Drama, as Abba stalls handover for hours

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62390

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

XENOPHOBIA:

Constitution Amendment: FG Senate demands recall of Nigeria's drags NASS to Supreme Court envoy to S-Africa

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Drama, as Abba stalls handover for hours •I want to move on with my life — Abba •I'll provide good leadership — Arase •3 DIGs protest Arase's appointment •Ex-IGPs say action killing Police force •Leaders differ on sack

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North, Emma Nnadozie, & Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA — THERE was confusion and drama at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, yesterday, as the sacked Inspector-General of

Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, stalled the formal handover to his successor, Mr Solomon Arase, until he was compelled to do so by the Presidency.

This came as some former InspectorsGeneral of Police expressed reservations over the manner Abba was removed while other leaders were divided over the sack.

The handover ceremony which was

Continues on Page 5

62-yr-old oil mogul rescued from kidnappers in Lagos 7 Mr & Mrs

HAND-OVER: Former Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba (right), handing over the Force flag to Acting Inspector-General, Mr Solomon Arase, in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

COLUMNISTS: Nigerian Judiciary: South Africa's Most needed, xenophobic Our own brewing most neglected hysteria •P.17 xenophobia •P.19

•P.19

May 29 handover date sacrosanct —FG 13

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POCKET CARTOON quickly rush to Force Headquarters after directing Force Public Relations Officer to issue fresh releases inviting reporters for the ceremony at 2.30pm. The handover later took place around 4.30pm.

I'll provide highest possible level of professional leadership —Arase FEC MEETING: From left: Head of Civil Service of The Federation, Danladi Kifasi; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jonathan, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

Phooto: NAN

Drama, as Abba stalls handover for hours news of his sack on radio Continues from Page 1 and television like other earlier slated for 8 a.m. Nigerians.

Vanguard learnt that with invitations sent to journalists for coverage reporters who converged from the office of the in their numbers early in Force Public Relations the morning for the were Officer, did not take handover, place until almost 4pm disappointed as they following the absence of were not allowed access the ex-Police boss at the to Force Headquarters.

No reasons, according to headquarters.

Abba was said to have sources, were given for removed all his personal the delay in the handing belongings before over ceremony. leaving the office around 11.20 p.m. after the 3 DIGs protest announcement, Tuesday. appointment According to his aides, of Arase when they visited his M e a n w h i l e , official residence at uncertainty continued to Maitama early yesterday, pervade Force Abba said he was yet to Headquarters after it receive any official letter was reliably gathered informing him to hand that three of the serving over as he heard the Deputy Inspectors-

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

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ANY people find it hard to give themselves kindness, because we naturally have a negativity bias…yet no one can know or care for you more than you can know and care for yourself.

You are your biggest potential ally— Christopher Germer Seeing the good in yourself can affect every part of your world: Research suggests having compassion for yourself can help you ward off anxiety and depression and makes you happier and more satisfied with life.

To help you move from spot-the-flaw mode, you can start practising the “gratitude grab bag” Grab a pack of Post-it notes and a pen and set them by your bed. For the next month, first thing each morning, take a minute to write down one admirable thing about yourself. Be as specific as possible: “You’re so sweet” may count as a compliment from Aunt Mary, but these notes are the chance to applaud your constant down letting attitude, for instance, that you’re the only one in your book club who ever finishes the book.

Try to alternate between physical features, personality traits, and good deeds you’ve done. It may sound counter-intuitive, but “people tend to like themselves more when they think about things they’ve done for others.”

Whenever you catch your inner critic zeroing in on one of your flaws, defuse the negativity by recalling a positive Post-it. Focus on your good qualities. With time you’ll come closer to feeling as fabulous as you are —which is the first step in becoming who you were meant to be.

General of Police were holding an emergency secret meeting in one of the offices on the 6th floor of the headquarters building.

Feelers from the meeting indicated that they resolved to strongly protest the appointment of their contemporary, Arase, DIG Intelligence, as acting Police boss on the grounds that they were all promoted same day on February 20, 2014.

The three DIGs were also said to have sworn to contest the appointment of Arase because they were not well treated by his appointment.

The deployment sparked off tension, throwing the Force Headquarters into confusion.

Many officers and rank and file stood in groups discussing the development in hushed tones. Some officers were also seen in jubilant mood, praising President Goodluck Jonathan for taking the decisive action.

They alleged that they were not well treated by the former IGP during the elections as they were not paid their due allowances. Many of the officers, however, commended the appointment of Arase, noting that he is well suited for the job.

Handover at last

While the situation continued to generate tension, relief came at last after the Presidency reportedly directed that the ceremony must be completed before end of the working day.

This, according to sources, forced Abba to

After the dust had settled, the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase, yesterday took over command of the Nigeria Police Force from his predecessor, Abba, with a declaration that he will provide the highest possible level of professional leadership while trusting that officers and men shall march hand-in-hand with him to advance the fortunes of the Force.

Arase made the declaration even as he warned unrepentant felons who may want to put to test the common will of the Force by disrupting the re-run elections in Imo, Abia and Taraba states to think again as the Force will not hesitate to deploy its potent assets to deal firmly and decisively with deviants.

His words: “My dear officers, the task of blending our acclaimed quality human assets with quality leadership is the main challenge ahead of us but it is one I am convinced we can surmount.

"In so doing, we must resolve, both individually and collectively, to hold our duties sacred, perform our functions with pride and exhibit the highest level of professional excellence in all our engagements.

“Let me use this opportunity to quickly remind you that aside our routine operations, we have within the short term, two major national assignments where our professional expertise and commitment will once again be subjected to national and international scrutiny.

First, is the conduct of the governorship elections in areas where they were declared inconclusive by INEC— Imo, Abia and Taraba states.

“The second is the delivery of hitch-free p r e s i d e n t i a l , governorship, National/ state Assembly inauguration at federal

and state levels. While with your support, I am confident that we have the operational capacity to ensure the success of both exercises, I am not unmindful of the possible security threats that some lawless individuals may attempt to pose during the makeup elections.

“Consequently, while the unique intelligence assets of the force will be deployed to proactively support our operational plans, there shall also be massive deployment of men and materials to the affected areas in order to assure a secure environment for the qualified electorate to exercise their franchise.

“I must, however, reemphasize that as a nation, we have had enough of electoral violence. Therefore, under my leadership, we shall work closely with INEC and other strategic stakeholders to ensure that such acts will not only be defined as intolerable; perpetrators will be identified, isolated and brought to deserved justice to act as deterrence.

Arase urges politicians to play the game by the rules

“To the unrepentant felons that may want to put our common will to test, the message is being relayed here loud and clear, that in securing the lawabiding, we shall also not hesitate to deploy our potent assets to deal firmly and decisively with deviants. In addition, I will ensure that the AIGs and CPs that will be deployed for the election duties are empowered enough to ensure the success of their operations.

“In line with the principle of ‘to whom much is given, much more is expected’, such senior officers should be

prepared to be accountable for their actions while the exercise lasts."

While calling on political actors to assist the Police and other law enforcement agents in sustaining the gains recorded in our democracy journey, the Acting IG said: “They should remember that politics is a game guided by rules and it behoves them to play the game by the rules."

On Abba, he said: “Aside being a vastly experienced police administrator, IGP Suleiman Abba is known to be gifted with exceptional leadership qualities which have manifested in his trade mark comportment, humility and respect and courtesy with which he treated members of his management team throughout his tenure.

Even more elating is that he is a unique motivational leader that demonstrated genuine passion for the welfare of officers and men of the force."

I want to move on with my life —Abba

On his part, former IGP, Abba said: “Let me first congratulate the acting IGP for the elevation. With every sense of sincerity of purpose, let me say it is a well deserved appointment, not only for the management of the force but for the society of Nigeria. That is to say I wish him well and know he will do well.

“I want to thank the Almighty God for my appointment and like He (God) said, He alone gives and He takes; particularly now that I am leaving in good health. I want to also thank President Jonathan for appointing

Continues on Page 55

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Family of late Adube cries for justice

By JIMITOTA ONOYUME

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ORT HARCOURT— THE Adube family has appealed to Rivers State government and security agencies to help secure justice over the murder of their father, Chief Christopher Adube, and six others last month.

The first son of the family, Mr. Henry Adube, who spoke to the Vanguard yesterday on phone, said things had been tough with the family since the mindless murder of their father and urged the state government to come to the aid of the family.

He said: “Police and government should help us get justice. We want the killers to be brought to book. We also want to appeal to government to come to the aide of the family.”

Asked if his father and the siblings had been buried, he said arrangement was on to do so.

It would be recalled that unknown gunmen killed the father, three of his children and three others in his residence last month.

Henry believed the murder was politically motivated.

Man, 28, docked for raping teenage girl

By Bartholomew Madukwe & Jane Echewodo

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28-year-old man, Emeka Amaku, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court in Lagos for allegedly having sex with a teenager, Abiola Olaniyan, without her consent.

The accused was said to have committed the offence on April 6 at 1, Oremeji Street, Pleasure, OkeOdo, Lagos. The accused pleaded not guilty.

Emeka was arraigned on a court-charge of rape, contrary to Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Nigeria.

Magistrate Abimbola Komolafe granted him a N100,000 bail with two responsible sureties that are to produce verifiable address and evidence of tax payment.

The matter was adjourned to May 28.

Eatery staff jailed 266 years for N8m theft

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female staff of a popular eatery, Oluremi Olayinka, was yesterday convicted and sentenced to 266 years imprisonment by Justice A. A. Akinyemi of Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta, for stealing N8 million belonging to her employer.

The offence is contrary to Sections 390(6)(7)(8), 467 and 468 of the Criminal Code Law Cap 29, Laws of Ogun State.

The court found the convict guilty on all the 34 charges and sentenced her to seven years on each of 30 counts and 14 years on the remaining four charges.

The sentences are to run concurrently.

Justice Akinyemi also ordered her to return the money she stole in restitution to her victim.

Olayinka was arraigned before Justice Akinyemi on May 13, 2014, following a petition

alleging that she stole N8,000,000, which she received on behalf of her employer.

The convict reportedly admitted to committing the crime initially, only to dramatically plead not guilty upon arraignment.

In the course of trial, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, presented four witnesses and tendered 16 exhibits to prove its case.

Oluremi Olayinka.

SUSPECTED TRAFFICKERS: Mr. Innocent Akatu, Comptroller, Oyo State Command, Nigeria Immigration Service (right), parading suspected child traffickers and victims in Ibadan, yesterday. NAN PHOTO.

How housekeeper robbed us using kitchen knives—INDIAN

By Onozure Dania

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AGOS—AN Indian national, Aja Bikram, yesterday, told an Igbosere High Court how he and his family were robbed of valuables worth N3.2 million at knife point by his housekeeper, Peter Maina.

Bikram, an employee of Euro Global Food Distillage Limited, in Lekki, Lagos, said he was robbed at 9.50am on November 10, 2013, in his home at Lekki, Lagos, while being led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Afolabi Sholebo, before Justice Aishat Opesanwo.

He said: “Peter, our housekeeper of eight months, who lived with my family, rang our door bell and my wife opened the door for him after she looked through the security viewer.

“He was followed immediately by three accomplices, who forced their way in. We (my wife, 15-yearold daughter and myself), were

zSuspects arrested after Presidency, envoy's intervention shocked to see the strangers.

One of them pulled out a jack knife and held it to my throat.

“Peter ran to the kitchen and took our knives to arm his accomplices.”

Gagged, tied up

The victim said the defendants ordered him and his daughter to remove their jewellery, wrist watches. They were then taken into the bedroom where his wife was forced to bring out all the cash in the house.

He said: “My wife and I were tied with ropes, while my daughter was tied with our puppies’ leashes.”

While he was gagged and locked in the toilet, his wife and daughter were left in the bedroom. Bikram also told the court that he overheard the robbers plotting to kill him and kidnap his daughter for a ransom.

Loot

He said: “They were also plotting to kidnap my daughter despite having collected N265,000, an iPad, our iphones, three laptops and our household ornaments, which all amounted to N3.2 million.

He said: “Peter and his gang also wanted to kill me, but their plan was aborted after they heeded to the pleas of my wife and daughter.”

Bikram, who told the court that the ordeal lasted for about 45 minutes, said their housekeeper and his gang locked them in the house and left with the keys.

He said: “After they left, my daughter was able to set herself free and untied my wife. They unlocked the toilet door and released me.

“We raised an alarm and our neighbours, who live in the boys’ quarters, came and called the police.”

Diplomacy The Indian said 10 days after the incident, there was no sign of the housekeeper’s arrest and he had to go to the Indian High Commissioner to lodge a complaint.

He said: “After I lodged a complaint with the Indian High Commissioner, who in turn spoke to the Presidency, the matter was taken up by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.

“Peter, who was already working as a security guard at Anthony area of Lagos, and his accomplices were arrested.

“Some of the phones that were stolen from us were found in Peter ’s possession.

The phones are currently in the possession of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.ý” Justice Opesanwo adjourned the case to May 11 for cross-examination of witnesses.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—7

Gunmen kidnap Ogbia LG Chairman in Bayelsa zAs Petroleum Minister's cousin regains freedom

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—ARMED men, yesterday, invaded Otuasega in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and abducted the council chairman, Mr. Enaye Abah.

The incident occurred at about 7.05am, along the OtuasegaOkarki Expressway.

According to eyewitnesses, four men armed with sophisticated weapons, blocked the official Prado Sport Utility Vehicle, SUV, of the council chairman with a blue Mazda car, believed to have been commandeered form the driver.

Abah was about to negotiate a bend on the Otuasega stretch of the road.

The hoodlums were said to have demobilized the SUV conveying the chairman by firing at the front tyre, before embarking on a firing spree that rattled the sleepy settlement.

An eyewitness said the police orderly attached to the chairman abandoned his principal and ran for safety, on sighting the heavy arms and hearing the volley of gun shots.

The source said: “The hoodlums dragged the chairman from his vehicle and transferred him into a blue Mazda. They drove him away towards Okarki in Rivers State.

“On getting to Okarki waterside, he was dragged into to a waiting speed boat. The driver of the blue Mazda was shot in the leg for refusing to willingly follow the gunmen and their victim into the waiting speed boat.”

The gunmen set the Mazda ablaze.

Eyewitness account

A resident, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Vanguard at Okarki, a Rivers State border town with Bayelsa State, that the gunmen, on reaching the jetty, fired into the air and ordered everybody at the waterfront to lie on the ground.

They took the chairman and the injured driver into a waiting speedboat and disappeared into the creek.

Contacted, Bayelsa Police Public Relations Officer, Asinim Butswat, confirmed the incident, saying preliminary report showed that the abducted chairman was ferried by his abductors towards Abua waterways in Rivers State.

“Our men have been placed on red alert and we have put measures in place to rescue him,” Butswat said.

Meanwhile, Police have confirmed the release of Mr. Joseph Agama, cousin to the Minister of Petroleum

Nigerian based in Germany kidnapped in Aba

By Eric Ugbor

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ABANDONED: The Mazda car used in taking the local government boss to the jetty.

Resources, Diezani AlisonMadueke, from kidnappers den.

According to the police,

Joseph Agama, who was abducted on March 19, was released on April 8.

“The father sent me a text

message that his son was released on Ekeowe-Olugbobiri waterway without payment of ransom,” Butswat said.

WAEC official killed in war-torn Agatu LGA in Benue

By Peter Duru

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AKURDI—A West African Examination Council, WAEC, examination supervisor (names withheld) has been reportedly killed in war-torn Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State, while on his way to conduct WAEC examinations at Ayila, a community in the area.

Vanguard gathered, yesterday, that the deceased who was an indigene of Ogwule-Kaduna in Agatu Local Government, was allegedly killed by one of the militia of the feuding Ologba and Egba communities, who may have mistaken him for an enemy.

The Benue State House of Assembly member representing Agatu, Mr. Sule Audu, who confirmed the killing, told reporters in a telephone interview that the crisis was currently preventing prospective examination candidates and supervisors from going for the exams for fear of falling victim in the crisis.

Lawmaker calls for calm

Audu further alleged that the deceased could have been kidnapped in the crises-ridden area, but added that he could not confirm his killers.

He said: “I will not be able say who killed him; whether it was Egba or Ologba people because I was not there. ‘’The place, based on the report I received from the police and the local government chairman, is a war zone and anybody that passes there

could be a victim.”

According to the legislator, some people said he was killed between Egba and Ologba, while others said he was killed between Obagaji and Ologba.

Audu said he had appealed to the community and youth leaders of Ogwule-Kaduna to remain calm and refrain from avenging the death, noting that the killers of their kinsman had not been ascertained.

Mediation

He said efforts were on to convene a meeting of the warring parties and stakeholders at Oshigbudu, to find a lasting solution to the crisis.

When contacted, state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Assistant Superintendent Austin Ezeani, said the Area

Commander in Otukpo, Samuel Drakoji, confirmed that the command received the information but he could not confirm whether the man was killed or abducted as there was no blood stain where his footwear was found.

Ezeani also said the police was still combing the bush in the area in search of his body as there were no clues to show that he was killed.

He said: “They are still searching for his body. They only saw his footwear, so they are still combing the bush to find out if he was killed or whether he was abducted.”

Efforts to speak to WAEC officials in Makurdi failed as the officer in charge of the office was said to have travelled to Enugu for an official assignment.

BA—GUNMEN, suspected to be kidnappers, have abducted a Germany-based Nigerian, Mr. Roland Nwigwe, in Aba, Abia State.

The incident, it was gathered, occurred at Nwigwe Avenue, around Faulks Road, at about 7.50pm on Monday, while the victim was entering his compound.

Unconfirmed report has it that the gang of six had demanded for N100 million ransom, later reduced to N20 million.

Nwigwe was said to have come to Aba, the commercial city, to visit his family when he was abducted. He had gone out to eat in a fast food joint, unaware that hoodlums were on his trail.

Vanguard learned that the gunmen blocked him with a Toyota Camry car, whisked him away and later established contact with his family.

At press time, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ezekiel Onyeke, was yet to respond to a text message sent to his phone.

Kidnapped Aba lawyer released

In a related development, an Ababased lawyer, O. O. Anya, who was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen at Abayi, Aba, has regained his freedom.

A source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the victim had reunited with his family, though it could not be ascertained, at press time, if ransom was paid to secure his release.

62-yr-old oil mogul rescued from kidnappers in Lagos

By Evelyn Usman

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PERATIVES of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, yesterday, rescued a 62-year-old female oil mogul, Mrs Kudirat Adeboye, who was abducted last Wednesday at Elemoro in Ibejulekki area of Lagos State.

The woman was reportedly abducted at about 7pm, while she had gone to inspect her site where the construction of a filling station was ongoing.

Her abductors had made a demand of N50 million ransom, threatening to kill her if their demand was not met in one week.

On receiving news of her

abduction, Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, reportedly directed the Commander, SARS, Abba Kyari, to go on the trail of the kidnappers and ensure the release of the woman.

The kidnappers were lured to a place around Lekki to pick the ransom, while SARS operatives condoned off the vicinity.

At the appointed time, a member of the syndicate, identified as Niyi Omosola, a native of Ondo State, reportedly appeared to pick the money, only to be accosted by the operatives.

He was said to have opened fire on sighting the policemen, but

was overpowered.

Police sources hinted that the suspect took the operatives to a bush around Epe, where the 62year-old victim was held hostage and subsequently rescued.

Spokesman for the command, Kenneth Nwosu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, confirmed the rescue, disclosing that the kidnap suspect later died from the gun injury he sustained during the cross fire, and that one double-barrelled pistol, two expended and six cartridges were recovered from the suspect.

Effort, he said, was on to apprehend fleeing members of the gang.

8—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

XENOPHOBIA: Senate demands recall of Nigeria's envoy to South Africa

zSummons Foreign Affairs Minister; says Nigeria must stand up for Africa z350 Nigerians displaced; FG may take Zulu King to ICC

By Emma Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Joseph Erunke & Chris Ochayi

zS-Africa to include African countries' roles against Apartheid in schools syllabuses

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HE Senate, yesterday, urged President Goodluck Jonathan to recall Nigeria’s High Commissioner to South Africa, following the wave of xenophobic attacks against Nigerians and other Africans in South Africa.

It also hinted that the Federal Government would formally file a criminal case at the International Criminal Court, ICC, Hague, against the Zulu King, who was believed to have instigated the uprising through inciting comments.

The Federal Government also lodged a formal protest to the South African government, demanding compensation for victims of the attacks.

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Musiliu Obanikoro, summoned South African High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Lulu Mnguni “to register Nigeria’s protest over the ongoing xenophobic attacks against fellow Africans in South Africa.”

A statement from the Public Communications Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in Abuja yesterday said: “During the meeting with the envoy, Ambassador Obanikoro condemned the attacks on foreigners in South Africa, expressing concern on the fate of Nigerians and other nationals, who are migrants in the country.

“South Africa needed to take concrete steps to quell the unrest and bring the culprits involved to book to act as a deterrent and prevent further violence.”

He also called on the South African authorities to compensate the victims of these attacks, stressing that since South Africa was a major player in the continent, it should have its nationals live in peace in other countries.

South African envoy reacts

Mnguni, according to the statement, informed Obanikoro that the South African government was doing everything possible to

NLC state elections hold today

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OTH factions of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Ayuba Wabba, and Joe Ajaero, will hold state councils’ elections today in the 36 states and Abuja.

NLC broke into two factions after some aggrieved members claimed the rescheduled March 12 election was manipulated.

XENOPHOBIA:

Factional Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero (3rd right); Deputy presidents, Mr. Isa Aremu (2nd right) and Mr. Igwe Achese (right) presenting NLC message on the xenophobic attacks of Nigerians and other Africans to representative of South African High Commission (2nd left) during their protest in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: Gbemiga Olamikan.

address the attacks and prosecute those behind it.

Mnguni expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for the manner it had handled the crisis so far.

Soldiers were said to have been deployed overnight to tackle gangs hunting down and killing foreigners after about seven people had died in violence in the last few weeks. Yesterday, Police said 11 men were arrested in a raid in Johannesburg.

Meanwhile, after an open demonstration of its anger against the government and people of South Africa over the xenophobic attacks, Senate, yesterday, asked President Jonathan to immediately recall Nigerian High Commissioner to South Africa, for urgent consultation.

This was just as it summoned the Foreign Affairs Minister to appear before it for a possible briefing on, not only the situation, but also measures being taken to safeguard the lives and property of Nigerians in South Africa.

The Red Chamber also hinted that the Nigerian government would formally file a criminal case at the ICC against the Zulu king, believed to have instigated the uprising through inciting comments.

These decisions were sequel to a motion, tagged Rising Incidence of Xenophobic Attacks in South Africa, sponsored by Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, PDP, Cross River Central and 107 others, and presented for debate during plenary, yesterday.

In the motion, the senators said South Africa was ungrateful, regretting that despite the sacrifices made by Nigeria to put an end to Apartheid and ensure the emancipation of South Africa, the people of South Africa

continued to maltreat and humiliate Nigerians without just cause.

The Senate urged Federal Government to mount pressure on South African government to bring the perpetrators of the act to justice and ensure adequate protection of Nigerians and their investments, as well as compensate families who lost members and property.

Commends Nigerians’ maturity

It commended Nigerians for their restraint in the face of the attacks, just as it noted that the xenophobic attacks were precipitated by the comments of the renowned Zulu King.

The Senate, insisted that it was concerned that Nigerians living in South Africa have been seriously affected by the crisis “as no fewer than 50 have been reportedly rendered homeless after being displaced by these attacks and about 300 others displaced near Johannesburg.”

“By the last count, property and Nigerian businesses worth millions of naira have been destroyed,” the Senate added.

All the senators, who contributed to the debate during the day ’s plenary went emotional, expressing surprises that South Africans could maltreat foreigners, especially Nigerians, who they noted sacrificed so much to see a new South Africa.

In his remark, after taking contributions from senators, Senate President, David Mark, warned that Nigeria may not wait to see the South Africa stretch it beyond its limit.

He said: “What is happening in South Africa is totally unacceptable; it is unexpected and my humble suggestion will be that South Africa should not stretch us beyond our elastic limit on this matter.

“There is a limit beyond which the nation will not accept what is

happening in South Africa and if we go beyond that limit, Nigeria will be forced to act.

“All of you have very clearly enumerated the assistance we gave to South Africa to liberate them when they had their crises.

Students contributed, we accommodated so many of them, we gave the scholarships.

“For them to repay us this way, I think it is totally unacceptable and uncalled for; we need to stand up also for all other Africans in South Africa.

He said: “Some of us had to contribute money out of very tight budget to emancipate South Africa. We had to house some of them and contribute money to some of them.”

Other senators, who spoke against the xenophobic attacks, were Senator Helen Esuene, Labour Party, Akwa Ibom South; Senator Boluwa Kunlere, PDP, Ondo South; Senator Enyinaya Abaribe, PDP, Abia South, and Senator Ita Enang, APC, Akwa Ibom North-East, among others.

Mark on Zulu king

“The African Parliament must take this up seriously; we cannot have a situation where one king gets up and begins to say that people should go away. That is preaching hatred and is unacceptable.

“I agree with most of you that we have a responsibility to protect our citizens, in fact, that is our first responsibility and we must do that without thinking twice.

“South Africa must show Nigeria and the rest of Africa that they have taken legal steps against those who are involved,” he insisted, just as he said the Senate should also transmit its resolutions to the South African Parliament.

Senator Ganiyu Solomon, APC, Lagos West, said: “This is not the way to pay us back after our fights in liberating South Africa.

“We are wasting too much time; we should have recalled our High Commissioner even if we will still hold further discussions. This thing has happened before and it will be endless except something drastic is done.”

On his part, Senate Deputy Leader, Abdul Ningi, recalled the roles some of them played as students in Ahmadu Bello University to champion the cause of South Africa.

Reps meet with Mnguni

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Committee on Diaspora has called on the South African government to immediately compensate Nigerians, who are victims of the xenophobic attacks.

The committee’s Chairman, Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, made the call yesterday, while presenting the resolution of the House to the South African Ambassador to Nigeria, Lulu Mnguni, in Abuja.

She said apart from putting an end to the provocative and barbaric attacks on immigrants, the South African government should compensate survivors.

She expressed regrets that the attacks had undermined the unity, which African Union had fought for over the years.

The High Commissioner apologized for what had happened.

He said: “The issue of compensation has been raised on a number of fora, but threat to life still remains our concern for now. We want to secure life and livelihood and stabilize the situation.”

He said plans were in place to include in South African schools syllabuses the roles of African countries in anti-Apartheid fight, so as to change the orientation of post-Apartheid generation.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 9

FG drags N-Assembly to Supreme Court zSeeks nullification of amendments to 1999 constitution

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

By Sebastine Obasi & Ediri Ejoh

A

BUJA—POISED for a last fight, the Federal Government, yesterday, dragged the National Assembly to the Supreme Court, seeking for an order nullifying all the proposed amendments to the 1999 constitution.

In an originating summons it filed through a former Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, FG, prayed the apex court to declare as unconstitutional, the amendments as proposed by the lawmakers.

Specifically, FG urged the apex court to set aside sections 3, 4, 12, 14, 21, 23, 36, 39, 40, 43 and 44 of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015, purportedly passed by the Defendant.

It contended that the said Fourth Alteration Act 2015, was not passed with the mandatory requirement of four-fifths majority of members of the Defendant (National Assembly), and the mandatory due processes provided for under the relevant sections of the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.

Besides, it posed two questions for the apex court to determine, including, “Whether the proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (hereinafter referred to as the Constitution) by the Defendant through sections 3, 4, 12, 14, 21, 23, 36, 39, 40, 43 and 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, ((Fourth Alteration) Act 2015 (hereinafter referred to as The Fourth Alteration Act 2015) which purportedly altered sections 8, 9, 34, 35, 39, 42, 45, 58, 84, 150, 174 and 211 of the Constitution without compliance

Shortage of gas mars power generation

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VISIT: President-elect, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (left), welcoming the deputy ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr S.A. Mortazavi (right) and Iran's ambassador, Mr Seed Koozechi, during their visit to the president-elect in Abuja yesterday. with the requirements of section 9(3) of the Constitution is not unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null and void?

As well as, “Whether in the absence of compliance by the Defendant with the mandatory requirement of section 9(3) of the Constitution in the passage of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015, the Defendant can competently exercise its powers under section 58(5) of the Constitution to enable the purported Act to become Law?“ More over, FG prayed the apex court to declare that the proposed amendments to the Constitution, through sections 3, 4, 12, 14, 21, 23, 36, 39, 40, 43 and 44 of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015, which purportedly

altered sections 8, 9, 34, 35, 39, 42, 45, 58, 84, 150, 174 and 211 of the Constitution and passed by the Defendant without complying with the mandatory requirement of section 9(3) and (4) of the said Constitution stipulating passage by at least four-fifths majority of all members of each House specified in sections 48 and 49 of the Constitution, is unconstitutional, invalid, illegal, null and void and of no effect whatsoever.

