Tukur must stay —JONATHAN

...towards a better life for the people

**

VOL. 25: NO. 61908

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

DSS rescues 16 Gunmen kill four teachers, two students, pregnant women from 9 6 Aba baby factory farmers in Borno

Tukur must stay —JONATHAN •Metuh resigns, backs Tukur with Clark •NEC holds today, plans convention •PDP stakeholders insist Tukur must go

BY EMMANUEL AZIKEN, POLITICAL EDITOR & HENRY UMORU

L

AGOS—LAST minute high-level pressure to oust Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP today was last night rebuffed by the Presidency which observers said last night, was turning the battle into an ego tussle.

The pressure to remove Tukur at today’s National Executive Committee, NEC meeting of the party was being mounted by vested party interests in-

Continues on page 5

•P.28

COLUMNISTS:

Is'haq Modibbo Kawu•P.17 OCHEREOME NNANNA•P.19

Josef Omorotionmwan •P.19

Mr & Mrs

Burnt house in Kizara village, Zamfara State, after a group of bandits attacked the village, killing 48 people in a pre-dawn raid, Tuesday. Inset: Residents watch as a mass grave is being filled in the village. Photos: AFP.

82-yr-old ex-police inspector buried alive

7

ARMS CACHE: 4 detained Lebanese discharged, re-arrested

8

C M Y K

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 3

4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—5

POCKET CARTOON

FCMB'S 30TH AGM—From left: Mr Ladi Balogun, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, First City Monument Bank; Dr Jonathan Long, Chairman; Mrs Olajumoke Bakare, Company Secretary; and Otunba Michael O.Balogun, Founder, First City Monument Bank Plc at the 30th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank held at MUSON Centre, Onikan, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

Tukur must stay — JONATHAN Continues from page 1 cluding governors and the powerful caucus of state chairmen.

President Goodluck Jonathan according to sources insisted on retaining Tukur with a source saying: “Is it every battle that the President must lose? He lost the battle to make Jonah Jang chairman of

the Nigerian Governors Forum, so must he also lose this one?”

At press time last night there were high level meetings in Abuja by major stakeholders including the influential caucus of state chairmen where most of them said Tukur has to go.

Besides, state governors including those

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

We are all Angels for someone else, we are meant to knowingly or unknowingly help them up. Be somebody’s angel and someone else will be yours.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Wisdom is the reward for a lifetime of listening…when you’d have preferred to talk — D.J. Kaufman

T

O listen is to love. to show someone you care?

Want to give someone the gifts of belonging, self-esteem and acceptance? Listening with your complete attention is perhaps the surest way. temporarily involves a total acceptance of the other.

Sensing this acceptance, the speaker will feel less and less vulnerable and more and more inclined to open up the inner recesses of his or her heart to the listener. Scott Peck, an author, puts it beautifully, “when we listen with love, as this happens, speaker and listener begin to appreciate each other more and more, and the duet dance of love is begun again.”

We also listen to learn. When you listen, the probability of learning something approaches 100 per cent; when you speak, the chances are zero. Who are you serving, really, when you speak? Not yourself, apparently.

To listen is to earn friendship. is it that we strongly gravitate toward friends who listen? Listening is an act of intrinsic value that will be recognized always and it seals the bond of friendship. Remember there is a saying that a listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something. It is a win situation for the listener, you give love and you feel uplifted in many ways too.

identified as pro-presidency were also said to be canvassing that Tukur join other eight national officers that have decided to resign in accordance with the report of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The efforts against Tukur were despite recruitment by the Tukur camp of high level stakeholders to project the sustenance of the Tukur regime. Erstwhile Federal Commissioner for Information, Chief Edwin Clark was one of the high profile party men that came out yesterday to back Tukur.

Clark in a statement alleged that the move against Tukur was another ploy by those against President Goodluck Jonathan, even as he asserted that the man had done no wrong.

Besides, a group sympathetic to Tukur, last night, said that removing Tukur would be contemptuous of the judiciary which it warned has ordered otherwise.

Their positions notwithstanding, party insiders confided last night that the party was already making preparations for a Convention Planning Committee, CPC, which would take over the running of the party in the short period

before the organization of a mini-convention to elect a new set of national officers for the party. The inclination towards a CPC follows the rejection of a caretaker committee by party apparatchik on the grounds that it could lead to another round of legal disputes.

Tukur storms PDP secretariat

Meanwhile, Tukur, in a show of physical wellness showed up at the PDP national secretariat, yesterday, countering the increasing mutterings ofparty stakeholders that he is too old to run the party.

He, however, did not talk to waiting reporters as he moved straight to his office.

Ahead of the meeting of state chairmen, an influential state chairman disclosed that the exit of Tukur has become the only solution to the endless crises in the party.

“The situation we have now is like a mad man being given a dagger and willing to kill himself and others,” the influential party official said.

Another senior party official from the SouthEast also speaking on the condition of anonymity, lamented the erosion of party unity and the

continued crises in the party since the advent of the Tukur regime.

Indicative of the pressure against Tukur, one member of the influential G-84 in the NEC told Vanguard, last night, that retaining the national chairman would be unrealistic after a presidential committee comprising the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; the President’s Chief of Staff among others, recommended his exit so the party can have peace.

“How can he be saying that the president wants him when the SGF, the Chief of Staff and several others working for the President submitted that Tukur ’s exit was the only solution for the restoration of peace?” the official quipped.

Another position being canvassed by state officials of the party was Tukur ’s failure to visit state chapters since his advent.

“This is not a party you run from Abuja or your house. You have to go round and so far maybe because of his age, he has largely failed to do so,” one state chairman quipped yesterday ahead of their meeting.

Besides, there were indications that the party governors who have lately been divided over the choice of a chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF could be united in pushing for the ouster of Tukur today.

A source said that the issue has united the governors of the party who could today mend fences to push Tukur out. A senior aide of one of the proJonathan governors speaking on the condition of anonymity said: ”It is the consensus of the governors that he has to go for the party to move forward.”

Metuh resigns,

backs Tukur Support for Tukur was, however, not totally absent. The outgoing National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh who submitted his resignation letter yesterday, said Tukur should not go given that his election as National Chairman was not faulted by the INEC report.

Answering questions from journalists yesterday at the PDP National Secretariat, Metuh said: “The National Chairman is not going to resign; he is not only in office but in power. There is no controversy about his election, he is not in court. The INEC report did not say his election was flawed. He complied with the constitution of the party and the guidelines of the 2012 convention.”

On his resignation, he said: “I want to inform you that I am resigning as the National Publicity Secretary with effect from Thursday 20th June 2013. This resignation is in the overall interest of the party and is being done to put a final stop to the controversies generated by the INEC report on the mode of my election as National Publicity Secretary.

“I have served this party as a member of National Executive Committee for over 10 years and therefore my interest is to ensure that this party stabilizes and progresses. I have written and submitted my letter; I am resigning with effect from Thursday 20th June 2013”.

Metuh who hailed President Jonathan, Tukur, state governors, members of the National Assembly, leaders of the party from the SouthEast and PDP elders that assisted him during his tenure, said: “I have

Continues on page 10

6 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Igbo fashion market gutted by fire in Warri

BY EMMA ARUBI

W

ARRI — THE popular Igbo fashion and boutique market in Warri, Delta State, has been gutted by fire, destroying clothing materials and fashion shops/boutiques worth millions of naira.

The inferno allegedly started at about 1.30 pm at the top floor of a storey building housing one arm of the market while the cause is still unknown.

Transition Committee Chairman of the Warri South Council area, Dr. Austin Uroye, who was on hand to direct efforts aimed at containing the inferno called on the state government and well meaning organisations to send in relief materials to the affected traders, saying the council cannot afford any financial assistance but would assist in co-ordinating efforts geared towards ameliorating the traders' plight.

He said the market was one of the major sources of revenue for the council, noting that he was deeply touched by the unfortunate incident.

Chairman of the Delta State Market Leaders Council, Warri South chapter, Comrade Stephen Amalili appealed to the state government for aid as most people affected had lost all they had in life to the fire.

Meantime, shops in and around the market quickly closed for business for fears of area boys taking advantage of the situation to loot.

An affected trader simply identified as Uche said he was not around when the fire incident occurred, saying he was only able to rescue a few things and appealed for help from the government.

DSS rescues 16 pregnant women from Aba baby factory Paid N50,000 after delivery Doctor in-charge in govt employment, arrested

BY ANAYO OKOLI

U

MUAHIA — THE Abia State Command of Directorate of State Service, DSS, has rescued 16 pregnant girls from a ‘baby factory’ in Aba. Parading the young girls, yesterday, in his Umuahia office, the state Director of DSS, Mr. Matthew Obodoechi, said the girls and women whose ages range between 17 and 37 were rescued on June 17, 2013.

Obodoechi gave the name of the home as Cross Foundation International, located along Anyamele Street in Umungasi area of Aba. According to Obodoechi, proprietor of the home, Dr. Hyginus Ndudim Orikara, has been arrested. He vowed that the medical practitioner would be prosecuted.

Ironically, the medical doctor is said to be in the employ of Abia State Government, which has been actively involved in the fight against the "baby factory" menace in the state.

The DSS director expressed worry that menace of baby factory was fast becoming a new crime trend in some South-East states.

He said: “It is another kind of kidnapping where babies are snatched at point of birth and sold. It is a big shame, a big problem and it all boils down to the kind of values we have in the society today. Life is not valued.”

Dr Orikara, however, denied running a baby factory, saying, his Cross Foundation was legitimately registered as a charity home.

He said babies were not sold after delivery but released to go

and nurse them, explaining that the charity home witnessed large number of girls because “we are running operation nurse your own baby.”

According to him, girls with unwanted pregnancy are brought to the home for them to be encouraged and assisted to carry their pregnancies to full term, deliver and nurse the ba-

The pregnant women paraded by DSS, yesterday.

Pirates attack oil vessel, abduct 4 Indians, Polish crew members

BY EMEKA MAMAH, with agency report.

L

AGOS— PIRATES in speedboats attacked an oil supply vessel and kidnapped

OAU female student caught allegedly flushing baby down toilet

BY GBENGA OLARINOYE

I

LE-IFE — AUTHORITIES of the Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile Ife, yesterday, reportedly apprehended a female student of the institution (names withheld) who allegedly attempted to flush her new born baby down a toilet.

Vanguard gathered that the incident occurred at the popular Moremi Hall of residence on the campus.

The incident, which shocked the university community, was said to have generated varied reactions as some students expressed shock over what would have prompted the student to commit such act.

It was further gathered that the young mother, who is in her late 20s is of the Department of Agricultural extension in the university was allegedly caught by one of the cleaners, who raised alarm when she noticed blood streaming from the gutter of the toilet, which linked the drainage.

However, another source hinted that the student’s intention might not have been to flush the baby but that the new born baby came out unexpectedly into the water closet.

At press time, the student and the rescued baby have been taken to the institution’s health centre, where they are currently receiving treatment.

The Dean of Students’ Affairs in the university, Dr. Lateefat

bies.

But Obodoechi dismissed Orikara’s claim, insisting that confessional statement by the pregnant ladies showed that the doctor was indeed engaged in the baby factory business.

According to him, “the ladies upon delivery are given a paltry sum of N50,000 and sent away while their babies are sold to peo-

ple from different parts of the country.”

He noted with regret that some persons had chosen to hide under the cover of non-governmental organisations, NGOs, to perpetrate various forms of illegal activities, including baby factories.

He said: “Those hiding under the cover of NGOs to perpetrate modern form of slave trade are warned to abstain from such illegalities as security agencies will stop at nothing to ensure that they are apprehended and made to face the law.”

Durosinmi, and the security department were said to have taken over the matter.

Contacted, Public Relations Officer of the university, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, confirmed the incident.

He, however, cautioned that people should not jump into conclusion by believing that the student intentionally wanted to flush the new born baby, adding that the security department was already investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to him, “the cleaner, who was said to have discovered the blood and subsequently caught the student was being interrogated by the security department."

four Indians and Polish crew members in the Niger Delta,last week, two security sources said, yesterday.

This was even as a French sailor was freed, Tuesday, after being captured by pirates on June 13 from an oil products tanker, Adour on June 13, about 30 nautical miles off the coast of Togo, and taken into the country, a military commander had said.

The gunmen launched their assault on the Singaporeflagged tugboat MDPL Continental One around 30 nautical miles from land on June 13, the

security sources said.

The vessel was ransacked and four crew were taken hostage off the coast of the oil-producing Niger Delta, one of the sources told Reuters.

The boat’s management company, CS Offshore, told Reuters there had been an incident that day but declined to go into further details “in order not to endanger those involved.”

Pirate attacks off West Africa’s mineral-rich Gulf of Guinea have almost doubled from last year and threaten to jeopardize the shipping of commodities from the region. They have already jacked up insurance costs.

NSCDC warns against patronising employment racketeers

A

BUJA—WORRIED by the spate of illegal websites designed by fraudsters on a daily basis to defraud desperate job seekers, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Dr. Ade Abolurin warned that henceforth anyone caught, both the giver and taker, will be treated as common criminals in accordance with the existing laws governing

fraud and corrupt practices.

According to him, "the corps is not recruiting and has no intention to recruit and even when it’s to recruit, the process is certainly not through the internet and websites. Therefore, all those designing illegal websites for the purpose of recruitment are fraudsters and should desist from such nefarious activities with immediate effect."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—7

82-yr-old man buried alive in forest; suspects arrested

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

B

ENIN— THE remains of an 82-year-old retired Inspector of Police, Elder Samuel Ekhoruyimen, who was allegedly abducted by some youths of Ewudu village in Ovia NorthEast Local Government Area of Edo State have been discovered in a forest near the village.

However, his remains suggest that he was buried alive in a grave dug before his abduction.

Pa Ekhoruyimwen who was the village head (Odionwere) of

Oghobaghase near Ewudu community was said to have been invited to preside over the settlement of a dispute in his domain when he was allegedly waylaid and abducted by some youths of Ewudu village.

Vanguard gathered that following the octogenarian’s sudden disappearance on May 10, 2013, his children living in Benin informed the Police who declared him missing after 24 hours of futile efforts by the family to ascertain his whereabouts.

Assistant Inspector General of

Police, AIG, Zone 5, Alhaji Hashimu Argungun, while speaking on the issue, disclosed that following intelligence reports, undercover agents led by one Sergeant Isaiah Osivwemu arrested one Osamudiamwen Uwaila of Ewudu community.

The AIG who spoke through the Deputy Police Commissioner in charge of Administration, Mr. Dave Akinremi, revealed that the confessional statement of the prime suspect led to the arrest of seven others, including the Chief Priest of the Ovia deity in Ewudu

Students of Ewet Technical College under a palm tree in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Tuesday.

Photo: NAN

Agatu massacre suspects among 42 paraded by Police

BY PETER DURU

M

AKURDI —AFTER several weeks of relief from insecurity in Benue State, the newly posted Commissioner of Police to the state, Mr. Adam Audu, yesterday, paraded 42 suspects arrested for various crimes in parts of the state.

Briefing newsmen at the command headquarters in Makurdi, the state capital, Audu explained that the suspects were arrested severally and individually for criminal conspiracy, cultism, possession of fire arms and robbery in a renewed onslaught on criminality across the state.

According to him, among those arrested were some of the mercenaries who recently invaded and killed several persons in Agatu Local Government Area of the state.

He recalled that “recently some heavily armed men from Nasarawa State crossed the river to Agatu Local Government Area and unleashed attacks on the community, leading to the death of many people after burning down several houses."

community, Pa Stephen Oviawe, 78.

He added that two village heads and two youths were also arrested in connection with the gruesome murder.

Efforts to recover the corpse Meanwhile, the police boss said efforts to recover the corpse of the former Police Inspector have been intensified, saying other suspects now at large went to remove the remains from the grave before policemen were led there by one of the suspects.

The prime suspect, Osamudiamwen Uwaila, speaking with newsmen at the Adesuwa Police Station, yesterday, disclosed that he connived with others now at large, captured the victim on the way to his village and took him to an already dug grave in the evil forest of Ewudu community.

He added that they plotted to kill the victim because of his alleged role in a land dispute between Ewudu an d Orogun communities some years ago.

Vanguard learnt that after the arrest of some of the suspects who took the police to where the retired police officer was buried, it was discovered that the body had been exhumed and reburied in a yet to be identified grave in the Ovia forest.

Ex-dep gov declared wanted over alleged N130m fraud

BY EVELYN USMAN

L

AGOS — THE Police Special Fraud Unit, SFU, in Lagos, has declared a former deputy governor of Lagos State (names withheld) wanted for allegedly jumping bail over a case of obtaining N130 million by false representation.

Commissioner of Police incharge of the unit, Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, who made the disclosure, yesterday, explained that the unit received a petition from the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of ‘D’ Department, where the petitioner with an undisclosed identity alleged that the former deputy governor and her US-based son (names withheld) sold a parcel of land at Plot 24, Block 4, Admiralty Way, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos to him for N130 million in September 2011.

The petitioner, according to him, claimed to have paid the money in tranches to the former deputy governor ’s account, after which he reportedly requested for the title document, only to be given an

affidavit of support. The document included a police crime extract and a publication in one of the national newspapers, all purporting loss of original documents of title to the land.

Ogunsakin said: “The petitioner believed her because of her personality as a former deputy governor of Lagos State. But the bubble burst after the complainant commenced development on the land and was at the verge of completion when the bona fide owner of the land surfaced. It was discovered that the land the suspect sold did not belong to her. She actually sold Plot 23 Block 4 while Plot 24 Block 4 already has a property on it.

“Investigation revealed that the land she sold did not belong to her. It was also discovered that Plot 24 Block 4, which actually belonged to the suspect’s husband who died in 2008 was sold to him (the new owner) in 1995 and the suspect was a life witness and appended her signature to the sale of the land.

“The suspect further perpetrated the crime by alleging

that the original Certificate of Ownership, Cof O, to the property was missing and swore to an affidavit which enabled her obtain a police report and memorandum of loss. She also put up an advert in newspapers that the original CofO was lost whereas the original CofO is with Hallmark Homes, the buyer of the property.

Mistake of plot identification “The crime was admitted as a genuine mistake of plot identification. N50 million was refunded to the complainant with promises to refund the balance as soon as she disposed her two property she put up for sale. She also confessed that she had injected the complainant’s money into her business.

"The suspect also made an undertaking and payment plan which was drawn from September 2012 and was to terminate by November 2012, but defaulted due to lack of funds.

Man drags step-children to court over house ownership

K

ADUNA — A 60-year-old man, Sule Mohammad, yesterday, dragged his four step children to court over ownership of a house.

Mohammed, who went to Magajin Gari Sharia Court I, Kaduna, claimed that he made part payment for the five-room house in 2007 and was seeking to complete the payment when the four siblings denied knowledge of the transaction.

According to him, he bought the house at the cost of N470,000 and made part payment of N100,000 to the mother of the children, who is his wife.

Mohammed, who resides at Rigasa area of the city, urged the court to intervene and compel the children to honour the agreement. He tendered a letter, purported to be the agreement for the sale of the house.

The accused, Rabiu, Fatima, Ruqayya and Yusuf Mohammed, who inherited the house from their late mother, all denied knowledge of the transaction.

Rabiu, who represented them in court, said they were neither consulted nor did they participate in the transaction, adding that their mother had no share in the house.

The presiding officer, Khadi Usman Abubakar, rejected the letter presented by the complainant as proof of the purported transaction and ordered him to come along with those involved in the deal on the next adjourned date.

Stolen vehicle

G

UNMEN, penultimate week, snatched a Toyota Camry car with number plate MD 657 AAA from its owner, Hamed Bashiru, at OrileIganmu, Coker Road, Lagos.

The gunmen numbering three as gathered, accosted the owner of the vehicle at about 9pm while on his way home.

They reportedly ordered him to get down then zoomed off with it, releasing sporadic shots into the air, apparently to wade off intruders.

Policemen at Orile who were contacted, reportedly razed to the scene without any sight of the robbers.

Although police sources at Orile said investigation was on-going but called on members of the public to avail them with information on the stolen vehicle with engine number 5S7123311 and chassis n u m b e r 4T1BNG22K7U680342 , or contact owner of the vehicle on 08033262532.

8—Vanguard , THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

How EFCC uses mobile phones to get evidence

BY SONI DANIEL, Regional Editor, North

A

BUJA—A forensic analyst with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Muktar Bello, yesterday, explained how the agency was using mobile phones to track oil theft, a booming business in the country.

Bello is also a witness in the ongoing trial of Joseph Amaechi and 13 others, in a case of illicit oil bunkering before an Abuja high court.

He used the data extracted from the suspects’ phones and demonstrated to the satisfaction of the court that the accused were deeply involved in the stealing of a large quantity of oil last month.

Led in evidence by counsel to EFCC, Austin Emumejakpor, Bello told the court that he conducted an examination by using a computer running on Microsoft operating system, with a forensic extraction device commonly used by law enforcement agencies, to harvest information from mobile devices.

In his ruling, Justice Evoh Chukwu stated that a certified true copy of any document is admissible in evidence and accordingly admitted same as exhibit.

He adjourned the case to June 24 for further hearing.

FAO AWARD: From left— Mr. Yerima Ngama, Minister of State, Finance; Dr. Ali Pate, Minister of State, Health; Prof.

Ruqqayat Rufai, Minister of Education; President Goodluck Jonathan; Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, Agricultural Development Minister; Dr. Precious Gbenoi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs, and Mr. Bukar Tijani, Minister of State, Agriculture, during the presentation of FAO award on food security to the President at the Federal Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: Abayomi Adeshida.

Kano arms cache: 4 detained Lebanese discharged, re-arrested

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—FOUR detained Lebanese nationals, Mustapha Roda Darwish Fawaz, Talal Roda, Abdulla Tahini and Hussain Nurudeen Kossdi, allegedly involved in illegal importation of weapons into the country were, yesterday discharged by an Abuja Chief Magistrate's court sitting at Karu, and then re-arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS. Chief Magistrate Muyiwa Oyeyipo discharged the accused persons on the premise that his court lacks requisite jurisdiction to try the offence they allegedly committed.

Consequently, he directed that they be taken before the appropriate court for prosecution, saying his court was bereft of the power to entertain the twocount charge c o n tained in the First Information Report, FIR, preferred against the four Lebanese.

Likewise, the court, yesterd a y , struck out preliminary objection

the accused persons filed through their lawyer, Ahmed Raji (SAN) on June 17, wherein they challenged the jurisdiction of the court to try them.

Ruling

Magistrate Oyeyipo held: “Having listened to the oral application of the prosecuting counsel and the submission of the defence counsel, I hereby grant as prayed that the charge filed on the basis of First Information Report, FIR, on June 5, 2013 is hereby struck out.

“In the circumstance, the preliminary objection filed by the defence counsel is equally struck out and the accused persons are hereby discharged.”

Pre-empting the ruling, prosecuting counsel, Mr. Clifford Osagie earlier applied to withdraw the charge, saying his action was based on the fact that further investigation conducted on the matter revealed that the case was beyond the scope of the magistrate's court.

He said: “The accused persons were remanded based on the charge in the FIR, but investigation has progressed extensively and facts that appear in the course of investigation are clearly related to offences which are outside the jurisdiction of this court.”

He, therefore, applied that the FIR file of the accused persons be returned to DSS, adding that “the case file has been forwarded to the Attorney-General of the Federation for further action on the matter.”

The application was not opposed by counsel to the ac-

cused persons, who told the court that “as rightly submitted by the prosecuting counsel, offences linked on the FIR border on terrorism, which are beyond the scope of this court.

“Based on this, we filed a preliminary objection on June 17 to challenge the court’s jurisdiction. In the circumstance, we have no choice than to agree with the prosecuting counsel and I will be urging this court to strike out the charge.”

The quartet were originally billed to enter their plea to the charge, which bothered on conspiracy contrary to Section 97 of the Penal Code and illegal importation of arms for terrorism against the Antiterrorism Act, 2011.

Re-arrested

However, barely 10 minutes after the court dismissed the charge, the accused persons were re-arrested and whisked away by security agents.

A security source, who spoke to Vanguard on grounds of anonymity, yesterday, hinted that they may be charged before the Federal High Court within the week.

It will be recalled that Fawaz, who is co-owner of Amigo Supermarket and Wonderland Amusement Park in Abuja, was arrested by the Military Joint Task Force, JTF, sequel to his alleged complicity in the ownership of a large cache of weapons of different types and calibre.

The weapons were uncovered at an underground bunker at 3 Gaya Road, off Bompai Road in Kano, after

a combined team of the JTF involving soldiers from 3 Brigade in Kano and Kano DSS, conducted a search of the bunker.

Likewise, Roda, who was said to have surreptitiously secured a Nigerian passport, was said to have been arrested at the underground bunker by the military operatives.

Recovered weapons

The weapons recovered included anti-tank weapons, rocket-propelled grenades, anti-tank/anti-personnel mines and other dangerous weapons.

Others were 11,433 rounds of 7.6 mm ammunition, 76 military grenades, one SMG rifle, nine pistols, 17 AK-47 rifles, 44 magazines, 103 packs of slap TNT, 50 MM anti-tank grenades, 123 MM artillery guns, four anti-tank landmines, 21 rocket-propelled grenades, 16 RPG chargers, and one RPG tube.

According to the security operatives that conducted the search, the arms and ammunition were concealed under layers of concrete, neatly wrapped inside coolers, drums and bags.

