Buhari, Amaechi, others in protest rally against FG

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62281

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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

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Buhari, Amaechi, others in protest rally against FG •Tasks govt on free, fair elections, security, rule of law

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POCKET CARTOON

APC SALVATION RALLY—Deputy Superintendent of Police Bawa Dauda (right) engaging Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi (middle) at Police Headquarters gate during APC salvation rally in Abuja, yesterday.

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Buhari, Amaechi, others in protest rally against FG

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

A

BUJA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential aspirant and former Head of State, Gen.Muhammadu Buhari; APC National Chairman, John OdigieOyegun and Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, yesterday, led thousands of party supporters in a protest rally in Abuja, accusing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP-led Federal Government of playing politics with Boko Haram.

The protest tagged ‘Salvation Rally ’, was aimed at drawing global attention to what the opposition party described as deliberate hijack of the Nigeria police and other security agencies by the ruling PDP. According to them, the rally was essentially a clarion call against the increased spate of insecurity, killings, corruption, and police brutality against official opposition.

They also accused President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP of gross incompetence and unprecedented display of impunity.

Others at the event which started at the Eagle

Square in Abuja through to the Police headquarters, were former governor of Osun State, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; APC’s deputy national chairman, North-East, Senator Shuaibu Lawal; Senator Ali Ndume, Shaba Lafiagi and Senator Gbenga Ashafa.

Speaking at the rally, the opposition leaders took turns to lambast the Federal Government, saying that President Jonathan has failed Nigerians in all ramifications.

Our demands —APC leaders

The first to speak was Governor Amaechi who told the crowd, mainly APC supporters, that the rally would mark the end of PDP’s impunity in the country.

According to him, restoring the withdrawn security details of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal and stopping the insurgency in the North-East amongst others were the demands President Jonathan must accede to.

He said: “Today will mark the beginning of our resistance to the President’s attempt at owning the Nigeria Police and keeping the military in his pocket. They are

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

The Seven Faces of Intention: Creativity, kindness, love, beauty, expansion, abundance, and receptivity. —Wayne Dyer According to Wayne Dyer: All seven are expressions of what I imagine that source to look like. First, the very fact that we exist is proof to me that the nature of that source is creative at its core.

And there isn’t a person reading this who does not have a gnawing sense inside that there’s something they’re here to do, something creative.

Dyer says, don’t die with your music still inside you. Listen to your intuitive inner voice and find what passion stirs your Soul. When you do this, you’re also tapping into another face of intention: love. If you’re doing what you love and loving what you do—whatever it is—you make a living at it!

either the Nigeria Police or Goodluck Jonathan’s Police. They must choose one from today. Today, all of us must decide as a nation whether we will allow the President to continue to disobey court orders. The court has said that he should give back the Speaker his security details, and the President has disobeyed.

“Today, the President must tell us why our brothers and sisters are dying in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states and they are here enjoying in Abuja. The President must answer that; why is he comfortable and Nigerians are dying.

Today, the insult of what they called stomach democracy must stop. This stomach infrastructure must stop.

“Today is the choice to stop the President from defeating our interest to be Nigerians, the interest to become responsible for our own lives and choose their president. Today, the President must tell us why he stopped INEC from distributing the polling units on population basis.

Today, the President must tell us whether he is our president, regional president or an ethnic president.

“It is your choice to make. I am a governor but I am also a citizen. I think as citizens of Nigeria, today is the beginning for a struggle for democracy.

You know we don’t have democracy any more in Nigeria. What we have in Nigeria now is diarchy.

Diarchy is a government headed by a civilian but under the support of the military. Today the President sits with the military against you and I. Today, we are told that the military will take over our elections. We must stop them today. It is your choice to make."

Vote out PDP in 2015 — Buhari

Also speaking, former Head of State, Gen. Buhari asked the people to vote the PDP out of power next year.

“The aim of this rally has already been explained by the chairman, the Governor of Rivers State, Chief Amaechi and the subsequent speakers have already explained why we are here. This is supposed to be part of the series of activities that the APC has lined up between now up to the general elections in 2015.

“We started here in Abuja because this is the federal capital. It belongs to all Nigerians. It is placed in the centre of the country. These activities will be conducted in the states and then it will continue until we go to general elections.

“Our concern is the lack of performance of the Federal Government. I will like those of you that have the time and the capacity to reflect on what the PDP has done to this country from 1999 to date.

Try and find out what was the state of infrastructure in 1999, what it is now and what we have earned between then and now. It is then it will dawn on you how corrupt, inefficient and indisciplined the PDP is.

“The PDP cannot run from responsibility. They cannot escape from the position they put Nigeria.

Now, we are in extremely very bad shape. This country is insecure. This country is getting bankrupt and it is merely because of corruption and incompetence. APC is out to make sure that we stop lousy system by voting PDP out. Vote out the PDP next year. If you want a secure and efficient Nigeria, you just have to do that. No alternative.

Make sure you get your permanent voters cards.”

Say no to impunity — Odigie-Oyegun, Gbajabiamila

Cataloguing what he described as the “sins” of the PDP-led government, the national chairman of APC, Oyegun said: “Now, let us be clear.

What exactly are we asking for? An end to the raging insurgency that is daily killing and maiming our compatriots. An end to the impunity that permeates the Jonathan administration. An end to the massive corruption that has left our compatriots impoverished in the midst of plenty. An unambiguous effort to ensure that 2015 elections will be free and fair.”

He continued: “What you are seeing here today, which is the first stage of the occupation of Abuja, is just a warning shot. If we do not see any discernible change of attitude on the part of the government, then we will move to the next stage on

the list of actions that our party intends to take to stop the rot being perpetuated by the PDPled Federal Government.

We are therefore using this opportunity to alert Nigerians and the international community to what is undoubtedly a set of carefully-set booby traps on the path to free and fair elections next year.

On a similar note, the minority leader of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila also lamented what he called the regime of impunity in Nigeria, saying that time has come for change.

"This rally has been tagged salvation rally.

There is a reason to that and you all right here are part of the salvation army."

FG frustrating elections, security — Onu

Former national chairman of ANPP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu in his contribution chided the PDP-led government, saying its polices in the last 16 years it has held power was to frustrate the conduct of free and fair elections.

“Today is a very unique and important day in the history of our country. The APC is tired about the way Nigeria has been run in the past 16 years. There is need for change for the sake of our children.

"If Ghana can organise free and fair elections, Nigeria should. If Senagal can organize free and fair elections, Nigeria can. If Zambia can organise free and fair elections, Nigeria must.

“Today, APC is calling on Nigerians to make it mandatory on the ruling party that the general elections of 2015 must be free and fair. We are tired of the execuses they are giving about the insurgency in the NorthEast. For too long, they told us that they couldn’t act because Boko Haram was merely striking and going back into the bush.

Now, the insurgents are coming out, over-running our cities and they control our cities. What has made news in Nigeria recently is not our cities falling under the control of Boko Haram but that hunters are liberating towns of

Nigeria.

“This is a great embarrassment to the nation. This puts our military that we know are capable, who have distinguished themselves in military expeditions all over the world, peace keeping and so on, we know that the military is capable but we know that there is a voice behind that is making it difficult for them to act. For the sake of Nigeria, let us make sure that the interest of Nigeria is put first in everything."

Protest taken to police headquarters

Meanwhile, the rally later sprawled outside the perimetres of the Eagles Square to the city with most supporters of the party carrying different placards which read “looters of treasury; friends of Jonathan; “Leave military out of elections”, “we are crying for our Chibok girls, Malabu oil scandal, police pension heist and $20b missing oil money, kerosene subsidy scandal, private jet scandal”.

Outside visiting a junction close to Transcorp Hilton Hotel, the protesters also went to the headquarters of the Nigerian police to register their concern.

But the authorities barred them from accessing the office of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP. This consequently prompted the deployment of more police officers within and around the venue of the event, even as a police helicopter hovered above.

Mr & Mrs

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

SURE-P beneficiaries protest in Kwara

By Demola Akinyemi

I

LORIN—THERE was pandemonium in Ilorin, Kwara State capital, yesterday morning, as scores of aggrieved beneficiaries of Federal Government's Subsidy ReInvestment Programme, SURE-P, in the state stormed major streets to protest non-payment of their monthly salaries for the last eight months.

However, Kwara State Coordinator of SURE-P, Chief Moses Ibiyemi, described the protest as sponsored, adding that the protesters were no more on the lists of SUREP beneficiaries in the state.

He said: “Those who were protesting along major streets in Ilorin are not our members; those aged women among them were paid to join the protest.”

The protesters displayed placards bearing insulting inscriptions against the management of SURE-P in the state.

Spokesman of the group, Mr. Uthman Bello, told journalists that they resorted to the street protests having explored all peaceful options to make the authorities concerned pay their money to no avail.

Bello added that they had it on good authority that the money was remitted to the authorities in the state monthly, in the last eight months and wondered why they were not paid.

The protesters particularly accused the management of SURE-P in the state for allegedly diverting the money released to pay them to their private pockets.

The spokesperson urged the Presidency to intervene in their plights.

He also said they had made a lot of contacts with the management of SUREP in the state, without any response from the appropriate authorities.

Bello said: “I want to say that we have it on good authority that the Federal Government has released our money to the management of SURE-P in Kwara to pay us. But the management has refused to pay us.”

Catholic priest escapes death in auto crash

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—A priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Owerri, Rev. Fr. Kingsley Obilonu, narrowly cheated death yesterday as a low-bed Mack trailer rammed into his car in Owerri.

The priest was driving into Owerri town, while the truck driver was heading towards Umuahia when the road crash occurred.

A female staff of Imo State Civil Guard, who claimed to have witnessed it all, told Vanguard that she was at her Relief Market/Mbaise Road Junction duty post when the crash occurred.

She said: “The priest was driving into Owerri, while the truck driver was heading towards Umuahia before we heard a big bang, followed by screaming from sympathizers.

“When we got to the scene, we saw the priest emerge from the accident unhurt.”

She recalled that not long after coming out of the badly wrecked vehicle, the priest picked the particulars of the vehicle, removed the plate number and handed them over to the policemen with an instruction.

According to her, the priest said: “Please, give the vehicle particulars and keys to the

truck driver. He should take the vehicle. Please, do not unduly harass the driver.

“I am happy that I am alive to tell the story of what happened. I have forgiven him. I do not want to press any charge against him.”

Vanguard also gathered from the Parish Priest of St. Mulumba’s Parish, Owerri, Rev. Fr. George Ahamefula, that the priest, now serving as a missionary in a foreign land, was due to travel back to his base this week before the

accident occurred.

Fr. Ahamefula thanked God for saving the life of Fr. Obilonu.

He said: “It would have been very difficult to pull off the heavy duty truck, which fully rested on the priest’s car.”

The accident scene.

2 sisters arrested trying to smuggle marijuana to detained brother

By Bartholomew Madukwe

T

HERE was a mild drama, yesterday, at the Lagos State High Court sitting in Ikeja, following the arrest of two siblings of an accused, Babatunde Oyetobi, who were caught trying to smuggle 11 wraps of marijuana to their brother in the court’s inmates’ cell.

The two siblings, Shade Oyetobi, 24, and Atinuke Adebanwo, 32, who were apprehended by the prison officers, said they were in court because they knew their brother’s case was coming up yesterday.

One of the siblings, Shade, a hairdresser, who lives in Bale Street Ijora Badia, said her brother’s friend, identified as Jamiu, asked her to hand over the marijuana to her brother.

The second, Atinuke, a mother of three, who identified herself as the elder sister to both Shade and Babatunde, said she did not know that her younger sister had plans to give marijuana to Babatunde in the cell, adding that she normally visited her brother in court whenever his case came

up.

The prison officer, A. R. Muhammad, who caught the suspects, said the two sisters approached him that they

wanted to see their brother, adding when asked what was inside the cellophane bag they carried, the younger sister said it was a leather slippers.

“On order, she brought out the slippers and on our insistence

of total disclosure, we discovered 11 wraps of Marijuana,” Muhammad explained.

Their brother, Babatunde, is on trial for attempted robbery and assaults.

25-yr-old driver arrested with drums of crude oil

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—THE Nigerian Navy, Naval Outpost Onitsha located in Odekpe, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, has arrested a 25-year-old driver, Nwaoye Onyekwere, from Ebonyi State with 13 drums of unrefined petrol, loaded in a Ford bus.

The Naval outpost also seized 15 bags of substance, suspected to be marijuana, weighing approximately 150 kilogramme but could not arrest the fleeing suspect.

Addressing newsmen before handing over the items to the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, the Commanding Officer of the outpost, Navy Captain Michael

G. Oamen, said: “The patrol team discovered some men engaged in an illegal operation of bunkering petroleum products, and on sighting the naval patrol, they hurriedly abandoned their activities and jumped into a waiting boat and escaped from the scene of the crime.

“However, they abandoned a Ford bus with number plate APP 39XK Lagos, loaded with 13 drums of 200 litres of crude oil with a driver who was sleeping in the vehicle.

“The bus was loaded with the 13 drums and the driver was subsequently detained and taken to our base for further investigation.

“Without prejudice to the outcome of the investigation, it is believed that the products are petroleum products from an illegal refinery, and it is worthy

of mention that the activities of operators of illegal refineries are detrimental to the environment and the economy of the nation.”

On the seized weeds suspected to be marijuana, Oamen said: “On November 15, at about 2.33a.m., a naval patrol on routine inspection of various beach landings along the River Niger observed an unusual gathering at the Mike Okigbo sand beach at Niger Street located close to the Onitsha Main Market Road.

“On closer inspection, they discovered that some men were offloading bags from a boat unto the jetty.

“My men fired warning shots and they retreated deeper into the River and jumped into a waiting flying boat. We made efforts to pursue them, but they went into a populated area.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—7

Three policewomen beaten, strippped by suspects

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—THREE female police officers from Oregbeni Police Station, Ikpoba Hill, Benin, who went to effect the arrest of a tenant on the invitation of a landlady at Oregbeni quarters, were yesterday beaten and stripped naked by tenants.

Vanguard gathered that the affected police officers are currently receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in the state capital.

It was learned that trouble started when the tenant insisted on taking her bath before going to the police station, but the police officers said she should follow them.

A fracas was said to have ensued and other residents in the area joined the tenant to beat and strip the police officers.

The landlady, identified as Mrs. Okebuse, said she invited

the police because she had given the tenants quit notice.

She said: “When the police came to make arrest, they started fighting the policewomen. I ran for my life and hid at the other compound.”

An eyewitness said the

landlady always used police to harass her tenants, adding that the woman was taking her bath when the police officers arrived, but was disallowed from continuing with her bath.

Police Commissioner, Foluso Adebanjo, who expressed

disappointment at the attack, said the police would not take the attack likely.

Adebanjo said the attackers would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

He said the suspects had already been charged to court.

Man, 24, commits suicide in church

By Dayo Johnson

A

KURE—A 24-year-old man, Lanre Falodu, has reportedly committed suicide in a church premises in Owo area of Ondo State, where he was taken for deliverance.

The deceased brother, Tunde, according to a police source, took him to the church located at Imola area of Owo to seek spiritual solution to his problem.

It was learned that the deceased, who had been in church for some time,

reportedly escaped at about 5:30a.m. on the ill-fated day.

He was said to have hung himself on a tree within the church premises.

His lifeless body was discovered by the pastor of the church, who informed Police in Owo. A team of homicide detectives was dispatched to the scene, where the deceased's body was removed and deposited at Owo General Hospital morgue.

Ondo State Police

Command imagemaker, Wole Ogodo, said the matter had not been reported at the state police command in Akure, but promised to contact Owo Divisional Police Officer, DPO. In another development, an aged woman reportedly committed suicide at Idanre area of the state.

Police imagemaker said the woman, believed to be mentally sick, poured petrol on her body, set herself ablaze and died before help could reach her.

SCREENING: Security personnel screening pupils at the entrance of a primary school in Maiduguri, following the re-opening of public schools, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

DSS arrests six suspects over killing of BSIEC's scribe

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—SIX persons involved in the October killing of the Administrative Secretary of Bayelsa State Independent Electoral Commission, BSIEC, Simeon Akpane, have been arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services, DSS. Chief Simeon Akpane, aged 48, an indigene of Ofoni in Sagbama council area of the state, was shot in the head at close range on October 10, at about 8p.m., in front of his residence at Bethel Church Close, off Otiotio Road, Yenezue- Gene, Yenagoa, while returning from an outing.

The suspects include Freedom Allen, from Yenagoa, aged 27; Kurotimi Clarkson Okilo, alias Oyoyo, from Southern Ijaw, 27; Simeon Macauley Imiete, Yenagoa, 21; Abubakar Ibrahim, Kano, 24; Maharaza Sallau, Plateau State, 20, and Salisu Haladu, Katsina, 24.

Parading the suspects yesterday in Yenagoa, the state Director of DSS, Mr. Lassan Baba, said preliminary investigation showed that the six persons arrested shot dead the BSIEC scribe during a failed robbery operation.

Freedom Allen, according to the DSS boss, shot the BSIEC scribe in the head with a locally-made pistol, while he was struggling with the other attackers.

I don’t know how bullets left my AK-47, dismissed DPO tells court

By Onozure Dania

L

AGOS—A former Divisional Police Officer, DPO, Segun Fabunmi, attached to Pen Cinema Division of Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, told a Lagos High Court that he could not explain how the ammunition allocated to him left his rifle.

Fabunmi, who had been dismissed, is standing trial for allegedly killing one Ademola Daramola and injuring others during the mass protest on fuel subsidy, organized by Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and

Trade Union Congress, TUC, of Nigeria, in January 9, 2012.

The alleged offence was committed at Yaya-Abatan, Agege, during the protest.

At the resumed hearing of the trial, Fabunmi said the AK-47 rifle was opened, while on his way to the scene of protest, adding that after Daramola died, he could no longer remember how many rounds of ammunition were left in the rifle until he was about being detained.

Fabunmi, who was being cross-examined by Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution,

DPP, Mrs. Olabisi Ogungbesan, told Justice Olabisi Akinlade that he neither chased anybody, shot nor injured people.

He said: “I did not run after the late Ademola Daramola, may his soul rest in peace. I do not know him. Why would I chase him? It is ridiculous.

“I never ran to anywhere neither did I fire any shot at anybody.”

The defendant also told Justice Olabisi Akinlade that on January 9, 2012, he received a distress call that hoodlums at Yaya Abatan Junction, Ogba

Agege area, were breaking people’s windscreens and holding innocent people hostage.

He said when he got there, there was break down of law and order and that immediately the hoodlums saw him and the other seven police officers, they started throwing bottles, sticks, cutlasses, stones and Molotov Curtails.

When asked if he knew that some ammunition got out of his gun, Fabunmi said: ”Yes. I knew that some ammunition got out of my gun when the hoodlums were trying to

dispossess me of my rifle, after I sustained injury.

“It took the grace of God for them not to have collected the rifle from me. The other police officers all ran away.”

He said he had only been DPO of Pen Cinema Police Division for two months and that he went to Lagos State University Teaching Hospital for treatment, but that he could not remember the name of the doctor that treated him.

However, Justice Akinlade adjourned the matter to February 18, 2015, for the adoption of written addresses.

8 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Elumelu, Kalu join Africa’s top 50 richest persons

By Michael Eboh,

with Agency Reports

T

WO Nigerians, Tony Elumelu and Orji Uzor Kalu, with four other persons have joined Forbes list of 50 richest people in Africa.

According to Forbes, Elumelu, a Nigerian investor and founder of African investment firm, Heirs Holdings, joins the rich list with a net worth of $1 billion.

Forbes said Elumelu owns a controlling stake in Transcorp, a listed Nigerian conglomerate that has interests in insurance, healthcare, hotels, power production, energy and agriculture, adding that he is a proponent of Africapitalism, an economic philosophy that propagates that the African private sector has the power to transform the continent through long-term investments, creating both economic prosperity and social wealth.

“Elumelu made his fortune when he bought into a struggling Nigerian commercial bank and transformed it into the United Bank for Africa, a leading commercial bank with a presence in 19 African countries,” Forbes said.

On Kalu, Forbes said, “He is better known in Nigeria as a politician. But the former governor of Abia state, located in Nigeria’s southeastern region, is also one of the country’s most successful businessmen.

“He made his first million at age 20 by trading agricultural commodities, and then found his way into the circles of influential military personnel who awarded him lucrative contracts to import and supply arms and ammunition to Nigeria’s defense forces.

He made a killing reinvesting his profits into expanding Slok Group, his privately-held trading and manufacturing empire.

“The Slok Group, a West African conglomerate in which he owns more than 90 per cent, has interests in shipping, banking, aviation, steel and manufacturing. His country home in Igbere, Abia State, has 400 rooms and is one of the largest private homes in Nigeria.”

Military recaptures Gombi, Hong, Pella from Boko Haram

By Kingsley Omonobi, Umar Yusuf & Ebele Orakpo

Y

OLA—NIGERIAN Military in conjunction with the civilian JTF, local hunters and vigilante groups yesterday recorded resounding victory over the Boko Haram insurgents as they recaptured Gombi, Hong, and Pella towns in Adamawa State which had been under the control of the insurgents.

Security sources disclosed that for four days, the military has been making concerted efforts to recapture the three towns under the control of the Islamic sect.

The source confirmed that the troops were victorious yesterday afternoon when they overwhelmed the insurgents in a fierce battle.

He said the gun battle between the Nigerian troops and the insurgents lasted four days which resulted in the

death of more than 400 insurgents as several of them were arrested. He added that there were also casualties from the troops while several of them were injured including a top ranking officer.

According to him, “The Nigerian troops are now in full control of Gombi, Hong and Pella towns and more than 400 insurgents were killed in a battle that lasted for four days just as several of them have been arrested.

“A lot of weapons and equipment were also recovered from the insurgents, however a top ranking officer was seriously injured as few soldiers lost their lives in the battle”, he said A fleeing resident from Gombi, confirmed the victory to newsmen on phone saying that the troops were in control of the three towns now. The resident who claimed to be hiding on a mountain on the major road to Gombi when he saw many local

hunters moving towards Gombi in their thousands from Yola, the state capital said he was confident the hunters would be victorious judging from their determination while going to the troubled areas.

“Our troops and local hunters are committed to end the activities of the insurgents in the north east and happily very soon we will return home” he said Another source Mallam Abdul also confirmed that a fierce battle between Tuesday and Wednesday ensued along Gombi-Hong axis of Adamawa State as the military made frantic efforts to recapture the areas from Boko Haram insurgents.

He said with the commitment of the military to end the activities of the insurgents in the last four days he was not surprised to hear that the military has recaptured Hong, Gombi and Pella.

Abdul who hails from Hong said sources from the troubled areas did not however confirm the number of casualties from both

ARMY RECAPTURES ADAMAWA TOWNS: Troops relax after a hard-fought battle.

Tinubu commends Tambuwal for suspending presidential bid

By Emmanuel Aziken,

A

Political Editor

LL Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has commended Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal over his withdrawal from the presidential race of the party, saying his action is a lesson to all on the true meaning of patriotism.

Tinubu, who described Tambuwal’s withdrawal from the contest as a sacrifice that would not be in vain, said the speaker’s entry into the party has reasonably boosted the party and its potentials.

Tambuwal had on Tuesday suspended his participation in

the APC presidential primary upon what he claimed as counsel from party elders and in the overall interest of the party.

Commending his gesture yesterday, Tinubu said: “This sacrifice you have made will not be in vain. It must be noted by all democrats across the country as an act of great patriotism. We all appreciate the position you have taken and the sacrifice you have made. ''You have demonstrated the true spirit of democracy. You have indeed shown the way to all other party members on the kind of sacrifice expected of them. You are a good example to the young and old and the leading lights of our party.” You secured the wish of a virile section of our party, espe-

cially your colleagues, Honourable Members who meant well in their desire to have you vie for the highest office of the land. And excited by your politics and candidature, most Nigerians looked in your direction hopeful in the prospects of your candidacy and a New Nigeria.”

“But rather than pursue a selfish ambition, you humbly submitted yourself to the service of the common good. Whatever anyone may say, you have made history.”

“Your sacrifice for the cohesion of the party and a greater Nigeria will go down in history as one of the greatest pragmatic and progressive political sacrifices ever made in the politics of our country.”

sides but it was gathered that the encounter was fierce with the insurgents recording higher number of casualties.

Confirming the recapture of the three towns from Boko Haram terrorists yesterday, the Defence headquarters in its twitter handle said “Nigerian troops in their daring exploit have taken full control of more communities in Adamawa State including Gombi, Pelia and Hong.

“Our Troops are in full control of Gombi, Pelia and Hong as operations to clear all areas infested by terrorists is ongoing.

Many terrorists are being captured as some die. Weapons and equipment are also being recovered. Mopping up is ongoing in the area even now,” it said.

Vanguard also gathered that the army authorities have arrested some junior officers who were leading troops on the field during the battle to recapture Mubi, for behaviour unbecoming of officers asked to lead soldiers.

They were said to have showed signs of weakness by their conduct which had negative influence on some soldiers prosecuting the battle and affected their advance.

Meanwhile, former governor of Kaduna state, Col Abubakar Dangida Umar (retd) has proffered suggestions on how Boko Haram can be defeated.

In an interview with Vanguard, Col Umar said; “for an effective war against the insurgents, we must resolve to do the following: *Show unity of purpose by stopping all divisive recriminations as to which group of Nigerians is responsible for the emergence and support of Boko Haram. It is not true that the Federal Government is behind Boko Haram nor is any anti-President Jonathan politician responsible. *We must give unalloyed support to the Federal Government and by extension, our security forces in their difficult task of combating the Boko Haram insurgents. *More than ever before, Nigerians must be securityconscious. *Politicians must desist from using our security challenges to score cheap political goals. They must also show the example by refraining from excessive celebrations during their electioneering campaigns. *All national celebrations must be suspended. We should also suspend our participation in international sporting events until our security situation improves. *Special prayers should be held in churches and mosques for the victims including prayers for the release of the Chibok School girls and other abducted victims.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—9

EMERGENCY RULE EXTENSION: Again, Senate summons CDS, Army Chief, IGP, others today ...Denies allegation of financial inducement for extension

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru &

Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—THE Senate yesterday failed for the second time to agree on whether the request by President Goodluck Jonathan to extend emergency rule imposed on the states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe should be approved.

Instead, the red chamber after a closed-door session that lasted about three hours, invited the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Kenneth Minimah, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Usman Jibrin, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu, to brief its members on the state of affairs in the Northeast with regard to the fight against Boko Haram.

Others also invited to the meeting included the InspectorGeneral of Police, Suleiman Abba, and Director-General, Directorate of State Security (DSS), Mr. Ekpeyong Ita.

Besides, the Senate has denied allegations that the Presidency gave money to its leadership for onward distribution to members to influence them to approve the emergency extension rule request.

Senate President, David Mark who presided over the plenary after the closed-door session said that the Senate had robust and extensive deliberations during the closed-door session on the request of President Goodluck Jonathan for the extension of emergency rule for another six months.

He said that the consideration will continue today and that the service chiefs will be part of the deliberations to explain why the extension should be granted and what had been achieved since the emergency rule was imposed on the affected states.

Chairman, Senate

Committee on Information, Media and Public Affairs, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe while briefing newsmen said, “The Senate, on Wednesday, the 19th of November, went into another closed-door session to consider the request of Mr. President for an extension of the state of emergency in the three states that will elapse maybe, by tomorrow (today).

“And the discussion, as we had earlier said, was very frank, robust and sometimes, very acrimonious which is usual, in political discussions, and we agreed, as a Senate that the discussion will continue tomorrow (today).

“And also for the purposes of having further information, we invited the service chiefs to be available tomorrow (today) to also brief us on the efforts that have been on-going in the past six months when the emergency was declared.

“We have therefore adjourned till tomorrow (today) and we will

also consider the information that we will also get from the service chiefs and the additional information that will be available to us from the governors of the states that are going to be contacted by the Senate President. We hope we will take a decision tomorrow in the interest of this country.”

‘Allegation of financial inducement untrue'

On the allegation by some senators that the Presidency brought some money to the leadership of the Senate to influence members to support the extension request, he said: “My response is that, that is utter rubbish and that there is no such thing. I think senators are very well aware of the fact that they are here, voted in by their people to make sure that whatever decision they take would be in the interest of Nigeria and has nothing to do with pecuniary benefits.

“I can assure you that no such thing happened and no such thing

is being contemplated by anybody and I want to put it on record that that allegation is merely the figment of imagination of anybody who decides to concoct it. If there was such a thing, maybe we would not have also continued to have this discussion. The mere fact that the discussion is still going on should tell you that there is no such thing.”

