You cant stop tribunal, S-Court tells Wike

**

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

...towards a better life for the people

VOL. 25: NO. 62614

N150

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

The Ile-Ife and Yoruba of my dream, by Ooni-elect, Adeyeye 46 Ogunwusi

VISIT: Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode presenting a souvenir to Mr. Rakesh Kapoor, Global Group CEO, RB Plc when Kapoor visited the governor at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, as part of his working visit to Nigeria, yesterday.

You can't stop tribunal, S-Court tells Wike

By Jimitota Onoyume & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

A

•Says no merit in embattled governor's appeal •Rivers Speaker, 19 others to appeal tribunal judgment •It's a gang-up, says Wike, as Peterside hits back 15

•278 firms bid for NNPC's 950,000 bpd crude deal

8

MINISTERS SCREENED YESTERDAY

BUJA — Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State, yesterday, lost his bid to use the Supreme Court to oust the judgment of the Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal that sacked him from office last week Saturday.

This happened as 20 members of Rivers State House of Assembly whose election was

Continues on Page 5

Zainab Ahmed

Isaac Adewole

Usani Usani Nguru

Geoffery Onyema

Fuji maestro, KWAM 1, arrested, quizzed 7 for 6 hours C M Y K

FRC wrong on alleged misreporting, says Bawa Bwari Mahammed Dan-Aliu Stanbic OSHODI-APAPA GRIDLOCK: IBTC 21

Senate seeks immediate reactivation of port rail lines 10

COLUMNIST:

Witch-hunts in global perspective •P.17

UNIZIK students produce mini See Inside bus

Mr & Mrs

2 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 3

C M Y K

4 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—5

POCKET CARTOON

DEPARTURE—President Muhammadu Buhari being bidded farewell by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase; Permanent Secretary State House, Mr. Nebolisa Emordi; the Permanent Secretary FCT, Mr. John Chukwu and others as the President departed for the 3rd Indo-African Summit in New Delhi, India from the Presidential Wing, Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida

You can't stop tribunal, S-Court tells Wike Continues from Page 1 nullified by the state legislative election petition tribunal, appealed against the judgment.

Wike had gone before the apex court to challenge the jurisdiction and competence of the tribunal to conduct hearing on the petition filed against his election by the All Progressives Congress, APC, and its governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, outside Rivers State where the said election held.

He contended that the action of the President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, in relocating the tribunal to Abuja without due consultation with either the Chief Judge of the state or President of the Customary Court of Appeal, was in breach of Section 285(2) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Electoral Act,

2010.

Wike urged the apex court to hold that former chairman of the tribunal, Justice Muazu Pindiga, was wrong to have dismissed the preliminary objection he filed against the jurisdiction of the panel to continue further hearing on the petition, outside Rivers State.

Besides, he wanted the Supreme Court to set aside the verdict of the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal which had on September 5, upheld the decision of the tribunal.

Aside the APC and Peterside, also joined as 3rd and 4th respondents in the appeal marked SC/ 718/2015, were the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Though both INEC and PDP did not file any process in support of Wike’s appeal, however, the two respondents, made oral submissions through their counsel, Dr.

IT'S UP TO YOU

BY AYO ADIO

T

HE most significant step in the journey to success is the first step, be bold to take it and never stop moving. It's up to you.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

Follow three rules: Respect yourself, Respect others, and take responsibility for your actions— Dalai Lama

T

AKING full responsibility for one’s life is the key to living a life of absolute freedom. It means to stop blaming others, the unreasonable demanding employer, ungrateful children, unpredictable weather; irritating spouse, unreliable friend, unreliable government, unfavorable circumstances, and even the feeling that life’s not fair on us.

Blaming everybody else is great until you’ve got no one to blame but yourself. Instead, realize that you are the creator of your own life story.

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE

K

indness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

Onyechi Ikpeazu, SAN, and Mr. Gordy Uche, SAN, urging the apex court to rule that the tribunal lacked the territorial jurisdiction to entertain the petition against the appellant.

Meantime, delivering judgment on the matter, yesterday, a seven-man panel of justices of the apex court led by Justice John Fabiyi, affirmed the verdicts of the two lower courts.

Dismissing Wike’s appeal as lacking in merit, the Supreme Court maintained that the tribunal was validly constituted and entitled to sit in Abuja to exercise its jurisdiction.

The court, yesterday, faulted Wike for placing reliance on the decided case law in Ibori vs Ogboru, saying the case was distinguishable from his own matter.

According to Justice Amiru Sanusi who read the lead judgment, “I have considered the submission of parties and provisions of the law and arrived at the conclusion that the facts in the case of Ibori vs Ogboru which was relied upon by the appellant, are distinguishable from the facts in this case.

“On the former case, it was the tribunal that on its own volition, decided to relocate to Abuja while in the instant case, there were security challenges in Rivers State before the tribunal was relocated.

“More importantly, evidence abound that there were serious security challenges prevailing in Rivers State that called for a doctrine of necessity to be adopted.

“Based on ground of doctrine of necessity, the President of the Court of Appeal (PCA) deemed it proper and expedient to relocate the tribunal to Abuja and that was to safeguard the lives of the chairman and members of the tribunal.

“I am therefore in agreement with the lower

court. Similarly, the case of Ogboru vs PCA and Dalhatu vs Turaki are irrelevant and inapplicable to the instant appeal in view of the disparity with the facts in the case at hand.

“I hold that the tribunal was properly constituted by the PCA even without consultation with the Chief Judge or President of the Customary Court of Appeal in Rivers State.

“The PCA has the power to relocate the tribunal to Abuja to hear and determine the petition in view of security challenges prevalent in Rivers state then. Therefore the tribunal was properly constituted.

No merit in the appeal — S-Court “I am unable to see any merit in this appeal and I hereby dismiss it without any order as to cost”, Justice Sanusi held.

While concurring with the lead verdict, Justice Fabiyi who presided over the apex court panel, noted that at the time the tribunal was relocated to Abuja, there was no sitting Chief Judge or President of the Customary Court of Appeal in the state that the PCA would have consulted as prescribed in Section 285(2) of the Constitution.

“That in effect made the use of the word shall’ in the constitution not feasible. The doctrine of necessity that was adopted by the PCA was on point. Like they said in natural sciences, prevention is better than cure. The PCA took preemptive measures to safeguard the lives of the tribunal chairman and members”, he added.

Other members of the apex court panel who agreed that Wike’s appeal was devoid of merit were Justices Mary Peter-Odili, Joseph Ariwola, Kudirat KekereEkun, Suleiman Galadima and Inyang Okoro .

Meanwhile, Wike has gone before the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge the nullification of his election by the Justice Suleiman Ambursa-led tribunal.

Wike is contending that the judgment of the tribunal was against the weight of evidence adduced before it.

He specifically faulted the tribunal for placing reliance on a mere election guideline that INEC issued prior to the April 11 gubernatorial poll in the state, rather than the Electoral Act itself.

Wike further argued that the tribunal failed to revert itself to an earlier decision by another governorship panel that sat in Lagos State in the

case between Jimi Agbaje and Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, where the issue of Card Reader was also decided.

It will be recalled that the Justice Ambursa-led panel had in its judgment on Saturday, upheld the petition against Wike, stressing that the petitioners were able to successfully prove that the governorship poll was characterised by violence and malpractices.

“We are satisfied with evidence of the petitioners to the effect that substantial number of electorates in Rivers State were disenfranchised as a result of massive and widespread irregularities.

“We are further convinced that the election was characterised by corrupt practices.

Consequently, we hold that the 2nd Respondent (Wike) was not validly elected. We hereby order the 1st Respondent (INEC) to conduct a fresh election in Rivers State”, the tribunal ruled.

Besides, it was the view of the panel that INEC did not conduct the election in substantial compliance with both the Electoral Act and its own guidelines for the poll.

It noted that whereas the Commission had in a press release it issued prior to the election, stressed that Card Reader Machines must be used to accredit voters, the tribunal said that evidence that were adduced before it showed that contrary to that directive, INEC officials resorted to manual accreditation of voters for the poll.

The tribunal equally observed that INEC’s directive that election should be postponed in any polling unit where the Card Reader Machine malfunctioned, was not adhered to.

According to the tribunal, “Guidelines that were issued by INEC for the conduct of the election were clear and unambiguous to the effect that where Card Reader fails, poll should be postponed rather than resort to manual accreditation. It was not for anybody to go outside the guidelines.

“We have also considered the potency of the evidence tendered by petitioners’ witnesses and

we are satisfied that the petitioners succeeded in proving that the election was characterised by wide spread irregularities, violence and ballot snatching.

“We are satisfied that the petitioners were able to discharge the burden of proof placed upon them by the law. The petitioners were able to prove that electorates were disenfranchised”.

The tribunal held that witnesses that were brought by both INEC and Wike “ were full of inconsistencies”.

It observed that most of the witnesses called by INEC, during crossexamination, admitted that where the card Reader Machines failed, they resorted to manual accreditation. Besides, the tribunal said that it found out that in some polling units, number of voters exceeded the number of those accredited with the Card Reader.

Rivers Speaker, 19 others to appeal tribunal judgement Meanwhile, Speaker of the Rivers state House of Assembly, Hon. Ikuinyi Owaji Ibani and 19 other state lawmakers whose elections were nullified on Monday by the state legislative electoral tribunal have appealed the judgement.

The Speaker, Hon Ibani who addressed newsmen in his office at the state House of Assembly complex in Port Harcourt yesterday expressed hope that the judgement of the lower tribunal will be upturned at the appeal court. He further dismissed as untrue media reports that he and nineteen others were no longer members of the state House of Assembly.

According to him, they still remained members of the House, adding that he was hopeful he would complete his tenure as lawmaker.

“I heard over the news that the speaker and 20 others have been sacked by the election tribunal.

"No member, not even the Speaker has been sacked."

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Police nab 5 suspected assassins in Imo Rescue 3 doctors from kidnappers

By Chidi Nkwopara

O

WERRI—IMO State police command yesterday nabbed five armed men suspected to be hired assassins in Aladinma Layout of Owerri municipality.

Similarly, the command has successfully rescued the three medical doctors, who were kidnapped by hoodlums, while on their way to Isu Local Government Area of the state for a free medical treatment.

The current success stories may be connected with the riot act read by the Commissioner of Police, CP, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, that his command was fully poised to make the state very uncomfortable for criminals.

Vanguard investigations revealed that luck ran out on the armed hoodlums when a crack team of eagle-eyed policemen swung into action soon after getting a credible tip-off and foiled their plan.

It was also gathered that the armed gangsters were on the verge of taking off for their operation when the police men arrived and rounded them up.

A reliable source within the command told Vanguard that the target of the hoodlums was a high profile personality living in the area.

Although the source resisted all attempts to name the personality, he, however, revealed that the two ideas on the hoodlums’ table were to either kidnap or outrightly eliminate the fellow.

Continuing, the source further revealed that assorted dangerous weapons, including guns, were recovered from the armed gang.

“The police recovered varying dangerous weapons, including firearms, from the hoodlums. They have been taken away for serious questioning,” the source concluded.

Missing

A

LEBANESE Intenational passport belonging to Mr. Khaled Said has been declared missing. The said passport with number 2526622 was reported missing since October 10, 2015 and all efforts to trace it had proved abortive.

If found, please, return to nearest Police station.

Suspected robbers attack ex-LG boss in Kogi L

By Kingsley Fanwo

OKOJA—A gang of robbers struck last weekend, at Itakpe, a community located along Lokoja-Okene Road, attacking hapless victims, including the former chairman of Mopamuro Local Government Area, Sogo Williams.

Eyewitness account had it that the robbery took place less than 400 meters from one of the campuses of Kogi State Polytechnic located in the industrial town.

The prompt response by a combined security team of the army and mobile policemen saved others from being attacked by the heavily armed robbers.

Narrating his ordeals to Vanguard, Sogo Williams said the robbers dispossessed him of valuables during the attack.

“I was going to Mopamuro from Lokoja on the fateful day.

My vehicle was waylaid by the robbers who were heavily armed. ‘’After dispossessing me of my valuables and money, they took

me into the bush. It took the intervention of the security agents to rescue me from them,” he said.

When Vanguard visited the scene of the robbery, residents of the community called on security agencies to step up their surveillance as robbery was fast becoming the order of the day in the area.

A resident, who sought anonymity, said: “For sometime now, this area has been notorious for robbery. They have robbed

and maimed so many people here over the past six months. ‘’My worry is how they always go scot free, despite the presence of security check points along Lokoja-Okene Road. The Commissioner of Police should do something about the issue urgently.”

Motorists also corroborated the position of the residents on the incessant robbery in the area, calling for improved security along the road.

Lady allegedly stabs native doctor to death in Edo

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—A 44-year-old native doctor, simply identified as Owe, has been allegedly stabbed to death in Benin City.

The victim was said to have

been stabbed in the chest by a lady during a domestic brawl in his residence, opposite Use Market Road Junction, Upper Siluko Road, Benin City last weekend.

The lady (names withheld)

was said to be a friend of the victim’s second wife and a guest in that house. She is now helping the Police in their investigations.

The Public Relations Officer for Edo Police Command, DSP Stephen Onwochei, who

WALK FOR POLIO: Rotarians during the 7.3 kilometers awareness walk to commemorate World Polio Day 2015, in Lagos.

confirmed the story, said the police had commenced full scale investigation into the case.

Onwochei disclosed that the attacker turned herself in to the police after the dastardly act.

The shrine of the deceased native doctor suffered desertion when Vanguard visited last weekend.

It was gathered that trouble started on the faithful Friday when the deceased did not meet his second wife at home after he returned from his third wife's residence where he spent the night.

She was said to have gone to Lagos Street for shopping.

Sources hinted that the intervention of other persons who were in the apartment as the violence raged could not placate his anger, but got extended to his sister in-law, instead.

Apparently provoked by the deceased, the lady allegedly ran to the kitchen, picked a knife with which she stabbed the native doctor, her friend’s husband, to death.

Police arrest fake Naval officer in Enugu Nab notorious cultist/armed robber

E

By Francis Igata

NUGU—OPERATIVES of the Udenu Division of Enugu police command have arrested a suspect who gave his name as Chukwuneke Onah,for attempting to sell a car unlawfully acquired while impersonating a Naval Officer.

He was apprehended by the security operatives during their routine patrol on October 24, at about 9.15am at Orba in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State.

The suspect had been under surveillance, prompting his arrest in the middle of the failed car transaction.

Police Public Relations Officer,PPRO,Mr. Ebere Amaraizu,DSP, confirmed the arrest in a statement, adding that the suspect was nabbed during the sale of a vehicle unlawfully acquired.

“The suspect who was already dressed in a uniform suspected

to be that of the Navy was already negotiating with a buyer in respect of the Toyota Hilux vehicle which he initially claimed he brought through Customs before operatives closed in on him.

“On the spot inquiry conducted on him revealed that he is not a naval officer and also never bought any vehicle from Customs auction. Investigations have commenced in full scale just as the suspect is begging for forgiveness,” Amaraizu said.

Meanwhile, the Police in Uwani Division have nabbed a notorious armed robbery/ cultist,Nnamani Chimezie Emmanuel of No 22 Uduma Street, New haven, who hails from Obinagu,AmaigboNome,Onateze in Nkanu-East Local Government Area of Enugu State who has been terrorizing Uwani and other parts of the metropolis with his gang.

He was nabbed yesterday by

the operatives on stop and search duty at Kenyatta axis, by Railway Crossing. Immediate search conducted on him led to the recovery of 13 rounds of 38 SP Chief Revolver live ammunition.

The suspect revealed that he was a member of Neo Black Movement cult group and is

helping the operatives to get to the other gang members.

Further search on his residence led to the recovery of six locally made double barrel shot guns loaded with live cartridges each, as well as the recovery of six rounds of live cartridges.

Court fixes Jan 8 for ruling on Alao's case

SUBSIDY:

By Bartholomew Madukwe

I

KEJA—AN Ikeja High Court has fixed January 8, 2016, for hearing of the no case submission of Abdullahi Alao, son of Ibadan based business mogul, late Alhaji Arisekola Alao, and four others charged with N1.1 billion fuel subsidy fraud.

Others charged alongside Alao are Olanrewaju Olalusi, a staff member of Sterling Bank Plc, Opeyemi Ajuyah, an oil marketer and her company, Majope Investment Ltd.

During yesterday’s proceeding, the trial judge, Justice Lateefat Okunnu, dismissed the application of Ajuyah’s counsel, Mr. O. Ajanaku, to bring back PW2 (Omolara King- staff of Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA) to clarify some grey areas in her defence.

It would be recalled that two prosecution witnesses, Irene Moses and Kehinde Akinmolayan, were recalled by the prosecution.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—7

Police arrest suspected kidnapper of The Sun DMD's wife I only seized the opportunity to raise money for handouts—Suspect Festac

L

By Evelyn Usman

AGOS—THE Police in Lagos have arrested one of the suspected kidnappers of wife of The Sun Deputy Managing Director, Mrs Toyin Nwosu. The suspect, Vanguard gathered, was arrested in Kogi State.

However, the suspect, Odo Sylvester, an undergraduate of Kogi State University, claimed he only posed as one of the kidnappers in order to extort money from Mr Steve Nwosu, to buy some handouts and furnish his apartment.

Sylvester, a 200 level student of Economics, told a bewildered crowd at the Lagos State Police Command where he was paraded alongside 44 other suspected criminals, yesterday that he demanded N2 million as ransom from Mr. Nwosu.

He said: “I am not a kidnapper. I do not know what a kidnapper looks like. Greed led me into this.

When I read about the kidnap of The Sun DMD’s wife abduction, I decided to hijack the opportunity to play a fast one on her husband in order to raise money to buy some handouts and also furnish my apartment.

"Immediately, I bought a copy of The Sun newspaper and got the number of the DMD from the back page. I dialled the number and demanded for N100,000 from him, saying I would assist him secure the release of his wife. He told me he had N2.5 million on ground as ransom. When I heard that, I became cold because I have never

counted a million in my life, let alone N2.5 million.

"He told me to send my account details but I told him I would get back to him. When I called again, I demanded for N2 million.

"Again, I called next day to negotiate on how to get the N2 million, only for him to inform me that some people had called him, claiming they were the abductors.

That ended my call to him. This thing started in a day and also ended in one day.

"But to my shock, some plain clothes policemen stormed my school while I was in class and

whisked me away. I am not a kidnapper. I never collected any money from them. My intention was just to collect the N100,000 and refund anything more than that,” he said.

Briefing newsmen on the arrest, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said investigation was still ongoing to apprehend others involved in the abduction of Mrs Nwosu.

It would be recalled that Mrs Nwosu was abducted right in the presence of her family members, from their Lagos residence in Amuwo-Odofin,

area, Lagos, at about 2:30am on Monday, September 14, 2015, by some gunmen who invaded the area.

H e r abductors were said to have e s c a p e d through the canal at Amuwo area with Toyin, who was, h o w e v e r, released a few days later.

Mrs Toyin Nwosu

SHOOTING OF VARSITY STUDENT:

Ogun Police quiz Wasiu Ayinde for 6 hours

A

By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—MEN of Ogun State Police Command, yesterday, quizzed a popular fuji icon, Wasiu Ayinde, popularly called KWAM 1, over the shooting of a student of Olabisi Onabanjo University Ago-Iwoye, three weeks ago.

Vanguard gathered that, KWAM 1, who arrived the Eleweran Command headquarters of the police around11a.m, was interrogated by police operatives attached to the Criminal Investigative and Intelligence Bureau for about six hours before he was released on bail.

The suspect, Odo Sylvester

I killed our rival to avenge my brother's death —Suspected cultist

By Evelyn Usman & Ebere Aham

L

AGOS—A self-acclaimed member of Eiye confraternity yesterday gave a graphic description of how he murdered one of his rivals during a birthday party held in Mushin area of Lagos last week.

Arrested alongside the 22-yearold suspect was his alleged accomplice.

The deceased, a commercial motorcyclist, identified as Sura Abiola Lateef, was reportedly attacked along with his friend, when they stepped out to buy sachet water.

While his friend, identified as Rilwan, was said to have managed to escape with a deep cut in the neck, same could not be said of Lateef, who was stabbed in different parts of his body and abandoned in the pool of his blood and he bled to death.

Briefing newsmen on activities of cultists in the state, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr

Fatai Owoseni, said the command had launched a manhunt for cultists, disclosing that over 20 suspected cultists had been arrested between October 18 and 21, 2015.

Among them were 22-year-old Morufu Liadi and Rilwan Balogun who confessed to have had a hand in the late commercial motorcyclist's death.

Speaking with Vanguard, Liadi who showed no sign of remorse, said the killing of late Lateef was to avenge the death of his elder

Late Sura Abiola Lateef.

brother.

He said: “I am a vulcanizer. I was forced to join the Eiye confraternity last year in order to avenge the death of my brother who was murdered by cultists seven years ago. I waited until last year to join because by then, I was only 15 years old and I was told that I was too young to join a cult. “ Last Sunday, I was invited

The suspects, Morufu Liadi and Rilwan Balogun.

to a birthday bash at Agbekolade Street, Mushin, where members of Aye were in attendance. While there, my friend (pointing to Balogun who sat by his side) showed me a young man named Lateef, who he said was among those that murdered my elder brother, Azeez, seven years ago.

He said Lateef was one of Aye’s hit men.

"Immediately I got up to challenge him (Lateef ) and to my surprise, the person with him brought out a gun. He fired some shots at me but none penetrated.

At that moment, they both took to their heels. But Lateef fell and I used that opportunity to stab him on any part of the body I could lay my hands on. I did that to avenge the death of my brother .“ On his part, Balogun, a Junior Secondary School 3 drop out, claimed he was not a cultist.

Although he admitted to have pointed the deceased to Liadi, he said he did not witness the murder.

The suspects, according to the command boss, will be charged to court thereafter.

The student, identified as Azeez Kofoworola of the Department of Business Education, was reportedly shot on Saturday, October 10 by one of the band members of the King of Fuji which led to abrupt suspension of the show which held at Limelight Hotel in AgoIwoye during a party organised by the owner of the hotel to mark the Ago-Iwoye day.

Checks by Vanguard revealed that the Fuji maestro who had been invited by the Police for interrogation and had reportedly refused, would have been declared wanted if he had failed to appear before the Police yesterday.

It was gathered that the Fuji maestro was drilled for close to six hours before he was released on bail after he provided a reliable surety on the condition that such surety would produce him anytime he was summoned by the Police.

The acting Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed the interrogation , said Wasiu’s case had been transferred to the Criminal Investigative and Intelligence Bureau on the order of the Commissioner of Police.

Oyeyemi further said that KWAM 1 left the premises of the Eleweran CommandHeadquartersaround5:30pm on the promise that he would make himself available for further police investigation.

It would be recalled that Kofoworola was said to have been hit by the bullet allegedly fired by King Wasiu Ayinde’s band boys while sitting inside an unregistered Honda Accord car belonging to an officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, identified as Hassan Afeez.

Shewassubsequentlyadmittedatthe General Hospital, Ijebu-Ode for treatment.

8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Fuel scarcity blamed on FG's subsidy debt

UNION BANK:

From left—Group Managing Director/ Chief Executive, Emeka Emuwa; Engr Mansur Ahmed; Chief Mrs Nike Akande, both non-executive directors, and Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Chairman, all of Union Bank Nigeria Plc, at the bank's new identity unveiling in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

By Ediri Ejoh & Prince Okafor

L

AGOS—THE lingering fuel scarcity being witnessed in some states has been attributed to the refusal of Federal Government to pay outstanding subsidy debt to petroleum marketers.

This was stated by industry stakeholders at the ongoing Oil Trading and Logistsics Expo in Lagos.

Government’s inability to pay the outstanding balance had not only hindered marketers from having the resources to further invest in product importation, but had led to huge loan portfolios in the books of importers.

The Chairman, OTL Advisory Board, Mr. Stanley Reginald, said that the scarcity cannot be left out of the debt government owed marketers.

He said: “There is no way the non-payment of subsidy cannot be attributed to the scarcity.

“The problem still remains that marketers collect loans from the banks and when those loans are not being paid at the said time, it rises and when such continues, it makes it difficult for us to access loans to import products that will service the country.”

According to him, about 70 percent of those eligible to import petroleum products into the country were currently not able to do so due to lack of funds.

He added that since government refused to pay outstanding balance on subsidy, the importers were constrained.

Reginald said: “There is need for a policy shift that will enable us to refine our crude at home now. If we convert our crude oil to finished products, we will not only create job for our teaming population, but will derive more value.”

Reginald added that the way out was to deregulate the downstream sector of the industry, noting “globally, the trend is to deregulate.”

278 companies bid for NNPC’s 950,000 bpd crude deal

By Sebastine Obasi & Michael Eboh

A

BUJA—THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, stated that 278 companies were vying to secure the contract for the trading of about 950,000 barrels per day of Nigeria’s crude oil from January 2016.

Speaking at the bid opening ceremony for the sale and purchase of crude oil grades in Abuja, Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, said the Federal Government was committed to ensuring transparency in the trading of Nigeria’s crude oil.

He said: “The essence is to ensure that nobody needs to call me personally as Ibe Kachikwu for him to get crude allocation. So, you can imagine the burden it takes off my shoulders. It means a good amount of my time will now go into other relevant areas of operations, where the country needs me most.”

He assured the bidders that consideration would only be given to companies that are competent, credible and with the right capacity to deliver Nigeria’s crude.

Bidding coys

Some of the companies that submitted bids include Forte Oil, MRS, Statoil, Eni Trading and Shipping Limited, Sacoil Energy Equity Resources, RainOil Limited, Repsol Trading S.A., Indian Oil Corporation Limited, Mercuria Energy Trading SA, Gunvor and BP Oil International.

Others are Obat Oil, Energy

Network IBG, Groundwells Energy International, Universal Import and Export International, Global Oil Incorporated, Waltersmith, Hindustan Petroleum Limited, Societe Africaine, Nigermed Petroleum SA, Eterna Plc, Niger Delta Petroleum Resources Limited and Strategic Fuel Fund/South African Government, among others.

The contract for the engagement of qualified and reputable companies for the sale and purchase of Nigerian crude oil grades is conducted in consonance and in pursuance of the provisions of the Public Procurement Act 2007 and the Bureau for Public Procurement, BPP, guidelines.

Prerequisites for 26 grades

As part of the prequalification requirements, interested companies are expected to demonstrate the possession of minimum annual turnover of USD 750 million and net worth of at least USD 300 million; ability to establish an irrevocable Letter of Credit for the payment of any allocated crude oil subject to the contract terms as well as the ability to pay an initial deposit of USD 2.5 million representing the first lifting deposit upon signing of the contract agreement, among other requirements.

The 26 grade of crude on offer include Bonny Light, Forcados Blend, EA Blend, Bonga, Qua Iboe Light, Yoho Blend, Erha and Escravos Light.

Others are Pennington Light, Agbami, Brass Blend, Abo, Oyo, Okono Blend, Amenam

Blend, Akpo Condensate and Usan. The rest are Atam Blend, Okwori, Okoro, Ima, Ukpokiti, Obe, Okwuibome, Ebok and Asaratoru.

... to reduce buyers

Group General Manager, Crude Oil Marketing Division, NNPC, Mr. Mele Kyari, also said the corporation plans to reduce the number of buyers by onethird, cutting down the number of companies from 43 to 15 or 16.

He said: “We have realized that in the past, we have large volume of buyers— 43 to be specific. What that means is that we were unable to guarantee supply to any of the customers and it opened room for optimum discretion.

“Discretion created problems, as we are unable to satisfy any of the customers. At the end of the day, the market becomes unstable and then you have the long term effect of having lower government revenue.

“Our objective is to cut down that number. This means we have to come down from 43 to something smaller.

We are thinking in the region of one-third of that number; maybe 15 or 16.”

Ends Nov 20

He noted that the bid process is expected to be concluded by November 20, while the contract would take off from January 2016.

Kyari added that the objective of the process was to ensure that Nigeria’s crude oil gets to the ultimate end users, eliminate price

shocks and curb instability in the crude oil market.

He said: “The absence of having credible buyers has resorted in a situation where individuals pick cargoes and they would not know what to do with it.

“At the end of the day, it would become like an overhang and the result is that you have oversupply: a fake oversupply that does not actually exist and then the market reacts to it and then you have lower value.”

Bids’ spread

Kyari explained that the winning bids would be spread across refiners, international oil traders and indigenous companies to reduce risk.

He said: “Once we are able to deal with the issue of reducing the number of buyers, we will, as a market strategy, sell to people in groups. The crude oil market has category of buyers. It has refiners, who are the ultimate offtakers; we have trading companies and then we have Nigerian downstream companies.

“Among those baskets, you need to spread it so that you do not sell to any one group. The risk of selling to one group is that they can hold you hostage, whether they are indigenous companies, international trading companies or refiners. Anyone of them that realize that you are stuck, you are in trouble.

“Therefore, we are going to spread our risk across this group so that at the end of the day, we have buyers across these categories and what that does is that it creates a landing for us; it optimizes value for us and all those issues of pricing would not happen.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—9

I didn’t betray Jonathan— Edwin Clark

By Charles Kumolu

E

LDER statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has dismissed insinuations that he betrayed former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, by reportedly saying that the ex-President lacked the political will to fight corruption, noting that he was maliciously misconstrued.

Clark, who was criticised by some associates of the former President over the statement, also denounced claims that his decision to quit partisan politics was provoked by the exPresident’s defeat at the polls.

In a 3,902-word letter, the former Minister of Information exonerated himself from the various allegations of betrayal levelled against him, adding that close associates of the former President and some party leaders sold Jonathan out.

He further defended the former leader’s anti-corruption record, noting that his attempt to probe former Heads of State, who were fingered in high profile corruption cases, was frustrated by some officials in Jonathan’s government.

His words: “My statements on President Jonathan and my quitting partisan politics were wickedly, sensationally presented.

“It must be admitted that President Jonathan was very willing to fight corruption, but he believed that due process should and must be followed otherwise he could have initiated investigations into the scandals of Halliburton, Siemens and other serious alleged corruption charges levelled against some former Heads of State and other prominent Nigerians.

‘He was sabotaged’

“Jonathan believed that there are institutions set up by the government, such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commissions, EFCC, and other anti-graft agencies.

“Regrettably, some of those who surrounded him led by the Attorney General, Alhaji Hassan Tukur, made it impossible for these institutions to work either by stopping them from arresting offenders or prosecuting some of the cases.

“Over 50 high profile corruption cases are still pending in the various courts for over eight years now.

Laughable plea bargains and out of court settlements became the order of the day.

“It was at this juncture, when there was general complaint about the government not aggressively fighting corruption, that I addressed an open petition to the then Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Dahiru Musdapher, November 2 , 2011, complaining that most of those charged to court,

Says he never benefited materially from him Explains why ex-President didn’t probe former Heads of State

Ministerial nominee's gaffe puts him in trouble

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

FORUM: From left— Guest Speaker/Regional Director, Nigeria and Central Africa, Alcatel One Touch, Nick Imudia; Moderator, Top 50 Brands Nigeria Forum/Chief Executive Officer, V+O Communications, Josephine Aligwekwe; Chairman, Zinox Technologies Limited, Leo Stan Ekeh, and Chairman, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, NIPR, Lagos, Joseph Okonma, at the Brands Nigeria Leadership forum in Lagos. especially former governors who have become senators, were still pending.

“He promptly replied my letter on November 3. Most of the petitions written against some prominent Nigerians, addressed to the anti-graft agencies, did not see the light of the day.

“Ironically, the perpetrators of these corrupt actions were the same persons who attacked Jonathan’s inability to eradicate corruption.

“It is indeed most disingenuous to insinuate that my relationship with the former President was based on what benefits accrued to me.

That is far from the truth as I never benefited any material thing from President Jonathan in all his six years as President.

‘I didn't get anything from Jonathan’

“With all modesty, I am at this age contented. I state publicly therefore, that I never sought nor obtained any contract, oil block, oil lifting allocation or financial gratification from the ministries, departments and agencies, MDAs, during his years of administration.

“Similarly, I never solicited for appointments or special placements for any of my children or relations in any government or private concern on account of my relationship with President Jonathan.

“It is, therefore, ludicrous and totally ill-motived for these wicked and mischievous persons to sell to the public that my decision portends a plan to seek any special favours from President Muhammadu Buhari and his government, or to protect

those gains which I acquired from Jonathan’s government, which never existed.

“On the contrary, my public service in this country, which spans over 60 years, had given me the opportunity to seek the political, social and economic development of my people and Nigeria in general. I remain committed more than ever before to the economic, political and social emancipation of the people of the Niger Delta, South-South, the entire minorities and the development and unity of this great nation.

“My support for Goodluck Jonathan predates his presidency. It dates back to the period when he was the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State.

“So, for people, who are thinking that I only knew Dr. Jonathan when he became the President or that I was one of his hangers on, I think there will be need to give them a little information.

‘I knew him before he became President’

“My relevance and leadership of my people as an elder statesman and a critical stakeholder in this Nigeria project far pre-dates Dr. Jonathan’s public life and presidency. I have been relevant in politics and I have served my people honestly and creditably well.

“I became very close to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan when he was Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State. I was present in London when the late former Governor of Bayelsa State, the Governor General of the Ijaw Nation, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha, was arrested

at the prompting of the Nigerian government under Olusegun Obasanjo because of his hatred for Alamieyeseigha.

“I had to cancel my flight to Nigeria at the London airport when news of the arrest of Alamieyeseigha was conveyed to me by Ambassador Pereware from Paris.

“I went with a few well meaning Nigerians to Essex where we had been informed that he was kept, but could not find him. We went to a few other places before we were able to locate where he was.

“I remained in London for one week with him to put in place machineries for his bail. I recall the large heartedness of Lady Ann Iyoha, who brought out the title deed of her property in London to secure his bail and also the magnanimity of another woman from Amasoma, the home town of Chief Alamieyeseigha in Bayelsa State.

‘We're proud of him’

“I still believe that Jonathan performed creditably well in various areas. I am very proud of him and so are millions of other Nigerians.

“He did many good things for this nation. Ordinarily, at my age and position in life, I should not have to justify myself in a press controversy on my voluntary decision to quit partisan politics, particularly when this personal and well intended act has come under unfair politicization of persons of mediocre temperament.”

BUJA—THE Cross River State ministerial nominee, Mr. Usani Uguru, drew the ire of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, senators yesterday after he said ‘God forbid’ to claims that he had once belonged to the party.

His confirmation was further put in jeopardy after furious PDP senators pointed out gaffes in his documentation, including his tax clearance papers and the lack of an asset declaration certificate.

Uguru was one of six nominees screened yesterday at the Senate with the remaining five scheduled to be screened today.

One of the nominees, Zainab Ahmed, a foster sister of Governor Nasir el-Rufai, representing Kaduna State, missed one of the lines of the National Pledge when she was asked to recite it, yesterday.

Ahead of the conclusion of the screening, PDP senators and their All Progressives Congress, APC, counterparts were last night perfecting their strategies to push forward the two most contentious nominees, Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and Uguru, who fell into harm’s way by his utterances.

