Jega didn't consult me on polls shift — JONATHAN

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62340

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

N150

Jega didn't consult me on polls shift — JONATHAN •P.5

•It's harsh to judge me by my 1984 record, says Buhari on CNN

Unremitted $1.48bn: NNPC insists no money's missing — P.9

N2.6bn housing project scam tears NLC apart — P.57

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 3

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4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

MEETING: All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (5th right), his running mate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (6th left) and some Catholic Bishops during a meeting at the Pope John Paul II Catholic Centre, Wuse 2, Abuja, Tuesday.

‘Jega didn't consult me on polls shift’

By Emmanuel Aziken, Dapo Akinrefon, Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke & Faith Olatide

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BUJA — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan, last night, disclosed that he was not consulted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, before it shifted the dates of the general election even as he admitted that the body was not totally prepared for the polls.

However, his challenger in the polls, General Muhammadu Buhari of the APC spoke on Christiane Amanpour's programme on CNN, saying it's unfair to judge him today by his antecedents in 1984 when he was military head of state.

President Jonathan, who affirmed his unwavering commitment to the sustenance of smooth transfer of power on May 29 irrespective of the outcome of the presidential election, also reaffirmed readiness of the military to suppress the Boko Haram insurgency within the sixweek window requested by the military.

The president, who spoke in a live television media chat, also flayed what he lamented as the

politicisation of the agitation for the liberation of the kidnapped girls of the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.

The media chat anchored by former NTA presenter, Adesuwa Onyenokwe had Premium Times editor, Ibanga Isine; Blueprint editor, Ibrahim Shima and broadcast journalist, Deji Badmus on the panel.

The president also used the opportunity to address issues concerning corruption, the purchase of arms from South Africa, assertions attributed to him in the past that stealing is not corruption among others.

INEC preparation On the preparation by INEC for the polls, the president who rebuffed claims by INEC that it was prepared for the polls countered by saying that the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, in some states including Lagos was below 40 per cent before the polls shift.

He said: “INEC must conduct election but they must work with the security services because they have to provide security. If the security services say there has to be an adjustment within this period, ordinarily there should not

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

So if you want to feel good, do good — Take Heart Quotes

A

wise sage once exclaimed:”If you want to be happy practice compassion, and if you want others to be happy practice compassion.”

I think this is because caring about others is fundamental to our happiness. Helping other people is not only good for them, it is good for us too. It makes us happier and can help to improve our health.

Giving also creates stronger connections between people and helps to build a happier society for everyone. It’s not all about money - we can also give our time, ideas and energy. So if you want to feel good, do good.

People with strong relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Our close relationships with family and friends provide love, meaning, and support, and increase our feelings of self-worth.

Our broader social networks bring a sense of belonging. So it’s vital that we take action to strengthen our relationships and make new connections.

be an issue. I see election as any tournament. I don’t see any big deal. I was not consulted and I don’t need to be consulted.”

On Chibok girls Taken up on the issue of the Chibok girls and if the security push would lead to their liberation, the president responded thus: “Well, I cannot give you a specific time range, so that you will not say the President said so. I cannot say in two weeks time, but give us some time. We are working with our neighbours and we are combing the whole area, just give us some time.

“The case with the Chibok girls is very unfortunate.

That is the difference between the current challenges and crisis we face in Nigeria and that of other countries when they had issues of terror.

"Many nations have experienced terror, even the US has. We know that France experienced terror not too long ago. Other countries, when they have this issue of terror, political boundaries collapse and people work together. But in this case, it is different, we politicize everything. Is that the way we will bring back these girls?”

Asked if the girls would be recovered alive, he said: “Of course we will recover them alive. We are hopeful, about 200 girls were kidnapped. Because of the condition now, as the president, I am more hopeful than before, because of what we have now and the maximum cooperation of our troops.

“You need to even appreciate the fact that as president, I can still relate and interact with people despite what is happening.

Some people do not know the problems I carry because of the Boko Haram menace.”

On ‘stealing is not corruption’ Asked to respond to the assertion attributed to him that stealing is not corruption, the President said the remark flowed from a discussion he had with a former chief justice of the federation who told him of how he had to distinguish straight acts of stealing from

other forms of corruption he acted upon.

He said: “People who told you I said stealing is not corruption did not tell you I said stealing is good. That is why philosophers say that the primary reason people disagree is because people use one statement to explain two typical things or vice versa.

"I made that statement because I quoted the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mustapha, (when) I called a meeting then, with the anti-crime organisations and the judiciary.

“The CJN, Mustapha decided to take a look at the files that dealt with corruption and more than 80 per cent of them were just cases of stealing. But people use corruption to cover all. What I am saying is that let us go to the South-West and go to a typical community and they look at you and say this man is corrupt, people will be looking at you. But call that same man “ole”, that is thief, and see what will happen to him. Our people hate thieves more than corrupt people yet most times, we use corruption to cover the lapses.

"A thief should be called a thief and treated as such.

In my village, when an adult steals, they strip him naked, humiliate him and his family, but if you say this man is corrupt, they won’t know what you are talking about. We are using corruption to cover it all up.

“So, let us communicate properly. It was not me that said it, I quoted Mustapha.

He examined the corruption cases and he saw that they were just cases of stealing.

“We are identifying thieves; we can talk about what the agencies are doing. We have made more convictions in this period than before. But I always say that the answer is not convicting more people. We must make sure that they don’t steal. Do not put the money where they can steal it. That is what we are doing.”

On whether elections will be postponed if military did not defeat Boko Haram within the six weeks window, the president said: “Nobody is saying Boko

Haram must be wiped out before the elections are conducted, what we are saying is that certain security measures must be put in place before the elections are conducted.

Definitely, in the next six weeks or so, serious advances will have been made. I am not saying we will wipe out the Boko Haram but we will make serious advances.

"I can tell you that the elections will hold because May 29 is sacrosanct.”

Taken up on statements attributed to some Niger Delta militants that they would cause trouble unless the president was returned, he said: “I can assure Nigerians that things will be done such that nobody will go to war. Sometimes there is so much pressure on you and Nigeria needs to understand that I will not be a President of another country except Nigeria. I think some journalists are part of the people supporting all these comments.

"We are not encouraging anybody to go to war and we will not support anybody to destroy this country because of politics.

Some of the journalists are responsible for some of these statements.”

His perception of Buhari

Asked his personal perception of Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, presidential candidate, the president said: “If I should assess Buhari under the condition which we are contesting, I don’t think I will be fair to Nigerians and myself. You are not also being fair to me by asking me that question. When you talk about mudslinging, I think garbage that is being poured on me is much more than the ones being poured on Buhari.

"These things have been happening on the social media and other platforms.

I see them as the cross we have to carry. I know certain things that happened and the kind of effects they had on me. So many people don’t know that but I know.

“Buhari contested in 2003 against Obasanjo, he did so in 2007 against late President YarÁdua and contested against me in 2011. Even in 2011 which was the closest, the

environment was different.

The characters around us have changed. APC started its campaign before me and I watched some of the rallies before I started my campaign in Lagos. If you listened to the way I spoke in Lagos at my flag off, you will realise that I was aggressive.”

It's harsh to judge me by my 1984 record — Buhari

The APC presidential candidate, Gen. Buhari said it would be harsh to judge him against his record as a military dictator in a democratic setting just as he last night welcomed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of his aspiration.

Speaking on a live CNN interview anchored by Christiane Amanpour, he affirmed that the Boko Haram insurgency would be routed by his administration through blocking corruption and other leakages.

Tasked that Nigerians were faced with the difficult option of choosing between a failed president and a former military dictator with a bad human rights record, he said: “All those things you mentioned were done under military administration; if we did not suspend the constitution then, it would have been difficult for us to operate under those circumstances.

So I do not think I should be judged as an individual for those things that happened then.”

Welcoming the endorsement of President Obasanjo, he said: “Well it will certainly bring more supporters to us and more confidence for those who were sitting on the fence because General Obasanjo is highly respected and as far as the nation is concerned, there is no issue that can be deliberated upon without people seeking his opinion.”

Describing the shift of the election dates as unfortunate, Buhari said: “That is a disappointment because the presentation made by the INEC was that they were ready to conduct the elections on the date chosen a year ago. And for them to be forced virtually by the military that they cannot guarantee the safety of their workers and shift it by six weeks."

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Cynthia Osokogwu: Nude photos were planted by police, suspect tells court

Onitsha traders protest over N200 CCTV levy

Female police officer disarms 2 robbers in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

By Onozure Dania

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L

AGOS — A PRIME suspect in the murder of Cynthia Osokogwu, Okwumo Nwabufor, yesterday told an Igbosere High Court that the nude photos of the deceased found by the police in his laptop were planted by the police.

He said: “When the police searched my residence, they took my iPhone and my iPad. They must have put the photographs into the laptop.”

Nwabufor, who was being cross-examined by a defence counsel, Michael Ajayi, said the police threatened his life and tortured him into making written and video taped confessional statements.

“The police tortured and threatened me into admitting that I and Olisa Chidera (the second defendant) committed the crime.

“There is no truth in my statements to the police, I made those admissions in my confessional statement because I feared for my life,” he said.

Nwabufor, 35, is standing trial before Justice Olabisi Akinlade, alongside Olisa Chidera, 25; Orji Osita, 34 and Ejike Ifechukwu, 26, over alleged murder of their Facebook friend, Miss Cynthia Osokogwu, 24, a postgraduate student of Nasarawa State University, at Cosmilla Hotel, Lake View Estate, Festac Town, Lagos on July 22, 2012 .

Meanwhile, a mild drama, ensued in court as the trial had to be stopped abruptly because Ajayi, the defence counsel of the second defendant, Chidera, was unwilling to cross-examine his client when he took the witness stand.

“My Lord, I am unwilling to open cross examination because my client is ill with severe stomach pains. He reported to me this morning that he was sick,” Ajayi told the court.

Justice Akinlade registered her displeasure at Ajayi’s unwillingness to start the process of cross-examination of the defendant “Ajayi has not been diligent in the prosecution of this matter, at every proceeding you always come up with one excuse or the other," the judge admonished.

The protesting traders, yesterday

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA — THUGS suspected to be members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, yesterday allegedly invaded Onitsha main market, beating up traders who were protesting against N200 levy per shop charged by market leaders over the installation of CCTV camera in the market.

Trouble was said to have started at about 8.30 a.m. when some task force members and suspected hired agents stormed their popular “White House” line to collect the N200 levy slammed on them on monthly basis by the market executive, which was said to have run into billions of naira in the market that has over 10,000 shops.

According to an eyewitness, who pleaded anonymity, the market agents demanded levy returns from the chairman, who told them that his members have refused to comply with such payment.

This, however, angered the task force men who allegedly pounced on the line chairman, beating him to a pulp, to the extent of tearing his shirt to shreds.

This prompted the traders to immediately lock up their shops and mobilise others who joined their colleagues in the mass protest.

Mobile Policemen were later deployed to the scene to checkmate further escalation of the crisis, while shop owners hurriedly locked up their shops against the rampaging thugs that invaded the market.

Speaking to newsmen on the incident, the line chairmen and secretaries of Zones 1, 2 and 3 of the market, who did not want their names on print for security reasons, said the traders had earlier expressed joy when the state government supported the installation of the CCTV camera in the market, stressing that traders had only agreed to pay maintenance levy.

The market leaders alleged that Onitsha main market leadership, led by Chief Innocent Agudiegwu, and AMATAS President, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo, were only using the opportunity to enrich themselves.

According to the line chairmen and their secretaries, each line in the market pays a

levy to maintain their security and the central market security and wondered how some of the traders in the market were going to cope under such exploitation.

Attempts to speak with the chairman of Onitsha main market, Chief Innocent Agudiegwu, proved abortive as he was not in his office when newsmen visited.His cell phone was also switched off.

His counterpart and President–General of Anambra Markets Traders Association, AMATAS, Chief Okwudili Ezenwankwo told reporters that he was mobilising to get the situation under control.

One killed, two kidnapped in Delta communal clash

By Emma Amaize & Cletus Opukeme

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ARRI— ONE person was feared dead while two were abducted, yesterday, in a clash between Ijaw community of Ezebiri and their Urhobo counterpart at Furukama in Bomadi and Ughelli South Local Government Areas of Delta State.

Vanguard gathered that the remains of the dead villager, Ayetoro, were seen by the people of neighbouring Ogbeingbene floating on the river with machete wounds.

However, the abducted men have been rescued by the Joint Task Force, JTF, who stormed Furukama.

Chairman of Ogbeingbene, Mr. Oldtom Aseta, confirmed

the recovery of the ramains of deceased to Vanguard, saying assailants from Furukama attacked six Ezebiri men.

His words: “On February 10, report came that six Ezebiri men were attacked by Furukama youths. Three escaped while three others were abducted. One of them was beaten to death, while two were released with machete cuts.

“We found the corpse of the murdered man floating near our community and called in the police from Jeremi Police station in Ughelli South LGA to move the corpse to the mortuary.”

According to him, the two abducted men were rescued by men of the Joint Task Force, JTF, at Furukama and are receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

AGOS — A female police officer, Mercy John, has reportedly disarmed two armed robbers who tried to rob her of her belongings.

The officer attached to Provost Office, State Police Command Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, was accosted by the robbers at about 6 p.m. on Tuesday around Egbeda-Shasha area of Lagos State, and ordered to lie down.

According to a statement by DSP Ken Nwosu, Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, the suspected robbers were on a motorcycle when the incident happened.

Nwosu said: “Mercy John and one other person were accosted by two armed robbers on motor bike and ordered to lie down. The NCO (Non Commissioned Officer) refused to comply and also turned down the order to hand over her handbag.

“However, her companion, out of fear, complied. One of the men who accosted them brought out a locally made pistol, the NCO immediately on sighting the firearm, smartly and professionally grabbed the neck of the gunwielding hoodlum and hit his head on a nearby wall.

“The firearm fell and she immediately grabbed it and the hoodlums, sensing imminent danger, fled.”

Nwosu said while the fleeing robbers were being trailed by the police, the officer had been approved for commendation of the Commissioner of Police and that of the IGP. The statement said: “The Commissioner of Police wishes to congratulate the NCO for this uncommon act of bravery and urges her to keep it up.

“He further enjoins all personnel of the command to emulate the effort of the NCO and put in their best in the service to the nation.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—7

A section of Sokoto Central Market gutted by fire Tuesday night.

NAN PHOTO.

Borno APC chairman, lawmakers scale fence, as Civilian JTF clash with Police

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI—BORNO State chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Ali Bukar Dalori and some members of the state House of Assembly, who were meeting at one of the government’s lodge in Maiduguri, were, Tuesday, forced to scale the perimeter fences for dear life, following a clash between the police attached to the former and hoodlums claiming to be members of the vigilante group, popularly called Civilian JTF. Although Vanguard gathered that the incident did not involved any registered member of the Civilian JTF, the political thugs claimed to be members of the group.

The clash, according to investigation, erupted when police attached to the APC Chairman attempted to stop some youths, who claimed that the APC Chairman assigned them to carry out certain assignment against PDP, part of which was to remove all PDP billboards, flags in Maiduguri.

The youths said after accomplishing their mission, they ended up disappointed as they were denied payment.

‘They’re impatient’

Sources closed to the APC Chairman said: “The hired thugs are impatient. When they came demanding to see the Chairman, they were told that he is in a meeting. But they were not ready to wait.

“They told the police that they are in a hurry and that it would take nothing for the Chairman to come out and settle them before he goes back

zThey wanted payment for removing PDP billboards, others to continue with his meeting. But you know, the instruction was given the police and they need to carry it out.”

A Civilian JTF, Mallam Labor Yahaya, confirmed the clash, but said members of his group were not involved in the fracas.

He said: “The thugs, who also

carried Dane guns, started the shooting. The police shot one of the rampaging youths in the leg and one of the thugs also shot the policeman in his leg.”

Man, 30, impregnates 18-yr-old lunatic

By Tina Akannam

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UTSE—OPERATIVES of Jigawa State Command of Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, NSCDC, have arrested 30-year-old Bello Muhammed for allegedly impregnating mentally-ill Daharatu Isyaku, aged 18.

Parading the suspect to newsmen in Dutse, yesterday, state Commandant of the

Corps, Dr. Muhammad Gidado, said the suspect admitted committing the crime.

He said the agency was still investigating the matter to ascertain if the offence was committed for ritual purposes.

He also disclosed that the suspect had named some accomplices during the investigation, stressing that they would be fished out, investigated and arraigned for prosecution.

Muhammed, however, disclosed that the girl was currently in the custody of the agency because of her condition.

Muhammed, who disclosed that the agency was also trying to contact her family, enjoined parents and guardians to take their mentally-imbalanced children to psychiatric hospitals for medical attention to avoid abuse.

Six killed as farmers, Fulani herdsmen clash in Benue escalates

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—THE ongoing bloody clashes between farmers and suspected Fulani herdsmen in Benue State escalated Tuesday night, following a fresh attack at Vaase in Ukum Local Government Area, which left no fewer than six persons dead.

The latest attack came shortly after Governor Gabriel Suswam visited Anyii, his home town, in Logo Local Government Area, which had come under heavy attack by herdsmen a few days ago.

Vanguard gathered from an indigene of Vaase that the

suspected herdsmen stormed the community late Tuesday night, shooting and burning huts and houses.

He said: “They stormed Vaase in their numbers last night, shooting sporadically and burning down our houses.

But unlike in Anyii, where they had their way, this time our people put up a stiff resistance.

“Though we were able to repel the attack, they killed six persons and destroyed several farmlands and burnt down our houses and yam bans.”

Vanguard also gathered from the member representing Agatu state constituency in Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Sule Audu, that there was a

massive build up of armed herdsmen at Loko, in neighbouring Nasarawa State, preparatory for an attack on Agatu communities.

Audu said: “I have been reliably informed that they are currently gathering in droves at Loko, in Nasarawa State.

“Our fear is that they may attack anytime, because it is from that area they usually storm our communities and then beat a retreat.”

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Deputy Superintendent John Bako, confirmed the latest attack, but stressed that security had been beefed up in the affected areas.

54-yr-old man charged for N6.5m Europe, Kuwaiti visas fraud

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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54-year-old man, Obi Johnson, has been arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos over allegation of fraudulently obtaining over N6.5 million from five persons, with the pretence of securing Kuwait and Europe visas for them.

The accused was said to have collected N5.2 million from Joseph Onyebuchi; N350,000 from Warikwa Gift; N600,000 from Chima Ogema; N350,000 from Ambrose Emezi, and N600,000 from Udemba Ifeanyi.

However, when the charge was read to the accused, before Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe, he pleaded not guilty.

The magistrate granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 and ordered that N100,000 be deposited in the Chief Registrar’s account.

Magistrate Komolafe adjourned the case to March 12.

Thugs vandalize APC secretariat in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE secretariat of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ward 7, Ogbia Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, has been allegedly vandaliszd by suspected thugs.

Aside from the destruction of the secretariat, it was learned that APC members in the council area were being harassed and intimidated by the thugs, alleged to be sponsored by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. APC also raised alarm of an alleged plan by PDP to plant incriminating objects and substances in the homes of its key members, with a view to having them detained ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

PRESIDENTIAL MEDIA CHAT: President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) and, from left, Mr. Ibaniga Isine, Editor, Premium Times; Adesuwa Onyenokwe; Mr. Deji Badmus, Broadcast Journalist; and Mr. Ibrahim Shema, Editor, Blue Print Newspaper, during the President's interaction with journalists in Abuja, yesterday. STATE HOUSE PHOTO.

INEC's main cause of polls shift, says Fani-Kayode

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organization, yesterday, claimed that President Goodluck Jonathan did not influence the shift in election, affirming that poor preparation by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was the major reason for the shift.

Director of Media and Publicity of the organization, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, also debunked views that elections were postponed principally because of Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East.

The elections, earlier scheduled to commence this weekend, were shifted to March 28 for the presidential and National Assembly elections, and April 11 for the governorship and House of Assembly elections.

Fani-Kayode, who spoke to British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC, African Service last night, said INEC mainly agreed to shift the dates for the general elections mainly because many eligible voters were yet to get their Permanent Voter's Cards, PVCs. According to him, the percentage of those who were yet to get the cards was still high at the time the dates of the elections were shifted.

BUHARI'S ENDORSEMENT: Obasanjo

entitled to his opinion, says PDP

By Henry Umoru & Gbenga Ariyibi

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BUJA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, reacted, yesterday, to former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s endorsement of the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), saying he was entitled to his views as an individual.

Answering questions from journalists in Abuja yesterday, Director, Media and Publicity of PDPPCO, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode told former President Obasanjo and other supporters of Buhari that they would all meet on the field on March 28 for the presidential election.

Fani-Kayode, who noted that it was unfortunate for Obasanjo to support the former Head of State, said that the election would be about one man, one vote, adding that the former President, like every other Nigerian, was entitled to one vote.

He said: “I have not seen what he said or read his text. He is entitled to his views. He is a leading member of our party and we have great respect for him.

I believe it will be a very sad day indeed if from what he knows about Buhari, he still goes ahead to endorse him.

“This is about vote: about one man, one vote. But, we wish him well if he did so.

We will meet them on the field.”

Ignore OBJ—FAYOSE

In his reaction, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State asked Nigerians to ignore Chief Obasanjo for endorsing Buhari.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, in Ado Ekiti yesterday, Fayose said people should not take Obasanjo serious because of his antecedent as a man who has a penchant for deceiving people for his own political selfish end.

His words: “Obasanjo represents failure branding a failed project to plunge the country into another political crisis. Leaving President Jonathan and voting for Buhari

is like leaving the road and entering the bush.”

He noted that Obasanjo had been consistently defeated by opposition parties in his place of birth and his ward and maintained that the former president was more of a liability.

Endorsement meaningless —OBANIKORO Also, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro dismissed the endorsement.

Obanikoro, in a series of tweets on his Twitter handle, said: “Obasanjo’s endorsement of Buhari is meaningless in Yorubaland

and should be treated as such across Nigeria.”

Obasanjo was, yesterday, reported to have declared his support for Buhari.

Obasanjo spoke to Financial Times at the launch of his autobiography entitled My Watch, in Nairobi, Kenya.

He said: “The circumstances he (Buhari) will be working under, if he wins the elections, are different from the one he worked under before where he was both the executive and the legislature— he knows that.

“He is smart enough. He is educated enough. He is experienced enough. Why shouldn’t I support him?”

FG cautions envoys against ‘unguarded utterances’

By Victoria Ojeme

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BUJA—FEDERAL Government, yesterday, warned members of the diplomatic community against what it described as “unguarded utterances” over the postponement of the general elections.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, while addressing the envoys, said Federal Government would no longer tolerate the excesses of such heads of mission.

Wali, who restated the reasons the electoral umpire gave for the polls’ shift, said: “No country, no matter how well-intentioned, can love Nigeria more than Nigerians.

“It is in the forgoing context that the Federal Government finds the comments already made by some of our friends and partners on this matter judgemental, precipitate and

unwarranted.

“What we need at this time is not to be hectored or lectured as to the conduct of Nigeria’s internal affairs, not least the deepening of democracy in our country.

“Let me also seize this opportunity to express the strong displeasure of the Federal Government with the conduct of some Heads of Mission who have continued to behave in an imperial manner and in clear breach of the channel of the diplomatic communication.

“A situation where a Head of Mission takes on the role of a government, seeking to impose the views and perspectives of his government and making unguarded utterances on matters that are strictly within the domestic jurisdiction of the host country, is totally unacceptable.

“It is only in this country that

some envoys, who have taken it upon themselves and without recourse to the government, embark on social causes and political advocacy that are totally unrelated to conventional diplomacy and representational duties of ambassadors. Certainly, Nigerian envoys abroad do not behave in this manner.”

The minister, who responded to a question by Richard Young, the representative of the European Union, EU, delegation to Nigeria, the denial of international media access to cover the elections, said the Federal Government had already issued over 300 visas for interested foreign journalists.

He said: “Already, over 300 visas have been issued and we have agreed that visas will not be issued 48 hours soon after the necessary procedure has been completed. So that is already settled.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—9

ALLEGED UNREMITTED $1.48BN: No money's missing, NNPC insists

By Michael Eboh

A

BUJA— THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, insisted that no money is missing and that neither it nor any of its subsidiaries were indicted in the forensic audit report released by PriceWaterHouse Coopers.

Addressing journalists on the audit report in Abuja, Mr. Joseph Dawha, Group Managing Director, NNPC, disclosed that the entire revenue accruable to the Federation Account during the period have been accounted for in the report.

He blamed the delay in the remittance of the amount on the unfinished reconciliation process between NNPC, the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and other agencies of government.

According to Dawha, the $1.48 billion was not part of the alleged unremitted revenues from crude oil sales, but the balance of the good and valuable consideration of the divested assets as assessed by the DPR. He said: “The issue of the outstanding $1.48 billion Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, Signature Bonus is, in fact, the balance of the book value of the divested assets as assessed by DPR, yet to be paid into the Federation Account by NNPC. “This does not in any way constitute an indictment.

Meanwhile, this value is still being reconciled with the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR.”

Legal backing

On the issue of the NNPC defraying its costs and expenses and that of its subsidiaries from crude oil revenues, Dawha explained that NNPC Act empowers the corporation to do so.

He said: “Though the report recommended that the laws be reviewed to make NNPC meet its costs and expenses entirely from the value it creates, however, it should be noted that NNPC currently receives no funding for value destruction through pipeline vandalism, sabotage and crude oil and products theft.”

On the kerosene subsidy issue, Dawha maintained that the forensic audit report also clarified that subsidy on Dual Purpose Kerosene, DPK, is still in force, as the Presidential directive of October 19, 2009, was not gazetted in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Act of 1969.

Also speaking, Mr. Bernard Otti, Deputy Group Managing Director, NNPC, said the inability of NNPC to discontinue

zBlames unnecessary expenditure on vandalism, crude theft zSays labour responsible for continuation of kerosene subsidy

Armed Forces won't compromise Nigeria's security —DHQ

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

NNPC FORENSIC AUDIT REPORT: Dr. Joseph Dawha, Group Managing Director (right) and Mr. Bernard Otti, Deputy Group Managing Director and Group Executive Director, Finance and Account, both of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporatuion, NNPC, at a briefing on PWC Forensic Audit Report in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan. the payment of subsidy on kerosene is due to the fact that the Presidential directive does not conform with the law and also due to labour officials, who prevailed on the Presidency not to implement the directive.

He said: “When the President made the directive, labour officials approached the President, prevailing on him not to continue with the plan to remove subsidy on kerosene, due to the hardship the category of people, who are major users of the commodity, will face.

“Following the appeal, the plan was stopped, and the

Minister of Petroleum Resources was unable to implement the directive.”

On NNPC restructuring

On the call for the restructuring and reorganization of NNPC by the report, Mr. Timothy Okon, Group Coordinator, Corporate Planning & Strategy Division, NNPC, explained that plans for the restructuring of NNPC is already contained in the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, adding that “ when the PIB is passed, the proposed structure of NNPC will be encoded into law.”

He blamed the ‘unnecessary

expenditure of NNPC’ stated in the report on the difficult operating terrain of the oil and gas industry.

According to him, the huge cost incurred by NNPC is attributable to the high incidence of pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr. David Ige, Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, said over the last couple of months the country had recorded an unprecedented level of pipeline vandalization.

He added that the costs of fixing the pipelines after every case of vandalism is huge.

‘It's unconstitutional to remove Jega’

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EADER of the opposition in the House of Representatives, Mr. Femi Gbajabiamila, has said it would be unconstitutional to remove Professor Attahiru Jega as Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. In a statement entitled Thoughts on Rumoured Termination of Professor Attahiru Jega, Mr. Gbajabiamila said: “In the last few days, we have been inundated with speculation about the possible termination of Jega’s appointment as INEC Chairman.

“This may be unfounded, but may also have a basis in truth because you just cannot put anything past this government.

“From a legal standpoint, I do not think any such attempt can pass constitutional muster.

Firstly, I do not consider the INEC Chairman as a civil servant subject to civil service rules same way I, a member of the House of Representatives, am not a civil servant.

“INEC and its Chairman are a creation of the constitution.

“Their operations, rules and regulations are as provided under Sections 156 and 160 of the Nigerian Constitution, which expressly states that only INEC has the powers to regulate its own procedures and cannot be subject to approval of the President or any other authority, thereby establishing its independence.

“Secondly, ‘terminal leave’ is a form of removal whichever

way you cut or slice it and Section 157 of the Constitution is very clear that the removal of INEC Chairman can only be initiated by two thirds of the Senate and not by the President.

The question of who is a civil servant is answered in Section 171 of the constitution and the Chairman INEC is not included.

Finally, it will be a violation of Section 1 of the Code of Conduct as embedded in Part 1 of the fifth schedule to the constitution to appoint Professor Mimiko, brother to a PDP governor, if the rumours are indeed true, as INEC Chairman.

“There is an inherent conflict of interest and that will never fly.”

BUJA— THE military, yesterday, reacted to various accusations against the Armed Forces, especially as it concerns the forthcoming elections, stating that “it recognizes the fact that the nation’s larger interest and her security is sacrosanct and beyond any political expediency or ulterior consideration.”

According to the military high command, “ no excuse will be acceptable for any act of commission or omission that tend to compromise the law or the electoral process as well as decent conduct or judgment on the part of any service personnel, while discharging duties related to elections in any part of the country.”

A statement by the Director of Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, said: “The Defence Headquarters has noted the palpable tension being generated in certain quarters with regards to the roles of the Nigerian military in the ongoing political activities.

“It has become necessary to reassure all citizens that the Armed Forces remains committed to its duty in working to ensure the sustenance of peace, law, order and stability, during and after the forthcoming elections.

“It is also important to reassure Nigerians that the military will remain professional, apolitical and non-partisan in all operations or activities related to this crucial exercise.

“The Armed Forces is conscious of the fact that apart from its primary constitutional role of defending the country from external aggression and internal insurrection, it also has the responsibility of providing support in aid of civil authority such as the need to provide complementary security arrangement to protect our electoral process.”

10— Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Lekki/Epe toll gate goes if I'm elected —AGBAJE L

By Anozie Egole

AGOS—PEOPLES Democratic Party gubernatorial candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has promised to pull down the Lekki/ Epe toll gates, if elected next governor of the state.

According to the PDP governorship hopeful, the arrangements behind the project lack transparency and sustainability.

Agbaje, who made the promise at a peaceful protest, tagged March for freedom, organised by Freedom Group in Lekki, Lagos State, also said that BRT and Lagos light rail projects were collapsing because the arrangements on ground were not sustainable.

He said: “I am here to show solidarity with you on the issue of the toll plaza for which you are marching today and assure you that when we get into office, these toll gates will come down; I will demolish all of them.

“The public/private partnership, PPP, arrangement behind this project is not transparent. Look at the BRT and Lagos light rail projects, they are collapsing because the PPP arrangements

they have on ground are not sustainable.

“The light rail which was supposed to have been ready since 2012, is grounded and this is because of vested interests of a few people. The PPP arrangements are skewed to favour only a few people, so for me, I am in solidarity with

you and a vote for us is a vote for freedom, a vote to bring down the toll plazas.”

In the same vein, coordinator of the march, Gabriel Odu: said: “This march is all about freedom, freedom from tolls, freedom from oppression and freedom from god-fatherism.

“We are saying that no more

tolls on this road. We want a government that will come in and free us from this and we have seen it in the person of Jimi Agbaje. This is a direct call for freedom for the good people of Lagos.

“The March for Freedom chose the Lekki Toll Plaza as the focal point as it is a symbol of oppressive governance. The toll is nothing short of exploitation of defenceless citizens by those who simply feel they can get away with it.”

CAMPAIGN: Cross section of Ladipo auto spare parts traders who trooped out in their large numbers to declare support for the All Progressives Congress, APC, during the party’s governorship campaign rally at the Ladipo Market, Oshodi, Lagos.

We don't owe AG Moeller N80m, transport firm tells court

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Innocent Anaba

AGOS—A transport company, Cross Country Limited, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos that it was not indebted to AG Moeller Limited to the tune of N80 million.

Former Chief Accountant with Cross Country Limited, Mr. Godsday Chukwusa, in his evidence at the resumed hearing in the alleged N80 million fraud charges brought against the defendant, A.G. Moeller Limited, told the court that his former company, Cross Country Ltd, had sometime in March 2007 written a Finance Lease request letters to the defunct Oceanic Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, EBN Finance Limited (a subsidiary of the defunct Intercontinental Bank Plc) and AG. Moeller for finance lease facilities for various acquisitions of motor vehicles.

The case is before Justice Okon Abang.

Continuing, Chukwusa, who was led in evidence, said as the Chief Accountant during the period of the transaction, he was privy to all the documents to the transactions which was to acquire 40 units of Volkswagen mini buses at N3,500 million for commercial services within Nigeria.

According to him, AG Moeller Limited offered it the sum of N140 million to finance the acquisition of 40 transport buses for commercial use.

He said AG Moeller, like the

banks and finance houses, replied via an “Offer of Finance Lease Facility” letter dated March 29, 2007, approving the request sum of N140 million for a tenor of 24months at 60 percent interest rate per annum.

The total sum payable to AG Moeller Ltd at the end of the

tenor, according to the witness, stood at N228 million.

Chukwusa further told the court that Cross Country Ltd had paid a total sum of N223 million as against N228 million payable, adding that the total outstanding due, including the difference in what was paid, added to default

charges stood at N19 million.

The witness added that AG Moeller wrote a demand letter requesting to be paid an outstanding sum of N213 million being the self-claimed outstanding balance against N19 million confirmed to be rightly due.

Police committed to capacity building, says Lagos CP Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—LAGOS State Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, has reiterated the commitment of the Force towards building capacity for officers and men of the force as pathway to achieving optimum performance.

Aderanti said this during the 21st graduation ceremony of 250 police officers trained on human rights at the Police College, Ikeja, organised by the State Police command, in

conjunction with Crime Victims Foundation.

Aderanti, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Panti, Yaba, Lagos, Gbenga Adeyanju, said: “The Nigerian Police Force is passionate about training and retraining of police officers and exposure to the acceptable international standards and best practices for police officers on

dynamics of rule of law, basic human rights standards and a people- friendly police force.

“The management team of the police have prioritized trainings and capacity building of our officers and men as pathway to achieving optimum performance.

Consequently, we are ready to partner with other willing agencies, home and abroad, with a view to attaining our goals.

“The force is determined for professionalism and due process in the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities. "

We haven't endorsed any presidential candidate, by and infrastructure underMiddle Belt youths development prevalent in the

By Nkiru Nnorom

A

LL MIDDLE Belt Youths Forum, AMBYF, has denied endorsing any presidential candidate for the forthcoming general election, contrary to speculations in some quarters.

The group in a statement jointly signed by its National Leader, Comrade Aluh Moses Odeh and National Secretary, Comrade AndzayiJabez Jonathan, said its decision not to tag along with any presidential candidate was borne out of nagging human

region since the return of the fourth republic.

Insisting that Middle Belt people would not be taken for granted any longer, the group said there must be dialogue on who should benefit from their votes and what would come to them in the next four years.

ALLEGED MURDER:

Court to rule on jurisdiction tomorrow

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By Onozure Dania

AGOS—A Lagos High Court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square, will tomorrow February 12 give ruling on whether it has the jurisdiction to hear a case of violation of human rights in the alleged murder of four Igbo Ladipo traders.

The slain youths were Anthony Ezenwafor, Chukwuemeka Ezeofor, Izuchukwu Ezeama and Aloysius Osigwe. They were allegedly murdered by the police on July 1, 2001 at their residence in Surulere, Lagos.

Their fellow traders at the market led by Akaraka Chinweike- Ezeonara, Chris Okpara, Remiguis Ezenwanne and Ifeanyi Okoye, had dragged the Inspector General of Police, Attorney General of the Federation, Attorney General of Lagos State, Commissioner of Police Lagos State, Chief Marvellous Akpoyibo, who was the then Area C Police Command, as well as the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Aguda Police Station, as 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th respondents respectively, before the court for the violation of human rights of the slain youths.

Agbaje promises to create more LCDAs

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By Dapo Akinrefon

A G O S — T H E governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has promised to create more local governments in addition to the current 57.

Speaking at Kosofe and Shomolu Local Government Areas, Agbaje refuted claims that he intended to scrap the new 37 local council development areas, LCDAs. According to him, “the lie they are spreading now is that we are against the existing 57 councils. That is not true. In fact, we are already considering the possibility of increasing the local governments beyond the present 57”.