Kano State Director of DSS, Mr. Bassey Etang, had maintained that the discovery established suspicion that a terrorist group, Hezbollah, whose foreign operations are mostly coordinated by Lebanese, had a functional cell in Nigeria.

Besides, all those arrested during the operation confessed to have undergone training under the Hezbollah terrorist organisation.

DSS said the arms and ammunition were targeted at facilities of Israeli and Western interests in the country.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 9

Gunmen kill four teachers, students, farmers in Borno  Massacre 48 in Zamfara M

BY NDAHI MARAMA

AIDUGURI—GUNMEN suspected to be members of Boko Haram Islamic sect, yesterday, struck again at the Innovative Secondary School in the Customs area of Maiduguri, the Borno State capital, killing four teachers and two students.

This came as another set of suspected terrorists laid ambush to a farm along Maiduguri-Mafa-Dikwa Road and killed two farmers, including the owner of the Mango and Guava plantations.

Vanguard gathered that the gunmen numbering about four entered the school premises at about noon and met a female teacher who had gone to invigilate the ongoing NECO examination.

They however, had mercy on the teacher who begged them to spare her life, after collecting her hand bag and the envelop containing the question papers and ordered her to leave the school premises.

The gunmen later moved towards other teachers sitting under a tree and opened fire, killing all of them on the spot before fleeing the area.

A source said: “The spate of killings of innocent people is becoming a source of concern to people; it is unfortunate that, students, teachers and poor farmers have now become the targets of terrorists.”

‘They regrouped'

A top security source who confided in Vanguard said, dozens of terrorists living in the Sambisa Game Reserve fled to Mandara Mountains and other Hilly areas of Gwoza Local Government which is bordering Cameroon Republic among other desert areas of the state.

According to him, “some of the terrorists who fled from their camps in Sambisa have regrouped, and are launching attacks on Maiduguri and other areas in Yobe and Borno states.

“I am sure that the security agencies are aware and we will take decisive measures to ensure that there is no hiding place for the terrorists in the state.”

Due to lack of telecommunication services for the past one month in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, the Joint Task Force Spokesman, Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa and the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Gideon Jubrin could not be reached for confirmation at the time of going to press.

48 villagers murdered

On Tuesday, an armed gang raided Kizara village in Zamfara State, killing 48 residents according to the Commissioner for Information, Mallam Ibrahim Birnin-Magaji.

He said the gunmen arrived

the village on motorbikes, took positions on top of a hill then moved from house to house.

He said: “Some of them climbed up the hill overlooking the village and opened fire indiscriminately.

“They later moved from

house to house, telling residents that they were looking for members of local vigilante groups, whom they said had been disturbing them.

“Police from nearby Keta mobilised and engaged the bandits in a shootout, but were overwhelmed by the gunmen’s superior firepower

and forced to retreat.”

He said those killed included the local chief, the chief imam and the head of the vigilante group in the village.

APC BRIEFING: From left— Alhaji Garba Gandi of Congress for Progressive Change; Chief Tom Ikimi of Action Congress of Nigeria; Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau of All Nigeria Peoples' Party, all Co-Chairmen of the merger committee, and Senator Ahmad Sani, former Governor of Zamfara State, during a briefing at the end of the merger committee’s work in Abuja. PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

FEC approves N706m for overhaul of Jebba plant

BY BEN AGANDE

A

BUJA—THE Federal Executive Council, FEC, yesterday, approved N706 million for the overhaul of one of the units of Jebba Power Plant.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku told newsmen after the meeting that the N706 million is the counterpart funding from Nigeria on the venture with Japanese government that had given a grant of N3.9 billion.

According to him, Nigeria had opted to buy the generator's special tools for Jebba Hydro Electric Plc, and offered the contract to Messrs Marubeni Corporation to overhaul one of the units of Jebba Power Plant.

He said the contract has a delivery period of 10 months.

Speaking on the project, Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo said the project will guarantee steady supply of another 96.4Mw of electricity on completion.

Another approval by FEC was for the development of the Phase 4B port facilities at Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne Port Complex, Port Harcourt, at $2.8 billion.

According to Maku, the concept of the development of the facilities was to decongest the Lagos and Port Harcourt ports, while entrenching Public Private Partnership, PPP, in the establishment and upgrading of public sector facilities.

He said: “The project is expected to generate 4,000 job opportunities for both professionals, during its execution, and about 20,000 direct and indirect job opportunities when it is in full operation.

“After deliberations, council ratified the president’s anticipatory approval for the award of contract for the concession and development of Phase 4B port facilities at Onne Oil and Gas Free Zone, Onne Port Complex, at $2,797,129,243.26, exclusive of all taxes.

10—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

COURTESY VISIT— From right: Captain Sydney Mbaneme, Senior Instructor, Nigerian Army School of Public Relations & Information, NASPRI; Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor Vanguard Newspapers; Major Emmanuel Adeniyi, Chief Instructor, NASPRI, and Sergeant Asuquo Iguoh, Liaison Officer/Instructor, during the courtesy visit by NASPRI students to Vanguard Newspapers head office, Apapa, Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Tukur must stay — JONATHAN Continues from page 5 noted that the PDP is the only party that can safeguard democracy in Nigeria, in whatever capacity I may find myself, I will always vote and support the PDP.” Also insisting that Tukur should not go, Chief Clark in a statement made available to newsmen yesterday said:

Tukur must stay

— Clark "I have observed from the print and electronic media the many discordant, unwarranted or cacophony of calls from some party members including some governors who have conspired with the opposition to cause confusion in the Goodluck Jonathan administration to destabilize and undermine the government of President Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party, hence the unwarranted call on Alhaji Bamanga Tukur to resign his position.

"Under the party constitution and from the Report of INEC, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and five other officers of the National Working Committee (NWC) were lawfully and properly elected in the last convention of the party, while six or eight

PUBLIC NOTICE

PEACE MAKERS GOSPEL CHURCH This is to inform the general public that the above named church has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commision (CAC) for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

The Trustees Are: 1. Pastor Paul Ighama Ahannon 2. Mrs. Mabel Ahannon 3. Pastor Success Charles Okhe 4. Pastor (Mrs.) Faith Omoyovwirin 5. Mr. Patrick Uguru Iduma Aims & Objectives: 1. To preach the message of holiness to mankind 2. To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ Any objection(s) to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission (C.A.C) P.M.B 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Pastor Paul Ighama Ahannon

other officers were alleged not to have been properly elected on the grounds that the guidelines provided by the party were not followed.

Is it an offence of the National Chairman who was not in office that the guidelines were not followed? What is therefore required, is for a miniconvention to be held by its NEC meeting on Thursday June 20, 2013.

"Or is it not more reasonable for the objectors to call for a mini-convention after the NEC meeting of Thursday, June 20, 2013 to correct the issues raised by INEC. "It is most disturbing that the party machinery is being manipulated by disloyal party members in collaboration with the opposition for no valid cause simply because they are nominated members of the National Working Committee and are either being removed by court action or party disciplinary process.

"It would be recalled, that the Court of Appeal recently affirmed the removal of the Secretary and the Auditor of the party.

"It is therefore, very unfair, unjustified for the constant harassment of the National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur by those who believe that without them there is no PDP as a party using the media for negative publicity such as “no governor attended the chairman’s party”. The ugly truth is that today, the

PDP as a political party is no longer in control of its various organs,” Clark submitted.

He must go — Stakeholders His assertions notwithstanding, a group canvassing the ouster of Tukur known as PDP Stakeholders Forum addressed the press yesterday, insisting that the national chairman was ab initio not qualified to lead the party having been expelled in 2001.

Speaking through its National Coordinator, Ikenga Ugochinyere, the group said: "Bamanga Tukur is ab-initio not a bonafide member of the PDP that is capable of being elected into the office he currently occupies. Alhaji Bamanga Tukur was expelled by the National Executive Committee of the party after being indicted for “high level anti-party activities” alongside five others including Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke on May 31, 2001.

"The expulsion of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and five others in 2001 by the PDP passed through the due process of law as enshrined in the party’s constitution and still subsists as same has never been contested, challenged or set aside.

"Article 17(2)(g) of the PDP constitution 2009, now Section 49(4) of PDP constitution 2012(as amended) provides as follows: "No member of

the party shall be qualified for nomination or election into any offices of the party unless he has been a registered member for not less than two years and is of good financial standing in the party, except there is a waiver by the appropriate Executive Committee."

He continued: "Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, at the point of his nomination for election as National Chairman was never a registered member of not less than two years since his expulsion from the party in 2001, which expulsion has not been lifted by the PDP or set aside by a court of law.

"Alhaji Bamanga Tukur did not apply for, nor obtain the requisite waiver by the National Executive Committee of the party before offering himself for election into the office of National Chairman of PDP in 2012.

"Further, Article 10(b) iii of the PDP constitution 2009 now Section 8(17) of PDP Constitution (as amended) provides thus: "Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, since his purported “return”, has refused and or failed to follow the above clearlyspelt out constitutional procedure since his expulsion from the party as Adamawa PDP has not written to the NWC, neither has there been any PDP NEC meeting that met to consider his re-admission since 2001.

"The legal effect of the foregoing is that, with an utterly flawed and incurably defective membership, the nomination, subsequent election and continued stay in office

of Alhaji Bamanga Tukur as chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party is fraudulent, illegal and unconstitutional.

"That the performance of the National Chairman has brought so much disunity, cluelessness and lack of direction for the party. The illegality and abuse of office by the National Chairman is endless (Removal of officers of the party without following due process, illegal appointments, refusal to hold statutorily meetings etc)" The group was also supported by the Mass Mobilisation for Transformation, MMT, led by Comrade Joe Ambakaderimo.

The MMT said the recommendation for Tukur’s exit by the presidential committee was long over due, saying the sack vindicates the group’s long demand for Tukur ’s exit for peace to return to the party.

NEC plans CPC Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered last night that today’s NEC may end up constituting a Convention Planning Committee, CPC to organise the mini-convention.

A source told Vanguard yesterday that the Convention Planning Committee which would be chaired by the former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, has members drawn from the Board of Trustees, BoT, State, Zonal, and National Assembly.

Deputy National Officers who were not affected in the INEC report would also be used to help run the party, pending when a date will be fixed for the mini-convention.

A source told Vanguard that the party was changing its plans on Caretaker Committee because there was no constitutional provision for that.

Meanwhile, a group under the aegis, Movement for Change and Empowerment in the Peoples Democratic Party (MCE – PDP), yesterday warned that attempts to sack Tukur using the INEC report would not be realistic.

In a statement by its National Coordinator, Mr. Kola DakovaVaughan, the group noted that no matter how well the move may be hatched, it would be sub judice and ultra vires, against the backdrop that the matter was already pending before the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 —11

Crime statistics: Police arrest 150 robbery suspects, kill 24

BY DAUD OLATUNJI

A

MEETING: From left, former Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke; former Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Alhaja Salmot Badru; PDP South West, Caretaker Committee Chairman, Chief Ishola Filani; former Governor of Ekiti State, Mr. Ayo Fayose, and the newly appointed Chairman, PDP South West, Stakeholders’ Council, Senator Lekan Balogun, during the PDP South West Stakeholders’ meeting, at Airport Hotels, Ikeja, Lagos.

A/Court sacks Ondo monarch

BY DAYO JOHNSON

A

KURE — THE Court of Appeal, Akure Division, yesterday, dethroned the Zaki of Arigidi-Akoko in Akoko North West area of Ondo State, Oba Yisa Olanipekun.

It ordered the monarch to vacate the throne and

stop parading himself as the traditional ruler of the ancient town.

The court also set aside the approval of the state government to the appointment of Olanipekun.

Ruling on an appeal brought by Olanipekun against the ruling of the state High Court which earlier ordered him to vacate the stool, the appellate

court held that the approval was done in disobedience to a court order.

While delivering judgment Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, Justice Cordilia Jombo-Ofo and Justice Abubakar Gumel unanimously agreed that the approval given to the selection of Olanipekun as the Zaki of Arigidi was done in error.

Justice Gumel said the ordered that he lower court had on Novem- should no more paber 3, 2008 ordered the par- rade himself as tradities in the suit to stay further tional ruler of the action on the issue, but that town. the state government went Oba Olanipekun ahead on November 5, 2008 said: “My selection to approve the selection. by the kingmakers He however, noted that the cannot be faulted. injunction granted by the “There is no shaklower court did not affect the ing, I am still the action taken by the kingmak- Zaki of Arigidi, ers on October 28, 2008. insha-Allah.”

Oba Olanipekun had approached the Appeal Court to challenge the ruling of Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi of the state High Court which restrained him from parading himself as the traditional ruler of Arigidi-Akoko.

The suit in the lower court, filed by two of the town’s

BY DAYO JOHNSON princes, Tunde Olanipekun and KURE — A female Alfred Oloruntola mem-ber of the Ondo against Salawu State House of Assembly, Fola Olanipekun and Olasehinde was, yesterday, susYisa Olanipekun to pended indefinitely for being in challenge the Zaki possession of fetish objects inof Arigidi cluding miniature coffins.

Chieftaincy DeclaThe suspended member is repration of Arigidi resenting Ose council area of the 1989 and the selec- state constituency. tion and appointHer indefinite suspension was ment of announced on the floor of the House by the Deputy Speaker, Olanipekun Dare Emiola after a parliamentary meeting. ...Oba reEmiola said that the female legislator by her action has brought acts M e a n t i m e , embarrassment to the Assembly.

Consequently, the leadership O b a O l a n i p e k u n , of the house, according to him, yesterday, said has set up a five member comthat he will chal- mittee to further probe the allelenge the Court gation against the member by her of Appeal judge- landlord Chief kolawole Ogunbadejo. ment at the the The committee is headed by Supreme Court. Fatal Olotu and they are to look He was react- into the allegation levied against ing to the Court the lawmaker and report back to of Appeal judge- the house within the next two ment which weeks. sacked him and

Ondo female legislator suspended over fetish objects possession

A

BEOKUTA — THE Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, said it arrested 150 robbery suspects and killed 24 others during gun battles within the last six months across the state.

The command which also disclosed that it arrested 27 cultists, three rape suspects and 1,153 suspects for various offences stated that 131 vehicles and property worth N55,392,400:00k were recovered from them within the period.

Addressing newsmen in Eleweran, the Headquarters of the state command, the Police Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye said that the command within the period had charged 319 crime suspects to court and got 23 convictions.

Ogun unifies vigilante outfits

I

N A bid to form a strong and formidable security outfit that will be unified across the state, Ogun State Government has successfully merged Remo Neighborhood Watch with Vigilante Service of Ogun State to complement the effort of the police in curbing criminality at the grassroots.

This will also help curb multiplicity and lingering clash of interests in Sagamu and its environs.

Commissioner for Local Governments and Chieftaincy Affairs, Basorun Muyiwa Oladipo who disclosed this at a meeting with stakeholders in Abeokuta, said that the intention of the merger should not be misconstrued for any misgiving.

He urged people to support the new development.

While clarifying further, Basorun Oladipo said the provision of security was paramount to the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun and this prompted the approval of Vigilante Service of Ogun State as the only recognised security outfit to complement the efforts of the Police.

12 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

VC, students trade blames on UNIUYO closure

BY TONY NYONG

U

YO—AUTHORITIES of University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and students of the institution, have continued to trade blames over last week’s students protest that left some students dead, with scores of others sustaining injuries, while property worth millions of naira were destroyed.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Comfort Ekpo, has insisted that the school management cannot provide buses to transport the over 6,000 students from the town campus to the permanent site in Nwaniba, but the students alleged she has a commission and was profiteering from the transport arrangement on ground.

Ekpo who fielded questions from journalists, said it was inability of the management to cater for the transportation needs of the students that made it engage the services of some private transport companies, which charge N200 to take students to the permanent site and bring them to the main campus.

On their part, the students claimed that the transporter was yet to deliver the vehicles promised, when the VC asked for the upward review of the fares.

Amaechi to CP Mbu: You ’re a security risk Accuses him of exposing decisions of security council meetings

BY JIMITOTAONOYUMELU

P

He also cautioned against mismanagement of the country’s Police, noting that it was an institution set up in the interest of all.

He said that the reason why the Federal Government kicked against state Police was because it feared the state governors

L

AGOS—THE Federal Government, said, yesterday that it will not go back on its words to terminate the amnesty programme for Niger Delta ex-militants in 2015.

Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman, Presidential Amnesty Programme, Mr Kingsley Kuku, reiterated government’s position at the 7th Business Law Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association in Lagos.

He also canvassed a reduction in the N65,000 monthly stipend paid to beneficiaries in training to the statutory N18,000 minimum wage, so that those undergoing training did not earn more than those awaiting training.

According to him, failure to draw the curtain on the programme will bring

lice is an institution for all Nigerians.”

Amaechi, meanwhile said that anyone who accords recognition to the Governor Jonah Jang-led Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, was not a democrat, adding that he won the NGF election with majority vote.

ORT HARCOURT—GOVERNOR Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, yesterday, accused the state Police Commissioner, Mr Joseph Mbu of being a security risk, noting that Mbu was in the habit of exposing decisions reached at the state security council meetings.

Speaking when former Petroleum Minister, Professor Tam David-West, led a delegation on solidarity visit to him in Government House, Port Harcourt, he said things were heading for the worse with Mbu as Commissioner of Police in the state, as his (Mbu) operational style had made it difficult to convene security meetings in the state.

“Prof (David-West), let me mention to you some of the challenges we are facing in Rivers State now.

I will give you snippets of the letter I am trying to send to the President. Somebody at the top changed our Commissioner of Police and brought a man who MEETING: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (middle); Mr. Broderick Ighato, when we finish Security Council meetings, goes to report who said Deputy President, Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, ASUSS (left) and Ms. Bridgitte what and we are unable to hold Asemota, during a meeting with the governor on the 27.5 per cent Teachers' Special Allowany Security Council meeting ance in Benin City, yesterday. anymore because of that.

“Insecurity is threatening to come back, kidnapping is on the rise and armed robbery is on the rise because they have hijacked the security of the state. The Commissioner of Police reports to them in Abuja directly. He doesn’t report to the governor, he has nothing to do with the government, he takes away security men from my commissioners and posts security men to the chairman of Port Harcourt Club. Port Harcourt Club is a social gathering, it is somewhere behind us here. So, we have that problem and we believe that we should begin to address it.”

Why amnesty ends 2015 —KUKU

BY KENNETH EHIGIATOR

could mismanage it.

“We want the Federal Government to remember that the reason why it did not support state police was because they said the governors will mismanage state police, but at the same time, the federal police should not be mismanaged or used against us because the po-

about instability in the region.

Kuku, who noted that the Amnesty Office was currently grappling with exit strategy challenges, said that the present scenario was not envisaged at the time of the Presidential Amnesty Proclamation in 2009.

He said: “It will be in the best interest of Nigeria for government to terminate the presidential amnesty programme by 2015. If it is not closed by 2015, it will lose its taste. This is because it will become an alternative government in the Niger Delta.

“We are currently battling exit strategy challenges. If we reduce the monthly stipend to those in training to the prescribed minimum wage for the country, which is N18,000, it will discourage more people from taking to militancy.

“We should have stopped

paying N65,000 after pulling the agitators from the creeks and fixing it at the minimum wage could have been ideal. To avoid further crisis, the programme should end in 2015. We must be ready to exit the programme. It is for this reason that governors of the region must support alternative programmes for youth engagement.”

Kuku noted that the gains of the programme could be eroded if government failed to close the programme by 2015 because of fresh agitations for enlistment by youths of the region, who now see militancy as a way of accessing public funds.

He said that his office was at present, exploring possibilities of getting trained ex-militants engaged to prevent them from returning to agitation.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 13

C M Y K

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Police arraign man for alleged N2m fraud

BY IJEOMA NATHANIEL

L

AGOS—A man, Solomon Cyril, 35, was yesterday, arraigned at Lagos magistrate court, sitting in Ikeja, for allegedly conspiring with others now at large to commit felony and unlawfully obtaining property worth N2.1 million.

The suspect, brought before the judge, Mrs. Oshodi Makanju, is facing a threecount charge of felony, fraud and conspiracy, preferred against him by the Police.

The prosecutor, Inspector Sampson Ekikere, told the court that the defendant unlawfully and fraudulently obtained jewelleries and cash from one Badmus Afolake, all valued N2,100,000.

He told the court that, the defendant committed the offence at Oba Akran Road, by Juli Pharmacy, Ikeja, Lagos last May. The magistrate adjourned the case to July for further hearing.

Appeal Court upholds death sentence for bus driver

BY CHRIS OCHAYI

A

BUJA—THE Appeal Court in Port Harcourt has upheld the ruling of Rivers State High Court which sentenced a bus driver, Emeka Mbachu, to death for killing Clifford Azubuike, a special marshal of Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC. Azubuike was killed while on patrol on November 3, 1995, at the 1st Artillery Junction, along Aba-Port Harcourt highway in Rivers State.

The driver, Mbachu, was consequently sentenced to death by the Rivers State High Court on July 15, 1999.

Justice E Eko, JCA, in his lead judgement, dismissed the appeal filed by Emeka Mbachu against his earlier conviction and sentenced him to death.

Justice Eko stated: “On the whole, there is no substance in the appeal. In my candid view, the appeal deserves to be, and it is, hereby, dismissed in its entirety.

“The conviction and sentence of the Appellant in the charge No.PHC/3C/96 for murder pun-

ishable with death on July 15, 1999 are hereby affirmed.”

Similarly, the other two Justices in the panel, namely Justice C.E Nwosu-Iheme, JCA, and Justice Stephen Jonah Adah, JCA, concurred in entirety with the reasoning and conclusion of the lead judg-

ment.

FRSC spokesperson, Mr. Jonas Agwu, recalled in a statement: "On November 3, 1995, at the 1st Artillery Junction, along Aba/Port Harcourt, Highway, Port Harcourt, one Clifford Azubuike (hereinafter called “the deceased”) was on a routine traf-

fic control duty.

“The deceased was checking vehicles and controlling the busy traffic along with other Special Marshals. The bus driver, Emeka Mbachu drove his blue bus from Oyigbo (Aba) end of the highway to where the Special Marshals were".

Onoh's property demolished in Enugu

E

BY TONY EDIKE

NUGU—THE Enugu State Capital Development Authority, ECTDA, has demolished a property belonging to Dr. Josef Umunnakwe Onoh, son of former Governor of Old Anambra State, late Chief C. C Onoh located at Onoh quarters in Old GRA Enugu.

The Commissioner for ECTDA, Engr. Ikechukwu Ugwuegede, said the building was pulled down because the fence and security house rested on a public road and obstructed the liberty of residents living behind the structure

which is being remodelled by Onoh for commercial purpose.

But the owner of the property and Chairman of Karastan Nigeria Limited, Dr. Josef Onoh, however, disagreed with the commissioner, insisting that the demolished property met all due process of documentation, saying "Engr. Ugwuegede was propelled by personal vendetta over alleged “unfinished personal business” to demolish his property.

Onoh brandished several documents authenticating the structure and said what happened was that he refused to sell more

plots of land located within the area to the commissioner, who turned around to unleash vendetta on his property.

Onoh also provided cheques of previous transactions between him and Ugwuegede and insisted that what the commissioner did to his property was an act of abuse of office and a blackmail against him.

He demanded the immediate removal of the commissioner by Governor Sullivan Chime to serve as deterrent to other public officers who might try to use their positions to engage in conflict of interests in future.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 15

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

5TH VANGUARD CHILDREN’S CONFERENCE 5TH VANGUARD CHILDREN’S

CONFERENCE

Mrs. Funmi Ladele, Director, Centre for Black African Arts and Civilization, CBAAC (left) and Mrs. Ndidi Aimienwu, Deputy Director, CBAAC, at the event.

From right: Mr. Sunday Ogunrinde, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Lagos State on Youth and Social Development; Deaconness Henrietta Bello and Mr Dosunmu Akeem, during the 5th Annual Vanguard Children’s Conference, at LTV House, Ikeja, Lagos. Photos: Lamidi Bamidele.

Students of Elimshire College, Ojuelegba, Surulere, Lagos, led by Mr Abayomi Amao (left), during the conference.

L-r: Ms. Titi Jolaoso, Financial Controller, Vanguard Media Ltd and Mr. Fred Odueme, AGM, Brands, Vanguard Media Ltd.

Rotary International District 9110 Award in Lagos

Rot. Bruce Ovbiagele and his wife, Helen, Woman Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, at the event.

From left: Chief Ajibola Ogunsola, former Chairman of PUNCH Newspapers; Lady Maiden Ibru, Publisher of The Guardian Newspapers, Rot. Kamoru Omotosho, Rotary District Governor; his wife, Susan; Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi, Juli Pharmacy Plc. and Mr. Mideno Bayagbon, Editor, Vanguard Newspapers, representing Mr. Sam Amuka, Publisher, Vanguard Newspapers, during the Rotary International District 9110: Distinguished Award for Service to Humanity, at Ikeja, Lagos. Photos: Bunmi Azeez.

C M Y K

From left: Prince Julius Adelusi Adeluyi; Chief Ajibola Ogunsola, receiving Vocational Excellence Award from Rot. Kamoru Omotosho, District Governor, at the occasion.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013— 17

I

Contemporary capitalism In a season of vicious rivalries between and within factions of the political elite; at a time when they are positioning for positions and are mercilessly cutting themselves to pieces and therefore cannot contemplate the taking of prisoners, the last issue that will make any sense to those who rule our country is the statistics about children out of school.

