Residents flee Mubi as insurgents take over

...towards a better life for the people

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VOL. 25: NO. 62264

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

N150

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

SYNAGOGUE: Coroner 80% of Nigeria's threatens to arrest pipeline network has Joshua if he fails to testify collapsed — FG 9 10

Residents flee Mubi as insurgents take over •Many feared killed as Boko Haram attacks other towns •My daughter, other relatives missing — Nyako's aide •Come over to Mubi and help us, Emir tells military

By Umar Yusuf

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OLA— DEFYING the purported ceasefire agreement between the Federal Government and Boko Haram Islamic sect, the terrorists, yesterday, overran Mubi, the commercial nerve centre and second biggest town in Adamawa State as well as other neighbouring towns and villages, killing many residents who Continues on Page 5

Jonathan picks nomination form today •Asks court to dismiss suit challenging his eligibility

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Mr & Mrs

NO ROAD—

Tankers, other articulated vehicles take over Mile 2 end of the Apapa Oshodi Expressway, Lagos, yesterday. Photos: Biodun Ogunleye.

COLUMNISTS: National Assembly and national minimum wage •P.17 C M Y K

NFF as a metaphor for Nigeria •P.19

Sheik Gumi: Like father, like son •P.19

‘White man' rules Zambia as President Michael Sata dies 56

2 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, OCTOBER 30, 2014

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4 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, OCTOBER 30, 2014

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 —5

POCKET CARTOON

NUC—From left, Chairman, Governing Board, National Universities Commission, (NUC), Sen. Ahmadu Ali; Minister of Education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau; Permanent Secretary, Dr Mac-John Nwaobiala and NUC Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, at the launch of a publication on NUC during the minister’s tour of the commission in Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN.

Residents flee Mubi as insurgents take over Continues from Page 1

were unable to escape.

Many of the soldiers and residents were said to have fled to neighbouring local government areas. Residents who fled the town said the insurgents also engaged Nigerian troops in a deadly shoot-out.

Joshua Chinasa, a fleeing resident of Uba town which is about 30 kilometres from Mubi, said several people might have been killed during the shooting spree which was still going on at

press time. He said: “We are in serious trouble as these boys (Boko Haram) have taken over our towns, splitting in groups with some Boko Haram members advancing towards Mararraban Mubi and Vintim, the home town of Chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, giving Nigerian troops a hot chase. Mubi has now become a ghost of itself as people in their hundreds are fleeing for their lives. Even here in Maiha, we saw military

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love then make that day count!

—Steve Maraboli

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HENEVER you get the feeling like being knocked over and no matter what you do, it seems that often every minute of every day is always scheduled for something. With many challenges and complexities of life today, especially with everyday living of our current economy, it can be very easy to become sidetracked from ourselves, our needs and what is important. If you find yourself scurrying around for everyone else, or if you find yourself reaching back into old habits, you are not alone. These few pointers will help you get back on track to a balanced lifestyle. Actually, you can stop and smell the roses. Slow down. Take note and observe your surroundings. Make an effort to recognize your journey rather than just waiting to reach your destination. Take a moment to examine what is truly important to you. Write down a list of what you need to do. Then prioritize and say no to unnecessary activities or chores. Schedule alone time at least once a day. And then stick with it.

vehicles zooming off towards Yola, the state capital.”

He said that several people might have been killed during the shooting spree that lasted almost two hours in Uba and other villages.

Ahmad Sajoh, the spokesperson to former Adamawa State governor, Murtala Nyako, who also narrated his experience, said his daughter was missing after the advance of the insurgents early yesterday.

He said: “This morning, I got a call from my daughter who is a 200 level student of Adamawa State University, Mubi. She was hysterical. I was in Abuja for a meeting, but her information forced me to head back to Yola immediately.

She told me that the insurgents were approaching the town which is the second largest in Adamawa State. I ordered her to leave the hostel and join her cousins to escape the town. I called my father who confirmed the story.

“By the time I arrived Yola airport, the town had fallen to the insurgents. My parents are trapped while my daughter and her cousins are missing. We lost contact for the past six hours.

“My colleague,

Mallam Iliyasu of the Bursary Department Adamawa State University, Mubi, who is trapped in the town, said by 2pm the Police Barracks in the GRA was overrun by the insurgents; the Prison was blown open while fighting was going on at the Army barracks.

“The IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camp at Lamorde was thrown into confusion. The new rulers of the town had issued a decree banning all entry and exit to the town. Students who trooped to the motor park are now stranded with most taking refuge in any house that could welcome them.

“The barracks are the least safe locations in the

town. So far there are no reported cases of killings or abductions. But fear and apprehension had taken over. No word yet on the incident either by government or the military.”

A widow, Lamidi Kery, who lost her husband to a similar attack in Mubi, confirmed that people died during the attack.

She said: “The town is deserted now, people have all fled into nearby bushes and hilltops. We have seen soldiers in their vehicles retreating.”

Another source said that the Boko Haram insurgents overran Madagali down to Bazza, both in Adamawa State.

“They are having a field day. Even yesterday, I sneaked into Michika town to evacuate my aged mother, but surprisingly only insurgents could be heard around, there were no soldiers.

“Mubi has now become a shadow of its former self, people in hundreds are scampering for their lives. Even here in Maiha, we saw soldiers' vehicles zoom-off towards Yola, the state capital,” said a local source in Maiha, another town in Adamawa."

Another resident in the troubled town said that one of his siblings had not been seen and every effort to establish contacts with him in the last 24 hours had proved abortive.

“The town has been deserted while the only place safe for us is the military base in Mubi and the situation in Yola, the state capital, is so bad that the residents are apprehensive due to the influx of strange elements into the town”, he said.

Emir of Mubi sends SoS to FG Worried by the deteriorating situation, the Emir of Mubi, Alhaji Abubakar Isah Ahmadu, issued a Save-Our-Soul, SOS, to the Federal Government to prevent imminent invasion by the insurgents.

The state governor, Bala James Ngillari has asked the people of the state, particularly those in the affected areas to remain calm as security agents were on top of the situation. Mr P.P Elisha, the Director, Press and Public Affairs in the state in a statement said, “it’s unfortunate. His Excellency (the governor) met with security chiefs in the state yesterday to asses the situation. People should remain calm, security agents are on top of the situation.”

Meanwhile, the military authorities have not responded to the invasion of Mubi town by the terrorists as calls and text messages to the Defence Spokesman, Brigadier General Chris Olukolade were unanswered.

Doing business in Nigeria now easier — World Bank

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief BUJA—THE World Bank has given a positive assessment of doing business in Nigeria and 34 other countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

According to the global body, the report of this year ’s study on Doing Business indicated that almost all nations in the continent took deliberate steps to implement re-

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forms which made doing business easier for private sector operators.

“The report, Sub-Saharan Africa has had a great year of reform, with 35 of 47 economies recording at least one reform that makes it easier to do business - 75 reforms in total”, it said yesterday.

Nigeria alone undertook 10 regulatory reforms in its push towards making private sector operators take charge of

the economy.

Majority focused on improving business incorporation, trade, and credit reporting systems, allowing Nigeria to gradually narrow the gap with the best regulatory practices in the region.

The report finds that Nigeria ranks among the top five economies in Sub-Saharan Africa in two areas – the ease of getting credit and the strength of minority investor protections.

6—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

TAMBUWAL: We 'll regain Speaker's seat, PDP vows

Nda-Isaiah to pick APC presidential forms, pays N27.5m

By Clifford Ndujihe

By Henry Umoru, Emman Ovuakporie & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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OUNDER of the L e a d e r s h i p newspapers, Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, will pick the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential form on Monday, November 3.

He paid N27.5 million for the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms, yesterday.

A statement by David Chinda of Sam for Nigeria Presidential Campaign Organization, said NdaIsaiah will declare his presidential ambition on Tuesday, November 4 in Minna, Niger State.

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BUJA—THE national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday took a swipe at the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwal, who on Tuesday defected to All Progressives Congress, APC, saying the party would regain the speakership soon.

PDP National Vice Chairman, South South Zone, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh told reporters yesterday that God had exposed Tambuwal, who used the party to elevate himself and later dumped the platform that bought him to limelight.

According to Ojougboh, “PDP is a disciplined party.

If you use it to elevate yourself and get into office, when the time comes God will get you out, like the issue of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

“You can see how God has exposed them, and PDP will do everything within the law to regain its seat and that is what we are going to do in both Edo and Rivers states.”

The PDP zonal chairman boasted that the party willwin Rivers' governorship election and that “Amaechi will relocate to Ghana to meet his people there.

“Come May 29, 2015, I can assure you that Amaechi will not be there to hand over. Some people boasted in Adamawa State.

Where are they?

“I am sure he is preparing his home in Ghana.”

Commenting on the denial of sale of presidential nomination forms to Dr. Abdul Jahlil Tafawa Balewa (son of First Republic Prime Minister), and Professor Akasoba Duke-Abiola (widow of late MKO Abiola), Ojougboh said: “The issue is that the party has taken a decision on the issue of the presidency at the National Executive Committee, NEC, and if they have paid, the matter will be addressed.”

Before Balewa and DukeAbiola were denied the presidential nomination forms, they had reportedly paid N22 million and N2 million, respectively.

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CJN swears in new S'Court justice Mr. James Akpomudje, All Progressives Congress, APC, agent (left), being fed through a straw by wife, Doris, on his hospital bed, following an attack by suspected party thugs at Ovwor-Olomu last Saturday. PHOTO: Akpokona Omafuaire.

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—A new Justice of the Supreme Court was yesterday sworn in by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar.