Agbaje, who expressed optimism of defeating the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Akinwumi Ambode said: “I have always said it everywhere I go and I will say it again here, we are winning this election."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 —11

Ondo Commissioner laments inability to obtain PVCs

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—ONDO state I n f o r m a t i o n Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, yesterday decried the inability of a good number of people of the state, including himself, to obtain their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. Akinmade submitted that he would have also been unable to vote had the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, insisted on the February 14 and 28 election dates.

Speaking in Akure the state capital, the Commissioner said that he and others who have been unable to collect their PVCs would have been disenfranchised.

He said: “As we speak, some members of my household and many others in the state, including myself, have not been able to get our PVCs. Many others have also complained to me about the same issue. I have made spirited efforts to get the card but to no avail.”

According to the commissioner, “the electoral body would have prevented a lot of people who were ready to carry out their civic responsibilities from doing so due to no fault of theirs."

Akinmade, who applauded

the electoral body for postponing the election said apart from the PVC issue, there are a number of other grey areas which the body should look into and make amends before the elections hold next month.

“The card reader for instance, there have been reports that its efficiency is still in doubt as it has not been properly tested.

“There is also the issue of the fake ones that have been rejected by the Resident

Electoral Commissioners.

“These and other issues should be addressed before next month when the elections are expected to hold if we must have free and fair elections.”

The commissioner praised members of the PDP in the state for their peaceful conduct since the beginning of the campaigns.

Akinmade added that the party has not left anybody in doubt about its preparedness for the polls as

well as its mega status in the state with the kind of campaign and the turnout at its rallies.

“No doubt the PDP in Ondo state has been able to hold one of the best campaigns since the electioneering period.

“The presidential campaign in Akure was second to none, and the campaigns at the state level have been highly successful. The party has really lived up to its mega status billing.”

INAUGURATION: From left: Deputy Governor, Osun State, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori; Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and Chairman, Five-man Visitation Panel into the crisis at Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Professor Adebisi Daramola, during the panel's inauguration at the Governor's Office, Osogbo.

APC to support states in creation of 20,000 jobs —OSINBAJO

By Dayo Johnson

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K U R E — A L L Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday promised to support states in the country to create 20,000 jobs each to cushion the effect of unemployment nationwide, if the March 28 election favours the party.

It also dismissed allegations of plans by the presidential candidate of the party, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to islamise the country.

Presidential running mate of the party, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, said this in Ondo town, Ondo state during a town hall meeting with Party supporters across the state.

Osinbajo who lamented the alarming rate of unemployment in the country said 80 percent of graduates in Nigeria are jobless. “ If by the special grace of God we win the election we will support state governments to create 20, 000 jobs to cushion the unemployment crisis in the

country. “ At the moment, many youths have no jobs. We want to provide a stop gap, we want to encourage people earning some money."

Speaking on alleged plans to Islamise the country, Osinbajo said: “There is no plan to islamise Nigeria. When Gen Buhari had power to do that as military president, he didn’t

do so.

“It was in 1986 that Nigeria joined the Organisation of Islamic Countries, OIC. It is almost impossible to Islamise Nigeria.

“Under the current democratic setting, he will not have the power to make Sharia laws in the country with the National Assembly representing every state in

Nigeria making laws for the country.

“Gen Buhari resisted pressure to join OIC and he will not have the power to islamise Nigeria under a democratic dispensation."

On the postponement of the election, he said: “We don’t know what the plans are yet, whether it includes the sacking of INEC chairman."

Aregbesola sets up 5-man visitation panel to resolve UNIOSUN crisis

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—THE governor of Osun State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola, has set up a fiveman visitation panel for Osun State University in a bid to find a lasting solution to the lingering leadership crisis at the State University.

The governor, during the setting up of the committee at the Executive Chambers of the Governor’s Office in Osogbo, admonished universities in Nigeria to be problem solvers.

The board of the governing

council of the university had recently placed the three principal staff of the university, the Vice Chancellor, the Registrar, and the Bursar on indefinite suspension.

The visitation panel is to be headed by Prof. Adebiyi Daramola, while Prof. Jacob Ladipo, Prof Omotoye Olorode and Mr. Babatunde Adebayo are members with Mrs. Oluwakemi Kolawole, as secretary.

The governor pointed out that the panel shall investigate the basis of the

simmering crisis and the misunderstanding between the Management and the Council in the university with a view t o finding a lasting solution.

UPU: Group rallies support for Onoge

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HE Urhobo Voters League, a group of Urhobo voters, has endorsed Chief Tuesday Onoge as the Acting President-General of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU. According to the group in a statement made available to newsmen in Warri, by its leader, Chief Gordons Obukohwo, both Chief Joe Omene, factional UPU leader and Labour Party candidate for the governorship poll, Great Ogboru, have been compromised by the PDP and are now acting out a script that will ensure victory for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa of PDP. He said “It is shocking that instead of combining to fight Okowa, both Ogboru and Omene are busy fighting their brother O’tega Emerhor of APC as if they are now both card-carrying members of PDP. In fact, as of now, it is Ogboru and Okowa on one side, fighting O’tega on the other side. I have never seen anything like this in Urhoboland before.”

Chief Obukohwo insisted that having rejected a mouthwatering amount from the PDP to compromise him to work for Okowa, Chief Tuesday Onoge has proved himself to be a true son of Urhobo land, willing to make sacrifices for the good of his people.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Court adjourns committal proceedings against Jega

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has adjourned the committal proceedings initiated against the Chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, over his alleged disobedience to the judgment of the court, which ordered the restoration of Ughelli South 1 and Isoko North 1 constituencies to February 24, 2015 for definite hearing.

Trial judge, Justice Shitu Abubakar, granted the request of INEC's counsel, Mr Olufemi Adeyemi, who prayed the court for adjournment to enable him get the details of forms 48 and 49 and the motion for committal from INEC headquarters to enable him react accordingly.

Counsel to the plaintiffs, Chief Efe Akpofure, SAN, who spoke to newsmen after the matter was adjourned, said the case was a matter that deserved extreme urgency since the judgment was a

Why Urhobo must vote for Jonathan, Okowa, by Onuesoke

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ELTA State P e o p l e s Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has given reasons why the indigenes of Urhobo nation in Delta State must vote for President Goodluck Jonathan as the president of Nigeria and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as governor of Delta State.

Onuesoke, who addressed Udu youths who paid him a courtesy visit in Warri, Delta State, said it would be good for the Urhobo and all Nigerians to vote President Jonathan for a second term in office, because Jonathan has done well in less than six years in office, adding that his government has constructed many roads across the country, and has done well in the areas of education, power supply, agriculture, health, aviation, and transportation among others.

judgment for the restoration of state constituencies that should participate in the coming general elections.

He said: “Nobody is bigger than the court; you must obey court orders,” expressing the hope that INEC would do the needful.

“The court has made an order and that judgment is subsisting. I don’t want to believe that the delay in the implementation of the court judgment is political. We expect INEC to do the needful, having been put on notice,” he added.

According to him, unless Prof Jega complies with the court judgment, they would not withdraw the contempt of court proceedings against him. He said similar judgments had been given in other states and those constituencies were restored.

BRIEFING: From left: Mr Tamuno Williams, APC Campaign Manager, Okrika Local Government Area and Mrs Ibim Semenetari, Director of Communication, Greater Together Campaign Organisation, during a media briefing on the inability of Police to provide security for APC rally in Okrika, Rivers State, yesterday, in Port Harcourt. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

Itsekiri group kicks against alleged plot to remove Jega

By Daniel Gumm

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ARRI—AN Itsekiri sociopolitical group, Itsekiri Patriotic Alliance, IPA, has kicked against alleged plot to force Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Attahiru Jega, out of office, stressing that the move would be vehemently resisted.

IPA Chairman, Erefoluwa Keka, in a statement in Warri, Delta State, said that the group decided to caution against any clandestine move to pressure the INEC boss to proceed on compulsory leave with effect from March before the presidential poll, “because experience has shown that speculations in Nigeria, particularly issues affecting conduct of elections, often turn out to be true.

“If the excuse of insecurity in the North-East given for the postponement of the elections from February to March 28 and April 11 is to be taken seriously, then coercing Jega out of office to allegedly pave the way for another chairman in the highly anticipated polls, may worsen the security situation in the country and have grave implications on our democracy.”

IPA admonished political parties to tread softly in their quest for power, insisting that it was only logical to allow Prof. Jega to oversee the conduct of the forthcoming polls and “not to give room for an upstart to abruptly truncate the entire electioneering process.”

Wondering the rationale behind

shifting the polls for six weeks over insecurity that has bedevilled the North-Eastern part of the country for over five years, the Itsekiri group tasked INEC to brace up to the challenges ahead in terms of distribution of PVCs and other logistics arrangement so as to ensure free, fair and credible polls that will be acceptable in the country.

Okowa disowns FaceBook promo

By Hugo Odiogor

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ELTA State governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on Deltans and Nigerians within and outside the country to ignore any online promo purported to be coming from him as a person or from his campaign organisation.

Dr. Okowa was allegedly linked with offering gifts to his FaceBook friends who are selected randomly by the scammers, in the ever rising incidence of scams being perpetuated by desperate persons on their gullible compatriots.

Okowa Campaign Organisation, in a statement, said: “This is to bring to the notice of the general public and all lovers and fans of our principal and Delta State 2015 PDP governorship flag-bearer that our principal is in no way running any form of “PROMO” as being peddled and propagated by some fraudulent elements, whose aim is to defraud innocent and well meaning citizens of our dear state and nation of their hard earned resources.

“We hereby call on all and sundry to disregard any such purported “PROMO” in our principal’s name as this is further aimed at dragging his name to the mud."

Suspected thugs attack APC ward secretariat in Bayelsa

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By Samuel Oyadongha

ENAGOA—THE secretariat of All Progressives Congress, APC, in ward 7, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has been reportedly vandalised by what the APC officials in the state described as suspected Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 'thugs.’

Aside the destruction of the secretariat, it was learned that APC members in the council are being harassed and intimidated by the so called party thugs.

The APC also raised alarm over an alleged plan by the PDP to plant incriminating objects and substances in the homes of its key members so as to arrest and clamp them in detention ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

The secretariat, it was learned, was vandalised Monday night by the suspected thugs who reportedly tore the campaign posters and other materials belonging to the party’s candidate.

Vote for candidates with integrity, monarch tasks subjects

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—THE Ovie of Oghara Kingdom, in Delta State, His Royal Majesty, HRM Nobel Eshemitan, has stressed the need for Nigerians to consider the integrity of politicians when voting candidates of their choice in the forthcoming general elections.

The royal father who also is the District Governor of Rotary International District 9140 Nigeria, spoke in Benin City, Edo State, yesterday at the residence of the former Minister of State for Works, Engr.Chris Ogiemwonyi, who was honoured with the Paul Harris Fellow Award by Rotary International.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—13

MARCH POLLS: Delta politicians sign zAs Emerhor, Nwaoboshi shun meeting peace deal A

By Festus Ahon

SABA—AHEAD of the March 28 and April 11 general elections, political actors, stakeholders and their political parties in Delta State, yesterday, signed a peace pact with security agents.

The governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief O’Tega Emerhor, Chairman of APC in the state, Prophet Jones Erue and Delta North senatorial candidate of PDP, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, shunned the well attended peace meeting, which was held in Asaba.

Those who signed the peace pact, which was facilitated by the Delta State Police Command, include governorship candidates, National Assembly candidates, House of Assembly candidates and chairmen of the various political parties.

Those in attendance were the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa and Labour Party's Chief Great Ogboru.

Also present were the Delta central senatorial candidate of Labour Party, Obarisi Ovie Omo-Agege, and his PDP counterpart, Chief Ighoyota Amori, Delta North senatorial candidate of Accord Party, Engr.

Victor Ochei, Delta South senatorial candidate of APC,

Yemi Emiko and a host of others.

The peace signing pact which was administered by the Assistant Inspector-General, AIG, of Police, Zone 5, Mr Musa Daura, was witnessed by the state governor, Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan, his deputy, Prof.

Amos Utuama, Bishop of Asaba Diocese of the Anglican Communion, Rt. Rev. Justus Mogekwu, the state Commissioner for Justice, Mr

Charles Ajuyah and Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Aniedi Abasi Ikoiwak.

Speaking during the event, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Alkali Usman, said the peace pact was part of strategy to forestall politically motivated “violence before, during and after the election,” warning that the command would not tolerate any form of political violence.

Expressing the readiness of the command to ensure a violence-free atmosphere during the elections, he said: “The command has put in place special investigation teams to investigate and prosecute all infractions on the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) in conjunction with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and of course all extant laws in force.”

SWEARING-IN: From right: Mrs Obuh; Mr. Tony Obuh (newly sworn in commissioner); Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; Mr. Charles Emetulu (newly sworn in commissioner) and Mrs Emetulu, during the swearing-in of new commissioners in Delta State, yesterday. Photo: Nath Onojake.

I apologise to Edo people for bringing Oshiomhole as gov, says Ize-Iyamu

By Gabriel Enogholase

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ENIN—A CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, has apologised to Edo people for being in the fore-front of those who brought Governor Adams Oshiomhole to contest the governorship election in 2007 under the platform of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Meanwhile, barely 24 hours after he was relieved of his position as Executive Director (Community Development) by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Mr. Faustine Ovienroba, yesterday, defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. He cited the nonconstruction of the road leading to his community as well as the erosion menace in the area as promised by the state government when he had earlier left the PDP for the APC, as reasons for returning to the PDP. Pastor Ize-Iyamu who is also the state Coordinator of the C M Y K

Jonathan Re-Election Campaign Organisation, who tendered the apology at Okuokhu, in Ovia North-East Local Government Area of Edo State, where leaders of the PDP went to receive Mr. Ovienroba, who had left the APC for the PDP, said the apology became necessary because the governor had turned truth upside town.

He said: “Edo people should forgive me for being one of those in the forefront that brought Mr. Oshiomhole to be the governor of the state. We now know who he is.

Therefore, in the coming elections, Edo people should not repeat the mistake of the past.

“When I remember how we brought in Oshiomhole to contest the 2007 governorship

election, I weep because we brought in a bad thing.”

State Chairman of the party, Chief Dan Orbih, while receiving Ovienroba and his supporters, accused the state government of allegedly spending the sum of N11.6 million to “buy drinks” for Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and wondered how Buhari, who is a Muslim, would be bought alcohol.

Bayelsa PDP Chair suspended over alleged diversion of campaign fund

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE Bayelsa State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Col. Samuel Inokoba (retd) has been suspended by the State Working Committee, SWC, of the party over alleged charges of misconduct and diversion of N40 million campaign fund provided for the party.

The decision to suspend the state PDP Chairman was

taken, Tuesday, after an exhaustive deliberation by members of the State Executive Committee, SEC. But Inokoba, through his media aide, Nelson Agada, dismissed his purported suspension as untrue and urged those he described as desperate politicians to channel their resources and energies to the development of the people and the state at large.

Though the Deputy Chairman, King Serena DokuboSpiff, it was gathered, was absent at the meeting due to personal commitments in Port Harcout, Rivers State, the Publicity Secretary of the Party, Osom Makbere, confirmed the development.

He, however, declined to go into details, explaining that the decision of the SEC, had been forwarded to the national leadership of the party and awaiting ratification.

APC laments inability to hold rally in Okrika

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, members in Okrika, Rivers State, have enjoined the Police to be impartial in the discharge of their duties in the area.

Campaign manager of the governorship candidate of the APC in the area, Mr Tamuno Williams, said they were unable to hold their governorship rally in the area because of alleged failure of the police to guarantee security.

According to the campaign manager, who spoke yesterday in Port Harcourt, the police had said it was still unable to guarantee the party's security after it had asked the party to postpone its rally about two times.

“We could not hold the first rally on January 24 because unknown hoodlums blew up our podium and sound systems with dynamite," he said.

Group wants Ijaw to head NNPC

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HE Niger Delta Indigenous Movement For Radical Change, has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to appoint an Ijaw man as the Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. In a statement by its President, Nelly Emma, the group urged the Federal Government to appreciate the efforts of the Ijaw people to the nation by appointing one of them as the GMD of NNPC. The group said: “We want the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke to continue to protect Niger Deltans, especially the Ijaws working in NNPC but are being marginalised in many ways. The Ijaws working in NNPC are being threatened on a daily basis."

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Presidential poll: Court strikes out suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, struck out the suit challenging the eligibility of President Goodluck Jonathan to contest the forthcoming presidential election.

Though the suit was originally slated for hearing yesterday, the plaintiffs in the matter, Professor Tunde Samuel, Dr. Junaidu Mohammed, Mr. Rasak Adeogun and Yahaya Ezeemoo Ndu, however, made a U-turn and withdrew the case.

Immediately the suit was called-up for hearing, counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Alex Okoja, prayed the court to terminate further proceedings on the matter, saying his clients had already entered a notice of discontinuance at the court’s registry.

Okoja told the court that his clients filed the notice of discontinuance since February 4, though he failed to give any reason behind their sudden lack of zeal to pursue the case to its logical conclusion. He said the withdrawal notice had already been served on President Jonathan.

Meanwhile, President Jonathan who was represented by his lawyer, Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, while acknowledging receipt of the notice for withdrawal of the matter, urged the court to award

cost against the plaintiffs for filing a “frivolous suit” against him.

He argued, "My lord, we have been served and we have no objection, but we will be asking for cost. We have been in and out of court on this particular matter. We have already filed our processes. This matter was filed by seven SANs, and I assume with greatest respect that they should have taken out time to evaluate the merit of the matter before bringing us here.”

In his ruling, Justice Mohammed while striking out the suit, awarded a cost of N50,000 against the plaintiffs. According to the judge, “In law, cost follows events. A party who took out an action against

another party and went ahead to cause a hearing notice to be issued by the court on that party, only to turn around and withdraw the matter, must be ready for some sanction. In the circumstance of this suit, therefore, the defendant is entitled to a cost. I award the cost of N50,000 to the defendant and this suit is hereby struck out”.

The plaintiffs had in the suit they withdrew yesterday, sought for an order restraining President Jonathan from participating in the elections. In the originating summons they filed through their lawyer, Malam Yusuf Ali, SAN, the plaintiffs contended that Jonathan was ineligible for re-election.

Buhari meets Catholic Bishops, allays fears on religious freedom •Says he has no personal faith agenda

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BUJA—THE presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has re-affirmed his commitment to ensure that Nigeria remained a multireligious state where every individual was free to practice his religion of choice.

Buhari who spoke at an “Episcopal” Town Hall

Conversation with representatives of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria in Abuja stated that although he had been severally and consistently vilified and maligned, he had no personal religious agenda, neither would he support any moves by anybody or group of persons to either Christianise or Islamise Nigeria.

In his speech, titled “One Nation bound in Freedom, Peace, Unity and Love”, Buhari, who was accompanied to the event by his running mate, Pastor Yemi Osinbajo, the Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Rotimi Amaechi, and a host of other members of the party ’s presidential campaign, said he “will not condone any initiative that seeks to promote one religion over the other.”

Earlier in his welcome speech, President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, Bishop Ignatius Kaigama, who is also the Archbishop of Jos, said the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria believed in the unity and progress of Nigeria. He regretted the wide communication gap existing between the leaders and the people, hoping that the conversation was an indication of the willingness to establish a sustainable communication platform.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 —15

Ebonyi House probes Gov Elechi zDeclares seats of 4 decampee members vacant

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By Peter Okutu

BAKALIKI—EBONYI State House of Assembly yesterday began a probe into all the financial dealings of Governor Martin Elechi to unravel alleged cases of corruption currently rocking his administration.

The House which noted with dismay the level of corrupt practices being perpetuated by top state and local government officials, summoned the state Accountant-General, Mr. Edwin Igbele, Commissioners for Finance and Economic Development, Chief Timothy Odaah, Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Celestine Nwali, and state Auditor-General, Barr Boniface Ezeagu.

Also summoned to appear during the next plenary, were Heads of Personnel Management and Treasurers of the 13 local government areas of the state The House further threatened to issue a warrant of arrest on any government official who failed to appear.

As part of its resolution, the House declared vacant the seats of members who decamped to

another political party for 2015 general election.

Those affected were Helen Nwobashi, who represents Abakaliki South state constituency; Eni Uduma, Afikpo South West constituency; Mabel Aleke, Ohaukwu South; and Sam

Nwali, Ikwo North.

Reacting to the declaration by the state House of Assembly, the four affected members, represented by Eni Uduma, argued that the resolution of the House was illegal, unconstitutional and an effort in futility.

“The resolution of the House today has declared the end of the 4th House Assembly because with those allegedly affected, the House can no longer seat constitutionally as it contravened section 91 of the 1999 constitution as amended,” he said.

VISIT: Abia state Governor, Theodore Orji (middle) flanked on the (left) by Chief Chijioke Nwakodo, leader of the delegation, on the (right) by his deputy, Sir Emeka Ananaba and other members of Abia State Sure-P board, during a visit to the governor in Umuahia.

Onitsha industrialists protest 95% hike in electricity tariff

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By Vincent Ujumadu

WKA— INDUSTRIALISTS at the famous Harbour-Head Bridge Industrial Layout in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State yesterday took to the streets to protest alleged 95 per cent increase in electricity charges by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC. Eko, Ikeja and Kaduna distribution companies for instance, reportedly had tariff increases of 22.42%, 28. 83 % and 40.80% respectively, while Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, was almost doubled.

Worried by the disparity and the fact that the layout was adversely affected during the 2012 flood disaster that ravaged parts of the country, the industrialists called for the intervention of the authorities to save the jobs of many Nigerians.

After a meeting at the premises of Pokobros Group Limited in

Onitsha, the industrialists later converged on Ogbaru district of EEDC located in the area and submitted their protest letter to the business manager of EEDC, Mr. Ifeanyi Allison.

The protest letter, signed by the chairman, Chief Paul Okonkwo and secretary, Mr. Felix Otta, read: “We are surprised by the outrageous increase in electricity charges for industrial consumption. Our

current electricity bill indicates a sudden rise in electricity charges from N23.97 to N46.66, which is choking to us.

“We categorically object to this scandalous increase in energy charges for EEDC by NERC because it is unfair, unaffordable and beyond our cost absorption capabilities.

“We are currently disputing the energy charges and retention of fixed charges as currently

PDP NWC should resign over primaries, says Orji's ex-aide

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WERRI—FORMER House of Representative aspirant in Imo State and ex-aide to Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State, Mr. Ben Onyechere, has called for the resignation of members of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Working

Committee, NWC, over the fallout of the party’s primary elections.

He said: “The continued stay in office of the PDP officers in Abuja is a stigma to the party and a stench in our avowed democratic environment. Every body who contested the PDP primaries can bear witness to the

ELECTIONS: Anambra APC heads to court over

alleged PDP multiple candidates

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By Enyim Enyim

NITSHA—DISTURBED by alleged multiple candidates being fielded by Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the forthcoming general election, the All Progressives Congress in Anambra State yesterday threatened to institute a legal action against the Independent National Electoral Commission

approved by NERC and we plead that as long as negotiation for the review of the 2015 charges of the Multiple Year Tariff Order is ongoing, your office should halt plans to disconnect electricity supply to our members, pending the resolution of the disputed charges.

“We are yet to recover from the losses we incurred during the 2012 flood disaster in which we lost critical infrastructure, like transformers, poles, and cables."

and the PDP. Chairman of APC in the state, Mr Emeka Ibe, told Vanguard in an exclusive interview that the party had concluded plans to file its suit on the matter at a Federal High Court next week.

The party ’s decision followed last week’s Court of

Appeal judgement in Abuja that ordered INEC to publish new names of PDP candidates, aside from the list earlier published.

According to Ibe, the party will be praying the court to restrain the PDP candidates seeking various elective positions whose names are not on INEC list from campaigning.

fact that the officers have lost all credibility if at all they had any because of their recklessness in compromising their positions as if the party is their private estate.

“I recall with nostalgia, how Ekwueme with whom I worked and a few others toiled to put the party together only for a few people to corrupt the system beyond redemption by privatizing our common interest.

“Their continued stay is a baggage of responsibility to Mr President and the party as a whole and as such, they should be forced to resign en mass as they have outlived their usefulness. In addition to that, the only way to get the support of those who lost out in the primaries is by refunding the ticket fund, otherwise we may just be deceiving ourselves because the nonchalant attitude of those people has generated a high level of disillusionment in the party.”

Jega, crusader of power shift to North —EX-IMO SPEAKER

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—THE Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, has been described as a politician and crusader of power shift to the North and not qualified to conduct the rescheduled presidential election.

Former Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Chief Noel Agwuocha Chukwukadibia, levelled the accusation in a letter addressed to President Goodluck Jonathan and copied to media houses in Owerri.

Chukwukadibia recalled that between 2005 and 2006, the late Dr. Abubakar Olusola Saraki formed the Northern Union, NU, in collaboration with some Northern politicians, to pursue some Northern political interests, including the idea of power shift from the South to the North.

‘We'll work against Obi, Umeh'

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—A group of politicians in Anambra State, under the aegis of Aggrieved Councillors Association, has vowed to work against the political interest of former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi and incumbent national chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, who is contesting the state’s Central senatorial seat.

They said their decision to work against Obi and Umeh was a result of their grand conspiracy to hand-pick their friends and relations during the January 11, 2014 local government chairmanship and councillorship elections in the state, at the expense of all other contestants.

In a communique issued after their meeting in Awka, signed on their behalf by the state chairman, Chuks Anaje and Secretary-General, Nnonyelu Ejike, the councillors said after wasting their hard earned resources and participating in the handpicked January, 2014 chairmanship and councillorship elections, their eyes were opened to certain electoral irregularities perpetrated by both personalities.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 17

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UST as Samuel Johnson in April 1775, said that patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel, so has security, in the heated pre-election setting of Nigeria, become the ultimate red herring wielded to postpone a much-anticipated February 14, 2015 Presidential election, in particular. It was at the Chatham House in London, that Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the National Security Adviser (NSA), first let out of the bag, the idea of a postponement of elections, based on the incomplete distribution of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs).

There was a huge wave of indignation rejecting the idea of a postponement across board, but it was to become clear that the maneuvering was central to the political survival of the PDP and the Jonathan administration. Not even repeated assurances from INEC, the election management body itself, would convince those who needed the postponement.

An orchestrated campaign was launched, especially in the media, leaning on a select group of individuals.

Nationwide appeal Nigerians saw what was unfolding before them clearly; the opposition’s campaign, but especially the nationwide appeal of APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, had gathered a remarkable momentum. Everything had been hurled at the man, from the kitchen sink to the vilest forms of propaganda. On the other hand, the PDP seemed to have lost steam, if it ever gathered any. It had promised an issues-based campaign, but it all narrowed down to demonizing the person of General Buhari. President

A security red herring and election postponement Jonathan and his PDP strategists became Buhari’s most effective recruiting agents, because the more they hurled abuses and vile propaganda, the more popular their nemesis seemed to have become amongst voters, as results of several polls conducted even

by President Jonathan’s supporters, were returning.

Presidency PDP panic mode: The presidency and the PDP entered a panic mode and the campaign for the postponement of the elections by six weeks was ratcheted up. It was the only lifeline! When the National Council of State gathered last week, its members read the national mood correctly; they refused to back the plan for elections postponement. INEC stood its ground, insisting that it was better prepared for the 2015 elections, than the 2011 polls, which circles around President Jonathan always proudly cite, as being free and fair. But there was the ultimate red herring, still to drop on the lap of an expectant nation, and what appeared from

their perspective, a stubbornly independent INEC: security!

The nation’s security apparatus suddenly realized that these were the best moments to confront and crush Boko Haram. What our gallant forces could not achieve in five years was now to be accomplished in six weeks! And to underline the seriousness of the situation, the offensive was set to commence on February 14th, the date Nigerians should have

What might really be on the horizon for Nigeria? Eternal vigilance remains the price of liberty. It is possible to reclaim our country if we are determined to!

been queuing up to elect our next president. Effectively, as many leading lawyers and commentators have concluded, INEC was hamstrung and effectively, a ‘coup’ was carried out against the democratic process. After a whole day of consultations, INEC chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, addressed an expectant country, to announce the postponement of the elections for six weeks, just as the leadership of the security forces had requested. Jega said that: “There are quite a number of issues in the conduct of elections, the most critical of which is security matter which is not under the control of INEC”. Of course, on Constitutional grounds, INEC was within its remit to postpone the elections, forced as it had been by circumstance. It was the political context of the postponement, which has triggered the worry of politicians and citizens alike.

It seemed clear that for President Jonathan’s corner of what is shaping up to be a titanic

The forthright Gen. Alani Akinrinade

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HIS week’s SUNDAY PUNCH carried a most instructive interview with General Alani Akinrinade, one of the finest Nigerian Army officers.

Akinrinade belongs to the generation of soldiers of the old school, who played very defining roles in Nigeria’s Civil War, between 1967 and 1970. He retired as Chief of Defense Staff but was to become more socially and politically engaged with Nigeria’s history, especially becoming active in the struggle against military dictatorship, during the 1990s. General Akinrinade is a man of sincere passion and he makes clear his position on issues of national development.

I don’t always agree with his views, but his genuinely patriotic fervor and commitment to the building of an inclusive and socially just society cannot be faulted. I saw General Akinrinade at close quarters during The National Conference, 2014; as a matter of fact, we worked in the same committee, the Committee on Politics and Electoral Matters.

It was one of the most dynamic committees of the National Conference, because of the pedigree of its membership, including the inimitable General C M Y K

Alani Akinrinade.

I was therefore not surprised at the breath of vision and the ranging intellect and originality of perspective which he brought to the answers during the interview. He was forthright about the duty of the professional in society, soldier or otherwise: “When you have a duty, especially if it is a professional duty, you should be happy each time you are able to discharge your responsibilities creditably”.

And on the roots of the crisis of terrorism in our society today, General Akinrinade said regrettably, “ we ignore why people do the things they do. We dismiss them instead of examining the message carefully and finding answers to it”.

He was unambiguous about what faces us: “I think it is rooted in injustice- injustice that breeds poverty in such a big way; that is overwhelming that people become desperate to use any means to vent their frustration and religion is an instrument they use”. And for emphasis, he added that: “there is too much of a class struggle in Nigeria.

The centre of power in Nigeria is so narrow and they make all the decisions”. As the experienced and highly

decorated soldier that he is, he fielded questions on the deterioration of Nigeria’s fighting forces and the alarmingly frequent cases of mutiny amongst our troops. General Akinrinade was equally thorough in his appreciation of the problem: “It’s unlawful to demonstrate in the army.

Yet, I don’t think it is enough to rely on the law to discipline erring soldiers in this case. We need to ask why. I tell myself that if these (mutinies by soldiers) happened under my watch, I will court marshal all the officers. I will disband the units because soldiers cannot do anything on their own. Therefore, the senior officers must have done something wrong. We should find out exactly what it is”.

Buhari's certificate controversy It was clear that an interview with Akinrinade, in the midst of the controversy generated around General Muhammadu Buhari’s school certificate, could not avoid the issue. Akinrinade was angry about the controversy: “It is an insult to the armed forces- a terrible insult to the armed forces.

If they are so embedded in the

system and they have lost their souls, then they can go ahead and join everybody in castigating a General of Buhari’s caliber…By the time he joined the army, in those days, there were no cutting corners…Buhari attended the Mons (Officer Cadet School in Aldershot in England) and the Staff College; I don’t want to think they have an idea what they teach in those places…You send a man to America for one and a half years in a military school. Do they think he just went there to learn how to fire a rifle? No”.

Even his requirement for Nigerian leadership was unambiguous: “Considering where we find ourselves today, honesty is the first quality a man should have. The people should trust a leader to the point that his words are taken as a bond. If it is your worry that is honesty enough, I will say yes it is enough.

The next one is wisdom so that the leader is able to get people who will do the work for him”.

There were other issues ably interrogated during the interview, but what I have touched here gives a good indication of the forthrightness of General Alani Akinrinade.

fight, there was an imperative to slow down the Buhari momentum. Earning the extra six weeks was therefore a vital lifeline from their standpoint.

Elections are a very expensive venture, and the opposition does not have the limitless funds available to the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan.

Someone who knows a thing about the numbers told me at the weekend, that so far, President Jonathan’s camp has not really spent much of the dedicated campaign funds available to it.

This six-week window will likely be used to claw back some of the momentum just as it is hoped that the Buhari campaign would see fatigue set in, especially financially. But there is a multipronged project to be accomplished in the six weeks timeline.

VANGUARD newspaper of Monday, February 9th, 2015, listed “a two-pronged war ”; the first is to “stop Muhammadu Buhari…from contesting the election with Jonathan and the replacement of the INEC Chairman, Prof.

Attahiru Jega, with a less independent-minded person”.

Jega is considered by presidential hawks to be “too independentminded and ‘uncooperative’ despite being given the job on a platter of gold by the president’s men”. Jega was similarly described as “rather too ‘difficult’ to deal with, having not allowed himself to be dictated to by anyone since assumption of office like other appointees of government”.

Many interests In truth, there are too many interests that must dread the emergence of a Buhari presidency and each of these interests and collectively, would be hoping that the six-week window would be sufficient to somehow damage Buhari sufficiently, as to make him unelectable. On the other hand, they must also be scared stiff, that nothing they throw at the man will dent the feeling for change that has gripped the country, and which Buhari has come to symbolize for many Nigerians from South to North. The free wheeling heists of the past six years have finally reached a denouement and those who have profited handsomely to the detriment of Nigeria are in panic mode. The red herring of security has pushed INEC to postpone the elections, but the disappointment and angst trailing the decision have weakened President Jonathan’s position at home and abroad.

It is their next step that will determine the fate of Nigeria’s democratic project. The NSA Sambo Dasuki has assured that there will be no more postponements and Boko Haram camps will be taken out within the six-week lifeline, to allow safe elections. But what if that does not happen, would we be headed for a constitutional crisis? What might really be on the horizon for Nigeria? Eternal vigilance remains the price of liberty. It is possible to reclaim our country if we are determined to!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 IF we are to judge the future of Nigeria by the promises that appear on election posters, Nigeria is about to become one of the most developed countries in the world.

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

Have they not just given the challenges new dimensions to get our attentions?

How have those who are making the promises improved our lives since 1999?

We should ask more questions, particularly how they intend to execute the lofty promises we always hear during campaigns since the economy can hardly support them.

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

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

Justice, equity, reflected in the rights to life, security, and access to education, employment, health services, housing, electricity, rails, roads and other means of transportation are basic issues common to Nigerians. Portable water is unavailable. It is no surprise that there is inadequate water for industrial, commercial and agricultural uses.

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

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

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

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

OPINION

By Ayodele Femi

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HAT Nigerians have confidence in the 2015 elections is one of the greatest achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan. Contrast that with Buhari who overthrew a democratically elected government. Today, like before, Nigerians remember very well how he defended Boko Haram by protesting the killing of their members and the burning of their houses by Jonathan as heavy handed, only to turn around now to campaign to the Nigerian people that Jonathan is weak in dealing with Boko Haram. Or have Nigerians forgotten that Boko Haram nominated Buhari to negotiate on their behalf in Saudi Arabia. Buhari refused; if he truly loves Nigeria why didn’t he assist Nigeria by coming out to negotiate in order to resolve the crisis. Was it not because he knows that he would be the beneficiary of the crisis? Buhari is the patron of a society known as Confederation of Traditional Herders in Africa, which caters for the interest of Fulani in Africa.

Yet with all the genocidal killings of the Middle Belt Christians by Fulani herdsmen, Buhari has not found it necessary to intervene and bring peace by calling his kinsmen to order, yet he was quick to go to Lam Adesina in Ibadan to protest that Fulani were being killed. Despite all these, Nigerians are being told not to discuss his behaviour.

Buhari himself says he is not an Islamic

Of one man, one vote fundamentalist because all his vice presidential candidates have all been devout Christians.

But Christians are only good enough to be his assistants not presidents. Buhari in his desperation for power does not care that his methods only show Nigerians that elections don’t matter; all you need to come to power is the barrel of the gun, either through a military coup or by insurgency.

Buhari’s lack of respect for the constitution and Nigeria’s laws started when he entered the army without the

Nigerians are being told not to speak about these things as they would constitute an attack on personality and not the issues.

