Gunmen kill 6 policemen, in Borno, Zamfara

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61622

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Gunmen kill six policemen, in Borno, Zamfara Fashola reverses order on eviction of doctors •P.7

•One soldier, three others also killed as IGP bans tinted glasses, illegal sirens

•Stories on Pgs.5&6

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 — 3

4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

Gunmen kill six policemen, three others

BY ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD, SAMINU IBRAHIM & NDAHI MARAMA

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ANO—SIX policemen were killed by gunmen weekend in separate incidents in Zamfara and Borno states while three other civilians were killed in Tukuntawa area of Kano Municipality. Four policemen who were members of the Joint Task Force, JTF in Zamfara State were reportedly killed yesterday by gunmen in Dansadau district in Maru Local Government Area of the state while two policemen were killed in Mafa town, headquarters of Mafa Local Government Council of Borno State.

Vanguard gathered that the four policemen killed in Zamfara comprised of inspectors and corporals. They were reportedly killed in a gun battle which lasted about two hours.

Two of the suspected gunmen were also reportedly killed during the exchange of fire.

A source told Vanguard that five other policemen were still missing and

frantic efforts were being made to locate them.

Fears that the policemen may have been captured by the gunmen became rife following reports that calls made to cell phones belonging to one of the policemen was reportedly answered by one of the gunmen and was later switched off.

The JTF patrol team was set up to track down notorious armed robbers along Dansadau axis of the state, who terrorise traders on their way to rural markets. The police lost four of its men recently to another suspected armed robbers who provided escort for businessmen going to Kano to transact business.

The state Police spokesperson, Sanusi Amiru, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP declined details, saying he was in a crucial meeting and could not comment.

Two killed in Borno In Borno State, the two policemen were killed when 20 men armed with sophisticated weapons stormed Mafa

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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O you see people skilled in their work? They will work for kings and not for ordinary people.

Proverb 22:29 (NCV). When you are diligent in your ways, you undoubtedly enjoy the following: • Blessings from God • A great name •A blessing to others Pursue after knowledge, develop your skill, seal it with hardwork, crown it with prayer and let favour go ahead of you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

“The more one does and sees and feels, the more one is able to do, and the more genuine may be one’s appreciation of fundamental things like home, and love, and understanding companionship.” -Amelia Earhart-

C

RAIG locks sums it up beautifully, that success means different things to every one of us.

Some people believe it is measured in financial terms - having wealth. Others believe it is helping others rather than helping themselves. A bit of both perhaps! Success is such a personal thing. To many people it is the very root of their being – the reason for existing is to achieve something worthwhile in our lives. To the vast majority of the population it doesn’t matter much whether they want to be successful or not; and that is alright too, as long as that is what you really want and you are happy with life. However, most people want and are motivated to a great extent by public recognition and a relentless pursuit of achievement. How many of these people are really happy? How many people are really doing what they want to with their lives?

The beauty of life is doing what you really love to do and still make a difference.

town Saturday night, firing several shots in the air, before they laid siege to the police station.

The gunmen were said to have driven into the area in three Volkswagen cars in the operation which lasted for an hour. The attackers were also said to have carried out the assault without any resistance as they overpowered all the policemen on duty and after killing two officers, other policemen took to their heels.

Spokesman of the state police command, Mr. Samuel Tizhe, while confirming the incident to newsmen yesterday said “ yes it is true that at about 9.00pm on Saturday some unknown gunmen attacked the Mafa police station and killed two of our men”.

According to Mr Tizhe, the gunmen also attempted to take away arms and ammunition without success as they were chased away by the officers on duty who had engaged the attackers in a gun duel.

The spokesman explained that during the confrontation, the security operatives chased away the hoodlums and escaped with gunshot injuries.

He, however, explained that police had later trailed the suspects to a nearby village and that 13 of them were apprehended.

In Kano, gunmen stormed a relaxation spot in Tukuntawa area of Kano and killed three people.

A witness told Vanguard that the gunmen had arrived on a motorbike and opened fire on people playing cards at the spot, adding that “the spot is a hub for meetings among friends on weekends.”

The eyewitness told Vanguard that the sporadic shooting that lasted five minutes left several people wounded while residents were forced to quickly lock up their shops and houses.

Members of the JTF however arrived later to bring sanity to the area as they cordoned off the entire Tukuntawa neighbourhood.

JTF spokesperson in Kano, Lt Ikediche Iweha while confirming the incident, failed to give

the casualty figure. He said: “Our men are still on ground and you guys have to wait till the operation is over to enable us say what happened”.

On his part, the police image maker, ASP Magaji Musa Majia also said “ we don’t have details at the moment because counter terrorism personnel are on ground.”

Terrorism: IGP bans illegal use of tinted glasses, sirens, others

BY KINGSLEY OMONOBI

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B U J A — FOLLOWING intelligence reports that terrorist groups and gunmen, who have been killing innocent people and destroying property across the country use tinted glasses, Police spy number plates and sirens to deceive both security personnel and unsuspecting members of the public, Inspector General of Police, MD Abubakar has ordered a ban on indiscriminate use of these security items.

In a statement signed

by Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba, the IGP said the ban on the indiscriminate use of siren, revolving lights, tinted glasses and Police Supernumerary (SPY) number plates by unauthorized person or persons on public highways across the country takes immediate effect.

Criminals hide under official privileges According to the statement, “this order has become imperative in view of recent security reports that indicate that suspected criminals now hide under the cover of official privileges and courtesies associated with the use of sirens, revolving lights and Supernumerary (SPY Police) plate numbers to commit crimes and beat Police and other security checks, thereby evading arrest and prosecution.

“In view of the negative security consequences

associated with such u n r e s t r a i n e d infringement of relevant laws associated with the use of sirens, revolving lights, tinted glasses and SPY numbers; the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and C o m m a n d Commissioners of Police to ensure that all violators of the laws within their jurisdictions are arrested and brought to book”, he added.

Continuing the Police boss said: “We wish to state clearly, that the Nigeria Police Force can no longer fold its arms and allow few Nigerians turn our highways into dangerous and lawless theatre – harassing, intimidating and endangering the lives and property of other road users through the reckless and indiscriminate use of sirens.

“In the same vein, members of the public are reminded that SPY plate numbers are only to be used on operational vehicles of banks and companies so assigned to, and cannot be used by private persons (VIPs and executives of corporate organizations inclusive) under any guise whatsoever.

“Citizens are therefore advised to immediately dismantle/remove from their vehicles, all unlawfully procured revolving lights, sirens, tinted glasses and SPY plate numbers as Police officers nationwide have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of all extant laws regulating their usage.

“In addition, the Police High Command wishes to advise owners of

vehicles, motorcycles and tricycles plying the nation's roads and highways without plate numbers to take urgent steps and register such a u t o m o b i l e s immediately.

“Citizens are reminded that it is unlawful to operate automobiles on our highways without registration. Person (s) found violating this very important traffic rule will be dealt with in accordance with the law”.

Concluding, it said: “The IGP wishes to reassure the public of the commitment of the Force to the provision of round-the-clock security for the teeming citizens of the country. In the same vein, citizens are reminded of their civic responsibility of obedience to all laws of the State and thus advised to conduct their daily interactions and businesses within the confines of the law.

“Citizens are further enjoined to continue to support and assist the Police in its constitutional task of safeguarding the nation”.

Mr & Mrs

6—VANGUARD, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Jonathan re-assures Nigerians of dividends of democracy

BY UMAR YUSUF.

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From right: Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State (right) presenting a letter of condolence to Prof. Rahman Bello, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, University of Lagos and Professor Jide Alo, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics and Research during a condolence visit by the governor to the late Vice Chancellor Adetokunbo Sofoluwe's family, yesterday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele.

Jonathan, academic community mourn late UNILAG VC, Shofoluwe

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

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AGOS — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has joined the academic community in paying glowing tribute to the late Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Professor Adetokunbo Babatunde Sofoluwe who died, Saturday.

The President in a condolence message signed by his Special Adviser (Media & Publicity), Mr Reuben Abati, described the late Professor Sofoluwe as “an accomplished and renowned academic,” commended his remarkable achievements in the field of computer science in particular and sciences in general.

Jonathan also lauded the administrative acumen of the late 12th Vice-Chancellor of the university, especially the reforms he introduced in the area of Information Technology.

While the President expressed hope that his successors would build on the worthy legacies bequeathed by Sofoluwe, he regreted that his expertise would be greatly missed especially at this time that university administrators are faced with the daunting challenge of making the nation’s universities true citadels of learning and incubators of developmental ideas in order to make them globally competitive.

In his condolence message, the Vice Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), Prof. John Obafunwa described Sofoluwe as “a fine gentleman, very simple, brilliant

and a good administrator, loved by friends, professorial colleagues, teaching and non-teaching staff and students.”

Also, Prof. Olu Akeusola, Provost, Michael Otedola College of Primary Education (MOCPED), NoforijaEpe, in his tribute, yesterday, described Sofoluwe’s death as a big loss to the academic community.

He noted that “his exit is a pointer to us that it’s not how long you stay on earth, but the good things you did while on earth that will

make people talk well of you. Jesus Christ never lived for more than 33 years, but the World still talk of him even 2012 years after.”

He expressed gratitude to God that Sofoluwe is leaving a very good name and legacy behind.

On his part, Professor Ralph Akinfeleye, Head, Department of Mass Communication, UNILAG described the death of Sofoluwe as a devastating and a monumental loss not only to the university com-

munity, but to the academic World in general.

His words: “Sofoluwe was a very nice man, focussed, humble, transparent and easy going. He was a good administrator who used his expertise in computer engineering to transform UNILAG into a citadel of elearning. Our results through him became accessible online.”

Prof.

Adetokunbo Sofoluwe died at the age 62, at about 1.00am, Saturday.

He died of a heart attack he suffered at a meeting on campus, Friday night.

Current leaders have failed our founding fathers —Kukah, Sanusi

BY TAYE OBATERU

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OS — IT was all knocks again for the country’s current crop of leaders for failing to sustain the dreams of the founding fathers of Nigeria, in Jos yesterday with a call on them to change their attitude in the interest of the country.

Most speakers at the oneyear memorial service for former member of the Oputa Panel, Ngo Elizabeth Pam, at St. Luke’s Cathedral Church, Jos were agreed that the leaders must turn a new leaf for things to get better in the country.

Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Malam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said “all of us who are in position of leadership need to ask ourselves where we have failed and take practical steps to redress it so as to build a strong and virile country.”

Noting that the current leaders have failed to sustain the legacies bequeathed to them by previous leaders, Sanusi wondered why this was so, adding: “It is for those of us who inherited office from them to ask ourselves where we have failed and retrace our steps by going back to doing the same kind of things they were doing.”

Sanusi who described the late mother of the Chief Medical Director of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), Dr. Ishaya Pam as a friend of his uncle, the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, decried the exploitation of religious and ethnic sentiments by some leaders.

“Jesus Christ is one of the greatest Prophets in Islam; we (Muslims) honour and adore Him. I attended a Catholic School and was a choir boy in King’s College, so for me, we are one peo-

ple. Whether Muslim or Christian, we worship the same God”, he said.

Also speaking, Catholic Bishop of Sokoto, Most Rev. Matthew Kukah said the nation’s founding fathers did not envisage the current situation the country has found itself and advised leaders to have a rethink on the state of affairs.

According to him, “they are already gone but there is still so many lessons for us to learn because this is not the kind of country that people like Elizabeth Pam had dreamt about.”

In a sermon, Bishop Benjamin Kwashi of the Jos Anglican Diocese who also lamented the attitude of the country’s leaders noted that the late Mrs. Pam touched many lives. He said the diversity of those at the memorial service which cuts across class, ethnicity or religion was a testimony to this.

OLA— PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has re-assured Nigerians that his administration will continue to deliver the dividends of democracy and good governance to ensure longer lasting democracy in the country.

Towards this end, the president stated that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, government at the federal, states, and local governments are poised more than before to touch the lives of Nigerians through programmes and policies that had direct bearing on the people.

Jonathan gave the assurance, weekend, in MayoKalaye, in Jada Local Government Area of Adamawa State at a grand reception in honour of PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur.

Represented at the occasion by Vice President Namadi Sambo, the president said all the three tiers of government in the federation had been directed to ensure full implementation of the campaign promises of the party.

He expressed regret that the power generation had

remained the bane of the country’s quest for industrial takeoff, but added that 10 new power plants were currently under construction across the country.

According to the President, most of the power plants had been completed awaiting commissioning while others are at completion stages.

Jonathan also disclosed that plans had been concluded for the construction of the Mambilla Plateau and Zungeru power plants that would generate 703,000 megawatts of electricity respectively.

Tukur announced that the party would undergo thorough restructuring for equity and transparency and enjoined all those who have left the party to come back.

He pledged to render selfless services to the government and people, noting that the task ahead could only be accomplished through collaborations of the stakeholders.

Governor Murtala Nyako expressed confidence on the ability of Tukur to take the PDP to its highest peak in view of his administrative track records and international connections.

Gunmen kill soldier in Kaduna

BY LUKA BINNIYAT

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ADUNA—A GUN duel between soldiers and a group of gunmen, weekend, in Rigassa area of Kaduna Stata has left one soldier and a member of the gunmen dead According to the spokesman of 1 Division, Nigerian Army, Kaduna. Col. Sani Kukasheku Usman, the incident happened last Saturday at about 9 pm.

Said Usman: “Some armed men sprang a surprise attack on our troops at a checkpoint in Rigassa last Saturday evening. After repelling the attackers in a fierce exchange of fire, our fire power and gallantry overwhelmed them. One of our soldiers was shot dead.

But we also killed one of them and wounded several others. We are still on their trail, as we are collecting useful information from the populace.”

It would be recalled that last Friday night, unknown

gunmen in the area also killed one of the traditional rulers and a policeman.

This has brought to 10 the number of those killed in two months, by gunmen in the area, which is dominated by the Hausa.

At press time, thousands of residents in Rigasa were on self imposed curfew for fear of possible attacks from the group.

Meanwhile, no fewer than 90 suspects have been arrested in various locations in Zaria in connection with the kidnap of a Lebanese after another Lebanese and a Nigerian were murdered in an operation which the Police said was armed robbery.

Kaduna State Police Spokesman, ASP Aminu Lawan said: “Just as we had promised, we have started our investigation into the murder of these foreigner and a Nigerian, and the abduction of a Lebanese last week. We have made several arrests.

VANGUARD, FRIDAY, MAY 14, 2012—7

NLC petitions Jonathan over plot to dismember it

BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

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OBASANJO IN ONDO: From left,Wife of Ondo State Governor, Mrs. Oluwakemi Mimiko; Governor Olusegun Mimiko; former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Osemawe of Ondo Kingdom, Oba Victor Kiladejo and his wife, Olayinka; when Obasanjo paid a private visit to the monarch, yesterday.

Eviction of Lagos doctors: Fashola issues counter order zAs ACN backs govt on sack

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE & CHIOMA OBINNA

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AGOS — GOVER NOR Babatunde Fashola has directed that none of the sacked Lagos doctors should be evicted from their quarters. The directive came on the heels of the ejection notice issued by the state Head of Service to the sacked doctors to vacate their quarters by last Friday.

Chief Medical Director of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Professor Adewale David Oke, who disclosed this to Vanguard, weekend, said even though the eviction notice was in line with civil service rules, the governor expressly maintained that the doctors should not be evicted from their quarters.

Oke who exonerated the state government from the purported forceful eviction argued that if the doctors vacated their quarters, they did so on their own decision.

He said: “Yes, there was an eviction order but the governor has given another directive which overrides the eviction notice. The doctors should not be evicted. We already bought some padlocks to lock up the place but we could not do it because of the governor’s order. If they are no longer in their quarters, then they left on

their own. We only locked up the Association of Resident Doctors’ lounge to avoid invasion of the place by intruders since there was nobody there.“ Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, denied involvement in the eviction notice, saying it was only a procedure in civil service.

He said: “Once you are dismissed, there are standard procedures for dismissal and that is what the government is following. Now, when you are dismissed, and if you feel aggrieved, you can appeal. And if you appeal, your appeal is part of the negotiation.”

Asked if the Lagos Tenancy Law would not be applied in the case, he said: “The letter says to hand over all government properties in your possession. I am not sure that government will be that hard to say leave government quarters. In the process of implementing, things like this may also happen. This government is not a wicked government.”

ACN backs govt on sack Meanwhile, the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has said the Lagos State government acted responsibly and in accordance with the state’s civil/ public service rules in

sacking the striking doctors in its employment.

In a statement in Lagos, yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also accused the petulant doctors of flouting industrial laws by declaring the strike that led to their sack without issuing the necessary notice to their employers.

It said they were also guilty of serious misconduct by refusing to answer the queries issued to them to explain their absence without leave from work, adding that the consequences of their action are clearly spelt out in the Civil Service Rules, and that no responsible employer will condone such egregious action from its employees.

He said: "We have waited this long to comment on this issue because we were studying all the details of the situation that led to the strike and the sack. Having concluded our painstaking investigation, we can say without equivocation that the government acted responsibly and in accordance with the necessary rules and regulations.

"Contrary to the misinformation being peddled by some mischievous individuals and groups, the strike that led to the doctors’ strike has nothing to do with their conditions of service, but is related to the desire of a group that

wants to continue to hold the government and the people to ransom through incessant strikes over every frivolous issue.

"It is on the basis of this totally new and unrealistic demands that the doctors gave a mere 24-hour notice to embark on a three-day warning strike, and gave no notice at all to embark on their now ill-fated indefinite strike, without worrying about the impact of ther action on the public. ‘’In order words, there is nothing altruistic about the doctors’ strike. It is all about them and them alone. They do not care whether or not the state government can meet overhead or development costs, or whether the hospitals where they work can even be adequately eqipped. What matters is for the ever-elastic demands of the seeminglyinsatiable doctors to be met once they are issued.

This is unrealistic and untenable, and the doctors must be told in clear terms,’’ ACN said.

The party said it is cheap and uncharitable for the PDP to try to cash in on a serious issue by using such term as ‘fascist’ to describe the doctors’ sack, and challenged the party to say how much the PDP states pay the doctors in their employ and how many doctors each of them has employed.

AGOS — THE Ni geria Labour Congress, NLC, has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan over alleged plot by some forces in the Presidency and National Assembly to break it (NLC) and render it powerless ahead of rumoured fuel hike.

According to NLC, the forces plan to register a pro-government labour centre in July, and warned that the plot against NLC would create avoidable labour and political crises in the country.

It will be recalled that in March 2012, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Bayelsa State and some other PDP senators brought a bill to the floor of the Senate to stop NLC from going on strike without obtaining permission from its different organs through the ballot.

However, because of stout opposition from some progressive Senators led by Senator Chris Ngige of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN,

from Anambra State, the Bill was stood down.

NLC's statement by its Acting General, Comrade Owei Lekemfa, entitled “President Jonathan must prevent labour and political crises” read in part: “NLC finds it quite necessary to draw President Goodluck Jonathan's attention to moves by functionaries of his administration to create avoidable labour and political crises in the country by seeking to break up the congress and impose a new regime of fuel price hikes on the country.

