Presidency, Amaechi's war deepens

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62261

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Presidency 2015: Muslim/Muslim ticket dangerous —OBASANJO >>9

Presidency, Amaechi's war deepens

By Clifford Ndujihe & Ben Agande

•He is a rascal — Presidency •Point to one thing you've done in Rivers — Amaechi •Says FG cared less during Ebola days in Rivers

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BUJA—THE po litical war raging between the Rivers State Governor and the Presidency deepened, yesterday, with the presidency describing Governor Rotimi Amaechi as a rascal and warning him to stop insulting President Goodluck Jonathan or be ready to face the consequences of his utterances, including legal actions.

In a statement in Abuja, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati said Amaechi’s penchant to insult the president and

Continues on Page 5

COLUMNIST:

General Gowon, saint or sinner?

•P.46

Mr & Mrs JONATHAN IN JERUSALEM—President Goodluck Jonathan acknowledging cheers from some Nigerian pilgrims during his visit to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem, Saturday.

INEC risks contempt over 3,000 polling units

>>9

Nigeria at risk over falling oil prices — FG >>8

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POCKET CARTOON

LECTURE—From left: Senator Isiaka Abiola Ajumobi, Governor of Oyo State; General Muhammadu Buhari, APC Presidential aspirant; Aminu Tambuwal, House of Representatives Speaker; Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Guest Lecturer/National Chairman APC, and Prof. Isaac Folorunsho Adewale, Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan at the University of Ibadan Alumni Association Annual Lecture held in Ibadan, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola, Photo Editor.

Presidency, Amaechi's war deepens Continues from page 1 denigrate the office was an “irresponsible and rascally behaviour ” which he said reached a new level in PortHarcourt last Saturday.

At an event marking seven years of his victory at the Supreme Court on Saturday, Amaechi made series of allegations against the president and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, who he accused of fomenting trouble because he refused to share the resources of Rivers State

with her.

However, in a strongly worded statement, Dr. Abati cautioned Amaechi to stop blackmailing the first lady as the only thing she demands from him is ”good governance, justice, equity, fairness, real development and progress in Rivers State” and not money as Amaechi claimed.

Presidency blasts Amaechi The statement read: “Governor Rotimi Amaechi took his obnox-

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

Peace with contentment is great gain. Make sure that your life ends up in an all-round profit.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

He who would be serene and pure needs but one thing, detachment—Meister Eckhart

D

O you recall moments when you experience and feel a deep connection and sense of belonging and closeness to everything and everyone. I like to refer this state as inner peace, a serene happy feeling when we learn to see the face of love in every being, this is when life bothers on the miraculous and there is kinship and respect for all of life. There is always order in the universe even though sometimes it may seem contrary to expectations, but everything is in perfect and divine order, exactly as they are meant to be, there is no resistance, no need to control or criticize, no need to change and correct only allowance and acceptance and just letting go. Whenever we become resistant to what is, whenever we try to force and control things, people or events, we are in fact stepping away from ourselves and our true nature.

And this may lead to limiting behaviors when people inflict pain on themselves and others, consciously or unconsciously. Just feel life’s beautiful energy all around you and heal your heart!

ious willingness to denigrate the highest office in the land in a reckless bid to advance his selfish political interests to a new level of irresponsible and rascally behaviour yesterday (Saturday) in Port Harcourt with his totally false and baseless vituperations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.

“It appears from the governor ’s completely unfounded and off-themark allegations that he had totally lost all sense of propriety, decorum and responsible political behaviour and resorted to unacceptable demagoguery, libel, blackmail and incitement of public disorder.

“Unless his unbridled ambition and desire for self- promotion have completely befuddled his mental faculties and caused him to totally lose touch with reality, Governor Amaechi must know that his claims and allegations are untrue.

“We can only assume therefore that he is deliberately spewing malicious falsehood in a desperate effort to incite the people of Rivers State and Nigeria against his assumed political foes.

“We warn him that there are legal, constitutional and moral limits to political rascality beyond which he will not be allowed to go without repercussions.

“The immunity which he currently enjoys not-

withstanding, Governor Amaechi should be under no illusions: A day of reckoning will surely come when he will answer for all his actions and false allegations against President Jonathan, the First Lady and the Federal Government.

“He should also know that Nigerians are aware of the truth and will never be fooled or swayed by his arrant opportunism and antiJonathan rantings.

“Nigerians know that while Mr. Amaechi falsely accuses others of corruption, he cannot show or explain to the people of Rivers State what he has done with the billions of Naira that has accrued to the state under his tenure. They also know that while Amaechi continues to falsely accuse the Jonathan Administration of having done nothing for Rivers State, he has recklessly squandered huge state resources on

dubious, vain-glorious projects or self aggrandizement.

“Nigerians will know too that while he falsely alleges that Rivers and other states have not received funds due to them from the Federation account, the only outstanding allocation was for September, which was released to all states well over a week ago.

“The Governor should stop trying to make President Jonathan the scapegoat for his woeful performance in Rivers State and look to his own very apparent failings and incompetencies.

“He should also stop blackmailing the First Lady who has demanded nothing from him other than good governance, justice, equity, fairness, real development and progress in Rivers State”.

FG frustrating my efforts — Amaechi At the Port Harcourt rally, last Saturday, Amaechi, who spoke on some of his achievements since he came on board, accused the Federal Government of frustrating his effort to provide potable water for Port Harcourt.

“We were to give Port Harcourt water. As I am talking to you, the Minister of Finance has refused to move the file

back to the executive council for approval so that you can have water.

They don’t care for you.

Punish PDP with your vote”, he said.

Amaechi lashed out at the Federal Government, saying it had failed the people in several areas.

“They said the reason the President is not performing in Rivers is because he is quarrelling with the governor. Okay, what is the quarrel with the governor of Cross River and Akwa Ibom that the road to Cross River is abandoned? Are they quarrelling too? It is more of lack of performance."

The governor accused the President of taking some oil wells belonging to Rivers, adding that he did not encourage the state effectively to fight Ebola when it broke out in the state. “When Ebola broke out, to show you how much the President hates us, he visited Lagos. Did he visit us? He did not care. He wanted all of us to die. And I took it as a challenge and say none of us will die. I brought out money. It took the President at the end of Ebola to give us ordinary 200 million naira. I released one billion, one hundred and six million naira to fight Ebola. See our airport.

The President lands there. We are like refugees”, he said.

Dasuki promises to protect NNPC’s oil pipelines

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA—THE Na tional Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki, has promised to provide adequate security to protect crude oil and product pipelines across the country.

Dasuki made the pledge during a courtesy visit on him by the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Joseph Dawha in Abuja.

He further pledged the readiness of his office and all the security agencies to continue to play the pivotal role of securing the nation’s crude and product pipelines in the best interest of the nation.

Dr. Dawha during the visit sought for the collaboration of the NSA to protect the facilities, adding, the partnership is geared towards the economic well-being of the nation.

According to Dr. Dawha, the high inci-

dence of pipeline vandalism, crude oil and product theft, illegal refineries and security of the Corporation’s personnel are major challenges that require continuous collaboration, engagement and partnership.

He maintained that the Federal Government Security and Intelligence Agencies have remained invaluable partners in their support for the Oil and Gas Industry by fostering secured business environment.

6 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Navy hands over 23 suspected vandals to Police

10 crew members arrested over Captain’s murder in Lagos

By Esther Onyegbula

By Evelyn Usman

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AGOS—THE Nigerian Navy weekend handed over to the police 23 suspected pipeline vandals who were arrested during a recent raid at Ikorodu area of Lagos.

Vanguard gathered that over 100 suspected vandals and about 6,000 jerry cans filled with siphoned product suspected to be petroleum, were arrested at the creeks during the operation code-named awase.

The suspects, according to the Western Naval Command Information Officer, Lt Commander Abdulsalam Sanni, were handed over to operatives of the Police Anti-Pipeline Vandalism Unit at the Force headquarters, Abuja.

Suspected cultists kill UNIBEN student

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN CITY— THERE was tension at the University of Benin, UNIBEN, weekend after the gruesome murder of a 300-level student of the Department of Chemistry, Mr Gendedio Ejyrognene.

It was learned that the deceased was gunned down at about 7pm Friday night by suspected cultists.

The University Deputy Registrar/ Public Relations Officer, Harris Osaze Osarenren, who confirmed the killing of the student in a statement, lamented that “UNIBEN has lost a student.”

While disclosing that the university authorities and the police were investigating the incident, the statement disclosed that the body had been deposited at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital mortuary.

Meanwhile, women and students of the university held a rally weekend commending the Federal Government for the transparent manner Prof.

Faraday Orumwense emerged as the new vice chancellor of the university.

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AGOS—THE Nigerian police is currently investigating the brutal murder of a senior captain of ORC Fishing and Food Processing Limited located at Kirikiri Phase 2, Apapa, Lagos.

The deceased, identified as Captain Aiyenumelo Felix of Nigeria Marine Navy, was allegedly killed by his crew members on board, on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 in the Atlantic Ocean, within Nigeria's territorial waters.

.The crew members

Although details surrounding the death of Aiyenumelo Felix are still sketchy, it was gathered that the mutilated body of the captain was found by another vessel two days after he was declared missing by crew members, with an iron anchor tied on his neck.

When the remains of the late captain arrived the company’s operational base at Kirikiri phase 2, blood was still gushing out of the bloated body, which had several deep cuts on the head and hands, suggesting that he must have been murdered before

he was thrown into the waters.

Speaking to Vanguard at the scene, Captain Romans, a relative of the deceased, said when the incident happened, the company refused to contact family members.

“I had to personally go to the company to confirm the incident when I first heard about it. When I asked the GM why they didn’t contact the family members, he said they didn’t have the contact address of the Captain’s family.

“I wondered how the company will not have the family contact of a man who had worked for them

.Late Captain Aiyenumelo

Pregnant woman, six others roasted to death, 11 injured on Lagos-Ibadan expressway

By Bose Adelaja

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EVEN people, including a pregnant woman and a baby, were, weekend roasted to death, while five officials of Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency TRACE, and an unspecified number of traffic police were injured by hoodlums at Kara, along Lagos/ Ibadan expressway.

The accident, which involved an 18-seat bus, occurred at about 3.30pm as the vehicle, which took off in Lagos reportedly went up flames.

Vanguard gathered that the commercial bus painted in

white colour, with blue stripes suddenly developed leakages on the fuel tank, which spilled its contents.

One of the passengers was said to have noticed a spark from the engine and raised the alarm which made the driver to stop abruptly in order to check the cause of the incident.

Eye witnesses account said all the passengers scampered for safety as soon as the vehicle stopped but this was too late as the fire had made the vehicle’s door to jam.

Vanguard gathered that before help could come, seven of the passengers, including a pregnant woman and a baby,

were burnt beyond recognition while eleven others sustained varying degrees of injuries.

Some of the sympathisers were said to have put a call across to the fire fighters in Ogun State but none arrived the scene until the situation degenerated.

NAFDAC drags four to court over counterfeit products

By Chioma Obinna

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AGOS—THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and

Mob butchers suspected burglar in Calabar

By Emmanuel Una

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A L A B A R — A suspected burglar was in the early hours of yesterday butchered by a mob after he was allegedly caught carting away bottles of wine and alcoholic beverages from the shop he and his accomplices burgled.

The incident, according to an eyewitness, occurred at about 5am when the burglar and three other accomplices broke into a wine shop at the popular road intersection, Atu, by Goldie Street.

It was learned that someone who noticed as the burglars broke the iron bars on the door of the shop phoned the owner that his

for over 20 years,” he lamented.

Speaking to Vanguard, Fenyintola, second son of the deceased, who was still in shock, said: “My father initially refused to go with the vessel because he was not feeling too well, as he came back from sea several weeks back after sustaining an arm injury.

“He was still receiving treatment when they forced him to board, threatening to fire him if he refused to board. See how they have killed him.”

While investigating the case, the police arrested several persons, many of who had since been released.

The General Manager of the company and Group Chief Security officer, Commissioner of Police Essient (retd) were under pressure from the deceased family members, who protested the undue delay in presentation of the corpse for identification.

They were initially told to report to the company’s office at about 7am to identify the corpse but had to wait for six hours for the vessel bearing the remains to finally arrive.

Ten crew members, who were on board with the late captain have been arrested by the Marine Police from Marine headquarters, Onikan, while the remains of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuary.

Pacifying the bereaved family, retd. Commissioner of Police Essient stated that they couldn’t confirm what actually killed the captain but assured that the company would leave no stone unturned to unravel what happened.

When contracted, the GM of the company, identified as Amirie, said he was not in the position to speak on the issue and told Vanguard to contact the head office at No 14, Chivita Avenue, Ajao Estate, Lagos.

shop was being burgled.

The shop owner, Vanguard gathered, immediately mobilised some of his friends and neighbours who stormed the scene with machetes and sticks.

It was further learned that three of the burglars managed to escape, leaving the one inside the shop to his fate.

Control, NAFDAC, has dragged four persons before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in fake and unregistered products.

The four persons, who were separately apprehended and charged differently, are Edith Ify Unigwe, Nnameka Nwabueze, Tina Ezeaku and Ebenezer Arimiwem.

During their arraignment last Friday, the prosecuting counsel, Umar Shamaki, told the court that Unigwe and Nwabueze sold unregistered De Rica tin tomatoes on October 16, 2014, at Oke-Arin Market on Lagos Island.

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Nigerian diplomat blasts American envoy zOver comments on arms purchase

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—A former Nigerian ConsulGeneral to the United States, Ambassador Joe Keshi, has described recent statements credited to the US ambassador to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, on why his country was blocking arms purchase by the Nigerian government as “tactless and undiplomatic”.

In a statement titled America-Nigeria troubled relations issued in Abuja, Keshi said it is unfortunate that the American envoy has failed to understand the enormity of the security challenges facing Nigeria and use his position to foster relations between the two countries, who are prime targets of terrorist attacks and insurgency.

While regretting that certain former Nigerian leaders and opposition politicians are conniving with American envoys to discredit the Jonathan administration and create a gulf between Nigeria and the Obama Presidency, the diplomat said the current security challenges make it imperative for Nigerians to stand up and protect the honour of their country.

Keshi, who was once a Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the American government which failed in its promise to assist Nigeria in the search and rescue of the Chibok girls should not be seen to be taking a position which could demoralize the Nigerian Military or denigrate the Nigerian government.

While describing the American policy as “double faced”, the diplomat said “No Nigerian should be impressed, misled or fooled

by American excuses.

There are credible evidence, from available official US records indicating that the United States has over the years, executed some of the biggest arms shipments, running into several billions of dollars to countries with abysmal human right records.''

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Nigeria at risk over falling oil price—FG

By Michael Eboh, with

Agency Report

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HE Federal Government, yesterday, raised an alarm over the decline in the global crude oil prices, saying that it is already putting in place stricter measures to cushion the effect of the drop on the Nigerian economy.

“Nigeria has two to three months of rainy day savings to cushion it while contingencies are put in place should world oil prices continue to fall,” Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Co-ordinating Minister for Economy told the Financial Times.

Okonjo-Iweala disclosed that should oil price dip below $78, the country would have to draw

down on the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

She said, “Our intention is not to run in there and raid it, but even if prices continue to go down we can survive sufficiently for two to three months. That is the time needed to get other measures in place. What you don’t want is a hard landing.”

“Our buffers are slimmer this time,” Okonjo-Iweala acknowledged, adding that there is about $4bn in the ECA at present, $2bn short of what the International Monetary Fund had recommended.

She further stated that the country needs to ramp up our non oil revenues on the fiscal side, adding that global consulting

firm, McKinsey, has been engaged to carry out an extensive review of revenue services in order to identify potential gains.

Okonjo-Iweala added that she was encouraged by an exhaustive data review, which saw Nigeria’s economy overtake South Africa’s as the continent’s largest, showing that the economy had diversified to a much greater extent than previously thought.

She said, “In an oil country you can never feel at ease exactly. But I feel we can master this situation because we have a diverse base.

“We will have to look very hard at recurrent expenditure, and identify overlapping agencies.

ANNIVERSARY: Vice President Mohammed Namadi Sambo (left) with Zambia's acting President, Hon. Edger Lungu, during Zambia's 50th years independence anniversary celebrations in Lusaka, Zambia on Friday.

When the price is heading down everyone sees the necessity but that doesn’t stop them hating you.

Okonjo-Iweala agreed, however, that lower oil prices would provide a stronger incentive to government to rein in oil theft, which has cost billions of dollars a year, and help to drive through stalled oil sector legislation to stimulate production.

“That would enable us to pick up quantity to help us cushion on the price side,” she said.

The Federal Government, which depends on oil typically for about 80 per cent of revenues, is assuming an oil price of $78 per barrel for its 2015 budget, up from $77.5 per barrel in 2013 and precariously close to recent world prices.

Nigeria was in a much stronger position last time the world price of oil tumbled, with about $22bn squirrelled away in the ECA. Those funds helped the country weather the 2008 global financial crisis with economic output relatively unscathed.

But during recent boom years the government has persistently used the ECA, dividing out the proceeds among the 36 states in the federation, which are constitutionally entitled to their share.

Nigeria also holds foreign reserves equivalent to $39"billion. These have come under recent pressure as the central bank has stepped in to prop up the naira, but still cover nine months worth of imports.

Nigeria’s ratio of non-oil tax revenues to GDP, at 4.5 per cent, is among the lowest on the continent. McKinsey helped South Africa broaden its tax base to the tune of about $3bn and Okonjo-Iweala believed similar gains were possible over the longer term in Nigeria.

Court stops FRC from probing acquisition of Intercontinental Bank

By Peter Egwuatu

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AGOS—A Federal High Court, Lagos has stopped the Financial Reporting Council, FRC from investigating Access Bank Plc over the acquisition of the defunct Intercontinental Bank, IB Plc .

Dr. Erastus Akingbola, former defunct IB Plc Managing Director had urged the Council to investigate Messrs AigImoukhuede and Wigwe for their roles in the said acquisition.

But dissatisfied with the investigation sought for, Access Bank challenged the case in the high court in suit No. FHC/L/CS/ 485/2014: AigbojeAig-Imoukhuede and Herbert Wigwe v Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria The Court resolved that all the posers raised in the Originating Summons in the Plaintiffs’ favour

endorsed all the submissions and arguments canvassed in support of the Originating Summons. The Court consequently by an Order of perpetual injunction restrained the Council from conducting any such investigations.

Delivering the judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court Lagos Court held that “the Court agreed entirely with the Plaintiff ’s submissions that the Reliefs sought in Suit could not be situated within or connected to any decision of any of the Defendant’s Directorates and are therefore not subject to any of the administrative remedies available under the FRC Act”.

The Court further held that “the Plaintiffs’ Suit was challenging the vires of the Council as opposed to any decision of its

directorate”. In view of this, the Court found that there was no substance whatsoever in the Defendant’s argument that the

Suit is premature and consequently dismissed the Defendant’s objection in this regard, as lacking in merit.

Online site to receive reports customer service launched in Lagos

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N online platform, Reportam.com.ng, designed to receive reports on good and bad customer service has been launched in Lagos.

According to Mr. Olu Bello, the company’s Operations Manager, “this platform was created out of personal experiences of bad customer service which goes unaddressed or resolved in Nigeria”. He noted that “this

is an exciting development that will become the first point of call for all Nigerian consumers regarding any bad and good service experience”, adding that the current platform was just the first phase as a bigger phase would be launched before the end of the year.

In its first week of launch, reportam.com.ng reported over 500 registered consumers with 65% of reports being complaints.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—9

Nation awaits release of 200 Chibok girls •As gunmen kill 5 in Biu

By Ndahi Marama, Maiduguri

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HE nation anxiously awaits the possible release of over 200 Chibok girls today. The girls were abducted by Boko Haram sect on April 14 this year.

Two weeks ago, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh announced that the sect had agreed to a ceasefire following an agreement reached by both the government and Boko Haram and consequently directed all the field commanders to observe the ceasefire.

On its part, Boko Haram, represented by one Mallam Danladi Ahmadu, who addressed himself as the Director General of Boko Haram repeatedly gave the assurance that the latest deal to end the violence and release the girls was genuine and on course.

Ahmadu who spoke on the Hausa Service of the Voice of America insisted that the Chibok girls will be released today. According to him, the Chibok girls will be released to the Chadian President, Idris Derby, for onward presentation to the Nigerian Government.

Ahmadu also assured that Boko Haram and the Nigerian Government were in close consultations over arrangement for today’s meeting in Chad and that after the meeting, all attacks would cease.

Meantime, gunmen suspected to be sect members invaded Miringa, a village in Biu local government area of Borno State, yesterday. They attacked traders as well as buyers in the market, killed five people and injured several others.

Miringa is about 10 kilometres north of Biu and more than 20 kilometres drive from Buratai village, home town of Brigadier General Tukur Buratai, a former Commander of Joint Task Force, Niger Delta.

A ward councillor in Biu town who did not want his name mentioned confirmed the incident, adding that the gunmen came in two Hilux vans with Islamic inscription and flags and began shooting at people during the market hours.

2015: Obasanjo warns against Muslim-Muslim, Christian-Christian ticket •Says this time is different from any other time

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA— FORMER President Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, warned political parties in the country against fielding what he called Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket, saying, it is dangerous and insensitive.

Obasanjo, in a personally signed press statement made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital said Nigeria was too religious conscious and sensitive for that arrangement.

He said that any attempt to engage in such game would not only amount to “insensitivity of the highest order but will also amount to very bad politics indeed.” Obasanjo in the terse statement said,“Sensitivity is a necessary ingredient for enhancement of peace, security and stability at this point in the political discourse and arrangement for Nigeria and for encouraging confidence and trust.

“It will be insensitive to the point of absurdity for any leader or any political party to be toying with Muslim-Muslim or ChristianChristian ticket at this juncture.

Nigeria cannot at this stage raise the spectre and fear of Islamization or Christianization.

The idea of proselytization in any form is a grave danger that must not be contemplated by any serious-minded politician at this delicate situation in Nigeria, as this time is different from any other time.

“Therefore, disregarding the fact that there are fears that need to be allowed at this point will amount not only to insensitivity

of the highest order but will also amount to very bad politics indeed”.

Former Head of State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd), said, weekend, he was keeping an open mind about the possibility of picking a Muslim as his running mate if he gets the presidential nomination of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The issue of Muslim-Muslim ticket is seen as a potential setback for the APC in the election because of the increasingly political nature of religion in recent years. Buhari, in particular, is perceived as an extremist and his likely combination with another Muslim for the presidential election is considered in some quarters as too sensitive.

But, in an interview with

TheCable, Buhari said he had demonstrated to Nigerians that he is not a fundamentalist and “there is nothing more I can do.

Nigerians will always uncover impossible room for manoeuvre for politicians. I had to face one of the governors during one of our party’s meetings (over the issue of religion).

“In 2003, I chose Chuba Okadigbo as my running mate.

He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo. In 2007, I picked Edwin Ume-Ezeoke. He was a Roman Catholic. He was an Igbo.

And in 2010, I chose even a pastor. Tunde Bakare. “Honestly, what do Nigerians want me to do? If they don’t believe I’m not a fundamentalist, what else can I do?”

He likened his situation to that

of Moshood Abiola, a southern Muslim, who picked Babagana Kingibe, a northern Muslim, as running mate in the 1993 presidential election. The Muslim-Muslim ticket went on to win an election that is still considered by many as the most credible in Nigeria’s history. “I have not absolutely closed my mind to picking a Christian or Muslim as running mate if I get the ticket. Because I firmly believe that Nigerians, having gone through what they have gone through, realise it is not a matter of religion, but a matter of Nigeria.

And the main religions, Christianity and Islam, they know and they believe in the almighty God. The question of stealing and short-changing people in the name of religion should stop.

L-r: Legal Adviser, Bank of Industry, Mr. Emmanuel Onaji, Managing Director/CEO Bank of Industry Mr. Rasheed OlaOluwa, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, during the exchange of the signed Memorandom of Understanding (MOU) on rice production between the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Bank of Industry (BOI), in Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

INEC risks contempt over 30,000 polling units •as Jega orders RECs to go ahead

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By Jide Ajani

HERE were strong indications,weekend, that the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is yet to respond to the originating summons and a motion on notice seeking an order of the Federal High Court Abuja restraining INEC from creating the controversial 30,000 Polling Units.

The Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, sought the order on behalf of Nigerians on the 13th of October 2014.

Instead, Professor Attahiru Jega, National Chairman, INEC, penultimate week, issued a directive to Resident Electoral Commissioners, RECs, on October 16, 2014, suggesting that implementation of the allocation was about to commence.

The memo, titled “Reconfiguration of Polling Units Structure And The Creation Of

New Polling Units” was signed by one Musa Adamu. It directed the RECs to commence the implementation, and stated in part: “I have been directed to request you to submit your report on the reconfiguration of polling units structure and creation of polling units to the Commission on or before Thursday, October 30, 2014.”

Leader of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, Dr. Frederick Fasheun, on behalf of UPN, dragged Professor Jega and the Commission before the Abuja division of the Federal High Court over the matter, arguing that the allocation gave the North 21,615 and the South 8,412.

Fasheun in the suit has asked the court to as a matter of urgency put a stop to the plan, declaring that the purported creation of additional 30,000 polling units in Nigeria by INEC was not only ultra vires, unconstitutional, mala

fide, null, but void and has no effect whatsoever. He added that the allocation of what he termed, a mere 8,412 polling units out of 30,000 additional polling units, was discriminatory against the states in Southern Nigeria and has put the voters in that part of the country at a disadvantage.

The 30,000 additional polling units were distributed as follows: North West-7,906; North East- 5, 291; North Central-6,318; South East-1, 167; South West- 4, 160 and South-South-3,087.

In the suit filed on its behalf by a consortium of lawyers headed

by Mrs. Nella Andem-Rabana, SAN, the plaintiff is asking the court for an order of perpetual injunction against INEC, its Chairman, Commissioners, officers, agents, privies from further creating any additional 30,000 polling units before the 2015.

The prayers before the court, among others, were that “unless restrained by an order of the court, the defendant will use the 30,000 additional polling units to provide additional voting facilities in the Northern part of the Nigeria during the 2015 general elections which would create opportunity for massive manipulation of the figures emanating from such polling units to the disadvantage and discrimination of the Southern part of Nigeria.

“That if the defendant is not restrained from implementing its plan to create and distribute additional 30,000 polling units the interest of the Southern electorate will be prejudiced irreparably and unjustifiably because the 2015 general election timetable and guidelines for political primaries has been released."

10—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

MINIMUM WAGE: TUC threatens national strike

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

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AGOS—TRADE Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, weekend in Lagos, gave the Senate one week to clarify its position on the contentious removal of National Minimum Wage, NMW, from the Exclusive Legislative list to the Concurrent list as leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, today holds crucial meeting of its leaders to decide on a nationwide strike over the issue.

Already industrial unions affiliated to both NLC and TUC have begun mobilization for a nationwide strike against the development.

At the end of its emergency National Executive Council, NEC, meeting TUC demanded, “that the leadership of the National Assembly should clarify to the nation on the true position of the amendment, within one week from today.”

President of TUC , Bobboi Kaigama, while reading the Communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, commended the House of Representatives for standing by the people of Nigeria, by retaining NMW on the exclusive list.

According to him, “The reason for one week is the fact that there are conflicting reports as to the true state of affairs. Specifically we read conflicting angle to what the position of Senate is in this instance.”

He insisted that organised labour saw this move as a calculated attempt by the government to frustrate and truncate efforts of Nigerian workers in the demand for the review of the NMW. “Minimum wage is due for review every five years and we have commenced the process at the joint council level, so all this ploy would not work”, he stated.

Declaring that the NEC said

‘No’ to minimum wage deregulation, Kaigama warned that TUC would resist the attempt with all its capacity.

He noted that the Congress NEC had mandated the leadership of TUC to relate with NLC and labour allies in the civil society organisations to mobilise without further delay for a follow up action.

TUC argued that if the amendment by the Senate was allowed to stand, it would trigger a number of undesirable implications such as “abandonment of a National Minimum Wage in favour of multiple minimum wages that is, 37 - Federal and States, which means there is no minimum wage in the country,

VISIT: From left; Prof. Obioma Iheduru, Coordinator, Emeka Ihedioha Campaign Organisation for Isiala Mbano LGA; Barr. Chris Okewulonu, Director General, Emeka Ihedioha Campaign Organisation and Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives during Ihedioha's consultation visit to Isiala Mbano LGA on his 2015 governorship bid at the weekend.

Lagos distributes inputs to farmers

By Olasunkanmi Akoni, with Agency reports

L

AGOS—THE Lagos State Government has distributed various farming inputs to farmers in the state aimed at boosting food production under the Agricultural Value Chain Empowerment Programme.

At least 747 beneficiaries received inputs in the areas of fishing, piggery, sheep and goat, egg marketing, feed mill, poultry feed, fish feed, cassava, aquaculture, rice, fish marketing, coconut, vegetable, horticulture and butchery.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Gbolahan Lawal at the empowerment

Lagos 2015: Ikuforiji declares for governorship

By Ebun Sessou & Monsuru Olowoopejo

L

AGOS—AHEAD of the Lagos governorship primaries of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr. Adeyemi Ikuforiji yesterday declared his will to be the party standard bearer for next year’s election.

Declaring his ambition at The Blueroof, Agidingbi, Ikeja yesterday, Ikuforiji vowed that if elected by the party members, he would consolidate the work of former governors, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, Bola Tinubu and Governor Babatunde Fashola, to make the state liveable for all.

The speaker noted that to continue the work, I will “within

exclusion of the private sector, both formal and informal from the concept, rationale and logic of a national Minimum wage.

Yet, in the Nigeria circumstance, like in most developing nations, it is in this sector that unfair labour practices are prevalent, including exploitative pay regimes in the absence of regulation.”

18 months of my administration upgrade the public hospitals in the state to world standard.”

“Lagos government officials, including myself will be mandated to undergo medical check-up here in Lagos instead of travelling abroad.

“Our activities will be based on the recognition of a healthy citizenry as an essential part of good governance for Lagos.''

On why he joined the race Explaining why he joined the race, Adeyemi said “I am in this race to make a difference; my conscience tells me this is the best time to do the will of God for Lagos.