Wired into the DNA of the Nigerian ruling class is the inability to develop a sense of shame about the nation’s condition. But when we have to be at the top of the rung of infamy, in respect of the number of children out of school, then there is a lot that is wrong indeed. It comes home even closer, that the majority of such children are likely to be in Northern Nigeria. There is interconnectedness in social phenomena. Today, our region of the country is virtually in socio-economic lockdown, as a result of the Boko Haram insurgency. The foot soldiers of that insurgency are those young people who have no hope in the complexities associated with the post-modern world with its brutal insistence on education and skills.

If we think this problem is not serious enough, please give a thought to the ridiculous cut-off marks recently released by the Federal Ministry of Education, for admission of Nigerian children from the different C M Y K

Nigeria’s out-of-school children states, into the unity schools around the country. While students from Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Lagos or even the Northern states of Kwara and Benue need the following cutoff marks: Male (130) Female (130); Male (123) Female (123); Male (139) Female (139); Male (133) Female (133); Male (123) Female (123); Male (111) Female (111), respectively. For Kebbi it is 9 for male and 20 for the female; Sokoto, 9 for the Male and 13 Female; Yobe 2 marks for Male and 27 for the Female and Zamfara 4 for the Male and 2 for the Female.

These are ridiculous and can only deepen resentment and prejudice in the country; but they underline the pitiful state of education in Northern Nigeria, further exposing the general state of rot that facilitated the emergence of the Boko Haram insurgency.

In truth, there is no other way but to take our children off the streets and into schools that have adequate infrastructure and teachers that are not only well-trained but are highly motivated and have a

professional attitude. This is a very serious challenge today and it was no surprise when the media reported President Jonathan’s worry about teachers who have become traders in the school system. At the lowest, primary school level, the situation is even worse! The teachers are often unable to even pass primary four level examinations as was discovered recently in Kaduna state and a few years back in Kwara. It is partly in response to the state of rot that we now have a surfeit of private primary schools of uneven quality all over Nigeria. Yet, no nation can develop, that neglects the public primary school system, because it is only through the public school system that the greatest aggregate of children all over the country: from Bayelsa to the remotest parts of Borno, can be brought into a national loop of education and skills acquisition, which might give potential geniuses in these outlying and far-flung parts of our country, the possibilities to contribute to the development of our country.

Education is far too serious a tool to fight underdevelopment, that it is absolutely criminal, that we can contemplate a situation where our country will have the largest population of out-of-school children in the world. It revolts the patriotic

things stand now, they are locked in political duels to the death, precisely because the issues for them are about power without responsibility to the people. And in case they do not realize it, the Nigerian people today are overwhelmingly young; 75% percent of the population is under the age of 35, while 45% are under 15. It is from this young population that the 10million out-of-school kids have been sourced. So when the colonial-era policeman, Tony Anenih perfects schemes to win an automatic second term ticket for President Goodluck Jonathan while Bola Tinubu waxes lyrical about social security for those over 60 years of age, they both miss the point about the priorities that meet the

,

N this season of high wire politicking, it probably means nothing to the Nigerian ruling elite. But the social consequences might sooner, rather than later, come to consume them. According to statistics of UNESCO, there are about 10.5 million Nigerian children out of school. This is the largest population of such out-of-school kids anywhere on earth and in fact, Nigeria accounts for 47 percent of the world’s population of out-ofschool children. We are said to lead 12 other countries, ranging from Pakistan, through to Yemen and Niger. UNESCO’s DirectorGeneral, Irina Bokova, analyzing the survey, further revealed that 20 percent of African children have never attended primary school or left without completing primary school.

We have been inundated with different types of depressing statistics in the past on the Nigerian condition. In recent days, even the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, was said to have recently held up a sponge cake to illustrate the infamous GDP growth of the Nigerian economy, in order to show the fabulous growth she said the Nigerian economy has recorded. This is against the backdrop of growing disquiet about the jobless growth and the failure of the ‘trickle down’ propensity so beloved by defenders of contemporary capitalism.

Between Anenih and Tinubu lies the deep chasm dividing our ruling elite from the young people who make up the majority of the Nigerian people today. They scheme about power while the young people need education, skills and jobs!

The gulf is very wide and really deep

,

feeling and should fill us all with indignation. If those who rule us can lock their gaze on to the more serious issues which can assist our nation’s development process, starting with the education of our children, they might well discover that they will be able to play their politics with a greater sense of purpose. As

demographic profile of our country today. And between Anenih and Tinubu lies the deep chasm dividing our ruling elite from the young people who make up the majority of the Nigerian people today. They scheme about power while the young people need education, skills and jobs! The gulf is very wide and really deep.

FCT’s Bala Muhammed, privileged access and consequential Abuja matters

L

AST week, I spent almost five hours in discussion with Bala Muhammed, Minister of the FCT. It was at that level of privileged access that every reporter worth his professional calling would have cherished. Let me confess that Bala Muhammed is my friend, but I have not seen him in months; a period during which a lot of accusations have accumulated against his performance as Minister of the FCT and at a point when the din of politics has risen many decibels higher than normal.

The FCT minister is a really “juicy” preferment of Nigerian political life and whoever has that privilege is the real gold fish in a bowl. But Bala Muhammed is a stubborn customer; he would rather shrug his shoulders at every accusation thrown at him, preferring to get on with the job and trusting in his own good intention.

Sit down to have a discussion with Bala Muhammed, if you get the opportunity, and you immediately feel that he genuinely has a sense of commitment to the difficult duty that he took up. But it is not altogether a wise attitude to lean only upon your own good intention, because even the road to hell, especially the hell of Nigerian political life, is paved with good intentions.

Bala Muhammed’s administration has received a lot of flak about the implementation of the new transportation policy which banned the ‘Araba’ buses from the central areas of

the FCT and the inadequate number of buses to bring in people from the satellite areas. But it is also clear that while there are initial glitches, things are going to ease in the long run and movement will eventually be sanitized in Abuja.

There is no gainsaying the fact that the transport infrastructure is undergoing a massive development just as other municipal services are undergoing renewal. But I think the issue closest to his heart is the Land Swap programme which is a major paradigm shift, programmed to involve private sector operatives in a massive investment plan to open and develop new districts of the FCT.

Intentions of government It remains largely misunderstood and at a point when Nigerians are even more cynical about government, the FCT minister is at the heart of that distrust in the intentions of government. For Bala Muhammed, the missiles come from all directions, including those aimed from his Bauchi homestead, where he is locked into the battle for positioning, as the 2015 elections rumble with raised dust, towards all of us.

When we sat down to discuss last week, I learnt a bit more about how things work at the FCT administration.

It is not altogether easy to run as complex an institution as the FCTA but a lot is being done to deliver on services

to the people of the federal capital. The daytime population of the city is said to have reached over 6million and given the perceptions of availability of opportunities and the security, a lot of people relocate into the FCT everyday, further increasing the pressure on infrastructure and deepening the demand for opportunities.

Resources available to provide services are severely limited and the administration has to increasingly think out of the box, innovate and find ways to generate the resources to continue the development going on all around us.

It is the challenge of development that Bala Muhammed prefers to face and is most willing to discuss, if he can cut away from meeting with members of his staff; spending long hours consulting at the Aso Villa or balancing the needs of political denizens, businessmen of all descriptions and citizens who troop into his office that sees literally no moment of respite.

I left Bala Muhammed’s office last week wiser about the way things work in the city that has been my home since 2002, but still unable to understand how he balances the exacting demands of so many people and deal with the mountains of accusation that he navigates each passing day of his political life. Everybody has a story, but the glitters of office can often mask the personal pains people deal with in the silent moments of their lives.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 PROTESTS in Brazil’s biggest cities are over the billions of Dollars the country is pouring into preparations for the 2014 World Cup, the first in Brazil in 60 years. Hungry, unemployed youth are on the streets - they consider their future more important than the FIFA Confederation Cup, the 2014 World Cup, and the Olympic Games in 2016.

“If your kid gets sick, take him to the stadium,” said a banner on Sunday outside the Maracana Stadium, Brazil’s football shrine, in reference to the priority given to stadium construction over health, education and jobs. Who would have thought Brazilians would protest against football?

Turkey is another protest point. Its fanatical football supporters, many of them in the crowds that have been jamming streets of Istanbul for over three weeks, would create more headaches for FIFA if they occupy the FIFA U-21 competition that begins tomorrow.

Turks are incensed over a government decision that could convert a public park to a mall. The issue has provided the platform for hundreds of thousands of angry Turks to

BY KEVIN OJI

I

N the African socio-cultural milieu, elders occupy positions of honour nurtured by wisdom and experience. As repositories of the culture and tradition of the people, they are often revered, especially by the youth who yearn to drink from their fountain of eternal wisdom in their search for direction in an otherwise treacherous world. In the days of yore, elders are economical with words to the point of taciturnity. When the elder speaks, his words are weighty and command enormous power, respect and influence. These are unusual times in our clime. Elders are now living in denial of their highly respected positions and like the brash youth are ready to fight bare knuckles. What we are witnessing today is not only the bastardization of this concept but also the desecration of this rarified cadre by pretenders who perceive themselves as the new agents of history.

In times of grave national crisis, it is the vicarious responsibility of all true patriots and statesmen to rise up in unison, above all primordial sentiments to nip the problem(s) in matter in the bud before it gets out of control to inflict anarchy on the land. This is why we view with increasing trepidation, the inflammatory statements, and reactions reactionary positions of the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, on issues of national importance. As elders with membership made up of accomplished Nigerians, the position of respect they command comes with corresponding responsibility. Nigerians expect them to C M Y K

More Important Than Football take on their government. They are resisting every move to force them off the streets.

France, Ghana, US, Spain would play in Istanbul, which would host 11 games, including the final, and is the epicentre of the unrest. Rioters would not miss any opportunity to get more international television exposure. Nigeria would play outside Istanbul in the early games of the FIFA event.

Matters could be hotter now that hundreds of thousands are rallied in support of Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan who remains defiant. A clash between the groups could escalate the protests. Rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannons have been fired at the

protesters. As they are dispersed, they reassemble. “Nobody can intimidate us. We don’t take orders from anybody except God,” Mr. Erdogan told his party supporters in Ankara, where protests have also began.

The recourse to the Almighty means Erdogan, like the former rulers of Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia, would not listen to his people. He has learnt nothing from how the people threw those rulers out, against all predictions. People, everywhere, react angrily to decisions that threaten their welfare.

In Turkey, the people want their recreational ground intact. Erdogan says he has authority to stop the protests. In Brazil, they are questioning appropriation of national resources, particularly the uncontrolled costs of constructing the stadia.

In both cases the people want a say in how they are governed – they are demanding it.

Anti-people policies, whether in Brazil, Turkey or elsewhere, endanger the world as visitors to Brazil and Turkey must have realised. Nothing is more important than lives, surely not football or a mall.

OPINION Nor thern Elder orum and Bok o Haram Northern Elderss FForum Boko react with restraint to sensitive national issues. Unfortunately, members of the NEF are only elders in name and nothing more.

Rather than voices of restraint and moderation these strange crop of elders have thrown caution to the wind in reaction to the threat to the unity of the nation by a deadly insurgency. Goaded by their hallucinatory obsession for power, the forum recently, castigated President Goodluck Jonathan for the declaration of the state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states. The spokesman of the forum and former Vice-Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Professor Ango Abdullahi, during a courtesy call on the Governor of Borno State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima, said the North had the population to reclaim power in 2015.

It is sad but instructive that at a critical point in our national life when fear stalks the land with the blood of innocents being spilt on the streets across the nation, the NEF is desperate to reclaim power at all costs. It is tragic that at a time when the pre-occupation of patriots is how to reverse the ugly trend of fear, unbridled violence and bloodshed, the forum is trading bellicose comments. Rather than push forward and canvass alternative viewpoint and road map on how to curb the insurgency, the forum is gloating and celebrating the violence that has taken over the Northeast and fast threatening to spread across Northern Nigeria. In their own estimation, President Jonathan remains the

greatest stumbling block to the realisation of the Northern agenda of reclaiming the presidency and must be vilified. Given this mindset, the forum rail against the Jonathan administration as a monumental failure and every step should be taken to deny him a second term. The contradictions that threw up Boko Haram insurgency cannot by any stretch of imagination be blamed on the Jonathan presidency.

Grinding poverty, shrinking opportunities and mass unemployment are the direct consequences of failure of leadership, especially in the North, dating back to our flag independence in 1960. It is these formidable and intractable problems that the Jonathan presidency inherited and has been grappling with since its emergence in 2011. It would be premature to prejudge the performance of the present administration since it is yet to run its full course. The judgement of history is inevitable and will be defined by the impact of the policies, actions and decisions taken by our leaders to confront the formidable challenges of our nationhood. Nigeria in the 21st century is not immune from the economic challenges buffeting the global economy. Clear, pragmatic, visionary palliatives, even if they are bitter are needed to put the economy on track for economic prosperity of the citizenry.

The NEF has displayed and demonstrated heightened ethnic saliency and lack of patriotism in pursuit of its selfish agenda.

While we concede that it is the unalienable

right of the North and other ethnic nationalities to pursue the highest office in the land, to foist violence and bloodshed on the nation in pursuit of this ambition is unacceptable and should prick the conscience of all citizens. Instead of dissipating energy attacking President Jonathan for the declaration of the state of emergency, the NEF should mobilize all their resources to bring an end to this affront against our collective interest. A vote for the state of emergency represents the boldest attempt yet by the present administration to confront this deadly insurgency. No principled government worth its salt will fold its arms and allow the dismemberment of the nation. President Jonathan has demonstrated unbridled dynamism in his handling of the Boko Haram challenge. Despite the criminality of the maiming and killing of defenseless and peace-loving citizens, the Jonathan presidency demonstrated uncommon restraint in its hitherto measured response to this potent threat to the state.

It is strange and unpatriotic for the forum to rise up in routine defence of the Boko Haram each time government wants to deal with them.It is not unusual that it did not see anything wrong in the arrogant repudiation of the dialogue and amnesty extended to them by the Federal Government. *Mr. Oji, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—19

, O

N the occasion of this year’s Father ’s Day, President Goodluck Jonathan called on state governors to pick up courage and sign death warrants of felons sentenced to death by courts of competent jurisdictions. As usual, reactions followed, with some critics asking how many death warrants he signed as Governor of Bayelsa State; a position he held for all of 18 months. It was a legitimate question, unless there was no death sentence convict in Bayelsa jails during his tenure.

Leadership by example is always better than mere rhetoric.

I have a lot of respect for Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the Governor of Edo State. He is a bold man with the courage of his personal convictions. He signed the warrants for the execution of two convicts prison authorities in Benin described as “unmanageable inmates” who attempted a jailbreak. It caused a rumpus among some human rights activists, but the Governor was not fazed.

Bravo!

You see, we live in a country

where hypocrisy and double standards are celebrated as virtues. It is so rife that a popular musician adopted the name: Tuface! A typical politician in Nigeria will arm young, unemployed men or contract the job of harassing, intimidating or even killing his opponents to cultists and area boys to win elections. He will practically trample on the corpses of those he killed to climb into the seat of power. But when a warrant for the execution of those convicted in court is brought before him he will grow lily-livered. He will shy away.

He will begin to listen to the platitudes of human rights activists in the payroll of Western interests intent on imposing their norms on the rest of the world. They plant agents in all poverty-stricken entities around the world to propagate abnormalities and taboos such as same-sex marriage in the name of “human rights” and “freedom”. Some of these Western countries had the temerity to warn they would stop aid to Nigeria if the legislation against same-sex marriage and homosexuality was

,

passed into law. Happily, the Senate has made good its promise and passed the Bill which prescribes punitively against the perverse sexuality. That is as it should be.

W

e in Africa must hold on to our cherished social etiquettes rooted in our religious and cultural mores. We must not follow sheepishly the Western societies that have lost grip of theirs in favour of atheistic and Darwinist libertinism. It is mainly due to the loose morals which now dominate Western societies that their societies are in sharp decline,

In the collision of self-interests

Q

UITE often, when legislators are asked to write a law, they end up writing themselves into the law. That’s the way it has always been.

In our days at the Constituent Assembly, 1988-89, most members felt that those of us who were demanding the enshrinement of press freedom into the Constitution should have our heads subjected to psychiatric examination. Why would we be seeking to have a free press when it was clear that most of the state governors were going to emerge from among our members? By their reckoning, a free press would be inimical to our self-interests as governors and the political class in the emerging republic.

Even where people like Chief Segun Osoba and the late Lam Adesina were clearly focused on where they were going, they still joined us in the vanguard for the struggle for press freedom. Essentially, therefore, their self-interest weighed more on the side of the journalism profession than on politics.

Watching the theatricals on the numerous self-interests around the ongoing amendments to the 1999 Constitution, so called, one gets the impression that in 1817, when Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) coined his willing suspension of disbelief, he had our current legislators in view. A few instances will reveal the entire rumble in the jungle.

In the single six-year tenure being pushed for the President and Governors, we see a strong room. The door to this room is made of strong iroko wood properly fortified with the strongest iron bars. The door has a strong jam lock, which was specially imported for it.

A careless officer pushed the door and it got locked, with the key inside and the people outside. We are now faced with a serious dilemma – to abandon the room with

everything inside or break that strong door.

On various occasions, this column has marveled at the jet-speed with which President Goodluck Jonathan introduced the idea of the single tenure. Originally, the request for the single-tenure was for eight years, from where it was reduced to seven, and finally panel-beaten to six years. That’s a good way of asking for the leg of an animal so that you do not get disappointed if you eventually get the hand. We smelt a rat when our President indicated that he was not going to benefit from the tenure change.

That was when we wondered why the President was counting himself out of a measure that he considered so good. We asked if he was allergic to good things.

As time rolled by, the President’s selfinterests began to inch towards his wanting to run for the office. Right now, it is no longer secret whether or not he wants to run.

There is this ambivalence in our President – wanting to run and openly confessing he does not want to benefit from the changed tenure.

We hear that the National Assembly is very bent on approving the single tenure, effective 2015 and in doing so, the legislators are saying that the President is right in ousting himself from the 2015 contest. What this means is that the President and incumbent Governors stand ousted from the 2015 elections.

One salient question is: Are we going to break the door or abandon the room in its jam-locked state? The bag will not contain it but the native doctor will not leave it behind. It is a serious dilemma. In the months ahead, we may see the Presidency working extra hard to dismantle the singletenure idea that it originally cherished and wanted to get through the back door.

The idea of the creation of more states

socially and economically. The future belongs to Africa and we cannot get there without, like the Asians, maintaining our unique, sound cultural character.

There are no human rights for those who commit the high crimes that result in death penalties: murder, violent robberies, kidnapping, terrorism and others.

There are no human rights for those who willfully, and in a premeditated manner, deprive others of their right to life.

The other day, we all read about three herbalists from Ogun State (there are evil men in all tribes or states; we are just giving an example of what happens everywhere these days). These men were caught with fresh human parts and when interviewed by reporters at a police public parading, they said they preferred live human beings to dead ones, being more “lucrative”. After reading that story I could not eat my lunch! Then, tomorrow I become a governor. The courts condemn these evil men to death.

I want to sign their warrants to go and face the music and some comedians will come and preach human rights to me!

The death penalty is still a valid and welcome method of ensuring justice is done. Correction alone should not be the objective of penalties against our laws. Justice is very important too. How do you “correct” a person who has willfully taken away the life of a fellow human being? You can correct a thief through imprisonment and while in jail, train him or her in skill acquisition and thus give him/her a chance to turn a new leaf after jail.

But a person who kills another in a gruesomely willful manner is

r e m a i n s attractive.

Elsewhere, we have suggested that the easiest way to satisfy the desire is to create 160 million states so that every Nigerian will have his own state. This also presupposes that in the next 10 years, the number of the states shall rise to almost 170 million to cater for our burgeoning population.

,

Go on, sign it or else…

There are no human rights for those who commit the high crimes that result in death penalties: murder, violent robberies, kidnapping, terrorism and others; there are no human rights for those who willfully, and in a premeditated manner, deprive others of their right to life.

When are we going to stop treating constitution amendments like amending a LG edict?

Any amendment based on individual selfinterest will always collapse because people’s self interests will always differ

,

A

bulk of our current leadership of the National Assembly is made up of people so bereft of ideas that the only plank on which they rose to power was the promise to create states for their people. In the individual self-interest of the legislators, it might also be a good idea for them to build little fiefdoms to which they could retire as Governors after their legislative lives.

We search but in vain for that section of the 1999 Constitution, which specifically

a different ball game. The person whose life he has terminated as well as his/her family and friends need JUSTICE. The law must fight back on their behalf. This is important, in order to create deterrence and reduce the impulse for vengeance. A governor who gets the opportunity to help the injured party to obtain justice and flunks it has failed in his duties to protect the interests of the innocent, injured party.

It is a mark of great injustice – in fact rubbing salt into an injury – for a person who KILLS to be sentenced to LIFE! He is sent to a government facility to be fed, clothed and housed, at tax payer’s expense, for the rest of his life, while the person he murdered rots away in the grave! It is the duty of the state to administer justice on behalf of victimised citizens and in accordance to the laws of the land.

And it is the duty of the governor to see that this process is successfully concluded.

Human rights activists will be doing society a greater service by channelling most of their energies to the sensitisation of the citizenry on the sanctity of life, with emphasis on the need to avoid depriving others of their lives, liberty or dignity. We must all go back to the cherished African concept of collectively raising young people to live peacefully, respecting themselves and others, particularly those older than them, and “keeping their hands clean”.

But once a person crosses the line and takes the life of another person, and the courts convict him with death sentence, Mr Governor must sign the instrument of legal death administration.

That’s part of the job of being His Excellency!

forbids the creation of more states. We therefore wonder why the leadership of the National Assembly made the issue of the creation of states its topmost priority in the quest to amend the Constitution. They were to ride on the back of the genuine demand of the South-East sub-region for the creation of an additional state to bring it at par with other zones. They had silently decreed that each zone should have one additional state.

That’s what was taken to the town hall meetings across the 360 Federal constituencies in the country. This will only aggravate the imbalance because in the end, the North East will have eight states, the South East will have six while the remaining zones will have seven states each.

Meanwhile, most of the states as currently constituted are unviable. That puts the whole idea of the creation of more states in direct collision with common sense.

When are we going to stop treating constitutional amendments like amending a local government edict? Any amendment based on individual self-interest will always collapse because people’s self interests will always differ.

Shall we invite Aristotle for his quick counsel on courage as “the first of human virtues because it makes others possible”?

Courage is all we need; courage to stop pretending to hate what we love; courage to know when to stop this patch-patch work and go for a total overhaul of the Constitution; and courage to accept that, after all, the fault may not be in our Constitution but in us.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 —

21

FG resolves FAAC crisis, agrees to pay arrears reached on the Federation Account to resolve all outstanding issues to do with the Federation Accounts.

BY EMMA UJAH, Abuja Bureau Chief

T

HE Federal Government has resolved the controversy over the amount of revenue to be shared from the Federation Account this month.

A Presidential Committee headed by Bauchi State Governor, Isah Yuguda with his colleagues from Anambra, Gombe and Delta states, Mr. Peter Obi, Alhaji Ibrahim Dankwambo and Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, respectively, as members told journalists in Abuja, yesterday that the disagreement which led to the cancellation of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, last week, have been resolved.

Gov Yuguda said: “The Minister of State (Finance), the AGF, the DG, Budget Office of the Federation, following our meeting in the minister ’s office, this is a presidential committee which I am charging. I have three governors with me on the committee. The committee was set up after a slight disagreement between the state commissioners of finance and the Minister of State who chaired the FAAC. “An agreement has been

“As part of this, a commitment to settle the arrears of the Fed-

eration Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) payments has been agreed. This was the key development from a meeting of the Committee set up

by Mr President to resolve this issue today.”

According to the Bauchi State Governor, the committee also resolved to tackle root causes of the revenue challenges facing the country including illegal bunkering and oil theft in a decisive and sus-

FG urged to invest in palm produce

A

President/CEO, GE Africa, Mr. Jay Ireland; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; and Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State, at the ground breaking ceremony of GE’s $1bn investment in-service and manufacturing facility, in Calabar.

Lekoil to invest N4.8bn in oil bloc stake L EKOIL has announced plans to invest $30 million

(N4.8 billion) in the acquisition of a 6.502 per cent stake in a

0.25

122.6

2,275.00 +54.00 16.74

-0.19

74,650

+190

97.87

+0.10

CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL DOLLAR 154.75 POUNDS 241.8124 EURO 07.0555 FRANC 168.1334 YEN 1.6238 CFA 0.2942 WAUA 234.5852 RENMINBI 25.2492 RIYA 41.2623 KRONA 27.7509 SDR 236.1949

155.25 242.5937 207.7245 168.6767 1.6291 0.3042 235.3432 25.3312 41.3956 27.8405 236.9581

tainable manner.

“The meeting which was held in a positive atmosphere reaffirmed the determination of the Federal Government and the Governors to continue working together for the common good of the country.

SELLING 155.75 243.375 208.3935 169.2199 1.6343 0.3142 236.1011 25.4132 41.5289 27.9302 237.7212

CBN Exchange rate as at 19/06/2013

Nigerian offshore oil block, Oil Mining Lease 113 from Pan Petroleum Aje Limited, PPAL, a wholly owned subsidiary of Panoro Energy ASA. According to a statement by the company, OML113 is located in the Benin Embayment along the West African Transform Margin adjacent to Oil Prospecting Lease 310, in which Mayfair Assets & Trusts Limited, a subsidiary of Lekoil Nigeria, has an ultimate 30 per cent economic interest.

