Smear campaign can't deter me-BUHARI

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62361

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FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Three policemen, teenager killed in Lagos bank robbery 7

Smear campaign can't deter me — BUHARI

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor, Charles Kumolu, Olasunkanmi Akoni, Gbenga Oke & Monsur Olowoopejo

•Says corruption must be killed before it kills Nigeria •We need a progressive to change the face of this nation — El-Rufai

L

AGOS — ALL Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday, affirmed that he would not Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS: Donu Kogbara

Trading places

•P.17

2015 •P.28 ELECTIONS: Who will win should win

Mr & Mrs JONATHAN @ NSE: From left: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga; Director-General,

Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr Oscar Onyema; President Goodluck Jonathan; Council President of NSE, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede and Peoples Domocratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu at the NSE, Lagos, yesterday.

PRICE SLUMP: FG to diversify oil revenue base

Jonathan spoke with Moroccan king, FG insists 9 C M Y K

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Yoruba ronu: When have the Yoruba

started to pick crumbs?

•See pull-out inside

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C M Y K

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POCKET CARTOON

RALLY: From left: Mallam Nasir el-Rufai; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State; his wife, Dame Judith; All Progressives Congress, APC, Presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and APC National Chairman, Chief John Oyegun, during the APC South-South zonal rally at Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke

Smear campaign can't deter me —Buhari Continues from Page 1

allow the smear campaign to dissuade him from his obligation of liberating the country from the bondage of misrule and misery of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In a charge to a cross section of Nigerian youths in Lagos, Buhari affirmed that his plans for a better life for Nigerian youths would be underpinned by a robust focus on education, guarantee of security and enhancement of infrastructure.

Buhari spoke as national leaders of the APC affirmed confidence in his capacity to salvage the country from the precipice, describing as distractive, the series of personal attacks on him by leaders of the PDP. The national leaders of the party were particularly focused on disabusing sentiments that Buhari at 72 would be an ineffective leader.

The occasion was a town hall meeting in Lagos

themed “Secure the future: Discussing change with the youths.”

The occasion graced by different youth and student groups was also attended by DirectorGeneral of the Buhari Campaign Organization, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi; National Chairman of the APC, Chief John OdigieOyegun; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; APC governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai and former governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi among others.

Buhari said: “My love for this country is supreme and that is why I am offering myself to serve you. But our vision can only be possible when you get your PVCs and make sure you vote for APC. Don’t stop at voting, ensure that your votes are protected. We have a duty to liberate this country, such liberation cannot be done overnight.

“It is a question of

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Find 100 reasons to laugh. You are bound to feel better, you will cope with problems more effectively and people will enjoy being around you— Steve Goodier

I

read that a child laughs 400 times a day on the average, while an adult laughs only 15 times.

This is a great truth about laughter– it is good for the body, the mind and the spirit. It’s a natural stress reliever. Have you ever laughed so hard that you doubled over, fell off your chair? You just cannot maintain muscle tension when you are laughing.

Author Norman Cousins used to say that laughter is so beneficial for your body that it is like “inner jogging.” Numerous studies have shown that laughter is good for your heart, it boosts your immune system and promotes overall good health.

The good news is that you are not limited to 15 laughs a day. You’re allowed hundreds of laughs.

What might happen if you doubled the usual adult rate and tried to laugh 30 times today? Can you do it? You’ll probably notice an immediate difference in how you feel.

saving the country from free fall. I have not come here to make promises to you but to tell you that we have a duty to save our nation, and that is what March 28 and April 11 election dates are all about. No Nigerian should accept any postponement because there is no constitutional provision for postponement. We must conduct election and it must be free, fair and credible.”

Problems facing the country

Noting the major problems facing the country, he said: “Important issue for us is insecurity. Second issue is unemployment, and it affects you all that still have more than 40 years to go. No matter how well I love to live, there is no way I will live another 40 years.

“I want you to reflect how life have been in the last 16 years of the PDPled government. What was the strength of the Naira from when they took over and now? It is now over N220 to one dollar.

"To revamp the system, there is need for trillions of Naira but where will they get it from? PDP has killed this country in the last 16 years. If we don’t kill corruption in Nigeria, it will kill Nigeria. Many of us are still here because we have nowhere to go in the world than to stay in Nigeria.

“Our objective is to throw away PDP and rehabilitate our country.

We will not be distracted by their plans and smear campaign. The problem of Boko Haram went haywire when the Police arrested and killed their leaders, instead of prosecuting them. It got

so bad that Chad, Niger and Cameroon had to come and help the Nigerian military rescue 14 local government areas from Boko Haram. PDP has killed the country.

That is why this election will be very defining, especially for the youths and the change we all want.”

The candidate said his plans would be helped by focusing on recoverable and leakages from corruption towards education, infrastructure and other tangibles that would benefit the youths and the general populace.

Following his opening address, Buhari drew questions from the youth groups, and subsequently party leaders spoke on the issues concerning the campaign.

Integrity

In his remarks yesterday, Governor Fashola said: “What Buhari and Prof Yemi Osinbajo are bringing to the negotiation table is integrity. That is what they represent in the polity.

With the duo in the saddle, you will know that certain lines will be drawn.

"The level of partisanship that is being carried out with state institution is provocative.

Currently, the State House in Marina has been desecrated with party colours. Such action provokes questions about those in office. It shows the extreme to which state institutions are being pushed to support partisan political choices.

From what is happening, I want you to make decisions out of conviction rather than emotion. Don’t make your decision because your friends did so.

On attacks on Buhari

Ridiculing the recent attacks on Buhari, he said: “Why are they so afraid of Buhari when they always say that they have defeated him thrice? If they had kept their promises to the nation, Buhari’s candidacy would not have mattered.

"They are not bothered about economic growth, they prefer to import fuel and ship jobs to European refineries. Their message is about hate and division.

That is why I am saying that they don’t have a message for the nation.

“The President has admitted that he failed. He said so in Lagos and urged you to follow him.

But where are you following someone who has failed you to?

Whenever they claim to commission any gas turbine, the power situation becomes worse because all they do is re-

commission what other administrations had done in the past.

“They said that they have delivered two million jobs. These are about numbers and not magic.

Divide two million jobs by 37 and you will get the answer. Is there anyone in any state who has benefited from these jobs?

Is there anyone who is happy with the situation of the country today? This question is important because this country deserves change.

"We cannot elect ourselves, so Nigerians must decide whether they want to elect the APC. We are almost there. If you have not gotten your PVC, you should go for it so that you can vote and as well defend your votes.

Defending your votes means that you should be vigilant on election day."

Amaechi cautions Fayose

Governor Amaechi in his remarks cautioned Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State as he urged him to learn from those who cursed Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe in his old age.

He said: “I want to let my friend, the Governor of Ekiti State, Mr Ayo Fayose, to know that our Presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, is still within the presidential age. He is still very strong, fit and can still govern this nation including Ayo Fayose himself. The only thing I want to say to Fayose is that, did he know what happened to all those who predicted the death of Nnamdi Azikwe?”

We need a progressive to change things — ElRufai

On Buhari's age, ElRufai said:“They say he is too old and does not know anything because he is 72 years old. My response to that is that President Jonathan is 52 years, does he know how to switch on a computer or know what the youths of today know?

Look at the policies of the PDP, what has President Jonathan done to better the life of youths? Is it all

about age?

“China today is the fastest growing economy in the world. How did China grow from a communist state to the largest economy in the world? This was not done by the rebasing of economy but through real growth in about 30 years.These reforms were done by the 78-year-old man who became a paramount ruler of China.

“My point is when a country is going through trouble like ours, such countries go for older, honest and experienced leaders. They are not going there for going sake, they won’t be lying down on a job for six years and doing nothing.

“I believe Nigeria under General Buhari will be developed, truthful and progressive. I believe Buhari will lay the foundation for a better Nigeria and youths of this country should stop listening to people like Fayose.

“Any political leader who will fight corruption will talk of jobs creation and employment for the youths. That is what Buhari stands for. His age, experience as governor, minister and head of state cannot be overlooked. He will not behave like a learner that behaves like a drunken driver.

“They also say Buhari is a religious bigot. Is Osinbajo also a religious bigot? How can he Islamize Nigeria? If he truly wants to Islamize Nigeria, will he also convert Amaechi who is a Catholic?

“Do you know why they think like that? They have no records. During the Obasanjo era, we left N43 billion and N27 billion in excess crude. Where are those monies today?

“They budgeted several billions for security, what do we see. Big mansions all over Abuja by Generals and top security operatives who should have used the resources to fight terrorism.

“Now they are moving from church to church preaching religious division and what they do now is lying for a living. "

6 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

2 slump during protest over unpaid teachers' pension Overloaded taxi in Lagos Street, Maiduguri, yesterday.

NAN PHOTO.

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—TWO retired primary school teachers, yesterday, slumped while protesting unpaid N23 billion pension and gratuities owed them since 2010.

The retired teachers staged a peaceful protest to the secretariat of the Oyo State Correspondents’ Chapel, Mokola, Ibadan.

Led by their chairman, Mr. Babatunde Remi and the Secretary, Mr. Tunji Ogunwale, the retired teachers described as lamentable the situation when animals in the newly-rehabilitated Agodi Gardens are well-fed, while they wallowed in hunger and penury.

One of the teachers that slumped, later identified himself as Mr. Falade Sunday, who retired from St. John Primary School, Akinyele.

Earlier, Mr. Babatunde while reading a communiqué at the end of the state meeting of National Association of Retired Primary School Teachers, said it was unfair for Governor Abiola Ajimobi to say he was not owing pensioners in the state when, in fact, the retired teachers have been begging him since he assumed office in 2011 to “pay our money.”

Reacting to the earlier response of the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Zaccheaus Adelabu, who said the inability of government to pay the gratuities was as a result of the embezzled pension fund, the teachers argued that he was ignorant of the facts about the unpaid gratuities.

The state government had earlier explained that the shortfall in monthly allocation and the huge theft totaling N6 billion that took place before his assumption of office was responsible for the inability of government to settle them.

But the teachers argued, that “the Commissioner for Finance has no adequate knowledge of the facts and figures about the primary school pensioners.”

They dismissed claims by the government that they were being used by political opponents.

Woman arrested with 430 grammes of heroin in her private part

By Daniel Eteghe

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PERATIVES of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday, arrested a 31-yearold single mother with 430 grammes of heroin hidden in her private part.

The suspect, Miss Aladi, was apprehended during the inward screening of passengers on an Emirates flight from Pakistan at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

Speaking on the arrest, NDLEA Commander at the Lagos Airport, Mr. Hamza Umar, said the arrest was made through the help of the scanning machines at the airport.

He said: “During the inward screening of Emirates passengers, one Aladi tested positive for narcotic ingestion.

While under observation, the drug was subsequently expelled, field-tested and weighed.”

He noted that the suspect was given the drug in Pakistan and had already established a link with some Pakistani drug traffickers, who sponsored her trip in collaboration with some local accomplices.

Meanwhile, Chairman of NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade said that the agency would continue to detect narcotics with the help of technological tools.

He also imployed the public to always support the fight against drug traffickers, stressing that drug control thrives on the principle of collective responsibility, adding that the suspect will soon be charged to court.

Narrating her ordeal, Miss Aladi said she engaged in drug

trafficking to settle her bills.

She said: “I am a single mother and I need money to take care of myself and child. I used to sell clothes but the profit is inadequate to sustain my family.

“I would have earned half a

million naira to pay my rent and my child’s school fees if I had succeeded in bringing the drug. They paid my return ticket and hotel accommodation.

“While in my hotel room, a Pakistani woman came to give me the drug. She also

instructed me to conceal it in my private part to avoid arrest.

Unfortunately, NDLEA officers detected it.”

The suspect, who is a 2007 graduate from Saint Anthony Secondary School, Aba, Abia State hails from Abia State.

Police officer, six others killed by gunmen, auto crash

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—A police officer and six others have been reported killed by gunmen in two shooting incidents and a ghastly motor accident in Vandeikya, Tarka and Ushongo Local Government areas of Benue State.

The incidents also left about 15 persons hospitalised with varying degrees of injuries.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, from an eyewitness that the Police Corporal (names withheld) alongside his colleagues were, Wednesday, on routine stop and search duty by the Federal Government College in Vandeikya town, when a group of armed men, numbering about 20 stormed their duty post and opened fire on them.

“The Corporal was killed on the spot, while three other officers on duty with him sustained bullet wounds and are currently receiving treatment at the Vandeikya General Hospital,” a source told Vanguard.

It was also learned that same Wednesday, at about 8:30p.m., a branded Toyota bus, conveying six People’s

Democratic Party, PDP, supporters from Kwande Local Government Area, was waylaid and shot at by armed men at Utange, Ushongo Local Government Area.

“Four occupants of the bus were instantly killed, while the only survivour, who was in a bad state was rushed to a early public hospital for medical attention,” a source told Vanguard.

Earlier same day, two women met their death in a ghastly motor accident at Mbakor, Tarka LGA, on Makurdi-Gboko Road.

The accident, which also left several persons with life threatening injuries, involved a commercial bus, conveying passengers from Abinse to Gboko, and a Toyota Camry car belonging to a Catholic Priest.

When contacted, the Police spokesman, Assistant Superintendent, Mr Austin Ezeani, confirmed the incidents.

He said police recovered some of the arms used in the Vandeikya shooting, that the command was on the trail of the masterminds of the attacks.

Two charged for N5m robbery

By Bartholomew Madukwe, Victor Ogunsola & Echewodo Jane

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WO persons, Chidebere Ani, 25, and Friday Charles, 24, have been charged before a Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, for allegedly robbing one Kingsley Obasi of N5 million, while armed with an iron rod.

The accused were said to have committed the alleged offence at Elobus Supermarket, Ago Palace Way, Okota.

According to the charge, the

accused persons also robbed Obasi of an Etus E2 dual sim mobile phone.

Ani and Charles (accused persons) were arraigned by the Lagos State Government on a two-count charge of conspiracy and armed robbery.

However, when the charge was read to them, they pleaded not guilty.

In her ruling, Justice Ipaye held that she has doubts on the truthfulness of the testimonies of the defendants and adjourned to March 13 for further trial.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—7

70,000 IDPs taking refuge in Plateau—SEMA T

HE Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, has said 70,000 Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, are currently taking refuge in the state.

The SEMA Director of Administration, Mr. Biser Longnam, said in Jos, yesterday, that the IDPs were from the North-East states of Borno, Yobe and Adamawa.

Longnam also said some of the displaced persons were from Nasarawa and Taraba states, who left their homes because of communal clashes in their communities.

He said: “We have 70,000 IDPs currently in the state, 36, 000 of them are taking refuge at different locations in Plateau North senatorial district.

“Some of the IDPs are camping in Namu in Quan’Pan Local Government Area and other places in the Southern part of the state.”

Longnam said, however, that the state government could no longer continue to cater for the IDPs in the camps because of dwindling resources.

The director appealed to corporate organisations, philanthropists and others to support the government in catering for the IDPs. Longnam commended Rotary International, which recently donated some relief materials to IDPs for their show of love.

He said: “It is through humanitarian gestures like this that we will be able to assist the IDPs in the state.

“We appeal to organisations of like minds to assist the IDPs to alleviate their sufferings, while they wait for the return of peace in their areas.”

The director said the state government had been assisting the victims with foodstuffs,

toiletries, clothing and drugs to mitigate their sufferings.

Longnam also said the agency had made arrangements with the state Ministry of Education so children in the IDPs camps could be absorbed into schools.

SARS smashes kidnapping gang in Lagos

By Ifeanyi Okolie

O

PERATIVES of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Ikeja, Lagos, have smashed a notorious gang of kidnappers that had been terrorising Ojodu, Ojota and Berger areas of the state in recent times.

Vanguard gathered that the suspects, identified as Edet

EDUCATION: Pupils displaying books donated by the Civil Society Action Coalition Education for All, CSACEFA, during outreach to internally-displaced persons, IDPs, camp at Durumi, Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

Ekuno, 32, Chukwudi Dickson, 40, Sunday Shamiga, 24, Hope Edet Okon, 27 and Isaiah Unuabon, 31, were apprehended in a hotel at Berger area of Lagos State, while plotting to kidnap a wealthy resident of the area.

Spokesman of the Lagos State Police Command, Ken Nwosu, who confirmed the arrest, said the officer in charge of the SARS, Ikeja, Abba Kyari, received an intelligence report on the gang’s activities and led a team of operatives to track and apprehend the suspects.

Nwosu added that two locally-made pistols and 18 live cartridges were recovered from the gang members, who confessed that they had robbed and kidnapped in Lagos and Akwa Ibom states.

In another development, a police surveillance team attached to Isolo Division arrested suspected cultists in Isolo area of Lagos State, recovering a locally-made pistol.

Vanguard gathered that the suspects were in a black Toyota Land Cruiser SUV with number plate AKD 406 BR, when they were intercepted by the policemen at Chemist Bus Stop Isolo.

It was learned that a locally made pistol with two live cartridges, assorted charms, 10 mobile phones, one horse whip and N31,000 were recovered from the gang leader, one Samson Ogunmokan.

Police arrest bus load of ballot boxes in Delta

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—THE police in Issele-Uku, Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State, yesterday, apprehended a bus loaded with ballot boxes.

The ballot boxes numbering over 30, Vanguard gathered, were dropped off by a luxury bus heading to the East from the North at Onicha-Ugbo Junction.

According to a dependable source, the luxury bus had zoomed off before the people in the area could draw attention of the police to the incident, adding that a smaller bus with number plate Edo USL 832 XL, that came to pick the boxes at the junction was arrested with

the driver by the police.

The source, who did not want his name in the print, said the boxes had the picture of one of the major political parties' presidential candidate and his running mate on them.

Effort made to reach the Divisional Police Officer for comments on the issue proved abortive at press time.

However, a senior police officer attached to the division confirmed the arrest, and added that investigation was on to ascertain the source of the boxes.

Noting that the boxes were similar to the ones used in the days of Federal Electoral Commission, FEDECO, he said

the driver confessed that they were being used to raise funds for the said presidential candidate at the grassroots.

The police source said the ballot boxes were sent through a waybill from the Kano central office of the party.

The driver and the bus loaded with the ballot boxes were still being detained at the police station at press time.

Contacted, the state secretary of the party (names withheld) said he was not aware of the incident.

Another source in the party, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “I am not aware of anything like that. If at all it is true, it must be the

handwork of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, because there is nothing they cannot do.

PDP can stage-manage anything.”

Also contacted, the state PDP Publicity Secretary, Mr. Deinghan Ray-Macaulay, said: “PDP could not involve itself in anything like that when we are sure of victory at the elections, particularly in Delta State.

“We are getting upper hand so we cannot do a thing like that. It is only those who are not sure of victory that can do such a thing and forment trouble.

“I strongly appeal to the police to carry out a thorough investigation into the matter.”

Three policemen, teenager killed in Lagos bank robbery

By Evelyn Usman

D

AREDEVIL robbers, yesterday, stormed two new generation banks in the Lekki area of Lagos State, killing three policemen and a teenager.

The robbers reportedly carted away an unspecified amount of money.

Vanguard gathered that the bandits, numbering five and dressed in military camouflage, came in through the creeks.

They reportedly scaled a fence bordering a shopping complex before gaining entry into the two banks located at the roundabout, on the Lekki end of the Lekki-Ikoyi Bridge at 4.30pm.

They reportedly announced their arrival with sporadic gunshots which rattled residents.

While three of them were said to have gone into the banking hall, where they ordered everyone to lie down, the remaining positioned themselves outside, apparently to wade off intruders.

Meanwhile inside the banking hall, they were said to have requested for the vault’s keys. In the process, one of them reportedly hit a female staff with the butt of his gun.

At the end of the operation, eyewitnesses said, they continued shooting until they made their way back to the creeks from where they escaped in their operational boat.

An eyewitness, Femi Olatunji, said: “When they finished, they exited through the security post by the roundabout back to the water and a waiting boat.

“Those killed included a 15-year-old girl, who sold fish opposite the bank. She was hit by a stray bullet.

Another man, also killed, was said to be a policeman in mufti.

“The other two policemen were escorts to expatriates of an oil company. The expatriates were seated in a white coaster bus, while the policemen occupied the back seat.

“They did not collect the expatriate’s briefcases after killing the policemen.

They left with boxes of money, before other policemen arrived.”

8 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

FG moves to attract telecomm, oil & gas, power firms to list on NSE

By Peter Egwuatu & Nkiruka Nnorom

L

A G O S — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday said the federal government will come up with guidelines and incentives that will encourage major companies in the oil/gas, telecommunications and power sectors to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), adding that a substantive Director General , DG of the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC will be named next month Speaking at a meeting with the NSE in Lagos, President Jonathan said the federal government attaches much importance to the capital market as it reflects significant performance of the nation’s economy and would do everything economically possible to make the market attractive to investors and issuers.

According to the President “As the biggest economy in Africa, the nation’s capital market ought to equally be the largest, so the only thing to do to achieve this is to ensure that big companies operating in the economy and are benefiting make their shares available for Nigerians to invest in and benefit.”

He said before now he has had discussions with MTN during one of his visits to South Africa on the need to list their shares. “When I met with MTN in South Africa, we discussed the need for them to list. ''We are working hard to make sure that companies that are supposed to list do so. That is the only way the Nigerian capital market and economy can grow so that Nigerians can participate. Definitely if you take the power companies, as they grow bigger they will list” Jonathan said The President added that after a proper study of the situation, the government would come up with the guidelines for the listing, disclosing that listing of companies would be one of the incentives.

PRICE SLUMP: FG to diversify oil revenue base ...NPDC crude production hits 205,007bpd

A

BUJA—THE Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has declared that the Ministry and its parastatals are focused on mitigating the effects of lower crude oil prices by directing efforts and investments towards the diversification of oil revenue base in 2015 and beyond.

Speaking at the 2014 budget performance and 2015 budget defence presentation before the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum Resources-Upstream, Downstream and Gas Resources, Mrs. Alison-Madueke stated that the ministry will expand its revenue frontiers by enhancing gas operations, expanding retail outlets and increasing refineries’ capacity utilization while at the same time minimizing the losses.

She noted that the year 2014 was packed with several industry activities, the most apparent being the upsurge in divestment and acquisition transactions that are boosting the number of Nigerian upstream operations. ‘’However, the petroleum ministry still faced a number of challenges, such as pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft, declining crude oil prices, inadequate funding.

Notwithstanding, with all hands on deck and the support of the National Assembly, the industry performed well in 2014,” AlisonMadueke said.

She listed some of the achievements of the industry in 2014 to include: the increase in the production capacity of the National Petroleum Development Company, NPDC from 130, 000 barrels per day to 205, 007 bpd, the sustenance of crude oil production at an

average of over 2.24million barrels per day in spite of all the attendant challenges of crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism, growing of NPDC into a mid-size Exploration and Production Company and major gas supplier to the domestic market with over 600 Million Standard Cubic Feet of gas per day supplied through Oredo, Ughelli and Utorogu gas plant.

Also listed as achievements within the period are: the enhancement of gas infrastructure through the addition of new Central Processing Facilities along critical gas pipelines, restructuring of the upstream gas sector by increasing the delivery price and transmission of gas with a view to boosting investment in the sector, collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN to settle outstanding indebtedness of the Power Sector to upstream gas

suppliers in order to ensure continuity of supply, boosting of gas supply to power with current ability to support 5, 800 MW of generating capacity with all completed power plants connected to permanent gas supply lines as well as the attainment of an average gas production of over 8.6 billion cubic feet of gas per day and over 7.6 bcfd utilization at the end of 2014.

Alison-Madueke added that in 2014 the ministry through the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation commenced the critical expansion and construction of major backbone infrastructure which led to the expansion of Escravos –Lagos pipeline to two billion cubic feet per day capacity, the East-West OB3 Pipeline as well as the Calabar-AjaokutaKano Pipeline utilizing Eurobonds and IFC Funding.

“Within the period, we

embarked on aggressive gas infrastructure delivery which resulted in the completion of over 450km of gas pipeline, additional 377km pipeline construction is ongoing plus another 1, 400km at developmental stages expected to commence in 2015, ” she said.

In the downstream sub-sector, NNPC Retail increased operational stations from 432 in 2013 to 496 in 2014 while stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products was achieved within the period.

“After many years of being inoperable due to pipeline vandalism, we have upgraded many of our pipelines and products marketing depots across the nation, namely: Port HarcourtAba product; Warri-Benin; Kaduna-Gusau; Suleja-Minna; Kaduna-Jos, Jos-Gombe, only last week, the Aba Enugu pipeline. All these depots are now fully operational and will enhance the stable supply of petroleum products across the country despite the challenges of vandalism,” she said.

PIB BILL: From left; Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene; Chairman, Ad-hoc Committee on PIB Law, Hon Ishaka Bawa and Committee Secretary, Dr. Mahmud Isah addressing pressmen on PIB Bill at National Assembly Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

ELECTION DISPUTES: Judiciary'll not compromise, CJN tells EU

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

BUJA—THE Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed has assured the international community of the readiness of the Nigerian judiciary to dispassionately hear disputes that will arise from the forthcoming general elections and dispense justice without fear or favour.

The CJN, who gave the assurance when a delegation from the European Union Election Observation Mission Nigeria 2015, led by the Deputy Chief Observer, Ms Hannah Roberts and the Legal Analyst, Ms EiriniMarie Gounari, paid him a courtesy visit in his office on Tuesday, said he has intensified effort towards ensuring that all pending pre-election cases are speedily disposed off.

A statement signed by the media

aide to the CJN, Mr. Ahuraka Isah, disclosed that the EU delegation were also received by other Justices of the apex court and the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa.

According to the statement, the CJN, told the election observers that the Judiciary, as an independent arbiter and interpreter of law, has an immeasurable role to play under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) for the stability of democracy in Nigeria.

He said: “I wish to assure the international community and indeed all Nigerians that the courts are not only ready to carry out these responsibilities, but will do so without being manipulated to compromise the elections even in the face of multiple preelection matters pending in our various courts at present.

“No actions aimed at interfering with this constitutional duty will be tolerated. Any judicial officer who falls short of this high expectation will not only be severely disciplined by the National Judicial Council, but will have themselves to blame”.

While giving an update on Election Petition Tribunals, the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa said that the 255 chairmen and members of the Election Petition Tribunal sworn in by the CJN since February 2, have since been constituted into 77 panels.

She said the panel chairmen and members have undergone training sessions and will be posted to the respective states where they will preside over election disputes.

“Apart from the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal panel, there will be at least two panels

per state and one for the Federal Capital Territory, while some will be put on reserve in case there is need to add more in some states.

“Governorship election will not hold in six states, namely: Kogi, Osun, Ekiti, Bayelsa, Ondo, and Edo and therefore there will no Governorship Election Petition Tribunal Panels in those states. ‘’However, we are experiencing challenges in Rivers State where there is no Chief Judge at present to take responsibility of the panel posted to that state.''

In her reaction,the head of the delegation, Ms Hannah Roberts said the European Union Election Observation Mission Nigeria 2015 is headed by Mr Santiago Fisas, who doubles as a member of the EU parliament.

She said that the team is made up of many specialists, noting that, “Nigeria is a complex country with several challenges”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 9

MUTINY: Appeal Court stops execution of convicted soldiers

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has stopped the execution of the death sentence that was passed on two of the twelve Nigerian soldiers who were convicted last year by a Military Court Martial over their alleged complicity in acts of mutiny.

The soldiers were on September 15, 2014, condemned to death by the General Court Marshal which sat at the Army Headquarters Garrison, Mogadishu Cantonment in Abuja.

They were charged with offences that ranged from disobedience to particular order, insubordination, false accusation, criminal behavior, conspiracy to commit mutiny and mutiny under the Armed Forces Act 2004.

Three of the convicted soldiers, CPL Stephen Clement, CPL Igomu Emmanuel and PTE Andrew Ngbede, however went before the appellate court through their lawyer, Chief Godwin Obla, SAN, to challenge the decision of the Court Marshal which convicted and sentenced them to life imprisonment and death.

The convicted soldiers, in their separate suits, raised eleven grounds of appeal.

They argued that they were not granted fair trial, adding that the proceedings of the General Court Marshal was fraught with many fundamental irregularities.

They therefore prayed the appellate court to stay the execution of their sentences pending the hearing and determination of the appeals.

Meantime, the convicted soldiers had lamented the refusal of Nigerian military authority to release to their lawyer the record of proceedings at the court marshal to enable him to effectively challenge the outcome of the military tribunal at the court of appeal.

Series of correspondence by Chief Obla to both the Chief of Army Staff and the President and Commander In Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, wherein he expressed apprehension on the likelihood of the Army executing the convicted soldiers while their appeal is still pending, equally failed to attract any response from the military

authorities.

However, in his bid to save the lives of his clients, their lawyer, Chief Obla, last February, took their plight before the National Human Rights Commission.

He urged the Commission to prevail on the Army to release the record of proceedings to enable him prosecute the appeal of his clients.

The effort also yielded no positive result as the Army still refused to release the document.

However, while delivering its

ruling on the application for stay of execution filed before it by CPL Igomu Emmanuel and PTE Andrew Ngbede, two of the convicted soldiers on Monday, the Court of Appeal restrained the Nigerian Army or its agents from carrying out the execution of life imprisonment and sentence if death imposed by the General Court Marshal and ordered that the convicted soldiers be granted access to their lawyers.

The court presided by Justice

Abubakar Jega Abdulkadir, also ordered the Nigerian Army to avail the convicted soldiers of the Record of Proceedings of the General Court Marshal which tried and convicted them to enable them compile records for their appeal.

The application for stay of execution filed by the third convicted soldier, CPL Stephen Clement, is yet to be heard as it was not listed on the Court’s list on the day those of the other convicted soldiers were heard.

AWARD: From left, Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND), Suleman Bogoro, Chairman, TETFUND Board of Trustees, Musa Babayo, President Association of Northern Nigeria Students (ANNS), Atiku Abubakar during the Presentation of Award of Honour and Public Servant of the Year to Musa Babayo in Abuja yesterday.

Jonathan spoke with Moroccan king on phone, FG insists

By Victoria Ojeme

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BUJA—FOLLOWING a diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco over whether there was any telephone conversation by the leaders of the two countries, the Federal Government insisted yesterday that President Goodluck Jonathan spoke on the telephone with his Moroccan counterpart, King Mohammed V1. Nigerian government stated that the discussion however centred on the forthcoming election of the African Development Bank, AfDB, for which the country is lobbying for one of its ministers as president of the bank.

Moroccan royal palace which recalled its ambassador to Nigeria last Wednesday had said last week that the Moroccan king declined a request for a telephone conversation with the Nigeria president accusing the Federal Government of trying to use the king of Morocco to win over Muslim voters ahead of the general elections in Nigeria.

Moroccan foreign ministry, had 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

...APC asks President to come clean president of Nigeria”.

However, senior officials of the Foreign Affairs Ministry who spoke to Vanguard on the condition of anonymity said that Jonathan lobbied for the country’s candidate in the election and did not discuss anything about Nigeria’s forthcoming general elections as they had nothing to do with Morocco.

According to Nigerian foreign affairs officials, ‘’there was a discussion last Friday between the two Presidents on the next president of the AfDB. President Jonathan lobbied the Morocco president to support Nigeria candidate over the election coming up in May. Nigeria is suspecting mischief. We are thinking that there was misinformation somewhere. ‘’The policy is that when your Ambassador misinforms his president, that Ambassador will be recalled to his country. It is wrong for Morocco not to support our candidature.

That discussion has nothing to do with the general election in Nigeria but AfDB election. Our own election is a domestic issue,’’ the officials said, hinting that a formal statement would be issued on

the matter today by the ministry.

Also, reacting to the issue, a former Nigerian Ambassador to Brazil, Poland, Sudan, Cote D’ voire, Angola, the United States of America, USA, Austria and Pakistan, among others, Suleiman Dahiru said that ‘’there’s more than meets the eye’’ over the issue.

“There is something fishy, because if there is any one to talk to in the Arab world on election, it should be the president of Saudi Arabia and not the king of Morocco. In diplomatic relations, it is a very serious issue to recall an Ambassador.

Besides, Morocco is not a serious AU member. It sees itself as an Arab country but still in Africa. If Nigeria is seeking influence in the Arab world, Morocco is certainly, not the place to go but Saudi Arabia.

In any case, Nigeria will not lose anything by the country recalling its Ambassador. They will be the one to lose,’’ Dahiru said.

Come clean, APC tells Jonathan

meanwhile, The All Progressives Congress (APC) has asked the Jonathan Administration to come clean

with Nigerians on the cause of the ongoing diplomatic row between Nigeria and Morocco that has forced the Kingdom to recall its Ambassador to Nigeria, while portraying Nigeria as a liar.

In a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said President Jonathan must in particular clarify the thorny issue of whether or not he spoke with King Mohammed VI of Morocco. ‘’According to published reports, the Nigerian Foreign Affairs Ministry had said President Jonathan spoke on the telephone with the Moroccan King. But the Kingdom, in a very scathing statement, said no such conversation took place. ‘’The statement said ‘Morocco is surprised at the incredible twist given by Nigeria to an alleged phone conversation that never took place between HM King Mohammed VI and Nigerian President’. ‘’This is very serious because, in effect, Morocco has called Nigeria a liar.

Therefore, it behoves President Jonathan to personally intervene to

address such an international embarrassment. ‘’The questions seeking answers are: Did President Jonathan speak with the Moroccan King? If not, who is responsible for this egregious misrepresentation that has embarrassed a whole country and its leader?’’ it queried.

APC said Nigeria, because of its much-acclaimed leadership role in Africa, must not allow such a diplomatic faux pas to go without being addressed, saying other countries are keenly watching the row between Nigeria and Morocco. ‘’Before anyone accuses us of politicising this issue, we make bold to say that we, the APC, and indeed all Nigerians are stakeholders in the Nigeria project. When Morocco branded Nigeria a liar, over whether or not our President spoke with the North African nation’s King, it did not mention PDP or APC. It made a collective reference to Nigeria. ‘’This is why we feel strongly that this issue must be addressed urgently. Until then, all Nigerians, irrespective of their political leanings, will remain liars in the eyes of the international community,’’ the party said.

10— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Awujale to Jonathan: Obas don't tell people who to vote for zUrges President to present his programme to the people

By Daud Olatunji BEOKUTA—THE Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, yesterday, rejected an overture to endorse President Goodluck Jonathan for second term.

Oba Adetona who hosted the President at his palace in IjebuOde urged the President to present his programme to the people of Ijebuland for them to form their opinion on whether to vote him or not.

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Jonathan's arrival

President Jonathan had arrived the Awujale's palace at 11:15 am in company of the national Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Mu’azu, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Diskson, Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Segun Mimiko, and former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.

Others at the meeting include, the minister-designate, Musiliu Obanikoro, Chairman, Mobilisation and Organisation Committee of the PDP in the South West, Prince Buruji Kashamu, the PDP governorship candidate in the state, Gboyega Isiaka, PDP leaders as well as some members of All Progressives Congress, APC, and Social Democratic Party, SDP. According to Awujale,”In Ijebu, it is not possible for any Oba, not only in Ijebu, but Yorubaland, to go out and say vote for this or vote for that. Whoever does that is looking for trouble. But give the candidate the opportunity to present his programme so that people can make up their minds on what to do. I think this is a very sound democratic principle and that is what I have decided to do, to give you the opportunity of meeting with the people.

“One, they see you as a person, how beautiful you are, whether to engage with you or not, to listen to you and see if there are areas

Pa Joseph Mowah passes on

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A. JOSEPH Mowah, the patriarch of the Mowah family of Asaba and father of Sir Austin Mowah, retired Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Delta State is dead.

The late Pa. Mowah, a retired staff of the Geological Surveys Department and a staunch Catholic will be buried in April.

He is survived by six children and many relations.

Late Joseph Mowah.

where we can meet, as a result, everybody congregating here, they belong to different groups, they are PDP members, APC members, APGA, they belong to various interests, and when they come, they get to the gate, they shed their togas.

“PDP will remove their PDP, APC will remove their own, APGA will remove their own, they are going to the palace, to meet their ruler, their paramount ruler, to receive that important august visitor who is coming to their land and give him all honour that he is entitled to.

“I am sure over the years, there has been improvement but this election is full of tension, I don’t know how it is so, elections have never been like this. In about 55 years, I have never seen any election that is full of tension and the one we are having now, my prayer is, God should guide us and make sure that there’s peace, harmony and tranquility in the country,” he said.

In his speech, the President pledged to partner with Ijebu sons and daughters in the area

of appointment, describing Ijebuland as a great land.

Jonathan on Ijebu State

President Jonathan while reacting to the demands of the people of Ijebu who requested that the president should facilitate the creation of Ijebu State among others said: “ Your Royal Majesty, we will partner with your sons and daughters, on the issue of appointment.

Ijebuland is a great land and there’s no government that will neglect the people of Ijebuland, I have to take that very very seriously.

“We promise as a party and as a government that we will make sure that we don’t play with the unity of this country, we will do all we can to bring Nigeria together, all what we can to make sure that we pioneer economic activities as the Ijebus are well known in the area of commerce and industry, even as a child, I was shown how harworking the Ijebu are before I travelled to any part of Ijebuland. We will also partner with people across the nation, men and women, for the

purpose of moving this country forward.

“Your Royal Majesty, let me reassure you that we will do our best, we have come here to seek for your blessing and I led the team in 2007 when I was running as the Vice President to see you and 2011, we met again, not in the palace and today we are led by the National Chairman and I believe that our interaction with the people will help us prepare.

