No negotiations with Boko Haran

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...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 61756

AMCON saved 90% of job loss in banks •P 6 — Chike-Obi

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Int'l Oil firms mount pressure on senators to kill PIB •P 7

N2.9Trn Pension assets: PencCom to review investment guideline •PG.17

LES LEBA •P.40 DELE SOBOWALE •P.38 OCHEREOME NNANNA •P.41

No negotiations with Boko Haram — Jonathan •Says Obasanjo's invasion of Odi, a failure •How I'm fighting corruption •We need private refineries, he says

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR, DAPO AKINREFON, MICHAEL EBOH, KUNLE KALEJAYE & BARTHOLOMEW MADUEKE

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AGOS—PRESI DENT Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, dismissed insinuations of a secret dialogue between the administration and the Boko Haram just as he declared former President Olusegun Obasanjo's invasion of

Continues on Page 5

Mr & Mrs

PRAYERS FOR LAM—The 8th-day Fidau prayer for former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, was held at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, yesterday. From right: Aishat Adesina, Gov. Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State; Bunmi Adesina, Nike Adesina, Dr Wasiu Adesina and Alhaja Sarata Adesina (widow) at the event. Photo: Dare Fasube.

2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—5

POCKET CARTOON

No negotiations with Boko Haram — Jonathan Continues from page 1 Odi in Bayelsa State in 1999 as a failure that did not help to curb militancy in the Niger Delta region.

Speaking on nationwide television media chat, the president also gave a robust defence of the administration’s fight against corruption as he set a 2014 date on the decision whether he would contest the next presidential election or not.

In the two-hour broadcast session on television and radio network, President Jonathan also pledged to align himself with Nigerians if the citizens choose to retain the two-term tenure system for executive office holders.

The Media Chat programme anchored by the Nigeria Television Authority, NTA’s, Kudu Abubakar had the Chairman of the Editorial Board of Vanguard, Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo, Editor of The Guardian Mr. Martins Oloja and Gbemi Olujobi, Editor Saturday Mirror, as panelists.

The President denied insinuations of the declining dominance of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the country following consecutive election losses in Edo and Ondo states.

He also rebuffed reports of the cancellation of the contract between the administration and Manitoba Hydro Limited for the management of the transmission lines of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. Questions were also drawn from Nigerians through text messages and twitter. In one of such questions where the sender said the president would go down in history as the best president if he fixes the Benin-Ore Road and solves the power problem, Dr Jonathan responded that he would be the best president.

Asked to respond to claims of backroom dialogue with Boko Haram following the group’s offer for dialogue, President Jonathan said: “Presently, government is not dialoguing with any group. There is no dialogue between the Boko Haram and government. Though there was a news item talking about dialogue, but the Boko Haram group is yet to come out. So there is nobody to dialogue with.”

Against the claims by former President Obasanjo that more force as was used in Odi would have helped to dislodge the Boko Haram insurgents,

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

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

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realized it sooner –Colette “IT is a curious thing; it appears that happiness is easier to get used to than despair”, says Lemony Snicker, an author of many books. Maybe, it is because the second time you had your favourite drink, for instance, your happiness at sipping the delicious concoction may not be quite as enormous as when you had it the very first time, and the twelfth time your happiness may be still less enormous, until it begins to offer you very little happiness at all.

In this regard, happiness can be rightly, a state or situation in which opposing forces or factor balance each other out and stability is attained. The truth of the matter is that happiness comes from within and is really not affected by outer circumstances.

Menton sums it aptly: “We cannot be happy if we expect to live all the time at the highest peak of intensity. Happiness is not a matter of intensity but of balance and order and rhythm and harmony”.

President Jonathan said: “I can give you the narrative of what led to the Odi crisis. The peak of the militancy was when 12 police officers were killed, that was cold blooded murder and that made the Federal government to now invade Odi. After that invasion, myself and the governor entered Odi, ordinarily, the governor and his deputy are not supposed to move under such situation, but we entered and saw some dead people. Most of the people that died in Odi were mostly old men, women and children, none of the militants was killed.

Odi invasioin was a failure “If bombarding Odi was to solve the problem, then it was never solved and of course if the attack on Odi had solved the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta, then the Yar ’ Adua government would not have come up with the Amnesty programme. So, that should tell you that the attack on Odi never solved the militancy problem and we had more challenges after that attack on Odi.” Responding to a question on whether he would be contesting the 2015 presidential elections, Dr. Jonathan replied: “I plead with journalists; it is too early to ask a sitting president whether or not he will contest elections and this is one of the reasons we agitated for this single tenure issue. Because if a president tells you today that he is contesting election, it will generate a lot of issues.

If I say I am not contesting election, my cabinet members will easily resign and go because all of them are qualified to contest that position.

“There is a four-year tenure which is quite short if you look at the African scenario. Most other African countries have six years and some seven years. Four years is very short time for a president to make an impact. Immediately you start talking about elec-

tions, you get diverted, give us time. Before you ask Mr. President whether he will contest or not, give me time. I don’t want to distract members of my cabinet.

“To know if I would contest again, I will ask you to wait till 2014.

Give me some time for me and my cabinet to do our work. I do not want to distract my team in our quest.”

Asked if his party, the PDP was losing its dominance in the polity following two straight losses in gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo States, he said: “It is even dangerous for this country if PDP, for example, should control all the states. Then there is no democracy and that is one of the challenges that we have conducting PDP primaries, because in some states, you look at the primaries as the election before the election. Immediately you secure the PDP ticket, you are already the governor, it is not in the best interest of this country.

“The PDP worked very hard, the PDP got second position in Ondo election and in some of them, the difference was quite narrow. Except for Imo State, in Ondo and Edo states that you mentioned, we contested against incumbent governors.

“If you look at the whole scenario around Ondo State, Mimiko, himself was a PDP man.

When Mimiko contested the election the first time, his running mate was the state chairman of the PDP. It was more like a PDP family but divided into two, so that I don’t see that as a major challenge to PDP. It is all for PDP to go back in that state and put its house in order. I believe that in the next election, the PDP family will come together and PDP will rule Ondo State. We will win naturally immediately we put our house in order because we are all PDP members.”

On corruption On the issue of graft, President Jonathan said his administration’s major imprints in the battle against corruption had been positive, noting that the battle was started by attacking electoral corruption which he noted was the mother of all cor-

ruption.

“We decided to sanitise the electoral system, dealing with corruption associated with the electoral process. In most cases, people manipulate themselves into office; state governors, local government chairmen and others manipulate themselves into offices without being voted for, thereby posing as problems for the country.

“We are aware that dealing with corruption associated with the electoral process will ensure that corruption is dealt with totally.

“We have done very well on various fronts in terms of fighting corruption. We have sanitized the fertilizer subsidy process; we have tried in sanitizing the electoral process; we have now started the audit of the oil sector, pointing to the fact that we are in the process of sanitizing the sector.

“If you ask the average Nigerian, they will say it is all because of corruption, and that because of corruption that is why there is a pot hole somewhere and that accidents are caused by corruption. We just believe that everything is caused by corruption.

The retreat we conducted and are applying to do certain things including correctional orders, you will be surprised that most people who voted, gave corruption less than 20 per cent.

“But in terms of perfection, we believe that corruption is the cause of all our problems. Corruption is there and we will continue to fight corruption, no doubt about that. But this government has tried to investigate the corruption associated with the elections, we have sanitised it, the corruption associated with procurement of fertilizer is enormous, we

have sanitised and we are now dealing with petroleum products, we will go ahead and sanitise it. We will surely sanitise this country.”

The Manitoba contract Asked if the contract with Manitoba has been cancelled, the president said: ”Manitoba’s contract has not been revoked. There were some issues raised because of misunderstanding. In 2006 when privatization started, Manitoba and others also bidded and as that time the BPE that handled the whole transaction noticed that there were some confusion and they placed procurement of Manitoba as a consultant to manage our transmission and set the process the proces of the privatization.

“Former heads of state are probably shareholders in some companies I don’t think they own any company of their own but no matter what, these companies bidded and they will be assessed technically so you will not know if it is owned by a former head of state or not.”

“The companies that qualify technically will now go into the financial round.

Investment in refineries President Jonathan also said that the present fuel crisis across the country would be resolved only if private investors were attracted to build refineries in the country.

He said the administration was working towards adopting the Canadian model. According to him Canada has 16 refineries owned by private individuals, but managed under a deregulated system.

6—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Nigeria’s external reserves hit $46bn — Sanusi

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BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

AGOS — NIGERIA'S external reserves have risen to $45.68 billion, which is the highest in more than two years.

Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, disclosed this at the 46th annual dinner of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), weekend, in Lagos.

According to Sanusi, “as at close of business today (Friday), our foreign reserves stand at $45.68 billion. We have kept exchange rate stable within our announced band of N155 +or – three per cent.”

The external reserves as at the end of October were $42.67 billion. This implies that the reserves rose by $3.01 billion or 0.7 per cent between October 31 and November 16.

Further analysis showed that the reserves had been rising persistently since August 6 when it recorded the last decline from $36.579 billion to $36.408 billion. Also when compared with its level of $38.59 billion on August 10, 2010, the new level of $45.68 billion represents the highest level of the reserves in 27 months.

In his keynote address, Sanusi said the increase in external reserves was necessary to protect the economy from external shocks arising from decline in crude oil prices and

emphasised the need for fiscal restraint and fiscal consolidation.

He said: “It is important not to be complacent and it is important to recognise that there are dark clouds in the horizon and it is extremely important to start building and continue building the fiscal buffers, go into a period of strong restraints and serious fiscal restraints and consolidation. We must continue to build up the external reserves and protect the economy from external shocks to oil prices and focus on the strength and resilience of the banking system.

“In a year that government removed 50 per cent of fuel subsidies, where you have very high increase in international food prices and energy prices, where you have general instability and where we had forecast that inflation might reach 14.5 per cent in August, inflation is still under 12 per cent. As at September, inflation was 11.3 per cent, but we expect that there might be an inching up in food inflation figures expected to come out on Monday, but because of the tight monetary conditions we have kept we now have a moderation in core inflation.

“We now have high reserves of more than a twoyear high, stable exchange rates, relatively benign inflation, but obviously, very high interest rates and lending rates in the money market."

From left: Director General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Alhaji Sani Sidi; Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State; Vice President Namadi Sambo and Minister of Water Resources, Mrs Sarah Ochekpe, during the Vice President's visit to flood victims in Kaduna State, weekend.

AMCON saved 90% of job losses in banking sector — Chike-Obi zSays due process has not worked in our country zFaults fixing of energy tariff by regulatory agency

BY PETER EGWUATU

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AGOS — THE Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, weekend, said its intervention in the banking sector saved 90 per cent of employees that would have lost their jobs in the banking sector.

The corporation also decried the adoption of due process and bureaucratic process of getting things done in Nigeria, saying: “Despite the

Kayode Eso, the mystery judge —Soyinka zFamily to release burial programme soon

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS — NOBEL Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has described the late Supreme Court Justice Kayode Eso who died last Friday in a London hospital as a mystery judge even as the family of the deceased will meet in the next two or three days with a view to releasing the burial programmes.

The Nobel laureate in his tribute said though the late jurist titled the narrative of his life on the bench: The Mystery Gunman, but for him, late Eso had remained the mystery judge.

According to Soyinka, “it is endlessly fascinating to

consider that he may have changed the probable course of my existence, but this is not why I mourn him, or pay him tribute. We bonded.

“That bond began without his knowledge, months before I actually stood trial in his court. It began as we monitored his phone calls, among others, during the Western Region crisis, and heard him resist pressure from the apex of power urging him to dent the shield of justice. He resisted with grace, with a disarming sense of humour.

Who was this judge? I wondered.

“At the feast of after-life, or wherever a table is set aside for judges of stellar integrity, there will Kayode

Eso be seated, in a high place of honour.”

Meanwhile, the late Justice Eso’s younger brother, Venerable Ladipo Eso, said yesterday that the larger family “will meet in the next two or three days to decide the next line of action.”

According to him, the family must consider the personality of the late retired Justice of the Supreme Court and his standing in the society, before coming out with his burial programmes.

Meanwhile, friends and sympathizers have continued to throng the Ikeja G.R.A. residence of Ven. Eso to commiserate with the family on the demise of their patriarch.

implementation of massive bureaucracy, corruption has not declined in the country.”

Managing Director, AMCON, Mr. Mustapher Chike-Obi, who stated this at the second Investors’ Forum organised by FBN Capital in Lagos, said: “Do we need all the bureaucracy to get our things done better? We should be result oriented.

We must build roads whether with or without due process. We don’t have good roads in Nigeria.”

