ATTACKS ON BUHARI:You're desperate,APC fires back at PDP govs

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62360

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, MARCH 12 , 2015

Nigeria economy in clear and present danger — S&P 4

Tension as NLC's 16 election holds today

ATTACKS ON BUHARI:

You're desperate, APC fires back at PDP govs

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Gbenga Olarinoye, Simon Ebegbulem, Ola Ajayi, Chidi Opara & Demola Akinyemi

•Says PDP has already accepted defeat

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AGOS— ALL Progressives Congress, APC, governors, yesterday, rebuffed Tuesday ’s concerted attack on the party ’s presidential candidate, MajorGeneral Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) by the

Continues on Page 5

Morocco recalls Ambassador from Nigeria 4 Mr & Mrs BREAKFAST MEETING: President Goodluck Jonathan (left) and Chairman, T.Y. Danjuma Foundation, Lt. Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) after a breakfast meeting at the President's residence, Aso Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

COLUMNISTS:

On Abuja Ilorin: ‘Mark Devil in the Accord we One, One’•P.17 card reader •P.19 •P.19 stand?

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UN sets 2030 deadline for gender equality 56

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4—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Morocco recalls its envoy to Nigeria over royal phone call

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APC SESSION: From left— Professor Yomi Osibajo, All Progressives Congress, APC, Vice Presidential candidate; Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, APC National Chairman, and Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, APC Kaduna State governorship candidate, at a religious interactive in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: Olu Ajayi.

Nigeria's economy in clear danger —S&P

By Michael Eboh, with agency report

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BUJA—INTERNATIONAL rating agency, Standard & Poor’s, yesterday, warned that Nigeria's economy is in a “clear and present danger,” even as data released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, revealed that Nigeria earned N12.8 trillion from crude oil export in 2014.

The rating agency, in a presentation by Konrad Reuss, Regional Manager, subSaharan Africa, put Nigeria on a negative sovereign ratings watch, BB minus.

According to Reuss, the factors putting the Nigerian economy in danger include the Boko Haram insurgency, the fall in oil prices, because of the importance of oil for government and export revenues, as well as the forthcoming elections.

Reuss explained that Standard & Poor’s rated Nigeria based on its six main categories and found out that Nigeria was weak in three classifications, namely: institutional and governance effectiveness, economic structure and growth, fiscal flexibility and performance.

In addition, Reuss who was addressing a seminar on Nigeria in Sandton, north of Johannesburg, said Nigeria was classified as neutral in external liquidity and international investment position and monetary flexibility, while its only area of strength was in its debt burden.

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Structural weakness

Reuss explained that the reason economic structure and growth was identified as a weakness was because of weakness in the structure of the economy and not the country’s growth rate, adding that the structural problems were not being offset by the good growth.

Despite the uncertainty over the forthcoming elections, Reuss, however, cautioned that elections did not automatically deliver bad results, adding that they could deliver good ones.

He said: “Despite these concerns, Nigeria remained in the middle of the sovereign ratings rankings for Africa.

Notwithstanding the negative watch, I like Nigeria, it is a diversified economy. It has an interesting private sector.

“Ratings are really about credit-worthiness. If we did downgrade Nigeria, it would have little effect on its borrowing.

“It would be more an issue of the country’s image. From a debt perspective, even if there was a downgrade, Nigeria would still look solid.”

... earns N13trn from crude oil export

Meanwhile, the NBS, in its Foreign Trade Statistics for the Fourth Quarter of 2014, released yesterday, estimated that with an export of N12.8 trillion, crude oil accounted for 74.4 percent of Nigeria’s total

export of N17.204 trillion in 2014.

Specifically, NBS said: “On an annual basis, the total exports of Nigeria stood at N17.204 trillion at the end of 2014, representing a rise of N2.959 trillion or 20.8 percent over the level in 2013.

“The structure of Nigeria’s export is still dominated by crude oil exports. The contribution of crude oil to the value of total domestic export trade amounted to N12.791 trillion or 74.4 percent in 2014 (estimate figures).”

Export

NBS stated that the highest export product for Nigeria in 2014 was mineral products, which accounted for N15,718.0 billion or 91.4 percent.

It said: “Other products that contributed immensely to Nigeria’s exports include

vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof, vessels and so on, and products of the chemical and allied industries whose values stood at N357.7 billion or 2.1 percent, and N315.6 billion or 1.8 percent, respectively, of the total exports of Nigeria for the year.”

NBS data revealed that in the first quarter of 2014, crude oil export stood at N3.234 trillion, while noncrude oil export stood at N735.865 billion.

In the second quarter, crude oil export rose slightly to N3.269 trillion, while noncrude oil export also rose to N1.413 trillion.

In the third quarter, crude oil export dropped to N3.15 trillion, compared to noncrude oil exports, which rose to N1.549 trillion.

In the fourth quarter, crude

Friends honour Azu Ishiekwene

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EDIA professionals will, on Saturday, gather at Protea Hotel, Ikeja, to honour media icon, Mr. Azubuike Ishiekwene.

The reception, put together by a committee of friends, is to mark the 50th birthday of Mr. Ishiekwene, a Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE. Popularly called Azu in media circles, he is an award-winning journalist as well as columnist.

A member of the board of the influential Paris-based Global Editors Network and the New York-based World

Policy Journal, Ishiekwene was also a member and later, the Chair of the CNN Multichoice African Jour nalist of the Year panel.

He began his journalism career in the 80s at Punch, where he rose through the ranks and was at different times Editor of Saturday PUNCH; Editor, The PUNCH; Controller, Publications and Executive Director, Publications.

He was until January ending the Group Managing Director of LEADERSHIP Group.

OROCCO has recalled its ambassador to Nigeria, in a row over whether President Goodluck Jonathan was trying to use the King of Morocco to win over Muslim voters before the general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.

Last week, the Moroccan royal palace said the king had declined a request for a telephone conversation with the Nigeria President.

Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, however, denied the snub, Monday, saying the two leaders had spoken extensively.

According to a report by foreign news agency, Reuters, the Nigerian foreign ministry said it was “preposterous to suggest that Mr. President’s telephone call to the Moroccan monarch was intended to confer any electoral advantage.”

In its own reaction, the Moroccan foreign ministry, in a statement said: “Morocco confirms, in the clearest and strongest terms, that there has never been a phone conversation between King Mohammed VI and the President of this country.”

Morocco cited “the hostile, recurrent and unfriendly positions of the Nigerian government with regard to the Moroccan Sahara issue and the sacred Arab-Muslim causes” as reasons for declining Jonathan’s call.

Nigeria is one of the main supporters, along with Algeria and South Africa on the continent, of the independence movement Polisario Front in the disputed Western Sahara.

The territory is a tract of desert the size of Britain, that has lucrative phosphate reserves and possibly oil.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

PROTEST: From left: Senator Babafemi Ojudu; Senator Ganiyu Solomon,

APC Minority Leader; Senator George Akume, Senator Chris Ngige and other Senators during a press briefing by the All Progressives Congress, Senators in protest over the clearance of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as ministerial nominee at the National Assembly, Abuja, yesterday . Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

You're desperate, APC fires back at PDP govs Continues from Page 1 Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governors, describing it as a reflection of the poverty of ideas of the ruling party.

The governors were joined by the APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who described the attacks as suggestive of the “ d e s p e r a t i o n , despondency and dejection” of the ruling party to the Buhari phenomenon across the country.

The governors, in separate reactions, faulted the failure of the PDP governors to articulate issues that would promote their party, saying the resort to attacking the person of Buhari showed the emptiness of the ruling party in Abuja.

PDP governors led by the chairman of the PDP Governors Forum,

Obong Godswill Akpabio and factional chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, Jonah Jang, had in a media parley in Lagos on Tuesday raised several allegations bordering on Buhari’s past services to the nation and his capacity to steer the nation. The charges were capped by that from Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State who alleged that Buhari would serve only one term, a development he said would deny the North an eight-year shot at the Presidency.

Among the governors that reacted to the allegations yesterday, were Governors Adams Oshiomhole, Edo State; Rochas Okorocha, Imo; Rauf Aregbesola, Osun; Abiola Ajimobi, Oyo, and Abdulfatah Ahmed, Kwara.

It's desperation,

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you. Fill your mind with life-affirming thoughts and tomorrow will find you farther along the Beauty Way— James Allen

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HAT you think about tend to become reality, more important than the food which nourish the body are your thoughts. Thoughts of bitterness like, “I dislike him/her,” thoughts of despair like, “I’ll never be happy again,” thoughts of fear like, “I could never do that!” And thoughts of worry, thoughts of greed and thoughts of selfloathing…”I’m not smart.”

A constant diet of these killer thoughts will destroy anyone long before heart burn or cholesterol.

Embrace the beauty way in your life…it’s the way of love and contentment, peace and kindness. It is the way of patience and courage and, above all, harmony.

despondency, dejection —Mohammed Reacting to the attacks on the party ’s presidential candidate, Mohammed, the APC national publicity scribe, told Vanguard yesterday: “What has come out clearly in the media interaction between the PDP and the media yesterday (Tuesday) is d e s p e r a t i o n , despondency and dejection on the part of the PDP. "When you have an interaction with a gathering like PDP governors, you expect something much more elevating. You see, they lost a beautiful opportunity to even sell their party.

“When they concentrated on attacking an individual, people went away with the impression that they have run out of ideas, and they have run out of issues. So, that is why you find that if you took a poll yesterday and a poll today on the popularity of PDP you will find out that it sank lower especially against the fact that this man who they have been attacking almost daily has never uttered a word in retaliation because what they are attacking is the integrity of this man, but his integrity is unassailable.

PDP has already accepted defeat

“I think Nigerians have now got to the point of asking PDP: do you have anything in stock for us?

Why don’t you advertise your own wares?

Honestly, I looked at PDP yesterday and was very sorry for them.

“From what happened yesterday, PDP has already accepted defeat because they are saying already that Buhari will not have two terms, that he would have one term.

Why should that become the concern of the ruling party? They are already behaving like the opposition party.

"I think Nigerians are not taken in by this smear campaign. On the contrary, the man is becoming more and more popular and they are spending so much money, so much time, so much effort vilifying this man. Even those APC members who are not on the ballot, they are spending time and money to vilify them. Is that what this campaign is all about?"

It's indicative that PDP had lost the election —Oshiomhole Governor Oshiomhole in his response, yesterday said the attacks and the innuendo of a single term were indicative of the fact that the PDP had lost the election.

Noting Buhari’s focus on issues, he said: “When you are playing a match, and it is clear that you are winning and your opponent is going for your legs instead of the ball, while you hope and trust that the referee will enforce the rule, you must remain focused on the ball.

“The PDP governors said many other things that do not make sense.

I read one of their statements that Buhari has signed an agreement that he is going to do only one term, and that the North would be shortchanged. That is what they claim. That is fine.

"That means they accept that Buhari will win the election, but they are only worried about how long he will be there for, and if that should be the burden of the PDP, it tells you that they have exhausted everything.

“I don’t want to join those who want to move away from the issues focusing on personality

and irrelevant issues. I think that the issue for me is about policy choices, it is about leadership, it is about security and well-being.

“That is how the real rural poor are being defrauded. Why should trillions of naira be spent on kerosene and yet poor people instead of paying N50, PDP made them to pay N150. So even the poor are being defrauded of N100.

“Those are the issues I expect PDP governors to address. I expect the PDP governors to address why they inherited a currency that was exchanging at N75 to a dollar in 1999 when PDP took over governance. As they were in Lagos talking about Buhari’s security of tenure, Naira is now N230 to one US dollar, and everything is going up.”

On card readers Governor Okorocha, on his part lashed the PDP governors for their stance against the card readers, saying the PDP governors had shown their inclination towards a failed and crooked electoral system.

“There is nothing really wrong with trying to introduce something new in the nation’s electoral engineering.

With the card readers, INEC can confidently say the number of people that cast their votes in any outing,” Okorocha, who spoke through his media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, said.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his part said Nigerians “should not be surprised that diatribes against our presidential candidate, Buhari, were the major points at the meeting of the PDP Governors Forum in Lagos.

Aregbesola, who spoke through his Director, Bureau of Communication, Mr

Semiu Okanlawon said: “That tells you pointedly that APC has given them what to battle with until they are all consumed by electoral defeat.”

Asserting that the PDP’s record of woeful performance translating to hardship for the people is enough unpaid advertisement for the APC, the governor said: “So it is no wonder that all they travelled to Lagos on Tuesday to do was to abuse Buhari, abuse APC leaders and move further to want to divide the people of Nigeria through their religious bigotry and primordial ethnic sentiments.

"But the mistake they make is that Nigerians have caught up and overtaken them in these useless factors."

One-term plan Governor Ajimobi of Oyo State, on his part, dismissed Governor Aliyu’s claim of a one part pact between Buhari and the APC. “It is not in the character of the APC to determine the tenure of its candidates before they run. This must have been concocted for political reasons,” he said.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State in a similar reaction said the argument of the PDP governors that the one term plan for Buhari would destroy the rotation between the north and the south only existed in the figment of the imagination of the PDP governors.

Ahmed spoke through his Senior Special Adviser on Media and Communications, Dr Muideen Akorede.

Similarly, the director of media of the APC in the South-West, Mr. Ayo Afolabi described the PDP as a drowning party grappling anything and saying anything to hang on to life.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Referee dies jogging in Ilorin

By Demola Akinyemi

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LORIN—THERE was pandemonium at the main bowl of Kwara State stadium, Monday, as a retired grade one referee, Ishaku Musa Dodo, slumped and died while jogging.

Late Dodo, former member of Kaduna State Referees Council, was posted to Kwara State for his National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, service. He resumed in his new station, Kwara United FC, earlier that same day.

Late Dodo, who was listed as a grade one referee in 1999, was confirmed dead after examination at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, UITH, where he was rushed to after he slumped during the second lap of the exercise.

Vanguard gathered that his sudden death might be connected with heart failure, even though he was said to have undergone an ECG, test three months earlier.

His remains was deposited at UITH mortuary.

78-yr-old narrates ordeal in kidnappers' den, as police arrest 7 suspects

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—OFFICERS of Oyo State Police Command, yesterday, stormed a kidnappers’ den and rescued a 78-year-old man, Chief Adebowale Omotoso, who is the National Life Vice President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce and Industry Mines and Agriculture, NACCIMA, in Egbeda Local Government Area of Oyo State.

The septuagenarian was kidnapped a week ago, when the suspected kidnappers stormed his residence at Awe in

Afijio Local Government and whisked him away in the presence of his friends.

Seven suspects were arrested in connection with the crime.

Those alleged to have kidnapped the old man include a 32-year-old woman, who identified herself as Bisi Babatunde; Oladipupo Abayomi, 23; Alabi Olufemi; Isiaka Kazeem, Ayobami Musa, 23; Ajayi Olaniyi, 40; and Shittu Olaide, 28.

Two suspects were said to have escaped with bullet wounds, among them the alleged mastermind of the crime, Lucky.

‘My story’

The rescue operation, led by the new Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Muhammed Katsina, led to the discovery of the den, a disused mud house in the jungle, which had some shrines.

The victim, looking distressed, narrated his experience with the kidnappers, saying “I was having a chat with my friends at home in Awe around 7.30pm, Wednesday, March 4, when some people entered into my house and started demanding dollars.

“They pointed a gun at me

Female suspect confesses

The house where suspected kidnappers were caught in Ibadan. NAN PHOTO.

ARSON: Priest, couple accused of destroying 5 buildings, pineapple farm worth N29m E NUGU North Magistrates’ Court has remanded a priest and a couple in prison for allegedly stealing and destroying property worth N29 million.

The accused persons, Solomon Obiukwu, Fredrick Eze and Juliana Eze, from Orji River Local Government Area in Enugu State, were alleged to have stolen and destroyed property belonging to one Chinyere Gbugu.

They pleaded not guilty to the eight-count charge brought against them.

The Police Prosecutor, Mr. Peter Eze, told the court that the matter was reported at the Oji River Police Station on February 2.

He said: “The accused conspired and set on fire five buildings worth N25 million and four hectares of pineapple farm worth N4 million, which belonged to Gbugu.

“The offences are punishable under Sections 495(a) and 353(L) of the Criminal Code, Cap 30 Vol. II, Law of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2004.”

He pleaded with the court not to grant the accused bail.

Counsel to the three accused

and threatened to kill us all if we did not cooperate.

“I just returned from the US where I had gone for treatment.

They took all they wanted and just when we thought it was all over, they asked me to come with them. I was blindfolded and bundled into a waiting car. ‘’I was taken to an abandoned village house and I stayed there for four days before I was transferred to this place. ‘’They told me that they were taking me to Edo State and because I was blindfolded on the way, I sincerely believed we were in Edo until this morning (Monday) when I was rescued by the police and they told me we were in Ibadan.”

persons, Mr. C. Ogbuewu, however, prayed the court to reframe the charges as the eightcount charge brought against the accused were simple offences and not capital.

He pleaded with the court to grant the accused bail on lenient terms as the first accused was hypertensive.

In her ruling, the Magistrate, Mrs O. Nneji, said the court had no jurisdiction over the matter.

“The court’s hands are tied in granting the accused bail as this matter is beyond this court,” she said.

She said that the four witnesses mentioned should appear in court any time the case was called up,

warning that failing to appear in court would attract a fine of N200,000 each.

The magistrate said the accused should seek bail any time the matter was called up at the appropriate court.

She transferred the case to the state’s Attorney-General and remanded them in prison.

One feared dead, as fire guts Lagos paint firm

By Evelyn Usman

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NE person was, yesterday, feared dead and three others injured when Fine Coat Limited, a paint manufacturing company located in Alagbado area of Lagos, went up in flames.

As at 6.30pm, a combined team of fire servicemen drafted from Lagos and Ogun states were still battling to put out the raging fire.

The fire, which started at about 3.15pm, reportedly began from the top floor of the high-rise building, which housed the production section. But its exact

cause could not be immediately ascertained.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that it was proving difficult to put out the fire, because of huge balls of fire sparked by chemicals stored in the production section.

Another eyewitness, who gave his name as Chinwendu, disclosed that while the fire was raging, a man was rushed out of the affected building, motionless.

According to Chinwendu, “it was obvious he was affected by the thick smoke. He was rushed into an ambulance and whisked away. Three other persons were

also brought out unconscious states, but they sustained minor injuries.

“They were also taken inside a waiting ambulance where they were attended to.”

Contacted at about 6.40pm,the Director, Lagos State Fire Service, Mr. Rasak Fadipe, confirmed that the fire was still raging.

He said: “We cannot state its cause yet, because the fire is still raging. Five fire trucks are on ground battling to contain the situation. The affected section is the warehouse, where they store raw materials and finished products.”

To the amazement of people at the scene, one of the suspects, a woman who was thought to be a victim, opened up and narrated how she had been involved in criminal activities. She was later discovered to be the informant.

She said: “I have been involved in fraudulent activities by posing to be a herbalist in Port Harcourt. I bought a car from the proceeds.

“I was involved in kidnapping in Port Harcourt, but I was not fully involved in this one. We have offices in Port Harcourt, Lagos among others. After returning home to Awe, I went to a brother called Laide and asked him to do juju for me.

“He told me that he knew Baba (Omotoso) and that I should call Lucky to come and kidnap him because he had refused to settle his family for the death of his brother that died in Omotoso’s swimming pool.

“I was given N750,000 from the operation. Lucky said N5.5 million was collected from the victim’s family. Everything was at Awo (cult) level.”

Rescue

Describing how the rescue was hatched, police boss, Katsina, said: “It was the result of a week operation, coming barely one week after my transfer here. It was a disturbing phenomenon.

“We launched operation Hell Wind on the night that the matter was reported with help from the newly constituted Ambush Squad.

“We succeeded in locating the hideout and engaged the kidnappers in a shootout that lasted from midnight till the early hours when they were overpowered.”

He called on hospitals, traditional clinics in the state to be vigilant and report anyone with bullet wounds that might come to them for treatment.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—7

How dismissed officer duped police of N40m

By Esther Onyegbula

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Commander, Special Task Force, STF, Maj.-Gen. David Enietie (right), with the Commander, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Plateau Command, Mr. Vincent Bature, and other officials, setting fire to illicit drugs and exhibits in Jos, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Herdsmen kill six in fresh Barkin Ladi attack

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS— GUNMEN, suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, have killed six people at Takowok and Rahol Gasa villages of Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State.

It was gathered that two men, including a member of Plateau State-owned security outfit, Operation Rainbow, were attacked and killed at a farm at Takowok village on Tuesday.

Four persons were also said to have been killed at Rahol Gasa on the same night.

A member of the community who gave his name as Titus Samuel, said the victims were Habila Fom and Joseph Dung.

Another villager, Badung Davou, said his daughter in-

law, Felicia Badung and eightyear-old grandson, Amos Badung, were killed at Rahol Gasa.

He said gunmen attacked the community at about 9:04pm, when some villagers were already in bed.

A community leader, Boyi Deme, said a woman, named Evelyn, and her two years old son, Chuwang, were also killed in the attack.

Trouble had been brewing in the local government since last week when seven members of a family at Sabon Layi community of the council, were killed Sunday night.

The Special Task Force Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, denied knowledge of the incident.

He said: “Nothing like that happened. There was trouble in parts of Barkin Ladi and our men are patrolling the area.

“I do not know about such incident, but I will confirm from our men on ground there.”

‘Another man impregnated my wife'

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—A real estate developer, Abraham Okoro, yesterday told a Lagos Magistrate’s court sitting in Ikeja how his estranged wife, Adedoyin Ogunmefun (nee Ajaba) allegedly brought another man’s pregnancy to his house pleading with him to

accept it.

Okoro, who was giving evidence before Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe, said trouble started after the defendant lost her father in July 2000.

He said after the burial, his mother in-law, who was planning to go back to America a few weeks after, called a family meeting and said things were going to be difficult for the family after the demise of her husband.

Okoro added that after he enquired from his mother inlaw what the matter was, he bought her a car to enable her move round.

The complainant, who said he formally married the defendant on June 17, 2006 and paid her dowry after two children, said

he bought air ticket for his estrange wife, his two children and the mother in-law in July 2006 shortly after their marriage, for a vacation in US, stating that at the end of July, the wife came back to Nigeria and ran away with her two children on August 6, 2006.

He said she switched off her phone, but that they started living together again on Valentine ’s Day of 2007.

He said his wife then became pregnant and that he rejected his wife and mother-in-law’s pleading that he accept the pregnancy, because he had not touched her since the problems began.

Magistrate Komolafe adjourned the matter till April 8 for continuation of trial.

Robbers kill undergraduate in Ado-Ekiti

By Gbenga Ariyibi Officials of the Red Cross Society engaging children in physical exercise during an outreach to an internally-displaced persons, IDPs' camp in Karamajiji, Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

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ESIDENTS of Adebayo area, Ado Ekiti, have been thrown into a mournful mood

Protesting workers besiege oil firm’s facility in Bayelsa

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—HUNDREDS of protesting workers, yesterday, besieged a multibillion naira Shell Petroleum Development Company ’s Gbarain-Ubie Gas Gathering plant in Yenagoa Local

Government Area of Bayelsa State over alleged violation of local content law and poor employment policies.

The aggrieved workers, made up of welders and fitters, threatened to take their protest to the Presidency until they got justice.

The protesters accused Daewoo and Morpo, two oil servicing firms working for SPDC, of refusing to employ indigenes for technical works and shutting out indigenous companies, in contravention of the provisions of the local content policy.

as armed robbers shot dead one Temitope Ogunleye, a student of the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, during a midnight operation.

The ND 2 Accountancy student died when a 12-man armed robbery gang attacked his father’s house at Adebayo area of the state capital.

Vanguard gathered that the young man and his parents and sister, Yetunde, a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ogun State, were at home when the robbers struck.

PERATIVES of the Federal Special AntiRobbery Squad, Lagos, have arrested a dismissed police sergeant for allegedly posing as an officer to defraud the Nigeria Police Force of about N40 million in eight years.

Vanguard gathered that Victor Afamefuna Banor, after his dismissal from the Nigeria Police, forged personnel emolument records, including his last pay certificates and submitted them with fake names, ranks and force numbers to the Nigeria Police pay offices in Lagos, Edo, Cross River, Kaduna, Kogi, Ogun and Akwa Ibom states police commands and allegedly collected N40 million from the purse of the Nigeria Police under false pretence.

The police further alleged that the suspect perpetrated the fraud by transferring himself to all the aforementioned police commands with fake documents and promoted himself to the ranks of ASP, DSP and SP any time he received information about promotions in the Nigeria Police.

Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS Lagos, DCP Chris Ezike, had received an intelligence report on the activities of the suspect and directed a team, led

by DSP Solomon Igwe, to fish out the suspect.

The police prosecutor, Supol Charles Odii, told the court that Banor committed the alleged offence between 2006 and 2014 in seven police commands in Nigeria.

He said the offences the defendant committed were punishable under the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011, Advanced Fee Fraud and Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006 and the Miscellaneous Offences Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The presiding Judge, Justice J. Abang, adjourned the case till May 4 and 5 for trial and ordered that the defendant be remanded in prison custody.

8 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

DSS restores Tambuwal’s security details

Only God can help PDP win poll now — GBAGI zEx-minister accuses PDP govs, ministers of abandoning president to campaign alone

By Soni Daniel

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IVE months after the security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, were withdrawn, the Department of State Service, DSS has restored its operatives to the Speaker.

No reason was given for the re-instatement of the security men. The Inspector General of Police had insisted that he did not recognise Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives from the moment he defected to the All Progressives Congress on October 30, 2015.

The DSS operatives were sighted in Tambuwal’s residence and office yesterday but none was willing to speak on when they were asked to return to the APC Governorship candidate for Sokoto State.

But the Special Adviser on Media to Tambuwal, Imam Iman, confirmed to Vanguard on Wednesday that the security men earlier withdrawn on the orders of the IG, had been returned to his boss.

“It is true that the security men attached to the Speaker are back at their duty post,” Imam said.

It will be recalled that shortly after the defection of Tambuwal to the APC last year, the then Acting Inspector-General of Police, Suleiman Abba, had ordered the immediate withdrawal of the police personnel attached to him.

The IG defended his action and damned all the cries over it, saying that the decision was backed by relevant laws in Nigeria and could not be faulted.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Ojukwu, in a statement in support of the action by the IG hinged the withdrawal of Tambuwal’s security aides on Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

Statement read: “In view of the recent defection by the Right Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Nigeria, from the People Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress and having regard to the clear provision of section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, the Nigeria Police Force, has redeployed its personnel attached to his office.”

zLeave Buhari alone, face issue-based campaign, he tells party

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—AHEAD of the presidential and general elections fixed for March 28 and April 11 respectively, former Minister of State for Education, Kenneth Gbagi yesterday accused the ministers, heads of Parastatals and aides of President Goodluck Jonathan of leaving the campaigns for the President alone to handle, even as he said that only God would help the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP to win the election.

He said, “What I am saying is that God is a God of miracle, He can do miracle.”

Speaking with Vanguard yesterday at his Asokoro residence, Gbagi also alleged that governors of the PDP that cut across the country were not working in tandem with President Jonathan, just as he urged the ruling party to desist from personal attack on the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhammadu Buhari, retd and face issue-based campaigns if the PDP must win the polls.

He said, “The governors as it were are not with Mr President, I repeat, the supposed governors are not with Mr President. You read a scoop two days ago that seven governors defecting. Even if they don’t physically defect, their body language and instructions to their followers are different from what we are seeing in the media. We need to move drastically and quickly so that we

BUHARI CAMPAIGNS IN KADUNA: All Progressives Congress, APC presidential candidate, Gen Muhammadu Buhari; his running mate, Prof Yemi Osinbajo; Gov Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, and others in Kaduna for the north west zonal presidential campaign. Photo: Sunday Aghaeze. do not have a situation where we are seated and we are captured.

Governors across Nigeria are not with the President.”

The 2014 Delta State governorship aspirant, who asked those attacking the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega to stop that, stressed that fighting the INEC boss was not necessary and justifiable, but those who worked to win would be declared the winners and those who did not, would be declared the loser of the election.

Gbagi, who accused the PDP of not doing enough in the area

of selling the party, and the achievements of the present administration to Nigerians when it had the opportunity to do that, warned against over heating the polity, adding that if PDP members, leaders, stakeholders had put in their resources, energy and time to campaign the way the President did , it would have been a game sealed for PDP. He said, “I am taken aback largely. You are here with us when we did the election in 2011 and we were at the forefront. I am disappointed that the entire campaign situation has been left alone to the President largely.

I have sojourned the nook and crannies of Abuja and the north

in the last few days and my conclusion is that; where are the ministers, where are the DGs, where are the Permanent Secretaries, where are the agencies of government. As it were, all have been left in the hands of Mr President to do his job all by himself.

“I personally sat and held Buhari spellbound in 2011 election and we made slide successes. I don’t see anybody, let all the ministers come out and begin to pubic individually what they have done in their ministry with what they were given and how they spent the money and leave accusing Buhari as a person but tackle the issue of politics.”

FOREX EARNINGS: CBN to sanction exporters — EMEFIELE

By Omoh Gabriel, with Agency report

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N its bid to shore up Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings, Central Bank of Nigeria said it will enforce the repatriation of dollar-proceeds from exports will impose sanctions against exporters that do not comply.

CBN Governor Mr. Godwin Emefiele said in London yesterday. He also said that the CBN will not reopen the rWDAS window saying “The window is not closed. It is crushed and destroyed for life. “Nothing is going to be opened again. We are not going to go back to a subsidised regime.”

“If you refuse to sell your export proceeds that you repatriate in the foreign exchange market ... we will ban them from accessing foreign exchange in the Nigerian foreign

exchange market,” Emefiele told Reuters in an interview.

Emefiele said much of the pressure on the naira over the past year was due to activity of importers and exporters, the former frontloading purchases of hard currency while the latter were hoarding their overseas cash earnings.

The resulting hiatus on the currency markets has forced the central bank to intervene, and this has led to a steep drop in Nigeria’s foreign cash reserves to four to five months’ worth of imports.

He said that forcing exporting and importing companies to comply with existing regulations on their use of the currency market was now necessary.

According to him “Another thing we will do is that we will ask the banks not to loan money to them (exporters who don’t

1epatriate hard cash on time),”, saying the measure would come into effect soon, but declining to give a date.

Emefiele estimated that some $34 billion of proceeds due to be repatriated were outstanding, of which 40 percent would come from oil companies. “We are saying ... don’t put your foreign exchange in the hands of people who want to carry cash and take it abroad,” he said. “Use it to import tangible items that are documented.”

CBN plan to sanction exporters is to stop the practice of capital flight through export of Nigeria produce by companies operating in Nigeria. Many exporters have kept the proceeds of their export abroad thus denying the nation access to autonomous foreign exchange earnings.

Nigeria’s economy has been hit hard over the past year by a steep drop in oil prices and political

uncertainty over Presidential delayed election.

The development has seen the naira lose more than 20 per cent value against the dollar since the middle of 2014, breaking through the important 200 per dollar level last month as it racked up the biggest monthly loss in more than five years.

In February, the central bank introduced trading rules under which banks will be able to purchase foreign exchange only if they have a prior order from a corporate customer, such as a fuel importer or foreign mobile phone company looking to repatriate profits or dividends.

CBN is looking at exporters to ensure hard currency liquidity within Nigeria, pondering sanctions against exporters who fail to repatriate proceeds and funnel them back into the official market within the stipulated 90day limit, Emefiele said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 9

Count me out of ING plans — IBB ...Ex- president urges support for Jega, card reader

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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ORMER President Ibrahim Babangida yesterday discountenanced prospects of an interim government or his role in such saying that the conditions that gave rise to the contraption in 1993 were non-existent under Nigeria’s flourishing democratic system.

Urges support for Jega

On Jega, Babangida in a statement yesterday thus called for encouragement for the Attahiru Jega led Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and urged all to accept the use of the card reader, a device the former military president said would further enthrone transparency in the electoral register.

I left politics in 2011

In dissociating himself from participation in an interim government, Babangida said he bade goodbye to politics in 2011 at the age of 70 taking into consideration that after his eight year unbroken rule as military president that he had seen it all.

He said: “When we introduced the idea of an “interim government” during our time as a military government, we had in mind to enthrone a democratic government in the shortest possible time in sync with the agitations of the people, after the inconclusive elections of 1993.

That was a stop-gap measure because we were determined to quit office at the set date of August 27, 1993. Having left office since

1993 and with the benefit of hindsight, I think what we did was auspicious enough to reassure our people that we were ready to leave office and keep the country going. The end result of our patriotic action is another topic for another day.

Suffice it to say that the circumstances we found ourselves in 1993 are totally different from what obtains today in our democratic journey as a nation with flourishing opportunities.

patriotism in a manner that underscores their readiness for the elections and love for country.

Rather than condemnation, they deserve our commendation. They need to be encouraged to deliver on their statutory obligation to the Nigerian state. I have no doubt to state unequivocally, that elections will hold on the appointed dates in line with the unflinching assurances from INEC. Those mooting the idea of an interim government and trying to drag my name into it should please look elsewhere

my environment. Whether retired or serving military officers, we all share common professional affinity and collegiate loyalty. The unity of the country is paramount in our hearts and our sense of loyalty to the Nigerian state is unequivocal. I commend my colleagues in uniform, both senior and junior officers, for the sheer determination they have shown in combating the Boko Haram menace and preparing the ground for credible elections.

“Our security agencies also deserve our commendation especially with the successes already recorded in the fight against the Boko Haram. This is the real Nigeria Army of my expectation. I am not only proud of the military uniform, I am betrothed to it. It is a symbolic and very unique institution that nurtured me on how to dominate

“I expect all the political parties to conduct themselves within the ambit of the law. They must continue to educate their members and the electorates on how to make the forthcoming elections more credible than previous ones.

We must appreciate the creativity and innovation of the card reader which INEC has introduced to make for better election credibility and transparency.''

Don't drag my name into ING Gives kudos to security men “Let me state in emphatic terms that Professor Attahiru Jega and his colleagues in INEC have to be encouraged, motivated, animated and commended for the sheer courage and determination they have shown thus far in their preparations for the March 28 and April 11 elections.

They have demonstrated their sense of

Political parties must be law abiding

NATIONAL DISCOURSE: Participants at the Abuja National Discourse organised by the Nigerian Professional Coalition at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.

OPEN ACCESS: DPR, NNPC to introduce gas network code

By Clara Nwachukwu & Ediri Ejoh

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AGOS—AHEAD of the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, the Federal Government is set to introduce the Nigerian Gas Transportation Network Code, NGTNC, to streamline the supply and transportation of gas in the domestic market.

The initiators of the Network Code, industry regulator, Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, said the system will enable new ways of doing business in the Nigerian domestic gas market.

According to the code, every gas meant for domestic use either for power, petrochemical or industrial, will have a single entry and exit point to cut short the sharp practices prevalent in the current supply and distribution system.

Already, the PIB proposes for an Open Access and Third Party Assets that will make it possible

for private investors to access existing pipelines network and depots and also build and operate their own pipelines and depots.

Speaking at a Stakeholders’ Forum for the Implementation of the NGTC, yesterday in Lagos, the Director, DPR, Engr. George Osahon, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Gas Monitoring and Regulations, DPR, Mr. Antigha Ekaluo, said the Network Code is a set of rules guiding the use of a gas transportation system.

He explained that the forum is part of the stakeholders’ engagement and awareness programme, imperative for the successful implementation of the Network Code.

He further said that parts of the objectives of the code include providing a level playing field for all the stakeholders. Also to create a transparent system that will give an open access to any gas user or buyer who want to access the system for the purpose of getting gas.

He added, “The code is underlined by major players who are the gas suppliers, the network code operator itself, the shippers who are the users, and the agents who can be the distributors and other affiliations.

“If we are to eliminate cutting of corners and sharp practices from among the distributors, then they should subject themselves to the Network code, because the code is a set of rules and principle that will allow any gas user to use the system and then get the gas as they want.”

Expatiating further, the Group Executive Director, Gas and Pipeline,NNPC, Dr. David Ige represented by the General Manager, Gas Pipelines Infrastructure, Gas & Power, NNPC, Mr. Sam Ndukwe, said the draft NGTNC was developed in consultation with the various gas industry stakeholders in Nigeria.

According to him, “The Network Code provides the contractual framework between transporter and network users

with clear regulated terms for open access to gas pipeline network.”

Major aspects of the Network Code focus on the gas sector status - production & utilisation; evolving gas sector; regulatory & commercial framework; implementation timeline; and key challenges and a host of others.

Ndukwe stressed the need for the Network Code to be backed by a regulatory framework in order to ensure full oversight as well as the following: ''Encourages private investment in pipeline transmission infrastructure; ''Promotes transparency of tariff mechanism; ''Encourages equity in the entry and exit rules; ''Promotes competition for pipeline access; ''Encourages growth in capacity to meet emerging demand for gas shipment; ''Promotes future trading of capacities and ''Provides rules for transitioning legacy contracts

NAIRA DEVALUATION: Importers abandon cargoes at ports

By Godwin oritse

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A G O S — CONGESTION at the ports is beginning to gather momentum as importers have abandoned their cargoes following the continuous slide of the Naira against the American dollar which currently stands at N250 to $1.

Besides, there has also been a steady increase in number of abandoned containers particularly at the Tin Can Island port.

Stakeholders confirmed to Vanguard that the worsening exchange rate situation has prompted the Tin Can Island Customs Command to increase its official transaction rate from N165 to all-time high N199 to a dollar.

Confirming the development, the Customs Area Controller in charge of the Tin Can Island Customs, Mr. Zakari Jibrin said recently that the Auto Policy of the Federal Government and the upcoming 2015 election has caused importers to abandon their cargoes at the port.

In an interview, Vice Chairman of the Tin Can Chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mrs Ada Akpunonu said that the instability in the exchange rate has caused importers to stay away from importation and that imported cargoes have been abandoned at the port.

According to her, commercial banks have equally stopped lending money to potential businessmen.

Speaking on the imminent port congestion, Akpunonu said, “many goods are trapped at the port, there is bound to be congestion, most of the importers borrowed money from the banks, before they collect their Bill of Lading they must make the payment, but what is happening now is that, with the exchange rate, they are finding it difficult to get the balance and pay back in order to collect the papers and clear their goods” “Many importers with Bill of Lading are finding it difficult to pay duties. There is no cargo that does not go into demurrage in Nigeria and shipping companies start collecting money immediately the cargo lands at the port” she said.

10— Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

APC senators kick as Senate confirms Obanikoro, others as ministers

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru,

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Joseph Erunke & Olasunkanmi Akoni

BUJA—A walk-out staged by senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC, against the screening and subsequent confirmation of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro as minister could not stop the Senate yesterday, as it confirmed his nomination among six other ministerial nominees.

The spirited protest of the opposition legislators, led by Senators Bukola Saraki, APC, Kwara Central and Ganiyu Solomon, APC, Lagos West, who raised points of order to stop Obanikoro’s confirmation by the senate along seven other ministerial nominees screened before him, made the Senate session to be dramatic and tensionsoaked.

Drama over screening

The drama started immediately the Senate resolved to commence the screening of the last four ministerial nominees slated for yesterday, through a motion moved by the Leader of the Senate, represented by the Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central.

Ningi had raised order 15 of the Senate rules under personal privilege, to remind the Senate President, David Mark, that the Senate resolved last week during closed door session, to have another closed door session before carrying out screening on one of the four, Musuliu Obanikoro.

But the Senate President ruled him out of order by declaring that executive session is not a privilege but just a decision that can be made by the Senate at any time is deemed necessary.

At this point, Senators Saraki and Gbenga Ashafa made spirited efforts to stop Obanikoro’s screening by raising order 53(5) of the Senate standing rules which states “that reference should not be made by the Senate to any matter on which judicial decision is pending in such a way as might in the opinion of the Senate President, prejudice the interest of parties thereto.”

But David Mark in ruling him out of order, said nobody has served him any notice on the case and therefore, as far as he was concerned, “there is no case in court against the subject matter before the senate for legislative consideration."

After Ashafa, came Senator Babajide Omoworare, APC, Osun East, who as a constitutional lawyer, quoted relevant sections of the constitution and senate’s standing rules, to aid his opposition against Obanikoro’s screening but was also ruled out of order by the Senate President.

Adetunbi had in his own argument against Obanikoro’s screening by the Senate premised on order 15 of the Senate standing rules, said it would be gross

injustice against him if Obanikoro’s screening was allowed to take place on account that a case against that was already in court, a similar judicial process, he disclosed, made him on the advice of the the Senate President, to step down a motion he wanted to raise on the floor of the Senate over the Ekitigate saga in which Obanikoro was alleged involved.

Also, the last effort made by Senator Ganiyu Solomon, Lagos West, to stop Obanikoro met the brick wall of the Senate Leadership.

Solomon who raised order 53(9) insisted that since all the three senators from Lagos States are against Obanikoro’s screening, the senate in line with its known tradition, should defer his screening to another day, to give room for possible change of position of Lagosians in particular and Nigerians in general, against his nomination.

In his submission, the Senate President, David Mark, said the Senate with the situation on

ground, was caught in between two known traditions.

The Senate, thereafter, confirmed the nomination of Obanikoro and the seven other nominees screened before it.

They were, Mrs Hauwa’u Lawan from Jigawa State, Kenneth Kobani from Rivers State, Senator Joel Danlami Ikenya from Taraba State and Senator Patricia Akwashiki from Nasarawa State.

Others are, Professor Nicholas Akise Ada, Benue State, Col. Augustine Akobundu (Abia State) and Fidelis Nwankwo, Ebonyi State.

APC senators brief press

The aggrieved APC senators later briefed the press to disassociate themselves from the confirmation of Obanikoro as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, alleging that the confirmation was null and void since the senate did not form quorum to do it after their walkout.

But the Senate’s spokesman,

Eyinnaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South, countered them by saying that “matter of quorum in the Senate as guided by its rules, is determined at inception of everyday’s business and not at the tail end in which the APC senators staged a walkout protest.”

Lagos APC on Obanikoro and Ekiti rigging scandal

Meantime, Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the confirmation of Mr. Musiliu Obanikoro as a Minister by the Senate despite damaging implications in a rigging scandal in Ekiti State, “as an act of impunity and corruption as well as show of shame that further muddles the image of Nigeria and the senate.”

Publicity Secretary of the party, Joe Igbokwe, while reacting to the development yesterday, said that the confirmation of Obanikoro showed the sinister intent of the senate leadership and the PDP to institute deep rooted corruption and illegality in Nigeria so long as their nefarious interests are met.

STRIKE: Lagos NMA threatens to shut down health services

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By Damilola Akingbade

AGOS—THE last is yet to be heard about the lingering crisis in the Lagos State health sector as the State branch of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, has threatened to shut down healthcare services in Lagos and environs if the government failed to accede to the demands of doctors in its employ.

In a statement issued yesterday in Lagos and jointly signed by the NMA State Chairman, Dr. Tope Ojo and the Secretary, Dr. Saheed Babajide, the NMA condemned the state government's poor response to the issues and advised the state government to embrace peace and pay all outstanding emoluments withheld.

They further demanded that the state government reverse all casually employed doctors to permanent employment as well as commence immediate recruitment of resident doctors in the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. “LASUTH is on the verge of collapse academically due to the non employment of resident doctors since three years now,” they argued.

‘We must put an end to girl-child abuse'

L MEETING: From left: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader, All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Thabo Mbeki and Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, during a meeting with the former South African President in Lagos.

Jonathan should denounce wife's hate speeches —FASHOLA

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has challenged President Goodluck Jonathan to dissociate self by denouncing what he called “hate speeches’ by his wife Patience Jonathan and others that could lead to electoral violence ahead of the elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.

Meantime, the Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu has urged Nigerians to learn from the

imprisonment of the former first Lady of Ivory Coast, Simeone Gbagbo and desist from uttering comments that could lead to electoral violence in the country.

Fashola made the statement yesterday, during a courtesy visit by the officials of NHRC at the Lagos House, Marina, led by its chairman, Odinkalu to seek the Governor’s support on the need to avoid violence and ensure free and fair contest in the forthcoming elections.

The governor lamented that the ‘hate Speeches’ made in favour of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidates, especially the

President had created panic in the country, saying “People are leaving the country out of fear.”

According to him, “President Goodluck Jonathan must come out and dissociate himself from especially, his wife speeches.

He must disown them.

Earlier, Odinkalu while stressing the need to avoid violence in the forthcoming elections, said, “The wife of Laurent Gbagbo was convicted for crime on electoral violence. As we move around sensitizing Nigerians on the effect of political violence, many haven’t seen it as a serious issue. And I hope that what happened in Ivory Coast will give every Nigerian reasonable thought.”

By Laju Iren

AGOS—FOUNDER of 9ineteen networks, Mrs. Chinemenma Umeseaka has said that there is an urgent need to put an end to girl-child abuse in Nigeria.

Umeseaka, whose organization focuses on mentoring teenagers, said this during a courtesy visit to Vanguard Media Limited to mark the International Women’s Day recently.

She said: “The issue of sexual abuse is becoming very rampant in our society.

Many teenagers are abused by their own fathers. I tell people that girls are usually molested by people within the home. ‘’Beyond that, there are cases of abuse, physical and otherwise. One of the teenagers I mentor was admitted in the hospital because of chest infection as a result of beatings she suffered in the hands of her mother."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 —11

‘APC, Fayemi lack moral right to oppose Jega's removal' A

By Gbenga Ariyibi

DO EKITI—THE governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayodele Fayose has said the All Progressives Congress, APC, and the former governor of the state, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, lack moral rights to oppose any plan to remove the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof.

Attahiru Jega from office.

In a statement made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti yesterday by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Fayose pointed out that APC are speaking with double mouths as they had earlier in 2013 called for the removal of Jega.

Fayose said asking Jega to go on three months terminal leave does not amount to his sack.

Fayose said: “Asking Jega to go on his mandatory terminal leave is not the same as sacking him; more so that his tenure would lapse in June and he is entitled to three months terminal leave.”

He said the APC must tell Nigerians what has changed in Jega’s handling of elections since

the party was led by General Mohammadu Buhari, Senator Bola Tinubu and others on a street protest in Abuja on November 28, 2013 to call for the sack of the INEC Chairman and the entire management of the electoral commission after the Anambra State governorship

election.

The governor said; “Nigerians must ask Buhari, Tinubu and other APC leaders, who led street protest against Jega, carrying placards with inscriptions such as; ‘INEC not fit to conduct 2015 election,’ ‘2015, no hope with Jega,’ what has changed about Jega’s credibility.

“Has the same Jega that they

said cannot conduct the 2015 elections seized from being a bad person?

“APC lost the Anambra election and took to the streets in Abuja, calling for Jega’s head, is the INEC boss now doing their biddings because the APC will only stand against any individual or organisation that refused to be corrupted?"

DECLARATION: From left: Member, Media Strategy Committee, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, South West, Alhaja Kafilat Ogbara, former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, former Secretary, PTDF, Mr. Femi Ajayi, and Alhaji Rosale Yusuf, during the declaration of Magodo residents association's support for President Goodluck Jonathan in Lagos.

Isiaka threatens legal action against INEC over PVCs zSays over 40 billboards destroyed by Amosun

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—THE Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Gboyega Nasiru Isiaka has threatened to drag the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to court over unavailability of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, at ImekoAfon Local Government Area of the state where he hails from.

Isiaka said he would proceed on legal action against the commission over its action which he described as clandestine plans to disfranchise his kinsmen.

The governorship candidate who stated this while addressing

journalists at the party secretariat on yesteday in Abeokuta, condemned the slow pace of distribution of the PVCs by INEC. He said there was a deliberate plan to give an advantage to an area of the state at the detriment of the people of Ogun West senatorial district.

He said: “The distribution is quite curious as our people suspect clear attempt to exclude eligible voters in the Ogun West areas, where I come from.

“Let it be stated that the Yewa/ Awori people are already determined to vote en masse. We shall not accept any attempt to give advantage to a particular candidate by disenfranchising my people. Let those concerned take

note and be appropriately guided.

“I shall not hesitate to seek redress if at the appropriate time the shortfall of the PVCs for the state and that for Imeko Afon did not arrive before the elections.”

He, however, raised the alarm that his campaign has continued to suffer political onslaught of the Amosun administration.

He frowned at what he called political intolerance from the supporters of the ruling party in the state over incessant vandalisation of PDP candidates posters and billboards.

He said: “At the last count, over 40 standing billboards of our candidates have either been destroyed or stolen. In many

other locations, the teams installing our billboards and posters have been brutalised.

Just yesterday, another effigy of mine that was placed at OPIC Roundabout was again cated away by these shameless persons.

“While my campaign organisation and the PDP adhere to the good principles of political engagement, the APC have been extremely provocative and tried to turn the state into a thearter of violence and bloodletting, but we will not join their game.

“Consequently,the action of the Ogun Signage and Advertisement Agency, OGSAA, at removing my effigies in three succession is blatant and irresponsible use of state apparatus to the disadvantage of GNI and the PDP.”

Security chiefs pledge collaboration over elections in Ogun

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—THREE Security Chiefs in Ogun State, yesterday, pledged collaboration ahead of the coming general elections, assuring the people of the state of credible elections.

Both the state Police Commissioner, Valentine Ntomchukwu and the Commander of 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, BrigadierGeneral, Muhammed Sanni paid a familiarization visit to the Comptroller of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs, Haruna Memudu in his office at the Idiroko Border.

Speaking after the meeting, Ntomchukwu tasked the Customs and all the other security agencies in the state with the successful conduct of the polls.

He said the police have sought the collaboration of the other security agencies in providing adequate security throughout the duration of the polls.

....As LP rejects use of card readers

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By Ola Ajayi

BADAN—THE national leadership of the Labour Party, LP, yesterday toed the path of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by calling for cancellation of card readers in the March 28 and April 11 elections.

According to the party’s national chairman, Alhaji A.A. Salam, the country is not yet ripe for such technology.

He said this at the national executive council, NEC, meeting of the party at the Premier Hotel in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Justifying the party ’s stance, Alhaji Salam said: “During the Osun and Ekiti elections, Prof. Jega categorically stated that the card reader could not be used for very sensitive elections like that of Osun and Ekiti.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Police boss urges Rivers politicians to embrace peace

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— ASSISTANT Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 6, Calabar, Cross River State, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, has enjoined politicians to educate their supporters on the need to pursue the path of peace before and after the general elections.

Speaking at a sensitization workshop on violence free elections organised by his zone in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for all the states in zone 6, Ogunsakin said it was imperative for youths to be properly enlightened against electoral violence.

He appealed to politicians to seek redress in court over any issue they feel aggrieved about instead of resorting to voilence.

He said: “Nigerians (especially the youths) need to be properly enlightened and encouraged on the need to eschew electoral violence. They have to be educated through diverse means on the need to be law abiding and to cast their votes for the candidates of their choice in a civilized, orderly and peaceful manner.

Furthermore, political office seekers at various levels must be encouraged to ventilate whatever grievances that arise

from the conduct of elections in a competent court of law.”

Assuring that the Police will effectively provide security during the elections, Ogunsakin enjoined politicians to play by the rule, stressing that they should avoid making inflammatory statements that

could provoke electoral violence.

“I am urging all politicians, stakeholders, and political actors to play the game according to the rules.

"It is imperative all hands must be on deck towards ensuring secure, credible and

peaceful elections. Political parties should serve as avenues for enlightening members on how elections that are devoid of violence can be conducted. As such, they should serve as platforms for political harmony and development,” he added.

PRESENTATION: L-R: Ogun State Peoples Democratic Party chieftain, Otunba Ola Kukoyi; representative of President Goodluck Jonathan/ Officer, Directorate of Contact and Mobilisation, Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation, Mrs. Remi Adiukwu-Bakare; National Chairman, Mega Progressive Peoples Party, Mr. Oludare Falade and Vice-National Chairman, South-East, MPPP, Mr. Anthony Opia, during the presentation of MPPP’s manifesto and adoption of Goodluck Jonathan by MPPP as their presidential candidate in Lagos.

Edo SDP clears air on Owan constituency slot

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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DO State Social Democratic Party, SDP, has spoken on the controversy trailing the party’s candidature for Owan federal constituency, insisting that Mr Stephen Ekeide remains the party’s candidate for the seat in the forthcoming elections.

In a statement, Edo State Chairman of the party, Prince Frank Ukonga, confirmed that Ekeide emerged as its candidate during the party's primaries and was formally presented with the party flag by its National Chairman, Chief Olu Falae, at a ceremony in Auchi and was so recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. According to the statement, the candidate has not been substituted, and he has been the party’s candidate for the constituency from the onset.

Shun acts of shame, Delta PDP leaders tell followers

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—THE leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State has advised party faithful to remain committed to the party and shun activities capable of bringing shame to the party.

The state Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr Deinghan Ray-Macaulay, who spoke in Asaba, said that any party member involved in anti-party activity would be sanctioned.

Ray-Macaulay said that the party was not in alliance with any political party, warning against claims that some of the candidates contesting the forthcoming general elections on other political platforms were sponsored by PDP. He said that the PDP, which he described as the largest political party in Africa, could not sponsor a candidate against its own candidate for any election.

He noted that the party was big enough to accommodate its members and charged all followers to redouble efforts to ensure the victory of all the party's candidates in the forthcoming elections.

Ray-Macaulay reminded party faithful of the need to go about campaigns for the party candidates peacefully and

Rivers people'll play active role in my revival of failed infrastructure —WIKE

Asaba, Effurun flyover bridges to be completed on schedule

R

T

reassured the people of the resolve of the party to provide all with more dividends of democracy.

IVERS State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr Nyesom Wike, has said that the people of the state will play an active role in his plans to revive the state after years of under-development under the outgoing administration, adding that economic empowerment of the people will be introduced to improve the living standards of the people.

Wike, yesterday, when he toured Oyokoto fishing community in Andoni Local Government Area of the state, which is the largest fishing community in West Africa, said that from all his interactions in all the 23 local government areas of Rivers State, he had received a mandate from the people to ensure that they live happily in a state where their resources and wealth would be deployed for the good of the greatest number.

He urged those who have not collected their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs to take the advantage of the extension of

He said that his incoming administration will improve the economy of Oyokotor fishing community by building a big cold room for fishermen which will help

the collection period by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to do so.

them store their catch, adding that an industrial dryer will also be installed in the community for the fishermen to add value to their fish products so that they can make more money.

Be patriotic in choice of leaders, Peterside urges Nigerians

By Gbenga Oke

G

OVERNORSHIP candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has urged Nigerians to be vigilant and patriotic in the choice of leaders they vote for in the coming polls.

He said that the March 28 presidential election and the April 11 elections would determine the future and wellbeing of Nigerians.

Speaking during ward rallies in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni,

Peterside said progress can only come to Nigeria if competent and visionary leaders were given the opportunity to serve.

He said: “Nigeria has come of age, therefore, no zone or tribe, for whatever reason, can afford to subsidise incompetence and failure because other parts of the country are watching.

Nigerians must be patriotic and vigilant as they vote because the future and wellbeing of the country depend on the choices they make in the March 28 and April 11 elections."

HE contractor handling the Asaba and Effurun flyover bridges in Delta State, Consolidated Contractors Company, CCC, has said that the projects would be completed and commissioned this month, as the projects have reached 85 percent and 90 percent completion levels.

The Area Manager, Nigeria, Bassam Kawash, who disclosed this after the flag-off of the commissioning of 64 roads in Asaba by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, said the projects were dear to Deltans and the government.

He said the flyovers will address the perennial traffic jam at the Interbau and Effurun roundabout when commissioned and put to use.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—13

Allow Dame Jonathan use Ogbemudia Stadium, Oshiomhole directs Ministry officials

By Simon Ebegbulem & Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, averted what could have led to a clash between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC, when he directed the state Ministry of Sports to allow the First Lady, Mrs Patience Jonathan, use the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium this Saturday, though the wife of the Presidential candidate of the APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, is scheduled to hold a rally at the stadium the same day.

The PDP in the state, led by Chief Dan Orbih, had raised alarm over alleged attempt by officials of the state government to stop the scheduled rally of the First Lady scheduled to hold at the stadium on Saturday even after they had made payment to the relevant authorities.

However, reacting, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Louis Odion, explained that “the mix-up was occasioned by the laxity on the part of the officials of the Ministry of Sports who, without reference to their supervisors, proceeded to collect money and issue

receipt on Tuesday to PDP for use of the stadium knowing that APC had last week applied and received approval for the use of same facility on Saturday.

“In fact, jingles were already running on local television and radio stations announcing that the wife of APC’s presidential candidate would be in Benin that day to deliver the message of change to Edo

women. For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to state that being the owner of the said facility, Edo State Government reserves the right to insist that the party that got approval first would use the stadium.

“In the circumstance, we imagine the idle denizens of Edo PDP must by now be salivating at the prospects of having an opportunity to unleash mayhem on peace-

loving people of Edo State with the excuse that money was collected from them. But we are civilized people. In deference to the office of the First Lady of Nigeria, Mr Oshiomhole has graciously directed that Mrs. Patience Jonathan have her day on Saturday while the wife of the APC presidential candidate will have her turn another day.”

VISIT: L-R: Senior Advisor, Europe/Africa, Shell International, Mr. Rob Donnelly; Managing Director and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Osagie Okunbor; Nigeria's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, immediate past Country Chair/MD of Shell Companies in Nigeria, Mr. Mutiu Sunmonu; and Senior Business Advisor to MD, SPDC, Mr. Ed Ubong, during a business visit to the High Commissioner in London.

N7BN BRIBE: Cleric challenges Amaechi to present evidence

By Dapo Akinrefon

G

ENERAL Overseer of Resurrection Praise Ministries International, Archbishop Samson Benjamin, has faulted Rivers State governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, on the alleged N7 billion bribe by the Presidency to Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. The cleric challenged Governor Amaechi to come forward with evidence of where and when the money was given and clerics who benefited from the alleged largesse.

Amaechi, who is also the Director General of All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential Campaign Organisation, had recently alleged that the Presidency gave a N6 billion bribe to CAN to mobilise support against his party’s presidential candidate, Maj-Gen Muhammadu Buhari (rtd).

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, Benjamin, who said he was speaking for CAN, the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Apostolic Movement, said the Presidency did not at any time offer bribe to the Christian body as alleged by APC. He warned the APC to leave out the church and its leaders C M Y K

from their propaganda.

Pointing out that the country was one, he said that politicians should not, in their quest for political power, promote religious disharmony amongst the adherents of the various religious faiths in the country.

He said: “Ameachi said that pastors were given N6 billion to

turn around. I challenge Governor Amaechi to come out and say where and when the money was collected. Dragging the names of our fathers in the Lord to the mud, will never be allowed by us. A man must come out and stand by his father. That is exactly why I have come out to stand by our fathers, that they

are men of integrity.

“APC is taking propaganda too far. They are desecrating the temple of God. They don’t respect the church. I am saying enough is enough. APC should leave Christians alone.

APC should leave CAN leadership alone.”

Court orders restoration of state constituency in Delta

By Festus Ahon & Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—A Federal High Court sitting in Warri, Delta State, has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to restore Sapele state constituency which was suppressed by the commission in 1998.

Trial judge, Justice Shittu Abubakar, in a ruling, yesterday, in the suit by former Delta State commissioner, Dr. Ebenezer, held that, “in view of this judgement, election by INEC to fill this constituency should be immediate and not by bye election.”

Counsel to the plaintiffs Chief T. J. Okpoko, SAN, had prayed the court to order INEC to stop further suppression of the hitherto existent constituency on grounds that the commission had earlier written to

the National Assembly asking for the restoration of the constituency among 66 such cases the commission picked out across the country.

INEC’s counsel, Mr Idris Yakubu had argued that it was delaying the lifting of the suppressed costituency in absence of consent from the National Assembly, but the court in its judgement upheld the plaintiff’s submission that INEC does not need the National Assembly's consent under the law to restore the constituency.

Reacting to the judgment moments after, Dr. Okorodudu gave credit to the Urhobo People’s Integrity Forum under whose platform “We fought this fight and it is a vindication of our commitment to sustainable growth of Urhobo and Delta State at large.”

Amaechi's brother attacked

C

HIDI Amaechi, younger brother of Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign, was attacked, yesterday.

A statement by Mr David Iyofor, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Amaechi, said: “The younger Amaechi who is a student of Igbinedion University, Okada, Edo State, was viciously attacked by assailants in his accommodation in the school allegedly with machetes and inflicted with life threatening cuts and injuries.

“At present, doctors say his condition is critical.

We must note that the assailants did not remove or steal anything from Chidi Adi’s room,” the statement added.

Edo gov flags off 16.666 hectares of farmland for Libyan returnees

B

E N I N — GOVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, will on Tuesday next week, flag off the Libya Reintegration Farms, a 16.666 hectares of farmland donated to Libyan returnees by Ekowe community in Ovia SouthWest Local Government Area of the state, in conjunction with the state government.

About 500 Edo State youths who returned from Libya following the political crisis in that country, are expected to grow cassava and oil palm trees in the farm.

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

POLLS:

Nigerians should not be intimidated — US Congressman

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

A

BUJA — AS Nigeria is set for the general elections starting with the presidential on March 28, a United States Congressman, Mr Stephen Lynch has advised the people to come out in their numbers to vote for the candidates of their choice.

“I was elected on September 11, 2001; the day we were attacked by Alqaeda and we went forward with our election. Even though that was election day, even though we were attacked, I think it showed a commitment to democracy and you never want to have a democratic election cancelled because of what a few extremists might do.”

Lynch, who spoke when he visited the Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN, yesterday, also told Nigerians not to lose hope as a result of the insurgency in some states of the North East.

ROAD CRASHES:

NAF pledges to support FRSC

By Chris Ochayi

A

BUJA — The Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, has pledged to complement the operational activities of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, through the provision of air ambulances to enhance the corps’ rescue services.

Air Marshal Amosu made the pledge during an advocacy visit by the FRSC management team led by the Corps Marshal and Chief Executive, Boboye Oyeyemi, in Abuja.

He described road safety as a collective responsibility and also commended the FRSC management for its massive deployment of information communication technology infrastructure for road safety management and traffic administration in the country.

2015 UTME: Server problem persists ....Candidates posted out of Lagos lament ordeal

By Dayo Adesulu & Ikenna Asomba

T

HE CONFUSION which trailed Tuesday’s shoddy commencement of the 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, got worse, yesterday, following the delay which lasted over 16 hours, in some of Computer-

Based Test, CBT, centres over Internet servers failure and faulty computer sets.

At one of the CBT centres, Certified Institute of Shipping, CIS, in Magbon, Badagry area of Lagos State, candidates were said to have commenced their exams as late as 10p.m., on Tuesday and ended by 4a.m., on Wednesday, owing to

Internet failure, leaving parents and guardians, who accompanied their wards to the centre stranded and frustrated.

The Day two of the UTME test nationwide across the 400 CBT centres was greeted with mixed feelings across centres visited by Vanguard.

While some candidates expressed satisfaction over the

COMMISSIONING: From left, Headmistress, Uhuru Ekwuru Community Primary School, Abia State, Mrs. Otuonye Flora; Representative of Umunna Nvosi Autonomous Community, Chief Sunday Atulegwu; Secretary of the community, Mr. Egwu Christopher; Head, Marketing, IHS Africa, Mrs. Adeola Olasewere; Head of Legal, IHS Africa, Mrs. Olajumoke Ajala, and Woman Leader, Mrs. Happiness Stanley, during the commissioning of Uhuru Ekwuru Community Primary School, renovated by IHS, Abia State.

Don’t plunge Nigeria into crisis because of election — Essien serious-minded and patriotic despite the sealing of a peace

By Soni Daniel

A

BUJA — A former Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Nduese Essien, has warned the political class against disintegrating the country because of their desperation to win elections.

Essien, who gave the warning yesterday, called on well-meaning Nigerians to rise up and condemn those who are promoting hatred and divisions in their electioneering messages.

The former minister said: “Every

Nigerian should be concerned about the level the political class has elevated hate speech in the build-up to elections.

“I think the situation is akin to what happened in 1965 before the crisis in the Western Region snowballed into a major national issue. From the South to the North, political leaders have thrown caution to the wind and have attacked one another in ways that have threatened the very essence and foundation of our existence as a country.”

Essien expressed regret that

accord by the political leaders in the country, the convoys of top political contenders had come under attacks in different parts of the country, making a mockery of the peace deal.

He noted that the youths who attacked President Goodluck Jonathan did not go out on their way to embarrass the President but were hired by politicians.

He, however, lamented that apart from a few feeble voices, the leadership of the North had maintained an implicit silence over the attack on the President.

Don’t drag judiciary into political campaigns, group warns politicians

A

GROUP, Society for Global Justice, has called on politicians not to drag the judiciary into their campaigns.

National Coordinator of the group, Mr. Olu Akinboyewa, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, yesterday, said there would be no place to seek redress if the politicians were allowed to destroy the judiciary.

Akinboyewa, while reacting to

allegation that the judiciary refused to deliver judgment in a civil suit by a former governor of Kwara State, Dr. Bukola Saraki against the police for the enforcement of his rights, said: “Last week, a body which tagged itself, ‘The Citizens' Action for Equity and Justice, came to the open and enlisted the media support to attack the judiciary, especially a Federal High Court,

Abuja for reason bordering on the inability of the court to deliver judgment in the civil matter filed

by Saraki.

“The body spoke of an imaginary money laundering charges against the person of Saraki by police while others simply queried the inability of the court to give judgment on a fixed date and went ahead to make some insinuations.”

hitch-free conduct of the examination in their centres, others, however, lamented the shoddy preparations at their centres over lack or fluctuation of Internet server.

Spill-over At CIS, Magbon, Badagry, Vanguard gathered that the centre recorded a spill-over of the third batch of candidates who where billed to write their exams by 3p.m., on Tuesday, but could not due to failure of the Internet server, clashing with those billed to write their by 6a.m., yesterday.

A guardian, Mrs. Shukurat Akingbade, whose younger sister was among the candidates that sat for the exam at the CBT centre, decried that they passed the night without food at the centre, even after waiting for over 16 hours before the exams began by 10p.m., on Tuesday.

Similarly, at the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka, Enugu State, Vanguard learned that the exams billed for 6a.m., was delayed for several hours over faulty computer sets. Some candidates were said to have complained that JAMB officials did not give them calculators at the centre owing to insufficient stock.

According to one candidate, who pleaded not to be mentioned, “despite the delay, the exams later went on smoothly. But the issue I had was being given government in my question, even though I did not register for it.”

Also, when Vanguard visited Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, yesterday morning, the conduct of the exam was hitchfree, as JAMB officials were seen screening candidates into the hall by 7a.m., while as the exams commenced by 7.30a.m.

Similarly, it was a hitch-free examination at the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka, as the three batches of candidates that wrote the exams, yesterda,y did not encounter problems with the Internet server.

Meanwhile, at press time, one of the candidates, who registered in Lagos, but was posted to Kwara State lamented that he was on his way to the state for the exams which he will be writing today.

According to him: “As I speak with you, I am on my way to Kwara State ahead of my exams tomorrow (Thursday). I am not happy about this unnecessary stress and expenditure that we are meant to face for no fault of ours. I place my hope in God, because I don’t even know anybody in Kwara State. After budgeting for my transportation to and fro, how do I pay for an accommodation with my lean pocket,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 15

IMPEACHMENT: PDP members intact,

Ebonyi Assembly insists

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI — THE leadership of Ebonyi State House of Assembly yesterday debunked the publication in some national dailies that seven members had withdrawn from the ongoing impeachment process against Governor Martin Elechi.

Recall that the state House of Assembly had served the governor an impeachment notice since last Friday on allegation of gross misconduct, fraud, embezzlement and disregard to the separation of powers existing between the three arms of government.

In a statement by the speaker, Rt. Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku, the House insisted that all the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members were intact, adding that no conspiracy or mischief would deter members from carrying out their constitutional responsibilities to a logical conclusion.

The statement read: “We wish to re-assure Ebonyians that the PDP members of Ebonyi state House of Assembly are intact and so should disregard publication/ rumours that seven Honourable members have withdrawn from the on-going constitutional exercise of the Honorable House.

“We the PDP members of Ebonyi

state House of Assembly, do state that we are very much committed in our constitutional responsibility for good governance, rule of law, well being of our people, respect for the dignity of man and

separation of powers amongst the three arms of government in our state.

“The assignment we have embarked upon is not self serving, but to protect the common wealth

of our dear Ebonyi State so as to reduce the increasing phenomenon of impoverishment of our people in the midst of plenty.

FLAG-OFF: From left, Chief Willie Obiano, Governor of Anambra State, Engr. Emeka Okwuosa, Chairman, Ekcel Farms and Chief Sir Victor Umeh, APGA Senatorial candidate for Anambra Central at the flag-off of operations for Ekcel Tomato Farm in Omasi, Ayamelum Local Government Area of Anambra State, yesterday

Anambra Speaker seeks violence-free polls

By Enyim Enyim

O

NITSHA — AHEAD of the March 28 general elections, speaker of Anambra State House of Assembly, Princess Chinwe Nwaebili, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to beef up security to checkmate any form of violence during the polls.

Nwaebili’s call followed the postponement of the election earlier scheduled for February 14 on account of insecurity in some parts of the northern states.

“I am calling on the Federal Government to beef up security before and during the general elections. We have to be alive to contest election and the electorate have to be alive to vote for candidates of their choice,” she

said.

She said the postponement of the election was costing candidates double the amount budgeted for campaigns and appealed to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

Nwaebili, who advised parents

not to allow their children to be used by politicians to cause violence during the election, appealed to her colleagues to play the game according to the rule.

She urged INEC and state governments to carry a comprehensive voter education to churches, schools and other

Enugu Water Corporation workers protest privatisation of rates collection

By Austin Ogwuda

E

NUGU — WORKERS of Enugu State Water Corporation have kicked against an alleged plan by out-going Governor Sullivan Chime’s administration to bring in a

private firm to take over the collection of water rates in the state for the next 25 years, noting that it would lead to mass retrenchment.

This was contained in a petition

by Messrs Emeka Uchegbunam and Donatus Nwafor, on behalf

NOSDRA partners firm to combat oil spill

By Funmi Olasupo

A

BUJA — IN line with the spirit of Public Private Partnership, PPP, the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, NOSDRA, yesterday, entered into an agreement with Omni-Blu Aviation Limited for the use of specialised aircraft or air tractors in combating oil spills in Nigeria.

Speaking at a stakeholders’

strategic places to enable the electorate vote correctly.

The speaker denied allegation by her opponent in the APC, Mr. Afam Ogene that she sent thugs to beat up a 72-year-old man, saying she was not in the state when the said incident happened.

meeting on aerial capacity building on oil spill management in Abuja, Director-General/Chief Executive Officer of NOSDRA, Sir Peter Idabor, stated that the strategic alliance with the firm was a modern approach that was in line with global best practices.

Idabor explained that the aerial spill combat capacity programme would involve using customised aircrafts located within the country’s shores to, amongst others, undertake surveillance

and aerial dispersant spraying.

The DG announced that with NOSDRA’s partnership arrangement with Omni-Blu Aviation Limited, the dream of having a tier-3 oil spill response capacity fully domiciled in the country was coming to fruition, with the Ground Receiving Station of the aerial surveillance equipment positioned at the agency’s Incident Command Centre.

of other members of staff.

The aggrieved workers maintained that the concessioning would render the General Manager of the Corporation redundant and lead to mass sack of workers.

They further alleged that the company awarded the concession right was totally unknown and an “amorphous entity with nothing to show that it had handled the kind of job which was being entrusted on it.”

In a similar vein, some concerned citizens in the state have protested against the plan.

According to a petition addressed to the Presidency, Chief Igwenabo Eko and Chief Sunday Uzoigwe said in their petitions: “Government should re-think this questionable concessioning."

Let peace reign in Nigeria — Cleric

A

CLERIC, Prophet C h i n e d u Ngwadom, General Overseer, of With God Evangelical and Deliverance Ministries International, has asked all Nigerians to allow peace to reign in the country particularly before, during and after the coming general elections..

Prophet Ngwadom, who was addressing his congregation at the 2nd Anniversary of the ordination of Deacons, Deaconesses and Ministers in his church, also called on Ministers of God in Christendom to keep praying for the peace of the country, and for Nigerian leaders to be guided by the spirit of God in their efforts to lead well.

He said leadership was ordained by God, and as such, his will must be allowed to prevail as power does not come from the East or the South but God Almighty, advising those struggling for power to subject themselves to the will and purpose of God, as he is the "only one who ordains kings."

He admonished the new deacons, deaconesses and ministers, others, to ensure they represented God well, and behaved while discharging their spiritual duties.

JOGS 74/79 meets

T

HE MONTHLY meeting of IjebuOde Grammar School (JOGS) Old Boys Association, 74/79 set, holds on Sunday.

A statement by the General Secretary, Adeola Ogunlana, said the meeting will be hosted by Femi Orebanjo, at Alokan Street, Ewu Elepe, along Ijede Road, Ikorodu.

Funeral

M

R. CHINEDU Uchenwoke of Ulu in Ezeoke village, Anambra State, is dead, aged 42.

He will be buried on March 17, 2015, at U c h e n w o k e ' s compound.

He is survived by wife, children, mother, sisters and brothers.

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Army uniform supplier, receiver in Police net

By Chinenyeh Ozor

N

SUKKA — AN Ababased businessman fingered in the supply of army uniform from Aba in Abia State to Kaduna has been arrested by Enugu State police command in connection with 16 bundles of military uniform recently intercepted by men of the National Task Force, NATFORCE, at Amalla in Udenu Local Government Area, Enugu State.

Vanguard gathered that the said businessman, identified as Obi Nzuegbu, had allegedly been in the deal for long time and anchored the transaction with military man who he identified simply as Monday, who served in Kaduna and took delivery of the military camouflage for an undisclosed interest.

Nzuegbu on interrogation owned up as the supplier of the military uniform to his business partner in Kaduna, who, he said was known to him for a long time, pointing out that he ordered for clothes which was his stock in trade from China, only to discover that few military uniform mixed up with other goods sent to him and he quickly contacted his friend Monday in Kaduna as he did not know how to dispose military camouflage.

Emeka Offor Foundation donates 20,000 books to schools in Tanzania

By Jacob Ajom

T

HE SIR Emeka Offor Foundation, SEOF, will tomorrow deliver 20,000 academic books to five secondary schools, a university and primary school in Bagamoyo region of Tanzania.

The donation is being made in partnership with a U.S based nong o v e r n m e n t a l organisation, Books for Africa.

The partnership which has existed since 2010, has seen the Sir Emeka Offor Foundation donate academic materials including books, computers and reading materials to schools in 19 African countries including Nigeria.

APC, PDP supporters clash in Owerri

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie OWERRI — THE gubernatorial debate organized by the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, of Owerri Catholic Ecclesiastical Province, at Maria Assumpta Cathedral, Owerri, ended in a

fiasco yesterday.

The JDPC put together the event, as they did during the Ikedi Ohakim era, with a view to giving the gubernatorial candidates the opportunity to address the people.

Before the arrival of a team of Imo State government official, the entire Odenigbo Pavilion of Maria Assumpta Cathedral premises,

thousands of enthusiasts were seated and waiting anxiously for the gubernatorial candidates.

However, when the government officials spotted some women spotting black attire, they insisted that the widows must leave the arena.

Although, the Catholic clerics managed to douse this initial protest, another group of boys

FORUM: From left, Senior Portfolio Manager, Standard Bank, Mr. Justin Maloney; CEO, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Mrs. Sola David-Borha; Faculty member, Lagos Business School, Dr. Doyin Salami, and CEO, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Ltd, Dr. Demola Sogunle, at a stakeholders' forum, organised by Stanbic IBTC Asset Management Ltd, in Lagos.

waved a red card and started shouting “Ka opuo”, meaning “let him go”.

As this was going on, the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Best Mbanaso, the Secretary to the Government of Imo State, Professor Anthony Anwuka, and the Commissioner for Lands, Mr. Uche Nwosu, moved to the stage and confronted the moderator, Rev. Fr. Innocent Osuagwu, who was standing at the altar region.

The confusion that ensued, thereafter, culminated in the forceful removal of the eye glasses of Rev. Fr. Osuagwu, which was smashed, and this led to the calling off of the event.

Addressing journalists later, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and PDP governorship candidate in the state, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, said thugs hired by Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress, APC, invaded the arena because they were quite aware of what would befall him in the debate.

“They embarrassed, beat and flogged the widows again. They beat up young men and women, Reverend Fathers, destroyed the equipment provided by the church at the consecrated Holy Altar. They desecrated the altar.