He is Justice Chima Nweze formerly of the Court of Appeal, Calabar Division.

Nweze, from Enugu State replaced Justice Chukwuma Eneh, who retired from the bench recently.

Administering oath of office and allegiance on Justice Nweze the CJN, asked him to wary of pressure from external forces, especially politicians.

Mechanic allegedly abducts, rapes 13-yr-old girl for 5 days

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA— A Lokoja senior magistrate's court has remanded a 28-year-old mechanic, Abdulkadir Salihu, in prison custody for allegedly abducting and raping a teenage girl for five days.

Mrs Joyce Abdulmalik of Lokoja Senior Magistrate Court 1 gave the order, yesterday, in her ruling on arraignment of the accused in Lokoja.

The accused was arraigned on a two-count charge of kidnapping and rape, being offences contrary to Sections 273 and 283 of the Penal Code Law. Prosecuting police officer, Corporal Ubi Ubana, told the court that one Adama Ibrahim of Galilee Street, Lokoja reported the matter at the ‘A’ Division Police headquarters and Department of Criminal Investigation, Lokoja on October 23.

According to him, Ibrahim had alleged that on October 16, at about 1:25 pm, his niece (names withheld), aged 13, was sent to buy Okro from Adankolo New Layout Market, when the accused “enticed her into his house on Agbai Street.”

The accused, who he said did this without the consent of her guardian, also had carnal

knowledge of the victim without her consent.

He added that Salihu went further to lock up the girl in his room from October 16 to 20 of same month, to enable him have unfettered access to her.

“During the period, he had sex with his captive for several times before releasing her on October 20,” he said.

Ubana who told the court that investigation into the case was

ongoing, and urged it to remand the accused in KotonKarfe prisons, in view of the enormity of his offence.

In her ruling, Abdulmalik upheld the submission of the prosecution and ordered that the accused be remanded at the Medium Security Federal Prisons, Koton-Karfe and subsequently adjourned the case to November 10 for mention.

Parents of late bus conductor, LASTMA trade blames

By Evelyn Usman

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ONTROVERSY is currently trailing the death of Ikechukwu Abasirim, the 36year-old bus conductor allegedly crushed to death by officials of Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Monday, along Oshodi-Apapa expressway, Lagos, as LASTMA has exonerated its men of culpability.

It clarified that policemen attached to the agency, who were chasing a commercial bus driver over a traffic offence, were responsible for the tragedy.

However, on their part, the bereaved parents have described LASTMA’s claim as

a lie and a plot to divert attention from the real culprits.

They appealed to Lagos State Police Commissioner, Mr. Kayode Aderanti, to investigate the incident with a view to unearthing the truth.

Absolving its officials from blame, spokesman for LASTMA, Mahmud Hassan, in a statement, yesterday, said:

“Some policemen attached to the agency were trying to arrest a commercial bus that contravened traffic law.

“At the time of the incident, no LASTMA official was involved in the attempted arrest, neither was an official of the agency at the scene or vicinity of the incident that claimed the victim's life.”

The parents of late Ikechukwu.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—7

Man, 32, commits suicide over N1,000 theft zVillage Head, 3 others arrested

By Peter Okutu

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BAKALIKI—A 32-year-old man, Mr. Simon Mbam, of Izzi Local Government Area of Ebonyi State has committed suicide after he was tortured by some villagers for allegedly stealing N1,000 from a shop in the market.

The victim, who jumped into a pond in the area last weekend, found himself in the mess when he left his house in the evening of the fateful day to buy drinks with his friends.

While late Simon and his friends were busy sipping their drinks, the owner of the shop

raised an alarm over a missing N1,000 in his carton of drinks, but no customer admitted to haven taken the money.

The alarm raised by the shop owner attracted villagers who stormed the scene and gave the suspects till the following day to return the money or face the consequences.

It was learned that the said missing money was found at the door step of the shop, but when the villagers who were determined to get to the root of the matter gathered, the owner of the shop insisted on knowing the person behind the act.

Vanguard further gathered

that the suspect, who later confessed to the crime, was allegedly beaten by the irate villagers until he started bleeding and losing consciousness.

They demanded that he should be treated like a thief, even as he was fined two goats, two crates of beer and N5,000, which were immediately provided by the suspect’s mother (names withheld).

It was gathered that the village head rejected what the suspect’s mother brought, insisting that an additional N5,000 should be provided so

that the matter would be completely resolved without involving the police.

This second demand by the villagers made the suspect, who felt humiliated by the entire process, escape from his captors and jumped into Aku Pond, which was not far from the market square.

All efforts to rescue him on time proved abortive as he drowned before his body was retrieved by the villagers.

Meanwhile, four persons including the village head, had been arrested by the police after the mother of the victim reported the matter.

Men of the Police Mobile Force Squadron 55, in a use-of-baton demonstration during the inauguration of Mopol 55 Rapid Response Squad, RRS, unit in Aba. NAN PHOTO.

Train crushes deaf, dumb woman in Ibadan

By Ola Ajayi

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BADAN—AN elderly woman with hearing impairment was, yesterday, crushed to death in Ibadan by an Ilorin-bound train.

The incident was said to have occured at Olodo area of Ibadan metropolis.

According to eyewitnesses’ accounts, the old woman, who was deaf and dumb, did not hear when the train's driver was sounding the horn.

Vanguard learned that before the deceased became aware of the train, it was too late for her to escape.

She was said to be returning from a nearby market and was trying to cross the rail line when the disaster occurred at about 10:30 a.m.

Her remains were reportedly removed by relatives.

This brings to two the number of train disaster in the area as a man with mental disorder was killed in a similar fashion last week.

Bomb attack survivor seeks help

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—ONE of the survivors of last week’s Azare motor park bombing in Bauchi State has appealed to the state government for help.

The survivor, Kabiru Madaki, whose left leg has been amputated, made the plea on his sick bed when the State

Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, donated relief materials worth thousands of naira to victims of the attack.

The patient, a fruit seller at the motor park and father of eight children, called on the state government to consider him for employment as he could no longer struggle for survival on one leg.

Mother of four docked for stealing N15m

By Onozure Dania & Hope Ofobike

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AGOS— A 36-year-old mother of four, Ebele Okeke, was yesterday arraigned before an Igbosere Magistrate’s Court, for allegedly stealing N15 million under false pretence.

The defendant, an alleged Facebook scammer, from Nkpor, Onitsha, in Anambra State, was docked before Magistrate Adeola Adedayo on a two-count charge of stealing and obtaining by false pretence.

The Police prosecutor, Inspector Marcus Okon, told the court that the defendant committed the alleged offence in 2012, at Allen Avenue in Ikeja area of Lagos.

Okon said she obtained the said sum from one Sunday Okpere, with pretence that if he becomes her business partner, she would use the money to buy items to sell and make profit from it, which she knew to be false.

According to the prosecutor, the offence is punishable under Sections 312 and 285 of the criminal law of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

Earlier, the defendant had pleaded not guilty to the two charges against her.

The defendant’s counsel G. Ojakovo, who prayed the court to grant the defendant bail in the most liberal terms, told the court that the charge before it was meant to divert attention from the initial case filed by the defendant at the Special Fraud Unit, Ikoyi.

However, Magistrate Adedayo told the defendant’s counsel to file a formal bail application before the court could grant the defendant bail and adjourned the matter to November 3.

Herdsman kills friend for sleeping with wife

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — A Magistrate’s Court sitting at Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun State, yesterday, remanded a herdsman, Mohammed Ibrahim, in prison custody for allegedly killing his friend, Abdullahi Saliu, for sleeping with his (Ibrahim) wife.

The prosecutor, Corporal Moshood Hammed, told the court that the accused committed the alleged offence on October 11 at Ojubu Village in Abeokuta.

He said the accused killed his friend by hitting him with a stick on his head for sleeping with his wife.

He said: “The accused and the deceased were close friends and

lived together in the same apartment.

“When the accused learned that the deceased slept with his wife while he was away from home, a fight ensued between the two men, which led to the murder of Saliu.”

Hammed said the offence contravened Sections 316 and 319 of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State.

The accused, who had no legal representation and whose plea was not taken by the court, is facing a charge of murder.

The magistrate, Mr. Martins Akinyemi, ordered that the accused be remanded in Oba Prison, while awaiting Director of Public Prosecution’s advice.

He, thereafter, adjourned the case to February 11, 2015, for further hearing.

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8— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

By Ben Agande & Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan yesterday prayed the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to dismiss the suit challenging his eligibility to seek re-election next year, even as he said he will formally pick the nomination form today to contest the presidential election under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati, who announced the President’s decision to take the form today also revealed that already, various groups and individuals have contributed various sums of money totalling N98.75 to the President to pay for the form.

The cost of the PDP’s nomination form for the presidential election is N22m.

According to the Presidential spokesman, individuals and groups that contributed money for the President to Purchase the form include the PDP Governors Forum; N22m; the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, N22m; Ogbia LGA Stakeholders, Bayelsa State, N5m and Otuoke Community Stakeholders, N2m.

Othere are the Bayelsa State PDP Stakeholders, N5m; Northern Youths Forum, N2m; Central Market Traders Union, Kaduna State, N1m; PDP Stakeholders, Zaria LGA, N500, 000; PDP Stakeholders, Yobe State, N500, 000 and PDP Stakeholders, Kaduna State, N2m.

Other groups that also made donations to the president include, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, N5m; The Goodluck Support Group, Gombe State, N1m; Adamawa State PDP Stakeholders, N3m; Ebonyi State PDP Stakeholders, N2m; Kogi State PDP Stakeholders, N5m; Rivers State PDP Stakeholders, N5m; The 2015 Project, N1m; Team Goodluck, Ondo North Senatorial District, N5m.

