Okowa,Wike,Udom.Ikpeazu,others win

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62294

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Army recaptures Mubi, Gombi, other LGS 8

PDP GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARIES:

Okowa, Wike, Udom, Ikpeazu, others win •Govs Akpabio, Aliyu, Orji, Lamido’s ‘anointed’ candidates win •Ayogu, Ugwuanyi win in parallel primaries in Enugu •Aspirants ‘buy’ delegates, administer oath in Delta

By Our Reporters

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A G O S — A PA R T from initial hitches leading to late commencement in most states and boycotts by aggrieved aspirants in a couple of states, the governorship primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lived up to the billing, yesterday. The exercises produced shocking results in some states.

Most of the out-going governors such as

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COLUMNISTS: Time to get rid of Tinubu's cronies in Lagos •P.17

Okowa, Delta

Ikpeazu, Abia

Wike, Rivers

Police brutality and race relations 28 •P.

Mr & Mrs

Udom, Akwa Ibom

Ayade, C-River

Ugwuanyi, Enugu

108 escaped FG releases inmates in Minna detained 9 jailbreak recaptured 7 Russian plane C M Y K

Ayogu Eze, Enugu

POWER WAR: Akwa ide Ibom communities Ins allege rip-off by PHED See

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POCKET CARTOON

EMBLEM LAUNCH—From left: Former Head Of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Defence, Gen Aliyu Gusau (Rtd) and Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ahmed Mohammed at the 2015 Emblem Launch for the Armed Forces Remembrance Day Celebration in Abuja, yesterday.

PDP: Okowa, Wike, Udom, Ikpeazu, others win Continues from page 1 Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, Theodore Orji of Abia, Babangida Aliyu of Niger and Sule Lamido of Adamawa ‘delivered’ their favoured aspirants as candidates just as former Minister of State (Education), Mr. Nyesom Wike came out tops in Rivers in spite of pre-primaries opposition from some PDP elders and stakeholders in the state.

Okowa wins tight race in Delta

After last-minute highwire battle for delegates’ votes in which some aspirants offered mouthwatering sums of money

and got delegates to swear. Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, yesterday, emerged PDP governorship candidate for Delta.

He polled 406 votes.

Olorogun David Edevbie, the consensus candidate of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU), who also reportedly got the backing of the state government, scored 299 votes to come second.

Other results as announced by Sunday Kareem, the returning officer were as follows: Victor Ochei (185 votes), Ndudi Elumelu (50 votes), Godsday Orubebe (49) and Godswill Obielum (22).

Sylvester Monye, Ovie

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage —Anais Nin. Take courage and expand your life.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that’s your own self —Aldous Huxley

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PPRECIATE that you are created with unique set of talents and placed before you are endless opportunities to use and refine them. Believe in your strengths and ability to actualize your dreams.

When you want to find the source of a natural spring, you dig deep and break through hard ground to move away all the rocks and of course, you need the right tools to help you accomplish your task, when you get the level where the earth is damp, the thirsty ground uncover a beautiful underground stream that washes away everything in its path.

This is how one can accomplish any given goal in life.

Metaphorically, the earth and rocks ar e the obstacles that might delay or inhibit one’s mission, these could also take forms in limiting behaviors, unrealistic planning, erroneous beliefs, negative character traits that keeps a person from feeling truly alive. This moment is always the place to start or continue your purpose and be relevant in the scheme of things to yourself and others.

Omo-Agege and Sam Obi got 10 votes each; Peter Okocha had six votes, Tony Obuh (five), Charles Emetulu (four), Kenneth Gbagi (two) and Mike Uwaka (one vote).

One vote was voided.

Delta: Aspirants ‘buy’ delegates, administer oath

Agents of some governorship aspirants in Delta State openly shared money to delegates, yesterday, at the venue of the primary, giving them Bible and oil to swear that they would not vote for another candidate.

Vanguard witnessed a case at about 4.00 pm when a delegate was offered N500,000 and there was a heated debate before he finally swore and collected his cash.

Some aspirants offered delegates N1million each to vote for them and one reportedly gave 10,000 dollars each.

One of the aspirants confirmed that he was aware other aspirants were bribing delegates, but he urged those who collected money to vote for him because he is the right candidate.

Governorship aspirants present were Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Olorogun David Edevbie, Hon. Victor Ochei, Mr Tony Obuh, Elder Godsday Orubebe, Chief Peter Okocha, Prof Sylvester Monye, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Hon. Sam Obi, Charles Emetulu, Clement Ofuani, Mrs Esther Uduehi, Mrs Ngozi Olejeme, Dr Festus Okubor, Chief Mike Uwaka, Ovie OmoAgege and Dr John Akwara.

It’s Wike in Rivers

It’s a sham, say 17 aggrieved aspirants In spite of heated opposition from some leading politicians and PDP stakeholders in his state,Wike, won the Rivers State governorship primaries with a landslide. He scored 1,083 votes out of a total of 1,108 delegates' votes.

An elated Wike said: “My victory is victory for democracy. I will reclaim the stolen mandate of the PDP and recover what is rightly ours in Rivers State. The era of rascality and impunity has caused Rivers State dearly.

Today, the state enjoys a pariah status.”

However, 17 aggrieved aspirants in the state described the primaries as a sham. The aspirants, who shunned the exercise, said the whole process that led to the primaries had been skewed to produce Wike as candidate of the party.

According to the aspirants who spoke at the campaign office of Major Lancelot Anyaya (rtd), in new GRA area of Port Harcourt, what happened as governorship primaries was a charade because “due process was not followed. So real election did not take place. What you saw as election was a tragic comedy of wickedness by a few persons to enslave Rivers people.”

Continuing they said they had presented their complaints to the national leadership of the party, adding that they would wait for its response.

Present at the briefing were Prof. Don Baridom, Mrs. Biobele Odesola,

Barr. Dumo Lulu-Briggs, Hon. Oseleye Dennis Ojuka, Alabo Paworiso Samuel-Horsfall, Hon. Gabriel Pidomson, Engr.

Samson Ngerebara, Hon. Bernard Mikko, Hon. Nimi Walson-Jack, Hon. Odein Ajumogobia (SAN), Engr. Bekinbo Dagogo-Jack, Chief Atamuno Atamuno, Hon. Tamunosisi Gogo-Jack, Chief Fafaa Dan Princewill, Hon. Tonye Princewill and Hon. Silva Opusunju.

Akwa Ibom: Udom Emmanuel wins as 21 aspirants walk out

Governor Godswill Akpabio's favoured aspirant and immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Udom Emmanuel, won the PDP governorship ticket in Akwa Ibom, in a contest that saw 21 other aspirants walking out in protest. There were 24 aspirants in the race.

Mr. Emmanuel polled 1,201 votes and was declared winner by the chairman of the Election Panel, Bola Oyebowale.

Held at the Uyo International Stadium, the 21 aspirants alleged massive irregularities and lack of transparency in the exercise and walked out a few minutes to the commencement of voting.

The protesting aspirants included former deputy governor, Mr. Nsima Ekere; former Nigerian Ambassador to Russia and the Belarus, Chief Assam E. Assam (SAN); Engineer Larry Esin; former Commissioner for Rural Development, Barrister Bassey Dan-Abia; and former Attorney-General and Justice C o m m i s s i o n e r, Ekpenyong Ntekim.

The aggrieved aspirants said they had no confidence in the process leading to the primary election, alleging that there was no proper accreditation of delegates even as they said that delegates in the election were ‘fake’.

On their next move, Chief Assam said all the

protesting aspirants would meet to discuss how to pass on their grievances to the appropriate quarters just as he stressed the need for the entire exercise to be cancelled.

Abia: How Ikpeazu won

In Abia, the leading names that started the race were nowhere to be seen at the finishing line as Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu claimed an easy victory.

Ikpeazu scored a total of 487 of 640 valid votes to beat other aspirants.

There were nine invalid votes, making a total of 649 votes cast at the election.

Dr. Uche Sampson Ogah, President of Masters Energy Group came a distant second with 103 votes and he was followed by the immediate past Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu who polled 33 votes.

Chief Friday Nwosu got five votes, Chief Marc Wabara had three votes, the immediate past Nigeria ConsulGeneral to South Africa, Ambassador Okay Emuchay also got three votes while Chief Iheanacho Orji scored only one vote.

The returning officer, Dr. Angela Mbah declared Ikpeazu the winner of the election and issued him with the certificate to fly PDP ticket in the 2015 election.

Ayogu, Ugwuanyi win in parallel primaries in Enugu In Enugu, there were three parallel primaries.

The Senator Ayogu Eze’s faction of the party moved away from the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium to conduct a separate primary at Filbon Hotel, Enugu, following reports that the list of delegates approved by the National Working Committee of the party had been changed by the Ikeje

Continues on Page 56

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Man docked over N1.9m dud cheque

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53-year-old man, Emmanuel Adeola, was, yesterday, arraigned before an Ota Magistrate’s Court in Ogun State, for allegedly issuing a dud cheque.

The accused is facing a two-count charge of fraud and forgery.

The prosecutor, Sergeant Itaita Ebibomini, said the accused committed the offence on September 24, at Afobaje in Ota. He said Adeola fraudulently converted 15,000 litres of kerosene, worth N1.9 million, belonging to one James Olawuyi to his personal use.

According to him, the accused forged a fund transfer form of Zenith Bank and also issued a dud cheque to deceive the complainant that he had paid the money.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Titi Bello, granted bail to the accused in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum and adjourned the case till January 7, 2015 for hearing.

... another for damage of car windscreen

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transporter, Chinonye Ezechukwu, 26, who allegedly damaged the windscreen of a vehicle belonging to one Patrick Ifeanyi, was, yesterday, charged before an Apapa Magistrate’s Court in Lagos.

Ezechukwu is facing a charge of wilful damage to property.

The Prosecutor, Corporal John Iberedem, told the court that the accused committed the offence on December 2 at 30, Owoyemi Street, Ajegunle.

Iberedem said the accused maliciously damaged the windscreen of a KIA vehicle with number plate BJ 534 KRD, valued at N40,000.

However, the accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mr. Patrick Adekomaiya, granted the accused bail in the sum of N10,000 with one surety in like sum and adjourned the case till December 22 for trial.

PRIMARIES: Security personnel at the main gate to the venue of Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries in Oregun, Lagos, yesterday. PHOTOS: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

FANI-KAYODE: Feb 23 fixed for continuation of trial

By Innocent Anaba

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Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, yesterday, adjourned till February 23, 2015, the trial of former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, who is facing money laundering charges.

Fani-Kayode is being prosecuted by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The case, earlier adjourned for the accused to open his defence, was further adjourned at the instance of defence counsel.

When the case was called, the prosecutor reminded the court that the case was for the accused to enter his defence on two counts of the charges against him, having been acquitted of 38 out of the 40 counts initially preferred against him.

In response, defence counsel told the court that although the matter was for the defence to open its case, he would require time to put his house in order and prayed the court for an adjournment to enable him regularize his process.

The trial judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, adjourned the suit to February 23 and 24,

2015 for continuation of trial.

The prosecution had closed its case on July 10, while defence counsel filed a nocase submission on behalf of the accused on August 5.

Delivering ruling on the nocase submission of defence on November 17, Justice OfiliAjumogobia had partially upheld the no-case submission of accused.

Counts 25 and 26

The court had discharged and acquitted the accused of 38 out of the 40 counts, and had ordered him to enter his defence with respect to counts 25 and 26 of the charge, on

which allegations of monetary payments were made.

Count 25 read: “That you, Fani-Kayode on or before September 20, 2006, while serving as Minister of Culture and Tourism in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, made a transaction exceeding N500,000, which was not done through a financial institution, by accepting cash payment of N1 million.

“Which sum was further paid into your personal account number, 103450252601 with First Inland Bank Plc, Apapa branch, now FCMB, through one Supo Agbaje, your

administrative staff, now at large.”

Count 26 read: “That you, Fani-Kayode on or before September 20, 2006, while serving as Minister of Culture and Tourism in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this court, made a transaction exceeding N500,000, which was not done through a financial institution, by accepting cash payment of N1.1 million.

“Which sum was further paid into your personal account number, 103450252601 with First Inland Bank Plc Apapa branch, now FCMB, through one Supo Agbaje, your administrative staff, now at large.”

Biafra Zionists battle for bail, withdraw

By Austin Ogwuda

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NUGU—ELEVEN members of pro-Biafra group, Biafra Zionists Federation, BZF, led by Mr. Benjamin Onwuka, yesterday, formally withdrew the N10 million suit against the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police, over alleged illegal arrest and detention on grounds that it had been overtaken by event.

They, however, applied for bail through their counsel, Mr. Olu Omotayo. But when the case came up yesterday for hearing before a Federal High Court sitting in Enugu, their bail application could not be moved following a counterapplication by the prosecution.

Zonal Legal Officer, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr. E. Nwaokoro, who appeared for prosecution, told the court he had been briefed by his

superior in Abuja to ask for a date in January for the hearing of the bail application.

Defence counsel, Omotayo objected, saying “My Lord, we have not been served the counter-application, but notwithstanding, we ask for a short date.

“We want to move the application by tomorrow. The accused have been detained for a long time. This is a ploy to delay the matter.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—7

108 escaped inmates in Minna jailbreak recaptured

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—THE Nigerian Prisons Service has recaptured 108 inmates out of 275 prisoners, who escaped during a jailbreak from the Medium Security Prisons in Minna, Niger State on Saturday.

The Controller-General of Prisons, Dr. Peter Ekpendu, made the disclosure in a statement by the Prisons’ spokesperson, Mr. Ope Fatinikun.

The inmates were recaptured through the combined efforts of military, security and intelligence agencies, and

cooperation of surrounding communities.

Assuring Nigerians that a search party comprising the Army, Department of State Services, DSS, Police and Prisons was still conducting investigation and searching neighbouring states, Ekpendu said the incident was not a

terrorist attack, but a jailbreak.

The prisons boss appealed to communities and neighbouring states of Kwara, Kaduna, Kebbi and the FCT to be vigilant and watch out for any suspicious movement around and report to the nearest police stations or prison formations.

Navy nabs 12 suspects with N30m stolen diesel T

HE Nigerian Navy, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, handed over 12 suspected oil thieves and 161,280 litres of suspected stolen diesel to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC. Commodore Chindo Yahaya, the Base Operations Officer of NNS Pathfinder, said the suspects were arrested for their alleged involvement in the theft of the diesel valued at N30 million during several raids off the waterways in Asari-Toru

Local Government Area of the state.

Yahaya, who handed over a tug boat, a barge, three wooden boats, and 172 drums containing the stolen diesel to NSCDC, said the barge, MV Saviour, contained 120,000 litres of diesel, while the wooden boats carried 41,280 litres of the stole diesel.

He said Navy was succeeding in its fight against oil theft, adding that it had impounded several vessels, barges, boats and had destroyed several

illegal refineries.

The Deputy Commandant of NSCDC, Mrs Christy Abiakam, who received the suspects, said the corps would carry out

65-yr-old community leader accused of N7.5m fraud

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65-year-old community leader, Wasiu Mayegun, was yesterday docked before an Igbosere Magistrate's Court in

FAMILIAR SIGHT : Looking for names at Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, centre for the collection of voters' cards at Alimi Road, Kaduna, yesterday.

NAN PHOTO.

N10m civil suit against FG Trail judge, Justice D. Agishi consequently adjourned hearing on the bail application till December 18.

Omotayo later told reporters: “We decided to withdraw the N10 million civil suit because it had been overtaken by event. We filed it because they were detained without trial. So now that they have been arraigned for trial, there is no need for it. We withdrew it to enable us face the criminal

charge squarely.”

Accused, offence

Standing trial are Benjamin Onwuka, Ndubisi Nnamushi, Kelvin Ekeh, Japhet Nwodo and Fidelis Nwonu. Others are Paulinus Uzoegbu, Sunday Chukwuma, Uduma Uduma, Bertrand Obiekwe, Abraham Ugwu and Ijaga Samson.

The accused were said to have, on June 4 at Nike

detailed and speedy investigation into the case.

She said that if found culpable, the suspects would be arraigned before a law court.

Grammar School, Enugu, conspired and unlawfully armed themselves with dangerous weapons with intent to capture the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS, Radio House and make a live broadcast for secession of Biafra as a nation, and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 37 (2) of the Criminal Code Act LFN 2004 and punishable under the same section of the same Act.

Lagos over alleged N7.5 million fraud.

Mayegun, who resides at Mayegun village, Eti-Osa area of Lagos, is standing trial on a six-count charge of conspiracy, fraud, stealing and breach of public peace.

The prosecutor, Corporal Innocent Odugbo, said the accused committed the offences between April 5, 2013 and November 2014, at Mayegun town, Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State.

Odugbo alleged that the accused conspired with others now at large to obtain N7.5 million from one Otunba Semiu Bakinson, under the pretext of selling a plot of land at Mayegun to him.

He said the accused knew that the presentation was false.

Odugbo also said the accused forcefully entered one plot of land at Mayegun town, and damaged the fence, valued at N500, 000, belonging to one Mr. Alex Eyitene.

He said that the accused stole an iron gate valued at N100,000, also belonging to Eyitene.

Odugbo said that the offences contravened Sections 52, 116 (d), 285, 312 (1), 348 and 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2011.

The accused pleaded not guilty to the charge.

The Magistrate, Mrs L. M. Balogun, admitted the accused to N500,000 bail following the defence counsel’s submission that bail should be granted to the accused on liberal terms.

Balogun also ordered that the accused provide two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a community leader in Lagos and adjourned the case till January 28, for mention.

Man charged for N5bn theft

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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former accountant with Chevron Nigeria Ltd., Mr. Michael Adenuga, was yesterday, brought before a Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja over a N5 billion property theft.

At the resumed trial, a prosecution witness, Mr. S. Oyeniran, explained how the defendant (Adenuga) allegedly converted a landed property they jointly owned to his personal one.

Adenuga and his company, Covenant Apartment Complex Ltd., are facing a three-count charge of stealing, forgery and use of false documents preferred against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. They were alleged to have fraudulently converted a 22.68 hectares of land located in the Lekki area of Lagos between February 2008 and September 2011, to their own use.

According to the charge, the property, situated at Ayetoro Ikota, in Lekki area of Lagos, was jointly owned by Covenant Sugarland Property Development Ltd., Messrs Sunday and Joseph Oyeniran.

The defendants were also accused of forging a document entitled Contract of Sale between Covenant Apartment Ltd. and Kingview Realty Ltd., to facilitate the theft.

According to EFCC, the said document was later presented by Adenuga to one of its officers, Mr. James Buzugbe, as genuine.

The offences contravened Sections 278 (1) and 285 (b) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

The witness said he was surprised to later discover that Adenuga had converted the said property to his own personal use despite meeting his financial commitment.

Trial judge, Justice Sedoten Ogunsanya, adjourned further hearing in the matter till February 17, 2015.

8—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

BOKO HARAM: Army recaptures Mubi, Gombi, Maiha, Hong council areas zFG working hard to improve security in North East —Jonathan

zAs CBN closes discount window

By Umar Yusuf

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OLA — THE military announced, yesterday, it is now in full control of Mubi, Gombi, Maiha and Hong local government areas of Adamawa State earlier captured by the Boko Haram insurgents mid last month.

The announcement came on a day President Goodluck Jonathan commended the nation’s armed forces for their courage and sacrifices in the war against insurgency in parts of the country even as he assured that the Federal Government was working hard to improve security in the North-East ahead next year’s elections.

On the recaptured council areas on Adamawa, an army officer (who did not want his name in print) who conducted newsmen round the council areas weekend said the troops in collaboration with other security agencies chased out the insurgents The officer said the tour with the journalists was necessary to debunk insinuation that the insurgents were still in the areas and more importantly to assure residents of the affected areas that their places were safe, well protected and fortified for them to return to their homes.

Residents express relief

Vanguard observed that life was gradually returning to normal in the local government areas as people were returning home.

But, most of the roads and streets in these areas were still deserted as pockets of people gathered in front of their homes apparently scared of the advancing military vehicles thinking they belonged to the insurgents.

In Mubi town, which is the commercial nerve centre and second largest town in the state that was renamed “Madinatul Islam” by the insurgents moments after it was captured, businesses had resumed in the markets.

Apart from the markets, the town itself was like a ghost city as government and private business places remained under lock and key even as all the commercial banks in the town were either burnt down or destroyed by the insurgents with Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs. Some of the residents of Mubi, who spoke to Vanguard described what they went through as a story that cannot be recounted.

Malam Isah Ali said: “I thank God for keeping me alive to tell this story, though we lost all our

Interbank lending rates rise to 60%

By Babajide Komolafe

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Sugar cane business in Mubi, Adamawa State, as life gradually returns to the town after recapture from insurgents, yesterday. NAN PHOTO. property to the Boko Haram insurgents. My shop and house were locked, we had to move to the mountains in the border with Cameroon to hide for weeks.

"The Nigerian Army tried by recapturing this town as I never thought of coming back soon.”

FG working hard to improve security in N-East— Jonathan

Meanwhile, President Jonathan has said that the armed forces and security agencies will sustain and intensify ongoing operations against insurgents in the country’s north-eastern states to achieve significantly improved security there ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Speaking at an audience with the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Uriel Palti, Jonathan said Nigeria will continue to work with neighbouring countries for the effective implementation of the regional security arrangements which were recently concluded to enhance multilateral cooperation against extremism, terrorism, insurgency and other crossborder crimes.

The President told the Israeli Ambassador that the Federal Government was actively and progressively enhancing the ability of Armed Forces and security agencies to deal decisively with terrorists and insurgents.

Jonathan lauds Armed Forces

The President also paid glowing tributes to men and women of the nation’s Armed Forces for their courage and sacrifices in the war against insurgency in parts of the country.

He spoke while launching the emblem and appeal fund for the 2015 Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Jonathan restated the Federal Government’s commitment to the welfare of military veterans and families of the nation’s

fallen heroes.

He said: “We salute and appreciate the courage and sacrifices of men and women of our armed forces in grappling with the wave of terrorism in some parts of our dear country.

“They have displayed unalloyed loyalty and commitment to Nigeria. In their demanding task to keep Nigeria one and united, some of our gallant officers and men have lost their lives.

“To these officers and men we pay tribute and pray fervently for the repose of their souls.”

Oil drops $2 to five-year low on oversupply

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AGOS — BRENT crude oil fell more than $2 a barrel yesterday to a new five-year low on predictions that oversupply would keep building until next year after Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, decided not to cut output.

In a report dated December 5, Morgan Stanley said oil prices could fall as low as $43 a barrel next year. The US investment bank cut its average 2015 Brent base-case outlook by $28 to $70 per barrel and by $14 to $88 a barrel for 2016.

“Without OPEC intervention, markets risk becoming unbalanced, with peak oversupply likely in the second quarter of 2015,” Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Longson said.

Brent for January LCOc1 was

down $1.82 at $67.25 a barrel.

ET, having fallen $2.30 to $66.77 - its lowest since October 2009. U.S. crude was down $1.24 at $64.60 a barrel, after hitting a session low of $64.14. The U.S. contract, also known as West Texas Intermediate, touched $63.72 last week, its lowest since July 2009.

At a meeting last month, top oil exporter Saudi Arabia resisted calls from poorer members of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to cut production, driving a further slide in prices, which have lost more than 40 percent since June.

Cartel member Kuwait said yesterday that oil prices were likely to remain around $65 a barrel for the next six to seven months.

AGOS — LENDING rates in the interbank money market, yesterday, shot up to 61.9 per cent following the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to close its discount window to banks.

Data from the Financial Market Dealers Quote, FMDQ, shows that interest rate for Overnight lending rose by 31 per cent to 61.9 per cent yesterday from 30.92 per cent on Friday. Similarly, interest rate for Secured lending (OBB) rose by 30.9 per cent to 59.67 per cent from 29.17 per cent on Friday.

The sharp increase in lending rates commenced on Friday when interest rate on Overnight and Secured lending rose to 26.5 per cent and 25.5 per cent respectively from 14.92 per cent and 14.42 per cent on Thursday.

This development was attributed to a circular from CBN on Friday, which technically closed its discount window to banks that purchase dollars from the CBN. According to the circular, banks that bid for foreign exchange in the official Retail Dutch Auction System, RDAS, sessions are not allowed to access the CBN discount window from the time they pay for their bid and when the CBN actually delivers the dollars to them.

However, since the process of paying for the dollars and taking delivery takes about a week, the implication is that any bank that participates in the RDAS cannot access the discount window of the CBN Speaking to Vanguard on condition of anonymity, a bank treasurer said: “This technically barred all the banks from accessing the discount window because we all purchase dollars from the CBN. This means that banks that need cash cannot take their treasury bills to the CBN discount window and exchange it for cash.”

This aggravated the scarcity of funds in the interbank market occasioned by the increase in banks’ Cash Reserve Requirements, CRR, for private sector deposit.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—9

FG releases detained Russian plane after France confirms ownership

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA — THE Federal Government, yesterday, released the Russian made Antonov aircraft impounded last Saturday at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano over allegations of carrying weapons of war.

The government said yesterday that “ we have not seen any controversial item on board particularly arms and ammunition as well as dangerous equipment meant for aggression.”

Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, who announced the release of the aircraft and its content at a press briefing, noted that the action followed the receipt of correspondence from the French authorities in Paris clearly identifying that the cargo on-board the aircraft duly originated from the French government.

Disclosing that the Nigerian Air Force was justified in the detention of the aircraft, the CAS said: “From our records, we had no record of clearance for an Antonov aircraft to operate into Kano. What we have is a ‘block clearance’ which is diplomatic permits allowed for French aircraft to land in our airport even at short notice. It is signed by the Foreign Ministry which covers the aircraft.

“But as soon as they landed in Kano, the Nigeria Air Force

had responsibility to ensure that only duly designated aircraft are allowed. We also had to ensure that the seven banned items by the international aviation bodies including toxic waste, nuclear material, bacteria for chemical weapons and other dangerous substances were not on board.

“The good news is that having carried out the procedural checks on the basic information and

materials, we have not seen any controversial item aboard particularly ammunition or weapons of war.

Emphasizing that France has been a willing partner in the fight against terrorism in Nigeria and that the country has enjoyed good bilateral relations with Nigeria, the Air Chief said: “By this briefing, we are therefore releasing the aircraft and its cargo.”

Also speaking at the occasion, the French Defence

Attaché’ to Nigeria, Colonel Marc Ombe Humbert, disclosed that the aircraft was not carrying arms and ammunition but two Gazelle helicopters for light liaison, gifts for French forces, a sports utility vehicle and aircraft parts belonging to the French forces which were used in operation in Central Africa Republic but were being sent to Ndjamena from where they will be returned to France.

AWARD: Tony O. Elumelu, Founder, The Tony Elumelu Foundation (2nd right) congratulates The Future Awards Africa winner of the Tony O. Elumelu Prize in Business, Andrew Mupuya, CEO of YELI Paper Bags Limited (Uganda) (2nd left) while Katja Schiller Nwator, Director, The Elumelu Nigeria Empowerment Fund (left) and Adebola Williams, Co-Founder of The Future Awards Africa, look on in Lagos, yesterday

National Convention: APC assures delegates of security

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AGOS — THE National Convention Committee of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has assured delegates to the 3rd national convention of the party holding in Lagos between December 10 and11 of adequate security.

The committee said in a statement in Lagos, yesterday, that it was collaborating with the Lagos State Government (the host) and all relevant security agencies to put in place adequate arrangements aimed at ensuring security of delegates and reducing the burden of traffic congestion throughout the period of the convention.

According to the committee, the relevant authorities in the state have mapped out strategies to ease traffic congestion around the venue of the convention, while adequate arrangements have also been made for the transportation of delegates from their hotels to the designated accreditation centres and the venue of the convention at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere.

zBerates Clark over comment The arrangements include but not limited to diversion of traffic in some routes and restriction of vehicular movements in some areas.

Delegates are, therefore, urged to cooperate with the security and traffic management officials during the period of the convention, while members of the public who might be inconvenienced as a result of the diversion are enjoined to see it as part of the needed sacrifice for the advancement of our democracy.

The committee then promised to make the convention, which features the election of the APC presidential flag-bearer, a reference point in the history of successful conventions in the country.

...berates Clark over comment

Meanwhile, the party has

described the comment by Chief Edwin Clark, that if the opposition has its way it can poison or kill President Goodluck Jonathan just to take power, as absurd, incendiary and unbecoming of an elder statesman of the chief ’s stature.

In a statement in Lagos, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said Chief Clark’s comment, which was widely reported by newspapers, is the latest in a string of statements by President Jonathan’s supporters that are overheating the polity ahead of the 2015 general elections and are even threatening the peace and unity of the country.

It said: "We have waited for several days to give Chief Clark the opportunity to deny making such a fallacious statement, but he has not done so, which means he was not misquoted and that he indeed meant what he said.

"It is time for the President himself to call his supporters to order for the sake of the peace and unity of our dear nation. They have been threatening fire and brimstone if the President is not re-elected in 2015, as if elections are won by threats.

One has even gone as far as saying there will blood on the streets if the President is not re-elected."

APC said in making his dangerous comment, Chief Clark probably mistook the party for the PDP, which has been described as the nest of killers.

According to APC, "our party has never and will never contemplate killing or poisoning President Jonathan just to take power, as Chief Clark carelessly said. We are neither a violent nor an anarchic party. We do not seek power by any means other than through the ballot box. Therefore we reject, totally, the statement by Chief Clark.

"We remind Chief Clark that

Infrastructure Bank raises N50bn for Lagos–Ibadan road rehabilitation

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AGOS — MANAGING Director, The Infrastructure Bank Plc, Mr. Adekunle Oyinloye, has said that the bank had raised N50 billion as first tranche of the proposed N167 billion for the rehabilitation of the LagosIbadan dual carriageway.

Oyinloye said this at the official signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with four commercial banks, yesterday, in Lagos.

The banks are Access Bank, Ecobank, Diamond Bank and Standard Chartered Bank Plc. He said the N50 billion represented 30 per cent of the proposed N167 billion and a successful closure of the tranche one for the r e h a b i l i t a t i o n , reconstruction and expansion of the 127 kilometre dual carriageway.

Oyinloye also said the bank was a leading consortium of local and international financiers and investors that provides the required funding to complete the project within 24 to 30 months.

He added that the Federal Government had made good its financial contributions for the execution of the project and equally formalised its engagement of The Infrastructure Bank as the transaction adviser and lead finance arranger for the project.

The managing director urged the banks to be committed to the tranchetwo, a balance of N117 billion, for the project.

Oyinloye added that more local and foreign investors had shown interest in the project financing because they knew that the LagosIbadan expressway was the most ‘profitable road’ on the country’s road network.

According to him, funding under the second tranche will commence in six months.

He also added that the redesigning of the expressway would take cognizance of features such as parks, conveniences and toll-ability which were not considered in previous constructions.

Oyinloye said the bank was conscious of the redesigning of the road to ensure that it stood the test of time.

10— Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Acces Bank donates van, others to Lagos Police

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By Evelyn Usman

AGOS—THE Lagos State Police Command yesterday called on corporate and private individual to assist it with the necessary support to fight crime and criminalities, with a view to eradicate crime in Lagos.

The Command boss, Kayode Aderanti made the call during the donation of a Hilux van, bullet proof vests and walkie talkies to the command, by Access Bank.

Describing the gesture as a step in the right direction towards the fight against crime, Aderanti urged other corporate firms to borrow a leaf from Access bank, assuring that: “We are going to access a lot of prosperity for the good people of Lagos state through this gesture.”

NOUN opens 400 new centres

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AGOS—THE National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, yesterday, said it had established not less than 400 centres in the out-going year for students undergoing different courses across the country.

Its Head of Media and Information, Dr Ronke Ogunmakin, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos.

Ogunmakin said the establishment of the centres was to fulfill the institution’s mandate of providing Open and Distance Learning, ODL, centres across the country.

61 ships expected in Lagos

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AGOS—Sixty one ships laden with containers, foods and petroleum products are expected in Lagos ports from December 8 to 28.

The Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, made the announcement in its daily publication, “Shipping Position,” made available to newsmen on Monday in Lagos.

The document showed that eight of the ships would arrive with fresh fish, while 21 others have containers of different goods.

LAGOS PDP PRIMARIES: Commotion as

hoodlums clash zI've not stepped down for anyone—Obanikoro

By Dapo Akinrefon

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AGOS—THERE was pandemonium at the Yard 158 event centre on Oregun road, venue of the governorship primaries of the PDP in Lagos State as political thugs loyal to aspirants clashed.

Policemen shot canisters into the air to disperse the warring groups, while sniffer dogs were unleashed to bring the situation under control.

Trouble started when some supporters of one of the aspirants arrived the venue chanting solidarity slogans in favour of the aspirant.

Not long after, supporters of another aspirant arrived the scene and a confrontation ensued leading to a clash.

Guns, knives, bottles were deplored for the battle of supremacy.

Two persons including a reporter of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Chioma Ugboma were injured after the melee, while two other persons were arrested by security operatives.

About 900 delegates are expected to vote at the primary to select a candidate for the party among the six aspirants for the position.

Late accreditation

As at 3pm, accreditation of about 900 delegates was yet to commence for both delegates

and journalists, who stood under the scorching sun for several hours.

Traffic snarl

Passers-by had a hectic time plying the Oregun road as delegates littered the road with their vehicles preventing free flow of traffic.

Ex-Lagos dep gov denied entrance

Perhaps, it was a wrong time for a former deputy governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele to have shown up at the venue as she was barred from the gate by security personnel.

Bucknor, who wore a pink

gown with an embroiled AsoOke, was turned back at the gate and asked to get her accreditation before being allowed access into the venue.

Frantic efforts from her to make calls to other leaders of the party did not yield any fruit, she later moved away from the gate after being left stranded for over 20 minutes.

I’ve not stepped down —Obanikoro

Earlier, there were speculations that the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro had been persuaded to withdraw from the race.

Refuting the claim while

addressing a press conference, Senator Obanikoro said nobody can persuade him to step down.

He said: “nobody can persuade me to step down. I resigned the coveted the office as Minister for State Defence. I am here and you all can see despite the rumours that they have spread into the public space. I am here and there is doubt in my mind that we are going to participate and see this to a surgical end.”

Commenting on the fracas that involved some of his supporters, he said “we have urged all our supporters to remain calm in the face of intimidation and persecution. Nothing comes easy but we believe that whatever the lord says shall come to pass”.

VISIT: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN (middle), Co-founder, The Future Project, Mr. Adebola Williams (left), and winner of the 9th Edition of the Future Awards Africa Prize in Enterprise Support, Mr. Bunmi Otegbade, during the Future Awards Africa 2014 team's visit to the governor at the State House, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

....Why I wore bullet-proof vest—Gbadamosi, Lagos PDP Gbadamosi, while addressing gov aspirant journalists delegates but we will ensure that Gbadamosi said the violence at the venue, said he everyone will vote fearlessly and

By Dapo Akinrefon

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AGOS—A Lagos State governorship aspirant, Mr. Babatunde Gbadamosi, popularly known as BOG, caused a stir at the Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary when he arrived the venue in a bullet-proof vest.

wore the vest in order to protect himself from being hit by a stray bullet following the violence that erupted earlier in the day.

Although the party leadership had said the violence was caused by thugs loyal to the opposition party, Gbadamosi said the real perpetrators of the violence were from within the PDP.

was part of a ploy to intimidate the almost 1000 delegates that converged on the venue.

He said: “I am wearing the bulletproof vest because I am afraid of being shot at but I am urging all my supporters to come and should not be intimidated.”There is fear of intimidation and some people in the party want to intimidate the

as it pleases them.”

He said it was unfortunate that the party leadership was supporting an aspirant (Jimi Agbaje).

When asked if he was confident of winning, he said, “Would I have paid over N11m to purchase the form if I was not confident?”

Oritsejafor sues Lagos govt, others over demolition

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By Onozure Dania

AGOS—THE President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ayo Oritsejafor has dragged the Lagos State Government along side six others to court before Justice Deborah Oluwayemi, of a Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, over an alleged intention to demolish his Church, situated at Plot 21e, Abdulrahman Okene Close, Off Ligali

Ayorinde Street Victoria Island Annex, Lagos.

The property in contention through Hajiya Aisha Mata Abdrrahman with Certificate of Occupancy No. 68/68/199AR dated 23 November, 1991, was bought by the Church from Habib Nigeria Bank Limited by virtue of Deep of Legal Mortgage No. 11/11/1961 dated September 27, 1994 and Deep of Assignment No 34/34/2081 of the Register of Deep kept at the Lagos state

Land Registry, Lagos, which is also known as the address above.

After the purchase of the property, the claimant took immediate and undisturbed possession of the land and it commenced building without any disturbance from the defendants, the claimant then applied to the defendants and secured an approval for a charge of use of land from residential to institutional (place of worship)

vide letter dated September 7, 2004.

The claimant commenced on the building of its church and at the same time applied for building plan approval, which was then being processed by the defendants. The claimant’s application for building plan approval was received processed and assessed for payment of various sums of money which the claimant promptly paid.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 —11

Ekiti APC can ask defected colleagues to vacate seats —Court A

BUJA—THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, has granted the prayers of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State to serve the six APC members who defected to the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, the originating motion and motion on notice seeking the defected members to vacate their seats having defected from the party under which platform they were elected.

According to a statement by the Special Adviser on Media to the Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assemble, Wole Olujobi, APC had taken the defected members to court asking them to vacate their seats having defected to other political party without reasons precedent to that action, to wit: division in the party; as stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The defendants in the suit are the defected members: Israel Olowo, Alex Ade Ojo, Dele Joseph Olugbemi, Ayoka Fatunmbi, Adeyinka Adeloye and Abeni Modupe Olayinka.

Others are the PDP and Independent National Electoral

Commission, INEC. They defected to PDP on October 16, 2014 at the inauguration ceremony of Governor Ayodele Fayose.

In suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/903/ 2014 before Justice A.F.A Ademola of the Federal High Court and filed by Mrs K. Uzoanya, a counsel in Tunji Abayomi law firm, the plaintiff asked the court to is-

sue and serve the originating summons and motion on notice on the defendants through themselves, by courier services or the Clerk of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Ado-Ekiti.

The applicant also sought for further order(s) as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstance of the case.

After hearing APC counsel, Justice Ademola granted the reliefs directing that the originating summons and motion on notice be served on the defendants directly or through courier services or through the Clerk of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Ado-Ekiti, being the only known address of the defendants.

SIGNING: From left: Foluke Aboderin, ED, Corporate Banking, Ecobank Plc, Herbert Wigwe, GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc, Adekunle AbdulRasaq Oyinloye, MD/CEO, Infrastructure Bank Plc, Bola Adesola, MD/CEO, Standard Chartered Bank and Ehianeta Ebhohimhen, Head, Infrastructure & Transport, Diamond Bank Plc, at the signing of $170 billion facility for the redesign and reconstruction of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway in Lagos, yesterday.

TRIBUNAL: Aregbesola opens defence zWitnesses say there was proper accreditation

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—OSUN State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola yesterday opened defence of the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, challenging his August 9 re-election before the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Osogbo.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, four voters who told the tribunal that they are not politicians and testified before the tribunal said there were proper accreditation and that the voting proper was also hitch-free.