“I am well placed to lead this new phase in the history of

Lagos. I have the training, the required experience- the vision, the leadership qualities as shown in the last nine years,” Ikuforiji added.

presentation at the Fish Farm Estate Odogunyan in Ikorodu, said Governor Fashola’s administration had promised to reduce poverty by ensuring that the programme became an annual event.

Meanwhile, Some of the farmers said with the ongoing urban transformation of the area, it was no longer favourable for farming activities.

Some of the farmers told the News Agency of Nigeria, urged the state government to discourage the activities of land grabbers, who they alleged, have taken over the farmlands in the area, saying many lands allocated for farming have been converted to residential and shopping arenas.

Multi-Door courthouse begins week

T

HE Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse, LMDC, will today, begin its pilot District Settlement Week with at least 200 cases earmarked for settlement from the Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos.

The week long exercise is meant to use Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR, mechanism to resolve disputes on contract, debt, recovery, property, land lord and tenant, defamation, family matters among others.

According to LMDC Director, Mrs. Caroline Etuk, the Settlement Week will give participants opportunity to explore settlement of their disputes not merely by negotiations with one another, but by the intervention of skilled mediators.

She said that parties in the cases slated for hearing have already indicated willingness to be part of the exercise adding that it was part of measures to bring ADR to the grassroots.

Robbers allegedly send threat letter to Igando community

By Esther Onyegbula

L

AGOS—THE Igando Community in Lagos has been thrown into confusion after robbers reportedly wrote to the community informing residents of a visit.

According to a resident Mr. Wale Philip; “We woke up on Thursday morning to find threat letters strategically placed on different streets within the community. ‘’ When we saw the letter most of us didn’t take it serious because it didn’t make any sense.But the landlord association alerted the Igando Police Division”.

The letter read: “Be prepared, nobody can stop us as we can strike at any time. Only enough money in your homes can save your life”.

In his reaction, Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, noted that no report of such was sent to the police, adding that; “If armed robbers wrote a community of their intent to rob them and the community didn’t inform the police, then something is wrong. Only a lame duck would be informed of impending danger and yet takes no action”.

Law and its leeway for launch

T

HE book; Law and its leeway public presentation is schedule for Wednesday October 29th 2014 at Nigeria Institute Of International Affairs 13/15 Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island Lagos under the Chairmanship of Chief Afe Babalola.

The reviewer Is Olufunke Adekoya, SAN, Chief Host is Prof Kayode Makinde, President/Vice Chancellor Babcock University, Chief Presenter/Launcher is Prince Dayo Adeyeye, Minister of State for Works.

Special Guests of Honour are Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State and Dr Kayode Fayemi, former governor of Ekiti State, while Prof Modupe Adelabu,former Ekiti State Deputy Governor, will also be there.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—11

PDP dissolves Ondo exco, constitutes caretaker c'ttee zWe won't comply —Ondo PDP

By Henry Umoru & Dayo

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Johnson

issues, it would take us less than 24 hours to leave the party and seek an alternative platform for our political aspirations," they said.

A statement by National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, announced the dissolution of the Ondo exco and the constitution of a caretaker committee.

The statement reads: ”The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples

Democratic Party has announced the dissolution of the Ondo State Executive Committee of the party.

“By this announcement, all structures of the party at the ward, local government and state levels stand dissolved.

“Consequently, a caretaker committee has been constituted to pilot the affairs of the state chapter of the party. The committee has Mr. Dare Adeleke as Chairman

and Mr. Dare Solomon Osawu as Secretary.

“We enjoin all members of our great party in Ondo State to continue to work together in harmony even as we are confident now, more than ever before, of our total domination of Ondo politics especially with the rejoining of our political family by the hardworking governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko."

BUJA—LEADERS of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State were yesterday thrown over board following the dissolution of the State Working Committee, SWC, over the furore trailing the defection of Governor Olusegun Mimiko.

They immediately went into a marathon meeting in Akure at which they took a decision to reject their dissolution by the national secretariat of the party.

A statement by the party’s Director of Publicity, Mr. Ayo Fadaka, in Akure, said: “We also declare our defiance of this action and as such will continue to recognize and relate only with our executives at every level.

“We received with shock the news of the dissolution of the executives of the party at every level in the state this afternoon.

To say the least, this action is a clear intention by those we expect to safeguard the interest of the party to out rightly behead it.

“We also consider this action a disappointment, particularly in view of the fact that there is a subsisting court order barring the NWC from taking BIRTHDAY: From left: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Eruku of Egbaland this sort of action. Therefore, and Otun of Ijeun, Chief Ebenezer Atanda Abatan, his wives, Mopelola, Toyin and Kemi, at we reject it and affirm our the thanksgiving service to commemorate the 75th birthday celebration of the Eruku at St, absolute confidence and Matthias Anglican Church, Ita Baale, Ijeun-Titun, Abeokuta, yesterday. support for the executives from the Ward to the state level.

“We want to remind Abuja that it is by choice that we are members of the Party and that the Party is not a prison yard members of the committee to whether in Idiroko, Calabar,

By Daud Olatunji where we are inmates that are Idi-Iroko border for an on the Seme and other places which bereft of liberties and B E O K U T A — T H E spot assessment said the are in deplorable condition, in fundamental rights.

Federal Government Federal Government would good shape.

“The prosecution of this “If the roads are in good introduce the action clearly and absolutely has said that it had concluded soon demonstrates that those who plans to introduce toll at International Vehicle Transit shape, the people will be have elected on their own to Nigeria’s major border posts charge at the nation’s border happy to pay the toll,” he said.

While meeting the serve the interest of Governor with neighbouring African posts.

He explained that the stakeholders at Idi-Iroko Mimiko as he decamps to our countries.

The government also revenue earned through the border, the committee said Party have clearly sowed a would be used in it would take note of their seed of discord that is most disclosed that it may relocate charge findings and make certain to germinate very residents at the border towns maintaining the roads. for effective security and to He said: “The Federal recommendations to the quickly.

“We also call on the check the influx of foreigners Government will soon appropriate authorities.

The stakeholders' meeting, introduce the International generality of members of the into the country.

The chairman, Vehicle Transit charge. according to Alhaji Gusau, PDP in Ondo State to be firm and resolute in this period as Concessioning and Tolling Motorists coming into the was organised to seek the we will collectively determine, Committee, Federal Roads country and those leaving advice of stakeholders on Agency, through our border posts will likely hitches that could be shape and reorder our Maintenance FERMA, Alhaji Mohammed pay a toll. This is the practice encountered. political destiny."

The stakeholders included However, to pre-empt the Gusau, said this at the Idi- in other neighbouring African Nigeria Customs Service, dissolution, a state chairman, Iroko border, weekend, at countries.

“As you leave this Idi-Iroko Nigeria Immigration Service, Mr. Ebenizer Alabi and 18 a stakeholders meeting party leaders, in an advert organised by FERMA to border, before you enter the Police, Federal Road Safety placed in some national deliberate on the proposed capital of Republic of Benin, Corps, the traditional Freight of the Cotonou, you will pay a toll at Forwarders Association, newspapers, threatened that introduction international vehicle transit their border post as you enter National Union of Road they would leave the party.

Transport Workers, and Road “If anything happens to the charge, IVTC, at Idiroko, with your vehicle.

Employers “Before the tolling Transport structures of the party without Ipokia Local Government commences, FERMA will put Association of Nigeria among amicable resolution and Area, Ogun State.

Gusau, who led other those roads in our border posts others. agreement on the contending

FG to collect toll at Nigeria's border posts

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Fayose’s ‘stomach infrastructure’ about welfare—Ekiti govt

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI—EKITI State Government has assured citizens of the state that their welfare would be accorded a pride of place in the agenda of the new government through the concept of stomach infrastructure However, the state government explained that the implementation of the programme would go beyond the provision of food or distributing money to the people and be executed through a well packaged programme.

A press statement signed in Ado Ekiti yesterday by the Special Assistant on Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, noted that the concept, as envisaged by the state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, will take care of all poverty related problems including unemployment.

Ogunsuyi noted that the novel idea by the governor was a total package for the wellbeing of the lessprivileged in the society.

He said: “Even the Holy Book enjoins us to be our brother’s keeper. We are not talking about having soup kitchens here and there. Even if we do that, it is only a part of the exercise. In foreign lands, they have such things for the poor.

“However, what we are working on is a total package including the health needs of the people.

“A man is not only poor by lacking the three basic needs of life such as food, shelter and clothing.

Sickness can also render a man poor.

“The importance of the need for societies globally to eradicate or at least alleviate poverty cannot be over-emphasised and that is why the United Nations declared October 17 of every year the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty.

“The Fayose administration is placing emphasis on making food abundant and that is why agriculture will be accorded top priority."

C M Y K

12 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

APC calls for cancellation of Delta LG polls

By Emma Amaize & Gabriel

Enogholase

W

A R R I — A L L Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State, has called for the cancellation of Saturday's council polls in the state, claiming it was marred by violence, and irregularities.

This came as Executive Director, Centre for the Vulnerable and Underprivileged, CENTREP, Delta State, Mr. Oghenejabor

Ikimi, described the polls as a charade.

APC, in a statement by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Issac Adagbo in Warri yesterday, accused the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of colluding with the police and other security agents alongside Delta State Independent Electoral Commission,DSIEC, to intimidate the people.

APC said: “The run of the elections was against the promises on honour and

personal integrity of the DSIEC Chairman, Mr. Moses Ogbe, who was at one time, Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State. The PDP, fearing defeat, went on rampage with thugs, burning, maiming and killing. Over 36 cars were destroyed in Koko by the PDP army of violence. Many other properties were destroyed. In Isoko South and North, the violence unleashed saw many people hospitalized. The trail of sorrow, tears and bloodshed left

behind by the PDP in the local government elections cannot be said to be in compliance with the law or in accord with the assurances given by the DSIEC Chairman that the mantra of one-man-one-vote would be upheld. APC therefore calls for the cancellation of the entire exercise at once.”

Corroborating the APC, Ikimi, in a statement, said: “The just concluded local government elections in Delta State were shambolic, to say the

Delta LG poll: Royal father hails Ekpemupolo's election as Warri S-West chair

A

traditional ruler in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Chief Beck Hitler, has commended people of the area for voting en-mass

for Mr. George Ekpemupolo as chairman of the council.

Hilter, who was reacting to the outcome of Saturday ’s election in Warri, also pointed out that Ekpemupolo deserved

Rainstorm wreaks havoc in Delta

By Festus Ahon

U

G H E L L I — RAINSTORM yesterday, sacked several residents of Ughelli, Ughelli North Local Government Area, Delta State, and destroyed property worth millions of naira.

The rain which started at about 2:30pm and lasted for less than one hour, also threw the town into darkness as staff of Benin Electricity Distribution Company, BEDC, were seen assessing the level of damage of the company’s facilities and how they could restore power to the town within the shortest possible time.

Vanguard’s correspondent, who visited some of the affected areas, observed some partially collapsed buildings and others

that had their roofs blown off b y the storm.

At Akpodiete area, debris of blown off roofs were seen scattered on the streets. Some electric poles and other equipment belonging to BEDC were seen resting on some of the affected buildings.

Some of the victims, who spoke to Vanguard, described the situation as a major setback and disaster at a time when everyone was trying to put his or her house in order in preparation for the festive season.

Edo South groups endorse Osagie for Senate

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

E N I N — COALITION of civil society groups and women from the seven local government councils that make up Edo South senatorial district of Edo State, on the platform of Edo South Liberation Movement, have endorsed the senatorial ambition of the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Mr. Samson Osagie.

Osagie was endorsed at a meeting which was attended by over 279 men, women and youths drawn from 16 civil society organisations.

The communiqué issued by the body and

signed by 12 groups, appealed to “delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Edo South senatorial district to cast their votes for Osagie.

“Osagie is APC's surest way to clinch the Edo South senatorial seat owing to his pedigree, service to his constituents , legislative experience and his popularity which cuts across party lines .

P a r t i c i p a n t s consequently resolved to mobilize voters from the seven local government areas of Edo South to support and vote Osagie in the February 2015 National Assembly elections,” it stated.

the electoral victory, considering his laudable achievements in his first tenure.

"Ekpemupolo made history in Warri South-West Local government in his first tenure.

He executed projects across the local government and impacted positively on the lives of the people, and that is why the people voted for him for a second term,” he said.

The Ijaw chief further

expressed confidence that Ekpemupolo will consolidate on his achievements, assuring the people of the council area that they should expect more dividends of democracy from Ekpemupolo.

Hitler also commended Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, for conducting a credible election and urged the people of Delta State to shun violence after the election.

least, as the entire process was chaotic, disorganized and mismanaged. Elections did not hold in many polling units covered by our coordinators, particularly in Uvwie, Ndokwa East and Ndokwa West Local Government Areas. However, in polling units where a resemblance of an election took place, same began late and in most cases, it was chaotic. In Ovwian, Ovwor-Olomu, Orhuwhorun, Kolokolo areas to mention a few, the exercise was characterized with thuggery and violence. The entire process was not a credible exercise.

“The foregoing no doubt corroborates our numerous calls for the scrapping of all the 36 States Independent Electoral Commissions as they are truly not independent, hence we welcome the move by the National Assembly to amend the 1999 Constitution to pave way for the Independent National Electoral Commission to conduct all future local government elections nationwide.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—13

Delta LG polls: Baro, Etaiga, Ibru, 19 others emerge council chairmen zNdokwa East election to hold later

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, has won the chairmanship election in 22 local government areas of Delta State in the council polls conducted Saturday, by Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC. While result from Isoko South Local Government Area was being awaited at the time of this report, Chairman of DSIEC, Mr. Moses Ogbe, said another date would be fixed for the election in Ndowkwa East, noting that run-off election would be conducted in the eight wards in Ethiope East Local Government Area.

The PDP candidates for Ethiope West and Patani Local Government areas, were declared returned unopposed

by Ogbe who said no other political party fielded candidates for the contest.

Those declared so far include: Uvwie, Baro Henry who scored 69,963, to beat other contestants; Ughelli North, Kenneth Ibru, PDP, 88,415; Ughelli South, Paul Etaiga 75,724; Warri South, Mr. Mofe Edema, PDP, with 80,883 votes; Oshimili South, Chucks Obusom, PDP, 18,226, and Ukwuani, Benedicta Osakwuni, PDP, 10, 904 to also emerge the winner in the contest.

Others are Warri South-West, PDP George Ekpemukpolo, 79,938; Oshimili North, Louise Ndukwe, PDP, 23,676;

Aniocha South, PDP, Isaac Anwuzia 17,699; Ndokwa West, Ifeanyi Osakwe, PDP, 58,288; Udu, Solomon Kpomah, PDP, 36,727 and Okpe, PDP Godwin Ejeyere who scored 30,043 votes to emerge winner.

Also announced were Ika South, Fredrick Ofunne, PDP, 15,175; Bomadi, PDP, Oluwole Karitimi, 65,917; Warri North, Francis Maku, PDP, 55,123; Burutu, Ebikeme Clark, 62,262; Ika North-East, Francis Ebonka, 62115, Aniocha North, Chucks Oseme, 20,558; Sapele,

Odebala Ejaife, 46718; and Isoko North, Emmanuel Egbabor, 63712 votes to emerge winner.

At the time of filing this report, the commission was yet to declare the winners of the councillorship seats in all the council areas except Patani where the PDP candidates were returned unopposed.

In his remark, chairman of the commission, said the election was peaceful, stressing “from reports we got from the 25 local governments across the state, I can say categorically that there was

peaceful election in all the areas except a few places where some miscreants attempted to disrupt the process. Well ahead of time, we distributed the non-sensitive materials and we also received the sensitive materials and deposited them at the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. So between Wednesday and Friday, we did all the sorting of the materials and by Friday between 2 pm and 3pm, all the materials meant for the election went to the 25 council areas.”

VISIT: Mr. Victor Ochei, Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant (left); Chief Edwin Clark (right) and others, during Mr Ochei's consultative visit to Clarke's country home at Kiagbodo, Delta State, yesterday.

Additional 30,000 polling units: Southern Peoples Assembly drags INEC to court

By Gabriel Enogholase &

Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—ELDER statesman and former Federal Commissioner for Information in the General Yakubu Gowon administration, Chief Edwin Clark, weekend said the Southern Peoples Assembly had dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to court over its decision to create additional 30,000 polling units in the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Kiagbodo, Burutu Local Government area of Delta State, he accused INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, of pursuing a secret agenda, claiming majority of the Northern leaders were not in support of the INEC

Chairman because his action was capable of dividing the country.

Chief Clark advised those against President Jonathan’s second term bid to jettison such idea as the President was qualified to contest the 2015 election in line with section 137 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution as amended.

He said: “When this came up, that 30,000 additional polling units had been created in the country, as a leader, and being the interim chairman of the Southern Nigeria Peoples Assembly, I quickly summoned a meeting in Abuja which was attended by the former Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme. Bishop Gbonigi was there too. We condemned what INEC was doing and went further to pass a vote of no confidence on its

leader, Prof. Jega and we asked him to resign. Then, he held a press conference the following day. We condemned him again and today, we have gone to court over the matter.

“This thing has security risk, not only security risk; it will cause trouble in this country.

A situation where you are creating 30,000 new units, and you gave about 22,000 to the North and only 8,000 to the whole of the South without basis. So, this is dangerous.

That is why we asked Jega to resign.

Look at what happened recently. He held a meeting with all the states Resident Electoral Commissioners and they went to Abuja. About 30 percent of them attended the meeting and they asked for votes. Thireteen of them voted, three of them abstained from

voting because they were against what Jega was doing.

This was added to the 13 that had earlier voted, it would have been 16 against 13. But he is still pushing ahead.

“The Senate has written a letter to him on the same issue. What did he do? He is still carrying on. So, there is a secret agenda and I know that most of the leaders from the North are not supporting him. He knows what he is doing. But if you are doing something and the people say, they no longer trust you, you should find your way out.

He is a political scientist. He was a Vice-Chancellor of a university, and so, he should go since the people have no confidence in him. But we know that he will go in order for us to have a free and fair election in this country.”

Delta LG poll: Omadeli goes to court over alleged substitution

By Daniel Gumm

W

ARRI—LESS than 24 hours after the local government elections were conducted in Delta State, the original Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, flag bearer for Warri South-West chairmanship seat, Mr. Weyinmi Omadeli, weekend said he was going to court over alleged substitution of his candidature two days to the controversial election.

In a statement in Warri, Omadeli insisted that there was no basis, legal or procedural, for the state leadership of PDP to substitute his name with that of George Ekpemupolo, 48 hours to the election after successfully scaling through the party hurdles and subsequently given the party's flag by the National Chairman of PDP, Adamu Mu'azu in Asaba.

He said at a time when the national leadership of the PDP was working towards bringing back aggrieved members of the party and preaching the gospel of internal democracy, “it is o b n o x i o u s , unconstitutional and undemocratic” to have my name substituted."

2015: C-River gov aspirant assures on strong institutions

By Chris Ochayi

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B U J A — IMMEDIATE past former Commissioner for Works and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirant in Cross Rivers State, Ochiglegor Idagbo, has promised to place more emphasis on building strong institutions to take the state to the Promised Land.

Idagbo, who spoke weekend, while unfolding his plans at a session with the Cross Rivers State Professionals in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, where governorship ambition was endorsed, said, he would govern the state well without depending on oil.

14—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Crisis in Enugu PDP chapter deepens

By Francis Igata

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NUGU— CRISIS rocking the Enugu State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, deepened over the appointment of the Managing Director, Enugu Housing Corporation, Mr. Ikeje Asogwa, as the party Chairman, following the sudden resignation of the former chairman, Engr. Vita Abba.

While a meeting summoned by the party secretary Mr. Steve Oruruo, described as constitutional, the process that led to the appointment of Mr. Asogwa, as chairman, Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr. David Aja, rejected the appointment, insisting that the “party’s constitution in section 47(1) stipulates that he assume the mantle of leadership in acting capacity pending the conduct of state congress."

The SEC also ratified the endorsement of Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi as the consensus candidate of the party for the 2015 gubernatorial elections in the state.

The party ’s Publicity Secretary, Mr. Okey Eze, told Vanguard that “the decision to appoint Ikeje followed the constitutional provisions. The correct party constitution as adopted by NEC in article 47(6) says where a vacancy occurs in any of the offices of the party, the Executive Committee at the appropriate level shall appoint another person from the area or zone where the officer originated from, pending the conduct of election to fill the vacancy.

“Abba wrote a letter of resignation which was addressed to SEC and was read at the floor of the meeting. The letter was dated October 20 indicating that he has resigned. SEC acted on behalf of the state congress which is the highest decision making organ of the party. When state congress is conducted, election will be conducted and a substantive officer or officers will be elected.”

Reacting, State Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr. Ben Nwoye, faulted the process that led to Ikeje’s appointment, saying, “it is an indication of the governor’s continuation to go against party constitution. There is a succession plan for every party, be it PDP or APC."

Umeh berates ex-Govs Obi, Ngige over alleged deceitful scholarships

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI — NATIONAL Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has berated two former governors of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, and Mr. Peter Obi, for their alleged unsustainable and deceitful scholarships to students aimed at undue political gains and betrayal of party trust, respectively.

While Chief Umeh, who is vying for the Anambra Central Senatorial seat, accused Dr.

Ngige of using award of spurious scholarships to students few months to the election as political gimmick to deceive the Anambra Central Senatorial District electorates, to get their votes to return to the Senate, he lashed out at Mr. Obi for alleged betrayal of party trust describing him as ungrateful to APGA, the party that made him governor for eight years.

Speaking, APGA National Chairman told the people “to shine their eyes before voting any candidate in the 2015 general election as a lot of people will

come up with all kinds of promises and claims on how they will do things to make heaven on earth,” some of them are usual customers to the people of the states. The elections coming up in 2015 are essentially National and State Assembly elections, I have said it clearly and I will continue to tell our people that in the forthcoming elections they should shine their eyes and ensure that the people they will vote into office are people who will work with the Governor of Anambra State, we do not need

From left, Head, Corporate Planning and Stategy, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Tajudeen Ahmed; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Timothy Oguntayo; Trade representative, Enterprise Ireland, Mrs. Thesa Brongers Bagu, and the Directorate Head, Corporate Banking/Lagos Commercial Banking, Mr. Segun Opeke, during Bagu's visit to the bank.

Udi people endorse Ekweremadu P

EOPLES DEMOCRATIC Party, PDP stakeholders in Udi Local Government Area of Enugu State, weekend endorsed Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for another term in office, saying he had ably represented them in the Senate.

The stakeholders who received him were led by Chief Mike Ugwu, a member of House of Representatives in the Second Republic and a native of Udi, hometown of Governor Sullivan Chime.

He said: “I am a stakeholder of PDP in Enugu West and therefore I know everything about PDP. What I’m saying is that Ekweremadu has the capacity of being a senator.

Sullivan Chime hasn’t got the attribute, what it takes to be a Senator.

“Ike Ekweremadu has performed very well. He has worked hard and that is why we are supporting him.”

Also speaking, head of the Transformation Ambassadors on Nigeria, TAN, Enugu State and PDP Stakeholder, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu extolled Ekweremadu’s performance.

He said: “Ekweremadu is one who fully embraced his opponents, we are speaking in the domain of my good friend and brother (Chime) whom I was told only yesterday that he is aspiring for the office of the senate of

Enugu West district which is presently being occupied by the Deputy Senate President.

“I think it is historical that the people of Umuneke decided to come out en masse to sound it loud and clear that they want to identify and endorse Deputy Senate President against his opponent who happens to be the Governor of Enugu State and it is historical because it is not normal, that’s the importance of today.”

In his speech, Dr. Nnamdi Ene, a native of Obinagu Udi, said that the massive turn-out at the occasion was a clear indication that Senator Ekweremadu has performed at the Senate and he was loved by his constituents.

...TAN also In another development, the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, TAN, Enugu State chapter, has endorsed the ambition of the Deputy Senate President, Chief Ike Ekweremadu, to return to the National Assembly as the Senator representing Enugu West in 2015.

The group took this decision during its town hall meeting at the Enugu State office of the organization.

They described Senator Ike Ekweremadu as having offered

effective and qualitative representation to Enugu West senatorial district, Enugu state and the entire South East zone of the country, in his position as Deputy President of the Senate, and therefore his reelection was sacrosanct.

The TAN decision is a contrast to the views of some serving council chairmen from Enugu West senatorial zone who recently endorsed Governor Chime as a replacement to Senator Ekweremadu in 2015.

The Enugu State coordinator of TAN, Chief Anayo Onwuegbu, disclosed that the Deputy President of the Senate had already bought the PDP senatorial nomination form seeking re-election for another term, saying “Enugu West Senatorial District is the only seat that is not vacant in the 2015 General elections.”

Onwuegbu explained that in addition to Senator Ekweremadu’s qualitative representation that had earned him the goodwill of most electorates in Enugu West Senatorial District, by his position as the Deputy President of the Senate, he was also favoured by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP NEC’s decision that current Principal Officers of the National Assembly should be retained.

to divide our lining.

“If you are not a member of APGA and you want to go to Senate or House of Representatives and State House of Assembly, how are you going to complement the effort of the state Governor that is already in place? We have elected a governor and what we need to do is to surround him with his party members so that they can have a common purpose and vision for the state.

"If you make the mistake of bringing people from everywhere, what we will be having is people with discordant tunes whose attention will be removed from things that will benefit the state.

“This is an election that is even more important than the governorship election, the Governor needs to have members of his party in the state House of Assembly, 30 0f them so that they can plan for the state together. Those of us who want to go to the National Assembly must be people who can go and come back to the Governor every one or two weeks to share policies of government with him and know what we should go and ask for at the center which will complement what the Governor is doing for the state."

Earlier, Chief Onwuegbu, explained that the reason for the emergency meeting was to inform members that President Goodluck Jonathan, had finally accepted to contest the 2015 Presidential election, stating “it is one good achievement of TAN.” “The people of Udi got the information, just a rumour that their senator will be coming on a condolence visit and they all thronged this place to show their solidarity and with this number of people gathered you can imagine what will happen by the day he will be coming on a campaign; that shows that the senator is doing very well and that he is love by the people and they will want him to go back to the senate”, he enthused.

The Deputy Senate President while addressing Chime’s kinsmen, announced that he would set up a master plan for comprehensive development of Udi local government, which will make its major commercial centre, 9th Mile, a hub of economic activity in the South East zone.

Senator Ekweremadu declared that the master plan would be named “Obiora Master Plan” in memory of the deceased Obiora Onyia, saying Udi people have not received fair share of infrastructure development, good governance and youth empowerment that they deserve.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—15

Don't write off the country, pray for it, Gowon tells Nigerians

Navy hands Christian over 66,000 wake-keep for Remi Oyo litres of stolen crude oil to

By Marie-Therese Nanlong proud of. It is necessary for NNPC

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA — THE Nigerian Navy, yesterday, handed over 66,000 litres of crude oil it recovered from suspected pipeline vandals to officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC. The Commander, NNS Lugard, Lokoja, Commodore Shuwa Mohammed , who handed over the vessel, commended the NNPC for the quick outcome of laboratory analysis of the stolen products.

The stolen products were transferred from the ship at the NNS Lugard Naval base in Lokoja and loaded in two trucks.

The NNPC Station Chief in Lokoja, Mr. Idoko Ameh, who was on ground to accept the stolen product, thanked the Navy for collaborating in the fight against vandalism and oil theft.

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OS — FORMER Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has called on Nigerians not to write off the country, but be patriotic and pray against the problems confronting Nigeria.

Speaking yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, General Gowon also said there was no need for misunderstanding between the Christians and Muslims in the country as Nigeria was blessed and needed a peaceful atmosphere to fully utilize its potentials.

Gowon who visited the Region 8 Headquarters of the Redeemed Christians Church of God in Jos, stated: “Nigeria is a blessed country loved by God, the hand of God is on this nation, that is why we are able to overcome a myriad of crises that bedeviled this nation in the past.

"Every Nigerian, therefore, needs to pray because if there is peace between Christians and Muslims and peace among family members, Nigeria will definitely be a great country all of us will be

every Nigerian to embrace peace.

“In the western part of this country, there is an understanding between Christians and Muslims, they

are able to live together in peace and harmony, this is what I want Nigerians to emulate, so that we can achieve peace across the land.”

He called for mutual respect

for the traditional religion so that Nigerians could have peace to develop the country.

He charged the church to give the youth the opportunity to grow in wisdom and character.

CEREMONY: From left: The Country Manager of International Finance Corporation, IFC, Mr. Solomon Quaynor; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of First City Monument, FCMB, Limited, Mr. Ladi Balogun, and the Company Secretary/General Counsel of the Bank, Mrs. Funmi Adedibu, at the signing ceremony of a loan facility secured by FCMB from IFC, in Lagos.

FG warns against stigmatising, sacking EVD survivors at workplaces

By Victor AhiumaYoung

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HE FEDERAL Government, weekend, reiterated its commitment to total enforcement of the country’s principle and guidelines on “No Stigmatisation, No Discrimination and No Termination of Employment of Workers” of survivors of the Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, after the World Health Organisation, WHO, declared Nigeria free of EVD. Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of

Labour and Productivity, Dr. Clement Illoh, who stated that the measure was in compliance with the mandate of the ministry on protection of the nation’s labour-force, spoke at the public lecture and presentation of Information, Education and Communication, IEC, materials on “Keeping Ebola Virus Out of the Workplace,” organised by the ministry in Abuja.

A statement by Prince Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director (Press), said the permanent secretary commended the role of the Federal

Ministry of Health in the containment of the EVD in Nigeria, and stressed the need for continuous preventive action in view of globalisation and high mobility of world population.

“No doubt, Government in line with the Transformation Agenda of Dr. Goodluck J o n a t h a n ’ s administration, has shown greater commitment to occupational safety and health, with the recruitment of more doctors, nurses, Medical laboratory scientists, among others.

KWARA PDP: Anyim, Mimiko push for consensus

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

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N A determination to present a formidable consensus candidate for the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kwara State, the Federal Government, has urged appointees who resigned to return to office with a promise to overlook their resignation letters.

The offer was made by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim at a closed door meeting with the 15 gubernatorial aspirants and major political stakeholders in the state.

Also present at the meeting which took place in Abuja were Governor Segun Mimiko of Ondo State, Hajia Bola Shagaya, PDP deputy national chairman,

Prince Uche Secondus and Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, Minister and Deputy Chairman National Planning Commission.