Explaining why the service chiefs were invited when they had met with the Senate Committee on Defence last week over the same issue, he said: “It is merely the fact that matters have been changing from day to day. This is a war situation and we will continue to seek upto-date information.

“Yes, the committee has briefed the Senate, as part of our discussion inside but we want to hear from the horse’s mouth.

Some senators felt that it will be necessary for us to hear from them and we all agreed that they should come and tell us themselves what the real situations are.

“We are going to pass a request for an extension from Mr. President but all that we need to know is where we are, what we have gained and what we intend or think we will have in the future and I think that it is not unusual.”

Govs call for withdrawal of $2bn from Excess Crude Account

By Funmi Amodu, with agency reports

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BUJA—FOR the fourth month running, statutory revenue available for distribution between the three tiers of government dropped as the total revenue for October stood at N593.34 billion. The amount is about N10.192 billion lower than the N603.529 billion shared in September. This is just as governors of the 36 states of the federation called for the withdrawal of $2 billion, or about N320 billion from Nigeria’s $4.11 billion Excess Crude Account to be used for the completion of projects and for provision of security across the country ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Details presented at the end of the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee, FAAC, meeting in Abuja on Tuesday however showed that N420.036 billion realised as oil mineral revenue for the month was higher by about N45.294 billion realised in the previous month.

Non-oil revenue was lower than N127.356 billion realised in September by about N10.699 billion.

Accountant-General of the Federation, Jonas Otunla, said gross revenue of N536.692 billion received for the month was higher than what was received in the previous month by N34.596 billion.

“There was improvement in mineral revenue for the month, despite the ongoing force majeure by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), facility shutdown and production shut-in on the trunk and pipelines at various oil terminals as well as unfavourable market conditions, resulting in further decline of

crude oil prices,” he said.

Mr. Otunla said distributable statutory revenue for the month was N484.321 billion, with about N35.549 billion proposed for distribution under the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P).

In addition, he said about N6.33 billion was refunded by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to the Federal Government.

A breakdown of the allocations showed that the Federal Government was allocated N224.226billion, states N113.75billion and local governments N87.696 billion, while N47.123 billion went to the oil producing communities as 13 per cent derivation revenue.

Speaking with reporters, chairman of the Commissioners’ Forum, Timothy Odaah, said the states have sent a request to President Goodluck Jonathan for approval of $2billion from the excess crude revenue account to help them settle debts to contractors for the execution of key contracts, provision of security in the run up to the primaries and elections as well as elections proper.

He said they were optimistic that the president would consider their request positively to assist them weather the austerity the country is going into.

Meanwhile, Alan Cameron, an economist with FCMB Group Plc (FCMB) in London, said the Federal Government’s proposal to cut expenditure by six per cent may be insufficient to address investors’ concerns after oil prices plunged by about 30 per cent since July.

10— Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

LASU: 14 lecturers' Ph.D certificates withdrawn —ASUU

SYNAGOGUE: Police witness identifies

Monsur Olowoopejo AGOS—ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, yesterday, alleged that the management of the Lagos State University, LASU, has demanded for the withdrawal of Doctorate certificates of 14 lecturers, who participated in the industrial action to demand for the reversal of the tuition from N350,000 to the old rate of N25,000.

They also alleged that Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State has failed in its responsibilities as the visitor to the state university, LASU. The union led by the Coordinator of ASUU, Lagos Zone, Dr. Sola Nasir made the allegations at a press briefing heldinLASUMainCampus,Ojoaxis of the state.

In his reaction, the Vice-Chancellor of LASU, Professor John Obafunwa denied the allegations.

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How to make elections peaceful, successful—Iwu

By DapoAkinrefon AGOS—IMMEDIATE past National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu, has raised fears that failure to address the menace of violence may endanger the 2015 general elections.

He appealed to political parties in the country to imbibe the culture of internal democracy, saying its absence constitutes a threat to democracy in the country.

Professor Iwu said this, yesterday, at the second anniversary lecture of Realnews and presentation of a book entitled: Paragon of Journalism, co-edited by Maureen Chigbo and late Mike Akpan, Publisher/ Editor and Editor-in-Chief of Realnews magazine, respectively, in Lagos.

The former INEC chairman, who spoke on the topic: ‘Nigerian democracy: Getting it right in 2015’, said he declined to make public comments about election management in the country because “my views could easily be misunderstood.”

He said: “For the 2015 election to be successful, it is imperative that the menace of violence in the electoral process should be addressed effectively for democracy to firmly develop in the country. Indeed, violence in its various forms and manifestations negate the spirit and principles of democracy.

There is hardly any room for the two, democracy and violence, to thrive simultaneously."

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mystery aircraft as military Hercules ByAbdulwahab. Abdulah & Ebele Okafor AGOS—THE proceedings of the coroner's court investigating the collapse of a guest house belonging to the Synagogue Church of All Nations continued yesterday with the police witness, DSP Olushola Agboyi, officially identifying the aircraft which allegedly hovered over the building as a Hercules CH-130 belonging to the Nigerian Air Force.

The police investigator, who is of the Homicide Section, Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Yaba, also insisted that the incident could have been sabotage.

Led in evidence by police lawyer, Mr. Chukwu Agwu, Agboyi testified that the aircraft was on a circuit training mission and was flying very low.

The witness said he led the team that investigated the collapse and also a member of the Federal Government’s panel.

Agboyi disclosed: “I recorded statements from 34 witnesses who claimed the aircraft was flying very low and had caused panic among residents of the Ikotun area.”

However, the witness noted that the police had not completely ruled out the possibility of structural defects as being responsible for the collapse, as they are still

waiting for the final report of the investigating team put up by the Federal Government.

To support his argument, he disclosed that his team wrote to the Lagos State Ministry of Works to analyse the materials used for the building, adding that they were still awaiting the report.

He maintained that the preliminary reports suggested that the collapse could have been caused by internal sabotage from lodgers or visitors to the church.

He said: “The saboteur, undetected, could have used explosives or chemical

substances to bring down the building.”

He told the court led by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe that the Bomb Disposal Unit of the Police visited the scene of the incident but was yet to present their report.

Agboyi disclosed he interviewed one of the survivors, Mr Taiwo Temitayo Taiwo, who claimed “he heard a thunderous noise and saw lightening moments before the building came crashing.”

He said after watching footages of the incident, he was

of the view that it was consistent with controlled demolitions.

“The building came down in seconds. From the analysis of experts, the collapse looked like controlled demolition. It should be subjected to the testing of experts outside the country,” the witness suggested.

He explained further that the Federal Government interagency panel investigating the incident had yet to conclude its findings.

The proceedings continue today.

GOV NOMINATION FORM: Lagos State governorship aspirant, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode (left), submitting his governorship nomination form to the National Organizing Secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Osita Izunaso (right), and National Secretary of APC, Alhaji Bale Buni, at the party's National Secretariat in Abuja, yesterday.

PENGASSAN rejects FG’s austerity measures

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

& Olasunkanmi Akoni AGOS—PETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, yesterday, in Lagos, called on the federal government, to reduce drastically, the number of political appointees and aides and the cost of maintaining them instead of imposing an unnecessary austerity measures on Nigerians.

PENGASSAN’s President, Mr. Francis Johnson, in a statement argued that the high number of political appointees and aides to the Presidency, the ministers, state governors and their commissioners were simply draining the nation’s resources and putting pressure on the economy.

Johnson cautioned the federal government, especially the federal ministry of finance against stifling the economy through withholding of funds for human and developmental projects, but to tighten the noose around all avenues of leakages and wastages.

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The statement said, “the cost of governance in Nigeria is too high and irrational and if we are looking for ways to cut cost, I think the first place to exemplarily focus on is in the direction of reducing the numbers of political appointees to the barest minimum.

"The huge amount we spend in paying these aides can be used on developmental projects and boosting of the nation’s economy. The governors, ministers and federal and state legislators should also be made to reduce their aides to a sizeable number that our economy can

2015 elections doomed, except... —Opadokun

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AGOS—THE Coordinator of Coalition of Democrats for Electoral Reform, CODER, Chief Ayo Opadokun, has said that with the combination of technical hitches, faulty machines, poor enlightenment and logistics, and measured diversion of voter ’s cards distribution from oppositioncontrolled areas, “2015 general elections will most certainly be a stillbirth.”

The former National Democratic Coalition, NADECO, scribe told journalists in Lagos, yesterday, that unless Nigerians give critical attention to Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC’s preparation, the “deformities”

observable in the process will not ensure a free and fair election, which is three months away.

He said: “In 2003, there were 57 court cases challenging election results; in 2007, there were 1,022, while 1,960 cases followed 2011 elections. These are indications that the election process has been progressively getting worse.”

Opadokun accused INEC of using an untested and faulty software, PATCH; working to reduce the voting strength in opposition-controlled areas in the guise of ‘data loss,’ and engaging in “programmed sorting out of voters cards before delivering them to states.”

bear and whatever is gotten from this exercise should be used in supporting and bolstering the economy.”

PENGASSAN called on the government to develop other sectors along with the extractive and manufacturing industries as a way of diversifying the national economy from its over dependence on oil revenue.

...Lagos APC too

Meantime, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led Federal Government for subjecting Nigeria to economic ruins in 16 years of relentless oil boom.

APC contended that the present austerity measures reeled out by the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala just two months after the reversal of a 16 year oil windfall showed that the PDP is devastating and cannot be trusted with the fate of any country seeking development and progress.

Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Joe Igbokwe, in a statement yesterday, described the measure as lamentable.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 —11

APC lawmakers stay away as market women intervene EKITI LEGISLATURE, EXECUTIVE FACE-OFF:

By GbengaAriyibi with agency report DO-EKITI—MARKET women from the 16 local government areas of Ekiti yesterday met with Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members of Ekiti State House of Assembly to broker peace between the legislative and the executive arms of government.

The market women were led by their leaders (Iyalojas and Iyalajes) from the 16 councils.

Mrs Eunice Okunlale, the President of Ekiti Market Women, who also doubles as the Iyaloja of Ise-Ekiti, led the women from the various council groups to the meeting.

All Progressives Congress, APC, members were absent at the meeting also attended by the Clerk of the House, Mr Tola Esan.

According to reports, the leader of the PDP caucus in the House, Mr Dele Olugbemi (PDP, Ikole II), received the market women on behalf of other members of the House.

He assured them of the resolve of the House to continue making laws that would bring about development in the state.

The lawmaker urged the women to pray for the success of Governor Ayo Fayose’s administration.

Speaking with newsmen after the meeting, Okunlale said the women were in the House to sue for peace between the legislators and the executive arms of government.

The women leader, who said they were disturbed by the development in the state in the last one week, expressed the need for unity between the two arms of government.

She appealed for cooperation

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between the two arms to enable the new governor to succeed in his transformation bid.

Okunlale appealed to the APC members in the House to join hands with their PDP counterparts in their resolve to move the state forward.

It will be recalled that the PDP faction of the House had on Monday approved the dissolution and reconstitution of Caretaker Committees for the 16 local government areas of the state.

Olugbemi presided over the sitting as the speaker ex-tempore.

Shut up, Fayose tells Tunji Abayomi

Meantime, Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has asked the

human rights activist and lawyer, Dr Tunji Abayomi to shut his mouth up on issues he knew little or nothing about.

Fayose, was reacting to the letter dated November 18, 2014 authored by the legal practitioner to the governor titled; “Your threat to peace, order and governance leadership in the Ekiti State House of Assembly," where Abayomi was said to have condemned in strong terms what happened in the House on Monday November 17 , 2014 at the floor of the House where the PDP lawmakers had endorsed the list of the commissioner nominees sent to the House by the governor.

Fayose accused Abayomi of double standard and exposing

his naked hypocrisy.

Reacting through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka,in Ado Ekiti yesterday ,the governor said Dr Abayomi should stop dancing naked in the market place.

The governor said: “Nigerians should ask Tunji Abayomi where he was when former Governor Kayode Fayemi used 12 Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, lawmakers to confirm the appointment of Local Government Caretaker Committee in 2010 while the Speaker then, Hon. Tunji Odeyemi and other PDP lawmakers were in Abuja to meet with the President.”

The governor said “Dr

ANNIVERSARY: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (middle), his wife, Olufunso (2nd right), Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo (2nd left), his wife, Olori Gbadebo (left) and wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola, during the thanksgiving service in commemoration of Alake's 9th coronation anniversary, at the Cathedral of St. Peter, Ake, Abeokuta.

2015: Ondo APC rules out indigent aspirants

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By Dayo Johnson

KURE—THE Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Ondo State, Hon. Isaac Kekemeke yesterday said that any aspirant of the party who cannot fund his campaign should forget the party ’ s ticket.

Kekemeke said that the party either from the National or state level would not field any liability as its flag bearer in next year ’s election.

He spoke in Akure yesterday when one of the aspirants of the party made a donation of computers to the party secretariat in Akure, the Ondo state capital.

The chairman pointed out that the era when party would carry all the burden of its candidates has gone with the wings.

Kekemeke also assured that the party will not thread the path of imposition in the choice of its candidates.

He said the party will follow the wishes and aspiration of the people

in the state and will not bow to any external interference.

Kekemeke warned some aspirants who are in the habit of dropping names of leaders of the party as their sponsors or that they have endorsed them.

Noting that the gimmick is to frustrate other aspirants of the party, the Chair man advised the aspirants of the party to ignore such “ cheap political point” which according to him does not hold water.

FG approves entrepreneurship centres for public varsities

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By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—THE Federal Government has approved the sum of N100 million for the establishment of entrepreneurship centres in all Federal and state universities across the country.

Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund Prof. Suleiman Bogoro disclosed this yesterday in Abeokuta at the two-day capacity building workshop on entrepreneurship development for lecturers in public institutions in Nigeria held at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta.

Bogoro who was represented by Muhammed Nasir said the Federal government through the TETFUND has also approved a fiveyear vision for the fund to deepen its focus on academic content, quality and excellence.

According to him, the fund for the setting up of the entrepreneurship centres was set aside over three years ago by TETFUND with the approval of President Goodluck Jonathan.

....As Ogun re-absorbs 430 contract teachers

By Daud Olatunji BEOKUTA—OGUN State government yesterday said it has absorbed no fewer than 430 primary school teachers whose contracts were terminated by the Federal Government.

The teachers who were laid off three years ago in the Federal Government Teachers Scheme, FTS, which reportedly ran for about two years were yesterday given appointment letters.

Speaking shortly after the distribution of appointment letters in Abeokuta, the Executive Chairman, State Universal Basic Education, Chief Mufutau Ajibola restated the commitment of the government to uplifting the standard of education in the state.

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12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Police arrest two INEC staff in Edo State over illegal registration

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN CITY—EDO State Police Command has arrested two adhoc staff of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over alleged involvement in an illegal registration of people at the residence of a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, leader in Oredo Local Government Council.

It will be recalled that All Progressives Congress, APC, youths in the state, led by Osakpanwa Eriyo, had stormed the residence of the PDP leader at about 4pm Tuesday, in company of security operatives, after it was learned that the party leader confiscated INEC machines and staff and was registering people illegally.

On getting to his residence the NYSC adhoc staff, another staff of the commission and the suspect took to their heels on sighting the APC youths but the adhoc staff were later arrested by the police.

When interrogated, the wife of the PDP leader confessed that people were being registered in their house.

Items such as bags containing laptops, 58 temporary voter cards, ID cards of the NYSC member identified as Nnamdi, were

recovered.

It was learned that some of the people who registered at the residence of the PDP leader went to inform others before the APC youths got wind of it and stormed the place.

At the time of filling this report, it was learned that the

community leader is on the run.

Edo State Police Commissioner, Mr. Adebanjo Foluso, confirmed that two adhoc staff of INEC had been arrested while investigations were ongoing.

INEC Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Sule Imoudu,

said the incident occurred in Oredo and that she was not the right officer to speak on the issue.

But when newsmen contacted the officer in-charge of the area, he said the matter was being handled and that he had no authority to comment further on the issue.

VISIT: Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State (right), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President and APC presidential aspirant, and Senator Domingo Obende, during a courtesy visit by Alhaji Abubakar to the governor in Benin City, yesterday.

EPZ crisis: Itsekiri will remain lawful, ILR assures

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—THE Itsekiri Legacy Rebirth, ILR, yesterday, said the Itsekiri nation would remain lawful in redressing the ethnic rancour over ownership of the land acquired for the $16 billion Ogidigben Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, in the face of perceived provocation from Ijaw of Gbaramatu in Warri South-West Local government Area, Delta State.

At a briefing in Warri, ILR, led by Mr. Patrick Fregene, alongside Dr. Alex Ideh, David Tonwe, Mike Odeli and others, the group said the postponement of the groundbreaking for the project by President Goodluck Jonathan, was a deliberate confrontation by the Ijaw neighbours to shatter the dreams of many Itsekiri.

Fregene said: “The Itsekiri people have not opposed the desire of Ijaw to grow or challenge any opportunity coming their ways, even if we have the opportunity to do so."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—13

2015: Uduaghan screened for Delta South senatorial primary

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By Festus Ahon

SABA—GOVERNOR Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, was yesterday, screened for the Delta South senatorial primary of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by a five-man committee, chaired by Alhaji Mohammed Babangida.

Other members of the panel were Dr. Frank Okafor, Mr. Mike Ewausia, Rev Yakubu Abudullahi and Dr. Kabi Illelah, who served as secretary/member.

Uduaghan who appeared before the committee, which sat at the PDP Secretariat in Asaba, told journalists that he was confident

of victory at the primaries because he was the most qualified to represent the Delta South senatorial district.

He declared that his level of experience as governor, exposure, contacts, among others, placed him far above other persons in the race for the party’s ticket in the senatorial race.

He said: “I believe that I am the most qualified candidate to represent my senatorial district. The legislature is about making laws that will affect the lives of the people positively. I believe that a lot of laws have to be put in place to ensure the development of the district.”

Governor Uduaghan, who was beaming with smile, exchanging pleasantries with other aspirants who came for the screening, ex-

plained that it was statutory for him to appear before the committee.

2015: Delta APC endorses Emerhor as consensus governorship candidate

By Egufe Yafugborhi HEAD of its primaries, All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, yesterday, endorsed Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, as its consensus candidate for the 2015 governorship election in the state.

The endorsement was done in Warri at a gathering of all zonal,

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local government areas, and wards leaders of the party across three senatorial districts.

Motion to that effect was first moved by Delta South senatorial district through Mr. Amabiri Azorbo, APC Chairman, Bomadi, Local Government Area, seconded

by Uzezo Akugha, Legal Adviser, APC, Isoko South LGA.

R-l : Chief Brown Mene; His Majesty, Atuwatse II, the Olu Of Warri; and Mrs. Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, CEO, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, donors of the ultra-modern science laboratory and others at the commis- L-r: Chief Brown Mene; His Majesty, Atuwatse II, the Olu Of Warri; Mrs. sioning of an ultra-modern science laboratory at Egbokodo Secondary Patricia Otuedon-Arawore, CEO, Hallmarks of Labour Foundation, and Mrs. Kate Erewa-Meggison, at the commissioning of the science laboratory.

School, Egbokodo, Warri South Local Government, Delta State.

Why we're providing free health care to Delta communities —US-based audiologist

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A R R I — A UNITED States of America-based audiologist and DirectorGeneral of Niger Delta Care Incorporated, Dr. John Oyiborhoro, has said that his organisation is providing free health care to the under-privileged in the Niger Delta due to their inability to pay for medical challenges, particularly their hearing and sight deficiencies.

Dr. Oyiborhoro gave the explanation in Patani during a free hearing and sight services offered by his organisation, said his NGO carried out a similar exercise in 2013 in some Urhobo communities in Delta State, noting that the target was to extend the free medi-care to the entire Niger Delta region.

14— Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

2015: I’ll take Delta to its full potential — Okocha

By Clifford Ndujihe

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USINESS CZAR, philanthropist and Delta State governorship aspirant, Chief Peter Eloka Okocha, has promised to make the state realize its full economic potential, if handed the mandate in 2015.

Okocha, who is from Delta North Senatorial district and aspiring on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, is upbeat on his chances of trouncing the other 24 aspirants in the race because “there are two contenders in the election: Peter Okocha and the others.’’

In an interaction with senior editors of Vanguard Newspapers, during a courtesy visit to the Lagos head office of the national newspaper, on Tuesday, Okocha said he is in the race to actualize his mission of giving back to the society.

To improve governance, he said he will deploy his wealth of private sector

experience to change the orientation and bring private sector attitude into the public sector.

In the no-holds-barred chat, he spoke on how he is going to boost the internally generated revenue, IGR, profile of the state, make the state civil service effective and efficient and why he is the best man for the job.

Apart from the goodwill of Deltans, Okocha said

he is relying on two Gs: smaller ‘g’ which is the government and bigger ‘G’, which is God to realize his ambition of governing Delta.

According to him, God (the bigger G) will use people in government (smaller g) to catapult him to the Asaba Government House in 2015. "If the smaller g does not like me, the biger G will make the smaller g to get me in.’’

On the clamour for power shift to Delta North, Okocha, who said he is not an advocate of power shift, however, contended that the arrangement or divine intervention that made Delta Central to hold power for 11 years and Delta South (eight years) should also favour Delta North in 2015.

Asked what he would do differently and how he would boost Delta IGR,

CBN depreciates Naira by 182 kobo ...cuts dollar sales by 72%

By Babajide Komolafe

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HE DECLINING fortunes of the Naira continued, yesterday, as it suffered another182 kobo depreciation at the foreign exchange auction conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. The results of the bi-weekly auction showed that the official exchange rate rose to N158.41 to the dollar at the end of the session, from N156.59 at the last auction on Monday. This translates to 182 kobo depreciation for the Naira against the dollar, and the largest depreciation at the official market since November 2011.

Cumulatively, the Naira has lost 202 kobo at the official market this week, and 265

kobo this month.

Meanwhile, the CBN yesterday reduced dollar sales at the official auction by 72 percent. Results of the biweekly Retail Dutch Auction System, RDAS, session held yesterday showed that the apex bank reduced dollar sale to $114.04 million, from $397.33 million sold on Monday. This represents the lowest dollar sale in any RDAS session since January 21st this year when the apex bank sold $100 million.

The reduction in dollar sales, and depreciation of the Naira, indicate that the CBN has decided to protect the nation’s external reserve instead of defending the Naira.

he said he would expand and ensure effective utilisation of the Asaba and Osubi airports, ensure usage of the

Sapele, Koko and Warri seaports and embark on massive road constructions across the state.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 15

C M Y K

16 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

APC 'Salvation Rally' in Abuja

From left, Hon Adamu, All Progressives Congress, APC, National Secretary Maimala Buni, National Chairman of APC, Chief John Oyegun, Presidential Aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari, Chief Ogbonaya Onu, and others, during APC ' Salvation Rally' held in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

A cross-section of APC members at the rally.

From right, Former Osun State Governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola; APC National Secretary, Maimala Buni; National Chairman of APC Chief John Oyegun, APC National Leader and Presidential Aspirant General Muhammadu Buhari, an APC National Leader Chief Ogbonaya Onu,and others

From left, senator Kabiru Gaya discussing with Senator Ali Ndume

From left, APC National Chairman Chief John Oyegun discussing with Senator Buka Abba Ibrahim

Special APC members.

....APC and Police at Abuja rally

Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi blocked at Police Headquarters gate from seeing Inspector General of Police, during APC's 'Salvation Rally," in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

Governor Amaechi (middle), seemingly challenged by a Police Commissioner, at Police Headquarters gate.

AIG S. I. Aguda, discussing with Governor Amaechi (left).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 17

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ET me begin by expressing relief that House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal, finally dropped out of the race for presidency in 2015. Not that he is not eminently qualified; but in the circumstance, he was clearly being set up to fail, and it was also to scuttle the chances of the APC in the 2015 presidential election. It was the thought that came to my mind late last week, when the report emerged that Bola Tinubu had withdrawn support for General Muhammadu Buhari and had decided to back Tambuwal. Like most Nigerians, especially observers of the political scene, I was not entirely surprised about the development, given the treacherous propensities associated with politics in general, and the Nigerian variety in particular. What alarmed me was the impression that Tambuwal was prepared to willingly allow himself to be led to a slaughter. Thank God that he pulled back from the brink in good time.

But Tambuwal allowed himself to come under the influence of Tinubu and Bukola Saraki for too long. Tinubu has always postured as a “progressive”, but he is actually a most reactionary operative whose loyalty is to himself and his personal agenda. There are reports of deals he allegedly entered with President Goodluck Jonathan and the PDP in the lead to the 2011 elections.

Creation of APC So in playing a vital role in the creation of the APC(and in fairness to him, he was a major part of the process leading to the APC’s emergence) there was nevertheless the fear that he was not going to stay the course in the long run: General Buhari will be left high and dry; he would shop for a new candidate (and it happened to be Tambuwal) or in the final analysis, he might even go back to cut another deal with Jonathan. It is looking like the Tambuwal option has come unstuck. So the jury is out on what he might do next.

The other character in the equation is Bukola Saraki. He has wormed his way into the inner recesses of Tambuwal’s world and as part of his effort, he even got himself appointed as the Chairman of the Turbaning Committee when Tambuwal was given a chieftancy title recently in Sokoto (a job that should ordinarily have been left to Zakari Muhammed).

And to deepen the mystery, Saraki was also at the forefront of promoting the abortive Tambuwal presidential bid. His agenda was clear to the discerning: he realises that Tambuwal has built a head stream of popularity in the country and must somehow be politically damaged by being seen to be attempting to scuttle General Buhari’s presidential ambition.

Saraki knew he hadn’t a

that an attempt was first made to arrest James Ibori. When he saw Ibori’s plight, Saraki cut him off, refused to even pick his b e l o v e d partner ’s telephone calls and he has d o n e

Snakes in Aminu Tambuwal's compound chance in the world to be given a look in for the 2015 elections, so he announced early, that he was pulling out of the race. But it was a tactical move; he was already planning ahead towards the 2019 polls. From his standpoint, Tambuwal is a potential candidate that must be damaged early. Saraki does not have a sense of gratitude or

loyalty to anyone but his own personal fortunes. Let us recall that he was James Ibori’s closest partner during the Yar ’Adua presidency; the two of them literally decided who got what appointment or the juiciest contracts and multi-million dollar waivers during that dispensation. It was in fact in the Kwara State Lodge Abuja

everything, especially through the media, to ensure that the special relationship he forged with Ibori in the Yar’adua years is forgotten by Nigerians.

It is these two individuals that desperately promoted the Tambuwal presidential candidacy and in the process literally let out a cat amongst the political pigeons of the

opposition APC. My friend, Nurudeen Abdulrahim, wondered aloud why Tambuwal would allow two dangerous political cobras in his compound. Tambuwal is not an Indian and does not come from a background of snake charmers. But he played too dangerously closely to cobras, risking a bite and their very potent poison! In the long run, it was good that he pulled away from the brink and in the process, found the means to neutralise the political cobras that had taken over his political compound. By withdrawing from the presidential race this week, Tambuwal has done his own political future a world of good! There is a lot more surprises in store as we edge closer to 2015. The Chinese curse is very much upon the political landscape; we have certainly arrived at very interesting times in Nigeria!

Nigeria begs America for weapons; soldiers flee battles and local hunters are new heroes

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AST week the Nigerian Ambassador to the USA, Professor Adebowale Adefuye berated the USA for refusal to sell “lethal weapons” to Nigeria in the fight against the Boko Harm insurgency. Addressing members of the Washington-based Council on Foreign Relations, Adefuye said: “The US government has up till today refused to grant Nigeria’s request to purchase lethal equipment that would have brought down the terrorists within a short time”. The Ambassador added that: “We find it difficult to understand how and why, in spite of the US presence in Nigeria with their sophisticated military technology, Boko Haram should be expanding and becoming more deadly”. If the Nigerian government, through its Washington Ambassador was about to outsource its failure to

If the Nigerian government, through its Washington Ambassador was about to outsource its failure to suppress the Boko Haram insurgency to the USA, it clearly missed the point, because the Americans seemed unwilling to be blackmailed

suppress the Boko Haram insurgency to the USA, it clearly missed the point, because the Americans seemed unwilling to be blackmailed.