"These hawks in government who see the NLC as being too powerful and capable of checkmating undemocratic and unpatriotic moves by the political class, have come to the conclussion that the best way out is to engineer internal 'disagreements' in the NLC, and hiding under this guise, to register a new labour centre which they hope will support anti-people policies and cause distractions in the Labour movement. These government agents have even fixed July 2012 as the registration date of their proposed new labour centre."

MDAs: Senate monitors implementation of 2012 budget

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—CHAIR MAN, Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Ahmed Maccido, disclosed yesterday that the Senate has concluded arrangements to commence the monitoring of the executive over the implementation of the 2012 budget.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Maccido noted that the move was to ensure that there were no lapses in the implementation of the budget by the ministries, departments and agencies of government.

The Senator said unlike in the past, the National Assembly had now resolved to step up oversight of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) in order to monitor cash being released to them, adding that the National Assembly was empowered by the 1999 Constitution to do so.

According to him, “by

the provision of the constitution we have been given the right to supervise and to scrutinise.

The constitution has given us that right. We are going to ensure that we do it.

“We are going to ensure that issues like releases of funds to ministries, cash backing of those releases are done by the relevant ministries to the MDAs. So, whereby when we realise that a ministry had been given certain amount of money, there is no reason but to work with those monies. In the past, they used to collect the monies and not do the work. That was because of poor and ineffective oversight.

“I am sure if we carry out effective oversight on those MDAs, they will spend those monies judiciously. If they don’t we will cry out and tell the country this is what is happening to their money.”

C M Y K

8— Vanguard , MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Lagos lists benefits of doctors sack

BY SOLA OGUNDIPE & CHIOMA OBINNA

Babatope to Jonathan: Don't reinstate Justice Salami

THE Lagos zHe created PDP's problems, stole our victories I State Government has KEJA—

said the decision to lay off 788 doctors may yield more benefits in the long run as it has presented opportunity for the total restructuring the healthcare system.

Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, in an exclusive interview with Vanguard, said the government was working on the modalities aimed at reducing industrial disputes in the sector, ensure performance, and to get value for money.

Idris, who argued that the restructuring will bring about a new set of doctors, who will have a different view to health services delivery, added that the restructuring will ensure that doctors would be thinking along care and not only treatment.

He said: “We will now have doctors who will be thinking along care in terms of attitude, in terms of patient welfare and will at the same time be responsive.

...warns on drainage channels

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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KEJA—LAGOS State Government has threatened to prosecute anyone found to have erected building on drainage channels in the state.

The government also said it had rehabilitated and constructed over 200 drainages in the state as part of efforts to reduce flooding during the rainy season.

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr. Tunji Bello, who spoke on the activities of the ministry in the last one year, explained that the move became necessary to stop landowners, shopowners and traders, who often build on water channels, which obstructs free flow of storm water whenever there is heavy rain as well as serve as deterrent to others who might want to do same.

He said aside having such structures demolished, the government henceforth, would arrest and charge such persons to court for violating the state's environmental laws.

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

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ENIN—A member of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Board of Trustees and former Minister of Transport in

the late General Sani Abacha regime, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has advised President Goodluck Jonathan against the reinstatement of Justice Ayo Salami back to the Bench, saying “the

man is a bad example of what a proper judiciary should be.”

It will be recalled that the National Judicial Council, NJC, last week, wrote to President Jonathan to reinstate

From left, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on HIV/AIDS, Lagos State, Dr. Tokunbo Dabiri; participant from Omole Senior Grammar School, Miss Grace Oluwagbohun; President, Strategy of Mentoring Initiative and Leadership Empowerment, Mrs. Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins, and Director, Private Education and Special Programmes Department, Ministry of Education, Mrs. Sewanu Amosu, at a workshop on leadership and health mentoring programme for secondary schools in Lagos, weekend. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Justice Salami, who before his face-off with former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloysius Katsina-Alu, was the President of the Court of Appeal, back to the Bench after absolving him of the allegations against him.

Babatope, who addressed newsmen in Benin, Edo State, yesterday, accused Justice Salami of conniving with the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to steal electoral victories belonging to PDP in some states of the federation.

He said: “I read in the papers that some people said they should return Justice Salami. If Justice Salami is returned, I wish him the best of luck. The man knows I never like him because he created most of the problems we have in this country. That gentleman stole our victory, he can sue me to court, after all he knows my name.

“He stole our victory in Ibadan; he constituted

Panelists push for promotion of ethics, integrity in courts

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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KEJA—SPEAKERS at the media roundtable on promoting ethics and integrity at magistrate courts, weekend, stressed the need for the promotion of ethics and integrity in Nigerian courts, especially at the magistrate level.

The programme, organised by the SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, in Lagos, had Femi Falana, Olusola Akinbode, Babatunde Ogala and others as discussants.

Falana, in his contribution, said, Nigerians must be ready to protect the integrity of the courts as the last hope of the common man by testing the law through the court whenever their rights were abused.

He noted that the magistrate court as a court of first instance has so much to do in the dispensation of justice and the protection of the rule of law.

Speakers, who spoke on ethics and issue of

integrity at the magistrate court, said attention should be shifted to other courts, especially customary courts, which they say abuse the rights of litigants, who appear before them.

They decried the poor working conditions of magistrates across the country and called on the government at all levels and the Judicial Service Commission to provide a more conducive atmosphere for magistrates to function optimally.

Mr. Olusola Akinbode of the Centre for Human Rights and Empowerment, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, Executive Director, SERAP and Kirk Donahoe of the US Consulate, Lagos, former chairman of the law and human rights committee of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, all noted the need for magistrate courts to be corrupt-free to deliver quality judgments for the common masses, who appear before them.

Mumuni said the programme was to generate ideas and suggestions on how the

magistracy in Lagos State can be strengthened in the interest of better and

efficient delivery of justice system to the majority of Nigerians.

the panels that embarrassed PDP and he says he want to come back. If they return him, best of luck to whomever that returned him, but the man is a bad example of what a proper judiciary should be. So, those who are saying he should go back don’t know what they are saying.”

He insisted that PDP will never make the same mistake it made in Osun State or any state in the South-West by fighting itself, saying that the party would ensure that only the best would be fielded in subsequent elections. He added that there would be no recourse to ethnic chauvinism.

On alleged move by Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, to Islamise the state, Babatope said it was impossible.

He said: “I have never believed that any sensible person from that part of the country will surround himself with Islamic fundamentalists. This is why when people tell me that Aregbesola wants to Islamise the state, I laughed. It is not possible because you know in Yorubaland, Muslims and Christians live together, celebrate events and activities together. I am a son of a Methodist clergy and my own blood sister is married to a Muslim.

“So, if you are going promote a religious war, am I going to take cutlass to kill the children of my sister? It is difficult.”

NUJ seeks review of case on Bayo Ohu's murder

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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KEJA—LAGOS State Council of the National Union of Journalists, NUJ, said it was making efforts to ensure that the police revisited the case of the murdered The Guardian’s Assistant News Editor, Bayo Ohu, and ensure that those culpable were charged to court.

This came as the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution, DPP, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, said the state will study the case file and take a decision on whether to appeal the ruling of Justice Lateefa Okunnu, who discharged those accused of killing the journalist.

Justice Okunnu had discharged the three

persons, Dada Yemi Adesanya, Ganiu Sulemon and Idris Balogun charged for conspiracy and murder of Ohu on the ground that the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

Ruling on a no-case submission by the defence lawyer, Justice Okunnu held that no evidence was placed before the court to show that the defendants were at the scene of the alleged crime.

The court had observed that none of the police officers listed before the court as witnesses came to testify, adding “they abandoned the case and did not turn up.”

The court also held that there was no correlation between the evidence of Mr. Kashi Taiwo (PW1) and Mr. Bode Adetola,

(PW2) that the defendants were the persons who killed Ohu. Reacting to the ruling, Lagos State NUJ Chairman, Mr. Deji Elumoye, said: “We were surprised and disappointed by the judgment of the court.

Though, with the judge’s position, we cannot blame the court, the police did shoddy investigation; they did not do a a thorough job.

We have instructed our lawyers to work with the necessary government agencies to look through the case again.

“We will soon do a formal letter to that effect and ask for the review of the case. We will also get across to the state Commissioner of Police for a renewed investigation so that the court can retry the case.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—9

Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (left), administering drug on a baby and assisted by the Commissioner for Health, Mrs Temitope Ilori, at the flag-off of polio eradication programme in the state, at Railway Station area, Osogbo, weekend.

Robbers torment Ibadan residents

BY OLA AJAYI

I

BADAN—RESIDENTS of Mokola area of Ibadan now live in fear as a result of incessant robbery attacks on them.

Most of the attacks are carried out in the day or at night leaving their victims injured or wretched.

Though, there is a police station in the area, most of the attacks are carried out unhindered.

Many companies, supermarkets, law chambers in the area have been reportedly robbed without any arrest made.

Last Friday, some robbers attacked Anjolaoluwa Building at plot 8, block 15, opposite Celestial Bus-stop, Mokola, which houses Ibadan zonal office of Vanguard Media Limited for several hours without being challenged by the police in the area.

A resident in the area said he made several calls to the police and the anti-robbery squad tagged, ‘Operation Burst’ but no response came until the robbers had carried out the attack.

Though no one was injured during the attack, property worth over N10million was carted away by the rampaging robbers.

Vanguard gathered that when the police appeared much later after the first robbery attack, they left the scene thinking the robbers had gone. But, minutes later, the robbers came back to pack the remaining items from the Samsung office which they raided.

When Vanguard called the Police Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Okuwobi, on phone on the incident, her phone was switched off.

Fayemi, Oni trade words on Justice Salami's reinstatement z It's rantings of a defeated ant —Fayemi z It splashes mud on Nigeria — Oni

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO-EKITI— GOVERNOR Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State and his immediate predecessor, Mr. Segun Oni, have engaged in a war of words over the recommendation of the National Judicial Commission, NJC, that the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami, be reinstated.

While Fayemi described Oni as too desperate the former governor argued that Salami's

reinstatement does not impose any burden on him, rather splashes mud on Nigeria.

Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, in AdoEkiti, yesterday, described Oni as a man who was desperate to hammer Salami at all cost.

He said: “It did not come as a surprise that Mr Oni and his co-travellers in the do-or-die politics will come out to fault NJC’s decision recommending the reinstatement of the President of the Court of

Ondo govt alleges plot to distabilise state

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE—ONDO State Government, weekend, raised the alarm over alleged plans by an unnamed opposition party to sponsor violent attacks in the state, using hoodlums from neighbouring states, claiming that the said party had taken delivery of vests bearing Labour Party,LP, inscriptions to be used by their thugs.

According to Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, the government had uncovered plans by the opposition to step up its attacks against the ruling party as well as campaign of violence in the state, using an Akure-based radio station and a national newspaper.

The commissioner, in a statement in Akure, alleged that the opposition party had planned to continue

inciting the public against the government by circulating false information and antigovernment activities.

Akinmade claimed the “vests are to be worn by sponsored hoodlums whenever they are unleashing mayhem in the state to give the impression of a violent Labour Party.

“They claimed our supporters have been joining their party, but the truth came out last week when aspirants of the party who are already at each other’s neck accused one for false defection claims. ''This is the tradition in the party which they still intend to intensify as the October 20 election date draws near. They have sworn to capture Ondo State to enable them have unhindered access to the state’s treasury for personal gains but their plans will fail.”

Appeal, Justice Ayo Salami. ''It is in their nature to fault and attempt to cripple any positive step that is bound to move the country forward. ''In this particular case, their noise is nothing more than the rantings of a defeated ant. It is on record that this same decision of NJC they are criticising has been lauded by well-meaning Nigerians, credible organisations and institutions.''

Oni reacts However, Oni has declared that Salami's reinstatement does not impose any burden on him, stressing; “It rather splashes mud on Nigeria.”

Reacting through his Media aide, Mr. Lere Olayinka, Oni said he was happy that no one had accused himself and former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, of parading fake call logs or of lying against anybody.

He said: “If Hon. Justice Isa Ayo Salami is returned, what burden does that impose on me?

Absolutely none! Rather, it splashes mud on Nigeria. For Nigeria’s potential for greatness to be realised, truth must count, truth must attract a reasonable value and truth must be respected.

I am, therefore, very happy that no one has yet accused Oni and/or Oyinlola of parading fake call logs or of lying against anybody.”

Aregbesola urges prayers over nation's ills

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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SOGBO—OSUN State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has urged religious leaders in the country to intensify prayers for Nigeria to save it from corruption, violence and other vices.

Aregbesola, who spoke, weekend, during the second session of the 13th Synod of Ilesa Diocese of Anglican Communion, at Christ Anglican Church, Erin-Ijesa, in Oriade Local Government Council Area of the state, said government and the security agencies appeared to have been overwhelmed by these problems.

He said: “There is a raging spiritual war for the soul of the nation between the forces of good and evil. Therefore, we need prayers of the faithful to save our nation and survive.

“Mind-boggling and unimaginable corruption, violence and slaughtering of people have now become the order of the day. The money that we did not know ever existed in our country are now reportedly missing. When you hear what happens in our country now, you just wonder how that is possible. There are things that nobody ever thought could happen, but it is happening. Government and the security appeared to have been overwhelmed by these problems. Locally, that is, in our state, there are some elements who are hell bent in putting this state into chaos in their desperate fight for power.

We must pray that God will put the enemies to shame, frustrate their plots and that they will fall into the hole they have dug for others.”

Ajimobi, Mimiko, Aregbesola mourn Dele Ige

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BADAN —GOVENOR Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has described the death of Sir Oladele Ige, younger brother to the late former Attorney– General and governor of old Oyo State, Chief Bola Ige, as devastating.

Ige, an Ibadan-based lawyer and contractor, died Saturday afternoon in Ibadan at the age of 82.

According to reports, he slumped when he stood to make a speech at his nephew’s birthday party and though he was rushed to the hospital, he never recovered.

The governor, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said: “It is with a rude shock that I received the death of Chief Dele Ige, the brother to our revered uncle, the late Chief Bola Ige. ''He was a highly principled person who held tightly to his belief.

It is on records that although he didn’t share the same political ideology with his late brother, he, however, shared some of his ideals which bound them together as biological brothers and members of the same family. He will be sorely missed.”

Relatedly, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State, yesterday,

expressed sadness at the death of Ige. Aregbesola, in a condolence message, said Ige distinguished himself as an astute businessman and community leader.

The statement noted, “I was sad to learn yesterday of the demise of a truly distinguished son of the Osun State, Sir Dele Ige. He hailed from an illustrious family of EsaOke. “Understandably, references to him would include the fact he was the junior brother of the Chief Bola Ige, our leader and former AttorneyGeneral of the Federation who was governor of old Oyo State from 1979 to 1983.

“The truth, of course, is that, Ige distinguished himself as an illustrious son of Esa-Oke and Nigeria long before his brother became governor.

Sir Ige was a very hard working man. He was a brilliant lawyer, successful businessman and popular politician.”

Recalling Ige’s political exploits in the First Republic, Aregbesola said, “In the 60s, Sir Dele Ige’s personal popularity, acclaimed generosity, community involvement, political skills and grassroots appeal were pivotal to the phenomenal success of the Action Group in rural districts of Ijesaland.

C M Y K

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Youth leader faults Orubebe on devt in Itsekiriland

BY DANIEL GUMM

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VISIT: From left: Director of National Lottery Authority, Ghana, Mr. Kojo Graham; Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Taxation and Revenue, Mr. Bola Sodipo and Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Lotteries Board, Mr. Lanre Gbajabiamila, during the visit by the National Lottery Authority, Ghana, to the Special Adviser, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Windstorm kills four, injures 20 in Cross River

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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ALABAR—NO fewer than four persons are feared dead, while over 20 others sustained various degrees of injuries in windstorms that ravaged communities in some local government areas of Cross River State in the last one week.

Meanwhile, fire has gutted a one storey building housing Saint Benedict’s Cathedral, Ogoja, where the Cathedral Administrator, Rev. Fr. George Cholpa and other priests working at the cathedral live and property worth millions of naira lost to the inferno.

A similar incident destroyed about 40 houses and displaced over 500 persons in Mbarakom, Akamkpa Local Government Area of the state, a few weeks ago. A 10year-old girl, Miss Bless-

ing Ekong, also sustained spinal cord injury in the storm.

It was gathered that three of the windstorm victims died when tree trunks and walls of residential buildings fell on them while the fourth was killed by lightening.

The injured are being treated in both orthodox and traditional hospitals but one with a fractured skull was referred to a specialist hospital in Enugu for surgery.

Narrating his experi-

ence, Mr. Samuel Edom, a brother to a 60-year-old deceased, Mr. Ekam Ekpishoko, from EgojaNdim in Ogoja Local Government Area, said residents of the community scampered for safety when the cloud of rain enveloped the community.

Edom said: “The rain came down few minutes later in an unprecedented manner amidst windstorm that appeared ready to bring down the entire community. My

Plot to discredit Jonathan over insecurity'll fail—First Lady

BY SAMUEL OYADONGHA

Y

ENAGOA—WIFE of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan, has said that plot to discredit President Goodluck Jonathan over the

security situation in the country will fail.

She said though it was becoming clearer that the insecurity caused by the rising bomb attacks and other attacks may be sponsored, the mission of those involved will not

Doctor remanded over N13m fraud

BY BARTHOLOMEW MADUKWE

A

MEDICAL doctor, Isaac Longe, has been remanded in Okere Prison, Warri, Delta State, for defrauding one Jephtah Okoro, Managing Director, Kebbi International Limited of N13 million.

Counsel to the complainant, Mr G. Agbama, had earlier petitioned against the accused to the

brother was in his room with his family while I was in mine in the same building when suddenly I heard a loud sound of a tree falling and our home came crumbling.”

He said a 22 feet tall historic tree, which stood about 20 metres from the house, was uprooted by the storm and in the process of falling, crushed other nearby smaller trees including palm trees and mango trees, bringing down surrounding houses.

Area Commander Warri, Delta State.

The doctor who was docked before the Warri Magistrate Court, was said to have committed the offence along with two others between September 9 and 11, 2011, in Warri, using his company “Covenants Child Multi-links Company Limited” with offices in Ibadan Oyo State and Warri.

Trial Magistrate, Mr. E.

Odjugo, ordered the remand of the doctor in prison, while the advice of Director of Public Prosecution, DPP was awaited.

Longe and his colleagues were alleged to have obtained the N13 million under the false pretence that they had a sand dredging contract of 10 million cubic metres of sand with Julius Berger Company Nigeria Limited.

work because the President is a man with good heart, who was voted into office by a majority of Nigerians.

Mrs. Jonathan, who, weekend, led the Speakers of Delta, Rivers and Akwa Ibom State Houses of Assembly to the Kingdom of Grace Mission in Yenagoa, in honour of the Bayelsa Speaker, said “My husband is a man of peace. The crises in the country are being handled and it is of great concern to the President. Those involved in these acts should know that the President did not put himself in power and all they are doing to disrupt and derail the peaceful co-existence of the country will fail.”

