Presidency, NASS talks fail to stop Saraki's trial

C M Y K

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VOL. 25: NO. 62601

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FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

THE OLISEH, ENYEAMA WAR (2) I quit. I have fought a good fight for more than 13 years. I have finished my course, I have kept the faith and sang the anthem with passion. God bless NIGERIA. HENCEFORTH, I am no more the captain of the NIGERIAN senior football team, I am no more the goalkeeper of the team, I am out of the team.

— Enyeama

Enyeama as a captain deserves respect. Oliseh should have managed things in a mature manner. If he didn't want him in his team, he should not have invited him in the first place.

— Christian Chukwu See Back Page

Presidency, NASS talks fail to stop Saraki's trial Senators angry, spoil for war with Buhari’s nominees President won't interfere with CCB, CCT, says Adesina

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor, Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—THERE were indications last night that the highprofile parley between the Presidency and the leadership of the National Assembly on We d n e s d a y n i g h t failed to persuade

Continues on Page 5

HAJJ TRAGEDY: 214 Nigerians still missing, 99 dead 15 Mr & Mrs SUMMIT: The Yoruba Council of Elders YCE, Odua Foundation and Yoruba Unity Forum in Ibadan Thursday held a Yoruba Summit with the Theme "National Insecurity and the menace of Fulani herdsmen in Yorubaland. Above, from left, Oyo State Deputy Governor, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo; Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo (rtd), Dr Kunle Olajide and Chief Olanihun Ajayi during the Summit, yesterday.

PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

COLUMNIST: Controversy trails bailout funds disbursement in S-West See inside

The United Nations of Babel •P.19

Fear and Safety •P.17

FULANI HERDSMEN: Yoruba leaders threaten secession 11

2 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—3

Saraki moves to create 64 standing c'ttees

By Henry Umoru

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ETISALAT CSR: From left—Etisalat Nigeria’s Manager, CSR, Oyetola Oduyemi; Head, Government and Community Relations, Mohammed Suley-Yusuf; Head, Regional Sales, North, Mukadas Babangida; Deputy Governor and Commissioner for Education, Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar, at the commissioning of a hostel block renovated by Etisalat Nigeria for Girls’ Government College, Dala, Kano State.

Senate sets stringent conditions for ministerial nominees Nominees storm police hqtrs for profiling Senators to be guided by 1999 Constitution, 2015 Standing Orders Petitions against nominees must be considered before Tuesday Nominees must submit 115 copies of resume each

By Henry Umoru, Kingsley Omonobi & Joseph Erunke, with agency report

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HEAD of Tuesday ’s commencement of screening, Senate, yesterday, raised hurdles that ministerial nominees must scale to be cleared for appointment.

The Senate, which said that the screening will be guided by the 1999 Constitution and the Senate Standing Orders 2015, as Amended, directed all nominees to submit 115 copies of their resume each to the Senate, on or before Monday.

This is coming as the nominees stormed the Police headquarters, Abuja, for profiling, yesterday.

Meanwhile, Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, yesterday dismissed as mere rumours reports that portfolios had been allocated to the nominees, insisting that portfolios would not be assigned until the nominees were cleared by the Senate.

Among others, the reports claimed that Kaduna State nominee, Amina Mohammed, has been slated as Finance Minister; Dr. Chris Ngige, Health; Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Information and Communication; Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Works; Abdulrahman Danbazau, Defence; Babatunde

C M Y

Fashola, FCT; Rotimi Amaechi, Niger Delta; Audu Ogbeh, Agriculture; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, Science and Technology.

Nominees for profiling

Among nominees who were at the Force headquarters yesterday are Audu Ogbeh, Benue; Chris Ngige, Anambra; Udoma Udo Udoma, Akwa Ibom, and Abubakar Malami, Kebbi.

The electronic profiling of the 21 ministerial nominees at the Police Headquarters took many by surprise as such exercises were usually carried out by either the Department of State Services, DSS, or office of the National Security Adviser, NSA. Vanguard gathered that the first set of the ministerial nominees, who arrived in batches, was received and led to the ICT Profiling Centre by the Inspector General, Solomon Arase, at about 12.15p.m. and left at about 12. 35p.m.

Other ministerial nominees reportedly arrived the Force Headquarters between 1p.m. and 1.45p.m. and similarly carried out their fingerprinting and profiling at the 7th floor office profiling room.

The profiling of the ministerial nominees, complete with their finger

prints and other biometrics, which is the first of its kind since appointment of ministers in the present democratic dispensation, is seen by observers as a way of collecting current data of the nominees by the Federal Government to ensure proper records for purposes of accountability in future.

However, some observers wondered why the ministerial nominees who are yet to scale the Senate screening hurdle, should go ahead and commence profiling when many of them were not sure if they will scale the Senate screening, particularly those with pending petitions.

One observer who spoke under condition of anonymity asked: “What happens if some of these nominees fail to pass through the screening exercise? Or does it mean that the Federal Government is already thinking of appointing these persons irrespective of whether or not they pass the screening hurdle?”

Petitions against nominees The Senate also, yesterday, ordered the Senator Samuel Anyanwu-led Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions to ensure that all petitions submitted against any nominee were treated on or before Monday and submit the

report on Tuesday before the screening begins.

Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, gave the order soon after a petition was presented by Danjuma La’ah, representing Kaduna South Senatorial district, against the Kaduna State nominee, Aisha Ibrahim Muhammed.

Senator La’ah was, however, not clear which state the ministerial nominee comes from because she is from Gombe State by birth and married to a Kaduna indigene.

Earlier yesterday, the Senators went into a closed door session for two and half hours, where issues relating to Tuesday’s screening of the nominees were discussed.

36 nominees or no screening—PDP

Also, Senators elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, were in a closed-door meeting for an hour.

A source told Vanguard at the end of the meeting that the PDP senators were not comfortable with the partial submission of ministerial nominees.

The source said PDP Senators have warned that the nominees must not be cleared until the President forwards the remaining list.

BUJA—STRONG indications emerged, yesterday, that crisis was looming in the Senate over chairmanship and vice chairmanship of Standing Committees.

It was gathered, yesterday, that those who have been fighting Senate President Bukola Saraki have vowed to continue with the fight, using the standing committees as a reason.

Vanguard also gathered that senators from South-South, who are of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, except the Deputy Majority whip, Senator Francis Alimikhena (APC, Edo North), have threatened to reject any non-juicy committee such as culture, outside the statutory committees on NDDC and Petroleum.

According to a source, as part of moves to ensure stability in the Senate, Saraki had concluded plans to add eight new standing committees to the existing 56.

It was also gathered that the Saraki inner caucus had agreed that for the Senate President to enjoy a stable period, he must find ways to accommodate more senators as committee chairmen.

The source said the Senate leadership, which had been working on the committee composition since August, had concluded work on the matter, having agreed to increase the number of committees to 64.

The source said that the Senate Selection Committee, made up of the Principal Officers, decided to increase the number of the standing committees to ensure the stability of the 8th Senate.

It was gathered that ranking senators have said that the 8th Senate might continue to witness turbulence, following the emergence of the Senate Unity Forum, SUF, and the senators of like minds, headed by Senate President Saraki and Senator Ahmad Lawan.

4 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOMBER 9 , 2015

Govs to meet over Nigeria's woes Tuesday

By Henry Umoru

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VISIT: From left: Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Director-General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Muhammad Sidi and other dignitaries, during their visit to flood disaster area at Maikulki Village in Sokoto, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Defaulting electricity firms must be punished —SARAKI A

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

B U JA — S E N AT E President, Bukola Saraki, yesterday, advocated strict sanctions against electricity distribution companies,Discos, which failed to live up to the terms of agreements they reached with the Federal Government before commencing operations.

Saraki made the call when chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission,NERC, Dr. Sam Amadi, led other members of the commission on a courtesy visit to the Senate President in Abuja.

He said the National Assembly was eager to see Nigerians enjoy power supply and at the cheapest cost possible, adding that the Senate would ensure that all acts of impunity by Discos were eradicated.

Discos and agreement

Saraki said: “More importantly, from our own point of view is that how do we ensure that majority of the owners of the Discos keep to some of the agreements or the commitments they made at the time of purchase. Some of them by the time they were buying these assets have committed to certain investments that were going to be done. ‘’The question is, are they on schedule and what is the time frame you see for most of these investments to be in

place?

“We are both on the same side which is to ensure that the consumers get value for their money. You are those that work directly with them and it is important you bring to our attention what is necessary to ensure that at the end of the day the consumers, the Nigerian people get the best benefit. ‘’The aim at the end of the day is to ensure that every Nigerian get the power and they get it at the cheapest possible cost and those who are responsible for running these units keep to the agreement.

Impunity

“What we dont want to see is the impunity where people believe that they can make commitments but not necessarily be held to those commitments and at the end

of the day, it is our own people that suffer. ‘’Definitely we are going to stamp that out and we are not going to accept that and it is your responsibility to bring that to our notice so that we can be able to address it.

Sanctions

“The most important thing again, which I will keep emphasizing is that we must be able to have sanctions for companies that have made commitments and they are not honouring those commitments. ‘’They must be held responsible because generally in our private sector businesses, they always try and cut corners and see what they can get away from and I think that is your own responsibility to ensure that, that does not happen.”

Earlier, Amadi told the Senate President that the commission was

doing all it could to eliminate fixed electricity charges.

He also added that one of the factors militating against increased power supply was the weak infrastructure in the country.

Amadi said: “We have mandated Discos to find a way to restructure the fixed charge in a way that they also receive their revenue but in a manner that does not unfairly inconvenience or exploit the consumers.

“Recently in some newspapers, some Discos like Eko have indicated that they are not going to levy fixed charges. Some like Ikeja have said that they are going to cut it by 50 per cent in response to Senate’s concern and the instruction we have given them in that respect.

“Our commitment is to try as much as possible to ensure that any form of pricing is fair to consumers and such that to help us to sustain the improvement in the sector.”

BUJA—WORRIED by problems confronting the states, the thirty-six state governors will next week Tuesday meet to formulate ways and measures of addressing them.

The meeting which would be held under the aegis of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, would discuss crucial issues of national importance.

In a statement yesterday by NGF chairman and Zamfara State governor, Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, the meeting is slated to hold at the State House Banquet Hall in Abuja and is convened by the governor himself.

Yari said: “The meeting will receive presentations from strategic MDAs and development partners regarding their proposed reforms and supports to states of the federation.

“The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Federal Ministry of Health/World Bank, Nigeria Communication Commission, NCC, and the UK Department for International Development, DFID, are also to make presentations at the meeting.

“The United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, and the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, are also expected to make presentations at the meeting among others."

Defence Hqtrs alerts on use of cluster bombs by Boko Haram

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA—THE war against Boko Haram terrorists yesterday took a new dimension as the terrorists have now introduced cluster bombs, which is a banned weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations, to annihilate Nigerians living in the North East.

This development came to light when the Defence Headquarters disclosed that Nigerian Army engineers recovered some caches of the bombs in the contested areas

of battle in a recent confrontation.

A statement signed by the Acting Director, Defence Information, Colonel Rabe Abubakar, said: “The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, wishes to inform Nigerians living in the North East and any other part of the country to keep a lookout for cluster bombs sometimes called scatter bombs as the Nigerian Army engineers serving in Adamawa State have recovered some caches of these bombs in the contested areas in recent time.

“The military high command has discovered that the Boko Haram Terrorists, BHT, in the areas have used such lethal instruments over time to push their callous terrorist cause.

“For easy identification, it is important to note that cluster bombs are bombs that house sub-munitions, that is, smaller explosives contained in individual cases.

“These bombs are used against large areas containing many targets, such as columns of vehicles, market places, places of worship or large troop

concentration as the case may be.

“Some cluster bombs carry several hundred of very small explosives wrapped in a metal container like a pot while others carry larger sub-munitions that can find specific targets such as tanks.

“Some of these sub-munitions do not blow up immediately, but remain behind and act as landmines.

“This can be an acceptable explanation for the recovery of caches of these bombs by Nigerian Army Engineers in the area."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

PARTNERSHIP: From left: Head, Kelloggs Sub-Saharan Africa, Gerald Mahinda; Chairman of the Tolaram Group, Mr Mohan Vaswani, Promoters of The Lekki Deep Sea Port at Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos; Head, Arla’s Sub Saharan Africa, Steen Hadsbjerg; CEO, Tolaram Group, Sajen Aswani; Director General of The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii and CEO, Dufil Prima Foods Plc Deepak Singhal during the celebratory cocktail party in honour of the recent partnerships between the Tolaram Group, Kelloggs USA and Arla Foods held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

Presidency, NASS talks fail to stop Saraki's trial Continues from Page 1 P r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari to intervene in the trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, by the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT. Special Adviser to the President (Media and Publicity), Mr Femi Adesina, reiterated that the President would not interfere with the job of the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

“You know this president. You know that he plays straight.

Anything that will amount to underhand deals, he will never be part of it.

“Buhari has said that he will not interfere with the Code of Conduct Tribunal trial and he stands by it,” he said.

However, competent sources confided in Vanguard that the NASS leadership led by Saraki himself, left the Presidential Villa disappointed, following what they see as Buhari’s refusal to shift grounds and wade into the trial of the Senate President, which is interpreted by his horde of loyalists in both the APC and PDP, as ‘political’.

One of the sources said that despite what

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

T

HE change you seek is activated when your life becomes a message. To lead a new age, you must become the message. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Be clear about what it would take for you to have your ideal life— Brain Tracy

H

AVE the courage to define your life in your own terms. With a grateful heart, write down every single thing that you can imagine would be in your life if you were perfectly happy at this very moment. Write down things such as health, happiness, loving relationships, inner peace, travel, homes, and money and so on. Let your mind run freely. Imagine that you have no limitations at all.

Write everything down whether or not you think you have the capacity to acquire it or achieve it in the short term.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

N

O mather how dry the jungle is, the son of a lion will never eat grass.

appeared as a softening of stances by Buhari to call a meeting with Saraki, he did not even raise the issue of the CCT throughout the meeting, which lasted about two hours.

Vanguard gathered from reliable Presidential sources that Buhari was persuaded by two of his aides in the National Assembly to ‘formally’ interact with the Senate President, who has not enjoyed a warm handshake with the President since he assumed office as a result of political disagreement with the APC leadership.

It was learnt that the meeting was called at the instance of the two special assistants to the President in the Senate and the House of Representatives, who reasoned that such a parley would help facilitate a smooth relationship between the Presidency and the NASS. It was also reasoned that the parley would help prepare the grounds for the lawmakers to approve the nominees whose names were submitted last week to the Senate for confirmation.

However, Vanguard learnt that Buhari carefully avoided the issue of Saraki’s ongoing trial by the CCT and concentrated on issues which he

believes would move Nigeria forward and asked the lawmakers to key into such matters.

“At the end of the discussion, we discovered that the man had not changed his mind on Saraki and we felt a bit upset by the action,” a lawmaker said last night.

Apparently angered and disappointed by the attitude of the President, the Senators might have decided to

vent their anger on the nominees sent in by Buhari for confirmation by the lawmakers so as to form his cabinet and get the government running.

Rising from the meeting with the President, the Senate rolled out a new set of stringent rules that might make it more difficult for most of the nominees to scale through the screening.

After the meeting with Buhari, the Senate President met separately with his loyalists while the PDP caucus in the Senate also met privately after which a new set of rules for the screening of the nominees was rolled out. While the Senate leadership stepped up requirements for the nominees to be screened by them, the PDP

Caucus said they would not approve of the Presidential list unless the full complement of nominees from the 36 states of the federation was made available by Buhari.

But the Presidency last night denied suggestions that the parley between the National Assembly leadership and President Buhari was aimed at getting p r e s i d e n t i a l intervention on the ongoing trial of Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki by the Code of Conduct Tribunal.

It insisted that the parley was purely a familiarization tour by the assembly men.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said that Buhari would never interfere in the trial of Saraki or any other person facing trial in the country.

Nothing wrong if Buhari becomes oil minister— Wogu

By Emmanuel Elebeke

A

B U J A — A s OPPOSITION continues to mount against the possible emergence of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Petroleum Minister, former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, has said there was nothing wrong with the President heading the ministry.

The former minister, who made the position known during the ongoing 8th edition of herbs, health foods and natural products exhibition in Abuja yesterday, contended that executive powers belonged to the President, and as such could share same among himself, the Vice President and all ministers he appointed into his cabinet and urged his critics to tread with caution.

Wogu, who expressed confidence in the President’s ability to supervise the ministry in a most efficient manner, said: “You know that the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria is a powerful President, and any decision he has taken must be in the interest of the country. ‘’The executive powers belong to him, which he can share among himself, the Vice President and ministers he has appointed into cabinet.

"So, the assignment of duties is the exclusive responsibility of Mr. President. I did not hear him first hand to say he will be Petroleum Minister, it is speculations in the media. But there is nothing wrong for him to be Petroleum Minister.

“All the ministries are under his supervision, but if he wants to pay

particular attention to a particular ministry because there is so much attention on it, there is no problem, because Nigeria is a mono product economy and it comes from crude oil.

"It is also noteworthy that the President has requisite experience from the past, having been a Minister of Petroleum, and having also been involved in the utilization of the gains of Petroleum Trust Fund, PTF. For me, he is minister for all ministries.

"Do you realize that the President is as well the minister of the FCT? The FCT minister is also acting on delegated powers on behalf of Mr. President. The President is equally the Supervising Minister of Labour and Productivity."

6—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

By Dayo Johnson & Daud Olatunji

A

KURE—A 26-year-old house wife, Wunmi Omowa in Akure, the Ondo state capital has reportedly stabbed her Police inspector husband Isreal to death over a minor squabble.

This came at a time a police corporal in Ogun State, whose identity was not disclosed by the state police command, reportedly shot dead a commercial driver, identified as Likinyo Olumide, at Sagamu toll gate along Lagos-Bennin expressway.

However, report had it that after wife of the slain policeman reportedly stabbed her husband in the neck with a knife, she rushed him to the hospital where he later died.

Vanguard gathered that the couple have been married for three years and reside at Olowolagba area along AkureOwo express road.

Vanguard was informed that the deceased was in his early 30s and the cause of the minor squabble could not be ascertained at the time of going to press.

It was gathered that the deceased, who was attached to the state security outfit, code named “Fast Strike Squad“ entered into a shouting match with the wife on the ill-fated day.

Shouting match

The shouting match reportedly degenerated into the use of foul language and subsequently a physical fight.

Eyewitness account said the suspect rushed into the kitchen in the height of the argument only to return with a knife with which she stabbed her husband in the neck.

Report had it that immediately the havoc was committed, the wife came back to her senses and rushed out of the house to inform their neighbours of what she had done to her husband.

By the time the neighbours would come to his rescue, the deceased had reportedly lost so much blood and was gasping for breath.

It was learned that all efforts

FLOOD: Flooded Obafemi Awolowo Road, after the heavy rain in Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Akeem Salau.

Police Inspector stabbed to death by wife in Ondo As Policeman shoots driver dead in Ogun to save the life of the Inspector were not successful as he reportedly gave up the ghost after he was rushed to a nearby private hospital.

Vanguard gathered that detectives were invited and the suspect was arrested and detained at the Ijapo Police Station where she was interrogated and detained.

Spokesman of the state police command, Femi Joseph, confirmed the incident when contacted for comment, saying the deceased died as a result of blood loss resulting from the deep cut sustained during the fight with his wife.

According to him, the deceased was attached to the Mopol 17 of the Mobile Police Force in Akure and was a member of the Fast Strike Squad on routine patrol in the state.

Joseph pointed out that the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, had commenced investigation into the

cause of the death of the police officer.

He assured that Police detectives would soon unravel the cause of the squabble and bring the culprit to book The Police spokesman said that the remains of the deceased had been deposited at the state Specialist Hospital in Akure.

Meanwhile, a police corporal in Ogun State, whose identity was not disclosed by the state Police command, on Tuesday, shot dead a commercial driver, identified as Likinyo Olumide, at Sagamu toll gate along Lagos-Benin expressway.

An eyewitness, Folake Egbeuwalo, who was one of the seven passengers in the vehicle driven by the late driver, explained that the driver was shot dead after he was stopped by some policemen.

Vanguard gathered that the driver, 42, is survived by six children and a pregnant wife.

Egbeuwalo, who spoke with

Vigilante member among 6-man gang arrested at Ughelli Ughelli in a Toyota Sienna car

U

By Perez Brisibe

GHELLI—A 22-year-old member of Agbarha-Otor vigilante outfit, Daniel Owhegbe, has been identified as a member of the 6-man suspected kidnap gang arrested last Monday by a team of Special Anti-robbery Squad, SARS, based at Ughelli.

It was learned that the suspect was recently freed from prison for an offence not disclosed to Vanguard.

Making the disclosure to

Vanguard yesterday, a member of the anti-robbery squad gave the names of the other arrested suspects as; Ovie Kupa, Omamuyovwi John, Emuobonuvie Kojo and Clement Robin, while a 6th suspect identified as Ruono had been declared wanted after he fled into the bush at the time of arrest.

The source also hinted that the suspects were arrested by the SARS team on patrol between Evwereni and Ughelli axis of the East West road while heading to

with number plate Lagos, AAA 619 BZH. “The suspects during interrogation, confessed to have moved from Uwheru were they converged and administered some charms on themselves with the intent of abducting the brother of a former employee of a member of the gang,” the source added.

Confirming the incident in a release, the Delta State police spokesperson, CelestinaKalu,statedthatinvestigation into the matter is ongoing.

newsmen at Police Headquarters, Eleweran, Abeokuta, on Wednesday, said the incident occurred at 9:45 pm on Tuesday as they were coming from Lagos where they went to buy some goods, retuning to Okitipupa in Ondo State.

The late driver

The witness said: ‘’The late driver was our permanent driver who used to carry us from Okitipupa to Lagos. The man carried us from Idumagbo, Lagos Island. As we were coming, we met many policemen and soldiers on the road, we stopped and settled them. “ When we reached Sagamu toll gate, we did not know that there were policemen on the road, they asked the driver to park and immediately he parked. The driver came out of the car and as he came down, he stood beside the vehicle and the police moved to the other side of the road and gunned him down immediately.’’

Egbeuwalo further said the policemen ran away immediately the man died and later came back and took away the corpse in one of the Hilux vans, marked NPF104 OD. She, however, lamented that all the passengers were abandoned and were made to sleep on the highway as none of them could drive the car after the death of the driver.

The late driver’s younger bother, Likinyo Solomon, lamented the death of his elder brother, who he said was survived by six children and a pregnant wife.

He said: “I demand to see the person that killed my brother and

to know what actually happened before he was killed.’’

Asked to comment on the incident, the Assistant Inspector General of Police zone 2 , Balade Hassan, who was on a visit to Ogun State on Wednesday, said the policeman would face the wrath of the law.

AIG speaks The AIG said: “The regulation is clear and the Constitution is clear about the right to life of all Nigerians, so, if anybody takes the life of anybody, be it a policeman or civilian, not as provided by the Constitution, you will get the full wrath of the law.

“You know the present Inspector General of Police and previous IGs do not take things lightly when things like that go wrong.

“You would recall that something like this happened in Lagos, the policeman was arrested, tried, dismissed from the force and arraigned in less than 24 hours after the incident.

“The police is trying to say anyone who flouts the rules and regulation will get his case in court as the case may be. This case is not an exception from other cases, the person would be tried as prescribed by the law,. After he is found guilty, he would be dismissed and charged to court.

“We wish something like this does not happen again. In the last six to seven months, there has been a lot of improvement and that is why the IG banned roadblocks in order to reduce the interaction with the members of the community where this kind of problem would happen."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—7

ALLEGED KILLING OF DSS OFFICIALS

Family members cry out I spoke with my brother two hours before vandals struck—Relative Says DSS claim officials still alive

By Evelyn Usman

L

AGOS—Since the incident of September 16, 2015, when nine operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS, were reportedly ambushed and killed by vandals at Konu area of Ikorodu, Lagos, occurred, normalcy seems to have returned in the area as activities are still going on in full swing.

While family members of the missing operatives allege that officials of the DSS still claim that their men were alive and that they were making frantic efforts to locate their whereabouts, neither the police nor the government has come out with a concrete pronouncement about the fate of the DSS operatives.

Anguish and sorrow pervade homes

But same can not be said of the homes of the slain operatives, as dead silence pervades everywhere, with family members devastated beyond words.

Anguish and sorrow still hover over their abode like a thick darkness.

A chance meeting with some of the family members showed that they are yet to come to terms with the true position of the fate of their loved ones.

This is because the DSS reportedly informed them that their assumed dead bread winners were still alive after all,

in spite of glaring evidence contradicting its assertion.

At the moment, there is mixed feeling of uncertainty and fear in their respective homes as they look forward each day with great expectation, to the warm embrace of their loved ones . This is, if the assurance from DSS, is anything to go by.

Family member opens up

Among those at cross roads are family members of one of the missing operatives, identified simply as Obiora. He told Vanguard that his lightcomplexioned brother was one of the best hands when it came to cracking hard cases such as high profile kidnap and murder cases.

He said: “While earlier report had it that Obiora, alongside his other colleagues, went to Konu area of Ikorodu, that fateful day to effect the arrest of vandals who were siphoning petroleum products from a broken pipeline belonging to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, we were reliably informed that they were on a mission to track kidnappers of the wife of the Deputy General Manager of THE SUN newspapers , Mrs Toyin Nwosu, who was abducted by robbers who invaded her Ago Okota home, two days earlier.

“The operatives described as the best hands for such opera-

tion, were on the kidnappers trail, unfortunately, they ran into an ambush by the vandals who opened fire on sighting them. Even in the face of death, the operatives were said to have gallantly repelled their enemies. Surprisingly, since the incident occurred , no official statement has been released by the DSS nor has the issue been deliberated on at any level of government."

I spoke with Obiora two hours before the incident —Brother

Worried by the seeming silence on the whereabouts of his brother Obiora , and other operatives who went on the suicidal mission , an upcoming hip-hop artist and actor, Don Saint ,described the whole scenario as a horror movie. He disclosed that few a hours before the incident was reported, he spoke with his brother, Obiora, on the phone, and he disclosed that they were on a mission to rescue Mrs Nwosu, unknown to him that the conversation might be the last with him.

He said: “When I called my brother on that fateful day, he told me they were in a hideout around Ikorodu, tracking kidnappers of The Sun newspaper ’s Deputy Managing Director’s wife. I called to discuss an issue with him. He promised to get back to me at an appropriate time. My sister also called him and he said

about the whereabouts of their father.

“This is an evidence of the fact that we are in a country where human life is not valued. Or how do you explain the long silence from the DSS and government? If they are alive, where are they ? Now, I know what families of the missing CHIBOK girls are going through . This is like a horror movie. Such will never happen in the advanced world. My family has been broken since then. What we need is an official report from the DSS . Let them tell us what is happening.

Endless wait by aged parents

D-G, DSS, Lawal MusaDaura. same thing. But two hours later, when I logged on to the internet, I was shocked to my bone marrow to read the news of what happened at Konu. Immediately, I called his line again to ascertain the report. But it was not going.

“Two days later, I visited the DSS office at Magodo estate and the person we saw told me and other family members that came that ‘ they are alive and fine. ‘Don’t mind the news you have read online. They went on a mission. They are fine’ .

Again, on Monday , September 21, 2015, I and other family members of the affected operatives met with the State Director of DSS and he still said same thing. By Tuesday, it will be one month that my brother and other operatives went missing. The painful aspect of it all is that the government they worked for has not reached out to the families to know how they are faring. My brother has a young wife and two little children who keep asking me

Obiora’s younger brother and immediate family in Lagos are not alone in this state of anguish. His aged parents back in Anambra State, as well as members of their community, are also said to be in a state of shock. This is because Obiora was described as the cynosure of all eyes in both his family and the community at large.

According to a relative who also spoke on condition of anonymity, “ We do not want to believe he is dead as assured by the DSS. But our worry is that he has never gone on any official duty and stayed this long. He is a loving husband and father who always spoke with his wife and children of ages one and three, on daily basis. His intimidating height and build is the envy of every rational thinking person.

Vanguard gathered that while the family members are hoping to see their loved ones as assured by the DSS, they have resorted to spiritual intervention through prayers. It was gathered that the outcome of some of the prayer houses showed positive light while others enjoined the families to keep praying.

Police arrest couple in Enugu over death of 28-year-old man

By Francis Igata

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FIRE: A trader sifts through rubble after mysterious fire gutted Onitsha Paint market, yesterday.

NUGU—THE police in Enugu State have arrested a couple, Emeka Okechukwu and Emeka Akaraka, from Amuzu,Ikeduru in Imo State, residing in Rivers State for conspiracy in the alleged murder of 28-year-old Paschal Eneje of Amozibe, Village, Nsude, in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The couple were also apprehended by the Intelligence and Investigation Department of the command for duping the parents of the deceased of N300,000 under the guise that they knew those behind the killing of their late son who was murdered on April 19,

2014.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of Enugu State police command, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu,DSP, who confirmed the development, said: “The said Emeka Akaraka allegedly conspired with the husband and called the mother of the deceased on phone claiming that she also has a baby boy for the deceased which was also discovered to be false.

“She had collected money for the up keep of the said child which was also given to her through the account she provided and never brought the said child to the bereaved couple as they constantly will request."

8—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

FG approves $11m for Christian pilgrims

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By Babajide Komolafe

HE Federal Government has approved $11 million personal travelling allowance at a subsidized exchange rate of N160 per dollar for 13,800 persons participating in this year’s Christian pilgrimage.

This was disclosed by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, yesterday, in a circular entitled Year 2015 Christian Pilgrimage: Purchase of Pilgrims Travelling Allowance.

The circular was signed

by Mrs. O. L. Ahuchogu on behalf of the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, CBN. It said: “The Federal Government has approved the purchase of a maximum of $1000 at concessionary rate of N160 to the dollar by each intending pilgrim as personal travel allowance.

“Consequently each pilgrim travelling to Israel is entitled to maximum of $750, while those going to Israel/Rome or Greece are entitled to a maximum of $1000.”

FG dispatches team to Calabar over Ebola scare 10 persons quarantined Decontamination of UCTH begins No Ebola in C'River—GOVT

By Sola Ogundipe, Chioma Obinna, Emma Una & Gabriel Olawale

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OLLOWING the death of a patient suspected to have died of Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, at the Accident and Emergency ward of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, UCTH, the Federal Government has dispatched a team of Ebola experts from the Ministry of Health, led by an epidemiologist, Professor Adebola Olayinka, to investigate the scare, even as 10 persons have been quarantined.

It could be recalled that a

purported Ebola scare arose spontaneously, Tuesday, leading to closure of the health institution after the death of a patient that exhibited haemorrhagic-like symptoms.

Confirming the situation to Vanguard on telephone, the Director General of the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, Professor Abdulsalam Nasidi, who spoke on behalf of the government, dismissed it as an ordinary scare with no confirmation.

According to him, the patient presented symptoms of haemorrhagic fever, yet to be confirmed to be Ebola.

Nasidi said the team, led by Olayinka, had begun decontamination of the place and taken samples for further medical investigations.

He said: “We do not know who is spreading the news that it is Ebola. The patient only presented symptoms of haemorrhagic fever, which cannot be concluded to be Ebola yet.

“Our team is on ground and decontamination of the place has started. The tests are still on and nothing has been confirmed. By tomorrow (today) the Director of Emergency Response Team and some others will be joining them to assist the hospital and the team on ground. There is no need to start panicking for now.”