On AMCON’s intervention in the banking sector, he, said: “People thought we came to take over the banks, not knowing we intervened to prevent Nigerian banks from collapsing and helping depositors from losing their money.

Also, our intervention helped 90 per cent of the employees in the banking sector from losing their jobs because these banks were in serious negative balance sheet.

What we have accomplished now is to take their balance sheet to zero position.”

Faults regulatory agency over fixing of tariff While commenting on power, Chike-Obi, said: “ I have been asking everybody who knows about power why we have a regulatory agency that set tariff for Nigerian power? It

seems to me that in Nigeria today over 90 per cent of electricity is not regulated.

It is not even generated and since diesel is unregulated, that means the power is largely unregulated in terms of tariff.

"Nigeria also seems to me to be one place in the world where you do not need an electricity tariff because if the tariff gets too high people can switch back to their generators and there is a corrective mechanism from too high energy prices.

“I bring this up because I look at all the preferred bidders or winners in Gencos and Discos and it struck me that I did not see a single one of them with genuine international financial partners. They all have good technical partners and they all have plans to raise money from Nigerian banks but I wonder looking at the quantum of money needed in the power sector, if the quantum of money can be raised locally without genuine international financial help.

"That is the question I do ask and am really concerned about it because power is very essential for this country. We need to know whether we should be setting types or be encouraging people that can generate, transmit and distribute power and then charge whatever they like because only in that I believe personally that we

can get what is required.”

On how things are done in Nigeria, Chike-Obi said: “ When I came back to Nigeria from USA where I lived for many years, I was told this is how we do things and that I need to follow due process. This is how we do things and all that. Don’t bring your American attitude. We have to follow due process and transparency is the kind of word they use and all that.

"I used to tell them but these ways of doing things have not worked for this country. We have a massive bureaucracy called the Bureau of Public Procurement. You have to go through many things before you satisfy them. But do we need to go through all these things before we get things right? Our people are not concerned about results. This process of doing things has not helped us in many ways. It must be changed and we must be conscious of results Some Nigerians are not concerned about results. All they want is due process that does not produce any result and corruption keeps rising. “ At AMCON, we need brand new computers which will cost $12 million and I was told we need to advertise to do this and that and it took us two years to get the computers because of due process. This is not good for this country.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—7

Gunmen kill retired Pastor, Policeman

BY SUZAN EDEH, NDAHI MARAMA & ABDULSALAM MUHAMMAD

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AUCHI — TRAGEDY struck, yesterday morning, in Bauchi and Maiduguri when unidentified gunmen killed a Police Inspector attached to the Government House in Bauchi as well as a retired Pastor of COCIN Church in Maiduguri, Rev. Ilaisha Kabura.

Vanguard gathered that the late police inspector identified as Babangida Danbaba was trailed by his assailants on his way from the mosque along Nasarawa Road in the state capital after early morning prayer.

Some residents along Nasarawa Road confirmed to Vanguard that they heard gunshots, but were not sure exactly where the shots came from and who was the target.

Confirming the incident, the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Ladan said a police inspector attached to the Government House was shot by unknown gunmen.

The Commissioner of Police who said that no arrest had been made in connection with the killing said the police were still investigating the case.

Meanwhile, in Maiduguri, gunmen invaded the residence of a retired Pastor of COCIN Church in Polo ward, Rev. Ilaisha Kabura and shot him dead in the presence of

members of his family as they were preparing to go to church An eyewitness told our correspondent that he saw the two gunmen in front of the Reverend’s family house before they fired several shots at him and fled without being arrested.

He said that when he saw the gunmen, he thought they were visitors of the reverend, until he started hearing gun shots some minutes later.

How Kano lawmaker was killed

An eye witness has recounted how a ranking PDP lawmaker from Kano, Ibrahim Abba Garko, was murdered along KanoWudil Highway shortly after observing his early evening prayer, Saturday.

According to the eyewitness, Garko left his residence in company of his friends for his building under construction along Yan’awaki, Ungwa Uku general area, Tarauni Local Government Area of the municipality.

Unknown to him gunmen on motorbike trailed him from his house and after about two kilometres caught up with him and opened fire that hit him on the ‘head , chest, and shoulder’, while others in his car equally sustained various degree of injuries.

The lawmaker was said to have died instantly from the gunshot wounds while his lucky friends were taken to an undisclosed hospital in the ancient city.

Ovia donates N1 bn to flood victims

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AGOS — THE ongoing efforts at generating funds for the rehabilitation of victims of the recent flood disaster across the country have received a boost from the Chairman of Visafone Telecommunication, Jim Ovia, who has donated N1 billion to the cause.

Besides, the former Managing Director of Zenith Bank promised that Visafone would set up emergency call centres across the nation to curtail future natural disasters like flooding and further assured of the company’s continued determination to effectively give back to the society and make Nigeria a better place for all.

While imploring other corporate organisations not to be left out in the joint task of providing relief for the

victims, Ovia said: “We have made our humble donation and we are still looking at other areas of assistance we can render. Plans are afoot towards setting up emergency call centres to mitigate the effect of future occurrence. Since it’s a natural occurrence, we may not be able to stop it but at least, lessen the effect on both the people and our environment through timely action which the call centers can facilitate.”

It would be recalled that in response to the disaster, the Federal Government, as a stop-gap measure, announced the disbursement of N500 million to the highly impacted states, N300million to the moderately impacted ones and N200million to the least impacted states.

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle), flanked from left by Mr. Ikeddy Isiguzo (Vanguard), Mr. Muhammed Kudu Abubakar (Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mrs. Themi Olujobi (The Mirrow) and Mr. Martins Oloja (The Guardian) during the Presidential Media Chat at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesteday.

Merger: We are not losing sleep, PDP tells ACN, CPC, others zSays it's merger of dictators

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA—THE national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has again boasted that it would not lose sleep over the planned merger of Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, and other opposition political parties ahead of the 2015 presidential election.

The PDP, while noting that the proposed move was an action in futility, however, described it as the coming together of dictators, and urged the ACN to resolve what it called the sore question

hanging around its oneman ownership by former governor of Lagos State, Chief Bola Tinubu.

In a statement signed yesterday in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, PDP also queried what it described as the CPC’s consistent trajectory of violence as raised in the party ’s reaction to their merger deal, which it described as good for democracy, instead of dressing up fiction as historical facts or taking the usual descent to the gutter.

The statement read in part: ‘’While the PDP is not losing sleep over the

merger of the two opposition political parties, since it is an exercise in democracy and since they both cannot defeat the PDP at elections, it is, however, not out of place for us to point out the major defects of the merger and why Nigerians will continue to reject it as an alternative to our great party. ‘’The onus is entirely on these two parties to accept these glaring facts and seek ways out of the situation or to continue with the delusion that the merger of brood of dictators does not disguise its relish for the funeral train, is what Nigerians

need at the moment. ‘’The ACN is entirely owned by Bola Tinubu and brooks no opposition to his dictates. It is no secret that the governors of Lagos, Osun and Ekiti States as well as the woefully failed candidate of the party in the recent Ondo governorship election were Tinubu’s direct imposition.

“It is also a fact that Tinubu unilaterally chased out Ope Bamidele who won the primaries for Ekiti Central senatorial district and imposed his preferred candidate.

Nigerians can still remember how Tinubu’s wife made her way to the Senate."

Int'l oil firms pressure Senators to kill PIB

BY HENRY UMORU

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BUJA — STRONG indications have emerged that International Oil Companies, IOCs, have begun to engage in vigorous lobby of senators to ensure that they kill the current Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) on arrival.

According to a source, these foreign oil companies want the senators to either abandon the Bill, which is currently before them or if they must continue with discussions, find ways of adjusting the terms to accommodate their interests.

A source within the corridor of government

disclosed that methods being put in place by the IOCs to lobby government officials include hiding under the Federal Government’s Foreign Investment drive to boost and grow the economy, with threats that the bill, if passed, will result in massive pushing of investment to other oil producing countries in the region.

The IOCs, the source said, were desperate and lobbying to ensure the amendment of the PIB to sustain the current revenue leakages, despite the five years tax waivers for investors in gas projects dedicated for domestic gas supply for power generation.

It would be recalled that with the Bill, when passed into law, the Federal Government would increase its revenue generation from Joint Ventures (JVs) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and this is exactly what IOCs are kicking against.

In the new PIB, the source said that new conditions attached to JVs and PSCs would enable the government raise its share to rates at par with what obtains in other oil producing countries as well as introduce royalties that will allow marginal field producers grow and compete, in line with the Nigerian Content Act, signed into law by

President Goodluck Jonathan on April 22, 2010.

The source said: “With the absence of an enabling law that sets out guidelines for operations in the oil and gas sector, the Nigerian government has continued to lose billions of dollars in tax dues and an unfavourable PSC terms approved in 1993, which are no longer valid for current economic and business realities.

“But the PSC is designed such that the first five years the huge capital is invested, the IOCs take a large chunk of revenue estimate of 70 per cent of the profit compared with 30 per cent for the government.”

8—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Falana urges NASS to reject FG’s $7.9 billion loan request

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

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AGOS — THE National Assembly has been called upon not to approve the $7.9 billion being requested by the Federal Government to fund certain projects within the next two years.

In a letter by a Lagos lawyer and rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, to the President of the Senate, David Mark, he said that rather than embarking on borrowing, a team of

progressive lawyers are being mobilized to assist the relevant agencies of the Federal Government in ensuring that all outstanding funds payable to the Federation Account from the oil sector are recovered while the culprits are brought to book without any delay.

Urging the National Assembly not to approve the request for the foreign loan, Falana said, “the Federal Government should be advised to collect the

several billions of dollars which the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and a number of oil companies have refused or failed to remit to the Federation Account in violation of the provisions of Section 162 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as

amended.”

He said, from the reports of the committees set up by the Federal Government to investigate the oil sector, it showed that there were monumental frauds in the sector, adding, “contrary to the earlier official figure of N1.3 trillion, the Accountant –

General of the Federation put forward a figure of N1.6 trillion, the CBN N1.7 trillion while the Committee established subsidy payment of N2,587.087 trillion as at 31st December, 2011 amounting to more than 900 per cent over the appropriated sum of

N245 billion.

“This figure of N2,587.087 trillion is based on the CBN figure of N844.944 billion paid to NNPC, in addition to another figure of N847.9426 reflected as withdrawals by NNPC from the excess crude account, as well as the sum of N894,201 billion

Adeboye vows to resettle flood victims

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ENERAL Overse er of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has said that the interest of his ministry was to see that victims of the recent flood that ravaged parts of the country were resettled in their natural communities.

Pastor Adeboye made the assertion shortly after donating food items and de-

tergents to over 2,000 internally displaced persons at the flood resettlement camps at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State.

Pastor Adeboye, who was represented by the pastor in charge of Delta Province 2 of the ministry in Warri, Pastor Olufemi Olumide, enjoined the victims to see their plight as opportunity to connect to God.

From right: Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN, Lagos State Governor; Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, Lagos State Deputy Governor, Hon. Kolawole Taiwo, Lagos Sate House of Assembly Deputy Speaker and Brig. (rtd) Mobolaji Johnson, former Governor of Lagos State, during the 2000 Days in Office of Governor Fashola, held at Blue Roof Hall, LTV 8, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

It’s pro-active introducing Chinese language in schools – Fashola

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — GOVERnor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, yesterday, justified the proposed introduction of Chinese language in public schools, saying one of the advantages is aimed at boosting the state economy.

The governor who made the disclosure during the commemoration of his 2000 Days in office in Ikeja believed the state government needed to move fast in line

with the global challenge and more important, China is an economic world power.

He said: “The Chinese are in our homes more than we care to admit.

China has become our largest economic partner.”

Fashola recalled an instance where there was a need to have an interpreter while a contractual agreement was to be signed between the state government and a Chinese contractor, adding that it was a Chinese who understood English

that came to their rescue.

Fashola explained that as the world economy is tilting in favour of China, the trend might eventually affect the English. ‘’Don’t be surprised English may go if the global power moves to Asia.”

While commenting on the traffic law, the Governor acknowledged reduction in crime rate, saying that the law has improved the safety on the roads. ‘’The reported case of crime has dropped from 60 per cent in September to 30 at the end of October,” he said.

3,000MW power generation for Lagos soon

BY OLASUNKANMI AKONI

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AGOS — LAGOS State government has said it will scale up electricity generation within the state to at least 3,000 megawatts within the next two years, the Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr.Taofiq Tijani has said.

Meantime, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, repre-

senting, Lagos East Senatorial District has stressed the urgent need for private sector to buy into the energy sector as well as sponsor the training of quality manpower that will control the sector.