The meeting, it was learnt, was called to reduce the number of gubernatorial aspirants aimed at ensuring that only the most formidable aspirant with the capacity to run a strong campaign was produced as candidate.

The SGF it was learnt, informed the aspirants that the President and indeed the party was interested in repeating the Ekiti Magic in Kwara and stressed the need for cohesion, unity and oneness.

He complained about the development where more than 15 aspirants were jostling for the party ticket, stressing that the situation could favour the All Progressives Congress, APC ruling the state.

16— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 POLITICS is replacing the attention our country needs to make progress. The biggest casualty is the people. Politics should focus on the collective future of Nigeria.

The consistent and flagrant abuses of individual and group rights, with a veneer of official seal, muddle issues to resolve Nigeria’s unworkable politics. These abuses have become features of our politics. They are dangerous and must be stopped.

When last June the military seized newspapers with spurious excuses, few attached any importance to the abridged freedom of the business to operate or the rights of individuals to information. No apologies were offered for the seizures that were explained away as security checks.

When freedom of individuals is abbreviated, there are no explanations too.

We think the authorities should pay attention to running Nigeria well. Many issues deserve attention that the inconveniencing of some individuals should not be promoted to statecraft. Our people are suffering. Our country is at the fringes of global interests. We no longer elicit the type of importance we need to command

Bring Back Our Countr Countryy relevance.

An increasing tendency to “militarised” security increases tension, alienates the people from their governments, and creates the impressions of a country at war with itself. The quest for power, which is at the centre of these infringements, should have boundaries. The disruption of the constitutional rights of people over power contests is illegal and an embarrassment to democracy. Politics that excludes people or deny their rights to association, belief and sharing these rights with others should not be encouraged. Politicians should stop thinking their control of Nigerians is divine. These abuses have no room in a

democracy. The deployment of the military to act in favour of one side in a contest has deeper implications the authorities must contemplate.

Our people are still clinging to promises politicians make each election season. The changes promised them have translated to more poverty, illiteracy, disease and deprivations. It is unimaginable that while politicians are unable to improve the lives of our people, they gloat all over the place without concerns about the dictates of democracy and the tenets of democratic governance.

President Goodluck Jonathan should halt the abuses the security agencies are introducing to political matters. Are they acting on their own? The abuses are mainly under the cover of his office.

Nigeria is more important than individuals’ ambitions. The militarisation of politics and the harassments should stop.

We deserve to live peacefully, without these abuses, and under governments that consider our welfare more important than seasonal electoral victories. The 2015 elections would deduct from the gains of civil rule, if they are all about breaching the rights of people, even to contest office.

OPINION

By George Awuse

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EOPLE will instinctively kick against change. It is understandable. What would be confounding, however, is when opposition to change persists even when empirical evidence and facts have been put forward. This is precisely what has been playing out with the efforts by the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, to facilitate the possibility of prospective corps members to process their call-up letters online.

Under the plan unveiled recently by the NYSC, prospective corps members can log in to a portal to register their details. Upon completion of this online registration, there is the option of further processing and accessing the call-up letter at a fee of N4000.

Subscription to this service makes it possible to re-print the letter in the event of loss or be identified with biometrics. NYSC said this option is not mandatory and those who do not opt in can still go to their schools to pick their letters. NYSC went further to state that those who opt out will not be penalised or victimised in anyway.

The opposition to this innovation has however been strident to the point of drowning the views of those who try to hold useful discourse. Interestingly, those kicking against this innovation focus only on the N4000 fees while completely and conveniently ignoring the problems that necessitated this solution. Also, few people bother to interrogate the benefits of the project and fewer people still have offered suggestions on how to make it better.

The larger contribution has been that of condemnation. Unfortunately, the might or

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NYSC Online fee and the lynch mob number of those attacking the project does not necessarily make condemning it the right thing to do. People have used all manners of uncharitable words to describe the project with demands that the N4000 fee be scrapped. No one has however come up with workable solutions on how to finance the operations of this innovation.

In contrast to the protests against the project and steps that conform to the need for full disclosure, the NYSC has placed facts in public space to explain the rationale for the fee, including its present IT capacity that necessitated entering into a public-private partnership, especially in view of the cost of initial set up, which it cannot afford for now.

It has explained how two prospective corps members who live in the same city but attended different institutions need not decide alike on whether to process their letters online or not. NYSC also disclosed how the project was the outcome of feedback from past and serving corps members.

Unfortunately, it is apparent that those who are keen on opposing the computerisation of the NYSC have closed their minds to the prospects of reviewing the facts already presented. Even more uncharitable is the fact that otherwise respectable institutions are being dragged to side personal convictions of some of their members in opposing the project. Official statements from such institutions and organisations are barely able to mask the language and choice of words those earlier used in personal capacity to attack the

project. When this is allowed to happen there is danger to innovation and those who want to bring change.

The danger is amplified when the House of Representatives is leading the pack. It has already adopted a punitive posture even before getting details of the project by suspending the process without recourse to the disruptions that are inherent in the move. If previous investigations of the House are anything to go by, first there will be delays and then there would be the endless drama that would culminate in a lynch mob.

At the end of the exercise not much would have been achieved by way of progress.

Progress here is meant in the sense of taking the NYSC to a level that meets international standards and the expectations of the contemporary youths taking part in the scheme.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC , also joined the fray. This is understandable coming from an organisation that takes decisions from the viewpoint of activism. The union made it clear that its grouse was with the fee while it commended the NYSC for introducing the online registration for the online registration initiative which it recognised as having the potential to save prospective corps members from the risks associated with travel. By this admission, the NLC has basically agreed that the project is worth it. What the union should do in this instance is to further avail itself of the facts and make practical suggestions that will ensure that an online portal with potentials

to save lives is not discontinued because of hassles over the fee meant to make it possible.

The National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, has equally joined those opposed to the payment of the fee. Like the other bodies that have taken this stand, it is important that members of student unions take time to study what they are opposing.

This is by no means asking that they should stop opposing the computerisation of the callup of corps members, it is rather to request that they equip themselves with facts that will enable them put forward informed arguments.

An initiative that the NLC rightly recognised as lifesaving should not be reduced to becoming the victim of politics and activism but when reputable institutions join the discourse on the basis of sentiments that is exactly what will happen. Opposing the project purely on the basis of sentiments and personal phobia for parting with money could have undesired consequences.

These consequences include the longer term cost, human cost of accidents, failing to blend in with international trend, inability to adequately screening out fake corps members amongst others.

Perhaps, one great consequence not included on the usual list is the injustice that would have been meted on those who need to use the online platform at the prescribed fee chiefly because of the reality of distance. *Mr. Awuse, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Gboko, Benue State.

TRADING UPDATE PG. 31

OCTOBER 27, 2014

Islamic financing'll check graft, other vices in governance

BY OMOH GABRIEL

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SLAMIC Financing will help check corruption, forgery and other vices in governance if the culture is embraced by Nigerians.

This was a submission by World Bank Group Head of Islamic Finance, Finance and Global Practice, Mr. Abayomi Alawode, in an interview with Financial Vanguard in Washington.

Alawode, a Nigerian, said Islamic Financing, if adopted in Nigeria, will use “asset backing where any sum of money you get is assigned to a particular investment and from day one, you identify the asset. There is no dispute about what you are financing, this is again why people think Islamic Financing can be used for development because for every dollar or every Naira you come up with, you can identify what you are buying with that Naira”.

According to him, “If you go to an Islamic bank and say I want to buy a car and I need a car loan, they are not going to give you the money and then you go and buy a horse instead. What happens is that the Islamic bank will ask you what kind of car you want and the bank will buy and hand it over to you, you have no room to run away.

This asset backing also happens in business as well, where if you need money to expand your factory in terms of machinery, they will identify what you want to buy and be involved in buying those machines.

“There is this asset backing feature which ties Islamic financing to specific assets. If you recall when Osun State issued a Sukuk last year, they had to say specifically what they are going to use the money for and they actually said they are going to build schools and hospitals with the money. So that is how Islamic finance functions, it ties the financing to specific assets that are identified. This is the case because you are not looking for interest; you are

— WORLD BANK

MEETING - From left, Governor Lyel Imoke of Cross River State; Agriculture Minister, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina; Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State and Governor Ibrahim Shettima of Borno State at the opening of the National Economic Council meeting presided over by the Vice-President Namadi Sambo at Aso Chambers, State House, Abuja.

Photo by Abayomi Adeshida. looking for returns generated by your investment. From day one, you must know exactly what the assets you are purchasing with that money are. This happens also with the government, when issuing Sukuk Islamic bond.

They have to identify which assets they want to buy with it. In Sudan, there is a programme of using Sukuk to buy hospital equipment like X-ray machines, MRI machines, every time you issue the Sukuk to raise money, you must specify what you are buying

with it. So this asset backing we believe is a strong feature of Islamic finance that makes it more conducive for development because you can actually tie financing to infrastructure.

“A government can say we want to borrow money to build roads, if you use Islamic financing instruments, there is no way you can use that money for something else because the money is tied inextricably to the road construction.

As regards forgeability of money,

when you come to the Sharia issue and settling disputes, they are seen strictly as a contractual issue in many countries. If you look at the UK, they have Islamic banks but UK is not a Sharia jurisdiction.

He said further “In Nigeria, the challenges are several and I think the Central Bank has done a lot of work to put in place a regulatory framework for Islamic banking. But you do have a big problem in terms of perception Continues on page 21 C M Y K

18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 19

Empowerment Programme.

Last week’s meeting did not appear to have been straightforward. Any decline in monies for distribution is unwelcome since all states with the exception of Lagos receive the greater part of their revenues from the FAAC. CBN data for 2012, the most recent available show that internally generated revenues accounted for just 15 per cent of total revenues on an aggregate basis.

The decline in September was attributed by the AccountantGeneral of the Federation to lower oil prices and production.

He also noted a fall in non-mineral receipts because some prominent companies had paid their taxes the previous month (August). A distribution from the excess crude account of $2.7billion had been approved. Yet Okonjo-Iweala is insisting that the balance in the ECA remained $4.1billion.

Every Nigerian old enough to know has come to understand that whenever there is global economic recession and the prices of crude face southward, the Nigerian economy is bound to face serious crisis, cash flow inclusive. No thanks to Nigeria’s continued dependence on oil revenue and the lazy attitude of government functionaries at making policies that have made Nigeria depend solely on oil revenue. In the last three months, crude oil price has fallen from about $110 to $85.

When in 1982 oil prices crashed, the Shehu Shagari-led federal government denied that the economy was heading for the rocks. One Professor Onitiri was the instrument the then federal government used to disabuse the minds of Nigerians that the economy was in danger.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo had in a published letter to the president said “My dear Shehu, ... the ship of our nation is sailing fast across a huge rock, and unless you as a leader coura-

Nigerians never learn from economic history geously and swiftly take action to stop and redirect it to a safe shore, the result will be catastrophic. The magnitude of which has never been recorded in the annals of human history...” Awolowo aired his view as a concerned citizen of the Republic. But the National Party of Nigeria government under Alhaji

,

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AST Tuesday, the Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, addressed a press conference to allay the fears of Nigerians that the nation is broke. While at it, she said the government was putting in place measures to address any possible fallouts from the falling prices of crude oil.

Meanwhile, a week before the press conference, the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, could not meet to share the usual monthly revenue that accrued to the federation account on the ground that there was no money at the time to share.

The experience triggered many reactions, some of which included the nation being broke.

The minister did not address the issue of why the FAAC could not meet and share the revenue that was due to the three tiers of government. While it may be true that Nigeria is not broke in the real sense of the word, the country is cash-strapped. The nation’s cash flow is facing some challenges as there is usually a time lag between receipts of sales proceeds from oil and when it was sold.

The gross revenues received in the federation account have steadily declined to N503billion in September from N602billion in August and N630billion in July.

These revenues after the deduction of fixed collection and other costs become the net amount for distribution, on which the derivation principle is applied in favour of the oil-producing states before the three-way split according to the set formula. The three tiers of government receive additional distributions from; VAT receipts, the payment of arrears by the NNPC and the Subsidy Reinvestment and

rians how much is in the excess crude account after the $2.7 billion approved for sharing is removed? How will this government fund the budget if prices of crude oil crash beyond the budget bench mark?

The 2015 budget is in the works; very soon the legislature and the executive will lock horns on what will be the ap-

Every Nigerian old enough to know has come to understand that whenever there is global economic recession and the prices of crude face southward, the Nigerian economy is bound to face serious crisis, cash flow inclusive

Shehu Shagari never listened to Chief Awolowo. The sociopolitical and economic structures of the country ‘cracked’ and began to disintegrate. By 1983 when public office holders were booted out by the military junta, corruption, inordinate ambition, intolerance of divergent political views especially from political opponents, deportation of legal citizens had already been established as a legacy. The rest is no economic history.

Can the minister tell Nige-

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propriate crude oil bench mark to structure the nation’s finances on. Nigeria went through this experience before 2003 when there was a fall in the price of crude from $140 to about $35 or $38 between 2003 and 2008. The Nigeria economy remained stable then because Nigeria had accumulated about $22 billion in the Excess Crude Account. It is not the same now. The question to ask the minister is: Is $22 billion not much more comfortable than less than $5 billion in the excess crude account today?

If this government is planning to introduce another austerity measure as was in 1983 by cutting down on expenditure, it only means one thing, the execution of capital projects will have to stop. Because the government has to pay its workers and other recurrent matters have to be fulfilled. Which expenditure is this government going to cut down on? Nigerians are not deceived; this government facing an election year knows that it cannot retrench workers as that will be political suicide.

Okonjo-Iweala in floating a phantom kite said: “I want to assure Nigerians that we are putting in place contingency plans so that our economy remains stable?

Right now, we have fluctuations in the price of crude oil and when that happens, it means that the money that comes into the coffers is a little bit small.

Does that mean that the country is broke? If we are not able to pay salaries to people or meet other obligations, then we can say the country is broke but we have not got there. Nigeria is not broke”.

Yes, not yet, it has not gotten there, but getting close to it.

Nigerians must prepare for the worst scenario by cutting down on what is not immediately needed and save for the rainy day. For certain, the rainy day is knocking at the doorpost. It may take many unawares.

Business & Economy NEPC, NAHCO, others collaborate to tackle challenges of fresh food export

BY PROVIDENCE OBUH & JOY UNUANE

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he Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in collaboration with Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc (NAHCO) and the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), weekend, identified some challenges facing export of fresh food and possible solution.

Some of the solutions to address identified challenges

are: organisation of farmers into product groups for synergy; ensuring that appropriate logistics services that can move products from the farm gates to the NAQS facility at the NAHCO shed at the Muritala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos will maintain the quality of the products that are provided; ensuring that farmers use appropriate packaging and labeling in compliance to standards of different importing countries; training and capacity building of stakeholders

especially the exporters and development and maintenance of adequate statistical data.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum with the theme: “Addressing the Challenges of Fresh Food Exporters at the Lagos International Airport.” Executive Director/ CEO, NEPC, Mr. Olusegun Awolowo, said that the collaboration became necessary after a working visit to NAHCO and NAQS to acquaint the council with workings of these

organisations with a view to assessing how their operations could help facilitate its efforts at galvanizing Nigerian exporters of ethnic foods towards servicing the growing demands of EU and USA markets for fresh and processed food items from Africa.

Awolowo said that the country is being denied its fair share of the huge market mostly patronised by blacks in Diaspora, of which Nigeria is one out of five, saying, “Whereas other African

countries like Ghana, Cameroon and Cote D’ Ivoire are faring well in the same market .

This is happening in spite of the fact that Nigeria is not less endowed in fresh and processed food items.

“For Nigeria to be a significant player in the said market that has Nigerians in Diaspora as the major customers, challenges facing Nigeria exporters, among which are quality and handling issues must be sorted,” he said.

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 21

Cover Story

The Basic Guide to Starting Your Business Part 3

DRAW - From left Tolu Onipede, CSR Officer, GTBank; Oyinade Adegbite, Senior Manager, GTBank; Otunba Dele Olapeju, Principal, Kings College, Lagos; Mrs Risikat Yussuf, Principal, Ansar-ud-Deen Girls High School, Itire, Lagos and Mr Jimmy Sogbesan, Executive Director, Mediavision Ltd during the GTBank Master Cup Season IV Draws held in Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

Islamic financing'll check graft, other vices in governance—World Bank and awareness. Anytime I talk to fellow Nigerians about Islamic banking, they still see it from a religious point of view, which is why the CBN could not call it Islamic banking, they call it non interest banking, so that sends you the signal that the word Islamic banking is loaded and the CBN took a step of shying away from that and they call it non interest banking.

"When people now see it from a religious point of view, in a country that historically has had tensions between Muslims and other religions, where today you have an Islamic insurgency in the North East of Nigeria, so it becomes really tricky for you to promote and aggressively develop Islamic banking, until people become aware of it that it is really not for muslims only and is not muslims trying to take over Nigeria or take over the Nigerian financial system.

“These are political, economic issues that you and I cannot solve. These are fundamental issues that we cannot wave our hands and they will go away until the general level of awareness increases and people understand it better and the overall environment improves. It is going to be challenging for these banks to develop, but it is not an issue unique to Nigeria. In Turkey as well, they could not call them Islamic banks because the Turkish constitution says that Turkey is a circular country with no national religion. In Turkey, they call

them participation banks. You do have challenges in some of these countries where the political economy is not conducive to aggressively promote “Islamic banking” because either the constitution forbids it or the current environment is not conducive to aggressively champion a particular form of

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Continues from page 17

In Africa, Islamic financing is just starting; Nigeria of course, has the potential because of the population and the size of the economy

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finance that has got a religion attached to it.

“This is one of the areas where we are working right now. It is not only in Nigeria, even in Muslim countries.

Let me pick a country at random, UAE. If you go to UAE, they have a system where for financial transactions; you have to agree before hand, which court you are going to use to settle disputes.

“Because even though they have Sharia, Sharia does not cover all transactions, it is not a fully Sharia economy even

in the UAE. Today, if you go to Dubai, they have what we call Dubai international financial centre where you do have Islamic banks, where you have Sukuk.

However, the laws they use is the common law of England and everybody agrees to settle any disputes with the common law of England and the contract law applicable in England.

“In Africa, Islamic financing is just starting; Nigeria of course, has the potential because of the population and the size of the economy. Senegal has issued a Sukuk.

Gambia as well has used a Sukuk, and there is some interest from Mali, Burkina Faso, but limited extent at this time. Again, lack of awareness is an issue.

In addition, many of these countries are wrestling with many other problems that this is not their priority at this time, but for West Africa right now Nigeria, Gambia and Senegal and to some extent Mauritania, if you can count Mauritania as West Africa although it is beginning to switch over to northern Africa.

Those are the countries where you can see a strong interest in Islamic finance”.

WHAT IS NOT BUSINESS? Often time people engage in all sort of shady deals and call it business. This should not be, because any act/trade that is not genuine and is to the detriment of others cannot be called a business, especially if it doesn’t fall within the confines of the law or is aimed at getting profit wrongly.

Some of these wrong businesses include, money laundering (government officials), abuse of office, stealing, defrauding, internet scam otherwise known as yahoo-yahoo, 419 and a host of others. If you are involved in any of the above, then you cannot say that you are in a business as the above named are prohibited by the laws of the land and they do not create opportunities. Rather they ruin or cripple the country, portraying it in a very bad light to the rest of the world. It is only a lazy man that looks for an easy way out all the time, not wanting to go through the right process and procedures.

THE MENTALITY OF A BUSINESS MAN: We have discussed what a business is in the previous chapter and what business is not; we have also looked at the importance of self analysis in starting a business as well as the disadvantages and advantages. Now it’s time to talk about the mentality a business man should possess.

We cannot underestimate the power of the mind and I make bold to say that that is where every idea and dream is born.

The good book also emphasizes this by saying “as a man thinketh in his heart, so he is”.

When starting a business, you would need to ask yourself if you possess what it takes to run it efficiently and get the desired results. Every successful business man has a mentality and should possess a strong sense of character. That is why it is important to carry out a self analysis before commencing a business.

The business man does not see failure as a reason to quit; to him failure is a stepping stone that launches him to his next level. He is not afraid but is a risk taker, possessing the utmost desire to succeed; he is not just out to make money,

but rather to bridge the gap between demand and supply.

He is a sharp thinker and very witty, seizing every available opportunity to meet the demands of consumers.

The following make up the mindset of successful business men.

Optimism Optimism continues to be a primary factor in whether or not an individual will stay focused on goals rather than be thwarted by the negative events that would impede progress. It is the absolute ideal that leads to achievement as nothing can be done without hope.

Therefore, it is the very essence of success.

If you want to have a successful business, it is important that you start out as an optimist, refusing to see impossibilities and obstacles. An optimist is not discouraged, but rather looks for other ways to make things better. A good business man will always diligently search for answers that will work.

He possesses the “yes I can” aura and mentality which will endear him to clients and friends alike.

Before you start a business it is very important that you have a very optimistic mentality, one that is not easily swayed by various obstacles you will encounter in the course of carrying out your business. This is because nobody wants to do business with a pessimist.

Creativity A creative ability is a very vital tool in the hands of a person who intends to start a business, although sometimes even as a business owner there is a risk with being creative; it is not possible to do something the same way and expect a different outcome. You have to be very dynamic in your choice and approach to the business you intend to start.

Brainstorm a list of possibilities no matter how wild it seems. Look for the unusual but plausible.

Enhanced creativity when looking at possible business solutions increases the flow of ideas within the framework of a set of desired goals.

22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Banking & Finance

Gen Gowon speaks at ICC Nigeria dinner

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eneral (Dr.) Yakubu Gowon, GCFR, former Head of State, who recently turned 80, would be speaking as the chairman of the occasion at the 2014 edition of the International Chamber of Commerce Nigeria’s Annual Dinner & Dance.

The Special Guest of Honour at the event is Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, CON, Founding Chairman, First City Monument Bank Limited while Prof. Fidelis Oditah, QC, SAN would be delivering the keynote address. Other confirmed special guests include Chief Emeka Anyaoku, GCVO, CON, former Secretary General of The Commonwealth, Chief Richard Akinjide, CON, SAN, Mr. Sami Houerbi, ICC Headquarters representative and a crosssection of carefully selected corporate Chieftains, notable business Leaders and Captains of Industry in both the private and public sectors of the economy as well as members of the Diplomatic Corps.

GTBank partners Lagos State F.A to train coaches

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uaranty Trust Bank in partnership with the Lagos State Football Association (LSFA) is organizing a 3-day training programme for coaches involved in the GTBank Principals Cup tournaments and other grassroots football tournaments in Lagos State with the theme “Raising the Beautiful Game”.

The training which is scheduled to hold between the 22nd and 24th of October, 2014 at the Sports Bar, Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere will avail the participating coaches an opportunity to learn the fundamental techniques of effective youth coaching and capacity building in various areas which include Sports Therapy, Time Management, and Psychology etc.

MPC not tackling root cause of excess liquidity —CBN Dep Gov

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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eputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Adelabu Adebayo has called on the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to adopt new methods of addressing the problem of excess liquidity in the banking industry, saying that the methods adopted so far have been focused on the symptoms and not the root cause of the problem.

“My view is that we should begin to explore some innovative ways to address liquidity surfeit in the system”, he said in his personal statement at the last meeting of the MPC held September 18 th to 19th.

Adelabu, who is the Deputy Governor in charge of Corporate Services Directorate, noted that the real threat to exchange rate stability is not excess liquidity in the banks, but the huge importation bill due to the import dependent nature of the economy. He consequently advocated for an immediate review of the list of imported items eligible for official foreign exchange.

He said, “I would like to point out that the greater part of the burden imposed on monetary policy are issues requiring active support of the fiscal authority. First, it would be difficult for monetary policy to reduce lending rate to single digit level in the light of the fact that the major drivers of lending rates relate to the competitiveness of the business environment including cost of power and security incurred by the banks as opposed to cost of funds. Secondly, the burden of foreign exchange management is derived largely from the skewed structure of the economy because the bulk of the pressure in the foreign exchange markets comes mainly from payments of imports bills rather than excess reserves of the banking sector. Thus, mopping up excess banking liquidity through adjustment to CRR, as the present monetary conditions implied, would amount to

treating the symptoms without addressing the root cause. I think the solution lies in exploring innovative means of deploying excess liquidity in the banking sector to productive sectors rather than considering it as a threat.

“As implied in my last statement, we are almost approaching the limit of monetary policy thus requiring considerable

structural and administrative measures. Monetary policy independence appears to have been lost mainly due to the weakening external reserve position. In the short terms, appropriate administrative measures must be put in place to curtail the rate of depletion of the external reserves. As a quick win, an urgent review of the list of imported items eligible for official foreign exchange

is imperative in addition to revisiting legislations around the exports of dollar in cash.

Over the medium to long term, considerable efforts must be made to improve accretion to external reserves from proceeds of crude oil sales as efforts are geared towards improving business environment by building infrastructure that would promote foreign direct investments.”

ANNIVERSARY - From left: Mrs Nike Akande, a director of Union Bank displaying the High Volume Nominating Institution Award presented to the bank. With her is Dr Kingsley Moghalu, Deputy Governor, CBN and an official at the 30 years of Directors‘ Training Anniversary, recently

Enterprise Bank: Heritage Bank pledges bigger, innovative organisation

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eritage Bank Limited has said that its acquisition of Enterprise Bank will produce a bigger and more innovative organisation.

Managing Director/Chief Executive, Heritage Bank Limited, Mr. Ifie Sekibo said this at the sidelines of the Investiture programme of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) held in Lagos.

Recall that HBCL Investment Services Limited (HISL) promoted by Heritage Bank recently paid N56 billion to acquire Enterprise Bank from the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Commenting on the integration of the two banks, Sekibo said, With the acquisition of Enterprise Bank, we are sure we are going to get a much bigger organization that would have the same entails of Heritage Bank where innovation,

where transfer of wealth, and creation of wealth is our mantra.

Sekibo, who along with the Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Godwin Emefiele and two other bank chief executives were awarded Honorary Senior Members of CIBN, said that to achieve the above, the Bank would focus more on training and would be guided by the standards and codes of the Institute.

He said, “It is an honour that in so short a time the Institute would award me Honourary Senior Membership. This award would impact on our bank because we would be clear in our focus because the Institute is the guiding institute that helps the industry set standards and educate on codes of conducts. So this would lead to increased awareness of the standards within our institution and it would also

enable us run our training program in line with the Institute. It also means there would be a lot of training which is why the Institute is important for us. So we would have these training as one family not as two organisations. So look out for a much stronger and bigger organisation.”

Similarly, Heritage Bank in a statement said that the combination of the two banks will produce a force to be reckoned with and a paradigm shift in the banking industry. The Bank said, “We have always seen Enterprise Bank as one of the potential giants in Nigeria’s banking landscape. With a truly vast branch network, innovative and professional staff, solid assets and large customer base, Enterprise Bank is easily one of the preferred banks for value creation wherever you might be in the country.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 23

Banking & Finance foreign portfolio investors divesting from the country.

Rather than roll-over matured investments, the foreigners, it was gathered, are taking out their money, due to uncertainty over impact of the falling crude oil prices on the nation’s external reserves and the exchange rate of the naira.

Market liquidity falls to N389bn

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LAUNCH - From Left, Mr. Anietie Michael, Divisional Head, Keystone Bank, Uyo, representing the Managing Director/CEO; Mrs. Nella Andem-Rabana (SAN), former Attorney-General of Cross River State (Book reviewer); Elder Mrs. Edisua Usang Iso, Chairman, Bakassi Local Government Area and Mr. Michael Williams, MD, Tourism Bureau, Cross River State at the launch of Tupelo & Green’s Quintessentially Efik Recipes written by Nky Iweka in Calabar.

CBN revs up forex intervention to save Naira zExternal reserve falls by $290 million zAMCON bond matures this week

BY BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) last week stepped up its intervention in the foreign exchange market in order to halt the depreciation of the naira in the interbank market.

Vanguard investigations revealed that in addition to foreign exchange sold through the bi-weekly Retail Dutch Auction System (RDAS) sessions on Monday and Wednesday, the apex bank conducted special foreign exchange sales on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. The intervention followed sharp increase in foreign exchange demand which caused the naira to depreciate to N165.5 per dollar at the interbank market.

The previous week, the naira depreciated by 75 kobo due to demand pressure caused by anxiety over falling crude oil prices. This persisted till Monday last week, leading to 129 percent increase in demand at the RDAS session on Monday.

Failure of the CBN to meet the increased demand worsened the situation in the interbank market; hence the interbank exchange rate rose to N165.55 per dollar at the

close of business on Tuesday.

Though the apex bank sold intervention foreign exchange on Tuesday, it decided to repeat the intervention on Wednesday and Thursday to reverse the depreciation of the naira.

This caused the naira to appreciate steadily in the interbank market from Wednesday till the close of business on Friday. Data from the Financial Market Dealers Quote (FMDQ) show that the interbank market exchange rate dropped from N165.5 on Tuesday to close the week at N164.6 per dollar.

Reflecting the apex b a n k ’ s f r a n t i c efforts to save the n a i r a , foreign exchange sales at the R D A S sessions for the week rose by 43 percent to $999.88 million from N699.94 million the previous w e e k .

Consequently the apex bank has sold $2.1 billion this month and N28.2 billion this year through the RDAS sessions.

External reserves down by $290m

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n the other side, the nation’s external reserve dropped by another $290 million last week to $39,063 billion from $39.353 billion the previous week.

Consequently the external reserve has fallen by $458 million from $39.521 million at the end of September.

The persistent decline in the e x t e r n a l reserves as well as increased f o r e i g n exchange demand are due Consequently to response of the apex foreign portfolio investors to the bank has sharp fall in sold $2.1 crude oil price billion this in recent times.

Vanguard was month and r e l i a b l y N28.2 billion informed that this year much of the increased through the demand for RDAS f o r e i g n sessions exchange is occasioned by

xcess liquidity in the interbank money market fell by 10 percent last week to N389.37 billion from N431.67 billion.

The decline revealed the impact of the huge outflow from the market to fund foreign exchange purchased at the RDAS session. The CBN also sold treasury bills to mop up inflow from payment of treasury bills that matured during the week.

Analysis of treasury bills (TBs) sales for the week revealed that demand fell by 5.1 percent while the amount sold rose by 8.4 percent.