It further wants the court to declare that in the absence of compliance by the Defendant with the mandatory requirements of section 9(3) of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015 which purportedly altered sections 8, 9, 34, 35, 39, 42, 45, 58, 84, 150,

174 and 211 of the Constitution, it is unconstitutional for the Defendant to exercise its powers under section 58(5) of the Constitution to enable the purported Act to become Law. Meantime, the suit was supported by an affidavit that was deposed to by one of the lawyers in Ojo’s chambers, Mr. Theophilus Okwute, who maintained the AGF, Mohammed Bello Adoke, SAN, told him that the purported Fourth Alteration Act 2015 was not passed with the mandatory requirement of four-fifths majority of members of the Defendant and the mandatory due processes provided for under the relevant sections of the extant Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended.

HE sharp drop in power generation from 3,000 megawatts to about 2,988.72MW, has been attributed to low supply of gas to generation companies, Vanguard has learnt According to a source in the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, “The issue with the drop in the megawatts can be attributed to the generation and distorted supply of gas, we have been experiencing for some time now.

However, “Most of the country’s thermal and hydropower plants are dependent on gas for optimum performance to meet the Nigerians' demands for robust power supply.”

In the last four weeks, Vanguard learnt that there has been massive decline in power supply in some parts of Lagos. Some of the areas affected include, Ajegunle, Ijesa, Oko-afo, Ile-Epo, Ojo (all areas in Badagry road), Comfort Oboh, Kirikiri town.

According to data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Power, electricity supply fell to 2,988.72MW on April 12, while 3,060.37MW was generated that day.

Power generation had on March 11 dropped to 2,747.45MW, while 2,676.64MW was distributed to consumers, down from 3,505MW on March 8.

Power supply in the country had dipped below the 3,000MW mark for at least five times this year.

APC to PDP defectors: Stay back in your party or quit politics

By Emmanuel Aziken & Henry Umoru

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HE All Progressives Congress, APC yesterday shut its door to defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, charging would be defectors to either form a constructive opposition or quit politics.

The charge from the APC came as the PDP following a meeting of the national chairman with zonal and state chairmen of the party accused the APC of using carrot and stick to dismember their party with the intention of enthroning a one party dictatorship in the country.

The PDP chieftains in their postmortem of the recent elections also urged aggrieved candidates of the party who lost out to seek judicial redress with the affirmation that the party would support them all the way.

...PDP accuses APC of plots to undermine opposition The APC reacting to a communiqué of the meeting between the National Working Committee, NWC of the PDP and its elected governors and senators on Tuesday affirmed that the party was scared stiff of playing opposition.

Noting the continued interest of the leaders of the PDP to jump ship, the APC in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the party was not enthusiastic about receiving the PDP defectors. ‘’The truth of the matter is that the leadership of the PDP is not even waiting to be approached before fleeing to the APC. PDP leaders and members are falling over themselves shamelessly

and swearing undying allegiance to the APC. Well, in case they did not get the message of the President-elect and our National Chairman, we want to repeat it in very blunt terms: PDP leaders and members, you are not welcome in APC. Please stay in your party, but if - as we suspect - you cannot survive in opposition, then take a walk, quit politics,’’ the party said.

Affirming that the leaders of the PDP were afraid to stay in the opposition, he said: “We don’t blame them as they have neither the capacity nor the commitment to be in opposition.

A party that stood for nothing but looting and rent collection will naturally be afraid of being in opposition, where there is

nothing to loot or rent to collect.’’

APC wants to turn Nigeria into one-party state — PDP

Rising from the meeting of state and zonal chairmen with the national chairman of the party at the PDP National Secretariat, the PDP vowed to resist what it termed as undue harassments, witch-hunt and intimidation from the APC aimed at bringing down its members psychologically.

The party which described the defeat of the party as temporary urged its candidates in the recent elections with evidence of malpractice against them to go to the tribunals with a promise to back them all the way.

In a Communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, the PDP

cautioned the President- elect against any action or inaction that could threaten the gains of democracy and personal freedom that the party stressed it established in the last 16 years.

The Communiqué, which was signed by Amb. Ibrahim Kazaure and Emmanuel Agbo for National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen respectively reads, “The National Working Committee (NWC), National Vice Chairmen and State Chairmen of the PDP in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja after a crucial meeting on Wednesday, April 22, 2015 at the National Secretariat Abuja resolved that “The meeting notes the outcome of the 2015 general elections and accordingly resolves not to allow the temporary setback affect the party ’s contributions to the country's democratic development''

10 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

EARTH DAY: Stakeholders discuss environment

By Innocent Anaba

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A G O S — STAKEHOLDERS in Lagos, yesterday, at a colloquium to explore ways to achieve a healthier and cleaner environment as part of the 2015 Earth Day celebration, suggested ways to halt the deterioration of the environment and minimise the effects of oil spills, polluting factories and power plants, raw sewage and toxic dumps.

Speakers, including the Managing Director, Lagos Waste Management Agency, LAWMA, Mr Ola Oresanya; a German chemist and toxologist, Dr Beate Kummer; Country Director, Africare Nigeria Dr Orode Doherty; RISSN Director Dr. Olufemi Olarewaju; Dr. Ijeoma Nwagwu; Ms. Baerbel Freyer of the German Industry and Commerce in Nigeria; former Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice Olasupo Shasore, SAN, noted the need for urgent attention to be paid to the environment by government.

Oresanya in his presentation, said that Lagos generates 11,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, adding that on the average, each resident produces 0.65kg of waste.

He added that Lagos was also the busiest in vehicular movement, noting that while the entire Nigeria has a vehicular density of 15 vehicles for every kilometre, Lagos alone has 280 vehicles for every kilometre.

On efforts being made to address waste disposal challenging facing the state, he said Lagos has partnered a technology company, Ericsson, to recycle electronic wastes generated in Lagos, such as those from the Computer Village.

Chairman of Lafarge WAPCO, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye, who chaired the event, urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to recycling systems, waste water treatment, solid waste management, especially in a populated city like Lagos.

$8.4M FRAUD: Registrar visited Bamaiyi thrice in prison – OFFICER

By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe

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AGOS—A Kirikiri prison officer, ACP Abdullahi Garuba, yesterday told an Ikeja High Court that he saw Justice Joseph Oyewole’s registrar, Ms. Rosulu Idowu Oluronke, visit the prison thrice to see a Lagos socialite, Fred Ajudua.

Rosulu is being accused by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of aiding Ajudua to defraud a former army General, Ishaya Bamaiyi, (Abacha’s Chief of Army Staff) of the total sum of $8.4million.

Testifying before the presiding judge, Justice Lateef LawalAkapo, Garuba explained that

the defendant (Rosulu) 1st visit at the Kirikiri maximum prison was to see Ajudua, Bamaiyi and Alumile Adedeji a.k.a. Ade Bendel.

According to him, during the 2nd visit of the defendant (Rosulu) at the Kirikiri maximum prison, he saw her with Ajudua and Bamaiyi, while the 3rd visit that $330,000 was allegedly brought had the presence of Ajudua’s boy, Jonathan, and Bamaiyi.

It will be recalled that during Monday’s proceeding, Bamaiyi told the court that on November 20, 2004 when the defendant (Rosulu) visited the prison for 3rd time, $330,000 (33 bundle of $100USD) kept in a red ‘GhanaMust-Go’ bag was handed over

to her, which Ajudua allegedly sent his boy, Jonathan, to assist on counting and carrying out of the prison.

Confirming Bamaiyi’s claim, the prison officer (ACP Garuba) informed the court that on the 3rd visit, the defendant (Rosulu) and Jonathan (Ajudua’s boy) carried a red “Ghana-Must-Go” bag containing $330,000 out of the prison, after having counted the money in his presence.

ACP Garuba maintained that the $330,000 was a 33 bundle of $100USD denomination, adding that the money only passed the gate of Kirikiri maximum prison but did not get inside the prison.

During cross-examination by the defence counsel, Mr. Bamidele Ogundele, ACP Garuba said the

Prison’s Act Rules & Regulation do allow inmates to bring substantial amount to Kirikiri maximum prison, if there is a purpose for it and such money is kept for the user.

“The Prison’s Act Rules & Regulation do allow inmates to bring substantial amount, if there is a purpose for that, and such money will be kept for the user. $330,000USD did not enter inside the prison. It passed through the gate and my office is at the gate.

My superior, DCP Vincent Obi, was aware of all these processes,” he said.

The prison officer noted that the Kirikiri maximum prison classify certain inmates as special detainees, and visit to them is cumbersome.

Presidency: Court strikes out suits challenging Buhari’s eligibility *As plaintiffs apply to withdraw

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A LECTURE: From left; President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, Mr Femi Adesina; Ota Olubadan, Oloye Lekan Alabi; former managing director, Nigeria Tribune, Mr Felix Adenaike, at a lecture to mark 75th birthday of the former managing director in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Lagos made N27bn from land deals in 2014

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—THELagos State Government generated N27 billion from land transactions in the state last year, even as 2, 230 Electronic Certificate of Occupancy, C of Os were processed.

Also, the state generated N181 million from survey transactions between January and March 2015.

Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Lands Bureau, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola and the Surveyor-General/Permanent Secretary, office of the Surveyor General, Mr. Joseph Agbenla, disclosed this yesterday at the 2015 ministerial press briefing in Alausa, Ikeja.

Muri-Okunola said the revenue performance for 2014 exceeded the Bureau’s target for the period by 165 percent.

According to him, “The total

revenue generated by the bureau as at December 31st, 2014 was N27,054,031,674. This exceeded what the state generated in the previous year (2013) by about N18.65 billion.

In 2013, it was N8.3 billion.”

Explaining the reason for the unusual upsurge, the Permanent Secretary said, “This was due to transaction on the sale of land for industrial development in the Free Trade Zone, FTZ.” He however, lamented that the “Revenue from the new scheme being expected during the period under review as well as the property recertification project could not be realized and thereby making it difficult for us to generate revenue from these sources.”

Muri-Okunola assured residents that, “The revenue of the bureau will continue to be improved upon the moment the new schemes, property

certificate and transaction on state land are brought on board.”

Paid N2.8bn as compensation for acquired lands

He added that “In the year under review, N2, 864, 500, 377 was paid as compensation to owners of land acquired while an alternative land in lieu of monetary compensation was given to an individual whose land was acquired for public interest.”

Muri-Okunola explained, “Funds were paid to residents after the government acquired their land for public interest.”

The breakdown showed that; N30 million was paid as compensation to owners of land acquired for the forensic laboratory; N334.4 million paid to owners of nine properties affected by the expansion of the LagosBadagry Expressway; N1.4 billion for Lagos Airport project in Epe among others.

BUJA — The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, terminated further hearing on two separate suits that challenged the qualification of General Muhammadu Buhari, rtd, to participate in the 2015 presidential election.

Justice Ademola Adeniyi struck out the suits following notices of discontinuance that was entered before the court by the plaintiffs.

The plaintiffs, Chukwunweike Okafor, and Mr. Max Ozoaka , through their respective lawyers, Chief Mike Ozekohme, SAN, and Dr. Chike Amobi, told the court that they decided to withdraw the matter in order to allow the President-elect, Buhari, to effectively run the affairs of the nation without distractions.

“My Lord we have a notice of discontinuance and we have served all the parties. I called the plaintiff and advised that he should discontinue the suit to avoid distraction for the incoming government.

“Since Jonathan has conceded defeat and also encouraged his supporters to do the same, after such heroic act, wesaw noreason toweep more than the bereaved”, Ozekhome added. Responding to the development, Buhari, through his lawyer Chief Akin Olujumi, SAN, said he would not oppose the application to withdraw the suits against him, even as he commended both the plaintiffs and their lawyers for “doing the wise thing”.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—11

APC challenges Kashamu's victory at tribunal

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, has filed a petition before the state's National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal challenging the victory of Buruji Kashamu as senatorelect, in the senatorial election in Ogun East, on March 28.

The party, through its candidate, Dapo Abiodun, filed the petition yesterday, accusing the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of manipulating the result in its favour during the collation.

Kashamu, candidate of the PDP, was returned elected and declared winner of the election by the returning officer of the zone, Professor Babatunde Ikotun, after polling 99,540 votes to defeat eight other candidates.

Abiodun was the first runner up in the election and Adegbenga Kaka of the Social Democratic Party was the second runner up.

In the petition, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent, Abiodun argued that Kashamu was not qualified to contest the election and that he didn’t score the highest number of lawful votes as required by law.

The petitioner, who said he would rely on form EC8E (1) to prove his case, further alleged that Kashamu, his party, PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, who were joined as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively, failed to comply with all the electoral laws.

He prayed that, “The 1st Respondent, Prince Buruji

Kahamu, was not duly elected by majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and therefore did not meet the requirements of the law to be returned as winner of the election.

“The election of the 1st Respondent, Prince Buruji Kashamu, is invalid by reason of substantial non-compliance with the provisions of Electoral Act 2015 (as amended), the Manual for Election Officials 2015, the guidelines issues for the conduct of the election and the law in the conduct of the election.

“The election of the 1st Respondent, Prince Kashamu is invalid by reason of corrupt practices and electoral malpractices perpetrated by the

1st Respondent in person and members and agents of the 1st and 2nd Respondents in the places mentioned in this petition.

“The 1st Respondent, Prince Buruji Kashamu was not qualified to contest the election.”

Abiodun urged the court to nullify all the results from polling units or wards where the requisite forms were not completed, dated, signed or stamped by the concerned officials.

The petitioner however prayed the court to declare Kashamu as not qualified to contest the Ogun East senatorial election, was not duly elected by majority of lawful votes cast during the election and that a declaration that the

announcement of Kashamu as winner be annulled and set aside, the same being null and void.

However, media aide to Kashamu, Austin Oniyokor, had earlier said in a statement that his principal was prepared to meet any petitioner at the tribunal.

The statement said: “The claims by the APC are totally unfounded.

Ordinarily, we would not have dignified them with a response.

You can see that the statement is loud in noise and lacking in substance. If they say there was rigging and manipulation during the election, they should supply the details, rather than hiding under some nebulous excuses that say nothing."

PRAYING FOR PEACE IN EKITI: From left: Former Private Secretary to Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Alex Olu Ajayi; Chairman for the creation of Ekiti State, Chief Deji Fasuan and former governor of old Ondo State; Evangelist Bamidele Olumilua, praying for peace in Ekiti State at the meeting. Photo by Dare Fasube.

ONDO DEP-GOV: Assembly asks CJ to constitute probe panel

By Dayo Johnson

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KURE—MEMBERS of Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday proceeded with their plans to oust the deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi, as it directed the state's Chief Judge, Justice Olaseinde Kumuyi, to set up a seven-man panel to look into the allegations of gross misconduct levelled against the deputy governor.

This is coming as the state executive council said it will not dabble into it since it is a constitutional matter.

The lawmakers' directive is coming 24 hours after Olanusi was served with an impeachment notice.

Some of the seven allegations levelled against the embattled deputy governor include financial misappropriation, absenteeism from official duties and allegedly causing political disaffection in the cabinet of the state government.

Other allegations include false

allegation against the state governor, absenteeism and truancy from official assignment and engagement among others.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon Jumoke Akindele, gave the directive to the Chief Judge at the plenary just as the 22 law makers present

supported the move.

Majority leader, Hon Ifedayo Akinsoyinu who moved the motion said the action of the House was in consonance with section 188 sub-section 3 of the 1999 constitution and was corroborated by Hon Fatai Olotu

from Akoko North East.

The speaker thereafter directed the clerk to forward the resolution to the Chief Judge.

Akindele however assured that the lawmakers will follow due process in the discharge of their responsibility on the matter.

NGE boss challenges journalists on changing trends

By Ola Ajayi, Bukola Ifegbayi & Fisayo Ogunwale

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BADAN—THE President of Nigerian Guild of Editors, Mr. Femi Adesina, said yesterday that for journalism practice not to go into extinction, practitioners must keep abreast of the changing trends particularly in the area of technology.

He said this at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, during the commemorative birthday lecture in honour of Mr. Felix Adenaike who turned 75.

The event attracted eminent

Nigerians from all walks of life especially from journalism profession. Among hundreds of well-wishers at the ceremony were Prof. Tayo Adesina, Department of History, University of Ibadan; former Chief Medical Director, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Prof. Femi Ajayi; Mr. Banji Oshunkunle, an economist; Editor-in-Chief, African Newspapers of Nigeria Plc, Edward Dickson who was represented by Mr. Lasisi Olagunju, former spokesperson to Osun State Governor, Mr. Kola Animashaun; Chairman,

League of Veteran Journalists, Oloye Lekan Alabi, and many others.

While presenting the lecture entitled, “Journalism; yesterday, today and tomorrow”, Mr. Adesina advised media professionals to be in tune with the current trends in technology especially the social media which threatened the survival of the profession.

He went down memory lane as he compared the past, present and future of the profession, noting that the channel of sending stories has changed over time.

Lagos demolishes 41 distressed buildings

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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ORRIED by the spate of building collapse in the state, Lagos State Government, yesterday, said 41 distressed buildings were demolished in two years to avoid loss of lives.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Toyin Ayinde and the General Manager of Lagos State Building Control Agency, LABSCA, Mrs. Abimbola Animashaun, disclosed this at the annual ministerial press briefing held in Government Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

Animashaun said that the prompt intervention of the agency to evacuate occupants and remove the buildings saved lives and property that would have been lost.

“In the last one year, we received 80 distressed calls from occupants of distressed buildings.

“A total of 191 buildings were approved for demolition. Of these, 41 buildings have been demolished by the agency over the past 24 months. This represents a fair percentage of the 4,099 contravention notices served during the period under review.”

She emphasized that the buildings were “distressed, dilapidated and beyond repair.”

The General Manager added that “2,226 building were sealed off for non-compliance with the building approvals.

However, 444 buildings were unsealed after compliance. At least 10 certificates of completion and fitness for habitation were issued by the agency.

“We have been able to save several lives from dangerous buildings through early detection of defective and distressed buildings. In some cases, we were able to evacuate the occupants in time to save lives especially from those that later collapsed," she added.

12—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Rivers Assembly Leader, ex-NBA boss, differ on planned LG polls

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— LEADER of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Mr Chidi Lloyd, has said that the decision of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC, to conduct local government elections on May 23, was in line with the state electoral laws.

Meantime, a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Chief O.C.J. Okocha, SAN, has said that the decision

by RSIEC to conduct the council election was ill conceived, stressing that the governor at this time should not be bugged down by the issue of local government election since he has less than 40 days to leave office.

Lloyd yesterday, said the law was amended in March 2011, giving political parties five days to submit candidates for the election.

He said: “The RSIEC law was amended on March 8, 2011.

Section 5 of the law provides five days notice as against what it was before the amendment.

So, parties are to present their candidates within this period.

The five days will enable parties conduct their primaries and present candidates for the elections. The law is clear so the

RSIEC is acting within the law. political parties and the general “Then a date is scheduled for “There is no place in the public that elections are to be the elections. The parties will Constitution that stops the conducted. Thereafter, parties be notified that so and so governor from acting as will respond and furnish the candidates have been cleared. governor because his commission with names of There is also additional time to administration will soon those likely to contest the substitute candidates not elapse.” elections. There is a period of cleared. It is a process. I find it Chief Okocha, on his part, screening for those to contest to funny that this is being done at said that conducting local be conducted by the the terminal stage of Governor Amaechi‘s administration." commission. government election was an issue that r e q u i r e d stakeholders going through stages like screening of candidates, notification of those screened and substitution of candidates by political parties where necessary.

“This is the time the governor should be preparing his hand over notes.

Don’t forget that this is an election that should have been held long ago.

But the governor kept appointing C a r e t a k e r Committees.

“RSIEC law CERTIFICATE OF RETURN: Cross River State governor-elect, Senator s t i p u l a t e s Ben Ayade, displaying his Certificate of Return at the state INEC milestones that headquarters in Calabar, shortly after presentation by the National require the giving of Commissioner in charge of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, notice first to the Thelma Iremiren, yesterday.

HOSTCOM moves against bill to scrap DESOPADEC

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—LEADERSHIP of Host Communities Oil and Gas Producing of Nigeria, HOSTCOM, in Delta State, has called on the state House of Assembly to kill the bill sent to it

by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan to scrap and replace the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, with five district agencies for the five ethnic nationalities, which comes up for second reading, Tuesday next week.

HOSTCOM, in a protest letter addressed to the Speaker of the House after its meeting, said that in addition to the five district agencies, the bill, if passed into law, would also give rise to the establishment of “five Ethnic Nationalities Oil Producing Areas Investment Corporations and other matters connected therewith for the Ijaw, Itsekiri, Urhobo, Isoko and Ndokwa.”

The letter, by its National Coordinator, state Chairman, Secretary, Prince Maikpobi Okareme, Dr Peter Egedegbe, Evang Gabriel Isiebeluo and four

others, said: “The entire oil producing /impacted communities in Delta State for which purpose DESOPADEC was set up totally reject the scrapping of the commission.

“The funds being appropriated

by DESOPADEC as commission

belong to the oil producing/ impacted communities and not the Delta State Government hence it cannot be scrapped without their consent. The present action of the state government could be likened to someone that wants to shave

another person’s hair in his absence.

A-Ibom PDP stakeholders call for Mu’azu's sack

By Tom Moses

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YO—WORRIED by the defeat of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the March 28 Presidential poll and most of the governorship seats on April 11, stakeholders of the party in Akwa Ibom State are rooting for the removal of Dr. Adamu Mu’azu as National Chairman of the party.

The initiator of the Udom is Right Campaign Organisation in the state, Mr. Titus Udo, made the call yesterday in a chat with journalists in Uyo, the state capital, lamenting that the party lost at the centre for the first time in the past 16 years including many states which were under its control, insisting that the party structure should be reorganized.

According to him, even though the party performed abysmally in the last elections, the structure should not be allowed to

crumble, especially as the outgoing governors were busy arranging for their exit from their respective Government Houses.

He urged President Goodluck Jonathan, as national leader of the party, to convene a National Executive Council meeting of the party, where issues of the party would be critically assessed and major decisions taken so as to begin to reposition the party early enough for future elections.

Udo opined that as the in-coming president was from the North and would naturally draw support and strength from there, the National Chairmanship of the PDP should go to the South-South geopolitical zone where the strength of the party is preponderant.

Labour, Accord parties urge candidates to concede defeat

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WO opposition parties in Akwa Ibom State, Accord Party and Labour Party, have called on their respective governorship candidates, Bishop Sam Akpan and Senator Helen Esuene, to concede defeat and congratulate the winner of the election, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. In separate congratulatory messages in Uyo, addressed to the governor-elect, Mr. Emmanuel, the two political parties advised stakeholders to avoid unnecessary litigations that will distract the governorelect, in the art of governance and lead to further waste of the state resources.

According to the Accord Party: “As active participants in the just concluded governorship elections, we are in a position to know that the election in Akwa Ibom State were conducted in the best of manners by Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from accreditation to voting, except in a few negligible places.

“By our assessment, the conduct of the election was a watershed in our entire political history, in terms of planning and execution."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—13

Rivers APC chieftain laments political killings in Ahoada

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— HOUSE of Assembly candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ahoada constituency II, Rivers State, Eric Apia, has expressed concern over the spate of politically related killings in Ahoada and it’s environs.

Meanwhile, the family of late Chief Christopher Adube, has appealed to the Rivers State Government and security agencies to help secure justice for them over the murder of their father and six others last month.

The first son of the family, Mr Henry Adube, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday, said things have been tough for the family since the killing of their father, urging the state government to come to the aide of the family.

“The Police and the state government should help us get justice. We want the killers to be brought to book. We also appeal to government to come to the aide of the family,” he said.

Meantime, Apia, who spoke to Vanguard, yesterday said two members of his party were

killed by suspected political thugs in Abarikpo community, Ahoada Local Government Area of the state five days ago, adding that three chieftains of the APC in the area were also abducted by suspected political thugs.

Lamenting the state of

insecurity in the area, Apia said one of those kidnapped was the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the council, Mr Cassidy Ikegbedi.

He said those who abducted the council boss dragged him through a footpath measuring almost

two kilometers to a river where they fled with him in a waiting boat.

Apia who said he has been in touch with the family of the council boss, added that no contact has been established with the family by the kidnappers.

COMMISSIONING: Mrs Selina Inko-Tariah of the University of Port Harcourt Legal Unit/ Representative of the VC of UNIPORT; Elvis Ogiemwanye, Head, Youth Segment, Etisalat; Nkechi Amadi, Manager, Retail Sales, South-South Region Etisalat and Taiwo Embassey Head Retail Sales Etisalat, during the official opening of Etisalat CliqHub at the ICT Centre University of Port Harcourt in Rivers State. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke.

No outbreak of cholera in Delta —DTSG

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State Ministry of Health, yesterday, denied online media report of an outbreak of cholera in parts of the state.

The ministry said its visit to the two communities in Isoko South Local Government Area suspected to have suffered cholera outbreak, indicated that a total 32 persons were ill, while five reportedly died, two in Umeh and three in Erowa.

The ministry, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Mr Churchill Oyowe, said results of stool samples collected and sent to laboratory in Lagos were negative for cholera, emphasizing that the suspected outbreak of gastroenteritis has since been controlled and contained.

The ministry said it could not immediately establish the cause of the death of the five persons, who died and had been buried, adding that investigation showed that no one contacted cholera in the said communities.

The ministry said investigation, however, revealed that those living far from the functional community borehole that makes use of water from the river were the ones having cases of vomiting or stooling while households

in the immediate vicinity of the borehole reported no case.

It added that examination of the communities revealed that most of the houses lacked

toilet which makes open defecation a common practice.

The ministry called on members of the affected

communities and Deltans in general to maintain a high hygienic practice, advising them to boil and filter water before drinking.

May 29 handover date sacrosanct —FG zSays May 28 dinner is to honour President-elect

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—THE Federal Government clarified yesterday that the dinner being organised for the president-elect on May 28 is not meant to be for a formal handover to Muhammadu Buhari, noting that the May 29 hand-over date remains sacrosanct.

Making the clarification yesterday, Minister of Information, Patricia Akwashiki, said the dinner would still be hosted by President Goodluck Jonathan for Buhari on May 28.

She hinted that the president-elect may be honoured with an award during the dinner.

According to the minister, all handover briefs being coordinated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Anyim Pius Anyim, would be ready by May 28.

She assured contractors that their entitlements would be settled noting that if there had been any slowing down of projects by contractors, it could only be a result of nonassent to the 2015 budget, and not because of fears of revocation.

On the sacking of InspectorGeneral of Police, Suleiman Abba, just a few weeks to the hand over date, Akwashiki said it remained the prerogative of the President to take such decision and he had done what he felt should be done.

N-Delta youths to present president-elect with region's problems

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—YOUTHS of the Niger Delta under the aegis of the Niger Delta Ethnic Nationalities Youth Movement, NDEYM, have concluded plans to articulate all the problems associated with oil spills and what they described as the systematic marginalization of non-violent and hospitable ethnic groups in the region with a view to presenting the issues to the President-elect, Gen.

Muhammadu Buhari, for effective management of resources accruing to the Niger Delta.

A statement by its National Facilitator, Aiyemenkhue Edokpolo, said the move will commence with a conference held quarterly in each of the state capitals in the Niger Delta region where the youths would have an on-the-spot assessment of environmental degradation, oil spill, projects executed or abandoned by the federal and state governments.

Okunbo urged to rise above political differences to transform Benin Kingdom

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Benin group, Assembly of Benin Aborigines, ABA, yesterday called on a prominent businessman and politician, Captain Hosa Okunbo, to rise above political affiliations and continue to build on his leadership in the struggle to liberate and transform Bini ethnic nationality.

ABA, made up of Binis at home and in the Diaspora, noted that Okunbo had, in the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, mobilised support for his friend, President Goodluck Jonathan and candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo South, ensuring that Jonathan and the candidates for the federal legislature won in Edo State.

A statement by Prince Solomon Ebuwa, Osamwonyi Osagiede, Prince Francis Iyasere, and Chief Edward Igbinedu, hailed the decision by Okunbo, who is a PDP leader in Edo South senatorial zone, to mobilize support for and ensure the victory of the Binis who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the April 11 state Assembly poll.

It observed that with the defeat of President Jonathan in the presidential election, Okunbo, whose sole objective for dabbling into politics, was not to seek election into any public office, but to promote an agenda for the liberation and transformation of the Bini ethnic nation within the larger politics of the Nigerian nation, had to respond to the changing political dynamics.

According to the group, “We knew that the game was bound to change after President Jonathan lost the election and conceded defeat to General Muhammadu Buhari. With the victory of the APC under the national chairmanship of a Bini son, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, it will appear that providence has thrust the Binis, through Chief Oyegun, to the centre of national politics and prominence which has all the while been the lofty desire of Captain Okunbo.”

14—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

FG pays N373bn to former PHCN workers

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HE FEDERAL Government has paid a total of N 373, 170, 291, 200.38 in entitlements to former staff of the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. That amount, according to the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, was paid to 46,744 , representing 98% of the 47,913 bonafide staff, of the workforce.

Consequently, the National Council on Privatisation, NCP, has directed the Implementation Committee which handled the exercise to hand over to BPE all information and documents concerning outstanding staff and pensioners' verifications and payments, according to a statement by the BPE spokesman, Mr. Chigbo Anichebe, in Abuja, yesterday.

“The Council also directed that the process of verification and payment of all the outstanding cases should continue until the final resolution of the exercise,” the bureau clarified.