Others include Middle Belt PDP Women Support Group for GEJ 2015, N500, 000; King David Generation Foundation, Jos, N200, 000; Behwong Weneng Yere Duk, Jos, N200,000; Redemption 3 Youth Organization, Plateau State – N500, 000; Plateau State Indigenes Association, Abuja, N300,000; Gombe Youth United for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan 2015, N500, 000; Gombe Youth Vanguard for PDP, N500, 000; Yamahu/Deba Goodluck Support Group, N200, 000 and Coalition of Gombe Support Groups for Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, N2m The rest include: Hinna Youth Coalition for Goodluck, N500, 000; Nigerian Women Pray for Jonathan, N1m; National Association of Widows, N100, 000; National Council of Women Societies, N500, 000; Female members of the PDP Board of Trustees, N500,000; Joint

Dismiss suit challenging my eligibility to contest, Jonathan tells court zAs he collects nomination form today zReceives N98m donation from groups, individuals zPDP govs, TAN donate N22m each Association of Persons with Disabilities, N100,000; National Association of Market Women, N500, 000 and Community Awareness and Development Network, N1m.

Two individuals, Mr. Kennedy Ikenna Odoeme and Mr Ezemagu Sunday Nnamdi donated N5,000 and N10,000 respectively.

The Presidential Spokesman said President Jonathan expressed appreciation to all “Nigerians, members of the PDP, friends, associates, and all groups who in sincere appreciation of the achievements of the administration in the last four years, have been urging him to seek a second term in office.

“President Jonathan is greatly encouraged by the overwhelming outpouring of goodwill and support, as well as the confidence of the generality of Nigerians in his ability to continue to transform the country for the good of all of its people.

“The President is also grateful to all the persons, groups and communities who have sent donations, and made pledges to assist him to pay the required N22 million for the PDP Presidential Nomination Fee and Expression of Interest Form.

“President Jonathan assures the donors that he will continue to do his utmost best at all times to fully justify the great confidence they have placed in his leadership” he said.

Jonathan seeks dismissal of suit against his eligibility On the suit challenging his eligibility to seek re-election, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday, prayed the Court of Appeal Abuja to dismiss the appeal for being legally defective.

This was even as an aggrieved Presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Adamawa State, Dr. Umar Ardo, yesterday, begged the appellate court to join him as an interested party in the suit, insisting that President Jonathan lacks the legal imprimatur to remain in office beyond 2015.

Ardo, in an application he filed through a Senior

SWEARING-IN: From left; Justice of Supreme Court, Justice C. C. Nweze; Presiding Justice, Lagos Division Court of Appeal, Hon Justice Amina Augie and Hon Justice Fidelis Ngwu at the Supreme Court shortly after the swearing-in of Justice Nweze in Abuja. Photo by Gbemiga Olamikan.

Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. A. Amuda Kannike, urged the appeal court panel to allow him to join as an appellant in the substantive appeal filed against Jonathan by a PDP member, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku, challenging the verdict of Justice Mudashiru Oniyangi of an Abuja High Court which had on March 1, 2013, declared President legally fit to vie for re-election next year.

Aside Jonathan, other respondents in the suit are the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Njoku who is a registered member of the PDP in Zuba ward, Abuja, in his appeal, insisted that the lower court misinterpreted the law, even as he urged the court to go ahead and determine “Whether Section 135(2) of the Constitution, which specifies a period of four years in office for the President, is only available or applicable to a person elected on the basis of an actual election or includes one in which a person assumes the position of President by operation of law, as in the case of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.”

Insisting that Jonathan is constitutionally barred from contesting the Presidency in 2015, Cyriacus, further prayed the court to determine “Whether Section 137(1) (b) of

the Constitution, which provides that a person shall not be qualified for election to the office of President, if he has been elected to such office at any two previous elections, applies to the first defendant, who first took an oath of office as substantive President on May 6, 2010 and took a second oath as President on May 29, 2011.”

He is also seeking a declaration that ‘the President’s tenure of office began on May 6, 2010 when his first term began and his two terms shall end on May 29, 2015 after taking his second oath of office on May 29, 2011; and by virtue of Section 136 (1) (b) of the Constitution, no person (including the first defendant) shall take the oath of allegiance and the oath of office prescribed to in the Seventh Schedule to this Constitution more than twice.

He further asked the court for an order of injunction restraining President Jonathan from further contesting or attempting to vie for President after May 29, 2015 when his tenure shall by the Nigerian Constitution end.

However, shortly after the appellate court okayed the case for hearing, Ardo, applied to be joined as a party, stressing that the outcome of the matter would personally affect him since the PDP had already adopted the

1st Respondent, Jonathan, as its sole candidate for the impending Presidential poll.

While challenging his locus standi to be joined in the matter, Jonathan, through his lawyer Chief Ade OkeayaInneh, SAN, urged the court to even go ahead and dismiss the substantive appeal filed by Njoku’s lawyers led by Mr. Obono Oblah and Ugochukwu Osuagwu for want of merit.

In an 18 paragraphed counter affidavit deposed to by one Kenechukwu Nomeh, he branded the appeal as “legally defective”, adding that Dr. Ardo’s application was filed beyond the period approved by the constitution.

He noted that whereas the main appeal was filed on April 16, 2013, the applicant, waited till September 23 to apply with a view to be allowed to seek his disqualification from participating in the 2015 election.

“That I have seen and read a copy of the Motion on Notice and affidavit as an interested party in this appeal. That the Applicants application dated September 23, 2014 does not comply with the provisions of section 24 of the Court of Appeal Act, Cap. C36 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and section 243 (a) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.''

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 9

80% of Nigeria’s pipeline network has collapsed — FG

By Michael Eboh & Ediri Ejoh

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AGOS—RESPITE seems not to be in sight for the chaotic traffic situation across the country, especially on roads to the country’s ports, as the Federal Government, yesterday, disclosed that 80 per cent of the country’s 5,120 kilometers pipeline network for petroleum product distribution have been vandalised.

In his presentation at the Oil Trading and Logistics 2014, African Downstream Expo in Lagos, Mr. Haruna Momoh, Managing Director, Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited, PPMC, further stated that the country’s refineries are currently producing about 5.10 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, daily.

This, he said, is in contrast with the average local consumption of 40 million litres per day.

In addition, Momoh disclosed that the refineries are currently producing Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) of three million litres daily, in contrast with an average consumption of 12 million litres per day and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) production of 2.1 million litres per day, despite an average consumption of 11 million litres daily.

He said the country is facing difficulties in distributing products through existing pipelines due to pipeline vandalism and rupture due to aging.

He further stated that the country is also faced with challenges of insecurity of pipelines to transport crude to existing refineries because of pipeline vandals.

He further lamented the limited number of trucks for product haulage and the bad road network, saying as a result, most marketers, in some cases, use the same truck to convey products that are intolerable, such as Premium Motor Spirit and Dual Purpose Kerosene.

To address the challenges of products supply in the country, Momoh said the country requires three million metric tonnes per annum of product supply; 10,000 to 25,000 metric tonnes capacity vessels and additional jetties; over 1,000 additional trucks with a 20 metric tonnes carrying capacity and 500 Liquefied Petroleum Gas filling plants among others.

To this end, he said there a lot of investment opportunities in the downstream segment of the oil sector, in the areas of construction/expansion of coastal storage facilities, provision of floating storage, dredging of the jetties to enhance draft and construction of more jetties.

He, however, stated that the

Federal Government is exploring the use of Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) and use of modern technologies in pipeline surveillance and pigging, and also the replacement of the existing pipeline network.

Speaking in the same vein, James Gooder, Vice President, Business Development, Argus Media, said Nigeria and other African countries are faced with stagnant production of refined products and reliance on expensive long haul imports.

He emphasized the need for infrastructure investment at ports and inland depots, better roads and safer, more efficient

transportation.

He stated that the mismatches between pricing regimes encourage informal markets, cross border fuel smuggling, differing product specification standards and adulteration of fuels.

Also speaking, Mr. Tunji Rabiu, Head, Business Operation, Forte Oil Plc, lamented the delayed payments of the Petroleum Support Fund, PSF, receivables, saying the payments are not made within the 60 days stipulated in the Act. He listed other challenges hindering downstream operations to include: “Multiplicity in reporting and compliance requirements with various

government agencies; high dependency on deplorable road infrastructure and inadequate road networks for effective products distribution as a result of poor pipeline integrity.

“Pipeline vandalisation and ruptured pipelines. Limited number of jetties -there are currently a high number of vessels on the queue for few berthing space prevent timely receipts of product and thereby increasing product cost as a result of cost incurred on demurrages.”

However, Mr. Abayomi Awobokun, Chief Executive Officer, Oando Downstream, said, “With Nigeria’s current robust economic, stable democracy, industry reforms, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and growing population, the future looks bright for the downstream industry.''

FORUM: From left; Dr Demola Sogunle, CEO, Stanbic IBTC Pension Mgr Ltd; Nike Bajomo, Head, Business Development, Stanbic IBTC Pension Mgrs Ltd; Dr Christopher Kolade, Guest Speaker and Dr Farouk Aminu, Head of Research & Corporate Strategy, National Pension Commission during Stanbic IBTC forum for pension stakeholders with the theme: Pension Fund and Good Corporate Governance, at the Wheatbakers Hotel in Lagos yesterday. Photo by Biodun Ogunleye.