No Ebola in Cross River— MINISTRY

Dr. Sunday Omini, Director

Why CBN is rewarding card users

By Emma Ujah

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HE Director of Banking and Payment System Department of the Central Bank Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, has explained that the apex bank initiated the Electronic Payment Incentive Scheme, EPIS, monthly draws to encourage more Nigerians to use electronic payment cards.

He spoke at the October edition of the exercise at the headquarters of CBN, where three bank customers emerged winners.

According to him, “the scheme is primarily to reward users of electronic payment in Nigeria and to further encourage greater adoption by all.

“The whole essence of the award scheme, as the name implies, is to give incentive to three categories of stakeholders in the payment scheme: card holders, merchants and the pay centres.”

ARIZ LAUNCH: From left— French Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Denys Graver; Managing Director, Guaranty Trust Bank, Mr. Segun Agbaje; Country Director, French Development Agency, Olivier Delefosse, and Consul-General of France to Nigeria, Laurent Polonceaux, at the agreement signing ceremony to launch the Ariz Portfolio Guarantee Scheme in Lagos, yesterday.

Immigration tragedy victims' families protest unfulfilled promises

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—FAMILIES of the victims of the 2014 immigration recruitment tragedy, yesterday, stormed the National Assembly protesting failure of the Federal Government to fulfil the promises made to compensate them for the loss of their loved ones.

Meanwhile, Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, was summoned by the House of Representatives to explain why the pronouncement of

compensation to the families of the victims had not been settled.

Over 45 persons, including a pregnant woman, from different parts of the country, were reported dead, following the stampede that trailed all the recruitment centres, while 137 people were injured.

The management of NIS is to meet with the three-man committee, comprising the House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamilla; Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, and Aminu Shehu Shagari, APC, Sokoto State.

The outcry that followed the

controversial recruitment and attendant death of some of the applicants led to the setting of up of a probe panel by the National Assembly to unravel the reason behind the stampede.

The recruitment, which was attended by about 60,000 applicants for only 4,000 vacant positions, also brought acrimony between the then Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, and the former Comptroller General of Immigration, David Partadang, as the latter accused the former of hijacking the exercise.

Public Health in the Cross River State Ministry of Health, said there was neither Ebola scare at UCTH nor in any part of the state and that the state government was monitoring the situation closely.

He said: “We are aware of what is going on at the UCTH and are closely monitoring the situation to ensure it does not escalate, but what we have is certainly not Ebola.”

He said blood samples of the patient have been sent for analysis and when the result comes out, it would be made known to the public to douse any tension of there being Ebola in the state.

In quarantine

Meanwhile, Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee of UCTH, Dr. Queeneth Kalu, has disclosed that no fewer than 10 persons had been quarantined in Calabar, following the death of the patient.

Kalu told newsmen in Calabar that blood samples had been sent to the Ebola Diagnostic Centre in Benin, Edo State.

According to her, “on Wednesday, October 7, we managed a patient who presented with symptoms mimicking viral haemorrhage (Ebola Virus Disease) and we have decided to take the necessary measures.”

Kalu stated that those quarantined were principally nurses who attended to the patient and those who came in contact with him before his death.

She said: “We have also informed the relevant agencies, including National Centre for Disease Control, Federal Ministry of Health, Cross River State Government, Calabar Municipality, and the Department of State Services, DSS.” Kalu assured that further information would be provided to the public as soon as the test results of blood samples sent for analysis was received.

We‘re on it—Ebola Alert

Dr. Lawal Bakare, an official of Ebola Alert, the appointed Ebola notification body for Nigeria, also confirmed that the incident was being investigated.

He said: “We are following up closely on the report from Calabar. Samples have been collected and are currently being tested.

“There is a scare as it is. The chance of it being Ebola is almost zero. But that will not stop us from following up appropriately. So we are aware samples have been collected and results will be out tomorrow (today).

“We will be able to speak clearly on what it is. It has haemorrhagic symptom, which is not peculiar to Ebola.”

Bakare urged the public to follow updates on their Twitter handle @EbolaAlert.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—9

Hitches trail TSA payment portal; MDAs in talks with banks

By Favour Nnabugwu

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MEETING: From left— President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki; Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara; Deputy Speaker, Mr. Yusuf Lasun, and other principal officers of the National Assembly, during the meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Wednesday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

We‘re committed to making Nigeria work—SARAKI

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—PRESIDENT of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, said yesterday that the legislature was committed to making Nigerian democracy work for the people.

He said the National Assembly had a shared affinity with the executive arm of government to realize the objective.

Saraki, who led the leadership of both chambers of National Assembly, Senate and House of Representatives, to the Presidential Villa, Abuja, spoke to newsmen yesterday night after a private meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He stated that the meeting was at the instance of the President to interact on ways to meet the expectations of the present government.

He said: “The meeting was an initiative of the President for an interaction with the leadership of the National Assembly. It was a very useful session, being the first one. This kind of interaction helps in ensuring a smooth relationship between the two arms of government.

‘What we discussed’

“We discussed a number of issues. The general commitment is that yes, the National Assembly has legislators from different parties but now we are representing Nigeria. We have a common goal to see that we work together for the interest of the country as a whole.”

On whether his ongoing trial at the Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, featured at the meeting, Saraki said Nigeria was the topic of the meeting.

According to him, “ we are talking about what will make

Heads NASS leadership to a meeting with Buhari Nigeria work. We are talking about the promises we made during elections. Those are the big issues we are talking about and to ensure that there are no distractions.

“The focus is to ensure that the executive arm does things in the interest of the county. It is normal in democratic setting: from time to time, you see the parliament talking with the executive. That is how to make things work.

“What we are taking away is for Nigerians to be confident that government is working. It

is a good development. We are all committed to what we are all elected to do: to make Nigeria work.”

Roll call

Some lawmakers, who made it to the meeting, which took place at the First Lady Conference room, were Senate Leader, Ali Ndume; Deputy Majority Leader, Bala Ibn N’Allah; Senate Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senate Minority Whip, Phillip Aduda.

The Speaker of the House of

Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, led other members of the House, including his deputy, Yusuf Lasun, and House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila.

Asked why Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekwerenmadu, was absent at the meeting, Saraki said: “Two people are not here because they are attending a conference. The Deputy Minority Whip in the House too is not here. It just happened that they are not in the country.”

... as labour urges Senate to make minister-nominees declare assets publicly

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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RADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, has called on the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, and his colleagues to ask all President Muhammadu Buhari’s ministerial nominees not only to publicly declare their assets, as one of the preconditions for their confirmation as ministers.

TUC, in a statement by its President, Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Musa Lawal, contended that public declaration of assets would interest Nigerians, as President Muhummadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osibanjo had set the ball rolling.

The union lamented that it was saddened by reports of the arrest of the former Petroleum

Resources Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, by the British authorities and the amount of money said to be in her possession.

According to TUC, following reports that many other government officers have generously helped themselves with public funds to the detriment of majority of the citizens, there is need to verify the financial and material possessions of the ministerial nominees before they are allowed to assume such high offices.

Congress argued that the time had come for government ministries to be headed by only persons of ascertained and proven integrity in all ramifications.

The union said: “We do not need ministers who are only interested in buying and paying cash for mortgages in choice cities all over the world.

“We are on the same page with other well-meaning Nigerians, who feel that the President has already taken too long to form a formidable team. But a few more days should suffice for the Senate and the Code of Conduct Bureau, CCB, to investigate the nature, value and locations of declared assets.

CORRIGENDUM

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HE statement in the report captioned Delta APC rejects Kachikwu as ministerial nominee carried on Vanguard of Thursday, October 8, Page 39, was erroneously credited to Martins Mukoro. It was actually a statement by lawyer and Delta APC Chieftain, Jesutega Onokpasa.

Any embarrassment to Mukoro is hereby regretted.

B U J A — INDICATIONS emerged, yesterday, that Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, are in talks with banks over the need to establish a desk counter within the agencies to ease the snag of long queues for confirmation of payment made by customers in tandem with the Treasury Single Account, TSA. MDAs have been inundated with complains from their customers over long queues and attendant discomforts encountered in efforts to confirm their payments to the central portal.

Director, Customers Services of the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, Lady Azuka Azinge, in celebration of this year ’s Customers Service Week, said customers had to wait in turn for the agency to confirm their payments to the central portal before issuing them receipts.

She said:“We are discussing with some of the banks to come to CAC so that it will be easier for our customers to pay to the same portal through the banks in the hall.

“One of the problems we have is complaints of long stay on the queue to verify their tellers.”

RETRACTION

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N our October 7, 2015 edition, we inadvertently referred to Mr. Markus Danladi, as the Yobe Commissioner of Police, as having confirmed that four Boko Haram members attacked the Buhari Housing Estate in the state.

We have discovered that Danladi’s name was used in error since he had since retired from the Nigeria Police Force and did not at any time confirmed any report to our correspondent in Yobe on the said date and time.

We deeply regret whatever any inconvenience the report might have caused him.

10 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

OIL DEAL: Ghanaians, Beninoise, Nigerian get N1m bail each

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A Federal High Court in Lagos, sitting at Ikoyi, yesterday granted a N1 million bail each to four Ghanians, one Beninoise and two Nigerians, for allegedly dealing in petroleum products without appropriate licence.

The defendants are Tola Kwami, Ameyon Sisieli, Jacob Apaloo, Setol Sunday are Ghanians while Senaya Edo, is a Beninoise and Michael Dansu and Moses David are Nigerians.

They were arraigned by the officials of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and are facing a two-count charge bordering on conspiracy and dealing in petroleum products without licence.

Justice Mohammed Idris, who slammed the bail condition also granted them one surety each in like sum.

He ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody pending when they are able to perfect their bail conditions.

The Prosecutor, Mrs Rita Ezeli, told the court that the defendants committed the alleged offences on August 7, at 10:00 p.m, at Topo community in Badagry area of Lagos.

Yoruba culture will promote Nigeria — GANI ADAMS

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

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AGOS—THE N a t i o n a l Coordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, and Chief Promoter Olokun Festival, Otunba Gani Adams ssaid that Nigeria as country can be developed and promoted through Yoruba culture, saying it can make Nigeria tourist sites attractive to the world.

Addressing newsmen to highlight the activities of the 13th annual Olokun Festival at Ikeja, Lagos, Adams said, “Nigeria is a blessed nation, but we can only make lasting impact on the global world if we appreciate our culture and make our tourist sites attractive to the world.”

SCREENING: Fayose rallies NASS support for Fayemi

By Rotimi Olaleye

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DO-EKITI—EKITI state Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose, has directed lawmakers representing the state at the National Assembly to support the nomination of former Governor Kayode Fayemi during his screening by the Senate next Tuesday.

Fayose urged them to ensure the former governor gets a hitchfree screening exercise on the floor of the Senate when the screening of the ministerial nominees would come up.

In a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Idowu Adelusi, the governor gave the advice while meeting with student leaders from the state under the aegis of Federation of Ekiti Student Union, FEESU, in his office.

According to the governor, the Ekiti project belongs to all and everything must be done to support it. Ekiti is my priority. I call on all the House of Representatives members and senators that went to Abuja from here, some people petitioned the National Assembly stating how Fayemi sunk Ekiti into heavy debts, I have told the members not to do that. “It is God that judges people, not us. You must support him there. They should not go to the Senate and oppose Kayode Fayemi, no, they must never do that. An Ekiti man is an Ekiti man. I appeal to everybody, you must support him.”

He charged the students to shun acts that could mar their future, saying he would never ask them to engage in party politics or thuggery.

He urged them to be mindful of the current financial situation of the state while making their demands, promising to always treat young people with utmost respect and love.

He promised to hand over a brand new bus donated to him during his campaigns to the Eki-

RECEPTION: From left; Ray Kyles, British Deputy High commissioner to Nigeria; Timothy Oguntayo, Group Managing Director/CEO, Skye Bank Plc; Alderman Alan Yarrow, the Lord Mayor of the City of London, and Mrs. Amaka Onwughalu, Deputy Managing Director, Skye Bank Plc, during the reception in honour of the the Lord Mayor sponsored by Skye Bank in Lagos. ti State University Students Union Government and another bus for the transport of the students to and fro their campus.

The governor gave the assurance that other state-owned institutions would be considered for assistance too.

On the poor power supply to their private hostels, Fayose said

SURE-P SCAM: Allegation against me callous – BODE GEORGE

By Dapo Akinrefon

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AGOS—FORMER Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George has described the allegation of his involvement in a N4.947 billion scam as cruel, callous and outlandish mischief making.

Bode George and some Nigerians were accused of embezzlement to the tune of

New carbonated soft drink debuts in Nigerian market

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multinational beverage company, AJE Group, has started the production and distribution of Big Cola, a new carbonated soft drink in Nigeria with initial investment capital of over N5 billion.

Confident of the product’s easy and quick penetration into the Nigerian market, which has vibrant population of over 160 million, AJEAST Nigeria Ltd said it is ready to further stretch the competition in the soft drink market that is already dominated with other carbonated soft drinks.

Speaking at the formal launching of the product at Agbara Industrial Estate, Ogun State, the Country Manager, Mr. Theo Williams said, “The focus is about consumers, AJE in

he had taken on the management of Benin Electricity Distribution Company on the matter.

Fayose, who had earlier directed that the process leading to giving of bursary awards to students from the state should start, assured that the students would not be made to suffer before getting the bursary awards.

Nigeria is to offer BIG for everybody, we are giving more for less. We want to ensure that consumers get something affordable that they can share with families and friends.

He said presently in Nigeria, the company has one production line which does everything and which is automated. He described Nigeria as a land with opportunities for the citizens and investors.

In his words: “We are on a line, where we produce the bottles; we do the wrapping and packaging. Our aim is to offer more for less, while other soft drinks of 50cl are being sold for N100, we say no, giving 15cl more so that the consumers can see the benefit. We will introduce new brand every three months.”

N4.947billion from 51,000 jobless Nigerians recruited as Federal Task Force officers for the protection of Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P/Federal Road Maintenance Agency, FERMA projects in Nigeria.

The aggrieved staff had petitioned the House of Representatives via the Chairman, House Adhoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Rep Sani Zoro that the PDP chieftains made them to purchase the Federal Task Force forms, which were supposed to be free, for N30,000 each despite their impoverished situation, only to be employed, used and abandoned.

Bode George’s Political Adviser, Mr Uthman Shodipe, who read a speech, said the publication linking him to the scam is a “wild thrashing in the wind, a desperate grasping for scapegoats.”

George said he did not “authorise, employ or mobilise anyone as SURE-P workers, never at any particular time encouraged anyone to levy anybody or extort any party member under the guise of dubious employment scheme.”

Dissociating himself from the aggrieved persons, he called on anti-corruption agencies to investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.

SERAP says immunity for NASS leaders is breaking the law

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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HE Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has said the attempt by the National Assembly to shield the leadership of the National Assembly from prosecution is a setback for transparency, accountability and the rule of law.

In a statement made available to Vanguard and signed by its executive director, Mumuni Tokunbo, noted it’s a clear breach of public trust and a political corruption for the parliamentarians to abuse their legislative powers.

SERAP therefore called on the lawmakers to “immediately end the ongoing process aiming to change the constitution to shield the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara and others from prosecution for corruption as this is tantamount to breaking the law.”

SERAP said, “It is a huge setback for transparency and accountability and the rule of law that the same privileged and powerful leaders of parliament that regularly make laws that consign ordinary, powerless Nigerians to prison for even trivial offences yet again want to establish elite immunity to protect themselves from any consequences for crimes of corruption and money laundering.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 11

FALAE: Yoruba leaders threaten secession

By Ola Ajayi & Henry Umoru

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BADAN—FOLLOWING alleged incessant and unprovoked attacks and invasion of their farmlands by some Fulani herdsmen, notable Yoruba leaders held an emergency summit in Ibadan, Oyo State, yesterday threatening to review its status in the Nigerian federation.

The summit was entitled, National Insecurity and the Menace of Fulani Herdsmen in Yorubaland.

The meeting, presided over by former Governor of the Western Region, General Adeyinka Adebayo, warned that the Yoruba will no longer tolerate the present structure of the country, which they claim undermine self actualization of the people of the South West.

Reports from the summit said failure to restructure Nigeria using the 2014 confab report might force the Yoruba people to review her place in a political arrangement that cannot guarantee the protection of her citizens.

Factional leaders of the Oodua Peoples Congress, (OPC), Dr Fredrick Faseun and Otunba Gani Adams were unanimous in saying that the time to “leave Nigeria” and assert the sovereignty of the Yoruba people is now.

The summit strongly condemned what it described as the “invasion and killing of people in Yoruba territories” by the Fulani herdsmen. The summit held in the House of Chiefs Section of the Parliament Building of the Oyo State Secretariat with the theme “National Insecurity and the Menace of Fulani Herdsmen in Yorubaland.” The participants also decried the continued oppression of the Yoruba in their homeland by some Fulani herdsmen.

The summit cite incessant cases of rape, destruction of economic plants that form the bedrock of the livelihood of locals, the armed violence unleashed by the nomads

coupled with the consequent cultural disequilibrium the displacement of people from crisis-ridden Northern Nigeria have brought to communities in Yorubaland.

He added that subsequent governments in Nigeria have come into power waving slogans that end up leaving the country worse than they met it.

They demanded an immediate end to lawless nomadic activities in the South West warning that any community who cannot establish ranches for their flock should retreat from Yoruba territories.

At the event were prominent Yoruba sons and daughters from the academia, politics and the Diaspora. The sponsors of the summit were Yoruba Council of Elders, (YCE), Oodua Foundation,

Afenifere and the Yoruba Unity Forum, (YUF). Some of the participants included the Oyo State Deputy Governor, Otunba Moses Alake Adeyemo, who represented the State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi; Sola Ebiseni, who represented the Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, Pa Olanihun Ajayi, Pa Ayo Adebanjo, Pa Supo Sonibare, Prof Banji Akintoye, Prof Toun Ogunseye, the first woman Professor in Nigeria.

Others were Dr Fredrick Faseun, Otunba Gani Adams, Dr Kunle Olajide, Chief Shuaib Oyedokun and the former Military governor of Lagos State, Brig-Gen Raji Rasaki among many others.

The Afenifere Renewal Group, ARG and many other Pan-Yoruba groups were however absent at the summit.

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B E O K U TA — T H E Ogun State House of Assembly, yesterday confirmed the 18 Commissioner nominees and granted approval for the appointment of 20 Special Advisers as requested by Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

Vanguard gathered that the governor did not send the list of the 20 Special Advisers to the House, but only sent the proposed number.

The House gave the approval

Meantime, against the backdrop of cases of kidnap and destruction of farms by Fulani herdsmen, former Spokesperson of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode hailed the Yoruba peoples meeting held in Ibadan, warning that the zone cannot be sacrificial lamb to any other zone of the country.

He also warned that the South West may resort to self help if the government fails to protect them.

In a statement yesterday, the former Minister of Aviation said if and when the people of the South West were pushed to the wall, they would then know exactly what to do, adding that the killings, cases of rape and kidnap must stop.

SUMMIT: Participants at the Yoruba Summit with the theme "National Insecurity and the menace of Fulani herdsmen in Yorubaland'', organised by the Yoruba Council of Elders YCE, Odua Foundation and Yoruba Unity Forum in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo by Dare Fasube.

NANS defends award to Kashamu

By Etop Ekanem

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HE National Association of Nigeria Students, NANS, has defended the award bestowed on the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district,

Senator Buruji Kashamu, saying; ‘’It was for his untiring, exemplary and compassionate leadership style which cannot be taken away from him.

In a statement by its General Secretary, Zone D (South-

Ogun Assembly confirms 18 commissioners, 20 SAs

By Daud Olatunji

Fani Kayode hails summit

following the presentation of the report of the Committee of the Whole House by the Deputy Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, after which a motion for its adoption as amended was moved by the Majority Leader, Adeyinka Mafe, seconded by Rasaq Oduntan and supported by the whole house.

The house granted the approval through the adoption of the Report of the Committee of Whole House on the Confirmation of Commissioner Nominees and Approval of

Special Advisers”.

Consequently, the Majority Leader moved the motion for the clearance, approval and confirmation of the nominees’ appointment, seconded by Yetunde Sogbein and supported by the Whole House.

Earlier while presenting his report, the Deputy Speaker said that the committee members scrutinized the nominees’ curriculum vitae and credentials including interview and found them worthy of the appointment to the position of Commissioners.

West), Comrade Oloja Olanrewaju, NANS said the vast majority of students, workers, politicians and people of Ogun State, even the South-West Nigeria, appreciate his rare philanthropic disposition, noting that it accounts for his being widely accepted by his people and given the mandate to represent them at the Red Chamber of the National Assembly.

NANS said; “Senator Buruji Kashamu was the only wealthy Nigerian that came instantaneously to the Macedonia of the then dying Osun workers with the supply of 5,000 bags of rice and 1,000 gallons of kerosene due to unpaid eight months salary to the workers. ‘’This uncommon gesture will not only promote education and democracy but also give life to the hopeless workers of Osun State.’’

OONI STOOL: Crisis rocks Giesi Ruling House

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE selection process of the Giesi Ruling House of Ile-Ife for the candidate(s) to the vacant stool of Ooni may be heading for the rocks as six out of the seven royal houses of Giesi ruling house faulted the screening process headed by the Prince Yinka Aderibigbe committee.

The aggrieved families have vehemently protested the composition of the committee, saying that the selection process has been allegedly skewed to favour a particular royal family within the ruling house.

They also argued that the composition of Professor Aderibigbe led committee put in place by the ruling house does not reflect the representatives of all the seven royal families in Giesi Ruling House.

The royal families within Giesi Ruling House are Moniki Royal Compound; Waniki Royal Compound; Luugba Royal Compound; Debooye Royal Compound; Idu Royal Compound; Idu-Ofin Royal Compound and Agbedegbede Royal Compound.

It was learnt that though four names have been pencilled down to be presented to Ife Kingmakers for onward presentation and ratification by the state government, all the names purportedly selected were from Agbedegbede Royal Compound.

In the protest letter addressed to the Ife ingmakers by six of the seven royal families, signed by Ven Samuel Ishola Ojo from Moniki Royal Compound and Prince Babatunde Olafari Olasaare from Luugba Royal Compound, the aggrieved families alleged that the screening exercise was a one man show.

12 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Ministerial nominees'll drive desired change —OSHIOMHOLE

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DO State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiombole, has praised President Muhammadu Buhari for nominating quality hands as ministers, saying the nominees will truly drive the desired change needed for the country to move forward.

Speaking, yesterday, at the launch of an autobiography, This Is My Life, The Journey So Far, by Professor Emmanuel Emovon, Oshiomhole said: “The book is being presented at a time we are having a new President who is determined to, and is already inspiring all of us by the quality of ministers he has assembled.

People may have political issues but in terms of the quality of those people, I have not seen any of them that anybody can dismiss as not worthy of his nomination.

So, we are going to have a Presidency and a Federal Executive Council manned by men and women that are determined to lead the path of change and all of us can contribute to make that change happen.

“The future that I see and the future that President Buhari is determined to build, is the one in which there would be strong relationship between effort and reward and your effort can only flow from what you know. It cannot flow from what you don’t

know and it cannot flow from who you know. We must reposition our country and encourage our young people to recognise that they can define what they want to be in life. Hard work will pay; if it didn’t pay in the recent past, it will pay now and in the future because I know that President Buhari is determined to eliminate that idle class that makes so much money without business address and ensure that those who make money can explain how they made the money so they can inspire others to toe that path.

“We want to do away with a country where people can boast of having so much, not on account of their industry but on account of their connections; a country that returns to the rule of law. Where there is discipline, there is the fear of God and also the fear of man. I think Professor Emovon is an example of such a citizen.

“We have a huge task of renewing hope in our younger population. Too many of our young people no longer believe that it is what you know that matters, many reason that it is

who you know that matters.”

The governor praised Prof Emovon for writing his biography, saying: “The real lesson for me is that Professor Emovon has reminded all of us that not even the factor of age should be an excuse for us not to document our own life and also add to the body of knowledge for younger people to read and be inspired about the infinite possibilities that exist in this environment with all the imperfections that we can see and all the tensions that characterise our everyday life."

PUBLIC PRESENTATION: From left: Prof. Emmanuel Emovon, Author, with Chief Sam Igbe and Chief David Edebiri , during the public presentation of the book, This Is My Life, The Journey So Far, by Prof. Emovon, in Benin City, yesterday. Photo: Barnabas Uzosike

Electricity consumers in Edo shut BEDC, hold workers hostage

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—ANGRY consumers, yesterday, in Benin City, Edo State, shut the headquartres of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, on Akpakpava Road, and held its workers hostage over power outages for over two years.

The aggrieved consumers, made up of youths, women and the elderly, from Ogbenogbo, Ogbegbuya and Goodwill/Trade Fair communities in Benin City, also crippled commercial and other activities in all adjoining streets and parts of Forestry Road. They barricaded the two gateways leading into BEDC and converted the gates to kitchens where they slaughtered two goats, cooked jollof rice and yam pottage in large quantities which they fed themselves with while chanting war songs.

A youth leader from one of the communities, Aduku Monday, said the three communities had not enjoyed electricity supply ever since the company took over from the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. According to him, “We have not enjoyed power supply ever since BEDC took over from PHCN. The best we have is very epileptic. All forms of business activities in the two communities

that depend on electricity have all been paralysed. Formally, we were supplied electricity from the feeder pillar in GRA . But when BEDC took over, they transferred us to Evbuotubu.

Again, Evbotubu is already overloaded . That is why we are here today to reject this suffering. They must find solution to the problem.”

Reacting, the General Manager (Public Affairs) of BEDC, Curtis Nwadei, said

the communities were heavily indebted to the company.

He disclosed that the three communities were indebted to the BEDC to the tune of N28, 140, 962.26k, saying, “The issue is that they want more than they are presently getting and they want to decide where they get power from even when they are not paying, and we say give us money to serve you better. If they pay their bills, we will give them power."

Wike dissolves LG caretaker committees

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has dissolved the 22 local government caretaker committees appointed three months ago.

A statement from his media aide, Mr Opunabo Nko Tariah, said the dissolution took effect from yesterday.

According to him, the dissolution was in compliance with the statutory three months tenure for the caretaker committees.

The statement directed the erstwhile caretaker committee chairmen, to handover to the head of local government administration in their respective councils.

He said: “The Rivers State Governor, Mr. Nyesom Wike,

has dissolved the 22 local government caretaker committees in the state. The dissolution is with immediate effect. The caretaker committees are to handover to the various heads of local government administrations.

The statutory three months tenure for caretaker committees expires today (yesterday).”

A-Ibom appoints Swiegers to manage Uyo Airport

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By Tom Moses

YO—AKWA Ibom Government, yesterday, appointed Mrs. Johnna Swiegers, International Airport Manager to restructure the Akwa Ibom International Airport, to meet required standards.

Swiegers, who is to function as the Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, of the Ibom International Airport, has three years to restructure the airport to meet the required purposes; reduce maintenance cost and increase revenue.

According to the Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr. Etido Inyang, the three years contract which took effect from October 1, 2015, was aimed at reducing costs and eventually eliminating total reliance of the airport on the state government to meet its increasing expenses by optimally increasing revenue.

The commissioner who disclosed this during his inaugural meeting with the new management team of the Airport, yesterday, said it was also expected of the Swiegers led team to streamline and professionalize the airport’s organization and management in line with international best practice.

“The state Government wants the airport to be properly positioned to provide world class airport services."

Igbuya's tribunal victory: Birthday gift to me —OSANEBI

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EPUTY Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Friday Osanebi, has congratulated his boss, the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Monday Igbuya, over his victory, yesterday, at the election petitions tribunal and thanked God for the victory, describing it as a high-grade birthday gift from God to him on his birthday anniversary.

Reacting shortly after the judgment, the Deputy Speaker said: "How wonderful this our God is. God so loves me and has packaged this kind of birthday gift for me. I congratulate the people of Sapele Local Government Area and my boss, the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, Chief Igbuya, on his victory. It's a victory to the House of Assembly and victory to democracy."

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—13

RIVERS GOV POLL: PDP opens defence, tenders 21,827 exhibits

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—IN its bid to defend the election of Governor Nyesom Wike, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, tendered a total of 21,827 documents before the Rivers State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, sitting in Abuja.

The documents which the PDP tendered through its counsel, Mr. Ifedayo Adedipe, SAN, comprised of 1,341 incident forms that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, used in accrediting voters from11 units in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, LGA, of Rivers State, as well as 20,486 oath of neutrality forms that were filled by all INEC officials that participated in the governorship poll.

PDP told the tribunal that the oath of neutrality and affirmation forms it tendered were procured from 18 LGAs in Rivers State.

It said the documents were tendered to fault allegation by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, that oath of neutrality was not administered on INEC adhoc staff that conducted the election.

Adedipe noted that owing to contentions by the petitioners that

incident forms were not used during the governorship election in the state, his client decided to produce and tender some of them with a view to proving that the APC lied to the tribunal.

Adedipe said: “My lords, we

shall start our case by producing from the bar, Certified True Copies of relevant INEC documents. This morning (yesterday) I want to start with incident forms for Obio/Akpor LGA”.

"Specifically, for Unit 001Ward 17 in the LGA, PDP,

tendered 83 copies of the forms, for unit two-135 copies, unit three-127 copies, unit four-162, unit five-96, unit six-91, unit seven-127, unit eight-157, unit 10-144, unit 12-84, unit 13-135.

“My lord I seek to tender them in evidence as part of our defence,” PDP lawyer declared.

CONVENTION: Primate, The African Church, Most Rev. Emmanuel Udofia (middle); Archbishop, Oka-Akoko Province, Most Rev. Batholomew Adeyemi (2nd left); Secretary, African Church College of Bishops, Rt. Rev Michael Adeyemi (left); Solution Camp Chaplain, Venerable Jeremiah Okunlola (2nd right) and Chairman, Convention planning committee, Rt. Rev. David Akinremi, during the ongoing 2015 National Convention of The African Church in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Wednesday.

Why Buhari’s visit to C-River was postponed —AYADE

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—GOVERNOR Ben Ayade of Cross Rivers State, yesterday, attributed the stalling of the official visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the state to the misconception that trailed the proposed construction of a 260km super high way in the state.

He dismissed insinuations that political reasons and lack of funds were responsible.

Speaking to State House correspondents after a private meeting with President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, the governor stated that a super highway was criss crossing the national park, the greatest habitation for biodiversity in Africa.

He, however, submitted that the controversy was being resolved, saying that a new date would soon be announced for the groundbreaking.

He described President Buhari as a very humble president whose level of integrity and morality would not allow him to engage in a ground-breaking ceremony for a questionable project.

He said: “Basically, that is one of the reasons I came here. There were wrong speculations in the press linking the shift to politics and other considerations that were not true.

“It was basically a technical

issue that needed to be resolved and it has been resolved. I am happy to announce that from the discussion with the President this morning, it is obvious that very soon a new date will be communicated. What happened was that there were environmental issues which were dully raised by the Ministry of Environment. All those issues and concerns that were expressed have been addressed.

“There was a misconception that the proposed superhighway was criss crossing the national park, which is the greatest habitation for our biodiversity in Africa. Therefore, from the perspective of the environment concerns, it was totally impossible for the President whom we know for his high level of integrity and morality to come and do the ground-breaking if the project had such kind of issue.

“The national conservation

participated with us and now with Ministry of Environment getting involved and ensuring that the route is indeed so designed that it will not have any impact on the communities, no impact on the national forest.