Unlike the previous week when it offered N120 billion worth of OMO (re-issued) TBs, the CBN last week offered N96.27 billion worth of primary market (fresh) TBs, apparently to mop-up N96.27 billion worth of primary market TBs that matured last week. On the other hand, demand rose to N201.97 billion from N212.94 billion the previous week.

The CBN allotted N96.27 billion, hence N105.7 billion returned to the market as excess liquidity.

AMCON N866.73 bn bond matures this week

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eanwhile, the N866.73 billion Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) bonds would mature Friday this week as expected, with focus on its impact on level of liquidity in the interbank money market.

The bonds are the third tranche of AMCON bonds held by private investors.

AMCON’s spokesman, Mr. Kayode Lambo confirmed to Vaguard that the debt instruments would mature on Friday October 31 st and it would be redeemed using a combination of treasury bills and cash depending on what the request of the bondholders.

Vanguard investigation revealed that in anticipation of the impact of the redemption of the bonds on interbank liquidity, the CBN, has been holding meetings with bank treasurers to discuss how to ensure the redemption of the bonds does not aggravate the problem of

excess liquidity in the market.

According to an industry source, who had knowledge of the meetings, “various options and scenarios were considered, and the consensus was that the bonds should be redeemed using a combination of cash and treasury bills. It was also agreed that the treasury bills would be tradable in the secondary market, so that banks can use them to enhance their liquidity situation as whenever the occasion arise.”

Biometric Verification Number now condition for bank loans

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ast week, the CBN moved to accelerate the enrolment of bank customers for the Biometric Verification Numbers (BVN). In a circular to all banks, signed by Mr. Dipo Fatokun, Director, Banking and Payment System Department, the apex bank said that the BVN would now be part of conditions for customers to access loans from their banks.

“All new loans must have the BVN as a condition precedent to drawdown, with effect from November 3 rd 2014”, the CBN said.

In addition, the CBN gave banks till March 31st 2015 to enrol 70 percent of their customers for the BVN. The circular, titled, “Clarification circular on Bank Verification Number (BVN) Enrolment”, stated, “As part of the overall strategy of ensuring the effectiveness of Know Your Customer (KYC) principles, the BVN gives each bank customer, a unique identity across the Nigerian Banking industry.

The CBN has observed that Deposit Money Banks are making steady progress towards the enrolment of their customers. However, the attention of the CBN has been drawn on the need to clarify certain grey areas in the process of enrolment of the customers on BVN. It is therefore necessary for the Bank to issue the underlisted clarifications for stakeholders to note and implement: Where an existing customer wishes to register the BVN with his/her bank, capturing his signature and photo identification document may not be necessary, as the bank is expected to have those records during account opening.

Where an existing customer wishes to do a change of name after his/her enrolment on the BVN, due diligence should be exercised and appropriate legal documents obtained, before the change is effected C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Corporate Finance

Rights Issues to provide platform for future growth—Vetiva

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etiva Capital Management has stated that in line with the general industry trend and in a bid to support future growth prospect, Access Bank Plc has finalised its capital raising plans through a Rights Issue.

Vetiva quoted the management’ of Access Bank as saying the proposed capital raising would be directed towards upgrading the bank’s information technology platforms and branch network expansion.

The Issue offers existing shareholders the right to take up one (1) ordinary share for every three (3) held at a rights price of N8.90 per share.

According to Vetiva “Although Access Bank trades at a two per cent discount to the Rights offer price, we still expect the offer to be successful. With an estimated N68 billion cash inflow from the Rights Issue, we expect to see improved solvency ratios whilst providing a platform to enhance the bank’s ability to capitalise on future growth opportunities amidst more stringent regulatory requirements.

Entries open for 2014 UBA Foundation essay competition

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tudents in senior secondary schools across the country have been invited to submit entries in the 2014 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition.

UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and uses this annual competition to challenge the reading, research, writing and critical thinking skills of Nigerian students.

The UBA Foundation National Essay Competition, which is in its fourth consecutive year, has witnessed increased participation from students since it was first launched in 2011. Going by the success recorded in Nigeria, UBA is taking the competition to other parts of Africa. Similar essay competitions according to the MD/CEO UBA Foundation Ms. Ijeoma Aso are going on simultaneously in Senegal and Ghana as “part of UBA’s continued efforts to intellectually challenge African youths to improve their capacity to compete in an increasingly global world”.

CEREMONY - From left: Vice Chairman, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Thomas Etuh; Chief Executive Officer, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema; MD/CEO, Unity Bank Plc, Mr. Henry James Semenitari; Executive Director, Business Development, NSE, Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri and the Company Secretary/ ED Secretariat and Services, Unity Bank, Mrs Aisha Abraham at the Closing Gong Ceremony at the NSE.

CIS targets entertainment industry to boost capital market, economy

BY PETER EGWUATU

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he Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, CIS has declared that it is targeting the entertainment industry as a catalyst to boosting the Nigerian capital market and economy.

The Chairman of the CIS Programme Committee, Mr. Akeem Oyewale, disclosed this at a press briefing heralding the institute’s annual conference slated to hold th 30 October, 2014 in Lagos.

According to him “Capital Market is a market which provides long term funding for the entire economy and we believe the entertainment industry is yet to benefit from the capital market. The reach and spread of Nollywood and the music industry of Nigeria currently transcends the shores of Nigeria. We know all over Africa, Nigerian actors and musicians hold sway. Also, given the highly itinerant nature of Nigeria, one of the major exports of our country has been our entertainment industry.”

He further said “We want to see how the entertainment industry can tap into the long term

funding of the capital market to grow the industry higher and the economy in general.

Nollywood has helped Nigeria in so many ways. It has provided jobs to the youth and also can contribute significant level to the recently rebased Gross Domestic Product, GDP of Nigeria.”

Mr. Wale

Agbeyangi, the Chairman of the CIS Conference Committee explained that the CIS has put together an array of quality speakers and practitioners from both Industries. According to him “ The Director General of the Securities & Exchange, Ms Arunma Oteh, the CEO of the Nigerian Sock Exchange, Mr.

Oscar Onyema and Mr. Albert Okumagba, President of CIS would provide brief addresses while Mr Ben Murray Bruce of the Silverbird Group and the Honorable Minister for Tourism High Chief Edem Duke would headline discussions for the entertainment industry.

Learn Africa's profit soars by 107 %

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earn Africa Plc, formerly, Longman Nigeria Plc has declared a net profit of N10.1million for the third quarter, Q3 period th ended September 30 , 2014, representing an increase of 107 per cent over the N132.3million loss recorded in the corresponding period of 2013.

Besides, the gross profit margin rose from 50.85 per cent in Q3 of 2013 to 62 per cent in Q3 of 2014 representing more than 10 per cent growth. The marginal increase in operational expenses, according to the management was attributable to the extensive and intensive promotional activities that were carried out by its sales team across Nigeria with a view to expanding its market share.

“We are excited that our market development strategy

is beginning to yield desired results and this is evident in the growth of our turnover from N1,044,160 in the third quarter of 2013 to N1,418,778 in 2014 . It is important to note that the increase in turnover was achieved mainly through open market sales to schools, booksellers and other outlets.

“Our broad range of excellent titles is attracting significant patronage from discerning customers in all segments of our market due to the adequate contents, impressive compliance with current requirements of the curricula, high quality production, reader friendly layout and widespread availability. These have lead to an increase in the level of prescriptions of our titles by several state governments and the administrators of key private primary and secondary schools across

Nigeria” Georgeana Segbeji, Confidential Secretary to the Managing Director, Learn Africa has said.

Continuing, Segbeji said “We hasten to add that our improved performance is indicative of our strong commitment to the interests of our customers and shareholders despite the challenging business environment that is characterized by declining disposable income of an average family, high level of book piracy, poor reading culture, epileptic power supply, bad road network, high cost of funds and declining sales in the NorthEast as a result of insurgency.

Nevertheless, we would intensify our efforts at increasing sales and minimizing overheads so as to generate better returns on investment.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 25

26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 27

Commodity Index Oct 17,- Oct 23, 2014

Micro-Finance

First women MfB debuts as APWB holds annual dinner Stories by PROVIDENCE OBUH

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he first Women Microfinance Bank (WMfB) will make its debut soon, said Association of Professional Women Bankers (APWB), while announcing plans to hold its 2014 annual dinner.

President of the association, Mrs. Tinuola ThompsonAjayi, made the announcement at a press briefing in Lagos, stating that the women bank would further enhance access of women to finance and the drive for financial inclusion, encouraging investment.

Thompson-Ajayi said, “This is to address some critical factors which affect this sector in

particular, access to financial services is a core challenge; it has been a cog in the wheel of development in general and SME development. Several reasons are adduced from low education, gender, dearth of access points, unemployment to mention a few.

“In Nigeria about 47 percent of adult population are said to be financially excluded, for as long as this state of affairs subsists naturally most of our low income economically active adults would continue to be excluded.

“The financial exclusion level of Nigeria is amongst the highest in Africa, this result in lack of opportunities to maximize income and expand business and

resources are often utilized as a result therefore. Of more concern is the fact that a higher proportion of the financially excluded are women and children,” she said.

Meanwhile, the annual dinner of the association is billed for th 30 October with theme: “Sustaining Financial Inclusion Through Micro E n t e r p r i s e Development.” Deputy Governor, Economic Policy, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mrs. Sarah Alade, is the keynote speaker, Lagos Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Adefulire, guest of honour, other guests expected at the occasion include: Ms. Modupe Ladipo, Chief Executive officer, EfInA; Mrs. Debola Osibogun, President, CIBN, among others.

WORKSHOP - From left: Regional Business Manager, NAHCO Plc , Mr. Yahaya Hassan, Acting Zonal Director, Mrs. Evelyn Obidike, Deputy Director, Market Development Department, Mr. Iranloye Mattew, both of Nigeria Export Promotion Council and Business Manager, Export, NAHCO, Mr. Ayodeji Olusanya, at a Stakeholders Workshop in Lagos.

WIMBIZ holds 13th annual conference

BY AMAKA ABAYOMI & PROVIDENCE OBUH

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he Women in Management, Business and Public Service, WIMBIZ, is set to hold its 13th annual conference aimed at examining the possibilities and opportunities in Nigeria while providing insights on the roles of citizens, particularly women, in achieving the identified prospects.

WIMBIZ, whose objectives among other things are to educate and challenge women to maximize their potential, is also tilted towards elevating the attraction and retention of women in workplace.

Themed ‘Nigeria

Rising ... Accelerating Transformation’, the twoday conference, which is expected to attract over 800 women, will hold next week in Lagos.

According to the Chairperson, WIMBIZ, Mrs Osayi Alile, the conference, which will touch on education and agriculture, would seek new ways of creating jobs and wealth for women and young people and fast-forward their thinking to grow the nation.

“This conference aims to make women more conscious of their potentials and to position them to become more global by equipping them with skills and tools needed

to harness and take advantage of the opportunities in the new Nigeria”, Alile said.

The keynote speaker at the conference is the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, while the chairperson is Mrs. Leila Fowler, founder, Top Grade Secondary School and Proprietress, Vivian Fowler Memorial College for Girls.

Speakers include Mrs. Alero Otobo, CEO, Incubator Africa Ltd; Ms Yewande Sadiku, Executive Producer, Half of a Yellow Sun; Mr. Mezuo Nwuneli, MD, Sahel Capital; and Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa, MD, Bank of Industry, among others.

28 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Interview

BY OMOH GABRIEL Group Business Editor

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t the just concluded World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings, Financial Vanguard had an interview with Mr. Abayomi Alawode a Nigeria, who is the Head Islamic Finance and Financial Systems Global Practice at the World Bank Group. He spoke on how Islamic Finance can help in the war against poverty and SME development. He joined the World Bank in 1997. Previously, he was a Lead Financial Sector Specialist in the East Asia and Pacific Region of the Bank and also served as Adviser, Financial Stability at the Central Bank of Bahrain. Abayomi holds an M.Sc in Economics from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria and an M.Phil in Development Studies from the University of Cambridge. He is the author of several academic papers on monetary and financial sector issues in Africa. Excerpts: How will Islamic banking contribute to poverty alleviation, which is one of the targets of the World Bank and also financing SMEs. What should we be expecting from the Islamic Banking workshop and how is Islamic finance going to help reduce poverty in a country like Nigeria?

I agree with you that there is a need to raise awareness in Nigeria, in particular around the issue of Islamic finance, one thing I will like to make clear is that people think that Islamic finance is for Muslims only, that is not true. "I am a Christian and I have been doing this for the last five years and is something I believe in not because of any religious convictions but because I think the model itself is sound and relevant for growth and development and I’ll tell you why.

First, Islamic finance emphasizes partnerships between financial institutions limited chance of raising and businesses, that is to say funds externally if you are an But for Islamic that you don’t necessarily SME. have to give a loan to a financial transactions, what business man waiting for you then get is a situation interest rates and your where financial institutions principal at the end of the are willing to go into day. But you are encouraged partnerships with businesses to actually go into and we think that this offers partnerships with businesses. SMEs a better chance of The Islamic financial getting the external funding institution is like an investor they need for working capital going into a joint venture with as well as for investments.

Interest rate is price for a business man. So, they have something at stake, the money, what is the drive if business man have you are going to partner with something at stake, the somebody or you are going incentives are aligned for to give out facility and there them to ensure that the is no charge or cost to it?

There is a return, is not an business does well. At the end of the day you have a interest rate but there is a situation where financial return. What Islamic finance institutions are not just stand emphasises is that money is by providers of finance but put to work and it generates active participants in a rate of return. When you get that return, the financial business.

Islamic finance does have institution and the business this kind of instruments that share the profit. So the encourage financial inancial institution is not just institutions to be partners seating down and waiting for with businesses and I think interest rates to come in this is good because for SMEs periodically but it actually in particular they struggle to shares in the return, there is get loans from banks and a concept called profit and other financial institutions loss shared, this is where the because they don’t have partnership dimension comes collateral and if you don’t in.

It is not that the financial have collateral you have very

,

Islamic finance emphasizes partnerships between financial institutions and businesses, that is to say that you don’t necessarily have to give a loan to a business man waiting for interest rates and your principal at the end of the day

, Islamic finance offers funding for capital, institution will not make money out of this, they do, otherwise nobody will set up an Islamic financial institution.They do make money, but they make money in a different way, not through interest rate but through actual profit that you make.

The underlying concept is that if a business is sound, it will generate profit and the financial institution that is putting money behind this business should get some returns from it. The returns come in but they share the return with the business man so there are so many instrument that are structured like this on the basis of profit and loss sharing.

If you look at the small scale enterprises, a number

of them do not have good accounting system, therefore the possibility of them making profit for them to share in the short term, say one to three years may not be there, so how do we hedge against that?

There is an instrument, called 'mundaraba' under Islamic finance, what this means is that the Islamic finance brings money to the table. For example, you are a journalist, you want to set up a newspaper and you go to a bank and say, I want to set up a newspaper business in Nigeria, the Islamic bank will say ok, we want to go into this business with you, we will give you X amount of dollars to set up the business.

You will run the business because you are the journalist, we don’t have any experience in journalism but we will sign a

,

C M Y K

Alawode: There is a need to raise awareness in Nigeria around the issue of Islamic finance

The underlying concept is that if a business is sound, it will generate profit and the financial institution that is putting money behind this business should get some returns from it

,

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 29

Interview

,

contract that the two of us from day one will closely track the money that we make.

You may not have an existing business, you may want to start a new business, where from day one you can track how much money you are making, everybody knows how much money comes in, you may not keep the books properly but if you focus on keeping the books properly, both the financial institution and the business man can track the returns from their investment. Remember that you want to make money, you don’t want to put all your effort and make losses, nobody wants to make losses.

The business man and the financial institution together, they will track the returns from that investment, you are putting your time and energy, you will get a salary based on the energy you are putting in and you will track the profit which you will also have a share with the business. So it sounds strange especially in environments where you’ve had conventional financing working for so many years.

Remember that conventional financing is over five hundred years old and Islamic finance in its current form is about forty years old. So is still taking time for people to understand exactly how it works but if you look at countries where this work, when you have this kind of transactions between banks and businesses, there are challenges no doubt but there

If a business man takes a loan from a bank, the bank will monitor how the funds is being used, they will come and check your books to make sure that you are spending the funds appropriately, it is exactly the same in Islamic finance

painted brings us to the question of confidence in the relationship between the Islamic financier and the businessman, in an environment where that is absolutely lacking, how will a bank thrive?

The issue of confidence is not only in Islamic finance problem, you also see it in conventional finance. If a business man takes a loan from a bank, the bank will monitor how the funds is being used, they will come and check your books to make sure that you are spending the funds appropriately, it is exactly the same in Islamic finance. What is the added level of confidence or trust is the fact that in Islamic finance you need a strong legal framework for contracts to be honoured, so there is a contract, is not that we shake hands and we all go and do no harm, there is a contract and there are contracts that are signed that can be enforced. Yes you can have problems when enforcement is weak, but this

,

a contract to pay your rent.

This is why the World Bank has a strong focus on helping countries to strengthen their environment where contracts, the rule of law, having cut that function properly, these are the basic building blocks of a well functioning financial system, whether is conventional or Islamic you still need those legal frameworks.

So we as World Bank do work with different countries including Nigeria on legal reforms putting in place stronger enforcement mechanisms, not only for Islamic finance but also for all kinds of transactions. If you look at any economy, there are not many things you can do without signing contracts, if you take a loan you sign a contract, if you rent a house you sign a contract, even if you get a job from a company you sign a contract that this is the salary am going to get and am going to work so many hours.

Our role as a development organisation is to help countries improve this. In the

SMEs better external investments is more incentives for the two sides to work together to make sure that the business succeeds. We have seen this happen in so many countries; otherwise, you will not see this growth of interest in Islamic finance from even non Muslim countries. If you go to Britain, they do have Islamic finance growing rapidly. Last year, David Cameron, announced that he wanted London to become the centre for Islamic finance in the Western World. South Africa has issued a Sukok months ago, Hong Kong has issued a Sukok because they see not the religious side but they are seeing this as financial instrument with certain features that can help their economy develop.

The scenario you have

is also a problem for conventional finance, is not only Islamic finance that has this, this is a problems, yes I admit.

Nigeria environment for instance, nobody respects contracts, contracts that are entered into are broken, am worried how Islamic finance can thrive in this kind of environment where sanctity of contract is a big issue.

If you go to a conventional bank, and you take a loan, you will still sign a contract, even though contracts are poorly enforced, everyday contract are being signed in Africa, in Nigeria in particular, you still have to enter into contracts, you still have to go to court to enforce those contracts. You rent a house from your landlord you have to enter into

United States, you have lots of contracts and I can tell you, this is why lawyers make lots of money here, contracts here are also difficult to enforce because no matter what contracts you sign, somebody will find some loop holes in it one day. This is a process of constant improvement, Africa may be far behind but is a journey that is going towards a better environment where contracts are respected and where contracts are honoured and where the court system functions effectively.

So there may be challenges, yes am not saying there are no challenges, my point is that this kind of challenges cuts across all kind of financial and economic transactions and the role of financial institutions such as the World Bank is to help countries such as Nigeria and other Africa countries to improve the legal environment and to improve investment climate. When we worked on investment climate

issues, these are some of the issues that we looked at.

In Nigeria there were Islamic bank, the defunct Habib bank which metamorphosed into Bank PHB now Keystone Bank, what do you think are the constraint to embracing this issue in Nigeria?

In Nigeria the challenges are several and I think the Central Bank has done a lot of work to put in place a regulatory framework for Islamic banking. But you do have a big problem in terms of perception and awareness.

Anytime I talk to fellow Nigerians about Islamic banking, they still see it from a religious point of view which is why the CBN could not call it Islamic banking, they call it non interest banking. So that sends you the signal that the word Islamic banking is loaded and the CBN took a step of shying away from that and they call it non interest banking. When people now see it from a religious point of view, in a countr y that historically has had tensions between Muslims and other religions, in a country where today you have an Islamic insurgency in the North East , the Boko Haram thing, it becomes really tricky for you to promote and aggressively develop Islamic banking.

Until people become aware of it that it is really not for muslims only and is not muslims trying to take over Nigeria or take over the Nigeria financial system.

These are political economic issues that you and I cannot solve, these are fundamental issues that we cannot wave our hand and they will go away but until the general level of awareness increases and people understands it better and the overall environment improves is going to be challenging for these banks to develop. But it is not an issue unique to Nigeria. In Turkey as well they could not call them Islamic banks because the Turkish constitution says that Turkey is a circular country with no national religion. Turkey called them participation banks. You do have challenges in some of these countries where the political economy is not conducive to aggressively promoting “Islamic banking” because either the constitution forbids it or the current environment is not conducive to aggressively champion a particular form of finance that has got a religion attached to it.

Let me take you back to the issue of legal system, the Islamic jurisprudence is quite different from the normal legal system that people operate, if there is a default,

do you go to the normal court or the Sharia court.

This is one of the areas where we are working right now, is not only in Nigeria even in Muslim countries, let me pick a country at random, UAE. If you go to UAE they have a system where for financial transactions you have to agree before hand, which court you are going to use to settle disputes.

Why Because even though they have Sharia, Sharia does not cover all transactions, is not a fully Sharia economy even in the UAE. Today if you go to Dubai, they have what we call Dubai international financial centre where you also have Islamic banks, where you have Sukok, however, the laws they use is the common law of England and everybody agrees we are going to settle any disputes with the common law of England and the contract law applicable in England.

There is some contradiction here, the contradictions is this, Islamic financing, you don’t use the money to get involved in certain activities, now I get the money and some how I get involved in some of these activities, if you take me to the normal court, the court will say yes he is running a business and Islamic jurisprudence will say no this is not the normal issue how will the dispute be settled?

If I take you back one step, the first statement that you can use your money for anything is not applicable in Islamic finance.

Islamic financing will not allow investment in ; alcohol, armament, anything harmful to the society, If a man sees a business opening in this area would you say no, this is a contradiction?

The reason why that cannot be disputable is because there is another feature of Islamic finance called asset backing where any sum of money you get is assigned to a particular investment from day one and you identify the asset, there is no dispute about what you are financing, this is again why people think Islamic financing can be used for development because for every dollar or every naira you come up with you can identify what you are buying with that naira.

Example; if you go to an Islamic bank and say I want to buy a car and I need a car loan, they are not going to give you the money and then you go and buy a horse instead.

What happens is that the Islamic bank will ask you what

Continious on pg 30

30 —Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Interview

Islamic finance offers SMEs better external funding for capital, investments.

C M Y K

Abayomi Alawode

,

kind of car you want and will buy that for you and hand it over to you, you have no room to run away.

This asset backing also happens in business as well, where if you need money to expand your factory in terms of machine they will identify what you want to buy and be involved in you actually buying those machine. This asset backing feature which ties Islamic financing to specific assets, if you recall when Osun State issued a Sukok last year, they had to say specifically what they are going to use the money for and they actually said they are going to build schools and hospitals with this. So that is how Islamic finance functions, it says you must tie the financing to specific assets that are identified.

This is the case because you are not looking for interest you are looking for returns generated by your investment, so from day one you must know what exactly the assets are that you are purchasing with that money.

To come back to your hypothetical situation, that can not arise because the Islamic financier and the businessman from day one would identify which assets they are actually purchasing with the money. This happens also with the government, when government are issuing Sukok Islamic bond, they have to identify which assets they want to buy with it.

In Sudan there is a programme of using Sukok to buy hospital equipment like X-ray machines, MRI machines, every time you issue the sukok to raise money, you must specify what you are buying with it. So this asset backing we believe is a strong feature of Islamic finance that makes it more conducive for development because you can actually tie for instance, financing to infrastructure.

A government can say we want to borrow money to build roads, if you use Islamic financing instruments, there is no way it can use that money for something else because the money is tied inextricably to the road construction. These are some of the features of Islamic finance we think that if you use properly in an environment like Nigeria, you wouldn’t have this forgibility of money that we are referring to. When you come to the Sharia issue and settling

In the Turkey project, we have the money going to the government and then the government lends the money to Islamic banks and the Islamic bank then lends to SMEs, we are providing the liquidity and they then lend on sharia compliant basis to SMEs

disputes, they are seen strictly as a contractual ssue in many countries, if you look at the UK they have Islamic banks but UK is not a sharia jurisdiction.

They look at it purely that you have sign a contract and if the contract is enforceable or not, they will take advice from sharia scholars based on whether the contract itself is admissible under the sharia rules. Before the contract is finalised, remember each bank has a sharia board that looks at the contract and certifies that it is sharia compliant. That is another layer of scrutiny that you do get but if you have somebody who says I cannot pay back and you want to go back on your contract that you have signed, then you can use a regular court, it is not ideal but in many jurisdiction they use a regular court. Where you use a sharia court will be in country’s like Saudi-Arabia where there is no doubt about what is the dominant legal system.

So which countries in West Africa will you say this initiative is succeeding?

In Africa Islamic financing

,

is just starting, Nigeria of cause has the potential because of the population and the size of the economy, Senegal has issued a Sukok, Gambia as well has used a sukok, there is some interest from Mali, Burkina Faso, but limited extent at this time.

Again is because lack of awareness is an issue, in addition many of these countries are wrestling with many other problems that this is not their priority at this time, but for West Africa right now Nigeria, Gambia and Senegal and to some extent Mauritania, if you can count Mauritania as west Africa although is beginning to switch over into northern Africa.

These are the countries where you can see a strong interest in Islamic finance.

Is World Bank just offering capacity in that respect or it involves money?

Our work in Islamic finance has four main branches, the first one we are beginning now to lend money on sharia compliant principles and we have two pilot projects, in Egypt and Turkey we offer loans to SMEs based on

Islamic finance laws but of cause the loan goes to countries first and then the countries disburse on sharia compliant basis.

The Turkey project, we have the money going to the government and then the government on lends the money to Islamic banks and the Islamic bank then lends to SMEs, we are providing the liquidity and they then lend on sharia compliant basis to SMEs. In Egypt, it is the same structure except that the Islamic banks there are using this to finance their leasing equipment to SMEs because many SMEs want leases.

Now we are trying another one in Bangladesh where this will be another project that provides money for SMEs. We do have loans that we on lend on sharia basis. Secondly, our private seetor arm, the IFC invest, they take equity in Islamic banks because IFC is a profit making entity and they do have equity investment and so they invest in Islamic banks. Third, you do have knowledge and capacity building activities which I just described, we do a lot of workshops, this is one of them, we have Islamic finance centre based in Istanbul through which we are doing conferences and workshop to dialogue, raise awareness.

Many of the issues you brought about legal awareness we brought it and we bring lawyers and sharia scholars who debate what the problems are and what possible solutions there might be. We do have in addition to the knowledge and capacity building, offer direct assistance to central banks and regulators if they want to develop Islamic fiancé and they are trying to put together a framework for regulation and supervision, we have experts here. I myself have

,

Continued from pg 29

In Nigeria we may start doing something soon because we have gotten a request from the central bank to explore possible ways in which we can collaborate to develop Islamic finance

,

done this, where you go and seat down with them and you work through the building blocks to know what they need to put in place, what are the best practices. We just finished one in Tanzania, they want to introduce Islamic banking, we helped them to put in place the regulatory framework, we call that technical assistance and advisory services. We have a range of ways in which we provide support to different countries. In Nigeria we may start doing something soon because we have gotten a request from the central bank to explore possible ways in which we can collaborate to develop Islamic finance and in the first phase of this programme, it might be conferences and workshops to raise awareness and discuss what the issues are and how to move forward including how Islamic finance is relevant to Nigeria’s economic development. We do a range of things and we can deploy this in different countries depending on the need. We are client focused if they say they want conferences and workshops we focus on that, we don’t necessarily push a certain kind of intervention.

So how much has World Bank voted for this?

The two projects am talking about if you look at the Islamic finance components of the two projects is about $200 million, $50 million in Egypt and $150 million in Turkey but this is over the next five years, money available to be disbursed on sharia compliant basis for SMEs. However, if we begin to get into infrastructure projects, you can expect this to get much bigger because infrastructure projects are big ticket items that take a lot of money, here we expect to leverage available public sector of financing. In Nigeria for instance, is mostly the public sector that finances infrastructure, if you bring Islamic finance, is a case of bringing private sector money to join with public sector money in PPP type of arrangement. It depends on projects, is going to be a project by project assessment to determine the size of the investment but we don’t have any limit or caps, it depend on the country limit because each country has a borrowing limit with the world bank, is not that countries can borrow as much as they want, there is a limit for every country, as long as you remain under that limit that is fine.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 31

32 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 33

Men in Business with CHIOMA GABRIEL

D

r Wole Akinwunmi was the Chairman of Igando Community Development Association, (CDA). He served from year 2000 till 2007.

Currently, he is one of the elders in the community called the G12 of Igando and has been a politician / businessman since 1986 starting from Alliance for Democracy, Action Congress and All Progressives Congress. He specialises in estate management and bore hole drilling.

Tell us how you got to where you are?

I started my business in the year 1986. I first worked with construction and property management companies.

From there, I got the field experience in building and bore hole drilling.

Even when some of the companies I worked with folded up, I still continued. One thing about the job is that you improve on it by being in the field where you meet a lot of people and being a hardworking person that loves to work, some of the people I met in the field employed me to work for them. That was when Maroko was still there and government was building around it. We were always in the field working. From there, I was able to meet people and know people.

Some times, my company works for individuals and from there, it was very easy for me to quickly start my own business. I have worked in different parts of the country which involved a lot of travels and meeting with people from all parts of Nigeria.

How would you describe the business of bore hole drilling and estate management?

It is very interesting. It is a job that keeps you in the field all the time.

Going to school does not really matter in the job.

You have to work to get more experience. Like you see the case of building collapse all over the place, somebody like us can stand a 20-storey building without the house collapsing.

To what do you attribute the high rate of building collapse in the country?

Many of the Engineers do not know anything.

They are just carrying certificates around with little or no field experience. Building has little to do with the certificate you obtained from the University. Field work is different. Truly, we have qualified Engineers whose services are difficult to obtain but they keep giving excuses for their failure to deliver.

In reality, you need to have a lot of field experience to be successful.

You talked about field

I spent 30 days in detention for allegedly causing buildings’ collapse — DR AKINWUNMI •Blames site engineer for Synagogue building collapse experience, is lack of it responsible for incidents of buildings collapse like the recent case of Synagogue Church building?