Jonathan can be attacked and not Buhari. It appears there is one law for Buhari and another for Jonathan

required school certificate and even now blatantly refuses to admit that he does not have it. In the face of this clear fraud he continues to parade himself as “Mr. Integrity” and “Mr. Anticorruption.” Buhari is the only candidate who did not submit any evidence of minimum qualification in 2003, 2007, 2011 and now in 2015.Yet, he says it does not matter. It does not matter that Buhari was sent to local and foreign (Army) trainings without having the initial minimum entry qualification. How can you build something on nothing? We all know that if you enter the university without a school certificate, at any time it is found out, the university would withdraw your degree if it has already awarded you one. The university would not be blamed as the APC is asking Nigerians to blame the army for commissioning Buhari without a school certificate.

What can be more corrupt than this? In other parts of the world, Buhari would be facing prosecution.

But in Nigeria he is talking about corruption. He has failed to explain to Nigerians that as petroleum minister 2.8 billion oil money reportedly disappeared at a time when the naira was stronger than the dollar and when most Nigerians had not even heard of a billion naira. What about the 53 suitcases of cash carried by the Emir of

Gwandu that passed through the airport on Buhari’s instructions while Fela was jailed for attempting to leave the country with a paltry sum. Nigerians have not forgotten PTF’s missing 25 billion naira, which remains unaccounted for? Yet, Nigerians are being told not to speak about these things as they would constitute an attack on personality and not the issues. Jonathan can be attacked and not Buhari. It appears there is one law for Buhari and another for Jonathan. As for Obasanjo, after his failed third term bid, and after what his son Gbenga swore to in an affidavit, and later divorced his wife, the same Obasanjo still goes around clothed as a saint. Little wonder this is Nigeria where memories are short. Nigerians must understand the choice in this election. We either vote Jonathan and the victory of one man one vote or vote Buhari and give Boko Haram the victory by saying that obtaining power in Nigeria is by violence.

Today it is Boko Haram; tomorrow it would be another group. Let us not sell our birthright out of fear of Boko Haram. Let us say no to born to rule by force. Let’s say no to fear. As we wait for March to cast our votes, let us vote wisely. Let us shame the forces of violence, a message in service of the truth.

*Mr. Femi, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Osun state.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015— 19

Down with America’s interference

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ET’S start by congratulating the two major political parties – the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), especially the latter, in the matured and nationalistic way they absorbed the shift of election date from February 14th/28th to March 28th/April 11th 2015.

It would have complicated matters if the APC had made good the threat by Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, to “take to the streets”. It would have served no useful purpose.

The question on the lips of many was: why was the Federal government and its supporters so eager to have the polls shifted?

Some opined that it was to enable the ruling party “perfect its rigging plans”. But a reverse question was also on some lips: why was the APC so eager to have the elections held on 14th/28th February in spite of obvious signs that the nation was not ready?

Could it be true that its own alleged plans to “rig” the elections had already been “perfected”? This is hardly the time for the kettle to call the pot “black” since both are regular visitors to the stove. For me, all that matters is that the nation has accepted, even with

misgivings in some quarters, the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) shift of dates for the polls. We will return to this shortly.

What riles me, and should anger any well-meaning Nigerian, is the frequent butting-in of the United States with its unsolicited opinions on the unfolding political transition in Nigeria. I call it “unsolicited” for a cogent reason. Prior to the past year or so, America was Nigeria’s most valued Western partner, on both the economic and strategic fronts. She was our biggest crude oil customer. But as soon as she made a breakthrough in her oil independence experiments, Nigeria was the first country she stopped buying oil from. That act could have collapsed the economy if not for the fact that we have new customers from elsewhere, and our economic planners have started gradually diversifying the economy.

On the strategic front, Nigeria has always sided with America in its policing of the world, especially since the establishment of its African Command (AFRICOM) on October 1, 2007. The US depends on Nigeria to take up the bulk of

the responsibility to ensure the stability of the West African subregion. But when the Al Qaeda terror network established a foothold in the Nigerian North East, and we needed expertise and equipment to confront the new asymmetrical war challenge, America promised to help but backed out when it came to concrete action. America’s Ambassador to Nigeria, James Entwistle, claimed ignorance of the true identity of Abubakar Shekau’s Boko Haram, saying America does not want its

Why is America suddenly so hostile, especially to the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan?

The answer is not far-fetched. Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa that have come out openly and boldly to pass a law incriminating gay unions. Nigeria has officially put a stamp of disapproval to the gay and lesbian lifestyle

The looming spirit of ABN

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VIDENTLY, the more things change, the more they remain the same. These people are taking us round in circles. Thank God, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, the distant predecessor of Prof. Attahiru Jega, is still alive. He must be smiling somewhere as Nigeria gets set for a total re-enactment of the shameful scenario of his era.

Perhaps unwittingly, these people openly contradict themselves. They keep telling us that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is the body charged with the responsibility for the nation’s elections.

On this ground, INEC Chairman, Prof. Jega, has re-iterated, with monotonous regularity, that the Commission is ready to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Ironically, the PDP and forces loyal to the presidency continue to tell INEC to its face that it is not ready, insisting that the elections must be postponed.

This is where the administration and the PDP have scored many firsts. In the 16 years of the Fourth Republic, controversy has never trailed the election time-table from the administration’s viewpoint. This is the first time that INEC releases a time-table to which the ruling party becomes livid. And it is the first time that all those basking in the euphoria of incumbency will object to INEC’s poll date without justification.

As soon as the administration found that it could not secure a postponement by preaching INEC’s unpreparedness for the elections, it changed strategy by getting the National Security Adviser, the Armed Services and the Intelligence Services to unanimously agree that the safety and security of their operations could not be guaranteed.

The Security Agencies resolved that they needed at least six weeks within which to conclude a major military operation against the insurgency in the North-East and that in this operation, the military will be

concentrating its attention in the theatre of operations such that they may not be able to provide the traditional support they render to the police and other agencies during elections.

Since INEC is not a security agency that could by itself guarantee protection for voters, personnel and materials during the election, it could not lightly wave off the advice by the Nation’s Security chiefs. This explains why INEC capitulated to the idea of postponing the elections.

Our concern is projected on the ground that in just the same way that you do not postpone Christmas, the administration should have realized that tampering with the election time-table is an ill-wind that blows nobody any good. They had four years to prepare for the elections and it is doubtful if they would accomplish in six weeks what they could not accomplish in four years. And what happens if the security situation does not change for the better after six weeks?

The situation at hand is purely reminiscent of the inglorious days of the military when unpatriotic elements kept pushing for election postponements until the centre could no longer hold and everything fell apart.

We see the notorious Association for Better Nigeria, ABN, being re-enacted in the activities of unscrupulous advocates of poll

Jega has done the needful – assuring the people that the postponement is still within the legal framework for the elections

weapons to be used to “violate human rights”.

And yet, this is an Islamist insurgency group that has destroyed over 15,000 Nigerian lives and jeopardised the general elections in four North Eastern States: Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Gombe. America proved not to be a friend in need. Happily, Nigeria has taken delivery of superior weaponry from alternative sources, and the war to reclaim our lost territories is yielding results. The partnership with Niger, Chad and Cameroun is working. Africans are solving these problems without the help of America. Necessity, surely, is the mother of invention.

Why is America suddenly so hostile, especially to the regime of President Goodluck Jonathan?

The answer is not far-fetched.

Nigeria is one of the countries in Africa that have come out openly and boldly to pass a law incriminating gay unions.

Nigeria has officially put a stamp of disapproval to the gay and lesbian lifestyle. Anyone convicted of this odious taboo will risk 14 years in our nasty jails.

Since January 7th 2014 when President Jonathan signed the legislation passed by our bicameral National Assembly into law, America and its Western siblings, which threatened a range of sanctions unless the law was immediately repealed, became belligerent towards the administration and the country as a whole.

But unfortunately for America and her Western allies, Nigeria’s abhorrence of gay lifestyle goes beyond President Jonathan and the current ruling party. It is a resolve we, as Nigerians, share in common, based on our culture and religions, and will defend irrespective of who gets sworn

shift. While the m i l i t a r y administration of General I b r a h i m Badamosi Babangida gave tacit support to the ABN led by Senator Arthur Nzeribe and Mr. Abimbola Davies, we have every reason to believe that the current advocates of election shift enjoy the blessing of the presidency and the PDP. For sure, the postponement gives the administration an opportunity to buy time.

In the character of 1993, various aspects of the current elections are already in court. If the court succumbs to manipulations as it did in 1993, then, Nigeria will be in for troubles.

This is where we consider the stern warnings of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mahmud Mohammed, during the recent inauguration of Election Tribunals as timely and appropriate: “We must never again be used as tools to truncate our nation’s democracy. Any judge found wanting would only have himself or herself to blame as the National Judicial Council, NJC, will definitely not spare the rod in ensuring that the honour, respect and independence of the judiciary are protected”.

How did we get to the present situation?

Apparently, the presidential campaign has been a popularity test of sorts for President Goodluck Jonathan. Once upon a recent time, a media outfit that apparently had sympathy for the President decided to conduct an opinion poll on Jonathan and Buhari. That outfit has been unable to own up that it had been compromised. Rather, as soon as Muhammadu Buhari’s popularity was soaring beyond the 82 percentage level, the outfit quickly halted the poll, claiming that the process had been compromised.

into the office of President of Nigeria on May 29th 2015.

Should General Muhammadu Buhari assume power after the polls, we may even upgrade the law and make gay-related offences punishable by public executions. And I will support it!

Let America keep its opinions to itself. May be, as the greatest black nation on earth, it is time we started frequently issuing our editorial opinions on the maltreatment and violation of the rights of Blacks and other Minorities in America, and follow it up with threats to America’s interests in Nigeria and subregion. I am sure they will not like it.

Let us bear in mind that the INEC may be the statutory body empowered by the constitution to hold elections in Nigeria.

However, its touted independence is shackled by the fact that if the other stakeholders who have their roles to play in the exercise are not ready, INEC cannot proceed. INEC cannot push its ad hoc staff into any part of Nigeria unless their security is assured. Besides, INEC is not ready for the election because it has not properly trained its staff to handle the card readers. The Permanent Voters Card (PVC) distribution is shoddily handled.

The extension of time will give everybody the opportunity to prepare for a credible election. Prof.

Attahiru Jega’s INEC is usually the last to realise it is not prepared for its assignments. In 2011, we were in the middle of the nationwide National Assembly elections when Jega cancelled it.

The shift of the polls will not stop anyone who has decided to vote for any candidate or party from doing so. It will only strengthen resolves and give undecided voters more time.

Clearly this was not the type of result the outfit expected but we have no reason to disbelieve that, this was the actual situation on ground. Lovers of pounded yam will liken this to the pounded yam that is prepared in hiding: if it is smooth, it will not draw.

At their campaigns in many parts of the North, when PDP chieftains shouted the party slogan, they got the resounding response of Sei Buhari. To them, it was clear that the election had been won and lost.

These were foreshadowing for PDP’s return to the drawing board to begin to seek short-cuts to victory.

Jega has done the needful – assuring the people that the postponement is still within the legal framework for the elections. It is only left for the parties to turn the situation to advantage. After all, God has always shown himself as an ardent in rewarding those who diligently seek him.

We are not in a hurry to forget the initial outrage that greeted the INEC time-table, when it was thought that the placement of the presidential election first was intended to trigger a band-wagon effect for the ruling party. We have been justified in our advice then that the bandwagon effect could only go to parties that work hard.

Similarly, barring any clandestine motives, this shift in the election timetable could also be turned to advantage.

History will certainly judge each according to his deeds.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

By Chioma Obinna

T

HIS certainly is not the best of times for Nigerians in Indonesia as they are presently living in palpable fear said to have been fuelled by recent hostile actions of the government of that country which culminated in 21 Nigerians being condemned to death.

Irked by the development, relations, friends and wellwishers of the condemned men in Nigeria have during a protest cried out to the Federal Government to intervene urgently to save the lives of their loved ones, adding that delay to act could be dangerous as 2008 Nigerians have so far been killed in Indonesia.

These protesting Nigerians who stormed the Embassy of Indonesia in Lagos last week to condemn what they described as indiscriminate killing of Nigerians by the Indonesia government were ‘armed’ with placards some of which read: ‘Stop Indonesia from executing more Nigerians in Prison’, ‘Execution is not a solution’, End death penalty, Stop the killing of Nigerians in Indonesia Prison’, President Goodluck Jonathan do something to stop the killing,’ and ‘Don’t allow them to kill us like animals”.

Among the Nigerians on death row in Indonesia prison, according to a list made available to Vanguard Metro, VM, are Kingsley Okonkwo, Michael Titus Igwe, Izuchukwu Ezioha, Ekperedike S. Olekama, Adam Wilson, Hilary K. Chinezie, Eugene Ape, Humprey Ejike, Okwudil Ayotaeze, Obinna Nwajiagu, Fredrick Luther ( Benjamin Obiora) Sylvester Nwaolisa, Dennis Anumora and Ikenna Ezenweukwe.

Grave silence One Gabriel Nnadi died in prison, while another detainee, Daniel Enemon, was killed recently and buried Last week February 6, 2015 in Enugu.

Some of the protesters lamented what they described as injustice meted out to Nigerians and also accused the Nigerian government of maintaining grave silence on issues bordering on the lives of Nigerians. “What is most worrisome is that our embassy in Indonesia and the Federal Government have remained quiet about the wanton killing of Nigerians there,” Mr. Okey Samuel who alleged his brother, Mr. Joel Okoro was killed in 2008 lamented.

According to Samuel: “I am a living witness to the reckless killing of Nigerians in that country. In 2008 when my brother who was about to marry here in Nigeria was killed despite all the promises made by the embassy

*Placard-carrying protesters demanding that the lives of 21 Nigerians on death row in Indonesia be spared

21 NIGERIANS ON DEATH ROW:

Relations protest indiscriminate killings in Indonesia and the Nigerians government to intervene, nothing was done.

“We are not happy that our government is keeping quiet and allowing the Indonesian government to murder us like fowls.

“They are here in Nigerians walking freely. They said it to our face that they are killing Ni-

They are killing our men who do not deserve it; last time they killed so many people; today our men are in prison waiting to be killed

gerians because our government is weak. They tell us that we have no government,” Samuel alleged.

Addressing the protesters at the entrance of the Embassy of Indonesia in Lagos, Chairman, Asian Businessmen Association, ABMA, Mr. Athan Ezenwa Okedu, said the indiscriminate killing was no longer acceptable to Nigerians irrespective of the crime committed.

Okedu, who accused the Federal Government of being insensitive to the plight of Nigerians in Indonesia.

Apart from the 21 in death row, about 2008 Nigerians are said to have been executed in Indonesia. “The last time there was execution which involved a citizen of Holland and Brazil their embassies sent Indonesians in their country back; Nigeria did nothing. Why can’t they temper justice with mercy? After serving the sentence for their offence for some years, why can’t they bring them back to Nigeria to complete their prison terms.

“I am appealing to them to stop killing Nigerians because if they continue we will revolt. They have thousands of Indonesians here and nobody is killing them,” he stated.

He further advised Nigerians doing business in the country to stay away from crime and do genuine businesses to avoid indiscriminate killings of innocent Nigerians.

Also, the Chairman of Youth for Greater Nigerians, YGN, Dr. Paschal Okoli who led the protest said: “We are protesting today to let Nigerians and the whole world know what is happening to Nigerians in Indonesia. We are protesting against capital punishment that is being applied on our people.

Indiscriminate killings We are not supporting drug trafficking but unjust killing. We are appealing to the Federal Government to use every mechanism or level of department to intervene in this crisis to make the Indonesian government to stop the indiscriminate killings.

“Punishment can be done in various ways, not killing. They can replace this death sentence with clemency, prison transfer arrangement or bringing them home for a life in prison. Other governments are doing everything possible to protect their cit-

izens.

“We are appealing to the Federal Government and the Indonesia Government to stop the killings and spare the 21 Nigerians in their prison,” Dr Okoli said..

On his part, Honourable Ekwueme said Nigerians do not deserve the treatment they are getting in Indonesia. “They are killing our men who do not deserve it. Last time they killed so many people. Today our men are in prison waiting to be killed. We are not violent, we are peacefully begging and asking them to tender justice with mercy,” he submitted.

Corroborating their views, a popular artist who was also among the protesters, Benjamin Olarikpo a.k.a Ben 7, said: “Nigerians should stay away from crime both here and outside the country, particularly drug business. But there is need for our government to negotiate with the Indonesia government because death sentence is no longer fashionable,” he said.

Responding, Representative of Indonesia Embassy who received the protesters, Randolf Sahata, collected their appeal letter for onward submission to their embassy in Abuja.

Sahata assured them that the embassy would work with them in ensuring that Nigerians live peacefully in Indonesia.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 —21

VISIT: From left: Ahmed Rufai Mohammed, 2nd Vice President Institute of Director, Gwarzo, DG SEC and Chike Nwanze, Vice Chairman/CEO ICON Stockbrokers Limited during the visit of the of Directors to SEC in Abuja.

Oil industry rejects Nigerian certified seafarers

By Godfrey Bivbere

O

perators in the oil and gas sector are rejecting Nigerian certified seafarers in favour of foreign trained ones.

The Secretary of the Institute of Marine Science and Technology (IMarEST), Mr. Alex Peters, who disclosed this, said the action of the oil and gas industry operators is not only depriving Nigerian trained seafarers of employment opportunities but also contravenes the Cabotage Act. The IMarEST boss attributed the rejection of Nigerian seafarers to lack

$165.50

-2.10

$2,845.00

-22.00

$14.75

-0.06

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

$58.30

-0.04

$52.39

-5.25

CENTRAL

167 167.5 256.2114 256.9785 191.8043 191. 1673 180. 1316 181. 6709 1.4233 1.4276 0.2722 0.2822 236.4102 237.8232 26. 7426 26. 8232 44.4954 44.6286 25.6816 25.7585 236.6891 237. 3978

168 257.7456 192.3768 181.2102 1.4319 0.2922 237.8258 26.9037 44.7618 25.8354 238.1064

CBN Exchange Rate as at 11/2/15

Yes of course, they are breaching the Cabotage Act; you know that the Cabotage Act itself has been difficult to operate because a lot of the provisions in the Act cannot be fulfilled

of training standard and structure which expose the country’s sea men to the training standards of other countries.

He pointed out that even the training institutions in the country do not have a known structure, making it difficult to have a unified training programme.

According to him, “Britain has a structured training programme which is tailored to sooth its condition.

Philippine and South Korea have even India but Nigeria has none.

“We train cadets in Ghana, Germany, ,Philippine, and Malaysia, Britain and America, all sorts of places. They train them in their own standard, their system and when they come back home , we have a whole bunch of seafearers not trained in Nigerian standard because we do not have one.

“We spend a lot of money sending people to these places, may be we should have spent that money to upgrade the Nigeria Maritime Academy, MAN, Oron, strengthen the department of maritime safety and seafarers standard of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, strengthen it in such a way that we can set our own standard, so that we can structure our own programme and say this is what we want.

“If somebody comes in with a foreign certificate, and wants to get employed here, there must be an agreement between Nigeria and the country from which that seafarer got his certificate to ensure that the training acquired is in line with our own standard.

“If you bring an Indian ship to operate in Nigeria, Nigeria should not allow that Indian ship to operate in Nigeria unless there is a bilateral agreement between the two countries regarding seafarers training.”

On foreigners and foreign vessels operating on the nation’s waterways, Peters said, “Yes of course, they are breaching the Cabotage Act; you know that the Cabotage Act itself has been difficult to operate because a lot of the provisions in the Act cannot be fulfilled. For example, the Act stipulates that a ship doing the Cabotage trade must be built in Nigeria, must be crewed by Nigerians from top to bottom and so on and so forth but is there any ship building yard in Nigeria, no.”

Stock market loses N135bn as performance indicators drop for 3 days

By Peter Egwuatu

T

he Nigerian stock market performance indicators declined for the third day in a row, with investors losing N135 billion yesterday from equity trading.

The market capitalisation which represents the total value of equities in the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE closed yesterday at N9.583 trillion from N9.718 trillion the previous day (Tuesday).

In the same vein, another stock market indicator, the All share Index dropped by 1.39 per cent to close at 28,721.27 points from 29,125.69 points it closed the previous day Other performance indicators closed in the red - the Industrial index lost 2.40 per cent ,, the Banking index shed 1.04 per cent , and the Consumer Goods index depreciated by 0.56 per

cent.

Analysis of the gainers chart showed that Ashaka Cement Plc declined by 4.99 per cent to close at N18.28, followed by Dangote Cement dropping by 3.18 per cent to close at N152.00 per share.

WAPCO Cement declined by 2,35 percent to close N83.00 per share.

The top losers in the Banking sector were; UBA drooping 4.72 per cent to close at N3.03 per share , followed bv Skye Bank which shed N4.19 per cent to close at N1.83 per share. Other losers are GT Bank Plc which nosedived by 1.97 per cent , to close at N18.91; Sterling Bank Plc dipped by 1.28 per cent to close at N2.32 per share, First Bank Nigeria Holdings Plc declined by 0.43 per cent to close at N6.97 and Zenith Bank shed 0.37 per cent to close at N15.94 per share. · The Consumer Goods recorded poor performance due to the losses seen on Flourmill Nigeria Plc which dropped

by 4.98 per cent to close at N30.51), followed by Nascon with a loss by 4.97 per cent to close at N6.50. Other losers in the sub sector include: Dangote Sugar dropping by 4.90 per cent to close at N6.80 followed by Champion Breweries which nosedived by 4.87 per cent to close at N6.25. It was followed by Dangote Flour flour which dipped by 4.80 per cent to close at N3.97 per share, followed by UACN which plummeted by 2.67 per cent to close at N36.30 per share and Nigerian Breweries, NB declined by 0.15 per cent to close at N131.80 per share.

It was a solid day in terms of activity as the value traded amounted to an impressive N6.11 billion ($29.92 million). This was attributed to cross deals in the names like; NB: N2.37 billion ($11.61 million ), Nestle: N1.21 billion ($5.95 million), Zenith Bank : N685 million ($3.36 million), Access Bank: N391 million ($1.92 million).

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

,

You may decide to launch your campaign yourself without using a crowdfunding platform, though this is much more difficult

,

Running a successful crowdfunding campaign

By Ajaero Martins

C

rowdfunding is a collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually via the internet, to support a business or some other cause initiated by an individual or organization.

In other words, crowdfunding is an arrangement in which a “crowd” of people collectively raise the amount of money needed to support a project.

It is the newest creative source of financing. Following are steps to running a successful crowdfunding campaign: *Decide how much you want to raise and how you will use the money. Also, you must determine the number of days within which you can raise the amount you need. *Decide when you want to launch the project. You can set anytime you want, once you are ready. However, you need to think about anything that must be completed before your crowdfunding campaign can begin, and work this into the expected timescale. *Inform your team members about the campaign, so they can start getting involved and spreading the word. Campaigns (whether marketing, sales, fundraising, etc) are more successful when planned and executed alongside a team. You must let your team know the fund raising goal, the deadline involved and what is expected of them to make the campaign a success. *Package your sales pitch and emphasize your unique selling points. Your goal here is to convince people to part with their money to support your business project. So, let them know how much you need and where that money goes. *Arrange with key influential contacts and ask if they will support and share the project. This is key to driving the project early, and ensuring support prior to the project. If you can guarantee as many as possible supporters before the campaign starts, you have better chances of success. *Build social media following, and set up a blog if possible; long before the

launch of the campaign. This is one of the main factors that will influence potential contributors. Facebook and Twitter should be your main target social media platforms. *To ensure maximum support for your project, you need to create exciting rewards so unique that no one can get it unless they contribute to your business.

Above all, offer valuable rewards. *Register with an online crowdfunding service (such as Kickstarter or Seedrs) and start posting your campaign.

You need to add a short description that hooks people and develops their interest in your business.

You will also need to add a long description that explains what your offer is all

Campaigns are more successful when planned and executed alongside a team

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (10/02/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

167

167.5

168

254.0404 188.3593 180.4235 1.4035 0.2688 235.3882 26.7555 44.5072 25.2969 235.0692

254.801 188.9233 180.9637 1.4077 0.2788

255.5616 189.4872 181.5039 1.4119 0.2888

236.0929

236.7977

26.836 44.6405 25.3726 235.773

26.9166 44.7737 25.4484 236.4768

** Ajaero is CEO of Firefly Technologies and a business blogger

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Why small businesses fail

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

about and why people should support your business.

In addition, you will need to add links to your website, blog, and social media channels as well as pictures and videos that will illustrate your business concept more clearly. The information required varies among crowdfunding services. But you should try to fill every field with the most appropriate information. *Launch your campaign preferably with a launch party - and announce the launch on social media, your blog, other blogs, and other communication channels you can access. *Keep spreading word about your campaign as much as you can. You can never do this enough. Even if all your followers don’t contribute their money, you will still have them as ambassadors.

Selling(N)

I

t is the dream of every entrepreneur to build a successful business.

But studies have shown that 99 percent of all new business ventures fail within the first ten years. The question is why do small businesses fail? And what can you do to avoid failing in business?

According to Boune T. Pickens. Jr., “There are no disasters in business that you can’t avoid if you see them coming and make the adjustments.” The following highlights major reasons why small businesses fail and addressing them appropriately can serve as shield against business failure.

Lack of managerial skill Building a business without the necessary managerial skill in place is a futile adventure.

An entrepreneur that wants to succeed must be able to effectively handle the employees, cash flow, production line and so on;

or better still; the business owner must be able to hire a good manager to run the business.

Wrong decisions “Before making an important decision, get as much as you can of the best information available and review it carefully, analyze it and draw up worst case scenarios. Add up the plus or minus factors, discuss it with your team and do what your guts tell you to do.” – The Mafia Manager.

Whenever you have decided on an action to be implemented on your business, consider asking friends, business partners and professionals for advice. It is going to save you the stress of cleaning up the mess resulting from wrong business decision taken.

Harsh fiscal, economic and monetary policy As an entrepreneur, you must be on guard to shield your business against the ever changing government fiscal and monetary policies. Since you cannot influence or alter government’s decisions, you must be ever prepared to swiftly adjust your business to prevent it from being hit by the

adverse effect of unfavorable government policies.

“How fast a company can respond in an emergency is a measure of its corporate reflexes” – Bill Gates Inability to move with trend and changing technology Change is constant, so it is either you align your business with the trend and ride to the top or you remain stagnant and eventually fold up. You also need to constantly upgrade your technological strengths as swiftly as possible. As an entrepreneur, you must be on your toes sniffing the air for available

When a business is owed much as a result of free credit to customers, it is bound to fail

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 23

,

With the challenges businesses are facing today, it will be more difficult to grow profitability by serving the customers with the basis

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (11/02/15) Last 48.83

Change ($) -1.19

% Change -2.38

2.81

+0.14

+5.04

14.78

+0.07

+0.48

160.35

+0.95

+0.60

2,865.00

+2.00

+0.07

trends and new technologies you can take advantage of.

Remember, trend is your friend, not your enemy.

“Your greatest and most powerful business survival strategy is going to be the speed at which you handle the speed of change. That speed of change is trend” – Ajaero Tony Martins Weak management This is the fundamental reason why small businesses fail to survive. A standing rule in the business world is this: “The success or failure rate of any business is directly proportional to the strength and level of professionalism of the management.”

From the first day of business, a very strong management is needed to ensure the survival of the business. You might say employing professionals such as attorneys and accountant is very expensive but they will do your business good in the long run. Better still, you can consider bringing in these professionals as partners. By applying this method, you will not pay them salaries while employing their services but they will share in the profit of the business.

It is a win-win situation. No matter what tactic you wish to apply, ensure you have a strong management strategy.

Fierce competition Most small business owners are afraid of competition because many profitable ventures have been forced to shut down due to fierce competition. Even if you are the inventor of an idea, that will not stop competitors from coming in. Keep an eye on your competitors, utilize every available innovative idea and make your customers happy. You can also implement some of the best protective firewalls to keep your competitors at bay. These are: Trademarks, Patents and Copyrights.

“In business, the competition will bite you if you keep running. If you stand still, they will swallow you” – Victor Kiam Wrong location The location of a business is such an important factor that can never be over emphasized. If your business is located in an interior area than your competitor’s, you are bound to fail. Factors to consider when choosing a business location are road network, nearness to high traffic zone, accessibility and patronage level of customers, population, demographics and so on.

Imagine a business that sells motivational books located in brothel. You can expect nothing but outright failure.

Bad debt When a business is owed much as a result of free credit line to customers, it is bound to fail. One key role of an entrepreneur is to keep an eagle eye on the cash flow.

Since a business must never be short of cash and customers too must be kept loyal, the business owner must establish a certain credit limit and a fixed time from date of purchase to pay up.

Insufficient capital Raising capital is the primary duty of an entrepreneur because cash flow is the life blood of business. Insufficient capital can kill even the most profitable business. In a case where there is insufficient capital and the business is finding it difficult to access funds from bank and investors; the entrepreneur must resolve to bootstrap financing, which is working with the limited cash, eliminating unnecessary expenses, establishing a credit line from suppliers and producing only on demand to avoid tying up resources.

Culled:Mytopbusinessideas.com

,

How big your organisation is doesn't really matter By ‘Uju Onwuzulike “Nobody can do everything, but everyone can do something”…Anonymous

W

hen you ask your colleagues or employees if they desire more pay or salary increase, you are likely to get a resounding yes. As an employee, is it wrong to desire an increase in salary?

No, it is not wrong. The same goes to the CEOs and executives in organisations, they want improved profitability. The catalyst that will propel both the needs of employees and executives (that is seeking for more money or increased profitability) is not by mere wishing. It is not by having a compelling vision statement; it is not by wishful thinking, it is not by trying to outdo your competitor or investing so much in transformation.

The catalyst is propelled when every employee decides to go the extra mile for the customers and for the organisation.

During one of the trainings I had for an Engineering firm, an employee said to me, Sir, but I do my work very well, that means that I have gone the extra mile. I responded to him by saying No, you have not gone the extra mile for your organisation. You have just done the basis - the least that is expected of you.

The confusion here is that some employees think that doing their assignments or task well means that they are going the extra mile. At the first instance, employees were employed to do their assignments well. When you do as a staff, you have just achieved an average mark.

The danger here is that no organisation can achieve sterling results with just an average performance. They will end up having average or less than average results and this will not bring the desired increase in pay that employees want or the increased profitability that executives want. Then who is to be blamed? The real growth comes when expectations are exceeded and not when an average or

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE basic results are met.

Going the extra mile means doing more than is required from you. It starts when you decide to make a difference in your workplace. Over the years, I have been a proponent of the following : don’t just do what you do, don’t just go to work, don’t just serve customers, but make a difference while doing what you do, while working for your organisation, and finally while serving the customer.

With the challenges businesses are facing today, it will be more difficult to grow profitability by serving the customers with the basis. The customers need more than that, and any organisation that can give them more will be their preferred. Spending time and resources to win customers over is one, going the extra for them and making a difference in their lives take the business to the next level.

The true life story of my friend is an example of what going the extra mile can do for an organisation. Despite being an operation staff in a

To have enduring results across board, employees should always focus on doing more for the customer

bank, he went all out to talk to someone that his CEO was not able to win over to the bank. He knew the customer one on one. In less than ten minutes discussions with the prospect, he won the customer over to the bank.

Remember, the CEO tried to win him over but did not succeed, but someone who was not a marketer but went the extra was able to achieve what the CEO could not achieve. What my friend did was a clear example of what we can do individually to help our organisations achieve its goals. The good news is that we are not expected to do everything, but we are expected to do something in a different way - that makes the difference!

Points to ponder: We do not have the growth of our organisation in mind when we have the power to bring more business or introduce better ways of doing things - but simply because we were not in the department responsible for those things we decide to bury our contributions.

We should not just do things for the customers for doing sake; we MUST make a difference while serving all the time.

What did you do last week to make a difference for your organisation? All employees should have at least threefour activities that will make a difference for the customers on weekly basis.

To have enduring results across board, employees should always focus on doing more for the customer.

Going the extra mile is always less stressful but comes after a decision to make a difference in all you do.

Final note: As employees, below average or average appraisal ratings may not make one exceptional (and usually may not bring promotion).

When we have “exceed expectation ratings” even before the promotions or the rewards, we are happy for ourselves. Organisations are also happy when they exceed their growth target. But exceeding one’s target comes with a price – doing more than is required from you. When you do, you will be happy with yourself and you will be celebrated.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Stories by Babajide Komolafe

From left: The Group Head, Communications and CSR of First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Uchenna Mojekwu; the Chief Executive Officer of House of Tara International, Tara Fela-Durotoye and the Commercial Director of the Company, Ada Iwugo, at the launch of a women economic empowerment initiative tagged, “Beauty Business On the Go” organised by House of Tara and supported by FCMB. The event took place on February 6, 2014 in Lagos.

D

ollar supply from two oil firms yesterday saved the naira from another sharp depreciation in the interbank market Vanguard investigations showedthat prior to the sale of dollars by Shell Petroleum and Total Petroleum, the naira was trading at N205 to the dollar in the interbank market. The dollar sale however halted the trend, prompting the interbank exchange rate to drop to N200.15 per dollar, representing five (5) kobo depreciation, when compared with the closing rate of N200.10 on Tuesday. Consequently, the naira has depreciated by N6.35 kobo at the interbank market from Monday to yesterday.

The depreciation according to dealers was due to lack of dollars in the market, a situation aggravated by inability of CBN to meet demand at the biweekly official dollar auction (Retail Dutch Auction System).

“The CBN has not been meeting demand at RDAS. A lot of people are losing their bids for foreign exchange, and they resubmit the bids but to no avail. Some of the failed bids spill over into interbank market, but there is no dollar to meet these demands”, said a senior foreign exchange dealer, with one of the tier 2 banks.

According to Kunle Ezun, a currency analyst, in addition to shortage of supply, a lot of foreign exchange Forward contract are maturing and their volume is significant. The CBN had to sell dollars to honour these maturing contracts, and this would affect the amount of dollars available at RDAS. A Foreign exchange analyst who spoke on condition of anonymity said that the reality is that the naira is in free fall and there is nothing the CBN can do about it. “The naira has only one direction now, and it is downward. The postponement of the election has heightened

Naira stabilises at N200/$ as oil firms boost dollar supply fears about the economy, and the fate of the naira. This is what people are trading. The postponement of the election is not good for the economy, and the authorities should have taken this into consideration.

The solution according to Bismark Rewane, Chief Executive Officer of Financial Derivatives Company Limited, is for the CBN to further devalue the naira to N195 per dollar.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard yesterday he said, “We don’t have the luxury of timing anymore. We have to do the right thing now. And the right thing to do is to actually reduce the amount of uncertainty, and therefore the nervousness, the jittery and the panic. We have moved from a situation where we had the lux-

ury to pick our choices to where our choices are now picking us.

And the question is that we now need to bite the bullet.

When you bite the bullet, the market will correct it. That is, if you move the currency to as

irst City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, has partnered with House of Tara International to launch an economic empowerment initiative for women known as the Beauty Business On the Go (BBOG). The initiative is aimed at empowering women to become entrepreneurs so as to enable them realise their aspirations through the solid platform provided by the project.

This is in line with one of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) focal areas of the Bank and its value as a helpful financial institution. House of Tara International is a well-known

Nigerian-based beauty brand and make-up school.

In a statement, FCMB and House of Tara explained that the BBOG initiative involves the recruitment and empowering of 5,000 women to become beauty representatives. As beauty representatives, they will be selling multiple beauty brands as a part time or full time business thereby creating job opportunities for themselves. The representatives will be offered trainings, finance, marketing support and other skills necessary to grow their business.

The statement added that the project will be executed nation-

everybody will absorb it and when they absorb it, we will now have to deal with how to make the forward adjustment which is an appreciation of the naira that will come after devaluation.”

CBN prescribes $10,000 capital base for banks in FTZ T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has prescribed minimum capital base of $10,000 for banks seeking license to operate in any of the free trade zones (FTZ) in the country.