Police rescue kidnapped female lecturer

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT — RIVERS State Police command, yesterday evening, confirmed the rescue of a female lecturer of the University of Port Harcourt, Awala George, who

was taken hostage eighth days ago.

The state Police spokesman, DSP Ahmad Muhammad in a statement on the issue, said two of the kidnappers were arrested, adding that efforts were on to track other members of the gang.

“Today, following a credible information about criminal hideouts in an uncompleted building on ABC/ Rumuola bye-pass, Port Harcourt, Police patrol teams immediately stormed the scene and rescued Awala George, a lecturer of University of Port

Harcourt, who was kidnapped at her residence by four armed hoodlums.

Two of the suspected kidnappers were arrested at the scene, and efforts are ongoing to track down their remaining comrades in crime,” he said.

NLC election holds today, Nted, Vice President, withdraws

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

T

HE RESCHEDULED election of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, comes up today in Abuja, even as one of the candidates and PresidentGeneral of Maritime Workers

Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Mr. Anthony Emmanuel Nted, announced his withdrawal from the election, saying he did not want his name or union to be associated with fraud going on in the name of election.

Nted is the incumbent vice president of Nigeria Labour Congress

The election, which held earlier about three weeks ago, was aborted due to protests associated with irregularities.

Nted in a statement decried what he described as ethnicisation and tribalisation of NLC, by desperate individuals and groups bent on turning NLC into a sectional body.

Poll shift, blessing in disguise for APC, says Ambode support group

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

T

he support group for All Progressives Congress, APC, Lagos governorship candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, has described the shift in date of the general elections from February to March 28 and April 11, as a blessing in disguise, saying it had afforded the party opportunity to gain more support and sympathy.

Otunba Jide Oni, Coordinator, Support Group for Ambode 2015, in Oshodi –Isolo Local Government Area, made the remarks, yesterday, at the end of

a road-show organised in support of Ambode at the area.

Some of the areas reached include: Ajisegiri, Oyegunwa, Makinde, Olatunki Arowojobe, deyemi, Mukadassi, Mafoluku.

Ifoshi, Ikoyun, Fadu Avenu, Ailegun road, among others.

The group, which was formed

by APC governorship aspirants, Oni noted that though, aspirants have been wooing voters to support the party, the emergence of the group would ensure better co-ordination of the efforts and provide critical assistance needed by the party to defeat the opposition parties.

Speaking on the road show, the coordinator, who expressed confidence in total victory for APC in the April 11 governorship poll following massive support: “We have achieved 100 per cent success.

As you can see we have used polls shift to assess our stand. We thank God, we have discovered that we have more supporters than we envisaged before the postponement. We can boast now that if the elections is to hold today, we will have not less than 90 per cent support for a victory.

The people came out to embrace the train."

He argued that NLC had degenerated to sectional affairs where ethnic and tribal agenda and interests were being foisted on members He said: “What is happening now is a shame. I cannot associate my name or that of my union with this shame where NLC is being reduced to ethnic and tribal organisation in a desperate effort to cover only God knows what. ‘’What on earth will make some unions to bring in delegates from only one section of the country?

This is pure fraud. It has never been associated with trade union before. I do not want to be part of it. ‘’We hear that some individuals, who have retired from service, those about to retire, and those who elongated their tenures unconstitutionally, are so desperate to become leaders of Congress. I cannot be associated with such immorality, illegality, fraud, charade and criminality. ‘’NLC is about to be taken over by thugs and touts. What example do we have as Labour leaders to show to politicians and others. It is a shame and unfortunate.’’

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 17

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AST weekend, I met Daniel Amokachie, exInternational soccer star and assistant coach of our national team. Naturally, we spoke about the current state of our football and he gave me interesting insights into problems dogging our national game.

I also reminded him of an interview he gave sometime last year or sothat I used for a write up on Nigerian sports today.

Amokachie had lamented the collapse of sports in the public school system, a problem that people of my generation are very much aware of.

The football star said there was no way the country could attain its latent potentials if the public school system was not reinstated, properly rehabilitated to heights we knew in the past and even surpassed, for the challenges of the Twenty First Century.

The place of sports: The discussion triggered nostalgia for me about Ilorin during the 1960s, and sports place in the formation of our consciousness.

From the primary school level, sports were central to the overall development of the child. And each school had very active sports traditions and there were regular competitions between schools.

United School, Okesuna Primary, Saint Barnabas, Baboko Primary, Baptist School, Surulere, Ansarul Islam, to mention just a few of the schools of those years, had good sports programmes and each one had good football fields that were also patronized by other members of the community.

Something unique The United School, which I attended, seemed to have something unique about it. It was where the Kwara State Academicals, coached by the legendary Usman Adenuja, trained when they were in camp.

Adenuja had been the coach of the Northern Regional team, the Northern Lions, before the creation of states in 1968, when he returned as Chief Coach of Kwara state.

Generations of school stars train every evening: Busari Ishola, who captained the Nigerian Academicals; Rasheed Gbadamosi (Baaye), who is still a coach in Ilorin; Baba Eleran, one of the most celebrated young players from Kwara who also played for Nigeria’s academicals; Olayiwola, the goalkeeper; Ahmed Yahaya (Atinga), who played football and was also a track and field star!

The main teams in Ilorin were Tate & Lyle football team; Philip Morris team and the P&T team.

The stars included Isyaku and Sidiku, remarkable defenders; Ajala from P&T; Accro (he got a send off when he left for the USA to study); Christian Ulonta, who packed remarkable shots in his legs; the star goalkeeper, Magnet Agodirin; Janjala, left-footed, and the first player I ever saw score a goal from a corner kick!

And the most charismatic footballer of that generation, also captain of the Ilorin Town team, Moshood Olanrewaju Jaji

Ilorin: ‘Mark One, One’ (JAAJIII!)! He came from a famous Ilorin family, had grown up in Ghana and had remarkable swagger!

The finals of the Kwara State Challenge Cup, invariably pitched the Ilorin team against Offa. It resembled old tribal warfare by other means! The Offa team was ALWAYS so stubborn and had an intrepid defender, a native of Ilorin from the Gegele area of the city, whose nickname was AMBURE! He was at the receiving end of the opprobrium of the partisan Ilorin crowd, who won’t understand why an Ilorin man would be the one that will not allow Ilorin to score against Offa.

The funny side to the story was that Ilorin’s goalkeeper, “Magnet” Agodirin, was from Offa.

He was as professional as Ambure and kept the team from his hometown, Offa, at bay. Well, there was predictability about the games, because Ilorin ALWAYS won by a lone goal; most of the time, a penalty kick and JAAJI would step up. He ALWAYS played to the right side of the goalkeeper and always scored!

Ilorin's first 'stadium': By 1970, the first “stadium” opened in Ilorin. It was the police ground, and roofing sheets were used to cover the pitch and a seating area, often occupied by local VIPS,was also erected. The first game that opened the “stadium” was advertised on radio for weeks, and for coming first in our weekly tests, I was given money

The public school system were a source of pride, today we don’t care nor send our children there because they have collapsed. But we can do even better if there is a willpower and the patriotic commitment to genuinely serve our country

for “Fan Ice” and to enter the stadium on the opening day, to watch the first ever game.

It was between Ilorin Rovers (the town team) and the Mighty Jets of Jos. All the great stars were there: Lawandi Datti was in goal, Ismaila Mabo; Olayiwola Olagbenro; Garba Okoye (who I still think is the best player Nigeria ever produced!) and the others.

That game ended 2-2, but it was Christian Ulonta who scored the first goal in that haloed venue; he “nutmegged” Ismaila Mabo, then picked a race towards goal and unleashed thunderstorm that Lawandi Datti couldn’t do a thing about.

Later on, Mighty Jets scored two goals in rapid succession and at half time, Folorunsho Gambari, Gambus, who travelled all the way from Bacita, where he worked at the Nigerian Sugar Company, would spare the blushes of the local community, and got the draw! It was a fitting way to open the first local “stadium” in Ilorin.

A remarkable old man, the late Alhaji Sadauki, from the Hausa community in the city, became a permanent fixture of the stadium.

He walked the touchline from end to end, in white kaftans. The pockets bulging with kolanuts that he gave freely to people. He was the side attraction to games in Ilorin.

Attraction to games He shouted from the beginning to the end of every game: “MARK ONE, ONE”! “MARK ONE, ONE”!! That became his nickname! Eventually, he expressed his love for football in a more socially responsible direction by starting a football team, SADAUKI Rocks. It was the first team outside those directly tied to the big companies, like Tate & Lyle.

And it was a game against Tate & Lyle that increased SADAUKI’s popularity in Ilorin. It was played at the Mount Carmel College field, at Oloje, which was a considerable distance from my neighbourhood of Ilorin and believe me we walked the distance to watch the game, on a weekday afternoon, in 1971!

The star of that team and game has remained my friend till today.

Baba Ali was a gangling, right out, as wingers were called in those days. He was the only player who never wore soccer boots and the crosses he sent into the area, confounded my favourite

Ilorin defender of those years, Sidiku. SADAUKI won the game.

It could have remained a local affair, except that the financier, Alhaji”MARK ONE, ONE” died and the team was taken over by a Lagos-based son of Ilorin, Alhaji Yusuf Adebayo AbudulSalam, who renamed the team ALYUFSALAM ROCKS of Ilorin.

Like a meteor, it burnt brightly on the Nigerian football firmament for a shortwhile, with its beautiful brand of football, personified by Nalado and some Ghanaian imports. They reached the 1976 Challenge Cup final, which they eventually lost to Enugu Rangers.

It was a bitter blow for the people of Ilorin!

Elaborate structure By the time I entered Government Secondary School, Ilorin, in January 1972, we found an even more elaborate structure of sports and a conscious integration of sports into the school curriculum. The late Agbo Abegunde was a remarkable educationist, administrator and sports lover. Under him, our sports teams flowered, but we were not unique or alone in that sense, because all over the old Kwara state, the various schools were run the same way: GSS Okene, Offa Grammar School, Titcombe College Egbe, Oro Grammar School, Esie/Iludun Grammar School, even the Queen Elizabeth School, Ilorin. They had elaborate sports infrastructure

and students proudly excelled in sports and never saw a contradiction with doing well in their studies. This was the way it was all over Nigeria! My school had facilities for football, track and field, hockey, badminton, lawn tennis, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, hockey, cricket, squash rackets and fives. Today these facilities have collapsed along with the schools. The United School was literally obliterated, when new roads and shopping complexes ate up the expansive fields and Okesuna school lost its field and not much remains of Saint Barnabas’ sports field as well.

State of public schools: As we sink our teeth deeper into the challenge of politics and elections, I hope those asking our votes will give themselves the pause and reflect on the state of the public school system in our country today and their alarming deterioration.

The schools of old are a tragic shadow of what they used to be or ought to be. This is a very young country with 63% of our population under the age of 25; in fact the median age is around 18. We have to develop national sporting infrastructure spreading from states to local and school levels, to give our children the ambience and facilities for sports, as part of their all-round education.

Sports also enhance the competitive spirit and triggers patriotic fervor. The young person who excels sufficiently to wear the colours of his or her country, develops a perspective of patriotism that is a lived reality far superior to preachments and harangues.

From the local story I’ve told today, steeped in so much nostalgia for me, it’s clear that a poorer Nigeria of the 1960s-70s did it then, yet today, a lot more money is thrown around and conditions are poorer. The public school system were a source of pride, today we don’t care nor send our children there because they have collapsed.

But we can do even better if there is a willpower and the patriotic commitment to genuinely serve our country!

Thomas Sankara: Search for justice and closure

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AST week, the interim government in Burkina Faso announced that it was going to collaborate with the family of the Late Captain Thomas Sankara, one of the most beloved leaders of post-independent Africa, to examine whether it was his body that was infact buried, when he was assassinated in a 1987 coup organized by Blaise Campaore, who was chased out of power last year.

Thomas Sankara was the Marxist revolutionary military officer who changed the colonial name of Upper Volta, to Burkina Faso, meaning land of honourable people.

He was one of the most charismatic leaders in African history; he led by example of dedication to the cause of the

Burkinabe people and of Africa.

He instituted the mass mobilization of the people of his country to begin to consciously work together to overcome the legacies of underdevelopment.

A mass immunization programme; mass education, even afforestation programmes, brought millions of hitherto neglected people into the development process.

Thomas Sankara became a genuine inspiration for African youth and patriots everywhere, showing the latent possibilities available within our people. He was tragically killed in the coup led by Blaise Campaore. It is hoped that justice can be served in the tragic case, after so many decades.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 THE Bank Verification Number, BVN, is another important step the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is using to strength the security of banking transactions and to ensure that fraudulent transactions are minimised, if not totally eliminated. The campaign is on, but the public may not realise it importance until it closes in June 2015.

Yet as the public embraces the initiative with enthusiasm, it should be aware that some fraudsters are trying to undermine the exercise by providing seemingly easier registration options for bank account holders. They request these details online and threaten that the account would be closed if the owner does not provide them the details. Their target is the account holder’s money. The best way of enrolling remains direct communication with one’s bank.

BVN uses biometric technology to register customers in the financial system.

It records these physical features which are unique to individuals - fingerprints and the face. The record would be used to identify the person afterwards. Once a person’s biometrics have been recorded, and BVN

Impor Importtance of Bank Verification Number issued the account would be accessed through BVN. The major objectives of the initiative are to protect bank customers, reduce fraud and strengthen the Nigerian banking system.

Biometric enrolment is helpful to people who cannot read and write. Their finger prints and pictures would serve the same purpose as signatures. Multiple account holders would be covered with a single registration in any of the banks where they have accounts.

BVN will help the banking system reduce situations where loan defaulters, for instance, move from one bank to the other and the banks extend new credits to them, without knowing their history.

Banks

would be able to track transactions across all banks in Nigeria with more ease.

As CBN implements the BVN initiative, it has to ensure the security of the data, from rogue bankers and also importantly from damage, as has been the experience with other sectors that engaged in biometric enrolments. It should also create measures to punish banks that might exploit the information they have to blackmail customers with whom they have disagreements.

BVN is a great initiative that would reduce illegal banking transactions and improve national financial intelligence gathering.

The interests of account holders should be accorded importance so that their increased confidence in the banking system would improve the financial standing of banks.

Customers will use banks more when they know that their transactions are safe. BVN offers vast opportunities to protect customers, banks and the entire financial system.

The CBN should enhance the security of BVN to protect the entire financial system.

It should be on the watch for technologies to keep improving BVN capacities.

OPINION

By Humphrey Ifeanyi Continued from yesterday's pg 18

S

HE made it known that no self respecting woman will sit back and watch people make a fool of her husband because of his liberal disposition.

The President has been described as a clueless drunk by people who are not even as intellectually endowed.

Even those who are intellectually endowed have called him Nebuchadnezzar. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo called him a mediocre. In fact, members of the opposition party, APC, treated the President as the coward of Aso Rock and with utmost disdain, but he chose to allow the freedom of speech to reign.

The real Okirika woman in Dame Patience Jonathan came to town on February 4, 2015 at the Cenotaph, Asaba.

This was where she held the audience spell bound for 10 minutes with her own brand of delivering political sucker punch. She situated herself in grassroot language and tried to communicate with women. It was a vintage performance as she spoke extempore and took the opposition to the cleaners. She spoke, she danced and she rallied the women to cheer thunderously as one of their own was equal to the task. By the time her husband came on the stage, Dame had finished the business. Those who have C M Y K

Dame

Jonathan's

followed her campaign to Cross River, Delta, Kogi, Sokoto states have seen a fire brand Dame Jonathan who is sharp witted, full of humour and hard hitting vibes. She has spoken at length without these gaffs that her detractors use to carpet her. She has shown deep understanding of issues and policies of government. Even those who try to portray her as a semi-illiterate are the same people who are defending Gen. Muhammed Buhari, who wants to be a president without education. Buhari has

If Chief M. K. O. Abiola was allowed to assume his mandate, Dele Momodu will not sit back and allow the opponents and the media savage whoever was presented to us as the first lady

detractors

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gone down in history as the most uneducated person to have become head of state in Nigeria and those who are promoting his presidential ambition want to expose Nigeria to further opprobrium in this age and time.

Dame campaigns better than GEJ. She connects with the audience in the language they understand. She jibes and hits her opponents in a typical feminine way. She sings and dance to the delight of her audience. She is down to earth, articulate and armed with her facts.

While she speaks for a maximum time of 60 minutes without any script, she goes through the protocol list of dignitaries in her campaign ground without faults.

Gen. Buhari simply mimes few words for five minutes and he is led off the stage closely guarded. He forgot his running mates name.He went to Al Jazeera and fumbled on the name of his party. He has contested three presidential elections but does not know the full meaning of INEC. He got his name messed up in the statement of result he presented to Nigerians. General Buhari committed perjury because his brain failed him on where he kept his certificate, assuming he had one.

On March 21, 2011, it was reported by Vanguard newspaper where Ashiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu said General Buhari

is expired and has nothing to offer Nigerians. The same Tinubu said Nigeria needs leaders in the class of Sarkozy of France, David Cameron of Britain, Barack Obama of USA. This was four years ago. Is Gen. Buhari in the class of these men today. Where is the moral justification for making a 360 degrees change in focus.

Dele Momodu found Dame Jonathan an easy target but could not pick on the Lion of Bournville.

He wants to divert attention on that sleaze and serial defrauding of tax payers in . Even in Ghana where he lives, Ghanians will not promte an illiterate and a liar to become their president at 72. We know the things Dele had written on Buhari's appalling human rights records. His attacks on Dame Jonathan simply reduces him to the little CHICHIDODO bird in Ayei Kwei Armah' novel The Beautiful One Raemoir Not Born.

Let us eschew rabid ethnicity and narrow minded world view in dealing with national issues. If Chief M. K. O. Abiola was allowed to assume his mandate, Dele Momodu will not sit back and allow the opponents and the media savage whoever was presented to us as the first lady.

Concluded *Mr. Ifeanyi, a political analyst, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015— 19

Devil in the card reader

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S we steam closer to 28th March, the day for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the hottest new bone of contention is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Card Reader (CR). It is that little techy machine which confirms you are the rightful owner of the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) which you have come to vote with. The INEC has decided to conduct the accreditation of voters with this machine.

Though a large section of the stakeholders in the forthcoming elections has thrown its support behind the INEC, yet others are foot-dragging and calling for caution.

Actually, the Card Reader is supposed to be the “middleman” gadget in a prospective threesegment digital or electronic voting system that, when perfected, could easily eliminate fraud and vote rigging. By the time the system is fully in place, a voter should be able to stroll into a polling station, produce his PVC, get authenticated by the CR and thumbprint on an electronic voting machine which will capture the vote with a paper trail, and transfer the action to a

central database along with millions of others from around the country.

It should then become possible for any registered voter to cast his or her vote from any part of the country, irrespective of where they registered. That way, those who use electoral violence to force non-indigenes among them to flee to their home states, and thusly disenfranchise them, will no longer profit from their dastardly, savage and unpatriotic antics. Even those who, for some cultural or religious reasons, voluntarily choose to relocate to their hometowns to vote can do so.

They will be able to live their cultural lifestyles in full and still be able to perform their electoral franchise.

Why should anybody kick against the digitalisation of the electoral process if they really mean well for the growth of our democracy? Specifically, why is it that the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) appears to be foot-dragging on INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s electronic innovations, while the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) is all out for them? Could it be true that the

PDP is afraid that the innovations will jeopardise their plots to rig themselves back to power? Or could it be that the APC is relying heavily on Jega and his cabal of compromised Commissioners to use these devices to hand power to the APC and General Muhammadu Buhari as part of a grand regional plot to snatch power from President Jonathan by all foul means?

As far as I can see, the devil is not in the PVCs and the Card Readers. The devil is in the humans manipulating them.

Those people are not only in the PDP and APC, the foremost rivals in these elections. When the chips are down, political parties all over the world will attempt to

It is now obvious that Jega’s INEC, by fraudulently arrogating readiness to itself for February 14th, intended to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians, and those political interests egging it on must have been part of this plot

On Abuja Accord we stand?

EOPLE of goodwill have been disturbed agencies – “not only to act but also to be about the level of violence around our seen to have acted with impartiality”.

P elections. Early this year, the fears here It is instructive that at the signing of the were succinctly captured in the words of Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth: “Nigeria has a history of election and postelection violence and the signs are already there that the same would be repeated if nothing is done about it”.

This fear formed the basis of the collaborative initiative of the Offices of the National Security Adviser, the Special Adviser to the President on Inter-Party Affairs and the Inter Party Advisory Council in collaboration with some international development partners; which finally culminated in the signing of the Abuja Accord by the presidential candidates of the political parties contesting the 2015 presidential election.

The main thrust of the Abuja Accord was the promise from the candidates to take proactive steps to prevent electoral violence before, during and after the 2015 elections. The candidates re-affirmed their commitment to the integrity of the Nigeria nation and the sanctity of the Nigerian Constitution.

By signing the accord, the candidates accepted responsibility for their conduct and behaviour as well as those of their supporters and party members. They pledged to run issue-based campaigns at all levels and to refrain from smear-tactics based on religious sentiments, ethnic or tribal profiling and other practices of mudslinging and anything that could incite or spite their opponents.

In order to give the accord added value, the National Chairmen of the participating political parties were also made to countersign it.

Another important attribute of the accord is that it required all the institutions of government – INEC and the security

accord, President Goodluck Jonathan expressed the valid point that Nigerian politics had become all-comers affairs, irrespective of their characters. He stressed the need for proper screening of candidates to weed out people of questionable character.

He further recommended the enthronement of a system of inclusiveness where parties would be included in government, based on their performance at the elections, so as to reduce the incidence of “winner-takes-all”, which was largely responsible for the cut-throat competitions that hitherto characterized our elections.

Does anyone still need to be reminded that, ab-initio, the Abuja Accord was doomed to fail? It took off on some initial defects. The organizers should have known that, even with the best intention, they left no mechanism for any follow-up actions. The accord should have included a provision for monitoring the people’s adherence to it. What has followed is that in the absence of any monitoring, the accord has been respected more in the breach than in the observance.

Beyond all the razzmatazz of political opponents embracing themselves for oneminute television window-dressing at the accord signing, the political terrain has

We have never been bereft of good ideas but how to make the ideas work is our problem

leverage on any existing fair or foul advantages to win elections.

The problem becomes alarming when the electoral regulator and umpire like our own INEC is seen to be wittingly or unwittingly part of a putative plot against the sanctity of the elections. The INEC under Jega has not been able to convince many stakeholders that it is prepared to conduct free, fair, credible and acceptable elections come March 28th and April 11th.

Many of its activities are beclouded by reasonable suspicion.

By now, it is clear even to Jega’s most selfishly-motivated ardent supporters, that the INEC was simply not ready for a free, fair and acceptable election on February 14th 2015. The fact that one month after the election was supposed to have been concluded INEC extended to March 21st, the collection of the PVCs proves this point. The fact that the field testing of the Card Readers in twelve sample states took place three weeks after the first round of polls would have taken place further validates it.

The fact that some states have only started crossing the 60 per cent threshold in the collection of the PVC’s further nails it. It is now obvious that Jega’s INEC, by fraudulently arrogating readiness to itself for February 14th, intended to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians, and those political interests egging it on must have been part of this plot.

The point has been made, even after the field testing of the Card Readers, that it is not possible to accredit more than 320 voters in five and half hours (8.00am to 1.30pm) since, on the average, it takes about five minutes to accredit one voter with the Card

Reader. To compound matters, the INEC workers are habitually late to their duty posts even in accessible areas, let alone remote locations. Fewer people will be able to get accredited. More valuable time will be lost to arguments and quarrels between officials and party agents as problems arise from the ill-chewed deployment of digital tech by INEC. There will be electronic hitches. Millions will not be able to vote, and the outcome may not reflect the true wishes of the generality of the electorate.

INEC had four years to plan for these digital innovations. There were five state elections in between, in Ondo, Edo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun. INEC shied away from using any of them to try out the tech scheme because according to Jega, the elections were too sensitive.

State elections are sensitive but presidential elections are not!

Jega’s INEC did not embark on pubic enlightenment about its innovations. Jega’s INEC has been given more billions than any other INEC Board, yet it never engages in voter education. Theywait till a few weeks to the general elections, and then introduce these controversial digital devices and processes, thus sowing confusion in the system. I won’t be surprised if Jega, once again, calls off the elections midway as he did in 2011. Jega and his INEC are the devils in the Card Readers. They may have done the damage already.

To mitigate the impending national disaster the armed forces and police must be massively deployed to safeguard the polls and protect the electorate on polling days.

continued to witness terrible campaigns of c a l u m n y , mudslinging and all the dirty tactics that have a l w a y s characterized our campaigns.

President Goodluck Jonathan was pelted with stones and his convoy was attacked severally in many parts of the North.

In the spirit of the accord, we expected leaders of the opposition, who certainly did not send their supporters on the dirty mission, to speak out very forcefully against the malfeasance.

Gun shots, bombs, kidnappings, assassinations and wanton destructions; have marked campaigns across the country like never before. And no one is speaking out. The recruitment of young boys and girls as today’s thugs and possibly tomorrow’s terrorists has continued incrementally across the land.

We cannot feign total ignorance of the outbreak of new elite, nay political mercenaries, who have enlisted themselves into the services of political parties as opportunistic sycophants just for the purpose of violating opponents. In their hatchet job, they care less about any accord.

In the spirit of a living accord, if any there be, President Jonathan and his wife could not have remained stoically silent when the opposition APC was constructively prevented, on several occasions, with all the arsenals of war, from entering Okrika, the hometown of the First Lady, to campaign. In all this, we see no traces of neutrality or impartiality on the part of the security agencies.

The facts on ground clearly indicate that INEC itself could be a major stumbling block to the success of the accord. For instance, if the elections were held on the 14th of February as originally scheduled,

there is preponderant evidence that more than 30 million voters would have been disenfranchised by INEC’s tardiness on the PVCs. As we speak, INEC says it is still expecting the delivery of one million PVCs into the country. We have not been told of the magic they intend to use to get those cards to their owners before March 28!

Suddenly, the issue of card readers has become the new bride. For all we know, those who are opposed to the use of card readers, just as a matter of party policy, certainly have clandestine motives.

On the other hand, INEC will have a lot of convincing to do, if it is deploying 200,000 card readers for the first time throughout the country and expecting all to work out perfectly. This could be pushing our luck too far.

While hoping for the best, one must also provide for the worst. Going by the lessons of history, the Kenya example is available to us. The card readers were rushed into the country on the eve of the election and straight to the polling stations. When the machines failed, they quickly resorted to manual.

One major complaint with the card readers is that their batteries run down fast, which requires that the operators must be equipped with sufficient spare batteries. Besides, INEC must have a clear Plan ‘B’ handy. We have never been bereft of good ideas but how to make the ideas work is our problem, leading to the summation of an apparently sarcastic American writer, “Nigeria wanted to be like America but it ended up being like Mexico”.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

ABUJA AREA ONE IDPS CAMP:

A place of tears, uncertainty •Houses over 3,000 IDPs

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

T

HEY looked so forlorn, torn and tattered. Indeed, their fate appeared to be hanging in the balance.

Their future, somewhat, looks bleak, yet they are Nigerians living in their country.

Among them were pregnant women and children whose appearance evoked both sympathy and empathy.

From different troubled spots in the war-ravaged North East, they ran to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, for safety and succour.

They were the lucky ones who escaped death by the whiskers from the hands of the dare devil insurgents, terrorists and killers called Boko Haram. Everyone among them representing a family had his or her story to tell. They are pathetic stories. It is either a father or a mother had been killed or bread winner of the family permanently maimed. In any case, families had been displaced.

And so, the only option available was to leave home as Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, for a place of refuge. That was how their destination became Abuja.

IDPs camp in Abuja

Investigations revealed that there were, at least, four different camps within Abuja for the IDPs. The camps are in Lugbe, Area One, New Kuchingoro and Kuje.

Each of those places proved not to be a healthy habitat for human beings but to them, it was a piece of luxury. It didn’t matter if the luxury was found in squalors and slums which have become their place of abode.

Some of the camps were located at the very end of the streets where the roads are so tortous and winding. Outside from the mechanic workshops that dotted the area, bushes are a common sight. As a matter

of security, the terrains instill fear in a first-time visitor who might be forced to retreat upon approaching what could be taken as the end of the road.

Excruciating living condition

Such was the case with Dagba, Area One, Abuja camp when Vanguard Features, VF, visited the place at the instance of the leadership of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church, SDA, Garki in Durumi Conference on Sunday, March 1, 2015.

Excepting an uncompleted edifice which had been turned into a living apartment by the IDPs who also used their wrappers as window blinds, the rest of the structures were makeshifts.

Meanwhile, the church, through its Community Service Department, CSD, got news that there were some IDPs in the area.

And out of pity, they gathered basic food items such as some bags of rice, beans, some tubers of yam, noodles, onions, etcetera, and took them to the people. Clothings were not left out in the humanitarian gesture.

Enquiries by VF revealed that as at January this year, the number of IDPs in Area One camp was 3, 852. But it has continued to increase by the day.

Further investigations also revealed that many of IDPs have spent more than two years in the camp.

How we identified them —Mrs. Ibrahim, NEMA official

In an interview with VF, the FCT office of the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, official in charge of the camp, Madam Fatima Ibrahim gave an insight of how the camp came into being and the feeding system of the IDPs. “We have 3,852 IDPs.

They have been here for so long. Some of them have here for two years and some of them are just arriving because of the insurgency. The number I gave you is as at January this year which was when I came here. In fact, we met them there, identified them and took note of their number to make for easy supervision.

“That is not the only place for the IDPs. We have one in Lugbe, another one in Kuchigoro and yet another in Kuje.

Their feeding is basically through donations. So many people come around and render assistance in various ways. Some assist with the children’s education, health and others,” she said.

Asked the level of g o v e r n m e n t ’ s involvement in the provision of food items, Mrs. Ibrahim said: “When government has something to give they give but government alone cannot do it.

Religious institutions are assisting too.”

Why we made donations —SDA Church leaders

The pastor in charge of the SDA Church, Garki, Mr. Ibrahim Megadi who led some members of the church to the mission in an interview explained the reason for their mission.

He also tasked the government to scale up the

They are pathetic stories; it is either a father or a mother had been killed or bread winner of the family permanently maimed

Children at the camp. Pix by Levinus Nwabughiogu

fight against the Boko Haram insurgents to enable the IDPs return home.

He said: “The mission is simply one of showing kindness, tenderness, mercy and care for our neighbours who are in need, people who are displaced. The poor in the society. They have no mouth to speak. We who are fortunate to be alive are to be of help to them. There is no better we can speak than helping the needy, the displaced. They have no house, food. We should not look at them empty handed.

“Some of the items we brought included the basic: food.

You have grains,yams, rice, beans, noodles, toothpaste, detergents, toilet soaps for bathing. Then the clothings for male and the females.

You have shoes, wrappers, head ties and a little cash.

Government should do something about the poor are in our society. There should be a system to help the poor and the needy.

Government should establish a system of helping the poor not only during crisis period but also in times of peace.

“Restoring peace in the North East for them to go back to their home towns is the basis because we all have place where we were brought up from childhood. To change in the day time certainly goes against nature because you have established farms, houses, relations and you have work. With all these, no one can be contented in exile. I think we have to address that. Let peace be restored.”

Similarly, the Community Leader of the

*Pastor Magadi

*Mrs. Ibrahim,

*Some of the food items donated

church, Elder George Isiguzo under whose office the church planned the mission said that they were moved by the pathetic conditions of the IDPs. “We see our mission as something we are supposed to do because the church is meant to assist people in need.

When we heard that there are people displaced, we felt so bad and decided that the right thing to do is to give them something to help them,” he said.

To the First Elder of the church, Elder Uwaoma Ine, charity and humanitarian services are the lot of every Christian.

“We owe it as a duty as ordained by God that we should help one another.

And so, we are telling the society in which we are that this is our widow’s mite. There are people who are more able financially; they should also queue for the same purpose, all to the Glory of God,” he said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 21

By Michael Eboh

A

coalition of Civil Society Organisations, under the aegis of Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, in conjunction with the United States Agency for International Development, USAID and International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES, have raised an alarm over the threat posed to the growth of the Nigerian economy by the huge spending by political parties in the build up to the elections.

According to a report titled, ‘Second campaign finance and use of state administrative resources report in the 2015 presidential election,’ Mr. Eze Onyekpere, Lead Director, CSJ, said the increasing expenditure pattern of the parties will impact the Nigerian economy negatively.

He said, “Although declining oil prices contributed to Nigeria’s deteriorating macroeconomic fundamentals, the coincidence of campaign spending and the acceleration of the deterioration brings to the fore the inextricable link between election spending and the health of the economy.

“With the attention shifted from governance and a lot of expenditure on campaigns, the

Nigeria’s economy at risk over huge campaign spending — CSOs state of the economy in terms of depreciating exchange rate, inflation and reduced economic growth were bound to occur.”

The report put the total amount spent so far by the two major political parties — People Democratic party (PDP) and the

All Progressives Congress (APC)and their supporters in advertisements in the print medium at N1.382 billion.

From left: Dammy Oruwari, Head, Advantage Personal Banking, Ecobank Nigeria; Mr Jude Ughwujabo, Head, Regulations and Monitoring, National Lottery Regulatory Commission; Mr Chinedu Ibe, Head, Classic and Direct Banking, Ecobank and Gbemisola Ajibose, Assistant Manager, Legal, Lagos State Lottery Board during the Ecobank Giant Prize Gateway 2014 Grand prize draw, in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

EU, CPC collaborate to tackle consumer abuse, exploitation

T

HE Consumer Protection Council and the European Union have commenced plans to jointly address issues of consumer abuse and exploitation in Nigeria. The

need for collaboration is in line with CPC’s ongoing efforts to develop globally acceptable standard guidelines for businesses in Nigeria and protect

consumers’ rights across all sectors.

While receiving the Ambassador of the Delegation of the European Union to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

ICAN, CITN settle dispute on taxation charter, sign MoU

By PETER EGWUATU

T

he Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria, ICAN and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, CITN have resolved the rift over taxation charter, as they signed Memorandum of Understanding, MoU to end the over ten years lingered crisis.

The crisis was resolved out of court through the mediation of an umbrella body, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, APBN. It will be recalled that CITN opposed ICAN’s continued regulation of taxation practice in 2004 and approached the Lagos High Court the following year to make a declaration that it is only it that can regulate taxation profession in the country by virtue of its

C M Y K

enabling Act, but ICAN insist that its members have the right to practice taxation. The President, APBN, Mr. Foluso Fasoto at a press briefing said

Despite the fact that the issue has become a subject of court action, APBN did not relent in its efforts of mediation between our two member bodies.

“When in 2005 a dispute arose between ICAN and CITN; APBN intervened, relying on section 4(4) of the APBN constitution. Despite the fact that the issue has become a subject of court action, APBN did not relent in its efforts of mediation between our two member bodies.”

Continuing, he noted that APBN believed that the court should not come to solve the problems between our members. “It is on record that the APBN, through its Mediation Committee has resolved similar issues in the past.

To mention but a few: The Nigerian Institute of Architect, NIA and the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, NITP; The Nigerian Society of Engineers , NSE and the Nigerian Institute of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV).

Specifically, Onyekpere said, “The total up to February 14, 2015 for the APC presidential candidate is N332.583 million, while the total up to February 14, 2015 for the PDP presidential candidate is N1.049 billion.”

The report further listed other expenses as: campaign rallies — N1.057 billion for PDP and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, N595.082 million for APC and Muhammed Buhari; Bill boards — N155.13 million for PDP and N99.23 million for APC. Electronic media campaign coverage for the presidential candidates were put at N508.35 million for the PDP, N391.05 million for the APC, while electronic media adverts were put at N7.339 million and N5.556 million for the PDP and PDP respectively, bringing the total to N2.5 billion and N1.091 billion for the PDP and the APC respectively.

In general, the report aggregated the summary of all presidential campaign expenses at N4.973 billion, broken down as PDP — N3.549 billion; APC — N1.424 billion.

Onyekpere, however, recommended that, “All persons, associations and organisations who have sought to induce voters with money and materials should be prosecuted in accordance with Section 124 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

and ECOWAS, Mr. Michel Arrion, in her office on Wednesday, the Director-General, CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, said there must be adequate focus on protecting the demand side of trade (consumers), without which there would be $133.10 -0.55 serious trade imbalance.

Atoki said, “I am aware $2,978.00 -1.00 that the Nigerian EU partnership is committed $13.06 0.04 to supporting Nigeria’s efforts in promoting trade, competition and consumer protection. $56.71 0.32 “The National Quality Infrastructure Project for $48.38 0.09 Nigeria, which is entirely funded by the CENTRAL EU attests to this CURRENCY BUYING commitment. While the DOLLAR 196 196.5 197 EU promotes trade and POUNDS 294.9212 295.6736 296.4259 210.5432 211.0803 211.6174 competition as one of the EURO 197.084 197.5867 198.0895 most effective ways to FRANC 2.1386 2.144 2.1495 boost development, CPC Y E N CFA 0.3084 0.3184 0.3284 is equally focused on 272.1317 272.8259 273.5201 protecting the demand WAUA RENMINBI 31. 2965 31.3768 31. 4571 side of trade RIYAL 52. 2597 52.393 52.5263 (consumers), without KRONA 28. 2437 28.3158 28. 3878 which there will be a SDR 270.5976 271.2879 271.9782 serious trade imbalance.

CBN Exchange Rate as at 12/3/15

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

,

Trying something new is one of the most beneficial things you can do to enhance your day

,

How to enjoy your work every day M

any people dread going to work - even entrepreneurs. They may dislike their job, the people they work with, the environment they’re in, or are simply bored of their monotonous routines. With a few simple tips and tricks (backed by science), you’ll finally be able to enjoy your job - and more importantly look forward to going to work.

Try something new every day Psuchologists assert that “nothing contributes to our happiness more than shattering the delusions to which we cling.” Opening up to trying or doing something new is often frightening at first because of the lack of familiarity. However, over

In order to prevent overload, take a short break to refresh your mind time, we start to see the good that can arise out of trying new things, and begin to feel more comfortable.