Tijani and Ashafa spoke at the weekend during a formal graduation ceremony in honour of first graduating set of 15 young electrical engi-

neers under the Youth Energy Career Programme (YECP) run by the Lagos State Electricity Board, LSEB, and sponsored by Ashafa, with Siemens, a global player in the power sector as trainer partner.

Tijani, stated that the project is expected to be realised through continuing partnership with private sector investors in the state power sector.

Fuel scarcity: 16 parties seek re-opening of Capital Oil

BY CLIFFORD NDUJIHE

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ISTURBED that the lingering fuel scarcity in the country might worsen, leaders of 16 political parties have called for the re-opening of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, which was shut down weekend on account of an ex-parte order by an Abuja Federal High Court.

The order was sequel to a suit by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, AMCON, against Capital Oil and Gas and Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah.

Claiming that Capital Oil controlled about 35 per cent of daily supply of petroleum products in Nigeria, the party leaders, in a joint statement, said they were amazed that “a Federal High Court in Abuja could give order to freeze the assets of Capital Oil on a matter that is being adjudicated by a court of parallel jurisdiction in a Federal High Court in Lagos” without “consideration for the masses and its implication for the Nigerian economy.

Party leaders, who expressed concern over the

issue, included Chief Sam Eke (Citizens Popular Party, CPP);Engr Damian Ogbonna (Peoples Pro-

gressive Party, PPP); Hon Oyetakin Ebenezer M (Nigeria Advance Party, NAP), among others.

Driver docked for allegedly assaulting LASTMA official

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AGOS — A 33-yearold commercial bus driver, popularly called Danfo, Mr. Hakeem, was docked at the weekend for allegedly assaulting an official of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Mr.Abiodun Onafeko, when he attempted to arrest him for driving on the dedicated Bus Rapid Transit, BRT, lane at Jibowu, Lagos.

Hakeem, as alleged, was assisted in the assault by his conductor, Mr. James Ige, who after the incident took to his heels.

The driver, a native of Ago Owu, Abeokuta, Ogun State, confessed that he drove his bus with the number plate: AAA47XA on the dedicated lane from Palm grove to Onipanu due to traffic gridlock.

NGO holds Remembrance Day for road traffic victims

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AGOS — ABOUT 72 hours after several people lost their lives at Otedola Link Bridge, on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, a Non Governmental Organisation, Steerite Driving School will today commence a three day sensitization programme to commemorate the World Remembrance Day for Road Traf-

fic Victims 2012, aimed at raising the consciousness on road safety measures.

Speaking at the weekend, the Chief Executive Officer, of Steerite, Mr. Samuel Akinfe, explained that the prrogramme with the theme; 3Ds, Drunk, Distracted and Drowsy driving have caused needless tragedies on the highway.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—9

Osun appoints acting CJ

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

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From left: Dr. Patrick Fay, Ireland Embassador to Nigeria; Mr. Segun Aina, President/Chairman, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria,CIBN; Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, at the 46th Annual Bankers Dinner organised by CIBN, at Harbour Point 4, Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe.

S-West PDP slams ACN over Lagos LG election case L

AGOS — THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the SouthWest has described the arm-twisting tactics employed by the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, to allegedly subvert the course of justice in the ongoing Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area chairmanship election Appeal case as shameful and a further demonstration of the party ’s hatred for democracy and rule of law.

The party said the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Muktar and other well-meaning Nigerians must as a matter of urgency intervene in the matter to prevent the ACN from subverting the will of the people by blackmailing the judiciary into abandoning the case.

Zonal Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Hon. Kayode Babade, in a statement yesterday said among other things that; “It should be recalled that our party candidate in the October 22, 2011 council polls, Hon. Ibrahim Babajide Obanikoro was declared the lawful winner of the Ikoyi/Obalende Local Council Development Area chairmanship by

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BEOKUTA — A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has voided the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP's congresses conducted by a faction loyal to former President Olusegun Obasanjo in Ogun State in July from which an Executive Committee led by one Dipo Odujinrin has emerged.

Justice Okon Abang, who presided over the case in his judgement at the weekend ordered the

“However, we were surprised to learn that the court announced an adjournment of the case indefinitely without any reason.

“This is an indirect way of ‘arresting’ the Appeal Tribunal judgment or stall the proceedings so as to allow the ACN candidate, Wale Adeniji to continue to enjoy a mandate that does not belong to him.

Obasanjo, Tinubu, others at Lam Adesina’s 8th day prayer

BY OLA AJAYI

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BADAN —FORM er President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was among eminent Nigerians that attended the 8th day prayer held

OGUN PDP: Court sacks ex-President Obasanjo faction

BY ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH

the election tribunal panel led by Hon. Justice Dolapo Akinsanya on October 4, 2012.

“That decision was appealed by ACN and its candidate Mr. Wale Adeniji.

“Few days ago, the Election Appeal Panel adjourned to November 15, 2012 for adoption of addresses by all parties to the case.

affected officials, who emerged from the voided state, local government and ward congresses conducted in the state in July to vacate offices and surrender the affairs of the party to those officials who emerged from the earlier congresses conducted by the harmonised Dayo Soremi led committee.

Justice Abang therefore ordered the PDP to accept the Adebayo Dayo-led committee as the authentic management body of the party in the state.

in honour of the former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lamidi Adesina who died last Sunday.

This came as Governor Abiola Ajimobi said his administration would immortalise the late politician for the meritorious role he played in the sociopolitical development of the state during his life.

Dignitaries at the fidau prayer included former Governor Bola Ahmed Tinubu of Lagos; the National Chairman of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Chief Bisi Akande; Governor Babatunde Fashola (Lagos), Governor Rauf Aregbesola (Osun), G o v. I b i k u n l e Amosun,(Ogun), Gov. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Gov. Adams Oshiomhole (Edo).

Others included former Governors Rashidi Ladoja and Omololu Olunloyo; the Chief

Judge of Oyo State, Justice Badejoko Adeniji and the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mrs. Monsurat Sunmonu.

Present also were wives of Oyo and Ekiti State governors, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi and Bisi Fayemi; Senators Ayo Adeseun and Olufemi Lanlehin; former Governors Olusegun Osoba and Niyi Adebayo; Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdul-Azeez Arisekola Alao; Mr. Oba Otudeko; Alhaji Adesina’s deputy, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, among others.

Speaking at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, venue of the fidau prayer, Ajimobi said Lam Adesina Scholarship Endowment Fund would be established for the benefit of brilliant but indigent students.

SOGBO — OSUN State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola in pursuant to Section 271, Subsection 4 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) has appointed Hon. Justice Gloria E. Oladoke as the state’s Acting Chief Judge.

Justice Oladoke who is the most senior judge of the High Court in the state will today (Monday November 19, 2012) be sworn in at the State Secretariat, Abere.

It would be recalled that the Speaker, state House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Salam has urged the governor to fill the vacant post on acting

capacity following their rejection of the nominee of the governor for the post of the state Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Adepele Ojo, claiming that the house based its decision on the rule of the house and the constitutional clause that bars the parliament from acting on the matter pending in court.

A statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications & Strategy Office of the Governor, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon stated that Justice Oladoke was appointed a judge of the High Court of Osun State on December 21, 2000 and seconded to the Customary Court of Appeal as President in July 2010.

Ekiti varsity certificates to carry recipients’ biometric details

BY GBENGA ARIYIBI

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DO EKITI — As from now on any certificate issued by the authorities of Ekiti State University, EKSU, would henceforth carry the biometric of the recipient including the photograph as well as other security features The state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi dropped this hint in Ado Ekiti weekend during an interactive session with the students of tertiary institutions in the state.

Fayemi said the introduction of the special security features

became necessary so as to curb cases of certificate forgery and impersonation that have been on the increase in recent times.

According to him, no fewer than 200 names were sent to the university for authentication of certificate by the Government of Ogun State during the Biometric capture carried out by the state.

He said if the certificates had carried the photographs of the recipients, it would have made the authentication easier for Ogun State.

Mimiko pledges even state-wide development

BY DAYO JOHNSON

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KURE —GOVERnor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has stated his preparedness to work closely with all stakeholders in the state to move it forward in the next four years.

Mimiko said this during a special thanksgiving service for his re-election held at the Cathedral Church of St. Stephen Ikare-Akoko.

According to him, the time has come for all stakeholders in the state to come together and work for the betterment of the state and secure a good future for it irrespective of their differences declaring that there could be no

victory without opposition.

He remarked that “now that the election has come and gone, there is the need for all stakeholders to work together.”

The governor reiterated his plan to continue to work assiduously for the progress of the state.

He added that he would continue “to match forward like a soldier”, assuring that all ongoing projects in the state would be completed and new ones awarded.

He lauded traditional rulers of Akoko stock for standing firm in their belief for the continuation of his government, promising not to disappoint them.

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Uduaghan lauded over appointment to DESOPADEC board

BY FESTUS AHON

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GHELLI—THE Urhobo Political Movement, UPM, weekend, commended Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, for the nomination of its National Chairman, Chief Christopher Obiuwevbi, as member representing Ughelli North and Ethiope East Local Government Areas of the state

UNVEILING OF ANIOMA CONVENTION CENTRE: From right: Chief Peter Nwaboshi, Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party, Delta State; Mr. Chike Ogeah, Commissioner for Information and HRM Obi Chukwu Malije, Obi of Onicha Ugbo, during the unveiling of Anioma Convention Centre in Delta State. Photo Nath Onojake.

NUPENG, PENGASSAN warn against fuel subsidy removal

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

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ALABAR—NIGE RIANS will soon witness the worst fuel scarcity situation and high cost of petroleum products, if the Federal Government goes ahead to withdraw finally oil subsidy without putting in place the four refineries to function optimally, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, have said.

President Goodluck Jonathan said recently that there would be final removal of fuel subsidy and that the money generated from the subsidy removal would be used to put in place infrastructure in the country.

Addressing journalists in Calabar, Cross River State, at the weekend, President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, flanked by President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, and some executive members of the two unions, said it was shameful that Nigeria was importing petrol from Niger and Ghana that had recently discovered oil.

Comrade Achese noted that while the unions were not against the withdrawal of subsidy, relying almost completely on importation of petrol would continue to impoverish Nigerians.

He said the four refineries in Nigeria currently function at 20 per cent capacity, an indication that the country would contin-

ue to rely on importation of the product at higher costs to the detriment of the citizens.

He said: “If we are deregulating the product, you will agree with me that

there is going to be a very high inflation rate in the country, the cost of living would be very high. But then what are the palliative measures that government is going to put in place?

“I read in the papers, the president saying that the money that would be saved from the subsidy removal is what they would use to put infrastructure on ground."

APOLOGY ON OCTOBER 14, 2011, we published an article entitled ''Okoroji must account for N3 million of Essien-Igbokwe Burial Funds,' on our Internet site w w w . vanguardngr.com and on page 31 of Vanguard of the same date.

We have since dis- Mr. Tony Okoroji covered the publication as incorrect and as such retract the said news publication in its entirety.

We, therefore, tender an unreserved apology to Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria

on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC. The group, in a statement by its National Secretary, Mr. Austine Owhofaria and National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Godspower Okagbare, at the end of its monthly general meeting, said; “Obiuwevbi is a team player who can achieve the set goals of the commission.”

Rivers community dedicates building project in Lagos

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N line with the Fed eral Government’s policy that communities should complement governments’ efforts with self-help projects, the Kirikese community of Okirika, Rivers State, weekend, dedicated the first phase of its multi-purpose building in Lagos,

an event that attracted prominent sons and daughters of the community.

Welcoming guests on the occasion, the president, Mr. Charles Olungwe, expressed gratitude to River State Government for its support at the inauguration of the project.

PUBLIC NOTICE

OMEGA UNIQUE FOUNDATION CLUB OF NIGERIA The public is hereby informed that the above named club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part ‘C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Francis Ebosie - President 2. Amaechi Ebonnugwo - Vice president 3. Comrade Joessy Umeh - Secretary 4. Ugochukwu Izundu - Treasurer 5. Stanley Ihuarulem - Member Aims And Objectives: 1. To ensure the promotion of peace and Unity among members.

2. To promote more friendly relationship among members both here and abroad.

3. To establish a body that will unite all members for a common goal.

4. To contribute in any way possible to the aspirations of Omega Unique Foundation Club of Nigeria.

5. Assist to promote economic position and well being of members.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: IFEANYI UGONABO & CO. Barristers & Solicitors.

(COSON).

We also regret any injury the said publication must have caused him as we hold him in high esteem.

- Editor

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—11

Oshiomhole wants constitution to address indigene-settler dichotomy

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

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DONATION: Olufemi Olumide, Pastor-in-charge of Delta Province 2 of Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG (2nd left), presenting relief items to internally displaced persons on behalf of General Overseer of RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, to Madam Carmy Peregba at the flood resettlement camp at Ogbe-Ijoh, Warri South Local Government Area, Delta State.