It further stated that the OML113 licence area contains the Aje oil and gas field for which AGR TRACS

International Limited, in its recently updated Competent Persons Report estimated Contingent Resources of 198.7 million barrels of oil equivalent. speaking on the investment, Mr. Lekan Akinyanmi, Chief Executive Officer, Lekoil, said, “The acquisition of an interest in the Aje field, adjacent to our existing interest in OPL310, is exactly in line with our strategy to focus on assets in corridors of interest identified in our detailed evaluation programme when we established Lekoil.

“It also brings us potential near term production in line with our ambition to create a producing business with higher upside appraisal and exploration assets. In addition, we continue to assess further opportunities.

“This acquisition sees us well on our way to realising our vision for Lekoil and its shareholders, following our

Admission to AIM last month.

“The net unrisked 2C Contingent Resources in OML113 attributable to Lekoil Nigeria will be approximately 25.3 mboe. Around 50 per cent. of the 2C Contingent Resources in the Aje field are liquid hydrocarbons, comprising gas, gas liquids and condensate as well as a significant oil leg in one of the reservoirs.”

The company further expressed optimism on its ability to meet up with the funding obligations of the proposed acquisition, saying that it has secured the Bid Bond for the acquisition and will be issuing the Bid Bond to Panoro in the next few days.

The company said it has already entered into a binding conditional Sale and Purchase Agreement with PPAL, PanPetroleum Nigeria Holding and Pan-Petroleum (Holding) Cyprus Limited over the acquisition.

N agricultural scientist Mr Chidi Uba, has urged the Federal Government to invest in palm produce to diversify the economy through exports.

Uba told the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Port Harcourt that cash crops like oilpalm and palm kernel should be given priority in order to create wealth and jobs for unemployed graduates.

“Over concentration on oil and gas is the biggest problem of Nigeria. Before the exploration of oil and gas, the mainstay of the economy included palm oil, cocoa and groundnut. Today, palm oil is the second largest selling cash crop with Malaysia taking the lead, but it was Nigeria that gave it to Malaysia,’’ the agriculturist said.

Uba said the revival of that sector was imperative to compliment the vision of the President’s transformation agenda.

He urged the Federal Government to create programmes that would spur local production of palm oil in areas that it had a comparative advantage to grow. The agriculturist described palm oil as an indispensable commodity that could be transformed into different productions.

According to him, it can be used in production of soaps, creams and a host of other useful products that man needs everyday. He said that the country had lost billions of naira due to its negligence of palm production, adding that its revival was nonnegotiable. The agriculturist advised farmers to continue to boost the nation’s economy through committed agricultural engagements.

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

BRIEF: FRC, Access Bank to partner on IFRS, corporate governance

T

CAME EXPO: From left: Managing Director, SIBS International, Pedro Hipolito, giving a practical demonstration of SIBS International’s payment processing service via an Automated Teller Machine while the Head, Marketing Division, SIBS International, Hugo Araujo and Managing Director, Mediacraft Associates, John Ehiguese, look on during the 2013 Card, ATM and Mobile Expo , CAME, in Lagos.

NDIC, Poland’s BGF sign MoU on deposit protection

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE NIGERIA Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and its Polish counterpart, Bank Guarantee Fund (BGF), have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening protection of depositors’ funds in the two countries.

NDIC was established to protect bank deposits up to the maximum insured deposit of N200, 000 per account.

The MoU was signed at the end of NDIC’s recent working visit to the GFP of poland on capacity building, information and experience sharing in key operational areas; including early warning systems, failure resolution, and establishment of target fund ratio and implementation of a single customer view system.

The NDIC delegates comprised the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim and the Executive Director of Operations, Prince Aghatise Erediauwa.

On the signing of the MoU MD/CEO, NDIC, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, said the MoU was in line with the mission of the International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) to share knowledge and experience in deposit insurance and areas of compliance with core principles of effective deposit

C M Y K

insurance practice.

Both NDIC and BGF are active members of International Association of Deposit Insurers (IADI) and the President of the Management Board of BGF, Poland, Mr. Jerzy Pruski is the current Chair of the executive council and president of IADI. Meanwhile Ibrahim has called on financial institutions in the country to imbibe sustainable banking practices in their operations. He made the call in Abuja while

declaring open a lecture on “The Implementation of The Nigerian Sustainable Banking Principles for Senior Bank Examiners.”

He noted that the importance of a sustainable banking culture required banks to uphold environmental and social standards by not granting credit or supporting business activities that would harm the environment. He also advised that financial institutions should promote gender equality and promote ethics,

fairness and anti-corruption activities, adding that the principles expected banks to gear their operations toward enhancing development that would not only be economically profitable but also environmentally and socially responsive.

According to him, the Bankers Committee had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on how to implement the guidelines on sustainable banking practices.

Mainstreet Bank rebrands, declares N24.1bn profit before tax

M

AINSTREET Bank, one of the nation’s nationalized banks has declared a profit before tax of N24.1 billion in its group financial performance for the year ended 31 December, 2012.

The result shows marked improvement in all key financial indices especially given the bank’s loss position of N4.4bn within the five-month period it operated as at December 2011. The figures from the result also show that the bank grew its gross earnings to N47.9billion within the period under review.

Other highlights of the results: Capital Adequacy Ratio (92 per cent), Liquidity Ratio (137.9 per cent), Return on Assets (7.0 per cent), Return on Equity (44.5 per cent), Earnings per share (N3.69), and Non Performing Loan, NPL Ratio of 3.29 per cent respectively.

Commenting on the result, the bank’s Group Managing Director, Faith Tuedor-

Matthews lauded the stellar performance during the period under review. She challenged staff to rise to the future challenge of ensuring that the bank attains its leadership aspirations especially in the area of innovation, service excellence and strong ethical conduct.

“We will continue to train and retrain our staff to ensure that they do banking differently, indeed, our history will be our springboard to future triumph,” she said.

On his part, chairman of the bank, Mallam Falalu Bello lauded the results as phenomenal, noting that the bank’s pretax profit grew by an unprecedented 397 per cent during the period under review.

He noted that the bank’s leadership and its corporate governance regime contributed greatly in the attainment of such remarkable feat.

HE Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) and the management of Access Bank Plc have stressed the need for collaboration between the two institutions on implementation of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and corporate governance in the country.

This was disclosed during a courtesy visit to the head office of the FRC in Lagos by the Group Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr Aigboje AigImoukhuede.

In a statement signed by Mack Ogbamosa, Media/ Communications Consultant to FRC, Aig-Imoukhuede recalled the relationship between the bank and the Council dating back to the days of the defunct Nigerian Accounting Standards Board (NASB), stating the role played by the bank in the evolution of the road map to adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in the country.

Resor t Savings floats N3.5bn hybrid offer

BY PEACE ONYEUKWU

R

ESORT Savings and Loans (RSL) Plc, has offered for subscription, N3.5 billion ordinary shares from the stock market through a combination of Rights and Public offerings.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, RSL, Mr. Abimbola Olayinka, disclosed this at a stakeholders’ meeting, Monday, in Lagos. He said the Bank is expected to raise N3,500,000,000, via the issuance of 5,936,795,637 new shares made up of initial public offer for subscription of 3,160,218,169 ordinary shares and right issue of 3,776,577,468 ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N0.51kobo and N0.50 kobo per share respectively in order to enable Resort Savings meet its core areas of business, and minimum capital requirements of the Central Bank of Nigeria for it to continue to operate as a National Primary Mortgage Bank (PMB). He added that the fund raised shall also be deployed towards the implementation of the Bank’s strategic expansion plan, upgrading of its ICT Facility and also to meets its working capital requirements.

Olayinka further added that the bank is raising this fund to be number one National Mortgage bank.

Vanguard, THURSDAY , JUNE 20, 2013—23

Asians crowding Nigerians out of distributive trade — LCCI STORIES BY NAOMI UZOR

T

HE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has expressed concerns over the increasing number of Asians taking over distributive trade in the country.

A communiqué issued by the council of LCCI and signed by its Director General, Mr. Muda Yusuf, said the gradual crowding out of indigenous enterprises in the distributive trade sector is worrisome.

“LCCI, therefore, calls on the appropriate agencies of government to quickly address the prob-

lem in order to protect existing jobs in the sector.

“LCCI also expressed concern about difficult access to credit, high interest rates and the persistent tightening of Monetary Policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria.”

“This was considered to be in conflict with the desire to stimulate the economy and create jobs.

Council expects to see, in the short term, the SMEs lending framework recently promised by the Nigerian Bankers Committee and also the persistent delays in the clearing of cargo arising from valuation queries. Most often the Customs Intelligence Unit would query the valuation

of a cargo even when the Valuation Unit of the Customs had endorsed the cargo for release,” said Yusuf.

According to him, there

are also many instances where cargoes are delayed for re-examination at the exit gate.” All these practices predispose the processes to corruption.

Council therefore urges the Customs High Command to address this concern. The state of the roads leading to the ports has

now become a major factor in ports congestion which has implications for cost of cargo clearance at the ports.

Sharp announces new local distribution partners

BY PEACE ONYEUKWU

S

HARP Middle East has announced its new local distribution partnership with CFAO Electro Hall.

The partnership which enables CFAO ElectroHall to distribute sharp document and visual business products such as Multifunction Printers (MFP) and Professional display products.

According to Tomoo Shimizu, Director of Business Solutions Division at Sharp Middle East, who

spoke during the unveiling in Lagos, said that these new range of products are the MX7040N and MX6240N digital full colour multifunction printers which are well positioned for the high volume office colour and light production environments.

He said these are highly automated light production machines designed primarily for corporate reprographic departments and are also likely to find favour with pay-for-print firms and need the agility to react quickly to urgent, unscheduled jobs.

FG okays privatisation of Abuja exchange

T

HE Federal Govern ment has approved the privatisation of the Abuja Securities and Commodities Exchange, ASCE. The Managing Director, ASCE, Mr. Yusuf Abdurraman, disclosed this during the inauguration of 186 new members of Commodity Brokers Association of Nigeria (CBAN) in Abuja.

He said that the National Council on Privatisation had already given approval for the Exchange to be privatised adding that the exercise is expected to be concluded within the next twelve months.

He added that the exercise, when fully completed, would result in more earnings for farmers and also improve the quality of the country’s non-oil exports. Adulrraman, assured that the privatisation

process would be transparent and in line with global best practice.

“The process of privatisation of ASCE is going to be the same process that the Bureau for Public Enterprises follows in privatising other agencies of the government.”

President, Commodity Brokers’ Association of Nigeria, CBAN, Altine Shehu Kajiji; Chairman, House Committee, Hernan Hembe; Saleh Adamu Kwaru, Secretary General and Managing Director, ASCE; and Mr. Yusuf Abdulrahman at the induction of new members of the association and award of fellowship, in Abuja.

Guinness refutes story on vested interest

T

HE management of Guinness Nigeria Plc has refuted claims made in an article published in the Brandish pull-out in Vanguard of 13th of June 2013 and also in the online edition.

According to the Corporate Relations Director, Guinness, Mr. Sesan Sobowale, “The story lays

false and unsubstantiated claims about the Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Seni Adetu, which portrays him and Guinness in an unfavourable light. The story alleges the involvement of Mr. Seni Adetu in the controversial dispute between Scanad and Prima Garnet accusing

A

company will at no point in time award any supplier a contract outside of the standard procedure, which is always based on merit. The writer at no point got in touch with any spokesperson or representative of Guinness to have the company’s side of the story.”

Firm harps on economic benefits of LPG

B

ANNERS Energy Limited has harped on the economic viability of Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) popularly called cooking gas, saying “kerosene usage is even

more expensive than gas.”

Speaking during the launch of the company’s LPG products in partnership with Lagos State Government, Managing Director of the company, Mr.

Outsourcing professionals hold seminar SSOCIATION of Outsourcing Professionals of Nigeria, AOPN, has held the second edition of its annual outsourcing expo and exhibitions with the theme “outsourcing and the need for the outsourcing professionals, in Lagos.”

MD/CEO of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Seni Adetu, delivered the keynote address at the event which witnessed a turn out of more than 200 registered participants as well as 20

him of nepotism by stating that the Managing Director wrongfully used his influence in the advertising pitch that was held for one of Guinness Nigeria’s brands.

“Guinness Nigeria Plc is a law abiding corporate citizen and acts with the highest professional values in its dealings. The

exhibiting companies.

Welcoming participants to the event, Soji Oyawoye, MD/CEO of Resource Intermediaries Limited said the annual event was principally “to help to highlight the need for the outsourcing professional.”

Oyawoye, however, decried “the lack of regulation” in the industry while noting that it was important for a “clear and distinct differentiation between outsourcing and contracting.”

In his keynote address, Seni Adetu, said he accepted the invitation to speak because he saw it as an opportunity to help sanitize an industry which he described as “very f r a g m e n t e d . ” Speaking on the need for outsourcing Guinness’ Mnaging Director, Adetu, noted that a very competitive landscape as currently exists makes it imperative for companies like Guinness to partner with outsourcing c o m p a n i e s .

Nuhu Yakubu, said: “Gas is in abundance in Nigeria and must be utilised for the benefit of the people.”

He noted that gas flaring which has continued over the years must stop and that the consumption of bad fuel has done more harm than good to Nigerians. He added that there is need for attitudinal change at domestic level in using gas for cooking.

Mr. Yakubu who explained that as the gas revolution continues in the country, gas usage would soon be in every house having taken into consideration its economic viability. He added that’We have more than 40 gas locations across the country; Banners Energy has the capacity to supply as many gas as demanded by the

Lagos State,’ he added.

He stated that the company is moving to other parts of the country, saying its operation bases in Edo, Kano, Delta, Kaduna, Benue and Abuja have been serving customers. He added that the company presently has the largest gas retail outlets in the country.

On the common fear that using gas at home is dangerous, he stated that LPG is safer, asking that how many gas fire incidents have been reported like kerosene explosion, adding that using LPG for car saves money as owner would only have to service it once in a year since using it is usually devoid of carbon inherent in fuel usage.

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY,JUNE 20, 2013

5,000-truck facility to ease Apapa traffic gridlock coming STORIES BY GODWIN ORITSE

P

LANS are underway to move trucks off

the Apapa-Oshodi express way to the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex. The Association of Maritime Trucks

Owners (AMATO), National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and the Road Transport Employers As-

sociation of Nigeria (RTEAN) have agreed to move all their trucks and personnel to a parking facility at the

SEMINAR : From left: Mrs Tosan Edodo, Mrs Funke Agbo and Mrs Jean Cheaxo Anishere, all members of the Maritime Arbitration Association of Nigeria (MAAN) at the just concluded seminar on Alternative Dispute Resolution, in Lagos.

Presidency probes inefficient scanning, unethical practices at ports T HE Presidency has c o m m e n c e d investigations into unethical practices and inefficient scanning system in ports across the country. This is as a result of a petition by a group of stakeholders.

A letter from the Federal Government to the President of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), signed by one Azeez Margret on behalf of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation said that the petition was receiving attention.

It will be recalled that the issue of inefficient scanning of cargoes at the ports has become a matter of concern to stakeholders in the maritime industry.

In their petition, licensed customs agents accused both the shipping companies and terminal operators of charging port users services not rendered adding that most of these illegal charges are not tied to any service.

The petition signed by

Mr. Adeniyi Ajayi further said that most of the duplicated charges have been taken care of in the Terminal Handling Charge (THC)but that shipping firms and terminal operators still come up with other charges that are not authorised by any government agency.

The letter reads in part: “ We wish to bring to your notice through this medium the unwholesome attitudes of some shipping companies and concessionaires towards consumers of their services.

“Shipping companies give advance invoicing, sometimes, two weeks before the release of cargo and it takes three days to pick up debit notes from these shipping firms.

“The high tariff and charges that are not tied to any service rendered have made the port to be most expensive and unfriendly and some of the charges includes Terminal Handling Charges, Scanning/Customs Ex-

amination charges , Labour charges, Transfer charges and Delivery charges.”

While the shipping firms collect the above mentioned charges, the terminal operators collect Shipping line Agency fee, Container

clearing fee, Maritime Organisation of West and Central Africa MOWCA) fee, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) protection levy and Deposit processing charge 5 per cen cent percent of deposit

Lagos Trade fair complex .

The move is coming on the heels of the traffic gridlock on the Apapa/ Oshodi Express way that has almost paralysed port activities and delayed cargo clearance from the ports.

The project which is being midwifed by Multi-Aulic Limited, is to ensure that no truck driver is allowed to leave the terminal unless such a driver is called to the port for cargo evacuation.

The facility, according to Managing Director of Multi-Aulic Limited Alhaji Alhassan Dantata has the capacity to accommodate 5,000 trucks adding that the holding bay has four truck terminals with equipped recreational centres , eateries, toilets and other facilities when fully in operation.

Speaking to newsmen during a tour of the facility by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Maritime Matters, Mr. Leke Oyewole , Dantata noted that the proximity of the complex to the port and completion of the ten lane LagosBadagry road will further complement movement of cargo in and out of the ports.

Commending the efforts of both the private firm and the other groups Oyewole said that the scheme is classical example of Mr. President’s Transformation agenda, which will reduce congestion at the nation’s

seaports thereby enhancing trade facilitation in Nigeria.

The presidential aide noted that the initiative will provide logistics to ports operations, reduce corruption and enhance security in the maritime industry as the human element in transactions at the ports will be eliminated.

He urged owners of the facility to develop a synergy with the Nigerian Ports Authority and other stakeholders in order to achieve the objectives of the scheme.

Dantata disclosed that one of the terminals is intended to be dedicated to export processing, and this is to serve as a one stop shop for export services, noting that the centre will also provide a large cold room.

Dantata further disclosed that all old and rickety trucks will soon disappear from the roads as arrangements have been made to replace them, adding that two thousand new trucks have been ordered for that purpose.

On the issue of security, water and power Dantata explained that boreholes have been sunk for water supply, the entrance to the terminal has electronically controlled gates and will be lit twenty four hours, just as sniffer dogs are being trained to fortify the security of the place.

A sixty KVA power generator will be on standby for 24 hours power supply.

Probe arms influx, group urges govt

BY GODFREY BIVBERE

A

group, under the aegis of African Maritime Development Initiative (AMDI), has called on the Federal Government to set up a panel to investigate the large scale of arms influx into the country.

AMDI in a statement made available to Vanguard, noted that the call became imperative due to the recent discovery of an Hezbollah ammunitions cache in Kano uncovered in other parts of the country.

The statement signed by AMDI Director General, Elder Asu Beks, read, in part, “AMDI wishes to draw the attention of the President Goodluck Jonathan administration to this worrisome trend and urges him to investigate disturbing news making the rounds of the possible connivance of some officials of a Para-military service, whose duty is

to ensure that illegal items are not smuggled into the country.

“We therefore advise the Federal Government to constitute an investigative panel comprising officials of the Department of Military Intelligence (DMI), State Security Service (SSS), the Navy, Nigerian Ports Authority (NP) and the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), to investigate imports made through our airports, seaports and land border posts.”

The group also pointed out that the government of the United States of America (USA) has also expressed a similar concern through the United States Coast Guard to its m ission in Nigeria, and therefore charged the Federal Government to be more pro-active on security challenges facing the ports or risk sanctions which

include stoppage of US vessels and that of its Allied coutries from sailing to Nigeria.

The group similarly “endorsed the pragmatic manner in which President Goodluck Jonathan enforced the state of emergency across the Northern states of Yobe, Adamawa and Bornu in the wake of heightened Boko Haram activities.

“We also commend the military Joint Task Force (JTF), for their display of professionalism in bringing the civilian casualties to the barest minimum. In addition, we task the Governors of the three concerned states to cooperate with the National Assembly, the Presidency and the JTF to ensure a speedy resolution to the crisis in the region and a return to normalcy,” the statement concluded.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—25

Bits ILO calls for more action against Child Labour

T

Labour, NGOs strategise for dividends of democracy

From left: Mrs. Remi Ihejirika,FES official; former FES rep, Mr. Thomas Mattig, the new rep, Mrs.Seija Sturies and Professor Abubakar Momoh of LASU

F

OR over a decade, the office of Friedrich Ebert Stiftung has been a rallying point for nongovernmental organizations.

FES assignment in Nigeria has been essentially about promoting and sustaining democracy and this it has done by working with non-governmental organizations, the media, trade unions, women and other civil society groups.It was therefore not surprising when a similar programme was organized to bid farewell to the former resident representative, Mr. Thomas Mattig and welcome Mrs. Seija Sturies, the first female resident representative of the FES in Nigeria.

H

AVING invested so much to assist Nigeria have a stable democracy and sustain it, it was no surprise to many that the topic discussed was “Nigeria’s Progressive Movement: How to deliver the promises of democracy”. Though, the programme was held at the Lagos office of FES, participants came in from outside Lagos to share their thoughts with discussants. They include Professor Abubakar Momoh of the Department of Political Science, Lagos State University, Ojo, Ms. Nma Odi , Executive Director of BAOBAB and Dr. Sylvester Odion , lecturer, Political Science Department, Lagos State University, Ojo. Mr . Thomas Mattig, outgoing resident representative of FES, set the tone for the discussion. He reminded participants that in about three years and six months that he has been in Nigeria, FES focused on governance, trade unions in the work place and as political actors. However, he and his organization are concerned about Nigeria’s progressive movement and how to deliver on the promises of democracy.

Progressives and the peoples’ expectations : For, Ms. Nma Odi, she believes, “we are in civil rule rather than a democracy”, because in her opinion, “

the tenets of democracy are not there”. She said Nigerians expect “quality education, quality welfare, safety of life and property,” and all of these we don’t have.

Dr. Sylvester Odion believes there is confusion about who a progressive is. To him, “a progressive movement can exist at the level of an idea, an organization and practical action for the majority of the people”.

Professor Abubakar Momoh defines a progressive: “ A progressive does not have to be a leftist but one who shares the virtues of uplifting and empowerment of the people. He must ascribe to certain values and ideas that must be popular and empower the

,

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE

How to get politicians to deliver on the promises of democracy: Nma Odi: “There is the need to build a movement and sustain it so we can have democracy dividends. A coalition has to make them deliver hence the need for a progressive. The civil society has to work together. She asked rhetorically: “Where did we get it wrong that we were unable to work together? She said the civil society groups were better when there were fewer NGOs; no progressive youths anymore”. Dr. Sylvester Odion agreed, saying “during the military dictatorship, its was the National Association of Nigerian Students ( NANS) that engaged the

There is the need to build a movement and sustain it so we can have democracy dividend

people”. He said unlike the Second Republic when progressives in all the parties worked together irrespective of party affiliation, “today, we have progressive individuals but the progressive platform has been decimated.” Professor Momoh, a leftist, said, the left was decimated during the military regime of General Babangida as “ the struggles against the Structural Adjustment Programme made people very vulnerable. It impoverished people, so, key leftist elements were dragged into government.”

He expressed regrets that “commitment to group has been subordinated to individuals”. He said organized labour had been tamed since 1988 when the military forcefully took it over while the proliferation of Non- Governmental Organisations with questionable funds had further divided the left. In his words, “NGOism is the worst thing to happen to Nigeria”. Momoh said “what we have is not democracy because we have no means of holding anybody accountable. Culture of impunity is the order of the day. No politicial class but political elite.” He agreed with Odion that politicians of the First and Second Republics had a vision for Nigeria.

,

establishment and the status quo in Nigeria” but he too lamented that NANS has been compromised and now there are several factions. Odion believes existing political parties are “mere nomenclatures.‘ In his words, “ state governors are lording it over all parties, the parties have no agenda, no internal democracy in all the parties hence, the goal of transformation is not possible”.

The way out : Nma Odi suggested that “ we need to work together sincerely to remind the government to deliver on the social contract with the people”.

Dr. Odion said “ we need to build organizations and build cadres for us to reap the dividends of democracy.

Citing the Brazilian example of Da Silva Lula, Professor Momoh said we need to build organizations. “In Nigeria , we believe we can use any platform to get power. He dismissed the planned merger of opposition political parties saying, the politicians are “political nomads “ moving from one party to another only for the purpose of seeking power.

He warned “ if the opposition plays by the rules of the PDP, they can never capture power.

HE Director-General of the Inter national Labour Organisation ( ILO) , Mr. Guy Rider has called for global action against child labour in domestic work.

A new report of the ILO confirms “ an estimated 10.5 million children worldwide – most of them under age – are working as domestic workers in people’s homes, in hazardous and sometimes slavery-like conditions”. It stated, “About Six and a half million of these child labourers are aged between five and 14 years-old.”. Of this figure, “ more than 71 per cent are girls”.

Mr. Rider who spoke at the on-going 102 International Labour Conference said, although “significant progress has been made in reducing the number of child labourers worldwide, 215 million girls and boys remain at work, over half of them in the worst forms of child labour”.. He urged ILO members respesenting 185 countries including Nigeria to ratify and ensure effective implementation of the Convention N0. 189 and Recommmendation No.201 adopted two years ago .

Mr. Rider explained that Convention No. 189 also states that the minimum age for domestic workers should be consistent with the provisions of the ILO’s child labour conventions. These require that children should not work below the legal minimum age for employment or work, and that young workers above the minimum age should be employed in safe conditions.

The ILO boss made it clear that “ Child labour is a fundamental abuse of human rights. It denies girls and boys the right to be a child, to access quality education, and to hope for the future.”.

Although he acknowledge that tackling child labour in domestic work is most difficult because it takes place behind closed doors, with the cooperation of members it could be tackled.

Mr. Ryder said “there is no excuse, no place for Child Labour”.

