part of it is submerged in ignorant, welfare and social leanings, and that explains why government has dabbled into the business of owning football clubs to the detriment of the game here.

The current bad runs experienced by our clubs in continental competitions is enough testimony to the fact that government has no business in football business. What about the organizers, those who should endeavour not to allow our league dates clash with European matches. For now we cannot compete.

Not yet…...there I go again, football, football and more football.

Aside the institution of our sports federations and the so called election of its principals who need democratization process to dislodge, what our sports needs from now on is the appointment of persons ( Ministers, Commissioners) with sports back ground to lead our affairs.

Every time we are set for elections into the sports federations, there is so much frenzy and activity around the Federations, yet the moment people are appointed and selected (elected?) they go to sleep allowing their federations to wallow in inactivity and abandonment.

Yes we must redress the issue of funding, yet any Federation worth its salt should aim at attracting partners and sponsors to help boost its programmes and activities.

I have forgotten the last time we had a sports

This is also the time for us to pray and fervently too for God to give us sports loving Governors, men who will not wait to bid for the hosting of sports events to provide their teeming youths with sports infrastructure

,

technocrat run our sports at the centre. All we have been having are men who come in without any sports knowledge whatsoever, not even the passion and we are still busy trying to repair the damage caused by their uninformed decisions.

The future of our sports I dare say lie in our states, in the grass roots, especially in schools, from primary schools. Can we stop giving licences to people who establish schools on premises and sites that have no playgrounds? Why is it that only private schools are capable of holding annual inter house sports? And when they do, how do we monitor and scout for potential talents?

Recently, the Athletics Federation of Nigeria went to Ethiopia to top at the African Junior Athletics Championship yet the celebration was mooted, submerged by the dour and oft repeated argument of whether Stephen Keshi will sign or not sign NFF Contract. That feat by the AFN needed to be celebrated and tracked.

The future of our sports is the establishment of

Sports Councils all over the federation, the return of Directors of sports and organizing secretaries. In most states, the creation of Ministries and the attendant appointment of political commissioners has rubbished the development of sports.

How do we employ and train games masters and mistresses? Sports can only thrive in schools when we have knowledgeable personnel ready to drive its resurgence.

At the National level, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye will appreciate a knowledgeable Chairman for him to function maximally as Director General of the National Sports Commission.

This is also the time for us to pray and fervently too for God to give us sports loving Governors, men who will not wait to bid for the hosting of sports events to provide their teeming youths with sports infrastructure.

That the National Sports Festival did not hold last year was mainly due to the non readiness of relevant infrastructure. I do not think it will be out of place to build a stadium and a sports hall in every Senatorial Zone of this country.

In summary, in an era where the stars are fading and disappearing, we should discover and groom potentials, develop human capacity either as coaches, organizers or arbitrators and strengthen infrastructural back up. That, for me will be change.

A bow for Enyeama I join other Nigerians in celebrating my brother and statesman, Vincent Enyeama for clocking a milestone one hundred caps for self and country.

There is no doubt that Vincent ranks among the finest that this country has ever produced, in the realm of Emmanuel Okalla, Peter Rufai, Best Ogedegbe……….

In doing so, I reserve some gratitude to Chief Onigbinde who some thirteen years ago decided to blood the young goalkeeper on world stage, sending him out against England in a world cup match.

Unlike others though, I believe Enyeama still has some years of goalkeeping in him. Oh yes! It is not for the NFF to shop for his replacement, it is for those who believe they can dethrone him to put on their gloves and begin to jump, dive and save.

Congrats my brother.

See you next week.

No ulterior motive buying over Gabros Utd — Ifeanyi Ubah

By Jude Opara, Abuja

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USINESSMAN and proprietor of Ifeanyi Ubah United Football Club, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah says his intention in acquiring the former Gabros United FC was to further afford the youths of Anambra State and Nigeria an opportunity to express their talents and earn a decent living not for the purpose of engaging in football politics as expressed by some people.