The other nominees screened by the Senate yesterday were Adewole Folorunsho, Osun; Bawa Bwari, Niger; Geoffrey Onyema, Enugu, and Mansur Mohammed Ali, Zamfara.

Uguru had in his introductory remark noted how he had traversed the country building relationships.

Asked if he had done that on the platform of PDP, to which he was alleged to have been a member, he responded “God forbid,” causing uproar among senators of both parties.

While APC senators started laughing, PDP senators were furious.

Noticing the agitation among PDP senators, Uguru quickly offered his apologies, but it did not soothe the anger in the PDP benches.

10—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Amuwo Odofin Rep assures constituents of good governance

VISIT: From left— Former US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Walter Carrington; Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, and Carrington's wife, Dr. Arese, during their courtesy visit to the governor in Lagos.

By Simon Adewale

M

EMBER of the House of Representatives representing Amuwo Odofin Federal constituency in Lagos State, Mr. Oghene Egoh, has reassured his constituents of better life ahead as he canvassed for support from the Federal and Lagos State goverments over infrastructures in his constituency.

In a statement, Egoh stressed the need for government attention in Amowu Odofin and that he had moved a motion calling on the Ministry of Housing and Works to pay attention to Satellite and Festac towns that had been neglected for over forty years.

He expressed joy that the 360 members of the National Assembly supported his view that when the minister is appointed he should pay special attention to Satellite and Festac Towns.

Monsignor Boyo retires at 75

T

HE Parish Priest of St. Sabina Catholic Church, Agege, Lagos, Monsignor Christopher Boyo, will be thanking God for His grace upon his life as he will be celebrating his 75th birthday.

Boyo, who had served in different capacities in the Catholic Church for almost 49 years will clock 75 tomorrow, which is the official retirement age of priests from active service in Catholic Church.

Thanksgiving mass with a reception will hold on October 31 at St. Sabina Catholic Church.

Lagos takes security campaign to religious houses

By Olasunkanmi Akoni & Monsur Olowopejo

L

AGOS State Government has recommended the use of metal detectors and other security gadgets by religious organizations in their worship centres as part of measures to avert any form of terrorists attack in the state.

Commissioner for Home Affairs and Culture, Mr. Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef, who made the appeal yesterday during a meeting with religious leaders, urged them to also employ professional security officers as the measure is geared towards ensuring safety.

He said: “We advise churches, mosques and other worship centers in Lagos State to buy metal detectors, and to employ more security personnel to ensure that extremists or terrorists do not have their way in Lagos. This is because they know how to target soft spots.”

The commissioner noted that no place was safe unless residents were proactive and vigilant, saying “ you must employ personnel that will be trained on how to use the metal detector in order to ensure that no one comes into your worship centre with any explosives.

“We will partner with religious associations in the state to set standards. This will afford us the opportunity to regulate the activities of

religious institutions to safeguard the welfare of people who come to worship and not endanger it.”

… appeals judgement on LG caretakers

Meanwhile, the state government has filed a notice

N

IGERIAN-British Chamber of Commerce, NBCC, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, yesterday, said plans has been concluded to lead a delegation of 40 business executives on a

five-day trade mission to the United Kingdom with the aim of attracting foreign investments to Nigeria.

President NBCC, Prince Dapo Adelegan, said the mission will focus on multisectors, particularly the nonoil products and services.

Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, in a statement yesterday, said government, unsatisfied with the verdict, filed a Notice of Appeal and motion for Stay of Execution of the judgment before the Appeal Court in Lagos.

The Appeal Court has adjourned hearing of the application for Stay of Execution to November 18.

Oshodi-Apapa gridlock: Senate seeks immediate reactivation of port rail lines

By Henry Umoru & Joseph Erunke

A

BUJA—DISTURBED by the recurring and perennial traffic gridlock along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, Senate has urged the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, commence the reactivation of rail lines at Apapa ports for evacuation of petroleum products.

It asked Lagos State government to collaborate with Federal Government agencies to end the present gridlock.

It also, yesterday, asked the Federal Government to consider long-term plans and expansion of the ApapaIjora-Iganmu-Orile-Mile 2 access trunks as well as the Apapa Tin Can-Mile 2 Oshodi corridor, adding that government should move in and address the problem in the interest of the economy.

These resolutions were sequel to a motion by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC, Lagos

40 biz executives for UK trade mission

By Naomi Uzor

of appeal before the Appeal Court against the judgment of a Lagos High Court, which had, on October 23, declared the appointment of Caretaker Committees in the 20 Local Government areas and 37 Local Council Development areas, LCDAs, illegal.

The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice,

He stated that the Chamber was committed to increasing trade relations between Nigeria and Britain.

He said the Chamber ’s partnership with NEPC was to enhance its drive to attract UK investors to different states in Nigeria.

Central), entitled The Apapa Port Gridlock, and Co sponsored by 106 senators.

The Senate also resolved that when constituted, the Senate Committee on Marine Transport should summon the leadership of Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA; Nigerian Shippers Council; Ministry of Works and Transport; Western Naval Command; National Union of Road Transport

Workers, NURTW; Association of Maritime Truck Owners, AMATO, and police to dialogue on how to tackle the menace of traffick gridlock.

Earlier, Senator Tinubu, while moving the motion, said: “75 percent of Nigeria’s trade is ship-borne and shipped through the Apapa ports, where cargo and petroleum products bearing trucks regularly cause gridlock on Apapa-Mile 2 and Apapa-Oshodi corridors.”

Service commissions: Assembly confirms Ambode’s nominees

By Ebun Sessou

L

AGOS State House of Assembly, yesterday, confirmed Governor Akinwunmi Ambode’s nominees for the state Judicial and Audit Service Commissions.

Those confirmed for the Judicial Service Commission are Mr. AbdulFatai Oluwole, Barrister Mojisola Shodipo, Mr. Adedayo Adekunle and Mr. Rotimi Seriki.

The newly-confirmed members of the State Audit Service Commission are Alhaji Waliu Onibon, Mr. Ositode Dosu, Mrs. Folake Onabolu, Mr. Adekunle Otushemade and Mr. Abiodun Aigbe.

The candidates for the

Judicial Service Commission told the lawmakers, during screening, that they will ensure that the state judicial service was composed of well-trained personnel and that the commission was reformed in line with the current demands of the state.

Also, the nominees for the Lagos State Audit Service Commission assured the House that efforts would be made to block loopholes in the state treasury and ensure that the Treasury Single Accounts, TSA, policy works effectively.

The Speaker of the House, Mudashiru Obasa, subequently ordered the Clerk of the House, Mr. Segun Abiru, to inform Governor Ambode about the confirmation of the nominees for the two commissions.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 , 2015—11

Businesses to close as new Ooni makes royal entry today

By Gbenga Olarinoye

O

SOGBO—THE Oonidesignate, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, will today arrive the ancient town to begin traditional rites leading to his coronation.

Prince Ogunwusi was on Monday named the 51st Ooni of Ife by Osun State government to succeed Oba Okunade Sijuwade who on July 28, 2015 joined his ancestors in a London hospital.

The Obadio of Ile-Ife and the head of Isoro cults, Oba Olajide Ifaloba said: “The Oonidesignate will arrive tomorrow (today) and this is authoritative”.

It was further learnt that all shops within the ancient town will be closed tomorrow as a mark of honour for the new Ooni.

Meanwhile, sources around Ile Oodua, the official Ooni’s palace informed Vanguard that the rites expected to precede entrance of an Ooni-designate into Ile Ife have been concluded, strengthening the royal entry expectation The Oba Isoro, Oba Eluyele Olawenu, the Lowa Eredumi of Ile Ife, who according to the tradition will handle the installation rites of the monarch, earlier said only the Ifa oracle could determine the best time for him to enter the town.

According to the tradition of Ile Ife, Ooni does not only belong to Isoro cult but also manages its affairs with the help of Obadio, the head of all deities in the town.

It was learnt that members of Isoro cult held a crucial meeting to determine the form the installation rites would take, bearing in mind the approaching all-important Olojo festival.

Atmosphere in the ancient town of Ife remains calm with heavy security presence noticed in strategic areas of the town.

At the family house of the Oshinkola Ruling House, there was a police van parked with

some armed policemen.

Commenting on the presence of the security men in the area, Sooko Adegbaju Adeyinka, said the family was adequately policed even before the announcement of new monarch.

New Ooni: Partner FG for peace and progress – Buhari

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday urged the new Ooni of Ife, Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi to partner with the Federal Government to achieve greater peace and progress in the country.

The President called on Prince Adeyeye to be prepared to put his new position as Ooni and principal custodian of the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Yorubas to good use in the service of his people and country.

In a statement signed by Mr Femi Adesina, the president congratulated him on his emergence as the 51st Ooni of Ife and successor to the late Oba Okunade Sijuwade.

“As he prepares to begin the rites of ascension to the revered throne of his great ancestors, President Buhari urges the Ooni-designate to commit himself to carrying all his subjects along to a new era of peace, stability and progress in Ife, Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole.”

“President Buhari also urged the Ooni-designate to dedicate himself to building on, and surpassing the worthy legacies of his much-acclaimed predecessor, Oba Sijuwade, and working with government and other traditional rulers across the country to foster greater harmony, peaceful co-existence and faster socio-economic development of his people and all Nigerians.

As Prince Adeyeye ascends to

the grand throne of the Ooni of Ife, the President prays that God Almighty will grant him the immense wisdom and courage he will require to oversee further progress and greater prosperity for his people.”

He wishes the new Ooni a long and highly successful reign in the service of his people and country.

More congratulatory messages

In a related development, Osun State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, congratulated the people of Ile Ife especially, the Yoruba nation in particular and the good people of Osun State in general on the official announcement of a new Ooni of Ife.

The congratulatory message was contained in a statement by the party’s Director of Publicity, Research and Strategy, Mr Kunle Oyatomi, issued in Osogbo.

The party said with the state government finally announcing Adeyeye Ogunwusi as a successor to Oba Okunade Sijuwade, a new era has begun in the change paradigm that should incorporate the paramount Yoruba traditional institution into the dynamic renewal that is currently sweeping accross the country.

“We expect the Oonidesignate to drive the traditional institution with similar if not stronger zest and panache that Oba Sijuade deployed to promote culture,

especially that of the Yoruba nation throughout the world.

“We have no doubt in our mind, the APC said, ‘that the choice of Ogunwusi as the new Ooni must have been based on his pedigree and antecedent and exalted achievement he has attained that would be of significant value to his reign as the paramount ruler in Yorubaland,” the statement reads.

Similarly, the Senator representing Osun East in the Senate and the Chairman Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Babajide Omoworare has congratulated Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi on his nomination as the next Ooni of Ile-Ife. In a statement by his media aide Mr. Tunde Dairo, Senator Omoworare prayed to God for good health and long life for Prince Ogunwusi.

He also prayed for a peaceful, thriving and prosperous reign for the people of Ile-Ife.

Fuel sells at N100 per litre in Akure as scarcity bites harder A

By Dayo Johnson

KURE—FUEL scarcity yesterday grounded commercial and vehicular movement across Akure, the Ondo state capital.

Few filling stations that dispensed the product sold it for N100 per litre.

Many of the stations were under lock and key as dealers reportedly hoarded the product.

Consequently, long queues were found at the few stations that dispensed the product.

Reports from other towns across the state indicated that the scarcity had rstarted in the areas.

Vanguard learnt that many of the filling stations in the state had the products but some marketers deliberately hoarded the products to make huge profit and as a result causing

the artificial scarcity.

Some petrol attendants spoken with said that they had the product in their pumps but that they were instructed to stop selling until further notice.

One Biyi Adedejii said the dealers were informed that the price of the products would soon be reduced by the Federal government hence the confusion.

He said: “I have been ordered by my boss not to sell the product, but he is in the best position to give the reason for

his directive. I don’t know. But we shall be selling as soon as he gives us orders.”

Contacted, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria in Ondo, Ekiti and Osun state, Mr Bayo Olowookere attributed the development to the unavailability of the product in Ore, Ondo State depot.

Olowookere said: “It is not only in Ondo that we have the problem, it is a general problem.

I think the problem is from Ore Depot, if we are able to get the product from Ore, we would not have had this type of problem.

Tribunal upholds Ajimobi's election

I

By Ola Ajayi

B A D A N — SUPPORTERS of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State went wild with jubilation yesterday as the state Governorship Election Petition Tribunal upheld his victory at the April 11, 2015 polls.

His election at the poll was challenged by the candidate of Accord Party, Senator Rashidi Ladoja.

The three-man panel including Justices Mohammed Maiyaki, Muhammed Karange and J. E. Ikede, in a three and half hour unanimous judgment, dismissed the petition of Ladoja saying it failed woefully to give credible and reliable evidence to prove various allegations of electoral malpractices, violence, fabrication of results levelled against the first respondent, Governor Ajimobi.

Among the reliefs sought

by Ladoja are that he should be declared validly elected and returned having polled the highest number of lawful votes cast at the governorship election; that the said election and the return of the 1st respondent, Senator Abiola Ajimobi are voided by acts which clearly violate and breach various provisions of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended including but not limited to rigging and manipulation of election results, unprecedented acts of violence, thuggery, deliberate refusal to use smart card readers and allocation of votes where election did not hold.

The tribunal faulted all the witnesses produced by Accord Party saying their evidence was unreliable, inconsistent and contradictory.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Politicians, opinion leaders differ on Delta Gov Tribunal judgment

By Emma Amaize and Festus Ahon, Egufe Yafugborhi, Perez Brisibe, Theresa Ugbobu & Ochuko Akuopha

tribunal. Anything can happen at the tribunal. I believe in winning elections through the ballot box. The moment I left PDP to join APC, it was clear to me that I am going for a change and that change is coming through the ballot box in 2019. That is my position, so I will meet Okowa at the polls in 2019.”

He enjoined all those who believe in the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and APC in the state to join forces to throw out the PDP in 2019 and begin to effect the right changes in the state. “I know it is not going to be easy but we will do it with God on our side,” he added.

A

S A B A — M O R E politicians and opinion leaders in Delta State have continued to express divergent views over Monday's judgment of the Delta State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal, which upheld the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

Speaking, former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, who commended the tribunal, said: “I congratulate the panellists for the judgment which was expected for their integrity because it was not in doubt that Okowa won the election.

“Their judgment shows that a person who does not have a party structure and did not really solicit for votes in an election cannot sit down in his house and pay lawyers to go and contest the valid votes of Deltans in court."

Also, the senator representing Delta North at the National Assembly, Chief Peter Nwaoboshi, said: “It is a confirmation of the true votes and choice of Delta people. It is justice delivered. I want to reaffirm to doubting Thomases that Okowa will not only make his first tenure, but will also be governor for eight years in fulfilment of the existing zoning arrangement in the state.”

Similarly, Senator Ighoyota Amori, representing Delta Central senatorial district, said: “The people freely gave their mandate to Okowa and the PDP. It will be impossible for any other court to reverse this judgment.”

He claimed that the All Progressives Congress, APC and labour Party, LP, candidates, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and Chief Great Ogboru, went to the tribunal to draw attention and sympathy from their supporters, adding, “I am using this opportunity to appeal to all that lost to join hands with the victors so that we can take the state to the next level.”

Chairman of Delta Waterways/ Land Security Committee, Chief Boro Opudu and a former Commissioner, Raymos Guanah, also hailed the judgment.

They said the tribunal by its judgment confirmed that the election in Delta State was peaceful and well conducted in line with the Electoral Act.

Affirmation of peoples mandate to Okowa —Ijaw group Also commenting, Delta Ijaw

WORKSHOP: From left: The Dutch National Prosecutor on Human Trafficking, Ms. Jolanda De Boer; Consultant, Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George (SAN); the Director-General, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking In Persons, Mrs. Beatrice Jedy-Agba and Dutch National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, Ms. Corrina Dettmaijar, at a one-day training workshop for Judges organised by NAPTIP at the Barcelona Hotel, Wise, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida.

Youth Assembly, DIYA, described the ruling as an affirmation of the people's mandate freely given to Okowa at the April,11 governorship election.

The Ijaw youth body noted that Governor Okowa's victory against Chief Great Ogboru of LP, and Olorogun ‘Otega Emerhor of APC, only reaffirmed the genuineness of his victory at the polls which could not be upturned through the back door.

DIYA, in a statement by its president, Ebimobowei Oguma, Secretary Gbaboyo Wurus and Publicity Secretary Vincent Nadifa, said the tribunal judgement had put paid to speculations that Governor Okowa and the PDP did not win the election.

The group called on Chief Ogboru and Olorogun Emerhor to stop further electoral litigation and join hands with Okowa in moving Delta State forward.

Lawmakers urge Ogboru and Emerhor to accept verdict In the same vein, some members of the State House of Assembly, called on Chief Ogboru and Chief Emerhor to accept the verdict of the election petition tribunal in good faith.

Majority Leader of the House, Tim Owhefere, the members representing Okpe, Isoko South II, Ukwuani and Warri South I, Sherriff Oborevwori, Johnson Erijo, Alphonsus Ojo and Godwin Abigor, respectively, described the verdict of the tribunal as a total victory and lucid affirmation of the wishes of the people of the state, irrespective

of their ethnic nationality.

Owhefere, Oborevwori, Erijo, Ojo and Abigor maintained that the PDP-led government in the state had added value to the lives of the people through human capital and infrastructural development in the various sectors of the state economy, noting that the party will continue to thrive in the state.

The lawmakers appealed to the opposition parties to join hands with Okowa to move the state forward.

In the same vein, the Executive Director, Social Services Development, Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission, DESOPADEC, Ochor Christopher Ochor, Commissioner for Higher Education, Mr Jude Sinebe, and a member of Delta State Board of Internal Revenue, Solomon Ighrakpata, Mr Raymous Guanacaste, maintained that PDP worked hard to earn the victory at the poll.

Ochor, Sinebe, Ighrakpata and Guanah recalled the pregovernorship election door to door campaigns, the town hall meetings, visits to several leaders and massive mobilization of Deltans including market women and labour unions, as well as the personality of Senator Okowa, insisting that the victory at the poll was well deserved.

They advised Chief Ogboru and Otega Emerhor to join hands with Okowa’s administration in its bid to provide prosperity for all Deltans.

We‘ll meet Okowa, PDP at Appeal Court —Erue

However, Chairman of APC, in the state, Prophet Jones Erue, said: “The truth is, the judgment, from what we saw, is a miscarriage of justice. Our lawyers are going to study the judgment and definitely, we are going to appeal. The analysis on issue of over voting that was not proved is laughable. I believe that the party will study this judgment and proceed to the appellate court. We are sure we will win our case at Appeal and they may move to Supreme Court.

This case will move in three stages. This is the first stage and we are definitely going to appeal it.

“We are taking the judgment in good faith because we know we have another chance at the Appeal Court. In the case of Sapele, for instance, during the address, Monday Igbuya and PDP’s lawyer appealed that there should be a re-run in about 40 units. That was his address. He (Igbuya’s lawyer) was pleading that they should go for a re-run and they should not declare Anirah as the winner of the election. Unfortunately, the twist of the Sapele case is something that we want to contest at the Court of Appeal.”

I‘ll meet Okowa in 2019 at the polls —Akpeki On his part, former Chief of Staff to the Delta State Governor and chieftain of APC in the state, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, said he would meet Governor Okowa at the polls in 2019.

Chief Akpeki said: “I have never believed in winning elections through the

‘Miscarriage of justice’ Another chieftain of the party and former member representing Ethiope constituency in the National Assembly, Mr. Solomon Edojah, described the judgment as a miscarriage of justice.

He said: “From the ruling, it is obvious that the use of card readers is a mere academic exercise. Else, why will some states admit the use of card readers and in others, you refuse admitting the same card reader, which was aimed at authenticating the identity of the intending voter. The ruling by the tribunal panel is a miscarriage of justice which shows that there is more to it than meets the eyes. It is very certain that we will appeal the case and go to the Supreme Court if need be.”

Pa Samuel Ebbah for burial

P

A Samuel Ebbah of Eku and Obaghoro in Delta State is dead, aged 82. He died on August 9, 2015, after a brief illiness.

Service of songs holds October 29 at his Sapele home. Friday October 30, burial and entertainment of guest. Sunday November 1, thanksgiving service holds at All Saints Anglican Church, Sapele, Delta State.

Late Pa Samuel Ebbah

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—13

Court okays to seizure of properties of 60 Land Use Charge Law defaulters in Edo

By Gabriel Enogholase

B

ENIN—EDO State Government has secured a High Court order to seize properties of 60 defaulters of the Land Use Charge Law, 2012, until the charges on the properties are paid.

The government has equally threatened to clamp down on any landlord who hides under the banner of the Land Use Charge to increase rents arbitrarily.

This came as a Benin-based legal practitioner, Chief Alfred Eghobamien, SAN, dragged the state government to court challenging its decision to enforce and implement the law, claiming the action is subjudice as there is a pending case against the law at an Abudu High Court.

Briefing newmen after the State Executive Council meeting in Benin City, yesterday, on compliance with the Land Use Charge Law which came into effect in 2012, Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mr. Francis Evbuomwan, said, “the Edo State Government through its

agency, the Board of Internal Revenue, has successfully got a court order enforcing the Land Use Charge against 60 properties. This is just the first tranche of court orders as more are still in the pipeline. In the coming days, we will be publishing the full list of 60 defaulters of the Land Use Charge with the addresses of the properties that the court has given Edo State Government the power and the rights to distraint those properties until they recover the Land Use Charge dues.

“Edo State Government will now take full advantage of the court order to place these properties under distrainment until all the outstanding land use charge fees are redeemed.

“Let me continue to encourage our people not to wait for this before they step forward and redeem their land use charges. It is obvious that it is a lawful tax backed by both state and federal government laws and now, the court has been able to give us judgment against properties that are in default."

Also, Commissioner for

Information, Mr Louis Odion, told reporters that the level of compliance with the Land Use Charge Law had been encouraging, in spite of “the barrage of misinformation being mounted by some mischief makers with a view to

By Chioma Onuegbu

U

YO—FORMER Akwa Ibom State governor, Obong Victor Attah, yesterday, said he had quit partisan politics, saying his action should not be misconstrued as accepting to join All Progressives Congress, APC. According to him, by November 20, he would be 77, and had become an elder statesman, noting that there had been other statesmen who served and continued to serve Nigeria outside partisan politics.

At a briefing organised in his honour by Akwa Ibom Liberation Coalition, Attah said he had always been a committed professional in politics and not a professional or career politician.

He said:: “So, I can formally state that I have quit partisan politics to play the role of an elder statesman and to continue to serve this country with love, strength, and faith with integrity to the best of my ability. Let nobody take this to mean that I want to remain in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, or therefore jump to the opposite, that I am going over to APC or any other C M Y K

party for that matter” The former governor, who was a PDP Board of Trustees member, criticised the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, for comments in an interview g r a n t e d t o Sunday Vanguard on September 19, 2015.

He said that when the interviewer insisted that he was still a member of PDP,

Metuh said he was not sure as he (Attah) had made utterances for PDP to fail, saying, “Indeed I made several utterances and I stand by all of them including those ones for which I was, from time to time, accused of anti-party activities. The tragedy for the PDP is to now blame its failure on such utterances rather than its perilous refusal to heed the warnings they conveyed."

Itsekiri nation disowns calls for creation of Biafra Republic

By Egufe Yafugborhi

W

ARRI—THE Itsekiri ethnic nationality of Warri, Delta State, has dissociated itself from the calls for creation of a Biafra Republic out of Nigeria as being drummed by some Igbo interest groups in the South-East.

The Itsekiri Leaders of Thought, ILT, expressed the group’s concern over the Igbo agitation yesterday in a statement by its Chairman, Pa Johnson Ayomike and Secretary, Edward Ekpoko.

The body is disturbed that the proposed Biafra Republic as widely reported in the social

to settle their liabilities with the state government. As law abiding government, we have gone to court and I am pleased to inform you that we have secured a court order against 60 of such property owners. The government is resolved to enforce the Land Use Charge and there is no looking back."

FREE EYE SURGERIES: From left: Medical Director, Gombe Specialist Hospital, Dr. Reuben Maipantaya; Director, Health Services, State Ministry of Health, Dr. James Nadi; Director, Admin and Finance, State Ministry of Health, Gombe State, Hassan El-Rasheed; Head, Government and Community Relations, Etisalat Nigeria, Mohammed Suley-Yusuf; District Head of Kagarawa/Malam Inna/ Sabon Fegi, Alh. Muhammadu Kwairanga Saidu Abubakar; Member, Committee on Health and Human Services, Gombe State House of Assembly, Hon. Buba Yakubu and Hajia Jabbo Yuguda, Primary Health Coordinator, Gombe Local Government, at the official flag-off of Etisalat-sponsored Free Eye Surgeries Camp in collaboration with Charity for Cheer Foundation and the Gombe State Government in Gombe.

Attah quits partisan politics Urges PDP to reorder steps

inciting the public against the government of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. We are quite impressed with the level of compliance by many of our people, property owners, not only within Benin City but across the state. Be that as it may, we also have some defaulters who have refused

media includes the whole of Delta State.

The statement stressed: “We recall with pains the day the defunct Biafran Army invaded Warri and Benin in the then Midwest Region on August 9, 1967. Never again will the Itsekiri tolerate such invasion.

The Itsekiri nation is committed to the unity of Nigeria and will do all it can to promote and protect it as one indivisible country. As Major General Philip Effiong said on January 14 1970, the Republic of Biafra ceased to exist. We, the Itsekiri, wish it to be eternally so for the peace and development of our great nation.”

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

C M Y K

15 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Imo police uncover killers of Rev. Fr. Dennis Osuagwu

PRO BIAFRA DETAINEES: Presiding

Magistrate adjourns again to Nov 26 Says court lacks jurisdiction over matter, can’t grant bail application Inter-society slams DSS for failure to produce Nnamdi Kanu in court 

By Chidi Nkwopara

BY JIMITOTA ONOYUME, Nwabueze Okonkwo & Francis Igata

O

WERRI—IMO State Police Command says it has smashed the killer gang that murdered a Catholic priest, Rev. Fr. Dennis Osuagwu.

According to a press statement made available to Vanguard, yesterday, by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. Andrew Enwerem, the police stormed the hide-out of the hoodlums after getting a credible tip-off.

“Following a credible tipoff from a concerned citizen, operatives of the Imo State Police Command on October 25, 2015, stormed the hide-out of a notorious kidnap gang that killed Rev. Fr. Dennis Osuagwu of Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo, Ohaji/Egbema Local Government Area of the state,” the PPRO said.

P

ORT HARCOURT— PRESIDING Magistrate of a Chief Magistrate's court, in Port Harcourt, Mr. Andrew Jaja, yesterday, ordered that 44 pro Biafra supporters arrested in connection with a protest by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in Port Harcourt, recently be remanded again in prison custody till November 26.

In another development, a human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, Inter-society, based in Onitsha, Anambra State, has described the failure of the Department of State Services, DSS, to reproduce the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu before an Abuja Municipal Magistrate's Court in Wuse Zone 2, last Thursday, as an extrajudicial captivity.

Funeral

M

Jurisdiction At the resumed sitting of the Port-Harcourt Magistrate court, yesterday on bail application by counsels to the protesters, the Presiding Magistrate, Mr. Andrew Jaja said his court lacked jurisdiction over the matter since the protesters were charged for treasonable felony, a capital offence.

He also said the court lacked powers to grant bail to the accused because the offence for which they were charged was beyond the magistrate court.

Before adjourning the matter to November 26, the Presiding Magistrate ordered that the original case file be duplicated and copies sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, for further investigation and advice.

He further asked that the accused be remanded in prison custody till November 26. The Magistrate this time did not allow counsels to the accused to canvass for bail of their clients, saying that they were granted fair hearing at

R. ONYEKERE Uchegbulem, from Okpara na Duru, Umuegbe, Amaokpara, Nkwere LGA, of Imo State, is dead, aged 64.

Late Uchegbulem, who died on October 6, will be buried in his compound in Umuegbe on October 29.

Late Mr. Uchegbulem

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (ret'd, left), and Secretary to Ebonyi State Government, Prof. Bernard Odoh, during a visit by the Carter Centre to the Ebonyi State Government, at the Government House, Abakaliki, yesterday.

the first sitting of the court.

He further explained that the absence of the accused in court, yesterday, was in compliance with section 100 of the Criminal Procedure Act. His words: “The court does not have jurisdiction to entertain the case. Section 118 of the criminal Procedure Act provides that persons charged with treason/capital offence cannot be granted bail by magistrate court, but have the opportunity to be granted bail by the High Court.

“The court will do what is generally accepted. I order that the original file of the case be duplicated and sent to the DPP, through the court registrar for further investigation and legal advice.”

Twenty persons were initially charged before an additional 24 were later arraigned for the same offence last week.

Vanguard had reported last week that another batch of 24 persons were being detained at the state CID to be charged to court for similar offences.

The development raised the number of those arrested in Port Harcourt and arraigned in court to 44.

The charge preferred against the accused read in part: “On October 20, 2015, at about

2:00p.m., at Ikwerre Road in Port Harcourt, in Port Harcourt Magisterial District, the suspects and others now at large, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Treason and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 37(2), of the criminal code, Cap c38, Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 2004," among other charges.

Extra-judicial captivity INTERSOCIETY, a human rights group said the Radio Biafra director, Nnamdi Kanu's detention has graduated from judicial detention to extra-judicial detention because he is no longer being detained on the orders of the named Magistrate Court upon the court’s harshly imposed bail conditions.Rather, the group said, he is now being detained extrajudicially according to administrative and operational whims and caprices of the Department of State Service, DSS, since these administrative and operational whims and caprices lately deployed by the DSS are totally unknown to both the principles of the rule of law, constitutional democracy, the 1999 Constitution, local and international human rights and humanitarian norms.

In a press statement, yesterday,

in Onitsha, Anambra State, jointly signed by Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, and Obianuju Igboeli Joy, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law Programme, INTERSOCIETY contended that if the court had granted Kanu bail on October 19, the DSS ought to have completed its verification process by Thursday, October 22 and caused Citizen Kanu to be released in compliance with the order of the court.

“We wish to further inform authoritatively that upon meeting all draconian bail conditions leading to refusal by the DSS to release the detained Biafran self determination activist, the presiding Magistrate made an express Production Order on Friday, October 23, 2015, for the DSS to produce Citizen Nnamdi Kanu before this court same date and explain why it failed to release the detainee upon meeting the imposed bail conditions.

The Production Order was communicated to the DSS by the Court’s ambassador (bailiff) and the Magistrate’s orderly on October 23, 2015, but disappointedly, they were sent back by the DSS and the order was flagrantly and rapaciously disobeyed.

Nullification of my election is judicial gang-up against me — Wike

By Jimitota Onoyume

P

ORT HARCOURT : Governor Nyesom Wike has described the nullification of his election by

the Election Petition Tribunal as a gang up against him and the people of the state arguing that the the judiciary was setting a dangerous precedent in the country with the way it had gone about elections in Rivers state.

Special Adviser to the governor on media and publicity, Mr Opunabo NkoTariah in a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt alleged that there had been effort to wrestle power from Governor Wike through the back door, adding that legal steps will be taken to defend the mandates of the people

displayed in the April 11 general election.

“What is going on right now can best be described as judicial gang-up against Governor Wike, nay, the people of Rivers State. It is an affront on democracy and a blight disregard for the will of the people as evinced in the April 11 general elections.

“The courts are setting pernicious precedents by hinging their verdicts on inane points. Rivers people overwhelmingly gave their mandate to Governor Wike but a microscopic few want

to wrest that mandate from him through the back door”.

Peterside condemns Wike’s attack on the Judiciary Meanwhile, the governorshipcandidateofthe All Progressives Congress, APC in the April election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has condemnedthedenigrationof the judiciary by Governor NyesomWike,hisagentsand the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Peterside who spoke in Abuja said the vilification of an important arm of

government like the judiciary by desperate politicians portend grave danger for Nigeria and her budding democracy.

He described the disparagementandon-going war against the judiciary by Wike and the PDP as a dangerousexamplethatmust be checked quickly because of its calamitous consequences.

“The judiciary is a sacred and respected institution.

Therefore, any person or persons who openly criticise judges and their rulings obviously have a sinister motive.

16 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 17

T

HE idea of a witch-hunt seems to be trending now in Nigeria, as everyone with a case to answer believes he or she is being witch-hunted, forgetting the evidence presented by the courts to justify the case’s existence. Another very famous witch-hunt is currently taking place in the United States and if you’re familiar with the term “Benghazi” you’re sure to already know about it.

The lessons for Nigeria are striking. In 2012, Libyan militants invaded a US diplomatic compound killing four Americans who therefore died under former Secretary of State (and possibly the Democratic party ’s future presidential candidate) Hillary Clinton’s watch.

The Republican party (some would say in a bid to damage her presidential bid) attacked her tenure as Secretary of State and her handling of the Benghazi crisis, which led to her summons by a House of Representatives Committee.

Hillary Clinton defended herself during an 11 hour hearing.

She didn’t call it a witch-hunt or refuse to attend the hearing.

Rather, she believed that her actions and her good name could withstand any scrutiny.

There is a lesson here for our leaders across the political divide: Hillary Clinton didn’t go seeking a perpetual injunction stopping any judge from investigating her, unlike the Amaechis and Stella Oduahs of this world. Nor did she hire the likes of Fayose or Olisa Metuh to scream “witch-hunt” across the pages of newspapers.

Pages of newspapers She attended the hearing and rationally detailed and explained all that occurred which led to the loss of four American diplomats. Let me say that again, four diplomats. All this trouble for four deaths. What about the millions of dead and displaced in the North-East?

Will Fayose and Metuh make noise for them? Will Oduah and Amaechi ask the judiciary to investigate whose failures, at the state and federal level, led to deaths, kidnapping and insecurity in the South-South or South East?

Besides Wike and Amaechi trading insults, will we ever know where the billions supposedly invested by the Niger Delta Development Commission since the Obasanjo era, all through the Yar’Adua and Jonathan amnesty years, actually went?

Hillary Clinton never once, during the 11-hour hearing, raised her voice or challenged the committee’s right to summon her. Yet, she is political royalty, but unlike Bukola Saraki, she did not seem to exude contempt for the system that dared to challenge her authority or her legacy. She was an adult and took it, quite literally, “like a man”, for lack of a better expression. She accepted responsibility for the staff in her

C M Y K

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk

Witch-hunts in global perspective care: Americans don’t do dereliction of duty, a very Nigerian act where we seek to blame others for our failures. I wonder what Hillary Clinton would have said, had she been President of Nigeria when the Chibok girls were taken. She certainly would not have denied their existence like the Jonathan camp did. Nor would she have

If anyone thinks they are being witch-hunted today, it is simply the justice system catching up with them, the same way it will catch up with the misdeeds of others in the long term

*Hillary Clinton called the whole thing “a witchhunt” perpetrated by Northerners to destroy Jonathan’s image. She wouldn’t have ignored insurgency in the North simply because it wasn’t happening in her back yard.