That is why we have a number of Government functionaries with me so that after the elections, we will put this on the table, and look at the demands of people from all parts of the country, and see how we can co-opt some especially those that can encourage commerce and industry, education and in terms of health service delivery and in terms of infrastructure, it is basic because for us, to progress as a nation, infrastructure must be in place.

Earlier, speaking on behalf of the Ijebu traditional council, the Dagburewe of Idowa, Oba Yinusa Adekoya had observed that the Jonathan administration had sidelined their kinsmen in the appointment.

Moribond Iwopin Paper Mills, others

Oba Adekoya who read the welcome address, lamented the

COMMISSIONING: From left: Femi Bakare, ED, First City Monunment Bank, Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Brig. Gen. Tunde Reis (rtd), President, First World Communities, Oba Tajudeen Elemoro, Onitedo of Itedo (Oke Odo Ewerekan), and Oba Amusa Atiku, Onibeju of Ibeju Lekki, during the commissioning of Chois Garden Estate, Abijo GRA, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

POLLS: PDP stalwart asks court to stop INEC from using card readers

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By Innocent Anaba

AGOS—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart, Mr. Waliu Taiwo, has asked a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos to stop the use of electronic card readers in the March 28 and April 11 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The plaintiff is also praying the court to restrain INEC from using the card readers during the polls.

Taiwo, who is PDP’s candidate for the Ogun West senatorial district, is contending that INEC’s guidelines which stipulate the use of card readers was unconstitutional and should be nullified.

He particularly faulted section 12 (c) of the guidelines which states that “in the event that the PVC fails to be read by the Card Reader, the APO (assistant presiding officer)...shall file a report of the incident; inform the voter of the problem and that he/she cannot be accredited; and politely request the voter to leave the polling zone.”

The plaintiff is contending that this is “the first time anywhere in the world where a device such as the Card Reader as proposed to be used by INEC would be used to the effect that it supercedes the content of the register of voters properly compiled by the electoral body.”

The Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr Mohammed Adoke, SAN, is the second defendant in the suit.

SYNAGOGUE: Appeal halts Coroner's invitation to Joshua

By Abdulwahab Abdulah, Bartholomew Madukwe, Victor Ogunsola & Echewodo Jane

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AGOS—IN another bid to halt the invitation of Prophet Temitope Joshua, founder of Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, to appear before the ongoing coroner’s inquest into the collapsed guest house within the church, an appeal to dismiss the judgement of a state High Court has been filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos.

This was disclosed yesterday at the inquest’s proceeding, as the Coroner judge, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe, asked one of the counsels for SCOAN and

Joshua to choose a date for their witness (Joshua) to appear before the court.

“In view of the judgement of the high court, pick a date for your witness (Joshua) to come.

Ordinarily, today I would have ordered for his arrest but I will not do that,” Magistrate Komolafe said.

Speaking on behalf of SCOAN and Joshua’s legal team, Mr. Oluseun Abimbola, told the court that an appeal was filed before the Court of Appeal, Lagos, on March 11, 2015, challenging the judgement of Justice Lateefa Okunnu that dismissed their application against the Coroner Inquest and Magistrate Komolafe.

State Counsel, Mr Akingbolahan Adeniran, however, informed the court that “we are aware there was a notice of appeal on N25,000 cost. To the best of knowledge, I am not aware of any notice of appeal as regard to Justice Okunnu”.

Subsequently, counsel to SCOAN and its founder, Abimbola, gave Magistrate Komolafe a copy of the appeal.

Nevertheless, Magistrate Komolafe reiterated that he does not want the Coroner Inquest proceeding to exceed this month (March), saying “on that note, we will gather here tomorrow.”

It will be recalled that Justice Okunnu of a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, in her judgement, held that

the application filed against the Coroner Inquest was premature and lacking in merit.

According to Justice Okunnu: “Sections 26 and 27 of the Coroner’s System Law of Lagos State 2007, empowered the coroner to summon any witness to assist him in his fact-finding mission. There was nothing unusual in the summons extended to Joshua.”

Meanwhile, during Thursday’s proceeding, Vice President of the Regulation and Control Committee of the Council for the Regulation of EngineeringinNigeria,VictorOyenuga, explainedthatthebeamsofthecollapsed building were not deep enough and the columnswerenotrobustenoughtocarry the load.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 —11

Fayose's anti-Buhari antics not representative of Ekiti ethos —APC zApologises to Nigerians, Buhari

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By Gbenga Ariyibi

DO EKITI—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ekiti State has said Governor Ayodele Fayose’s antisocial behaviour and belligerent postures against elderly Nigerians do not represent the standard conduct of Ekiti people.

APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatubosun, said in a statement that Fayose’s tantrums against APC presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, represented the quality of the governor ’s personality, noting that his record of interpersonal relationships with others reflected a man ravaged by ethos not representative of Ekiti credo.

Fayose had said on the live telecast of the meeting of PDP Governors’ Forum in Lagos that Buhari was of the same age with his mother, who he said was bedridden in pampers and no longer physically strong to do productive things.

He said for the reason of same age with his mother, the APC candidate should steer clear of presidential contest for the young blood, President Goodluck Jonathan.

But Olatubosun said Nigerians should not be surprised that the governor made that declaration on his mother on a live programme beamed around the world, explaining that Fayose was a special breed of Ekiti with record of lack of decorum in all his actions.

“Fayose is desperate. We don’t know the spirit that drives his actions. If a man could paint his own mother in such a

Mrs Stella Ogodogu for burial

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RS. VICTORIA O. Ogodogu (nee Onojake) is dead, aged 73.

She will be buried on Friday, March 20, at her residence, Chief S.U.Onojake's compound, Umeghe-Abraka, Delta State after a funeral mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Abraka.

She is survived by children, grand and great grand children.

Late Stella Ogodogu.

disgusting manner to advance his reason why Nigerians should not vote for Buhari, then we can appreciate how desperate Fayose is in doing things when his political interest is at stake,” APC spokesman said.

Explaining that the governor had a record of treating elderly people with disdain and humiliation while he impoverishes the young ones, Olatubosun said: “Fayose’s record speaks volumes of his tempestuous lifestyle in both private and public life.

“As Ekiti State governor during his first stint, government’s agents arrested the Atta of Ayede-Ekiti, the late Oba Adeleye Orisagbemi over alleged failure to support his government, the same way the octogenarian Elekole of Ikole, the late Oba Adetunla Adeleye, was dragged out of his car and the

car forcefully taken away in broad daylight for not supporting him."

Noting that no Ekiti man had ever behaved like Fayose in history, Olatubosun said if the governor could do this to revered traditional institution, people should not expect any limit to his conduct. Fayose has no record of maintaining a long standing relationship as none of his close aides is still with him to date.

Olatubosun said Fayose should have told the world that his mother and Buhari were bound by the same fate and should have told Nigerians how many times his mother changed diapers daily or how long his father was in diapers before he died in 2009.

The APC spokesman said Fayose was on his own in his uncivilized and desperate manner of doing things.

While apologizing to Buhari for the embarrassment, he also

apologized to Nigerians on behalf of Ekiti people for the shame and embarrassment the governor is causing them every day.

In Ekiti, we say the truth — Govt In a swift reaction, Fayose’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka said: ‘’In Ekiti, we say the truth no matter whose ox is gored and that is the trait being exhibited by Governor Ayodele Fayose. ‘’Governor Fayose is saying the truth about the sick man Buhari that the APC is forcing around as its presidential candidate and it was that Ekiti trait in him that led to the exposure of the shameless lies told by the APC on Buhari’s medical trip to the United Kingdom."

Fashola makes case for continuity in govt

By Funmi Ajunmobi & Onozure Dania

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AGOS—THE Lagos state Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged Lagosians to vote for a government of continuity who will move education, forward.

He said this yesterday while he was giving a key note address at the seventh annual corporate initiative award breakfast meeting, organised by the Lagos State ministry of education tagged, support our schools initiative.

He said: “If you vote for a government that continues this initiative and I get invited I will come, but how you choose to vote compares to whether you think that this initiative has value to whatever you want to do today.

“They said that if you vote for them they will spend more but the question is they haven’t told you where the money will come from.”

....As govt targets 4m children for immunization

By Chioma Obinna

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PROTEST: National Association of Primary Schools Teachers, Oyo State chapter protesting non payment of their pension in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

POLLS: NHRC warns over predicted

violence in 3 states

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Victor Ogunsola

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A G O S —

CHAIRMAN, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Prof. Chidi Odinkalu disclosed yesterday that the commission has identified Lagos, Rivers and Kaduna states as areas that are prone to violence during and after the forthcoming general elections.

Odinkalu who was expected to meet with some governorship candidates alongside the commission’s board members in Lagos, including Mr. Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Akin

Ambode of the All Peoples Congress, APC to rub minds with them on ways to prevent violence was, however, disappointed as

none of the people turned up.

Speaking with journalists in an interview, Odinkalu disclosed its plans was to see how to mitigate election related violence, as Nigerians prepare for the forthcoming election.

AGOS—WITH less than seven months for Nigeria to be declared polio free by WHO, the L agos State Government said it is targeting over 4 million children for vaccination against polio and other childhood killer diseases as part of efforts to consolidate the progress made by the country on polio eradication.

Announcing the commencement of the March 2015 edition of the National Immunnisation Plus Days, NIPDs, at a briefing in Lagos, yesterday, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adeshina, said the NIPDs campaign will hold between March 14 and 17.

12—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

I'll tackle corruption if elected —BUHARI

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— PRESIDENTIAL candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, General Muhamadu Buhari (rtd), has warned Nigerians against voting for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at the general polls if they truly want to end corruption in the country.

Speaking yesterday at the South-South presidential rally of his party at the Liberation Stadium, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Buhari stressed the danger of allowing corruption thrive in the country.

He said: “If we don’t kill corruption in this country, corruption will kill us. If you make a mistake of voting the PDP, I assure you, you will regret it.

“I want you to be serious about your country. If we miss this opportunity, we will be the worst for it, and God forbid.”

Buhari said that if the Federal Government had been responsible with public funds the country would not have challenges of insecurity and

Don't be divided by choice of candidates, Ugboha youths in USA counsel voters

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GBOHA youths resident in the United States of America have called on the people of the community to ensure that they were not divided by the choice of who to vote for in the forthcoming Esan North/ South-East federal constituency election.

The youths said this against the background of the fact that the two candidates of All Progressives Congresse, APC, and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Onikolease Irabor and Mr. Segius Ogun hail from Ugboha community.

Ugboha youths resident in Rhode Island, USA, stated this during a courtesy visit to their leader, Mr. Sylvester Okpoko.

They said: "Ugboha is fortunate to have produced both House of Representatives candidates from APC and PDP. Nothing could be better than this. Both candidates are approaching the politics with a win-win attitude, they both possess four vital character traits: Integrity, value, commitment and maturity."

poverty.

Lamenting the drop in the value of the naira, he assured that he will push back what he would save from the crusade against corruption into building key sectors of the economy.

Director-General of Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, said the APC will review the presidential amnesty programme for ex-militants in

the Niger Delta to improve the lives of beneficiaries.

According to him, an elected APC government should not be seen paying compensation for crime.

Expressing hope that the APC will win the elections, Amaechi said the party was firmly in support of the use of card reader machines by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, for the polls.

The governor said that the

machine will eliminate rigging.

The governor who conceded that he was among those that rigged in previous elections alleged that about 30 members of his party had been brutally murdered in the state.

“What about when we were writing results, were Nigerians voting? This is the first time we will vote. PDP is afraid of card reader. Over 30 members of APC have been killed. No day passes they don’t kill one. Today they will kill one,” he said.

SEMINAR: From left: Mr Obinna Ukachukwu, HOD, Covenant Capital; Dr. Monica Eimunjeze, Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, NAFDAC; Pastor Poju Oyemade, Senior Pastor, Covenant Christian Centre; Mrs Elizabeth Awagwu, SA to DG, NAFDAC and Mrs Rametu Momodu, Deputy Director, Imported Drugs Biologics and Medical Devices, NAFDAC, at the enlightenment seminar by NAFDAC for SMEs product registration, in collaboration with Convenant Capital, in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Biodun Ogunleye.

EPZ: We’re not against ground-breaking, AJA-EDEDE COMMUNITY

By Daniel Gumm

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ARRI—THE people of Aja-Edede, an Itsekiri community in Escravos, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, have distanced themselves from insinuations that they threatened to scuttle moves by President Goodluck Jonathan to perform the ground-breaking of the $16 billion Export Processing Zone, EPZ project.

In a statement in Warri, AjaEdede community head, Pa John Yonwuren, re-stated their displeasure at being left out in the recent peace resolution brokered by the Delta State Government between Gbaramatu and their Ugborodo brothers, insisting: “We are major stakeholders in the EPZ project, because a large portion of our land will accommodate the EPZ project as evident in the legacy project map and verifiable history.”

He stressed that contrary to reports, the Aja-Edede people were delighted that the project's ground-breaking ceremony would soon be performed by the President as adequate

preparations had been put in place to ensure a grandeur ceremony.

Pa. Yonwuren noted that there was nothing like Adedegbene in Warri South-West council as claimed by Sokebolou/Yokri

people of Ogulagha in Burutu Local Government Area, stressing that no individual or ethnic group should change the name of Aja-Edede community to Adedegbene for economic interest.

Tell Deltans the truth, Delta PDP tasks Emerhor

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—LEADERSHIP of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, yesterday, described as laughable and unthinkable, media reports credited to the governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Olorogun O’Tega Emerhor, that Senator Ifeanyi Okowa was part of the rot in the state.

PDP, in a statement by its state Publicity Secretary, Mr Deinghan Ray-Macaulay, said: “Emerhor should tell Deltans the truth about the transformation that has taken place in Delta State since 1999.

“For the purpose of the records, we take Emerhor through memory lane, Delta State from 1999 to date. Emerhor will agree with us that the massive transformation that had taken place in the state is unquantifiable and immeasurable and this transformation is also credited to our would be governor by the grace of God, Dr Okowa, who was a strong member of transformation process from the time of Chief James Ibori to Dr Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administrations."

Bribery scandal rocks Delta council

By Godwin Oghre

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APELE—ALLEGATION of bribery and unlawful removal of the sign post bearing Mukoro Mowoe Avenue, named after the sage, Mukoro Mowoe, father of late legal luminary, Dr Donaltus Mowoe, SAN, in Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, is currently rocking the council.

At press time, some officials of the council fingered in the alleged bribery and illegal removal of the sign post are said to be at large.

When Vanguard visited the council headquarters on Yoruba Road, Sapele, some of the staff were seen discussing the matter in hushed tones.

None of those contacted was

willing to speak to this reporter on the matter, saying they were not in a position to talk about it.

Efforts to reach the council Chairman, Ejaife Odebala, were unsuccessful as he neither picked his calls nor did he respond to text messages.

Spokesman of the Mukoro Mowoe dynasty in Sapele, Alfred Mowoe, a septuagenarian, who made available to Vanguard the council’s two official letters of approval for the naming of the avenue after his father, (late Mukoro Mowoe) said that his father’s street name sign post was removed a fortnight ago and replaced with another sign post bearing the name “Tutu Akpoaisi Avenue,” which he said was done by some persons with

the connivance of some officials of the council, who he alleged collected bribe to effect the change.

He said that he personally applied to the council for the right to own the sign post and the name contained therein, on behalf of his father on February 9, 1994 and in the council’s letter of approval, dated May 30, 2002, signed by one J. E. Chanai, on behalf of the then council chairman, the council conveyed its approval to the Mukoro Mowoe family.

He said: “Since then, the name of that avenue remained, Mukoro Mowoe Avenue till date, even though some unscrupulous elements had gone there to pull it down and replaced it with another name.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13 , 2015—13

Akpabio dismisses N600bn debt allegations ...says it’s desperate politicians' propaganda

By Tom Moses

U

borrowed as a state amounts to N80 billion. So far, we have paid back over N30 billion.

“We can’t allow their falsehood and propaganda on the social media to bother us because it is all politics and at the end of the day, God’s will will still be done in our state.”

He noted that every money received by his administration as loan received the approval of

the state House of Assembly.

“I have not taken any loan without the approval of the state House of Assembly because you must convince the lawmakers on why you need to take the loan and of course, show them the capacity to pay back and the banks cannot give you the facility when they are not sure that you can pay back,” he added.

He noted that the debt profile of the state was minimal considering the quantum of eyebrow developmental projects that dot the landscape of Akwa Ibom, including the independent power plant that is currently generating 110MW to the national grid, the Ibom International Stadium, the specialist hospital, the four flyovers and high-calibre hotels.

YO—GOVERNOR Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State has denied allegations that the state was in debt to the tune of N600 billion.

The governor explained that although the state had borrowed over N80 billion due to the dwindling economic fortunes to execute some star projects, N30 billion had been resettled with the possibility of further reducing the debt profile to N45 billion in the next two months.

Akpabio, who made the explanation, yesterday, during an interview with journalists in Uyo, described the incessant peddling of falsehood by a section of the media as the stock in trade of the opposition who, he said, were bent on deceiving the people in order to grab political power.

He urged those who genuinely need information on the state’s finances to explore the Freedom of Information Bill signed into law recently by President Goodluck Jonathan by approaching the state Ministry of Finance for details rather than fabricate lies in the social media.

VISIT: CEO, Lee Engineering & Construction Company Limited, Chief Lee Ikpea (right), He said: “When we realised and Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen, during a visit to the minister in his Abuja that the economy was going office. down in 2013, we decided to go for the first loan and all we have

I’m not Okowa’s godfather —TOMPOLO

By Emma Amaize & Akpokona Omafuaire

O

POROZA— F O R M E R militant leader, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, alias Tompolo, has said that he is not the godfather of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, as was being speculated.

Tompolo spoke, yesterday, at the annual Amesiekumor cultural festival in Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, where the GbaramatuIjaw and their kinsmen from other parts of the Niger Delta region endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan for a second term.

He urged Nigerians and all Deltans to vote for the PDP, adding that President Jonathan and Dr. Okowa were qualified to rule the country.

He said: “Jonathan is the best president we have had. He has already won the election by the grace of God. It is not true that I am Okowa's godfather. God Himself is the Godfather, as the Okowa/Otuaro choice is the choice of the people.

“We should all support and

C M Y K

vote for Jonathan and Okowa.

We are reaching out to people of the different ethnic groups.

So, victory is ahead,” he added.

He maintained that the Ijaw of Gbaramatu and their Itsekiri neighbours are at peace, adding that after a peace meeting on Friday (today), a date would be

announced for the groundbreaking of the multibillion Delta Gas City, Ogidigben.

Spokesman of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Matthew Pudie, told journalists that Amasiekumor is a festival to usher in prosperity and they

chose the occasion to offer special prayers and endorse Jonathan's presidential bid.

He said: “Amasiekumor means no matter how big a problem is, the mother will protect her own. It is the end of affliction, evil and calamity, what progress will follow."

Why Oshimohole must recall sacked permsec, by Edo PDP

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—EDO State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has expressed shock over the sack of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youths and Sports, Mr. Samuel Uhunmwangho, following the mix-up in the approval for the use of Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium by the wives of President Goodluck Jonathan and Major Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), this weekend.

Dame Patience Jonathan and Aisha Buhari were due to address their party faithful this weekend, but the Edo State Government had shifted the visit of Mrs. Buhari to another date to enable the president’s wife use the stadium for her rally

tomorrow.

The PDP in a statement in Benin, yesterday, by its state Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih, said: “We call on Edo State

governor, Adams Oshiomhole and the All Progressives Congress, APC, to stop playing politics with bitterness and hatred."

Dickson inaugurates industrial court in Yenagoa resolution of labour and indusBy Samuel Oyadongha

Y

E N AG OA — B AY E L S A State Government, yesterday, said that the establishment of the Yenagoa division of the National Industrial Court will guarantee industrial harmony and contribute to the development of the state.

Governor Seriake Dickson, at the opening of the court in Yenagoa, said that the court was crucial to facilitating the

trial related conflicts in the state.

Represented by the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd), Dickson noted that government was the biggest employer of labour for now in the state.

He said deliberate efforts had been made to preserve the independence of the judiciary to ensure access to justice for the people in line with the vision of the government to put a virile and effective justice administrative system in place.

Protesting indigenes barricade PTI

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

A R R I — ACTIVITIES at the Petroleum Training Institute, PTI, Effurun, Delta State were, yesterday, grounded as angry indigenes of the community occupied the school over grievances sparked off by recent staff employment.

The protesters, including men, women and youths bearing a casket, barricaded the gates of the petroleum institute from dawn, preventing movement in and out of the school in determination to halt all activities at the school.

Consequently, hundreds of locked out candidates billed to take the ongoing Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination at a centre in the school were on the verge of missing out till Mr. Henry Baro, of Uvwie council intervened to let them in, but not before several of them had gone home in fear that the protest could turn violent.

Chairman, Effurun Community Development Committee, John Enakireru who led the protest said the development became imperative in absence of positive response from the school authority to several presentations made to address agitation for fair employment quota for the host community.

Friends hold fund-raising luncheon for Odibo

W

ARRI—UDU chapter of People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and a committee of friends are set to hold a fundraising luncheon to boost the election bid of Elegbete Moses Odibo, PDP candidate for Udu seat in Delta State House of Assembly in the coming elections.

A statement by Raymond Edijala, Chairman, Organising Committee, indicated that the event fixed for March 15 at the Banquent Hall of Best Western Wetland Hotel, Orhuwhorun has, as Special Guest of Honour, Governor Emmnauel Uduaghan with his deputy, Prof. Amos Utuama as chairman.

14—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Nigerian troops clear Adamawa State of terrorists camps

By Kingsley Omonobi

A

BUJA — NIGE RIAN troops yesterday finally succeeded in clearing terrorists out of Madagali, the last Local Government area held by Boko Haram terrorists in Adamawa State.

Director, Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade, who has been on a tour mission in the North-East, disclosed that there was no casualties on the side of the Nigerian forces, which included the Army, Airforce and other security agencies.

Meanwhile mopping up is ongoing to recover arms and other dangerous weaponry used by the terrorists even as many of the terrorists were killed.

It will be recalled that a week ago, following 2 days of heavy fighting between Special Forces of the Nigerian military backed by Nigerian Airforce fighter aircraft, commenced the battle to fully liberate Madagali and Gulag, another major community under the control of Boko Haram terrorists.

The fight for the liberation of Madagali and Gulag resulted in scores of the Terrorists being killed and heavy weaponry recovered and this was received with jubilation in Adamawa State with many indigenes of the areas hailing the gallantry of the Nigerian military.

Onah Onyishi for burial

A

N OLD boy of the fa mous St. Teresa’s College, Nsukka, Enugu State, Chief Patrick Onah Onyishi is dead, aged 70.

He will be buried on Friday, March 20, 2015c at his residence a He is survived by wife, children, grand children and many relatives.

Late Chief Onyishi C M Y K

From left, Mr. Sola Idowu, BDM Isolo FirstBank; Mrs. Nwabuikwu Ejinwa, past winner of generator at the FirstBank Save & Excel Promo; Mrs. Jennifer Anazodo, BDM, Ikeja 1, FirstBank., Mr. Emmanuel Shosanya, winner of 32 inch television set, at the FirstBank Savings Bonanza, Mrs. Bolanle Onimole, BDM Ikeja 2, FirstBank and Mr. Abiodun Famuyiwa, Group Head, Products and Marketing Support, FirstBank, in a group photograph.

NN, 21 other countries, move to checkmate piracy, crude oil theft in Gulf of Guinea Commanding,FOC Western Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, Rear N A move to checkmate activities of Jonathan Ango, explained that the obpiracy and crude oil theft in the jective of the exercise was among other Gulf of Guinea, the Nigerian Navy,NN things to access the ability of the in collaboration with 21 other countries, partnering units to conduct maritime among them , the United States of support operations, with emphasis America and United kingdom, are to placed on regional framework. engage in a maritime security exercise The multinational training exercise tagged ‘Operation Obangame Express’ which according to him was organised .The exercise is billed to commence on by the United States of America AfriMarch 19 to March 27, 2015. can command would also provide Briefing journalists on the exercise training support and capacity building which opening and closing ceremony for navies of coastguards of the Gulf of will be held in Ghana, the Flag Officer Guinea’s countries, with participants drawn from Military and law enforcement forces from the gulf of guinea.

Nigeria, he said had been participating in the exercise for four years. For this year’s exercise, Ango disclosed that three vessels comprising of NNS ThunBy Dapo Akinrefon der, Okpabana and CenteHE Transformation Believers of Nigeria, TBN, nary as well as one yesterday canvassed support for Nigerian Shaldaq boat, NNS Ikottroops, who are currently engaged in the ongoing Abasi, with a Nigerian Air war against terrorism in the North-East saying there Force maritime patrol airis need to crush the activities of Boko Haram. The craft would be used by the group, which organised a rally in Abuja to launch Nigerian Navy, in addition the “#WeCare” initiative, which aims to galvanize to 18 other ships from other empathy and support for Nigerian troops and their participating countries , loved ones, was attended by thousands of youths with a view to providing at the strategic Unity Fountain, opposite Transcorp opportunities for all particiHilton in Abuja. pating countries to look for Addressing the rally, the Executive Secretary of a lasting solution to marithe Nigeria National Summit Group, NNSG, Mr time illegalities. .

Tony I. Uranta, said that the gathering of the youth According to him: “”The was a noble initiative in support Nigeria’s Fight- exercise entails ing Forces. interoperability and creatAccording to him, “we need to build up our troops ing the maritime domain morale to fight terrorism. I care about our gallant awareness. Its also a multifighting forces, hitherto betrayed by internal and global foes. I care about the widows, orphans and national training organised other traumatised relatives of these gallant men. I by America and African care about the Chibok Girls, the Alu Boys and thou- Partnership Station.”

In addition to the NN and sands of other abducted, killed, displaced and dethe Nigeria Airforce assets, humanised Nigerians and their loved ones who are victims of these on-going murderous national other Nigerian maritime stakeholders such as the and international terrorism.”

Uranta further said that he cared about Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enfuture as a united, secure, peaceful and prosper- forcement Agency,NDLEA, ous nation premised on the far-reaching Resolu- the Nigeria Custom Servtions, that were passed consensually by the 2014 ice, The Nigeria ImmigraNational Conference convened by President tion Service, Department Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

By Evelyn Usman

I

B/Haram: TBN canvasses support for Nigerian troops

T

of State Security , NIMASSA, Nigeria Ports Authority , the Ministry of justice and the department of Fisheries under the Ministry of Agriculture, are expected to take part in the national phase of the exercise. By the national phase

I mean the phase that is going to involve only the coast of Nigeria. NNS Okpabana is the only ship that will be participating in Ghana from Nigeria. The other ships will be stationed within Nigerian coast line and water space”.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 15

C M Y K

16 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Jonathan visits Oba Adetona at Ijebu-Ode

From left, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State; Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, National President Jonathan, watching the framed photographs Chairman of PDP, Dr. Adamu Muazu; Oba Sikiru Adetona, President Goodluck Jonathan, and of the past leaders of Ijebu-land as presented Otunba Subomi Balogun, during Mr. President's courtesy visit to Oba Adetona, the Awujale, by Oba Adetona and paramount rulers of Ijebuparamount ruler of Ijebu-land, in his palace in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, yesterday. Photos: land and Oba Adebisi Okubanjo in Ogun State.

Wunmi Akinola

President Jonathan, being decorated with traditional saki by Olori Omoba of Ijebuland, Otunba Balogun (2nd right) while the former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel (right) and Oba Adetona (2nd left), and National Chairman of Cross section of Obas of Ijebu-land listening to the President's address.

PDP, Adamu Mu'azu (left), look on.

Buhari's Town Hall Meeting with S/West youths

From left, Alhaji Lai Muhammed, National Publicity Secretary, All Progressives Congress, APC; Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, APC Governorship Candidate in Kaduna State; Mr. Timipre Sylva, former governor of Bayelsa State; Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, Chief John Oyegun, APC National Chairman; General Muhammadu Buhari, APC Presidential Candidate; Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti State, and Hon. Gbolahan Yisawu, member, Lagos State House of Assembly, during a Town Hall Meeting with South West youths, in Lagos, yesterday. Photos :Joe Akintola (Photo Editor)& Bunmi Azeez

Cross section of youths, during the Town Hall Meeting C M Y K

From left, Mallam Nasir el Rufai, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, and Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers State governor, during a Town Hall Meeting with South West youths, in Lagos, yesterday.

Cross section of the general audience.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 —17

and Nigeria will continue to go from bad to worse.

Under President Goodluck Jonathan, we have become a nation of vampires where the death of innocent children and youths means nothing and where we cannot even provide jobs or a decent standard of living for our young ones. …May the Lord save Nigeria from this inexplicable and unpleasant mess and may the Nigerian people themselves wake up from their accursed slumber and take their destiny into their own hands.

F

EMI Fani-Kayode is a leading light of the ruling PDP. He is also the PDP’s main election campaign spokesman. But he was, until fairly recently, a member of the APC and one of Jonathan’s most vocal critics.

I used to be one of Mr President’s most vocal supporters. But I decided, fairly recently (and very reluctantly, initially), to switch my allegiance to MajorGeneral Buhari, the APC candidate, because I have several reservations about Dr Goodluck and Dame Patience Jonathan…and because I really like Buhari’s soldierly strictness, unmaterialistic personality, low tolerance for corruption and genuine concern for the impoverished masses.

Femi and I have a lot of

Economic hardship

Trading places friends in common and one of them recently told me that a lot of our mutual chums are hugely amused by the fact that Femi now stands where I used to stand, while I now stand where he used to stand!

Femi and I have, in a nutshell, traded places; and I now agree with SOME of the

negative comments he made about Jonathan last year. A few examples: A President who has abdicated his responsibilities, destroyed his own political party, divided his own country, alienated his own friends, humiliated his own mentor, abandoned his own people, brought ridicule to his own faith, cowers before his own

and the PDP administration and Nigerians in my opinion are desirous of trying something new.

countries include Ghana, Ivory Coast, Zambia, Senegal, etc.

Nigeria should not be an exception if that is what the people want.

officials, betrays his own governors, scorns the international community and breaks his solemn oath to protect and defend the Nigerian people.

A President who does not even have the nerve or the guts to call to order any of the numerous Jezebels that control him. He is the problem we have in our country today and until he resigns, is impeached or is voted out of power nothing will change

The smell of religious war, sectarian violence, regional and ethnic conflict, insecurity, untold suffering, rampant poverty and economic hardship is in the air.

Nigerians are divided as never before and our country is slowly crumbling and dying before our very eyes. Who will save Nigeria? Who will stand up and say enough is enough?

“The truth is that the PDP…is a party….whose leaders are…unjust, gluttonous…

One of these days, I will look for Femi; and if he agrees to talk to someone in the “enemy” camp, I will ask him to please tell me why he has changed his mind!

Various voices

S

OME Vanguard Readers share my views about the election campaign and its stars.

Others are appalled by my stance and think that I have betrayed the Niger Delta. In the spirit of lively democratic debate, here are some of the approving and disapproving letters and text messages I’ve recently received.

From: Mudiaga Okorodudu <mudiokorodudu@yahoo.co.uk> I am a regular reader of your column- Sweet And Sour. I must be quick to commend your articles for objectivity, brilliance and ever interesting.

I share in your pains in your article BETRAYAL. I am in the same ship with you on this because I come from the South South geo political zone like you.

But the truth must be told by all patriots and true lovers of Nigeria. The momentum in favour of General Buhari is not a function of him being a ‘super human being or a Saint’ but the odds seems to be in GMB favour mainly because of the failure of our brother GEJ C M Y K

Democracy is all about choice, and it is the right of the people to choose their leaders. If the people believe the government of the day has failed, then it is only natural for them to want to try something new. This is the beauty of democracy and this culture should be encouraged in Nigeria as it is being practiced elsewhere. There have been peaceful transition in some African countries where incumbents have lost elections and heaven did not fall. These

The election should not only be free, fair and credible but must be manifestly seen to be free, fair and credible

My take is that INEC should be given a free hand to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

The election should not only be free, fair and credible but must be manifestly seen to be free, fair and credible. We must all do away with the politics of Religion and Ethnicity.

The watch word must be competence. A president who fails must and should be voted out and if the subsequent President fails still, he should also be voted out in a transparent electoral process.

This is how great nations have evolved.

For now I think I join millions of Nigerians who want change at least to see whether government can be run differently in a positive manner.

Thanks 2348184414635 Anonymous Dear Donu, I believe the worst Jonathan is hundred times of the best Buhari. What has

Buhari to offer except it is claimed HONESTY. BUT Buhari alone can not make a forest. He will need backers to function. Look who is there. All around him are the same thief thief politicians. Buhari can’t do nothing.

He will be incapacitated with the characters in APC and APC is not an alternative to PDP. A better opposition is required.

They are the same people so either you vote Jonathan or abstain. No need to gamble for there are no choices 2348051851042 Anonymous I believe you are still extremely disillusioned to think that Buhari and APC give a sense of hope to Nigerians.

What hope? Hope of backwardness, I say. How can someone give what he does not possess.

It is unfortunate that you are being driven by share bitterness, sentiment, ignorance and propaganda. If you truly have a conscience, as you claimed, you will not wish Nigeria to be led in this modern day by Buhari

2347032999885 Andy.

Betrayal. Just read your piece. Ma you are brave and so damn on point. We need cleansing from bigotry.

Cheers 2348071209197 Anonymous You and Ameachi do not know what you are doing. How many northerners have you seen insulting their leaders? God will surely shame all of you at the end.

2348143187712 Anonymous My hatred for you has no limit. At your age and education you can’t see nor reason very well. Half illiterate like you.

Cheap fool.

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

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

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 WHAT do we want to do with our prisons?

Better still, what do we intend to do with our prisoners? Prisons are not a favourite subject of many. Prisoners are outcasts, considered worse than the scum of society.

Politicians exclude them from their trite campaign messages.

Few are interested in what got them into jail. We rarely care about rehabilitating them, or accepting that they can make useful contributions to society. Some prisoners, in preparation for life after jail, are acquiring education, where the facilities are available. Shocks at the state of our prisons reflect the depth of a neglect worsened by the fact that we do not count prisons among matters of national importance. It is a further indication of our poor understanding that prisons reform or deform those who pass through them.

Yearly, prisons are in the news when a Chief Judge or Governor visits and releases some who had been detained for too long.

It is on record that about 80 per cent of our prison population is awaiting trial inmates.

The over-crowding, diseases, malnourishment, are some issues that leave those

Looking At Our Prisons unfamiliar with our prisons in tears. The degradation of people in our prisons is heart rendering. The authorities adequately address them with words.

The visiting VIP weeps as he renders contrition at the state of prisons. With carefully chosen words, he sketches the subhuman conditions in the prison. He earns his headlines and forgets promises to the prisoners.

Other times the prisons are in the news are during jailbreaks. In 2013, criminals freed 175 inmates from Akure Prisons. There had been jailbreaks in Calabar, Ibadan, Warri, Bauchi, Kano, Abuja (at the anti-robbery

detention centre), and Port Harcourt.

A jailbreak is a high point of criminality.

Its consequences depend on the criminals involved and their motives. What all these point at is that the authorities have failed to realise the importance of securing convicts while they serve their sentences.

The tendency to dismiss prisons from crowded agenda of governments remains high.

Prisons are at the lowest rungs for budgetary allocations. As we fail to pay attention to the prisons, we should not be surprised that prisoners are neglected.

When will we improve the welfare of prisoners? Medical facilities, workshops, schools, living conditions in prisons are unfit for human beings.

It is convenient to forget that prisoners are human beings. The conditions of the prisons should be treated as emergency.

The prisons should not be grounds for breeding criminals. As we ponder the state of our prisoners, we forget that a society that does not treat its peoples as humans cannot change its attitude to them because they are in prison.

OPINION

By Sam Ekpe

T

HE town and gown controversy has been on for many years. However it has since been settled that professionals and men of the ivory tower in fact contribute their wisdom, expertise and vast knowledge to the growth and development of their environment, their community and their nation. There may be one or two instances where these people have failed to live up to expectations while in community service.

But a good number of them have been outstanding role models in community leadership.

One of such professionals is Chief Boniface Chikelue Omesuh, Omenyi Enugwu Ukwu na Umunri in Anambra State whose remains was committed to mother earth on Thursday March 12, 2015. Educated at the Christ the King College (CKC) Onitsha, he was admitted at the School of Survey Akure and later at the Yaba College of Technology.

He graduated in Land Surveying from the College in 1963. Destiny was later to change his career from Land Surveying to Quantity Surveying when he relocated to the United Kingdom in 1965. He studied the course in record time and passed the examinations of the professional bodies -Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and The Institute of Quantity Surveyors (IQS).

On his return to Nigeria soon after the Nigerian Civil War in 1970, he joined the firm of Osigwe Nwogu & Partners, Chartered Quantity Surveyors and Construction Cost Consultants. The firm had a working relationship with the then pioneer architectural firm in Nigeria,Ekwueme Associates. From benefit of hind sight, one C M Y K

Tribute to Chikelue Omesuh can easily assume that the decision of Alex Ekwueme to plunge into partisan politics at the beginning of the Second Republic in 1978 influenced both Osigwe Nwogu and Chikelue Omesuh. I recall that while Dr. Ekwueme was eventually picked as the running mate to President Shehu Shagari in the 1979 General Elections, Osigwe Nwogu contested for the Nkwerre/ Isu Federal Constituency in Imo State while Chikelue Omesuh ran for the Enugwu Ukwu State Assembly Constituency in the Old Anambra State. The three candidates contested under the platform of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN). Dr. Ekwueme was successful in his bid while both Osigwe Nwogu and Chikelue Omesuh failed in theirs, apparently due to the then “Zik factor” in Igbo Politics. The National leader of the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) was the reverred Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and the NPP virtually swept the polls in the former East Central State.