“So, it is against that background that the President asked that we wait for all of those bits and pieces to be tidied up before he can come. It has no link with politics, it has no connectivity with the issues concerning funding.”

UN partners Ayade’s wife to end HIV mother to child transmission

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N its renewed effort to eradicate the Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV, particularly mother to child transmission, MTCT, Country Director of United Nations, UN, Mr. Bilali Camara, has set 2020 deadline to end the transmission of the virus in Cross River and Nigeria at large.

Camara, who dropped the hint yesterday during a dinner in honour of United Nations (UN) agencies after a 3-day retreat hosted by the wife of Governor Ben Ayade, Lynda, in Calabar, said the partnership with the governor ’s wife’s NGO, Mediatrix Development Foundation, had given them the opportunity to re-strategize to

put an end to HIV-related deaths in the state.

According to her: “We have discussed and agreed as well as given ourselves a homework which is essential that by the end of 2020, no child will be born with HIV in Cross River State

and no mother will be dying of AIDS in this state, even in Nigeria. We want the governor to lead us in this direction to ensure that Cross River becomes the first state in Nigeria to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV."

Edo IPAC calls for increased funding

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DO State Inter Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has called for increased funding by stakeholders for it to meet its statutory responsibility.

State Chairman, Prince Frank Ukonga, made the call in Benin, yesterday at IPAC general meeting and presentation of report of the election conducted

into Edo State IPAC’s executive.

He scored 14 votes to defeat other contestants in the election held in the presence of two Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, representatives, Mr. Eyike Paulinus, and O. A. Oviasu, as and Chief Sam Eke, IPAC’s national representative.

Oshiomhole clarifies position on N3.5trn pension fund

By Simon Ebegbulem

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday clarified his position on the pension fund, saying he never accused the National Pension Commission, PenCom, of diverting N3.5 trillion pension fund because it had nothing to do directly with pension money.

He said, rather, his position was about how pension funds operators invested hardearned workers’ money in Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, Bonds and Treasury Bills, which in turn was mismanaged through funding consumption.

In a statement personally signed by him, Oshiomhole said: “Recently, a section of the news media attributed comments to me regarding the way in which pension funds, to the tune of N3.5 trillion, were drawn down to support recurrent expenditure and not infrastructure development. In the said reports, the impression created was that I had accused the PenCom of colluding with the Federal Ministry of Finance to divert the said amount. Considering the manner in which this serious economic issue that borders on the future of the Nigerian economy and the welfare of the Nigerian workers who make contributions to the pension funds is being misrepresented, and trivialized in the media, I wish to make some clarifications and set the record straight.

“As someone involved from the outset in the crafting of the PenCom Act, I am very much aware that under the law, PenCom is a regulator of the financial institutions and operators that deal directly with the management of the pension funds and pension assets, namely: the Pension Funds Administrators, PFAs, and the Pension Funds Custodians, PFCs. I could not have said therefore that PenCom diverted pension money because it has nothing to do directly with pension money in the first place.

Indeed, I recall that when the pension reforms, which led to the creation of PenCom were being formulated, the selling point of the Contributory Pension Scheme, was that pension funds should be source of cheap and long-term funds that would be used to support programmes and investments that will enhance workers welfare such as workers’ housing and the creation of a robust mortgage system."

14 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

IMPORTS: SON gives importers 3 months to get genuine certificates

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HE Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has given a three month grace period between September to November 30 for all importers bringing in goods into Nigeria to obtain genuine SON certificates for all their imports or risk prosecution by the agency.

Speaking to maritime journalists recently, Director, Inspectorate and Compliance, SON, Engr.

Bede Obayi stated that the agency has four foreign partners who test goods destined for Nigerian ports abroad and issue valid SON certificates on behalf of the agency.

According to him, “We have four partners overseas carrying out test on goods destined for Nigerian ports. They are MPS, Cotecna, Inter-tech, and CCIC of China. This are proven organisations that have been tested and found worthy to issue SON certificates on goods overseas.

“Therefore, all importers must obtain genuine SON certificates for their imports and we have given a three month grace for that. If the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) that SON has fully integrated into continues to work as planned, then it means that every goods that must come into this country must pass the standards set by SON. “Prior to this period, people who prefer to bring in sub-standard goods into the country were forging SONCAP certificates, however, with the NCIS integration, no more forging of SON’s certificates by dubious or unscrupulous importers.”

EFCC nabs 2 with 556 ATM cards, travellers’ cheques

By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor

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BUJA—THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has arrested two Nigerians with a shocking 556 banking instruments, with which they had been using to commit unsuspecting large scale fraud.

The two men-Jonathan Odu Isikwei and Paschal Onuora Udeh were picked up operatives of the commission for unlawful possession of 448 travelers’ cheques and 108 Automated Teller Machine (ATM)/Debit cards.

Jonathan Odu Isikwei was found with 448 travelers’ cheques, while Pascal Onuora Udeh, 34, was arrested with 108 ATM cards on his way to China.

A statement issued by the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, said the two suspects would soon appear in court to account for their action.

The statement said: “The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to arraign one Jonathan Odu Isikwei for unlawful possession of 448 travelers’ Cheques.

“Isikwei 51, a native of Igbodo in Aniocha local government area of Delta State, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, by the Operatives of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) during the outward clearance of passengers on a Belgium- bound flight.

“The case was transferred to the

VISIT: Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose paying an unscheduled visit to a former governor of old Ondo State and All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain, Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua at his Ikere-Ekiti abode yesterday.

EFCC for further investigation.”

The EFCC gave the details of its investigation into the incidents.

It added: “The 448 travelers’ Cheques recovered from Isikwei were discovered to purportedly belong to four banks in America, Europe and Canada.

“The banks and the travelers’ cheques are – Gun Nebo Inc. (Bank of Nova Scotia)- 117 pieces, Postbank Frankfurt -258 pieces, Safe Federal Credit Union -41 pieces and RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland) -32 pieces.

“All the travellers’ cheques

T was an electrifying atmosphere in Enugu, when Orijin, the iconic drink from the stables of Guinness Nigeria, hosted the city to an exquisite party at the prestigious The Dome Indoor Centre, Enugu.

Spiced with lots of music and entertainment, famous disc jockey, DJ Neptune got guest grooving, while rave of the

The EFCC explained how Udeh was intercepted with 108 ATM cards at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos.

It said: “In a related development, the EFCC is investigating the activities of one Pascal Onuora Udeh.

“The 34-year-old was arrested for being in possession of 108 pieces of Automated Teller Machine (ATM)/Debit cards.

“The suspect, who claimed to be a trader and an undergraduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, is a native of Umudim Village of Obibi, Ochasi Ato, in Orlu local government area of Imo State.''

CONNECTIVITY: Mobile operators push for $20 3G enabled smartphone

By Emeka Aginam

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APE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA—ALTHOUGH the number of smartphones in Africa currently stands at 160 million, according to the latest report by the GSMA, to achieve more mobile connectivity in the subSaharan Africa, two giant service providers, MTN and Etisalat have said that cost of 3G-enabled smart phones was still a key barrier to connectivity.

The GSMA represents the

interests of mobile operators worldwide, uniting nearly 800 operators with more than 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem.

Speaking yester during a keynote session on ‘The power to connect: Providing Access for All’ in Cape Town, South Africa at the ongoing GSMA Mobile 360 Series, the Executive Director, Group President and Chief Executive Officer of the MTN Group, Sifisco Dabengwa told the gathering that there was need to still bring the retail

Fun in Enugu, as Orijin storms Coal City

I

were signed, with some having monetary value written on them.

Among the cheques belonging to Safe Federal Credit Union, 27 pieces were blank, while 14 pieces of the cheques have monetary value worth 322,800 US Dollars. “ (27) pieces of the travellers’ cheques belonging to Gun Nebo Canada Inc. were blank, while 90 pieces of the cheques have monetary value worth 354,300 Canadian Dollars.

“The suspect who claimed he exports dried fish from Nigeria to Belgium, told investigators that he collected the parcel for onward delivery to a friend without any knowledge of the content.”

moment, Patoranking ensured the esteemed guests got nothing less than a spectacular performance with his superb rendition of ‘alubarika’ to girlie o ‘remix’ and the latest club song ‘my woman.’

The Enugu party is in line with the five-city tour slated by the brand to herald its Orijin’s Orijinal Nite parties

across the cities nationwide.

In the next coming weeks, the party train will move to Port Harcourt, Abuja, Oshogbo and Markudi.

In addition to providing consumers with unforgettable experiences across the country, Orijin continues to satisfy numerous consumers across the Nigerian market.

price of cheapest devices from fifty dollars to twenty dollars to achieve access to all.

According to him, there are many 3G enabled devices in the market but noted that affordability was still a challenge to many people in the region living below two dollars per day.

To further address the connectivity challenge, the MTN boss added that there was need for clear regulatory framework.

Pushing for more players in the industry to achieve last mile, he said that the government must make spectrum available ahead of time so as to meet demand.

“I think that in our region, across our continent, the relationship between operators, regulators and policy makers has probably not been optimal. In nearly every market there is a policy drive to get universal internet access, but then the availability of spectrum is probably the biggest issue,” he said.

Also speaking, the Deputy Chairman, GSMA, Group Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Group, Ahmed Abdulkarim Julfar also said that cost of smart phones will be reduced for digital inclusion.

“There is need for the vendors to bring down cost of 3G enabled devices in the region. Device price is a challenge in the region. There is also need for infrastructure sharing, government support and alternative technologies in the region to drive connectivity” he said.

According to him, Africa has huge potentials for growth in mobile connectivity but noted that there was need for infrastructure sharing especially in the rural arrears to reduce the cost of deploying infrastructure.

The GSMA Mobile 360 Series is a capacity building conference held around the globe, with a specific focus on regional issues or current industry topics.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—15

HAJJ TRAGEDY:

214 Nigerians still missing, 99 dead

By Victoria Ojeme

A

BUJA—THE National Hajj Commission, NAHCON, confirmed, yesterday, that 214 Nigerians were still missing, while the death toll has risen to 99.

Public Relations Officer of NAHCON, Alhaji Uba Mana, who gave the confirmation on the telephone, last night, said no fewer than 41 were also injured in the stampede at Muna, Saudi Arabia September 24.

According to him, those injured are receiving medical attention.

On compensation for the victims by the Saudi authorities., the NAHCON scribe said the federal government would soon take a decision on that.

President Muhammadu Buhari had last week asked the hajj commission to take a census of the number of Nigerians still missing, following complaints by several families that they were yet to see their loved ones who went on the pilgrimage to the Holy land.

Buhari’s wife out to enhance

mothers' health in Enugu

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE wife of the president, Hajiya Aisha Buhari has attributed the increase in maternal mortality to women's indifference to ante-natal clinics during pregnancy.

The first lady therefore charged pregnant women in the country to be conscious of themselves and attend ante-natal clinics where they can be enlightened on how to handle any problem during pregnancy.

Hajiya Buhari in a speech through the wife of Enugu State governor, Mrs. Monica Ugwuanyi, on the occasion of distribution of beverages to expectant and nursing mothers at Parklane Hospital, Enugu and Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka as part of her pet project of motherbaby welfare programme, noted that through antenatal, pregnant women can identify their problems and how to solve them.

C M Y K

42 out of every 1,000 Nigerians blind —Optometrists

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—NIGERIAN Optometrists have expressed worry over lack of statistics for visual impairment in the country, even as the Nigerian Optometrists Association estimates that 42 out of every 1,000 Nigerians were visually impaired.

Speaking during an advocacy visit to the Anambra State ministry of health, yesterday, as part of activities to mark the World Sight Day in Awka, the state chairman of the assiciation, Dr. Obi Ifeanyi said that Nigeria still relies on the 2005-2008 National Blindness Survey of people over 40 years which was when the 42 per 1,000 blindness was arrived at.

He said though the world population was aging and people living longer, blindness from chronic conditions was rising, such that about 286 million people are blind globally.

According to him, the most worrisome aspect of the situation was that over 80 per cent of the disability was due to causes that could have been prevented, treated or cured, adding that 90 per cent of people with visual impairment were in developing countries, Nigeria included.

He said: “Visual impairment becomes more worrisome in children due to the significant role played by visual experience in the physical, intellectual and psychological development of the child. Also, undiagnosed and untreated vision problems go hand in hand with poor academic performance and loss of interest in school.”

He added that with just about 3000 Optometrists catering for over 150 million people in Nigeria, skilled manpower in the eye care profession was grossly inadequate, adding that more worrisome was the fact that the professionals were concentrated in the urban and semi urban

centers, thus depriving majority of the people of the basic eye care.

While noting that there were only 65 Optometrists in Anambra State, with 30 working in government health institutions and 35 in private

practice, Ifeanyi called on the Anambra State government to employ more Optometrists as primary eye care providers and post them to the local government and rural communities in order to make the elimination of avoidable blindness a reality.

PRESENTATION: From left, Assistant Manager, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, NLRC, Ms. Sodje Edna; Cold Manager, Guinness, Mr. Victor Atere; Guinness EMMOB winner, Mr. Odeleye Samuel; Commercial Planning & Activation Manager, Guinness, Mr. Olusegun Odebiyi, and Assistant Manager, NLRC, Mr. Ojeh Afam, at the prize presentation to winners of Guinness Every Minute Made of Black promo, in Lagos.

TRIBUNAL: Umeh, Ekwunife know fate

today

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—THE Anambra State national election petition tribunal sitting in Awka will today deliver judgment in the petition filed by the candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, for Anambra Central senatorial zone, Chief Victor Umeh challenging the declaration of Mrs. Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by the

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as the winner of the election.

Counsel to all the parties in the petition adopted their written addresses last month after which the tribunal adjourned indefinitely.

However, there were reports yesterday that the tribunal had contacted the parties, informing them of today’s judgment.

During the tribunal’s sitting, Umeh tendered polling unit results, otherwise known as Forms EC8A1, ward to ward

Anambra stops work at on-going Onitsha motor-park project Mr. Ekene Ikebudu and other illegal motor park, adding that

By Nwabueze Okonkwo flowers should be planted

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NITSHA—THE move by some unidentified persons to erect a motor park at the Housing Estate, Fegge, Onitsha, Anambra State end of Enugu/Onitsha expressway was yesterday put to a stop by Anambra state government which issued a ‘stop work’ order.

Handing down the ‘stop work’ order with immediate effect, shortly after his impromptu visit to the project site, the Chief of Staff to Governor Willie Obiano, Prof.

Joseph Asika who was sent to the site by the governor described the project as an

The state director of medical services, Dr, Nathaniel Ojekwu who spoke on behalf of the state government, commended the Optometrists for being proactive, assuring them of the state government’s readiness to assist them in their practice.

within the site as the only thing suitable for that environment.

Asika who also ordered the dismantling of a box culvert under construction on the side drainage, wondered why a sane person could commence construction of a motor park without approval from either the federal or state Ministry of Lands, insisting that the site is meant for flower pots to help beautify the environment.

The Chief of staff who stormed the project site at about 2.30 pm yesterday to see things for himself, based on complaints from the PresidentGeneral of the Housing Estate, Chief Ikechukwu Odimegwu Omus and public outcry from

residents, posited that such projects if allowed to be constructed would make the area unsafe for the residents.

He also took photographs of the site to ensure that work did not continue after he had left.

results, otherwise known as Forms EC8B1, constituency collated results known as Forms EC8D1 and declared result sheets or Forms EC8E1, claiming that from the results collated, he won the election.

He also tendered Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, electoral guideline for primary election of 2014, a letter dated November 4, 2014, which was received on November 5 and addressed to Chief Umeh as winner of the APGA party primary election, among other documents.

Led in evidence by his lead counsel, Mr. Patrick Ikwueto, SAN, Umeh said that after analysis of the polling booth results, it was found out that anomalies took place, adding that if everything was properly articulated, the evidence would show that he won the election.

The former APGA national chairman said that what he wanted to show was that INEC, having admitted making mistakes in the collation of the results, h e (Umeh) won, if t h e authentic collated figures w e r e announced.

16 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Court declares Ahukanna Aba IPMAN chairman

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

BA—AN Abia State High Court sitting at Ututu, Arochukwu has declared Chief Christian Ahukanna as the duly elected chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Aba Depot.

In Suit No. HUT/4/2014, between Chief Christian Ahukanna and Kyrian Nnanatu as applicants and Bobby Eberechi Dick as respondent, the court upheld the election of Ahukanna as chairman on November 25, 2014.

Delivering judgment in the matter, Justice C.U Okoroafor held that the forcible restraint and refusal of the applicant to hold the extant executive meeting of the IPMAN, Aba Depot secretariat by the respondent and his agents is an infringement on the applicant’s fundamental human right to assemble freely and associate with other persons.

Mystery fire razes Onitsha paint market

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—GOODS and property worth over N90 million naira were yesterday evening razed by a mysterious fire at car paint dealers market located along Modebe Avenue

by Ozomagala junction, near Saint Andrew ’s Anglican Church, Odoakpu, Onitsha.

The fire incident, according to eye witnesses, started at about 6pm and gutted one shop before the intervention of men of Anambra State Fire Service, Okpoko Division.

But speaking on the incident, Chairman of the market, Mr. Anike Samuel who conducted newsmen round the scene of the incident, said the fire started slowly at about 2:30pm while they were holding a meeting of the market union. He thanked the Anambra State Fire Service Okpoko and the Main Market station which were on hand to put off the fire before it escalated.

Anike said, “I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what is happening. I am afraid, the goods destroyed here were over N30 million but up till now, as I am speaking to you, nobody knows the cause of the

fire”.

He further declared: “We are afraid because we have not had electricity in this line for a long time because our transformer spoilt.”

A trader, who preferred anonymity gave the name of the shop owner where the fire

EXT GENERATION Network, Globacom, has rewarded its brand ambassadors, Peter and Paul Okoye, popularly called P-Square, with two state-of-the-art Sports Utility Vehicles. The vehicles are Mercedes Benz G-Wagon and Range Rover Vogue.

Chief Umana's funeral

H

IS HIGHNESS, Eteidung Umana, aged 86, will be buried on Saturday, October 17, after service of songs in the family compound, Efa-Ikot Obio Iko, Southern Iman, Etinan Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State, on October 16.

Thanksgiving service for the late chief, who is survived by children, grand children and great grand children, will hold on October 18.

Late Chief Umana C M Y K

Peter Okoye got the 2015 Mercedes Benz G-Wagon, while his brother, Paul, went home with the 2015 Range Rover. The company said that the duo were rewarded with the gifts for being steadfast in their status as Glo ambassadors.

While presenting the vehicles at the Mike Adenuga Towers, Globacom headquarters in Victoria Island, Lagos, the company ’s Regional Marketing Director, Ashok Israni said, “Today, we are rewarding these worthy brand ambassadors in whom we are well pleased with two state-ofthe-art SUVs for their abiding loyalty to the brand. Peter Okoye is getting a 2015 G-Wagon jeep, while his twin brother, Paul, will get a 2015 Range Rover Vogue jeep. This is a token of appreciation for their commitment to the brand and for using their status as brand ambassadors to promote the brand among their fans for seven years now.

“We will continue to work with P-Square in our marketing efforts. Year in, year out, we re-invent the marketing strategy by deploying our rich repertoire of ambassadors to enhance the Glo brand

Onuorah, who deals on aluminum products told our correspondent that he lost over N2 million while Chief Chukwuma Maduewesi, said he lost more than N20 million.

They also expressed shock over the incident which they described as mysterious.

FEST: CEO, Mark Carthers Consulting, Yinka Junaid (middle), flanked by comedians, Funny Bone (left), and Gandoki, during the Glo Laffta Fest, in Ikeja, Lagos, Sunday.

Glo rewards P-Square with state-of-the-art SUVs

N

incident started as Mr. Obinna, a native of Agbani in Nkanu Local Government Area of Enugu state.

The goods mostly affected were car paints, marbles, tiles, aluminum and other goods. The goods were stored in a ware house in large quantities.

Another trader, Chief Samuel

equity. As role models, these ambassadors add value to our stakeholder communication process.”

Mr. Israni urged the duo to continue to set the pace and strive for excellence in the entertainment industry, adding, "there is no limit to your success if you remain focused and united."

Peter and Paul Okoye have won 17 awards and received 18 nominations both locally and internationally.

Speaking while receiving the vehicles, Peter thanked Globacom for the honor and said P-square would continue to do its best as Glo ambassadors. “Globacom is a very caring brand which had added great value to our lives by supporting our musical careers in creative ways in the last seven years.”

Paul who also spoke during the presentation expressed his delight at the honor given to the duo. He explained that there has been a very cordial relationship between PSquare and Globacom, having been Glo ambassadors for about seven years now.

“God bless Dr. Adenuga!

God bless you because you are truly a father in words and deeds. "

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 —17

The Nigerian Police Force

M

L

AST month, I was abduct ed from my residence in Port Harcourt and held for two weeks by a gang of kidnappers.

It was, of course, a profoundly terrifying experience and as soon as I was released, I packed my bags and fled to Abuja, then London, vowing that I would not return to my home town for the forseeable future.

My captors had told me that there were over 30 kidnapping gangs in Rivers State; and while they also said that it is unusual for the same person to be abducted twice, it has been known to happen; and I wasn’t willing to take any chances.

All of my friends and family members understood my fears and desire to quickly put as much distance between myself and the scene of the crime as possible.

Some (especially my son who has a mortal dread of losing his

An accident scene in the United Kingdom

Fear and Safety Mum and pals from other countries or other parts of Nigeria) have urged me to NEVER set foot in Port Harcourt again, while others (especially fellow Rivers indigenes) have a more philosophical attitude and have expressed the opinion that I’ll eventually get over the trauma and shouldn’t totally abandon my roots and become a permanent exile.

On reflection, the latter viewpoint makes more sense because, let’s face it, when God decides that you should die, you will definitely die, wherever you may be.

I recently remembered a mythical tale I read when I was young. It was about a man who refused to embark on a journey

to a particular destination because he’d had a dream in which it had been revealed that Death was waiting for him there.

So, fearing Death, the man stayed in the village where he lived. But guess what? When Death got wind of the man’s refusal to travel, Death left the place the man was avoiding and went to meet him in his village. And that was the end of him!

In other words, no matter how cautious you are, you cannot cheat Death when your time is up. And it’s not as if there is anywhere on earth that is 100% safe!

Abuja is undoubtedly safer than Port Harcourt, but shortly after I left Abuja for London on September 20th, Islamic terrorists - suicide bombers inflicted murder and mayhem on our capital city. If I’d stuck around for a few more days, I could (having escaped from the kidnap intact) have been a victim of this Abuja tragedy.

The UK is undoubtedly safer than Port Harcourt; but since I arrived in the UK three weeks ago, several people have lost their lives in a series of accidents (car crashes and so on) or been killed by homicidal maniacs. If I’d been in the wrong place at the wrong time,

I would have been one of these sad UK statistics.

Meanwhile, millions who are based in Port Harcourt – and in even more dangerous locations such as Iraq, the Central African Republic, Libya, and Syria – will survive to ripe old ages and never be taken hostage or directly exposed to violence.

So, my dear readers, while we can all, to some extent, be the architects of our own destinies and at least try to minimise risk, the human condition is extremely unpredictable and the Bottom Line is that how long we live - and how and where we finally shuffle this mortal coil – ultimately boils down to Fate and Luck.

ANY Nigerians (and for eign inhabitants of Nigeria) have completely lost faith in our police force, thanks to a widespread belief that most police officers are shamelessly corrupt, in cahoots with crooks of all descriptions, downright incompetent and absolutely lousy at detecting, preventing and solving crimes.

I myself have had some very annoying encounters with dodgy Nigerian policemen over the years, but I’ve also met a sizeable number of pleasant, intelligent and seemingly conscientious officers (junior as well as senior) and think that it’s immensely unfair to contemptuously write off the entire force as useless.

Police officers in Nigeria suffer from a chronic lack of resources. Often, their outlaw adversaries are betterarmed than they are; and they don’t (like their counterparts in the Western World) have access to sophisticated tools like the Electronic Facial Identification Technique, a computer-based method of producing facial composites of wanted criminals, based on eyewitness descriptions.

But many of them still toil night and day and display enormous courage and try their best to be effective, despite the obstacles they have to contend with. When I was released, Musa Kimo, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, took the trouble to visit me and assure me that he and his men would not rest in their bid to apprehend my tormentors. And I can’t say much now because discretion is necessary.

But, trust me, Kimo is taking this assignment very seriously indeed.

No matter how cautious you are, you cannot cheat Death when your time is up. And it’s not as if there is anywhere on earth that is 100% safe!

Work as therapy

M

ANY friends and relatives have told me off for not resting since I was released because they feel that I will have a breakdown if I continue to carry on as normal.

They want me to lie down at home, taking it easy and doing as little as possible. But I’m finding it useful to imC M Y K

merse myself in hard work from dawn till dusk because when my mind is busy, it doesn’t have much space for depressing recollections.

Relaxation may be perfect therapy for certain types of individual. But diligently focusing on productive activities appears to be the best therapy for me!

Rivers State Police Commissioner, Musa Kimo

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

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

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 SINCE it was established in 1999 via Decree (now Act) 35 of the Federal Government of Nigeria, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) has been tasked with the overall goal of enhancing access to quality and affordable health care for all Nigerians.

This scheme eventually saw the light of day 27 years after it was first mooted in 1962 as the Lagos Health Bill.

But since it became operational in 2005, the scheme has not been on track to meet its primary target of providing universal coverage for all Nigerians by 2015. Its poor implementation has not justified the years of spadework invested before it became a reality.

For many years now, the state of the health system in Nigeria has been in jeopardy. Even after 55 years of independence, Nigeria still ranks low among the World Health Organisation (WHO) member nations.

But health insurance in Nigeria remains fraught with a lot of problems. Apart from being operated strictly with the government’s contributions, the NHIS has not ensured that every Nigerian has access to good health care services.

Today, there is little or no protection of indi-

Reforming the health insurance scheme viduals or families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills. Many individuals have no faith in the Scheme, while a number of corporate bodies have withdrawn from it.

Treatment from accredited hospitals is often questionable. While consumers often accuse healthcare providers of being too profit-conscious, many hospitals complain of non-payment of the bills of patients treated by them.

Clients also moan that many diseases are not covered and they are given substandard drugs.

The nation’s healthcare system deserves urgent reformation. What Nigerians need is a universal healthcare system which will increase

coverage, reduce maternal and child mortality, while increasing life expectancy of the generality of the citizenry. We must refocus the policy to ensure it meets its laudable objectives.

It is time to provide the legal framework for a new policy shift in order to help poor Nigerians.

This is the era of Universal Health Care. Nigeria must take a cue from the industrialised countries and follow the good examples of successful implementation. The existing national health policy only guarantees consumer protection and access to care for citizens on paper. The NHIS as it is and the Universal Health Coverage are poles apart.

Universal Health Coverage should not only involve massive government investment in the health sector, it also encompasses contributions from individuals and corporate organisations, which should be encouraged to invest generously as part of their responsibility and relevance to the society.

We believe that any social programme that only caters for government sector workers while leaving the mass of Nigerians outside the government payroll cannot suffice.

Let us take another look at the NHIS and make it work.

OPINION

Turkey and Erdogan’s tyrrany

By Mohammed Mohammed

AS a keen follower of events in Turkey, observation over the years about development in that country presents a state where impunity has been entrenched. Judging by the leadership pattern of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his party, the Just ice Development Party, AKP, you would agree with me that in Turkey impunity has been taken to the summit.

Political developments in Turkey dating back from the days Erdogan was the Prime Minister, and the time he was transmuted to president of Turkey, citizens are meant to endured repressive rules with utter disregard for human rights.

It is sad to note that, AKP’s led government only present sour experiences for majority of the people of Turkey.

Particularly those identified perceived enemies of Erdogan and his AKP ruling party. The media, judiciary, security forces and even teachers have been muffled or made to pay dire consequences for their actions or inactions against the autocratic tendencies of the AKP-Ied government.

The Justice Development Party has made endless attempt to emasculate every opposing view. Like many observers of events in Turkey, it gave me a serious concern watching the highest form of impunity taking place in modern day history. The height of this ‘retributive C M Y K

government of Erdogan is unfathomable.

For instance, a report from the Instabul Institute pointed at a government crackdown on media outlets such as the Zaman and Bugiin dailies, and Samanyolu TV, which are owned by people inspired by the ideas of Turkish-Islamic scholar Fethullah Gulen.revealed that a government-backed operation launched recently, Zaman Editor-inChief Ekrem Dumanl1 and Samanyolu top executive Hidayet Karaca were detained.

While Dumanll was released pending trial, journalist Karaca was kept imprisoned. It would also be recalled that among those detained were Ekrem Dumanl1, the editor-in-chief of Zaman, Hidayet Karaca, the chief executive of Samanyolu Media Group, the former heads of the anti-terrorism and organised crime units in the Istanbul police department and 13 other journalists, television executives, producers, directors and scriptwriters.

Though Mr. Dumanl1 and 15 others were released by the prosecution pending trial after providing statements, Mr. Karaca and the three police officers remain in detention without indictment.

Informed analysts in Turkey said Mr. Karaca, Mr. Dumanll, the three police

Erdogan has done all within his power to gag the press

chiefs and 14 others are under investigation for being “members or leading members of an armed organisation” contrary to Article 314(1) of the Turkish Criminal Code (TCKI. “depriving individuals of their liberty through force, threats or deception” and “slander”.

The suspects were detained two days after the threshold for the burden of proof required for obtaining a search warrant was reduced from “strong doubt based on concrete evidence” (which had been introduced in February 2014) to reasonabledoubl.. On the same day as Mr. Karaca’s arrest, the Istanbul 1st Criminal Judge of the Peace issued a warrant for the arrest of Fethullah Giilen on the grounds of “establishing and managing a terrorist organisation” contrary to Article 314(1) of the TCK; “using physical power or threat or deception to perform an act or during commission of an offence” contrary to Article 109(2) of the TCK; “casting aspersions on an individual. ... But opinion leaders in Turkey and International observers maintained that, the true motivation for the prosecution of Mr. Karaca and Mr Dumanl1 is retribution for the December 2013 corruption scandal. A senior researcher at Human Rights Watch commented at the time of the arrests, “The timing on the anniversary of the December 2013 corruption investigations and the limited evidence made public suggests these arrests are politically motivated, not based on reasonable suspicion of a criminal offence”.

In the words of the executive Director of the Committee to protect Journalists who stated that, “the heavy-handed ac-

tions this morning smack of political vengeance.” The arrests had in fact been preceded two days earlier by President Erdoan signaling a fresh campaign against the Hizmet movement.

Erdogan has done all within his power to gag the press and in the process his administration has raided and arrested a number of journalists and media representatives, which make Turkey a hostile country for media practitioners.

International communities have intervened and their pleas seem to have fallen on deaf ears.; For instance, the European Commission also condemned the arrests: “The police raids and arrest of a number of journalists and media representatives in Turkey are incompatible with the freedom of the media, which is a core principle of democracy. This operation goes against European values and standards Turkey aspires to be part of”.

Also in February and March 2015, members of the US Congress and 74 members of the US Senate wrote to US Secretary of State, John Kerry, expressing deep concern about the recent arrest of journalists and urged the government “to stop suppressing the1ree press and put an end to gross intimidation efforts among members of the media who express opinions or report events in a way that the regime feels is opposed to their interests,” Opposition leader Kemal Kilicdarolu referred to the arrests as “a coup against democracy. *Mr. Mohammed, a foreign affairs anJayst, wrote from Kaduna, Kaduna State.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015— —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

The United Nations of Babel ELA Anikulapo-Kuti, the Middle East has led to the Afrobeat king asked the Third World War. Continuing in F rhetorical question “Wetin unite for United Nations?” (What is united in United Nations?).