So if anyone thinks they are being witch-hunted today, rather than an attempt to single them out (there are a lot of other wrong-doers, I agree) it is simply the justice system catching up with them, the same way it will catch up with the

misdeeds of others in the long term. Americans are losing sleep over the fate of four of their citizens. Yet, we confidently ignore the fate of millions, the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs. Witch-hunt or not, the Clinton hearing, as the chairman of the committee who summoned her, said, is a symbol of a very American sentiment: “It is about what this country owes every single American. There is no statute of limitation on the truth”.

Governor Wike and PDP HE King has lost his remove all those the T crown. It’s a difficult time Presidency isn’t comfortable for the Jonathans, their heirs, associates and supporters, many of whom have turned resentful or incoherent (Femi Fani-Kayode’s defence of Biafra is too misguidedly and confusingly anti-Nigerian to even be analysed, although it shows just how much the Jonathan years made the PDP a sectional party).

The PDP believes there is a plot to use the judiciary to

with.

For the sake of following this argument, let us ask why wouldn’t he be uncomfortable with widespread allegations of fraud and misconduct as evidenced by the courts?

For arguments sake again, let us look at the records of the Fayemis, Amaechis and Fasholas whom the PDP uses to argue “selective justice”: if Gov. Wike indeed they are guilty of

The Ijaw Youth Council

T

Chibuike Amaechi

HE IYC claims the anticorruption war is targeted at the Ijaws. Why do we simplify things in the most grotesque way in Nigeria? They asked the UK government to stay away from Diezani Allison-Madueke.

What does the UK gain from “witch-hunting” her?

Simply, the UK has questions to ask and its prosecutorswill give the accused the opportunity to defend herself.

As for the notion that Alamieyeseigha died because he was harassed, it is offensive: that he didn’t go abroad for

treatment is a choice he made, one rendered all the more ironic by the number of supposedly state of the art hospitals built by PDP members from time immemorial.

As for the assertion that the UK streets are owned by corrupt Northerners, let the IYC rest assured. There is no statute of limitation on corruption. It might be easier to try recent cases, but once we do, our judiciary would have matured and gained enough confidence to investigate even 20-year-old crimes.

So the PDP needs to find another narrative outside persecution, which makes a mockery of the continued suffering of the Nigerian people nation-wide. But the people understand: those who are antichange (for the record, they are housed by both parties) grow fretful. The oppressive, corrupt system they so carefully built, is in danger for the first time in decades (we have perhaps not seen a more committed leader to real change since Murtala Mohammed) and so they seek to hide behind ethnic bigotry, pseudo-religious sentiments and “witch-hunts” to escape destruction.

The assault on democracy isn’t coming from Buhari but from the politicians whose mentality is curiously that of military rule: subvert the rules, lie, divide Nigerians, feign innocence, ignore the real issues at stake and most of all, pretend to work in the interest of the people, whereas everything they do is anti-Nigeria. Paranoia in a witch-hunt claimant is seen as a synonym of guilt. In a way, the witch-hunt trend is a positive development: it means there is finally shame or stigma attached to accusations or allegations of corruption, which plaintiffs are uncomfortable with.

Clinton never directly spoke of the political machinations behind her summons. Instead, she chose to raise the bar: “My challenge to you, members of this committee, is the same challenge I put to myself: Let’s be worthy of the trust the American people have bestowed upon us. They expect us to lead, learn the right lessons. To rise above partisanship and to reach for statesmanship.” Nigerians, let’s accept this challenge: let justice be served no matter whose ox is gored.

improprieties why didn’t the PDP senators prove it during the ministerial screening?

The Senate could learn a thing or two from Hillary Clinton’s hearing. If the PDP feels it has been wronged, it should appeal the judgement that annulled the Rivers election, the same way Buhari went to the courts each time he contested.

He accepted court judgements even when they weren’t in his favour. If Wike believes he won fair and square then the same people who voted for him once will come out again to support him. If the PDP believes the judiciary is corrupt, they had ample time, in 16 years, to reform it, rather than enshrining a system where judges marched to politicians’ tune.

Tabia Princewill is a strategic communications consultant and public policy analyst. She is also the co-host and executive producer of a talk show, WALK THE TALK which airs on Channels TV.

18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 LAST week Tuesday, October 20, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari braved a heavy downpour to perform the groundbreaking rites of an ambitious project that has now come to be known as the Cross River State Superhighway. If completed in the next five years as planned, it will be a 260 kilometre-long dual-carriage road that will start from Obung Village in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State and terminate at the boundary with Benue State.

According to the state Governor, Ben Ayade, the road which will be financed on the public-private partnership model (though details of how the financing strategy will be perfected was not disclosed) will cost a princely sum of N700 billion.

An upbeat Gover nor Ayade described the project with these words: “It (will probably be) the first road to have anti-slip features on the highway, it is a digital road designed for the

The Cross River super highway 21 st Century…it is an evacuation corridor from the (Calabar) Seaport…”

We are pleased that the Cross River State Government is taking up the challenge of opening up such an ambitious road corridor in a part that has been in the economic shadows of the nation. We are also impressed that President Buhari shrugged off partisan considerations to encourage a non-All Progressives Congress (APC) state to commence this laudable project with a pledge to do all that is

possible to ensure it is completed to the benefit of the state and the nation at large.

This is a pleasant departure from the past when Buhari, as a military leader, cancelled the Lagos Metro proposed by the Alhaji Lateef Jakande administration, a project that if it had been carried out, would have helped in curing Lagos of its suffocating traffic snarls.

This road, if completed, will have far reaching, positive impacts on the economic and social lives of the

OPINION Need for constitutional role for First Lady

By Syffiya Abubakar

DEAR Mr. President, We are concerned women in Nigeria, who have decided to write you on behalf of 69,086,302 females (women) estimated to be the population of women in Nigeria, according to the 2006 population census.

The overwhelming support you got in this year’s Presidential election to emerge as President of this most populous nation in Africa is an indication of the yearnings of citizens for change. Alas! That change is here. We are indeed happy for this.

As women, we were particularly inspired by the strength of character, beauty of heart and intelligence of our dear Wife of The President Hajia Aisha Buhari during the campaigns and thereafter.

We had therefore hoped that given her pedigree of respect for all, education and compassion for the plight of women and children, this administration would do the women of Nigeria and indeed women and children of Africa a great amount of good by giving her an opportunity to function as First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. But no, that is yet to happen. For this, we, the women of Nigeria in particular and Africa in general, are unhappy.

We acknowledge that there is no constitutional provision for the existence of such an office, but we also know that necessity which brought about the creation

C M Y K

and existence of such an office in the past has helped in no small measure to augment the activities of the Federal Government, particularly in the areas where women, children and disadvantaged citizens are concerned.

Apart from her several donations of food items, medicines, toiletries and other valuables worth millions of naira to Internally Displaced Persons' (IDPs) camps and orphanages in various parts of the country, Hajiya Buhari has carried out many life- saving health intervention programmes, especially in the screening and prevention of the deadly cancer disease. Hajiya Aisha Buhari had so far carried out the screening of over 10,000 people in about five states within one year.

For instance, 2000 women benefitted from her cancer screening and general health assessment programme in Cross River state. Similarly, in Yola, Adamawa state where the First Lady hails from, another 2,000 women were screened for cervical

The African First Ladies Peace Initiative is no doubt, a laudable initiative. Nigeria can’t afford to be left out of this humane effort

cancer in addition to testing for other health conditions like blood pressure, diabetics, hepatitis, kidney, liver and dental examination.

In Enugu, more than 2,000 women also benefitted from her cancer screening programme and medical examination for other disease conditions earlier enumerated. These various humanitarian gestures came under her Women Health Initiative Programme.

In a concerted effort to garner international support for her Health Intervention Programme in the country, Hajiya Buhari unveiled her vision and mission for Nigerian women and children in one of the United Nations side events in New York titled “Future Assured held on 30th August 2015. There is no doubt that the First Lady will do more for millions of Nigerian women and children if her office is given a constitutional role and strengthened with the needed funding support and legal framework. Her Excellency has also supported the Medic Aid Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) dedicated to promotion of cancer screening, prevention and treatment. The Medic Aid Foundation has lined up a number of activities like free cancer screening and one million man walk against cancer during this year ’s International Cancer Month which started

people of the entire former Eastern Region, while opening up new vistas into the Middle Belt zone and the nearby Central African economic environments.

We hope, however, that the Cross River State Government and its partners in this project have done their homework to ensure it is fully realised rather than being abandoned after large sums of public and private investors’ funds have been sunk into it. The state should learn from its experiences of equally ambitious but largely failed ventures such as the abandoned Tinapa project.

The successful completion of this road has the potentials to wake up Tinapa and fulfill the yearning of the state to overcome the handicaps of being denied of its oil-producing, littoral state status and the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun. We, therefore, urge that no effort should be spared to ensure the road is completed on schedule.

on 1st October and ends 31st October, 2015.

It is also pertinent to note the following points: The United Nations, development partners and donor agencies recognise the roles of First Ladies in the past and have collaborated with them on their pet projects.

The benefits of these pet projects are too obvious and numerous to mention.

The presence of our First Lady in a gathering as important as the just concluded UN Summit would have created an additional opportunity for networking and building relationship between Nigeria and other countries of the world.

The African First Ladies Peace Initiative is no doubt, a laudable initiative. Nigeria can’t afford to be left out of this humane effort.

As an able representative of Voices of Women in Nigeria (VOWIN), I plead with Mr. President and other leaders who have served this country to urgently intervene to allow the office of the First Lady to function. The advantages obviously outweigh the disadvantages. Mr. President’s fear of excesses and abuse of office are issues we understand very well.

We assure our president that the complimentary roles that will assigned to our amiable Hajiya Aisha will be discharged effectively and responsibly.

•Mrs. Abubakar, is Director of Public Awareness(Arc Devlopment Iniatiative)

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—19 —19 Send Opinions & Letters to: opinions1234@yahoo.com

Goodluck Jonathan’s rise to statesmanship INCE his ouster from power alleged to have set Jonathan’s revia the March 28 presidential election ambition on the rocks by S election, President Goodluck their pilfering of campaign funds Jonathan has maintained a rather low profile. He has minded his business and has said little that could even been vaguely interpreted as political. This should not be surprising for a man who must have been at the end of his tether by the time the results of the March polls were announced. Not only had he been trounced by his opponent but his party was more or less like a sinking ship that was being deserted by its inmates.

It was in such tatters that it’s yet to find its bearing six months since it was sent into the opposition corner of Nigerian politics. But in spite of the travails of the Peoples Democratic Party, not least the in-fighting that has brought it to the brink of disintegration, Jonathan has so far maintained the stance of a bystander.

He has been content to watch from the sideline as his erstwhile supporters in the PDP fight one another dirty over control of the carcass that their party has since become.

Some of these remnant warlords in the PDP who still pretend to be keeping faith with the party are

and barely concealed backstabbing antics. Now they’ve succeeded in showing themselves for the common thieves that they are by making it relatively easy to push both Jonathan and their discredited party out of power, they are with one hand trying to hold together at the seams the torn garments of their party, while using the other hand to battle their opponents both within and outside the PDP. Even as this drama unfolds, Jonathan has yet said nothing. It is easy to imagine him contemplating from the detached remove of his political sabbatical the unending treachery of the same people who propped him up as the candidate to beat even when they knew he was already a stale presidential product.

The scales must have fallen from Jonathan’s eyes immediately the results of the March presidential polls came in.

He must have realised he had been defeated in spite of the intimidating war chest of both local and foreign currencies he had set up among party stalwarts to ensure his return to Abuja. But rather than allowing himself to

be further taken for a ride by contesting the result of the election as the likes of Godsday Orubebe would have wanted, Jonathan took the honourable path of conceding defeat and thereafter got down to the task of ensuring a smooth handover of power, not minding the contrary advice of both family and party members.

Jonathan looked truly tired and worn after the election. He did well to take what he himself described as a deserved vacation during which he stayed far from politics.

He was rarely seen in public and had virtually no word for the press, not even when some of his ardent supporters were being shown to have bankrupted the national treasury under his watch.

He has only just started making his comeback to the public space and not even the damning verdict of his self-confessed number one supporter and adoptive political father, Chief Edwin Clark, that he watched while corruption took on a life of its own under his administration- not even this denial by his own ‘father ’ would chafe him. Silence has since been the word from his end. But when he finally chose to make his entry,

This one ‘dividend’ of his democratic posture is well deserved and should not be denied him

Jesus and the criminals (2) In this concluding part, the writer submits that rather than attack Tompolo, he should be celebrated for the role he played in liberating the Niger Delta from the 'criminals'.

By Ekanpou Enewaridideke

J

ESUS was feared and suspected before the crucifixion but after it he became the love of the world, so much so that even for a falling man who trips over a stone, it was the invocation of ‘Jesus!’ which naturally calms the mind. Life without Jesus appears jinxed, careering down the abyss.

Somebody sacrificially emancipated the Niger Delta in the second phase after the death of Boro in the book of Genesis. The Niger Delta was liberated in the book of Exodus by Tompolo. He was killed, death celebrated with a panache but disproved; he was declared wanted and later died when the HEROSHIMA-LIKE Amnesty bomb was thrown on Camp Five in 2009.

From the death he rose, seated at the right hand of EGBESU. From that noble seat he descended upon the Niger Delta as a dove of peace, development, agent of positive change. For years this dove had flown without dung let loose upon anyone, not even pedestrians and foresters. Even the oil companies, dinosaurs, behemoths, leviathans, lions, tigers, elephants, crocodiles, iguanas, pythons, gorillas and chimpanzees see him as the Prince of Peace: unambitious, self-effacing and selfdeprecatory who uses horses and donkeys as vehicles for travelling rather than jeeps and chartered flights; a man who chooses chastity over and above chronic

womanising, teetotalism over drunkenness, only interested in activities bound to nourish the spirit and awaken the psychic faculties.

For such a man he must not be feared, suspected but seen as an Angel of peace.

When a freedom activist he was dedicated and did not give it a camouflage. Now that Tompolo is on the path of peace, progress and development, why should some idle minds impute to him plans, ideals and shibboleths he had sacrificially parted way with through immersion in purification waters in the EGBESU GROVE? The obsession of Tompolo is to walk methodically on the paths ploughed by his valued ideals and be attuned to the yearnings and demands of the inner spirit because from there emerges a potent directional wisdom steering one away from missteps and macabre caves. It would be preposterous therefore to argue that upon the mind of Tompolo these lines of the Rosicrucion poet Ella Wheeler Wilcox in the poem ‘The law’ dwell every day:

The demand of AMNESTY cannot be whimsically shelved under any guise.

Tompolo is a principled consistent man ready to make sacrifice for his deep inner convictions

it was in deliberately measured steps. What better way to do this than by announcing the establishment of his foundation, coming along with his selection as the head of a Commonwealth monitoring group to the Tanzanian elections that tool place four days ago? By ‘ relaunching’ himself in this manner Jonathan is taking his destiny in his own hand. He must henceforth determine for himself and by his own effort what would be his legacy after serving as president.

Had Jonathan chosen to contest the outcome of the last presidential election, not many Nigerians would have thought it odd. He would only be following the beaten path of Nigerian politicians. He would not have been short of supporters either, including his political father who now considers him too soft on corruption.

The odd thing he did was not to have travelled down the winding path of the electoral tribunal and called into question everything connected to the election. He disappointed many, if not all, of his ardent party and ethnic supporters on this score. He denied them the opportunity to further milk him dry while pretending to be fighting a patriotic cause.

But had Jonathan taken the advice of those who wanted him to reject the result of the election, his name would by now be anathema outside Nigeria and in many parts of the country. It would have led to a calamity of unimaginable proportion, throwing the entire country into chaos.

It was evidently in recognition of his ‘sacrifice’ that he was appointed to lead the Commonwealth observer group to the Tanzanian election. He has taken that role seriously and has rightly warned the Tanzanians to

You are your own devil, you are your own God, You fashioned the paths that your footsteps have trod And no one can save you from error or sin Until you shall hark to the spirit within.

Some people are strangely born with the virus of idleness and imputation of malevolence to others. And for those evil idle minds whose obsession revolves around concoctions targeted to paint Tompolo as a shark on the prowl to devour marine creatures as part of a convoluted mechanism RESERVOIRED and nourished by individualised envy, sheer gravitation towards morbid excitement.

The demand of AMNESTY cannot be whimsically shelved under any guise.

Tompolo is a principled consistent man ready to make sacrifice for his deep inner convictions as he had once done fearlessly as a freedom activist using wood, moulded clay stones and sticks; he is not wishywashy and fickle-minded. Heaped on him are epithets borne of shark-like potentials.

To rain on him negative non-existent epithets so as to get him systematically quarantined is the most ridiculous and imbecilic adventure because the man has never fought a personal war; only a dedicated champion of the general cause to liberate Niger Deltans developmentally incarcerated. Much as some benighted idlers labour to paint him as a ravenous shark, or as a man that descriptively fits into every prediction and therefore beyond the satanic predictions of vindictive idlers.

God created the Heaven and the Earth only once. Upon the face of Heaven and Earth iniquities of man are cast carelessly but God has neither recreated Heaven and Earth nor destroyed them despite daily provocations of man. Tompolo in his

learn from his experience in the Nigerian election. An incumbent that could relinquish power is the perfect ambassador against African sit-tight syndrome. He would be less amenable to condone electoral fraud and more likely to urge acceptance on a defeated candidate particularly an incumbent bent on retaining power. Goodluck Jonathan sure earned the recognition that befits his acceptance of defeat in the March election.

This one ‘dividend’ of his democratic posture is well deserved and should not be denied him. If we would have condemned him had he chosen to reject the result of the last election, we ought also to commend and celebrate him for the positive outcome of the choice he made not to reject the result.

His estranged godfather, Olusegun Obasanjo who was head of the ECOWAS observer group that monitored the Ivorian presidential election that held same day as the Tanzanian election, did no more than Jonathan (that is ensured a free and peaceful transition of power) before he became the celebrated leader that is today feted around the world.

Obasanjo built his international profile and launched his career as a writer on this singular act.

He was, thereafter, well on his way to becoming an international statesman with more international clout today than any other Nigerian leader living and, arguably, dead. President Goodluck Jonathan could also begin the gradual process of ensuring a positive legacy for himself even after the massive corruption that marked the end of his administration. He might serve Nigeria and the world better in retirement than when in power.

Now is his time to become a statesman.

transmogrified state would always remain Tompolo, only excited by thoughts geared towards salvaging endangered creatures.

The criminals are not those who fought the liberation war and had amnesty thrust upon as a well-thought mutual tension-diffusion mechanism but those who did not fight but have honed their talents for stoking of fire relying on the potency of verbal logs and embers hewn from forests in the throes of death from deforestation: they are the careerist ministers in the Ministry of propaganda, instigation and Lie-programming Affairs.

Having progressed to professorial seats in the Ministry with their avalanche of journal articles, there is always job for them in every government. Nigeria would move forward if President Muhammadu Buhari could build partnership with these directors, statisticians, permanent secretaries and clerks in the Ministry but the partnership should be a punitively chastening one so that these sophisticated VERBAL SCIENTISTS could be perpetually caged.

This done, the suffocating endless turbulence always created with a genius by these verbal DISTORTION-CZARS would have sailed into the river bed beyond trace. This would pave the way for engagement of individuals with positive ideals to move the country forwards.

Tompolo is the Jesus Christ of the Niger Delta and so on no account must he be profaned and whimsically given nonexistent vindictive connotations borne out of diseased and amnesia-stricken minds. concluded Mr. Enewaridideke, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Akparemogbene, Delta State.

20—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Leadership dispute, tears Abia community apart •Police orders community chief to release N15m public funds •as human rights group probes alleged abduction of 8 youths •the money is intact waiting for agreement to be signed - monarch

By Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha CCUSATIONS and counter-accusations continue to fuel the communal crisis rocking the people of Eluama community, Lokpaukwu Umuchieze automonous community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State.

The crisis, which has so far split the community into two factions, has as its major antagonists the traditional ruler of the community, Eze Moses Okwale and his younger brother, Dr. Borke Okwale and others loyal to them on one side. On the opposing side is the other faction comprising the newly elected EDU executive, teaming up with those identified as concerned citizens of Eluama.

Genesis of the crisis: The crisis which started rearing its ugly head as far back as 2011, climaxed on September 1, this year when the aggrieved concerned citizens convened a general assembly of Eluama indigenes home and abroad where about 90 percent of the entire populace allegedly passed a vote-of-no confidence on the Albert Izuegbu-led Eluama Development Union, EDU, executive and consequently conducted an election that brought into power, a new set of EDU executive led by Pastor Chukwudi Okoli.

A

Town union leadership At the moment, both the Mr. Izuegbu-led EDU executive which assumed office either in 2010 or 2011 and the Pastor Okoli-led newly elected EDU rival group are still laying claims to the town union leadership.

While the Izuegbu-led group is insisting that the so-called vote-of-no-confidence passed against them and the September 1 purported EDU executive election that ousted them were null, void and of no effect, since their tenure still had a year and two months to come to run, the Okoli-led newly elected executive claimed to have assumed duty based on the fact that the tenure of the former had elapsed since the end of 2013. During the election of the Okoli-led executive, during which Chisom Ahiaeke and Mrs. Rebecca Offor C M Y K

were also elected as youth leader and woman leader respectively, the general assembly also appointed Samuel Nweke as the new Traditional Prime Minister, TPM, of the community to replace Dr. Borke Okwale, younger brother to Eze Moses Okwale who, they argued, cannot be the TPM at the same time his elder brother is the king.

Financial impropriety: As soon as the Okoli-led executive assumed office, they claimed to have discovered a series of financial improprieties amounting to about N50 million against the former executive but at the same time decided to start with the demand for the release of N15 million allegedly paid into the private account of Dr. Okwale, for the community, by Memochris Nigeria Limited, a quarrying company based in the area, as rent for a five-year land lease, between May and June, this year.

Following the alleged refusal of Okwale to release the funds to the community on time, the concerned citizens, in collaboration with the Okoli-led new EDU executive, petitioned the Divisional Police Officer, DPO, at Nkwoagu-Isuochi Division and consequently, the DPO, Mr. Uromi invited both parties for amicable settlement.

But before the agreed date, a team of armed men in military camouflage uniform stormed the area and allegedly arrested about eight members of the concerned citizens and their supporters, whisked them off to Lomara-Isuochi military camp, tortured them severely

A team of armed men in military uniform stormed the area and allegedly arrested members of the concerned citizens, whisked them off to military camp(and)tortured them severely

*Obinna Nweke...injured during invasion by armed men

*Samuel Nweke, the new Traditional Prime Minister

and took them to D7, Abia State Criminal Investigations Department, CID, Umuahia.

This development, it was said, might not be unconnected with a counter-petition from both Borke and his group against members of the concerned citizens for daring to demand the release of the N15 million.

of Zone 9 Police Command, Umuahia complaining bitterly that up till then, Borke was yet to release the N15 million paid to the community by Memochris Quarrying company as rent for leasing of their land for five years.

They further complained that instead of releasing the funds as demanded, Okwale wrote the counter-petition against them in a diversionary move and invited the military to come and deal with the opposition.

Reacting to the development on phone, Dr. Okwale confirmed that he reported a case of breach of peace against some trouble makers in the community to the Police who arrested some of them, while others were still on the run.

He stated that those on the run must be fished out and brought to justice.

But the newly elected President-General of EDU, Okoli, noted that apart from the N15 million, there were other revenues accruable to the community estimated at over N50 million which is still under the custody of Dr. Okwale. They include annual royalties and lease agreement from two other quarrying companies in the area, proceeds from toll gates, proceeds from chippings allocations and medical allowances, among others.

Police wade in: At the Zone 9 Police Command, Umuahia, all the petitions and counterpetitions, including the alleged

Petitions and counterpetitions Borke had in the petition, to both the Police and the Army, accused the concerned citizens of invading and burning Eze Okwale’s Palace and above all, conspiring to conduct a kangaroo election without due consultations.

After the alleged abduction, aged and young women from the area numbering over 100 and led

by Mrs. Angela Iroh, stormed the Palace of Eze Okwale and pleaded with him to assist in securing the release of the victims as well as wade into the town union leadership crisis rocking the community.

Eze Okwale had in his response, assured the women that he would look into the matter with a view to reaching an amicable settlement.

However, after their bail was eventually secured at the D7 State CID, Umuahia, they turned round and wrote another petition to the office of Assistant InspectorGeneral of Police, AIG in-charge

military invasion of the community and abduction of the eight youths by the soldiers, the alleged invasion and burning of Eze Okwale’s palace by the concerned citizens and that of the non- release of N15 million community funds were harmonised and are being investigated one after the other.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP in-charge of Administration at Zone 9, Umuahia, Joseph Agaji, found the petition on the demand for the release of the N15 million the most pertinent among them and after going through its contents and throwing some questions at both parties, he ordered Dr. Okwale to release the fund with immediate effect.

Agaji who confirmed to newsmen on phone that the AIG’s office is looking into the matter, also disclosed that the police would investigate the alleged invasion, abduction and torture of the eight youths in the community.

The Divisional Police Officer at Nkwoagu-Isuochi, Mr. Uromi who also spoke to newsmen on phone, said he is aware of crisis in the area. Although he admitted hearing about the alleged invasion of the community and abduction of some persons by armed men, he explained that he neither saw the armed men nor the abducted persons.

Army, monarch react In his own reaction, Captain Nwali, one of the Army officers attached to Lomara-Isuochi Junction military camp, claimed to be ignorant of the alleged invasion and abduction by soldiers. He told newsmen on phone that he was not competent to speak to the press. According to him, it is the responsibility of the Commander of 44 Battalion to issue press statements regarding military affairs.

The royal father, Eze Okwale also reacted to all the allegations against his younger brother, Borke. He said he has reported the matter to the chairman of Umuchieze council of traditional rulers, Eze Patrick Okafor who has volunteered to mediate in the matter with a view to bringing lasting solution to the dispute.

The monarch who spoke to newsmen on phone said the crisis was caused by some disgruntled elements who are fanning the embers of discord.

He maintained that he did not appoint his younger brother, Borke as the Traditional Prime Minister, TPM, of the community. According to him, Chief Bernard Nweke is the incumbent TPM. On the non- release of the N15

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

— 21

CEMENT: Three firms invest N105trn in local, offshore expansion

By Franklin Alli

T

GRADUATION: From left: Business Executive, Corporate Banking, Team 2, Sterling Bank Plc, Adegboyega Adegun; 3rd Best student, Tochi Ifeoma; Best Graduating Student, Chibuzor Iwuagwu; Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Yemi Odubiyi; 2nd Best student, Badejo Adewale Israel; and Business Executive, Corporate Banking, Team 1, Sterling Bank Plc, Moji Bakare, at the Graduation ceremony of the bank’s 21st Foundation School in Lagos.

Stanbic IBTC debunks allegations by FRC

By Babajide Komolafe TANBIC IBTC has debunked allegations of misreporting by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC).

Recall that the Council on Monday had accused the bank of misreporting its financial statements for the 2013 and 2014 accounting years, ordering them to withdraw the ac-

counts.

In a swift reaction, the management of Stanbic IBTC dismissed the allegations of improper disclosures, and accused FRC of breaching its enabling law. A statement by the bank stated, “Our attention has been drawn to the media statements by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC) in which several inaccurate and unseemly allegations were made against Stanbic IBTC Hold117.30 0.00 ings PLC (“Stanbic IBTC”). Although $3,170.00 -4.00 the matter is in court, we are constrained to $14.58 -0.06 respond to certain aspects of the report for the benefit of our stakeholders 46.77 -0.77 and the general public.

42.76 -1.22 “FRC’s allegations CURRENCY BUYING CENTRAL are inaccurate and unfortunate, and the DOLLAR 195.97 196.47 196.97 manner in which it POUNDS 300.7748 301.5422 302.3096 EURO 216.0177 216.5689 217.12 has chosen to make FRANC 199.5824 200.0917 200.6009 them is procedurally YEN 1.62 1.6241 1. 6283 defective. Whilst CFA 0.312 0.322 0.332 FRC takes refuge in WAUA 273.7537 274.4521 275.1506 Regulation 21 of the RENMINBI 30.8377 30.9168 30.996 Directorate of InRIYAL 52.2447 52.378 52.5113 SDR 273.6721 274.3704 275.0686 spection and MoniKRONA 28.9515 29.0254 29.0993 toring Guidelines Regulations 2014 for CBN Exchange Rate as at 27 /10 /15 the wide publicity

S

that it has given to its regulatory decision, Regulation 21 only applies “Where the Panel and the entity agree that accounts are to be rectified by way of revision or restatement”. That is not the case here, because Stanbic IBTC does not agree that its accounts are defective or require rectification. Moreover, Regulation 27 makes clear that where a reporting entity does not accept FRC’s position, FRC “shall institute a legal action against the entity”.

“FRC has ignored this laid

FRC’s allegations are inaccurate and unfortunate, and the manner in which it has chosen to make them is procedurally defective

down process in preference for self-help and media publicity.

The matters that FRC alleges to be wrong are not wrong in any material respect and many are in any event not matters of financial reporting at all, but matters of business decision and judgment for Stanbic IBTC and its board of directors.

Intellectual property For example, the decision whether to enter into a sale and lease back, whether in relation to intellectual property or any other asset, is a business decision and entirely a matter for the board of directors of Stanbic IBTC and certainly not a matter for FRC. “In the same vein, NOTAP’s refusal to register a franchise agreement does not render the agreement null or void, or indeed relieve Stanbic IBTC of its liability. It merely means that any foreign currency payment due to the foreign counterparty under the unregistered agreement cannot be remitted.

Stanbic IBTC has not and will not make any remittance which is subject to NOTAP approval without obtaining such approval.”

HREE companies in the cement industry are investing an aggregate of $5.23 billion (about N105 trillion) to build new factories at home and abroad.

The companies are Dangote Cement Plc, BUA Group, and Ibeto Cement Company Limited.

Data sourced by Vanguard from these companies, revealed that Dangote Cement is leading the pack with $4.34 billion, followed by BUA Group $600 million and Ibeto$386 million and this totals $5.23 billion.

Vanguard learned that following the completion and commissioning of cement plants in Five African countries, (Zambia, Ethiopia, Cameroon, Senegal and Tanzania), Dangote Cement has signed a $4.34 billion contract with Sinoma International Engineering Company Limited, a Chinese construction giant, for the construction of 11 new cement plants in 10 African countries , and Nepal in Asia.

Earlier, Aliko Dangote, President of the Dangote Group, said “the plans expansion is in line with our long-term vision to become one of the world’s biggest cement producers. We envisage that by the time we complete all our ongoing African projects, we will be on track to achieving our target.”

In the same vein, BUA Group also signed $600 million worth of contracts with Sinoma to double its production capacity of its Obu cement plant at Okpella community in Edo state. Obu has a capacity of 3.5 million metric tonnes per year, with completion expected in 2017.

AbdulsamadRabiu, the Chairman of BUA Group, said “BUA has less than 10 percent of the market share now but afterwards we should go to about 20 percent. “ Furthermore, Ibeto Cement had also entered into an agreement with Sinoma to build 6000 tonnes per day clinker line and a 45 megawatts self generation power plant in Enugu. The contract is valued at $386 million. It covers the whole process, from the exploration of limestone mines and the crushing of raw materials, to the packing and delivery of cement and a captive power plant and engineering design, supply of equipment, staff training, etc.

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

It is regrettable that many motorists have failed to appreciate the need to obtain genuine insurance documents from registered insurance companies

,

No case of malpractice in CPS – PenCom

T

HE National Pension Commission, PenCom, has said that since the establishment of the Contributory Pension Scheme, CPS, in Nigeria eleven years ago, there had been no case of malpractice recorded in its administration.

Director General of PenCom, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, stated this at the South-South sensitization conference on developments ushered in by the Pension Reform Act 2014, at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Anohu-Amazu said, “It is heart-warming to note that within a decade of the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme in Nigeria, the story of pension administration is changing into a positive narrative.

The scheme has so far delivered all the major objectives of the reform. In addition, the Scheme has so far generated over N5.03 trillion worth of pension assets invested in various sectors of the Nigerian economy as at date.

Pension scheme Indeed, our achievements in the implementation of Contributory Pension Scheme have earned Nigeria a position as Africa’s hub on pension matters.”

Anohu-Amazu said that no human endeavour is perfect and continuous improvement is imperative. Thus, the experiences and lessons gathered by PenCom in the ten years of implementation of the pension reform necessitated the revision of the 2004 Act. “After an extensive review, stakeholder consultations and legislative scrutiny, a new Pension Reform Act 2014 was enacted, which came into effect on 1st July 2014.

The 2014 Act re-enacted the copious provisions of the repealed 2004 Act, which include inter alia, the establishment of the Contributory Pension Scheme, with all its features, as well as the National Pension Commission as the sole regulator and supervisor of pension matters in Nigeria.

Under the 2014 Act, the Contributory Pension Scheme now covers employees of State and Local Governments in C M Y K

INSURAN

,

Nigeria. The Act has set the standard and framework within which States and Local Governments are required to adopt and implement the Scheme for the benefits of their respective employees,” Anohu-Amazu said.

She said that many States have adopted the Contributory Pension Scheme and are at various stages of its implementation.

“However, no State in the South-South geo-political zone has fully implemented the Contributory Pension Scheme.

Robust framework This situation has denied the States the obvious advantages of the Contributory Pension model including its sustainability as a system, robust framework that eliminates the incentives for corruption in benefits administration and ability to access the pool of investible pension funds to drive economic and infrastructural development in their respective domains,” she said.

“I would therefore passionately appeal to all the States and Local Governments in the SouthSouth geopolitical zone to step-up their efforts to implement the Contributory Pension Scheme in order to avail themselves and their employees of the numerous opportunities and benefits of the Scheme. PenCom has established functional offices in the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, with it SouthSouth Zonal Office located in Calabar, Cross Rivers State, to facilitate and offer the needed technical assistance to States and Local Governments.

Individuals and organizations may equally approach our zonal offices nearest to them to seek information and assistance from PenCom on any pension matter,” Anohu-Amazu said.

She said that the SouthSouth conference in Uyo was the fourth of such conferences, scheduled for the six geo-political zones of Nigeria.

The previous three editions of the conferences were successfully held in Lagos, Abuja and Enugu.

Your motor insurance could be fake Stories By Rosemary Onuoha

I

F you drive a vehicle in Nigeria and your vehicle is not yet registered on the Nigeria Insurance Industry Database, NIID, then you have a fake insurance certificate.

The NIID is a platform of the Nigeria Insurers Association, NIA aimed at getting more Nigerians into the insurance net and boosting the culture of insurance among citizens of the country.

Over 11.5 million vehicles ply Nigeria roads, however, only about 3 million of these vehicles carry genuine insurance certificates. It is regrettable that many motorists have failed to appreciate the need to obtain genuine insurance documents from registered insurance companies and have kept the culture of patronising fake insurance documents dealers in spite of the dangers attached.