Productivity Merit Award Committee seeks more funds

M

EMBERS of the National Produc tivity Order of Merit Award Committee (NPOMAC) have solicited for more allocation of funds from the Federal Government to enable the Committee carry out its assignments of combing the nooks and crannies of the country to get the most qualified awardees for the prestigious (NPOMA) Award.

The Chairman of the committee Dr. Abbas Aidi made the call in Abuja when the committee visited the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh. He pleaded with the Honourable Minister of Labour and Productivity Chief Emeka Wogu and his Permanent Secretary Dr. Clement Illoh to use their good offices to solicit on behalf of the committee for adequate resources from the presidency to carry out their national assignments.

In Dr. Aidi emphasized “Our assignment is based on merit it is not just a question of sitting down in a place to pick five organisations out of the numerous organisations in the country for the award, also going round the country to pick ten individuals out of 160million Nigerians for productivity award is not a joke and there is need to increase the number of awardees to encourage them” .

26— Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

I’m here to expose Nigerian artists —Joseph Gergel

BY MORENIKE TAIRE

become key money for him to develop future projects. The second place winner is getting a million naira. In the past we’ve showed the work of the National Art Competition winner in Amsterdam.

Is photography really art?

I’m a photographer myself as well as a curator and I believe photography is unique because it’s very accessible to a wide public.

JOSEPH Gergel is a cura tor at African Artists’ Foundation and LagosPhoto Festival at their headquarters in Lagos.

Gergel received a Certificate in Professional Photography from the Speos Photography Institute in Paris, France. Obtained his Bachelors Degree in Photography and Cultural Theory from New York University and a Master’s Degree in Modern Art: Critical and Curatorial Studies from Columbia University. He has assisted in the curatorial departments at the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the New Museum of Contemporary Art (New York), and the Zendai Museum of Modern Art (Shanghai).

Outdoor exhibition A lot of time you can look at a painting and say, I don’t get that, but with photography you can understand what you are looking at. For example one of the big projects with Lagos Photo is our outdoor exhibition that

F

IRST of all, why did you want to come here?

I came here because I discovered that the art scene is developing and it’s a really exciting time to be here, but I think I came here with an approach of looking at contemporary art and specifically, Nigerian art.

Did you see a lot of Nigerian art when you were in New York?

I did see some which is why I think it’s a very exciting time to be here because you are right at the cusp of the beginning of international exposure for Nigerian artists which is

•Joseph Gergel ( Curator at African Artists' Foundation) It’s not?

I don’t think so. There are different types of art everywhere and the artists that we work with at the Foundation are really beginning to look at a broader spectrum of reflecting social change and the culture.

Does art really have to re-

,

I’m a photographer myself as well as a curator and I believe photography is unique because it’s very assessible to a wide public

,

one of the reasons why I’m here, to expose Nigerian artists.

When you say we face the same issues all over the world, what kind of issues did you have in mind?

Contemporary artists today are looking at changes that are happening with technology and the internet, urban development, population growth, then you come to Nigeria and you see the specific context of the artist which has particular experience within Nigeria, but it’s also something that is relatable and also about a global connection. I came here and met artists that are doing new projects, it’s not a stereotypical depiction of what African art is, it’s something that is more universal.

late to the changing social scene and not just someone expressing what they are thinking like the old masters did?

I think art can have many definitions and it can be applied to different contexts but in the history of art we have fine art.

That was really just looking at art for art and how it reflects on the canvas, colour and all that stuff but today we are seeing artists dealing with how artists can be articulate, how artists can start dialogues and raise issues and raise awareness and I think that’s an important part of contemporary art. That is the kind of art we are interested in here especially with the kind of projects that we do, we have a theme.

Last year we had Consequences and artists can interpret that anyway they want to. This year our theme is Identity and we are looking at how they relate to their society. It opens up new eyes to appreciating art because it’s not just this domain within itself which doesn’t relate to anything else but relates to everything around it.

But outside of your com petition do you see much of that happening?

Yes. The art scene here is not so regimental. You see artists working with differ-

ent mediums and mixing it together and really looking at how their messages can be passed using different mediums to convey their message.

What happens to the winner of your competition? Do you have a project for him?

The first prize winner gets two million naira(N2m). This year he’s going to have a solo exhibition and get national and international exposure.

The opportunities that come for them can really establish their career. The money can

we do every year. We have our official exhibitions in art spaces around the city but then we do outdoor exhibitions in public spaces in congested areas around the city. We are trying to engage that public that might not come to an exhibition.

The University of Lagos is not congested…

There’s a lot of traffic and people that are interested in dance and music and poetry and art…

Exactly, so it’s the same old crowd who would probably go One of the most important things perhaps is trying to engage the youth. The University of Lagos is probably the perfect place to do that.

Bantu holds 4th edition of Afropolitan Vibes

L

overs of music in La gos and beyond will be treated to special kind of music as Bantu celebrates this month’s edition of Afropolitan vibes.

The event which will coincide with World Music

Day—a day where different annual festivals are held all around the world to celebrate the magical gift of music is scheduled to hold on Friday 21st June at Freedom Park, Lagos.

To celebrate this special day

of music in Nigeria, the 4th edition will feature the Crown prince of Afrobeat Seun Kuti, Neo Soul Songstress Ego & German based Bantu cofounder Abiodun sharing the stage with the 11 piece Bantu collective.

Queensland Academy marks 25 with art exhibition

A

ll is now set for a special art exhibition by the pupils and students of Queensland Academy, Okota. The exhibition

which is scheduled to open on 27 and run till 29th of June at the school auditorium is the result of a three week art work shop tagged Catch Them

Young facilitated by Dr Kunle Adeyemi.It will feature many works done in different mediums by the pupils and students of the school.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 27

BY JAPHET ALAKAM

A

S part of its contribu tions to boost the morale of Nigerian artists by connecting them to the world, Omooba Yemisi Adedoyin Shyllon Art Foundation (OYASAF) established the OYASAF Fellowship Programme which brings foreign art scholars to Nigeria.

Since inception, the project has brought many art scholars to the country.

In line with that, the foundation received Kimberlin Gant, a doctoral student of University of Texas at Austin, United States of America (USA) who was described by OYASAF founder, Prince Yemisi Shyllon “as the most interacted scholar we have ever ”, as the first beneficiary of the 2013 Research Fellowship programme.

Kimberlin Gant who is conducting a scholarly investigation on the topic, Lagos: A City of Places, People and Events: An analysis of photographic images of Lagos from 1963 to present, engaged members of Lagos arts community in an educating discussion that bordered on photography, at OYASAF office, in Lagos.

During the interactive forum, Gant who had heard much and seen many images of Lagos from the western photographers explained why she came to Lagos and her findings so far.

According to her, she came to conduct research on Nigeri-

•Kimberlin Gant explains her mission in Nigeria while Prince Yemisi Shyllon, OYASAF founder(left) listens

Lagos, in the eyes of OYASAF Scholar, Kimberlin Gant an photographers who have been documenting Lagos since Independence and the visit afforded her the opportunity to be introduced to a wide range of photographers, both estab-

lished, mid-career and emerging ones. They include Tam Fiofori, J.D.Okhai Ojeikhere, Akinbode Akinbiyi, Adolphus Opara,Kunle Ogunfuyi, Eremina Jumbo,

Uche James Iroha and Don Barber.

She pointed out many reasons for her choice of Lagos which includes the fact that she has been interested in the

American Scholar engages youths in creative arts the workshops, was to encourage people to put their best in whatever they do.

UNITE according to Licht is HE just concluded US a justice program that engagFulbright scholar, Erica es youth in Lagos, from age Licht’s You and I Teach Each 15, in an experiential learnOther (UNITE) initiative ing project using criminal juswhich kept youths across Latice, environmental and life gos busy in diverse genres of skills curriculum.” art, for four months was a huge “The project teaches positive platform for promoting justice behavioral skills to youth as well as the need to adopt through education on securithe non-violence approach to ty and justice issues in Lagos, conflict resolution. and for the youths to learn Painter Duke Asidere and and cultivate decent attitude, video artist, Jude Anogwih supplemental programming in nature provides a classroom to teach conflict resolution practices such as stress management, personal development and interpersonal group skills free from the distractions of the urban environment”, She explained.

The choice of Asidere as artist for the workshop according to the American scholar was because he is a talented “artist who creates an art piece within an •Duke Asidere instructing Ajegunle youths during the workshop hour and a half ”.

BY PRISCA SAM-DURU & VERASAMUELANYAGAFU

T

mentored 30 young participants from each community, in the visual arts, weekly at Licht’s workshops in Ogudu, Ajegunle and Lagos Island.

Apart from lessons in painting and video arts, the project also utilised other creative genres such as Yoga, music and performing arts.

Asidere who was at the workshop with film practitioners, Aondofa Saaka and Ralph Anire, described his experience with the youths as fascinating adding that the core of

For Anogwih, a member of Video Art Network, Lagos, sharing amazing views on creativity, art and technology with the youths during the workshops, was an amazing experience that helped him change his myopic view and stereotypes of Ajegunle.

His introduction of unfamiliar application of video as a different form of art and showing of some works of other artists who have used video to make statements about their environment, were a delight to the participants who were also taken through Yoga with expert, Dayo Adegoke conducting.

It was however, not understood why yoga was included in the project but Litcht explained that “I see yoga as a particular art form; for relaxation and self-control”. In another session of the workshop termed Alternative to Violence Project (AVP), performing art was implored to create dramas that inspire “solving problems non-violently”.

relationship between landscape images (urban & rural) and that Lagos has been a popular subject matter for scholars and curators in Europe & the United States since the early 2000s.

"Research has been very limited and I wanted to focus on a city within the continent of Africa to reflect my scholarly interests in Africa."

She explained that in the course of her research she was able to learn about the history of photography in Nigeria, about the various intricacies facing photographers in Nigeria, and Lagos specifically; how they see the city and how their viewpoints compare with those of westerns, both in content, style and approach; how photographers fit within the hierarchy of art practitioners in Nigeria and the different types of photography within Nigeria.

Kimberlin's findings She observed that for long, the focus in the media and academia tends to be on the following:how the structure of the city works via urban planners and architects; the extreme population growth over the past two decades; repeated images in the areas such as Makoko, Oshodi market, and specificities such as danfos and the “go-slow”, the impoverished areas and dilapidated houses and building structures. And that images, such as Rem Koolhaas’ films, are often aerial images of the city, though some get more intimate ground level shots and that most exhibitions and articles on Lagos focus within the 21st century, with a few examples of the past done by Western photographers.

But Gant who has visited many parts of Lagos and met with many photographers observed that the artists she is working with present Lagos in a much more nuanced way visa- vis the varying forms of architecture, both past and present, that dot various parts of the city, how the city used architecture as a way to present its post-Independence modernity, how the city has evolved over the past forty years and that images and viewpoints from the way you move throughout the city, via the various roads and bridges.

She was also able to observe the various photographers’ styles. Tam Fiofori’s influence of filmmaking in his use of sequence , Ojeikere’s strong interest in shapes and emphasis on repetition within buildings, Ogunfuyi’s ability to bring an intimacy to the events he captures, Opara’s strong use of levels and clear lines and Akinbiyi’s use of strong parallel lines, complementing his idea of the road.

28—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

learning@vanguardngr.com

ASUU to Minister: Varsity funding still short

BY DAYO ADESULU

B

ARELY two weeks ago,, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation, UNESCO, declared that about 10.5m Nigerian children are out of school and given to street begging, hawking for their parents and serving as house helps at various homes in Nigeria and other parts of Africa.

While stakeholders in the sector were still licking the wound of this awful revelation, Minister of Education, last Thursday, during a ministerial platform in Abuja spoke in defence of the present Federal Government budgetary allocation to education. She noted that education has been well funded but the fund not well utilised.

She said; “Federal Ministry of Education has adequate

Education minister blames UTME mass failure on state govts Pg 29

No room for Third Class at Babcock— VC Pg 34 We help to plan conservation strategies – Andrew Iloh Pg 31

C M Y K

•Prof Ruqayyatu Rufai funding and when adequately utilised, can deliver the sector and reposition it to the pride of the nation.”

Reacting to the above statement, the president of Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr Nasir Isa said; “Judging by the NEEDS assessment reports of the level of decay in the university, I really do not know the basis of the assertion that education is adequately funded. We have been complaining that the university system is grossly underfunded. We have been talking about the consistency of the underfunding of the university over the years.

Nigeria does not compare well with other countries that have been massively injecting funds into education.

Even in the African frontier, you will see that an African country like Ghana is investing not less than 30 per cent of their annual budget on education. South Africa has been investing over 30 per cent on education.

Nevertheless, in the last 10 to 15 years, Nigeria has never invested up to 10 per cent of its annual budget in education. May be the Minister of Education,

•Prof Peter Okebukola Professor Ruqayyatu Rufai in her address was referring to the quantum of money invested in education.

Even if we take that into consideration, looking at the 2013 budget, the N400 billion allocated to education appears to be the highest ever. However, in ASUU, we agreed to factor in the joint venture cash cord. The joint

venture cash cord is part of the money the country is spending. If we factor this in, you will discover that the N400 billion that is allocated to education falls into insignificance. In reality, when you look at the quantum of money, some can say the amount is really high but when compared to what the money is meant for, it is

inadequate. Not more than N80 billion will go into capital development in the system.

Bulk of the money goes to offset recurrent grants, payments of salaries and other emoluments of workers in the education sector. I wonder how we are going to get out of the road in the system. I think what we need to do is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the amount of money that is invested in education to know what the money is really meant for.

Even on the recurrent grant issue, we know that the NEEDS assessment particularly indicated that the university is grossly understaffed particularly academic staff. Bulk of the money goes into paying supportive staff in the system.

The money may look huge, but it is inadequate in the true sense. This makes some lecturers to work in about two to three universities because of shortage of staff thus posing undue threat to these academics. ASUU is still convinced that the funding is still inadequate. We are battling with the implementation of 2009 FG/ASUU agree-

Continues on page 30

Varsity education: Minister wants more partnership with private sector

BY FAVOUR NNABUGWU

M

INISTER of Education, Professor Ruqqayatu Ahmed Rufai has called on organised private sector to continue to partner with the Federal Government in creating access to education by establishing private institutions.

The Minister who made the call during an official visit to Baze University in Abuja noted that government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility of creating access to education for the teeming Nigerian youths.

She said the Federal Government has in the last three years as part of efforts to create access to university education established 12 federal universities, licensed nine private universities and

three state universities.

Professor Rufai after a tour of the facilities at Baze University commended the management of the university over what she described as access creation with quality assurance.

Her words; “I must say that we are impressed with what we have seen. I have already said kudos to the university management and students that the university has been established both in terms of improving access at the same time with the requisite qualities that we require.

It is in line with the transformation agenda of Mr. President. If you can recall, in the last two, three years, he has established 12 federal universities and he has issued licence to nine private universities including Baze

Continues on page 30

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—29

Education minister blames UTME mass failure on state govts

BY LAJU ARENYEKA

T

HE dismal performance of Nigerian students in the last Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations has sparked a round of blame games from the Federal Ministry of Education to the state governments and even to the previous administration. Minister of Education, Prof. Ruqquatu Rufai at the Ministerial platform held in Abuja recently implied that the Federal Government is not to be held responsible for poor performance at the basic/secondary level.

She said; “Most of the outcome you see at that level is not really a function of the Federal Ministry of Education or Mr. President. Many of these schools lie with the state and local governments; we are at the forefront because we are at the federal level. There is a limit to how much we can control, because the sector is a very large one, with over 100,000 institutions. We are, however, conducting annual conferences in education so that we can get off the hook as far as mass failure is concerned.”

Rufai added that “even though basic and secondary education is on the concurrent list, we have taken into consideration the fact that we have the highest number of out-of-school children in the world; about 10.5 million according to an external report. Our own figure is almost

C M Y K

as close. With these kinds of figures, people will look at the country as a country and not as various state or local governments, so it is fast becoming our responsibility that things are done. But anything we do at the federal level, we hand over to the states, because we are not really responsible by law.”

The question, “who is responsible?” has made its mark in Nigerian history. Bad roads are shuffled between federal and

state governments, and when it comes to abandoned projects, fingers are almost always pointed at the past administration.

To a large extent, the minister is right. State and local governments are responsible for basic and primary education; but what about the Federal Government’s role of policymaking, supervision and regulation? Times without number, there have been accusations of the Federal Ministry of Education awarding licences to schools that are not

From left: Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, Chairman, Executive Trainers, Mr. Richmond Akparanta, Special Assistant to Minister of State, FCT; Professor Sola Akinrinade, President, QRS Associates, and Mr. Attahiru Abdullahi, Head of Admin, Abuja Area Council Service Commission during a leadership training in Dubai.

qualified. What about examination malpractice at the national examinations level, who should be held responsible for that? Moving back and forth from one curriculum to another has even in this administration been a source of discomfort to stakeholders in the sector. But who sets the standard of education in the state? Is it not the Federal Government?

Who shuffles public and private schools from one curriculum to another in a twinkling of an eye? Who set the low cut-off marks for the last common entrance examination such that a state like Yobe had 2 out of 200 as its cut off mark for males and 27 for females? What about the institutions in the hands of the Federal Government, can they serve as an example to state governments on how to do the right thing? Very few unity schools give quality education and have adequate infrastructure; the tertiary institutions in the hands of the Federal Government delicate as they are, still leave very much to be desired.

During the ministerial platform, the Minister of State for Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike also added that 80 out of the 125 Almajiri schools have been completed. It would be recalled that Wike had said that 100 schools would be completed by end of last year.

30 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Nigeria education system can compete with UK's — UK resident

BY DAYO ADESULU

K

EHINDE Kukoyi and his wife, Abayomi Kukoyi, who reside and work in England decided to bring their daughter to Nigeria to study because they want her to gain the moral culture and Nigerian upbringing.

According to Mr. Kukoyi: “ A lot of Nigerian children's morals are well misplaced over there in the UK and we felt it will be wise for our daughter to have the moral and cultural background we had.”

Mr Kukoyi disclosed this during the 2012 graduation ceremony of Corona Secondary School, Agbara where Titilope Kukoyi, his daughter, won an award as one of the best students in the school.

On the reason for the mass drift of Nigerians to England, he noted that it is a mind thing based on history saying, Nigerians tend to believe that UK has the best education. ”One thing you will get in UK is only the education , but in Nigeria, you will get an English culture and in addition, the culture aspect of where you came from,” he said.

“We need to emphasise to Nigerians that no matter what, home is the best. It is

where we should all be, you can live in any country, but you should not forget where you are from, students should not forget their values. In Nigeria, we add value to education.

"Having spent 37 years in theUK, by allowing our daughter come to Nigeria for her secondary education, indicated that we wanted to through her, showcase the type of talent that schools in Nigeria can produce in the UK. That is what I am encouraging Nigerian parents in the Diaspora to do. Instead of shipping your children over there, please bring them back to Nigeria, teach them our culture, do not allow them to think that it is all about foreign country.: Speaking in the same vein, Titi's mother said, "I have been in the UK for 37 years while Titi was born in England, she did her primary school in England but when it was time to do her secondary school, we made the informed choice of bringing her back home to study at Corona School in Nigeria.

She described Titi as a gifted child who is very intelligent for her age.

"She will be proceeding to Westminster for her A levels, she will like to be a manage-

* A cross section of 2012 graduating students of Corona School, Agbara, Ogun State.

ment consultant."

On her part, Titilope said; “Attending Corona is just a step in making me a better person." She advised students who are currently abroad to come back and help change the country. "The country needs our help especially our generation."

Meanwhile, Justice Adebiyi Bukola, the guest speaker who congratulated the graduands for their success-

Varsity funding still short...

Continues from page 28 ment. There are key areas of that agreement that have not been funded,” he said urging the Minister to look at the factors closely and come up with better assertion.

However, like any other sector, education might not be free from corruption. What I think we should do is to improve on the checks and balances to see how much money goes into the system and how many percentage of it is being judiciously utilised. The council is the highest policy-making body in the university system.

It is the council that approves expenditure in the system. So if people who are not conversant with the university system are heading council, it becomes difficult for you to get maximum premium to investment in the system. If you look at the calibre of people that were appointed by government councils, majority of them find it difficult to contribute to the development of the system. We discovered C M Y K

many of them are coming from a political background and we are of the opinion that the governance of the university should not be politicized. Once we have such in the university system, then investments will not yield the desired fruits.

On his part, former Executive Secretary, National Universities Commission, Professor Peter Okebukola who seems to agree with Professor Ruqayyatu’s statement said; “I agree with the Honourable Minister of Education that the funds available to the Federal Ministry of Education and its agencies are not adequately utilised. Three examples are worth citing.

The UBE is literally awash with unaccessed funds by state governments ostensibly on account of inability of many states to retire funds earlier accessed. Such states fail to retire having not met the conditions for spending even when such conditions were relaxed in recent times.

The second example is TETFund. Here, many

beneficiary institutions notably universities, polytechnics and colleges of education, fail to meet the spending criteria on earlier grants, a situation which has resulted in billions of Naira still resident in TETFund crying to be spent.

If the unspent UBE and TETFund monies are released into the educational system and well spent, the system will be jolted to attain higher levels of quality. The third example is the inadequate utilisation of even the funds that manage to get to the institutions.

There are a lot of leakages which inhibit efficient use of such funds. It needs to be stressed that even if all the UBE and TETFund monies were aggregated, they do not translate to adequate funding for education. To adequately fund education in Nigeria, we will require about double the quantum of funds now deployed to the sector at the federal, state and local government levels.

ful completion of their study said that for some of them, it has not been easy to conquer, pointing out that hard work, their teachers and school community are factors that encouraged them to succeed.

She noted that their graduation is not the end of success but a move to the next stage of life adding, “you will meet different challenges that you have to conquer.” According to her, the kind of challenges students face after secondary school may be more tasking, urging them to be focused, determined and hardworking to be able to overcome the challenges that they will meet.

Adebiyi said; “Most values you have imbibed as students will be required each time you are faced with a challenge adding, “the values include integrity, high moral standard and hard work.”

Explaining the steps to success, she maintained that students must have faith, fear of God in everything they do, strength of character, patience, perseverance and honesty. ”Remember, your attitude to the challenges you meet on your way will determine your altitude. Whatever situation you find yourself in, be bold, be confident and be outspoken,” she said.

According to her, success is not only about financial rewards especially in the country we live in today where corruption is so high.

Justice Adebiyi who tasked the students not to get caught in vices, charged them to remember their identity, background and the sleepless nights they have put in to get to their present stage.

Varsity education: Minister wants more...

Continues from page 28 University and three state universities. ”She thanked the proprietor of Baze University and called on others to “come out and support government in establishing institutions for the benefit of our youths that are graduating without requisite carrying capacity to be in any of our institutions” ”The future of private universities is bright and the future of education is bright.

I always say that. Education is really having a good time

now with Mr. President giving all the support in the transformation agenda and with partners that we have like Baze University and other universities. If we have more that can come on board, the future is very bright”.

While speaking, Founder of Baze University, Senator Yusuff Datti Baba-Hamed noted that quality and good governance are what stand out the university among other private universities in the country.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—31

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT

We help plan conservation strategies — Andrew Iloh T

he war to save the planet cannot be won without plants as they play a very crucial role. Plants, along with algae and cyanobacteria, are essential for the planet to function properly hence the need to ensure their survival and conservation. Apart from providing food for us, they also provide oxygen which is essential to human life. They take up the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide and produce oxygen through the process of photosynthesis. It then follows that the planet cannot survive without plants; any wonder then that a scientist like Mr. Andrew Chibuzor Iloh, is preaching the gospel of not just forest but biodiversity conservation. In this chat with Vanguard Learning in Abuja, Iloh, a staff of Biotechnology Advanced Laboratory, Sheda Science and Technology Complex, Abuja, is a molecular ecologist, a Climate Protection and Bio-resource Conservation Fellow, Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, Germany, spoke on his work on plant biodiversity.

Excerpts;

BY EBELE ORAKPO

T

he Research: According to Iloh, Nigeria is richly blessed with diverse plants and the one he worked on is a plant called Chasmanthera dependens (ato in Yoruba), a medicinal plant with economic values. However, as a result of its many economic values, it is being threatened across West Africa so in order to ensure that it does not go extinct, he decided to assess the genetic diversity of the plant using molecular technology.

“I apply molecular technology in ecological matters basically in plant biodiversity matters and I believe that when you do research, you do research for development so basically, the research I do specifically should lead to development,” said Iloh. ”Most villagers and medicine men in Nigeria mix extracts from Chasmanthera dependens with shea butter to treat bone problems and in the East and West of Nigeria, the big stem is crushed to make native sponge. So because of its high economic value, it is being over-exploited. People want it so much because of one or two things, not just this particular plant but many others. In my study, I use this plant as a model to assess the genetic diversity of threatened plants,” he stated.

Why we assess genetic diversity of threatened plants: “Most conservation programmes have failed because they just bring in conservation practices without actually assessing those things that need to be conserved. Basic biology has taught us that the genetic makeup of anything determines the quantity of that particular thing in a particuC M Y K

lar place so by assessing the genetic biodiversity of any plant or animal, you will be able to plan conservation strategies for that plant or animal. The bottom line is that you are having a model system to plan conservation strategies.