ARRI—THE It sekiri ethnic nationality has described the recent media report on infrastructural development in Itsekiriland by Elder Godsday Orubebe, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, as a “face-saving device.”

National President of Itsekiri National Youths Council, INYC, Mr. David Tonwe, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said: “Elder Orubebe has used his office against the Itsekiri people in a manner that depicts a situation whereby the bloody inter-ethnic crises between the Ijaw and Itsekiri in Delta State between 1997 and 2004 had shifted to Abuja, where Ijaw political officers are now fully in charge.”

He said the Minister was on a vendetta mission against the Itsekiri people and had made no pretence about it since President Goodluck Jonathan replaced Chief Uffot Ekaette with him (Orubebe) as the boss of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

Tonwe said since then, Orubebe and his tribes-

men at the federal level have made no pretence in creating the impression and misleading the Nigerian populace and international community that the Niger Delta region is synonymous with their Ijaw.

He said during the presidency of late Umaru Yar ’Adua, with Chief Ekaette as the senior Minister in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs, “40 housing units were earmarked for the crises ravaged areas in Warri and environs in 2009.

Guided by the principle of equity and fairness, Chief Ekaette assigned 20 to Ijaw and 20 to the Itsekiri, respectively. For the 20 allotted to the Itsekiri, the Warri Monarch directed that they should be built in OdeItsekiri in Warri South and immediately provided enough land.

“On the assumption of office, Chief Orubebe immediately cancelled the share allotted to the Itsekiri and added same to the 20 already allotted to the Ijaw with the excuse that the Itsekiri was to be considered in the second phrase. The said ‘second phrase’ has since then remained amirage."

10 Fulani robbers arrested magazines and 30 in Delta rounds of live ammuniBY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—MEN of the Delta State Police Command have arrested 10 Fulani robbers.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Muka, who confirmed the arrest, said: “10 Fulani suspected robbers were arrested on April 10, this month at 12.30am.”

He said that Mobile Police officers on patrol intercepted them on Oghara/Koko Road and on searching them, “recovered AK 47 rifles, two

tion. The suspects had confessed to robbing in Oghara and environs.

They will be charged to court soon after investigation was concluded.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—11

NUJ election: S-South journalists endorse Garba

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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INSPECTION: Mr. Fukekeme Solomon, Delta State Commissioner for Works (middle) and officialsof his ministry during the inspection of a drainage work at Asaba. Photo: Nath Onojake.

Edo to immortalise journalists killed in auto crash

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—EDO State Government has concluded plans to build an edifice, which will be called “Democracy House” and have the names of the three journalists who died in an auto crash involving the convoy of the state governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole on it.

The three journalists are Olatunji Jacob of Independent Television, ITV; Fidelis Okhani of African Independent Television, AIT and George Okosun also of Independent Television, ITV. Oshiomhole made the disclosure in Benin City, at the lying-in-state of the Independent Television Cameraman, George Okosun, at the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Press Centre, yesterday.

The two ITV journalists who died in the auto crash were buried, weekend amidst tears.

The ITV reporter, Jacobs, was laid to rest at Oloma, in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area, while the cameraman, Okosun, was buried at Ivue-Uromi, Esan NorthEast Local Government Area of the state.

As a mark of appreciation for his contributions to the development of the state and for upholding the right to know and to be informed, Governor Oshiomhole said the Oloma Primary School will be rebuilt to the same standard with others in the state this year.

He said: “To ensure that the three children he left behind attend school to university level, the

sum of N5 million will be deposited in a bank account for each of them while the sum of N5 million will be given to the widow for the upkeep of the children.”

He added that the state government will stand by the children, as they will attend schools of their choice.

Oshiomhole described the late George Okosun, as the best cameraman in the Government House Press Corps in view of his passion and sense of news coverage.

He said: “We are yet to understand why the driver of the tipper truck left his lane and crashed into the convoy which led to

Group protests govt move to acquire Ogoni land for farm project

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HAR COURT—Ogoni Solidarity Front, OSF, a civil society group in Riv-

ers State, has vowed to resist move by the state government to acquire parts of Ogini land for its banana plantation.

The group, during a protest march, weekend, in

Insecurity: Delta monarch makes case ence of the military Joint for poverty alleviation Task Force, JTF, was

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—WOR RIED by the spate of insecurity in Nigeria, the Ovie of Ogor Kingdom, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, HRM Onajite Adjara III, weekend, urged stakeholders to address the problems of unemployment, poverty and decline in moral val-

the death of the three journalists. We are waiting for the police to unravel the ugly development.”

He added that to assist the family of the late George Okosun, the sum of N10 million will be paid into a bank account by the state government for the education of his only son and the wife will be given N5 million while the aged parents will get N3 million.

Fidelis Okhani, the third journalist with AIT, who also died in the crash had earlier been laid to rest in his home town, Iviukwe, Etsako East Local Government Area.

ues pervading the country.

The monarch, who spoke during his 25th coronation anniversary, insisted that unless practical steps were taken to address the problems of unemployment and decline in moral values, the challenges of security and development plaguing the country would continue to defy solution.

Noting that the pres-

helping to restore order to the area, he solicited support for activities of community based vigilante groups from the state and local government councils to guarantee enduring peace and security.

Urging the government to see the traditional institution as partner to the state, Adjara III said traditional institutions had undergone a lot of transformation.

Port Harcourt, alongside Social Action, another civil rights group, said the move by the state government would displace about 30,000 families in the affected communities.

Mr. Celestine Akpbari, who spoke to newsmen during the protest, described the plan by the state government to acquire their land for its farm project as an infringement on the rights of the affected land owners.

He said: “Ogoni Solidarity Forum, Social Action and land owners, urge the Ministry of Agriculture and Rivers State Government to urgently cease all ongoing survey, plant destruction, intrusions into private farmlands as well as the impending seizure of the said farmland in Tai and Khana Local Government Areas of the state.

A L A B A R — AHEAD of the triennial delegates conference of the Nigeria Union of Journalist, NUJ, slated for Abuja this month, journalists in the South-South geo-political zone of the country have endorsed the second term ambition of the National President of the union, Alhaji Mohammed Garba.

The endorsement was part of the resolution of Chairmen and Secretaries of NUJ, Zone ‘F’ which comprises Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Edo and Rivers States Councils after its meeting in Calabar, Cross River State, yesterday.

Chairmen and Secretaries in the zone in the resolution, said the NUJ President had performed excellently well to merit a second term and had made commitments towards the welfare of journalism practitioners in his first tenure.

They said: “We note and commend the achievements of the National President in the past three years with specific reference to the acquisition of an expansive permanent site for the building of the NUJ national secretariat at Abuja, insurance scheme for journalists, and 22 percent weighting/hardship allowance for media practitioners.

“We unanimously support and endorse the NUJ President for reelection based on his appreciable performance and urge all delegates in NUJ Zone ‘F’ and indeed our sister zones across the country, to encourage his second tenure bid for the growth and stability of our great union.”

The zone in the confidence vote on Garba, explained that its endorsement was also necessitated through the revival of NUJ National Media Games, review of the union’s constitution and the successful advocacy for the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act.

Call for Kuku's sack: Count us out—Ex-militant leaders

BY EMMA ARUBI & AKPOKONA OMAFUAIRE

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ARRI—FORMER militant leaders and their over 6,166 boys under the Phase II, Amnesty Programme, have disassociated themselves from calls for the sack of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Matters, Mr. Kingsley Kuku.

The former militants in a statement by Kingsley Muturu, Austin Ogedegbe and Israel Akpodoro, weekend, in Kwale, Del-

ta State, said they had no problem with the Federal Government and the Amnesty Office, Abuja.

The ex-militants insisted that they had confidence in the administration of the Amnesty Office, adding that those who are causing problem in some parts of the Niger Delta, claiming that they had not received payment from the Amnesty Office were not part of the programme as the authentic members of Phase 11 are being paid the N65,000 approved by the Federal Government on monthly basis.

Group assures Oshiomhole of Edo Central votes

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GROUP, Con cerned Citizens for Good Governance in Nigeria, has assured Edo State governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomole, of more than 2,000 votes from Edo Central in the July 14 gubernatorial election in the state.

The group, in a statement by it patron, Mr. Francis Onabis, a presidential aspirant in the 2011 general election, said the group has since commenced rigorous campaign for the gover-

nor’s re-election after an assessment of projects carried out throughout the five Local Government Areas in Esanland.

He said: “Our people are set to turn out enmasse to vote for Oshiomole in order to ensure further transformation of the state and good governance.”

The group said projects carried out in Esanland

by Oshiomole's administration remain visible Landmark of good governance in the region.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Jonathan inaugurates agric transformation council today

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From left: Chaplain, Onitsha Prisons, Rev. Fr. Michael Ndive; Archbishop of Catholic Archdiocese of Onitsha, Most Rev. Valerian Okeke; Mrs Uchenna Onwuamaegbu-ugwu, Corps Member, and Deputy Comptroller of Prisons in-charge of Onitsha Prisons, Mr Anthony Ubaike, during dedication of psychology clinic built and donated by the corps member for rehabilitating and counseling of inmates at the Onitsha Prisons, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Obi assures on eradication of polio in Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—GOVERNOR Peter Obi of Anambra State weekend assured that Anambra State would continue to remain poliofree as his government was determined to keep tackling health challenges in the state.

Speaking during polio eradication campaign, Obi maintained that any society that neglected to take care of its children and youth would suffer the consequences in future.

The governor, who expressed happiness over the improvement in health indices of the state, including the recent accreditation of major health institutions, promised that he would not relent.

He also expressed satisfaction with the way Churches have managed funds made available to them for the running of hospitals and the schools handed over to them, adding that government had set aside N1.2 billion to be given to the Churches to rehabilitate the secondary schools handed over to them. This, he said, would translate to N20 million per secondary school.

Earlier in a broadcast, the governor commended the bodies collaborating with the government in the fight against polio.

His words: “We thank our partners, WHO, UNICEF, World Bank, Bill Gates,

DFID, USAID, Red Cross, Rotary International, National Primary Health Care Development Agency

and others for their contributions. We will continue to partner with them in our concerted effort to eradicate polio. Our

commitment to achieving the MDGs and making our people healthy and happy is total. Today, again, I wish to reaffirm our resolve”.

BA, IATA, educate travel agents

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RITISH Airways has advised travel agents in Nigeria to stay informed about developments in aviation, if they must be competitive and deliver value to their customers.

The airline’s Country Manager, Mr. Kola Olayinka, gave the advice at workshops organised, in collaboration with the International Air Transport Association, IATA, for travel agents in the country in Lagos and Abuja.

“Customers have a choice on which airline they fly with and in which class of cabin they travel. We recognize that travel agents play an important role in advising customers on how to get the best value, the benefits of upgrading to another cabin, what the most convenient routing may be, how much time to leave for transfers and myriad other aspects of a journey. But to be able to do this well, agents need to stay informed,” Olayinka said.

According to him, travel agents should update themselves on fare calculations, processing refunds, loyalty programmes for individuals and businesses and better working practices.

IATA’s Passenger and Cargo Manager for South

and West Africa, Ms. Laura Suwa, discussed bank

settlement plan (BSP) procedures.

Mimiko mourns Unilag VC

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NDO State Governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko has described the deaths of the departed Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Adetokunbo Sofoluwe as a tragedy.

In his condolence messages to “our nation on the death of this illustrious son and the family of these rare gems,” Dr Mimiko said losing Prof Shofoluwe at this time was too much a tragedy for a nation like “ours that need all her egg heads at this time to solve

the myriads of problems confronting her.”

Praying that God gives the nation and the family of the departed the fortitude to bear the losses, Governor Mimiko said the death of Prof Shofoluwe at this auspicious time in the life of the nation is unfortunate as they still have so much to offer, describing Prof.

Shofoluwe as an erudite scholar who has impacted so much in the lives of many.

RESIDENT Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, will today, inaugurate the Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council, ATIC, with the mandate to drive ATA-Nigeria along the value chains for purpose of achieving food security, employment generation, and other components of the agricultural policy.

The occasion will be chaired by President Jonathan, with the Vice President, Namadi Sambo as the alternate Chairman, while the Minister for Agric and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, will be the co-ordinator of the C o u n c i l .

The agricultural transformation agenda is

targeted at increasing efficiency and profitability along the value-added chains of 12 selected key agricultural commodities, namely: cotton, cocoa, cassava, oil-palm, maize, soya bean, onion, rice, livestock, fisheries, tomato and sorghum.

ATA-Nigeria would provide about 3.5 million new jobs to be created from rice, cassava, sorghum, cocoa and cotton value chains. Still many more jobs would be created from other future value chains activities, with over N300 billion of additional income in the hands of Nigerian farmers and rural entrepreneurs.

FG to distribute energy efficiency bulbs

BY TONY EDIKE

E

NUGU—THE Federal Government said weekend that it had concluded plans to distribute energy efficient bulbs that would replace the current inefficient ones in three weeks, as part of efforts to boost electricity supply.

This came as the government explained that the proposed electricity tariff increment would not be across board, adding that government was providing subsidy because it recognized that some people would not be able to pay.

Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji, who made this

known at the power summit held at Nike Lake Hotel, Enugu, said the energy efficient bulbs were better and more expensive than the current bulbs Nigerians were using.

He stated that the bulbs would help Nigerians save more than 80 percent of the electricity they use in their various homes.

He said: “Energy efficiency programme means that we are going to get bulbs, we give you Energy efficiency bulbs, we take your Energy inefficient bulbs and destroy the bulbs, the energy efficient bulbs are more expensive than your current bulbs but what it entails is that you will be saving more than 80 percent of your e l e c t r i c i t y .

LG poll: APGA chieftain defends Obi

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—A local government aspirant and chieftain of embattled All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, in Anambra State, Chief Jude Emecheta, has come in strong defense of Governor Peter Obi on the conduct of election into the third-tier of government in the state, saying the governor was not responsible for the continued delay.

Democratization of the third-tier of government in the state has, of recent, become a subject of heated debate, with some groups, including some chairmanship and councillorship aspirants,

giving the state government an ultimatum to conduct the election without further delay or be prepared for a showdown.

Speaking with newsmen weekend, Emecheta, who said he was aspiring for the chairmanship of Ekwusigo Local government, described the call by some leaders of APGA on the governor to conduct the election as campaign of calumny not in the best interest of the party.

According to him, those who have other issues to settle with the governor should approach him to discuss such matters instead of using the local government election as a reason to get at him.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—13

Abia gov's wife decries rise in HIV/AIDS in Nigeria

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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MUAHIA—WIFE of Abia State governor, Mrs. Mercy Odochi Orji, weekend decried rising cases of mother-to-child transmission of HIV/AIDS in the country, insisting that the next generation of infants must be saved from the deadly onslaught of HIV .

According to Mrs. Orji, available statistics showed that in 2009 alone, about 370, 000 children were born with HIV, while the number of children aged 0 – 17 who lost their parents due to HIV/AIDS stood at 16.6 million.

Mrs. Orji, who was pained by the situation, called on various governments and agencies

to do everything humanly possible to ensure that future children were save from the dreaded diseases.

She spoke when she led a two-day awareness campaign which climaxed in the launch of MAP 2.

The governor ’s wife urged pregnant women in the state to avail themselves of the services of prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the disease.

“I want to call on pregnant women in the state to assess the services of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV by going to the centres nearest to them for counseling, testing and treatment in order to deliver HIV negative baby and free the next generation from HIV,” Mrs. Orji charged them.

81,565 students sat for unity schools' exams — NECO

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

O MoU—From left: Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, NPHCDA, Dr. Ado J.G. Muhammad; Legal Adviser, NPHCDA, Dr. Patience Umor and Director General, National Orientation Agency, NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two agencies, in Abuja.

NNPC, Chevron, others donate chest clinic to Anambra

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—THE Agbami Group, comprising five multinational oil companies, has handed over to Anambra State government an ultramodern chest clinic built at the premises of the new Anambra State University Teaching Hospital, Awka.

Members of the group are Star Deepwater Petroleum Limited (a Chevron Company), Famfa Oil Limited, Statoil Nigeria Limited, Petroleo Brasileiro Nigeria Limited and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. Construction of the clinic,

which has state-of-the art equipment, was started seven months ago.

A representative of the group, Mr. Shola Adebalu, said credit should be given to Governor Peter Obi for the goodwill he enjoyed in Nigeria to attract the project to Anambra State .

According to him, the decision to build the health facility is part of the group’s social responsibility aimed at adding value to the lives of the people of the state.

He explained that in addition to the clinic, the group was also involved in awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases in many communities in the six geopolitical zone of the country.

Israel commences dry season farming in Niger State

BY VICTORIA OJEME

A

BUJA—THE Embassy of Israel has commenced dry season farming in Niger State, as part of activities to commemorate its 63rd Independence Anniversary.

The project is under the auspices of Nigeria-Israel Joint Agricultural Project, Irrigation is Life, aimed at promoting dry season agriculture.

A statement from the Israeli Embassy in Nigeria signed by the Media Officer, Mr Tony Obiechina, and made available to news-

men weekend, said the project was formally flagged off May 8, 2012, in Minna, Niger State, with the planting of the first set of seedlings by the state governor, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, and Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Moshe Ram. “Inaugurated in July last year, the humanitarian project which is sited on a 2.5 hectare land in Lapa1Gwari village, near the state capital, is a modern drip irrigation farming sponsored by the Embassy of Israel for the benefit of the host community to mark its 63rd Independence Anniversary".

INVESTITURE—From left: Mr Fatai Lawal, Chief Legal Officer, National Open University of Nigeria; Chief Cliff Ogbede, Chairman, Kleef & Vts Oil; Prof Vincent Tenebe, Vice Chancellor, National Open University of Nigeria; and Mrs Ogunmakin, Director Media and Information, National Open University of Nigeria at the Investiture/Socrates Award of European Business Assembly, EBA, in Montreux, Switzerland.

WERRI—A total of 81,565 candidates sat for this year’s National Common Entrance Examination into Federal Government Unity Colleges and Federal Science and Technical Colleges nationwide.

The Registrar, National Examinations Council, NECO, Prof Promise Nwachukwu Okpala, disclosed this weekend, after an unscheduled inspection of some examination centres in Owerri.

He said that Lagos State topped the list with 21,162 registered candidates, followed by Anambra State and Federal Capital Territory with 6,158 and 5,701 respectively.

While saying that Imo State registered only 2,970 candidates for the examination, Prof Okpala however revealed that the Yobe, Kebbi and Borno States kept the rear with 87, 241 and 287 candidates respectively.

Vision 2020: Minister harps on technological education

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— MINISTER of Education, Prof Ruqayyatu Ahmed Rufa’i, weekend declared that Nigeria’s quest to join the top 20 economies by year 2020 would be an illusion if she failed to lay a solid foundation for technological e d u c a t i o n .

The Minister stated this during the 12th convocation of Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Ebonyi State for 6,196 graduands of the i n s t i t u t i o n .