Chikelue Omesuh had earlier in 1972 been elected President General of the Enugwu Ukwu Community Development Union (ECDU) Pundits at this time saw this “green horn” in Enugwu Ukwu Politics as a square peg in a round hole as the politics of the town had been dominated by a combination of the Traditional Ruler the late Igwe Osita Agwuna and members of his cabinet led by the

Chikelue Omesuh has written his name in gold in the annals of the history

Traditional Prime Minister the late Chief D.A Nwandu, the Oba of the town. Incidentally, the said Traditional Prime Minister had been the President General of the town Union for several years before the outbreak of the civil war and until 1972, two year after.

Chikelue Omesuh fought relentlessly to extricate the town union affairs from the grip of the traditional ruler and his cabinet. It was a very fierce battle which cost the town dearly in terms of development projects. The fight was so bitter that the launching of the millions of naira Development Projects for the town held in 1978 to which many prominent personalities were invited and had already arrived the town for the occasion had to be aborted on the morning of the historic event. It was a very sad day for Enugwu Ukwu and her people.

But the President General Chikelue Omesuh was not daunted. He faced the difficulties, tensions and disappointments of the period with stoic equanimity. Because he believed he had a vision and mission for progress and development of the town, he managed to convince many like-minded indigenes, inlaws and friends of the town to make significant contributions to the town’s development projects, especially the Enugwu Ukwu Civic Centre. Chief Omesuh’s dogged spirit and immense financial contributions of the late Chief R. O. Nkwocha made this possible within a record time. The Civic Centre was eventually officially opened in 1982 by the then Vice President Dr. Alex Ekwueme. The Civic Centre eventually hosted the first Anambra State House of Assembly on the creation of the new state in 1991.

Chikelue Omesuh’s tenure as President General of the town union also ensured the construction of Enugwu Ukwu Girls Secondary School which has turned out many successful Old Girls. The Enugwu Ukwu Boys Secondary School was also established during his tenure through the contributions of some patriotic indigenes of the town who donated classroom blocks. His Administration constructed a Police Post in the town and handed it over to the Nigerian Police Force as well as ensuring the establishment of many ECDU branches in various parts of the country.

There is therefore no gainsaying the fact that a well grounded professional can also give unquantifiable service to his community. It is not only politicians especially those begged by their people to serve who in many cases end up serving themselves that can serve their people successfully . A leading example of an outstanding community leader from the ivory tower is the late Professor Chinua Achebe. An internationally acknowledged author, he served his town union the Ogidi Union meritoriously for many years. It was while in this service that he was involved in a tragic vehicle accident which confined him to the wheel chair for the rest of his life.

Chikelue Omesuh belongs to this category having rendered outstanding service to his community for seventeen years. Chikelue Omesuh has written his name in gold in the annals of the history.It shall remain everlasting.

*Mr.Ekpe, a media consultant, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015— —19

Elections 2015: Politics and patriotism

By Clement Udegbe

P

ATRIOTISM is defined by the Webster Dictionary as “a zealous love of one’s country”, while the Oxford Dictionary defined it as “devotion to one’s country and concern for its defence”.

Patriotism involves a zealous love, devotion to, and concern of a citizen for the unity, continued existence,and particularly for the defence of his country against any aggression, be it local or external.

All actions that lack a zealous love, devotion to, or concern for the defence of one’s nation, could be described therefore as unpatriotic, and such actions include , seditious acts and utterances, hate conducts and behaviours, ethnicity,racism, religious intolerance, sabotage of the defence and economic plans of a nation, and election rigging to name a few.

Nigeria has laws and enactments to deal with all criminal and unpatriotic acts, but politics have become a big wedge against the full application of the weight of such laws.

In politics democracy is good, for, it involves all the mechanisms that allow a people to choose how they are governed, yet even in democracy, politics become bad because bad people in politics carry out unpatriotic acts and go unpunished, by making the system weak.

In Nigeria, one method, which has been exploited by bad people to escape from being punished by the law, for unpatriotic acts, is by creating and belonging to various ‘cults’ of retired generals, garrison commanders, economic vampires, clerics clubs, ethnic lords, former and incumbent leaders in the states and federal government. The incumbent leaders hide under the immunity clause in our constitution to loot the treasuries of governments, and empower individuals with their wealth, instead of building structures, because structures will become strong and question their unpatriotic conducts. These men are waxing strong now in Nigeria.

African nations that made the mistake of building individuals than structures and ended up as war theatres include Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Central African Republic ,Lybia, and Liberia.

Nigeria had found favour with God, so far, in dealing with such strong individuals and characters whenever they came up in the past, but we must not stretch that luck too far with the elections 2015.

The development of any individual or group mentality of indispensability must be discouraged in this election. If nothing else, fairness in the seemingly accepted rotation of power between the zones of Nigeria need to be maintained.This is where the full implementation of the 2014

By Eric Teniola

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VERY rare civil servant, Alhaji Gidado Idris,GCON, will be eighty on Sunday March 15. He has served his country for 42 years.And he has seen it all. He has shaped and witnessed history in his years of service.

An adage says” If you let me frame the question, I will get the answer I want”. Alhaji Gidado Idris,born into the royal Idris family in the ancient city of Zaria, framed the question of his career in the civil service years ago and got the answer by arising to the highest pinnacle of his profession before retiring in 1999.

Soft spoken and highly principled,he cultivated a high degree of friendship from the lowest to the highest, across the country.

He is like an encyclopaedia of events with accurate dates. He remembers all and forgets nothing.

A trusted aide to the late Sardauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello (1910-1966) first and last premier of Northern Nigeria. An in-law to President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari, a trusted friend to Major General Muhammadu Buhari,General Ibrahim Babangida (72),General Sanni Abacha (1943-1998), General Abdusalam Abubakar and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. A very close aide to President Olusegun Obasanjo who gave him the National honour of CON in 1978. His wife Hajia Maryam Idris was the best friend of Hajia Maryam Babangida (1948-2009) - a friendship that started from their school days as secretariat students at the Federal training centre,Kaduna and spanned over 40 years until Maryam Babangida died on December 27, 2009 in a Los Angeles hospital in the United States of America He cherishes friendship and builds trust among friends.

On the directive of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Gidado Idris drafted and typed the dethronement letter of the former Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammed Sanusi, the father of the present Emir, in August 1963. A copy of the letter is still with him today.

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Confab Reports become very key in our choice of who leads come March 28.

Politicians start to plan how to win the next elections from the date they are sworn into office, and the bad ones may defect from one party to another, kill opposition elements, burn houses and business places of opponents, kidnap, use youth cultism, and hoodlums under any guise, crisscross religious boundaries, threaten hell fire, shout slogans, and do anything imaginable just to win their next election.

In Imo State for example, we find a Governor, who after crossing over four political parties, arrived in Government House on the platform of APGA, broke his agreement with APGA, tried to kill APGA in the State, and in the process ended up with

While our neighbour Cameroons organized a March to support their military and discourage their youth from joining Boko Haram, our opposition is more interested in taking the same Dame Patience to the ICC! Where is patriotism in all these?

APC, and wants the people to let him continue without questioning him on integrity, consistency, stability, and future of the Imo people within the Igbo Vision, and the national political arrangement. It will surely be improper to let him into another term, without dealing with these issues or he will be let to go, because the future of Imo is bigger than any one man’s ambition. It is patriotic to continuously question such men, at all levels.

At the national level , we find people coating out right rebellion with politics, and call it opposition. They have dressed rebellion in the garment of opposition politics; first, during the 2011 presidential election, General Buhari, GMB, threatened that blood would flow if he lost, and when he lost, Boko Haram suddenly blossomed and blood has been flowing till now mostly in the North East,yet nothing happened to him.

Second, Governor Amaechi of Rivers State has threatened that they would form a parallel government, if they lost in this election, and nothing happened to him. Meanwhile, there is so much violence in his state.

Third, electoral violence which has been reduced under GEJ's administration, has been unleashed against GEJ's campaign train in Katsina, Plateau, and Bauchi States all in the north, nothing happened to any opposition leader, while PVCs are released in discrimination against nonindigenes in Lagos till now.

Fourth, GMB who declined to attend any presidential debate in Nigeria chose to go to London, to give a presidential address to

Gidado Idris @ 80 On January 14, 1966, the then Premier of Western Nigeria, Chief Samuel Ladoke Akintola (1910-1966) in company of Chief Richard Abimbola Osuolale Akinjide (84) flew to Kaduna in a chartered helicopter to warn Sir Ahmadu Bello of an imminent coup d’état and of a grand plan to eliminate some key politicians including both of them.

Sir Ahmadu Bello advised Chief Akintola that there was no point running from the country and if he was truly the leader of his people it was most honourable to die among the people. Shortly after their departure back to Ibadan, Sir Ahmadu took a drive round Kaduna in an open car. Seated beside Ahmadu Bello was Gidado Idris. A few hours later Ahmadu Bello was killed.

Gidado Idris had the misfortune of identifying the corpse of the late premier and that of his wife, HajiaYanguwan who was also killed along with him.

With others Alhaji Gidado Idris arranged a befitting burial for the late premier according to Muslim rites.

Few days later Major Chukwuma Patrick Kaduna Nzeogwu (1937-1967) assumed power in Kaduna. He then appointed Mr. Ignatius Julius Dawer Dulong as the Secretary to Government and head of Service in the absence of Alhaji Alli Akilu who was hidden by the Northern Nigeria Police Commissioner, Alhaji Muhammadu Diko Yusuf from been killed. In the present day Nigeria such an appointment will be greeted with thanksgiving but Ambassador Ignatius Julius DawerDulong declined the appointment insisting that he was junior to Alhaji Akilu and that procedure must be followed.

Very Urbane and shy, his value has not declined even in retirement

Alhaji Gidado Idris who witnessed the drama once told me “that in life one must be righteous in all things”.

Incidentally Alhaji Muhammadu Dikko Yusuf became the third Inspector General of Police and served between 1975-1979.

He was the one who brought the traditional rulers from Northern Nigeria to the Ibadan meeting between July 27 to 30, 1966, during which General Johnson Thomas Uwanaikwe Ironsi (1924-1966) was killed. He co-ordinated their safety back through Ibadan/Ilorin to their respective palaces.

The constituent assembly adjourned sine die on June 5 1978 because members of the assembly became headstrong and recalcitrant and wanted to execute Executive responsibilities.

The regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo was worried after the adjournment because it wanted to keep its October 1, 1979 pledge.

General Obasanjo then summoned the Chairman of the assembly and former Chief Justice of Uganda (63-39), Mr. Justice Egbert UdoUdoma (1919-1998) and Alhaji Gidado Idris on June 7 1978 to Dodan Barracks the then seat of government with an order to produce a new Constitution before May 1979 so that the Supreme Military Council could ratify the new Constitution before departure. With the assistance of the Chief draughtsman of the assembly, Justice John Hezekiah Omololu Thomas, Justice Udo Udoma and Alhaji Gidado Idris sat for weeks and months to produce the 254-paged 1979 constitution without reconvening the Constituent assembly. For doing a good job, General Obasanjo awarded Justice UdoUdoma CFR and equally awarded Alhaji Gidado Idris, CON. After the death of General Sanni Abacha on June 8 1998, it was Alhaji Gidado Idris as the Secretary of the Armed Forces Ruling Council in his position as the Secretary to

foreign media, and to people who will not vote in the elections.

So far, both to local and foreign media, GMB has not been able to come out in clear terms to say how he will stop insurgency, deal with many issues bedeviling our economy and even how he will fight corruption, especially as most rich members of his party are perceived as very corrupt.

Fifth, Governor Fayose of Ekiti state, recently, made unsavory comments about GMB’s health, his Party the PDP distanced themselves from that comment, but GMB threatened to pull out of the peace accord he signed in January in Abuja, rather than deal with Fayose. What will follow if GMB pulls out of the peace accord, but violence?

Last week, Dame Patience Jonathan,the president’s wife, told her listeners in a campaign rally , to stone any opposition member that visits them for votes. She was talking to women, and in the South where there have been no violence involving women and will never be. Last year, she cried as a mother,that “there is God” over the wicked handling of the abduction of the Chibokgirls.The opposition made a huge entertainment joke out of that cry,thereby killed the message from it, through their social media blitz, and while our neighbour Cameroons organized a March to support their military and discourage their youth from joining Boko Haram, our opposition is more interested in taking the same Dame Patience to the ICC! Where is patriotism in all these?

•Mr. Udegbe, a legal practitioner, wrote from Lagos.

the Government of the Federation who conducted the stormy meeting of the council where General Abdusalam Abubakar emerged as the new Head of State in the early hours of June 9 1998 in Abuja. I still remember the way and manner he announced the new Head of State to a fatigued media and members of the secretariat of the Executive Council on that day who had not slept for 26 hours. To me it is still the longest day of my life.

Alhaji Gidado was a product of the Institute of Administration, Zaria and that of University of Leeds in the United Kingdom.

He was appointed District officer for Benue, Sardauna and Adamawa provinces which in the present day Nigeria will be regarded as Governor. He later became private and personal Secretary to the late Premier, Sir Ahmadu Bello. He served as Permanent Secretary in Kaduna state from 1971 to 1975. He was appointed Secretary of the Constitution Drafting Committee in 1975 and in 1976 he was also appointed Secretary of the Constituent Assembly. He was appointed first Clerk of the National Assembly in the Presidential System of Government in 1979. After the overthrow of the Presidential system of Government he was appointed Secretary and Director of Administration of the National Institute of Strategic Affairs in Kuru near Jos. Between 1984 and 1986 he was appointed Permanent Secretary Ministry of Police Affairs, between 1986 and 1988 he became the Chairman of Productivity, Prices and Income board. Shortly after, he became Permanent Secretary Ministry of Aviation.

When General SanniAbacha took over in November 17, 1993, AlhajiGidadoIdris became the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance and a few months later, he was appointed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, a post he held till he retired in 1999. Very Urbane and shy, Alhaji Gidado Idris is a workaholic.His value has not declined even in retirement.He is a fulfilled man.

•Mr Teniola, a former director at the presidency, wrote from Lagos.

20 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MARCH 13, 2015

Planned privatisation of water: Residents, civil societies dare Lagos govt

By Bose Adelaja & Augustina Anyaegbu

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recent study by the World Health Organisation says 66 million Nigerians do not have access to potable or safe water, a situation which has given rise to water-related diseases, costing the country a whooping sum of $2.5billion as people throng various hospitals for treatment.

The situation is worse in Lagos State which accounts for about 21 million people without safe water. Indeed, it is said that over 40% of them do not have access to pipe-borne water from the state’s water corporation, hence their reliance on various alternative means of water supply. The most common is by sinking wells and boreholes.

From Lagos Island to LekkiAjah and Lagos Mainland, the situation is the same as residents pay through their nose to get potable water. A beautician, Mr Majekodunmi Adebari, who recently moved to

his new apartment in AgboyiKetu said he spent N300,000 to sink a borehole.

Similarly a resident of Pero in Agege local government, Mr Mudasiru Gbadamosi,claimed he spends about N3,000 per week to get potable water.

In the face of this, the Lagos State government recently revealed its intention to partner with the World Health Organisation, WHO, to provide potable water for residents. According to the plan, the Lagos State Water Corporation will be operated by a Public Private Partnership, PPP. But the plan has been widely criticised by civil society groups which are of the opinion that Lagosians will be forced to pay for the services they don’t enjoy.

At Onipanu, for instance, residents claim most of the pipes are rusty with water being supplied only twice per month. In places like BaruwaIpaja, Gowon Estate, Amuwo-

*The anti-privatisation protesters brandishing placards, a banner Odifin, Agbado-Ijaye and Ikotun, to mention but a few, residents claim they do not feel the impact

ROVING CAMERA

*Traffic-lock...Some motorists abandon the discomfort of their vehicles to seek fresh air. Pic: Lamidi Bamidele

of the state water corporation.

To make matters worse, some areas cannot dig or sink boreholes or wells due to the topography.

Also, a recent study kicks against the proliferation of boreholes in Lagos, reason being that the ground water could have been contaminated by salt water from the Atlantic Ocean.

Last Tuesday, Ikeja and its environs witnessed a large turn out of protesters under the aegis of civil society groups who came out to register their grievances with the intention by the state government to privatise the state water corporation. They were led by Environmental Rights Action, ERA/ Friends of the Earth Nigeria, FoEN, in collaboration with other stakeholders which delivered a letter to the state house to press

The action will increase unemployment rate; residents would be compelled to pay more for less services; Lagos State water should be controlled by Lagosians, not by the World Bank

home their demand that the privatisation plan be shelved.

Though the state governor was absent, the letter was, however, handed over to one of the workers as the protesters promised a follow up.

Director, Corporate Accountability ERA/FoEN, Akinbode Oluwafemi, is of the opinion that the state water corporation should not be privatised. His reason was that the action will increase unemployment rate, even as residents would be compelled to pay more for less services.

“Lagos State water should be controlled by Lagosians, not by the World Bank,” he said.

Corroborating his view, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Lagos State chapter, Comrade Idowu Adelakun, said the state water scheme should be managed by government which had the responsibility to provide potable water for residents.

Some of the protesters claimed water is a fundamental human right which should be managed by the government. According to Mr. Victor Oni, an advertising agent: “Privatisation has been bastardised in Nigeria.

Government will deliberately ruin some public corporations through corruption and inefficiency.

“They will turn around to sell the corporation to their cronies who in turn will strip those companies of their assets, sack the workers and pretend to make it work while charging unjustifiably exorbitant fees.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 21

No premium, no cover: Government agencies refuse to insure assets – Fashola

By Rosemary Onuoha

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From left : President, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Dr. Anthony Dike; President, Association of Professional Bodies of Nigeria, Mr. Foluso Fasoto; and President, Institute of Chartered Accountants pf Nigeria, Mr. Chidi Ajeagbu, during the signing of MoU between ICAN and CITN in Lagos.

West African crude oil loses momentum as freight cost rises

By Godwin Oritse with agency reports

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ISING freight rates in the West African crude oil market are having a knock effect on the already high oil prices in the region, according to market sources.

Traders said that higher crude differentials being offered in the market, in conjunction with elevated transportation fares, could force refiners to substitute their WAF crude with grades from other countries.

For most of the past months,

$130.25

1.85

$2,935.00

-44 .00

$13.25

CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

196 295.1564 207. 8776 194. 9279 1.6137 0.3017 269.9128 31.2925 52. 2583 27.8694 269.5392

among shipowners remaining firm at the beginning of this

0.11

$57.99

0.48

$47.76

0.41

CENTRAL 196.5 197 295.9094 296.6623 208.4079 208.9382 195.4252 195. 9224 1.6178 1.6219 0.3117 0.3217 270.6013 271.2899 31.3728 31. 4531 52.3916 52.5249 27.9405 28. 0116 270.2268 270.9114

CBN Exchange Rate as at 13/3/15

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West African crude differentials to regional benchmarks have remained strong, with significant rises across all grades. More specifically, the Bonny Light differential gained $0.75/ barrel the past month.

Traders said that either freight rates or differentials would have to fall back in order to keep WAF crude competitive with grades from the Mediterranean and the North Sea. Suezmax freight rates on the WAF-UK Continent route, basis 130,000 mt, rose Worldscale 22.5 last week, with sentiment

More specifically, the Bonny Light differential gained $0.75/ barrel the past month

week.

The primary driver of the surge in WAF Suezmax rates was a huge increase in charterer inquiry for ships in the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions at the beginning of last week. On Tuesday, sources said there were as many as 10 Suezmax cargoes working in the Black Sea and Med, a substantial increase on normal levels.

This had two major effects on the WAF freight market. Firstly, the huge amount of demand in the Med meant more employment for Suezmaxes in this region, and provided a disincentive to shipowners to ballast their vessels to WAF, thus reducing WAF position list.

This caused a small rise in freight rates, which prompted a number of charterers in WAF to jump into the market in anticipation of an even larger rise in rates expected to follow.

On Wednesday, there were reports of around seven WAF cargoes actively working and an inevitable upward correction in freight rates of w22.5 swiftly followed.

At the beginning of this week, tonnage remains tight in WAF but there has been a slowdown in inquiry as charterers have attempted to take some steam out of the market. Sources said that rates should remain firm this week though, as it is expected that there are still several March WAF cargoes to be covered.

ROUP Managing Director of Industrial and General Insurance Plc, IGI, Mr. Rotimi Fashola has said that many government ministries and agencies no longer insure their assets since the introduction of the ‘no premium, no cover’ policy by the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM. Fashola said, “It is a fact that many governmental ministries and agencies are no longer insuring their assets because of the delay experienced in the approval of their budget.”

Fashola said that government and its agencies have been paying lip service to the importance and benefits of insurance, without serious patronage and s u p p o r t , adding, “There is hardly sufficient b u d g e t provision for payment of insurance premium by

exemption be granted to Government in the strict application of Section 50, ‘no premium, no cover ’. The reason is that government debt is a statutory, sovereign debt which will be paid by succeeding administration” Fashola stated.

While decrying other unprofitable regulations in the insurance sector, Fashola said that the current law makes any foreign investment an inadmissible asset, while in the same vein the law encourages foreigners to invest in the insurance industry. This position should be reviewed, he said.

On brokers’ yearly renewal

It is a fact that many governmental ministries and agencies are no longer insuring their assets because of the delay experienced in the approval of their budget

government and its agencies.

Therefore, when insurance services are patronised, payment of the premium becomes an issue, a clear negation of the provisions of the law on ‘no premium, no cover ’. Some government parastatals or enterprises are funded without allocation for insurance. Many insurance policies contracted by the MDAs in the past were not renewed, thus leaving the assets exposed to risk, damage and losses without insurance protection.

“Many of the parastatals are no longer contracting insurance, certainly in breach of some of the compulsory insurances, because of the government budget system. It is my considered opinion that

of license, Fashola said that it is onerous for brokers to be renewing their licences yearly as advanced countries have dispensed with such practices, adding “It is high time we embraced activities that will deepen insurance in Nigeria.”

On investment in properties, he said that the Insurance Act 2003 pegs investment in landed properties at 25 per cent and 35 per cent for general business and life business respectively. “This needs to be reviewed in the face of the crash in the quoted Stock market which made some insurance companies lose heavy investment in the past.”

According to Fashola, for an industry that still needs to grow and contribute to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, GDP, it is imperative that some of the current regulatory interventions by NAICOM are re-examined thoroughly to determine their effectiveness and to ensure that they are not counterproductive.

22—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Afreximbank supports factoring activities in African firms with $48m

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VISIT: From left: Managing Director, FMDQ OTC Plc, Mr. Bola Onadele.Koko; President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Mr. Albert Okumagba; Corporate Communications, FMDQ OTC Plc, Kaodi Ugoji; 2nd Vice President, CIS, Mr. Dapo Adekoje; and Council member/Chairman, CPD, CIS, Mr. Oye Oyeniyi, during CIS courtesy visit to FMDQ OTC Plc in Lagos.

Investors gain N34.9bn as NSE market capitalisation hits N10.3trn

By Peter Egwuatu

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quities trading on the floor of Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE ended in the positive territory, yesterday as investors gained N34.915 billion. The market capitalisation which represents the total value of equities traded on the exchange appreciated by 0.34 per cent to close at N10.335 trillion from N10.300 trillion.

In the same vein, another stock market performance indicator, the All Share Index went up by 0.43 per cent to close at 30,973.80 from 30,869.17 points.

The total value of stock traded increased by 13.17 per cent from ¦ 3.855 billion to ¦ 4.362 billion in 4,252 deals. The Financial Services sector led the activity chart with 207.645 million shares exchanged for ¦ 1.888 billion. Conglomerates came next with 17.999 million shares traded for ¦ 0.057 billion, The Banking sub sector led activity chart gaining 1.66 per cent, followed by Industrial stock which appreciated by 0.10 per cent. Meanwhile, the Consumer Goods declined by 0.47 per cent and continued to come under selling pressure and closed the day lower.

Gains recorded by First Bank Nigeria Holding, FBNH , Sterling Bank , ETI, GT Bank and Zenith Bank accounted for the good performance of the banking stocks.

Specifically, FBHN gained 4.94 per cent to close at N8.93, followed by Sterling Bank which appreciated by 3.83 per cent to close at N2.44. ETI appreciated by 3.77 to close at N18.99, followed by GT Bank which edged up by 3.18 per

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cent to close a N25.00) and Zenith bank up by 1.60 per cent to close at N21.00.

Other gainers include: Cutix (8.57 per cent) which closed at N1.52 and Dangcem (+0.29 per cent to close at N154.00 were the value drivers in the Industrial sector.

Losses seen on Unilever was 2.32 per cent to close at N34.05), followed by PZ which dropped by 1.57 per cent to close at N27.00. Guinness declined by 1.53 per cent to close at N126.61. Honeywell flour Mills declined by 0.38 per cent to close at N2.65 followed by NASCON which dipped by 0.15 per cent to

close at N6.59 and Nigerian Breweries , NB dropped by 0.04 per cent to close at N140.00. The losses recorded by the equities caused the downtrend of the Consumer Goods sub sector.

A few notable trades of the day were the transactions consummated on; GT bank worth N693 million ($3.50 million), NB: N670 million ($3.38 m), Zenith bank: N549 million ($2.77 m), FBNH: N307 million ($1.55 m) and UBA: N117 million ($592k).

An off-market cross deal of 82.8 million units of Oando Plc was consumated at N18.00.

he African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) says it has provided lines of credit amounting to $48 million to African factoring companies in the last two years.

This is contained in a statement credited to Dr Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank’s Executive Vice President in charge of Business Development and Corporate Banking, on Thursday in Lagos. factoring is not a loan but a cash-management tool of choice for many companies, and is one of the oldest forms of business financing.

Oramah, who spoke at a symposium on Factoring in Africa in Cairo, was quoted as saying that the support was to give liquidity and payment risk protection in the companies’ factoring activities.

The two-day symposium was organised by the Egyptian Factoring Association, the Financial Services Institute and the International Factors Group.

According to him, the amount comprised $23 million granted to factors located in Mauritania and $25 million to several others based in Senegal.

He announced that Afreximbank currently had factoring lines totalling $50 million under assessment for institutions in Burkina Faso, Kenya, Egypt, Botswana, Rwanda, and Zimbabwe.

Oramah said that

Afreximbank had supported the development of factoring in Africa through educational events and fostering the creation of facilitative infrastructure.

He said that Afreximbank would soon introduce a cobranded factoring development product called AfriFactor, to reduce costs incurred by African factors in setting up factoring business platforms.

“Besides, AfriFactor will address challenges around the lack of expertise in backoffice and receivables management. “It will provide advisory services to African financial institutions seeking to commence or enhance their factoring businesses, and provide support in such areas as establishing factoring businesses, information technology and operations platforms,” he said.

NAN had reported that Afreximbank is a foremost Pan-African multilateral financial institution devoted to financing and promoting intraand extra-African trade.

Oramah added that Afreximbank was also working with the African Development Bank’s Thematic Fund for Private Sector Assistance (FAPA) to support factoring companies in Africa.

According to him, the partnership uses FAPA grants that target innovative programmes for small and micro-scale enterprises.

Stanbic IBTC takes SME capacity building initiative to Ibadan

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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The total value of stock traded increased by 13.17 per cent from ¦ 3.855 billion to ¦ 4.362 billion in 4,252 deals

HE nationwide effort by Stanbic IBTC Bank, a member of the Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, to help build a vibrant small and medium scale enterprises sector in Nigeria was taken to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, recently where over 500 participants converged at the Ibadan Civic Centre for the one-day capacity building workshop.

A similar session was held in Lagos on February 11-12, while others are planned for Port Harcourt, Aba, Abuja and Kano, among other cities spread across the six geo-political zones in the country.

At the workshop, the bank reiterated that the key objective of the workshop is to equip its clients operating in the Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs) sub-sector with financial, marketing and management skills that they can readily deploy to nurture and grow their businesses.

“The SME sector is pivotal to the economic growth and development of any nation and Nigeria is no exception, which is why the seminar was conceived to avail SME operators exposure to modern and innovative marketing, financial and management skills that are useful to their businesses and which will help

them to attract the necessary funding for growth,” Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Obinnia Abajue, said.

Abajue, who was represented by the Regional Head, SME, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Tayo Adediran, stated that Stanbic IBTC Bank, backed by the rich heritage and know-how of the Standard Bank Group, is committed to building a strong SME base in Nigeria and one of the ways it hopes to achieve this is by empowering operators with the right business skills and adequate funding. “Stanbic IBTC Bank has a rich pedigree of building capacity for SMEs and providing much-needed support in terms of funding and skills acquisition because we understand the important linkages provided by SMEs to industries and employment generation.

This seminar is one of several ways the bank continues to build capacity in the SME sector,” Abajue said.

Chief Executive Officer, West Atlantic Resource & Equity House Ltd, Adegboyega Adebajo, who made presentations on Economic Outlook for 2015 and Business Planning, noted that developments in the global economy, notably those emanating from America, Europe and Emerging Asia, impact the local economy, with small and medium enterprises also affected.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 23

By Jimoh Babatunde

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he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development ,Dr Akinwumi Adesina , has predicted that Africa’s future millionaires and billionaires will make their money from agriculture as the governments marshal out plans to unlock wealth from the soil.

He spoke Friday in Abuja as the African Development Bank (AfDB), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) launched the Agricultural Transformation Agenda Support Program Phase 1 (ATASP-1) in Abuja.

The ATASP-1 is financed by AfDB to the tune of USD 170 million and aims at creating additional incomes to an increased number of producers and entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector in Nigeria by providing about 120,000 jobs along the value chain of priority commodities.

An additional 20 million tons of key commodity food crops including cassava, rice, and sorghum will be added to the domestic food supply each year.

A significant part of the project is developing outreach models with young entrepreneurs in agriculture, “IITA youth agripreneurs”.

This component will be implemented by IITA which has established a Youth Agripreneurs scheme at its

Agriculture’ll produce Africa’s future billionaires — Adesina Headquarters in Ibadan, Oyo State, and in DR Congo, Kenya, Tanzania, and Zambia.

The Agripreneurs are promoting agriculture among other young people in their regions through peer education, training and demonstration of agricultural best practices, and business skills in value chain development.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development in Nigeria, Dr Akinwumi Adesina underlined that “Africa’s

Today, major local and international investors are investing in this sector. The number of seed companies alone has risen dramatically and the banks are lending to the sector more than ever before

The Business Head, Rice, Olams NIgeria Limited, Mr. Anil Nair presenting the company’s locally produced rice to the National President, Rice Dealers Association of Nigeria/ CEO Easter Olufunmilayo (Nig) Ltd,, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Akinsanya while Shaibu Mohammed, Secretary-General of RiMIDAN watches during the official unveiling of the rice at Iddo Rice Market, Lagos future millionaires and billionaires will make their money from agriculture,” as the governments marshal out plans to unlock wealth from the soil. Adesina , who is among the five candidates already shortlisted to contest the presidency of the African Development Bank in May, estimates that the bulk of this new wealthy population will be made up of young people adept at creating jobs for

millions in each African country and bringing business opportunities to rural communities all across the continent. The Minister further enjoined the youth to stop seeing agriculture as a tool for development but as a business.

He reasoned that agriculture is now an exciting sector.

“Today, major local and international investors are investing in this sector. The

number of seed companies alone has risen dramatically and the banks are lending to the sector more than ever before.” Dr. Nteranya Sanginga, IITA’s Director General said during the launch that all over Africa, many young people are migrating to cities in search of business opportunities, leaving behind an increasingly ageing population.

Olams boosts Nigeria’s rice supply with local brand T

he quest for rice selfsufficiency in Nigeria received a major boost last week as dealers in the staple received tonnes of new brand of locally produced rice, Mama’s Pride, for sale in the country. The new entrant, from Olams Nigeria Limited, was unveiled to marketers in Lagos on Thursday, in a move to bridge the demand-supply gap in Nigeria.

The Business Head, Rice, Olams Nigeria Limited, Anil Nair, who performed the ceremonial launch, said this move is in line with government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) to boost the agricultural sector.

“We are launching our rice into the Nigerian market.

Although it has been in the market since July, we have had challenges in production; but we believe over time these challenges would be surmounted,” he said.

He said with Lagos being the biggest market in the country, Olams rice is a step in the right direction, to bridge the gap of importation.

“We have a milling capacity of about 800,000 tonnes and we believe in no distant time, with the help of the government and other key stakeholders in the rice industry, the nation will eliminate importation of rice completely,” he said.

Nair advised Nigerians to change their mind and choose locally produced rice, because is far more nutritious when compared to imported rice.

“The issue is a mindset thing. It is a practice of milling. If you have a state-ofthe-art facility, you can extract stones and other particles in the rice. The quality of the soils and fertilizers in the country is very good for production,” he said.

According to him, the company has been into backward integration of rice since 2004 and there are thousands of outgrowers working with

the company.

He added that, “Smuggling is also one of the biggest concerns that we have, because if you go round the Nigerian market, you will see a lot of smuggled rice. I believe the farmers and manufacturers are finding it difficult to compete with imported rice.

“Currently, we have supplied over 500 tonnes into Lagos in the last two weeks, any rice that comes into the market takes

some time before customers starts accepting it, but we are taking the rice into all the markets possible and, hopefully, we believe more rice will enter the market.”

President, Rice Association of Nigeria, Esther Akinsanya, commended Olams for the launch, stressing that if the nation can produce rice of such quality, there is no need to embark on importation for the commodity.

Project to improve fish trade launched

A

NEW Pan-African project has been launched to strengthen the continent’s great potential for increased trade in fish.

‘FishTrade for a Better Future’, a European Commission funded project to be implemented by WorldFish, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) and the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR),

would strengthen value chains and, with a focus on sustainability, give better access to intra-regional markets and subsequently improve food and nutritional security and income in sub-Saharan Africa.

According to WorldFish, the project would work in four ‘corridors’ to generate information on the structure, products and

value of intra-regional fish trade and its contribution to food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

Recommendations would be prepared on policies, fish certification guidelines and quality and safety standards, as well as regulations.

WorldFish revealed that the programme would equip governments with the capacities needed to

implement the African Union Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for Fisheries and Aquaculture in Africa.

In addition, it has been designed to support the work of governments towards implementation of the Malabo Declaration on Accelerated Agricultural Growth and Transformation for Shared Prosperity and Improved Livelihoods.

24—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Creating awareness was my greatest challenge ` — NCS boss

By Godwin Oritse

T

HE Director General of the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping, NCS, Mrs Ify AkereleAnazodo has said that creating awareness on issues affecting the maritime industry has been her greatest challenge as head of the chamber.

Speaking to newsmen after a Council meeting of the chamber, Akerele said in her ten years of being Director General, she now has a better understanding of the industry which she said will be very useful when she eventually wins election into the House of Representatives.

According to NCS boss, the idea behind the meeting, was to make sure that the chamber becomes a rallying point for all maritime trade activities in Nigeria.

Akerele who is vying to represent the Onitsha East and South Federal constituency in the forthcoming general elections also said that the current members of the chamber want to build on the progress she has so far made with the organisation. “Älthough, I am going to represent my constituency in the next election but that does not mean that I will step aside as Director General now.

“When I eventually win the election, I will step down as DG and another person will take over.

“After ten years as Director General I think I have had enough, let somebody else come and take it from where I stopped. “ “So the meeting was basically to look at the way forward, based on where we are coming from, so I gave them a report and because the report was detailed, they had to set up another Committee to look at the report.

“Now, the thing is to

C M Y K

take our proper place as representative of all shipping trade in Nigeria, all maritime trade activities.”Akerele said Speaking in similar vein, the vice President of the chamber Mr Andy Isichei said that whoever will become the next Director General of the organization must be a person who is very knowledgeable about the industry.

Visit: L-r: Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, MalamHabibAbdullahi with ED Gas & Power of NNPC, Dr. David Ige exchanging pleasantries at the NPA Headquarters

Dredging sparks investors’ interest in Calabar port

By Godwin Oritse

T

HERE are indications that investors are beginning to move to Calabar port following the deepen channel leading to the port.

In an exclusive interview with Vanguard, Managing Director of the Calabar Channel Management Company Mr Bart Van Eenoo said that some companies are already calling to find out the true position of the Calabar port channel.

Van Eenoo said that two dredgers are currently working on the channel adding that before the end of this year, 8-10 metresr will be achieved.

“There are investors wanting to come to Calabar because of the peaceful nature and its location,, Some of the investors include a steel pipe company, a ship building

There are a few locations that are low and we are working hard to deepen these location and make the entire length of the channel even

firm, General Electric and other companies that have shown interest in bringing their investment to Calabar.”

Bart Van Eenoo, who worked as General Manager at the Bonny Channel Company explained that the desired result of the dredging rate is gradually being

achieved as the channel can boast of taking a vessel of 7.5 metres He added that the target this year is to get to 8meters at low tide and 10 meters at high tide and ultimately get to 1012.5meters by end of this or early next year..