In response to Ambassador Adefuye, US State Department Spokeswoman, Jen Psaki replied that: “Nothing in our decision prevents Nigeria from obtaining weapons and other equipment from other sources”. Psaki added that: “Early this year, we denied the transfer of some cobra attack helicopters to Nigeria due to concerns about Nigeria’s ability to use and maintain this type of helicopter in its effort against Boko Haram and ongoing concerns about the Nigerian military’s protection of civilians when conducting military operations”. And as if to underline the American reservation, Nigeria lost another helicopter last week, bringing to three in recent weeks that have been lost. It is also imperative to point out that the Nigerian Army, that used to have a remarkable ability in combat, has now become more known for the way its troops run away from battle against the Boko Haram insurgency; often they abandon weapons that the insurgents then cart away.

It is the apparent inability or refusal to protect the people in the North East that has led to the emergence of vigilantes. These groups of local hunters, exservicemen and youths have now become the new heroes in many communities, responsible, according to reports, for the reconquest of Mubi and neighbouring areas in Adamawa State. The recent call by the Emir of Kano, for people to defend themselves against Boko Haram underlines the danger which faces the country. People in the insurgency-ravaged communities have concluded that the Nigerian state has lost the capacity to protect them. The danger of an anarchic breakdown and a widespread resort to self-help

looms, just as the Nigerian government continues to live in denial and believing its own propaganda that it is “on top of the situation”! The Nigerian state has increasingly become a hollow

shell, rolled over by corruption with an incompetent ruling elite that seems totally blind to its historical role of state preservation. It is very scary indeed!

Different grades of Chopin in government

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E have become terribly cynical about the process of governance in our country; and for good reasons! Our history is littered with the greatest levels of heist ever visiteduponanyAfricancountry,and theconservativeestimateisthat$300 billion has been stolen from Nigeria over the decades. The period since 1999 opened up a new vista in the lootingoftheNigerianstate.AsIhave pointedoutonthispageoverthepast few years, a new phenomenon emerged with the transition to civil rule; it is the phenomenon whereby those who have ruled our states end up becoming richer than the states they ruled. Three examples are clear today: Borno, Lagos and Kwara states! Nigerians know this fact and we have not sufficiently organised ourselves to stop the rot; it is still too easy to manipulate the ethnoreligious faultlines to numb or stop pan-Nigerian action. But we have remainedcynicallyperceptive,asthis example, sent to me early this week shows: * When you chop alone in government and no one chops with you, that is called ADAJE. * When you chop in government and you allow others to chop their own, that is called AJOJE. * When you chop in government and you give others from what you have chopulated, that is called AFUNJE. * When you chop in government and the place you are chopin eventually folds up, that is called AJEPA! * When you dey chop in government, you no remember your driver, secretary, office assistants, dat is called AFISHE! * When you dey chop alone in

government,norememberanybody, you kon dey get headache today, fever tomoro,hehehehehe. .. I laff oyinbo laff...dat one is called APETA! * When dem just appoint you for government position, and you just chop small, auditors kon come say bring all papers, dat is called ARANSI! * When you chop in government and you die while chopin, that is called AJEKU! * When you want to chop in government and you give others to chop before you begin to chop, that is called EGUNJE! * When you are chopin your own in government and you call your friends to come and chop their own too, that is called APEJE! * Whenyouchopandcleanmouth like say you no chop anything, that is called JEUN SOKE! * When you chop chop chop in government and you dey deny say you chop anything, dat is called JEUNKOKU! * When you chop from this government, that government, this government, that government like say na you dem create Nigeria for, dat one is called AJEPE AYE! * When you chop in government so tay you scatter ground, three houses for America, two for London, six for Kubwa, seven for VI, as Madam dey go shopping for Dubai, children deygo summer for Spain, EFCCkon gbabyou,datoneiscalled AJEBANU! * When you chop well well for government and people know say you chop well well but you dey deny say you chop well well, dat person na ALAJE SE. What’s your view of these categorisations?

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

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VERY child has a right to life Every child has the right from birth to a name, a nationality, and cared for by parents •Every child has a right to health and health services •Every child has the right to be protected from hazardous or harmful work and economic exploitation •Every child has the right to rest and leisure, to engage in play and recreational activities and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts.

•Every child has the right to an education •Every child has the right not to be subjected to torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment •Every child has the right to an adequate standard of living •Every child capable of forming views should have the right to express those views freely in matters affecting them •Every child with disabilities should enjoy a full and decent life , in dignity , in conditions that promote self-reliance and facilitate child’s active participation in the community Today marks the 25 th anniversary of the

No Rights, Just Plights Of The Child adoption of UNICEF’s Convention on the Rights of the Child, a summary of which is listed above.

There have been significant changes globally in concerns over the plight of children.

However, these have not resulted in marked improvements in the state of the world’s children.

About 17,000 children under the age of five, according to UNICEF’s statistics, still die daily from largely preventable causes, girls, in some societies remain at home while their brothers go to school. Access to medical facilities remains limited; child labour and exploitation are on the increase.

For many countries, child’s rights laws are observed in breach. Nigeria, for example, passed the Child’s Rights Act, CRA, in 2003, 14 years after the UNICEF convention. The Act drew its provisions from the UNICEF convention copiously quoted above, and included fines and imprisonment for violations. The law is ignored, starting from governments that have refused to recognise it to individuals who torture children.

States engage in the domestication of the CRA, a practice under which they throw out aspects of the law they do not want. This unchallenged violation of the law - no State can amend a federal law – applies only to the CRA and the Freedom of Information Act, two laws that bear great importance to our future and present.

Child marriages are practised in some parts of Nigeria. Children do not attend school and there are inadequate provisions for their health, sports and recreation. Physically challenged children get worse treatment; they are sometimes ignored or taunted over their disabilities.

Nigeria cannot build a future without children, healthy children.

OPINION

By Alex Obiogbolu

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S 2015 draws nearer, the political temperature seems to be heading for the boiling point. Many sublime and heated activities are coinciding and politicians are angling at accomplishing their dreams and aspirations. One thing that seems to be missing in all these is the patriotic zeal for our country, Nigeria.

There is no doubt that despite the present security challenges in some section of the country, the electoral laws must still be complied with. It is written that there should be regular elections in a four year interval to enable the citizenry elect their representatives at different levels of government such as the State Houses of Assembly, National Assembly, Governors and President. This is simply democracy in the mind of average Nigerians.

Democracy which is a form of governance has over the years attracted all kinds of definitions. Asking one to define democracy is same as asking for a defination of carpentry. It will only attract descriptions of what it is rather than a clear cut definition.

Though we can’t have a definition, we can at least associate democracy with two principles: equality and freedom. Equality of men before the law and God, and their freedom to make a choice are the two pillars.

Today, scientists would state that it is a government based on popular representation by means of free, fair and regular elections. Therefore, democracy cannot be legitimate if the people do not have the fair means of selecting who they want to be their

PDP party internal democracy and automatic tickets leaders and rejecting leaders whom they don’t want.

In the past we had witnessed abduction of ballot boxes, creation of ghost voters, thumb printing of ballot papers, employment of violence against political opponents such as thuggery and assassinations, and imposition of candidates. Whilst all these vices seem to be departing from our political lexicon, the imposition of candidates seems to be developing into a pandemic.

IMPOSITION OF CANDIDATES is directly responsible for the poor level of representation as those imposed when elected want to be accountable to the small cabal that ensured their emergence rather than to the electorate for their constituency. As such, the elected officials focus more on material acquisition to ensure that they are able to employ pecuniary gratifications to ensure that they continue to remain “electable”.

President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan promised to ensure that the electoral reform started by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua was seen through. He promised to support the Judiciary to ensure stability and at one of the NEC meetings of his party, the PDP in 2010 leading up to the Anambra State governorship elections promised to ensure that the election was free and fair.

Arising from the success of INEC at that election, President Jonathan continued with the dogma of “One man, One Vote”. There is no doubt that since 2010 till date, the INEC has improved in

electoral deliverables expected of an umpire and the PDP-led Federal Government has become famous for respecting judicial pronouncement on elections and political matters no matter the outcome. The most recent is the PDP-led Federal Government’s decision to abide with the court’s declaration on the Adamawa State governorship tussle that saw the ousted Deputy Governor return to government House, Yola.

Mr. President has won not a few admirers when recently despite the deluge of endorsements, especially from his party’s leadership; he still ensured that the door to aspire and contest was not shut to other interested party members in the presidential ticket. The National Executive of the party has also followed suit by ensuring that the President and other presidential aspirants contest the ticket at an announced national convention date. It is needless to restate that if President Jonathan continues with his mantra of allowing freedom of expression, association and creating more room for accommodation of diverse shades of opinion, the resultant deepening of democracy may turn out to be the most defining part of his legacy in our nation’s history.

Thus, the recent association of Mr. President’s name, office and official abode with the nocturnal meeting of some distinguished senators who were, according to reports in the media, to have demanded for automatic tickets has left many bewildered. This smacks of mischief from fifth columnists

within the PDP whose goal is none other than to undermine the administration they operate within. This is not strange in leadership and political circles as the minds of men are not read from their faces.

One wonders what the objectives of those canvassing for automatic ticket for senators are when even the President is not enjoying that alien privilege. Where in other climes is the lexicon “Automatic ticket” applied in democracy? Are the senators who ought to be distinguished demanding not to go for primaries? Are they demanding that other interested aspirants for their office not be allowed to contest with them, that the huge sums of money already collected by the party, PDP be refunded to those who paid?

Well meaning Nigerians must unite in the condemnation of the demands of these senators whose wish is to actualise their personal greed to the detriment of the country’s well being. We cannot afford to return to the old inglorious days. Those senators that desire to return to the red chamber should respect the laws they make and return to ask their constituents for renomination.

It is only through this mode that elected representatives shall learn to respect rule of law and become accountable to we, the electorate, that give them our collective mandate on trust every four years. God bless our Country, Nigeria.

*Obiogbolu, a medical practitioner, wrote from Onitsha.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014— 19

, Why Jega must go now (I) T HERE is an adage which says: “be careful what you wish for; you might get it”. As the tempestuous tenure of former Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Maurice Iwu, drew to an end, there was near unanimity that his tenure should not be renewed. Iwu had presided over a presidential election in 2007 which the winner, the late President Umaru Yar’Adua, had humbly admitted during his inauguration, that it was “flawed”. Nigerians were looking for a fresh start for our democracy. What point was this to commence if not in the house of INEC, the electoral umpire, regulator and midwife of much of our democratic processes?

One of the names that topped the charts for this job was that of Professor Attahiru Jega, a former President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. Most people also felt that since the job of Chief Electoral Officer of the Federation had never been assigned to a Northerner, the position should “ rotate” to the North. Still swimming in the pool of public goodwill, and yearning to con-

solidate his appointment as President of Nigeria on May 6, 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan got the Senate and Council of State to approve his nomination of Prof Jega. The nation applauded.

It is a little over 53 months since Jega and his team assumed office, with another seven months to the end of his five-year tenure. If the question: should Jega’s tenure be renewed for a second term is put before Nigerians in a referendum, the answer is likely to be a resounding “no”. The reason is simple. Before Jega, chairmen of the Electoral Commission (except Professor Humphrey Nwosu, who staged the June 12, 1993 general elections) were deeply criticised for sloppy preparations and conduct of flawed elections which tended to benefit the incumbents.

Jega has, in his own time, repeatedly demonstrated gross incompetence and lack of acumen in the management of men and materials. Most importantly, he is currently taking Nigeria on a dangerous ride which consequences could reduce the Boko Haram insurgency to a child’s

Jega is dividing the nation and setting the North and South on a warpath with each other in the brazenly partial way he is tampering with the sensitive political scales of Nigeria

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play. Jega is dividing the nation and setting the North and South on a warpath with each other in the brazenly partial way he is tampering with the sensitive political scales of Nigeria. That is why I am calling for him to either quickly retrace his steps or give way immediately.

We witnessed the harrowing experiences Nigerians went through while trying to register to obtain INEC’s Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, all over the country. This was an exercise that Jega and his team had all of four years to prepare for and perfect. Yet all we saw was the usual chaos arising from shortage of materials, a problem that has shadowed all the elections that Jega has conducted, starting from the general elections in 2011, down to state elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun. In all parts of the country, INEC was unable to supply

Lest we forget, 2014 in review L

AST week, we started a series, that the Ebola is a creation of the Westwhich we hope to sustain in the re- ern World in which the same WHO and maining part of this year — attempting other UN agencies have been implicatto remind ourselves of some salient is- ed in selecting and enticing Africans and sues raised during the year, which we con- African countries to participate in the sider important enough not to be swept testing events, promoting pretentious under the carpet. Given the frailty of the vaccinations, while pursuing various human mind, there is the constant need testing regiments. For too long, the into follow up on our actions, lest we for- ternational conspiracy against Africa in get. which Africans were used as guinea pigs, 2014 goes down in history as the year on African soil, has been going on. Some of the Ebola. We see the bold hands of respondents to our article, “Ebola As God in the affairs of Nigeria. For God Grand Conspiracy Against Africa” feel so loved Nigeria that He dispatched the that the points raised in that piece denation’s heath-care givers on strike at serve further investigation by the leadthe approach of the Ebola. They were al- ers of this continent. ready too far into that strike when Early in the year, when INEC issued Patrick Sawyer strayed into Nigeria. The the time-table for the 2015 general elecmajor hospitals were under lock and key. tions, a storm of indignation burst forth, Otherwise, Sawyer would probably have particularly on the aspect of placing the been rushed to a larger health institu- highest election, the presidential one, tion like the Lagos University Teaching first. This was widely criticized because Hospital, LUTH, instead of the “Obal- of its propensity to aid rigging at the lowende Dispensary” that was open. er levels, as it did in 1983 and other elecWe have maintained elsewhere that tions where it produced an unfair bandat a larger institution, perhaps between wagon effect. The ordering of an electhe doctors and the nurses; tion from top to bottom has between the paramedics and been likened to climbing a the pharmacists down to the tree from the top. The idewards; Sawyer would have al thing is to start elections come in contact with thousands from the lowest rungs of the of people and we would, inladder and move upwards. deed, have been talking of inINEC ignored the entire fected and dead people in their outcry. This is where INEC thousands. And more so, with lost all its claim to any our usual yearning for the Doldemocratic credentials. Eslar, that expatriate would have For too long sentially, we see no major been embraced by all, undifference here between known to them that Sawyer was Africans were INEC and the Idi Amin or really a time-bomb, waiting to used as guin- Sani Abacha regimes. explode.

For two years running, Later, we were told that the ea pigs on the Director-General of World Health Organisation, Securities and Exchange WHO, had certified Nigeria African soil Commission, SEC, Ms “Ebola free”. We took that with Arunmah Oteh, and her a pinch of salt, given the fact organisation, have been

enough materials. Millions of Nigerians are going to be disenfranchised, and nobody knows the number of people who will not be able to vote next year.

Disenfranchisement is going to cause more problems next year than it has ever done at any other time in our history. This is because we now have two powerful political parties, each desperate for victory. Each of these leading parties knows where their strengths are. If INEC denies people the opportunity to vote in parts of the country and parties lose on that account, the problems arising from that will be spontaneous and explosive.

Jega’s ineptitude manifested itself almost from Day One after he assumed office and released his log of political programmes.

Capitalising on the mass hysteria for credible polls, he tabled a bill of N75 billion before the Federal Government. Nigerians were outraged, but Jega was not done yet. He came back a week later and upped the amount to N87 billion! Jega has established a track record ofblundering first and struggling like an upended cockroach to correct himself later. After tabling the second amount he issued an ultimatum that the amount must be lodged in the Commission’s coffers by the first week of August 2010, as that was the only way he could provide free and fair elections. The Presidency and National Assembly ran themselves ragged and eventually met INEC’s conditionalities.

Jega had also announced that the general elections would hold in January 2011. Concerned stakeholders advised that the

time was too short, but he insisted that the law must be complied with. Much later, Jega discovered that INEC had “missed most of its timelines”. This is a man who does not see a problem until he walks right into it! He called registered political parties to a retreat in Tinapa, where the Party Advisory Committee, PAC, consisting of 68 political parties prevailed on him to shift the polls to the end of March 2011. The poll had to be shifted twice more later.

You will also recall that on Saturday, April 2, 2011, Nigerians were already five hours into the National Assembly polls when Jega suddenly went on national radio and television to call off the election! He blamed the same perennial disease: failure of logistics. He shifted the election to Monday, April 4, 2011. But once again, it took the wisdom of the political parties to let Jega know that his INEC lacked the competence to correct their logistical failure within two days. He acceded to their advice to shift the elections one full week ahead.

In the end, most people, including international observers, declared the 2011 general elections “a success”. However, Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters went on rampage, killing INEC NYSC ad hoc staff and other innocent Nigerians in the North.

Jega “was led” by stakeholders to succeed in 2011. He was like a pupil whom someone held his fingers to write and pass an exam.

He cannot claim to be the one who passed the exam. In part two, we will examine the vexed saga of 30,000 polling units.

consistently de-budgeted; as they have been denied needed funds in the annual appropriations. In spite of the denials of appropriation, we see that Oteh still remains DG of SEC. From where is she being paid? And for how long shall we continue to have a National Assembly that is inconsistent and most incoherent? While SEC bemoans its exclusion from the annual appropriation, its opposite, number, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has flouted the request to submit its budgets to the National Assembly for information, talk more for approval. In essence, the National Assembly is too weak to enforce fiscal discipline on CBN; and too wicked to perpetually subjugate the SEC. But between these extremes, a balance must be created to make for uniformity of standards. Put differently, what is good for CBN must also be good for SEC? In March this year, Nigeria witnessed the Nigerian Immigration Service, NIS, debacle in which 19 unsuspecting young job-seeking Nigerians, including a pregnant woman, were carelessly dispatched to their early graves. An equally gory incident occurred in July 2008 when a recruitment exercise by the same NIS produced a grim toll of 17 lives throughout the country. Still more annoying, those who presided over these disasters have gone scot free, which lends credence to the belief that it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss.

In the NIS debacle, we saw a situation where Nigerians were being asked to pay for jobs that were not in existence; and that’s exactly what has now been trans-

ferred to the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, where graduating students must now pay through the nose to access their postings. There is the callous argument that it costs more for the students to travel from their towns to the schools to get their postings. But we ask: Why should the onus of getting their places of assignment be on the poor students who have no job, in the first place? Why shouldn’t the institutions publish the list in national newspapers? Our government has virtually become a gaming machine, which no amount of money can ever satisfy.

Nigeria’s hollowed-out state is reflected in the impotent institutions that run the country: the army Generals have sometimes taken to swindling entire military budgets, with the result that Nigerian soldiers faced with ruthless insurgency in the North, who are unable to fight, are deserting the army in droves.

Thievery has become a way of life in our public service to the extent that President Goodluck Jonathan recently proclaimed that: “Stealing public money is not corruption”. It is even worse that he did not say what it is.

Yet, on the issue of profligacy, the Finance Minister and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, only points accusing fingers at state governors while insisting that we must “leave Jonathan alone”. This holier than thou attitude also deserves to be buried in the outgoing year!

20 —Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

By Suzan Edeh, Bauchi

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OR the third time in three weeks , Azare, the headquarters of Katagum Local Government Area of Bauchi State came under another deadly blast on Sunday leaving several persons at a popular mobile phone market dead. Most of those who died were said to be at the market to purchase phones and transact other businesses.

Although there was no inkling that evil was lurking around the corner, the attack did not come as a surprise to many because the town has become the target of insurgents and explosions usually occur where there are multitude of people. Vanguard Metro, VM, gathered that the area where the incident occurred is the biggest mobile phone market in Azare town and daily witness influx of customers, especially low income earners, who are attracted by the relatively cheap phones on offer.

The phone market which is adjacent another popular market known as Kasuwa Waya is new and one of the busiest in Azare. The market, it was learned, was littered with the burnt wreckage of motorcycles smeared with congealed blood.

As usual, the explosion left in its wake tears, blood and sorrow with 31 people confirmed dead and 65 others injured.

The bodies of the dead were mostly dismembered with rescue workers, including officials of the State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, having to pick what appeared as scorched body parts of the victims and conveying same to the Federal Medical Centre in Azare.

Recounting the horrors of the incident, some of the survivors said they lost their loved ones, while others narrowly cheated death as they were very close to the market when the blast occurred.

At the Federal Medical Centre in Azare, a relation of a dead victim( name withheld) who witnessed the arrival of ambulances from the scene of the incident bringing in the injured and the dead, told VM that his cousin went to the market to sell his phone which was giving him problem and unfortunately he met his death in the market.

He said many survivors suffered various degrees of burns, while some had fracture on parts of their bodies. Those who could walk were aided by medical personnel, while those who could not were brought to the hospital on stretchers with security beefed up to check the influx of people.

According to him: “When I heard of the incident, the first person that came to my mind was my cousin because we spoke on phone and he told me

•Some survivors receiving treatment at the hospital. Inset: Sympathisers at the scene of the blast.

*Scene of the blast

Azare bomb blast: Tales of tears, blood and sorrow •As victims recount experiences that he was going to the market to sell his phone because it was giving him problems. So I called his line,but it was not going through. After sometime I rushed to the Federal Medical Centre and begged the security men to allow me to go in. I was watching as they brought in the victims and as soon as I saw my cousin’s body, I recognised him. He looked

I was watching as they brought in the victims and as soon as I saw my cousin’s body, I just knew he was dead

lifeless and hospital workers were conveying his body along with others to the mortuary. I just knew he was dead”.

Another resident of Azare who gave his name as Auwal Ibrahim explained how he escaped death saying: “I came close to the phone market, near one vulcaniser to pump (air into) one of my tyres that was going down; the next thing I heard was a loud bang. I immediately took to my heels.

“The blast was scary because it was very loud. I later met some people who told me a woman wearing Hijab with two other men came into the market. Their movements were suspicious and before you knew it, there was this explosion. They said the shattered body of the female suicide bomber was recovered from the scene of the crash.

“They also said a certain man wearing a jumper shorts came with the female suicide bomber. After the incident, he was attempting to escape and someone who noticed him, alerted the crowd. The crowd chased after him and lynched him.”

Another survivor, Nasiru Mohammed who was selling nuts known as Dalbino in Hausa language, narrated his ordeal. He said: “I was selling my Dalbino and I was walking very close to the mobile market, when I heard a loud bang. I became confused

and I did not know when I threw my wheel barrow away and took to my heels. I ran as fast as I could to avoid falling into trouble. People were running in confusion and shouting out of fear. It was a terrifying experience I pray never to encounter such again.”

Chief Medical Director of Azare Medical Centre, Dr. Abduallhi Ibrahim, told newsmen that the hospital recorded 17 deaths and 30 of the victims of the bomb explosion are on admission. Giving a breakdown of this, he said of the 17 that died in the hospital 14 were victims of the explosion and three were suspected suicide bombers.

He confirmed that doctors and nurses defied Joint Health Workers Union strike to attend to the victims of the bomb blast and that the patients were responding to treatment.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Mohammed, confirmed the lynching of a suspected insurgent by a mob.

The Police spokesman confirmed 13 persons dead, while 65 sustained various degrees of injuries out of which 43 were treated and discharged, and 22 others are responding to treatment.

He added that the scene of the explosion was cordoned off

by Police explosive ordinance disposal unit, while casualties were evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre Azare for med-

ical attention.

Haruna disclosed that normalcy has been restored in Azare by combined security forces and patrols are being intensified within and outside the town.

Reacting to the development, State Governor, Isa Yuguda, condemned and described the blast as an act of terror which was most unfortunate. He commended the courage of the youths who came out to arrest one of the suspected suicide bombers.

The Governor promised that government would collaborate with security agents in the state to ensure that lives and property are protected, adding that the people too have complementary roles in the fight against insurgency. He called on everyone to be vigilant, particularly in areas where people gather for businesses and social engagements.

Sympathising with all those who lost their loved ones, the Governor also assured those injured of prompt and the best medical attention at all the medical centres in the state.

He also called on community and religious leaders to intensify prayers for divine intervention in the situation because, according to him, it was only God that can adequately intervene to bring the activities of the insurgents to a total stop.

He added that government, on its part, would continue to do its best to provide security to the people.

Vanguard, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 21

ICT sector has created 12m jobs in two years … Contributes 10.56% to GDP — NITDA DG carefully selected considering the collective desire to create jobs for the teeming youthful population.

He said that ICT holds the greatest promise for achieving the transformation agenda of the present administration, owing to the enormous potentials to drive other sectors as well as for job creation.

“In view of the above achievement, the focus of eNigeria 2014 on technology

By EMMANUEL ELEBEKE

T

he Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Peter Jack, has disclosed that that the nation’s Information and Communication Technology, ICT, sector has boosted the federal government’s effort in job creation with the creation of about 12 million jobs from 2012 to date.

This feat according to him is a significant improvement on the 2.5 million jobs also generated by the sector from 2002 to 2012.

Jack disclosed this in Abuja, saying that the sector has made a direct contribution of 10.56 per cent to GDP in the same period.

He stated that NITDA with the support of World Bank and UK Department for International Development, DFID also plan to create 460,000 more jobs across eight critical sectors in the Nigerian economy, having identified the sector as topmost priority.

“The ICT sector in Nigeria is currently boosting the Federal Government’s efforts in job creation as an average of 12 million jobs from 2012 to date have been created. This is in addition to contributing about 10.56 per cent to the growth of Nigeria’s GDP,” he said.

The theme of eNigeria 2014 is: “Creating Market Opportunities for Indigenous ICT Products and Services”.

He said the theme was

start-ups and young innovators is considered very timely particularly at this time that World Bank and UK Department for International Development, DFID are supporting Nigeria to create jobs.

“The support which is targeted at creating 460,000 new jobs across eight critical sectors in the Nigerian economy identified our own Information and Communication

FMO, Access Bank sign $30m facility for Women

I

From left: Kenton Dashiell, Deputy Director General, International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA); Tony Egba, Technical Adviser (Cassava Mechanization) to the Honourable Minister of Agriculture; Raphael Krucker, Head of Market Development, MEA, Buhler AG and Richard Hargrave, Managing Director, Dizengoff Nigeria, during the panelist discussion on the rate of technological modernization and mechanization in Nigeria’s large-scale farming and processing sector at the Agra-innovate exhibition in Lagos.

BoI reduces unemployment by 793,428

-$1.50

$2,863.00

$16.00

$15.74

-$0.16

$78.38

-$1.03

$74.96

-$0.86

CURRENCY BUYING

must take advantage of this golden opportunity to create jobs for our teeming youths while diversifying our economy from natural resource based to a knowledge-based economy driven by IT,” said the NITDA DG.” In his remarks, the former Minister of Science and Technology, Prof. Turner

By Babajide Komolafe

By FRANKLIN ALLI $190.5

Technologies, ICT sector as top most priority.

“This is a great nation that has enough capabilities to step forward and make global rules and employ Nigerians to build global companies as we can no longer afford to hunker behind the “techno-nationalism” at home, while going into the global network of technology collaboration and research.

“In our quest for achieving vision 20:2020 therefore, we

CENTRAL

SELLING

DOLLAR

155.39

155.89

156.39

POUNDS

243.263

244.0458

244.8285

EURO

193.3984

194.0207

FRANC

160.9092 161.4269

161.9447

YEN

1.3345

1.3388

1.3431

CFA

0.276

0.286

0.296

WAUA

227.1679

227.8988

228.6298

194.643

YUAN

25.3482

25.4302

25.5122

RIYAL

41.4097

41.543

41.6762

CBN Exchange Rate as 19 /11 / 2014

T

he Bank of Industry says its empowerment funds have so far taken a total of 793, 428 Nigerians off the street as they have been gainfully employed across four key sectors of the economy in the last three years. These sectors are agro processing, metals and solid minerals, gas/ energy and the creative economy.

The bank has also advised existing and prospective entrepreneurs in the country to learn from the business models of Promasidor Nigeria Limited and Globacom Nigeria, for bankable projects.

Data sourced from the bank showed that it empowered 3,126 companies in the key sectors with N201 billion that have created the 793, 428 employments.

A breakdown of the figure showed that 1, 949 firms in the agro processing industries created 557,096, while 696 companies in gas and energy sector employed 198,826; 27 firms in the metals and solid minerals sector accounts for 21,708 jobs while 55 companies in the

creative industry have also employed 15,798 workforces. However, at this year’s edition of Lagos International trade fair, the bank urged the business community to learn from the business models of Promasidor and Globacom.

“Whether you are in Large/SMEs, you must have the right business idea before you talk of mobilising fund. And if you are approaching us for loan facility, you must get your proposal right, and you must have something you are offering the market to make your product attractive to customers,” said GM SMEs.” He used Promsaidor’s cowbell and Loya premium milk satchel including Globacom’s per second billing, as a good business models for SMEs operators to copy.