“We are moving with the times, using DNA-based marker technology to do the genetic diversity studies instead of the earlier method of using morphological characters, counting the number of seeds and the number of leaves. “ Results:

•Chasmanthera dependens (Ato in Yoruba)

•Andrew Chibuzor Iloh

The results show that there is low genetic diversity in some places while there is high genetic diversity in other places. There is little gene flow in some places, ie genes moving from one place to another in those places where we have low diversity and much gene flow in those

places where we have high diversity. More importantly, we found out that climatic conditions play an important role in shaping the plant’s distribution in West Africa so with our findings, we will be able to restructure our conservation strategies.

Diversifying the economy: A conserved/protected biodiversity leads to yield in economic values. This is a medicinal plant and we are thinking of diversifying our economy. If we want to diversify our economy and the biodiversity that can provide the income is gone, how do we diversify the economy?

“Also, the whole world is shifting, going back to nature. We are talking about Nigeria going towards a green economy and I am saying that a green economy has to do with getting our biodiversity and eco-services right therefore, if these plants/animals are not conserved, how do we work towards a green economy? We are going back to nature and if our nature is not there, then no money, no wealth and Nigeria should not be left out in this exodus.

Mimiko lauds FUTA VC on environment

BY LAJA THOMAS

T

HE Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has commended the efforts of the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Professor Adebiyi Daramola, and his management team for adding value to the environment through its annual Greening programme.

Mimiko, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Mr. Olufemi Bosede, made the remark during the FUTA Greening 2013 programme organised recently by the Advancement Centre at the CCE Hilltop Auditorium. The Governor said, "Tree planting improves the quality of air in the environment and reduces pollution."

Evaluating the greening programme from the health angle, Governor Mimiko said; “The greening programme is a desirable health-promoting programme. It is therefore not a surprise that FUTA’s environment is beautiful, enticing, attractive, conducive and habitable through its greening features.”

Professor Daramola, in his

address, reiterated the importance of protecting the environment so as to reduce the effect of global warming. He spoke through the Deputy ViceChancellor (Academics), Professor Adedayo Fasakin. According to Professor Daramola, a good and well maintained environment promotes good quality of life for all living things, including humans and animals. He said the Management has underscored the importance of environmental re-

generation by making the Greening programme an annual event.

Stressing the importance of having a well maintained green environment, Professor Daramola said the university would soon have a Green House for proper management of the university's landscape, beautification, environmental protection and greening alongside an Advancement Park for students, staff and public rec-

reation. However, he said the university wants donors of such parks which would be named after them.

One of the high points of the event was the presentation of the award of FUTA Greening Ambassador to one time Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Senator Adegbenga Kaka and Mr. Taye Haruna, permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, in recognition of their contributions towards the annual Greening Programme.

•From left: Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Governor Kayode Fayemi and his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi at the official launch of Ikogosi Graduate Summer School, at Ikogosi Warm Springs Resort, Ikogosi-Ekiti, Ekiti State, Monday.

32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Lagos vows to give quality education

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI

T

HE Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to provide qualitative and world class education to the teeming populace.

This was disclosed by Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, at the grand finale of the Lagos State Schools’ Debate. He said his administration will continue to

do everything possible to ensure that quality education in state-owned schools matches the best obtainable anywhere in the world.

Represented by the Special Adviser on Commerce, Mr. Seye Oladejo, Fashola posited that if education is the key of liberation of the inner minds, it then becomes imperative to develop the innate talents of the young ones.

In the same vein, the

Commissioner for Education, Lagos State, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye, said that the state government’s massive transformation of the state’s public schools through the provision of conducive environment for quality teaching and learning, has given the children the opportunity to realise their full potentials irrespective of their backgrounds.

At the end of the

*Cross section of winners and their prizes at the finals of 2013 schools debate.

C M Y K

competition, much points were raised for and against the motion, Oriwu Senior College, Ikorodu, for the second consecutive year, emerged victorious over Vetland Senior Model College, Ifako-Ijaiye.

Ejide Temitope and Ajimati Samuel of Oriwu Senior Model College went home with N500,000 and would represent Nigeria at the international schools debate in Turkey later in the year, while Adeyemi Modupe and Ore Mary of Vetland got N250,000.

Meanwhile, Adefila Oluwanifesimi and Thompson Abimbola of Lagos State Senior Model College, Igbokuta, beat Badagry Senior Grammar School, Badagry District V to clinch the third position.

In the individual speakers’ category, Adepeju Fatiu of Eko Akete Senior Grammar School, Lagos Island, beat six other contestants to clinch the first position while Shadeko Adejuwon of Agidingbi Senior Grammar School District VI and Balogun Oluwaseyi of Ikosi Senior Grammar School, Ikosi, came second and third respectively.

Don makes case for French language in College of Education

BY DOTUN IBIWOYE

D

irector-General of the Nigerian French Language Village, NFVL, Badagry, Lagos, Prof. Samuel Aje, has disclosed that the institution’s recent recommended to the National Council for the Colleges of Education, NCCE, to make French a compulsory subject for colleges of education, will produce positive results.

Aje affirmed that the mandatory teaching of French as a subject will enable primary school students to have an earlier knowledge of the subject because the class teachers in primary schools will be well grounded in French as their counterparts in Francophone countries, who are knowledgeable in English.

He stated this at the 2013 International Colloquium for the Network of French Language Centres in Africa, with the theme Teaching of French as a foreign language in the context of metalinguistic Africa.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—33

34—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

My life in danger, NANS President cries

No room for third class at Babcock— VC

BY SIKIRU AKINOLA

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

T

D

*A cross session of graduands at the convocation ofBabcock university, Ogun State.

,

ETERMINED to eradicate what he termed ‘unmarketable degree awards’, the President/ViceChancellor, Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, Professor James Makinde, at the institution’s 11 th convocation ceremony, reiterated the university ’s commitment of not giving room for third class or Common Pass graduates during convocations.

However, this did not go down well with some members of the audience as some were heard muttering that a student’s final academic standing in the university does not determine the level of success such a student could achieve later on in life.

A middle-aged lady queried “the over-concentration on grades and certificates in this country. After all, there are cases of so many great Nigerian men and women today, who graduated with a third class degrees from the university, but are doing exceptionally well today. Nigeria’s Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, is a good example.”

While addressing the convocation, Makinde revealed that of the 1,359 graduates awarded degrees and diplomas across the nine faculties of the university, 52 made first class degrees division, while 1, 059 and 248 made second class upper and second class lower divisions respectively.

“No ordinary third class, no common pass was produced.

A middle-aged lady queried “the over-concentration on grades and certificates in this country. After all, there are cases of so many great Nigerian men and women today, who graduated with a Third Class degree from the university

When Babcock pioneered the radical quality transformation initiative, enforcing ‘C’ minimum grades for core courses, thus technically eradicating the unmarketable degree awards, there was a loud outcry from various stakeholders and a section of the public denouncing the exclusion of weak students.

“Undaunted in our default but unpopular lead role, we passionately dared the system to tap into this energy

Frequently confused words Exercise Choose the appropriate word from the alternatives in the parenthesis.

1. ‘(Breathe/Breath) in… out’, said the Coach.

2.

President Goodluck Jonathan promised to C M Y K

,

to drive the prioritization of functional employability and entrepreneurship of graduates over a mere facilitation of nominal graduation.”

The don, however, held that the university’s commitment to barring third class and common pass degrees is not unconnected with the recent declaration by the National Universities Commission (NUC), to outlaw pass degree awards in all Nigerian

universities.

Speaking further, the VC noted that “this is a commendable first step on the path to repairing the broken educational standard that unleashes unemployable below average (50%) university graduates into the workforce.”

As no university in the world accepts third class for direct master ’s degree admission, Makinde averred that any student who fails to meet up with ‘C’ minimum grade for core courses is referred to summer class, which holds during vacations. This is even as he disclosed that “a student has to score 80 and above in any course to have an ‘A’ grade, unlike in most tertiary institutions, where it is 70.”

give the nation a (breathe/breath) of fresh air.

3.

The athlete (breathed/breath) deeply before speaking to journalists.

4.

His (breathed/breath) smelt of alcohol.

5.

My wife sat (besides/beside) me during the church service.

6.

A tree is growing ( besides/beside) our house.

7.

What other sports do you like (besides/ beside) football?

8.

(Besides/ beside) working as a doctor, Femi Olugbile also writes novels 9.

The cooking gas (diffuses/defuses) in the air.

10.

Members of the Joint Task Force are trying to (diffuses/defuse) tension in some parts of the North.

11.

The Professor’s theory is ( vulnerable/ venerable) to criticism. zCONTINUES NEXT WEEK. Send requests/problems to Gabriel Osoba, Ph.D, Department of English, Lagos State University, Ojo, through Editor, Teach Yourself English, Vanguard Newspapers, PMB. 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or email: editor@vanguardngr.com & gabosoba002@yahoo.co

HE President of National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Yinka Gbadebo has told Nigerians to hold the Nigerian Police Force responsible if anything happens to him.

The Police were said to have threatened Gbadebo, ordering him to do thorough investigations before blaming them for the incident. Gbadebo spoke in Ibadan after he was released by men of the Oyo State Joint Security Task Force, codenamed ‘Operation Burst’.

He said they have been making calls to him following his statement that the IGP should resign owing to the incessant killings of Nigerian students by the Police Force in the last six months directly or indirectly.

He also said that normalcy would not return to the University of Uyo, UNIUYO, until the VC, Prof. Comfort Ekpo is removed.

He charged the Federal Government to remove the woman with immediate effect as according to him, “her negligence and ineptitude led to the killing of our senate president and other comrades.”

Meanwhile, the family of the late former Oyo State NANS JCC chairman, Oladimeji AbdulAzeez, was contacted early Monday morning. It would be recalled that the deceased who graduated from the University of Ibadan, hailed from Ibadan South East Local Government.

12.

Children and women are most (vulnerable/venerable) to abuse during civil war.

Correction 1.

‘Breathe in… out’, said the Coach.

2.

President Goodluck Jonathan promised to give the nation a breath of fresh air.

3.

The athlete breathed deeply before speaking to journalists.

4.

His breath smelt of alcohol.

5.

My wife sat beside me during the church service.

6.

A tree is growing beside our house.

7.

What other sports do you like besides football?

8.

Besides working as a doctor, Wale Okediran also writes novels 9.

The cooking gas diffuses in the air.

10.

Members of the Joint Task Force are trying to defuse tension in some parts of the North.

11.

The Professor’s theory is vulnerable to criticism.

12.

Children and women are most vulnerable to abuse during civil war.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 35

36 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 37

38 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 39

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 41

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 43

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 43

44—Vanguard , THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

NHRC gets new regulations

Delta bread distributors bemoan Okada ban

BY FESTUS AHON

U

GHELLI—BREAD distributors in Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State, under the auspices of Ethiope East Bread Distributors Association, EEBDA, have decried the adverse effect of the ban on motorcycles (Okada) in the council on their means of livelihood.

However, they commended the state government for providing adequate security for the people of the area.

Speaking during a courtesy call by the group on the Chairman of Ethiope East Transition Committee, Mr. Sunday Onoriode, its spokesperson, Mrs Joy Unuafe, noted that bread distribution was a major occupation of people in the area.

She lamented that the ban on Okada had adversly affected their businesses with attendant negative socio-economic impact on bread distributors.

She said: “In Ethiope East, 90 percent of the bread distributors are women, who de-

T

HE Governing Council of National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has considered and approved for publication Standing Orders and Rules of Procedures to govern its proceedings, the management of cases and complaints and relations with partners, including civil society.

At its 3rd statutory meeting in Lagos, which had in attendance 11 members of council, including the chairman, the council received an update on the situation in the North-East zone.

It authorised the completion and release of an interim assessment report on the situation before the end of June.

It also received and considered reports on 336 cases and complaints at various stages of investigation, alleging different violations of human rights.

It observed with concern alarming rate of incidents of domestic and sexual violence in the country, particularly rape of young persons.

It also expressed concern that victims of violence against women and children do not have access to remedies.

The council said access to remedies was always constrained by breakdown in communications between agencies of the criminal justice system, resulting in delay in processing legal advice from ministries of justice and a cumbersome trial process by the judiciary.

part from their homes between 4am and 6am daily to the various markets and return home between 12 noon and 7pm, depending on distance.

“Bicycles and motorcycles have been the only means of conveying bread to nonmotorable rural communities.

“While bicycles are used for

... as DPUM endorses Dafinone for governorship A pressure group, Delta Peoples’ United Movement, DPUM, made up of politicians from the three senatorial districts of Delta State, has endorsed Chief Ede Dafinone to take over from Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan come 2015.

Coordinator of the group, Mr. Patrick Akamovba, in a

statement in Asaba, Delta State, said Chief Dafinone has an excellent profile.

He noted that his humanitarian services of over five years to Deltans and the general public was overwhelming, despite the fact that he was not using government money.

Akamovba said: “He is one man that has singled himself

P

ORT HARCOURT— FORMER Minister of Petroleum, Professor Tam DavidWest, has expressed worries over the action of some members of Nigeria Governors Forum, NGF, who he said tried to make 16 votes look higher than 19.

David-West, who spoke Tuesday night when he led a delegation on a courtesy visit to Governor Chibuike Amaechi at Government House, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said Amaechi was a victim of injustice.

He wondered how it could be explained that 16 votes had

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM

B

ENIN—A founding member of Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Edo State, Elder Sunny Uyigue, has warned Presi-

dent Goodluck Jonathan that what happened in Edo State in 2007 that led to the defeat of PDP

by Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, will befell the party at the national level unless he distances

suddenly become higher than 19, in reference to the outcome of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum election.

He said: “We are going through very strange times in Nigeria; stranger still that 16 are now more than 19.

"Our governor is going through very difficult times.

Fortunately, he has the stamina, strength and fortitude to endure.”

Describing the governor as a hero with decorum, DavidWest said Amaechi has outperformed every other former governor of the state, stressing that it was because of his commitment to fairness and justice that some had become his enemies.

He said: “I have followed the history of all governors to Amaechi. From Diette-Spiff to him, I make bold to say without any apologies or regrets that no governor has focused himself to elevating Rivers State more than Amaechi.

“When the governor was visiting Buguma to campaign for election, they honoured me to speak and I said ‘anyone who says that Governor Amaechi has done nothing for Rivers State or Port Harcourt, is worse than the bat'.”

He decried the suspension of Governor Amaechi from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, even as he reaffirmed his support for the governor.

himself from sycophants.

He recalled that what led to the defeat of PDP in Edo State was the suspension of key members of the PDP by the faction of the party then led by Chief Tony Anenih.

Uyigue, now a chieftain of ACN in Edo State, said: “Today, the same people are the ones saying that they are supporting Jonathan and beating the same drum of disunity in PDP and what befell PDP in Edo State will still be Jonathan’s lot, unless he run away from the destroyers.

“I think they have bewitched Jonathan, who we voted for because we wanted a South-South President.

“I want to remind the President that the same man, who said he is Mr. Fix It, and is shouting Jonathan every day now was the same man that told PDP members in the National Assembly from the state not to vote for Jonathan.

“This was when majority of Nigerians wanted Jonathan to be acting President, following late President Umaru Yar’s Adua’s ill-health then.”

By Bartholomew Madukwe

PEOPLE SPEAK

08102479985

out among the politicians in Delta State with the belief that Deltans deserved quality lives irrespective of status.”

The group vowed to mobilise Deltans for Dafinone come 2015. It urged Deltans to support Dafinone, noting that he was the man that could deliver and not to support leaders that have questionable characters.

Beware of sycophants, Uyigue cautions Jonathan

Amaechi is victim of injustice, says David-West

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

distribution within Ethiope East, motorcycles are used to reach non-motorable roads in neighbouring communities outside Ethiope East.”

(nwamad@yahoo.com)

On President Jonathan's mid-term report(5)

I

think this administration has done well. Nevertheless, there is room for improvement. To say that President Jonathan and his team have not worked is a lie. However, they are yet to meet the expectations of the masses.— Mrs. Peter Fowoyo, Journalist.

I

N terms of provision of basic amenities, the administration has not done well. It is my belief that before the end of this administration, Nigerians will be able to score them above average. Right now, they are below average.— Mr. Solomon Bombata, Pensioner.

T

HE President has just finished his first two years in office. I think we have to be patient. On the issue of corruption in the past two years, I do not think that the administration did well, which is one of the things killing this country.— Mr. Steve Nwabueze, Lawyer.

I

will not like to be biased. Honestly, the President has done something. But all he has achieved so far is for the rich in the country and not the average Nigerian, who still finds it difficult to have three square meals.— Miss Onyinyechi Adanna, Student.

I

do not follow politics in Nigeria, but it is obvious that the President is yet to meet the yearnings and aspirations of the people.

Maybe with time this administration shall put smiles on the faces of Nigerians.—Miss Amamchi Okoji, Student.

T

HE Minister of Finance can say the economy has improved. But the ordinary man is not feeling the impact of the improvement of the economy.

Development should be in practical terms and not theory.— Miss Temmy Williams, Businessperson.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 —45

Delta govt shuts 600 illegal private schools

BY AUSTIN OGWUDA

A

SABA—THE Delta State Government, yesterday ordered the immediate closure of illegal private schools, in the state, which failed to meet the required standards. The state government also said it would publish their names in the media.

The closed schools include nursery, primary and secondary schools run by private individuals.

Public Relations Officer of the state Ministry of Education (Basic and Secondary), Judith Emeka-Wemembu in a statement in Asaba, said that the “Commissioner, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare has ordered the immediate closure of 600 illegal private schools in the state.

“All attempts made by the ministry to ensure that the affected schools regularize their operations through registration as well as movement to their permanent sites had been ignored. The commissioner, has therefore, directed the owners of the affected schools to close shop immediately in their interest as the ministry will not hesitate to wield the big stick if necessary. The commissioner also stated that the ministry will soon

publish the names of the affected schools in both electronic and print.”

It will be recalled that the state government recently declared

all satellite campuses and various outreach centres of higher institution of learning apart from the state-owned tertiary institutions as illegal and ordered them

to close shop.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Higher Education, Mrs. Edoreh Odiase, warned all operators in the state to comply or face necessary sanctions.

FLAG OFF: From left: Chairman, Ini Local Government Area, Mr. Etetim Awatim; Deputy Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Lady Valerie Ebe; Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Godwin Afangideh and representative of Agriculture and Rural Development Minister, Mr. Martin Odey, after the flag off of the Cocoa Value Chain and distribution of seedlings and agro-chemical products to farmers in the state for the 2013 planting season, at Odoro Ikpe, Ini Local Government Area, Akwa Ibom State.

Okada ban: Fares, cost of bicycles soar in Edo Ban is Oshiomhole’s most painful decision —ODUBU

BY SIMON EBEGBULEM &

GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE ENIN—FOLLOWING the ban on commercial motorcycles, commonly called okada by the Edo State Government in Egor, Oredo and Ikpoba-Okha Local Government Areas, which make up the Benin metropolis, transport fares have hit the roof top.

Investigation carried out by Vanguard, indicated that some residents of the state capital, who are apparently weary of long treks arising from not finding alternative means of transportion as a result of the ban, have resorted to buying bicycles to ease their transportation problem.

Meantime, the state deputy governor, Dr Pius Odubu, yesterday, said that banning Okada was the most painful decision of Governor Adams Oshiomhole, so far in government.

He said: “It was a painful decision for the governor. The clamour has been on for some time, but with recent happenings in some other states of the federation, where Okada was banned, the effect is now being felt in Edo State as the influx of those persons now into Edo State has increased crime.”

Odubu, who explained that the governor had to take the decision in order to safeguard the lives and property of the citizens, assured

B

that the palliatives being offered by government in collaboration with the leadership of the Okada union, would ameliorate the pains of genuine Okada operators.

Meanwhile, on the hardship occasioned by the ban, a bicycle dealer in Benin, Miss Amaka Ogburie, confirmed while speaking in an interview that sales recorded since the ban last week, was more than the entire sales recordedin past five years.

Following the increased patronage, she said the price of

Hero Ranger Max brand of bicycle which hitherto sold for N14,000, now sells for N16,000; Hero Ladies, which sold for N14,000, now N17,000, while the Hero D.Curve which sold for N15,000, now sells for N17,000.

According to Mr. Ambrose Nwanchimereze, a trader, the cost of assembling a new bicycle is now between N1,500 and N2,000 compared to the old price of N1,000.

Edo State Chairman of Bicycles Sellers Association, Mr. Friday Ubebe, on his part said the ban

has increased their sales, including spare parts.

Reacting to the ban on Okada, Mr. Samuel Ese, who had to purchase a bicycle, said that he decided to buy a bicycle, explaining that his place of work was far away from where he lives, noting that they have had no alternative means of transportation.

He expressed fears that the ban might lead to rise in criminal activities in the state, as many people have lost their means of livelihood.

ICAN boss, others harp on tax compliance, increased IGR

A

SABA—THE economic development and sustainability of any country depends largely on its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, through effective taxation and tax compliance by its citizens, said President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, Alhaji Kabir Mohammed.

Chairman, Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, Mr. Joel Thomas, and former Economic Commissioner in the state, Chief Clement Ofuani also shared his view.

Speaking in Asaba, Delta State at a lecture titled “Delta State

Beyond Oil: Taxation as a catalyst for the Socio-Economic Development of Delta State,” as part of activities to mark the second anniversary of the 5th Assembly of the Delta State House of Assembly, the trio insisted that to achieve sustainable economic development in the state, there was need for adequate taxation to be in place beyond oil revenues.

Mohammed said: “As Delta State takes strategic view of its future and particularly its growth and development prospects beyond oil, the place of IGR through tax and diversification to tourism

and agriculture cannot be overemphasised.”

The ICAN President commended officials of the state board of internal revenue for raising the state’s IGR from its former N1.2 billion in 2009 to its current position of N5.74 billion as at January this year.

He noted, however, that the present status of the state IGR was still not substantial, given its economic growth and development prospects, adding that taxation, if properly harnessed, should provide alternative funding for the state economy.

Community kicks against planned demolition of market

BY FESTUS AHON

U

G H E LLI—THE people of OtorIwhreko community, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, have kicked against the move by the state government to demolish and relocate the Ughelli main market, describing same as capable of triggering crisis in the area.

Speaking through Hitler Olotu, when the leadership and Elders’ Council of the community visited the chairman of Ughelli North Council Transition Committee, the Area Commander of the Ughelli Area command, Mr. Awosola Awotide on Tuesday, said the people insisted that it was unacceptable for the government to to demolish a market to pave way for another to thrive.

“Every community in Urhoboland has a market.

Otogor, Oviri-Ogor, Edjekota and other communities have their own markets. If the state government wants the UghelliOgor Ultra modern market to be functional, why is it that it is the Ughelli main market that must be demolished while every other market is allowed to operate,” he queried.

No plans to cut salaries —RIVERS GOVT

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME & BRIGHT OGUNKILEDE

P

ORT HARCOURT— RIVERS State Government has denied allegation by some labour activists that it was planning to cut salaries of government workers in tertiary institutions in the state.

The state Head of Service, Mr. Samuel LongJohn, said that the recent salary verification exercise that was carried out in the affected schools had nothing to do with salary cut, rather was part of measures to guard against irregularities.

He said it was discovered in the pay role of core civil servants in the state that some workers were getting salaries that they were not entitled to, adding that the essence of the verification exercise in the schools was to ensure that staff were paid what they should earn based on their cadre.

46—Vanguard , THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Right abuse: Court awards N15m damages against Army

Flood: Anambra to assist companies with N100m

BY INNOCENT ANABA

A

Federal High Court sit ting in Enugu, has awarded N15 million damages to Joseph Agu against the Nigerian Army for torture, inhuman and cruel treatment by a soldier Sgt Francis Oga of 82 Division Enugu, leading to his permanent loss of sight.

The incident occurred on January 15, 2009.

Agu had sued the Nigerian Army on December 10, 2010, for the enforcement of his fundamental human right.

On the fateful day, Joseph Agu, who was driving a lorry was suddenly overtaken by the said Sgt, Francis Ogah who was driving a Mitsubishi bus.

Sgt Francis blocked and stopped Joseph and pulled him out of the lorry and started beating him. Other soldiers joined him.

Sgt Oga hit Joseph several times on his face with the iron buckle of his army belt, and blood started gushing out of his eyes and nose. The soldiers fled and left him in a pool of his blood. He was taken to hospital by passers-by for first aid.

Joseph complained to Army authorities but was not received and the perpetrators were not investigated.

2014: Anambra SSG joins guber race

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

A

WKA—ANAMBRA State Secretary to Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, has joined the race for the governorship of the state slated for November this year.

Obaze, a diplomat, was until his appointment as SSG in June last year, an official of the United Nations, UN. In a statement, yesterday, Obaze said he would begin consultations with stakeholders in the state on his governorship ambition, adding that details of his involvement in the race would be unfolded in the next few weeks.

Obaze said: “In furtherance to my personal commitment to public service and having been encouraged by well-meaning Anambrarians and close associates, following due diligence and introspection, I have this week commenced formal exploratory talks on my possible candidacy for the governorship of Anambra State in 2014".

BY VINCENT UJUMADU WKA—THE Anambra State government said, yesterday, that it would assist the 25 industries at the Onitsha Harbour Industrial Estate affected by last year’s flood with N100 million to enable them pay wages of some of their staff.

Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Mr. Oseloka Obaze, who is the chairman of the Flood Rehabilitation and Management Committee, said though the amount was a far cry from the over N26 billion loss sustained by the companies, government decided to assist them since the industries did not operate for the period the flood lasted.

Obaze said: “We know that with or without government support, the companies will move on, but we have to support them since they are helping in the economic growth of the state".

He explained that the state government was already taking proactive measures to ensure that this year’s flood did not affect the people adversely, adding that enlightenment programmes have been mounted in the flood-prone areas to prepare the minds of the inhabitants.