Ex-militants chase former leaders for alleged embezzlement

BY EMMA AMAIZE

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ENAGOA—SOME ex-militant leaders from Bayelsa State are on the run, following a manhunt for them by splinter groups of disarmed ex-militants for allegedly siphoning their entitlements.

Chairman, Second Phase Amnesty Unpaid Ex-militants, numbering about 1,000, Emomotimi Azebri, told Vanguard yesterday, that their leaders in collusion with some government officials allegedly diverted their money for personal use.

He said: “Initially, we received our monthly entitlements for about two to three months through our different ac-

counts opened for the purpose in the United Bank for Africa, UBA, before our ex-militant leaders, in conjunction with some unscrupulous government officials, diverted the money to their private pockets.

“We have put in place a machinery to check their movement. So long as they live in the county, there is no hiding place for them.

“We are ready to die with these ex-leaders, who are busy buying fleets of cars and building houses and sleeping in hotels with our money.”

He said a similar problem reared its head in neighboring Delta State recently but added that delegates from the Presidency partially ad-

dressed it.

Azebri said they would want a similar intervention by the Presidency in Bayelsa State.

He stated the determination of the ex-militants to quiz their runaway leaders whenever they were caught.

He said the ex-militants would, henceforth, take their destiny in their hands and burn houses and vehicles discovered to have been acquired with their money.

Azebri said some of the affected ex-militants served in Ogri and Egane camps, and warned that their runaway leaders would not be spared when ever they were caught.

“We are angry. If we see them, we will handle them with our hands and

FG, N-Delta states urged to give priority to education

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IVERS State gover nor, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State and former Vice President of the World Bank, Prof. Oby Ezekwesili, have urged Niger Delta states and the Federal Government to give priority to educational advancement.

Speaking at the BRACED states 2012 Education Summit at Government House in Port Harcourt, Governor Amaechi said a country that failed to give priority

to education would be doomed.

He said: “If we don’t give priority to education, our country will be doomed, and I believe that is why we have gathered here today because education is first, it is the future of our children and if we don’t do that, our children and future will be doomed.”

Key attributes Amaechi also explained that education had served as a platform for the emergence of state, national

and world leaders, noting that four key attributes were needed to achieve quality education in the country.

He listed them to include a conducive atmosphere to study, qualified teachers and training, basic infrastructure and curriculum, and consistent funding to sustain the project.

Amaechi said with the current priority given to education by his administration, parents now transfer their children from private schools to the public schools built by government.

I tell you, it will be bloody because we will no longer fold our arms.

“They want us to go back to the creek, but we

ENIN—AHEAD of the proposed amendment of the 1999 constitution by the National Assembly, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, weekend, declared that Nigeria needed a constitution that will protect the rights of the people to live in any part of the country.

Oshiomhole, who stated this during an interactive session with members of the House of Representatives from the state and Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, caucus leaders at Government House, Benin City, said the indigenesettler dichotomy which divides the people should be adequately addressed.

He said: “Edo people are energetic and enterprising and reside in all parts of the country. We should, therefore, work

out a constitution that removes discrimination in all guises so that people are free to live and thrive wherever they choose to live in. People cannot continue to be strangers in a place they choose to live and settle in. I want my children to inherit a nation united on a purpose and not on a configuration of ethnic divide.”

He urged the lawmakers, as representatives of the people, to be more reflective on the issue so as to arrive at decisions that will serve the interests of the people and safeguard their welfare and well-being.

He urged the National Assembly to grab the opportunity of the ongoing efforts to amend the 1999 constitution to ensure the outcome was geared towards building a nation where every citizen had a stake and benefited from the rights and privileges available to all free people.

12—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Poly graduates angry with FG

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

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VISIT: From right: Mr Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, Vanguard Newspapers; Mr Foluso Philips, Chairman, Nigerian Economic Summit Group, NESG, Board, and Mr Tunji Olugbodi, Co-chairman, Communications Committee, NESG, during the visit by NESG to Vanguard Newspapers' office, Apapa, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

300 Nigerians deported from Botswana

BY TONY EDIKE

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NUGU—NO fewer than 300 Nigerians living in the Republic of Botswana have been deported home by Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama's administration in the past few months, after the authorities refused to renew their permits.

The angry deportees want President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly to quickly look into the relations between Bostwana and Nigeria in order to ascertain the true conditions of Nigerians living in that country.

The returnees, most of whom had lived and worked in the Southern African country, said since the assumption of General Khama, whose mother was of British origin, Nigerians in that country had been subjected to dehumanising conditions and racial abuse, even when, they claimed, they had been law-abiding and of good

behavior.

Alleging that the target of the Khama government had been how to get rid of innocent Nigerians pursuing a just course or doing genuine businesses in the country, they claimed that all their efforts to make the Bostwana authorities understand that they were peace-loving and not interested in criminal activities fell on deaf ears as they were only interested in sending them out without any reason.

Speaking with Van-

ing Prohibited Immigrant on the passport of Nigerian nationales by the Bostwana authorities; the implication is that such a person cannot enter Bostwana again, according to Ndubuisi.

He said some of the victims of the “flush Nigerians policy” are well trained Nigerian doctors, pharmacists and businessmen such as Chinaenye Uzoho, Chinonso Opara, Dr. Henry,Vitus Kingsley Ikekwem, Chika Uzo, among others.

guard on the ordeals of Nigerians in the hands of the Botswana officials, Mr. Kingsley Ndubuisi from Anambra State, who returned to the country without his belongings in September, this year, said all Nigerians whose permits expired were forcefully deported, leaving their property, wives and children behind.

The most annoying of all the troubles Nigerians are facing in that country accoprding to him, is the incessant stamping of, PI, mean-

Traders want upward review of flood victims' rehabilitation fund

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—TRADERS in Onitsha, Anambra State, weekend, said the N17.6 billion voted by the Federal Government for flood victims in the country was not enough, considering the level of destruction caused by it.

Consequently, they urged that the money be

observed that the amount might not even be enough to solve the problem caused by the flood in one state.

Some of the items donated to the homes were 264 bags of rice, 66 bags of semolina, 93 bags of Indomie noodles, ten cartons of Milo, ten cartons of ovaltine and several cartons of toilet roll.

reviewed upward in the interest of those affected by the problem.

Members of the New Motor Tyre and Tube Dealers Association, who made the call while donating food items and cash worth N25 million to some less privileged homes as part of their contribution towards alleviating their suffering,

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE

BIBLE FAITH FAMILY CHURCH (AKA) CHRIST FAMILY CHAPEL INTERNATIONAL

THE ASSOCIATION OF LOCAL FOOD DISTRIBUTORS AND MANAGERS OF NIGERIA

This is to inform the general public that the above named church is applying to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev Dr. Fidelis Eboagwu – General Overseer 2. Rev Mrs. Isioma Eboagwu – Assistant General Overseer 3. Mr. Christian Efedi – General Secretary 4. Mr. Godwin Ogugwa – Treasurer 5. Mr. Fredrick Endurance – Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To propagate the Gospel and win Souls for Christ.

2. To plant and establish churches in Africa and beyond.

3. To usher believers into creativity through skill acquisition and self reliance projects.

4. To establish Bible institute for the training of church workers.

Any Objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 565, Ndola Square, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, within 28days of this publication.

Signed: J. O. Nwabor Esq, Z.O. Nzebi Esq.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Dr. Boyd Ollen 2. Alh. Rasak Abiodun 3. Alh. Yunusa Bebe 4. Mrs. Ngozi Ezeji

-

Coordinator Secretary Treasurer Financial Secretary

Aims And Objectives: 1. To take record of names and locations of all those who engage in the business so as to regulate the activities.

2. We will ensure the proper strategy for monitoring and development of these members and their business.

3. To create enabling environment to improve on food management, preparation and distribution.

4. To organize workshop, contence as regard training on food (preparation and management, to ensure healthy distribution and preservation).

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Alh. Rasak Abiodun (Secretary)

WERRI—THE lead ership of National Association of Technologists in Engineering, NATE, has appealed to the Federal Government to release the white paper on the Ernest Shonekan panel on the disparity between Higher National Diploma, HND, and university degree.

The National President of NATE, Dr. Leo Okereke, made the appeal weekend while addressing a press conference in Owerri.

“Mr. President Sir, 11 years is more than enough time for a circular to be issued in the civil service.

“We urge you to demonstrate the political will to release this long awaited circular,” Dr. Okereke pleaded.

NATE leadership expressed serious worry that products of polytechnics were known not to rise beyond level 14 in the civil service, adding that many of them had been frustrated out of service when their juniors were promoted above them on account of their HND qualification.

LASUTH Provost stresses need for health sector devt

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AGOS—THE Fed eral, state and local governments have been advised to devote greater attention to the strengthening of the country’s health system.

The Provost , College of Medicine, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Professor Olumuyiwa Odusanya, gave the advice while delivering an inaugural lecture, entitled “health in the interest of the public”, at the main campus of Lagos State University, Ojo. Professor Odusanya

called for a paradigm shift in order to improve the health of the people, pointing out that the health system and services must make the people the centre of activities.

Advising health workers to become advocates of health policy that would place the health agenda on the front burner of government decisions, he also suggested an increased awareness on the social determinants of health and adoption of healthy behavior by the people.

Okonkwo eulogises Saraki

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AGOS—PRESIDENT of South East political action group, C21, Sen Annie Okonkwo, has described the late Dr. Olusola Saraki, as the undisputed benevolent Chief Priest of Kwara politics.

In a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Mr. Collins Ugwu, Sen. Okonkwo noted that Dr. Saraki was a “unique medical politician whose proven surgery in masses' generosity provided him the magic of his endowed popularity to his very end.”

He said: “Saraki has a peculiar charisma that is not noisy, yet very loud by the ease of his adaptation to all classes of his people, especially the masses.

“Infact, it is safe to say that Dr. Saraki is the benevolent Chief Priest of Kwara politics, a true diviner of their needs, and a thorough political captain whose arm band may not find a fitting hand as successor.

“I mourn with Nigeria his passage as I condole his family to look up with cheer and pride.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—13

How to protect judiciary from abuse —Adoke, Fashola E

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—LAGOS State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, at the weekend in Enugu stressed the need for high ethical conduct and decency in legal profession as way to protect the judiciary from abuse.

The duo spoke at the 4th re-union gathering of Class 88 of the Nigerian Law School, held at

Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu.

Fashola, who chaired the occasion, explained that reforms and ethics in the legal profession meant one thing, which is to comply to law and order.

He charged Attorney Generals to go beyond being advocates of the state, adding that they should get involved in criminal prosecutions, to avoid charges that ridicule the judiciary.

The governor said: “At-

torney-Generals should rise up and protect the judiciary. They should not only be advocates of the state government.

They should get involved I criminal prosecution. They should contribute in enthroning decency in the legal profession.

“Look at those charges that ridicule the judiciary. We say we have 70 count charges. How many witnesses will you need? How long will the case last? Talking about reforms and ethics means one thing. To comply with law and order.”

Delivering a lecture with the theme “Ethics and Discipline at the Bar: Repositioning the Legal Profession in Nigeria,” Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Adoke noted that the distinctive mark of a profession is its willingness and ability to regulate the conduct and behavior of its members.

According to him, laws, rules and ethics circumscribe behavior, and professional ethics at the bar, regulates and creates behavioral relationship between lawyer and the courts and his client.

Nigeria's daily crude production to hit 4million barrels by 2020

BY YEMIE ADEOYE

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BUJA—NIGERIA’s daily crude oil production is expected to rise by another 1.4 million barrels from its current 2.6 million bpd by the year 2020, just as crude oil reserves is also expected to grow to 40 billion barrels from its present 36 billion barrels.

Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Mr. Andrew Yakubu, made this disclosure during the 42nd Annual General Meeting, Conference

and Exhibition of the Nigerian Society of Chemical Engineers, NSChE, with the theme: “Harnessing Water Resources for National Development,” in Abuja.

According to him, NNPC has exceeded its target for Gas-to-Power aspirations and is taking steps to grow the nation’s crude oil reserves to 40 billion barrels and daily crude oil production to 4 million barrels per day by 2020 in order to ensure that a solid platform is laid for the rapid economic growth and development of the country.

Minister tasks contractors on Enugu-PH Expressway

BY ANAYO OKOLI

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M UA H I A — T H E Minister of State for Works, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, has directed contractors handling the palliative repairs on the Enugu-Port Harcourt express road to ensure that the road was made motorable before the Christmas and New Year festivities.