The witnesses were Mrs Racheal Babatunde, a trader; Folorunsho Olojede, a retired police officer; Adeniji Akinropo, a retired civil servant and Rauf Ajide Olaegbon, also a trader.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore is challenging the re-election of Aregbesola and the All Progressive Congress, APC, on the ground that there were no proper accreditation, that additional

voting point were not created and that some voters were disenfranchised.

Giving evidence, Mrs Babatunde, told the tribunal that she was neither a member of APC nor any other political party, saying when she got to her polling unit in Ward 8 of Olorunda Local Government, she was properly accredited and eventually voted.

Also, Folorunsho told the tribunal that there was no any case of inducement of voters on the election day in his Ward 3, Unit 6 of Olorunda local government, saying nobody was disenfranchised on the said day.

In his own evidence, Akinropo told the court that accreditation was properly done and voting was conducted in a peaceful manner, saying nobody voted more than once on the said day.

PENSION:

Workers threaten showdown with Amosun

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—WORKERS in Ogun State have threatened a showdown with Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun over nonremittance of their pension deductions for fifty months and his plan to pay November salaries piecemeal.

The workers under the aegis Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, said they would resist any attempt by the governor to pay them in piecemeal.

The workers in two letters jointly signed by the acting Chairman and Secretary of the group, Comrades A.O. Olakanmi and M.A. Bello respectively and addressed to Governor Amosun, revealed that the state government was thinking of paying workers’ salaries piecemeal.

The other letter revealed that the Governor Amosun had invited the workers body to a meeting on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 to fashion out the modalities for payment of November workers’ salaries.

Ogun APC holds inconclusive Reps primaries

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BEOKUTA—OGUN State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, will today hold repeat primary elections to select candidates that will represent it in the 2015 general elections for the House of Representatives in the three federal constituencies where the process was inconclusive during last Sunday ’s statewide primary elections.

In a statement by the chairman of the APC Electoral Committee saddled with the task of conducting National Assembly primaries in the state, Senator Adudu, the party noted that the affected federal constituencies are: Abeokuta South, Ijebu Central (comprising Ijebu Ode, Odogbolu and Ijebu North East LGAs) and Ijebu North (consisting Waterside and Ijebu East LGAs).

The party further stated that the rescheduled primary elections are aimed at creating a level playing field for all the aspirants and give opportunity for the qualified delegates to freely make their choice.

Ogun APC also appealed to all its members and the general public to co-operate with the organising committee in charge of the primary elections.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Court strikes out NUT's suit against ASUSS

By Gabriel Enogholase

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struck out and I make no order as to cost,” the court said.

“It is only the claimant’s members that would be under an obligation to pay membership dues or subscriptions dues. Therefore, in the instant case, since the claimant is not saying that the 1st defendant has asked the 2nd defendant to deduct check-off dues or subscriptions from

members of the claimant, but rather a supposed generic group termed teachers.

“It is perhaps even needless to point out that even going by the provisions of the extant law, Section 5(3)(b) of the Labour Act and Section 12 (4) of the Trade Unions Act, a member of a trade union has the right to withdraw his membership and when he does that, he cannot be made

to pay contribution, or be victimized for that.

“This means that the right to freedom of association guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 constitution, as amended, can only make sense if such right is observed by all persons especially by trade unions registered under the Trade Unions Act such as the claimant,” the court said.

ENIN—THE National Industrial Court sitting in Enugu has resolved the lingering suit between the Nigerian Union of Teachers, NUT, Edo State and the Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools of Nigeria, ASUSS, over which of the two has the right to check-off dues/ levies from teachers in primary/ secondary schools in the state.

The court held that NUT’s claim that it has general right to collect check-off dues and or subscriptions from teachers, as a general right does not exist, noting that the right of the claimant to collect check-off dues or subscriptions upon which its interest should be rooted, was limited to its members.

Defendants in the suit were I. Anigala for himself and on behalf of the Incorporated Trustees of ASUSS; Edo State Post Primary Education Board; Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Edo State and Edo State Government.

In his judgment, trial judge, Justice I.Ibrahim, upheld the preliminary objection raised by counsel to ASUSS. It also upheld the submission that NUT lacks the locus standi to bring the action.

“I further lift the interlocutory MEMORIAL MASS: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (left), takes Holy order of court on the funds kept Communion during a Memorial Mass at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Iyamho, in honour of in an account on the order of the court made on July 27, 2012. his late wife, Clara, on Sunday.

The suit is accordingly hereby

What I miss most about my late wife —Oshiomhole

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, has said that he missed his late wife's spiritual guidance and intercessions which were key to building the family and making him a more compassionate person.

Speaking at a memorial mass on Sunday, at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Iyamoh, Uzairue, Etsako West Local Government Area of the state, when he led his children and other members of his family to mark the 4th year anniversary of the death of his wife, Clara, who died on December 7, 2010, Oshiomhole said his late wife was humble to a fault.

He said: “My late wife was my spiritual guardian. When I met her and proposed to her, she said, I know you are a Christian, but are you baptized? I listened to the bishop talking about the most important title as being the baptisimal name, I realised even the more what she helped me accomplish by insisting that I must formally get

baptized. She encouraged me to study catechism which I needed to be baptized and I was baptised with the name Eric.

“Coming to this particular church is more than symbolic because Clara’s interest in this church was something I may not be able to describe.

When she was alive, she was constantly reminding me of the need to support the community to build a church and even as a labour activist, she would always remind me to be certain that we had provision for the church “I believe that in all we have done, what would have

excited Clara most was the effort that we have all made to build this church to this level and I imagine how she would have felt if she had worshiped in this church.”

Delta SUBEB gives deadline to contractor

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—THE Executive Chairman, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mr Elijah Ologe, has ordered the contractor handling the construction of Amakom Primary School buildings in Oko-Amakom, Oshimili South Local Government Area of the state, to complete the project before the end of this month.

Ologe, who gave the order while inspecting the ongoing construction of two blocks of eight classrooms, Head Teacher’s office and other facilities at the new site of the school, said the project must be delivered before pupils return from Christmas and New Year

holiday.

He directed the construction firm handling the project to do all within its power to ensure that the project was delivered on time and according to specifications.

He said that the former site of the school was on the right of way of the Second Niger Bridge project, hence the school was being relocated to a new site, adding that pupils of the school had been relocated to a temporary site where makeshift classrooms were constructed for them, urging the contractor to get the job completed to enable the pupils resume academic activities in a better environment.

I was misquoted on Kpokpo land ownership —Ojogor

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ARRI—AN Ugborodo community leader and member of Ogidigben Export Processing Zone, EPZ, Interface Committee, Mr. Godwin Ojogor, has distanced himself from a report which suggested that he gave the ownership of Kpokpo, an Ugborodo community, Warri SouthWest Local Government Area in Delta State, to the Ijaw of Gbaramatu.

Ojogor, who insisted that Itsekiri will not concede the deep sea port of the EPZ project to Ijaw of Gbaramatu, said that Kpokpo was owned by Ugborodo community in Warri South-West, “that is why the Ijaw, who are today claiming ownership burnt it during the last Warri crisis.”

He enjoined the Federal Government, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and the general public to disregard any report linking him to Ijaw's claim of Kpokpo, noting that such statement did not emanate from him.

The report had claimed that the Itsekiri could allow the Ijaw to agitate for 50 per cent of only Kpokpo land that is in dispute which “they (Ijaw of Gbaramatu) are also laying claim to and not all the 300 hectares of land,” adding that “the deep sea port should be named after Ugborodo community, which has a larger part of the land in dispute.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 13

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14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Govt College Ughelli Old Boys Assoc. (Lagos Branch) holds 2014 luncheon

From left, Mr. Gordons Egbedi, President GCUOBA, Lagos Branch; Mr. Peter Obi, former governor of Anambra State, Chairman of the occasion, and Chief Joseph Akpieyi, President-General World Wide GCUOBA, during 2014 Annual Luncheon of Government College Ughelli Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Joe Akintola Photo Editor

From left, Mrs. Remi Tomori, and Professor Oyewole Tomori, guest speaker.

From left, Professor Ejiro Emuveyan, Dr. F.A Sawyerr, and Professor Olu Akinyanju.

From Left, Mr. Peter Arigbe, Engr. Eddy Agbahor, and Mrs. Isabella Agbahor.

From left, Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole , and Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers.

Ten contestants emerge for ‘A STAR RISING’ competition

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EN LUCKY contestants have been selected for the ‘Star Rising” competition, which will hold December 20 at The Civic Center, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The 10 emerged after an audition which held recently, at same venue.

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The competition is held in collaboration with Vanguard Spark, a platform by Vanguard Media Ltd and Ice-One Media for empowering talented youths.

One hundred and twenty children and youths, between the ages of one and 17, drawn from different primary and secondary schools in the state participated in the audition.

The successful acts, who will vie for a place with the From left, Akintunde Marinho, COO/Head Digital stars are: Oyinkoyinsola Marketing, Vanguard Spark - a platform by Ebony and Chukwunonso Vanguard Media Ltd and Ice-One Media for Olamide presents the Ifionu of Western College, empowering talented youths; Olamide Orekefe, Commissioner with a gift as a Gbagada; Moturayo Vanguard Spark Rookie of the month for August; token of her appreciation (a Olajubu of Attwool School, Mr. Ben Akabueze, Lagos State Commissioner for custom-made tie with African Awoyaya; Chisom Samuel- Economic Planning & Budget and Ikenna Onuorah, fabric from Lami's Clothiers); Johnson and Timothy CEO/Marketing Director, Vanguard Spark, during her own way of making the Attah of Christ the the presentation of N100,000 grant to the fashion Commissioner look good.

Redeemer School, designer.

Gbagada.

Others are: Gbaja Dance troupe from Gbaja Girls Junior School, The Boy Band from Grace High School, Ejumene Achor from Holy Child College, Udo Precious from Queens College, Lillie Stars Group from Lillie’s International School.

At the audition, the youths showcased different talents in singing. A number of them mimed From left, Akintunde Marinho, COO/Head Digital Marketing, Vanguard Spark; different musical lyrics: Delords Austin Amuzie, Vanguard Spark Rookie of the month for August; Edmund pop, rap and gospel. Some Olotu, former GM of HiTV and Serial Tech Entrepreneur, and Ikenna Onuorah, sang while others sang and CEO/Marketing Director, Vanguard Spark, during the presentation of free workspace and Internet platform to Delords. played the keyboard.

Some showed dexterity in playing kids, especially within the age bracket Mr. Bardia Olomu, (ILLRYHMES) the saxophone, trumpet, violin, of seven and13, requested to dance who was a judge at the audition, said keyboard, drum set and talking drum to: Shoki, Doro Bucci, P. Square and the criteria for choosing the winners and several of them took to dancing. Baby Pull Over lyrics. were: stage presence, personality, And they danced salsa. Most of the Talking to journalists after the event, originality and performance.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 15

Why I withdrew from senatorial race — Gov Chime

By Austin Ogwuda

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NUGU — GOVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, yesterday, broke his silence on why he decided to drop his senatorial ambition at the last minute.

The governor, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Mr. Chukwudi Achife, said he “ withdrew in the interest of the party," adding that party unity and strength are superior to personal interests.”

However, despite his withdrawal and the open declaration by the Senate Deputy President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, to support the governor ’s anointed candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, it appeared the expected truce reached, had already been breached as there were three different venues which at the same time produced Senator Gilbert Nnaji, former Chief of Staff to Governor Chime, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo and former

Minister of Information and Communication, Frank Nweke Jnr as winners for Enugu East on Sunday.

It was also not different in Enugu North senatorial zone

which also recorded two parallel primaries.

The one at Government Field Nsukka produced a former Commissioner of Transport, Chuka Utazi as the candidate

while the one at Nsukka Civic Centre produced former National Chairman of PDP, Okwesilieze Nwodo as the winner.

CONGRESS: Worshippers arriving at the Redeemed Christian Church of God Headquarters, Km 46, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway for the 2014 Holy Ghost Congress on Monday. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

Stop pulling down our billboards, Enugu APC chair tells PDP

By Austin Ogwuda

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NUGU — ALL Progressives Congress, APC, in Enugu State, has raised alarm over

alleged harassment of their members and destruction of billboards belonging to the party’s governorship aspirant.

State Chairman of APC, Mr. Ben Nwoye, at a briefing,

Ndukwe wins APGA ticket for Anambra South senatorial zone

By Prince Osuagwu

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ORMER EXECUTIVE Vice Chairman, EVC of the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, Engr. Ernest Ndukwe,has emerged the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, candidate for Anambra South Senatorial zone.

Ndukwe was declared winner in a keenly contested primary election of the party. He will now slug it out with Stella Oduah, who emerged candidate for the People Democratic Party, PDP. According to some APGA stalwarts, “given the crisis in PDP, the only party that has the men and materials to challenge APGA in the forth-coming elections in 2015, the zone might just be a walk-over for Ndukwe.”

They described Ndukwe as patriotic, brilliant, focused, reliable and honest and a great achiever, adding that it would have taken more than a mere politician to defeat him due to his strong pedigree.

Dr. Ndukwe has over three decades experience in the telecommunications industry. His previous roles include time spent as Managing Director at General Telecom Plc, Chief Executive

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Officer of NCC, Chairman of the Administrative Council of African Telecommunications Union and Chairman of West African Telecom Regulators Association, WATRA. Ernest is a fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, the Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM) and Nigerian Academy of Engineering (NAE).

yesterday, in Enugu, said “on the 4th of this month, we held peaceful primaries whereby Okey Ezea emerged as our governorship candidate.

Before now, PDP claimed that Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, known as Gburugburu was the only candidate contesting governorship in the state.

Immediately Ezea emerged, we started our campaign and publicity by mounting billboards. Unfortunately, evil doers who don’t want democracy in Enugu since 1999 re-assembled and destroyed the billboards of our governorship candidate in Nsukka and Obolo-Afor and that of our House of

Representatives candidate in Nsukka-Igbo Eze South federal constituency.

“They have been threatening our members, who have been angry, threatening to retaliate but we have been telling them to remain calm. We do not want a return to the dark days in Enugu State. We are urging the President not to turn Enugu to Rivers where every image of APC has become a target for attack by PDP. "We know that supporters of Gburugburu destroyed our billboards. Is it because I said his 'thank you' message to Enugu people is illegal? Has Enugu PDP voted for him? He is not even a candidate and he is thanking Enugu people,” he added.

7 concerned groups urge Gov Orji to desist from breaching PDP's constitution

A

COALITION of seven concerned groups in Abia State, has urged Governor Theodore Orji, to desist from alleged breach of the internal constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state.

The groups comprising Abia Coalition of Forces against Impunity, Abia Group Campaigning Against Imposition of candidates, Abia Youths For Change, Abia Progressive Force For Good Governance, Abia Force Against Rigging, Abia Liberators and Concerned Citizens of Abia gave the warning in Lagos at a briefing.

National Coordinator of the

groups, Chigozie Agbakwo ,said “the various groups observe with shock and anger the several breaches of the internal constitution of PDP as the party prepares its candidates for the general elections of 2015.

"By their internal electoral guideline, the party was supposed to conduct an election on November 1, 2014 for the 3man delegates preparatory for the primary elections for the following positions: State House of Assembly, Federal House of Representatives, Senate and Gubernatorial.

“It is on record that the delegates’ election did not take place as party members who

turned out enmasse to cast their votes were disappointed as no election officers and materials were seen in all the 17 Local Government Areas of Abia State.

"Yet, results were written and handed over to the committee that came from Abuja for the purpose of conducting that election. In summary, election did not take place in Abia State on November 1, 2014 for the election of the three-man delegates.

“Despite the protests both in writing and orally to the leadership of the party in Abuja, they turned a blind eye and refused to look into the allegations of what took place on November 1, 2014.

STRIKE: Pharmacists urge NLC, TUC to solidarise with JOHESU

By Sola Ogundipe

P

HARMACEUTICAL SOCIETY of Nigeria, PSN, has carpeted the Federal government over perceived lukewarm attitude to the dwindling fortunes of the nation’s health sector called on Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, to join forces with striking health workers on the aegis of the Joint Health Sector Unions, JOHESU, to compel government at all levels to see an urgent need to meet their demands.

Making the call in Lagos, PSN President, Olumide Akintayo, said it would put an end to the woes and sufferings unleashed on innocent masses because of government insensitivity and negligence on the welfare of health workers.

According to him,”Pharmacists on the aegis of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria have noted with concern the apparent lukewarm attitude of government which has manifested in its extremely slow response time."

FG approves dam across Otamiri River

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI — THE F e d e r a l Government has approved the award of contract for the study and design of Small Earth Dam across the Otamiri River, for agricultural purposes in Federal University of Technology, Owerri, FUTO. Disclosing this during a pre-convocation briefing yesterday in Owerri, Vice Chancellor, Professor Chigozie Asiabaka, said the Federal Ministry of Water Resources, confirmed this in a letter, dated November 11, 2014 and signed by the Director, Procurement, Engr. Babatunde Kuye.

“Already, the Ministerial Tenders Board has approved the award and contract for the study and design of Small Earth Dam in the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, with a completion period of four weeks”, Asiabaka said.

16—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

PDP GOVERNORSHIP PRIMARIES NATIONWIDE, YESTERDAY.

OYO: The winner of Oyo State PDP governorship primaries, former Senate Leader Senator Teslim Folarin (left) being presented

by Leader of Election Committee, Senator Abba Aji after the Primary election held at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan. Photo by Shola Oyelese.

DELTA: From right; Dr. Ngozi Olejeme, Chief Godswill Obielum, Chief Ovie Omo-Agege, Dr. John Okwara and Chief Omene, all governorship aspirants in Delta State. Photo by Nath Onojake.

(BELOW) ABIA: From left; Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, his deputy, Sir Emeka Ananaba, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, Former National Chairman of PDP and Rt. Hon Udeh Okochukwu, Speaker Abia state House of Assembly during the primaries in Umuahia.

RIVERS: From left; governorship aspirant, Micheal West; winner of the primary, Barrister Nyesom Wike and another aspirant, Senator Lee Maeba at the Rivers primaries in Port Harcourt.

(LEFT) KADUNA: Governor Ramalan Yero of Kaduna State casting his vote at the primaries at the M u r t a l a Mohammed indoor sports complex, Kaduna.

(RIGHT) L A G O S : S e n a t o r M u s i l i u Obanikoro, an aspirant, with newsmen during the primaries at Yard 158, Oregun, Ojota Lagos. ( L E F T ) Captain Tunji Shelle, Lagos State PDP Chairman, and Senator Kofo BucknorAkerele.

Photos by K e h i n d e Gbadamosi

C M Y K

AKWA IBOM: Governor Akpabio casting his vote, while State PDP Secretary, Ibanga Akpabio (left) and others watch.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 17

T

HERE is a popular Yoruba song that says: “Eko o gba gbere rara o.” It means: “Lagos does not take any nonsense whatsoever.” It is high time for Lagos to fulfil the intent of this song by putting a stop to commandeering of the political processes in the state by Bola Tinubu and his cronies.

Enough is enough. The domination of Lagos politics by one man has gone on for too long.

Lagos must be wrested from the control of Bola Tinubu who has enslaved the politicians in the state and privatised its resources for the last 16 years. Senator Femi Okurounmu, a Yoruba Afenifere leader and co-coordinator of the recently concluded National Conference, said early this year: “Now that the Yoruba people have known that the APC is worse than PDP- in corruption, impunity and lack of internal democracy- we have to vote against APC.”

Divided house The shenanigans of Tinubu at the just concluded APC gubernatorial primaries in Lagos provide strong confirmation of the veracity of the Senator’s position.

Nobody should be fooled; the primaries were nothing but one big charade. Those of us who have insisted that there is nothing progressive or democratic about the APC were sadly proved right once again. Tinubu frustrated every pretension to democracy in the elections and manipulated his cronies into office; all in the interest of sustaining his domination of Lagos politics.

In the process, he has sown the seed of his own downfall. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Tinubu has effectively divided the APC in Lagos. It is now up to the PDP to capitalise on his highhandedness by coming up with a candidate that can be sold to Lagosians. If it does, the days of slavery to Tinubu in Lagos will certainly come to an end on 29th May, 2015.

We have seen this before. In 1991, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) seemed to have Lagos under lock and key. In the House of Assembly election, the SDP won an overwhelming 26 of the 30 seats. However, it lost the election of governor to the National Republican Convention (NRC). Sir Michael Otedola became governor of Lagos as a result of conflict and split within the SDP and he was the beneficiary of the resultant protest vote.

The evidence suggests that, thanks to Tinubu’s high jinks, history might repeat itself in 2015 with the probable loss of Lagos by the ruling APC to the opposition PDP. Mafia godfather: Bola Tinubu is a political leopard that cannot change its skin. The man is not a democrat, has never been a democrat and will never be a democrat. The truth of the matter is that democracy does not suit C M Y K

Time to get rid of Tinubu's cronies in Lagos Tinubu’s the political agenda. In a moment of Nebuchadnezzar exuberance before the Ekiti poll, Tinubu declared: “Nobody, no one under the sun, under the United Nations Human Rights Charter, can stop Bola Tinubu’s ambition.”

After what we witnessed on Thursday at the APC primaries for the prospective governor of Lagos, it is clear that the onus is now on the Lagos electorate to put a stop to Tinubu pomposity in Lagos.

Tinubu never even found it necessary to pretend in the past to be a democrat. According to his own choice of expression, he fashioned his political style in Lagos State and, indeed, the entire South-West, grandiloquently as “godfatherism,” claiming: “godfatherism is biblical, which is why Christians refer to God as their father.”

However, Tinubu’s “godfatherism” is more akin to that of unscrupulous mafia dons in Sicily. It is certainly anathema to democratic norms and principles.

Tinubu’s “godfatherism” means candidates for public office of his political party are not elected by popular vote but selected from Tinubu’s bedroom in Bourdillon Road and

Bola Tinubu is not a democrat, has never been a democrat and will never be a democrat

then imposed on the party. They are then held under a tight leash by the Jagaban and are required to do his bidding on pain of being summarily replaced or impeached.

Bisi Akande, former chairman of Tinubu’s legacy ACN party, declared unapologetically that democracy had no place in the internal arrangements of the ACN. “Anyone that is not comfortable with that should go and contest in another political party,” he said.

Anti-democratic APC Nothing has really changed in this stance beyond the fact that ACN has since metamorphosed into the APC. The first test was the so-called election of the chairman of the party.

Recognising that his choice candidate might not be elected in a free and fair democratic poll, Tinubu engaged in backroom deals whereby, instead of electing a new APC chairman, OdigieOyegun was rigged into the office.

APC governors went along with this charade out of fear Tinubu might otherwise lose interest in the new party and deny it valuable South-West support. The lie was sold to the convention that all other candidates had agreed to step down for Odigie-Oyegun.

As a result, he was declared the new consensus chairman of the party.

Unfortunately for Tinubu, he had to contend in the APC with new people who were not beholden to him and refused to be subservient to him. Thus, Tom Ikimi blew the whistle on him, insisting he never dropped out of the race for Oyegun but was forced out because, at that time, Tinubu had designs for a Muslim/Muslim APC presidential ticket, with him as the vice-presidential candidate.

Ali Modu Sheriff was even reported to have been so incensed

by Tinubu at an APC NEC meeting that he threatened to beat him up. Both of these men have since left the APC. Sharp practices: With these antecedents, it is not surprising therefore that the APC primary for

the party ’s gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State was yet another sham orchestrated by Tinubu. Long before the election, Tinubu had unveiled Akinwumi Ambode as his preferred candidate. Oba Rilwan Akiolu, who Tinubu arrogantly announced is one of the very few Obas worth his salt in the entire South-West, had already publicly endorsed Tinubu’s irrefutable choice.

But there were already rumblings that some were not going to take this lying down this time. Muiz Banire, one of Tinubu’s former acolytes, declared publicly that the imposition of a candidate on the APC should be resisted. He said: “I want to encourage our people, particularly APC people, to shine their eyes. They must shine their eyes this time around and not allow anybody to pull the wool over them. They have their votes, their rights, and they must go all out to ensure that we have and enjoy free, transparent, and just primaries.”

Indirect primaries But this was not to be. Tinubu manipulated the process from beginning to end. Delegates were not chosen from the 20 local governments recognised by the APC constitution. Instead of direct primaries in the different local government wards, indirect primaries were held, enabling the powers-that-be to select their preferred disciples and give them voting instructions. To that end, the delegate list was not made known to any of the candidates, except favourite-son Ambode.

Once the results started to be declared, the other contestants realised they had been conned.

They all stormed out of the venue in protest; leaving only Ambode and Ganiyu Solomon. Tokunbo Wahab, one of the aggrieved candidates, declared: “I can say categorically, that what happened today was not a primary but a preorchestrated drama. We shall be making our positions known to the party and INEC within the next few hours and we shall pursue this to a logical, legal conclusion.”

It should be clear to any but the most politically naive that in a truly free and fair election, Ambode is no competition for many of the other contestants.

Ambode is not a politician, and he is an unknown political quantity in Lagos. How then can he prevail over far more popular and better–known politicians in APC, including Ganiyu Solomon, a serving Senator; Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a long-standing Speaker of the House of Assembly; and other household names like Femi Hamzat, the State Commissioner for Works.

The results themselves gave the lie to the entire process. Political lightweight Ambode received a whopping 3,735 votes; while Hamzat could only manage 1201 votes; Ganiyu Solomon 272 votes and Adeyemi Ikuforiji 182 votes.

Tinubu pleaded with aspirants to accept the contrived outcome, saying: “You are 12 aspirants and like the 12 tribes of Israel you have some differences but you must remain one and united.”

Someone needs to inform the Jagaban that the 12 tribes of Israel were not united. As a matter of fact, they split, with two tribes becoming the kingdom of Judah and the remaining ten the kingdom of Israel.

Emasculated governor Tinubu’s machinations are all about power and control.

By choosing a candidate without grassroots support, Tinubu is ensuring that he would not be a threat to him if he becomes governor. Moreover, he would not be able to rely on his own independent sources of power outside of Tinubu. That way, the man would be at Tinubu’s beck and call. This ensures that Tinubu would emasculate the governor; making him entirely dependent on him without having a significant political structure of his own.

If the governor grows wings after a few years in office, the threat of impeachment by Tinubu’s henchmen in the House of Assembly would be held as a sword of Damocles around his neck to keep him back in line.

Through the same flawed process, Tinubu loyalists also swept the APC House of Assembly primaries, even as his supporters swept the election in the 20 LGAs and 30 LCDAs. With this clean sweep, Tinubu’s continued control of the state legislature is assured should the APC candidates prevail at the polls in February.

It is therefore imperative for the Lagos electorate to throw out Tinibu and his gang lock, stock and barrel in the coming elections.

For too long, Lagos has been run as the personal estate of one overbearing man. This must come to an end. Come February 2015, Lagos voters must send Tinubu into early retirement, recognising that a vote for APC again is a vote for political slavery to the whims and caprices of one insatiable godfather.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 THE “Memorandum on Interaction and Cooperation” which Nigerian government officials signed with their counterparts from the Russia Federation should mark a turning point in efforts to confront internal security challenges, which the international community, at the instance of the United States of America, refused to pay any attention.

Russian Security Council Secretar y, Mr. Nikolay Patrushev, announced the signing in Moscow where he met with the National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd).

The significance of the event could be more appreciated against the backdrop of the termination of the US training of Nigerian soldiers on counter-insurgency tactics, at Nigeria’s instance.

Nigeria has, in the past two years, endured the US’ increasingly unfriendly gestures.

Hitherto our most important Western ally, America threatened to withhold certain category of financial aids to Nigeria, including HIV/AIDS, over the decision of Nigerians to pass the law against homosexuality, a cultural and religious taboo in Nigeria and Africa. US asked its friends to join condemnation and application of certain sanctions against Nigeria over the

Looking TTo owards Russia law. It was as if Nigerians decide what laws the US Congress passes or as if American laws have any consideration for nonAmericans. The US did more.

It terminated purchase of Nigeria’s crude oil on the development of new technologies to exploit shale oil. The most recent act of unfriendliness by the US towards Nigeria was its outright refusal to sell critical equipment for the fight against terrorists ravaging the country from Nigeria’s North East. After endless excuses for not making the sale, it finally hinged US grouse on alleged human rights abuses by Nigerian troops. Human

rights records of American troops are not exactly sparkling.

America has not only frustrated Nigeria’s efforts to purchase arms and ammunition through informal sources, its media have been very eager to portray our country and our troops in poor light, buoying the courage of the terrorists. Its strident criticisms of Nigeria increases with every move Nigeria makes to tackle her challenges.

Russia, on the other hand, much vilified, has been reliable when approached for military assistance. The former Soviet Union played a decisive role in supplying attack jets, mortars, as well as pilots Nigeria used during the civil war.

We support the Federal Gover nment’s relations with Russia. In our relations with any nation, we must assert our non-aligned stance, project our national interests and refuse to be pushed around. Nigeria and Russia have had long relations with Russia in several fields, but the US and its allies have often thwarted the relations for their selfish ends.

Nigeria should explore the security and other dimensions of the relations for the benefit of her peoples, in the national interest.

OPINION Jonathan,

PDP

By Johnson Momodu

I

N Nigerian politics, it is a waste of campaign efforts to try to canvass for the votes of some categories of the electorate. The first category comprises voters who have firmly made up their minds concerning whom to vote for. Given the nature of their support, nothing can possibly change their choice. For instance, General Muhammadu Buhari commands a chunk of fanatical young supporters in the Northern parts of the country. It is almost impossible to change the minds and orientations of these voters.

The second category of voters are those usually referred to as “floating voters” made up of members of the electorate who have decided on whom to support but remain malleable and, therefore, subject to change.

This category also includes those yet to decide on where to pitch their camp. Electioneering campaigns are mainly targeted at this group of voters who are persuadable, convertible or simply buyable in the Nigerian way.

Between now and February 2015 when the general elections will hold, the major political parties, especially the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) will be in a fierce competition to win votes. The questions to ask are: What have the parties got to offer Nigerians? What will they do to improve the quality of life of Nigerians, protect life and property? What are their credentials and records of achievement? Of the political parties, only C M Y K

and

the

no-alternatives

the PDP can boast of previous performances at the federal and state levels. And, among the presidential contestants, only President Jonathan has had the experience of having served as President in a civilian administration.

Until the merger that gave birth to the APC, which is the main opposition party, the parties that came together were fragmented, poorly organised and lacking in vision and focus. Their experience in governance was limited to a few states.

Today, all that the APC promising Nigerians is “change” in some nebulous terms, without any clear definition of what it means or how it is to be effected. The APC spends much of its time on destructive criticisms of virtually every policy and action of President Jonathan and his administration.

In developed democracies, the main opposition parties have their own shadow cabinets with appropriate policies and programmes, prepared to step in as alternative governments should the need arise . Hand over power to the APC today and the party would be in total darkness as what to do! The main reason some of our opposition parties seek power is because they perceive government as an opportunity, not for service but for self-aggrandisement.

Herein lies the danger in electing a party such as the APC, because it would take the country back to the pre-democracy years.

If the leadership of the APC were truly ready to take over government and serve the people of this country, it would spell out

narrative

detailed alternative plans of how it intends to tackle the nation’s economic challenges; what the party would do to diversify our sources of income and solve the problems of our dependence on oil; how it intends to improve on the nation’s infrastructure challenges, power supply, road construction, or deal with healthcare, education, unemployment, etc.

The APC ought to roll out details of its plans and strategies on how it intends to put an end to the challenges of insurgency in the North East. This is the only way the party can inject content into its message of change to the Nigerian electorate and be taken seriously. It is not enough to “sweep out the PDP” as the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, sings everyday; he must go beyond the call of “Bring–Back– Our Girls” and tell Nigerians how his party would have resolved the problem, were it given the opportunity. For now, the APC should be advised to stop talking about change, until it has worked out acceptable details and convinced Nigerians of what it plans to do if given power.

The goodluck which the PDP enjoys today is, first, that no opposition party is ready to offer itself to Nigerians as a viable alternative.

Secondly, the party, at all levels of governance, has a history of 15 years of uninterrupted service to Nigeria. In spite of the daunting challenges, the PDP Government has an enviable record of service in areas, including the welfare of the people, provision of infrastructure and social

amenities, the economy, poverty alleviation, security and governance in general. With all modesty, since the PDP Federal Government assumed power in 1999, it has succeeded in rescuing the country out of the slavery of foreign debts accumulated by previous Governments. It is the PDP Government that has moved Nigeria to the position of Number 1 economy in Africa, expanded university education by privatising the sector and allowing the establishment of more than 70 private universities, with the attendant expansion of university opportunities for Nigerian youths; brought a revolution of telecommunication, through the GSM and took Nigeria to the club of space research, through the launching of her own satellite.

More critically, it is the PDP Government that has finally found the solution to Nigeria epileptic power supply by successfully privatising the sector. Indeed, after 15 years of service, the PDP can proudly say that it has been tested and should be trusted by Nigerians.

As for the presidential aspirants, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, General Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and the others, the verdict should not be difficult to reach.

President Jonathan’s greatest achievement is not so much in the areas of the economy, infrastructure or social amenities, as in the development of democracy. He assumed office with a pledge to reform the nation’s electoral system. His dictum of “one manone vote” has been a major success . * Mr. Momodu, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Benin City.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014— —19

Boko Haram, OBJ: Breaking the myth

By Sunny Ikhioya

I

F you ask me, all the points Chief Olusegun Obasanjo raised on the Boko Haram insurgency, as published in the Vanguard newspaper of Thursday November 27, were all valid. But the paradox is; he spent a good eight years in the saddle of the Nigerian government, why did he fail to put any of these measures he highlighted into place? After all, the seeds for Boko Haram were sown during his regime, with many state governors illegally foistering the sharia laws on hapless citizens. The fact is, in saner climes, people that have mismanaged opportunities are allowed to melt into oblivion but not in Nigeria where things run in circles. As long as we keep running in circles, going back to our own vomits and playing politics with the nation's jugular, we shall remain the same.

What ever theory on crime or deviancy that is propounded in the present Boko Haram situation, the bottom line is; it got to this level because our politicians allowed it to fester for their personal and selfish interests. That Obasanjo's address was nothing short of self denial of his contribution to the over all rot we presently face as a nation. Nigerians are so

forgetful. I wish we can play back the years 1999-2007.

The Boko Haram insurgents are human beings like you and me. They have been blown out of proportion because of the consequences of omission and commission on the part of those directing the affairs of the affected states and the nation.

I have written before on this column that; there is no way we can win the battle against the insurgents without the conscious and deliberate efforts of the indigenes of the north eastern states to defend their land. The land is their history, it is their ancestry, heritage, culture and to a great essence, their being.

Without your heritage, you are a 'born throway' - apology to Uncle Sam- and no sane man sits down and watch his land and that, his forefathers have laboured for, to go in ruins.

Better die fighting than live a life of cowardice. Forget about the Federal government and the politics of the politicians, if the people of the North east decide today that Boko Haram activities must stop in their land, it will stop.

Watching Wolf Blitzer programme on CNN of 13th November evening, this fact was reinforced in my mind. Wolf interviewed a retired US army general, Dan Bolger, who played active roles in the Iraq war that

By John Udumebraye

T

HOSE of us who were already adults when, in 1986, Professor Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka won his Nobel Prize in Literature, knew very well that he won the laurel, not so much because of his literary prowess but for what he did as a political activist. So extreme was Soyinka’s radicalism that as far back as the 1960s he seized a radio station at gunpoint in Ibadan during the political crisis in Western region. To be honest, although Wole Soyinka is a scholar by profession, he is more known for his extreme political views. And, sadly, he has always been partisan and biased.

That Wole Soyinka is antagonistic of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and his administration is a fact too obvious to hide. Not only has he been contemptuous of the person of Dr. Jonathan, he is also cynical about almost every programme, decision or action undertaken by the administration. Indeed, like some members of the opposition parties, the Nobel Laureate has never found anything good with the Government.

What has become increasingly worrisome is the fact that Soyinka’s cynicism is beginning to overflow into some kind of hatred or bitterness, best described as the product of a wobbled mind. Otherwise, why would a Professor of sound mind liken President Jonathan to the biblical “King Nebuchadnezzar”?

Nebuchadnezzar was one of the worst kings that ever lived according to the scriptures and Soyinka thinks that Jonathan is worse than that evil personified. What are Soyinka’s reasons for vilifying the President on this occasion?

Soyinka’s statement touched on several issues, some of which he had bottled up, including what he claimed to be President Jonathan’s involvements in last year’s crisis of the Nigerian Governor’s Forum, his handling of the Chibok girls, the Nyanya bomb blast, his alleged insensitivity to the recent Kano tragedy, campaign on ethnic sentiments and the sacking of former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the late Ambassador Gbenga C M Y K

toppled Saddam Hussein. He just released a book on the American mission in Iraq and Afghanistan which he titled "Why We Lost The War", the summary of his book centred around counter insurgency and he submits that counter insurgency must come from the people. The Americans succeeded in occupying Iraq and Afghanistan but they could not finish the business, they won the battle but could not win the war, they could not win the war because they did not successfully carry the indigenes along.

He submits that: 'the Iraqis' had to get the job done'. It is the Iraqis' that understands the terrain, the language, the people and also the insurgents.

Today's wars have changing patterns and modes as compared to those of the 20th century, brute force and ammunitions alone do not make it happen. The greatest asset is making the

What is going on for the insurgents is their mindset, they are not good or well trained soldiers, they have only been indoctrinated with very extreme religious ideologies

people, I mean, the victims to agree that you are fighting for their cause. It is even worse when religion is brought into it.

What I am proposing here is not theory, it is real and working. In the mirror online of 14th November, 2014, was a caption "Army/Vigilante flush out Boko Haram from Mubi". In the Vanguard newspaper of Wednesday 19th November, 2014, the feature article under the caption " Recapture of Mubi, Chibok..." read thus: "... A recent collaboration between the military and the local vigilante groups seems to be the magic wand needed to flush out the insurgents. It worked in Mubi and Chibok, hence the clamour for this mode of operation in the war against terrorism in the country."

In fact, the introduction to the article states thus: "They realise that they had become endangered species in their own fatherland and if nothing was done urgently to flush out the insurgents, their huge investments would be destroyed, political ambitions thwarted and their relevance called to question. That was the quagmire some concerned elite and business tycoons from Boko Haram ravaged and other parts.....found themselves in". It went further; " it was against this backdrop that these prominent indigenes mobilised the local war lords who are not sympathetic to the cause Boko Haram is fighting, to take up arms and defend their homeland from being over run by the overzealous insurgents".

That was how Mubi and Chibok got rescued from the hands of the Boko Haram insurgents. It is clear that our army cannot win the war without the support of the indigenes, such synergy must be encouraged for the remaining part of the war against the insurgents.

The army cannot fight without information and it is the people who are born and bred in that terrain are in the position to offer accurate or factual data about the situation on ground.