I'm not seeking asylum —Deziani

By Ben Agande

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BUJA—MINISTER of Petroleum Resources, Deziani Allison Maduekwe, has denied media reports that she was seeking asylum in some foreign countries.

Addressing state House correspondents after yesterday’s Federal Executive Council, the Minister said she was not leaving the country, adding that she had no reason to do so.

She blamed what she described as consistent malicious and libellous attacks on her person on

the reforms she brought about in the oil and gas sector in the country.

The minister said: “Let me state it clearly for the records that Nigeria is my country and am not going anywhere. I love my country and I do think that I have done the best for my country and I would also like to point out that these malicious, malevolence, vindictive libels coming out of places like Osun Defender and other faceless online and other entities need to stop.

“For everything that has a beginning there is an end and that

is not a surprise. What is the surprise is the sort of malevolence bordering on personal malicious libel to my person during this period of time. ‘’I do believe that I have done the best for Nigeria in this job and I have attained many firsts in the history of oil and gas, especially in the reforms that we have done.

In this period of time, I have stepped on many big toes, particularly the feet of the cabal in the industry when we came in. ‘’I have said severally that we will open up the industry to all Nigerians and we have, but that

Saraki, Akume split North-Central Senate caucus

By Johnbosco Agbarakwu & Chris Ochayi

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RESH INTRIGUES are beclouding the contest for the office of the President of the Senate in the 8th National Assembly following the reported split of the North-Central caucus of the Senate between two groups.

Senators George Akume and Bukola Saraki have emerged as front runners on the basis of the inclination of the incoming

majority party, All Progressives Congress, APC, to zone the office to the North-Central region where the two of them come from.

However, some senators are also believed to be looking outside the North-Central towards the Northeast and are said to be putting Senator Ahmad Lawan as their preferred candidate.

Some other senators are also looking for ways to upturn the inclinations of APC. Among those believed to be wanting to spoil the concord on zoning in the APC is the Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, which it was learned, was also preparing to sponsor its own candidate whether from the PDP or a renegade APC senator for the prime position of presiding officer.

Meanwhile, the ambitions of the two powerful senators from the North-Central, Akume and Saraki are said to have split the North-Central caucus into two with those in support and those against each of the candidates throwing up their advantages and disadvantages.

is not to the pleasure of certain cabal.

And I have been continuously maligned because of this and we have taken millions and in fact, billions of dollars out of the hands of multinationals and their sub-contractors and put them in the hands of Nigerians through Nigerian content. ‘’Hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have come into the oil and gas industry because of our reforms.

“Quite frankly, I think as unprecedented as it is, it does not please everybody and that cannot be helped, but let us remember the unprecedented reforms that have happened in the oil industry during our time, such as major gas reforms, the Petroleum Industry Bill, which has been completely revised, reformed and put into the hands of members of the National Assembly where it has languished for two years.”

On allegation that she was seeking the intervention of prominent Nigerians, especially former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, to protect her from being held accountable for some of her actions in office, the minister said there was no truth in the allegation.

She said: “I believe that Gen. Abdulsalami) has already called it unnecessary mischief."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—15

INEC officials arrested in Owerri for electoral offences

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—HEAD of Operations in the Imo State office of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and about 15 others, have been arrested by eagleeyed operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, for allegedly tampering with result sheets and thumbprinting ballot papers.

Addressing a press conference, yesterday, in Owerri, the state chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Nnamdi Anyaehie, urged the leadership of INEC to not only make the names of the suspects public, but also prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others.

“A little while ago, I received information from a memberelect of our great party that results of the just concluded National Assembly elections were being altered at INEC

Headquarters, Owerri. ‘’Since the information appeared to be credible, the Secretary, Organising Secretary and myself went to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr. Gabriel Adah, to ascertain the veracity of the information given to us,” Anyaehie said.

According to the Imo PDP boss, the REC truly confirmed to their utter disbelief that some members of staff were truly involved in falsifying results.

He quoted the INEC officials as saying serious action was being taken in-house against the staff involved.

“We wish to use this medium to unequivocally call for immediate prosecution of those involved in this criminal act so that others, who may wish to be part of this heinous crime against our nation and state will be deterred,” Anyaehie pleaded.

While insisting that justice should be done in this matter, Imo PDP also said that it had formally written to the REC, asking that the suspects be prosecuted.

“We also asked that the names of the members of staff be made public as a deterrent for those who may wish to go into this crime. ‘’Already, they have tampered with the results of Senator Hope Uzodinma of Imo West senatorial zone, Rt. Hon. Goodluck Opia of Ohaji Egbema/Oguta/Oru West Federal Constituency and Engr.

Obinna Onwuvuariri of Okigwe North Federal Constituency,” Chief Anyaehie lamented.

He expressed regrets at the astonishing dimension that the general elections in Imo State had taken, stressing that a lot of money was paid to the suspects to engage in the damnable electoral malfeasance.

“We have been unrelenting in issuing press releases and reports about the absurdities and irregularities that characterised April 11 and March 28, 2015, elections in Imo State. This latest development is the combination of the whole rape on the electoral process in the state,” Anyaehie lamented.

Meanwhile, Imo State

Audit: APC faults PWC on NNPC’s unremitted $1.48bn

By Michael Eboh with agency report

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HE ALL Progressives Congress, APC, yesterday, faulted PricewaterhouseCoopers, PWC, audit report recommending that the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, remit $1.48 billion to the Federation Account.

The APC was of the view that the amount to be remitted by the NNPC was more than the $1.48 billion stated by the PWC in the

audit report.

Head, Policy, Research and Strategy Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign, Mr. Kayode Fayemi, told Bloomberg that the APC has reliable information about the actual amount the NNPC is to refund, adding that the party will release the report immediately it has full information on the issue.

Fayemi, who was also the former governor of Ekiti State, said the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari will

10 Lagos gov candidates congratulate Ambode

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AGOS—THE 10 Lagos governorship candidates, who declared support for the Lagos State, governor-elect, Akinwunmi Ambode, eight days to the election date, jointly congratulated Ambode, saying his victory is well deserved and portends good tidings for the state.

According to a press statement by the governorship candidates, the aspirants who declared their total support and worked tirelessly to achieve this victory, expressed their gratitude to God over Ambode's victory.

“We pray that our governor-elect will have the

strength to continue with the ongoing good work of His Excellency, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN ), as we promised to stand by him to work together in the execution of his lofty programmes as enumerated in his party’s manifesto. ''He should see his victory as a call to serve humanity and to be concerned about the welfare of the people.

“We urge him to run an all-inclusive government and see himself as a father to all, irrespective of whatever must have transpired before and during the elections.''

publish the full audit of the NNPC and compel it to repay the government more than the amount that was previously recommended.

He said, “I have a figure that is more than $1.5 billion that had been talked about. We have seen credible information that what PwC says is more than that. We will release the report. We will make it available to Nigerians as soon as we have full information on this.”

Fayemi further stated that the incoming administration may reorganise the NNPC, saying that, “NNPC will not be in the form or shape it is currently in. Some measure of unbundling will happen.”

Meanwhile, Trafigura Beheer BV, the third-largest crude oil trader, yesterday confirmed that it had stopped doing business in Nigeria due to the controversy that surrounded the product-swap deal with the NNPC. The reason it stopped doing business in Nigeria, according to Bloomberg was due to criticism from Non-Governmental Organisations, NGO, including the Swiss-based Berne Declaration over swaps deals Trafigura had conducted in Nigeria to exchange refined petroleum products for crude oil because the non-cash deal took place outside

Government has reacted to the reported arrest of the INEC official and his accomplices, saying APC had been vindicated on its repeated claims that the INEC in Owerri had become too partisan in favour of the PDP and its governorship candidate, Emeka Ihedioha, to the disappointment of men and women of goodwill in the state.

Government’s position was made known in a press statement signed by the Governor’s media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo.

“The attention of the Imo State government has been drawn to the arrest, on Tuesday, April 21, 2015, of the Head of Operations, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Owerri, Imo State, Mr. Emeka Mbaneme, and 15 other officers of the Commission by officials of the Department of State Service, DSS, Imo State, while thumb-printing ballot papers and altering the result sheets of the governorship election held on Saturday, April 11, 2015, which the INEC in Owerri declared inconclusive and for which supplementary election has been fixed for the affected units on Saturday, April 25, 2015,” Onwuemeodo stated.

How Buhari should fight corruption – Nnewi importers

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—NNEWI I m p o r t e r s Association in Anambra has advised the government of Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari, to aggressively fight corruption without room for sacred cows.

Chairman of the association, Pastor Longinus Chukwuma, who gave the advice in Nnewi while addressing newsmen on other expectations of the importers from Buhari’s incoming administration, said the war against graft would only be total if it was waged in all sectors of the nation’s life.

He said: “The fight against corruption should be total, irrespective of party affiliation, social status, ethnic group and religious affiliation and bias of Nigerians."

16—Vanguard,THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Traffic chaos on Oshodi-Apapa Expressway The usual traffic gridlock on Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, yesterday, became unprecedentedly chaotic. Here, fuel tanker drivers make it nightmarish for other road users. Photos: Joe Akintola (Photo Editor)

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 17

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AST Sunday, April 19, the alliance of the African National Congress, ANC, South African Communist Party, SACP, and the Congress of South African Trace Unions, COSATU, issued an “Alliance Statement to the African Continent and the International Community”. The statement was in response to the tragic outbreak of xenophobic attacks in several areas of South Africa against African immigrants who were wrongly targeted as taking the jobs of South Africans.

Many people have been killed, including the burning alive on the streets of a Zimbabwean immigrant. Anti-foreigner violence has become a major expression of the social tensions underlining contemporary, postapartheid South Africa. But the latest killings and rampages had been directly blamed on the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, who was quoted as having blamed foreigners for the high rate of crimes in South Africa.

King Zwelithini then publicly suggested that foreigners in the country must “take their bags and go”. It was in response to that suggestion (which was later denied and the King protested that he was misquoted), the South African mob, especially in Kwazulu/Natal, hearkened to the call! By last weekend, reports had emerged that 50 Nigerians had suffered attacks, while our compatriots suffered millions of naira in losses. In different parts of South Africa, foreigners have been uprooted from their homes and businesses and many have sought refuge from the mobs.

Refuge from the mob Early this week, Nigerians picketed the South African High Commission, while a movement emerged urging the boycott of South African companies such as MTN, SHOPRITE and MULTICHOICE. On Tuesday evening, I was informed that an office of the South African pay TV outfit MULTICHOICE was attacked at a location, leading to a hurried closure of some of their outlets in Abuja.

The outbreak of xenophobic hysteria has only deepened simmering anger against South Africa, especially in Nigeria, where there are many South African businesses making very good profit; however, Nigerians have always resented their business practices which they perceive as being unfair.

Even a well-known human rights group, SERAP, also urged the Nigerian government to take South Africa to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights to seek effective redress and compensation for Nigerian victims of the xenophobic attacks.

Nigerians have also been angry that South Africans have not sufficiently appreciated the contributions made by Africans in general, and Nigerians in particular, to the struggle for liberation against apartheid.

During the 1970s, the Southern African Relief Fund, SARF, helped to raise huge sums of money that went into the education and upkeep of C M Y K

South Africa's xenophobic hysteria hundreds of victims of apartheid, especially after the Soweto Uprising of 1976. In 2010, I was visiting South Africa, and I went out to a number of nightclubs in Pretoria.

I deliberately interviewed groups of university students to seek how much they knew about the Nigerian role in their struggle. Not a single one knew anything about Nigeria’s place as one of the “Frontline States”; an honorary position which came about as a result of Nigeria’s active support, especially material and financial, for the liberation struggle.

It was a matter of historical fact, that the government of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, had been one of the first to give the ANC a million pounds in the 1960s to fight against apartheid!

South Africans did not know any of these facts. They recognised the roles of the former Soviet Union and Cuba, as well as the sacrifices of countries like Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia. But Nigeria? No way!

In truth, one of the central strategies of the apartheid system was to separate South African Black peoples from their brothers and sisters on the African continent.

They were systematically brainwashed to believe they are not part of the African continent and that

background of deliberate ignorance has conditioned the xenophobic hysteria that breaks out in the country regularly in the past few years.

There is also the related fact that while apartheid has been defeated, the economic inequalities have persisted, despite the remarkable strides made by the post-apartheid governments of the ANC. Unemployment, alienation and despair are still very much part of daily existence for millions of African and Black people in South Africa.

This is in spite of the creation of a few African multi-millionaires.

And I think the liberation movement and government have not done enough to systematically educate the people about their joint destiny with the African

I think the liberation movement and government have not done enough to systematically educate the people about their joint destiny with the African continent

continent. In truth, the neo-liberal capitalist choice made after apartheid has not helped to eliminate the serious inequalities sown under apartheid capitalism.

In fairness, the joint statement, that I mentioned above, addressed these issues to a very reasonable extent. It stated that it was “saddened by the xenophobic attacks directed at African foreign nationals”.

Crucible of struggle It went further thus: “We recognise the strong relationship that exists between the National Liberation Movement, led by the ANC, and countries of Africa; which was forged in the crucible of struggle during the dark days of apartheid.

We cherish the unselfish and steadfast contribution made by all African countries and its people to our liberation and our emerging democracy. Many of our fellow Africans spoke in support of our struggle, provided us with material support and fought side by side with us, sharing the trenches and actual combat against our oppressor.

Many of them lost their lives in the process…. We will never, for a single moment, forget this support. It is a living evidence of what a united African people can

achieve to defeat their common enemy. We unequivocally condemn, in the strongest possible terms, all forms of violence meted against all people, in particular violence against people who are foreign nationals in our country. As the ANC-led alliance, we note the deep-seated socio-economic problems that confront the majority of South Africans and Africans.

The continent as a whole is confronted by underdevelopment and the challenges of unemployment, poverty and inequality…Whatever the challenges confront [SIC] South Africa, they must never be used to justify violence against one another. These attacks are perpetrated against people who have similar backgrounds and are all a product of a painful colonial past which ravaged and looted African economies, leaving our people under conditions of abject poverty.

As a continent we should acknowledge the devastating effects of centuries of colonial exploitation. All of us, without exception, seek to ensure sustainable livelihoods. We call on all our people to be tolerant during this challenging time and to work together to find solutions as South Africans and Africans, in a manner that builds our continent instead of destroying it.

We need each other as we build the future of our continent.

The solution to our problems will not be found through killing each other!” These are very lofty thoughts indeed; unfortunately, on the streets of Kwazulu/Natal and other scenes of xenophobic attacks, they are deaf to the wise words of the leading South African political movements.

And that is where lessons of our collective African brotherhood must be taught by the ANC, SACP and COSATU. These xenophobic outbreaks and killings have diminished South Africa on the African continent.

Mutual recriminations, history and a wedding

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AST Thursday morning, I received one of those annoying messages trending about issues arising from the recent elections. It was a quotation from a certain John B. Macintosh, which was patently anti-Igbo and was supposedly an account of what transpired between Nigeria’s Independence Prime Minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and his killers, on the morning of the January, 1966 coup.

I was shocked that such a material could be passed around at a time when what Nigeria needed was to begin the process of healing and unity after a divisive and bruising campaign and elections.

I questioned the relevance of such a material in 2015, and wondered why quotations would be extracted outside of the context of those times to try to fight battles of a different epoch.

I argued with my friend, also a well-known columnist, that we have a country to build and we should promote materials that help to make Nigeria work for all

its peoples.

It worried me further, that later that day, I would be in the midst of middle-aged Nigerian professionals who were positing the same chauvinistic perspectives, especially against the background of the controversy around the alleged curse and threats issued by Oba Akiolu of Lagos against the Igbo in that state if they refused to vote for his preferred candidate in the governorship elections.

Teaching of history I think one of the greatest disservices done to our country in the past three decades, is the way that the teaching of history has gradually vacated the educational space in our country.

Just like the pay-as-you-go services of phone companies, history has become a terrain of dilettantes, with each one positing versions of historical accounts that cannot stand the scrutiny of scholarship, but are often able to whip up hysteria and

hatred in society.

If we do not re-visit the devaluation of history, then we are likely to continue to harvest crises arising from ignorance that comes masked in the most irresponsible framing of our different peoples and our individual and collective historical encounters, in enemy modes that make it difficult to build an inclusive country.

But there are also green shoots of growth that can make us happy, and none moreso, than marriages across the dividing lines of ethnicity and other barriers in our country. Last Friday, I attended the wedding ceremony of Sir Lucky Omoluwa’s daughter, Evelyn in Abuja.

The ceremony showcased Urhobo culture to the fullest with many of Omoluwa’s friends from all over Nigeria, decked in the traditional gears of the Urhobo people. The young lady was getting married to Samson Kato from the Southern part of Kaduna State.

I think ceremonies across these cultural distances help to bind us

together away from the bellicose threats that elite groups and denizens of the social media hurl at each other, especially within a political context of struggle for power. Nigerians are living with each other, are building relations of a personal nature or are engaged in business, social, economic, sporting and other relationships, which bind us together firmly, as citizens of the same country where we share the different shades of our humanity.

Those who hurl hysterical threats at each other, or remove historical writings and statements outside of the context within which they emerged do a lot of damage to the peaceful cohabitation of our peoples but in the long run, they won’t determine the present and future of our country.

The small and big gestures of human relationships, such as the marriages across our chasms, as we saw between Evelyn Omoluwa and Samson Kato, last week will triumphantly vindicate the nationalist potentials of the Nigerian society.

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

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HE world watched in horror at the violence in South Africa, targeted at foreigners in several cities. Gangs of weapons-wielding youth descended on hapless foreigners, killing, maiming and destroying their property. Shops and restaurants were looted, and in most cases, these went on with law enforcement agents seeming to derive some pleasure from watching.

Many trace the violence to a statement credited to the Zulu King, Goodwill Zwelithini, who called on foreigners, who he blamed for the high crime rates and unemployment among South Africans, to leave.

Nigerians were a sizeable proportion of the attacked foreigners. No death was reported, but they suffered great losses - their businesses were targets. Many were injured. These attacks have been regular since 2008, the only difference each time is the increasing intensity.

They are unofficial, but the official South African attitude to Nigerians is not much different.

The repatriation of 124 Nigerians in March 2012 over alleged forged immunisation cards is one.

There were sufficient grounds to believe that the Nigerians suffered that fate because they travelled on a Nigerian carrier. Only months ago, South Africa botched an arms deal with Nigeria

South Africans Attack Nigerians and made headlines out of it.

Nigerians are angry about the vehemence and barbarity with which South Africans attack fellow Africans even when it is obvious that there is live television coverage of the attacks. If anything, the unwillingness of the police to act, assures the attackers that they would be immune from punishment. We recall Nigerian contributions, officially, and individually to the liberation of South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and Angola. The contributions were diplomatic, financial and extended to scholarships and training for their stu-

dents.

Since the collapse of apartheid, South Africa businesses have flourished in Nigeria, exploiting Nigerians, paying minimal wages, and repatriating hefty profits annually. Nigerians know these, including humiliation they face when they apply for South African visas while nationals of countries that supported apartheid require no visa to enter South Africa.

Why are South Africans so hostile to Nigerians?

We think it is in the interest of both countries to find out. The excuses about unemployment and crimes are speculations, especially when the menial jobs other Africans do would not appeal to South Africans and crime statistics do not support the crime claim.

No reason justifies the attacks. We commend the patience of Nigerians who protested, instead of attacking South African interests in Nigeria.

The Nigerian protesters warned both governments that time is running out for them to address the causes of the attacks. Our government should ensure South Africa pays adequate compensations for the losses. We would no longer sacrifice Nigerians for diplomacy. Let these attacks be the last.

OPINION Turkey’s Erdogan macabre dance on democracy

By Malik Muniru

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T is no longer news that democracy in Turkey has been in the eye of the storm in recent years, no thanks to the often unpopular policies regularly churned out by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Issues of blatant disregard for freedom of expression, frequent crack down on the media and politically-motivated arrests under the watchful eyes of the president are so rife in Turkey that many begin to question the seriousness of the government's quest to join the European Union, EU, a body known for its firm stance against anti-democratic practices.

But how come that Erdogan who has been a major beneficiary of democracy is now the one waging an endless war to subvert the very system that brought him to power for more than a decade now?

While this mind-boggling question continues to remind me of the popular African proverb, “who the spirit wants to destroy is first made mad by the spirit”, close watchers of events in the strategic country believe that Erdogan's tilt towards authoritarianism may not be unconnected with his quest to consolidate his hold on power even in the face of plunging popularity rating.

The security law that was recently packaged by Erdogan and members of his inner circle in the ruling Justice and

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Development Party, AKP, which gives Police more power to suppress public protest, the unnecessary interference in the Kurdish peace process, massive arrest of journalists and the regular tagging of critics as element of the so-called ‘parallel state’, have all contributed to the president's low approval rating.

Despite the cries from within and outside Turkey on the excesses of the present administration, Erdogan, who is the first publicly elected president under the parliamentary system in the country, in reality is showing no concern as he seems to believe that allowing true democracy will amount to losing power, hence the need to drift away and make Turkey an authoritarian state under his leadership.

Under the current parliamentary system, the presidency is a largely symbolic institution, but Erdoan wants it to be the most powerful, hence his authoritarian quest to force an amendment in the constitution to transform the country’s political system

The way things are going under the present administration cannot take Turkey to where it is supposed to be

into a presidential one.

But the President's authoritarian posture is travelling too fast in the wrong direction.

It has not only whittled down Turkey’s influence in international arena, it is also rubbing negatively on the country ’s economy.

Over 1,863 journalists have reportedly lost their jobs in Turkey due to their antigovernment views in the 12 years of AKP rule.

Comments have been made about the dwindling economic growth rate as a result of government's dirty politics of fighting opposition instead of concentrating on governance, thereby worsening the woes of the many unemployed in Turkey.

The chairman for economy of Turkey’s Republican People’s Party, CHP, Selin Sayer Boke, was recently quoted in an interview with private Cihan News Agency as saying “there is a deep gap between the rich and the poor”.

According to her: “The Turkish economy has grown only by 2.9% in 2014, which is a clear sign of impoverishment of the citizens”.

But will one be surprised by the figure? If any, that will surely not be me. A system without checks and balances or clear-cut separation of powers, that is also obsessed with fighting imaginary enemies cannot usher in meaningful economic development.

Little wonder the growing youth unemployment rate which is reportedly hitting around 20 per cent and the loss of value of the Turkish currency, Lira. The threat to business interest of perceived opponents and the strangulation of the media in the country, including regular arrest of journalists, have

all contributed to the economic woes under Erdogan’s administration.

The nauseating anti-democratic stench emanating from the government recently prompted no fewer than 74 United States, US senators to send a letter to the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, calling for the restoration of full democratic practices in Turkey that allow for freedom of expression and a free media.

While the world is still waiting for the US administration to act on the congressmen's letter to rescue democracy from the jaws of the power drunk administration in Turkey, many youths continue to be denied access to air their views through the media, especially the social media.

Alleged insults on Erdogan in social media have seen a number of individuals arrested and charged to court, while the blocking of social network sites like twitter, facebook, among others, have become a regular decimal in recent years.

In the midst of this draconian behaviour, Erdogan is still bent in forcing down presidential system on the throats of the Turkish people, all in his attempt to become the undisputable ‘ironman’ in Turkey.

Truth be told, the way things are going under the present administration cannot take Turkey to where it is supposed to be. In fact, it is a mere macabre dance on democracy that will do more harm to Turkish interest.

•Ms. Samuel, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Lagos.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 23,, 2015— 19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Our own brewing xenophobia A

LL Nigerians are united in condemnation of the xenophobic attacks on foreigners in South Africa.

Our countrymen and women residing in South Africa have also closed ranks in the face of common threats to their lives and wellbeing. No one is talking about Igbo, Yoruba or what have you. Back home, everybody is enraged at the victimisation of our people in a country which we fought to secure the freedom of the Black population from Apartheid.

We unanimously denounce the Zulu king, Godswill Zwelithini, whose anti-foreigners speech was seen as the spark that lit the dry leaves to explode into this xenophobic conflagration. But we are pointing one finger at the South Africans, ignoring the fact that three of our own fingers are pointing back at us. We are complaining about the speck in the South African eyes, overlooking the timber in ours.

When it comes to hypocrisy, the talent of Nigerians cannot be equalled by the nationals of any other country in the world.

Apart from, perhaps Sudan, there is no other country in Africa where ethnic and

sectional hatred is the main defining feature of national cohabitation than Nigeria. The enduring power of ethnicity is responsible for the fact that, 101 years after amalgamation, nearly 55 years of independence and 45 years after a civil war “to keep Nigeria One”, Nigeria might experience a tragic breakdown of sanity in Lagos unless great care is taken.

When we were going to the polls, fears were being entertained of imminent outbreak of violence if the results of the presidential election did not meet the expectations of people in the North. Usually when such happens, nonMuslims and Southerners are targeted. They got what they wanted, and the nation is at peace. But in the Lagos area, danger is brewing, albeit silently for now. Some people are seriously peeved that nonindigenes won elections in Lagos State.

In the National Assembly elections, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won six seats in the House of Representatives. Out of those, three went to non-Yorubas: Rita Orji (Ajeromi/Ifelodun), Mr

Tony Nwaulu (Oshodi/Isolo) and Mr Oghene Egboh (Amuwo Odofin) Federal Constituencies.

These results and the trend of voting of non-Yorubas in Lagos, probably prompted Oba Rilwan Akiolu of Lagos to threaten that unless Igbos voted for his choice candidate, Akinwunmi Ambode, they would end up in the Lagos Lagoon within seven days.

Negative reactions to the election results, added to the Oba’s utterances, have created an unhealthy atmosphere many never knew was still possible in Lagos.

The unfortunate words that people are freely using in various discussion circles and on Internet forums are very frightening. Unless urgent efforts are made to arrest the situation, the xenophobic attacks in South Africa could pale into child’s play.

I do not even want to glorify these

On these constitutional guarantees we all stand, until they are annulled; that is what makes us Nigerians; as far as the constitution is concerned, no Nigerian living in any part of Nigeria is living in other people’s land

Nigerian Judiciary: Most needed, most neglected T

HERE is one serious route not yet trav elled by Nigeria in her quest for viable elections. It is the way of an enabled, enhanced and encouraged judiciary. Our attempts at any judicial reform have remained at the level of abstraction and total unseriousness.

The judiciary – the youngest partner in the trinity of government – is the arm of government from which much is expected but to which very little is given. It is the arm of government that is shut out of the budgetary process and yet, it is the arm we expect to perform the magic of keeping society safe and crime-free.

With its stoic lack of representation in the budgetary process, the judiciary has, over time, learnt to accept whatever fate befalls it with equanimity. Year after year, the two other branches of government – the Legislature and the Executive – appropriate to themselves more than they can ever need, thus leaving the judiciary with crumbs.

Whereas, it is the judiciary that really needs the money, it has had to accept whatever it is given and in turn, it has had to do the little it could and society has remained the worse for it.

There is no other aspect of our lives that has been as over-criminalized and overregulated as our elections. Even without the elections and the electoral cases, our courts are already over-stretched, having to try 21st century cases under conditions worse than those of the 18th century – conditions of antiquity and gross inadequacy, where up till now, in most of our courts, judgements and proceedings are recorded in long-hand.

In essence, while the caseload and the prison population have grown in geomet-

C M Y K

ric proportion, the available facilities have remained static. As happens in the halls of residence, so-called, in our tertiary institutions, 50 people have had to be clamped into spaces originally reserved for five, with the attendant health hazards that go with such clumsy arrangements.

All this has resulted in the over-bloated cases of awaiting trial in which most suspects have had to spend, in detention, much longer time than the terms of imprisonment prescribed for their original offences. We search, but in vain, ways and means of decongesting our courts. Yet, we are happy when we allocate virtually nothing to the judiciary in our annual appropriations.

To the already over-stretched judiciary, we must add the election tribunals that flood our courts every election year.

Whereas the cases at the tribunals should be expeditiously handled so that only actual winners get sworn into office, things are so tardy that many tribunal cases outlive the tenure of office of those applying for their review.

Lately, judicial officers have started crying out that our judges are so few that they are unable to handle election cases with the desired speed. There is the view that if we were to put all other cases on hold after the general elections, all the judges in the country would still be unable to cope with

There is no alternative to the proper and adequate funding of the Judiciary

rabble-rousing agents of darkness by reproducing some of the things they have been saying to one another. The hardliners are still very much a vocal minority, but then, so are the South African xenophobists when compared to the vast majority of their countrymen who are firmly against the attacks. It is usually a dangerous minority that starts trouble, and before you know it, it becomes a problem for everyone.

Already, one of the House of Reps members-elect, Egboh, reportedly narrowly missed being assassinated in Mile Two penultimate weekend!

The angst of those who are displeased with the idea of nonindigenes winning elections in Lagos, is that people from other parts of the country cannot come to Lagos to represent the indigenes of Lagos. They are accusing non-indigenes of “arrogance”, “throwing their weights around” and contesting elections “in other people’s lands”.

There is obvious ignorance of what being part of “One Nigeria” is all about. It is either that these people do not know, or they have conveniently forgotten that all Nigerian citizens have the right to settle peacefully and lawfully in any part of the country; that no Nigerian can be discriminated against based on ethnic, religious or other considerations in the enjoyment of fundamental human rights, which includes the right to vote and be voted for.