To me, I would say that what happened in the Synagogue was the fault of the Engineer on the site. It is not the fault of the church owner because I believe that there must be an engineer in the site of the building.

There are agencies who are supposed to monitor these buildings as they are building them but because Synagogue is a big church, they probably looked away believing that nothing will happen

The problem we are having in this country is our government. There are agencies who are supposed to monitor these buildings as they are building them but because Synagogue is a big church, they probably looked away believing that nothing will happen.

Maybe the church does not even have a plan. But if a poor man is building a room and parlour, you will see them there, marking everything wrong. Go to Lagos Island,there are lots of buildings there that are not up to the required standard. They are very close to each other with little or no ventilation. In the case of Synagogue, how can somebody build a storey building, and you are raising it to six-storey without first of all demolishing the existing one and laying a stronger foundation? No matter how strong you think the foundation of a building is, once you want to raise it, you will need to revisit the foundation to make it stronger.

I had an experience many years ago when some buildings collapsed in Lagos Island. I drilled a bore hole for Prudent bank in Lagos Island about 10 years ago. We finished the borehole on a Friday and on Sunday, all buildings around the area collapsed.

I was in the church on Sunday when I heard that buildings around the whole area had collapsed. In the night of that same day, I switched on my television, and lo was the scene. The Lagos governor then and the President were there. People there started blaming the collapsed of the buildings on the borehole we did, suggesting that maybe we planted something inside. They were blaming me for the tragedy. They said that we planted a bomb inside the borehole.

The next day, the police invited me and my workers to their headquarters.

We went and we did a press conference in Victoria Island. After that, they took me and my workers and traders that sold on that very day to Panti police station and detained us for 15 days. We were more than 50 in the cell. I love what the police did. It was later that I realized that the police were doing there job. After they released us from Panti, they invited us again the following day to report in their station at Zone 2 at Onikan where they detained us for another 15 days. The cell was about 12 by 12 feet and we were more than 50 people there. I later followed the police to the scene of the collapsed buildings where we drilled bore hole and they were asking me the kind of explosives we planted there. I told them we planted no explosives, that we only drilled a bore hole for them to get drinking water. I believe that till date, that borehole will still be there. It was later, during their investigation that the police found out that one of the tenants had some explosives he stored in his house. So, when the police concluded their investigations, they asked us to go. They didn’t ask for money before bailing us. I spent thirty days in detention while the investigation was going on . But I gained one thing from the cells. I met a man who was also locked up in the cell. I did not know that the man had 15 hectares of land to sell. He asked me to help him sell all of them and because of the way I handled his business, I was introduced to many people who did business with me.

That was how I entered fully into landed property. Now, I have properties almost all over Lagos and beyond.

What then are you saying about the Synagogue church building collapse?

I believe that when they started building that place, maybe they were managing funds. But, if they have a qualified Engineer, he would have advised them to demolish the initial building and make the foundation stronger. That kind of job is not what you will give to just any contractor. It is not what you give to church member to handle. There are some brick layers that can stand a standard house for you even without going to school. All they need is supervision. Sometimes, brick layers correct the professionals.

It is not all about holding a certificate.

You need top practice it.

M

inor mistakes can cause building collapse. I do not believe that it could be caused by poor materials. The government has already given the standard of materials you will use in building a house. Before you build any house now, you must meet the standard of the state government. If you are working in a swampy area, there are things you must put in place.

Sometimes, you may need to go 40feet deep. That is why I disagree with people that put few blocks down before building. The pillars you use in building a house depends on the area you are staying. I am telling you this based on experience.

Are you saying that people tend to economise when building these things?

Yes, some people try to economise.

But if I see that a client who hired me to construct a building is trying to manage money, it is better for me to leave the place. Some have the money but some Engineers will be economising the materials for their own interest. If the Synagogue Church building had collapsed in the night, there would have been more casualties.

C M Y K

34 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Homes & Housing Finance Stories by YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency reports

Housing ministry generates N8bn in 4 years

T

he Federal Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development (FMLHUD) said it generated N8, 110,389, 817.79 over the last four years.

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Akon Eyakenyi, who disclosed this recently, said the sum was generated through tender fee, ground rent, premium on land, title registration fee, consent fee, Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) processing fee and survey fee within the period.

Giving a break-down of the money generated in each year, the minister said N932,660,908.11 was generated between May and December 2010, N2,283,000,000.00 in 2011, N1,301,558,726.90 in 2012, N1,704,581,553.14 in 2013 and N1,888,588,629.64 between January to August 2014.

Cross River’s GIS boosts land revenue

T

he introduction of a standard Geographic Information System-Land Information System (GISLIS) by the Cross River State government has boosted revenue from land transactions in the state.

The state generated N1.6 billion from land dealings in the past few months, as against about N350 million previously generated annually.

The new technology has also made the process of getting Certificate of Occupancy (C-of-O) in the state a lot simpler and easier.

Head of Operations, Cross River Geographic Information Systems (CRGIS), Mr. Chukwu Emeka Davids, explained that the new system of land processes recertifies old certificates to suit present technologies.

“Before now volumes of transaction come to the Ministry of Lands and Housing but no wellstructured automated platform to receive money and it gets through wrong hands.

C M Y K

A

total of 418 homeowners have so far emerged under the Lagos Home Ownership Mortgage Scheme (Lagos HOMS) with 34 winners emerging at the 8th edition of the monthly draw of the scheme recently held by the Lagos Mortgage Board.

Lagos HOMS was established by the Lagos State government to give certified residents of the state opportunity to buy houses and pay over a period of not less than 10 years under a mortgage scheme at 9.5 percent interest rate.

Applicants must be first time buyers, 21 years old and above and tax compliant with proof of tax payment for 5 years. They must be able to make the 30 percent down payment (equity contribution) and meet their monthly repayments. At the launching of the scheme, Governor Babatunde Fashola, said “a home is not something you buy in one day but over time, in a way that your ability to acquire it is tied to your income and continued prosperity.”

However, to qualify to own houses under the scheme, an applicant is required to complete an application form in accordance with the instructions, pay the prescribed processing fee and collect a receipt after submitting copies of all

•Development of mass housing

How to own houses under Lagos mortgage scheme necessary supporting documents to the Lagos Mortgage Board (LMB). The form can be submitted in person or online. Originals of supporting documents will be required for sighting for applicants who are successful at the monthly draw.

The board then processes the application form for prequalification and if the requirements are met, will

assign a draw reference number to the applicant. After this, LMB will enter the applicant for the draws which are conducted periodically on announced dates, through a transparent, fair and well publicised process. Names of successful draw applicants would thereafter be forwarded

by LMB to the Lagos Building Investment Company (LBIC) for mortgage processing.

Divided SEC adopts mortgage rule

U

.S. securities regulators has adopted a rule designed to avert another financial crisis, but two officials dissented, saying it did not do enough to discourage banks from lending to borrowers with shaky credit and then passing the mortgage risk to investors.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) approved the socalled “risk retention” rule by a 3-2 vote, while the U.S. Federal Reserve unanimously adopted it later in the day in a public board meeting. The rule requires banks to keep at least 5 percent of the risk on their books when they securitize loans. This “skin in the game” is aimed at aligning the bank’s interest with investors that buy the loans.

But two commissioners said they could not support the rule in part because they believe its exemption for low-risk mortgages is too broad and does not sufficiently crack down on lax underwriting standards. They also said the rule perpetuates the dominant role of government-sponsored enterprises like Fannie Mae in the housing market.

Before the financial crisis, banks

pumped up lending volumes, little concerned about the risks since they planned to unload the loans. The system imploded when subprime mortgage borrowers started defaulting.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development also adopted the rule last Wednesday, following three other agencies which had given their nod. The six regulators were required by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street financial reform law to implement the rule. Their concerns, however, reflect the broader public debate about the delicate balance between mortgage lending standards and the need to protect investors.

The most hotly contested issue centers on the scope of an exemption for ordinary “qualified” residential mortgages. In 2011, regulators originally proposed defining qualified mortgages as those requiring borrowers to make hefty down payments. Regulators scrapped the plan after the industry pushed back, saying it would stifle the housing market for lower-income buyers. In the new rule, the definition of a qualified mortgage is much looser than first proposed in 2011, and aligns with a definition in a separate rule by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Successful applicants will receive an offer letter from LBIC, confirm acceptance and comply with the conditions set out, including the payment of a 30 percent initial deposit to LBIC within the period stipulated in the offer letter.

At the end of all these, the contract of sale and deed of mortgage are executed by signing by the applicant and the LMB/LBIC and the keys to the home are then delivered to the applicant.

Documents required with the application (for full or part-time employees) include: Two (2) passport-sized photos (with name and signature behind); Evidence of yearly payment of income tax for the last five years; Certified personal bank statement for the last six months; Pay slips for the last six months and; Last pay slip of previous employer (if applicant has changed jobs within the last year). Others are: Letter of reference from current employer confirming job title, status, annual salary & allowances and existing loans and/or obligations if any; Any evidence of additional income to service the mortgage; Proof of identity (Drivers license, Birth certificate, Passport, National ID card or Lagos State Residents Card, etc); Proof of residence in Lagos (Utility bill, Lagos State Residents Card, Tax card etc); Signed Memorandum of Acceptance (to be downloaded); Notorised Buyers Affidavit (to be downloaded) and; Any other supporting documents.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 35

T

he report written by Sunday Aborisade exhibits the triumph of hope and self-delusion over reality and the verdicts of economic history and experience. Neither one of the two key foundations of our budget can, by any stretch of imagination, be considered reasonable – given global current situation and trends into 2015.

Last year, $74 benchmark for crude was proposed by the Federal Government, while the National Assembly, NASS, approved $77.5 per barrel. Yet, at the time, crude was selling for over $110 per barrel. The reason the Federal Government proposed $74 is not hard to discover. Jonathan and Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala wanted to beef up the Excess Crude Account, ECA, which they “manage” on behalf of the states. Most people have forgotten how $1bn mysteriously was credited to the account when it was almost totally depleted without any explanation as to source. Knowledgeable economists and financial experts know governments are not magicians; they don’t create money from nothing.

So, the $1bn must have come

Unrealistic crude benchmark, exchange rate from an undisclosed fund known only to President Jonathan and the Finance Minister.

It is too early to call the source a slush fund, but, it will be interesting to know how much is lodged there and on whose authority and how much is left. For all we know, we might have created Excess Crude Account, ECA, II. That, however, is an issue for another day.

Right now the focus is on the proposed $78 for 2015.

To state that it makes no sense is being extremely polite. That it is illogical can be proved easily.

This time last year, crude oil was going for $112, and holding steady at that price, when the Federal Government proposed $74.

Today, crude oil is down to about $86 and trending downwards. Now, the government is proposing $78. The margin last year between the going market price and the benchmark was about $38 per barrel.

Today, it has dwindled to $8 per barrel and the end is not in sight. In fact, there is a possibility that by December this year the crude price might dive

below the proposed $78. Then what?

Meanwhile, the World Bank had been advising Nigeria to increase its ECA significantly next year. It is difficult to imagine where the funds to boost ECA next year will come from if actual volumes again fail to match estimates.

Already, what many economists, except

CBN, had been exhausting our external reserves in its increasingly losing attempt to defend the naira. Devaluation of the currency, which is in the cards, is being postponed until after the elections next year because to do so now will be disadvantageous to the President. But, in economics, as in most other aspects of life, “a stitch in time saves

,

“The Federal Government has proposed $78 as the benchmark price for a barrel of crude oil and fixed the exchange rate at N160 per dollar for the 2015 national budget.” PUNCH, October 16, 2014, p 36.

The alarm rings louder when one turns to the proposed exchange rate of N160 per dollar. The Federal Government of Nigeria can actually be accused of playing politics with the currency, and by extension, with inflation

government employees and their “consultants” see is a yawning negative variance coming up in 2015.

The alarm rings louder when one turns to the proposed exchange rate of N160 per dollar. The Federal Government of Nigeria can actually be accused of playing politics with the currency, and by extension, with inflation.

It is not a secret that the Central Bank of Nigeria,

,

nine”. And as Arthur Burns, late former Chairman of the US Federal Reserve Bank (America’s own Central Bank) had observed during his tenure under President Nixon, “if you allow an untenable economic situation to persist for too long, you will suddenly find that there few good options left”.

The Central Bank is draining our external reserves, to keep the naira

artificially strong; the Minister of Finance has also proposed next year’s budget based on that fuzzy figure.

Yet, both the CBN Governor and the Minister know that N160 will not be sustainable beyond Election Day. They might think that the nation can afford to wait until February next year. That would constitute a fatal misreading of the changes in the global economy.

Harold Wilson, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, once told the world that “A week is a long time in politics”. Today, another Prime Minister or President could easily announce that “a week is a long time in a nation’s economy”. And, he would be making sense. The week the United States of America exported its first cargo of shale oil to Europe marked the beginning of the end of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, to which Nigeria belongs and which at one time held the world in a vice grip.

The United States, by the time we hold elections next year, would have surpassed Nigeria as an oil exporter; even Angola might have overtaken us and more countries are discovering and producing their own crude everyday.

Aviation

New Kano airport terminal achieves 35% completion

By LAWANI MIKAIRU

T

he New Terminal u n d e r construction at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport has reached 35 per cent completion stage and this is coming on the heels of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, showcasing the airport remodeling project th at the 9 Abuja International Trade Fair.

This fact was revealed by Mr Wong of the Chinese Engineering Construction Company, CCECC, the contractor handling the project, while conducting the Managing Director of FAAN, Engr Saleh Dunoma who was on inspection tour of the New Terminal under construction in Kano.

According to Mr Yakubu Dati, General Manager, Corporate Communication , FAAN, Engr Dunoma called on the company to adhere to set standards in line with the sector’s mantra of “Safety and Security ”. Mr Wong said that the work is at 35 percent completion stage, assuring that work is ongoing as scheduled.

Speaking after the tour, FAAN Managing Director said the airport when completed will further expand the potential of the ancient city as a hub of commerce and industry.

Dunoma, who was accompanied by Ibrahim Chatta, Acting Regional General Manager, Ka n o , Kabiru Mohammed Yusuf, Chief of Staff to the MD and other senior staff of FAAN,

inspected the three floor edifice.

In a related development, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, showcased the airport remodelling th project at the 9 Abuja International Trade Fair to enable visitors to the fair have firsthand experience of how

the airport remodelling project of the Federal Government has transformed the Nigerian airports to international standard.

The airport remodelling project is one major aspects of the aviation sector master plan under President

Goodluck Jonathan’s Transformation Agenda of the aviation industry. The trade fair p r o v i d e d FAAN another opportunity to showcase modern facilities now available at most terminals across the country.

Removal of import duty has improved airline operations— Caverton boss critical areas to improve

By LAWANI MIKAIRU & DANIEL ETEGHE

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he Director of Strategy and Planning , Caverton Helicopter, Mr. Kingsley Uwagbale has said that the removal of import duty on aircraft spare parts by the

federal government in 2012 has brought about a huge growth in the airline business in Nigeria.

He added that the removal has brought about improvement in training of personnel and acquisition as the huge amount hitherto paid as duty is now channel into

safety in the industry.

Mr. Uwagbale, who spoke when he played host to a delegation of the League of Airport and Aviation Correspondents, LAAC, said the leading indigenous helicopter company has increased the number of women pilots in the rotary wing segment of the industry.

C M Y K

36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

E-Commerce Jovago.com records 5,000 personally verified hotel listings in Nigeria

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ovago.com, Nigeria’s online hotel booking platform has reported a huge increase in hotel listings on its website.

In a statement, the hotel booker said it has now verified 5,000 hotels in Nigeria in just one year.

Started in August 2013, Jovago.com said it has grown rapidly to become the hotel booking platform with the largest verified hotel inventory in Nigeria, while also offering users a variety of over 200,000 hotels worldwide to book from.

Marek Zmyslowski, Managing Director of Jovago.com said, “We are glad to report that the number of personally verified hotels on our website has significantly increased. It is extremely important to us that our users are able to book hotels on Jovago.com with the confidence that what they see on our website is exactly what they will find at the hotel.”

“Whether people are looking for luxury hotels, budget hotels, boutique hotels or a bed & breakfast, Jovago.com enables users to easily find their perfect stay by choosing from hotel, city or district search parameters.

Users can further filter these search results by price, star rating and hotel amenities to better personalize their stay.

The hotel booking platform operates under a high level of transparency through professional photos, verified hotel listings, detailed descriptions, and customer reviews on the hotels."

Kaymu introduces ‘SME Saturdays’ to drive SME development in Nigeria

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nline marketplace, Kaymu.com.ng has introduced a new offline initiative to help grow small and medium scale enterprises in Nigeria. Speaking on the initiative, Tomiwa Oladele, Head of Communications for Kaymu, said: “SME Saturdays was borne out of the need to boost small scale businesses who do not have the capacity to market themselves independently, by exposing them to both online and offline buyers. “SME Saturdays is a monthly offline sale that seeks to integrate both online and offline sales.

Products ranging from fashion, beauty and electronics and much more will be discounted at up to 50 percent at the venue."

OLX’s innovation in trade exchange redefines online marketplace Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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nline Exchange, OLX is one of Nigeria’s classified advertisers that also provides opportunities for people to buy and sell using the internet.

As a classified website, it ought to just stick to distributing adverting messages but it goes beyond that, as it provides a platform where people not only buy and sell but also make business connections in the process.

OLX has redefined how the internet is used in trade exchange as it has harnessed the internet’s ability to connect people, generating incomes and helping to fulfill dreams all at the same time. Like the brick and mortar marketplace, OLX has made it possible for people to congregate, interact, buy and sell in real time.

Speaking on how OLX is transforming the marketplace landscape through its innovative platform, OLX’s Nigeria Country Manager, Lola Masha said the idea behind the platform is to simply redefine buying and selling and break the barriers inherent in physical trade exchanges.

She said: “OLX is a global classifieds brand which is gradually transforming the way we buy and sell as well as the way we perceive used items as a whole.

Olx.com.ng has over a million page views per day and once a seller uploads pictures and details of the item for sale, they can start to receive offers on the advertised products or services.

Interested users will use the given contact details provided by the seller.

“Using OLX is simple; there is a fully-fledged website, mobile website as well as a mobile app and adverts can also be displayed via social media.

Some of the products and services bartered through OLX in Nigeria include cars, phones, mobile phone accessories, makeup services and much

more.

“OLX is motivated by the need to bring people together for win-win exchanges. The global online classifieds brand understands the benefits of creating a platform that reduces majority of the barriers to consumer-toconsumer trade and the positive impact it has on the economy in general and consumers in particular. OLX is committed to continuing to

improve the users’ experience as it develops and grows.”

Also speaking, the Business Development Manager of OLX, Mayokun Soremekun said: “The great thing about OLX is the sheer diversity of products and services; from job advertisements to office supplies to houses for sale and rent. You can find literally anything on OLX. We once had a member advertise a

horse for sale through OLX; it was sold within a week!”

On her part, Biola Oyebanjo who is the Acting Customer Service Manager of OLX Nigeria explained: “Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and the potential is undeniable. However barriers to trade such as lack of visibility and exposure as well as the high costs associated with advertising products and services prevent normal everyday people from cashing in on items they have in their homes. Our quick growth over the last year is a testament to just how useful Nigerians have found the site. It is also a testament to the necessity of a classifieds website like OLX but also the increased trust that Nigerians have in the brand.”

SUMMIT - From left: Dame Patience Jonathan, First Lady, Fed. Republic of Nigeria; Hajiya Zainab Maina, MFR, CON, the Honorable Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development; Lady Onyeka Onwenu MFR, DG, NCWD; Dr Akudo Anyanwu Ikemba, CEO/ Founder, Friends Africa at the just concluded women and girls summit held in Abuja recently.

Shoptomydoor, Visa, partner to boost e-commerce in Nigeria

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hoptomydoor and payment processor, Visa have entered into a partnership to facilitate seamless transaction for Nigerians who shop from international merchants in the UK, US and China.

Shoptomydoor is a Nigerian online retailer dedicated to bridging the gap between Nigerian shoppers and global merchants such as Amazon, eBay, Zappos, AliExpress etc.

The partnership with Visa is designed to allow personal consumers and business owners gain access to competitive pricing which will help to grow their supply and profit in the long run by providing them with easy access to virtually all online stores in UK, US and China.

The Shoptomydoor solution charges no processing fee and customers get to pay exactly the same price as seen

on global stores, and still enjoy deliveries down to their door anywhere in Nigeria in a few business days.

Shoptomydoor said that while it already provides delivery service all over Nigeria at discounts of up to 50 percent less major delivery companies, the partnership with Visa further affords their cardholders the opportunity to enjoy even more discounts on shipping discounts from any of the three countries when payment is made with their Visa card.

The partnership leverages on the web and mobile banking payment options to provide an e-commerce platform that provides an easy way of shopping, shipping and delivery of goods to customers within four to six business days. As further incentive, all Visa card holders will get a free twelve

months premium account, saving them instantly $99 or roughly N16, 000 in set up fee for a limited time.

Speaking on the partnership,Nduka Udeh, Chief Executive Officer/ President of Shoptomydoor said, “Partnering with Visa is one sure way to have the millions of Nigerians who presently have a Visa card to key into the savings and benefits provided by the Shoptomydoor platform without needing to acquire another card for international shopping. Visa cards are accepted in virtually all stores and locations worldwide, and Visa has worked with numerous merchants to see that they open up their stores to Nigerian shoppers; hence easing the challenges Nigerians face with their card being declined for foreign transactions.”

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 37

Business & Economy Stories by JONAH NWOKPOKU

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orkers of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, NRC have called on the federal government to adopt and implement globally acceptable standard in container safety across intermodal transport chain in Nigeria.

President General of the Nigeria Union of Railway Workers, NUR, Comrade Raphael Okoro made the call while speaking at the commemoration of the International Transport Federation, ITF Container

Railway workers demand global best practice in container safety Safety Action Day held at the Railway headquarters in Lagos.

Okoro who expressed concern at the lack of safety of workers and other people that come in contact with containers in their transportation from one destination to another, said, “The federal government needs to start discussions to confirm its support for the ITF position on container safety;

endorse and take practical steps to implement the global recommendations by the International Labour Organisation, International Maritime Organisation, and United Nations Economic Commission for Europe on container safety and adopt the provisions of the ILO/IMO/ UNECE Code of Practice on Packing of Cargo Transport Units into national legislation.

“Nigeria needs also to adopt national ‘chain of responsibility ’ regulations which extend the general responsibility and legal liability to ensure that the container is safe along the transport chain which includes the consignors, packers, loaders and most importantly the clients, rather than pursuing the truck or the loco drivers and operators.”

According to him, it has become very necessary for Nigeria as a signatory to the conventions of International L a b o u r Organizationto to adopt the regulations of r e l e v a n t international regulatory bodies so as to improve safety standards around container packing and transportation in Nigeria.

“As a Union, our major concern is

the huge potential risk faced by the workers and members of the public who come in contact with the containers along their movement from one destination to another.

Incorrect packing of dangerous goods has the potential to cause leakages, fires and explosions. In this case, the drivers of the conveyors of the containers and other road users are at great risk due to overloaded containers or shifting cargo as a result of unstable loads, causing the vehicles to end in disaster. A container filled with scrap material, for instance, can present a serious danger to those required to inspect or unload it,” he said.

He added: “In Nigeria and just as it happens around the world, we have had instances where the actual weight of the container exceeds the safe working load. This can damage cranes mid-air leaving the container to crash down on workers. Similarly, poor load distribution in a container or overweight can cause derailment to the train while false declaration of weight and contents of a container can bring about uneven loading which certainly will have adverse impact on the vehicle carrying the container.

ALN announces Konga, others as finalists for entrepreneurship awards

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frican Leadership Network, ALN has announced Nigeria’s online marketplace, Konga.com as one of the twelve finalists for this year’s Africa Awards for Entrepreneurship, AAE. The AAE which was established eight years ago

by Letagum Group, awards over $200,000 prize money every year to outstanding African entrepreneurs who demonstrate business excellence and social impact.

The finalists include: AKSAL Group from Morocco, Bidco from Kenya and Choppies from Botswana, for the Transformational Business Award. Others include: Konga Online from Nigeria, Mxit from South Africa and OSTEC from Ghana for the Outstanding Mature Business Award.

In the ‘Outstanding Small and Growing Business’ category, Khaas Logistics from South Africa, SBI from Somaliland, and Trust Industries from Rwanda emerged as finalists; while BanaPads from Uganda, Shining Hope for Communities from Kenya and Wecyclers from Nigeria were nominated for the ‘Outstanding Social Entrepreneur Award.’

According to ALN, the finalists represent nine African countries and many different industries including retail, manufacturing, consumer services, e-commerce, agriculture, ICT, transportation and logistics, education, health, and sanitation.

Making the announcement last week, the Chief Executive Officer, ALN Isaac Kwaku Fokuo, said: “These finalists represent the strong emerging entrepreneurial class that our continent needs."

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38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Business & Economy

NAPE to address nation’s oil and gas challenges

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he Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists (NAPE) said it would assemble indigenous stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to find solution to the nation’s declining oil reserve. The President of the association, Mrs Adedoja Ojelabi, disclosed this in Lagos while briefing the media on NAPE’s upcoming conference. According to Ojelabi, for the first time in several years, the nation’s oil reserve is showing a sign of decline as exploration drilling has hit the lowest level ever experienced in the nation’s history. “Expectedly, reports of new discoveries are few and the reserves are getting smaller while the Nigerian oil and gas industry landscape has, in the last five years or so, witnessed some of the most sweeping changes.”On the international scene, the advent of shale has proved to be a game for major players within the Atlantic basin region.

Cargo clearance takes less than 24 hours now, says CGC

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omptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr Abdulahi Dikko, has said barring discrepancies, cargo clearance at the nation’s ports could be achieved in less than 24 hours. He made this known in Port Harcourt, Rivers, at a seminar on maritime and energy organised by the state’s chapter of Maritime and Energy Media Practitioners of Nigeria (MEMPON).

Dikko, was represented by Mr Mohammed Ahmed, Assistant Comptroller of Customs, Zone C Command, Port Harcourt, said “Customs cargo clearance is instant provided there are no discrepancies in the cargo.”

He said that the less-than24-hours cargo clearance was made possible by the introduction of Pre-shipment and Assessment Report (PAR), one of the latest reforms in the customs service. He explained that with PAR, there was no longer need for importers to travel to the exporting countries to transact their business.

C M Y K

FIIRO seeks implementation of policies on MSMEs

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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he DirectorG e n e r a l of Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi, (FIIRO) Dr. Gloria Elemo, has called for full implementation of all programmes and policies of government with respect to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, if growth and development of the sector will be realised.

She spoke at the Investment Day of the FIIRO’s Investment and Technology Week titled, “Sustainable Job Creation through FIIRO Technologies” in Lagos.

She regretted that despite the huge natural resources available in the country, MSMEs have not assumed their rightful place and pulled Nigeria along the path of sustainable growth.

She stated that all bodies or agencies, especially financial institutions that government has put in place to support and respond to the needs of the MSMEs to drive the growth of the economy must be fully involved.

According to her, “Nigeria cannot continue to depend on the external sector, emphasis must be placed on the MSMEs harnessing Nigeria’s sizeable domestic market and abundant resources to ensure a steady supply of products that are vital to the nation and economy as a whole.

“We must note that despite resource endowments in Nigeria, MSMEs have not assumed their rightful place and pulled Nigerian economy along the path of prosperity and sustainable growth and development. This is as a result of industrial growth inhibitors.”

Continuing, she said, “In order to achieve the best of this event and continue to live with its preserved memory, eminent resource personalities have been invited to present and discuss germane issues as relates to MSMEs development to enhance the much needed growth in the nation’s

INITIATIVE - From left: Head of Education, L'Oreal Central West Africa, Titilola IgriOffor, Regulatory Affairs and Scientific Manager, Richard Adepitan and the Human Resources Manager, Enitan Ashley-Dejo at the L'Oreal Initiative for People with Disability in Lagos on Friday. industrialisation.”

She, therefore, called for collaboration and synergy between the institute, financial institutions and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to the economy forward, saying, “I strongly believe that our working together will produce useful

results, thereby enabling SMEs to bring their potentials to the fore.”

She stated that synergy among the relevant agencies will also enable the SMEs to manifest their abilities to generate sustainable supply of products in abundance and offer services to Nigerians

and raw materials to industry.

“You will agree with me that working together at this juncture is required to create wider awareness for existing and would be micro, small and medium enterprises through unveiling investment opportunities and services available in FIIRO,” she said.

Nucleus Group invests N500m in hospitality venture

By JONAH NWOKPOKU

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ucleus Group of Companies, has invested over N500 million in its first bid to launch into the hospitality industry.

The Nucleus Group is a consortium of companies with interest in property development, importation, including manufacturing, distribution and merchandising of all paper products in Nigeria The investment was made into a construction of a three star boutique hotel situated at the heart of Lagos Mainland in Ilupeju estate.

Known as Splendour Hotels and Suites, the Chief Operating Officer of the new hotel, Mrs. Dimeji Okewale, told newsmen at a media briefing in Lagos that in entering the field of hospitality, splendour is committed to contributing its quota, making available

quality comfort to cater to the needs of its guests while also contributing to manpower development in the country.

She disclosed that over N500 million was invested in the construction of the hotel.

“Over N500 million was invested in building the hotel.

And that excludes the cost of acquiring the land. The hotel was built through a counterpart funding between the sister corporate entities and their banks cooperating with us, within a period of two years,” she said.

She said the most exciting feature of the hotel is that it is strategically located where access is guaranteed to its target market.

“Splendour hotel is easily accessible to most axis in Lagos. It is about seventeen minutes drive from Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, less than 26 minutes drive to Victoria Island, the heart of the Nigerian economy and

roughly ten minutes drive to Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State; not forgetting five minutes drive from Surulere,” She said.

“Splendour Hotel is furnished and equipped with 36 air conditioned rooms on three suspended floors with an elevator to provide easy access. Each bedroom has a private modern bathroom with tea/coffee facilities and a refrigerator; laundry services are also available on request, a well equipped bar, restaurants,/dining room that caters for all types of African and continental dishes; free internet/wifi access.”

She however decried the enormous challenges confronting the hospitality industry, like cost of power generation and multiple taxation, which she noted, makes hotel unattractive as a business.