This played out at the UN 70th Session where most world leaders were at war with themselves, I ronically, the theme was “The Road ahead to peace, security and human rights.” But it would have been more appropriate were it the road to war.

What dominated the Session was not peace, the refugee crisis, food,jobs or human rights, it was war, particularly, the Syrian war. The world leaders traded blame particularly on the Islamic State (ISIS) but not on solutions.

The Session was a complete negation of the UN Charter adopted after the horrendous massacres of the Second World War which saw some 48,231,700 persons sent to early graves.

The Charter states in the first sentence that the world body’s primary aim is “to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind” An obviously frustrated King Abdullah II of Jordan argued that fundamentalism in the

the hawkish tradition of France which saw Libya being bombed into a failed state, President Francois Hollande told the UN that the problem is Syria’S President Bashar al-Ass ad who must be taken out. He argued “You cannot put together victims and those who are killing them.” France is leading a renewed campaign to establish a so-called No-fly zone over Northern Syria and investigating alleged war crimes.

Britain which had helped establish, train and fund groups like ISIS and al-NUSRA, and is engaged in building ‘moderate forces in Syria, declared that it is willing to work with anybody to ‘free’ Syria from its elected president. Prime Minister David Cameron who was not physically ‘present, declared on Syria, “Of course we have to win militarily.” European Council President, Donald Tusk used the platform to condemn the Syrian government for allegedly using barrel bombs and chemical weapons in the civil war.

The two main actors at the Session, America’s Barack Obama, and Russia’s Vladirnir

Putin had a 90-minute meeting while leading their various blocs of the world. Obama called a closed meeting in an attempt to build a coalition against ISIS. ‘America, according to its Secretary of State, John Kerry has slightly shifted from its position that Assad has no role to play in Syria; now, it agrees Assad stays for “a transitional period.”

But Putin argued that only the Assad and Kurdish forces are actually fighting ISIS and that seeking a solution without Assad is illusory. On the coalition assembled by Obama during the Session, Russian UN envoy, Vitaly Churkin argued that “The UN has its own anti-terror strategy and everything could easily be done within the UN framework ... But Americans would not be Americans if they did not seek to demonstrate their leadership. It is simply disrespectful towards the organisation to conduct these things at the UN.” For Australia, its Foreign Minister, Julie Bishop argued that no option should be off the ta-

President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria. spent the precious four minutes allotted him. to deliver a 30- paragraph address. with four paragraphs on the pressing issues of Boko Haram and Chibok girls and seven on the UN Sustainable Development Goals; it was like carrying coal to Newcastle

Mr. President as Oil minister, issues and concerns

By Clement Udegbe

P

RESIDENT Muhammadu Bu hari, PMB, wants us to believe that he will sanitize our systems, and fight corruption, one of the biggest hindrances to development in Nigeria,. and we believe him, because we need a solution, and it is about time.

He has made security one of his key priorities, which is reasonable, because the violence in the north east escalated after he lost the 2011 elections. It will be good conscience therefore to stop it, with the level of havoc that it has unleashed on our peoples and the economy. Money for development is now being pumped into prosecuting the war against terror, and management of its precipitates.

Nigeria is under siege from three bad sources, namely Boko Haram, Fulani Herds men both from the north, and spreading fast to the South, and Kidnapping from the South, being propeUed by Robbers’ Conversion into the north, and every part of Nigeria, thus PMB must try to plug some wedges between these three in order to prevent a fusion of their agents, and operations.

PMB as the Minister of Defense and Security, would have been most appropriate, for some reasons; he was General of our Army, from where he shot himself into the highest seat of government about ·30 years ago, and having attended all that military training and must be acquainted with state of the art military tactics, and warfare to be able to re- plan our national security in a time like this.

He is a Fulani man, owns cows in m C M Y K

ultitudes, and a patron of cow rearers and merchants association as we read from reports. He is in a position therefore by birth, and experience to bring a lasting solution to one of the potential sources of aggression among the ethnic zones of this country. The Fulani Herds Men who have become violent, aggressive, ambitious, and most unwanted.

They have terrorised rural communities in Plateau, Benue, Enugu, I mo, Abia, Delta, and Ondo States to name a few.

If nothing is done now, the present resentment and lonely shouts by the people, will escalate and become a major cause of disunity, because agriculture is all our rural communities have, and when their crops are destroyed, hatred will start from base and move up! Security therefore is the key issue and PMB, naturally is blessed to be in a better position to deal with two of the key factor sources of insecurity, BH, and Fulani Herds Men. As the Minister of Defense and Security, he will simply be wonderful. But the President has chosen to be

If Nigerians created a multi-billion dollar Nollywood, as we hear.

PMB should empower Farmywood, Industrywood, Tourywood. as pillars of revenue, and that will be the real Change!

ble in tackling IS IS. Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro was more direct on Syria ‘The war in Afghanistan, we have to ask ourselves about it. Did it bring peace? Did it build a situation of stability to the people of Afghanistan? No. The war in Iraq, woven in a fabric of lies, and the only idea behind that war was oil., Is Iraq living in peace? No. Rather it has been devastated ... what was done in Ubya was a crime!” For Chinese President, Xi Jinping, it was a time to remember the millions of Chinese lost in World War II and a call that the strong sho ijtd not trample on the weak.

Also on the Second World War remembrance train was Polish President, Andrzej Duda who accused the UN Permanent Members of misusing veto.

While his reference to Russia was veiled, that of Japan was direct; both countries still have ‘territorial disputes over the Kuriles islands dating from that war. So officially, the Russo-Japanese conflict is not over. This may account for Japan’s eagerness to slam sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian conflict.

As expected, Ukrainian President, Petro Poroshenko raised his country ’s self-afflicted wounds which had claimed over 8,000 in seventeen months.

As usual, he was not introspective: “My country has been the object of external aggression.

This time the aggressor is the Russian Federation.” But Brazil’s Dilma Rouseff was more motherly in her approach at the UN. Of course, she desires the Security Council expanded, but wants UN to take-urgent steps to prevent more suffering by

Oil Minister. Some reason that he was once the Oil Minister, when the present NNPC was reformed, re-packaged, and foundation for what we have today was laid. This raises a few issues of concern.

First, should a sitting President also be a Minister?

The President is the Leader of his Party, and who will supervise him as a Minister? Since the government is his, people can only look upon the oversight functions of the legislature to supervise a president who is also a minister. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. we therefore run the risk of giving absolute power to one man.

OBJ did it in his time, but OBJ is a Southerner, without the born to rule mentality, and he was given power by the north. PM B’s kitchen Cabinet appointments in which he ignored the South East Zone, without regard to Federal Character and the unity of Nigeria as enshrined by our constitution is a clear proof that he is Born To Rule! Second, a Minister must pass the screening by the Senate to be confirmed, will this Constitutional Provision be waived?

OBJ had it on a platter of gold, Nigerians overlooked it because of our nascent democracy’ then, but will this Senate compromise too? Should this Senate choose to be forthright as we all expect under our changing and improving democratic experience, they will want to screen PMB first. Screening could raise the issues of qualifications, certificates, forgeries and all the palaver which we do not wish for the President at this time. These are controversies which consume time, energy, and could constitute a distraction for him.

Suppose someone drags him and the Senate to court over the certificate saga, or whatever and gets an order, what happens? The President would have

migrants. She also wants an end to hostilities in the Palestine by granting Palestinians, their homeland. Italian President, Matteo Renzi was, not unexpectedly, concerned about the fate of refugees, many of who come through his country.

Of course, other countries have their demands, like South Korean President, Park Geunhye using the platform td’ condemn his North Korean brothers and sisters and demanding action on their nuclear programme. Iranian President, Hassan Rouhani has similar concerns, but his own is against Israel. The worry of the Columbian President, Juan Manuel Santos Calderon is how to end the FARC insurgency that began in the 1960s. Obama and Cuba’s Raul Castro shared a common platform asking the US Congress to lift sanctions on Cuba, but disagreeing on America vacating the Cuban Guantanamo Bay. President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, spent the precious four minutes allotted him, to deliver a 30-paragraph address, with four paragraphs on the pressing issues of Boko Haram and Chibok girls, and seven on the UN Sustainable Development Goals; it was like carrying coal to Newcastle. His call for a Palestinian homeland, and independence for Western Sahara were however on target as they address some core issues of world conflict. As Head of State in 1984, his regime had recognised Wes~rn Sahara as a sovereign state; today, his administration would need to lead Africa in rescuing that country from Moroccan occupation.

been shamed, but God forbid I Thirdly, why the oil Ministry? Oil wealth is the reward our Khaki boys enjoyed for winning ,the war and defeating Biafra, because for them, the task to chop oil money is a task that must be accomplished!

OBJ was a war veteran, like PMB, both of them belong to the special club, that must watch our oil ministry and our oil wells, to keep Nigeria One. With every due respect to our beloved good leaders, A i President of Nigeria, should not be the Minister for Oil, no matter how well intentioned he may be, Out of the 30 million educated Nigerians, there must be at least 300 persons, honest, and qualified to Head our Oil Ministry. Let PMB conduct a test for APC members and pick a Minister for oil. but he should drop the idea of being our Oil Minister.

Dr. Patrick Utomi was reported to be the first Nigerian Federal Minister at the age of about 28, PMB should appoint someone under 30 as our Oil Minister!

Our world is changing fast, and with our speed, soon an ex-president will be docked tried and jailed, and heaven will not fall! Finaily, the bane of Nigeria’s economic growth is the operation of a mono product economy in a situation where aqriculture, industry and tourism can become our mainstay, A president who wants to change Nigeria, should start with taking us to industrial farming, and serious ind ustrial prod uction.

We have the good land and soils, the population, why not exploit these, create wealth, and abundance, than chasing after oil Money?

If Nigerians created a m ulti- billion dollar NoUywood, as we hear, PM B should empower FarmyWood, IndustryWood, TouryWood, as pillars of revenue, and that will be the real Change! *Mr Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

20 — FRIDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 9, 2015

I want Justice for my family, says 9 yr-old whose mother was shot dead by cop ••as activist demands speedy trial for the perpetrator

By Ebere Aham

M

RS. Comfort Indongesit Udoh looked forward with great expectation to the first birthday of her fourth child, Elijah Udoh. This is because Elijah’s birthday fell on same day with the country ’s Independence anniversary, October 1. Infact, preparation towards the ceremony was reportedly first discussed with her husband two months ago where a conclusion was reached to mark it in a low key with families and friends.

Unfortunately, the D-day came last Thursday but she never lived to witness it, no thanks to a bullet from a Police Corporal attached to the Isheri Osun division which shattered her skull.

The deceased, Mrs Udoh, in the company of her husband , Mr Godwin Sunday Udoh and their four children: Mary (12) , Blessing (9), Abraham (7) and Elijah who was then 11 months old, reportedly left their Idimu abode in a tricycle driven by Mr Udoh, on September 16, 2015.

Tricycle operator Destination was the Gospel of Faith Church situated in Ijegun to attend a vigil. Time was 11pm.

However , they were accosted by a Police Corporal along Ijegun Road who allegedly demanded for N2000 from the supposed tricycle operator for driving late.

Explanation by Udoh that the people in the tricycle were members of his family and not passengers as claimed by the policeman fell on deaf ears.

At that moment, his wife, Idongesit Comfort, who was carrying their youngest child , Elijah, reportedly alighted from the tricycle and showed the policeman her Bible, with an explanation that she was not a passenger as assumed , but the operator’s wife.

But the Police Corporal, Musefiu Aremu, was said to have insisted on getting his money. Apparently angry at his defiance, Udoh reportedly entered his tricycle, with his wife following behind. But to the shock of all , Corporal Aremu said to have earlier threatened to shoot if Udoh attempted to move the tricycle from the spot, made true his threat as he released two

bullets from his AK 47 rifle.

One of the bullets reportedly hit Mrs Udoh , who fell off the tricycle with Elijah on her bosom. The bullet was said to have pierced her skull and hit Udoh in the jaw.

While Udoh lived to tell the tale, that unfortunately was not the case with his wife, as she reportedly died moments before reaching the hospital.

When Vanguard Metro visited their Idimu residence on October 1, everyone at the birthday party wore long faces. Rather than celebrating with little Elijah who was apparently oblivious of the tragedy that had befallen his family, guests were seen consoling his father.

Elijah on his part, only allowed fair-skinned women to carry him.

This was because his mother was light-skinned. His siblings were withdrawn , still finding it difficult to shake off the incident from their memory.

We want justice: When approached, nineyear-old Blessing said: “All we want is justice for my family. I want government to take care of my family. My father is not working anymore since the incident,as he is still undergoing treatment at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital”.

Narrating how her mother was shot, she said amidst tears: “ We were all in the Keke Marwa when we heard the gunshot.

Immediately, my mummy fell down; she fell on Elijah. She

We need a total package to sustain my family; I cannot even go back to my former business because my right hand is not functioning well again and I need to take care of my family

•The Udoh family could not move. Blood was all over her . Elijah was crying from where he was trapped under her.

My daddy was shouting: ‘They have killed me ooo’. But no body came to help us. Everybody ran away .

“My elder sister, Mary, was screaming, calling for help. I was the only one that went and held one of the policemen by the trouser. I was shouting at the top of my voice that ‘you people have killed my mummy. Come and take my mummy to the hospital’.

Later some policemen came and brought Elijah out of my mummy’s grip. His body was covered with blood.

Police woman "My Daddy was taken away while a police woman took us to her house and gave us food and water. She told us to sleep that we would see our mummy and daddy next day. But up till now, we have not seen our mummy”.

Call for huge compensation, speedy trial for perpetrator: Her narration triggered gusts of emotion as some of them burst into tears. The chair person of Women Arise, a nongovernmental organisation, Dr Joe Odumakin, who organised the birthday party for young Elijah, said in an emotion-laden tone : “There is no one that can replace Elijah’s mother but we will do our best to see that justice is done.

The deceased was a mother to four kids. She was a wife. She was deeply committed to family values. She is not here to celebrate her child today but I am sure that she is here in spirit. She was a great woman who clutched her son to her bosom while she was dying.

We are calling on the attention

of our Police to know that they are supposed to secure lives and property. The death of Elijah’s mother is grave and nothing can bring her back to life and that is why Women Arise is pleading that they should be our friends. Those who err should be punished.

Justice must be done.

The killer of Elijah’s mother has been arrested, tried, arraigned and he is now remanded. On October 19, my team, the victim’s family and well wishers are going to march in black to the Magistrate Court, Ebute Metta to make sure justice is given to the dead 35-year-old Comfort Idongesit Udoh. The last assignment she did was cuddling her baby and urging her other three children to be calm.

There must be a huge compensation for the family even though we know that no amount of money can buy life. She is still in the mortuary and she deserves a befitting burial. We ask for speedy trial for justice to be done.

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP has promised that the children would be trained in school by the Force but we want it documented so that when a new IGP comes in, the agreement can still continue.

“Mr Udoh needs to be adequately treated and given a proper business. The Marwa must be replaced too because he got it on hire purchase. We do not want this to happen again.

We want a surveillance team that will be monitoring the police.

We are writing and pleading that the government takes care of the family’s accommodation.

Also, a trust fund should be set up for the children and there should also be health insurance, especially for Mr Udoh who is still undergoing treatment in Lagos state University Teaching Hospital, LUTH”.

Widower’s lamentation: On his part, 45-year-old Godwin Sunday Udoh who is still recuperating from the bullet that hit his jaw said with tears in his eyes that his wife’s death had created a vacuum in his heart.

According to him: “Today is a special day in the life of my son.

My wife said we were going to celebrate him on this day, October 1, but unfortunately she is no more on this earth to celebrate with us. I want the Lagos State governor to know that what happened is very painful to my children and I.

Treatment in hospital My wife played the role of a mother to me since my biological parents died. I am pleading with Lagos and Akwa-Ibom states government to come and help my family and also ensure that justice prevails. I want them to put my life back in shape. At the moment , I am in pains. I cannot chew with my teeth.

I cannot use my right hand to do anything now. I am still undergoing treatment in the hospital. We need a total package to sustain my family. I cannot even go back to my former business because my right hand is not functioning well again and I need to take care of my family.

My youngest son, Elijah, was ill for a while and was taken to the hospital yesterday ( last Wednesday). He was on exclusive breast feeding before my wife died. My sister has been trying her best but Elijah still feels the absence of his mother. He always cries at night for his mother’s touch.”

He paused at this point, bent his head and burst into tears.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

— 21

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency paid over N12 billion into the newly introduced Treasury Single Account, (TSA) as at 30th of September 2015, less than two weeks after the TSA regime came into effect.

In a related development, the TSA, an ingenious design by President Muhammadu Buhari to checkmate corruption may have begun to take unquantifiable toll on the operations of the maritime industry as the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA’s operation is almost grounded as it cannot even buy diesel to power its operations.

For NIMASA, apart from the payment of N12 billion into the TS account, another $24million was also paid during the same period.

Cabotage vessel financing fund A source close to the agency told Vanguard that also monies including funds from the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund and other investment funds were paid into the TSA. The TSA regime Vanguard gathered is also affecting the agency’s operation as every project that was being executed

by NIMASA has been put on hold pending when monies are released for their execution.

NPA, Vanguard gathered cannot pay for the purchase of diesel to run its generating set

From Left: John Woma, managing Director of Omeba Associates, Mohamed Abbas, Regional Director, Daikin Middle East & Africa and Mr. Sano Ryoji, President Daikin industries Limited who was on courtesy visit to Nigeria to explore business opportunities in Nigeria in Lagos.

TSA: NIMASA pays N12bn under two weeks ••As NPA buys diesel on credit to power operations as it is looking for who can give them a credit line with a view to sustaining port operations.

It was learnt that, not only has the organization become incapable of paying its workers’ salaries, even some of the services expected to be directly executed or indirectly funded; have begun to suffer, as a result of NPA’s inability to retain funds in compliance with the TSA

requirements .

Spokespersons of both organizations Captain Ihenacjo Ebubeogu of NPA and Hajia Lami Tumaka told Vanguard that they will reach the relevant departments for comment.

Maritime analysts opined that if urgent steps are not taken to make monies available to these agencies for their operations, the economy will be adversely

affected.

According to Mr. Lucky Amiwero, President of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA), NIMASA is not a revenue generation agency but to build indigenous shipping capacities and other maritime infrastructure through an established maritime fund.

He explained that Section 17

Global poverty rate to fall below 10% in 2015, says World Bank

By Kelechukwu Iruoma with Agency report

T

HE number of people living in extreme poverty is likely to fall for the first time below 10% of the world’s population in 2015, according to World Bank projections, thus ending poverty by the year 2030.

Using the new benchmark, the World Bank projects 702 million people or 9.6% of the world’s population will be living in extreme poverty in 2015, down from 902 million people or 12.8% of the global population in 2012.

“This is the best story in the world now,” said World Bank president Jim Yong Kim. “These projections show us that we are the first generation in human history that can end extreme poverty.

Extreme poverty has long been defined as living on or below $1.25 a day, but the World Bank’s adjustment now sets the poverty line at $1.90 a day.”

The Bank said the change

reflects new data on differences in the cost of living across countries, while preserving the real purchasing power of the previous yardstick, adding that the global development lender attributed the continued fall in poverty to strong economic growth rates in emerging markets, particularly India, and investments in education,

The World Bank first introduced a global poverty line in 1990, setting it at $1 a day

health, and social safety nets.

He however said: “But it remains within our grasp, as long as our high aspirations are matched by country-led plans that help the still millions of people living in extreme poverty.”

According to the bank, around half of those living in extreme poverty by 2020 will hail from hard-to-reach fragile and conflict-affected states. SubSaharan Africa accounts for half of the global poor.

He said the prospect of emerging economies losing steam could challenge promises to eradicate extreme poverty.

The World Bank first introduced a global poverty line in 1990, setting it at $1 a day. It was adjusted last in 2008, when the group raised it to $1.25 a day. Across the planet, the number of people living in extreme poverty has dropped by more than half since 1990, when 1.9 billion people lived on under $1.25 a day, compared to 836 million in

2015, according to the United Nations.

This follows the adoption in 2001 of the millennium development goals, which included the eradication of extreme poverty. However, Kim warned slower global growth, volatile financial markets, conflicts, high youth unemployment and the impact of climate change were obstacles to meeting a UN target to end poverty by 2030, part of a new set of development goals adopted by 193 countries at the UN last month.

In April 2013, nine months after Kim became president of the World Bank Group; its Board of Governors endorsed two goals: to end extreme poverty by 2030 and to boost shared prosperity by raising the incomes of the bottom 40 percent of populations.

empowers NIMASA to keep 25 percent of its generated revenue for the purpose of adding value to local maritime.

Part of the Act reads “The agency may apply the money in the fund to promote indigenous shipping in Nigeria.

Section 16a of the Act reads that “not less than 25 percent of generated revenue for maritime and five percent for the Maritime Academy of Nigeria.

Amiwero said that the TSA will affect the operations of these agencies if they are not exempted from the government departments and parastatals listed to move their fund to the newly created TSA.

128.65 $3,092.00

$13.61

CURRENCY

1.10 0.00

-

51.80

2.55

48.38

2.12

BUYING

CENTRAL

DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 POUNDS 297.4104 298.1691 298.9278 EURO 220.01 220.5713 221.1325 FRANC 201.1494 201.6626 202.1757 YEN 1.6287 1.6329 1.637 CFA 0.3166 0.3266 0.3366 CBN Exchange Rate as at 06/10 /15

22 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Vitapur acquires new equipment, to commission fabricated buidings

By Peter Egwuatu

V

From left, Registrar & Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr. Adedeji Ajadi, Ag. President CIS, Mr. Oluseyi Abe, Director , Global Business Development ,Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment, UK Mr Kevin.

Moore and 2nd Vice President , CIS, Mr. Dapo Adekoje during courtesy visit to Institute’s Secretariat in Lagos.

Entrepreneurs to boost activity in capital market — CIS

By Peter Egwuatu

C

HARTERED Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS has explained that entrepreneurs will boost activity in the Nigerian capital market if they are encouraged to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE. The institute noted that the capital market is in dire need of entrepreneurs to boost activities and reposition the market for global competitiveness.

The members of the CIS committee saddled with the responsibilities of executing the 2015 Stockbrokers’ Annual Conference noted that no capital market can thrive without the participation of entrepreneurs who have the capacity to bring their companies for listing on the stock exchanges.

Participation of entrepreneurs In view of the national stature of this conference, it would flagoff with opening remarks by the Vice President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. Other speakers are: Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, Executive Governor, Lagos State, Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, Director General, Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) Mr. Oscar Onyema , CEO, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings, Michael Harris, Head of Research and kurkish Product, Rencap, Mr. BismarkRewane, MD/CEO Financial Derivatives, Mr. Peter Bankole, Director, Enterprise Development Centre, Pan African University, Mr. RasheedOlaoluwa, MD/CEO Bank of Industry (BOI) and Ms. EmeEssien-Lore, Country Manager, IFC

among others Addressing the Capital Market Correspondents as a prelude to this year’s conference, scheduled for Thursday, October 29 and Friday, October 30, at Eko Hotel Suites in Lagos, the Chairman, Programmes Committee, Mr. Akeem Oyewale announced that this year’s Conference had the theme: - “Entrepreneurship and the Capital Market: Fast Tracking a New Economy for Africa”.

According to him, the capital market has capacity to bring together entrepreneurs, Investors, market operators and regulators.

Oyewale explained that this year’s conference, the 19th in the series would attract over 750 participants from all over the world.

“It has been proven that our Annual Conference is a platform for articulating issues that would help the government in its policy planning and implementation. Last year’s conference focused on the

entertainment industry and many of the key players in that sector have been utilizing the market facilities to expand their businesses. Capital markets are not just about listing alone, there are other windows such as the use of debt instruments to raise fund. We are focusing on the entrepreneurs this year as part of our input towards strengthening the African capital markets.

Corporate governance: CBN urges shareholders to hold directors accountable

By Princewill Ekwujuru & Michael Odoh

N

IGERIAN shareholders have been reminded of their responsibilities of adding value to the society through the process of corporate governance in companies and financial institutions by serving as a counter-force to the boards and managements.

The Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Dr. O. J. Nnanna, made this assertion in Lagos while delivering a lecture at the 2015 annual conference on corporate governance and 10th anniversary celebration of Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria, (SGCN).

The Deputy Governor gave the advice when he observed that the problem of a passive minority and ineffective shareholders’ association has been seen as part of the challenges affecting the success of corporate

governance in Nigeria.

Delivering his lecture on the theme, “The Impact of Corporate Governance: The Nigerian Case”, Nnanna pointed out that the issue of weak corporate governance which has remained a topical issue in the world and Nigeria in particular started with the collapse of major financial institutions in the country.

He said corporate

The issue of weak corporate governance which has remained a topical issue in the world and Nigeria in particular started with the collapse of major financial institutions in the country

governance affects everybody, but the impact is most severe in the institutions which are guilty of weak corporate governance.

He maintained that corporate governance is a dynamic concept which differs from organisation to organisation, hence, what goes for a sole proprietor as corporate governance may not be adequate for a partnership or corporate entities taking into cognizance that good corporate governance of yesterday may not serve the purpose of today’s dynamic ones.

He listed accountability, discipline, fairness, responsibility, transparency, independence and ethics in business as some of the elements of corporate governance, while noting the effort made this year by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria to establish a national code for corporate governance.

ITAPUR Nigeria Limit ed, a subsidiary of Vitafoam Nigeria Plc has acquired a world class new sandwich panel even as it has concluded arrangements to commission two fabricated buildings at Ibadan, Oyo State on Friday, October 23, 2015.

The newly acquired multimillion Naira equipment, the first of its kind in West Africa is expected to increase the company’s production capacity, enhance product quality, open a new vitsa on an array of innovative products in line with the global best practices and boost its profitability.

Speaking at the colorful ceremony for commissioning of the new sandwich panel in Lagos yesterday, the Supervising Director Vitapur Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Abbagana Abatcha described the equipment as one of the best things that happened to Vitapur Nigeria Limited in recent times. Abatcha explained that the company operates with a network of professionals who consistently put quality products and competitive prices on the priority list.

According to him, “the new European manufactured panel could be used for prefabricated structures such as cold room, equipment shelter, wall cladding, quick shelter deployment, office partitioning, shopping malls, drop temp ceiling etc. He noted that in line with its customer-focused approach, the company offers free professional advice to its clients. ”The new sandwich polyurethane panel has capacity to produce a length of 14 .7 millimeter with varying thickness of 40 to 150 millimeter. Besides, the panel can produce width in the range of 100 to 1200 millimeter. Its installed capacity is 1350 square meter in addition to the initial production capacity of 300 square meters, thus bringing the total capacity to 1650 square meters.”

The formal commissioning of the sandwich panel was done

by Vitafoam Nigeria Plc’s Former Chairman, Chief Samuel Bolarinde. Chief Bolarinde commended the board, management and staff of Vitapur Nigeria Limited on the acquisition of this new equipment.

Vitapur’s Head, Sales and Marketing, Mr Yemi Mofikoya explained that the new equipment is being used to produce sandwich polyurethane panels for walls, ceillings, roofs and floor applications with an additional offering of a fire-rated product.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—23

FG should review TSA implementation —LCCI

By Ediri Ejoh & Olachi Usuwa

T

HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry LCCI, has called on the Federal Government to review the implementation of the Treasury Single Account (TSA).The chamber made this call in a communiqué issued at the end of its council meeting.

It said that though the TSA offers benefits to the economy, there is need to put in place a framework of implementation that would ensure that the operations of the income generating ministries, department, and agencies are not crippled.

The chamber also called on the attention of the federal government to the deplorable state of the access roads to the Apapa and Tin-can Island ports with their severe impacts on businesses and individuals.

The communiqué signed by the Director-General, LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf, stated, “The implementation of TSA will bring about reduction in leakages of Government revenue among other benefits to the country’s economy.

“It will yield improvement in the fiscal stability of government at all levels, as well as improve transparency of the fiscal operations of government.”

The chamber also highlighted challenges that occur as aresult of the present state of the road.

“Risk to lives of citizen arising from containers falling off the truck as a result of bad roads, congestion at the ports and high demurrage paid by importers to Terminal Operators and Shipping Companies results from the delay in the evacuation of cargo from the ports.

“High cost of transportation for evacuating cargo because of the prolonged engagement of the trucks by importers, serious traffic congestion along the roads leading to the port, and delays in getting raw materials and other inputs from the ports to the factory premises in Lagos and other part of the country,” he added.

Moreso, it explained that the Lagos ports – Apapa and Tin-can island account for over 60 percent of the cargo into the country and an estimated 70 percent of customs revenue, and as such, it called for a speedy response to the repair of these roads to reduce the menace of trucks and tankers on

From left: Business Director, Osibo Inhoitsika, TBWA Concept, International Music star Waje Oruobe, CEO/president ChildLifeline, Sally Udoma and managing Director, TBWA Concept, Mr. Kelechi Nwosa celebrating Nigeria’s independence with the orphanage in Lagos.

Diageo, IARD collaborate to reduce harmful drinking

By Princewill Ekwujuru

A

S part of its efforts to create a positive role for alcohol in the society through partnerships and programmes, Diageo Plc, a global beverage alcohol company, parent company of Guinness Nigeria, has joined the International Alliance for Responsible Drinking, IARD to commemorate the second

year of the Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers’ commitments to reducing harmful drinking.

The Beer, Wine and Spirits Producers’ Commitments to reduce harmful drinking is an ambitious programme of actions aimed at reducing harmful drinking over a fiveyear period which started in 2013 and will end in 2017.

Women empowerment takes pre-eminence at WEECman

A

S show of support for the growth and development of women in Nigeria and the rest of Africa, top professionals from different walks of life recently gathered for the WEECman 2015 Conference. The event which was part of the Women Empowerment and Enlightenment Campaign (WEEC) created by On’y va Communications showcased the best of intellectual discourse and advocacy with Soni Irabor, Lanre Olusola, Owen Gee and social media expert, Japheth Omojuwa at the main auditorium, University of Lagos.

Tagged Men Standing Up for Women, the WEEC seminar tagged was moderated by the duo - Tosyn Bucknor and Bolanle Olukanni

C M Y K

Lagos road, as it is already 80 percent completed.

The Chamber, however, tasked the Senate to ramp up the monument of governance at the federal level to facilitate the delivery of value to Nigerians, following the submission of the first batch of the long awaited ministerial list to the senate by President Muhammadu Buhari.

of Top radio FM and Ebonylife TV respectively to discuss with men on matters bordering around women and ways to eradicate the social and economic issues they go through in the society. It is an advocacy based campaign which gears to encourage several agents of socialization, groom men, support and give better cultural and social placement to women.

According to the Head Coordinator, WEEC, Kayode Odukoya, “The WEECman strategy was to bring male role models into the public discussion to show support for women, this has had tremendous impact on the students male and female alike”. The young men in the society need to be groomed through multi channels and agents of socialization to

The IARD is a non-profit making organization dedicated to addressing the global public health issue of harmful drinking and to promoting responsible drinking.

The programme, coordinated

by IARD, is in line with the World Health Organisation’s, WHO global strategy to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. It also conforms to the target set for governments around the world by WHO to achieve a 10 per cent reduction in harmful drinking by 2025.