This was one of the highlights of the exposure draft of the guidelines for banking operations in free trade zones intro-

FCMB, House of Tara introduce women empowerment initiative

F

much as a fair value, then the amount of naira available to everybody to buy the dollars will be reduced and naturally the naira will appreciate in the long run. But in the short run, there will be devaluation and

wide and entrepreneurship trainings will be held in select cities across the country. These are Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, Enugu, Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan, Ilorin and Abuja. The project is targeted at professionals in the beauty industry, existing beauty representatives, make-up artists, housewives, unemployed graduates, students and others interested in building a career in the growing beauty industry. In the course of the project, there will be regular conferences and special award nights where the best beauty representatives will be rewarded.

duced by the CBN yesterday.

The guidelines among other things banned such banks from accessing foreign exchange through the official foreign exchange market, and restricted their operations to the FTZ for wherein they are licensed to operate.

According to the apex bank, “The objectives of these Guidelines are to complement and enhance the provisions of the Free trade zones (FTZs) Acts; Provide details of regulatory and supervisory requirements necessary to promote efficient and sustainable banking services in Nigeria s FTZs; Spell out details of permissible and prohibited activities of banks in Nigeria s FTZs; Pro-

For the avoidance of doubt, any license issued under these Guidelines shall be valid only for the FTZ in respect of which it is issued

vide details of incentives available to banks in Nigeria s FTZs. “The required minimum paidup capital to operate in a FTZ of Nigeria shall be US$10 million or such other amount as the CBN may from time to time prescribe. In addition, a bank in the FTZ shall meet all the prudential requirements as may be specified from time to time by the CBN. For the avoidance of doubt, any license issued under these Guidelines shall be valid only for the FTZ in respect of which it is issued.

“Pursuant to the relevant provisions of the Free trade zones Acts, a bank operating in Nigeria s FTZ shall enjoy the following incentives: Freedom to move funds in and out of the zone on all eligible transactions; Exemption from stamp duties on all its documents; Exemption from withholding tax deductions on interest payable on deposits, dividends and royalties; Exemption from corporate and capital gains taxes; Exemption from payment of duties on imports of furniture, office equipment and other facilities necessary for its operations; and any other incentives as may be approved by the Authority, from time to time”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 25

Third from left: Chairman, Board of Governors, Olashore International School, Mr Abimbola Olashore, Mr Derek Smith, Principal/Chief Executive Officer, Olashore International School, Mrs Imem .R, Students Affairs Administrator, Olashore Internation School and other executives during a facility tour on the school campus at Iloko-Ijesa, Osun.

Nigerian schools are comparable with average UK's — Briton

By Dayo Adesulu

I

T isdishearting that the way the average Nigerian evaluates the education sector is quite different from the perception of many foreigners.

Mr Derek Smith, a Briton and an expatriate in Olashore School, Iloko-Ijesa, Osun State, who had taught in the United Kingdom and other parts of the world, has stated that a significant number of schools in the UK are worse than those in Nigeria in terms of academic performance, behaviour and facilities.

“The truth is this, I have taught in the UK and I can tell you, a significant number of schools in the UK are worse than schools here in Nigeria in terms of performance, behaviour and facilities.”

Speaking with selected journalists during a facility tour at Olashore Interna-

NAICOM extends funding to varsities with sellable programme Pg. 26

Universities Face Their Toughest Year In Nigerian History – 2 Pg. 28 C M Y K

tional School, Smith said: “This concept that everything is perfect somewhere, everything is not perfect anywhere. If you look at the schools in Nigeria, take a look at their results, they are comparable with average schools in the UK.”According to him, just as everything is not rosy in Nigeria, certainly everything is not rosy too in the UK. Mr Smith who is the Principal and Chief Executive Officer of Olashore International School noted that there are good schools in Nigeria just as in the UK. “I was with the Head of Cambridge International Exams recently for Sub Sahara Africa and we were discussing some of the issues in the UK education system. One of the significant issues in UK is government interference in education,” he added.

He posited: “I am not saying we should not look at the UK to see what

can be done well, but my view is that you look at places where things are being done well and you integrate them.

I would not suggest copying the UK model of education for the whole country is the solution because there are a lot of problems with the UK education

Private sector is a key part of a well structured education system in a country

system. Every child can be good; it does not matter where you come from. Either from Africa or China or anywhere, it does not matter.”

He explained that there have been improvements but there are also many things to be improved on. He maintained that In any country that is expanding its education like Nigeria, private institutions must be supported and should be seen as factors for expansion.

Smith who described the effort of any government which assist private institutions, as gesture in right direction, noted that is what is happening everywhere, the world over. According to him, even in the United States, the government has to link with private institutions to boost the education sector.

His words: “The history of the development of education anywhere in the world will be incomplete without talkContinues on page 26

Educationist lists factors that can galvanise education

By Dayo Adesulu

A

FRICAN children need a platform to place them on the same level with their counterparts abroad. This was the position of Greensprings School’s Director Mrs Lai Koiki at the eve of the school’s 40th anniversary held in the school boardroom.

She stated that if the Nigerian education sector must compete

globally, things need to be put right; “Nothing good and lasting comes easy, it takes focus and passion".

Feeding questions from journalists before the anniversary, she said the education sector needs to be revamped to get the best from schools. She advised that those vested with the responsibility of inspecting schools for approval must look to the 21st century equipment that are useful to students.

She expressed displeasure at situations where representatives of government agencies who approve

schools ask for school typewriters as one of the requirements when the school already has computers. “There is a problem if the regulators of schools do not know what they are doing.

"The inability of our educational administrators to regulate and supervise schools effectively is another problem.

Ten percent of pupils in Nigeria are in private schools, while 90 percent are in public schools and they are not getting the education."

Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Don tasks govt on active education goals

By Tare Youdeowei

T

Cross section of students of Olashore International School during one of their weekly musical training on campus.

Nigerian schools are comparable with average UK's Continues from page 25 ing about the private sector. Private sector is a key part of a well structured education system in a country. I don’t think you will find any country in the world except the communists that do not have private schools. They are there as a model, they set a standard and they also provide opportunity.

I believe in private enterprise, if you don’t have private enterprise, I don’t believe your country is going to grow."

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman, Board of Governors, Olashore International School, Abimbola Olashore said that as a country, we have not actually defined what we want our educational sector to look like. He said over the years Nigeria as a

country keeps experimenting.

He asked: “Are we sure the education we are giving to students can make them graduates that can cope with the Nigeria that is to come? The world is changing rapidly; are we sure our education sector can deliver?”

Academic standard He said, since Olashore School has proven over two decades to have maintained academic standard, it will proceed on the leadership training which according to him is lacking in the country. The Chairman who said he feels there is a leadership deficit in this country added that schools must take

it up as a specific area to develop.

His words: “One thing we did is that we introduced tests for our teachers. We want to know how familiar you are with IT development. When we get new teachers, we ask them, are you sure you are going to be able to keep up with the new skills and fresh developments? We want to introduce our teachers to the latest technology. We will start from the top down, from the teachers and then to the students. There are some basic things in this school that we follow. We believe in our rules and we do not bend them. We want to look for people that can cope, and we have being lucky.’’

RUTH and absolute truth resides in God”.

This was the conclusion of Professor Ademola Tayo as he challenged government to actively promote national educational goals. Professor Tayo who delivered the second inaugural lecture of Babcock University on Thursday harped on the need for a committed and consistent harmonization of national educational goals with the nation’s philosophy of education.

In his lecture entitled “the truth about truth: post modernism and its epistemological implications for Christian education”, Professor Tayo noted that though there were several theoretical shifts in the thinking of scientists, philosophers and theologians on the subject matter, the views of Plato and Aristotle are the two dominant competing epistemological views for two millennia.

Regardless of the various cerebral postulations of philosophers across the ages,

NAICOM extends funding to universities with sellable programme

By Favour Nnabugwu

Educationist lists factors that can galvanise T education Continues from page 25 Koiki who charged school owners and government to go for expatriates to manage schools said there is a lot we can learn from them.

"Though we have a lot of gifted people in Nigeria, there are a lot of talents that need nurturing among them. Training and retraining of teachers will bring out the best for students. Some of the trainings for teachers could be done in-house through knowledgeable expatriates."

Mrs Koiki who has been appointed Board Member of Accreditation International , an organization that accredits schools world over.

She said, “If our teachers are well trained, we may not have need to go outside the country to look for teachers.

Fundamentally, the Colleges of Education have to improve their training on the would be teachers who will bring about change. The way they are being taught has to change. We have to learn new things. Those that are training these teachers must

know the needs of the children of the future. We can learn from educational systems around and effect changes where necessary.”

If you have a sixyear-old child and you give him a phone, and he knows what to do with the phone, the way such child should be educated should be different

The Director who sited Singapore as an example of how public schools should look like said; "There, public schools are just like private schools and their students do so well. There is really private schools there as there is no need for parents to patronise private schools."

On the need to allow dynamism in educating students, Koiki maintained that the educational system has to change.

She explained: “If you have a six-year-old child and you give him a phone, and he knows what to do with the phone, the way such child should be educated should be different. We need to ensure that the teachers placed over these students are able to teach in a way that will bring out the best in them.

When you teach, you must be able to ask questions that will bring out some things inside of them, but when teachers cannot do that, there is a problem."

Professor Tayo noted that the Bible remained the only source of truth and most essential epistemological authority for Christians.

He pointed out that while Christian educators say there are other sources of truth apart from the Bible, they affirmed that other sources of truth must, however, be tested and verified in the light of scripture that is all God’s truth.

Dwelling on the implications of postmodernism to Christian education, he said postmodernists insist on tolerance, justice and democracy as moral values to judge the existing society rather than absolute truth.

Professor Tayo advised the Nigerian government to actively promote national educational goals, which are derived from Nigeria’s philosophy of education.

He urged Babcock and other Christian institutions to further increase the tempo of integrating faith with learning in every aspect of social life Continues on page 29

HE National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has said it is determined to fund Nigerian universities with sellable programmes as it presently partners six varsities from the geo-political zones.

NAICOM has also sponsored two PhD undergraduates to study Risk Management and Insurance in Utara University, Malaysia.

Section 19c of NAICOM Act 1997 stipulates that the regulatory body must spend a portion of its resources to empower educational institution offering insurance in the country.

For instance, the Commission spent N93 million to set up a digital centre for Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria while five other varsities are currently receiving funding including the Lagos State University, LASU. Commissioner for Insurance, Mr. Fola Daniel, confirmed in Benin, Edo State, that one of the responsibilities of the Commission is to empower educational institutions in the country that are offering insurance.

He said the gesture is also to fulfill government’s quest to deepen insurance penetration, acceptance and awareness in Nigeria.

The Commissioner admitted

that the Insurance Faculty at the ABU is one of the oldest faculties that has churned out many graduates that are now employees of NAICOM. He said the aim of the Commission was not only to provide infrastructure but also an enabling environment for pursuance of academic excellence in insurance.

Daniel assures that NAICOM has the resources, willingness and support of its Governing Board to continue to fund the worthy projects of tertiary institutions as the Commission’s decision to collaborate with ABU is tandem with President Goodluck Jonathan’s vision to boost financial literacy.

He explained that the Commission will continue to provide a platform for better academic environment for the insurance students in tertiary institutions.

According to him, “It is a fulfillment of our constitutional provision and also in line with the support of the President’s transformation agenda. We are not done with ABU; we are ready to appropriate more money in 2015 to any other project that is being executed by the ABU. I want to assure you that we are going to give the institution the maximum cooperation that it needs.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 27

OAU matriculates online students

By Dotun Ibiwoye

O

From left: Winners, Ese Odiete and Nasir Yammama, Andrew Pocock (British High Commissioner to Nigeria), Rachel Coffey,Country Manager, Virgin Atlantic Airways, Sola Oladipo, Executive Director, Zenith Bank.

Winners of Enterprise Challenge emerge

By Dayo Adesulu

T

HE duo of Mr Nasir Yammama and Miss Ese Odiete, both 24, have finally emerged winners of the British Council Enterprise challenge organised by Virgin Atlantic and Zenith Bank to boost entrepreneurial skills among Nigerian youths. The winners were unveiled at Eko Hotel and suites, Lagos.

The Enterprise Challenge is an online contest anchored by the British Council, in partnership with Virgin Atlantic Airways and Zenith Bank launched in 2014 seeking to give young, brilliant entrepreneurial minds the opportunity to further develop their skills for future development.

Nasir and Odiete smiled home with N1,500,000 to strengthen their businesses.

Meanwhile, from the over two thousand entries from Nigerians, a total of ten finalists battled for the top two spots where Eseoghene Odiete and Nasir Yammama won the star prizes. Nasir is a Nigerian based in the UK while Ese resides in Nigeria.

Eseoghene is an award winning young female entrepreneur and the brain behind Hesey Designs (an African inspired accessories label). Just as Nasir, a creative technologist who developed an agricultural mobile application to help farmers in their business. These were the entrepreneurial skills that turned the duo to millionaires.

However, not only were the winners given cash prizes of one million Naira each to either support an already existing business or develop a business idea, an opportunity was

granted them to attend a five day entrepreneurship course at the Branson Centre for Entrepreneurship in South Africa.

In deciding the winners, Louisa Waddingham, Director of Programmes, British Council said: “It is a open and fair competition open to people who wrote and submit essays.

Candidates have to submit video and undergo interviews conducted by experts. We look at the creativity and presentation in the essays and video. We also look at their concept to Nigeria situation.

We look out to those who have the prospects of being successful as young people.”

Thus far we are satisfied with the two winners that emerged, because both concepts will help Nigeria to grow in their GDP.”

‘How I further education through varsity Roehampton online’

By Dayo Adesulu

T

HE growing reputation of online learning has fuelled its expansion in the past few years, with evidence mounting that this mode of learning is just as effective as that of the traditional classroom.

For working professionals such as London-based Nigerian, Folakemi Abraham, online learning offers a flexible model, allowing her to progress with her study while continuing to run her business.

Abraham is a mother, wife and businesswoman who owns and runs travel agencies in Nigeria and London. She sought a postgraduate degree to gain the necessary knowledge and leadership skills to expand and better manage her travel business.

However, due to her o ligations

to both the business and her family, obtaining a masters degree in a traditional learning environment was not a viable option.

Instead, Abraham enrolled for an online programme at the University of Roehampton, London. The UK-based University has been providing quality education through its colleges for more than 170 years and continues its tradition of excellence by providing working professionals around the world with access to highquality online masters degree programmes at an affordable price.

Abraham chose the University’s online Master of Business Administration (MBA) programme, which is designed to provide students with the vital business

fundamentals and leadership skills that they need to advance in today ’s competitive global workplace.

According to Abraham, the flexibility of the University’s MBA programme allowed her to tailor her schedule to best fit into her business and personal life.

“The flexibility I’ve found at the University of Roehampton Online is fantastic. It’s different from going into a classroom, where I switch off my phone and nobody can have access to me. It doesn’t affect my family life. I still have time for my children and my husband. If one of my children says, ‘Mom, we need your attention,’ I just put my laptop aside and give them attention.

My MBA coursework doesn’t affect my job in any way.

bafemi Awolowo University’s Center for Distance Learning (OAUCDL), which has eLearning solution that allows students to receive lectures, submit assignments, participate in group discussions and get graded without being physically present, has matriculated its first set of online students.

Speaking at the event, the Vice-Chancellor, OAU, Prof.

Bamitale Omole said: “Being the first set of students in our eLearning programme, the first of its kind in Nigeria, is a big honour. I want to assure you that your distance learning mode of admission does not in any way imply inferiority in status, compared to our conventional students, either in terms of lecture delivery or the certificates you receive at the end of your programmes.

He said OAUCDL is the first of its kind in Nigeria and has replicated the classroom experience on a tablet device for students.

The OAUCDL Online Distance Learning programme is accredited by the National Universities Commission (NUC) and allows students to receive their lectures online using a customized study tablet (Vigitab).

“Our university guards jealously the integrity of its degrees and diplomas whether obtained in the conventional or distance learning mode. Hence your various curricula have gone through the usual high standards of excellence of the University Senate for which OAU is well known. Our primary charge at OAUCDL is to provide quality education to the teeming number of Nigerian youths who possess the prerequisite qualifications for entry to Nigerian universities but are denied admission owing to inadequate facilities on campus and the working class who are desirous of pursuing undergraduate and post-graduate programmes whilst still retaining their jobs,” he said.

UNN: Students elect new SUG executives

By Kelechukwu Iruoma, James Ojo, Izukanne Dorathy & Gideon Arinze

C

ONSIDERING the relevance of student unionism to the growth of any academic institution, the University of Nigeria, Nsukka has gone to the poll to elect new executive members of the Student Union Government of the institution.

The election which was held at Ekpo Convocation Arena of the university trailed excitements, reactions and expectations over the conduct of the election which saw Orji Peter Ekene popularly known as Pedro, a 400-Level student of Veterinary Medicine emerge as the newly elected president of the union.

The results of the election which were announced at the Students Affairs Department by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka’s Electoral Commission (UNECO) saw Orji Peter Ekene emerged the President with a victory polling 1289 votes to defeat his closest rivals Ejike Celestine

To a large extent, I would say it was a free and fair election, at least, those who had voted had their votes actually counted

Amaechi, of Biochemistry who polled 966 votes, Nwancha Precious who had 951 votes and Eze Stanley with 805 votes.

In other elections conducted, Nebo Joy Chinaza emerged the Vice-President, Onah Chibuzo emerged the Secretary General, Ezea Sunday as Assistant Secretary General, Okeke Chibueze as Director of Transport. Also, Anyanwu Maximus emerged as Director of Information, Ugwu Orji Henry as Director of Socials, Chinonye Noble as Director of Welfare, among others.

Following the announcement of the results, some students who could not hide their feelings expressed their excitement, reactions to the conduct of the election. An electoral official who identified himself as George Ugwu asserted that the election went on a smooth ride as he had not observed any misconduct during the election.

According to Ugwu Chidi, “to a large extent, I would say it was a free and fair election.” Adding, “At least, those who had voted had their votes actually counted.”

He, however, decried the low turnout of students for the election and suggested that students need to be enlightened on the need to come out and vote their candidates into offices as it is very important for their welfare and well-being.

In an interview, the newly elected SUG President Orji Peter Ekene, reiterated his commitment to promote students’ welfare, adding that his administration is bent on improving the standard and living conditions of students.

According to him, “I will come in with a lot of transportation agenda which entails improving the University ’s transportation network.

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

$1m Hult Prize: AUN advances to regional finals

By Ebele Orakpo

O

N March 13 and 14, Nigeria's sole representatives at the Hult Prize regional final competitions in Dubai, United Arab Emirate,American University of Nigeria (AUN), will be competing for $1,000,000 prize in startup funding, .

The AUN team made up of Hafsat Adamu, Blessing Douglas and Lucy Okonkwo advanced to the regional finals of the 6th annual Hult Prize, from among over 4,000 applications from over 500 colleges and universities in over 150 countries.

AUN’s President Margee Ensign ascribed the feat to the university’s “development mission and commitment to fostering development in our region and the continent, together with the students’ strong, longstanding record of academic excellence and community engagement.”

Fardeen Dodo, an instructor in Business & Entrepreneurship and coach

of last year ’s team, said: “Besides the competition, students will benefit from several workshops, networking, and entrepreneurial learning events run by a number of professionals and trail-blazing global experts.

The competition is a demonstration of how far our students are ready to go, to action up our vision of development and commitment to addressing the social challenges that confront Nigeria and Africa at large.”

The 2015 Hult Prize will focus on building start-ups that provide sustainable, high quality, and early education solutions to 10 million children under the age of six in urban slums and beyond by 2020. This year’s challenge was selected

by President Bill Clinton, who said, “the Hult Prize is about more than the solution to the problem; it’s about how the world has to work in the 21st Century.”

In partnership with President Bill Clinton and the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), the

program aims to solve the planet’s most pressing challenges. Student teams compete in six cities around the world for a chance to secure the prize money meant to launch a sustainable social venture.

Ahmad Ashkar, CEO/ Founder of Hult Prize Foundation said: ”Servicing the world’s poorest through profitable and sustainable enterprise is not just good for the world; it’s great business.

Our pioneering platform builds ecosystems by leveraging crowd and we couldn’t be happier that the AUN will be joining our mission with their participation in the 6th annual Hult Prize.”

Following the regional finals taking place in Boston, San Francisco, London, Dubai, and Shanghai, one winning team from each host city will move into a summer business incubator, where participants will receive mentorship, advisory, and strategic planning training as they create prototypes and set-up to launch their new social business.

Elections: OAU students, NYSC members fight over INEC jobs

By Amaka Abayomi, with agency reports

I

t was almost a bloody affair at the Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, last Saturday, when some students of the institution and serving members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) fought over the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad-hoc staff jobs.

According to an executive member of the OAU Student Representative Council, Akhigbe Excel, trouble started when the students were barred from joining the corps members in the training, despite the fact that they were shortlisted for

same.

“INEC officials refused to allow OAU students to participate on the training after they were shortlisted for the ad-hock jobs.

Even when the students asked they be allowed to join the youth corpers for the training, INEC officials insisted they were working with quota given to them.

“The students insisted that until they are allowed the training would not hold and before we knew what was happening, mobile policemen were drafted to the scene to douse the tension.”

“Trouble started when the students discovered that the corp members were writing their names to start the training.

Though the policemen shot into the air but the students refused to be scared.”

Akhigbe said the students were betrayed by INEC, especially having gone through a rigorous process to get shortlisted for the job which they are now being denied of.

Explaining further, the student leader said “students from Nigerian tertiary institution were asked to register online, which OAU students did. Some of the students have spent a lot of money as they were asked to submit their original JAMB and had to travel to Osogbo to submit the other forms.” It took the intervention of the DPO and the Area Commander of lfe to calm the students down.

By Naomi Uzor

Universities face their toughest year in Nigerian history (2) “Jonathan established universities since 2010 in Nigeria…..

L

AST week, this series ended with some of the similarities between the consequences for universities of the sharp drop in crude oil prices in the 1980s, it also identified some of the victims of the national economic decline – mainly the authorities of the universities including the Visitors, Chancellors etc. It was indicative, not exhaustive of the upheavals that occur on university campuses each and every time nations face this test.

Whoever emerges as the President of Nigeria, as well as the unfortunate “Executive” Governors of states, better prepare themselves for their own versions of the battle with our universities. Let us now consider the differences which might make the impending confrontations unprecedented and more disruptive in many respects.

First, in the 1980s, there were exactly eight Federal and six state universities. There were no private universities. Today, Nigeria lays claim to nothing less than forty two Federal, thirty four state and forty eight private universities.

President Jonathan, who in the last five years, as crude oil prices went through the roof, established more universities during the same period than any other Head of State, certainly, could not have embarked on that expansion project if he ever knew that crude oil would be selling at $45 per barrel today. By the same token, some of the states of Nigeria, which had established their own universities, sometimes on a grand scale, would probably have not ventured into it.

Proliferation of private

UNILAG emerges winner in ANUBC

T

HE University of Lagos, represented by the duo of Nathan Odiase and Temitope Ojelade, has emerged winners of the 2nd All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship.

The competition, which came to an end on Thursday, January 29, 2014 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of University of Lagos, started on Saturday, January 24, 2015 at the Julius Berger Hall of the University.

University of Calabar emerged second while Imo State University got third position at the end of the competition which featured a total of seventeen varsities including the host, UNILAG. Speaking at the closing ceremony, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, Professor Rahamon Bello FAEng; expressed appreciation to all participants in the competition. His words, “There are over 200 institutions and for us to have 17 varsities shows that C M Y K

you people are the best and I want you to count yourselves lucky.”

In a brief remark at the event, the Dean, Students’ Affairs Division, Professor Tunde Babawale expressed pride and joy that UNILAG hosted and won the 2nd All Nigerian Universities Debating Championship. He noted that the Championship provided a platform for UNILAG students to sharpen their skills within the limited available resources.

Similarly, Barrister Victor Onuoha who represented the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission, Professor Julius Okojie underscored the importance of the Championship. He applauded the adjudicators, 17 participating universities and UNILAG for being a wonderful host.

Whoever emerges as the President of Nigeria, as well as the unfortunate “Executive” Governors of states, better prepare themselves for their own versions of the battle with our universities

universities, which made their entrance into the field in 1999 with the licences given to Igbiniedon, Madonna and Babcock universities, would most probably have been less. In addition to the forty eight, now in operation, close to twenty five are on their way. Whatever, aggregate national income projections the promoters took into consideration would now be totally optimistic and unrealistic.

Faced with a situation in which another round of massive retrenchment, in both the public and private sectors, is inescapable, devaluation of the currency and accompanying inflation inevitable, it should be obvious that the nation is headed for a bigger war on the university campuses. Furthermore, more communities in Nigeria will be affected by the upheavals. Ogun, Delta, Anambra and Adamawa States illustrate that point very well.

Geographical expression In 1983, there was no single private or Federal university in any of the states. Granted, Anambra at the time included the present Enugu, home to University of Nigeria, and Ebonyi States. But, the “geographical expression” now called Anambra had no Federal University. At the moment Ogun State alone has nothing less than eleven Federal, State and private universities – almost as many as the whole of Nigeria in 1983.

Delta, which was part of Bendel State, shared the University of Benin with Edo State, Ambrose Alli University, also in Bendel, was still developing. But, the entire Delta State had nothing.

That has changed. Delta, which had no university in 1983, now boasts of nothing less than seven. There is no need to list, seriatim, the situation in all the states of Nigeria. We have inadvertently multiplied the potential flashpoints, throughout the country in the last twenty-two years.

Meanwhile, university students in the 1970s and 1980s, when protesting, would be armed with nothing more deadly than placards. The “Ali Must Go” protest in Lagos in the 1970s, as well as the confrontations at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) ended with only students as casualties.

To be continued

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—29

LEAP Africa trains teachers, students

By Naomi Uzor

A

KrisBethel students taking salute during a march-past

How govt can transform sports through school — KrisBethel

By Faith Olatide

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overnment have been charged to look into development of school sports in secondary schools. This charge was given by various stakeholders at the 3rd Inter-House Sports Competition of KrisBethel College, Lagos state.

The sporting event which drew dignitaries such as the Lagos State commissioner of Sports, Hon. Enitan Oshodi, Chief Festus Okubule, Rtd. Fifa Registered referee and other dignitaries was held over the weekend at the Agege Sports Stadium.

Speaking on the need

to engage students in sporting activities, the Principal, Mrs Oluwaywnisi Solarin stated that not all students can be good at studies; hence the need to encourage those with the passion for sports.

She also emphasized the resolve of the school to continue to breed future talents, “ we already have a well known athlete that graduated from this school and by God’s grace, we hope to get more, we want to push it up to the international level”. In his remarks, Special guest, Chief Festus Okubule charged government to look into

transforming the sporting world by looking into schools. In his words: “There is a lot of untapped talents in the schools. I believe that the future of Nigeria Sports is in the hands of the students”.

He however advised the students to be focused on their studies and to shun every act of violence and involvement in drugs.

He said, “How many of you know Segun Odegbami, many people played with him, but he is forever remembered because he was studious, so do not neglect your studies because of sports, let them go together”.

Decline in education: Catholic schools must show the light — Cleric

By Gabriel Enogholase

A

GAINST the backdrop of the decline of education quality in the country, the Catholic Church has been charged to rise up again and provide the direction in delivering wholistic education to Nigerians.

President of the Association of Catholic Diocesan Directors/ Secretaries of Education (NACDDED), Very Rev. Richard Omolade, who gave the charge in Benin at a National Conference of the association, said “we can no longer fold our arms and continue to watch the downward spiral of our educational system.

It is obvious that government at all levels have not been able to arrest the decline in education quality nor are they able to provide and deliver holistic education.

“The church must raise

the flag again and provide direction to the nation.

Catholic schools must be shown as the light through the dark tunnel and a beacon of hope for a collapsed system” Rev. Father Omolade said that all hands must be on deck to ensure the restoration of Catholic identity in schools, saying that Catholic schools

We can no longer fold our arms and continue to watch the downward spiral of our educational system

should not just be known by name or the presence of Priests and sisters in the schools, it must have a feel of Catholicity, felt by all and must be allowed to diffuse itself far and wide.

“Research throughout the world reveal that Catholic schools provide a credible alternative for parents looking for quality education for their children.

What sets Catholic schools apart from other schools is not the number of students with distinction but the ethos that have been inculcated in these students along with the strong character formation that they have gained that equips them for positive contributions as members of their communities.”

The theme of the Conference: “The Restoration and Sustenance of Catholic identity in Our Schools” was delivered by an educationist, Prof. Michael Ogunu.

non-governmental organisation, LEAP Africa, has commenced leadership training for 12 teachers and 360 students in public secondary schools in Lagos State.

LEAP disclosed that the training, meant to equip the teachers and students with leadership skills, will be conducted in partnership with the Nigerian Embassy of the People’s Republic of China.

The spokesperson of LEAP, Miss Kehinde Ayeni, said the partnership was borne out of China’s interest and economic relations in Africa.

“The Chinese

Government has invested in developing infrastructure and local expertise in many African countries to foster economic growth and political stability. Their ties in Nigeria have deepened over the years in sensitising the Chinese Government to consider ways to improve the leadership capacities of Nigerians,” she said.

Ayeni said the training, tagged: Youth Development Training Programme (YDTP), will equip youths with requisite skills to become empowered to make the right decisions on leadership issues.

“The transformative process of young Nigerians to believing in themselves and getting

involved in leadership issues for progressive communities starts with the right training and attitude. This training will focus on developing and inspiring the much desired shift in the mindset of young people, particularly from low income families on the concept of leadership, patriotism, values and social responsiveness,” she said.

The training, running from October 2014 to May 2015, is curriculum designed and will be implemented in two phases, Train the Trainer workshop and students’ classroom training.

Students from six schools are currently attending the training.

NTI, NSITF collaborate on teachers’ insurance

By Emmanuel Ujah

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HE Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund, NSITF has sought the collaboration of the National Teachers Institute, NTI, for insurance cover for teachers and its staff The Managing Director of the company, Malam Umar Munir Abubakar, told the NTI Nigerian school teachers at the primary and secondary deserved better retirement benefits than what currently exists.

According to him, the NSITF wanted to cover teachers nationwide given the increased risk they face in the course of their job as evident in the North East geo political zone of the country now.

MJallam Abubakar

said the fund pays 90 percent of each contribution and it covers injuries, death and even rehabilitation of the contributor in the process where an injury resulted in a situation where the affected person cannot go back to his or her former source of livelihood.

Source of livelihood The MD disclosed that in the quest to have more Nigerians key into the scheme, the fund has visited 205 Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to sensitize their staff he stressed. The NTI is strategic due to its role in teacher training and capacity building he asserted.

Responding, the

Director-General of the NTI, Dr Aminu Ladan Sharehu, said the aim of the NTI has always been to provide the best platform for teachers for optimum output, better their life condition and even retirement into a life of ease.

He assured that the institute will key into the scheme by sensitizing not just the teachers, but teacher trainers and other staff of the institute as well as contractors and stakeholders.

“Though there is a limit to what we can ask the teachers to do, we will try to let them see the benefit of the scheme to them so that they will key-in into it. We will also ensure that our contractors comply with the rules and regulations of the NSITF,” Sharehu assured.

Don tasks govt on active education goals Continues from page 26

According to him, Christian educators worldwide should help students acquire the techniques of identifying faulty assumption, which, if not challenged can invariably lead to a faulty world view.

Professor Tayo who also is the Dean, Babcock School of Postgraduate Studies stated that “truth is what works and what

works today may not work tomorrow, hence a priori and absolute truths may have no place in the pragmatists’ thought.

“Truth is relative and location specific and different situations may bring up the truth, which may not be applicable in another context,” he said.

Notwithstanding, he said pragmatists have influenced the practice of education in the

contemporary era through contemporary theories like reconstruction, futurism, and educational humanism.

“The traditional philosophers like Aristotle and Thomas Aquinas held that the universe contains truth of an apriori and objective nature that can be discovered and transmitted by teachers that serve as authourative persons,” he said.

30— Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Fashola’s wife commends MTN FoundatIon education initiatives F

irst Lady of Lagos, Dame Abimbola Fashola, on Monday, commissioned seven blocks of modern classrooms for the pupils of Hope Primary School, Ikoyi, Lagos, donated by the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) and furnished by the MTN Foundation, Social Investment vehicle of MTN Nigeria. The Foundation, which commenced the fourth phase of its Learning Facility Support Project, furnished the new seven-classroom block with modern furnishings including, desks, benches, chairs and tables. Other items include school bags, books, among others.

The MTNF Learning Facility Support Project is an initiative under the education portfolio of the Foundation. Its initiatives are aimed at engendering conducive environment through the provision of modern facilities and materials in public schools across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

Commenting on the contributions of the Foundation towards education in Nigeria, Dame Abimbola Fashola, wife of the Lagos State Governor and Chairperson of COWLSO, said: “We embarked on this mission two years ago, when we decided to provide good amenities in our primary schools.

While the construction was going on, MTN Foundation accepted to furnish two schools by providing the appropriate furnishings.

We want to sincerely thank the Management of MTN Nigeria for partnering with us to support the commitment of Lagos State in providing a conducive learning environment for our tomorrow leaders from the basic education level.”

Speaking on the MTNF-COWLSO p a r t n e r s h i p , Chairperson, COWLSO Building Committee, Mrs. Bimpe BamgboseMartins, expressed delight at the quality of work done by the

building contractors as well as the furnishings, adding that the project will serve the need for which it was initiated. “I have no doubt that our collective efforts will produce the muchdesired change needed in our society, and I thank the MTN

Foundation for partnering with COWLSO to bring about that change,” BamgboseMartins said.

In her remarks, Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma, said: “The Foundation is glad

to be part of this initiative, especially in partnering with the First Lady of Lagos State, who has always been supportive of MTNF’s initiatives.

Lagos State has benefitted from a number of MTNF initiatives like the

Medical Support Project, wherein the Foundation donated Dialysis and Mammography machines to two General Hospitals, Community Health Screenings, Voluntary, Counselling and Testing Centres, Sickle Cell Screenings

and Counselling, among other initiatives.”

“The MTNF Learning Facility Supply Project is one of the projects under the Foundation’s education portfolio that has furthered our commitment to playing a key role in enhancing learning.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 31

Research & Development

How nutrition, contraceptives affect reproductive health AT the Inaugural Lecture Series of University of Lagos, Professor of Biochemistry, Mrs Olubunmi Abiola Magbagbeola, presented to the Vice-Chancellor, the university and the society at large, her findings in the focus areas of; Nutrition and Nutritional Status, FertilityRegulation/ Family Planning/ Contraceptive Technology, Infertility prevention and treatment, and Cervical and Breast Cancers, management and treatment, in a compendium;Reproductive Health of Women and Men: A Biochemist’s perspective which seeks to highlight the role biochemists play in human nutrition, female and male reproductive health.

Here are excerpts of her and her team of researchers’findings, contributions to knowledge and recommendations.

By Tare Youdeowei Continues from last next Nigerian medicinal plants

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LANTS, in addition to providing the animal kingdom with food, fuel and shelter also synthesize a large variety of chemical substances.

These substances include basic metabolites as well as secondary metabolites which includes; phenolic compounds such as alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, sterols etc. Of great significance is the fact that many of the secondary metabolites have prominent effects on the animal system while others possess important therapeutic properties which can and have been used in the treatment and cure of human and other diseases since time immemorial.

There is the claim that the stipular bud sheath of Musangacecropioides(Agbawo), contains substances that impede pregnancy. Based on this claim our laboratory designed a research to investigate the scientific basis of the claim. A preliminary study was set up to: carry out the phytochemical screening of the plant; extract, isolate, identify and characterise any contraceptive agent(s) present in the stipular bud sheath plant; investigate the contraceptive efficacy of the solvent extracts of the bud sheath using rat model; determine the effect of the extracts on the contractility of the rat uterus and to determine if it has abortifacient properties; to determine the biological effects of the plant in comparison with a synthetic oral contraceptive in animal models.

Throughout the course of experiment, the rats on orthodox low dose oral contraceptive showed a very sharp or pronounced increase in the levels of all the metabolic parameters analysed in the serum compared with those of M.cecropioides.

M.ceceropioides /Agbawo will therefore be preferred as a contraceptive due to its production of lesser changes in the nutrients.

It can be concluded that the contraceptive effect of the extracts of Agbawo manifested at both levels of ovulation and gestation in female rats and this action is dose dependent with all extracts and in all experimental rats. It is also implied from all the results of our study that aqueous, ethanolic, petroleum ether and acetylated ethanolic extracts of the plant bud sheath contained substances that were antioestrus cycles, ovulation, implantation and pregnancy.