Benefits of the NIID: The NIID will provide protection to Nigerians against the dangerous activities of insurance fraudsters, particularly the third party motor insurance certificate racketeers. The database, therefore, is one instrument that will become very handy in the control or fight towards

the eradication of fake insurances in Nigeria. The database would facilitate easy collation and dissemination of statistical information relating to all classes of insurance in Nigeria and also serve as a platform for easy identification of genuine insurances by security agencies and other relevant authorities.

Experts’ opinion: The NIID, according to experts, is a good step in the right direction to guard against forgeries and frauds in the insurance industry.

The NIID is of great benefit to all stakeholders in the

Some of the benefits of the NIID include monitoring and authenticating insurance transaction documents; reducing red tape and corruption by integrating with the vehicle registration system of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC)

insurance industry. Such stakeholders include but not limited to the various government at all levels, policyholders, shareholders of insurance firms and wouldbe investors.

Managing Director of Lasaco Assurance Plc, Mr. Olusola Ladipo-Ajayi said the NIID project is an information technology-based system that would facilitate easy collation and dissemination of statistical and other information relating to insurance on one hand, and also serves as a vehicle for easy identification of genuine insurance documents by relevant authorised persons.

Insurance documents Some of the benefits of the NIID include monitoring and authenticating insurance transaction documents; reducing red tape and corruption by integrating with the vehicle registration system of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police and other relevant government agencies; ensuring easy access to statistical data for effective decision making.

Collaboration with law enforcement: Recently, NIA partnered the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Police and Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO) in

COMMISSIONING: Ogun State Governor, Sen Ibikunle Amosun (2nd left), commissioning Coleman Wires and Cables Arepo Factory 11 at Arepo, Ogun State. With him are Chairman, Coleman Wires and Cables, Chief Solomon Onafowokan (left); Chairman, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Alhaj iRemi Bello and Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry, Mr Rasheed Olaoluwa, during the commissioning.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

,

CE & YOU

— 23

The NIID will provide protection to Nigerians against the dangerous activities of insurance fraudsters, particularly the third party motor insurance certificate racketeers

,

Pension regulator rejects 210 applications for compliance certificate

T

SEMINAR: From left: Eniola Abogunde, Deputy Director, Ministry of Education, Lagos State; Benjamin Agili, Director, Lagos/West directorate, Royal Exchange General Insurance Company Limited; Patrick Ajogwu, Coordinator, Foundation for Youth Education, and Obiageli Modebolu, guest speaker, at the 8th Annual seminar for secondary school prefects, sponsored by Royal Exchange in Lagos. order to nip issuance of fake insurance certificates in the bud.

The collaboration with security agencies is to rid the industry of fake papers and the association launched the project in collaboration with state governments.

With the NIID, a motorist can

S

send SMS to 33125 with policy number or vehicle plate number or visit the NIID website to verify genuineness of his or her vehicle insurance papers.

Unfortunately, some experts believe that low government patronage and low awareness on insurance are some of the

challenges confronting NIID project but are confident that when government at all levels abide by the compulsory insurance scheme, which motor insurance is part of, the database will robustly expose those with fake papers.

STI elevates two staff

OVEREIGN Trust Insurance Plc, STI, has announced the elevation of two of its erstwhile General Managers to the position of Executive Directors respectively.

They are Mr. Olaotan Soyinka and Mrs. Ugochi Odemelam and the duo by the elevation will automatically become board members of the company.

In a statement, the company said that Soyinka before now was the General Manager/Divisional Head, Technical while Ugochi took charge of Marketing/ Business Development for the organisation in the capacity of a General Manager/Divisional Head.

The two appointments were recently ratified by the Board of Directors and both have assumed their new roles since September 14, 2015.

Head of corporate communications, Mr. Segun Bankole said that the board and management of the company have so much confidence in the newly elevated directors and it is expected that they will bring to bear their consummate wealth of experience in galvanising the organisation to the next level of its growth stage. Members of management and staff have been enjoined to give all the needed support to the new directors in achieving the overall objective of the company as a leading brand in the insurance industry and a profitable one at that.

Managing Director/CEO of STI, Mr. Wale Onaolapo, in his congratulatory message to the two directors emphasised management’s commitment to succession plan in the organisation and also stressed that “The elevation is expected to further strengthen the board and empower top management team of the company in ensuring that the medium and long term strategic goals of the company are accomplished”.

He equally thanked both of them for their immense contributions to the development and growth of the company in time past and charged them to do more than ever before as the organisation forges ahead in the years to come.

Soyinka is an erudite and wellgrounded underwriter with over 20 years cognate experience. He

is an Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria.

He is a Graduate of Insurance from University of Lagos and also holds a Masters of Science degree in Marketing from the same university. He joined Sovereign Trust Insurance in March 1998.

Soyinka is an alumnus of the Lagos Business School having successfully completed the Senior Management Programme of the Institution.

Odemelam on the other hand, graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Nassarawa. She holds an MBA from ESUT Business School. She is also a member of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM), a registered member of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) and Chartered Insurance Institute of London (CII London).

HE National P e n s i o n Commission (PenCom) said it rejected the applications of 210 employers who sought compliance certificates to enable them bid for government contracts, because they failed to meet the necessary requirements.

The Commission in a report said it received 1,050 applications for issuance of compliance certificates in the first quarter of this year, of which 840 employers were issued certificates while the remaining applications were rejected on the ground that they did not meet the requirements.

PenCom has been issuing Compliance Certificates to organisations bidding or soliciting for contracts with Federal Government Ministries, Department and Agencies in line with the provision of Section 16 (6) (d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007.

The Certificate has replaced the erstwhile Letters of Compliance that were issued for the same purpose.

Section 16 (6) (d) of the Public Procurement Act, 2007, which states that any supplier, contractor or consultant bidding or soliciting contract or business from any Federal Government Ministries,

Department and Agencies (MDAs) must fulfil all its obligations with respect to pensions.

Compliance with the Pension Act, at minimum, include ensuring that all employees open Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA) with Pension Fund Administrator of their choice; remitting both employer and employee pension contributions to the appropriate Pension Fund Custodian not later than seven days from the date of payment of salaries; and transferring all pension funds and assets prior to the commencement of the Pension Act to licensed pension operators.

Specifically, the following documents are to be attached while requesting for the certificate: evidence of remittance of monthly pension contribution to include certified list of employees, certified statement of rate of employer/employee pension contribution and schedule of monthly pension contributions for the last three years indicating: names of employees, Retirement Savings Account (RSA) Personal Identification Numbers (PINs), Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) name, amount of monthly employer/employee contribution.

Also required is the schedule of evidence of remittance of monthly pension contributions to RSA for the last three years indicating; date of payment, name of PFA, name and location of receiving bank, payment instrument reference number and amount paid.

Champion Insurance day comes up Dec 21

T

HE 2015 Champion Insurance Day Lecture/ Luncheon has been fixed for December 21 2015 as against the October 27 date earlier slated for the event.

This is as the management of Champion Newspapers Limited (CNL) has assured a mutually rewarding outing for all participants who will be present at the event.

A statement signed by the Group Managing Director/ Editor-In-Chief of CNL, Dr (Mrs.) Nwadiuto Iheakanwa added that preparation for the occasion is in top gear and that all necessary structures to make the event a befitting one have been put in place. However, the management regrets inconveniences the change in date might cause all participants and stakeholders in the event.

The Group Managing Director of Royal Exchange Plc, Mr. Chike Mokwunye who will speak on the Theme; “Sustaining Insurance Growth Amidst the Unfolding Mass Events” has been confirmed as the guest speaker at the event. In the lineup are the Director General, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Sunday Thomas; the Group Managing Director/CEO, Cornerstone Insurance Plc; and former Commissioner for Insurance in the National Insurance Commission, Chief (Dr) Ladipo Bailey while the Commissioner for Insurance, Alhaji Mohammed Kari will deliver the keynote address.

Send comments & enquiries to insuranceandyou@yahoo.com

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Consultations for new electricity tariffs (2)

T

From left, Mr Chuks Iwelunmo, Chairman, League of Airports and Aviation Correspondents, LAAC; Hajia Binta Bello, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Aviation; Eng Ibrahim Abdul Salam, MD, Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA; Capt Sidi Abdulahi, Director of Operations and Training, NCAA rep the DG; Hon Auwal Tukur, former Chairman, House of Representatives committee on Aviation; Mr Chris Ndulue, MD, Arik Airline and Emmanuel Ityodugh, AGM, Flights Operations, Medview Airline representing the MD at the 21st Annual LAAC Seminar held at NCAA Annex, MM International Airport, Ikeja Lagos on Thursday. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele

ETI announces N79bn profit before tax in Q3 E

By Nkiruka Nnorom

cCOBANK Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has announced profit before tax of N79 billion for the nine month period ended September 30, 2015 compared to N66.5 billion posted in equivalent period in 2014. The figure was however, down two per cent to $389 million during the period.

The bank’s financial statement filed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed profit after tax rose to N60 billion from N52.5 billion (but down five per cent to $306 million).

Similarly, revenue for the period was up 18 per cent to N316 billion as against N269 billion in 2014, but was three per cent down to $1,598 million.

Total assets rose to N4.65 trillion for the nine month period32, compared to N3.84 trillion posted in equivalent

period in 2014.

However, total equity increased in both naira and dollar terms rising to N528.2 billion in 2015 compared to N394.3 billion, representing 34 per cent growth. (Total equity in dollar terms was up 10 per cent to $2.7 million in comparison to $2.41 million posted a year earlier.

Ade Ayeyemi, Group CEO of the Ecobank Group commented on the financial results: “The operating environment in Middle Africa was challenging during the period. While our financial results were impacted by various factors, the strength of our diversified pan-African business model ensured a balanced outcome.

We reported US$398 million in pre-tax profits, down two per cent from a year ago, largely

due to adverse currency movements and operational and impairment losses in the third quarter. We see looming headwinds ahead and as a result expect reported 2015 profits to come in lower than expected, but relatively flat in constant dollars.”

Continuing, he said, “We had decent loan growth in our Corporate Bank business. And despite a decrease in Domestic Bank deposits, we increased the share of stable deposits within the deposit mix. With revenue growth challenged in the current environment, we would focus more on cost efficiency and invest in key initiatives in our Transaction banking, Cards, and eBanking businesses.

FBN Holdings' records N390bn gross earnings in 9 months

F

By Nkiruka Nnorom

BN Holdings Plc has announced N390 billion gross earnings for the nine months ended September 30, 2015, representing 16.9 per cent increase over N333.6 billion recorded in the same period in 2014.

The unaudited financial statement of the company for the period released on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed that net interest income grew by 9.3 per cent to N192.9 billion from N176.5 billion posted a year earlier despite a 35.6 per cent y-o-y increase in interest expense, while the non-interest income at N82.5 billion, was up 13.4 per cent compared to N72.8 billion posted a year earlier.

Interest on loans to customers, which is 67.4 per cent of total interest income grew by 7.5 per cent y-o-y closing to N202.5 billion during the period.

However, the profit before tax fell by 19.2 per cent to N59.6 billion as against N73.7 billion posted a year earlier. The profit after taxation for the period fell by 9.7 per cent from N55.6 billion to N50.2 billion.

Commenting on the results, Bello Maccido, the Group CEO said: "This has been a challenging year so far, with economy slowing down and credit conditions remaining adverse thereby impacting the Group's operating performance.

We are managing the cost of risk by strengthening our risk management processes while leveraging our assets, adjusting pricing to higher default risks associated with a contracting economy; and nowhere has this process been more pronounced than in the oil and gas sector.

"To ensure we build a more efficient group structure that will benefit the Group's need to deploy systems which increase profitability and efficiency while expanding revenue generation, we are confident we have made the right choices in selecting the Managing Director and the Deputy Managing Director for our principal subsidiary, FirstBank, as we were particularly mindful to identify outstanding and top notch professionals with complementary and mutually reinforcing skill sets.

HE Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, has placed on its website the submissions made by the electricity distribution companies, discos, with respect to their 10-year electricity tariff plans for the period 2015 to 2024. I have downloaded from NERC website the submissions of the discos, namely, Abuja, Benin, Eko, Enugu, Ibadan, Ikeja, Jos and Kano. I have studied the submissions of these discos and I have submitted a 3-page memorandum to NERC on these 10-year tariff plans.

NERC provided the discos with guidelines for their 10year tariff plans. Item 14 of these guidelines required that the discos submit audited financial statements for the years ended 31 December 2013 and 2014 with their tariff review applications. Eko disco has indicated it would submit audited financial statements within 3 to 6 months while Enugu, Jos and Yola discos have indicated that they have not submitted audited financial statements. The other discos are silent on the issue. Eko disco, on page 3 of its submissions, stated that sourcing funds for its capital expenditure plans have so far proved difficult. The other discos hold a similar position. Do the discos expect the banks to give substantial loans to companies that do not have audited financial statements?

One of the problems with existing tariffs is that NERC provides the estimates of power that would be available to the discos from the national grid.

For Multi-Year Tariff Order, MYTO, 2 for the period 1 June 2012 to 31 May 2017, NERC stated the generation capacity available to the discos as 5500MW in 2012-2013, 7500MW in 2013-2014, 9061MW in 2014-2015 and

One of the problems with existing tariffs is that NERC provides the estimates of power that would be available to the discos from the national grid

10071MW in 2015-2016.

However, MYTO 2.1 for the period 1 April 2015 to December 2018 assumed the generation capacity available to the discos as 2670MW throughout the period.

For the current 10-year tariff plan, NERC has provided its assumptions of generation capacity that would be available to discos as 4338MW in 2015, 5465MW in 2016, 7199MW in 2017 and 8999MW in 2018 and so on. For the first 8 months of 2015, average generation capacity has been 3800MW. MYTO 2 generation estimates have not been met and consumers are being asked to pay for disco revenue shortfalls in increased tariffs. I believe NERC should not have provided the discos with estimates of generation capacity for the current tariff review as NERC’s action allows the discos to transfer all the risks of their businesses to the consumers.

Business activities The Electric Power Sector Reform, EPSR, Act 2005 at Section 76 (2) a specifies that the licensee should operate efficiently in order to recover the full cost of its business activities including a reasonable profit while EPSR Act 2005 Section 76 (2) b specifies that services should be provided with continued improvements of their technical and economic efficiency. Each disco and its core investor should have the expertise with which to engage with the transmission company and work out improvements/investments that would make for efficient realisation of the disco’s business plans.

Also, Abuja disco, on page 16 of its submissions, has indicated that the generation forecast provided by NERC is too optimistic. It also pointed out the error with the estimates for Shiroro Power Station. I am aware that Shiroro Power Station has 4 turbines that can deliver 600MW but with the volume of water available behind the dam throughout the year, the station can only run two turbines to produce 300MW throughout the year. The discos should therefore engage with existing power stations, the authorities for the new power stations and their contractors and work out realistic estimates of power that would be available on the national grid. If the estimates by the discos are not realised, the costs of failure would not be transferred to the consumers.

TO BE CONTINUED

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—25

DIARY Cyber Security in Banking Conference, 2015 Indaba Hotel, Johannesburg October 21 – 22, 2015

BVN registration As with telecom operators, would so be for the banks?

Gartner Symposium/ITxpo 2015 Cape Town, South Africa November 8-12, 2015

•Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor

Preview

Slow melting ice cream

By Laju Iren

T

A

RECENT study has discovered a naturally-occurring protein that will allow ice cream to better withstand warm temperatures. As such, it can melt at a far slower pace than ice cream normally does, ensuring you can enjoy every lick, nibble, or spoonful you plan to partake in.

When added to ice cream, BsIA binds together the air, fat, and water in ice cream (it adheres to the fat droplets and air bubbles), making them more stable in a mixture.

This enables the ice cream’s slow-melting quality, all while giving it an even smoother consistency.

C M Y K

HE Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, carried out an unprecedented action, weekend, slamming telecommunications giant, MTN, with a fine of N1.04 trillion for failing to deactivate 5.1 million unregistered SIM cards on its network within the stipulated time.

Specifically, Hi-Tech gathered that the NCC fine was for allegedly undermining efforts by the Nigerian government to tackle security challenges and the war on terror and allied crimes, as the telecoms operator allegedly refused to deactivate unregistered mobile phone lines on its network.

For a country plagued by insecurity of lives and property on one hand, and high incidences of fraud on the other, it is little wonder that Nigerian Agencies seem adamant in their approach to biometric registration, approaching related policies with stone-faced determination and punishing defaulters by a measure almost akin to burning them at the stake.

However, it was not so at the beginning. In 2001, Nigeria was at the dawn of a digital revolution, and the focus was more on mobile phone penetration than on SIM registration. But when in 2008, security agencies approached the Commission to assist in resolving crimes perpetrated through the use of mobile phones , it became clear the need for biometric registration.

This shortfall led to a consultative forum involving various telecoms operators,

As soon as the deadline was over, the NCC swung into action, penalizing MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom Nigeria and Etisalat Nigeria for having pre-registered sim cards in their system

consumer groups, security agencies, telecoms associations, dealers, the Nigerian Identity Management Commission, National Population Commission, National Census Commission, the media and a host of others who agreed that it was necessary to register phone users in the country.

Registered SIM cards Although this commenced on March 28, 2011, and officially ended in January 2012, the fight was far from over. The issue of unregistered, pre-registered, and poorly registered SIM cards still remained an issue, prompting the NCC to give a 7-day ultimatum in August this year to deactivate all such lines or face the consequences.

The NCC had four major goals in mind: To assist security agencies in resolving crimes and by extension to enhance the security of the state; To facilitate the collation of data by the Commission about phone usage in Nigeria; To enable operators to have a predictable profile

about the users in their networks and to enable the commission to effectively implement other value added services like Number Portability among others.

As soon as the deadline was over, the NCC swung into action, penalizing MTN Nigeria, Airtel Nigeria, Globacom Nigeria and Etisalat Nigeria for having preregistered sim cards in their system. They were sanctioned and asked to variously pay a combined total of N120.4 million for failing to fully comply with the directive of the Commission to deactivate pre-registered and defective customer SIM cards.

While MTN, which controls over 62 million subscribers on its network, was asked to Pay N102.2 million; Globacom was slammed with N7.4 million; Etisalat N7 million and Airtel N3.8 million.

Before all these, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof.

Umar Garba Danbatta had spoken openly against the use of pre-registered sims, with a subtle warning of dire consequencies. Danbatta said, Continues on page 27

26—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

NIRA Records 17,691.ng domain names Richard Udofia and Maximilian Anosike

10 ways faith based organizations can leverage social media

•The Pope

By Agbolade Omowole

D

IGITAL media is changing the tools we use to communicate and how we communicate. Digital media is a powerful tool that will open doors and opportunities to engage with people who rarely, if ever, will step foot in a church building. Here are 10 ways faith based organizations can leverage social media: Listen to learn: listen to what your target audience are talking about on social media. Pay attention to what they comment on and what they post

on their timeline. Once you get the central topic, you can tailor your message to their interest.

U s e hashtags: There are times you want to have a discussion in sections.

F o r instance, it could be a sermon in series. Use one hashtag for the series to make it easy for your audience to get the full message.

Blog daily: Many things are taking the attention of young people on social media such that the average young person could forget about 80 percent of a sermon on a Sunday. Blog to reinforce the message.

Be friendly: People don’t want you to force your message on them. If you want them to listen to what you are saying, then you have to work by the first principle of social media - be social, interactive and conversational.

Engage your audience: It is important to understand what your target audience really want to hear.

You must craft your posts in such a way that they can provide feedback.

It is better to ask a question, and let

them answer than to ask a question and provide the answer yourself. Get your audience to respond and take action.

Balance spirituality with human interest stories: Demonstrate interest and commitment to the local community by posting about local issues, events and concerns. Talk about health, wealth creation and things that will improve your their lives while quoting scriptures and all that.

Get more page likes: It is wise to encourage church members to invite their friends to like the church’s Facebook page. If on average, 10 friends of each church member likes your page, you can get an audience ten times as big as your live audience to hear your message every Sunday.

Ask the right question: Behind every post is an underlying feeling and need. People have problems and the more emotional they are, the more likely they are to post how they feel on social media.

Ask yourself- What are the concerns that people express in social media? How might God’s word address these fears and empower them to overcome those problems.

Update your page daily: there’s so much noise on social media lately and some companies are investing heavily on Facebook adverts to get the attention of some of your target audience. Posting updates about upcoming events, news, seeing photographs, and seeing video will keep them engaged.

○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○

‘Tech innovation can settle the tradi-new media tussle’

B

C M Y K

N a bid to promote local content in the IT industry, efforts by stakeholders across the country are in top gear to boost the rate of internet users' dot ng (.ng) usage. One of such stakeholders is the President of Nigeria Internet Registration Association, NIRA, Mr Sunday Folayan, recently disclosed to newsmen in Ibadan recently that as at September, out of 27,862 domain transactions recorded so far in the country, a total of16,191 were for new registrations on .ng domain names. Folayan disclosed that a total of 27,862 .ng domain transactions were carried out as at the third quarter of 2015.

He said that a total of 11,263 domain names were renewed, while 408 domain names were transferred between registrars in the period.

As at January this year, 1,542 .ng domain names were registered and 1,070 domain names were renewed, while 41 domain names transfers were carried out, adding up to a total of 2,653.

According to him, NIRA registered 1,512 domain names, renewed 1,048 and transferred 45 names in February, resulting in 2605 transactions.

He added that in March, 1,805; 1,429 and 67 .ng domain names were registered, renewed and transferred respectively, giving a total of 3,301.

According to a related report by the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in April, the association recorded a total of 2,943 domain names activities out of which 1,509 is new registration, 1,371 is renewal and 63 are transfers.

In May, NIRA registered 1,511 .ng domain names, 1,237 were for renewal and 32 were transfers, giving a total of 2,780.

Folayan said that in June, the association registered 2,087 domain names, renewed 1,268 and transferred 54, making 3,409 activities engaged in. He added that NIRA carried out a total of 3,575 domain names activities of which 2,260 were registrations, 1,282 renewals and 33 transfers. According to him, in August 1,990 registrations were done, 1,178 renewals were carried out and 40 transfers attended to, adding up to 3,208 activities.

Folayan said that 1,975 registrations were carried out, 1,380 renewals done and 33 transfers, giving a total of 3,388 domain names activities in September.

“The domain name renewal rate in September 2015 was higher compared to the renewals in other months of the year except in March. “The significant increase was with domain name renewals at the third level. In general, for September domain name registrations was the lowest in the past four months,” he said.

IT industry contributes 10% to GDP

By Prince Osuagwu

USINESS/lead strategist, WebFair Solutions and codirector, Founders Institute, Mr. Joseph Iruafemi, has said that the consistent prediction that traditional media was heading to extinction due to the activities of the new media would only happen if the traditional media failed to innovate.

According to him, change is about the only factor that is permanent and should the traditional media applies change in the right direction, it would still remain in existence forever.

Iruafemi who was a guest lecturer at a Capability Enhancement Workshop for Journalists in Lagos, organised by PriceWaterhouse Coopers, PwC, in conjunction with AlphaXristi media Solutions Company urged traditional media practitioners to embrace modern technologies to enhance their performances.

According to him, there are different software, which make virtual newsrooms possible. What this means is that news-gathering and editing could be done real-time

I

By Richard Udofia

through collaborative-editing tools, cloud-sources, between the reporter and the editor.

He argued that with iReports, news platforms in the country the people have been empowered to be part of the news gathering, although authentication of the news credibility still remained a greater challenge.

For him, with over 90 million Nigerians having access to the internet, searching for credible news, the professional journalist has a greater advantage to arrest audience combining his training with innovative technologies. He also stands a better chance of repositioning the nation in the new world of information.

Challenging the traditional media, Iruafemi posed some rhetorical questions: “Is it possible for us to have a website that converts words to audio, because most young people prefer to listen

to audio to reading words. We are in an era of software for microcontents; where media houses partner the telecoms on additional news contents dissemination. This will help in expanding the horizons of the media and the readership will broaden,”.

He tasked the media managers not to allow the social media wrestle the pen from their hands, adding that authentication of reports and analytical reports would always endear the conventional media to the readers’ heart.

Organisers of the event, the PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) network, said the event was in its recognition of the place of the media, generally and journalism in particular, in bringing about good governance, sustenance of democracy, and ensuring a conducive climate for investment and economic development,

T

HE Information and Communications Technology, ICT sector contributions to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), has slightly increased over the last five years from 4.5 Percent to 10 percent, accounting for about N50 billion of the total N500 billion accrued to the economy.

This is coming on the heels of huge capital investment made in the sector over the last decade, as statistics show that the IT sector has significantly generated huge returns for the economy. According to the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack, the country is gradually reaping its returns in the IT sector. Jack said that over the last five years, the IT industry has doubled its contribution to the country’s GDP and hopes that more investors in Tech servicing would see the country as an investment destination.

While selling Nigerian brand and wooing potential investors to invest in the Nigerian technology market at the last GITEX expo, in Dubai, Jack claimed that the outcome of the sector was significant after rebasing the country ’s economy.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—27

As with telecom operators,would so be for banks?

IoT: African govts challenged to embrace new technology A

By Emeka Aginam

FRICAN leaders have been advised to leapfrog to the new technology of the Internet of Things (IoT),to be able to withstand the disruptions that may happen in world technology.

The advise was given during the opening ceremony of the ongoing 35th GITEX Technology Week in Dubai, where Nigeria is represented, through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). NITDA used the GITEX event to showcase Nigerian technology start-ups, who displayed various technology solutions that were developed by them locally, in the Nigerian pavilion at GITEX. Local technology from Nigeria was also promoted by NITDA at the GITEX with a view to attracting offshore partnerships and investment to Nigeria. Accordingly, the call for African countries to embrace the technology of IoT by the technology forum, became necessary, following new technology innovations that are driving business efficiency and profitability that are invariably disrupting the old ways of doing businesses globally.

Vice President of Alibaba Group, Mr. Sicheng Yu, who spoke on ‘The Future of Innovation and the

Converging Forces of Change,’ said that “the world is currently experiencing a number of converging forces that will both rewrite the rules of business and redefine the world of innovation.

Each of these driving forces has the potential of blind siding us if we do not spend time crafting stories about the world to come.” According to him, the technology of IoT would in the future, help cars to communicate with other cars on the roads and help in decongesting traffic caused by vehicular movements. He said more innovations were on the way, and urged African countries to key into the innovation, by promoting big data, cloud computing and the internet.

“We are already experiencing increase in the demand for big data services across the globe but big data cannot work effectively, without cloud computing that is largely driven by the internet, Yu said. He assured that that Alibaba Group would continue to use its platform to make system

and applications work faster for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in order to create business efficiency that will drive down cost of business.

Also speaking on ‘Transformation in the Digital Business Era, the Chief Technology Officer of Accenture, Mr. Paul Daugherty, said that “Global companies are reimagining and strategically transforming into digital businesses in order to achieve internal efficiencies, external growth and return to the role of disrupters.”

Highlighting the need for digital transformation across globe and explaining that the globe needed three mega trends that would shape businesses, he said that the trends would include connected world, data connectivity as well as intelligence and automation.

MFI, Kyocera hit at counterfeiters with chip based toner cartridges

L-r: Mr. Sajith Shankar, Managing Director, MFI Office Solutions, Nigeria; Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Mr. Pedro Omontuemhen and Senior Marketing Manager, Kyocera Document Solutions International, Ms.Maki Nagao during a function organised by MFI and it’s partner, Kyocera which was geared at educating and enhancing customer experience with Managed Document Services (MDS) held in Lagos.

By Prince Osuagwu

O

NE of the common threats to both document solutions providers and uninterrupted workflow of major Nigerian businesses is the adulteration inkjet toners. Not only do the activities of counterfeiters affect the return on investment of print solution providers, it also increases the output cost of major organisations.

Though the standard organisation of Nigeria, SON has consistently launched campaigns aimed at frustrating their impacts if not bringing their activities to a total stop, the menace still eats deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian business world. Major solution providers like HP had their fingers burnt with the activities of these unscrupulous class of people but quickly introduced measures to ensure their customers differentiate between fake and original products.

However, Two notable document solutions providers MFI Group and Kyocera Document Solutions, have teamed together with the aim of bailing Nigerian businesses out of the harrowing, interrupted workflow they may have been experiencing due to substandard printing documents.

Straight from their lab, the partners came with a hi-tech solution against any attempt to fake its products particularly the inkjet toner cartridges. The duo in partnership which recently launched cost-saving managed document solutions in Nigeria, said to be capable of assisting organizations recoup up to 30% of their output costs, revealed that their toner cartridges come with special inbuilt chip which would not allow foreign products except that produced by the OEM. In a recent educating and enhancing customer experience event in Lagos on Managed Document Services, the partners said their aim was to identify the pains in four key operational areas of Cost-Saving, average output cost reduction, Reduced energy costs and solutions provision with benefits.

Managed Document Solutions is a process designed to optimize the document output of an organization. It’s a holistic approach that enables businesses to find areas where they can reduce costs.

Continues from page 25 slammed with N7.4 million; Etisalat N7 million and Airtel N3.8 million.

Before all these, Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta had spoken openly against the use of pre-registered sims, with a subtle warning of dire consequencies.

Danbatta said, “We must speak to you about the issue of preregistered SIM cards. This is where criminallyminded people have utilised other peoples’ identities or fraudulent information to register and distribute SIM cards that are bought by innocent subscribers and criminally-minded ones for the purpose of committing fraud without being traced as the number they use do not bear their identities.We request you to avoid buying or distributing preregistered SIM cards as this is a criminal act punishable by imprisonment. Anybody involved in the sale, distribution or use of preregistered SIM card is considered a threat to national security, and if caught, will face the ugly consequences.”

Barely two months later, MTN now faces an even stricter punishment, and is expected to pay N200,000 for each of its 5.1 million subscribers that are not properly registered. According to Funso Aina, MTN’s PR and Protocol Manager, “MTN confirms that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has imposed a N1.4 trillion fine ($5.2bn) on MTN Nigeria. This fine relates to the timing of the disconnection of the 5.1 million MTNN subscribers that were disconnected in August & September 2015 and is based on a N200,000 fine for each improperly registered subscriber. MTN Nigeria is currently engaging with the NCC to resolve the matter.”

In a similar fashion, a few days from now, the Central Bank’s deadline for all bank account owners to obtain Bank Verification number, BVN would elapse. It is possible that millions of Nigerians may be unable to access their accounts; a steep price they would have to pay for failing to acquire their BVN. This is considering that the CBN, in September, had announced that about 32 million active bank account holders were yet to be captured in the BVN exercise.

The goal of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) is to uniquely verify the identity of each Bank’s customer for ‘know your customer’ (KYC) purposes.However, it helps to reduce fraud, increase the efficiency of banking operations and also enable customer access to future credit facilities.

L-R Mrs. Evelyn Chukwudubem, Human Resources Manager, Weco Systems Int’l Ltd.; Mr. Nnamdi Onyebuchi, Chief Operating Officer, Weco Systems; Mr. Ismael Mustapha, Product Sales Specialist – DC, Cisco Systems and Mrs. Morenike Alder, Marketing Manager, Cisco Systems during a Weco- Cisco Unified Computing Systems- UCS business transformation event at Eko Hotel and Suites Victoria Island, Lagos.

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, Dobox Media, Mr. Gafar Williams; Winner, Mr. Shobowale Femi; and General Manager, Convergence Audio Video Division, LG Electronics West Africa operations, Mr. Hyunseung Shin, during the LG Dobox Giveaways Competition presentation ceremony, in Lagos C M Y K

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Martins, Adi star in MLS playoffs

O

bafemi Martins and Fanendo Adi will lead Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers attack respectively when they battle for honours in the MLS playoffs.

The Nigeria strikers are the shining light of their respective clubs in the just-ended regular season of the MLS, scoring 15 goals each and they now have their hands full in a bid to make impact in the playoffs.

Their teams play in the Western Conference and today Seattle Sounders will host LA Galaxy.

Seattle Sounders were knocked out in the playoffs last year and so Martins and his team mates will now be seeking revenge.

Amuneke predicts tough test against Aussies

Kick off: 12 midnight

G

• Martins

Sunderland reject unfit Obasi

T

roubled EPL side Sunderland will not sign Nigeria forward Chinedu Obasi because he could not prove his fitness. Obasi, who is a free agent after he was released by German Bundesliga side Schalke 04, has been training with Sunderland with a the hope of bagging a deal.

According to Mailonline, Sunderland have passed on a chance to sign Obasi after he failed to prove his fitness while they need a player who could walk straight into the team.

The Nigeria international, who holds a German passport, will now seek other options.

• Obasi C M Y K

OLDEN Eaglets Head Coach Emmanuel Amuneke has admitted that their FIFA U-17 World Cup Chile 2015 Round of 16 opponent, Australia would be a hard nut to crack at the Estadio Sausalito in Vina Del Mar. The Aussies showed some remarkable tenacity to advance from the tournament’s supposed group

of death (Group D) where they lost 4-1 to Germany, drew goalless with Mexico and edged Argentina 2-1.

“We have been looking forward to the team we are going to play and today (Sunday), we realized it would be Australia. At this stage, everybody that has qualified must be respected,” explained Amuneke. They (Australia) are a very good

side because we saw their match against Argentina; they are a very good side and we have to respect them.”

While Nigeria have not lost a second round match in the championship’s history, Australia were beaten 4-0

by Uzbekistan in their last Round of 16 appearance at Mexico 2011. Yet, Amuneke insisted the Golden Eaglets must be at their best as Chile 2015 enters the knockout stages.

“We have to keep working hard and prepare our players physically and psychologically for the match (against Australia) especially after losing our last group match to Croatia. We have to let the players realize that the stage we are in now is crucial and it needs high level of concentration f r o m them.

FIFA U-17:

“It is a welcome development (Eaglets versus Australia) and before Wednesday, we would evaluate our players and see their state of mind but hopefully, all of them would be ready to play on Wednesday,” Amuneke assured.

The Eaglets have, in the meantime, been training in Vina del Mar since arriving there on Saturday ahead of their date against the Aussies.

Mali eye third W/Cup quarterfinal M

ALI will battle Korea DPR in Talca on tomorrow, for a place in the quarterfinals of the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup. The ‘Aiglonnets’ earned their spot in the round of 16 of the showpiece event after finishing top of Group D on seven points, with a goalless draw against Belgium in their campaign opener followed by back-to-back victories over Ecuador and Honduras.

Already quarterfinalists in Egypt in 1997 and in Trinidad and Tobago in 2001, the West Africans are targeting a topfour finish in Chile to emulate the Under-20 national team.

“This is a long journey that began a while ago in the African qualifying and now we have finished in the first position in our group,” Mali coach Baye Ba said.

“Mali finished in third position in U-20 finals that took place some months ago in New Zealand and this is our goal too: be in the four best teams of this tournament.”

And to reach their objective, Ba can rely on an impressive attacking power with the likes of Aly Malle, Sidiki Maiga, Boubacar Traoré and Sékou Koita.

Meanwhile, the North Koreans crawled into the knockout stage thanks to a topfour third-place finish, following a dramatic stoppagetime 2-1 win over Costa Rica in their final Group E outing.

“We have shown our ability to play. This win gives us confidence,” North Korea coach Yon Kwang Mu said after the huge morale boost.