The Minister, who was represented by Alhaji Isa Suleiman, Director of Finance at the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, added that the country would depend on the polytechnics and other tertiary institutions to be able to

realize the envisaged goal.

Prof. Rufa’i observed that Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic had been fortunate in receiving priority attention from the Ministry of Education, noting that the institution was among the three s e l e c t e d for the special Tertiary Education Trust Fund, TETFUND, intervention.

“With three ICT centres, four bore-holes, administrative block ‘A’, ultra-modern library, medical complex, academic blocks, laboratory complexes, a variety of business units under the canopy of Poly-Unwana Consultancy Limited, (the latest being Poly-Unwana Micro-Finance Bank Ltd) among others, the

institution is indeed a citadel of learning,” she s a i d .

The graduation, spanning from 2009/2010, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 sessions, showed that 3, 756 students finished up in National Diploma (ND) programmes, while 2, 440 successfully completed the Higher National Diploma (HND) programmes.

....Ebonyi warns education ministry officials

BY PETER OKUTU

A

BAKALIKI— EBONYI State government, weekend, warned that any official of the Ministry of Education found guilty of collecting illegal fees from proprietors of substandard and illegal schools in the state would be decisively dealt with.

Commissioner of Education, Chibueze Ndubuisi Agbo, handed

down the warning during an inspection of schools in the state.

According to the commissioner, some of those found guilty of such impropriety had either been sanctioned or suspended from office, depending on the gravity of the offences they c o m m i t t e d .

He stated that the exercise was not meant to witchhunt any school proprietor but to

ensure a holistic sanitization of the sector which he claimed had been bastardized by selfish individuals only interested in what they could gain at the expense of the sector.

He noted that based on the findings of the Committee, no fewer than 300 schools might be closed down because of the substandard and illegal nature behind their establishment.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

FG takes immigrants' biometric data

BY VICTORIA OJEME

A

BUJA—AS part of measures to tighten internal security, Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, yesterday, disclosed plans to capture biometric data of every immigrant at point of entry into Nigeria.

Speaking when he received the Senate Committee on Interior at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja, the Minister also urged speedy passage of the Prisons Act, which will assist government in its efforts to decongest prisons.

On the rising tide of insecurity, Moro disclosed that biometric machines had been ordered to enhance the collation of biometric data of anyone coming into the country and going out.

He stated further that plans had reached advanced stage to establish 84 plazas with state-of-the-art equipment at the 84 regular routes into the country.

Lab scientists decry harassment by doctors, hospitals

BY VICTORIA OJEME & REGINA OTOKPA

A

B U J A — ASSOCIATION of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, weekend, lamented alleged impunity and incessant harassment against its members by hospital management as well as the Federal Ministry of Health.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, National President of the Association D r. Godswill Okara expressed displeasure over the relegation of laboratory scientists by medical practitioners in the country, who, he said, viewed them as subordinate appendages of medicine and surgery rather than as professionals who complement each other to achieve desired result.

He said healthcare practice was a multi-professional and multi-disciplinary service, adding, “it has grown beyond the training and competence of any single professional group. It is a team work involving many health care professions.”

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Reps summon Minister over Egypt's deportation of Nigerians z“We were locked up for 2 days without food, water”

BY BEN AGANDE

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BUJA—HOUSE of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs has summoned Mr. Gbenga Ashiru, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to appear before it tomorrow to explain

the circumstances leading to the detention and deportation of some Nigerians by the Egyptian authorities.

Chairman of the Committee, Nnenna Elendu-Ukeje (PDP-Abia), who disclosed this,

weekend, said the committee was disturbed by the shabby treatment meted to Nigerian citizens, especially by African countries.

According to her, the latest deportation of Nigerians by the Egyptian

authorities was another height of insult and indignation to Nigerians.

It would be recalled that three Nigerians with valid visas were denied entry into Cairo by the Egyptian authorities without reason.

Elendu-Ukeje said: “We

VISIT: From left— Prince Joachim Afolabi, Vice Chairman, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM; Mallam Aminu Annas, Ex-Officio; Lady Beatrice Oji, Chairman; Prof. Ben Angwe, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, NHRC; Mallam Bashir Tukur, Ex-Officio; Mrs. Beluchi Nwanisobi, Publicity Secretary; Mrs. C. Oko, Asst. Secretary; Mr. Sunday Essien, Financial Secretary, and Mallam Atose Gambo, CIPM, Northern Zone Manager, during a visit to NHRC, Abuja.

... probe President's SA on N/Delta Affairs over amnesty programme

BY EMMA OVUAKPORIE

A

BUJA—ITSEKIRI National Youth Council, INYC, has protested the non-inclusion of Itsekiri youths, who were involved in the militancy, in the post-amnesty programme.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives has mandated the Public Petitions Committee to commence an investigative hearing into the many allegations levelled against the Office of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on Niger Delta Affairs.

In a letter, made available to Vanguard, dated March 29, entitled Petition over the non-inclusion of formally armed Itsekiri youths who responded to the June 25, 2009 Federal Government of Nigeria, FGN, Amnesty Proclamation into the PostAmnesty Programme, the aggrieved Itsekiri youths asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, to urgently look into their noninclusion in the postamnesty programme.

The youths argued in the letter that the Itsekiri youths, who obeyed the Federal Government’s call for truce, were deliberately and wickedly excluded from the programme for no reason by the Office of the Special Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan on

Niger Delta Affairs.

Sequel to this development, the House in a plenary on Thursday, March 29, acknowledged the petition written by the President of INYC and subsequently mandated the House Committee on Public Petitions to institute

an investigative hearing into the allegations by the council.

In a letter dated May 8, addressed to the President of INYC, the committee asked him and other members to appear before it unfailingly on May 17.

Nigeria 2nd in global maternal deaths— NGO

BY VICTORIA OJEME & REGINA OTOKPA

A

BUJA—A Non Governmental Organisation, NGO, Save the Children, has revealed that Nigeria records the second highest number of maternal deaths in the world with number of preterm births recorded at 773,600 The Country Director of the group, Susan Grant, who disclosed this weekend in Abuja, during the unveiling of Mother’s Day and Born Too Soon report, stated that Nigeria recorded an alarming death rate of 144 women in a day, 10 deaths per minute, due to conditions related to childbirth and had the

greatest numbers of preterm births in the world due to population.

She attributed this situation to early childbirth, inaccessibility to healthcare, weak breastfeeding by mothers and early births of

children (pre-term) She said: “Nigeria’s maternal mortality rates means that 144 women die each day and one woman every 10 minute from conditions associated with childbirth. This is too much.”

are indeed worried about all these indignation and scorn Nigerians are subjected to all over the world, especially by her sister African nations, which calls for a review of our relationship with these countries.

“So we have invited the Minister of Foreign Affairs to a meeting on Tuesday to come and explain our relationship with these countries and why Nigerians are being subjected to ridicule all over the world.”

Elendu-Ukeje said it was high time the country put its act together and take its rightful position in Africa, which could only be done with Nigeria redefining her relationship with African nations.

She said: “The outcome of the meeting will shape our next line of action as a parliament in our foreign policy direction and relationship with these countries. We cannot allow these insults on our citizens and country to continue unabated.”

Victim's story

Recounting her ordeal, one of the victims, Sekinat Abiola, said they were denied entry and forced to return via Ethiopian airlines.

According to her, they were granted a valid three-month visa at the Egyptian Embassy, both in Lagos and Abuja, but intended to stay for only two weeks.

She said they left Nigeria on Sunday and were kept in a room till Tuesday “without food, water or bed to sleep.

“This is the second time they are doing this to us without the Nigeria government doing anything.”

FG begins 2nd phase of airports re-modelling

BY DANIEL ETEGHE

A

VIATION Minister, Princes Stella Oduah, has said the Federal Government would kickstart the second phase of the airports re-modelling project from June 1.

Oduah, who disclose this to newsmen in Abuja over the weekend, said the government was also

committed to reconstructing and transforming the airports to brand new ones.

She said: “What we are doing goes beyond remodelling of the airports.

We are actually doing restructuring and reconstructing of the airports. As you have seen, we are just starting to go round the airports.

“We are doubling the

sizes of those terminals and changing all the facilities and utilities within the airport. So, you can’t call that remodelling: it is restructuring and reconstructing.

“We want to ensure that passengers' safety and get value for their money. Most importantly, we want every Nigerian and stakeholders to be proud of our airports.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—15

Edo ACN accuses PDP of plans to ‘mutilate' voters' register

BY VICTOR AHIUMAYOUNG

E

DO State Chapter of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, has accused Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and some staff in the ICT unit of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, of plans to manipulate and mutilate the voters’ register with a view to rigging the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.

ACN claimed the plans were extensively discussed at a meeting presided over by a top PDP leader in Abuja, recently.

A statement by Thomas Okosun, State Chairman, ACN, said: “At the meeting, they resolved to

bring in thugs from neighbouring states to, among other things, register in some targeted units for two purposes: one, increase their votes given the fact that they don’t have supporters; secondly, and more dangerously, to register such thugs in units where they will be used to foment trouble during the election.

“At the said meeting, it was resolved by the Edo PDP to mutilate the voters’ register, joggle names of voters from one polling unit to another, cause confusion and delete original voters and replace them with their thugs.”

Consequent upon this, Edo ACN petitioned the

Chairman of INEC to draw his attention to the alleged plans of Edo PDP in collusion with the ICT unit of the INEC to give undue advantage to the PDP in the forthcoming elections.

He added: “We have discovered that the modalities and methodologies for the forthcoming registration exercise tend to raise more questions than answers.

“If the purpose of the exercise is intended to capture those who have attained the age of 18 since the last election of 2011, and given the projected population growth rate of three per cent, why embark on a full blown voters registration exercise?”

MINISTERS: From left— Pastor Enoch Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG (left), receiving a replica of the Ark of the Covenant from Grace Galindez-Gupana, Founder/President, Jerusalem Kingdom Halleluyah Foundation, Israel, at the church's northern zone ministers' conference at Kassa Redemption Camp, Plateau State, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

One killed as NURTW's factions clash in Lagos

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS—CRISIS broke out between factions of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, in Mile 12 area of Lagos, yesterday, leaving one person dead and several others injured.

Several motorists

reportedly had their vehicle windscreens shattered during the fight, which disrupted both human and vehicular movements from Owode to Ketu on the Ikorodu expressway.

It was gathered that trouble started following disagreement over the collection of toll by a faction

of the union at a particular bus-stop, which met stiff resistance from youths suspected to be from Owode-Orile area.

The disagreement was said to have degenerated into a free-for-all where dangerous weapons, such as broken bottles, cutlasses and axes, were freely used.

In the process, a man simply identified as Are was reportedly hacked to death.

Policemen arrived and fired tear gas to disperse the warring youths and stop the fight from spreading to other parks.

No one was arrested, as the warring factions took to

their heels on sighting the policemen.

Spokesman for the Lagos State Police Command, Mr. Joseph Jaiyeoba, when

contacted, confirmed the violence but could not say whether there were casualties. He said he was yet to get details of the incidence.

2015: It would be an honour to serve— Babangida

BY WOLE MOSADOMI

M

I N N A — MOHAMMED Babangida, first son of the former military President General Ibrahim Babangida, is set to join the governorship race of Niger State come 2015.

Speaking to newsmen, weekend, in Minna, Niger State capital, at a two-day sensitisation workshop organised by National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, NorthCentral, Mohammed said it would be a great

honour if he was called to serve his community.

Mohammed said: “There is only one 2015 and I think they are all milestones in the journey of life. But for me, generally, it is an honour for my name to even come up in any forum that I can contribute positively to the development of my community, my state and the country. I would gladly do so.

“Right now, I have not taken any decision as I am just going with the flow to see where it takes us.”

War against river blindness not over— Danjuma

BY TAYE OBATERU

J

OS—FORMER Defence Minister, Lt.General Theophillus Danjuma has called for concerted effort to eradicate river blindness in the country, saying the war was far from over.

He made the call at the commissioning of a centre owned by the Mission to Save the Helpless, MITOSATH, a Jos-based non-governmental organisation, insisting that

any premature end to the fight would be costly.

He said he got involved in the war against the disease based on personal experience and having relative and friends who are afflicted by the disease well as to ensure that the war was not ended abruptly without victory.

He said: “We haven’t finished the job yet. It is heart-breaking in the 21st century to watch lives continually destroyed by river blindness.”

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16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 NIVERSITY of Ibadan, Nigeria’s premier university, has been shut for weeks due to non-availability of water and electricity. With crisis looming, the authorities quickly sent the students home while fast-tracking a new electricity facility and improvements in water supply.

Water is a bigger problem than many people think. In a close-knit community with an active population of more than 100,000 like the University of Ibadan, the challenges of water and electricity are not ordinary with unreliable public supplies.

Sixty-four years ago when the university started, there were no such challenges. The founders met the university’s needs from public sources. As public supplies became increasingly unstable, the university, like other Nigerian publics, depended more on generating its own power and dotting its landscapes with boreholes in various stages of non-performance.

From their primary objectives of teaching, research and providing knowledge for the sustenance of society, Nigerian universities have assumed responsibilities for basic infrastructure.

Never mind that all around them,

U

Water, not ordinary governments are mouthing initiatives that have made these infrastructures available to all.

How do the events in Ibadan affect everyone? They do. The collapse of infrastructure at the university exposes in bolder fonts aspects of Nigerian decay. Our centres of learning are leaning into distractions and ir relevance. The challenge is not for them to provide for themselves, but for them to realise that others deserve to live in environments that would sustain life. A bane of our country is the focus on needs that reflect narrower perspectives and larger societal selfishness.

Governments and their institutions remain under the illusion that water and electricity are luxuries that should be for

only a few, who stress their importance by the fact that they, unlike others, have things so basic.

A few more weeks and the University of Ibadan would recall the students. Nobody would think of the implications of the resources — time, money, the future of the students — that it cost to restore normalcy.

The solution is interim. The university’s population is guaranteed to increase. If public infrastructure continues to decay, its ability to meet its needs would soon collapse.

Water and electricity are among essentials for sustainable engagement with modern living, so important that they are not privileges to be dispensed at the whims of those who control them. Does anyone care that millions of Nigerians are diseased from compromised water or that fleeting electricity supplies stall development?

The university will get its supplies only for its graduates to join a larger society without infrastructure. It may still be in the place of Nigeria’s premier university (and the others) to tackle a primary challenge for the larger society. It is the call of the hour.

OPINION

BY KINGSLEY EMEREUWA

T

HERE comes a time in the history of a people when God blesses them with a leader with a particular mandate. For the people of Abia, aptly called God’s Own State, there is every indication that the supplication of the people unto their Maker for a divine lifting of afflicted yoke caused by long period of political and economic slavery has attracted divine intervention.

The result today is a true reflection of the Biblical saying that when the righteous are on the throne, the people rejoice. For Governor Theodore Orji, under whose administration the state has seen the total paradigm shift in both governance and content of service delivery, the abundance of God’s mercy upon him and the mandate cannot be over-emphasised.

From a fluttering beginning due to known consequence of deceitful political alliance akin to the kind of marriage between the cow and the butcher, governance and service delivery in a democratic setting had a huge question mark.

However, with determination and rare courage though not without pockets of adulterated opposition, the Governor was able to rescue the state from the chambers of dark forces. Then came his vow and promise to the people of the state to hold him accountable for all actions and inaction(s) of his administration.

With just a year into his second term of office, Governor Orji has left no one in doubt that indeed some dark forces were the cogs on the wheels of the progress of the state.

Within the period under review, the proportion of infrastructural development in the state has witnessed a high commensurate yield which has also left few opposing scoundrels in the state with no other option than to merely haul sand to give the impression that it is fulfilling all righteousness.

From the massive infrastructures being put up in the state capital city Umuahia, to the courageous tackling of the infrastructural challenges in Aba the commercial heart beat of the state and the entire East, the present administration has left

Raising Abia from bended knees no one in doubt of its mission.

Just recently, Governor Orji etched his regime’s name in gold when it took care of a perennial problem that had defied solution to previous administrations in the state in the last 20 years. The popular Ukwu-Mango leading into Ariaria which had before now turned into a forest due to its impregnable nature, has today become a beautiful thorough fare for commuters. Hate or like him, the impact of the actualised dream will for a very long time remain evergreen in the minds of the residents of the city. The glory, of course, knows its destination. The residents of Aba have never had it so good.

Under the same period, the Governor had rehabilitated the Ama-Ogbenna, Okigwe road, the Osusu- Omuma Road, which roads were in the year 2000 “politically” commissioned by the then Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. From Osusu, the story moved to Danfodio by East, to Our Lady of Lourdes, and the Old Express by Samek. The government in response to the welfare of students and staff of the Abia State Polytechnic Aba, constructed an over-head bridge to reduce the rate of vehicular accidents in front of the campus.

Coming to the state capital, the story has truly changed.

People of Amaeke where burials are held only during dry seasons have heaved a sigh of great relief. The non-existing Amaeke road that could better pass as a slave-trade route has been fully rehabilitated and commissioned. It is even an unbelievable story for people of Ukome and Mbom where Nwa-bekee (local reference to development) has eventually visited. For the years that they had existed, Mbom has never seen a tarred road since creation. Same story is now told in

Emede who for many decades have survived through "jump and pass" infrastructural development. Still counting, it is positive turn-around for the World-Bank-Agbama Road, UmuafaiLodu-Ahiaeke road, Okwuta-Isieke, Okwoyi-Iyienyi as well as the Nkata-Alike Umukabia-Ohuhu road.

In the Southern Senatorial Zone, the century-old adage that there is no short route to Aro (an acronym for Arochukwu) is no longer obtainable. Under Ochendo, the long stretch Arochukwu road from Ndi-Uduma Awoke in OhafiA Local Government is now being constructed. This is in addition to the Amaekpu-Okagwe road in same Ohafia. It is equally a historic account from Ndi Okorie Abam down to Ndi- Itu. One striking feature in Abia is that the road constructions are carried out by contractors who upon the award of the jobs get instant mobilisation. This is a sharp contrast from the reigning college manual labour roads in some neighbouring states.

As we read this, the state government is very responsive of the need to ensure that all arms of government are functioning optimally, hence the need for human and capacity building.

The state workforce is patiently waiting for the completion and commissioning of the State Secretariat with a complete overhaul of the old one. This is just as the two cities of Aba and Umuahia are seeing the eloquent presence of the judiciary made manifest with the dual construction of two gigantic High Court complexes.

The health sector record is a positive statement already made, hence it would be trite to begin fresh enumeration.

It is nothing to the residents of the State that despite all the efforts of the State government, the government is still under the attack and bad press of a few. It is also quite amusing that some whiff of criticism comes from some ignorant sections outside the state. This is essentially from those who felt they should join the fray because there is a bandwagon rush. *Mr. Udom, a commemtator on national issues, wrote from Abuja.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 — 49

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50 —VANGUARD, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

The newly consecrated Archbishop, West and Bishop, Lagos Diocese, First African Church Inc. Mission, Most Rev Paul Adekunle Onanuga (left) and Senator Anthony Adefuye during the consecration at the church's headquarters, Ebute Metta, Lagos

$1bn SWF to start operating soon —Okonjo-Iweala

A

DDIS ABABA, Ethiopia— NIGERIA’S $1 billion Sovereign Wealth Fund, SWF, is set to start operating in the next few months, said Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in what would mark a crucial step to help the governement finance the revamping of its ramshackle roads and power grids.