This suggests a mimicking of the stage of pseudo-pregnancy associated with contraceptive drugs.

There is therefore scientific evidence that the stipular bud sheath of Musanga cecropioides contains substances which impede pregnancy with little or no metabolic effects in animal models and can therefore be a safe, efficacious and affordable source of contraceptive for our Nigerian women.

Infertility: Serum autoantibodies and immunological correlates were identified for the first time in my laboratory

My laboratory developed mutant strains of Aspergillus niger and penicillum citrium that help in bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials for industrial enzymes and feed production

Docking pose of (+)Coculaurine in a stabilized topoismerase cleaved DNA

Docking pose of (-)Coreximine in stabilized topoisomerase cleaved DNA

as primary markers of unexplained infertility in some euthyroid Nigerian women attending infertility clinic in Lagos. Also, in men, it was established that Nigerian men with hyperprolactineamia and low serum testosterone level, had low sperm count which contributed to their infertility problem.

Possible treatment or management of infertility using Mistletoe (viscum album) was also investigated. Our results showed that 40mg/kg body weight reverted infertility in infertility induced rats between 3 to 5 days whereas clomiphene citrate (the orthodox fertility enhancing drug) took 5 to 10 days indicating that mistletoe is more potent and non-toxic for management of infertility.

In an effort to combat climate change, my laboratory developed mutant strains of Aspergillus niger and penicillum citrium that help in bioconversion of lignocellulosic materials for industrial enzymes and feed production.

Cervical and breast cancers Molecular biology has evolved as a versatile tool with applications in areas such as cancer research, endocrinology and biotechnology. High incidence of reproductive cancers, socioeconomic problems associated with cannabis use disorder prompted my laboratory to begin researches in these two compounds namely coclaurine and coreximine from Nigeria medical plants as new compounds for the first time that inhibit topoisomerasel enzyme in cervical cancer, hence inhibiting proliferation of the cells.

Also we found that some polymorphisms of some dopaminergic genes predispose to cannabis use disorders.

RECOMMENDATION Biochemists Our research findings have shown that biochemists have a lot to do as regards the reproductive health of our populace; therefore, there should be more interactions and collaborations between our health care providers and basic research scientists to improve the health of our people.

The need to build capacity and interest in basic science research by our colleagues in the clinical sciences cannot be overemphasised.

Drugs prescribed by our clinicians should take cognisance of their side effects, biochemical effects, on our people. We should not assume that the side effects noticed in other populace should be the same for our people.

Integrating indigenous medicine:

Our standard organisations should join hands with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration to control and rid our markets of already banned drugs and substandard products from other developed countries being imported into Nigeria.

In industrialised countries, conventional drugs are being gradually relegated because they are becoming more ineffective owing to multiple

drug resistance, adverse side effects and high cost of production. The use of medicinal plant remedies are gaining prominence, for example, Chinese traditional medicines have almost taken over our own divinely indigenous medicine in form of packaged medicinal products imported into the country.

In our laboratories and others in Nigerian universities, we have found out that we can produce cheap efficacious and non-toxic medicinal plants products which can be packaged. This will reduce economic loss by importation.

Our government should put in place policies that will encourage production and packaging of these products and discourage the importation of such products.

We should do what china is doing. China’s traditional and orthodox practices have integrated their health care position to the populace within the frame work of official services.

Our orthodox medical practitioners should cooperate with the government in this regard.

Interdisciplinary research

In my opinion, a good scientific research cannot be done by one individual alone, the more the contributions from different and relevant disciplines come together to publish a paper, the wider the scope and quality of the output for the benefit of our people and humanity at large.

The university therefore should be more generous with the assessment of scientific papers involving interdepartmental and interdisciplinary collaboration more than is being done now.

Academia The university management and regulators should recognise the relative divergence which exists between our relatively younger academics and their older counterparts. Changing the rules and regulations intermittently will make them feel that the older ones, having reached the top of the ladder for those behind not to get to the top.

I feel the university should put in place, room for accelerated promotion for those who are high flyers and review policies and regulations which may be counterproductive so that our new generation of academics will see the management as sufficiently responsive and minimise the high trend of hopping and shopping around for higher positions (i.e. brain drain internally and externally or local and offshore) among them.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 33

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

L-R: Lagos East Senatorial candidate, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa; Chairman, Magodo Residents Association, Mr. Kunle Fasogbon; Lagos APC's Deputy Governor Candidate, Alhaja Idiat Adebule; APC's Candidate for Kosofe Federal Constituency, Hon. Rotimi Agunsoye; Lagos Commissioner for Education, Barr Olayinka Oladunjoye and the APC's Candidate for Lagos Assembly (Kosofe II), Hon Tunde Buraimoh during the Magodo Residents Association's Annual General Meeting at Magodo

HANDOVER: Front row: Outgoing Commander, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, HQ, Maj-Gen Abdullahi Adekunle Martins (4th left), the new Commander, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, HQ, Maj-Gen Rasheed Olawuyi Yusuf (4th right) flanked by the Director of Ammunition, Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps, HQ, Brig. Gen AD Chinoko (3rd right), the Commander, Nigerian Army Ordnance Tailoring Corps, HQ, Brig. Gen AO Akintade (2nd right), Brig. Gen Adamu Mama Dauda (3rd left) and Director of Equipment, HQ, Brig. Gen Martin Obiora Enendu (2nd left) and other officers of the Corps, during the handing over ceremony between General Martins and General Yusuf, in Lagos.

Maku denies accusing PDP of sponsoring Boko Haram

By Emmanuel Elebeke

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ORMER Minister of Information and Nasarawa State governorship candidate of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, Labaran Maku has denied media reports in which he was quoted as accusing his former party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of sponsoring Boko Haram.

Maku who made the denial at a news conference in Abuja, said there was never a time he made such accusation, and described the allegation as the handiwork of the opposition.

“There was never a time I accused the PDP of sponsoring Boko Haram.

When I saw the report, I issued a statement to disclaim it. How could I have done that, in fact, it is the handiwork of the opposition through the social media to tell lies,” he said.

Meanwhile, the former Minister told the media that he will never be ashamed of campaigning for the reelection bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, given his achievement in office in the past five years.

He said that he was campaigning for President Goodluck Jonathan ahead the forthcoming presidential election because he believed so much on the president as a focused leader that had done so much for the country.

Maku said “having Jonathan as Nigerian President beyond 2015, would move the country forward. I consider President Jonathan’s re-election bid higher than my own election because I believe so much in him. For me, who becomes President is more important than who becomes a governor of a state. I have nothing to be ashamed of campaigning for Jonathan.

I think that campaigning for President Jonathan does not detract me from my own election.”

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—35

Legal, political and security implications of postponing the 2015 polls

By Mike Ozekhome, SAN

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OR quite some time, the print, electronic, social and other Media have been flooded with heated discussions, debates and sometimes, recriminations, over the call by the National Security Adviser, on INEC to postpone the general elections due to security and logistical reasons. He was said to have concluded his observations by pointedly telling Professor Attairu Jega, “It costs you nothing, it’s still within the law,”.

As expected, this piece of advice has generated a flurry of comments and fervent opposition, from all sides of the divide. In the light of the ruckus it has generated, it is apposite to examine the provisions of the laws of the land with a view to determining if indeed, INEC has the power to postpone elections.

The necessary corollary question, if it has such powers, is, whether it is expedient for INEC to postpone the elections as is being advised by the NSA?

Political brinkmanship Let me quickly enter a caveat here, in this era of political brinkmanship, when, whatever one says or writes, is interpreted from a political context.

Although I am not a part and parcel of any of the major players and stake holders to determine the security implications (NSA, CDS, CA, CAF, CNS, IGP, Customs, Immigration, Civil Defence, etc), or about the feasibility of holding the elections (INEC), I still believe that the elections should go ahead, since Nigerians have invested time, energy, money, hopes and high expectations in the election and its outcome.

It is better to have an imperfect election than allow possible uprising by angry Nigerians who may, rightly or wrongly, feel that there is a hidden agenda

somewhere in postponing it.

First, let me attempt a wholistic discussion of the legal organogram and possible spillover effects, if the elections go ahead as scheduled, on February 14, 2015.

Section 25(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered, provides as follows: Elections into the offices of the President and Vice President, the Governors and Deputy Governor of a State, and to the Membership of the Senate, the House of Representatives and the House of Assembly of each State of the Federation shall be held the following ordera. Senate and House of Representatives b. Presidential Elections; and c. State House of Assembly and Governorship Election Under 26(1), it is provided thus: Where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the commission may postpone the election and shall in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election provided that such reason for the postponement is cogent and verifiable.

From the fore-going provisions of the Electoral Act, it is abundantly clear that INEC indeed has the power to postpone elections, if it desires to. Since it is the only entity vested with authority to postpone elections, then, it is only INEC’s body language, utterances and actions that should be of utmost, or any importance, to us, not the sophistically and intensely demagogic verbalisation of egotistical sentiments of political parties, and the vociferousness of their principals and foot-soldier advocates. So then, what is INEC’s body language? What can

INEC boss, Prof. Jega be deciphered from INEC’s intentions as evinced by the utterances of its officers?

In a rather swift response, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on its part has maintained that it is working

Let me quickly enter a caveat here, in this era of political brinkmanship, when, whatever one says or writes, is interpreted from a political context

Mixed reactions trail polls' postponement —PG.37 C M Y K

towards making sure that the general elections fixed for February 14 and 28 hold as scheduled (Watch Channels television, 23rd January, 2015).

Keynote address Indeed, in a keynote address titled, “Mechanism in place for Election Security and Violence in Elections”, at the launch of the project, “Mitigation of Violence in Elections”, “MOVE”, organized

by The International Foundation For Electoral Systems, IFES, Jega said INEC was committed to holding the Presidential election on February 14.

He clarified that the question of postponing the election had never been discussed by INEC, and no such decision taken. However, the same Chairman of INEC, Professor Attairu Jega, was earlier reported to have unambiguously expressed his reservations about conducting elections in some parts of the country, especially, the three North-eastern States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe. He had said (watch Channels Television Video Clip of the 12th January, 2015).

A place like Borno State, unless something is done about those that have been displaced, even return for the governorship

might be difficult, if not impossible under the circumstances..to be realistic, we must say that it may be impossible to do elections everywhere, in every local government, in every constituency in those three states, Gleaning from the above utterances of the INEC, one can deduce that Jega means that the elections must be held as scheduled, even though, the three States of the North-east will, for now, be excluded.

This position of the electoral body appears unassailable, going by the wide discretionary powers donated to it by the Electoral Act, to postpone elections in certain areas for reasons stated in the Act, especially if the postponement concerns the Presidential, Governorship, National and State Houses of Assembly.

Holding of an election In the case of ILLIYASU V. SHUWAKI & ORS.(2012) LPELR-SC.17/2012, the Court of Appeal, interpreting section 27 of the Ectoral Act 2006, which is de verbo in verborum the provision of Section 26 of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered in 2011, held, per Okoro, JCA, thus: “Under section 27 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2006, an election may be postponed. It States:- “27 (1) where a date has been appointed for the holding of an election, and there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election is proceeded with on that date or it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies, the Commission may postpone

Continues on page 36

Lawyers urged to utilise labour laws —PG.38

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Legal, political and security implications of postponing 2015 polls Continues from page 35 the election and shall in respect of the area, or areas concerned, appoint another date for the holding of the postponed election.”

See also, the cases of DIBIAGWU v. INEC (2012) LPELR-9831(CA); PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY v.

CHIEF ANAYO ROCHAS OKOROCHA & ORS. (2012) LPELR-SC.17/2012.

There is no iota of doubt that, the situation in the North-east is well captured by the provisions of Section 26(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, above, as prevailing conditions upon which the electoral body can invoke its discretionary power as given to it under the section to postpone an election, appear to exist. What the Electoral Act demands of INEC is that the reasons for the postponement must be “cogent and verifiable”. Can it be said that the reign of terror and insurgency in the three North East States of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, do not amount to such “cogent” and “verifiable” reason?

Constitutional difficulties It is however submitted, that with regards to the Presidential Elections, unlike the Governorship and National Assembly elections, any postponement of elections in any part of Nigeria will inevitably raise a labyrinth of constitutional difficulties and challenges.

Unlike other elections, a person contesting for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has the entire country (North, West, East, South), as his primary and immediate constituency. (See Section 134 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered.). Thus, when elections are conducted in the Country with certain parts of the country being excluded, can it still be said to be a full presidential election conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as altered? I dare say NO!

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com C M Y K

Nigerians at the poll The Constitution itself must be resorted to in this case to buttress the legal and constitutional impregnability of my position as stated above.

Section 132(4) of the Constitution expressly provides as follows: For the purpose of an election to the office of President, the whole of the Federation shall be regarded as one constituency.

Thus, seen from the clear provisions of the supreme law of the land, every part of the country is regarded as a single constituency in a presidential election. This being a rigid constitutional provision, can the discretionary power to postpone elections as granted INEC under Section 26(1) of the Electoral Act 2010, be read in pari passu this provision to mean that INEC can postpone the Presidential Election in some states, for example, conduct election in only 33 States and the FCT? Can the Constitution then be circumvented by simply declaring as winner, the individual who scores the highest votes and 25% of the votes cast in two thirds of these 33 States and the FCT? The answer is in the negative.

This web of difficulty is even further magnified, if we painstakingly consider the somewhat inflexible provisions of Section 134 (1) of the Constitution. The Section provides: A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have be been duly elected, where, there being only

two candidates for the election (a) he has the majority of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than onequarter of the votes cast at the election in each of at least twothirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

(2) A candidate for an election to the office of President shall be deemed to have been duly elected where, there being more than two candidates for the election(a) he has the highest number of votes cast at the election; and (b) he has not less than onequarter of the votes cast at the election each of at least two-thirds of all the States in the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory,

Unlike other elections, a person contesting for the position of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, has the entire country (North, West, East, South), as his primary and immediate constituency

Abuja. (Underlining ours for emphasis) What the Constitution insists on is “at least two-thirds of all the States in the federation and the FCT, Abuja”. This means 25% of 36 States and FCT, Abuja (“all the States in the federation and the FCT, Abuja”). It did not say 25% of 33 States and FCT, Abuja.

Sifting from the above provision, it is unarguable that before INEC can declare any person as dully elected for the position of the President, he must have (1) scored the highest number of votes; and (2) must have scored a minimum of one quarter votes in two-thirds of ALL THE STATES IN THE FEDERATION and the FCT. This being the case, can INEC then hide under the provisions of section 26(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, to postpone the presidential election in some three states of the federation, while overlooking the more robust and supreme provisions of the Constitution?

General provisions Will it not be a repeat of the difficulties the apex Court faced in interpreting a similar provision of Section 134 of the 1999 Constitution in the 1979 Constitution in the chequered case of Awolowo v. Shagari (1979) NSCC 87, even in greater propensity?

Does it then mean that Section 26(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered, is in conflict with the above provisions of the Constitution? The answer is in the negative. Rather, the section is complimentary to the provision of the Constitution, having been made in pursuance of the more encompassing general provisions of the Constitution. To this end then, INEC has the power to postpone Elections at the occurrence of the situations raised under the Electoral Act. These are (1) where there is reason to believe that a serious breach of the peace is likely to occur if the election holds on February 14, 2015; (2) if it is impossible to conduct the elections as a result of natural disasters or other emergencies. There is no doubt that “other emergencies” in

section 26 (1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered, can and must necessarily, include the devastating Boko Haram insurgency in the North East. This is where it ends. It is however submitted that INEC cannot, and does not have the power to postpone election in one part of the Country (North East), for purposes of the Presidential Election, while at the same time, simultaneously going ahead to conduct Presidential election to the same office in other parts of the country (33 States and FCT, Abuja), as doing so will be ultra vires its powers and will amount to a patent and gross circumvention and ultimate subversion of the Constitution itself.

It is therefore submitted in the light of the provisions of the laws of the land that while INEC has the power to postpone elections, it cannot postpone the presidential election in some areas and conduct same in other areas.

Voting process Every part of the country must simultaneously witness and experience the voting process in a presidential election. Where it is not feasible due to prevailing security circumstances to conduct election in any part of the country consequent upon the conditions stated under section 26(1) of the Electoral Act, 2010, INEC must postpone the entire election.

For the avoidance of doubt, any person with any contrary position must have to answer the following questions: 1. Can elections in 33 states out of 36 be deemed to the constitutional requirement for presidential elections having regard to meet the clear provisions of Section 132 and 134 of the Constitution? (2) If Elections are conducted in 33 states of 36, can the winner in that election be sworn into office when election in the other three states have been temporarily or perpetually kept in abeyance? (3) If the winner of an election conducted in 33 out of 36 states cannot be sworn into office consequent upon the aforementioned reasons, will it not invite chaos, anarchy and general insurrection? (4) Assuming it is

Continues on page 38

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—37

More reactions trail polls' postponement More reactions have continued to trail the postponement of the earlier scheduled for February 14 and 28 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Below are some of views expressed by lawyers, including the Nigerian Bar association, NBA, on the issue.

Excerpts:

By Dayo Benson and Bartholomew Madukwe

INEC should ensure PVC issue is resolved — NBA

T

HE Nigerian Bar Association notes the decision of INEC to postpone the 2015 General Elections by six [6] weeks in the light of the security advisory received from the Security Agencies that the required security personnel are engaged in a military operation against Boko Haram and will not be available to protect Electoral materials and staff if the elections were held on 14th and 28th February, 2015 as originally scheduled.

The security advisory left INEC with no other option than to postpone the elections. INEC can certainly not be expected to proceed with the elections without the required security support.

The new dates of 28th March and 11th April, 2015 fixed by INEC fall within the timeline provided in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 [as amended] CFRN. We advise INEC to utilize the said six [6] week period to resolve the challenges surrounding the issuance of Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs). There are still about 20 million PVCs yet to be collected by Voters while some

PVCs are still being produced and/or awaiting delivery at this time.

We restate our call on INEC, to request the Federal Government of Nigeria [FGN] to declare a minimum of two [2] work free days to enable voters collect their PVCs from their polling stations. INEC should also ensure that PVCs are produced for all voters whose names appear in the Voters’ Register.

PVCs are central to the success of the 2015 General Elections and INEC must apply its best endeavours to ensure that all problems in respect of PVCs are resolved well before the 28th of March, 2015. Our entire democratic experience depends on the success of the 2015 General Elections and INEC must ensure that everything necessary is put in place for a successful 2015 General Elections.

The NBA also notes that the Security Advisory relied upon by INEC in postponing the 2015 General Elections indicates that Nigerian security forces are aggressively combating the Boko Haram insurgency and expect to totally eliminate the insurgents and secure the North Eastern States of Nigeria, that have taken the brunt of the insurgents’ attacks, in the next six [6] weeks.

The NBA hopes that this security advisory is not just to provide basis for postponing the elections as is being suggested in certain

quarters, but represents the true and correct position of our security forces in their efforts to rid our Country of the Boko Haram insurgency.

Are we stranded? Tani Molajo, SAN Our much awaited general elections have now assumed the unhappy appearance of a delayed airline flight. As the shifts in departure times are announced, the burning question also shifts from “when” to “if” the flight will depart at all.

Given the limited time now available to comply with the requirements of the Electoral Act, that “if” has become a huge concern. By April 11 (the new date announced for the concluding Governorship and State Assembly elections) there will remain only 2 possible elections - day Saturdays (i.e.

April 18 and 25) before the commencement of the mandatory 30-day period (commencing on April 29) and ending on the May 29 handover date for political incumbents.

In the circumstances, there is precious little room for any further postponements. Thus, we appear

In as much as we want the elections to hold as scheduled, but if postponing it is for the common good of Nigeria, why are we bothering ourselves?

to be painfully enroute an answer in the negative to our question “if”. It is pertinent to observe that the announced postponement has been tied to the Boko Haram insurgency. We are now into the 3rd year of that bloody crisis. Are we really to accept that it will be resolved in the course of this 6 week postponement? Has our allegorical flight been delayed or cancelled? Are we stranded?

President himself should be ashamed-Prof Fidelis Oditah QC, SAN

I think it is really irresponsible of those who wrote the disgraceful letter to INEC alleging insecurity. The president himself should be ashamed; his primary responsibility is to ensure security.

It is the blatant admission of incompetence for him to turn out and say election should be postponed because he has failed in his primary duty. The president himself should be ashamed; his primary responsibility is to ensure security.

It is the blatant admission of incompetence for him to turn out and say election should be postponed because he has failed in his primary duty. Anywhere else, he would stand down on a shame. But here, people have no shame because we have lost all value.

It is like an opportunity to keep on giving excuse —Prof Bankole Sodipo

In a way, it is inexcusable because the national security officer who prompted INEC knew the situation before now.

And giving the excuse of the state which has lost the PVC and so on, it is like an opportunity to keep on giving excuses.

It is very unlikely that they would have sorted the problem out in 6 weeks. It is a problem that has been with us and has been escalating for almost 2 years. if it is a good excuse to postpone, now it has come to be a good excuse in 6 weeks time.

My position is that it is inexcusable and we should not postpone. Since the postpone is 6 weeks time, there is absolutely no excuse, we will take it that the governor wants to sit back.

Postponement, in law, has no iota, semblance or modicum legal conformity- Chief Morah Ekwunoh Combination of hard, solemn and contemplative critique of INEC’s recent postponement, by six weeks, of the February, 2015, General Elections vis-a-vis the proffered raison d’etre behind it leaves dispassionate and apolitical legal minds with no option than to conclude that the postponement, in the circumstances thereof, constitute faulty exercise of sacrosanct powers, and, by extension, clear, From left: Deputy Senate President, Dr. Ike Ekweremadu, Chairman Tetfund and Talban, unmistakable and condemnable Katagum, Dr. Musa Babayo and Dr. Valerie Azinge at the conferment of honorary Doctorate subversion of democratic process. degree of the University of Nigeria Nsukka, UNN on them.

The law gives INEC the power to postpone the election- Mr. Adekunle Oyesanya SAN. I heard Professor Jega part way talk about reasons for postponing the elections. From what he said was that the security persons gave a report that they were not ready to secure the election process. Honestly, even if some of the parties have been crying foul and saying that there is a hidden agenda of postponing the election, I do not think there is any prejudice to anybody.

What the law says is that eventually the elections must be conducted at least thirty days before the handover date. The law gives INEC the power to postpone the election, so I don’t think anybody should be crying foul to it. Postponing it gives everybody and parties the time to prepare and INEC to have more time to prepare.

Electioneering process More important is the voters, some people have not got their PVC yet. The most important person in this electioneering process is the voter. One thing is very clear, the constitution does not recognize PVC, what it recognizes is the registered voters.

As good as the PVC idea is to cub election malpractice. But if those people who have registered cannot get their PVC, that is unconstitutional and against their constitutional rights.

If you go to the election ground and say you want to vote without your registered voter, it won’t count.

Anybody can challenge that kind of process. In as much as we want the elections to hold as scheduled, but if postponing it is for the common good of Nigeria, why are we bothering ourselves?

Didn’t INEC think about security before fixing Feb 14?

—NBA Chairman, Lagos branch- Mr Alex Muoka The challenge has to do with reasons given for the postponement. If you recall on Thursday (Feb. 5), the Council of States meeting held and it was to confirm their readiness for the election. But on Saturday (Feb. 7), INEC came up with the issue of security which they said they cannot guarantee because of Boko Haram.

The important thing is that didn’t they think about it before fixing the election for February 14? Why must it be on February 14? So it looks very funny. I am just tired of this system of saying one thing and later doing another thing. There have been calls from every well meaning quarter that the elections should go ahead as scheduled.

38 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Public presentation of book on Environmental Protection

Lawyers urged to utilise labour laws

By Onozure Dania

J

ustice Benedict Kanyip of the National Industrial Court has lamented the low rate at which legal practitioners in the country utilise the Nigeria Labour Law Reports (NLLR) in court as references.

Kanyip, who spoke on “Advancing the Frontiers of Nigerian Law through Law Reporting; Nigerian Labour Law Reports as a case study ” at a colloquium on ‘Employment Law and Practice in Nigeria’ organised by Rocheba Solicitors as part of events marking the 50 th birthday of its Principal Partner, Mr. Etteh Enobong.

The Judge who expressed his mind on the low rate of users of the Nigerian Labour Law Reports, said there are abundant landmark decisions from the National Industrial Court, which labour

lawyers could rely on in their cases.

He also warned that any labour law practitioner who ignores the Nigerian Labour Law Reports does so at his own disadvantage.

Kanyip said the labour law reports are being neglected for those of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

The judge said, “The point I simply wish to make is that the utilization of the Nigerian Labour Law Reports by lawyers has been generally less than satisfactory, especially for a court like the National Industrial Court, which decisions are subject to minimal right of appeal.”

Kanyip said that its publication started in 2004, adding that it is sad that in his day to day interaction with lawyers in the court they hardly make reference to the compiled decisions of the NIC as contained in the Nigeria Labour Law

Report. ”I have heard arguments of counsel regarding for instance Section 7 of the National Industrial Court Act, 2006, on the ambit of the National Industrial Court jurisdiction over issues relating to labour.

The disturbing thing is that even when the National Industrial Court has made pronouncement on what the word labour means for the purpose of jurisdiction, counsel chose not to even refer to such a decision, they preferred to rely on the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal cases, even when these cases are of no relevance.”

Also speaking at the event a Professor of Law at the University of Lagos, Chioma Agomo said the trend was not limited to legal practitioners, but that such is also common among law students and the members of the academia.

Public presentation of a book “ Appropriate Mechanisms for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in NigeriaAn Advocate’s viewpoint” and a get together in honour of the retiring Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, Dr. Ngeri Benebo.

From left: Gloria Kanabe, Mr George Etomi and Mr Prearemowei Oti.

Legal, political and security implications of postponing the 2015 polls Continues from page 36 eventually agreed that elections in the other three states must be concluded before the winner of the election is sworn in (as he cannot be constitutionally be sworn in without election in all the states), is it not as good as postponing the entire presidential election itself?

This is more so having regard to the fact that by the provisions of section 25 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2010, as altered, election to the office of president shall be held not earlier than 150 days and not later than 30 days to May 29, 2015. This provision means that INEC, if it can give “cogent and verifiable” reasons, without doing violence to sections 132 and 134 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as altered, may go ahead and postpone the election, up to a maximum of April 28, 2015, which is 30 days before the effluxion of the present President’s tenure which ends on May 29, 2015. My advice to INEC is simple: INEC must tread with extra caution and examine the legal, political, security and moral implications for the cohesion and stability of Nigeria and the integrity of

the entire electoral process.

INEC must therefore read the highly wired political barometer of the Country, the sensibilities and eagerness of Nigerians to vote, the security implications, of its actions or inactions, the moral burden cast on it in its final decision, and the need to ensure that there is still one Country called Nigeria after the elections.

Jega had carefully used the word “unless” in his statement earlier referred to.

It means the situation is not afterall hopeless. Something can, indeed, be done, to allow for votes in the three North East States of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.

Afterall, even in war ravaged Countries of the World where there exist millions of internally displaced persons (IDPs), elections are still conducted.

All that is required of the Federal Government is the political will and the need to spread a regime of security in the three affected States of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa. I urge INEC to go ahead and hold the elections in ALL THE STATES of the Federation, excluding none, so as to prevent serious constitutional crisis, of monumental proportion, which will pale in to

insignificance, the 1979 Shagari – Awolowo twelve – two – thirds votes’ legal debacle.

•Ozekhome is a lawyer and rights activist.

From left: Amb. Abdul-Azeez Garuba, Dr. Benaboe and Sir Peter Idabor

Etomi calls for compliance with environmental laws

F

OREMOST commer cial lawyer and pioneer chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Section on Business Law, SBL, Mr. George Etomi, has called on Nigerians to pay serious attention to environmental laws to improve the quality of life of Nigerians.

Etomi spoke at the public presentation of a book “Appropriate Mechanisms for Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development in Nigeria-An Advocate’s viewpoint” and a get together in honour of the retiring Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, Dr. Ngeri S Benebo.

He commended the achievements of the NESREA under Dr. Benabo, saying that her doggedness and passion for the safety of the environment led to the passage of over 24 environment related bills into law by the

National Assembly including.

Etomi said: “Under her brilliant leadership, NESREA has developed 24 environmental regulations, on behalf of the Federal Government, which have been signed into law and published in the Official Gazette of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The programme involves a mandatory yearly test of vehicles for toxic air emissions, and the installation of emission reduction technology in all vehicles plying Nigerian roads

“One of such regulations is the National Environmental (Control of Vehicular Emissions from Petrol and Diesel Engines) Regulation, 2010, S. I. No. 20, which is aimed at controlling the country’s air quality. A World Health Organisation report revealed that in 2012 about seven million people died as a result of exposure to air pollution. Nigeria has over 10 million vehicles and three million motorcycles and is clearly not excluded from this statistic.

The carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and Nitrogen oxide emitted from these automobiles also causes skin cancer, cataract asthma and other respiratory diseases as well as impacting negatively on the ozone layer and global warming.

“To combat these negative effects, NESREA is at the implementation stage of its pilot Vehicular Emissions Testing Programme under the leadership of Dr. Bene-

bo. The programme involves a mandatory yearly test of vehicles for toxic air emissions, and the installation of emission reduction technology in all vehicles plying Nigerian roads.

This will control toxic gas generated by vehicles on Nigerian roads. NESREA will carry out these tests in collaboration with other government agencies. Vehicular emission testing centres are to be set up soon in Abuja and other parts of the country.

“The Vehicular Emissions Testing Programme will greatly aid in the reduction of Nigeria’s carbon emissions to internationally acceptable standards. It will also help bring Nigeria at par with the developed nations which all run similar programmes.

Another side benefit of reduced carbon emissions is that Nigeria would be able to earn carbon credits for trade on the global stage.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—39

NHIS subsidises maternal, child healthcare T HE prospects of health insurance cov erage for 40 percent of Nigerians by the end of 2015 has been taken to the next level with the nationwide clamour for the Community-Based Social Health Insurance Programme of the NHIS. At the flag-off at Gwiwa Sire, in Wamakko LGA, Sokoto State, Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS) boss, Dr. ‘Femi Thomas stressed the commitment of the Scheme to further ease access to effective healthcare for Nigerians, by providing subsidy for the Community Based Health Insurance Programme, CBSHIP, through payment of premium contributions for all registered pregnant women and children under five years of age, for a period of three years.

Thomas said the Scheme has cumulatively expended over N1.2 billion to provide care for pregnant women and children below fivr years of age, under the NHIS-MDGs Maternal and Child Health project since 2008 in six benefitting Local Government Areas of Sokoto state, namely Kebbe, Yabo, Binji, Tangaza, Sabon-Birni and Isa. Thomas emphasised that in addition to removing financial barriers in accessing healthcare services for these vulnerable groups, the programme has also facilitated significant improvement in infrastructure and quality of service delivery for the benefitting communities.

While assuring that the NHIS/Sokoto

state partnership would further yield positive results with the flag-off of Gwiwa Sire Mutual Health Association CBHI, the NHIS focal person commended the State Government for its efforts in promoting the health status of the indigenes, through its pro-active measures at addressing health issues in the state.

Handwashing: Dettol targets school pupils

By Gabriel Olawale

I

N its bid to promote healthier lifestyle and reduce absenteeism of pupils from school due to sickness, Dettol, an anti-germ health and hygiene brand from the stable of Reckitt Benckiser has commenced fresh rounds of visit to schools to promote the benefits of hand hygiene.

At the Chrisland School, Ikeja, Lagos

• L-R: Assistant Brand Manager, Dettol, Tolulope Olaoye, ; Nollywood Actress and Brand Ambassador, Dettol, Patience Ozokwor (Mama G); Special Adviser to the Governor of Kwara State on Sport, Otunba Kayode Bankole; PTA Chairman of Chrisland School, Mr. Chiedu Ajoku with pupils of Chrisland School Opebi during the Dettol School Hygiene Programme in the school recently.

during the school’s inter-house sports competition, the Dettol Brand Ambassador and veteran Nollywood actress, Patience Ozokwor, a.k.a ‘Mama G’ said embracing the culture of handwashing is the most cost-effective strategy to reduce potential death-causing illnesses such as diarrhea and other respiratory diseases often caused by germs and poor hygiene.

Ozokwor said the key component of the Dettol School Hygiene Programme, SHP initiative, is targeted at driving home proper handwashing culture that promotes hygiene life style.

Through the deployment of audio-visual kits and memorable sing-along songs, the students fully participated in the do-ityourself six steps of effective handwashing, and they commended Dettol for the initiative.

Speaking on the significance of the Dettol School Hygiene Programme, the Marketing Director, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili, enjoined Nigerians to embrace standard solutions such as regular handwashing as one of the costeffective ways to protect themselves and loved ones against illness-causing germs.

“Solutions that do not protect from all 100 types of germs are substandard and we at Reckitt Benckiser advocate that people do not protect themselves with substandard solutions but with gold standard solution.

Dettol is the only antibacterial brand which has been proven to protect from up to 100 illness causing germs that is why we advocate that Nigerians do not take a risk with the lives of their loved ones.” he said.

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40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

‘Chime refuses to sign contributory pension bill into law’

By Francis Igata

I

NCREASINGLY, there are fears that the present government of Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, may not enlist the state workers into the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, introduced in 2004 following the Pension Reform Act, PRA, 2004 (as amended in 2014).

Pension and You, gathered that the enabling Bill which will authorize the government to key into the CPS was passed by the Enugu State House of Assembly, ESHA, in November 2014 .

The Bill, which will provide the necessary legal backing for the civil servants in Enugu State to jettison the current Pay-As-You-Go scheme, has been laying fallow at the table of the governor since November last year.

If signed and it comes on stream in the state, it will ensure that every civil servants, save to cater for their old age and ensure that pensioners are not subjected to untold suffering due to inefficient and cumbersome process of pension payment, among others.

State Secretary, Nigeria Union

of Pensioners, NUP, Mr. John Nebo, while speaking on the development, said, “The pension reform programme is governed by the key principles of sustainability, safety and security of benefits, transparency, accountability, equity, flexibility, inclusivity, uniformity and practicability.

Enugu state is yet to join the contributory pension scheme. I

The Bill, which will provide the necessary legal backing for the civil servants in Enugu State to jettison the current Pay-As-YouGo scheme, has been lying on the table of governor since November last year

•Gov Sullivan Chime of Enugu State understand that the Bill has just been passed. Without the Bill, they cannot start the contributory scheme. I expect that it will commence sometime this year. At the moment, the government is still using the old scheme. The pensioners of Federal government are being owed in Enugu State because they stopped the Pay-As-

You-Go scheme in 2007. As a union, we have made a case for our members to be paid because it is not their fault that the contributory scheme did not commence. Their pension should not be stopped as a result.

Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate, PTAD, is trying to pay them in arrears.

“The Pay-As-You-Go scheme is bedeviled with a lot of arrears.

The pensioners die while waiting for the benefits to be paid. The gratuity also goes into arrears with the old scheme. The parastatals like Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS, Water Corporation, Teachers are being owed about 27, 22, 77 months arrears of pension. But if the contributory pension scheme is in place, they should be able to pay immediately because the person has been contributed. The PayAs-You-Go is not funded and that is one of the major disadvantages.

The government has not operated the old scheme well. There supposed to be money saved for pensioners which will be deployed for their payments under Consolidated Revenue.

Unfortunately, the civil servants in the state do not like the contributory pension scheme.

That is why it has delayed up till this time. The workers see it that the amount they are to contribute is much. The civil servants say the seven and half percent deduction is much because their salary is nothing to write home about. They are the least paid nationwide.”

Reacting, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Chukwumaife Nze, noted that the civil servants were yearning for the implementation of the Bill.

According to him, “We have sensitizied the workers on the imperatives of the contributory scheme. Once the government implements the Bill, we will all heave a sigh of relief.”

••Abia pensioners storm govt house over unpaid benefits

P

ENSIONERS in Abia State have called on the state government to pay their arrears of pensions and gratuities, lamenting that many of them have died due to lack of money to meet their needs especially medical.

The aggrieved pensioners who stormed Abia State Government House appealed to Governor Theodore Orji to ensure the payment of their arrears of pensions and gratuities, saying many of their colleagues had died out of frustration.

The pensioners, on the platform of Nigerian Union of Pensioners, NUP, Abia State chapter, marched from the Sub-Treasury Office on School road through Bende road and Aba roads to Government House.