“There are a few locations that are low and we

are working hard to deepen these locations and make the entire length of the channel even.”

He told Vanguard that the concept of both the Nigerian Ports Authority.

NPA, and the lead consultant for Calabar Dredging project Niger Global Engineering Ser-

vices, are not just to dredge and go, but to maintain the dredged channels as well.

“We have a fifteen year plan to maintain the Calabar port channel, the most important thing is to attract businesses Calabar, de-congest the Lagos ports and diversify cargoes from other ports.”

Probe NAC levy collection, EFCC, NA urged

By Godfrey Bivbere

M

ANAGING Di rector of Tentpeg Communication Network Limited, Goddy Ogheneajakpor, has stressed the need for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the National Assembly to probe the collection of National Automative Council, NAC levy over the years.

Ogheneajakpor, who spoke with Vanguard in Lagos, noted that the collection of the levy has been going on for decades before it was suspended in 2011 but pointed out that nobody knows how much has been so far collected and what it has been used for.

The Federal government had established the NAC in the early1990’s and directed the NCS to commence the collection of two percent levy on all automobile imported into the country to help develop the local automobile industry.

The Tentpeg boss pointed out that the purpose for the collection of the fund over the years has not been met,

noting that nothing concrete has been done to achieve the purpose for the establishment until the recent efforts at attracting assembling plants into the country.

According to him, “There is need for the public to know how much the Coun-

cil has so far collected till date, what the money is used for and if it is in line with the law establishing it?

There is too much lawlessness in the country and people are not being made accountable for responsibilities given to them, especially in government.

“All these noise about assembly plant is only scratching the surface. What was the purpose of establishing the council, were they able to meet that responsibility? If not, those in charge over the years should be made to answer to Nigerian.

NPA boss makes case for Ogidigben Port Gas Industrial Park project

By Ifeyinwa Obi

T

HE proposed Gas R e v o l u t i o n Industrial Park at Ogidigben Port, Warri, Delta State, South-South may yet just be executed soon enough, as the Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Mallam Habib Abdullahi, has urged all the parties involved to ensure the success of the project in the national interest.

The project, according to Abdullahi, should be of great interest to Nigeria, considering the

tremendous economic and social benefits derivable from it when successfully completed.

The NPA boss was speaking at a meeting with officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) on the progress so far made on the project in his office at the NPA House, Marina, Lagos.

While he gave an assurance that the NPA would collaborate with the NNPC for the successful execution of the Ogidigben Port Gas Industrial Park project, Abdullahi implored all

those involved in it to fast track the process so that appreciable progress can be made before the end of next month.

The NPA boss commended the NNPC for its giant strides on the project, especially in the area of resolving conflicts among the communities where the project is to be sited.

Abdullahi told the delegation that since the NNPC has been able to resolve the concerns, the NPA will work on other areas like dredging and breakwaters construction.

On the NNPC’s request

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—25

Our model for tourism devt in Osun, by Daniyan

By Jimoh Babatunde

T

OURISM is becoming a critical instrument of furthering economic growth in developing countries, generating a large share of worldwide employment , it is estimated that over 10,000 new direct jobs will be created through tourism development programme.

As many developing countries are keying into tourism as a means of diversifying their economy, Osun state government wanting to reap the abundant benefits of its tourism potentials gathered the best brains to fashion out a tourism master plan for the state which took a look at all the possible resources and arts that can be converted to something you can create cash flow for the state.

The immediate past chairman of the Osun Tourism Board, Engr. Abimbola Daniyan, in a chat with Vanguard in his Oke Pupa office, said the Osun tourism master plan took a global look in prioritizing them to see which ones are the most attractive and those that have economy of scale as well as those with high value.

Economy of scale Daniyan who also doubled as the Senior Special Assistance to the Governor on tourism before boards and cabinet positions were effectively dissolved noted that Osun is a very fortunate state as there are resources which are visible and those that are not visible.

“What makes both visible and not too visible effective and turn them into assets is our vision.

How we see them and how we understand how they can be plugged into economic spheres.”

Tourism in Osun, according to him, enjoys the benefits of multiple resources which they intend converting to assets through creating cash flows around them.

“The most obvious being Osun Osogbo festival, which the whole world gets to hear about year in year out. Another economic assets which is popular is Olumirin water falls.”

He explained that Osun Tourism Investors’ Guide, which is an extract developed from the Osun Tourism Master Plan, contains the state tourism assets and investment blueprints for the C M Y K

major tourist assets that will enable investors know where to put their money .

Daniyan noted that the goal is to set up a model for the rapid social and economic transformation of the state through Public_PrivatePartnership. “So what government first did was one to develop infrastructure, a necessary pre condition to have tourists to access the different sites and move around the state.

He added that “we are allowing those who know how to do it to do so, we are taking part either through investment that has token , as the government has put in place an investment structure in which it will have not more than 20% maximum of investment and in some cases it does not have to put a kobo.

Daniyan disclosed this was experimented with at the Olumirin water fall, “ where we were able to realise aboutN14m in that year through gate takings without putting any facility there.

We made sure there was no revenue leakage.”

Daniyan explained that the experiment at the fall has shown that there is possibility of making it there. “So the investors can see the potential there as this is a validated data that is published every week on our website and since it is with private sector they can trust them to know they can make profit.”

“He said “ Olumirin water fall is the most visited tourist site in Nigeria today. As at November of 2014, from January to November we had grossed 50,000 visitors. No other tourist site has had that level of patronage . And what do we have

•Olumirin water falls there ? Just nature. We had not developed any of the physical facilities to make people stay more and enjoy more to spend more.”

When asked to provide information of what the state will invest in tourism, Daniyan said the total investment required for successful execution of high priority tourism projects is about N15billion and that it is expected that the government will fund basic infrastructure and pilot projects in phase one, while Private investors will fund commercial tourist attractions in phase two and three.

“Now, we know that at Olumirin the preponderant number of visitors are students and young people, mostly from outside of the state.

They come from different states of the country. So they need low cost accommodation . We need investment in this area as well as entertainment facilities , just like restaurant . All of this has been put down for us to look for investors .

•Abimbola Daniyan, Why listing the phasing of capital investments in some selected tourist sites like Olumirin water falls; Osun International tourist Village; Ile Ife cluster; Ayikunnugba and Kiriji War cluster as well as Yoruba World Heritage City, Daniyan noted that the boar came up with a package to add value to the annual Osun Osogbo festival.

“One of the things you will notice is that we identified major festivals for commercialisation, but how do we go about this packaging?. We realised that the Osun Osogbo festival is the most popular in the state. There is a river side to it, so what a good tourist destination does is to harness the crowd that comes around for the festival.”

InterContinental hotel launches educational programme in Nigeria

I

Olumirin water falls is the most visited tourist site in Nigeria today, no other tourist site has had that level of patronage

NTERCONTINENTAL Hotels Group and Wavecrest College of Hospitality, have announced the launch of the 1st IHG Academy programme in Nigeria, joining more than 600 IHG Academy programmes globally.

The IHG Academy is a global network of educational and community organisations allied with local IHG-branded hotels to provide hospitality skills development and improved employability to the community.

Through training and mentoring, the IHG Academy has assisted over 10,000 people worldwide in becoming skilled hospitality workers and achieving their professional goals in the hospitality field.

Originally launched in China nine years

ago, IHG Academy demonstrates how IHG is innovating within the industry, by pioneering global collaboration between hotels and local education providers and community organisations.

The Academy gives participants real-world experience of the hospitality industry and allows us the opportunity to develop talented people to work in our hotels. The programme has continued to grow year on year and now spans 60 countries worldwide.

Karl Hala, Regional General Manager Africa, InterContinental Hotel, said: “We’re delighted with our partnership with Wavecrest College of Hospitality and the opportunity to roll out this programme in Nigeria.”.

26—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

I N S I D E

2015 ELECTIONS:

Only Jonathan has courage to change Nigeria — Ishekure

Page 26

Page 28

Who will win should win

Page 27

Priority voting for the elderly, PLWD

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

tracing back Governor Aliyu’s past controversial utterances about an alleged single term agreement between President Jonathan and the party’s governors.

The Campaign Organization further described the “insinuation as the outbursts of a perpetual rabble-rouser, amateurish ethno-religious propagandist and unrepentant mischief-maker bent on stocking division and disaffection in the APC.” Digging at the governor’s performance, the campaign in a statement issued by Mallam Garba Shehu said: “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?”

D

R. Babangida Aliyu was in 2006 at the top of his civil service career as permanent secretary in the juicy Ministry of Federal Capital Territory when as it was alleged, President Olusegun Obasanjo phoned him to enter the 2007 Niger State governorship contest.

His belated entry into the race, it was believed, was on account of the divisive power struggles among the power brokers in the state, with the nickname, Power State.

Since that his controversial entry, Dr. Aliyu has remained a man of many controversies stirring controversies along the way in his nearly eight-year stint at the helm of affairs. While a number of his actions have been pointedly salacious, Dr. Aliyu would leave office with a name etched in controversy after his recent outing with fellow Peoples Democratic Party, PDP governors in Lagos.

The PDP governors had last Tuesday descended on the nation’s commercial capital in seeming determination to save their political legacies in the face of the burgeoning support for the opposition presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The stage was a parley with the media and civil society.

Media and civil society For the PDP governors, stopping Buhari was not just for the sake of President Goodluck Jonathan, but also, in their personal political interests. The governors are not ignorant of the possibility that their individual bids to plant pliant successors could be derailed on the coattails of a possible Buhari success.

So it is no surprise that many of the governors have put aside their personal issues with one another to rally behind their presidential candidate.

Governor Jonah Jang who had for long reportedly had issues with Aliyu following Aliyu’s controversial hang on to the chairmanship of the Northern States Governors Forum, NSGF as such did not mind sharing platform with Aliyu to hit at Buhari last Tuesday.

Following Governor Godswill Akpabio’s diatribes against

•Aliyu: Buhari, Jonathan agreed to do one term

Gov Aliyu’s alluring allusions GOVERNOR Babangida Aliyu, one of the best educated governors in the outgoing dispensation has criss-crossed the political and public service sectors since his first election to the House of Representatives in 1983. His recent outbursts, however, have been laced with controversy.

Aliyu on Buhari Buhari promised them that he is going to do one term. The implication of that would result in the shortchanging of rotational presidency —March 2015

Buhari that Tuesday, Governor Aliyu emerged to speak whereupon he again stirred controversy with his claim that Buhari had entered into an agreement to serve only one term in office.

“Buhari promised them that he is going to do one term. The implication of that would result in the short-changing of

rotational presidency when it gets to the turn of the north,” Aliyu said.

The import of the governor’s assertion was to stir passion among Northern power shift advocates to the effect that a Buhari presidency would be a loss for a region that has desperately craved for power for a long time.

It was not surprising that even before his words distilled that the APC issued a sharp rebuttal.

Responding, APC spokesman, Lai Mohammed said: “The APC will not abridge the right of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to spend the constitutionally-guaranteed two terms as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria if elected in the March 28 poll.

“No conditionality, whatsoever, was attached to Gen. Buhari’s candidacy. He won the party primaries fair and square in a globally-acclaimed transparent manner, and he was neither a compromise nor a consensus candidate; hence there is no need for him to make a deal with anyone.

“We are, therefore, telling

Aliyu on Jonathan I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement —Feb 2013

Nigerians to disregard the tales by the moonlight which some PDP elements are spinning in their desperation to muddle the waters ahead of the forthcoming elections and create disaffection between a section of the country and another.”

The Buhari Campaign Organisation equally fired back

Political clairvoyance The reference to the governor ’s political clairvoyance was to the assertion by the governor in a radio interview in February 2013 alleged that President Jonathan agreed with northern governors that he would serve one term.

He had said: “I recall that at the time he was going to declare for the 2011 election, all the PDP governors were brought together to ensure that we were all in the same frame of mind.

“And I recall that some of us said given the circumstances of the death of President Umaru Yar’Adua and given the PDP zoning arrangement, it was expected that the North was to produce the president for a given number of years.

“I recall that at that discussion, it was agreed that Jonathan would serve only one term of four years and we all signed the agreement. Even when Jonathan went to Kampala, in Uganda, he also said he was going to serve a single term.

“For now, President Jonathan has not declared a second term ambition and we must not be speculating based on those who are benefiting from the campaign.

Continues on page 27

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—27

•Isekhure: Oba of Benin does not endorse candidates

Only Jonathan has courage to change Nigeria — Isekhure, Chief Priest of Benin CHIEF Nosakhare Isekhure, veteran politician, journalist and activist is the Chief Priest of Benin Kingdom. In this interview with newsmen, he articulates his positions on topical political issues in the country. Excerpts: Y OU participated in the National Conference convoked by President Goodluck Jonathan last year. Do you have any fear about the implementation of the report?

Our worry is about people who are narrow-minded and fail to recognize that, that conference was the most effective conference among all the conferences we have had in this country in the past 54 years of Nigeria’s independence.

Apart from President Jonathan, nobody has had the courage to bring people of our category together, who were not partisan during their discussion. They came to the conference with opened minds and discussed the ways they think we can move the nation forward without any interference or intimidation from any quarters, not even from President Jonathan.

At the end of the day, we came out with a proposal that this country needs to be governed within the context of the rule of law; that the nation should be restructured in a way every part of country would have access to their resources and contribute to

the national cake in a positive manner rather than depending on other nationalities.

We also acknowledge that there is no state in this country that does not possess any resource that can contribute to the national cake. While some are hiding their resources, others are dispensing their own.

But that is not the way to go.

We should be able to harness all our resources so that we can effectively develop the country.

Implementation of the report That is what we compressed as the conference report. And it is the man who wears the shoes who knows where it pitches.

It was President Goodluck Jonathan who set up the conference, received the report and we believe he is the only person who can also have the courage to implement that report because he saw the vision that we needed to talk to ourselves and we did talk to ourselves.

And we are now saying this same man who believes in consultation should be given a

huge opportunity to actualize that dream by implementing the recommendations of the conference. That is the reason many of us have chosen to support President Goodluck Jonathan.

But there are indications that some Benin Chiefs don’t share this view of yours. How do you hope to reconcile these views?

Although a few narrow-minded people might not like my endorsement of President Jonathan but I cannot follow the agenda of one person.

My position is in line with the agenda of Nigerian people especially the good people of Edo State. Nigeria is bigger than any individual; what should concern us is what will benefit the general

interest of Nigeria as a whole.

I am happy that many responsible Yoruba people are also thinking along this line; they have come forward to say they will vote according to how Nigeria will move forward and they believe Jonathan represents that process.

You cannot change a performing government; it will not add to any development of our country.

I believe Jonathan has done well; we should give him another opportunity to complete his works.

When the general elections were recently postponed many people claimed that it was engineered by the ruling party, as we approach the new dates are you confident there won’t be another shift?

Well, we are not security officers; the president is the chief security officer of this country.

We have different kinds of security agencies and they send reports to the president on a regular basis. And if security reports suggest that there will be chaos and suggestions to the effect that the elections should be postponed, the president has a constitutional obligation to adhere to those advices by doing the right things.

If he fails to take the advice and there is upheaval, the people will hold him responsible. I believe we were all winners in the postponement of the elections; no one is losing.

It has given all the political parties a huge opportunity to go

The Oba of Benin is not a politician; the Oba of Benin does not participate in partisan politics.

We have said that time without numbers

back to drawing board to restrategize and prepare better.

There has been this controversy about the position of the Benin Palace over the endorsement of presidential candidates in the coming elections. What is your take?

The Oba of Benin is not a politician; the Oba of Benin does not participate in partisan politics.

We have said that time without numbers. Anybody who wants to see the Oba of Benin, either as a politician or political party is free to do so. He will sit down in his palace, listen to them and at the end he will ask one of the chiefs to brief them.

Usual prayer And the usual prayer has always been whoever will bring good things to us or Nigeria, let that person win. In the palace, there are members of different political parties. The Oba of Benin does not give instruction to us to go and vote for a particular political party or person.

He has never done that and he is not ready to do that now or in the future. We should not make any attempt to drag the name of the Oba of Benin to partisan politics.

How then do you consider the position of Chief Edebiri who recently said that the Oba of Benin had endorsed Gen. Muhammadu Buhari?

This matter has been raised on several occasions. Chief Edebiri is a traditional ruler in Benin; he has a right as a person to belong to a political party and express his personal view.

But his personal view does not represent the position of the Oba of Benin or the Bini’s interest. No one person can direct our people to vote for a particular political party or candidate. It has never happened and it will never happen.

The Bini people are Nigerians who have absolute rights to decide who to vote for in an election. Some people try to do what I did many years ago but I keep on saying that my position then was personal and when I was invited to a Tribunal, I told them so.

Gov Aliyu’s alluring allusions Continues from page 26 “I think we are all gentlemen enough so when the time comes, we will all come together and see what is the right thing to do.”

The assertion had been flayed by associates of the president who dared the governor to produce the agreement or give evidence. He never gave, but a month later, and he insisted on his claim.

“If to be truthful is to be illiterate, I stand by it. On the political scene, I am happy with what some people say. I don’t see it as a condemnation of PDP; I see it as trying to correct a situation.

“We should look at the problem as one we must confront correctly. Agreement made in secret must be adhered to.”

The governor’s political pathway has also been laced with

several other controversies.

Before now, the falling out with his deputy, Hon. Ahmed Ibeto leading to the latter’s eviction from a state executive council meeting, the handing over to the speaker of the House of Assembly and the relocation of the deputy’s office from the Government House were some of the controversies to have shadowed Governor Aliyu this year.

28—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

IMO: It'll be a tragedy if Okorocha is not re-elected — Okafor DEACON Chike Okafor is the immediate past Commissioner for Finance in Imo state and presently, the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate for the Okigwe South Federal Constituency. In this interview, Okafor discusses his ambition, his politics and ideology in public service. Excerpts:

By Chidi Nkwopara

W

HAT was it like serving as a Finance Commissioner?

My number one challenge was how to keep up with the pace of the governor who was in a hurry to make a mark. He was in hurry to take Imo State from where it was to where it is today. Then, I didn’t know his style of work, emotions and mannerism. But immediately I settled in, and I got to know his modus operandi, I didn’t have any problem keeping up with his pace.

What are your prospects in the House contest?

My chances are very bright.

The responses and the reactions of my people in Okigwe South Federal Constituency have been encouraging. We have done our ward round, and we have also done our community visits. I think Chike Okafor is the man to beat in the 2015 Okigwe South Federal Constituency election.

A major driving force for me is that everybody knows that the government of Owelle Rochas Okorocha has done very well, and I am part of that government.

That’s the key selling point. If I wasn’t in government, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity of doing so many things.

Track record So the credit naturally should go to the Rescue Mission government where I belong.

How do you look at the shift in election date? Would it change anything for you?

We have gone past the issue of shift or no shift in election date.

That is behind us now but be that as it may, elections will come on March 28th, and nothing is going to change between now and then.

The opinion and decision of the electorate will not change. Our track records will remain the same. You can’t beat achievements built over the years, in six weeks. The story would be the same whether the elections hold today or in the next six weeks. The postponement would even offer us another window to exhaustively tell our people all we have been able to do for them. Either way, it is a win-win situation.

•Polling booth

Priority voting for the elderly, PLWD

By Charles Kumolu

•Okafor: Okorocha has done us well

What will be your focus be in the House of Representative?

My focus will not be different from what the party APC stands for. It is a progressive party. It is a party that believes so much in developments that would move the nation forward. We are going to become a strong voice for our people.

Interestingly, one has been in government and one has been in a good background in finance and economics, once subsequent budgets are prepared one will be in a better position to identify the needs of the people, ensure their inclusion in the budget and make sure that the necessary legislative framework is put in place to make sure that

It will be a misfortune for Imo State if Rochas Okorocha is not returned as the Governor because there are lots of things he has started that need to be completed

developmental efforts and infrastructures are brought home.

Do you think Governor Rochas Okorocha will be reelected?

It will be a misfortune for Imo State if Rochas Okorocha is not returned as the Governor because there are lots of things he has started that need to be completed and we need a man with the multi-vision that he has to be able to continue with what he has started.

Take, for instance; it took a Rochas Okorocha to show us that education can be free from primary to university. The last government didn’t believe in that. They said it was not possible that education can be free. They just want to take it away from where Governor Rochas Okorocha took it, to say that they will make their own ‘qualitatively free’.

But I don’t see them doing that because you can’t give what you don’t have.

It is a lot easier for Rochas Okorocha’s government to embark on free education because Rochas as an individual had been doing that for ten years before he assumed office. So it is so easy for him to run through it as a governor. He did it when he wasn’t even thinking of becoming the governor of Imo State. These other people who are scheming to come to Douglas House, do they have it in them?

No, they don’t. So can they learn it at that age? No, they can’t.

So Rochas Okorocha will return. He will return as a Governor of Imo State no matter what the opposition does. Imo people are rooting for him.

F

OR those living with disabilities and senior citizens, the previous challenges encountered in the process of voting have been addressed and may not occur this time.

For the 2015 general polls, the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, has directed its officials including ad-hoc staff, to accord them priority.

The encompassing initiative was taken into consideration

so as to conform with all known global practices.

In this regard, the commission produced a manual in brail for the visually impaired, in order to avail them with voting information.

How to replace lost or damaged PVCIn the event that the most sought after electoral material in Nigeria, Permanent Voters’ Card, PVC, is misplaced or damaged before the general election, having a replacement before the exercise may not be possible.

According to the INEC, application for a replacement can only be accepted 30 days before an election.

Electoral officer

Considering that the polls are around the corner, anyone who misplaces or damages his PVC would not vote

Considering that the polls are around the corner, anyone who misplaces or damages his PVC would not vote.

The prospective voter as gathered, shall apply in person to the Electoral Officer or any other officer duly authorized for that purpose by the Resident Electoral Commissioner.

Other steps expected to be taken are as follows: The applicant shall state the circumstances of the loss or damage, he shall be issued with another copy of his original voters card, the word “DUPLICATE” will be marked or printed on it clearly. The date of issue will also be printed on the new voters card.

Considering these processes which could be challenging to voters, INEC advised that it is important that a person keeps his card safely to prevent loss or damage.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—29

P

OLITICAL party adherents and commentators on public affairs are always interested in the final results of elections, especially the keenly contested ones.

It becomes more interesting when it is a straight political duel between the ruling party which is accustomed to a period of easy victories and a resurgent opposition which is solidly bent on changing the political scenery.

According to many analysts, there is actually no marked distinction between the leading parties on economic philosophy – their leaders are simply capitalist birds with their beaks dyed in lurid colours – the Babangida version of, a “Little to the right” and a `Little to the left`. Both PDP and APC promise massive employment programmes without a slight indication of where the desired capital investment would come from. Empirical evidence has shown absolute reliance on `oil money` which is now dwindling fast owing to the fall in prices of different grades of crude oil.

The immediate switch from costly imports to cheaper homemade goods is a false economic doctrine especially in a place where manufacturing opportunities are hampered by decaying infrastructures and frustrated by high cost of funds for expansion.

Some wise manufacturers have started to meet the challenges by not raising the prices of their products but by reducing the contents of their packages.

The concentration of the public on the economic policies (or lack) of the main political parties has prevented the notice of one of the small parties which stands for the ‘control of heights‘ of the economy of the country. This simply means the economy under State direction – practised in China and the old Soviet Union.

That was the same economic ideology pursued by the country‘s military rulers in the

2015 ELECTIONS:

Who will win should win 1970s; 1980s and early part of 1990s without enviable and enduring success. As much as State control of the economy has its own merits, the modern economic thought or behavior favour a ‘mixed economy‘ template to strengthen democracy and encourage the private sector. The privatization of the PHCN is a case in point; though experience has pointed to a step taken in a hurry.

It is appropriate at this juncture to return to the original question of ‘Who will win and should win the Presidential election between the incumbent, President Jonathan (PDP) and his main challenger, Gen Buhari (rtd) of the APC. The two candidates are not new

Tony Blair of the Labour party in Britain did more than two terms but Gordon Brown; his successor could manage only one term. Nothing therefore, is sacrosanct about two terms

to political power – Dr. Jonathan became President in 2010 after the death of President Yar‘Adua and was elected in 2011, Gen Buhari became ‘Head of State‘ in 1983 after overthrowing President Shagari in a military coup; he lost to Babangida in another military coup in 1985.

The umpire (INEC) in the contest has come up with a new gadget called the Card Reader in addition to the permanent voters card (PVC) in order, perhaps, to separate real human voters from the cattle, ghosts and fishes which appeared as voters in those dark days of rigged elections.

The innovation has thrown the ruling party into a nervous stance inspite of the advantage of incumbency and other logistical electoral advantages.

It is left for the Opposition to defend and standby the referee duly appointed by the President (a candidate) and approved by the Senate dominated by the PDP. However, in support of the stand of the PDP, INEC must ensure that its necessary innovation works – PVCs must reach all available registered eligible voters and the card reader must function faultlessly at the crucial times to ensure credible fair elections.

In a credible and fair contest, a winner should emerge, all things being equal: In the United

States, (USA) sitting Presidents have been re-elected for ‘second term‘. President Obama is on his second term. Also, Clinton did two terms as a candidate of the Democrats.

However, Jimmy Carter failed in his second term bid; also, Kennedy did not complete his first term before he was assassinated, and his successor Lyden Johnson completed Kennedy‘s term and did only one term himself. In Britain, the Iron Lady Thatcher did more than two terms but her successor, John Major could manage only one term. Also Tony Blair of the Labour party in Britain did more than two terms but Gordon Brown; his successor could manage only one term.

Nothing therefore, is sacrosanct about two terms. Everything depends, as politicians often say, on favourable political climate and performance of the office holder who wants re-election.

Often, party would support his nomination but would accept the verdict of the electorate.

The complexity of the Presidential election on March 28, 2015 lies in the simplicity of various assumptions. The 2011 result which enthroned President Jonathan presented an interesting scenario – block votes in South-South; South-East; North-West; North-East in four of the six political zones.

President Jonathan captured all the States in the south except Osun (South-west). In the North, Buhari (under CPC) could not take all the States; he was only successful in 12 States. The votes of the Yoruba state (Southwest) were widely spread with Jonathan, the greatest beneficiary. The minorities of the North-Central went the Jonathan way in 2011.

Many analysts see this years‘ contest to be centered around the South-West zone because of what is regarded as sophistication of the Yoruba voters.

That sophistication which had seen the emergence of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (Ibo) as member for Lagos in the Legislative Council in the 1940s and also the preference of an Ijaw (Bayelsa), Ernest Ikoli (step father of RemiKayode, Femi‘s father) to a Yoruba Ijebu (Akinsanya) for a Legislative Council seat in the 1940s. That sophistication‘ was still exhibited at the national level aided by Obasanjo‘s drawing of the Yoruba into the mid-stream of national politics before the adventure of Tinubu in rescuing the Yoruba from the mid-ocean of political uncertainty That sophistication has also been affected by the curious culture of infrastructure of the stomach.

There is no doubt that Jonathan‘s party PDP is still strong in the South-west (thanks to Obasanjo‘s dismantling of myth of AD in 2003) and the ageing generation of Awo followers – the Afenifere whose romantic names weigh more than their electoral assets. The sophistication of the Yoruba voters would be effectively tested in the South-west, where Tinubu, as the effective Yoruba Leader tries to sell his new found ally, Buhari.

If he succeeds, a new political alliance of greater significance for political stability of the country would have appeared.

As for me, the real battle between Jonathan and Buhari lies in the pictureresque plateau and plains of the minorities – North-central State.

DELTA: Why Urhobos will vote for Okowa — Odili MR Paul Odili is a member of the publicity committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State. In this interview, Odili expresses optimism that the majority of Urhobos will cast their votes for the PDP governorship candidate, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa. Excerpts:

By Dapo Akinrefon

W

HAT is your reaction to the statement reportedly made by the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate, Mr. O’tega Emerhor that he is running to rescue the state from PDP misrule?

Mr Emerhor is not a serious candidate; he is amusing himself on the political terrain. He is a paper tiger compared to Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, who has paid his dues and is rooted on the ground.

The records of the two are very clear and contrast very well. One and that is Dr Okowa has a track record of performance in government as an administrator and a legislator, Mr Emerhor has failed repeatedly—in fact, I should say that the man has been rejected by his people at the polls, when he ran to represent them at the Senate. How

Emerhor came to win the APC ticket beats me, and he is the main reason that party is in turmoil and in no shape for the general election. So when he says he is running to rescue Delta state, I just wave him aside as a non-starter. The man should rescue himself first from political oblivion. Deltans know this is not the time to take chances. The challenges ahead are serious and we need a serious minded man to pilot the affairs of Delta state.

The opposition still maintains that the state has not shown great progress under the current administration in infrastructure, security and human capital development. Don’t you think this position contradicts the administration’s slogan of finishing strong?

The opposition can say anything to sell themselves to the people, even if it means telling

•Odili: Okowa will win lies, using propaganda and deceit. APC is a desperate party, that is why Deltans don’t want this party. They lie too much.

How can anybody who is not living in the moon and who is on the ground in Delta state over the last eight years come out and say that the state has not shown progress.

So why are the people always giving overwhelming support to the PDP? Why is it that in every

election in the state, the PDP wins the most seats and have since 1999 continued to produce the governors of the state—a trend we know that is not going to change, as we expect Okowa based on current standing to be returned as governor? You see my problem with the so-called opposition.The Uduaghan administration is finishing strong because it has done so well in all the areas I mentioned.

Why should the people of Delta State trust the PDP? Because PDP has delivered over the years. Because PDP has made Deltans happy and because Deltans don’t trust the opposition without a fixed identity and with leaders who jump around. Deltans prefer the PDP they know is better than the opposition they don’t know and so the people don’t want to take chances with these people.

How far has Dr Okowa gone in reaching out to aggrieved members of the PDP, whose support for him are in doubt?

Okowa has worked very hard to reach out to aggrieved members; I mean what happened

immediately after the party primaries in December was the setting up by the Governor Uduaghan of a campaign council that has many contestants for the governorship as members, holding one strategic position or the other. So Okowa is doing well and has been accepted and embraced by everyone.

Is the PDP not perturbed by the UPU threat not to vote for the PDP governorship candidate?

What we have today in Delta state are two UPUs. There is civil war in UPU and there are two factions and they have two candidates. One faction supports Ogboru, the other supports Emerhor and that is sad. Sad in the sense that UPU should not be thinking of Urhobo candidates alone. Delta belongs to us all.

Nobody has a greater right in Delta state over the other. From what I know the Urhobo people are not even following the UPU, they have accepted the PDP candidates. They have accepted Okowa, who they know and believe in because he has strong followership.

30—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Kunle Afolayan displaying h i s awards Susan Peters

Kehinde Bankole

AMVCA 2015:

Movie, Best Director ( Kunle Afolayan)and Best Actress (Drama) award which was won by Kehinde Bankole. It also won the awards for ‘Best Costume Designer’ (Deola Sagoe), ‘Best Lighting Designer’ (Lanre Omofaye), ‘Best Make-Up Artist’ (Lola Maja), ‘Best Sound Editing’ (Kulanen Ikyo), ‘Best Art Director’ (Pat Nebo) and ‘Best Drama Writer’ (Tunde Babalola).

Best and worst moments of the night!

By Benjamin Njoku

L

AST Sunday saw Nollywood light up for the star-studded Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards,(AMVCA) with Kunle Afolayan and Rita Dominic emerging big winners of the night.

But while most people’s predictions came true, the night was one of panache, glamour and surprise. Starting from OC Ukeje, Gideon Okeke and Femi Jacobs’ rendition of Olamide’s ‘Shoki’ “ from the floor, to Mildred Okwo’s acceptance speech where she appealed to the corporate bodies to support the industry, this year ’s AMVCAs was purely a Nollywood affair.

Hosted by TV presenter IK Osakioduwa and Zimbabwe’s former Big Brother Housemate, Vimbai Mutinhiti, the highpoint of the show was the presentation of awards to the deserving C M Y K

Action thriller

winners. It was one moment everyone was looking forward to, and it did not disappoint. The show sponsored by Amstel Malta presented 33 coveted gold statuettes in 30 categories, tabulated and verified by auditing firm SizweNtsalubaGobodo and were broadcast live to 50 African countries.

The night’s biggest winner was Nigerian psychological thriller “October 1” which scooped nine awards including Best

The action thriller which premiered on October 1, last year, beat the likes of Lancelot Imasuen’s ‘Invasion 1897’, Zeb Ejiro’s ‘Yellow Cassava’ , Steve Gukas’ “ A Place in the Stars and “ Secret Room” to clinch the coveted prize .

It was an overwhelming victory that got Kunle Afolayan a cash prize of N1 million and one year supply of Amstel Malta, courtesy of owners of Amstel brand of Malta.

“I want to thank the cast and crew for putting so much effort into this. I want to thank the Lagos State Government and

Patoranking, Iyanya, Oristefemi, others for Ushbebe’s comedy show

Raji Babatunde Fashola also”, Afolayan said while receiving his awards.

He also described AMVCAs as the biggest platform for film makers in Africa at the moment, adding “ I have won several Best Director awards in the past but this one is very special to me.”

Another big winner on the night was Rita Dominic and Mildred Okwo’s ‘The Meeting’ which won five awards including ‘Best Movie (Comedy)’, Best Actor in a Comedy(Femi Jacobs), Best Actress in a Comedy, (Rita Dominic)’ Best Supporting Actress( Linda Ejiofor), and Best Comedy Writer(Movie/TV) which was won by Tunde Babalola. Other winners Ayo Makun a.k.a AY who won New Era award for his talent and role in his film “ 30 Days in Atlanta” and OC Ukeje whose role in “Confusion Na Wa “ won him Best Actor in a Drama. He also walked away with N1 million cash prize including six months supply of Amstel Malta. Rising film maker, CJ Obasi was presented with the TrailBlazer of the Year award. He walked away with a luxurious diamond studded watch, courtesy Chris Aire.

My songs are based on Between different inspirations style and user – Rymez friendliness

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—31

Synopsis BLACK HAT

Best moments of the night!

Amaka Igwe remembered: Silence enveloped the expansive Expo hall of Eko and Suites’, Lagos when Amaka Igwe, who died last year was honoured with ‘Lifetime Achievement’ award . The award was presented by none other than Nollywood veteran actor-turned-politician, Richard Mofe-Damijo, who saluted the late film maker for her outstanding contribution to the industry, while also expressing his gratitude to her for giving him the opportunity to star in her hit TV series, ‘Checkmate’.

Receiving the award on behalf of his wife and business partner, Mr. Charles Igwe said, “all my wife ever wanted was to give her very best in everything.” Also remembered during the show, were Muna Obiekwe, Chris Nkulor, Greg Inawodu, Margret Umanah, Clems Onyeka, Rabib Musa, Amaka, Uchenna Amuta, Lizzy Ogbudo among other actors who have been snatched by the cold hands of death.

Night of music: The show saw guests

Olu Olu Jacobs and his wife, Joke Silva at the show

wowed by performances from Osas Ighodaro, the Mavins Crew, Tuface Idibia and Lola Rae, Diamond Platinumz, and P-Square who closed the event with an electrifying performance that made the night unforgettable. The star-studded ceremony also included Africa’s finest, clad in stylish gowns and suits to rival any fashion ramp. Some of Africa’s film and television stars who hit the red carpet amidst the flashing lights and interview ready camera crews included Genevieve Nnaji, Uti Nwachukwu, Linda Ejiofor amongst others.

Why Nigeria dominated this year’s AMVCAs Speaking at the event, M-Net West Africa Regional Director, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu paid tribute to both the winners and the nominees. She said, “Each year we have hosted this event, it has become more evident that Africa has truly carved its own mark and identity in the global film and TV industry.

Tonight’s event recognized all the talented individuals who continue to grow this industry. We’re very honoured that we could reward them for their exceptional work. A special thank you to our partners MultiChoice Africa and Amstel for their continued support in making sure that African talent is well and truly recognised in style.”

Explaining why Nigerian film makers dominated this year ’s awards, Mrs Uzoukwu said, “Nigerian film makers had quality entries this year than most film makers from other African countries.”

For MultiChoice Africa, CEO Nico Meyer, “It’s been an honour for us at MultiChoice Africa to be part of this event that celebrates the best in African film and television. The amount of talent and exciting productions we’ve witnessed tonight keeps inspiring and motivating us to continue to deliver quality programming to our DStv and GOtv subscribers on the Africa Magic channels.

MultiChoice will continue to invest in promoting local film and television, while collaborating and supporting television and film producers to further build this vibrant and exciting industry. “

...as National Theatre Board Chairman salutes winners

I am quite impressed with what I saw and we are going to collaborate with the family for the 25th anniversary.”

TOP MOVIES OF THE WEEK · · ·

CHAPPIE WEDDING RINGER SPONGE BOB

Schedule commencing from Friday 6th – 12th March , 2015.