Trying something new is one of the most beneficial things you can do to enhance your day. Start a conversation with a colleague you’ve never spoken to. They probably have tons to offer and would welcome the opportunity to converse. If you’re regularly assigned to work alongside the same people, see if your boss is willing to switch things up. If you’re an entrepreneur, talk to employees or teams you don’t normally interact with. You never know just how fulfilling it may be to work with some fresh new faces.

Stay fit, active and healthy Most successful people stay in shape. Studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between fitness and career success. In fact, 72 percent of respondents in a study asserted that exercising on work days resulted in significant improvements in time management, while 79 percent reported a noteworthy enhancement in mental and interpersonal

performance. In addition, 74 percent said they managed their workload better. If you want to give your morning a huge boost that’ll power you for the whole day, try waking up a bit earlier in the morning. Go for a workout at the gym, a peaceful run or jog, or a blissful bike ride. If you think you can’t go a day without your morning coffee, trade in your caffeine boost for an apple and see how refreshed you feel afterwards. Because while apples have no caffeine, they do contain a lot of carbohydrate energy and the vitamins needed to give the perfect dose of wake up energy.

Allocate your time wisely While at work, your mind is easily bombarded with thoughts, ideas, to-do lists and more. Our minds work just like our other muscles, and evidence suggests that taking regular breaks helps fuel productivity and creativity (similar to how we need rest days when working out). Sensory perception also works like this, says Science Daily. Our brains will stop registering a sight, sound or feeling if that same stimulus is constant over time or remains unchanged.

In order to prevent overload, take a short break to refresh your mind when you feel like you’re getting overwhelmed or distracted.

Make sure to leave your phone and any other workrelated devices at your desk - you don’t need to take your work with you. Try going for a five-minute walk outside and just enjoying the fresh air. It’s easy to get caught up in your work, but just remember that you have other things going on in your life, too.

Don’t waste time in meetings An incredible amount of time is wasted due to unproductive meetings. In order to prevent this, follow a few simple guidelines for your meetings. First, make sure everyone arrives on time and is focused and alert.

If appropriate, make everyone put their phones away and ask them to close their laptops to avoid any distractions. Notes should be written by hand, as this sinificantly enhances retention.

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (11/03/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196 295.1564 207.8776 194.9279 1.6137 0.3017 269.9128 31.2925 52.2583 27.8694 269.5392

196.5 295.9094 208.4079 195.4252 1.6178 0.3117 270.6013 31.3728 52.3916 27.9405 270.2268

197 296.6623 208.9382 195.9224 1.6219 0.3217 271.2899 31.4531 52.5249 28.0116 270.9144

Commod Light Crud

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Qualities of successful business leaders

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

H

aving a great idea and assembling a team to bring that concept to life is the first step in creating a successful business venture. While finding a new and unique idea is rare enough; the ability to successfully execute this idea is what separates the dreamers from the entrepreneurs.

Here are some key qualities that every good leader should possess, and learn to emphasize.

Honesty - Your business and its employees are a reflection of yourself, and if you make honest and ethical behaviour a key value, your team will follow suit. Make a list of values and core beliefs that both you and your brand represent, and post this in your office. Promote

a healthy interoffice lifestyle, and encourage your team to live up to these standards. By emphasizing these standards, and displaying them yourself, you will hopefully influence the office environment into a friendly and helpful workspace.

Ability to delegate Trusting your team with your idea is a sign of strength, not weakness. Delegating tasks to the appropriate departments is one of the most important skills you can develop as your business grows. The key to delegation is identifying the strengths of your team, and capitalizing on them. Find out what each team member enjoys doing most. Chances are if they find that task more enjoyable, they will likely put more thought and effort behind it. This will not only prove to your team that you trust and believe in them, but will also free up your time to focus on the higher level tasks, that should not be delegated.

Communication - Being able to clearly and succinctly describe what you want done is extremely important. If you can’t relate your vision to your team, you won’t all be working towards the same goal. Training new members and creating a productive work environment all depend on healthy lines of communication. Whether that stems from an open door policy to your office, or making it a point to talk to your staff on a daily basis, making yourself available to discuss interoffice issues is vital.

Sense of humour - Morale is linked to productivity, and it’s your job as the team leader to instill a positive energy. That’s where your sense of humour will finally pay off. Encourage your team to laugh at the mistakes instead of crying. If you are constantly learning to find the humour in the struggles, your work environment will

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 23

,

& YOU

dity de

Gas

COMMODITIES (11/03/15) Last 47.95

Change ($) -0.34

% Change -0.70

2.82

+0.09

+3.22

13.05

+0.03

+0.23

133.10

-0.55

-0.41

2,954.00

-25.00

-0.84

become a happy and healthy space, where your employees look forward to working in, rather than dreading it. Make it a point to crack jokes with your team and encourage personal discussions of plans and trips. It’s these short breaks from the task at hand that help keep productivity levels high and morale even higher.

Confidence - There may be days where the future of your brand is worrisome and things aren’t going according to plan. This is true with any business, large or small, and the most important thing is not to panic. Part of your job as a leader is to put out fires and maintain the team morale. Keep up your confidence level, and assure everyone that setbacks are natural and the important thing is to focus on the larger goal. As the leader, by staying calm and confident, you will help keep the team feeling the same.

Commitment - If you expect your team to work hard and produce quality content, you’re going to need to lead by example. There is no greater motivation than seeing the boss down in the trenches working alongside everyone else, showing that hard work is being done on every level. By proving your commitment to the brand and your role, you will not only earn the respect of your

Trusting your team with your idea is a sign of strength, not weakness

team, but will also instill that same hardworking energy among your staff. It’s important to show your commitment not only to the work at hand, but also to your promises.

Positive attitude - You want to keep your team motivated towards the continued success of the company, and keep the energy levels up. Whether that means providing snacks, coffee, relationship advice, or even just an occasional drink in the office, remember that everyone on your team is a person. Keep the office mood a fine balance between productivity and playfulness. If your team is feeling happy and upbeat, chances are they won’t mind staying that extra hour to finish a report, or devoting their best work to the brand.

Creativity Some decisions will not always be so clear-cut. You may be forced at times to deviate from your set course and make an on the fly decision. This is where your creativity will prove to be vital. It is during these critical situations that your team will look to you for guidance and you may be forced to make a quick decision. As a leader, it’s important to learn to think outside the box and to choose which of two bad choices is the better option.

Ability to inspire Creating a business often involves a bit of forecasting.

Especially in the beginning stages of a startup, inspiring your team to see the vision of the successes to come is vital. Make your team feel invested in the accomplishments of the company.

Whether everyone owns a piece of equity, or you operate on a bonus system, generating enthusiasm for the hard work you are all putting in is so important.

As the leader, by staying calm and confident, you will help keep the team feeling the same

,

Is your organization's strategic planning a waste of time and resources? (2) By ‘Uju Onwuzulike “However beautiful the strategy, you should occasionally look at the results”...Winston Churchill

I

n the part one of this insight, three areas that have the capacity to make a mess of any organizational strategic planning process were identified. Not just identifying those shortcomings, solutions were being proffered on what organizations can do.

In this part two, we are also going to look at three shortcomings that need to be corrected for organizational strategic planning to be worth the effort. They are: HAVING A YEARLY WEEKEND RETREAT ONLY Some organizations hold weekend retreats at luxury sites for the top management team and board members. These retreats frequently include extensive and expensive social time and superficial, sophisticated planning documents that are not typically plans to be implemented; they are “all form and little substance.”

Solution: Make a serious time commitment Like any other important venture, planning requires a serious and realistic time commitment for a leadership team to think together and create a quality plan. Thinking together strategically and proactively can be one of the most important investments it makes in its future. To ensure adequate time for planning is allocated within the organization’s time requirements, a realistic schedule for each step of the planning process should be established in the preplanning phase.

TOO FEW PLANNING

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

Without sufficient resources, implementation of strategies, plans and changes are doomed

AND CHANGE RESOURCES A similar mistake that undermines the effectiveness of plans, is failing to set aside adequate financial resources for the implementation of plans.

Without sufficient resources, the implementation of the strategies, plans, and changes are doomed.

Moreover, having insufficient resources communicates a lack of commitment to the plan and discourages managers and employees who are responsible for implementing plans.

Solution: Commit resources for the implementation of Plans/Changes In order to effectively manage the transition towards your strategic directions and goals, you need resources, both people and money. Along with allocating adequate time for planning, it is vital to set aside financial resources for the implementation of Strategic Plans and change

initiatives in the budget for activities such as leadership meetings, change workshops, tracking Key Success Measures/ goals, communications and rollout, skills training (leadership/change management), external facilitator/consultant services, key stakeholder meetings, business unit/ program planning, yearly review and follow up, and strategic change projects.

D E V E L O P I N G MISSION, VISION, AND VALUE STATEMENTS THAT LACK SUBSTANCE One popular trend has been for executive teams to develop Mission, Vision, and Values statements that typically end up as wall placards.

Although popular, these wellintentioned but oft en hollow statements frequently result in employee cynicism, rather than inspiration.

In addition, only developing Mission, Vision, and Value statements without measurable targets/ goals, strategies, and action plans creates a false sense that the organization has a plan for moving towards its Ideal Future.

Solution: Turn Mission, Vision, and Values into measurable Criteria/Goals Establishing the organization’s Ideal Future, its Mission, Vision, and Values, is an important foundation for developing the Strategic Plan; but it is not enough. The Ideal Future can be used to establish criteria to measure progress towards the organization’s Mission, Vision, and Values, and as a basis to plan how to bridge the gap between where the organization is and where it wants to be.

Call or email us for your views or perspectives.

Email: uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093 www.hainescentre.com C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Nigeria set for era of pronounced increase in prices — StanChart

By Babajide Komolafe

N

igeria is set for an era of a more pronounced increase in the prices of goods and services as reflected by the inflation rate said Razia Khan of Standard Chartered Bank.

The Head of Macro Research, Africa for the Bank made this comment while announcing the outcome of the Standard Chartered Premise Consumer Price Tracker SC-PCPT for February.

She stated, “The price of staples, as measured by our Standard Chartered Premise Consumer Price Tracker (SCPCPT), increased 0.4 percent month-onmonth (m/m) in February. Grain and meat prices, which together make up c.57 percent of the index, drove the gains.

Food prices, reflecting downward seasonal influences, have kept Nigerian inflation relatively contained. Since 1 August 2014, when we first started capturing the prices of Nigerian food staples, the SC-PCPT has fallen 0.92 percent. This is less pronounced that the 1.3 percent fall observed through end-January, suggesting that price increases are now more prominent. Our tracker is unique in that it uses crowdsourcing technology to measure price trends in real time. We expect to see more pronounced price increases in the coming weeks, reflecting pass-through from the cancellation of RDAS auctions and temporary bottlenecks in fuel availability.

“We believe that the 0.4 percent m/m increase in the SC-PCPT marks the start

of a more pronounced inflation trend.

Seasonal influences on food prices have contained headline inflation so far, despite increased FX pressure on the Nigerian naira (NGN) and a c.25 percent depreciation in interbank foreign exchange rate rates since early 2014. The single-digit consumer price inflation recorded in the past year may be about to change. As we move further away from Nigeria’s harvest season, food-price trends are likely to be less benign. The transmission of naira weakness to Nigerian prices – which has been slow to date – should also pressure prices higher.”

Khan also predicted that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPR) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will leave its Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) unchanged at its meeting scheduled for March 24th.

From left: Group Managing Director, Union Bank, Mr Emeka Emuwa (left); Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Digital Jewels, Mrs Adedoyin Odunfa; Deputy Director, UK Trade and Investment,Mr Bukola Dosunmu; and Head of Information Technology, Union Bank, Lucky Jayaratne at the presentation of ISO 27001-2013 Certification to Union Bank in Lagos

G

Six millionaires emerge in Ecobank promo

By Jonah Nwokpoku

S

ix customers of Ecobank in Nigeria have won cash prizes ranging from N1 million to N2.5 million.

The winners include: Awoke Mathias, Okoro Robert and Onwuka Obilor Jude who won one million naira each.

Others include: Ekezie Godson Chigozie of Alaba branch, Engr.

Basil Idahosa of Sapele, Warri branch and Awala Bonna from Abuja, Gowon Barracks branch who won N2.5 million each.

In a smaller category, thirty customers also won different items including: Air conditioner, generating set, LED TV, mobile phones, washing machines.

Other items also won by customers include: iPad Air, inverters and smartphones.

The winners emerged during a draw held in Lagos for Lagos and South West region and supervised by officials from National Lottery Commission, L agos State Lottery Board, Consumer Protection Council and Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria.

Enterprise Bank introduces ‘Union & Cooperative loan scheme’

ACCA urges NYSC members to develop employability skills lobal Accountant body, Association of Chartered Cer tified Accountants (ACCA)has called on members of of the NigeriaYouth Services Corps to develop employability and entrepreneurship skills.

Head of ACCA Nigeria, Mrs. Toyin Ademola gave this charge at an employability seminar organised by ACCA for 3000 NYSC members in Lagos State.

She said that developing employability skills is critical to securing job and escaping unemployment.

Advising the corp members, Ademola said, “When you go for an interview, it is an opportunity for you to sell yourself, and there is nobody else that can sell you than you.

So, even if it is your uncle or the president that recommended

BRIEFS

you to that employer, you have to be properly prepared for the interview.

“Whether you are working for yourself or for an organisation, be energetic and always go the extra mile. Whenever you are selling yourself, you are selling your idea, your intelligence and your integrity. You must be confident about your ideas,” she added.

Also speaking at the seminar, Mrs. Bisola Longe, Chief Executive Officer, Human Capital Development Consultants, said that the first step to success is for someone to have a vision of what he or she wants to be in life.

“You must know where you are going. The people that succeed most in life create their own life.

So, the best way for you to

predict your future is to create it.

You must have the right attitude,” Longe advised.

Addressing journalists at the sidelines of the seminar, Ademola explained that rationale for the seminar saying, “One of the key things we have

One of the key things we have noticed as a major hindrance to graduates not getting jobs, is because they are unemployable and not because there are no jobs

noticed as a major hindrance to graduates not getting jobs, is because they are unemployable and not because there are no jobs.

When we say employability, it is not because these graduates are not qualified, but because they lack some of the basic qualities that appeals to any employer”.

She said in addition to organising the seminar, ACCA would assist the corp members by sending their CVs to recruitment agents.

She said: “One of the things we have set out to do for the corps members is to send their CVs to our partner recruitment agencies who will then advice the graduates on how best to draft CVs and also help them secure job interviews.”

E

nterprise Bank has introduced another unique product specially designed to cater for, unions and cooperatives in line with the bank’s commitment to continually delight her growing clientele across the country. The product, named “Union & Cooperative Loan Scheme,” offers credit facilities to employees who belong to the same union or cooperative association in an organization.

Enterprise Bank announced in a statement that subscribers to the loan, which features a reasonable interest and a group life assurance, will access various sums, which are available with repayment tenures of up to three years.

According to the statement, the “Union & Cooperative Loan Scheme,” is a product that has been carefully crafted for associations and unions in organizations like local governments, government agencies, schools, health institutions, companies among others.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 25

*Cross section of UTME candidates waiting to commence the examination in Abuja.

Confusion in UTME gets messier

By Dayo Adesulu, Amaka Abayomi, Ikenna Asomba & Tare Youdeowei

T

HE confusion arising from the postponement of 2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination |(UTME), earlier slated for Monday, March 9, took a dramatic twist on Tuesday, when the exams eventually began across the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

The kick-off, Vanguard Learning gathered, was again marred by some

CWG rewards computer science students of UNILAG, varsity of Douala Pg. 27

10.5m out-of-school children Pg. 28 C M Y K

hiccups over the failure of internet servers and the bio-data capturing machine to capture candidates’ thumbprints at some centres, as well as complaints raised by candidates who registered to sit for the examination in

Lagos State, but were posted to neighbouring states of Osun, Ogun and Kwara for the examinations.

This development which saw candidates posted to neighbouring states, it was learnt, was as a result of shortage of Computer-Based Test (CBT) centres in Lagos State, to cater for the huge number of candidates billed to sit for the exams in the state.

You would recall that this year’s UTME

was initially slated to commence on Monday, March 9, but following some logistics problems, the apex examination body in the country, Joint Admission Matriculation Board, JAMB, shifted the examination to start on Tuesday.

Also, recall that no fewer than 1.4 million candidates were billed to take part in the examinations across 400 CBT centres nationwide.

Vanguard gathered during monitoring of some centres in Lagos, that the hitches over the smooth conduct of the examination persisted despite the shift in date, which JAMB said was to allow it put its house in order.

At one of the CBT centres in the Ajah area of Lagos, Island Computer College, XYZ Plaza, candidates who showed up at the centre as early as 7am, Continues on page 26

Polytechnic suffers 25% reduction in monthly allocation

By Dayo Adesulu

M

ONTHLY allocation to state-owned tertiary institutions in Delta State has been reduced by 25 per cent and even the release of the allocation has not been regular.

Speaking during the familiarization visit of the new Commissioner for Higher Education, Hon. Charles Emetulu to the polytechnic, the Rector of Delta State Polytechnic, Otefe-Oghara, Dr Clara Sogbaike said: “Monthly overhead cost from the state government has been reduced by 25 per cent from N4 million to N3 million.”

According to her, “The polytechnic now finds it difficult to carry out its statutory obligations as a result of grossly inadequate funds occasioned by the dwindling allocation to the polytechnic and Internally Generated Revenue (IGR)

accruing to the polytechnic due to decline in students’ enrolment0.”

Sogbaike who stressed the need of the tertiary institution to generate about N50 million for the accreditation of the proposed new academic programmes, noted that it will also assist in re-accreditation of the existing academic programmes.

She explained that the monthly overhead cost from the state government has been reduced from N4 million to N3 million, adding that there is non-release of funds for capital grants by the state government for infrastructure development.

Sogbaike who told the commissioner of the need for adequate funding, maintained that the accredited academic programmes of the institution were due for re-accreditation

Continues on page 28

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

*A cross section of UTME candidates in an examination hall in Abuja.

Confusion in UTME gets messier Continues from page 25 could not begin their exams, as the College was said to be fixing its internet server which encountered technical problems.

Frayed nerves: The delay, it was also learnt, annoyed candidates and their parents who had accompanied them to the exam centre. Save for the timely intervention of some policemen and JAMB officials, the centre would have been thrown into pandemonium.

Similarly, at Chams City in Ikeja, the examination for the first batch billed to commence by 8am could not start until around 9am. Efforts by our correspondent to speak with exam officials proved abortive as none was ready to speak to the press.

This delay, it was observed, forced hundreds of candidates for the second session to loiter along Isaac John Street, where the centre is located.

Impaired candidates At the University of Lagos, UNILAG, Akoka, there were about four candidates whose thumbprint did not match what the exam body had on their database, as was filled by them during registration for the exams.

However, since other data provided by them during registration for the exams were correct, supervisors at the centre allowed them to be screened based on exemption mode. This is even as three of the four visually impaired candidates expected to participate in the examination, showed up.

Posting controversy:Some parents who expressed dismay at the posting of their wards who registered for the examination in Lagos State, to neighbouring states, lamented

that they had to pay more for travel and hotel bills for the alleged incompetence of JAMB. Earlier on Monday, as early as 8am, when Vanguard visited Yaba College of Technology, YABATECH, one of the centres designated by JAMB to conduct the CBT examinations, the centre was occupied by new students who were at the ICT building of the school for their online registrations.

Vanguard learned that some students who thought the examination was billed for Monday, had already visited the centre but were told to come back on Wednesday, March 11 for the exams.

Postponement of examination Speaking, one of the ICT staff who pleaded anonymity said: “As you can see, the JAMB CBT is no longer holding here today. It’s going to be held on Wednesday, March 11. So, we expect candidates to be here as early as 6.00am.”

Asked about the shift in date of the examination she said: “As usual, some candidates were here today, as early as 6.00am, but we told them to return on Wednesday for the exams. All things being equal, the exam will go as stipulated

by JAMB.” Also, at the Certified Institute of Shipping, CIS, Magbon in Badagry, candidates who went to the examination centre in the morning, were said to still be at the hall as at 7.25pm, when an aggrieved parent called our correspondent on phone.

According to the parent simply referred to as Mrs. Adeola, “When the candidates arrived at the exam centre this morning, they were told that

JAMB provided the centre with just 250 laptops. Of these, just 150 were confirmed to be functional that morning.

Following this development, the candidates were divided into two batches. While the first batch was to begin the exams by 7.00am, the second batch was billed to commence by 10.00am.

“But as I speak with you, neither the first batch nor the second batch has written the exam as JAMB officials at the centre complained that the centre’s server had been down since morning. What is more worrisome is that officials of this centre have failed to address the candidates and parents, instead, the candidates have been locked inside the examination hall since morning without writing the exams.”

Speaking further, Adeola urged the JAMB authorities, to cancel the examination and fix a new date, when they (JAMB) must have completely put their house in order.

Candidates speak:

As I speak with you, neither the first batch nor the second batch has written the exams as JAMB officials at the centre complained that the centre’s server had been down since morning

Meanwhile, on visits to some exam centers, our reporters observed that the exams were going on without hitches and there were no reported cases of examination malpractice or glitches with the computers.

Some of the candidates who spoke to Vanguard Learning said the exam was well organised and they preferred it to the paper and pencil type.

For Adeniran Rafiat, who wants to study Business Administration at the University of Ilorin: “I wasn’t too familiar with the computer but had to go learn how to use it and also bought the CBT practice disc which really helped me during the exam.

“The exam was without hitches though there were few cases of some candidates who were not familiar with the computer who mistakenly submitted their scripts without answering any question.”

Paper and pencil exam Sayidat Olajide also bought the CBT practice disc and had to learn how to operate the computer to enable her take part in the exam. She said: “the exam was fairly easy for those who really prepared for it and we were given three and a half hours for the four papers.”

For Kehinde Nafisat, though the paper and pencil exam was a more preferred option because she isn’t too familiar with the computer, but the exam was okay as she prepared well for it.

She said: “though I prefer the paper and pencil type, the questions were somehow easy as I really prepared hard for it because I want this to be the last UTME I’ll sit for.”

Though Olatemiotan Timileyin and Lanre Tijani

were logged off before the expiration of their time, they said the exam was well organised, fairly easy and didn’t give room for exam malpractice as biometrics were carried out on the candidates before and after the exams.

Teething problems: Reacting to the development, former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, NUC, Prof. Peter Okebukola, who lauded JAMB’s Registrar, Professor Dibu Ojerinde, for initiating the total CBT format for the 2015 UTME, however, blamed the controversies which marred the commencement of the exam in some centres on teething logistical problems.

Okebukola said: “I am sure this must be for logistical reasons to ensure that candidates are best served in the most conducive environment to conduct a computer-based test. The technology has to be right. The security and surveillance against cheating has to be right. The power supply has to be right. The overall ambience of the environment has to be conducive for the test taker. To satisfy all these conditions next door to every UTME candidate is like asking for the moon.

Transfer of candidates “I suspect that transfer of candidates from one state to the other does not mean moving candidates from Oyo to Borno or to Rivers. It could mean the next contiguous state where facilities are more available.

This may just be a few kilometres, perhaps less than 10 kilometres. We pray for journey mercies for all candidates. By the way, candidates for some international examinations travel to Ghana from Nigeria to take the exam in the approved centres. In all of these, every pioneering activity comes with its challenges. If you have to wait for utopian conditions, you will never venture into new territories.”

Reacting on the low number of CBT centres nationwide, placed at 400, the former NUC boss, said: “I believe these are the centres that have met JAMB’s rigorous quality standards for now.

It is important that the standards are met and maintained so that candidates will not use slips in the standards as excuse for their poor performance. As more centres meet these standards in the coming years, I believe there will be an expansion and an increase in the number.”

Meanwhile, efforts to get in touch with JAMB’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Benjamin Fabian, as at press time to react to the controversies, proved futile as his telephone lines were switched off.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 27

CWG rewards computer science students of UNILAG, varsity of Douala

By Emeka Aginam & Dayo Adesulu

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S part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG Plc) has rewarded the best graduating students of the Computer Science Department of the University of Lagos and the University of Douala, Cameroon, respectively.

At two distinct ceremonies, CWG representatives presented gifts to the students in furtherance of the company ’s bid to extol the essence of attaining academic excellence.

At the presentation ceremony in Lagos, the ViceChancellor of the University, Prof. Rahman Bello observed that if the focus of CWG CSR initiative is sustained, it is capable of aiding universities in Nigeria to attain desired greatness.

According to Bello, "Since inception, CWG has lived up to their promise of rewarding the best graduating student in Computer Science

Prof Bello Rahman Department every year, for five years now. On behalf of the management of the university, I thank your organisation for your commitment to this partnership.

Your commitment to promoting academic excellence will help us in going forward.

“Your contributions have been helpful. At the moment, University of Lagos is the 20th best school in Africa and the first in Nigeria, according to the 4icu rankings. Going by our consistent progressive performance, we look forward to being the first in Africa anytime soon. This is our target.

And, we believe that the input of corporate partners like CWG, will see us through to the point we aim to get to”, he added.

In response, Mr. Phillip Obioha, CWG’s Chief Operating Officer, pointed out that the annual award presentation event underscores CWG’s emphasis on hard-work and qualitative education.

According to him, “Our business scope covers a range of sectors; from banking to telecoms and recently, SMEs. Our business is all about the quality of our workforce. We boast of an array of professionals whose expertise has formed the bedrock of service providers in the telecoms sector, for example.

Our premium on quality workforce explains our emphasis on quality education.”

Recipient of the prize, Master Agho Adrian Osemwonyemwen, appreciated the gesture shown

by CWG. The award includes a prospect of employment with CWG, if the recipient so desires.

OIS boosts teachers knowledge through specialist training that range from providing

I

By Dayo Adesulu

N its continuous efforts to blaze the trail in the education sector in Nigeria, Olashore International School has started a special training programme for carefully selected teachers across the country. The programme tagged: The Teacher Training Programme (TTP), which kicked off last Saturday in Iloko Ilesha, is meant to infuse special training skills in teachers who are carefully selected across the country as well as teachers from partner schools.

Olashore International plans to run the programme termly in major locations in Nigeria (Lagos, Abuja, Port-Harcourt and Warri) including the host community of OIS, Iloko-Ijesa, where the pilot edition will be held Among other objectives, the Olashore TTP programme aims to foster a healthy and mutual relationship between Olashore and participating schools; provide an outlet for participating teachers to share personal teaching experiences and improve their skills; create a networking platform for teachers and as well serve as a meeting point for public and private school teachers The OIS TTP is a social resresponsibility initiative geared at creating a forum where teachers in public and private schools can engage in cross fertilization of ideas on self

*Adetola Olashore development and greater classroom effectiveness.

The forum which is facilitated

by Bradford College trained Master teachers from Olashore International School, will allow discussion that focuses on areas

Olashore International School is a leading academic institution where leaders are made by providing our students with life skills, leadership training etc

resource materials, participant interaction, teaching methods to strategies on planning.

Olashore International School, in its quest at becoming the centre for teacher training in Nigeria, continues to redefine learning and teaching methods in schools. One way this is being achieved is the OIS Teacher Training Programme.

The programme is a two-session training on improving the pedagogical skills of participants and reinforcing excellent teaching practices in the classrooms. Participants are drawn from partner primary schools and public primary schools in rural areas where opportunities for such training may be unreachable. Themes such as group work, modelling, and assessment for learning will form major milestones in the 6terms long training.

The Chairman, Board of Governors, Prince Bimbo Olashore, stated that “Olashore International School is a leading academic institution where leaders are made by providing our students with life skills, leadership training, arts, sports and global exposure while preserving our core Nigerian culture and societal values.”

Since its inception 20 years ago, OIS has been redefining education through its comprehensive teaching and learning community approach, high quality instructors and keen emphasis on students’ leadership development.

How good are Nigerian university lecturers? “…60 per cent of those who are in the university system are not university materials; 60 per cent of those who are called lecturers and professors in the university system today are not university materials…The survey I want people to do is to look at the university graduates, 1st class and 2nd class upper, 21, from 1990, where will you find 60 per cent of them? So if 60 per cent of our university graduates of 1st class and 21 are outside the university system, it means that 60 per cent of those in the system are not university materials.” —Prof. Adewale Solarin, Director, National Mathematical Centre, NMC, Abuja, in NATION, February 21, 2015.

OONER or later, we must touch on this very touching subject matter. Touching, that is, to lecturers and professors in Nigerian universities. Not being a member of the academic staff of any university, full or part-time, the issue had been one that had given me concern. Yet, there was no sure way to tackle it. Prof. Solarin compared the university system with a production process, and it is difficult to disagree. Universities, after all, take young minds and bodies as raw materials and attempt to produce at the end of their days in the university, graduates (finished products). Some would proceed for further processing (work in process) in graduate schools for Master's and Doctorate programmes. Those who embark on teaching careers might eventually become professors.

Solarin has drawn our attention to the second stage of processing, when some of the graduates go further for post-graduate education and he says that 60% of those who proceed are not among the best.

That creates a problem in any production process because the quality of the raw material inputs invariably determines the quality of the final product. If the brightest and the best undergraduates don’t go forward, it means Nigeria is left with mediocres to undertake the arduous task of acquiring the knowledge and skills, and perhaps attitudes, necessary to become outstanding university lecturers and professors. Solarin put the figure at 60% of graduates, but, he also made it clear that no survey had been conducted. He challenges us to undertake that research. I will be willing to conduct the survey – if a sponsor can be found.

The way I understand it, Prof. Solarin wants somebody to find out the percentage of our lecturers and professors, in the Nigerian university system who graduated 1st class or 21. That should not be too difficult – if only the universities and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will cooperate. Cooperation from both sides cannot be guaranteed for obvious reasons. Universities parading lecturers without doctorate degrees and the vast majority holding 2nd class lower or 3rd class, will not be too eager to reveal the low quality of their staff. Similarly, ASUU members who hitherto had shielded their low class certificate in confidential files in administration, will not readily want their students and colleagues to know the truth.

That said; it is important to note that difficult as the assignment might be, it is not impossible. Nigeria will definitely benefit from it. Two benefits of this study easily suggest themselves.

S

Management axiom One, if we know the percentage of low quality tutors we have in the system, then, we can start the process of upgrading them.

Management axiom tells us that “what you cannot measure, you cannot control.” Until we find a metric for determining the quality of teaching staff in our universities, we will not be able to improve the standards.

Two, we might find an answer to why the brightest and best are not interested in teaching. Since somebody must do it, the brilliant ones might not realise that they have provided sub-standard education for their own kids in the future once the culture of mediocrity becomes deeply entrenched. So they have a stake in this also. This study will certainly assist in finding, some, but not all, the solutions to the problem. The ultimate goal is to have a greater percentage of the 1st class and 21 graduates to stay on to doctorate and to head for the classroom. That will also pose a tough, but not impossible challenge.

What we need is an incentive system which makes it worthwhile for a bright young graduate to stay in the university system and spend a life time there. Prof. Abraham Maslow, author of the Theory of self-actualisation, was already near 60 when I took a course in Sociology with him in 1966. I left him at the university in 1968 and he still went on teaching for more than 10 years. The university was his life – even after he became world renown. Our universities will not be world class until we have people like Prof. Peter Drucker – who was still lecturing after 80. And we will need thousands of them in the future. The survey Solarin called for must be conducted — in our own interest.

LAST LINE: Professor Solarin risks being called names by his academic colleagues for saying the truth. But, he should take heart.

Truth is the bitterest medicine on earth.

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

10.5m out-of-school children: Technology, big part of the solution

— AUN President engineering and math, (STEM) and a principals and teacher training institute.

By Ebele Orakpo Unemployment has been linked to youth restiveness and insurgency in various parts of the world, especially in developing nations. Unfortunately, illiteracy cannot be divorced from unemployment and Nigeria, allegedly having the highest number of out-ofschool children in the world, currently put at 10.5 million, no thanks to exponential growth in her population, it becomes pertinent to find solutions to this time bomb. In this chat with journalists in Lagos recently, Prof. Margee Ensign, president of the American University of Nigeria (AUN) said the best way out is technology, noting that it has been tried in Yola, and it is yielding results.

Excerpts:

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uge population: “Nigeria’s population is doubling every 23-24 years and the country is expected to be the third largest in the world by 2045. So how are we going to educate all those people? We believe technology is a big part of the solution,” Ensign said.

The UN had said that Nigeria needs about 400,000 new teachers this year, to be able to achieve universal primary education. With the current state of things, this is almost impossible, but with the use of tablets and smart phones, Ensign believes it can be achieved.

Education responsible for peace in the midst of insurgency: To ensure peace in their city, Ensign recounted how AUN formed a partnership with religious and community leaders in Adamawa, the

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•Primary school children in Yola enjoy learning aided by technology. (INSET): •Prof.

Illiteracy is Margee a big part of the challenge we see.

Ensign

Adamawa Peace Initiative (API) in pursuit of peace and reconciliation.

She said: “Three years ago when fuel subsidies were removed and the country was in a difficult moment in terms of peace and security, the then chairman of AUN Board, Ahmed Joda and I, reached out to all Christian, Muslim, community and business leaders in Yola to see if we can surround our vulnerable youths because we believed that if we didn’t take care of these youth with no access to education, no employment and who may have lost their parents, we all could be in trouble.

"It is a simple formula but now, people around the world, from Syria to those dealing with ISIS, are asking how we have handled these vulnerable youths.

"The API members are mostly community leaders who know members of the community and those that need help." So they identified those vulnerable youths and AUN rolled out some programs for

them, including the Peace through Education program.

The AUN-API education component has three programs: Primary school - literacy and math; Secondary schoolscience, technology,

We are in most of the primary schools in Yola; they have access to Samsung tablets loaded with free books

ICT training program: "Among the vulnerable youths identified, some are in our ICT training program boys, girls, men and women who hadn’t had access to much education.

"People have asked me the point of teaching people without much education to use the computer and smart phone.

Here is the point: In our first graduation, we had an elderly man amongst them and I said to him, 'Sir, what will you be doing with your new training?

Without hesitating, he said: 'I am going to MIT’s web site to get a free education.'

"So this is a huge solution to education in Nigeria. The best graduating student in the computer science faculty pretest and post-test is a 13-yearold with very little formal education and our faculty said he tested off the charts. He is now in a free CISCO certification course. This might seem small but we have to begin thinking about solutions to world class education in Nigeria.

"If you are going to be the third largest country in the world and be among the world powers, education is very important.

Right now, we are in most of the primary schools in Yola.

They have access to Samsung tablets loaded with free books.

Our students are writing apps in Hausa and Fulfulde this semester, because you learn better in your mother tongue.

Our students also write books for primary schools and we print them.

High illiteracy: The illiteracy rate in Adamawa State is 77 per cent, so how can they make

decisions or earn an income?

We really believe illiteracy is a big part of the challenge we see.

Every AUN student is involved in one of these projects and they love it.

We just started a new program two weeks ago where we have 200 more vulnerable youth. We put Christian and Moslem youths in what we call the Unity team and they are playing football, volleyball etc and learning about peace and conflict resolution.

Chibok girls: Prof. Ensign described the 21 girls who escaped the Chibok attack as an inhspiration to the AUN community. "They not only inspire us but remind me of why I am here. I have seen the changes in them. They were kidnapped while they were taking their national exams.

Most of them were not prepared, very few spoke English so we have really intense programs for them. I have nine faculty for the 21 students and they are making the most amazing progress I've ever seen. So when you do it right, even these young women who are totally traumatised are turning into amazing students," she said.

Education for better life: "We have tried to make technology available to young people here. We hope to roll out this program throughout the region, and I don’t see why other Nigerian universities can’t do the same elsewhere.

"We don’t tell our students to go out and look at the problems and come and be pessimistic, but to go out and teach these kids how to read so they can have a better life. As a computer scientist, write those apps in Hausa so they can learn how to read. Teach the community, from 13 to 83 years."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—29

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

Emirates Group Security signs MoU with Arab Air on varsity diploma programmes

By Amaka Abayomi

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HE academic arm of Emirates Group Security, Centre of Aviation & Security Studies (CASS), and Arab Air Carriers Organisation Regional Training Centre (AACO RTC), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to extend two University Diploma programmes to members of the Arab Air Carriers Organisation (AACO).

The programmes, Diploma in Aviation Security Management and Diploma in Ground Handling, are being inducted as part of AACO RTC’s training curriculum with its offices in Jordan and Egypt, and are jointly developed by Edith Cowan University of Western Australia and Emirates Group Security.

According to the Divisional Senior Vice President, Emirates Group Security, Dr. Abdulla Al Hashimi, the two programmes are excellent examples of high-

quality management training tailor-made for professionals working in the aviation industry.

He said “designed specifically to improve management practices in aviation security and ground handling, both programmes tap on the practical experience of Emirates’ CASS, the regional expertise of AACO, and the academic excellence of Edith Cowan University of Western Australia.

“We believe these courses add to the educational and professional development opportunities available to those working in aviation, and ultimately help support the growth of the aviation industry in the MENA region.”

The courses, administered by CASS and academic staff from Edith Cowan University, consist of an 18-month programme which involves self-study, tutorials and examinations.

Expressing delight with this strategic initiative, the Pro-Vice

Chancellor (Emirates Engagement) and Professor of Security and Risk, Edith Cowan University, Professor Nara Srinivasan, said it will broaden the platform of tertiary education in aviation security and ground handling education which will complement the existing vocational and industry-specific training programmes.

Also speaking, the Secretary General of AACO, Abdul Wahab Teffaha, said “Aviation security has become a foremost priority, equal in its importance to safety.

Emirates is known to use the latest technologies and techniques in all operational domains including aviation security. Combining Emirates’ experience with the educational expertise of Edith Cowan University, and the regional expertise of the AACO RTC, we believe these customised courses will deliver high-quality training to industry professionals.”

Junior Achievement, CBN drive financial literacy among students

By Dayo Adesulu

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UNIOR Achievement Nigeria (JAN) as part of its dedication to build a financial literate generation will partner Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and other financial institutions in celebrating Global Money Week with Financial Literacy Day on March 12, 2015.

The event scheduled to hold simultaneously in selected schools across the Nation will to empower the next generation to be confident, money savvy global citizens.

Global Money Week is a worldwide celebration from March 9th to 17th 2015 to empower the next generation to be confident, money savvy global citizens.

Efua Edeh, Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria observes that Financial literacy is the key to the financial independence and economic sustainability of Nigeria’s youth.