“I think we have knowledge of African football after having MIDWEEK SPORTS

faced South Africa in this group.”

The game will kick off at Estadio Fiscal at 22h00 CAT o n Thursday, with the winners to face Croatia or Germany in the quarterfinals.

27 - 10 -2015

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 29

R

AMIRES says manager Jose Mourinho still has the trust of his Chelsea players and insisted the team are focused on turning around their dismal start to the season.

Reigning champions Chelsea suffered their fifth defeat in 10 Premier League matches this season, going down 2-1 away to West Ham on Saturday, leaving them 15th on the table.

Mourinho – subject to a suspended one-game stadium ban for comments made about match officials after the 3-1 home defeat to Southampton earlier this month - was sent to the stands following a half-time incident at the Upton Park and has since been charged with misconduct by the FA. The pressure on the Portuguese has subsequently increased, but Ramires has claimed the players are behind him. “There is no mutiny against Mourinho,” Ramires told ESPN Brasil.

“If you take our last games you will see how everyone is running relentlessly, putting their lives on the line on the pitch, as we say.

“Whenever we’re in bad form, it’s only natural that negative speculation arises, but the whole group isn’t paying attention to the outside. “We are focused on doing what Mourinho asks us to do and,

5th Southern Sun Ikoyi golf tourney tees off Nov 11

BY JIMOH BABATUNDE

T

•Ramires Mourinho

No mutiny against Mourinho — Ramires consequently, helping Chelsea to get back to winning.

“It’s hard to find a logical explanation as the group remains the same from last

season, but the important thing is that we’ve been working to turn things around.

“We know we have a great team that has the capacity to

Mihajlovic: Balotelli still can’t run A

C Milan head coach Sinisa Mihajlovic refuses to put a time frame on the return to action of Mario Balotelli. The Liverpool loanee showed some encouraging glimpses of form last month and scored in the 3-2 victory over Udinese, but a persistent groin problem has kept him sidelined since the 1-0 defeat to Genoa on September 27.

Mihajlovic says Balotelli is continuing to work on strengthening the muscle but admits he cannot say when he will be available.

“The groin pain comes and goes. The doctors are trying everything to solve the problem,” he said.

“He is working to strengthen the painful part, he’s trying everything but he can’t run. I don’t know when he can come back.”

Milan got back to winning ways on Sunday against Sassuolo and Mihajlovic is unwilling to abandon hope of a Champions League spot as long as his side continue to show the same desire. “Of course I believe,” he said. “If Juve believe in a Scudetto comeback, we can make a comeback to the Champions League.

“The team is more compact now. Before, we didn’t attack and defend, but now it’s better. But the goal is to concede fewer chances than before.

•Balotelli

Capital One Cup: Sturridge to miss cup tie

J

ürgen Klopp has confirmed Daniel Sturridge will again be absent when Liverpool host Bournemouth in his first Capital One Cup tie today.

The striker has not featured for Klopp having injured his knee in a training ground collision with Jordon

Ibe ahead of the draw at Tottenham Hotspur, a knock that resulted in a build-up of fluid around the joint.

Sturridge has not resumed full training ahead of the fourth-round tie with Eddie Howe’s team at Anfield and will miss the new manager’s fourth match in charge.

do more and we are fighting on the pitch to get Chelsea back to the stability needed to fight at the top of the table, which is what should happen every time.”

Klopp satisfied with progress Jurgen Klopp insists Liverpool are ahead of where he expected them to be as he aims for a first win in his fourth match in charge.

The German must have thought he was about to break his duck when Christian Benteke put Liverpool ahead late on against Southampton on Sunday only for Sadio Mane to equalise.

That made it three draws in succession for Klopp, who expressed his surprise in the aftermath at the extreme reaction of his players to conceding the goal.

But he was keen to project a much more positive vibe ahead of today’s Capital One Cup clash with Bournemouth at Anfield.

Klopp said: “I think it’s more a problem with my language. I don’t have enough words to make the small differences between words and meaning.

“I really don’t have problems. How I understand it is, if we bring new information, if you were at this level, then you go a step down and then it goes in the other direction.

“That’s pretty normal. It’s the time you need to change your movements and all these things. I’m surprised

•Jurgen Klopp

he 5th annual Southern Sun Ikoyi Golf Tournament 2015 will tee off November 11, 2015 at the lush course of the Lakowe Lakes Golf and Country Estate.

The tournament which will feature about 100 experienced players representing corporate sponsors from various sectors of the economy is one of the strategic plans developed by the luxurious hotel in reinforcing its commitment to the promotion of sports within its community.

Adding to the expectations for this year ’s Golf Tournament, General Manager Southern Sun Ikoyi, Mark Loxley said aside showing its support for the development of sporting activities in the country, “Southern Sun hope to contribute with an active role in helping our adopted charity organisation, the Arrows of God Orphanage as proceeds from this tournament will benefit the charity greatly”.

The Arrows of God orphanage founded in 1998 and located in Ajah, Lagos, cares for over 150 orphaned, abandoned and destitute children.

Participants at this year’s Golf Tournament also stand a chance to win very exciting prizes courtesy of the tournament’s corporate sponsors. The exhilarating prizes for grabs include; business and economy class return tickets to South Africa amongst other wonderful international travel destinations, a Toyota Rav 4 SUV and a Mini Cooper car amongst many other fantastic prizes.

MTN donates N5m to Polo club

I

n furtherance of its commitment to improving the game of Polo in Nigeria, MTN Nigeria has donated N5 million to the Yola Polo club, as it partnered the Nigerian Polo Federation to sponsor this year’s edition of the annual MTN Yola Polo tourney.

The sponsorship, according to the Consumer Marketing Manager, MTN, Richard Iweanoge underscores the company’s effort to give back to its subscribers and support their lifestyle in a unique way. He also added that their support for the tournament was aimed at raising the profile of the game.

“Our goal at MTN Nigeria is to be there for Nigerians at all times and this is reflected through our sponsorship of the annual Yola Polo tourney. We want to raise the profile of the Polo game in Nigeria and to ensure that Nigeria stands tall amongst the comity of professional Polo nations across the world,” Iweanoge stated.

Francis Ogboru, President of the Nigerian Polo Federation hailed MTN, describing the firm as a leading light with respect to it’s contribution to the federation’s sanctioned tournaments in the country.

C M Y K

30—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Oby Ezekwesili O

BY Ezekwesili, a former minister of Education, has compared Nigeria’s current economic situation to that of 1982 during the regime of ex-president, Shehu Shagari- and trends on that account.

In a speech in Lagos, the former minister stressed that the situation surrounding the economic, social and political sectors is precarious, saying that managing such situations would be really difficult for the government.

Ezekwesili recalled 1981 and 1982 years when Nigeria witnessed the same economic collapse as it is witnessing now.

We have found ourselves in a situation

Mo Abudu

*Mo Abudu

where every sector is in a precarious situation. We are operating on uncertainty and it is very difficult. Our economy has taken a nose dive, and I ask how it is possible for Nigeria to find itself in this embarrassing situation. Nigerians must study history because people who do not study history risk repeating all the mistakes made in the past.

The former minister also states that she was poorer while serving in government.

In a series of tweets Ezekwesili urged Nigerians to change their mindset of seeing government portfolios as an avenue to make money.

L

Germaine Greer

M

EANWHILE fiercest feminist, Germaine Greer, has accused Caitlyn Jenner of “stealing the limelight” from the other women of the Kardashian clan. In an interview, Greer said that “misogyny played a big part” in Glamour magazine’s decision to award Jenner their woman of the year.

Defending previous statements in which she claimed that trans women were not “real women,” she also refused to back down from her position that transgender women, who have begun life as men before undergoing surgery and hormone treatment to become women, do not ‘look like, sound like or behave like women’.

C M Y K

*Oby Ezekwesili

ATE bloomer Mo Abudu rules the Nigerian blogosphere this week, along with stars of her newly premiered movie, Fifty: Ireti Doyle, Dakore Egbuson-Akande, Omoni Oboli and Nse Ikpe-Etim.

Fifty is directed by Biyi Bandele with Mo Abudu the executive producer.

Fifty had its London Film Festival premiere at the weekend, and crituques say the production is Mo Abudu’s quest to showcase African women coming of age, vis a vis aspirations and dilemmas faced by their contemporaries everywhere, while yet navigating traditions and obligations.

Set in Lagos, “ a city of disproportionate and breathtaking contrasts”, Fifty celebrates the pulse and energy of this fast developing metropolis and explores the diversities and complexities of its colourful people through the lenses of its women.

Omotola Jalade Back home, movie veteran Omotola continues to add feathers to her cap- not to mention zeroes to her bank account- as she picks up a multimillion Naira endorsement as Brand Ambassador to Scanfrost.

The mother of four who is also an ambassadors of Knorr, is one of the most decorated movie actresses in Africa.

*Germaine Greer Greer’s statements prompted a petition circulated by Cardiff University students started by the women’s officer at the Cardiff University Students’ Union. It claims that Greer has”demonstrated time and time again her misogynistic views towards trans women,

Kaitlyn Jenner

T

HE very famous Jenner-Kardasian clan might be down but not out, and their most daring member yet has been trending all week.

She may have split from their mother Kris Jenner, but Caitlyn Jenner showed she’s still part of the family as she attended Kim Kardashian’s luxurious baby shower this weekend.

The 65 year-old former Olympian wore matching striped pajamas as she joined the KardashianJenner clan as they celebrated Kim’s pregnancy.

*Kaitlyn Jenner

Iara Oshiomhole including continually ‘misgendering’ trans women and denying the existence of transphobia altogether.”

The petition had more than 800 signatures. But Greer says of it, “I don’t really know what I think of it. It strikes me as a bit of a put-up job really because I am not even going to talk about the issue that they are on about.

What they are saying is that because I don’t think surgery will turn a man into a woman I should not be allowed to speak anywhere.”

Cardiff University said that it would not cancel Greer ’s speech. “Our events include speakers with a range of views, all of which are rigorously challenged and debated”.

The debate continues.

*Iara Oshiomhole

A

GAIN the Edo State First Lady stole the show at the launch of Wole Soyinka Foundation in Abeokuta last week, and pictures of her ‘getting it right’ this time in a red dress have appeared on blogosphere. But commentators are still harsh, with one writing: I have been trying to understand why Oshiomole’s new wife must attend and sit with him on official matters, when she has no place being there. Is she his personal assistant, his medical care giver nurse or what. I don’t understand her role in the government.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 —31

By Josephine Agbonkhese

W

HAT inspired Le Look?

This business was founded because of the need to empower a brother of mine with disability. He is actually deaf and dumb. I had to put him through a hairdressing school. At the end, I said to myself: “If he can neither talk nor hear, at least he can see.

So, let me give the name Le Look.”

When we opened here thirty years ago, we could only take appointments for my brother to do hair because he wouldn’t know what a customer wanted done. Later, I employed some hairdressers to join him.

The acceptability was high and the saloon became one of the most celebrated and patronized in Lagos.

But Le Look, as you can see, has grown from a hairdressing saloon to a bag-making company because my brother has moved on. He now lives in the United States of America where he is doing great things with hair.

Le Look became a place to fall back on when I retired from the federal civil service.

When exactly did you venture into bag making?

That was about 20 years ago and it began with my younger sister who’s also challenged; two of my six siblings actually have physical challenges.

Physical challenges I was determined to get them engaged. I thereafter engaged her in bag making and that marked the dawn of my entry into business because at that time, I was still in public service.

What has been your highest point so far?

Empowering youths and creating jobs for people who would otherwise not have any.

The unique opportunity to promote Nigeria is also what satisfies me about this business. If you check our labels inside the bag, you’ll see ‘Made in Nigeria’ boldly written.

You apparently seek to create an international brand.

Why use only African prints(Ankara) for your bags and accessories?

I’ve always known that most people never liked to wear it in those days. So, I said to myself, “If you cannot wear it, then learn to carry it.”

Carrying it has indeed become fashion since then.

Having worked with young minds all these years, what would you say about the entrepreneurship spirit C M Y K

•Chinwe Felicia Ezenwa

We are still struggling to access FADAN/BOI loans — Chinwe Ezenwa, arts & crafts promoter/exporter •Says banks have failed to boost private sector Her products adorn the Smithsonian Institute, the world’s largest museum and research complex seated in Washington, USA. Though not your regular news or magazine cover personality, Chief(Mrs) Chinwe Felicia Ezenwa is a leading promoter and exporter of Nigerian arts and crafts, particularly bags, fashion accessories and souvenirs, all of which she manufactures with purely African fabrics, with attention to details. Queens and Kings College, as well as other prominent schools, now carry her customised backpack bags.

A retired Director of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Chinwe who prides herself more in her ability to create employment for about 50 young Nigerians at present through Le Look Nigeria Limited, celebrated the company’s 30th anniversary earlier in October. She tells more in this interview and decries women entrepreneurs’ poor access to loans.

among Nigerian youths?

I think the past few years have been quite commendable.

The

...what I’m however not pleased with are the tall orders always required for loans. ...what other collateral can be more dependable than one’s skill and ideas?

environment too has been made conducive a bit. But the fact is that the absence of jobs has made it compulsory for everybody to look more inward. I think we should look inward more and more because government cannot employ everybody. M o r e opportunities abound in the private sector.

I am determined to create more jobs with Le Look if government will give me the opportunity.

Have there been patronage and support from government?

Yes, to a commendable extent. The Bank of Industry, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and some federal ministries. We make most of the conference bags for people. We work for the

Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC; some United Nations bodies; the federal ministries, to mention but few. In terms of getting support, what I’m however, not pleased with are the tall orders always required for loans. I mean, what other collateral can be more dependable than one’s skill and ideas?

Don’t you belong to a body which can advocate easier access to loans for entrepreneurs like yourself?

I belong to the Fashion Designers Association of Nigeria, FADAN, and recently the association got a billion naira fund.

Creating wealth for private sector We are all struggling to access that loan. But even then, the conditionality for that is still quite tall; not everyone can meet it. Le Look can meet it, but what about others?

Why not get government assistance to access loans in the private sector like from banks?

The banks have been given opportunities to create wealth for the private sector but they have not been doing so. They have what they call SMIES which they use to reserve 10% of their earnings for the private sector but how many people have accessed that? I dare say the fund is not there for entrepreneurs to even

access, not to mention the conditionality. People should investigate properly.

It is now their (banks) eyes will open because government is removing all their money from their custody. So, they have no choice than to look for very serious-minded private sector people to partner with.

Tell us, how has the journey been so far with Le Look?

It’s been rough and tumble.

A major challenge is however power (electricity) because we run on generator 24/7. Even as we celebrated our 30th anniversary on October 1st, we were on generator. You can imagine, 55 years of Nigeria’s independence and everybody is still relying on generator.

Presently, we have about 50 employees in Le Look and I’m proud to say some of these staff acquired the arts and crafts skill from us. Many are also university graduates.

You’re heavily into exportation; what’s the acceptance like abroad?

Excellent. The Germans, Parisians and Americans love our products. In fact, each time there’s an event at the American Embassy, we’re always invited to exhibit. The Smithsonian Institute, the world’s largest museum and research complex, also had to come all the way from Washington DC to visit Le Look. They gave me a medal and I was told only the First Ladies of America get such medals.

32 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR PDP

Consolidation in Delta

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T

ELLTALE signs: As far as the tribunal was concerned, Ogboru and Labour Party woefully failed to prove their assertions of ballot stuffing and other electoral malpractices. As if saying the petitioners came to waste the time of the tribunal given that their witnesses appallingly contradicted, themselves in their testimonies, the tribunal awarded N50, 000 costs against each of the petitioners.

Justice Gunmi gave clue of the tribunal’s displeasure with the demeanour of the petitioners’ witnesses when Mr. Turner Ogboru, a younger brother to Ogboru, appeared before it earlier on September 16. He commented that the way he answered questions by lawyers to respondents might be injurious to the case of the petitioners.

He said, “Don’t stretch our patience, maybe we have to take an adjournment and ask your counsel to advice you on how to behave. You are a witness in this matter, whatever relationship you have with counsels does not count here, and you should answer the questions directly, so please help us. I want you to know that the evidence you give will determine your case, if you do not comport yourself, I do not know how you are helping in this matter.”

Flawed theory: The conclusion of the tribunal, especially in the Emerhor/APC case against Okowa, was that the petitioners incorrectly thought that with the verdict of the Rivers tribunal to the effect that INEC compromised the election in the state with the use of incident forms, rather than adherence to card reader, would automatically ricochet in Delta.

Shoddy preparation Though the tribunal overrode the preliminary objections of the respondents that Emerhor was not competent to bring the action and lacked locus standi, it said the uncorroborated malfunction of the card reader, a complement to the accreditation process at some polling units did not invalid Okowa’s election.

What dumbfounded the tribunal the more and which counted greatly in favour of Okowa, was the seemingly clumsy manner the petitioners went about the case. Indeed, this was the decisive factor for the governor.

As the panel said, “The petition is unusual for a gubernatorial electoral petition; it contains only 17 paragraphs, on seven pages

•Okowa

•Emerhor

•Ogboru

ASABA- DRAWING analogy from the Governorship Election Petition Tribunals at Akwa Ibom and Rivers States, which quashed the elections of Governors Udom Emmanuel and Nyesom Wike, the All Progressives Congress, APC and Labour Party, LP, governorship candidates in Delta State in the April 11, 2014 governorship election, Olorogun O’tega Emerhor and Chief Great Ogboru may have anticipated Delta State to follow the bandwagon last Monday.

However, this was not to be, as the three-man Governorship Election Petition Tribunal in the state, chaired by Justice Nasiru Gunmi, darted their expectations. It did not invalidate result in a single local government, not to talk of ordering a re-run.

The tribunal not only sustained the election of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the election, it dismissed their petitions with ignominy.

Starting with the petition by Ogboru and his party, the tribunal held that the petitioners were under obligation to prove their claims that the election of Senator Okowa as governor did not substantially comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2010 as amended, but contrarily, they abandoned the roadway and pursued shadow during the proceedings. of A4 paper. There are 25 local government areas in Delta state and by virtue of polling units…, there are at least, 3,329 polling units in Delta state. One would have thought that there would have been pleadings on what transpired in the polling units but this was not the case.”

The panel said it was, therefore, not surprised at the lean pleadings of the petition, as the petitioners dwelt more on the use of card readers vis a vis their deployment for the election and the authority of INEC introducing it in the first instance, instead of proving the allegation of corrupt practices they canvassed.

In fact, it wondered why the petitioners did not adduce factual situations that occurred at some of the over 3,000 polling units in the state to substantiate their case. For the avoidance of doubt, it said the electoral umpire had the authority to introduce card reader and make other regulations for the conduct of elections in the country.

The tribunal did not see how unproven hitches experienced with the card reader would amount to a failure of a device used for the first time in the country to eliminate the same

corrupt practices the petitioners complained.

Toxic votes: The panel said it was not enough for the petitioners to seek declaratory reliefs from it, saying they should prove their case before looking forward to reliefs, adding that it was their responsibility to establish the existence of toxic votes in the ballots counted for Okowa. It held that out of the 715,392 votes earlier uploaded by INEC from its server in June and the 715,592 votes at the end of August, the petitioners did not bear out the toxic votes and it was not the assignment of the tribunal to prove the case of the

As far as the tribunal was concerned, Ogboru and Labour Party woefully failed to prove their assertions of ballot stuffing and other electoral malpractices

petitioners. In any case, it said the petitioners’ dependence on the uploaded figure of INEC was insufficient and never advanced their case.

Fatality of petitions: The tribunal ruled that it was wrong for the petitioners to rely on the weakness of the case of the respondents, saying in all, they failed to demonstrate that INEC did not conduct the election in substantial accordance with the Electoral Act. Okowa’s confidence: Counsels for the various respondents, Alex Iziyon, SAN, Timothy Kehinde, SAN, Daiman Dodo, SAN and Ken Mozea, SAN, seemed to have spotted the weakness in the petitioners’ strategy and acted dumb to the incongruity during the proceedings because it was in their best interest to act in like manner.

Governor Okowa, frequently briefed by his counsels, was selfassured that since he won the polls, there was no way the tribunal would upturn his election, but he was not oblivious of the fact that anything could happen, especially with the shattering breeze from Rivers and Akwa Ibom, where the elections of his colleague governors were nullified.

Gbagi’s destabilizing projectile The pervasive rumor that some persons have compromised the tribunal and the annulment of his election was a done deal unsettled PDP leaders in the state.

Former Minister of State for Education, Olorogun Kenneth Gbagi, who has an axe to grind with the Urhobo Progress Union, UPU the apex Urhobo body of the Urhobo ethnic nationality, over its role in the run-up to the PDP primaries and the elections proper, picked the gauntlet for Okowa.

The criminologist and lawyer launched propaganda barely 48 hours to the judgment that it would be illegal for the tribunal to annul an election that everybody knew Okowa won.

Game plan If his game plan was to preempt the tribunal from delivering a dangerous blow at Okowa, then, his hit was on target, as it not only rankle feathers in certain quarters, it aborted some calculations.

Gbagi confirmed to this writer that some highly placed persons, who he refused to mention their names, contacted him to find out exactly what he knew, but he fenced them off.

Former Chief of Staff to the Delta State Government, now an APC tactician, Chief Paulinus Akpeki, plotting to unseat Okowa not through the tribunal, but the ballot box in 2015, is one of those who decoded Gbagi’s stratagem. He asked him to name names if he was sure of his charge, but it was too late in the day to outfox the Oginibo chief, as the tribunal upheld the election of his man, Okowa, 24 hours later.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 33

DIFFERENT STROKES FOR PDP

Reversals in Rivers

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T

HE chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC was ecstatic on Monday night as word of the tribunal judgment sacking 20 of the 32 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly seeped in.

The victory of the party’s candidates was an icing to the cake after last Saturday’s judgment of the state Governorship Election Tribunal ordered a rerun of the governorship election declared to have been won by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the last election.

At the end of the elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC had declared victory for the PDP in the governorship election and also, in 31 of the 32 state House of Assembly constituencies. The APC was only credited with one seat in the House.

The election was, however, contested both by the APC and most independent observers who declared the elections to have been rigged. Remarkably, the governorship and the state House of Assembly elections were held on the same day on April 11.

The judgment annulling the outcome of 20 state constituency elections in Rivers State compounds the problems of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers State and sets stage for an unprecedented constitutional crisis

Governorship tribunal The judgment of the governorship tribunal had as such come as further relief to the APC in its bid to take control of the state.

The APC it would be recalled had been in control of the state until May 29. The party led by former Governor Rotimi Amaechi had alleged that the PDP, being the party in power at the time of the April 11 governorship and state legislative elections, had used security forces to foist its will on the electorate.

Remarkably, the campaigns preceding

The constituencies affected •GOKANA •ELEME •OBIO AKPOR 1 •OBIO AKPOR 2 •ETCHE 2 •OPOBO/NKORO •AKUKUTORU 2 •ASARI TORU 1 •ASARI TORU 2 •BONNY •TAI •ONELGA 1 •DEGEMA •AHOADA EAST -1 •KHANA-1 •KHANA 2 •IKWERRE •PHALGA-2 •ANDONI

•Dakuku

•Wike the election had been much characterised by violence with the death of several supporters of the APC. Following the election, the APC had vowed to appeal the elections and by last week, the party’s supporters had again begun to smile with victory in sight.

The PDP top hierarchy had fixed a meeting of its national caucus for tomorrow to review the import of the judgment on the governorship elections in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States.

Monday’s judgment remarkably adds to the woes of the party, and in fact becomes a game changer for the two parties in the event of a rerun.

The summary of the judgment puts the PDP on knife-edge as it leaves the party with control of only 11 seats in the 32 member state House of Assembly.

With 11 members needed to form a quorum, it means that any further loss on the part of the party could mean the House not being able to form a quorum, and

thereby not being able to produce the speaker that could act as acting governor in the event of a possible rerun of the governorship election.

Yesterday, the incumbent speaker of the House who was one of those affected by the judgment was seething with

The summary of the judgment puts the PDP on knife-edge as it leaves the party with control of only 11 seats in the 32 member state House of Assembly

ONE DAY ONE TROUBLE -Saturday, October 24 - Tribunal annuls Wike’s election -Monday , October 26 – Tribunal annuls PDP’s victory in 20 seats -Tuesday, October 27 – Supreme Court dismisses Wike’s appeal on jurisdiction of tribunal

indignation with a vow to contest the judgment.

He was also quick to dismiss insinuations that control of the House had turned over to the APC. “The whole world knows that election was conducted in the state on April 11.

The whole world knows as well that INEC prepared for such election for a long period. Because we have faith in the judiciary system, we have faith in the judges and justices we have in Nigeria we believe that our cass will not be different.

We have faith in the Chief Justice of Nigeria that justice must be done. We have faith in the judiciary.

You can’t insulate democracy from justice.

Through free will the people voted governor Wike and members of the state House of Assembly. We must keep faith with the Nigeria state,” he said.

“People will always say this Speaker does not laugh. Today I am going to laugh.

Leadership entails maturity”, he said on a lighter note.

Also adding to the woes of the PDP was the Supreme Court judgment yesterday which dismissed Governor Nyesom Wike’s contention that the relocation of the Governorship Election from Rivers State to Abuja was wrong. The judgment in effect, removed any contention against the Saturday judgment that annulled the governorship election.

34 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

C M Y K

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—35

Fighting corruption subject to consultational limitations

By Ben Nwabueze

T

HE dangers of a war on corruption uninhibited by constitutional limitations on power: The war against corruption is no doubt a very laudable cause that demands the wholehearted support of all.

Constitutional democracy cannot be sustained, much less be nurtured to full maturity in Nigeria, unless a relentless war is waged against rampant corruption.

But support for the war obliges us to make a choice between, on the one hand, a total war against corruption uninhibited by the limitations on power contained in the Constitution, i.e. to do away, even if not completely, with the system of rule known as constitutional democracy which we have adopted as a deliberate choice, and, on the other, fighting corruption within and subject to the framework of limitations on power embodied in the Constitution, especially limitations arising from the federal system and the guarantee of civil and political rights.

We should be under no illusions whatsoever that to do away with constitutional limitations on power in order to

corruption uninhibited by constitutional limitations on power •Statement portraying corruption as a monster that will kill us if we do not kill it first. At a recent Conference the President said: “Our fight against corruption is not just a moral battle for virtue and righteousness in our land; it is a fight for the soul and substance of our nation…This is why we must see it as an existential threat; if we don’t kill it, it will kill us” – emphasis supplied.

This statement is nothing but a propaganda gimmick purposely put out to seduce Nigerians into acclaiming him (the President) as a liberator embarked on a desperate war to free us from the killing clutches of corruption.

Devastating as its evil consequences are, corruption is not such a monster as will destroy our very existence if we do not first kill it. It does not therefore call for a total war on it untrammeled by the constitutional limitations on power. The statement is a false, unwarranted alarm call for a total war.

Furthermore, as stated in my earlier write-up, corruption is not Nigeria’s Number One enemy to warrant subordinating our Constitution to the war PR OF UEZE PROF OF.. BEN NW AB ABUEZE against it.

•Statement contained in be able to wage a total war on the President’s Inaugural Speech corruption untrammeled by those on May 29, 2015 limitations is to risk the destruction of our continued coConstitutional existence in one country.

The Constitution is like a glue limitations that holds us together as one What the President said in his polity; without it and the limitations it imposes on power, Inaugural Speech on May 29, especially the limitations arising 2015 bears out more directly and from the federal system and the unmistakeably his intention not guarantee of civil and political to allow constitutional limitations rights, we risk not having one on power to stand in the way of a Nigeria. We in the Igbo Leaders total war on corruption. He said, of Thought stand firmly on the “Constitutionally there are limits continued peaceful co-existence to powers of each of the three of all the ethnic nations tiers of government but that comprised in Nigeria. But should not mean the Federal President Buhari has given a hint Government should fold its arms that his intention is to wage a total and close its eyes to what is going war on corruption untrammeled on in the states and local by constitutional limitations. The governments. Not least the hint comes from notable operations of the Local statements of his, albeit in terms Government Joint Account. not free from differing While the Federal Government can not interfere in the details of interpretations.

Hints by the president of his its operations it will ensure that intention to wage a total war on the gross corruption at the local

Map of Nigeria

level is checked. As far as the constitution allows me I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country. For I will not have kept my own trust with the Nigerian people if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch” (emphasis supplied).

That “the President Federal Republic of Nigeria”, as he is officially styled, should make such a statement is incredible. It is simply unbelievable that he, as President in a federal state, should exhibit such lack of understanding of the nature and the cardinal principles of the federal system as established by our Constitution, and that it is no part of the responsibility of the chief executive of the Federal Government (i.e. the President) under the system to “ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country”. The State Governments as well as the local governments under our federal system are not under his (the President’s) “ watch”; it is no part of his responsibility to watch over, or to keep an eye on, them to ensure that they maintain “responsible and accountable governance”.

Such a preposterous proposition is simply subversive of the federal system under our Constitution.

Likewise, it is no part of the responsibility of a State Governor, as the chief executive of the State Government, to watch over or

The President, as chief executive of the Federal Government, cannot lawfully arrogate to himself, the checking or oversight function simply because the constitutional agencies entrusted with the function do not do their work the way they are supposed to function

President Buhari police the President to ensure that he does not commit corruption.

The constitutional agencies entrusted with that responsibility in both the case of the State Governor and the President are the judiciary, including the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) and the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT); the legislative assemblies through the exercise of their power to impeach and remove the chief executive and through the exercise of their over-sight function; and, ultimately, the people through the exercise of their right during election not to vote back to office a corrupt President or Governor.

The President, as chief executive of the Federal Government, cannot lawfully arrogate to himself, the checking or oversight function simply because the constitutional agencies entrusted with the function do not do their work the way they are supposed to function. Insofar as, and to the extent that, the Economic and Financial Crimes Act 2004 and the Corrupt Practices and Allied Offences Act 2000 purport to confer the function on the President, they are unconstitutional, null and void.

The issue cannot appropriately be pursued here.

Total war on corruption •The President’s other statements or conduct suggestive of an intention not to allow constitutional limitations on power inhibit a total war on corruption. There are other statements or conduct by the President that suggest unwillingness on his part to allow a total war on corruption to be inhibited by constitutional limitations on power.

Such statements or conduct are, without any claim to exhaustiveness, the dictatorial disregard of the commands and directives of our Constitution, in particular its provisions (a) requiring him to appoint ministers and to hold regular meetings with them (and the Vice-President) “for the purpose of determining the general direction of domestic and foreign policies of the Government of the Federation”, as well as “advising [him] generally in the discharge

of his executive functions”, (the list of his ministerial nominees was submitted to the Senate for screening and confirmation only on September 30, 2015, i.e. four months after his inauguration as President; as the screening and confirmation process in the Senate is still going on as at today (10 October), it means the President is still ruling the country without ministers.) (b) directing him, in the administration of government, to “conform to, observe and apply” the principles of democracy, justice, social justice, the “federal character” principle and equality, in particular, to treat citizens equally, and not to discriminate between them on the ground of place of origin, ethnicity, religion or political opinion, as may be manifested, for example, in the way they vote in elections, whether they voted for or against his (the President’s) political party (the directive was disregarded in the 24 key appointments he made recently).

Financial resources At this point, the nature and cardinal principles of our federal system need to be defined and explained.

•The nature and cardinal principles of our federal system defined and explained Federalism is an arrangement whereby powers of government in a country as well as financial resources are, by legally enforceable provisions in a constitution, sanctioned by the invalidity of acts that violate the limitation, divided between a general country-wide government and regionally – based governments in such a way that each, as a government, has a separate, independent existence as well as equality of status (as distinct from equality of powers) with the others, and is, in its operations, free from control or interference by the others, with a will of its own and its own apparatus for the conduct of its affairs, and with an authority exclusive in some fields and binding directly on persons and things in all matters within its competence.

Federalism is thus a vital instrument for limited government, i.e. of constitutionalism. “Of all checks on democracy” writes Professor John Dalberg-Acton, better known as Lord Acton, “federalism has been the most efficacious and the most congenial….The federal system limits and restrains sovereign power by dividing it”. – John E.E. Dalberg Acton, First Baron Acton, History of Freedom and Other Essays, ed by J.N. Figgis and R.V. Laurence (1907), p. 98.

To be continued

36 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 YOUR LUCK TODAY

LEISURE

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 LIBRA; It is good to express yourself gracefully , but it is equally good to watch what you tell others so that you don’t promise what you can not deliver.

SCORPIO; The best for you today is to give priority attention to practical way to improve on your working pattern and encourage better understanding at work.

SAGITTARIUS; It is nice to rely on yourself but nobody can be an Island on his own; meaning that you will need to be as co-operative as necessary to be successful today.

CAPRICORN; Good advice from the veterans within your base of operation will go long way to get things done the proper way to the betterment of your cause.

AQUARIUS; If you take good advice from your tried and trusted friends you will not have cause to regret but if you become reckless it would back-fire. Be loving..

PISCES; You like it or not, domestic related issues will become prominent on your mind. Career and financial affairs can bring you unexpected success today..

THOUGHT FOR TODAY

By Richard Eromosele

Need a friend?

E RY O N E E Vneeds a

friend. However, not everyone wants to do what could bring about the much desired friendship.

Friendship is a

deliberate and curteous act aimed at making the other man or woman to like you. Do you want a friend? Then, be

TERROR MUDA

friendly disposed to other people.

Today, one of my my closest friends is someone I met at the bible college. I was sitting

in “Scavenger Elite”

in one corner of the room when he accosted me, asking: Can I shine your shoe?

And I quickly answered: Yes, you can. Tell me, who wouldn’t reciprocate such a friendly gesture?

By Lanre Kehinde

ARIES; Those of you who are more firmed are in for a rewarding day. In whatever you do today it is important you don’t forget both immediate and far future.

TAURUS; You will have more to gain keeping both your personal and financial secrets. Take good advantage of your sex appeal to enhance your love life positively GEMINI; You are becoming more determined to the betterment of your cause. However this is not the right time to re-arrange (and/or) re-plan your finances.

CANCER; Giving priority attention to either day-to-day working activities or long term career related issue is not bad at all but you must be as practical as possible.

LEO; It will be wrong to drop ambitious plans along your career line because of minor disappointment. Take your good friends more seriously.

VIRGO; Time is fast approaching for an important actions concerning you career and/or business lines. Don’t allow friends to mislead you. Be very practical.

KAPTAIN AFRIKA

in “HEY’

By Andy Akman

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING Send yyour our dat tr ological datee and place of bir th ttoo the As Astr trological Counselling, PP.M.B .M.B 1100 00 7, Apapa, Lagos 007,

What’s exactly my future?

Dear Joshua, I want you to tell me how the planets lined up when I was born and what both immediate and far future have for me.

When was I born; I mean the day of the week Solomon, Benin.

Dear Solomon, You were born on a Monday as indicated by your horoscope data given here under. You have future. I hope you will take what you will find seriously and utilise them.