Nigerians in diaspora caution Jega over 30,000 polling units

By Charles Kumolu

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IGERIANS resident in the United States of America, have called on the Chairman of Independent Electoral Commission,INEC, Prof Atahiru Jega to accept professional recommendations and legislative disapproval on the use of the newly created 30. 000 polling units during the 2015 general elections.

This was contained in a statement by Messrs. Dechi.

Dariye, Abayomi. Adeolu and Osahon Osagie.

The statement reads: ‘’We note that the Senate Committee in Nigeria responsible for oversight functions on election management has advised against continuing with the new polling

unit allocations because of the limited time required to embark upon a credible process, following international benchmarks. We see this as a realistic corroboration of the Handley recommendations, but sadly, despite public denials by the electoral Commission under your leadership we hear of subterranean efforts to surge ahead with the new polling units, despite professional recommendations and legislative oversight disapproval. ‘’We find it rather curious that despite the length of time which has elapsed between the last election and the imminent one, the conclusions of the scientific report was not prioritized given the bearing it has on the coming election in regard to logistical

arrangements. This is why we find it strange that such scientific precision was dispensed with for arbitrariness in the current exercise of Polling Unit creation which has led to unnecessary controversies.’’ ‘’In the United States of America, it is unheard of that any agency which relies on legislative approval for funding its functions will deride legislative advice, ignore adverse security reports, gloss over litigation in court, disdain and completely disregard strong public opinion on a sensitive matter like this when ethnic, regional and religious tension is at its highest boiling point. We do not expect that disregard of the legislature will emanate from an electoral umpire.’’

FG slashes port charges by 20%

By Godwin Oritse

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N a bid to stop Nigeriabound cargoes from being diverted to ports of neighbouring countries, the Nigerian Shippers’ Council, NSC, yesterday slashed charges by as much as 20 percent.

This is the first time the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is stamping its authority as the economic regulator of the ports.

In a public notice made available to Vanguard, the council reeled out interventions in the commercial relationships between users and providers of shipping and terminal handling services in all the nation’s sea ports.

The council in the public notice to terminal operators and shipping companies, announced major reviews of some controversial levies and charges, over which importers and clearing agents had often protested.

Specifically, the interventions, which are expected to take effect from November 3, 2014, include progressive storage charge and free storage period for terminal operators.

It also came hard on shipping line agency charge, container deposit, container cleaning and maintenance charge, and container demurrage for shipping companies.

In the case of terminal operators, they have been ordered to reverse collections in respect of progressive storage charge, free storage period to the pre-May 2009 rates approved by the Minister of Transport.

Similarly, the council increased the container storage free days’ grace to seven days, up from three days that the terminal operators had been allowing.

It also pegged the maximum charge for storage to N10,000, irrespective of the number of days imported containers would stay at the terminal.

On the controversial (refundable) container deposit charge, the council ordered that with effect from November 3, 2014, the deposit must be refunded to the importer or the clearing agent within 10 days after the return of the container or pay interest rate on such deposit for the number of days the refund was not made.

10— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Badagry PDP denounces purported statement

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ADARGRY—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Badagry Local Government chapter, has denounced a statement purportedly written on its behalf by a one Mr. Tunde Hunpatin, noting that Hunpatin is not its member.

A statement by the Chairman of Ward “A” Mr. Kadri Olajide, said that Hunpatin, was not eligible to issue any statement on behalf of the party because the exco had petitioned the necessary authorities about his conduct.

His words: ‘’It was alleged that Mr. Hunpatin fell out of favour with the State and local government Central Working Committee, CWC, and to save his face, he decided to smear the state leadership of the party with a press statement published in some national dailies. ‘’The Ward chairman of the PDP and divisional leader, Alhaji Adejumo Ajagbe, signed all registered membership cards, that he doesn’t understand how Mr. Hunpatin would discredit the eligibility of a PDP chieftain in Lagos State.

"This is a calculated move because the nominations to elective of offices is just four weeks ahead, and some people are distracting the good work of others.’’

Court nullifies Chemists Intitute registrar's suspension

By Innocent Anaba

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AGOS—THE National Industrial Court, NIC, Lagos has declared null and void the suspension of former Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of Institute of Chartered Chemist of Nigeria, ICCON, Prince Jay Oghifo by the immediate past Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchukwu Chukwu.

Trial judge, Justice O. Oyewumi, who awarded N50,000 cost against the defendants also declared that the ICCON Council appointed the claimant and they are the ones that can remove him from office.

Coroner insists T.B. Joshua must testify in court or... zAs church submits victims' list SYNAGOGUE:

By AbdulwahabAbdulah,

Bartholomew Madukwe & Ebele Okafor

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AGOS—THE Coroner Court investigating the collapse of a guest house within the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, on September 12, yesterday, insisted that Prophet T.B. Joshua (Synagogue’s General Overseer) must appear before the court in person.

This was as Synagogue’s counsel, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, told the court that in line with Section 35 of the Coroner Law, there was no need for Joshua to appear before the court since any other person from the church could give evidence.

But the coroner judge, Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe maintained that Prophet T.B. Joshua must appear in person to tell the coroner what he knows about the collapsed building.

He rejected arguments from Joshua’s lawyers that he should not be summoned because he did not directly witness the September 12 tragedy.

84 South Africans died

A total of 84 South Africans were among the dead when a guest house for foreign followers at Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, collapsed in Lagos.

Joshua, known to members of his church as “The Prophet” or “The Man of God”, has indicated that sabotage was to blame and linked the collapse to a low-flying aircraft seen in the area at the time.

“The court has the power to summon whoever it deems necessary to assist it,” Komolafe told the hearing.

“The counsel should advise The Prophet to come. The church is not on trial. It’s not a matter of ego. Nobody is above the law. The court will be fair to all.

“If he is an institution with immunity, the court will not even go there. If the man refuses to come, he can be arrested. He has to appear. We summoned The Prophet. We summoned the contractors.”

Victims's list

The coroner also confirmed the receipt of the list of the people in the building before the incident.

This was disclosed by the leading counsel to the church as well as the Coroner Judge, in response to the demand made by the Lagos State Chief Medical Examiner, Professor John Obafunwa for the identification of the bodies.

The Chief Pathologist on

Monday disclosed that 116 bodies are in various government mortuaries in Lagos.

At yesterday’s proceedings, Obafunwa told the court that his team will reveal the identities of the dead persons upon the conclusion of their investigation.

Under cross-examination by lawyer to the church, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, the pathologist said: “We know what we have to do and how we are to do it. The same thing happened in the Dana crash in which we identified 98 per cent of the victims. This same thing happened in the Associated Airline crash in which we identified 100 per cent of the victims.

Final report to contain causes of death

“The final report will contain the various causes of death, which will answer so many questions as to what fell the building. It will tell us who died in the accident, by way of disaster victim identification,” he added.

The pathologist testified that as an expert, he was in the position to state whether the victims were exposed to smoke or corrosive odours from an explosive, if it was true that the building collapsed as a result of detonations.

He said: “As a forensic pathologist, I can identify the

effect of corrosive burns, even when I was not there, even with just the photographs (taken during autopsy) and the detailed information from the autopsy report.

“If a building collapsed as a result of explosion, there could be a variety of injuries. Some people might die from the crush effect, some people might die as a result of fire; the fire could occur before or even after, you will still see burns.

Death in the fire or before the fire

“The question is whether the person died in the fire or before the fire. The person could die as a result of severe blood loss because of injury from sharp panels. There are multiple ways in which death could arise when you have an explosion, you could have complete disintegration; I am just giving a general answer.”

Search and rescue operation

Giving evidence, the Training Officer of Nigeria Red Cross Society, Mr Ige Samuel, explained that though he saw members of NEMA and LASEMA at the site of the collapsed building, search and rescue operation was mainly carried out by the crowd in conjunction with the Red Cross.

“I do not know who was coordinating the search and

rescue operation, even though 46 men and women of the Red Cross participated. I did not see NEMA and LASEMA carry out search and rescue operation on the first day. Our work in conjunction with the church members was good. Volunteers who were members of the church joined in carrying casualty. It was in the course of talking with the people, who wanted to do the rescue alone, that I got to know they are church members,” Samuel said.

According to him, the barricade at the site of the collapsed building was opened to the Red Cross but they were prevented from taking photographs by members of the church.

His words: “We were not allowed to take pictures. Once we brought out our camera, they would tell us to keep it. They were monitoring everything.

But some members of the church came with a big camera to record. When I reported to our headquarters in Abuja, they appealed and asked me to just get at least one or two pictures.”

Asked why NEMA and LASEMA did not partake in carrying out search and rescue operation at the collapsed building site, Samuel asserted that “I was told that there was discussion, I do not want to use disagreement.”

The proceedings continue today.

CONVENTION: Lagos State governorship aspirant, Mr Akinwumi Ambode (middle), flanked by some party chieftains, from left; Chief Funsho Ologunde, Chief Henry Ajomale and Hon. Wasiu Eshilokun, at the All Progressives Congress, APC's, Extra Ordinary National Convention in Abuja, yesterday.

LCCI calls for concessioning of MMIA

By Naomi Uzor AGOS—THE Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, yesterday, advocated for the concession of the Murtala Mohammed airport to allow for efficiency.

The President of LCCI, Alhaji Remi Bello, made this call in Lagos, adding that, Nigeria

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cannot have world class airports if they are managed by bureaucrats.

He said: “The international airports are the major gate ways to the country and first impression matters in all situations. The current outlook of the Murtala Mohammed airport is not helping the image of the country. The

state of facilities – toilets, air-conditioning system, electricity supply, car park, conveyor belts, arrival hall, etc. are deplorable.