SILVERBIRDCINEMAS, VICTORIA ISLAND Black Hat : 2:40pm,6:30pm,8:40pm Chappie : 11:30am,1:45pm,5:10pm,9:00pm Sponge Bob : 11:10am,1:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, IKEJA Black Hat : 11:50am,4:30pm,8:40pm Chappie : 2:05pm,6:50pm Sponge Bob : 10:30am The Wedding Ringer : 7:00pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, SEC Black Hat : 1:30pm,4:00pm,6:30pm,9:00pm Chappie : 11:50am,2:10pm,4:30pm,6:50pm,9:10pm Still Standing : 2:05pm Sponge Bob : 12:40pm,2:30pm,4:20pm The Wedding Ringer : 12:20pm,2:20pm6:30pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS CEDDI PLAZA , ABUJA Black Hat : 4:00pm,8:40pm Chappie : 11:55am,2:10pm,4:10pm, SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT Black Hat : 1:20pm,3:50pm,6:20pm,8:50pm Chappie : 11:30am,4:00pm,6:20pm, Still Standing : 12:30pm,4:30pm Sponge Bob : 11:30am The Wedding Ringer : 1:50pm,8:20pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, WARRI Antique: 2:30pm,6:45pm SILVERBIRD CINEMAS, UYO Chappie : 11:40am,2:00pm,4:20pm,6:40pm,8:10pm Still Standing : 11:50am,2:00pm,4:05pm,6:15pm,8:25pm Champagne : 12:20pm,2:20pm,4:20pm, 6:20pm, 8:20pm Still Standing : 6:10pm,10:25pm OZONE CINEMAS SABO YABA Black Hat : 5:40pm,8:05pm Chappie : 4:20pm,6:35pm,8:55pm Sponge Bob: 12:05pm Selma: 10:40am The Wedding Ringer : 4:00pm Annie : 1:50pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, LAGOS Chappie : 12:10pm,4:15pm,8:10pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, KANO Chappie : 11:45am,4:00pm,6:15pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, APAPA Chappie : 10:00am,12:15pm,4:10pm

M

EANWHILE, the Chairman of the Governing Board of the National Theatre and National Troupe of Nigeria Chief Ishaya Markus has congratulated all nominees and winners of the just held Africa Magic Viewers Choice Awards,AMVCAs,.

Chief Ishaya particularly congratulates Mr. Steve Gukas from Plateau State, whose wellhelmed movie ‘A Place in the Stars’ was adjudged the best drama movie of AMVCA 2015. Chief Markus also saluted popular actor and filmmaker Kunle Afolayan who turned out the star of AMVCA with his critically acclaimed movie ‘October 1’.

The movie received nine awards including the award for best director, best movie, best costume, best lighting design, best actress in a drama and best in art direction. ‘October 1’ was early nominated in twelve categories.

Chief Markus hopes that the achievement the filmmakers recorded will encourage Nigerian youths to pursue a career in the Nigerian film and entertainment industry.

FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, PORT HARCOURT Chappie : 1:30pm,5:05pm,7:15pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS SAMONDA Chappie : 1:50pm,6:10pm FILM HOUSE CINEMAS, CALABAR Chappie : 1:20pm,3:30pm,5:40pm VIVA CINEMAS IBADAN Chappie : 10:45am,8:20pm A most Wanted Man : 12:20pm,12:40pm Magic in Moolight : 2:55pm,6:30pm Still Standing :1:00pm, The 7th Dwarf : 2:35pm Reclaim : 5:00pm Champagne : 6:35pm,6:55pm

Chief Ishaya Markus

VIVA CINEMAS,ILORIN Chappie : 2:35pm,8:40pm Still Standing : 4:10pm Antique : 12:35pm Reclaim : 8:00pm John Wick : 5:00pm Champagne : 11:00am, The 7th Dwarf : 2:30pm Most wanted man : 4:45pm

32—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Lauryn Hill storms Nigeria for Mayday Live

By Juliet Ebirim

O

N Friday May 1, top American star, Ms Lauryn Hill will storm Nigeria for Mayday Live show. The singer will be the headline act of the corporate concert put together by X Media, which is scheduled to hold at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The Multiple Grammy Award winner who will be performing alongside other top local and international acts, also

confirmed her visit on her twitter account thus “Ms. Hill will be performing in Lagos, Nigeria on May 1 with @maydayliveng”.

Lauryn Hill is best known for being a member of the Fugees and for her solo album, ‘The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.’

According to Chuma X Ajufor, CEO of X-Media Nigeria, Mayday Live is aimed at celebrating workers’ day in Nigeria with a rich blend of entertainment, “Mayday Live is a concept created with the aim of celebrating the workers’ day

holiday with a little more than just a day off. It creates an avenue for major firms to appreciate colleagues and coworkers by bringing them together annually to celebrate work ethics. It is basically a night of music, laughter and networking”.

This inception of Mayday Live begins with Grammy award winner Ms Lauryn Hill , the only female or as stated ‘ Fugees 1st Lady “, with solo hits from her debut album ‘The Miseducation of

Lauryn Hill’. The event will be her first time ever in Nigeria performing to a 20man Live band, with hit solo songs like her duet with Bob Marley ‘Turn your lights down low’, Sweetest thing & many more as well as hits from her ex-group ‘The Fugees’ - ‘Killing me softly ’, ‘Ready or not’ amongst others.

•Lauryn Hill

Patoranking, Iyanya, Oristefemi, others for Ushbebe’s comedy show

M

•Justice Nuagbe

ulti-talented comedian, and actor, Justice Nuagbe, popularly known as Ushbebe is set to stage the second edition of his comedy show tagged “The Chronicles of Ushbebe” and with the theme “Ya Dadi; My Manifesto.”

T h e s h o w which is billed to take place on March 22, at the Muson Centre, Onikan, will see the comedian give out his manifesto/agenda on the way forward in an election year. Also, the show will witness an impressive line-up of comedians and musicians who will be thrilling guests with ribcracking jokes and amazing musical performances on the night.

Ushbebe said; “I can’t wait to reveal all the superb surprises we have lined up for guests. Looking at the stellar cast of comedians and artists performing on the night, you can tell that guests will be in for an exciting evening. The evening will be an explosive one!”

Comedians who will deliver what promises to be a laughter filled evening include AY, Helen Paul, Akpororo, Gandoki, Acapella, Seyi law, Princess to mention a few. The night will also witness musical performances from wave making artistes such as Woju crooner Kiss Daniel, Iyanya ,Oristefemi, Reminsce, Kcee, Emma Nyra, Eva, Runtown, Skales, Patoranking, Praiz, Black Magic amongst many others and a special musical performance, which will be unveiled on the evening.

How Davido, Yemi Alade, stole the show at Closeup Cupid games

I

By Anozie Egole

T was indeed, a night of fun, excitement and merriment at the prestigious Zumia Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites penultimate Saturday, as Nigerian born multi-award winning singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido and Johnny crooner, Yemi Alade mounted the stage and thrilled numerous fans with amazing performances. The event was the grand finale of Closeup Cupid games. It was a platform where young individuals were given the opportunity to confidently express the extent they would go for love by spinning the “Closeup tube” and the top five were shortlisted from the huge entries received across the

country. During the campaign, the weekly winners were rewarded with amazing prizes like beats by Dre headphones and a valentine evening with the celebrity himself, Davido. The show which kicked off at about 7:30pm was memorable.

Anchored by popular OAP, Toke Makinwa and Ebuka ObiUchendu, guests at the ball party were thrilled to a great time of fun and excitement with star performances from other artistes like, Bez and Adekunle Gold.

Dance Na The Main Thing (DNMT) dance crew also wowed the audience with their acrobatic dance steps. The top three winners were elated as they were all beaming with smiles. Mr Samuel Adekambi, who rode home the grand prize of a power bike, revealed that he is so

pleased with the brand for giving him such a great opportunity. “ Winning the grand prize was a dream come true”. He said. Hyacinth West the (1st) runner up got a pair of personalized MacBook Air Notepads while Deborah Jesunami, (2nd) runner up took home personalized Ipads.

Speaking at the event, Brand Building Director Oral and Personal Care Unilever Nigeria Plc, David Okeme stated that Closeup is happy to be associated with such a competition, as it is an engagement platform for young adults to connect and show their loved ones how much they care, especially at valentine.

Zack Orji stars in son’s music video

N

ollywood actor Zack Orji is one of the artistes that featured in his son, Leonard Orji popularly called Leo’nel’s recently shot video of his sophomore single titled Uju. Produced by Dope Mates Music, Uju was shot in Lagos by budding cinematographer, KK, other artistes featured in the video were rapper Falz Tha Bahdguy, and fast-rising model Valerie.

Uju, which was self-produced

by Leo’nel for his Dope Mates Music, is a feel-good blend of new sounds and contemporary high-life. It addresses a love

•Davido

interest and it’s also quite danceable. Leo’nel first came on the scene in 2012, with his debut single Rockstar and its exemplary video which he shot while studying in the UK before graduating and moving back to Nigeria.

After the successful completion of his Bachelor’s degree at the University of Bradford UK. Leonel had previously done two hit singles “Baby Joor ” and “Rockstar ” and ‘Dancia’.

Dancia is a fluid party song, with heavy percussion beat.

The song further confirms the young, handsome son of Orji as a singer. It is a sharp departure from the usual Nigerian party/club songs. “My experience playing music in the UK came to bear on Dancia.

I decided to take from a mixed recipe of Nigeria with 20 per cent UK flavour and the result is a perfect meal for party buffs,” Leo’nel said.

All the songs, including Baby Joor and Rockstar, will be part of the full album set for release later in the year.

•Yemi Alade

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—33

C M Y K

34— Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

20 years after Beijing •why women are celebrating across the globe STATISTICS

64

Progress was made in higher education, too, with Latin America and the Caribbean taking the lead on the number of girls enrolled at the secondary level – 107 girls for every 100 boys - and at the tertiary level - 128 women for every 100 men, according to the UN. By contrast, in subSaharan Africa, only 64 women are enrolled for every 100 men at the tertiary level

I

t’s been twenty years since the world signed on to the 1995 Beijing Declaration and Platform of Action – a blueprint for gender equality – but women are still subject to sexual violence and lag behind men in an array of critical aspects of life, such as health, education, wages, property ownership and political participation. Many gains have made, but slowly and unevenly, according to the UN. We say there is cause to celebrate.

22%

health has improved, says the UN, with maternal deaths down 45 per cent since 1990, but 800 women still die every day from preventable pregnancy-related causes.

189

189 countries gathered in Beijing at the landmark 1995 International Conference on Women. They took up the challenge to create a world where women are equal. Two decades later, women still face obstacles and injustice.

Although some countries have removed discriminatory laws, and some gains have been made towards women’s ad-

lecting water in 25 sub-Saharan countries, as opposed to men who spend 6 million hours per day doing the same.

vancement, progress has been slow and uneven and no country has achieved gender parity.

45% On top of the gains’ list is women’s health. Women’s

16 million

More than two billion people worldwide have gained access to clean drinking water since 1990, says the UN, but women still have to spend 16 million hours per day col-

Women’s participation in political life is growing. In the last twenty years, the number of women members of parliament have nearly doubled, but that only brings the total of women parliamentarians to 22 per cent overall. There are still five countries where not a single woman is represented in parliament. And there are only about 20 heads of State and Government who are women.

25

IWD: Nigerian women on the brink over increasing rape, neglect, exclusion ...As FG assures on passage of VAPP Bill this month

By Funmi Olasupo

A

S Nigeria joins the rest of the world to celebrate the International Women’s Day, IWD, the rising incidences of rape and abuse of minors and the girl child, ýnon-commitment to issues of girl-child education and exclusion, have cast a bleak shadow on the fortunes and futureý of Nigerian women.The ýcurrent situation of women and girls in Nigeria and the challenges they face in their every day existence in the society still leaves much to be desired.Women in most communities, continue to be deprived of the right to quality education because priority is given to male education with cultural practices and traditional attitudes being contributory factors to it.

Gender Based Violence continues to constitute a serious problem in Nigeria. Cultural practices, attitudes and traditions are, to some extent, contributory factors, also women are also systematically excluded from decision making with only about eight per cent of elected officials in Nigeria being women.

The incidence of rape in the country is still on the rising side, and nothing seems to be done to bring perpetrators to book.

As part of efforts to put an end to impunity, especially with regards to these kind of actions, the Minister had given the assurance that this month of March will witness the passage of Vio-

•Ban Ki Moon

The country has been unable to meet up with all the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs targets 15 years after nor make appreciable strides in implementing the 12 critical areas of concern

lence Against Persons Prohibition Bill.Lamenting on the high level of rape incidence in the Internally Displaced Persons’ (IDPs) camps in Abuja, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development Hajia Zainab Maina, gave assurance on the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition VAPP, Bill.

“The Senate Committee on Human Rights, Judicial and Legal Matters during the Public Hearing held a few days ago gave assurances that the Bill will be passed during this Seventh Legislative Session,” Hajia Zainab said.

She explained that the speedy

passage of the Bills to protect and uphold the rights of women will make perpetrators of such heinous crimes to be severely punished.The Bills such as Violence against Persons Prohibition Bill, Sexual Offences Bill, Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill are being advocated for as Nigeria Women celebrates this year’s IWD. To this end, the theme for the 2015 IWD celebration is the clarion call of United Nations, UN, women’s Beijing plus 20 campaign coined in the Nigeria context as ‘Empowering Women, Empowering Humanity: Picture it and Make it Happen’.

At the bottom of the pile is corporate participation. More women are in senior management positions, but there are still relatively few. Of companies on the Fortune 500 list, for example, only 25 are led by women. However, this is up from only one in 1998.

10-30%

Women have been gaining ground in the workforce, too, but not enough, according to the UN. Although the number of women in paid employment has risen from 40 per cent in the 1990s to more than 50 per cent today, women earn from 10 to 30 per cent less than men for performing the same work.

9%

Through its pioneering resolution 1325 (2000), the UN Security Council recognized that war impacts women differently than men and stressed the need to increase women’s participation in peace talks. Yet, from 1992 to 2011, only nine per cent of negotiators at the peace table were women, according to the UN. Sources: UN Women, World Bank

This theme, the Minister emphasized would provide a good opportunity to take stock of the accomplishments of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action since its inception in 1995.

According to her, despite the progress made so far, several interventions are still needed in achieving the targets of gender equality and women empowerment, reducing infant mortality and environmental sustainability.

“The country has been unable to meet up with all the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs targets 15 years after nor make appreciable strides in implementing the 12 critical areas of concern, given the various challenges and obstacles that are impeding the achievement of these objectives which include the following: “Poor funding of gender equality and women empowerment initiatives; Non legislation of 35 percent Gender Affirmative Action; Non passage of all pending Gender Friendly Bills into Law at the National Assembly such as the Gender and Equal Opportunities Bill, and the Persons with Disability Bill; Negative cultural/traditional perceptions, Poor institutional capacity for gender mainstreaming; and Lack of sectoral synergy to implement the National Gender Policy,” Hajia Maina noted.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 —35

Women can create heaven on earth —NACCIMA boss …as Become Change Institute marks IWD

L

agos—The 2 nd Deputy National President of the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) Iyalode Alaba Lawson, has commended the administration of president Goodluck Jonathan for making an effort at empowering women through different economic programmes across the country and also increasing the number of women in political appointments to 35% or more.

She did this at the 2015 International Women Day event organized by Become Change Institutea nong o v e r n m e n t a l organization (NGO) in Lagos last weekend, while citing examples of the late Dora Akunyili and Ngozi Okonjo Iwealla as women who have contributed immensely to the economic prosperity of Nigeria.

According to her, the former Minister of Information and the current Minister of

Finance and Coordinating minister of the Economy amongst other female ministers just to mention a few have made contributions that cannot be overemphasized, including the Micro, Small and Medium E n t e r p r i s e s Development Fund (MSMEDF) N220 billion announced by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2014, which gave women 60% of the total fund. She said the belief of the government is that women would be able to make judicious use of the fund through their entrepreneurial skills and repay the capital as and when due.

Defining prosperity as the state of flourishing, thriving, good fortune and/or successful social status which often encompasses wealth but also includes other factors which can be independent of wealth to various degrees such as happiness anhd health, she added that the development of any nation is strongly based on the consistent and

•Iyalode Alaba Lawson

She describes economic empowerment as a process that increases people’s access and control over economic resources and opportunities including jobs, financial services

•Oluremi Sonaiya sustainable effort of able bodied men and women in that country; and one cannot do without the support of the other.

In her keynote address, she describes economic empowerment as a process that increases people’s access and control over economic resources and opportunities including jobs, financial services, property and other productive assets from which one can generate an income, as well as skills development and market information.

In order to make business environments more efficient and responsive to both men and women led businesses, she recommends that effort should be made to decrease gender bias in processes necessary to start and expand a business, increase women’s ability to operate a business including managing administrative burdens and taxation, as well as improving women’s access to commercial dispute resolution

Merck: Building a healthier nation

By Anino Aganbi

M

erck Nigeria bring in experts on minilabs from the Global Pharma Health Fund (GPHF) Germany to train NAFDAC staff and some staff of the Ogun state Hospitals Management board on the use of the Minilabs. This is an event which holds annually with room for growth and improvement.

The organization has also offered some other training for the Laboratory arm of NAFDAC .Currently in Partnership with CEPAT, we are conducting a very important training session for NAFDAC in dossier

Cross section at the

evaluation.

Cepat-Merck Dossier Our Motive training in Lagos for sponsoring these capacity building MERCK) stated that “ This initiatives is to help build a training is designed to build healthier nation. We are capacity of the agency in the strongly committed to helping review of dossiers submitted as developing nations fight part of the requirements to counterfeits and fake products obtain licensing of medicines. in circulation. We, at Merck With the support of Merck are also very proud of the Pharmaceuticals and Life achievements of NAFDAC in Science Limited, we are able to the area of fighting fakes, provide this training with counterfeits and unwholesome technical support and resources products in circulation. provided by the center for We believe NAFDAC has pharmaceutical advancement done and is still doing a great and training (CEPAT) of the to curb the menace of fakes, United States pharmacopoeia. counterfeits and unwholesome He further stated that in order products in our society. to ensure access to quality Speaking at the event, Dr. regulated, NAFDAC has adopted Paul Orhi (Director General,

a holistic, multifaceted, diverse and well coordinated strategy that transcends local, national, regional, continental and international boundaries.

We are fostering greater collaboration with other government agencies, civil society and professional organizations. We have actively encouraged the local pharmaceutical industry to work towards attaining WHO prequalification which will facilitate access to medicines that meet unified standards of quality, safety and efficacy for HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.

processes and responsiveness of commercial justice to women led businesses in the informal sector.

She also prescribes the improvement of productivity of small holder farmers, particularly women, to increase access to food and achieve food security, increasing access to education and training opportunities including demand driven skills for women and girls to enable them take advantage of opportunities, working to establish equitable business and employment laws, standards and regulations including addressing issues of access to property and land titles; as well as increasing women’s access to financial services, markets and information on how to increase productivity.

Another panelist at the event, which also had in attendance young women leaders, students and civil society, Professor Oluremi Shonaiya, however asserted that a lot more still needs to be done by government in the protection and empowerment of women and the girl child, particularly in the face of pockets of violence in different parts of the country. The lone female presidential candidate for the upcoming Nigerian presidential election and Kowa Party flagbearer said our public life is still devoid of gender sensitivity, citing our school curriculums as example.

According to her, the Nigerian medical school curriculum offers students no training on menopause- something that would eventually happen to at least 50% of the population. “Women are then left to deal with symptoms of menopause on their own”.

In his closing remark, founder of Become Change Institute, Mr. Ayodele Adio expressed his wish that in the nearest future, women’s roles in both business and politics will change significantly through their empowerment, decrying the exploitation of women in political parties.

36—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

My edge, I sing and dance very well– Supa Rymez An upcoming hot stepper, Ahmed Adeola who goes by the stage name Rymez is set to take the Nigerian music industry by storm. In this interview, the Big Star records artiste whose recent single ‘One Parole’ is currently enjoying good airplay, bares his mind on his budding music career – his passion, hopes and dreams. Excerpts:

By Juliet Ebirim

H

OW and when did you start doing music?

I started with dancing when I was six. I’ve always had the flair for singing but I didn’t have the courage to do it. I built my confidence by dancing on various stages. At a point, I felt it was high time I started.

Professionally, I started singing in 2010. A friend of mine introduced me to his uncle who is a producer. He asked me to sing and he liked it and since then I’ve been going to the studio to record. I don’t really write songs. I just sing as the inspiration comes to my head.

How many songs have you done so far?

I can’t count them but the recorded songs are up to ten .

Popular among them are ‘Heavy Something’, ‘Exotic’ and ‘One Parole’ which is the one I’m currently promoting.

What’s going to make you unique as an artiste?

My style is my style. There can’t be two Rymez. I sing in a way that when you hear the beat or listen to the lyrics, you’ll immediately know this is Rymez.

Versatile artiste I don’t sing like anyone else but me. One has to be unique in order to make it. Besides, I sing and dance and that is not so common in the industry.

What influences the kind of songs you do?

I think it’s God basically and then the people around me.

Most times, my mood determines the kind of songs I do.

What kind of songs do you do?

I’m a versatile artiste. I do RnB and Afro Hiphop . I also plan to do a gospel song in my album.

What’s your take on the lack of good lyrical content in our music these days?

I don’t really blame the artistes. A child is a product of his environment. Nigerians like feel-good songs, we hate to be told that we are suffering or

that things are not well, even though that’s the reality. I think that’s why most artistes are basically singing for fun, not really to make impact.

Should we expect those kind of songs from you too?

That is why I said I am unique. The challenge has been to make sense and also meet what the commercial market demands. Now I’ve conquered that challenge. My songs have good messages with positive impact, they appeal to the youths and by the grace of God, also meet commercial requirements Why did you choose music?

I didn’t choose music, music chose me. I started singing in JSS3 at the choral club in school.

The first time I sang, everyone laughed at me but I didn’t let it deter me.

Music is business Gradually, I got better and everyone wanted to hear me sing and I also joined the school choir. Right now, if I don’t sing, I don’t think there’s any other thing I can do.

You hope to proceed to the university, how are you going to combine schooling with your music career?

I’ve been doing that since my secondary school days and I intend to study music in the university. The truth is music is business and most artistes fade away because they don’t understand this. When you study the business side of music, you’ll know what you’re doing.

Does that mean that you are into music for the money?

No, I’ve been doing a lot of free shows and performances.

I’m doing music because of the love and passion I have for it. I am only saying that everything has a business angle to it Most artistes just come into limelight and after a while, they fizzle out. How do you intend to remain at the top of your game?

I think most of them fade away for lack of solid foundation. That is what Big Star Records and

Entertainment Ltd has built for me. However, I will remain humble and rely solely on God for help, because I’m not perfect.

Have you done a collaboration with any artiste?

Not really. A lot of people actually want to do music collaborations with me, but my record label feels it isn’t yet time, as we strongly believe in taking one step at a time. Right now, our major preoccupation is to develop ‘The Rymez brand’. But I did a studio remix of Wizkid’s song, Ole and if you listen to it, you’ll stop for a while. That’s the only collabo I can say is in my collection.

Which A-list artiste do you look forward to working with?

Justin Beiber, Usher and Chris Brown. I’m dreaming big and by God’s grace I’ll get there. The Nigerian music industry is growing rapidly and you see most of our local acts featuring international artistes in their songs. One Nigerian act I would definitely love to work with is Wande Coal because he inspires me.

Is he like a role model, someone you look up to?

Yes, because he actually made me start listening to Nigerian songs which I never used to do.

How do you intend to handle the fame that comes with being a music artiste, especially dealing with female attention?

My style is my style. There can’t be two Rymez. I sing in a way that when you hear the beat or listen to the lyrics, you’ll immediately know this is Rymez

M y management company has already told me it isn’t going to be e a s y especially with the girls, but with the tips I’ve already been given, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem at all.

W h a t motivates you as an artiste?

Listening and watching good music.

Also, listening to other upcoming acts makes me want to do more. I like to discover something new about myself everyday. I play the guitar even though I didn’t learn it from anybody. It was something I felt I should do and I did it.

What has been your experience since you started music?

It hasn’t been easy, because most times as an upcoming artiste, you go for shows and at the end of the day, you don’t get to perform.

People don’t want to see what you’ve got because they feel that you’re just like every other person.

After spending time in the studio to do a song which you intend to perform, you don’t get the opportunity to do it and sometimes you’re asked to pay to perform. But I thank God that I’m taking a big step in my career at the moment.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 —37

With PRINCE OSUAGWU princeosuagwu@gmail.com 08050498513

Between style and user friendliness

A

By Laju Iren

I

T goes without saying that technologies that blaze the trail are those that can efficiently combine user friendliness with style to suit consumer needs. It is for this reason that experts believe that smartwatches are sure to be the big tech item of 2015, as their appeal derives from not just their increased capabilities, but conscious attempts at creating visually striking technology that fits seamlessly into users’ everyday lives.

LG’s G Watch R serves as an excellent case study in fashiondriven wearables because its main competition -luxury wristwatches – has had their primary function displaced by mobile phones. As a time-telling device, wristwatches are redundant; yet this has had little impact on their sales. The devices’ utility has always been second to fashion. The desire for consumers to separate themselves from the pack, and highlight their status, lifestyle and good taste will always win out over rational assessments of efficacy.

Rational assessment Wearable devices in many different shapes and sizes were on display at Mobile World Congress, MWC 2015.

The wearable devices won’t be limited to just glasses or smartwatches either. Visitors to MWC 2015 beheld smart fabrics, shoes, even jewelry. Device manufacturers will be playing up the form, fashion, and functionality of their new wearable devices. LG’s family of Android wearable devices including the G Watch and G Watch R aim to deliver essential and relevant information such as missed calls and messages, upcoming meetings, events, and local weather forecasts at exactly the right time and place.

Launched at IFA 2014 in Berlin, the LG G Watch R is the world’s first watch-style wearable device to feature a circular Plastic OLED (P-OLED) display and to utilize 100 percent of its watch face. Its highly familiar aesthetic is reminiscent of traditional timepieces, helping it blend in with any outfit.

As TVs evolve, picture quality is not the only thing that is improved. Eschewing cathodeC M Y

#ShareaCokeNG: Successful, smart Twitter campaign

LG CURVED OLED TV

campaign on twitter is not a campaign if it does not use a hashtag. Hashtags can bring deeper meaning and engagement to any story. To create an online and social media presence for any campaign, Twitter hashtags are essential to create more awareness and engagement. nd Since January 2 2015, Coca-Cola Nigeria has been running strong with their Share A Coke campaign.

Billboards, bottles and cans can be seen everywhere, branded with “Share a Coke with a popular Nigerian name”, which can be bought readymade if you’re lucky enough to find your name or can be custom ordered through the Coca Cola Nigeria site.

The #ShareaCokeNG Twitter campaign has been steadily gaining momentum in Nigeria with active involvement from celebrities such as Nollywood actress Funke Akindele @funkeakindele and multimedia personality Toke Makinwa @tokstarr

Campaign activities

LG HOM BOT

LG G-Flex-

ray tubes for LCD and then LED displays has led to the very shape of the TV flattening and thinning, and we are now seeing the dawn of curved televisions. LG’s OLED TV exemplifies these changes. It boasts an array of impressive design elements that complement the television’s futuristic 65-inch 4K OLED screen.

This model has received high marks among reviewers, with some going as far as to call it the ‘Best TV ever made’. Others disagree however, and insist that even this lofty title doesn’t quite do the TV justice.

But perhaps the most intriguing design element is the curve of the screen itself. Speaking on the technology, General Manager, Home Entertainment division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Steve Ryu said: “The nextgeneration display technology and the advanced ultra-thin depth of

4.3mm comes with a unique curved design which represents a new era in home entertainment. It must be seen to be believed for we are fully committed to bringing next generation technologies to the Nigerian market.” ”Our groundbreaking CURVED OLED TV marks the beginning of a whole new era in home entertainment.

Its IMAX-like curvature guarantees an amazingly immersive and comfortable viewing experience.

Indeed, it is a point of pride that we were able to bring the World’s First CURVED OLED TV into the Nigerian market and we will continue to expand and improve our industry leading television technology. This is indeed a watershed moment in TV history because the Curved OLED TV technology will make it possible for consumers to enjoy crystal clear picture quality devoid of distortions.”

They also leveraged on an international event, Valentine’s Day, with the hashtag “#ShareaCokeWithLove” which they used to share funny tweets on pickup lines. Additionally they are using Twitter as a platform to direct people back to their main website and highlight the campaign activities on the Share a Coke Tour, which started on February 3rdat the Unilag campus.

“Share a Coke transforms the global Coca-Cola brand into a special, personal experience for our consumers” said Patricia Jemibewon, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited. “By swapping our iconic Coca-Cola logo with personal names, we give all our consumers a unique opportunity to connect and share their personalized Coke with the people who matter the most to themfriends, family and loved ones, either in person, or virtually,” she said.

Tips

The grassroots momentum that can be achieved with hashtags can be used by business large and small.

When creating a Twitter campaign, it is important to consider a few things: · Choose your hashtag carefully – short, catchy and unique ·Be responsive –retweet and answer questions ·Ignite positivity –your campaign should be centred on something fun or meaningful for maximum engagement ·Encourage participation –base your campaign around something that people will want to tweet about e.g.

Coke consumers tweeted pictures of their customized Coke products.

38 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MARCH 13, 2015

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—39

How tomato paste importers are killing Nigerians — ERISCO Foods

By Chioma Obinna

H

OW wholesome is that tomato paste you are consuming? Experts say it may be reddish in colour and ravishing but could lead to other diseases such as cancer. To this end, the global food safety concerns on processed fruits and vegetables, which tomatoes pastes belong took the centre stage in Lagos recently, during a Consultative Meeting with Importers of Tomato Paste in Retail Packs (Sachet/Tin) from China by Erisco Foods producers of RIC-GIKO tomato paste with support from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC. The concerns came as a result of a recent discovery that a group of Asians and their Nigerian collaborators have been killing Nigerians by selling starch and colouring in the name of Tomato paste.

According to the President of Erisco foods Limited, Chief Eric Umeiofia, reports from a NAFDAC survey revealed

Apart from the cancer-causing colouring, the starch contained in those products is clearly harmful to unsuspecting diabetic patients

• Mrs Chika Akachukwu, Executive Director (left) displaying the authentic tomato paste, Ric-Giko, while Chief Eric Umeofia, President/CEO Erisco Foods Limited, explains the differences; right is Mr Nnanke Harry Willie, Brand Consultant to Erisco Foods. that such killer tomato paste with colouring are carcinogenic and therefore unfit for human consumption.

“Apart from the cancer-causing colouring, the starch contained in those products is clearly harmful to unsuspecting diabetic patients. This, the importers have been doing by luring unsuspecting Nigerians with banned synthetic colouring agents which are eye-catching and other substandard ingredients and with sell at cheap prices!

However, it has been established that the more red your food is via

substandard tomato paste, the more you endanger your life and that of your family,” he stated.

Umeiofia who explained that Ric-Giko shared their standard with tomato paste produced in the United State, South Africa and EU lamented the faking of some genuine tomato paste in the country. He said wholesome tomato paste such as RIC-GIKO should be a rich source of Lycopene, a photochemical with many possible health benefits and a natural pigment that gives many red fruits and vegetables their colour. “It

Endomarch 2015 kicks off March 14

By Sola Ogundipe

N

IGERIA is again taking her place among nations worldwide as activities for the "Million Woman March for Endometriosis Worldwide" kick off in earnest as part of the ongoing campaign to save Nigerian women from the pain and trauma of endometriosis.

Endometriosis an incurable female health disorder that occurs when the endometrium (cells lining the uterus) grow in other areas of the body. It often leads to pain, irregular bleeding and problems getting pregnant.

It occurs in 5-10 percent of women within reproductive age group (15-44 years) worldwide. Women with this condition have 20 percent less chances of having children.

The event, tagged EndoMarch 2015 is taking place tomorrow, Saturday March 14. At least one million women are expected to participate in the historic event.

The march starts at 8:30 am from City Mall Onikan, Lagos and ends at The Lagoon Restaurant, Ozumba Mbadiwe Avenue. There will be free consultations, exhibitions by participants, interactive sessions and counseling by the Endo medical teams.

On Saturday March 21 an interactive

workshop on endometriosis will take place at 12pm at Nordica Fertility Centres in Asokoro, Abuja; Asaba, Delta State and Ikoyi, Lagos. The event is a stand against endometriosis, seeking to educate, empower, find curative measures and effect change to the debilitating disorder.

Endometriosis is a condition where endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus. It is trapped in the pelvic area and lower tummy (abdomen), not often in other areas of the body and cause pain and discomfort to sufferers.

The event is facilitated by the Endometriosis Support Group Nigeria (ESGN) a not-for-profit organisation (NGO) in conjunction with Nordica Fertility Centre, the foremost Assisted Reproductive Technique (ART) clinic in Nigeria to mark a decade of Endometriosis advocacy and support.

Medical Director, Nordica Fertility Clinic, Lagos, Asaba and Abuja, Dr. Abayomi Ajayi, described the Million Woman March as a global initiative through which women unite to take a stand against endometrioisis.

"The activity is to educate, empower and and effect change while improving the living standard for females, young and old as well as society at large, said

has been scientifically proven that Lycopene contains a potent antioxidant that stabilizes free radicals making them harmless and helping the body to dispose of them thereby reducing the risks of cancer and other NonCommunicable Diseases, NCDs. However, the substandard tomato paste contain little or no Lycopene and secondly, the banned colouring used by importers of deadly tomato paste are most times impossible to dispose of from the body. The colourings therefore stick to veins, arteries and vital organs and accumulate to cause cancer, hypertension and other diseases. In addition, the banned colouring agents have been proven to cause poor neurological development in children; causing hyperactivity, poor concentration and, hence, poor performance in education and progress in life. He advised Nigerians to patronise only made-in-Nigeria Food product, adding that the Nigerian government should encourage indigenous local manufacturers, especially in the food sector as tomato paste.

Endorsing Ric-giko tomato paste, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration, NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii stated that it has become imperative to conduct a study on the quality of tomato pastes imported from China to Nigeria.

Orhii said: “Tomato is one of the consumed fruits in the world, either as raw fruits or as processed products. In fact, available records revealed that globally, tomatoes are second only to potatoes in economic importance and consumption and are used in the food industry as raw material for the production of several products like juices, sauces, purse, pastes and canned tomatoes.”

• Million Woman March for Endometrosis in progress.

Ajayi, who is the Endomarch Country Affiliate Partner.

Worldwide, the month of March is designated for endometriosis and each year, the Endometriosis Support Group, ESGN, marks the month with series of activities. The march is a global initiative where women unite all over the world and take a stand against en-

dometriosis. The activity seeks to educate, empower and effect change, while improving their quality of life and society at large. In line with this, Nordica Fertility Centre, Lagos, Asaba and Abuja, in conjunction with the Endometriosis Support Group, ESGN - an NGO seeking to assist women, with the challenge

40 — VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

BY ISHOLA BALOGUN AND ADERONKE ADEYERI

M

USLIM leaders and Imams in the Southwest recently, shunned an invitation to meet with President Goodluck Jonathan. The meeting which was scheduled to hold penultimate week at Ansarudeen Central Mosque, Lawanson, Surulere, Lagos, South-west Nigeria was at the instance of President Jonathan aimed at seeking the support of Muslims in the region in the forthcoming Presidential election.

President Jonathan had earlier visited a number of churches and met Christians leaders for the same purpose.

However, the fall-out of the meeting was the allegation of N7billion gift to some pastors.

The south-west votes are crucial to the victory of both contenders at the March 28 election.

We gathered that the Muslim leaders rejected the invitation because such a meeting with the President could polarise and create disunity among Muslims across geo-political divide.

One of the Imams told Facing the Kaaba that: “that kind of meeting is suspicious after seeing what the N7billion allegation had done to the Christian community. I consider it a bobby trap because whether they collected the money or not, we should not be lured into the same scenario,” he said.

Others argued that since Muslim leaders in the North, especially the Emirs, thought it was inexpedient for a meeting of all Muslim leaders with the President, and turned down the President’s earlier meeting proposed with the entire Muslim leaders in the country, it would be a betrayal for Muslims in the southwest to separately meet Jonathan.

Speaking on the issue, Professor Ishaq Akintola,

Jumada Al-Awwal 8, 1436 A.H.

Wh Whyy with

SouthWest Muslim leader ting South-W leaderss shun mee meeting President

•No directive from Sultan — Ajala Adangba, Akintola, others speak •Adangba,

•Muyideen Bello

•Sulaiman Adangba

•AbdulHakeem Akorede

Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) wondered why it was now that the President, who never sent invitation to meet them before, was now eager to meet Muslims a few weeks to election.

Akintola said President Jonathan has always ignored the plea of Muslims for fairness and justice in appointments to top political positions.

According to him, “President Jonathan neglected and marginalised us in the past. Why is it now that he wants to meet us? If he wants to meet us, he should wait till after the election, not now.”

Facing the Kaaba sought the views of other Muslim leaders on this issue and reports.

Sheikh Suliaman Adangba, a renowned scholar and Chief

Missioner Al-Fatiu-l-Qareeb said that we refused to meet with the President because we do not want a situation where people will think we have

collected money from the President. The intention of Jonathan is obvious to us. The money he intends to give us after the meeting his not from his pocket but the one meant for the development of the country.

“We will never be used against the interest of our followers. He can never lure or entice us. Also, we have members who belong to different political parties and as leaders, we refused to be used for political interest of one person.

“We had earlier invited the President and other aspirants to discuss their manifestos with us. The President did not show up. Our followers believe in Allah and His messengers. I do not think it is in their interest also to meet with Jonathan. We cannot

...our political leaders have not been doing the right things and so Muslim leaders do not want to be a party to their misdeed.