According to Gen. Dan Bolger, it takes a long term effort to build an army. He says: "building a military takes decades" and you have to train the locals to withstand those insurgents. To train a sergeant for example will take nothing less than ten years.

Also, to him, it takes more than equipments to win the insurgency battle; leadership and mindsets are other vital factors.

What is going on for the insurgents is their mindset, they are not good or well trained soldiers, they have only been indoctrinated with very extreme religious ideologies, of hate and negative jihads, we must find a way to neutralise this.

Also, the sponsors of the insurgents must be traced, identified and brought to book.

Our politicians must back off and stop commenting on Boko Haram activities when they do not have the solutions to solving it. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

Soyinka on President Jonathan Ashiru.

However, the main thrust of Soyinka’s attack on Jonathan was what he described as the glaring display of impunity, citing instances such as the barring of Governors

by Policemen from entering Ekiti State to campaign for former Governor Kayode Fayemi and the more recent incident involving some members of the House of Representatives and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba.

While castigating the President for the actions of the Police, the Nobel Laureate praised the lawmakers who scaled the gates and walls of the parliament building for their dedication to duty.

Those who have followed Soyinka’s political views over the year would find it extremely difficult to separate him from members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), except his high-falut in language.

I don’t even think the Professor would try to convince anybody that he is not a member of the APC. But there is nothing wrong with being a member of a political party whether the governing party or the

There is, therefore, nothing unusual for Soyinka, a Yoruba man, to be sympathetic to the party, its leading figures and whatever they stand for

opposition. The only problem with Soyinka is that he is partisan to the core but wears the cloak of scholarship.

Almost every statement in Soyinka’s “King Nebuchadnezzar – The Reign of Impunity”, is laden with biases of all sorts, political, religious and ethnic. For instance, he accuses President Jonathan of impunity and at the same time finds nothing wrong with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State who has no respect for the rule of law; Soyinka accuses Jonathan of carrying out ethnic campaigns in the same statement in which his ethnic bias is betrayed when he castigates the Government for the sack of the former Foreign Affairs Minister, the late Ambassador Ashiru.

Think about it: in spite of Soyinka’s socalled objectivity, there are Nigerians he has never uttered a word of criticism against, even when they are known all over the country to be of questionable character. It is amusing seeing the like of Bola Tinubu and Soyinka on a round table discussing corruption in Government!

Although intellectually creative and prolific, Soyinka is not, strictly speaking, a scholar and has never been one. He knows this fact himself, which was why he had to leave the then University College, Ibadan, for the University of Ife, a regional institution, where he was made Professor in 1975. He knows the class of degree he obtained from Ibadan could not have secured him admission to higher degree there, which was the reason he had to go to Leeds University in the UK. This was enough to create a complex in Soyinka. It might be argued that the issue of higher degree or distinction between scholarship and creative writing should not apply to a man who has won the Nobel Prize. What we must admit, however, is that no amount of awards can alter an academic truth.

In motivation research, psychologists believe that, generally, creative minds have the special gift of disguising the real

factors that induce their actions, even those that are known to be natural human tendencies. The instances are many in Soyinka. When, in 1953, he founded the Pyrates Confraternity, at Ibadan, he ingeniously credited the cult with the goals of fighting for justice and anticorruption. Soyinka still defends his membership of this cult today, even when the facts are obvious that it is not different in any way from other secret cults in the country. Soyinka, Amaechi and many others highly placed Nigerians are still tied together by the vows they swore to, as Pyrates. Talk of impunity, arrogance and cognate vices, and Soyinka and his disciples are the epitomes, not President Jonathan. And they would never find anything wrong with one another.

We must grant that it is natural for a man to be sentimentally pulled to an organisation that has dominant influence in his or her place of birth. The defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which became the dominant partner in the APC, had its roots in Yorubaland. There is, therefore, nothing unusual for Soyinka, a Yoruba man, to be sympathetic to the party, its leading figures and whatever they stand for.

To put it bluntly, Soyinka is not a detribalized Nigerian. He should be honest enough in his criticism of President Jonathan and say: “Yes, we also have many Nebuchadnezzars, rogues and corrupt politicians amongst us, but they are of my stock or association, and I have an obligation to defend them.” Only then, would he be objectively reflecting the ideals of the Nobel Laureate which he wears around his neck. Otherwise, Soyinka’s numerous biases make nonsense of whatever he may say of President Jonathan and, indeed, any leader in his administration.

•Mr. Udumebraye, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 21

Capital market crash: NSE defends tight regulation

By Peter Egwuatu & Nkiruka Nnorom

I

N a bid to prevent anoth er crash of the Nigerian capital market, the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, weekend said the regulators introduced tight regulatory regime which had led to increased investor confidence and recovery of some money lost by investors during the global financial meltdown.

The Chief Executive Officer, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who spoke against the recent decline in the share prices of companies quoted on the NSE said “ Following the 2008 global financial crisis, the Federal Government of Nigeria, in conjunction with The NSE and its regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria, SEC as well as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), embarked upon several key initiatives to ensure the Nigerian capital market and the financial market emerged stronger and more resilient.

The focus of this transformation was to strengthen the regulatory framework to ensure a safe investment destination for both local and foreign investors while establishing a favorable business environment for companies to thrive.

He said with the immense support from capital market participants and various agencies in Nigeria, the NSE has made great strides in its transformation journey which has brought about major re-

$178.95

-$2.60

$2,927.00

-$2.00

$15.35

-$1.87

$64.43

-$0.13

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA YUAN RIYAL KRONA SDR

167 261.9395 206.2617 171.546 1.3838 0.2944 242.3484 27.1505 44.4906 27.7197 243.2856

168 263.508 207.4968 172.5732 1.3921 0.3144 243.7996 27.314 44.757 27.8857 244.7424

CBN Exchange Rate as 08/12/2014

C M Y K

Capital Market, enabling it to build upon its strengths and ensuring Nigeria is an attractive market. As we shift gear into a growth phase, our combined triumph hinges on the successes we have celebrated thus far.”

While highlighting some major landmarks achieved in the capital market since 2011,

Nigeria woos Japan on recycling vehicles

CENTRAL SELLING 167.5 27238 206.8793 172.0596 1.388 0.3044 243.074 27.2322 44.6238 27.8027 244.014

Onyema at the capital market correspondents workshop held in Lagos said “To enable the market sustain the momentum the NSE has recently ensured that its implementation of medium- to long-term strategic initiatives remain a key priority. Both SEC and NSE have played critical roles to continue to support the Nigerian

SUMMIT: From left: Tawanda Gumbo, transitional leader, Deloitte Nigeria; Tunde Fafunwa, Managing Director, Kitskoo; Syed Saiful Islam, Finance and Control Director, Nestle Nigeria Plc, and Mike Vincent, Advisory Leader, Deloitte West Africa, at the 2014 Deloitte CFO survey report summit in Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.

-$0.21

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CURRENCY BUYING

view of its governance, market structure and operations thereby resulting in a stronger regulatory environment, and the implementation of innovations required for delivering a robust and efficient capital market.

Bola Adeeko, Executive Director, Corporate Services of the NSE, who represented Mr

he said, “When we commenced the journey to transform the Exchange in 2011, we started with Corporate Governance. We embedded appropriate governance in all of our dealings from the National Council, to its committees, all the way down to the day-today operations of the Exchange. We developed, documented, optimised and automated multiple policies and procedures to achieve operational efficiency. Today, we hold ourselves to the same standards we ask of our listed companies. In an effort to raise our level of competitiveness, the Exchange launched the Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS) for listed companies in partnership with the Convention on Business Integrity (CBi). By remaining at the forefront of promoting good business practices, we can further increase our contributions toward the sustainable development of our listed companies, and invariably, the economy.”

He further noted that a strong regulatory environment was essential to protecting investors against infractions and enhancing investor confidence in the market, adding “We have worked tirelessly to revise key rules for dealing members and issuers, and developed several new rules to create the much needed order, equitable treatment, efficiency and protection for all participants in our market.”

By Franklin Alli

N

igeria is seeking Japanese Government help in recycling huge and disused vehicular carcass that littered the country’s landscape.

Speaking at a technical meeting between officials of Industry, Trade and Investment Ministry and those of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on the Development of Automobile Supplier Parks in Nigeria, the Permanent Secretary, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa, said the ratio of new and used cars in Nigeria is between 5: 95 percent in favour of used cars.

This, he said, is so because used cars are affordable to the average Nigerian which is why the gov-

ernment under its Transformation Agenda developed a holistic auto policy that emphasizes greater local content.

“For each new car in Nigeria we have 20 used cars. It is a big market to recycle vehicle in this country which may serve as avenue for employment and skills acquisition as well as opportunity for manufacturers to replace used cars with new one”.

Abdilkadir said local content development has been part of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP) which is the next stage of the Auto policy the Ministry is focusing on in order to create employment and wealth as well as skill acquisitions for Nigerians in the auto sector.

He said that the intervention of government of Japan in the sector is welcome and fall within present administration’s plan to develop auto industry sector in the country.

He added that development of

auto clusters in the country is achievable and the Ministry is ready to work with Japan to provide necessary support and information.

He recalled that the NIRP and National Enterprise Development Programme (NEDEP) recently launched by the government were meant to develop skills of Nigerian youths as well as address the skills gap in the country adding that National Automotive Council (NAC) and Industrial Training Fund (ITF) are working with stakeholders to develop curriculum along value chain on automobile for higher institutions in the country.

He urged the survey team to widen their survey across the country in order to get true picture of data of automobile in the country noting that workshop, after sales service and training of personnel must cut across the six geo-political zones of the country.

The leader of the team, Mr. Akihiro Shimomura stated that the objective of the survey was to actualise the federal government request on the development of automobile supplier parks in Nigeria and to analyse the current issues on the development of the automotive industry in Nigeria, policy and strategy, institutional framework and progress of the sector as well as sort out political and technical issues on the promotion of domestic production in Nigeria.

“JICA decided to conduct a survey to gather information of the automotive sector in Nigeria in response to the request from the Nigerian government” Shimomura stressed.

He said the team would look at the outline of automotive industry, policy, strategy and plan, standards, development of popular car, supplier parks and clusters in 3 areas as well as laws and regulations.

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

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INVESTORS

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Top 10 performing stocks

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

O

n the top 10 performing stocks last week were shares of Mansard Insurance Plc, Academy Press Plc, Royal Exchange Assurance Plc, P.Z Industries Plc, Ikeja Hotels Plc and Evans Medicals Plc. The rest were Ashaka Cement Plc, Continental Reinsurance P l c , Berger Pa i n t s Nig. Plc a n d Learn Africa Plc. Mansard Insurance, one of the early insurance firms that has successfully migrate its financial reporting style to International Financial Reporting Standard, IFRS, emerged the top on the list with N0.57 or 18.10 per cent increase, closing at N3.72 from N3.15 early in the week.

At a period when most insurance companies are coming under the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, hammer for either late submission or outright nonsubmission of their quarterly f i n a n c i a l statements, Mansard has severally escaped such hammer as it has consistently delivered on that obligation to investors.

Only recently, the company received recognition from the Exchange for being one of the few listed entities with outstanding corporate governance practice. Besides, Mansard also won two consecutive awards at the tail end of the year. Firstly, it emerged the first place overall winner in Insurance and Pensions category at the 2014 Nigerian Risk Awards, an award dedicated to rewarding organizations and individuals who have achieved results through the effective implementation of enterprise risk management principles.

Also at the fourth edition of Marketing World Awards, which held on November 7, 2014, in Lagos, it was adjudged Insurance Brand of the year.

The company returned to profitability in 2013 financial year after posting a pre-tax loss of N77.310 million in 2012. It recorded profit before tax of N86.94 billion during the period. Its gross premium written grew by three per cent

to N2.54 billion from N2.48 billion a year earlier, while the net income premium witnessed one per cent increase from N1.52 billion in 2012 to N1.14 billion during the period.

However, in quarter one ended March, 2014 GWP returned to double digit, growing by 63 per cent to N1.44 billion from N879.423 million in the same period in 2013.

Academy Press gained N0.13 or 13.68 per cent to close as the second most traded. The share price closed at N1.08 from N0.95 it started the week at. Due to the continued importation of print products that has been threatening growth in printing industry, the company recorded slight reduction in profitability in 2014 financial year. Though the company’s revenue grew to N2.34 billion in 2014, as against N2.28 billion in 2013, its profit before tax fell to N82.6 million, compared to N83.3 million posted in 2013. Despite this, the directors recommended eight kobo dividend, which was duly approved by shareholders at the last annual general Meeting, AGM. According to the chairman, Mr. Simeon Oguntimehin, the company has started retooling its operations in order to return to profitability in 2015 “ O u r expansion project has been fully delivered and fully operational.

The new facility will strengthen the print industry ability to close up the gap of capacity inadequacy which prints services foreign importers have ben exploiting to prevent government commitment to change in tariff structures. There is hope of improved revenue and profit from the next financial year,” he assured. Royal Exchange Assurance followed with N0.06 or 12 per cent price appreciation, closing at N0.56 from N0.50. Shareholders of the underwriting firm recently called on the Board to recapitalise the company to the tune of N50 billion, as its current capital base is inadequate for t h e company t o effectively compete in its new sector – Other Financial Institutions of NSE. They held that the group’s net assets at N9 billion is grossly inadequate for the subsidiaries to compete effectively and efficiently in order to produce best results among their peers.

When you are not satisfied with your bank (4)

By Babajide Komolafe

Y

ou were dissatisfied with the service of your bank.

You made a verbal complaint, the issue was not resolved. And as advised in the last edition, you have written a formal letter of complaint to the management of the bank, with copies to the CBN and NDIC. But you have not received any response. What should you do next?

You must make up your mind not to give up. Decide to follow up your complaints with constant reminders. While it is not uncommon for banks to be slow in responding to customers complaint, it is however unusual for regulators not to respond on time. But irrespective of when the response comes, the determining factor is the determination of the customer.

For example, a customer received a debit of over N700, 000 in his account. He made

complaint at his branch, and he was told that the debit was to cancel an erroneous credit of same value in his account more than a year earlier. The customer insisted that his account did not receive such credit. He argued that even if that was the case, the bank should

,

While it is not uncommon for banks to be slow in responding to customers complaint, it is however unusual for regulators not to respond on time, but irrespective of when the response comes, the determining factor is the determination of the customer

There have been instances where customers said they complained to the CBN and there was no response

have brought it to his attention, and sought his consent before his money was removed. He insisted that the bank returned his money but his request was ignored. As a result, he wrote a formal letter of complaint to the Managing Director of the bank, copied the Executive Director in charge of retail, and the CBN. When he submitted the letter to his branch, the branch manager, begged him not to submit the letter to the MD, appealing that the money would be returned. That was how he got his money back.

Some other customers would have relented or give up. This customer did not, and it was his determination that brought his money back. There have been instances where customers said they made complain to the CBN and there was no response. The real

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MARKET NEWS

Shareholder berates SEC over CMC composition, associations’ multiplicity

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

T

he General Secretary of In dependent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, ISAN, Mr. Adebayo Adeleke, has condemned the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC,

over non-inclusion of investors the its Capital Market Committee, CMC. The CMC is charged with the responsibility of charting a 10 year Capital Market Master Plan that would return the market to path of

sustainable growth.

Adeleke also blamed the SEC over multiplicity of shareholders” association, saying that the SEC DG, Ms. Arunma Oteh, seeks to destabilize activism among shareholders’ group and also remain in con-

From left: Director, Finance, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Mr. Ibukun Ojo; a graduand, Miss Roli Okoregbo and Executive Director, Supply Chain, Mr. Rotimi Fadipe, during the 26th Honeywell Baking School Graduation ceremony, in Lagos.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 23

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There have been instances where customers said they complained to the CBN and there was no response

,

INVESTORS SPEAK problem is that they gave up. While it is possible that the complaint was not properly addressed, the fact is that even if it was a case of manhandling or delay, your determination to get a response is what will compel a response from the authorities. There is the case of a customer, whose money (close to N1 million) was fraudulently withdrew through Point of Sale (PoS) pur-

chases. He complained to the bank via the branch. He did not get reprieve. He later wrote to the headquarters, and still no reprieve. Subsequently, he sought for a way to get the personal telephone number and email of the Managing Director, and sent his complaint to him via text and email. When the Managing Director received

the text, he directed his staff to repay the customer. The customer was determined enough to employ desperate measures to get reprieve. That is the attitude that elicits prompt response to customers’ complaint and helps improve on the quality of banking services in the country.

Naira devaluation: What shareholders think

By PROVIDENCE OBUH Following the devaluation of the naira by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Shareholders in this interview speak on how it will impact on their investment especially in terms of dividend. Excerpt: National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders’ Association of Nigeria (ISAN) Mr. Sunny Nwosu: Devaluation is a spiral issue, spiral in the sense that it will increase the cost of some of the companies quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) thereby affecting their projections both in dividend and either in turnover or in profits. Which ever way you look at it, it will

From left: Tobe Nnadozie, Group Head, E-Banking, Heritage Bank; Rabi Momoh, Group Head, Private Wealth Management, Ivory Banking; Niyi Adeseun, Executive Director, Manilla Banking; Wumi Adeniyi, Group Head, Business Services and Nneka Okoro, Head, Human Capital during the launch of the first Mobile POS in Nigeria, the Heritage Porta POS in Lagos.

trol of the various associations by sponsoring break away groups.

He also cautioned the commission’s DG over any involvement in partisan politics, saying that such involvement is not to the best interest of the market.

Speaking at a workshop for Capital Market Correspondents , in Lagos, he said that thecommittee may not achieve any meaningful result with the exclusion of shareholders/investors who are the fund providers in the capital market.

He said, “Before MKO Abiola died, he said that of all professions in the world, he loves barbing because it is not possible to shave a man’s hair in his absence. So, it is only in Nigerian capital market that you have Capital Market Committee that does not include investors. That is the truth, and the investor is the provider of the capital and without it, you only have market without capital. …Number two, we have a DG of SEC that in the past three years has met with shareholders two times and in less than two hours. In fact, one of them was so insulting, and before she could sit down, she said I’ve got a flight to catch and off she went. What kind of insult is that?

Last week Monday, she called us to Abuja and she wasn’t there.

It is only in Nigeria that you have a DG of SEC who is supposed to be bypartisan attending a political par-

ty rally.

So, when you say ‘oh these guys are making a lot of noise’, look at what they are saying, are they making sense? Because the way we are looking at it from the inside, other people are also looking at it from outside. You just have to look at your market and say, ‘are these people serious,’ because these things are not peculiar to our nation, there are other capital market platforms and regulators all over the world.

On multiplicity of shareholders' group, he said there is nothing wrong with having multiple shareholders' association since the constitution allows freedom of association. “So, the same way you have multiplicity of political parties and newspaper houses, is the same way you have shareholders' association.

Because the SEC did not define the composition, it could be me, my wife and dog Nigeria association; it is a constitutional issue,” he said.

“Let me say this, SEC has been in the fore-front of not only recognizing these associations, but encouraging them. They think that by playing ‘divide and rule’, they can get at the major or the big shareholders' associations, so they call them often to Abuja to do what? I

don’t know.

“But I will tell you something, SEC is doing that because they also want to control or let me use the word, regulate shareholders' association.

That is not within their purview, absolutely and because the major shareholders who have been there all this while, we tell them, ‘you can’t do that, we will not agree. So they are beginning to sponsor minority break away factions, telling them ‘look, if you come, we can do this together’. But I have told them, soldier go, soldier come, barrack remains.

So, as far as we are concerned, we are not bordered about that.

He, however, blamed the multiplicity of shareholders' association on unemployment level in the country and dubiousness of companies management. “Quite a lot of our companies are culpable, if you don’t have something to hide; I don’t see how one man riot squad will hold you to ransom. You don’t see them around the corridors of multinationals that don’t give out money.

•Sunny Nwosu definitely affect their projections.

The first reason why it will impact on projection is that the money they have budgeted as the import element of their business will increase because they will now be putting in more naira in acquiring few foreign exchange and in the process they will not have enough money to operate and also if there is a borrowing element in their trading, it will increase so that they will be able to meet the naira requirement. As a result of this, all put together will then mean that they will spend more money than budgeted.

The function of dividend is based on the amount of profit they are able to make, if you put all these together, it means they will be spending more money than what they expected, as a result of that the dividend and profit projected will be threatened, because the sharing will be based on what they are able to make from profit margin. Since they have gone to the bank for additional funding, they will have to pay higher interest because if you look at the other aspect which

has to do with liquidity ratio, it has also increased, that then means that borrowing from the banks will also be affected in the sense that the banks will be charging higher interest and those who placed money with the bank will also be asking for higher interest since the bank lend out on higher interest. It is a spiral issue that they cannot run away from except the government decide to subsidize real sector borrowing by making special provision for the real sector of the economy, that is reducing the interest rate.

•Bisi Bakare Mrs. Bisi Bakare of Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria: I don’t think naira devaluation has anything to do with investment. This is because the deed has already been done in Nigeria, everything is now upside down, whether naira is devalued or not. If naira appreciated it would have been a different ball game but over the years naira has been devalued severally and Any good investor will not be wearied because of naira devaluation except those who just jump into it, if you are a sound investor, ordinarily, you will know that investment in shares is not short term but a long term investment that you get the benefit gradually, is not something you pump in money this month and expect that in another two months you will get 10 percent appreciation, it does not work that way and that is what affected the shares about seven, eight years back.

No good investor should sell their shares now, this is even the best time to sell shares for any good investor to buy shares because the price of shares are very good now, if not for manufacturing companies and cement manufacturing company’s that are going up other stock prices are very low.

24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

DECEMBER 9, 2014

India emerges highest buyer of Nigeria’s crude ...Spends $1.17bn on 16m barrels

By Michael Eboh

I

NDIA emerged the highest buyer of Nigeria’s crude oil in the month of August 2014, with the purchase of 16.35 million barrels.

Using data obtained from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, which puts the average monthly price of crude at $71.56 per barrel, India’s purchases translated to $1.17 billion, about N198.9 billion.

According to recent data released by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, the purchase by India, represents 23.37 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export of 69.97 million barrels.

Netherlands followed, with the purchase of 11.01 million barrels of crude oil representing 15.74 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export.

Nigeria exported 6.58 million barrels of crude oil to Brazil in the month under review, while Spain purchased 5.7 million barrels.

Continuing, the NNPC report stated that United Kingdom purchased 4.475 million barrels of crude oil South Africa purchased 3.86 million barrels of crude; Indonesia — 2.849 million barrels; Italy — 2.282 million barrels and Australia purchased 1.83 million barrels.

Despite India accounting for bulk of Nigeria’s export, Europe was the major buyer of Nigeria’s crude in the month of August, accounting for 48.01 per cent of crude export with 33.6 million barrels.

Asia and Far East followed with the purchase of 21.05 million barrels representing 30.09 per cent.

South America accounted for 9.40 per cent of Nigeria’s crude export with 6.58 million barrels of crude, while African countries purchased 5.962 million barrels, representing 8.52 per cent of Nigeria’s total crude export.

Nigeria exported 1.83 million barrels of crude oil to Oceania/ Pacific countries , representing 2.62 per cent of total crude export, while North America received 0.05 million barrels of Nigeria’s crude, representing 1.36 per cent of total crude export.

Continuing, the report stated that total crude oil and condensates lifting for both domestic and export was about 70.14 million barrels.

It explained that oil companies lifted about 41.23 million barrels, representing

58.78 per cent of the total, while the NNPC lifted 28.91 million barrels, representing 41.22 per cent.

The NNPC said, “Lifting by fiscal regime shows 36.22, 25.89

and 8.02 million barrels for Joint Venture Companies (JVCs), Production Sharing Contract and Service Contract (PSC/SC) companies, and others respectively.

“Out of NNPC’s total lifting of 28.91 million barrels, 21.23 million barrels was for Federation Account, which includes, the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS),

AWARD: From left: Deputy Manager, Corporate and Investment Banking Division, Access Bank Plc, Charles Odum and Manager, Commercial Banking Division Access Bank Plc, Olufemi Odukoya receiving the award for the 2014 Financial Institution of the Year Award at the Oil Industry Awards Ceremony from the Financial Secretary, Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria, Mrs. Edith Akwaeke in Port Harcourt.

Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) Offshore; PPMC Crude Exchange and Modified Carry Agreement (MCA), while 7.67 million barrels was for domestic use.”

The NNPC further stated that total wellhead production for the month of August was 58.80 million barrels.

This figure, according to the NNPC, was short of actual as wellhead production data from some companies was not available.

The NNPC said, “Terminal (fiscalised) production total for the month was about 68.06 million barrels representing 2.20 million barrels per day, 6.8 per cent higher than the production of 63.72 million barrels or 2.06 million barrels per day in July, 2014.

“Only Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mobil Producing Nigeria, MPN, and Addax carried out exploration/ drilling activities during the month in review. The operation was carried out on four wells.

Prepaid meter: DISCOs defy NERC’s ultimatum

By Sebastine Obasi

N

EARLY two months after the Chairman of Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, Sam Amadi, issued a two-week ultimatum to distribution companies, DISCOs, to provide meters to electricity consumers, the directive is yet to be complied with, as citizens lament high tariff, arising therefrom.

Mid- October, Amadi issued a two-week compliance deadline during a meeting with the DISCOs and stakeholders on Aggregate Technical Commercial and Collection Loss Studies in Abuja. He warned that failure to abide with the directive would attract sanctions by the commission.

Despite the ultimatum, electricity consumers have continued to lament their frustration in getting meters they paid for, while their monthly electricity bills are on the increase.

“Nobody has deemed it fit to give me the meter I paid

for and no one is listening to me at the local electricity distribution company, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) and nobody is speaking for me at the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) that issues directives but failed to carry them out, so I have to pay exorbitant charge for power that I don’t consume every month for this long now,” said Camilus Njoku, an electricity consumer resident in Abuja, the Federal capital Territory.

He added that AEDC has rather continued to bully him into paying bills prepared through the estimated billing method and that the company threatens him with service disconnection each time they bring the bills.

Ikenna Okwu who lives in the Government Residential Area (GRA) of Enugu stated that notwithstanding the reality that power supply in Enugu had grown from being ‘manageable’ to staying ‘so bad’ since the privatisation of the distribution company which Interstates Electrics

bought from the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, has also compounded customers’ woes with their alleged refusal to roll-out prepaid metering facilities for ease of payment accumulated from service delivery.

While alleging that EEDC seems ill-prepared to revitalise the electricity utility company, Okwu added that rather than investing in and installing smart prepaid meters, the company has resorted to serving its customers through estimated billing methods that is often outrageous in comparison to services rendered.

She explained that efforts to get prepaid meters from EEDC has overtime proved to be a fruitless venture, as officials of EEDC said that they were not ready to roll-out prepaid meters to its customers across its covered area yet.

Speaking on the issue, the Managing Director of EEDC, Robert Dickerman, said that the company was still conducting a population study of electricity

consumers in the region with which it will plan its deployment of prepaid meters and other electricity accessories.

“We know that the former PHCN was nothing to write home about and that they got involved in all sorts of unwholesome activities but we equally had some appreciable level of services come from them.

“Since EEDC took over, power supply has been erratic in Enugu and I am sure in some other cities that they service here in the east. The most annoying part of it all is that the analogue meters that are installed in most parts of Enugu do not work, yet they don’t want to install prepaid meters for customers to pay according to what they consume, they have resorted to estimated billing of customers and you can imagine how outrageous they come. Sometime a consumer pays N5000 and at another month, he pays as much as N10,000 for services that were never rendered,” Okwu added.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 25

Independents account for gas reserve portfolio of 46trn — DPR

By Sebastine Obasi

N

IGERIAN independents oil companies account for the nation’s gas reserve portfolio of 46 trillion cubic feet, TCF, the Director, Department of Petroleum Resources, Mr. George Osahon said.

Osahon stated this at the Lagos Oil Club Question and Answer session held in Lagos.

The DPR boss, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Upstream, Mr. Emmanuel Bekee, also said that indigenous blocks account for 45 TCF, while marginal fields account for one TCF. He explained that out of the 76 indigenous blocks, Nigeria has 10 billion barrels of oil reserves, while the 30 marginal fields account for 500 million barrels of oil.

“Independents have not done badly judging by their involvement in gas commercialisation by the few producers, establishments of the first topping plant in the country and the refinery built since the late 80’s.

“Credits must be given to independents for their aggressive participation in the acquisition of divested assets, strong collaboration among some operators to address concerns of common interest, relatively hitch-free operation and limited issues with the communities and strong CSR initiative on the part of some operators,” he said.

Osahon also said that there is a ray of hope for downstream

independents, who, in spite of the issues and challenges that abound, still control the downstream sector of the industry.

A breakdown of the downstream operations shows that independent marketers control 91 per cent in the retail outlet category in 2014, while the oil majors control the remaining nine percent.

For base oil storage capacity, independents control 41 per cent, while the majors control 59 per cent. A further breakdown shows that the independents have storage capacity of more than 800 million litres for PMS, otherwise known as petrol and more

than 400 million litres each for dual purpose kerosene, DPK and automated gas oil, AGO, while the majors have more than 200 million litres storage capacity for PMS and about 150 million litres storage each for DPK and AGO. Osahon said, “Independents would invariably control about 40 to 50 per cent of the nation’s crude oil reserves of about 37 billion barrels in short to midterm. They currently control only about nine to 10 percent of production but growth would be rapid.

Fifteen of the original 24 marginal fields awarded in 2003 are yet to go on produc-

tion while a good number of those on production including independents hardly meet their obligations including royalties, concessional rentals and flare penalty payments with serious impact on government earnings.

“Upstream independent operation is likely to witness similar growth path as the downstream with all its issues and challenges including but not limited to respect for the rules of the game.”

COMPETITION: From left: Engineer Koleade Ajegunle, General Manager, Health Safety Environment and Quality, Total Nigeria Plc; Mr Babajide Olufemi, General Manager, Marketing, Mr Maxence Bourgoing, Network Development Manager and Mr Alexis Vovk, Managing Director, Total Nigeria Plc, presenting the winning trophy to the representatives of the Benin Sales Area, winners of the 2014 Nigoscars Competition in Benin.

Power: FG reiterates commitment to tackling technical challenges

By Chris Ochayi

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HE Federal Government has inaugurated the Head office of the National Power Sector Apprenticeship Scheme, NAPSAS, in Abuja.

The scheme was designed to train artisans to bridge the technical gap of workforce in the power sector.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Power, Ambassador Godknows Igali said while commissioning the office that the edifice will be used to co-ordinate all activities of the scheme across the country, because the sector cannot afford to derail Mr. President’s vision of building critical capacity in terms of middle level manpower necessary for the attainment of the nation’s quest for stable and safe electricity supply.

Going down memory lane, the Permanent Secretary observed that NAPSAS is a

child of necessity, aimed at correcting the mistakes of the past. According to him, on the eve of privatisation, many felt there was no need to engage new hands; for 16 – 20 years, there was embargo on employment of technical personnel in the power sector.

The coming of NAPSAS, he said, will add value to the electricity sector through capacity building for artisans, pole climbers, switch gear operators, electrical fitters, substation operators, low and middle level technical staff.

He expressed optimism in the future of the scheme, saying that knowledge, innovation and technology which are features of the sector would be enhanced through training and retraining, which NAPSAS will help fill.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo had

said NAPSAS, is conceived to bridge the technical gap of workforce and address the near hopeless situation in the power sector..

Nebo, during the pre-event activities of launch of the scheme in Abuja, noted that the scheme will also serve as a huge way of advancing local content capacity of our people.

He said that when on assumption of duty he discovered a near hopeless situation on the technical side of the sector, with over 16 years of non-engagement of engineers; dying, sick and incapacitated workers existed in the sector, with no hope of being replaced by competent hands.

According to him, “The implication of this ugly development is that we will be handing over to the private sector a totally deficient and incapacitated work force that cannot deliver on the mandate

handed down to us by Mr. President for us to ensure uninterrupted power supply nation-wide”.

“Hence we conceived this scheme to train artisans, filters, machinists, linesmen sub-station operators and joineries. These artisans will now be ready as driving force of young men and women who will take the power sector to higher heights.

“We are desirous of building a robust sector.

These individuals drawn from across the country will undergo intensive training between six months and one year, during this time they would be paid a stipend.”

“There exists huge gap, that we need to fill, otherwise foreigners will take over this place. Qualified and skilful Nigerians would also be needed in the area of renewable energy,” he concluded.

Nigeria’s crude export rises by 200,000bpd as Shell reopens TNP

By Aminat Oyekanmi, with agency reports

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IGERIA’S crude oil production and export rose by about 200,000 barrels per day, as Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, reopened its 28-inch Trans Niger Pipeline.

The pipeline which transports Bonny Light, according to a statement by Shell’s spokesperson, Sally Donaldson, was reopened after it carried out an investigation on the leak.

She, however, stated that the 24inch Trans Niger Pipeline, which it discovered is the source of the spill will remain closed.

She said, “The joint investigation visit to the site of the spill, comprising representatives of government regulatory agencies, the communities, SPDC and some NGOs, established that the incident was caused by a failed crude theft point installed by unknown persons.”

Nigeria’s oil exports were a couple of days ago, disrupted after SPDC shut down the 28inch Trans Niger Pipeline, after it suspected a leak on the pipeline.

The pipeline, according to Shell, carries one of Nigeria’s main export grades, Bonny Light, with about six cargoes of the crude exported each month, or around 180,000-200,000 barrels per day.

AfricDelta acquires first Nigerian flagged vessel

By Ediri Ejoh

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FRICDELTA Marine Limited, ADML, said it has acquired its first Nigerian flagged vessel, Afrik Roan’, in an effort to ensure local content compliance in Nigeria.

With this acquisition, the company said it currently has a fleet of 10 operated vessels between 30 and 90 tones bollard pull, adding that it expects to grow its fleet to over 25 vessels by 2015.

The Business Development Manager, ADML, Mr Rotimi Awopetu, revealed that Afrik Roan is a line handling tug of Damen Stan Tug 3008 design with 30 tonnes bollard pull.

He stated that the design is intended, to support offshore terminal activities such as crude oil tanker berthing, towage, line and floating hose handling, fire-fighting and emergency response. ”The vessel will operate in support of SPM and FPSO oil export terminals offshore Nigeria,” he said.

In local content, he disclosed that the company has advanced plans to obtain investment in its vessel fleet to create 50 per cent Nigerian ownership.

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

DECEMBER 9, 2014

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IGERIA crude export is expected to rise by 45,000 barrels per day in the next couple of days, as Oando Energy Resources, OER,a subsidiary of Oando Plc, said it has completed the construction of its 51 kilometer Umugini pipeline.

The 45,000 barrels of oil per day pipeline, according to a statement by the company, will provide an alternative evacuation route for crude oil produced from the Ebendo Field through the Trans Forcados export pipeline.

The company disclosed that its export capability has been constrained, over the last couple of months, by inadequate pipeline infrastructure, despite increase in its production capacity.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Pade Durotoye, Chief Executive Officer, Oando Energy Resources said, “The completion of the Umugini pipeline now allows us to maximize the value of our investments to date on the asset and provides the latitude for further profitable development of prospects and resources identified in Ebendo.”

According to him, following the successful drilling of Ebendo wells 5, 6, and 7 over the past 12 months, oil production capacity within OML 56 has grown to 7,140 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) gross for OER and Energia Limited the operator of the asset, with 3,052boepd net to OER. He said, “However, export

Seplat graduates third batch beneficiaries of skill acquisition programme

By Simon Adewale

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From left: Director General/CEO, NESREA, Dr (Mrs) Ngeri Benebo; Executive Secretary Petrileum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Otunba Femi Ajayi; Former Head of Service of Federation, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi; Director, Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. George Osahon; and Head, Health Safty Environment (HSE) DPR, Mr. Mordecai Ladan, at the opening ceremony of 16th international HSE biennial coference on oil and gas industry in Nigeria in Lagos.

Oando Energy completes 45,000bpd Umugini pipeline

By Michael Eboh had been constrained at 3,093 boepd (1,322boepd OER Share) via the Agip operated Kwale-Brass Nigeria Agip Oil Company/Joint Venture (NAOC/JV) infrastructure, in which OER currently has a 20 per cent interest through the recent $1.5 billion acquisition of ConocoPhillips Nigerian Oil & Gas Business.

“The completion and commencement of operations on the Umugini pipeline ensures that the Ebendo field can now produce at its full capacity.”

The company said Ebendo is located onshore, in the central Niger Delta approximately 100 km north-west of Port Harcourt and covers an area of 65 km2 (16,062 acres).

It added that the License

FG signs MoU on 1,000MW power plant in Katsina

By Chris Ochayi

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HE Federal Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, for the construction of a 1,000 megawatts (MW) power plant in Katsina State with Strancton Limited.

It also signed another agreement with Greenville Oil and Gas Limited for the supply of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) to the Kaduna Power Plant.

The Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, who signed the two separate MoUs on behalf of Government in Abuja, said, “because of the importance of these two MoUs to Mr. President’s transformation agenda, these flag ships got mentioned in my presentation at the 2014 Ministerial Platform.”

He said the proposed power project is highly innovative as its promoter, Strancton, working with Katsina State will utilise gas from Niger Republic to fire its proposed plant.

He said such innovative project is a call for us to take full

advantage of gas reserves, by building infrastructure for its utilisation, as he observed that gas alone can assist the country’s economic development immensely even without oil.

Nebo promised to support the project as it is another way to stabilise the nation’s grid system by making it robust and active, as he noted that the promoters have brought to fore new ideas of how to provide cheaper fueling, as it has been established that “you don’t need to locate a power plant next door to where you have gas hence, it is possible to use liquified natural gas”.

The Minister challenged other states to emulate the Katsina State initiative, by keying into Mr. President’s privatisation agenda in the power sector and investing in the sector in partnership with the private sector.

Earlier, the Minister of State, Mr. Mohammed Wakil in his comment said the signing of the MoUs is a proof that the efforts of the government in wooing investors are yielding

positive results.

He said he is excited that the realisation of the project will bring Nigeria nearer to the target of 20,000MW by 2020 as contained in the vision 20:2020 document.

He observed that the proposed project that has been conceived on gas from Niger Republic will assist in bridging the gap of non-availability of gas, adding that “the planned supply of LNG to Kaduna Plant will give us a good footing”.

Wakil stressed that the local content component of the two MoUs is commendable, as it would ensure that Nigerian youths take their rightful positions in the future.

Speaking on behalf of the two companies, Mr. Edozie Njoku, CEO of Strancton Limited said the plant is the first gas pipeline-fed electricity project in Northern Nigeria between Katsina State Government and Consortium of General Electric, Vellbridge Oil, Gas and Natural Resources Limited and other private partners.

includes two fields, Ebendo (producing) and the Obodeti field (undeveloped), noting that Oando Energy Resources holds a 42.75 per cent working interest on the field.

Oando Energy, had in July completed the acquisition of ConocoPhilips’ upstream assets in Nigeria for $1.5 billion, about N240 billion.