On these constitutional guarantees we all stand, until they are annulled. That is what makes us Nigerians. As far as the Constitution is concerned, no Nigerian living in any part of Nigeria is living in “other people’s land”.

the caseloads emanating from the election tribunals.

Some believe, and perhaps rightly so, that this country goes nowhere until we determine to punish electoral offenders commensurately. The thinking here is that it is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss. And not until we begin to punish those who commit atrocities during elections, any talk of electoral reforms comes to naught. Adherents to this view call for the immediate establishment of electoral offences tribunals.

Again, this type of thinking probably informed the action of our legislators when in the Electoral Act 2010 (as variously amended), they attempted to make criminals of everybody, wherein every step taken on every election is criminalised. The table of electoral offences, usually conspicuously displayed in every polling unit, criminalises every step we take and most of them are never enforced because they are simply unenforceable.

In the face of our over-congested court system aggravated by inadequately equipped election tribunals, how feasible and how reasonable would it be, at this time, to put another layer of tribunal on our already confused system? One is reminded of the case of that lad who killed a small rat but had no fire to roast it; meanwhile, he is shouting that the big rat must not be allowed to escape! Effort dissipated on laws that are unenforceable is like time spent sleeping with a barren woman.

A cursory look at the table of electoral offences suggests that if we were to aim at prosecuting the cases therein, the Nigeria police plus the judges and court personnel, as currently constituted, would be grossly

Secondly, let me reiterate that non-indigenes live in large numbers in Lagos because it was once our political capital. It is now our economic capital. Abuja and Lagos were developed with the oil wealth of the Niger Delta (where some of us come from) as well as the tax and sweat of hardworking Nigerians residing in the metropolis. The high population figure, based on which the state earns large federal allocations, includes the count of non-indigenes. Non-indigenes were, are, and will always be part and parcel of the Lagos scheme of things. As Ambode stressed during the campaigns: “we are all in it together”, not just in Lagos, but anywhere else in the country.

Besides, elections are not contested based on ethnic or indigene/settler basis. It is contested between political parties. Those chaps who won on APC and PDP platforms are going to Abuja to fight for Lagos, not, Igbo, Yoruba or what have you.

Their being elected has not taken anything away from the local Lagos original inhabitants. If anything, they will add value and project Lagos as a state that is advancing to the league of developed,mega city-states in the world such as New York, London, and others.

Those stoking the embers of ethnic xenophobia in Lagos want to draw us back from the democratic progress we have made in the recent elections and plunge us to the abyss of ethnic bloodletting that will do no one any good.

This is not the first time nonindigenes are winning elections in their places of residence in Nigeria. It will, CERTAINLY, not be the last!

inadequate. But there is good news: With time, most of these offences will disappear on their own.

For instance, the idea of cash for vote is despicable. Yet, you get to the polling unit and find virtually everybody hawking his vote openly. You are outlawing the idea of financial inducement to security and election personnel and you know very well that none of the contending political parties goes into an election without robust budgetary outlays for security and electoral personnel. After all, it is an open secret that to these personnel, election season is a time of harvest.

They fight and sometimes offer bribes to be put on such schedules. Here, everybody is guilty as charged but we are consoled that in a properly prosecuted war against corruption and indiscipline, all the vices will perish. There is hope.

Sometime soon, ballot box snatchers and ballot stuffers will be out of business. By the time electronic voting comes on stream, there will be no ballot boxes to snatch and no ballots to stuff. In the change to come, gun runners will also be out of business. With everyone on his own, they will find no crowd to shoot at.

Whichever way we go, there is no alternative to the proper and adequate funding of the Judiciary. A nation on the move is a nation that has 21st century facilities in its 21st century criminal justice system.

This is one area where mere lip service has no place.

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 23,, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

By Franklin Alli

T

HE Managing Director Bank of Industry (BoI) has called for the adoption of Reverse Engineering by our local scientists and engineers in order to move the country forward technologically, asserting “Technology transfer is not going to work.”

Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, the Managing Director made the call when he hosted a delegation from the Nigerian Academy of Engineers led by its President, Prof. Raifu Salawu.

He hailed the Engineers for their contributions to the economy over the decades and also expressed the bank’s readiness to work with local engineers in our research centres, universities and industries to move the country forward technologically.

“When I look at our research institutes, I tell myself we have a long way to go.

We try to pursue technology transfers but the reality is that technology has not been transferred. The reality is that, no countries will voluntary transfer their technology to you.

“The other day, I went to see a customer and he was telling us how he got the technology. I asked him, how did you manage to get this machine? I know it is very strategic, I know that most countries don’t like to release that and he told me the secret.

He got a friendly Chinese to acquire the technology and sent it onward to him because he has made an attempt to get it directly and he failed.

“So, technology transfer is not going to work. I think what I would like to recommend is Reverse Engineering.

Reverse Engineering is when you see something that has been made somewhere and you disassemble it and by so doing gain some insights into how it was done originally and you can then create your own technology.

He told the Engineers that the bank has structured its operation in order to support the three broad dimensions of commodity –based industrialisation and development of indigenous

$143.50

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BoI chief proposes reverse engineering for economy

From left : Head, Corporate Services Division, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Bola Adeeko; Convener of Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP), Mrs. M.R.A. Adeleke, and Chairman of the CECP, Prof.

Pat Utomi at the 2015 NSE Corporate Challenge Press Conference.

technology.

“We are very passionate about technology in BoI and we are trying to put in our best to make an impact on the Nigerian society knowing that there is correlation between development and technology.

“We have observed what is going on in the rest of the world. They are going at a very rapid pace; there is so much that is happening: there is artificial intelligence, there is robotics; according to Carnegie Mellon robotic institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States the third generation robots will have intelligence equal to that of a monkey by 2030 which is just a few years and that the intelligence of robots will equate that of a humans by 2050.

“Now, imagine if a nation can solely develop a million robots that can operates like humans; it is going to change the dynamics of the world. So these are the kind of things that give us serious food for thoughts.

“So, we don’t need to wait until we have become so backward. I

$62.82 0.74

56.84 CURRENCY

BUYING

DOLLAR POUNDS EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

196 291.9616 209.7984 204.6143 1.6417 0.3039 271.0486 31.6044 52.2611 28.1141 270.1468

0.22

CENTRAL 196.5 292.7064 210.3336 205.1362 1.6459 0.3139 271.74 31.6854 52.3944 28.1858 270.836

197 293.4512 210.8688 205. 6582 1.6501 0.3239 272.4315 31.7665 52.5277 28.2575 271.5251

CBN Exchange Rate as at 22/4/15

— 21

Technology transfer is not going to work. I think what I would like to recommend is Reverse Engineering

think we need to begin to find ways in which we can close the gap. We have the Atlantic Ocean there but there is scarcity of water in Lagos. 40 percent of the domestic water use in Israel is from the ocean. It is purified through desalination.

“As a country, are we thinking about the future scenarios,. There is internet of things. Before, we used to have hardware but now we have an

integration of hardware and software.

“An analogue phone was integrated with soft phone and it became Smartphone; analogue television was integrated with soft television and we now have smart TVs. Analogue billboard has been integrated with soft billboard and we now have smart billboards. You can change anything you want to display on it within in a minute.”

Nigeria set to enhance agro-allied products export earnings

By Jimoh Babatunde & Naomi Uzor

T

he era of Nigeria’s agro allied products being rejected in international markets are now coming to an end as the country is set to go places in terms of export promotion and high investment portfolio.

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga, made this statement as he officially launch the two recently internationally accredited Chemical and Food Technology Laboratories of the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in Lagos on Tuesday.

The nation’s key regulator of standards and quality, SON, scored an encore in 2014 following the International Laboratory Accreditation Corporation (ILAC)’s unprecedented testing and accreditation and certification.

Dr. Aganga said with the laboratories in place that the country will no longer export blindly as things have changed, “ we can now analyse, test and standardize our exports in line with international standards.”

He added “The benefits of having our own laboratory are enormous. Food

produce from Nigeria will now be tested at the Laboratory before export instead of by the importing country at their convenience. The rate of exports will receive a massive boost with local produce being tested locally and sent abroad without any barrier, having been internationally certified through an accredited laboratory in Nigeria” The minister said with the fall in oil price that the country can not continue to rely on one product for its foreign earning, “ Nigeria’s local products will now enjoy high patronage at the global market, following the accreditation of SON’s Food laboratories. “ We are all making history here . It is the first time our laboratories will be accredited in Nigeria simultaneously.

The advantages are dual in the sense that whatever is not good for export is also not good for local consumption.

“Agricultural products like cocoa, shea butter , cashew, sesame and processed agricultural products will begin to enjoy international accreditation and certification by SON. This invariably means that such local produce can be exported worldwide without any restriction by the importing countries.”

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

A thorough market survey will help you make a reasonable sales forecast for your new business

,

,

Finding a market for your business idea

S

o you have a great idea for a product - something that’s bound to capture the hearts and minds (and wallets) of consumers everywhere. Or perhaps you’ve stumbled on a service that isn’t being offered by anyone else - one that’s desperately needed. Before you shift into high gear, you must determine whether there really is a market for your product or service. Not only that, you need to ascertain what, if any, fine-tuning is needed. Quite simply, you must conduct market research.

Many business owners neglect this crucial step in product development for the sole reason that they don’t want to hear any negative feedback.

They’re convinced their product or service is perfect just the way it is, and they don’t want to risk tampering with it.

Other entrepreneurs bypass market research because they fear it will be too expensive.

With all the other start-up costs you’re facing, it’s not easy to justify spending money on research that will only prove what you knew all along: Your product is a winner.

Regardless of the reason, failing to do market research can amount to a death sentence for your product. “A lot of companies skim over the important background information because they’re so interested in getting their product to market,” says Donna Barson, President and owner of Barson Marketing Inc., a marketing, advertising and public relations consulting firm. “But the companies that do the best are the ones that do their homework.”

Industry information In researching the industry, look for the latest trends.

Compare the statistics and growth in the industry. What areas of the industry appear to be expanding, and what areas are declining? Is the industry catering to new types of customers? What technological developments are affecting the industry? How can you use them to your advantage? A thriving, stable industry is key; you don’t want to start a new business in a field that’s on the decline.

Consumer close-up On the consumer side, your market research should begin with a market survey. A thorough market survey will help you make a reasonable sales forecast for your new business. To do a market

survey, you first need to determine the market limits or physical boundaries of the area to which your business sells. Next, study the spending characteristics of the population within this location.

Estimate the location’s purchasing power, based on its per-capita income, its median income level, the unemployment rate, population and other demographic factors.

Determine the current sales volume in the area for the type of product or service you will sell.

Finally, estimate how much of the total sales volume you can reasonably obtain. (This last step is extremely important. Opening your new

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES (21/04/15) Currency DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

Buying(N)

Central(N)

Selling(N)

196

196.5

197

291.9616 209.7984 204.6143 1.6417 0.3039 271.0486 31.6044 52.2611 28.1141 270.1468

292.7064 210.3336 205.1362 1.6459 0.3139

293.4512 210.8688 205.6582 1.6501 0.3239

271.74

272.4315 31.7665

31.6854 52.3944 28.1858 270.836

Culled from entrepreneur.com

Natural G Sugar Coffee Cocoa

Brand Buhari: Business lessons for entrepreneurs The last time he ran, he didn't have the appeal across the country.

This time he had an alliance that gave him national appeal

Examine the number of competitors on a local and, if relevant, national scale

business in a given community won’t necessarily generate additional business volume; it may simply redistribute the business that’s already there.)

Competition close-up Based on a combination of industry research and consumer research, a clearer picture of your competition will emerge.

Don’t underestimate the number of competitors out there. Keep an eye out for potential future competitors as well as current ones. Examine the number of competitors on a local and, if relevant, national scale. Study their strategies and operations. Your analysis should supply a clear picture of potential threats, opportunities, and the weaknesses and strengths of the competition facing your new business.

When looking at the competition, try to see what trends have been established in the industry and whether there’s an opportunity or advantage for your business.

52.5277 28.2575 271.5251

Commod Light Crud

By Yinka Kolawole, with agency report

T

he 2015 presidential elections in Nigeria have come and gone, but the results and effects still resonate across the federation. For the first time in Nigeria’s history, the opposition defeated the ruling party in democratic elections on March 28, 2015, spearheaded by Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, a former military dictator who campaigned as a converted democrat. A critical analysis of his campaign strategies reveals key business lessons entrepreneurs can adapt for start-up success.

Clear and consistent message Your brand must have a clear, meaningful and engaging tagline, a unique proposition by which you want to be known. Pick a word or phrase that embodies what you•fre offering and focus fully on it.

CHANGE, the theme of APC, Buhari’s political platform, was short, clear and it said what most people wanted. It continuously resonated to the point where it became a part of the subconscious of the majority. Let your value ring in the heads of your customers, just like the APC's tagline for the election: CHANGE, hammered in the minds of voters.

Never give up This was the fourth time Buhari would run for the highest political office in Nigeria. He could have quit on several occasions, but didn’t, and his persistence was rewarded at last month’s polls.

Buhari’s endurance and perseverance in the face of setbacks is a key lesson young entrepreneurs can take heed of, says Femi Longe, cofounder and programs director at CcHub, a tech innovation space in Lagos.

“The reality is that starting a business is everyday slog. A huge chunk of startups is just surviving to see the next day.

You don’t know when the big break will come,” he said.

Don’t be afraid to rebrand Another area for entrepreneurs to take into consideration is Buhari’s readiness to learn from the previous unsuccessful bids and make changes to the way he communicated his message.

“He was willing to smile a bit more, was willing to dress in the outfits of the different tribes, he was willing this time to actually campaign extensively across the country to change the image that people had of him. There was a lot of work to make him more presentable,” explains Longe, who is an expert in social entrepreneurship. Similarly, start-ups need to be flexible and be able to adapt their campaigns to meet the needs of their target markets.

Set the right agenda Buhari has also been praised for reading the ground reality accurately and

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 23

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dity de

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-0.25

delivering a focused and consistent message. Lazarus Apir, Program Manager of Transition Monitoring Group, explains that even in Buhari’s failed attempts in previous elections, he showed an unwavering focus on his outlook for the country.

“Focus is very crucial. Buhari said security, corruption, infrastructure - all of these problems have continued in Nigeria and today they are only at their worst. He has kept the focus of things that he is seeing. If anyone wants to build a business empire for themselves, it is very important that they maintain focus. There is a temptation to be overly dynamic but then (entrepreneurs) lose focus,” he said.

Strategic partnership Many experts have hailed Buhari’s choice of Yemi Osinbajo as running mate as part of the election success story - a cue entrepreneurs can take in their business plans.

“The last time he (Buhari) ran, he didn’t have the appeal across the country.

This time he had an alliance that gave him national appeal. He had people that helped with improving the image of the areas where people had worries about his personality. He was able to work through all of them.

The focus is not on one man but the team. Where the man himself has a weakness, the rest of the team can cover that and you need to have your A-players in charge,” says Longe.

Buhari had earlier contested under the platforms of CPC and ANPP, swinging over 11 million votes in the 2011 elections.

He won in 2015, with a little over 15 million votes under the platform of APC; a merger between CPC, ANPP, and APC. No doubt, pooling the three parties’ resources was effective in dislodging

,

How big your organization is doesn't really matter

COMMODITIES (22/04/15) Last 56.82

The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus.

Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH

the incumbent president.

Businesses must take a cue from this and explore the opportunities that are inherent in collaborating with other brands.

Embrace social media Social media has globally become one of the most important tools for candidates during election campaigns - and Nigeria was no exception. Cynthia Mbamalu, Programs Manager at Nigerian youth charity, YIAGA, said platforms like Twitter and Facebook helped the Buhari campaign to reach population pockets that they could have otherwise missed.

“Social media provided the opportunity to connect with Nigerians, especially young people. For the first time in a long while there were tweets targeted mainly at promoting the person of General Buhari and the party’s vision for Nigeria.

Customer satisfaction is vital in every business endeavour; people are more open to a system that guarantees that their opinions are important.

Social media provides the right amount of buzz a viable business idea may need,” she explained.

Strong and loyal customer base Even though Buhari did not win any election in the past, he has always enjoyed huge followership in the North. He leveraged on this large base to secure a win in the elections. Nigerian businesses should understand that there is no substitute for customer loyalty and as such should strive to build a strong, dependable customer base.

Simply put, a business that fails to generate profit is a dead business. And profit depends on customers, especially long-term loyal customers.

By ‘Uju Onwuzulike

organisation is too big to fail”.

Organisations have two choices to make, either to stay in the “Maintenance Mode” and stop growing or to step into the “Growth Mode.”

In the end, the customer doesn’t know, or care, if you are small or large as an organisation.. she or he only focuses on the garment hanging on the rail in the store …

Giorgio Armani BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

W

ith the rate of change in the business world today, having the mindset or perception that one’s organisation is big or small may not be strategic and in the best interest of any organisation. Forward looking organisations and also those that are strategic in all facets of their operations focus only on GROWTH. They keep asking the pertinent question: how do we grow the more regardless of people’s perception of our size?

We have heard and seen over the years, stories of global companies who taught they were so big, have arrived, and were invincible abound. Much to our chagrin, some of them went under due to one insidious act or the other.

When we take wrong actions in organisations, they tend to create “ u n i n t e n d e d consequences”. Sadly, one or two of such can sink the organisation. We do not intend to write names of such failed global companies.

On the other hand, companies that always think they are small (and cannot make major business impact) will only succeed in limiting their business growth potentials.

They may not be able to move to the next level of growth. Today, we have lists of businesses that started small and have grown to become global players.

Any organisation that 'sleeps' when others are running may not have the growth mentality You might ask, if we are not to focus on being big or small, what should be our focus? The answer is simple; your focus MUST be on GROWTH. Companies that are perceived to be “big (by which ever standard) can grow more and more. On the other hand, companies that are perceived to be small today can equally outgrow big companies in the future. So let us re-shift our thinking to Growth mentality.

A

ny organisation that ‘sleeps’ when others are running may not have the growth mentality (“when the rate of change on the outside exceeds the inside, the end is near”).

The only way to retain control over your business is by growing, and this is because businesses and customer needs are ever dynamic and will continue to be. The truth is that “no

Organisations in the “Maintenance Mode” will experience the following: Your competitors catch up with you or take up your position.

Yo u r r e v e n u e d r o p s . Yo u r products or services might become old fashioned.

Your employee’s sense of creativity and innovation stifles.

Points to ponder: The notion of either staying small or big should not be the focus.

Whether you are big or small, the key thing is GROWTH. The only way to retain control over your business is by GROWING. Have you seen any organisation that has “ we have arrived” status? The answer is No. Final Note: There is no better time to grow your organisation t h a n n o w. L o n g t e r m growth will not be achieved by doing things the old way. It will never be achieved by “piecemeal” or analytical way of doing things, because it creates unintended consequences f o r t h e c o m p a n y. M o s t times, they are difficult to handle.

Growing an organisation requires using “Systems Thinking Approach” – where everybody ’s focus is entirely on the organisation, and not on self or some parts of the organisation. Achieving this focus or goal is sometimes hard for some people, but it MUST be achieved.

Call or email us for your views or perspectives.

Email:uju@hainescentre.com Mobile: 09091142093

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 23,, 2015

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 25

•LASU graduating students whose clearance forms have been signed by the school's Internal Audit Unit, storm the school’s ICT Unit on Monday for their statements of result.

NYSC ORIENTATION COURSE: Tension in PTI, ABSU, LASU as students kick against mobilisation delay

By Ikenna Asomba

B

ARELY 12 days to the commencement of 2015 Batch ‘A’ Orientation Course of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), there seems to be palpable tension at the Petroleum Training Institute ( PTI), Effurun, in Delta State, South-South Nigeria; Abia State University (ABSU) Uturu, in Abia State, South-East Nigeria and the Lagos State University, Ojo, in Lagos State, SouthWest Nigeria.

Vanguard Learning gathered that graduates of these institutions are uneasy over what they described as fear of not being mobilised for the 21-

10 golden rules on how best to pass exams in print Pg. 27 Federal University of Otuoke, FUO, after GEJ’s Presidency (1) Pg. 28

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day NYSC Orientation Course, which will hold between Tuesday, May 5 and 26, 2015, at various orientation camps across the 36 States, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

April 11 respectively, LASU authorities had in a statement on Monday, March 23, directed students and staff to vacate the campus immediately, on a recess, while the resumption date will be

LASU’s case At LASU, Vanguard Learning, gathered that even though the graduating students have been mobilised for the 2015 Batch ‘’A’’ service year, several of them may miss the May 5 orientation course, because of the ongoing imbroglio between the university management and its chapter staff unions- the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Senior Staff Union of Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU). The issues border on staff welfare, running of the university among others.

Recall that sequel to the general elections scheduled for March 28 and

Graduates of these institutions are uneasy over what they described as fear of not being mobilised for the 21-day NYSC Orientation Course, which will hold between Tuesday, May 5 and 26, 2015

announced later. It was gathered that the recess was necessary to allay the fears of parents who wanted their children to vacate the campus during elections.

Before the recess declaration, majority of the 2013/2014 graduating set were yet to complete the school’s compulsory six-pronged Clearance Procedure, which must go through the following units such as Library, Faculty, Bursary, Sports, Students Affairs and the Internal Audit. Every LASU graduate must pass through these units before he or she gets his or her Statement of Result (SoR), a mandatory document for corp members to be allowed into the Orientation camp.

As at the time of filing this report, several graduating students were yet to get their Statement of Results, even as majority of them were yet to complete

Continues on page 26

Blame failure in sector on past leaders —ERC

By Amaka Abayomi

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EQUEL to the recent UNESCO 2015 Education for All Global Monitoring Report that Nigeria houses the highest number of out-of-school children and also has one of the worst education systems in the world, National Coordinator, Education Rights Campaign, ERC, Mr. Hassan Soweto, has blamed past leaders for the sector’s misfortune.

Themed “Education for All 2000-2015: Achievements and Challenges”, the report stated that Nigeria lacks progress in almost every EFA goal as corruption, conflict and lack of investment have resulted in Nigeria having

one of the worst educational systems in the world.

The report also stated that Nigeria is among countries which are way off target on the six key educational goals that 164 countries agreed to try to achieve between 2000 and 2015, while identifying the political leadership as corrupt and losing $21million of education funding over two years.

Referring to the report as a damning indictment of the failure of capitalism to meet the basic needs of Nigerians for education, the ERC boss said the dilapidated state of public education is a consequence of the neo-liberal and pro-market education policies of the past decade which de-emphasized government role in providing investment for education and Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Blame failure in sector on past leaders

INTER-HOUSE SPORTS: From left: Pastor Babajide Sunday, Proprietor, Yemsol Private School, Egan, Lagos; Mrs M. Ramon; Pastor Ogundipe Idowu, Alimosho Desk Sport Officer, Green House Queen, Ahmed Zainab and Mrs Babajide Victoria, Proprietress of Yemsol Private School during its maiden inter-house sports at Joseph Adegboye Sport Centre, Egan, Lagos.

Tension in PTI, ABSU, LASU as students kick Continues from page 25 the clearance processes, as their clearance forms were still stalled in one of the six units, manned by NASU and SSANU members who are unavailable because of the recess.

Impending crisis These development, Vanguard gathered has not gone down well with the graduating students, who have continued to threaten fire and brimstone over this delay.

However, to avert any impending crisis, the Registrar of the school, Mr. Akinwunmi Lewis, in a meeting with the Students Union Government (SUG) on Monday, April 6, directed the graduating students who have not submitted their clearance forms to submit to the SUG President for onward delivery to his office for immediate facilitation.

Apparently worried by this unusual procedure, one of the student leaders, Comrade Olasukanmi Arowolo, said: “The university Registrar had asked the graduating students who are yet to commence their clearance procedure to submit their forms to the students union representatives, who will further submit the forms to his (Registrar) office. It is only the Registrar that knows how the students’ clearance forms will be sorted out. For me, I think the university authorities have a lot in their hands, as a free-for-all clearance procedure may see some students cutting corners, especially as regards their financial status in the school."

PTI’s case At PTI, Effurun, the graduating students have chided the management over what they described as its lackadaisical attitude in jeopardising their mobilisation for the May 5 NYSC orientation exercise.

Vanguard Learning gathered that since August 2014, when the students finished their final examinations for Higher

National Diploma (HND 2), they had found it difficult to generate their JAMB Registration numbers, which they are required to upload via the NYSC website in order to generate their Call-up numbers and letters.

Speaking on behalf of the affected graduating students, one of the student leaders who pleaded anonymity said: “We the aggrieved graduating students of the Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, are on the verge of missing out as prospective 2015 Batch ‘’A’’ corps member. We refuse the agenda and scheme of PTI management and the Student Affairs Division towards putting our service year in jeopardy due to their lackadaisical and lukewarm attitude to work.

394 affected Speaking further, he said: “It is painful that for no fault of ours, our service year has automatically been truncated, as we are already unable to fulfil the requirement to join our counterparts from other institutions in the forthcoming orientation exercise, this May. For crying out loud, we graduated in August 2014, even ahead of our counterparts in other institutions, so why are we yet to be mobilised? Why is it difficult to generate our JAMB Registration numbers,

It is painful that for no fault of ours, our service year has automatically been truncated, as we are already unable to fulfil the requirement to join our counterparts from other institutions

to enable us generate our Callup number and letter via the NYSC website?

“For God’s sake, just about 394 of us are so far affected, including fresh graduates and spillovers. This is not even up to the number of students that make up a faculty in an average university or polytechnic.

Enough of this injustice.

Graduates of other schools are already mobilised awaiting the clarion call of our father’s land.

So, we are aggrieved and therefore calling on the attention of the Federal Government , PTI governing council, and Federal Ministry Education to urgently look into this matter, before we take laws into our hands.”

Meanwhile, upon contacting PTI Student Affairs Officer, Prince Audu Oshiokomole said: "I am not authorised to speak on this matter. The best person to speak is the Registrar."

ABSU’s case Also, one of the graduating students of ABSU, Uturu, Emeka Emecheta, similarly faced with this appaling crisis decried that graduates from departments of Political Science, Economics, Biochemistry, Microbiology among have not been mobilised for the one-year mandatory service.

Emecheta said: “It is so sad that in Abia State University, Uturu, you graduate as a student but one thing or the other stops you from being mobilised for the National Youth Service Corps.

Since 2008, in my departmentPolitical Science, graduates have not been mobilised for service. I got admission in 2010 and graduated November 2014. But as I speak, my colleagues and I don’t even know our fate, we don’t even know when we will be serving our father-land.

“As victims of this unfortunate trend, we have severally sought the attention of the management under the Vice-Chancellorship of Prof. Chibuzo Ogbuagu, but our cries have fallen on deaf ears.

We are thus calling on the State Governor, Theodore Orji to wade into this crisis as a matter of urgency.”

Continues from page 25 instead placed the responsibility on the private sector.

He said “we are glad this report has confirmed what we have been saying about the statistics of progress always being reeled out by our ministers, politicians and government apologists which barely correspond to the reality that students and parents see on ground.

“Despite huge revenues from crude oil sale and monies received from foreign donors for the purpose of investment in education, no fundamental improvement has come the way of public education, rather, things have worsened.

“We now have the highest number of out-of-school children in the world. We have more girls out of school or dropping out due to poverty, child marriage, early pregnancy, while in the South East for instance, we have very low enrollment of boys into primary and secondary schools.

“Our most immediate demand would be that all those in government at federal and state levels in the last 15 years must be held accountable for this. If all the resources available to the country could do nothing to salvage our education sector in 15 years, then those who were (and are) in charge of governance during this period must tell the country what happened to the money.

“We place this demand at the doorstep of the incoming government of Buhari because nothing short of bringing past governments to give account If this demand is can be acceptable to our children whose future have not met, then it been mortgaged and the would only mean teeming graduates who are that we are seeing now adjudged unemployable as a result of the poor quality a repetition of how of education they received while in school. new governments “When this level of cover up the retrogression occurs and a country’s education sector is crimes of the past left to rot for over 15 years and in order to have against a background of the ‘moral’ right to abundance of resources, simply shrugging our commit similar shoulders and moving on crimes would not do.

“If this demand is not met, then it would only mean that we are seeing a repetition of how new governments cover up the crimes of the past in order to have the ‘moral’ right to commit similar crimes.”

Pointing out that since the report highlights the failure of capitalist neo-liberal policies in making public education available for all, Soweto said the new government can avoid such mistakes of the past by halting all subsisting pro-market education policies and rather recognising that education, being the cornerstone of development, is the social responsibility of government.

He said: “this realisation should reflect immediately in improved budgetary allocation, and we demand nothing less than 26 percent budgetary allocation as a starting point to be increased annually.

“One of the factors the report identifed to have contributed to low enrollment and dropping out of school is tuition and some form of costs still transferred to parents and guradians even in states where education is allegedly free.

“For years, the ERC has argued that Nigeria’s resources, if democratically and judiciously utilised, can support the provision of free education at all levels. If the new government is ready to reposition Nigeria’s dilapidated public education, it should find the political will to make education free at all levels by harnessing Nigeria’s enormous resources.