Mr. Ivan Menezes, Chief Executive Officer, Diageo, said “We are two years into the most ambitious initiative the industry has ever collectively undertaken to address harmful drinking and, while we have made good progress, there is still more work to be done. And we will do more.

“The second year of collaboration has encouraged us that through partnerships even more can be achieved and we will continue to work in communities across the world to reduce harmful drinking,” Menezes said.

Dangote Industries strengthens relationship with CNN International

D

ANGOTE Industries Limited is deepening its relationship with CNN International by renewing onair and digital sponsorship of ‘Facetime’ segment within ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’.

‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ is a weekly show on CNN International, which offers a unique window into African business. The new edition of the show is hosted by BritishNigerian CNN anchor Zain Asher, who breaks down the economic trends affecting Africa, interviewing business leaders making and shaping the continent.

The ‘Facetime’ element within the programme is a high-profile segment in which a major player from the global business community is interviewed about Africa business matters. On-air content is complemented by distinctive online editorial at a ‘CNN Marketplace Africa’ microsite, where popular and innovative content is shared across a range of social channels.

Since taking over as full-time host in May 2015, Zain Asher has interviewed esteemed ‘Facetime’ guests including:Patrice Motsepe, founder and Executive Chairman, African Rainbow Minerals; Russell Stokes, CEO, GE Transportation; Kofi Anan, former UN Secretary General; Taleb Rifai, Secretary General, UNWTO and Maria Ramos, CEO, Barclays Africa.

In addition, Dangote Industries Limited is sponsoring a new segment, ‘Africa Now’, to air within ‘The Business View’.

Dangote Industries Limited’s sponsorship of ‘Africa Now’ is aimed at raising the profile of the business across the continent and outside of Africa among CNN’s unrivalled affluent audience. The campaign spans TV sponsorship, spot advertising and digital components.

‘Africa Now’, examining how business in Africa has an impact beyond the continent, will air as part of CNN’s dedicated month focusing on Africa, a series of special features and programmes about Africa throughout October.

From Monday 5 October, and airing each subsequent Monday throughout October, ‘Africa Now’ will cover topics such as: innovation, workforce trends, education and economics, with a particular emphasis on empowering Africa; growth and development on the continent.

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Ban on traffic fines: Gov. Ugwuanyi’s accord with Enugu people for a period of one month. Within this

By Louis Amoke T was deep feeling of relief and period, traffic offenders will still be excitement for residents of Enugu, apprehended but instead of being asked especially road users, when the words to pay fines, they will be educated on the reached the streets that the State Governor, use of traffic lights and on other extant traffic Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, had ordered the laws of the state, after which they will be immediate suspension of the collection of allowed to move on. This is consistent with fines for traffic offences in Enugu Capital my belief that punishment for such offences Territory, for a period of one month. The should more educative rather than one month grace according to the governor excessive”. was to give every traffic offender apprehended the grace to be enlightened, corrected and educated on the offence(s) committed, after which the individual will be allowed to move on without being asked to pay fines.

This singular act by the governor which has received wide commendations from residents of the state and the general public is one of his numerous people-oriented policies aimed at bettering the lives of the people. As a listening and God fearing governor with the interest of the people at heart, Ugwuanyi while handing down the directive to stakeholders in the transport industry in the state, Gov Ugwuanyi stated that his action was in response to the persistent complaints from the public On the need to emphasize the over “the activities of some people commitment of his government to the purporting to be working as traffic wardens enforcement of traffic laws in the state, the cum revenue collectors for the State governor said: “I must however make it Ministry of Transport and Enugu Capital clear, that this measure is temporary and Territory Development Authority as well as is not in any way, intended to encourage three Local Government Councils in road users to disobey traffic rules and Enugu Metropolis”. regulations.

The governor further said, “When I Rather, it is aimed at giving us time and assumed office as the Governor of this opportunity to streamline the activities of State, I did promise to provide good enforcers of traffic laws in the state and governance to our people and to do all I also enable our people to be properly could within the powers of my office, to educated on what constitutes traffic offences make their lives better. As a responsible and what they should do to avoid government, therefore, we cannot fold our committing them. While I expect all the hands and watch individuals subject our concerned authorities to comply with this people, as well as visitors to the state, to directive, I urge everyone in this meeting, extortion and all manners of oppression especially the transport unions and civil in the guise of enforcement of traffic laws. society groups, to help us enlighten the Such practices are indeed inimical to our public as to its true purpose.” efforts to sustain the peaceful and serene environment that Enugu has come to be Uncommon associated with. As we do know, this is a civil service state and a situation where for disposition example, a civil servant who may be From the foregoing, it is heart-warming earning about N25,000.00 a month, is to note that this uncommon disposition of asked to pay the the governor has reaffirmed his same amount as determination to maintain his punishment for a administration’s integrity and the pact he traffic offence, is had with the people of the state during his totally unacceptable. electioneering campaign to alleviate their There are also sufferings and give them a sense of questions as to what belonging as true heroes of democracy. really constitutes a The one month grace/on-the-spot traffic offence, who is teaching measure is also an acid test that legally authorised to would prove whether or not the people of fix or collect fines for the state appreciate the spirit of friendship such offences and and genuine partnership being extended where is the money to them by the governor. thus collected It will improve the quality of usually deposited?” transportation in the state, enhance Consequently, the security, save lives, propel an enduring governor directed legacy of a more decent inter-personal that “in order for us relationship between road users and traffic to address the The officials and in return save the government foregoing issues from any form of embarrassment. properly and to save governor’s The governor’s intervention has calmed our people from intervention down frayed nerves and caused those who further unnecessary have experienced the activities of these hardship, I hereby has calmed traffic wardens cum revenue collectors to order the immediate down heave a sign of relief. suspension of the •Amoke, the Senior Special Assistant collection of fines for frayed on Media to the Enugu State Governor, traffic offences in nerves writes from Enugu Enugu metropolis,

I

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—25

‘I don’t see myself as a good rapper’ T

Stories by Anozie Egole

ALENTED rapper, Jesse Jagz who is considered to be one of the finest rappers in the Nigerian music terrain, has declared recently that he does not see himself as a very good rapper.

Jagz made this declaration in chat with WG, at the Chocolate City office, in Lagos. He recently walked his way back to the Chocolate City, after he dumped the record label to set up his label, Jagz Nation, about three years ago.

Responding to a question concerning his real competitors in the music industry, Jagz said, “I don’t think there is anyone to compete with, because I don’t see myself as a very good rapper. I would probably like to stay at a place with a lot of rappers and listen to them rap so as to learn from their craft.”

According to him, given a chance

for international collabo, he would like to work with the likes of Angelie Kijo. He added that “I have gone through the profile of American artistes and I do not think any of them have something to offer to me.”

Jagz was speaking against the back drop of his recent return to his former label, Chocolate City. He walked out of the label in 2013, to establish his Jagznation music label. Speculation that he would return to the label was put to rest, when he recently reunited with former label mates at Chocolate City.

Explaining why he walked out of the label, the HEADIES 2014 rap album winner said, “I left because I recorded one of my tracks at that time and I played it for the record label.

But the management of the label I guessed did not want to promote the songs for business reasons. I just decided to forge ahead and put the song out there by myself. That was

•Jesse why I walked out of the label.”

Also, on how he feels returning to the label, the talented rapper who is MI’s younger brother said, “I feel happy returning to Chocolate City. MI has always been our president right from time and we have always worked

like one big family. I am a shareholder in Chocolate City even while I was not around. So to me, the label is like a family thing. I am always going to be Jesse Jagz of Chocolate City regardless of where I will be tomorrow,”.

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Why I delved into jewellery collection—Yemi Alade

Remy Martin opens exclusive membership club

M

ULTIPLE award-winning singer, Yemi Alade is leaving no stone unturned in her quest for brand extension as she recently partnered an online jewellery retailer,Bland2Glam, to unveil her first ever jewellery collection tagged, “YemiAlade Collection.” The collection will be unveiled to the public next month.

The collection which is an exclusive range of exotic costume jewellery was inspired by the career and personality of Yemi Alade, the organizers revealed.

According to the talented singer, she decided to go into jewellery because the project is very personal to her. “ Aside the fact that I decided to do something different from music which I have been known with, I would say that this is a very personal project for me.

It has been a long year of planning with Bland2Glam and I am very excited that finally we are ready to unveil all the love, innovation and hard work that went into every single one of these pieces. Another special thing about this collection is that they have my autograph on them so as to bring me closer to my fans as it is also my own way of bringing my self much closer to my fans.

The jewellery is also an avenue to represents an average African woman and the project is for African continent.

I am also promising my fans that these my new business will not affect my C M Y K

•Guests at the event

A

•Yemi Alade giving them wonderful hits which is what I know how to do best which is music as I know how to do many things at the same time. I also have plans of putting guys in the picture, will work towards bringing their own stuffs,” she said.

Also, to be launched on the same platform is the ‘Get Mented’ initiative: An innovative mentor-ship network for girls and women across Nigeria.

S part of its culture of celebrating excellence and perfection, Fine Champagne Cognac Rémy Martin has opened a first-ofits-kind exclusive membership XO Club to be opened by a cognac brand in Nigeria.

Called the Rémy Martin XO Centaur Club, the lounge was opened last Sunday, in Lekki, Lagos. The event which exuded the understated opulence of the House of Rémy Martin is part of a defined initiative designed to honour success and achievers in the Nigerian society.

Guests were given a special Rémy Martin XO treat, as they were well enlightened through video sessions and materials displaying the proud heritage of the House of Rémy Martin. The night also had a touch

of fine entertainment as guests enjoyed culinary delights while classical jazz tunes played softly in the background.

Staying true to the spirit of the brand, Rémy martin will offer its members a variety of unique experiences and surprises as well as bars where members and guests can enjoy the Rémy Martin exclusive range.

Members received a customized Gold card which is valid for a period of twelve months and will enjoy a number of benefits including exclusive invitations to the House of Rémy Martin in Cognac, France and discounts in partnering outlets which includes hotels, premium lounges, clubs and supermarkets nationwide.

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Synopsis THE WALK

Malawian pop star set to break into Nigerian music scene ...plans Collabo with Kcee

By Benjamin Njoku

In 1974, high-wire artist Philippe Petit recruits a team of people to help him realize his dream: to walk the immense void between the World Trade Center towers.

S

OUTH African-based Malawian Afro-pop singer, Dan Lufani popularly called, Dan Lu is set to break into the Nigerian music scene as he concludes plans to collaborate with one of the country’s top musicians, Kcee.

Dan Lu, who was in the country during the week to wrap up the deal with Kcee said, he chose to Collabo with Kcee following the rising profile of the ‘Limpopo’ crooner in his country. “Kcee is making too much noise in my country.

He’s the right man to start with. I know we have other big artistes including , Psquare, 2face, Don Jazzy, Ice Prince, but I chose Kcee because he plays the same kind of music with me,” the Malawian Afro pop star told WG, in a chat.

Disclosing his mission in Nigeria, Dan Lu who was in the company of the CEO of his record label, Sisqo Productions, Christopher Tochukwu Nwaogwugwu, a South African-based Nigerian label owner, said, collaborating with Kcee will not only impact on his career as a musician, but also, it will help to raise the profile of his record label. According to him, his Malawian fans can’t wait for the collaboration.

Speaking further, Dan Lu said, Nigerian music is currently ruling the airwaves in his country. “Nigerian music is played at every nook and

TOP MOVIES OF THE WEEK

•Dan Lu cranny of the country,”he said.

Meanwhile, CEO of Sisqo Productions, Mr.Nwaogwugwu who hails from Imo State said, his record label, which is one of the best in South Africa initiated this project as part of his desire to replicate what he has done in other African countries.

Dan Lu, is a Malawian Afro pop singer who has five albums to his credit. Some of his albums include, “Sorry” a 10-track album featuring other songs like ‘Music Music,’ Holy Ghost Fire and ‘I am losing my Mind,’ which he did with Piksy . His other previous albums are “So What? and No Size.”

The Perfect Guy The First Lady Selfless Schedule commencing from 9th -15th October, 2015

Exhibition Schedule from August 15th - 21st SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND The Walk : 11:00am,6:50pm,8:40pm Straight Outta Compton : 3:55pm,8:30pm Selfless : 12:50pm,8:40pm The First Lady : 4:40pm The Perfect Guy : 11:30am,2:00pm,6:40pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA The Walk 4:00pm,6:50m,9:10pm, Selfless : 10:35am,4:25pm, Captive : 10:45am,9:00pm The First Lady : 2:45pm,7:10pm The Perfect Guy : 1:05pm,4:50pm,7:20pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC The Walk : 1:30pm,3:50pm,6:10pm,8:30pm Straight Outta Compton : 12:30pm,3:20pm,6:05pm,9:00pm Selfless : 12:10pm,6:10pm,8:10pm Captive : 1:00pm,4:50pm, The First Lady : 12:35pm,2:40pm,5:05pm,8:40pm The Perfect Guy : 11:30am,1:30pm,3:30pm,5:30pm,7:30pm,9:30pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT The Walk : 6:20m,8:35pm Straight Outta Compton : 8:50pm, Selfless : 4:10pm The First Lady : 2:00pm, The Perfect Guy : 6:40pm,8:40pm

Sir Boj and friends to set Apapa on fire

By Aderonke Adeyeri

S

ENSATIONAL crooner, Sir Boj is billed to storm Apapa, Lagos, tomorrow in a show that promises to leave the fun loving residents of the area with lingering memories of the event.

Tagged “Sir Boj & Friends”, the show is being organized by Gold Strings Production in conjunction with Command Guest House. The

show will also feature other wavemaking music acts including Baba Fryo, Flekta Man, Daddy Fresh, Danfo Drivers, Nico Gravity among others.

According to the organizers, the show kicks off at 2pm, at the prestigious Command Guest House, Child Avenue, Apapa. It’s sponsored

by Music Africa, Prime time, Floxy Island, Tones Africana among others.

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMAS, WARRI The Walk : 10:00am,12:00pm,6:00pm, Straight Outta Compton : 12:00pm,4:15pm,7:10pm, First Lady : 10:00am,2:00pm,7:05pm Selfless : 4:45pm,8:25pm, Captive : 12:00pm,6:45pm Falling : 12:25pm,2:50pm The Perfect Guy : 4:45pm,8:45pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO The Walk : 11:50am,1:45pm,6:30pm,8;35pm The First Lady : 12:20pm,2:20pm,4:20pm,8:50pm Selfless : 11:40am,12:20pm,2:15pm,4:20pm,6:40pm Falling : 2:20pm,6:20pm,8:20pm The Perfect Guy : 4:35pm,8:50pm, Dry : 11:40am,4:10pm Mission Impossible :2:05pm,6:25pm,8:40pm Minions : 11:40am,

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 27

Tecno, Africamagic, Own the stage with karaoke

What Nigerian mobile operators can learn from US counterparts

By Prince Osuagwu

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N every mobile market, the customer is actually becoming king. Thank God for the open platform which android brings that has opened up opportunity for mobile Original Equipment Manufacturers, OEMs, to manufacture phones with similar features irrespective of status and financial muscles.

The only areas class and budget would show in many of the mobile phones in the market today are just on design and architecture. In essence, every phone seems to operate the same, do the same things even though they may not look or feel the same.

But in what the low budget OEMs may lose in the design and architecture competition, they mostly gain in the affordability contest.

Now this affordability contest is what the OEMs in developed markets seem to go in alliance with mobile operators to compete.

The mobile operators themselves appear to need the collaboration to retain their subscribers in the ever increasing dwindling ARPU

time they are experiencing at the moment.

Although this alliance is not happening with great momentum in Nigeria and other emerging markets, it still holds great prospects of seeing major mobile OEMs who only bring boxes into the Nigerian market, considering it a profitable venture to manufacture in the country.

This also means that the Nigerian telecom operators should begin to plan big on how to use new and latest smartphones to boost their customer base rather than engaging in anti-competitive tendencies which most often have seen them being heavily

Right now in the US, operators are battling each other to secure market share for Apple’s latest phones

By Richard Udofia

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iPhone 6 fined by the regulator.

Right now in the United States of America, operators are battling each other to secure market share for Apple’s latest phones, which were released earlier last week.

While market leaders Verizon and AT&T have unveiled relatively moderate offers, longterm foes Sprint and T-Mobile US, in typical fashion, are once again trying to outdo each other.

Both companies last week released low-cost leasing plans for the devices, showing the apparent importance Apple’s latest product release has on both companies’ subscriber numbers.

Sprint, in its latest attempt to claw back market share after losing the country’s number three spot by connections to TMobile US earlier this year,

unveiled an offer allowing customers to lease the new iPhone 6s at just $1 a month.

The deal, which trumped T-Mobile US’ similar $5 a month offer announced on Wednesday, gives new and existing customers the chance to trade in their current iPhone 6 for the new device, as long as it’s been paid off in full. The low cost plans could also convince customers to continue to get their devices from their network provider, irrespective of the fact that Apple also released its own iPhone leasing programme.

What are your children doing online?

By Laju Iren

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ONT he break it?’ Barely five years ago, if anyone saw your toddler with a smart phone or tablet, that’s exactly what they would say. But today, it is a given that children are good with technology.

Although it is nearly impossible to believe that this is not as a result of some genetic make-up peculiar to any child born after Facebook, the ubiquitous presence of technology today ensures that more and more children are crawling around the online space.

In fact, according to a recent survey, the average age of children online is three years old. In many ways, this is a great thing. Access to the internet means that children born in this generation are more likely to be smarter than any other generation before them. But shocking statistics reveal a more sinister side to this story.

A recent survey by Netmums.com of 2000 children from ages 11 to 16 disclosed that parents are rarely aware of their children’s internet activity. While three quarters believe their child spends less than an hour a day online, children admit that they are actually surfing the web for an average of C M Y K

two hours a day. More than a third begin to feel “angry and grumpy” if they cannot get online whilst one in five expressed concerns that they spend more time in the virtual world than with real people. While more than half said they had accidentally accessed inappropriate content online, one in 11 admitted looking for it deliberately.

A quarter said they had accessed eating disorder sites and one in five had looked at self harming websites. More than one in ten admitted viewing suicide sites and child abuse images. Almost one in five admitted that had “thought about” trying what they had seen online but 98 per cent of parents who knew their children had accessed inappropriate material had no idea they had been influenced by it. One in 20 revealed that they had met up with a stranger they first met on the internet.

Another study by the BBC learning poll is as shocking. About 20% of children surveyed said they had put pressure on someone else to act negatively online. 47%, said they had looked at something online that they thought their parents would not like them to see. While 14% admitted to sending pictures of themselves, or others, that their parents would not like them to share. And nearly one in 10 had signed up to websites or services not meant for their age group. Among 14- to 16-year-olds, almost threequarters (72%) said they had experienced or witnessed online bullying.

USIC is a universal language.

Regardless of what part of the world you come from, you can hum to any tune and tap your feet to a good sound. That’s why karaoke is so popular in many parts of the world. In Africa however, there is still room for the development of the art.

This is why Tecno one of the leading mobile phone brands in Nigeria’s market in partnership with Africa Magic has announced the Tecno Own a Stage karaoke competition which seeks to host 15 talented karaoke singers from Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania with a grand prize of $50, 000.

General Manager, Mobile Apps, Techno Mobile, Mr. Oye Akideinde said that in the next three months, 15 contestants drawn from Nigeria, Kenya and Tanzania, will contest via a number of themed challenges with one person ultimately emerging as Africa’s first karaoke champion.

Akideinde said this partnership is a unique platform that will be used to assist and support individuals with natural talents that will take them places.

He made this statement recently at the official launching of the partnership deal between both companies in Lagos.

Launching of partnership “At Tecno we continuously strive for greatness. Our products and growth across Africa are a testament to our drive for perfection, success and harnessing the best in the markets we operate in. The Tecno Own the Stage competition is simply in furtherance of this fact. Africa is brimming with love and undeniable talent for music; there are a lot of people who, given an opportunity, will showcase to the rest of the continent and indeed the world just what they are capable of. The Tecno Own the Stage competition gives them the opportunity and the platform to do just that,” Akideinde said.

He advised prospective Karaoke talents who wish to enter the competition, to visit the www.technoownthestage.com and see necessary requirement expected from the competitors.

One of the judges expected at the event Mr. Jude Abaga, popularly known as M.I said, “The Tecno Own the Stage competition is an exciting development for talented and prospective singers from across Africa. Karaoke, as a form of entertainment has been around for as long as the practice of recording music itself. There a lot of talented individuals who have been waiting for an opportunity to show their talents to the world and Tecno Own the Stage gives them more than an opportunity, but also a platform and befitting prizes to go with it. I am extremely proud to be a part of the platform that encourages and promotes talent in Africa.”

28— Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 29

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Deputy Governor of Lagos, Mrs Adebule Oluranti(2nd right) with others at the conference in Lagos.

Tinubu, Ambode, Adebule, others call ffor or adequate women representation in PMB’s cabine cabinett

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

HE United Kingdom, UKaid Department for International Development (DFID) in collaboration with the Lagos State Deputy Governor’s office organized a Southwest Nigeria regional conference on th Women in Governance from 29 th to 30 September, 2015.

As a follow up to the one held in February, 2015, the purpose of the conference was to build synergies between Women in Business and Private sector, Politics and Civil society to develop strategies and take

actions that will ensure that the target of 35 percent participation of Women in Governance will be met in order to achieve national developmental goals, with the overarching objective of Ensuring Better Social Inclusion and Good Governance At All Levels of Government.

The conference was themed: “Women’s Participation in Democratic Governance in South West Region.”

Dogged pursuit of improved society over the years has seen significant leaps towards the attainment of the Millennium

Development Goals, MDGs at all levels and the social inclusion of women in democratic governance since 1999.

The agency and state government put the conference to analyse women participation, roles in democratic governance in the country with the aim of adopting actions to bridge what they termed, “unacceptable” gender gap, in political representation in the country.

Interestingly, women representation in the National Assembly since 1999 as a case study has systematically

Anti-rape acti vist It oro Eze Anaba activist Itoro writes ffor or Lipstick!

Itoro Eze Anaba

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EGINNING from next week, multiple awardwinning anti-rape activist, Mrs Itoro Eze Anaba, will be feeding you with everything you need to know about the societal menace called rape, right here on Lipstick.

Itoro is a lawyer who has been actively involved in the promotion and protection of C M Y K

women’s rights in Nigeria, in recognition of which work she was invited to participate in the US Department of State International Visitors Program on Trafficking in Women and Children; as well as in the exchange program of the Law Society of England and Wales.

In 2005, she received a scholarship from the American Association of University Women (AAUW) for her LLM Masters in Law programme at the American University, Washington College of Law, Washington DC where she specialized in Gender and the Law. On her return to Nigeria, she established Partnership for Justice, a non governmental organization with a mission to provide an innovative range of services to promote and protect human rights in Nigeria.

She is presently the Managing Partner at Mirabel Centre, a safe haven for abused women and girls in Lagos, Nigeria.

Itoro’s achievements in the women’s rights movement are inexhaustible.

She is reputed for drafting the first ever Domestic Violence Bill in Nigeria and engaging in advocacy campaign for its passage into law in 12 states and at the National Assembly She also established Blue Ribbon, the first ever all-male advocacy group campaigning for women’s rights in Nigeria Another landmark is West Africa’s second and Nigeria’s first-ever sexual assault referral centre in Nigeria, the Mirabel Centre, which she co-founded to support survivors of rape and sexual assault.

Itoro is a researcher and an international consultant.

th increased. In the current 8 National Assembly, there are more women honourable members and Distinguished Senators over what was produced in 1999, 2003 and 2007. The same goes for the number of local government chairmen that were produced.

They noted that no political gathering in Nigeria is ever complete without women, but when key positions are to be contested for, women are not considered for them nor encouraged to participate.

The participants at the conference who addressed how women could take advantage of the minimum standard to a large extent, contended that just as politics and governance are siamese twin so should women and men be on the issues that affect the lives of both gender especially as it relates to governance.

They called on President Buhari to provide more opportunities for women in his emerging administration.

Oluremi Tinubu, representing Lagos Central District in the Senate, in her address as a keynote speaker lamented that the 35 percent affirmative action for women was not being followed across all political divides in the country.

She noted that while more women have come into governance and participated in elections since the advent of democratic rule in 1999, the quest for reaching the 35 percent women representation must be sustained until it is achieved and even surpassed.

Tinubu added that since women constitute more than half of the population and also majority of voters during the elections, it is ironical that they are the minority compared to the male.

“Women constitute about half of the Nigerian population going by the 2006 census figures.

Women also constitute a great majority in the voting population, yet they are minority when you look at the number of candidates running for elective positions or the few who actually get elected”.

Bok o Haram: UN W omen calls Boko Women f or gender-friendl gender-friendlyy counter-terrorism strategies

By Funmi Ajumobi (New York) & Josephine Agbonkhese (Lagos) HE United Nations has called for a more gendersensitive approach to battling insecurity in Nigeria, advising government and stakeholders to give consideration to the negative impacts of counter-terrorism strategies on civilian populations, particularly women and girls.

This is amid heightened defensive launched against terror-sect Boko Haram by the Federal Government in recent times.

Executive Director, UN Women, Phumzile MlamboNgcuka, who spoke in the light of deepening insecurity and spread of Boko Haram across the West African region with specific impacts on women and girls, said gender equality must be placed at the heart of interventions.

T

“Motorcycle bans, for example, have limited movement of teachers and children trying to go to school.

For girls, the interruption in their education has increased their exposure to further rights violations including child marriage and trafficking.

Schools must be kept going, not only for the education they give, but for the strength, security and solidity that their routines provide to children whose world is being so profoundly disrupted,” she reeled out.

A more gender-sensitive approach, according to Phumzile, is the only sustainable, systemic way to prevent and respond to the spread of violent extremism.

“We must engender counterterrorism. Recognizing that the acts committed by Boko Haram, and the strategies used to counter them are profoundly gendered.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—31

MINISTERIAL LIST:

Kaduna astir over Amina Mohammed’s nomination THE Kaduna State polity is astir following President Muhammadu Buhari’s listing of Mrs Amina Mohammed as the ministerial nominee from the state. She is said to be from Gombe by birth but her husband is from Kaduna State.

Mrs.Amina Mohammed

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EADING politicians from Kaduna have vowed to kick against Mrs Mohammed’s appointment claiming that she is not from the state.

Among those who ventilated their grouse yesterday are Senator Danjuma La’ah, Kaduna South Senatorial District; Hon. Jonathan Asake, former Reps member (Zangon Kataf/Jaba Federal Constituency) and immediate past Sole Administrator of Zangon Kataf Local Council; Barr. James Kanyip, former Kaura Local Council Chairman and Ambassador Nuhu Bajoga, immediate past Deputy Governor of Kaduna State.

We 've more competent indigenes than Amina — Senator La’ah Speaking on the issue, Laáh, who had earlier opposed Mohammed’s nomination in the Senate, said: ‘’What I can tell you for now, even as a Senator of the Federal Republic, is that I am not sure under which state Amina Mohammed is coming from. But, there is one thing I want to tell you that I shall do. I want to assure you that if she comes under the nomination of Kaduna State, we shall reject her at the Senate. She is not from Kaduna state. There is no shortage of deeply educated and equally, if not more, qualified indigenes of Kaduna State that can do any ministerial job that Amina can do.

We have them both in the state C M Y K

of what rightfully belongs to them. It would then mean that the President has stolen our slot and allotted to a non-indigene.

That invariably, means that he is corrupt. And this is a President that is regarded as a man of high moral values. So, I want to assure you that if that is true, then it would amount to a big shame that the President who swore to abide by the constitution, is making a mockery of it.

If it is also true that her nomination was the handiwork of Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, then I think he is taking the people of this state into a rough ride

By Luka Binniyat

•Sen La’ah: Had opposed Amina's nomination

•el-Rufai: Nominated Amina and all over the world. In any case, I cannot see the President messing up to the extent of violating the constitution to the point of excluding Kaduna state from producing a minister. I don’t believe it. But if it happens, we shall insist he does the right thing because that is the right thing to do.’’

Its a big insult, we shall resist it – Hon. Asake Asake said: “There have been conflicting media reports on whether Amina Mohammed ministerial nomination came under Kaduna or Gombe State.

But, one thing is certain. The woman is not an indigene of Kaduna State. If it is true that she was nominated to fill Kaduna state quota, then it is a slight on the Constitution and the President must act fast to reverse it. If it is also true that her nomination was the handiwork of Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State, then I think he is taking the people of this state into

a rough ride.

"It will surprise no one in the state if El Rufai insisted on this nomination going by the way he has made Kaduna state a noman’s-land. It is only El Rufai that has more non-indigenes as political appointees than indigenes. In fact, his bent on excluding indigene is so fervent that he even included a nonindigene, Jimi Lawal, his aide on Investment. And we know that Jimi Lawal and El Rufai faced sanctions from the Senate when El Rufai was FCT Minister. The man is from Ogun State. There are many of them like that taking the jobs of Kaduna state indigenes when the same is not accorded us in other states. ‘’It a big insult on Kaduna state because we are the most educated and elitist state in the North. If it is true that he is behind her nomination, he must rescind the decision because this

time, people are ready to use every legal instrument to enforce their rights as indigenes. Our nominated Minister must be an indigene of Kaduna state, preferably from the Southern part of the state, because it is that area that has been over cheated in his political appointments.”

It is an act of corruption – Barr.

Kanyip Kanyip said: “If it is true that Amina Mohammed is coming in to stand as Minister under Kaduna state, and everyone knows that she is never an indigene of this state, then it will amount to a shocking violation of the constitution. The Constitution says every state must have a Minister who is an indigene of a state. If it is true, it will amount not only to unfairness and injustice, but also an act of serious corruption.

“Corruption is not only about short-changing people in monetary terms, but also in terms

Mockery of constitution I trust the people of Kaduna state to defend their rights” El Rufai has made everyone an Indigene of Kaduna state – Bajoga To Bajoga: “I don’t know why people from Kaduna state should be surprised if eventually Amina Mohammed is representing Kaduna state. This is because the governor has made a state policy that Kaduna is too cosmopolitan for anyone to claim indigenship.

Kaduna state under Nasir El Rufai is stateless. If you have his Chief of Staff coming from another state, and some of his closest and most powerful appointees coming from other states, what is so different from this one? El Rufai may as well go to any place and pick a ministerial nominee because it has become his policy. It does not matter if the constitution is violated. This is the kind of government that you have brought in.”

32—VANGUARD, FRIDAY,

OCTOBER 9, 2015

ENUGU: Chances of prospective ministerial nominees A palpable trepidation is rife within the political firmament of Enugu State over who will occupy the state’s ministerial slot.

By Francis Igata

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INCE the advent of the Fourth Republic, Enugu State has been politically hand in glove with the centre.

The state has largely enjoyed the bandwagon effect of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, for 16 years until the 2015 election tsunami that swept off the PDP at the centre, setting the stage for the party in the state to taste its opposition dexterity against the All Progressives Congress, APC. Thus, the 2019 general elections will be the father of elections in the state following the overbearing power APC now wields at the centre, which is expected to rub off on the state at the polls.

Pundits say the appointment of minister from the state will immediately mark the journey towards 2019 as there will be a sharp division in the entire political firmament of the state.

The minister as they say, is expected to quickly build a formidable APC structure and machinery in state ahead of 2019 general election that will wrestle power from the PDP. Although, the task will be a daunting one, the PDP will in 2019, have their hands full in a desperate bid to ward off the APC from Lion Building where their green,white and red flag had flung conspicuously.