Oando Energy, through the transaction, indirectly became owner of all the issued share capital of Phillips Oil Company Nigeria Limited, POCNL, Conoco Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited, CEPNL and Phillips Deepwater Exploration Nigeria Limited, PDENL. The company, had also in its third quarter financial statement, announced a net income of $89.541 million for the three months ended — July to September 2014, compared to a net income of $2.778 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013 and $12.371 million for the three months ended, September 30, 2013.

The company declared revenue of $247.38 million, rising by 139.63 per cent from $103.235 million recorded in the third quarter of 2013.

Commenting on the financial performance, Mr. Pade Durotoye, Chief Executive Officer, Oando Energy Resources said, “At the end of July we completed the transformational acquisition of the Nigerian Upstream business of ConocoPhillips Company, that substantially grew our production, reserves, resources and cashflow, which will allow us exploit a broader suite of assets and new growth opportunities both onshore and offshore Nigeria.”

O fewer than 35 persons have graduated from the 2013/2014 skill acquisition training programme put in place by Seplat Petroleum Development Company Limited, an indigenous oil company based in Sapele, Delta State, as part of the company ’s social responsibility function for its host communities in Edo and Delta states respectively.

The beneficiaries who were trained in Welding and Fabrication, Faction and Garment Making, as well as Information Technology Compliance and Computer Training, have also received Starter Packs from the company, consisting of Welding, Filing, Drilling, Vice and Cutting Machines, as well as Tool Boxes and various capacities Diesel Generating sets.

The items they received, aside physical cash, also include; Sewing, Weaving, Embroiding, Button, Pressing, Cloth Cutting Machines, Tapes and various sizes of Petrol Generating sets. Others include; several sets of complete branded HP Desktop Computers, Three-in-one Printers, Monitors, UPS, Spiral Binding, Laminating and Paper Cutting Machines, all valued at over N10 million.

NNPC advocates science, mathematics teaching in schools

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By Tom Moses

ROUP General Manager, National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), Mr. Jonathan Okehs has warned that the quest for attainment of educational advancement in the various sectors of the nation’s economy would be impossible if attention was not given to the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools Okehs gave the warning in Uyo, Akwa-Ibm State in his address at the closing ceremony of the 2014 Science Quiz Competition for Secondary Schools in Akwa-Ibom State saying it was in recognition of that fact that the NNPC/MPN have placed high premium on education by giving scholarship awards to both secondary and undergraduate students, giving infrastructural support to schools.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 27

DPR goes tough with independent marketers over standards

By Tom Moses

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HE Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has warned of its resolve to de-register petroleum retail outlets that fail to meet up with standard requirements in 2015 just as it would be strict on enforcing regulatory standards on the sales and storage of petroleum products.

The Controller of Operations, Mr. Eyo Antai Asuquo gave the warning in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State during an Annual Marketing Meeting with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, where it xrayed the activities of stakeholders in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry within the last one year with a view to generating ideas to improve their operations in the coming year.

“We are, therefore, reminding you to note the following penalties that would be taken against defaulting companies as approved by DPR management as they relate to retail outlets operations.

“Products diversion will attract a penalty of four months closure of the affected retail outlet. For products’ adulteration, such products would be quarantined

and the affected retail outlet sealed for six months where adulteration is proven to have been carried out at the outlet “Product over-pricing at retail outlets will attract a penalty of closure of the outlet for at least, one month.

“Pump under-dispensing will attract a penalty leading to the closure of the retail outlets for one month while violation of DPR seal at retail outlet will receive a sanction of closure of the retail outlet for six months.

“In the case of molestation of DRP personnel, that will attract outright revocation of license of

the retail outlet”, the Controller stated.

Speaking at the occasion, the representative of the Director of the Akwa-Ibom State Fire Service, Mr. Victor James enjoined the petroleum products dealers to always abide by the safety guidelines and policies set-up by government especially, by obtaining safety certificates from the department before the commencement of their operations noting that often times, the petroleum products dealers were found wanting in that regard.

•Petroleum products storage facility

UNEP Report: Host communities demand transparent implementation

By Gabriel Ewepu

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OLLOWING the recent resolve by the Federal Government to clean-up Ogoniland after three years that the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, submitted its report, the Host Communities Network of Nigeria, HOCoN, has demanded transparency in the implementation of the restoration exercise.

Coordinator, HOCoN, Preye Pawuru, said the decision by the Federal Government to commence the clean-up of Ogoni land was a welcomed development, but stressed the need to involve host communities in the implementation process.

Pawuru said, “We are happy with the decision of the government because over three years we have been waiting and we welcome the action, but the action should bring about trust and transparency.

For over three years of the United Nations Environmental Programme, UNEP, report, and many decades of oil pollution in the Niger Delta, trust and the willingness of the key actors, and the remediation of the Niger Delta is still low.

“In order to build the infrastructure of affected communities, especially in Ogoniland, and in this project it is necessary that trust is built.”

“The only way trust can be built is for the effective participation of the affected communities, and in fact, the

involvement of key stakeholders in the Niger Delta in the implementation of the UNEP report.

“It is important that the key actors are involved, that is, the communities, the polluter-Shell, and the government, also including international observers. Otherwise it is another kangaroo solution just to avert or douse tension in the area.”

He argued that the clean-up process ought to involve more stakeholders as

part of the recommendations made in the UNEP report as only Bishop Matthew Kukah cannot ensure the willingness of the government and Shell in the implementation process. “ Bishop Kukah is representing the Ogoni people in this matter, but there are more stakeholders in the issue in the Niger Delta, only that the Ogoni people are directly involved in the UNEP report.

NLNG secures US court protection order on LNG Finima

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ONNY Gas Transport Limited and Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Limited, NLNG have taken steps before the Court in New York to protect their vessel, LNG FINIMA, and other assets from arrest or attachment by competing claimants seeking payment for the same parcel of fuel delivered to the vessel, after insolvency of the OW Bunker company contracted with left the physical supplier unpaid.

The invoiced amount, according to a statement by Kudo Eresia-Eke, General Manager, External Relations Division, NLNG, is being paid into Court to be released to the party adjudged entitled to receive it, and in the meantime no steps can be taken

against any Bonny Gas or NLNG assets.

Eresia-Eke said, “This renders redundant an arrest order obtained last week by the physical supplier in Louisiana, and operations in the Bonny Gas fleet should be able to continue normally and without interruption by any of the competing claimants.

“NLNG is owned by four shareholders, namely, the Federal Government of Nigeria, represented by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC (49%), Shell Gas BV, SGBV, (25.6%), Total LNG Nigeria Limited (15%), and Eni International (N.A,) N. V. S. a. r. l (10.4%).”

NERC embarks on public consultation on CAPMI

By Chris Ochayi

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HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has embarked on a public consultation and fact finding mission on the Credited Advance Payment for Metering Implementation, CAPMI. This metering scheme allows people that have billing estimation issues or high billing issues to come forward and pay in advance for meters and the cost will be deducted from their monthly fixed charge bills.

The scheme, it was gathered, was for a willing customer to pay for a meter which otherwise would have been provided by the service provider but this is not the case due to certain challenges and transition the sector is going through, hence, the service providers have not be able to meet this obligation. It is on this premise, according to NERC that the public consultation is necessary to create awareness on the CAPMI scheme Speaking at the public consultation forum in Port Harcourt, the representative of the Commission’s Chairman, Dr Abba Ibrahim said that over 50 percent of electricity consumers were not metered and therefore subjected to what he called estimated billings, popularly known as crazy billings in Nigeria.

“CAPMI which came into effect through NERC Order 05 in 2013 is a stop-gap measure to ensure that people have meters. A lot of people have and are still complaining on the crazy billing otherwise known as estimated billing.”

Group hails Alison-Madueke’s election as OPEC president

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HE Niger Delta Indigenous Movement for Radical Change (NDIMRC) has hailed Nigeria’s Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke over her election as the first female President of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

The group in a press release signed by its President, Nelly Emma; Secretary, John Sailor and Public Relations Officer, Mukoro Stanley, said the election of the Petroleum Minister as OPEC President was well deserved.

According to the group, “We are elated that our hard working daughter, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, first female Minister of Petroleum has been elected as first female President of OPEC. Your election is well deserved and we will continue to be proud of you.”

While saying her election as OPEC President was a confirmation of the global impact of her achievements in the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry, the group stated that, “We are confident that you will make the good people of the Niger Delta proud as always. All eyes are on you as you embark on the onerous task of leading OPEC and we are very confident that you will deliver.”

But the group urged Mrs. AlisonMadueke to use her added power as OPEC President to make the International Oil Companies (IOCs) to be alive to their responsibilities in the oil-rich Niger Delta region.

28—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Police Brutality and Race Relations

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Brown was to roll out tanks and other HE hottest issue in the U.S. today paraphernalia of warfare that were used arguably is police brutality and its

by U.S. forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. impact on race relations. But, it is not a In New York, about six police officers new topic. Like a dormant volcano, it crowded Eric Garner, holding him in all was activated by the gruesome and manners of debilitating ways, including apparently unconscionable killing of two the outlawed choke-hold that African American men by white asphyxiated and snuffed life out of him. policemen. Even more infuriating was Unfortunately, such irresistible “lawhow the bodies of both men were enforcement” manifests more when recklessly allowed to lie in the streets, white police officers encounter African stripped of any form of human dignity Americans and other minority races. In or decency. response to the Ferguson incident, The proverbial straw that broke the President Obama and other wellcamel’s back was that in both cases, the meaning people argued that police U.S. judicial system provided an escape officers should wear body cameras as route to the policemen at the centre of doing so might serve as an incentive to the fatal incidents, as the grand juries deescalate future conflicts. But, how returned no-indictment verdicts in both about New York? There is video evidence cases. In simple terms, the jurors of the entire sordid incident, yet a section reached the decision that there were no of police officers and their sympathizers probable causes to charge the policemen are stridently making the case that the to court. In ordinary language, it sounds video evidence was not what it shows. like saying: the men are dead, but we In other words, people are being asked see no reason for their killers to have not to believe what they saw. their days in court; too bad; case closed.

Last week, protests erupted in various Forms of U.S. cities not just over the death of the empowerment unarmed men, but also against the system that determined that their killers Police officers in the U.S. and perhaps had no case to answer before the courts. all over the world always try to exonerate The protests, some of which and shield one of their own. Policing unfortunately degenerated into riots, worldwide appears to have become a looting and other forms of vandalism, form of empowerment to legally were about people incensed against subjugate people in the name of the law. what they perceived as injustice in how At least, that is how the few policemen the system let the policemen escape who do not really understand their justice. calling appear to interpret the fact that Here is how President Obama reacted the law allows them to carry a gun and to the death of 43-year-old Eric Garner, use it. the man choked to death by some New Daniel Pantaleo, the police officer who York Police Department (NYPD) officers: applied the choke-hold on Eric has since His death “speaks to the larger issues apologized that it wasn’t his that we’ve been talking about intention to kill the victim. now for the last week, the last Darren Wilson, the man who month, the last year - and shot and killed Michael Brown, sadly, for decades. And that is completely and nonchalantly is, the concern on the part of unrepentant. Either way, one of too many minority the consequences of their communities that law inelegant actions is that they enforcement is not working have made the U.S. lose part of with them and dealing with its moral high-ground in the them in a fair way.” New York international community. With Mayor Bill de Blasio blamed such incidents as Ferguson and the incident on “centuries of New York, how can President racism that have brought us Obama look Vladimir Putin in to this day” and added that the eyes and tell him not to “Black lives matter.” unduly harass ordinary The killing of Michael Russians?

Brown in Ferguson Mark Geragos, a well-known (Missouri) and Eric Garner U.S. defense attorney and CNN (New York) highlight the legal analyst, made the same changed nature of policing in point. Last week, he told a panel the U.S. A CNN interviewee, of legal experts on CNN that an ex-cop, put the issue in the Brown and Garner cases perspective. According to make the U.S. appear morally him, when he was active in impotent. His argument is that policing decades ago, the in North Korea and other places I believe image of the policeman or where dictatorships still thrive, woman was that of a peace- that the system still puts people on maker; returning society to its show-trials with pre-determined peaceful atmosphere in the eventually, outcomes. I believe that event of a disruption. But Ferguson eventually, Ferguson and New today, the mentality in York will redefine policing in policing is that of law- and New America, and perhaps mellow enforcement; the show of York will down the “force” component in force, brutal force, even when law-enforcement, especially doing so was not called for. redefine when it involves African He is right. In Ferguson, policing in Americans and people of other Missouri, the initial police minority races. reaction to public agitation America over the killing of Michael

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 29

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30—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

By Theodore Opara

SCOA, MAN Truck sign deal to assemble locally T

HE number of automobile companies declaring interest to set up assembly plants in Nigeria have continued to swell as renowned German truck and bus maker, MAN entered into agreement with SCOA Nigeria Plc for the assembling of MAN products in Nigeria.

The agreement which was signed in Lagos recently was witnessed by the Deputy Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mr. Joerg Steckhan.

The MAN delegation to the agreement signing ceremony was led by its Vice President, Mr. Adel Luenz, and the Head of Sales, for Middle East and Africa region, Mr. Noel Macaron while the chairman SCOA Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Henry Agbamu and the Group Managing Director/ CEO, Dr. Massad Boulos represented the SCOA team at the event.

Speaking at the occasion, the Group Managing Director of SCOA, Dr. Massad Boulos described the event as a milestone in the company’s history. He commended the federal government’s initiatives to transform the automobile industry.

“Mr. President and his team, in a bold and courageous move, put in place a number of policy measures needed to transform and attract investments into the sector. There is no doubt that a transformed automotive industry will realise its potential as a major driver of economic growth and diversification, job creation, local value addition and technology acquisition,” he said.

The Group Managing Director further pointed out that all over the world, the automotive industry plays both a strategic and catalytic role in economic development with respect to employment creation, GDP contribution, economic linkages, development of SME’s, skill acquisition and development, technology acquisition and innovation and research and development.

Continuing, he said an automotive industry will create significant good quality employments and a wide range of technological advanced manufacturing opportunities. This industry base can then form the foundation of other modern advanced manufacturing activities like manufacturing of agricultural, mining and railway equipment and other non civilian hardware and transport.

The SCOA boss recalled that the automotive industry thrived three to four decades in Nigeria whereby global auto leaders like General Motors, Volkswagen, Peugeot, Mercedes Benz, Fiat, Steyre, British Leyland and other were producing hundreds of

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thousands of affordable vehicles and tens of thousands of good jobs and hundreds of auxiliary industries.

He explained that the partnership with MAN will not only serve the Nigerian market but also the ECOWAS sub-region, adding that they were privilege to have the best product and to be the first European brand to be assembled in Nigeria, under the new policy.

The new MAN assembly part which is billed to take off next month has the capacity to produce 3000 vehicles annually and can easily be expanded and increased if need be.

Also speaking at the occasion, the chairman SCOA, Mr. Henry Agbamu traced the history of the company to 1932 when they ventured into automobile industry.

He noted that the company in 1952 established Nigeria’s first private auto assembly plant in Apapa, Lagos where it assem-

L-R: The Deputy Consul-General of the German Embassy, Mr. Joerg Steckhan, Vice President of MAN, Mr. Adel Luenz, the GMD/CEO, SCOA Nigeria Plc, Dr. Massad Boulos and the Chairman, Board of Directors of SCOA, Mr. Henry Agbamu at the Signing Ceremony of SCOA- MAN Assembly Plant Agreement. bled Peugeot 404 and 504 pickups and later metamorphosed into auto giant pioneering sales, distribution and maintenance of variety of automobiles.

He concluded that “the emotion of having MAN, assembled in Nigeria by SCOA, is simply awesome and with the support of the Nigerian government’s

newly launched automotive policy, the SCOA Motors Division is simply the right destination for MAN.

Weststar slashes Jeep, Chrysler prices by N2m W

ESTSTAR Associates Ltd, authorised distributor of Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge/ Ram in Nigeria has kick-started a sales promotion to reward its customers across the country.

The Christmas sales promo, according to Weststar sources is aimed at rewarding its customers for their support since the introduction of the brands into the Nigerian market .

According to the sales promotion, customers who purchase any of the Jeep or Chrysler products between now and December 25, 2014 could get up to N2 million discount depending on the models.

Specifically, Westster has dropped the price of Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (four-door)

from N10.85m to N9.5m while the Jeep Wrangler Sahara (four door) is now sold for N8.5m as against the initial price of N9.35m. The sensational Jeep Wrangler Sahara two-door is now sold for N7.9m as against

N8.95m before the sales promotion. Meanwhile, the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT, one of the most powerful sport utility vehicles in the market, had its price slashed by N2 million under the on-going promo. The

Grand Cherokee SRT is now sold for N13.3 million as against the N17.4 million price tag before the promo, while the Grand Cherokee Limited is offered for N10.3 million as against the initial price of N12.5 million.

The base model in the Grand Cherokee family, the Laredo now has a price tag of N8.9 million as against N10.5 million.

Weststar is also offering the Ram Truck for N7.2 million instead of the initial price of N8.10 million while the Chrysler 300c goes for N9.3m, from N10.1m. Weststar says the offer is valid till December 25, 2014 as there are limited stock available.

Ford’s Most Improved Auto Brand award, CSR award, excites BriscoeFord

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RISCOEFORD and Cos charis Ford, both representatives of Ford Motors in Nigeria, won the Corporate Social Responsibility award while Ford brand, shared the Most Improved brand of the year with Nissan at the 2014 Nigeria Auto Journalists awards held at Eko Hotel, Lagos.

Ford representatives in Nigeria were also the winner of the CSR award last year because of its Global Week of

caring exercise in Lagos whereby the companies usually donate item to residence where they operate.

According to the Managing Director/CEO of R.T. Briscoe Nigeria PLC, Mr. Seyi Onajide, ‘it is a reward for our decision to ensure we give back to the society wherein we operate and a demonstration of our commitment to sustainable environment’.

He went further to express his gratitude to the organiz-

ers for also recognizing the enduring efforts of Ford Motor Corporation at adding value to living not only through acts of kindness, but also constant improvement and production of trendy and environmentally friendly vehicles sold in Nigeria by BriscoeFord through an award of the ‘Most Improved Auto Brand of the Year 2014’.

The award night has become a landmark and highly coveted by both auto dealers and

other stakeholders alike in the industry. Brand competition shifts from the market to the venue and dealer principals and other personnel mirrors their performance and activities through the caliber and number of awards received at the event. An event which also presented a veritable opportunity for highly placed Executives to interact, network and share ideas on how to move the industry forward amidst the challenging business climate.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—31

By Theodore Opara

Toyota takes comfort to next level in new Camry

T

HE Toyota Camry is one of the most popular cars in Dubai.

Don’t ask me what it is being used for. You could hardly count five cars without a Toyota Camry, the popularity is unprecedented. I was forced to ask one of the drivers who took me round during a recent visit to Dubai the reason behind the Camry ’s popularity, and he gave me an answer.

“The Camry is very reliable, efficient and comfortable. “You could hardly find a car as reliable and efficient as the Camry in its segment.

It offers you the comfort of a luxury car with cost efficiency of a small car.

That is why it is everywhere”, the driver said.

The Toyota Camry ’s sculpted solid presence exudes sophisticated styling and attitude, in a dynamic blend of aerodynamic elegance and refined functionality with a sporty edge. From every angle, the Toyota Camry is a beauty to behold and the interior finishing is luxury personified.

Inside, the sensation of luxurious comfort is instantly inviting. The refined environment of the cabin is crafted with an eye for detail, from the beauty of a contemporary design and the tasteful

use of wood grain trim to the quality of the instrument panel stitching.

Camry has three zone temperature controls for the driver, front seat passenger and rear seat and it is quiet.

A seamless blend of space, comfort and convenience crates an oasis of refined pleasure in the rear seats making each trip a delight. Rear seat temperature control further enhance the comfort provided by the excellent head and leg room in the rear seats.

The Camry is loaded with array of unique features. For instance, the power rear window sunshade provides privacy in the rear seats and it automatically retracts when the reverse gear is engaged. Rear seat control panel provides switches for the power reclining rear seats, power rear window sunshade, audio system and air conditioning system provide rear seat passengers with convenient personal control.

Camry’s Class-leading driving performance comes from its powerful engines and automatic transmission. The Camry is available in 2.5litre and 3.5litre engines.

Both engines are equipped with a super

Stallion Nissan, Siblings Excel at 2014 NAJ awards

N

ISSAN, Stallion Mo tors newest dealership, was last week awarded the ‘Most improved auto brand of the year 2014’ by the Guild of Motoring Correspondents just as another subsidiary, Porsche Centre and the umbrella company- Stallion Motors standout as ‘Single brand showroom of the year’ and ‘Multiple auto dealership of the year’ respectively at the just ended Nigeria Auto Journalists Awards 2014.

The awards were in recognition Stallion Motors outstanding performance and its dealerships Porsche Centre and Stallion NMN, which recently became the first indigenous vehicle plant in the country to roll out made-in-Nigeria Nissan range - Almera / Sunny, NP300 Pick-up and high end Nissan Patrol SUV. Receiving the awards thereafter, Group Manag-

ing Director, Stallion Motors Nigeria Limited, Mr. Parvir Singh commended the initiative of the Guild of Motoring Journalists saying: “Nissan particularly has done remarkably well since inauguration 18 months ago with favourable growth indices and sales volumes. We are hopeful Nissan will assume its rightful place on the country’s automobile sales chart.”

He pledged Stallion Motor’s commitment to world-class consumer experience, promising to continue to supply best Nissan products and services to growing Nissan clientele.

“We plan to expand Nissan service network through the appointment of more provisional dealers to improve customer satisfaction and high quality service at reasonable price,” Mr. Singh assured.

intelligent six-speed automatic transmission.

Excellence matching with engines, consistently produces outstanding driving performance and fuel efficiently and at the same time realised a smooth shifting feeling and quiet operation.

Easy-to-read optitron meters provided the driver with critical driving information at a glance. To support eco driving, it is equipped with needletype average fuel consumption gauge and LED current fuel consumption bars and an Eco Driving indicator that illuminates a green lamp to inform driver when

accelerator operation is considerate to the environment.

Camry’s safety features

are class-leading. The include multi SRS air bags, crash safety body, back monitor, WIL

concept front seats, intelligent VSC for cornering, and Intelligent AFS that illuminates driving direction at night.

Coscharis-Land Rover introduces zero interest promo scheme C

OSCHARIS Motors, the sole franchisee of Jaguar Land Rover brands announces a new favourable price ownership scheme for its Discovery and Freelander 2 variants; the scheme, the first of its kind, allows customers a zero interest spread payment for one year as Coscharis pay the interest on behalf of the customer during the this holiday period.

According to the DGM Sales, Ufuoma Umukoro, this favourable ownership scheme is a first in the Nigeria auto industry as it is not the usual financing scheme where customers will have to incur some interests or hiding charges that inflate the actual prices of the vehicles.

“For Coscharis, we are offering the Discovery for N15.5million and the Freelander 2 for N7.5million with the option to choose between your interests being paid for one year, lease or cash transaction. This gives the customer the freedom to own the Discovery, interest free and spread payments over

12 months”.

He further enthused that the company’s existing customers can attest that the N15.5 million cost is the best price they can get for lump sum payment but with this promotional scheme, customers can spread this payment for one year without any interest. Consequently, Coscharis is responsible for the interest accruable.

In addition, customers

also get complementary monetized vouchers to use at GrosVenor Integrated Shirt Limited, the sole franchisee of Grosvenor London who have obtained the Royal Warrant of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II which makes it an official shirt maker of the British Royal.

The voucher is redeemable in either of GrosVenor’s outlets in Lagos and Abuja.

Furthermore, buyers will receive gift vouchers to

spend at Q.Med Diagnostic Centre and Make Me. As part of the holiday offering, the General Manager, Marketing, Abiona Babarinde stated that “all buyers will also enjoy One year free registration, free road assistance, special discount for fleet purchase, extended service plan for 3 years or 100,000km (whichever comes first) and free delivery anywhere in Nigeria.”

From left: Richard Gouveneur, MD, Jaguar Landrover (Sub Sahara Africa); Dr. Cosmas Maduka, CEO Coscharis Group; Nigel Clarke, Director of Operations, Jaguar Land Rover (Sub Sahara Africa) and Mr. Josiah Samuel, GMD, Coscharis Group, during the recent visit by the JLR team to Coscharis Motors.

AGENDA

Ishagbada, the one-legged traffic warden

The truth about Guinea House sale—AKPEKI

PAGE 5

VOL. 1: NO. 27

PAGE 8

TUESD A Y, DECEMBER 9, 20 14 TUESDA 201

Electric power transformer. INSET: A town halll meeting in session.

POWER WAR: Akwa Ibom communities allege rip-off by PHED

By Tom Moses & Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—RESIDENTS of about 25 communities in three local government areas of Akwa Ibom State have lashed out at the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company,

PHEDC, Uyo, over what they described as “outrageous billing” and epileptic power supply.

Some of the communities are Mbak Atai, Itam, Ntiat Itam, Okopedi-Use, Obot Etim, Ukim Use, Ikot Oku, Oko and Nung Obio Akama in Ibiono Ibom, Itu and Uyo local government councils.

Inhabitants complained about the insistence of PHEDC to charge them for the one year and three months period they were allegedly not supplied electricity, following the breakdown of the transformer serving the communities.

The people, who expressed their displeasure at a town hall meeting held

at Ntiat Itam village with officials of the PHEDC, led by the Manager, Uyo office, Engineer Adewusi Daunsi, demanded the reconciliation of bills charged them when there was no electricity supply.

Chairman, Itu/Ibiono Ibom Electricity

Continues on Page 7

2—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Oro communities allege marginalization by PDP AKWA IBOM...

LAND OF PROMISE

By Chioma Onuegbu

M

BO—ORO communities in Akwa Ibom State, declaring abandonment by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have said it would not accept marginalization of the ethnic group in the governance of the state anymore.

Community and youth leader, Mr. Williams Ukoh and President of Oro Youths Movement, OYOM, Mr. Etifit Nkereuwem, told Niger Delta Voice that Oro communities in Ika, Etim Okpo, Abak, Ukanfum and Oruk local government areas in Ikot Ekpene Senatorial District, that the people would seek alternative political platform to produce the governor of the state in 2015 if PDP disregarded the people in the choice of standard bearer.

Urueoffong/ Oruko, expressed disappointment with PDP leadership in the state and stressed that failure of the party to uphold justice and fairness in the ongoing primaries would leave the people with no choice than to join another platform.

Niger Delta Voice reliably gathered that a good number of people from the area have perfected plans to join others to cross over to All Progressives Congress, APC, which is the only visible opposition party in the state after Monday if the gubernatorial primaries did

*A'Ibom remains PDP state—COMMISSIONER not favour their area.

local government areas.

Windfall for APC Contacted, state Chairman of APC, Dr. Amadu Attai, confirmed that in the past five days, no fewer than 18,000 PDP members had defected to the APC with majority coming from Oro axis and local government areas of Ikot Ekpene Senatorial district, especially Abak 5, comprising Ika, Etim Ekpo, Abak, Ukanafun, and Oruk Anam

Non-issue Reacting, the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said whether people move to other parties or not, Akwa Ibom would still remain a PDP state, even as he was not aware of any proposal by the governor on the alleged four-year turn of Oro people.

He said: “We are talking about democracy here. So

Villagers scramble for rice at Ozoluwa’s eye programme in Bayelsa

Enough is enough Ukoh said: “We are saying enough is enough. We have no roads, no infrastructure on ground and yet we produce the revenue that makes the state the number one oilproducing state in this countr y. They cannot suppress us for a long time.

“Go round Oron Local Government Area. I do not think you can spend a night here because of the poor environment; it is painful you know.

“I am telling you to tell them that as a community leader, our people are not happy with the injustice meted on them and that is why we insist on Oro governor in 2015.

“Our communities have been neglected. The only major road is no longer motorable in spite of the fact that they produce over 80 per cent of oil wealth accruing to the state.”

Likely exodus Ukoh, who lamented the long years of marginalization, said the Ibibio and Annang ethnic groups have produced governor of the state, except Oro. He asserted: “So we have alternatives of using another political platform to pursue our agenda if the governorship did not come to us. We are ready and prepared.

“Our governments are not even liberal when it comes to the issue of spreading development in the different sections of the state. In Akwa Ibom, every governor that comes in will go and develop his own place. That is why we are also agitating.”

Nkereuwem, a House of Assembly aspirant for

people are free to exercise their rights and interest as they deem fit; anybody is free to decide on what he wants.

“You must also not lose sight of the fact that the umbrella is very big here and it is covering the state very; very well.

“When the time comes, you will see the strength of PDP in Akwa Ibom state. So people are free to choose where they want to go; but it does not affect the PDP. It is a non-issue as far as I am concerned.”

ABOVE: Villagers ready for food and eye treatment.# LEFT: Ms. Ozoluwa attending to them

BA YELS A ...

BAYELS YELSA THE GLORY OF ALL LANDS

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—IT was a free eye treatment programme and food mission for rural dwellers in Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

But, as the organizers of the programme, Body Enhance ment Foundation, BEF, a nongovernmental organization, NGO, found out recently, the people are hungry and desperately in need of stomach infrastructure.

The NGO's Founder and President, Ms. Modupe Ozoluwa, shared bags of rice as part of the programme, but at Otuoke Cottage Hospital, Otuoke, venue of the event, the fierce struggle for rice overshadowed the medical intervention.

The programme also exposed the high number of persons with eye-related ailments, blamed on the endless gas flaring and activities of the multinationals in the communities.

In fact, those who were tested and given drugs, pair of eye and reading glasses, refused to leave the venue until some portion of rice to feed their families, ostensibly due to harsh prevailing economy, were given to them.

The foundation, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Trenuer, Dana

Group and other organizations, was in the state for a five-day food and medical mission.

Speaking on their mission, Founder and President, BEF, Modupe Ozoluwa, said the provision of food and medical treatment to the rural folks was not politically-motivated.

She said the foundation had undertaken the mission for 11 years and that Bayelsa was selected after a lucky dip by a group of medical doctors on the team.

Her words: “We are here to donate 600 bags of 50kg rice and to offer free medical mission to the people of Bayelsa State.

“We are doing this in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service, Immigration and other organisations.”

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—3 so that we can vacate people from the road side to avert a situation where cars will run into traders, who are trading by the road side.

“We have written several times, but they have not done anything. I appeal to the government to assist us.

“We also call on the oil companies to come and help build the market. This is not how a market should be. The market is very central in Emohua council.”

Villagers fault Amaechi on local markets

Abandoned Mgbuelia market in Ndele Rumuji market.

RIVERS… THE TREASURE BASE OF THE NATION

By Davies Iheamnachor

P

ORT HARCOURT— INHABITANTS of Rundele, Rumuji , Rumuodogo 2 and other rural communities in Rivers State are peeved that the state government was paying less attention to the development of markets in the hinterlands, thereby strangling the local economy.

The people, who are mainly farmers, fishermen, hunters, businessmen and women, wondered how government wanted them to survive if there were no good markets with modern infrastructure for them to trade their wares.

Weeds overtake markets Community Development Committee, CDC, chair, Rundele community, Emohua Local Government Area, Mr. Elendu Kpaniku, told Niger Delta Voice: “The Mgbuelia market in Rundele community has already been taken over by weeds.

“That market has been in existence for a long time. But

THE TEAM Emma Amaize, Editor Jimitota Onoyume Samuel Oyadongha Simon Ebegbulem Gabriel Enogholase Festus Ahon Egufe Yafugborhi Emmanuel Una Akpokona Omafuaire Godwin Oghre Tom Moses Chioma Onuegbu Ike Uche Davies Iheamnachor Emem Idio Brisibe Perez Barnabas Uzosike Nath Onajoke Chijioke Nwankpa

for now, it is not functioning anymore because of poor maintenance. We have enough land to accommodate even a modern market, but the government has not done anything in relation to that.”

Although, he blamed the condition on the ongoing chieftaincy crisis in Ndele, Kpaniku said: “The government has the duty of maintaining market even for this community. But since the market is not functioning, nobody talks about it for now.

“We want the market to function again, because it is through the market we sell our products.

“The buildings in that market are dilapidated because of the non-functional nature of the market and the problem in the community that has caused the market to remain like that.

“There is currently a leadership tussle in Ndele community and it has affected development. Who becomes the next ruler of the land has caused the people some developments.

Nonchalant attitude “Government has not tried to help in any way'; they have not attempted to settle or even ask why that market is in that position. We are not happy about the condition of that market.

“That market is strategically located by the East-West road that leads to Bayelsa and Delta states. It is in a position where the government can see and ask why the market is in that condition.”

Govt unhelpful Paramount Ruler of Rumuji community, Chief Christian Elechi, said the Rumuji market was built from the community effort and managed without the government putting any infrastructure in place.

His words: “Since we started from the old colonial time, everything about Rumuji

Elele central Market market has always been on community efforts coupled with the one assisted by Total E&P. “They came and in a short time were able to build three shops through our GMoU. “The government has not assisted us in that market before. Since the dualization of the East-West Road, the market was affected. We have been trying to acquire more land behind the one that has been turned into East-West Road.

“We have negotiated with the people that own the land. If it were in the olden days, community can just take up any land and carry out any project.

“But now community cannot just take up somebody’s land and do something without any form of negotiation and agreement.

“We have negotiated with the owner of the land behind the market, but it is now a question of money. We are arranging about 15 plots of land that will be used to extend the market.

The land is valued at N2 million and we do not have money. We are expecting the government or even individuals to aid us even with the N2 million.

“We are struggling and also pleading with the government to help us have a better market

Dumpsite A community youth, Elele Alimini, lamented that the community is strategically located in the state, but lacked a good market.

He said the deplorable nature of the market has made the people turn the market to a dump site.

Community head of Rumuodogo 2, Eze Ahusi Isih, who spoke through his son, Prince Amusa Isih, said the community does not have good market.

He said that since the creation of Rivers State in 1967, Rumuodogo 2 community has not smelt the fragrance of governance, except for the appetizer brought by the administration of Governor ChibuikeAmaechi, while the people were anxiously waiting for dividends of democracy.

He said: “We are mostly farmers and fishermen, but there are no good markets for all that we produce.

“Because there is no road network linking us with other parts of the state, our produce do not move out of the community and nobody would want to overstress himself or herself by taking the bad road into this forgotten land.”

CDC Secretary of Oduoha community, Mr. Chukundah, said the condition of Oduoha market was not good.

He said the community wants to add more structures to the market and had written to the local government, which did nothing and so the people have to take up the challenge.

Chukundah said: “The government has not committed itself with the development and management of Oduoha market, so it is very difficult for them to come and collect revenue from the traders.”

LG chairmen promise quick transformation DELTA...

FINGER OF GOD

A

BOH—CHAIRMEN of Ndokwa East and Burutu Local Government Areas in Delta State, Mrs. Nkechi Chukwurah and Chief Ebikeke Clark respectively, have expressed their commitment to the speedy transformation of

the two local government areas.

Clark spoke at the swearing in of new supervisory councillors in Burutu, while Chukwurah stated her position at a meeting in Aboh with heads of departments.

Those appointed by Clark were Clark Akporebo, Education and Community Affairs; Oyakorukumor Solomon, Environment; Miss Bekere Fuludu, Health, and Mr. Fada Ebor, Supervisor for Works. He charged them to

work as a team.

Mrs. Chukwurah charged the principal officers to key into the development vision of the new leadership to enable the people benefit optimally from the transformation agenda of the local administration.

The session afforded the heads of departments the opportunity to do oral presentation on the activities, prospects and challenges of their various departments and the way forward.

4—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Cultists renounce, beg for forgiveness in Rivers RIVERS… THE TREASURE BASE OF THE NATION

By Davies Iheamnachor

I

BAA community, Emohua Local Government Area, Rivers State, exploded with ecstasy last weekend, when eight cultists among the gangsters that had laid siege to the community for many months, came out from their hide-outs, and publicly surrendered their weapons of terror to security personnel in the town.

The submission of arms, which caught people unawares, took place at the Ibaa town hall with the repentant cultists lying on the ground and pleading for forgiveness from the community.

Niger Delta Voice had been following the siege to the town by power-drunk cultists.

It was invaded in September by heavily-armed cultists, who killed and maimed citizens, forcing many residents to take flight.

Clergymen and residents resorted to when it was discovered that the presence of security men in the community did not deter the rampaging hooligans until, last Friday, when a good number of them surrendered.

A source from the community, who was present at the event, said more were likely to surrender in the next few days.

He asserted that people trooped out to welcome their lost brothers, jubilating and praising God for delivering the land from the grip of the evil boys.

He said: “The boys lay prostrate in the hall pleading with the people of Ibaa for forgiveness.”

One of the negotiators, Mr. Acid Ebere, confirmed to Niger Delta Voice that eight of the boys came out of their hiding to surrender their arms.

Ebere said: “The boys came out on their own to me pleading that they want to make peace.

As due process for a repentant cultist demands, we involved the soldiers and other security operatives.

“We have taken them to Ibaa community and they pleaded with the community.”

He said they will also be handed over to the police, but could not say what happens after the police investigation.

Who pleaded with the boys?

A well-respected clergyman in the community and a lecturer at a Rivers institution, Dr. Samuel Owhondah, who could not hide his joy, told Niger Delta Voice that the boys have truly had a change of mind and acted according to the

instruction of God. Owhondah said: “God is the architect of the thing that has just happened in Ibaa now.

Truly, the boys have had a change of mind and it is only God that can make an evil man have a change of mind.

“There was a revelation that what is happening in Ibaa has a spiritual backing; that we should call the remnants of the community and make serious prayers for the community.

“The instruction had it that we should totally depend on God for the liberation and peace of Ibaa. After the prayers as instructed, it was not up to one month before the boys came to sue for peace.”

Human efforts failed The messenger of God added: “It is God that changed their mind and there is nobody who will claim it is his or her effort.

“The community had tried several other means to bring peace for a long time now, but none had ever worked. God has proven Himself again with the case of Ibaa.

“When this problem started, the local government constituted a peace committee to look into the case at Ibaa, but it could not work out because to an extent, the body was handicapped.

“One of the factions refused to meet with the panel, alleging that the committee was constituted by an All Progressives Congress, APC, member whom they said is a party in the case.

“This miracle is just as a result of effective prayers. It was at the time of prayers that the cultists had a change of mind.”

Cultists lived in the bush for over 3 months Dependable source told Niger Delta Voice that the boys, who surrendered were among the boys that caused the villagers to flee the community for safety.

He said that after the boys entered the community with heavy gunfire, killing about nine people whose remains were still in the mortuary, the boys have been living in the bushes around the community.

The source said: “They have lived in the bush for over three months now without food and good shelter. I think they were also held hostage by hunger.

They had really suffered the consequences of their act.

“Nobody persuaded them to come out and surrender their arms and sue for peace. The boys had gone to Ndele community, the direct relative of Ibaa community, to beg them to help plead with the Ibaa people on their behalf.

“They also did same with Ekpeye community in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni council. They

ABOVE: Abandoned compound RIGHT: An elderly man happy to be back home, cleaning his compound.

BELOW: Another resident of Ibaa cleaning up his compound.

are believed to be the ancestral origin of Ibaa.”