A

OVERSIGHT FUNCTION——From left: Kamil Akinlabi, Chairman House Committee on Works; Ogbuefi Ozomgbachi; and Rector, Federal School of Surveying, Mohammed Abubakar during an oversight function of the Works Committee in Oyo Town, Oyo State, yesterday.

2015: INEC assures on credible polls

BY LEVI NWABUGHIOGU

A

BUJA—AS Nigeria pre pares for another general elections in 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, reiterated its determination to conduct free, fair and credible elections.

The assurance was given by the Acting Chairman of INEC, Dr Ishmael Igbani in Abuja when a delegation from the British government visited the commission.

Igbani told the team that with what the commission had accomplished since the 2011 general elections, Nigerians should expect an improvement in 2015.

He said: “We’re on track. We promised the country that we’ll have free, fair and credible elections. We’ll ensure that it happens.”

Igbani, however, predicated the assurance of credible elections on activities the commission had embarked on in preparation for the forthcoming elections.

According to him, the activities include several retreats in which the previous elections were thoroughly re-examined, resulting in restructuring and re-organisation of the Commission, a visit to National Population Commission, NPC, and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation, OSGOF, where the Commission discussed the review and delimitation of constituencies with a view to consolidating the democratic process.

He also disclosed that the commission had put in place a strategic plan which is a product of a comprehensive discussion by staff and management

of the commission which would provide a road map for its activities between now and 2016.

He added that INEC had also recruited staff to help it conduct the impending Continuous Voter Registration, CVR. Responding, the head of the visiting British team, Sophie Lane, said her delegation was in the commission to understand its challenges and progress so far had made in its preparation for the 2015 general elections to know what roles the British government could play.

Describing the meeting as being valuable to UK government, Mrs Lane, who is a Deputy Director in the U.K. Cabinet Office, also said it was the responsibility of her team to understand the challenges being faced by the commission so that it could feed it into the U.K. system.

NBA urges protection of children against abuse

BY IJEOMA NATHANIEL

N

IGERIAN Bar Association, Ikeja branch, has advised parents to protect their children against child abuse.

Chairman of the branch, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, gave the advice at an interactive session organised by African Women Lawyers Association, AWLA. Ubani, who was represented by his Vice, Mr. Adeshina Ogunlana, said children needed protection to insulate them against

social vices which had eaten deep into the fabrics of the society.

Chairman of the occasion, Mrs. Titi Akinlawon, SAN, who spoke on the topic, “Child Protection; Culture and Responsibilities”, said there was no law that guided the rights of the child in Lagos until 2007.

According to her, before then, there was only one law that protected the rights of a child in Nigeria.

She noted that though the new generation of children had

the privilege of electronic media network, there was need for parents to inculcate high level of disciplines and integrity in their children.

Mrs Akinlawon said: ”You are our future and if we fail to seek for your welfare, how then do you become the future of tomorrow?”.

Speaking on ‘Child Protection’, Mrs. Tam George, Secretary of Nigerian Bar Association, Ikeja branch, quoted the recent report

by United States that over 10.5 percent of children of school age in Nigeria were out of school.

PPN guber aspirant faults timing of Anambra LG poll

BY ENYIM ENYIM

A

governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Party of Nigeria, PPN, Chief Basil Iwuoba, yesterday called on Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State to rescind his decision to conduct local government election this year to avoid possible political crisis in the state.

Addressing newsmen, Iwuoba said the plan by the governor to conduct the council election almost at the end of his administration was ill- timed.

According to him, conduct of the council election will cause confusion for political parties currently preparing for the scheduled governorship election in the state in 2014.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—47

EXPO: From left, Soji Oyawoye, MD/CEO, Resource Intermediaries Limited; Mary Uriah, HR Director, Flour Mills Ltd and Seni Adetu, MD/CEO, Guinness Plc, at the 2013 edition of the Outsourcing Expo, in Lagos

FREE SURGERIES: From left, Abike Dabiri-Erewa; Alhaja Olayide Owodunni, beneficiary; Alhaji Ishola Jinadu and Dr. Akinwale Akinfe, Asst. Director, Blindness Prevention, Global Alliance Eye Foundation Hospital, Lagos, during free eye tests and cataract surgeries sponsored by Dabiri-Erewa and Global Eye Foundation for 250 beneficiaries, at Ikorodu, Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

LAUNCH: Mrs. Nsima Ogedi-Alakwe, Chief Executive Officer, JigsawDBS Ltd (2nd from left), during the launch of GOTCHA, mobile advertising trucks.

WORKSHOP:From left, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa; guest lecturer from the UK; Mr. Jeff Trim and the Projet Manager, PTOE Limited, Mr.. John Mccormick, at the closing ceremony of a one week training workshop on Traffic Signalization, Synchronization on Road Safety and hi-tech Traffic Management Systems, by Lagos State Ministry of Transport, at LCCI, Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos.

FORUM: From left, former Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor on Education, Dr. Adewale Elijah; Mr. Dayo Fafunmi, Ifako/Ijaiye Constituency 1; the chairman of LASIEC, Justice Fatai Adeyinka (rtd) and Ifako-Ijaiye Local Government chairman, Mr. Oloruntoba Oke, at the interactive forum on the delineation of wards and creation of additional polling units, at the Ifako-Ijaiye Council Secretariat.

RETREAT: From left, Barr. Basil Ganagana,Dep Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly, Engr.

Godwin Omene, Engr. Victor Ochei, Speaker, DTHA; Barr. Mariere, member, DTHA and resource persons, at a retreat.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY: From left, Assistant Manager, Human Resources, Mr. Majidi Babatunde; Managing Director, Mr. Deog Jun Kim; Assistant Manager, Account, all of LG Electronics, West Africa Operations; Mrs. Oluwatosin Idowu; and Managing Director, Fouani Nigeria Limited, Mr. Mohammed Fouani, during the LG Beach Cleaning Activity, to mark World Environment Day, in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos

MEETING: From left, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Environmental Protection, Germany, Dr. Wallbaum; Osun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Titi Laoye-Tomori and Director, International Relations, Mr. Michael Deckert, during a meeting in Saxony Anhalt, Germany, targeted at increasing food production in Osun State.

MEDIA LAUNCH: From left, Mr. Yisa Shofoluwe, former Super Eagles player; Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria; Nduka Ugbade, former Nigerian U-17 Captain, and Inusa Bello, Chief Sales Officer, Airtel Nigeria, at the media launch of Airtel Rising Stars U-17 Footbal Tournament, in Lagos, at Zen Garden, Isaac John Str; GRA, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

FG urged to revive textile firms

Free surgery for 6,000 cataract patients in Jigawa

I

D

UTSE— NO fewer than 6,000 cataract patients are to undergo free surgery in Jigawa, Dr Abdulrahman Ashiru, the Coordinator, Eye Care and Neglected Tropical Diseases, has said.

Ashiru made this known at the ongoing free eye surgery in Dutse yesterday.

It is sponsored by the state government in collaboration with a non-governmental organisation, Vision 20:20.

He said that 1,900 patients would undergo surgery in the first round of the programme which started on Monday.

The coordinator said that the exercise was being conducted simultaneously in five major towns - Hadejia, Gumel, Ringim, Kazaure and Dutse.

He said that the free eye treatment include cataract, trachoma and trichiasis.

“We shall distribute free azaichroms drugs to all patients with trachoma disease,” Ashiru added.

New Salvation Army leader emerges July 29

L

AGOS—THE World Leader of The Salvation Army, General Linda Bond has resigned voluntarily with effect from June 13, 2013. Her decision to step down came after 44 years in the ministry.

A release by the Chief of Staff, Commissioner André Cox said: “Following a period of personal reflection and prayer, General Linda Bond has decided that she should relinquish the Office of the General with effect from 13 June 2013. The General’s decision to step down comes after 44 years of ministry.

“In her place as is required by The Salvation Army ’s constitution, the Chief of Staff will perform the functions of the General pending the election of a new international leader.

Meantime, Cox has summoned members of the High Council to meet July 29, 2013 for the purpose of electing the 20th General of church.

AGM—From left: Solomon Asamoah, Deputy CEO & Chief Investment Officer, Africa Finance Corporation; Adebayo Ogunlesi, Chairman; Andrew Alli, President & CEO; Dr. Adesegun Akin-olugbade, Executive Director & General Counsel, at the 5th AGM of Africa Finance Corporation in Lagos.

Lamido's aide urges Islamic scholars to engage in active politics

BY ALIYU DANGIDA

D

UTSE — ISLAMIC scholars have been urged to participate in active politics to improve the society rather than remaining passive only to blame politicians for the country’s predicaments.

Special Adviser to the Jigawa State Governor on Religious and Chieftaincy Affairs, Alhaji Isa Bahutu made the call while speaking at the closing ceremony of a four day workshop for First Aid members of the Jama’atu

Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’iqamatis Sunnah, JIBWIS, in Dutse, the state capital.

He said: "It is not enough for religious clerics to confine themselves within the circle of criticism. They should also participate in active politics so as to contest elective positions like any other person.”

Bahutu stressed that it was not in doubt that religious leaders were desirous of change in the polity but warned that the change may only come through their par-

ticipatory roles in the country’s democracy.

According to him, it was improper for some clerics to perceive politicians as thieves but fail to join politics to effect changes in the system.

On his part, the National Chairman of JIBWIS, Malam Abdullahi Lau regretted the inability to provide the voluntary service organisation which operates under emergency situations with a single ambulance or utility vehicle, to assist in conveying accident victims to the hospital.

FG to name bidders of 10 power plants, August 8

BY MICHAEL EBOH

L

AGOS—THE Federal Government, yesterday, said it will announce the names of prospective buyers of the 10 National Integrated Power Project, NIPP, plants, August 8, 2013.

Mr. Benjamin Dikki, Director General, Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, who disclosed this at an investment road show in Hong Kong, said the sale of the power plants falls within the context of President Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda.

He said the government was committed to creating a conducive atmosphere for private capital inflows, adding, however, that the deadline for the submission of expressions of interest for the power plants remains July 19, 2013 and that there is no plan to extend the date.

According to him, the intention of the Expressions of

Interest (EOI) process for the sale of the10 power plants was meant to improve on the rigorous requirements of the PHCN successor companies’ privatization transactions.

Dikki said: “It is critical that all interested parties and potential investors go through the EOI guideline document. Prospective bidders should be aware of some of the observed lapses by prospective bidders in the previous bid processes.

They involve bids failing to substantially comply with the Requests for Proposal (RFP), failure to meet the threshold of required tangible net worth, failure to submit bid bonds, failure to submit audited accounts, failure to submit bids on time, among others.”

He noted that the BPE and the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC, are partners in the joint sale transaction process for the sale of the 10 power plants,

adding that the BPE was legally authorised to sell Federal Government’s 47 per cent shares, while NDPHC has the authorization of the states and local government councils to sell 53 per cent of the 80 per cent shares on offer.

He maintained that the BPE will add significant value to the process using its vast experience in privatization of assets in Nigeria spanning nearly 500 transactions in its 25 year history, with the most recent being the sale of the 15 Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) successor companies.

“Besides power, the transport and housing sectors, development finance institutions and the Abuja Commodities and Stock Exchange that will introduce the warehouse receipt trading system, are also great investment opportunities awaiting interested local and international investors,” he added.

LORIN—THE Fed eral Government has been urged to revive moribund textile industries in the country to create jobs and promote indigenous fabrics.

Mr Abiola Hammed, Head, Human Capital Development of Amrosh Communications, made the appeal in Ilorin, yesterday at a news conference.

The press conference was held as part of a fashion show being organised by Amrosh Communications.

He said that the gradual extinction of indigenous attire and cultural values was as a result of moribund textile industries. ”Federal Government, should as a matter of urgency, resuscitate all moribund textile industries in order to create jobs, encourage patronage of indigenous fabrics and eradicate indecent dressing among youth,” he said.

Hammed also suggested the institutionalisation of local dress code, advising political leaders to take the lead.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the theme of the show is: ”Redefining Fashion, Social Vibes and Promoting the Culture Business Association in Kwara”.

He said that the show would be used to harness the tourism potential of the state.

Taraba to reactivate Lau, Ibi water supply facilities

J

ALINGO—THE Taraba Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr Rebo Usman, said, yesterday, that the state government would soon reactivate the Lau and Ibi water supply facilities destroyed by flood in 2012.

Usman told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Jalingo that the water works were massively affected by the flood and require urgent rehabilitation.

According to him, the Ibi water works was submerged by the flood, triggering erosion which nearly cut off the facility.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 49

50 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 51

C M Y K

52 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—53

T

HE call by President Goodluck Jonathan last Sunday on state governors to sign death warrants of condemned inmates in prisons across the country has again brought to the fore the lingering controversy on the issue.

At a special ceremony to mark the 2013 Fathers’ Day organized by the Aso Villa Chapel, President Jonathan urged governors not to run away from their statutory responsibility by not signing death warrants on condemned criminals by courts of competent jurisdiction.

He added that the state chief executives must be willing to carry out their responsibilities, no matter how painful in accordance with the law.

The Criminal Procedure Act of each state of the federation provides that governors should affirm death sentences of condemned criminals before execution. It is only in Lagos State that same provision is incorporated in its newly enacted Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL. Apart from the governors’ reluctance to sign death warrants, the civil society groups have also resisted moves to execute convicts.

So far, only two governors- the former Governors of Kano State, Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State have signed into law the sentences passed by the court on some convicts, since the return to democracy in 1999.

Before the Edo State Governor, Comrade Oshiomhole signed the death warrant following Supreme Court judgment, which condemned Osaremwinda Aiguohian and Daniel Nsofor, to death by hanging, the governor’s action was trailed by criticisms from civil society groups, Amnesty International and the National Human Rights Commission.

According to statistics, about 970 prisoners on death row are currently languishing in the nation’s prisons awaiting executions. The lists comprises 951 males and 19 females.

President Goodluck Jonathan

Gov. Oshiomhole

Condemned criminals: Waiting for govs and hangmen

BY DAYO BENSON & ABDULWAHAB ABDULAH Other states with high death row inmates are Lagos 83; Kaduna 79; Enugu 75; Kano 51; Katsina 43; Edo 35; Cross River 17, Jigawa 18, Kebbi 13; Kwara 12, Federal Capital Territory 10, Niger 10, Ondo seven, Benue six, Sokoto six, Osun five and Taraba four.

Speaking further on the issue, President Jonathan said, “These days, because of modern life, discipline is almost gone. Discipline can be in various forms. In the states, it could be admonition. Magistrate can just admonish and allow him (offenders) to go. From admonition to

Most prisons find it difficult to find hangmen. It is difficult to find a Nigerian, who would be proud of an occupation of killing people

,

As at July last year, prisons in River State had 157 inmates consisting of 149 males and eight females on death row, which is the highest in the country.

The state is followed by Delta, which has 149 convicted inmates, comprising 146 males and three females.

Ogun State has 132 condemned felons, while Plateau State is left with 125 males and one female awaiting the governor’s execution order.

Alooma Mukhtar, CJN

,

various forms of punishments, it could be imprisonment. The extreme is capital punishment.

“In the case of capital punishment, the state governors will sign (the death sentence). Even governors sometimes find it difficult to sign. I have been telling them that they must sign, because that is the law.

The works we are doing have a very sweet and a very ugly part and we must perform both. No matter how painful it is, it is part of their responsibilities.”

According to human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana SAN, “There is a sociological angle to the issue of executing death row inmates. Most prisons find it difficult to find hangmen. It is difficult to find a Nigerian, who would be proud of an occupation of killing people. And more importantly, it is difficult for civilian governors to ratify the killing of other citizens, even though they have been convicted.

“Since 1999, there have been only two ratifications for the execution of death row inmates in the country.

The first one was by one of the governors of Kano State and recently,

by Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State. It is not easy for the governors because it is official murder. The reason for penalties in law is for correction, not execution. It is a fact that the death penalty has not served as a deterrent anywhere in the world.”

Falana added that slow pace of the appeals at the Appeal and Supreme Court, further stretched the time between the sentence and execution and the situation had resulted in the congestion of prisons by death row inmates..

He said due to the pressure at the prisons and global campaign against death penalty, the sentence of the death row inmates would eventually be turned into life sentence.

On his part, the executive director, Access to Justice, AJ, Mr.Joseph Otteh, said, “President Jonathan’s call for the execution of death warrants by Governors is arguably misplaced and inherently unprincipled. Let’s address the lack of princi-

ple first. Not long ago, President Jonathan took the unpopular and widely denounced step of pardoning the former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha who is both a fugitive from justice and a convicted felon. Why does one felon deserve a State pardon and another the enforcement of the death penalty? Some of those whose lives hang on a balance on death row have probably only robbed out of a necessity to survive. Those who get the pardon rob out of what? Because they did not know where their next meals will come from? Is it not the State’s failure to provide Nigerians with decent livelihoods or employment arising from the horrendous stealing of public resources that fuels economic crimes? Coming from President Jonathan, the advice to Governors has quite a bit of the scent of hypocrisy.

Continues on page 54

EDITORIAL TEAM Dayo Benson (Editor) Innocent Anaba Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri

54 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Nigerian public ignorant of environmental laws —Osondu

BY ETOP EKANEM Families and environmental issues were boosted with the recent launch of two books, ''Our Common Environment: Understanding The Environment, Law and Policy'' and ''Modern Family Law and Practice,'' written by Ajuzie Osondu.

The public presentation was chaired by Elder Paul Ananaba (SAN), Dr. Gbenga Akingbehin reviewed ''Our Common Environment: Understanding the Environment, Law and Policy'' while Mr. Alex Ikoro, a lawyer, reviewed Modern Family Law and Practice. ''The occasion attracted a number of legal practitioners and clerics.

On Our Common Environment: Understanding the Environment, Law and Policy, Osondu said although government and environmental protection agencies in Nigeria had acknowledged that environmental education and public awareness creation were key issues for sustainable development, they had

From left: Elder Paul Ananaba, Pastor Uwem Essien, Pastor Dickson Anyanwu, Deacon Ajuzie Osondu and wife, Joy during the launch. not given these issues adequate consideration and attention.

His words: “As a result, a large percentage of the Nigerian public is ignorant of environmental issues. Also, environmental education has not been officially included in schools curricula to inculcate in our youths the environmental consciousness and awareness. Some universities have introduced environmental law as part of law programmes, but most of these courses are not made compulsory. So majority of the students graduate without taking the course.”

According to him, the book, which has 10 chapters with 323 pages,

is designed to educate the public on basic environmental issues from the points of view on ''legal and policy issues''. The book also discusses the most recent national and global environmental issues including the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) in Johannesburg, South Africa. It features citations of the current Revised Laws of Lagos State 2003 and the Revised Laws of the federation 2004.

Osondu said Modern Family Law and Practice, on the other hand, is perhaps the only family law book in Nigeria with a full commentary on Matrimonial Causes Rules

1983. “The book is written with a view to examining how far Nigeria’s changing social needs have affected family law and practice over the years.

A special feature of the book is the segment on facts and salient decisions of the courts with respect to every case cited. The 387-page book is aimed at presenting marriage, matrimonial causes, succession and adoption in a simplified legal language.

“The book presents

matrimonial causes such as dissolution of marriage, nullity of marriage, judicial separation, restitution of conjugal rights and sanctification of marriage.

He also spoke on issues relating to children and young persons, giving emphasis on the Child’s Rights Act, as it relates to girl child. He equally addressed issues such as guardianship, adoption at both domestic and international levels, Hague Convention as

Ikeja NBA plans to ease lawyers transporation

BY WAHAB ABDULAH CHAIRMAN of the Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr. Monday Ubani has revealed the efforts being made by his team to ease movement of lawyers to and from the court in the face of tedious transportation system along Ikeja-Oba Akinjobi axis of the metropolis.

Giving a report of his one year administration as the branch chairman Ubani said that the

branch had acquired a new N6 million bus and a Keke Marwa to ease transportation for lawyers coming to Ikeja high court following the ban on motor cycles in the area.

He said that the Hiace Toyota Bus was acquired at the sum of N6million for use of the branch by one of its members, Mr. Tunde Ayeni, while another member, Mr. Bolaji Ayorinde (SAN) presented the tricycle. He said that Ayorinde will additional tricycle before

Condemned criminals: Waiting for govs and hangmen Continues from page 53 The death penalty is so objectionable because it carries social costs no moral society will want to contend with. The risks that a person may be wrongly convicted of a crime he or she has not committed will always remain with society, so long as

justice systems are managed by humans who are liable to error. It is tragic to err with human life, and the death penalty is basically about saying that it is okay to take the chance.

No, it is not okay to take the chance.

Arguing in similar vein, the National Coordinator, Legal

Defence & Assistance Project ? LEDAP, Mr. Chino Obiagwu said, LEDAP's position on death penalty is also borne out of the conviction that the Nigerian government cannot continue to ignore the dare need for reform of our criminal justice system. This was aptly captured in the report of

well as non-Hague Convention adoptions processes and widowhood rights.

Ajuzie Osondu has written a number of books backed up with legal principles. He hails from Obi Ngwa Local Government Area of Abia State and holds Master of Laws (LL.M) degree from the University of Lagos. He is an active legal practitioner who was appointed Notary Public for Nigeria in 2008 by the Chief Justice of the Federation.

the National Study Group on Death Penalty set up by the Nigerian government in 2004 that, a system that must take life must first give justice.

“LEDAP uses this medium to call on Mr. President and the state governors to respect the existing unofficial moratorium on death

penalty in the country; implement the findings of its own commission; and adhere to its international and regional obligations on peoples’ right by waiting for the outcome of the communication against it pending before the African commission.”

the end of the month.

Ubani also informed the lawyers at the occasion that a 30kva generator was donated by one Mr. Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, while his executive purchased an additional 6KVA generator for use of its Bar Centre.

He told the gathering of lawyers that there was top plan for the completion of the Bar Centre project by his administration, adding that the Bar had so far raised a sum of N10 million cash while it had been promised another N8,000,000.00 towards the completion of the building.

“If all the promises we have received so far from our invited guests are anything to go by, we will commence work on the building immediately, possibly this month or at worst, next month” he said adding “It is apromise which by God’s grace shall be accomplished before the end of this administration”.

Ubani recalled that Ikeja Branch of the bar had led other branches to protest against what he termed, “callous conference fees” which the former executive of the national NBA asked lawyers to pay before attending their national conference. ''The Branch led a sustained protest against the heinous increase and won sympathy of other branches and some senior members of the Bar.'' The Conference of 2012 remained in history as the Conference with the least attendance and very poorly organized one. It also recorded a huge loss which up till now is being hidden by the National Body.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 55

56 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Dame in P-H: Residents wearing patience FIRST Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan is in Port-Harcourt for a series of private and public activities lasting till this weekend. Since her arrival last Friday, residents of the Garden City indeed know that a special guest is in town!

I

T is probably the first time the wife of the President, Dame Patience Jonathan would be in Rivers State for five straight days since her husband became President of the country.

Dame Jonathan came into Port Harcourt last Friday and immediately commissioned the Yitzhak Rabin International School and Resource Centre in the state capital.

The following day, she attended the wedding ceremony of a member of the State House of Assembly, Evans Bipi, one of the arrowheads in the political campaign against Governor Chibuike Amaechi.

The First Lady was Mother of the Day at the wedding reception

last till this weekend.

“Although this is her state, but I am just worried with the time she visited and staying this long.

We know that the political class at the moment is heavily divided.

So for her to be in the state for this long, honestly I don’t know what to say”, a resident, Mr Clifford told Vanguard.

A youth leader, Odiedem Amachree, however, said there was no cause for alarm.

Amachree who is the president of the South-South Youth Leaders Forum, said his group was happy with the visit of the First Lady, adding that her stay had reduced tension in the state.

“We want her to continue to come around to rest in Port Harcourt. This is her home. We are happy she has been around

,

..the governor, it was claimed, was even sequestered in the Government House last Saturday on account of the lockdown

which held at the Civic Centre in Port Harcourt and drew the attendance of former Governor Peter Odili and his wife, Justice Mary Odili and some other political big wigs.

Understandably, an unprecedented security cordon was placed around the First Lady’s private residence on Bauchi Road in the old Government Reservation Area, GRA, Port Harcourt. Indeed, the road has remained shut to vehicular traffic since she came in. The security cordon around her, it was learnt, has been given primary consideration above every other VIP in the city including the governor, it was claimed, was even sequestered in the Government House last Saturday on account of the lockdown. Residents living along Bauchi Road are, however, bearing a greater portion of the pains as each resident can go out and come in a maximum of two times a day.

A Police patrol vehicle was used to block one end of the road while a Police barricade was mounted at the other end. No vehicle could drive through the road, which is a one way, to connect other adjoining roads because of the barricade. Traffic was also diverted from the road.

Understandably because of the recent political developments in the state residents of the state are reading different meanings to her visit which is expected to

,

here with us for some days now.

There is no cause for alarm. You can observe that her stay has reduced tension in the state”, he said. A lady who did not want her name mentioned expressed fears that her stay might not be

Political developments

,

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME

One of her neighbours on Bauchi Road, who pleaded anonymity said that the high and mighty in the state had been visiting the First Lady at her residence since she came.

This neighbour said no house in the area had played host to the number of guests that had been there in the last four days in several years.

At press time on Tuesday, a canopy was mounted on a spot that serves as ring road or roundabout for motorists coming from the Port Harcourt Club end of Bauchi Road wanting to connect Forces Avenue in the old GRA.