She therefore called on the authorities to address these challenges.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 39

Advertising Stories by PRINCEWILL EKWUJURU

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ublic discourse about the effect of tobacco in Nigeria in recent time suggests that the best way to end health risk associated with tobacco product is to so stop tobacco companies from producing.

This however may lead to other consequence including loss of revenue to the government, unemployment and other societal costs.

Meanwhile smokers will still get the products through a variety of sources although at a higher cost.

This perhaps occasion the statement by underpins the Chairman, Senate Committee on Health, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa at the recent hearing by the Senate Committee on Health for an Act to repeal the Tobacco Control Act 1990 CAP.T16 and to enact the National Tobacco Control Bill, NTCB 2012 and 2014. He said that the intention of the Committee was not to kill legitimate local tobacco production companies. There is however the challenge or risk of what some industry pressure groups, and the British American Tobacco of Nigeria, BATN called ‘unbalanced regulation’, which they argue may lead to upsurge in illegal tobacco business as it happened in the case of the ban on frozen products, rice, vehicle tires and more by previous administrations.

Likewise, excessive consumption of anything is risky to the body, thus regulations are important for most consumables because of the inherent risks in overconsumption, of which tobacco products are no exception. The need for regulation does not imply that the supposed risk associated with tobacco product should be combated with draconian law. At the core of the regulation is government, consumers, general public and the industry.

Statistics however, has

Three kids share N6m Indomie heroes’ prize money

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PROMO - From left: Head, Regulation and Monitoring, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Nwakuche Duruogu, GM, Lagos Island Bank and Chairman, Save4 Scholarship Savings Central Promo Committee, Emeka Obiagwu, Madam Fadeke Adigun, her daughter and husband as she was being presented with a cheque of N500,000 she won at the Fidelity Save4 Scholarship Savings Promo on Tuesday.

Tobacco regulation and socio- economic implication shown that many developing countries, particularly most African countries, a small fraction of their population smoke.

The overall smoking rates among men and women in Africa are low compared to other developed nations.

According to 2009 country by country smoking data by Tobacco Atlas, smoking among males in Australia was 22.3 per cent, Denmark 30 per cent, Greece 63 per cent, US 32 per cent Canada 23.8 per cent while it is 10.6 per cent in Ghana, 15.2 in Benin, 8.9

percent in Niger, 15.6 in Senegal. The Global Adult Tobacco Survey, GATS 2013, conducted by National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, estimated that 5.6 per cent of Nigerians consume tobacco products.

What can render any regulation ineffective is to model it along certain framework developed by bureaucrats not minding contextual differences in each country. Unfortunately, the current tobacco bill at the Senate is modeled to World Health Organisation, WHO

Osun willing to partner with organisations to aid development - Akere

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he State of Osun Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Hon. Sunday Akere has said that the State Gover nor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is willing to identify with individuals and organisations

that could aid the state’s developmental drive.

The Commissioner made this assertion when representatives of the Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, BJAN paid courtesy visit to the Commission to

Campari reveals 2015 Campari Calendar

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ome November 5, Campar will unveil the cover image for the 2015 Calendar, entitled ‘Mythology Mixology’.

The iconic calendar cover image features this year ’s stunning leading lady, Eva Green, wearing Campari’s wheel of time.

The wheel symbolises the key dates in Campari’s rich and colourful past, where 12 of its most iconic and best-loved cocktail recipes were born.

Whilst these intriguing stories journey through Campari’s glorious over 150 year history to date, the collection also has a distinct contemporary feel that challenges fans to look to the future and imagine the C M Y K

projection and its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, FCTC, which was designed in 2003. The key driver of anti-tobacco advocacy and the current bill is largely driven by the WHO’s projection that 70 per cent of estimated 8.4 million tobacco death will occur in developing countries by 2020. This in turn had resulted into hordes of legislative interventions.

endless possibilities for this timeless spirit brand.

Eva’s striking stance entices fans in to join her on an imaginative journey of discovery, as the dazzling heroine leads us through a contemporary reinterpretation of the brand’s history and celebrates the classic cocktail recipes that are still so popular in today’s modern world.

The Calendar was shot by the worldwide acclaimed and exhibited fine art photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten, the first ever woman to get behind the lens on the Campari Calendar.

intimate him of the decision by the association to hold its 2014 conference in the state.

BJAN led by its National Chairman, Goddie Ofose, said the state was picked as a result of the giant stride the state has recorded in the area of tourism. The topic for the conference, which will hold between November 20 and 23 is ‘Tourism marketing as catalyst for economic development’.

According to Mr Ofose, “BJAN members have taken pain to follow up the activities of the State of Osun in the area of Tourism, particularly the way the annual Osun Osogbo cultural fiesta has suddenly turned to international festival.

he seventh edition of the Indomie Independence Day Award, IIDA organised by Dufil Prima Foods Plc has rewarded three heroic children with the sum of N6 million.

The first prize winner, Aniema Udokang from Cross River received N1 Million, the second, Semiya Modashiru went home with N750,000 and third winner Bassey Itam, also collected N500,000 worth of scholarship respectively.

On the other hand, the event attracted renowned personalities namely; Group Managing Director, First Bank, Bisi Onasanya, Senator Gbenga Ashafa, Chief Bode Akindele, Chairman Masandola group, who supported the brand, with a donation of N2.25million, N500,000, and N1million, respectively in their personal capacity.

While delivering the keynote address at the event, Mrs. Olufuntan Igun, Executive Director of Corona Schools Said: “The future of any nation or entity lies heavily on the children, whatever legacy we pass on, whether good or bad could make or mar us as a nation. We therefore must rise up to our responsibility as parent, guardians, schools, and government to ensure that the right values are inculcated in the children.”

Addressing the winners as, “the salvation for the nation’s future and the economy,” she charged more organisations to toe the line of Dufil by also contributing efforts similar to this which is bound to ensure a more secure and blissful future for our kids.

Expressing delight, Group Managing Director, Dufil prima foods, Mr. Deepak Singhal said “Our motivation rests firmly on the fact that a lot of kids are out there who do the extraordinary day by day; unsung heroes who have never been celebrated.

That is why we have resolved that every year we would not relent in our search all around Nigeria for unique acts of bravery, worthy of celebration.”

40— Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 Email:lesleba@lesleba.com, lesleba@gmail.com Blog page:www.lesleba.com/blog2 Website: www.lesleba.com Tel:0805 220 1997

Labour, subsidy and economic dysfunction redeem our economy by terminating the recklessness and wastefulness of further payment of subsidy on petrol and kerosene, so that the relatively meagre capital allocations could become doubled to rapidly ameliorate our severe infrastructural deprivations particularly in the areas of education, health, transportation and power.

Although Labour’s opposition to fuel subsidy removal may suggest an antieconomic growth posturing, such perspective may be grossly incorrect! Labour, without a doubt, is evidently sincere in its apprehension that fuel price deregulation will not unfailingly bring down prices and stem inflation with salutary impact on all income earners, including that of its members, as per government’s promises! Labour rightly recognizes that although the concept of deregulation is ideal, and should normally provide a more level playing field, but Nigerians have also learnt over the years to be wary of government propaganda.

In this particular instance, Organised Labour intuitively knows even if they cannot place their finger on the missing link, that something is amiss in the overt simple equation of deregulation = lower prices. In any event, experience demonstrates that local fuel prices should rise whenever crude oil prices rise, but Labour cannot yet see what government has put in place to stem this sympathetic relationship between rising crude and local petrol prices, while critics also recognise that not even deregulation as presently construed has the capacity to change this

framework.

Besides, observers also find it inexplicable that domestic fuel prices however, do not fall even when crude prices fall, as is currently the case.

An end to NNPC monopoly and introduction of market determined price regime will certainly attract more importers as well as serious investors in the provision of additional private refineries; but, it would also be out of place to supply our crude oil to such refineries at a price

,

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he feelers from snippets of information so far available from the 2014-15 budget projections clearly suggest that, inspite of dwindling revenue due to prevailing lower crude oil prices and output, Nigerians may still be compelled to dedicate almost N1500bn or over 20% of next year’s federal budget to the intangible and unsubstantiated benefit of subsidising fuel consumption nationwide.

Alarmingly, the allocations for fuel subsidy often exceeds the consolidated provision for infrastructure and human capacity enhancement for all federal Ministries, departments and Agencies.

Evidently, in the event that the beneficent impact of such relatively meagre capital vote was barely noticeable in 2014, we may confidently also project that the social welfare of the masses may similarly see little or no improvement come December 2015.

Furthermore, it has also become acutely glaring that so long as such wasteful management of our resources continues, we will have to take any promises of rapid and vibrant economic growth and job creation with a pinch of salt, especially when CBN’s inappropriate strategy of high monetary policy rates and its attendant market credit squeeze which equally constrains enterprise, remains abiding.

Nevertheless, inspite of the foreclosed recognition of the potential failure of government’s extant fiscal and monetary policy strategy, the January, 2012 pro-subsidy mass demonstrations may have intimidated government and forestalled any attempt to

Alarmingly, the allocations for fuel subsidy often exceeds the consolidated provision for infrastructure and human capacity enhancement for all federal ministries, departments and agencies

,

below the current world market price for the commodity. Any attempt to do this would be akin to reintroduction of subsidy through the backdoor!

Indeed, the potential abuses of such a system may create a bigger hole in our pockets than the erstwhile trillions of Naira allegedly corruptly paid to fuel importers in the present regulated market.

With the above scenario, Labour’s insistence that the four existing refineries be retooled to produce at full capacity and or that more

Business & Economy Delta Micro-Credit Programme transforms into agency

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elta State Micro Credit Programme is now known as “Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency.”

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, weekend, signed into law the name change and appointed the Commissioner for Poverty Alleviation, Dr. Antonia Ashiedu, as the pioneer Executive Secretary of the agency.

Uduaghan commended the effort of the programme office operation headed by Ashiedu, C M Y K

pointing out that the programme has benefited the people of the state.

Ashiedu holds a Doctorate Degree in Political Science with bias for International Relations and Development Finance.

She has served on Committees on Poverty Alleviation issues, with different multilateral agencies. She was a Member of the Committee that prepared the National Poverty Alleviation Policy for Nigeria in 1997. She was appointed

Consultant to Delta State Government, Nigeria, to prepare a blueprint and conduct a Baseline Study for the Micro-Credit Programme for the twenty five Local Government Areas in 2004.

Dr. Antonia Ashiedu is an alumnus of University of Ibadan, University of Lagos , University of Abuja, Oxford University, United Kingdom, Harvard Kennedy School , United States of America and London School of Economics in United Kingdom.

She is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Bank of Industry Micro Finance Bank.

refineries be built is therefore obviously not the answer to full subsidy removal. Yes, more refineries may ultimately mean more fuel availability, but this may not necessarily bring down prices, especially when international crude prices rise. Indeed, it is curious that in spite of Labour’s awareness of the hundreds of millions of dollars ‘wasted’ on turnaround and other maintenance projects in the existing four refineries, the production streams still remain epileptic, while Labour inexplicably insists that more good money be further wasted on refurbishment as we have done over the years! Surely, the intention of Labour is certainly not to encourage and sustain corruption.

Despite the obvious debilitating burden of fuel subsidy on our economy, the government is unlikely also to even want to broach any discussion with Labour on this ‘albatross’ so that their popularity in the 2015 General elections is not jeopardised.

However, some observers recognise, that even after the elections have come and gone, it would still remain a daunting task for government to persuade the public to accepts over 50% increase in the purchase price of fuel; the knock-on effect of such a price rise would most certainly push the rate of inflation back into double digits and seriously challenge any effort of the Apex Bank to achieve its core mandate of price stability. Inflation which is a silent plague will ultimately severely constrain demand and deplete the purchasing power of all income earners, particularly the poor.

So if neither refurbishment nor new refineries will ultimately bring down fuel prices so that subsidies become inapplicable, how can we then reasonably expect government to jettison these wasteful and retrogressive subsidy payments so that the related savings can be applied more wisely to the enhancement of the social welfare of our people?

Indeed, how do other oil producing countries, not only, avoid subsidy payments, but actually also earn a sales tax on each litre of fuel sold? In truth, rising crude prices should normally increase fuel prices worldwide, but in the peculiar case of our country, the major driver of fuel price is actually the inappropriately priced Naira.

A simple example may suffice; for example, if the international price of 1 litre of fuel is $1, then of course, this would translate to about N160/ litre in Nigeria (with Naira exchange rate of $1=N160).

If on the other hand, the Naira exchange rate strengthens to N80=$1, (with stable crude oil prices), them of course, 1 litre of fuel would sell for N8/litre, which is well below the current subsidising price of N97/litre. Indeed, our government could thus save the payment of over N1.5tn subsidy and similarly levy a sales tax of up to 10% or more on each litre of fuel sold.

Fortunately, as regularly advocated in this column, the Naira rate of exchange will ultimately becomes stronger and makes the above scenario possible once the CBN stops the substitution of dollar revenue with freshly created Naira allocations.

Save the Naira, Save Nigerians!!

Omoh Gabriel Babajide Komolafe Clara Nwachukwu Peter Egwuatu Yinka Kolawole Favour Nnabugwu Godwin Oritse Godfrey Bivbere Michael Eboh Franklin Alli Ebele Orakpo Ifeyinwa Obi Rosemary Onuoha

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CONTRIBUTORS Princewill Ekwujuru Nkiruka Nnorom Jonah Nwokpoku Naomi Uzor Providence Obuh LAYOUT

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Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—41

All Africa Business Leaders Awards. L-r, Mrs. Mary Aderinola Ojulari, Chief Financial Officer and Human Resources, West Africa, African Business News (ABN), Arunmah Oteh, Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission and Winner of Business Woman of the Year at the CNBC All Africa Business Leaders Awards, West Africa, presented by Johnnie Walker Blue Label (AABLA) and Dr. Enase Okonedo, Dean, Lagos Business School at the All Africa Business Leaders Awards, West Africa in Lagos.

Photos: Oscar Ochiogu.

L-r; Mr. Atedo Peterside, Chairman, Stanbic IBTC Plc and winner of Business Leader of the Year, Mr. Okey Nwuke, Deputy Group Managing Director, Coscharis Group and Mr. Frederic Van De Vyver, Head, West Africa, ABN at the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards, West Africa

2015: Abaribe pledges local council autonomy if elected

By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—AHEAD of the November 29 Governorship Primary election of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe has stormed the National Secretariat of the PDP to pick his expression of interest and nomination forms to contest next year’s Abia State Gubernatorial election.

Speaking with Journalists at PDP National Secretariat shortly after he picked the forms, Abaribe who is the chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Publicity promised to ensure that autonomy was granted the 774 local government area Councils in the country, adding that the recent amendment to the 1999 Constitution (as amended) which granted autonomy to the Third Tier of government was in order. He said, “The good thing about parliamentary democracy is that whenever you take a vote, everybody ’s

stand either for or against that vote is recorded. So, if you go to the register of the National Assembly, you will see it there because I was the first person to vote that day for local government autonomy.

And, therefore, I cannot vote for local government autonomy at the floor of the Senate and become governor and go against my vote. The very first order of business when I get to be governor of Abia State is to organise elec-

tion and give local government full autonomy."

Senator Abaribe who had served as Abia State deputy governor promised to bring competence, character and integrity to government business, however, stressed that there will be no consensus candidate or imposition of candidates in the February 28, 2015 governorship election in the state, adding that all aspirants would meet on the field to test their popularity.

42 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

House orders immediate completion of Edo water project

By Emman Ovuakporie

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BUJA—MEMBERS of the House of Representatives have asked the Ministry of Water Resources to source N250 million for the “immediate” completion, commissioning and utilisation of the Edo water project.

The House in plenary, Thursday, said the failure of the ministry to complete the Northern Ishan water scheme in the state was fast affecting government through the continued decay of the installed pipes.

Rep Friday Itula, PDP, Edo, who sponsored the motion, told the House that “it does not make any economic or social sense to abandon a project for which the federal government has spent a whopping sum of N2.4 billion since 2005.

“The non release of N300 million is what has held the utilisation of this all important project to the people of Esan North East/South East federal constituency.”

Consequently, members of the House voted unanimously in support of the motion, which

was referred by the deputy speaker, Emeka Ihedioha who presided to the water resources committee for further legislative action.

Imo 2015: Amadi picks form

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BUJA—PRESIDENT of the Pan African Parliament, Bethel Amadi, has picked the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, nomination form to vie the 2015 governorship election in Imo State.

Amadi, who represents Mbaitoli/Ikeduru Federal Constituency and is Chairman, House Committee on National Planning & Economic Development, bought the form, weekend, and promised to liberate the people of his state from what he called “maladministration and insincerity of the incumbent government.”

In a chat with Vanguard immediately he obtained his nomination form, the Imo Stateborn lawmaker, said his intention to contest the 2015 election was informed by the desire to render selfless service and good governance.

L-r: Mallam Ibrahim Chatta, Acting Regional General Manager, Kano International Airport, Engr. Sale Dunoma, Managing Director, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mallam Kabiru Mohammed Yusuf, Chief of Staff to Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Mr. Wong Wong of CCECC and Mr Bini Sam Leo during the visit of the managing director of FAAN, to the new terminal under construction at the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano.

Delta guber: Clark lauds Ochei

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ORMER Speaker of the Delta State House of Assembly, Mr. Victor Ochei’s 2015 governorship aspiration experienced an up thrust when revered elder statesman, Chief E. K. Clark, described him as being eminently qualified for the governorship of the state considering the impressive track record of transformation already

established in previous offices Ochei held.

Chief Clark made this statement during Ochei’s consultative visit to his Kiagbodo country home, yesterday.

Clark said the composition of Ochei’s entourage, which comprised all ethnic groups in the state, was an attestation to the fact that Ochei is a detribalised Deltan, adding, "It will take only

a person with this outstanding characteristic to bring peace and progress to Delta State.”

He also disclosed that neither he nor any individual can impose any candidate on Deltans, and prayed God to grant Ochei his heart’s desire of governing the state, where corruption, favouritism and imperialism will be eradicated.

FG plans facelift for Aviation College

By Favour Nnabugwu

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HE Federal Government has resolved to upgrade the Nigerian College of Aviation technology, NCAT, Zaria, into a world-class training school whose products could compete with similar institutions across the globe.

Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka, revealed government’s plan for the college when he received in audience members of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, led by its President, Engr. Ademola Isaac Olorunfemi, who visited the Ministry in Abuja, weekend.

Chidoka said, “Aviation is a precision industry without any provision for error margins and where any little error could prove disastrous.” He addedm that the need to reduce mishaps to the barest minimum informed the federal government’s position on regular training and retraining of industry personnel.

The minister noted that the sector was in need of more aeronautical engineers and

air traffic controllers, in view of the coming on stream of more airports and airlines and also government’s preparedness to collaborate with the society in the training of these professionals.

He said, “The desire of the federal government is to establish a performance-driven aviation sector that showcases the nation’s aspirations and reflects its size and economy and whose contribution to the national Gross Domestic Product, GDP, would rise to an appreciable level,” stressing that the country had all it took to be a leading aviation nation and an international hub because of its geographical location which is central to most aviation destinations.

This potential, according to him, needs to be grown and fully developed in order for the industry to improve on its contribution to the GDP which is put at a paltry 0.4%. It will be recalled that the Ministry of Aviation recently placed an order for a full Jet-Flight Simulator 5000 Series for Boeing 737 for the aviation college from CAE of Canada for $21.459 million.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 43

NAFD AC dr ags 4 ttoo cour ver AFDA drags courtt oover count er oducts counter erffeit pr products

By Chioma Obinna

River Riverss SSttat atee se sett ttoo deliver another world class carnival T

BY BENJAMIN NJOKU

HE Director G e n e r a l and CEO of the Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, Dr. Sam Dede has said that this year’s edition of the state-owned cultural tourism brand, the Port H a r c o u r t carnival,CARNIRIV, is set to go down in history as the most colourful and memorable carnival event ever witnessed on the African Chairman, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency (RSTDA) continent in recent times Deacon Vincent Erinwo (right), Director General/CEO. RSTDA, Dr. Dede, an award winning Sam Dede (middle), and Carnival Route Procession Coordinator, actor and lecturer, gave the Deinbofa Ere, during the media unveiling of Carniriv 2014 at Golden hint at a media interactive Tulip Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Thursday. forum held in Port Harcourt business exchanges running will also be deployed for the first to announce the 2014 edition into several millions. time for the benefit of sponsors of the carnival which is ‘Because of the traditional in the areas of branding and scheduled to hold from high influx of carnival lovers Sunday, December 14 to our city during our annual related purposes.’

Chairman of the Board of through Saturday, December showpiece event, we have put Rivers State Tourism 20, in Port Harcourt, the in place adequate security Development Agency, RSTDA, Rivers State measures to ensure Deacon Vincent Erinwo assured capital. the protection of lives that the RSTDA will judiciously He revealed that and property during expend every fund released by this year’s event the entire duration of the government for the purpose has been the carnival. We are of the carnival, reiterating that repackaged to also working with the carnival is a project that is deliver value and other stakeholders in dear to the heart of the cement Port the health and other Government and people of the Harcourt’s key sectors to ensure state. reputation as a that we create a On the series of activities foremost tourist ‘This year, c o n d u c i v e lined up for this year and the city in Africa, environment for our new things tourists and the we are set hence the One visitors,’ he said.

Love, One People to introduce Dede also hinted people should expect, he said, they include the Kids Carnival, edition. about the technical Praise Jam, Dance of Fireflies, our stateSpeaking innovation of the 2014 Keera – rhythm of the tribes, further, he said of-the-art edition of the carnival. that an estimated performance ‘This year, we are set Egelege – champion of the sand arena and Hosh Jam. Others number of over to introduce our state- are the International Aquatic stage 5 0 0 , 0 0 0 o f - t h e - a r t Fiesta, Black African Musical participants made spanning performance stage Festival (BAMFEST), Raggae of residents, spanning 140 feet and 360, International Heritage 140 feet tourists, fun lovers reputed as the biggest Parade, Garden City Free Style a n d and of its kind in Africa. Parade and the World Peace representatives of The stage has the Concert. There will also be a reputed as corporate bodies capacity to hold a will converge inn the biggest large collection of beauty competition tagged, “ Miss Carniriv Beauty Pageant Port Harcourt performer at once and (MCBP)” as part of the of its kind during the one withstand heavy duty carnival. week duration of in Africa equipments and stage the carnival with accessories. The stage estimated daily

Regina Askia fights Ebola in US

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Regina Askia-Williams

ORMER beauty queen and Nollywood actress-turnednurse, Regina Askia-Williams has volunteered to join her colleagues who are ready to fight deadly Ebola in the United States.

Regina who has been living with her family in the United States for many years now, announced this development on her Facebook page, during the weekend. She said, not most of her colleagues were willing to take up the challenge and those who were ready demanded a sum of $200 per hour. But she went

forward and volunteered herself for free. Interestingly, she is the only female at the hospital she works that volunteered to help eradicate the deadly tropical virus. “My job was looking for Nurses to volunteer for the Ebola center which was moved from our building to another location. My male colleagues said they would do it for 200 dollars per hour, ….C’mon Regina , gotta get on the team…they said. I was not smiling (I am captain of my 3 kid team). Not one female nurse volunteered (lol).

NATIONAL Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, weekend dragged four persons before a Federal High Court in Lagos for allegedly dealing in fake and unregistered products.

The four persons, who were separately apprehended and charged differently, are Edith Ify Unigwe, Nnameka Nwabueze, Tina Ezeaku and Ebenezer Arimiwem.

During their separate arraignment on Friday, the prosecuting counsel, Umar Shamaki, told the court that Unigwe and Nwabueze sold unregistered De Rica tin tomatoes on October 16, 2014 at Oke-Arin Market on Lagos Island.Ezeaku on her own, was arraigned on four counts of manufacturing and selling fake and unregistered yoghurt product, labelled Timbora Yoghurt.

The prosecutor revealed that she committed the offence on October 17, 2014 in Mafoluku, Oshodi area of Lagos.

She was further accused of

obstructing members of the Federal Task Force on Fake Drugs,counterfeit and Unwholesome Processed Food and other regulated products in the course of their duties.

As for Arimiwem, the prosecutor, Shamaki, told the court that the accused was involved in an unauthorised manufacturing, distribution and sale of fake cosmetic products lablled as Nice Skin Cream and Perfect White Cream among others.

Arguing his case before Justices Mohammed Yunusa and Okon Abang on Friday, Shamaki said the four accused persons violated sections 1(a) and 8(1)(b) of the Food, Drugs and Related Products (registration) Act, Cap F33, LFN, 2004. All the accused however pleaded not guilty to their separate charges and were subsequently remanded in the prison custody on the order of court.

Justice Yunusa has adjourned till October 8 for consideration of bail application for the accused

Ex-minister pledges to end Taraba’s woes

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North

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MMEDIATE past Minister of State for Niger Delta Affairs, Arc. Darius Ishaku, has said that he is desirous of taking over the mantle of Taraba State leadership from the acting governor, Garba Umar, to salvage the state from huge debts and rising insecurity.

Ishaku, who spoke with Vanguard in Abuja, lamented that the current acting leadership had mortgaged the future of the state by incurring a huge debt profile of over N10 billion within a very short stint.

The former minister, who has already picked up the PDP governorship forms, pointed out that the state was in a very bad shape politically and economically and needed an astute and visionary leadership to rescue it from the brink.

He also accused the acting governor, whom he described as a stranger in the Suntai government of driving away those who brought him into the system and dismantling the structures that gave him power for selfish reasons.

Ishaku boasted that he would defeat Umar in a free and fair primary election, pointing out that the people of the state had enough reasons to reject the acting governor given the level of retrogression his interim administration had subjected the state and its people to.

He said, “If I am elected as governor, I would use my wealth of experience to change the shape of things and bring benefits to all the people irrespective of tribe, religion or

oil tidal leaning. I should be able to re-energise the state economically since it is one of the most richly endowed states in Nigeria and the only place in the country where tea and coffee are grown in commercial quantity. I want to assure the state that I have what it takes to turn the state around and give the people a new sense of direction that would give them dignity, hope and a price of place in the comity of states.”

Udonsak buys PDP guber form, pledges to lif liftt Akw Akwaa Ibom

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BUJA— A PORT Harcourt-based medical practitioner, Dr. Samuel Udonsak, has joined the race to succeed Governor Godswill Akpabio by purchasing the People’s Democratic Party’s nomination form.

Udonsak, a native of Eket, where the PDP gubernatorial ticket has been zoned to in the state, obtained both his expression of interest and nomination forms at the PDP National Headquarters, Wadata Plaza, Abuja on Friday.

Findings by Vanguard revealed that Udonsak was the 12th governorship aspirant in Akwa Ibom State to collect the nomination form, with others still warming up to do same in the days ahead.

Udonsak told Vanguard in an interview that he was joining the race to be able to take Akwa Ibom State from where it is to the next level.

C M Y K

44 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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Customary Court of Appeal, Abuja and general public please take note.

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TOBI DAFE (JNR)—

public please take note.

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2015: Cross River likely to have female deputy governor

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EFT moves are e i n g made to have a woman as running mate to who eventually becomes the flag bearer of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP, in Cross River in 2015.

The search is going on simultaneously with the process for the selection of the candidate that will fly the party’s flag in the 2015 election. There is a watch on a few women that are considered to have potentials for the position including one of the nation’s leading organisational development and gender experts, Tammie Kammonke.

Other women whom the search light is on are a veteran politician and socialite, Senator Princess Florence Ita-Giwa, and an accomplished academic and current Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology, Prof. Eka Ikpi Braide. The search for a competent deputy is concentrated within the Central and Southern Districts of the state since the governorship has been zoned to the Northern Senatorial District.

The party’s expectation of an ideal candidate is an accomplished professional with leadership skills and b

sufficient exposure and management skills to complement the governor in driving reforms in the state. The strength of women’s consideration for the deputy governorship is against the background of Affirmative Action and ongoing efforts and proposal to have competent women deputise where ever the men are the head and vice versa for gender equity.

Tammie Kammonke is renowned for her expertise in organisation development and gender.

She has consulted for several national and international organisations including SPDC, DFID, USAID, EU funded MPP9.

She had served as the National Secretary of Women in Nigeria, WIN, the largest non-sexist women-focused organisation in Nigeria at a time. Tammie’s core strength is in facilitating organisational transformation. She is currently an aide to the Governor of Cross River on Gender and Development.

On the other hand, Senator Princess Florence Ita-Giwa is a well known politician and successful business mogul. She was in the House of Representives in 1992, and the Senate in 1999. She is currently a member of the Board of Nigeria Ports Authority.

Lagos dep gov, Fashola seek support of women

By Chioma Obinna

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EPUTY Governor of Lagos State, Mrs Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire and the wife of the state governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, weekend, urged Nigerian women to learn to speak out at all times as well as support one another with a view to overcoming life challenges.

The two women who spoke at the sixth annual Arise Women International Conference of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David, Lagos entitled: ‘Seasons and Reasons’, posited that women should learn to speak out, pick one another up and learn to make one another stronger.

They said, “We are not the first person that has experienced it. What is happening in the country today is touchy. Therefore, women should ensure they reflect Christ in all that they do, not only in their homes but also in their communities and the society at large.

And, let our attitude attract people to Christ.”

In her views, the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who commended the women’s conference, stressed that women shoulder a lot of burden and as such need spiritual and economic empowerment. Praising the Nigerian woman for her strength as a mother and home maker, she said: “We are trying to encourage and motivate our women to be able to attain their potentials and greatness in them indirectly, that growth and inspiration and development they will transform and give to their children at home, support they will render to their husbands and the community services they will render to their immediate environment and the service of the state and the nation.”

She said the role of women in the home cannot be over-emphasised in spite of the burdens they shoulder.

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 45

BRIEFS Mali battles to contain Ebola

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Africa’s economic growth defies Ebola A

FRICA’S economic growth is bounding ahead, despite the Ebola epidemic gnawing at its western shoulder, but some see the continent showing a deficit in solidarity towards the three poor and war-weakened states worst hit by the deadly disease.

While non-African nations from the United States to China and Cuba are deploying resources and health personnel in a U.N.-led surge to aid Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea, fast-growing Africa’s states and institutions are facing questions about the level and speed of their own contributions.