We will never become a tool in the hand of any politician

From left: Alh Wale Olasupo, Chairman BOT; Alh Abdurrahman Abdulwahab, ex-President; Alh Abu Salami, ex-President; Alh Sheriff Yusuf, immediate past President; Alh Adekunle Bisi, Chairman Council of Elders; Alh Kamil Bolarinwa, President; Alh Abdulwaheed Adeola, Chairman, FUPAC; Alh Banji Sarumah, Pioneer President; and B.T Salaudeen, member, Council of Elders during a special prayers marking the 20th anniversary of the Society recently, held in Lagos recently.

afford to jeopardise our spiritual relationship an the altar of political expediency.

The Prophet said, ‘’Follow me, when you see me following Allah’’ and that has been our message to them. We want him to sincere with us, provide security and better living conditions for all Nigerians.

Also, Sheikh Muyideen Bello, Chairman of all Imams in the Northern States and also Chief Imam of Ansar-udDeen Society of Nigeria said: “In time past, our political leaders have not been doing the right things and so Muslim leaders do not want to be a party to their misdeed.

We will never become a tool in the hand of any politician.

It is only during campaigns they seem to remember the various religious institutions in the country. We are wiser now. And cannot be bought.”

Alh. Mhikail Shittu, Imam of Ridwanullah Mosque in Ayobo, Lagos said the President remains the head and also a member of every religious institution in the country. Although Qur’an 4vs 59 does not support refusing to meet the President. But we can’t obey the President and disobey Almighty Allah. The President did not go through the right channel. The meeting was midwifed by former Minister of State for Defense, Musiliu Obanikoro which was a wrong medium.

Also, we must protect our integrity and not meddle into politics. We have learned from the experience of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN. Some leaders eventually met with the President to enrich themselves but does not bother us.

However, Imam Qamardeen Ajala, an Islamic teacher and founder of Markaz Dawah on his part said that Muslims in Nigeria has one body which is the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto. The President should have used that medium to reach us. The Muslim body is a united religious institution.

The Northern Muslim leaders refused to have a meeting with the President, so he should have expected the same from the South West leaders. Qur ’an 3 vs 103 warns us against disunity.

Anybody who visits the President on this account does so on his own and does not respect the Muslim body and Islam.

However, Sheikh Abdulhakeem Akorede, the Chief Imam of Akure was different in his opinion. He stated that the Qur’an enjoins all Muslims to obey Allah, His messengers and those in authority. The President is the head of this country and deserves to be accorded our audience irrespective of what his intention could be.

However, some of us were willing to see the President but we have to respect the opinion of our head.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 41

Ahmadiyya presents Holy Qur'an tto o Benin Monar Monarcch

T

Jumada Al-Awwal 8, 1436 A.H.

President's invitation tear Muslim Students apar apartt T

HE invitation sent to the Muslim Youth of the South-West of Nigeria to attend a political meeting in Abuja is currently generating ripples among them.

Sources hinted our correspondent that the President had contacted Gov. Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State of his interest to talk to the Muslim Youth after attempts to meet with the Muslim leaders of South West had failed.

It would be recalled that an arrangement penultimate Sunday to meet with the Yoruba Muslim leaders under the aegis of Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) was rebuffed.

This was because the Muslim leaders are apprehensive of being accused of taking money from the President which may create bad blood within the Muslim community.

Mimiko, an arrow head of Jonathan’s campaign in the South-West, gave the job of mobilising the Muslim Youth to his junior brother, Dr Abbas Mimiko, who is a celebrated

Islamic activist, Dr Abbas Mimiko, our correspondent learnt, contacted Alhaj Sirajudeen Abdulazeez, the National President of Muslim Students ‘Society of Nigeria (MSSN), who incidentally lives in Akure.

At an executive meeting of MSSN called by Abdulazeez in Akure, to sell the idea to his members, went into rowdiness as members kicked against such idea.

Members reminded him that such invitation had been refused by both the apex Islamic body in Nigeria, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and MUSWEN. Despite the threat by the members of the National Executive Council of MSSN to pass a vote of no confidence on its National President over the matter, he was not ready to give up.

Instead, he allegedly contacted some other Muslim Youth in the South West, such as the leadership of National Council of Muslim Youth

Organisations (NACOMYO), NASFAT, Ansar Ud- Deen and Federation of Muslim Women Association In Nigeria (FOMWAN).

Meanwhile, the B –Zone wing of MSSN are expected to hold a zonal conference in Ibadan over the weekend where a vote of no confidence might be passed on the National President.

Confirming the incident, Alhaji Ishaq Sanni , Chairman, Muslim Community of Oyo state and a member of the board of trustee of MUSWEN, said he was aware of the development.

He, however, said Muslim leaders in the South-West led

by Professor Dawud Noibi have waded into the matter but ruled out the possibility of any youth organisation attending the meeting.

Sanni assured the Muslim community in Oyo state that no Muslim youth in the state would attend any meeting with the President because of being blackmailed of monetary inducement to favour a particular candidate.

HE Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat in the Benin City has presented a copy of the Holy Quran and other Islamic literature to the Onogie of Ewohimi, in Esan land, Edo State, His Royal Highness, Lord Peter Ogeinefoh Osifoh II. The presentation was done during a courtesy visit to the palace of Royal Highness.

The delegation also used the opportunity to discuss the commencement of building a mosque and mission house on a piece of land donated by a member of the Benin City Jamaat. The plot of land measuring about 58 feet by 205 feet, strategically lies along the Uromi-Ubiaja-Asaba highway.

The amiable, enlightened and broad-minded Royal father appreciated the presentation of

the Holy Quran as a fulfillment of his expectation to have a copy of the Islamic Holy book someday from the Ahmadiyya delegation led by the Benin City President, Alhaji S. W. Egwa.

Other members of the delegation included Alhaji Elias Abhukhegbe, an elder of the Jamaat who is also an indigene of Ewohimi and Brother Suleiman Omokhosio – the donor of the parcel of land.

Parts of the achievements of the Jamaat Ahmadiyya are publications of Islamic books, and translation of the Holy Quran into several world languages including Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba, while the translation into Etsako language is nearing completion.

From left: Nazim Abuja Circuit, Bro Hameed Ajao; Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Sanusi; Sadr. Majlis Ansarullah Nigeria, Alhaji Mikail Odukoya; Naib Sadr Safdo, Arc Morenikeji Semiu; Circuit President Abuja, Alhaji AbdulLateef Busar and Financial Secretary, Alhaji Isa Shokunbi, during the Dilá inspection tour of Sadr. Ansarullah Nigeria to Abuja Circuit and Minna recently.

Commonwealth Day: Muslim scholar charges govts on child rights

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

D

R. Muhammed Salisu of the department of paediatrics, Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), has charged governments at all levels to live up to their responsibilities.

Speaking during the maiden edition of the celebration of Commonwealth Day organised by Crescent school, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently, Salisu who listed some of the rights of the child as right to life, right to good name, right to being registered at birth, right to education and right to balanced development among others, maintained that it was an impeachable offence to fail in delivering on these rights to the Nigerian child.

“In America the day you are born you are given a name, you are registered and you are given social security. Also education of a child is compulsory and so it should be free at least to the primary level.

“You and I know that the Nigerian government has failed in fulfilling this responsibility towards the the children. The reason is that

we, ourselves, don’t even know that the rights exist neither do we even know that they are the responsibilities of the government. The people in government usually give excuses of no money but the fact is, failures to provide those rights for the Nigerian child is impeachable offence.

Earlier, the Head of Schools, Alhaji Sikiru Sarumi said, “One of the advantages of the Commonwealth Day is the fact that our children will learn more about the Commonwealth and inculcate some of her values which include: human rights; protecting the environment; access to health education, food and shelter; gender equality; importance of young people; tolerance, respect and understanding; peace and conflict resolution; freedom of expression and rule of law,” all of which he said were embedded in the Holy Qur ’an and Hadiths, hence making it mandatory for all children to inculcate them in their habit and behaviour.

Speaking on behalf of the parents, Hajia Khadijah Ahmed expressed

satisfaction with the performance of the school.

In attendance were teachers, students and their parents that thousands of children and other young people from various schools and colleges representing over thirty countries in the world were taking part in the Monday’s From left: Qaid Waqil-Jadidi, Bro. A.S.K Bakare; Muavin event at the same time it was Sadr. Bro Abdul Ghaniy Babalola and Naib Qaid Itahr 2, held in Crescent.

Alhaji Abdul Semiu Azeez, during the tour.

The concept of Khauf and Raja' in Islam

BY HARUNA RAZAQ

K

HAUF (fear) and raja’ (hope) are one of the Islamic instruments that Muslims are encouraged to simultaneously use to solve problems as we are currently facing.

Fearing Allah’s punishment for one’s sin and hoping for Allah’s mercy should be the hallmark of any Muslim. As a result of failure of many Muslim leaders and scholars to live up to expectation as well as the lackadaisical attitude of many Muslims to Islamic injunctions such as iman (faith, belief), ibadah (act of worship), fear has become a companion while hope becomes elusive.

The result of sin is Allah’s punishment as contained in

Qur ’an and hadith. “…but whatever of evil befalls you, is from yourself ” (Q 4: 79). He also says: “And whatever of misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much” (42: 30).

Anas (RA) said: The Messenger of Allah (SAW) said: “If Allah wills good for His slave, He hastens his punishment in this world, and if He wills bad for His slave, He withholds from him (the punishment for) his sin, until He requites him for it on the Day of Resurrection.” (atTirmidhi (2396); classed as sahiih by al-Albaani in Sahiih atTirmidhi) etc.

Therefore, Khauf and raja’ is one of the qualities of a true believer in Islam as stated in

the Holy Qur’an: … They invoke their Lord with fear and hope … (Q32: 16). Each of these qualities is useless unless it is associated with the other one. Khauf without raja’ is despair. And raja’ without khauf is imprudence. According to Ibn Qayyim: … a heart is like a bird: love is its head, and fear and hope are its two wings… In addition, Khauf and raja’ is one of the means of acquiring virtuous characteristics that lead to a peaceful society in which people strive hard to do righteous deeds as stated in the Holy Qur’an mentioned above about the true believers.

42—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Goodnight, Okeazu-Awka TRIBUTE

By Ben Obi

We're bringing Harvard to Nigeria with Chelsea varsity-- founder

By Chukwudi Enekwechi

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HE quest for quality university education among Nigerians is gradually being met at home as eminent Nigerians with global vision and outlook have begun to invest in the sector. It is common knowledge that the desire to get quality education among Nigerians, mostly the elite has led them and their wards to far-away foreign lands like America, United Kingdom, Poland, Russia and many other countries.

Today, Nigerians with means have started replicating the same quality educational institutions at home. It is in this connection that the vision of Chief Patrick Chidolue to establish Chelsea University in Abuja city centre can be considered remarkable. For a man who sees education as a means of imparting knowledge to people, the vision to set up what many consider as Nigeria’s Harvard was inspired with the objective to develop people, especially young entrepreneurs, inventors and scientists.

As one who considers education as the light, a nation without quality education will remain backward and in darkness, is his usual refrain.

Chelsea University is the first university to spring up right in the city centre of Abuja, in Gwarimpa district precisely. This is the vogue around the globe as far as siting university is concerned, because university being a centre of learning ought not to be isolated from the same society it seeks to improve with her graduands. Examples abound of Oxford, New York University, University of Wroclaw, Poland among others.

Curriculum of the university They are all sited in the city centre. More importantly is the determination of the Chelsea University promoter, Chief Chidolue to recruit world class professors from all over the world to lecture in the new university. The curriculum of the university has also been designed to compare favourably with those of Ivy-league universities in the United States and in line with National Universities Commission requirements.

As the saying goes, from “the taste of the pudding, you know the eating”. So far, the investment which runs into several billions of Naira has been acknowledged by local and international university experts including the regulator, the National Universities Commission as one of the best in the world.

The search for the golden fleece has taken Nigerians to different parts of the world, and one of the drawbacks of Rather than this wild goose chase is the erosion of basic focus on cultural values, and travelling immediate assimilation of alien cultures and outside the values by the shores of adherents. This erosion Nigeria to of cultural values comes in varied forms, acquire quality and in order to stem the university tide, such patriots like Chief Chidolue education, deemed it fit to build Nigerians will such institution at home and even with take advantage better quality. of the same Therefore, Chelsea University, Abuja, is an facility already idea which time has provided at come. As they start to enroll their pioneer home C M Y K

Chief Patrick Chidolue , Chelsea Varsity founder.

students in 2016, having met all the requirements for registration as university in Nigeria, it is hoped that the philosophy of “backward integration” will begin to play out in Nigerians’ search for quality education. This simply means that rather than focus on travelling outside the shores of Nigeria to acquire quality university education, Nigerians will take the advantage of the same facility already provided at home. Some of the facilities already in place in the university include state of the art classroom blocks, hostel accommodation, staff quarters, e-library, administrative block, laboratories, water supply, electricity, paved roads and walk- ways, lecturers’ offices, worship centres, sports facilities, cafeteria,staff rooms and practical workshops.

Encapsulated in the vision of the founder of the university, Chief Patrick Chidolue is the churning out of great business entrepreneurs, self-reliant graduates, and inventors. In other words, this is the first university that aims to produce employers of labour, rather than employees. This vision is anchored on the belief that it is only through this approach that our country can develop as rapidly as the Asian Tigers like China, India, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia,etc.

High networth professors To achieve this, high net worth professors will be recruited from some of the best universities in the world to teach the students of Chelsea University. This vision is hinged on the expectation that in the next twenty years, graduates of Chelsea University will be the top executives of almost all the blue-chip companies in Nigeria and beyond.

Predictably, the movers and shakers of the various corporations and institutions in Nigeria would be the alumni of Chelsea University. These companies will ultimately create optimal employment opportunities for Nigerians through their activities. This is the objective and target upon which the university is being founded.

From the beginning, it is projected that 100% of all the students that pass through the university will be successful and will be able to contribute meaningfully to the development of the larger society.

Chief Chidolue, a statesman believes that there comes a time when people have to give back to the society. In his view, the idea to establish the university is based on the fact that society needs quality institutions of this nature to lift it from backwardness and decay.

Apart from giving back to the society, Chief Chidolue considers his efforts as service to God, hence he buttresses the landmark achievement in the philosophy of the founder of Opus-Dei (a religious organization in the Catholic Church) dedicated to the service of God and humanity.

I

T takes great courage to attempt a brief reflections on the life and times of this legend of our time, Chief Chukwuma Anueyjiagu whose ten decades on earth is nothing but a study in ruggedness, fulfilments and accomplishments; a life of uncompromising commitment and belief in hard work and consistency to purpose; a life of total service to humanity in all its ramifications.

He was everything a good man should be: a nationalist, politician, journalist, businessman, philanthropist, community leader and family man; all these in description of a single quintessential being, Chief Chukwuma Anueyiagu (OkeazuAwka. That was the father of one of the greatest beings I have ever met, a wonderful friend, brother and confidant. Dr. Okey Anueyiagu (Odere).

We grew up to meet the challenging examples of this prodigy at a time when mentoring through enviable lifestyle was scarce and when many men were easily consumed in the inferno of trying to survive that they forgot how to live for tomorrow.

Through his journalistic ingenuity he inspired the young and old just as with Zik of Africa, he fought for the emancipation of his fatherland through writings in West African Pilot, Nigerian Spokesman, Eastern Nigerian Guardian, etc.

Skillful exploits His skilful exploits as editor of the Daily Comet acquainted him with the fearless instinct of men of letters while his detention after one of his hottest articles ‘British Nigeria Police Officer Steals the Sum of Two Hundred Pounds’ shot out the courage in him to expose societal ills no matter whose ox was gored.

Okeazu was born on January 3, 1915 and I am privileged to have been born on that same date, but certainly not the same year. As a result of that, it has become a norm that we celebrate January 3 together each year, which graciously have been organised by my friend, brother and confidant, Okey. Plans have been in top gear for us to celebrate his 100 years but as fate would have it, less than a month to the date, he passed on to the great beyond. As the saying

One cannot forget in a hurry the peculiar traits of this legend of our time who meticulously and successfully balanced the demands of journalism, politics and business without qualms

goes “Man proposes and God disposes” A flashback on Chief Anueyiagu’s political life shows he was a good lesson to all politicians and a positive bridge across the Niger.

His wide acceptability and impeccable political calculations culminated in his unprecedented election as the Chairman of NCNC and UPGA in Northern Nigeria which exposed him to lasting friendships with late Amino Kano, the late Emir of Kano, HRH Ado Bayero, Mataima Sule (Damasami Kano), Magaji Dambata, Tanko Yakasai, Inuwa Wada, Alhaji Haruna and Hajia Gambo Sawaba, etc. He was truly a detribalised Nigerian.

Recently, I ran into Alhaji Magaji Dambata, who is currently 97 years of age, and got discussing politics and personalities that made impact in Pre and Post Independence, and he mentioned Chief Anueyiagu as one of those great Nigerians who made indelible mark in the history of our country.

Indelible mark I then mentioned to him that plans been made to celebrate his 100 years, and that I was inviting him to be my guest in Awka on the January 3, 2015, an offer which he expressly accepted, and asked me to arrange for his trip, to arrive Awka on January 2, 2015 and to depart on January 4, 2015.

All of that is now history.

Whenever I visited Awka, I made it a point of duty to visit him and discuss politics. His knowledge of political activities at his advanced age was awesome. He listened first thing every morning to BBC, Voice of America and Radio Deutsche Welle and all our local network news, which kept him abreast of political activities locally and internationally. He would always remind me of some of my interviews which I do not even recollect and was always anxious to hear of my progress politically.

He was also in his early and active days, chairman of Awka Local Government where he made tremendous developmental strides.

One cannot forget in a hurry the peculiar traits of this legend of our time who meticulously and successfully balanced the demands of journalism, politics and business without qualms.

His monumental contributions to Awka Community remain unparalleled as he pioneered developmental projects, as well as, used his personal wealth and connections to the advantage of Awka people. The present modern Post Office, became a reaiity following, among others, the personal relationship that existed between Chief Anueyiagu and the former Minister of Communications, Mallam Aminu Kano. The litany of his humaneness could go on ad-infinitum. He was indeed, Nnene Onye-Awka!

•Sen. Obi, SA to President Goodluck Jonathan on Inter Party Affairs, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 43 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 CANCER: Mercury has started going on backward motion in your Star sign, therefore you will need to reexamine both your personal ideas and advice given to you by others. Be family minded.

LEO: Avoided you don’t allow others to mislead you, things will not go wrong. The more willing you are to take the initiative the better for you. Take your love life more seriously.

VIRGO: Although you will need to be as secretive as you can, your success will attract others’ attention to you to the betterment of your cause. Be ambitious.

LIBRA: People who more influential than you will be willing to support your cause but you will need to make the necessary move. The more self assertive you are the better.

SCORPIO: Challenges of yesterday will today bring you good opportunities along your career/business lines to the betterment of your finances seek supporters of powerful ones.

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

O

NE of the greatest problems facing the individual is the lack of faith in the self. This is born out of lack of self

You are not ordinary esteem.

The scripture made me to understand that we are made in the likeness and image of God. If

TERROR MUDA

you are made in the likeness and image of God, it therefore means you are like God, you are a little God. How then

in “Never say goodbye”

can somebody made in the likeness of God be ordinary?

Believe me!

You are not ordinary. Go on and express who you are.

By Lanre Kehinde

SAGITTARIUS: Think of the best way to improve on your working pattern in order to enhance your career prospects if you listen to your creative self, things will work out fine for you. Be more loving.

CAPRICORN: Success is boldly printed on your cards today. Think of both immediate and far future while you are savouring goodies offered you but mother nature.

AQUARIUS: You should not have it tough while trying to win the needed supports of others. Take good advice from some of your friends who are creatively gifted.

PISCES: Your creativity quotient is enhanced today and if you demonstrate this within your working arena, you’ll earn success and consolidate on your recent progress.

ARIES: As mercury prepares to go on backward motion it is important you don’t take things for granted. Watch carefully what you agree to do.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in

“Pretty Lunatic’

By Andy Akman

TAURUS: Better than yesterday. Others will be willing to give you the needed co-operation both at home and within your working arena. This is a good day for lovers.

GEMINI: Those of you who are more enterprising will have much to show for your efforts. The more cooperative you. Don’t neglect love.

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

What does future have for me Dear Joshua, I don’t want you to publish my data. However, I want to know how the planets lined up when I was born.

And which day of the week was I born, would I record success in life ? When would my success come?

Oluwatoyin, Ibadan

VIRGINIA

dadadekola@yahoo.com

Dear Oluwatoyin, You were born on a Jupiter ruled day - Thursday. You’ll succeeded earlier than you think.

Your Horoscope Data DAY OF BIRTH: THURSDAY SUN SIGN = PISCES: SUN IN 25TH DEGREE OF PISCES MOON SIGN: PISCES: MOON IN 21ST DEGREE OF PISCES MERCURY IN 28TH DEGREE OF AQUARIUS VENUS IN 28TH DEGREE OF ARIES MARS IN 7TH DEGREE OF CANCER JUPITER IN ZERO DEGREE OF AQUARIUS SATURN IN 27TH DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO NEPTUNE IN 11TH DECREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 6TH DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 6TH DEGREE OF PISCES CARDINAL AND MUTABLE STAR SIGN HOSTED THREE PLANETS EACH, FIXED AND WATER FOUR EACH, FIRE EARTH AND AIR HOSTED TWO EACH. PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 40% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 60% HIGHLY HIGHLIGHTED STAR SIGN = AQUARIUS FINAL DISPOSITOR = SATURN ANALYSIS OF THE HOROSCOPE DATA Saturn as the final dispositor-the most influential planet at home when you were born, pointed to you as an ambitious person who must have a well developed career. You are a disciplined person with higher degree of leadership quality in yourself.

Although, you can be emotional, you are stable and reliable.

Less than 50 per cent of push-full influence in you is an indication of your being an amiable person. Both your natal sun/moon in Pisces and Aquarius are indications of characteristic of star signs are highly pronounced in your innerself Having your hands on public pulse will always bring you unexpected success and fulfilment.

HOME & ABROAD

By Lawrence Akapa

44—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

I will back property tax in FCT — AMAC/ Bwari Rep. hopeful

By Emmanuel Elebeke

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ABOUR Party (LP) House of Representatives candidate for AMAC/Bwari federal constituency, Chief Somadina Anene, says he will support the collection of property tax in the FCT for developmetal projects.

Anene, who said he would not shy away from the tax in so far as it will not be punitive and unreasonable for people to pay explained that the FCT residents can’t run away from the tax considering the fact that it is from the tax that government is expected to provide most of the basic necessities of life to the citizens.

His words: “If elected I will support enforcement of property tax. You can’t runaway from it but the magnitude is what matters.

There are a lot of avenues for government to explore for revenue generation. For me, it has to be reasonable and not punitive.”

The Labour Party hopeful, also promised to offer himself for the service of the people of his constituency if elected, noting that the decision to contest for the position came out of the pressure from people who believe in his philanthropic gestures and his ability to improve the living standard of the people within a short period of time.

“I came out to contest based on popular demand from people whom I have touched their lives in so many ways. They knew my track record of success and they believe that I can surpass the performance of the present representative," he said.

Tranformation Believers of Nigeria (TBN) members in a solidarity rally supporting the military fighting Boko Haram in Abuja on Thursday

Cote D’Ivoire to buy LNG from Nigeria •NNPC to extend gas pipeline to Senegal, boost supply to Ghana

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By Michael Eboh

HE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, said it has received a request from Cote D’Ivoire for the purchase of Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG, from Nigeria, even as it promised to restore gas supply to Ghana and its other partners through the West Africa Gas Pipeline Company, WAGPCO. The NNPC disclosed this when officials from Ghana and Cote D’Ivoire, represented by Honourable Kwabena Donkor, Minister of Power, Ghana and Mr. Kone Moussa, a Director in the Ivorien Ministry of Energy, respectively, paid separate visits to the NNPC over issues relating to gas supply.

This is in view of Nigeria’s mounting gas challenges, occasioned by inadequate gas supply to power plants across the country, a development that

has worsened the country’s power situation and stunted economic growth over the last couple of months.

The NNPC, in a statement by Mr. Ohi Alegbe, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, stated that the Ghanaian delegation’s visit to the NNPC was to seek support on recent unintended gas supply disruptions in the West Africa Gas Pipeline grid. He further stated that Cote D’Ivoire’s decision to purchase

LNG from Nigeria was borne out of the desire to meet its growing power needs.

When consummated, Alegbe said the agreement will eventually lead to the extension of the West African gas Pipeline to Cote D’Ivoire and Senegal. He said, “The package which is the first of its kind in the West African subregion would see Nigeria commit a small chunk of its daily LNG output which stands at over three billion cubic feet of gas per day, to its sub-regional neighbors in

the first instance before the eventual extension of the West Africa Gas Pipeline to Cote D’Ivoire and Senegal.”

Kone Moussa, who led the team from Cote D’Ivoire, disclosed that his country would be relying on structural diversion of LNG cargoes from Nigeria as a starter within the next few months to tackle the growing energy needs. To drive the process, Moussa further stated that the country has already entered into a working relationship with Sahara Energy.

Receiving the delegation, Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Joseph Dawha, said that the NNPC is ready to cash in on the opportunity in line with its overall strategic expansion drive for Nigeria’s LNG market.

Speaking in the same vein, Mr. David Ige, Group Executive Director, Gas and Power, NNPC, disclosed that the move is in line with the New Partnership for African Development, NEPAD, and would help broaden the gas supply base.

He said, “At the moment the entire West African Sub-region, starting from Nigeria is undergoing phenomenal economic growth and that practically translates into a higher demand for energy. As you know the West African Gas pipeline terminates in Ghana, so Cote D’Ivoire has come to request that we bring gas to them in the first instance by LNG and ultimately in the future by extension of the pipeline.”

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—45

EPZ: Ogbe-Ijoh, Ogulagha tackle Itsekiri communities over land

By Emma Amaize

W

ARRI—THE OgbeIjoh/Warri Clan Governing Council, Warri South-West Local Government Area and Sokebolou/Yokiri People’s Congress, Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area, both in Delta State, separately joined issues, yesterday, with Itsekiri communities of Ugbori and AjaEdede over the ownership of disputed lands at Miller Waterside, Warri and the $16 billion Export Processing Zone, EPZ, Ogidigben.

Ogbe-Ijoh council, in a statement by its Chairman, Lucky Oromoni, described as baseless, the claim by the Itsekiri people of Ugbori that Lotiebiri people, forcefully chased away from their homeland by government with the help of soldiers, who destroyed their property, were illegal occupants of the land.

He said: “The fact of OgbeIjoh ownership of the Lotiebiri quarters/community, by the Miller Waterside on the NPA Expressway is well established and confirmed by various intelligence reports about land

Uduaghan deserves appreciation from Deltans —GROUP

E

BOSA Political Front, EPF, a political pressure group in Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, has said that the state governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, deserves appreciation from the Itsekiri people in particular and Deltans in general over his developmental accomplishments across the state.

Coordinator of the group Mr. Jolomi Esiategiwa, in a statement in Koko town, extolled the governor over the near completion of two gigantic projects, the Effurun Roundabout flyover, and the Summit Road Roundabout flyover in Warri and Asaba respectively.

He regretted that despite the visible and verifable achievements in the area of peace and security, human capital and infrastructural developments, some people refused to see any good in what the governor has done.

ownership in Warri and even Itsekiri leader, Chief Dore Numa, before he died, in his historic letter to the Ogbe-Ijoh people through the Resident of Warri on November 10, 1923.

“Also, contrary to the claim by Ugbori community, the Government of Delta State has not at any time acquired the land in question from the Lotiebiti people of Ogbe-Ijoh as required by law.

“The Ogbe-Ijoh/Warri

Kingdom reaffirms the demand of the youths of Lotiebiri that the Delta State Government should vacate the Lotiebiri land which they forcefully occupied and pay compensation for the illegal destruction of property. It is illegal, unjust and oppressive for the government to forcefully take over the land in question without due process of law.”

Sokebolou/Yokiri People’s Congress, in a statement by its

Chairman, Mr. Bob Towei, said: “We are stating emphatically that Adedegbene belongs to the people of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities in Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu council.

“The name Aja-Edede as claimed by the Itsekiri, is erroneous. They have no land in the area, not to talk of property rights because that land Adedegbene, as originally called, belongs to us, Ogulagha Kingdom.”

2015 BUDGET: From right: Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison–Madueke and GMD ,NNPC, Dr Joseph Dawha, during the defence of the 2015 budget, at the National Assembly. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

FG partners indigenous firm on N121bn power, fertilizer plant in Edo

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—THE Federal Government, in collaboration with Obax World Limited, a private firm owned by Nigerian investors, has concluded plans to site a fertilizer plant and a 350 megawatts power generating plant, estimated at N121 billion at Ologbo, in Ikpoba Okhai Local Government Area of Edo State.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Obax World Limited, Mr Patrick Obasuyi, made the disclosure shortly after a meeting with members of the host community at Ologbo a border town between Edo and Delta states.

He said that the N121 billion investment was part of the local content policy of the Federal Government, adding that he decided to invest in the country with his partners in the United States of America and China so as to exploit the conducive environment that has been put in place by the Federal Government.

“So, we are building our first fertiliser plant in Nigeria and the second thing that we are building is a power generation plant. The plant that we are planning to build is going to cost us $250 million while the power plant will

cost about $300 million. It is a new day in Ologbo. We are going to build this new plant, we are not looking for any money because we have the money to

build the plants. The only thing that we are asking from the community is to cooperate with us, work with us so we can employ over 600 people in this community.”

Sapele residents protest protracted power outage

By Godwin Oghre

S

A P E L E — PROTESTERS numbering over 2,000 from Mukoro Mowoe Avenue, Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State,yesterday, thronged the operational office of the Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, located in the facility of AT&P, demanding the restoration of

electricity to the area which they said had long been in darkness.

The protesters regretted that the social and commercial activities of the area in the last four years had been grounded due to the blackout.

Spokesman of the protesters, Pa Alfred Mowoe, noted that night life in the area has become a night mare due to criminal activities by different elements.

PDP chieftain assures on Okowa's victory in Ethiope East

A

CHIEFTAIN of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, Prince Joshua Atigogo, has said that contrary to claims that Urhobos would vote across ethnic divides in the April 11 governorship election, the PDP flag bearer in the

state, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa would clear the poll in the area.

Speaking while playing host to a PDP reconciliatory delegation committee led by Chief Love Ojakovo, Prince Atigogo hailed the efforts of the committee in reconciling aggrieved members of the party ahead of the general elections.

Delta community signs peace pact with APC, LP and PDP

By Perez Brisibe

K

OKORI—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, Labour Party, LP and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, alongside the traditional elder’s council of chiefs of Agbon Kingdom, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, have signed a peace pact with a resolve to ensure violencefree general elections in the area.

The peace pact which was conveyed by the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, HRM Ogurime-Rime, Ukori I, was witnessed by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, the Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, DSS, political stakeholders in the area and other government agencies.

Speaking on the occasion, the Ovie of Agbon harped on the need for residents and indigenes of the kingdom to maintain violence-free polls in the forthcoming general elections, adding that the kingdom abhored the violence that was recorded in the area in the council polls and would not want similar occurence during the general elections.

Prince Aighobahi for burial

P

RINCE David Aighobahi is dead.

He was aged 69.

A statement by the family said lying in state and service of songs will hold today while interment will take place tomorrow at his residence, 11, Imuetinyan Street, off Uwelu Road, Benin City.

He is survived by a widow, children, brothers and sisters, including Prince Sunny Aighobahi (brother), MD/CEO Ventures.

Late Prince Aighobahi

46—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Jega must go, MASSOB insists

Ithihikpebe mobilise Isoko South for Okowa

By Anayo Okoli

A

BAKALIKI—THE leadership of the Movement for the

T

HE Ithihikpebe Campaign Organisation in Emede, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State, has begun mobilisation of the council for Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate.

Chairman of the organisation, Mr. Fidelis Owhe and Mr. Victor Asasa, Chairman, Publicity, and Head, Finance Strategic Council, reinstated members' commitment to mobilise the 11 wards in Isoko South for Okowa and other PDP candidates.

Representatives of the wards, Isoko United Movement and Isoko National Youth Movement commended the organisation’s work, stressing the importance of peace and reconciliation to PDP victories at the polls.

Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, in Ebonyi State, yesterday, called on the Federal Government to remove the Chairman of the

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega, from office, following allegations of sectionalism

FG's been good to IMSU — VC

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE Vice Chancellor, of the Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, has said the university had received N100 million from Federal Government, through TETFUND Special Intervention Fund in the last two years.

Awuzie also said IMSU was a beneficiary of the N1.2 billion for the building of students hostel and its furnishing; N500 million for equipment and furniture in laboratories; N100 million for procurement of teaching materials and equipment, and N1 billion for the construction of a lecture theatre, all from Tetfund Special Intervention.

He also explained that the institution’s management had already utilised the special intervention fund to furnish the law classrooms, procured executive tables, white boards, buses and Hilux vans.

Continuing, the VC said that other basic infrastructures where the Federal Government agencies equally intervened include a 700-seat capacity terraced lecture theatre, boreholes, a threefloor seminar complex for the College of Medicine at the Orlu Campus, Faculty of Law Complex, N350 million model science laboratory complex, reconstruction and rehabilitation of the university library complex,

Transition

M

RS Beatrice Okechukwu is dead. Wake keep held last Monday at Okechukwu’s compound, Umuegulu Ugbo, Awgu LGA, Enugu State.

Funeral service was yesterday at St Anthony’s Catholic Church, Ugbo, followed by interment at Okechukwu’s Compound.

Thanksgiving service is Sunday at St. Anthony.

redevelopment of the SIWES building, and rehabilitation and refurbishing of the large lecture hall.

In the area of enforcement of

discipline, the VC said over 700 students have been rusticated in the last 12 months for various examination misconducts.

I'll run collaborative govt — Ihedioha

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—THE Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives and Imo State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, has promised to run a collaborative governance with critical stakeholders, if elected governor.

Ihedioha made the promise, yesterday, while fielding questions from journalists in Owerri, promising to work with the legislature, judiciary, traditional rulers and all the people in the dayto-day running of his administration.

He frowned at what he called “the poor and sorrowful educational system run by the present administration in the state.”

Answering a question on his contribution in the 12 years he has spent in the National Assembly, Ihedioha listed his achievements to include attraction of Federal Government projects in media houses in Imo State, construction of OwerriOmerelu Road, construction

of 132 KVA sub-station at Aboh Mbaise, construction of sub-stations in Okigwe and Ideato Local Government areas and the construction of a waste recycling plant at Ilile, Ohaji, to boost environmental sanitation.

Chief Ihedioha commended the missionaries for sustaining health care delivery in the state, especially as state government-owned hospitals were not functional.

and incompetence levelled against him.

Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki, the zonal leader of MASSOB, Ebonyi South zone, Mr. John Nwifuru condemned the continued stay of the INEC Chairman in office, stressing that trying to increase the polling units in the North were clear indications that he is pursuing a northern agenda.

“We want to call on the Federal government to relieve Jega of his job before this forthcoming general election. He is not national in outlook; from our investigation, Jega is pursuing a northern agenda and should not be allowed to remain in that office.”

He stressed the need for INEC to scrap the use of card readers in this year’s general elections, adding that it would be disastrous for the nation if the device failed to perform optimally as many voters would be disenfranchised.

He advised Federal Government to appoint another chairman that is more national in his approach, to avoid a situation of anarchy, lawlessness and crisis before or during the elections.

Enugu APC faults one-party state stance

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, South-East geopolitical zone, yesterday, dismissed calls by the leader of Project Nigeria Movement, Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN) for ”the winner of presidential election to constitute his government with ministers drawn from both parties or from all the parties that contested the election in a manner to be agreed under a formal

accord.”

Reacting to the statement, spokesperson, APC, SouthEast, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said: “Whereas we are not opposed to unity of any kind, we are of the candid opinion that the Nigerian state is better off with two dominate political parties in a multi-party system.

“This is the zenith of liberal democracy, where neither APC nor Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, will secure two-thirds of the national or state Assemblies, where consensus prevails over family affair.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

On use of card readers for elections?

T

HIS card reader was used in Ghana during their election and nobody raised an eyebrow.

I do not know why our case should be different.

Let us watch and see its outcome in Nigeria.

However, I believe we all know why some people do not want the card readers.—Miss Chioma Ani, Model.

I

T is glaring now that the card reader cannot be used to conduct free and fair polls. So let us shelve its use for now. We can experiment its use in lesser elections like local government and state Houses of Assembly, until its anomaly are corrected and errors contained.—Mr. Kazeem Aremu, Worker.

I

do not see anything constitutionally or legally wrong with using an electronic device to authenticate voters' eligibiltiy on elections days. However, does INEC have the logistics and capacity to address problems associated with the card readers?—Miss Ukogu Chinasa, Musician.

F

IGHTING corruption with technology is not the same as introducing a device, which has not been tested, to be used on 68 million voters for general elections.

So in my view, the status quo ante should be maintained and we should vote peacefully.—Mr. Chibuzor Bartholomew, Officer.

T

HE result and effec tiveness of the card readers will be determined on the actual voting day, when almost all the PVCs will pass through card readers and will consume more battery power. How effective is the battery and how long can it last?— Miss Ogbonna Chidinma, Student.