THE HOROSCOPE DATA DAY OF BIRTH=MONDAY SUN SIGN = CANCER ;SUN IN 6TH DEGREE OF CANCER. MOON SIGN = ARIES ;MOON IN 24TH DEGREE OF ARIES STELLIUM SIGN = LEO MERCURY IN 1ST DEGREE OF LEO* VENUS IN 22ND DEGREE OF LEO* MARS IN 17TH DEGREE OF LEO* JUPITER IN 22ND DEGREE OF SCORPIO SATURN IN 3RD DEGREE OF CAPRICORN URANUS IN 14TH DEGREE OF LEO* NEPTUNE IN 4TH DEGREE OF SCORPIO PLUTO IN 2ND DEGREE OF VIRGO NORTH NODE IN 8TH DEGREE OF LIBRA SOUTH NODE IN 8TH DEGREE OF ARIES NUMBERS OF PLANET HOSTED BY GROUP OF STAR SIGNS (ACCORDING TO QUALITY & ELEMENT) ARE; CARDINAL = 3 FIXED =6 MUTABLE = I FIRE = 5 EARTH = 2 AIR = NONE WATER = 3 PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 50% NON-PUSHFUL INFLUENCE = 50% FINAL DISPOSITOR (PLANET AT HOME)= AMBITIOUS SATURN For the past few years you have entered an endless cycle of material success. And your 44th year on earth is meant to be a powerful turning point with major emphasis placed on MONEY and LOVE. Talking of money, it will come through your work . However the great challenge here is how to hold on to your profits as there are indications of you expending too much of your funds on either women or woman. It is not clear if it is on business or your normal responsibilities. But mind you if it is on business you will need to tarry a while because such may not yield the desired result. Actually if you go into joint venture with a woman during your 44th & 45th years on earth you are more than likely to be cheated; to be fore warned is to be fore armed.

Romantic aspect of it is if you don’t want another wife you will need to be very careful; as romantic escapade can result to avoidable trouble and/or sorrow (God forbid). Please take me very seriously here, Please! Please!! Please!!!

What is more important about this two months is that you will need to be more careful with money between now, and end of year.

VIRGINIA

HOME & ABROAD

dadadekola@yahoo.com

By Lawrence Akapa

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOMBER 28 , 2015—37

EX-MILITANTS' SUIT: Court gives FG, Amnesty Office 14 days to respond

By Emem Idio

Y

ENAGOA—A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, yesterday issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government and the office of the Federal Government's Amnesty Implementation Committee, to respond to the suit filed by aggrieved exmilitants from Bayelsa, Delta and Rivers states over alleged exclusion from the on-going amnesty programme.

The ex-militants, Asenekir Oyile, Angiama-Owei Oyindoubra,John Government, John Sawyer, Trydy Okpeke, Dollar Motor, Selebi Ayowei, Bobra Angese, Henry Gomeromo and Ekerebi Ombe, in their suit, claimed that the Amnesty Committee erred by refusing to include them in the ongoing programme after series of resolutions from meetings with the past National Security Advisers to the President, Late General Owei Azazi and Col. Sambo Dasuki.

The ex-militants, in suit, FHC/YNG/CS/102/2013, filed at the Federal High Court, Yenagoa, declared that they were former militants that had accepted Amnesty under the Third Phase and surrendered their weapons to the Federal Government through the Amnesty Office in 2011 under the peace initiative of the

Federal Government.

In its sitting yesterday, the presiding judge, Justice H.A. Nganjiwa, ruled in favour of the ex-militants on the plea for an extension of time on the notice to file counter motions against the preliminary objections filed by the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and the office of the Amnesty Implementation Committee.

Justice Nganjiwa, after hearing the submissions of the

counsel to the ex-militants, K.O.Seriaki, on the two separate motions in response to the preliminary objections, issued an order compelling the Federal Government and the Amnesty Office to be given a 14- day ultimatum to respond to the addresses filed by the plaintiffs. Justice Nganjiwa, however, adjourned the matter to November 10, 2015 for further hearing.

Speaking after the court sitting in Yenagoa, counsel to

the ex-militants, Mr. Seriaki, commended the judiciary for granting the motion by the plaintiffs for an extension of time, noting that “the 14 days handed by the court is an avenue for the Federal Government and the Amnesty Committee to respond on the point of law and the next sitting of the court would be to rule on the preliminary objections raised by the first and second defendants.”

LEGAL YEAR: From left: President of Bayelsa State Customary Court of Appeal, Justice Daniel Ayah; the Deputy Governor, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah rtd; Governor Seriake Dickson and Chief Judge of the state, Justice Kate Abiri, during the interdenominational church service marking the beginning of the 2015/2016 Legal Year of the State Judiciary at the Banquet Hall, Government House Yenagoa. Photo by Lucky Afagha.

Ehanire's ministerial appointment won't stop Binis from producing next Edo gov —BLT

By Simon Ebegbulem

B

ENIN—THE Benin Leaders of Thought, BLT, led by the Enogie of Obazuwa and younger brother of the Oba of Benin, Prince Edun Akenzua, has said the appointment of a minister of Bini extraction, in the person of Dr Osagie Ehanire, by President Muhammadu Buhari, will not stop the Binis from producing the next governor of the state in 2016.

The BLT recalled that during the 16 years tenure of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the former Chairman, Board of Trustees, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, had allegedly influenced all appointments to Edo Central senatorial district, despite cries from the Binis.

The BLT was reacting to comments from some leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, from Edo Central agitating that the governorship ticket be ceded to the Central district since the Minister is from Edo South district.

In a statement, the chairman of

C M Y K

BLT, Prince Akenzua, commended President Buhari for appointing Dr Ehanire as a Minister asserting that “this is the first time a proper representative of the people of Benin is being nominated for appointment to the office of a Minister. In the past 16 years, a politician outside Edo South would patronizingly recommend any Benin person for appointment. President Buhari’s appointment of Dr Ehanire to

represent Edo State has set tongues wagging in some quarters. Some politicians in Edo Central are saying that the nomination rules out Edo South from next year’s governorship race. They say elective offices are zoned and since Edo South got the Ministerial slot, it should not get the governorship slot.

"The statement is baseless. It is fallacious. There has been no zoning policy by any political party

in the state. In Chief Obasanjo’s presidency, Edo Central had four Ministers, namely: Chief Tony Anenih, Odion Ugbesia, Dr Itoto (Late) and Architect Onolenmeme.

They succeeded each other.

President Jonathan removed the only Benin man he met as Minister, even though he was a “Junior Minister”. In his eight years as President, he did not include a Benin person in his cabinet."

NASU TO NABTEB: Refund alleged illegal deductions from members

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

N

ON-ACADEMIC Staff of Educational and Associated Institutions, NASU, has called on the management of National Business and Technical Education Board, NABTEB, Benin City, Edo State, to refund alleged illegal money deducted from members between January and December 2013, or face the wrath of workers.

The union also expressed dismay over the deplorable

conditions of Nigerian public libraries and National Library of Nigeria due to neglect by the government and decline in individual and organizational support.

Members of NASU from WAEC/ Libraries and other Trade Group Council, in a resolution at the end of their 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference, QDC, equally expressed worries over alleged inadequate funding of education, which it said was the most important ingredient of

development and an effective weapon against poverty The resolution signed by Adegoke Adeniyi and Damola Adelekun, Deputy President of NASU/Chairman and Secretary of the Trade Group respectively, said the Conference-in-Session was disturbed by the imposition of outrageous tax by some state governments as a means of generating income to the detriment of the welfare of their workers.

Edo Phase 3 ex-militants beg Buhari to address alleged marginalization

By Victor Otigbu

F

ORMER militants in Edo State on the Phase 3 of the amnesty programme have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to prevail on the coordinator of the Amnesty Programme in the region, Brigadier-General Paul Boroh, to address alleged marginalization in allocation of slots to beneficiaries of the programme in the state.

Addressing journalists in Benin City, the ex-militants who commended Boroh's appointment, expressed optimism that he would address the anomalies in the amnesty programme, saying: “It is the only way to douse the current tension arising from non-payment of outstanding allowances to the ex-militants.”

Flanked by others such as Samson Funpuwei and Edwin Ojijor, Spokesman of the group, Abiodun Edah, said several attempts to get the former coordinator of the programme, Kinsley Kuku, to address the anomalies were unsuccessful due to bureaucratic bottle necks.

According to him, “the slot so far made available to the 3rd phase of the programme should be shared equitably devoid of any political coloration."

Suswam tasks female architects on priorities

By Oscar Ochiogu ORMER first lady of Benue State, Architect Yemisi Suswam, has urged Nigerians to adhere strictly to policy formation, firm enforcement and criminalization of offenders.

According to her, these are the tools for sustainable development not only in Nigeria but also in other third world countries.

Mrs Suswam, who made the call at the annual general meeting, AGM, of female architects in Kaduna, said: “A committed career woman must put God first, family second and career third, while other interests can follow in their order of preference. There is also need for female architects to set their priorities right. I challenge my colleagues to show interest in the politics of their localities as that will serve as a springboard to understanding the dynamics of national politics.”

F

38—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Buhari’s anti-corruption war, a step in the right direction —Kumuyi

Edo youths urge attitudinal change for fast devt

By Ugochukwu Alaribe

A

By Elizabeth Uwandu

BA—GENERAL Superintendent, GS, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, DCLM, Pastor Williams Kumuyi has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s fight against corruption as a step in the right direction which should be supported by all Nigerians.

In a chat with journalists, Kumuyi who was in Aba, Abia State for a unique combined worship service of the church at the Abia State Polytechnic playground, said “I am a layman when it comes to politics. But from what we can see, I believe that the President is heading in the right direction and if we support him with our comments and in other ways, I believe that we will see corruption brought down very quickly.”

He stated that the Church can help the President in the fight against corruption by teaching members to shun evil conduct and contribute positively to the progress of the country.

“When we say the church, we are not just talking about buildings; we are talking of people who come to church and also go to offices. For the church

B

ENIN CITY— YOUTHS in Edo State under the aegis of the Next Level Initiative (Impact Makers), declared yesterday, that the only way to sustain a peaceful and progressive society is for citizens to realize the need for an attitudinal change that results in positive behaviour.

The state Coordinator, Dr. Richard Edosa, said the body came into being following the need to fill the missing gap in the society, aimed at enhancing better quality of lives for Nigerians beyond dependence on government.

He added that the organization is purely a Non-Governmental Organization, NGO, interested in advancing good governance for the benefit of widows, prisoners, single mothers, the homeless, among others.

"Governance as it is, takes voting, it takes people to come out to choose their leaders and that is what we mean when we say we will partake in governance.

What we are actually talking about is one man, one vote," he said.

On his part, a university don from the University of Benin, Professor Abolagba Joel, who attributed the decay in societal value to fall in moral standards, called for an attitudinal change among the citizens, if the country must move to the next level.

to support the fight against corruption, preachers must teach our people to learn how to contribute positively to the progress of the country wherever they are. If you are a governor, commissioner, teacher, minister among others; do your best for the country. Don’t think of what you can get out of the place where you are working, but how you can

contribute to the place in order to support the efforts of the government.”

The cleric advised political office holders to lead with the fear of God and always remember to fulfill their campaign promises, insisting that they must see themselves as servants of the people who elected them into office.

ASMDC begins clean-up of Ariaria Int’l Market

By Jacob Ajom

T

RADERS AND patrons of Ariaria International Market had cause to smile recently when they got to the market and saw it wearing a new look after the massive clean-up exercise undertaken on Sunday by the Abia State Markets Development Committee (ASMDC).

The ASMDC, a special purpose vehicle initiative of the Abia state governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu to restore sanity to all the markets in the state, mobilized contractors moved into the market with more than

20 trucks to dig up and evacuate waste. At the end of the exercise, the famous ‘Ukwu Mango’ side of Faulks Road was opened up after it had been rendered impassable for over six months.

Sunday’s clean-up exercise, according to Chief Nwaigwe Solomon Nwaigwe, Chairman of the ASMDC, was the fourth time the committee was undertaking such as part of stop-gap measures to alleviate the sufferings of the traders, preparatory to when a comprehensive over-haul of the entire market infrastructure will take place.

“Today ’s exercise was concentrated in areas of distress where traders faced difficulty. For

Foundation advocates new devt initiative for of the state’s vision towards S/East civil servants in the state.

Christopher Njoku

C

ENTRE FOR Reform Education Initiative, CREI, has commended the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for prompt payment of workers’ salaries and allowances in the state.

In a statement by its Executive Director, Chinwe Ugwu, CREI described as ‘a step in the right direction’ the governor ’s commitment towards improved welfare for

According to the statement, “The event of September 1, 2015 the day the governor extended his spirit of goodwill, humility, simplicity, passion, vision and love to 100 lucky civil servants in the state, between gradelevel 1-10, who won one bedroom apartment each at the Elim Estate for which his administration had paid 30 per cent equity contribution is a dream come true for civil servants. “ It is a new dawn in the annals

motivating and improving on the welfare of the workers.”

The group said it had followed closely the activities of the governor since he assumed duties on May 29, 2015 and so far he had been delivering on his promises.

Ugwu recalled that the governor had promised to recommit himself to deploying government's resources towards employment generation, enhanced social services and good governance.

ell, what I can say about President Muhammadu Buhari’s change is that I am feeling the impact of governance now more than before. What we have before was government of the elite, by the elite and for the elite. -Mrs. Lynn Carson, WORKER C M Y K

So far on the journey of change?

T

he people of Central and Northern towns of Cross River are yet to feel the impact of the change as we have been without power supply since February 2015. We use this opportunity to call on Mr. President to bring change to us here.

-Mr. Sonny Okachi, BUSINESSMAN

I

cannot believe, since I went to Kaduna till my return, the light did not even shake for one minute.

In some areas, when the light goes off while you are ironing your clothes, before you remove the iron, the light comes back. -Mr. Yusuf Abdullahi, WORKER

B

uhari has not done anything or investment in power or refineries. So whatever improvement could not be due to his government. Government is not run on propaganda.

Buhari should get down to serious business of governance. -Mr Lucky Okoh, BUSINESSMAN

instance, we cleared off the debris around ‘Ukwu mango’ and Aline side of Faulks Road and opened up that axis which has been impassable for the past six months due to flooding and waste. We are adopting a practical approach to the issue so that traders would suffer minimum discomfort and that is why we decided to do this on a Sunday. There would be some form of inconvenience to some people but we crave their understanding because we will all benefit when the project is completed. We are not relenting until we restore our markets to their place of pride.”

Ariaria market, reputedly, West Africa’s largest market, has suffered the menace of flooding occasioned by clogged waterways over the years and this had become a dent on the reputation of the market with customers opting to go elsewhere to transact their businesses.

Chief Lucky Akubueze, chairman of the Ariara Traders Association was full of praise for Governor Ikpeazu's determination to leave a lasting legacy and foresight in setting up the ASMDC, which is changing things for the better in Abia markets.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

PEOPLE SPEAK

W

Earlier in his sermon which centred on ‘The Riches of Christ’s Supernatural Love”, Kumuyi described God’s love for man as inexhaustible and beyond the imagination and understanding of man, adding that it was because of God’s love for man that made Him to send His only begotten son to die to redeem and reconcile man back to God.

N

igerians seem to forget that Buhari promised to declare his assets publicly within his first 100 days and will have his vice and all his appointees do the same. So what happened? Can he still keep that promise? -Mr. Femi Igwe, WORKER

T

here is nothing significant about Buhari’s change. Buhari will be remembered for moving round in circles.

Those, who voted him into power must be full of regrets by now. What has changed so far? -Mr. Ajiboye Sunday, MUSIC DIRECTOR

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 , 2015—39

Local contractors allege ill treatment

by Kwankwaso Say 40 of their members have been frustrated to death over unpaid contractual bills

By Abdulsalam Mohammed

K

ANO—THE Nigeria Chamber of Indigenous Contractors, Kano chapter, yesterday painted a grim picture of how the immediate past governor of the state, Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, allegedly frustrated 40 of its members to death over unpaid contractual bills.

Chairman of the local chapter, Alhaji Auduwa Maitangaran, told reporters in Kano that no fewer than 80 others were jailed over their inability to settle borrowed funds expended on government contracts.

“Painfully, we discovered too late that under Kwankwaso administration there was a systemic and sustained effort to annihilate local contractors by failing to offset certified debt running to N200 billion.

“The turn of events led to the social and health crisis in our life, and as I addressed you now, no fewer than 80 percent of our members are cardiology patients,” Maitagaran said.

Maitangaran, who was flanked by other members of his executive

during the press briefing at the NUJ secretariat, Nassarawa GRA, Kano, said the contractors had shied away from legal

action.

“The crux of the matter remains that we have been conned by our own government who successfully

lured us to what appeared legitimate and in its place inflicted on us death and injury,” Maitangaran stressed.

L

AGOS—FORMER Lagos branch chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Mr Taiwo Taiwo, has said the Federal Government should be ashamed of the manner Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, in the country are treated.

Speaking at the 13th Anniversary/Annual Lecture of Crusade for Justice, Lagos, with the theme, “Restoring the Dignity of Man Through Positive Intellectual Interventionism” Taiwo, who represented the NBA president, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, lamented that he felt so disgusted during his visit to one of the camps of the IDPs. He said: “The government of

L

AWARD: General Secretary, National Union of Textile,Tailoring & Garment Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Mr Issa Aremu (right), receiving an award of Fellowship of Association from National President, Association of Textile Technologists of Nigeria, ATTN, Prof. Kasali Bello, at Kaduna Polytechnic in Kaduna. Photo: Olu Ajayi.

Nigeria should be ashamed at the way IDPs are treated, it goes to show how the government treats all of us. NBA visited the camps of the IDPs just in August and I

felt so disgusted with the things I saw there. Infact, it is worse than our prisons.”

In his welcome address, the President/Founder of Crusade For

SABA—PETERS Mission for the Less Privileged, a non-governmental organization, NGO, in Asaba, yesterday, distributed relief materials to flood victims at the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camp in Asaba.

The distribution of the relief materials was witnessed by the Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Mr. Great Sanomi, and officials of

C M Y K

Justice, Mr Richard Nwankwo, explained that the theme was chosen against the backdrop of the innumerable challenges the nation was facing and issues on the world stage.

UNIJOS faults ASUU on strike

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

J

OS—MANAGEMENT of the University of Jos has faulted the strike embarked upon the university’s branch of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, saying the action was taken without any reason.

It would be recalled that the union called its members out on strike last Thursday after forwarding a letter to the ViceChancellor, Prof. Hayward Mafuyai, informing him of the strike, which it described as “total, indefinite and comprehensive.”

The management in a statement issued at the weekend in Jos and signed by the Registrar of the university, Mr. Jilli-Dandam, observed that the letter did not state the reasons for the indefinite strike.

He said: “ASUU, University of Jos branch, had been dialoguing on two issues with management of the university and the issues are the disbursement of Earned Academic Allowance and the payment of Postgraduate Supervision Allowance.

“Council set up a Technical Committee, headed by a former

Peters Mission donates relief materials Delta State Emergency in ameliorating the sufferings of the to IDPs Management Agency, SEMA, flood victims.

A

Wada condoles with families of late PDP supporters

By Boluwaji Obahopo

NBA slams FG over ‘shameful' treatment of IDPs

By Bartholomew Madukwe

AUTO CRASH:

led by a director in the agency, Mr. Siakpere Emmanuel.

While distributing the items, Chairman of the NGO, Mr. Onoriobe Peter-Smith who sympathized with the IDPs, reiterated the NGO’s commitment in assisting victims of natural disasters.

Onoriobe noted that Peters Mission decided to distribute the relief materials to complement the efforts of the state government

In their remarks, the Special Assistant to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Great Sanomi and SEMA’s Director, Mr. Siakpere Emmanuel, thanked the NGO for its laudable service to humanity.

They also called on relevant agencies to emulate the humanitarian efforts of Peters Mission through positive contributions, just as one of the victims, Antonia Obadile, a widow, thanked the NGO and the state government for their timely intervention

ASUU Chairman to resolve this lingering issue. Council also directed the implementation of the report believing that it will put to rest, the issue of disbursement of Earned Academic Allowance."

O K O J A — GOVERNOR Idris Wada of Kogi State has commiserated with the families and community of Adeh in Olamaboro Local Government Area of the state over the death of five PDP supporters who lost their lives recently in an accident while on their way to the PDP zonal gubernatorial rally at Ayingba.

The governor expressed his condolences when he branched off from his campaign train to pay the community a visit.

Wada said: “These deaths are a big loss to all of us, God Almighty is the giver and taker of life. When we lose our people we should not ascribe blame to any factor, but accept it as the will of God Almighty.”

Wada, who promised that the stategovernmentwouldlookinto the welfare of the families of the deceased, also assured the communitythathewouldprovide it a clinic and portable water.

Spokesperson of the community, ASP Collins Omale (retd.), eulogised the governor for the visits which he described as unique, noting that it was the first time in the history of the village thatagovernorwasvisitingthem.

“Our belief is that your coming here today is not only to sympathizeandcondoleusonthe unfortunate saga of the death of our sons but symbolic of numerous blessings that will come to this community,” Omale noted.

Pearl Garden Estate home owners get relief from court

L

By Bartholomew Madukwe

AGOS—JUSTICE Abisoye Bashua of Lagos State High Court, Epe, has granted an interlocutory injunction restraining CMB Building Maintenance and Investment Company Limited from harassing and restricting the movement of homeowners within the Pearl Garden Estate situated at Sangotedo Village in Eti-Osa Local Government Area of the state.

Ruling on an application filed by some of the homeowners, the judge restrained the defendants and their agents from interfering with the rights of the claimants in providing safe and drinkable

water for themselves and their family members.

Justice Bashua said the order would subsist pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit, noting that the claimants in their affidavit supporting the application provided sufficient proof of ownership of the property through the deed of purchase assignment.

In addition, several homeowners had obtained their individual Governor’s Consent and the defendants in their submission did not deny the established legal rights of the homeowners, which entitles them to the restraining orders sought.

40—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Corporate Communications, First Bank of Nigeria, Obianuju Akanbi; Fadesola Ogundipe; member, Down Syndrome Foundation, Muyiwa Majekodunmi; Omiere Solomon; Eze Chinelo; Head, Sponsorship and Event, First Bank, Mrs. Bridget Oyefeso-Odusanmi, and Damian Anaeglum, during the bank’s Employee Volunteer Scheme, EVS, visit to Down Syndrome Foundation in Lagos.

STERLING ACADEMY: From left—Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, South-West Regional Tax Controller, Mr. Benedict Maduka; President, Association of Business Owners of Nigeria, ASBON, Dr. Olufemi Egbesola; Ms Babir Subir; Business Advisor, Oxfam, Mr. Michael Adeola; Mr. Omole; Director, Bank of Industry, BoI, Mr Waheed Olagunju, and representative of Leap Africa, during an interactive session with participants of Sterling Bank-organized Sterling MSME Academy in Lagos.

BOURNVITA-INDOMIE PROMO: From left—Public Relations & Events Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju; Marketing Director, Cadbury West Africa, Amir Shamsi; Chief Marketing Officer, Tolaran Group, Pawan Sharma; Managing Director, Roy Noaman, and Head, Corporate Affairs, Mr. Bala Yesufu, both of Cadbury West Africa, during the kick-off of the Bournvita-Indomie promo at Cadbury Office, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: Akeem Salau.

SENDFORTH: From left— Immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor, Administration, University of Ibadan, Professor Afolabi Bamigboye; his wife, Dr. Ebun; and Professor Lola Adekunle, at the sendforth organized by the Department of Epidemiology and Medical Statistics for Professor Bamigboye at the College of Medicine. PHOTO: Dare Fasube.

FIRSTBANK: From left—Corporate Social Responsibility Marketing and

GUINNESS:

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: From left— MD, Pure Garment Ltd, Ramatu Ibrahim; Dotun Akande of Pure Souls; Chief Executive Officer, Murtala Muhammed Foundation, Mrs Aisha Muhammed-Oyebode; President, BPW Lagos, Mrs Titilola Adisa, and Executive Director, Rely Supply Ltd, Fayo Williams, during the hosting of chief executive officers and entrepreneurs by the Foundation in Lagos.

INTERSWITCH/VISA: From left—Country Director, Visa, West Africa, Ade Ashaye; Group Managing Director, Mitchell Elegbe, and Divisional CEO, Switching and Processing, Akeem Lawal, both of Interswitch, during the launch of their partnership on Better Together campaign in Lagos.

C M Y K

From left— Human Resources Director, Monica Peach; Supply Chain Director, C e p h a s Afebuameh and C o r p o r a t e Relations Director, Sesan Sobowale, all of Guinness Nigeria Plc, at the firm's distributors' conference on Partners for Growth in Lagos.

RANCARD: From left— Co-Founder/Chief Technical Officer, Rancard Limited, Mr. Ehizogie Binitie; representative of Group Head, Marketing and Comminication, First Bank Plc, Mrs Bridget Oyefeso-Odusami; General Manager, Squad Digital, Mr. Ankosh Chawla, and Co-Founder/Chief Executive Officer, Rancard Limited, Mr. Kofi Dadzie, during the product launch of new Rancard website in Lagos. PHOTO: Kehinde Gbadamosi.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 41

MultiChoice dragged to court again

By Charles Kumolu

A

Lagos-based law yer, Mr. Francis Obaseki, has dragged pay-TV service provider, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, before a Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja in order to prevent the disclosure of his personal information to a third party.

Similarly, another legal practitioner, Mr. Adeolu Olumide Fusika, and three others, Messrs. John Elegbe, Michael Obi and Damilare Animashaun, have also commenced legal action in a separate suit, against MultiChoice.

Joined in the suit is the Consumer Protection Council (CPC).

In an affidavit sworn to by Obaseki and filed before the court by the law firm of Isaac and Solomon Legal Practitioners, the deponent averred that he is a subscriber to the digital broadcasting satellite service of MultiChoice with smart card number 1017189562.

Obaseki said he and MultiChoice agreed to be bound by the terms and conditions of the subscription, which stipulated that MultiChoice is obligated not to disclose to a third party the personal information he disclosed when he signed up for its services.

The information include; his name, telephone numbers, e-mail address, bank details and other sensitive personal data.

However, the applicant was surprised to learn through various platforms such as news portals and newspapers that a dispute exists between MultiChoice and some consumers, who had complained about MultiChoice’s services to the CPC. In its bid to investigate the complaints received from the subscribers, who do not include him, the CPC set up an investigative panel and part of information or documentation sought from MultiChoice is the personal data of all the subscribers of the company.

This, he said, includes his personal data.

Obaseki noted that the CPC has no power to demand for and receive personal information of consumers, who have not sent petitions to it without the consent of such consumers.

Products scarcity: Stakeholders insist on deregulation

By Ediri Ejoh & Prince Okafor

N

OTWITHSTANDING the Federal Government’s insistence that it will neither devalue the Naira nor deregulate the downstream petroleum sector, stakeholders participating in this year’s Oil Trading and Logistics, OTL, conference maintain that deregulation is the way to go, if the sporadic fuel shortages is to be permanently eliminated.

They argued that regulation has become not only a huge burden and strain on Nigeria’s fortunes, but also created massive debt portfolio for banks while stifling further investments in the nation’s downstream sector.

This was disclosed at the ongoing 9th edition of Oil Trading & Logistics Expo, taking place at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

The Chairman, OTL Advisory Board, Mr. Stanley Reginald, said: “There is no way the nonpayment of subsidy cannot be attributed to the scarcity situation.

The problem still remains that marketers collect loans from the banks and when those loans are not being paid, it rises and when such continues, it makes it difficult for us to access loans to import products that will service the country.”

According to him, about 70 per cent of those eligible to import petroleum products into the country are currently not able to do so because they don’t have the funds to do so. He added that since the government refused to pay the outstanding balance on subsidy the importers are constrained as the monies are trapped and they continue to pay interests on such funds.

Furthermore, because of the huge subsidy debts estimated at over N200billion, banks are no longer extending facilities to petroleum product importers as they cannot meet their outstanding obligations.

As a result, Reginald reiterated that the way out is to deregulate the downstream sector, saying, “Globally the trend is to deregulate,” citing Ghana and India, as examples of third world countries that have successfully deregulated their downstream sectors.

Value addition Reginald further argued that government’s focus should be to make policies that will create conducive environment for private sector operators to invest in the downstream sector.

“The government should let the private sector drive the downstream sector of the petroleum industry while it focuses on regulations. There is a need for policy shift that will enable us to refine our crude at home now,” he said.

He continued, “If we convert our crude oil to finished product we will not only create job for our teaming population but will derive more value. The capacity

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, his wife, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun in a group photograph with 12 Green Education for the Youth (GEFTY) Ambassadors during a courtesy call on the governor in Abeokuta, after their arrival from a nine-day Green Awareness Workshop on Sustainable Environment in the United Kingdom...today (27 Oct) utilisation of the downstream sector today is less than 20 per cent and this implies that job creation is being constrained.”

Supporting the argument for deregulation, the Chief Executive Officer, Ghana National Petroleum Authority, Hon. Moses Asaga, noted that deregulation facilitates faster growth in the industry, saying that the downstream sector contributes about 12 per cent of Ghana’s gross domestic product, GDP. He identified the development of infrastructure as a vital component for creating value in the industry. “We have taken our downstream so seriously now that there is no subsidy,” he added.

Vandalism frustrating development However, highlighting issues hampering the petroleum industry, the Group Managing Director, Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, said the difficulties in the supply chain is frustrating further development in the industry, which contributes about 7.79 percent to the country’s GDP. Represented by Mrs. Aisha katagun, Executive Director, Petroleum Product Marketing Company, PPMC, kachikwu, said that oil theft, pipeline vandalism has continued to threaten

development in the sectors.

“The rate of vandalism and crude theft has brought about short fall in Joint Ventures, JV cash calls. Due to this persisting threat, the inability to transport crude via it pipelines to the Kaduna refinery has made the already obsolete equipment weaker.

“Also, the non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, which forms the basis of any petroleum operation, is yet to be approved by the legislature. It would be recalled that in 2009, the country had lost about $16 million to non-passage of the PIB,” he added.

Nigerian born actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor awarded CBE

N

IGERIAN-BORN actor, Chiwetel Ejiofor who was awarded an OBE in 2008, can now add CBE to his list of accolades. The 12 Years A Slave actor was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) by the Duke of Cambridge during an official ceremony held at Buckingham Palace in London on Tuesday morning.

The 38-year-old star was overcome with emotion as he spoke to Prince William in front of the large crowd assembled, beaming with pride as he was recognised for his services to drama.

The actor, who grew up in north London, has an illustrious career, receiving an Oscar nomination and winning a BAFTA in 2013 for his moving performance in 12 Years A Slave.

He got his start by joining the National Youth Theatre and training at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, which helped him land his first major role in Steven Spielberg’s Amistad.

Chiwetel has also boasted roles in the likes of Dirty Pretty Things and Half Of A Yellow Sun, and will next be seen in Secret In Their Eyes opposite Nicole Kidman.

He’s also earned high praise for treading the boards in London, taking the lead in Othello at the Donmar Warehouse and starring in a recent production of Everyman at the National.

His sister, CNN presenter Zain Asher, recently discussed his CBE glory in an interview with the network, saying her talented brother has always dreamed of acting.

Zain said: ‘He’s been acting since he was 13 years old and he’s worked so hard for this.

Growing up with him he was always in his bedroom practising Shakespeare lines, writing Shakespeare on the wall.’

The 38-year-old star, best known for his Oscarnominated performance in 12 Years A Slave, being congratulated by the Duke of Cambridge

42—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

APC in dilemma over Lai Mohammed’s successor

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor

T

HE All Progressives Congress, APC, is in a dilemma over the imminent vacancy being created by the departure of its veteran spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

Officials of the party are said to be in quandary over the ill-defined succession procedures as laid in its constitution that could make Mohammed’s present deputy, Comrade Timi Frank, to succeed him.

Frank, an associate of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, had in the past openly called for the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun and also, severally contradicted

official party spokesman, Alhaji Mohammed.

Mohammed was penultimate week confirmed as a minister and by the provisions of the constitution no officer of the party can at the same time serve in the government.

Mohammed is one of three officers who are exiting or have exited to the executive branch of government. The others are Engr. Babachir Lawal, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, who was the national vice chairman, Northeast, and Alhaji Umar Raddah, the national welfare secretary who is now the chief of staff to Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State.

However, Mohammed’s imminent exit, Vanguard gathered, is said to be

Nigeria ranks 169 out of 189 in World Bank’s doing business report

T

HE World Bank has ranked Nigeria 169 out of 189 countries in its latest report on the ease of doing business globally.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Head of Communications, World Bank, Nigeria, Mr Obadiah Tohomdet, on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the report takes into consideration the ease of obtaining construction permits, getting electricity, enforcing contracts, registering property and trading across borders, among other parameters.

The report showed that Nigeria had improved in the ranking from 170 in 2014 to 169 in its 2015 report.

It further showed that the Sub-Saharan African economies were among the world’s top improvers of business climate.

“The region, however, ranks poorly in the areas of trading across borders and registering properties.

Mauritius ranks best in the region, with a global ranking of 32, performing particularly well in the areas of paying taxes and enforcing contracts. In Mauritius, it takes only 152 hours for entrepreneurs to pay taxes, compared to 261 hours globally.

“Rwanda has the next best ranking in the region, with a global ranking of 62.

Ten years ago, an entrepreneur in Rwanda took 370 days to transfer property," the report said.

posing a strong challenge to party officials as many in the party hierarchy are uncomfortable with Frank who had in the past viciously rebelled against the mainstream of the party.

At the height of the party ’s crisis over the emergence of the leadership of the National Assembly, Frank had called for the resignation of Odigie-Oyegun for supposedly mishandling the affair and also slammed Lai Mohammed.

He had said “The party’s national chairman caused it because times out of number, some of the leaders told him to come up with a zoning formula from the beginning. He was asked to take a decision and let people follow that but he didn’t do that. They were playing hide and seek with the issue until the last minute when they saw the danger, and they wanted to play hanky-panky, which led us to lose one position at the Senate.

“In my own view, If Lai Mohammed that is my direct boss could come up to tell Nigerians that the President is only a product of the party and not the national leader of the party, then he should have been able to tell us who the leader of the party is.”

Upon this and other antecedents, Vanguard gathered that members of the NWC are finding it difficult to admit him into their fold.

The other option opened to the party, a high level source said at the weekend, is to have a miniconvention where Mohammed’s position and other vacant offices would be filled.

Nigeria lost N80bn to dockworkers strike —Shippers’ Association over N8 billion.

By Gabriel Enogholase

L

AGOS State chapter of the Shipper's Association of Nigeria, SAN, has said that the nation lost about N80 billion to the recent strike embarked upon by the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, which lasted two and a half days.

Speaking to Vanguard in Lagos, president of the group, Rev. Jonathan Nicol, said Nigerian shippers bear the brunt of any industrial action in the maritime sector by any C M Y K

group of people.

Although Nicol could not give a breakdown of the figure, he said that the amount represents the total sum of revenue derivable from ports across the country.