“Together with this, the education sector has to be thoroughly democratised to permit elected representatives of education workers, students, parents and communities to have a say in how schools are administered and funded and how the funds are dispensed. That way, funds meant for schools can be prevented from disappearing into the bank accounts of politicians and bureaucrats in the Ministries and the schools.”

These are the outlined wayforward the ERC has repeatedly canvassed for. But can any of these political parties and candidates implement this? I strongly doubt this. The fact that all of the parties support capitalism in one form or the other makes them incapable of implementing any of these outlined measures, and this is why the ERC is supporting a newly formed political party, the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), as the only party at the moment that has the manifesto that best captures these outlined measures to revive our public universities.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 —27

2013 WISE Prize for Education laureate speaks at AUN’s 7th commencement

By Ebele Orakpo

S

ATURDAY, May 9, 2015, the American University of Nigeria ((AUN) in Yola, will play host to the winner of the 2013 World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE) Prize, Ms. Vicky Colbert.

According to a release made available to Vanguard Learning by AUN’s Office of Communications & Public Relations, Colbert was chosen as the Varsity ’s 7th Commencement Speaker because she has “revolutionized education in the developing world.

“We are all so happy that an educator as internationally known and distinguished has found the time to visit us. As Africa’s first development university, we are anxious to hear of her wonderful experiences in the developing world, where her work has brought education and hope to so many millions of children across the globe,” said AUN President, Professor Margee Ensign.

Colbert is the Founder and Director of Fundación Escuela Nueva, and co-creator of the Escuela Nueva (New School) pedagogical model, initiated in rural Colombia in 1975 in response to problems of education, incomplete schooling, high dropout rates, high repetition, weak schoolcommunity relationships, low teacher morale, ineffective teacher training and the lack of learning materials.

Escuela Nueva model places pupils at the heart of the learning process.

Teachers become facilitators, and the process involves the entire community, bringing learners’ daily lives into their education.

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“She has devoted her life to promoting schools based on its pedagogy, ensuring its quality and sustainability over time, innovating and adapting it to different contexts and countries, ensuring that it has an impact on national policies, and keeping it in the educational public agenda,” said the release.

As AUN currently strives to feed and educate over 200,000 children out of about 400,000 internally displaced persons in Yola due to Boko Haram attacks, Colbert’s Escuela Nueva model which has become a part of Colombia’s national education policy and has been adapted to urban and displaced populations, with a significant impact on academic achievement, could be one of the best solutions.

According to UNESCO, Escuela Nueva helped Colombia achieve a highranking rural education system. The World Bank in 1989, described the model as “one of the three most outstanding reforms in the developing countries worldwide that has gone to national scale.”

Ms. Colbert whose educational model impacted millions of students in16 countries where it has been successfully implemented, began her work in Colombia, where she faced challenges in trying to bring high quality education to the impoverished rural people of that nation. Her new model of teaching and learning has won her praise worldwide, and her methods have been widely emulated, with success, not just in Latin America but far beyond.

Federal University of Otuoke, FUO, after GEJ’s Presidency (1) I hold that man in the right who is most in league with the future — Henrik Ibsen, 18281906. n Tuesday, April 7, 2015, I found myself in Yenagoa.

Then it occurred to me that it would be unpardonable for any regular media commentator, finding himself within forty minutes of Otuoke, the President Jonathan’s home town, not to go there. Like it or not, the community had become part of our nation’s history by producing one of our Presidents. But, I had another reason. The Federal University of Otuoke, which was established in 2011, along with others is situated there. Readers of this page surely must be interested in the university situated within a stone throw of the President’s country home. So, I went off in search of knowledge about a town and a university which are both destined to be part of our future history for a lot of reasons.

Along the way, I quickly discovered that FUO is not too far from the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, NDUTH. It was almost irresistible for me not to add that teaching hospital to my list. But, I was under time pressure.

Nevertheless, NDUTH, will still feature in this article later for an important reason.

Coming from Yenagoa, the visitor encounters a signboard saying Federal University of Otuoke, Permanent Site, before reaching the small town itself.

Actually, calling Otuoke (pronounced Oteke by the indigenes) is stretching the point a lot. The entire length of settled territory is only about three kilometres in length in one of those communities served by one road leading in and out. Another sign soon points to the Male

O

Hostel, placed at a “safe” distance of one kilometre from the Female Hostel, which is tucked almost opposite the Administration Building. Yellow must be the favourite colour of the people of Otuoke because in addition to the university ’s buildings, the two modest houses belonging to Jonathan’s parents are also painted yellow. The President’s own old building, which one sees on the right hand side, immediately coming across a Bailey bridge is however different. All the buildings are painted grey with white trimmings. That, I am afraid is all the description of the community that space permits.

The main issue is the university itself.

One thing is clear about FUO; if Jonathan had not approved it being situated in Otuoke, probably nobody else would have done it. So FUO represents a monument to the transient hold on power of a native son. In many respects, one might say, that it was a divine gift to a modest community. Commendable as

In many respects, one might say that it was a divine gift to a modest community

that was on the part of Jonathan, the future of FUO needs to be examined as other Presidents, who might not be as enthusiastic about the place succeed GEJ. And, the test comes soon enough.

On May 29, 2015, FUO’s greatest supporter, who could have attracted a lot of financial support to the institution departs – leaving FUO as one of the large pool of universities which Jonathan ill-advisedly established in 2011.

To start with, Otuoke lacks all the facilities to support a university by itself. On the contrary, in a few years, the university community will become the majority of residents in the “town”. Even now most of the senior academic and nonacademic staff would find it difficult to secure the sort of accommodation to which they are accustomed elsewhere. Those with school-age kids will most probably prefer to live in Yenagoa and make the forty minutes trip to campus everyday.

Having got that far, I naturally could not resist sneaking into the premises to look up names on Notice Boards; perhaps, to discover the name of leading Nigerian scholars. I was not expecting to find any and there was no disappointment. I won’t publish names now. Perhaps a second visit will lead to that.

Every visit to a Nigerian university invariably seeks to answer one very difficult question: Will I send my kid there — all things being considered?

And, until I reached FUO, the answer always seemed so selfevident; especially when the infrastructure is excellent, the staff are generally, if not all, wellqualified and the fees are reasonable. In short, if there is a conducive learning environment.

FUO presented a problem because it reminded me of community universities in the United States of America. They were established to provide basic university education for youths in the local areas.

They are not under any illusions that they compete with Harvard, Yale or University of California. But, they provide an adequate knowledge base from which talented kids can proceed to bigger universities for post graduate studies.

28—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

10 golden rules on how best to pass exams in print

‘The Students’ Fortress’: Babs Olugbemi; Mentoras Multimedia, Nigeria, 2015; PP. 107 Reviewer: Dayo Adesulu

willingness to learn and choosing learning partners.

Also, top students in class who are good in a particular subject should be partnered for success.

With the author making use of key points after each chapter, it makes it easy for readers to remember what they had read. That also makes the style and writing of the book unique.

Moreover, the examples and analogies used in the book were not fictitious but real life experiences. The author also made reference to some authors and great achievers as he explained

certain rules to success.

S the West African Examinations The author, via his choice of words, used Council, WAEC and the National motivational statements to make his Examinations Council, NECO, year in, readership abhor failure and be determined year out, release its results on students’ to succeed. examination performance, it is no longer In Rule one and Rule four, phrases like: “You news that the average Nigerian student can, you must pass your exams excellently. performs below average in Mathematics You have what it takes to pass your exams and English Language. excellently. Don’t believe you are below This ugly situation has given many average. It is your belief that matter. You stakeholders in the sector concern. Though must first believe in yourself, in your ability many stakeholders have tried to come out to prepare, write and pass your exams with some steps to address the anomaly, excellently. Think right. Learning deep today the situation still persists. It was against will enable you to lead those who don’t study this backdrop that a young Nigerian enough and pass their exams. Your capacity author, Babs Olugbemi launched his new to learn is the stronghold of your capacity to book, The Students’ Fortress. lead others.”

The 107-page book published by While searching for learning partners, as Mentoras Multimedia, aims to address stated in Rule six, Babs urges students to the incessant failure bedevilling the look for top students in the subject they want academic success of our youths. Apart to learn and improve on, adding that such from that, he also highlights persons should be students with same 10 rules for examination learning and achievement success. goals.

The author, a Fellow The author who specifically Chartered Accountant pointed out misuse of the Preparation (FCA) and leadership social media as a causative coach, said the book was is a lifelong agent of examination failure born out of his passion to among students, lamented journey. make students excel in that students use it for Outside the examinations. He bares his chatting rather than learning. mind on causes of The book, however, examination examination failure, encourages students to make hall, your deploying examples of his good use of the social media personal experience and by posting questions on the success in life that of others to drive area of their studies where also answers home his points. they need clarification for Babs, who is also the group discussions. “Create a to the level of author of the highly learning/sharing your motivating book, mastermind group on Transform Yourself, with preparation Facebook, Twitter and other the use of colourful social media. Organise group pictorial and graphical discussions, choose a topic to illustrations, makes for discuss for the week,’’ he The author, inadded.

Rule eight of the book, makes easy understanding by his readers. He students understand that success comes addresses certain issues bordering on through adequate preparation. success and failure.

“Preparation is a life-long journey. Outside In the author ’s own style, he left the the examination hall, your success in life also conventional way of writing chapter by answers to the level of your preparation. chapter and chose to subdivide the book When you prepare very well for a life event, into rules. Thus, The Students’ Fortress has you become a wonder. If you don’t prepare 10 Rules. well, you will be a wanderer in life. There is Below are the 10 rules of success: nothing to fear in examination if you prepare Right Belief, the Achievement Goal, properly.’’

Learn the Principle, Learn to Earn, Learn With the use of simple language, illustrations to Lead and Learning Network. Others and testimonies for easy understanding, the are; Manage Yourself, Preparation, Test book is not only good for students, but also for your Understanding and the Examination. anyone who cares for success in all spheres of For any student to pass examination life. I therefore recommend it to all. excellently, the author of the book identified key areas that are indispensable. These include; reading,

A

ORIENTATION: From left: Vice-Chancellor, UNILAG, Prof. Rahamon Bello; Group Head, Retail Banking, Heritage Banking Coy Ltd, Mr. Davidson Regha; Deputy VC, Academic, UNILAG, Prof. Babajide Alo, and Group Head, SME, Heritage Banking Coy Ltd, Mr. Bayo Ogunnusi, during the annual orientation programmefor fresh post-graduate students (2014/ 2015) at UNILAG Main Auditorium, powered by Heritage Banking Coy Ltd.

Heritage Bank boosts entrepreneurship skills among students

By Dayo Adesulu

H

ERITAGE Bank has called on the nation’s teeming population of undergraduate and postgraduate students to embrace the global shift towards entrepreneurship as a means of generating employment and wealth, instead of perpetually looking for non-existent employment after graduation.

According to the Bank, the unfolding global economic challenges, with its attendant dwindling revenues and fiscal realignment, have continued to force governments and businesses to tighten their belts while both the public and private sectors continue to

Heritage Bank is a brand committed to delivering distinctive financial services, building on the legacy of innovation and partnership to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations. witness more job losses, thereby widening the unemployment market and reducing regular employment opportunities for new graduates.

While representing the Bank’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ifie Sekibo at the 2014/2015 Orientation programme organised by the University of Lagos for its incoming postgraduate students, Group Head, SME Banking, Bayo Ogunnusi noted that the

growing global rate of youth unemployment has made it imperative for individuals to creatively and pro-actively seek new skills and other legitimate wealth generation initiatives in order to achieve happiness and personal fulfilment.

“In spite of the global economic challenges, every individual has the potential to be great in life. However, identifying and developing such potential by searching out and resolutely embarking on a profitable enterprise is the responsibility of such individuals,” Ogunnusi counselled.

He added that Heritage Bank would always be readily available to offer support and partnership for any and all entrepreneurship ideas aimed at creating, preserving and transferring wealth, especially among youths who are the pivot of the country’s economic and socio-political future.

According to him, “Heritage Bank is a brand committed to delivering distinctive financial services, building on the legacy of innovation and partnership to create, preserve and transfer wealth across generations. Therefore, the Bank is totally committed to supporting young individuals who would like to start their own small businesses and painstakingly nurture such. As an innovation-driven business, our doors are always open to young people with new ideas, fresh thinking and nuggets of opportunities that need a little push to be developed into economic giants.”

The 2014/2015 Unilag Postgraduate Orientation Programme with the theme Unemployment in the 21st Century: Prospects for Creating Wealth, was held at the University ’s Main Auditorium.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 23,, 2015— 29

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32—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

PenCom moves against defaulting employers as recovery agents conclude work

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

N

ATIONAL Pension Commission, PenCom, will bring the full weight of the law against defaulting employers any moment from now following the conclusion of jobs by recovery agents to recover unremitted, deducted funds by employers.

In a chat with journalists during a programme in Lagos about level of compliance and sanction against defaulters, PenCom’s Head of Compliance and Enforcement, Mr. Mohammed Bello, said the recovery agents appointed by the commission about four years ago to recover debts from employers, concluded their jobs by the end of March and any employer(s) still in default would face the full weight of the law.

According to him, “with respect to remittance, yes there are issues with respect to non-remittance of contribution by some employers.

But I will not say that all employers are not remitting contributions. But I can tell you that some private sector employers are not remitting as at when due.

As you are probably aware, we have the report on a monthly basis because we have a way that we get returns every month on remittances made by employers.

Now what you have to understand is that there are over 200,000 employers and we get information on that. Big time employers in the organized private sector are fully complying.

“Where we have problems are mostly small-scale and mediumscale employers. What we normally do when we observe that employers are not remitting contributions is that we engage

them. Based on the data we receive, we monitor and see if like one, two or three months an employer has not remitted, then we write a letter formally to the employer and say look, we observe that you have not remitted these contributions for this period and it is against the law, it is a violation of the law.

We will quote the sections and also quote the penalty and then ask the employer to remit within a certain period, mostly we give four weeks. After four weeks if the employer fails to comply, we now send a warning letter. If you go to our website, you will see our sanctions regime spelling out what we normally do as the level of non-compliance escalates.

“From ordinary letter to caution, to warning then we go as far as litigation.

Recovery agents ''Now some of the employers that have not remitted, we have engaged consultants or recovery agents to recover the contributions. We engaged them for about 15 thousand employers that we observe have issues and they have worked for a period of about four years now and there have been improvement. Since we engaged these agents the level of compliance has improved.

So the recovery agents have made significant progress and some recoveries were made and in fact penalties were even paid.

Some of the employers we have contracted for litigation, we have engaged some lawyers to prosecute them and they are at various levels. Usually, what we have noticed is that the moment

Mr. Mohammed Bello, Head of Compliance and Enforcement, PenCom, Mr. Sanni Adeleke, Vice Chairman, NLC, Lagos, and Mrs. Bunmi Abitoye, Chair Person NLC Women Commission, Lagos, at a programme jointly organized by Lagos NLC and PenCom. you get to the level of notice of prosecution, the employers come and then quickly comply.”

On whether the commission is afraid to confront defaulting

Everything goes to the employee.

Like now for example what it means is that if like your monthly contribution is 100,000 and the penalty 50,000, 150,000 will be credited to the worker’s account

media organizations, Mr. Bello said: “It is not a question of being afraid. I can tell you that all the defaulting media organizations, we have contracted them to recovery agents and we have received various responses. A lot of times, you get responses from the employers.

First of all they challenge the reports and also you have to do some reconciliation because when agent establishes a liability, you have to give the employer the chance to respond. So, most of them will provide additional information and some of them will go and remit and say look we have remitted.

Some of them will be asking that the interest and the penalty should be waived. So, I know all the media houses; we have engaged them, we have contracted them to the recovery

agents, like I said earlier. If recoveries have not been made, they are still in the process. So, it is matter of time. We expect that the recovery agents will conclude their job by the end of March this year. As I said, when we send our recovery agents they will establish a liability from 2005 till date. So whether it is two years, four or seven years, they will comply. So like I said, I expect that most of them will be dealt with by the end of March 2015.”

Speaking on what happens to interests and penalties on recovered funds, he added that “everything goes to the employee.

For example what it means is that if your monthly contribution is N100,000 and the penalty is N50,000, N150,000 will be credited to the worker’s account.

It is PenCom that will pay the recovery agent from its funds.”

Contributory pension scheme suffers setback in Niger State •Govt halts implementation for council workers

By Wole Mosadomi

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INNA-THE 10 year-old Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, has suffered a major setback in Niger State as the government has stopped the implementation of the scheme in the local government areas of the state.

This is the climax of the agitation by workers through the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, over alleged non-remittance of deducted funds for the scheme.

Recall that Pension & You in an exclusive interview with state chairman of NLC, Comrade Yahaya Idris Ndako, had alleged among others, C M Y K

non-remittance and wrote to the government threatening a pull out by workers from the scheme.

The workers had accused the state Ministry of Local Government and State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB of not remitting their counterpart contributions for more than two years, claiming the non-remittances had accumulated to about N3billion.

The workers had told the state government to stop deducting from their salaries with effect from February or risk industrial unrest.

According to the state NLC Chairman, “the aim of the

Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu scheme has been defeated and we are opting out. Even if the Law is amended and government is ready to start

paying its own contribution, we are no longer interested in the scheme again and we are opting out.”

Based on this threat, Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, ordered suspension of the implementation of the scheme with effect from this month (April), explaining that his action was sequel to objections raised against the scheme by council workers through the National Union Local Government Employees, NULGE. Governor Aliyu who gave the directive while inaugurating the End-well Model School and Tractor Hiring Scheme of the state branch of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, in Minna noted that from

investigations carried out, it was very clear that states and the local governments had not been able to honour their parts of the obligation hence the need for the scheme to be suspended to enable all areas of friction to be ironed out.

He however assured that as soon as the issues in contention had been resolved, suspension on implementation of the scheme would be lifted.

The Head of Service, HoS, Alhaji Abubakar Khadi Kuta had told Pension & You while reacting to the withdrawal threat by the workers that though the workers had a genuine case, but that rushing out of the scheme was not the solution especially because of its legal implications.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 15—33 23,, 20 2015—33

BITS Bits Xenophobia can happen in Nigeria — Labour

N

IGERIA Labour Congress, NLC, has said xenophobic attacks in South Africa is a reflection of the crisis of governance in Africa as seen in the worsening poverty and unemployment rate in the continent.

NLC argued that there were possibilities of such crisis happening in Nigeria, warning “what is happening in South Africa can happen in Nigeria. According to the International Labour Organisation, ILO, both Nigeria and South Africa have high unemployment rates of 23.9% and 24.3% in 2014 respectively.”

In a statement by Joe Ajaero’s faction, NLC however condemned the reckless and violent attacks on African workers and other nationals in South Africa with the unacceptable and avoidable destruction of lives and properties.

The statement by one of the faction’s Deputy Presidents, Mr. Issa Aremu, noted that the xenophobic attacks had claimed several lives and the latest round of attacks were allegedly instigated by the Zulu King Zwelithini in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa, recalling that similar attacks in January this year claimed several lives where looters burned businesses owned by foreigners.

According to the statement, “In 2008, seven years ago, in Johannesburg, antiimmigrant violence claimed many innocent lives. Most of the victims were Zimbabweans who had fled repression and dire economic circumstances.

NLC state elections hold today BOTH factions of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Ayuba Wabba, and Joe Ajaero, will today hold state councils’ elections.

The two factions are expected at the end of the elections, have its faction of the state executive council in the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. Recall that NLC broke into two factions after some aggrieved members claimed the rescheduled March 12 election was manipulated.

C M Y K

Why unemployment'll continue to rise in Nigeria — EBURAJOLO zAdds it’s a time bomb waiting to explode

By Victor Ahiuma-Young & Kelechi Azubuike

R

ENOWED human resource practitioner and Group Deputy Managing Director, Kewalram Chanrai Group, Mr.Victor Eburajolo, in this interview with Labour Vanguard, examined among others, the employment situation in the country and warned that Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder.

Excerpts.

What is your take on the current economic situation in the country as it affects job creation and workers’ wellbeing?

First, let me say I have always held the view that any economy that is growing and is not creating jobs, and when I mean jobs, meaningful jobs; jobs you can make a career with is not growth.

That growth, for me is a jobless growth and it is not a meaningful growth, let us be very frank about it.

If we are not providing employment then the impact of the growth on the economy is not getting to the grassroots. When you are not providing employment, you are virtually sitting on a keg of gunpowder because we have young men and women who are leaving universities and joining others that have left earlier without employment.

All government indices show that we are growing because we are heavily import dependent and with the devaluation of naira, the projected growth has been curtailed. I think it has come down to about 5% from about 7.5%. The manufacturing sector is virtually gone and I am sure you must have read stories of about few surviving manufacturing companies protesting the high cost of power being supplied to them. This has created more problems. While that is going on, I read in the papers that the government has slashed electricity tariff by 50%. How do you run an economy like that?

This is a sector that you are encouraging private investors to come in, and you want to dictate to them what they should charge for the services they are rendering.

Maybe government took advantage of the situation and the complaints of consumers like manufacturers, but I don’t think doing it by fiat is a proper way to go about it. Now you are going to discourage people that have

Mr.Victor Eburajolo invested in the sector and that will have a very negative impact.

How has the devaluation of the Naira affected the situation?

Because we are heavily import dependent economy, with the devaluation, a lot of companies including ours, is taking a very big heat. Imagine you have credit facility with your bank to import when the exchange rate was about 140/150 and two weeks after that, there is a serious devaluation and by the time your goods arrive at the ports, the exchange rate has gone up to about N220 or N230 to a Dollar. Where is the balance going to come from?

Of course, you have an agreement with the bank that must be honoured that is the heat every importer is taking. I am sure you are aware many importers have abandoned their cargoes at the ports. What do you expect them to do? If they clear them, by the time they pay the duties, there is no way they can break even.

So, the best they can do is cut their losses and that is why many of them are abandoning their goods at the ports. For a very long time, concerned individuals and groups have been urging the government to diversify the economy to no avail.

Today, United States is almost producing more than the oil they need even if the cost of production is slightly higher than ours, but this is a sacrifice that they make.

What has happened, import has been curtailed, the cost of oil has

fallen, now we are all paying the price and yet I have not seen anything that we have put in place to address this. How can a country continue like this? We thought they were going to fix the power sector, but the situation has worsened.

There is another area I will like to emphasize that has been neglected. There is no alignment between the economic growth of this country and the manpower that we are producing.

Universities are busy opening faculties and so on, yet the economy is not aligning. In other civilized countries, the government has an arrangement with the producers of labour and at any given time they do a

There is no alignment between the economic growth of this country and the manpower that we are producing

projection, these are the sort of people that we need in the next five years.

We have higher institutions producing textile technologies, how many textile mills are there in the country? The ones they have produced before there is no place for them to work and yet, they are producing more. If you go to the institutions, students are still studying Banking and Finance.

The banks are not expanding; the finance sector is not expanding and if anything, they are making more money using technology. How do you make that alignment? In the estate where I leave, I was driving out one day and somebody selling recharge cards stopped me.

I told him I don’t use recharge card, and he said, "I want to give you my CV." I then asked him, what did you study? He said Banking and Finance.

I am trying to rack my head to see what sector really you can point to that there is some progress going on.

I can’t see anything and unless our leaders give us a blueprint of what they are doing that is aligned to our situation, this economic growth we are talking about will just gradually fade away.

Is the devaluation not a threat to employment and job security?

Talking about job security let me first address that as a human resource, HR, practitioner. Do we really have job security today in this country? One of the things that guarantee job security of the individual is strong labour union.

Today, the labour unions are virtually dead. Labour unions are strong when the economy is strong, if the economy is weak, its strength is eroded.

I was reading in the papers that some workers in Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, who had been temporary workers for 20 years were unable to get their benefits.

I said temporary workers, in a government establishment for 20 years? What is the definition of temporary staff in the labour law?

The labour law is very clear about it. By the time somebody works for you for three months, he must have a letter of employment stating his conditions of service.

Everything about the law, whether casual or temporary, should not be more than three months. Yet, we are talking about 20 years and this is what has been going on in the country.

zTO BE CONTINUED.

34—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

P

RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan’s refusal to assent to the bill seeking to amend the 1999 Constitution has exposed the underbelly of a frosty relationship between the executive and the legislative arms of government.

Coming at the twilight of current administration’s tenure and on the heels of the general elections in which the ruling party was roundly routed by the opposition, many, including members of the National Assembly were taken aback by the President’s action.

Until last week when Jonathan wrote a lengthy letter to the lawmakers informing them of his decision to withhold his assent to the Fourth Alteration Act 2015, there were speculations in the media that the document had been signed.

What appears as last minute presidential muscle flexing is also being interpreted as a constitutional crisis in some quarters.

In the letter which was partly read to Senators by the Senate President, David Mark, Jonathan alleged legislators’ usurpation of the executive power and whittling down of certain power inherent in the President’s office as part of the reasons for withholding his assent.

Withholding of assent In the letter titled: “Re: Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Fourth Alteration Act 2015” Jonathan stated, : “May I draw Your Excellency ’s esteemed attention to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Fourth Alteration) Act, 2015 that has been passed by the National Assembly and transmitted to me for assent.

“I have accordingly examined the substance of the provisions and the procedure adopted by the National Assembly to pass the Act and wish to observe as follows: “Section 4 of the Fourth Alteration Act, 2015 seeks to alter Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution by the insertion of a new subsection 3A, which dispenses with the assent of the President in the process of constitutional amendment.

“However, this alteration can only be valid if the proposal was

•David Mark

•Jonathan

Constitution amendments: What options left for National Assembly?

By Dayo Benson supported by the votes of not less than four-fifth majority of all the members of each House of the National Assembly and approved by a resolution of the House of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the States as provided by Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

“This is a fundamental requirement of the Constitution and in the absence of credible evidence that this requirement was met in the Votes of Proceedings of the National Assembly, it will be unconstitutional for me to assent to this Bill.

“In light of the above, I am of the respectful view that I should withhold assent until it can be shown that the National Assembly has complied with the threshold specified in Section 9 (3) of the 1999 Constitution.

“However, assuming without conceding that the necessary thresholds were met by the National Assembly, there are a

number of provisions in the Act that altogether constitute flagrant violation of the doctrine of separation of powers enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and an unjustified whittling down of the executive powers of the federation vested in the President by virtue of Section 5(1) of the 1999 Constitution.

What appears as last minute presidential muscle flexing is also being interpreted as a constitutional crisis in some quarters

Why ex-minister, Kuforiji-Olubi is in —Pg 36 court with foreign partners 2015 elections: Implications for —Pg 37 Nigeria’s Democracy C M Y

The said Section 45A of the Fourth Alteration Act 2015, which guarantees the right to free basic education is too open ended and should have been restricted to government schools.

He added: “This is because, a right unless qualified or restricted must be observed by all. It follows therefore that the right to free basic education under this provision if taken to its logical conclusion, will invariably apply to private schools, which could not have been the intendment of the legislature.

“This same argument applies to Section 45B, which guarantees unqualified right to free primary and maternal care services. The implication of this is that private institutions will be obliged under Constitution to offer free medical services since it is a right and this is not only impracticable, but also could not have been the intention of the law giver. “ There is therefore the need for these provisions to be redrafted to restrict the enjoyment of these rights and place the obligation to provide the conditions necessary for the enjoyment of the rights on the government.”

Jonathan also queried the limitation of the power of the President to withhold assent to bills to 30 days.

He said 30 days might not be

sufficient for a President to go through such bills.

He said: “The power vested in the President to withhold his assent to Bills passed by the National Assembly is part of the checks and balances contained in the Constitution.

“Withholding of assent therefore constitutes a check on the exercise of legislative powers in a constitutional democracy especially as the Executive Branch has the responsibility of enforcing laws passed by the National Assembly.

Sufficient input However, some of the Acts of the National Assembly emanate from Private Members’ Bills, which in many cases, the Executive may not have had sufficient input. “ It is also instructive to note that in some cases, more than one Bill is transmitted to the President for assent and that the President requires the advice of relevant agencies of government before he can assent to the Bill.

“Against this background, the 30 days allowed for assent of the President may not be adequate in some cases for the President to make a decision as to whether or not to assent.”

The President disagreed with

Continues on page 35

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—35

Constitution amendments: What options left for National Assembly?

Continues from page 34 the lawmakers for restricting the President’s right to spend funds in default of appropriation to three months instead of six months.

He said the amendment by the lawmakers does not take into cognizance unforeseen circumstances the nation might go through any time.

He added: “This alteration seeks to limit the period when expenditure can be authorized in default of appropriation from the 6 months provided in the Constitution to 3 months.

“I am of the view that this provision has the potential of occasioning financial hardships and unintended shutdown of government business particularly where four unforeseen reasons and exigencies in the polity, the National Assembly is unable to pass the Appropriation Act do not justify the reduction of the six-month time limit in the Constitution. I am of the respectful view that the current position should have been maintained.”

Funding requirement He blamed the National Assembly for recommending that the National Economic Council(NEC) should henceforth appoint the Accountant-General of the Federation.

He said: “The provision of section 84A that creates the new Office of Account-General of the Federation distinct from Accountant- General of the Federal Government has not addressed the funding requirement for the establishment of the office. “ It is necessary to clarify for instance, who staffs and funds the office of Accountant General of the Federation and from whose budget he will be paid since he serve the three tiers of Government. “ It is also important to state who will exercise oversight

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

•Tambuwal powers over the office.