White and red flag Vanguard checks revealed that the electorate are waiting with baited breathe to the news of the ministerial nominee even as they expressed optimism that the appointment will inject vibrancy into the polity, hold PDP government accountable to people, provide a veritable alternative for political office aspirants to ventilate their ambition, break PDP’s stranglehold and make politics in the state interesting.

The state chapter of the APC had immediately after they won the election at the centre, rebuffed moves by the former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji and former governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo to join the party, describing them as,”gravy is ready politicians who want to reap from where they did not sow”.

The candidates With Enugu being one of the C M Y K

•Okechukwu

•Nnaji

Okechukwu’s firebrand disposition as the APC south-east geopolitical zone spokesperson was largely responsible for driving APC’s presence to the consciousness of the people

Nnaji’s wealth of experience in the power sector will no doubt leap frog the ailing sector to an enviable height which will trigger the much needed socio-economic growth in the country

15 states that are yet to get ministerial nominees, a lot of names have cropped as prospective nominees that President Muhammadu Buhari could choose from. They include:

contenders who appear aloof to the electorates in the state. His experience in politics can always come handy as he equally represented CPC in the merger committee that led to the formation of the APC.

Mr. Osita Okechukwu An arch supporter and ally of President Muhammad Buhari, Okechukwu hails from Eke, in Udi Local Council.

Okechukwu’s firebrand disposition as the APC southeast geopolitical zone spokesperson was largely responsible for driving APC’s presence to the consciousness of the people.

Regarded as most competent and favoured for the position, his amiable stance is seen as a magic wand that can build structures, machinery and galvanize support for the party ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Observers say he is one man that can constructively engage the PDP state apparatus on developmental programmes with a view of charting the party’s cause.

Former governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change,CPC,in 2011, has a BSc from the University of Nigeria,UNN, in 1983. His grass roots reach stands him among other

Prof Bart Nnaji Nnaji is a Professor of Robotic Engineering from an American University. He served as Minister of Power in President

•Ezea

•Nnamani

Ezea shares the same fate with Buhari, having contested for the state’s governorship four times. He contested in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015

Former Secretary to the State Government in 1999, Nnamani is said to have sponsored APC activities in the days leading to the 2015 general election

Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and was pivotal to the increase in mega watts distributed across the nation.

His policies also revolutionized the power sector to where the APC government met it on assuming power last May. Observers say he is too elitist and detached, hence may not be able to build an APC trench in the state where political grenades will be hauled against the PDP ahead of 2019.

Ezea shares the same fate with Buhari having contested for the state’s governorship four times. He contested in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015. Holding an LLM from the University of Lagos and a BSc in Political Science, Ezea appears to have the trappings of a businessman than a politician.

Although the Enugu-North senatorial zone of APC had thrown its weight behind his nomination, sources say the body language of the president is not favourable to his bid.

Power sector

Although, the task will be a daunting one, the PDP will in 2019, have their hands full in a desperate bid to ward off the APC from Lion Building where their green,white and red flag had flung conspicuously

Traders from the South-east region under the aegis of South-East Amalgamated Market Traders Association, SEAMATA, led by Okwudili Ezenwankwo had while briefing newsmen in Enugu, alleged that the condition given to Nnaji for a ministerial slot was for him to sell Geometric to Afrigem, a northern distribution company that will distribute power to Aba and Ariaria areas of Abia State.

However, Nnaji’s wealth of experience in the power sector will no doubt leap frog the ailing sector to an enviable height which will trigger the much needed socio-economic growth in the country.

Okey Ezea

Onyemauche Nnamani Former Secretary to the State Government in 1999, Nnamani is said to have sponsored APC activities in the days leading to the 2015 general election. His quest for nomination is perceived in most quarters as playing to the gallery.

Emmanuel Eneukwu National Vice Chairman, APC,south-east. Not known to many hence one cannot pointedly allude to former or present office he had held to warrant a nomination.

Permutations of a nomination looks sublimely slim even as his presence is not robustly felt in the state.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—33

By Dayo Johnson

A

N atmosphere of anxiety and tension pervades the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State over the non inclusion of a ministerial nominee from the state in the list forwarded to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari and unveiled by the Senate President Olusola Saraki on Tuesday.

The party faithful across the state have been asking questions why none of the over 15 contenders in the state failed to make the first batch.

Findings by Vanguard however showed that three names have been pencilled down for the ministerial slot for the state from which the President is expected to pick one.

In the last two months, chieftains of the party have relocated to Abuja to step up their lobbying for the top job.

Disappointment and worries were boldly written on the faces of the party members and chieftains who have earlier expressed concern when those who made the list of 21 nominees across the country were peddled by some section of the media a few days before the Senate President unveiled the list.

Female politician The three nominees said to be in the fore front include the former governorship candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria ACN in the state, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), the Vice Chairman of the APC in the South West, Chief Pius Akinyelure, and a female politician from Ose Local Council of the state, Mrs Oredola.

However, the Ondo APC has dismissed the three names been peddled as being in the forefront saying that until the supplementary list is presented by the President anything can happen.

Akeredolu was as good as getting the slot few months ago until Akinyelure a 74 year old industrialist and a close friend of a national leader of the Party, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu decided to join the rat race for the slot.

Akeredolu and Akinyelure are both close to Asiwaju Tinubu but many believe that Jagaban Borgu may prefer Akinyelure if his age would not be his albatross. If that happens, Akeredolu may be placated with a juicy board appointment.

Others said to be eyeing the slot include the State Chairman of the Party Hon Isaac Kekemeke; former governorship aspirant under the defunct ACN, Prince Ademola Adegoroye; former Special Adviser to Osun State governor, Hon Bola Ilori and Mrs Jumoke Anifowose, the daughter of the late sage and former governor of the state, Chief Michael Ajasin.

•Akeredolu

EE: N I M O N L A I STER ONDO MINI s

•Akinyelure

a C P A n i Tension e m a g g n i wait s e u n i t n o c

Tension gripped the camp of the contenders when it became clear that the President has not been able to settle for a ministerial nominee among the options before him.

A school of thought said this may be as a result of the fact that the state is been governed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s choice for a the ministerial slot may eventually fly its flag in the governorship election in October next year.

It was also said that anyone to be given the slot must be a formidable party leader who could be a rallying point ahead of next year ’s governorship election.

As it stands in the state, the battle is between Akeredolu and Akinyelure according to

Vanguard findings in the state.

Sources within the party said that the state chapter of the APC had compiled the list of some nominees across the three

Akeredolu and Akinyelure are both close to Asiwaju Tinubu but many believe that the Jagaban Borgu may prefer Akinyelure if his age would not be his albatross

senatorial districts as directed by the National secretariat of the party and they have been forwarded to the secretariat.

Each of the senatorial district was to produce three candidates each and they would be presented to the president via the National secretariat of the party.

While both the South and the Central senatorial zones of the state showed interest in the slot and have presented a candidate, the north senatorial district was said to have stayed aloof insisting that it would prefer that the zone produce a successor to the incumbent governor Olusegun Mimiko.

The northern area of the state is clamouring that it is their turn to produce the next governor of the state.

Vanguard gathered that contenders for the ministerial slot in the state have gone back to the drawing board to restrategise so as to make an in road to the second list that may be submitted to the Senate any moment from now.

Some disappointed leaders of the party confided in Vanguard , saying:”Nobody is telling us why the state is yet to be represented on the list. We have asked our leaders both at the state level and the national. All they keep telling us is that it is beyond them and that the state chapter has done it’s part.’’

All the contenders are pushing different buttons within the party to make the list but reliable sources said that the President hold the ace and would pick from the top three before him when he is ready.

Speculations were rife that Akinyelure and Akeredolu may have been screened by DSS but Vanguard was able to confirm from any of them before going to Press.

Speaking with Vanguard, the state Chairman of the Party Hon Kekemeke who is also said to be interested in the slot said that there is no cause for alarm since the President has assured that there would still be a supplementary list.

Kekemeke appealed to the people of the state to be patient adding: “It is our constitutional right to have a representative in the FEC. I want to appeal to the people of our Sunshine State to be patient as the President has assured that a supplementary list would soon be released. Ondo state will not be short-changed that I am assuring them.

Asked if the party in the state would be at home with a technocrat, the chairman said,”we will accept whoever is given to us by the President. The APC in Ondo State will respect his decision.’’

The people of the state are waiting anxiously to know who the cap will fit when the president finally forward the supplementary list of the remaining15 states to the Senate.

Why Gov Obiano should obey court order — Okafor A retired Army officer, Col. Bude Nnakee Okafor, who contested the chairmanship position of Njikoka Local Government Area in Anambra State, in this interview calls on the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano to obey a court judgement that declared him winner of the election

By Charles Kumolu chairmanship election by the Court of Appeal? Governor AN we know why you have not been sworn in as Willie Obiano went to court over the Chairman of Njikoka alleged multiple voters Local Government Area in registration and the court spite of a Court of Appeal absolved him. Others respected judgement ordering you to be the court order and he was allowed to contest the election. sworn in?

Governor Willie Obiano Now he is refusing somebody should be asked that question. declared winner by the Court of Why is he refusing to swear in Appeal . How can a governor the man declared winner of of a state say that nobody should  Okafor Njikoka Local Government be sworn in? Why is he refusing

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to obey a court order? Many governors in those days became governors through court judgement including him because there were legal questions on his candidacy over multiple registrations before the court made it possible for him to contest. The civilized world and entire society are watching, to refuse to obey a court order is primitive and uncivilized.

Nigeria is for positive change and obedience to the rule of law now. Challenging the

Continues from page 34

34—VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Why Gov Obiano should obey court order — OKAFOR

Ministerial screening 'll be different this time — Rep Ahwinahwi Mr. Solomon Ahwinahwi represents Ughelli North/Ughelli South/Udu Federal Constituency of Delta State in the House of Representatives on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In this interview he says that the recent defections of party chieftains in his state, would not impact negatively on the party.

•Ahwinahwi

By Emman Ovuakporie & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

S

OME PDP members in your state recently de fected to the APC. How do you feel about that?

Some People have defected from the APC to the PDP. Some also defected from the PDP to APC. It is not a new trend. Delta is a PDP state. The governor of the state is from PDP, the senators are from the PDP, the 10 House of Representatives members are PDP. The majority of the House of Assembly members are PDP members and if you look at the council chairmen, they are all PDP members.

So defecting from the PDP to the APC doesn’t really make any difference. As I speak to you, the PDP is getting stronger. We are one family, I can assure you that if there is another election, PDP will win all the seats just like we did at the last elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that he would appoint people of impeccable integrity in his cabinet. Do you think that the ministerial nominees fit the bill?

The President promised that he was going to choose people of integrity, people that are not of questionable characters, but we are just waiting. I also read in the papers that they are also going to bring in the EFCC to screen these ministerial nominees, I think it is going to be a very good one, because whoever has any blemish will not scale through.

Issue of integrity This time, it is not going to be business as usual.

So let us keep our fingers crossed. You know Nigerians are so much in a hurry, but I am appealing to them to exercise patience until the screening is done.

I really don’t want to go into the issue of integrity.

On Dogara’s leadership We just started in the House and our Speaker, Dogara is somebody who has got listening ears. He is trying to carry everybody along.

We cannot start apportioning blames at this time because we just started and considering the crisis we experienced. But we have just started on a very good note.

Let us see what will happen, but I can assure you that with him, we are going to have a good team in the house to debate on issues that concern Nigerians.

What areas do you think the government of Delta State can concentrate on?

I will advise the governor to invest in human capi-

tal because today if he invests on human capital.

By doing so, he will create more jobs for our youth.

We are already looking beyond oil. To concretely achieve that, he should concentrate on agriculture.

How feasible is Dogara’s nine-point legislative agenda?

Dogara like I said is somebody, who has so much experience in the House. For him to have come up with the agenda, it shows that he is a serious person. He is a man of integrity. For him to have come up with such a blueprint, I can categorically tell you that he is going to work on them and they are achievable.

What message do you have for your constituents?

I really want to thank my constituents because they have also shown love not only to me as their son, they have also shown love to the party itself because they also voted for Senator Ighoyota Amori.

They also voted for our governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and the House of Assembly members. If you look at the history of Delta politics, this is the first time my constituency actually participated en masse.

I want to assure them that the promises we made, will be fulfilled.

On agenda for his constituents My agenda for my constituents is to ensure that I create job opportunities and also encourage them to engage in skills acquisition and by This time, it is not so doing the unemployment rate in our congoing to be stituency will be largely business as reduced. When people have something doing, usual, I am sure there will not be crisis. that is why they Already, I have started the skills acquisition by have introduced empowering people. the EFCC to be The best you can do is part of the to empower human beings, not just to allow process of their them to remain dependscreening ent. When I was camexercise. So let us paigning I pledged to ensure that the Delta keep our fingers Steel Company is revived, and I will do so. crossed

Continues from page 33 judiciary and refusing to obey its judgement is akin to anarchy.

Wasn’t the judgement appealed by the other party?

Please nobody should deceive the world or the nation to believe there is an appeal pending before the Supreme Court of Nigeria. There is nothing like that. There is a pending case on this case in the court of appeal and until that suit is adjudicated and determined there can be no appeal to the Supreme Court. Chief Emeka Onuora is occupying the chairman’s office illegally and had since been served a motion from the court.

That was why he is running helter-skelter.

Besides there can be no case in the Supreme Court when records of proceedings have not even been compiled.

The Court Order is a declaratory order that must be obeyed.

Why was your name substituted by the All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, before the election?

Severally the local government election was postponed in Anambra State until 2013 when it held. I was a member of the Obiano camapaing organisation during the governorship election.

We contributed to the success of the election.

Success of the election I was part of the Security Department alongside Dr. Tim Menakaya, Mr. Ifeanyi Obi and others. On the day of the primary election, I saw two people who did not buy forms and didn’t comply with the guidelines of the party for the election and I protested vehemently to the presiding officer that they were not eligible to contest. He overruled me on the grounds that his duty was mainly to preside and return results. He said it wasn’t his responsibility to determine, who will contest or not. On that same day, Chief Emeka Onuorah, who is also my

friend, protested that he was no longer interested in contesting.

After the election, one Mr. Tony was declared the winner. And this man did not even purchase form for the election. I protested to the party that they should not feature the man because I am the candidate of the party, but I was overruled. They later accepted my compliant but instead of declaring me the winner of the primaries Emeka Onuorah was declared the winner. I won majority of the valid votes in the primaries and ought to have been declared the candidate.

It was on that note that I campaigned and participated in the election because I won the primaries. After the election, Emeka who did not campaign, was declared the winner and was issued the certificate of return. Dissatisfied with the treatment given to me, I approached the courts praying that I be declared the winner.

Having looked at the case, the court in its wisdom declared me the winner.

The Appeal court sitting in Enugu declared that I Col. Bude Nnakee Okafor, (retd), is the rightful candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and winner of Njikoka Local G o v e r n m e n t Chairmanship seat held on 11 January, 2014.

Delivering the judgment on appeal CA/E/640/ 2014, challenging the ANSIEC declaration of Emeka Onuorah as the candidate of APGA at the poll, three man panel led by Justice Rita Nosakahare set aside the judgment of Hon. Justice H.O. Ozor in suit A/9/ 2014, delivered on the 8th October 2014 at the High Court Awka.

The appeal court further declared me as the winner of the chairmanship seat of the Njikoka Local Government election held on 11th January, 2014 having satisfied the provisions of Section 87 (5) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), and section 141 of the electoral Act 2010 (as amended), and Article 24 (6) of the APGA constitution.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 35

36— FRIDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOMBER 9 , 2015—37

Okowa commissions N400m rice mill •Threatens owners of undeveloped plots in Asaba

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—DELTA Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, of Delta State, has commissioned a multi-million naira rice mill owned by Raymond Guanah Farms Limited, threatening to revoke all undeveloped plots of land at the Asaba industrial estate.

Okowa, who spoke while commissioning the rice mill with a capacity to produce about 200 bags of 25 kg per day, said the decision to revoke undeveloped plots was to pave way for speedy industrialisation of the state.

The Governor, who inspected equipment at Raymos Guana’s farm in Asaba, explained that only plots yet to be developed three years after its allocation would be revoked.

this farm to. Beyond his cultivation of crops, his passion has led him to full mechanisation of the farm and now, he has a 500 tonnes rice mill. I want to congratulate you on what you have achieved.

Succeeding in farming

"You have demonstrated today that no matter what you read in school, you can

succeed in farming if you have the passion and with commitment and passion, you will succeed. God will support you, you are a role model to our people, especially, our youths.

We will partner with you in your efforts to empower our youths in agro business especially, rice production and improving food security in the nation.”

Earlier, Guanah said the size

of the cultivated rice farm was 160 hectares from which about 500 metric tonnes of rice would be harvested.

The commissioned equipment were tractor operated threshers, tractor operated winnowers, tractor operated water pumps for dry season farming, tractor operated maize thresher, tractor operated cassava planter, harvesters, among others.

Revocation of certificate of occupancy

According to him, “We will revoke the certificate of occupancy of any plot of land in the industrial estate which is over two years from the date of issuance that has not been developed which the owners have not shown considerable presence of usage, so that those in need of land can get them, develop them and engage our youths industrially. I will call for the records of all the plots of land in this industrial estate and ensure that we put the land to equitable use.”

Okowa commended Raymos Guanah’s farm for its commitment towards growing and processing agricultural produce, promising that his administration would partner with committed industrialists as such would not only bring about speedy development but, would keep the youths positively engaged.

He said: “I am excited at the level of development that I have seen in this farm today, especially because of the level Raymos Guanah, (Chief Executive Officer of Raymos Gunanah’s farm), has taken

VISIT: From left: Executive Director,Think Nigeria First Initiative, TNFI, Abubakar Tsanni, Patron, TNFI, Dr. Ahmed Iliyasu Misau, Chief Edwin Clark, and Director, Contact and Mobilization, TNFI, Hon. Hamza Mohammed, during TNFI team's visit to Chief Edwin Clark in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

PDP not troubled about Akpeki, others exit —UZOR deal and does not pose any threat must not be in the opposition

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By Emma Amaize

SABA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State, has said the party would not lose sleep over the recent defection of former Chief of Staff, COS, to the State Government, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, and two former Commissioners, Misan Ukubeyinje and Mr. Ebifa Ijomah, to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Speaking to reporters at Asaba, its Chairman, Chief Edwin Uzor, said: “The development is no big

to us as a party that has positively touched lives, including those of the decampees. The decampees have only succeeded in exposing themselves as political jobbers, prostitutes and fair weather politicians who believe they must be in government at all cost. These same persons who did not contribute anything to the victory of the APC at the centre have suddenly realized that Delta State

Women ministry celebrates 10th anniversary Favour Christian Intercessory

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AGOS—THE tenth anniversary of the Women of

Agency tasks Oshiomhole on payment of facilitators by LG boss centres as Ebenezer,

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ENIN CITY—THE Edo State Agency for Mass Education and the National Mass Education Commission, NMEC, has appealed to Governor Adams Oshiomhole of the state to prevail on the 18 Local Government chairmen in the state to pay its facilitators working in the councils so as to boost the nonformal education sector.

The Agency while receiving

50 laptop computers and other instructional materials from the UNESCO, solicited the assistance of the state government in resuscitating non-functional centres in the state, lamenting that most of its centres were in dilapidated form due to lack of maintenance.

The Edo Director of the NMEC, Mr. Christopher Ekhator named the troubled

even when the APC did not win one local government area in the state in the last general election.

"Why did they not join the APC when the party was in opposition. It all goes to suggest that they are selfish politicians who are only concerned with what they stand to gain from the system, rather than what they can give to it."

St. Augustine, Iyaro and Izevbegie. He added that computers which were donated to the agency will be set up in these area, adding that the agency has currently set up a centre for women and girls empowerment which has included their male counterparts to learn various vocational skills like tailoring, bread making, and hair dressing.

Prayer Ministry will be marked tomorrow at Favoured Camp Ground, 4 Suliamon Street, Command Road, Ipaja, Lagos by 9.00am A joint statement by the elated hosts; Pastor Andy and Prophetess Victoria Okpe said; ‘’The Women of favour Christian Intercessory Prayer Ministry came to be 10th October 2005. It started with two persons, with the aim of praying for the progress of their husband and children. ‘’What started like a child’s play, today, has touched lives all over the country and abroad.’ The presence of Godhasbeenawesomelygloriousand the proof of his power so eminent with diverse testimonies and signs and wonders of his doing."

HMO assures on health risk mgt

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By Bartholomew Madukwe

AGOS—A LEADING Health Maintenance Organization, HMO, in the country, AXA Mansard Health Limited, yesterday, assured corporate bodies of optimal and effective health risk management solutions.

This assurance came during a HR Leaders’ Conference in Lagos, titled “Sustaining Employees’ Motivation through Integrated Benefit Planning”.

Speaking, AXA Mansard’s Chairman, Mr. Sola Adeeyo, explained that the idea for the conference was not to change any modality but inform HR Personnel to enable them make better informed choices as to what to do and how to choose a health care management company.

“The purpose is to create a platform for HR people to constantly interact and we can always introduce new methods and products in health management as well, particularly as it concerns AXA Mansard Health Limited,” he added.

700 Delta PDP members defect to APC

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ARRI—ABOUT 700 leaders and members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, have defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. They were received into APC by Chief Isaac Emetitiri, on behalf of Chief Otega Emerhor, governorship candidate of the APC. Emetitiri who saluted the bold step taken by the PDP defectors also advised them to see themselves as vessels of progress and should remain law-abiding.

The APC chieftain also used the medium to commend the governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole for being a man of good will and an icon of nation building.

38—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

CLONING: Catholic medics

raise alarm over human organs

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE Chairman of Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, ACMPN, Owerri Archdiocese, Dr. Phillip Njemanze, has raised alarm that the biocenology companies involved in embryonic stem cell research, are working very hard to ensure steady supply of human ovarian eggs and sperms for the industry, to perfect human organ cloning research.

Dr. Njemanze, who also doubles as Chairman of Global Prolife Alliance, GPA, confirmed that he had already addressed a letter to the President of the United Nations, UN, General Assembly, Mr. Mogens Lykketoft.

Making particular reference to the National Health Act, NHA, 2014, and the Biosafety Act 2015, Dr. Njemanze argued that some sections of the Acts were designed to facilitate human ovarian eggs trafficking from Nigeria to the industrialized countries.

“The Act does not mandate obtaining human ovarian eggs from women under a consent clause by excluding gametes in the definition of tissue, in the interpretation section”, Njemanze said.

The fiery medical practitioner reasoned that since the 2014 National Health Act, which supposedly came to improve primary health care services, some stakeholders in the sector, have carefully reviewed the Act with serious concern.

“The Act fails to protect the sanctity of life and dignity of the human person, as enshrined in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the 1999 Constitution of the Federal are public of Nigeria, as amended”, Njemanze said.

Tribunal nullifies election of APC candidate in Imo

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital, has nullified the purported election of the All

Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Owerri West state constituency, Mr. Victor Onyewuchi.

Delivering judgment in the suit filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for the election, Chidi Ihemedu, the tribunal chairman, Hon. Justice

Abdullah Sanya, upheld the petitioner's grounds for filing the suit and declared that the election as inconclusive.

The tribunal then ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct a rerun within 90 days in the affected polling booths in the constituency.

Vanguard recalls that the PDP candidate dragged your duty with the fear of God. Onyewuchi to the tribunal, Your journey to heaven starts here alleging that the APC on earth. If you are not useful on candidate, who was declared earth, you will be heavenly winner of the election, did not useless”. actually win the April 2015 He appealed to members of the electoral contest. union to support the new state Speaking to Vanguard after executive led by Mr Ifeanyi the delivery of the judgment, Ofodile to move Anambra NUT Ihemedu said he was happy to greater heights and prayed that the honourable judges, God to touch the minds of who adjudicated over his governments to always pay their matter, eventually vindicated salaries and give them promotion him. as at when due.

“My stand before He further urged the teachers approaching the tribunal was to work as a family in fighting for that I was not beaten in a free their rights and eschew crisis in and fair contest. I am happy their union.Other clergymen who that the tribunal agreed that also prayed for the teachers my opponent never won the included Rev. Fr. Romanus election. This is a fine step Okongwu from St. Michael towards reclaiming my catholic church, Ugwuoba. mandate,” Ihemedu said.

Obiano donates N4.3m to NUT

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—GOVERNOR Willie Obiano of Anambra State has donated N4.3 million to the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Anambra state wing in retrospect to support the 2013 world teachers day.

Chairman of the union, Mr Ifeanyi Ofodile stated this in an interview with Vanguard on the just concluded world teachers day celebration in Awka on Monday.

Besides, he said the governor had also donated N10m for the completion of the Teachers House in the state as well as renovation of dilapidated school blocks in many primary and secondary schools.

Ofodile further hinted that the

governor recently sponsored 23 officials from Anambra including teachers and principals of technical colleges to Singapore to understudy best practices in management, technical and vocation education.

It could be recalled that the union kicked off the World Teachers Day celebration with a church service at the Teachers House, Awka..

In a sermon by Rev. Fr. Onyeka Egwuonyia from Okpuno Catholic Church who reasoned that the teaching profession was above other professions because they taught all persons in all professions urged them to carry their duties with dignity and pride. “ I call on you to believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and carry out

Abia women raise funds to empower Abuja indigent women

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—MRS. Nkechi Ikpeazu, wife of Abia State governor, has called on privileged Nigerians to donate generously to charity as a way of closing the wide gap between them and the less privileged people in the society.

Ikpeazu made the call at a fund raising programme for women empowerment organized by the Women’s wing of Ngwa Cultural and Development Association in Abuja last weekend.

Represented by Mrs. Beauty Odikwa, the Abia First Lady stated that given the level of unemployment in Nigeria, the programme was a better initiative to assist the less privileged in the society.

She said: “When I received your invitation, I was happy that it is concerned with matters of empowerment. Giving the level of unemployment amongst Nigerians and indeed our people, empowerment programmes are often very valuable in bridging the gaps between the haves and the have not.

“It is a channel by which those who have been blessed with skills and opportunity offer chances of emancipation to those who are favoured.”

Lauding the Programme, Mrs. Ikpeazu also urged the people to ensure the promotion of peace and unity amongst them.

Earlier in her keynote address, the chair lady of the association, Mrs. Onyinye Ahuchiogu, stated that the decision to embark on the programme stemmed from challenges faced by their women in Abuja and beyond.

“You will agree with us that each time there is a challenge in cash

flow in most homes, the first person to feel the impact is the woman in the house, followed by the children. Also, each time a woman is widowed, the challenge of raising the children falls on the shoulders of the woman alone without any social support.

“Anytime a family gives birth to the number of children which their income cannot sustain, the woman and the children suffer.

The challenge of payment of school fees, feeding and attending to other daily needs of the family becomes overwhelming for most women.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On Diezani’s alleged money laundering in UK

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iezeni has been a minister & permanent secretary for years, since 2004 till date. So does it mean as a minister or permanent secretary she could not afford such an amount?

How much does Tinubu have outside the country? Mrs. Vicky Okezie-Agbara, Accountant

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n my view about the £27,000 UK government seized from Diezani, I will say that men do steal and women too. But Dieziani’s has become a case of ”what men can do, women can do better” Mr. Ngozi Nwachukwu, Worker

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ow, does this arrest mean that Madam Alison and her mother are the only people in UK in possession of £5,000 $27,000 in cash? Does this mean any money seen on a politician is a proceed of crime? -Mr. Festus Loius, Worker

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ur minds are corrupt, that is the reason we cry witch-hunting anytime politicians are being probed. Even in the previous govt, we also cried of witch-hunting. When are we going to stand for the truth? Mr. Okie Darlington, Unemployed

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f your hands are clean as well, you do not need to change the rules of the game in the middle of the game to suit your selfish interest. So let the trial commence and same should be televised in Nigeria. -Miss Cynthia Osuchukwu, NYSC member

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s this a joke or what, £27,000 was seized? Of course, if such cash is not banked in UK then it is against the law, it does not mean money laundering.

This is one woman that had served both internationally and within Nigeria. Miss Ogechi Chimas, Communicator

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 39

I7 civilian, scores of insurgents killed in

Borno attack

By Bala Ajiya & Ndahi Marama

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HE troops of 7 Division, Nigerian Army, have killed scores of Boko Haram terrorists who attempted to attack Gubio town, the headquarters of Gubio local government area of Borno State.

This came as residents of Geidam town in Yobe State said the motive of the Boko Haram militants for evasion of the town late Wednesday could be attributed to search for food and other necessities.

A resident of the town, Mallam Ibrahim Gubio, told Vanguard on phone that the insurgents who came in two Hilux vehicle threw some explosive on some houses, killing seven civilians.

He said: “The insurgent came at about 4:45 am on Wednesday and start throwing explosives on houses killing two civilians. ‘’The military deployed to the town swiftly responded on time killing all the terrorists, while their two Hilux vehicles, rifles and ammunitions were recovered.”

A soldier in the town who did not want his name in print, told Vanguard that scores of the insurgents were killed, as their

...As terrorists invade Geidam in search of food

troops repelled an attempted attack on the town.

He said: “Yes, there was an attempted attack on Gubio this morning but our troops successfully repelled the attack where none of the insurgents escaped, as we killed all of them, while two Hilux vehicles, rifles and ammunitions were recovered.”

In a related development, sources said a group of insurgents have concluded arrangement to wreak fresh havoc in Maiduguri, the state capital, with security formations being their main target.

A security source said the military had already received an intelligence report on the

plan of some insurgents to attack some places in Maiduguri.

He added that all the security apparati had been put on alert to confront any terrorists’ invasion of Maiduguri and its environs.

Residents of Geidam in Yobe State said yesterday the motive of the Boko Haram militants’ was due to their search for food and other necessities.

DECENT WORLD WORK DAY From left; Deputy Gen Sec, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, (NUTGTWN) Sylvester Chimezie, chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Kaduna State council, Ango adamu, and chairman, trade union congress, (TUC) Shehu Muhammed, at the press conference, to mark decent world work day celebration in kaduna.

Tribunal upholds election of two PDP lawmakers in Benue

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—BENUE State House of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Makurdi has upheld the

Forum raises alarm over smear campaign against TETFUND scribe

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—A group, North East Empowerment Advocate for Inclusive Development Forum, has raised alarm over what it described as the desperate attempt by a faceless group to impugn the character of TETFUND Executive Secretary, Professor Suleiman Bogoro, The forum lamented that the group, Credible Alternative Alliance, was unleashing fresh campaign of calumny against Bagoroa, with the intention to take his office.

In a press statement signed by president, Alhaji Saleh Hussaini, the forum condemned the hypocritical moves of the group, pointing out that it fought against the change mantra of All Progressives Congress, APC, during the 2015 general election.

election of Mr. Johnson Ahubi and Dr. Adoga Onah, two Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, lawmakers representing Otukpa/Akpa and Oju 1 constituencies respectively in the Assembly.

Ahubi’s victory was challenged

by Mr. Baba Ode of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who alleged that the State Assembly election in the constituency was marred by voters’ disenfranchisement, ballot box snatching and over- voting in 12 council polling wards of the

constituency, while Dr. Adoga Onah’s election was challenged

by Sunday Adagba of the APC who had questioned the authenticity of the election results from over 20 polling units in his constituency.

In her judgement in the case between Baba Ode and Johnson Ahubi, Justice Mosunmola Dipeolu held that the petitioner failed to establish the issues raised in his petition but relied on hearsay evidences from his witnesses which by the provisions of section 126 of the

petitioner.