Other factors that necessitated surrender Niger Delta Voice gathered that three things might have aided the perceived repentant cultists in the community to lay down their arms.

The experiences of the boys in the bush, hunger which they faced daily and the fact that they saw their members die even in their presence.

An unconfirmed report also has it that the boys had also been pleading with the villagers anywhere they see them.

It said the boys also have been helping villagers do their farm work.

Can they be reintegrated?

Owhondah said: “That has been a point of argument in the community now. It takes a bold heart to hands off; I think there is repentance, so the community needs to accept them.

Ibaa has no option than to reintegrate them. I trust that the peace will be sustained because it is their ring leaders that have repented.

On Saturday, when Niger Delta Voice visited Ibaa com-

munity, some citizens who just returned to the community over the night were seen clearing

grasses that had overtaken their compound for over three months of their exile.

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—5

Ishagbada, the one-legged traffic warden

By Akpokona Omafuaire

W

ARRI—WHILE many of his kind will naturally spin about on a wheel chair and turn to begging as a full-time profession, 51-year-old John Ishagbada, whose leg was amputated 34 years ago, after a ghastly motor accident, would not join the bandwagon.

And so, under the sun and in the rain, he is at the popular Enerhen Motel Junction, Effurun, near Warri, every day, skipping about with one leg and controlling traffic to ease the pains of motorists.

The Kokori-born Ishagbada, who lost a limb in a terrible accident, has been on the traffic control work for 19 years, struggling with numerous discomforts to eke out a living and support his wife and five kids.

Reward from NUJ For his diligence, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Correspondents Chapel, Warri, honoured him in 2007 for his commitment to community service with a cash reward.

Despite his physical challenges, Niger Delta Voice gathered that he has able- bodied persons under his care.

They throng to wait for him at

his usual spot to beg money to solve their problems.

He told Niger Delta Voice: “I am John Ishagbada. I am 51 years now. I am married with five kids, one of them has left school now and the others are still in primary and secondary schools. My second child is about to finish secondary school.”

amputation was done.

“I felt that was the end of my life, but somehow I managed to survive. That was what changed the course of my life forever.

“The company later abandoned me. They refused to pay me entitlements, but I have left them to God and I do not want to dwell on that.

‘How I lost my leg’ Ishagbada narrated a gory story of how he lost one of his legs: “It was 19 years ago and we were travelling to Olomoro SPDC flow station in Isoko.

“As we were going along the Ughelli-Isoko Road, our driver was trying to overtake a tipper.

The tipper did not allow us to pass, he pushed our car into the bush and our car rammed into a tree. A branch of the tree pierced my leg.

“I was taken to hospital and was later rushed to Eku Baptist Hospital. After some time there and due to carelessness of the medical teams, they said my leg should be amputated.

Traffic warden on duty “After the incident, I came into traffic control voluntarily. I was at home mulling over my shattered life. I was preoccupied with various thoughts like how I can manage my young family.

“Some good citizens were giving me money then. I made up my mind on what I wanted to do with my life. So the idea of voluntary traffic control came and I was wondering how I can cope since I am on crutches.

Miserable day “It was a bleak day for me. I tried to resist the advice for the amputation of my leg, but for the leg not to get rotten and because I was in excruciating pains, I succumbed and the

Favour from people “When one driver, Mr. David saw me doing the voluntary traffic work, he gave me some money and later placed me on a monthly salary of N5,000 for some time now.

“There are others too, who occasionally give me money.

With these gestures, I fend for my family and send my kids to school. There are some per-

‘

One major problem I face daily is the tricycle operators, popularly called Keke and some drivers. They are very stubborn and do not drive according to rules sons too who usually come to meet me for assistance. I now enjoy doing the job.

Challenges “Due to the long time I spend standing, I feel pains in my leg due to the weight resting on it. I support myself with my clutches, but it disturbs. So most times, I stand on the one leg and direct the traffic.

“One major problem I face daily is the tricycle operators, popularly called Keke and some drivers.

“They are very stubborn and they do not drive according to rules. Most times, they disobey my orders. It could be frustrating but I try to cope with it.

SOS

’

“It has been 19 years now since I had my leg amputated.

Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, has been so supportive, but I appeal to the state government to help me with a bus so I can put it into commercial use.

“I heard stories that the governor had done so for people in my condition in the past, I want him to extend it to me too.

“You can see the risk I take daily to feed my family. I want well-meaning Nigerians to come to my help too. I want my kids to be well educated so that they can take care of me at old age. If they can give scholarship to my kids, I will be happy.

6—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Teenage cultists unleash terror on Delta communities

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—THERE is apprehension at Ughelli, Agbor and other communities in Delta State, where secondary school students, who are cultists, have extended their misbehaviour, especially on initiation days, to residents.

From the university and other higher institutions, cultism has spread to the secondary schools, which are now the incubation grounds with designated senior members overseeing initiation of teen students into the various cults.

The state government, through its peace and security agenda, had somehow been able to relatively checkmate the activities of criminals in the state, but cultism has remained a fly on the scrotum, as the members had veered into robbery and other unruly acts.

Investigations by Niger Delta Voice showed that teenage cult groups in secondary schools also practice the same kind of rituals with their higher institution counterparts and they join cults simply to be feared and recognized by their colleagues.

Police nab 140 Recently, the police at Ughelli in the state seized 140 suspected cultists at an initiation ground in a neighbouring village.

Residents were alarmed when the police stormed the community, but they never knew that an event of such nature was transpiring in their backyard.

Roll-call A 14-year-old secondary school cultist of Otovwodo Grammar School, Ughelli, told Niger Delta Voice: “There is an average of 11 teenage cults in secondary schools across the state namely: AroBagger, also known as JVC; Ominigogo, Omo-Leye Eleye, Darkest, Spyyo, Blue Spiders, OmoWhite and Hallah of the Night for males, while JVC, Junior Jezebels and OmoWhite Babes are for females.”

It was gathered that from Asaba, Agbor, Sapele, Warri, Udu to Ughelli, the teenage cultists, under the guise of cultism, now embark on armed robbery and unleash terror on locals at will with residents leaving in fear of when the next

Some suspected cultists paraded at Ughelli Police Station and (inset) weapons recovered from them. attack, popularly known as ‘rolling,’ would occur.

‘Blending’ Our source, who is a member of Aro-Bagger, disclosed that his group and others normally invite a member of their affiliate cult groups from a tertiary institution to preside over the initiation rites popularly referred to as ‘blending.’

He said: “During initiation, there is a particular alcoholic gin each group use likewise in the design of their regalia.

“New members are expected to pay a registration fee of N2,000 after which they would go through the initiation rites, involving numerous rigorous exercises.

“For members who want to renounce, they are expected to pay huge sums of monies at the discretion of the head of the group.”

On the rationale for becoming a cultist, Omonigho, who wishes to study Law at the Edo

State University, Ekpoma, could not give an outright reason, except that “being a cultist makes my colleagues to fear and revere me, within and outside the walls of my school.

“Being a cultist is a normal thing in school. So to avoid being bullied within and out of school, I have to belong.”

Flashpoints Findings showed the activities of the cultists extend from their schools to some flashpoints in the host communities, notably Otovwievwiere Street, Akpodiete Street, Uloho Avenue, Okorodafe and Otovwodo, which are the hellholes at Ughelli.

There is also the twin communities of Boji Owa and Boji Agbor of Ika South and Ika North East local government areas, which are the firestorms in Agbor; Ovwian, close to Delta Steel

Complex, DSC, area and Orhuwhorun are the minefields in Udu Local Government; New Layout is the danger zone at Ekpan community, Uvwie Local Government Area; Gana, Okpe Road and Ugberikoko in Sapele Local Government.

To an Ughelli resident, Ighoyota Fredrick, the fear of these cultists is the beginning of wisdom as they were said to be the brains behind the numerous burglary and criminal activities in the area.

He said: “When they are out on rampage, especially during Sunday reprisals in what is popularly referred to as rolling, the cultists, numbering over 100, move violently from their hideout with dangerous weapons, unleashing terror on anyone they meet along the road.”

Police react Though the head of the Ughelli Area Command, Mr.

Awosika Awotunde and the Divisional Police Officer, Mr. Samuel Musa, declined commenting on how the police is battling cultists in the state, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, who spoke on condition of anonymity said the police is challenged with information gathering on the activities of these cultists.

He said: “These boys are equally smart in their operations and have informants who feed them with information on police activities.

“They restrict their activities to the peripherals of the towns. They operate to ease their escape when the police swoop in on them.

“We are doing our best, especially when we get wind of their operations even though we are faced with challenges of inadequate patrol vehicles and restricted information of their activities.”

Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—7

POWER WAR: Akwa Ibom communities allege rip-off by PHED Continues from Page 1 Committee, Elder Effiong Mkpongenyong, who spoke with Niger Delta Voice, said that apart from noncomparative billings and transformer problem, the case of unwarranted and arbitrarily disconnection of people and seizure of their electricity cables, just two days after electricity bills had been dispatched, was worrisome.

Speaking in the same vein, Secretary, Mbak Atai Electricity Committee, Mr. Mfom Ikpeme grumbled about alleged barbaric style of PHEDC workers disconnecting the people from electricity supply to compel compliance with payment for consumption they never made.

He said: “Our economic endeavours have been devastated by the barbaric system deployed by PHEDC staff in disconnecting us at will to force us to pay for electricity we did not consume.

“We can no longer store and chill our drinks and water for people to buy. We now operate our businesses at a very exorbitant cost because we now buy ice-blocks.

“Most of us are petty traders and businessmen and women.

With this attitude by staff of PHEDC, we are running our businesses almost at a loss.”

Request transfer of affected PHEDC staff Ikpeme stated: “We are, therefore, demanding a transfer of those hostile PHEDC staff and a reversal of the charges for electricity we never consumed.”

Another villager, Pastor Etim Edet Esia, protested the double and exorbitant billings by the electricity company and urged them to reverse the trend for the people to enjoy the efforts of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration to revamp the power sector.

He said it was because of the apparent oppression that the communities decided to form a group to explore ways of reaching out to the top echelon of the electricity company for their electricity challenges to be addressed.

PHEDC pledges to address challenges Responding, the Manager, PHEDC, Uyo, Engineer Adewusi Dahunsi promised to address the complaints of the people. He enjoined them not to keep their bulbs on when they are not using their appliances so as not to waste supply.

Danhunsi further advised them to constitute committees to monitor and secure their

transformers from electricity vandals.

He, however, explained that the exorbitant billings being experienced by the consumers was as a result of the charge made against careless usages of electricity when people keep their security bulbs perpetually on.

Nung-Obio Akama villagers kick Also, the people of Nung Obio Akama village, Uyo council, have expressed grievance over alleged illegal and outrageous bills by Uyo Business unit of PHED. When Niger Delta Voice visited the village, some of the residents lamented that they have been in total blackout for three weeks since they were disconnected for refusing to pay arrears for the over seven months period they had no power supply.

One of them, who simply identified himself as Itiaba, said: “We are not happy with the attitude of PHED official, assigned to the area.

“He went ahead to disconnect the whole of this area without looking into our complaints that the bill he brought was bearing accumulated bill, covering the months when we were in darkness.

“He insisted that people have to pay this illegal fee and when majority of us refused, he disconnected us.”

Fraudulent bills When contacted, the family head of Nung Obio Akama, Chief Peter Elijah queried why PHED should insist that people pay money for electricity that they did not consume, just as he accused the marketer of worsening the situation due to his hostility towards residents.

He said: “This area did not have light from November 2013 to May 2014 because our transformer was bad. But in July, my house bill was bearing arrears of N34,791.03.

“How did they come about such arrears when we did not have light. In all these areas, no house has meter. I said I was not going to pay any money until the officials explain how they came about the outrageous bills.

Community pays N700,000 for transformer “Because of our bad transformer, I applied in April for a transformer through the Ministry of Town Planning and in the month of May, we were given a new one. That transformer was later installed through community effort.

“Myself, Anthony Udoma, Clifford Ubale, Augustine Okpong and Emmanuel

Matthias started by going from house to house to be able to raise N700,000.00 used to install the new transformer.

“Till now, we are still owing some persons that gave us the money about N165,000.00.”

The family head said the village, recently notified the managing director of the Uyo Business unit about othe ugly situation and that the people were anxiously waiting for the company to address their problem without further delay.

PHEDC not inflating charges—OFFICIAL Niger Delta Voice could not reach the manager at press time, but a PHED staff, who pleaded anonymity, said: “What is happening is that the villagers refused to pay bills even after their light was restored in May. “The old transformer was bad and by May it was powered and by the time they were not given bills, they reacted negatively and even harassed some of us who went there on field work.

“They insisted that they were not supposed to pay any NEPA bill for six months because of their community effort in procuring the new transformer.

So whatever they tell you, they are just building up a story to make the company officials look bad.

“Nobody is forcing them to pay bills for those months they did not use energy. In every bill you get, there are current charges and arrears.

“If they had come forward to complain, the problem would have been addressed because we had other similar cases, there are other areas that had the same kind of problem.

“Those ones wrote and we were able to look into it and the problem has been resolved.

That is the situation.”

Angry customers storm office daily Findings by Niger Delta Voice showed that angry customers throng the PHED Business Office, along Ekpenyong Street, Uyo, on daily basis shouting and lamenting outrageous power bills.

The aggrieved customers said they were not against PHED increasing charges for improved power supply but that 300 per cent increase was high and urged the management to put measures in place to address the situation or revert to status quo.

One of them, Mr. Uduak, said: “We are saying that the margin from what I used to pay is too much. How can I be paying N10,000 in a one room apartment where I used to pay N2,000?”

GRA roads turn death traps in Benin

PHOTO: Barnabas Uzosike.

EDO...

HEARTBEAT OF THE NATION

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—GOVERNMENT Reservation Area, GRA, roads have turned death traps in Benin, Edo State.

A visit by Niger Delta Voice to the area carved out by colonialists between 1918 and 1930 for the Benin Province of the old Western Region revealed that the once well planned and tarred roads have been taken over by gullies and man-made holes.

Among the parts visited were the Adesuwa Girls Grammar School Road, where the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 5, is situated; several banks, hotels, pharmacy stores, legal offices, eateries, churches and relation spots on Ihama Road, where the state legislative quarters is located; Boundary Road, Gapiona Road, Aikhionbare, among others.

Deserted Our findings showed the roads in Benin GRA were in terrible conditions, while some have been completely abandoned by motorists especially when it rained.

Besides, most of the beautiful houses lining the streets are without side drainage, which is another problem confronting the area.

They have become impassable as both commuters and pedestrians now groan in pains as they navigate the roads.

Against this backdrop, concerned residents of the GRA have asked the Edo State Ministry of Works to explain why the administration of Governor Adams Oshiomhole has failed to rehabilitate roads in the area.

Those, who spoke with Niger Delta Voice , lamented the continuous neglect of GRA roads like Ihama, Boundary, Adesuwa, Aikhionbare, Aiguobasimhin, Commercial, Reservation and even the road beside the golf course, the Governor’s Office and the legislators’ quarters by the government since it came into office 2008.

Strangulating business They said the sustained neglect has drastically destroyed homes, paralyzed commerce and even boosted crimes within the neighbourhood.

Chairman, Benin GRA Landlords/Residents Association, Mr. Ogbeide Braimah, in a statement, said: “We voted for him. We commended his first tenure as he worked on roads outside GRA, hoping it would be our luck in his second coming.

“To our dismay, the government and its agents have never deemed it wise to rehabilitate any road in GRA; yet the governor, his deputy and his aides all live here.

“We are very disappointed and I must say that we are sad about the government’s policy, which is very deliberate and it is a constant reminder to us that the government is not peoplecentred.

“How do you explain willful rejection of extending democracy dividends to a large section of the voting public?”

Swimming A motorist living in GRA, Mr, Yekeen Omolola, who described roads in the area as deadly, said: “It is even better now with the onset of the dry season because you can at least see the potholes and gullies before you drive through them.

“When it rained, it is as if you are swimming in the ocean as the entire area is flooded. We are always with the mechanics due to the wear and tear our cars experience daily.”

Horror A journalist and member of the Voice of Freedom Church, Mr Mike Etim, who resides in the area, said: “It is unfortunate that roads in a choice place like the GRA, Benin, now compete with Ajegunle in Lagos.”

Govt will intervene —COMMISSIONER Edo State Commissioner for Works, Mr. Osarodion Ogie, in a recent interview, said the state government had concluded plans to ensure that roads in GRA were rehabilitated and sued for patience from the residents.”

8—Niger Delta Voice, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

AGENDA The truth about Guinea House sale—AKPEKI A

By Emma Amaize

*Says it had nothing to do with Uduaghan, Nwaoboshi; govt gained N305m

SABA—FORMER Delta State Commissioner for Housing, and currently Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, has dismissed as fallacious media report that Guinea House, Lagos, previously owned by the state and valued at N4.5 billion was allegedly sold by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan at N500 million to the former state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi.

Akpeki, who spoke to Niger Delta Voice in Asaba, said: “Guinea House is part of the property given to Delta State from the assets of the defunct Bendel State, between Edo and Delta states.

“Edo had sold their own.

Guniea House was valued N500 million and actually sold some three years ago.

Why Conau lost out “There was no external value report putting the building at N4.5 billion. But the company that it was sold to, Conau, did not pay the money for three years and the state government had to liquidate the sale.

“Dr. Uduaghan did not sell the property. I sold the property on behalf of government.

“I took the papers to the State Executive Council for liquidation of the sale when I found out that Conau did not pay its bid price after three years and it was approved.

Fresh bid “Government advertised for fresh bid and it was open. Many companies bidded for it. The highest bid was by a company called Golden Touch, not Chief Peter Nwaoboshi.

“There were other companies, including a Chinese firm Costain Nigeria Limited.

“Alhough lost out in the bid, the company sent me a letter of commendation for the open manner the sale was carried out. I have the letter of commendation from Costain.”

N305m richer Akpeki said: “So, from where are these people coming up with information that Guinea House was valued at N4.5 billion?

“I challenge the authors of this false information to substantiate their claim with evidence. What happened is that I made the state to get additional N305 million from the earlier N500 million.

“I just wanted to make things straight on this matter because I was the Commissioner of Housing when the transaction was consummated and I will not want people to be peddling rumour on a very clear matter. ”

Chief Paulinus Akpeki

EBOLA SCARE: 12 animals acquired by Mandela Garden sent back

A

SABA—KEEPER of Mandela Garden of 95 Trees, Asaba, Delta State, Chief Newton Jibunoh, is furious that Customs, Immigrations and health officials at Calabar Port, Cross River State, sent back 12 animals acquired by the organization from East Africa over Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, scare.

Chief Jibunoh told Niger Delta Voice at Asaba that the animals, including a giraffe, zebra, ostrich, donkey, peacock and duck, all in pairs, were turned back from the port with two veterinary doctor and nurse, who accompanied them to Nigeria, about three months ago, despite a letter from the government of Delta State, requesting easy entry.

His grievance: “The animals got to Calabar at the time the Ebola outbreak was on.

“They said that they got information that no animal coming in from outside the country should be allowed in.

So they were refused entry.

They were giraffe, zebra, ostrich, donkey, peacock and duck, all in pairs.

“Our idea was to practice animal husbandry and breed so

that we can have a mini zoo in the park. They had to be put on a boat back to Cameroon.

“It happened in Calabar Port, even with a letter from the Governor ’s Office, Asaba, signed by Permanent Secretary requesting for easy entry.

“Despite all that, they refused those animals coming in. They got into Calabar Port, but health, Customs and Immigration officials turned them away. It has been three months now.

They used Ebola as excuse not to allow them in.

“These are friendly animals and we acquired them because this place has become a recreation centre.

“Students from primary and secondary schools, and universities come here for excursions and picnic. We felt that it will be nice to have them for leisure and educational issues.”

Niger Delta Voice gathered

that Chief Jibunoh relocated to his home state, following the pressure on him by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, to put down ideas and vision for future generations and was not happy with the repatriation of the animals.

He urged Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State to assist the Mandela Garden Park, Asaba, in giving the animals entry, as plan to bring them back to Nigeria was on.

Monarch tasks Clark on devt

By Cletus Opukeme

W

ARRI—THE Ayamabulo Ibenanaowei of Iduwini Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Bosu, has urged the newly elected chairman of the council, Chief Clark Ebikeme, to embark on sustainable development.

The monarch, who gave the charge in an interview with Niger Delta Voice at a thanksgiving ceremony by the council boss in Warri, said: "I am happy for Chief Clark

Ebikeme for his victory. I am appealing to him not to tow the path of his predecessors.

“Burutu is one of the richest councils in terms of petroleum products and human development in the nation.

"But if you go round Burutu communities, especially the council headquarters, there is nothing to record as the council headquarters and the communities are in shambles.

“As the secretary of the traditional ruler’s council, on behalf of my colleagues, I want him (council boss) to write his

father’s name in gold by making a difference with massive developments across all communities during his tenure in office.”

Speaking at the thanksgiving, Clark said: “I am today thanking God for his mercy and grace for the victory as elected chairman of Burutu Local Government in the just concluded council polls in the state.

“It was a tortuous journey, but God made it possible for me. I am here to dedicate my office to God.”

32—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

By Theodore Opara

Undergraduate wins Mini Cooper in GTBank promo

T

Head, Marketing, Toyota Nig. Ltd. Mr. Andrew Ajuya (2nd left) receiving award of Best Car of the Year 2014 from Assistant Corps Marshall, FRSC, Mr. Godwin Ogagaoghene. From left, Public Relations Manager, Toyota, Mrs. Bukki Ogunnusi and Workshop Training Manager, Mr. N. Nishanti during the Nigeria Auto Journalists Award (NAJA) in Lagos.

HE latest Mini Coo per, one of the world’s most stunning compact cars has been won by a Lagos undergraduate at the end of a special educational promotional campaign by GTBank. In the grand finale of the GTCrea8 mini cooper promo - Season 2, Adebiyi Mariam Ajoke, an ND2 student of Business Administration, Lagos State Polytechnic, emerged the winner of the Season 2 GTCrea8

promo and won the star prize of a brand new mini cooper; a stylish fun-todrive subcompact coupe with an efficient, boxy front-wheel-drive layout.The GTCrea8 mini cooper promo also rewards undergraduates from different Nigeria tertiary institutions with scholarship monthly. This is in line with the bank’s decision to support education and financial discipline. The original Mini was a British-made

ultra-compact hatch revered for its ability to be tossed around twisty roads while still offering practical cabin space thanks to clever packaging. After an astonishing 40-year production run, BMW took over and reintroduced the Mini for the modern era. Though it had grown, the new Mini retained the core attributes that made the original so desirable; fun driving dynamics, usable space in the cabin, and quirky design inside and out. Stylish and fun loving students will certainly find the Mini Cooper highly desirable.

Miss Shalom Elisha Wigwe, a 400 level Medical student of the University of Lagos was the proud winner of the mini cooper car in the Season 1 of the GTCrea8 promo.

A 200 level student of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Mr. Mohammed Yisa was also rewarded with N1,000,000.00 worth of scholarship for The GTCrea8 account allows students conveniently carry out all their banking activities 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from anywhere in the world, without having to step into a banking hall.

Ford Ranger tops sales chart

F

ORD Motor Compa ny of Southern Africa (FMCSA) consolidated its strong sales month with another resilient performance in November. Ford sales totaled 6 332 vehicles for November 2014, representing a substantial year-on-year growth of 20.5%.

FMCSA has recorded a market share of 13.9%, the second highest share since reporting. FMCSA also reported a YOY increase of 21.4% with a total of 64 234 vehicles sold year-to-date.

According to the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa), industry new vehicle sales are up 0.9% on November last year, from 50 630 to 51 098 units.

Passenger car sales are down by 2.5% and Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) sales are up 10.8% year-over-year.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 —33

Affordable housing: FG woos investors with concessions, waivers

By Jude Njoku & Caleb Ayansina

A

PPARENTLY worried by the high cost of housing delivery in Nigeria, the Federal Government has begun to woo key players and stakeholders in the public and private sectors of the economy with concessions and waivers that would enable them provide affordable housing to millions of homeless Nigerians.

Indications to this effect emerged last week at one-day pre- summit for the proposed Housing and Construction Summit/Expo slated for January, 2015. The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban development and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Peculiar housing problems Speaking at the workshop, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala affirmed the determination of the Federal Government to address the peculiar housing problems in the country through the provision of sector-specific incentives which have helped to create a number of identifiable opportunities in housing and construction. ”I will share with you some of these incentives, and they are open for both local and foreign investors. Firstly, investments in real estate enjoy pioneer status, hence five to seven years’ tax holidays. Secondly, investments in real estate enjoy capital allowance as well as 100 percent profit and capital repatriation C M Y K

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi and Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi OkonjoIweala at the pre-summit in Abuja guarantees. “Thirdly, research and development in building materials, as well as their commercialization attract tax deduction of 120 percent and 20 percent investment tax credit,” she said Okonjo-Iweala charged stakeholders in the industry to come together to build a formidable sector that would reduce peoples’ hardship, while searching for shelter.

In her remarks, the Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi noted that to build a house in Nigeria is a very expensive task due to the high cost of building materials, prevalence of unskilled labor, unnecessary bureaucratic bottlenecks and high cost of provision of enabling infrastructure.

Her words: “Affordable housing cannot be achieved without a drastic reduction in the cost of housing construction and other associated costs which invariably determine the selling price.

Consequently, for affordability to thrive, emphasis must shift to reducing the cost of housing construction in order to promote access to affordable homes to the vulnerable segment of our national population”.

It was the Minister’s candid

opinion that affordable housing delivery for the low and middle income earners cannot be achieved without the support of Government and the provision of incentives to encourage the participation of the private sector”.

According to her, this scenario has brought to the fore, the call in many quarters for the intervention of Government in the forms of concessions and waivers, especially on building materials as well as the establishment of factories for the production of building materials

For affordability to thrive, emphasis must shift to reducing the cost of housing construction in order to promote access to affordable homes to the vulnerable segment of our national population

by offering incentives to investors and building materials manufacturers.

She described the need to provide affordable homes for 167 million Nigerians as an arduous task that cannot be left for the Government alone, especially now that the Government’s revenue is dwindling.

The Minister called on all stakeholders to partner with the Government to actualise the vision of Mr. President that all Nigerians deserve to be adequately housed. She also appealed to the organised private sector, manufacturing outfits, finance houses and multilateral agencies to support the proposed Housing and Construction Summit/Expo 2015 by providing financial, technical and material support to make it a huge success.

“It is our expectation that the 2015 Summit will evolve a National plan of action that will be acceptable and implemented by all tiers of Government, as well as other key partners and stakeholders, after it has been adopted consensually,” she said.

The Minister said the pre summit was packaged to “present a platform for key players and stakeholders in the private and public sectors of the economy in the housing delivery chain to discuss the challenges and issues militating against the provision o f affordable housing in Nigeria”.

S h e explained that the p r e summit will also provide an excellent opportunity for key stakeholders a n d partners in t h e building a n d construction industry in Nigeria to brainstorm and agree on the concessions a n d waivers that will be provided by the private

and public sectors to enable all Nigerians have access to affordable housing.

“It is also expected that environmentally-friendly new building technologies and solutions which are suitable for adaptation for the provision of affordable mass housing in Nigeria will be explored at this Summit in addition to other viable financial and non-financial incentives which may need to be canvassed in order to ensure the revitalization of the housing and urban development sector as a key sector for ensuring inclusive and beneficial growth,” she said.

Devaluation of Naira and cost of cement Speaking on the devaluation of the Naira, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala gave the assurance that it would not increase the cost of cement. She explained that the government had mutual discussions with Dangote Cement Company PLC before the Naira devaluation. She said the cement company pledged to sustain the new cement price which is expected to assist in the reduction of inflation in the cost of building materials. ”Dangote cement will not increase the price of its cement as a result of stresses that we are experiencing in the economy, the price will be sustained for now, “Okonjo-Iweala said.

She said the government is fully aware that any increase in the price of cement would have ripple effects in the housing sector hence it had taken steps ahead of the present economic situation to mitigate the effect.

34—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 —35

FG develops policy on management of e-waste

By Funmi Olasupo

T

HE Federal Government has developed a draft policy and strategic plan for the management of electronic waste (e-waste) in the country. This was disclosed by the Minister of Environment, Mrs Laurentia Mallam at the Consultative Stakeholders’ Workshop on the Management of Electrical and Electronic Waste in Nigeria held recently in Abuja. The workshop was organised by the United Nation Industrial Development Organisation UNIDO in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Environment and other stakeholders.

Represented by the acting Director, Pollution and Environmental Health Department in the Ministry, Mr Abdul-Kazeem Bayero, Mallam said the Federal Government is determined to address the challenges posed by e-waste. ‘`The Federal Ministry of Environment is determined to avert the environmental hazards of ever increasing toxic heavy metal contained in the electrical/ electronic equipment in our environment.

So far, the Ministry has developed draft policy

guidelines and strategic plan on the management of e-waste which are all awaiting ratification by relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, regulations on the management of e-waste have been prepared by the National Environmental Standard Regulation and Enforcement Agency, NESREA, which has been approved and are in force,” she said.

Continuing, the Minister said the Federal Executive Council has” restricted the importation of ewaste products into the country because of the hazardous components of e-waste and lack of capacity to manage it in an environmental sound manner by the informal sector“.

Mallam said Nigeria is a signatory to international

Heaps of e-waste conventions and agreements that address chemical management issues, adding that the instruments are responsible for global success in the management of hazardous waste in everyday life.

Her words: ‘It is my expectation that partnership in the field of chemical management especially on the e-waste stream should be strengthened to equip African

countries including Nigeria. It should be strengthened with the necessary tools to overcome the challenges of managing the ever increasing quantum of e-waste.“ She explained that, electronic and information technology industry is the largest and fastest growing industry in today’s manufacturing world, which thrives on rapid technology

Access to electric energy as a right

BY EZE ONYEKPERE

V

ARIOUS international human rights standards recognise a right to an adequate standard of living. These include the standards setting Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural

Rights. A good part of adequacy is defined in these standards to include health, food, clothing and housing. The concept of adequate standard of living and its measurement is not stagnant. It is subject to continuous improvements as technology develops, human knowledge increases and more resources become available to society. What

was considered adequate in the 1950s may not measure up to today’s standards. It is therefore within this context that the obligation of the state, to either directly provide electricity to its citizens or provide the right enabling framework for non state actors to do so should be understood. Essentially, electricity is vital to the maintenance of the security and the welfare of the people which is the primary purpose of government. Most of the provisions of the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy in the 1999 Constitution will be difficult to fulfill without access to electricity.

Inadequate housing From the housing perspective, the issue of habitability which is one of the cardinal parameters of adequate housing recognised in international jurisprudence includes the health principles of housing which recognises the need for adequate space, protection from cold, damp, heat, rain, other threats to health, structural hazards, disease vectors, etc. It further recognises housing as the environmental factor most frequently associated with disease conditions in epidemiological analysis.

Thus, inadequate and deficient housing and living conditions are invariably associated

C M Y K

changes, which lead to accelerated discards of older models.

“The discarded older models called e-waste form a rapidly growing waste stream in the world, with the attendant negative environmental and health impacts, find their way through legal and illegal imports into countries in Asia and Africa such as Nigeria.

with higher mortality and morbidity rates. The issue of availability of services, materials, facilities and infrastructure which is central to adequate housing posits that a house must contain certain facilities for the health, security, comfort and nutrition of its occupants. Thus, all beneficiaries of the right to adequate housing must have sustainable access to safe drinking water, energy for cooking, heating, lighting, sanitation and washing facilities, means of food storage, refuse disposal, site drainage and emergency services. These requirements of adequacy and modern day life may not be met without access to electric energy.

If electric energy is absent, the implication is that most of these services will not be available or will be available at the rudimentary stages.

To maintain an adequate standard of living, one has to work and earn an income.

Virtually, every known trade has a component that demands the use of electric energy. From big service and production concerns, to the fashion designer and tailor, vulcaniser, barber, hairdresser, to the pepper grinder, electricity is an indispensable input to create wealth and add value. Almost every vehicle needs a battery and batteries are electrically recharged when they run down.

National development plans recognise power as the most important infrastructure requirement for moving the private sector forward and goes on to state that Nigeria’s power system is so inadequate that it has held back economic progress and social well-being.

Stemming rural-urban drift To stem rural urban drift, accessible electricity will encourage people to stay back in the rural areas since they will enjoy a near equivalent status with urban dwellers.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Patients suffer as health workers’ strike escalates

By Chioma Obinna & Gabriel Olawale

T

HE man is dead. O ti ku! (he has died) screamed a woman at the Medical Emergency Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, weekend in Lagos.

Weeping uncontrollably, the woman lamented the untimely death of her husband who had been on admission in one of the wards.

Surrounded by sympathisers, the grieving woman insisted that the man would have lived. “They would have saved him if there was no strike in the hospital,” she remarked.

This death marked another of the countless deaths that have occurred as a result of incessant strikes in the health sector. Health workers have downed tools yet again and patients in hospitals are at the mercy of fate. Who is to be held responsible? The answer is blowing in the wind.

Unless there is urgent intervention by both the Federal and State governments in the ongoing nationwide strike called by members of the Joint Health Sector Union, JOHESU, more preventable deaths are likely to be recorded.

The JOHESU has declared a total strike in all state and Federal Government owned hospitals throughout the country.

Thursday last week, members of the JOHESU in Lagos called the bluff of the state government on its “No work, No pay” policy and joined the indefinite industrial action initiated by the national body to press home their demands, grounding all healthcare services in the various hospitals.

Olive branch for patients It was pathetic at LASUTH as services were grounded to a halt when Vanguard visited weekend. The tertiary institution has been the major alternative to patients in Lagos since November 12 the strike began in Federal Government ownedhospitals. Unfortunately, the olive branch for patients was finally withdrawn.

Hundreds of patients irrespective of the nature of their illnesses were sent away, while few of those who hung around were given palliative attention by some doctors without assistance from nurses and other health workers.

The situation was so bad that even patients who were in the hospital to remove their POP swere turned back.

The message of JOHESU in Lagos was clearly written all around the hospital: “JOHESU C M Y K

Abandoned Nurses’ table and helpless patients in the female medical ward of LASUTH weekend in Lagos.

Strike Action begins. Kindly bear with us.” The notice was pasted on windows, doors and other entrances of the hospital.

But the notice did little to dissuade desperate patients. “If we don’t get healthcare here, where do they expect us to go?”A few wondered.

From the outpatient department to the Accident and Emergency, the hospital was devoid of usual the beehive of activities.

A tour of the Male Surgical ward revealed that patients were beginning to discharge themselves. Most beds were empty. A medical staff who spoke under anonymity noted: “The patients started leaving the hospital yesterday. Even the ones here, there is nobody attending to them. You can see them lying down helplessly. It is pathetic but there is nothing we can do as our parent body has directed us to down tools,” he stated.

Hundreds of patients irrespective of the nature of their illnesses were sent away, while few of those who hung around were being given palliative attention by some doctors without assistance from nurses and other health workers

At the female medical ward, about 20 patients were seen lying helplessly in their beds without attention.

Two female patients who spoke to Good Health Weekly at the Accident and Emergency unit, said: “We were asked to come today but getting here we were told the workers are on strike.”One who identified herself as Edna said she was coming for the first time. “I was referred from Isolo General Hospital and this is my first visit. I don’t even know when they will call off the strike,” she said amidst tears.

The hospital’s Chief Medical Director was unavailable at this point in time.

Why we joined the strike — JOHESU, Lagos

Meanwhile, the leadership of JOHESU at the hospital who spoke to Vanguard claimed their action was following a directive of the national body to join the strike after series of failed meetings with the Federal government to resolve the raging crisis.

Justifying the strike in state hospitals, spokesperson of the striking workers, Comrade Muritala Olayinka argued that Federal and State government health workers do not act in isolation.

“JOHESU has taken into consideration the plight of the patients which was why the action had been delayed since 2010. Most of all these issues started since 2010. Unfortunately, the Federal Government has refused to listen to the workers. We went to court and we won, up till now nothing has been done about the implementation.”

On the no work no policy of the State Government, Olayinka

claimed that the Union followed due process. ”This strike is legal, a judgment that we won in an industrial court which the government refused to implement. Our strike is in line with the national directive. As a registered trade union, there is a way we go about our strike, if they can resolve their issue today, we would suspend the strike.”

Corroborating his views, Comrade Rasheed Tonade, Chairman, Medical and Health Workers Union, Lagos who also justified the strike said the directive of the national body of the association are binding on all Lagos health workers saying that “no work no pay circular’ was not new to them.

Tonade who said that the Union had followed due processes stated that the current situation was avoidable if the government had listened to the health workers before now.

Avoidable situation

just that all the negations they have had with those that matter concerning this issue has not yielded any positive result.

Tonade stated that the government should be held responsible should any patient die in the period of the strike.

“We in Lagos had written Governors in each state that health workers will down tools if the Federal Government fails to negotiate with our leadership. We are organised labour, it is labour law that we follow so ‘no work no pay’ will not be applicable to us. Because government knows we are register association under JOHESU and we are demanding for legitimate right of our member and if receive a directive to resume back today, we are going to resume.”

He said a government that appreciates heath service does not wait until health workers go on strike before it would act. “If they value life they would have prevented it in the first place. It is very painful to embark on this strike. If government had spoken to our leaders we wouldn’t have been in this situation by now. It is affecting us as well because it is the same services we also patronise.”

“It is an avoidable situation but the government is making it unavoidable. The strike would have been in 2012 but we postponed it. In May we postponed it because of the Chibok girls.

We looked at the state of the nation a n d suspended our strike. But unfortunately government is not seeing things from our own perspectives.

Our national Exco is a l w a y s available for • Comrade Rasheed Tonade, Chairman, negotiation, MHWUN

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014— 37

Why family planning is priority for national development

By Gabriel Olawale

T

HE Nigerian girl child is more likely to suffer female genital mutilation, early sexual debut, sexual abuse and violence, premarital sex, unwanted pregnancy, unsafe abortion or drop out of school than her counterparts in many other parts of the developing world. This has been the trend over the years.

Sekinat was only 11 when she had her first sexual experience. It was unpleasant and over before she knew it, but happened several other times with the same person.

Her story is typical of many girls and young women in this environment.

Felicia had wanted to finish school and get a good job, but her poor parents could not afford to send her to school. Worse still, on the excuse that they did not want her to live in poverty forever, she was married off at 13 to a man more than three times her age. Today, at 19, Felicia has three children and is pregnant with the fourth.

Her dreams of getting an education are effectively dashed.

Even growing into an adult does little to liberate the Nigerian woman’s woes in matters of reproductive health such as family planning, contraception, child spacing among others.

Few months after Ijeoma, had her first baby, it was with shock she realised she was pregnant again. It was a difficult pregnancy because her first baby was still so immature, and was barely a year old by the time she put to bed the second time.

• Women of child bearing age at a family planning centre.

But less than four months afterwards, Ijeoma became pregnant the third time.

She was surprised, upset and helpless.