According to them, all efforts made in the past to get the governor’s attention, had been futile.

The retired workers, who were guided by the police during the protest, displayed placards with various inscriptions conveying their plight, lamenting the sufferings of pensioners in the state due to non-payment of their pensions and gratuities.

State chairman of NUP, Chukwuma Ndubuisi Udensi, explained that they decided to

protest because they had been finding difficult to meet with the governor.

Udensi who addressed his members before they embarked on the march, also lamented that two previous ultimatums issued

to the government expired without response describing it as “very sad”.

According to him, instead of meeting with the pensioners the government paid them only one month.

He said “This kind of treatment has caused many of our members to die and if we continue to keep quiet it means sending more of our members to death.”

However, addressing the pensioners, the Permanent

Secretary, Government House, Mr. Nkwachukwu Agomuo, thanked the pensioners for the peaceful way they handled their protest and appealed to them to exercise patience, assuring that the government would attend to their needs.

Group decries plight of Nigeria Airways pensioners

C

AMPAIGN for Democratic and Workers’ Rights, CDWR, has condemned in strong terms the neglect of the Nigerian Airways pensioners and the refusal to pay their pension to the year 1999 by the federal government.

CDWR in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chinedu Bosah, lamented that the affected pensioners numbering about 1000 had been in disagreement with the federal government over what they term shortchange of their pension since the year 2000.

According to the statement, “the pensioners did not benefit from several increments on pensions except the May 2000 increment. The deliberate shortchange of the affected retirees’ pension and poor pension forced the pensioners to sue the Federal Government to

court in 2008 and got a judgment in their favour on April 19, 2012.

Characteristic of the ruling elite, the Federal Government is yet to implement the Federal High Court’s judgment for almost 3 years now. Hence, since then, these pensioners have not been paid their pension. Many of these pensioners have been subjected to untold and untoward hardship and suffering.

Most of the pensioners worked for 25 to 35 years.

Concretely, Justice G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division gave a ruling on April 19, 2012 that :(1) The pensioners as former employees of the Nigeria Airways are deemed to be public servants and now pensioners; (2) The pensioners are entitled to commensurate percentage increment in their pensions whenever the salaries of serving public servants are increased; (3) An order compelling the defendants

(federal government inclusive) to forthwith increase the plaintiffs’ (pensioners) pensions in line with all the various increments the Federal Government has effected to the salaries of serving public servants since their retirement in

1999; (4) The pensioners are entitled to pension for life, (5) An order compelling the defendants (Federal Government inclusive) to pay the plaintiffs (retirees) pension for life.”

•Nigerian Airways Pensioners

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 15 —41 12,, 20 2015

BITS Bits

NASU dominates conference

N

on Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, made an impressive show at the 11th quadrennial delegates conference of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC. Dressed in unique white and brown tea shirts, NASU members were the most visible at the conference.

The union members were led by the General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi and president, Mrs. Ladi Iliya.

NASU had withdrawn from the activities of NLC following disagreements on issues related to the 10th quadrennial delegates conference in 2011, held also in Abuja. Before then, NASU had been a major player in the NLC. The union had produced, a Treasurer of the NLC, in person of Comrade Ivor Takor, Chairperson of NLC Women Commission and Vice president of NLC; Mrs Illiya, and also a Deputy President of Congress; Prince Adeyemi.

Who is who at NLC confab

I

t was a gathering of who is who at the NLC conference.

Those who showed up included NLC’s first president, Comrade Hassan Sunmonu, first General Secretary, Aliyu Dangiwa, two former treasurers, Mr. Ero Phillips and Ivor Takor, former deputy president, Mr. Lawrence Peterside.

Also present were a former Acting General Secretary of the NLC, Salisu Nuhu Mohammed, immediate past General secretary, Comrade John Odah and other labour veterans including, Mr. Sylvester Ejiofoh. Government officials included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, Director-General of Michael Imoudu Institute for Labour Studies, Dr. John Olanrewaju, DirectorGeneral of the National Directorate of Employment, Abubakar Mohammed, Director-General of the National Productivity Centre, Dr. Paul Bidliya .

Diplomats were also present at the opening ceremony.

One of those who presented a remarkable fraternal message was, Kwasi Amankwah , general secretary o f the International Trade Union Congress , Africa.

NLC Confab: Politicians fight over workers’ vote, promise more jobs, others

By Funmi Komolafe, Victor Ahiuma-Young & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

T

HE 11th Quadrennial National Delegates Conference, NDC, of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, which ended yesterday in Abuja, was not just about the election of a new set of leaders to lead NLC for the next four years among others, it also provided a unique opportunity for politicians in the two leading political parties in Nigeria; the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its All Progressives Congress, APC, counterpart, to out do each other and woo the over 3200 delegates from across the country, their families, friends and other guests including veterans unionists, ahead of the general election.

They used their thoughts on the socio-economic and political situations in the country to try to sway delegates and others at the conference with special focus on jobs creation and similar issues.

APC speaks Speaking at opening ceremony of the NDC with the theme “The Working Class and the Challenges of National Security, Unity and Democratic Development”, APC’s Presidential Candidate, General Mohammedu Buhari, GMB, retd, told the delegates, “You believe that the labour of our heroes past and present shall never be in vain. You believe that our hopes and dreams can become reality. You believe in a nation bound in freedom, peace and unity. You believe that we can rebuild the broken walls. You believe that our great country can set a standard for all of Africa to see.

I pray that you will give me the opportunity to play a part in bringing about this CHANGE that the All Progressives Congress, APC, so strongly desires for our country, Nigeria.”

He said the three most challenging issues confronting Nigeria now were insecurity, the state of the economy and corruption that must be tackled at once before the nation could achieve any meaningful progress.

General Buhari lamented the menace of Boko Haram insurgents since August 2011, leading to the kidnapping of girls from their schools and women from their homes; slaughtering of boys in their

From left: Edo State Governor Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, discussing with APC Presidential Candidate Gen. Muhammdu Buhari (retd) and NLC outgoing President, Comrade Abdulwahed Omar during NLC Delegate Conference in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

dormitories and men in their farms; exploding bombs in public and private venues; and taking town after town in the northeast of Nigeria.

He decried the inability of the defence forces to arrest the situation despite the federal government’s defence budget that had gulped over $32.88 billion in the past five years.

According to him, “Our security situation in this country has never been so dire. Today, Nigerians have to endure, not just terrorist attacks in the North, but militancy in the Niger Delta, communal violence in the Middle Belt, cult wars in the South, and kidnappings, armed robberies, and common acts of thuggery throughout the country.

He equally spoke on the poor state of economy especially the devaluation of the national currency and its negative impact of the good, services and the purchasing power of the citizens.

The APC candidate explained that other challenges facing Nigerians today included youth unemployment, a lack of social services, corruption and poor governance, promising that “an APC government at the centre will treat Labour as a partner in moving the nation forward. Our plan to restore good governance, efficient and effective public sector stands to benefit the country’s labour force perhaps more than any other subgroup.

In line with our party ’s manifesto, we will identify and promote growth of industries

We want a wage, not the one that will make us millionaires, but a wage for the workers to meet their legitimate basic needs and to see something to save for the future

and give incentives for the use of local content. An APC government will protect and respect labourer ’s right to organize, guaranteeing the rights to collective bargaining in good faith in law. We will promote new skills, equip youth for a modern economy through a network of local technology institutions to provide free training in courses for the unemployed.”

PDP, FG position On its part, the PDP and the Federal Government speaking through the supervising Minister for Labour and Productivity, Mr. Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, insisted that PDP led federal government had been battling the security, economic, unemployment and other challenges confronting the nation head on.

He recalled that at the beginning, the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents were felt in about seven states including the Federal capital territory, but today their activities had restricted, saying “except for instance few isolated activities in the FCT, it has been restricted to three states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa where we have emergency rule.”

The Minster recalled that the first time the country faced such security challenges during the time of President Shehu Shagari and Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, Nigerians were united and it was contained, but lamented that today, the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan had been left alone to confront the insurgency.

While stressing that the government had been doing its best on the economy to improve the standard of living of the citizens, the minister noted that beyond any other government, “the Federal Government of Nigeria under the leadership of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, has not only reciprocated and appreciated but protected the right of

Nigerian workers to unionize.”

According to him, no Nigerian worker had been intimidated by the present administration even when some of the strikes embarked upon by workers were being influenced; the government saw it as the legitimate right of Nigerian workers.

On jobs creation, he said the Jonathan-led administration had been creating more than 1.8 million jobs including those under Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme, SURE-P, and promised that the government would do more.

Mr. Turaki told the delegates that the President Jonathan’s administration had consistently supported the labour union, boasting that today the nation had a government that “has absolute respect for the rule of law and the freedom of expression.”

Oshiomhole laments Earlier, former President of NLC and Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, lamented the insecurity, growing level of poverty, poor state of economy, epileptic power supply, rising unemployment in the country among others.

According to him, “This conference is taking place at a very important time in our country. Our people want jobs, not just jobs, they want decent jobs. We want a wage, not the one that will make us millionaires, but a wage for the workers to meet their legitimate basic needs and to see something to save for the future. We want security to be able to come to work, return back home, sleep and wake up without having to rely on private security arrangement.”

Similarly, outgoing president of NLC, Abdulwaheed Omar, decried the level of insecurity, unemployment, poor state of the economy, power supply and among others.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

S

ENATOR Gyang Pwajok’s emergence as the PDP candidate was understandably a sore for many who had sought for the adherence of the zoning principle. In the consideration of such advocates, the candidate should have emerged from Plateau South, the only zone yet to produce a governor for the state since the commencement of the Fourth Republic.

His problem with the southerners was worsened by the fact that the party also overlooked the south in the choice of a running mate. Arc. Yilji Gomwalk whyo was picked as the deputy governorship candidate is from the Central Zone.

Party chieftains from the south blame President Goodluck Jonathan whom they say would not get their votes because “he failed to stop Governor Jonah Jang from imposing a candidate” on them.

Not surprisingly, disenchanted personalities who might have shaped the outcome of the elections are said to be engaging in antiparty activities and few others mostly those who contested the PDP ticket with Senator Pwajok had either left the PDP for the APC or joined in forming a parallel PDP in the State.

The aggrieved members including former Governor, Fidelis Tapgun, immediate past state PDP Chairman, Dr. Haruna Dabin, Arc. John Alkali, Godfrey Miri, Jimmy Cheto, Chris Bature, Victor Lar and nine others who formed a parallel party machine similar to the PDP 2 that came to light in 2011.

Injustice and imposition Their group called “Reformed Peoples Democratic Party” say they will resist the injustice and imposition by the governor and party executives, warning that the “Reformed Peoples Democratic Party will not vote President Jonathan.”

As it stands, the governorship election has three strong contenders namely; Mr. Simon Lalong, APC; Senator Gyang Pawjok, PDP and Amb. Bagudu Hirse of the Labour Party, LP. Lesser known is Mr. Sabiu Musa of the African Democratic Congress, ADC. Remarkably, of the three, the PDP candidate is regarded as the only one doing much to win the peoples’ heart through intensive campaigns.

His effort is mainly seen as breaking the backbone of the resistance to his aspiration which is now rallying around Lalong, who is from the south,

•Jang: Swapped governorship for Senate seat

•Pawjok: Selling himself in all fronts

Jang’s difficult options on the plateau MANY in the Plateau State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP are aggrieved over the party’s failure to adhere to the principle of zoning of the governorship ticket of the party.

However, the impressive qualities of the chosen candidates and the failure of the opposition to present a formidable candidate is helping the ruling party on the plateau. the zone that advocates of zoning had said should produce the next governor of the state.

A number of bodies including the state chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN were quick to caution Governor Jonah Jang on his insistence on Pwajok.

In a letter addressed to the governor and signed by leaders of 12 affiliate member churches titled “Issues and Concerns over the Forth

Remarkably, of the three, the PDP candidate is regarded as the only one doing much to win the peoples’ heart through intensive campaigns

Coming 2015 Elections”, the body urged the governor to know that certain political decisions have implications well beyond political circles hence the need to be cautious.

The said letter was signed by Rev. Soja Bewarang, State CAN Chairman for and on behalf of the Church, Catholic Arch-Diocese of Jos, ECWA President, COCIN President, Bishop, Anglican Jos Diocese; PFN, Patron and Bishop of the Methodist of Jos Diocese, the TEKAN General Secretary, Pastor of CPFN/PFN, Baptist President Jos, the CAN and PFN as well as the Regional Secretary (IFES-EPSA).

Sensing the animosity among politicians, leaders of ethnic nationalities in the state under the aegis of Plateau Initiatives for Development and Advancement of the Natives, PIDAN expressed worry over the political happenings which they say are capable of breeding disunity among tribes in the state.

The leaders lamented the current political antecedent which they say has not provided the desired platform for equity and justice in the state. President of PIDAN, Dr. Aboi Madaki said the leaders cannot fold their arms and watch the state head the wrong

way especially as the elections approach.

However, a member of the PDP Presidential Campaign Committee on Planning, Research and Strategy, Mr. Yakubu Datti believes the people of the state will vote massively for the party at all levels in the 2015 general elections despite the grievances.

Datti said Plateau has been a traditional home of the PDP and would not afford to fail the party this time around adding that President Goodluck Jonathan has delivered on all his promises but what remains is for the administration to consolidate on the gains of the last four years.

Party for the people Supporting Datti’s point at the party ’s official flag-off campaign for the 2015 general elections in Mangu where all candidates of the Party were presented to the people, Governors Jang, Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Gabriel Suswam of Benue State as well as Senate President David Mark among others maintained PDP is the party for people of the North Central so they would work to ensure the

party’s victory in the coming elections.

Similarly, Mr. Daniel Kungmi, the Director-General of the PDP campaign organization during the ongoing campaign of GNS/Yilji in the state said all aggrieved members who have grudges will bury their grievances and work to ensure the Party ’s victory in the general elections.

Addressing Party faithful at the Barkin Ladi mini stadium, Kungmi said, “PDP is one, by the 7th of February, every internal problem in Plateau PDP will be solved, even aggrieved members will be pacified and every one will come together to work for the Party.”

The Party’s governorship flag-bearer, Pwajok reminded youths at the gathering that “the elders have confidence in the youths and are prepared to hand over the mantle of leadership to us. We should not and will not betray the confidence. Get your voter’s card, come out and vote and avoid the exploitation of religion and tribe but engage in acts which will promote peace and unity in the state.”

The APC gubernatorial candidate, Lalong who has equally kick-started his campaigns is banking on the sympathy of the people who may likely give him protest votes but pundits say he is no match for Sen. Pwajok who is enjoying the backing of

Continues from page 38

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—43

what is your view of this?

Jonathan cannot propose an interim government and at the end of the day be the head of such arrangement, such move won’t be in the interest of Jonathan.

•Adams

Why Yoruba are divided over Jonathan, Buhari — Gani Adams •I don’t know why opposition is so anxious OTUNBA Gani Adams is the National Coordinator of the Odua People’s Congress, OPC. In this interview, Adams explains why leaders of South West zone are divided over the choice of presidential candidates to support in the forthcoming elections.

He also bares his mind on the postponement of the general elections among other issues. Excerpts: credible elections. We still have

By Dapo Akinrefon more than three months for the OW will you react to the handover of government; there INEC’s shift of the is no need for them to be too anxious more than the umpire. elections dates by six weeks?

Moreover, we have 27 political Well, the shift in dates is as a parties and 17 of them have result of necessities for cogent declared that the election should reasons such as the issues of be postponed and eight insisted security and adequate logistics that it be held, in as much as 17 for the exercise. Let me explain has indicated interest in the these by reminding you of the shifting, it simply means majority fact that the shared Permanent of Nigerians have spoken.

Voters’ Card (PVCs) was just 66 per cent while the remaining 34 Security per cent were still to be given out and that is about 24 million challenges eligible Nigerians. I was so sad with the way the opposition The opposition has always been handled the development. I just hiding behind security issue to can’t imagine how comfortable condemn Jonathan, now the they are that about 24 million president wanted to tackle Nigerians were to be security challenges before the disenfranchised; as a matter of election, the opposition is again fact, I won’t even be comfortable shouting foul. What they are with 10,000 Nigerians not to talk criticizing Jonathan for is what of 24 million. the gentleman wanted to face in Secondly, the security chiefs six weeks. Come to think of it, declared they couldn’t guarantee with or without the necessary security of INEC’s ad-hoc staff. amend, he has insisted on May How then will any sane person 29 as handover date. push for the exercise without the But some people alleged that support of security chiefs? For President Jonathan is working these two cogent reasons, I don’t towards interim government, see us going for free, fair and

H

But most Yoruba are not supporting Jonathan’s reelection bid, how do you see this development?

We don’t need to deceive ourselves. The main group in Yorubaland, Afenifere has spoken; Afenifere the political arrowhead of Yoruba people has declared support for Jonathan.

Even Dr. Frederick Fasehun, the owner of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) has endorsed Jonathan, even before Afenifere.

I don’t have problem with Buhari, but I have serious problem with the people that surround him. So in conclusion, 85 per cent of Lagosians want Jonathan.

What is your assessment of the campaign?

They should stop blackmailing or discrediting each other. They should come out with facts to convince people, stop calling people who have sacrificed for the nation different names. In my own opinion there is no difference between the two major political parties, the APC and the PDP. They are calling for personality change but they are not calling for institutional change. When you said the present structure should not change and you are saying the president should change. If you say Buhari should be the president what of the institutions that have not changed. We went to the national conference to restructure Nigeria, to change the institutions. And the institutions are always more powerful than any individual.

I am not saying Jonathan is a saint because if those people

around him are corrupt and he cannot deal with them, then it means he also has some skeletons in his cupboard. But Jonathan is quite different from the caliber of people we have in APC. You know what is happening in Ogun State when somebody was building bridges where there is no water. When you are having a billion naira bridges and there is no free education. People of Oyo State are crying because the government of the state shut its door against the masses.

But despite Afenifere’s endorsement of Jonathan, prominent Yoruba leaders are supporting Buhari. What do you have to say to this?

I think you are having the mindset that some Yoruba leaders are supporting Jonathan. How many of them were in the struggle except for General Alani Akinrinade and Hon. Wale Oshun? Oshun is very close to APC. And there is no way you can separate Akinrinade and Tinubu. Yes they are always together. Akinrinade may not be partisan but you can separate him from Tinubu, they have close relationship.

I got to know that when we were

I think you are having the mindset that some Yoruba leaders are supporting Jonathan. How many of them were in the struggle except for General Alani Akinrinade and Hon. Wale Oshun?

in the national conference. When you are however talking about the core people who always fight for the course of the Yoruba and those whose voice you hear about regionalism and introduction of parliamentary system, you talk of myself as the leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC leader at the conference and the Afeniferes who believe that no matter the situation, the course of Yoruba must be championed at the conference.

Enough education In Yorubaland I remember when I became leader of OPC, people say I did not have enough education to be a leader.

Therefore, I went to school, I trained myself and I went to school. I went to even write WAEC, I went to write NECO, I wrote WAEC again. I went to Ghana to get a diploma, I got a diploma in Lagos State University onward to receiving a degree, but now Buhari is being alleged of not having a School Certificate.

The opposition said the election was postponed because Jonathan was afraid to lose the election.

That is propaganda, many things you hear from them, about 50 per cent of them is propaganda. Sultan of Sokoto said he has not got his PVC, I just got my PVC on Friday and in my house almost all the 35 people that registered, it is only me and two others that got theirs, 32 other are yet to receive theirs, and you now say the election should hold, and you are blaming Jonathan.

If there is crisis after the election, they will now say Jonathan has caused crisis. The Service Chiefs said they were not ready for the election.

Jang’s difficult options on the plateau Continues from page 38 government, the support of the governor and the national leadership of the Party.

Despite the focus on the governorship and Presidential seats, those contesting the Senate seats are not leaving anything to chance as the candidates in both Parties are also doing their jobs to ensure they emerge victorious in the coming contest.

The six senatorial candidates from the APC and PDP include Mrs. Esther Sambo (APC, Northern zone) contesting against gov. Jonah Jang of the PDP, Barr. Satzelang, (APC, Central zone) contesting against Sen. Joshua Dariye of the PDP, Gen. John Shagaya (APC, Southern zone) contesting against Gen. Jeremiah Useni of the PDP.

As it is, very little is known about Mrs. Esther Sambo of APC who is Afizere by tribe and set to battle governor Jonah Jang for the Plateau North Senatorial seat. Though she is not really known and her tribe is a minority in the zone, she is sure of clinching the seat as many in Jos North, Jos East and Bassa are said to be in support of her ambition.

Serving senator Equally unknown is Barr.

Satzelang from the Central zone who is contesting the seat with Senator Joshua Dariye of the PDP and whom many know is no match for Senator Dariye who is a serving Senator and well loved by the people.

It is however a different issue in the Southern zone which parades two Generals, John Shagaya of APC and Jeremiah Useni of the PDP. Many believe the battle will be fierce as both are Tarok from the same Langtang North local government area. Though Senator Shagaya had served a term in 2007 before he was defeated in 2011 by the incumbent Senator Victor Lar who is not seeking a re-election, people of the zone are said to be more receptive of Gen. Useni who they said has done more for them.

While the candidates and their supporters go about their campaigns, every finger is crossed as it is the electorates who will decide the outcome of the elections billed for February, 14 and 28, 2015.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

PDP'll soon take charge of Anambra State Govt House — Anohu HON. Emeka Anohu is the Deputy Minority Whip in the Anambra State House of Assembly, representing Ihiala 11 constituency. Recently, he defected from the Labour Party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and picked the House of Representatives ticket for Ihiala Federal constituency ahead of the forthcoming general elections. In this interview he bared his mind on why he wants to represent his people in the House of Representatives. Excerpts:

By Simon Ebgbulem

C

AN we know why you want to go to the House of Representatives?

First of all, I am somebody that has the zeal to work for my people and as a member of the state House of Assembly, I could only do a little. But as a member of the House of Representatives the scope is larger and I believe I can attract more projects to my people. Youth empowerment is something that is very dear to me. If our youths are idle we cannot have a secured society. We must make our youths very productive to the society.

If you go to our market here, the micro finance bank, the skill acquisition center, are all there.

As you can see we have a lot of foreign doctors that are here now to embark on massive health care delivery for my people. In the educational sector we have utilized the MDGs to renovate some schools and I am distributing exercise books to primary and second schools in my locality.

Can we know more about your free medical services?

I come from a system where health is wealth. In this our health care programme, many people discovered that they have diabetes but they never knew about it. For me it is a key sector that I will like to improve my efforts with the assistance of the state government.

Medical doctors With our Foundation which is established in many parts of the world, we have access to medical doctors from Europe and America, I am happy doing this for my people. Most of the ailments being treated are high blood pressure, diabetes, malaria and eye problems. We have a venue at Uli Amoka, we have a venue at Ihiala, we have a venue at Ebelechi and we have a venue in Okija here. One of our very good friends offered us assistance in developing the general hospital which we now made application to the Anambra state government to allow us to upgrade the hospital free or charge.

But how have you coped being in the minority party as a

•Anohu lawmaker in terms of attracting projects for your people?

I have always done my best to attract projects for my people but as a Labour man in the state House of Assembly I am in the minority so it is always difficult to attract projects. But because of the relationship I have with the government, I have been doing the little I can. But I want to improve and that is why I decided to join the race for the federal constituency after I joined the PDP. The first time we reopened the House, we had a problem with what minority is all about. I managed to clinch one of the principal offices in the minority group which was a great feat as a Labour Party man. That gave me access to the governor and in that capacity I tried to get a few of my projects done.

But why did you leave Labour Party for PDP I had to leave because of the intension of going to the House of Reps and the only party I can do that is the PDP. That informed my opinion to join a party at the center. We are seriously working for the re-election of President Jonathan because we believe that there is no other candidate better than him at the moment. If you look at Gen. Buhari, he has been a military president in the past, so he had opportunity to fix the country then. What else does he have to do for us? People like Buhari had their chances in the past and they could not use it well so he should leave the scene.

ELECTION POSTPONEMENT

Shift it 20 times, Binis 'll vote against Jonathan — Esogban

By Simon Ebgbulem

C

HIEF David Edebiri, the Esogban of Benin Kingdom and chairman Benin Forum, an umbrella body of all Binis in Nigeria and the Diaspora, has said that the poll shift will not dissuade the people of Bini kingdom in paying a just comeuppance to President Goodluck Jonathan.

President Jonathan’s major sin according to him was that he took away the only position given to them by late President Musa Yar’Adua, which was Minister of State Works, held by Engr Chris Ogiemwonyi. He added that even more that the decision helped to break the home of the former minister.

“He took the position and gave to his (Ogiemwonyi's) ex-wife, Stella Oduah who comes from

Anambra state and even made her a full minister”.

“So what was for the Binis was taken to Anambra by the present administration. Is that why the Benin people will vote for the PDP? Besides robbing the Benin people of the ministerial appointment, the home of the former minister (Engr.

Ogiemwonyi) was completely broken by the action of the presidency.

“Is that what they have done for the Benin people that will make us to vote PDP? Impossible. If they want to postpone elections 20 times the people are here waiting for them.

The consequences of what Jonathan has done will be very grievous for him and his party.

You met a man who was appointed half minister by previous administration, his

...It's a plot by PDP to financially weaken opposition — A/Ibom APC

By Chioma Onuegbu

T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC in Akwa Ibom State yesterday alleged that the shift in the general elections was part of the scheme by the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP to weaken opposition parties.

Speaking through its State Publicity Secretary Mr. Samuel Udobong the party stressed that the PDP and the Presidency knew that any plot to rig the election would be unsuccessful hence the decision to shift the polls to enable the opposition run out of campaign funds.

“Apart from the perceived plot

by the PDP government to rig the election, and weaken the opposition, we are also view the shift in polls as plot to sack the Chairman of the Independent national Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof Attahiru Jega. The PDP has been looking for loopholes to rig the election and we understand that Jega will not be compromised this time.

“The recent development has also proven that the PDP cannot win election in this country without rigging. Why are they complaining about the card reader? Why insist on shifting the polls even when INEC repeatedly announced that it was ready for the polls?

•Jega people in Benin voted massively for you during the elections, you now want to compose a new executive, you dropped him and took his wife who comes from across the Niger.”

He also hinged the decision on what he described as the superlative performance of the Comrade Governor in Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole.

Slap on democracy — Rep Kwande

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

R

EP. Suleiman Kwande, member representing Jos North/Bassa federal constituency in the House of Representatives has described the action as a slap on the country democracy.

Speaking with journalists in Jos yesterday, he pointed out that “ before this drama, the federal government blamed INEC over non availability of PVCs but now they hand twisted it on the issue of insecurity. I have the belief that they are trying to truncate the elections by all means.”

He also expressed confident that the wind of change is blowing all over the country and people are yearning for change but condemned “the kind of advertorials and jingles place on states Radio and TV stations by both PDP and APC on daily basis.”

According to him, “As politicians, we should desist from politics of cheap blackmail because doing so would also generate more tension and fears in the heart of Nigerians.

Conflicting views in Delta

By Godwin Oghre

C

ONFLICTING views over the postponement of the election is raging among stakeholders in Delta state.

While some have applauded the postponement, others have rejected it as being in bad faith.

Foremost among those who hailed INEC for a job well done in postponing the election, is the Sapele based prodemocracy group, Free and Fare Election Campaigners, FFEC. According to the group, the shift was necessary to enable a good number of the masses who have not gotten

their Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, to get them before the new date.

Leader of the group, a Peoples Democratic Party stalwart in the state, Mr Guy Galloway, said, “The time is not ripe at all for the election to take place. The security agencies have warned that the country is experiencing security challenges, which has to be ameliorated before the election.”

Another group, known as, “Buhari Support Group” with headquarters in Oghara in Ethiope West Local Government Area of the state,

however sharply disagreed with the former, saying the postponement was an orchestration of the ruling PDP, and that the postponement was done in bad faith to undo the gains of the All Progressives Congress, APC among the people.

Leader of this group, Chief Ajueshi Isaac Tobore, told Vanguard yesterday, “PDP wants to use the period to plan on how it will rig the election.

PDP wants to use the period to intimidate the opposition which is mainly the APC. They have started it in Lagos,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—45

POLLS SHIFT: TUC urges Rivers workers, residents to remain calm

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State chapter of Trade Union Congress, TUC, has called on workers and residents of the state to remain calm over the postponement of the general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. A statement by the state Chairman of the body, Hyginus Unuegbu, aligned the state council with the position of the national chapter which supported the postponement of the elections.

It further appealed to residents of the state to collect their permanent voter cards, PVCs, adding that INEC should endeavour to give Nigerians credible elections.

“We support the position of the TUC national secretariat on the postponement of the 2015 general election. We therefore, urge all Rivers people to remain calm and continue to follow the guidelines and electoral

Jonathan'll consolidate on achievements —DUDAFA GROUP

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HE coordinator of Friends of Dudafa Waripamo-Owei Support Group for Jonathan in the South West, Princess Ebi Egbomo has assured that President Goodluck Jonathan was determined to surpass his achievements recorded since 2011.

Inaugurating the wardto-ward campaign structures in Lagos, Egbomo urged Nigerians in the South West to support the re-election of President Jonathan, arguing that Niger Deltans in the South West had supported former presidents Shehu Shagari, Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Yar ’Adua when they were in office.

He solicited support for the president to ensure the nation’s unity.

“We condemn the attack on the president in some parts of the country and urge parents to educate their children on the need to avoid violence in this year’s elections."

The group also lauded INEC for postponing the polls, adding that majority of Nigerians were in support of the polls shift.

process as directed by the INEC. “We urge INEC to do the right thing and ensure that the 2015 general elections are

free, fair, and credible. We also appeal to all those that have not collected their permanent voter cards to do so as a matter of urgency. The importance of

the exercise of the civic responsibility of voting in a democracy cannot be overemphasized,” the statement said.

Odogwu expresses confidence in Delta PDP leadership

By Festus Ahon

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CONFERENCE: From left: Mr. Lanre Bakare, Head, Research and Strategy, Pan African Capital Plc; Mrs. Iniobot Nelson of Financial Institution Unit, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and Mr. Eric Okoruwa, Head, Investment Banking, Pan African Capital Plc, during West African Trade and Export Finance Conference, in Lagos.

LOCAL CONTENT: Bayelsa communities, SPDC crisis deepens

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—THE frosty relationship between Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC and its subcontractors-Morpol and Daewoo and impacted communities along the EPU cluster I, II and III in Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has deepened.

The $2.4bn EPU I, II and III project which is sited in Opokuma Kingdom, on completion, is expected to change the face of the host communities.

The King of Opokuma Kingdom, Okpoitari Diongoli, at an earlier meeting with stakeholders and the impacted communities, had directed the communities to stop further signing of the Freedom to Operate agreement until all the contending issues were resolved.

Vanguard gathered that it was in a bid to resolve the grey areas between SPDC and the impacted communities that the royal father scheduled a fresh meeting, Tuesday, with the management of the three companies at his palace in Akanranbiri town, Opokuma Kingdom.

But the monarch, in anger, was said to have cancelled the meeting after due

consultations with other stakeholders on the grounds that the management of the companies sent junior staff to represent them.

This development, the impacted communities considered as an insult on their collective sensibilities and disrespect to the leadership of the kingdom and host communities.

The Opokuma monarch, yesterday, at Akanranbiri, Opokuma in KOLGA confirmed the cancellation of the meeting to newsmen.

He said though the kingdom was open to constructive engagement that will be beneficial to all parties, the companies were not desirous for a peaceful resolution of the contending issues.

Peterside trust-worthy, resourceful, says Amaechi

By Gbenga Oke

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OVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has described the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, as a dependable, capable and vibrant young man with the required mental and physical attributes to drive any government anywhere in the world.

Amaechi, while presenting the APC candidate to the people of Ikwerre Local Government Area in Isiokpo, during a rally, described Peterside as a gift to Rivers State, adding that a people can only make progress if they choose their leaders carefully.

He said: “When you compare the difference between Peterside and the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr Nyesom Wike, you can see that Peterside is trustworthy, dedicated, resourceful, dynamic and young.

“I brought two of them up and I know them very well.

Wike, our small friend, has acquired expensive tastes and he has houses in every part of the world. So, he is not a man you can trust with your money because he worked with us.

President Goodluck Jonathan does not prosecute thieves around him if not, I would have forwarded documents on Wike but doing that will amount to mere waste of time."

S A B A — PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, House of Assembly aspirant for Burutu South constituency II, Delta State, Mr. Tam Odogwu, has expressed confidence in the leadership of the state chapter of the party.

Odogwu, who fielded questions from newsmen, expressed satisfaction with the reconciliation team put in place by the party ’s leadership to foster unity and give those who lost in the primaries a sense of belonging in the party.

The PDP faithful who lost the party’s primaries to Mr. Kennedy Daubiri, the incumbent member representing the constituency, reiterated his determination to continue to be active in the PDP and support all the party’s candidates in the general elections.

Delta doctors to embark on door to door campaign for Okowa

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PRESSURE group, Delta Doctors for Okowa Worldwide, DDOW, has said it has concluded plans to embark on a door to door campaign, explaining that its support for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate was based on his proven performances, credibility at various levels in the state and at the National Assembly.

DDOW Secretary, Dr Ebiarede Ferdinand, who spoke with journalists after the group's meeting in Ughelli, charged Deltans not to cast their votes along tribal lines but on antecedents, character and the will to develop all parts of the state.

Ferdinand said that, the group had concluded plans to embark on ‘’meet the people campaign” to market women, National Union of Road Transport Worker, artisans, and other groups to vote for Okowa.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

PDP campaign manager dies in auto crash

INEC accused of working against Imo voters

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI— THE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has been accused of deliberately working towards disenfranchising many voters in Imo State.

Chairman of Owerri Federal Constituency Elders Forum, Prince Lemmy Akakem, said Professor Attahiru Jega was not being honest when he said Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, was ready to conduct the polls.

Prince Akakem accused Professor Jega of acting out a script prepared by the Northern oligarchy against their perceived enemies.

He alleged that while underaged persons in the North were collecting PVCs, at 64, he does not have one.

By Francis Igata

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HE campaign manager of Mrs. Stella Ngwu, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for UzoUwani/Igbo-Ekiti Federal Consistency, has died in a road mishap along Aku-Nkpologu Road, while on campaign in the area.

The deceased, whose name was given as Austin Ejili, was a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu.

Meanwhile, a Toyota Hilux truck believed to be in the campaign train of Enugu State chapter of PDP suffered brake failure and rammed into an industrial building along AkpugoAmagunze Road in Nkanu East Local Government Area of the state.

Although no life was lost, an eyewitness revealed that the vehicle lost control due to speed.

The witness said the driver made frantic efforts to stop the vehicle to no avail, as it somersaulted several times before crashing.

The incident occurred during PDP’s campaign rally at Amagunze, council headquarters of Nkanu East Local Government Area.

Akakem said: “If the election had held as earlier scheduled, many people in Imo would have been completely disenfranchised. This is not what democracy is all about.”

He expressed regrets that in

Owerri North Local government Area of the state, no permanent voter’s cards had been issued to all citizens that registered in 2011.

He said: “We had earlier complained to INEC and

Enugu PDP candidate accused of avoiding governorship debates

By Francis Igata

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NUGU— RESIDENTS of Enugu State have expressed displeasure over the serial absence of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, at political debates organized by different stakeholders in the state.

Ugwuanyi had shunned debates organized by the Christian community held at Holy Ghost Cathedral; Enugu State Chambers of Commerce, Mines, Agriculture and Industry, held at Nike Lake Resort Hotel and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC’s held at Teachers House, Ogui Road.

ESTIMATED BILL: Youths protest against Enugu DisCo with them to be provided with He alleged that

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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OUTHS at Nkpor in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday, took to the streets in protest against Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, over estimated billing and incessant power outage in the area.

They contended that the company had refused to provide them with pre-paid metres, despite making payment since 2012.

The youths, who later took to their protest to media houses along Old Market Road Onitsha, wielding placards, also complained that some EEDC officials had been asking them to deposit money

they promised that Permanent Voter’s cards, PVCs, would be made available. We waited anxiously for one month and when nothing came, we went on a peaceful demonstration. We still do not have the cards now.”

pre-paid metres, which they refused.

They said their stand may have caused the refusal of EEDC to provide them metres.