Okonjo-Iweala, in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, said the $1 billion would be pulled from Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account, which also funds the country’s fuel subsidy.

Okonjo-Iweala, who was recently in the spotlight for her unsuccessful bid for the World Bank presidency, said the fund’s management team will be selected in the next few weeks.

Ukwuani Union holds award night

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AGOS— AS part of the activities marking the 75 th anniversary of Ukwuani Foundation Union (UFU), Lagos, Friday May 18, 2012 has been slated for the inauguration of its Board of Trustees and award night.

In a release by Chief Joseph Olise and Mr. Godwin Onwusa, President and Secretary General respectively, the award night is to appreciate some illustrious sons and daughters.

The anniversary committee of the union headed by Chief Augustine Enegide has been constituted. The event, according to the release, will be an opportunity for all sons and daughters of Ndokwa to rub mindsamd merry in preparation for the 7th anniversary coming up later in the year.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012— 51

B

Characterisation from the eye of disciples

A

s you can expect, his disciples examined him from different perspectives as a “ visionary ”, “reformer”, “strategist” (even former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu’s employees, Mike Awoyinfa and Dimgba Igwe, once wrote a book on him entitled, The Master Strategist. The political party and empire have since disintegrated.

So much for a master strategist!). They also highlighted him as a “reformer ”, “politician”, and two successful female BAT “boys” – Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa and the incumbent Deputy Governor of Lagos, Prof. Joke Orelope Adefulire – also wrote to affirm that he treats women as “equal partners”.

Of all these characterisations of

ASIWAJU, by the BAT boys By then, Olusegun Obasanjo, the first Yoruba man to be elected president of Nigeria, was in power. Obasanjo had no political home base and frantically needed one for his re-election in 2003.

He was ready to do everything to get it. The Afenifere and all the other AD governors of the South West (except Tinubu) agreed to help Obasanjo to a second term in office, thus opening themselves up for Obasanjo to sweep them out of office and out of power.

Tinubu saw through the danger and decided to fight the president’s stickand-carrot manoeuvres. He won.

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Asiwaju Tinubu, the areas that interested me most concerned his political vision, mission and predilections. Former Commissioner and now member House of Representative, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele described him as “an ideologue”, portraying him as a “liberal welfarist”. Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole says Tinubu is a “radical conservative” (just as Oshiomhole himself is seen as a “conservative radical”). To the Governor of Ogun State, BAT is a “pragmatist”, while his Oyo State counterpart thinks he is a “progressive”. To me, all these converge as “neo Awoism”. Opeyemi, in his contribution captures it well this way: “Arising from his mastery of the core principles of social liberalism as well as the fortunes recorded by the welfare state in the United States, in Europe and South-western Nigeria (during the first and second republics) it is not surprising that the social and political values underlining Tinubu’s political campaigns and struggles were such that are in connection with the clamour for civil liberties, multiparty democracy, electoral reforms, the rule of law and independence of judiciary, the need to eradicate poverty and unemployment, the agitation for true federalism, a strong populist romance with the Nigerian masses as well as the spirit of national unity an solidarity” (p.35) For me, the main winning strength of BAT is his strong political character.

In this he can only be likened to General Muhammadu Buhari, the leader of CPC in this political dispensation embodied by crass political opportunism and adventurism.

When he came back from exile in 1998 he was quickly able to outmanoeuvre Dr. Funsho Williams, the frontrunner of the post-NADECO party, Alliance for Democracy (AD) for the governorship ticket. Later on, Williams was killed by unknown assassins and Tinubu swiftly renamed Western Avenue, one of the most prominent streets in Lagos, after Williams.

BAT's greatest investment

T

inubu pulled out of the AD, distanced himself from Afenifere’s conclave dictatorship and founded, along with other leaders, the Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD) which later became the Action Congress of

,

OLAJI Sanusi, formerly of Vanguard and now with The Nation Newspapers called me and promised to send a copy of a new book on Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Leader of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). When I opened the book entitled: Asiwaju, Leadership in Troubled Times (edited by fellow columnists Tunji Bello, Sam Omatseye and Segun Ayobolu), the circumstances it presented and the subject matter it treated made me decide to devote today’s column to it.

The 322-page compendium of topics published by Kraft Books Ltd, Ibadan, was a combined efforts of those I have decided to call the BAT Boys. I have often wondered why Bola Ahmed Tinubu has managed to escape being slammed with a three-letter acronym, such as Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) and Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ). May be, the effort was contemplated and abandoned because Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) may not sound politically romantic because of the unflattering looks and reputation posted by the flying mammal these letters refer to.

Listed among the contributors are 33 eminent personalities raised to political prominence by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu political machine since 1999, including those who have served within the party, the government and his everincreasing media empire. These include all the six ACN governors of Lagos, Edo, Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States, former and serving commissioners, advisers, party workers and even traditional rulers. Glancing through the list, one name was very conspicuously absent; Joe Igbokwe! If Ben Akabueze, Louis Odion and one Senator Abu Ibrahim could make the list outside the rest who are of Yoruba background, Joe should have been there as he is very much a BAT boy just like the rest, being so visible within the party and government.

Asiwaju is a celebration of easily the most successful political leader of these times (1999 till date) by his own disciples. President Goodluck Jonathan is a tenured leader of a military created national political party. The moment he steps down as President of Nigeria his leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will expire. Same cannot be said for political parties such as the ACN and the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). After successfully managing the crisis of nerves between him and the Governor of Lagos, Barrister Babatunde Fashola, which resulted in the latter being allowed to run for a second term, Tinubu firmly established himself as the leader of the ACN who has come to stay.

he has not spelt out his political ideas in more explicit terms as Awo did.

Indeed, as much as Awoism is still a cherished legacy, the BAT boys seem ready to let the world know that Tinubu is now in a spate of his own. His effigy (as illustrated on the book’s cover) is no longer the borrowed Awo cap and spectacles. It is now simply the Tinubu cap. Perhaps, it has finally dawned on people that the struggle for Awo’s successor is not only quixotic but also potentially a political suicide mission for those who engage in it.

BAT and the pitfalls

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ola Ahmed Tinubu now has a duty to himself and his supporters to avoid the pitfalls that made Awo “the best president Nigerian never had”. In spite of his enormous administrative and political skills, Chief Awolowo could not escape the toga of tribal leader. Unless BAT is quickly able to diversify his political base (which will reflect in the complexion of his political camp) he might soon become circumscribed.

Another danger Tinubu must watch is the politics of alliances. The CPC/ ACN alliance will surely lead to the destruction of the ACN unless the latter produces the president. What happened in 1991 whereby the People’s Solidarity Party (PSP), a much larger platform, was overwhelmed by a tiny cabal of the People’s Front of Nigeria (PFN) led by the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’ Adua, should be an object lesson.

Before Tinubu can really enter the

Indeed, as much as Awoism is still a cherished legacy, the BAT boys seem ready to let the world know that Tinubu is now in a spate of his own. His effigy (as illustrated on the book’s cover) is no longer the borrowed Awo cap and spectacles. It is now simply the Tinubu cap. Perhaps, it has finally dawned on people that the struggle for Awo’s successor is not only quixotic but also potentially a political suicide mission for those who engage in it

Nigeria (ACN). The greatest investment Tinubu made towards emerging as the leader of the second largest party in Nigeria was in the judiciary. He apparently picked the trick from northern Nigeria, where fifty years of investment in the judiciary has handed over the federal judiciary to the North, with the region about to produce the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). Tinubu realised that the Constitution of 1999 gave the judiciary enormous powers in deciding the fates of elected officials. It was mainly the combined efforts of his investments in the judiciary and the media that snatched Edo, Ekiti and Osun states from the PDP at the Tribunals, thus paving the way for Ogun and Oyo States to join the ACN bandwagon in 2011.

As a neo -Awoist, Tinubu has stringently called for “true federalism” or devolution of powers, even though the Chief Obafemi Awolowo principle which argued that it should be along ethnic nationality lines appears absent in the Tinubu calculation. Tinubu seems to favour regional lines, though

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pantheon of Nigeria’s political leadership in the mould Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Mallam Aminu Kano and the lot, he has to let us see the difference between the ACN and the other political parties, particularly the PDP. Right now, the ACN is much like the PDP – a mere election winning machine. Just like PDP there is no clearcut ACN way of governance and politics – yet. There is little to link Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s “State of Osun” and his “islamisation” controversies with a prospering Lagos aiming to emerge as the business capital of the Black world.

The issues of intra-party processes leading to emergence of candidates and leadership succession also have to be codified. What will happen if, tomorrow, BAT is suddenly no longer available, just like all mortals?

For BAT, emerging as the leader of the ACN is the easier part. Building a solid national political party that will outlast his years on earth is now on his plate. We watch to see how he weighs.

52—Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

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VENTS in the country in the last 10 years are gradually rewriting our story as a nation. Like a play that has a good beginning but ends on humorous note without any constructive ending, issues relating to corruption, probe and other social crisis always start well but fizzle out earlier than expected. In fact, it has gotten to a stage where a primary school pupil can predict what would happen anytime an alarm is raised over a probe or corruption allegation against public officers. Today, it is convenient to conclude that any case of corruption will never see the light of day considering how previous cases were messed up. For instance, Nigerians will not forget in hurry the surprise and suspense that trailed the investigation into the Ndidi Elumelu-led Rural Electrification Probe or Ayo Fayose's poultry scam in Ekiti. At the end, everything ended like a comedy, leaving the culprits unpunished.

Since February, when the Honourable Farouk Lawan-led fuel subsidy probe panel began its sitting, many dramas have unfolded. The climax was the recommendation that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC; Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA as well as indicted oil marketers and companies that refused to appear before it to refund the sum of N1.067 trillion to the

nation's treasury.

Expectedly, the news was cheering as many people saw it as a good step in the right direction but not without concerns in some quarters over whether the report of the panel would not later be thrown into the dustbin of history.

Reasons for such assumption are endless but the most prominent is the fact that the characters and people involved, otherwise tagged 'cabals', are movers and shakers in the society. Today, aside the fact that the moneybags and top political office holders, whose names are mentioned in the report are mobilising against the panel, there is fear in some quarters that a new move is being made behind the curtain to shift the blame on some small organisations. If that is done, then those who had predicted that the objective for which the panel was inaugurated would not be achieved will be vindicated.

There are insinuations in some quarters that rather than chase these so called cabals, the committee seems to have concluded on chastising other operators in the industry who go about their businesses legitimately. They are even being accused of round-tripping and involvement in other shady businesses; this, to me, are all in a bid to call a dog a bad name.

It is believed that the committee is protecting these cabals for obvious reasons, and in the process creating the impression that other operators in the industry

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are guilty of offence.

It would be recalled that at the inception of the committee's public hearing in February this year, some marketers were openly indicted and castigated but it beats my imagination that the names of these marketers were conspicuously missing in the report presented to the full House recently.

Rather than turn the searchlight on the modus operandi of these marketers, the committe has now decided to witch-hunt other smaller operators so as to present a case that these people are guilty of offence they know nothing about.

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lready, tension was said to have been mounted among members of the House of Representatives when the House opened debate recently on the clause by clause consideration of the report submitted by the panel.

This is coming just as the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Honourable Zakari Mohammed

Between the Federal Govt and airline operators

BY FRANKLIN ADEJUWON

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HAVE taken pains and indeed strong courage to call the attention of government to the misguidance of the NCAA Director General on the ethics of practice in the travel and tourism industry, especially NCAA's repeated misguidance of government as to the truth and facts of existing factors surrounding the legitimacy of their claims over international airlines.

Where it is right for us to fight for justice, we should not relent but where it is unjustified, we should not also be shy to face and point out the fact.

While this situation lingers, it is unfortunate that no one can yet see the political ambition and advancement involved in the persistence of this issue. I believe it is high time we had a change at the NCAA so as to have alternative opinions on the issue at hand. After all, no one is MrKnow- All and no one is indispensable. At this critical time of our nation we need people who should help to develop better relationship between us and other nations such as Great Britain and not those who will distant us in the cordial relationship with them.

For all that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have been going through in the hands of NCAA, the silence of the British Government which indeed allocated the two airlines to Nigeria route should not be seen as a sign of weakness. When the British Government is pushed to the walls and their reactions begin in all spheres, it should be so remembered that an individual triggered the mess.

Many accusations of the NCAA boss on the international airlines have not only be debunked but have been proved to be totally untenable. I believe these should have been enough to prove him morally and professionally incompetent to hang on to the position of Director General of NCAA

in the time being.

Let me say, and with all sense of humility, that I have known nothing other than this all my almost four decades of service to the nation. I have also with vigour taken my country’s name to the greatest heights possible all over the world in other to see the country properly positioned in the global travel and tourism industry. However, as we take two steps forward, we are drawn 10 steps backward as a result of the ill winds always propelled by the negative people.

The NCAA Director General at a point claimed that the international airlines were not paying landing fees. This was proved to be blatant lie. He also accused British Airways for applying insecticide on board without necessarily qualifying this allegation as a directive from the World Health Organisation. His ignorance of the fact was displayed when he later admitted the action as having been a directive of the World Health Organisation. Meanwhile, both the Ministry and the public had been misadvised and misinformed and the damage had been done on the airline. This situation should not have gone without severe reprimand on him. Recently, he has pulled the Ministry in to a lock jam with the airlines as to the compulsory reduction in their fares.

In the first case, could anyone dictate the price or regulate the price of a product he does not produce? This is simple economic factor which cannot in anyway be dispelled anywhere in the world. I feel ashamed that anyone could even accept this as a factor for contention from NCAA. The comparison being made between Nigeria and Ghana is not tenable as different conditions apply in the two countries in the areas of landing fees, fuel cost taxes, etc. The Ministry of Aviation and senators who are currently being fed with wrong and unsubstantiated information

has raised alarm that some disgruntled elements were moving round to scuttle the report of the panel which exposed corrupt practices in the nation's oil sector.

The House had, after receiving the panel's report on Wednesday, slated the consideration of the report for another day. Before the day, copies of the report had been distributed to members to study ahead of the debate and consideration.

According to a newspaper report, those in favour and against the report were said to have met to harmonise their lines of the debate ahead of when the report would be tabled before the House.

Just as observers were turning round in their minds what would likely be the output, Honourable Zakari, issued a statement that the House urged all Nigerians to be vigilant and wary of those who would rather want the country [to] be run in the usual corruptionladen way which put unmerited resources in individual pockets at the expense of the people.

The statement also stated that regarding the group of 18 marketers, who were deeply involved in the subsidy payouts, but declined to appear before the ad hoc committee, the purported recourse to legal action was, in the opinion of the House, an orchestrated plot to scuttle the findings of the committee.

Zakari's statement further revealed that following the presentation of the report on subsidy regime, several individuals, marketers and corporate organisations not favoured by the report have sought to impune its authenticity.

"Coming under various guises, including, but not limited to, buck-

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BY RAHEEM AYODEJI

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Where are the cabals?

Today, it is convenient to conclude that any case of corruption will never see the light of day considering how previous cases were messed up

While I sincerely advocate for justice to be done in a rational situation, it will be unfair to adopt a wrong judgement on a wrong advice; the situation may not be palatable when Britain hits back

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should please look into the matter with caution and with a view of the differences that exist between the two countries. NCAA imposed a heavy tax as security tax on passengers without the concurrence of the National Assembly. This is unconstitutional and this forms part of the burden of the travellers.

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itherto, nobody has queried NCAA n this and nobody has even seen this as part of the problem. Taxes on travels on the Nigerian route must be investigated and published for the public to know the truth.

This is one of the ways we can clear our consciences as to whether we are pursuing the right policy or merely aggravating enmity between Nigeria and Great Britain.

While I sincerely advocate for justice to be done in a rational situation, it will be unfair to adopt a wrong judgement on a wrong advice. Such will surely boomerang internationally and as long as Great Britain still remains the second home of most Nigerians, the situation may not be palatable when Britain hits back.

The issue of fuel tax is also ongoing. I presume none of us buys fuel into our cars without having paid the required VAT within the pump price. It is therefore not tenable that airlines had not paid taxes on fuel. If NCAA is not trying to pull the government into unnecessary controversy with the governments these international o

passing and alleged non-invitation to the investigative hearing, several of them are desperately seeking to undermine the outcome of the report," the statement read.

With the situation of things on ground, coupled with the fact that despite repeated appeals by the Farouk Lawan-led committee to all those who had anything to do with the country's subsidy regime between 2009 and 2011 to come forward and make presentations before it, some of these organisations conveniently chose to stay away, obviously because they have something to hide-only to turn around now to claim noninvitation. It will be difficult for anybody to know the next line of action the cabals would take.

Now, if at the end of the whole show the report is thrown away or some innocent individuals are implicated to suffer for the sins of the influential people in the society, then it would be on record that another kangaroo panel has been inaugurated to throw up issues and cause distractions.

Apart from the fact that the huge amount of money spent on the panel would have been used to improve lives and provide social amenities, twisting the House report may have a far reaching implication on the anti-corruption drive being spearheaded by the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government. It will also be on record as another injustice done to the masses or those that would at the end bear the brunt of the mismanagement of some big players in the oil industry.

Mr. Ayodeji, a member of Never Again Group (NAG), wrote from Lagos.

airlines represent here in Nigeria, there should be no basis getting our government involved in this type of nasty situation which in fact has occurred many years before the DG got into post. We must first ascertain the legitimacy of his allegation as well as the legitimacy of his claim without prejudice.

We need some peace in our country to be able to re-engineer the country’s fledging reputation. The airport is in a mess, complete mess; we are not able to run a national airline, we embezzled the funds, we destroyed the management, and we turned our airline to personal property and abused the polity with reckless abandon.

We simply just have to face the reality of life rather than pursuing those doing their legitimate business. If we do not want any foreign airlines in Nigeria, let us jettison all of them and we all stay in our homes which may be more appropriate. Let us first behold the beam in our eyes before seeing the mote in others eyes.

The country is definitely not presently in the best of position to attract foreign investment in many areas, including travel and tourism industry. I have been attending an investment forum recently in East Africa where I had attempted to attract some investment into Nigeria. Much as my colleagues respected my position and acknowledged the historical efforts made by the erstwhile President, Chief Olusugun Obasanjo in the sphere of tourism, they did not waste time in pointing out to me their opinion on the threats on foreign airlines in Nigeria. This comment came as a surprise to me but in reality it was an indication or proof of our inconsistency. Some of the investors opted to establish in Ghana which offered better conditions and conducive business atmosphere.

This is the reality and this is the position Nigeria now stands. We must stop listening to people with inordinate interests; we will achieve nothing from their advice but hatred and apathy. *Dr. Adejuwon, a former federal minister & Technical Adviser to the FG on Tourism Matters, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—53

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I Readers!