Her second baby was just over a year old when she put to bed the third time. In three years, she had borne three children.

This unplanned childbearing took enormous toll on their health.

Sekinat, Felicia and ijeoma had never heard about contraception or family

planning simply because nobody had ever told them about it. The World Health Organisation, WHO, says family planning enables individuals and couples to anticipate and attain their desired number of children and the spacing and timing of their births. It is achieved through use of contraceptive methods and the treatment of involuntary infertility. Family planning may involve sterilisation, abortion, and

MDGs: Private sector mobilises US$1m health innovation challenge

By Sola Ogundipe

T

OWARDS enabling Nigeria attain targets of the health-related Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, the Private Sector Health Alliance has inaugurated the Nigerian Health Innovators Community of Practice and launched the US$1 million Health Innovation Challenge to save one million lives in Nigeria by 2015.

The initiative is specifically targeted at accelerating improvement in health outcomes from preventable causes of maternal and child mortality such as malaria, malnutrition, lack of access to lifesaving commodities, sub-optimal supply chain systems amongst others.

At the official kick-off weekend in Lagos, the Chairman of the Private Sector Health Alliance, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, while describing the initiative as a landmark in the history of innovation in healthcare in the country, explained that the aim of the Alliance is to build on similar trends from African countries that have achieved the health MDGs through the pillars of innovation, partnerships, advocacy and impact investments.

“Today the Health Innovation Challenge to Save One Million Lives kicks off; We have developed problem statements in partnership with states and government agencies and we are confident that addressing these constraints through innovation and partnerships will contribute significantly to the saving one million lives movement,” he stated.

Wigwe, who is also Chairman of the Nigeria Health Innovation Marketplace, NHIM, Steering Committee, remarked that the biggest missed opportunity in accelerating improvement in health outcomes in the country, lies in ability to create a health innovation marketplace to C M Y K

identify, spur and scale up promising health innovations that leapfrog constraints and save lives.

“Leveraging private sector innovation and technology to advance health outcomes has great prospects,” Wigwe stated, noting that the NHIM virtual portal has gone live, opening possibilities for existing health innovations that lack access to capital, business and financial management, visibility and convergence platforms that create market and technical linkages. “This is home to the six critical components of the marketplace which by their intrinsic design will spur innovation

through knowledge sharing, creating visibility for innovators, developing capabilities of innovators, linking innovators with investors and fostering collaboration or generating healthy competition,” he explained.

Further, Wigwe noted that the Alliance had convened a community of practice for healthcare innovators in the country to leapfrog innovation through shared learning. Already, the low application of innovation and technology in healthcare delivery has been identified as the biggest missed opportunity in transforming healthcare delivery in Nigeria.

•L-R: Marketing Director Colgate Palmolive Nigeria, Mrs. Hannah Oyebanjo; Mrs. Bimpe Adebiyi, Head Dentistry Division FMOH with Dr. Khaliru AlHassan, Minister of Health, who represented the Senate President, Senator Anthony George Manzo at the launch of the 2014 National Oral Health Week in Abuja recently

other birth control methods and techniques to achieve this aim. In these parts, women are often shackled by the dictates of underdevelopment ranging from cultural, social, religious, ethnic and even racial factors. Often women cannot negotiate sex, even in marriage because of cultural norms and/or taboos. Analysts say that government’s effort in tackling the deaths of mothers is not yielding the desired result as only 10 percent of Nigerian women use modern family planning methods as at 2013. Meeting only 4.2 per cent mCPR annually with the aim of achieved 36 per cent by 2018, will not only avert close to 1.6 million unintended births but will also reduce maternal deaths by 40 percent.

But the main obstacles to use of birth control are unavailability, poor health care services, spousal disapproval, religious concerns, and misinformation about the effects of birth control.

Towards addressing these concerns, participants at the 3rd Family Planning Conference in Abuja called for improvement in access to quality education, health, workforce population structure, good economic policies and governance as the only ways to achieve the desired family planning ratio in the country. Among others, the gathering recommended urgent passage of the National Health Bill, implementation of the Nigeria Family Planning Blueprint, active participation of youth in policies related to family planning and reproductive health services and addressing all barriers that hinder young people’s universal access to the comprehensive Sexual Reproductive Health information and services.

With these and other concerns on the front burner, the Country Director, jhpiego Corporation, Prof. Emmanuel Dipo Otolorin, posited that education should be made free and compulsory for all at least to the secondary school level. “the years a girl child spent in school will invariably delay her marriage and empower her to make wise family planning decisions in the future.”

Deputy Country Director, Marie Stopes Nigeria, Ufuoma Festus Omo-Obi emphasises the need for providing reliable information to women about their family planning options. “There is need to provide service for hard to reach areas of Nigeria, by way of providing access to a range of contraceptive services through medical outreach at regular intervals. This service had help us in our own little way to averted over 134, 855 unsafe abortions in 2013 with our social franchisees who we are using to reach under-served women with the family planning and reproductive health services they want and need.”

Director, Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative, NURHI, Dr. Moji Odeku, argued that providing women with the required maternal health medicines and supplies would prevent an additional 19,000 deaths, reduce the annual number of deaths to about 16,000, while enabling Nigeria to not only reach but significantly attain its MDG goal. She said “Though a lot of efforts have been in place towards promoting family planning programme, it is however believed that the potential of contraceptive practice in preventing maternal and child deaths warrants more commitment from the government.”

Government is encouraged to increase investment in family planning as an integral part of the integrated maternal, newborn and child health and as a national priority while sustaining its free contraceptive policy.

38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

EVD: 120 acquire skills on infection control

By Sola Ogundipe

A

S part of efforts towards charting a way forward in improving the country’s emergency preparedness and response to infectious disease outbreak , no less than 120 healthcare personnel including medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists, lab scientists among others from across the Federation have undergone an intensive 2-day infection and control prevention workshop.

Held in Lagos, under the auspices of the Anu Dosekun Healthcare Foundation, ADHP, in collaboration with the Outreach Medical Services, the medics benefited from hands-on training, didactic lectures, and skill sessions specifically designed for healthcare practitioners on global best practices.

At the gathering of healthcare disciplines, convener of the programme, Dr. Efunbo Dosekun, said in the wake of the recent Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the country, it was expedient to have a healthcare system that makes it easy to do the right thing and difficult to do the wrong thing during an emergency.

In her lecture entitled “Integrated Safety Management Systems in Hospitals”, Dosekun, who is Managing Director, Outreach Children’s Hospital. Festac, Lagos made a case for the updating of infection control practices in Nigerian hospitals.

Dosekun said it is essential to take time to review what has been learned so that when disasters happen roles would have been defined.

“We want a situation whereby all health workers have a basic level of understanding, this is the first workshop, another will be in three months until we

are satisfied that a critical mass of health workers understand the principles and practice of infection prevention control.

“This is a good way to improve our knowledge in the much-needed area of learning, exposure to relevant CME sessions where capacity is adequately added.“ One of the resource persons, Dr. Sylvia Cole, a Consultant Anaesthetist, said it had become essential to consider the inclusion of clinical governance into infection control strategies in the country.

She said effective infection prevention and control requires total commitment at every level, as well as a patient-centred healthcare.

Stop HIV/AIDS prejudice now, Nigerians told In his lecture; “HIV Education,

S

Chioma Obinna

TAKEHOLDERS have called for an end to the series of complications and deaths perpetuated by the prejudice, stigma and discrimination of People Living with HIV and AIDS in Nigeria.

At a sensitisation programme, organised

by Unilever PLC, in collaboration with Positive Action for Treatment Access, PATA, they identified discrimination as most challenging in fight against the pandemic, urging Nigerians not to relent in spreading the right message of awareness, prevention and proper treatment of victims until the country attains zero discrimination, zero deaths and zero infections.

• L-R: Jide Idris, Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof. Abdulsalam Nasisi, Project Coordinator, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Tamunoiyoriari Sampson Parker, commissioner for Health, River State and Amb. Olawale Mayegun, director, Department of Social Affairs, African Union Commission at the training of 250 olunteers by the Federal Ministry of Health to be sent to Sierra Leone and Liberia to fight Ebola in Lagos .

Prevention, Care and Treatment”, Dr. Oliver Ezechi from the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR, regretted that though there was so much understanding about HIV/AIDS, there was still so much prejudice, stigma and discrimination.

Ezechi said the World AIDS Day is important to remind the public and government that the scourge is still prevalent in Nigeria. He called on all to show support for the PLWA, and grieved that 19 million people were still unaware of their HIV status.

HIV is transmitted through unprotected penetrative sex (vaginal fluids and semen), infected blood products and infected mother to child and breast milk. It is not contracted through kissing, hugging, sharing toilet seats, animal bites, handshake and sharing eating utensils.

According to Ezechi, HIV has no symptoms, describing it as an opportunistic illness. He said a test is essential for diagnosis.

Managing Director, Unilever, Nigeria, Mr. Nsarkoh Yaw said the most important factor in the fight against HIV is the need for countries to overcome stigma and discrimination as well as the population realising that people living with HIV are normal people and should not be discriminated upon.

“People can be HIV positive and continue with their normal lives. Learn to encourage them because Unilever stands for sustainable living. We are fully into the campaign because we believe that businesses thrive only in a thriving community, “he noted.

On her part, Mrs. Temi Tayo of PATA, stressed the need for rape victims to have access to Post Exposure Prophylaxis, PEP, to reduce the possibility of contracting HIV.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

AM 17 years old and I want to know why my 18 year old friends can have sex and I cannot? We are all equally developed physically and they are not more mature than me. They are just a few months older. That’s all. This 18 year old rule does not make sense just like a lot of things in this stupid country – Nony Sarah I understand your frustration but this rule is actually a smart one. It was made to protect minors like you. I will explain. Kids your age look at your bodies and they look just like the body of an average adult. This pressures many of you into thinking that you are ready for a sexual relationship. But this rule has nothing to do with physical development. Even thirteen year olds these days are physically developed. The calculation behind this 18 year old rule is that by the time a person is 18, he or she should have acquired a secondary school education with which they can pursue a minimum wage job and earn money (if they are unable to further their education).

Being able to work and earn money means that an 18 year old is better able to handle the consequences of a sexual relationship such as an unplanned pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases, marriage, raising children, divorce and a broken heart. So this is a very sensible rule made for your own good – Uche I am 56 years old and a big follower of your column.

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—39

APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARIES:

The final battle The stage is set for the presidential aspir ants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress,APC, who are upbeat about clinching the party’s ticket in an exercise that is poised to define how far the party would go in the 2015 presidential elections.

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

F

AILURE is not an option.

Hopes are high. Optimism is the word and all is set now for the great contest.

Wednesday, December 10, 2015 is the day. Like a football game, it is their semi final. And so, they have lined up for a primary election to secure the ticket to contest the presidential election in 2015.

But the five of them cannot all make it to the final. The ticket is one and must be clinched by one of them. They have passed the stage of consensus. The idea had come up prior to now but it was jettisoned. To them, the idea sounded undemocratic.

The popular Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos State is the venue where former Head of State, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari ,rtd, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, governors of Kano and Imo

States, Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso and Chief Rochas Okorocha, and the publisher of Leadership Newspaper, Sam Nda-Isaiah would “clash”.

Over 8000 delegates are expected to cast their votes, meaning that whatever happens, one person must secure at least a vote.

They are in the pursuit of the ticket of APC- the nation’s leading opposition political party.

•Atiku

•Buhari

Primary election Anyone who emerges from the list would eventually challenge President Goodluck Jonathan on February 14, 2015.

This would be the first presidential primary election of the APC since its formation and registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on July 1, 2013.

Those who will decide party torchbearer •All members of the Board of Trustees (BOT) •National Chairman and all members of the national executive council •Serving and past Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who are members of the party.

•Serving and past members of the party who are members of the party, serving and past Speakers, Deputy Speakers and other principal officers of the state Houses of Assembly who are members of the party.

•Members of the state’s working committee including those of the Federal Capital Territory.

•All party chairmen and Secretaries of all Local Government Authorities/Local Council Development Authorities in the country.

•All elected chairmen of Local Government Councils/Local Council Development Authorities in the country who are members of the party.

•Three elected delegates at least one who must be a woman from each Local Government Area/ Local Development Authorities in the country.

•Kwankwso With the exception of Sam Nda-Isaiah, who can be likened to a greenhorn in the race, the others are all “old soldiers” who had at one time or the other participated in politics or wielded political power. In fact, they posses different intimidating profiles.

Meanwhile, the aspirants and their respective camps are already in Lagos for the event.

Buhari and Atiku’s camps told Vanguard via SMS that hopes are high, adding that they would be victorious.

Mrs. Ireti Ojekhoa, Head, Information Management Unit of Buhari Support Organizations, BSO, said “The mood is high. We are confident that we will win. Delegates are sure to vote for our principal”.

Similarly, Alhaji Garba Shehu, head, Atiku Media Office in Abuja said: “We are fine. There are very good feelings here. We are doing extremely well. We are optimistic that the outcome will vindicate our feelings.”

Though the camps of Kwankwaso, Okorocha and Isaiah could not be reached, it was gathered that they are also

•Sam-Nda-Isaiah confident of victory.

To forestall acrimony that may arise after the primaries, the APC last week adopted an unusual measure.

The party made the aspirants

The aspirants and their respective camps are already in Lagos for the event

to sign a letter of commitment compelling them to remain in the party even after losing out in the exercise.

The undertaking also mandated them to collapse their individual campaign structures into that of the party for effective campaign of the eventual standardbearer.

The statement by Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, reads: ‘’I on behalf of myself and my primary campaign organization undertake to accept the outcome of the primaries and actively support whoever emerges as the winner and shall not defect to any other political party or in anyway obstruct the smooth prosecution of the presidential campaigns. ‘’I further affirm that during the campaign and later in government, I shall be guided strictly by the party manifesto.

In the event of my nomination, my campaign team will immediately be collapsed into the party ’s campaign structure for a properly united and focused presidential campaign.”

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

APC PRESIDENTIAL PRIMARY:

What makes Kwankwaso the best aspirant, by Senator Dansadau SENATOR Seidu Dansadau represented Zamfara Central during the fifth Senate. In this interview, Dansadau explains why it will be a waste if delegates do not cast their votes for the governor of Kano State, Engineer Rabiu Kwankwaso, in the APC primary election to produce the party’s presidential candidate holding at Onikan Stadium, Lagos tomorrow

By Wale Akinola

W

HY do you think delegates should vote for Kwankwaso in the primary election?

I think I have been disappointed by Nigerian politicians in the sense that the majority of them are in politics for their selfish interest and to the detriment of the interest and unity of this country.

Politics should be an instrument to service the interest of the majority of the people. But I am associating myself with the Kwakwanso presidential aspiration because I have seen in him a politician who is in politics for service to the people.

He is a politician who uses politics as a career, distinct from the majority of our politicians who are in politics simply because they want to contest for elective offices. Kwakwanso sees politics as a job, an instrument used in serving his people, state and the generality of the people of Nigeria.

That is my attraction to him. I

am satisfied that he is in politics in order to get power which will enable him to provide services to the people.

When you look at the security challenges we are going through as a nation, youwill agree with me that we need a politician with the capacity, attitude and the political willing the mold of Kwakwanso, at this point of this nation, to save Nigeria.

He has also distinguished himself as a politician set out to achieve some goals and objectives going by what he has done since his entrance into politics in 1991. When he sets a goal, he becomes determined to make sure the goal is achieved.

What he did in Kano during his first tenure in office and what he is doing now in the same state, leaves no one in doubt as to his ability to achieve his set goals.

This is the quality any aspiring politician to any political office should have.

Also, Nigerian politics is full of struggles, fight, opposition, back biting. For an ordinary politician, you cannot succeed

in such an environment.

Kwakwanso is a brave, courageous and dogged fighter. Look at when he was defeated in 2003, and later appointed minister of defence.

Look at how his successor then was fighting him.

He fought back and was able to survive to assume the office of the governor of Kano State.

Again when he was in the PDP, the entire political elite of the party in Kano then ganged up against him, and influenced the national leadership to dissolve the state executive committee of the party.

Courageous politician But because of his doggedness, when election was conducted,his followers won 90% of the parliament seats. That goes to show that Kwakwanso is a courageous politician, determined to achieve what he set out to achieve.

This is the kind of fighter you need in this county to take us to the next level. Heis a decisive person. When he takes a

•Dansadau decision, he stands by it. If he believesin a cause, he fights on especially if the fight is peopleoriented. He is thetype we need for this country at this point in time. Another thing lacking in the Nigerian politician is sustaining relationship. That is a scarce commodity on the shelf of our politicians. A lot of our politicians, the moment they get to power,they discard those who were with them prior to coming to office. They pick new friends. You will never find that with Kwakwanso. Even when hewas in Abuja as minister, his office was always filled up with people looking for favors. And virtually all the people were from Kano.

And majority of them, he had never met. That aside, he rewards loyalty. No matter your tribe, ifyou were part of a struggle with Kwakwanso, he

will always appreciate you.

What our politicians do these days is that the moment they lose election, that is the end of the road for their followers,they leave the followers to their destiny. You will and can never find suchwith Kwakwanso. He rewards merit. Once you show commitment, he lets you know that you are important. This takes me to another important issue. Nigerian leaders are susceptible to sycophancy.

That iswhy you wonder why some people in the last 20 to 30 years have been ingovernment because they are excellent sycophants.

Kwakwanso won’t do thatbecause he does not suffer fools gladly. He does not listen to sycophants. Oncehe notices that you are trying to sweet tongue him, he begins to frown his face.

How I won Bayelsa West PDP senatorial primary—Lokpobiri Senator Heineken Lokpobiri has represented the Bayelsa West senatorial district since 2007 and is presently the chairman of the Senate committee on Water Resources. In his first term between 2007 and 2011 he was the chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports. He is presently engaged in a battle to renew his ticket as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP nominee for the constituency. The result of the Senate primaries mainly between him and Fister Ogola was in some sections of the press reported as inconclusive, but Senator Lokpobiri is insisting he won the primaries. In an interaction with newsmen in Abuja he gave his reasons saying that his rivals did not comply with Article 28 (b) of the PDP, which stipulates that “accreditation of delegates should take place from 8am to 12noon, he met some unknown officials collating the results..

By Folu Adegoke

W

HAT happened: It’s imperative for me to put things in perspective and that is why I decided to address this press conference. It is also important to put it on record that

Sunday’s senatorial primary did hold and it was my good self who won the primary.

The video clips are even there for the world to see. By the party guidelines, accreditation starts by 8:00am and is expected to end by 12:00pm. I got to Sagbama

town, which was the venue of the Bayelsa West senatorial primary by 10:45am and I was confronted with the roads being barricaded with security vehicles…

I got to the venue with my supporters at about 11:00am and I saw somebody who purportedly was counting the results of the primary! I quickly asked him, ‘ what are you doing? The primary is supposed to end by 12:00pm!’ I told them that we still had one hour to the end of the accreditation and I was there to present myself for the exercise.

I was there in company with some statutory delegates including former acting governor, Hon. Nestor Binibo, Deputy Chief Whip of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Empere Ebamua.

After I insisted that the accreditation was supposed to be ongoing at that time, there was pan-

demonium, the governor left and others , including the person purportedly collating the results, scampered out of the venue!

Thereafter, the authentic delegates converged in another venue, in an assembly hall of the secondary school in Sagbama, the accreditation was then done, it ended by 12:00pm and then, voting took place and I was duly declared with 93 votes by the returning officer, Peter Bufumoh.

My opponent got maybe one or two votes. That was what happened. I just want Nigerians to know what actually happened.

Reaction to reports of his loss The report in the papers today was embarrassing, to state that Lokpobiri lost the bid to return to the Senate. I want to make it clear that I was duly elected to fly the flag of the party in the February 14, 2015 poll.”

•Lokpobiri Lokpobiri maintained that he is the authentic candidate that was elected in line with party guidelines.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—41

How Atiku will win 65% of the delegates – Borishade, DG, Atiku Campaign Director-General, Atiku Campaign Organisation, Prof. Babalola Borishade, in an interaction with editors in Lagos spoke on the plans and preparations of the Atiku campaign for tomorrow’s convention. Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

H

OW far have you gone about winning this election?

We have visited 35 states of the feder ation basically on two reasons, to strengthen the party structure and to tell the delegates that we are interested. People have been asking us why we are not interested in consensus candidate and our reason is that there is no better consensus that the decision of more than 7000 delegates. Should we lose the election, we will have no option but to remain in the party and work for the party.

Do you see your principal, winning the APC presidential primary?

To be realistic, I believe that we have 65 – 70 per cent chances of winning. I got my last briefing about an hour ago (at about 9.00 a.m. Monday) and the beauty of it is that our momentum is growing, there is no state we are in control before now that has been taken away from us but we have been encroaching into states that we were not in control before.

Actualising the objective So conservatively, I will say we have between 65 and 75 chances.

You spoke as a politician, always optimistic, maintaining that your principal will remain in APC regardless of the outcome of the primary, will you be faithful to that?

I have told you that we have two objectives, one was to create a strong alternative choice of a party and that is already under our belt. APC is now strong enough to challenge PDP. So, half of our objective has been achieved. Having actualised that objective, we are not going anywhere. We are going to stay-put and support whoever emerges from this primary. This is because you can’t get what you want and join what you hate.

On what condition will you leave the party?

There is no condition. If w had thought of any condition under which we won’t accept, we wouldn’t have signed.

Even if the process is fraud I want to believe all will go well because, we have gotten to the process and have been screened and agreed with them on the delegates so, we will go to the convention centre, unless we go there that day and they say there is no voting.

Moral burden If they say there is no voting and anoint somebody there, then that ceases to be the APC that Nigerians are looking for.

There are signals that the leadership of the party are leaning towards Buhari?

I have told you the reason for that is that usual moral burden.

You are underrating Nigerians, you believe that one governor sitting down somewhere, will tell the entire delegates from his state to vote for a singular person and they will do that?

But that is not a new thing considering the power of the inner caucus People are getting wiser; the governors themselves are struggling, if Bola Tinubu will tell you what he went through to be able to secure Ambode then you will understand. So,

So conservatively, I will say we have between 65 and 75 chances

•Borishade things are changing and you cannot take people for granted. This will be a secret ballot; we are not going to vote state by state.

How popular is Atiku in Adamawa where his candidate loss?

Everybody contesting in Adamawa (governorship) is Atiku’s candidate I must tell you that.

There is nobody that contested governorship in Adamawa who is not his candidate. If you remember, the candidate that won in Adamawa was with us when we started campaign until he now chose to run. On our declaration day he was there. This other young man you refer as his candidate is somebody that has the family history, who believed that he can leverage on the family and Atiku said go ahead. The difference is that because the boy is known in the family, he was able to meet the younger boys in Atiku’s house and asked them to

give him vehicles. Some of the vehicles that were parked in Atiku’s house were used by him for his campaign and people said he is Atiku’s candidate because Atiku’s vehicles were used for his campaign.

Number one objective He could have stopped him.

Getting accommodation for the delegates We have concluded to get about 4000 rooms; we are not looking at particular delegates whether they are ours or somebody else’s. The moment it was decided the convention will hold in Lagos we knew that some people will have need of accommodation.

We are building a political party that is objective number one. When we had a mini convention in Abuja, we were not

contesting election then, yet we still made provision for people for accommodation. The only thing we had at stake at that time was that the party must be good. To attract people from other party you must make it look bright. So, the idea of making sure that everybody is comfortable is not because we are contesting election, it is because we are building a political party.

Challenges Any state we are not sure, we consider it on the other side. We are not sure of Kwara for example because Kwara has a leader who himself has already decided what he wants to do.

In Imo we know that Okorocha is running but we went there to see if we can share the votes with him. Even in Kastina, we went there to look for delegates.

Whether we will get Kwara or not depends on what the outcome in our meeting with their leaders in the evening will be.

42 —Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Senator Oluremi Tinubu: A trail-blazer’s story If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man’s life, sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility —Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (February 27, 1807 – March 24,1882)

By Jide Babalola

S

ENATOR Oluremi Tinu bu represents Lagos Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress ,APC. An educationist, administrator, philanthropist and Officer of the Order of the Niger,OFR. She was the exemplary First Lady of Lagos State from 1999 to 2007. During that period she founded the New Era Foundation—a non-profit organisation, dedicated to youth development, girl-child education, women empowerment and inspiring young persons to excellence.

Over the years, this forthright role model has made tremendous impact in the lives of several people and institutions within and outside Nigeria.

Main achievements: Some of her achievements include: Annual Spelling Bee Competition to raise educational standards, annual One-Day Governor programme, which has produced many first class university graduates, alternative High School for Girls to help young ladies who dropped out of school due to early pregnancy, to complete their high school education, endowment funds in four universities.

Endowment fund for universities Others are; School building constructed at the Oluremi Tinubu Elementary and Junior High School, Johnsonville, Mount Serrador County, Liberia, Science Block for Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, considerable donation towards the building of the National Sickle Cell Centre and donation of her entire 50th birthday monetary gifts to social causes.

As a senator, she hosts a quarterly Town Hall Meeting with her constituents. To date, she has sponsored three bills to provide social security for elderly citizens; seek the amendment of the Labour Act to enhance employment opportunities for women, and a bill to provide special economic assistance to Lagos State in view of its status as a former capital city and the commercial capital of Nigeria.

Constituency development initiatives: Her constituency development initiatives in-

•Senator Oluremi Tinubu clude: z Post-Secondary School Scholarship Scheme [PSSS] – Annual disbursement of N100, 000 to 26 beneficiaries for four years, and 624 students of tertiary institutions receive N10, 000 as book bursaries. z Petty Traders’ Empowerment Capital Scheme: Provided grants to help 650 beneficiaries within her constituency to re-capitalize their businesses. zProvision of maintenance grants to alleviate the plight of the elderly (Elderly Citizen Assistance Scheme). z Sponsorship of Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Scheme (YESAS) to enable more youth in her constituency to become economically productive and self-employed. zHer Good Boys and Girls’ Empowerment Scheme (GBGES) is taking off young people from the streets and turning them into economically productive, self-reliant individuals. zDistribution of free GCE forms z Widows’ Economic Empowerment Scheme (WEES) to help 650 widows finance their business.

As a Senator, this passionate educationist helped secure from the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, funding for various institutions, such as N160 million Special Intervention Fund for the development of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education,

N109 million Special Intervention Fund to enable the Sir Michael Otedola College of Primary Education ,MOCPED, construct its school of Primary and Early Child Care Education; N108 million Special Intervention Fund to support the Lagos State University ,LASU, in addressing some needs in the area of teaching and learning facilities, another sum of N41.6 million Special Intervention Fund from TETFUND to enable the Michael Otedola College of Primary Education ,MOCPED, procure a power generating set, computers, multi-media kits and other eLibrary materials.

In August this year, she facilitated the release of another N50 million TETFUND Special intervention to Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos State, for the construction of additional lecture rooms.

Through the Senate Committee on Education, she obtained federal support for the rehabilitation of Jibowu Junior High School, Yaba, Banjo Primary School, Otumara-Ilogbo, Ebute-Metta as well as N15 million each for Teslim Elias Primary School, Ansar UdDeen Primary School, OkePopo and Ire-Akari Primary School, Orile-Iganmu. Under the Universal Service Provision Fund, she facilitated delivery and installation of information and communication technology ,ICT, tools to Aje Comprehensive High School in Yaba.

Through the Senate Commit-

tee on Millennium Development Goals of which she is a member, she facilitated various projects in her constituency, including a N43.2 million Community Building/MDG Skill Acquisition Centre in Gedegede, conventional street lighting estimated at N25 million, construction and furnishing of a N38 million Library at Ansar Ud Deen Primary School in Victoria Island, and construction of three classrooms with VIP toilets at both Christ Cathedral Church Primary School, CMS, and Holy Cross Cathedral Primary School.

Between 2011 when she became a Senator and now, she has also facilitated the on-going construction of a N223 million ultra-modern market in Oke-Ira towards enhancing socio-economic empowerment of the rural populace, on-going construction of a N222.3 million Drug Rehabilitation and Counselling Centre in Gedegede, construction and furnishing of three classroom blocks with VIP toilets at the State Nursery & Primary School, Organ Barracks Point Road, Apapa, Lagos, and another N25.5 million project for the construction and furnishing of three classroom blocks with VIP toilets and one hand pump borehole at Imam Shuaib Primary School in Surulere.

Among the latest projects that she has attracted for the educational development of her people is her 2014 Constituency Intervention Project through the Federal Ministry of Education for the construction of one model primary school at Takwa Bay

Over the years, this forthright role model has made tremendous impact in the lives of several people and institutions within and outside Nigeria

in Iru Local Community Development Area of Lagos State. There are also additional MDG projects totalling N61.5 million under the 2014 national budget, for the provision of a set of one block of three classrooms and VIP toilets, five sets of computers, UPS and printers in four schools.

The beneficiaries include; Iponri Primary School, Iponri in Ebute Metta, St. Clementina Primary School at Mosalasi Bus Stop in Surulere, State Nursery/Primary School, Arakan Barracks, Apapa, and Union Baptist Primary School, Oja-Oba, Isale Eko.

Musical youth fiesta Under 2014 MDGs Special Intervention, she facilitated the construction of N80 million Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit at Badore in Eti-Osa LCDA to further curb infant and maternal mortality while providing care for expectant mothers.

She is also the Convener of the annual Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative to promote Godly lifestyle among the youths.

Senator Tinubu also cosponsors the Muniru Muse Under-15 football competition for boys and girls. She has written a number of publications including an auto-biography, The Journey of Grace — My Faith Walk and delivered informed presentations at various fora at home and abroad.

In recognition of her achievements and contributions to societal upliftment, Tinubu has been honoured locally and internationally.

Among these are the National award of the Officer of the Order of the Niger ,OON, Fellowship of both Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo and College of Education, Ikere-Ekiti; Member, Board of Trustees of Kings’ University, Ode-Omu; Ghana Noble International Award for Leadership, Gambian Diamond Award for immense contribution to the emancipation of people from poverty, many citations and chieftaincy titles.

On April 5, 2014, the Association of Nigerian Academics in the United Kingdom ,ANAUK, honoured Tinbu with its first ever award of Outstanding Contribution to Education and Empowerment.

In appreciation of her contributions as a role model, the ,Association Des Femmes De L’Afrique De L’Ouest/West African Women Association, AFAO/WAWA, named the Oluremi Tinubu Women Training Centre in Gorom, Senegal after her. She is happily married with children to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, immediate past governor of Lagos State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014—43

Shell worried over spate of oil theft

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— SHELL Petroleum Development Company, has expressed worries over the increasing rate of oil theft in the Niger Delta, saying that the company loses an average of 30,000 barrels of crude oil daily to oil thieves.

Pipeline Asset Manager of the company, Mr Jurgen Jansen, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said that on November 22 this year, some oil thieves tampered with one of the company’s major oil export pipelines, a 24 inch TNP around Okolo lounge, adding that the development resulted in a major loss of barrels of crude oil.

According to Shell, a lot of illegal oil refining takes place in the Oloko lounge, a situation the company said had brought about severe pollution of the environment.

Jansen added that a total of 243 illegal connections were

Mutu wins PDP ticket in Bomadi/ Patani fed constituency

made on its major pipelines in the region between January and November this year, noting that the company had successfully removed 233 of the illegal connections with 32 still left.

He said: “They have started

tampering with our wellheads.

They do all these at night.

They don’t really care about our environment that is why you see spill everywhere. Oil theft is increasing. Thirty thousand barrels are stolen from our facilities daily.”

He spoke on the efforts of the company to fight the development through the engagement of locals as surveillance contractors, noting that the move had not really discouraged acts of oil theft in the region.

GRADUATION: From left: Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr. Matthew Willsher; Dean, Lagos Business School, Dr. Enase Okonedo; Director, Enterprise Development Centre, EDC, Mr. Peter Bamkole; and Deputy Director, EDC, Mrs. Nneka Okekearu, during the graduation of the Certificate in Entrepreneurial Management Programme of the EDC, at Pan-Atlantic University, Lekki.

Rivers 2015: INC endorses Peterside

By Festus Ahon

A

S A B A — CHAIRMAN House Committee on Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, in the House of Representatives, Mr Nicholas Mutu, has won the ticket to fly the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flag in the Bomadi/Patani federal constituency in the 2015 general elections.

Mutu won with 57 votes to beat Mr William Adadi, who polled 10 votes.

The election, which was held at the Bomadi Government College amidst tight security, was peaceful, free and fair.

Speaking with newsmen shortly after he was declared winner, Mutu thanked the people for giving him another term to serve.

He described his victory as the wish of his people and assured that he would not relent in his effort to contribute to the socioeconomic development of the area.

Insisting that he will not betray the confidence reposed in him, he urged the people to continue in their support for the PDP.

By Gbenga Oke

I

JAW National Congress, INC, apex body of the Ijaw nation, has thrown its weight behind the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2015 election in Rivers State, Mr. Dakuku Peterside.

INC also hailed the APC for listening to the cry of the Ijaw in its choice of Peterside as the party’s candidate.

National Publicity Secretary of INC, Mr. Victor Burubo, in a statement, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, said it stood by its resolve to support whichever political party that would

Akpabio’s victory deserving —Inyang

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—THE Special Adviser, Bureau of Technical Matters to the Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr. Etido Inyang, has said that Governor Godswill Akpabio’s victory for the Ikot Ekpene senatorial primaries on Sunday justified the confidence the people of the district reposed in him to ensure effective representation of the area in the Senate.

Inyang, who described the victory as well deserved and a reward for the governor ’s commitment, hard work and efforts in strengthening the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the country, said that the victory was, therefore, not

surprising.

He said: “The significance of the success is that right from the day he entered office, he has been up and doing. Even when people took him to court, he kept performing. When you are in an office of responsibility, you should be able to work to satisfy everyone and that is exactly what he did.

“The victory means a lot to us, for we have seen the result of hard work. We were not taken unawares by his success at the primaries.”

Meanwhile the state Chairman of PDP, Obong Paul Ekpo, has described the senatorial primaries as one the most peaceful ever conducted by any political party in the state.

respect the Ijaw aspiration by fielding a governorship aspirant of Ijaw extraction.

“At a meeting that involved market women, leaders and elders of Ijaw, it was agreed that the Ijaw will support any political party that will respect our aspiration and field an Ijaw governorship candidate.

“INC agreed that the next Rivers State governor must come from the riverine part of the state and the APC has responded to the agitation of the Ijaw with the choice of Peterside,” the statement said.

In a related development, major stakeholders from the different ethnic nationalities in Rivers State, under the aegis of Rivers State Elders and Leaders’ Council, RELEC, have said that the a riverine person must become the occupant of Brick House from May 29, 2015 to ensure justice, equity and fairness, since Rivers governors since 1999, Dr. Peter Odili, Sir Celestine Omehia and Rotimi Amaechi, are from the upland part of the state.

The elders also described the endorsement by the Rivers caucus of the APC of Peterside, as the party’s governorship candidate, as a step in the right direction.

2015: Okpamen wins APC primaries for Edo Assembly

By Simon Adewale

T

HE Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adams Oshimohole, Prince Henry Okpamen, has emerged winner at the All Progressives Congress, APC, primaries for the state House of Assembly election for Esan North East constituency 2.

Okpamen, won with 103 votes against Mr Chris Ebosele's 57, Christian Okojie's 4, Wilson Elimian and Dr. Ojemen, at the primaries.

The primaries held at Amendokhian Primary School, Uromi, were free and fair as the delegates exercised their democratic choice freely.

Addressing newsmen afterwards, Okpamen thanked the delegates for chosing him to fly the party ’s flag and promised to justify the confidence reposed in him.

UNIPORT don tasks politicians on accountability

By Perez Brisibe

U

GHELLI—THE need for institutions to hold politicians accountable in their representation of the people was the high point of this year ’s edition of the Chief Demas Akpore Annual Memorial Lecture held in Ughelli, Delta State.

Speaking on The Essence of Politics, a former Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Prof. Sam Ibodje, lamented the role of the political class in the politics of Nigeria, noting that institutions have not been able to live up to expectation by making politicians answerable to their representatives while in office.

President of the Ejiro and Otive Igbuzor foundation, Dr. Otive Igbuzor, on his part, said though slavery had ended, most Nigerians were involved in voluntary slavery.

44 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

CP Kayode Aderanti.

An illegal police checkpoint at Ottor Woff Bus-stop linking Ajegunle to the ever-busy Oshodi-Apapa Expressway. Photo:Ikenna Asomba

Lagosians bemoan extortion at illegal police checkpoints zCP aware, tackling the menace —POLICE

By Ikenna Asomba

D

ESPITE the order giv en by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba, charging all commissioners of police across the country to ensure strict compliance with the ban on police roadblocks, Vanguard, gathered Weekend, that in recent times, illegal checkpoints have been resurfacing across major roads in the Lagos suburbs and metropolis, usually during the evening periods, from 6.00pm to as late as 11.00pm.

Abba had on Sunday, September 21, in a statement issued by Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Force spokesman said a situation where police officers and commands constantly violate the subsisting order forbidding mounting of checkpoints across the country is wrong and will be punishable, henceforth.

Corroborating this stance, the Lagos State police commissioner, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, had on Friday, October 21, during a working visit to the Area A Police command, Lion Building, Lagos Island, also warned officers and men of the command against harassment of members of the public and mounting of roadblocks.

Shown the way out: Aderanti who gave this order while he was hosted by the Area Commander, Mr. Imohinmi Edgal, Assistant Commissioner of Police, urged his men to device all means to earn public trust, warning that anyone who fails to change his ways will be shown the way out of the Nigeria Police Force.

As some policemen defy this C M Y K

order, Lagos residents, especially commercial motorists, tricyclists and motorcyclists have continued to lament the increasing number of police illegal checkpoints resurfacing in major roads across the state. This is even as they have called on the police authorities to caution their men and officers to avoid breakdown of law and order, which may not be unconnected to the daily assaults, frustrations and extortion suffered in the hands of the law enforcement agents.

The flashpoints: Some residents who have been victims of this illegal activities by the police, told Vanguard that the situation is becoming worrisome as the yuletide season draws near, calling on the police authorities, to urgently, send out its Police Monitoring Team, on Lagos major and inner-city roads to checkmate the excesses some of its men.

bout, Ago Place Way, Okota; Pako bus-stop along the Ikotun-Igando road; Igando bus-stop; Canal Estate junction by Queensland Academy, Ago Palace Way, Okota; Ilasa road, by Ago Palace Way, Okota; Atitebi Street, EbutteMetta West; KLT junction, Kirikiri; Mile 2 end bridge descending to the Lagos-Badagry expressway; Abule-Ado bus-stop in front of Tantalizer restaurants, Old Ojo Road; Ereakari junction, Isolo; Ogundele junction, Isolo; Mile 12 bus-stop; Doyin busstop, Orile; Adeniran Ogunsanya road, Orile among others.