There are also cases of abandoned projects around the airports. Nigeria deserves a better first impression than what the Murtala Mohammed airport currently offers."

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 —11

Power supply to dep gov's house cut over N5m debt AMOSUN, ADESEGUN'S FACE-OFF:

zLawmakers, LP, PDP, others fault Amosun

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—POWER supply to the official quarters of the Deputy Governor of Ogun State, Prince Segun Adesegun was disconnected by officials of Ibadan Electricity Distribution company because the government owed the company about five million naira.

A source within the company who pleaded anonymity told our correspondent that the state government's failure to pay the power bill prompted it to cut supply to the house.

The source said; “The government was owing us N3.5 million when we cut power supply, but the bill has gone up now to about N5 million.”

Vanguard reliably gathered that, the Deputy Governor’s quarters was disconnected early this year due to failure of the government to offset the bill.

The Deputy Governor had written a letter to the state governor, Ibikunle Amosun accusing the governor of deliberately denying him his rights and privileges.

Condemnation galore

Reacting to the letter written by the deputy governor, two members of the National Assembly, Abiodun Akinlade and Abiodun Abudu, a leader of the faction in the state House o f A s s e m b l y, R e m m y Hassan, the state secretary o f Labour Party and the publicity secretary of t h e People’s Democratic Party condemned the governor's action as stated by Prince Adesegun in his letter.

In his remarks, Akinlade, a governorship aspirant of the People’s Democratic Party said he sympathised with the embattled deputy governor.

He, however, said that the National Assembly would look into a section of the constitution that has to do with the rights and privileges of deputy governors so as to empower and protect them against wicked bosses.

Corroborating his colleague in the House, Abudu said the crisis started before the swearing-in ceremony in 2011, noting that the issues raised by the deputy governor lend credence to what he described as “politics of intolerance and vindictiveness”

by Governor Amosun.

“The matter is clear. It has given credence to the politics of vindictiveness and intolerance by Amosun. This is not new to us as stakeholders, we knew this all along. The whole thing started before the swearing-in. That is the politics of intolerance and vindictiveness of Governor Amosun that has destroyed the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN, and now All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun.

Remmy Hassan reacts

In his reaction, the leader of the opposition in the state house of assembly, Remmy Hassan described the governor as being petty.

According to him; "I am not surprised. What is playing out is because there is a break in the relationship between Amosun and Aremo Segun Osoba and the deputy governor is loyal to Chief Osoba.

“When Obasanjo and Atiku were engaging each other in the battles of political supremacy, we did not hear that Atiku was denied his rights and privileges. It shows that Obasanjo is a leader.

“In a government headed by Amosun, a former speaker had his mother kidnapped. The governor did not call, did not send text message, did not do anything because he is not his loyalist.

"He must rise above pettiness.

Anybody who has pettiness in his

character has no business in government. This development will affect governance in one way or the other.”

PDP on the issue

Also reacting, the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has described the crisis of confidence between Governor Ibikunle Amosun and his deputy, Prince Segun Adesegun as “the chicken coming home to roost”.

In a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary, Waliu Oladipupo, the party said; “It was unfortunate that the muted crisis of confidence has now blown open.

“While we empathise with the Deputy Governor on his ordeal and pray that the Almighty God will touch the heart of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to give him (his deputy) what is due to him, we can only hope that this intractable fight will not hamper governance and further impoverish the longsuffering people of our dear state.

“We appeal to the good people of Ogun State to keep hope alive, knowing full well that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

Their tears will soon be wiped away by a government with a human face. That is the PDP promise and deliverable.”

The state Secretary of the Labour Party, LP, Sunday Oginni in his remarks described the allegation levelled against the governor as a serious one.

He said: “ If the governor can treat his deputy with disdain and outright contempt like this, then, it shows that an ordinary citizen of the state is of no value to the governor.

“We want to say categorically that he has no human face in his government and the electorate should vote him out and reject him at the poll.

“Everybody is now aware that Amosun is running a government of vendetta. If he can do that to his deputy, what is the fate of the common man and workers of Ogun State.?”

No comment—Ogun govt

Meanwhile, attempts to get a reaction from the state government over the issue was unsuccessful as the government said it had no comment .

When contacted, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Yusuph Olaniyonu insisted that, the government had not received the letter.

Oyo 2015: Gov aspirants intensify realignment moves

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BADAN—WITH less than one month to the party primaries, and two days to their ward congresses across the nation, Oyo State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship aspirants are making moves for political realignment.

One of such moves came from former Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala’s camp on Tuesday, at the Molete, Ibadan residence of Chief Adigun Irawo, staunch member of the party and a leader from Oyo North Senatorial District.

In attendance at the meeting were five of the seven PDP aspirants of Ibadan extraction, otherwise known as G7, with two other front line politicians from Okeogun area (Dr. Saka Balogun and Chief Adetoro) with another Ibadan indigene, Chief Nureni Akanbi, who is not necessarily an aspirant.

The focus of the meeting, accordingtooursource,waswith a view to persuading the Ibadan fiveaspirantstoalignwithAkala’s camp for the next governorship election.

MEETING: Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (right), addressing leaders of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, during a meeting in Akure.

Ondo PDP leaders resolve to work with Mimiko

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By Dayo Johnson

K U R E — LEADERSHIP of the embattled Peoples

Democratic Party PDP in Ondo state and the state governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, have resolved to bury the hatchet, work together, unite the party and move forward to build a formidable Party in the state.

Governor Mimiko also promised to be just in his dealings with members of the party.

At a meeting held at the Government House in Akure on Tuesday up to the early hours of yesterday, the two warring factions agreed

to work together for President Jonathan's reelection next year.

Some far reaching decisions were taken including the sharing of political offices among members of the state’s old Labour and old PDP. The meeting agreed that the old Labour party will get 18 seats to the old PDP eight seats at the State House of Assembly, while for the House of Representatives, the old LP will have six seats and the

old PDP takes three.

In the senatorial seats the the old Labour party will have 2 seats with the old PDP takes one.

The meeting was well attended by both the Old and new PDP leaders across the 18 council areas of the state.

But the former governorship candidate of the party in the state Chief Olusola Oke, business mogul Jimoh Ibrahim and the sacked state Chairman of the party Hon. Ebenezer Alabididnotattendthemeeting.

12 — Vanguard, THURSSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Delta LG polls: Three APC agents petition AIG over alleged attack

By Gabriel Enogholase,

Egufe Yafugborhi & Akpokona Omafuaire

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ARRI—THREE All Progressives Congress, APC, agents in last Saturday’s council polls in Delta State, allegedly manhandled and wounded by suspected rival political party thugs at Ovwor-Olomu, in Ughelli South Local Government Area, have petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Zone 5 .

The petitioners, James Akpomudje, Isaac Ikpemeku and Oviri Orakata, through their counsel, Oghenejabor Ikimi, are asking the police to prosecute a councillor-elect, (name withheld) and five others involved the alleged attack.

They alleged in the petition that they were at an Army checkpoint to complain over alleged diversion of voting materials meant for Olomu Wards in Ughelli South Local Government Area when the thugs descended on them.

The petition read in part: “While party agents were escorting election materials from the Delta State Independent Electoral

Commission, DSIEC, office in Otu-Jeremi, to various wards in Olomu Clan in the Ughelli South LGA in a convoy, some election materials including ballot boxes, were diverted before the army checkpoint in Ovwor-Olomo by the councilor-elect and five others (names withheld).

“It is also our brief that owing to the above development, our clients had no option other than to approach the soldiers at the said army checkpoint to lodge a complaint of the above sinister act of the individuals named. While lodging the above complaint, a gang of thugs led by the councilor-

elect and the other five individuals emerged and attacked our clients with knifes, axes and dangerous weapons and in the process destroyed the windscreen of our clients’ car and Mr. James Akpomudje, our client was stabbed while the said soldiers stood hands akimbo.”

TOWN HALL MEETING: Governor Adams Oshiomhole (left) and some royal fathers at a Town Hall meeting to address issues of peace and security in the state.

Dagogo-Jack to Amaechi: Stop disrespecting Jonathan

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OLLOWING the e x c h a n g e s between Rivers State governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and the Presidency, immediate past chairman of the Presidential Task Force on Power, and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, Mr. Beks DagogoJack, has advised the governor to desist from disrespecting the President.

Noting that it was painful that Governor Amaechi had gradually but steadily developed the penchant to publicly address President Goodluck Jonathan with so much disrespect and rudeness not good for politics, he said: “The recent spate of verbal attacks by Amaechi on President Jonathan has all the hallmarks of frustration and a totally misdirected anger.”

Last weekend, Amaechi accused the Federal Government of marginalizing Rivers State in terms of projects

and development and challenged the Presidency to point to any significant project it had executed in the state.

Reacting to the challenge, Dagogo-Jack said the governor was heaping “all sorts of unfounded accusations and personal insults on the President and the First Lady. Any rational mind who listens attentively to our governor at each public outing these days would easily see acute personal frustration and desperation that clearly fuels these unnecessary personal attacks on Mr President, yet these attacks by Amaechi which have been going on for years, but gained greater momentum and frequency these past months, have not diminished the credibility and popularity of Mr President in Rivers and sister states in the region."

If anything, President Jonathan’s image in our region remains high and

undented. I call on Ameachi to give up the campaign and accept

that he can never make Rivers people dislike their son."

Fidelity Bank wins Financial Times Best Private Bank Award

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IDELITY Private Banking, a division of Fidelity Bank Plc, has been recognized as the Best Private Bank in Nigeria 2014, in the Global Private Banking Awards organized by Professional Wealth Management, PWM, and the Banker Magazines, publications of the Financial Times Group, one of the world’s leading business news and information organizations.