Spokesman of the protesting youths, Mr. Felix Igbinosa, said the refusal of the people to grease the palms of some officials was responsible for non-allocation of the metres.

He noted that Ogidi Business Unit, Ogidi District of EEDC had refused to listen to their complaints of incessant increase in estimated electricity bills, which always led to disconnection.

Igbinosa said the building he is living in at 27 Frank Molly Street neither had analogue metre nor prepaid metre, adding that all attempts to get prepaid metres from EEDC failed.

some officials of EEDC asked them to pay N35,000 for analogue metres or deposit money in advance to be provided with prepaid metres.

Mr. Ignatius Nneome, a resident in Enugu, said: “Such debates provide the electorate with the opportunity to assess the candidates in order to make informed voting decision.

“As it stands, I am not happy with development. The APC candidate has appeared in all the debates and has demonstrated cerebral capability to deliver good governance, if elected to serve.

“The PDP candidate is behaving as if he does not have the wherewithal to face a public debate with other aspirants.

“It is not enough to erect billboards, posters and handbills.

The peoples are earnestly yearning to hear what his intellectual depth is.

Governorship is not a tea party.”

3rd Phase ex-militants back Jonathan for re-election

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X-militants of the third phase of amnesty programme in Delta State have declared their support for President Goodluck Jonathan and Senator Ifeanyi Okowa in the forthcoming elections.

Chairman of Delta State third phase ex-militants, Mr. Kingsley Agas, said President Jonathan’s achievements surpassed those of past presidents and, therefore, deserved a second

term to enable him complete the work he had started.

Agas used the opportunity to thank Mr. Kingsley Kuku, Special Adviser to the President on Amnesty and other exmilitants, which he described as ‘freedom fighters.’

He said ex-militants had started mobilizing youths to vote en mass for Jonathan.

He condemned the attacks on the President and warned against further attacks to avoid “untoward consequences.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On elections' postponement

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T is also unfortunate that the credibility and independence of INEC is now in question, if it can succumb to this type of illegitimate pressure.

Well, it is a very big disappointment and threat to our democratic existence.—Professor Itse Sagay (SAN), Lawyer.

C M Y K

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HE international community will be laughing at us by now. But those that know Nigeria well will realize it is not our fault. We have never had it this tough. It is going to determine, to a high degree, if we are ready to move forward.— Mr. Emma Martins, HR Practitioner.

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HE President should be ashamed of himself. His primary responsibility is to ensure security. It is an admission of incompetence for him to turn around and say election should be postponed because he has failed in his primary duty.— Professor Fidelis Oditah, Lawyer.

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Y position is that it is inexcusable and we should not have postponed the elections.

If they can be held in six weeks, there is absolutely no excuse for not holding it now. There is no excuse except some leaders have plans to sit tight.— Professor Bankole Sodipo, Lawyer.

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am just tired of this system of saying one thing and then doing another. There have been calls from every well meaning quarters that the elections should go ahead as scheduled. But didn’t INEC think about the Boko Haram issue initially?—Mr. Alex Muoka, Lawyer.

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really wanted the elections to hold in February, so that they will be done with. The tension will ease and parties would rest as well. Will this INEC be able to assure us on the security it gave as reason for postponement?— Miss Nneoma Oguike, Job Seeker.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 47

‘It's impossible to Islamise Nigeria'

Maintain peace and order, political parties in Kwara told

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DO STATE Coordinator of General Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organisation, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, has urged Nigerians to disregard the insinuations that All Progressives Congress, APC, standard bearer, Gen. Muhammadu Buhati (retd) will Islamize the country if elected president in the coming general election in March this year.

He noted the peddling was ridiculous and being used by detractors to sway the minds of Christians against Buhari who is a devoted Muslim, as Islamization of the country will be a tough hurdle to achieve.

Dr. Ehanire said Buhari cares less of religion being an open minded individual who practises his religion with sincerity and does not deter others from practising their belief, noting such unfounded statement will not work anymore.

The Coordinator said the noise about whether or not Buhari possess secondary certificate has been taken to the point of absurdity, saying the retired General has passed through different points of screening, both home and abroad, in his days as a military officer.

By Demola Akinyemi

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Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State (2nd left), acknowledging cheers from tourists at the upgraded Agodi Gardens and Resorts during his unscheduled visit to the place on Tuesday.

POLLS SHIFT: ECOWAS appeals for calm, urges support for INEC A

BUJA—WORRIED by possible tension that may arise after the postponement of the February polls, heads of ECOWAS Observer Mission to Nigeria’s 2015 elections, Dr Bakili Muluzi, has appealed to politicians and their supporters in the country to be civil in their conduct and give all necessary support to the

Respect office of the President, ex-militant advises

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IGERIANS has been cautioned against denigrating the office of the President through their actions or words.

This is coming against the backdrop of the reported stoning of the President’s convoy on campaign train in some parts of the country.

Ex-militant and chairman of Ijaw Youth, Egbema Kingdom Gen. Ijufagha Ben said it was uncomplimentary for the office of the President of a country to be petted with stones because of political reasons.

“I want to make this known to my fellow Niger Delta brothers and people of the north that Jonathan is not a President of only Niger Delta but the whole Nigeria” According to him: “We have heard all the threats of the north against our President and how he was stoned in some states.

"I want to tell them he is not just the President of Niger Delta, but the whole of Nigeria. So we want them to know that presidency is

for all to decide and not personal interest.

"We cannot pay evil for evil, if not we would have also stoned Buhari when he came to Edo State or Delta State. Let us see how we can work together to make our country great,” he advised.

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to deliver a hitch-free elections.

Muluzi, who was the former Malawian President, made the appeal on Monday when he met Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, in Abuja.

He said though, the change had become inevitable, Nigerians must accept the change in dates in the interest of peace and the future of their country.

“As much as we all want this election to hold, we must not compromise the peace and security of our children. Africa and Nigeria is still important to all of us, we still need peace to create opportunities for our people to succeed in their chosen vocations. “ These we can only achieve, if we all remain calm and

Yari pledges better life for Zamfara people

By Salisu Maradun

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U S A U — GOVERNOR Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara State has admitted the failure of his government to fulfil its election promise to assist women in the state with N25,000 each during the 2011 elections. Yari, however, pledged to improve the living condition of the people of the state if given another chance to rule in the 2015.

He blamed the failure of his government to give N25,000 grant to every woman in the state on dishonest officials who

could not disburse the funds.

According to him, the fund would still be disbursed to the women after the next general elections if he was voted into office for his second term.

“Actually we promised to assist women during our 2011 electioneering campaign considering their dedication and suffering to make sure we succeeded so that they could stand on their own, but unfortunately we were sceptical in that direction, because our people, as we gathered are not honest and therefore we had to shift the disbursement until the coast is clear.

cooperate with the authorities to do what they have to do, so peace remains very important in all of these aspirations,” he said.

The ECOWAS representative commended the APC standard bearer for accepting INEC’s decision on the shift in the dates for the general elections and for also urging his supporters to remain calm.

He said Buhari’s call for calm among his supporters was noble and should be emulated by all leaders that meant well for the citizenry.

LORIN—WORRIED by the increase in the spate of political violence in some parts of Kwara State in recent times, members of the state security council, after a meeting, yesterday directed all candidates vying for various elective posts to sign undertakings with security agencies to maintain peace and order before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

The recommendations of the council, was meant to further complement the peace pact earlier signed by all governorship candidates with INEC in the state.

Secretary to Kwara State Government, SSG, Alhaji Isiaka Gold disclosed this while speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the outcome of the meeting.

“In view of the importance of communication to crime fighting and security, the council also called for increased levels of advocacy and information dissemination against thuggery and other forms of political violence and their promoters,’’ he said.

Group cautions Ogboru, Omene on UPU crisis

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group of Urhobo youths under the aegis of Urhobo Integrity Alliance, have cautioned Chiefs Great Ogboru and Joe Omene to tread carefully with respect to the present crisis rocking the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU. According to the group, the Uvwiamuge declaration remains sacrosanct and that despite the arguments of Ogboru and Omene, the only candidate whose aspiration is on all fours with the declaration remains Olorogun O’tega Emerhor of the APC. It claimed that attaching Chief Ogboru to President Jonathan can only amount to a wild goose chase as Jonathan’s election comes first and he can easily change his mind and support his fellow party man, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa once he is safe in power.

In a statement released to newsmen in Warri, yesterday, the group, through its Convener, Comrade Peter Adogbeji, noted that hitherto, Urhobo had always spoken with one voice and voted for only one candidate at each and every election.

He said: “Besides, there is no guarantee that Jonathan will necessarily win the election and if he cannot deliver himself, is it Ogboru that he will deliver? The whole thing looks like a scam and if Ogboru is beginning to come across as an agent of the PDP collaborating with Omene to distabilise UPU so that Urhobo votes will be split for Okowa to win.”

Adogbeji vowed that Urhobos will never be divided and come the Governorship elections they will be casting their votes for O’tega Emerhor of APC.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

CAMPAIGN RALLY: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (right), introducing Hon. Philip Shaibu, the House of Representatives candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, for Etsako Federal constituency of the state, during a rally in Jattu, Edo State.

VISIT: From left: Mr. Waheed Olagunju, ED, Small and Medium Scale Enterprise, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr Henrique De Azevedo, Head of Department, Export Credit Division, Business Development in Africa, Brazilian Development Bank, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD/CEO, Bank of Industry, and Mr Ariel Marcelo Doctorovich, Transaction Support in Africa, Export Credit Division, Brazilian Development Bank, during the Brazilian bank' officials' visit to BoI in Lagos.

Princess Stella Oduah, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate for Anambra North Senatorial District, during a campaign tour of her constituency.

LAUNCHING: From left: Chief Executive Officer, Jobiesbeauty, Adebola Adebiyi, Group Head, Communications and CSR, First City Monument Bank, FCMB, Ltd, Uchenna Mojekwu, CEO, House of Tara International, Tara Fela-Durotoye, and Commercial Director of the company, Ada Iwugo, at the launch of women economic empowerment initiative Lagos.

PRESENTATION: From left: Mrs. Ayo Otaigbe, Director, Sickle Cell Foundation Nigeria, Mr. John Ugbe, MD, MultiChoice Nigeria, and Prof.

Olu Akinyanju, Chairman, Sickle Cell Fo u n d a t i o n , Nigeria, during the presentation of a brand new Toyota Avanza to the Foundation.

AGRICULTURE ECONOMY: From left: Mr. Paul Ilona, Country Manager, HarvestPlus Nigeria, Chief Audu Ogbeh, CEO, Efugo Farms, and Rev. Fr. Fortunatus Okeke, Director, Dominican Centre, during the three-day empowerment training/seminar for Agripreneurs, at St. Dominic Catholic Church, Yaba, Lagos.

BIRTHDAY: From left: Mr. Collins Chimezie, Mr. Hamid Abbo, Mrs Chinedu Ndubuisi, Mr Onyekachi Ndubuisi, and Mr. Abang Odok-Ogah, at Ndubusi Onyekachi's birthday in Abuja.

RETREAT: Rev. M.A. Oganla, Founder/General Overseer, The Messiah C&S Church, Onaigbala Worldwide (middle), his wife, Teleola Oganla (right), and Prophet Emmanuel Orukantan, at the end of thechurch's 30day fasting and prayer retreat.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 49

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50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 51

Nigerian Artistes – How we must vote

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•Prof Wole Soyinka (standing) addressing the children, while other dignitaries listen

VOTC 2015: 60 kids emerge for The Road to Sambisa

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By Japhet Alakam

HE vision of the organisers of The Vision of the Child (VOTC), the visual angle of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival is gradually being realised as more sponsors have joined the major sponsor Diamond Bank to ensure that the programme continues to promote creativity among the children.

This was disclosed last week when 60 finalists for the 2015 edition of Vision of the Child(VOTC) were presented to the public. The presentation which held at the Freedom Park Lagos was attended by many prominent personalities among them are Nobel Laureate Professor Wole Soyinka, who is the consultant to the Lagos Black Heritage Festival, Chief Disun Holloway, Lagos State commissioner for Tourism and Inter Governmental Affairs, representatives of Diamond Bank,major sponsor, Microsoft and Honeywell Noodles, co sponsors, students and teachers and a host of art lovers in and around Lagos.

Fate of children Welcoming the children and other guests to the evet, Chief Disun Holloway, Lagos State commissioner for Tourism and Inter Governmental Affairs, who represented the Lagos State government announced that in regards to earlier question as regards to the fate of children who are above 12 since Diamond bank caters for the children between 9-12, Microsoft Nigeria has joined the sponsors and will take care of those from 12 years above.

Thereafter, the 60 finalists who emerged from a three- day intensive interview held between C M Y K

January 26th - 28th at the Freedom Park, Lagos were presented to the public by Mrs Ayona Trimnel, Head Corporate Communications, Diamond Bank.

The competition with the theme, The Road to Sambisa which is for school children in Lagos at the age bracket of 9-12 years started last year in November.

A total of 250 students participated from 60 schools (primary and secondary) within Lagos state attended the interview. Their entries were assessed by a panel of eminent jury comprising teachers, artists, child careers, and social workers.

The journey to this stage started with registration and submission of a poem, essay or short story of fixed length on the theme.

The finalists shall be invited on March, 7th 2015, to the National Conservation Foundation Park, Lekki, provided with brush, paint and easel and, will be required to illustrate their literary presentation in the complimentary medium, of Painting.

Addressing the students from various schools across the

The journey to this stage started with registration and submission of a poem, essay or short story of fixed length on the theme

country, Nobel Laureate Professor Soyinka employed the students to tell their parents to search their conscience before casting their votes. ‘’it is impossible to talk of today’s election without thinking of what happened to your colleagues, your siblings, your peers in the village called Chibok. It is not possible to think of the future of this nation in the sense of responsibility without that albatross called Chibok.

Sense of responsibility Coming to the fore of our contemplation, I think that why I was being killed on the internet is probably because of this very event because those who began to advertise my death on the internet probably know already what I stand for over the election which is also why all kinds of statements have been made.’’

On their part, Executive Director, Diamond Bank, Mr Victor Ezenwoko said that they were excited with the progress so far, He commended the organisers and promised that the bank which has been there since inception will continue to be there for the project. He also commended the children for how they have been carrying themselves along, pointing out that some of the children are better than some of our graduates who can not express themselves well in English.

Mr Olayinka Oni, Chief Technical Officer, Microsoft Nigeria said their partnering with Lagos state on the project is part of their mission of empowering people to do more especially the youths.

HE Nigerian Entertainment Industry could have been Nigeria’s most lucrative asset if accorded proper interest.

Improper handling is making the nation loss trillions of naira every year. “Stage and Screen” has played this tune several times trying to attract government’s attention to listen and react or least find out how art can rebrand Nigeria and attract national and foreign currency into our coffers.

Instead of celebrating our dips into the oil wells, lets invest in the pools and streams of the sweat flood of the cradle of artistic creativity.

The Nigerian Sculptors, Fine and Graphic Artists, Photographers, Writers, Film makers, Musicians, Dancers and Actors are busy swimming in their own sweat, creating and producing only for the local market. The world arts market admits skills with sophisticated and good packaging, the world indeed as a global village should be the showcase of our artistic goodies.

The Minister for Arts can persuade the President to include a yearly Arts exportation to the duties of our Ambassadors in the various countries in addition to their crowded dinner parties.

A good diplomatic smile and handshake can arrange, yearly exhibition of our art works.

Dance, Drama, Sculpture, Photography etc. every Ambassador could organize different programmes every year.

The world will be too small for our arts market; our creative artistes will then be having good rapport with the central bank governor and other banks as they contribute to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Why do we vote? We vote to fulfill our civic duty and elect representatives to nurture our nascent democracy, to express our opinion in setting up a democratic government where we build the government by the people, to serve the people.

A good diplomatic smile and handshake can arrange, yearly exhibition of our art works

The first Law in nature is self preservation in which we carve our identity and style so as to retain and build a culture of a people in today’s world, nay, global village, nations have become their brother’s keepers and aggressors are not too free to colonize by guns and bombs any more. They do a more thorough job by destroying the culture of their victims and imposing theirs in the name of civilization development or sophistication, all of which are components of the invader’s style of total extinction and social enslavement.

Nigerian artistes, I mean true Artistes, Sculptors, Musicians, Writers, Dancers, Actors, Film makers, Painters and Graphic artists must vote for the survival of our culture and nation for the continued existence of our people.

We cannot vote for the sale of our culture and style. To sell off the priceless hallmark of our great possession, the magnificent Bulgarian masterpiece marked to showcase our artistic history because we cannot run it as a theatre. Instead we can establish theatre culture like other countries. Though theatre and performing arts are social services when well developed, they become big money spinners.

Money spinners America had its hands filled when theatre grew into movies.

Theatre in America spread from Broadway, to off Broadway and to off-off Broadway and making so much money from sales of tickets from theatres fully booked everyday.

Plays run in one theatre auditorium for years before they are made into screen plays. Actors live like Kings from their fat fees.

Actors’ dignity has made Presidents.

It is a shame that the world has left us behind because we engaged in a rat race instead of ensuring and preserving the dignity of a people and our race through our Arts.

As the pioneer President of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) and having lectured Acting in three Nigerian Universities and for 27 years writing a column on Arts overview in a national newspaper and made a record appearance on stage and television as an actor, accorded national honours, of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR) feel totally deflated that the government has refused to listen to us.

52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

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54 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Navy intensifies security patrol on waterways

By Ifeyinwa Obi

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HE Nigerian Navy has assured of effective policing of waterways in the Niger Delta before and after the general elections.

New Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral, Henry Babalola, who spoke in Port Harcourt, said the deployment of troops on the waterways was in compliance with the request of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adding that it was part of move to guard against ballot box snatching and issues of electoral violence.

He said the Navy would continue to assist the electoral body to deliver credible elections to Nigerians.

He said: “ We will standby to assist INEC to provide security to transport electoral materials to riverine areas, when we are called upon.

“We will standby to create an enabling environment that will allow voters to lawfully and legally come out to cast their votes.

“Subverting electoral process starts from when thugs import arms and ammunition to cause problems, and so we are deploying one helicopter to join the naval flying unit here, and patrol boats to ward-off ships bearing arms to the militants.

“It is a trying moment for our nation, and so the idea is that at the end of the day, we will be on top of the game to create a conducive atmosphere for the elections to take place.”

Continuing, he said his men were free to vote for candidates of their choice but should do so in mufti and should not hang around polling booths after casting their votes.

He further warned them against openly campaigning for any of the political parties Babalola said the navy would soon take delivery of three warships to enhance its security operations.

“Very shortly, the Commander in Chief (of the armed forces) and the Chief of the Naval Staff will be commissioning three additions to the Nigerian navy fleet – and they are very big ships.''

“We have the offshore patrol Centenary vessel from China assigned to the (nation’s) eastern fleet.

Standard & Poor’s reviews Nigeria’s credit rating over political uncertainty

By Emma Ujah & Babajide Komolafe, with agency report

...It’s not a downgrade but a wake-up call – FG

S

TANDARD & Poor ’s rating agency has said that Nigeria may have its credit rating cut due to impact of lower crude oil prices and political uncertainty on its economy. S&P said it is reviewing Nigeria for a possible downgrade, indicating there’s more than a 50 percent chance for the country to lose its BB- rating, or three steps below investment grade. The move came one day after it cut a group of oil producing countries including Kazakhstan, Bahrain and Venezuela and lowered the outlook for Saudi Arabia to negative.

S&P’s analysts led by Ravi Bhatia in a statement, said”The decline in oil prices has a significant impact on the outlook for Nigeria’s external position, while political risks also remain significant.”

A 53 percent decline in oil prices since June is squeezing Nigeria’s economy, which relies on commodities for more than 90 percent of its exports and 70 percent of the government revenue. The country’s bonds fell and the currency weakened to a record on Monday as escalating violence by the Islamist group Boko Haram in the northeastern region prompted an electoral commission to push back national elections scheduled for Feb. 14 by six weeks.

BRIEFING: The National Publicity of All progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (right) briefing the press on the role played by soldiers during last year's governorship election in Ekiti State in Lagos. With him were Mr Williams Adeleye, his Special Assistant, and a journalist. Photo by Joe Akintola.

S&P said Nigeria’s current account, the broadest measure of trade, may turn into a deficit equal to 1.8 percent of gross domestic product between this year and 2017, from a surplus of 3.3 percent as previously expected.

It’s a wake-up call – FG

The Federal government has however said that the Standard &

Poor ’s latest assessment of Nigeria which retains the country’s sovereign rating at BB- with a negative watch did not downgrade the country’s rating but a wake-up call to work harder.

In a statement yesterday, Spokesperson of the Minister of State for Finance, Mr Paul Nwabuikwu said, “previously,

‘Outcome of polls'll determine Nigeria's democracy'

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

L

AGOS—THE West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEPNigeria), a coalition of 102 civil society groups has said the credibility and outcome of the 2015 rescheduled general elections will determine whether the choices made by Nigerians will make or mar the country’s democracy.

This was disclosed yesterday by the national network coordinator of WANEP-Nigeria, Ifeanyi Okechukwu who tasked Nigerians at a media round table to present analysis of risks factors and recommendations towards peaceful elections to ensure that the forthcoming poll is conducted in an informed manner that will make the

people benefit from its outcome, which will eventually strengthen the nations destiny.

In an opening remark, Okechukwu said, “Indeed we are set to make history and whatever the outcome of the upcoming elections. We can make history emerging stronger and unified with capacity to consolidate our status as the giant of Africa or we can make history as the giant that failed to actualise its potentials with grave consequences for its continued existence as a nation and as a people.

“The credibility and the outcome of the rescheduled elections of 2015 will be strongly hinged on the hard choices we make as a people to respond to risks or threats we face both perceived and real that has the potentials of truncating our democracy,” Okechukwu remarked.

He said the shift in the dates of

the poll is a blessing in disguise to Nigeria as a nation, as it offers a unique opportunity to clearly work towards examining all choices and taking the rights steps to prevent the threat of possible violence in the rescheduled elections.

He said the media has major roles to play in sensitizing Nigerians, the political parties and all stakeholders on while the election must hold peacefully and allow every vote to count.

In the paper presentation, the body analyzed the build-up to the election, the implications of negative and inciting statements by political actors, other incidents that can cause problems in the electoral processes and recommended a way out.

It submitted that the media and civil society groups “must maintain non-partisanship and be the platform to reduce tension in the polity.

it was BB-.with a negative outlook. This means that the ratings agency has adjusted its rating slightly by placing the country on negative watch because of the pressure of falling oil prices on the economy as well as political risk.

“Thus, Nigeria has not been downgraded but the country clearly needs to work harder to actualize its recently announced policy response to the current economic challenges”.

He argued that other oil producing countries, like Saudi Arabia, have also been put on negative watch, while a number of others, including Kazakhstan, Bahrain and Oman were downgraded outright.

“It is important to note that in spite of the serious challenges arising from the sharp fall in oil prices, Nigeria is doing quite well compared to some other oil producing countries. For example, while the economies of Russia and Venezuela are projected to contract and experience negative growth this year, Nigeria’s GDP has been projected by the IMF to grow by 4.8% which is quite robust by global standards.

“Overall, there are two broad implications. First, the economy, despite many challenges, retains key strengths. Second, we have to keep working harder to continue to turn these strengths into real value for the country and its citizens”, he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 55

Lawmaker berates INEC over polls postponement

NIS seizes 191 PVCs from foreigners

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—REACTIONS have continued to trail the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s postponement of the 2015 general elections by six weeks as a lawmaker from Plateau State, Mr. Suleiman Kwande has berated the commission’s action.

Kwande who is the member representing Jos North/Bassa federal constituency in the House of Representatives described the action as a slap on the country ’s democracy.

Speaking with journalists in Jos yesterday, he pointed out that “before this drama, the federal government blamed INEC over non availability of PVCs but now they hand twisted it on the issue of insecurity. I have the belief that they are trying to truncate the elections by all means.”

He also expressed confidence that the wind of change was blowing all over the country as people were yearning for change.

Kwande however, condemned “the kind of advertisements and jingles placed on state radios and TV stations by both PDP and APC on daily basis.”

BUJA—THE Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, has seized 191 Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, from foreigners as part of efforts to ensure that non-Nigerians do not participate in the general elections, a statement said.

The statement was issued by Mr Chukwuemeka Obua, the Public Relations Officer of NIS in Abuja yesterday.

It stated that the service also recovered 57 Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs, 367 old national identity cards and 11 old TVC slips from the foreigners.

According to the statement, the service also seized 68 new national identity cards, 10 birth certificates and three NIS registration certificates.

It said that NIS personnel also seized six Gada Local Government Community Tax Cards from foreigners and two driver ’s licences belonging to Nigerians.

“Other items found in the possession of foreigners

O

NITSHA—OVER 1.4million Nigerians may be recruited into traffic warden service across the nation, in line with President Goodluck Jonathan’s transformation agenda on job creation.

The initiator of the project and chairman of VANCTRAWACT, a Human Right and Non Governmental Organization, Mr JK Johnsonapla, who disclosed this in Nnewi, Anambra State, yesterday, noted that the project had received the approval of President Jonathan after a recent visit of the group to Aso Rock.

Johnsonapla further disclosed that the project would be handled by the Transitional Management Committee, TMC, and the co-ordinating NGO, on behalf of the federal government.

The statement said that the items were recovered in Sokoto, Jigawa and Zamfara states.

It said the development was

as a result of the ongoing nationwide mop-up operation against irregular migrants across the country ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

DECAMPMENT: Former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, addressing Peoples Democratic Party, PDP faithful in Bayo Local Government Area where thousands of All Progressives Congress, APC members decamped to PDP in Maiduguri, yesterday. Photo by Ndahi Marama.

Anambra to employ 1,000 graduates this month

By Vincent Ujumadu

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State government said yesterday it would employ 1000 graduates into the state workforce before the end of this month.

Governor Willie Obiano,

1.4m Nigerian youths to be recruited as traffic wardens

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

include one Nigerian Army Identity Card for occupants in the barracks, one primary school certificate and one data page of the Nigeria Passport,” it said.

He explained that the aim of the project was to redefine the road traffic control function as a veritable sub-sector for social, economic, human and urban development.

He added that the project would introduce a pragmatic and proactive change in the road traffic control sub-sector to a world-class standard, away from the current “agonizing” system of road traffic control.

“The NGO, fighting the cause of the traffic warden service and a sense of belonging of traffic wardens in the public service, is fervently committed to the enforcement of the Court of Appeal judgement that recently granted autonomy to the traffic warden service,” he stated.

who gave the cheering news during the inaugural youth leaders camp of National Youth Council of Nigeria at Mbagwu, Awka North Local Government Area of the state, said it was part of the state government’s efforts to reduce unemployment.

Obiano, who spoke through the Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Mr. Tony Nnacheta, announced that 450 youths currently in the camp would get automatic employment.

According to him, the state government has other programmes that would benefit the youths of the state.

He added that Anambra State has invested about $1.9 billion in agriculture and technology aimed at boosting youth employment, while about $500 million investment would be coming into the state in a few days, all in the interest of the youth.

He also said government has put in place measures to shore up the state’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, before the end of Obiano’s administration.

Nnacheta said the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) had jumped from N400 million to N1.1 billion per month, adding that the state was targeting N2 billion per month before the end of the year.

He urged youths to be more proactive by showing determination to succeed

because better opportunities awaited them under Governor Obiano.

In his address, the state chairman of National Youth Council, Frank Maduka,

commended the state governor for the unflinching support towards youth empowerment and irrevocable commitment to an all-round youth development in the state.

Civil society groups hail NYSC over reduction of registration fees

L

AGOS—COALITION of civil society groups under the aegis of Good Governance Forum has hailed the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) over its reduction of the online registration fees for prospective corps members.

The NYSC had two weeks ago announced the reduction of the registration fees from N4,000 to N3,000 following agitation by stakeholders in the education sector.

In a communiqué issued at the end of a sensitization workshop held in Benue and Lagos states to further seek ways of helping Nigerian youths achieve their dreams, the coalition said the step taken by the NYSC was a step in the right direction as it would re-galvanize the spirit of the Nigeria youth in serving the nation.

President, Coalition of Civil Society Groups and Chairman of the organizing committee, Comrade Bassey Etuk, Igwe Casmir Uche respectively, who signed the communiqué along

with Abubakar Ibrahim, the Northern Coordinator, said holding of the workshop in the Northern and Southern parts of the country was to help sensitize prospective corps members.

The group specifically lauded the disposition of the NYSC Director-General, Brig. Gen. Johnson Olawumi for heeding the request of the Nigeria youths saying the digitalization of the NYSC service scheme has gone a long way in reducing the stress and challenges faced by prospective corps members.

While passing a vote of confidence on the NYSC, the coalition lauded the efforts being made to continually have hitchfree mobilization of the corps members across the country.

“We also call on all stakeholders to embrace this recent initiative as a sign of the good intent of the NYSC DG, just as we also note with great joy the efforts being put by the DG to ensure the safety of corps members across the country for the 2015 general elections,” he said.

56 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12 , 2015

Belgium jails Islamist group members

A

Belgian court has jailed the leader of a group that sent jihadists to Syria, in the largestever trial of its kind in the

Obama weighs Afghan request to slow withdrawal of U.S. troops

P

Russian President Vladimir Putin shakes hands with Petro Poroshenko in Minsk

RESIDENT Barack Obama is considering a request from Afghan President Ashraf Ghani to slow the pace of the withdrawal of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, a senior administration official said yesterday .

“President Ghani has requested some flexibility in the troop drawdown timeline

Ukraine peace talks begin, overshadowed by fighting W ORLD leaders in cluding France, Germany, Russia and Ukraine began peace talks in Belarus yesterday while in Ukraine pro-Moscow separatists tightened the pressure on Kiev by launching some of the war ’s worst fighting.

The Kiev army said 19 of its soldiers were killed in a day of proRussian separatist assaults near the railway town of Debaltseve, some of the worst losses it has reported in nine months of war.

Rebels who tore up a five-month-old truce in January are trying to

encircle government forces in Debaltseve, a strategic location that would let them link up their main strongholds.

Fighting has already killed more than 5,000 people, and Washington is now openly talking of arming Ukraine to defend itself from “Russian aggression”, raising the

prospect of a proxy war in the heart of Europe between Cold War foes.

A surge in fighting in the 24 hours before the summit, including a rocket attack that killed 17 people deep in government-held territory on Tuesday, could be intended to force Ukraine to accept a deal recognising the rebel advance.

and base closure sequencing over the next two years, and we are actively considering that request,” the official said, speaking on background.

Ghani will travel to Wa s h i n g t o n n ex t month to meet with Obama. Last month, the Afghan president spoke publicly about the U.S. plan to halve the number of troops in Afghanistan in 2015 and cut them further in 2016. He made clear he would prefer a longer timeline and said: “deadlines should not be dogmas.”

The U.S.-led coalition in Afghanistan ended its combat mission after 13 years of war at the end of 2014.

About 13,000 foreign troops, mostly Americans, remain to train Afghan forces.

country.

The court in Antwerp found a total of 45 members of the Sharia4Belgium group guilty of terror-related offences.

The judge called the organisation “a terrorist group” and sentenced leader Fouad Belkacem to 12 years in prison.

The other 44 members were given sentences, some suspended, ranging between three and 15 years.

U.S embassy staff in Yemen destroy weapons, computers, documents

U

.S. embassy staff in Yemen destroyed weapons, computers and documents before closing and evacuating diplomats yesterday , local members of staff told Reuters.

The United States, Britain and France have closed their embassies and evacuated staff as the security situation in Yemen has unraveled following the Shi’ite Muslim rebels’ formal takeover of power last week.

DR Congo conflict: UN pulls out of planned assault on FDLR

Hundreds of migrants killed in new T Mediterranean tragedy, says UN

HE UN has withdrawn its backing for a planned offensive against rebels in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo after the government refused to sack

A

T least 300 migrants are feared to have drowned after attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa this week in rough seas, the UN says.

UNHCR official Vincent Cochetel said it was a “tragedy on an enormous scale”.

Survivors brought to the Italian island of Lampedusa said they were forced to risk the bad weather on ill-equipped vessels by human traffickers in Libya.

They were rescued from two of four dinghies that got into trouble after leaving Libya for Europe on Saturday.

The Italian coast guard rescued 105 people on Monday after one of the dinghies overturned but 29 died after spending several hours in the water.

Those rescued on Wednesday morning had

spent days drifting without food or water in two of the other dinghies - with each said to be carrying more than 100 people.

The survivors said the fourth dinghy, carrying an estimated 100 migrants, disappeared at sea.

Carlotta Sami, a spokeswoman for the UNHCR, said the victims had been “swallowed up by the waves,” with the youngest a child of 12.

“This is a tragedy on an enormous scale and a stark reminder that more lives could be lost if those seeking safety are left at the mercy of the sea,” Mr Cochetel said in a statement.

The UN said the latest incident should be a message to the European Union that the current search and rescue operation in the Mediterranean was inadequate.

The survivors rescued yesterday were from two of four dinghies that left Libya at the weekend

two generals, a spokesman has said.

UN troops could not join the offensive because the generals were accused of human rights abuses, he added.

The planned offensive was aimed at disarming the FDLR rebels who are seen as a threat to regional stability.DR Congo’s government has not yet commented on the UN’s decision. It has previously said that it chose its best soldiers to fight the FDLR, and it will not take instructions from the UN. One of the men chosen to lead the operation, Gen Bruno Mandevu, is on a UN “red list” over 121 alleged human rights violations, including summary executions and rapes, according to Reuters news agency.

Suicide bombers strike Niger town T WO female suicide bombers attacked the Niger frontier town of Diffa yesterday , security sources said, shortly after Chad’s army said it had killed 13 fighters from the Islamist militant group

Boko Haram in the Nigerian town of Gambaru.

The violence on Nigeria’s borders with Niger and Cameroon occurred as regional armies are mobilizing to

foil Boko Haram’s bid to carve out an emirate around Lake Chad, which borders Nigeria, Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Boko Haram’s five-yearold insurgency has killed

thousands in northern Nigeria but regional armies say they have killed hundreds of militants in battles along the borders since deploying troops to contain the threat.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 —57

N2.6bn housing project scam tears NLC apart zAs EFCC quizzes Umar

By Funmi Komolafe & Victor Ahiuma-Young

A

BUJA—ISSUES pertaining to the N2.6 billion failed housing project of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and KristonLally yesterday, tore the delegates at the NLC conference apart with delegates throwing chairs at one another as disagreement deepened on the failure of the NLC leadership to reveal all in the financial report submitted to the conference in session.

Earlier yesterday morning, it was gathered that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, had invited the out-going president, Abdulwahed Omar, over the botched deal.

This was confirmed by Comrade Omar who while trying to calm frayed nerves said, “This morning, even the EFCC invited me to ask where is the man ( Kriston-Lally Managing Director). Anytime the security agencies get this money, they will use their instruments to authorize refund to this account. It is under investigation by the Directorate of State Security Service, the EFCC and the office of the National Security Adviser.”

The rowdy session which saw Omar inviting the police, to come in and control the situation was the first time in the 37 years history of the NLC that delegates engaged one another physically.

News of the scam which was broken by Vanguard last year, was raised by a delegate from National Union of Electricity, NUEE, who queried why it was not mentioned in the financial report presented to the Congress in Session.

The out-going Treasurer, Wabba Ayuba, who is also contesting the presidency said: “It is a separate account and not about the income and expenditure of the NLC. The issue is in public domain.

About N2.6billion is still saved in Access Bank. The other account is being investigated.”

His explanation did not go down well with some delegates and he was challenged by the president of NUPENG, Igwe Achese who is also the Trustee in the out-going executive.

Igwe is also a signatory to NLC accounts.

Comrade Achese insisted that since NLC is a signatory to the Kriston- Lally Account, “we have a responsibility. What I am saying is that even if the money is safe, the total money is not safe. Some portion of it is still intact about N2.5 billion, but the total sum of the money is not N2.5 billion.

Nigerian workers must be prudent, Nigerian workers must have integrity.”

NLC DELEGATES' CONFERENCE: Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole (left) and Secretary to Government of The Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, at the opening of the NLC Delegates' Conference in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

He continued, “One thing we fight against is corruption and we cannot afford to sit down here…..’”

Achese was, however, interrupted while making his

presentation, with those in support of the treasurer, shouted him down and while his own supporters countered.

It was at this stage that chairs and other objects were thrown

at one another and delegates including international guests scampered to safety.