Ubah told Sports Vanguard at the weekend that the acquisition of the club is part of the strategic growth plan of his organization adding that the club has come not just to stay but to compete with the best in the country.

He also spoke on the leadership crisis rocking the Anambra State Football Association insisting that

there is no other executive board apart from the one led by the former first vice president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Chief Mike Umeh whom he added he deputizes.

“To start with let me say that there was an election in Anambra FA and the chairman still remains Chief Mike Umeh and I am his deputy, so there is no ulterior motive as some people are insinuating, it is all about sports and growth, it is all about the youths of Anambra State and Nigeria.”

Ubah equally said very soon Anambra State will take its rightful place in Nigerian sports especially football, adding that the FA will assist anybody who wants to float a club in the state the necessary assistance to sustain a club that will be enjoyed by the soccer loving citizens of the state.

“Remember that in the past Anambra State has produced great clubs and players; we used to have Rangers, Udorji United and Jasper United but they have all fiddled out because there was no real support from the government but I want to make a mark, I want to prove a point that we can sustain and that we can set up a football club that will bring joy to the teeming supporters of football in the state and we can also use it as a point of growing football and sports in Anambra State for the interest of our youths’’, Ubah added” He also reassured of his continuous support to the NFF especially the national teams saying even where he may not be visible, that his impact has always been felt by the Nigerian players and teams.

TUSSLE . . . Razaq Adegbite of Rangers (R) challenges Chibuzor Okonkwo of Ifeanyi Ubah Utd ( Gabros) during their league match at Nnewi recently.

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015 — 63

Big Liverpool win sign of progress — Wenger

Five-star Ronaldo shines in Real romp R

EAL Madrid d e s t r o y e d Granada 9-1 in La Liga’s early kick off on Sunday, with Cristiano Ronaldo netting five in one game for the first time in his career.

Surprisingly, it was the visitors who began most brightly, but a mix of poor decision-making in advanced areas and unfortunate finishing Robert Ibanez clipping the post from Iker Casillas’s misjudgement – meant they risked awaking the dragon.

And so they did.

Midway through the first half, Gareth Bale continued his recent resurgence, leaving Diego Mainz on his back, before rounding Oier Aranzabal and

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RSENE Wenger feels Arsenal’s 41 win over Liverpool helped emphasise how much they have progressed over the course of the season.

“If there were 15 (league) games to go, you would not complain,” he said.

“We had a very slow start this season, when we had many important players out together, and we dropped too many points.

“We played six games in the Premier League and won two, after that you have a mountain to climb.

“For the title we need us to be perfect and Chelsea not to be

coolly toepoking the ball into an empty net.

Just five minutes later, Ronaldo grabbed the first of his quick-fire treble with an accomplished finish after James played him in with a defencesplitting flick in the box.

The Portuguese then conjured up two more strikes, slamming home a rebound and sending a missile past Oier, although the former Barcelona goalkeeper should have got his hands to the ball.

Ronaldo upped his tally to four for the afternoon thanks to some unselfish play from Bale, who delivered a tantalising ball across the face of goal for the No 7 to head into an empty net.

Cesena ‘make impossible possible’

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Hazard: We can cope without Costa

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DEN HAZARD is confident Chelsea can cope without injured striker Diego Costa and has backed Loic Remy to fill the void left by the Spain international.

Costa lasted only 10 minutes after coming on as a half-time substitute against Stoke yesterday before suffering a reoccurrence of the hamstring injury he suffered before the

international break.

Remy scored Chelsea’s winner against Stoke having done the same against Hull when Costa first suffered the injury.

And Hazard believes the Frenchman will keep on scoring in Costa’s absence.

Hazard told Chelsea TV: “He can score every time when he’s on the pitch. This guy deserves to score a lot of goals.”

•Ronaldo

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best chance of the firsthalf for Burnley in the fifth minute, after breaking clean through on goal and hitting a tame effort straight at Tom Heaton.

•Carlo created many scoring opportunities, but the great thing about Cesena is that it makes the impossible possible.”