This was announced at the 6th Annual Global Private Banking Awards which took place in Geneva, Switzerland, yesterday.

Speaking after the award ceremony in Geneva, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mr. Nnamdi Okonkwo, said the award was a recognition of excellence achieved through commitment to the ideals of Fidelity Bank and noted that it was in line with the bank’s vision to be number one in every market it served and every branded product it offered.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—13

CHIEF (MRS.) AKANDE AT 70: From left: Chief (Mrs.) Mutiat Ladoja; Chief (Mrs.) Onikepo Akande, OON, CON, former Minister of Industry; Chief (Mrs.) Priscillia Kuye and Chief Adebayo Akande, during Mrs. Akande's 70th birthday, at Kakanfo Inn, Ibadan.

From left,Chief (Mrs.) Mojisola Ladipo, former registrar, University of Ibadan; Prof. Isaac Adewole, Vice Chancellor, and Mr. Olukoya, Registrar, University of Ibadan. Photos by Dare Fasube.

Edo immortalises Akhigbe

By Simon Ebegbulem

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OVERNOR Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, yesterday, unveiled a statue of the former Chief of General Staff, Vice-Admiral Mike Okhai Akhigbe, in Fugar, Etsako Central Local Government Area of the state, to immortalise him.

Speaking at the ceremony, Oshiomhole said: “Everybody has the opportunity when alive to define how he wants to be remembered, and whether people remember or not, there are things that make it impossible for people to forget. This road on which we are hosting the event was constructed, along with several other roads, by Admiral Akhigbe in nine months and one can only imagine if he had the privilege to live much longer, how much more he would have done. So, C M Y K

in Akhigbe, we had a leader who remembered that no matter how much privileges he had in life, he needed to give something back to his roots.

“I believe that all of us who are here today would be inspired by what is being done in his honour and to try to remember that we come from somewhere. It is a great honour to be here to unveil this statue in memory of our late brother and leader.”

He commended the chairman of the local government for deeming it fit to immortalize the late admiral, declaring that the state government was challenged.

He said: “Nothing can be too much for the leadership the late admiral provided us. I want to thank the people of Fugar for remembering their son and to see this crowd this hot afternoon waiting

patiently for hours, shows that even in death, Admiral Akhigbe commands the respect of his people. May God bring more development to this community.”

Chairman of the local government area, Mr. Emmanuel Momoh, said immortalizing the late admiral was the least the council could do in view of his immense contributions to the development of the area government and the country.

In a remark, the son of the late Admiral, Mr. Ikhane Akhigbe, commended the state and local governments for the honour done to their father and expressed the indebtedness of the family to everyone.

A memorial mass had earlier been held at St. Theresa's Catholic Church in memory the late Chief of General Staff.

14 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

C M Y K

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 15

I’ll continue to assist FRSC, special marshals — Uduaghan

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OVERNOR EMMANUEL Uduaghan of Delta State, has said the state will continue to partner with the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC and assist Special Marshals, as a voluntary arm of the FRSC by creating enabling environment for them to carry out their duties.

The governor spoke during the 2014 Sectoral Workshop of the Department of Special Marshasl and Partnership of RS 5.2, Delta Sector Command in Warri.

According to him, safety on the roads was a collective responsibility and it behoves the FRSC, Vehicles Inspection Officers, VIO, and other traffic management personnel/agencies to ensure that the nation's roads are safe.

Uduaghan, represented

by Edu Ufuoma, Director, Vehicle Inspection, Directorate of Transport, said the state had in compliance with the 2011 resolution of the National Council of Transport, NCT, signed into law a bill establishing the Delta State Traffic Management Authority, DESTMA.

VISIT: From left, FCT Minister of State, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide; Vice President, Mohammed Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan, Chairman, FCT Traditional Council, the Ona of Abaji, Abaji Alhaji Baba Yunusa; the Gomo of Kuje, Alhaji Jibril Tanko; the Sarkin Jiwa, Alhaji A.Umar, and other dignitaries, during the solidarity visit to the President by FCT delegation, at the State House Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adesina.

Crisis deepens as PDP zones A-Ibom governorship to Eket •Allow Akpabio impose his candidate, forfeit Akwa Ibom votes, PDP elders warn

By Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North & Henry Umoru

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BUJA — THE simmering crisis rocking Akwa Ibom State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, deepened, yesterday, with the official declaration by the National Working Committee, NWC, that it had zoned the governorship seat to Eket Senatorial District.

The declaration fits into the plan by the governor to have his former Secretary to Government, Udom Emmanuel, who resigned last week, to contest the election

Forgery: Court stops EFCC from arresting Edo speaker, others

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN CITY — THE Federal High Court sitting in Benin City, yesterday, granted an interim injunction restraining the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, from re-arresting and detaining the Speaker of Edo State House of Assembly, Uyi Igbe; Majority Leader, Philip Shaibu, and Majority Whip, Folly Ogedengbe, with regard to the processes that led to the impeachment of the Deputy Speaker of the House, Festus Ebea.

EFCC had last week arrested and detained the trio in Abuja over alleged forgery of the signature of Mr. Rasaq Momoh, on the document containing the resolution of the House which dealt with the impeachment of the former deputy speaker.

Consequently, the trio ran to the Federal High Court in suit No FHC/B/CS/114/2014, C M Y K

praying it to restrain the EFCC from further “investigation into the allegation of forgery of the signature of Hon. Rasaq Momoh in the Resolution of Edo State House of Assembly, impeaching its erstwhile Deputy Speaker, pending the determination of the application praying for similar interlocutory reliefs.

“Granting an interim injunction restraining defendants from summoning the plaintiffs/ applicants to their office wheresoever, re-arresting them or their respective sureties in connection with any investigation into the allegation of forgery of the signature of Hon. Rasaq Momoh on document containing the resolution of the Edo State House of Assembly impeaching the erstwhile Deputy Speaker pending the hearing of the application praying for similar interlocutory reliefs.” pending the determination of the application for similar interlocutory reliefs”.

amid protests by elders of the party, led by former governor, Victor Attah, and former Petroleum Minister, Don Etiebet, both permanent members of the party’s Board of Trustees, BoT. That notwithstanding, two aspirants in the state, who are tactically excluded from the contest, Mr. Umana Okon Umana and Obong Bassey Albert, are still pressing ahead with their programme to contest the poll.

Albert told Vanguard yesterday that he was the most qualified candidate to succeed Akpabio, having used his wealth of experience as Finance Commissioner to advance the implementation of the Uncommon Transformation of the state.

In a statement, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said the NWC had reviewed the decision of the enlarged State Executive Committee, SEC, of Akwa-Ibom State PDP and decided to zone the governorship ticket of the party to Eket Senatorial Zone.

Metuh said: “After a review of the decision of the enlarged State Executive Committee of AkwaIbom state, the National Working committee (NWC) has accepted and fully endorsed the decision to zone the Akwa-Ibom state governorship position to Eket Senatorial Zone.

“Accordingly, the NWC expects that only aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone will present themselves for the governorship primary election in the state. In the spirit of internal democracy, the NWC promises that there will be free, fair and transparent congresses. Aspirants from Eket Senatorial Zone are therefore encouraged to fully participate in the process.”

The position of the PDP came barely 24 hours after Governor

Akpabio had a closed door meeting with members of the NWC. Problems But the elders of the PDP in the state met in Abuja on Tuesday and took far-reaching decisions relating to the conduct of the primary election in the state, warning that any attempt to allow the governor impose his anointed candidate on them would lead to avoidable problems for the party.

At a briefing, Akwa Ibom PDP elders, leaders and stakeholders, led by former Governor Attah, Chief Don Etiebet and immediate Past National Vice Chairman of the PDP in the South-South, Chief Edet Nkpubre, warned that they would be forced to work for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan and ditch any governorship candidate imposed by the governor.

Reading a prepared text on behalf of the elders, leaders, stakeholders, women and youth of the PDP in the state, Attah chronicled the various infractions allegedly being undertaken by the governor and the state chapter of the party against majority of the members and called on the NWC to stop them before it was too late.

The former governor claimed that apart from turning the party into his personal property, the governor had hijacked the membership register and taken it to Government House, where it had allegedly been tampered with for the purpose of giving his anointed candidate an edge during the primary election.

Attah, who called on the NWC to view the removal of the membership register from the 329 wards of the state by the governor as a sabotage and anti-

party offence, also insisted that both the chairman of the party, Obong Paul Ekpo, and the Secretary, Ibanga Akpabio, who is a blood brother of the governor, must be removed for a free and fair election to take place.

Similarly, the elders called for the removal of the youth leader of the party in the state, Mr. Emmanuel Ekpenyong, for openly supporting the candidature of the person being supported by the governor.

Attah pointed out that for a free and fair primary election to be conducted and accepted by majority of the party members in the state, the membership register to be used for the poll must first be authenticated by himself, the governor, Etiebet and the immediate past National Vice chairman, Nkpubre.

The elders said: “In firm support of the position of the National Chairman, the NWC and the President, we wish to restate our resolute stand against the imposition of any candidate.

We urge the national leadership of the party to be very firm in ensuring that a level playing field is established for all aspirants and to sanction any NWC member found to be aiding and abetting the imposition of any person or group of persons. If a consensus arrangement is to be adopted, it must be done in such a manner as to strengthen democracy. A level playing field cannot be had if the composition of the Electoral College consisting of delegates is skewed.”