According to Yuguda, President Goodluck Jonathan is very worried over the condition of the road and directed that it be made motorable to ameliorate the suffering

of motorists and commuters plying the road.

Yuguda, who spoke weekend, while inspecting progress of work on the repairs, expressed dissatisfaction with the pace of work and warned the contractors to speed up work, especially the badly damaged OkigweUmuahia axis.

He said none of the contractors would claim to lack funds to execute the project as according to him, the Federal Government has mobilised them enough to ensure that the roads were made motorable.

Warri South LG boss dissolves revenue sub-c'ttees

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A R R I — N E W LY sworn-in Transition Committee Chairman of Warri South Local Government Area, Dr. Austin Uroye, has dissolved all revenue subcommittees in the council with immediate effect.

Dr. Uroye, who announced the dissolution after receiving handing over note from the council’s Head of Personnel Management, Mr. James Kolo, declared that the council had not given permission to anybody or group to arrest people for illegal parking or obstruction, warning that

anyone caught would be prosecuted.

The council boss also charged members of the council’s transition committee to embrace the people-oriented programme of the state government to enable the people reap the dividends of democracy.

Uroye gave the charge shortly after inaugurating the Vice-Chairman of the transition committee, Mr. Dafe Ikpuri, the Secretary, Mr. Eugene Ebisin and 16 other members at the council secretariat in Warri.

GOAL Nigeria graduates 640

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AGOS—GOAL Ni geria, an international empowerment initiative, has graduated fresh 640 girls from its training programme and reached out to over 16000 adolescent girls in Lagos.

Speaking during the second graduation ceremony in Lagos, GAOL’s national coordinator, C M Y K

Mrs. Iwalola AkinJimoh, said the programme was implemented by Standard Chartered Bank and Youth Empowerment Foundation.

She said: “Last year, we trained 230; this year, we trained 640, and these girls have a target of reaching out to 20 girls."

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

FIDAU PRAYER FOR LATE OLUSOLA SARAKI

From left— Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman, Dangote Group; Senator Bukola Saraki; Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State.

From right— Vice President Namadi Sambo, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State, Mr. Olaseni Saraki, grand son of the late Saraki; Senator Bukola Saraki, son; Mrs Morenike Saraki, widow; and Senator Gbemisola Saraki, daughter, at the Fidau prayer for late Dr. Olusola Saraki at the Metropolitan Square, Ilorin, yesterday.

Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (right) and Alhaji Kawu Baraje.

Alhaji Mohammed Bashir, Chief Imam of Ilorin (middle), leading a cross section of Imams at the Fidau prayer.

Mrs Toyin Saraki (left) and First Lady of Kwara State, Mrs Omolewa Ahmed.

A cross section of participants.

Alhaji Ibrahim Gambari, Emir of Ilorin, leading other monarchs to the Fidau prayer.

... AND FOR LATE LAM ADESINA

Sen. Oluremi Tinubu (left) and Alhaja Sarata Adesina, widow of late Adesina, at the eight days Fidau prayer for the former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Lam Adesina, at Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTOS: Dare Fasube.

From left— Alhaji Azeez Arisekola-Alao, Sen. Rasheed Ladoja and Otunba Moses Alake, Deputy Governor of Oyo State.

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From left— Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and Aremo Olusegun Osoba.

Col. Ahmed Usman, former military Administrator of Oyo State (left) Prof. Taoheed Adedoja.

A cross section of participants.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 — 15

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16— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 PROFESSOR Attahiru Jega, Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has a penchant for explaining INEC’s failings. After two years on the saddle, he thinks INEC ’s deficiencies play no part in credible elections.

When Jega speaks with candour about malpractices in political parties does he understand he is indicting INEC for neglecting its duties of monitoring the parties? Sections 222, 224, 225 and 226 of the Constitution gave INEC tremendous powers to ensure political parties operate within the law. Which political party in the past two years has Jega prosecuted for contravening the law?

“Political parties budget funds with which to bribe security agencies and INEC officials during elections. Of course, this is being resisted but we have to stop all this in our electoral process. Many political parties also budget money for litigation and, therefore, look for cases to spend the money on,” said Jega at a seminar in Abuja.

The law does not only expect Jega to resist

INEC – More Cause For Alarm

the offers. He is expected to arrest the bribe givers. If parties budget for bribes, how has Jega dealt with the issue since he discovered the practice?

Section 226 (1) states, “The Independent National Electoral Commission, shall in every year prepare and submit to the National Assembly a report on the accounts and balance sheet of every political party.

(2) It shall be the duty of the Commission, in preparing its report under this section, to carry out such investigations as will enable it to form an opinion as to whether proper books of accounts and proper records have been kept by any political party, and if the Commission is of the opinion that proper books of accounts have

not been kept by a political party, the Commission shall so report.” Jega accused the parties of poor accounting. He should take responsibility for poor supervision of the parties.

He blames everyone except INEC and its officials. “There was one candidate that refused to withdraw and the political party forged a letter that he had agreed to withdraw,” Jega informed his audience adding that INEC did nothing about the forgery because provisions of the Electoral Act disallowed INEC from interfering in internal affairs of parties.

This bland interpretation of the Electoral Act is convenient. Forgery is a criminal offence, anyone who is aware of a crime and refuses to report it, is a party to the crime. INEC and its officials are therefore responsible for the levity political parties apply to the law.

For Jega to know about these infractions with direct bearing on the fidelity of our democracy, and have the effrontery to excuse his inaction is another cause for alarm over INEC.

OPINION

BY JOSEPH UDOH

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OR an enduring period now, the media has remained awash with damning stories all around the oil subsidy probe and related issues. A lot of uncovering has been and is still being done by various panels instituted by the Federal Government and the National Assembly. Nigerians are taking sides based on their different perceptions and interpretation of the reports of the panels.

From our stand point as human rights activists, however, we have been taking much more concerned and closer look at the events as they unfold. One particular case that has caught our attention is that of Ifeanyi Ubah and his Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited.

We are concerned about the observed breach of procedure and incoherent accusations being levelled against him and his business dealings. Our interest in the activities of the company, is further fuelled because of the fact that Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited, is a key player in the oil and gas industry in the last decade. In the period, the company has never been mentioned in previous probe reports. All of a sudden, the company is now wearing the toga of a bad corporate entity. Mr. Ubah is grossly being vilified while the real barons who have held sway in the sector for years, in many instances receiving indictments, are strolling around freely.

Worried by the heightening abuse of Ubah’s rights and dignity, our group, Coalition of Human Rights Groups of Nigeria undertook a fact finding tour of some of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited facilities. Our primary intention was to ascertain if the company is a genuine player in the industry based on what is on ground in terms of facilities, if the company and its CEO deserve the acrimonious treatment they are presently getting and if they are getting the commensurate support they deserve from the government in an event that they are living up to standards. We also wanted to deduce if there are underlying motives for Ubah’s present predicament.

Our tour started with the Capital Oil and Gas Limited

Ubah's many battles Truck Park in Amuwo area of Lagos State. What we saw there is a beautiful truck terminal capable of holding 1100 trucks. The complex has a top restaurant, restrooms, offices and other recreational facilities for drivers and company business. But more fascinating, is the fact that the facility and link road were constructed from a swamp area about 1.5metres deep.

The facility has helped Lagos tackle the problem of tanker drivers parking on the roads and bridges. It also eliminated the frequent conflict between truck drivers and government which usually resulted in death and destruction of property, not to mention chaos and hardship from truncation of supplies.

Available records show that Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited have about 400 operational trucks that distribute petroleum products across the nation. We also observed about 300 Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, branded trucks used for its Kero-direct initiative to supply kerosene (DKP) directly to end users in states. The trucks are designed like mobile filling stations and end users buy direct from these in various states to eliminate product scarcity and ensure that end users get the products at NNPC approved retail rate. There were also 30 state-of-the-art bitumen trucks on ground to support road construction projects and eliminate the challenges of bitumen supply.

The more we looked at the available facilities, the more the vision and entrepreneurial drive of the leader of Capital Oil and Gas Limited, stared us in the face. At the depot, we marveled at the storage facilities on ground. It has four depots with a combined capacity to hold about 16 million litres of petroleum products. Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited alone, stores 35 to 40 per cent NNPC petroleum product supplies and still stores for other oil marketing majors.

We were made to understand that the company dredged its

jetty which has four berths, meaning that four large vessels can berth at the same time. We saw vessels berthed in the jetty. The jetty also provides service to other oil majors to enable them avoid demurrage at the ports. The company employs over 800 permanent staff, with only three foreign nationals. With the bitumen and refinery project in the pipeline, Nigerians are bound to have more employment opportunities.

From our investigations, we now know more. We now know which company has the largest fleet of trucks to distribute petroleum products to Nigerians. We now know who has the largest capacity to hold petroleum products.

We also know who employs more Nigerians in the downstream sector. It is unarguable who has invested more in infrastructure development. So, what has the renowned oil barons and families been doing with their oil largesse for the past decades?

Given the importance of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited to the economy today, we sense sabotage, orchestrated by some powerful cabals. We can now see the plot to cripple Capital Oil and Gas, a genuine indigenous company that has single-handedly invested in infrastructure and rectified the truncated supply system in Nigeria. Clearly, that will send us back to the days of scarcity. Such unthinkable reality would result in increased pump price and more suffering by transporters.

That would be business as usual for the few barons who have ravaged the oil business for decades without mercy for the common man.

It is time for Nigerians to know the truth and speak out against the current war being waged against Ifeanyi Ubah and the slow decimation of Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited. This illustrious business should not be taken over by force and handed over to greedy corporations who will return Nigerian downstream sector to the dark ages of fuel scarcity.

*Mr. Udoh, a human rights activist, wrote from Asaba, Delta State.

A4—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

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the emergence of Obasanjo, Yar ’Adua and GEJ possible. It is that power that will make Jonathan president for a second term in 2015, unless a major shift of paradigm in the political behaviour of Nigerians takes place.

For now, the Nigerian people only queue up to confirm what the presidency has already worked out.

OBJ's tongue in cheek

OBJ and GEJ: Lest we forget

OBJ and GEJ: In the good old days....

Yar ’ Adua, and dovish Bayelsa Governor, GEJ. He brought them to Aso Villa and paraded them before television cameras as the presidential candidate and running mate of the PDP.

The do-or-die 'candidates'

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ot only that, he announced to his party and the nation that the election of his successor was for him a do-or-die affair. He campaigned fanatically for Yar’Adua/Jonathan and got them elected. A few months down the line he was on the streets denigrating Yar ’Adua but he was not brazen about it as he is with GEJ. Yar ’ Adua had reversed some of the giveaway privatisation exercises from which OBJ and his acolytes had sumptuously benefited.

When Yar ’Adua’s recovery became hopeless, OBJ started the whispering that GEJ should be empowered as full President. OBJ was one of the first to urge Jonathan to run for president as

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LL may truly not be well between former President, Olusegun Obasanjo and the incumbent, Goodluck Jonathan. No one says the things he said about GEJ at a recent public forum in Warri unless there is a war (cold or hot) between them.

He basically called Jonathan a “weak” leader. More than that, he called himself a “strong” president while he was in power. He justified it by recalling how he sent soldiers to level Odi in Bayelsa State when nineteen security troops were murdered by armed militants. He also blamed Nigerians for electing GEJ, saying that without their votes Jonathan would not be in power. I want to look into these two issues because as a chronicler of Nigeria’s current affairs (which become history as time goes on) I am familiar with them.

I am also very familiar with Obasanjo’s place in Nigeria’s history and his neverending efforts to whitewash his records as a two-time leader of this country while putting others who have occupied that position in bad light. The only leader of Nigeria (both serving and erstwhile) that Obasanjo speaks of in glowing terms is the late General Murtala Mohammed.

Mohammed probably earned that special place in Obasanjo’s heart because his death made Obasanjo a head of state. Add Abdulsalami Abubakar. He released OBJ from prison, pardoned him, and made him an elected president.

GEJ is not the first leader Obasanjo is bad-mouthing while in office. In fact, Gen. Sani Abacha nearly sent him to a firing squad for his busy-body activities interpreted as “concealment” of coup plot in 1995.

We must not allow Obasanjo to twist our history. We know how GEJ emerged as president of Nigeria. He was imposed on the nation by Obasanjo.

There was no way GEJ would have been president if Obasanjo had allowed Nigerians to choose. Jonathan would probably be serving out his second term in office as Governor of Bayelsa State.

Even that would have been a gift by Obasanjo who got Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha impeached “for corruption”, though political pundits said the real reason was Alams’ support for Obasanjo’s Vice President, Atiku Abubakar with whom OBJ was locked in mortal political combat.