I must confess that, much as I was annoyed about Kate bringing an unwanted guest with her to my place, I was eager to see this her beau that Dicta gushed about.

Kate must have been hovering around, waiting for me to return from work, because as soon as malam opened the gates for us, she dashed out and could hardly wait to fold me into a warm embrace.

“Coz, I’ve said it a million times, but I’ll say it again. You get lovelier and more youthful every blessed day, Treena dear.

You look good!”

“You look good yourself, Kate dear. You don’t age at all. So, how was the trip to Onitsha? Did you see as many family members as you wanted?”

“Oh yes! They’re all doing fine, and were all happy to see me. They’ve been kindly tending my parents’ graves. I was so touched. I realized how much I miss home. I’ll try to visit more frequently.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Yeah!” Suddenly, she pulled me aside to the garden. “Look, coz, I’m terribly sorry for all I’ve been doing to hurt you. I can assure you that it wasn’t deliberate. I just couldn’t help myself.”

“What are you talking about, Kate dear?” I asked, feigning surprise.

“I’m referring to my crush on Seb, which has refused to go away for many years now. I’m so ashamed of myself. Becky had spoken to me briefly about it the day the gals went to her house, and I attended her house fellowship, but it was when Dicta took me aside to preach to me when she met me at the airport today that I felt the full weight of my actions. You can’t imagine how humiliated I felt. to be reprimanded politely by my little cousin, for a thing like that.

LIFE WITH TREENA KWENTA

- the funloving, but hardworking single parent

A nasty surprise!

“Oh, she’s also a close friend too, hence she plucked up the courage to speak to me. She and the gals will be very happy that you and I have settled the issue. Thank you, coz, for being decent and understanding about it.”

“Let’s let it go, coz,” I said, getting bored with the whole thing. I felt relieved that she apologized, but I just wanted to get on with my life.

As we headed for the house, she grabbed my hand. “I almost forgot, coz. Please bear with me. Er, er, I don’t even know how to begin. Er, there’s a gentleman who came with me from Onitsha. One of my cousins introduced us. He’s an international businessman.

He’s divorced with four children.

I’ve never fallen for anyone as I have fallen for him. It seemed to be love at first sight for both of us.”

“I’m glad for you, coz. Where’s he?

“That’s what I was coming to.

We can’t bear to be apart. He offered to show me round Abuja and we went there. It was magical for both of us. I then invited him down here so that he can see me off when I leave in two days’ time.

He’s such a romantic, and a gentleman. You’’ll like him. Reminds one of the late Chief Vic. He does incredibly romantic things. So polished.”

“Wao! Coz! You’ve really fallen for this guy. I hope he’s worth you.”

That’s bad response.

Not good enough at all. It’s like, ‘if that’s what you want’. That’s no proposal, and it’s not the right way for a man to accept a marriage proposal from a lady. Certainly not a lady with class like yourself, Kate dear

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Oh, she wasn’t rude at all; she just spoke frankly and made me see how hurtful my actions have been. Coz, please, please, forgive me. I’ll also apologize to Seb, once the shame enveloping me at present subsides. Can you forgive me? ” I was speechless for a minute or so, trying to take in, the turn of events. I was completely caught off-balance.

“Coz, now that you’re aware that such attitude could hurt one very much, and you’re convinced that it wasn’t a decent thing to do, let’s put it all behind us. We all make mistakes.

It was noble of you to acknowledge that a wrong had been committed, and decide to apologize. Let’s move on. We’re family, Kate dear. That must have been why Dicta stepped in.”

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“Oh yes, he is. You know, coz, one has really never tied the knot.

This may be the opportunity to do s o . ” “With a guy you know nothing about, and who you’ve only just met, and here in Nigeria? You’re too smart to fall so easily for a stranger.” ”It’s a chance one has to take.

You may know someone for many years and marriage to him may be disastrous, whereas you may just meet someone, you click and know that he’s the one.”

“Is his wife dead, or alive?”

“Does that matter?”

“Well, it would be nice to find out about her. If she’s alive, you could find out from around her, what went wrong with this god you’ve fallen for. The couple must have been in love at a time, too. If she’s dead, well, I suppose you’ll

never really know how their life together was.”

“Coz, one must not be so suspicious. God is in control. I’ve never been so contentedly in love.”

“Also, how come such a ‘find’ is unattached?

I would have thought that being rich and handsome, he won’t still be single.”

“Oh dear, coz! Don’t discourage me! If I didn’t know you well, I would think, er, per-

haps there’s jealousy somewhere. Don’t you want me to get married?”

“Has he proposed marriage?”

“Not quite. But when I mentioned it, he said, ‘why not?’”.

“That’s bad response. Not good enough at all. It’s like, ‘if that’s what you want’. That’s no proposal, and it’s not the right way for a man to accept a marriage proposal from a lady.

Certainly not a lady with class like yourself, Kate dear. It was a dreadful mistake to propose marriage to him, even if you’ve been dating for a million years. I think it’s best for the man to propose. Old fashioned, perhaps, but that’s how I see it. Anyway, it’s your life, coz. Just study him further, first. Enjoy the moment, for the time being.”

“I certainly am. Hey, can he stay here for the two days? You won’t mind?”

“Let’s see him first.”

“That Michel is so bothersome. He came round saying Seb told him to come sleep here to make sure that you and nanny are alright.

What does that mean? Does he usually sleep here? Is it because of me?”

“I wouldn’t know, Kate dear. No-one has discussed that with me, but Michel is family here. He’s free to come and go as he pleases.

He’s been doing that for many years.”

“Okay, but I think he’s been given too much power. Well, …........ Let’s go in.”

There was no-one in the sitting-room , “Where’s Dean?” asked Kate, looking around.

She and the guy had certainly been feeling at home in my place. There were several empty bottles and cans of drinks on the dining table, as well as left-overs from lunch and snacks. I wondered why nanny hadn’t cleared the place. She’s normally such a stickler for order in the house. Maybe she was bearing Kate malice. That means she’d have something to go confess to the priest about, again.

That’s tough!

I heard the door to the guest toilet open. “Ah, darling, there you are!” Kate said. “Come and meet my cousin. Like I told you, she and I share the same maternal grand parents – citizens of Liberia and Sierra Leone. We’re international, aren’t we. Ha! Ha!” I turned round and I froze! Oh no! The man froze too, on seeing me. We just kept staring at each other. Me, with anger welling up in me. He? He looked like he would have wanted the ground to open up and swallow him up on the spot.

“What’s the matter?” asked Kate, quite

alarmed. “Have you both met before? Do you know each other?” No-one spoke.

“Dean, Treena, please say something! Are you familiar with each other?”

“I think we do know each other,” I told her, still starring at the man, waiting for him to speak. He seemed to have gone dumb.

“I see. This is rich, isn’t it? I had to go and fall in love with a man who had dated my cousin in the past.

Well, that’s life. I suppose I can’t complain. How far did the relationship go, may I ask?”

“Coz, in our family, we don’t tell an older person to ‘shut up’, but can you hold your peace, please, Kate dear?”

“I have the right to know how far you both went? Was it serious? Did you both have sex?”

“Kate!” I screamed at her.

“Please, don’t be vulgar!”

On hearing me, Michel and nanny hurried to the sitting-room. I glared at them. Nanny hurriedly began to clear away the cups and plates. Michel joined her, and soon they left.

“What have you brought?”

I asked, turning to the man.

“My car, or the money?”

“Er, let me explain. I’m sorry, but things went awry at the time. My marriage was going down hill. When I went abroad on a business

trip, my wife moved out of our home; taking our four children along with her. She also sold some of the vehicles I had on sale, and took the money. Yours was one of them. I’m so sorry. It was so embarrassing that I couldn’t contact you or Mr. Kwenta.”

“How cute of you. Do you know that the Accounts clerk, Rafiu, who introduced you to us ,lost his job because he couldn’t trace you?

Seb booted him out of the company. You were both in league, weren’t you?”

Kate stepped in. “What’s all this about?”

“This man you’ve fallen in love with, my dear cousin, is so trustworthy that he vanished with a car he was given to sell. What did you say his name is?”

“Dean.”

“I see. Well, Seb and I know him as Nurudeen.”

“He can’t be. He’s Igbo.

He lives in Onitsha and speaks Igbo language.”

“Of course he speaks Igbo fluently. He was born in the East to a Yoruba policeman who was based there then.

He’s married to a lady from Awka, and they live in Onitsha. He was a used vehicle salesman who was shuttling between there and Lagos when he was introduced to us.

“When Seb bought me a Honda, we thought it was best to sell my Corolla.

Rafiu called in Nurudeen, he collected the car and vanished into thin air. I haven’t set eyes on him till today.”

“Look, madam, I’m terribly sorry about the matter. I didn’t vanish. I had problems and I didn’t contact you because I had lost my phones. Everything went blank.”

“You hadn’t been to Lagos since then? We’re talking about 2002.”

Just as he was about to speak, Joe and Ify came in.

Tara.

54—Vanguard, MONDAY,

MAY 14, 2012

How we plotted Omoboriowo’s victory — Sen Uba Ahmed

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enator Uba Ahmed was a two time member of the Nigerian Senate who came to national renown as Secreatry General of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, NPN the ruling party at the federal level in the second republic. Unarguably one of the most influential power brokers in that dispensation, Senator Ahmed was pivotal to some of the most epochal events of that era including the controversial victory of the party’s gubernatorial candidate, Chief Akin Omoboriowo in the 1983 election. Senator Ahmed in this interview unfolds some of the behind the scene events that shaped developments prior to the 1983 election even as he insists that Omoboriowo won the election.

Senator Ahmed who subsequently served as Minister of Labour in the Sani Abacha regime also makes astounding revelations on the pros and cons of fiscal federalism. Excerpts:

WHAT kind of man was Omoboriowo?

I knew Omoboriowo very well. He was very religious, very unmaterialistic and full of love for the Ekiti people. If he had any weakness at all, it was his trust or belief in people even from when he was registrar at University of Ife and he used his position to mobilise the Ondo people. He helped to mobilise and converted most of the elites in the area to the UPN. In any case, 53% of the then Ondo State were people from Ekiti and and about 13% of the people were the Ilajes from the waterside. Therefore, the Ekitis and the Ilajes would have formed about 56%.

He, (Omoboriowo) therefore contested for the governorship (1979) and by the computation of the demography, it was a reasonable ambition. But they negotiated his surrender to the older Michael Ajasin for him to be deputy governor and to take over from him, Ajasin after the first term, but it wasn’t to be. And as a gentleman, he didn’t go into violence, he only changed parties and you could have imagined how pleased we were to have a foothold in Yoruba land to show them the sincerity and the effectiveness of our party organisation. We also had a foothold in Ogun State through Soji Odunjo who was a commissioner in the cabinet of Governor Bisi Onabanjo whose father was one of the closest friends of Obafemi Awolowo who even went to prison with Awolowo.

He was a tough fighter, a young man full of ambition, full of organisation with a lot of goodwill. He left his office as commissioner to come join us in NPN as nobody. That was because of the amount of

truth he saw in our organisation. He behaved in truth to type—like one lawyer who was sent to go and spy on our convention with a few others but when they came and saw the way we were openly electing our party leaders, he couldnt resist and said this is true democracy.

Instead of going back to report to his masters, he declared for NPN there at one cinema in Yaba where we were doing the election. That was on December 9, 1978.

So we made an inroad in Ondo. In making that inroad we knew already that the Ekitis were the most sophisticated group in the old Ondo State, they had the highest proportion of lawyers including Wole Olanikpekun who is one of the leading stars of the profession. They also have so many professors. So, when the time for changing batons came and like all the governors do, Ajasin chose to continue for a second term and naturally, the Ekiti people who are very honest and hardworking, couldn’t accept for somebody to treat them like that. So, that was how they broke up UPN, they were not dismissed.

So are you saying that Omoboriowo or the Ekitis were betrayed by the UPN leadership?

No, I dont know what went between them and Awolowo but what I could probably suspect was that Awolowo would have probably supported Ajasin against Omoboriowo, but whether Awolowo was directly opposed to him, I don’t know. So, they (Omoboriowo and majority of the members of the House of Assembly) walked out of the UPN. Having walked out of the UPN, Ajasin cut off their salaries, allowances, water,

electricity supply and every amenity that should be given to elected gentlemen was denied them. So, when they came to us they never asked for a penny, but we knew this and we knew that if they were coming along with us and for them to remain steadfast, we must reduce the pains being inflicted upon them. So, we immediately moved in. We provided water tanker through our laision officer to be supplying the houses of the members of the House of Assembly water whether they belonged to NPN or UPN...

Is it that many of the House members followed Omoboriowo?

Virtually all the members, the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, the Majority Leader and almost all of them including almost all the Committee chairmen in the House. Indeed, we were in control of the House and making inputs into the budget.

After Ajasin would have made his proposal they would bring it to us and we would amend it to suit the needs of the man on the ground in Ondo State.

After that they would send it to Ajasin which he was compelled to sign because if he didnt, he knew that with two t h i r d majority we would pass the budget in the House. So, in effect

,

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR

*Ahmed when Ajasin would prepare his UPN budget we would amend it to an NPN budget which was inclined towards infrastructure for citizens. But having signed the budget, he refused to implement anything.

So, you truly paid their salaries and allowances?

Just take it from me, we took over their rightful expenses which were denied to them.

D

id Omoboriowo ever brief you on why he left UPN this is because Prince Olu Mafo the Majority Leader of the House said it was because the UPN leader backtracked on the promise of giving him the 1983 gubernatorial ticket?

A lot of things have been said about all these.

Olu Mafo was one of the close disciples of Omoboriowo, so anything he tells you, believe him.

The issue of him becoming a governor, I have told you was because A j a s i n reneged on that promise.

In any case, we were a l r e a d y controlling 66% of the House and we had been going

I dont know what went between them and Awolowo but what I could probably suspect was that Awolowo would have probably supported Ajasin a g a i n s t Omoboriowo, but w h e t h e r Awolowo was directly opposed to him, I don’t know

,

there, making rallies, unaffected and therefore when Omoboriowo broke out and of course you know he became a governor. You know Ajasin didn’t win.

But the tribunal overturned the victory?

No, no, the Supreme Court affirmed it after the coup of December 1983. Omoboriowo went to the Supreme Court and in January 1984 the Supreme Court gave the judgment in favour of Omoboriowo. So, Omoboriowo was in fact and indeed governor and today, history has to record that he won the election in Ondo State.

There was a general feeling that the NPN rigged the election. As the General Secretary of the NPN how do you take that?

Let me ask you. I have told you that the Ekiti people formed 53% of the State and the Illajes 13% and when you put that together and see that Ondo (town) was with us. You would see that when you put it all together we had almost 70%.

But if you were that popular why the arson and popular revolt that followed your victory?

That is the question. It was because they were shocked and bitter, they took us for granted. I went personally and lived in Akure to see through the election and the counting of the votes. The

Continues on page 53

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—55

El-Rufai: Too small to be president I

F the feelers emerging from a certain camp of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) be true, then the former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai may well be contesting the ticket to be the party’s flag bearer in 2015.

The Congress for Progressive Change emanated from The Buhari Organization in 2009, and still has General Muhammadu Buhari as its scion. Just a few weeks ago, General Buhari advised party elders to begin the search for a fresh arrowhead that is sharp enough to confront the PDP. General Buhari has also indicated that his days in politics are not over yet.

Mallam Nasir el-Rufai is a small man, barely a few inches over 5ft and a lightweight, perhaps less than 60kg. Without the hefty aides and security details synonymous with public office holders, Mallam el-Rufai as a minister looked really vulnerable. But to undermine him for his size is a big mistake. Whatever he lost in size and physique, he mustered in intelligence. He is adored by his peers as a brilliant chap; so much that the current governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, described him as the “most intelligent man he has ever met”. Now, if only you could

conjure a picture of the calibre of people Mallam Sanusi Lamido has met in his life time – as a student in some of the best schools in the world; as a managing director of First Bank; and as the governor of the CBN- only then will you appreciate the magnitude of the glorification of his friend, Mallam el-Rufai.

For those who know Mallam el-Rufai, his size has never been a challenge to his accomplishment of crucial tasks; it has never been an impediment when it comes to rising to big moments – never.

He demolished big buildings when he needed to restore the Abuja master plan; he confronted big men when he had to demolish their houses; he poked big companies when he was in charge of the Bureau of Public Enterprise; and he doesn’t shy away from the big ‘camera prime times’.

Academically, Nasiru ElRufai is eminently qualified to president, but is he too small to fit into Buhari’s big shoes?

There are a few similarities between General Buhari and Mallam El-Rufai: both have a firm determination to achieve their objectives; they have the bluntness to challenge authority and both in some way function with some dictatorial tendencies.

What clearly sets them apart is a simple word – Character.

After his exit as military head of state in 1983, Muhammadu Buhari displayed a tremendous level

,

BY ROSS ALABO-GEORGE

Without the hefty aides and security details synonymous with public office holders, Mallam elRufai as a minister looked really vulnerable

*El-Rufai

,

However, not everybody sees the General in that light.

Testifying before the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation probing the sale of Federal Government companies in August 2011, el-Rufai threw his former boss, President Olusegun Obasanjo, under the bus. He blamed Obasanjo for his challenges at the organization and refused to take responsibility for the miscarriage of the privatization effort driven by the BPE. He recounted how, against advice, Obasanjo allegedly appointed a former director of the BPE, who was investigated and sacked from the same agency over alleged

indiscretion. Dr Julius Bala succeeded el-Rufai at the BPE in 2003.

General Buhari is known to have a better profile of loyalty to his followers than his bosses. Emmanuel Yawe, a young reporter covering the Nigeria-Chad war in 1983 gave an interesting account of the general’s brave war but also highlighted a note of disloyalty.

He stated that Nigerian troops under the command of General Mohammed Buhari had occupied a good part of Chad Republic without the approval of the commanderin-chief, President Shehu Shagari.

When Nigeria was richer than South Africa, Egypt and the rest of Africa

the smaller states or ethnic groups then started demanding for their own independent regions and the British then commissioned a commission of enquiry from 1957 to 1958 and the chairman of the commission was Wilinkson and after going to every part of the country and meeting with every agitating ethnic group they were only able to recommend the creation of Mid-Western Region, but the commission also recommend that the Federal Government should put up a commission for the development of the riverine areas which today have also turned out to be the oil producing regions. So, between 1961 and 1963 the enabling law was passed and the commission was set up.

Shehu Shagari who was at that time a junior minister in the office of the Prime Minister was appointed the chairman of the development commission.

One of my old colleagues Senator Zuoper was the Secretary of the commission and that was how it went on until the civil war.

Continues from page 54 electoral officer was Col. Ayo Ariyo (rtd.). We knew where his sympathy was likely to be, so I had to sit there. Late Prof.

Sam Aluko was also there. But after he won the election, Col. Ariyo was forced to sign victory for Ajasin and they did the same thing for the Senate.