He explained that from Apapa Port alone, importers take delivery of over 1,000 containers on a daily basis adding that other revenues accruable to the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, and other government departments amounts to

Sources from the maritime sector told Vanguard that the Customs nets about N5 billion from its various commands across the country on a daily basis.

For the Nigerian Ports Authority and terminal operators, over N6 billion is generated from the services they provide to importers as container handling, berthing charges and marine pilot services to vessels while NIMASA rakes in about N2 billion from the collection of three percent benchmark rate from all imports and exports.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 43

C M Y K

44— Vanguard,

WEDNESDAY 5 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 28, 201 2015

*One of 17 open tanks containing 33,000 litres of illegally refined diesel burnt at Ekpemu, near Jones Creek

Thriving oil theft: Why no end in sight •Army, Navy personnel pass the buck •Looming environmental disaster over burning of illegal refineries •Why EFCC is handicapped in prosecuting offenders

By Egufe Yafugborhi

I

N a determined bid to carry out the Federal Government’s order to put crude oil thieves out of business the military, particularly the Navy, has since intensified its offensives to locate and to destroy all equipment or products belonging to illicit refinery operators caught in the act.

In the Central Naval Command, CNC, hub of Nigeria’s oil/gas production and highest with records of oil thefts, hardly a week passes without the Navy torching large wooden boats laden with volumes of stolen crude as well as locally fabricated refining machinery and thousands of litres of refined products, mostly diesel abandoned by the clandestine operators.

Since the coming of Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman, Flag Officer Commanding FOC, who

is eager to personally supervise most of the offensives, the tempo of the chase of the criminals and the burning of illegal refineries have increased.

In one of the latest operations in Delta State which lasted from afternoon to dusk, the FOC leading men of the Nigeria Navy Ship, NNS, Delta set ablaze 11 expansive wooden boats laden with volumes of stolen crude oil and one speedboat caught at various spots around Jones Creek oil field operated by the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC in Warri South West Local Government Area.

At nearby Ekpemu, the same operation resulted in the burning of five illegal refining cooking points along with 17 of 33, 000 litre capacity (equivalent of a tanker load) open storage tanks loaded with already refined diesel.

Criminals undeterred:

Government’s adoption of the punitive burning of equipment and products of oil theft was intended to deter the criminals.

Obviously the criminals have rubbished that calculation.

Hardly deterred, the more raids and burning the military carry out, the more they regroup and

These crude stealing boats don’t move in the air; they pass through your post and the illegal cooking points; you can’t be blind to these things —Rear Admiral Suleiman

*One of the torched boats up in flames continue the criminality with redoubled resources. The oil and gas producing space, particularly the creeks, has become one limitless illegal refinery complex.

The probing question begging for answers from this paradox remains: “Is there any end in sight for oil theft?”. Asked this basic question, Rear Admiral Suleiman said: “It is very possible to end oil theft if all relevant stakeholders would take responsibility and play their parts very well.”

Buck passing: Suleiman’s expressed optimism for an end to oil theft and illegal refineries was not without worry over probable compromise by security operatives.

Disturbed at the close proximity between the houseboat accommodating the soldiers guarding the oil facilities and the spots where the crude oil is stolen and cooked by the illegal refineries during the Jones

Creek and Ekpemu raids, he told the guards: “You are compromising. You cannot be here and these criminality is happening.”

In self-defense, a Staff Sergeant leading the soldiers on guard responded thus: “Our duty is to look over the oil personnel and the work they do here”. Suleiman countered this response. “Your duty is all encompassing. These crude stealing boats don’t move in the air. They pass through your post and the illegal cooking points so close. You can’t be blind to these things,” he barked.

The FOC, CNC, was only corroborating earlier suspicion of military compromise in its antioil theft crusade. His boss, Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff, CNS, was less humbling with words when he stressed the same frustration during his maiden interaction with men of naval formations in Continues on page 45

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY 5—45 WEDNESDAY,, OCTOBER 28, 201 2015

Thriving oil theft: Why no end in sight Continues from page 44 Delta State back in August.

The CNC had accused officers and ratings gathered at the Navy Engineering College, Sapele of complicity in the crime. “We aid and abet illegal bunkering, aid and abet crude oil theft, we indulge in illegal escorting, constituting corruption. These are fraudulent acts that can land you in jail. Some of us have been very diligent. The good ones must bring out the bad elements so that we don’t tarnish the white uniform we are wearing,” he said.

According to him: “Central Command accounts for the largest losses to oil theft. The guys perpetrating these illegal acts are within our midst, they’re not flying in the air. They navigate the waterways and we must stop them. Keep away from illegal bunkering and crude oil thieves. If you indulged yesterday, let it be the last time.”

Organised crime Lawyer and rights activist, Oghenejabor Ikimi concluded that oil theft has become too much of an organised crime to place the blame at just one spot. Ikimi who is the Executive Director, Centre for the Vulnerable and the Underprivileged, CENTREP said: “The FOC was economical with his reservations. We have said repeatedly that those military posts are toll gates where they collect money from these oil thieves rather than securing the areas.

The volume of crude stolen is put at 400000bpd. That is not possible without connivance. You cannot be an oil thief if you are not in the mafia. The cartel involves big politicians, the security agencies and oil operatives too.”

Ikimi’s fingering of oil operators supports the recent suspicion of the CNC of the Navy which resulted in arrest of a barge and a crew belonging to an oil exploration and production company for allegedly siphoning and selling crude from a marginal field at Eremor 1, Ekeremor Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

The company authorities say they have legal mandate to do exploration at the field, but Flag Officer Commanding, FOC, CNC, Rear Admiral Suleiman, who disclosed the arrest last week, indicated that the company has been involved in “a lot of illegalities” within that legal mandate.

Suleiman, stated that, “Eremor 1 field is not an oil terminal or loading point, but our combined team arrested MT Dera, a barge and Runner Charley, a tugboat there laden with 6000MT crude oil suspected to have been pumped from the well head. 11 member crew are also under our custody.

Rivers and vegetation polluted by oil from a burnt illegal refinery.INSET: Rear Admiral Apochi Suleiman leading offensive against oil thieves “On investigation we saw that they have pumped several metric tonnes and selling out to other operators. In the first place they are not supposed to have sold any oil from that barge. There was already a court case by Century Energy accusing this same oil firm which has the barge of a selling adulterated crude to them.”

EFCC handicapped: For the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which takes responsibility to prosecute suspected oil thieves arrested by the security operatives, the greatest challenge against fighting oil theft is slow dispensation of justice by the courts when cases are brought before them.

Warri naval base At the Warri naval base where he received nine suspects and a self-propelled badge OMS OGU, allegedly caught in oil theft by the navy, EFCC Head, Assets Forfeiture Unit, Hameed Bawa, decried the inability of the antigraft agency to get speedy trial of graft cases. “The challenge everybody knows we have is the judiciary. Once we receive suspects and assets used for oil thieves as we have done today, (October 16 ), we do further investigations and start prosecution immediately, but it takes so long for a case to be concluded,” he said.

Ikimi also blames connivance for lack of rigorous prosecution.

“Those cases being charged to court are dead on arrival because of the connivance. At times when I am doing these cases, I weep.

The investigations are shabbily done, very watery. By the time you charge them (suspects) to court, all the evidence you need to prosecute and convict are not there. The prosecutor finds it difficult to present a strong case.

It is all part of the connivance,”

Ikimi alleged.

Environmental pollution: With the burning of every ship laden with oil or every cluster of illegal refineries comes an aggravated environmental pollution by the security agencies.

The ruins left in the trails of the burning spree, added to the devastation caused by the oil thieves and illegal refiners, now abound across the producing landscape. There is crude oil everywhere: on the surface of the swamps, creeks and rivers, just as a vast greenery is turning ash.

Because the burning is done around the oil and gas operating environment, one basic challenge with this aggravated pollution is that it is becoming more and more difficult to tell the geographical spread of a true oil pollution caused by equipment failure by the oil majors and those caused by third parties stealing crude by breaking into flow lines, experts have opined.

Ikimi added: “By what they are doing right now, it pollutes the environment the more in a manner very inimical to human health. The mindless destruction of our environment in the guise of waging an inefficient war against oil theft is also endangering the lives of our generations unborn.”

Way forward: Going forward, Ikimi says: “Obviously, things cannot remain business as usual if we want to make headway.

There would have been another way of taking seized products, probably to the refinery for proper refining. It is not a question of soldiers or navy just going to burn products and equipment.

Meanwhile, the volume of refined diesel burnt by the Navy in the recent raid on the Ekpemu cluster of five illegal refineries poses a critical debate of determining the ratio of the volume of illegally refined diesel, also known as Automated Gas Oil, sold in the open market to the volume genuinely imported

Central Command accounts for the largest losses to oil theft; the guys perpetrating these illegal acts are within our midst, they’re not flying in the air; they navigate the waterways and we must stop them. Keep away from illegal bunkering and crude oil thieves. If you indulged yesterday, let it be the last time —Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas, Chief of Naval Staff, CNS

or allocated from the legal local refineries.

A black market petroleum products dealer alleged that most of the diesel sold in the country are from illegal refineries. “What was burnt by the Navy at Ekpemu going by the figure declared in the report is an equivalent of 17 tanker loads of diesel. Believe it or not, these illegal refineries account for a significant proportion of diesel sold in the Nigerian market, including what you get in most filling stations.

Enviromental safety It is common knowledge that diesel is not attractive to importers of petroleum products in Nigeria. Same for the doubtful production in the failed refineries we have. Apart from the lack of environmental safety by the illegal refineries, government and its regulating agencies’ initial propaganda to rubbish the quality of products from the illegal refineries is fast fading.

“The criminals have demystified oil refining technology using locally fabricated machinery adapted from the age-long mechanism for distilling the now outlawed illicit gin. The diesel from these illicit cooking points is near as pure as any you can import from any where in the world. I challenge the DPR to a quality assurance test. With legally sourced diesel always insufficient and at far beyond stipulated pump price, illegal refineries will continue to dominate supplies,” Ikimi said.

He added: “Government needs to beam a searchlight on the accounts of security operatives.

They come here (Niger Delta) to make so much money by aiding and abetting oil theft.

Government should fashion a way of monitoring their inordinate wealth”.

Those cases being charged to court are dead on arrival because of the connivance; at times when I am doing these cases, I weep; the investigations are shabbily done, very watery; by the time you charge them (suspects) to court, all the evidence you need to prosecute and convict are not there; the prosecutor finds it difficult to present a strong case; it is all part of the connivance—EFCC

46—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 Edited by Adeleke Adeseri 08054682557 (SMS only)

The Ile-Ife and Yoruba of my dream,

by Ooni-elect, Adeyeye Ogunwusi I

HAVE a story to tell the world and most importantly the people of Ile-Ife. About 40 years ago, I was born into the Giesi Ruling House, Ojaja Royal Compound in the ancient city of Ile-Ife. From birth, my life has been a journey; one that I embarked on, saddled with great conscientiousness when I became a responsible father at the age of 19, which shaped and groomed me for greater challenges ahead.

To cater for my family as a young father, I became very enterprising with the knack of building something out of nothing. This certainly increased my temperament for being successful in all my endeavours, as well as towing the right path as a responsible father.

Thus, in the following years, I was able to build a consortia of companies with a team of wellversed, highly skilled and unskilled professionals from scratch and with hard work and God’s providence. This has made me a huge employer of labour and a captain of industries. The story of Ile-Ife begins as the cradle of civilization and has spread its tentacles beyond Black Africa.

The Ooni stool is highly revered and exalted and as the world looks on; our strength and emphasis need to be injected into the development of Ile-Ife as a beacon of hope and enviable city.

Spiritual home of all Yoruba Suffice to say that Ile-Ife is the ancestral and spiritual home of all Yorubas, bona fide, in Nigeria and the Diaspora, and the World Headquarters of the House of Oduduwa, which comprises people resident in nearly all the continents of the world.

Thus, the Ooni, as the head of the vast Oduduwa family, must be no less versatile and resourceful. Available evidences from the curatorial community and archaeological discoveries have put the origin of Ile-Ife around 2000 years BC. Around this time, the people of Ile-Ife have distinguished themselves in technology and cultural advancement. A notable fact in this direction is Ori-Olokun: though purportedly ‘discovered’ by the famous German archaeologist Leo Frobenius in 1910, but had been in existence for thousands of years.

Discovery: The pure-copper sculpture took the entire arts world by storm at the time of its discovery that experts from the West argued that the artefact was a mystery that was too sophisticated to have been created by African hands. However, after careful examinations of other works, profusely located in and around the

Ooni elect, Adeyeye Ogunwusi city and bearing striking resemblance, the world accepted the truth that the advanced people of Ile-Ife had, not only wielded the technology to turn iron to alloy but also of moulding abstract artworks out of the product. Consequently, it is now accepted by the curatorial community that the advanced artistic techniques used to create the sculpture were more advanced than those of Renaissance Italy, and comparable to those of [the artist] Donatello.

Yet, Ile-Ife has not taken its rightful position as the ‘source’ of civilization despite her wealth of history, culture and tradition.

Having found ourselves in such state of affairs where the potential of the land remains untapped and its people lacking economic and social emancipation, we should all take it upon ourselves to redress this situation.

Redressing the situation The Ile-Ife of ‘my dream’ will be strategically positioned to empower its people socially, economically and culturally to bring about the desired developments.

Now, with our resolve to transform Ile-Ife we are ‘SET’ to leave no stone unturned, in the drive to put Ile-Ife on the map of the world. Our ultimate goal is to reposition the House of Oduduwa as a worthy example of successful inward-looking community.

At this juncture, I consider it pertinent to share with everyone the account of how Nigeria as a nation came to be. The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by the

British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the United African Company and became the Royal Niger Company in 1886. By 1900 it went through several name changes and in 1914 a merger occurred between the Southern Nigeria Protectorate and the Northern Nigeria Protectorate to become the independent Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1960.

Suffice it to say our beloved nation developed through a corporation of technocrats and quality mind input. Arguably, this is one of the several ways cities and communities are built; through large corporations. The ethos of this account goes to prove that any geographic setting can undergo boundless growth through clusters of companies which invariably can lead to the creation of settlements and human capital development.

Consequently, there is a huge possibility for Ile-Ife to experience tremendous growth through industrialization and developmental projects like a company managed by dedicated sons and daughters of Ife and all Ife enthusiasts. I have no doubt, Ife will be great again due to its economic dexterity. Ife has one of the largest land mass in the South-west brimming with natural resources including three out of the four factors of production; ‘land’, ‘labour’ and ‘entrepreneurship’ and with our great resolve we shall work towards ‘capital’ creation.

I am very passionate about my roots with the determination of bringing Ile-Ife to the forefront of economic and social affairs. In my private life, I have for a while been

involved in many philanthropic gestures in Ile-Ife and its environs. The progressiveness of the youths of Ile-Ife is at the core of my philosophy and I have been instilling hope in thousands of youths through the various ongoing reciprocity Programmes I established a while ago.

It is within the dictates of our culture that the young shall provide for the old and for this reason our youths need to be nurtured and engaged positively so they can attain financial independence and in return provide for their parents, families and dependants. This is not to say that the old and elderly will be left out.

There will be various empowerment Programmes for the elderly and the widowed to learn new trades and acquire new skills that will help stamp out redundancy and at the same time be financially rewarding to them.

Many might argue that the tasks before me are incredibly monumental and impossible.

However, I do not get easily swayed by the idea of impossibilities. In every challenging situation what I see is a speck of possibility which I build on till the task at hand is completed. I have done this time over time and I have defied the rules of men to follow my gut instincts. I have excelled where, people had pre-

We shall set up a foundation that will support post war effects and the rebuilding of war torn Ife and Modakeke.

Thereafter there shall never be war again

dicted failure and I derived the most joy where others have said emphatically “it is not possible.”

A recent classic example of turning impossibilities to possibilities took place at ‘Parakin’ in Ile-Ife where I converted a sizeable piece of thick forest land into a beautiful castle within a month.

The land hitherto, was a garbage dump and an escape route for men of the underworld in the vicinity which constituted a social menace to the inhabitants of ‘Parakin’.

In recent history one cannot mention Ile-Ife without acknowledging the Ife and Modakeke conflict. It’s unfortunate that lives were lost during the war between Ife and Modakeke; a war that had no economic value and displaced many lives. I paid a courtesy visit to the youths affected by the war and implored them to be proactive. Furthermore I urged them to be on the straight and narrow path and propagated the tenets of hard work as the only way to make it in life.

Touching experiences In the course of my life I have had many touching experiences.

However, my most compelling experience till date involves two young boys namely Demola Adewole and Taye Fayemi.

Demola and thousands of other energetic youths visit work sites on a daily basis to solicit for money. I took it upon myself to get to know these young boys and found that all they wanted was to earn a decent living. We got acquainted with Demola and found out he was a welder. Without hesitation, we helped to re-orientate him and got him involved in construction work in ‘Parakin’.

Demola Adewole has turned out to be one of the best welders I have been privileged to work with till date.

Another set of energetic youths on one of the days I visited Ife chased after my car, many of them climbed onto the fast moving car and during the tussle to stay latched on to the car, one of them got injured. I got out of the car and addressed all of them and asked why they would want to hurt themselves and with no care in the world, Taye replied “death means nothing to me”; I shed tears, there is no hope for the youths and no one to rebuild their dashed hopes or future.

Taye Fayemi was simply desperate to make a living for himself and today, to the glory of God I personally supervise Taye’s rehabilitation, his personal development and wellbeing.

Destinies: Similar to the story of Demola and Taye, are thousands of youths with different expertise that need our help to find their feet, many whose destinies would have been cut short like the others lost in the war. I cannot but emphasize that the development and well being of our youths is paramount to our future and one that is very close to my heart.

To be concluded

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015—47

Fuel scarcity hits Bauchi

By Suzan Edeh

B

A U C H I — MOTORISTS and commuters in Bauchi State and its environs are experiencing acute fuel scarcity, a development that has crippled business activities in the past few days.

Black marketers have seized the opportunity of the scarcity to sell a gallon of fuel for N1,200, while at NNPC mega station a litre of fuel still sells for the normal pump price of N87 per litre, but the queue is endless.

Nura Adamu, a fuel attendant at Mobile filling station, blamed the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, for the fuel crisis in the state, accusing them of hoarding the product for illegal business transactions.

However, IPMAN state Chairman, Rabiu Arabab, attributed the crisis to hike in price at Lagos depot.

NCDMB, CAMAN tasked on Local Content Act

By Nkiruka Nnorom

T

HE Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB, and the Cable Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, CAMAN, have been enjoined to work as a team to ensure that cable manufacturing companies benefited from the Local Content Act in the oil and gas sector as intended by the Act. Chairman of Cutix Plc, Engr. David Ifezulike, said this, adding that research and development activities should be part of the cooperation.

He said the National Assembly should review the Act to cover other segments such as power, building, construction and automobiles.

Ifezulike added that despite political and economic activities that impacted negatively on cable manufacturing, the company recorded a five percent growth in revenue and a profit after tax of N149 million.

PRESENTATION: From left— Brand Manager, Munro Glucose D, Nkechinyere Nwachukwu; distributor and car winner, Nwabueze Mbaigwe; National Sales Manager, Paul Omekwe; and Branch Manager, Aba, Festus Ihenleasekhien, during the presentation of cars to top distributors by Brian Munro Limited in Aba, yesterday.

Niger Assembly to gov: Sack your CPS now

By Wole Mosadomi

M

INNA—NIGER State House of Assembly has directed Governor Abubakar Bello to sack his Chief Press Secretary, CPS, Dr. Ibrahim Dooba, for incompetence and unguarded utterances capable of causing crisis in the state.

This followed a resolution passed, yesterday, during plenary, which was unanimously adopted by the House members.

The motion was moved under matters of urgent public importance by Alhaji Abdulmalik Kabir (Paiko, APC)

and seconded by Alhaji Muhammed Lokogoma (Wushishi APC).

Some national newspapers, excluding Vanguard, had on Monday carried a story confirmed by the CPS that a list of 15 commissionernominees had been sent to the House of Assembly for confirmation, which was later discovered to be a false.

Majority of the members spoke unanimously in favour of the motion with only Muhammed Haruna (Bida ll) pleading that the CPS be given a last chance to apologise before the House for his

incompetence.

Muhammed Nurudeen (Kontagora 1, APC), noted that the Assembly and the state had had enough of Dooba’s excesses and, therefore, directed the governor to sack and replace him with a more competent professional.

His plea was, however, turned down.

The Deputy Speaker, Hussein Ibrahim (Agaie, APC), who presided over plenary, directed the clerk to forward the resolution of the House to the governor for his action.

Jigawa dep gov to resign

By Aliyu Dangida

D

UTSE—JIGAWA State Deputy Governor, Mr. Ibrahim Hadejia, may resign his appointment due to alleged side lining, as sources quoted him as insisting that if the situation persisted, he would throw in the towel to maintain his integrity.

Hadeja served former Governor Saminu Turaki as Deputy and was alleged to have suffered political neglect from his boss, as he was denied access to act in the absence of his principal reputed for his nomadic approach to governance.

Hadejia was said to have made several attempts to resign but was prevailed on by some prominent personalities, including his late father.

Contacted, the Director of Press to the Deputy Governor, Ahmed Haruna, denied the resignation story, saying the working relationship between Governor Muhammad Badaru and his Deputy was cordial.

He described the rumour as baseless and aimed at jeopardising the existing relationship between the two.

Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Bala

Mamser, said the deputy governor had never made the decision to resign , calling for continued support for the present government in its effort to achieve its objectives.

Benue workers' biometric screening runs into hitches

By Peter Duru

M

AKURDI—THE biometric screening of over 26,000 workers on the payroll of Benue State government ran into hitches yesterday, with workers threatening to shun the exercise until their backlog of salaries were paid from the already accessed N28 billion bailout fund.

Vanguard learned that the workers were angered by the fact that the consultants handling the exercise, which commenced on Monday, allegedly brought in obsolete machines and also exhibited

poor expertise.

At some of the venues of the screening, workers were waiting anxiously to be screen, but till the close of work, none had his or her biometrics captured.

Some of the workers expressed displeasure at the inconveniences they were subjected to and perceived inability of the consultants to diligently carry out the exercise.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Godwin Anya, failed as he was not taking calls made to his phone at press time.

INSURGENCY: FG urged to invest in wearable bomb detectors

T

HE Federal Government has been advised to take a proactive stance in combating the scourge of terrorism by investing in the development and provision of wearable bomb detector devices for security operatives.

This advice was given

by Professor Olumide Adewale, Head, Department of Computer Science, Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA, while delivering the 72nd inaugural lecture of the institution on Convergence in Divergence in Information Technology: a Symbiosis.

He said through a properly coordinated research and development initiative, the wearable devices would be developed to have radii of operation and effectiveness such that suicide bombers, within the perimetre of any security operative wearing the device, will be detected and the operative alerted by an alarm signal with coordinates of the suicide bomber; the operative, through the device, can then disable the bomb.

Adewale said the economic development of the country was hinged on adequate security and that the current trend of suicide bombings was a great threat to foreign investments.

48 — WEDNESDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 28, 2015

9-YR OLD GIRL RECOUNTS:

I watched gunmen kill my dad •The victim: Fidelis Eze

•The daughter

By Chinenyeh Ozor

N

SUKKA — A nine-yearold primary five pupil and daughter of a liquor dealer at Ukehe community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State, Ukamaka Eze, Monday, gave a heart-rending account of how gun men suspected to be hired assassins, pumped bullets into his father’s body at very close range, in their residence. The father died few hours later at a private hospital in the area after hospital authorities bluntly refused to give first aid treatment, insisting on the presentation of a police report.

Her account: Narrating the horrible experience to Crime Alert, little Ukamaka said her daddy was driving home in a Mazda truck with her after the close of business of the day, and drove straight to their residence and parked. Suddenly, two men alighted from the darkness. She said they forced him out of the

truck, took his bag and handset, then fired at him severally. All the while, her father shouted: ‘Ukamaka don’t come down from the vehicle!’. According to the distraught girl; “the shooting was too much. They pumped several bullets into my father’s body before they fled into the darkness.”

The slain liquor merchant was identified as Fidelis Eze, 57, (a.k.a Foreign) who hailed from Ohodo community in Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area, Enugu state. He was said to have lived for over 19 years in the neighbouring Ukehe community where he was killed by yet-tobe-identified gunmen.

Competitors at war: Investigations revealed that he was the major distributor of a popular beer brand in the locality, and sold up to three trailer loads of the popular liquor in less than two weeks. This, according to sources, might not have gone down well with his competitors

in the business in the area. It was alleged that overtures were made to make him switch over to other liquor brands without success. Sources said he was even told to name his price but he rebuffed them, insisting that he has come a long way with with the brewers of the popular liquor.

His wife’s experience: Mrs Mercy Eze, 36, a non-tutorial staff of community primary school, Umunko, Igbo-Etiti LGA, mother of four children and wife of the slain beer merchant shared her experience in the hands of her husband’s assailants on the

fateful day of Wednesday October 21, 2015 with Crime Alert. She disclosed that her husband, until his death, combined his civil service job as Secretary, Igbo-Etiti Local Education Authority with the liquor business. Her words: "My husband came back on that fateful day after supplying drinks to different places around 8.30pm. He complained of being tired and needed to rest and asked me to serve him dinner and lock up the shop so that we can go home for the day.

Immediately he walked in, two unknown boys followed him up, demanded to be served beer.

Serving dinner to husband

The shooting was too much. They pumped several bullets into my father’s body before they fled into the darkness

My husband inquired to know who they were but they declined and said,’ brother, we have come to buy drink’. I then asked my first child to serve them while I served my husband dinner. The two boys took two bottles of the beer and later requested for more.

Soon after, my husband asked me to lock up the shop while he went home with the two little children — Ukamaka and Goodluck. As I was locking the shop, I didn’t know how the two boys left the shop because they sat at the dark end outside the shop.

“Then on my way to our residence which was close to our shop, I heard a loud sound of gunshot. I asked my first child

whether he heard the gunshot, as both of us started running home. It was on our way that the assailants pointed torch lights at us, and ordered us to stop. They threatened to shoot us if we did.

They requested for our phones, bag and every other thing we had.

Immediately, I fell downfrom the shock of the robbery. Then, one motorcyclist emerged, running while looking at me. I then said to my son that the gunshot was in our house. We braved up to the situation and proceeded to the house only to see my husband on the ground in a pool of his own blood.

I shouted on top of my voice thinking it was a dream. My husband, blood-soaked, was shouting, asking me to call his brothers whose names he continued to mention one after the other.

I rushed to a nearby bush calling neighbours to assist me save his life. When I came back and lifted his shirt, I noticed that he had been shot on the chest and his hands were shattered.

There was blood everywhere.

Rejection at the hospital: “As I was shouting, one boy came out to assist me and equally helped to shout for other neighbours to come out. People rushed out and helped to convey him to a clinic at Ogbede. The nurses at the clinic hushed at me and told me to take him back. I pleaded with them to attend to him as I have

Continues on page 49

WEDNESDAY Vanguard, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 49

I watched gunmen kill my Dad Continues from page 48 no phone to reach out to any other place. They asked me to take him to Dr Okolo’s clinic. It was there that I met another problem as the nurses there asked me to go and get police extract before they could touch him.

Police intervention: “When I got to the police division at Ogbede, the police after telling series of things said that the area in which we run the business was bad. They, thereafter, followed me to the clinic. On arrival at the clinic, the nurses opened the gate but few seconds later, they asked me out of the clinic on the grounds that my husband has been taken to the theatre for medical attention.

I was told to deposit at least N20,000. I pleaded that there was no cash on me, imploring them to attend to him and that I will bring the money in the morning of the next day but they wouldn’t listen to me.

Immediately I stepped out of the gate to ask the driver that

brought me to the clinic to loan me the money, they locked the gate behind me compelling me to join the driver back home without knowing the fate of my husband that night.

Neighbours intervene: “The next morning, neighbours came around and could not allow me to go to the clinic, only telling me that my husband has been taken to another hospital in Nsukka for better medication.

It was then it dawned on me that he has passed on but sympathisers kept saying all was well. We live at AmauweluNkpologwu, Ukehe village, the place is always very dark at nights because of lack of electricity in the area.

Lack of electricity “What my little child, Ukamaka, told me was that her daddy kept telling them not to come out from the truck that the bullet was too much while he swam in pool of his own blood. What I saw was

two boys and the cyclist who joined them making them three that attacked my husband but I do not know who they were.

We are aware that people are jealous of our enterprise but nobody has came out openly to challenge the business turn out all these years. Why we believed his killers were hired was that they did not ask for anything outside our phones and keys of the shop in my bag they collected.”

Landlord laments: The landlord to the slain liquor merchant, Ozo Vitalis Nwodo, reacting to the brutal killing of his tenant for over 19 years condemned the wicked killing, saying that those who perfected the killing can never go unpunished if not by the law, certainly, by God, the creator of the universe. He said that he has known Fidelis Eze for the past 23 years even before he came to live in his compound.

Chief Nwodo noted that late Eze came to his compound as a primary school teacher.

“After several years of teaching, he was made the education officer

•Late Eze's truck. INSET: The widow of the local education authority which he combined with the distribution of beer till the time he was gunned down by unknown men, adding that he has never hurt anybody in the village since he lived in the village as he has never complained of any threat by anybody.”

He stressed that the slain Eze maintained a good working relationship with the entire village and that was why people were surprised regarding what might have been the problem to warrant his killing.

“The police should, as a matter of urgency, expedite action by carrying out thorough investigations to bring his killers to book to face wrath of the law for the heinous crime.”

Police spokesman reacts: The Police Public Relation Officer, Enugu State, DSP Ebere Amarizu, said that the state command was yet to be briefed

by Igbo-Etiti Division as at the time of filing this report.

“The media would be briefed as soon as the command is aware of details of the killing in Ukehe community,” he stressed.

50—V ANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, OCTOBER 28, 2015 50—VANGU ANGUARD, WEDNESDA

My unfaithful lover!

DearBunmi, STARTED this affair early last year even though I am seemingly happy. I don’t want to hurt my husband, but I need love and affection, and I’m not getting either from him. Only I’ve recently discovered that the guy I’m having an affair with is also seeing someone else, and I’m devastated. Should I carry on seeing him even though he’s cheating on me? Or dump him and stick with my husband?

Liza, bye-mail.

I Couldn't mum wait after losing dad?

Dear Bunmi, ESS THAN six months after dad died, our mum started seeing someone else.

I knew their marriage hadn’t been great, but it saddened me that she could move on so quickly. She went to a party with her friend and when I waited till midnight and she

L

hadn’t returned, 1 went to bed.

In the morning, I took her breakfast. I opened the bedroom door then I noticed there was someone on Dad’s side of the bed. He grunted and rolled over when he saw me. I was in shock. “What the hell is going on here?” I yelled then ran out of the room.

Is it too old to find love at 69?

Dear Bunmi, Y HUSBAND died 12 years ago and I miss the closeness we shared. I’ve told friends how keen I am to find love again and a few of them have introduced me to men but I just don’t click with them. My eldest daughter, who is 45 is no help at all. She tells me I’m too old for romance and thinks I ought to get a dog or a cat to look after.

Would you have any advice on how to look for love at my age? I’m still young at heart and dogs or cats are no match for a man!

Pamela, by e-mail.

M

Dear Pamela, Pay no attention to your daughter - 69 is no age these days. And I agree with you what would you be doing with dogs and cats when you’re obviously not an animal lover?

A few months ago, a couple in their early 70s got married with fanfare in Lagos! Your best chance of success is to get out and meet people whether it’s through a part-time job or societies - there are so many of them around. Hopefully Prince charming will sweep you off your feet! If he doesn’t you’ll still have fun meeting interesting people instead of looking out for dogs and cats!

Sadly, he was the first of many men. Most weekends, Mum would go out and bring someone back. Her actions are out of order. Do you think she’s in her right mind?

Adesuwa, by e-mail.

Dear Adesuwa, You need to let your mother know how you feel about her springing all these men on you recently after losing a dad you obviously love. Hopefully, she’ll listen to you and take your feelings into consideration. Your mum was obviously grieving for a man she’d been involved with for years - no matter how rocky their marriage was. Having multiple partners could be her way of coping - but you’re being hurt in the process.

If she continues having all these men around even after you’ve talked with her, don’t waste any more time fretting over your choices. Put your time and energy to better use by seeking help for your own grief and confusion.

Dear Liza, Can you really blame your lover for cheating? Like it or not, he’s just doing what you’re doing-cheating

because he needs more from a relationship. Should you carry on seeing him? The thing is, if he’s already finding your relationship’s not enough for him, then he’s never going to truly care about you so I would dump him if I were you.

As for your husband, the ideal thing is to get things sorted out so you’re happy in your marriage. Why did you stray?

What is he doing wrong?

Cheating in a marriage is a sort of cry for help. You need to talk more with your husband and plan how to make your marriage the fulfilling relationship it once was.

Your even considering sleeping with another man at this early stage of your marriage shows a catastrophic rift in your relationship with a husband you’re supposed to be in love with. You must move carefully so as not to give wrong signal to your husband who might sense your discontent.

I no longer fancy my husband Dear Bunmi, ’M MARRIED to my childhood sweetheart. We lived together for a few years then got married three years ago. He’s a lovely and responsible man and I’m lucky to have him. We have a great relationship, apart from the physical side. His love-making no longer turns me on as it used to.

I’ve never considered cheating on him though lately, I’ve told myself that if the chance arose, I might just go for it.

I love my husband very much and we have a cute oneyear-old son. He’s very extroverted and I’m sure he’ll be terribly hurt if this marriage breaks so would I. Is there any way out of this.

Mabel, by e-mail

I

Dear Mabel, Your even considering sleeping with another man at this early stage of your marriage shows a catastrophic rift in your relationship with a husband you’re supposed to be in love with. You must move carefully so as not to give wrong signal to your husband who might sense your discontent.

Your marriage obviously means

a lot to both of you and you had a fulfilling sexual relationship once. So what went wrong? You need to have a serious discussion with your husband. Sex is a very important part of married life. Tell him how to please you, and if possible, take the initiative.

He is your better half and you shouldn’t have secrets from him. There is also your son to

think about.

Marriage is not the wild bed of passion we all take it to be.

Resentments occur once in a while and you should resolve them; not rush into the arms of another man! A good marriage, such as you have, is worth fighting for.

Mabel, by e-mail

Can he be trusted?

Dear Bunmi, Y PARTNER is in his forties and was married before. He is a widower and has confessed that all the time he was married he’d had girlfriends which his wife condoned. When I told him I don’t like unfaithful men, he assured me he was now older and had more important things to think about.

We currently live together and any time I can’t account for where he is, I instantly assume he’s shagging someone somewhere, once a flirt, always a flirt. Am I right?

Munirat, by e-mail.

M

Dear Munirat, It is a fact of life that a man who has had affairs is much more likely to have another one; so you do have reason to be anxious. Since he’s now being honest with you and assuring you of his loyalty, you have no choice but to believe him.

Except you have other reasons to suspect he is still a ladies’ man, I would get on with making the best of the relationship if l were you.

In this type of situation, you have to follow your instinct and not rush into making rash assumptions.