Etiebet and Nkpubre corroborated Attah’s position, adding that tension and violence had already enveloped the state as a result of the move by the governor to instal his anointed candidate as successor.

16—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

APC extraordinary convention in Abuja

From left, presidential aspirants of APC: Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, Sam Nda-Isaiah, National Chairman of APC, John Oyegun, standing in for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar; General Muhammadu Buhari (presidential aspirant), and Imo State governor Rochas Okorocha, at APC Extraordinary Non-Elective National Convention, in Abuja. Photos Gbemiga Olamikan

Borno State governor Kashimu Shettima discussing with Senator Bukola Saraki (right)

C M Y K

Former Anambra State gover nor, Senator Chris Ngige, chatting with From left, APC National Chairman, Chief John presidential aspirant and Oyegun; Speaker, House of Representatives, Kano State governor, Rabiu Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, and Hon. Dino Melaye Kwankwaso

Senator Remi Tinubu (right), and Aminu Waziri Tambuwal

From left, Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Kwara State governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, and Ogun State governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 17

L

AST week, the Senate removed wages from the Exclusive Legislative List and placed it in the Concurrent List, as part of the Constitution amendment process. Stripped of legislative language, it means there will no longer be a National Minimum Wage in Nigeria and each state can pay whatever it deemed fit. Defending the decision, Chairman, National Assembly Conference Committee on Constitution Review and Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, said: “Our belief is that the constitution is not what you subject to the whims and caprices of individuals or their emotions…We are running a federation in Nigeria and our findings are that most federations all over the world allow wage on Concurrent List. The reason is that fingers can never be equal in a federation. We have rich states and we have poor states.

What they are paying as wages in Borno may not be enough for somebody in Lagos. Also what they are paying in Enugu, for instance, may not be enough for a worker in Abuja. So we believe that each state will have their separate challenges…What we are now saying is that each state should be able to decide what their minimum would look like”.

It is saddening to behold how these clowns in Senate think!

They have fed so fat on Nigerian money, that they seemed to have vacated all rationality! National Minimum Wage is one of the few gains of the Nigerian people, yet, Senators believe “best practice” to copy from other federations is working people’s wages

National Assembly and national minimum wage deregulation. They are not “deregulating” the huge sums that they award themselves as Members of the National Assembly; nor have they pleaded “poverty” of the states, to seek reduction in emoluments that go to the Legislature and other top guns in states. In truth, we are faced with CLASS INJUSTICE. The ruling class wants to take

M

Agricultural development I was travelling to Ilorin that weekend and he had urged me to visit the Centre to see the various equipment fabricated there that might be useful for the Borno agricultural development process. The governor is a graduate of, and was once also a lecturer, in Agricultural Economics.

What I saw and heard at NCAM pleasantly surprised me! NCAM C M Y K

labour leadership seems to have awaken to the danger that the Ike Ikweremadus of Senate constitute to Nigeria’s working people. We MUST DECISIVELY REJECT any effort to take National Minimum Wage out of the Exclusive Legislative List. By extension, the Labour Movement should begin mobilizing the Nigerian people to ensure that

Emeka Mba's NBC and potholes-filled road to broadcasting digitization

O

N September 5, 2014, the Emeka Mba-headed National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), issued a Broadcasting Signal Distribution License to the Nigerian company, Pinnacle Communications Limited. This followed the completion of the process for the preparation of the Nigerian broadcasting digitization process, which commenced with the Expression of Interest (Prequalification to Bid for Broadcasting Signal Distribution License), published in the web

National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin: A hidden gem in the Savannah OST Nigerians can be pardoned, if they have never heard of the National Centre for Agricultural Mechanization (NCAM), Ilorin.

It was established in 1979/80, within the context of the agricultural commitments of the Shagari regime. And over the years, the Centre has quietly and effectively worked for Nigerian agriculture, carrying out research; testing imported agricultural equipment and fabricating agricultural implements adapted to Nigerian conditions. It is located in a sprawling premise on the Ilorin-Ajase-Ipo Highway. About three months ago, I visited the NCAM for the first time. The Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima had raised the point, about the work being done in the National Centre.

even the little that goes to the Nigerian working people and the poor. When they weave yarns about “other federations”, they must issued with the riposte that Nigeria has the RIGHT to do what suits it. We shouldn’t copy the inequalities of other capitalist countries.

Thankfully, for the first time in a long time, our slumbering

reactionary, anti-people individuals like Ike Ekweremadu should not return to Senate. We must be interested in the worldview of people who make laws for our country otherwise even more anti-people, antiworker legislations will be rammed down the throat of the country. It is no coincidence that Ike Ekweremadu is Deputy to David Mark who, as Minister of Communications during military dictatorship,had said that telephones were not for the poor.

Wasn’t the same David Mark an active supporter of Obasanjo’s Third Term Agenda? Yet, when Third Term was defeated, was David Mark not compensated with Senate Presidency by Obasanjo? It is the Senate under the watch of these reactionary individuals that is legislating against a National Minimum Wage! Nigerian working people must reject this undisguised return to slavery!

is in fact the ONLY Agricultural Mechanization Centre in Africa, South of the Sahara, and it was unfair that so little was known of the work being done in the Centre. There were many implements and machinery on display, which are vital for Nigerian agriculture; with the added incentives that they were adapted to our national conditions, able to save foreign exchange and Nigerian jobs. So last week, I went with Governor Kashim Shettima to NCAM in Ilorin; the surprised leadership of the Centre, headed by Engineer Ike Azogu, could not hide happiness that we came, because in all its years, the NCAM had NEVER been visited by any Nigerian governor or leader; not even the governors of Kwara, where it is located. Shettima’s delegation saw the work being done at NCAM and directed Honorary Special Adviser, Engineer Ibrahim Ali, to begin discussion for the Centre to commence equipmentfabrication for Borno’s agricultural development. That saves jobs; helps the Centre to grow and whatever money spent stays within Nigeria. It is the way to develop our country in the long run. The NCAM is a hidden gem in the Nigerian Savannah that must be better known than it presently is, because a lot of good work is being done there.

portal of the NBC in March 2014.

The NBC’s action had been the outcome of the decision by the Nigerian Government to award three of such licenses as follows: one reserved for an entity carved out of the NTA (to protect the Nigerian public interest); a second license that was to be awarded through an open and competitive bid, in order to stimulate competition and a third one that was expected to be warehoused for the future, based on developments in the broadcasting market.

NBC organized a transparent bidding process which was praised within the broadcasting industry and beyond, for its fairness. And not only that; it was well known that President Goodluck Jonathan had insisted that given the historic significance of the digital transition, Nigeria’s process should be seen by the whole world to be without any corner cutting and favouritism nor should it be shrouded in any form of controversy. And while it lasted, the NBC seemed to have done everything by the book.

Companies were prequalified, bids were evaluated and those who didn’t meet the standards set fell by the wayside.

Digital process In the end, on national television, Pinnacle Communications Limited was announced as having fairly and transparently won the bid. It was on that basis that the company was issued a license after paying the over N600million that was the requisite sum for the license. It seemed that the Nigerian digital process was truly enroute.

Pursuit to its newly acquired position as the winner of this Second National Broadcast Distribution License, Pinnacle Communications put together a team of broadcast industry leaders from the USA, France, China and Nigeria to begin to lay the building block of a process that was to be kick-started by December 2014.

But as the saying goes, the devil equally worrisome that Emeka is always in the detail. Because Mba, the NBC DG,USED TO BE on September 7th, 2014, NBC an employee of MULTICHOICE! issued another license to start the The coincidence is troubling! But same process to another company in all these developments, it called MTS Communications appears that the Emeka Mba-led Limited which had been one of NBC has dug potholes on the the original bidding entities road leading to Nigeria’s which fell by the way, unable to broadcasting digitization. The meet the set standard. What was stakeholders have been set into the surprise here was that MTS confusion and the trust that should was issued a license from the back envelope what was expected to door and was asked to pay only become a major national process N200million not the N600million is giving way to recrimination and that Pinnacle Communications suspicion. In the meantime, a Limited had paid to become the Nigerian company appears to SECOND National License have been done in, because it holder, according to the open bid entered the process with a belief conducted by the official that it was a licensed body for the bidding SECOND National process, DIGITEAM, Broadcasting Signal headed by one of Nigeria’s Distributor. It has leading broadcasting invested heavily and has engineers, Engineer even brought in national Amana! When this and international controversy emerged, the partners into a process Emeka Mba-led NBC which has become started to defend its shrouded in controversy. apparent subversion of its It is the genuineness of own process by pleading license that normally that it was bowing to drives the enthusiasm of “orders from above”! It investors and given the sounded strange, given other licenses issued that practically everybody from the backdoor by the associated with the Emeka Mba-led NBC, it digitization process was seems our hopes for a aware that President hitch-free broadcasting Goodluck Jonathan digitization process has insisted upon a fair, open been set to naught. But and honest process; so the Nigeria cannot afford the plea of “orders from subversion of a above”, was clearly transparent process. dubious and untenable!

What is in the But it went even worse, government plan is to w h e n license a SECOND it also emerged later, that Any National License GOTV which is part of the licensing operator (for an initial South African-owned period of 15years!) and done MULTICHOICE, was that second licensee is similarly issued the same under P i n n a c l e type of license and the cloakCommunications absurdity of the new Limited. Any licensing award is underscored by anddone under cloak-andthe fact thatGOTV/ dagger or dagger or by subterfuge MULTICHOICE did not and deceit must NEVER participate in the original by stand!