“While Promasidor was the first dairy company to introduced milk in satchel, selling for N5, N10, N15; and people keep buying; Globacom also came up with per second billing for subscribers on its network and people keep recharging N100, N200,” he explained.

Executive Director, SMEs, Waheed

n furtherance of its commitment to women empowerment and the creation of a Women Empowerment Fund (WEF), Access Bank Plc and Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) have agreed on a $30million facility for lending to Women in the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s) in Nigeria.

The line of credit will provide financial resources to women owned small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. The facility will also be utilised in providing capacity building, debt capital support to women owned businesses, and promote the bank’s financial goal of reaching the unbanked through provision of cheap funding.

The Women Empowerment Fund will be funded through a fifty-fifty participation from Access Bank Plc and Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) and will be available to Women owned SME’s operating in various sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Speaking at the signing ceremony held at the Bank’s head office in Lagos, Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, said “This for us is a milestone achievement and a step further in our relationship with FMO. We did collaborate in 2006 to promote the Gender Empowerment program (GEM) but I think today’s facility for us is necessitated because of the large program we have for the W, the umbrella for anything for Women in Access Bank. Our aim is to inspire women through various strategic mentoring programs, a very interactive website which connects them, giving them better financial support and financial advisory services to enable them succeed as entrepreneurs.”

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 Consider starting a new pattern right now. How would it feel to be waking up everyday, knowing you stuck with every goal you had, and saw it to fruition.

,

BUSINESS

,

False perceptions steal dreams

BY Bob Proctor

W

E are just five and a half weeks away from yet another New Year ... if you’re like the masses then you’ve already long since forgotten the goals you set at the beginning of this year and already have your sites on another resolution and goal you’ll likely approach in the same way next year.

But that is not the right attitude. It’s not time to give up. Your dreams and goals are important. It’s time to get to work and create the exact life you dream of. Maybe your goals include losing weight, getting out of debt, repairing an old relationship (or starting a new one) or even starting your own business. You can certainly achieve these

in the desert.”

His neighbours laughed behind closed doors as every few months, the man painted his dirt again to brighten his ‘lawn.’ Each time someone would ask why he did it, and each time he would say, “Because everyone knows you can’t grow grass in the desert.” Finally one neighbour took pity on the man. He pulled him aside and asked, “What is the number one sport in Las Vegas?” The young man thought a moment. “Golf.”

“And where is Las Vegas?”

“In the desert.” “Then why have you never planted grass?” “Because you can’t grow . . .” The young man p a u s e d . “G r a s s i n t h e desert?”

Our belief systems are not

When we set resolutions or goals that challenge these paradigms, we are frequently doomed to failure - yet don’t understand why

,

goals – and more.

Why do we lose track of time and eventually let go of our hopes and dreams? Are we insincere when the goals are set and simply lose interest?

Not necessarily so. We live our lives by a set of beliefs, or paradigms, that are always with us. These are beliefs that we have developed over time to help us define the world and our place in it. The biggest mistake we often make is to underestimate the power of our ingrained beliefs and their ability to limit our ideas of what is possible in life. When we set resolutions or goals that challenge these paradigms, we are frequently doomed to failure - yet don’t understand why.

The story was told about a young man who moved to the desert. He decided that he wanted a nice green lawn and bought several gallons of green paint. He then painted the dirt in front of his house bright green. When asked why, he replied, “Because everyone knows you can’t grow grass

,

logical - in fact they frequently defy logic and will work against us when challenged. This is the reason that we so often set resolutions only to find that another year has passed and nothing in our lives has changed. We have the power to change but it requires two steps.

Consider starting a new pattern - right now. How would it feel to be waking up everyday, knowing you stuck with every goal you had, and saw it to fruition.

Choose to confront the paradigms and limiting beliefs that have been holding you back from your deepest desires and dreams. Don’t look back ever again and ‘ wish’ things had been different. Make a choice right now to make it happen. You h a v e t h a t p o w e r. S t o p painting over the dirt in your life, change your perspective and plant the seeds of change.

*Proctor is Chairman and co-founder of Proctor Gallagher Institute

NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES Date 19/11/14

Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N) 155.59 243.7162 194.7831 160.4104 1.3332 0.2764 227.0722 25.4148 41.46742 26.161 228.2505

Central(N) 156.09 244.4994 195.4091 160.9286 1.3375 0.2864 227.8019 25.497 41.6007 26.2451 228.984

Selling(N) 156.59 245.2826 196.035 161.4468 1.3418 0.2964 228.5316 25.5791 41.734 26.3292 229.7175

BY YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report

R

EGARDLESS of the def inition of success, there are a great number of common characteristics that are shared by successful business people.

Most of these characteristics can be learned with practice and by developing a winning attitude, especially if you set goals and apply yourself, through strategic planning, to reach those goals in incremental and measurable stages.

Like any activity you pursue, there are certain musts that are required to be successful in a chosen activity. There are certain musts that have to be fully developed, implemented and managed in order to start, operate and grow a profitable business.

Do what you enjoy: What you get out of your business in the form of personal satisfaction, financial gain, stability and enjoyment will be the sum of what you put into your business. So if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, it would most likely reflect in the success of your business or subsequent lack of success. In fact, if you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, chances are you won’t succeed.

Be serious: You cannot expect to be effective and successful in business unless you truly believe in your business and in the goods and services that you sell. Far too many business owners fail to take their own businesses seriously enough, getting easily sidetracked.

Plan everything: Planning every aspect of one’s business is not only a must, but also builds habits that every business owner should develop, implement, and maintain. The act of business planning is so important because it requires you to analyze each business situation, research and compile data, and make conclusions

Aliko Dangote, President, Dangote Group

Common characteristics of successful entrepreneurs based mainly on the facts as revealed through the research.

Manage money wisely: The life blood of any business enterprise is cash flow. You need it to buy inventory, pay for services, promote and market your business, repair and replace tools and equipment, and pay yourself so that you can continue to work. Therefore, all business owners must become wise money managers to ensure that the cash keeps flowing and the bills get paid. Wise money management involves both income and expenditure.

Customer care: Your business is not about the products or services that you sell, not about the prices that you charge. It is not about your competition and how to beat them. Your business is all about your customers, or clients. After all, your customers are the people that will ultimately decide if your business goes boom or bust. Everything you do in business must be customer focused. In addition, you must know who your customers are inside out and upside down.

Promote yourself: Nobody can promote you more than yourself. You can promote yourself without being obnoxious.

Self-promotion is one of the most beneficial, yet most underutilized, marketing tools that the majority of business owners have at their immediate disposal.

Build a team: No one person can build a successful business alone. It’s a task that requires a team that is as committed as you to the business and its success.

Your business team may include family members, friends, suppliers, business alliances, employees, sub-contractors, industry and business associations, local government and the community. Of course the most important team members will be your customers or clients.

Become an expert: The more you become known for your expertise in your business, the more people will seek you out to tap into your expertise, creating more selling and referral opportunities. In effect, becoming known as an expert is an-

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—23

,

Organisations should develop a culture where asking questions is permissible, safe and desired. The old erroneous belief that leadership is all about knowing all the answers should no more apply in today's business world.

& YOU

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COMMODITIES (19/11/14) Commodity Light Crude

Last 74.69

Natural Gas

4.45

+0.21

+4.95

Sugar

15.90

+0.19

+1.21

Coffee

199.60

+8.50

+4.45.38

Cocoa

2,857.00

+21.00

+0.74

Create competitive advantage: Have a clearly defined unique selling proposition. In other words, what one aspect or combination of aspects is going to separate your business from your competition?

Will it be better service, a longer warranty, better selection, longer business hours, more flexible payment options, lowest price, personalized service, better customer service, better

The key to staying organized is about having systems in place to do things.

,

,

return and exchange policies or a combination of several of these?

Invest in yourself: Top entrepreneurs buy and read business and marketing books, magazines, reports, journals, newsletters, websites and industry publications, knowing that these resources will improve their understanding of business and marketing functions and skills. Top entrepreneurs attend business and marketing seminars, workshops and training courses, even if they have already mastered the subject matter of the event.

They never stop investing in the most powerful, effective and best business and marketing tool at their immediate disposal – themselves.

Be accessible: We’re living in a time when we all expect our fast food lunch at the drive-through window to be ready in minutes, our dry cleaning to be ready for pick-

up on the same day, our money to be available at the cash machine. You must make it as easy as you can for people to do business with you, regardless of the business you operate. Making it easy for people to do business with you means that you must be accessible and knowledgeable about your products and services. You must be able to provide customers with what they want, when they want it.

Build a good reputation: A good reputation is unquestionably one of the business owner ’s most tangible and marketable assets. You can’t simply buy a good reputation; it is something that you earn by honouring your promises.

If you offer to repair something, you need to make good on your offer. Consistency in what you offer is the other key factor. If you cannot come through with the same level of service (and products) for clients on a regular basis, they have no reason to trust you, and without trust, you won’t have a good reputation.

Community involvement: Always go out of your way to get involved in the community that supports your business. You can do this in many ways, such as pitching in to help local charities or becoming involved in organizing community events. It is a fact that people like to do business with people they know, like and respect, and with people who do things to help them as members of the community.

Be organized: The key to staying organized is about having systems in place to do things. Therefore, you want to establish a routine by which you can accomplish as much as possible in a given workday. In fact, you should develop systems and routines for just about every single business activity.

Culled from Entrepreneur.com

% Change +0.11

Key attributes of a performing organisation BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE important is to know that all thinking is stimulated by questions.

"We run the company by questions, not by answers"... Eric Schmidt

times, when I ask Often people in organisations

to list their attributes or what classify them as a high performing organisation, the list is always long.

Organisations on their own also invest in so many things or areas they think will make them high performing at least by their own assessment.

However, one key attribute – that is critical to innovation, transformation, growth, new discoveries and new ways of doing things has been kept off the radar all these years. And that is •"creating a culture of questioning". Intentionally, ask yourself, in our organisation do we have a •gculture of questioning•h as part of our attributes?

In this era of competitiveness, a major advantage organisations will have over others is the ability of their employees (regardless of unit or department) to ask smart or thought provoking questions.

Every transformation, innovation or initiative stem from understanding or knowing the right questions to ask.

Conversely, most failures in organisations have occurred because someone was unwilling to ask questions about things going wrong, things he/she does not understand, things that show great concern (and if not resolved can cause serious problems). Yes, it is true that thought is what precedes change, but what is more

Does your organisation have a corporate culture of questioning as opposed to depending only on answers?

Frankly and sometimes, it appears better and more respectful to always provide answers to customers, managers and even business owners. This also explains why salespeople are quick to provide impressive answers too

,

other style of prospecting for new business, just in reverse.

Instead of finding new and qualified people to sell to, these people seek you out for your expertise.

Change ($) +0.08

Does your organisation have a corporate culture of questioning as opposed to depending only on answers?

,

often and eventually do not win the business. The business landscape of today requires people who will not just provide answers, but know how to ask smart questions (and problem revealing questions). Little wonder Robert Focazio, (former National Vice President of Sales, AT&T) once said, •gIf you improve your questions by 10 percent, you increase your sales and productivity by 20 percent...and that's being conservative. I understand, the urge to appear smart always drives us to seem to be providing answers where we ought to ask questions (or even listen) in order to be on the same page with our managers and customers alike. The CEO of Google (Eric Schmidt) knew the importance of having a corporate culture of questioning when he said: •"We run the company by

questions, not by answers". My personal understanding of this is that great companies can only be built by asking questions that have not been asked before as opposed to providing answers that have already existed.

But someone might say, making our organisation to have a culture of questioning is something we can just introduce in our organisation and that does not require serious effort or investment. I think any organisation that thinks in that manner has missed it, because asking smart question and asking it in the right way (to yield result) is an art that should be learnt by organisations.

Organisational activities like marketing, hiring the right staff, problem solving, improved performance, negotiation, and improving the corporate culture, etc, can be greatly enhanced when employees have mastered the art of right questioning.

Final Note: Organisations should develop a culture where asking questions is permissible, safe and desired. The old erroneous belief that leadership is all about knowing all the answers should no more apply in today's business world. Leadership in any facet should be viewed as knowing the right questions to ask, and carefully listening to those answers.

Every organisation possesses an array of knowledge, wisdom, creativity, and energy, and the surest way to harness those assets is to encourage questioning as part of the organisation's culture.

For your views or perspectives: Email: uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093 C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Briefs BITS Stakeholders should report abuses by banks — NDIC

N

From left: Project Lead, Social Media Awards Africa, Mr. Femi Aderibigbe; Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman and Marketing Consultant, SMAA, Mr. Adebiyi Fashoyin, at a Press Conference to announce the commencement of voting for the social medial Awards Africa in Lagos.

Stop placing unrealistic targets on marketers, CBN tells banks

By JONAH NWOKPOKU

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN has warned commercial banks operating in the country against placing unrealistic deposit targets on their marketers.

The apex bank gave the warning during the 2014 Bank Directors Association of Nigeria stakeholders’ forum held in Lagos.

The warning is as a result of the current practice by some financial institutions in the country whereby prospective employees are forced to meet unrealistic deposit target as a pre-requisite for employment or promotion.

The practice, according to the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele who was represented at the forum by Oneybuchi Kelvin of the Banking Supervision Department, goes against the grains of acceptable ethical conduct and corporate governance.

He told the gathering that the

practice could induce negative moral implications.

According to him, forcing bank marketers, especially females to meet unrealistic deposit targets could influence their decision to engage in illegal and immoral acts.

To curtail this trend, he said: “The CBN is using moral suasion.

We have been talking to banks about it. It is a continuous effort that we are making and we see the trend coming down. We cannot sanction the banks because it a completely business decision.

“But then we are telling banks that it is a wrong business decision. We have been speaking to them to change the strategy because it is affecting the banking culture and the landscape of the industry” He added that the apex bank is working closely with the banks to reduce the amount of people that are compelled to resort to

unethical means to meet unrealistic targets set by their banks.

He further added that “The Governor of the CBN is using the instrumentality of the bankers’ committee to talk to the management of banks to stem down on some of these policies. The intention is not to kill the marketing departments but to reduce the pressure by reducing the unrealistic targets that they place on marketers. The target should be realistic.”

Also speaking, the President of BDAN, Dr. Sonny Kuku urged the apex bank to censor the activities of commercial banks forcing their marketers to meet up with unrealistic targets.

“We cannot continue like this. It is against international best practice. Promotion or hiring should not be based on raising money to banks through any means.

There has to be standard. That is the only way we can restore sanity to the system,” he said.

Access Bank, Airtel launch mobile payment product

By Michael Eboh

A

CCESS Bank Plc has signed a Memoran dum of Understanding with Airtel Nigeria for the deployment of Access Money, a mobile payment platform, designed to boost financial inclusion in Nigeria.

Speaking at the launch of the product in Lagos, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, lamented the fact that banks in the country had over the years, abandoned individuals perceived to be at the bottom of the financial sector pyramid, a development, he said, helped stunted the growth of the sector.

According to him, despite the fact that banks came into Nigeria decades before mobile telephone, today, we have twice as much mobile phones than bank accounts.

“It is a great indictment to the banking sector that it could not grow at the rate at which mobile telephone is growing in Nigeria today. This is especially as the business of banking is connecting people,” he said.

He further stated the product will allow individu-

als or businesses to turn their mobile phones into an electronic wallet where they can store money electronically, providing easy access to their funds irrespective of where they are at any point in time.

He said, “Access Money will also allow cash withdrawals from any of the over 1,000 Access Bank Automated Teller Machines (ATM) across the country without an ATM card; deposit and withdrawal of cash at designated mobile money agent locations; airtime purchase; transfer of funds to any mobile phone in Nigeria; Pay utility bills; pay for goods and services and check account balance and electronic wallet balances.”

Also speaking, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, Managing Director, Airtel Nigeria, said the product will bring financial services to everyone, both the banked and unbanked, ensuring convenience and flexibility.

He, however, called on the federal, state and local governments to make use of mobile money, especially in the disbursement of funds and payment of welfare packages, as this will help transform the mobile money space.

igeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has called on stakeholders in the financial sector to report financial abuses by banks.

Managing Director of NDIC, Alhaji Umar Ibrahim, made the call while delivering an address at the NDIC special day at the 2014 Lagos international trade fair.

He said, “The Corporation is not unaware of the perennial problems between the customers and their banks, ranging from arbitrary bank interest charges; account balances manipulation to outright frauds and forgeries.” He noted that while the banks have taken some steps in addressing the problems, the Corporation has also established a Help Desk, which is a dedicated 24-hour toll-free telephone line to enable bank customers and other stakeholders report financial abuses at all times.

“The Corporation has also created Complaint Units in the Bank Examination Department (BED) and Special Insured Institutions Department (SliD) to cater for the need of customers of DMBs, MFBs and PMBs who wish to lodge complaints. That is not all. The Corporation’s website has been redesigned and equipped with major social media platforms like Facebook, Youtube, Twitter ‘and Instagram to enhance communication with our stakeholders,” he said.

The NDIC boss further explained that the Corporation as a deposit insurer “has also been effectively responding to all emerging issues in the global financial system, particularly financial literacy, consumer protection, financial inclusion, sustainable banking and extension of deposit insurance coverage to depositors of non-interest banks.”

Nigerians should demand fiscal accountability — CSJ

C

entre for Social Justice (CSJ) has called on Nigerians to demand accountability from public officials in the implementation of the annual budgets.

Lead Director, Centre for Social Justice, Mr. Eze Onyekpere said this in an interview with journalists on Monday, on the sidelines of the Fiscal Governance Tribunal in Lagos.

Onyekpere said that this is the best time for Nigerians to demand for accountability from politicians that are currently seeking for votes.

“The whole essence of this exercise is for Nigerians of all shades of opinion, professionals, civil societies to talk about their experience in the fiscal governance system. It is expected that at the end of the exercise, we would document the experience of Nigerians.

“It is also to sensitise Nigerians that there is no better time to make political officers accountable than an election time when they are seeking for our votes.

“You need to give an account of what you have done with the power we have entrusted to you for us to entrust you with another four years.”

He advised Nigerians to stop viewing public funds as money meant for few people.

“The challenge is that Nigerians don’t see public funds as theirs, they see it as money coming from the oil wells in the Niger Delta.

For those of us that are taxpayers, it pains some of us. “So every taxpayer should demand accountability and those who are not ready to be accountable should be voted out.”

He called on other organisations to join the movement.

“The central message of what we are saying is for Nigerians to hold government accountable,” he added.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 25

ICT breaks the wings of corruption — FAKAE, RSUST Vice-Chancellor Chancellor, Professor Barineme Fakae. What was a university doing at GITEX? Usually it is technology service providers and start-ups that populate delegations at GITEX. In a conversation, Professor Barineme Beke Fakae told the story of why he brought his university to GITEX, during which he listed how he had l e v e r a g e d information technology in the administration of the university.

Excerpts:

zProfessor Fakae

BY ADEKUNLE ADEKOYA, General Editor

LAST month, precisely from October 12 through 16, the Gulf International Technology Exhibition, GITEX, held in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. As far as technology shows go, it is rated as the numero uno event in the MEASA (Middle East, Africa, and Asia) region. By far, the world’s number one technology show is CeBIT, held annually at the the Hanover fairground, the world’s largest fairground in Hanover, Lower Saxony, Germany, and is considered a barometer of the state of the art innovation in information technology. CeBIT is organized

by Deutsche Messe AG. However, what was striking

Business education, recipe for employment — Trimnell Pg. 27

about attendance at this year’s GITEX in Dubai was the presence of Rivers State University of Science & Technology, RSUST at the Nigeria pavilion, whose delegation was led by its Vice-

All our courses accredited Today, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology has all its courses accredited. It is now the foremost state university in the country. Without fear of contradiction, I can tell you that it is the only university that can give both certificate and transcript at the point of

graduation.

Our students are all over the country and can attest to that.

Even when they apply for transcripts, they do not need to come to the school; it can be done on the internet. We are also very stable in our academic sessions.

We are also going on three months long vacation, during which time the students can get jobs to keep busy. These are some of the things that some persons would not have known exist because in a number of institutions, changing from one session to another is just over a weekend; but at RSUST, we are able to stretch and allow lecturers travel for summer.

We are doing this to show that it is possible that Nigeria can change.

ICT breaks wings of corruption We know that it is possible through the intervention of information and communication technology (ICT). What does it do? It breaks the wings of corruption.

For example, all our students are admitted on merit because we match our database with that of JAMB.

If anyone decided to take examination for somebody at the main JAMB, what happens now is that we exchange our database with JAMB via biometrics and physical data, it will mean that for that person to be able to continue, he attends classes for the person he wrote the test for.

Once the biometrics does not match they already have a problem because it is what will be used to graduate the student. For those people, who probably tried that, they may have admission but will not come to register because they are going to be hunted.

We will continue to do this because we are repositioning education as it were. Right now, we are into using mobile applications to see that our students are tested online. We have done a lot of testing and a number of the first year courses are done online, which means that students are able to see their results just at the end of their examination.

The National University Commission (NUC) has written a letter of commendation, particularly at a time when all

Continues on page 26

SEC Quiz: Six schools for grand finale S

IX secondary schools have emerged as zonal winners to represent the six geo-political zones in the grand finale of the 5th National Quiz Competition on Capital Market coming up later this month in Abuja.

The schools are Government Secondary School, Akim

The fate of varsities with under $80 oil?

Bleak

Calabar, Cross River State which came first among five other secondary schools in the South-South zone of the country.

Others are Community Secondary School Okposhi, Ebonyi State which came first in the South-East zone, Bibo-Oluwa Academy, Ilesha, Osun State from

South-West zone and Chapel Secondary School Tanke, Ilorin, Kwara State from North-Central zone.

Also ready to participate in the grand finale in Abuja on November 26, 2014 are Abdulrasheed Raji Special School, Sokoto from NorthWest zone and Federal

Ex-minister provides antidote to dwindling reading culture Pg. 29

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Government College, Azare, Bauchi State from North-East zone.

The Zonal level competition is the second elimination stage where the winning Schools from each state slugged it out to come up with a winner to represent the state at the national level.

The final stage is the national level which is the grand finale of the competition where the overall winner will be determined from the six geo-political zones of the country.

Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

ICT breaks the wings of corruption Continued from page 25 other universities were closed for more than six months. The university regulator gave a letter of commendation that we were able to sustain the academic calendar.

Why we introduced online testing We introduced online testing for a purpose because if the student is such that cannot cope, he is actually on his way out.

Last year, we sent out 115 students across board whose GPA was not up to 1.0. That was just automatic and when that happens, the website is blocked to that student, so the student cannot access it or try to pay school fees by collecting money from their parents or tell stories.

What are we doing? We are building a better, employable youth. Without ICT, we would have found this extremely difficult. We are working on evaluating scores on the Use of English since students were taught the same thing by different lecturers.

We now want to find out in whose class the students fail most and in whose class they pass most. This is the type of research that we are doing to make the system better.

We talked about producing youths that are unemployable.

Seven years ago, the Rivers State University of Science and Technology was in such deplorable position that the school was described as a glorified secondary school and cultism was at its highest level; three to four students died every month and that is the reason it became necessary, at least, for Rivers State to have a state of emergency in education.

Students book bed space online

AWARD: From left Primary School winner, Mrs. Akinlade Funmilayo from African Church Primary School, Mosan Alimosho; secondary school winner, Mrs. Deji-Oderinde Bose of Wesley Girls Junior Secondary School, Yaba; Lagos State Commissioner of Education, Mrs. Olayinka Oladunjoye; and Permanemt Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs Omolara Erogbogbo, at the Merit Award for teachers.

In terms of what we are doing with our data; when our students are coming back to school, they do not have to be on campus before they book for their bed space. It is a question of paying the school fees and booking for bed space.

The interesting thing is that the four students in a room are able to know the data and details of each other. Booking for accommodation in our university is like booking for a flight. We have done that to make sure that people can understand that what happens elsewhere happens also in our country.

We make 70 per cent of the space available for freshmen and 30 per cent for returning

students. When we open our website, it is on the basis of first come, first served.

Award from UNN Alumni Recently, I was in New Jersey, USA. The Alumni association of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, those in the USA invited me for their annual convention and they asked me to give a keynote address.

Interestingly, based on the work that we have done in the RSUST, I was given Alumni Lion Lifetime Award.

What I mentioned was that, it is important that individual universities maintain their own growth path.

NFLV laments delisting from TETFund, seeks UFTAN support in research works

By DAYO ADESULU

T

HE Nigeria French Language Village, NFLV, has lamented the delisting of its institution from TETFund beneficiaries, as the body urged the University French Teachers’ Association of Nigeria, UFTAN, to support in areas of research.

Director and Chief Executive Officer NFLV, Professor Raufu Adebisi, who disclosed at the 17th UFTAN annual conference held at NFLV, Badagry, Lagos said “We will continue to tackle the problems of stagnation of academic staff and the delisting of the Village by TETFund.”

He charged UFTAN to rise up to the challenge, noting that TETFund would have greatly assisted the institution in areas of research, infrastructure development on campus and library if not delisted.

Adebisi also added; “Any Nigerian University that takes the trouble to compare will easily note the superiority of the Language Immersion Programme of Nigeria French Language Village.

"The Nigeria French Village is better than any French Centre in the Sub-Region

and Language Immersion Programme is academically superior to that of any other institution around Nigeria.

“Let all institutions that are yet to patronize the Nigeria French Village for their Language Immersion Programme know that the Village is our own property, a child of necessity and it is our patriotic duty to ensure that it survives and thrives for future generations of Nigerian” The director who solicited cooperation with UFTAN in the area of research, staff exchange and mentoring of academic staff, added that the institution will make its facilities, including library and Executive Students’ Hostel available to any Nigerian university French lecturer who wants to make use of them.

On his part, President of UFTAN, Professor Tunde Fatunde, said since the study of French commenced in Nigerian schools five years ago, all levels of governments have continued to invest in French studies.

“The implication of the huge investment by government with the support of French Government is the churning out of all categories of Nigerians who are versed in French and are working in both public and private sectors in Nigeria and French speaking countries of ECOWAS.”

Why do I say this? The universities didn’t start the same day, each university started with a dream from the founding fathers.

That of Nsukka, was to restore the dignity of man, that of the RSUST was a challenge that the university should now pioneer the development of the region, understanding the terrain as it were and all the processes must be anchored on excellence and creativity.

Mandate at RSUST I have a mandate as it were, from the governor, who tasked me to go on as rescue mission

and bring the university to the point where it can now actualize the dream of the founding fathers.

We ensured that people work and get paid and not the other way, where people get paid without working.

Nigerians cannot afford not to receive money, and so my heads of departments and deans had to sign.

That is why, we say that in RSUST, strike is no more an option. It came from the drive of the governor, who insisted that the university must change.

SEC Quiz: Six schools for grand finale Continues from page 25 Having been winners at the six geo-political zones of the country, the six schools are battle-ready to face each other to determine the winner of this year ’s edition of the competition on Capital Market.

Sponsored by the apex regulator of Nigerian Capital Market, the Securities and Exchange Commission Nigeria (SEC Nigeria), the competition is part of the Commission’s strategies at bringing the Capital Market closer to the people as well as developing the market.

Tagged: Catch them young, the competition is also aimed at inculcating savings culture in youths.

The competition which started last week all over the country at state level culminated in zonal final on Friday where state winners competed for emergence of these zonal representatives.

The SEC Nigeria as the apex regulator of the Nigerian capital Market performs the dual role of market regulation and development and had in 2004 infused Capital Market studies into six subjects of the Senior Secondary school.

Also, the Commission is sponsoring Capital Market studies in some Nigerian universities, including Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and University of Lagos.

SEC Nigeria was established in 1979 as the apex regulator of the Nigerian capital market.

Its activities are currently governed by the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2007. The SEC has the overarching mandate of investor protection, ensuring orderly and equitable dealings in securities, developing the market and shielding it from all forms of abuses.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 27

BRIEFS LASU honours five retired professors

BY IKENNA ASOMBA

Invest heavily in your children — Adedokun

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

A

D E D O K U N International Schools established in 2009 to enable students achieve their potentials in the areas of moral teaching and academic excellence, is celebrating its th 5 anniversary.

This was revealed during a media chat organized by the school’s administration at Johnson Market, Adalemo, Sango, Ogun State. th In celebrating the 5 anniversary, Inter house sports will be held today, a Muslim st party will hold on Friday 21 and the grand finale will on Saturday 22th, November, 2014 in the school premises.