They wanted Ariyo to sign the victory for the Senate in Ondo against Kunle Agunbiade but I had to stand firm.

You see the reason for violence was that they were shocked that those people they took for granted could have such a master organisation which we had to snatch power from them.

Otherwise, the question should rather be turned to them, ‘why is it that after you won election that you want to kill them?’

They killed our people. The mother of Kunle Akingbade was murdered in his presence, they slaughtered her like a

of self control. He never disparaged his successors, even those that put him through hard times.

Yes, he was a military head of state that toppled a democratically elected government – which of course remains his biggest sin (and my major issue with him) - but many Nigerians, especially members of his party, believe that the general is one of Nigeria’s most credible personalities. In fact, my kinsman Prof. Tam DavidWest, who was minister of petroleum during the Buhari regime, once said Buhari never interfered in his work as minister. These are common testimonies of people who worked with Buhari.

goat.

After the election, did you meet Omoboriowo?

After the coup, I went into exile for three years but I slept in his house when I returned.

He became totally absorbed in Christian worship. He became a good Christian leader and he was giving his total time and service to church.

What is your comment on the agitation for fiscal federalism?

Get the balance sheet of Nigeria as it stood on the 31st of March 1953. You will find out from that sheet that the total foreign reserve of Nigeria as at then was richer than the total reserve of the rest of the African continent put together, even that of South Africa and Egypt. Nigeria was richer than Japan on the 31st of March 1953, but the colonial state decided to expend this money in exploring for oil and also the development of the

*Ahmed county councils in England.

Secondly, I have heard Obasanjo and some others talking about Nigeria having to go into fiscal federalism. I believe that they do not know the meaning of the word.

Fiscal federalism is the situation where the federal government has no

dependable revenue to take care of its responsibilities as a federal state. What you must understand in the nature of the creation Nigeria is that it is totally opposite with the nature of the creation of American federalism. When the American fathers formed the constitution of America, it was the 13 New England States and a few others that surrendered their powers and created a federation which is the American government of today.

So, under the colonial state, the centre had no revenue, the only way they were getting money was out of the earnings of the marketing boards of all the regions and the marketing boards that were contributing were the Western Marketing Board, the Eastern Marketing Board and then the Northern Marketing Board. When they sell their produce, 50% is given to the centre to develop itself and the remaining 50% is left with the regions. Now,

Continues tommorrow

56 — Vanguard, MONDAY,

MAY 14, 2012

How Custom Officers stole my N2m —Police Inspector

...His behaviour was disappointing— Customs

By IFEANYI OKOLIE

W

hat would have turned into a deadly confrontation between operatives of the Nigeria Custom Service at IdiIroko border in Ogun State and men of the Nigeria Police Force was averted by shear providence. The experience of a police officer, Inspector Frances Ononiwu, attached to the Border Patrol Unit of the force in the hands of Custom officers manning check points at Ilase axis of Idiroko Road, Ogun State, may have been the triggering force, after the Police officer was accosted at Ilase by Custom officers and it almost degenerated into a deadly war. At the end of the confrontation, the Police officer was severely injured and he alleged that a large sum of money, both in local and foreign currencies were stolen from him by the Custom Officers.

Narrating the circumstances that led to the ugly incident, the Police Officer stated, “I was on my way to Atan area of Ogun state when I ran into a Custom checking point at Ilase axis of Idiroko Road. They signaled at me to stop and I did obediently. They checked my vehicle after which I was allowed to continue my journey. But after driving a few distance, I saw one of the Customs patrol vehicles driving dangerously towards me and when it double crossed me, I parked my vehicle into a near by bush.

As soon as I stopped, six men putting on Nigeria Customs uniform jumped out of the vehicle and pounced on me.

The oldest man among them

,

The victim, Inspt. Francis Ononiwu

officer attached to border patrol but they said I should keep my mouth shut, that I was a smuggler and I was trying to smuggle my car - a car which I bought from Seme last year and paid all customs duties as required into the country. When they were through, they towed my vehicle to their point and left me in a pool of my blood at the scene.

“After a while, they drove back to the scene and picked me. I don’t know how they came about it but one of them said that they should take me to the hospital but a policeman who was also serving at the border patrol came to the point and insisted that I should slapped me first, while others be taken to Idi-Iroko General started hitting me with their Hospital where I was given riffle. And one of them hit his some treatment before I was rifle on my head and it broke transferred to Badagary my skull.

General Hospital. I was later “Later, one of them went into referred to see a Neuro their vehicle and brought a Surgeon over the injuries rope which he used in tying inflicted on my scull.

The my neck while the rest custom officials also entered into my car and impounded my car and ransacked it. They took the parked it at their Sentry office 1.9m Cefars I kept inside my for close to one month pigeon hole. The money claiming that it was smuggled belongs to my wife who deals and no duty was paid. But I on oil and gas at Owode. They paid my customs duty in my also took N720,000; I kept name and I have all the receipt under my car seat. That money to show for it.

It took the was given to me by a woman intervention of my Commander at the Border Patrol to get my car released.

I have reported the case at the State Criminal Investigations Department, Eleweran, Abeokuta, Ogun State, and the police officers investigating the matter have sent several invitations to the custom to produce the officers involved in the matter to appear before them but the customs are yet to reply or show up.

All I need from them is to refund all the money they took from me and provide money for me to travel abroad to see a Neuro Surgeon.”

However, in their reaction, a spokesman for the Ogun State Custom Command, Chike Nigege, described Inspector Ononiwu’s action as ‘disappointing and unprofessional’, stressing that he conducted himself in a manner that was unethical of a police officer.

According to him, “he was lucky he wasn’t shot by the Custom officers who chased him. I am called Adora to buy a car for sure they may have cautioned her in Cotonou. But while themselves, that was why he these customs officers were wasn’t shot. If you are familiar beating me in this manner, I with Idi-Iroko road and the was shouting that I am a police

I was shouting that I am a police officer attached to border patrol but they said I should keep my mouth shut, that I was a smuggler and I was trying to smuggle my car

,

spate of smuggling activities that goes on there, you will understand what I mean. I have spoken with the officers involved and they have narrated the incident to me. I am aware you know these officers are not crazy for them to have seen a vehicle and without talking to the driver, pounced on him and start beating him.

It will interest you to know that this police officer was driving a faily new Camry car and I am sure that the registration wasn’t complete yet and he approached the custom checking point at Alase which happens to be a hot bed for smugglers. There are several routes smugglers take but Alase is the major point where all the smugglers take and the custom resolved to intensify its checks at that point. But when this car approached the point, the driver drove dangerously and he almost ran over an officer who was flagging him down on the road.

“The officers though he was a smuggler and they went after him with their patrol vehicle. The road was very free and it was just the two of them on the road, this car refused to stop until the officers managed to doublecross and stopped him. There were three occupants in the car and they asked the driver to provide the vehicle particulars and he said he had none. They suspected he was either a police or a military officer and they asked him to identify himself. He told them bluntly that he had no identity card. Then one of the officers went to him and asked him to come out of his car since he has refused to provide his vehicle papers or show an identity card. All efforts to make him alight from the car failed until he succeeded in tearing the shirt of one of the officers when they wanted to force him out.

It was during the process that the nuzzle of one of the guns an officer was carrying struck him on his head and he started bleeding. The instant he saw

Costom boss, Ande Dikko blood, he jumped up and said now he would teach the officers some lesson. He opened his pigeon hole and brought out vehicle papers and his identity card and handed them over to the officers and they towed the vehicle to their point. Then they drove back to pick him so that they can take him to the hospital. Though he followed them but when he got to the checking point, he called his colleagues on the phone and they came to the point. They refused he should be taken to Custom hospital for treatment and insisted that they would take him to their hospital. The officers took him back to his car where he checked and discovered every thing was intact, but at the evening of that day, he called a custom officer requesting they should open his car in the presence of two policemen he sent to retrieve his wallet and keys he left in the car. This man was conscious when his car was impounded for verification and he didn’t tell anyone that he had money in his car and even when he sent two police officers to retrieve his wallet and keys, he didn’t mention that there was money in it hence, he would have asked them to get it for him. The customs would not condone any act of indiscipline from anyone. It is disheartening that a police officer would conduct him self in such a shameful and unethical manner,”he stated.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 — 57

58 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

Polls favour Obama on same sex S

IX in ten Americans say President Barack Obama’s historic shift to embrace same-sex marriage won’t affect how they vote in November, according to a new USA Today/Gallup poll. Still, more independents said the move made them “less likely” to vote for him than “more likely,” Gallup said, making the decision a “net minus” for the president.

The survey found that 51 percent approve of

the president’s new position, while 45 percent said they disapproved.

Among independents, his move won out by a margin of 53 percent to 44 percent.

Overall, 26 percent of respondents said there were now less likely to vote for Obama, while 13 percent said they were more likely to do so.

Among independents, 11 percent said they were more likely to vote

for him, 63 percent said it made no difference, and 23 percent said they were less likely to do so.

“Those figures suggest Obama’s gay marriage position is likely to cost him more independent and Democratic votes than he would gain in independent and Republican votes, clearly indicating that his new position is more of a net minus than a net plus for him,” Gallup said.

...Calls for ‘Common-Sense Policies’ on economy C ONTINUING to cast himself as an activist president defying slim odds for electionyear legislative compromises, President Obama in his weekly address pushes “a few commonsense policies that would make a difference” with the economy.

“There are things we can do - right now - to help create jobs and restore some of the financial security that so many families have lost,” Obama says. The list of initiatives - which the White House has billed

as Congress’ “To -Do list” - includes elimination of tax breaks for companies that outsource; a mandated

expansion of mortgage refinancing eligibility; tax credits for clean energy companies and

Spainish PM denounces austerity protests

T

•US President, Barack Obama small businesses that hire new workers; and creation of a new veterans job corps.

The Democratic pro-

posals have received little or only lukewarm support from Republicans.

Uganda captures LORD’s army commander

U

GANDA has cap tured one of the top five members of the Lord’s Resistance Army, bringing it a step closer to catching Joseph Kony, the notorious rebel leader accused of war crimes, the

military said yesterday.

The Ugandan army said it caught Caesar Achellam, a major general in Kony’s outfit of about 200 fighters, in an ambush along the banks of the River Mbou in Central Afri-

Algeria’s ruling party wins A

LGERIA’s has de clared National Liberation Front (FLN) , its ruling party for the past 50 years the victor in a parliamentary election, going against the tide of the “Arab Spring” which has transformed its neighbours. The governing elite in Algeria, which supplies about a fifth of Europe’s imported natural gas, had promised reform and a new generation of leaders in response to last year ’s upheavals in the region, but the election preserved the status quo. Interior Minister Daho Ould Kablia, who oversaw Thursday ’s election, said the National Liberation Front (FLN) would be the biggest party in the new parliament, with 220 of the 462 seats. The FLN was the movement which fought for inde-

BRIEFS

pendence from French colonial rule. Ever since, it has been at the heart of a system of power that has left Al-

gerians so sceptical of their views being counted that over half the electorate did not vote.

can Republic (CAR) at the weekend. Achellam was armed with just an AK-47 rifle and eight rounds of ammunition, a spokesman for the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF), said. He was being held with his wife, a young daughter and a helper.

The UPDF, which has a force hunting for Kony full-time in the jungles of CAR, backed by U.S. troops, said the capture of Achellam would encourage other fighters to abandon the LRA.

“The arrest of Major General Caesar Achellam is big progress because he is a big fish,” said UPDF spokesman Felix Kulaigye. “His capture is definitely going to cause an opinion shift within the LRA.” Achellam, who was paraded before media, walked with a limp, which he attributed to an old wound. He was returning from the Democratic Republic of Congo when he walked into the soldiers’ am-

Ahmedinajad backs down on war with Israel

P

RESIDENT M a h m o u d Ahmadinejad said at the weekend that war was not essential to achieve the destruction of Israel, Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported.

“The destruction of the Zionist regime does not necessitate making war,” he said in a speech during a tour of northeast Iran. “If countries of the region cut ties with the Zionists and give them dirty looks, it will spell the end of this puppet regime,” said the hardline Iranian leader.

Ahmadinejad, who is known for making fiery speeches against Iran’s

archfoe Israel, has dubbed the Jewish state a “cancerous tumor ” which is destined to be eliminated from the region. The president also mocked Saudi Arabia and other oil-rich Arab states of the Gulf over their huge oil contracts

President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad

with the West, especially Israel’s US ally. “If the leaders of these countries had some brains, they would not sell their petrol just to buy 60 billion dollars worth of arms,” he said.

HOUSANDS of Spaniards continued their anti austeritry protests yesterday as Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy yesterday defended his government’s harsh austerity measures aimed at correcting Spain’s grim economic forecast, one day after A total of 72,000 people protested across Spain, according to the police, with 30,000 in Barcelona and 22,000 in Madrid.Spaniards took to the streets in protest of his handling of the country’s worst crisis in decades.

Greek leaders bicker over new govt

G

REEK political leaders yesterday ignored a final plea from the president to form a coalition government to avert a repeat election, pushing the debt-stricken nation closer to bankruptcy and a possible exit from the euro zone.

Leaders of the three biggest parties met at the presidential mansion for a final attempt to bridge their differences, but the talks quickly hit an impasse as they traded accusations on a deeply unpopular bailout package tied to harsh spending cuts.

Ki-Moon urges troop withdrawal from South Sudan

U

N leader Ban Kimoon has called on Sudan to move its troops out of the disputed territory of Abyei after rival South Sudan withdrew its security forces. Ban called on both governments to fall in line with a UN Security Council

deadline to start talks on all their disputes, said UN spokesman Martin Nesirky in a statement released at the weekend.

“The secretary general welcomes the withdrawal of the South Sudan Police Service

from the Abyei area. He strongly urges the government of Sudan to also remove its forces from the area,” said Nesirky.

Sudan and South Sudan agreed in June last year that they would move their forces out of Abyei and set up a joint admin-

istration in the disputed territory which Khartoum troops seized in May 2011. Since then South Sudan has formally seceded from the north and growing border tensions have created fears that the two could fight a new all out war.

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012—59

Exercise helps smokers quit smoking, remain smoke free N

EW study presented at the World Congress of Cardiology organized by the World Heart Federation has revealed that exercise may help smokers to quit and remain smokefree.

Moreover, exercise increases life expectancy in smokers and nonsmokers alike.

The study of 434,190 people who went through medical examination program at a private fee-paying company between 1996 and 2008 in Taiwan revealed that active smokers (those engaged in at least moderate activity) were 55 per cent more likely to quit smoking that those that were inactive.

Furthermore, these active smokers were 43 per cent less likely to relapse than smokers that were inactive.

Physical activity among these subjects was also shown to increase life expectancy, even among smokers.

Smokers that participated in physical activity had an increased life expectancy of 3.7 years and a reduction in all-cause mortality of 23 per cent - equivalent to levels achieved by ex-smokers with low activity levels. The results also demonstrated that active ex-smokers increased their life expectancy by 5.6 years and reduced their all-cause mortality by 43 per cent - equivalent to the levels seen in inactive non-smokers.

"Exercise can help smokers to quit and quitting smoking has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of developing CVD and that must be the goal of all smokers," said Dr. C.P. Wen, National Health Research Institute, Taiwan. "If smokers can continue to exercise, not only they can increase the quit rate, but also they can reduce their mortality for all cause and for CVD in the long run."

The prospective study of 434,190 individuals in Taiwan was conducted over a period of 12 years. Leisure time physical activity of each individual was grouped into 1) Inactive, 2) Low active

A person can substantially lower their CVD risk by stopping smoking. Within five years of becoming a non-smoker, a person's risk of having heart attack is halved and within 15 years the risk of developing CVD becomes nearly the same of someone who has never smoked.

Pink Pearl Foundation takes cancer awareness to universities

BY Chioma Obinna

T

• Exercise can help smokers to quit and quitting smoking significantly reduces risk of developing CVD which must be the goal of all smokers.

(15 minute/day), and 3) Active (30 minute/day).

Tobacco use and cardiovascular disease Smoking is one of the major causes of CVD and directly responsible for

one-tenth of all CVD worldwide.

Smokers are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack as people who have never smoked. Moreover, second-hand smoke exposure is responsible for 600,000 deaths every year.

Growth of telephony, platform for information dissemination

T

B Y CHIOMA OBINNA

HE growth of telephony in the coun try has been identified as a strong platform for increasing information dissemination on health challenges such as HIV&AIDS. The First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan who made the observation while commissioning the National Call Centre on HIV&AIDS and Related Diseases of the National Agency for Control of AIDS, NACA, further observed that the growth of subscriber base of telecoms firms in Nigeria provides a strong platform for using telephony to drive health awareness.

Jonathan who commended Airtel Networks Limited for its lead role in providing toll free lines for subscribers to call the Centre and access information on HIV&AIDS, stated: "I believe that the establishment of this National Call Centre will go a long way in strengthening our national response to HIV&AIDS, as is the case in other countries of the world, such as South Africa, the Philipines and India, who have used help lines and Call Cen-

tres successfully in the fight against the HIV&AIDS pandemic. " Airtel Nigeria is supporting the National Call Centre with toll free lines. The Centre is commencing with 30 agents ready to provide information, guidance and counselling to callers. All calls on a dedicated Airtel line 6222 are free.

With the commissioning, subscribers on the Airtel network will henceforth receive regular information on HIV&AIDS and other healthcare issues courtesy of a partnership between Airtel Nigeria and the National Agency for Control of AIDS Nigeria.

Airtel subscribers can also call the toll free line 6222 at the NACA HIV AIDS Call Centre to get information, advice and guidance on matters relating to HIV&AIDS. Airtel's Chief Executive Officer Mr. Rajan Swaroop said "Airtel is providing the backbone for the NACA National Contact Call Centre.

Represented by Mr. Femi Oyewole, Regional Director, North of Airtel, represented Swaroop, he recalled that the Air-

tel partnership with NACA began in 2005.

The Airtel Chief Executive affirmed that,"As far as this partnership is concerned, we are totally committed to ensuring the success of the National Call Contact Centre.

It is our role to ensure effective public enlightenment and education through firm commitment in scaling up existing efforts and concrete partnerships that will help millions of Nigerians access better information and referrals to service provision in healthcare delivery.

"At Airtel, we will also work with the National Agency for the Control of AIDS to send short messages concerning the deadly scourge to our subscribers nationwide."

Swaroop lamented the sentinel survey 2011 results that show higher prevalence of HIV in some rural areas compared with urban areas. He called for more effort by telecoms firms to enhance the fight against the scourge by enabling provision of information to citizens particularly in rural areas.

O empower and enlighten the youth in the fight against breast and cervical cancer, Pink Pearl Foundation had launched a university campaign in four Nigerian universities.

The university cancer campaign which started in 2008 had been taken to four Nigerian universities this year. The institutions include; Delta State University – Abraka Campus, Delta State University – Anwai Campus, University Of Benin And University Of Port-Harcourt.

The campaign featured local presentations which were trailed by an intensive and informative lecture on Breast and Cervical cancer by the expertise of the foundation’s medical professional, Dr Ann Ojimba.