If Obasanjo had allowed Nigerians to pick, they would have had to choose between Dr. Peter Odili (who had emerged as the front contender for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) flag and All Nigerian People’s Party ’s (ANPP) candidate, Gen. Buhari.

Obasanjo personally hand-picked terminally ailing Katsina Governor,

This perception of him as leader who cannot hurt a fly emboldened disgruntled power brokers from the north to offer support to terrorists and enabled them to grow

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from June 2010. He was part of GEJ’s campaigns until he was elected in April 2011. Nigeria’s presidency is one of the most powerful offices in the world in that it (rather than the people) decides who occupies the highest office in the land (and other high offices). It was that power that made

OPINION

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BY EJIKE ANYADUBA

S the eight year tenure of Governor Peter Obi gradually winds down, political activities are slowly evolving in the flanks. Those itching to take over from him have started inching gingerly towards the political arena. As a possible way of gaining some head start, a good number of them, apart from sponsoring publications in the newspapers and granting interviews, have upped the ante by visiting flood victims in the State with relief materials. Determining all those in the race for now is as difficult a task as telling with certainty who will win the race at the end of the day. Besides, it is still a closet affair. But in no distant time, it is believed, the margins of acceptability will be crossed, and those in the race would be made public.

Regardless, it is tempting to presume upon a successor coming from Anambra north a senatorial zone that has not produced a governor of the State since creation. This perception, even at the risk of spiteful condemnation, is premised upon two reasons. One is the justness of the idea. Two is based on the promise of support by the incumbent Governor Obi who, despite

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t is one of Obasanjo’s classical hypocrisies to put the blame of GEJ’s election on the Nigerian electorate. He knows he is not speaking the whole truth. That is Obasanjo the only saint in action.

But on the issue of President Jonathan mismanaging the Boko Haram uprising, I agree. Lack of decisive action allowed a rag-tag band of gunmen to balloon to a full-fledged “ terrorist organisation able to assemble explosives and carry out suicide bombings. Obasanjo and Yar ’ Adua as presidents gave people reasons to fear them. Even on his sick bed, Yar ’ Adua’s aura hung over Abuja and the nation, same as the dead body of Josef Stalin hung over the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) for months before it was officially announced. Obasanjo and Yar ’Adua made power look truly powerful.

Yar ’Adua made northern hotheads, such as Nasir el Rufai and Nuhu Ribadu to stay away from Nigeria out of fear.

But as soon as he died they came back. El Rufai took up a newspaper column and every week calls GEJ a weak and incompetent leader. Ribadu drifted to the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and ran for president against GEJ. He was brought in to audit the oil industry and somehow he ended up messing up the president with a leakage of his committee’s report. It is not just Jonathan’s foes that have portrayed him as “ weak”. He himself has made it clear that he was no “Pharaoh” or “general”.

This perception of him as leader who cannot hurt a fly emboldened disgruntled power brokers from the north to offer support to terrorists and enabled them to grow.

Today, we hear of “dialogue” between the Federal government and terrorists. We also hear some of them “unjustly” handled will be financially compensated!

We hear so many things that under Shagari, Buhari, Babangida, Abacha, OBJ and Yar ’Adua were simply unthinkable. I wonder how GEJ feels when people say these things about him.

Anambra 2014: A case for Anambra North senatorial zone antagonisms, insists it is only fair and equitable to do so. However pertinent this idea may be to sustaining political peace in the State, there are those who think it should be jettisoned. One of such persons, even if he may not be from the State, is a one Martins Nwamadi. Writing on the back page of Daily Independent newspapers of 6th November 2012 he called the idea an insult on the intelligence of Anambra people.

According to him “neither the leaders nor the followers in Anambra State have set out as a body to adopt the principle of zoning in the distribution of political offices since the present Anambra State was created on August 27, 1991”. So why will a Governor Obi talk about zoning the office to Anambra north? If he were that concerned, Nwamadi observed, why seek re-election in 2010 since his four years and Ngige’s three years adequately settled Anambra Central’s claim to the office?

Well said, but I think he got it wrong here.

Apart from expressing personal opinion, Obi

never talked of zoning the office. What he said was that he will support any credible candidate from Anambra north zone, which in my view, is not a call to zoning. Zoning is worth more than that. Parroting the idea and using same to impugn an opinion as benign as this is unfortunate. The writer thinks Mbadinuju’s non performance cost him reelection, but he fails to tell his readers what informed a choice of a successor coming from Anambra Central. Or was Anambra South, where Mbadinuju comes from, short on credible replacement at the time? It is not enough to ask what Obi’s beefs are or to make political capital out of an innocuous statement. Obi has no beefs, what he has is a mind that seeks to redress noticeable lapses.

Calling him undemocratic, clannish or pinning the APGA crisis on this are spurious claims. The APGA crisis is well beyond where the next candidate of the party comes from.

To think that Obi’s promise of support for a credible candidate from the zone will be

misconstrued as a clever way of safe guarding his business interests in Onitsha is to say the least unfortunate. “The governor resorted to cheap political propaganda to win the sympathy of Anambra north people, especially those from Onitsha who are aware of his investment portfolios in the commercial city”. Curious! How much of an investment, for example, does Sabella Abidde, the Punch columnist from Bayelsa who writes from far away USA have in Igbo land that makes him advocate for an Igbo presidency, even more than Ndigbo. I am sure he is not saying that his kith and kin with landed properties in the North would necessarily support an Hausa man against an Igbo man in the race to the presidency.

If the writer believes sincerely that Obi’s re-election was essentially about Ojukwu persona or that the State is primarily PDP’s one should expect him not to belabor the issue of where a successor will emerge. *Mr. Anyadub a, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Abatete, Anambra State.

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Jonathan cannot do evil — Okupe •Says 2015 'll be determined by God and Nigerians DR. Doyin Okupe is a familiar face in the Presidency, having worked as the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Olusegun Obasanjo before being tapped by President Goodluck Jonathan early this year to handle some very critical and image-related issues for him and the administration. Although his appointment was greeted with opposition particularly from his SouthWest home base, he has so far deftly managed to overcome the initial furore and given President Goodluck Jonathan some image mileage and put the opposition on their toes.

Okupe has stoutly defended his boss and the seat of power, insisting that Nigerians are yet to see the best of Mr. President, given the numerous projects and programmes he claims are yet to mature.

In this interview, he speaks passionately about what Mr. President is doing to move Nigeria forward and why Nigerians should have faith in his transformation agenda.

Okupe says Jonathan is more concerned with fixing Nigeria than thinking about 2015, which he says will be determined

by God and Nigerians. Excerpts:

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OU have claimed that President Jonathan would emerge as the most loved Nigerian President at the end of his tenure. Given the problems on ground how could this happen?

The President himself has said that in public and private.

Look, let me tell you that as an insider I also know what he has been doing since he took over as President of Nigeria. I am very certain in my mind that Nigerians are going to applaud him and even if he does not want to run for election, Nigerians are going to force him to run again because of the level of performance.

I am also aware of what he is doing with infrastructure and roads. I have confidence that he is going to achieve success.

It is also becoming obvious that with the passage of time, the issues of insecurity will also be brought under control.

Prudent management of the economy He will succeed in that direction too. The economy is also being prudently managed by the best set of people that Africa can put together. And indices are already coming out in our favour. Various international agencies and fora are commending Nigeria for its transformation agenda and management of its economy.

When the economy is put right and power and infrastructure are in place, I am certain, Nigerians will come to appreciate the extent of work

that this man has been doing silently since he came on board.

Do you think that President Jonathan can achieve all these within the lifespan of his first term?

Let me tell you, the President is not a showman, not a theatrical man, who wants to play to the gallery. This president does not talk but acts.

This president I know. I hope I am not overstepping my bounds. Jonathan has given himself a deadline of 2013-2014 to deliver. I am sure most of these things would be done and Nigerians would come to see the level of his seriousness and sincerity.

Is that why he signed Performance contract with ministers?

Of course, the contract is to keep every minister on their toes and to enable the President to judge them objectively. If he asks anyone to go, it does two things: it makes people who are serious-minded to sit down and get their jobs done and also convinces those who are not doing well to know why they should not complain if they are shoved aside.

Nigerians are not convinced about the sincerity of this government to tackle graft. Do you believe the government is serious about the issue?

Nigerians are just generally frustrated and fed up with government because of past failures. Nigerians have become very cynical and skeptical about government because of past failures. But I want Nigerians not to judge Jonathan by the failures of the past. This is a sincere person

•Okupe: Jonathan is not a showman

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BY SONI DANIEL, REGIONAL EDITOR, NORTH

Let me tell you, the President is not a showman, not a theatrical man, who wants to play to the gallery, this president does not talk but acts, this president I know

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untainted by the politics of the past and an innocent politician not deeply entrenched in the principalities that have ruled us. Nigerians must be careful in criticizing him. There is no justification to chastise this administration where the issue of corruption is concerned. It was this government that started the subsidy probe before it was taken over by the National Assembly.

They may not take him serious about fighting corruption because he declared that he did not give a damn when he was asked to publicly declare his assets.

No, that is not what he meant.

It was taken by people totally out of context. He meant that he had declared his assets before and that there was no need to make him to do the same all over again. He meant that he had complied with the provisions of the law. That was the literary meaning of what the President said.

Are you happy doing this work for Mr. President given the spate of direct and indirect attacks and criticisms leveled against you by many Nigerians?

You know what? I was not forced to take up this job. Even before I took up this job I was acting outside government in a similar capacity.

Experienced person So it is something that I have decided to do as a choice and I am an experienced person and I am not doing this thing for popularity.

I am doing the job because I have a deep conviction about Goodluck Jonathan and since I came in, the conviction has even more than tripled because I have seen the amount of work, commitment and the fairness of mind by him to do well for the country. This

president from what I have seen does not have the capacity to do evil.

I have never seen that from a political leader. He has no capacity to do evil. None! Even under provocation, he just lets it go and faces what he has to do. And it is amazing and that encourages us to follow him all the way. I believe in a leader ruling with the fear of God and I have found in this man a man that fears God. And that is why he is going to overcome all opposition in the land.

Are you therefore convinced he will win the 2015 Presidential election, if he decides to run given that he had promised to do only one term?

I am not aware of when he said he would run for only one term. Only God and the people of Nigeria will decide what will happen in 2015. But I think what is uppermost in the President’s mind is to solve the basic needs of Nigerians by improving power, infrastructure, roads and check insecurity in the land.

When he achieves all these, Nigerians will decide what to do with him. In fact, when we get to the bridge we will learn how to cross it. That is what I can say about 2015 for now.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012—49

•Suswam: Has he lost his grip?

•Iorhemba : Suswam could not save him

BENUE HOUSE: Swinging chair AFTER months of intrigues and clandestine meetings David Iorhemba was forced to resign as Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly. His resignation is reflective of the muscle that legislators can flex when they are resolute in any power contest with the executive branch.

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BY PETER DURU

HE much-sought peace returned to the House last Wednesday with the election of a new Speaker, Emmanuel Teryila Ayua, representing Gwer-East state constituency. Ayua is the third presiding officer of the House to be elected since its inauguration last year.

The first Speaker, Terhembe Tarzohor, had his election nullified by the appeal court barely three months after his election.

Iorhemba succeeded him but lost the confidence of members and had to resign his appointment barely a year in office to escape impeachment. 28 out of 30 members of the House had reportedly signed the impeachment notice to sack him before he stepped down on his own.

The crisis that rocked Benue House: Iorhemba was compelled to tender his resignation letter following allegations of lack of financial disclosure and high headedness leveled against him by members. Iorhemba’s ‘sins’ date back to last January when the legislators gathered at Obudu for their botched annual retreat and conference. At that ill fated conference, early in the year, the lawmakers staged a walk out on Governor Gabriel Suswam at the venue of the retreat after insisting that Governor Suswam must hand over Prado SUV keys to them as he did to members of the Sixth Assembly in 2007 when they attended a similar retreat in Obudu, Cross River State.

Vanguard gathered that Governor Suswam had complained to the lawmakers of lack of funds as a result of the fact that subsidy in petroluem products as not completely removed as it had been envisaged that the present administration would do at the begining of the year. He also maintained that the budget was yet to be passed and so no serious procurement could be done at the time.

Lawmakers’ grouse against Iorhemba: The bottled anger came to a head penultimate Thursday after a week long battle that defied all interventions by top officials of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP including the governor. The aggrieved lawmakers had raised allegations bothering on finance and the former speaker’s close relationship to the governor at their detriment.

I’m innocent – Iorhemba However, Iorhemba denied the

allegation and maintained his innocence stressing that the allegations were trumped up and unsupported charges orchestrated to kick him out of office.