According to her, “The Financial literacy framework at the student education level will help to empower youth to think critically, understand financial products and create their own livelihoods.

In 2014, Executives members of CBN and twenty four (24) Financial Institutions with JAN staff and volunteers were present in twenty-nine (29) different locations across the country educating students on a Seven (7) Module of Financial Literacy curriculum specially designed by JAN. Financial institution executives were trained by JAN to teach the basics of Financial Literacy to primary and secondary students in public and private schools across the Nation thus jump starting their financial knowledge

which will have a life-long impact on all participants.

Last year’s theme was “Financial Literacy 101 and this year’s theme is “Growing your Money.

In some locations, the State Governor, Commissioners and other top government officials were in attendance to support the financial literacy initiative for youths in their States. It was a very interactive session with the students as there was room for questions and answers.

The 2014 Financial Literacy Day programme was a success as a total of 4,103 students were educated across the country. First Bank Nigeria Plc went on to adopt three (3) schools they mentor once a month on financial literacy based on the modules created by JAN. This year we hope to replicate this success with other partner banks and increase

our student outreach.

CBN states that the National Financial Inclusion Strategy aims to reduce the number of citizens that have no access to financial literacy data from 46.3 to 20 percent by 2020. Junior Achievement Nigeria is part of JA Worldwide, the world’s oldest and largest non-profit economic education organization operating in 121 countries globally.

Junior Achievement is dedicated to building a bridge between the classroom and the workplace by encouraging young people by enabling them understands global economic systems. JA started operations in Nigeria in the last quarter of 1999, and has reached over 400,000 students in over seven hundred and fifty (750) schools across Nigeria and over one thousand (1,000) trained volunteers.

Sculpt your life into a masterpiece

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NCE upon a time, there lived the Medicis who were the wealthiest and most powerful family at Italy at the time. The Medicis commissioned Michelangelo to create a statue for the main square in Florence and immediately Michelangelo set his mind to accomplish his goal. After two years of intense search Michelangelo discovered a huge slab of marble on a side street of Florence covered with dirt, overgrown with weeds.

Amazingly, he had treaded this street several times never discovering the marble, but on that particular day he looked more closely and looked beyond the apparent into the potential embedded in it. Michelangelo began to envision the statue of David in its entirety in the block of marble. This also could be evident in human lives, many people have become so familiar with their lives that they “walk” pass themselves never discovering the limitless wealth or potentials that lie dormant.

Moreover, to fuel this ignorance those closest to us have been so accustomed to us that they do not see “see” the greatness in us.

Burdened with this ignorance we look outside ourselves for the success we seek; we fail to understand that all we ever needed to become a success lies inside of us.

The sculptor uncovered the dirt from the marble and hauled it to his studio; he began to work on the marble. He engaged in the arduous task of hammering and chiseling and it took two years of work to create the rough outline of the statue. He spent another two years polishing and sanding before the statue was complete. Finally, the work was completed and the once ordinary marble became a marvel to behold. Thousands of people

NTI tasks six states on Maths, Science teachers training

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he Director General and Chief Executive of National Teachers Institute (NTI), Dr Aminu Ladan Sharehu has called on six states within the federation yet to participate in the Strengthening Mathematics and Science Education (SMASE) training to take advantage of the programme to boost their teachers skills as no nation can grow above the quality of its teachers.

Dr. Sharehu made this call while declaring open the Cycle II 5th Cohort training for participants from Abia, Borno, Cross River, Ebonyi, Kebbi and Kwara State at the institute’s headquarters in Kaduna.

The Director General identified the states yet to participate in the training programme as Bayelsa,

Rivers, Edo, Kano, Jigawa, Ogun and Adamawa State. He however pointed out that 25 states have participated in the Cohort II with 10 states successfully cascading the training to teachers at the grass root.

He called on the SMASE trainers to ensure that the teachers from the ten states that have cascaded the training in their respective states participate in the Cohort III to boost their skill further. He urged the participants to ensure they get the best of the training and impact it to the teachers at the grass root back at home. “We need well trained Science and mathematics teachers to move the nation forward as no nation can grow above the quality of its teachers”

he stressed.

Also speaking, the representative of Minister of Education, Joseph Chimezi Aguiyi who also doubled as the National Coordinator of SMASE, applauded the progress made so far by the NTI in the implementation and training of participants in the Cohort and cycles. He stressed that they face challenges in implementing the SMASE but they will find means to overcome them.

He however frowned at the practice where some states refused to utilized core teachers who have participated in the training to train teachers back home and at the grass roots but rather contract the training to another outfit.

from all over Italy gathered in the main square to behold this masterpiece. When it was unveiled; people cheered.

Women fainted. The sight was awesome and people were gripped in wonder at the “breath-taking” masterpiece.

Immediately, Michelangelo was recognized as the greatest sculptor of his age. Michelangelo was asked how he was able to create such a masterpiece, he replied by saying that he saw the David complete and perfect in the marble. All he had to do was to remove everything that was not the David, and there lies the secret of living the ideal life. After several hundreds of years, the statue of David is perceived as the most beautiful piece of sculptor in the world.

We are the sculptor of our destinies and the master of our fate. We are the script-writer; director; producer; actor or actress of our life-movie on the stage of life. However, in our life-movie there are no dress-rehearsals.

The big question is; are we going to sculpt our lives into a masterpiece that will outlive us?

Are we going to make our lifemovie to be impressed on the legacy of history? Or are we going to allow the vagaries of circumstances; past conditioning; and our environment to shape our lives by default into a pitiable state bombarded by failure? Just like the marble was buried in dirt and overgrown with weeds, our potentials are buried beneath weaknesses, faults and failures.

All we need to do is to look beyond the apparent into the kind of person we can become. An indepth look at ourselves will reveal to us untapped treasures and infinite wealth yet to be explored; but it takes a diligent search within to discover it. As Michelangelo saw the statue of David in its entirety, we should have a mental picture of the kind of person we want to be; what we want to do with our lives and what we want to have in the course of destiny. The shortest route to failure is having no ideals; values and vision to live by. When our behavior is guided and shaped by the “anything goes” mentality; we will end up in the “nowhere” reality.

Remember, when we are indifferent towards life; our lives will never make a difference. The trade mark of greatness is being clear about your values, visions and ideals and daily evolving into the high standard you have set for yourself. We must allow this ideal to grow within us and we must work on making it a reality; removing everything that is not in harmony with your mental picture.

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Untainted retired judges should participate in election tribunals — Okulaja MR. Yemi Okulaja is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

He graduated from the University of Ife and he was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1974. He was conferred with the prestigious rank of SAN in 1998 and he has been in practice for about 38 years now.

In this interview, he spoke on the postponement of the general election, Rivers state judiciary, election petitions, criminal matters brought against political office holders and other sundry issues.

Excerpts:

By Onozure Dania

F

EARS are being e x p r e s s e d in some quarters that the elections may still be postponed again. What are the likely implications of this, considering the last postponement?

I think we are still on course as far as handing over is concerned because the tenure of this government comes to an end on May 28 and by May 29 a new government should be sworn-in. I think that there is another proviso that there should be a 30 days within the time of election and the time a new government will take over.

Provisions of the constitution But any further delay will be unconstitutional because it will mean that we would not be able to adhere to the provisions of the constitution as to elections and the handing over to the new government.

What is your take on the 180 days time-frame given to determine election petitions?

The problem is on how matters are handled. It would be possible for the matter to be given accelerated hearing because it is very bad that when elections are concluded, someone has been sworn in as governor and then election petition is still going on.

For instance, look at the presidency, since the inception of this country, there has never been any instance where you have election petition in respect of the presidency and then the

court would remove the person who has been swornin and another person will replace him, it has never happened and it may not happen.

In Awolowo’s case, the Supreme Court justice went as far as saying the judgement should not be used as a precedence because it was more or less a political decision that how can you ask Shagari to vacate the government house for Aw o l o w o . S o everybody knew and they were playing politics about it, I believe that you should not allow a governor or somebody to almost exhaust his term in office before you conclude an election petition.

So 180 days is sufficient.

Should serving judges take part in election petitions?

There is nothing wrong in serving judges taking part.

But I believe we have a large crop of retired judges who although have retired but are still mentally active and who can handle this election petitions.

Election petitions This is because the court system is over burdened by strenuous matters that will cause delay. For instance, if you take a judge to go and serve on the panel of an election petition, what will happen to all the cases assigned to him?

It happened to me in Oyo state, the judge before whom I had a case that has lasted

Stakeholders seek overhaul of justice sector

•Yemi Okulaja for 14 years was assigned to participate in election petition tribunal. I had to wait for her to come back and that was an additional two years to the number of years the case had been in court. That is why I believe we should make use of retired judges, because judges retires at the age of 65

I believe that we can still get retired judges particularly those with clean records without any blemish after retirement to serve on the panel of election petition

— Page 35

and some of them are still very mentally alert five, ten years after they might have retired.

Again the issue of corruption comes in, unless somebody is really a perverted, when you retired, your anxiety to make billions out of the election petition will be greatly reduced.

Look at me now, I am 63 years, my best years are behind me what do I want to achieve now? All my children are graduates and married. It is only what my wife and I will eat that I am looking for. You cannot compare it with a man who is still on top of his games at 45 and ambitious who are getting offers from politicians.

I believe that we can still get retired judges particularly those with clean records without any blemish after retirement to serve on the panel of election petition.

Does the 1999 constitution contemplate an interim government?

No. It does not contemplate an interim government, the idea of interim government was brought in by Babangida, he wanted to vacate and he arranged for Shonekan to take over. Most of the bad things that we have in our governance today were introduced by the military who did not feel there was any

How tribunal decided Osun governorship petition

need to adhere to any constitutional or legal procedures that were laid down. There is no provision for an interim government in our constitution, but they said that it is in charge of necessity because of our situation in Nigeria. Nobody can walk up to the presidency and say I want to be the president its always negotiated between the power blocks in the country.

Degree in management May be if the negotiation breaks down now, they would begin to look for an interim government.

The Rivers State Judiciary has been in comatose since June last year over the appointment of the Chief Judge of that state. What is your view on this?

Well it’s quite unfortunate the whole thing has been politicised. Right from the time of the colonial government we have a system in place whereby it is the most senior Judge that will be appointed as the Chief Judge of a State and that has always been because a judge is not under compulsion to have a degree

Continues on page 34

— Page 36

34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

‘Non implementation of confab recommendations is Jonathan’s problem' Continues from page 33 in management. We are not businessmen, who ever finds himself as the most senior judge will be appointed as the CJ. Because our profession operates mostly on seniority, in fact if two lawyers were called to bar the same day you must be able to determine who is the senior among them.

We are called to Bar alphabetically, so if my name starts from A then I must be able to call my case before a person whose name starts with B or C. So, that is how it is, that is how we operate.

Things started collapsing when the soldiers started planning coup, and coming into governance. That is what has brought us to the situation in Rivers state.

For the first time in the history of judiciary in the country, they now started taking a number four judge to be the Chief Judge.

Maintenance of security Politics has now come in, Justice Agumagu was the most senior judge although he was redeployed to the customary Court of Appeal but he still maintains his seniority, and that does not affect the fact that he is the most senior judge. I believe that Agumagu should be the chief judge of the state.

Lagos State has opened a register to document records of serial rapists. How do you see this exercise?

Well it’s okay, if it is not just to create a black book and use it for some other purposes rather than what it is meant for. This is because, in other civilised countries when you are convicted of rape there is legal provision that they should make your identity known in the area where you

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

settle. So that people will know that the man is a threat to young women in the area.

This will prevent him from having another opportunity.

This is because rape is almost an offence of opportunity, I cannot rape somebody who is in Ibadan, I can only rape people who are very close to me.

You will see all these young men inviting girls into their room, or maybe if they are left alone in the house with the rapists and then he would attack.

In fact, people in Britain, America and more organised countries even go beyond that, they would make sure that all the people in the area as well as social workers are aware because once you are a rapist, the chances that you will repeat that offence is there.

Protection of society So the government has the duty to protect the society, somebody who has committed an offence has lost the right to be treated as a normal human being.

Notwithstanding pending criminal matters brought against some political office holders we still see many of them occupying executive positions. What is your reaction on this?

Under the judicial system, a man is presumed innocent until his case is closed in court. In a civilized trial if you stood trial, once you are convicted you are disqualified and you have to wait until you have been redeemed at the court of appeal before you can start something and once your name or your record is dented you have to be vindicated before you can run for an office.

This is because we have to

•Yemi Okulaja...government has duty to protect citizens agree that something is wrong with us here, in a civilised country once you

Some of them can only be done by Act of the parliament, there are some that can be done by the executive fiat that has been the problem of Jonathan’s government

make any serious allegation against a public official, he resigns and goes but in Nigeria once you make any allegation that somebody has committed a crime he will still be in the office and occupying the position.

It is only in Africa that there is a sit tight syndrome that we have. Look at Mugabe who is 90 years old and he is still in power it is basically an African thing. Look at Mandela if he had decided to stay nobody will stop him but he just decided to leave.

What is your take on the none implementation of the national conference recommendations?

All these conferences that we have had were meant to buy time, it’s always political and

they were like a top shop even before the inauguration of the last conference, I knew that we were not going to get to anywhere.

There is no where the outcome or the decisions of such conferences can be implemented and the president had his way when he inaugurated it, he spent a lot of money to buy time and kept people quiet and he succeeded in doing that otherwise they had a lot of time to implement them and he did not see any reason to ask them to implement the recommendations.

Some of them can only be done by Act of the parliament, there are some that can be done by the executive fiat that has been the problem of Jonathan’s government.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—35

Interactive session on justice sector

Stakeholders seek overhaul of justice sector

L

AWYERS, judicial workers and other stakeholders in Plateau State have called for an overhaul of the states’ justice sector.

Speaking at a stakeholders interactive session in Jos, participants, called on the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Mr Simon Lalong to carry out a comprehensive, if he is elected.

The event was to have held last week but was postponed in honour of the victims of the twin bomb blast which claimed many lives in the state.

One minute silence was observed for the victims before the commencement of the programme.

Participants raised a lot of issues affecting justice delivery in the state including non payment of salary of judges and Magistrates, judicial workers, dilapidated court buildings, lack of courts rooms, the non issuance of Certificate of Occupancy to members of the public in the State in the last few years except the ones issued to members of the ruling family in the state. They decried the way and manner the current government in the state was run.

They urged Lalong to give them a breath of fresh air in the state if he was elected the governor of the state.

Lalong said he was aware of the challenges of the Justice sector and ready, willing and prepared to tackle them once given the mandate in the forthcoming elections. He said that no Judge in Plateau State will trek or jump Okada and Keke when he becomes the governor of the state.

Citing the Osun State model, Lalong

promised to build more court rooms across the state.

He promised to adopt the Yemi Osinbajo and Babatunde Fashola approach to court development. He assured even and equal distribution of developmental projects across the state if elected its governor.

Mr. Titus Mann in a chat said: “ The interactive session was wonderful, it is the first of its kind in terms of people canvassing for elective positions in Plateau Sate, it has never happened that an aspirant gathered people like we saw to explain himself and seek their input into governance.

An interactive session of all stakeholders in justice sector in Plateau State held in Jos, organised by Mr Simon Lalong, the All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in the state.

From left: Mr Simon Lalong, Prof. John Wade and Mrs Eunice Ayida Sambo.

Input into governance Lalong demonstrated a very deep understanding of the justice sector and its challenges. This event has shown that we have somebody who has taken his time to acquaint himself with the problems of the state and is ready to tackle them head on, I mean that we have never had it this way in Jos.” On his part, Mr. Nankin Bagudu said: “ The state has suffered so much in terms of justice delivery, the justice sector is in a mess. In the past 16 years not a single court room has been built in Plateau State. We still operate the laws of Northern Nigeria, many courts in the rural areas of the state sit only once a week and in the rainy season they don’t sit at all. There is also the problem of corruption which compounds the whole thing, so, Lalong has a lot to do if he emerges.”

From left: Mr Sam Damla, Mr Jonathan Mawiyau and Chairman Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Pankshin branch, Chief Sunday Panwal.

Court delivers judgment on environmental sanitation suit March 16

By Bartholomew Madukwe

A

FEDERAL High Court in Lagos has reserved March 16, 2015 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking cancellation of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the state.

The presiding judge, Justice Mohammed Idris, took the decision after entertaining arguments from parties in the suit.

In the suit instituted by a Lagos based lawyer and rights crusader, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, he prayed the court for a declaration that the monthly sanitation exercise is illegal and obnoxious.

According to the lawyer, the restriction of movement that comes with the sanitation on every last Saturday of the month runs contrary to Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution.

Personal liberty He argued that Sections 35 and 41 of the Constitution guarantee the right of every citizen to personal liberty and freedom of movement, adding that such restriction of movement violates Article XII of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

Adegboruwa explained that his decision to file the suit came sequel to his arrest on June 29, 2013 by security operatives while he was on his way to Channels Television

to honour an invitation to feature on a live programme tagged “Sunrise.”

The lawyer maintained that officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority blocked the road and prevented him from moving.

He therefore prayed the court to, “Declare that the Lagos State Government and its agents do not have any legal backing to restrict movement of Lagos residents on the last Saturday of the month.

“A declaration of the court that the respondents could not, as of right, arrest and detain any Lagos residents found moving on either state or Federal Government roads during such imposed monthly sanitation exercise.”

Adegboruwa stated that, “The fact that an act has endured for years would not be a reason for the court not to strike it down.

I will pray my Lord to give a ruling before March 28, which is another last Saturday of the month and free myself and other Lagosians from this obnoxious practice.”

However in opposing, lawyer to the Lagos State government, Jonathan Ogunsanya, asked the court to throw out Adegboruwa’s application for being an abuse of court process and for failure to disclose any material fact.

Ogunsanya further revealed that the Environmental Sanitation Law of Lagos State made provision for the Commissioner for Environment to make regulations geared towards ensuring clean environment and public safety.

From left: Mr Saliu Chaka, Mr Jim Gotom, Secretaru Plateau State Judicial Services Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, Mr Yerima Solomon and former Second Vice President of the NBA, Mr, Steve Abar.

From left: Mr Nankin Bagudu, Mr Luka C. Fwangyil and Mr Garba Pwul, SAN.

From left: Sup of Prisons, Mr Wash B i t r u s , representing the Comptroller of Prisons, Plateau State Command, Martins Apende and Mr Mohammed Gaigare.

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

I

n the final analysis, our judgment is that, from the totality of the evidence led before us in this petition, and from the findings we have made in the foregoing, the Petitioners have clearly failed to discharge the burden placed on them by law, to establish that the result declared by the 3rd Respondent with respect to the polling units being questioned in all the 17 Local Government Areas of Osun State, with respect to the Governorship election held on August9, 2014, were invalid or void by reason of corrupt practices and or substantial non compliance with the provisions of the Electoral st Act 2010 (as amended); or that it was the 1 Petitioner who scored the majority of lawful votes cast at the said elections, to be entitled to be returned as winner thereof. In other words, the Petitioners have failed to lead relevant, credible and or cogent evidence to sustain all the grounds upon which they questioned the declaration and st return of the 1 Respondent as the duly elected Governor of Osun State with respect to the Governorship Election conducted in the State. st Quite clearly, the 1 Respondent won the majority of lawful votes cast in scoring 394,684 st votes as against the 1 Petitioner’s 292,747 votes, and having satisfied all Constitutional requirements, we hereby affirm the declaration st rd and return of 1 Respondent by the 3 Respondent as the duly elected Governor of Osun State. Consequently, we hereby refuse all the reliefs sought in the petition and the petition therefore fails and it will be and is hereby dismissed. In the interest of peaceful co-existence and reconciliation amongst all contending parties, we shall make no order as to costs.

This is our judgment.

HON. JUSTICE ELIZABETH NGUVEREN KPOJIME (Chairman) The above was the climax of the long awaited judgment of the Osun State Election P etition T ribunal as Petition Tribunal deliver ed by T ribunal Chair man. delivered Tribunal Chairman.

Exerpts from the ruling: It is the assertion of the P etitioners Petitioners that the 1st and 2nd Respondents did not poll majority of the lawful votes cast at the said election. It is trite law that the burden rests on them to prove their assertion.

See sections 32 and 133 of the Evidence Act,2010, and the case of CPC v.INEC (2011) 18 NWLR (Pt.1279) 493 at 544-545 SC. The Petitoners are calling on the Tribunal to cancel all the unlawful votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents by the 3rd Respondent.

PW1 testified in paragraph 39 of his deposition that: “39- if the results credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents in polling units of the wards and Local Governments challenged by the Petitioners in this petition are cancelled, the Petitioners will have majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and will also have not less than 25 percent votes in 2/3rd of Osun State.”

Case of the petitioners Since it is not the case of the Petitioners that the 1st and 2nd Respondents did not score lawful votes in any of the areas being challenged, they have by implication conceded that these Respondents scored some lawful votes in these areas. The burden is therefore on the Petitioners to determine which are unlawful votes amongst the votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents.

It is only when they have done this that the tribunal will be in a position to deduct those unlawful votes from the total votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents and determine the winner. This was the decision in the the case of Nadabo v.Dubai (2011) 7NWLR (Pt.1245) 155 at 177,

How tribunal decided Osun governorship petition IN THE GOVERNORSHIP ELECTION PETITION TRIBUNAL OSUN STATE HOLDEN AT OSOGBO TH ON FRIDAY THE 6 DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015.

BEFORE THEIR LORDSHIPS: HON. JUSTICE ELIZABETH NGUVEREN KPOJIME CHAIRMAN HON.JUSTICE VINCENT IGOMETI OFESI - MEMBER HON. JUSTICE ABUBAKAR IDRIS KUTIGI - MEMBER PETITION. NO.EPT/GOV/OS/01/2014 BETWEEN: 1. SENATOR IYIOLA OMISORE 2. PEOPLES DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PDP) PETITIONERS VS. 1. OGBENI RAUF ADESOJI AREGBESOLA 2. ALL PROGRESSIVE CONGRESS (APC) - RESPONDENTS 3. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION (INEC)

where the court held thus: “I think when a Petitioner is alleging that the Respondent is not elected by majority of lawful votes, he ought to plead and prove the votes cast at the various polling stations, the votes illegally credited to the winner, the votes which ought to have been credited to him and also the votes which should be deducted from that of the supposed winner in order to see if it will affect the results of the election. When this is not done, it will be difficult for the Court to effectively address the issue.”

At paragraph 5.1 of Exihibit 243, which is the report of the physical inspection and physical analysis of electoral documents used at the election issued by PW 15, there is a table of summary of the alleged irregularities. From this summary, the Petitioners are contending that 265,180 votes out of the 394,684 votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents are unlawful votes.

Interestingly they have also found 147, 072 unlawful votes credited to them. That if these unlawful votes are deducted fom the total votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents, these Respondents will have 129,504 valid votes. If their unlawful votes are deducted from 292,747 as credited to them at the end of the election, they would have 145,675 valid votes, thus putting them in the lead with 16,171 votes.

It however became clear during the crossexamination of PW15 by the Respondents that he in his report dealt with areas where there were no complaints from the Petitioners. In other words, Exhibit 243 covers a wider scope than that envisaged by the petition. On pages 2-4 of Table 1 is the list of all the polling units in Ayedaade Local Government. Under crossexamination by counsel to the 1st Respondent, his attention was drawn to pages 20-26 of the petition as regards Ayedaade Local Government. Only 3 wards namely Otun Balogun ward 02, Olufi ward 03 and Otun Olufi ward 04 are covered by the petition. Meanwhile table 1 pages 2-4

examination by counsel to 2nd Respondent, PW15 denies any errors in his table 2. His attention was then drawn to page 32 of table 2; unit 006 in Osogbo local government area (ward 4 Ataoja D-Union Bapt. School) where there are 766 registered voters.

As stated earlier, these certified copies were made from the original of forms EC 8A which the Respondents’ witnesses said were duly stamped. This report is a confirmation of this assertion by the Respondents. While table 3 indicates that duplicate copies of forms EC 8A were not stamped, it also indicates that there were discrepancies in the duplicate copies, that there were alterations in some duplicate copies, while some duplicate copies were not signed.

In the case of Irewole, Ikire’ C’ ward 3 unit 009 it is stated that there are different entries on CTC of form EC8A and the duplicate copy.

Polling unit 009 is Ijadubi Open space. The complaint in this unit as per the complaint in the petition is that the result of the election was not recorded as required by law and form EC8A for the unit was also not stamped.

Original and duplicate relates to all the wards within the Local Government. Similarly, his attention was drawn to pages 26-29 of the petition regarding Atakunmosa East Local Government Area. He concedes that:“On pages 26-29 of the petition, only 6 wards are being challenged while table 1 lists all the wards. Pages 29-34 of the petition relates to Boripe Local Government.

In my report I listed all the polling units in all the wards, but 5 wards are being challenged in the petition. In Ede North contained on pages 34-38 of the petition, my report covers all the units in this Local Government. “ Table 2 in Exhibit 243 lists polling units with registered voters above 300 which do not have voting points. According to PW 15, he relied on Exhibit 186, the Manual in reaching his conclusion that if there are more than 300 voters in a polling unit and no voting points are created, the votes will be invalidated. He referred to page 5 of the Manual which contains an introductory statement by Professor Abubakar Momoh.

This statement is to the effect that“This Manual draws on the various modifications introduced by the commission particularly on accreditation and voting procedure at polling units with more than three hundred registered voters.”

We however do not see this as a legal requirement that a voting point must be created where the It is number of registered voters exceeds 300. however There is no law not their stipulating that where registered voters exceed evidence 300 and no voting that points are created, the accredited votes cast in such a polling unit should be voters cancelled. Even the said who were manual itself does not so. Based on this not on the state erroneous assumption, queue at PW15 in table 2 says votes the time of 252,030 accredited to the 1st and counting 2nd Respondents are affected, while 139,789 were not of the votes credited to allowed to the Petitioners are affected. Under crossvote

While PW15 has noted some discrepancies in the CTC of form EC8A and their duplicate counterparts, he conceded under crossexamination by Prof. Osinbajo SAN for 2nd Respondent that•I have seen table 3 of my report. I did not point out any discrepancy in the result stated on the original and duplicate of form EC8A.” Table 5 in Exhibit 243 seeks to show areas where the total votes cast are more than the voters on the queue. For instance, in ward 3 unit 016 of Oriade Local Government the table shows that whereas there were 44 voters on the queue, the total votes cast was 54. The Petitioners are implying that extra votes were” imported.” While APC had 306 of such “imported “votes, PDP had 163. The evidence of all the witnesses for the Petitioners and the Respondents is that all accredited voters were a:lowed to vote. It is also their evidence that the accredited voters were told to go and come back at 12noon when voting would commence.

It is however not their evidence that accredited voters who were not on the queue at the time of counting were not allowed to vote. All that is required of an accredited voter is to ensure that he casts his vote before voting closes. What is clear from the totality of the testimony of PW 15 is that the alleged unlawful votes include votes from wards and units not in contention in the petition.

With the inclusion of votes from areas not in dispute, his over-all summary cannot be relied upon as representing the true situation.

Upon a calm consideration of the totality of Exhibit 243, we entirely agree with the Respondents that it has been so discredited that no reasonable Tribunal can rely on it to hold that the votes credited to the 1st and 2nd Respondents are unlawful.

Page 131-136 of the judgment deliver ed delivered

by Hon. Justice Elizabeth Nguveren Kpojime; Hon. Justice Vincent Igometi Ofesi and Hon. Justice Abubakar Idris Kutigi on F riday the 6th Day of F ebr uar y, Friday Febr ebruar uary 2015.

(This summary was put together by Ibrahim L awal, esq, and Ayo Akinola Lawal, Akinola, arpa).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—37

out with an exact figure outstanding because the government had to be appropriately briefed to know the plight of those affected including serving civil servants, retired as well as the aspects of contributions.

Alhaji Khadi said the first committee earlier set up came out with some useful suggestions that led to Governor Mu,azu Babangida Aliyu to split the Pension Board into two because the work load was too much for one permanent secretary.

“If the civil servants are not getting what they are entitled to, then it is our responsibility to investigate what is happening.

Already, Labour has served us with a letter drawing our attention to the anomalies with emphasis to the fact that government is not complying with the provision of the law in respect of the pension and that based on this, they are opting out of the scheme and we are still investigating.

Non-remittance: Niger workers threaten to opt out of CPS, write state govt

By Wole Mosadomi

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UBLIC workers in Niger State have written to the state government to officially opt out of the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, to protest government's refusal to pay its corresponding contribution as required by law.

However, government has described the move to opt out as hasty and unwarranted since the scheme is backed up by law.

Speaking through the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Niger State chapter, the workers said they were withdrawing from the scheme because the aim had been defeated and the scheme was of no benefit to them any longer.

The state NLC asked the government to stop deducting from members’ salaries into the pension scheme with effect from last month (February) and that failure to comply might lead to industrial unrest in the state.

Speaking to Pension and You in Minna, Niger State, chairman of NLC, Yahaya Idris Ndako, said workers had no other option than to opt out because of failure of government to meet up with the agreement and law setting up the scheme.

Corresponding contribution According to him, it had been discovered that it was only the civil servants that had been complying with the contribution of the 7.5 of their salaries to the scheme without any corresponding contribution from the government as demanded by law. ”Our investigations have shown that State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, and the Ministry of Local Government have not remitted their own side of the funds for more than two years. Many of the retired teachers are either dead without receiving their benefits while those who are still alive are roaming the streets with tattered clothes and slippers. Labour has decided to pull out of the two schemes 7.5 and 2-3 contributory schemes completely and if government says no, a battle line will be drawn with government.

The letter to this effect has already been forwarded to the state government through office of the Head of Service. Government has already violated the law by not remitting to the Pension Board, workers have been suffering in silence and we don’t want our workers to continue to die without collecting their entitlements.

Ndako who spoke with Pension and You after the State Executive Council, SEC, meeting on the matter, claimed the pension

zAlhaji Abdulhameed Khadi Kuta Head of Service, Niger State

scheme had failed, saying “the law says if you retire before the age of 60, you will be given 25% because that time, one is still agile, but when you work for 35years and above 60years, you are supposed to be given 50% and the rest 50% will be spread over the months and even with that 50% spread you will be getting interest on it but they are not doing so and we have discovered that it is not a good scheme and we are opting out.”

On possibility of returning to the scheme if the law is amended, he said, “we don’t even want it again. Let it go. Even if the law is amended, we don’t want it again.”

Aggrieved civil servants and some retired civil servants faulted the scheme claiming it was a policy designed to surcharge civil servants.

Our investigations have shown that State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, and the Ministry of Local Governments have not remitted their side of the funds for more than two years

zYahaya Idris Ndako Niger State NLC chairman

They referred to other schemes including the National Housing Scheme, NHS, where many contributors, (civil servants) were allegedly defrauded of millions of naira, insisting that this contributory pension scheme was more or else a replica of the past. ”In fairness, these schemesHousing, Pension among others are good if they are sincerely implemented but unfortunately, some people are using the scheme to defraud innocent civil servants thereby frustrating the project. Honestly, we and particularly myself as a civil servant are no longer keen on all these schemes especially this pension scheme. It is a fraud and some people are only there to cheat us the civil servants”, a civil servant, Malam Mohammed Kabiru declared.

Waiting for the opportunity Another civil servant, Abubakar Alkali said, “I have been waiting for this opportunity to speak my mind on this issue. Left for me, I am not interested in the scheme from day one. I will like a situation whereby our pension is paid like before when substantial part will be paid in bulk after retiring and the second part spread monthly until death. If I am paid my pension and I marry with it or buy a car with it, it is not anybody’s business because it is my sweat and I can spend or enjoy it anyhow I feel instead of some people who did not suffer with me to be defrauding and enjoying my sweat. They should stop the scheme and any other contributory scheme immediately.”

Alhaji Isiaku Malam who retired two years ago simply said.

“I did not bargain for what I am

receiving as my pension today.

My expectation like any of the most retired civil servants is that we should enjoy our sweat at the end of our labour by collecting our pension full and as at when due but the opposite is what we are experiencing now. I am tired with the scheme like any other retired worker and our plea is that it should be stopped and thank God, our leaders- NLC in the state has taken action on it.

Government's response However, the state government responding through the Head of Service, Alhaji Abdulhameed Khadi Kuta, said in as much as an individual or group of people have powers to agitate for their rights or protest against any form of intimidation, the law binding any agreement needed to be strictly looked into before taking steps.

According to him, “opting out of a scheme backed up by law is not an easy thing to do. The constitution of the country is not just a compilation by me or you and so, one cannot say because you don’t like a part of the constitution, then you will kick against that aspect. The law has to be enforced.

The Head of Service observed that Labour is complaining that they are not receiving anything and that the civil servants who are the beneficiaries are not getting their current value of their benefits but even with this, to opt out at this stage is not even the issue, a lot of work need to be carried out further because as at now, there is no statistics to show how much exactly or who is actually owing who.”

The Head of Service said he had set up a committee to come

Proferring a solution One vital issue raised which the government is investigating immediately is the claim by the Labour that N3billion is owed pension Board by SUBEB and the state Ministry of Local Government and this is a big challenge to us. In other words, what they are saying is that government has refused to pay to the appropriate quartres who are the civil servants. This is a shock to me and even to government and so, we need to find out so that if it is true, we need to know the exact amount, from which month and period so that I will be able to go before the government with facts figures and then proffer a solution to it instead of threatening to opt out of the schemes,” he remarked.

The Head of Service said from his personal investigations, it was on record that even two weeks ago, the state remitted its own money adding that government was remitting.

He noted that the state had no problem on the agreement because it did not owe.

The problem according to him, could be from the local government while the little problem the state government could have was the variation in calculation which he said was not the fault of government but that of the system which was being looked into.

According to him, the argument of the NLC was whether the people that had retired so far were enjoying the scheme as contained in the law and secondly, they suspected that while deductions were being made by the civil servants, they were not sure whether government was also fulfilling its own side of the agreement and whether the money was even being remitted to the appropriate quarters.

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 20 15 2015

BITS Bits

Nted donates 20 brand new cars to MWUN officials

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RESIDENT-GENERAL of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, Comrade Tony Emmanuel Nted, has given out 20 brand new cars to officials of the union for their personal use.

The cars, Space star, a Mitsubishi brand, were given to the recipients including a woman, during a special Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting of the union.

Speaking at the presentation, Comrade Nted said the cars cost him N53 million with each costing over N2.6million.

According to him, the cars were bought with his personal savings, saying he started saving towards the purchase of the cars since April last year and noted they were meant to ease the mobility of the recipients.

Nted said: “I am not doing this because I am rich because I have been saving towards this since April last year. I am giving the cars out from my sweat and from my heart.”

Commending the PresidentGeneral for the gesture, the Secretary-General of the Union, Comrade Aham Ubani, said the union was unique among the comity of trade unions and that members saw themselves as a family and true comrades.

He eulogized the President General of the union, saying members had never had it so good as many had been taken abroad for capacity building among others.

Responding on behalf of the recipients, the union’s Deputy General Secretary, Organising, Abudu Eroje, lauded Comrade Nted for making it possible for them to own a brand new car, praying that God would continue to bless him and grant him good health and long life.

3,019 delegates decide NLC's future today

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

I

F everything goes well, Abdulwaheed Omar, will hand over to a new president of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC that will either take Congress to the next level or quicken its move into oblivion from the Olympian heights that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole left it in 2007.

Though Omar's emergence as President of Congress in 2007 was regarded as a child of necessity after the person “being groomed” to take over from Comrade Oshiomhole was not presented for election by his union, it is however debatable whether Comrade Fidelix Edeh, who was voted against to elect Omar because of his perceived closeness to the late Abacha government would not have performed better today.

There is no doubt that every well-meaning union, labour leader and delegate to today’s NLC election knows that the NLC of today is not the same NLC Comrade Oshiomhole left in 2007.

Neither industrial unions nor state councils of NLC can stand up to say Congress leadership in the past eight years has bettered their lots and made them proud.

For example, state councils of Congress have not been funded since 2007 and money centrally paid as dues to NLC national secretariat, the state councils have not been paid their rebates in the past eight years and most of them have become appendages of the state governments.

Funding of state councils

Unfortunately, the Financial Committee comprising Congress President, Treasurer, General Secretary, and Financial Secretary among others, whose primary duty is to see to the funding of the state councils, deliberately refused to pay rebates to the state councils.

In fact, the committee deliberately refused to work out a rebate system to pay state councils their dues. This situation has made state councils to be at loggerheads with the NLC leadership. This of course, has paralysed the state councils to the extent that they cannot pay their bills, forcing them to be at the mercy of state governors.

Investigations have revealed that the principal actors ahead of Congress’s election have sidelined the state chairmen and secretaries of NLC who are members of National Executive Council, NEC, and are dealing with the Presidents and Secretaries of the industrial Comrade Tony Emmanuel Nted unions to get the NLC position.

*Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and former President of NLC (left), arriving at the opening ceremony of the inconclusive 11th National Delegates Conference of NLC at International Conference Centre, Abuja, alongside Comrade Issa Aremu, General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN.

One hopes the Presidents and General Secretaries have their thinking caps on because some of these actors, the positions they presently occupy in Congress have only been used for personal aggrandizement. Their trade mark is “use and dump”.

For years, some of these actors have been leaders of anticasualisation campaign by Congress. Since 2007 till date, one cannot remember a single picketing or threat of picketing by the committee, both in the public and private sector.

As at today, the level of casualisation and outsourcing of workers in both private and public sectors is better imagined than told. The situation today is that permanent workers are being

sacked only to be reengaged as casual workers.

It is a common knowledge that the Kriston-Lally Housing fraud has brought shame and disrepute to Congress; these individuals also are leaders of the KristonLally committee and sanctioned every deal concerning the controversial scheme. But today, they are going about denying their roles in the fraud which has led to the death of some contributors. They are even claiming they were not part of the several trips out of the country on the tickets of Kriston-Lally Housing committee. These people have no shame. They can simply not be trusted. The best way to describe them is that they are labour contractors.

Even in their unions, they have become demi-gods where their words and actions must be obeyed without question. They have equally squandered their unions’ resources just to maintain their self delusions.