Mode of operation: Lamenting his frustration, a commercial

Berger Suya junction Investigation by Vanguard reveals that the flashpoints across the state where this illegal activities take place include: The Ottor-Worf road linking Ajegunle to the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway; Berger Suya junction linking Olodi-Apapa Ajegunle to the Oshodi-Apapa expressway; New Road junction in Ajegunle; Shasha Roundabout, Egbeda; In front of the Ajegunle Police Station, Owode, Ikorodu; between Ogolonto and Majidun bus-stops, Ikorodu and Chemist bus-stop along the Isolo-Ikotun road.

Others are the Akpata rounda-

The first set comes to operate in the wee hours of the day between 5.00am to 6.30am.

They collect N200 from us and later in the evening another set comes on board

yellow bus driver, who referred himself as Baba Ibadan said: “The men and officers of the Ajeromi Divisional Police Headquarters are not helping matters here in Ajegunle. Despite the huge amount of levies we pay to the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, on daily basis, police men still extort us on this Ottor-Worf road, early in the morning by 5.00am to 6.00am, and during the evening between 6.00pm and 10.00pm.

They collect N100 from us and give us number tags ranging between one and more, for easy identification of drivers that have paid.”

Asked if they have done anything to call the attention of the authorities, Baba Ibadan said: “My brother, who are we to talk.

If you try challenge them, they (police men) will begin to request for drivers’ licence, fire extinguishers, vehicle road-worthiness papers.”

Similarly, a commercial motorcyclist, who plies the BoundaryOttor Worf axis, told Vanguard that policemen from the Ajeromi Divisional Police Headquarters, mount an illegal checkpoint at the Ottor-Worff axis, extorting N200 from them.

He said: “The first set comes to operate in the wee hours of the day between 5.00am to 6.30am.

They collect N200 from us and later in the evening another set comes on board, collecting N200 from us and giving us number tags. Any okada rider that is not extorted, either that person is a military personnel or the motorcycle belongs to a police officer in their station.”

Narrating what goes on at the Mile 2 area of the Lagos-Badagry expressway, a motorist, Mr. Charles Igwe said: “Most times, the hectic traffic snarl witnessed along the Mile 2 axis of the Lagos-Badagry expressway is caused by some of the policemen in connivance with men of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency, LASTMA. In pretense that they are checking the particulars of motorists, they stop several vehicles at random over frivolous requests. This ends up causing the traffic snarl witnessed on that road daily.

According to Mrs. Chioma Nzekwe, who resides in the AgoOkota Place way of the state, “the police authorities should take urgent measures to call their men and officers to order. I feel ashamed most time when I see them perpetrating their extortion activities. You may not be able to differentiate between them and area boys. In my area, especially at the Canal Estate junction by Queensland Academy, Ago-Okota Palace way, some of these officers during the evening periods, mount illegal checkpoint, extorting motorcycle riders N200 each. It is so shocking that they give them number tags to identify those who have paid and those who have not.”

Redeployment of DPOs Meanwhile, responding to these allegations, the Lagos police command spokesperson, Mr. Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) said: “The Lagos State Police command last Wednesday redeployed over 90 per cent of divisional police officers among the 107 police stations in the state.

What the commissioner of police did is a common police routine.

The commissioner has the liberty to deploy a divisional police officer anywhere he deems fit for the affected officer. It is also necessary to fill the vacant positions left behind by the DPOs who were promoted from the rank of CSP to assistant commissioners of police, recently. The commissioner of police believe in zero crime tolerance.

Dismantling of road-blocks still in force Asked if the directive to dismantle road-blocks and permanent check-points by the CP is still in operation, Nwosu said: “The directive by the CP that area commanders and divisional police officers to dismantle road blocks is still in full operation.

With the redeployment of the DPOs, the commissioner believes that they can bring to bear their vast experience in the force, to ensure that their men and officers are civil and be more serviceoriented to earn the public trust of the people.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

—45

By Olasunkanmi Akoni FEW months ago, when many Lagos residents and users of the everr-busy Oshodi-Apapa expressway thought solace had come their way over the perennial traffic gridlock witnessed daily on the road, their optimisms have been dashed following the worsened situation of the log-jam, which is not unconnected to the untidy job done by Julius Berger Plc, on the Berger-yard axis of the road.

This is even as several acclaimed solutions deployed by the Federal and the Lagos State Governments to mitigate the situation, seemed to have faded out, as the tankers containerladen trucks are back on the road, frustrating human and vehicular movements.

Also, efforts in the past launched by men of the Nigerian Navy, Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Nigeria Ports Authority, NPA, and other stakeholders, have failed to yield lasting solution to the traffic gridlock within the axis.

It is against this backdrop that last week, the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, initiated a partnership with the Nigeria Customs Service, NSC, to address the perennial traffic gridlock experienced on the road.

Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi, at the meeting, in Abuja, disclosed that the FRSC has drawn up an intervention strategy, which includes deployment of the heavy-duty

The usual traffic gridlock on the Oshodi-Apapa expressway.

Residents lament Julius Berger’s slow-pace work on Oshodi-Apapa expressway trucks, donated by the World Bank, in addition to other logistics and personnel along the Oshodi-Apapa expressway to restore normal traffic flow.

To achieve results, he solicited the support of the NSC for the inauguration of a task force, made up of FRSC and Customs operatives, to further address the challenges on the Oshodi-Apapa road, which is linked to the Tin

Can Port and several tank farms located in the area.

Boboye stated that OshodiApapa Expressway traffic solution and the target of reducing road deaths by 50 per cent by the year 2015, as set out in the Accra Declaration (2007)

by African Heads of States and Governments, and the United Nations Decade of Action for Road Safety: 2011– 2020 is

attainable.

Vanguard gathered that the traffic gridlock on the road, has also defied Sundays, known for less traffic day in Lagos. Since last Thursday till Monday (yesterday) the no-movement traffic logjam was so devastating that motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles on the road, finding other alternatives home, even as commuters were

Mixed reactions trail Lagos infrastructure asset management agency

By Dotun Ibiwoye

T

HE signing of the bill establishing an agency for the management and maintenance of infrastructure assets of Lagos State, by the Governor Babatunde Fashola, last week has continued to elicit reactions from residents in the state.

The governor had said that the setting-up of the agency became imperative as a way to create employment opportunities, especially for young job seekers, who will be saddled with the responsibility for maintenance of public utilities.

Fashola affirmed that Nigeria had acquired problems of a lack of maintenance culture and highlighted the inherent opportunity there by turning what appears to be a problem into a solution.

According to him: “The Law, whose obligations, are already operational in principle in the State, has an inherent opportunity that Government has sought to harness to turn what C M Y K

appears to be a problem into a solution.

“I signed the Executive Order in 2010 by executive action. Their duty as an Office of Facility Management is domiciled in the Ministry of Works,” adding that he was motivated by the fact that the opportunities inherent in maintenance would create jobs for the teeming unemployed in the State.

He added that “The classroom teachers will fill those forms and pass on, through the school system, the problems in their classrooms and from there we can gather information about what is wrong with the school and during the long school holidays or Christmas break, contractors can come in to fix those things.

“When people see broken roofs, broken ceilings, street lights that are not working, traffic lights that are not working, it is because maintenance systems were not put in place. So this law

delights me to no end.”

The governor said between the 2010 and now, government has ensured that public hospitals such as the Maternal and Childcare Centres are being cleaned and maintained adding that the small businesses that handle the contracts hire cleaners, electricians and other artisans.

“This is how jobs are created”, he said.

Explaining how these maintenance contracts are being taken care of in the annual budget, Governor Fashola, pointed that Capital Expenditure in the annual budget in the early part of the life of the administration was as high as 63 percent at one point, but has been coming down gradually over the years, because the Recurrent side is now going up since built infrastructure have to be maintained.

“Apart from Overhead, we now have to maintain buildings that we built, wirings and so on and so forth. So this is the way

we believe that policy and law can be used to create jobs especially in the area of maintenance of public assets”, the Governor said.

He also stated that most of what the obligations of the law will impose are already being carried out by the Office of Facility Management.

Meanwhile reacting to the law, a resident Maxwell Apkofure said: “This aganey is a great one, if it will work effectively as said by government.The only issue that I have is that these agencies are so much in Lagos state, so I feel some of them are just duplication of agencies.”

Another resident Olatilewa Makinde said: “As the general election draws nearer, we will definitely see new things. The general election is about two months away from now, so this agency might have issues if another party or government comes in. Who knows? They might not subscribe to it.”

seen trekking home ineir large numbers. As the yuletide aproaches, the road users have blamed the situation to the high influx of heavy duty vehicles across the states and the ongoing reconstruction work done at the Berger Yard-Mile 2 end of the road.

They have however, urged the Federal and Lagos State governments, Julius Berger Construction Company, handling the project, as well as the tanker drivers’ union to find a way out of the present logjam, lamenting that hoodlums have seized the situation to dispossessing them of their valuables at gun point.

They have bemoaned that men of the Rapid Response Squad, RRS, deployed to the area are helpless, as there are no access roads to scenes of robbery owing to the perennial logjam on the road.

Tanker drivers beg for understanding Meantime, Petrol Tanker Drivers, PTDs, have appealed to road users, especially motorists, to be patient with the present situation on the road.

They blamed the traffic jam on the influx of petroleum tankers from every part of the country into Lagos as a result of scarcity of the petroleum products in many depots across the country.

The National Public Relations Officer, PRO of the PTD, of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Union, NUPENG, Comrade Adebayo Atanda, said the situation leading to the gridlock was being worked on by the drivers’ union in conjunction with LASTMA officials and other traffic agencies.

46 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

‘Urhobo behind Jonathan'

PDP: 3 winners emerge in Nnewi/ Ekwusigo constituency primaries

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By Vincent Ujumadu & Nwabueze Okonkwo

returning officers to conduct the exercise.

A

... as Ogene's supporters threaten APGA

former militant in the Niger Delta region, ‘General’ Israel Akpodoro, has said President Goodluck Jonathan is qualified to run for a second term in office.

Speaking to newsmen in Asaba, Akpodoro said: “President Goodluck Jonathan is our sole candidate in Urhoboland. Jonathan is our brother and we owe him unconditional support.

“I call on my fellow exagitators to support President Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda and this cannot be achieved in a rancorous environment.”

Akpodoro, who is Vice National President, phases 2 and 3, Presidential Amnesty, said Jonatrhan was doing well given the pluralistic nature of the Nigerian state.

WKA— THREE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, aspirants for the House of Representatives, Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo Federal Constituency of Anambra State, have declared themselves winners in parallel primaries conducted at three venues in Nnewi.

This came as supporters of Afam Ogene, the incumbent member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, are threatening to vote against All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, over alleged distortion of ward delegate congress lists in the constituency.

For the exercise that held at Nnewi Youth League Hall, Mr. Julius Oforma was announced winner with 121 votes.

Another exercise at Anaedo Social Club, Nnewi, the incumbent member of House of Representatives for the area, Chief Chris Azubougu, was declared winner with 105 votes out of the total 123 votes cast, while at Kings Palace Hotel, Nnewi, the third aspirant, Dr. Harry Ohanezi, was declared winner.

In all three venues, no election materials were used and it was unclear who authorized those who described themselves as the

Workshop

N

IGER Delta Development Commission, NDDC, is partnering Direct Impact Consulting and Impact Initiative on workshops for the people of the region.

The workshops, scheduled for December 5 to 12 with the theme Citizens Responsibility: Towards a Peaceful 2015 General Elections, will hold in Rivers, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo, Imo and Ondo states.

Meanwhile, the threat by supporters of Afam Ogene came after APGA committee declared the Speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Chinwe Nwaebili, winner of last Thursday ’s APGA House of Representatives primaries

HE Federal Government, will tomorrow, unveil the Abuja Biennial Logo.

The unveiling, which is part of activities heralding the Abuja Biennial, is designed to draw artists from Nigeria, Africa and the Diaspora to the country’s capital, in response

delegate congress to vote for any aspirant of their choice were replaced with new names who did not even buy forms for the congress.

Calling for the outright cancellation of the results and repeat of the exercise with the authentic lists of ward delegates, the supporters who complained that they bought forms for N5,000 to contest the delegate congress, wondered why a new list was imported into the primary arena.

Ndokwa council boss reads riot act to dept heads present leadership of the gave the charge during the

H

EADS of Departments in Ndokwa East Local Government Area have been told to key into the development vision of the

council to enable the people benefit optimally from the transformation agenda of the local administration.

Chairman of the council, Mrs. Nkechi Chukwurah,

Ashafa empowers constituents

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

S

ENATOR Gbenga Ashafa, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, has empowered no fewer than 5,000 youths across the five local government areas and local council development areas in his constituency.

Presenting the empowerment tools at Ikosi-

FG unveils Abuja Biennial Logo

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held at the Onitsha Holiday Resort, Okpoko.

The result of the primaries showed that Nwaebili scored 59 votes to defeat Ogene, who polled 16 votes.

The aggrieved supporters said either Ogene defects to another party to contest his second tenure election or they would vote votes against APGA, claiming the names of all the delegates elected the previous week at the ward

to the yearnings of the visual art sub-sector.

The event, holding at the Shehu Yar ’Adua Centre, Abuja, will be chaired by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Tourism, Culture and National Orientation, Senator Ahmed Baratta.

Ketu, Ashafa, represented by Laide Adesanya, said: “If you are empowered today, you will also in no time become employers of labour.

“If you have something to lay your hands on, there is no way you will cause trouble or disturb peace of others in your neighbourhood.

“I also understand that some of you are responsible for the peace our people have enjoyed in most of our areas.

This was what prompted me to hold meetings with some of you to enable me to know the challenges confronting some of you.”

The lawmaker said he would hold meetings with beneficiaries on a quarterly basis to know their progress and challenges.

maiden interactive session with the Heads of Departments and other principal officers of the council at the headquarters in Aboh.

Mrs. Chukwurah told the principal officers that her administration was irrevocably committed to the speedy transformation of the entire area, saying she was prepared to make a difference in the areas of provision of social infrastructure, economic empowerment and improved healthcare.

She solicited their support and cooperation, insisting that it would no longer be business as usual, just as she explained that under the present dispensation the collective development aspiration of the people should be the guiding principle in the performance of their official duties.

Responding, the Head of Personnel Management, Mr. Oguafor Basil, assured the council boss of their support at all times.

He said they would work for the socio-economic transformation and empowerment of the rural area.

On moves to impeach Jonathan

W

e should do the right thing. That is, work and pray for a free and fair fight between President Jonathan and either Atiku or Buhari in 2015.

All distractions should be shelved. Or who is afraid of who? Mr Nnamdi Okoji - Student

T

his is not the right time for impeachment, with all that is going on in the country. I doubt if those calling for President Jonathan’s impeachment understand what it is all about. They should work hand-in-hand. Mr Martins Dickson- Worker

I

t is not the eye with which people eat gari that they use to share fish.

They should tell Nigerians why they want to impeach Jonathan.

There are more political than genuine reasons.

Miss Ukogu ChinasaMusician

J

onathan is overdue for impeachment based on his woeful performance, breaches and inability to protect the lives and property of Nigerians and defend the country's territorial integrity. Mr Stanley Olisa- Graduate

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yako was impeached for an offense he committed in 2011. The impeachment of Jonathan will be the best gift from the lawmakers to Nigerians this yuletide season.

When the clouds start to gather, it means it might surely rain. Mrs Ifeoma Anyambuba- Worker

I

mpeachment, impeachment all the time. If they feel they have the balls to withstand the outcome of such a voyage, let them embark on it. Nigeria is full of drama, but this episode should end meaningfully.

Miss Ogbue ImmaculateBusinesswoman

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014— 47

Danladi accuses former acting Taraba gov of misappropriating N14.9bn J

By John Mkom

ALINGO—ACTING Governor of Taraba State, Alhaji Abubabar Danladi has accused the former acting governor of the state, Garba Umar of allegedly looting the state treasury to the tune of about N14 .9 billion.

Danladi made this known in a radio/television broadcast to the people on the present state of finances of the state.

The former acting governor was recently sacked by the Supreme Court, which reinstated Danladi who was wrongly impeached by the state House of Assembly in 2012 shortly before Governor Danbaba Suntai was injured in a plane crash.

The acting Governor said that before the involvement of Governor Suntai in the plane crash, the state government’s main account with Zenith Bank had surplus but now had debit of N7. 7 billion.

He further stated that loans in the state government main account stand at about N7.2 billion, bringing the state’s total indebtedness to about N14.9 billion.

The acting governor also accused Umar of mismanaging

the state local government joint account which he said was overdrawn by about N700 million monthly since 2012 when he took over as the acting governor of Taraba State.

“You are aware that several development projects have stopped, PW Construction Company pulled out of the state months ago when government could not meet its obligations to

D

By Aliyu Dangida

rescues 33 females in Jigawa

have arrested more than 33 of them. In fact our officials are up and doing to make sure that the menace of human trafficking is brought to an end.”

According to him, the command would hand the

BUJA—THE National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, has said that Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, holds the key to Nigeria's development.

The Statistician General of the Federation/CEO of NBS, Dr. Yemi Kale, who stated this also noted that the MSMEs can promote growth in an economy by providing employment to a large number of people.

It is for this reason, he said NBS and Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, are

victims over to the National Agency for Prohibition of Human Trafficking in Persons, NAPTIP, for further investigation because surely, some body must be behind their travelling together.

Jere explained that the 33 ladies were from different states including Delta and Kwara but staying in Lagos, how did they meet, somebody must have assembled them together for the journey.

Bank drags customer to court over alleged N750m debt 203,500 Linked Units shares of it, the claimant irrevocably

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By Innocent Anaba

AGOS—FIRST Bank of Nigeria Plc has dragged one of its customers, Chidi Ajaegbu, before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over an alleged N750 million debt.

The bank is contending in the suit that it borrowed Ajaegbu the sum of $5 million to purchase

MSMEs key to Nigeria's devt collaborating to conduct another —Kale round of Micro, Small and

A

government for the cleaning of Jalingo who have not been paid for over three months. The state littered with abandoned projects.

“Salaries for November have not been paid. We are already carrying a thorough review of the state of our finances and will quickly work out schemes with our bankers to ensure that civil servants are paid their salaries”

CONFERENCE: From left: Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, DG, Nigeria Information Technology and Development Agency, NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack and Obiora Okoye, Software Development Manager, Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Ltd, at the NITDA 2014 e-NIGERIA conference in Abuja.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING: NIS UTSE—THE Controller of the Nigeria Immigration Service in Jigawa State, Alhaji Isah Idris Jere has said that over 33 female victims of human trafficking were rescued this year along Gidan Boka Plantation Road in Babura Local Government Area on their way to Europe for prostitution.

Parading three ladies arrested by his men in Dutse, Idris said; “It is part of our effort to ensure tight security at the border. These ladies were apprehended by our officers at the border patrol post along Gidan Boka plantation Road in Babura Local Government Area on their way to Libya and Europe through Niger.

“They are victims of human trafficking and so far this year we

it.

“The NYSC permanent orientation camp has been abandoned while the same fate stares the Nursing College project in the face. Even the Jalingo Motel is now overgrown by weeds as the workers have not been paid salaries for 11months.

“The same applies to casual workers engaged by the state

Medium Enterprises Survey in Nigeria in order to furnish the government and other stakeholders with useful information with which to make appropriate policies toward promoting and developing MSMEs. According to a statement signed by Mr. Ademola Adegbie on behalf of the statistician general and Dr. Friday Okpara for SMEDAN, the survey is to re-assess the impact of government policies and programmes since the last one was conducted in 2011.

MTN Nigeria Limited through private placement.

According to the bank, the loan deal was consummated between the parties sometime in 2008, but Ajaegbu took it (First bank) to court, seeking to stop it from selling his Linked Units shares in MTN Nigeria Limited among other reliefs being sought in court.

However, First bank in a 77paragraph statement of defence and counter-claim, among others contended that the claimant in a letter dated January 23, 2008 sent to MTN Nigeria Limited and copied to

PRIMARIES:

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authorized MTN to place his MTN Linked Units shares on lien in favour of First bank.

Consequently, the loan in question, according to the first defendant was secured with the Linked Units shares in MTN, in addition to the shares of CTC Global Ventures Limited and Rehoboth Assets Limited, two companies where the claimant has substantial and controlling interest.

By the terms of contact, the first defendant averred that the expiration date for the repayment of the loan facility was January 31, 2011.

NMA wants psychiatric tests for people seeking elective offices

By Marie-Theresa

J

Nanlong

OS—THE National President of the Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Kayode Obembe has recommended psychiatric tests for all those seeking elective offices to ascertain their fitness for such jobs.

In a communiqué issued at the end of NMA National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Jos, the Plateau State capital, Obembe said the recommendation was as the result of irrational behaviours exhibited by some politicians in their political activities.

According to him; “The politicians’ behaviour have the potential to overheat the polity especially when the nation is preparing for the 2015 general elections.

“Candidates must be certified mentally fit to vie for elective positions. Health certificate should be criteria for consideration and psychiatric hospitals should register with the NMA for the purpose of having access to examination centres by politicians.”

NASS: Kwande wins APC's Jos North/ Bassa constituency

By Marie-Theresa

J

Nanlong

OS—THE member representing Jos North/ Bassa federal constituency in the National Assembly, Suleiman Kwande yesterday emerged victorious in the All Progressives Congress, APC House of Assembly primaries.

Kwande who scored 402 votes defeated former Minister of Information, Ibrahim Nakande who got 352 votes and two others, Yusuf Umar Dauda and Hassan Isa Maimadara who scored 58 and 17 votes respectively. The member representing Wase federal constituency, Idris Maje was elected unopposed.

Mallam-Obi congratulates Ogor, Erijo, others

OLITICAL ADVISER to Delta State governor (Delta South), Mr Charles Mallam-Obi has described the victory of Hon. Leo Ogor, Prince Johnson Erijo and Orezi Eseiovo in the just concluded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries in Delta State as a measure of the popularity and acceptability of the candidates.

Mallam-Obi, who earlier urged the delegates to vote for popular PDP aspirants, also commended the voters during the primaries for not letting the people down.

His words: “The victory of all the aspirants most especially Ogor who pulled a total of 89 votes against his other contestants is very symbolic,

not forgetting also the landside victories of both Hon Tim, Erijo and Orezi showed clearly that they were popular candidates in their various constituencies.”

He, however, commended the PDP, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the security agencies for the roles they played in delivering a credible election in Isoko.

48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

PRESENTATION: From left, Opeluwa Onido of Lagos, Chief Lateef Aderibigbe Ajose; Head, Corporate Communications, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Olayinka Edmund; His Royal Majesty, Oba of Lagos, Alaiyeluwa, Oba Rilwan Akiolu1 and Director, Corporate Relations, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale during the official presentation of Orijin to His Majesty in Lagos.

COMMISSIONING: From left, Executive Director, Lagos and South-West of First City Monument, FCMB, Limited, Mr. Femi Bakare; President of Jakin (a non-governmental organisation), Mrs. Olubukola Adebiyi, and the Baale of Pedro Riverine Community, Chief Abraham Mesu, at the commissioning of a bridge, six public toilets and two boreholes constructed

by FCMB for the residents of the community as part of the bank's corporate social responsibility inititaives, at Pedro Riverine Community, in Lagos.

PRESENTATION: From left, Vice Chairman, MTNF, Col. Sani Bello (rtd), presenting the MTNF scholarship award certificate to Mr. Hembertso Jervashim, a visually impaired beneficiary; Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs & Social Development, Dr. Ezekiel Oyebola Oyemomi; Executive Secretary, MTNF, Ms. Nonny Ugboma, at the presentation of MTNF Scholarship Award Ceremony, at Maitama, Abuja.

DECLARATION: The Returning Officer for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Innocent Agbo (2nd left), declaring the Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu (3rd left), winner of the PDP primary election for Enugu West senatorial district, at Awgu, Enugu, while member representing Aninri/Awgu/Oji River Federal Constituency, Hon. Toby Okechukwu (left), and Special Adviser to the President on NEPAD, Amb. Fidelia Njeze, cheer.

LECTURE: From left. First Vice President, National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria, NIMN, Mr. Rotimi Olaniyan; Executives Director, Promasidor, Mr. Katchi Onubogu; President of NIMN, Mr. Ganiyu Koledoye, and Chairman, Body of Fellows, Dr. Ify Uraih, during the 2014 Best Marketing Student award ceremony lecture, in Lagos.

AGM: From left, Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry LCCI, Mr. Knut Ulvmoen; President, LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello; Deputy President, Chief Nike Akande, and Treasurer, Mr. Sola Oyetayo, during their 126th Annual General Meeting, in Lagos.

SEASON: Daniel Michael, generator winner (left), receiving his prize from Fernandez Izoma, during MTN Season of Surprises, at Uselu Market, Benin City.

Photo: Barnabas Uzosike

EXPERIENCE: From left, Area Sales Manager, Lagos North West Reckitt Benckiser, Akinpelu Segun; Territory Sales Manager, Lagos North West, Adisa Adeyemi; Assistant Brand Manager, Harpic, Ebunoluwa Longe, and the Regional Sales Manager, Lagos, Shittu Abayomi, at the Harpic Experience Moment, in Ikotun market, Lagos

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 49

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VANGUARD, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9 , 2014 — 53

BRIEFS

U.S sanctions aimed at changing power, Russian envoy says

Syria conflict: UN appeals for $16bn A humanitarian aid T

HE UN says it would need a record $16bn to fund its humanitarian operations next year, with almost half the total going to help victims of the Syrian conflict.

According to UN, the fund would provide aid for more than 57 million of the most vulnerable people around the world.

The UN humanitarian chief said the level of need was “unprecedented”.

The request comes as aid agencies warn they are running out of cash to fund this year’s operations in Syria.

Last week the World Food Programme announced it would have to cut food rations to Syrian refugees.

The UN is requesting $2.8bn to help those displaced by the conflict inside Syria.

It is seeking another $4.4bn to help more than

Britain’s Valerie Amos, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, launches the Global Humanitarian Appeal 2015 to support people affected by disaster and conflict, during a press conference, at the European headquarters of the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

3,250,000 Syrian refugees registered in neighbouring countries. “The rising scale of need is outpacing

our capacity to respond,” said UN UndersecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs Valerie Amos. “The

crises in Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan and Syria will remain top humanitarian priorities next year.”

God has bestowed on me a healthy dose of unawareness, says Francis

“G

OD is good to me, he has bestowed on me a healthy dose of unawareness. I just do what I have to do. From the start I said to myself, ‘Jorge, don´t change, just keep on being yourself, because to change at your age would be to make a fool of yourself’”.

These are some of the things Pope Francis said, as spontaneous as ever, during the exclusive interview with the argentine newspaper LA NACION

almost 21 months after he was elected Pope.

Though he certainly does not look it, the former archbishop of Buenos Aires will be 78 next December 17.

He said the reform of the Roman Curia will not be ready next year, as had been initially anticipated. He also admitted that ¨there still is a long way to go” to complete the cleansing work in the Vatican and spoke very naturally about the resistance he faces, which he said does not worry him.

“Certain resistance has

•Pope Francis surfaced; I think it´s a good sign when things are discussed openly and not secretly if people don´t

agree. It´s good to discuss things openly, it´s healthy”, he said in a 50 minute interview last Thursday, in suite 201 of the second floor of casa Santa Martha, in the Vatican, his home ever since he ascended to the throne of St. Peter on March 13, 2013.

In spite of his very busy day, with appointments and audiences from early morning hours, Francis (who has not lost his accent or his typical Buenos Aires ways) was friendly, in a good mood and laid back.

Shrien Dewani murder case thrown out by South African judge Judge Jeanette Traver-

B

RITISH business man Shrien Dewani has been cleared of mur-

dering his wife during their South Africa honeymoon, after the judge threw out the case.

Ami Denborg, the sister of Anni Dewani weeps as she walks away after making a statement expressing the family’s shock at the South African justice system

so said the evidence presented by the prosecution fell “far below the threshold” of what a reasonable court could convict on.

She said the evidence of the prosecution’s main witness was “riddled with contradictions”.

Anni’s family said they had been failed by the justice system.

Announcing her ruling, the judge said the only reason not to grant the application would be

in the hope that Mr Dewani would implicate himself if he gave evidence.

But to do so would be a “manifest misdirection”, she said.

They bowed their heads amid shouting from the public gallery.

Speaking outside the Western Cape high Court, Mrs Dewani’s sister Ami Denborg said: “Today we feel as a family that the justice system has failed us and we are deeply disappointed."

senior Russian dip lomat, yesterday accused the United States of trying to bring down President Vladimir Putin with the sanctions it has imposed on Moscow over the crisis in Ukraine.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov told parliamentary deputies that ties between Moscow and Washington were in a very deep chill and were likely to remain so if the sanctions remained for a long time.

“It is hardly a secret that the goal of the sanctions is to create social and economic conditions to carry out a change of power in Russia,” Sergei Ryabkov told a hearing in the lower house. “There will be no easy or fast way out of this.”

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov looks on at the start of two days of closed-door nuclear talks at the United Nations offices in Geneva October 15, 2013.

He said he did not expect the United States to recognize Crimea as part of Russia “for decades to come” and accused Washington of trying to drive a wedge between Russia and the other former Soviet republics.

Kenya police admit ‘extrajudicial killings’

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ENYA’s police squads have admitted for the first time to carrying out extrajudicial killings.

Speaking to Al Jazeera’s Investigative Unit, the officers discussed their involvement in the Kenyan government’s assassination programme targeting suspected Muslim radicals.

Britain and the US have provided millions of dollars to Kenya’s police, and officers claim Western security agencies know about the killings — allegations that have been denied. Al Jazeera’s Simon Boazman reports from Nairobi.

Philippines typhoon death rises

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T least 23 people have been killed, many of whom in central Philippines, after Typhoon Hagupit hit, Red Cross officials say.

Richard Gordon, chairman of the Philippine National Red Cross, told Al Jazeera on Monday that most of the fatalities were from the province of Eastern Samar.

“We hope it [death toll] won’t go up anymore, but the reality is it may likely still go up.”

Earlier reports suggested that only three people had died after the typhoon struck, forcing more than a million into shelters.

Floods, damaged shanties and ripped off tin roofs were a common sight across the region on Monday, as Hagupit headed towards Manila.

The typhoon, which made landfall in Eastern Samar late on Saturday, has weakened considerably and was moving slowly, dumping heavy rain.

Al Jazeera’s Andrew Thomas, reporting from the city of Batangas, said the rainfall could trigger landslides and flash floods.

He reported that most government offices, schools and private businesses in Manila remained shut.

Traumatised by the death and destruction from Typhoon Haiyan last year, more than a million people fled to more than 1,000 emergency shelters and safer grounds as Hagupit approached.

Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada said more than 3,000 residents of a shantytown on the edge of Manila Bay had been evacuated due to possible storm surges.

Metropolitan Manila has a population of more than 12 million people.

54 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

N15bn cement import levy for manpower training — DANGOTE

SACK: Judge withdraws from Olotu’s suit against Jonathan, NJC

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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By Franklin Alli

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AGOS—CEMENT Technology Institute of Nigeria (CTIN), said yesterday, it is set to start using the N15 billion cement import levy for manpower development in the industry and related fields.

Accordingly, the Institute has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to commence the first phase of training 3,000 artisans and craftsmen in the construction industry.

Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Board of Trustees of CITN, who disclosed this during the signing ceremony of the MoU in Lagos, said the 15 percent import levy the federal government mandated cement importers to pay since 2011 till –date have accumulated to N15 billion.

“We are going to start using the money to among other things “train and enhance manpower in cement technology and related fields; to liaise with other relevant institutions and bodies with a view to enhancing cement technology development,” he said.

He explained that the collaboration between CTIN and ITF is aimed at achieving the following objectives: “To organise and conduct training programmes for artisans and craftsmen in the building industry; to determine specific needs and opportunity for capacity building and process improvement for artisans and craftsmen that use cement to execute their work; to promote professionalism, proficiency and actualization of the training to-work initiative and entrepreneurship so as to discourage the importation of foreign artisans and craftsmen from neighbouring countries and to complement the success of transformation agenda of the present administration in the area of youth empowerment and employment generation.”

BUJA—JUSTICE Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court in Abuja, yesterday, disqualified himself from entertaining two separate suits that were filed against President Goodluck Jonathan by a sacked Judge of the high court, Justice Gladys Olotu.

Aside Jonathan, Olotu also sued the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council, NJC, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court.

The plaintiff who was on February 27, ordered to vacate her office after the NJC found her guilty of judicial misconduct, is seeking for a reversal of the decision which she said was in breach of her fundamental human rights.

Besides, she equally sought an order restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, and the Inspector-General of Police from investigating or arresting her over allegations bothering on corruption.

Meantime, Justice Ademola yesterday withdrew from the matter, saying he would return the case file to the Chief for reassignment to another Judge.

Counsel to the NJC, Mr. Phillips Jimoh-Lasisi, SAN, had earlier alleged bias against the Judge.

Jimoh-Lasisi noted that Justice Ademola had also dragged the NJC to court, insisting that his ability to objectively handle Olotu’s case was in doubt.

He argued that the NJC had in its preliminary objection,

challenged the jurisdiction of the court to hear the cases.

He therefore contended that the right thing to do was for the judge to disqualify himself from Olotu’s case since the issue in contention was similar to his own matter against the NJC. Likewise, counsel to President Jonathan and the AGF, Dr. Soni Ajala also supported the stance of the NJC and urged Justice Ademola to disqualify himself.

Ruling on the matter, Justice Ademola held that in view of the arguments by the defendants, he

was left with no option than to return the case file for reassignment.

In his own suit marked: FHC/ ABJ/CS/689/2014, Justice Adeniyi is also seeking to restrain the NJC from further investigating a petition against him.

The case is currently pending before Justice Abdulkadir Abdulkafarati of the same high court.

On her part, Justice Olotu who was sacked under the immediate past CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar, applied for judicial review of her removal from office

by President Jonathan following the recommendation of the NJC.

Senator Ashafa (middle) with some of the Neighborhood Youth Leaders from Somolu/Bariga.

Why INEC can’t enforce internal democracy in parties, by Jega

By Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—CHAIRMAN of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, Monday, attributed engagement of political parties in irregularities during conduct of primaries at various levels to lack of clearcut constitutional mandate on the commission to monitor parties during primaries.

This was even as he expressed fears that unpleasant conduct, especially inciting comments by politicians, contrary to INEC Code of Conduct were serious threats to the peaceful, free and fair conduct of the 2015 general elections.

Jega, whose message was contained in a keynote address he delivered at the INECTraditional Rulers National Summit on Peaceful Elections, held in Abuja, particularly blamed Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2011, as amended, saying the section made the commission’s hands tight, by asking it not to interfere in preprimary matters of political parties.

He said political parties were relying on the section of the act to perpetuate irregularities during conduct of their primaries

without regard to internal democracy.

The INEC boss regretted that political parties sometimes, without genuine reasons, replace candidates who won at the primaries with politicians who did not really participate and forward same to INEC as their candidates, insisting that since

the provision of the Electoral Act did not mandate it to insist on the names of the real winners, it could not act on any list forwarded to it.

To this end, he said the commission had since made recommendations to the National Assembly to amend the provision of the act and called

on the legislature to expedite action towards making amendment before February 14, 2015.

Jega, while also accusing politicians of violating the code of conduct, advised traditional rulers to act fast by calling them to order since, according to him, they were their subjects.

2015: S-Court to hear Jonathan’s eligibility suit Dec 16

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Supreme Court, yesterday, fixed December 16 to commence hearing on the suit seeking to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from vying for a reelection next year.

The apex court okayed the appeal which was filed before it by a Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Adamawa State, Dr. Umar Ardo for hearing on a day President Jonathan insisted that he is legally qualified to contest in the 2015 general elections.

The President, through his lawyer Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, told the court that he has already supplied before it, plethora of legal authorities

backing his re-election bid.

He argued that Ardo has no strong case against him , insisting that he is permitted by the 1999 constitution to go for a second tenure in office.

Meantime, whereas the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, through its lawyer Mr. C. I. Paul, yesterday, applied for a short time to file its response to the suit, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, told the apex court that it would remain neutral and abide by whatever decision the court will take on the contentious issue.

While adjourning the case, Justice Tanko Mohammed who presided over the apex court panel yesterday, gave all the parties seven days to file and exchange their

written arguments.

Ardo is through his lawyer Dr. A. Amuda Kannike, praying the court to stop President Jonathan.

He is further challenging the refusal of the Abuja Division of the Appeal Court to join him as a party in the suit that was filed against Jonathan by another member of the PDP, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku.

He contended that the outcome of that case will personally affect him since the PDP had already adopted the 1st Respondent, Jonathan, as its sole candidate for the impending Presidential poll.

Ardo had at the appellate court, insisted that he has garnered enough evidence with a view to proving that President Jonathan lacks the legal imprimatur to remain in office beyond 2015.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 55

OIL SLUMP: NLC wants FG to reduce fuel price

By Victor Ahiumayoung & Kelechi Azubuike

A

N

IGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, has called on the Federal Government to reduce the pump price of petroleum products in line with falling crude prices in the international market as has been done by other importers of refined petroleum products.

Congress also warned that the socio-economic and political happenings in the country are not only frightening, but getting to a situation that may undermine the nation’s democracy.

At an interactive meeting with journalists, General Secretary of NLC, Dr Peter Oso-Eson, said NLC was worried that though the nation was actually at war, the body language of the country’s political leaders did not suggest so, lamenting that Nigeria was increasingly witnessing wanton and arbitrary exercise of power by political leaders.

According to him, ''The area that worries us very seriously is that crude prices are falling. In order countries, what that is immediately translating to, is that the price of petroleum products and pump head is coming down. In the United States, in the last one month, the price of a gallon of petrol, has come down from $3 to $2, in response to this price adjustment. In our country, we are not allowed to enjoy that benefit. What government is doing is that in order to shore

100 YEARS OF KINGS COLLEGE, LAGOS: From left; Hakeem Belo-Osagie, President, King’s College Old Boys’ Association (KCOBA); Sunny Kuku, past president; Oladele Olapeju, Principal, King’s College, Lagos; Phillip Asiodu, Chairman, Board of Trustee, KCOBA; Oladipo Akinkugbe, guest speaker; Tola Sotinwa, member, board of trustee, KCOBA, and Tajudeen Gbadamosi, chief editor, at the unveiling of the Floreat Collegium 100 years of King’s College Lagos and the N1 billion Floreat endowment fund, with the theme “King’s College: The 2nd century” in Lagos. Photo by Akeem Salau.

up its naira revenue, it has gone to devalue excessively, the naira; $13 devaluation in one day, and then a continuous process of depreciation.

“What that does, is that, because we import petroleum products largely, the gains from the falling price of crude which ought to translate to consumers, is prevented by that devaluation; because, by devaluing the cost of the head price, it might even increase. ''We say that that is wrong and the benefits of the falling price of crude, must be translated to Nigerians. Therefore, going

forward, we want a situation in which the pump of petrol and other petroleum products should actually be adjusted downwards.”

On the situation in the country, he said “We have become very worried about the socio-economic and political situations in the country. The socio-political problems in our country today frighten us. ''Apart from press releases, we have addressed a formal letter on the situation in the country to the President Goodluck Jonathan. We have not released that letter to the media. We will

Hold govts accountable, Obi tells Nigerians

By Amaka Abayomi

L

AGOS—IMMEDIATE past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has said for Nigeria to witness any remarkable development, the citizens must learn to hold government at all levels accountable on how public resources are spent.