Omar on his part, called in the police to restore order.

But Joe Ajaero a presidential

candidate took over the microphone and calmed delegates.

As the NLC president insisted, “Krison- Lally is not part of NLC income, we cannot discuss it”, delegates shouted No! no ! no!

At this stage, the General Secretary of Medical and Health Workers Union , Marcus Omokhuale, moved a motion for the adoption of the controversial financial report and was seconded

by Adeniji Alani of National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives . This also was followed with shouts of no! no!.

Consequently, a counter motion by a delegate from NUPENG urging delegates to reject the report was moved who described the financial report as “unacceptable.”

He told Omar, “Its our money and you are there on our behalf, you cannot sit as judge in your own case, I therefore urge you to step you aside.”

The counter motion was seconded by another delegate from NUEE who said, “NLC is bound to give us an account. Allow integrity to prevail. For your (Omar) integrity, allow the report to be given.”

Omar then called for votes in support or against the adoption of the financial report and he declared “the ayes have it”, although it was not quite clear which side had it as no counting was done.

Last minute political alignment at NLC confab zNUPENG President steps down for Ajaero

By Funmi Komolafe & Victor Ahiuma-Young

A

BUJA—WHEN the president of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Igwe Achese rose to speak, delegates had no idea that his speech would alter the political calculations at the conference.

Achese referred to a 2011 caucus agreement where it was suggested that the private sector should go for the presidency of the NLC after the tenure of Abdulwaheed Omar who is a product of a public sector union; the Nigeria Union of Teachers.

He recalled the role of NUPENG in the June 12, 1993 struggle and that the union would continue to play active roles in the Nigeria Labour Congress when called upon.

In his words: “I am stepping down from contesting the presidency for Joe Ajaero.”

He barely finished the sentence when the hall erupted with solidarity songs and jubilation mainly from private sector workers.

With his withdrawal, it became unpredictable who would emerge President of the NLC between Joe Ajaero, General Secretary of the

National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, and the president of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Wabba Ayuba.

It is remarkable that Ajaero like Oshiomhole is from the private sector and also a career trade unionist like Oshiomhole.

Candidates elected unopposed

Those elected unopposed are the National Treasurer, Kahleel Ibrahim of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, and the Financial Secretary, Safiyanu Mohammed of the National Union of Air Transport Employees, NUATE.

Textile Union withdraws from race

Following the disagreement on the reopening of nominations to contest for offices, the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers, NUTGWU, announced its withdrawal from the race of the deputy president of the NLC. The union’s General Secretary, Issa Aremu who made the announcement to the Congress in Session said: “It is not because we are afraid of elections at all.

“When we applied for the post of the deputy president, we were

aware there would be a contest”, emphasizing that the union merely insisted on the rules.

He said: “Workers cannot ignore the rules, we are saying our rules must be obeyed, we must respect our rules.”

Recall that Congress was Tuesday thrown into turmoil following the reopening of nomination for candidates to contest for offices after their disqualification by the Credentials Committee of the NLC saddled with the screening of candidates.

This development confirmed Vanguard’s exclusive report on Monday of plots to alter or reopen the nomination of candidates after the list of dully cleared candidates was published since January 6, 2015 It was the first time in the 37 year history of the NLC that the Delegates Conference in Session would decide who contests for an office after the credentials committee had concluded its assignment.

The intervention of pioneer officers of the Congress failed to provide an amicable settlement.

This development could create a constitutional crisis which according to informed sources was blamed on the leadership failure of the NLC. As at yesterday evening, it was not clear if the NUTGTWN,

deemed to have been elected unopposed but might now face an election would pull out of the conference or the NLC. It was also not clear if aggrieved parties would go to court for the interpretation of the NLC constitution before today ’s election.

With this new position of the conference in session, it means the NLC secretariat would have to produce new ballot papers to accommodate the two new candidates from NURW and MWUN before today’s election.

A total of 3019 delegates is expected to vote during the election.

The issue raised on the floor of the house was whether or not the Conference in Session should accept fully the report of the credentials committee which disqualified the nomination of the representative of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, on the basis of failure to fill the nomination form appropriately.

Also disqualified by the credential committee was the nomination of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria which failed to attach to the nomination form the passport and CV of its nominee despite the nominee being a current member of the National Administrative Council NAC. As current member of NAC, the secretariat is in possession of his credentials.

58—Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Philosophy, humanities and the national question in Nigeria (3) This is the third instalment of this discourse. The second edition was published yesterday

By Tunji Olaopa

W

HAT does Communication and Language Art or Mass Communication have to say about our inability, for over fifty years, to communicate across ethnic boundaries? What insight does Philosophy inject into the crass materialism and greed of our national elite? How does Religious Studies contribute to our volatile religious pluralism in Nigeria?

How has History brought the lessons of the past to bear on our present national choices and decisions? Can English Language and Linguistics prescribe how we can rescue our indigenous languages for national development? And I am not talking about the academic and almost arid essays that we churn out regularly to achieve promotion. I am talking about a critical intercourse of the disciplines on the Nigerian national space.

I have said that Nigeria is a concrete predicament that must push the philosophers into concrete reflection, say, about institutional and systemic instability and dysfunction. In the first part of this piece, I asked about what unique and fundamental idea the philosophers can bring to the understanding of administrative phenomena the same way Max Weber enabled our understanding of the modern state and its bureaucracy?

Fundamental challenge I argued that the fundamental challenge for philosophy and philosophers is that of facilitating the reflective process - and an enduring debate - that constantly presses the issue of institutions and values into our national consciousness. All Nigerian intellectuals are obligated by a moral responsibility to invade the fissures of our national existence and query its theoretical foundations, social formations and forces.

Though I equally argued that the Nigerian nation owes its intellectuals the duty of facilitating an enduring engagement with national affairs, it is not all nations that take up this duty. Yet, I consider it the duty of the public intellectuals to force the hands of the nation into engaging with their debates and actions and programmes and manifestoes.

This, for me, is the enduring significance of the intellectual heroes I have critically celebrated on the pages of newspapers -

Wole Soyinka, Claude Ake, Billy Dudley, Tai Solarin, Ken SaroWiwa, Ojetunji Aboyade, Akin Mabogunje, Gani Fawehinmi, Wande Abimbola, Yusuf Bala Usman, Mathew Hassan Kukah, Bolanle Awe, Simeon Adebo, Kenneth Dike, Ade Ajayi, Chike Obi, and many others.

All these constitute a generation that saw beyond our crass humanistic paradigm nurtured toothlessly in the Ivory Tower!

The humanities do not constitute a bad product that must be abandoned. It will also be fatally ineffectual to continue lamenting the public’s blindness to its relevance.

Our most immediate response, as good humanistic ‘marketers’, is to begin a creative rebranding of its essence. What is the shape and dynamics of such a rebranding exercise for the humanities? I address that question in the concluding third part of this article.

Need for marketing and pedagogical projection: My relationship with the humanities, and with education, goes beyond that of a mere amateur or a dabbler who knows next to nothing about the import of a good educational curriculum on a nation’s quest for development.

Quest for development My passion for education, for learning, reaches far back into my childhood and the desire I had then to ingest everything that books could give me. I had told the story before of how I stumbled on Plato’s Republic, and how that became my motivation to become a philosopher.

But then, coming across the Republic was just one of many critical educational experiences I had in my fixation with books.

From 1999 to 2002,1 became the Coordinator of the Education

Sector Analysis and later the Head of the Policy Division at the Office of the Minister, Federal Ministry of Education. In 2010, I then published The Joy of Learning as a brief monographical summation of my philosophical rumination on the significance of learning for the individual and the nation. I could say, therefore, that I am seriously involved.

It is not difficult for any discerning scholar to immediately percieve how a viable educational framework can energise a nation’s development dynamics. Education, in other words, is the gateway for accessing the human capital that serves as the basis by which a nation can transform its lofty development objectives into concrete programmes that make for national progress and consistently redeems the government in the eyes of its citizens.

the disciplined and the synthesizing minds as the consequences of an educational programme geared towards the acquisition of knowledge and skills. Given the immense achievement profile that comes from this kind of education especially in terms of scientific and technological achievements - it is not far-fetched why most countries in the third world, like Nigeria, would emphasise a s t r o n g preference for mathematics, the sciences and technology as essential base for a developmentd r i v e n education.

When a very high proportion of the population is immersed in such an educational programme, it becomes a critical mass integrated into a mind-set that is able to take facts and knowledge from many sources and synthesise them objectively into useful bites that the nation can deploy for development.

That is the essence of science and technological education.

Unfortunately, in this equation, the humanities become the unwitting scapegoat. Yet, there is no way a nation will be able to escape a grossly lopsided national development when it deliberately exclude the humanities. In the second part of this article, I took a risk with the marketing metaphor. The risk is that I may be interpreted as

Critical skills It therefore stands to reason that when education fails, development is essentially jeopardised. One way therefore by which education can intervene in national development is for pedagogy to be oriented towards instilling critical skills, capacities and competencies in the students.

This seems straightforwardly logical. At graduation, therefore, the students therefore readily fit into the various dimensions and departments of nation building, and hence are ready to take on the tasks of transforming the nation.

This is a national picture that we can all appreciate. Education, in this sense, essentially becomes a problem-solving mechanism. In The Joy of Learning, I pointed attention to

The humanities do not constitute a bad product that must be abandoned. It will also be fatally ineffectual to continue lamenting the public’s blindness to its relevance

subscribing to the idea that research in the humanities ought to be market driven, say, in the form of R&D. On the contrary, my brief as a willing ‘marketer ’ for the humanities is the argument for an urgent rebranding of the humanistic vocation in a deliberately aggressive fashion that will not only achieve pedagogical relevance but whose content will motivate national attention and action.

And what kind of advocacy will save the humanities? Well, why don’t we start from the beginning? The humanistic scholars’ first responsibility is to market the essence of the humanities. And what is the essence of the humanities?

Simple answer: the humanities humanise. And they do this through a unique cultivation of the human body, soul and spirit in a manner that leads to the recreation of what we can call an enlarged mental capacity.

Mental capacity In other words, a disciplined or synthesising mind is not enough for humanity. Something more is needed; and that is what we can call the respectful or the ethical mind. Such a mind derives from the cultivation of an empathetic imagination that reaches beyond self-interest to respect diversity in the human society.

Martha Nussabaum has warned us - in Not for Profit: Why Democracy Needs the Humanities (2010) - why it is dangerous for a nation to dedicate its energy to producing human capital which constitutes mere development machines for facilitating national objectives.

Rather, human capital ought to be men and women who have been educationally liberated to independently think for themselves, value others as partners in nation-building, resist parochialism and fundamentalism, scrutinise traditions and social formations, and ultimately understand the crucial need for tolerance. How then can the essence of the humanities lead to the creation of such a citizenry?

The second level of advocacy involves a careful analysis and projection of pedagogical contents and programmes that would not only respond to parents’ and children’s distrust of the relevance of the humanities but will also eventually convince the government as to why the humanities cannot be neglected.

This call is for intellectuals and scholars in the humanities to get out of the Ivory Towers and get on to the streets! Advocacy in this sense requires that these scholars and intellectuals constantly engage the public on why and how the humanities can humanise science and technology in a critical manner that would not jumpstart the development of the Nigerian society while leaving the very souls of Nigerians bereft of worthwhile values and significance.

The achievements and

Continues on page 59

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015—59

More Nigerians come for visa due to elections —Monaisa, S-African Consul Gen Philosophy, humanities and the national question in Nigeria (3) Continues from page 58 advances in science and technology are making us smarter, and our society more interconnected. This is actually true, but at what cost? Can we say we tolerate more? Do we empathise more? Have we not lost the essence of friendship and relationship that isn’t mediated by technology?

Has honesty not disappeared within the anonymity and distance that the phone confers?

Are we still human? Hasn’t technology eroded love or even virtue? In the Nigerian universities today, there are two critical steps I have noticed in the attempt to rethink the curricula into a balanced model.

One involves the conscious restructuring of the humanities curricula to reflect relevance.

Thus, I have heard of ‘History and Diplomatic Studies’ and ‘Philosophy and Public Affairs.’

The second critical step in the right direction is the efforts that are concentrated into fostering a rounded education through the General Studies programmes.

The objective of the GSP is to facilitate a student’s understanding and appreciation of a broad range of disciplines outside the student’s primary discipline. However, what is required goes beyond General Studies or rejuvenated nomenclature. I am really alluding to the institutional re-enactment of the educational arrangements and dynamics that could facilitate the re-creation of a liberal arts education that will de-emphasise the false dichotomy between science and technology on the one hand, and the humanities on the other.

Broad range of disciplines The humanities without mathematics, the sciences and engineering would essentially be a lame set of disciplines. But then, all these others without the humanities would also be essentially blind! And in the final analysis, the nation would be the poorer for it.

Yet, like I argued in the second part of the serial and in the original article, we don’t find humanistic scholars regularly in the public sphere confronting these issues, analysing educational policies, taking, say, the National Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to task over what the humanities require or can do, making high power representation to government ministries, parastatals or government’s education summits, and so on. We simply lament our fate and keep glumly silent.

I trust that the scholars and intellectuals of the humanities should have no problem with proving the relevance of their disciplines, like Prof. Dukor did for philosophy and Mr Ifeanyi did for Classics. My considered opinion, however, is that we cannot do this, and hence save our beloved humanities from slow and painful death, by wilful silence or a deluded conviction that we are immune to the relevance question.

More significantly, we have a great opportunity in this dispensation of our nascent democratic experiment, to demonstrate how a massive investment in the humanities by the government, can lead to a strong consolidation of our democracy. In other words, the Nigerian government wants to know how the humanities can delivera healthy, engaged, educated and responsible citizenry that understands the task and urgency of nation building in Nigeria. The challenge however is: Can the humanities deliver?

•Dr. Tunji Olaopa is Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communications Technology.

The Republic of South Africa High Commission’s Consul General, Ambassador Amb. Mokgethi Monaisa has expressed the need for a violence-free and credible elections come February 14, 2015 in Nigeria. The Consul General said he expects a display of togetherness among nationals, before, during and after the elections, concluding that Nigerians and the aspirants should uphold the values for which the country is known for and avoid any form of violence, intimidation or overbearing interferences to their choice in the forthcoming polls.

He also stated that Nigerians have a lot to do towards sustainable democratic rules, saying that it is imperative for Nigeria nationals to fully support democratic principles by not allowing themselves used as tools to generating unfair elections.

In this exclusive interview, Ambassador Monaisa also shared his thoughts on investments in Nigeria and South Africa, the similarities, and other issues. Excerpts:

By Vera Anyagafu, Prisca Duru &Victor Gotevbe

W

HAT do you hope to see in Nigeria’s forthcoming elections?

Although, this would be the first elections I would be witnessing in Nigeria, I hope to see violent-free elections. I cannot say much on this election, because I do not know how elections are handled here, but I do hear that so many companies are sending their people out and more Nigerians who come to apply for visa also want to run out in panic, but this should not be the case. Normally, in so many countries people are eager to go and vote. In my country for instance, people jubilate during elections. People are always eager because you have the right to vote who you want. But here, I do not know if Nigerians themselves are afraid of the elections day.

Yet, I want to see people going to elect a person they want and they must be eager to do it. They must not be afraid to do it. They must not be intimidated into doing the things they would not want to do. They must have that freedom. We talked about the right to elect and that right goes with the freedom to choose who you want to be your leader. It is democracy. Nigeria has gone through many years of coups and democracy was ushered in 15 years ago, and it is important to sustain that democracy.

Sustenance of democracy If you look at Nigeria, there is no way Nigeria would change from its current democracy status. Nigerians cannot even dream of letting go. We must see that whoever wins the polls is the person of their choice, people of their choice. We must see people rejoicing, people parting, celebrating the day they go to the polls to elect that leader they want. That is the kind of mood we want.

Since the exit of Nelson Mandela, do you see a leader emerging from South Africa possessing similar values as Nelson Mandela?

I am hopeful that we have leaders who carry similar values as Nelson Mandela. South Africa is a country that is rich with lots of leadership material within their ruling parties. And as you rightly pointed out, it might not be an identical twin of Nelson Mandela, but there would be a leader with great values also. I should also point out here that after Nelson Mandela, there was Thabo Mbeki. Thabo Mbeki was not a replica of Nelson Mandela, but he was good too. I hope that my country

was in April 27. That was the first time a black person would come to the polls in South Africa.

After our National Day in April, we have another event known as the Mandela day. We dedicate a week to this event, and South Africans would, firstly, go and visit places and spend 67 minutes doing something good.

It is 67 minutes of doing something good, because Mandela spent 67 years of his life, doing good to humanity. The United Nations adopted or recognized that day as Mandela’s birthday. It is called ‘Nelson Mandela international day’.

It is celebrated all over the world.

People are called upon to do something good to the people. They would go and spend 67minutes of their time doing something good to

would continue to have such leaders, who are eager for a prosperous South Africa and her citizens.

How strong is South Africa partnership with Nigeria?

Our partnership is very strong and tight too and this is evidenced by our investment in Nigeria.

There are so many South African companies that invested in Nigeria and a few of them that people know are Shop-rite, MTN, Multi-choice, South African airways, Stanbic, The Federal Palace Hotel, Protea Hotels, Southern Sun, Wheat-baker, and several others. South Africa has roughly over hundred companies doing business in Nigeria, and this S-African consul general, Amb. Mokgethi Monaisa prompted our government (r) with Vanguard admin manager, Victor Gotevbe decision to establish a Consulate General here in Lagos. the people or the community.

Obviously a consulate general In 2014, we held this Nelson mandate would then be to look after Mandela event in Asaba, Delta State. the citizens of South Africa and also Asaba has also become so important protect their interests here in Nigeria. to us in the sense that, some two years Previously, the office here was part of ago, we inaugurated a garden, known the High Commission in Abuja, and as the ‘Nelson Mandela garden of 95 then the government decided to trees’ Dr. Newton Jibunoh was the upgrade our presence here in Lagos. initiator of that project. There, statue How do South Africans in Nigeria of Nelson Mandela was also celebrate historical events? unveiled, and his two grand children Well, every year we celebrate our were there to witness the occasion. We national day in April 27. Our national have a good relationship with the day is not our independence day. government of Delta State.

South Africa got independence in South Africa also celebrates 1961. Our history is such that our women’s month and within that independence was left in the wrong month, we indulge in what we call hands. So we continued with our ‘Pick a girl-child to work’. During the struggle for the elimination of occasion, we partner with universities apartheid. It was in 1990, that we saw and companies, and then we take the fruit of that struggle. Then in 1991, students to go and experience a work we held our first democratic elections. place. This helps these children to The date for that democratic election choose a pathway in life and at the end, the students will share their experience with others. There is also a festival in September, where South Africans in Lagos will participate in traditional Potjiekos competition.

How can you describe NigeriaSouth Africa relationship?

It is important to note that we have so many South Africans here in Nigeria. And they are here because of the good relationships both countries share. There are also many If you look at Nigerians in South Africa. South Africa-Nigeria relations in key sectors Nigeria, there is no of both countries economy, grow from way Nigeria would strength to strength every year. Some would say Nigerians and South change from its Africans are competing and if it is so, current democracy that means there is a healthy status. Nigerians relationship going on between us.

And this is so, because you need cannot even dream of someone to compete with in order to letting go progress and develop.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 61

All Africa Games: Siasia invites Arsenal’s Iwobi, 8 other foreign pros •Decamps home-based players

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HIEF Coach of the national U-23 men’s football team, Dream Team VI, Samson Siasia has invited Arsenal’s teenage sensation Alex Iwobi and 8 other foreign based professional players for the crucial first leg All Africa Games qualifying game against Gabon in Libreville.

Media officer of the team Timi Ebikagboro quotes coach Siasia as saying that the invited foreign based players were selected from the players who came for the screening exercise earlier, in December and November, adding that the likes of Imoh Ezekiel of Standard de Liege of Belgium and Japheth Okirie of Hadley FC, England were selected

based on their club performance.

Coach Siasia disclosed that 5 home based players have been dropped as they could not meet up with the standard. But he assured them of another chance if they can improve on their game.

“For now we are expected to go to Gabon with 18 players, so only the best will make this team, there will be no automatic shirt for any body, as both the home based and their foreign counterparts will have to battle for the 18 slots” Siasia added.

Speaking further he said, “ we have released all the home based players whose clubs are involved in continental games this weekend, but

•Iwobi they should all be back in camp by Monday.''

SWAN protests Eaglets road trip to Niger

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

T

he Sports Writers Ass ociation of Nigeria (SWAN) has frowned at the decision of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to

transport members of the national U-17 team, the Golden Eaglets to Niamey the capital of Niger Republic by road.

The world champions are billed to leave the shores of Nigeria today for Niger to take part in the 2015 African U-17

Oduduru aims for African junior gold in Ethiopia

BY BEN EFE

R

EIGNING African youth champion, Divine Oduduru one of the 34 athletes invited to camp for the African Junior Championships March 37 in Addis Ababa Ethiopia said his target, is to dominate Africa in the sprints.

Oduduru won a sprint double in the maiden African youth championship in Warri Delta State 2013. He also won a silver in the 200m at the world juniors in Oregon, USA last year and according to him a good outing at the African junior in Addis Ababa will boost his morale for the season’s events.

“I hope to do well and win a medal at the African Juniors. This will put me in a good position to be in the Nigerian team that will be in the US to prepare for the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas.

“Also I am aiming for a

ticket to the World Championships where I hope to compete against my mentor, Usain Bolt in the 200m event,” said the up and coming athlete.

He did 10.72 seconds against a strong wind at the Teslim Balogun Stadium last weekend where the D.K Olukoya championships was concluded.

“I was expecting a 10.3, but I did 10.80s in the heats and 10.72s. But I am going to train harder in the camp. This year is going to be better than 2014 because I must return with a medal from AllAfrica Games.”

Other athletes who are called into the camp that begins today include: Victor Peka, Igube ThankGod, Ashien Godwin, Olisakwe Chukwu, Adiakerehwa Blessing, Abolaji Omotayo Oluwaseun, Aniekeme Alphonsus, Ntia-Obong Mercy and Ese Brume all for the men and women sprints.

championship which will equally serve as qualifier for the FIFA cadet championship slated for Chile later in the year.

Secretary General of SWAN, Andrew Abba told journalists yesterday in Abuja that the NFF has no business taking the team to a zone that has become notorious with activities of the dreaded Boko Haram.

Abba wondered why the federation could not take a proactive measure by flying the team to Niamey to avoid any regrettable eventuality.

He said his body has already complained to the NFF president, Amaju Pinnick to use his good offices to address the situation ahead of time.

The government of Niger Republic on Tuesday announced a 15 day curfew in the villages boadering Nigeria where the insurgents have been holding sway.

•Oduduru C M Y K

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Sturridge backs Sterling to become top player D

A N I E L STURRIDGE has backed Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling to become one of the world’s top players.

Sterling, 20, is currently locked in contract talks with the club with Brendan Rodgers having told him to sign the wonderful offer on the table.

The England winger, who is back in form after a slump at the start of the season, is yet to agree to the deal but Sturridge has backed him to become one of the greats in the game.

Sterling has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with Real Madrid and Chelsea thought to be monitoring his situation.

Sturridge, however, is keen for him to continue at Liverpool and admits

he’s proud of the way he’s dealt with some of the distractions he’s had previously.

“He can go as far as he wants to go,” Sturridge, speaking exclusively to BT Sport as one of its ambassadors said. “I am proud of him for everything he is achieving.

“I think if he continues to work hard and continues to believe in himself and has no distractions in his life there’s none now and I hope that continues.

“He’s level headed and that’s what I like about him. I think he needs to get the credit he deserves for things he’s achieving because not many players are doing what he’s doing in the world.

“I am proud and I hope he continues to play like he is.”

W

CONTROL . . . Liverpool’s striker Daniel Sturridge (L) controls the ball ahead of Tottenham Hotspur’s defender Eric Dier during their English Premier League match at the Anfield Stadium in Liverpool. Photo:AFP

Walcott praises gritty Arsenal win T

Walcott celebrates

Ramsey out until March as Sánchez the previous two matchboost Arsenal es.

A

LEXIS Sánchez has escaped serious injury after the shuddering tackle from Leicester City’s Matthew Upson on Tuesday night and Arsenal hope that the forward could be available for Sunday ’s FA Cup tie against Middlesbrough.

The update, though, is rather less positive about Aaron Ramsey, who was forced off against Leicester just nine minutes into a substitute’s cameo with his third hamstring injury of the season.

Arsenal’s medics are continuing to assess the midfielder and, at this stage, it is certain that he will miss the club’s next three games – the third one being the Champions League last16 first-leg against Monaco at Emirates Stadium on 25 February. But it would be a surprise if he featured much before mid-March.

There is relief over Sánchez, who had returned to the team against Leicester after a minor hamstring injury, which had seen him miss

Lampard wants more games for Man City

HEO WALCOTT has praised Arsenal’s resilience after grinding out a 2-1 victory over Leicester yesterday evening.

The winger helped himself to his third goal in just four games after Laurent Koscielny had put the Gunners ahead early on.

However, Arsene Wenger ’s men were made to battle for their win after Andrej Kramaric gave the battling Foxes a lifeline at the Emirates.

The Gunners managed to hold on and secure all three points, leaving them right in the mix for a top four finish alongside the likes of

DOWN & OUT ... Alexis Sanches injured

Southampton, Manchester United, Tottenham and Liverpool.

And speaking ahead of the FA Cup clash against Middlesbrough on Sunday, Walcott revealed that Arsenal’s gritty performance can help them make it all the way to Wembley for the second season running.

The England international explained: “They [Leicester] were probably one of the best teams to come to the Emirates this season and they performed very positively. They counter-attacked very strongly and very quickly and to be honest we were holding on.

HEN Frank Lam pard joined Manchester City ahead of a proposed link up with New York City he insisted he was there to play, not just to keep fit and make up the numbers.

Seven months later the former Chelsea icon has backed up that claim by admitting he’s not played as much as he’d have liked during his time at the Etihad Stadium - despite making 23 league and cup appearances already.

Even at the age of 36, Lampard’s enthusiasm for the game is evident, and with seven goals to his name already this season, it’s clear he still has something to offer.

Despite City suffering a bad run of form of late they haven’t won in five games 0 Lampard hasn’t started once since scoring the only goal of the game against Leicester back in mid-December.

That one start came in an FA Cup third round tie with Sheffield Wednesday, and although City eventually progressed with a 2-1 win, Lampard was withdrawn on the hour mark.

•Lampard C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015 — 63

National Sports Festival faces fresh setback

BY BEN EFE

F

ORMER Nigeria international Sam Okpodu insists there can be no place for sentiment when it comes to naming the new head coach of the Super Eagles.

The Nigerian Football Federation are currently holding discussions regarding a way forward for the national team, who have failed to hit any sort of high note over the last 12 months while under the guidance of Stephen Keshi.

P

OLITICAL campaigns for the various elective posts at Federal and State levels have put the National Sports Festival in a deep freeze.

Following the heated race for office by the parties concerned, it is clear that the April 9-19 date fixed for the Sports Festival after it was shifted from November 23 – December 3, 2014 will not be feasible.

Calabar, Cross River State the host of the 13th edition of the National Sports Festival is not ready with their facilities and also there was no guarantee of funds from the Sports Ministry, the promoters of the event.

It was the reason for the postponement in the first instance, but the complicated political process has left room for doubt if the sports festival will ever hold this year.

However, it was gathered that the Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo will meet with concerned stakeholders and also the directors of sports from the States today, to work out modality for a new date probably in May after the elections might have been held.

“We are obviously not going to have the Festival in April. The atmosphere is not just there for it.

for a coach they have confidence in, because I don’t think they have confidence in Keshi.

“Their body language has shown that they don’t have any confidence in Keshi, so they should come out boldly and go for a coach they have confidence in,” Chukwu told sl10.ng.

The embattled Keshi has been out of contract since Nigeria’s exit at the last World Cup in Brazil, even though he took charge of Nigeria’s ill-fated 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on an interim capacity.

Chukwu, Nigeria’s captain to their first

expected to again be relieved of his duties, a fate which befell him after the Eagles’ failed 2014 World Cup campaign, although he was reinstated for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, and the team again fell short in that regard.

And, with a tactician expected to be named shortly, Okpodu has called on the NFF to do away with any sort of pleasantries and make a decision which will best serve Nigerian football.

NTF Athleties in a race during the last National Sports Festival in Lagos “But there might be a new date after the Minister meets with all the directors of sports. If a new date is fixed, the festival will be held whether the facilities in Calabar are ready or not,” said a sports ministry official yesterday.

Lagos hosted the last edition in 2012. Sports enthusiasts, looked forward to the next edition in Calabar a city that has become a destination for sports and tourism. However, the State is struggling to meet up with financial obligations as necessitated by the dwindling fiscal fortunes of government at all

Chukwu Continues from BP

Only competent people should coach Eagles — Okpodu The tactician is now

ever Africa Cup of Nations title in 1980, says he is worried with the way the situation is at the moment.

“It is very worrisome that nothing has been done about the situation because it is very obvious the NFF don’t want Keshi, so they should get someone they trust quickly before it gets too late.

“I believe they are under pressure to retain Keshi but they should come out and tell the people putting them under pressure why they don’t want him. The qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations is starting very soon and we still do not have a coach, so it is a problem.

levels.

Most of the states are not even preparing their athletes for the festival.

“Noting is happening in the states. They cannot even pay their salaries talk-less of funding sports at the moment,” said the official.

•Imoke

Eaglets Continues from BP hem achieve their goals.

The team coached by former Nigeria international, Emmanuel Amuneke will leave Sokoto for Niamey today as concerned football enthusiasts questioned the plan to have the Eaglets’ travel by road.

NFF director of c o m p e t i t i o n s Mohammed Sanusi who was in Niamey to prepare grounds for the arrival of the team said that the Eaglets will have a conducive atmosphere to pursue their ambition in the tournament that begins on Sunday February 15 and ends March 1. The Eaglets are drawn in group A along side the hosts, Zambia and Guinea.

“The Nigerian community in Niger Republic is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Golden Eaglets, the world champions. They have promised to give the Eaglets maximum support to go all the way and win the African trophy, which will serve as a launch-pad towards

retaining the FIFA U-17 World Cup title in Chile later this year.”

Former Super Eagles coach Joe Erico wondered why the team has to cover the 621 km distance by road and 520km by air.

“The security situation in the country is not right to put the kids out on the road to Niamey no matter the consideration for the choice.

“The rule outlaws such mode of transport not only for international but internal competition where the distance is as great as 200km.

“As a father I can’t hand over my kid to undergo such a traumatising road trip even for service to fatherland.” But NFF spokesman, Ademola Olajire dismissed such fears. “We have already explained why the team had to go by road.

“There is no flight from Sokoto to Niamey. Our officials have plied the road severally and there is no fear of attacks, the route is safe and besides we have made provision for adequate security for them.”

Continues from BP posing as members of the Nigeria Taekwondo National Team, seemingly scheduled to attend the prestigious 1st Qatar International Taekwondo Opens, a G1 ranked World Taekwondo Federation sanctioned event, billed to hold at Qatar from 6 – 9 March, 2015.

Coincidentally, some members of the actual Nigeria National Taekwondo Team that won medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games are also billed to compete for Nigeria at the event.

The unscrupulous scheme was revealed as part of an aggressive drive by the International Department of the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation [NTF] to tackle visa racketeering through Sports head-on, where the first step of the progressive NTF is a constant check on the websites of international ranked tournaments to see if there are any suspicious names

registered as members of the Nigeria Taekwondo Community.

A routine check earlier this week which revealed the registration of 16 persons, not in any way associated with the sport of Taekwondo in Nigeria, set off the alarm bells. Unknown to the perpetrators, the Qatar Taekwondo Federation has an existing relationship with the Nigeria Taekwondo Federation, who immediately contact their Middles Eastern counterparts to checkmate the fraudsters.

The [names, passport number, sex, and place of birth] of 16-persons as noted on their submitted international passports include: Oyeniyi Ilesanmi [A03328102, Male, AdoEkiti]; Idris Adeoye Adelakun [A05860794, Male, Lagos]; Oluyinka Rebecca Adalawo [A03795343, Female, Lagos]; Emeka Henry Oboyo [A06137015, Male, Ndioke], Kelechi Kanu [A04387855, among others.

Afcon 2015 Continues from BP defeat. Each player is being given $25,000 (£16,000) by the team’s sponsor, the state-owned Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC), a figure that the country ’s sports minister thinks is a little low.

Mahama Ayariga says the bottle-throwing endured by players during their semi-final victory over Equatorial

Guinea in Malabo means they deserve their reward.

“For those who think that GNPC rewarding the boys with $25,000 is too generous, I wish they were in the stadium” in Malabo, he’s quoted as saying in Nigeria’s Daily Post.

“Then they will know whether $25,000 is worth that kind of experience.

I don’t even think it is enough.”

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2015

Afcon 2015: Houses, cash for Elephants I

Chukwu to NFF:

VORY Coast’s football team has been rewarded with millions of dollars in prizes by the country’s government for winning the Africa Cup of Nations.

Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara is giving each member of the 23-man squad a house worth $52,000 (£34,000) and the same amount in cash, the government says.

Don’t renew Keshi’s contract F

ORMER Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu believes the Nigeria Football Federation should dispense with out-of-contract Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi and get an alternative.

Chukwu, a member of the immediate past technical committee of the NFF, says the body language of the Glass House is clear they don’t want Keshi to continue, and states that they must get another coach immediately.

“The NFF should look

Continues on Page 63

The team beat Ghana’s Black Stars 9-8 on penalties in the tournament’s final in Equatorial Guinea.

There were also sixfigure rewards for the Ivorian Football Federation and the team’s technical staff in total the government has shelled out more than $3m (£2m) in celebration of the victory.

It wasn’t a total loss for Ghana’s team, despite their penalty

Continues on Page 63

•Toure

Morocco reject CAF sanctions M

OROCCO Football Association has rejected the sanctions imposed on them by the Confederation of African Football (Caf) for not

hosting the 2015 African Cup of Nations.

Caf banned Morocco from the next two Nations Cups, while fining its football Continues on Page 63

NTF busts visa racket •Chukwu

•Keshi

T

HE Qatar Ta e k w o n d o Federation yesterday revoked issued visas of a total of 16 Nigerians who fraudulently obtained the Visas by

Eaglets travel to Niger by road

BY BEN EFE

N

IGERIA Football Federation officials say the national

Under-17 team, chasing the African title and the FIFA Under-17 World Cup ticket in Niamey,

Niger Republic will receive their full cooperation to enable t Continues on Page 63

Continues on Page 63

•Ashiru

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 3 Element (5) 9 Jail (6) 10 Inexpensive (6) 11 Turf (5) 12 Prohibits (4) 15 Meat (4) 17 Understanding (7) 20 Deer (3) 21 Praise (5) 23 Style (4) 25 Kind (4) 26 Fur (5) 28 Pen (3) 30 Mournful (7) 33 Plant (4) 35 Always (4) 36 Great (5) 38 Cupboard (6) 39 Carnivore (6) 40 Belief (5)

DOWN 1 Sphere (5) 2 Smell (5) 3 Outgrowth (3) 4 Drug (6) 5 Instrument (4) 6 Seed (3) 7 Consent (5) 8 Stem (5) 13 Enliven (7) 14 Dispatches (5) 16 Graduates (7) 18 Banish (5) 19 Stoop (3) 22 Big (5) 24 Consume (3) 27 Joints (6) 28 Expand (5) 29 Desire (5) 31 Colour (5) 32 Accident (5) 34 Salmon (4) 36 Joined (3) 37 Rodent (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Antics 5, Output 9, Rolls 10, Lintel 11, Denser 12, Wired 14, Avid 17, Den 18, Dome 20, Tonic 22, Array 23, Autopsy 24, Alert 26, Pares 29, Deny 30, Bar 32, Dart 33, Males 35, Images 36, Fixing 37, Livid 38, Events 39, Tetras.

DOWN: 1, Afloat 2, Tannin 3, Crew 4, Solid 5, Olden 6, Used 7, Pastor 8, Turkey 13, Removal 15, Voile 16, Diary 18, Dryad 19, Maker 21, Cut 22, Asp 24, Advice 25, Engage 27, Rapier 28, Stages 30, Basis 31, Refit 33, Melt 34, Side.

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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C M Y K