Speaking to journalists and some stakeholders who attended the event, the proprietress of the school, Mrs.

Saudat Adedokun noted that the school which started with 22 students, 8 teaching staff and 22 non teaching staff has been able to produce students who come first in all areas of learning and are now studying in Nigeria universities and abroad.

According to her: “We are producing leaders of tomorrow who can compete with students in other countries.” She however urged parents to always invest heavily in children in other to develop them academically and morally. We must develop our children.”

She added that one of the aims and objectives of the school is to bring education to those who are not fortunate to have access to it. She however called on the government to help in constructing the roads

in the area in order to make teaching and learning convenient and conducive for students.

Also speaking, Chairman, Parent Teachers Association, Mr. Olarenwaju Busari who stated the achievements of the school said, “the quality of students that the school has produced in the past five years is awesome.” Adding, “passion for excellence has been what has kept the school going.”

Ahlaji Alaba Olalekan, President of Rotary Club, Ota, lecturer at Yaba College of Technology and a parent stated: “Adedokun has successfully penetrated the education market of the environment. The learning environment in which learning takes place is perfect.

It is conducive for learning, and the facilities and infrastructure are perfect.”

• From left: Coordinator, Alimosho Schools Carnival, Tayo Adeyemo; Onyinye Madukwem of CWAY Group; 100 metres winner, Samuel Uduokhai of Dominio Faith Church Sunday School, Ipaja and Charles Ojiokpota of Bright School.

Business education, recipe for employment — Trimnell

BY TARE YOUDEOWEI

I

N line with its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at building capacity for young and upcoming entrepreneurs and stimulating young adult development, Diamond Bank has prescribed enhanced business education as a major recipe for fighting the scourge of unemployment, noting that it will boost the outcome of vocational skills in Nigeria.

Speaking at the recent Employee Volunteering Programme (EVP) which held at the Millennium School Compound, Egbeda, the bank’s Head of Corporate Communications, Ayona Trimnell, stated that one of the surest ways to escape the pains of unemployment is for Nigerian youths to be fortified with the necessary business education that will enable their vocational skill(s) find gainful

expression in the production chain of the economy.

“The youth population of Nigeria is over 60 per cent of the entire population. If this active population is empowered with business education and vocational skills, the economy will grow exponentially.

"There are many countries thriving on vocational skills and we should embrace business education as a way to fine-tune the finished products from our vocational schools.”

Re-echoing Trimnell, Head of Human Capital Management, Chidinma Lawanson, noted that since only a small fraction of the population get white collar jobs, there is need for the youths to be creative and adventurous.

She charged the youths to create jobs for themselves and others by growing their skills into conglomerates.

According to her, "many

companies started by offering skill-based services gained from vocational education and eventually grew to become big and major employers of labour.

Skilled people are pivotal to the growth of any economy, therefore people with such competencies should confidently put their skills to productive use to generate income for themselves and others.”

The Employee Volunteering Programme is an annual volunteer programme through which Diamond Bank staff provide financial literacy and entrepreneurial training to students of various skills acquisition centres across Lagos State.

The programme is in its second year and will see employees of the bank visiting four vocational training centres located in Ojodu, Ibeju Lekki, Egbeda and Oshodi areas of Lagos.

I

n what has been described as a first-of-its-kind historical feat, the Lagos State University, (LASU), Ojo, recently, at a special Senate session, held in the Senate Chambers of the university, honoured five erudite Professors, who retired from active service having served the university in various capacities for several years.

At the epoch-making event, which attracted the presence of Deans of Faculties, Professors, Heads of Departments, Directors of Centres, Deputy Registrars and other Senior members of staff, as well as kith and kins of retired professors, the five honorees were Prof. Christopher Oshun, a Professor of Christian Studies (1984-2014); Prof. Abdulraheem Lawal, a Professor of Arabic Studies (1985-2014); Prof. Hakeem Danmole, a Professor of History (2007-2014); Prof. Tunde Samuel and Prof. (Mrs.) T.A. Bolarin, both Professors of Education (1984-2014).

In her opening remarks, the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academics), Prof. Senapon Bakr’e who represented the Vice Chancellor, Prof. John Obafunwa, stated that the send-off ceremony for the retirees was the first in the history of the university and extolled their selfless and unrelenting services to the university.

Princeton College goes digital

A

s the 2014/2015 academic session begins, the Executive Director, Princeton College, Surulere, Lagos, Dr. Dolapo Bankole, has said all the students of the school are expected to receive instructions in all subjects electronically.

According to Bankole, “The E-learning introduction is an expansion of education technology its first phase was introduced a year earlier in the college. Audio-visual equipment ranging from electronic boards, system speakers to overhead projectors have been installed in all the classrooms and laboratories. All the teachers were also trained in the use of these equipment, and in the furtherance of its effective implementation, every teacher acquired a laptop computer for classroom presentations.

“With this innovation, Princeton College recorded 100 per cent pass with distinctions in ICT/Computer Mathematics and English language in the just concluded 2014 Senior Secondary Certificate Examinations, SSCE,” he said.

On his part, the Principal of the school, Sylvester Obiakor, said in the school's commitment to achieving this technological advancement, “all the students have received specially made laptops with classroom management software for more effective classroom interactions. It is believed that this step will surely make learning easy and interesting, convert the time spent in writing notes to class activities, make learners study ahead, recall previous class lessons, use real life teaching aids and prepare students for Computer Based Tests (CBTs).”

Loral holds Career Day, equips pupils

A

By ESTHER ONYEGBULA

s part of its commitment to equip and assist students make the right career choices Loral International Secondary School, Festac recently held it’s 2014/2015 Career Day. The event aimed at empowering the students with the right knowledge, requirements, challenges and benefits of the different career options available to them and how to succeed in any field.

Speaking during the Career Day organized by the Guidance and Counseling department, the School Principal, Mr.Uzoukwu Ben noted that quite often the choice of a right career poses serious challenges to many young people but with proper guidance and counseling offered by the school, the students get well informed on how to how to advert making mistakes associated with choosing wrong careers.

The highlight of the event which had over 500 students in attendance, was the different career presentations by seasoned professionals sharing their work-life experiences, emphasizing the need to choose the right in various careers like Journalism, entertainment, hospitality and security.

Emphasizing the need to choose the right career in his presentation, Deputy Superintendent of Police Ayebe Joseph, explored the various opportunities available in the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies, the importance and challenges of choosing a career path which majors on saving lives.

He however noted that school programs should be designed to educate students on career choice, bearing in mind that choice of career will have positive or negative effects on their future.

He noted that after making the career choice, it is important for the teachers to further motivate the students to aspire to the topmost academic ladder at all times.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

More schools receive MultiChoice resource centres

BY DAYO ADESULU

M

U LT I C H O I C E , Nigeria’s leading pay-TV operator, has returned to Lagos State for the third time since inception of its resource centre project in 2004, to inaugurate 10 additional centres, bringing the total in the state to 18.

In its eighth phase, MultiChoice Resource Centre project has grown from four centres at inception to 312 in 29 states in 2014.

Each benefiting school receives a TV set, high definition personal video recorder (HDPVR) decoder, generating set, complimentary subscription to DStv education bouquet, which contains BBC World, BBC Knowledge, National Geography, Animal Planet, National Geography Wild, History Channel, Learn and ED channel, among others.

Mr. John Ugbe, Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, at the launch of the resource centres in Lagos State held at Eti-Osa Community Senior Secondary School, Sangotedo, Lagos,

said: “The resource centre project is MultiChoice’s way of promoting the use of integrated and communication technologies to raise the standard of education by deploying the imagery of sight and sound to make learning more vivid and creative.

“At MultiChoice, we have a strong conviction that the technological, economic, social and political

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Innovative Technology Literacy Services Limited (ITLS), the implementing partner for the MRC project, said: “Technology investment in schools is on the increase, and the deployment of satellite television to enhance learning is one key initiative that has helped to bridge the digital divide in rural communities.

"While technology will not replace teachers and textbooks, research has shown that technology-mediated learning environments provide immense opportunities for learners and lead inevitably to better teaching and learning outcomes.”

NBL commissions 80-seater library in Emotan College, Benin

By GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE

A

N 80-seater library built, equipped and donated to Emotan College Benin by Nigerian Breweries Plc, NBL, has been commissioned by the management of the company.

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NBL , Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, while commissioning the project said the aim of embarking on the project was to address the infrastructural challenges in

The fate of universities with under $80 oil? Bleak The cost of building many government houses in Nigeria is far higher than what it takes to build many universities…PUNCH, November 8.

The PUNCH story, starting from the front page, continuing on pages 12 and 13, focused on four state governors – Akpabio (Akwa Ibom), Dickson (Bayelsa), Fayemi (Ekiti) and Yero (Kaduna).

But, the list could just as easily be extended by four more. To be quite candid, of the four, the one I find most surprising is Fayemi.

Hopefully, the opportunity will present itself to ask him why he thought a new government house was one of the most urgent needs of Ekiti – which is one of the poorest in the country.

However, it must be pointed out that the N3.3bn he spent in Ekiti could not have completed a wing of Akwa

advancement of any country has a direct correlation with its level of educational development and the future of a country is intrinsically tied to the quality of education that the youths are exposed to.”

He enjoined the benefiting schools to maximize the use of the resource centres.

Mrs. Aderonke Bello, Managing Director,

Ibom’s N16bn; which was accompanied by an N18bn banquet hall; making N34bn in total, or the boys quarter of Bayelsa’s N24bn behemoth.

By comparison, the Federal Government of Nigeria, under President Jonathan, established 11 universities, since 2011, and each was given a take-off grant of only N2bn.

Meanwhile, all the states of Nigeria have state varsities in dire need of funds to secure accreditation for most of the courses they now undertake.

For instance, there is no single state university in Nigeria, LASU included, which offers law or medicine and which also has full accreditation.

Our future Attorney Generals and Chief Medical Directors are being trained in schools which should have been closed long ago. The reasons are not hard to discover.

the education sector.

“It is part of the commitment to the development of education in Nigeria, and it represents our modest identification with the efforts of the state government to improve the quality of learning in Edo State” The Managing Director, who was represented by Mr. Kufre Ekanem, the Corporate Affairs Adviser of the NBL, disclosed that the project worth millions of Naira, was funded by the Nigerian

Breweries/Felix Ohiwerei Education Trust Foundation set up in 1994 to anchor its support for education in Nigeria.

The Fund he said has over the years been very active in supporting the course of education and learning in the country across all levels and regions.

He listed some of the projects undertaken to include; infrastructural upgrade in institutions of

higher learning, donation of computers, laboratories, school blocks, institution of Book prizes, as well as sponsorship of the National Reading Competition and recently a career guidance and counseling programme known as Beyond the School, for secondary school students.

He promised that the NBL will continue to support the development aspirations of the state and identify with it in various ways.

In that same report, Professor Peter Okebukola, a former Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission, NUC, was quoted as saying that, “the requirements are essentially facilities and staff. Both need money to put in place.

However, in the case of staff, a long-term investment is needed to procure quality staff.”

In virtually no state of Nigeria, today, do we have the commitment to put quality facilities and staff in place.

Again, the reasons are not too obscure.

Most governors, even if they serve two terms, are typical Nigerian politicians. They think short-term and they want to maximize the opportunity to amass wealth in the quickest possible time.

To the best of my knowledge, only one governor (name withheld) had attempted to invest for the long-term when establishing his own state university.

He had sent, with state government scholarship, highly intelligent indigenes abroad to acquire education, up to Doctorate degree level, in the leading edge technologies, like robotics, computer engineering etc, with the hope that they would form the nucleus of a unique Nigerian university of technology.

Those sent abroad were still there when his tenure expired

and the future lecturers and professors of leading edge technology went their separate ways – partly on account of the new governor’s passion for a grandiose Governor’s Mansion.

The university has since joined the list of those offering sub-standard education to Nigerian youths – who have been routinely declared unemployable.

The total cost of sending close to 24 highly gifted Nigerians abroad, to be educated to Ph.D level, from figures available to me, was less than N1.5 billion.

Meanwhile, we are told that Government Houses consumed the following sums in ascending order: Ekiti -N3.3bn, Kaduna -N9.6b, Akwa Ibom -N16bn, Bayelsa -N24bn.

Apparently, for our “Chief Servants” in the states, their own comforts in palaces count for more than the future of their own people – which hinges on better education of the populace in a world increasingly dominated by knowledge workers.

That several governors have got their priorities wrong, by erecting ill-considered palaces is bad enough, the structures will henceforth constitute a drain on the resources of their states.

It is invariably true that the more stupendous a structure, the higher the cost of

maintenance.

Over the next 10 years, each of these monstrous edifices will require about the same amount for their upkeep.

Under normal circumstances, that would have been scandalous enough. But, circumstances are not now normal and financial normalcy is many years removed from us.

With crude now under $80 per barrel, and trending downwards, the revenue allocated to states had tapered off considerably and is set to nose-dive even more.

Clearly, funding the maintenance of these monstrosities will require an even greater percentage of state revenue — to the detriment of other programmes; including education. Not funding them adequately will result in rapid deterioration. That has been the verdict of history with white elephant projects or monuments to somebody ’s over-inflated ego.

As it is, only a miracle can save the universities, Federal, State and private, from majour financial crunch in the next three years – at least. It is no longer news that no Nigerian university is ranked among the top 1000 world wide. With funds going to swimming pools for governors, we may soon find that none will be ranked among the top 2000.

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CJN: No regrets over my actions —Mukhtar ...as Mahmud steps in

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

S

HE came, she saw- and to an extent, reinvigorated the fervour to stamp out the burden of corruption that has in no small measure weighed down the scale of justice in Nigeria.

As the first female Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar formally bows out of active judicial service today having clocked the 70 years mandatory retirement age, posterity will surely recognise her efforts at weeding out bad-eggs from the Bench.

The outgoing CJN spent barely 28 months in office. She took over from Justice Dahiru Musdapher who retired on July 15, 2012.

Succession to the post of the CJN has always been based on seniority.

Undisputedly, no administration in the judiciary ever made attempt to fight corruption like Mukhtar whose regime saw the sack of about seven Judges within a period of two years.

Remarkably, since 1963 when the Federal Republic of Nigeria was proclaimed and Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe became its first President, no woman ever manned the justice sector.

The situation deteriorated to the stage that an ex-CJN and a sitting President of the Court of Appeal, publicly poked themselves over alleged plan to subvert justice in a gubernatorial dispute involving Sokoto State.

Consequently, while answering questions from the Nigerian Senate on July 11, 2012, Justice Mukhtar admitted the presence of bad eggs at the top echelon of the judicial arm of government, even as she vowed to fight and expose such persons before her exit from office.

Thus, few days after she assumed duties, Justice Mukhtar went through 337 petitions filed against judicial officers before the NJC. Lamenting that the integrity of the judiciary was fast eroding, the outgone CJN disclosed that she “inherited 139 petitions, 106 of which were vexatious or baseless, only 33 of the petitions were considered worthy of attention.”

New CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

According to her: “After my assumption of office as Chief Justice, 198 fresh petitions were filed; of this number, 150 were found to be frivolous, 15 are awaiting responses from Judges and only 21 were slated for consideration.”

To prove that it was no longer business as usual, Justice Mukhtar, on February 28, 2013, sacked two justices, Charles Archibong of the Federal High

Lamenting that the integrity of the judiciary was fast eroding, the Mukhtar disclosed that she “inherited 139 petitions, 106 of which were vexatious or baseless, only 33 of the petitions were considered worthy of attention

Out-going CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar

Court Lagos and Justice T.D. Naron of High Court of Justice, Plateau State.

Acting alongside the NJC, she further set up a ‘Fact Finding’ Committee to investigate allegations of corruption against Justice Abubakar Talba of FCT High Court, who was eventually handed a one year suspension on April 26, 2013, following the slap-onthe-wrist sentence he handed to a self confessed pension thief, Mr. John Yusuf, who had openly admitted that he stole N23billion pension fund.

To heighten her stoic stance against judicial impunity, Mukhtar directed a full-blown investigation into the petition that was filed against the former Chief Judge of the FCT, Justice Hassan Lawal Gunmi, who voluntarily retired from office on May 13, 2013 to become an Emir in Zamfara state.

The FCT CJ, who has since gone before the Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the decision of the NJC to probe allegations of corruption against him, relinquished his office to replace the former Emir of Gunmi town, Alhaji Aliyu Abara who died on May 7 last year.

Meanwhile, with the hindsight of experience, Justice Mukhtar, knowing that some of the supporting staff in the justice sector

NBA wants Supreme Court Justices appointed from the bar —PG.39

connive with corrupt lawyers to pervert the course of justice, on June 17, vowed to sack any of them found wanting.

In a keynote address she presented at a workshop organized for that cadre of judicial officers by the National Judicial Institute, NJI, she said: “Let me quickly add that the fight against corruption in the judiciary is not only targeted at judicial officers but also against any member of staff of the judiciary who finds luxury or convenience in engaging in corrupt practices or engaged in any other unwholesome conduct.

“It is a notorious fact that this category of workers has in the past caused leakages of judgments written by judges which were yet to be delivered.

“Litigants’ applications are at times not filed in their case files thereby denying the judges from acting on them. Some of them midwife between the litigants and the judges in the sale of judgment, or provide information to litigants on how some judges can be approached to compromise his or her judgment. All these they do for fee at the expense of judiciary integrity and image.”

On June 2, Justice Mukhtar, while superintending over the meeting of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, FJSC, dis-

missed five Supreme Court workers and one staff of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal for leaking judgment in the case between Senator Alphonsus Igbeke and Lady Margery Okadigbo, before it was delivered on May 31, 2013.

FJSC further requested the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, to further investigate and possibly prosecute Igbeke and one Collins Okechukwu for allegedly aiding and abetting the leakage. Although there have been many cases of leaked judgments in the judiciary, that was however the first time such incidence was investigated with the culprits apprehended and punished.

To further sanitize the system, the CJN on May 17, 2013, maintained that beside outcome of petitions filed against judges, she introduced the use of performance evaluation reports by the NJC to boot out incompetent and indolent judges out of the bench.

“We are now thinking of looking at the performance evaluation of the judges for the purpose of discipline. If a judge cannot deliver three to four judgments in a year, there is no use keeping him on the bench other than to be shown his or her way out,’’ she

Continues on page 38

Judicial officers must be incorruptible —Mukhtar —PG.39

38 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

No regrets over my actions Continues from page 37

Out-going CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar while in office.

Speaking with members of the National Association of Judiciary Correspondents, NAJUC, in her office on Tuesday, Justice Muhktar, further justified all the

,

added.

In furtherance to that, the NJC under Justice Muhktar, on February 27, sacked two more judges after they were found guilty of judicial misconduct.

The judges, G.K. Olotu of the Federal High Court and Justice U. A. Inyang of High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, were sent on compulsory retirement with an order that they should vacate their offices immediately.

The Council in a letter it wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan, pleaded that the two Justices should not be allowed to adjudicate in any court in the country, stressing that pursuant to its findings, they ought not to sit on the Bench.

Sequel to its deliberation on the report of a Five-Man Committee that were mandated to investigate judicial officers with very low performance or non-performance, the NJC further threatened to sack two more judges over their alleged indolence.

According to a statement by the Director of Information at the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye: “At the end of deliberation on the Report of the Committee, Council found Hon. Justice A. A. Adeleye of High Court of Justice, Ekiti State and Hon. Justice D. O. Amaechina of High Court of Justice, Anambra State, respectively culpable of very low performance. Consequently, Council decided to issue warning letters to them for decline in their productivity.”

As she hands over the baton of leadership to the most senior justice of the apex court Justice Mahmud Mohammed today, the outgoing CJN has said she feels no remorse over the toes she stepped on

We are now thinking of looking at the performance evaluation of the judges for the purpose of discipline

actions she took while in office.

Justifying the reforms she introduced during her tenure which included the approval of full automation of courts in Nigeria to allow for e-filing of cases, Justice Muhktar said: “When there are reforms, there are bound to be people who are not happy at all, because there are people who do not want change. But I defied whatever it is that may bring problem and ensure that things are properly done.

That is what this is all about, for things to be done properly. That is all. It is for the interest of the insti-

EDITORIAL TEAM Innocent Anaba ( Head) Wahab Abdulah Ikechukwu Nnochiri Dayo Benson (Supervising Editor) 08056180119 dayobenson@yahoo.com

tution, not for anything else.

“I don’t bear any grudge against anybody. I don’t go out of my way to victimize anybody. All I wanted was to improve what was on

,

the ground and the system.

And I am happy that some are appreciating even if some others are not. It is natural that those, whose shoes one had stepped on will not be happy with one.

But I take it in my stride, it is natural. As long as the generality of the public think that I have improved the system that is very satisfactory to me”, she added.

The new CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed who was formerly the Deputy Chairman of the NJC, hails from Jalingo in Taraba State and was born on November 10, 1946.

He studied for his Bach-

elor ’s degree in Law (LL.B) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, graduating in 1970, after which he attended the Nigerian Law School in Lagos and was subsequently called to bar in 1971.

He began his career in the public service with the Ministry of Justice of the defunct North-eastern and Gongola States, as well as served on the bench in Gongola.

In 1991, he was appointed the acting Chief Judge of Taraba State, and later confirmed as the substantive Chief Judge of the state in the same year.

Prior to being appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court in 2005, he was a justice of the Court of Appeal and then its presiding justice.

In addition to his legal qualifications, he holds a certificate in Legislative Drafting from the Commonwealth Institute of Legislative Drafting; a certificate in Human Resource Planning and Management from the National Institute of Public Management, Washington USA; a certificate of Administration of Justice in a Presidential System of Government from the Institute of Judicial Administration, University of New York, USA; and a certificate from a Government Legal Advisers course from the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, UK. In his years in public service, he has served as a member of several committees and panels.

He holds the national honours of the Commander of Order of the Niger (CON) and Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), and is a member of the Bar Council, Council of Legal Education and the Body of Benchers.

EKITI: It’s an assault on temple of justice — BOSAN

B

ody of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, BOSAN, has described the Ekiti incident, in which a judge was allegedly molested, as an assault on the temple of justice.

Rising from its meeting held at the Nigeria Law School, Lagos Campus, the body in a statement signed by its Chairman, Chief Richard Akinjide SAN and Mr. Seyi Sowemimo SAN, Secretary, BOSAN stated that an official pronouncement has been made on the issue.

According to the statement: “the Body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria considered the recent press reports of the events that took place in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State involving a physical assault upon a serving judge of the Ekiti State High Court within the High Court premises in Ado-Ekiti and the vandalisation and destruction of the Court’s properties, equipment and records by yet unidentified persons. “The Body of Senior Advocates noted with dismay that the State Executive arm of government, which has control of law enforcement and the responsibility to provide protection to the other arms of government in the discharge of their constitutional duties has not made any official pronouncement concerning this incident.

“The Body is of the view that if this is not done, members of the judiciary, which is the third and arguably one of the most important arm of government would be entitled to believe that they can no longer perform their constitutional duties without fear or favour, thus giving free reign to the rule of force and anarchy rather than the rule of law.

The Body of Senior Advocates resolved to call on the Executive arm of government to take every possible step within its powers to ensure that the perpetrators of this dastardly and sacrilegious act are dealt with to serve as a deterrent to others.”

*Chief Richard Akinjide

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 39

NBA wants Supreme Court Justices appointed from the bar

BY DAYO BENSON NIGERIAN Bar Association, NBA, has again advocated the appointment of Supreme Court Justices from the bar in order to bring practical experience to the apex court.

Similarly, the NBA has expressed its desire to be involved in appointment of judges and ensure that bad ones were flushed out from the bench. The NBA’s position is coming as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, assumes office today.

At its just concluded 8th Annual General Conference, AGC, Section on Legal Practice, SLP, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the NBA articulated this and other issues border-

ing on effective administration of justice.

Participants who presented papers at the two-day events spoke on different topics relating to effective legal practice. Among them were Governor Babatunde Fashola, SAN, whose presentation titled “Judicial Federalism Under the Nigerian Constitution’,’ was read by Mr Olaniwalo Akinsola who represented him on the occasion.

Prof. Konyinsola Ajayi, SAN spoke on the topic ‘’Expanding the Frontiers of Legal Practice’’ while Mr Babajide Koku, SAN, examined the topic “Legal Practice in Nigeria: Let’s Expand the Frontiers’’.

Another participant, Mr Uyi Akpata, focused on: ‘’Emerging Partner-

ship Models; Lessons for the Legal Profession in Nigeria’’ and Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah’s paper was titled: Introducing Fast Track Procedure in Nigerian Courts.”

In it’s communiqué, the section recommended that “NBA should partake fully in the appointment of judges and refuse the appointment of corrupt judges and those who are already appointed who do not sit or who are corrupt should be reported to the NJC. ‘’Judges can now be appointed directly from the bar to the supreme court and judges who are corrupt or found lacking in their duties should be shown the way out instead of being posted to another place.

Judicial officers must be incorruptible —Mukhtar

BY INNOCENT ANABA THE immediate past Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Mukhtar, has urged judicial officers to maintain high standard of integrity, incorruptibility, fairness and transparency in the discharge of their duties.

She spoke at a workshop for chief registrars, senior registrars and directors of superior courts of record and other non-judicial staff of courts by the National Judicial Institute, NJI, on how to entrench a culture of transparency and integrity in the judiciary.

The workshop which is first of its kind and the second in a series, was supported by the Open Society Foundations, the Department for International Department and A&E Law Partnership.

Welcoming participants to the training, the CJN said: “As a judicial administrator, I will urge you to maintain high standard of integrity, incorruptibility, fairness and transparency in the discharge of your duties.”

Also speaking at the conference, the Administrator of the NJI, Justice Roseline Bozimo(rtd), said: “If we must retain the confidence of the public in the judiciary, then we must be transparent in all that we do. It is to-

wards the realization of this objective that we have included discussions on the implications of the Freedom of Information Act 2011 in this workshop.”

Indeed, one of the ways through which transparency and integrity could be entrenched in the judiciary is for the judicature to embrace and comply with the provisions of the FOI ACT. Secondly, the judiciary has the responsibility of interpreting the provisions of the Act. Whatever interpretation the judiciary gives to the Act will go along way in determining the success or otherwise of the law.

In his presentation at the workshop, Justice Emmanuel Nnamani, a judge of the Customary Court of Appeal, Enugu State, said that the judiciary would drive the Act. In this regard, the judiciary has a dual role to play. First, as a public institution, the judiciary is duty bound to implement the provisions of the Act by keeping relevant records and facilitating un-hindered access ?to information. Secondly, the judiciary has the responsibility of interpreting the provisions of the Act. Whatever interpretation the judiciary gives to the Act will go along way in determining the success or otherwise of the law.

According to him, judicial administrators must have a good un-

derstanding of the FOI Act because they are under both moral and official duty to assist persons who feel aggrieved that their applications for information are not properly handled by public institutions and have taken recourse to judicial review.

Just like any other public institution, the judiciary is under duty to keep record, provide information to applicants, submit annual reports and follow the guidelines in the implementation of the Act. Nnamani said: “Judicial administrators are enjoined to take more than a casual glance at the FOI. They should rather diligently study and master its provisions. This is because, the judiciary they work for is also a public institution whose information and records it is their duty to release or withhold information connected therewith.”

Justice Tijani Abubakar of the Court of Appeal in Lagos was quite forthright when he said that the implication of the FOI Act is that: “judicial officers and court personnel are under the searchlight of the Nigerian citizens who have the right to demand for records, judgments rulings and orders emanating from the court and which information must be given without questioning.”

Judges must be proactive in the discharge of their duties and shun indolence, late sitting and unnecessary adjournments. ‘’Plea bargain is a good concept but the problem we are facing in our justice system is the

application and on that ground it is recommended that we start plea bargain with minor offences like Affray, Traffic offences, Stealing etc. ‘’That the inclusion of ethics and character report for aspiring lawyers should be part of the re-

quirement at the university and the dining etiquette should be taught there too. That lawyer should formulate strategies to protect individual rights where there is no clear cut or well defined remedy.”

NBA holds NEC

The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, held its National Executive Committee, NEC meeting in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, last week.

From left: Former President of NBA, Chief OJC Okocha, SAN and NBA President, Chief Austine Alegeh, SAN.

From left: Ms Tosin Bashorun, Lagos State Attorney -General, Mr Ade Ipaye and Mr L. Amobi.

From left: Former Chairman NBA Nnewi branch, Mr O.J. Okeke and Secretary, NBA Onitsha branch, Mr Steve Ononye.