Obi, who was the Chairman of the Government College, Ughelli, Old Boys Association, GCUOBA, annual luncheon party in Lagos, said “I always tell people to question how local, state and federal governments are spending the resources meant for the development of our nation.

Though there is a lot of money in our country, but this makes it insignificant when placed alongside the huge cost of governance.

“As a governor, I was able to

Ensure acceptable delegates list is produced, Obiano, Umeh told

save over N300bn for Anambra State and I achieved this by cutting down on the cost of running the state. Though this didn’t go down well with some people but I’m glad with what we were able to achieve.”

Commending the efforts of GCUOBA in repositioning education, the former governor said education was the best legacy any government could bequeath its people as it was the only passport to greatness.

According to him, “While the average scores of students in public examinations in Ghana is 85 per cent, it is 35 per cent in Nigeria, and one of the reasons for the dwindling fortunes of the education sector is that government bears the huge cost of financing education which is, most times, unrealistic. Before we returned the mission schools in

Anambra, there were 1,000 primary schools being financed by the state government though only 250 of them were government schools. Though there were initial hiccups when we returned mission schools, but education in the state is better for it.”

In his keynote address titled ‘Ebola: Lessons for an unprepared nation’, a former university administrator and expert in virology, disease control and prevention and an old student of the 1958 set, Professor Oyewole Tomori, said Ebola had given Africa a death blow smack on the face and the continent needed to rise up and do the right thing.

According to him, “The victory over disease is eternal vigilance and improved disease surveillance and control and we are lucky that our labs were quick to detect the virus on time.”

take decision soon whether to release it base on the type of response that we get. But we think that there are now very weighty issues of concern in the country today.

“Number one is the security situation in our country in which we find a band of insurgents able to take territories in the country and we look at our military, they are unable to cope with the situation. For a military that we used to project as the pride of Africa in the various missions that we went to, we are at a loss as to what are the problems. We think that there is need for some of these matters to be addressed. We are worried that the country is at war but the body language of our political leaders does not suggest it. We are going around as if we are not at war.

The civil war, the Nigerian Biafran war we knew what the body language was, we knew what the national position on that war was. We have this war going on but we are going on as if nothing is happening.

“In the face of all these, we are finding wanton and arbitrary exercise of power. The invasion of the National Assembly for instance, we made our position public on it but all these events happening in our nation frighten us as we are getting into a situation that may actually undermine the survival of the democracy that you and all of us fought for decades to reclaim.

Therefore, we are extremely conceived that is need to change the way we are dealing with these issues.''

S intrigues continue to trail the House of Representatives primaries of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State, a former Chairman of Dunukofia Local Government Area an aspirant for the Njikoka/ Anaocha Federal Constituency Onochie Okagbue, has called on the Anambra State Governor Willie Obiano and National Chairman, Chief Victor Umeh to ensure that an acceptable and authentic delegate list is produced.

He described the primaries for the election of delegates as a sham and a complete fraud.

According to him, “The primaries in my constituency was full of irregularities, in fact it was a fraud. Delegates election were held and party faithfuls contested and won, when the party came with the list of delegates which were never displayed for the aspirants to see, We found out that the entire names of the party members who won the election have been changed in almost all the wards.''

Choose right candidates, APGA aspirant tells electorates

T

HE All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA , aspirant contesting for Lagos House of Assembly constituency 1, Bello Olatunde, has said that Nigeria has outgrown sectional political parties.

Bello said this at a sensitisation meeting with party faithful in Amuwo Odofin, lagos, where he stressed the need for eligible voters to receive their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs. “Right now in Nigeria, we have outgrown the issue of party. If you take a look at the last elections in Nigeria, you will notice that it is not about the party again, it is about the person they believe can deliver. We are trying to reposition APGA in Lagos State so that we will surpass our results in the 2011 elections.''

56—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

PDP: Okowa, Wike, Udom, Ikpeazu, others win Continues from page 5 Asogwa’s faction. The group led by a transport mogul, Evang. Samuel Onyishi, boycotted the primaries over the illegality of the delegates list.

The Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Hon. Eugene Odo who also aspired showed up at the Nnamdi Azikwe Stadium, an indication that he has aligned with the Governor Sullivan Chime’s faction.

Senator Eze won at a parallel primary conducted at Fibon with 530 votes out of 614 votes cast.

Both Onwuegbu and Onu who are close allies of Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, withdrew for Hon Ugwuanyi on the prodding of Ekweremadu.

Ugwuanyi, House Committee Chairman on Maritime is the anointed candidate of Governor Chime.

However, going by the outcome of the delegates election conducted by Elder David Aja, on November 1, 2014, which was boycotted by the Chime’s group led by Mr Ikeje Asogwa, Ekweremadu produced majority of the delegates from Enugu West Senatorial District, while Eze produced most of those from Enugu North Senatorial Zone.

However, the delegates from the Enugu East Senatorial zone owe their victories to the former Minister of Information, Mr Frank Nweke Jnr and his group including Senator Gil Nnaji.

At a news briefing presided over by the Chairman of the PDP electoral panel in charge of the primary in Enugu state, King Asarah A. Asarah, Onyishi raised concerns over the genuineness of the delegates list used in yesterday’s exercise.

Ayogu also lent credence to the illegality of the delegates list insisting that the list the electoral panel brought was different from the one the court had upheld as valid delegates from the November ward congresses in the state.

Ayade beats Agba, four others in Cross River

Senator Ben Ayade defeated five other aspirants to clinch the PDP ticket in Cross River

State.

In what could be described as a landslide, Senator Ayade trounced other contestants who included former NNPC General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing, Mr Goddy Jedy Agba; Rev. Father Francis Eworo, Dr Peter Oti, pioneer PDP National Publicity Secretar y, Emmanuel Ibeshi and Mr. Joe Agi. Four other aspirants had earlier withdrawn from the primaries, and declared their support for Ayade. They included Executive Secretary, National Planning Commission, Ntufam Fidelis Ugbo, immediate past Secretary to the Government, Barrister Mike Ania, immediate past Commissioner for Works, Barrister Legor Idagbo and Speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Larry Odey.

According to the result as announced by the Chairman of the electoral panel and Returning Officer, Chief Olusola Akanmode, Senator Ayade scored 752 out of 782 votes cast.

Ayade, a serving Senator representing Cross River North Senatorial District, is the Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment and Ecology.

Ebonyi deputy gov picks ticket as Onyebuchi shun primaries

The Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Engr.

Dave Umahi beat seven other aspirants to win the ticket at the primaries held at the Abakaliki Township Stadium. The other contenders were Engr. Paul Okorie, Dr. Aja Nwachkwu, Chief Hycinth Ikpo, Senator Paulinus Igwe Nwagu, Chief Michael Ude Udumanta, Senator Offia Nwali and Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu (absent).

Announcing the results of the peaceful primaries that had 592 delegates, chairman of the governorship primary panel and Governor of Ekiti State, Ayo Fayose declared Umahi, who polled 541 votes as the winner and the party’s candidate in the 2015 governorship election.

Adamawa: Ribadu wins as Ngilari, Awwal, Modibbo, others

shun primaries

Former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has picked the PDP governorship ticket for Adamawa State.

To win the ticket, he polled 688 votes at the the primaries held at the Old Parade Ground, Abuja, which was shunned by Governor James Bala Ngilari and four other aspirants.

Conducted by the Chairman of PDP electoral Committee, Senator Rufai Sani Hangai, others who did not show up at venue of the primaries were former Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Dr. Ahmed Modibbo; son of former Chairman of PDP, Awwal Bamanga Tukur; Engr.

Marcus Gundiri and General Aliyu Kama, rtd.

Announcing the results, Hangai declared that governor Bala Ngilari polled 26 votes; Modibbo got 30 votes; Marcus, 33 votes; Tukur, 25 votes and Kama three votes. There were two invalid votes.

Despite the fact that the governor and others were absent, their names were on the ballot papers, which necessitated delegates voting for them.

In his acceptance speech, Ribadu, who was the 2011 Presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, noted that he was humbled and challenged. He offered the olive branch to other aspirants, stressing the need for all hands to be on deck in the task of building Adamawa State.

How Yero retained ticket in Kaduna

Incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Alhaji Mukhtar Ramalan Yero secured a landslide victory at the PDP’s primaries in Kaduna, polling d 970 votes out of the 972 total votes cast, while Senator Haruna Zego Azeez, his opponent scored one vote.

Earlier on, three of the five aspirants sent in their letters of withdrawal from the contest to the Chairman, Committee for Gubernatorial Primary, Dr. Steve Onu, who later read them out to the delegates including Vice President Namadi Sambo and officials.

Air Commodore John Bako (rtd), Alhaji Yakawada Lawal Samaila and Hon. Felix Hyat withdrew from the contest leaving the incumbent Yero and Senator Haruna Azeez to slug it out.

Air Commodore John Bako (rtd) opted out for Governor Yero, while the others withdrew on personal grounds.

Jigawa: Lamido’s ex-chief of staff, Ringim, emerges

Former chief of staff to Governor Sule Lamido, Alhaji Aminu Ibrahim Ringim, is the winner in Jigawa State.

He won the contest between him and Alhaji Abba Anas Adamu who requested to withdraw in absentia.

Shortly before the commencement of the exercise held at the party’s headquarters in Dutse, one of the aspirants, Arch Aminu Kane met the party leadership and formally announced his decision to step down for Ringim. In like manner, Adamu also decided to step down but his request was rejected because he did not come in person.

While rejecting the request, the chairman electoral panel, Alhaji Kaulaha Aliyu ordered the 1,025 delegates to vote for any of the two aspirants.

At the end Ringim polled 1020 votes while Adamu had none and six votes were invalid.

Governor Aliyu’s former aide wins in Niger

Alhaji Umar Nasko, former Chief of Staff to Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu, won the PDP ticket in Niger State With 908 votes, he defeated eight other aspirants including the incumbent Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Ahmed Musa Ibeto who got 34 votes.

There were 1,023 delegates at the primaries.

Others who contested the election included former Governor of Kano State, Col Aminu Isa Kontagora and Alhaji Sahabi Darangi. AIG Senator Nuhu Aliyu withdrew from the race at the last minute.

The other Aspirants who lost out at the primaries have rejected the result describing it as a sham unacceptable.

Oyo: Folarin picks PDP ticket as Ladoja emerges for Accord

PDP Governorship candidates State

Candidates

Delta Rivers Ebonyi A/Ibom Abia Kaduna Jigawa Niger Oyo Adamawa C/River

Ifeanyi Okowa Nyesom Wike Dave Umahi Udom Emmanuel Okezie Ikpeazu Mukhtar Ramalan Yero Aminu Ibrahim Ringim Umar Nasko Teslim Kolawole Folarin Nuhu Ribadu Ben Ayade

Former, Senate Leader, Teslim Kolawole Folarin and former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rashidi Ladoja have emerged as governorship candidates of the PDP and Accord respectively.

While Ladoja, who is the national leader and governorship aspirant of his party was elected unopposed with 1, 692 votes, it was a tug of war in the PDP as some leading contenders, Otunba Adebayo AlaoAkala, Seyi Makinde, Femi Babalola and Isaac Owolabi boycotted the election.

While declaring the results at the end of the election, the electoral committee chairman, Abba Aji disclosed that Folarin won with 167 votes, Alao-Akala polled two votes; Soji Adejumo, four; Azeez Adeduntan, three and Gbolarumi, 12 votes.

Other governorship aspirants in attendance were Taoheed Adedoja, Soji Adejumo, Azeem Gbolar umi, Ayoade Adeseun and Azeez Adeduntan.

At the Accord Party election, five delegates each from the 351 wards voted peacefully to choose Ladoja and the exercise was witnessed by a representative of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

National Organising Secretary of the party and returning officer for its governorship primaries, Alhaji Kawu Idris, announced Ladoja as Accord’s governorship candidate.

Ogun: NWC cancels primaries, says it’s unauthorized The national leadership of the PDP, yesterday announced the cancellation of the primaries in Ogun state.

In a statement by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party said, “for the avoidance of doubt, the NWC hereby states that it did not authorize any governorship primary in

Ogun State. Consequently, any such exercise held in Ogun State is hereby declared null and void and of no effect.

A new date will be communicated for the primaries.’’

However, in spite cancellation, the Ogun PDP elected Gboyega Isiaka as its 2015 governorship candidate Mr. Isiaka, who recently defected to the party from the Labour Party, LP, scored 705 votes to beat his major opponent, Kayode Amusan, who got 150 votes.

Commotion as thugs clash in Lagos

There was pandemonium at the Yard 158 Event Centre on Oregun Road, venue of the governorship primaries of the PDP in Lagos State as political thugs loyal to aspirants clashed.

Policemen shot several canisters of tear gas into the air to disperse the warring groups, while sniffer dogs were unleashed to bring the situation under control.

Trouble started when some supporters of one of the aspirants arrived the venue chanting solidarity slogans in favour of the aspirant.

Not long after, supporters of another aspirant arrived the scene and a confrontation ensued leading to a clash.

Guns, knives, bottles were deployed for the battle of supremacy.

Two persons including a reporter of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Chioma Ugboma were injured, while two other persons were arrested by security operatives.

About 900 delegates are expected to vote at the primaries being contested by six aspirants including Musiliu Obanikoro, Jimi Agbaje, Babatunde Gbadamosi and Modupe Chukwuneke.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139

PISCES; Success is within your reach but you must do away with mental arrogance and take good and practical advice from the professionals. Work harder.

ARIES; Your being enterprising will go a long way to further enhance your prospects and if financial advancement is your priority you will fare better. Be more loving.

TAURUS; Prepare to take the lead and exhibit your special talent. Advice from younger people may look good but not practical enough thus if you must take advice today take it from matured personality who may appear authoritative.

GEMINI; Element of luck will work in your favour, however that is not to say you can not back your reasonable plans with practical action. Keep your secrets.

— 57

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

T

HIS simply put is to overate your enemies. To ascribe o much power over you to your enemies.

Like the case of under estimating,

Over Estimating Your Enemies over estimating too has its own drawback. One of the disadvantages is its ability to intimidate us. As-

TERROR MUDA

cribing power which our enemies do not have to them helps them to overwhelm us and sap

in “Never say goodbye”

us of our own strength and energy.

Remember, no one has power except that power which you allow them to exercise over you.

By Lanre Kehinde

CANCER; You will have your ways; much will depend on how ambitious you are, the bigger your aspiration the better. Take your tried and trusted friends seriously.

LEO; Here is an ambitious day for many of you and with moderation things will go according to your plans.

Financial success is actually close to you than you think.

VIRGO; Make sure your plans for both immediate and far future are legal friendly. This is day of success you will need to savour with your partners/spouse.

LIBRA; Even if you think your health is ok you better make sure you confirm your fitness from your doctor before giving in to strenuous activities. Success at work indicated for those of you who are truly healthy. Be practical please.

SCORPIO; It will not be a bad idea trying to consolidate on progress made recently. And the more cooperative you are today the better it will be for you..

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

SAGITTARIUS; You will be in good position to take good advantage within your working arena.. Don’t wait till tomorrow before you make important future plans.

CAPRICORN; Tomorrow may bring more challenges than anticipated that is why you will need to prosecute your plans now. Lovers are fairly favoured.

AQUARIUS; Those of you who are moderate and practical with their financial plans are in for a good day. Live up to expectation within your family circle.

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,

Early death for me?

Dear Joshua, I am not having any terminal disease but some times am afraid of life. Bluntly ‘am I meant for early death? What are my weak points health-wise? Please tell me about my career line.

Philips, Abeokuta.

Dear Philips, You are not meant for sudden death but that should not be a license for reckless life style. Although Cancer is said to be one of weak Star signs, with potent and positive aspects the Sun and Mercury got from planets in Virgo and more powerful Scorpio yours is a strong constitution meant for good health. .

Certainly you must have gone through rough times when you were younger, once you are out of it your health path is clearer. And nothing is pointing to early death.

Naturally Cancer born people must be more careful about their tummy (stomach related ailments) and you are not an exception. Other thing you will need to watch carefully include the circulatory system (because of Aquarius influence). Your sense of taste is distinctive and capable of making you a little bit stout as a result of little enlargement of liver because of your sugar intake, which you can control perfectly. As a tropical man fever can come and go, but nothing fatalistic here please.. If you notice toothache symptom do not ignore it.

But yours is a sound and good health, astrologically.

Mercury –the planet of education and Accountancy, together with mighty Sun at positive angle to planets in Virgo (another Accounting Star sign) attracted you to both Accountancy profession and the academic world. Truly you did not make wrong choice of career.

Money will eventually come along this line but it’ll not be as faster as if you take to OIL RELATED BUSINESS.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

58 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 59

C M Y K

60—Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Sekibo, Worgu, others emerge senatorial candidates in Rivers

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT— SENATOR George Sekibo has won the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, ticket for Rivers East senatorial district. He currently represents the senatorial district in the National Assembly. He is to slug it out with Mr Andrew Uchendu of All Progressives Congress, APC, who represents Ikwerre/Emohua federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

Meanwhile, the PDP in Rivers State has cancelled the senatorial primary election for Rivers West.

It will be recalled that the exercise was disrupted Sunday evening by suspected thugs who stormed the venue and chased out the delegates.

Olaka Worgu won the PDP ticket for the Rivers South-East senatorial district. He is to battle for the seat at the general polls with Senator Magnus Abe who currently represents the

Osagie, Inegbeneki pick APC's senatorial tickets in Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—THE Minority Whip of the House of the Representatives, Mr Samson Osagie, yesterday clinched the Edo South senatorial ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, by defeating the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Patrick Obahiagbon, with 1,120 votes to 894.

Another aspirant and an incumbent House of Representatives member, Jim Adun, polled 894 votes, while Irabor Emokpae polled 28 votes.

In Edo Central senatorial district, Chief Francis Inegbeneki polled 852 votes to defeat Prince Joe Okojie, who polled 335, while Theo Okoh polled 271.

Inegbeneki picked the senatorial ticket for Edo Central while Osagie picked that of Edo South.

Voting was still on going in Edo North senatorial district at press time.

senatorial district in the Senate.

Speaker of Rivers State House of Assembly, Otelemaba DanAmachree, won the APC ticket for Rivers West senatorial district. The PDP candidate for the senatorial election is likely to emerge within the week.

Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr Tony Okocha, is APC’s candidate for Obio/Akpor federal

constituency. He is to slug it out with the present occupant, Mr Kingsley Chinda. Ken Chikere of the PDP who is the member representing Port Harcourt constituency 1, is to battle Mr Igo Aguma of the APC, who is a former member of the House of Representatives, for the position at the general polls.

Betty Apiafi, who represents Abua, Odua, Ahoada East federal constituency was returned by the PDP and she is to contest with Mr Andy

Nwonye of the APC at the general polls.

Blessing Nsiegbe who represents Port Harcourt federal constituency II, was returned by the PDP and she is to contest with Mr Collins Onwonda of the APC. Bright Gogo was reelected by the PDP to contest for the Okrika,OguBolo federal constituency seat.

Elder Chidi Wiyioka of the APC is to contest the general polls for the Ikwerre Emohua federal constituency.

VISIT: From left: Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, and the state deputy governor, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd), during a courtesy call by the minister, at Government House, Yenagoa.

Poll fraud worst form of corruption —NBA chair

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N A G O A — CHAIRMAN, Yenagoa branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Dr. Anthony Okorodas, yesterday, identified electoral fraud as the worst form of corruption, saying that it robs

the people of their right to chose who governs them.

According to him, electoral fraud engenders bitterness not only in the politicians who are immediate victims of the fraud, but also in the disenfranchised citizens, who feel cheated and

Electoral process nearing perfection, says Fed Govt

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—AHEAD of the 2015 general elections, the Federal Government, yesterday, said that the nation’s electoral process was “nearing perfection,” even as it expressed optimism that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, would consolidate on the 2011 achievements in next year ’s polls.

Special Assistant to the President on Student Affairs, Mr Jude Imagwe, who spoke in Benin City, Edo State,

where he bagged the Edo State council of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, award for youth development and empowerment, expressed dismay over what he described as inciting statements by political and religious leaders, adding that “These utterances are capable of destroying the nation’s unity.

“These days, after declaration of election results, only few losers would want to go to court because the electoral process is almost nearing perfection and I think we will get there.”

brutally raped politically.

Okorodas, at a lecture at the annual law week of the National Open University of Nigeria, NOUN, Yenagoa centre, said: “A true, incorruptible and independent judiciary is crucial to the survival and sustenance of the nation’s nascent democracy.”

Speaking on True judicial Independence: An instrument for sustaining Nigerian Democracy, he said it was an irony in Nigeria today, that the most important element of modern-day democracy, which is the conduct of periodic election, was now the greatest source of threat to the nation's embryonic democratic system of government.

“It is sad to note that our electoral process is characterised by violence and countless forms of corrupt practices. While in general, electoral disputes are to be expected in a democracy, the level of fraud and acrimony that is associated with Nigerian elections is far beyond what a civilized society could safely tolerate,” he said.

Bayelsa community leader applauds Agbedi’s reps ticket

C

HAIRMAN, B i l a b i r i Community in Bayelsa State, Mr Otiti Christian, yesterday, applauded the emergence of Mr Fred Agbedi as the winner of the primaries of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the just concluded primary for the House of Representatives in Sagbama/Ekeremor federal constituency III. Otiti, who addressed newsmen on the outcome of the PDP House of Representatives primaries, said that the process was free and fair.

He also congratulated Mr. Mike Ogbere on his emergence as the flag bearer of PDP, to Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Ekeremor constituency III. He commended delegates for their support during the voting process, adding that Agbedi when elected will attract dividends of democracy to the door steps of his constituency and Bayelsans in general.

Days of ASUU strike over soon —Minister

By Emem Idio

Y

E N A G O A — MINISTER of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau, yesterday in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, expressed optimism that the days of industrial action by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will soon be a thing of the past as the Federal Government was creating more avenues for dialogue with the union to avoid strikes.

Shekararu, during an inspection tour of projects at the Federal University, Otuoke, Bayelsa State, described ASUU as a key stakeholder in the education sector and solicited the union's support in resolving labour issues.

He said: “Allocations have been made in the last couple of weeks and we are waiting for them to use due process and access their money."

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 61

Messi undergoes dope test after hat-trick A

FTER scoring a jawdropping third hattrick in four games on Sunday, it’s no surprise that people are curious as to what it is that makes Lionel Messi so brilliant.

Following Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Catalan rivals Espanyol, Messi was asked to take part in a doping test along with four other players.

Taking to his Instagram account on Monday afternoon, the Barcelona goal wizard posted a picture of himself at the clinic where the test took place.

But the 27-year-old couldn’t help but wonder why he was singled out during the examination.

‘Doping day. Of the 5 chosen, I was the only

one who did urine and blood. Weird, no?’ the Argentinian quizzed.

Ending the caption with two winking emoticons, it was clear the Nou Camp legend was only joking.

As his Barcelona teammate Gerard Pique said, sometimes there is just no explanation for his talents.

Newcastle in talks with Amoebi

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•Messi

Afcon 2015: We ‘ll win all Group C games — Algeria coach A LGERIA coach Christian Gourcuff has fired a warning to all his group opponents – including Ghana – ahead of the 2015 Africa Cup of

Nations, insisting his side is out to win all of its games at the tournament.

Algeria, tipped a favourites to win next year’s tournament to be staged in Equatorial

Guinea have been drawn in a tough group alongside Ghana, South Africa and Senegal.

The Desert Warriors will open their campaign on January 19 against South Africa in Mongomo before

Hapoel Beer Sheva set to extend Ejide contract

Nigeria ‘ll be tough to beat — Sweden Coach

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W

ITH his contract set to expire at the end of this season, Hapoel Be’er Sheva are keen to tie up Austin Ejide to a new deal. According to sources in Israel, the club will offer the Super Eagles reserve goalkeeper a three - year contract in the coming weeks.

The Nigeria international was one of the success stories of Hapoel Be’er Sheva last season, helping them to second position on the table, while he has started and completed every single game this term.

The 30 - year - old has spent the last five years in Israel, and was on the books of Hapoel Petah Tikva before his shift to the Camels two years ago.

The former Gabros shotstopper has also defended the colours of Etoile Sahel and SC Bastia in the past.

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coming up against the mighty Black Stars in their second group game four days later.

The North Africans will then complete their group campaign with another tough game against Senegal.

AMMY Amoebi’s wish to remain at English Premiership side Newcastle United is close to becoming a reality with reports suggesting that he is set to be offered fresh terms on a three year deal.

The 22-year-old will be free to open discussions with other clubs interested in him from January as he approaches the final six months of his deal.

However, manager Alan Pardew appears to have seen enough reason for him to be given a new deal to ward off interest from other clubs.

Talks are expected to start this week and are expected be done with before Christmas.

Newcastle United have recovered from a poor start to the season and are presently in the top six with Sammy Amoebi fingered among those who helped steadied the team.

Algerian player (l) in a tussle with Senegalese player

GFA demand Muntari, Boateng apology

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F Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng are ever to return to the Ghana team, they’d have to apologise This is despite new coach Avram Grant’s

declaration that his doors are open for all players.

“Avram Grant has not said anything different from what pertains. The fact that he said the door is open for them

[Muntari and Boateng] doesn’t mean they will be considered for selection automatically,” Sannie Daara, FA spokesperson said.

WO-TIME Olympic gold-winner and Coach of Sweden, Pia Sundhage has said that Group D remains the toughest in the FIFA World Cup in Canada.

The former FIFA World Coach of the Year for Women’s Football disclosed that the Super Falcons of Nigeria would be the team to beat because they are a great side coming into this competition.

“It’s a very tough group. If you look at each team you will know what I mean. USA is probably the best team in the world and then you have Nigeria who are a very tough team; playing them in the first game will be tough because they are good in the air.

“I followed them at the U-20 and the fact that they reached the finals absolutely buttresses that they have good players so it’s going to be real tough and you add Australia to that

who are well organised, it’s going to be a real tough and exciting group” “I hope Sweden is among the two teams that make it out of the group because US are at the top right now so it’s them and any other team which I am hoping its Sweden” Sundhage said.

Canada 2015 will be Sweden’s seventh appearance at the Women’s World Cup, maintaining their perfect record during the qualifiers.

Coach of Sweden, Pia Sundhage

62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Champions League Splash......Champions League Splash.......

Liverpool battle Basel for last 16 slot L

Allegri: Last 16 normal for Juve

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O A C H Massimiliano Allegri says that it’s ‘the norm for Juventus to be among Europe’s Last 16, and that the Europa League isn’t under consideration.

“As far as the game goes, the objective for tomorrow is qualifying for the Last 16.

“Of course we must do everything we can to try and win it, though winning with a two-goal differential won’t be easy because they are a team that doesn’t allow for many goal-scoring chances.

“They are also very strong on free-kicks.”

Should Juventus fail to qualify, they would still take part in the knockout stages of the Europa League, but that’s a prospect that Allegri considers to be very distant.

IVERPOOL and FC Basel meet in a straight shootout at Anfield Tuesday to determine which team join Real Madrid in advancing from Group B of the Champions League.

Only a win will suffice for Liverpool, whose return to Europe’s top

•Gerrard

Ancelotti unleashes Ronaldo on Ludogorets C ARLO Ancelotti may change his team up for the Ludogorets game, but it will still feature Cristiano Ronaldo. The Italian manager said that Real Madrid are ready “to play with intensity” despite there being nothing at stake.

He intends to keep Ronaldo in the side: “I don’t think that he’ll rest because he looks very strong. I still haven’t decided on the final team. We’ll have a little training session tomorrow morning and if

anyone hasn’t recovered well then they won’t play.

“He’s in a fantastic, incredible, vein of form.

He’s doing things nobody could ever have even imagined. Long may he continue as he is. And I believe he will, because he has an extraordinary degree of motivation.”.

competition has been a disappointment with its only points coming from matches against group minnow Ludogorets Razgrad.

Basel will go through with a draw — and will be buoyed by their surprising strong record against English teams that has seen the Swiss team lose just one of its last nine matches. Basel have won four straight games against Premier League opposition, including home and away against Chelsea in last season’s group stage.

In the other game, group winner Madrid host Bulgarian champion Ludogorets, which cannot reach the last 16 but could still finish third and gain entry to the knockout stage of the Europa League.

Arsenal, Dortmund strive for top spot

•Ronaldo

Tevez to return against Atletico

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•Allegri C M Y K

UVENTUS may return to the 4-3-1-2 for their Champions League game against Atletico Madrid, with the return of Carlos Tevez.

The Bianconeri host Los Colchoneros in the last game of Group A in the Champions League tonight needing only a draw to advance to the Last 16.

A victory by two goals, however, would see the Old Lady top the group. ill again be playmaker, with Paul Pogba and Claudio Marchisio backing him in midfield.

Arturo Vidal is seen as likely to be given the task of acting as a trequartista and supporting the strikers, who will be the returning Carlos Tevez and one between Fernando Llorente and Alvaro Morata.

•Reus

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•Tevez

HE only thing left to resolve in Group D of the Champions League is which team will finish top, Arsenal or Borussia Dortmund.

Dortmund have 12 points and need a point from its last match against Anderlecht to make sure of finishing as group winner — unless Arsenal win at Galatasaray by more than six goals.

Anderlecht will finish third no matter what and will join the Europa League round of 32 after the break.

Galatasaray cannot advance to the next round.

•Sanchez

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014 — 63

Church World Cup in India:

Wenger

MFM qualifies for semi-finals T

HE Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries Football club who are representing Nigeria in the inaugural edition of the Church World Cup holding in India have qualified for the semi final of the competition after defeating their African brothers, Egypt 2-0. Two first half goals by strikers Adekunle Adegboyega and Akor Isah sealed victory for the Olukoya Boys.

With this victory, MFM FC will play their last game against Uzbekistan in what is considered a formality tie today. Thereafter, the team will relocate to Goa for a clash with either Brazil or Portugal.

Interestingly, while the other seven participating teams from host India, Brazil, Ghana, Egypt,

Continues from B/P Olympic gold medal two years later.

He also played at the World Cup in 1994 and 1998, helping the Super Eagles to the last-16 at both tournaments and in the latter he scored a memorable winner as Nigeria shocked Spain 32 in a group match.

Oliseh is unhappy about the neglect of the domestic league Those teams were filled with players referred to as the “golden generation” of Nigerian football; among them were Jay-Jay Okocha, Nwankwo Kanu and Finidi George.

But Oliseh cannot see where the next generation is going to come from.

“During the 1990s a lot of the players were products of the Nigerian league. Those who were playing in Europe had only left two or three years before. Myself, I had moved to Europe only four years before the 1994 World Cup. “It was not as if it was Europe that made us - the Nigerian league produced us; it was so competitive then, it was viable and credible.

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CHAMPIONS: Super Falcons players celebrate a goal. The African champions will face USA, Sweden and Australia in Canada.

Uzbekistan, Colombia and Portugal are represented by players selected from churches in their various countries, Nigeria’s representatives, The

Oliseh

“The national team does not create players - you select your best players from your clubs to play in the national team.

“But now our attention is more focused on the national team and we have neglected the domestic league, that is the major problem in Nigerian football.

“If we cannot get the league in order we will never have another golden generation.”

The former Ajax and Juventus midfielder, who played 63 times for his country, is also concerned about the issues off the field.

Nigeria Football Federation is in disarray because of in-fighting over the presidency - ongoing battles that have led Fifa to ban the team for governmental interference in football matters.

And there has been instability in management, with coach Stephen Keshi removed from his position only to be re-appointed following intervention by President Goodluck Jonathan before being released again after his side were eliminated from

Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries Football Club only got to know about this after their second game on Monday in Bangalore.

Nations Cup qualifying.

It was only in 2013 that Keshi led Nigeria to the Nations Cup title in South Africa and he also steered the team to the last-16 at this summer’s World Cup in Brazil.

Nigeria’s fall since then has been rapid. And Oliseh believes there needs to be consistency as well as clear boundaries over roles.

“To fix it we have to get our house in order,” he said. “And it is not too far fetched, the solution to this.

For example, if we have a Football Federation president who is doing well, let’s leave him in the job.

“It is great that Nigerians are passionate about football, that they have opinions like a coach. But in reality, everybody thinks they know football - not because they play football but because they know football. It doesn’t work like that.

“We need to let people who are technicians do the technical work. If you are going to talk about tactics or physical, let that be somebody who has that expertise.”

Continues from B/P Nations taking place between January 17 to February 8 in Equatorial Guinea.

A CAF invitation letter dated December 8, addressed to the General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Association, carried the information, requesting Mr Edibi to report in Bata by January 7 2015 at the latest to take part in the fitness test scheduled for January 9, followed by the refresher course for those who will scale the fitness hurdle.

Signed by the CAF referees manager Eddy Maillet, the NFF is to ensure that Edibi “………arrives Bata in the best possible physical condition”

Continues from B/P An upbeat Okon said he was not afraid of the big names in the group.

“We are not afraid of any team as every group is tough, having USA in our group does not put fear in us, instead it will gives us the extra determination to train and prepare better.

“As African champions, they too are afraid of us.

We have set a target for ourselves which is going farther than we have ever done in the World Cup. This is achievable but we cannot afford to fear any team” said Okon.

Continues from B/P video has emerged on YouTube of Wenger being loudly jeered by fans as he boarded a train at Stoke-on-Trent following his side’s 3-2 defeat by Stoke City on Saturday.

The fans can be heard voicing their growing disenchantment with the direction in which the 65-year-old is taking the club. “Joely, do the best thing mate,” one fan called to the striker Joel Campbell. “Get out while you can, Joel.” Wenger, who criticised his side’s defence in his post-

Edibi Peter Edibi, one of Africa’s best assistant referees narrowly missed going to the world cup in Brazil after he had been selected to officiate at the FIFA World Club Championsip last year in Morocco and was on duty in the third place match.

Before then, he was also selected by FIFA for the FIFA U20 World Cup in Turkey. As far back as 2007, Edibi was in the CAF Delegation to the U17 tourney in Togo, graduating to the Africa Cup of nations in Ghana in 2008 and did so well that in the CHAN competition that held in Cote Divoire in 2019 he was in the final match

match comments, then walks past, tight-lipped, to a chorus of boos.

Arsenal had been on a run of three wins in a row before the defeat at Stoke but the result has reignited calls from some supporters for Wenger to resign or be sacked. Prior to beating Borussia Dortmund 2-0 in the Champions League on 26 November, they were without a win in three and this had led many fans to express their frustration with Wenger’s management.

involving Congo DR and Ghana.

Again in the Nations Cup in Angola, 2010,Edibi was picked and was also on duty in Sudan for CHAN where he officiated in the semi finals.

That Nigeria did not qualify for the Nations Cup in Equatorial Guinea /Gabon did not stop CAF from inviting him for the finals in 2012 and in South Africa in 2013, Edibi was good enough for the final match , but because Nigeria had qualified for the final, was made to handle the third place match.

The current appointment is therefore his fourth Nations Cup appearance in as many tournaments.

Falcons Okon said further that his team did not need to know everything about their opponents but will focus on preparing well for the tournament.

“We don’t need to know about our opponents; all we need to do is to prepare very well and then come out to play. We are not nervous about any team, every team is good, we just have to prepare very well” “We are hoping to top our group, which is our primary target. With God on our side and

good preparation, we hope to top the group and go all the way” This is the first time ever that the World Cup will be played by 24 countries .The event runs from June 6-July 5 2015. Falcons start their World Cup campaign against Sweden on June 8.

Meanwhile, the team delegation has undergone workshops and seminars before leaving for Winnipeg for venue inspection. The delegation returns back to Nigeria this week.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 2014

Edibi makes Today’s Champions League Nations Cup matches list Benfica v Bayer Leverkusen 8:45pm

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IGERIA’S foremost referee Peter Edibi has been invited to officiate during the 30th Orange Africa Cup of Continues on page 63

Dortmund Galatasaray Juventus Liverpool Monaco Olympiakos Real Madrid

v v v v v v v

Anderlecht Arsenal Atletico Madrid Basel Zenit Malmo Ludogorets

8:45pm 8:45pm 8:45pm 8:45pm 8:45pm 8:45pm 8:45pm

Oliseh: Future of Nigerian We’ll not ‘die’ in football bleak 'Group of death '

Canada 2015 Women World Cup

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ORMER Eagles captain Sunday Oliseh believes the glory days of the country’s national team will not return unless they “get their house in order”.

Nigeria have been on a downward spiral in the past year and failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

Oliseh said, “We have got technical problems and administrative problems - it is too much for one nation, even if you are Nigeria.

“At the moment it is bleak. We need to face up to the job and get organised.”

Oliseh knows what it takes to achieve success, having been part of the Nigeria squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 1994 and the Continues on page 63

— Falcons coach S

UPER Falcons Coach, Edwin Okon has stated categorically that the “group of death” his side are drawn in will bring out the best in the team.

Falcons are drawn against former world champions, USA and top female football nation, Sweden and Australia in group D with Winnipeg as host city.

Continues on page 63

•Oshoala

Wenger booed by fans

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HE level of opprobrium directed

by Arsenal fans at the manager, Arsène Wenger, appears to be escalating rapidly. A

• DISTRAUGHT..... Mikel in one of his outings for Eagles.

Continues on page 63

•Wenger

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Brute (5) 7 Perforated (5) 8 Temptress (5) 10 Tendon (5) 12 Pinch (3) 13 Advantage (5) 15 Bullfighter (7) 17 Said (6) 19 Firearm (3) 20 Guard (7) 23 Discharge (4) 25 Gaelic (4) 26 Harmed (7) 30 Purchase (3) 31 Erase (6) 34 Erector (7) 37 Jockey (5) 38 Mineral (3) 39 Material (5) 40 Purloin (5) 41 Same (5) 42 Armada (5)

DOWN 1 Raise (5) 2 Beleaguer (5) 3 Revised (6) 4 Appear (4) 5 Funds (7) 6 Storehouse (5) 9 Free (3) 11 Bet (7) 13 Pale (5) 14 Agreeable (5) 16 Barrel (3) 18 Postponed (7) 21 Strayed (5) 22 Cut (5) 24 Scene (7) 27 Mire (3) 28 Scorn (6) 29 Ration (5) 32 Restrict (5) 33 Irritable (5) 35 Wrath (3) 36 Genuine (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, About 7, Part 8, Reduce 9, Every 11, Cos 13, Pup 15, Rope 16, Nut 18, Bare 19, Tetanus 20, Norm 22, Stud 23, Tugging 25, Edam 27, Hot 28, Free 30, Din 31, Err 33, Saved 36, Aghast 37, Aide 38, Yield.

DOWN: 1, Taboo 2, Ate 3, Ode 4, Try 5, Odd 6, Scour 10, Rout 11, Cringed 12, Spartan 13, Pasture 14, Peddler 16, Neigh 17, Taint 18, Bus 21, Mum 24, Iota 26, Dirge 29, Erode 32, Has 33, Sty 34, Vie 35, Dad.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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