How Iorhemba was pushed out: Determined to effect a change in their leadership, Vanguard gathered that the lawmakers also compelled the Deputy Speaker, Dr. Steven Onmeje, to support their cause and retain his position or in the contrary be sacked alongside the Speaker. It was as such not surprising that Dr. Onmeje hurriedly aligned himself with his colleagues and therefore presided over the sitting where the removal of Iorhemba was executed.

At the sitting, members of G-24 comprising non-executive members of the House, led by its Chairman, Mr. Baba Ode (Otukpo/Akpa State Constituency) raised a motion on the point of constitutionality, which empowered members to remove the Speaker of the House when necessary. Ode, who quoted section 93 of the 1999 Constitution, presented the list of 28 members who had signed an impeachment notice on the Speaker.

Lawani’s belated effort to save Iorhemba: Meanwhile as the process was going on, the Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Steven Lawani drove into the Assembly complex to calm frayed nerves but he was not allowed into the chamber.

Few minutes later thugs took control of the chamber and snatched the Mace just as they turned the complex into a battle field.

While the ugly incident lasted for close to one hour, the Police failed to swiftly reenforce its personnel at the complex as the few that were present watched helplessly while the thugs had their way.

Meanwhile Vanguard gathered from an insider in the House that the last might not have been heard about the alleged resignation of the Speaker since the hand written letter of his resignation which he tendered before the House was not signed and therefore was not valid and binding.

“We actually got the hand written resignation letter, but the letter was not signed and therefore not binding. But some of my colleagues are also attesting that the Speaker was made to sign the letter before thugs swooped on the chamber to thwart the proceedings”, he stated.

50—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Treating public reports with condescension HE nation’s strive for development may continue to be an illusion as long as we are not ready to learn from our past mistakes, errors and shortcomings that could give room for a brighter future.

Whenever we hear of committees or probe panels being set up to investigate incidents, what readily come to mind are two things politics at play or nothing would come out of it.

Before the return to democratic rule, Nigerians used to take the failures of implementation of probe panel reports as part of the outcome of military dictatorship but events have shown that this is not so.

This worrisome trend is neither limited to the Executive arm of government nor the Jonathan administration - and if care is not taken - it may continue to be a burden the nation will live with.

The latest of such disdain for public reports is the alleged moves to discredit the submission by the Petroleum Revenue Special Task Force, headed by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.

The administrative task force was established to streamline and improve the revenue collection machinery of government in the oil and gas industry and to verify all petroleum upstream and downstream revenues, including taxes and royalties due and

Findings of many panels and committees have not been made useful to the nation, resulting into wastage of material resources and man-hours

,

barrels of crude per day, and fraud by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation in converting its dollar earnings to naira.

Presidential spokesman, Doyin Okupe, had said the paragraph “is an obvious DISCLAIMER (emphasis mine) issued by the committee on the entire report, makes it impossible under our laws to indict or punish anyone except, and until, the Federal Government fully verifies and reconciles the facts as recommended by the committee in its submission to the government”.

O

kupe also criticized part of the report which says: “Due to the time frame of the assignment, some of the data used

Searching for a solution to a mass killer

BY AZUKA ONWUKA

L

AST week, the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, disclosed that the Boko Haram sect has killed 3,000 people in the last few years. That is a high figure by all means and the menace needs a prompt solution. But by the end of this year, it is estimated that 300,000 Nigerians will have been killed, not

by Boko Haram, nor through community clashes, road accidents, plane crashes, or war, but by a vicious killer called malaria. That figure is the combined population of five countries: Seychelles, Andorra, Dominica, Liechtenstein and San Marino.

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa; it is also the most hard-hit by malaria in the entire globe. Often referred to as ‘the disease of poverty,’ approximately 50 percent of all malaria cases occur in only five of the world’s countries. Nigeria has the unenviable distinction of placing first among all of them - making up 23 percent of all reported cases. Inflicting much pain and suffering, malaria not only destroys lives, but tears apart families and cripples the ability of countries to move forward.

According to Nigeria’s National Malaria Control Programme, some 90 million of the country ’s total population of 169 million are affected by malaria annually. Over 300,000 Nigerians perish as a result of the disease each year, a figure which represents ten percent of the yearly death total in the African continent.

Malaria is a cruel disease which strikes people of all ages, and 30 percent of infant deaths in the country can be attributed to complications stemming from malarial infection. The disease also contributes to Nigeria’s ongoing economic issues, costing the developing country an average N160 billion ($1 billion) a year in medical expenses and lost hours of productivity.

Passed on to humans through the bite of bacteria-carrying female mosquitoes, the disease generally brings with it a set of symptoms, including chills, hay fever and profuse sweating. These uncomfortable, and often painful symptoms can last anywhere from a few weeks to several months. Potentially fatal complications such as jaundice, renal insufficiency, hepatic insufficiency and decreased cognitive ability can all ensue. Many victims slip into unconsciousness, never to wake.

As yet, no efficacious vaccine has been developed to combat malaria. In affected regions of the world, the only defence people have is the nearimpossible task of avoiding mosquito bites. For this specific reason, malaria relief efforts to date have centered on mosquito net donation programmes.

Sleeping under insecticide-treated nets has proven to be somewhat effective, preventing five to six out of every 1,000 children they protect from being infected, according to independent non-profit organisation, the Cochrane Collaboration. Aerosols and coils are also known to be effective

,

T

payable to the Federal Government, take all necessary steps to collect all debts due and enforce payment terms by all industry operators, among others.

This time around, the drama began at the presentation of the report at the State House, Abuja, when Steve Oronsaye, deputy chairman of the task force and Ben Otti, another member of the 17-member committee tried, in a futile bid, to discredit the report.

They claimed that they were not privy to the final draft being tendered.

The committee produced the 146-page document, based on the request by the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, covering 10 years - 2002 to 2012.

According to the report, Nigeria had lost out on tens of billions of dollars in oil and gas income over the last decade from shady deals struck between multinational oil companies and government officials.

The report alleged that foreign oil traders often bought crude without any formal contracts, and that the state oil firm had shortchanged the nation’s treasury by selling gas and crude oil to itself below market rates without any transparency.

The task force also found anomalies ranging from about $183 million in signature bonuses for oil bloc licenses not accounted for and $3.02 billion as unpaid royalties, theft of up to 250,000

,

BY ADEWALE KUPOLUYI

could not be independently verified and the task force recommends that the government should conduct such necessary verifications and reconciliations”.

He blamed Ribadu for the politicization of the report and claimed that it was a calculated attempt to overheat the polity and incite Nigerians against President Goodluck Jonathan.

Over the years, findings of many panels and committees have not been made useful to the nation, resulting into wastage of material resources and man-hours.

A very few examples suffice: Following the violence that trailed the 2011 general elections in the country, over 900 persons were said to have lost their lives.

President Jonathan inaugurated a 22-man panel of enquiry headed

by Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, to look at the incident and make recommendations on how to forestall a recurrence.

On October 10, 2011, the investigation panel submitted its report and advised that “the first and probably the most important major cause (of violence) is the failure on the part of the previous successive regimes, since the military handover of power in 1999, to implement the recommendations of various committees, commissions and panels that had taken place in our nation.

The panel equally called for the implementation of the Babalakin Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Bauchi State Civil Disturbances, Justice Snakey Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Wase and Langtang Disturbances and Justice Uwais Electoral Reform Committee, Karibi Whyte Judicial

No efficacious vaccine has been developed to combat malaria; in affected regions of the world, the only defence people have is the near-impossible task of avoiding mosquito bites

,

in combating the malaria scourge; they knock down as well as repel mosquitoes, in the process helping to reduce the risk of mosquito bites.

Locally developed repellants have also been ascertained to be effective in the fight against these noxious insects in most rural settlements. As good as these measures are, they have harmful and side effects to human health. There are serious risks associated with inhaling aerosols; some immediate side effects include sneezing, coughing, diarrhea, slurred speech, double vision and drowsiness.

With our limited means of defence against the disease, malaria is once again on the rise. Recent research by Dr. Vincent Corbel and a team of French scientists, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, shows that malaria-carrying mosquitoes are developing a tolerance to the various insecticides employed against them.

Corbel’s research also notes a shift in

Commission of Inquiry into Kafanchan Disturbances, Professor Tamuno Panel of Inquiry on National Security, Niki Tobi Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Plateau State Disturbances and Justice Disu Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Plateau State Disturbances.

Several Judicial Commissions of Inquiry had been set up by both the Federal and the Plateau State governments to investigate the Jos crises but unfortunately, many of these reports had not been made public or the culprits made accountable.

The long denial of the public’s right to know the content of these reports by successive governments had provided fertile grounds for speculations, distrust, and disregard for constituted authorities which significantly contributed towards escalating the crises that has led to wanton destruction of lives and property.

Similarly, the reports and white papers of these Commissions of Inquiry have remained unpublished and inaccessible, even though the public’s right to information is guaranteed by the Freedom of Information Act, Section 39(1) of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as well as Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Another of such hibernated report is the Steven Oronsaye Committee on the Restructuring of Government Agencies and Parastatals.

Continues tomorrow on pg. 18

*Mr. Kupoluyi, wrote from Federal University of Agric., Abeokuta, Ogun State.

the insects’ feeding habits, circumventing the use of mosquito nets by concentrating their attacks outdoors.

The challenge is to eradicate mosquitoes completely. But since that is a long shot, the onus is on all stakeholders to find a more effective way of preventing mosquitoes from biting people, especially young children and pregnant women. If mosquitoes are prevented from biting, the chances of malarial attack will be reduced, if not eradicated among those who are never bitten by mosquitoes.

Organisations as well as government agencies should take this as a challenge. In recent times, the Global Fund has saved more than 7.7 million lives by funding treatment and preventative care programmes across the planet. Leading humanitarian agencies such as the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, Roll-Back Malaria, RBM and DFID have over the years been committed to fighting malaria. These bodies work closely with national governments to build their capacity to prevent and treat the disease. They have also gone into initiatives that have pushed back the malaria scourge such as investment in the discovery and development of new anti-malarial drugs and vaccines.

In the light of the present realities, it is expected that iconic innovative companies will invest more in research and development in order to come up with safe and affordable products that will ensure that mosquitoes, which are the vector of the malaria parasites, are entirely stamped out. *Mr. Onwuka, a public affairs commentator, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard,

Vanguard

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

— 51

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“There is no end in sight”

Gaza crisis: Death toll mounts from Israel strikes

A

N Israeli strike on a home in Gaza has killed at least 10 people, officials say, as yesterday became the deadliest day since Israel launched an operation against Hamas militants last week.

BBC correspondents say the strike targeted a Hamas official and that a number of children were killed.

Meanwhile,PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel is ready to expand its

operation.

Gaza militants continue to fire rockets at Israel, with injuries reported in towns including Ashkelon and Ofakim.

Meanwhile, sources on both sides say attempts to reach a ceasefire are continuing.

At least 21 people are reported to have been killed in Gaza by Israeli bombardments so far on Sunday. Of the total, at least nine were children and at least four were

women, Gaza health officials said.

This brings the death toll in Gaza since Israel launched its Operation Pillar of Defence on Wednesday to 67, the officials said.

The BBC’s Paul Danahar arrived at the scene of the air strike on the Hamas official’s home north of Gaza City to see diggers trying to scoop rubble from flattened buildings and with rescuers frantically trying to find survivors.

Obama visits Asia, says Myanmar trip to encourage democracy

U

.S. President Barack Obama yesterday denied his upcoming trip to Myanmar was an endorsement of the government there, calling it an acknowledgement of the progress made in shaking off decades of military rule and encouragement for it

go further.

Today, Obama will become the first serving U.S. president to visit Myanmar, also called Burma, part of a threecountry Asian tour that, as his first post-election trek abroad, will show he is serious about shifting the U.S. strategic focus

eastwards.

Some human rights groups object to the Myanmar visit, saying Obama is rewarding the country’s quasi-civilian government before democratic reforms are complete. But he told a news conference in Thailand he knew there was much still to do.

Bomb rips through Nairobi minibus, killing six

A

bomb tore through a minibus in Nairobi’s Somali-dominated Eastleigh neighborhood

yesterday, killing six people in an attack highlighting the security risks Kenya faces

Congo rebels advance to outskirts of Goma

R

EBELS in Congo were on the outskirts of the eastern city of Goma yesterday after pushing back U.N. peacekeepers and government troops, but a spokesman said they did not plan to take the city.

In four days of battles, the rebels have advanced closer than at any time in their eight-month-old

uprising to Goma, the provincial capital of North Kivu and home to the headquarters of the U.N. peacekeeping mission in eastern Congo.