From left: Vice Chairman, NBA Section on Business Law, SBL, Mr Olu Akpata; NBA Executive Director of Administration, Mr Osita Okoro and Mr Nathaniel Adegoke.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

nausea or in treating pain from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, or joint and muscle injury. And yes, your mother was correct when she used to give you ginger ale to settle your upset stomach. Ginger has the properties that cause the saliva in your mouth to be stimulated which aids in digestion. It’s actually called gingerelle. So the next time you have an upset stomach, go ahead and reach for some ginger ale. In a recent study

Superfoods (2) O

THER findings see the special health benefits of Hakeem Jimo’s superfoods more controversial.

Possible health benefits and effects of foods described as superfoods are often disputed or unsupported by scientific studies. veggienaija@gmail.com For example, in one study, raw cocoa had positive effects on blood pressure and markers of heart developing”, but “available m o r n i n g health, while other research scientific evidence does not sickness and indicated less certainty about the support this”. They add: “Recent chemotherapy. possible effects of cocoa on preliminary results in animals Some studies show some effect in slowing or indicate ginger cardiovascular disease.

As we in Africa believe much preventing tumour growth. While may provide in tradition, let us explore over these results are not well s h o r t - t e r m of the next few weeks in a series understood, they deserve further relief about superfoods what our study. Still, it is too early in the pregnancygrandmothers and family healers research process to say whether related nausea always knew: food is medicine. ginger will have the same effect and vomiting.

So we are taking a closer look into in humans.” In limited studies, Studies are superfoods from West Africa. My ginger was found to be more inconclusive initial lists comprise superfoods effective than placebo for treating about effects for like Baobab, Zogbo, Tamarind, nausea caused by seasickness, other forms of Ginger, Moringa, Cocoa and lemongrass. Feel free to add by sending me an email to veggienaija@gmail.com. At Veggie Victory – Nigeria’ 1st Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurant – we use superfoods like Moringa or Tiger Nut milk to enhance our smoothies.

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Ve ggie Victory

I

in Denmark, pregnant women that were suffering from nausea integrated ginger ale into their diet. And those women that drank ginger ale on a regular basis were able to reduce the amount of nausea they experienced from being pregnant. Recently it’s been discovered that ginger has a whole host of other super food qualities to it. It boosts your immune system, reduces your risk of cancer, and helps with your cholesterol and circulation.

PathCare turns 10, bags international award

A

N indigenous laboratory, PathCare Laboratories, has been awarded ‘The Best Enterprise Achievement 2014’ at ‘The Europe Business Assembly, EBA, held recently in Oxford, United Kingdom. This is coming as the company marks 10 years of its corporate existence.

Presenting the award, the Director General, EBA, John Netting said: “The Best Enterprise Award’ project was established to present the best regional companies to the European Society.

He added that the award selection process was based on recommendations of the Europe Business Assembly partners, which includes the European Market Research Centre, Belgium, Baden-Vurtennberg Academy, Germany, the Institute of Quality Standards, Switzerland, and the International Congress of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs, Moscow Russia, among others. The process also included data collection from national and international ratings and is supported by Thames Valley Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Bose Oladehin, who received the award on behalf of PathCare said: “We are elated at this recognition which could not have come at a better time than now because it coincides with PathCare’s 10th year anniversary. We are honoured to work in Nigeria and being recognised on a global stage. We are challenged at this time to increase our level of commitment to the healthcare system in Nigeria. We want to thank all who nominated us and show our sincere gratitude to the Europe Business Assembly for honouring PathCare Laboratories with this prestigious award.”

PathCare Laboratory has the distinction of being the first laboratory in West Africa to attain International Accreditation (ISO 15189).

Well known for delivery of accurate and reliable services, PathCare currently offers the widest range of pathology tests, many of which were previously not available in the country.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 41

Why I've not initiated new projects — YERO K

ADUNA—KADUNA State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero has said that his administration was yet to initiate new infrastructural projects due to its determination to complete projects imitated by past administrations in the state.

He said that it was more economical to complete all the abandoned and ongoing

projects initiated by his predecessors instead of starting fresh ones that could equally be abandoned.

Speaking while receiving the Yoruba community in his office Tuesday evening, Yero also said that his administration believed in continuity and would not abandon ongoing projects to initiate new ones.

His words, “I believe it is more economical and socially wise to complete projects that are already ongoing because public funds have already been invested by the past administrations that awarded the contracts.

It will amount to wastage for us to just come and abandon projects when money had already been invested on them simply because

TOURNEY: From left; Golf Captain Ikoyi Club 1938, Mr. Ted Iwere; General Manager, Southern Sun, Ikoyi Hotel, Mr. Mark Loxley; Mr. Tim Ayonmike; Engr. Esosa Ojomo; Mr. Remi Olukoya and Mr. Sumanth. B. Hanumanthaiah, members of the first place winning team at the Southern Sun Golf Tournament 2014 recently held in Lagos. Photo By Akeem Salau

we want to initiate new ones.”

According to Yero, his administration would complete all ongoing projects it inherited from past administrations in the state while gradually initiating new critical infrastructures.

Yero commended the Yoruba Community in the state for living peacefully with other ethnic groups and asked them to actively engage in developmental projects in the state.

He said the state government welcomed all ethnic groups irrespective of tribe or religion in the state.

“As long as people are ready to obey the laws, we have no discrimination against them,’’ he said, and pledged to create further opportunities for the Yoruba and all other communities in the state to ensure economic development of the state.

In his speech earlier, President General of the Yoruba Community in the 19 northern states, Allhaji Ganiyu Oguntoyinbo commended Yero for his efforts at promoting peaceful co-existence in the state.

He also said that Yero had continued with projects initiated by his predecessors in office which he described as the right step towards ensuring sustainable growth and development.

Oguntoyinbo however, urged the governor to provide equal opportunities for members of Yoruba Community in the state to actively participate in governance saying they would contribute positively to the socioeconomic growth of the state.

Ex-gov Sheriff's brother submits House of Reps nomination forms

By Ndahi Marama

M

AIDUGURI— BROTHER of former governor of Borno State, Ali Modu Sheriff, Alhaji Mohammed Sheriff has submitted his nomination forms to contest the House of

Representative seat of Bama, Kala- Balge and Ngala Federal Constituency under the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, in the next year’s general elections.

Submitting the forms yesterday to the chairman of the APC in the state at the party’s secretariat in Maiduguri with thousands of his

Zamfara APGA gov aspirant promises good leadership

By Salisu Maradun

G

USAU—AN All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, governorship aspirant in Zamfara State, Alhaji Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi has asked the state governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari to explain to the people what positive changes he has made in their lives through people-oriented projects or infrastructure in the almost four years of his administration.

Shinkafi, who condemned Yari’s alleged lackadaisical attitude towards governance saying his government had employed the tactics of hide and seek to deceive the people.

He spoke in an interview with Vanguard in Gusau, the state capital, yesterday.

“Yari has only mortgaged the state where only he and his friends are benefiting, while majority are currently crying over the level of increasing poverty.’’ he added.

According to him, all the Yari’s policies and programmes were not meant to improve the well-being of the people.

He however, pointed out that an APGA government in the state would bring fresh hope to the people by providing the enabling environment for businesses as part of their ‘’democracy dividends.’’

supporters, Sheriff said he would contest the seat to deliver the people of his constituency who had been denied federal presence in terms of infrastructural development through the instrumentality of the incumbent representative, Hon. Abdulrahaman Terab who defected with former governor Sheriff to the PDP on Monday.

The aspirant who hopes to secure the ticket for the 2015 general elections on APC’s platform promised to lead by example if victorious in the election Sheriff further promised quality representation if elected , saying that his people’s interest would remain his main focus.

Governance, according to him, should not be left in the hands of people who had brought so much hardship on the citizenry, adding that, he will ensure that issues of water scarcity, bad road network, lack of electricity and poverty were addressed during his tenure.

Responding, the APC Chairman Alhaji Ali Bukar Dalori, represented by his Secretary, Alhaji Bello Ayuba described Sheriff as a well deserved aspirant and called on the people to rally round him to win the seat come 2015.

“We have been receiving many aspirants into this office, but the crowd that accompanied Mohammed Sheriff today signifies that he is a true democrat and man of the people.

Cleric cautions politicians against unguarded utterances

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—THE President of Church of Christ in Nations, COCIN, Rev. Dachollom Datiri has cautioned politicians over their utterances and actions as the 2015 general elections approach.

Datiri said that the political gladiators in the country were behaving as if the country was at war because of the individual ambitions, warning that this posed a lot of danger to the country.

He further observed that politicians were too desperate for power, hence they were not playing the game according to the rules.

Speaking yesterday during the 87th General Church Council of COCIN at the church’s headquarters in Jos, he stated, “Politicians are not playing the game along the lines of political ideologies and they are desperate for power.”

He tasked God-fearing politicians to take responsibility and bring sanity into the Nigerian politics just as he asked responsible religious leaders to guide the politicians without “soiling their hands.”

CWG boss bags IT Personality of the year award who have distinguished

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OUNDER and Chief Executive Officer, Computer Warehouse Group Plc (CWG), Mr. Austin Okere, has been named the ICT Personality of the year, by the Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) at the National Information Technology Merit Award (NITMA) ceremony held in Lagos.

Okere was recognized after two weeks online voting conducted and the result was declared by global consultants, Accenture.

Austin was also selected for special recognition for his significant contribution to the ICT industry and the economy as a whole, as well as being conferred with the fellowship of the Nigeria Computer Society.

According to the president of NCS, Professor David Adewunmi, “the ICT personality of the year is given to deserving individuals

themselves as leading stars and have contributed immensely to the ICT sector and the nation as a whole.”

Okere was nominated alongside Mr. Aniekan Etiebet, MD Data Sciences Nigeria Ltd, Mr Collins Onuegbu, Executive Vice-Chairman, Signal Alliance Ltd and Mr. Segun Akano, MD Upperlink Ltd. Explaining the selection process, the Chairman, event organizing committee, Mr. Jide Awe informed the audience that the winner of the award is decided through a voting process involving all the members of the body and conducted by a credible private organization.

Commenting on the award, Mr. Okere thanked the NCS for the recognition,and dedicated it to his family, who he said have resolutely stood by him while burning the midnight oil.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Dents and intents on Jonathan’s way 2015:

ONLY few may have been taken unawares with President Goodluck Jonathan’s declaration for a second term penultimate Tuesday. However, the positives and challenges on his track are formidable.

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T

HE president was quick to admit it that even though he has done much but that much more is required to take Nigeria to its desired position in the comity of nations.

Whether coincidental or a deliberate act to stop his declaration, on the eve of the event penultimate Monday, elements reportedly inclined to the militant Islamic Boko Haram group bombed a Government Secondary School in Potiskum, Yobe State causing the death of more than 45 school children.

It was another tragic decimal in the recurring attacks that have been clearly directed at clouding whatever positive steps of the administration. But was that enough to stop the president and his supporters from stepping out the following day to celebrate the achievements of the administration? It was a question that quickly turned political.

The president’s supporters claimed that aborting the long planned event would mean giving in to terrorism, a position that was attacked by the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress, APC. However, as he pushed forward his intention to seek re-election that fateful day, the president was not oblivious of the challenges and issues before him.

Having observed a one minute silence in memory of the dead school children, the president proceeded to list out his initiative to soothe the pains of citizens mostly in the Northeast that have borne the brunt of the militants.

He said: “To ensure the long term stability and development of the affected areas, government has launched three programmes: The Presidential Initiative for the North East, the Victim Support Fund and the Safe School Initiative. The Presidential Initiative for the Northeast is focused on improving infrastructure and economic growth in the region.

The Safe School Initiative is centred on creating a safe environment to encourage our

children in the communities to acquire education. The Victim Support Fund, a partnership with the Private Sector, has raised about 60 billion Naira, which will help to empower and rehabilitate victims of terror.”

He then proceeded to project his mark on infrastructure notably power pointing out that his administration had “pursued the power sector reform to this point of irreversible progress.”

While noting a number of power projects underway including the much talked about 3,050MW Mambilla HydroPower Plant he said is about to take off, the president noted the privatisation of the sector as one of the major attainments of his administration which he said is now paying off.

On water infrastructure, the president cited the increase in access to potable water from 58% to 67% and the completion of 37 dams and rehabilitation of another 10 as part of his legacy in the water sector.

Landmark achievement One landmark for assessing an administration obviously is the efforts on roads. It was not surprising that as he got to that point that the president glowed as he ticked off his successes in the road sector.

“When I assumed office in 2010, out of the 35,000km of federal roads nationwide, only about 5,000km were motorable.

Today, that number has increased to about 25,000km. We expect to complete the remaining 10,000km in three years while initiating new ones.”

“I made a commitment to build two new major bridges across the River Niger and River Benue.

Today, the new bridge over the River Benue, connecting Loko in Nassarawa State to Oweto in Benue State has reached an advanced stage of completion, while work has commenced on the Second Niger Bridge.”

“Beyond these, my administration has concluded plans to re-commence the construction of Bodo-Bonny

•President Goodluck Jonathan Road with three major bridges on oil and gas and agriculture the alignment that will link the sectors.

While the railways have been Island of Bonny with Rivers partially rehabilitated mainland.”

One particular bad road that has expectations are that the tainted the nation’s image, the administration would build the Murtala Mohammed Way which system to a fully modern leads from the international transportation channel that airport in Lagos which for years would in due time take away has been managed will be fully much of the stress from the roads.

Agriculture has turned into a rehabilitated the president assured. signature tune for supporters of “Preliminary works have started the president who claim that bold on my administration’s planned reforms have helped to turn it into a viable re-construction and expansion of business and at the Murtala the same time Muhammed eradicating the International corruption that Airport Road once prevailed in in Lagos to a the distribution of world class fertilisers. entry point “We have into our focused on country. Only encouraging the a few months private sector to ago, work The president’s boost investments started on the supporters in the agricultural dualization of sector. As a result, claimed that Kano-Katsina the number of Road. While aborting the long seed companies m a n y rose from five to Nigerians are planned event eighty in the past celebrating would mean three years. the marked giving in to Private sector improvements investment in the on our roads, I terrorism, a agricultural sector want to assure position that was expanded by $ US that it will get 5.6 billion across attacked by the even better as the Agricultural we move main opposition value chain.” forward.”

“We ended party, the All T h e decades of president also Progressives corruption in the noted strides fertilizer and seed in the railway, Congress, APC

sectors. We developed a transparent and efficient system of reaching farmers directly with subsidized farm inputs. Before our reforms, fertilizer procurement and distribution took from the needy and gave to the greedy. We restored dignity back to farmers.”

“Today, 14 million farmers, of which 2 million are women, access fertilizers with their mobile phones, through an e-wallet system.

Nigeria is the first country in the world to develop an e-wallet system to reach farmers with subsidized farm inputs on their mobile phones. Several African countries are now borrowing this transparent and efficient e-wallet system for their own countries.”

Even as he affirmed his success in curbing corruption in the agricultural sector, the president nevertheless admitted the continuing struggle by his administration to curb corruption in the body polity.

“Corruption remains a big challenge in our national life. It corrodes our efforts at development and at motivating competence in critical sectors of our national growth.

We have eradicated it in the agricultural sector and we will surely eradicate it in other sectors of our economy,” giving a reminder that even where the administration has attained much that the gains remain endangered if the corruption cankerworm is not curtailed.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—43

Cross River 2015:

Why PDP is in

trouble — Ambassador Abang, ex-PDP boss AMBASSADOR Soni Abang, a two-time chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Cross River State in this interview responds to questions on the crisis that has recently bestirred the party in the state. Excerpts:

By Henry Umoru

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HAT is your reaction to allegations of a power tussle between Abuja based politicians and those based in your state?

It is a new development. I was persuaded in 2001 to resign my position as a local government chairman in order to head the party in the state as chairman. When I took over the leadership of the party, PDP was not the dominant party then in the state.

The opposition, All Progressives Party (APP) had the majority in the State House of Assembly with 13 members and it produced the Speaker then. Governor Donald Duke of the PDP, had just 10 members in the House. That was the situation when I became the state chairman of the party in 2001.

By 2003, the arrangement changed. Majority of the opposition members of the House, defected to the PDP through my intervention and by the time we were getting Duke back for a second term, PDP had an absolute control of the House with 25 members.

At the National Assembly, when we started in 1999, we had just three APP members in the House of Representatives with only Senator Ita Giwa in the Senate.

But by 2004, everybody had become PDP. We were able to build a political family into a very cohesive unit.

By 2008, those who came to the National Assembly and even those who ran for governorship, if I am to quote correctly, I don’t think there is anyone that spent over N2 million to go to House of Representatives or N5 million to go to Senate.

I am not sure that anybody even spent up to N200 million to become governor of Cross River State as at 2008. That was exactly how it used to be. If the PDP family in Cross River State is willing to call some people Abuja-based politicians, and see others as Cross River-based politicians, then, there is a fundamental problem.

Can we still say that Cross River is still a core PDP state

at the moment?

If we go to the 2015 election with the way things are, I am not too sure that the PDP will have a good outing in the state.

The present leadership did not emerge through the same process that brought us in.

As a serving local government chairman, it was a consensus among all the party leaders that I should come and head the party. It was not the decision of one individual but today, the choice of the state chairmanship, was the decision of one or two persons. They wanted somebody, who will just be there to do their bidding.

The state chairman, everybody knows, is a civil servant who just retired.

As one of the chieftains of the party in the state who had seen the implication of such actions, what did you do to prevent it?

As I speak with you, I have not interacted with the leader of my party in the state for about two years now because we have issues; we have disagreements. That is the truth.

So, what went wrong at the ward congresses of the party in Cross River?

What went wrong is the outcome of one singular intention, which is imposition!

Somebody wants to impose candidates. How do they want to achieve this? I read an interview granted by my former deputy who said there were 588 delegates expected from Cross River State from the conduct of the ad-hoc election. Cross River State Party leadership bought 600 forms.

If we go to the 2015 election with the way things are, I am not too sure that the PDP will have a good outing in the state

•Abang That means that there would be no contest! Before then, we learnt that they had compiled the list of those who would be delegates about six months ago. Government appointees and the hand-picked caucus leaders who we don’t know, sat down to determine who will make the list.

What is the role of the state governor in all these being the leader of the party in the state?

Well, the governor is the leader of the party, he will get the glory if Cross River state is managed properly. He will also take the blame if anything happens negatively in the state.

Talking about the Senate Leader returning alongside the Senate President and others, by assessment, the Senate Leader has done very well.

Common sense and equity demand that the man should be given another opportunity to continue his good works.

Again, his candidature is being reinforced by what we hear that his party thinks he should go back. He has done well and the presidency feels that he should also return.

There are insinuations that the state government is supporting a serving member of the House of

Representatives to take over from the Senate leader.

It is not possible, the state will lose out if that happens because it doesn’t add up. The governor has not been able to convince some of us, the reason why he is doing what he is doing.

We don’t understand it. Even if it comes to call the mathematics of political games, it still doesn’t add up. For instance, Hon. Ewan Enoh, is from Etung local government area with about 20, 000 votes while Senator Ndoma - Egba is from Ikom local government area with about 67, 000 votes.

Even if you weigh the two figures, it doesn’t add up.

I also heard that the governor was advocating the rotation of the senatorial seat among the federal constituencies. I find it hard to swallow.

Where a senatorial district would be reduced to a federal constituency for the purpose of zoning. Nobody can change the composition of a senatorial district except if the person would change the constitution.

That one does not make sense to me at all. Now, in the interest of Cross River state, its better we put our house together and forget about all these things.

Why is it that it was the same party that is in opposition to

itself in the state?

It happens. That is politics.

Let me give you another bombshell. If you look at the PDP leadership in Cross River State today, those who are PDP original are all outside.

Those who constitute the leadership today are people who had been in the opposition up till one year ago. Those are the people recruited to take the place of founding members and leaders of the party in the state.

They are the ones taking decisions and hence subjected the former leaders to become opposition.

Are you aware of any issue involving the Senate leader and Governor Imoke in the past which could be the cause this current crisis in the state?

To the best of my knowledge, the Senate Leader is one man, who has been wonderfully supporting the governor.

I am talking about support that goes beyond reason. I have made many attempts to see the governor. I had sent text messages to him when he wouldn’t pick my calls. As at last week, I sent him a text that he was opening up battles on too many fronts and that enough is enough. I told him I want to talk to him, up till now, he has not called me.

44—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Insecurity in Nigeria: The legal challenge (3) Being the concluding instalment of the paper delivered by Femi Falana SAN at the seventh annual Emeritus Professor D.A. Ijalaiye SAN Distinguished Personality Lecture at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State. The second part was published in yesterday's edition General of Police (unreported) the

By Femi Falana Federal Capital Territory High OTWITHSTANDING the Court declared illegal and war on terror Nigerian unconstitutional the decision of judges have continued to uphold the controversial police officer, the fundamental rights of AIG Joseph Mbu to ban the rally staged daily by the Nigerians.

In Babankura Fugu v. bringbackourgirls campaigners.

Since the neo-colonial State has President, Federal Republic of Nigeria (2009 -2010) CHR 1 at failed to provide for the “security 10 the Borno State High Court and welfare of the people” as awarded N100 million damages required by section 14(2) of the to the applicant to atone for the Constitution the terrorists have extra judicial murder of his father, overrun the north east region. No an alleged terrorist suspect . In doubt, the military authorities are the same vein, in Hadiza Bala embarrassed that soldiers Usman & Ors. v. Inspector- vamoose at the sight of the

N

terrorists. But instead of charging those soldiers with mutiny the defence chiefs ought to have asked the Government to comply with Section 217(2) of the Constitution which stipulates that the Federation shall “equip and maintain the armed forces as may be considered adequate and effective” for the defence of Nigeria from external aggression and the maintenance of its territorial integrity.

It is submitted that there is no legal justification for prosecuting soldiers who demand for adequate equipment to fight terrorism. Since the soldiers are entitled to their fundamental right to life guaranteed by section 33 of the Constitution they have a duty not to commit suicide by

fighting the well equipped terrorists with obsolete weapons.

Therefore, it is illegal and unconstitutional on the part of any court-martial to convict and sentence soldiers to death for demanding for weapons to fight the terrorists.

Towards the defeat of Terrorism Last month, the Federal Government announced a ceasefire with the boko haram sect and assured the nation that arrangements had been concluded for the release of the Chibok girls. The Boko Haram sect denounced the so called agreement and has continued to unleash mayhem on innocent people. Since it is crystal clear that the ceasefire was a ruse the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Barde who announced it should be directed to resign his appointment. More so, that the same officer had announced, about six months ago, that the Chibok girls were going to be

rescued in a matter of days since the army had located them.

To fight the scourge of insurgency the Nigerian people should demand a wholesale reorganization of the armed forces and a probe of the huge funds earmarked for the nation’s defence in the last 5 years. The National Assembly should ensure that the $1 billion loan recently approved for the purchase of military hardware is judiciously utilized by the Federal Government. The members of the Joint Task Force should be motivated through training as well as prompt payment of their salaries and allowances. Those who lose their lives in the battlefield should not be buried in unmarked graves. They deserve to be accorded decent burials in a cemetery reserved for heroes while their family members are promptly paid their entitlements.

The Federal Government should, without any further delay, dislodge the terrorists from the 16 local government illegally occupied by them.

In view of the patriotic role of the civilian Joint Task Force in liberating and securing some towns in the occupied territory the youths in the north east region should be mobilized to flush out the terrorists from their communities. While we advocate that the armed forces be adequately funded we suggest that the federal and state governments should religiously implement the policy on the provision of compulsory and free universal basic education for every Nigerian child. The government should also embark on genuine empowerment programs and job creation for our army of unemployed youths.

Conclusion: The genesis of the Boko Haram sect has been traced to members of the ruling class who sponsor violent groups and private militias in the rat race for political power. Now that the crisis of insurgency has gone out of control no faction of the ruling class has any moral right to point accusing fingers. They should be held collectively liable for the promotion of violent politics and the manipulation of religion. Henceforth, the security agencies should be directed by the Government to arrest and prosecute the sponsors and agents of violence in the country.

Finally, while defending and protecting the fundamental right of the Nigerian people to the freedom of thought, conscience and religion in line with the provisions of section 38 of the Constitution the Government should withdraw completely from religious affairs. Without any further delay, the Government should stop the adoption of official religions and ensure that religion is made a private affair by all public officers.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—45

Kpokpo is Itsekiri town —COUNCIL OF ELDERS

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CBN: From left— Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor; Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, Minister of Petroleum; Professor Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power and Mr. Austin Avuru, CEO, Seplat, at the signing of the CBNNigerian Electricity Market Stabilization Facility MoU between gas suppliers and CBN in Abuja, Tuesday.

NDYC calls for evacuation of Deltans in North-East

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OUTHS in Niger Delta, on the aegis of Niger Delta Youth Council, NDYC, have called for the evacuation of Niger Deltans and other displaced Nigerians in the troubled North-Eastern part of the country, just as they demanded that three percent of the 13 percent derivation allocation to states in the region be channelled into providing social services to the region’s youths.

Leaders of NDYC made the demands during their solidarity visit to Pastor Ayo Oritsejefor, President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, in Warri.

Its spokesman, Mr. Andrew Efole, called for the revival of federal government-owned establishments in the region.

He mentioned Delta Steel Company, DSC, and projects in the riverine areas such as the Omadino/Ukpokiti/ Escravos Bridge.

In his response, Pastor Oritsejefor, the General Overseer and founder of Word of Life Bible Church, thanked the youths for the visit and commended them for their unity, which, he noted, would attract developments to the Niger Delta, adding that their demands were reasonable.

Atiku in Benin, seeks Oshiomhole’s support F

ORMER Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday, stormed Benin, Edo State, to interact and seek the support of Governor Adams Oshiomhole and leaders of All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state for his ambition to secure the Presidential ticket of the party.

Governor Oshiomhole, who received the former Vice President in his office, said: “It is my hope and prayer that our party, over the next few weeks, would sort out all

issues so that Nigerians will have the opportunity to enjoy a new approach to politics and governance based on issues and pedigree of individuals.

“That way we can move away from politics of religion, ethnicity and other pedestrian interests. That is what APC is bringing to the table and I am very anxious that we get to that stage so that Nigeria will move away from this present stage to making life more meaningful for Nigerians.

“We cannot continue with this ridiculous catch-phrase of

‘business as usual’ as Nigerians are anxious to have a change so that we can start a new chapter without being detained with the failures of the recent past.”

Earlier, Atiku said he was in Benin to have an audience with the governor and interact with party faithful in the state.

He said: “I am here to have an audience with you and also to interact with party faithful in the state. I want to thank you for this opportunity and I hope we will make the best use of the day in Edo today.”

NSE, ICPC partner on fight against quacks

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—NIGERIAN Society of Engineers, NSE, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Crime Commission, ICPC, as part of its efforts to check quackery.

President of NSE, Mr. Olorunfemi Ademola, said this when the society’s Asaba branch and its leadership in Delta State, led by Mr. Rex Ohre, hosted him and his Council for the Regulatory of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, counterpart, Mr. Abdul Ali, and Registrar, Mr. Kamila Maliki, to a dinner.

While faulting contractors, who indulged in unethical practices, Ademola said the society had taken concrete steps to flush out quackery from the profession.

He said: “The issue of collapse buildings throughout the country in recent time is of serious concern to the society and we are ready to prosecute erring contractors to sanitize and protect the

country from the mess of substandard projects.”

He challenged practicing engineers to be involved in the leadership of the country through active participation in politics to drive home the demands of the society, noting that engineers needed to be politicians to politicize and institute policies and programmes that would be of immense benefits to the society.

Similarly, his COREN counterpart, Ali, disclosed that approval for enhanced salary scale for practicing engineers in the country was in advanced stage and on the desk of the Head of Service of the Federation.

Earlier, Ohre said practicing engineers in the state were working with the COREN code to flush out fake contractors.

ARRI— THE claim by Ijaw of Gbaramatu, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, that they own Kpokpo has been described as false, misleading and capable of breaching the peace already existing between the Itsekiri and Ijaw in the area.

The assertion was made by the Council of Elders of Kpokpo community in a statement by Prince Nelson Kolo, who said that Kpokpo was founded

by Prince Kolo Fregene, an Itsekiri man more than a century ago.

According to the statement, “if the town belongs to them, the Ijaw would not have burnt it down during the Warri crisis.

“The ownership of the town has never been challenged by the Ijaw until recently when the Federal Government sited the jetty of the EPZ there.”