This was closely followed by a question and answer session as enthusiastic young men and women stepped up to engage the professionals with questions ranging from bold, riveting to funny. Four university ambassadors were chosen after a thrilling quiz competition with each ambassador receiving Ten Thousand Naira (?10,000) prize money.

The ambassadors were overjoyed and honoured to be chosen amongst the lot.

One of the ambassadors, Ogbogold Sandra, ambassador for the University of Benin said: “I feel very delighted being an ambassador for such an educative foundation, I never imagined it and am very happy.”

She was motivated to attend the campaign after a scare of noticing an irregularity in one of her breasts. Though she knew about self-examination, she was glad to know more about cervical cancer.

The ambassadors were urged to continue to spread the word of early detection and cancer awareness to their immediate family, friends and community.

Ewenode Ukane, ambassador for Delta State University, Abraka, suggested that the foundation should extend their tentacles to the rural areas where the level of cancer ignorance is highest. After the lecture in each of the universities, a combined population of about 327 students were screened for breast cancer with a few of them being diagnosed of either lumps or fluids.

“It was truly been a wonderful experience visiting 4 Campuses. A few lumps were found after screening from each school. This year ’s Campus Campaign was quite expository as youth joined the fight against breast and cervical cancer!” Mrs Orode Ryan-Okpu, the founder of Pink Pearl Foundation concluded.

60 — Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

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Ugbe as metaphor for Calabar’s success ....

Women on the ball

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HIS week, I have a double header. I want to talk about a veteran called Calabar and a fresh air that is the programme entitled Women on The Ball.

Three days ago, the Nigeria Football Association announced Calabar as venue of the much heralded Word Cup qualifier between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and Namibia.

The decision, finally put paid to the high level politicking that accompanied the scramble to host the new look Stephen Keshi’s Eagles, given FIFA’s pressure for the venue to be fixed and forwarded.

Tears for Kaduna whose last hosting of the Super Eagles, the friendly against Zambia was so near perfect that the NFF did not mind going back. However, going by the need to guarantee security, the NFF had no choice but be counted on the side of caution.

For the joy and celebration that is following the choice of Calabar, I pause to say that I would have been surprised if a contrary decision had been taken, given the track record of this ancient city that we sometimes seem to relegate.

Emotionally, I cut my professional teeth in Calabar where as Sports Editor of The Nigerian Chronicle, we made the paper a must read on the nation’s newsstands.

I punctuated my stay in The Chronicle when I gained admission into the Department of Modern Languages of the University of Calabar to study Modern Languages and Linguistics………

Go ahead, call me a Calabar man and I will take a bow, with due respect to my beloved Akwa Ibom Roots.

Briefly, I stayed, worked and studied in Calabar long enough to take more than a passing interest in the fortunes of Cross River State and in relation to sports which is my culture medium, there has been a lot of pluses and cheers.

The construction of the U.J Esuene stadium in Calabar was the motivation Cross River State needed to fast track sports boom in the state. As early as the late seventies, Cross River hosted the National School Sports which was repeated last year. We will not forget in a hurry the Obudu Mountain race pioneered in 2005 and today has become a world class race duly reflected and acknowledged as a permanent fixture in the IAAF calendar.

Three years ago, Cross River went for a sports revolution when it employed a sports consultant in the person of Bruce Ejirigbo who in turn recommended the hiring of world class coach, the American Lee Evans to handle the rejuvenation of track and field even at a time the national athletics body was dilly dallying over the possibility of employing him.

Last year, the state took over the hosting of the National Track and Field trials for four years in the first instance, and is in line to host the next National Sports Festival, which will necessitate the prolif-

Calabar’s reputation as a wonderful host shot up in 1999, when as one of Nigeria’s host cities of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Calabar was not only adjudged the most hospitality conscious centre

eration of the much needed sports infrastructure.

Among others perhaps Calabar’s reputation as a wonderful host shot up in 1999, when as one of Nigeria’s host cities of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, Calabar was not only adjudged the most hospitality conscious centre, it’s organizational savvy was commended by FIFA. This feat, Calabar repeated in 2009 when it was also, based on past experience chosen as one of the cities to host the FIFA U- 17 World Cup and again Calabar excelled. Crowd and fans support that provides the needed ambience, dedication of the organization team all compliments a city that has become a tourist destination and contends for the title of one of the cleanest and aesthetic capitals in the country.

Given all these antecedents, we could not have been surprised when Calabar did not bat an eyelid in deciding to host the country’s U- 17 squad as they prepare for the continental and world assignments and it was therefore very natural to turn to experience and ability to ask Calabar to host the Super Eagles.

With due respect to the silent sports revolution of Governor Liyel Imoke and his Sports expert of a deputy Effiok Cobham, I announce the arrival on the scene of a young man who will help to amplify and raise the standard of the sports fortunes of the state.

The newly appointed sports Commissioner Patrick Ugbe, a product of the legendary Hope Waddell

Williams runs riot against Azarenka •Lifts Madrid Open title

S

ERENA Williams overpowered the top-ranked Victoria Azarenka 6-1, 6-3 to win the Madrid Open on Sunday.

In a clash of two of the tour ’s heaviest hitters, Williams battered Azarenka around the new blue-clay court with her big serve and vicious return to take the first four games and never look back.

Williams served 14 aces on her way to avenging her only loss in six previous meetings with Azarenka when she fell to the Belarusian in the 2009 final in Miami.

It was the 30-year-old Williams’ 41st title and second of the season as she remained unbeaten in her last 13 matches on clay.

The loss ended Azarenka’s run of winning her last four tournaments.

‘I can still do better,’ Williams said when asked if she had found her best form following her return from a yearlong absence due to illness in 2011.

‘This is really good. I have been working hard.

I had some tough battles and really unfortunate circumstances so I really love this.’

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Training Institute and Theatre Arts Graduate of the University of Calabar got into government in 2007 as Press Secretary to Governor Liyel Imoke from his base as MD/CEO of DBS Media, whose accounts were mostly sports friendly. Coincidentally even as press secretary, his sports interest and involvement was not lost on the Governor and when there was a cabinet reshuffle, Honourable Ugbe was moved to the sports ministry and you could hear the cheer far and wide.

When I put a call to him last week, I congratulated him for the choice of Calabar as Super Eagles base and in his characteristic soft spoken manner gave all the glory to God, to his boss the Governor, to the cooperation of the Deputy Governor and in deed all the good people of Cross River State.

He is set to not only welcome the Super Eagles, but indeed all Nigerians to Calabar on June 3.

I fear that before we get there from all other parts of the country, the stadium would have been jam packed.

That is Calabar for you, the Cannaan City.

Women on the ball Last Saturday, I watched with regrets the rounding up of a unique programme called Women On The Ball. It is unfortunate that the programme had to be tied to the football season as I and thousands of other Nigerians would have wanted it to go on and on.

That Aisha Falode and her Amazons decided, based on popular decision to award the Premiership trophy to Manchester City ( Instead of my beloved Man United ) did not also deter me from watching a programme which since its inception in November last year has captured the interest and attention of Nigerians with respect to its uniqueness and emphasis on family relationship.

At a time when men seem to use football as an excuse to “wander and stray “ on week ends, Women On The Ball has forged family unity and values using the platform of football.

Aisha Falode, Kibati Bankole, Ann Chiejine, Candace Ebhomielen ( latest addition ) and stand by anchor Nneka Anibeze have given our women a voice and a sense of belonging with their expert knowledge and treatment of top and complex football issues. This programme has helped to rekindle football interest in our wives, sisters, daughters and girl friends and the family is the major beneficiary.

Then the stage. A delight. Its feminine touch, the presence of ball girls that help to highlight and bring to life the stadium atmosphere is accentuated by colours that do pride to MTN as the foremost football promoter in the continent.

I can’t wait for next season, even as I am looking forward to a bigger spread beyond AIT, STV and Galaxy and please thirty minute flies too fast when those girls are on…….

See you next week.

Gunmen kill kick boxing medalist in A/Ibom

A

•Serena

KWA Ibom kick boxer Alexander Joseph, nick named “Ibom”, has been killed by gunmen.

An eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that Ibom was attacked by his assailants at about 9.30 am on Saturday at Uyo Township Stadium during a training session.

They told NAN that the no fewer than five persons had trailed the victim to the stadium and inflicted several machete cuts on him before firing three gunshots on his neck.

Some athletes, who trained with Ibom the

previous day, said that the deceased was in top form for 2012 National Sports Festival scheduled to hold in Lagos later this year.

The athletes described the murder of Ibom as terrifying, adding that he attempted to resist the assassins.

Mr Onyeka Orji, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), confirmed the incident and said that the police had made some arrest on incident, while investigation continues.

Reacting to the news of Ibom’s death, Mr Aniedi Dickson, the State Director of Sports, told NAN that the deceased was a strong boy.

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 — 61

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Vanguard, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012 — 63

Mancini hails ‘incredible’ win

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ANCHESTER City boss Roberto Mancini admitted it was ‘incredible’ to winthetitleaftertheirdramatic3-2victoryoverQueensPark Rangers.

The title looked to be headingtoManchesterUniteduntil Edin Dzeko and Sergio Aguero both scored in injurytime to tilt the balance in the favour of City.

QPR threatened a major shockwhensecond-halfgoals from Djibril Cisse and Jamie Mackie cancelled out Pablo Zabaleta’sopener.

With QPR reduced to 10 men after Joey Barton’s sending off, City somehow scored twice in stoppage-time to secure their first top-flight title since1968.

Mancini believes they deserved to finish as champions and is tipping a big future for City.

“It was incredible - they deservedthis,”MancinitoldSky SportsHD1.“Towinitlikethis is incredible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a finale like this.

“We didn’t deserve to lose, we had a lot of chances and we deserved to win the game andchampionship.

“It’sfantasticforthecluband the supporters after 44 years.

It’s been a crazy season and a crazylastminute.”

The Italian added: “Five minutes from the end, I didn’t thinkwe’dwinthisgame.But we deserved to win this and deserved to win the title. We were on top for 20 games.

Bolton, Blackburn. Wolves

Promoted to Premier League Reading, Southampton

…..Blackpool vs West Ham on May 19 to decide last promotion place

Babalola, Abinu rule CBN Tennis

BY JOHN EGBOKHAN

T

Okagbore’s 4th place impresses Ogba

BY ONOCHIE ANIBEZE

B

LESSING Okagbore has run a race that solomon Ogba, the Athletics Federation Chairman is proud of. Ogba is already dreaming of something good from the London Olympics.

Blessing returned 11.01 seconds at the weekend at the First Diamond League in Doha,

Manchester City Continues from BP matic moments of the title race.

There can be only one other moment to compete with this and it was Michael Thomas’s winner for Arsenal at Anfield in 1989.

Roberto Mancini’s team had been 2-1 down going into stoppage time, on the verge of a defeat that would have gone straight in at No1 in their portfolio of harrowing City stories.

There were supporters leaving the ground in tears, scarcely believing the team could have been so reckless.

But then Edin Dzeko equalised and, suddenly, there

was one last assault of the opposition goal. Four of the five minutes of extra-time had elapsed when the ball fell to Sergio Agüero. His finish was clinical and this was the moment football blurred with pandemonium.

City had played with their supporters’ nerves to the point of brutality.

Pablo Zabaleta’s 39thminute goal really ought to have made this a far easier assignment but the entire complexion of the game changed two minutes into the second half when Joleon Lescott’s mistimed header allowed Djibril Cissé to run clear and drive in the equaliser.

Ferguson congratulates City

M

ANCHESTER United manager Sir Alex Ferguson congratulates rivals Manchester City on behalf of the club following a dramatic last-gasp victory over QPR that prevented United from claiming the Premier

Relegated from Premier league

League title.

Two injury time goals from City rendered United’s win at Sunderland irrelevant, with Ferguson revealing he was unaware of the result “until the Sunderland fans started cheering” at the end of the game.

Qatar. It was her first 100m race in the season.

And that’s why Ogba hopes that she could lower the time to a sub 11 seconds with time and be in the range for a medal at the Olympics. Another thing that delighted Ogba was that Blessing ran with the best in the world at the moment.

“That was like an Olympic final,” Ogba said with excitement.

That time, however, placed Blessing fourth in a race current hottest girl in the world won.

Allyson Felix of USA punched the air in celebration after beating Jamaican rivals. She ran 10.92, two seconds faster than World and Olympic 200m champion Veronica CambellBrown who returned 10.94. Olympic champion Shelly Ann Fraser beat Blessing to the third place with a time of 11 seconds.

“This is the kind of race you will see in the final in London,” Ogba

repeated, adding “I think that with time Blessing can run under 11 seconds and anything can happen. If she could run like this in her first 100m race of the season, then expect things to happen. May God help us.”

Ogba spoke from Doha where he watched Blessing in the Diamond League with Falilat Ogunkoya.

Americans showed, in Doha, that the tracks in London will be a great spectacle. It may not be all the way for Jamaicans as Justin Gatlin, still relishing his World Indoor title beat former world record holder Asafa Powell in 9.87 secs .

After his feat at Athens Olympics he wend under following a two year ban for using drugs. “I want everybody to know that Gatlin is back and I want the Olympic title,” he said after winning in Doha. He will have his hands full with Usain Bolt and Blake still in contention in London.

OP seeds Abdulmumuni Babalola and Fatima Abinue have emerged men’s and women’s singles champions respectively of this year’s Central Bank Senior Tennis Championship.

In its 34 th year of unbroken running on the tennis courts of the National Stadium in Lagos, the most glamorous All Nigerian tennis Championship, the CBN Cup came to a

NOC, Supporters Club lightup Lagos As the zero hour approaches swiftly to the start of the London Olympics Games, the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) and the Nigeria Football and other Sports Supporters Club have concluded plans to hold the Olympic Day Awareness on June 23 in Lagos.

With the Games opening ceremony holding on July 27 at the Olympic Stadium in London, the NOC is not losing sight of the task of creating the needed awareness that would help to drive home the Olympic message of regular exercise in the life of people

Heartland, Wolves crash, Sunshine qualify own mountain to climb to the group stages of IT was a horrible day for Nigeria in the Confederations Cup as both her teams bowed out ironically to teams both names Leopards and both due to the away goal rule.

Wolves took a 3-1 lead lead to South Africa but failed to score to PSL bottom placed Black Leopards and were beaten 20.

Heartland had their

facing the AFC Leopards in the Congo. The Owerri side needed a late goal to secure the 3-2 win in the first leg, and we’re already on thin ice heading into Brazaville.

They were ambushed 2-1 and crashed out as well.

Meanwhile Sunshine Stars were left to provide a little cheering for Nigeria, beating Mali’s Djoliba 1-0 to advance

befitting end for the women’s top seed, Fatima Abinu, who in her final match against qualifier Sarah Adegoke played on Court Two because of the rain disruptions, drew from her immense wealth of experience to cruise to a straight sets of victory of 6-4, 6-2.

The first set was quite close with both players holding their serves but in the ninth game, Abinu sent a right-handed volley down Adegoke’s left, with the youngster unable to return to allow the former to break her.

the CAF Champions League after a 1-1 draw Bamako two weeks ago.

CAF Confed Cup AC Leopards 2 Heartland 1 Black Leopards 2 Warri Wolves 0 Champions League Sunshine 1 Djoliba 0

And in fulfillment of this objective, both parties at a meeting held at the conference room of the NOC secretariat in Lagos, pledged to do everything within their powers to ensure that the objectives of the programme were achieved.

President of the Nigeria Sports for All Commission, Dr. Jonathan Nnaji and the President-General of the Supporters Club body, Dr.Rafiu Ladipo, both declared that clubs, corporate organisations and captains of industries have been enlisted to participate in the Olympic Day Awareness Nnaji, who is also the 1st Vice-President of the NOC and President of Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria said that the Olympic Day Awareness was designed to sensitize the Nigerian public on the need to keep fit always by exercising regularly.

“The Olympics body is always harping on the need for people to always exercise and in line with that message, we at the NOC, in collaboration with the supporters club body have fixed June 23 for the Olympic Day Awareness”, Austin Odijie, Secretary of Nigeria Sport For All Commission said.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, MAY 14, 2012

City win EPL

T

HE only word to describe it is bedlam. Manches ter City are the champions, but that tells only part of the story of a day when it was difficult to know if there were enough superlatives in existence to describe what happened in the final, dra

Champions!

Continues on page 63

England

EPL KINGS.....Man City’s captain, Vincent Kompany lifts the EPL trophy after beating QPR 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium yesterday. Pix: AFP

TODAY'S

PUZZLES

ITALIAN JOB.....Juventus’ forward Alessandro Del Piero (C) lifts the Serie A trophy with teammates celebrating FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

Chelsea 2 B/burn 1 Everton 3 N/castle 1 Man City 3 QPR 2 Norwich 2 A/Villa 0 Stoke 2 Bolton 2 S/land 0 Man Utd 1 Swansea 1 L/pool 0 T'ham 2 Fulham 0 W/Brom 2 Arsenal 3 Wigan 3 Wolves 2 Italian Serie A AC Milan 2 Novara 1 Fiorentina 0 Cagliar 0 Juve 3 Atalanta 1

Germany

Italy

•Blues will axe me — RDM — P.60 •Nadal sstunned tunned b erdasco — P byy V Verdasco P.. 60

Premier League

GERMAN CHAMPS.....Dortmund’s midfielder Sebastian Kehl (C) holds the German Cup trophy next to teammates. Dortmund defeated Bayern Munich 5-2 in Berlin on May 12

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 1 Jump (6) 5 Manly (6) 8 Silent (8) 9 Fortune (4) 10 Antelope (3) 12 Confronted (5) 15 Sick (3) 17 Nothing (3) 18 Tavern (3) 19 Help (3) 20 Expect (5) 21 Youth (3) 22 Irritate (3) 23 Hint (3) 24 Defective (3) 26 Ground (5) 29 Fasten (3) 33 Couple (4) 35 Jammed (6) 36 Exact (6)

DOWN 2 Unadorned (5) 3 Bird (4) 4 Cheese (5) 5 Randezvous (5) 6 Reign (4) 7 Regional (5) 10 Imposing (5) 11 Unfastened (5) 12 Scale (5) 13 Seat (5) 14 Trench (5) 15 Creek (5) 16 Deposit (5) 25 Custom (5) 27 Pointed (5) 28 Abrupt (5) 30 Interior (5) 31 Haul (4) 32 Fired (4)

FRIDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Mood 4, Pup 6, Pity 8, Census 9, Nearby 10, Spy 12, Repel 14, Level 15, Nitre 18, Bitter 20, Rescue 24, Yearn 26, Speed 28, Revel 30, Wee 32, Soothe 34, Bear 35, Lit 36, Deep.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN:2, Obese 3, Descent 4, Pass 5, Puny 6, Place 7, Tableau 11, Par 12, Rub 13, Lie 16, Try 17, Era 19, Improve 21, Err 22, Sneered 23, Eel 25, Eke 27, Enter 29, Evoke 30, Well 31, Emit.

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

Place 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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