With nearly 5,000 people already dead, added urgency comes from the disease’s spread in Africa’s west, besides isolated cases in the United States and Europe. Mali confirmed its first case on Thursday, becoming the

•Dlamini Zuma, AU Chairperson sixth West African nation to be touched by the outbreak.

“It is very clear African governments are not doing enough, given the resources that some countries do have,” Gilles Yabi, a Dakar-based independent West Africa analyst, told Reuters.

The world’s second fastest-growing continent, but still its least developed, appears to have been badly caught off guard by

the sheer speed and magnitude of the Ebola outbreak, which is straining its still limited resources and governance capacity.

The three governments at the Ebola epicentre expressed hurt at the fact that some of their own African neighbours were among the first to shut their borders and halt flights in a “them and us” attitude they said fed a wider stigmatisation of the

continent fuelled by irrational fear.

“If our continent is to rise to this challenge, we must do so together,” said Liberia’s Information Minister Lewis Brown.

There is already broad consensus that the global community, and especially the World Health Organisation (WHO), lagged badly in its response to the West African outbreak, the world’s worst of the hemorrhagic fever so far.

But at a time when the IMF sees Sub-Saharan Africa’s growth accelerating to 5.75 percent next year, there is disappointment at the perceived slow response and lack of leadership by the 54-member African Union. The continental body is often accused of letting the outside world solve African emergencies, be they coups or wars, natural disasters or health alarms like Ebola.

Brazilians go for tight presidential run off

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RAZILIANS voted yesterday in a bitterly contested election that pits a leftist president with strong support among the poor against a centrist senator promising probusiness policies to jumpstart a stagnant economy.

Polls on the eve of the vote gave a slight edge to incumbent Dilma Rousseff, who is seeking a second four-year term. Her Workers’ Party has held power for 12 years and leveraged an economic boom to expand social welfare programs and lift over 40 million people from poverty.

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But many voters, especially upper-middle class Brazilians in major cities, believe former state governor Aecio Neves offers new hope for Latin America’s biggest economy, which has flagged under Rousseff and entered a recession earlier this year.

•Aecio Neves Brazil’s most competitive presidential campaign in decades has also been the most acrimonious in recent memory, dominated by attack ads and a steady drum beat of corruption allegations.

The race looks like a choice between two camps: those

Angry Zuma cancels UK visit

OUTH African President Jacob Zuma has cancelled at the last minute a visit to London set for today, with one newspaper claiming he was throwing a “tantrum” because Prime Minister David Cameron was snubbing him.

Zuma’s office denied Sunday that any pique lay behind the unexpected cancellation of a visit to attend an investment conference, calling the report by the City Press newspaper “incorrect and mischievous”.

C M Y K

•President Rousseff

who feel they are better off after more than a decade of Workers’ Party rule or those who believe Brazil is stuck in a rut.

“We need change ... The president’s projects are unfinished and inflation is sky high,” said Maria Luiza de Carvalho, a university professor in the Amazonian capital of Manaus. “I think Aecio has guts - and it can’t get worse than it is.”

Rousseff, 66, voted early in the southern city of Porto Alegre, where she lived and rose in the state bureaucracy in the 1990s.

She has promised to deepen flagship welfare programs and restore growth with a new economic team.

However, it offered no explanation beyond saying that Zuma believed four of his ministers going to the event “will represent the country well as they have done each year”.

The website for the innovaBRICS conference late Sunday still featured Zuma as its opening keynote speaker.

The invitation-only event, to be held all day Monday in London, promotes investment in leading emerging economies. South Africa is the lead sponsor of the

•President Zuma conference, through its state-funded marketing agency Brand South Africa.

The City Press daily claimed that Zuma

pulled out “after Britain refused to grant him an official audience with Prime Minister David Cameron,” and fobbed him off instead with a meeting with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

The newspaper called it a “ royal tantrum” by Zuma.

Britain’s foreign office gave no insight into the sudden cancellation.

“The decision to cancel the visit is a matter for the South African government,” a spokesperson told AFP.

FTER 2-year-old Fanta Kone’s father died in southern Guinea, the toddler’s grandmother took her from the forested hills where the Ebola outbreak first began months ago to bring her home to Mali. It wasn’t long, though, before the little girl started getting nosebleeds.

By the time the pair made their way back more than 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) to the heat-baked town of Kayes several days later, the toddler had a high fever and was vomiting blood. Doctors swiftly diagnosed Fanta with Ebola, but she soon succumbed to the virus already blamed for killing nearly 5,000 people in the region. Her grandmother, quarantined with a couple dozen others, could only watch from a distance in an isolation tent over the weekend as health workers in hazmat suits prepared the tiny corpse for burial.

There has been panic and fear in this town of 128,000 since news first spread of the girl’s death, which was the country’s first confirmed Ebola case about 10 months after the epidemic began in neighboring Guinea.

Iraqi forces, Kurds beat back ISIS fighters

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RAQI government forces retook four villages yesterday near a mountain ridge overlooking Islamic State supply lines, security officials said, in a campaign which has struggled to make advances against the Sunni Islamist insurgents.

Iraqi security forces backed by Shi’ite militias gained some momentum on Saturday in their bid to loosen the grip of Islamic State, which controls large swathes of territory in the north and west of the country.

After months of fighting they drove Islamic State militants out of Jurf al-Sakhar, just south of Baghdad, while Kurdish fighters regained control over the town of Zumar in the north.

Sunni insurgents have been moving fighters, weapons and supplies from western Iraq through secret desert tunnels to Jurf al-Sakhar, Iraqi officials have said. Now it appears government forces may be able to disrupt that network.

More US cities restrict West African travellers

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LLINOIS joined New York and New Jersey in imposing mandatory quarantines for people arriving with a risk of having contracted Ebola in West Africa, but the first person isolated under the new rules, a nurse returning from Sierra Leone, strongly criticized her treatment.

Under a policy introduced on Friday, anyone arriving at John F. Kennedy International Airport or Newark Liberty International Airport after having contact with Ebola patients in Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea must submit to a mandatory quarantine for 21 days. Three weeks is the longest documented period for an Ebola infection to emerge.

Kaci Hickox, a nurse, was placed in quarantine at Newark after returning on Friday from working with medical charity Doctors Without Borders in Sierra Leone.

Hickox, who was transferred from the airport to a hospital where she was placed in isolation, described a confusing and upsetting experience at the airport and worried the same treatment was in store for other American health workers trying to help combat the epidemic.

Republicans poised to snatch US Senate in mid-terms

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EPUBLICANS appear increasingly likely to win back the US Senate in November 4 mid-term elections, a move that would heap misery on President Barack Obama in his final two years in office.

The more conservative of the main American parties already controls the House of Representatives, and no one seriously predicts Democrats will retake it this year.

Republicans are capitalizing on stubbornly persistent frustration with Obama and his policies, particularly in battleground states Democrats must successfully defend if they want to hold the Senate.

Despite polls showing Democratic gains in some rollercoaster races, the math favors Republicans in their bid to win the six net seats they need to control the Senate.

46—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

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HENEVER we interrogate the roles a man like General Yakubu Gowon played in the history of Nigeria, it is time to be reminded how we made our diversity to work against us rather than for us. Gowon is one of those giants of Nigeria’s history about whom you cannot discuss without reopening the unhealed sores of our past.

Thank God, Gowon, our second military head of state, is alive and kicking as we talk about him at the ripe age of 80.

Many others were not quite so lucky. We had to talk about them “behind their backs”. These include Gowon’s chief antagonist during the war, the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu; one technocrats and specialists, who helped of Ojukwu’s philosopher kings, Professor him to succeed in managing the war and Chinua Achebe; and recently, one of its economy, such that Nigeria did not take Gowon’s field commanders, retired a single penny as loan. Rather, we Colonel Benjamin Adekunle. Of the lot, leveraged on the oil boom and followed Gowon is blest to be alive to read and well laid out development plans that, had witness all the things being said about we continued faithfully to implement them, we would not be far him, most of which conform to behind Singapore, if at all we the mood of celebration of the would be behind them. man who successfully managed Unfortunately, after nine the civil war and kept Nigeria years in power, Gowon drifted one, even if not united. into vanity.

He had promised That is the greatest to hand over power to an achievement for which he will elected civilian government in be remembered. The second 1975. All the surviving outstanding contribution of this politicians were already genuine officer and gentleman dusting up their agbada and was that he was able to create babanriga to re-enter the an atmosphere for the former political fray when Gowon Biafrans, especially the Igbos, changed his mind and decided to come back into a country of to continue in power without which they were at the forefront even setting another clear date during the fight for its Gowon was for handover. By 1975 when he independence. The bitterness was toppled, Nigerians had that drove both sides to the war part of the gotten tired of him and seemed to evaporate into thin agenda to welcomed his ouster. air as soon as General Philip But little did they know they Effiong led the Biafran remove the were jumping from frying pan delegation to Dodan Barracks, Igbos from to fire. After General Murtala Lagos to submit the instrument Mohammed was assassinated of surrender. Perhaps, if a reckoning six months later, General different person was in Gowon’s for the Olusegun Obasanjo climbed place, what is happening in the into power, and thus started the Plateau area, where secret North and rapid decline of the nation in killings have continued even its various all its aspects. That was when after several signed peace heads of state, top military lackeys to agreements, would have been and their civilian a child’s play. have a free officers friends started becoming Yet another good point for ride to the oil millionaires and billionaires which Nigeria will remember overnight. The groundnut Gowon, is that during his nine wells of the pyramids disappeared, the years in power, he surrounded Eastern railways, airways, shipping himself with great minds made line, all the big state-run up of politicians, bureaucrats, Region companies which had operated

General Gowon, saint or sinner?

By Chukwuka Ezendiaru

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has taken quite a few knocks. That is the unalloyed truth: Boko Haram, the Chibok girls abduction, an unenviable record as the first President in Nigeria to be dubbed “clueless” and a tendency to be unbelievably patient in the face of extreme provocation by supposed friends and foes alike.

None of these things have served him well in recent times.

Despite all that, in the run-up to the 2015 presidential election, Jonathan’s now legendary luck is taking a turn for the better. The notorious Boko Haram has surprisingly agreed to a ceasefire with the possibility of the Chibok girls being released. And the leading All Progressives Congress presidential aspirant, General Muhammadu Buhari, has committed a faux pas of monumental proportions by claiming to have taken a loan to acquire APC’s N27.5 million nomination form. And then the NOI Polls has recently released the fifth series of its Candidacy Viability Report with Jonathan leading the pack of presidential hopefuls. It is inevitable that even Jonathan’s detractors would ask: Just how lucky can this man named Goodluck get? Regarding the NOI Polls, Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, himself a leading light of the APC, is reported to be the second most viable potential C M Y K

efficiently and profitably, collapsed or lost so much value that they were sold as scrap to the same people who looted them. The Nigerian Naira, which was stronger than the American Dollar, dropped out of sight in value, and the Brain Drain commenced.

The question can be posed: What could have happened if Gowon had kept faith and handed over to an elected government in 1975 as promised?

Perhaps, the military, especially the commanders who fought at the war front, spurred on by the greed to freeload on the oil wealth, would still have toppled them. They felt entitled to be in power after burning their hides in the war front to keep the country one. The soldiers were clearly intent on rewarding themselves with the oil wealth of the nation after “defeating Biafra”. Some of them still own oil blocks even in their seventies and eighties. But if Gowon had handed over on schedule, his honour in that regard would go with him into the history books.

But he squandered that opportunity and became the precursor of the many failed attempts (so far) at “self-succession”, “tenure elongation” and “third term” by his successors.

Another question can be posed. Gowon said, in his recent big interview with the Guardian, that he was prevailed upon by his fellow officers to take over. That is not the whole truth. He was prevailed upon by his fellow Northern officers to jump over the well-established line of command to replace General Johnson Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi, after they brutally murdered him. Gowon thus became the first point from which regionallymotivated indiscipline crept into Army.

After the Northern army officers killed Ironsi, they simply appointed one of their own, Gowon, to take over even though Brigadier BAO Ogundipe, the Chief of

Staff, Supreme Headquarters, being the most senior, should have stepped into Ironsi’s shoes. The tradition continued and eventually weakened the highly politicised Nigerian Army to this point where a rag-tag band of Islamist insurgents are irreverently putting their dirty fingers in the eyes of our once mighty Army!

Again, could that civil war have been avoided? If Gowon had taken decisive measures to stop the killing of Igbos in the North after the first coup of 1966, would the war have taken place? If Gowon had implemented the Aburi Accord, would there have been a civil war? Was Gowon really interested in allowing the Igbos the space to stay in Nigeria in safety and with dignity? The answer was clearly, No. The creation of 12 states, especially the way it was done, was meant to reduce the Igbos to a minority status. That agenda – of having only the Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba as the only majority groups in Nigeria – is still raging in the minds of enemies of Igbo people, such as those who say the South East do not deserve six states like the others. Gowon was part of the agenda to remove the Igbos from reckoning for the North and its various lackeys to have a free ride to the oil wells of the Eastern Region. Gowon forced the Igbos to fight and lose the war to aggrandise Northern domination.

Yet again, after “magnanimously” declaring “No Victor, No Vanquished”; “Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation”, he only paid them lip service. He permitted the “Abandoned Property” policy in Rivers State to intensify enmity between the Igbo and their regional neighbours.

He enacted the first Nigerian Enterprises Promotion Decree of 1972, which enabled the war’s winners to leverage on the oil boom and take over multinationals at a time Igbos had no access to anything. General Gowon wrote the script on Igbo marginalisation before, during and after the war.

Still, I agree with The Guardian, which described Gowon as “the last good man standing”. In spite of the aforementioned acts of omission and commission on his part, Gowon is still the best among the rest. In retirement he is playing the role of Father of the Nation, unlike other former presidents who like to sell goats and hold on to their ropes, as President Jonathan would say. Gowon is neither saint nor sinner. He is human.

OPINION NOI polls and a resurgent Jonathan presidential candidate even though the man is not on record as having ever indicated interest in the country’s number one job. Another APC leading light, Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, is positioned by the NOI Polls as the third most viable potential presidential candidate. Okorocha, who has aspired to be president before, may or may not contest the APC presidential primaries. However, one man who is certain to contest, former military head of state Buhari, is fourth on the list of 17 potential presidential candidates, which include absolute no-hopers like soft-sell journalist Dele Momodu and bombastic clergyman Chris Okotie.

While the space of a brief newspaper article is hardly enough to analyse the NOI Polls Candidacy Viability Report in detail, it is important to draw attention to a few key factors. Chief among these are the demographic distribution of those polled and the methodology employed. The report states that exactly 1,000 respondents were interviewed by telephone for the poll. 51% of the respondents were male while 49% were females.

According to the report, “Most respondents were aged between 30 and 45 years (55%), followed by 31% that were aged between 22 and 29 years.

“In addition, the larger share of respondents reside in

the North-West (24%) followed by 20% in the South-West and 15% in each of the North-Central and South-South zones. Also, the greater proportion are self-employed traders (28%) followed by government workers (20%) and students (14%).” To determine the viability of a candidate during an election, two factors were used. These are: “(1) Voters must be familiar with the candidate and; (2) Have an overall positive impression of the candidate.”

In order to present the most important findings of the poll in context, it is necessary to quote Section 4.1 of the report, which is the part tagged “Favourability and Familiarity Scores of Potential Candidates.” The relevant portion of the section reads: “President Goodluck Jonathan of the PDP currently has the best candidate viability among all potential candidates for the 2015 Presidential Elections because of his high familiarity score (99%) and high net favourability (+25).

“Furthermore, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State currently has the best candidate viability among potential APC candidates for the 2015 Presidential elections due to his high familiarity score (94%) and positive net favourability (+8). *Mr. Ezendiaru, a social critic, wrote from Owerri, Imo State.

—47 Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—

By Ralphs Nwosu

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HE year 2014 is a symbolic for Nigeria. This year the nation marked its Centenary 100years since the amalgamation of the Nigerian nation. Today we celebrate the 54th Independence Anniversary. Democratic civil rule in Nigeria has entered its 16th year, more than three times the stretch of time we ever had as a democratic nation state. In spite of all our challenges as a nation: security failings, Boko Haraminsurgency, leadership failures, and collective ineptitude and buck-passing, we have cause to celebrate and to be thankful to God. Even as the nation struggles with various challenges of nation building, learning to celebrate our little successes is a way to keep hope alive, to recognise the few whose efforts are clearly manifest and encourage and challenge all of us to maintain focus and commit to building our dream nation.

I would like to commend President Goodluck Jonathan for using this time to recognise citizens who I believe model the values he wishes Nigerians of all class and callings to emulate in order for his transformation agenda to gain traction. Sharing in the beautiful sentiment of the Centenary, and gladdened as a patriot by the resilience of our joint military forces and the extraordinary sacrifices that they

are making to support the political leadership in deepening democracy and safe guarding our country, I dedicate this piece to their praise. Our forgetfulness as a people could be destructive; the nonsensical manner some of our elite have heaped opprobrium on the military of recent is incomprehensible and unfortunate. For a country where the military has historically seized power through military coups at the slightest opportunity, it makes sense for us to recognise the officers, men and women who for the sake of country are on ‘harm’s way’, and keep vigil for the peace and security of all of us; and continue to shepherd our democracy even with its teething challenges. I am convinced that with the loyalty of the men and women of the armed forces to the civil authority, and the efforts of the military chiefs, led by Air Marshall Alex Badeh, at ensuring professionalism, the nation’s democratic infrastructure will be strengthened to support the transformation expedition.

A people always need to look back to be able to adequately appraise and appreciate their course moving forward. Reflective thinking helps us to make sense of every situation, and make informed decisions. I appreciate the leadership of the nation’s armed forces, especially the Chief of Defence Staff, the three service

,

Ode to our military leaders

For all the current military leaders, it is time to create a compelling vision for a befitting military establishment to serve the largest Black nation on earth

,

chiefs, their immediate predecessors, and the principal officers that serve with them for the way they are working to reposition the Nigeria Defense Corps and help shepherd our democratic government. I dare say that these men are the best.

Their service records speak volumes.

Air Marshal Badeh, for instance, holds a flying record that can compare with the best in the world. His military career spans years of accomplishments - exceptional records in education and trainings and service excellence as commanding officer.

He is a professional army man to the core. He is not alone: the Chiefs of Air, Navy and Army Staff are also sterling officers with enviable service profiles who are committed to transforming the armed forces and are exceptionally loyal to the democratic authorities. Hear

Marshal Badeh: “The Armed Forces are defenders of democracy; we are an arm of democracy. So, how can an arm of democracy work against the democracy that we are part of? ….Coup plotting is thinking in a negative fashion; ... those rumoring coups must be living elsewhere, not in Nigeria.”

History may not be kind to the Nigerian military given their meddlesomeness and misadventures in political governance since 1960. In January 1966, five years and three months after the Nigeria nation gained its independence, the military displaced the fledging democratic government via a bloody coup. A few months later, it was mutiny, pogrom and another coup. Power tussle amongst the top rank continued until the military led Nigeria into a civil war that lasted till 1970.

Millions of innocent citizens lost their lives. In 1975, there was yet another putsch, then another one in 1996. The military did not spare the Second Republic either. The democratic government of President Aliyu Shehu Shagari only lasted from October 1979 to December, 1983. The military had not learnt from their earlier incursions into politics. They rather seemed to be operating on a warped and power-hungry paradigm, and were thus unable to confine themselves to the barracks. It was as if national political “rulership” had become the calling of our military.

The military ding-dong affairs

Edo conflict: Oshiomhole and paradigm shift it has split into two factions along party N recognising governors as the chief lines.

Till today both factions conduct plenary security officers of their states, the 1999 and other legislative duties separately.

Constitution of the Federal Republic of Rather than seeking a solution to the Nigeria expects that they will use their Assembly crisis which started June 9 offices to protect lives and property within their states. In doing this, the governors following the unjust (yes, unjust, do not are –in all cases –expected to rise above be deceived by the court orders believed political partisanship and ensure that the to have been induced by the executive) peace of the state and security of the suspension of four lawmakers, the governor citizenry, are upheld at all times. This appears to enjoy –and continues to encourage --the absurdity in which two principle is at the centre of governance.

This calls to issue the spate of violence ‘Houses’ hold plenary in two different locations. While the faction that has been rocking Edo State is led by Mr. Uyi Igbe and which has done great harm to the consists mainly of members state. In recent months, the onceof his party, the other peaceful state has been turned into faction consisting largely a theatre of violence and all sorts Peoples Democratic Party, of political absurdities by one who PDP, members is led by the is vested with the duty of ensuring original Deputy Speaker, that peace and democratic ethos Mr. Festus Ebea as prevail. Not only have the While the Speaker. While the PDP governor’s political opponents with nine legislators, hold been hounded and brutalised on hoodlums their plenary at the trumped-up charges, his party, attacked and Assembly Complex, the the All Progressives Congress, majority 15 APC legislators sacked the APC, continues to desecrate sit at the old complex in major institutions of state. lawmakers Government House made Instances in which the office of available by the governor. and their governor was brought to disrepute As if the decimation of abound but the division and family the House and violence visited on the Edo State abandonment of the members, House of Assembly take the top Assembly complex for price on the list. Sadly so for that vehicles and sittings in Government hallowed institution of legislative House are not enough authority in the state. Since last properties assaults on decency, July when the peace of the House were individual legislators are was violated by the highreportedly now being hunted down handedness and the victimisation brazenly. It all started with of minority members by the APC, destroyed Abdulrazak Momoh who

I

By Tamuno West-Greene

was beaten to a pulp by APC thugs and, as I write, still lies critically ill at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital. The Speaker of the APC faction of the state House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe and the Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, were arrested by the State Police Command in connection with the attack and later released.

As far as the PDP State Chairman, Chief Dan Orbih is concerned, the attack on Momoh, whose seat was last July arbitrarily declared vacant by the factional APC leadership, was carried out by government hirelings after he was sighted around the legislators’ quarters. What happened at the state legislators’ quarters along Ihama on Saturday, October 11 was, from every indication, a reprisal attack.

The armed invaders of the quarters, for over 30 minutes, turned the place into a theatre of violence. While the hoodlums attacked and sacked the lawmakers and their family members, vehicles and properties were reportedly destroyed and others riddled with gunshots. The question is, when will this reign of impunity end?

It is commendable that Governor Adams Oshiomhole promptly paid a visit to the legislators’ quarters. It is equally commendable that he spoke so eloquently – almost convincingly -- about the evils of violence and why Edo could do without unnecessary bloodletting. But he fouled up his homily with his response to reporters’ question over the attack on Momoh. After describing the reprisal attack on the legislators’ residences as an unfortunate incident, he justified the initial attack on Momoh by his party men, saying

which lasted from 1966 to 1999 cost the nation dearly. The delicate framework that Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe and his colleagues crafted to knit the infant federation of diverse ethnicities together was destroyed. The drama of corruption and power play that accompanied these military misadventures bequeathed the present democratic government with a demoralised military establishment whose esprit de corps had become progressively eroded. It is preposterous to assume that what was left of that coupist and political regiment could sustain a modern and democratic Nigeria. And how on earth can a system grow and develop without time enough to fine tune its architecture and develop the infrastructure.

This background is essential to understanding the transformation that is now taking place, the change the system has undergone, and the sacrifice the present military leaders have and are still making. For many years, our military was a fragmented organisation of power chasing cults that specialised in protecting the self interest of the gang in power. The Nigerian elite imbibed the norm that successful military officers are those with deep bank accounts in naira, dollars, euro and pounds - the ex-military administrators, ministers, or heads of state, and their apologists. *Mr. Nwosu, national chairman, African Democratic Congress, ADC, wrote from Lagos.

the man deserved what he got.

Oshiomhole told listeners that the brutalised PDP legislator was sometime, while still in the APC, pictured holding a gun during the Edo local government elections last year. Why should a governor justify such a wanton attack on a state official, just because he now belongs to a rival political party? Definitely, it does not justify the act of dumping Momoh at the gates of death by the APC thugs. That rationalisation by the governor is in bad taste and offends all sensibilities and sensitivities.

It rankles that rather than promote peace and harmony, and bridge the gap of interparty rivalry, the governor has busied himself fanning the embers of discord in the state. Instead of walking his usual talk about restoring peace, the ComradeGovernor, whose speeches present him as a peace-loving governor, who respects divergent political opinions, veered into the absurd terrain where a supposed law keeper promotes political bad blood only to expect political benefit from the demeanor. Oshiomhole may have been impressive as a Labour leader when he was in the saddle at the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, but his tenure in Edo has thus far been a disaster of great proportions.

Through his indiscretions, he has foisted on hapless people of the state untold hardship by his unnecessary political battles with the federal authorities and the PDP. He has, by so doing, subjected the lean resources of the state to undue pressure. His inability to rise above political partisanship in his actions and utterances is, perhaps, the biggest blight of his administration. *Mr. West-Greene, a political analyst, wrote from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

C M Y K

48—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

SENATOR Olorunnimbe Adeleke Mamora, who magnified dignity with his near impeccable carriage as speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly and subsequently brought grace and grit in his agitation of the common cause in the Senate was the minority leader of the Senate between 2007 and 2011.

In this interview in Lagos, Mamora reviews the political situation in the country and gives reasons why the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP is for the first time in serious trouble. Excerpts:

By Dapo Akinrefon

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HE ceasefire reached between the Federal Government and the Boko Haram Islamic sect has been received with mixed reactions.

Do you think the ceasefire will work?

The question is can we really say that any ceasefire has taken place? No sooner the ceasefire was announced than the Boko Haram insurgents kidnapped some people and invaded some villages again in the North East.

Thereafter, the Federal Government had no choice than to also embark on what you can call a reprisal attack.

So, it seems to mean that no ceasefire really took place. It does appear that there is an attempt to re-establish another ceasefire if we say there will be one.

International protocol What I am saying in essence is that we have not really had a ceasefire in the true sense of it.

Do you believe the claim in some circles that the $15 million cash for arms issue was actually a ploy to launder money?

If some Nigerians are expressing displeasure over that money, I think it is justified because we are talking of money taken out of the country in an illegal manner.

There is an international protocol regarding arms purchase, especially from another country. But we are saying from all intents and purposes, these protocols have not been complied with and to that extent, we could say it’s an illegal transfer.

Particularly, you are talking of cash and so, it is proper and appropriate for Nigerians to know the true basis for such if at all, it can be justified.

If it can be justified, then,

there is need to really know what transpired. It is not enough for us that money has been returned.

If the money is returned, it is good for us rather than the money being ceased in South Africa. What we are saying is that for the fact that the money has been returned does not mean that those concerned, under what circumstance and the totality of what surrounds, the whole thing needs to be unravelled.

If not only for now at least it will guide the country against the future.

Don’t forget that it is an embarrassment to this country and we cannot continue to deal with the issue of national embarrassment in a manner suggestive to wanting to sweep something under the carpet.

•Mamora:

Why PDP is in trouble — Sen Mamora

In your view, do you think Nigeria is winning the war against terror?

I must say that to some extent, winning in an appreciable our military formations have manner, it can only be made some progress lately predicated on the safe return compared with of the girls. what it was in the Then, I can say past. we are winning So, I want to the war but to the commend the extent that those military for making girls are still in some progress but captivity and to the whether the extent that we are progress made is Since 1999, still having the satisfactory or case of adequate, is the PDP at the kidnapping, I another issue cannot say that we entirely because centre has been have won. one of the most p r o m i s i n g That is not to say painful things in power supply that appreciable the insecurity issue efforts are not is the abduction of and the best we made, we over 200 girls. have ever had being may be winning These girls have probably but to what extent been in captivity is we winning? for over six over 3000 are These are the months and that issues. is really quite mega watts in unfortunate. We a country of With the 2015 cannot as a nation o v e r general elections be happy about close by, do you that situation. For 1 2 0 m i l l i o n think elections me to be able to say people should be that we are

conducted in the troubled Northeast?

The truth is that it is an issue that will continue to haunt us because a safe environment is critical to the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. If elections were to be conducted under an environment of anxiety, of course, that will not be good enough.

But having said this, don’t forget that Borno State conducted local government elections recently throughout the state.

Again, you will have disruptions in the process because it will be difficult to say that election has been free, fair and credible under an atmosphere of insecurity and where you also have internally displaced people from the hot zones to some other parts of the north.

This definitely would affect the planning and logistics of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

We still have a bit of time to look at the situation critically

and to determine whether or not it will be wise to hold elections in the areas concerned.

Planning and logistics What I am saying is that it is still a wait and see situation.

Does APC really have the muscle to wrest power from the PDP? We have everything going well for us. We have more than the muscle.

What gives you this assurance?

The thing is when you look at the party at the centre, that is the PDP, it has been in the saddle since 1999. By next year, it would have been in the saddle for 16 years. The question remains that how many Nigerians can compare that the quality has been better generally? I will say the answer is no.

Continues on page 49

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—49

SENATOR Matthew Mbu (junior) represented Cross River Central Senatorial District from 1999 to 2003.

He was the Chairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence. In this interview he speaks on the gubernatorial succession in Cross River and the fierce battle for the Cross River Central senatorial seat, and that his successor, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, SAN is qualified to go for a fourth straight term. Excerpts:

CROSS RIVER:

We will stop Imoke’s imposition agenda — Sen Mbu •Why he is against Ndoma-Egba

BY JOHNBOSCO AGBAKWURU

B

EING Senator NdomaEgba’s predecessor what is your opinion on his return bid to the Senate?

I think he more than deserves to come back to the Senate. He’s one Senator who has served his people, in fact, Cross River State very well. It’s all about representation. The question we must ask ourselves is this: Has Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba represented his people well? The answer is: yes.

He has done so well for his people. He has not changed from the person he’s been, right from when he started. He’s there for everybody; anybody can approach him and as I said earlier, it’s all about representation of the people.

He’s done very well in the Senate to the point that today, he’s the Senate Leader. That’s a great achievement for us. He’s the number three person in the Senate.

If we don’t want him back in the Senate and talk about bringing another Senator; that person would start from the beginning. What he has attained in the Senate today is equivalent in the military to the position of a General. It would be most unfair, for us in the Central Senatorial

he does that, I fear we may end up with a non-PDP governor in Cross River State.

It’s alleged that those who want to remove the present Senate leadership are aiming to use a new leadership against President Jonathan?