Furthermore, the National Economic Council, which is mainly an advisory body, is now charged with the responsibility of recommending those to be appointed to the Office of Accountant General of the Federation.”

Jonathan described the amendment on the separation the Office of Attorney General of the Federation from the Minister of Justice as ambiguous.

He said: “These alterations encapsulate wide-ranging provision that seek to separate the Office of Attorney General of the Federation from the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General from the Commissioner for Justice in the respective States of the federation. They also provide for the independence of the Office of Attorney General by guaranteeing tenure and funding.

“However, as desirable as the separation is, there are some provisions that validate the

doctrine of separation of powers and also negate the age-long independence and absolute discretion that the office has enjoyed for centuries

Some observers wonder why President Jonathan failed to point out the sections he objects to during harmonisation period of the exercise since he has an unhindered access to the leadership of the National Assembly

since it creation in middles ages.

The potential challenging provisions are discussed below: “The first noticeable set back is that the Fourth Alteration Act 2015 is silent on who is the Chief Law Officer of the Federation/State. This is serious lacuna, which may create implementation challenges.

“It will be recalled that the Attorney- General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice and the Attorney General and Commissioners for Justice in the respective States of the federation are under sections 150 and 195 of the 1999 Constitution, as the Chief Law Officers respectively.

“Apparently, it is the fact that the AGF is the Chief Law Officer has the power to guide the MDAs on legal issues by way of legal advice and represent the Government on other legal matters including civil litigations, contract, treaty obligations, legal drafting, etc., is derived.

Legal drafting “With this amendment, which limits the power of the AGF to criminal prosecution and silent on whom who is the Chief Law Officer, it appears to erode the constitutional and legal basis for the current structure and functions of the Ministry of Justice and the Law Officers employed therein, in the absence of a Statute that provides for the exercise of these powers and functions.

Consequently, if it is the intendment of the National Assembly to make the Minister of Justice, the Chief Law Officer, it should be expressly stated. This will enable these functions to continue to be traditionally performed by the Ministry under the supervision of the Minister of Justice while the Office of the AGF, which is to be independent and separated from the Ministry,

concentrate on prosecutions.”

Watchers of power-play between the presidency and the National Assembly wonder why the former had suddenly realised that its power are being taken away by the latter at this eleventh hour when there was ample time to do so during the constitution amendment process. Specifically, some observers wonder why President Jonathan failed to point out the sections he objects to during harmonisation period of the exercise since he has an unhindered access to the leadership of the National Assembly. However, it was gathered that part of the undercurrent that informed the President’s action are some powerful forces in the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, who are said to be uncomfortable with the provision that separates the office of the AGF and Justice Minister.

Veritable challenge However, beyond this is the bigger constitutional issue.

Since the Fourth Alteration Act does not contemplate the President withholding his assent, Jonathan’s action has constituted a veritable challenge to the lawmakers.

There are however three options before them. The first is to address the issues which the President raised. This will involve returning the bill to the state houses of assembly.

Considering the time, energy and resources already gulped, it is like starting afresh. With barely a month and few days to hand-over date, there is certainly no time for that. The second option is to leave the entire process to the incoming national assembly. Doing so may render the whole exercise a nugatory as it may be put aside.

The outgoing lawmakers would obviously not want their efforts wasted. Perhaps, to avoid any of the two options above, the way to go is to override the President’s veto as provided in Section 58 Subsection (4) of the Constitution.

36—VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

CLA conference holds in Glasgow Nigerian judges and lawyers at the just concluded 19th Commonwealth Lawyers Association, CLA, conference in Glasgow, United Kingdom.

Why ex-minister, Kuforiji-Olubi is in court with foreign partners

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

international oil companies (IOCs), which included Total E &P Nigeria HE ruling expected to be delivered Limited, Total Upstream Nigeria

by Justice Okon Abang of the Limited, Total E & P Nigeria Deepwater Federal High Court, Lagos on the Limited. arguments canvassed by parties last In the suit marked; FHC/L/CS/609/ week on whether to stay further 2013, PhoenixTidex stated that parties proceedings in the on-going case had no problem until some years later, initiated by PhoenixTide Offshore when Nigerian investors in the plaintiff Nigeria Limited against Tidewater began to notice some changes on the Marine International Incorporated, its part of its partner; Tidewater Marine local agent, Tidex Nigeria Limited, Total in the company’s operations.

It was stated that the Nigerian E & P Nigeria Limited and two others will form a pivot of the next step to be directors became more concern taken by parties presently before the about how Tidewater was running the law court. Others as defendants in the affairs of the plaintiff when on case are Total Upstream Nig Ltd, and November 4, 2010, the US Total E&P Nig Deepwater Ltd. Department of Justice announced that At the last proceeding, counsel to the it had filed a criminal information, first and second defendants, Dr charging Tidewater Marine Babatunde Ajibade, SAN, had argued International Incorporated, a Cayman that when an appeal is based on the Island subsidiary of Tidewater challenge to the jurisdiction of the Incorporated (collectively court, that in itself constitutes a special “Tidewater”), with conspiring and circumstance justifying a stay of violating the books and records proceedings pending the determination provisions of the Foreign Corrupt of the appeal.

Practices Act (FCPA) for allegedly However, Mr Ade Adedeji who engaging in unethical practices in its represented the plaintiff contended in operations in Nigeria and Azerbaijan. his counter-affidavit that the To resolve the issue, the US Justice Preliminary Objection which Justice Department and Tidewater later Abang earlier dismissed entered into a was frivolous, hence, it d e f e r r e d cannot apply such prosecution In its wisdom, principle in the agreement that circumstance. He asked required, among however, the the court to refuse the other things, that court application.

Tidewater In its wisdom, however, Marine pay $7.35 formulated the court formulated three million as three issues, issues, which it requested criminal penalty. which it both parties to address in The plaintiff order to give its ruling. stated that in the requested both These are: whether a following year, parties to notice of appeal was valid, (2011) the since only an uncertified N i g e r i a n address in photocopy was before him; government order to give its whether a further affidavit moved against can be filed without the senior officials of ruling court’s leave; and whether PhoenixTide or not the grounds of where the appeal are of mixed law Economic and and facts. Already Justice Abang had Financial Crimes Commission directed parties to file and serve written (EFCC) accused PhoenixTide of arguments on the issues he raised among others, non-payment of within 21 days, while adjourned till May required taxes and non-disclosure of 26 for ruling. actual revenues in relation to their Specifically, the suit is in relation to operations in the country. A terms of the operations of PhoenixTidex settlement and non-prosecution (created in 2005 by a company owned agreement was entered between the by former Commerce and Tourism Nigerian government and Minister, Mrs Bola Kuforiji-Olubi- PhoenixTide, including other Phoenix Ocean Line Limited - and a companies with which it had foreign company, Tidewater Marine relationships as a way of resolving the International Incorporated, as a wholly issue.

Under the settlement agreement Nigeria company to provide support services to international oil dated February 25, 2011, the companies). Its creation was in line with companies also undertook to ensure then legal regime, which required that that their business dealings in the vessels on bareboat charter for country were “carried out in cabotage trade in the country must be accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.” hired by Nigerian citizens.

PhoenixTide stated that rather than PhoenixTide, upon its creation entered into “blanket bareboat charter comply with its undertaking as (BBC), technical services agreement contained in the 2011 agreement with the Nigerian government, the 1st (TSA) and marketing agreement (MA) defendant (Tidewater) allegedly with Tidewater Marine. By the persisted in its alleged usual practice. agreements, Tidewater Marine was It had argued that it was not opposing engaged to run PhoenixTide, including the severance of their relationship, but handling the management and demanded indemnities to insulate it operations of all vessels bareboat hired (the plaintiff), its shareholders and by the plaintiff, except for some other directors from any liabilities which may local issues. arise from its alleged refusal to comply In the course of its operations, with the 2011 non-prosecution PhoenixTidex provided services for some agreement with the government.

T

From left: Welfare Officer, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Masu’d Alebelewe, Isreal Aye, former CLA President, Boma Ozobia and Yusuf Ali, SAN.

From left: Miannaya Essien, SAN and General Counsel, OANDO Plc, Ngozi Okonkwo

"From left: Former Secretary, NBA Abuja branch, Afam Okeke; former General Secretary, NBA, Ibrahim Eddy Mark; Chairman NBA Lawyers in the Media, LIM, Mr John Austin Unachukwu; Senior Assistant to the Speaker of the House of Representatives on Legal Matters, Steve Emelieze and Paul Kasim.

From left: J u s t i c e J o h n I n y a n g O k o r o , JSC; Justice Mohammad Ibrahim and Chief J u d g e Federal High Court, J u s t i c e Ibrahim Auta

From left: Pius Adekoya, Dr. Dorn Cklaimz Enamhe, Feyi Sogunro and Tosin Mamodu

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 23,, 2015— 37

38—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

The stand-off in Abia THE 2015 governorship election was an unusual scenario in Abia State, the state with the moniker, God’s Own State. With the brief exception of 2007 to 2010 when the Peoples Progressives Alliance, PPA temporarily surfaced, Abia State had been predominantly a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP fortress. That fact reflected in the presidential election which preceded the governorship poll when the PDP dominated with more than 95% of the votes.

However, two weeks later, in the governorship election, the different

political actors went back into their fortresses for the governorship election that ended in what the election management body declared as an inconclusive poll. The three major political combatants, the PDP, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and the All Progressives Congress, APC are sharply divided on the issue with all sides putting blames on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for doing a shoddy job.

Ahead of this Saturday’s run-off elections, the three major candidates gave their perspectives on the issues that brought God’s Own State to this stage.

With the people behind me I will win — Ikpeazu Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia State in this interview gives his narration of the recent governorship election in Abia State and plans by his rival to shortchange him. Excerpts:

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

H

OW will you situate your experiences in the last governorship election in Abia State?

What happened on April 11 was that election umpires during the guber elections in Abia State at a point lost control and it looked like they were confused.

The stipulation according to the Electoral Act is that once elections are conducted they are declared and pasted in all the units; once this is done, the results are collated at the ward level where they are announced and taken to the local government level where they are collated globally and announced.

At that point one could see a clear picture of the House of Assembly winners and losers.

Rancour or violence That same result is then forwarded by the electoral officers to the INEC office in Umuahia but on that day the elections went on smoothly, went on very well and the security agents including the DIG, the Commissioner of Police and the state director of SSS reported that the elections were largely free and fair and without rancour; the elections went on smoothly without rancour or violence.

Suddenly as the collation of results were on-going at the INEC office in Umuahia, the Resident Electoral Commissioner Prof Selina Oko in collaboration with the Returning Officer (RO) decided to embark on a summersault by cancelling results that had already been announced at the polling units; when their attention was drawn to the fact that they did not have the right to embark on such cancellations they abandoned the

strategy and went ahead to announce the results in the 17 LGAs of Abia State and my party represented by my humble self was leading clearly with 83,000 votes plus.

When they saw the tally and realised it was not going their way, they spent six good hours doing some arithmetic that led to serial cancellation of some of the results which to my mind was arbitrary because going by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we had a clear majority and we had also won a quarter of the votes in more than two thirds of the local governments of the state, clearly defining us as victors in the contest.

The heavens were let loose.

People started agitating, people started suspecting in all manner of directions and questions were asked. Unknown to us the REC is an auntie of my opponent, Dr Alex Otti. So we now knew why it was difficult for them to announce the results and declare us winner.

We won that election but they have asked for a re-run in certain areas they have cancelled at the state level. We are watching to see what those who sent them to Abia will do about it.

What role did the report of international observers play in deciding the results?

Initially they said an international observer raised her hand to say the elections were marked by violence and the question was you know the procedure for the operation of international observers. Their own is to write their reports to their leaders who would go ahead to submit their findings to the appropriate quarters.

They are not to be heard during the collation of results.

Incidentally, that international observer happens to be an

background to all this is that my opponent had a chair that was standing on three legs; he didn’t plan for a bloc vote anywhere unlike my candidacy that took a bearing from the Ukwa Ngwa bloc that has nine local governments out of 17 LGAs in Abia State and these are people from Abia South, people who have not tasted power in the state until the PDP through its rotational arrangement zoned this power to it.

Rotational arrangement

•Ikpeazu

Arochukwu girl who lives in the US. So how can an Arochukwu girl who comes from the same place as Otti be a reasonable source of information for the cancellation of results?

It does not even matter who was involved; nobody has the right to cancel results that have been collated and announced at the units because the INEC chairman is represented by the REC who is represented by the EOs at the various LGAs while the EOs are also represented by the presiding officers at the various units and once the

I am very hopeful, given everything and consistently.

Except a miracle happens, there is no way Otti and Oko can turn around the results

presiding officers and all the agents sign, that result is said to be valid; no person has the right to cancel or alter the results emanating from such polling units.

Apart from the international observers, who else had reason to have the results cancelled?

It was just the international observer. I must also say that there were no video clips supporting this cancellation unlike in states where results were declared even with clear cases of violence or disturbances; yet in Abia there is no evidence supported by a video clip.

What contention from APGA led to the cancellation?

APGA had no contention whatsoever; APGA was saying that an international observer reported or witnessed evidence of violence. Yet there was no video clip supporting such report. So many things happened. There were claims and counter claims that Jega had called to ask for cancellation and when Jega was raised on phone, he said no that he never called for cancellation. He said no, that he did not call anybody. It was a very messy situation.

However I want to say that the

Consistently I come from a local government that delivers the highest number of votes in the state. During the Presidential election from 1999, Obingwa had the highest or second highest number of votes in Abia. During the Presidential election, we voted 64,000 and during the governorship it went up to 82,000.

The reasons are clear; I come from Obingwa, my wife comes from Obingwa; everything about my family tree revolves around Obingwa; again because my opponent is completely new in politics, he does not understand these things; besides whereas I am from Abia South, my running mate is from Abia North but in his own case he is from Arochukwu and ended up choosing a running mate from the same Federal Constituency, Ohafia all in Abia North.

How is he expecting people to take him seriously? He did not take into cognizance the geopolitical setting of Ndi Abia.

His surprise that I am being supported by my people is neither here nor there. Again, the so called international observer is a biased party, an international observer cannot cancel a result.

It is not in our constitution.

Standing by to see; are you hopeful given the situation on ground?

I am very hopeful, given everything and consistently.

Except a miracle happens, there is no way Otti and Oko can turn around the results.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—39

The stand-off in Abia

Election was a rigging competition between PDP and APGA — Nyerere, APC candidate

Dr. Ayim Nyerere, governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in the Abia State governorship election in this interview dismissed the Abia State governorship election as a farce and the agitation between the PDP and APGA as what happens when thieves come to share their loot. Excerpts:

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

W

HAT is your impression about the April 11 governorship election in Abia State?

With due respect I don’t know if I might sound out of context not to refer it as an election rather I will say it was a rigging competition in Abia State because there is a difference between election and rigging. What actually took place in Abia State on the 11th of April was not election but rigging because everything that has to do with election was quite absent. In election you are talking about where the wish of the people becomes supreme.

Where the people are allowed to come and express themselves as to whom they want as their leader but that was absent in what we should have termed election in Abia State. That is true in all ramifications. With every sense of humility, I stand to say there was no election in Abia State and that is why you are having the problem we have now which I don’t know how they will come out of it now.

When you saying rigging competition, it is competition between who and who?

Between APGA and PDP. You see, we are talking about a situation in this time of our democratic dispensation where in most polling units, there were no result sheets. In most polling units, ballot boxes were snatched with impunity. I don’t think it happened elsewhere because the degree of lawlessness, impunity in Abia State, I don’t think any other part of the country witnessed such.

What could you say were the roles of INEC and the police in all this?

They were part and parcel of what happened. They aided it because there is no how the original result sheets in all the polling units couldn’t be amongst the sensitive materials that were brought to the centre. There is

What actually took place in Abia State on the 11th of April was not election but rigging because everything that has to do with election was quite absent

•Nyerere

no way it could be in the hands of some people without the knowledge of INEC staff and for the police men who were supposed to protect them to be there and hoodlums would come to the polling units and take all the materials from the INEC staff including the Ad hoc and INEC staff, put them in the vehicle and driven away.

So, how will you describe it?

Agents of other parties especially the APC agents were never allowed to come near until they finished whatever they wanted to do.

Something played out in Umuahia. The returning officer cancelled some local governments and later reversed

himself. What would you say about that?

You see the confusion they created. You see it is not easy to go and steal something and conceal it. They know what happened because it is an aberration for an electoral officer or a returning officer to cancel a result and later reverse himself/ h e r s e l f instantaneously.

It is not done anywhere. They are covering up something and those things by God’s grace will be exposed one day.

So what is the position of your party now?

What we have canvassed for is outright cancellation of the entire process in Abia State. However, we are not unmindful of the huge cost that it will cost the Federal Government or INEC but that is the path of honour on the part of INEC. You can’t talk about an election in a state where virtually everybody in the state will tell you nothing happened. That is the state of Abia State. So the only path of honour is to have the election cancelled. Where will you spare? The 17 local government areas had the same problems; one polling unit, two

polling units in all the wards had irregularities. We went to the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission telling them our position, describing in details what actually transpired and what I expect them to do is to investigate and as I have said, the only path of honour for INEC is to cancel the election and start it all over.

What you are saying is that the decision to cancel only a few polling units in some local governments areas is not the best?

It is not an objective decision.

On what basis? What happened in Obingwa happened in Arochukwu, happened in Ohafia, happened in every other part of Abia.

Indiscriminate thumbprinting Look at situation where they were informed a night before the election that ballot boxes were being thumb-printed indiscriminately at various areas.

Was that the same situation during the Presidential election on March 28?

The same thing just that they perfected it in the April 11 elections. Why we are still crying is because the same thing happened. We said it after the March 28 elections thinking that they will do something but we didn’t know that they were going to do it on a larger scale.

INEC must show true sincerity in Abia rerun, says Okorafor

By Dapo Akinrefon

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HAT is the situation Abia State after the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly election?

The situation in Abia as at now is that the whole world must have heard how attempts were made to smuggle in fictitious and fraudulent figures, while the collation of the governorship election result was going on quietly. In the attempt to get these illegal results in, the Abia State Electoral Commissioner as well as the Returning Officer openly cancelled them. Shortly after, the governor and some Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftains invaded the INEC headquarters in Umuahia and after a meeting with these two people they came downstairs and said they were now reverting themselves.

Since then, a lot of problems have been going on in Abia State.

There were, of course, some areas where elections did not take place due to one or two reasons, mostly violence, inability of the card-reader to be used, malfunctioning card-readers,

among other challenges. But some were rescheduled for the following day, April 12, 2015, while some were not. Now, we have heard that there is going to be a re-run of these elections on Saturday.

But in the meantime, INEC has not come out clear with what is happening. It is one of the provisions of the law that once a decision is taken concerning the election result, an aggrieved party can only go to court, so that is why it is difficult for us to understand why INEC is not doing the same in this instance.

If, for instance, those cancelled results did not favour PDP, what they should have done was to go to court, not storming the place, probably under threat or duress, to get INEC to say they are reverting because they are not permitted by law to do that.

At the moment, who does the result of Abia governorship election favour, pending the rerun?Of course, before the reversion, Alex Otti was leading with over 50,000 votes, and that is natural. If you look at the trend and the result sheets, you will see

that in most places, even in our stronghold like Arochukwu, Otti scored over 11,000 votes, and true to type, PDP scored 3,000 plus votes. You see a situation where proper accreditation was done and you can look at the cardreaders; every polling unit used card-readers. You could see where card readers were used and the results that came out of such areas. And this can be verified through the cardreaders, but this idea of someone sitting in his parlour and writing results and expecting it to stand cannot be allowed.

Voters turnout Results around the country showed that voters’ turnout was low. There was no state that experienced voters’ turnout above 35 per cent. But in these places, voter turnout was up to 95 per cent.

So you could see that was not an election. And looking at it properly, two days before the April 11 election, the Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, had

come out to say “no card-reader, no election”. He said so to the hearing of everybody, so why would anybody go and write result where they didn’t use card-readers.

Of course, INEC should be able to tell us if any of the cardreaders was used in those places.

These are things that we would have expected the INEC to come out with.

With all you have said, does APGA still have confidence in INEC for a credible re-run on Saturday?

The truth of the matter is that Jega’s ideas are fantastic, but the problem is with the implementation of those ideas.

Somewhere down the line, some of the INEC officials compromised their positions, and that is why we are where we are now because if these people didn’t have access to result sheets, they won’t be able to write results. If the card-readers were not working in those local governments, we would have been waiting for the supply of new card-readers to be used. But how did they go ahead to write

results?

Beyond calling for outright cancellation of this result, what would ensure that a credible rerun would hold on Saturday?

As far as we are concerned, if elections are conducted in Abia 20 times over, we will defeat PDP comprehensively and we are sure of that.

We are not afraid of a rerun, but the truth is that if things are supposed to be done right, let us do them in the right way.

That is why we are saying outright cancellation, otherwise if they insist on rerun, let them get adequate security because the problem in those areas is that certain individuals would not allow people to come out and vote; they would scare people with all sorts of violent conducts such as shooting and intimidation.

But if people are sure of their security, card-readers are used and proper electoral materials, not fake ones, are brought in and there’s no room for concocted results, I am very sure that Otti will defeat PDP comprehensively.

40 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Olu Ajayi tasks incoming govt to prioritize Art •as search for 2015 Living Legend continues

By Japhet Alakam

O

LU Ajayi, is not a new name in the art circle, he is one of the few contemporary Nigerian artists, whose works adorn many galleries and museums and sort by many collectors. Since his graduation from the Auchi Polytechnic in 1984, and began work in 1986, he has been at the National Arts Theatre working as a full time artist.

He was the chairman of the Nigerian Society of Artists (Lagos chapter), a Trustee of the Visual Art Society of Nigeria (VASON), and Guild of Professional Fine Artist Nigeria (GFA). Apart from all that, Ajayi is also the coordinator and brain behind the Living Legends Project, established in 2008, to honour and document Nigerian men and women of integrity. So far six people have been documented including the likes of Professor Soyinka, Prof Grillo, Oba of Benin and General Gowon.

When Olu Ajayi invited Art writers in his new studio at Onikan, people thought that he was set to announce the name of the 2015 living legend, but as fate would have it, he told them that they are still in search of the next living legend.

Next living legend He revealed that it is not easy to get such people. For one to be qualified, "You must be a Nigerian who has been consistent at affecting our lives with positive contributions for nothing less than 30 years. What I mean is for you to qualify to be so recorded by painters and sculptors, you would have been working or contributing to national development for nothing less than 30 years and if you add that to your age, you should be in your 70's or 80s.

“The artistic merit of the project is in having a coalition of art and history. These people are considered to be part of our lives and have been considered worthy of being immortalised either on canvas or on paper or clay for posterity and so far we've been able to do just about six individuals namely Prof Soyinka, Oba of Benin, Prof. Grillo, Prof. Bruce Onobrakpeya, Prof JP Clark and General Gowon. These are the people we have documented since 2008 and that is to tell you how cumbersome it is to consider any one suitable to be so recorded. Its been difficult because we are not doing political balance or job, it has nothing to do with

that, we are not also doing people who are your usual suspect because we read about them all the time in the media, we are talking genuinely about people contributing to national development in various disciplines. The last person we did which was General Gowon. You will all agree with me that Gowon is a man of peace. Even with the storm in his political clime, he remains a retired army officer who administered the affairs of this country during the civil war. He didn’t throw his weight around. He has always been an apostle of peace.

We felt it was good to record him as Nigeria’s living legend.”

We are working on a book that will be a compendium of all the drawings and paintings; it will go into the hall of fame for the legend. Some of the materials that will come out of that are scholarly materials,’’ he said.

Scholarly materials For this year, we have not done anybody, but we are still searching although a lot of names have come up,but you will discover its not being popular alone, its for you to have been consistent with what you are doing and contributing to national development.

On the in coming government, Ajayi stated that, "we are looking at how we can keep the art community vibrant and my own take looking at the present day experience with the politicians, we are waiting for them to settle down before we decide and ask them what exactly do they have in stock for the artist."

There is a common error that is always been made, the politicians think that when they invite the home video people, they have discussed with the art community, that is not correct, they cannot have a vibrant nation that doesn't have a culture.

According to him, there can’t be a vibrant nation without a vi-

For one to be qualified, you must be a Nigerian who has been consistent at affecting our lives with positive contributions for nothing less than 30 years

•Olu Ajayi in front of some of the works from previous living legends exhibitions in his new studio at Onikan brant culture sector. Ajayi who is not happy with the state of art called on the in coming government to prioritise art sector by establishing a museum of contemporary art to house all artistic efforts that contribute to global culture. In turn, the museum will attract tourists and investors.“The museum will provide employment for those who are working there. It will generate income because the museum will have the capacity to make publications for people to buy and a café where people can mill around and have some

form of refreshment. Also, artists should be able to obtain grants. In the past administration, I am aware that some grants were given to some people in fashion and movie to start their businesses. We need an artist’s village or community as obtained in other climes." He also disclosed that his studio here is also working on a partnership with other artists abroad "where we are going to have workshops in the area of painting and cordination to have an exchange program that will keep the art community vibrant. On why he recently

opened the studio at Onikan, he said it is for proximity’s sake.

According to him, the new studio is at the centre of Lagos and it will take care of art collectors who are unsure of their safety at the National Theatre. He also disagreed with the notion that it is only the man who has eaten five-square meal that buys paintings. It is not so, as mere looking at works in exhibition places makes people feel well.“In fact, the best place to go when you are cramped is to go and see an art exhibition. They have psychological therapy in them."

Chimamanda... soaring high with awards in the literary world

By Japhet Alakam

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hen little Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was born to the family of James Nwoye Adichie in the university community of Nsukka, little did the parents know that she will grow to become one of the best writers in the land. But , today as fate will have it, the little child has become the most prominent of a "procession of critically acclaimed young anglophone authors that is succeeding in attracting a new generation of readers to African literature.

Ever since 1997, when she published her first collection of poems (Decisions) and a play (For Love of Biafra) in 1998 ,it has been a steady rise and she has continued to publish many novels which won many awards.

Last week, young award winning Nigerian novelist and short story writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was selected as one of TIME magazine’s 2015 100 Most Influential People in the World, bringing to the fore the popular adage that says,"when a child wash his/her hand very well, he/she will dine with elders." With this development, the young Adichie who is the author of three novels, Purple Hibiscus (2003), Half of a Yellow Sun (2006), and Americanah (2013), of a short story collection,

•Adichie The Thing around Your Neck (2009) has added another cap to her myriads of caps.

Her selection was based on her unique position as a literary success and an influential cultural voice.

Ms. Adichie studied political science at Eastern Connecticut State University, and has a Masters degree in writing from Johns Hopkins University and a Masters degree in African Studies from Yale.

She has held fellowships at Princeton-where she taught a writing course-and Harvard.

She is the first Nigerian recipient of numerous prestigious literary awards including the Orange prize, the National Book Critics Circle award, the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize and the

Nonino Prize for fiction. She has, most recently, been shortlisted for the Dublin IMPAC prize, the most lucrative literary award in the world.

In addition, she was listed as one of the top twenty fiction writers under the age of forty by The New Yorker magazine. She has been awarded a Macarthur Fellowship, popularly known as the Macarthur ‘Genius’ Award.

Adichie has also been honoured by the Nigerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the ‘Global Ambassador’ award.

Her first TED talk, “The Danger of a Single Story”, is one of the most-watched TED talks and is a staple of school courses all over the world.

Her second TED talk, “We Should all be Feminists” has been a major influence in the ongoing worldwide resurgence of feminism, and inspired Beyonce’s popular anthem “Flawless”.

Her books have been translated into more than thirty languages and have sold over a million copies worldwide. The film adaptation of her most recent novel “Americanah” will be co-produced by Brad Pitt and Lupita Nyong’o.

She lives in Lagos, where she organizes an annual creative writing workshop.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 —41

Global vaccination targets off track — WHO

By Sola Ogundipe

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S the world braces up for the World Immunisation Week 2015 on 24–30 April, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has called for renewed efforts to enhance progress towards global vaccination targets for 2015 that is off-track with 1 in 5 children still missing out on routine lifesaving immunizations that could avert 1.5 million deaths each year from preventable diseases.

In 2013 nearly 22 million infants missed out on the required three doses of diphtheria-tetanuspertussis-containing vaccines (DTP3), many of them living in the world’s poorest countries.

WHO is calling for an end to the unnecessary disability and death caused by failure to vaccinate.

In a remark WHO Assistant Director-General, Family, Women's and Children's Health, Dr Flavia Bustreo, said: “World Immunization Week creates a focused global platform to reinvigorate our collective efforts to ensure vaccination for every child, whoever they are and wherever they live.

“It is critical that the global community now makes a collective and cohesive effort to put progress towards our six

• Vaccination targets need to be brought back on track. targets back on track.”