There must be secret ballot

There is no doubt that every well meaning union, labour leader and delegate to today’s NLC election knows that the NLC of today is not the same NLC Comrade Oshiomhole left in 2007

Like the saying goes, the guilty are always afraid. Because these people are even afraid of their shadows, and have no regard for the constitution, they have been pushing and canvassing for block voting pattern. Instead of the secret ballot that the constitution of NLC recognizes, they are asking delegates to show one another who they voted for because of the fear that delegates who are not zombies would vote according to their conscience.

Delegates should be allowed to vote for the candidates of their choice, those they believe will not

trample on NLC’s constitution, those who will fight casualisation of workers, those who will not, after deceiving workers to key into a fraudulent housing scheme, turn round to deny their roles.

At this critical period, the leaders that Nigerian workers need are those who can look at the face of government or business owners and tell them that workers deserve their just and fair dues.

There was once an NLC that was the pride of Nigerian workers, that government and employers respected, that every Nigerian identified with and was respected internationally.

International respect Delegates have the opportunity to be part of history and vote for leaders that will restore NLC lost glory, that every Nigerian worker will want to identify with, that will fight for the oppressed, the neglected, the forsaken, the abused and the denied.

Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are, so they say.

This is a period that NLC does not need as leaders those who trample on union’s constitution, leaders who are sit tight, leaders after serving eight years as presidents, transmute as General Secretary, leaders who are tribal, ethnic and sectional champions instead of national champions.

The choice is for 3019 delegates to make. When you vote, remember that the decision you make today could either mar or make the Congress and ultimately, mortgage the future of this generation and generation yet unborn.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—39

Austria and Nigeria are remarkably interesting— Hengstler, Austrian envoy

By Vera Anyagafu, Victor Gotevbe & Prisca Duru

T

H E A u s t r i a Embassy’s Commercial Counselor to Nigeria, Nella Hengstler, has indicated that Austria houses a good number of Nigerian nationals and that both countries are remarkably interesting and maintain a most cordial bi-national relationship.

Nella who expressed satisfaction over the cordial relationship both countries share, especially in the bi-trade ties, said Nigeria is Austria cherished partner and both countries shall remain committed to issues that will keep promoting their mutual interests. The Commercial Counselor spoke during a meeting with Vanguard Consular Advisory and the President, Good Governance Initiative (GGI), Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, noted that Austria is reputed for manufacturing durable lace materials and quality energy drinks.

“We have more visitors in Austria than its population and we hope to be friendlier to our guests and also hope to ensure

their maximum comfort, either as visitors or residents. Austria is in the center of Europe and is highly reputed to manufacturing and exporting long serving quality machineries across the world and this is one of our basic exports to Nigeria, in addition to other services solutions”, Nella said.

She further expressed the need for increased bi-trade relations in those areas, stressing that many Nigerians are unaware of the fact that Austria manufactures a wide range of products other than its significant tourism attractions.

“The bi-trade partnership Austria share with Nigeria is a success and has significantly contributed to promoting healthy economic growth and high job creations in both countries economies. This strong partnership made it possible for both countries key business locations and I am particularly optimistic that our huge contributions to sustaining this bi-national ties in key sectors of our economies will progressively place us in the category of the most economically successful countries across the universe.”

Also urging constant energy

supply in the country, which she described as an issue seeking urgent attention, the Counselor said that that Nigeria, as the giant of Africa needs to come out with a comprehensive roadmap for Power Sector Reform to enable progression in major key areas.

She posited that constant power supply in Nigeria will go a long way to decreasing the number of unemployed individuals across the country and would also attract foreign investments, which in turn will bring about progressive economic growth.

Economic growth In a similar development, the President Good Governance Initiative (GGI), and strong advocate for constant power supply in Nigeria, Mr. Festus Mbisiogu, expressed his bitterness over the dampening power situation in the country.

He told the meeting that the poor situation of power in the country is discouraging, adding that a good number of Diaspora Nigerians are not too comfortable investing in the country as a

•(L-R) Victor Gotevbe, Nella Hengstler, Vera Anyagafu and Festus Mbisiogu

result of this.

He therefore appeals to the Federal government of Nigeria and all responsible regulating authorities to ensure that Nigerians are provided constant power supply so as to reduce the number of industries collapsing in the country as a result of inconsistent power supply.

His words, “If the Nigerian government succeeds in addressing the present power supply problem in the country, there would be multiple impressive results in our economy and the rate of unemployment would be reduced significantly. In other words, many of our youths, particularly those who are migrating out of the country in search of better opportunities

would have been discouraged with the provision of necessary infrastructures in the country, The strategic planning and coordination to reducing the number of youths migrating out of the country lies in the hands of the government. If Nigerians are empowered with good infrastructure and constant power supply there would be rapid rise in its economy.”

Still sharing in Nella’s views, Mbisiogu, further stated that Nigeria has all it takes to becoming the world’s strongest economy, for fact that it has the capability to put to a stop, the issue of epileptic power supply.

Our role under GGI, is basically to continue advocating for the implementation of the policies in respect of constant power supply.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

State.

Even more worrisome for many observers was the about 41 per cent failure rate of the Smart Card Readers in cross matching the fingerprints of card holders to their cards.

Even while trying to sort out the reason for that, the commission officials it seemed, appeared to be satisfied that other basic objectives of the card reader had been met, throwing out arguments to abandon its use.

INEC nevertheless, resolved to redo the exercise in Ebonyi given what was claimed as the exceptionally high rate of failure in that state. However, in every other state the Commission was satisfied that the basic duty of the card reader, to wit, to authenticate the genuineness of the Permanent Voter Card, PVC was in almost all cases satisfactorily achieved.

Potential voter

•Card reader

CARD READERS: Lessons from other lands NIGERIA is following the trend of several less endowed African countries in adopting biometrics in the voters register. Though it is the beginning of a fair election, the beginning has in many cases on the continent been fraught with embarrassments. Whether Nigeria’s electoral management body would learn from the mishaps of last Saturday is a matter of concern.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

PVCs from outside the trial areas were rejected. There was also the report of the device arresting a cloned PVC that was brought by a potential voter in Port-Harcourt.

The development it seemed had thrown the voter cards buying industry in the country out of business. Political thugs and moguls who in the past had pilled up voter cards to sell to politicians have with the introduction of the card reader and the PVC gone out of that line of business.

The endorsement of the device was a development the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP was apparently not happy with given the vociferous clamour against the use of the device by its governors at their parley with civil society and the media that same Wednesday.

While disavowing cheating, they claimed that that INEC had sufficiently convinced them that it had mastered the art.

N

A T I O N A L Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC were ecstatic on Monday at the end of a meeting to review the trial run of the card reader proposed to be used for authenticating voters during the forthcoming national elections.

“INEC is satisfied that the use of SCRs in the 2015 general elections will add tremendous transparency and credibility to the accreditation process on Election Day,” a statement issued

by Mr. Kayode Idowu, chief press secretary to the national chairman of the commission, Prof.

Attahiru Jega said last Wednesday.

On that basis, the Commission reassured “the public that it will do everything necessary to ensure that the processes of the

•Jega: Card reader is the answer elections are seamless, free, fair, credible and peaceful.”

The enthusiasm of the commissioners was upon their

claim that the mock trial fully satisfied their objectives, even though there was a classical failure of the machine in Ebonyi

The adoption of the card reader was one of the initiatives of the Commission under Jega to arrest the inflation of the voter roll in the country

The adoption of the card reader was one of the initiatives of the Commission under Jega to arrest the inflation of the voter roll in the country. Before now politicians had adopted the practise of piling up the voter register with fictitious names and obtaining voter cards that were employed on Election Day to achieve their aims.

At the end of the voter registration exercise in 2011, the Commission had claimed that a total of 73 million Nigerians had registered out of which the Automated Fingerprint Identification System, AFIS had removed 800,000 persons for double registration.

The removal of the double registrants was the first time in the history of the country that double registrants were being removed from the voters’ roll.

And that was because of the employment of the biometric system in the registration of voters.

Idowu, had in an article on the issue alluded to the fact that the use of AFIS was the reason behind the failure of many prominent politicians to find their names on the voter roll during recent elections and notably in Anambra State.

Biometric register According to him: “Some of the persons who accused INEC of disenfranchising them because they could not find their names in the biometric register during the Anambra election were really multiple registrants who on Election Day happened to have gone to polling units where the extras had been eliminated.

“For avoidance of doubt, a multiple registrant who on Election Day goes to the polling unit where the extra data had been eliminated will not find his/ her name on the biometric register and will not be able to vote. Such a person cannot legitimately accuse INEC of having disenfranchised him/ her.”

The use of the electronic register was itself a challenge given the thin line between the employment of biometrics with its electronic infrastructure and the strict prohibition by the Electoral Act against electronic voting.

Section 52 of the Electoral Act, which prohibits the use of electronic voting machines, spells thus: 52. -(1) (a) Voting at an election under this Bill shall be by open secret ballot. (b) The use of electronic voting machine for the time being is prohibited.

Given this prohibition it is not surprising that some activists especially within the ruling party had sought to contest that using an electronic register as is being done by INEC was against the Continues on page 41

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—41

When TAN mobilised volunteers for Jonathan CERTAINLY, if endorsement is all that is needed to win an election, then one can conveniently conclude that the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won the March 28 presidential polls.

By Jude Opara

T

HE latest in the spate of endorsements and support is the mobilizing of thousands of volunteers by the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) for the purpose of going to all the nooks and crannies of the country to campaign for President Jonathan.

The volunteers who were trained during the week in Abuja were told to return to their respective wards and promote the candidature of President Jonathan to ensure victory at the polls.

Director General of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organization (PDPPCO), Dr. Ahmadu Ali, urged the volunteers, made up of young men and women, to go out and campaign and convince the electorates on why they should cast their votes for the PDP not just in the presidential election but also down the line.

He equally advised them to use what he described as the numerous achievements of the President in the last five years to campaign.

“Go all out and do the needful, don’t look for trouble and don’t allow yourselves to be intimidated by anybody. The

important thing you must know is that people on the side of government cannot be intimidated. You should always be vigilant and relate with the police stations closest to you at your various locations and report any suspicious character so as to maintain peace.”

The man behind the masquerade and the Director General of TAN, Dr. Ifeanyi Uba, while addressing the volunteers charged them to see their assignment as that of marketers who have deadline to meet, adding that their task

The volunteers who were trained during the week in Abuja were told to return to their respective wards and promote the candidature of President Jonathan to ensure victory at the polls

•Jonathan: Endorsed by TAN is even easier because they have a candidate that is easy to sell. President Jonathan, he insisted, has done enough to deserve a second term in office hence the need for the foot soldiers to be bold to flaunt his ‘numerous’ achievements.

His words: “Your task is very easy because no matter what the opposition is doing, President Jonathan is still the candidate to beat in this election, so you must be cordial, confident and persuasive in the propagation of the transformation agenda of the President and the party so as to convince voters to vote for the PDP. “We believe that with 100,000 volunteers, the message of transformation which the President has been delivering to the Nigerian people will be

spread to every part of this great country and let me say it that we want to get more Nigerians to add to the 18 million people that endorsed the President during the TAN rallies because we have over 68 million voters registered for the election and if we work very diligently we will surely win the election.”

Volunteer scheme Chief Olisa Metuh, the national publicity secretary of the PDP while thanking TAN for the zeal in campaigning for the PDP also described the volunteer scheme as an unparalleled innovation since the country began political party campaigns because it reaches the grassroots more

efficiently.

Noting that the most important thing is for the PDP to win the presidential election, he advised them to be wise because TAN is not sending them out to go and look for trouble but to go and sell the advantage of the party which he insisted could be easily seen in the many developmental projects of the administration of President Jonathan.

Many analysts believe that it will do the political parties more good when they begin to engage in issue-based campaigns like this by showcasing what they believe they have done, and what they intend to do if elected instead of the spate of hate campaigns that have even overheating the polity.

CARD READER: Lessons from other lands Continues from page 40 law.

The commission it was learnt has sufficiently satisfied itself with the legal cover on the use of the electronic register and hence the doggedness that has attended its decision to stick with it and the card reader.

Besides, the Commission claims to be adhering to global best practises given the claim that even several less endowed African countries have also taken up the use of the card reader and other biometric infrastructure in the voting process.

Among the countries to have adopted biometrics are Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda and Senegal that have adopted the use of biometrics in the

COUNTRIES THAT HAVE ADOPTED BIOMETRICS

Ghana, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Somaliland, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal. registration of voters.

That adoption is upon the claim that the beginning of vote rigging is the rigging of voters registers a point that has been well noted

by Christiana Thorpe, the head of the Sierra Leone Election Management.

“Credible elections start with credible voter registration,” she was quoted as saying in a lecture to the African Research Institute in London in 2011.

As was the case during the trial run in 12 states in Nigeria last weekend, the adoption of the biometrics was in several of the African countries that used it not

exactly seamless at the start. In some cases as in Kenya and Ghana, it led to delays as queues stretched out beyond imagination.

Hitech election in Africa Kenya’s general elections held in 2013 with presidential, federal and provincial legislative and governorship elections all held in one day had been expected to be the most hi-tech election in Africa.

The election management body which had been financed by the

Canadian government to retool an electronic register had boasted that besides the use of the biometrics to identify voters that results would be transmitted by special telephones from every polling unit direct to the collation centre in Nairobi.

However, on Election Day the system crashed to the irritation of many stakeholders as the biometric machines failed to read the fingerprints of many voters accurately forcing a resort to manual entry. The case in Kenya was worsened by the lack of power back up in the schools used as voting points given that many of the schools were without power supply.

Apparently learning from that experience, Prof. Jega has sought to protect Nigeria from such a possible disgrace.

The card readers according to

INEC sources can last up to 12 hours in continuous use a fact that was attested to last weekend given that there were no reports of card readers packing up.

Besides, the card readers are equipped with backup batteries.

Also important in the consideration of the Commission is the fact that the card readers can relay data on voters to a central server enabling analysis of the votes from each polling point.

It is a technology that is bound to deepen the country ’s democratic system allowing politicians to get reliable data on voting patterns and indeed confirm the authenticity of votes cast at any voting point.

Having taken Nigerians to this point, the ball is now in Jega’s court.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

LAGOS: Ambode takes massage of continuity to LGAs THE mantra of continuity being propagated by the Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, in Lagos State was recently spread further across some local councils in the state in a manner that left party supporters more confident about electoral victory.

By Charles Kumolu

D

URING the various campaign stops in Lagos West and East senatorial districts a fortnight ago, the enthusiasm of APC faithful showed that the message of remarkable sustenance was not lost on the people.

From Ibeju-Lekki, down to Surulere, Ajeromi, Mile 2, Badagry and Seme where the campaign train berthed, the need to use the next four years to consolidate on the progress being witnessed in the state, was emphasized.

At Badagry, Ambode was welcomed by an ecstatic crowd that comprised of party members and residents, who came out to lend support to him.

On hand to welcome Ambode and his running mate, Dr. (Mrs) Oluranti Adebule, was a former Head of Service in the state, Chief Sunny Ajose.

Amid chants of ‘’Sai Buhari, Sai Ambode’’ , the governorship hopeful pledged to ensure that the people of the community are carried along, if elected.

He specifically said the Badagry Division, which is one of the five divisions that make up the state, would witness rapid development, especially in the areas of infrastructural development and job creation.

Infrastructural development Top among his plans for Badagry, is the multi-billion naira Mile 2-Badagry expressway and the light rail project, which he pledged to complete. “The future of tourism in Lagos State is here. This is also an important base for agroeconomic development. Our administration will place a lot of attention in these areas to ensure that Badagry Local Government and every area around here experience a new layer in the type of developments they are already witnessing,” he stated.

At Ibeju-Lekki, the massage was not different, as the APC

team stressed the reasons an APC government should be reelected.

The retired Accountant General of the state said: “While the whole world acknowledges the giant strides of the last 16 years in Lagos, due to the peopleoriented programmes and creative management of resources, which are succeeding in making Lagos a true mega city-state, the international community, like most Nigerians at home and abroad, are unanimous in rejecting the current maladministration that is going on in Abuja.”

He believes that while Lagos is working and deserves continuity, the government at the centre needs the type of change that a Buhari-Osinbajo ticket promises, in order to redirect the affairs of Nigeria.

Displaying his deep knowledge of the economic side of governance, Ambode said the country is in a precarious

•Ambode: Lagos needs continuity

A prominent aspect of the campaign stops, was that it came with various royal blessings, which analysts think would brighten Ambode’s chances

economic state, adding that the current leadership at the national level should not be re-elected for that reason.

Nonetheless, he assured the people of Ibeju-Lekki that an airport and seaport would be constructed in the area, if he was elected. At a town hall meeting in Surulere, Ambode reiterated his pledge of establishing an Office of Civic Engagement.

The idea, he explained, was informed by his belief that the middle class needs to be connected to the state government.

Those in this class, he said, would benefit from the state government in the area of honing their skills, either at home or abroad, in addition to having access to the proposed N25bn Employment Trust Fund.

A prominent aspect of the campaign stops, was that it came with various royal blessings, which analysts think would brighten Ambode’s chances of wining the April 11governorship polls.

Commenting on the significance of the campaign, Communications Director of Ambode Campaign Organisation, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, said 24 hours is sometimes not enough to further push out the message of continuity and Ambode’s thought-out plans that aimed at empowering the 20 million citizens of the state in the next four years.

The renewed campaign , he said, showed the strength and popularity of the APC candidate.

“Ambode is on a familiar ground, he was the only aspirant that toured every local government in the run-up to the primary election last year. And his promise then was that he would knock on every door and campaign on every street. This is why the party’s rallies took him round all the five divisions and local governments before the elections were postponed,’’ he stated.

Ayorinde further said: “With these additional six weeks due to the postponement, he is back on the road getting acquainted with the people all over again and the massive turn-out and acceptance confirm the obvious that this is the man of the people who is destined to serve. ‘’The rallies and town hall meetings, which will run till April , perfectly compliment the worldclass communications campaign by the APC candidate that is widely acknowledged as arguably the most impactful among in this electioneering process."

How Nigerian youths see Buhari and Jonathan — Esiyoma Barrister Esiyoma Alex is the National leader of United Nigeria Youths (UNY). In this interview with GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE in Benin, he advanced reasons why the UNY will vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the 28, March 2015 Presidential election, saying that he would be a better President than General Muhammadu Buhari.

By Gabriel Enogholase

W

HAT is your assessment of the two major political parties in Nigeria, APC and PDP? Laughs, well, the membership of the two parties are virtually the same, they share the same ideology; most members of the present APC were once members of PDP. Everyday you hear how one member or a group of PDP members are decamping to APC or APC members defecting to PDP. How would you access the regime of General Buhari as a

military Head of State and the government of President Jonathan?

The regime of General Buhari as a military Head of State has been adjudged the second worst military regime in the history of Nigeria “res ipsa loquitor” (the fact speaks for it self).

President Jonathan has himself not performed well. He failed to provide uninterrupted power supply to Nigerians but thank God he has started assuming his responsibilities in the North Eastern part of Nigeria by equipping the military to reclaim towns held by Boko Haram and

•Alex protecting lives and properties as enshrined in section 14 (2)(b) of the 1999 constitution (as amended). Above all, looking at the antecedents of the two leading presidential candidates, President Jonathan has

obviously performed better than General Buhari as president Tell us some of the achievements of your organization.

We have successfully fought for scholarships from schools, companies and some state governments for some of our indigent members who are willing to proceed with their education; we have also made some frantic efforts to secure jobs for some of our graduate members and settlement of disputes arising from some youth bodies and communities etc.

How do you see the preparation of INEC towards the coming elections?

In my opinion, INEC’s preparation is on a sound footing; my only fear is on the effectiveness of the electronic card readers on the day of the election.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—43

Our goal is to increase revenue from non-aeronautical sources to 50 percent —Anuforom

By Lawani Mikairu

A

VISITOR to Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, who is used to the one duplex building NiMet was occupying as its Abuja head office will be lost when he is confronted with the current multistorey office complex, equipped with state-of- the-art facilities, the agency currently occupies. This is one of the developmental strides of Dr Anthony Anuforom.

The Director General of Nigerian Meteorological Agency, NiMet, Dr. Anthony Anuforom, revealed that aside this infrastructural development, the agency has been positioned to increase its revenue from nonaeronautical sources to fifty percent. Anuforom said this at the commissioning of NiMet Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre and

Scientific and Technical Information Library.

Taking the Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka and aviation reporters on a facility tour of NiMet complex, which include Central Forecast Office, National Weather Studio, Instrument Calibration Laboratory, Upper Air Station, before the commissioning of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre and Scientific and Technical Information Library, Anuforom said that the agency plans to increase the services it renders to the maritime, and oil and gas sector and this will drastically increase its revenue.

He said “Presently, nonaeronautical sources contribute less than five per cent of NiMet’s IGR. Our strategy is to increase the contribution of revenue from non-aeronautical sources

(maritime and oil & gas) to 50% in the medium t e r m , w h i l e DG, NiMet, Dr. Anthony Anuforom ensuring that the aeronautical sources do data and information is a clear not diminish. The ICT evidence that NiMet has indeed infrastructure we are transformed into a world-class commissioning today is a potent technology-driven Organization tool and platform for achieving whose operations are in this goal. We will also explore consonance with contemporary generating revenue directly by global best practices. The rendering direct ICT services, facilities put in place in these and also farming out any excess projects will no doubt support the capacity in the Centre to other Agency’s activities in carrying organizations. out its mandate of monitoring The Minister of Aviation, Chief weather and climate and Osita Chidoka who was providing early warning overwhelmed by what he saw information; not only for aviation, during the facility tour said in but also for other sectors of the his address that “if you are economy. looking for technological “Another remarkable development, come to NiMet; if achievement of this Agency that you are I am highly delighted with is the looking for ISO 9001:2008 Certification of its technical Aeronautical Meteorological growth, come Services. I am also pleased to to NiMet; if note that NiMet successfully you are scaled through the first looking for maintenance audit of its ISO 9001 technologyCertification last year. It is d r i v e n reassuring that NiMet has not organization only attained international and a truly standard in its service delivery, transformed but also has institutionalized an parastatal, in-built mechanism for come to sustenance of quality services.''

NiMet. The Advising the management and completion of staff of the agency, the minister these two said “In our fast changing world projects is in which scientific discoveries are significant ever evolving, the habit of because it is reading and constant study is an in line with imperative for survival. For the policy of operational Agencies like NiMet t h i s to remain relevant, its staff should Government always be abreast with that all contemporary scientific projects developments. This underscores started in the the importance of the library we Av i a t i o n have commissioned today.” sector must be A visibly elated Dr Anthony completed and there If you are looking must be no abandoned for technological project. development, come to “ T h e NiMet; if you are establishment of the looking for technical Information growth, come to a n d Communication NiMet; if you are Technology looking for (ICT) Centre to enhance technology-driven efficiency of organization and a collection, processing, truly transformed archiving and parastatal, come to dissemination o f NiMet meteorological

Anuforum who was overwhelmed by the effusion of praise from the aviation minister, thanked the minister and further revealed that in pursuance of its mandate, the management of the Agency in 2012 reviewed its previous fiveyear Strategic Development Plan and evolved the NiMet Impact Plan that was designed to align its projects, programmes and activities to the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

Within the Framework of the Plan, the Agency set out to achieve a number of objectives, which include: “Reinforcing the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure; Automating the processes of data collection, transmission, analysis, storage and dissemination of weather forecasts/information; Expanding NiMet’s revenue base so as to reduce dependence on government funding and contribute to national GDP; and Intensifying manpower development and capacity building.”

Anuforum also said NiMet operates a network of 54 surface weather observing stations across the country; each one taking measurements of a minimum of 15 meteorological parameters every hour. “These stations generate over 19,440 datasets each day.

Marine stations In addition, there are observations from marine stations, upper air stations, automatic weather observing platforms, weather radars, air quality stations, ozone monitoring platform, etc. This huge volume of data requires an automated and integrated system of data collection, transmission, analysis, storage and dissemination on national and global scales, in conformity with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standards and recommended practices.”

He said in response to the above requirement, and in line with the NiMet Impact Plan, the agency conceptualized and developed the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Centre & Scientific and Technical Information Library.

“The ICT Infrastructure is designed to achieve efficient data collection processing and storage, as well as generation of products for various applications.

The Centre is equipped for processing, archiving and dissemination to various user communities, including international organizations. It serves as a hub for our wide area network (WAN receive real-time numerical and satellite data) and will eventually be linked to the WMO Global Telecommunication System (GTS).”

The DG also told the minister that the Scientific and Technical Information Library is a collection of world relevant documents dealing with various aspects of meteorology or related fields.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Walk with us, save 12 babies ...As DSFN holds walkathon to raise N20m for corrective heart surgery

By Chioma Obinna

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NLESS there is urgent divine intervention, 12 innocent Nigerian babies may not live to celebrate their fifth birthday. These children are suffering for no fault of theirs. They were all born with what medical experts call Down syndrome, a chromosomal condition that is associated with intellectual disability, a characteristic facial appearance, and weak muscle tone in infancy.

Unfortunately, all affected individuals experience cognitive delays may have a variety of birth defects. About half of all affected children are born with a heart defect.

Presently, these 12 children who are currently on the critical list of the Down Syndrome Foundation of Nigeria, DSFN, among other 48 children that require heart surgeries need close to N20 million to repair their hearts. No thanks to the present state of the country’s currency which has almost doubled the initial fee per child.

Following this huge challenge for funds, the DSFN in collaboration with NSIA Insurance Company is celebrating this year’s World Down Syndrome Day with a WALKATHON to raise funds for these children. The WALKATHON billed to hold 21st March, 2015 has remained a major charity walk of the Foundation to create awareness on the

• One of the 12 children with Down Syndrome and hole in-the-heart. condition and how people with Down syndrome play a vital role in the communities.

According to the Executive Director of DSFN, Mrs Rose Mordi, the WALKATHON hopes to raise funds for 12 children for corrective heart surgery in India and encouraging all Nigerians to join in the campaign for a better life for people with Down syndrome.“We are inviting everyone to join us in putting smiles on the faces of these children and the remaining 48 children on the waiting list by supporting the venture.”

Mordi in chat with Vanguard said the Foundation has treated over 40 children with heart defect in India with 90 percent success rate. “Because of our awareness campaign in the last 14 years, more families with these children are coming out looking for help. As we talk, in our branch in Ibadan alone we have over 48 children on waiting list. They now know that it is not any spiritual problems. Then, they will have to run from one church to herbal home among other places. They are coming to seek for medical help.”

Mordi explained that people with Down syndrome have an increased risk of developing several medical conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux, celiac disease, heart diseases, an increased risk of hearing and vision problems and a small percentage of children with Down syndrome also develop cancer of blood-forming cells (leukemia) among others.

“It cost a lot of money to do open heart surgery. What we are talking about is about N20 million with the present exchange rate. If one organisation raises up to N20 million it is commendable.

We selected these children based on the seriousness of the situation. In the past we spend between N1.2 million and N1.5 million but due to the exchange rate, we are paying close to N2 million per child. We put others on the waiting list till when we have other people coming up. These onces are critical.”

On other activities slated for the Week long celebration with the theme: “My Opportunities, My Choices”- Enjoying Full and Equal Rights and the Role of Families”, she regretted that despite the fact that Nigeria is one of the signatories to the Convention of Disability Right, the country is yet to sign the disability law. “Nigerian government is not taking care of any child whether Downsydrome, Autism or whatever form even physical disability. We don’t have any structure on ground. Without the law in place whatever structure they put on ground would not work.” Activities for the week include; 8th Annual Sports Day, Comedy Infusion being organised

by Emeka Smith and Meljetsin Youth Empowerment among others.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—45

Emerhor presents 10-point agenda to UK, US lawmakers

By Innocent Onoja

A

LL Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate in Delta State, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, is to articulate his political manifesto and expanded version of his 10 points agenda to law makers in the United Kingdom and United States of America.

Director of Media and Political Communication of O’tega4Governor Campaign Organization, Dr. Fred Oghenesivwe, in a statement, said the APC governorship candidate is on a visit to the UK and US to honour numerous invitations from Delta State groups and foreign investors interested in partnering him and the APC for the overall development of the state.

Dr Oghensivbe disclosed that Emerhor will be honoured by the State of Georgia with an honourary Citizenship

LG boss assures Warri North on devt

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HAIRMAN of Warri North Local Government, Delta State, Mr. Francis MakuEyituoyor, has called on the people in the council to exercise patience over the seemingly slow pace of developmental projects by his administration in the council.

Maku-Eyituoyor, in Koko, the council headquarters, after attending a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leaders’ meeting in Abuja, appealed to the people to vote massively for President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term in office and for the Delta State PDP governorship candidate, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

He also urged the people to vote Mr. James Manager for the Senate and Mr. Michael Diden for Delta State House of Assembly in the coming elections.

Maku-Eyituoyor said that the council was handicapped in executing developmental projects because of the drastic drop in monthly statutory financial allocation from the Federal Account to the council since the inception of his administration.

Award for his outstanding success in business, service to humanity and philanthropic contributions to the less privileged. Past recipients of the award include the Father of ‘Micro Credit’ from Bangladesh and winner of 2006 Model Peace Prize,

Mohammed Yunis.

Emerhor will, on March 13, meet with a select group of business leaders, corporate citizens, investor groups, chambers of commerce, nongovernmental organizations to explore and attract business opportunities to

Delta State. On March 14, the APC governorship candidate will be hosted by the Nigerian community in the United States, especially indigenes and friends of Delta State, in a “Meet Deltans In Diaspora” forum and will return to Nigeria on March 15.

EXCO MEETING: From left: Labour Party, governorship candidate in Delta State, Chief Great Ogboru, Labour Party; governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Sen. Helen Esuene; National Secretary, Labour Party, Dr Olukayode Ajulo; National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Salam; Deputy National Chairman, South, Mr Callistus Okafor and National Women Leader, Hajiya Maryam Ogunlade, at the national executive council meeting of Labour Party held in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Dare Fasube.

JTF arrests 28 for illegal bunkering ...destroys illegal refining camps and products

By Akpokona Omofuaire

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ARRI—THE special squad of the Joint Task Force, JTF, code named Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested 28 suspected oil thieves and destroyed illegally refined products, vehicles and equipment in the Niger Delta.

Lt. Col Ado Isa, Coordinator, Joint Media Campaign Centre, in a statement, said that one of the suspects was apprehended while attempting to bribe troops to release his seized products and personnel.

He said: “O u r t r o o p s arrested Mr Ogbe for attempting to bribe them with undisclosed sum of money in order to secure the release of trucks used in illegal bunkering earlier arrested by the JTF in Delta State.

“The trucks, filled with substance suspected to be stolen, were arrested along with two drivers of the trucks.

Mr Ogbe confessed to be the owner of the arrested trucks and their contents illegally sighoned from an oil company pipeline situated behind premium filling station in Effurum, Warri.”

He said that troops on searching Ogbe’s car discovered a small generator,

connecting hoses and welding materials used for the operation.

“The trucks and the products were evacuated to a safe place and destroyed while the suspects and the car are in the custody of the JTF for further investigation,” he added.

Isa stated that in another operation troops also arrested 25 suspects in six illegal distillery camps during oil

bunkering and oil theft patrol along the sector one axis which comprises Ondo, Delta, and Edo states.

“The suspects were arrested at an illegal oil bunkering site at Egbokodo, Beneath Island and Otegele, in Warri South and Warri South West Local Government Areas of Delta State where oil thieves operate with 23 pumping machines and 19 cooking pots,” he added.

Give Jonathan another chance —OMENE

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Delta State, Chief Ogheneovo Omene has called on Nigerians to give President Goodluck Jonathan another opportunity to enable him consolidate on his achievements by voting massively for him.

Omene, when he led some Delta youths to select markets in the state to drum up support for President Jonathan and all PDP candidates in the forthcoming general elections, told traders at the markets that

Jonathan had, in his first term, initiated good programmes that have impacted positively on the lives of Nigerians.

Emphasising that President Jonathan's track records speak volumes for him, Omene added that the state PDP governorship candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, won the primary election convincingly, adding that the people of the state, particularly people from Delta Central senatorial district, should shun opposition by voting for Okowa in the April 11 election.

He appealed to those who were yet to collect their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs to do so without delay.

Ndokwa East youths endorse Enumah for DTHA

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ONCERNED Ndokwa Youths, CNY, a youth group in Delta State, has endorsed Mr. Enus Enumah of Labour Party, LP, to represent Ndokwa East constituency in Delta State House of Assembly and promised to ensure he wins the April 11 election.

Addressing newsmen in Aboh, the administrative headquarters of Ndokwa East, spokesman of the group, Fred Agbanachi, said the decision to endorse Enumah was unanimous.

He called on the people of Ndokwa nation to vote massively for the Labour Party candidate in the election.

He called on all eligible voters in the area to collects their permanent voters card, PVC, so they could vote in the elections.

Oron women assure Akpabio’s wife of support for PDP

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OMEN from the five local government areas of Oron federal constituency in Akwa Ibom State, comprising Mbo, Udung Uko, Oron, Urueoffong Oruko and Okobo, have reiterated their resolve to cast their votes unanimously for the candidates of Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming general elections slated for March 28 and April 11.

They made their resolution known when the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Unoma Akpabio, led other women leaders including the wife of the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Mrs. Martha Emmanuel, to the Oron nation to canvass support from the womenfolk.

Speaking at Udung Uko, the council Chairman, Mrs. Kenim Onofiok, urged the governor’s wife to ignore the rumour being peddled in some quarters linking Oro nation to opposition politics.

46—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

PDP, APGA exchange blames over violence in Abia

Enugu moves to improve learning in primary, secondary schools

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, in Abia State have accused each other of triggering the shooting incident at Ikwuano last Monday.

The accusations and counteraccusations are coming, despite the peace accord signed by political parties in the state.

While PDP-controlled Abia State government alleged that APGA shot one Frank Dickson, while APGA alleged that PDP

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—ENUGU State government, yesterday, flagged off a three-day Education Quality Assurance Scheme, EQAS, workshop for primary and secondary school administrators to boost quality of learning in the state.

The workshop, supported by the Education Schools Support Programme in Nigeria, ESSPIN, seeks to promote, improved teaching and learning, needed guidance and support to challenge schools across the state.

Coordinator, EQAS, Enugu State, Mrs. Chinyere Agbo, said the scheme would imbue children with the necessary learning to compete with their contemporaries globally to ensure a knowledge-based economy for the country.

She said: “The Inspectorate Scheme that we practised from the colonial era did not help our education system.”

members attacked its governorship candidate, Dr. Alex Otti, at Ikwuano where he had gone on campaign.

At a briefing in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere, alleged that APGA supporters shot Dickson and condemned the alleged attack, which he said shattered the legs of the victim.

He claimed that the victim was receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia.

Agbazuere alleged that Otti and his party had been trying to disrupt the peace of the state

through political violence.

Speaking on his hospital bed at the FMC, Umuahia, Dickson claimed that he was shot in one of his legs at Ikwuano, pointing out that a good Samaritans brought him to the hospital.

However, Otti, in a quick reaction, claimed that he was attacked while on a campaign tour of Ikwuano, noting that the attack on him by PDP was a clear proof of the party’s desperation to stop him.

He alleged that the attack on his team at Ikwuano Local Government Area was masterminded by youths and

... as Police assure on security; candidates sign peace pact

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—AHEAD of March 28 and April 11 general elections, Abia State Police Command has assured of the provision of adequate security to all political parties, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials and ballot papers.

The command also assured international observers of adequate security during the elections.

State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joshak Habila, who gave the assurance in Umuahia at the peace accord signing for House of Assembly candidates for the election, also charged the candidates and parties to advise their supporters accordingly.

According to Habila, politicians should educate their supporters against destroying opponents’ posters and other campaign materials, which can lead to

INEC to repeat SCR demonstration in Ebonyi

T

HE Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said it would repeat public demonstration of the Smart Card Readers, SCRs, in Ebonyi State next Saturday.

The commission made the disclosure in a statement by the

Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, in Abuja, Tuesday.

The statement quoted Idowu as saying that the decision was made when the commission met on March 9 to consider field reports from the public

demonstration of SCRs conducted in 12 states last Saturday.

He said: “INEC took a serious view of the high rate of SCRs’ failure to authenticate voters’ fingerprints in some areas, particularly in Ebonyi State.”

violence.

He said: “I am sure that all the candidates are desirous of a peaceful election which should make you put national interest, peace and unity of the country before your personal interests.

“You are expected to educate your supporters not to destroy or deface posters of your opponents, which may lead to violence as some of your supporters love you to the extent of dying for you politicians.”

In their reaction, some of the candidates alleged that policemen were used to block opposition agents from entering the collating centres at local government councils in the past.

They also vowed to resist such practice during the forthcoming elections.

supporters of PDP. According to him, the attack scuttled his town hall meeting in some of the communities, including Ibere and Oboro.

Otti said he decided to cut short his campaign tour of the local government to avoid bloodbath.

He said he got security report “that some PDP supporters had destroyed canopies and chairs that APGA people in the area had arranged for the town hall meeting and that the APGA House of Assembly candidate for the area informed him that PDP leaders from the state came there and instructed PDP thugs to destroy the canopies.”

According to Otti, the campaign train decided to proceed to Ibere where the first meeting was to hold.

He said: “But on getting to Ndioro Oboro junction, the campaign train met a group of PDP thugs, who blocked the way to Ibere with a vehicle.

Otti said he decided to return to Oboro to address another group of supporters, but was stopped by thugs who started hauling stones at the crowd.

Otti claimed: “PDP thugs started shooting, even the policemen present had to run for their lives and in the process some persons were wounded.

Back to Ndioro, in another attempt to go to Ibere, the road had been completely blocked.”

He said he returned to Umuahia and went to report the incident to the police and state Director of Department of State Services, DSS. Police Public Relations Officer in Abia State, Geoffrey Ogbonna, said the command had commenced investigation into the incident based on a complain, but did not disclose the identity of the complainant.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On use of card readers for elections?

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ELL done INEC. It is only disgruntled politicians and election riggers that are afraid of your progress. They cannot fathom that their stolen and purchased PVCs are useless before their very eyes. INEC is on point to deliver fair, free and credible elections.— Mr. Jaiyeola Timmy, Freight Forwarder.

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AVING weighed the merits and demerits in the utilisation of these card readers for the elections, it behoves on INEC and all stakeholders to adopt less cumbersome process without compromising the goal of attaining credible elections.—Miss Anasithesia Ezeka, Worker.