Well, I can’t say exactly that that is the game plan but it is possible because if truly, you are with the governor in Cross River State! president on the same page on This is what is happening right this matter and he has instructed now in our state. So, you don’t you on that, why should you now go by who you are supporting or start turning against what you’ve who you are not supporting. He been told? You don’t need a has an agenda and many of us soothsayer to begin to tell you know that. You don’t use that to that all is not well. say Senator Ndoma-Egba is not We are talking of the President popular. of the Federal Republic of This scenario portrays PDP as Nigeria telling you something; being fractured in your state that he’s very comfortable with right now. working with these group of Well, PDP revolves around one people at the National Assembly, instructing the man and that one man governor that this is is Governor Imoke. It’s who I want; why should always been like that; the governor turn even now when you go against the president’s to the people and ask instruction? them; ‘who are you Why do we keep supporting?’ They tell having this huge you they are still turnover every election waiting to hear from year? the governor! Is that We are having it democracy? You tell because we are selfish, me! we are self-centred and In a situation where it’s most unfortunate, I Governor Imoke have to be this blunt but succeeds in picking a the truth is that we are representative for just like that. In this Cross River Central, country, everybody what will the people would tell you that; do? ‘that man has been If that should For there for too long, is he happen, it would be the only person? Let most unfortunate. I can whatever another person go.’ tell you this now. We reason, Nobody is thinking pray that he doesn’t about the benefit to the impose anybody Governor nation; that is, if you are because that is what Imoke looking at it from a he’s trying to do but if broader perspective. If it happens, it would be doesn’t he’s not doing well, it’s most unfortunate. want a different ball game.

What scenario do Senator But if he’s doing well, you envisage? to bring another person If it happens, it may Ndomawould mean to start be another party that would even produce Egba back from the scratch. It’s not even good for the the governor, which stability of the nation as may not be the PDP. If a whole.

•Mbu District, to replace a General with a Private.

But some say he is not popular at home?

You can only be popular with some people but to be popular with all the people is impossible.

But Senator Ndoma-Egba is a legislator, not an executive member and as a legislator, you can only attract projects to your constituency and has he done that? I tell you here that he has done that more than enough. He has attracted water projects, road projects, hospitals, schools, lots of scholarships granted across the state.

Why are the leaders of PDP in your state, particularly Governor Liyel Imoke, against the Senate Leader’s return?

Point out which leader is against his return. I’m sorry to

say but my brother, Governor Imoke, is not a democrat. He’s a dictator. He’s coming out very strong...Imoke is interested in dictating to people; who should be where and who shouldn’t! We can’t go by what Imoke is saying and this is the time when all wellmeaning Cross Riverans should rise up against dictatorship.

Practice of democracy We are practising democracy; where the will of the people should always prevail and not the wishes of one single individual.

For whatever reason, Governor Imoke doesn’t want Senator Ndoma-Egba back; for the same reason he’s been toying with other aspirants who want to be

Jonathan’s best not good enough Continued from page 48 You have a party that has been in control for 16 years and to that extent, I think that this is the time for change and the face of that change is the APC. Where do you want to take it from? Are you talking of physical infrastructure? Or you are talking of power, health, education, youth unemployment and security.

When you look at corruption, we have never had it so bad in terms of corruption in this country, Since 1999, the PDP at the centre has been promising power supply and the best we have ever had is probably over

3000 mega watts in a country of over 120million people.

So, when you look at all these, it should be obvious to the generality of Nigerians that the PDP administration at the centre has been given opportunity and has dashed the hopes of the Nigerian people.

They have short-changed in terms of their expectations.

Therefore, this is the time for them to have a new lease of life and we are poised for that. This is the first time, in the last 15 years, that we can say that the PDP is confronted with a robust party, a robust opposition. So, all things put on ground, this is the time that PDP as a party at the centre, is most

•Mamora: vulnerable.

Nigerians are saying that the president’s best is not good for

them and that is why the PDP at the centre is vulnerable in terms of being defeated.

We are not leaving anything to chance, we are coming up in everything, in terms of the right candidate, the right policies, the right approach and a democratic process. All we ask for is free and fair elections.

And of course, in saying free and fair elections, we are not just talking of the elections itself we are talking of the electoral process.

Once we are assured of free and fair process, then I can assure you that the PDP controlled centre is on its way out.

But how do you see the

attempt within your party to play up religious sentiments in the choice of your party’s presidential candidate and his running mate for the elections?

Never in the history of this country has there been religious polarisation as it is now and it is not our party that is playing it up.

It is the PDP as a party that has been playing this religious card and not our party. What Nigerian needs at this point, is essentially competent hands to do the job.

Religion should not be an issue but it is the PDP that is attempting to use religion as a trump card. It is not our party.

50 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Danagogo, Gumba, Corporate Nigeria thumbs up NFF S

PORTS Minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, First Lady of Delta State, Mrs Roli Uduaghan and the Chairman of Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Adamu Gumba were among the nation’s leading personalities who graced the grand ball organized by the Nigeria Football Federation for Corporate Nigeria in Lagos on Friday.

The colourful event at the Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island was an experiential session by the new NFF Executive Committee, led by Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, to bond with NFF’s partners and prospective sponsors.

In the presence of top government functionaries, corporate titans and political heavyweights, Pinnick espoused his vision with ease, academic and articulate, and it was applause all the way for the young and energetic new supremo of Nigeria football as he enraptured all who were there.

Put together by NFF’s proposed financial consultants, Financial Derivatives, the event afforded participants and media chiefs an inkling into the new direction for Nigeria football, as Pinnick, 1st Vice President, Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi and Chairman of the Marketing, Sponsorship and Television Advisory Committee, High Chief Emeka Inyama harped on useful partnership, mutual respect, accountability, probity and transparency.

OGER Federer add ed a sixth title to his success story at the Swiss Indoors with the top seed, crushing David Goffin 62, 6-2 in Sunday’s final.

The success in only 51 minutes lifts the 33-yearold Federer in his bid to end the season on the world number one ranking.

Federer was playing in his 11th final in his hometown and has now beaten Belgian Goffin in both of their meetings.

Federer won his 82nd career title and the third

S

ERENA Williams won her thirdsuccessive WTA Finals title and fifth overall by beating Simona Halep 6-3, 6-0 overnight in Singapore, avenging an embarrassing groupstage loss to the Romanian player.

Halep easily beat Williams just four days earlier during the group stage of the tournament, but the American turned that around with an aggressive game plan.

Williams won 11 of the last 12 games in the match to join Martina Navratilova and Steffi Graf as the only players

to have won five titles in the season-ending championships.

The 33-year-old pulled out of her previous two tournaments with illness and a knee injury, yet still claimed the $2 million first prize, claimed the Billie-Jean King Trophy and also had a breed of orchid named after her in recognition.

“I just started training, because I had such a bad knee in Beijing I didn’t know if I’d be able to play here, and now I have won the Billie-Jean King trophy - I am so excited,” Williams said.

Akwa Ibom Schools set for Mobil Athletics

A

Serena Williams of the US (R) and Simona Halep of Romania (L) pose with their trophies after the finals of the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) finals in Singapore yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

Why Giwa turned down Pinnick’s olive branch

By Jude Opara, Abuja

A

S the crisis rock ing Nigerian football continues, there are very strong revelations that the president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) whose election took place at the Warri elective Congress of the federation, Amaju Pinnick has made frantic efforts to end the crisis.

Sources at the NFF informed Sports Vanguard that part of the peace

moves made by Pinnick was to offer the position of the chairman of the League Management Company (LMC) to Chris Giwa.

According to the revelation, Giwa who is also the chairman of Giwa FC of Jos may have been interested in accepting the offer but due to the fact that the other people in his camp would be left in the cold the deal did not materialize.

Two members of the Giwa faction who are

Federer clinches sixth Basel crown

R

Serena gets revenge to win WTA Finals title

from his last four tournaments.

Since August, he has lifted trophies in Cincinnati and Shanghai as well as Basel while reaching the US Open semifinals.

Federer will carry on next week to end the ATP regular season at the Paris Masters, and then plays the year-end World Tour Finals before leading Switzerland into the Davis Cup final in France.

Earlier on Saturday, David Goffin ended the dream run of teenager Borna Coric 6-4, 3-6, 6-3

to reach the final.

Croatian Coric, 17, and ranked 124th, was brought down to earth fewer than 24 hours after he won the match of his career, defeating 14-time major winner Nadal in the quarterfinals.

World number 28 Goffin, a low-key character at the best of times whose baby-face disguises a killer instinct on court, credited his steady, calm demeanour with getting him through against Coric.

claiming to be the authentic board of the now confused NFF, Obinna Ogba and Yahaya Adama had dragged the NFF to court seeking to invalidate the September 30 election where the Amaju Pinnick led board was elected.

Our source who pleaded anonymity said the olive branch was in line with the resolution of the Pinnick led board in one of their recent meetings to reposition the LMC with seven directorates and a Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

KWA Ibom Schools and Colleges are set for this years AKS/ NNPC/MPN Schools A t h l e t i c s Championships, the 14th in the series.

In a memo addressed to all the stakeholders last week, the Consultant to the project Mr Paul Bassey said he was happy to inform them that Mobil Producing Nigeria has once again decided to keep faith with a laudable initiative it launched thirteen years ago, by deciding to facilitate this years championship. “ .....as in previous editions, we are much grateful to NNPC and it’s Joint Venture Partner, Mobil Producing Nigeria

for the faith it has kept with this programme which has contributed immensely in the development of track and field in our schools and colleges....”

He reminded them how the state Government has benefitted immensely from the grass root initiative which he considered “ the biggest fixture in the state’s sports calendar” “ ......Permit me to remind us that last year, thanks to this developmental initiative and it’s products, Akwa Ibom State emerged champions in the athletics event of the National Junior Sports Festival held in Abuja......”

Nadal ends 2014 season with surgery

F

OURTEEN-TIME grand slam champion Rafael Nadal has ended his 2014 season. The 28-year-old Spaniard announced Friday he will

•Roger Federer raises the trophy after he won his final match against David Goffin of Belgium at the Swiss Indoors ATP tennis tournament yesterday. PHOTO: AFP

have appendix surgery, thus ruling him out for the ATP’s final two events this year.

“I’m not going to Paris and London - I’m not competitive enough,” Nadal said after he fell to Croatia’s Borna Coric in the quarterfinals of the Swiss Indoors. “I am going to have surgery on 3 November.”

Nadal will sit out the Paris Masters and the ATP World Tour Finals, but will hold on to his No. 3 world ranking with nearly 3,000 more points than No. 4 Stan Wawrinka.

Enduring a wrist injury over the last several months, Nadal’s stint at the Swiss Indoors was only his third tournament appearance since Wimbledon.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 51

Ikpeba wants Danagogo to solve football crisis

BY TONY UBANI

A

S Nigerians wait anxiously to know the the fate of the country from World soccer-governing body, FIFA, former international Victor Ikpeba has made a passionate appeal to Sports Minister and chairman of the National Sports Commission, Dr Tammy Danagogo to find an end to the crisis rocking Nigerian football. ‘’We can’t continue to ridicule Nigeria. It is the responsibility of the Minister to find a lasting peace for Nigerian football. He is the father of sports in Nigeria. He should find a way out of this quagmire’’, Ikpeba said.

The former African Footballer however had harsh words for Ambassador Chris Giwa and former coach of the Eagles, Stephen Keshi. ‘’Giwa is fighting in vain.

FIFA and CAF have all recognised the election that brought in the Pinnick-led Board of NFF. It’s a pity that those who claim to have passion for the game that Nigerians love

are the ones who want the country to be banned. I know that these things are happening because the Pinnick-led Board sacked Keshi. Keshi is not the first Nigerian coach to be sacked. Many others have been sacked before him and heaven did not fall.

Even coaches who did well at the World Cup have been sacked. Coaching is all about hiring and firing’’, Ikpeba said.

Ikpeba noted that Nigerians were overjoyed on Saturday when the Super Falcons thrashed Cameroun’s Indomitable Lioness 2-0 to win the African Women Championship in Namibia. ‘’There were sporadic shouts of joy each time the Nigerian Women scored. We love this game and and we appeal to the Sports Minister to find a solution to this mess’’.

Ikpeba also appealed to Nigerians to support the Pinnick-led NFF as he noted that the body would bring many good tidings to Nigerian football. ‘’Nigerians should support him. He did it in Delta and will do it at the national level.

V

•Pinnick

•Danagogo

•Giwa

Pillars still top but Enyimba stay close

L

EAGUE leaders Kano Pillars recorded a valuable 3-1 win at El Kanemi on Sunday, but Enyimba kept up the title chase with a second away win at Nembe City also.

Pillars still set the pace with 62 points from 36 games, while Enyimba won 2-1 at Nembe to move to 60 points.

Wolves slipped to third on the table after they were forced to a 1-1 draw at Sharks.

They now have 59 points.

In Kano, Ubong Ekpai put the visitors ahead in the 25th minute, but two

minutes later, Nigeria U20 star Ifeanyi Matthew equalised for El Kanemi.

Adamu Hassan restored Pillars lead on the half hour mark to take his goals haul to 13, before Adamu Murtala took the game beyond the Warriors with an 81st minute strike.

At Omoku, Enyimba came back from a goal to also win 2-1 courtesy of a brace by leading scorer Mfon Udoh, who has now equaled the all-time record of Jude Aneke set three seasons ago.

The championship

could well now be decided on the final day when Enyimba host Pillars in Aba. In Port Harcourt, Warri Wolves were coasting home with victory before Sharks restored parity almost at the death.

Ibenegbu Ikechukwu ‘Mosquito’ put Wolves ahead in the 14th minute when he riffled in a shot from rebound after goalkeeper James Aiyeyemi blocked Ifeanyi Ede’s effort at goal.

Fortune Omaniwari scored the equaliser off Christian Pyagbara’s pass in the closing minutes.

attendance, said there was no going back on suspension of Nigeria this week if football matters are not withdrawn from civil courts.

“I appealed to FIFA to give until Monday for Nigeria to put its act together. After that, there is absolutely nothing I can do. It is all very disappointing because we have over 50 National Associations in Africa, but a big country like Nigeria is the one always giving us the biggest headache.

“Nigeria signed to be part of the football world by joining FIFA, and opted to abide by the FIFA –approved Statutes that you have.

How many times do we have to tell your country that football matters are not taken to civil courts? If Nigeria no longer wants to be part of the football world, then so be it,” an obviously exasperated Hayatou said. His

French words were translated to the rest of the Nigeria delegation by the multi-lingual Paul Bassey.

It would be recalled that FIFA President Blatter and CAF President Hayatou, as well as several National Associations and NFF’s partners and political leaders around the world, congratulated Amaju Pinnick following his victory at the September 30 elections.

NFF President, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick, who was, inexplicably, stopped by security operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on his way to Namibia on Friday night with the Sports Minister, monitored the meeting on phone.

On Thursday, the Federal High Court, Jos gave a ruling setting aside the FIFA –ordered elections of 30th September, 2014 into the NFF Executive Committee, stoking the

fire of anger at the world body ’s Zurich headquarters.

The NFF Executive Committee, led by Amaju Pinnick, has filed for a Stay-of-Execution of the order at the same court, which the court said it will be hear on Wednesday.

Falode, who spoke from Windhoek on Sunday, said it was obvious the Government of Nigeria has to now intervene to avoid the hammer falling on Nigeria football.

“The future of millions of Nigerian youth is being put at risk by some persons who feel they have nothing to lose in the case of a FIFA ban. It is now for the Government to wade in. If we get suspended from international football now, FIFA will not revisit the matter until their 65th Congress on May 29, 2015. That would be too bad for our country ’s football,” Falode said.

Hayatou Continues from BP African Championship to be eligible to travel to Chile to defend their world title next year, and with the Super Falcons reclaiming their continental title in Namibia on Saturday, non –conformity to simple football rules and regulations has put Nigeria at the danger of a big slam.

On Saturday in Windhoek, Namibia, CAF President Issa Hayatou told Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo in clear terms that the world was fed up with Nigeria’s incorrigibility in the area of football administration.

Hayatou’s words: “I had to plead passionately with FIFA President, Mr. Sepp Blatter not to take action on Nigeria on Friday, because Nigeria was in the final of the African Women Championship and a ban on your country would have been bad for the competition C M Y K

and our sponsors. We all heard the news of the court ruling on Thursday, and the football world is angry with Nigeria. That is the truth.

“The FIFA letter that came to your Federation before the elections of September 30 was very clear about an automatic suspension should there be any interference with the political process, and after the elections went ahead, we all thought you had settled your issues.”

The CAF supremo, at a meeting that had Nigeria’s Sports Minister, Dr. Tammy Danagogo, Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Namibia, Ambassador Biodun Olorunfemi, Nigeria’s Deputy President of the CAF Appeal Board, Mazi Amanze Uchegbulam, CAF General Coordinator, Mr. Paul Bassey and CAF Media Committee Member, Aisha Falode in

Valdes watches Man United play Chelsea I C T O R Va l d e s was spotted at Old Trafford, to watch Manchester United take on Chelsea.

United announced earlier in the week that Valdes would complete his recovery from injury at the club before training with the first team.

It is not yet known if the club will offer Valdes a contract but the keeper is on good terms with United boss Louis van Gaal who he worked with when he first broke into the Barcelona first team.

It will be interesting to see how David de Gea performs in this game with a potential competitor eyeing up his place.

President Continues from BP that he is quite sure Mr. President will be looking forward to meet the Falcons on their return as he praised the girls for doing Nigeria proud in Namibia.

“I know it is not just going to be a presidential hand shake alone because he likes to appreciate those who do the country proud in any sector of national endeavour. Just get the job done and leave the rest” the minister stated.

The Super Falcons departed Windhoek for Johannesburg by 2pm yesterday and departed for Lagos by 11pm and spent the night in Lagos.

The Minister also divulged during the victory dinner at the Nigerian House Windhoek that arriving Lagos the team will be welcomed by the Lagos community,where they will spend a night. They will then leave for Abuja on Tuesday where they will be hosted by the National Sports Commission (NSC) before the team meets with Mr President on Wednesday.

52 — Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

Van Persie nicks point off 10-man Chelsea Mourinho fumes!

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SKILLFUL . . . Man United’s striker Robin van Persie shoots but his attempt is saved by Chelsea’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (not pictured). Photo: AFP

OW, perhaps, Louis van Gaal has a better understanding why his predecessor, Sir Alex Ferguson, used to boast there was no other side on the planet with Manchester United’s penchant for late drama and feats of escapology. They were four minutes into stoppage time when Robin van Persie pulled back his left foot and when the ball flashed into the net he was off, peeling off his shirt and screaming to the skies in a release of pent-up emotion.

It was another of those moments to punish anyone at Old Trafford who leaves the stadium early and a sign at least that this club, for all their obvious imperfections, have not lost all their good habits. They had been losing since the 53rd minute courtesy of Didier Drogba’s first Premier League goal since

March 2012 and José Mourinho will also be able to reflect on that moment in the first half when a corner was delivered into the home side’s penalty area and Marcos Rojo bundled John Terry to the floor while Chris Smalling was guilty of an even more blatant piece of illegal grappling on Branislav Ivanovic.

The referee, Phil Dowd, waved aside the penalty appeals and Ivanovic was then implicated in the moment that led to Van Persie’s equaliser.

Ivanovic’s foul on Ángel Di María led to his second booking of the afternoon and he had hardly left the pitch when Di María swung in the free-kick. Marouane Fellaini’s header was brilliantly saved by Thibaut Courtois but the rebound fell for Van Persie and his shot was struck with power and precision.

J

OSE Mourinho was livid with the officials after Chelsea were denied at the death by Manchester United.

Ref Phil Dowd sent Branislav Ivanovic off in stoppage-time for a second booking - and Rob-

in van Persie scored a late equaliser from the resultant free-kick to snatch a 1-1 draw.

Mourinho said: “I prefer not to speak about the second yellow card.

“The red card, I was seeing it coming.

Mourinho

From the Pitch to the Summit Title: Odyssey of A Green Eagle; From the Pitch to the Summit Author: Dr. Patrick Ekeji Publisher: Prestige No. of pages: 185 Reviewer: Peter Edema

O

DYSSEY of a Green Eagle-From the Pitch to the Summit ; is the story of a man-Dr. Patrick Ekeji.

In this beautifully narrated memoir, Ekeji relieves his journey as a sportsman from the football pitch to the summit of sports administration in Nigeria . From his humble beginnings in the playground of the Obalende Barracks, through the playing fields of Mbaise and Owerri at the height of the Nigerian Civil War, winning the Adebajo Cup as a schoolboy in the legendary East Central State Academicals team of 1971- Ekeji regales the reader with short vignettes from a life of service to sport and human endeavor.

The 185 page book is divided into four parts.

The first part, headlined destiny; deals with his early life, from primary school to secondary school at the famous St Gregory Obalende. The advent of the civil war ended his sojourn at Obalende as he had to relocate to Port Harcourt . His stay in Port Harcourt was short lived as he was sent to the village as a result of the civil war. His brief stint with the Biafra Air Force was also captured. After the civil war he continued his education at the C M Y K

Holy Ghost College where he wrote his HSC and eventually joined Vasco Dagama as a footballer, and eventually how he made it to the Green Eagles in 1975. His university education at the University of Nigeria Nsukka limited his appearance for the Green Eagles revealing that his saddest moment in his playing career was being a member of the team that lost 1-0 to Tunisia 1-0 and subsequently missed being part of the Eagles that would have played at the FIFA World Cup. His resolve to graduate in 1978 against all odds was why he refused to be part of the Green Eagles to both the Nations Cup in Ethiopia and Ghana in 1976 and 1978 respectively. His outspokenness was why he had to quit Eagles team that was preparing for the 1980 Nations Cup that Nigeria hosted and won.

He also dwelled on his coaching career that started with his failed effort at qualifying the Green Eagles for the 1986 Nations Cup losing the two legged match 1-0 to Zambia and later moved to UNTL FC of Kaduna before ending his coaching job at ACB of Lagos.

Part two of the book, titled the Legacies, dwelled on the legacies he left as Director of Sports, Imo State in 1993 after quitting the coaching profession. A year after his return, his services were transferred to the federal government in 1994. He was instrumental to the formation of the meeting of the Directors of Sports fo-

*Dr. Patrick Ekeji rum. Other legacies were naming the Owerri Stadium after Dan Anyiam, introduction of election into the state sports associations, the re-designation of national sporting associations as federations and subsequent introduction of elections. He ensured the birth of the department of facilities at the National Sports Commission, the Team Nigeria concept, which was a funding platform for sports, the opening up of the omnibus Sports Development Department into five professional departments namely; Facilities, Stadium development and Maintenance;

Grassroots Sports Development; Sports medicine, Sports Planning research and Statistics: Federation & Elite Athletes.

Part Three of the book, which dwelled on Contemporary Issues in Sports Development in Nigeria elaborated more on the constrains to sports development. His critical observation on the structures, systems and instruments with which sports administrators are expected to consistently produce results explains why Nigeria, despite its abundant talent and resources has continued to under perform at the world stage. He puts it succinctly that the sector can only take off if the National Sports Commission, a body charged with the responsibility of developing the sector is equipped to perform that function. The commission, he said, was not only under funded but lacked the requisite personnel to achieve its objectives.

Policy somersault is another factor.

The last part of the book is devoted to honouring past administrators, whose contribution to sports development were above board. We have the likes of Chief Henry Enyeazu, Isaac Akindayo Akinoye (both of blessed memory) and a summary of his experiences as a public officer.

In summary, the book while offering backroom insight, also presents solutions to the dilemmas that have dogged sports administration in the country. But Ekeji did not say much about his parents.

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014 — 53

Newcastle recover to beat Spurs 2-1 away N

EWCASTLE produced a rousing second-half fightback to beat

Tottenham 2-1 in the Premier League on Sunday and further ease the pressure on manager

Celtic move to fourth place

C

ELTIC leapfrogged Kilmarnock into fourth place in the Scottish Premiership with a 2-0 win over the 10-man Ayrshire side at Parkhead.

Swedish striker John Guidetti scored his fifth goal in seven games in the 35th minute with a 25yard free-kick awarded when Killie skipper Manuel Pascali’s ‘last man’ foul on Stefan Scepovic earned him a red card from referee Willie Collum.

It was the turning point in a match in which hitherto Killie had been

the equal of their hosts.

Rugby Park manager Alan Johnston immediately sacrificed his mercurial midfielder Alexei Eremenko for defender Lee Ashcroft and thereafter the Ayrshire men concentrated their efforts on keeping the champions at bay.

However, Scepovic scored the second with a shot in the 63rd minute and the Hoops ran out easy winners although the extra man advantage they enjoyed for a large part of the game makes proper analysis tricky.

Alan Pardew.

Halftime substitute Sammy Ameobi equalized for Newcastle within seconds of the team kicking off the second half and Ayoze Perez scored his first goal for the club to seal victory in the 58th minute at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham dominated the first half but only had Emmanuel Adebayor ’s 18th-minute header to show for it. With just one win in their last seven league games, Spurs are now three points off the relegation zone.

Pardew was under severe pressure a month ago with Newcastle bottom of the standings, but seven points from the last three games has lifted the team away from danger.

Skrtel: We believe in Balotelli L

CONTROL . . . Liverpool’s forward Mario Balotelli controls the ball. Photo: AFP

IVERPOOL defender Martin Skrtel feels sorry for Mario Balotelli as the striker’s struggles continue.

Balotelli has still not scored in the Barclays Premier League since joining the Reds in a £16million deal in August.

His luckless run continued as Hull frustrated the Merseysiders to claim a goalless draw in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

Balotelli was far from the worst player on the pitch, producing a committed display which offered encouragement after some of his heavily criticised efforts of recent weeks.

But coming after the controversy of midweek, when he was seen swapping shirts at halftime of the 3-0 loss to Real Madrid, the spotlight was on him.

HEADER . . . Tottenham Hotspur’s striker Emmanuel Adebayor (R) heads the opening goal of the English Premier League match against Newcastle United at White Hart Lane. Photo: AFP.

West Brom boss hails super sub Anichebe

W

EST Brom manager Alan Irvine has praised Nigeria international Victor Anichebe for his contribution to the team’s 22 draw with Crystal Palace.

On Saturday, ‘The Baggies’ were 2-0 down before Anichebe was introduced in the 46th minute for Stephane Sessegnon.

Capello: Neymar has a very annoying attitude

B

RAZIL and B a r c e l o n a superstar Neymar has quickly risen up the ranks to become one of the world’s most talented and popular footballers.

But while his reputation as a talented player has soared, so has his reputation for dabbling in simulation

from time to time.

Russia boss Fabio Capello, who led Real Madrid to two La Liga titles, hit out at Neymar on Fox Sports Italy (h/t Goal.com) in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Barcelona on Saturday.

“Neymar is a great

striker, but I hate that a player of his level has to fall to the ground every time you touch him,” he said. “He has a very annoying attitude.”

Neymar scored the opening goal of El Clasico after just three minutes, but Madrid fought back to dismantle the Catalans.

•Neymar

He made his impact felt just after five minutes on the pitch when he headed in a goal from the closerange off Chris Brunt’s corner.

He was brought down for the penalty which Saido Berahino scored to levelled scores in injury time.

“There’s no doubt he [Anichebe] made a

•Anichebe difference and I thought before the game that we might need him,” said Irvine.

“Having watched Palace and looked at their strengths and the way they’re able to play then I felt as if Victor would be needed at some point during the game.

“Unfortunately he wasn’t quite ready to start the game, but it was important he was fresh enough to make an impact if we needed him. He came on earlier than I planned, but it was a case of needs must.”

C M Y K

54—Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014—55

C M Y K

VANGUARD, MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014

The World is fed up with Nigeria — Hayatou •FIFA hammer dangles

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IGERIA football looks to be, unfortunately, heading into a long, dark night as world football – governing body is set to wield the big stick today against the most populous black nation on earth.

Even as the Super

Eagles still have a chance of qualifying for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations to defend their crown, despite a poor start in the race; even with the Golden Eaglets, the reigning champions of the world, ready to compete at the Continues on Page 51

President Jonathan to receive Falcons Wednesday

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AFRICAN CHAMPIONS: Super Falcons players celebrate on the podium with the AWC trophy.

RvP rescues point for United — Pg.52

IGERIA’s number one citizen, President Goodluck Jonathan will receive the victorious African women champions Super Falcons at the federal executive council meeting on Wednesday.

The Sports Minister, Tammy Danagogo who left Nigeria on Friday for Namibia dropped the hint when he met with

the Super Falcons before they beat the Lionesses of Cameroon 2-0 in the final of the African Women Championship.

According to the minister, a proposal has been sent to Mr. President to receive the team at FEC meeting on Wednesday noting

Continues on Page 51

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Passage (5) 7 Unfortunately (4) 8 Small (6) 9 Employees (5) 11 Hill (3) 13 Cushion (3) 15 Paradise (4) 16 Coal – scuttle (3) 18 Lake (4) 19 Uniform (7) 20 Fade (4) 22 Tug (4) 23 Frightened (7) 25 Plunder (4) 27 Defective (3) 28 Gull (4) 30 Fasten (3) 31 Expire (3) 33 Spree (5) 36 Edit (6) 37 Absent (4) 38 Flower (5)

DOWN 1 Spate (5) 2 Donkey (3) 3 Ocean (3) 4 Sprite (3) 5 Consumed (3) 6 Rid (5) 10 Whip (4) 11 Storm (7) 12 Supplant (7) 13 Read (7) 14 Wane (7) 16 Learnt (5) 17 Cheated (5) 18 Chart (3) 21 Moose (3) 24 Silent (4) 26 Pointed (5) 29 Emulate (5) 32 |Gain (3) 33 Material (3) 34 Vehicle (3) 35 Ballad (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Fussy 5, Locker 8, Terse 10, Remote 11, Aped 14, Fedora 15, General 18, Nip 19, Tap 21, Test 23, Deter 24, Held 27, Den 29, Oaf 31, Rapidly 32, Crazed 34, Fine 35, Tether 38, Layer 39, Cudgel 40,

Local.

DOWN: 2, Use 3, Stored 4, Yet 5, Leaf 6, Credit 7, Repast 9, Rebated 12, Pen 13, Dope 16, Ease 17, Later 20, Penalty 22, Soil 24, Hectic 25, Loaf 26, Dazing 28, Bistro 30, Fen 33, Dell 36, Eel 37, Era.

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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