Prince Kolo stated that the Kolo Fregene family has in its possession documents to show that they own the place.

He condemned the cancellation of the proposed groundbreaking ceremony of the EPZ project because Ijaw allegedly threatened mayhem because of the unresolved issue of the ownership of the land on which the project is sited.

Burial

St. Malachy's old boys organise fund-raising dinner

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T. Malachy ’s Grammar School, Sapele, Delta State, Old Boys Association has concluded plans to raise funds in a dinner-gala night scheduled for Saturday, November 22, at Southern Sun Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos.

A statement by President of the association, Mr. Andy Isiakpere, and Chairman, Organising Committee, Mr. Charles Egbevwie, said old boys from all over the country and their guests were expected at the dinner.

According to the statement,

funds raised from the occasion will be deployed to renew the infrastructure in the school.

The statement read: “The old boys are saddened over the deplorable conditions of their Alma Mater, which they hold on to with relish and nostalgia.

“The old boys association will channel the funds raised to build classroom blocks, fullyequipped science laboratory, ICT centre, library and the reintroduction of boarding facilities.”

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R. Okwa Ezeh, aged 90, is dead. He died September 25.

Next Saturday, the body will leave St. Luke Mortuary, Kale, by 10a.m, for his compound, 5, Edeme Close, Umusadege. Entertainment follows immediately.

Sunday is thanksgiving at First Baptist Church, Kwale.

He is survived by children and grandchildren.

46 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Mgbidi people seeks assistance on N50m civic centre

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AGOS—INDIGENES of Mgbidi in Imo State have solicited the assistance of prominent Nigerians in the area, towards the completion of their civic centre project, estimated to cost N50 million.

Immediate past president of Mgbidi Peoples Union, MPU, Lagos branch, Mr. Innocent Nwafor, spoke at the 2014 Mgbidi Day celebration in Lagos.

Nwafor lamented that the project had lingered for 17 years and urged the people of the area to rally round the present leadership to ensure its completion.

He promised that the centre would be equipped with necessary facilities that would be a source of pride to Mgbidi indigenes as well as revenue for them.

Nwafor whose six-year tenure came to an end this month, thanked members for their unalloyed support in the past six years and charged them to extend same to his successor.

DEC tasks DSIEC on gains of LG polls

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A R R I — D E LT A Equity Coalition, DEC, has recommended that gains recorded in the just concluded local government elections in Delta State be sustained by the state Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC. Addressing newsmen in Warri, yesterday, the convener, Jesutega Onokpasa, claimed the elections were a marked improvement from past elections, though there remained room for further improvement.

He said: “What was rather shocking is the fact that the commission actually went ahead with its determination to conduct real elections instead of merely rubberstamping the dictates of the ruling party.

"In all the nooks and crannies of Delta, election materials were delivered for the first time and people actually ended up being able to vote.”

He also commended the commission’s chairman, Moses Ogbe, and its commissioners for keeping to their words.

2015: Asogwa-led Enugu PDP faction romances APGA E

By Francis Igata

NUGU—THERE were strong indications yesterday in Enugu that the Ikeje Asogwa-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Enugu State chapter might be planning to pitch its tent with the All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, to further its political ambition.

Vanguard checks round Enugu metropolis revealed that most recent campaign posters pasted all over the city by the Asogwa-led members had no logo of the Peoples Demoratic Party, PDP, on it.

APGA heightened after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, presided over by Justice E. S. Chukwu, Tuesday declared Elder David Aja as the authentic Chairman of PDP, Enugu State chapter, pending the appointment of another chairman from the area where the immediate past chairman of the party hails

from.

Abba on APGA move

However, the immediate past Chairman of the party, whose resignation threw the party in turmoil, Chief Vita Abba, loyal to the Chime camp, when contacted, said: “I do not have any information on the plan or move to APGA. I am not

aware.”

Recall that Governor Sullivan Chime had on Tuesday, while addressing a crowd of party stakeholders, reiterated that the party remained the only viable vehicle to elective offices in the state, arguing that anyone who chose to leave the party was seeking his own retirement from politics.

Chime's candidate

Similarly, the anointed candidate of Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi’s posters shared the same features of not having PDP logo on it.

It was learned that the governor ’s decision to pitch tent with APGA was reached when it became obvious that the national leadership of the PDP was not disposed to allowing his anointed candidate, Ugwuanyi, to emerge as the party’s flagbearer in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

Both Governor Chime’s supporters and the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu loyalists have been at daggers-drawn over list of PDP ward/ council congresses in the state, prompting litigations.

The source claimed Chime was said to have sent a highpowered delegation to negotiate with the leadership of the opposition party, APGA, on the intention for a possible cross over to the party.

APGA conditions

According to the source, among conditions given to Governor Chime and his group was that there must be undertaking that none of them would jettison or leave APGA after the 2015 general polls.

It was also gathered that Chime and his group were also reminded of the N29million allegedly given to the party ,APGA,in 2011, but said to have been stopped by the governor immediately he triumphed over the erstwhile national chairman of PDP, Dr Okwesilieze Nwodo, during the struggle for the PDP structure in the Enugu State, then.

The speculation over Chime’s loyalists’ alleged impending defection to

INSPECTION: Lagos State Deputy Governor, Princess Adejoke Orelope- Adefulire (right), with Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, officials, during the inspection tour of the ongoing Permanent Voters' Cards, PVC, distribution at Ojo Local Government Area, Lagos.

NECA vows to protect employers' right

By Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—NIGERIA Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, has assured of its resolve to fight for the protection of the rights of members beyond 2015, in view of the challenges and current developments in the global economy.

Its Director General, Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, who spoke during a meeting in Lagos, between NECA President, Mr. Larry Ettah, and some executives of member companies, insisted that NECA would not relent until the interest of employers across the country

were projected and protected.

“Most of these regulatory agencies would have to define the basis of their survival in 2015. I think it is time we sharpen our swords and NECA will be there to lead the army of employer till we get our rights.

"If any employer have any problem they can call us, and I can assure, that we will focus on the basis of your existence.

The membership of our governing body council is open to any Chief Executive Officer that is interested in participating in our

governing council meeting," he sad.

Also speaking, Larry Ettah, President of NECA, explained that employers’ rights were constitutional and the association would do its duty of protecting the rights of employers.

“By law and constitutionally those rights are there. If there is a social contract between an employer and employee, it means a contact exists, and both party are to contribute to execution and maintenance of that contract.

So we do have rights and NECA exists as a business management organization to protect the rights of employers,” he said.

Church describes group's election illegal

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ENIN CITY—THE Assemblies of God Church, in Edo State and Sapele, Delta State, have described as illegal alleged parallel election held by a group in the church, led by Rev. Chidi Okoroafor, saying their action was not only unconstitutional but also a rebellion in the church.

However, the church hailed what it described peaceful reelection of its General Superintendent, Rev Paul

Emeka, at its 35th General Council meeting held in Enugu for another four years as a demonstration of his acceptability to lead the house of God. In a statement signed by leaders of the church, Reverend Samuel Abrifor and Reverend Sunday Palmer, the church stressed the need for men of God to respect constitutional authority and

stop indulging in activities capable of destroying the image of the church.

While reiterating support for Rev. Emeka and other newly elected leaders of the church at the recent General Council meeting in Enugu, they urged aggrieved members of the Church, led by Reverend Chidi, to abide by the constitution of the Assemblies and also obey the injunction served on them by a competent court.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 47

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48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

CONFERENCE: From left, Mrs. Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv; Mr. Felix Awogu, General Manager, SuperSport, West Africa; Mrs. Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria; Mrs. Elizabeth Amkpa, General Manager, GOtv, and Mr. Peter Ayewoh, Marketing Manager, Dana Motors Limited, during the press conference of MultiChoice Super Cruise Promo, in Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Kehinde Gbadamosi

SPECIAL DAY: Representative of the head of Communications and Public Affairs, Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, NDIC, Mrs. Chinyere Ogunsakin; member of the Council, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, Mr. Biodun Tawede; representative of the Chief Executive Officer, NDIC, Dr. Kachollom Gang; Vice President, LCCI, Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, and representative of Deputy Director, Claims Resolution Department, NDIC, Lagos, Mr. Suleiman Amoo, during the NDIC's 'Special Day,' at the just concluded 2014 Lagos International Trade Fair.

FORUM: From left, Vice President, Bank Directors Association of Nigeria, Foluke Abdulrazak; Chairman, Standard Chartered Bank of Nigeria Limited, Sir Remi Omotoso; President, Bank Directors Association of Nigeria, Dr. Sonny Kuku; Partner and Head, Financial Services (Audit Services) KPMG, Ayodele Othihiwa, and Deputy Director, Banking Supervision Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Kevin Ibedu, during the 2014 Annual Forum, 'Competing globally from the Boardroom: Reviewing Benchmarks for Nigerian Bank Directors,'day in Lagos.

EXHIBITIONS: Chairman, Phone and Allied Products Dealers Association of Nigeria, PAPDAN, Mr. Iyke Nwosu (left), and Group CEO, Technology Times, Mr. Shina Badaru, at the announcement of Phone Expo Nigeria 2014 Conferences and Exhibitions (PEN 2014), an alliance between the two organisations in Lagos.

CONVENTION: From left, Sola David-Borha, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Nigeria; Tony O. Elumelu, Chairman, Heirs Holdings; Hon. Minister of Power, Chinedu Nebo; and Kunle Elebute, Head of Advisory Services, KPMG Nigeria, at the West African Power Industry Convention, WAPIC, at Eko Hotel, in Lagos.

LAUNCH: FMN Head of Sales, Mr. Vikas Singh (left); Group Managing Director, Mr. Paul Gbededo (3rd right); Managing Director FMN’s Agro-Allied Division, Mr. Hugh Glyn-Jones (2nd right), and some managers of the company, during launch of Kool2Go Instant Drink at the company's head office, in Apapa, Lagos.

GRADUATION: From left, Head, SMEs Credit, Stanbic IBTC, Mr. Damilola Owoeyo; Manager, Events and Corporate Social Investment, Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc, Ame Okwudi; Vice Chairman, Board of Trustees, Empowerment for the Less Privileged Foundation, ELP, Dr. Nkechi Akubuiro, and Executive Secretary, ELP, Mr. Adesina Matti, during the graduation of students of ELP skill acquisition training sponsored by Stanbic IBTC, in Lagos, to mark the Global Entrepreneurship Week.

BRIEFING: From left, Deputy Director, Pharmaceuticals, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mrs. Ololade Alabi; Director, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, and Assistant Director, Cosmetics and Allied Products, Alhaji Shaba Mohammed, during the media briefing on the activities and seizure of fake products by the agency in Lagos.

AWARD: Mr. Fatai Afolabi, member, Technical Committee, British American Tobacco Nigeria Foundation, BATNF; Mrs. Oluwaseyi Ashade, Sustainability Manager, BATN; Mr. Bashiru Adesiyan, cassava farmer beneficiary; Mr. Adeboye Abioye, Executive Director, Theseabilities Limited; Ms Abimbola Okoya, General Manager, BATNF; Mr. Abiodun Peters, Company Secretary, BATNF; Chief Toyin Oso, cassava farmer beneficiary, and Mr. Tajudeen Akinwande, Communications and Events Manager, BATNF, at the presentation of SERAs 2014 Best Company in Agriculture Award to BATNF, in Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 —49

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BRIEFS Israel begins demolishing homes over attacks

Ukraine conflict: Germany toughens tone with Russia T

HE face of Russian President Vladimir Putin stares out from the front page of one of Germany’s most popular broadsheets. Germany’s relationship with Russia has occupied the headlines and preoccupied its politicians for months.

This week, in a speech in Australia, Chancellor Angel Merkel appeared to suggest her patience with the Russian leader over the conflict in eastern Ukraine was running out.

“Angela Merkel has been the West’s indispensable interlocutor with Putin,” says Judy Dempsey from the Carnegie Europe think tank. The chancellor speaks fluent Russian; the Russian leader fluent German. They are described as having developed a grudging respect for one Their countries have a complicated relationship a turbulent history and economic ties. Four thousand German companies do business with Russia. On Sunday night, German TV aired an exclusive TV interview

President Putin and Angela Merkel spent several hours in talks at the weekend with Mr Putin in which he said sanctions against his country were not only hurting Ukraine but would also damage the German economy. The two leaders are said to have spoken over the telephone nearly 40 times since the Ukraine crisis began. During the

G20 summit in Brisbane, Australia, Mrs Merkel spent hours in a private meeting with Mr Putin.

Then, on Monday, she addressed a think tank in Sydney. Russia was “violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine”, she said, and

accuse Russia of destabilizing Ukraine by providing the rebels with money, arms and reinforcements. The West has imposed sanctions on Moscow over the conflict in which

Europe would continue to apply pressure.

While she had long respected Russia’s concerns about Ukraine moving closer to Nato, she argued it was “simply not acceptable to forbid a country” to sign a trade agreement with the EU.

more than 4,000 people have been killed since mid-April.

Russia backs the separatists but denies it is directly involved in the conflict in the Donbass region.

Burkina Faso to appoint interim govt within 72hrs •Pro-Russian separatists pose with the picture of Joseph Stalin at checkpoint in the Spartak area near the Sergey Prokofiev International Airport in Donetsk yesterday.

USSIA urged Ukraine’s leaders yesterday to talk directly to separatists to end the conflict in the east, but

Kiev rejected the call and told Moscow to stop “playing games” aimed at legitimizing “terrorists”. Kiev and the West

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URKINA Faso’s newly appointed prime minister Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida said yesterday that a government for the country ’s transitional period would be announced “ within 72

Suicide attack hits Iraq’s Erbil

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SUICIDE attack has left at least six people, including the attacker, dead in Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region.

Dozens of people were also wounded when the attacker tried to drive his vehicle into the governorate building, only to be cut down by guards’ gunfire on Wednesday.

Three civilians and two police officers were among the dead, in the

SRAEL has demolished the East Jerusalem home of a Palestinian who carried out a deadly October attack, just hours after Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli prime minister, warned of strict security measures in response to Tuesday ’s synagogue killings in Jerusalem.

The house demolished on Wednesday in the Silwan neighbourhood near the Old City belonged to Abdel Rahman al-Shaludi, who last month killed two people among a crowd standing on a light rail platform in Jerusalem.

Four families who lived in the building - including that of al-Shaludi - had to evacuate, Al Jazeera’s Dalia Hatuqa reported from occupied East Jerusalem, adding that the entire neighbourhood was closed off

by Israeli security forces.

Al Jazeera’s Stefanie Dekker, reporting from outside the demolished house, said people in the area considered the Israeli action as a form of collective punishment - “a wider way to punish - even the extended family”.

Punitive demolition was a tactic frequently employed

by Israeli security forces before defence chiefs decided to suspend it in 2005 after concluding that it was not an effective deterrent.

Miss Honduras, sister killed—Police

Ukraine rules out direct talks with separatists

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first attack to target the city ’s centre in seven months. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack. “Erbil, in the autonomous Kurdish region, is a very wellsecured area, and has succeeded in sparing itself much of the violence and blasts rocking other cities, especially Baghdad,” Al Jazeera’s Imran Khan said, reporting from Baghdad.

“The region has been

under recurring threats, however.”

Fighters for the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), who overran expanes of northern Iraq this summer, have repeatedly threat-ened to launch attacks against Kurdistan, but the region has so far largely managed to insulate itself from the violence.

The Iraqi Kurdish Health Ministry reported at least 22 were wounded.

hours”. The deputy head of the presidential guard was briefly head of state after mass protests toppled long-serving President Blaise Compaore who fled the West African country on October 31.

Zida agreed to step down amid pressure for a return to civilian rule and earlier this week former foreign minister Michel Kafando was appointed interim president.

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WO bodies believed to belong to Miss Honduras 2014 and her sister have been found buried near the spa where they disappeared six days ago, the Honduras National Police director said yesterday.

Authorities were awaiting confirmation from forensic officials that the victims are Maria Jose Alvarado, 19, and her sister, Sofia, 23, said Gen. Ramon Sabillon.

Sabillon said Sofia’s boyfriend, Plutarco Ruiz, confessed to killing the •Maria Jose Alvarado, sisters and led authorities to the bodies buried in a river bank in a mountainous area of Santa Barbara, about 240 miles (400 kilometers) west of Tegucigalpa.

Pope to raffle gifts given to him to raise money for the poor

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OPE Francis is raffling off the Homero Ortega brand hat, a new four-wheel-drive Fiat Panda, bicycles, an espresso coffee machine, watches and other objects he has received as gifts in order to raise money for the poor.

A poster recently went up around the Vatican announcing the raffle of 13 objects as well as more than 30 unspecified “consolation prizes”.

In the past, most gifts given to popes have either been quietly given away to missions, church institutions, or have gathered dust in a Vatican warehouse.

Francis, the first Latin American pope, has made concern for the poor one of the hallmarks of his papacy.

He recently ordered shower stalls to be built around the Vatican so that homeless people in the area could wash up.

Tickets for the raffle cost 10 euros ($12.50) and the winners will be announced on Jan. 8.

West Africa not out of the woods on Ebola—Obama

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Michel Kafando

RESIDENT Barack Obama said that West Africa is “nowhere near out of the woods” in its fight against Ebola despite some improvement in the three countries hardest hit by the virus. Obama said the disease remains a threat to the world, including the U.S., and he urged Congress to quickly approve his request for billions of dollars in emergency spending to combat the spread of Ebola at home and abroad.

Meeting at the White House with his Ebola response team, Obama also offered condolences to the family of Dr. Martin Salia. The surgeon contracted Ebola in his native Sierra Leone but died Monday at a Nebraska hospital after being rushed there over the weekend for specialized treatment.

54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

SSG:

G o v e r n o r Godswill Akapbio of Akwa Ibom State (left) and Mr. Nkereuwem Ekanem, newlya p p o i n t e d Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government (right), during Mr. E k a n e m ' s swearing in at the governor’s office in Uyo.

Oil communities give Shell 7-day ultimatum

Boko Haram: Senate to amend Electoral Act for displaced persons

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EPRESENTATIVES of oil communities under the Shoreline Oil Communities, SOC, in Delta, Bayelsa and Ondo states have given Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, sevenday ultimatum to commence negotiation with over 100 communities affected by the Bonga Oil spillage of December 2011, or have their oil production facilities shut down.

The representatives, Chief Otobo Itiemogha and Mr. Victor Disi on behalf of the National Working Committee of Shoreline Oil Communities affected by Bonga spill, issued the ultimatum in a four-point communiqué issued at the end of a meeting in Warri.

It said: “Let it be known that unless SNEPCO and SPDC commence negotiation with the authorized agents of the communities within seven days, the communities shall shut all Shell production facilities in their various communities, beginning with Forcados export terminal.”

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

BUJA—THE bill for the amendment of the Electoral Act to accommodate Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, as a result of Boko Haram’s onslaught in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states, has passed first reading in the Senate.

The bill is seeking to make provisions for the displaced persons by establishing polling units where they could exercise their franchise in the 2015 general elections, apart from where they initially registered.

The bill specifically seeks the amendment of Section 42 of the Principal Act by inserting new Sub-clause 42 (2) which states that, “The Commission shall establish Polling Units for Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in their respective camps nationwide.”

The new amendment will be cited as the Electoral Act, 2010 (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

The amendment bill states: “In accordance with Section 42, the Commission shall establish sufficient number of Polling Units in each registration area and shall allot voters to such polling units.

“From the above, the issue of establishment of polling

units at IDPs camps has to be addressed before the issue of voting during elections. If polling units are not established as stipulated in Section 42; it will be impracticable for them to vote.

“Accordingly, Section 49 states that ‘A person intending to vote with his voter ’s card, shall

FOI: SERAP gives PDP, APC 14 days to disclose elections budget

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civil society group, SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, has sent requests to Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, asking them to urgently provide information about the spending and sources of such funds on their electoral campaigns and other operations linked to 2015 general elections.

It said: “If the requested information is not provided to us within 14 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, the Registered Trustees of SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions under the Freedom of Information Act to compel you and your party to comply with our request.”

In the two letters by SERAP’s Executive Director, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni, dated November 18, to PDP National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu’azu and

Gana urges FG to change tactics against insurgents

By Caleb Ayansina

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BUJA—A chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Professor Jerry Gana, has called on Federal Government and the Military to change their strategies in prosecuting the ongoing war against insurgency in some parts of the country.

He maintained that the

conventional methods being currently employed by the Nigerian military were no longer working.

Gana, who stated this in Abuja, decried politicisation of the fight against terrorism, insisting that a war of this nature required the cooperation of everybody.

He said: “I like to appeal to

present himself to a Presiding Officer at the polling unit in the constituency in which his name is registered with his voter’s card'.

“It is expedient that polling units should be created for or transferred to IDPs camps so they will not be disenfranchised during elections.”

Mr. President and the Armed Forces that we may have to now change strategies because it appears that the conventional warfare tactic of our armed forces is not working.

“Let there be a popular mobilization, a reaction from every Nigerian; we need to go out there and defeat these people.”

APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, the group expressed “serious concerns about the risks of corruption during electoral campaigns for the February 2015 general elections, especially the role of money in politics and the persistent failure generally to comply with national and international law on political party finance.”

The group said: “By virtue of Section 1 (1) of the Freedom of Information, FoI, Act 2011, SERAP is entitled to request for or gain access to information being requested.

“Under the FoI Act, your party is under a binding legal obligation to provide the applicant with the information requested for, except as otherwise provided by the Act, within seven days after the application is received.

“By Sections 2(3)(d)(V) & (4) of the FoI Act, there is a binding legal duty to ensure that documents containing the necessary information are widely disseminated and made readily available to members of the public through various means.

“The information being requested does not come within the purview of the types of information exempted from disclosure by the provisions of the FoI Act.”

FG to end open defecation by 2025

By Chioma Obinna & Funmi Olasupo

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S Nigerians, yesterday, joined the rest of the world to celebrate 2014 World Toilet Day, the Federal Government is set to end open defecation by 2025.

Meanwhile, report by the United Nations Children Fund, UNICEF, has shown that 119 million Nigerians are not using safe toilets.

Out of the number, 50 million people defecate in the open.

In a statement to mark the day, UNICEF expressed worry that lack of toilets was dangerous for everyone, warning that the slow progress on sanitation and the entrenched practice of open defecation had continued to put children and their communities at risk.

The statement, by UNICEF’s Media and External Relations, Nigeria, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, said: “Nigeria that has 75 percent of its households having mobile phones can easily mobilize the people to have simple toilets and end open defecation.

“Towards achieving the set target, UNICEF Nigeria is supporting the government to develop a national road map for elimination of open defecation in the country by 2025.”

He added that about 2.5 billion people worldwide had no adequate toilets and among them one billion defecate in the open.

According to him, Nigeria is among the top five countries in the world with high population practising open defecation and the number of open defecators has been on the increase since 1990.

Also, WaterAid Nigeria Country Representative, Dr. Micheal Ojo, also expressed regrets that nearly 40 million Nigerians still defecate in the open.

Ojo, who gave the statistics during a high level media round table breakfast to commemorate World Toilet Day in Abuja.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 55

Don't lead Enugu people astray, Nsukka elders warn Chime ...We won't defect — ALGON

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—AS the crisis in the Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deepens, Nsukka Elders Council, NEC, yesterday warned Governor Sullivan Chime against leading the people of the state into a political doom by defecting to another party other than the PDP. Rising from an emergency meeting at Ugwoye, NEC said although the whole of the area was grateful for the governor’s insistence that the governorship slot of the state was zoned to Nsukka Senatorial District for fairness and equity, he should not insist on his preferred candidate; Ifeanyi Ugwanyi, as the people of the area had lots of eminent individuals that could be governor in 2015.

A statement signed by the Chairman of NEC, Chief Ezeja Ugwu said ‘’Governor Chime had done his best by getting the PDP to zone the position to our zone but should not insist that his anointed candidate must succeed him.

‘We commend Governor Chime for being the hero of our time, who took the Israelites to the promised

land. However, we observe that the governor should not have gone further to anoint a governor of Nsukka extraction for the whole of Enugu State.

In another development, local government chairmen in Enugu State on the aegis of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, have

dismissed claims that they have concluded plans to defect to another political party over alleged failure to conduct ward congresses.

The chairmen in a statement by Messrs. Cornelius Nnaji and Cornell Onwubuya, Chairman and Secretary of the state chapter of ALGON, described the claims

as an orchestrated attempt to divert the attention of the public and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from the issues at stake.

The statement maintained that it is in the interest of the national leadership of the party to accept that there were no ward congresses in the state.

WORKSHOP: From left; Hon. Justice Chima Centus Nweze, Justice of the Supreme Court; Dr. Okechukwu Itanyi, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management, Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC; and Hon Justice Okoi Ikpa Itam, Chief Judge of Cross River State at a workshop for judges organised by the NCC in Calabar.

ALLEGED SUBMISSION OF FALSE VOTER’S CARD: Court decides Obiano’s fate today

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—THE Federal High Court sitting in Awka, Anambra State, presided over by Justice Isah Gafai, will today, deliver judgment in the suit filed against Governor Willie Obiano by an Onitshabased human rights lawyer,

Jezie Ekejiuba, seeking to disqualify and nullify Obiano’s election over alleged submission of false voter’s card ahead of the November 16, 2013 governorship election in the state.

Justice Gafai had, after hearing and adopting the submissions and written

APGA appeal c'ttee clears Ukachukwu for senate primaries

By Vincent Ujumadu

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WKA—AFTER an earlier disqualification by the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, screening committee, the party ’s Appeal Committee headed by Chief Tony Ojielo, has cleared a former governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Nicholas Ukachukwu, to contest for the APGA primaries for Anambra South senatorial zone.

Ukachukwu will contest the primaries with the former Vice Chairman of the National Communications Commission, NCC, Chief Ernest Ndukwe, former Deputy Governor of the

state and two-time member of the House of Representatives, Dr Okey Udeh, and a former Information Commissioner, Chief Majah Umeh for the APGA slot.

The five-man committee said in Awka that in clearing Ukachukwu, it found the reasons given by the screening committee for disqualifying him as not within the existing laws of the country, the APGA constitution and its guidelines.

The committee said: “We therefore allow the appeal.

Nicholas Ukachukwu is hereby cleared to contest the Anambra South senatorial primaries of APGA for the 2015 national assembly election.”

addresses of both the plaintiff, Ekejiuba who stood in for himself and counsel to Obiano, Dr. Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, adjourned sine-die, noting that the judgment day would be communicated to them as soon as it was ready for delivery.

But on November 18, the court informed both parties that the judgment date had been fixed for today, November, 20 at 1pm for delivery.

Ekejiuba had dragged Obiano, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Professor Chukwuemeka Onukogu, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to court asking for the disqualification of Obiano, as the candidate of APGA and the nullification of his election of November 16 and 23, 2013 because he gave a false information by submitting a false Voter ’s Card in his INEC’s Form CFOO1 with a sworn affidavit, contrary to Section 31 (1) to (6) of the amended Electoral Act, 2010.

Also in his submission, Ekejiuba contended that Obiano had allegedly submitted false voter’s card in his Form CF 001 sworn affidavit, arguing that the Supreme Court judgment submitted by counsel to Obiano,

Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu in support of his defense was aimed at stalling the court’s proceedings.

Judge's absence stalls hearing in suit against MASSOB members

By Vincent Ujumadu

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W K A — T H E twenty-two members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, who have been in prison custody for the past seven years, over alleged treasonable felony, were yesterday brought to the Federal High Court in Awka, for the commencement of hearing charges against them.

They were, however, sent back to prison custody in Awka and Onitsha due to the absence of the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Abubakar.No reason was given for the Judge’s absence. But counsel to MASSOB, Mr. Emeka Meze, said the matter would now be heard on November 27, 2014.

NEEDS: FG releases N2.7bn to Michael Okpara varsity

By Anayo Okoli

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MUDIKE— F E D E R A L Government has released N2.7 billion to Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, as part of the university ’s NEEDS assessment requirement to upgrade the u n i v e r s i t y ’ s programmes.

Vice Chancellor of the university, Professor Hilary Edoga, who announced this yesterday at a briefing ahead of the university’s 6th convocation, said the total amount for the institution’s NEEDS assessment was N5.4 billion, of which half had been released.

Edoga, who said over 2000 graduates would take part in the 6th convocation, the N2.7 billion so far released was being invested to provide and improve facilities in the university.

He said the facilities were being provided to ensure that the university became “part of the global community”, noting “that is why we take time to upgrade our facilities and academics and prepare grounds to produce students who will reason like leaders of tomorrow”.