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•Spurs players in action against Burnley.

URNLEY and Tottenham played out a goalless bore draw as the away side more or less dropped out of the top four race.

Danny Ings blew the

IMMO Di Carlo said Cesena “make the impossible possible” after coming back from 3-0 down to hold Verona 3-3.

The Sea Horses had looked done for at the Stadio Bentegodi, but three goals in 11 minutes completed an extraordinary turnaround.

“We allowed Verona too much at the back and you cannot get away with giving Luca Toni that much space, as he will punish you,” Coach Di Carlo told Rai Sport.

“We had already

Ancelotti: I’d have taken 1-0

Spurs lose top four momentum

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•Wenger perfect, so let’s focus on what we can master which means our own performance.

“But now you can see that when we have everybody back, we can compete and the number of points we have made shows we have the quality to fight at the top.”

•Hazard

ARLO Ancelotti has admitted that he would happily swap Real Madrid’s empathic 9-1 victory over Granada for a scrappy 1-0.

“The team are fresh and they showed it. We started with pace and we scored a lot of goals. he said aftter he game.

“It’s obvious that this team can win the League, and fans like the ones we had [on Sunday] will help us.

The players showed a good attitude and appreciated the fans.

“Of course I’d swap [a 9-1 for a 1-0], but it’s noteworthy that the team returned to play how they wanted.”

•Ancelotti

Vanguard, MONDAY, APRIL 6, 2015

CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE:

Enyimba crash out

Continues on Page 60

Emenike in ‘shock’ after Fenerbahce bus shooting

Obafemi fires Sounders to win—Pg.61

•Emenike

Warri Wolves qualify

g.61

IX-TIME Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) champions, Enyimba FC have crashed out of the CAF Champions League after a 0-2 defeat to Egyptian club, Smouha FC in the second leg of their first round clash in Alexandria.

Enyimba won the first leg 1-0 in Aba on March 15 and knew only a gritty performance in Alexandria would guarantee safe passage into the next round.

The Enyimba trainer,

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Rampaging Ronaldo scores 5!—Pg.63 TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

OPEN COURT.....Serena Williams celebrates after beating Spain’s Carla Suarez Navarro to bag her eight Miami Master title at the weekend. Serena won 6-2, 6-0.

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 4 Wander (5) 7 Summary (6) 9 Dog (3) 10 Enthusiastic (3) 12 Rustic (5) 13 Frozen (4) 15 Readjusted (5) 17 Oppose (6) 19 Respect (4) 20 Salute (5) 22 Sailor (3) 24 Wished (7) 27 Tankard (3) 28 Wear (5) 31 Cease (4) 33 Tarnished (6) 35 Angry (5) 37 Broad (4) 38 Delete (5) 39 Spike (3) 41 Brown (3) 42 Shy (6) 43 Viper (5)

Down 1 Season (6) 2 Drastic (6) 3 Vigour (3) 4 Certain (4) 5 Veracity (5) 6 Aroused (8) 8 Robe (4) 11 Penniless (9) 14 Act (4) 16 Asterisk (4) 18 Pace (4) 21 Renovated (8) 23 Stagger (4) 25 Drink (4) 26 Sketched (4) 29 Loathsome (6) 30 Team (6) 32 Ski-slope (5) 34 Precede (4) 36 Back (4) 40 Material (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

Across: 1, Stem 4, Dim 6, Gasp 9, Lit 10, Reversed 11, Amen 14, Par 16, Seamy 19, Released 21, Liver 23, Defiance 24, Start 27, Lip 31, Find 33, Imitated 34, Tee 35, Seer 36, Lie 37, Tent.

Down: 2, Teem 3, Meet 4, Diseased 5, Made 6, Glade 7, Aim 8, Steam 12, Cross 13, Liama 14, Pal 15, Revel 17, Amend 18, Yoked 20, Definite 22, Rip 25, Trite 26, Rider 28, Pill 29, Part 30, Seen 32, Nee.

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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