•Jonathan: I am in town unconnected with politics. “Our president and his wife are politicians. I wonder if the wife of a President can spend a whole day without discussing politics.

So she might be here also

talking politics. The political discourse may or may not relate to the situation in the state.

But certainly I think she should also be talking politics and holding meetings”, she said.

Certainly, since this is probably the first time the First Lady would be staying this long in her new private residence in Port Harcourt, and given the political developments in the state tongues are wagging over whether this is indeed only a private visit as it is being portrayed.

However, the First Lady through her Special Assistant on Media, Ayo Osinlu was quick to debunk insinuations that she is in Port Harcourt to plot the removal of the governor. Maybe not, but certainly not to make life easier for him!

2015:Let Anioma produce Delta governor— Agbofodoh HIGH Chief Newton Agbofodoh, JP, the Usiavwe (Key) of Ekpan community in Delta state is an Urhobo leader by virtue of his position. He spoke to Vanguard on various issues pertaining to the country and Delta State. Excerpts:

BY EMMA AMAIZE, REGIONAL EDITOR, SOUTHSOUTH

S

OME say the claim by the North that President Jonathan is not doing well is out of place. Do you agree?

Yes, it is out of place. The North is taking the South-South and the entire South for granted.

It was revealed recently that 83 per cent of the oil blocs belong to Northerners when the oil is in the backyard of Southerners.

Now, let me tell you, there is oil in my compound and my neighbour is piping my oil without me, who owns the oil getting anything from the oil in my place, which is exactly what we are talking. Nobody in the Niger-Delta has oil bloc, only Northerners and they are still

shouting. If it was the North that had the oil we are talking about, I do not think Nigeria will be one today.

At the state level there is tension over which senatorial zone should produce the next governor in 2015. Where do you align yourself?

I am Urhobo from the Central Senatorial District of Delta State.

Let me tell you, what is causing crisis everywhere in this world is cheating. If you and I have equal rights to any particular position, an equitable power sharing formula should be adopted for peace to reign. My senatorial district has taken it for 10 years or so since the creation of Delta State. Olorogun Felix Ibru had it for two years and Chief James Ibori- eight years. It has now gone to the South Senatorial

District and Governor Uduaghan is going to finish their eight-year tenure in 2015.

What is wrong for us to say it should go the North Senatorial District? Why are we (Urhobos) shouting to the Federal Government that we are being marginalized at the national level because we do not have Urhobo minister, but here in your own home, you do not want to allow any other tribe to come and get the same position we have in this state. It is not good. Sometimes, I overhear in a meeting when they say they cannot have the capital and have the governor. Who said so? When the North was ruling the country, as President, where was the capital of Nigeria? Is it not Abuja, is Abuja not in the North. Therefore, what is wrong in Anioma, which is Delta North having the governorship of the state?

Don’t you think gubernatorial aspirants like Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, Chief Great Ogboru and Senator Pius Ewherido, who are from your

•Agbofodoh: Fair is fair

place would be displeased with this?

It is not good to cheat your brother, they should call me and I will tell them to their face, why they should say so. We are talking about the North cheating us for a long time in this country and we are doing the same thing here. How can you have something for good 10-12 years and you still want to take it again when your brother has not tasted it at all. Allow them to taste it, they have candidates over there, who can rule this state perfectly too, just as our people have ruled.

Vanguard , THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013—57

$3m bribe: Farouk, Emenalo ask judge to hands-off trial

BY IKECHUKWU NNOCHIRI

A

BUJA—JUSTICE Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja high court, yesterday, fixed July 10 to rule on an application filed by former Chairman and Secretary of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on Fuel Subsidy probe, Farouk Lawan and Mr Boniface Emenalo, asking him to hands-off their trial.

The embattled lawmakers, who are facing corruption charges, preferred against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, accused the judge of misappropriating the law when he held that the anti-graft agency successfully established a prima-facie criminal case to warrant their prosecution.

Arguing through their lawyer, Mr Ricky Tarfa, SAN, the duo insisted that the judge caused great injustice against them when he declined to quash the seven-count charge before the court for want of incriminating evidence.

They also maintained that the judge on January 31, erroneously granted leave to the ICPC to file an “incompetent charge”.

It will be recalled that Justice Oniyangi had on May 10, okayed them for trial, after he dismissed an application that sought to quash

the charge against them.

In his ruling, Justice Oniyangi said he was satisfied that they have a case to answer, saying he was satisfied that the proof of evidence disclosed sufficient grounds for their trial.

Nevertheless, moving their consolidated application asking the judge to stay proceedings before him, pursuant to provisions of section 6 (6a) (b) of the 1999 constitution, as amended, Tarfa, SAN, told the court that his clients had gone before the Appeal Court in Abuja to challenge the ruling which he said was in bad faith.

He argued that the continuation of hearing on the substantive matter would not only jeopardize the “res” of the appeal, but would amount to an affront on the superiority of the appellate court.

The embattled lawmakers relied on the decided caselaw in FRN vs Mohammed Sani Abacha, 2008, 5NWLR, PART 1081 as well as decision in Falana vs Bello, 1995, 9-NWLR, part 418, and insisted that “the appeal has raised a genuine issue of jurisdiction challenging the competence of this court to hear and determine the case against the accused persons.

“We therefore urge your lordship to stay proceeding in this matter pending hearing and determination of our appeal.”

ICPC raises alarm over plot to scuttle trial However, the ICPC, raised the alarm over what it termed subterranean plot by the accused lawmakers to thwart their prosecution.

Opposing the application for stay, counsel to the commission, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo, SAN, described the application as “frivolous, vexatious and a design to stall the trial of the accused persons.”

In urging the court to dismiss the application and direct that witnesses be called to testify in the matter, Awomolo, argued that, “by the nature of the charge, the status of the accused persons and the national judicial policy on the trial of corruption cases, no facts are contained in the affidavit to suggest to the court that a grant of stay will serve the interest of justice.

“Stay of proceeding is a very grave, serious and fundamental interruption of the right of the prosecution to prove the criminal conduct of the accused persons.

This application has failed to show or demonstrate special or exceptional circumstances for a stay of proceedings. More so, the issue before the appeal court cannot finally dispose-off the criminal charge of corruption against the accused persons.

Poly strike: FG not ready to implement agreement — ASUP

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

A

BUJA—AFTER a twomonth shutdown in the polytechnic tier of tertiary education, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, ASUP, yesterday, accused the Federal Government of being unwilling to resolve the crisis that resulted in the ongoing strike.

National President of ASUP, Chibuzor Asomugha, in an interview with Vanguard, said since the Federal Government had remained adamant over implementation of the agreements entered with the union, the polytechnics would remain closed till government was ready.

Asomugha noted that the union had made spirited

efforts to make government see reason on how to implement the agreements and had met with the ministers of education and labour about three weeks ago, but said government was only busy making promises without any action.

He said of the five demands of the union, only one, which was constitution of governing council, was half met, while about six governing councils were yet to be constituted.

Asomugha added that “Government has not listened to us on any measure of engagement”.

The ASUP President said that going by the lip-service the Federal Government was paying to polytechnic education in the country, the strike would

continue until government listened and implemented the agreement entered into with the union.

Asomugha said: “What they (Federal Government) have been making is empty promises. Any time government is ready for us to re-open school, we are ready. Government is not sincere with us. You know they are not bothered because none of their children is in the polytechnic in Nigeria, they are schooling outside the country.”

He explained that the demands of the union have nothing to do with personal or monetary interest, but the interest of Nigerian children to have a good and well equipped institution that would make them compete with their peers in any part of the world.

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 59

Nigerians support anti same-sex Bill—Poll

BY CHIOMA OBINNA

A

new weekly poll has revealed that 92 per cent of Nigerians are in support of the proposed Anti Same–Sex Bill. The weekly poll conducted by NOI Polls Limited from June 4 - 6 in Nigeria also revealed that the reason behind their support revolve around morality and religion.

According to results of the poll, most Nigerians are of the opinion that the proposed bill is not an infringement on the human rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) community because homosexuality is not in their culture as Nigerians. These are two of the key findings from the recent Fundamental Human Rights Poll.

The House of Representatives had on May 30th 2013, passed the Anti Same Sex Marriage Bill that makes same-sex unions in Nigeria a criminal offence punishable by a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The bill also criminalises public displays of affection by same-gender partners. The bill also states that “any person who registers, operates or participates in gay clubs, societies and organisations directly or indirectly, makes a public show of a same-sex amorous relationship commits an offence and shall be liable to a term of 10 years imprisonment.”

Under the existing Nigerian Federal

Law, sodomy is punishable by jail, but this bill legislates for a much broader crackdown on homosexuals and lesbians, who already live largely in an underground existence.

But according to Rashidi Williams, the Director of Nigeria’s Queer Alliance Rights Group, “The Bill takes away the fundamental rights accorded Nigerians under the constitution. This is really, not a pressing national issue.”

However, to explore the views of Nigerians regarding homosexuality and level of ratification, NOI Polls conducted its latest poll on Fundamental Human Rights with the expectation that the results from the poll will contribute to the on-going discussion, and particularly highlight the perceptions of Nigerians regarding rights of the LGBT community in Nigeria.

Respondents to the poll were asked five specific questions. First, in order to ascertain the level of awareness of the new proposed law to make same-sex marriage punishable by imprisonment, respondents were asked: “Are you aware of the recent legislative vote by the House of Representative banning same sex marriages in Nigeria? Why do you think it is an infringement/not an infringement on the human rights of LGBT community?

To what extent do you support or oppose the bill recently passed by the House of Representatives? To what extent do you

•The National Assembly has approved a bill banning same-sex marriage in Nigeria and offenders are to get 14 years jail term. support or oppose the bill recently passed by the House of Representatives?” To what extent do you agree or disagree with the claim that homosexuality is not part of the culture of Nigerians? Overall, 69 percent of the respondents were aware of the legislative vote banning same sex marriage.

The results showed that the North-central, North East and South-South have the highest level of awareness with 75 percent. Ninety- two percent (92%) of the respondents supported the Bill, 5 percent oppose the bill and 3 percent were neutral. Also, 85 percent of the re-

spondents strongly agree that homosexuality was not part of the Nigerian culture. On if the proposed law was an infringement on the human rights of LGBT community, majority of respondents were of the opinion that the proposed law is not an infringement on their rights. The poll in conclusion, revealed that Nigerians generally support the proposed bill and mostly agree that homosexuality is not a part of the Nigerian culture and majority do not think that the proposed bill is an infringement on the human rights of the people in the LGBT community.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

AM a 45 year old married woman and my hus band just married a second wife who is only 22years old. I have not been myself since he married that girl and I see the way they look at each other and giggle and it makes me mad. My husband used to tell me in the past that I am boring in bed and now he does new things with this girl and brags about it to me. It is very painful and I want my husband to desire me again. I am willing to try new things and improve myself. But if nothing changes, maybe I will just get a boyfriend. Any ideas? – Mrs Lawal Dear Mrs Lawal, Polygamy always comes with its own problems and while monogamy is not perfect, the jealousy that exists in polygamous relationships never goes away. I know how you feel. It feels exactly like your husband is cheating on you but in a legal manner. Well, I can recommend books and other things that can teach you a lot of sexual skills and romance routines, but I cannot guarantee you happiness and peace of mind because the second wife will always be there to fuel the jealousy you feel. Get these books: Sex Secrets, The Best Sex Positions Ever and The Best Sex of Your Life. These three books will change your life and teach you things you never ever imagined; things that will make your husband want you again. You may be 45 years old, but I know a few 45 year old women who are irresistible. Sexiness is an attitude and not about age.

Secondly, get the educational movies Great Sex for a Life Time and Sexual Techniques for Lovers. These will teach you a lot as well. And thirdly, get a vibrator and some kinky lingerie. Learn how to use it and then put up a show for your husband. Make him watch you pleasure yourself but don’t let him touch you for at least thirty minutes. Believe me, after a few minutes, he will be begging to jump on top of you. You need to be strategic here. You are in a polygamous

relationship now where you have to compete for your husband’s attention. This is war. So in addition to learning new things, your major goal is to make your husband desire you again. So make him watch but don’t let him touch until he starts begging for it – Uche I am on your website trying to order a supplement that can give me stronger erections but I need guidance. Should I take Sex Voltz or Xzen 1200? - Tolu Both of them are good so you can take any one – Uche I just heard about your dating site. I am a 33 year old woman looking for a man I can settle down with.

Please what is the cost of joining your dating site?

Thanks – Angela Angela the dating site is a free service we offer visitors to our site. There is no registration fee. Just register, upload a good picture of yourself and start making friends – Uche I am interested in penis enlargement but I cannot take pills. What else can you recommend? Mike Mike you can also use a cream like Maximus Enlargement Cream or a penis pump. Rock Hard Pump Kit is very good too – Uche Hello Mr Uche, I had my first orgasm after I used the Liquid Sex Orgasm Gel and Jelly Chocolate vibrator. It was so intense that I urinated hard in the process, screaming at the top of my lungs. Is that how it happens? Mabel Dear Mabel, you did not urinate. You ejaculated.

That’s right, women can ejaculate too and it is the best kind of orgasm. It is called a Squirting Orgasm and it is difficult to reach. So congratulations.

That’s it for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can reach us on 08191978308 or 08027901621 to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com. Happy holidays - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 61

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Blatter to watch F/Eagles vs Portugal

F

IFA President Joseph S. Blatter will attend the official opening of the FIFA U-20

World Cup Turkey 2013, with the opening game Cuba - Korea Republic, as well as the game between

Flying Eagles want winning start

N

IGERIA will hope to get off to a winning start in Friday night’s opening Group B match against Portugal at the U20 World Cup in Turkey.

The Flying Eagles, who finished third at the recent African Youth Championship in Algeria, are drawn against Portugal, debutants Cuba and South Korea in Group B based in Kayseri.

Portugal beat Nigeria 2-1 at the recent Toulon International Tournament in France as a prelude to Friday ’s showdown.

But the Flying Eagles

played a mostly experimental side in Toulon as they tried out several new and fringe players ahead of the World Cup. Midfielder Ovbokha Agboyi was one of several of the established players who did not play in Toulon and he said it was crucial to get off to a winning start against a good Portugal team in Kayseri.

“The opening game is very important for us. We lost our first game to Mali at the AYC and it really affected us. We cannot afford this at the World Cup,” the Bayelsa United defensive midfielder declared.

Nigeria and Portugal, to be played in Kayseri on Friday 21 June.

“The FIFA U-20 World Cup is the second oldest FIFA tournament, one of the most important events within FIFA’s competitions, involving 24 teams, and where so many future footballing talents are revealed. As FIFA President, I consider it important to be there when the action starts,” commented President Blatter, who will then return to Brazil for the final week of the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup.

•Blatter

A

S the Super Eagles file out against the South American champions, Uruguay in the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil tonight, former Nigerian international Nduka Ugbade has warned the Coach Stephen Keshi-led team to be clinical in front of their opponents’ eighteen.

Previewing the Nigeria versus Uruguay match, Captain of the all-conquering 1985 FIFA U-17 World Cup champions said the Eagles must make use of the chances they create as failure to do that could cost them the match and that will put them in a precarious position in the competition.

“The(the Eagles) cannot afford to be as careless as they were against Tahiti because, Uruguay can punish them if they try that,” he said.

Eagles must be clinical — Ugbade

BY JACOB AJOM He observed that from what he saw of the South American champions against Spain, they will provide a far more stiffer opposition to the Eagles. “They play with a lot of power and have a lot of depth and strength in their attack."

•Mba

Federation Cup Plateau Utd 2 Wikki 1 Akwa Starlets 2 Kwara Utd 2 (Akwa win 5-4 on penalties) Bendel Insurance 1 Julius Atete 3 Gombe Utd 9 Bussdor 1 Nasarawa United 3-0 Adamawa United(W/O) Enyimba 5-1 Police Machine Dolphins 3-1 NAF FC Elkanemi Warriors 1-0 Apa United Arewa United 0-0 ABS FC(PK 6-7) Kano Pillars 3-0 Global Academy Lobi 1 Crown 1 (5-3 pen) Warri Wolves 1 Dynamite 0

Vanguard, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013 — 63

Okagbare Continued from BP of Nigerian sprints when she retained the 100m title for the third year running.

However, she ran a slow 11.25 seconds leaving spectators wondering what might be eating up the woman with the fastest time in the 200m

this year who has run a wind assisted 10. 89 seconds in 100m.

Before the race the athletes were kept waiting on the blocks for sometime, but once the gun boomed they went off in a slow start and it seemed Okagbare who is eying Gloria Alozie’s

Kalu

Continued from BP Orji Uzor Kalu who believes the South Americans are no easy meat.

Kalu dreads Uruguay more than Spain,hinging his fears on what he called the South American jinx which he explained continued to haunt the Nigerians.

He said,”Uruguay will be tough ,very tough.The South Americans have a way round our Super Eagles in FIFA organised championships.I rate

Uruguay higher than Spain in this competition.”

Continuing, the exgovernor added,”at the USA’94 World Cup, Argentina beat the Eagles 2-1 inspite of Samson Siasia’s opener. France ’98 saw Paraguay pound us 3-1, Argentina won again 1-0 in Ibaraki, Korea\Japan 2002 and again 1-0 in South Africa.

Do not forget that the Argies also got a goalless draw at the Saudi ’95 Confederations Cup.”

Keshi Continued from BP previously, but Coach Stephen Keshi says his players are history-makers and have the confidence to pick maximum points in Salvador.

The Eagles have lost a brace of friendly matches 0-1 to Colombia (1994 and 2008), lost by the same scoreline to the Colombians at the US Gold Cup in June 1995 and fell 1-3 to Paraguay at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, before drawing 1-1 with the Paraguayans in a friendly in London four years later.

Brazil, five-time world champions, hit the Eagles 3-0 in a friendly in Abuja in June 2003, and two-time world champions Argentina narrowly edged three previous clashes at the FIFA World Cup, in 1994, 2002 and 2010. Nigeria also lost 0-1 to Peru in a friendly in Lima last year, but secured a 2-2 draw with Ecuador at the LG Cup tournament in Libya in October 2004.

However, the Eagles are two-wins-out-of-two against Venezuela, following a 1-0 defeat in a friendly in London in July 2003 and the

sweet 3-1 thumping in America seven months ago.

The La Celeste are up against a mountain though, with confidence sky-high in the camp of the African champions.

Nigeria is one of only two countries never to have lost a FIFA Confederations Cup match in normal time.

Additionally, the Super Eagles have never lost a competitive match since Stephen Keshi stepped into the saddle 19 months ago.

And they swung onto a fine start with a 6-1 win over Tahiti that has lifted them above every other team at the tournament.

“We’re on a good swing and the mood is great,” Keshi said in Salvador on Wednesday.

“There’s nothing to be apprehensive about. We have no injury worries and the boys will simply go in there and give their best for country and continent.”

Victory over Uruguay will lift Nigeria to six points and all but assure a place in the tournament semi finals, ahead of the crunchy tie with Spain in Fortaleza on Sunday.

national and African record, had no desire to go full speed as Gloria Asumun, Peace Uko, Mariam Bassey and Justina Sule failed to provide the required push to have a keenly contested final. Asumun finished second with 11.

47, while junior athlete Uko was third with 11.67 seconds.

The men’s 100m race will be decided today

In other finals concluded yesterday, Sarah Sambawa of Uganda who is chasing world championships qualification jumped 13.88m in the triple jump.

Nigerian women Blessing Ibukun 13.57m, Mary Onuoha 12.68m and Mary Honesty 12.44m did not put too much pressure on the reigning African champion.

Be cautious against Uruguay — Sofoluwe tells Eagles

BY JACOB AJOM

F

ORMER Nigerian defender, Yisa Sofoluwe has advised the Super Eagles to be cautious in their approach to the all-important second group match in the Confederations Cup against Uruguay today.

Speaking on the match in a chat with Sports Vanguard, Sofoluwe said that the most important thing was that the Nigerian team recorded a handsome victory in their opening match.

“The 6-1 victory over Tahiti was a good thing for the team. It is a morale booster and the most important thing is that they should build from

Kick-off Continued from BP Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea visit Old Trafford the following weekend in a mouth-watering fixture.

The Special One’s side take on newly-promoted Hull at Stamford Bridge in their opening game.

Manuel Pellegrini begins his Manchester City reign at home to Newcastle, while Arsenal host Aston Villa.

The North-London clash is the start of a testing opening to the season for Villa, who have a home match against Liverpool and a trip to Chelsea in the following two games.

Crystal Palace’s first game back in the top flight is against Tottenham at Selhurst Park.

Cardiff — Championship winners last season — start their campaign at West Ham before home games against Manchester City and Everton.

that,” the former international said.

He reckoned that the Eagles resounding victory over Tahiti was a signal to their group opponents, Uruguay and Spain. “They will respect the Eagles even as they will want to impose themselves on the Nigerians. But my advise is that the Eagles have to be cautious."

Uruguay Continued from BP 2-0 down to score a fantastic free kick and left the stadium with respect. With that idea in mind, El Maestro is contemplating making changes to his starting line-up, which could mean a return for Diego Forlan.

The experienced forward has even voiced his desire to see his country through the Nigerian opposition. ‘’We know the Nigerian game is key and that the draw suits them better than it does us. If we draw the game, then it leaves things out of our hands on the final day.

We need to prevent that from happening.”

Fresh from their handsome defeat of Tahiti, Nigeria stand top of the group on goal difference

from Spain and have slightly more margin for error. The Super Eagles should not be lulled into a false sense of security, however, and will know only too well that the Uruguayans will present a far stiffer test of their abilities than the Oceania champions. Coach Stephen Keshi has already said he will be making changes at the back in a bid to contain the effervescent twosome of Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.

The coach said his side will remain resolute in the face of the stiff test expected from the South Americans.

“Everyone is here to win and Uruguay are planning right now how to beat us. We need to improve and focus on the job in hand,” Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, JUNE 20, 2013

Keshi out for history against Uruguay Venue: Estadio Arena Fonte Nova, Salvador •Kick-Off: 11 p.m.

V

ICTORY over an other South American side, Venezuela in a friendly in Miami, USA in November will ginger African champions Nigeria as they take on Uruguay in their second match of the FIFA Confederations Cup tournament on today.

Nigeria and Uruguay have never met at full international level. Both countries realize they have to take something out of their clash at the Arena Fonte Nova, making Thursday ’s game something to anticipate for football followers around the universe.

Venezuela is the only South American country that Nigeria had beaten

Continues on Page 63

REMIER LEAGUE champions Manchester United kick off their 2013-14 campaign at League Cup winners Swansea.

New United boss David Moyes will travel to Wales on August 17.

Continues on Page 63

Prem opening-day fixtures Arsenal v Aston Villa Chelsea v Hull Crystal P v Tottenham Liverpool v Stoke Man City v Newcastle Norwich v Everton Sunderland v Fulham Swansea v Man United West Brom v Southampton West Ham v Cardiff

Uruguay unleash Forlan, Suarez, Cavani on Eagles BEATEN by Spain in their opening match, Uruguay must take something from this game if they are to have any chance of progressing. To achieve that, Os-

car Tabarez’s will need to reproduce the kind of form they showed late on against the world champions, when they rallied after being being Continues on Page 63

Uruguay tougher than Spain — Kalu

C

O M PAT R I O T S who think Eagles’ game against Uruguay is a tea party need to hear former

Abia state governor Dr.

Continues on Page 63

Okagbare wins again!

B

LESSING Okagbare confirmed that she is the undisputed queen Continues on Page 63

•Oduamadi

First Match

Spain vs Tahiti 8 pm

•Forlan

QUICK CROSSWORD

Sudoku TODAY'S

P

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 4 Hang over (5) 7 Refuge (6) 9 Mineral (3) 10 Barrier (3) 12 Stop (5) 13 Branch (4) 15 Big (5) 17 Claim (6) 19 Bound (4) 20 Invest (5) 22 Nothing (3) 24 Sailor (7) 27 Speck (3) 28 Temptress (5) 31 Vegetable (4) 33 Skirmish (6) 35 Avoid (5) 37 Disembark (4) 38 Filament (5) 39 Consume (3) 41 Annoy (3) 42 Hammer (6) 43 Guide (5)

DOWN 1 Fortress (6) 2 Countless (6) 3 Failure (3) 4 Pull (4) 5 Carouse (5) 6 Put off (8) 8 Masculine (4) 11 Size (9) 14 Morose (4) 16 Check (4) 18 Head (4) 21 Story-writer (8) 23 Minus (4) 25 List (4) 26 Brook (4) 29 Truly (6) 30 Nakedness (6) 32 Check (5) 34 Hem (4) 36 Deviate (4) 40 Label (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS

ACROSS: 1, Knot 4, Ebb 6, Rage 9, Oil 10, Gruesome 11, Brag 14, Per 16, Angle 19, Suffered 21, Piled 23, Calendar 24, Marry 27, Yen 31, Warp 33, Academic 34, Pal 35, Deny 36, Lee 37, Dolt.

How to Play Sudoku

THE VIGILANTE

DOWN: 2, Norm 3, Tier 4, Esoteric 5, Brew 6, Robin 7, Air 8, Glare 12, Islam 13, Offer 14, Pep 15, Relay 17, Grade 18, Learn 20, Delegate 22, Den 25, Agape 26, Reply 28, Jail 29, Head 30, Hill 32, Ran

e-mail: rowolove@yahoo.co.uk

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-8944295. Advert Dept: 01-7924470; Hotline: 01-8737028; Abuja: 09-2341102, 09-2342704. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.