She held thus: “Our submission is that the petitioner failed woefully to prove allegation of substantial non compliance and as such, is not entitled to any relief sort. The petition is hereby dismissed”, the tribunal held.

In the case between Adoga Onah and Sunday Adagba, the Tribunal held that the allegation of electoral malpractices could not be proved, adding that the contradiction in the testimonies of the petitioners’ witnesses dealt a fatal blow to the petition.

ICPC detains Kano govt officials over 3.7bn fraud

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

K

ANO—OPERATIVES of Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC, have arrested top Kano State government functionaries to explain their role over alleged missing N3.7billion local government funds.

Those arrested include the Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Rabiu Suleiman Bichi, the AccountantGeneral, Danjuma Mahmud, the Commissioner for Local Government, Alhaji Murtala

Sule Garo, the Permanent Secretary ministries of finance and that of works.

Vanguard learned that the key government officials temporarily regained their freedom after spending four days in ICPC cell in Abuja and were asked to report to the anti-corruption agency every two days.

The development followed a petition by a Kano-based whistle blower, and a Civil Engineer, Ali Maishanu, that over N3billion was allegedly withdrawn from the account of the 44 local government areas of the state to sponsore the

presidential ambition of unnamed aspirant.

Sequel to the controversy generated by the whistle blower, the police in Kano arraigned Ali Maishanu before a magistrate for being in possession of a fake N70 million voucher which he allegedly used to blackmail unnamed All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant.

The ICPC ‘s raid on Kano has practically shut down governmental activities as key officials central to the running of government have partially relocated to Abuja.

NGO unveils programme for street children

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—A Non Governmental Organisation, 29th Media Support programme, is set to unveil its new social cause for Street Children Campaign.

Org, come October 24.

Consequently, the organisation has put in place measures to support Lagos State government in picking children off the streets and taking them to a correctional home and rehabilitation centers where they could learn crafts and skills.

Founder of the organisation, Ms Olajumoke Giwa, said she got the initiative in 2012 when she met a boy of about 14 years one early morning coming out of a makeshift where he slept and was moved to ask him where he was coming from that early.

She said the boy explained coming from where he slept away from home to escape the maltreatment of the foster parents he was living with, having lost his parents.

2019 POLLS: Lawmaker urges INEC to start preparations

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—THE l a w m a k e r representing Otukpo/Akpa constituency at Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Johnson Ahubi, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to commence early preparation for the 2019 general election to avoid the hitches that almost marred the last polls in the country.

He spoke yesterday at a one day advocacy meeting between members of Civil Society Organisations and Benue State House Committee on Electoral Matters, organized under the auspices of Alliance for Credible Elections.

Ahubi, who is the chairman of the House Committee on Electoral Matters, noted that early preparations would pave way for the conduct of credible and acceptable elections in the country.

He said: “I am making this appeal because we all knew the hitches that were noticed at the last elections which also led to the rescheduling of the polls at the time and the tension and speculations that trailed that decision.

40—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

MAYOR VISITS: Mayor, City of London, Mr. Alderman Yarrow (middle); to his left is Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Oluranti Adebule; and investors from the United Kingdom, UK, when the Mayor led the UK team on a courtesy visit to Lagos State Government.

ONOSODE'S WIDOW: Late Pa Gamaliel Onosode's widow, Susan (middle), flanked by her sons, Ese and Spencer, with members of Urhobo Social Club, during the club's visit.

ROTARY HEALTH WEEK: Secretary, Rotary Club of Victoria Island, Rotn Mary Esinna (3rd left) and medical personnel attending to beneficiaries during Rotary Family Health Week free medical screening exercise, where over 500 residents where attended to in Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

COMMISSIONING: From left— Baale of Surulere, High Chief Jinodu Awoyemi; member representing Sururlere, Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Desmond Elliot; Corporate Affairs Adviser, Nigerian Breweries, NB, Plc, representing the Mangaing Director, Mr. Kufre Ekanem; and Executive Secretary, Surulere, Mrs Bamidele Hussain, during the commissioning of Dedeke Memorial Girls Primary School, re-constructed

by NB-Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Fund, in Lagos. PHOTO: Diran Oshe.

Head, Financial Advisory, Sola Carrena, both of Stanbic IBTC Capital; and Group Editor, Instinct Business, Mrs. Kehinde Olesin, at the maiden edition of the Nigeria CFO Awards in Lagos, where Stanbic IBTC Capital won the Best Financial Advisory Firm in Nigeria award.

GALAXY NOTE 5: From left— Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Mr. Emmanouil Revmatas; Managing Director, Mr. Brovo Kim; Ambassador, Banky W; Marketing Manager, Information Technology and Mobile, Ms. Olajumoke Okikiolu, and Business Development Director, Information Technology and Mobile, Mr. Daesong Ra, all of Samsung Electronics West Africa, during the launch of Galaxy Note 5 in Lagos. PHOTO: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

HEALTH FAIR: From left— Cash Operation Manager, CCD Superstores, Sunday Udotong; Manager, Human Resources/Admininistration, Juliana Chukwueme; Managing Director, Risi Ogunbor; and Osagie Ogunbor, Executive Director, Corporate Affairs, Nosak Group, at CCD Superstores health fair in Lagos.

HR CONFAB: From left— Chief Client Officer/Group Executive, AXA Mansard, Mr. Tosin Runsewe; Head of Partnerships, AXA ICAS International, Mr. Paul Kuhn; MD, AZA Mansard Health Ltd, Tope Adeniyi; Chairman, Olusola Adeeyo, and AXA PPP International, Mr. Paul Hawke, at the HR Leaders' Conference hosted by AXA Mansard in Lagos. PHOTO: Lamidi Bamidele.

CFO AWARDS: From left— Acting Chief Executive, Mr. Funso Akere;

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 41

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42 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOMBER 9 , 2015—43

Electricity tariffs to be raised upon power stability—Buhari

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

B U J A — PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has said that his government would only raise electricity tariffs when stability is achieved in the power sector. He stated that government was working to improve power generation and distribution from its current stage.

This was even as he stated that there was no assurance that the government would approve the lifting of restrictions imposed on foreign currency by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. President Buhari spoke through his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo who represented him as the special guest of honour at the annual general meeting of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, yesterday.

He said: “At this point, if we wanted to have a cost effective tariff, the only way is to service that core value chain, the only way is to ensure that we are paying and compensating the value chain -from generation down to distribution- a cost effective tariff.

“Power is of course crucial and as the president said in his inaugural address, to which President Mbeki referred, the question of power is one that is absolutely crucial to manufacturing and practically everything else and we shouldn’t be rejoicing at 4000 Megawatts of power. But the problems are historical and several of those problems will need tackling

head on, on a day-by-day basis.

“One aspect of the problem that I want to speak about, because this also affects manufacturing, is the whole idea of the tariffs. Of course the president of MAN just said that we have one of the most expensive electricity in the world.

“Now, the truth of the matter is that at this point, if we wanted to have a cost effective tariff, the only way is to service that core value chain, the only way is to ensure that we are paying and compensating the value chain -from generation down to distribution- a cost effective tariff.

Cost effective tariff “You cannot have that cost effective tariff without some pay. At the moment, (when you compare) how much it costs to produce power, and the amount of power that is generated, the losses on account of distribution are significant. In some cases you have up to 40% losses in distribution, and of course it is the DISCOs that have to take that burden.

“The GENCOs (generating companies) are producing power but they expect to be paid for all the power that they produce. Now, if 40% of this is lost, it means the DISCOs cannot collect 40%, but they have to pay for it somehow.

So government has to come in and play some kind of role in order to ensure that the whole value chain is paid for.

“But the most important thing is that the cost of

power is reflective of costs that have to be borrowed at every stage of the value chain and today the cost of power, if it’s going to be reflective in any way is simply what it is. It will be very difficult indeed, except if we are going to introduce yet another subsidy and by the way, a fair amount of that goes on already in the way that government supports the GENCOs and the DISCOs. “But I think that we must be ready to accept that for a while, until things stabilize somewhat, tariffs cannot remain at the levels at which they are today, they cannot remain at that level, and that just simply is the truth of the matter. It certainly means that there may be higher costs, but I don’t think that an option of not having power is really what we want. The real issue of course is that at the end of the day, some of the cost goes to the consumer, but a cost reflective tariff is an absolute necessity, otherwise, privatization and all of that simply doesn’t make sense.”

The President also made it clear at the meeting that a review of the CBN restrictions on foreign currency was not imminent.

His words: “I want to make it absolutely clear that the position is not that a review of the CBN restrictions on foreign exchange is imminent. It is a short term measure, not a policy, and as things improve, we will have a discussion about what to do. But certainly not that a review is about to take place”, he said.

CAC CELEBRATES: L-r: Director, Lady Azuka Azinge; Deputy Director, Mr Abe Olutoye, and Assistant Director, Mrs Leticia Mordey all of Customers Service department of the Corporate Affairs Department (CAC) during the celebration of the Commission’s clients in Abuja yesterday.

44 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—45

PDP senators reject partial ministerial list

By Henry Umoru/ Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—AHEAD of next week’s screening of ministerial nominees by the Senate, senators elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have vowed to stall the exercise.

The senators, who held a meeting behind closed doors in Senate Hearing Room 1, was to, among others, consider the criteria set by the Senate for the confirmation of ministerial nominees sent by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Though the senators refused to brief newsmen at the end of the one hour meeting, sources said the senators resolved to reject what they described as partial and piecemeal

presentation of the list of ministerial nominees.

A source told Vanguard at the end of the meeting that the PDP senators were not comfortable with the partial submission of ministerial nominees, an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari was earlier not ready to get a minister from each state.

According to the source, PDP senators have warned that the present nominees must not be cleared until the President forwards the remaining list.

It was gathered that the PDP senators had decided to hold down the screening process unless Buhari sent the full ministerial list by Tuesday.

According to a source, the senators also resolved to send a message to the President through Senate President, Bukola Saraki,

It was also gathered that the senators would be prepared to stall the screening process on Tuesday if the President of the Senate failed to read the remaining list of ministerial nominees at the start of sitting on Tuesday.

The source said: “The senators of the PDP are united and they have taken a stand on the ministerial screening. After adopting the procedures already ratified at the executive session of all the senators, the PDP caucus resolved to also demand a full list of ministerial nominees by Tuesday; else they will have no other option than to hold down the process.

“The senators are of the view that the nation, having waited for four months, cannot continue to wait in perpetuity for the full list of ministerial nominees.”

A-Court okays accelerated hearing on Saraki’s suit against FG

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

He had also gone before the appellate court to query the constitutionality of the BUJA—THE Abuja Division of the warrant of arrest earlier issued against Court of Appeal, yesterday, okayed him by chairman of the CCT, Justice accelerated hearing on the suit lodged Danladi Umar. before it by the Senate President, Dr. Besides, the embattled Senate Olubukola Saraki.

President, through his team of lawyers Saraki, in his appeal, is challenging the led by a former President of the Nigerian legal propriety of the 13-count criminal Bar Association, NBA, Mr. J.B. Daudu, charge the Federal Government preferred SAN, wanted the higher court to ascertain against him before the Code of Conduct whether the Justice Umar-led panel Tribunal, CCT. subscribed to the appropriate legal procedure when it ordered him to mount the dock and enter his plea to the charge despite preliminary objections against his trial.

It will be recalled that the appellate court had on Senator Walid Jibril as September 21, declined to

By Henry Umoru Deputy Chairman, while stop Saraki’s trial.

BUJA—AHEAD of the National Legal Adviser However, it directed that Kogi and Bayelsa of the party, Victor Kwon a copy of Saraki’s appeal states governorship will serve as secretary. should be served on the elections, the national The Kogi committee also Federal Ministry of Justice, leadership of Peoples has the former Senate the Chairmen of the CCT Democratic Party, PDP, has President, Senator David and Code of Conduct put in place campaign Mark, seven PDP state Bureau, all cited as committees for the elections. governors and other key respondents in the matter.

The governorship stakeholders as members.

Meantime, hearing on elections in Kogi and In the same vein, the the appeal was stalled Bayelsa states are Bayelsa State campaign following the death of the scheduled for November 21 committee has former Presiding Justice of the and December 5, 2015 Deputy Speaker of the Abuja Division of the respectively.

House of Representatives, Appeal Court, Justice In a statement by PDP Emeka Ihedioha as Deputy Abdulkadir Jega.

National Publicity Secretary, Chairman, while the Justice Jega and Justice Chief Olisa Metuh, Deputy Deputy National Secretary Musa Alkali of the Ilorin President of the Senate, of the party, Onwe Solomon Division of the court were Senator Ike Ekweremadu Onwe, will serve as among over 700 pilgrims is chairing that of Kogi, secretary. that died during the while the Chairman, PDP Also on the Bayelsa stampede that occurred in Board of Trustees, BOT, Dr. committee are Senate Saudi Arabia.

Haliru Mohammed, would Minority Leader, Senator At the resumed serve as chairman for that Godswill Akpabio, House proceeding, yesterday, the of Bayelsa State.

Minority Leader, Hon. Leo appeal court granted Other members for Kogi Ogor, four PDP state accelerated hearing on the State campaign committee governors and other critical matter which it adjourned include PDP Board of stakeholders till October 16.

Trustees (BoT) Secretary,

A

Ekweremadu, Bello chair Kogi, Bayelsa PDP campaign teams

A

46 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015—47

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ARUKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Arukwe H a p p i n e s s Onyinyechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imiele Happiness Onyinyechi. All former documents remain valid. Police Service Commission, The Nigeria Police and general public please take note.

ETUK—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Imaobong Sunday Etuk, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Imaobong Aniekan Samuel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EFE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Efe Ugiagbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Efe Faith Odiase. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDOFIA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Etim Udofia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Blessing Francis Edet.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Correction of name ERIOMALA—I am the same person bearing Eyesemitan Eriomala and Ayesemitan Omomulere Eriomala, now wish to be known and addressed as Ayesemitan Omomulere Eriomala. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

DADSON—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rita Faithful Dadson, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rita Faithful Ejairu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EWARAMI— I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Patience Ofeoritse Ewarami, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Godfavour Ofeoritse Michael O. Umukoro.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ABANZUKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Mrs. Abanzukwe Sandra Chiamaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwachukwu Sandra Chiamaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDE—I,

known and addressed as Miss Nkechi Ude, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nkechi

Ezeh.

All

former

documents

remain valid. General

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Hearing on suit against IPMAN's factional President for Nov 9

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EARING on the case against Chief Lawson Obasi, factional President of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, has been fixed for November 9 due to the absence of the trial judge, who is engaged at Gombe State Election Tribunal sitting at court 28, Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja.

A statement by nominal counsel to another factional National President of IPMAN, Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, said: “Recall that on July 6, he was to be arraigned, but the court could not sit on account of the absence of the presiding judge, who is engaged in the election petition tribunal in Gombe State.

“Therefore, the matter was adjourned to November 9, by which period he would have been through with his tribunal engagement and appropriate steps taken to prosecute the matter.”

Obasi is facing a sixcount charge alongside Ukadike Chinedu, Augustine Erhabor and Andrew Ashiga.

The Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Mohammed Diri, had in March filed the sixcount charge before the FCT High Court.

The accused IPMAN members were alleged to have, on April 14, 2014, while armed with dangerous weapons, entered the premises of IPMAN located at 41, Gnassingbe Eyadema Street, Asokoro, Abuja, and destroyed doors, windows, lockers and cardboards, inflicting various degrees of injuries on occupants.

The DPP said the offences are punishable under Sections 1(2) (b) 6(b) of the Robbery and Firearms Act, 2004, and Section 266 of the Penal Code.

48—Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Buhari’s war on corruption - real or fake? (3) This is the concluding part of the discourse. In the second part which was published yesterday, Chinweizu argued that there was nothing mysterious about corruption in Nigeria. He noted that corruption was bred by the lootocracy that is encouraged and protected by the 1999 Constitution

By Chinweizu

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HOULDN'T he be obliged to begin by probing and prosecuting himself? For the sake of justice being done and seen to be done, Buhari should be required to give an undertaking now, before he starts prosecuting anybody, that the case of the N2.8bn shall be the second taken to trial by whatever court tries the first of those he accuses of corruption. And his solemn pledge must be sworn in public and on the Holy Koran. And he should also swear to resign as President should he fail to prosecute himself the day after the first case is concluded. Only so can he assure the world that there will be no sacred cows in his war on corruption.

The Caliphate’s three castes view of Nigeria and Buhari’s interest only in corruption under Jonathan: For an insight into why Buhari insists on limiting his war on corruption to the Jonathan administration, we must peer at things through the lenses of the Caliphate’s concept of Nigeria as consisting of three castes: The heirs of Dan Fodio; the Northern minorities, the peoples of the Middle Belt, who are to be used as the willing tools of the heirs of Dan Fodio; and the conquered peoples of the south.

Classic statement The classic statement of this caste system was made by none other than Sir Ahmadu Bello, a great-grandson of Dan Fodio, who was the political leader of the Caliphate when Nigeria was granted independence in 1960.

A few days after Nigeria attained independence, he told his people:”The new nation called Nigeria should be an estate of our great-grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities of the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us, and never allow them to have control over their future.” –Sir Ahmadu Bello, Leader of the NPC and Premier of Northern Nigeria, (Parrot Newspaper, 12th Oct. 1960; republished on November 13, 2002, by the Tribune Newspaper, Ibadan.)

This three-castes concept of Nigeria had to be modified after the Civil war because of how it was fought and won. To defeat Biafra, the Caliphate relied heavily on the “willing tools” from the Northern minorities, and on the Yoruba from among the conquered territory of the South.

After the war, the castes had to be shuffled to reflect that reality. The

Map of Nigeria

President Muhammadu Buhari modified version was publicly articulated in 1992 by a senior Caliphate politician, Maitama Sule, when he described the revised version of the caste system they deem proper for the relationship between the peoples of Nigeria:” In this country, all of us need one another. Hausa need Igbo, Igbo need Yoruba and the Yoruba need the Northerners. Everyone has a gift from God. Northerners are endowed by God with leadership qualities. The Yoruba man knows how to earn a living and has diplomatic qualities. The Igbo is gifted in commerce, trade and technological innovation.

God so created us individually for a purpose and with different gifts.

Others are created as kings, students and doctors. We all need each other. If there are no followers, a king will not exist, if there are no students a teacher will not be required, etc.”– 1992, Alhaji Maitama Sule in an address which was written and spoken in Arabic during the launching of The Power of Knowledge authored by Alhaji Isa Kaita, at Durbar Hotel, Kaduna on December 22, 1992.{ Ayoada, J. A. A. Nigeria and the Squandering of Hope, Ibadan: University of Ibadan Press, 1997, p. 14} The main postcivil-war changes were as follows: the Yoruba from the South were promoted to join the Northern minorities in the caste of willing tools and junior partners, i.e. house slaves, to the Caliphate masters.

The defeated Biafrans remained in the lowest caste - the slaves who were never to rule over the Caliphate masters or to be allowed to have control over their

future. From this Caliphate perspective, it was a serious breach of the Caliphateestablished order for Jonathan, from among the defeated Biafran slaves, to be a president ruling over the Caliphate masters. That aberration was made possible by the quarrel between the Caliphate masters and their Yoruba junior partners over the annulment of the June 12 election by Sultan Dasuki. The masters had been forced to hand power temporarily to their loyal Yoruba agent, General Obasanjo.

But Obasanjo, for his own personal purposes, schemed to place Jonathan in line for the presidency by making him the running mate to Yar’Adua, the Caliphate scion to whom, in 2007, he dutifully handed back their power that they had lent him.

When Yar’Adua died in office, the Caliphate plotted to prevent Jonathan from succeeding him.

When that plot failed and Jonathan was installed to complete Yar’Adua’s term, the Caliphate demanded that he not exercise his constitutional right to seek election in 2011. They threatened that if he did, they would make the country ungovernable for him. [North ’ll make Nigeria ungovernable for Jonathan –Lawal Kaita http:// w w w. n a i r a t o w n . c o m / index.php?topic=6190.0 ] But Jonathan had the temerity

to defy them and win office in his own right instead of vacating it when the masters demanded it back. In Caliphate eyes, Jonathan’s living in Aso Rock was a desecration of an inner sanctum of Caliphate power, like a slave sleeping in his master’s bed. The indulging by his officials in the looting that is a privilege of the masters was seen as eating the forbidden fruit. For this unforgiveable sin, he has to be punished now that the masters, through Buhari, have retaken what they regard as theirs and theirs alone. The usurper slave from Biafra has to be punished as a deterrent to any others who might dare to repeat the crime of usurping the masters’ power and privileges.

Masters'power and privileges Those to whom the masters lent their looting privileges are exempt from punishment. But those who usurped that privilege must be punished for the crime of usurpation.

Accordingly, usurpation of Caliphate privileges is the real crime for which Jonathan and his officials, especially his fellow ex-Biafrans, must be punished under the guise of the war on corruption.

That is why Buhari’s war on corruption must be confined to the Jonathan administration and must not be extended to the regimes of President Yar’Adua, President Obasanjo, General Abubakar, General Abacha, Ernest Shonekan, General IBB, General Buhari, President Shagari, General Obasanjo, General Murtala Muhammed and General Gowon.

From the foregoing examination, we can see that Buhari has tailored his War on Corruption to make it serve the Caliphate agenda of protecting the Caliphate system of lootocracy.

Looting by regimes led by Caliphate scions or by Caliphateapproved agents must not be probed, prosecuted and punished. And above all, the 1999 constitution, the godfather of lootocracy and the fountainhead of corruption must be preserved.

That is why Northern leaders want to ensure that the 2014 Confab report is not implemented.

[Northern leaders move to block implementation of confab report http://sunnewsonline.com/new/ northern-leaders-move-to-blockimplementation-of-confabreport} Conclusion: We can now answer the question: Is Buhari’s War on Corruption real or fake?

It depends on what he does: (1) whether he extends it to cover all the regimes since 1966, like Bakarbe Musa demands; (2) whether he prosecutes himself for the missing N2.8bn and, above all (3) what he does about the 1999 constitution. If he omits (1) then it is a war with many sacred cows; and if he omits (2) then he is coming to equity without clean hands.That would be bad enough. And if Buhari goes along with the Northern leaders, it will become clear that he is opposed to dumping the 1999 constitution - that he refuses to meet the necessary condition for “killing” corruption before it “kills” Nigeria. Should he do that, Buhari’s “War on Corruption” would have failed the litmus test for being genuine, and would become exposed as fake. And Nigerians would be justified in feeling conned by Buhari.

C h i n w e i z u , Sundoor999@gmail.com

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 49

Tension as Russian missiles land in Iran A

NUMBER of cruise missiles launched from a Russian ship and aimed at targets in Syria have crashed in Iran, two U.S. officials said yesterday.

Monitoring by U.S. military and intelligence assets has concluded that at least four missiles crashed as they flew over Iran. One official said there may be casualties, but another official said this is not yet known.

It’s unclear where in Iran the missiles landed. The Russian ships have been positioned in the south Caspian Sea, meaning the likely flight path for missiles into Syria would cross over

•Refugees and migrants board a bus following their arrival via the Eleftherios Venizelos passenger ferry with over 2,500 migrants and refugees from the island of Lesbos at the port of Piraeus, near Athens, Greece, yesterday.

both Iran and Iraq.

The Russians have been firing a relatively new cruise missile called “Kaliber,” using it for the first time in

Countries vulnerable to climate change form bloc

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WENTY of the countries most vulnerable to climate change have formed a new group to press for tougher action to curb global warming.

Draft documents for a meeting of finance ministers in Lima, Peru and seen by the Reuters news agency on Thursday, said the 20 represented 700 million people in low- and middleincome nations that were arid, landlocked, mountainous or vulnerable to rising sea levels.

Members will be Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Barbados, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Kiribati, Madagascar, Maldives, Nepal, Philippines, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Tanzania, East Timor, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Vietnam.

The Vulnerable 20 (V20) group’s draft action plan will seek to “strengthen economic and financial cooperation and action to address climate change risks and opportunities” and promote a shift to a low carbon global economy.

Goals would include “improved access to international climate change finance” to help cope with droughts, floods, melting glaciers and rising sea levels. They said one possibility was a tax on financial transactions.

combat.

Iran’s semi-official FARS news agency, however, said that neither Russian nor Iranian authorities have confirmed the U.S. officials’ information at this point.

On Wednesday, Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu told President Vladimir Putin on Russian television that all 26 missiles launched from four missile ships struck their targets, with no civilian facilities hit. Putin then congratulated him on the performance of the weapons.

Rupert Murdoch apologises for Obama tweet

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EDIA mogul Rupert Murdoch has apologised for a tweet suggesting President Barack Obama is not a “real black president”.

In tweets praising Republican candidate Ben Carson, Mr Murdoch wrote: “What about a real black President who can properly address the racial divide?”

After criticism on Twitter, he later tweeted: “Apologies! No offence meant. Personally find both men charming.”

Mr Murdoch, 84, is founder of the global News Corporation

empire.

He is ranked as one of the world’s most powerful people.

Mr Murdoch has previously tweeted his admiration for Mr Carson, a 63-year-old retired neurosurgeon who is one of 15 hopefuls vying to become the Republican candidate for the US presidency in 2016.

A few days ago, he tweeted: “Everywhere pundits keep underestimating Ben Carson. But public understand humility as admirable, listen to the multi-faceted strong message.”

Hero of French train attack stabbed in US

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PENCER Stone, hailed as a hero after a French train terror attack, has been stabbed in Sacramento, California.

He was attacked while defending a friend, and is currently in a stable condition at a local hospital, an Air Force official told the BBC. Police say the stabbing took place on a Sacramento street corner in the early hours after an argument escalated.

Sacramento Police Officer Traci Trapani says no arrests have been made and they do not yet have a description.

•Spencer Stone She said that police are currently attempting to interview witnesses and review surveillance footage.

They hope to release

more information later today.

Mr Stone, 25, is one of three Americans that helped to thwart a terror attack on a French train in August.

They were hailed as heroes for tackling a man who was carrying a Kalashnikov rifle, an automatic pistol with ammunition clips and a box cutter knife.

The men, assisted by other passengers, threw him to the floor of the carriage, removed his guns and restrained him.

Mr Stone was slashed by the attacker and later required surgery to reattach part of his hand.

Spain dismisses Rwanda war crime case •As Paul Kagame gets third term approval

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PAIN’S supreme court has dismissed a case against 40 Rwandan officials accused of revenge killings following the 1994 genocide.

The ruling revokes arrest warrants against the group, but 29 could still be prosecuted if they enter Spanish territory.

Last year Spain curbed its universal jurisdiction laws, which enable it to pursue human rights cases globally.

Rwanda’s justice minister said the case had lacked evidence.

“We have always said that such a case requires proper and credible investigation,” Johnston Busingye said.

“This particular investigation started by listing almost the entire leadership of the Rwanda Defence Forces on a charge sheet and then worked backwards to find offences with which to charge them.”

But Jordi Palou, who

•A group of Rwandans fleeing the 1994 genocide represents Spanish, Rwandan and Congolese victims, called it “a very sad day for victims and for justice in general”, Digital Journal reported.

He denied lack of evidence was behind the dismissal but would not say whether he would appeal.

The case was launched in 2008, when a Spanish judge issued international

KENYA: MPs furious after parliament’s power supply cut

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Ps in Kenya have reacted furiously after the electricity supply to parliament was cut for three days apparently because of an unpaid bill of $97,000 (£63,000).

The opposition blamed the government, but MPs of the governing coalition rallied to its defence.

MPs also said they had not received their allowances and some parliamentary staff had not been paid.

The government and parliamentary officials have not yet commented.

Kenya MPs are among the highest paid in the world, and the chaotic state of the parliamentary building is embarrassing to them.

There is growing concern that the government is facing a cash crunch, and MPs from parliament’s finance committee are now holding a crisis meeting to

discuss the issue, he adds.

During a parliamentary debate, opposition MP Adan Keynan said the power supply to parliament was cut from Friday to Monday.

“The power guys came and disconnected power...

It has never happened [before],” he added.

Another opposition MP Chris Wamalwa said the water supply had also been cut.

South Sudan’s warring sides violated ceasefire over 50 times—Report

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OUTH Sudan’s warring sides have violated a ceasefire agreement over 50 times in the last 20 months, mediators said in a report on Thursday.The world’s newest nation plunged into civil war in late 2013 after a political row between President Salva Kiir and his former deputy

Failure to pay soldiers threatens Somalia’s war on Islamists

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OMALIA’S inability to pay and even feed its soldiers threatens to undermine years of hardwon military gains against Islamist al Shabaab rebels, with corruption sapping morale and weakening the army in the war against the militants.

In the past two months the al Qaeda-aligned group has stormed an African Union (AU) peacekeeping base and recaptured several small

arrests warrants against Rwandan officials, accusing them of crimes against humanity, genocide and terrorism.

Spain has been a prominent advocate of the principle of universal jurisdiction, which argues some crimes are so serious they transcend national sovereignty.

Courts in Spain have brought cases against the US over torture allegations at Guantanamo Bay, against China for alleged human rights violations in Tibet, and forced the arrest of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in London.

But after a number of diplomatic rows Spain’s governing People’s Party reformed the laws.

Meanwhile, Rwanda’s highest court has ruled in favour of changing the constitution to allow President Paul Kagame to stand for a third seven-year term in 2017.

towns from retreating Somali soldiers in Lower Shabelle region south of the capital, Mogadishu.

While no one expects the rebels to regain swathes of territory they lost since AU and Somali soldiers pushed them out of Mogadishu in 2011, there are fears that years of efforts to reform the army may come undone as unpaid soldiers defect, erect checkpoints to extract bribes, or lose the appetite to fight.

Riek Machar reopened ethnic fault lines between Kiir’s Dinka and Machar’s Nuer people.More than 10,000 people have died.Facing heavy international pressure and thethreatofsanctions,Kiirand Machar signed a peace deal in August. But since then both sides have accused one another of attacks, and humanitarian groups have pulled out of parts of the oilrich country where heavy violence has been reported.

TheEastAfricanblocIGAD, which is mediating peace talks, said in its latest report rebels had committed 29 violations and government troops had committed 24 violations between February 2014 and last month.

IGAD’s monitors said the latest violation, on Sept. 22, occurredwhenrebelsattacked and looted the governmentheld town of Guit in the northern Unity region “causing both military and civiliancasualties”beforetheir withdrawal.

50 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Dhul-Hijjah 25, 1436 A.H.

Welcoming the new Hijri 1437!

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NE unique thing about islamic calendar is that it did not commence with something less significant. With divine guidance, it started with the sacrifice of the early muslims and the triumph of truth over evil. That is hijrah.

In ordinary terms, hijrah was a journey between Makkah and Madinah, about 300 miles apart; a migration that changed the situation of the early Muslims for better.

It marked the beginning of an era, a civilization, a culture and a turning point for Muslims in history.

Some would argue that there is no special religious ceremony to mark the new year. Yes! But it is one of the appreciated developmentswhichwillcontinuetobenew every twelve lunar months; especially with the need for a shift to Islamic calendar for the Muslim Umah.

However, Hijrah as a principle that is integral to islam, should not be relegated to a mere date; its celebration should be loud and be seen to impact positively in the lives of Muslims. Essentially, the celebration should remind us about the meaning and significance and make us to be focused on the need for absolute compliance.

The meaning of the word hijrah is often translated as “flight or migration”. It is also used to mean

leaving an environment for a better environment, even though it may involve some difficulties. In this context, Allah says: “And lot believed him. [Abraham] said, “indeed, I will emigrate to [the service of] my lord.