W

HAT happens if a reader becomes faulty after capturing much data? Will all those that have used the faulty reader be called back to repeat the exercise? If, no, how will INEC reconcile their data since the reader used to capture their data has broken down? — Mr. Chuks Madueke, Web Developer.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 47

Military dislodges Boko Haram from Lame/Bura forest in Bauchi T

HE MILITARY has said that it has once more achieved some victory by dislodging Boko Haram insurgents from Lame/ Bura forest between Ningi and Torro Local Government Areas in Bauchi State.

Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, in a statement said troops from 33 Brigade of the Nigerian Army cleared the area of terrorists in an operation which started last weekend.

Usman said: “Quite a number of terrorists were killed, their weapons and equipment destroyed. Similarly, a sizeable number of arms, ammunition, food stuffs, vehicles and Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, were recovered by the troops.”

According to him, the troops also recovered three Toyota Hilux vehicles, 12 motorcycles, four AK47 rifles, a Fabrique Nationale rifle, one Small Machine Gun, SMG, one Police Tear gas launcher, 36 Primed IEDs, 56 rifles magazines and over 500 rounds of 7.62 milimetre ammunition.

Other items recovered include six jerry-cans of vegetable and

palm oil as well as several IED making materials, among others.

The liberated area, he said, served as not a hide-out but operating ground for the terrorists.

Usman stressed that the feat was

an addition to the countless dislodging of the Boko Haram terrorists from most of its havens in the North Eastern part of Nigeria in a six-week operation to flush the insurgents from the region, pointing out that the

Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Kenneth Minimah, was impressed by clearance of the Bauchi forest, and had commended the troops for a job well done.

BRIEFING: From left, Yinka Adejuwon, Marketing Manager; Ihuoma Iheanacho, Legal Adviser; Charles Oputa (Charly Boy), Dr. Alban (Brand Ambassador), Joe Etchie,Marketing Officer, Daniel Amechi, Operations Manager, all of Naija4Win, during a media briefing, at Ikeja, Lagos.

Gun men kill 2 PDP chieftains in Makurdi M

AKURDI — THE Police in Benue have confirmed the killing of two chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at Gbinde village in Ushongo Local Government Area by gunmen.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Austin Ezeani,

told the News Agency of Nigeria NAN, yesterday, in Makurdi that the deceased, Agbatse Tarkighir and Degeh Ayaahemba, were, PDP leaders at council level.

Ezeanin said the victims were travelling from Katsina-Ala to Adikpo on Wednesday evening

when another vehicle overtook their bus, opened fire and killed the two.

He said two other passengers in the bus, who sustained various degrees of injuries, were receiving treatment at a hospital at Ushongo, while the

corpses had been deposited at the General Hospital, Adikpo in Kwande Local Government Area.

Ezeani said the motive of the killing had yet to be established, but assured that the police would not rest until the culprits were brought to book.

2,054 out of 8,826 arrested for drug convicted —NDLEA

T

HE NATIONAL Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, has said that 2,054 out of 8,332 males and 494 females (total - 8,826) arrested in 2014, were convicted, The NDLEA said in a statement that Kano State had the highest conviction rate with 182; followed

by Kaduna, 151; and Lagos, 125.

Illicit drugs seized in the year under review stood at 166,697.18 kilogrammes (kg) including cannabis sativa, 158,852kg; cocaine, 226.041kg; heroin, 56.449kg; methamphetamine, 119.2kg; amphetamine, 0.05grammes; ephedrine, 35.8kg; and psychotropic substances 7,407.44kg.

Suspected female drug traffickers apprehended in 2014 reduced by 25 as against the number arrested in 2013. Edo State had the highest female arrests with 56, Akwa Ibom 48, Delta 47, Anambra 41 and Rivers 32.

Chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade, said that the agency would soon launch a nationwide campaign tagged 'Save the Girl from Drug Trafficking

and Abuse,' to further reduce involvement of females in drug trafficking.

“The NDLEA is paying special attention to females because of the

important role they play in the family and the society at large,” Mr. Giade said.

“The reduction in the number of females arrested in 2014 is

encouraging and we hope to improve on this with a good number of drug abuse preventive programmes in the year.”

ELECTIONS: Delta PDP has no deal with any

party —Nwaoboshi

I

MMEDIATE PAST chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, yesterday, urged the electorate in Delta North to discountenance the purported alliance between PDP and the Accord Party in the forthcoming general elections.

Speaking through the Director General of his campaign organisation, Pascal Adigwe, Nwaboshi maintained that PDP has no alliance with any other political party.

“Let our people continue to sustain the Anioma political philosophy which we have created because in that we can stand tall and make our demand.

It is PDP all the way and we will not tolerate any form of anti-party

activity,” he said.

And commending Nwaoboshi, Adigwe said Delta North "needs a character as represented by Nwaoboshi who will continue to sustain and protect the Anioma political interest.

“When it was time for the sons of Anioma to be counted, Nwaoboshi rose up to the occasion; he was determined to raise Anioma people to their proper place of pride. He remains a voice to be reckoned with in the Senate," he posited.

Customers lament banks' short operational hours in Jos

J

OS — BANK customers in Jos have lamented over the reduction of operational hours by managements of some of the institutions.

A cross section of customers, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, yesterday, in Jos, Plateau State, called for a review of the hours.

Due to security reasons, banks have now reduced their operational period from 8 to 6 hours daily.

Rahila Gabriel, a customer, said the development was causing hardship, adding that if not for the ATM, things would have been unbearable.

Mr Amali Adejo, another customer, said the development made customers to spend several hours on ATM queues, wasting valuable time.

Group backs Okiemute for Delta Assembly

S

UPPORT GROUP for Essien, led by Hon. Koyo Silver, has listed major reasons Hon. Benjamin Essien Okiemute should be voted for en masse under the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forthcoming election for Delta State House of Assembly, representing Isoko South Constituency 1, counting on his contributions for the development of Isoko.

Speaking in Oleh, Isoko South Local Government Area of Delta State Hon. Koyo Silver stated that Essien Okiemute, popularly called Essien, had represented his constituency very well in sponsoring some bills, executing constituency projects and influencing projects such as construction of classrooms, roads, water boreholes, among others, for Isoko people.

NPA to eject squatters from Lagos ports

By Ifeyinwa obi

T

HE NIGERIAN Ports Authority, NPA, has served a final quit notice to squatters lodging and operating illegally within the Lagos Port Complex, LPC,

Apapa.

LPC Port Manager, Mr Nasir Mohammed, who disclosed this in Lagos, said that the warning became necessary due to the security challenges bedevilling the country.

According to Mohammed, the port remains a security facility and cannot accommodate all,

especially those without legitimate business.

Mohammed said, “Like we mentioned sometimes back, recent security assessments revealed the presence of some squatters and some other unauthorised persons, who, for one reason or the other, found their way into the port.

48â&#x20AC;&#x201D;Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

PRESENTATION: From left: Dominic Bako, Head of Service, Nasarawa State, Dr. Nelson Uwaga, President and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Management, Mr. Abdon Gin, Head of Service, Bauchi, Mr. Mohammed Sulaiman, Registrar/Chief Executive, NIM, when the institute presented a position paper on the state of the nation's education sector, at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Plateau State.

PRESENTATION: CEO, Dangote Foundation, Mrs. Zouera Youssoufou (2nd right), School Principal, Abraham Swart (2nd left), Vice Principal (Academic Affairs), Clement Ikuyinminu (left), and Foundation Officer, Musa Bala, during the presentation of a scholarship award to the tune of N20 million to some students of James Hope College, Agbor, Delta State.

C M Y K

BUDGET PRESENTATION: Hon. Matthew Edema (left), presenting the 2015 Warri South Council Budget estimate to Leader of Warri South Legislative Arm, Hon. Sunny Aguweye, at the Councilâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Legislative Chamber, yesterday.

DECLATION: From left: Lagos State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, and Alhaji Rosale Yusuf, during the declaration of Magodo residents association's support for President Goodluck Jonathan organized by Alhaja Ogbarafor in Lagos

DONATION: Principal, King's College Lagos, Otunba O.O. Olapeju (left), receiving musical equipment and a brigade set from Godonu Amusu, donated on behalf of the 2005/2006 set of Old Boys in preparation for the school's sports day in Lagos.

VISIT: Mr Victor Omoregie, Corporate Affairs Manager/Protocol, Vanguard Media Ltd, addressing members of 9ineteen magazine, during their visit to Vanguard Newspapers, Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

BRIEFING: From left: Rev. Femi Kolawole, National Coordinator, BOF Heart Foundation, Alhaji Lanre Bakare, MD/CEO, Lanod Nig. Ltd, Mr. Tosin Owolabi, Dr. Omowunmi Bakare, PublicHealth Consultant and guest speaker, and Mr. Akin Adeoya, CEO, Marketing Mix & Co Ltd, during a briefing by the Foundation to commence its campaign on the prevention of cardiovasular disease and others diseases in Lagos

COMPETITION: From left: Chief Olu Falomo, past Chairman, Executive Council, Nigeria Society for the Blind, Mrs. Biola Agbaje, Chairman, Asiwaju Fola Osibo, Vice Chairman, and Major Kehinde Danmole, Chairman, Sports Committee, during a briefing on the forthcoming 20th Annual Inter-House sports of the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind, Oshodi in Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 49

Imo Police enjoin politicians to eschew bitterness

By Chidi Nkwopara & Chinonso Alozie

I

MO STATE Police Command has appealed to politicians to eschew bitterness and rancour as they go about their campaigns.

The Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, made the appeal yesterday, while reacting to the fracas that resulted from the planned forum organized for governorship candidates by the Justice Development and Peace Commission, JDPC of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri.

He expressed worry that the presence of security personnel could not deter the hoodlums, who destroyed the podium that was set for the programme.

“There was no partitioning where each party and its

supporters would stay. All were mixed up in the crowd. So, in such a situation, what do you expect? The effect came as a result of a mammoth crowd of supporters of the five gubernatorial candidates”, the PPRO said.

Reacting also, the Coordinator, Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, and Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the forum, Rev. Fr. Casmir Nze, described the incident as most unfortunate.

“If you see what we sent out to them, we warned that people should not come here with their party insignia, flags, symbols, Tshirts or whatever. We knew that some of these things could happen. Everything was prepared very well”, Rev. Fr. Nze said.

LAUNCH: From left, Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre, EDC, Pan-African University, Nneka Okekearu; Director, Enterprise Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Lucas Dada, and Head, Enterprise Marketing, Etisalat Nigeria, Bidemi Ladipo, during the launch of Etisalat Easybusiness Millionaire Hunt Season 2, at Four Point by Sheraton, Lekki, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau

IMPEACHMENT: Elechi stops lawmakers’

salaries

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIK I— FOLLOWING the impeachment notice served by members of the state House of Assembly on Governor Martin Elechi two weeks ago, the Ebonyi State government was yesterday reported to have allegedly stopped the salaries and

entitlements of the lawmakers.

A source close to the House of Assembly said the legislators had expressed their determination to pursue the impeachment of the governor to a logical conclusion vowing that as no amount of mischief and conspiracy would deter them from fulfilling their constitutional responsibilities.

“The lawmakers are not

deterred by the attitude of the Governor who have denied them their salaries for quite some time.

The Governor is now exhibiting divide and rule tactics to sideline the lawmakers from benefiting from his administration. At this point the Governor has been sending people to plead with the lawmakers so that he will not be impeached. As it stands there is

no going back,” the source said.

In a chat with Vanguard, the zonal Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Ali Odefa, called on Governor Elechi to answer the allegged charges against him and stop playing to the gallery.

According to him, the silence of the Governor on the matter means admittance.

Enugu lawmakers stop 25-year water concession agreement

By Austin Ogwuda

B

ARELY 24 hours workers of the Enugu State Water Corporation protested move by out-going Governor Sullivan Chime administration to bring in a private firm to take over the

collection of water rate in the state for the next 25 years, the State House of Assembly has stopped the deal which was earlier scheduled to take off as from today (Friday).

The legislators, subsequently, summoned the State

Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. M.C. Nwachukwu to appear before it next Tuesday to explain the concession agreement which was allegedly perfected without the lawmakers’ knowledge and the backing of the law.

The Water Corporation workers had raised alarm in a petition titled ‘The Slavery of Water Corporation’ saying that the concession if allowed would render the General Manager of the Corporation redundant and will lead to mass sack of workers.

... summon Commissioner for Education, ESUBEB Chairman

A

LSO YESTERDAY the House summoned the State Commissioner for

Education, the Executive Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education

Why we introduced dress code — ESUT VC

By Austin Ogwuda

V

ICE-CHANCELLOR OF the Enugu State University of Science and Technology, (ESUT), Prof Cyprian Onyeji, yesterday, explained how he tactically adopted some measures that helped to stop improper dressing and cultism, noting that these two menacing issues rampant in some campuses in other universities have become a thing of the past in his school.

The VC, who stated at a press briefing to mark the 16th convocation of the school said that he had to put on his thinking cap

to curb the incidents. ‘’For the past two years, there is no more cultism in this school. Both the teachers, the students can walk freely, there is no more insecurity.

"We also introduced dress codes, there are different dress codes for different departments which do not allow for indecent dressing.

Also, at the entrance of the school you will find the caveat about it and it worked out.”

On the academic journey so far, the VC said “for the past 34 years of its existence, ESUT has distinguished itself as a preeminent university for scientific and technological studies."

Board (ESUBEB) as well as the Managing Director of Eminite Emene to appear before it next Tuesday.

This followed the adoption of the report of the House committee on Education, Science and Technology headed by Mr. Michael Onyeze which was read on the floor of the House, yesterday.

They are coming “to answer questions in the plenary on the level of performance of current projects being executed by the State Universal Basic Education Board especially fund released in respect of each project.

In adopting the resolution, the House presided over by the Speaker, Mr. Eugene Odo resolved that “the State Universal and Basic Education Board be restrained from

awarding further contracts until the State House of Assembly is satisfied on the level of performance in the ongoing project.

Group commends President for appointing Akobundu as minister

By Anayo Okoli MUAHIA— AN Abian, Mezie Abia Organization (MAO) has commended President Goodluck Jonathan over the nomination of PDP South East chairman, Col. Austin Akobundu who has been confirmed as minister by the Senate, saying his appointment would add value to the present administration.

In a statement in Umuahia, the group described Akobundu’s nomination as “timely and well deserved”, describing him as “a round peg in a round hole which cannot be faulted by any individual or group.”

The statement signed by the President-General of the group, Hon Nelson

Stella Ntia is dead

M

U

RS. STELLA Ntia, is dead, aged 76, In a statement by her first son and Editor, BrandiQ International magazine, Usukuma Ntia, Mrs. Stella, will be laid to rest today, at Rev Ntia’s compound, who is a Senior Pastor and Founder of FullLife Church, after service of songs at Treasures Exclusive garden, Shitta, Iju, Lagos.

Late Mrs. Ntia is survived by four Late Mrs Ntia children.

Uche and the Secretary, Comrade Eze Nwosu said: “It is our position that since Abia’s top political and economic positions are shared between the two major political blocs, Old Bende and Ukwa Ngwa and since the last occupant of a ministerial seat that should come from the state was Chief Emeka Wogu, an indigene of Ukwa Ngwa, equity and justice demand that after the Ukwa Ngwa bloc, the seat should rotate to Old Bende.

50 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

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ESIMAJE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Favour Esimaje, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Favour Ajaino. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OMADIAGA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss O m a d i a g a Oghenenyovwe Valentina, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Valentina Agu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWEKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nweke Lilian Nkiruka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chukwu Lilian Nkiruka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Confirmation of name NZEGWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Mr. Nzegwu Osita Segun Nworah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Clifford Osita Segun Nworah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

PESSU—I, formerly known and addressed as Peter Pessu, now wish to be known and addressed as Akeem Peter Sikitan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONUMAJURU—I, formerly known and addressed as Onumajuru Sunday, now wish to be known and addressed as Marlon Sunday. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWACHUKWU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Jacinta Ozioma Nwachukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Jacinta Ozioma Nnalue. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

NJOKU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Njoku Lynne Nkemdirim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Epemu Lynne Ayebawanaemi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OJIKE—I, formerly known and addressed as Ojike Joseph Onuorah, now wish to be known and addressed as Chukwuemeke Joseph Onuorah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ROMANUS—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Blessing Romanus, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Shutzi Blessing Ngozi. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Nursing and Midwifery Council, JAMB, UNIJOS and general public, please take note.

DIBIA—I, formerly

please take note.

OGBONNIA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogbonnia Chinaza Canicemary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nwalor C h i n a z a Canicemary. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

O N O N Y E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ononye Emebizieogo Joy, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Emebizieogo Joy Chukwurah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGWUCHE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogwuche Alice, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Alice Ebiere Ogwuche-Diyerin. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Idah and general public please take note.

I K U P O L AT I — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ikupolati Temitope Aderinsola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeniji Temitope Aderinsola.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGBANUSI—I, formerly known and addressed as Agbanusi Daniel Kenechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Enuma Daniel Kenechukwu.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OPARA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Yvonne Ndidi Opara, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Yvonne Ndidi Opara-Maduka. All former documents remain valid. Imo State University, Owerri and general public please take note.

NAT H A N — I , formerly known and addressed as Nathan Sule, now wish to be known and addressed as Nantim Sule. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TEMERIGHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Charity Temerigha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Charity Odiadiola Evans Okoba. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

KIKILE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Wini Daniel Kikile, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Wini Godswill. All former documents remain valid. University of Port Harcourt and general public please take note.

EZE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Priscilla Chinyere Eze, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Priscilla Chinyere Ogulewe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EFOBI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ijeoma Uchechukwu Efobi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ijeoma Uchechukwu Etukokwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

TSE —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Doo Suur Tse, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rhoda Doo Suur Samuel Nezan. All former documents remain valid.

University of Jos and general public, please take note.

AMAKUBUKURO— I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Doris Amakubukuro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Doris Jenakumo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

known and addressed as Miss Dibia Ifeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ofili Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 51

Vanguard CLASSIFIED ONUOHA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Onuoha Ifunanya Ularinma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebiekpi Ifunanya Ularinma. All former documents remain valid.

MDCN, FUNAI and general public please take note.

UDOSEN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nko Samuel Udosen, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Nko Aniebiet Udofia.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SANNI —I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeola Joy Sanni, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Adeola Joy Eze. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWEKE —I, formerly know and addressed as Miss Nweke Henrietta Uju, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okeke Henrietta Uju. All former documents remain valid. Local Government Service Commission and general public please take note.

NZEAKUBA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Juliet Onyiyechi Nzeakuba, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Juliet Onyiyechi Evans-Okoh.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OTU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Otu Franca, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Franca Egbevurie. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NWAIGBO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwaigbo Ijeoma Peace, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olisakwe Ijeoma Peace. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ERUBA—I, formely known and addressed as Miss Eruba Constance Nkasiobi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Morah Constance Nkasiobi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OKORAFOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okorafor Debrah Uchechukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Bender Debrah Uchechukwu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ORIEKA—I,formerly known and addressed as Miss Orieka Enakeno Gift, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Edoro Enakeno Gift. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EZEAFULUKWE—I, formerly known and addressed Miss Ezeafulukwe Stella Ebele, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onwuka Ebele Stella. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EVUETAKPORA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Oghenekevwe Evuetakpora, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oghenekevwe Osanebi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGHARAERUMI—At birth my name was Tokpe Kelechi Ogharaerumi and corrected as Tuokpe Kelechi Ogharaerumi in 2000 and I now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oritsetuokpe Kelechi Ajuyah. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NNAEMEKA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rosemary Ngozi Nnaemeka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rosemary Ngozi Nnamocha. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

USIOMAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Floring Usiomah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Floring Ovadje.

All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

O M O W O E — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Omowoe Oghenero Patience, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Unaegbu Oghenero Patience. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

EFAKPOKIRE—I, formely known and addressed as Miss Efakpokire Ochuko Rose, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Etaoghene Ochuko Rose All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

N O M K I A — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Nomkia Queeneth Barileela, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. B a r i l e e l a Oghenevbede. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AMIAH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Amiah Bethel Ifeoma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogbuigwe Bethel Ifeoma. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

A M I T E Y E K PA — I , formerly known and addressed Miss Amiteyekpa Susan Efeturi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Faulkner Susan Efeturi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ONOSEMUODE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Faith Ogheneyore Onosemuode, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Faith Akenyinsiwaju.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IRIVWHORO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Rukevwe Anthonia Irivwhoro, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Rukevwe Anthonia Osiobe. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OWHOTEMU—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Owhotemu Destiny Eruore, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oghenejabor Destiny Eruore. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

NJELITA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Njelita Chika Nwamaka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onuoha Chika Nwamaka. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ABIYA—I, formely known and addressed as Miss Abiya Judith Ejiroghene, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Asaka Judith Ejiroghene All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AGHOLOR—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Theresa Agholor, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Theresa Enumah. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BASSEY—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Otobong Patrick Bassey, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Otobong Udeme Daniel. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ULIONG-JOHN—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Marian Arit UliongJohn, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Godschoice Iyene Nnaemeka. All former documents remain valid. (UNN) NSUKKA, NYSC and general public please take note.

GEORGE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Tamunotonye Franklin George, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Tamunotonye Atemie Jim-Halliday. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

ANYA—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uchechi Agwu Anya, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Uchechi Agwu Imaga Kalu. All former documents remain valid. Skye Bank and general public please take note.

AJIJO—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Omoyemi Adesewa Ajijo, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adesewa Omoyemi Oluwole. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

UMUNNAKWE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Cynthia Uzochi Umunnakwe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Cynthia Uzochi Olotu. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

TAGBE—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Okeosolobrugwe Daniella Tagbe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okeosolobrugwe Tagbe Daniella Obukonise. All former documents remain valid. Nursing & Midwifery Council Board and general public please take note.

URIEL—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Uriel Blessing, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ebimobowei Blessing Goodluck Osuobeni.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

IBEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Ibeh Amara Emmanuela, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okoli Amara Emmanuela.

All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public please take note.

U G A O R U — I , formerly known and address as Miss Ugaoru Evelyn Kelechi, now wish to be known and address as Mrs. Chibuzor Evelyn Kelechi. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

N D U D I M — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Ijeoma Glory Ndudim, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ijeoma Glory Opara.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ECHEBIRI—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Candy Ogechi Chioma Echebiri, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Candy Ogechi Chioma Ironbar. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

B A D E J O — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Badejo Oluwadara Deborah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oluwabamishe Oluwadara Deborah.

All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ZAID—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Zaid Adeyemi Oluwakemi Rukayat, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Oneisimus Oluwakemi Rachel. All former documents remain valid. The Redeemed Christ Church of God and general public please take note.

A B A C H A — I , formerly known and addressed as Miss Fatima Gumsu Abacha, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Fatima Gumsu Mohamodou Bayero Fadil. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

UDEH—I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Udeh Callista Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Callista Chioma Okwudili-Onwude.

All former documents remain valid. National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and general public please take note.

52—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Parties still divided over card readers

By Jude Opara, Abuja

W

ITH barely 15 days to the forthcoming 2015 general elections, the controversy surrounding the use of the card reader machines continued yesterday in Abuja as the political parties remained divided over its use.

INEC had summoned a meeting of the political parties to inform them of the level of arrangement already put on ground for the success of the exercise.

But the meeting which lasted for more than six hours failed to bring all the stakeholders on the same table concerning the use of the device which many analysts believe will reduce the incidence of electoral fraud.

The anti-card reader parties led by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) argued that in as much as they are not afraid of its usage, that INEC must ensure that no Nigerian voter was disenfranchised by the machine.

C M Y K

Don’t Disenfranchise Nigerians, Clark, SSPPA tell Jega •Reiterate call for Jega’s resignation, to Stand by Dokpesi, AIT Management

By Henry Umoru

A

HEAD of the Presidential and general elections slated for March 28 and April 11, the South South Peoples Assembly, SSPA led by former Federal Commissioner for Information and elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has called on the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega not to disenfranchise Nigerians.

Rising from a meeting of its extended National Executive Committee Meeting in Abuja, the SSPA while reiterating its call for the resignation of Jega, stressed that members of the group have lost confidence in him in conducting the 2015 elections impartially against the backdrop that “he is incompetent and dishonest.”

Reading a three- page communique at the end of the meeting, Deputy Chairman of the SSPA and former Military Administrator of Akwa Ibom State, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga, retd, the group called on everyone to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan because of his

achievements, stressing that a vote for Jonathan was a vote for a new Nigeria.

The communique read, “the South South Peoples Assembly resolves to re-affirm the endorsement of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, for re-election in the 2015 Presidential elections scheduled for March 28, 2015.

As the first South-South politician to be elected leader of Nigeria, the Assembly is proud to be associated with the President for the giant strides and uncommon transformation and achievements he has recorded during his first tenure.

The South South being the economic power house of the country, it is only fair and proper that Nigerians extend to us the privilege of leading the country for another term in the spirit of national cohesion, unity and solidarity. The SSPA enjoins all sons and daughters of the SouthSouth geo-political zone, to massively vote for President Jonathan to restore our pride as a region.

•Appeal to Nigerians that a vote for President Jonathan is a vote for a new Nigeria. As the

architect and convener of the National Conference, he has pledged his commitment to implementing the Report. The road to a new Nigeria, the new Nigeria of our dream, therefore lies in the re- election of President Jonathan. The SSPA calls on all Nigerians to re-elect him to implement the Resolutions of the National Conference.

•Commend President Jonathan for the success of military operations, in reclaiming territories hitherto

occupied by the Boko Haram insurgents in the North East. He has indeed shown bravery, courage and leadership as a true Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.

•Commend the gallantry of the Nigerian Armed Forces for the victories recorded so far, which has reassured Nigerians that given the right platform, the Military is capable of protecting the territorial integrity of Nigeria in consonance with their well established reputation in global peace keeping operations.

R-L: Governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Raji Fashola, SAN, presenting an award to Oando Foundation Executive Director, Tokunboh Durosaro, on the Foundation being named a Category A recipient at the 2015 Lagos State Government Support our Schools Initiative.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015—53

Nigeria-Morocco: PDPPCO tasks APC, Buhari on anti-gay law

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, PDPPCO yesterday asked the All Progressives Congress (APC) to tell Nigerians whether or not its presidential candidate, MajorGeneral Muhammadu Buhari (retd) was considering the request of some foreign nations to scrap our anti-gay laws and allow same-sex marriage designed to secure their support.

According to PDP, giving this information to Nigerians was more important than issues that have been raised as a consequence of Morocco’s withdrawal of their Ambassador from Nigeria.

In a statement yesterday by the Director, Media and Publicity of PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi FaniKayode, the PDP said, “Our attention has been drawn to the unpatriotic stance of the APC on the issues that have been raised as a consequence of Morocco’s recall of their Ambassador from Nigeria.

“It is very unfortunate that rather than join hands with the Federal Government and endeavour to stand shoulder to shoulder with their compatriots and their country when it comes to the conduct of international affairs, the APC are always

ready to assume the worst about their government and about their President.

“Our counsel to them is to grow up, get real and stop playing politics with such sensitive matters that border on the interest and credibility of our nation and our people.

If they want a clarification about the Moroccan affair, they ought to go through the appropriate channels and perhaps attempt to reach our Foreign Minister in order to find out what really happened.

“For the APC to even begin to assume that it is true that our President or any of our

government officials lied in this episode with the King of Morocco and for them to so readily accept the suggestion that we have done anything wrong or that we have somehow misled our people about what actually transpired speaks volumes.

“Our President is certainly not a liar. The only liars here are the APC... They have proved that they will always put their own personal and narrow party interests before the interests of our people and our nation. The basic lesson that they need to learn is this: in a time of war, you do not

join hands with foreign governments or foreign kings to undermine the interest of your nation or to denigrate your President.

“Instead of talking about the King of Morocco and who spoke to who, the APC should tell us whether it is true that their presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, in response to a request from some western countries, is considering scrapping the anti-gay laws in our country and pushing through legislation that would allow same sex marriage.’’

GMD/CEO, UBA Plc, Mr. Phillips Oduoza (middle); MD, UBA Foundation, Ms Ijeoma Aso; Executive Director, UBA Plc, Mr. Dan Okeke; Principal, Girls Secondary School, Awka, Anambra State, Lady Winnie Ibezim, with students of secondary schools in Anambra State, during financial literacy training programme for students, an initiative of CBN, held in Awka, Anambra State, yesterday.

‘Oba of Benin made his stance on presidential election known since last September'

By Henry Umoru

A

BUJA—AHEAD of the March 28 and April 11 general polls, Prince Ada Erediauwa, one of the sons of the revered Oba of Benin, Oba Erediauwa II, said yesterday that there is no controversy over where the latter stands especially on the presidential polls, just as he said that the Oba made his stand known since September when President Goodluck Jonathan visited Edo state.

Speaking yesterday when he led four other princes on a visit to former Federal Commissioner for Information and South-South Leader, Chief Edwin Clark at his Asokoro residence, Prince Ada Erediauwa, who noted that the Oba need not to make public pronouncement on where he stands on the March 28 Presidential election, said that no matter what was said of the Benin Palace, it remains an institution.

“Oba does not have to necessarily say anything to get

his message across,” he said that his father who does not talk much, made his mind known through the gift he gave to the president, adding that the gift was very symbolic and till date Jonathan remains the only political office seeker to have received Ododo (a red clothing material) from the Oba. The Prince who explained

that the ododo (red attire) was very symbolic in the Benin culture, however urged President Jonathan not to bother himself on the issue.

In his remarks, Chief Edwin Clark who noted that there should be no room for controversy between the palace and the president, however denied the report that the slot of Edo state was given

to Stella Oduah, adding that he never supported her ministerial nomination at that time.

Clark explained that Oduah was nominated to represent Anambra State and not Edo as widely speculated, adding that the slot of Edo state was given to Mike Onolememe, the present Minister of Works.

Obanikoro’s confirmation tragic, says APC

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—ALL Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organization, APCPCO, yesterday described the confirmation of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro by the Senate as a Minister designate, as tragic.

The campaign organisation also said President Goodluck Jonathan had crippled the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC

and rendered it almost useless in the fight against graft.

The Director, Media and Publicity unit of APCPCO, Mallam Garba Shehu made the remarks at a press conference in Abuja.

Shehu said people with questionable characters should not be seen within the corridors of power, saying comparison should be made between President Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the APC, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd)

who recently declared at the Chatham House in London that no corrupt person shall be part of his government, if elected president.

He said: “Obanikoro’s clearance by the Senate is tragic. We have seen him saying the wrong things which is not in line with what a leader should be.

“If the President thinks that these are the kind of people he needs as ministers, then Nigerians should take their cue from there.”

Tinubu’s claims on ING baseless, false— FANI-KAYODE

D

IRECTOR of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO), Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has described as baseless and false the claim by Senator Bola Tinubu that the PDP and the Presidency offered him (Tinubu) the position of vice president in an Interim National Government (ING) if he would part company with General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), the APC presidential candidate.

A statement by the Tinubu Media Office issued yesterday had said, “From what can be gathered through informed sources, the PDP and Jonathan Presidency had recently tried to fracture the APC by offering Tinubu the position of vice President in an interim government if he would agree to part company with the popular Buhari. Once Tinubu rebuffed the offer to participate in the interim scheme, the presidency decided to change tactics. It would no longer try to entice Tinubu with sugar but would now move to silence and if necessary neutralize him.”

Fani-Kayode, in a swift riposte, said: “These allegations are baseless and false.

“These people have become prisoners of their own delusions and they have become victims of their horrific and terrifying hallucinations.

“We are not in the least bit interested in the formation of an interim government and we are even less interested in any contraption in which Bola Tinubu would play any role.

“It is not true that anyone is trying to frame Tinubu for murder and it is not true that anyone from our government approached him to be the Vice President of anything.

“It is clear that he has an over-inflated opinion of himself and he is suffering from the most extreme form and manifestation of paranoia.

The man is hiding from his own shadow.”

54—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

BOMBINGS: Shettima, PDP, trade words over demolition of stalls

Adesina, others for books presentation

T

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI— GOVERNOR Kashim Shettima of Borno State, yesterday, traded harsh words with his predecessor and former political godfather, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, over the recent demolition of shops and market stalls by the Military to ensure that terrorists had no hiding place in the state.

Shettima blamed Sheriff over the “massive demolitions” of shops and market stalls in Maiduguri metropolis and the Maiduguri Monday Market, MMM, by the military Tuesday.

Shettima spoke at the Government House, Maiduguri, while inaugurating an Emergency Resettlement Committee, on the demolished market shops and stalls at six locations in the metropolis.

In a swift reaction, Senator Modu accused Shettima of not saying the truth on the matter, as the demolition was supervised by officials of the state government who used government bulldozers to carry out the exercise.

A petty trader, Mallam Ba’ana Mohammed, a victim at the Customs Area in Maiduguri, accused the governor of destroying their means livelihood, maintaining that the buck stops at his table.

CERTIFICATION: From left— Mr. Seye Awojobi, Ag. Registrar/Chief Executive, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN; Roosevelt Ogbonna, Executive Director, Commercial Banking, Access Bank Plc; Mrs. ‘Debola Osibogun, President/Chairman of Council, CIBN, and Professor Wole Adewunmi, former CIBN President, during the presentation of Accreditation Certificate to Access Bank Academy by the CIBN in Lagos, yesterday.

PDP not afraid of card reader, says Sambo

By Wole Modasomi

M

INNA—THE Vice President, Namadi Sambo has explained that the PDP was not afraid of the use of card readers in the forthcoming general elections, but was rather concerned that no eligible voter should be disenfranchised.

He spoke as Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State said no obstacle put on the path of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, can prevent it from wining the presidential and other elections slated for this month and early next month.

Addressing supporters during the PDP women’s rally held at Bako Kontagora memorial stadium, Minna yesterday, the governor also kicked against the one-term plan for All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari (retd),

Warri South Chair presents N2bn budget

W

ARRI—THE Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Mr. Matthew Edema, has presented a budget estimate of N2,383,468 226 for 2015 to the council’s legislative arm, vowing not to give up on his administration’s desire to improve the lots of people despite the current economic challenges.

Mr. Edema, who christened the 2015 financial estimate Budget of Restoration, explained that it “is geared towards restoring and facilitating all-round socioeconomic and infrastructural development of the local government area.”

While noting that his administration will continue “to

insist on the removal of all illegal payments, all illegal allowances and ghost workers” with a view to plugging all loop-holes capable of impacting negatively on the council’s internally generated revenue, Edema said the budget shall be financed from N1,688,018,073 statutory allocation, N791, 595,000 internally generated revenue and N358,855,153 brought forward.

Receiving the draft estimate, the Leader of Warri South Legislative Arm, Mr. Sunny Aguweye, promised that members of the House would give the budget proposal accelerated hearing.

saying it is a slap on the Northerners.

He vowed that the move will be kicked against by the region because if actualised, it will truncate the rotational presidency.

He said: “The message we heard is that Buhari has admitted to serve only one term as president under APC. “We, the North, will kick against it because he will be short-changing the North in terms of the rotational presidency which favours the us.”

Sambo spoke yesterday, following perceived opposition of PDP to the use of the card reader, when he met with members of Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Kano State

chapter.

He said: “One thing I will tell you is that PDP is not afraid of anything, not even the card reader.

“We do not want anything to go wrong through the use of the card reader. The INEC commissioner in Ebonyi State said he is going to repeat the testing exercise and in so many other states there have been problems with the card readers.

“INEC has even admitted the problem and have introduced what they call incidence forms.”

Sambo explained that President Goodluck Jonathan since 2011, had championed free, fair and credible polls.

Disregard rumours of Muazu’s resignation—PDP

By Henry Umoru

A

B U J A — N AT I O N A L leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, urged its members and supporters to disregard rumours that the party ’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu had resigned his position, saying that such information were not unusual during elections.

PDP charged its members to close ranks and redouble their efforts to ensure the overall success of the campaigns, especially seeing that Nigerians were solidly behind the party.

In a statement yesterday by PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, the party claimed that with its campaigns so far and following what he termed the

soaring nationwide acceptability of President Goodluck Jonathan and its other candidates ahead of the polls, victory was in sight for the party in the March 28 and April 11 elections.

According to Metuh, the party, which thanked its members and supporters who showed concern over rumours against Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu, however charged them to “remain focused on the campaigns and not to be distracted, especially as such is not unusual in an election year.

“PDP is impressed with the quality of leadership the President is providing in the campaigns, which runs on his enviable performance and numerous verifiable achievements in all sectors of the economy.”

HE unveiling of two books, Confront Your Mountain and Spring of Inspiration, written by Mr. Ayodeji Ayopo, will take place tomorrow at Triumphant Baptist Church, Akowonjo, Shasa Road by11am.

Managing Director of SUN newspapers, Mr. Femi Adesina, will chair the event, while Director General of Public Service Development Centre, Mrs Bunmi Fabamwo; Managing Director of CONSAT, Mr Mayokun Okunola and President, Lagos Central Baptist Conference, Dr Kehinde Babarinde are expected at the event.

Mr. Olumide Jaiyeola, CEO LASACO Properties Ltd and Mr. Lekan Otufodunrin, Editor Online, The Nation newspapers, are the book reviewers.

Author distributes book against terror to youths

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HE distribution of a million copies of End of Terror, a book written by Chris Femi Opara, will soon kick off nationwide.

The book targets youths, who it tries to persuade to abandon the culture of violence, cybercrime, bullying, pipeline vandalisation, kidnapping and other social crimes.

According to Gifted Global International Ltd, the book will be given out to youths free of charge after filling a questionnaire on the company’s website: giftedglobalinternational.com.