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IGERIA is not a good place for PVC reading machines. Our politicians will outsmart it and still do what they want. INEC should forget this PVC reading machine because it will not work and would discredit the election as not free, fair and credible.— Miss Ogbue Immaculate, Student.

N

OBODY is saying it must not be used.

But the question is supposing you fall into the 320 that would be asked to go without voting because there is no time to accredit you, would you take it in good faith? This one of many questions that need answers.—Mr. Adesoji Shiyanbola, Businessman.

I

N as much as the card readers will prevent multiple voting, it is equally important that those flaws observed during the mock trials be addressed urgently by INEC. Otherwise, we are surely heading for chaotic and inconclusive elections.— Mr. Tunde Spencer, Sound Engineer.

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ONSIDERING com plaints from recent test run of the card readers, there is certainly need for deployment of more machines for the polls. Adequate efforts should be made for procurement of these machines between now and the dates for the general elections.— Mrs Morayo Iyoke, Worker.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 47

N/East senators commend military's efforts against insurgency A

BUJA — SOME senators from the North East zone, Tuesday, lauded the efforts of the Nigerian Armed Forces over the successes being recorded in the fight against insurgency, saying that that no other local government area in the North East was under siege apart from Bama and Gwoza.

While raising a point of order at the floor of the Senate, the senators said that just as they had raised alarm when the insurgency was at its peak, it was only right also to commend successes.

Senator Maina Lawan (APCBorno), who raised the point of order, recalled that he and other senators had raised alarm when 20 local government areas in the zone were under siege by insurgents.

“It is only fair to Mr. President that this time round, when there is some cheering news, I should mention this to this Senate.

“I want to say that several territories hitherto inaccessible to Nigerian authorities have been liberated; Baga, my hometown, has been liberated.

“The effort is ongoing and I think that it is only fair that no matter what is left it is important that we appreciate what is being done and I want to say that our troops are much more up and doing and we appreciate them.

“We ask them to do more so that in the areas that they have liberated, mopping up is

concluded for the communities to go back,” he said, and expressed optimism that soon, there would be good news from Bama and Gwoza local government areas as well as other areas still under siege.

While thanking other senators for their support and empathy, he pledged the support of the Senate to the troops in their efforts to win the war against insurgency.

Sen. Buka Ibrahim (Yobe APC) also commended the military and clarified that no other local government area in the North East was under siege apart from Bama and Gwoza.

“I am in total support and there is need for us to show total appreciation for what is happening not only to Nigeria but also Chad and Cameroon.

We must also appreciate what

they have done,” he said.

Senator Ali Ndume (Borno APC) also lauded the Nigerian as well as the Cameroonian and Chadian armed forces for their support in the war.

He also appreciated his fellow senators for their sensitivity to the plight of people from the North East as they always inquired about the welfare of the people.

MEETING: Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar (right) with Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar (middle), and Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumuni Usman, at the Northern traditional rulers meeting, in Kaduna, yesterday. Photo: Olu Ajayi

UNHCR trains 35 people on IDPs matters

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI — THE United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR, in Nigeria, is currently training 35 persons on both practical protection skills and the legal framework governing Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. The Director of the UNHCR, Mr. Herve Kuate made this known, yesterday, at the opening ceremony of a three- day training workshop on IDPs practical protection skills organised by the agency in Bauchi.

According to him, the training was targeted at staff from the National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, in Gombe and its affiliates like the State Emergency Management Agencies, SEMAs, from the areas hosting IDPs. “Participants will also be schooled on UNHCR Mandate and its role in IDPs protection in North East and they will be drawn from the local government areas concerned with protection related- issues such as health, social affairs, education, women affairs as well as community leaders and traditional rulers.

“The training is the second in a

series of the six planned by UNHCR for the Northeast region.

The last training focusing essentially on Camp Coordination and Camp Management, CCCM, targeted NEMA, SEMAs, local NGOs, the Red Cross and other actors involved in CCCM was held in December 2014 in Bauchi,” he said.

Kuate noted that the training was also in line with UNHCR’s

resolve to fully support the government in its responsibility by intensifying UNHCR‘s activities in favour of IDPs collaboration with sister UN agencies as well as other humanitarian actors involved in the displacement crises in the North East in particular and in the country in general.

In his remarks, the Head of Operations in NEMA activities in Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba

states, Saidu Ahmed described the training as timely in view of the increasing influx of IDPs into Bauchi and Gombe states.

Ahmed expressed optimism that the training will boost capacity of the humanitarian actors in the region as well as ensure protection of vulnerable groups, particularly women, children, the aged and physically challenged from abuse, exploitation, neglect and harm.

NOA director urges physically impaired persons to collect PVCs

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UTSE — MALAM Shuai’bu Haruna, the Director, National Orientation Agency, NOA, in Jigawa, yesterday, urged persons living with disability to collect Permanent Voters' Cards for them to participate in the forthcoming elections.

Haruna made the call at a oneday voter education exercise for the physically challenged persons in Hadejia, Jigawa.

The director said the call was imperative to enable such persons to exercise their civic rights.

Represented by Zakar Adamu,

the director said the exercise was designed to educate disabled persons on their civic rights.

He said the participants were drawn from the blind, leper, cripple and other physically challenged persons’ associations in Hadejia senatorial district.

Haruna said the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, had made adequate arrangements to support the disabled persons and simplify their voting processes.

He said the exercise was

conducted in collaboration with INEC and the Joint Association of Persons with Disability.

Mallam Muhammad Usman, Chairman of the association, commended the agency for the exercise, saying that it would create awareness among their members.

Usman urged disabled persons to be law-abiding during the election period.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that about 50 participants drawn from eight local government areas of the zone attended the exercise.

B/Haram suspect escapes arrest

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AMATURU — A suspected Boko Haram member, who feigned madness, narrowly escaped arrest at Buni Yadi town in Gujba Local Government Area of Yobe, Tuesday.

The Commander, 27 Task Force Brigade, Damaturu, Col. Usman Yusuf, gave the order to arrest the supposedly madman when he was sighted in one of the dilapidated buildings in the deserted town.

As troops advanced to carry out the order, the suspect, who wore a white garment with an unkempt hair and chanting some incantations, disappeared.

The incident occurred when the commander led a group of newsmen who were on a guided tour of towns recently liberated from Boko Haram insurgents, visited Buni Yadi to see things for themselves.

MTN partners PEP to expand retail market

By Emeka Aginam

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OMMITTED TO deliver more convenient services to its customers across the country, Mobile phone operator, MTN has partnered with PEP, one of Africa’s largest single brand retailer to increase its retail footprints and provide its products and services in all over PEP outlets nationwide.

With this development, customers can top up with MTN airtime while shopping in PEP stores nationwide.

Speaking during the partnership arrangement, MTN Sales and Distribution Executive, Omatsola Barrow, represented by General Manager, Business Development, Sales and Distribution, Kola Oyeyemi, said, “this relationship is a strategic one that counts in achieving our vision as a company, and further reinforces our commitment towards making our customers' lives a whole lot brighter.”

He added: “This partnership affords us the opportunity to push our products and services to all nooks and crannies of the country."

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

LAUNCHING: From left: Director, MTNF, Mr. Dennis Okoro, Commissioner of Health, Ondo State, Dr. Dayo Adeyanju, Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and Executive Secretary, MTNFoundation, Nonny Ugboma, at the MTNF EyeRIS official flagoff ceremony at the Trauma and Surgical Centre, Ondo, Ondo State.

VISIT: Mr. Victor Ochei, Accord Party, AP, Delta North Senatorial candidate (left), receiving prayers from Her Royal Majesty, Martha Dunkwu, Omu of Anioma, when he paid her a visit at Okpanam.

VISIT: Professor Chidi Odinkalu, Chairman, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, and Chief Victor Giadom, Chairman, Greater Together Campaign Organisation, when the NHRC chief visited the campaign organisation in Port Harcourt, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

OPENING: From left: Ekpa Daro Olowu, Area Business Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Adebisi Akinloye, Zonal Business Manager, Airtel, Ms Edero DaroIdollo, Head, Regional Retail, Airtel Nigeria, Alhaja Rafeeat Oginni, retail shop owner and Mr. Femi Oshinlaja, Regional Operations, Airtel, during the opening of Airtel express shop at Igando, Lagos.

PRESENTATION: Officials of Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, led by Hon. Ben Chuks (3rd right), Odozi Nwodozi (left), and others, during the presentation of some food items to displaced and the needy people in Zamfara State.

CELEBRATION: Executive members of MUTYJOSIE Support Foundation, Mrs. Onyenwenu Jemute Nwakaego, Josephine Itoyah-Splendor, and others, during the celebration of International Women's Day in Asaba.

From left: Editor-in-Chief, TheKinandI blog, Miss Ekene Chuks-Okeke, Medical Director, Caribbean Health & Nutrition, Dr. Patrick Ijewere, and Public Relations Manager, Recare Ltd, Mrs. Toyin Adepegba, during the 10th edition of Naturals in the City event in Lagos.

WEDDING: Groom's father, the Ojomo of Ekpoma, Sir Ezekiel Ainabe (right), embracing the bride's father, Chief Emmanuel Ezeala, at the traditional marriage of their children at Isiala Mbano, Imo State.

The couple, Zeekson Osemudiamen Ainabe and Somtochukwu Ogemdi Ezeala, during their traditional marriage at Isiala Mbano, Imo State.

Vanguard, THUSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015—49

of corruption, what General Buhari has said categorically is that as far as he is concerned, the day he is sworn-in as president, he would have drawn

a line. Anybody who runs foul of the law, anything that is beng investigated before will continue as it is. “If you are found to be corrupt, you will receive the consequence, no matter who you are. Whether you are his brother, sister, his friends there will be consequences. That is what he has said and I think that is in line with the position of the party.

“There is no way he is going to sign any agreement, so let us be very clear. I don’t even need to ask him that. Buhari will never be part of any under hand deal. I know him well enough that he will never sign anything of such. The man is healthy and strong and by the grace of God, he will run two terms in office”, he said.

Asked to clarify his widely rumoured agreement with the national elder of the APC, Mr. Ahmed Bola Tinubu to resign from office after six months, Osinbajo said the speculation is domiciled in the imaginations of its peddlers.

“Do not take any of these things seriously at all. By God’s grace, we will win election and you will observe for yourself,” he said.

a candidate for the ICC, it is certainly not Dame Patience Jonathan, but rather General Muhammadu Buhari himself.

We say this because, firstly, he needs to answer questions about his role in the July 29, 1966 coup and the mass murder of about 300 Igbo army officers, including a serving Head of State, that took place that night.

Secondly, there are questions to be answered about his role during the pogrom and massacre in northern Nigeria in 1966 in which no less than 100,000 innocent Igbo civilians including women and children, were slaughtered in cold blood by mobs that were covertly armed and supported by a small handful of junior army officers.

Buhari will do two terms – Osinbajo

By Luka Binniyat and Levinus Nwabughiogu

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LL Progressives Congress (APC) Vice Presidential Candidate, Professor Yemi Osibanjo (SAN), has pooh poohed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors’ attack to the APC Presidential Candidate, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd) saying that Buhari would do two terms and would not spare corrupt APC members, if elected.

Speaking in Kaduna, yesterday, Osinbajo, who denied signing a resignation letter, said Buhari would draw a line between his relationship with party members and governance, if elected.

He spoke against impressions in some quarters that most of the leaders of APC are corrupt.

Osinbajo, who chaired a town hall meeting between the APC leaders and religious leaders in the North-West zone of the country on behalf of Buhari also spoke on Buhari’s alleged decision to a term, saying, he

L-r: National Secretary General, National Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association (NACTOMORAS), Comrade Daramola Rotimi Williams; National President, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Hassan receiving Voters Education materials from the Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri while the aides to the DG, Mr. Paul Odenyi and Miss Chika Mokwugwuo watch during a courtesy visit of NACTOMORAS officials (FCT) to NOA Corporate Headquarters in Abuja yesterday

will “by the grace of God run two terms in office”.

The response essentially followed questions from the members of audience who were

a mix of Muslim and Christian clerics on whether Buhari had actually pledged to do one term should he win.

He said: “On the various issue

Questions Buhari must answer – PDPPCO *Says APC planning to attack Jonathan’s private life through video documentary

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By Henry Umoru

HE PEOPLES Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO, yesterday, alleged that leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) are planning to attack President Goodluck Jonathan’s private life through a video documentary.

He also enumerated a litany of questions the APC Presidential Candidate, MajorGeneral Muhammadu Buhari (retd) has to answer, which said were enough to disqualify him from the presidential race.

Addressing Journalists in Abuja, Director, Media and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani- Kayode said the APC leaders with the financial support of two serving governors and a former state governor are planning to put in place a documentary about the private lives of President Goodluck Jonathan, First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan and Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison- Madueke.

Fani- Kayode described the move to air the documentary as despicable, wicked, with the sole aim of scandalising, undermining and bringing into disrepute, President Jonathan, his wife and Diezani- Madueke, adding, “The documentary is riddled with falsehood and it is vulgar, smutty, cheap, shameful and salacious.’’

Speaking on the threat by the C M Y K

APC to drag Dame Patience Jonathan before the International Criminal Court of Justice, ICC, Fani-Kayode said: “We read, with amusement, the threat by the Buhari’s Campaign Organisation through their spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, that it is their intention to drag the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, before the International Criminal Court of Justice (ICC), for allegedly indulging in what they described as ‘’hate speech’’ at a recent rally in Rivers State.

“It is pertinent to note that, first of all, if they were a little better educated and had a better understanding of international law and how the ICC works, they would appreciate the fact that no individual is ever taken to the ICC based on what he or she has said unless and until people act on those words and massacre others. It is only if that

speech is followed by violence and mayhem or if it incites people to commit violence, which results in death, mass murder and crimes against humanity, that the person who indulged in such hate speech becomes an eligible candidate for the ICC....

“Dame Patience Jonathan is a woman of peace.

The truth is that if anybody is

Card reader rejection: PDP, presidency didn’t sponsor 15 parties – ACD scribe *Says they have been vindicated with lapses recorded during card test-run

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By Henry Umoru

IFTEEN political parties and five presidential candidates who, last week, in Abuja kicked against the proposed use of card readers by the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) for the conduct of the March 28 and April 11 general elections, yesterday denied being sponsored by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the presidency.

One term pact: Gov Aliyu lied – APC Campaign

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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HE All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation (APCPCO), yesterday, said that Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, lied when he said that its Presidential Candidate, MajorGeneral Mohammadu Buhari (retd) signed to serve only one term, if elected.

Describing the governor as an incurable liar afflicted with the

diarrhoea of the mouth, APCPCO said in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, that the idea was a figment of Aliyu’s imagination.

The statement added that the thought was jaundiced, illmotivated and irresponsible.

APCPCO said it was not surprised by Governor Aliyu’s blatant lies considering that he has also been at the centre of controversy of being in possession

of a letter in which his party’s presidential candidate signed onto a one-term pact with governors of the ruling party.

“When has this Governor of a grossly underdeveloped state suddenly become a clairvoyant who knows what obtains in places where he was never present or represented? Is he an APC member? If not, how and where did he get his information from?

And what Northern Nigeria is he representing?

According to the parties, they have been vindicated by the flaws experienced during the test run of the Card Reader Machines in 12 states, last Saturday and restated their call for the jettisoning of the cards against the backdrop that Nigerians cannot be used as guinea pigs.

Speaking with Vanguard on telephone yesterday, spokesperson of the parties and Delta State governorship candidate of the Advanced Congress for Democrats, ACD, Dr. Breakforth Onwubuya, noted that those insinuating and speculating that the ruling party was sponsoring them to call for the jettisoning of the machines were making very great mistakes.

He said as stakeholders who were participating in the elections, the onus was on them to raise alarm when things are going wrong and not beneficial to the country.

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52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

• Songeziwe Mahlangu

• Chinelo Okparanta

• Nadia Davids

Who wins Etisalat Prize for Literature 2014?

By Prisca Sam-Duru & Princewill Ekwujuru

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HE Etisalat Prize For Lit erature which was initi ated in 2013, is about to canonise yet another laureate as the 2nd winner of the Pan African Prize which honours début fiction writers across Africa.

The Prize which holds unique qualities that make it stand tall among major prizes in Nigeria as well as all over Africa, has the objective of discovering new creative talent from Africa and promoting the burgeoning publishing industry on the continent.

Founded by Etisalat Nigeria, a telecommunications company which has become a major industry player, the literature prize is the first ever pan-African prize that applauds debut writers of published fiction and flaunts a board of patrons comprising some of Africa’s finest intellectuals.

Africa's finest intellectuals Amongst other merits of having the prize is that it has created a space in major Publishing companies for first time writers who were hitherto, discarded like pieces of rags in the industry.

It was therefore in a bid to discover the next début fiction laureate in Africa that Etisalat Nigeria, on December 10, 2014, announced a shortlist of three writers for 2014 Etisalat Prize For Literature. Nadia Davids’, An Imperfect Blessing published by Random House Struik-Umuzi; Chinelo Okparanta’s, Happiness Like Water published by Granta Publication and Songeziwe Mahlangu’s, Penumbra published by Kwela Books, Imprint of NB Publishers, are the shortlisted writers and their works.

As Africa awaits the emergence of new winner, Etisalat’s search for Africa’s best debut fiction writer for 2014 will come to a climax on Sunday, the 15th of

March 2015 at Intercontinental Hotel, Lagos when it will be announcing the winner of the second edition of the Etisalat Prize for Literature.

It would be recalled that the maiden edition of the Prize was won by Zimbabwe’s NoViolet Bulawayo with her winning entry, “We Need New Names” She was announced winner at a befitting celebration held on Sunday February 25, 2014, at the Federal Palace Hotel, Victoria Island Lagos. Bulawayo defeated two other writers, Yewande Omotosho with “Bom Boy”, and Karen Jenning with “Finding Soutbek” she went home with the coveted prize of £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück pen, a Samsung Galaxy Note in addition to other privileges.

Also, in the flash fiction competition which had 20 finalists, Uche Okonkwo emerged tops with her entry “Neverland”, taking home the cash prize of £1000 and a Samsung galaxy note.

Runners up in this category were Bonaventure Chukwu for “Fear” and Nzere Jeremiah for “Silent Screams”, each winning £500 and Samsung Galaxy notes.

Interestingly, the Award ceremony of the maiden edition of

the prize, turned out to be an all women affairs as the three final contenders as well as winner of the flash fiction were all women, leaving the men, trailing behind.

The men would be glad to know that , in this edition, the three final shortlist have two females and a male.

The judges are delighted at the quality of entries that have brought to the fore a strong shortlist of three contenders.

Writer, academic, and chairperson on the panel of judges for

Amongst other merits of having the prize is that it has created a space in major Publishing companies for first time writers who were hitherto, discarded like pieces of rags in the industry

the Etisalat Prize for Literature, Sarah Ladipo Manyika described the Etisalat Prize as a major intervention in the struggle for writing in African languages, for their place and visibility in the global sun of literary imagination adding that the 2014 shortlist showcases hitherto untold stories from across the continent and beyond.”

“This is a shortlist that delights in the newness of the topics being explored and in the diversity of narrative form. From short stories, to the short novel, to the epic novel – each is a gem in its own right” Manyika concluded.

Chief Executive Officer at Etisalat Nigeria, Matthew Willsher also expressed delight at the quality of writers the competition has attracted to the Etisalat Prize for Literature competition. The entries he noted, are a "Fulfillment of Etisalat’s goal of encouraging talents and improving literacy in the African continent.

We commend the judges for the work they have done so far on this year’s competition and we are delighted with the strong shortlist which will ensure that a worthy winner will emerge. We will continue to encourage and

Anya Fulu Ugo calls for Papers

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NYA Fulu Ugo - An Interdisciplinary African Arts Conference of the Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in honour of El Anatsui and Obiora Udechukwu on the theme African Art and Artists after the Millennial Turn is scheduled to hold between 24-27 June 2015 at University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria.

In line with an Igbo saying: Anya fulu ugo jaa ya mma, na-adi afu ugo kwa daa (the eye that sees an eagle should adore it, for only rarely are eagles seen), the Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka invite panel and paper proposals from scholars in mass communication, theatre and film studies, linguistics, literary studies, music, economics, anthropology, history and international

relations, archaeology, tourism and museum studies, political science.

Paper abstracts should not exceed 200 words and should reflect the theme and subthemes of the conference or related areas.

Prospective presenters are also expected to indicate their institutional affiliations, telephone and e-mail contacts.

The broad theme of the conference is "African Art and Artists after the Millennial Turn". It proposes an interdisciplinary approach to the discourse of the current state of art and artists in Africa and in the African Diaspora. We All abstracts should be submitted via email to our Chairman, Professor Ikenna Dieke, at diekeikenna4@gmail.com or Faculty liaison, Dr. Ozioma Onuzulike, at ozioma.onuzulike@unn.edu.ng on or before March 15, 2015.

recognize upcoming talents” said Willsher.

The winner of the Etisalat Prize for Literature 2014 will be presented with a cheque of £15,000, an engraved Montblanc Meisterstück and will attend the Etisalat Fellowship at the prestigious University of East Anglia, mentored by Professor Giles Foden, author of the Last King of Scotland which will include significant opportunities to meet other writers, publishers and most importantly, work on their second book.

Considering the quality of books in contention, one is forced to ask certain questions; Who will emerge winner this time around?

Will history repeat itself again?

Will women outshine the male writers once again or will the only man standing amongst women, take the day? And most importantly, will a Nigerian writer clinch the prize for the first time?

PHWBC: Zainab Alkali reads the final Book in Focus ...as PH hands over to Incheon

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HE PHWBC final book in focus is ‘The Virtuous Woman’ by Zainab Alkali coming up on March 15, 2015 with reading and drama. This will actually signal the final reading and drama performances of the selected books earmarked for presentation during the Port Harcourt reign as UNESCO World Book Capital 2014.

Meanwhile, the city of Port Harcourt will in less than 60 days honourably handover to the next World Book Capital Incheon, South Korea, UNESCO World Book Capital 2015 having completed her tenure and put mechanisms in place to leave a lasting legacy whose ripple effect will benefit generations to come, not only in Port Harcourt or Nigeria but African continent in general.

The World Book Capital title is held for a year, from one UN Book and Copyright to the next and on Thursday 23rd April 2015, Port Harcourt will hand over to Incheon who will held it for another one year running.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 53

VOTC 2015: Kids display dexterity in visual and literary contest

By Chris Onuoha T was a great touring ex perience across the jungle in the Nigeria Conservative Foundation Park, (NCF) Lekki, the arena of the event, as 2015 edition of “Vision of the Child” (VoTC) arts contest ends with the 60 finalists drawn from 35 primary and secondary schools within Lagos State, participated in the live Painting and Literary Arts Competition,.

The competition themed “The Road To Sambisa” which held weekend amidst excitements and fanfare afforded the children the opportunity to express themselves, and as was expected many budding talents were discovered with the way and manner they exhibited during the contest.

The yearly programme which was inaugurated in 2012 is a children/student’s segment of the Lagos Black Heritage Festival, LBHF and on hand to grace the occasion was the Lagos State Commissioner for Tourism and Inter-Governmental Relation, Chief Disu Holloway, former Ondo State commissioner for Tourism, Honourable Tola Wewe, renowned Artist and Gallery owner, Chief Nike Okundaye, LBHF representative, Jahman Anikulapo, Representatives from

I

Honeywell Noodles, Diamond Bank and others.

The VoTC Programme Manager, Foluke George led the participants alongside their parents and teachers through the awesome, emotional and mock horrifying jungle experience in the Park, segmented with tame and wild animals to showcase and expose to the children, terrifying experience the Chibok girls are passing through in Sambisa forest. The children while on tour could not conceal their bewilderment as they ask questions sympathetic to Sambisa experience, and also, the scene equally enhanced their focus in relation to the

Display of works produced by the participants will be opened to the public at the Freedom Park and Nike Art Gallery on April 18

•The children exhibiting their visual interpretation of The Road to Sambisa

theme, ‘The Road to Sambisa’.

The highly excited participants swoop into action after refreshments

by Honeywell noodles. Kits and painting materials were provided for the 30 participants in the painters’ category who illustrated their literary presentation in the painting medium while writing materials provided for the 30 literary art participants who wrote and presented poems, prose and fiction in the reading studio.

A panel of eminent jury comprising teachers, artists, child carers and social workers assessed the participants in the age bracket of 9 t0 12 years old. Unlike 2014 in which prize was awarded on the aggregate of the two creative media, 2015 witnessed three prizes in painting, literary art and a combined product of the pupil’s dexterity in painting and literature.

Display of works produced by the participants will be opened to the

public at the Freedom Park and Nike Art Gallery on April 18 which will kick start the 2015 Lagos Black Heritage Festival, while on April 24, winning entries will be mounted for viewing at the Gala event to mark the conclusion of the Heritage Festival.

Heritage festival Earlier in his address, Mr. Disu Holloway, who was the special guest and Lagos State Governor’s representative said that this year’s theme was Prof.

Wole Soyinka’s initiative and the essence is to draw a closer attention,to the plights of 200 Chiboks girls abducted by Boko Haram insurgents over an alarming period of time with no convincing efforts to rescue them. He said it is worrisome and

difficult to explain how it could take a nation so long to achieve this, noting that the leadership is actually denying it.

Disu said that the intrigues are so obvious that not much was done until time for election, “all of a sudden, fire brigade approach ensued, you put up all the arms you could use capturing various villages and nobody sees the connection. It is an insult to all of us. As a parent myself, I get emotional when I talk about children who are treated wrongly today, we seem to have allowed our children to be treated this way.”

Disu mentioned that what Prof.

Soyinka had in mind is for the children to stay overnight in the Park and have a feel of what the girls in Sambisa forest are going through, though, could not be achieved now because of certain change in programmes.

Mega concer 15 Lagos Int'l Jazz FFestiv estiv al concertt graces 20 2015 estival Japhet Alakam & Iyabo Aina

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ITH plans in top gear, Inspiro Productions organizers of Nigeria’s premier Jazz festival - The Lagos International Jazz Festival have given an April 30th to May 2nd 2015 date for the much awaited annual Jazz Tourism and entertainment extravaganza.

After two highly successful past editions and now on its third edition, the festival is modelled after the world famous Cape Town International Jazz Festival and is designed to offer visitors and residents in Lagos world class entertainment.

Spokesperson for Inspiro productions and festival director Ayoola Sadare said “our long term goal is still to establish Lagos as a vibrant Jazz Tourism destination alongside cities like Cape Town, Montreal, Montreux, New Orleans, London and Tokyo among others and each year the festival holds we are hopefully on course. The Lagos international Jazz festival is a landmark

event that is positioned to be an icon on Nigeria’s Arts and culture calendar that will attract Jazz and contemporary music lovers to the city and help deepen the tourism realities of Lagos State and by extension Nigeria. The festival places Nigeria side by side with every other famous and successful Jazz festival globally and also builds the capacity of our homebased musicians giving them

Our long term goal is still to establish Lagos as a vibrant Jazz Tourism destination alongside cities like Cape Town, Montreal, New Orleans, London and Tokyo etc.

access to the international platform as they interact with high profile music legends from various countries of the world.”

Sadare further stated “This year the festival is going a step higher by incorporating both the Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) and International Jazz Day to its program.

The month of April annually is Jazz Appreciation Month (JAM) and worldwide a number of programs to promote Jazz both as an historical and contemporary art form are

held with concerts, lectures, workshops and exhibitions. The JAM culminates with the International Jazz Day on APRIL 30 and this was officially designated in November 2011 by UNESCO in order to highlight Jazz and its diplomatic role of uniting people in all corners of the globe.

International Jazz Day brings together communities, schools, artists, historians, academics, and Jazz enthusiasts all over the

•A scene from previous Lagos Jazz night

world to celebrate and learn about Jazz and its roots, future and impact; raise awareness of the need for intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding; and reinforce international cooperation and communication.

Each year on April 30, this international art form is recognized for promoting peace, dialogue among cultures, diversity, and respect for human rights and human dignity, eradicating discrimination, promoting freedom of expression, fostering gender equality, and reinforcing the role of youth for social change.

In December 2012, the United Nations General Assembly formally welcomed the decision by the UNESCO General Conference to proclaim April 30 as International Jazz Day. The United Nations and UNESCO now both recognize International Jazz Day on their official calendars.

The performing artistes, venue and programs of the 2015 edition of the festival will be unveiled thereafter.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Play politics with decorum, northern traditional rulers tell politicians

By Luka Binniyat

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ADUNA—NORTHERN traditional rulers, yesterday, asked politicians to play politics with decorum, and to stop engaging in campaigns of calumny against one another.

Chairman Northern Traditional Council and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who spoke at an emergency meeting of the council in Kaduna, said as leaders of the people, traditional rulers would always engage politicians in sincere discourses.

He said: “We must always work for peace and stability of the country. We must also stop campaign of calumny against one another because it will not augur well for all of us and the unity of Nigeria.

“As traditional leaders, we must always tell our politicians the truth. We must not keep quiet about what is happening in the country. We must speak

for the peace in the north; we must speak for peace in Nigeria and we must speak for the unity of Nigeria.

“We are against what is happening in the north, especially in north-east. So we will not keep quiet because

there are lots of wrongs happening in the polity.

People always talk about election, but I never hear them talking about what happens after and during elections.

“People should be allowed to choose the political party of

their choice, because politics is all about interests.

“I want to remind us, as traditional leaders, of our roles of dousing tension during the elections, and also advising parents to call their children to order.”

Gambari warns against further polls shift

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA—FORMER Nigeria’s Permanent Representatives to the United Nations, UN, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has warned against further moves to change the election dates in the country to avoid constitutional crisis, which could eventually lead to chaos.

Gambari spoke when he led the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy and Development under the Council of the Wise on a courtesy visit to the Niger State governor, Dr. Babangida

Aliyu in Minna, yesterday.

He spoke even as Governor Aliyu insisted that the Independednt National Electoral Commission, INEC, was not yet ready as many Nigerians, including some state governors were yet to collect their permanent voter's cards, PVCs. Gambari said though the initial postponement of the elections was a blessing to the country, any attempt to tamper with the electoral timetable again would likely lead to crisis.

He advised INEC to stick to

PDP GOVS: From left— Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governor’s Forum and Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio; Plateau State Governor and Chairman of a faction of Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, Jonah Jang; Ondo State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, and Cross River State Governor, Liyel Imoke, at an interactive session of PDP governors with the media and Civil Society Organisations on Sustenance of Democratic Values and National Development in Lagos, Tuesday.

the new dates for the general elections, noting that though most Nigerians were initially shocked by the shift of dates, it was later realised that INEC was not ready for the elections as clearly shown so far.

He said: “The shift has eventually become a blessing in disguise as many eligible voters now have the opportunity to collect their Permanent Voter's Card, PVCs, which would have disfranchised them.

“It has also allowed the security agencies to ensure adequate security, especially in the North-East, but we should at this point avoid another shift to avoid constitutional crisis which could lead to multiple crisie.”

Gambari stated that his group was saddled with the responsibility of ensuring peace and orderliness before, during and after the elections and therefore asked the government and Nigerians to ensure that peace was maintained throughout the election period.

He said: “Nigeria is the giant of Africa, pace setter and the biggest economy in the continent and the region is looking at us for peace.

“We have restored peace in other countries and that is why we must replicate this in Nigeria; but this should not be left in the hands of INEC alone.”

Okpanam, Oshimili, Ohanaeze monarchs endorse Ochei

By Oboh Agbonkhese

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RADITIONAL rulers of Okpanam, Oshimili South, Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West have endorsed the candidacy of Mr. Victor Ochei, the Accord Party, AP, candidate for Delta North senatorial district for the forthcoming elections.

While giving their blessings at separate events, the traditional rulers said Mr. Ochei, former Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly, had proved to be the preferred and suitable candidate, capable of providing effective and result-oriented representation of the people at the senate.

The Ugoani of Okpanam, His

Royal Majesty Obi Michael Mbanefo Ogbolu, said Ochei’s endorsement arose from the conviction that the wealth of legislative experience he had acquired in the state legislature will be brought to bear in proper representation of Delta North senatorial district.

Similarly, the Omu of Anioma, Her Royal Majesty Martha Dunkwu, has also given her consent to Ochei’s ambition, stating that the endorsement followed her appraisal of Ochei, whom he described as being eminently qualified to represent the senatorial zone, judging by his impressive antecedents.

Oshimili Also, the Oshimili South Traditional Council has pledged to support Mr. Victor Ochei. The Asagba of Asaba, Obi (Professor) Chike Edozien, the chairman of the council, gave this hint when Ochei visited the monarch.

The monarch said the council’s support for Ochei’s candidacy stemmed from his exemplary antecedents as a progressive administrator, whose stint as the Speaker of Delta State House of Assembly is unrivalled.

In the same vein, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West Local Government areas of the state

endorsed Ochei “as the most qualified and suitable candidate capable of providing effective and meaningful representation of Delta North senatorial zone at the Senate.”

Chairman of the group, Chief Amechi Nwafor, who made this known in Kwale during Ochei’s rally, stated that the group settled for Ochei based on the laudable numerous life-changing projects he had executed in his private and public capacities.

In his responses, Ochei promised not to let them down, assuring them of quality representation.

NAWOJ urges women to stop husbands, children from violence

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS—THE Plateau State chapter of Nigeria Association of Women Journalists, NAWOJ, has appealed to women in the state irrespective of tribe, political and religious affiliations to encourage their spouses and children not to engage in any activity that would scuttle peace in the country during and after the general elections.

Chairperson of the association, Mrs. Jennifer Yerima, spoke while addressing the women yesterday in Jos during a one-day seminar organised by NAWOJ. She said the event was aimed at sensitising them on the need for free, fair and peaceful elections.

She urged the participants to remember that women and children always bore the brunt of every crisis, as they were the ones left widowed and childless as their husbands and sons get killed in crises.

POLLS: Police assures on readiness in Lagos

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HE Alakuko Police Command, Lagos State has said that the Police are fully prepared to maintain peace during, and after the forthcoming elections to be held on March 28 and April 11, 2015 respectively.

Speaking at a meeting held with various community leaders, traditional rulers, Community Development Area Members, the Divisional Police Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police, Musa Alim said the meeting was based on how to maintain peace and uninterrupted security system before, during and after the general polls.

The police officer warned the hoodlums, miscreants and political thugs, adding that anyone caught causing trouble will face wrath of the law and punished accordingly.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 55

Strike's not best option, CJN tells JUSUN

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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CAMPAIGN RALLY: From right; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate for Lagos State and Dr. Oluranti Adebule, his running mate, during APC's governorship campaign rally in Eti-Osa Local Government, Lagos State. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.

BUJA — THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, yesterday, lamented that courts in many states of the federation were still under lock and key, owing to refusal of the governors of the states to obey the court judgment that granted financial autonomy to the judiciary.

The CJN regretted that the closure of courts by the state chapters of the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria, JUSUN, had hampered justice delivery in the country.

Justice Mohammed in a statement, appealed to governors to be mindful of the fact that the judiciary was part and parcel of the state governments.

Even though he justified the

refusal of JUSUN to call off the indefinite strike action that was embarked upon by its members in some states, the CJN however, urged the protesting workers to take into cognisance the fact that it was Nigerians that were suffering the brunt of their action.

He said: “State governors must be particularly mindful of their constitutional responsibilities to uphold the constitution and the rule of law of which a crucial component is obedience to court orders.

“Similarly, the JUSUN are also reminded that however, meritorious their cause may be, the average Nigerian, who is the most important stakeholder in the justice sector, is the loser. So I call on JUSUN to explore means of pursuing its legitimate claims with consideration to all court users and the public so as to quickly bring the strike to an end.”

DTHA candidate assures on more projects

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BRIEFING: From left: Mr Ayoola Osunnaike, Director, Bids On Line For You Nigeria Ltd (BOLFYNG); Mr Yinka Sorinwa, Business Devt Director for BOLFYNG and another Director of the company Mr Kehinde Kassim during a media briefing on BOLFYNG e-procurement solution in Lagos.

APC senators kick as Senate confirms Obanikoro, others as ministers

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA—A walk-out staged by senators of the All Progressives Congress, APC, fold against the screening and subsequent confirmation of Senator Musiliu Obaniko, as minister could not stop the Senate yesterday, as it confirmed his nomination among six other ministerial nominees.

The spirited protest of the opposition legislators, led by Senators Bukola Saraki, APC,Kwara Central and Ganiyu Solomon, APC,Lagos West, who raised points of order to stop Obanikoro’s confirmation by the senate along with seven other ministerial nominees screened before him, made the Senate session to be dramatic and tensionsoaked.

The drama started immediately the Senate resolved to commence the screening of the last four ministerial nominees slated for yesterday, through a motion moved by the Leader of the

Senate, represented by the Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, PDP, Bauchi Central.

Ningi had raised Oder 15 of the Senate rules under personal privilege, to remind the Senate President , David Mark, that the Senate resolved last week during closed door session , to have another closed door session before carrying out screening on one of the four, Musuliu Obanikoro.

But the Senate President ruled him out of order by declaring that executive session is not a privilege but just a decision that can be made by the Senate at any time is deemed necessary.

At this point, Senators Saraki and Gbenga Ashafa made spirited efforts to stop Obanikoro’s screening by raising order 53(5) of the Senate standing rules which states “that reference should not be made by the Senate to any matter on which judicial decision is pending in a such a way as might in the opinion of the Senate President , prejudice

the interest of parties thereto”.

Ashafa who made reference to a story in one of the national dailies of yesterday, argued that since Obanikoro has a case against his nomination before a Lagos High court and since the Senate President , David Mark and PDP, have also been joined in the suit, that the Senate in line with provisions of the standing order, disallowed Obanikoro from appearing before it for any screening or confirmation.

But David Mark in ruling him out of order, said nobody has served him any notice on the case and therefore, as far as he was concerned, “there is no case in court against the subject matter before the senate for legislative consideration.

After Ashafa , came Senator Babajide Omoworare, APC,Osun East, who as a constitutional lawyer, quoted relevant sections of the constitution and senate’ standing rules, to embellish his opposition against Obanikoro’s screening but also ruled out of order by the Senate President.

HE Delta State All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, candidate for Oshimili North Constituency in the coming House of Assembly election in the state, Chief Tony Azuya, has been described as a God-sent who will transform the local government area if elected.

This view was expressed by a cross section of indigenes and residents of the area, during a visit by Chief Azuya to the site of the ongoing road rehabilitation projects and the construction of ultra modern toilet and provision of facilities to some schools which he sponsored.