Indeed, he is the exalted in might, the wise.” (Ankabut Q29: 26) in some other places, like in Baqara, Anfal and At-Taobah, the word is used together with eeman and jihad. “Those who believe, and migrate, and struggle in the cause of Allah, as well as those who give (them) asylum and aid, these are (all) truly believers: For them is the forgiveness of sins and a provision mostgenerous.”(Al-Anfal8:74)this shows the importance of the word has in the activities of Muslims.

Its denotative meaning however,ismuchmoredynamicandactive

It was also on the tenth of Muharram that Allah (SWT) returned Prophet Sulaiman’s (a.s) kingdom to him

Benefits of Hajj pilgrimage

By Haruna Razaq

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HERE are a lot of benefits in Hajj just as we have in carrying out other commandments of Allah. The reverse is the case when we disobey Allah’s commandments.

No matter the circumstances, carrying out the commandments of Allah or better still striving to carry out His commandements ellicit some divine benefits.

According to the Qur’an and Hadith: It is a great achievement (Q 33: 71); Love and forgiveness of Allah (Q 3: 31); Believers will love them (Q 19: 96); Have no fear of injustice and curtailment (Q 20: 112); Get out from every difficulty and received provisions… (Q 65: 2-3); Better for rewards and hope… (Q 18: 46); Good life and reward in proportion (Q 16: 97); Hopes in Allah (Q 33: 21); Prosperous (Q 24: 51); Answering of Du‘aa (Q 2: 186); Forgiveness of sin…

According to Hadith narrated by Abu Hurairah and recorded by Imam Muslim concerning revelation of verse 284 of Suratul Baqora.

The Evils of disobeying the commandments of Allah according to the Qur’an include: Straying in a plain error (Q 33:

36); Fitnah or a painful torment (Q 24: 63); Destruction (Q 6: 6); Severe punishment. (Q 59: 7) From the foregoing obeying Allah’s commandments means answering the call of Islam in its entirety and in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (SAW).

Allah says: “O you who believe!

Answer Allah (by obeying Him) and (His) Messenger when he (SAW) calls you to that which will give you life . . .” (Q 8: 24) Therefore a Muslim must obey Allah’s commandments in every aspect of life. This is by doing everything as the Prophet (SAW) did it. For example, he must possess sound aqeedah (doctrine, belief, and faith), authentic acts of worship (e.g.

Salat, Zakat, Saum, Hajj etc.) and deals with other creation of Allah (man or animal) with kindness.

Allah rewards those who obey Him and His Messenger in this world and hereafter, however, when people failed to obey Allah and His Messenger, they incur the wrath of Allah.

The ugly incidence in the just concluded Hajj exercise should not however discourage any Muslim or should not be a basis for a campaign against not fulfilling that aspect of Allah’s commandment.

in the lives of Muslims. It means “to leave, to move, to shun and to quit”. It is used for cases like dumping an idea or habit and turning a new leaf. It means a total and radical departure to a new way whether as an individual or as a group.

We should use this occasion to remind ourselves not only about the movement of early Muslims from Makkahto Madinahbuttodowhat is required of us now and at all times.

Let the leaders and politicians including those who lead in offices at all levels do hijrah from the path of corruption to righteousness, let the followers move away from sin to virtues, let us all shun all acts of division and strive to harmony and unity; and let us dump what can incur the wrath of Allah to what will earn us His pleasure.

Ashurah: The hijri calendar is not just a sentimental system of time reckoning and dating religious events. The beginning of hijrah and the 10th of Muharram have much deeper religious and historical significance.

Historical significance Some of the historical events that tookplaceinMuharramparticularly on the tenth of the month which is called the day of Ashurah suggests that there is more to it than a mere date.

On that day, Allah chose Adam (as) to be father to all human beings after forgiving him. He raised Prophet Idris (as) to heaven on that day; rescued Prophet Nuh (as) with the believers in his ark on mountJudi. Jacob reunited with his son; Allah saved Prophet Ibrahim from the burning fire (as) on that day; forgave Prophet Dawud (a.s).

It was also on the tenth of Muharram that Allah (SWT) returned Prophet Sulaiman’s (a.s) kingdom to him. Allah (SWT) also relieved Prophet Ayyub (a.s) of his afflictions on that day. Allah raised Prophet Isa (Jesus, a.s) to heaven on that day. Allah made Prophet Muhammad (s.a.w) to marry Khadijah (r.a) and of course the much talked about hijrah from Makkah to Madinah occurred on that day.

Besides, scholars have continued to point out that Allah would have created the heavens and earth including the pen (al-qalam) on that day.

Apart from the pomp and festivity of celebrating either the new hijri year or the ashurah day, even if we have to argue that there was no foundation or evidence for its celebration, it is a time for reflection, a time for sacrifice and a time andopportunitytochangefrombad deeds and move to acts that will earn the pleasure of Allah.

Engr Kamil Yomi Bolarinwa, President, NASFAT (middle), Barr Kamal Bakare, Legal Secretary (2nd right); Alh Banji Busari, Publicity Secretary, (right) Engr Mijinyawa Mohammed, Vice President, (2nd left) and Ex-officio member Alhaja Usman during a “Walk for life” exercise embarked upon by the association.

er ,000 co ws Sallah: NTIC slaught slaughter erss 1 1,000 cows for indigent families

By Bashir Adefaka

T

HE 1436 Sallah in which animal sacrifice is required had come and gone.

What will not be wished away in hurry is the memory of the great experience that came with it. One of the experiences was where the NTIC Foundation of the NigeriaTurkish International Colleges slaughtered about 1,000 cows across the 10 centres in Nigeria. The intention was to make people happy on the Sallah day.

Addressing journalists during the meat distribution, Principal of the College in Ogun, Lagos axis, Mr. Ercan Yilmaz explained that, “The event, Eid-il-Kabir celebration and the accompanied meat distribution are integral part of the various charity works which NTIC Foundation spearheads on behalf of the NigerianTurkish International Colleges nationwide. For more than ten years, we have been involved

in this event on a yearly basis reaching out to thousands of Nigerians across the faiths on Sallah celebration like this.”

The motivation for the meat distribution, Mr. Yilmaz said, was to ensure that every family, irrespective of colour, race or religion, is made happy on the occasion.

He added that coordination of the event and several charity activities of the college were taken over by NTIC Foundation six years ago.

This year, according to Yilmaz, more than 70 cows were slaughtered at the Ogun, Lagos axis headquarters of NTIC, Isheri Olofin on LagosIbadan Expressway, alone, while another 70 were slaughtered and distributed in each of ten centers of Federal Capital Territory, Kano, Kaduna, Yobe, Oyo, Osun and other states across the country.

He said the meat was packaged into size-able kilogrammes and distributed to indigent families of all faiths.

Adhere to hajj rules, NACOMYO urges pilgrims

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ATIONAL Council of Muslim Youth Organizations (NACOMYO) has urged pilgrims and prospective pilgrims throughout the world to adhere strictly to rules and regulations guiding hajj performance, just as they must also abide by instructions from hajj officials.

The appeal is coming on the heels of the stampede in Muna, Makkah during which about 800 pilgrims died while performing a cardinal rite of hajj.

While condoling with Federal and State

governments, leadership of the Nigerian (Muslim) Ummah, the World Muslim League in Makkah and families of victims, NACOMYO opined that the incident was an act of God and urged the bereaved families to have solace in the fact that the pilgrims died in the course of fulfilling an obligation to their God. The group however appealed to Saudi authorities to come up with further initiatives, fortify the existing arrangements in order to prevent a recurrence of the catastrophe.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 51

Dhul-Hijjah 25, 1436 A.H.

Huzur Ahmad addresses Dutch parliament on peace initiatives

By Qasim Akinreti

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HE world Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad has arrived Holland where addressed the Parliamentarians, policy makers and opinion leaders on the peaceful coexistence in the world and the current realities.

He was welcomed to Holland in Nunspeet by the local Mayor, Honourable Dick van Hemmen.

During his visit, His Holiness also attended to a number of other official engagements and had media interviews.

His holiness stated that he had been invited to address

Holland’s Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Committee and he would also be laying the foundation stone for a new

My message to the Parliamentarians will be that Islam is not a religion of extremism and that a violent Jihad is not permissible

Ahmadiyya produces 9 more Hufaz HE AHMADIYYA Muslim community in Nigeria has produced another set of Hafizul Quran graduates from the Mahmud Ahmadiyya College, Ijede, Lagos state, Southwest Nigeria.

The graduates, Hafiz Dhikrullah Akinreti, Hafiz Adegbola Abdul Warith,Hafiz Al Ameen Sanusi, Hafiz Subhannallah, Busari, Hafiz Irfan Ahmad Akinola, Hafiz Ojo Rokeeb, Hafiz AkinpeluNuru Rahman Hafiz Abdus Salam Sanusi, and Hafiz Mubarak Abdul Rafiwere the first set of students who memorized the

From left, Alhaji Ishaq Okunola, GM, MITV; Hafiz Zhikirullah Akinreti and Mrs and Mr Qasim Akinreti parents of the new Hafizul-Quran at the graduation ceremony of Mahmood Ahmadiyya College, Abule-Eko Ijede, Lagos Sate.

Migrant crisis

•Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad

T

Mosque in the city of Almere as well as meeting members of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community throughout his stay in Holland.

Feilding questions from newsmen before his address to the parliament, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “My message to the Parliamentarians will be that Islam is not a religion of extremism and that a violent Jihad is not permissible. I will tell them that all people should join hands and work together to establish love and peace in society.”

holy Quran from the Suratul Fatiha to Nas, beginning to the end within two years and equally sat for the West African Junior Certificate Examinations, Junior WAEC for 2015.

The students were from the cross section of the Muslim community in Nigeria, Ahmadis and Non Ahmadis, under the supervisions of Missionary Saheed Mikhail Falade, Rokeeb and two others.

The graduation ceremony marked the 21st anniversary of the Mahmud Ahmadiyya College,Ijede.

The school was funded by

On issues of current migrant crisis that is affecting Europe, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “We believe that whoever is deprived or in danger should be given the opportunity to live his or her life with true freedom.

Thus genuine refugees should be helped and given the Cross section of the graduands/Hufaz, Mahmood Ahmadiyya opportunity to settle abroad but College, Abule-Eko Ijede, Lagos Sate. we should also seek to establish peace in their home countries so that eventually it is safe for them to return.”

His Holiness arrived at the Baitun Noor Mosque at 8.35pm local time and led the Maghreb and Isha prayers for the first time in The Baitun Noor Mosque, rebuilt in the Nunspeet complex, Holland.

The Khalifa travelled to Holland from London by road.

On getting to France, he was received by the National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in From left, Executive Director, Mahmood Ahmadiyya College Ijede, Holland, Mr Hibbatun-Noor Alhaji Dr.Mashud Adenrele Fashola; Chairman of the Day: Alhaji and various other officials who Abass Olawale Iromini; Chairman Board of Directors, Alhaji Hussain joined the entourage to O. Sumonu; and HRH, Baale of Oko-Ope Ijede: Alhaji Saulabiu Sikiru at the Luncheon and Award Ceremony to commemorate 21st Holland.

Anniversary of Mahmood Ahmadiyya College Abule-Eko Ijede, Lagos, held at LCCI building Alausa Ikeja Lagos Sate.

some members of the Ahmadiyya community, three national leaders, Engineer Hussein Sunmonu, Dr Moshuud Adenrele Fasola, Engineer Alhassan Ahmed, others are Alhaji Akinsanya, Alhaji Parakoyi, Alhaji Lakunle Bello and Mrs Huseifa Sunmonu, under the auspices of Fadl Omar Ahmadiyya Muslim Education Foundations, FAME, to support the realization of the educational vision of the Ahmadiyya Muslim From left, Dr. Mrs. Basirat Olajumoke Dikko, Vice Principal Admin; Alhaja Fatimah Oyefeso, representative of Dr. Mrs. community worldwide.

Idiat Oluranti Adebule, Deputy Governor, Lagos State and Dr Alhaja Husaifat Kikelomo Sumonu at the event.

52 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 TAURUS: The Moon in your Star Sign should be taken good advantage of by your being positively assertive in the enterprising world. Yet you will need to be as practical as you can be. Serious minded lovers are favoured.

GEMINI: Those of you with what looks like protracted domestic pressure may find the needed solution if you don’t try to run away from reality that will stare at you. The more receptive you are the better for you.

CANCER: Things are getting better as the much needed stability is getting closer to your base. This is a good day to back your reasonable hopes and wishes with positive and practical action for realization LEO: Success indicated for many natives of this Star, especially those of you who are more ambitious along your career/business lines willing to be as hard working as possible.

Think of both immediate and far future.

VIRGO: Saturn in your Star gets positive aspects and prepare to allow those of you who are hard working to earn success. Joining forces with other reliable sources will never be a bad idea today. Respect the law.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

The winner mentality

M

AN is basically what he thinks. If the bulk of his thinking is positive, then most of his actions will be positive. Accordingly, he will develop the

winning mentality.

Where others are seeing problems he will be seeing o p p o r t u n i t y. W h e n

TERROR MUDA

other people are complaining about what they are going through,the winner will be thanking God

in “Scavenger Elite”

for His direction.We all need the winning mentality in order to be able to surmount the challenges of our lives. You are a winner.

No matter how big your problem, you can overcome it. Just believe...

By Lanre Kehinde

LIBRA: You are closer to good business and/or career opportunities more than you can imagine now, although you will need to take positive initiative in practical way. It is good to keep your business secrets.

SCORPIO: The Moon in Taurus at positive to Saturn th angle th in Virgo positively highlights your Solar 7 and 11 houses of partnership and social activities. The more practical you are today the better for you.

SAGITTARIUS: You will have more to gain if you pay good attention to what your reliable friends are saying about your social life the way it will have positive effects on your image/ career and/or business lines.

CAPRICORN: This is one of your good days of this month which you will need to utilize fully. Those of you who are more ambitious will have more profit to show for your practical efforts. Don’t neglect your love life however.

AQUARIUS: Success indicated for you. If you are more observant, some of your past efforts will begin to yield good fruits the way your finances will be enhanced. It is important you take domestic issues seriously too.

PISCES: Although success is not forbidden today, if care is not taken you would miss good opportunity in painful way probably through careless remark by somebody closer to you.

Try to be very diplomatic.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

ARIES: The Moon in Taurus with positive aspect from Saturn in Virgo, your finances are favoured, especially if you don’t allow unending hard work get the better off you. Reason with your spouse and partners.

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, BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF TAURUS RULER = LOVE AND MONEY RELATED VENUS. QUALITY =FIXED. ELEMENT=EARTH. SYBOL = THE BULL. GROUP = FEMININE. ZODIACAL NUMBER = 2ND. Taurus although, second sign of the zodiac, is the first of the earth signs, and that means leadership ability especially when it comes to reckoning with who is who among people that have staying power and those that can be regarded as serious minded (hard workers) and practical set of peop1e.Through Venus — its’ ruler, Taurus rules money, movable possessions, and steadfastness. That is why Taurus born people hate whatever can lead to or be regarded as insecurity and they are good managers of both money and other material related resources.

You appear cool headed and like true Taurus, you can exhibit ability to be patient and the degree of perseverance in your inner—self is truly high. However, if anybody takes you for granted or try to take undue advantage of you, he/she will be surprised with the level of resistance and/or resentment you will show.

With the influence of Taurus in you, you are more of a person with powerful personality with strong determination to wear both oppositions and obstacles out of your way via renewed struggle and consistency. You see, people that do not really understand you may label you as an obstinate and excessively stubborn person. In fairness to them, there is some degree of stubbornness in you, however, if you rightly or wrongly think that failure is starring you at face, the bull in you can induce you to act like all head no heart type of a person.

Taurus element is earth, its’ quality is fixed and its’ symbol is the bull. That is why they (Taurus born persons) attach importance to money and security. In fact, financial crisis can lead to despondency for Taurus born people.

Earth connection makes you a practical person who will work very hard and patiently too. Native, of earth signs are cautious and reliab1e and they will rarely day dream. The quality of Taurus which is fixed makes it easy for you to always see your important projects to logical conclusion.

Because of your unwillingness to change your mind unnecessarily, some people will call you a rigid person, but nobody can rightly accuse you of laziness. In-fact, fixed quality of Taurus is another indication of reliability in your horoscope.

As Venus— the planet of ARTS, music, beauty, money and elegance, rules Taurus, you are endowed with artistic and creativity talents. These can manifest through appreciation of good music, fine appearance and everything that symbolizes beauty, elegance and comfort. Beauty and splendor are parts of Taurus’ make up. And for you to be totally happy you must not ignore things ruled by Venus, especially the ones enumerated in this paragraph.

Even, if few disgruntled elements or ignorant hold any wrong view about you, the larger society appreciates you, and you will be adequately rewarded for your outstanding qualities and hardworking ability.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 53

Enyeama quits!

N

IGERIA top shot stopper, Vincent Enyeama, has quit international duty following a clash with newly appointed Eagles boss, Sunday Oliseh on Tuesday. Vincent who started his international career in 2002, and was part of the squad that represented Nigeria in the Korea/Japan World Cup, made the announcement yesterday.

“I am no more the captain of the Nigerian senior football team. I am no more the goalie of the team, I am out of the team. I am no more available for international duties. I want to say thank you to every Nigerian fan and supporter world wide.

“Its been the most trying period of my life but

Hayatou takes over FIFA reins

I know that Nigerians are there for me and God is with me..God bless NIGERIA,” Enyeama wrote on his Instagram page.

Earlier, on Thursday the 33-year-old Lille goalkeeper, who has been Nigeria skipper since Joseph Yobo quit international football last year, vowed “not to walk out on Nigeria”.

However after a meeting with top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in Belgium, the Lille goalie called it quits.

With two international friendlies in line for the Super Eagles, Oliseh will now have to depend fully on new goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, and Nigeria based Femi Thomas to fill his position.

P

Messi risks 2 yrs in jail over £3m tax fraud

L

IONEL Messi and his father Jorge are to stand trial over an alleged £3.1m tax fraud.

The Argentina and Barcelona star faces three charges that carry a potential jail sentence.

Messi, 28, had thought the case against him would be dropped after he repaid £3.7million to Spanish authorities.

But a judge in charge of the case rejected a request by the public prosecutor to try only the footballer’s father.

The pair are accused of cheating the taxman out of 4.16 million euros (around £3.1million) in taxes related to Messi’s image rights between 2007 and 2009.

Jorge is said to have funnelled money into fake companies in Belize, Uruguay, Switzerland and the UK. Messi and his father paid 5 million euros to the tax authorities as a “corrective payment” after they were formally charged in June 2013.

Eaglets Continues from BP Nigerian fans including. Deputy Head of Nigeria’s Mission in Argentina, Mr. Adelanwa Tiwalade.

Home side kicked off and took the initiative with their crisp-short passes but failed to trouble Amos Benjamin in goal for the Golden Eaglets.

But in the 21st minute, Bamgboye broke free from the right flank and flicked the ball to Osimhen who exchanged one-on-one pass with Chinedu Madueke; before striking into the far corner for the curtain raiser.

Bamgboye increased the lead five minutes into the second half when he struck from the edge of C M Y K

the box after a goal mouth meele off a corner kick by captain Kelechi Nwakali.

Minutes later, the Argentines capitalized on Eaglets’ defensive error to reduce the tally by lobbying the ball over substitute goalkeeper Udoh Akpan.

Thereafter,it was a ding-dong affairs as both sides defended stoutly in their numbers to the very end. “ Though I’m a layman in terms of football but I was very impressed with our boys because of their discipline and determination throughout the match,” said Adelanwa. “They did well and we pray they would even get better in their forthcoming matches.”

*Enyeama

RESIDENT of Africa’s football confederation (CAF) ,Issa Hayatou, has taken over as FIFA president on an interim basis following the suspension of Sepp Blatter.

Blatter, UEFA President Michel Platini and FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke have all been handed 90-day provisional bans, extendable by 45 days, by FIFA’s Ethics Committee on Thursday.

Hayatou ,69, has since announced that he has been appointed as interim President and revealed that a new president will be chosen next year - adding that he will not enter the race to fill the void left by Blatter.

The Cameroon born Hayatou relseasd the following statement via FIFA.com: Today, amid extraordinary circumstances, I have assumed the office of FIFA President pursuant to Article 32 (6) of the FIFA Statutes. I will serve only on an interim basis. A new President will be chosen by the Extraordinary Congress on 26 February 2016. I myself will not be a candidate for that position.

Until the Extraordinary Congress, I pledge that I will dedicate my best efforts to the organ-

Enyeama: Oliseh got it wrong —Chukwu

By Tony Ubani

F

ORMER Green Eagles captain, Christian Chukwu has faulted coach Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh on his poor handling that led to the humiliation and sudden resignation of Nigeria’s most capped player, Vincent Enyeama in Belgium.

Enyeama announced

his retirement from the Super Eagles yesterday after falling out with Oliseh over his stripping of the Eagles captain as well as ‘’making me to look like a begger ’’.

Chukwu, a former captain who led the Eagles to the 1980 African Cup of Nations victory as well as captain of the dreaded Rangers International of Enugu said

Congo Continues from BP Dieumerci Mbokani, who turned sharply to fire past goalkeeper Carl Ikeme for the opening goal as early as the sixth minute.

A ball-watching Nigeria defence was punished for Congo to double their lead in the 30th minute, when Jordan Nkololo tucked the ball home after a great piece of attacking play from the left wing In the 41st minute, Ogenyi Onazi’s free kick was heading for

the top corner of the DRC goal, but goalkeeper Par fait Madanda did well to push it away for a corner kick.

Nigeria chased the game from the opening goal, but they did not create any clear-cut chance at goal and Congo were also resolute in their defending.

There were no goals in the second half as Nigeria failed to really trouble the Congolese defence.

Enyeama should not have been subjected to such embarrassment. ‘’For whatever it was, Enyeama as a captain deserved respect. Oliseh should have managed things in a matured manner. If he(Oliseh) knew you don’t want him in your team, he should not have invited him in the first place. Removing him as a captain is not the issue, but he deserves respect and should not have been humiliated to the extent of calling security men to walk him out of camp’’.

Chukwu said that he was worried that the poor handling do not get a backlash. Enyeama played 101 times for the Eagles and has a lot of players who are loyal to him. Oliseh should show more maturity and know that he is now a father to the team.

He is a Manager and should manage the players well to get the best from them. Result is important’’, he said.

isation, the member associations, our employees, our valued partners, and football fans everywhere. FIFA remains committed to the reform process, which is critical to reclaiming public trust. We will also continue to cooperate fully with authorities and follow the internal investigation wherever it leads.

Football has never enjoyed greater support throughout the world, and that is something everyone associated with FIFA should be proud of.

Timipre, Itodo enter NNPC/ Chevron Junior Masters semis

By John Egbokhan

T

HE 2015 NNPC/ Chevron Junior Tennis Masters in gradually nearing its conclusion with semifinalists starting to emerge in the foremost junior tennis tournament in the country.

Even the pouring rain that caused partial movement of people in some parts of Lagos was not enough to stop the teeming stars of tomorrow from hitting their way into the penultimate stage of the tournament that is nearing its 17th year of unbroken sponsorship by the NNPC/ Chevron joint venture.

But for the rain, all the quarter-final matches would have been concluded at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos. Even at Grand Slams, rain has come to have its say in the last five years, with the men’s singles final of the US Open now holding on Monday, a necessary adjustment that has compelled organisers of the Junior Masters to schedule semifinal matches for tomorrow at the same venue.

First to hit the last four stage of the tournament was top seed, Godgift Timipre who defeated Fakoya Iyanu in quick sets of 6-0, 6-0. It was a very easy match for the topranked 17 year-old teen from Rivers State, who looked imperious on court, dropping no point and set on his way to a commanding performance that puts him in frame to hit the final if he conquers his yet to be identified semifinal opponent.

54 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Reactions trail Enyeama's resignation from Eagles He deserves a befitting farewell – Amiesimaka

F

ORMER Super Eagles winger, Adokiye Amiesimaka is one who was full of sympathy for the former skipper of the team, Vincent Enyeama who resigned yesterday.

Amiesimaka who spoke from his Port Harcourt base said the circumstances which the goalkeeper left the team were unfortunate, after serving the country for

13 years.

He said, “Enyeama has served the country meritoriously for many years, and for that the nation owe him a befitting farewell.

“I do not know the true fact and don’t want to dabble into that, so if he believes it is the right time to leave, then we must wish him well,” Amiesimaka said.

Enyeama’s decision best for him – Nwosu

H

ENRY Nwosu, another former national team player, said that it was a good decision on the part of Enyeama to resign in view of the development between him and Oliseh.

“It is a very good decision, I am fully in support of his decision to resign given the development with Oliseh.

“He was treated unfairly and if he should continue

with the team he could be used as a scapegoat in a situation where he makes a mistake while in action for the country.

“Enyeama would always be remembered for his level headed character, and while on duty he always gave his best over the years when he wore the national colours,” Nwosu said.

Resignation not in nation’s interest – Erico

F

ORMER Nigeria goalkeeper, Joe Erico, who was Super Eagles goalkeepers trainer, expressed shock

on the manner Enyeama threw in the towel when the nation still needed his services.

“Enyeama should understand that he is serving the country and not his coach, Sunday Oliseh.

“So whatsoever might have happened between him and Oliseh should not have forced his resignation in this premature manner.

“It is indeed not in the best interest of the nation in which Enyeama had served for many years,” Erico said.

“I wish him the best in life,” he added.

•Erico

•Enyeama... announced his resignation from the national team yesterday

Toro, Garba blame Oliseh, Enyeama

By Solomon Nwoke

F

ORMER Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), AlhajiSaniAhmedToroanda former Super Eagles winger, Garba Lawal have condemnedtheattitudeputup bybothEaglesCoachSunday Oliseh and former team captain, Vincent Enyeama in the events that led to Enyeama’s resignation from

thenationalteam.

The decision by Oliseh to make Ahmed Musa captain yesterday forced Enyeama who has been capped 101 times t o call it quits with the national team.

Inseparatetelephonechats withToroandLawal,bothsaid the issue should have been amicably resolved without drawingmuchattentionfrom thepublic.Theybothaffirmed that coach Oliseh did not apply wisdom in appointing

Onigbinde backs Oliseh in Enyeama saga ORMER Super Enyeama, he has served responsibility to decide F Eagles coach, Nigeria for 13 years. And I where a match should be Adegboye Onigbinde, has still remember how he got played. blamed Vincent Enyeama for his sudden exit from the national team.

After clashing with coach Sunday Oliseh, Enyeama, via his Instagram handle, called it quits with the Eagles on Thursday after 13 years.

Onigbinde stated that Enyeama’s past run-ins with football authorities led to the many problems he encountered in the senior national team.

“I congratulate him (Enyeama). According to

into the national team,” Onigbinde, who took Enyeama to the 2002 World Cup, said.

“I think he is a victim of the way we run our football.

You would recall that for over three years now, he has been involved in one problem or another. Both within and outside the country.

“Even recently when we played a game in Kaduna, he was the one who came out and condemned the ground, as if it was his

“And if a player does this all the time and there is no strict control, then of course he will continue to believe that he is right, and that was why I sent a message to Oliseh, praising him for his courage.

“Although at the same time letting him know that he should have handled the matter in a way that wouldn’t have attracted so much noise.

“I think that was the only thing missing in the approach adopted by

•Onigbinde Oliseh, otherwise I commend him for the courage.”

a new captain for the senior nationalteam.

LawalsaidOlisehhasevery right to appoint his own captain but the manner in whichhewentaboutthewhole thing was faulty.

He said, “The coach does notneedtogointo ashouting matchwithhisplayerpublicly.

Heisthemanagerandshould have learnt to manage everybody well. Oliseh as the coachofthenationalteamhas the right to appoint his own captain. He did not do it the right way, the coach did not give Enyeama the respect he deserves as the captain and longestservingmemberofthe presentteam.

"Enyeama too has paid his dues and deserves some respect. If you ask me, he was not treated fairly.”

The former Eagles utility player,howeversaidtheaction of the coach is capable of bringingdivisionsintheteam.

“I am afraid what he has doneisnotgoodforteamspirit.

Itcaneasilyleadtodivisionin the team. There is no doubt that it will impact negatively ontheteam’stwointernational friendlies against DR Congo and Cameroon,” he said.

In his reaction, the former

•Toro BauchistateCommissionerfor Sports, Alhaji Toro said, “what happened was a sad development. Enyeama has paid his dues. He has helped the country to qualify and won the Nations Cup. I blame both Oliseh and Enyeama for the row. I blame the coach for not handling the matter with maturity and I blame Enyeama who has served the nation for a very long time for taking such decision without considering the national interest.

“The coach has the prerogative to choose and hand over the captain’s band to whoever he feels like giving it to, but he ought to have known how best to manage everybody because everybody is important."

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015 — 55

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2015

Hayatou takes over FIFA reins Details inside

Enyeama quits!

Oliseh got it wrong — Chukwu

He deserves a befitting farewell – Amiesimaka

Congo hands Oliseh his first defeat Congo

2

Nigeria

D

R Congo defeated a far-fromimpressive Nigeria 2-0 in a friendly in Vise, Belgium, yesterday night to hand coach Sunday Oliseh his first

•Oliseh

0

Eaglets beat Argentina 2-1 Nigeria’s U-17 side,Golden Eaglets on Wednesday secured a morale boosting 2-1 win over their Argentinean counterparts in a PreWorld Cup friendly at the Argentina Football

Association(AFA)Centre in Buenos Aires.

Victor Osimhen and Funso Bamgboye scored a goal in either half for the Golden Eaglets much to the delight of few

Continues on Page 53

Messi risks 2 yrs in jail over £3m tax fraud Onigbinde backs Oliseh

loss in charge of the Super Eagles after three matches.

Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie located

Continues on Page 53

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Filthy (5) 7 Forward (5) 8 Senior (5) 10 Valid (5) 12 Tune (3) 13 Not ever (3) 15 Longed (7) 17 Worn (6) 19 Vigour (3) 20 Polluted (7) 23 Tube (4) 25 Intense (4) 26 Built (7) 30 Wonder (3) 31 Modest (6) 34 Indecent (7) 37 Measure (5) 38 Animal (3) 39 Candle (5) 40 Tree (5) 41 Tally (5) 42 Boulder (5)

DOWN 1 Applaud (5) 2 Founded (3) 3 Worshiped (6) 4 Repudiate (4) 5 Frightened (7) 6 Cap (5) 9 Noise (3) 11 Invented (7) 13 Poor (5) 14 Utter (5) 16 Sicken (3) 18 Fall (7) 21 Beginning (5) 22 Higher (5) 24 Followed (7) 27 Sheep (3) 28 Debase (6) 29 Chasm (5) 32 Mix (5) 33 Repulse (5) 35 Weaken (3) 36 Orient (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Start 7, Also 8, Insert 9, Waken 11, Bad 13, Rat 15, Eyed 16, Cos 18, Coma 19, Distort 20, Unit 22, Yank 23, Refined 25, Even 27, Lip 28, Mean 30, Did 31, Dug 33, Reach 36, Strive 37, Ague 38, Pleat.

DOWN: 1, Allay 2, Sow 3, Ask 4, Tin 5, Ass 6, Dream 10, Eros 11, Bemused 12, Desired 13, Rotated 14, Talking 16, Civil 17, Steep 18, Cry 21, Ten 24, Nice 26, Vista 29, Augur 32, Sin 33, Rep 34, Axe 35, Hat.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K

C M Y K