Among the projects being executed with the released NEEDS funds included six hostel blocks to add the existing 10, saying he would like to see about 20,000 students of the university reside on campus.

Edoga also announced the procurement of 300 electronic interactive billboards for teaching as against the use of black boards.

He equally announced that the university had begun preparation towards the teaching of medicine and law, saying the institution had sent formal request on the proposed courses to the National U n i v e r s i t i e s Commission, NUC.

56—Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 , 2014

BITS Bits NASU returns to NLC

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All funds deposited in the advertised NLC- Kriston- Lally account mentioned above are safe and secure. All depositors into that account can be rest assured that their funds are safe

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Textile union inaugurates Imo tailors

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S part of its organiz ing efforts, the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, has inaugurated the tailors in Imo State to its fold, making them members of the union.

The newly inaugurated Executive Committee members are: Comrades Vivian N. Nwachi, Chairperson; Atobatele Ola, Secretary; Nkechi Aloysius, Treasurer; Maxwell Mbadingha, Vice Chairperson; Helen Osuji, Assistant Secretary; Ann Opara, Financial Secretary; Frank Peace Duruobi, Public Relation Officer; Ogechi Ofoegbu, Welfare Officer and Nma Kingsely, State Auditor.

Earlier, NUTGTWN had successfully unionized their counterparts in Rivers, Cross River, Edo, Lagos, Ogun, Benue, Kogi, Kebbi, Kaduna, Kano, Kwara, Katsina and Abuja among other States.

The ceremony was attended by the President of the Union, Comrade Oladele Hunsu and General Secretary, Comrade Issa Aremu.

Special guest of honour and host was governor Rochas Okorocha, while the Deputy Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, was represented at the occasion by his Private Secretary.

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Nigerian workers protesting perceived unfair government policy.

AFTERMATH OF NLC'S HOUSING SCAM:

they can join any developer of their choice.”

It warned that it could take legal action against the leadership of the NLC. “ Kriston- Lally is preparing legal action against the NLC for the reimbursement of all costs, money invested by Kriston-Lally shareholders and stakeholders in the project, plus damages. Basically, KristonLally worked and spent money and energy preparing to construct, but the NLC never provided a plot of land and apparently had no intention or ability to do so. The NLC basically scammed us, either as part of one of their political games or so that certain NLC leaders could benefit personally from the project”.

Concluding its side of the story, Alhaji Madawaki, speaking for Kriston-Lally said, “Kriston Lally has various partners, stakeholders to whom money is due for services rendered while trying to realize the project and while waiting for the NLC to provide the land plots. Kriston-Lally has every intention of paying all money that is due from us to each and every party.

Part of this will form our legal case against NLC”.

Labour Vanguard contacted the General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter OzoEson, who denied that there as a scam.

On September 21, there was an exchange

Depositors demand refund

By Funmi Komolafe & Victor Ahiuma-young Barely three days after our last pub lication on the issue of the failed housing project and the scam that attended it, thousands of federal civil servants besieged the Abuja head office of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, demanding refunds of their deposits.

This edition of Labour Vanguard examines this issue with a view to highlighting the prospect of refund depositors.

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LC in its statement of September 22, 2014, said: “All funds deposited in the advertised NLC/ Kriston-Lally account mentioned above are safe and secure. All depositors into that account can be rest assured that their funds are safe”.

The labour centre added: “We are also working with relevant agencies to explore ways of ensuring that subscribers who have been manipulated into paying into other accounts are protected”.

International institutions Kriston-Lally, stating its side of the story in a statement by the firm's boss, Alhaji Madawaki said: “The financing of the project was also put in difficulty due to the fact that land had not been secured. We could not get finance from any Nigerian or international institutions until the land was fully secured and approval for construction was granted. We lost face with such partners due to the failure of the NLC to provide the land. However, after much persuasion, new financiers were found and they too agreed to go ahead but similarly insisted on the availability of land.

The NLC had also actively supported one financing strategy referred to as Bank guarantee counterpart funding as suggested by our group which I also found to be attractive. However, I

stopped it even after the NLC had given full go-ahead and performed their due diligence on a fact-finding mission to Europe where they met with technical partners and a specific financial group.

Upon return, NLC gave approval for the Bank Guarantee to be issued. Both the bank, Access Bank and my international adviser concurred with me that an unconditional bank guarantee is unsafe and advised that apprehensions about the safety of such a contract were seriously justified and they advised not to proceed.

I single-handedly stopped the BG and cancelled it until the financiers accepted a condition BG”.

Depositors fate Alhaji Madawaki asked rhetorically: “Who then protected the workers funds to the tune of N1.8billion? Me or the NLC? Supporting documents are available. No scam company or individual would do that. Conversely, NLC never mentioned that.”

Addressing protesting depositors in Abuja about two weeks Subscribers can apply for a ago, NLC President , direct refund from Kriston Abdulwaheed Omar assured them their deposits would be reLally and if they themselves funded. decide later, they can join This is not so different from what Kriston-Lally’s boss in any developer of their choice Nigeria, Alhaji Madawaki said in his press statement of September 27, 2014 .

Alhaji Madawaki gave his assurance of SMS between us and the NLC scribe. with a warning: “All money lodged by Labour Vanguard: “Why is NLC shying depositors will be returned to them. This away from EFCC?” since the issue process has already begun and of the involves such a huge amount of money and 3,270 depositors, about 200 have already in view of the protest by workers." received refund of their deposits.”

NLC Scribe: “By the way, where was the His warning: “We are not going to alprotest ? And who says we are shying low NLC transfer subscribers’ money to away from EFCC? Why don’t you wait another developer with a different phifor the advertorial? losophy and objective whose costs are not (The protest referred to was the first worker-friendly and may not even have protest by workers on this issue. ) the requisite funding, whether local or Labour Vanguard: “ It was at Labour international to complete the project.”

House and some NAC members have conHow to get a refund firmed this. Thanks for your reply.”

The company added: “Subscribers can Clearly the housing project has failed. apply for a direct refund from KristonSo, what next? Simply a refund. With or Lally and if they themselves decide later, without interest ?

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igeria Labour Con gress, NLC, has announced the return of NonAcademic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, to its fold, after three years.The announcement is contained in a statement signed by the NLC’s General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson.Recall that NASU pulled out of the NLC after being disenchanted with the outcome of the 2011 National Delegates Conference of the congress.

According to Ozo-Eson, “the emergency meeting of the Central Working Committee, CWC, of the congress deliberated on the desire of your union to return to the congress as an affiliate union.

In particular, CWC considers your letter of October 20 which communicated your notice of discontinuation of the case you had instituted against the congress.”The CWC resolved to approve your return to the congress with effect from November 6 without any pre-conditions."

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014—57

58 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

The Rebirth... A painful trip into Nigeria's history

By Prisca Sam Duru

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T took the simple cue; “La dies and gentlemen, let the show begin” from the sonorous and inviting voice of culture activist, film critic, playwright and theatre director, Ben Tomoloju, for the Agip Recital Hall of Muson Centre Lagos, to come alive with a spellbinding theatrical performance of “The Rebirth”.

The 12th Macmillan Literary Night held at the Agip Recital Hall of the Muson Centre, provided the platform on which Nigerians in attendance, were stimulated on the need to positively chart ways towards rebuilding the nation. This year’s edition themed, The Rebirth, was as interesting, entertaining as it was educating and the audience; Reverend Sisters and Fathers, Caucasians, Professors JP Clark, Femi Osofisan, the literati, thespians, and many others, left the theatre hall, charged with positive mindset towards repositioning Nigeria.

The Literary Events Committee comprising The Chairman, Mrs. Francesca Emanuel CON; Mr Yinka Olaniyan,Veteran Ben Tomoloju, Publisher and writer, Dr. Ogochukwu Promise; Founder of Crown Troupe of Africa, Segun Adefila etc, pulled the most pleasant surprise as rather than the usual poetry readings with usual faces, enacted an electrifying and scintillating dance drama which bore same title as the events theme, The Rebirth.

Literary night The literary night was indeed, uniquely different. The stellar performance featured poetry and allusions to the works of icons such as Profs Wole Soyinka, J P Clark, Christopher Okigbo etc.

Members of the Crown Troupe who made up the cast, were exceptionally outstanding in their performance and adding a touch of class and professionalism were Quintessential Taiwo Ajayi-Lycet who was the Priestess, and Ihria Enakhimio (Poet). The drummers were on fire, classically letting out electrifying sounds such that an audience member confessed he felt like storming the stage to dance.

The Rebirth which was created by the trio of Ben Tomoloju, Ogochukwu Promise and Segun Adefila, chronicles events and actors that shaped the history of Nigeria. The trip down history lane records that from birth, the country is crisis-ridden. “It is beset with problems of betrayal between supposed kinsmen, political intrigues among groups and individuals and subtle or obvious xenophobia within the polity. Sadly, the crisis are resolved

on adhoc rather than enduring basis.” It upholds the need to quash the jinx that haunts the nation and ensure transformation through revitalising ritual of rebirth. The play brings to the fore, how leaders fail to provide good governance to the people. They make promises to better the lives of the masses and raise the country to an enviable position, during campaigns but end up doing the opposite once they get into office.

Regrettably, The Rebirth presents the retrogression the country keeps experiencing despite installation of democracy.

It however, calls for urgent need A scene from the performance of Rebirth.

Each scene ushered in by drum beats had unique dance steps, gesticulations and corresponding costumes

to eradicate poverty and other vices plaguing the nation so as to improve its global ranking.

The drama however, came to a climax with an exotic dance by Taiwo with the actors after the cast adhered to the pleas of the priestess, to rebuild the nation.

There was no better way to end the show than Taiwo’s dance with the rest of the cast.

Documenting the nation’s history through a fussion of comedy and tragedy, got the audience responding with deafening laughter accompanied with applause and aahhh! where appro-

Photo by Prisca Sam-Duru

priate. Scenes that captured the Aburi Accord and Udoji Award all found a place in the drama.

Also, scenes that revisited June 12, Late Moshood Abiola’s death; blunders as well as the height of authoritarianism during late Abacha’s regime and his death, elicited the most response from the audience. Each scene ushered in by drum beats, had unique dance steps, gesticulations and corresponding costumes.

The setting of the stage, lighting and accessories were faultless. It was all congratulations

galore to the entire team with many suggesting the dance drama be released into the movie market so as to reach a wider audience.

The Chairman, Macmillan Nigeria Publishers Limited, Bode Emanuel, in his opening speech, said that the theme of the 12th edition “Was borne out of a high sense of national consciousness coupled with the uncompromising belief that the multifaceted obstacles hampering our development will give way to someday to regeneration of positive values.

LBHF 2015 Vision of the Child competition opens

By Japhet Alakam

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ESPITE the political agenda in 2015, Lagos Black Heritage Festival in collaboration with Lagos State Ministry of Education has concluded all arrangement for the 2015 and fourth edition of “Vision of the Child” with the theme: “The Road to Sambisa”.

This was disclosed by Mr Disu Halloway, Lagos State commissioner of Tourism and Inter-governmental Affairs while announcing for a call for entries for the 2015 edition during a media chat in Lagos.

Disu who also represented the festival consultant, Prof. Soyinka stated that, after the success of the 2014 The Vision of the Child competition where an interactive test to stretch youthful imagination and skills across genres was introduced, the organisers will continue with the innovation. Halloway also used the forum to call on other corporate bodies to emulate Diamond bank by instituting their own so that there will be competition for other age categories since this one is for those below 12 . He urged them to put their money and show interest in cultural issues,

pointing out that the project is a developmental project so it need to be supported. The vision of the child competition which is sponsored by Diamond bank is a component of the yearly Lagos Black Heritage Festival (LBHF) that focuses on the individual vision and artistic inclinations of children in Lagos State.

The 2015 edition is designed as an interactive test to stretch youthful creativity even more than in previous editions, which were also very successful.

Instead of the uni-disciplinary interpretation of the given theme, participants will now express their vision in both painting and the literary arts.

This year, the competition

begins with the literary section – a poem, essay or short story of 300 to 500 words – on the theme.

Those who scale through will then be invited to the festival’s base, Freedom Park (by Broad Street, Lagos); provided with brushes, paint and easel and set to illustrate their literary presentation in the complementary medium of painting.

This is the second edition of what can be regarded as a mini Artistic Decathlon, tailored to the capabilities of the child. The festival already envisages an even more intensive contest, with a disciplinary repertory whose menu will change from edition to edition.

Children painting during a previous competition

For now, LBHF invites parents, schools and their teachers to the 2015 edition. Registration opened from November 13 and closes on December 19th while screening of entrants begins on January 12 2015. Entrants can register through the hard copy form or by online.

Prizes will be presented to the winners by Diamond Bank ,while wining entries will be mounted for viewing at the Gala event to mark the conclusion of the festival.

Speaking at the briefing, representative of Diamond bank who commended the Tourism commissioner for showing good passion towards the project said that their collaboration with LBHF is based on the need to move art and culture to the next level. “The partnership affords us the opportunity to collaborate with Lagos to promote the creative talents of our children.”

He said.

The competition is open to any children between nine to 12 years, in any primary or secondary (public or private) schools in Lagos State who has an interest in painting, writing and reading.

Vanguard,THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 59

England's intensity ‘choked' us — Strachan S

COTLAND boss Gordon Strachan felt his side were “spooked” by England’s intensity in their 3-1 defeat on Tuesday.

Wayne Rooney scored twice while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain also netted as England came away from Glasgow with an excellent friendly victory.

And Strachan, who said Scotland’s passing was not up to scratch, acknowledged England’s performance with praise.

“We’re disappointed, at the end of the year, to finish it with defeat,” Strachan told Sky Sports.

“There could be a couple of things that made that happen.

“One was definitely an England side that were determined and as intense as I have seen them for a long time.

“I think that goes down a lot to what they might have thought happened if they didn’t do that.

“I think we’ve got to say well done to England. That’s a team full of Champions League players.

“I think England spooked us with their intensity early in the game.

“We could have passed the ball better, that’s for sure. But I’ve got to say that England were after us and they tested that.”

T

HE Association of Nigeria Premier League Club Chairmen and Managers (Club Owners) have summoned an Emergency meeting of the Association in Abuja.

Acting Secretary of the Club Owners Alloy Chukwuemeka dropped the hint in Lafia weekend shortly after watching the last encounter between Nasarawa United and Warri Wolves which ended 2-2.

He said the meeting

•Wayne Rooney (10) is mobbed by England players after scoring against Scotland.

Sturridge injury woes: Rodgers losing patience

R

EPORTS have sug gested Brendan Rodgers is losing patience with Daniel Sturridge’s injury problems, with the Liverpool striker set for another spell on the sidelines.

Sturridge suffered a recurrence earlier this week of the thigh problem he first suffered in September while on England duty.

He is awaiting scan results and it is not yet

known how long he will be out of action but it is almost certain he will be ruled out of this week’s Barclays Premier League game at Crystal Palace.

Rodgers has not been able to select Sturridge - who has also had a calf injury in between his thigh issues - since August 31 and Brazil, on his daily breakfast show on TalkSPORT, hinted that the Liverpool manager is becoming irritat-

Van Gaal injury worries mount L OUIS van Gaal hasn’t had the ideal start to life as Manchester United manager, having watched his new side pick up just 16 points from 11 games while racking up a disastrous number of injuries.

The Dutchman is now sweating on the fitness of a whopping 12 players ahead of Saturday ’s Premier League clash

Furman Continues from B/P 2 result. They have got terrific players but we look forward to the tournament with optimism.”

He said the coach, Shakes Mashaba has been an excellent leader. “He has been excellent for us. He motivates us and as a union we are focused.

“We are happy going to Equatorial Guinea with a very strong team.

We are happy to be there.”

Club owners summon emergency meeting

against Arsenal.

Daley Blind is definitely out along with fellow summer signings Marcos Rojo (shoulder), while Radamel Falcao (calf) is struggling.

Goalkeeper David de Gea, who dislocated a finger while on international duty with Spain, is a doubt but there is hope he could be fit.

•Van Gaal

Mashaba Continues from B/P ended in a draw.

The proud South African coach said after the match, “We knew what the Nigerians were up to. We knew they would come at us and after the first 20 minutes, we were able to contain them. Then we decided to go at them and we got two goals before they knew what hit them.”

He added, “we should have beaten them at home, back in Cape

Town, there was a bit of luck on their side. Today again, I believe there was an element of luck.

But they are a good side.

They played very well and deserved the draw.”

Mashaba said they would return to South Africa and plan for twp or three friendly matches before the tournament in Equatorial Guinea. “It is a competition every body want to attend. We will go there and prove our worth.

ed by being without his first-choice striker.

In conversation with co-host Mike Parry, Brazil said: ‘I have heard that the staff, I won’t say who but, are getting just a little bit fed up of what is going on there with Sturridge.’

would hold in Abuja today at the TopRank Galaxy Hotel Utako by 10pm, to review the just concluded League season.

Chukwuemeka added that the club owners would also have an end of season dinner on Saturday in Lagos, just as he urged all members to endeavour to attend the two important events.

He said the club owners appreciates the victory and performance of the Super Eagles.

Obafemi Awolowo Stadium tennis court wears new look

A

S part of its determination to put the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium back on track, the National Sport Commission, has embarked on the reconstruction of the dilapidated tennis court inside the arena.

A visit to the stadium Tuesday saw construction work going on at the three main tennis court .

When contacted in his

office, the stadium manager, Mallam Ahmed Jumare disclosed that renovation work on the tennis courts resulted from the visit of the Director General, Gbenga Elegbeleye to the venue early this year when he said he was poised to make the oldest stadium in Nigeria a beehive of activities and return it to its past glory.

AFCON 2015 Continues from B/P outside of the group’s top two automatic qualification spots with eight points - a total that also put them out of the running to be the best third-placed team.

Their display left much to be desired Ahmed Musa by now should be kicking his head for missing two clear cut chances, he should have buried to put the Eagles ahead in the match. South Africa can thank fleet footed striker Tekelo Rantie for scoring a brace that almost earned the Bafana Bafana their first competitive win over Nigeria.

At the start of hostilities, the Bafana Bafana showed that they meant business as they held on to the ball and made dangerous incursions to the Eagles’ box. Rantie proved that he was going to be a handful early in the game as he cranked up the Eagles defence.

Kenneth Omeruo was clearly off form and out of depth.

Rantie rounded Omeruo, but

his shot was deflected over the bar by Azubuike Egweke.

However, the Eagles gathered the pieces and pushed forward with John Obi Mikel calling the shots. Ikechukwu Uche and Emmanuel Emenike probed the South African back four.

Ahmed Musa also proved dangerous.

On the 16 minute of play Musa was put through by Mikel, but he failed to beat Dareen Keet in goal for Bafana Bafana. Two minutes later Musa came one on one with Keet, but shot into the legs of the keeper.

It seems these failed attempts emboldened the South Africans. They took over proceedings by tightening up the midfield and preventing the Eagles strikers from getting feeds. The unthinkable happened nd in the 42 minute when Rantie made a run from the left, Efe Ambrose failed to cut his run and when the Bafana Bafana striker came face to face with Vincent Enyeama, he wasted no time in

tucking the ball home.

The Eagles were shellshocked.

On the break the South Africans were unrelenting in their attacks. Rantie popped up again and stole the ball from indecisive Omeruo, he raced into the box rounded Enyeama and scored his second. th On the 68 minute, Sone Aluko provided a plank for the Eagles to make a come back when he jabbed home a rebound from an Uche strike that hit the post.

But the Eagles laboured on despite having a man advantage after Reneilwe was sent off for a second bookable offense on Juwon Oshaniwo. The South Africans held on, but the resistant, however, was wearing thin. Aluko scored his second of the night when he wrestled the ball from the South African defence. He raced into the box and shot pass Keet. But it was of no use as Congo beat Sudan 0-1 at home to clinch the second spot.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Ivory Coast secure qualification I

VORY Coast secured qualification for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations finals after playing to a goalless draw with Cameroon in Abidjan yesterday.

The Elephants needed just a point to ensure they finished second in Group D behind the Indomitable Lions and in a match that failed to catch alight, they were able to play out a tame draw that suited both teams.

Ivory Coast had the first shot on goal, with Yaya Toure testing Joseph Fabrice Ondoua direct from a free kick in the fourth minute, but the goalkeeper was able to punch the ball clear.

The pace of the game was noticeably becalmed in the heat and humidity of Abidjan, with the teams generally content to play within themselves in an effort to conserve energy.

The home side created only two further notable chances in the first half: the first saw Serge Aurier threaten on the overlap before being closed down, while Gervinho volleyed over the crossbar from within the penalty area.

Cameroon were dealt a blow when midfielder Georges Mandjeck had to be replaced by Franck Kom due to injury, but in striker Vincent Aboubakar they had a dangerous attacking outlet. The forward almost opened the scoring late in the first half with a fine low shot that forced a good save from Sylvain Gbohouo, while the rebound fell into the path of Clinton N’Jie, but he couldn’t force the ball home from a tight angle.

Cameroon were reduced to 10 men a few minutes before the hour mark in the second half when captain Stephane Mbia was adjudged to have denied Gervinho a clear scoring opportunity.

Television replays suggested it was a harsh decision from the referee.

From the subsequent free kick Yaya Toure almost put Ivory Coast ahead, but his curling shot was headed off his own goal line by Aboubakar, who was brilliantly placed to defend the strike.

With 20 minutes to play Gervinho had another great chance after playing a quick one-two with Salomon Kalou, but the Roma attacker was denied by a brave block from Ondoua.

Guinea too good for Uganda

G

UNSTOPPABLE . . . Ivory Coast’s midfielder Yaya Toure (L) vies for the ball with Cameroon’s Leonard Kwekeu (R) at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium in Abidjan during their 2015 Africa Cup of Nations group D qualifying match Photo: AFP .

Ghana beat Togo to seal 2015 AFCON spot G

HANA beat Togo 3-1 yesterday to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations as winner’s of Group E. Goals from Abdul Majeed Waris, Mubarak Wakaso and an own goal scored by Sadate Akoriko handed the Black Stars the sweet victory before its home fans in Tamale.

Ghana showed their intent to score right from the onset with a plethora of chances created.

John Boye came close to opening the scoring in just the first minute but his header proved too feeble for Kossi Agassa in post for Togo. Jordan Ayew broke free three minutes later but his intended squared-pass was well read by Agassa who rushed out to grab.

The Hawks defence were made to work overtime during this period with the Black Stars relentless in their attack. Ayew wh0 had been very lively in the opening minutes laid a pass on a plate for the on-rushing Rabiu Mohammed to fire in just outside the box in the 7th minute.

But the Kuban Krasnodar man’s drive was simply hopeless.

Boye returned again to get a sniff at goal but his free header off a corner kick was wide.

Majeed Waris was the next to follow in the 10th minute but his header off a driven free kick by Wakaso also went wide.

Then Mubarak Wakaso struck a venomous strike from deep but Agassa was alert to parry it away.

The Togolese defence finally gave in after 23 minutes when Harrison Afful’s sublime cross was headed in with a glancing effort by Majeed Waris to break the deadlock.

•CELEBRATION . . . Black Star’s forward Abdul Majeed Waris (l) celebrates with teammate after scoring for Ghana.

DR Congo fail to qualify D

R Congo beat a ten man Sierra Leone 3-1 in their final Group D, African Cup of Nations qualifier match at the Stade Tata Raphaël yesterday, but failed to qualify. The win for DR Congo, combined with Cote d’Ivoire’s 0-0 draw against Cameroon, means they only finished third in the group.

Cameroon qualified for the African Cup of Nations tournament in Equatorial guinea next year after topping Group D with 14 points as do Cote d’Ivoire, in second place, with ten points.

DR Congo’s accumulation of nine points only sees them in second while Sierra Leone finished last with one point.

It wasn’t the best start to

•Kidiaba the game for the DR Congo who saw themselves trailing by a goal just after the half hour mark, but they quickly hit back in the 40th minute courtesy of a strike from Yannick Bolasie to take the teams into the break locked at 1-1.

The second half saw DR Congo apply the pressure

which resulted in a red card for one of the Sierra Leone players and penalty for the home side in the 63rd minute.

Cedric Mongongu stepped up and made no mistake from the spot to give his side the lead, 2-1.

The home side sealed victory and a convincing win with their third goal in the dying seconds of the match courtesy of a second goal from Bolasie.

DR Congo Starting XI: Robert Muteba Kidiaba, Joel Kimwaki, Jean Kasusula, Mpeko Issama, Cedric Mongongu, Youssouf Mulumbu, Cedric Makiadi, Cedric Mabwati, Jeremie Bokila, Yannick Bolasie, Junior Kabananga.

UINEA have beaten a ten-man Uganda 2-0 in Morocco and qualified for the 2015 Africa Nations Cup finals along with Ghana.

Guinea’s goals came from Ibrahima Traore and Seydouba Soumah while Uganda had Andrew Mwesigwa sent off for a professional foul that led to a penalty goal.

Guinea started the more confident team and asked the early questions of Uganda’s defence. Idrissa Sylla got an early shot on goal but his target was way off range.

Inside the opening fifteen minutes Guinea’s right winger, Ibrahima Traore, created several openings and put Uganda’s left back under immense pressure.

Then, on 22 minutes, Seydouba Soumah won a free kick on the edge of the danger area and Guinea’s dangerous winger Traore slotted home with a curling attempt to make it 1-0.

Uganda tried to get back into the game late in the second half, but found the Guinea defence to be rock solid and the West Africans ended the half as the better side.

Guinea started the second half like they did the first and put all the pressure on the Ugandans. In the 52nd minute Naby Keita hit a long range shot, which flew past Onyango and cannoned off the crossbar as Uganda were let off the hook.

•Traore

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 61

C M Y K

62 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014 — 63

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VANGUARD, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2014

Furman disappointed with draw

S

OUTH Africa captain, Dean Furman expressed disappointment the Super Eagles came back from two goals down to draw with the Bafana Bafana in the last Group A match of the 2015

Afcon qualifier played at the Nest of Champions in Uyo yesterday.

In a post match chat, the South Africa skipper said, “ we are disappointed with the 2-

•Continues on page 59

•Furman

AFCON 2015: Eagles crash out •Despite holding Bafana Bafana 2-2 Finalists

By Ben Efe

R

EIGNING champions the Super Eagles will not defend their title in Equatorial Guinea after failing to qualify from Group A. In yesterday ’s final round of matches, Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Africa in Uyo, meaning they finished

•Continues on page 59

Equatorial Guinea Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal, South Africa, Tunisia Zambia.

We should've beaten Nigeria — Mashaba

B

AFANA Bafana coach, Shakes Mashaba has praised his players for putting up an outstanding

performance against the Super Eagles in Uyo but regretted that the tie

•Continues on page 59

IT IS FINISHED: Mikel Obi's mood says it all about Nigerian football.

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS: 1 Abrupt (6) 5 Clothed (4) 8 Musty (5) 9 Tear (3) 10 Declare (4) 11 Afresh (4) 12 Shy (5) 13 Shore bird (6) 16 Notch (4) 18 Cupid (4) 20 Girl’s (3) 22 Observe (3) 23 Delve (3) 24 Paddle (4) 25 Plague (4) 28 Pulling (6) 30 Intended (5) 32 Praise (4) 33 Moisture (4) 34 Employ (3) 35 Number (5) 36 Pip (4) 37 Decapitate (6)

DOWN: 1 Handwriting (6) 2 Lamented (8) 3 Exhilarated (6) 4 Harshest (9) 5 Demanded (7) 6 Loan (4) 7 Daybreak (4) 8 Fixed (3) 14 Replied (9) 15 Cur (3) 17 Born (3) 19 Scorn (8) 20 Headgear (3) 21 Ebbed (7) 26 Tumble (6) 27 Tallied (6) 29 Unfortunately (4) 30 Reflect (4) 31 Brown (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 3, Pitch 9, Airmen 10, Robust 11, Asset 12, Erne 15, Lack 17, Detract 20, Roe 21, Total 23, Cool 25, Song 26, Rapid 28, End 30, Central 33, Eden 35, Hole 36, Alter 38, Insert 39, Tussle 40, Token

DOWN: 1, Faced 2, Grant 3, Pea 4, Insect 5, Crew 6, Hot 7, Sugar 8, Stake 13, Rescind 14, Error 16, Congeal 18, Topic 19, Has 22, Loath 24, Lap 27, Delete 28, Eerie 29, Dense 31, Rouse 32, Level 34, Alto 36, Art 37, Run.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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