In 2012, WHO Member States at the World Health Assembly endorsed the Global Vaccine Action Plan, GVAP, a commitment to ensure that no one misses out on vital immunization. However, a recent independent assessment report on GVAP progress rings an alarm bell, warning that vaccines are not being delivered equitably or reliably and that only 1 of the 6 key vaccination targets for 2015

A recent independent assessment report on GVAP progress rings an alarm bell, warning that vaccines are not being delivered equitably or reliably

is currently on track – the introduction of under-utilized vaccines.

Although progress has stalled in recent years, this early success demonstrates the potential of vaccines, which are increasingly being extended from children to adolescents and adults, providing protection against diseases such as influenza, meningitis and cervical and liver cancers.

The GVAP recommends three

key steps for closing the immunization gap: integrating immunisation with other health services, such as postnatal care for mothers and babies; strengthening health systems so that vaccines continue to be given even in times of crisis; and ensuring that everyone can access vaccines and afford to pay.

In May 2015, WHO will bring together high-level representatives of 34 countries with routine vaccination (three doses of DTP3) coverage of less than 80 percent to discuss challenges and to explore solutions to overcome them.

Although many countries are already vaccinating four out of five children with DTP3, a full one-third of countries are struggling to reach the ‘fifth child’, meaning millions of children remain at risk of illness, disability or death because they are not getting immunizations they need.

“There is no one centralized approach that can ensure vaccines are delivered and administered to each child. Vaccination plans on the ground need to be adapted not just to countries, but to districts and communities. What is required is a truly concerted effort and much stronger accountability.”

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

I

HEARD that there is a perfume that can make a man fall in love with you. Please I am interested but how does it work? Thank you – Yetunde You must be talking about pheromones. Pheromones are sexual scents that are partly responsible for sexual attraction. Every human being and even animals have pheromones in their bodies and they give off this sexual scent to help attract a mate.

The bottled pheromones you are talking about have been scientifically manufactured and enhanced to be even more effective than our natural pheromones. It does not work like a magic charm. It only makes people notice you and be attracted to you.

These people may or may not act on their feelings for you but at least, it will increase your chances of them chatting you up and asking you out. So that is how it works. A good example of a pheromone for women is the Crazy Girl Body Mist .For men, you have the Beaux Geste Pheromone Cologne - Uche Uche please advice me. I have a growth in my testicles and it is making the balls look like they are three instead of two – Friday Dear Friday, go to the hospital immediately. This needs a doctor’s attention and surgery might be involved – Uche I experience vaginal dryness and because of this I don’t enjoy sex. It is usually painful. I hear you can help. Please what do I do? Thanks – Modupe Vaginal dryness has many causes, some of which are inadequate sexual stimulation before intercourse, certain medications that contain antihistamines and menopause in older women. In any case, a common cure for it is the use of Lubricants like the Colt Slick Lubricant. Apply it on the vagina before intercourse and it will get rid of the dryness and pain – Uche My wife and I took the Sex Voltz capsule you prescribed for me when we travelled to our new house in the village and we had the kind of sex that we have never had before. The woman just kept wanting more

and she never refused any of my advances. Please I want to order ten more packets of this thing – Seun Dear Seun, I am glad you are both having the time of your lives but Sex Voltz is an erection enhancer for men only. If you need something for women, please get her the kangaroo for Her supplement, which is very good.

But she shouldn’t take Sex Voltz again even if it worked for her. And for you, well, you know the numbers to call for your Sex Voltz order. It is available in whatever quantity you want – Uche I read an article you wrote last year on female ejaculation. I am interested in giving my woman that kind of pleasure but I need to learn. Also, is it not messy?

– Theophilus First of all Theo, the easiest way to learn sexual skills is through video tutorials also known as educational DVDs. For the knowledge you want, I recommend The G Spot Guide to Female Ejaculation DVD. It teaches you everything you need to know including how to make the woman comfortable enough to try these new experiences with you, because not all women want to learn new things.

As for the messiness involved, yes you are right. Female ejaculation is not like male ejaculation. Male ejaculate can be contained in a tea spoon. When women ejaculate, they can push out lots of fluid that can fill a cup and they ejaculate multiple times within a matter of minutes. But you spread towels on the bed in preparation for this and clean up afterwards. No problem there. Sex is messy but we won’t stop having it just because of that– Uche That’s all for today. The names of the people featured here have been changed for this privacy. Adults in need of the above novelties and treatments can call us on 08027901621 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com. We deliver to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries email us at custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

PIPELINE SURVEILLANCE: Urhobo militant group issues fresh ultimatum to NPDC, FG

By Perez Brisibe

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GHELLI—AN Urhobo militant group, Urhobo Gbagbako, which claimed responsibility for series of pipeline explosions that recently rocked Ughelli, Delta State, communities, yesterday, issued a fresh ultimatum to the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC and the Federal Government threatening further attacks if their demands for allotment of jobs in the pipeline surveillance contract were not met immediately.

The group, in a statement, threatened to launch more attacks on pipelines across the length and breadth of the 24 Urhobo kingdoms, warning the government against negotiating with Host Communities, HOSTCOM, on its behalf, adding that “HOSTCOM does not have the mandate of Urhobo communities to represent them.”

Claiming responsibility for

I’ll be the first son of a poor man to govern C-River —AYADE

By Emma Una

C

A L A B A R — SENATOR Ben Ayade, the Cross River State governor-elect, has said that he will be the first son of a poor man to govern Cross River State among all those who had taken charge of the affairs of the state and as such, will ensure he improves on the welfare of the people of the state, majority of whom are poor.

Senator Ayade, in Calabar, while receiving his Certificate of Return from the Independent National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, Mrs Thelma Iremiren, said he will create a new agenda that is friendly to the people of Cross River State.

“We shall, with this opportunity afforded us by the people, create a new agenda, an agenda that focuses on the poor by making the means of production easy and affordable to move our people forward," he said.

an explosion that rocked an Ogor oil Pipeline on April 15, 2015, spokesman for the group, Priest Omodjuvwu, in an email, said: “Though the explosion was skeletal, it was a welcome development.”

The group, while listing its demands, asked the Federal Government to award to it, oil

surveillance jobs of pipelines that run across the entire Urhoboland.

“We have identified these targeted assets to be worth billions of naira to both NPDC and Shorelines. Be rest assured that we remain committed to fighting this unfair treatment of our people

to a logical conclusion until justice is done.

“Also, your continued dealings with traitors and enemies of our people in an attempt to find a solution to this matter, shall be met with stiff resistance and rejection of these companies on our land,” the statement added.

BRIEFING: Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, during a parley with State House Correspondents after attending the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Presidential villa Abuja. Photo by Abayomi Adeshida.

Group slams Rivers govt over planned LG polls

By Davies Iheamnachor

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ORT HARCOURT—A group in Rivers State has condemned the sudden fixing of local government elections on May 23 by Rivers State Government, saying it was a ploy by the state government to cause anarchy in the state.

The group on the platform of I See You, in a statement during a victory march in Port Harcourt, on the emergence of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP candidate, Mr Nyesom Wike, as the governor-elect of the state, said that the decision of the Rivers State Government to conduct the local government elections six days to the official hand-over to the governor-elect was not proper. He stressed that the administration of incumbent Governor Rotimi Amaechi should be thinking of rendering account of its stewardship to the

people of the state instead of conducting another election.

Speaking at the victory march, the leader of the group, Mr. Chizi Nyeomasila, said the plan of the Rivers State Government to hold council elections was condemnable,

Delta Assembly sets up c'ttee on land allocation

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State House of Assembly has set up a four-member adhoc committee to investigate the allocation of lands in the state in the last four years.

The setting up of the committee by the House, during its plenary presided over by the Speaker, Mr Peter Onwusanya followed a motion under matters of urgent

Ijaw group commends Diden on performance to the Itsekiri people and the

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APELE—AN Ijaw group, Egbema New Breed, led by Mr Christopher Awe, yesterday, hailed the performance of Delta State House of Assembly memberelect for Warri North Constituency and current Commissioner representing the Itsekiri nation on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Dr Michael Diden, for what it described as “His selfless service

adding that the youths in the state will resist such move.

He said such election was not supposed to be scheduled at a time when the state was in transition. He advised the state government to take one responsibility at a time.

entire Deltans, while serving as Chairman of Warri North council and other government positions he has occupied to date.”

Awe in a statement said that Dr Diden was the only Warri North council boss of Itsekiri extraction, who made it possible for the Ijaws to occupy the position of Vice Chairman of Warri North Local council, adding “Before and after the tenure of Diden, no other Chairman has done it.”

public importance by the Chairman, House Committee on Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Martin Okonta.

The motion which was seconded by the Deputy Majority Leader, Johnson Erijo was adopted when put to a voice vote by the Speaker.

The Speaker thereafter, directed the Commissioner for Lands, Survey and Urban Development, the Surveyor- General of the state and Director of Lands to submit all relevant documents relating to the allocation of lands in the state in the last four years to the Adhoc committee on or before Friday.

Sam Obi, Ika North East is the Chairman of the adhoc committee with Martin Okonta, Ika South, Joseph Oshevire, Ethiope East, Pat Ajudua, Oshimili North and Oboro Preyor, Bomadi as members while the secretary House Committee on Lands, Survey and Urban Development, Miss Judith Nwaka will serve as secretary. The committee has one week to submit its report.

APC candidate faults PDP on claims over Bomadi polls

B

OMADI—ALL Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Bomadi constituency in the April 11 House of Assembly election in Delta State, Mr. Preye Okaba, yesterday described comments by members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bomadi Local Government Area of the state that the PDP won the election in the area, as not only false, but a statement to support the irregularities that trailed the elections.

Okaba, while alleging that series of irregularities that trailed the election with the connivance of adhoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and members of the PDP in the area, stated that as a law abiding citizen, he urged his followers not to take laws into their hands in the aftermath of the election, stressing that with the evidence to buttress his allegations, he would be meeting the PDP candidate at the tribunal.

NANS, NADESSTU congratulate Okowa

By Tommy Anaduaka

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ELTA State students, under the aegis of National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS and National Association of Delta State Students Union, NADESSTU, have congratulated Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and Ezekiel Okoh over their victory in the just concluded elections in Delta State.

The students also commended Okoh for effectively mobilizing and coordinating students in the state to vote and work assiduously for the victory.

National President of NADESSTU, said while celebrating the triumph of the governor- elect in Asaba, that the election of Okowa was the best thing that could ever happen to the state.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—43

Late Chukwumerije, a man of edifying character, charisma —Sen Okonkwo

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ENATOR ANNIE Okonkwo has expressed his condolences to Nigerians and the family of the departed Senator Uche Chukwumerije, describing the deceased in glowing terms.

He said: "Indeed, if I may put it mildly, Senator Uche Chukwumerije’s death is a great loss to Nigeria, a special denial to Ndigbo and a multiple pain to his family and friends.

"This is because Uche is a man whose solid integrity is as muscular as his athletic masculinity. A Senator whose comportment and presentation commands presence and inspires easy respect.

"As a technocrat of words and an artist of persuasion, he lived his convictions with panache and prudence. You can never be in doubt where Uche stood on an issue because his eloquence is real, straight and simple, and comes home sharp, penetrating and witty.

"In fact, and in substance, Ndigbo, nay Nigeria, has lost a rare gem, an intense man of character, and an articulate mind with charisma.

"My heart grieves his departure and goes out to every Nigerian and his family that loved this man the way he was, and missed his very worthy attributes."

ABIA SUPPLEMENTARY POLL: Ikpeazu calls

for soldiers’ withdrawal peaceful atmosphere in the state, the group in a statement by its Deputy Director (Media), Barr. Kingsley Emereuwa, said soldiers should be withdrawn since they had been compromised.

He said: “The military has been lending themselves as tools in the hands of Alex Otti for the purposes of sidelining those perceived to be serious threat to his already collapsed governorship project. ‘’It is obvious that Abia is not a place for these soldiers who may as well be drafted to the

election held in Abia and bring to book any officer whose role fell short of the expected conduct of HE CAMPAIGN military officer.

Organisatio, of Peoples “On Saturday, April 11, the Democratic Party, PDP, Independent National Electoral governorship candidate in Abia Commission, INEC, conducted State, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has governorship and State House of called for the withdrawal of Assembly elections in Abia State. soldiers from the state ahead of At the end of the polls in which the April 25 supplementary results were collated and polls in the state. announced in all the 17 local Alleging that the government areas in the state, the governorship candidate of the candidate of the PDP, Dr. Okezie All Progressives Grand Ikpeazu, scored a total of 248,459 Alliance, APGA, Dr. Alex Otti, votes to beat Mr. Alex Otti of the was disrupting the existing All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, who came a distant second with total of 165,406 votes. ‘’However, in a twist after collation and announcement of results, rather than declare the candidate with the highest votes cast, who has satisfied the constitutional requirement of votes spread, winner, INEC, through the Collation/Returning Officer of the election, Professor Benjamin Ozumba, announced that the elections were inconclusive and subsequently rescheduled what it termed supplementary elections in some polling units where it alleged that elections did not take place on the said election day.”

The group, however, said the decision by INEC was highly condemnable, alleging that the AGM: From left, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi, Registrar/CEO, CIPM; Mrs. Ifeoma Adeniyi, National umpire had set up a double Treasurer( CIPM; Mr. Anthony Arabome, New President/ Chairman of Council, CIPM; Mr. standard on its rule and provision Udom Inoyo, Vice President, CIPM, and Immediate Past President, Mr. Victor Famuyibo, of Electoral Act in Abia State during 2014 Annual General Meeting of CIPM, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe governorship election.

By Gbenga Oke

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....IPAC rejects calls for supplementary election ...as group accuses civil society organisations of partisanship

By Anayo Okoli & Felix Ogbonna

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MUAHIA—As the electorate in Abia State prepare for a supplementary

governorship election on Saturday, the state chapter of Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct

Lawyers task Buhari on good governance, campaign promises

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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N ADVOCACY group, Lawyers for Change, has charged the President elect, General Muhamadu Buhari, to focus on his campaign promises, especially with regards to recovering the Chibok girls abducted over a year ago.

National coordinator of the group, Mr. Adesina Ogunlana, also admonished newly elected politicians both at the national and state levels not to bask in the euphoria of past glory, but endeavour to create the much awaited change Nigerians had been craving.

Ogunlana charged Buhari to live up to his earlier promise of finding the girls who were abducted by the Boko Haram sect,

North-East where their services are highly needed. ‘’Abia has always been a peaceful state and the citizens cannot fold their arms and watch one man throw it into political turmoil.

“It is against the backdrop of the connivance of the military to join forces with Alex Otti to attempt to thwart the collective will of the people of Abia that we align with the calls by well meaning Nigerians and the Chief of Army Staff to investigate the ignoble role of his officers and men in the last

adding that his comments after the general elections, which indicated that his government could not cannot guarantee the recovery of the girls, contradicted his promise before the elections.

The girls were seized April 14, 2014, from their dormitory as they wrote their WAEC examinations.

He said: “What he said is at variance with his promise. Chibok girls must be rescued, they must be found.”

According to him, to adequately address and curb the issue of corruption, there must be a project tagged, ‘real retooling of the national economy.

He said: “misappropriation of government fund must end. To serve as a deterrent yo others, wealth corruptly acquired should be relinquished. Our country must change and be changed.

“Life in Nigeria must not remain the same. What the people elected in is change, and change they will get, change not just transition.”

Ogunlana also commended Nigerians for electing Buhari/ Osinbajo who he described as real agents of change and promised to ensure that his group will continue to be a watch-dog on the incoming administration.

fresh governorship election.

This came as a socio-political group in the state, All Citizens Forum, accused civil society organisations and other election observers who monitored the April 11 governorship and state Assembly polls of partisanship.

IPAC in a statement by the chairman, Prince Emeka Okafor, said it had rejected the April 11 governorship and House of Assembly elections in the state, saying it was so much characterised by irregularities, violence and manipulations to pass as an acceptable election.

Rising from a meeting in Umuahia, Tuesday, IPAC noted with dismay that the April 11 elections in Abia State “was marred with irregularities, violence, massive rigging, ballot box snatching, tampering of result

figures by INEC officers and a host other manipulations that completely undermined the whole exercise.”

Giving specific areas where the malpractices occurred, IPAC said: “Various reports and evidences indicate that many electoral officers and Youth Corp members were complicit in the manipulation of electoral results.

In Abia North, in Ohafia Local Government the voting was marred with irregularities, particularly in Nkporo and in the localities of Ania and Abia.

“In Isiukwuato, Umunneochi and Arochukwu, there were reports of late arrival of materials and incidents of snatching ballot boxes. In Abia Central, in Osisoma, voters were harassed by armed hoodlums and dispersed from polling booths."

Abia reverses tenure policy 8 years after

By Anayo Okoli

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MUAHIA—ABIA State government has suspended the tenure policy of eight years for permanent secretaries, head of nonministerial departments and

directors in the state public service.

According to the government, the suspension took effect from April 1, 2015 and supersedes all other previous circulars on the matter.

Governor Theodore Orji approved the suspension of the

policy which had been in operation in the state for about eight years, saying the policy would not apply till further notice The suspension was contained in a circular of April 16, 2015 from the Office of the Head of Service, Governor’s Office.

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Co-operate with incoming govt, Yuguda urges Bauchi people B

AUCHI—GOVERNOR Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State has appealed to the state’s civil servants to give their full support to the incoming administration of the governorelect, Mohammed Abubakar.

He made the appeal in Bauchi during an interactive session with senior civil servants in the state, stressing that “I appeal to you, for God’s sake and for the sake of our people, to support and cooperate with the incoming governor.

“Don’t look at him as a representative of the All Progressives Congress (APC) because politicking will end the day he will be sworn in as governor come May 29; it will then be no longer politics but governance.”

Yuguda said the governorelect would require a lot from the state’s civil servants in terms of direction and therefore urged them to look inward and develop ideas that would make a difference in their respective ministries and ensure the success of the incoming administration.

“I urge you to help him, because his failure is our failure.

I don’t have any reason not to support him. He is our governor and we owe him the duty to support him so that he would succeed,” Yuguda added.

The outgoing governor, who

said that he had done his best to transform the economy of the state, attributed his success to the cooperation and support the civil servants gave him.

He then asked the civil servants and the people of Bauchi State to forgive him

wherever he offended them throughout his eight years of stewardship as governor.

“Please extend my plea to the junior civil servants to forgive me in any way I must have offended them, through my action or inaction.

“All of you, wherever I offended you, please forgive me,” Yuguda pleaded.

VISIT: From left: Mr. Phillip Obioha, Chief Operating Officer, CWG Plc; Mr. James Agada, Chief Technology Officer, CWG Plc; Mrs. Nnena Ugwu, Alumni Director, EDC; Mr. Austin Okere, Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc; Mr. Peter Bamkole, Director, EDC during the visit of the EDC delegation to CWG Plc head office in Lagos.

Boko Haram terrorists out of arms, ammunitions — DHQ years from the forest,” he stated.

According to him, “the Boko Haram terrorists have only bow AIDUGURI—AS troops and arrows, matchetes, daggers continued their mop and other local weapons, as they operations to rid the Sambisa Forest have run out of arms and of the remaining Boko Haram terrorists in the forest, the insurgents are said to have run out of arms and ammunitions, an escapee and military sources have revealed.

This is even as the Director

By Ifeyinwa Obi Defence Information, Major General Chris Olukolade confirmed to newsmen in Abuja that ground FRICAN member troops with support from air strikes states of International have stormed the forest, smoking Maritime Organisation (IMO) the terrorists out of their hideouts. are seeking support for Kenya’s Although, Olukolade did not candidate for the Secretary disclose whether the troops have General’s position in the succeeded in killing or destroying forthcoming election of the apex terrorists’ camps in the ongoing global maritime agency. raid which began yesterday, an The Pan African Association for escapee from Tabe village in Port Cooperation (PAPC) which Damboa Local Government Area is soliciting support for Kenya’s said “the Boko Haram terrorists candidate, Mr. Juvenal Shiundu, have run out of arms and believes that he has a chance. ammunitions as the military have Communications Officer of intensified attacks on Sambiza PAPC , Mr. George Sunguh, said Forest”. that Shiundu, Africa’s only “You can find more than 500 of candidate, is contesting against the insurgents with only few of them five other candidates from Europe having rifles and even when one and Asia. or two of them have rifles, they have It would be recalled that since no ammunitions. It is just like the establishment of the IMO in somebody holding a stick..., as they 1958, Africa has not yet had the have run out of ammunitions, opportunity to occupy the post of because the usual supplies they get Secretary General. are not forthcoming.

Pan African Association for Port “I am optimistic that the military Cooperation believes that the bold will succeed by killing many of these step taken by the Republic of sect members who have been Kenya to present the candidature terrorising residents in the past three of Mr. Shiundu would give Africa

By Ndahi marama

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ammunitions and were roaming about in the bushes of the villages along the fringes of the Sambiza forest.”

Another resident of Yamtake village told Vanguard that, “ As a

result of the recent aerial bombardment on the Sambiza Forest, many of the sect members including their commanders have fled into the nearby bushes in Yamtake.

Africa seeks support for Kenya’s candidate for IMO Sec-Gen’s position

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her maiden opportunity to produce a Secretary General of this very august Organization (IMO).

Shiundu has an extensive wealth of experience not only as a naval architect and from industry, but also within the IMO itself where he has served in key positions, including the Head of Africa Section in charge of technical cooperation and presently, Deputy Director in the Technical Cooperation Division in charge of programme management.

Sunguh added that Shiundu has over the years and till present, worked extensively in the IMO in support of Africa’s cause for maritime institutional and human capacity building.

He is credited with the successful establishment and running of IMO’s Regional Presence Programme which has resulted in the opening of three sub-regional offices of the IMO in Accra (Ghana), Abidjan (Cote d’Ivoire) and Nairobi (Kenya).

These offices have brought the IMO to the door-steps of Africa and facilitated the deployment of IMO technical assistance to the

maritime sector.

The association said that ports and maritime Administrations of all countries of Africa have benefited variously from IMO’s technical and human capacity building as a result of the proximity of the IMO through its Regional Presence Offices.

Itsekiri group lauds Buhari, Emerhor; assures Deltans of change

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N Itsekiri group, Itsekiris United for Change, has assured Deltans that the victory of the All Progressives Congress, APC, at the national level was far more important than what it described as the temporary victory of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the gubernatorial elections in Delta State. In a press release made available to newsmen in Warri, yesterday, the group through its President, Theodore Amatoritse and Director of Publicity, Tsola Ogbe, claimed that there were no free, fair and credible elections in Delta. While congratulating the Presidentelect, General Muhammadu Buhari on his victory, it commended Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, APC’s governorship candidate for Delta State for the sacrifices he made in swaying numerous Deltans to the side of General Buhari, asserting that Emerhor’s commitment to the change philosophy of the APC had paid off with Buhari’s emergence as the next President of Nigeria.

The group pointed out that Emerhor was the only major contender for the Governorship who remained consistent in trying to sway Deltans to the side of Buhari for the purpose of bringing change to Nigeria in general and Delta State in particular.

Insisting that the victory of PDP in the governorship elections was merely a passing phase, it further alleged that since the elections in Delta were completely flawed, hope still remains alive for the state to liberated from what it termed as sixteen years of PDP misrule.

‘2,000 pry schl pupils study in two classrooms''

B

AUCHI—THE Head of Guru Village, Alhaji Mohammad Baba, said over 2,000 primary school pupils study in two classrooms in the village near Bauchi, Bauchi State.

Baba disclosed this during interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Bauchi Tuesday.

According to him, the leadership of the village has been making efforts to ensure that more classes are erected to ensure atmosphere conducive for the school children.

He said members of the village contributed and erected two

temporary classrooms but were destroyed by rain storm.

Baba said after the destruction of the classes, two philanthropists in the village provided rooms in their houses to make four classes.

According to him, 1,000 of our school children are receiving lessons in just two classes provided by the residents.

“The village is more than 100 years old but the development of education in the area is very low.’’

The community head said plans were under way to visit the State Universal Basic Education Office for another round of discussion for the construction of more classes in the village.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015—45

BRIEFING ON ELECTIONS: From left— Dr. Fredrick Fasehun, National Chairman, Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN; Dr. Nneoma Nnamah, National Welfare Officer, and Prince Samson Ndubuisi, Deputy National Secretary, at a briefing on the general elections in Lagos.

VISIT: Rear Admiral Henry Babalola, Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command (left), receiving a souvenir from Commodore Obi Ofodile, Director, Department of Maritime Warfare, Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, during his courtesy visit to the Command.

VISIT: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu (right) and Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, Chairman, Executive Trainers Ltd, during a congratulatory visit to Tinubu on All Progressives Party, APC, victory at the polls.

FOR MALARIA: From left— Dr. Edwards Okobi, Training facilitator; Andrew Yoder, National Project Manager, both of Development Africa Malaria Elimination Programme; Chief Superintendent of Police Ahmed Lateef, Commander Mopol 20 Squadron, Ikeja, Lagos, and Joshua Kempeneer, Country Director, Development Africa Malaria Elimination Programme, during the 2015 World Malaria Day awareness seminar in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

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The untold secret of Nigeria’s economic rise

By Chamberlain S. Peterside

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N the euphoria of recently concluded general elections, there are more winners than losers. The courage by President Jonathan to concede defeat early is quite salutary and saved Nigeria from several dooms-day predictions by pundits.

The winners at the end of the day are not only the electorate that voted for Buhari, but also the generality of the populace who would ultimately benefit from an economic surge and perceived social justice that can be engendered in this new era.

It is obvious that General Buhari is a man that never gives up, until he gets what he wants. This is reflected in his persistent contest of presidential elections for the fourth time now, until he succeeded in edging out his opponent. Some of us would want to see this same doggedness expressed also in his pursuit of radical economic reform never seen before in Nigeria. If his antecedent is anything to judge by, then there is reason to hope that he would try many unconventional approaches and take tough decisions in trying to

CHAMBERLAIN

PETERSIDE

pull Nigeria from the doldrums and its perennial underperformer status in the global economic sphere.

Skewed public finance architecture: My experience as Finance Commissioner here in Rivers State and attending the ritual monthly Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) meetings where revenue is shared has opened my eyes to Nigeria’s fiscal framework.

But most times my front-row observations leave me bewildered and pondering how anyone expects Nigeria to perform better, given its current public finance architecture and economic structure.

It will only take some anointing or relentless prayers to achieve anything better. Unfortunately, economic progress demands smart policies and timely actions and not prayers.

For starters, let’s ask ourselves the following salient questions How can a modern economy be so reliant on a singular export commodity like crude oil, that accounts for 80 per cent of budget revenue? How can you achieve

job creation for teeming youths and alleviate poverty with such dismal electricity supply and w o b b l y infrastructure?

How in the world do you hope to continuously provide enough affordable commodities for a huge consumerist society without l o c a l manufacturing base? How can you have the financial capacity to invest in and expand infrastructure if you spend over 75 per cent of your budget on recurrent expenditures? This and many other common sense questions should keep President Buhari and his team awake over the next four years.

Failing infrastructure I personally prefer to take an unorthodox view to our problems and seek new solutions. Even with a near-comatose manufacturing sector and failing infrastructure, Nigeria has managed to log in 5 - 7 per cent GDP growth rate over the last decade. No thanks to our direct effort, but via rebasing, the country now boasts of the largest economy on the continent; moving from the 39th to the 29th position amongst the largest economies in the world. Five years away from 2020, there’s still a fair chance that Nigeria may at least become a leading top-20 economy by the turn of this decade.

Mr President Buhari – tear down this wall: Just to borrow a famous phrase from President Ronald Reagan when he visited West Berlin at the heat of the cold war in the late 1980s, where he said - Mr Gorbatchev, “tear down

Economic progress demands smart policies and timely actions and not prayers

Map of Nigeria this wall” To our President-elect I want to say - “tear down this oil veil.”

To make serious progress I would call on President-elect Buhari on assumption of office to tear-down this disjointed and dysfunctional oil based economy, then rebuild it from the bottomup. How, you may ask? The feats and efforts that brought Nigeria this far from the 1960s to 1980s would hardly take it to the next level. It is quite characteristic that backward, third-world economies are typically mono-product, import-oriented, agrarian and undiversified. However that is not the case for emerging economies of the 21st century, such as the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russian, Indian, China and South Africa) where you have a well-diversified, exportoriented, robust domestic manufacturing base. A cursory look at Singapore, India, China, Malaysia and even South Africa can explain that better.

National emergency The bedrock of Nigeria’s economy, the oil/gas sector is so opaque and overdue for radical revamping, no question about that. But overhaul in what direction is another issue. To my mind beyond enacting the PIB (Petroleum Industry Bill) to dismantle the NNPC and delineate the regulatory and commercial functions of that behemoth in the industry, Nigeria should consider beginning to curtail crude oil exports over the next 2 – 4 years, down to 30 – 50% of production as a matter of national emergency and deliberate policy.

If leaving the OPEC is what it takes so be it, afterall no emerging market country belongs to OPEC. I say that for the following solid reasons that will require hard statistics to be buttressed further and substantiated; • The value creation in dollar terms or incremental productivity from crude oil refining locally far outweighs the proceeds from crude oil exports at current prices.