Remembrance

T

HE family of late ASP Timon Odimayo, 64, of Igbootu in Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State, has said they will continue to celebrate his legacies.

Odimayo died on March 13, 2011 after a brief illness, leaving behind children and grandchildren.

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 55

Mercenaries join troops to fight Boko Haram

By Kingsley Omonobi, Adekunle Aliyu with Agency report

H

UNDREDS of mercenaries from South Africa and the former Soviet Union have reportedly been hired by the Nigerian government to fight alongside the Nigerian troops to rout out Boko Haram terrorists from the North Eastern part of the country. According to Reuters, quoting regional security, defense and diplomatic sources, the mercenaries were being paid about $400 in cash each a day.

Defence spokesman, Major General Chris Olukolade however denied the report explaining however that “there were offers of training and intelligence assistance from friendly countries. Also, our neighbours operating under the auspices of the Multinational Joint Task Force are also backing our efforts from all our borders with them and some of these arrangements predate the present operations”.

In an interview with Voice of America late on Wednesday, President Goodluck Jonathan said two companies were providing “trainers and technicians” to help Nigerian forces. He did not name the firms, or the nationalities, or give numbers. But a West African security source and a South African defense source told Reuters that the foreign troops were linked to the bosses of former South African private military firm Executive Outcomes.

Executive Outcomes was best-known for its involvement in Angola’s 1975-2002 civil war and against Revolutionary

United Front rebels in an internal conflict in Sierra Leone in 1995. It disbanded in 1998, under pressure from the post-apartheid government in Pretoria to curtail mercenary activities.

The West African security source said several hundred foreigners were involved in running major offensive operations against Boko Haram, and were being paid around $400 a day in cash.

Separately, a South African defense contractor confirmed to Reuters that ex-Executive Outcomes leaders were involved in the deployment, which came after the six-week postponement of elections in midFebruary due to the threat from Boko Haram.

One Abuja-based diplomat said the South Africans were backed by soldiers and hardware from the former Soviet Union in an alliance against Boko Haram.

South African mercenary killed

Meanwhile, a South African mercenary was shot and killed by friendly fire during operations against Boko Haram in northeast Nigeria, a military officer and a civilian vigilante said on Thursday. The vigilante, who asked not to be identified for security reasons, told AFP that the man died on Wednesday as Nigerian Army soldiers fought to recapture the town of Bama, in Borno state.

“He was killed when a convoy he was travelling with was mistaken for that of Boko Haram insurgents, which prompted a military tank to open fire,” he added.

The military officer, who also requested anonymity, confirmed the

DTHA: APGA candidate gets more support weight behind the APGA

A

SABA—SOME members of the various political parties in Delta State, have endorsed the candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, for Oshimili North House of Assembly in next month’s election, Chief Tony Azuya.

Speaking at the state secretariat of the APGA, the political parties chairmen and their deputies who are also members of the Delta State wing of Association of Political Parties, through their spokesman, Chief Isaiah Odogwu, said the decision to throw their

candidate was as a result of their intensive research and resolve to ensure that a most of qualified candidate with good track records was supported to clinch the House of Assembly seat.

Chief Odogwu, who is also the state chairman of New Nigeria People’s Party, remarked that the various political parties across the state with like minds have already set in motion in strategic plans the emergence of Chief Azuya to represent the people of Oshimili North in the state House of Assembly.

account, describing the death as “friendly fire”.

An Afrikaans-language website in South Africa, Netwerk 24, identified the victim of the friendly fire incident as Leon Mare Lotz, describing him as a private military contractor. His wife, Almari, was quoted as saying: “I just know Leon was killed. I know that he went to Nigeria with his eyes wide open and was aware that it was a dangerous operation.

“He was with some of his brothers-in-arms who have walked a path with him for many years.”

The report said Lotz’s driver was also killed in the shooting, which was attributed to a “miscommunication”.

IS welcomes Boko Haram allegiance

In a related development, the Islamic State group has welcomed a pledge of allegiance to it made by the Boko Haram, according to an audiotape Thursday purportedly from its spokesman.

“We announce to you the good news of the expansion of the caliphate to West Africa because the caliphate has accepted the allegiance of our brothers of the Sunni group for preaching and the jihad,” IS spokesman Mohammed al-Adnani said in the message, using the Arabic name for Boko Haram.

On Saturday, an audiotape attributed to Boko Haram leader Abubakar Shekau said “ we announce our allegiance to the Caliph of the Muslims, Ibrahim ibn Awad ibn Ibrahim al-Husseini al-Qurashi,” referring to IS leader Abu Bakr alBaghdadi.

Association holds AGM

A

SSOCIATION of Orumba North Town Peoples Union’s Annual General Meeting will be holding on Sunday, March 15 at rotary Club Hall, isolo

by SOS orphanage Home, Isolo, Lagos.

The time is 3pm.

According to Ichie Nwankwo, and Rev. (Dr) N.U. Fidelis, President and Vice President of the Association, respectively, those expected at the AGM are Chairmen and Secretaries of all the towns of Orumba North LGA of Anambra State in Lagos.

Also expected are prominent sons of Orumba North, among whom are Chief Polycarp Emenike, MON and Chief Okey Ezibe and many others.

56— VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 13 , 2015

Pratchett, renowned fantasy author author,, dies aged 66

Rare photos reveal Osama-bin Laden's Afghan hideout T

HE house is primitive, constructed of baked mud and stone.

The landscape is sparse and mountainous, with snow cover in the winter. The terrain is rugged and challenging for the long walks the owner liked to take with his sons.

Photographs quietly introduced as evidence in the latest major terrorism trial in Manhattan federal court offer a rare look inside Osama bin Laden’s lair — years before al Qaeda flew hijacked planes into buildings or bombed U.S. embassies in Africa and even before the FBI placed bin Laden on its Most Wanted List.

Still, bin Laden was preparing, hiding out in a remote, mountainous area of Afghanistan known as Tora Bora.

A remarkable set of photos — the first showing bin Laden in the hideout where he would seek refuge after 9/11 — came to light only last month in the terrorism conspiracy trial of bin

Rare photo of Bin Laden Laden lieutenant Khaled al-Fawwaz, a communications conduit for al Qaeda in London in the mid-1990s. Al-Fawwaz would arrange bin Laden’s first television interview for CNN’s Peter Arnett and Peter Bergen in 1997 and a sit-down for ABC News’ John Miller a year later. But before then, al-Fawwaz called on a Palestinian print journalist, whose 1996 journey to Afghanistan yielded these photos.

Visiting bin Laden Bin Laden had declared war on the United States and wanted more people to know it, especially in the Arab world.

He reached out to Abdel Barri Atwan, the founder and then-editor-in-chief of Al-Quds Al-Arabi, an independent Arabic weekly published in London that had been critical of certain Arab regimes and the 1991 Persian Gulf

War. Atwan had broken the story about bin Laden’s first fatwa, or religious decree, stating his grievances against the United States, such as the presence of U.S troops in Saudi Arabia. He published the entire screed in August 1996. The next month, al-Fawwaz went to Atwan’s office to offer him the first print interview with the emerging jihadist leader in Afghanistan.

New evidence on downing of Malaysian plane over Ukraine

V

ILLAGERS in eastern Ukraine have told Reuters they saw a missile flying directly overhead just before a Malaysian airliner was shot out of the sky on July 17 last year, providing the most detailed accounts to date that suggest it was fired from territory held by pro-Russian rebels.

The accounts from four villagers of Chervonyi Zhovten, which was then, and is now, controlled by the rebels, are significant because they indicate the rocket was in the early stages of its flight path.

That would mean it must have been launched from rebel ground nearby, challenging the suggestion of Moscow and the separatists that the plane was brought down by the Ukrainian military.

At the time, the nearest Ukrainian-held area was about 6 km (3.7 miles) away. Ukraine and its Western allies have said it was the rebels who shot down the airliner,

S

IR Terry Pratchett, fantasy author and creator of the Discworld series, has died aged 66, eight years after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

“The world has lost one of its brightest, sharpest minds,” said Larry Finlay of his publishers Transworld.

The author died at home, surrounded by his family, “with his cat sleeping on his bed”, he added. Sir Terry wrote more than 70 books during his career and completed his final book last summer.

He “enriched the planet like few before him” and through Discworld satirised the world “with great skill, enormous humour and constant invention,” said Mr Finlay.

“Terry faced his Alzheimer’s disease (an ‘embuggerance’, as he called it) publicly and bravely,” said Mr Finlay.

“Over the last few years, it was his writing that sustained him. His legacy will endure for decades to come.”

Sir Terry leaves wife Lyn and daughter Rhianna.

The announcement of his death was made on Sir Terry’s Twitter account on Thursday afternoon, with Rhianna later writing: “Many thanks for all the kind words about my dad. Those last few tweets were sent with shaking hands and tear-filled eyes.”

Despite campaigning for assisted suicide after his diagnosis, Sir Terry’s publishers said he did not take his own life.

Nemtsov suspect withdraws conf ession confession

T

HE primary suspect jailed in connection with the shooting to death of Boris Nemtsov withdrew his confession Wednesday, saying he had been under duress during his admission and isn’t guilty. Zaur Dadayev told two members of Russia’s human rights council that he pleaded guilty after being detained because he was scared. He told Eva Merkacheva and Andrey Babushkin he had been tortured and the wellbeing of his family and

friends were threatened.

Dadayev was one of two suspects recently charged in the case.

Three other suspects have not been charged.

Merkacheva and Babushkin were accused of “interfering” with the investigation and will be summoned for questioning over their motives, authorities said.

Russia’s Investigative Committee stated that the two rights activists violated the law when they visited and questioned Dadayev in a Moscow jail.

France in es IS killing invvestigat estigates video over Merah link A crane transports a piece of the Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 wreckage at the site of the plane crash near the village of Hrabove (Grabovo) in Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine November 20, 2014.

using a Russian-made BUK anti-aircraft missile system. All 298 people on board were killed.

Until now, videos, photographs and accounts from residents have pointed to a BUK battery being delivered to the rebel-held town of Snizhne, 7 km north of Chervonyi Zhovten, on July 17, and then driven away from the area some time later. Its precise location at the time the plane was shot down has never been confirmed.

Manhunt underway after police shooting in Ferguson

T

WO police officers in Ferguson, Missouri, were shot and wounded in what officials called an ambush early yesterday in the latest spasm of violence arising from months of tension between African-Americans and the city’s mostly white police force.

An intense manhunt was under way for a suspect or suspects in the shootings of the officers, who were treated and released from hospital, St Louis County Police said.

An undisclosed number of people were taken in for questioning, police said.

F

RANCE has opened an inquiry into a video purporting to show the killing by Islamic State (IS) of an Israeli Arab, which shows a French-speaking militant.

The militant speaks in the video as a child seems to shoot the victim, whose family deny he was an Israeli spy.

French officials say the militant is probably Sabri Essid, a half-brother of Mohammed Merah, the Islamist who shot dead seven people in France in 2012. French media reports say the boy in the video could be Merah’s stepson.

French prosecutors

told the BBC they believed both the man and the boy in the IS video were French. The officials said they had decided to launch an investigation to determine their identities for sure.

Under-18s have regularly appeared in militant videos, sometimes committing violent acts, and the group has actively encouraged children to train as fighters, our Paris correspondent, Lucy Williamson, reports.

Another French recruit whose death was announced this week by IS was said to be a young teenager from Strasbourg, she adds.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MARCH 13 , 2015 — 57

Boko Haram targets Arabs in reprisal for Chad offensive

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Ebola virus: Death toll reaches 10,000, UN says T

HE World Health Organization marked a grim milestone yesterday in the biggestever Ebola outbreak, estimating that the virus had killed over 10,000 people, mostly in the West African nations of Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

It would be recalled that fifteen other Ebola deaths also occurred in Mali, Nigeria and the United States.

When Ebola was first detected in March 2014 in Guinea The country;s forest, officials assumed the deadly virus could quickly be stamped out, just as it had in more than two dozen previous outbreaks, mostly in central and eastern Africa. But health officials now acknowledge they were too slow to respond to this emergency, allowing Ebola to cross porous borders in a region where broken health systems were unable to stop its spread.

A huge global response — including soldiers sent

by Britain, the U.S. and other nations — has slowed the deaths from Ebola dramatically, especially Liberia, but the virus appears stubbornly entrenched in parts of Guinea and Sierra Leone.

A look at the Ebola outbreak: World Health emergency WHO declared Ebola an international health emergency in August — but critics have slammed the agency for waiting until there were nearly 1,000 deaths to do so. WHO recently announced it was forming an independent expert panel to assess its response. Ebola cases also emerged elsewhere in Africa, including Nigeria, Senegal and Mali, and small outbreaks were later identified in the U.S. and Spain Liberia Liberia, once the hardest-hit country in the Ebola outbreak, released its last Ebola patient on March 5. It has now begun a 42-day countdown and if no new cases are found in that period, it will be declared Ebola-free according to WHO standards. To mark the epidemic’s downturn, Liberian President Ellen JohnsonSirleaf re-opened the country’s borders with neighboring countries.

Ambulances in Liberia have also been dispatched to help stop Ebola in Sierra Leone and the government recently bought a 25-acre plot of land outside the capital to bury

•In this photo taken on Saturday, March 7, 2015, men carry the remains inside a drum covered with white cloth, of Ebola virus dead that were cremated in the past, into a hut during a traditional ceremony on the outskirts of Monrovia, Liberia. The World Health Organization said yesterday.

Ebola victims Guinea and Sierra Leone Both Guinea and Sierra Leone are still reporting dozens of new cases every week and the number of Ebola deaths taking place outside of hospitals remains high, suggesting that people are wary of seeking help or are hiding cases. In both countries there are still regular attacks against Western aid workers and officials are unable to track where the Ebola virus is spreading.

Tracking the transmission Dr. Bruce Aylward, who is leading WHO’s Ebola response, said scientists have sometimes been tracking the wrong people when looking for potential Ebola cases.

“It’s like one of those bank robber movies where the car comes out and everyone follows the wrong car,” he said.

He noted that West Africa’s upcoming rainy season — beginning in April — may make it difficult to get into remote areas. He said last year’s

rainy season was when Ebola began to explode, but experts are still not sure why.

“We don’t know if the rainy season in some way affected behavior in the way people moved or how the virus spread,” Aylward said. “But I don’t want to do that natural experiment.”

A leap ahead of the vaccine: The outbreak has had one silver lining — it has sped up the development of Ebola vaccines and treatments, something researchers have been working on for years.

WHO and its partners have already started testing two experimental shots, including a recently launched large-scale study to see if a vaccine can help protect people already exposed to the lethal virus but who haven’t yet developed the disease.

Even though the vaccine may come too late to make a difference to this Ebola outbreak, it could prove invaluable later.

“If we (have) a vaccine stockpile for the future, we might be able to prevent

EU may establish migrant centres in Africa

By Emeka Aginam, with agency report

W

ITH influx of ille gal immigrants seeking asylum in the European countries on the increase, Italy, yesterday urged its European Union partners to set up migrant reception centresin northern Africa as efforts to beef up the EU’s borders agency falter amid an unprecedented influx of asylum seekers.

At a meeting of EU interior ministers, France, Germany and Austria voiced support for the proposal which could see would-be migrants screened in Niger, Tunisia, Morocco and Egypt.

“It’s about a humanitarian mission which would allow Europe to do screening and to dismantle a huge human trafficking market,” Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano told reporters in Brussels.

(future outbreaks) from turning into what has happened in West Africa,” said Sebastian Funk, an infectious diseases expert at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

OKO Haram is car rying out ethnic reprisals against Arabic speakers in northern Nigeria, accusing them of aiding Chad’s army fighting against the Islamist group, military officers and residents say.

Cameroonian military authorities say these attacks against Shuwa Arabs, an ethnic group speaking the form of Arabic common in Chad, have forced some 10,000 refugees from Nigeria across the border into Cameroon in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Chad has deployed some 2,500 troops to Nigeria’s border regions with Cameroon and Niger as part of a regional effort to tackle Boko Haram’s six-year insurgency, which is threatening the stability of the impoverished region.

Chad’s battle-hardened troops have won a series of clashes, seizing towns and pushing back Boko Haram’s fighters from the border region with Niger and Cameroon.

But in border villages near Cameroon, Boko Haram militants have singled out many Shuwa Arabs for reprisals, a Cameroon military officer said.

“Boko Haram has branched into a sort of massacre strategy against the Arab population that are suspected to be collaborators with the Chadian forces,” Cameroon Special Forces Major Belthus Kwene told Reuters.

Chadian Arabic, also known as Shuwa Arabic, is spoken by over a million people spread across southern Chad, northern Nigeria, Cameroon, Central Africa Republic and Sudan.

Most of the refugees who settled in the Cameroonian villages of Amchoukouli, Wangara, Djabrari and Nigue were women and children.

They said Boko Haram militants had massacred the men in their villages.

“They killed 25 men,” Fanne, a Nigerian refugee in Djabrari, told Reuters television. Boko Haram fighters forced the whole village to assemble before embarking on a killing spree, she added.

“Nobody escaped. They shot some and slaughtered others with machetes and axes,” she said.

Boko Haram, whose translates roughly as ‘Western Education is Forbidden’, has killed thousands of people in a bloody campaign to carve out an Islamic caliphate in the north of Africa’s largest oil producer.

58 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 59

Chukwu tips F/Eagles for glory F

OLLOWING Nigeria’s qualification to the 2015 FIFA U20 World Cup, former technical committee member of the Nigeria Football Federation and former Super Eagles coach, Christian Chukwu has tipped the Flying Eagles to win the AYC trophy.

Nigeria, with 10-men for the better part of the match, defeated Congo 4-1 on Wednesdayto sail through to the semifinal of the Africa Youth

Championship and secure a place at the FIFA U20 World Cup. And Chukwu believes the Nigerian lads have shown enough to see them go all the way.

“Those boys are very good,” he began. “They have been playing so well and kudos must go to Manu Garba and Nduka Ugbade for building such a team.

“The way they beat the Senegalese and also the Congolese even with 10men is quite impressive

and I think they have shown enough that they can actually go all the way to win the competition,” he said The former Super Eagles coach however, goes on to advice the team against any complacency.

“They mustn’t be complacent because they have qualified to the World Cup because that could be their greatest undoing but I really see them going all the way to win this tournament.”

Awoniyi’s man-of-the-match again

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•Awoniyi Continues from BP

NFF

estacode allowances for 20 nights.

Similarly, another sum of N440,000 would be paid as allowances to the 20 players who will make up the Super Falcons team, just as their officials and technical crew would receive the sum of $31,000 each day.

The document also earmarks the sum of $230,000 as players’ match bonuses, while the coaches and nine backroom staff attached to the team would be paid the sum of $174,000 as match bonus.

Also the sum of $98,000 will paid as estacode allowance to the NFF president, the general secretary, two board members, four secretariat staff who are expected to stay for 20 days each.

Furthermore, another sum of N46 million naira has been earmarked for medical consumables, local return tickets for players, production of pennants and pins, local camping, printing of tournament brochure, insurance, contingencies and administrative

logistics and transitional accommodation.

In a related development, the NFF has revealed that it has a target of N857m expected revenue from its sponsorship deals in the 2015 season.

This is contained in the 2015 budget proposal which the football house submitted to the National Assembly for consideration and approval.

According to the document which was obtained by Sports Vanguard, the federation stated that while it expects the sum of N350m from Globacm, another sum of N70m and N290m from Malta Guinness and Guinness Nigeria limited respectively, it will also pick another N51m from Peak milk.

Other sources of income include; Tom Tom who will bring N40m, N35m from pharmaceutical giants, Emzor, while Industrial and General Insurance (IGI) is expected to pay in N10m and Sports radio Brilla fm another N1m.

AIWO Awoniyi has again been voted man of the match

by CAF after the Flying Eagles brushed past Congo 4-1 to qualify for the U20 World Cup on Wednesday.

Awoniyi, 17, was also picked by CAF as the top performer for the Flying Eagles opening day win over hosts Senegal at the weekend.

On Wednesday, Awoniyi caused two penalties and then fired home a wonder goal for Nigeria’s fourth goal against Congo.

He is now the leading scorer of the tournament with three goals.

The player of Imperial Academy was also voted the MVP of the expanded Super 4 in Abuja last month.

•Chukwu

Football match abandoned after 58 seconds

A

non-league football match has been abandoned after just 58 seconds due to fog.

The fixture between St Austell and Bodmin Town in England’s South West Peninsula League Premier Division was called off after less than a minute because of poor visibility.

“As we pulled into St Austell station it was hard to see out of the windows,” league representative Mike

Eagles Continues from BP behind the likes of Algeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Tunisia, Cape Ve r d e I s l a n d a n d Senegal.

The Eagles will hope to improve on the world rankings as the Nigeria Football Federation have scheduled two friendly games against Bolivia on the 26th and then against South Africa three days later.

Algeria, who are first in Africa ranked 18th in the world while Cote d’Ivoire are in 20th position in the world and second in Africa. They are followed by Ghana,

Tu n i s i a , Senegal, C a p e Ve r d e I s l a n d , Nigeria, Guinea, Congo DR and Cameroon.

Germany occupy the first position on the Fifa /Coca-Cola World Ranking with Argentina and Colombia third and fourth respectively.

The biggest climbers of the month are Barbados (131st) and Bermuda (169th), both of whom have risen by 11 places by virtue of a win and a draw each.

Spain for the first time in many years are nowhere to be found in the top ten having been ranked 11th with 1130 points.

Sampson told BBC Radio Cornwall. “I had to put my glasses on to eat my pasty.

D’Tigers off to Ouagadougou Nigeria senior men basketball team D’Tigers will travel to Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso today for the first leg tie against the Burkinabe in group-E double qualifiers for the 29th Afrobasket and the 11th All Africa Games.

The 18-man contingent is led by the president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF), Tijjani Umar. D’Tigers will take on the Burkina Faso on Monday March 16 with the return leg slated for March 25 in Nigeria.

The squad is made up of twelve players with ten of them drawn from the Nigerian DStv Premier Basketball League and two foreign based players.

Nigeria’s hope of qualifying for her 17th outing at Africa biggest basketball showpiece rests on coaches Sani Ahmed and Ayinla Johnson and the twelve players who include Olumide Oyedeji (centre); Ejike Ugboaja (forward); Stanley Gumut (forward); Abubakar Usman (guard); Matthew Onmonya (forward); and Ibrahim Yusuf (guard/forward).

FIFA Continues from BP decision was final and binding and ZIFA did not settle its debt, d i s c i p l i n a r y proceedings for failure to respect a decision (in application of art. 64 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code) were opened against ZIFA upon the request of the coach.

“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee passed a first decision in April 2013, by means of which in particular, and in addition to receiving a fine, ZIFA was granted a 60-day period to settle half of its debt to the coach and a 120-day period to settle the remainder of the debt,” reads the statement.

“ZIFA was warned that, if they did not pay within the granted periods, the case would – upon the express written request of the creditor – be resubmitted to the FIFA Disciplinary Committee for the possible imposition of harsher sanctions, which could lead to expulsion from a FIFA competition.

ZIFA did not appeal the

decision.

“In view of the fact that ZIFA did not settle its debt to the coach, and following the request of the coach, the case was presented again before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee, which rendered a second decision.

“In its decision, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee granted ZIFA a final period of grace of 60 days to settle the debt with Mr Georgini. Additionally, ZIFA was warned that, if the debt was not settled within the granted period (and upon the presentation of a formal claim by the creditor), then, in addition to the imposition of a fine, they would be expelled from the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia.

“ZIFA was informed that the expulsion would be ordered automatically without any further decision needed from the FIFA Disciplinary Committee and, once more, ZIFA did not appeal the decision.

60—Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

Elegbeleye lauds Flying Eagles, Brume, others T

HE Director General of the National Sports C o m m i s s i o n , Honourable Gbenga Elegbeleye has commended the Flying Eagles of Nigeria for picking the U- 20 World Cup ticket after beating Congo 4-1 in their second Group A match in Senegal on Wednesday.

The DG of the NSC who had earlier tipped the Nigeria’s U- 20 junior national team to win the Africa Youth Championship still reiterated his confident in the team to come back with the AYC Trophy.

“I said it when the team was going to Senegal that they have the quality and the talents not only to do well in the Championship but to also win the Trophy. I would say they have not disappointed me so far.

I want them not to rest on their oars until the Trophy is won for a record seventh time. I know they can do it.

“I sincerely thank the team and their coaches led by Manu Garba for doing the nation proud by winning the FIFA U20 World Cup ticket having beaten Congo 41 on Wednesday to achieve this feat. The National Sports Commission will honour them like we have been doing to other victorious team if they win this competition”, Elegbeleye assured.

He also praised the Nigerian Junior Athletics team that emerged overall winner in the just concluded 2015 African Junior Athletics Championship in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Nigeria placed first having won 12 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals at the Championship.

Elegbeleye specially lauded emerging African long jump and spring sensation Ese Brume for personally winning three gold and one bronze medals in the Championship.

“The National Sports Commission is very happy with the performance of our junior athletics team that emerged overall winner of the just concluded African Junior Athletics

F/Eagles hit by injuries

S

•Taiwo Awoniyi (r) waltzes through Congolese defence in their 4-1 thumping of Congo Wednesday.

Championship in Addis Ababa in Ethiopia, winning 12 gold, 8 silver and 7 bronze medals.

They have actually defended out position as Africa’s no 1 and we will

continue to motivate them to continue to bring more glories to our fatherland.

“The signal is good and points towards achieving success in next year ’s Olympic Games in Brazil.

I am particularly happy with the rapid improvement of Ese Brume who personally won three gold medals and a bronze in her events. The NSC will

continue to assist her in every way we can as well as others to ensure they peak for next year ’s Olympics and also win medals for the country in the Games.

Real give Ancelotti vote of confidence R

•Ancelotti

EAL Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has been handed a vote of confidence by club president Florentino Perez.

The Italian has endured a challenging few days after a 1-0 loss to Athletic Bilbao in La Liga on Saturday was followed by a 4-3 reverse at the hands of Schalke in the UEFA Champions League on

Tuesday.

Defeat to Athletic saw Real lose their place at the top of La Liga to fierce rivals Barcelona, though they were still able to progress in the Champions League courtesy of a 2-0 victory in the first leg.

Ancelotti faces a crucial month, which will see Madrid travel to Camp Nou to face Barca in what could well become a title

Eko Atlantic shines with maiden Polo Tournament

By Chris Onuoha

E

KO Atlantic and the Lagos Polo Club have teamed up to create and host the first polo tournament at Eko Atlantic in Lagos which will be held over three days, from Thursday 19 th to Sunday 2 nd March, 2015.

The Eko Atlantic Beach Polo Tournament Arena will sit on approximately 42,000 square meters of land located directly off Eko

Boulevard, a paved 8 lane thoroughfare that is over a mile long and is the spine of the Business District. This selection will provide a spacious location that will also be used for guest parking throughout the event.

Furthermore, this area is the first to have street lighting installed which will improve security as well as mobility for guests at the end of the festival each day. Polo is known around the world

as the ‘sports of Kings’ and in Nigeria this is also the case. At this event you can expect to meet business tycoons company executives and directors form multinational as well as indigenous companies.

These companies range from oil and gas manufacturing, agriculture, real estate, banking and finance telecommunication and several other notable industries.

decider.

Real fans voiced their disapproval at the final whistle on Tuesday, while Ancelotti insisted he was not fearful of losing his job - a feeling which appears well-founded.

“Whatever happens in the next few weeks, Carlo Ancelotti will remain as Real Madrid coach,” Perez said.

“The attacks on our coach and players is being over exaggerated.

The club has full confidence in our coach and our players.

“Carlo Ancelotti has experience. He is focused on his job and has no doubt that we will have a good season.

“Carlo Ancelotti has the confidence and affection of the president and the board of directors.

“I am here to say that whatever happens in the Clasico will not change anything.”

Perez was far less forthcoming when asked if the Italian was safe in his job next season, replying: “I’ve said what I’ve said.”

EVERAL Flying Eagles stars including star striker Taiwo Awoniyi are now on the treatment table after a bruising African Youth Championship Group A clash against Congo on Wednesday.

The tournament’s leading scorer with three goals Awoniyi is nursing a right knee complaint and has been excused from training, while Ifeanyi Ifeanyi suffered a head injury which needed three stitches.

Bernard Bulbwa is nursing a shoulder injury and Ifeanyi Matthew, who has scored twice at Senegal 2015, has a thigh problem.

“They could all be available for the match against Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday but we will take some precautions before then,” said Flying Eagles doctor Ozi Salami.

F i r s t - c h o i c e goalkeeper Joshua Enaholo will miss Saturday ’s showdown against Cote d’Ivoire after he was sent off for a professional foul against Congo on Wednesday.

However, he is expected to return to action for the semifinal on Wednesday in Dakar.

F/Eagles spy on Ghana

A

FTER booking their place in the semifinal of the AYC, the Flying Eagles have swung into action ahead of next week’s clash for a place in the championship game as team officials were in Mbour yesterday to watch second round of matches in Group B. Assistant coach Nduka Ugbade and Rafiu Yusuf from the NFF technical department were at the Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour to watch South Africa battle Mali and Ghana take on Zambia.

Ghana Black Satellites, who the Flying Eagles beat and drew with in recent series of warm-up matches, lead Group B after they defeated South Africa 2-0 and Mali pipped Zambia 1-0.

Nigeria, already on six points after two rounds of matches, will finish top of Group A no matter the results of final group games on Saturday and so they will battle the runners-up in Group B for a place in the AYC final.

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015— 61

Mourinho: No tears over exit

Luiz ‘sorr y’ ffor or ‘sorry’ celebrating

J

OSE Mourinho says he won’t be “crying” about being knocked out of the Champions League and still thinks this season will be a success.

Chelsea twice allowed 10-man Paris SaintGermain to come from behind to draw 2-2 and win an ill-tempered last-16 tie on away goals at Stamford Bridge last Wednesday.

The French outfit were eliminated from the competition last season by Chelsea but advanced to the last eight for a third straight season.

Mourinho and Chelsea, meanwhile, are left to focus on their bid for the Blues’ first Premier League title in five years, which resumes on Sunday at home to Southampton.

Despite their lacklustre European showing the Chelsea boss remains buoyant about the remainder of the campaign following their victory in the Capital One Cup final.

“It’s not time to cry or time to laugh, it’s time to analyse the situation - if we win the Premier League and the Capital One Cup, it’s still a fantastic season,” he said.

“I’m disappointed but I try to be pragmatic.

When the opponent is better than us, the first step is to be honest and say we didn’t deserve to go through. We need to react - we have a Premier League to win and I’ve told that to the players.”

•Mourinho C M Y K

D

CONTEST . . . Shakhtar Donetsk’s midfielder Douglas Costa (L) and Bayern Munich’s midfielder Franck Ribery vie for the ball during their UEFA Champions League second-leg, Round of 16 match in Munich, southern Germany. Photo: AFP

AVID Luiz claimed he could not control his emotions when he scored the vital equaliser against his former club Chelsea in PSG’s Champions League victory.

Thiago Silva netted the decisive goal in extra-time as 10-man PSG dumped Chelsea out of the competition on away goals after a 22 draw at Stamford Bridge, but Luiz’s leveller for 1-1 four minutes from normal time was just as crucial.

Luiz, who left Stamford Bridge in the summer for around £50m after spending three years in west London, followed Danny Welbeck’s lead from Monday night for Arsenal against Manchester United by celebrating a goal against his former employers.

“It was good for me to score,” said Luiz.

“I said before I wouldn’t celebrate, but it was so emotional – I couldn’t control myself.

Thank you to Chelsea because they support me a lot but also I’m sorry for celebrating.

“My cycle finished at Chelsea and I had a great opportunity from

Guardiola congratulat es Ba congratulates Bayyern B

AYERN Munich boss Pep Guardiola paid tribute to his side following their 7-0 Champions League demolition of Shakhtar Donetsk at the Allianz Arena.

After playing out a drab goalless draw in the first leg in Ukraine, Bayern made no mistake against a Shakhtar side reduced to 10 men in just the third minute.

Shaktar’s horrendous start saw Olexander Kucher sent off by Scottish referee Willie Collum for bringing down Mario Gotze in the penalty area.

Kucher’s dismissal is the fastest in the Champions League, beating the previous red card record of five minutes 52 seconds for Werder Bremen’s Valerien Ismael against Inter Milan in

September 2004.

Thomas Muller netted with the spot-kick and he later added a second goal with Jerome B o a t e n g , Franck Ribery, H o l g e r B a d s t u b e r, R o b e r t Lewandowski and Gotze also on target for the German champions.

“We’re very happy, it’s a w e l l deserved victory,” said Guardiola. “ T h e p l a y e r s p l a y e d superbly. Of course, some will say it was easier for us playing 11 against 10 but it’s not true.

“We also played for 25 minutes with one man down in Ukraine. We saw from the off that the team was up for it. We dominated the entire game and I only have to congratulate the team.”

Shakhtar coach Mircea Lucescu admitted his side had come up short on all

•Guardiola

fronts after Kucher’s dismissal. “ I think the red card was unfair.

From then on we couldn’t play our game as planned. We lost out in all areas.

They were stronger all round,” he said.

“The match was over for us after 3-0. I’m sad that the score was so high.”

PSG. “They gave me a great opportunity to try and continue my career. I was very happy at Chelsea but the cycle finished. I respect everyone here.”

The Ligue 1 champions made light of having Zlatan Ibrahimovic sent off in the first half, and falling behind twice in the game, as they overpowered the current Premier League leaders.

Luiz hailed the spirit of his team-mates and called it an “amazing” achievement for French football.

•Luiz

Ibrahimovic red card won’t be overturned, say UEF A UEFA HERE is “no T chance” Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s red card

against Chelsea will be overturned, UEFA have confirmed to Sky Sports News HQ. The PSG forward was sent off for a challenge on Oscar in the first half of his side’s Champions League clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night.

Laurent Blanc’s men went on to secure a 2-2 draw after extra time and progress to the quarterfinals on away goals despite spending 90 minutes a man short.

Ibrahimovic slammed referee Bjorn Kuipers’ decision and criticised the Chelsea players for the reaction, saying it was like he had “a lot of babies” around him.

The Sweden international insists he pulled out of his challenge and believes Oscar may have feigned injury to ensure the referee reacted.

62 — Vanguard, FRIDAY FRIDAY,, MARCH 13, 2015

Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015 — 63

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Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2015

FIFA rankings: Eagles move one step up T

HE Super Eagles have moved one step up in the current FIFA rankings which

NFF budgets N524m for Canada 2015 •Expects N857m from sponsorship deals

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

T

HE Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation (NFF) has proposed a budget of N524 million naira, for the Super Falcons 2015 FIFA Women World Cup campaign in Canada later in the year.

According to the breakdown, the federation said it would spend N6.3m for return tickets for eight government officials, which includes a number of ministers, permanent secretaries, and members of the national assembly, while the sum of $68,000 would be paid as their Continues on Page 59

was released for the Month of March 2015.

The national team, still without a coach and who also missed the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in Equitorial Guinea were 42nd in the last rankings in February.

The senor national team have only been able to play two friendly games this year; one against Ivory Coast where they lost 0-1 to the current African champions, and the second to the Yemen national team, winning 2-0 in Dubai in January.

The Eagles who were the 2013 AFCON champions remain seventh in the African continent, queuing Continues on Page 59

Africa Top 10:

GOAL MACHINE: Super Falcons forward Desire Oparanozie (9) celebrates a goal with teammate. The Desire will lead Nigeria's charge at the FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada.

1 Algeria 2 Ivory Coast 3 Ghana 4 Tunisia 5 Senegal 6 Cap verde 7 Nigeria 8 Guina 9 DR Congo 10 Cameroon

•Musa

FIFA expels Zimbabwe from 2018 W/Cup FIFA has alerted Zimbabwe that it was expelled from the preliminary competition of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

The announcement was made yesterday and the expulsion comes at the back of the nonpayment of an outstanding debt by the Zimbabwean football association to coach Jose Claudinei Georgini.

Continues on Page 59

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Lofty (4)

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

4 Rotter (3) 6 Fuel (4) 9 Tease (3) 10 Assure (8) 11 Spoken (4) 14 Tune (3) 16 Employing (5) 19 Guarded (5) 21 Lukewarm (5) 23 Occupant (8) 24 Flashlight (5) 27 Guided (3) 31 Wise (4) 33 Example (8) 34 Beverage (3) 35 Assistance (4)

DOWN

2 Soon (4) 3 Adore (4) 4 Contemplate (5) 5 Intense (4) 6 Traverse (5) 7 Scull (3) 8 Anew (5) 12 Confess (5) 13 Bid (5) 14 Insect (3) 15 Repulse (5) 17 Bury (5) 18 Circumference (5) 20 Sick (8) 22 Performed (3) 25 Egg-shaped (5) 26 Inexpensive (5)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACR0SS: 1, Tissue 5, Gateau 8, Perverse 9, Room 10, Sty 12, Frame 15, Sad 17, Oil 18, Nip 19, Emu 20, Aloft 21, Ill 22, Nor 23, Eel 24, Dig 26, Eider 29, Lay 33, Once 34, Facility 35, Crater 36, Luxury.

DOWN: 2, Inept 3, Save 4, Error 5, Gleam 6, Term 7, Aroma 10, Spend 11, Young 12, Flare 13, Avoid 14, Enter 15, Spill 16, Delay 25, Inner 27, Infer 28, Excel 30, Actor 31, Pest 32, Flex.

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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