Colonel Vianney Kazarama, spokesman for the M23 rebels, said rebel fighters had advanced to within 2 km (1 mile) of Goma.

because of its intervention in Somalia to fight al Qaeda-linked militants.

Kenya has suffered a string of deadly attacks in its capital Nairobi, the port city of Mombasa as well as the eastern garrison town of Garissa over the past year.

The attacks have been blamed on Somali militants and their sympathizers in retaliation for Kenya’s deployment of troops in neighboring Somalia last year to drive out al Shabaab rebels whom Nairobi has blamed for attacks on Kenyan territory.

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

F

RIDAY morning, on the eve of the grand finale of the CAF Champions league final between Esperance de Tunis and Al Ahly of Egypt, I was at breakfast with Lim Kee Chong of Mauritius and Rachid Medjiba of Algeria.

Lim was the designated Match Commissioner for the final while Rachid was the CAF Security Officer.

Of course our discussion centred around football. Lim it will be recalled was a top African referee. Whenever he was at the centre teams felt comfortable that he was going to deliver. Now a FIFA and CAF referee instructor and member CAF referees Committee, the soft spoken Lim was the first to ask about “….the decline of Nigerian football….”

How come we did not qualify for the last Nations Cup. Are we going to do well this time around? Where was the class of 94?

He does not understand why a team that is doing so well at youth level has not been able to reap from such talent.

The Eagles of 1994 according to the tested referee was arguably the best African team yet. It was a pleasure refereeing their matches. He asked after Rashidi Yekini and was sorry to hear he was no more.

What about Okocha? That he is a member of the Technical Committee of the NFF made him happy. “….Fine we have to tap from their experiences. He was a magical player, very talented and positive” he said.

And Amuneke, Finidi George, Amokachi? “ That one you will see in South Africa. He is Keshi’s assistant” I offered. Lim appreciates the growth of African football that has seen the spectacular showing of teams like Botswana, Cape Verde, Central African Republic and so on, but still believes that the good old days of Nigeria, Cameroun, Ghana, Cote Divoire, Algeria, Morrocco and Egypt will for him remain the best years of African football.

Rachid Medjiba on his part, another top referee of old, remembers a match he handled in Maiduguri, a match that could have been very difficult given the harsh elements, but one that was made easy thanks to the managerial and human relations display exhibited by the late Patrick Okpomo, who was then the Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association.

Thank God we lost...

Last week, all but one of the teams taking part in

Nations Cup title Continued from BP In the proposed budget for next year ’s Africa Cup of Nations, each Super Eagle player will earn $10,000 for a win in the first round, where they are drawn against defending champions Zambia, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.

This would translate to $30,000 each if they win all three first round matches, the same amount they also received when they qualified for the quarterfinal of the 2010 tournament in Angola.

However, in Angola, the bonus was a winnertake-all one in the sense that the players were paid $30,000 each for going past the first round rather than being paid per game.

The team’s win bonus will then be reviewed upwards as they move up in the knockout stage

of the biennial competition.

Victory in the quarterfinal will fetch each player $15,000, while victory in the semi-final will see them $20,000-a-man richer.

And should the Eagles clinch Nigeria’s third Nations Cup trophy inside the magnificent Soccer City in Johannesburg on February 10, each player will pocket a win bonus of $30,000.

Osaze Continued from BP ourselves.

“Our desire to be in the top five keeps us working hard for every point.

“After they equalised we were disappointed but the gaffer told us that we shouldn’t be disappointed being 1-1 with Chelsea,” he disclosed.

Eagles ’94, thank God we lost and other stories The Eagles of 1994 according to the tested referee was arguably the best African team yet next year’s Africa Cup of Nations benefitted from the FIFA free window to take part in matches expected to help tune up their teams.

Nigeria came out tops in the US by beating Venezuela 3-1. Though I was not opportuned to watch the match, according to reports by the indefatigable media officer Ben Alaiya, Coach Stephen Keshi was very pleased, not only with the result, but with the showing of the players he had to blood for the first time, including Shola Ameobi and US based Dike Similarly, Cote D’Ivoire put up a frightening display when they outclassed Austria 3-0. The star studded Ivorian team could afford to do that even with top striker Salmon Kalou on the bench. ( He only came in in the 85th minute ) In Northern Africa, that was not the case as both Tunisia and Morocco lost at home.

Playing in front of a packed stadium Morocco were stunned by an inspired Togo, while very few fans turned up in Sousse as Switzerland pipped Tunisia.

As usual the press descended on the coaches of the two countries seeking explanations, angrily.

Coach Sami Trabelsi of Tunisia took the microphone and by the time he finished, everyone was happy.

He said it would have been very good to record a

Continued from BP 88th minutes of play by Alhassan Ibrahim.

Eaglets missed several scoring chances though the Malian team were physical in their play..

Speaking after the

Mikel Continued from BP Mikel admitted to MTNFootball.com that Chelsea were not good enough against West Brom, but they would not dwell in the past as they hope to get back on track.

“It was painful we lost to West Brom. It was frustrating but I am looking forward to subsequent games rather than letting this loss weigh us down,” he stated.

Mali

match, Coach of the Golden Eaglets, Manu Garba said 2-0 was a good result, adding that it was good that the team did not concede any goal.

Garba said if the officiating remained what was witnessed, his team will beat Mali in the return leg in Bamako in a fortnight.

“To me the players played above average, though they created a lot of chances. I believe in the next match we will see a different Eaglet in terms of attacking. ’Today is just a bad day for all my top strikers. In the next training session, we will address all the problems we have before we go to Mali”.

victory “…….Today and everyone goes home happy.

On the contrary I am happy that we did not leave here today with a false impression. This defeat will make us realize that we are not there yet, that we have a lot to do to be able to do well in South Africa. “ I did not have to field our best players, I introduced some fresh legs who satisfied me. You noticed that our defense line was far from perfect and the mid field did not retreat fast enough to help cover up, and we needed the Swiss to help us confirm that. I and my team have learnt a lot from this match and believe me it will help us a lot as we prepare for South Africa” I have also learnt a lot from this.

Wanted, publicity for sports festival We can certainly do with some publicity, a lot of publicity as we run in to the National Sports Festival.

This is Nigeria’s Olympics and so far we do not seem to have had enough information on venues, states and their strengths, players and athletes to watch, committees reports and activities, everything.

One also prays that this time around there will be less emphasis on the medals table, Minister, Directors and the Sports Commissioners….. The media can do us a lot of good by highlighting the athletes and the potentials they bring to the future of our sports with the next Olympics in mind.

Ekoo oni baje!

CAF Champions League medal As General Coordinator of the CAF Champions League final match, I have in my possession a gold medal. All glory goes to God Almighty for guaranteeing a hitch free final. It was not by my might.

I thank members of Citadel of Glory for their ceaseless prayers for journey mercies and goodwill as I traversed the African Continent in the service of football.

I dedicate the medal to members of my wonderful family especially my adorable wife and supportive children who have had to live through countless queries of “ Daddy are you travelling again?”

The end has justified the means.

See you next week.

Continued from BP Ahmed Musa scored his eighth goal in the Russian league in Sunday’s 3-0 spanking of Amkar Perm.

Eight-goal Musa is now two goals behind league leading scorer Aleksandr Kerzhakov of champions Zenit Saint Petersburg.

The Nigeria international, who is now played as a centre forward by his Russian army club and not as a winger, scored the second goal of the match in the 73rd minute. He also assisted Cauna for the third goal in the 90th minute.

Obafemi Martins returned from a disappoint-

Lagos 'll sweep the stakes in badminton — Orbih

BY MMACHI ILECHUKWU

T

HE chairman of the Lagos State Badminton Association, Frank Orbih was full of optimism when he announced that team Lagos was ready to clear all the gold medals at

stake in the national sports festival, Eko 2012 and in Calabar 2013.

Orbih made this statement at the 2 nd Quarterly Lagos state badminton closed championship at the Lagos country club Ikeja at the weekend.

On strategies for

success in 2013, he replied; “ we will discover players from here and train them, we will also be getting the best of equipment for our players for them to be in a proper state of mind and we will present a team that is truly Lagos, we will not buy players”.

Strikers

ing Super Eagles outing to net his fifth goal for Levante in the Spanish La Liga yesterday.

Martins opened scoring at hosts Deportivo La Coruna after 40 minutes to restate his case for a place on Nigeria’s squad for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Similarly, Super Eagles prolific scorer, Ikechukwu Uche smashed a fantastic brace for Villarreal CF in Spain’s Segunda División as the Yellow Submarine won 3-0 against Racing Santander at El Sadinero.

The forward’s first goal on Saturday arrived on 39 minutes while he completed his brace 14 minutes later.

Uche was substituted after 79 minutes as the Villarreal manager, Julio Velaquez Santiago shuffled his pack to protect his side’s lead.

Also Saturday in the English Premier League, Osaze Odemwinge’s header sank the European champions, as Westbrom defeated Chelsea 2-1 at Hawthorns.

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 — 53

C M Y K

54 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012 — 55

C M Y K

VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2012

Eaglets beat Mali 2-0

By JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU, Calabar

N

IGERIAN Golden Eaglets yesterday

at the U.J. Esuene Stadium, Calabar. Cross River State defeated the Junior Eagles of Mali 2-0.

The Nigeria U-17 got

the curtain raiser on 26mins, through Wilfred Nididi and the second goal was scored at the Continues on Page 52

Eagles to earn N15m each for Nations Cup title E

ACH Super Eagles star could earn as much as $100,000 should they win the AFCON in South Africa.

“Incentives will not be the Super Eagles problem at the Nations Cup,” a top official simply i n f o r m e d MTNFootball.com at the weekend.

“If they go all the way and win the competition, they will each take away about $95,000 and when you add that to their daily allowances of around $5,000, you will have about $100,000.

“And the chief coach (Stephen Keshi) will get double this amount.”

Osaze: We deserved to beat Chelsea

O

S A Z E Odemwingie has said West Brom deserved their big 2-1 home win over mighty Chelsea on Saturday.

“I think we totally deserved our victory,” he told his club’s website.

“It felt great to be in the top five and today was an opportunity to climb a little bit more up the table.

Mikel vows Chelsea fight back

M

Continues on Page 52

TACKLE... West Brom's Peter Odemwingie (R) tackles Chelsea's Eden Hazard during their match at The Hawthorns on November 17. West Brom won 2-1. Photo: AFP

Eagles strikers on fire S

UPER Eagles strikers in Europe at the weekend put more

•Ike Uche

TODAY'S

“We believe in ourselves and we’ve proven that so far with some quality football.

“That lifted us up a bit and we started the second half well, as we did the first.

“The better the results we get the more the confidence grows and also the faith we have in Continues on Page 52

PUZZLE

pressure on Coach Stephen Keshi as they kept on scoring goals for

YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

their various clubs.

CSKA Moscow striker Continues on Page 52

Across 1 Leave out (4) 4 Stitch (3) 6 Ponder (4) 9 Skill (3) 10 Stratagem (8) 11 Cut (4) 14 Large (3) 16 Toll (5) 19 Sword (8) 21 Object (5) 23 Lessen (8) 24 Notch (5) 27 Pen point (3) 31 Break (4) 33 First-class (8) 34 Lubricate (3) 35 Depend (4) 36 Born (3) 37 Want (4)

IKEL Obi has stated that his team will overcome a recent poor run in the EPL after they lost 2-1 at West Brom on Saturday.

Chelsea have not won a league game since their controversial 3-2 home loss to Manchester United last month.

They remain third on the table with 20 points behind United and new leaders Manchester City.

Continues on Page 52

•Mikel Obi

Down 2 Market (4) 3 Excursion (4) 4 Animated (8) 5 Sharpen (4) 6 Stone-worker (5) 7 Vase (3) 8 Yet (5) 12 Remains (5) 13 The same (5) 14 Offer (3) 15 Urchin (5) 17 Rig (5) 18 Supple (5) 20 Meditate (8) 22 Tease (3) 25 Boat (5) 26 Answer (5) 28 Scrutinise (4) 29 Frank (4) 30 Manage (4) 32 Sicken (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS Across: 1, Across 5, Deride 8, Dissuade 9, Plan 10, Gas 12, Crass 15, Dam 17, Par 18, Tie 19, Axe 20, Aroma 21, Mop 22, Elf 23, Too 24, Dud 26, Tinge 29, Nod 33, Quit 34, Prohibit 35, Flimsy 36, Tawdry.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

Down: 2, China 3, Oust 4, Stir 5, Dress 6, Ripe 7, Drama 10, Grand 11, Speed 12, Craft 13, Adorn 14, State 15, Demon 16, Moped 25, Usual 27, Imply 28, Ghost 30, Osier 31, Stem 32, View.

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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