Some teachers at Umejei Mixed

Secondary School, Ibusa, who pleaded for anonymity, commended the APGA House of Assembly candidate for embarking on the project which them is a “clear indication of change for a new era.”

Azuya who was accompanied on the visit by the Director General of Azuya Campaign Organization, Mr. Afam Enemokwu, a community women leader, Mrs. Ngozi Daniel and some former councillors expressed satisfaction with the extent of work carried done but, regretted that some persons in the area were bent on disrupting the ongoing rehabilitation of one of the roads in the area.

BOLFYNG launches online portal for e-procurement government, Education,

O

NE of the country’s eprocurement solution company BOLFYNG has launched a new innovative electronic procurement solutions aimed at bridging the vast gap between purchasers and Suppliers enabling the process of tendering, pre-qualification and contract bidding to be done electronically.

The IT firm provides web based portal enabling purchasing organizations to manage and streamline procurement processes from bid creation, bid publishing, prequalification, bid submission and evaluation, document distribution and management to instant tender notification to interested bidders.

Speaking at a Press conference held recently in Lagos to unveil the e-procurement solution, the Business Development Director, of BOLFYNG Mr. Yinka Sorinwa disclosed that the online portal connect suppliers providing various goods and services to purchasing organizations from the local, state and federal

Consulting, Engineering, financial institutions, Construction, Healthcare sectors, Public and Private companies and many more across Nigeria and beyond.

He said that the main objective of BOLFYNG is to provide a platform where up-to-date information is made available to end users with the aim of becoming the most used and frequently visited web portal for bid publishing, e-prequalification and e-bidding.

“The traditional manual process of procurement is now obsolete, making the bid tendering and application process very slow, frustrating and time consumingwith very tedious process for payment and bid document pick up. Many advanced countries have replaced this with eprocurementand this solution is what BOLFYNG offers.

Purchasers and Suppliers can now undertake the procurement process with ease by signing up to the portal -www.bolfyng.com.

56— VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 12 , 2015

Iraq’s newest conflict rescues rusting tanks from scrapheap

UN scribe, Johnson-Sirleaf, Clinton set I 2030 deadline for gender equality

By Josephine Agbonkhese, in New York, USA

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ORLD leaders and activists have set 2030 deadline for achieving gender equality worldwide.

While demanding a 50 percent equality for both women and men, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, President of Liberia; UN SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon and former U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, called for bolder actions from governments and louder mobilisation from citizens to move forward the agenda on women’s rights and gender equality, saying progress in the last 20 years had been too slow.

They spoke at Planet 5050 by 2030: Step It Up for Gender Equality, organised by United Nations, UN, Women in celebration of the 20th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing, as part of activities at the ongoing 59th Commission on the Status of Women, CSW, in

•Ban Ki-moon New York.

Ban Ki-moon said: “Women’s and girls’ voices, too often, go unheard, their talents and initiative unused. This is to the detriment of the world’s prosperity and security.

“Too often, leaders have used women to advance power. I believe we must use power to advance women.”

According to President Johnson-Sirleaf, “it is time

to recalibrate the global agenda. Today we celebrate Beijing at 20, but we still have a long way to go.

“As we walk this path, we bring the same courage, the same resilience, the same persistence, to make Planet 50-50 a reality, because we can build on the accomplishments and the experience that we already have.”

Underlining the benefits of a gender-equal society

and the need for immediate concerted action, UN Women Executive Director, Phumzile MlamboNgcuka, put out an SOS to the world to step up gender equality.

She said: “We are celebrating women’s achievements since Beijing and also calling for focus and combined energy on the task ahead."

“We can no longer leave behind half the world’s population. Women and girls are essential equal partners for real progress, for peace, for development and for a world in balance.”

Hillary Clinton said: “Twenty years ago, declaring that women’s rights are human rights was considered groundbreaking – thankfully it is now routine.

“I see a future where we unlock the vast potential for women. To realise this vision, we will have to step it up – step up our commitment to finishing this, the great unfinished business of the 21st century.”

IS conflict: Iraqi troops advance in Tikrit I RAQI government forces have retaken a large part of northwestern Tikrit as they battle IS militants to recapture the city, security officials say.

Soldiers and Shia militiamen have reportedly raised the Iraqi flag at a hospital in the Qadisiya district, two-thirds of which is under their control.

But they have so far not made much progress in Tikrit’s south and west.

The operation to retake the hometown of Saddam Hussein is the biggest offensive yet by the Iraqi government.

Iran is helping to coordinate the 30,000 soldiers and militiamen involved, who are not being supported by USled coalition air strikes IS captured Tikrit last June after the Iraqi army collapsed in the face of a lightning advance by the group across northern and western Iraq.

On Wednesday, a

security official at the Samarra Operations Command in Salahuddin province

told the BBC that government forces had entered north-eastern Tikrit after 10 days of

heavy fighting in towns and villages along the Tigris river to the north and south.

N a military scrapyard in the southern Iraqi desert, abandoned army equipment sat for years waiting to be melted down to steel bars. Now, thanks to new conflict and a resourceful old mechanic, some of the rusty warhorses have won a reprieve.

Last June’s stunning offensive by Islamic State militants who control much of northern and western Iraq left the army in disarray and much of its U.S.-supplied equipment was taken over by the advancing radical Sunni Muslim fighters.

Baghdad’s Shi’ite-led government appealed for reinforcements from

Nemtsov murder: Zaur Dadayev confession ‘forced’

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NE of men charged with the murder of Russian opposition politician Boris Nemtsov confessed under duress, a member of Russia’s human rights council says.

Wounds on Zaur Dadayev’s body suggested he had been tortured, Andrei Babushkin said after visiting the suspect in prison on Tuesday.

Officials say the visit should have been to check confinement conditions only and have warned of interference.

Mr Dadayev and Anzor

Congress can't modify any Iran-U.S. nuclear agreement - Kerry

U

.S. Secretary of State John Kerry told U.S. lawmakers yesterday that they would not be able to modify any nuclear agreement struck between the United States and Iran despite threats by Republican senators.

In congressional testimony, Kerry said he

responded with “utter disbelief” to an open letter signed by 47 Republican senators that warned that any nuclear agreement would only last as long as U.S. President Barack Obama remains in office.

“When it says that Congress could actually modify the terms of an

agreement at any time is flat wrong. You don’t have the right to modify an agreement reached executive to executive between leaders of a country,” Kerry told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which does not include Senator Tom Cotton, the Republican from Arkansas who wrote the letter.

Gubashev, who both come from Chechnya, were charged on Sunday with his killing. Three other men, including Mr Gubashev’s brother Shagid, are being held in connection with the case.

After visiting the suspects in prison, Mr Babushkin said there were “reasons to believe Zaur Dadayev confessed under torture”.

He said Mr Dadayev had shown him marks from handcuffs and ropes around his legs, and told him he had been tortured with electricity.

Military Chopper crashes near Florida

H

Iran is helping to co-ordinate the operation, which is not backed by the USled coalition

across the world to help it fight back. But for retired military mechanic Madhi al-Sukaini, the answer lay nearer to home.

“The scrap yard where thousands of bits of army equipment are dumped is close to where I live and it was a constant reminder of the long war with Iran,” Sukaini said, referring to the relics from the 198088 conflict.

The scrap yard also contains guns, vehicles and tanks - some of them identifiable only by barrels still poking through the sand - from Iraq’s 1990-91 occupation and defeat in Kuwait and from the 2003 U.S.-led invasion to overthrow Saddam Hussein.

UMAN remains washed ashore and parts of a military helicopter were recovered yesterday after seven Marines and four soldiers crashed in heavy fog while training in Florida.

All 11 service members were

presumed dead after the the Army National Guard’s UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crashed into pieces offshore, according to a Pentagon official who spoke with The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to discuss the incident publicly.

'Russia has right to deploy nuclear weapons in Crimea'

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USSIA has the right to deploy nuclear arms in the Black Sea peninsula of Crimea, which Moscow annexed from Ukraine last year, a Foreign Ministry official said yesterday , adding he knew of no plans to do so.

“I don’t know if there are nuclear weapons there now. I don’t know about any plans, but in principle Russia can do it,” said Mikhail Ulyanov, the head of the ministry’s department on arms control, was quoted as saying by Interfax news agency.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, MARCH 12 , 2015 — 57

U.S, EU ask Zimbabwe to investigate activist’s disappearance T

HE United States and European Union have asked Zimbabwean authorities to investigate the disappearance of a journalist-turned activist who has been staging sitins in the capital demanding that President Robert Mugabe resigns.

Itai Dzamara was on Monday forcibly taken by five unidentified men and bundled into an unmarked truck near his home in the capital Harare, according to his family.

Dzamara and a handful of colleagues are demanding Mugabe’s resignation on the grounds that he had mismanaged the economy. In October last year Dzamara was arrested after delivering a petition at Mugabe’s offices calling on the 91-year-old

•Mugabe leader to resign and pave way for fresh elections.

The EU and U.S. said in separate statements that they were concerned with Dzamara’s abduction and disappearance.

“If he is being held in state custody, it is vital that his fundamental human rights and freedoms as guaranteed by

Zimbabwe’s constitution be honored,” the U.S. embassy said.

The EU said the government should “take all necessary measures to ascertain Mr Dzamara’s whereabouts, safeguard his wellbeing and accord him the full protection of the law.”

Oil firm lists nationalities of IS abductees in Libya

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HE nationalities of foreigners abducted by Islamic State militants in

Libya last week were listed as four Filipinos, two Bangladeshis, one

Islamic State militants

France to increase troops to support Boko Haram fight

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RANCE is increasing its West African Barkhane counter-insurgency force to support regional forces fighting Boko Haram, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said yesterday.

“We will slightly increase the numbers on Barkhane to give us the means to support and accompany the tensions that are taking place around Lake Chad,” he said, without giving details.

Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin have mobilized forces this year to help Nigeria defeat Boko Haram after it seized large amounts of territory and staged crossborder attacks.

France already has about 3,000 troops, excluding special forces, spanning from

Mauritania in the West to southern Libya in the East tasked with hunting down al Qaeda-linked groups.

Austrian, one Czech and one Ghanaian by the firm managing the oilfield where they worked.

The March 6 attack on the al-Ghani oilfield marked a new phase in the violence in Libya where rival factions are battling for control.

The militants made no financial or political demands as armed groups often do, but beheaded security guards and abducted workers in an apparent show of strength.

There has been no sign of the abductees since the attack, a spokesman for Austria’s foreign ministry said yesterday.

VAOS, an oil services company operating in Libya with offices in Austria and Malta, said it had initiated an evacuation before the attack began.

Protest in northern Mali against draft peace deal several thousand

H

UNDREDS of people rallied in the northern Malian town of Kidal on Tuesday to protest against a preliminary, U.N.brokered peace deal signed by the government and not yet accepted by Tuareg rebel groups in the north, residents said.

The protests, which organizers said drew

demonstrators, came ahead of a meeting in Kidal on Wednesday of representatives of rebel groups involved in the recent peace talks in Algiers to discuss the terms of the proposed deal.

The West African country ’s government signed the agreement on March 1 in hopes of tackling decades of Tuaregled uprisings in northern Mali.

b-

58—Vanguard, THURSDAY , MARCH 12 , 2015

NTI should remove hidden charges Dear sir IRST, I wish to apologize for this open way of drawing your attention to the financial hardship that the prospective students of NTI 2015 session are being subjected to.

I applied for PGDE programme in October, 2014 with an application fee of two thousand three hundred and fifty naira only (2,350) which I paid into the bank.

Thereafter, I was given a PIN with which I was able to access the NTI portal and put my application online. I got my admission letter in December, 2014.

Therefore, I made the payment of Twenty-five thousand eight hundred and fifty naira only (25,850) into the same bank on the 5th of January, 2015 and I was given another PIN. After the second payment, I

F

Since this is a new development, I think it should be made optional at least for the first time for public awareness so that subsequent applicants would have had the information prior to their application

got online to begin registration for the first semester and to my utmost surprise, I discovered that there is a compulsory Computer Tablet fee of Forty-five thousand naira only (N45,000) that I must have paid before I could access the registration service.

My issues with the Computer tablet fee are stated below: *The information was hidden until applicants must have paid application and school fees only to meet a “roadblock”. This information should have been publicised such that prospective applicants would have known the price of the course they are putting in for. *Since this is a new development, I think it should be made optional at least for the first time for public awareness so that subsequent applicants would have had the information prior to their application.

It would be unfair if this decision is not reverted at least for this year because it caught us unawares.

Finally, from the information I have, prospective students who do not register due to this fee would not even be allowed to receive lectures despite that the person has paid school fees.

I beckon on you sir, kindly reconsider this decision so that we do not miss out of the registration and lectures in spite of the sacrifice we have paid.

Mr. Francis Emeka Lagos.

Re: Asaba International airport Dear sir

I

wish to use this medium to thank you immensely and to correct the ugly impression as it affects Ibusa community. My attention as been dawn to a publication in the Vanguard edition of Friday 30th of May 2014, with the caption: Asaba International airport.

Ordinarily. I would not have wished to join issues with the author of the said publication, but because of perceived public interpretation or otherwise of the issues raised, coupled with the fact that these are political time, it has made it even more compelling to do so with sincerity of purpose and high degree of responsibility.

To set the records straight, I wish to say with out contradiction that those calling on the Delta State Governor Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan to name the Delta State International Airport after the late Chief

Denis Osadebe of Asaba to please have a re- think and look for a better option of honouring their brother and son because, the International Airport is sited ` in Umuodafe Isiuzor quarter of Ibusa and not in Asaba land.

The international airport is in Ibusa town, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State of Nigeria. In the light of the above, I make bold to state unequivocally that the publication and the entire comments are provocative.

Consequently, I urge the Delta State Government and the general public to discountenance the publication and comments. I also wish to suggest to the state government that the Asaba airport as is currently being called should be renamed to bear International Airport, Ibusa Delta State.

Mr. Augustine U. Aninyei Ibusa, Delta State.

Voters education

The electorate, especially those in the rural areas must be mobilized on how to cast their votes in the forthcoming general elections slated for March 2015. This has become necessary because of deceptive propaganda going on amongst some political parties especially those that did not present presidential candidate to the effect that a vote for their party will be credited to President Goodluck Jonathan.

Please wake up.

Barr Anthony Obi...Onitsha

On 2015 presidential elections

Why would a Christian clergy be used to propagate Islamic agenda in Nigeria?

You are therefore warned to guard your utterances at Adoration Ground. Please leave the political arena for the politicians.

Anonymous +2348056009586

New OPEC President

Kudos to Mrs. Deizani Allison Madueke and Nigeria over her recent appointment! The recent election of the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs.Diezani Allison Madueke, as the President of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC, is a victory for Nigeria, Africa, and women in particular. This is a clear indication that the Transformation Agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan is working and has received International recognition and acceptance. Congratulations to Mrs. Madueke and Nigeria!

Chukwuma Dioka.

Imo State.+2348063286727

Attacks on President Jonathan’s ambition

I wonder why on earth a political party that should be busy planning on how to contest and win a free and fair election, would rather chose to attack the presidency. The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is an office that should be respected and not toyed with in the name of politics. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is qualified to contest the 2015 presidential election and like OBJ, shall complete his second term. When God says “Yes” nobody can challenge him with a “No”. President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan should ride on Anthony O. Obi Obinweaku Chambers, Esq. +2348056009586

Nigerian Police invasion of NASS complex

It is within the constitutional roles of the Nigerian Police to take appropriate steps to prevent crime moreso when there is security report. There is no immunity

on members of the National Assembly to refuse submitting themselves to scrutiny or search. It is an act of irresponsibility for members of the House to be captured scaling over the fence wall. Nigerians must learn to be respectful, patient and law-abiding Barr Anthony Obi. 2348056009586

Still on Nigerian Police brutality

The Nigerian Police were been used to chases and dealt with those against the presidency. These are the same police we are entrusting our voting material come 2015 presidential election and we are expecting a free and fair election! Is this possible?

Uduebor Osaro. +2348059826021

Problem obtaining Certificate of Occupancy in Delta state

Delta state is fortunate to have that promised to finish strong.

Unfortunately,civil servants in the Ministry of Lands & Housing are making it difficult to obtain Certificate of Occupancy. The situation is so bad that it takes almost six months to obtain it at a cost of over five times the cost of purchasing the land. Developed lands should be given priority for approval.

Dedemo +2348074490347

Insurgency and Jonathan’s administration

I don’t think Jonathan and his party, PDP , want the insurgency to end since the three states affected by the Boko Haram menace are in firm control of the opposition. It might be their think tank that if the insurgency persists, elections may be put on hold in those states in 2015, to the detriment of the opposition and to the gain of the ruling PDP. What a hallow and shallow thinking if indeed the insinuation is correct!

Bazakey 08060768946

Still on OPEC President

It was good news when we heard that the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Deizani Allison Madueke was announced as the President of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC . The first female to get to such position! Nigeria no doubt is a great country endowed with great women of repute Anonymous +2348109842480

Police teargases lawmaker

The recent happenings the National Assembly is unfortunate. The Inspector General of Police should be redeployed to go and combat the Boko Haram sect if he can, and stop being used as a thug by politicians.

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deed and words return back to us sooner or later.

Be kind to get kindness back in return.

Simon Adewale08056180103, Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable.

Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015— 59

Nigeria athletes prepare for Okpekpe N

IGERIA athletes hoping to be part of the third edition of the annual Okpekpe Road Race will have cause to smile as the organiser of the 10km Okpekpe Road Race have assured them of having some local races to prepare them for the competition.

Making this declaration was the coordinator of the event, Yusuf Alli, who said that some states have agreed to organise local race to help the Nigerian athletes. Speaking to our correspondent, Alli said two states have been comfirmed to host road

Boxers in training ahead of GOtv Boxing night

GOtv Boxing Night: Organisers assure fans of GOtv Boxing Night, a Board of Control (NBB of adequate security six-bout professional C) in its second edition, is

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LYKITE Productions, promoters of the GOtv Boxing Night, have assured fans coming to the event on 15 March of maximum protection.

Speaking with journalists in Lagos Tuesday, Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director, Flykite Productions, said boxing fans have nothing to fear, as the organisers have made arrangements to ensure protection from any unsavoury experience in and around the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, venue of the event.

Security, Alumona said, will be provided by KSquare Security, a top class security firm with vast experience in events on the

scale of GOtv Boxing Night.

boxing event sanctioned by the Nigerian Boxing

Mobil sports: Akpabio lauds MPN investment in youth development

T

HE decision by the NNPC/MPN Joint Venture to invest in the development of the youth has attracted the commendation of His Excellency Dr Godswill Akpabio, Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State.

Speaking at Uyo during the closing ceremony of the 14th AKS/NNPC/MPN Schools Athletics Championships, the Governor said the state is grateful to the Joint Venture for investing in the youth

who are the future of this country. “………..I appreciate you for partnering with the state in the development of our youth. That you have stayed faithful to this championship for the past fourteen years is a testimony to your support and interest in the development of the community under which you operate. “ …I am hereby calling on other corporate organizations and individuals who God has blessed to emulate this

Okpala wins case against NFF Continued from back page we are handling the matter based on the agreement we had in principal. He is a member of the Nigerian football family and is welcomed to the federation any time he wishes.”

On whether he has been recalled to the national team, General Secretary said “I have told you exactly what he came here for, if he was here for the job of the Super Eagles he would have been meeting with the technical committee.

I am the general secretary and I have told

conceived to arrest the decline boxing is currently experiencing in Nigeria.

you what we discussed”.

Speaking further, Amadu stated that contrary to speculations in certain quarters that CAS also ruled that the former international be recalled as a coach of the Super Eagles, the scribe said that there was no truth to it as CAS cannot force the NFF to hire any staff.

“One thing I want you to understand and this is the law is that you cannot force an unwilling servant on an unwilling master. It is settled by law anywhere in the world. They cannot tell you that you must employ this person, There is no such law but having said that

it was not part of the CAS ruling. He did not even ask for this in CAS and I am sure that his lawyers must have advised him accordingly. So the matter with Okpala has been settled amicably and obviously we will move in the same direction”.

The former assistant coach of the Super Eagles was sacked by the Aminu Maigari-led board immediately after the 2013 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in South Africa.

However both Okpala and Amadu refused to reveal the amount of money involved.

wonderful and selfless contribution by MPN in putting back to the community in which they do business.

Ref dies while jogging in ilorin Continued from back page member of Kaduna State Referees Council was posted to Kwara State for his National Youth Service, and resumed in his new station, Kwara United FC, earlier that same day.

Late Dodo, 44, listed as a Grade One referee in 1999, was confirmed dead after thorough examination at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), where he was rushed to after he slumped during the second lap of the exercise.

Vanguard reliably gathered that his sudden death might not be unconnected with heart failure, even though he was said to have undergone Electro Cardiogramme (ECG) test three months earlier. His remains was deposited at the UITH mortuary.

races before the Okpekpe competition in May. “There is need to prepare our athletes well ahead of the competition so that they can compete favourably with their counterpart from other part of the world,” he said.

“We are looking forward to a Nigerian winning the race instead of the foreigner that have been winning it from inception. “The target is to have a Nigerian finishing within the top five

starting from this year.

That is why we are going to be having some road races prior the competition in May. “We have Akwa Ibom already looking forward to having a road race between now and May, we will be having another one in Port Harcourt. Those are the ones I can confirm now.”

Alli also revealed that the level of preparedness for the competition, stating that the prototype for the start and finishing line is ready.

F/Eagles hit Congo 4-1 Continued from back page down in the 30th minute of the first half.

In truth, the job was well done as captain Musa Mohammed hit two in a resounding success.

The determination in the team also finished things off in the second group match in Dakar.

Nigeria coach Manu Garba deployed a 4-3-3 formation against the Congolese team.

Joshua Enaholo started in goal, with Zaharadeen Bello and Izuchukwu Omego as the preferred centre-back pair, while Mohammed and Mustapha Abdullahi operated as right and left-backs respectively.

Ifeanyi Ifeanyi, Idowu Akinjide and Ifeanyi Matthew all protected the Flying Eagles defence in a three-man pivot.

Taiwo Awoniyi led the line for Nigeria and was ably supported by Chidera Ezeh and Bernard Bulbwa.

Determined not to allow a repeat of the 2007 loss to the Small Leopards, the Flying Eagles attacked from the blast of the whistle and were soon in front after five minutes.

A wonderful work from Bulbwa was slotted in by the lurking Matthew. It was the perfect start the Manu Garba tutored lads needed to start the much talked about match.

Three minutes later, Captain Mohammed almost doubled the lead for the Nigerian side. His

close range effort was saved by goalkeeper Pavelh Ndzila.

Flying Eagles were down to ten men when goalkeeper Enaholo was sent off. It was a huge setback for the tournament favourites.

Talented goalkeeper Olorunleke Ojo was handed his AYC debut, with Ezeh the sacrificial lamb.

Despite the numerical disadvantage the sixtime AYC winners continued to run rings round their opponents.

Eight minutes before the break, Nigerians at the match venue were celebrating another goal when Mohammed easily dispatched a spot kick for his side.

The first half of the mouth watering encounter ended two-nil in favour of the Flying Eagles and the fans couldn’t wait for another exciting second stanza at the Stade Leopold Senghor.

Ten minutes after the game resumed, it was AwoniyI who was first to react when the ball found it’s way into the box. He was brought down for a penalty to Nigeria.

Mohammed was there to emphatically smash the ball home. He demonstrated his supreme confidence for 3-0 and his second goal of the day.

Eight minutes later and it was 3-1, this time Ganvoula Mboussy beat Olorunleke with his effort.

Three minutes from time, the workaholic Awoniyi demonstrated his goal poaching instincts with a typical ‘’number nine goal’’.

60—Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Real Madrid need a new goalkeeper!

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EAL Madrid’s 4-3 loss to Schalke has prompted further calls for change in the Spanish capital. They progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League thanks to a 2-0 win in the first leg, but Tuesday night was supposed to be easy.

On Sunday, their place at the top of La Liga was swiped from underneath them, and 92% of fans have demanded a change in tactical approach, according to a recent poll in AS. Most players have been criticised Cristiano Ronaldo included - but perhaps most under-fire is Iker Casillas. Mr Real Madrid, with over 500 appearances.

Three of Schalke’s four goals could have been saved, they said.

Casillas needs to leave, they said.

At 33 years of age, he may well be past his best, with three European Cups, five league titles and one World Cup tucked safely under his belt.

Manchester United’s David De Gea has been touted as his possible replacement, and even Sportsmail’s Jamie Carragher waded into the debate on Tuesday night.

‘Madrid need a new keeper. De Gea wants to win trophies. No brainer,’ he wrote on Twitter.

And perhaps he has a point.

Manchester United have fallen short of expectations once more, and De Gea will be keen to taste success... where better than the city he was born?

He is a Spain international, and certainly talented enough to take the reins from his countryman.

But you get the feeling that Real Madrid would not be the same without Casillas. Since 1999, he has been a main-stay at the Bernabeu.

At the end of the game on Tuesday night, there was an endearing moment in which he refused to let his teammates leave the pitch before thanking the Madrid fans.

Pointing and pulling, ushering his team-mates to the corners of the pitch to applaud the supporters. But still they want rid.

For the first goal, he palmed the ball into his bottom corner. For the second, he pushed it into the path of KlaasJan Huntelaar. For the third, he was rooted to the spot.

Success is in Madrid’s nature, and their fans aren’t happy with the amount of goals they are conceding. That starts at the back... with Casillas.

Aside from De Gea’s potential arrival, you can’t forget the presence of Keylor Navas. Signed from Levante in the summer, he is waiting, willing, wishing for his chance.

But De Gea makes sense. He is 24 years old, and getting better with every game he plays. Signed by Sir Alex Ferguson for just shy of £19million in 2011, United would make a tidy profit on him if he were to leave.

‘I think David De Gea is the best goalkeeper in the world at the moment,’ Roy Keane told ITV after Monday night’s FA Cup clash with Arsenal.

The best goalkeeper in the world to one of the best football clubs in the world. Maybe Jamie Carragher has called it right again.

Ghana FA reports players over betting

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Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has come under heavy scrutiny after a series of poor performances

Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been touted as the perfect replacement at Real Madrid

HE Ghana Football Association has reported some top-flight players to law enforcement agencies over allegations they bet on their own team to lose.

GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi said the allegations were “a very d a n g e r o u s development in Ghana’s football”.

Last weekend the coach of Ghana Premier League team BA United, Mohammed Gargo, insinuated that players deliberately lost their match against All Stars.

Gargo has reportedly been sacked by the club for his post-match comments.

At a media conference, Nyantakyi explained why players had been reported but did not name anyone under suspicion.

“We have taken the necessary steps to arrest this canker, which we think if we don’t confront it at this stage it could go beyond our imagination,” he said.

“So the security agencies have been notified to do the necessary investigations and then will bring all culprits involved to book.''

Ronaldo turns his back on the media C

•Ronaldo

RISTIANO Ronaldo has told reporters that he will not speak to the media again until the end of the season, leaving captain Iker Casillas to explain Real Madrid’s recent slump.

Ronaldo was left seething by Real’s 4-3 defeat to Schalke at the Bernabéu on Tuesday, which meant the Champions League holders progress into the quarterfinals of the competition by an aggregate 5-4 scoreline but only after yet another unconvincing display.

Television cameras captured a grim-looking Ronaldo shaking his head and apparently mouthing “disgrace” to Karim Benzema shortly before the end of the game.

The forward’s two first-half headers had helped keep Real’s hopes of a record-extending 11th European Cup title alive and took his tally in all European competition to a record 78 goals, surpassing Lionel Messi (76) and the former Real striker Raul (77). However, they were one of the few bright spots in a generally weak showing that came on the back of the 1-0 defeat at Athletic Bilbao at the weekend which cost Real top spot in La Liga.

The loss to Schalke was their first home defeat in the Champions League in 22 matches and the players were whistled off the pitch by angry home fans, many of whom waved white handkerchiefs in the traditional sign of discontent.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015 — 61

We’re better than ‘BBC’ " — Neymar N

EYMAR says Barcelona’s attack is superior to Real Madrid’s in an early vocal joust ahead of the latest instalment of El Clasico at the end of the month.

The Brazil star has shone alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez this season as the trio have formed a d e v a s t a t i n g understanding to help the club overtake their arch-rivals at the top of La Liga.

In contrast, Madrid’s attacking trio of Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Karim Benzema - commonly referred to as ‘BBC’ have been criticised for their respective displays following a faltering run of form since the turn of the year.

“Are we better than BBC? I think so, but I prefer not to talk about rivals,” he said on Wednesday.

“I do not know if it is just because of our front three but we always seem to do some damage to our opponents. Each time we play we get better.

Suarez and Messi are two players you do not need to talk.

“Messi is the best in the world and Suarez is also the best! It’s a pleasure to play with both of them.”

The meeting between the two sides on March 22 could well prove to be decisive in the race for La Liga, with Barcelona one point clear of Madrid after 26 games.

REAL'S: Benzema, Bale & Cristiano

BARCA'S : Messi, Neymah & Suarez

Champions League: Arsenal, Man City can’t make it — Ferdinand

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ORMER Queens Ferdinand beter City will year ’s ChamThe Gunners feat at the hands their last-16 tie. come that defiside to the

Manchester United and current Park Rangers centre-back Rio lieves that Arsenal and Manchesnot get beyond the last-16 in this pions League, reports Goal. slipped to a unexpected 3-1 deof Monaco during the first leg of Next week, they will hope to overcit when Arsene Wenger takes his Stade Louis II stadium.

Ferdinand, who won the Champions League with Manchester United in 2008, isn’t backing either Premier League

club to be in the draw for the quarter-finals.

The 36-year-old said: “Arsenal and City? They won’t make it through.

They will not beat Monaco and Barcelona.”

During the game against Monaco, Arsenal’s shot accuracy was just 31%, with Olivier Giroud missing all six of his efforts on goal. Since then, though, the Gunners have strung together three wins in a row over Everton, QPR and Manchester United in the FA Cup. Meanwhile, City must go to the Nou

Juventus sweat on Pirlo’s fitness ahead of Dortmund trip

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NDREA Pirlo is set to undergo a fitness test ahead of Juventus’s Champions League return leg against Borussia Dortmund.

The 35-year-old Italy international limped out of the first leg clash against Borussia Dortmund and was later reported to be facing

Egwuekwe warns teammates to be focused

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ARRI Wolves Cap tain and Super Eagles defender, Azubuike Egwuekwe has warned

•Egwuekwe

his team mates that the match against Dedebit SC of Ethiopia on Saturday in the CAF Confederation Cup second round, first leg will be tough and urged the fans to come out in their thousands to cheer them to victory.

Azubuike spoke when reminded that Dedebit who plays their matches in Bahir Dar Stadium, about 700km, North of Addis Ababa have about 42 thousand fans in attendance in their last match, disclosed that they have to finish the work in Warri, otherwise, they will have themselves to blame.

According to Azubuike, the fans can win the match for them by cheering every move made by the players because Dedebit parade National team players and they need to double their effort to scale through.

“We are aware of the herculean task ahead because Dedebit is not a small team. About 42,000. fans were present in their last match so we want our fans to come out in thousands to cheer us to victory.

They parade national team players, about seven, so we just have to work hard to see that we do well

in the first leg because the second leg would be difficult.” said Azubuike.

Azu as he is fondly called by friends has however assured all stakeholders that they are ready to shed their blood to win the first leg by scoring many goals.

Meanwhile, as at Wednesday morning, no word has come from the visiting team as to the time of their arrival and they seem to be playing hide and seek game in the match which comes up on Saturday at the Warri City Stadium.

three weeks on the sidelines.

Gazzetta dello Sport reports that the midfielder is scheduled to undergo a fitness test after the Palermo game on Saturday evening.

However, the player will be subjected to a field t e s t today as the Bianconeri are very eager to have the play-maker return for the

:

Camp and score twice to overcome a 2-1 loss from their first leg against Barcelona.

Former Liverpool striker Luis Suarez scored twice at the Etihad for Luis Enrique’s team, but a goal from Sergio Aguero in the second half gave the Premier League outfit a small chance of knocking out the Catalan club.

medical staff are following a very cautious approach but are also quietly optimistic about the player ’s chances of playing in at least some part of the crucial match.

A 2006 W o r l d Cup winner, Pirlo has 114 appearances for Juventus s i n c e joining the club in 2011.

n e x t knockout round of the UEFA Champions League which will be played in Dortmund in the middle of next week.

Reportedly Juventus C M Y K

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015— 63

Dream Team ready for Zambia test — Amoo T

Amoo said his side will fight hard to win well in the first leg fixture in Abuja so as to make the reverse fixture in Lusaka, Zambia more or less a formality.

HE national Olympic team assistant coach, Fatai Amoo has said the side will not take for granted the challenge of Zambian Under-23 side.

The Dream Team will confront the Southern African opponents in the final round qualifying match for a place in the upcoming All Africa Games (AAG) in Congo Brazzaville.

EFENDING champion, Nigeria’s Ojo Onaolapo, Olajide Omotyao and three other Nigerians as

•Onaolapo

•Omotyao

“Zambia is an Africa football playing nation you can’t, for whatever reason, toy with as over the years I’ve witnessed progression of their

youngsters to the senior national team.

“They ’re force to be reckoned with in the continent, we must take

them seriously. For no reason will we take them for granted but work hard to earn the decent result we all dream of.

Lagos ITTF World Tour: Onaolapo, Omotayo, others berth in q/final of U-21

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well as three Egyptians secured their places in the quarterfinal stage of the ongoing International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) World Tour, Lagos Open holding at the Molade Okoya-Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

Onaolapo, who is seeded number one had an easy passage to the last eight, as he overrun compatriot, Joshun Oladiran 11-4, 11-5, 116, while Italy-based Omotayo also surmounted Michael Obayomi 11-6, 11-7, 10-

12, 11-6 to set up a quarterfinal battle against compatriot, Akinwale Fagbamila, who had accounted for the exit of Sunday Akomolafe in the round of 16 encounter.

Joseph Osedunkwu also suffered defeat in the hand of Olasunkanmi Oginni, who is expected to tackle Omotayo in the last eight.

Egypt’s Ahmed Mabrouk sent his compatriot packing in the last 16 battle of two brothers with 11-9, 118, 5-11, 11-7 win over Sayed Ramadan.

Nigeria’s Azeez Solanke was no match to Egypt’s Mahmoud Fathy as the teenager star fell 6-11, 4-11, 1-11 to his superior o p p o n e n t .

Experienced former national junior player, Azeez Ogunlade was made to raise his game as he managed to beat Babatunde Babafemi 611, 11-5, 11-4, 11-9.

However the entertaining match between Nigeria’s Nurudeen Hassan and Egypt’s Shady Magdy became the star match in the category as unknown Hassan gave the African

•Siasia

Ugbe satisfied with sports facilities

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HE Cross River State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Patrick Ugbe has expressed satisfaction with the level of work on facilities earmarked for the forthcoming National Sports Festival, tagged “Paradise Games”.

The Commissioner who gave this assessment during an inspection of projects said that as soon as Contractors return to site work on all the facilities will be completed within Six (6) weeks except for the indoor Sports Hall.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2015

Okpala wins case against NFF •As NFF begins implementation of CAS ruling

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HE presence of former assistant coach of the Super Eagles, Sylvanus Okpala at the NFF yesterday caused tongues to wag on his

10-man F/Eagles T hit Congo 4-1 •Book World Cup ticket

HE Flying Eagles will hoist Nigeria’s flag at the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup in New Zealand next summer, as they defeated Congo 4-1 in an African Youth Championship Group A match in Dakar, Senegal y e s t e r d a y. H a v i n g recorded a 3-1 victory over hosts Senegal on Sunday, Nigeria easily dismissed the Congolese despite going one man

Continues on Page 59

come-back to the national team but the NFF made it clear that Okpala came to iron out the implementation of the ruling of the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

Okpala dragged the NFF to the Court of Arbitration and won outrightly for his wrongful dismissal by NFF as CAS mandated the NFF to pay him all his entitlements from the date of his dismissal until the end of his contract after the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Both parties were silent on amount.

Speaking to journalists after a closed door meeting, Amadu said the two bodies have begun ways of settling the matter amicably.

“We have already

•Okpala started instalmental payment of the areas which the federation owes Sylvanus Okpala as ruled by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

“He came to show appreciation for the way Continues on Page 59

Ref dies while jogging in ilorin

BY DEMOLA AKINYEMI

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WAY TO NEW ZEALAND: Taiwo Awoniyi points the way to New Zealand 2015 after scoring against Congo yesterday.

HERE was pandemonium at the main bowl of the kwara state stadium,on monday when a retired Grade One referee, Ishaku Musa Dodo slumped and died while jogging.

Late Dodo, former Continues on Page 59

Page 62

Referees jugging

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Web (6) 5 Cake (6) 8 Naughty (8) 9 Chamber (4) 10 Pig-pen (3) 12 Structure (5) 15 Sorrowful (3) 17 Lubricate (3) 18 Pinch (3) 19 Bird (3) 20 Overhead (5) 21 Sick (3) 22 And not (3) 23 Fish (3) 24 Delve (3) 26 Sea-duck (5) 29 Ballad (3) 33 Formerly (4) 34 Ease (8) 35 Bomb-hole (6) 36 Indulgence (6)

DOWN 2 Unsuitable (5) 3 Rescue (4) 4 Mistake (5) 5 Glimmer (5) 6 Period (4) 7 |Fragrance (5) 10 Pass (5) 11 Youthful (5) 12 Blaze (5) 13 Dodge (5) 14 Go in (5) 16 Postpone (5) 25 Interior (5) 27 Deduce (5) 28 Surpass (5) 30 Performer (5) 31 Plague (4) 32 Bend (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Slip 4, Dam 6, Pity 8, Stream 9, Nature 10, Pry 12, Grief 14, Chair 15, Dated 18, Serene 20, Ironic 24, Named 26, Watch 28, Power 30, Jet 32, Please 33, adored 34, Eddy 35, Tot 36, Site.

DOWN: 2, Later 3, Precede 4, Dump 5, Many 6, Pitch 7, Termini 11, Roe 12, Gas 13, Fan 16, Ten 17, Dim 19, Enabled 21, Rep 22, Odorous 23, Cur 25, Axe 27, Crazy 29, Erect 30, Jest 31, Tart.

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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