Consider the by-product derived from refining a barrel of crude oil even at current average price of $50 - $60 per barrel, which can

Consequently based on this configuration, a barrel of crude oil refined locally will produce approximately 30 litres of petrol/gasoline, 90 litres of diesel and other sundry products. In monetary terms, 90 litres of diesel at a unit market price of N150 is about N13,500 or $67 at N200/ 1 USD, while 30 litres of fuel/gasoline at N110 per litre will give N3,300 or $16. That alone amounts President Goodluck Jonathan to a total output of $84, not considering the income from other refined products. Now compare this to a current market price of crude at $60 per barrel that results to a loss of $24 per barrel.

At a daily production of 2.3 Million barrels, Nigeria losses $55 Million daily or $19.8 Billion annually, assuming production is President-elect, Buhari for 360 days at going be at least 3 – 5 times more. This price of $60 per barrel. same products can help unlock The last dinosaur standing — value in the local economy NNPC: Aggregate this financial through providing lubrication for loss with the mass closure and the domestic manufacturing; diesel, low capacity utilization of existing aviation fuel, kerosene for local local factories and intermittent industries and polyethylene for shortage of refined products in the petrochemical processing and market, plus the subsidy sinkLiquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) hole, you would understand the for domestic cooking and enormity of financial calamity commercial use. being orchestrated by the overly • One of the greatest inhibiting dependence on this singular factors in the growth of local hydro-carbon sector in Nigeria. electricity generation is shortage of gas supply. Yet Nigeria has Vested huge gas reserves, and exports interests Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) through the existing Bonny LNG Now don’t ask me about the plant, while planning for Brass attitude of vested interests and and Olokola LNG. How myopic economic groups in economically insensitive can that Nigeria towards the proposed be? If you consider for a moment radical turn-around (that have the impact on manufacturing and carved their respective niches and growth of cottage industries, the would not live to see this drastic increase of electric power capacity change happen). To them I say, from the current level of 4000 “if you can’t beat us, join us”. megawatts to say 10,000 – 20,000 Economic transformation and megawatts in the next 4 years you structural changes are usually would understand how that can fraught with casualties. In such tremendously spur productivity circumstances, companies and and drive double-digit economic entrepreneurs are forced to retool, growth. realign, re-strategize or perish.

• To rely on oil exports and The progressive match forward in proceeds from gas exports at the any economy ought to benefit the expense of domestic power majority, however, due to supply and local crude refining potential loss of grip and is fool hardy to say the least for entrenched rent-seeking Nigeria and Buhari should mentality, drastic changes hardly consider reversing that trend. succeed, nor even allowed to • The multitude of challenges take-off. plaguing Nigeria today is a direct As we have seen with the status consequence of that third-world quo in NNPC, PHCN and economic malaise.

NITEL etc. Thankfully, but If the prognosis of Nigeria gradually that choke-hold is rising to join the ranks of the Next loosening. President Obasanjo 11 (according to Goldman Sachs succeeded in dismantling/ Investment Bank) or becoming a liberalizing the MINT member country is to be telecommunication sector, achieved, the current President Jonathan made strong environment is totally hostile and strides in unbundling and counter-productive for that. By the disposing the electric power way MINT stands for Mexico, assets of NEPA (PHCN). The last Indonesia, Nigeria and Turkey as dinosaur still standing and a new group of powerful global probably the strongest of all is emerging economies.

NNPC and the oil/gas cartel.

Market scenario: For the President Buhari must attack that purposes of illustration, consider challenge frontally to make it his the following facts. A barrel of best legacy and at last free the crude oil, is an equivalent of about economy of Nigeria from a 159 litres. Consisting of 11% debilitating paralysis.

Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG); •Peterside is Rivers State 13% petrol/gasoline; 50% diesel Commissioner for Finance and the remaining are kerosene, fuel oil, sulphur etc.

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Continues from page 5 me as IGP and seeing me up to this time because I believe God knows the best.

“Now I want to move on with my life and in doing that, I want to use this opportunity to appeal to those who we might have offended to know that the nature of policing in a country like Nigeria is fraught with its challenges. We have different people, different values. Even at that, I want to appeal to those who feel deeply offended to have a place in their heart to forgive and lend support to my colleagues.

“My happiness is that we have gone through the elections and after all the hard work, the elections are almost over.

I want to thank those who helped in making sure that we have peace today. Leading in this line is President Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, the Peace committee, civil society groups. But it is not yet over because elections are yet to be concluded in three states.”

Ex-IGPs regret sack, say action killing police force

Meanwhile, some former InspectorsGeneral of Police have expressed reservations over Abba’s sack, saying the action of the President and others in the past was killing the Nigerian Police Force.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, former Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Aliyu Ibrahim Attah expressed regret that with the sacking of Abba, the Nigerian Police Force has produced six different InspectorsGeneral of Police within a period of six years, noting that by so doing, the best trained officers of the force were being eased out at such fast pace without equally well-trained and welle x p e r i e n c e d replacements.

Noting that if reasons for Abba’s removal which were attributed to political issues were true, Attah said: “Then I think it is not good for somebody who is an IGP not to be allowed to do his job. He is a professionally trained officer. In fact, I read it two days before

his sack that Abba will go because of certain issues about politics but before one can say jack, Mr. President removed him.

It is not the best for the police institution.

“The young man that is leaving (Abba), I can’t fault him for the way he did his job during the elections. He moved officers from point A to point B because he wanted a good job done.

So they cannot say he was partial. He knows his officers. If Abubakar is good for Sokoto, he posted him there, if Ikechukwu is good for Ebonyi, he posted him there. It is when you see him collecting money that you can sanction him and that is not the case.

“I don’t think the Prime Minister of Britain would get involved in such a thing. The American ambassador was at Force Headquarters to commend the IGP for a marvellous job during elections, the next thing, the IGP is being sacked.

I hope this will be the last of it.

“Do not get me wrong.

Both Abba and Arase are officers who grew up under us. Arase, Abba and some others are very intelligent officers, professionals to the core but their breed are few and adequate training has not been impacted in the force to produce others like them. Aside from this, Arase according to the law is supposed to retire soon.

“So the Police, as it is now, are gradually being moved to ground zero.

Why I am not happy is that we are doing these things and we are not thinking about training and improving the capacity for the force."

On how it can be averted

On how incidents like this can be averted in future, the former IGP said such bodies like the Council of State for former heads of state, Council of Chief Justices and other retired senior judges who are consulted from time to time, should be constituted for the police that will involve retired IGP’s, who will be consulted when such issues arise.

“The truth is that you have to bring up the police force that we deserve. If you train them shabbily and there are no good accommodation and

ICAN: From left— Chief Femi Deru, Vice President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN; Mrs Barbara Kalu, wife of the guest of honour; Elder Kalu U. Kalu, guest of honour, and Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, ICAN President, at the conferment of ICAN Fellowship on members in Lagos, yesterday.

NAN PHOTO.

Drama, as Abba stalls handover for hours nobody cares, ours is just to see the policeman on duty, the policeman makes his uniform, buys his beret, then these things will manifest.

"Also, something must be done in the area of training so that as the hierarchy is going, the ones taking over are seen to be capable to do the job. Many retired IGPs are not happy about what is going on because it is killing the force.”

Leaders differ on IGP’s sack

Also, barely a day after the sack of Abba, northern leaders have differed on the action, saying that it portends a bad omen for the country.

Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, described the removal of Abba as a political vendetta carried out to massage the political ego of Jonathan and his grieving party, the PDP, having lost the elections to the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC. Mohammed said that the sack of the police officer was not only illtimed but carried out without any justifiable reasons that Nigerians of good conscience could applaud.

The former presidential aide said although Abba did not impress him as a professional police officer given his role in the National Assembly

imbroglio of last year, it was wrong for the President to fire him from his post on account of doing his job to satisfy the larger interest of the country.

He said that it was also wrong for sitting presidents to appoint senior police officers principally on the basis of supporting the government in power to win elections or fire them in the event of losing grounds.

“We must begin to appoint senior police officers on the basis of competence and merit so that they can help in sustaining and implementing the criminal justice system and add value to our democracy,” Mohammed said.

“Any attempt by any government in Nigeria to choose and pick partisan elements to occupy top posts in the Nigerian Police with a view to assisting the government in power to win elections is against the spirit and character of the Nigerian constitution and will never work.”

But the President of the Northern Elders’ Council, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, argued that President Jonathan might have had a more serious reason for relieving the IGP of his post and should not be condemned for playing his constitutional role.

Yakassai, who spoke in

an interview with Vanguard, said it was too early for Nigerians to begin to blame Jonathan for his action, asking them to find out why the police officer was fired barely a few weeks to the end of the administration that brought him to power.

The presidential adviser to former

President Shehu Shagari said: “I believe that there must be a more serious reason for the action of the president than what is currently being bandied about in the media. “Nigerians may never know the true position on the removal of the IGP but they need to find out before advancing reasons."

Urhobo group carpets Omene for comments on APC

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N Urhobo sociocultural group, Urhobo Prestige Alliance, has condemned recent statements credited to factional leader of the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, Chief Joe Omene, in which he described the All Progressives Congress, APC, as a party that could not win a seat in the Delta State House of Assembly.

While addressing newsmen in Effurun, yesterday, the group in a statement by its President, Anthony Egbonoje, asserted that the only reason APC did not win the seats Omene was alluding to was, because there were no proper elections in Delta, claiming that the PDP, in tandem with its INEC partners simply allocated votes, including a handful of seats to Labour Party as reward for playing its role in PDP’s determination to resist change and keep

Delta State in bondage for another four years.

According to Egbonoje: “Had there been free and fair elections, APC would have won the Governorship itself and a majority of House of Assembly seats as well. It is thanks to the consistent and unwavering leadership of Olorogun O’tega Emerhor of APC and the wise counsel of the Chief Tuesday Onoge led UPU that at least we have a ministerial slot in General Buhari’s government for the progressives in Delta not to be entirely left out in the incoming administration. ''We find it quite surprising that Omene, whose Presidential candidate, Jonathan, and governorship candidate, Great Ogboru, both lost, now thinks he is in a position to lecture the APC which won the Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

56 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, APRIL 23 , 2015

Italy: UN presence in Niger, Sudan can help migrant crisis ...Pope urges world leaders to help Italy I

TALY pressed the EU yesterday to devise robust steps to stop the deadly tide of migrants crossing the Mediterranean, including considering military intervention against smugglers and boosting U.N. refugee offices in countries bordering Libya.

Meanwhile, EU leaders will meet today to discuss the Mediterranean migrants crisis “We know where the smugglers keep their boats, where they gather,” said Defense Minister Roberta Pinotti. “The plans for military intervention are there.

Some 90 percent of smugglers’ boats leave from Libya, where the lack of a central authority coupled with extremists affiliated with the Islamic State group have contributed to chaos and lawlessness that have allowed criminal trafficking networks to proliferate.

Pinotti said Italy was willing to take the helm of any military intervention if asked and as long as it is carried out as an

Rescued migrants disembark from an Italian Navy vessel in the harbor of Augusta, Sicily, Southern Italy, Wednesday, April 22, 2015. international mission, backed by the United Nations.

“We’re ready to do our share,” she told Sky TG24. “We’re the closest country to Libya.”

Pinotti spoke a day before EU leaders hold an emergency summit in Brussels called in the wake of a shipwreck off Libya last weekend that may have killed more than 800 migrants. It

would be the highest known loss of migrants’ lives in a single incident in the Mediterranean.

Ahead of the summit, Premier Mario Renzi called for EU leaders to approve three key proposals: doubling the resources and assets of the current EU border patrol mission; destroying smugglers’ boats and improving coordination

across the EU for transferring asylum seekers.

“European Union naval operations in the Horn of Africa have successfully fought piracy — and a similar initiative must be developed to effectively fight against human trafficking in the Mediterranean,” Renzi wrote in a New York Times opinion piece. “Trafficking

vessels should be put out of operation.”

In the latest arrivals of migrants, an Italian naval vessel docked in the Sicilian port of Augusta with 446 people who had been rescued off the southern coast of the Italian mainland. The navy said 59 were children.

“We prefer to die trying (to migrate) than stay back there and die,” said Emmanual, a Nigerian migrant who recently arrived in Sicily. “Stay at home and get shot dead or maybe burnt to death, I just prefer to die while trying or survive.”

Later in the day, another 540 migrants arrived in Salerno on the mainland. Some were in isolation under a tent of the main deck of the Italian navy ship that rescued them since they had scabies — underscoring a growing health threat that on Wednesday prompted Italian Health Minister Beatrice Lorenzin to convene a summit of EU health ministers in Rome to coordinate immunization and other

health measures for the new arrivals.

Pinotti said she was cautiously hopeful that the EU summit on Thursday, solicited by Italy, would take tangible steps to deal with the emergency.

“We think it’s the moment in which Europe decides, forcefully, to have an international police operation, which will undo this band of criminals,” Pinotti said.

In a speech to Parliament, Renzi urged the EU to swiftly craft l o n g - r a n g e , comprehensive policy on the migrants.

Meanwhile, Pope Francis has called on the European Union and the international community to do more to help Italy cope with unprecedented numbers of migrants rescued in the Mediterranean during journeys on smugglers’ boats to flee war, persecution or poverty.

With his popularity and deep concern for social issues, the pope gave Italy a boost in its lobbying for Brussels and northern EU countries to provide more assistance.

Zuma vows action against immigrant attacks, deploys more army ...As country's image suffers after attacks

S

OUTH African President, Jacob Zuma yesterday pledged to tackle xenophobia in South Africa as troops were sent in to support police in a crackdown against attacks on immigrants that have left at least seven people dead.

Already, on Tuesday, 11 men were arrested in a joint police and army raid on a hostel in downtown Johannesburg, hours after the military was deployed.

After meeting business, civil and religious leaders, Zuma said his government would take decisive steps

to address “underlying” problems behind the attacks and ensure foreigners were not targeted.

“South Africans are not xenophobic,” he said, adding that, “If we don’t deal with the underlying issues, it will come back.

“We have taken a decision that we don’t want to see it again and therefore we are going to be working together with that determination.”

Zuma gave few details of government plans, but said the violence was driven by “criminal

elements” as well as friction between foreigners and locals.

Many South Africans believe poverty and a severe jobs shortage is one driving factor behind mobs in Johannesburg and in the port city of Durban targeting migrants from Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique and other African countries.

The spate of attacks has revived memories of xenophobic bloodshed in 2008, when 62 people were killed, tarnishing South Africa’s postapartheid image as a “ rainbow nation” of

Demonstrator holds a placard outside a court in Johannesburg’s Alexandra township as four men appeared in court for the killing of a Mozambican man, April 21, 2015. different groups living in harmony.

The South African army was deployed to restore order in the 2008 unrest, and was also used against violent strikers in 2012.

Jessie Duarte, deputy general secretary of the ruling ANC, said the

targeting of migrants was “ well organised and coordinated” and that the army would only play a supporting role in preventing unrest.

Meanwhile, adding to South Africa’s allure was its image as a “rainbow nation” of diversity and

inclusion after white racist rule ended in 1994.

Now a nation that seeks to lead in Africa is struggling with perceptions that some of its communities breed intolerance toward foreigners, many from elsewhere in Africa.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 59

Okpekpe Road Race gets Ecobank According to Mr. as official banker Okpanachi, the Ecobank

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HE Ecobank Rapid Transfer Service has been named the official money transfer service for the 3rd Okpekpe 10km road race scheduled for May 16th in Okpekpe town, in Edo State.

The Okpekpe Race, now an International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) Bronze Label Race, will attract over 3000 local and international professional athletes.

Also sports enthusiasts from across the world are being expected.

Announcing the bank’s partnership in Lagos, a statement quoted Ecobank’s Deputy Managing

Director, Tony Okpanachi, to have said the Ecobank Rapid Transfer is best suited for the competition that has grown to have global recognition.

Nigerian athletes Continues from BP Nigeria to beg or borrow for the team to travel. It was gathered that the AFN president, Solomon Ogba who is outside the country, phoned an acquittance in Nairobi who swiftly arranged for the tickets.

“It was someone from Kenya that saved the day for our athletes.

They left last night with

NFF

Continues from BP date.

“Now that we are done with the signing of coach Stephen Keshi as the head coach, we can now focus on other issues for instance his assistants,” stated Felix AnyansiAgwu, the NFF technical committee chairman.

“We need to sit down with Keshi to discuss his assistants and also his programme for the national team.”

Former Kano Pillars and Enyimba coach Salisu Yusuf is expected to replace Daniel Amokachi as Keshi’s most senior assistant.

Keshi's contract Continues from BP Clause 4.1 of the contract states that: “The NFF shall employ the head coach for a period of two (2) years.

“Provided in the unlikely event that the senior male national team (the Super Eagles) under the head coach fail to make it to the semifinals of the 2016 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the NFF in its absolute discretion may decide to terminate this present contract.”

This, in essence, means Keshi must not just qualify Nigeria for the 2016 CHAN, but must also get to the semifinal of the competition at the very least.

The for mer Togo coach won the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa with the Eagles, after failing to lift the trophy in 19 years.

But he was far less fortunate in 2014, as he failed to lead the team to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations in a group

Rapid Transfer is an innovative money transfer services available within Nigeria and countries in Africa where Ecobank is present.

that had South Africa, Congo and Sudan.

The ‘Big Boss’ will also be sacked if the NFF feels he doesn’t possess the ability or competence to achieve the federation’s goals.

Clause 4.3 reads: “Notwithstanding the provisions set out above or any other provision in this contract, the federation shall retain the right to terminate this agreement at any time where it is of the opinion that the coach, as demonstrated by his performance does not possess the ability or competence to achieve the federation’s objectives as set out in this contract. In such a case, the NFF shall summarily terminate this contract without prejudice to the settlement by the parties of any existing financial obligations between them.”

Meanwhile, Keshi is also expected to consult with both the technical committee and the

the hope of meeting the rest of the championships,” said a member of the AFN yesterday.

Competitions will start this morning and the Nigerian sprinters will certainly miss the 100m and 400m. However, AFN officials are optimistic about their chances of finishing in the top three of the medal table. This is even as they expect the organisers to delay the start, to accommodate their late arrival.

“We are glad that our athletes will be represented after all.

Hopefully, we should be able to meet up as the technical director, Navy Commodore Omatseye Nesiama wrote to the organisers concerning our late arrival,”added the AFN official. technical study group before selecting players for both friendly and competitive games.

Clause 5.4 of the contract says: “The head coach shall select the best crop of players of the Super Eagles who are in his opinion ready to excel in friendly and competitive games in consultation with the technical committee and the technical study group of the NFF.” This is one area that could stir some controversy in the future, as it will be recalled that Keshi had some running battles with the immediate past technical committee of the NFF headed by Chris Green, over the invitation and selection of players.

But speaking at the signing ceremony on Tuesday, Keshi said he has wholly agreed to the terms of the contract, and has no problems with the clauses.

60 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

Neymar: We’re at our very best N

EYMAR was delighted with Barcelona’s victory over PSG and he seemed to have high hopes for the future. “We did the same as we did in Paris. We played and we went ahead. I think we played a great game” The Brazilian believes that Barça are in fine form: “We’re at our very best in the league and in the Champions League, and I think we should carry on as we are”.

The forward was also humble about the two goals he scored: “I score to help my teammates and my team. I’m happy”, he concluded.

Guardiola: Bayern still not perfect

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EP Guardiola was elated with Bayern Munich’s 6-1 demolition of Porto in the quarter finals of the Champions League - but said a blistering first half still wasn’t perfect.

Trailing the Portuguese champions by two goals from the first leg, Bayern sent a warning out to their European rivals as five first-half strikes equalled, and then surpassed, Porto’s first leg lead.

Xabi Alonso completed the victory with a sumptuous free-kick two minutes from time as the Bundesliga side secured a place in the last four.

Guardiola was left praising his side’s resilience after they produced a performance of stark contrast to that seen at the Estadio do Dragao - where they lost 3-1 - but still can see room for improvement.

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CELEBRATION . . . Barcelona’s forward Neymar da Silva Santos Junior (Up) celebrates with his teammate Dani Alves after scoring during their UEFA Champions League quarter-finals second leg match against Paris Saint-Germain at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona. Photo: AFP

Barcelona were too much for us — Luiz P

ARIS Saint-Germain defender David Luiz offered no excuses after his side were eliminated from the Champions League by Barcelona on Tuesday night, losing 2-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate.

“They had a fantastic match, they controlled the game and they have an amazing philosophy to play football,” the Brazilian told The National. “It’s difficult to play against a team like this, especially when you are without four or five important players in the first game. They deserved to win and be in another semi-final because they were better in both games.”

Luiz, who was booked after three minutes for a late tackle on Ivan Rakitic, was criticised for his performance, with former Manchester United player Roy Keane stating on British television that: “I actually feel sorry for him. He doesn’t smell danger and the stuff there is literally schoolboy stuff.

“You’ve got to give the boy sympathy, a little bit, because he doesn’t look like he knows what he’s doing.”

Luiz, a •50 million (Dh276.6m) signing from Chelsea last year, brushed aside criticism and preferred to credit Barcelona for their efforts.

“Barca are improving at exactly the right moment and are a favourite to win the competition,” he said. “They’ve had an amazing team for a long time, they understand their philosophy and each player knows exactly what to do on the pitch. They spent a lot of money for a lot of years.

“We didn’t have a good result in the first leg so it was always going to be very difficult to come here.

We still had opportunities in that first leg though."

“In the second, we tried to do our best, to have character. It’s better to die trying and I think we did that, but Barca controlled the game. If you don’t

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EAL Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane is impressed by Eden Hazard’s development at Chelsea and revealed he is “keeping an eye on” the Belgian.

play well against an opponent like this then they can kill you. They were better than us.

Sometimes football is like that.”

Luiz is still satisfied with his side’s run to the last eight.

•Luiz

the standout player at Stamford Bridge this season, notching 18 goals and 10 assists, and was recently nominated for both the PFA Player and Young Player of the Year awards.

five-and-a-half-year contract at Chelsea in February as Jose Mourinho looked to secure the future of his prized asset, but Madrid are reported to be longterm admirers.

ARIS Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc admitted his side did not have enough quality to trouble Barcelona as the Ligue 1 champions were knocked out of Europe.

Barcelona reached the Champions League semi-finals for the seventh time in eight years after comfortably brushing aside the challenge of PSG. Barca did most of the damage in the first leg with a 3-1 win in Paris and they finished the job off with relative ease at the Nou Camp, with two first-half Neymar goals earning a 2-0 win.

Following the 5-1 aggregate defeat, Blanc said: “It is our opponent who prevented us from performing better tonight, as in the first leg.

“The individual and collective quality of this team - who were giving their maximum - is not enough.”

Blanc added in L’Equipe: “We must face the facts: in the two meetings, FC Barcelona deserved qualification.

Barca can handle Bayern — Pique

B

Zidane: Real Madrid are keeping an eye on Hazard Hazard penned a new The 24-year-old has been

•Guardiola

PSG not good enough — Blanc

ARCELONA defender, Gerard Pique has said that Bayern Munich should be wary of the current Spanish side if they meet in the Champions League semi-finals.

The Catalans progressed to the last eight of the U E F A champions league after thrashing Paris S a i n t Germain 51 on aggregate, while Bayern came back from a 3 - 1 deficit t o •Pique smash

Porto 7-4 over two legs.

The last meeting of these two giants was in the in 2012-13 when the Germans went ahead to lift the title after demolishing Barcelona 7-0 both home and away under Jupp Heynckes.

With former Camp Nou coach Pep Guardiola now at the helm in Munich, a reunion in the last four would pit two of the clear pretournament favourites together, b u t Pique says

a n y opponent from here on represents a challenge.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015 — 63

Chelsea offer Mikel to Southampton C

HELSEA are ready to offer midfielder John Obi Mikel to Southampton in order to sign the £25 million-rated Morgan Schneiderlin, who is also wanted by Arsenal.

Arsenal currently lead the race to sign the France international, with Arsene Wenger confident the 25-year-old wants a move to north London this summer.

But Chelsea’s potential

All set for Zenith Bank B/ball League

W

ITH teams expect ed to arrive in Abuja tomorrow in readiness for the Zenith Bank Women Basketball League, which begins on Saturday, the Nigeria Basketball Federation (NBBF) has promised that this year’s edition would surpass previous editions.

Zenith Bank took over the league 11 seasons ago and it has become one of the best organised championships in the country, with winning teams taking home mouth-watering prize money.

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Already, the bank has increased the sponsorship fee for this season to N30million. With the improved fee, the winner of the league would get N1.2m, the second placed team will receive N1m, while the third placed team will smile home with N800, 000, the biggest in the history of the women League.

NBBF president, Tijani Umar who announced the increase in prize money, said that this edition of this league, would begin on Saturday.

offer could prove more tempting for Southampton manager Ronald Koeman, who may feel the experienced Mikel could be the ideal replacement for Schneiderlin.

The 27-year-old has been with Chelsea since 2006 and has made 329 appearances for the Blues, scoring five goals in the process.

But the Nigeria international’s game-time at Stamford Bridge has been limited this season due to the options Jose Mourinho has at his disposal.

Supersub.... John Obi Mikel in action for Chelsea, will he remain at Stamford Bridge?

Sunshine strippers beg LMC T HE League Manage ment Company (LMC) says is in receipt of letters of apology written by the two Sunshine Stars players who were earlier in the week sanctioned for their behaviour during the Match Day 4 league game against Dolphins and will not take further actions against them.

Prince Aggrey and Ebenezer Odunlami were on Monday banned for one league game each and fined N50, 000 for indecent exposure and behaviour capable of bringing the league to disrepute for stripping to their inner briefs to celebrate their teams second and winning goal against Dol-

phins.

The LMC had also in line with the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) framework and regulations allowed the two players 48hours to either submit to the decision and or elect to be dealt with by a special LMC commission.

However, following the separate letters of apology from the duo, the LMC has commended the players for accepting responsibility and admonished them to be of good behaviour going forward.

Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer said, “the two players have written to accept full responsibility for their bad behaviour and have accordingly apologized.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, APRIL 23, 2015

AYAC: Kenyan rescues Nigerian athletes N

BY BEN EFE

The ‘Booby traps’ in Keshi’s contract S

TEPHEN Keshi will be sacked if he fails to reach the semifinals of the 2016 CAF championship for African players based at home (CHAN), according to reports.

The 53-year-old former Nigeria captain signed a new 2-year contract to continue as the Super Eagles coach, but he

may not have as much ‘liberty of performance’ as he did in his previous contract.

Continues on Page 59

•Keshi

Continues on Page 59

•Praise

NFF to announce Keshi’s assistants T

HE Nigeria F o o t b a l l Federation have said they will announce the assistant coaches of the Super Eagles soon.

The NFF on Tuesday put to an end the longdrawn contract talks of coach Stephen Keshi after the former Eagles

GLO RESULTS FC Taraba 0-1 Enyimba Heartland 0-1 Abia Warriors Gabros 2-0 Lobi Stars Giwa 4-0 Akwa United El-Kanemi 1-0 Sunshine Stars Shooting Stars 2-0 Kwara United Wikki 1-0 Warri Wolves Dolphins 1-0 Rangers Nasarawa United 2-1 Kano Pillars

I G E R I A ’ s participation in the second African Athletics Youth Championships has been rescued by an anonymous Kenyan who booked airline tickets for the team to travel last night to Mauritius.

On Tuesday, the team made up of 12 athletes were unable to travel as the National Sports Commission failed to released funds. Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo told the Athletics Federation of

•Okpala

captain put pen to paper on a two-year contract, which will pay him five million Naira salary monthly.

However, the football federation failed to confirm Keshi’s assistants, noting that it would be done on a later Continues on Page 59

Chelsea offer Mikel to Southampton — Page 63 QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

FRI DAY'S FRIDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 View (5) 7 Therefore (4) 8 Lasso (6) 9 Frank (5) 11 Spoil (3) 13 Snip (3) 15 Paradise (4) 16 Weaken (3) 18 Liberate (4) 19 Train (7) 20 Creep (4) 22 Tack (4) 23 Ugly (7) 25 Watched (4) 27 Regret (3) 28 Grain (4) 30 Performed (3) 31 Mat (3) 33 Vapour (5) 36 Delight (6) 37 Absent (4) 38 Flourish (5)

DOWN 1 Loaf (5) 2 Weep (3) 3 Bird (3) 4 Sprite (3) 5 Snoop (3) 6 Obscure (5) 10 Stunt (4) 11 Deserved (7) 12 Attained (7) 13 Maker (7) 14 Effective (7) 16 Separate (5) 17 Annoyance (5) 18 Sport (3) 21 Concealed (3) 24 Expel (4) 26 Cede (5) 29 Rustic (5) 32 Wages (3) 33 Stitch (3) 34 Stretch (3) 35 Enthusiastic (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Glade 5, Wasted 8, Irate 10, Gateau 11, Arid 14, Roving 15, Gazette 18, Ten 19, Inn 21, Read 23, Motor 24, Rash 27, Net 29, Oak 31, Radiate 32, Stated 34, Kine 35, Loiter 38, Bread 39, Instructed 40, Revel.

DOWN: 2,Lea 3, Diesel 4, Era 5, Wear 6, Silver 7, Dogged 9, Auction 12, Rot 13, Dine 16, Aura 17, Enter 20, Notable 22, Abut 24, Resent 25, Soak 26, Hating 28, Divide 30, Ken 33, Debt 36, Oar 37, Eke.

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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