He doesn't trust girls for now Dear Bunmi, ’VE BEEN going out with my boyfriend for about a year now and we seem to get on fairly well. Some weeks ago, we had a stupid argument and I went away, angry. Since then, he’d told me he’s scared of continuing with our relationship because he doesn’t want to be hurt like his last girlfriend hurt him.

He said he couldn’t go through such heartbreak again. I’m really heartbroken by his decision. How can I ever convince him I will never hurt him the way he thought?

Tina by e-mail.

I

cause you will. Getting hurtand hurting others - is part of being in love. Caring for one another makes you vulnerable.

And being close means its easier to get under each other’s skin. What you can do is show him that it’s possible to get over being hurt and to learn from the experience.

He needs to know a trusting strong relationship will survive. If he agrees with this suggestion, you have a future. But if he’s still scared, maybe he’s not matured enough for a serious relationship.

Dear Tina, You can’t convince your guy you can never hurt him, be-

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28 , 2015—51

Gowon faults Presidency on crushing of Boko Haram in Dec

By Peter Okutu

A

BAKALIKI—FORMER Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, yesterday faulted President Muhammadu Buhari and the military over the claim that Boko Haram insurgency would be terminated before the end of December, 2015.

The former military Head of State, who said the Nigerian military will do its best to meet the December deadline, however, maintained that nobody can really and confidently talk about the particular time any military operation was going to end.

He was quick to say that he had absolute confidence that the military would defeat the sect.

General Gowon stated this in Abakaliki, when he led advocacy visit to Governor David Umahi on malaria and four other neglected tropical diseases in the country.

“I can tell you this, nobody can really talk about when any particular operation is going to end. And as a commander-inchief, I know this.

“Yes, you can say you target a particular time, but it may

finish before that time or it may go slightly beyond. To end it, that is the most important thing.

“I assure you that I have absolute confidence in our military that they are going to really deal with the situation.”

The former Head of State expressed worry that the insurgents had resorted to using

under-age and innocent children as suicide bombers, noting that such initiative was inimical to the progress and development of the nation.

“May the spirits of these poor little children, who are being brain-washed to carry out such heinous crimes rest in peace,” he added.

Gowon appreciated the successes recorded by former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration in the fight against Boko haram, noting that President Buhari’s administration since it came on board had been doing a lot to end the insurgency in every part of the country.

Agric Conference: From left, Senator Abdullahi Adamu discussing with Chairman of the occasion , Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman , Honeywell Group; Emir of Gummi at Daily Trust Agric Conference and Exhibition titled 'Beyond Crude Oil: How Agri-Business can Sustain Nigeria’s Economy ' held in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

DELE GIWA: Omeben lied —Ray Ekpu

C

O-FOUNDER OF Newswatch magazine, Ray Ekpu, has dismissed the allegation of Chris Omeben, a retired Deputy InspectorGeneral of Police, who accused him and the Newswatch of hiding Kayode Soyinka, the prime suspect in the murder of late Dele Giwa.

Kayode Soyinka, London correspondent of Newswatch at the time, was with Dele Giwa when the parcel bomb exploded.

Omeben said he wanted Soyinka questioned over his perceived complicity in the murder of Dele Giwa, but that Ekpu shielded him from justice.

Omeben, who turned 80 yesterday, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday, that even when he had narrowed in on the principal suspect, who could have thrown more light on the riddle, the suspect was allowed to escape from Nigeria.

“They said somebody brought a parcel and his son Billy received the parcel and took it to his father (Dele Giwa), who was having his breakfast that morning. On the breakfast table was a man called Kayode Soyinka, he was there; Dele was there and then the son Billy handed over the parcel.

And as he did so, I heard

Soyinka left the table and went to the adjacent room. It was while he was there that the parcel detonated. Dele was injured and eventually died...

What happened to Soyinka?

Nobody could give me an answer... ‘’I have enough evidence to quiz Soyinka now. Please, Ray Ekpu can I have Soyinka now?

They resisted up till today. Up till today, Soyinka never appeared before the police,” he said.

Responding to Omeben’s allegations, yesterday, Ekpu in an interview with TheCable, said the police quizzed Soyinka, who, he added, was on the dining table with Dele Giwa when the parcel bomb exploded and was affected contrary to the former DIG’s claim that he left immediately and went into an adjoining room before the explosion.

He said the truth about the death of Giwa is in the open, that Nigerians know who his killers are. “This man thinks that people’s memories have faded, so he can twist and turn as he likes, but I don’t think people’s memories are that short,” he said.

“Kayode Soyinka was in the country for more than two months, the police interviewed him and also interviewed us, so I don’t know at what point we shielded him.

“As our correspondent in London, Kayode only came for consultation a few days before this incident happened and stayed with Dele just the same way, we stayed with him anytime we went to London. So, there was nothing, absolutely nothing unusual about that.

“Will a guy who wants to use a bomb and kill someone stay in the same room with him?

Would he stay in the same room while the bomb explodes? Will he know the extent of the damage that the bomb will create? I’m not a security man but I doubt it, except you are a suicide bomber.

“Besides, Kayode’s ears were perforated and he couldn’t hear for months. The bomb had an effect on him.

You know he was seated opposite Dele as he opened the parcel. They were together; now tell me how it is possible for a man who knows something about bomb to sit inches away from the man who was opening the parcel? Does that sound credible? Doesn’t that sound preposterous to you? Who knew anything about parcel bombs at that time? Whoever thought that a bomb could be sent through a letter in 1986 Nigeria?”

Aelex, others brainstorm on democracy today

F

O R M E R MINISTERS of Internal Affairs, Major General Ike Nwachukwu, retd, and Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi would be among the public policy experts, who would meet today to brainstorm on fundamenmatal issues concerning Nigeria’s political development.

The event, which is the 2015 Aelex annual lecture, is scheduled to hold in Lagos with the theme: Politics, Democracy and Ethnicity.

A statement by the organizers, said the forum would be chaired by Nwachukwu while Dr. Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa of the Department of Political Science, Bayero University, Kano and Mrs. Yemi Adamolekun, would be the discussants.

It further said the Aelex series of lectures are a commemoration of the partnership that formed Aelex Legal Practitioners and Arbitrators in 2004, adding that the annual lecture, has in the last 10 years thrown up issues significant to the development of Nigeria as a nation.

Editor loses brother

H

ON, Anthony Ibegwam (KSM) is dead, aged 62. He died on October 12, 2015.

Vigil Mass at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, Okwu Emekuku, Owerri North LGA, Imo State, will hold October 28, 2015.

Burial takes place October 29, at Ibegwam’s Compound, Okwu Emekuku, Owerri, after a burial mass at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Nkwo Emekuku, Owerri, Imo State.

He is survived by wife, three children, three sisters and a brother, among whom is Mr. Fintan Ibegwam, Copy Editor, Vanguard Newspapers.

Late Hon Ibegwam

52— VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Israel jails Islamic cleric for inciting Aqsa violence

A

N Israeli court on Tuesday ordered the jailing of a firebrand cleric whose Islamist group has been accused of inciting a wave of violence over Jerusalem’s AlAqsa mosque compound.

Fresh violence erupted in the evening, with two Palestinians shot dead in the West Bank after stabbing an Israeli soldier.

Raed Salah, the head of the radical northern wing of the Islamic Movement in Israel, was found guilty on appeal of inciting violence at the holy site in a 2007 speech.

However he has also been on the government’s radar for stoking current tensions over the compound that has led to a wave of anti-Israeli knife attacks, shootings and violent protests.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised last week to ban the Islamic Movement for “wild incitement” of the current attacks.

During the speech in

retired neuro-sur geon has knocked Donald Trump off top spot in the Republican presidential campaign.

Ben Carson takes a narrow lead in in a New York Times/CBS News poll, ousting the New York businessman who has led the pack for nearly four months.

The news comes on the eve of the third TV debate for Republican contenders.

The next-ranked candidates are Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush and Carly Fiorina but they are a long way behind.

The conservative Mr Carson, who has expressed extreme views on a range of issues, has 26% of Republican primary voter support, according

•Leader of the radical northern wing of the Islamic Movement in Israel, Sheikh Raed Salah, who was jailed by Israeli government yesterday for inciting Aqsa violence .

2007, Salah urged “all Muslims and Arabs (to) start an intifada (uprising)

T

to support holy Jerusalem and the blessed Al-Aqsa mosque.”

US still isolated at UN over Cuba

T

HE United Nations General Assembly has almost unanimously voted to condemn the US embargo on Cuba, in the first such resolution since

to the telephone poll of 575 voters.

His lead of 4% over Mr Trump is well within the 6% margin of error.

Florida Senator Mr Rubio has 8% support and the rest closely follow behind him.

Mr Trump has turned his fire to Mr Carson in recent days, attacking him as “low energy” and questioning his Seventh Day Adventist faith.

US-Cuban diplomatic ties were restored earlier this year.

The motion won more support than it has done in the past, with 191 members of the 193-member body voting in favour.

Only the US and Israel opposed the resolution, which is non-binding.

The US had earlier said it may abstain if the resolution’s language differed significantly from previous ones.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) has voted in favour of the resolution condemning the US embargo on Cuba for every year since 1992.

Last year, the US and Israel voted against the resolution, while three countries abstained.

UK academics sever ties with Israeli universities

H

U N D R E D S of university professors in the United Kingdom say they will halt all cooperation with Israeli schools in an effort to draw atten-

Polish, Italian EU lawmakers sanctioned for Hitler salutes WO right-wing MEPs have been suspended from the European Parliament for making Nazi salutes during sessions.

Polish MEP Janusz Korwin-Mikke made the gesture in July as he spoke against the influx of migrants into the EU. In October, Italian MEP Gianluca Buonanno wore a Hitler moustache and gave the salute during a debate where the German chancellor was present.

The pair have been fined $3,380 (£2,200)

parasitic-wormkilling drug, whose discovery won the Nobel prize, may also cut cases of malaria, say researchers.

Early data coming out of trials of ivermectin in Burkina Faso suggest it leads to 16% fewer cases of childhood malaria.

B/FASO: Nobel winning drug tackles malaria Scientists at the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene’s conference, said the drug was toxic to blood-drink-

IMF warns of African economic slowdown

Ben Carson narrowly beats Trump in new poll

A

A

and are suspended for 10 days, but can still vote.

The European Parliament Bureau decided on Monday to confirm the sanctionsimposed by the parliament’s president Martin Schulz earlier this month, a spokesman said.

Mr Korwin-Mikke was protesting against the transportation of migrants across the EU. He said “This time it is ‘ein Reich, ein Volk, ein Ticket’” and later made a speech referring to migrants as “human garbage”.

tion to Israel’s violations of international law.

In a statement released on Tuesday, 343 UK academics announced that they would no longer accept invitations to visit Israeli academic institutions, act as referees in any of their processes, or participate in conferences funded or organised by them. “ We c o u l d n ’ t h a v e done this five years ago. The change in mood is palpable; many people have been critical of Israel and its policies privately, but until now, many have not thought they wanted to state this publicly,” London School of Economics professor Jonathan Rosenhead, who helped to organise the academic commitment, told Al Jazeera.

E

CONOMIC growth in sub-Saharan Africa is slowing sharply, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has warned.

In its latest African Economic Outlook, the fund forecasts growth in the region of 3.75% this year, the slowest growth in six years.

Next year, the report forecasts growth of 4.25%.

Low oil and commodity prices, together with a slowdown in the Chinese economy, are the main reasons for the overall downturn, the IMF says.

China is the region’s largest trading partner and many African countries have benefited hugely from exporting raw materials to the country.

“The strong momentum evident in the region in recent years has dissipated,” says the report, titled Dealing with the Gathering Clouds.

“With the possibility that the external environment might turn even less favourable, risks to this outlook remain on the downside.”

Oil exporters such as

Nigeria and Angola are being hit particularly hard by the slump in the oil price, which has fallen by more than 50% since mid2014 to less than $50 a barrel.

‘Africa’s relationship with Asia key to national development’

R-l: President, Council of African Political Parties (CAPP) Women wing, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, and other guests during a three- day conference on the objectives of the ‘Silk Road’ project for a dynamic AfroAsian relationship held in Beijing, China

By Charles Kumolu & Precious Ubani

T

HE President, Council of African Political Parties (CAPP) Wom-

POLLS: Govt ministers suffer defeat in Tanzania

N

INE Tanzanian government ministers have lost their parliamentary seats to the opposition Ukawa coalition, partial results from Sunday’s vote show.

It is the biggest shock of the election so far which is the most competitive in the country’s history.

The BBC’s Arnold

Kayanda in the main city Dar es Salaam says it is a big blow to the governing CCM party.

But it is too early to predict the end of its 54-year rule as there are many results still to be declared, he says.

The electoral commission has until Thursday to announce the final results.

LIBYA: Helicopter goes down in deadly crash

A

T least 12 bodies have been recovered after a helicopter carrying up to 23 people crashed near the Libyan capital of Tripoli, according to local officials.

Several high-ranking members of the Fajr Libya coalition of armed groups that controls Tripoli were on board the helicopter, which came down on Tuesday afternoon in Zawiya, a town situated about 45km

ing mosquitoes.

They said their findings were pretty exciting, but still at an early stage.

Ivermectin is already used to kill parasitic worms, which affect a third of the world’s population and cause illnesses including river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.

The US Colorado State University and the Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé in Burkina Faso are trying to see if it can be used to save lives.

west of the capital.

Speaking to the AP news agency, Libyan army spokesman Colonel Ali al-Sheikhi said that 12 bodies had been retrieved, among them at least two senior officials from Fajr Libya.

Libya has been rocked by deadly clashes between armed groups and forces loyal to the internationally recognised government, which has taken refuge in the country’s far east.

en wing, Dr. Ramatu Aliyu, has called for measures that would further improve the economic relationship between Africa and China, saying the latter needs Africa at this time of its economic development.

Aliyu, who is also the National Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said such relationship would be a win-win situation that would be beneficial to the Africa and Asia.

She said this in Beijing, China during a three- day conference on the objectives of the ‘Silk Road’ project for a dynamic Afro-Asian relationship.

The summit, which held under the auspices of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) with the theme ‘New Vision of the Silk Road: Action for Common Development,’ explored issues of political leadership, economic integration, cultural bond and new impetus for emerging economies.

While highlighting the diplomatic benefits of the Silk Road initiatives, she said: “This project would enhance a people-to-people cultural exchange and mutual learning among the peoples of the relevant countries, and enable them to understand, trust and respect each other and live in harmony, peace and prosperity.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 —53

Expert seeks national policy guidelines on cancer treatment many women's lives once they learn they have it.

"Each year, more and more women lose their lives from Cancer, which is why it has been labelled a death sentence.

Although, some of the cases resulting in death could have been prevented if certain precautions were taken, sadly, there is little information and even awareness on Breast Cancer. This is one of the reasons we are having this Summit. We are bringing stakeholders together to stop the increasing incidence of Breast Cancer in Nigeria by working together.

By Chioma Obinna

W

ITH the latest discovery by the World Health organisation, WHO, that processed meat could cause cancer, hundreds of medical experts and other stakeholders in the fight against cancer will today in Abuja deliberate on possible ways of tackling the scourge in the country.

Also, the over 500 stakeholders expected at the summit will proffer solutions on how to stop cancer from taking the lives of Nigerians as well as evolve and propose to Government a National policy guideline on the treatment of Breast cancer in Nigeria.

The two-day cancer summit which opened in Abuja yesterday, with the theme: "Stop Breast Cancer from Taking Her Life" will also raise awareness on cancer among Nigerians.

Cancer Summit

Breast cancer

In chat with journalists in Lagos, President, Cancer Education and Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria, CEAFON, Prof. Francis Abayomi Durosinmi-Etti who enumerated the many challenges of diagnosis and treatment for Breast Cancer and others in the country identified lack of finance and non availability of drugs as the major factors militating against cancer treatment.

For Durosinmi - Etti, who is also the pioneer Chief Medical Director, National Hospital, Abuja and the Chairman of the National Consultative Committee on Cancer Control in Nigeria, there is need for collective actions to tackle the disease, hence the need for the summit.

"Cancer concerns us all. There's a lot to be done and we are making efforts to stop the scourge. This Summit is important, because we are gathering several

INTERVIEW: Prof. Francis Abayomi Durosinmi-Etti stakeholders to discuss how to win the battle against the disease. "Cancer has increased mortality, largely because there is still a high level of ignorance about it, inadequate specialist practitioners and very few cancer centres in Nigeria."

According to him, the summit being put together by CEAFON in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, and powered by ROCHE Product Limited, MTN Foundation, AstraZeneca, Novartis, Varian, JNCI, and other sponsors would deliberate on ways of improving treatment.

He explained that this year's summit will focus on breast cancer, a disease he said, has continued to change the course of

Cancer has increased mortality, largely because there is still a high level of ignorance about it, inadequate specialist practitioners and very few cancer Centres in Nigeria

He said the summit will also serve as a platform to create measures on how to treat Breast Cancer. "We need a collective action, because of the many challenges facing the treatment of Breast Cancer in Nigeria, and this includes inadequate information, inadequate treatment centres, lack of medical personnel, and inadequate policies to tackle the scourge.

"It is also possible to decrease the mortality which Cancer is causing if we come together to fight it. In essence, the Cancer Summit 2015 is an effort to alleviate the scourge as we will discuss how to chart a course for Cancer care in Nigeria.

CEAFON would continue to make efforts to achieve a time when Breast Cancer will no longer be a death sentence, but a curable disease," he stated.

At the summit, experts who have studied the disease for many years would discuss Breast Cancer prevention, Government Policy development, Diagnosis, Treatment Protocols and possible National guidelines, Patient assistance programs, Health Insurance for Breast Cancer and other access initiatives.

The pain of cancer T

ODAY there is a cancer summit starting in Abuja.

The brochure covers the various types of cancer, their features, diagnosis and current treatments.

Cancer, and there are around 90 different types, is a non communicable disease that is fast gaining a foothold in the developing world.

This week also, the WHO has announced that there is “sufficient evidence” to recommend the avoidance of “processed meats” in risk reduction for bowel cancer.

An important aspect, and perhaps the most important concern aside from cure, is the management of pain associated with cancer. Unfortunately, I did not see this subject covered in this otherwise comprehensive summit.

Causes of Cancer Pain: 78 percent of pain is due to direct tumour involvement. The tumour may invade bone, nerves, body organs, membranes and blood vessels.

Another 19 percent is pain associated with the treatment of the cancer itself, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and post surgical pain. The small percentage remaining consists of various pains and syndromes that are really the body’s physiochemical response to the cancer.

Treating cancer pain: I have learnt on my return to practice in Nigeria, that the word “manage” may be misunderstood. Hence I now opt for “treatment” rather than “management” of pain.

There are two broad methods of treating cancer pain: pharmacological and non pharmacological.

Pharmacological Methods: Opioids remain the most effective and widely used group of pain medicines for cancer. Their manufacture, distribution and end usage is strictly regulated by a world body. To prescribe them in the USA, and now lately in the UK, requires the possession C M Y K

doctor@lagospainclinic.com of special licenses. Abuse, misuse and diversion are major problems in its monitoring. The correct use of opioids in cancer often necessitates combination of long acting types and short acting types for breakthrough pain. Commonest and potent short acting types are hydromorphone, the condones,( oxycodone and hydrocone) and morphine.

The long acting types mostly used are morphine, oxycontin and methadone. Fentanyl is also used in the form of a three day dose patch.

These are highly dangerous drugs in wrong or inexperienced hands. Fortunately (because of associated risks of diversion and abuse) and unfortunately (because patients truly benefit from them) these drugs are so highly regulated as to be almost impossible to obtain in Nigeria.

Paracetamol and NSAIDS like ibuprofen and diclofenac, are also commonly used and can be effective.

Specifically not recommended are: pethidine, because of its short half-life and brain and kidney toxicity and opioid-related drugs like pentazocine (precipitate withdrawal). With the liberalisation of cannabis in certain parts of the world, it is likely that more may resort to this previously unrecommended drug.

Other drugs include antidepressants, anticonvulsants, anti vomiting and anti anxiety medications.

Some of the drugs used in chemical or hormonal therapy to shrink the tumour are also useful in managing pain in cancer patients.

Non Pharmacological Treatment of Cancer Pain: These are physical modalities like exercise, acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical stimulation; psychosocial methods like relaxation, psychotherapy, counselling and even hypnosis; and invasive therapies like radiation, anaesthetic nerve block techniques, neurosurgery and tumour debulking surgery.

The overall management of the pain of many cancers known, is very complex. Treatment often involves the combination of different methods or changes from one method to another as the cancer progresses or treatments fail. The most notable obstacle I have experienced in treating patients with cancer in Nigeria has been the availability of strong opioid medications. No article on palliative pain care in this country would be complete without mention of the dedicated and pioneering work of Prof. Soyanwo from the Department of Anaesthesia, University of Ibadan. Not only was she among those who taught me anaesthesia, but, over the past decades, she has done more than anyone in ensuring the recognition of the lack of palliative care and the non availability of the strong analgesic drugs in Nigeria.

It is time now for the Society for the Study of Pain Nigeria (which she founded) and other stakeholders ( that is ALL OF US ) to take the advocacy forward to the appropriate regulatory agencies to remove these obstacles and help us relieve pain and suffering in Nigerians, especially those with cancer. It could be anyone.

54 – Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

Nigeria begins Olympic preparations November T HE DirectorG e n e r a l , National Sports Commission, Alhassan Yakmut, has said that Team Nigeria’s preparation for the 2016 Olympics would begin on November 21.

Mr. Yakmut made this known while speaking with journalists in Abuja.

He explained that the mode of preparation for the Olympics would be different from the preparation for the All African Games.

“Already ground works have been concluded; right now we are making contact with the various centres where the preparation will be done.

“The preparation for Olympics is not going to be like that of the All Africa Games.

“There is no central point of collection of athletes except the last two weeks to the Olympics where all athletes in all the different sports that Nigeria will be participating in will be in a special camp in Rio

A Taekwondo duel involving Nigeria's Chika Chukwumerije (r) at the London 2012 Olympics. and then, a day to the opening of the games village, we shall move.

“But our main strategy is that we are going to be spotless and we are going to be athletebased.

“So, it’s possible to have six athletes in six different disciplines in athletics and they may not be camping in the same place.

“It depends on where the technical expertise and high quality of infrastructure and scientific support is.”

Osimhen Continues from BP the highest scoring player in the group stages. If he does go on to collect the adidas Golden Boot, he will become the third Nigerian to be named top goalscorer at a FIFA U-17 World Cup after

Macauley Chrisantus in 2007 and Wilson Oruma back in 1993 if he does, bringing the Golden Eaglets level with Spain’s tally of three previous Golden Boot winners in this competition (Borja in 2009, Cesc Fabregas in 2003 and David in 1997).

No World Cup worries for “Ofcourse,thereisnocause Falconets foralarmasfarasqualification

F

ALCONETS prolific striker, Chinwendu Ihezuo has said there is no cause for alarm following the side’s slim win against the Basetsana of SouthAfrica.

The nation’s campaigners won 2-1 against the South Africans in Saturday’s 2016 FifaU20Women’sWorldCup Africa final round first fixture qualifying clash at the Abuja NationalStadium.

Ihezuo said her side are on strong footing towards qualifying for the World Cup inPapuaNewGuineadespite the low margin 2-1 win.

forthe2016FifaU20Women’s World Cup in Papua New Guinea is concerned.

“We missed lots of scoring chances in the first fixture but the good thing is that we ended up the winners.

“We need to work hard on our finishing to stand a good chance in the reverse fixture in South Africa.

“Onceweareabletoputup more efforts in our games we will have it quite easy right there in Johannesburg.

“Ourchanceforaspotatthe World Cup is quite bright as the South Africans were not spectacular.''

Eaglets Continues from BP shrugging off their defeat to Croatia in their final group match Saturday morning.

Coach Emmanuel Amuneke has said the boys have since put that defeat behind them and are ready to play. There are no injury worries and motivated by the fact that they emerged top of their group. The Eaglets will also be boosted by the return of Bamgboye who served a one-match suspension following the red card he received in their second group match against host country, Chile.

Speaking yesterday from the team’s camp in Chile, Coach Amuneke said the tournament’s top scorer, Victor C M Y K

Osimhen was a marked man and as a result, the technical crew had evolved a method of play that would put every player in the hunt for goals.

“Osimhen has really played himself to reckoning and now he is a marked man. We have noticed this and we have told the players to move as a team. Gone are the days a team was built around individual players we are all ready for the game.”

Amuneke said his players cannot contemplate another loss because the loss to Croatia was a wake-up call. “They now know that they too can be beaten so we will all work for victory.”

Falconets players celebrate a goal.

Continues from BP

Toro

astute administrator threw in the towel even though he never made any formal intention of contesting. ‘’I warned them that it will not work. I told them that no Nigerian or African is ripe to become FIFA President. How far have they gone?’’, Toro who achieved landmark successes as scribe of the NFA said on our hotline. ‘’The position of FIFA President is not something that one jumps at anyhow. I warned that people

should not ridicule Nigeria but many read different meanings to our honest advice. It is a shame that after much publicity, they did not cross the first hurdle’’, the former House of Representatives member said. ‘’With Issa Hayatou presiding over the affairs of FIFA, things will be difficult for any African aspiring for that position.

If Hayatou supports or shows interest in any African, they’ll bring out incriminating things against him. He is on a hot seat now’’.

ACC Zone-3: First Bank set sight on ticket for finals

T

WO-TIME Africa Champions Cup for women winner First Bank basketball club of Nigeria is confident of picking one of the two ticket from Zone-3 qualifier slated for Cotonou, Benin Republic from November 5 through 11th, 2015.

The club currently camping in the Cotonou ahead the technical meeting billed for November 4th is in high spirit and ready for action.

Speaking with our

correspondent at the weekend newly appointed coach of the Elephant Girls as the club is also known, Peter Ahmedu, that the players are responding very well to training.

Coach Ahmedu who until last week was the coach of Nigeria men league champion, Mark Mentors basketball club of Abuja joined First Bank after a brief reorganization by the club management and has promised to deliver.

Odegbami Continues from BP architects of his failed bid to become the next president of the world football governing body.

The 63-year-old former international was unable to win the required backing of five member associations.

Odegbami said Nigeria’s Football Federation offered him its support too late to meet Monday ’s deadline.

“The NFF only sent their nomination letter to Fifa (on Monday afternoon). What was I supposed to do with that?” Odegbami told BBC Sport.

“That was their reaction to my letter sent to them two months ago.

It is preposterous.”

Odegbami also believes that his outspoken criticism of long-standing Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou may have counted against him.

“Of course there are Continues from BP

local politics within the Nigerian and African football system that pitches some of us against the established system,” he said.

“I have been one of the most virulent critics of the perpetuity in office of Issa Hayatou in office and I knew I was not one of his best friends.”

Odegbami has also blamed ex-FIFA executive committee member Amos Adamu and rival Orji Uzor Kalu for his failure not to get the backing of other African countries in his quest to be elected new FIFA boss.

“Where were Amos Adamu and (Orji) Kalu yesterday (Monday)?

It’s a Nigerian thing to bring down others,” accused a sobered Odegbami on a radio interview monitored in Abuja Tuesday morning.

“Well, I have done my own bit and it is left for others to do theirs.”

Odds

Sausalito, Viña del Mar. Australia’s reward for finishing third in Group C is a meeting with the defending champions on Wednesday night.

Of the five previous encounters with the Golden Eaglets in previous editions of the Fifa Under 17s, the Asian reps have lost all and scored only twice.

Christopher Nwosu’s goal in the 59th minute gave the Golden Eaglets a 1 - 0 win over the Joeys in one of the quarter final games at Canada 2007 while Nwankwo Kanu and Wilson Oruma were on target in the second half in a group

fixture that ended 2 - 0 back in 1993.

In 1995, that same scoreline was repeated at the Estadio Olímpico de Riobamba, Riobamba, with the goals coming from Edward Anyamkygh and James Obiora in the 59th and 90th minute respectively.

Nigeria’s biggest win against the Aussies was in 2001. Femi Opabunmi bagged a hat - trick in the 5 - 1 rout of the opponents.

John Obi Mikel and Bala netted in the Golden Eaglets 2 - 1 win over Australia in the group stage of the Fifa Under 17 World Cup hosted by Finland.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015 — 55

Iheanacho dreams Wembley ahead of Palace clash

K

ELECHI Iheana cho is already dreaming of pulling on a Manchester City shirt at Wembley in February.

Ahead of the Blues’ fourth-round match with Crystal Palace in the League Cup today, Iheanacho, 19, says playing at the national stadium is a long-standing ambition.

“We know that if we win, we’re only three games away from a final at Wembley, a place I’ve always wanted to play at,” he said. “We’ll be going all out to beat them.”

The young Nigerian looks set to make his first start for the club after a number of impressive cameos this season, including against Palace in the 1-0 league victory back in September.

He came on during the final stages of a tight match and scored a lastgasp winner to preserve City’s 100 per cent start to the season.

It’s a game that will forever be etched in the young forward’s mind.

“Crystal Palace will always be a special game for me because I scored my first goal against them,” he told the club’s official website.

“It won’t be easy because they are a quality side. They are very strong and have very good wingers, so they will believe they can come here and win.”

Barca to renew Messi’s contract

B

ARCELONA have on their agenda a new contract for Lionel Messi and while there’s no rush, reports say the Argentine is next in line for renegotiations after Neymar.

Sport claim Barca are looking at Messi’s contract, which expires in 2018, with a view to extending it so he will be at Camp Nou until retirement.

Messi signed a new deal in 2014 that pays €20m after tax and has a release clause of €250m.

He also receives between €4m and €5m in bonuses and could get improved terms.

C M Y K

•Iheanacho

Mourinho to move to PSG if Chelsea sack him

•Mourinho

P

SG are monitoring Jose Mourinho’s situation at Chelsea and will consider offering him a job should he be fired.

Mourinho is under huge pressure with the defending champions down in 15th place after taking just 11 points from their first 10 games and could be sacked if they lose their sixth Pre-

mier League match of the campaign against Liverpool on Saturday.

PSG currently have Laurent Blanc in charge but the owners are longterm admirers of Mourinho.

They tried to hire the Portuguese in 2011 and again in 2013 but the 52year-old rejected them on both occasions.

Blanc was only given the post two years ago after Mourinho had opted to return to Chelsea and his contract expires at the end of the season.

The former France and Manchester United defender is already on course to win his third title in a row as PSG boast a seven-point lead at the top of Ligue 1.

Suarez dreads Ramos

B

ARCELONA for ward Luis Suarez picked out Real Madrid’s Sergio Ramos as the toughest opponent he’s faced since moving to La Liga.

“Sergio Ramos is the

toughest defender I’ve come up against. He’s very strong, very experienced and he’s very competitive. So I value a great deal the goal I scored against Madrid in the home game.”

Garcia: Roma want to win every title

R

OMA Coach Rudi Garcia points out that his players are “top because they deserve it” but warns against complacency.

“We’re not moved by being made favourites, I like the attitude of the lads. They ’re top because they deserve it.

“At this point the table doesn’t matter, you have to take it one game at a time and the right atti-

tude is to always think that the next one is the most important” The Lupi have taken just two points from their opening three Champions League games, would they be better off focusing on Serie A? “No, never. I want to win every competition in which we’re entered, though of course the League is our bread and butter, that’s obvious.”

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 2015

FIFA U-17 World Cup Brazil

v

New Zealand 8 pm

Mexico

v

Chile

8 pm

Nigeria

v

Australia

11 pm

Korea Rep

v

Belgium

11 pm

G

OLDEN Eaglets striker, Victor Osimhen is gradually inching his way into the tournament’s history books.

According to statistics, the striker ’s four goals and one assist make him Continues on Page 54

Eaglets in make or mar clash with Australia •Osimhen

Kick off: 11 pm

FIFA Presidency: Toro criticises Odegbami

BY TONY UBANI

I

Kelechi Nwakali, David Enogela raring to go against Australia

Mourinho’s future Odds favour uncertain HE odds are in

T•Page 54

favour of the Golden Eaglets to beat

N continuation of their defence of the FIFA U-17 World Cup which they won 2 years ago, the Golden Eaglets will test their might against Australia in a winner takes all encounter billed to kick off midnight in Chile.

The coach Emmanuel Amuneke tutored team know that a loss in this encounter will see them take the next available flight home.

The Eaglets are said to be in high spirits after Continues on Page 54

F

•Toro

•Odegbami

Odegbami: Intrigues, politics undid me

ORMER Green F Eagles captain, Eaglets over Australia Chief Segun Odegbami

Australia and qualify for the quarter - finals of the Fifa Under 17 World Cup

when both countries clash at the Estadio Continues on Page 54

Osimhen inches closer to history books

has pointed accusing fingers at the Nigeria Football Federation, his

rival Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and former member of the FIFA Executive Committee, Dr Amos Adamu for being the Continues on Page 54

ORMER Secretary General of the Nigeria Football Association, NFA, Sani Ahmed Toro has laughed off the failure of exinternational, Olusegun Patrick Odegbami to secure the backing of five countries football federations as his FIFA Presidential aspiration crumbled.

Odegbami and former Governor of Abia State, Orji Uzor Kalu had electrified the Nigerian media with their aspirations of replacing Joseph Sepp Blatter as FIFA President. Kalu, a tested politician and

Continues on Page 54

QUICK CROSSWORD

T OD AY'S PUZZLE ODA

FRI DAY'S ANS WERS FRID ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Staunch (4) 4 Obscure (3) 6 Pant (4) 9 Illuminated (3) 10 Backed (8) 11 So be it (4) 14 Equality (3) 16 Sordid (5) 19 Liberated (8) 21 Bar (5) 23 Opposition (8) 24 Begin (5) 27 Edge (3) 31 Locate (4) 33 Copied (8) 34 Golf-peg (3) 35 Prophet (4) 36 Untruth (3) 37 Marquee (4)

DOWN 2 Pour (4) 3 Encounter (4) 4 Sick (8) 5 Manufactured (4) 6 Clearing (5) 7 Objective (5) 8 Vapour (5) 12 Angry (5) 13 Animal (5) 14 Friend (3) 15 Spree (5) 17 Correct (5) 18 Coupled (5) 20 Precise (8) 22 Tear (3) 25 Commonplace (5) 26 Jockey (5) 28 Tablet (4) 29 Divide (4) 30 Observed (4) 32 Born (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Repeal 5, Torrid 8, Assassin 9, Mean 10, Pep 12, Sober 15, Wet 17, Asp 18, Ate 19, Imp 20, Evict 21, Dog 22, Era 23, Egg 24, Ear 26, Ragged 29, Err 33, Ogle 34, Permeate 35, Propel 36, Lotion.

DOWN: 2, Ensue 3, Edam 4, Lasso 5, Tense 6, Ramp 7, Irate 10, Price 11, Paper 12, Spear 13, Bring 14, Rated 15, Wedge 16, Tiger 25, Anger 27, Appal 28, Enrol 30, Ratio 31, Seep 32, Test.

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.

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 014544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Ag.Editor: EZE ANABA. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

C M Y K