President bidding for the license, yet subterfuge Goodluck Jonathan they got a similar SHOULD set the records licensetowhat Pinnacle and deceit straight to restore the C o m m u n i c a t i o n s must legitimacy of Nigeria’s Limitedwon fairly and for broadcasting digitization which it paid a total sum NEVER process. No “Orders from of over N600 million. It is stand!

Above” can stand!

18 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 PROPOSED amendments to the Constitution are the latest efforts to creating a “working” Nigeria, a country where the burdensomeness of politics is replaced with practical lawful steps to enhance the efficiency in governance.

Our assumption is that politicians are capable of such goodness for the common good. However, the proposed 71 amendments have ringing familiarity with the affinity of politicians to help themselves. Is the challenge with local government administration, for instance, autonomy, or the non-punishment of those who devour local government resources? Will autonomy of local governments mean more accountability? Did autonomy make States accountable?

How would creation of more States make governments more answerable to the people?

Why are concerns for the people never items in constitutional amendments? When would our common lives be subject of importance to politicians?

The frustration with the Constitution derives from unwillingness of its operators to work for the common good? Every politician pushes for advantage in the contest, not just for power, but mainly the appropriation of our resources. The powers of their positions are used to improve their material prosperity at

Time TTo o Amend Our Lives the expense of all Nigerians.

Lives of Nigerians are unimportant.

Politicians only complain when budgetary provisions affect their welfare. The business of catering for themselves manifests in expeditious approvals of measures that protect them from accounting to the people, the ones they claim to serve.

After almost 16 years of unbroken civilian rule, politicians fail to realise that the challenges with the Constitution are not its provisions - though some require amendments - but the characters of those implementing the Constitution. In those years, provisions that are for the benefit of the people have

been totally ignored.

Even the proposed amendments run the same course. Minimised concerns for ordinary Nigerians remain cardinal indices of our governments. Whether it is security, health, education, protection of the environment, or provision of basic infrastructure like electricity, roads, water, our governments have failed to share the agonies of millions of Nigerians who are falling into abject poverty through poor government policies.

Has the National Assembly bothered about Section 16(2d) of the Constitution? It states, “ The State (country) shall direct its policy towards ensuring: that suitable and adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, and unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are provided for all citizens ”.

Provisions like this, including Section 14 (2b), “ the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government,” never reflect in governments’ policies.

Constitutional amendments always overlook the non-implementation of provisions to improve lives of our people. We need care for our people more than constitutional amendments

OPINION

By Ifeanyi Afuba

I

N his book, Principles and Practices of Public Administration in Nigeria, Augustus Adebayo noted that the time for general postings in the civil service was usually the "period for the outbreak of incurable diseases", requiring that everyone serve at the headquarters and none willing to go to the rural areas. The melting away of this epidemic once the waves of the reshuffling had died down, of course, pointed to its conditioned pattern. Fulton Sheen, the eloquent American archbishop currently on the journey to sainthood, also found behavioural analysis a useful model for understanding irrational actions of otherwise intelligent people.

It is election season in Nigeria, the season of the fantastic, antics and stunts. It is once more the season of illusions and false thunder. On this bustling highway of clashing interests and ambitions, there is no shortage of spectacles. Aspirants to councillorship offices find it within their rights to siren their way through the streets. Political office holders who have spent three and half years of their four year mandate aloof to the cries of the electorate suddenly become philanthropic – minded, announcing scholarships here and there.

Running poultry at government quarters is suddenly a scandal to be cleansed with impeachment. And at the junction of territorial ambition, maneuvers for 2015 and political elite dominance align with huge consequences for democracy.

The maneuvers for 2015 have characteristically ignited a season of defections from one political party to another. It is a desperate search for relevance by politicians, featuring to a greater or lesser degree, elements of bazaar, hide and seek and poaching. No political party is immune to this potentially de-

APGA bashing in a season of defections stabilising game of fortunes but centrist, smaller parties such as APGA and Labour are under greater assault.

The rash of defections which sometimes assume a roundabout course wherein a politician returns to his originating party after making the circuit of competing political parties underscores in bold relief the vacuity of many a politician. In the face of the criticisms which greeted the recent decamping of four APGA federal representatives to the PDP, Uche Ekwunife, one of the quartets dismissed APGA as of little consequence, saying that a political party exists only as a platform for contesting election. The comment is unfortunate both for its blissful ignorance on the functions of a political party as well as for the pointed unconcern about the sanctity of a party mandate. With the palace mentality thriving so well in Nigerian government and politics, is it any wonder that the country is under – developed and our leadership largely pedestrian?

At the time of this well - publicised exodus, former Anambra State Governor, Mr Peter Obi, was linked to the development in some quarters. Obi, who had earlier resigned his chairmanship of the party’s Board of Trustees, in a surprising move, denied being the influence behind the legislators’ decision to ditch APGA. What seemed like his self alienation from the party, made the suggestion of Obi’s connection with the decamping plausible. What now can be said with his ultimate defection three months later?

For sure, no one should begrudge Obi and his co – travellers their new political preferences. Many are however puzzled by the ease with which Obi could jettison the APGA brand after 12 years of shared aspiration and strug-

gle dating back to 2003. Whatever challenges the former governor may have been faced with since leaving office, it is unhelpful seeking to make APGA a scapegoat for his new political adventure. The APGA defectors are entitled to position themselves for the 2015 and even 2019 permutations in any party they believe can serve their aspirations. But to say that the problem is with APGA because the party is no longer what it used to be raises a number of questions.

What has changed in APGA? And when did these supposed reverses take place in the 12 years life of the party? Are APGA’s fortunes in the past eight years commensurate with the opportunities available for growing the party?

What is the view of majority of APGA members on the role of leaders of the party in the matter of widening its frontiers? Is the notion of a derailed APGA shared by its teeming membership?

You would expect a political party in which the centre no longer holds to be rocking with discontent. This is not true of the APGA led by Governor Willie Obiano and Chief Victor Umeh. A sense of solidarity is discernible in the way party faithful have responded to the new initiatives of the leadership. It is remarkable that in just five months of coming into office, Obiano alongside Umeh had gone to Owerri to rouse the Imo State chapter of the party to greater strength. At the time Obi was declaring for the PDP at his house in Onitsha, Umeh was at Asaba receiving politicians from other parties into APGA. Whether they are conscious of it or not, the efforts of some APGA defectors at devaluing the party in the rating of the public fit into the agenda by sections of the political class to narrow the democratic space. We are pres-

ently witnessing a new phase of the long campaign to discredit multi party democracy as a drawback to Nigeria’s development. The ruling political elite and their rival investors in empireship are going to great length to propagate the myth of a two-party system as the most rewarding form of participatory democracy. It is also the mission of this establishment to sell the world the dummy that the two-party brand is the popular choice of Nigerians by using every available means to shrink the space for free political association.

Recall that it took a 2002 Supreme Court verdict before new political parties hitherto blocked by officialdom berthed on the Fourth Republic scene. Employing the legalism of parliamentary acts and administrative processes within their influence, the intellectual wing of the cabal insists on the right of the electoral body to deregister political parties for so-called dismal performance. But on the compelling lobby for implementation of the Mohammed Uwais electoral reforms that promise to pave the way for fair and credible elections, mum is the word from the experts of dual party carriageway.

Alongside an oiled propaganda that seeks to depict independent and ‘smaller’ parties as weak, disorganised, dysfunctional and unnecessary burden on our ballot papers, resistant parties that refuse to collapse into either of the dominant political divide are also prone to destabilisation plots. Such parties are particularly targets of poaching. The question to ask is why considerable time and resources are being expended on containing parties like APGA if really they have lost focus and are now irrelevant.

•Mr Afuba, a member of APGA, wrote from Nimo, Anambra State .

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014— 19

, Sheikh Gumi: Like father like son

W

HEN I read the first let ter by a certain Sheikh Gumi to All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential hopeful, General Muhammadu Buhari, I was a bit confused. But on closer inquiry, I discovered that this was Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, not Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, the late leader of the Izalatul Bidi’a wa Ikamatul Sunnah (Izala) Islamic sect whose utterances often set Kaduna and other parts of the North on fire up till the time he died on September 11, 1992.

I once interviewed the older Sheikh Gumi just before he died. He was widely credited with starting the gradual radicalisation of Muslims in the North; a trend that later bred the Shia (Muslim Brothers) group in Zaria led by Sheik Yahaya. It was from there thatmore extremist groups such as Boko Haram found foreign and local backers to start an armed struggle to impose their offensive dogmas on others. Ahmad is the son of Abubakar Gumi, and from the way he has lately been going, is chip of the old block.

In the first letter, Gumi had asked Buhari not to contest the

2015 presidential election because he might lose to President Goodluck Jonathan who, according to him, has “polarised the country ” along sectional and religious lines. He also described Buhari as an “upright” but weak leader surrounded by people who merely want to use him to win elections at lower levels and dump him, just as some military officers had ridden on his back to topple the Shehu Shagari regime in 1993.

Shortly after installing him they turned around to sweep him out of power.

I was not too surprised when he released the second letter, this time directed at President Jonathan, whom he reserved more invidious allegations for.

He accused Jonathan of being “partial” against Islam, “biased” against the North and “neglecting” of “the youth”. He also said Jonathan had “divided the nation along religious lines" and, wait for this: was “being involved negatively with the Boko Haram saga”. And for these and other reasons, he called on the President to “step down”. According to him, the imperative of this was more for “personal responsibility ” than

We must all be vigilant; there are people among us who are determined to destroy this country unless we abandon the presidential seat for them; we will not abandon it; that seat belongs to ALL NIGERIANS

“constitutional right”.

From the tone of the two letters, it is obvious that the real target was President Jonathan’s 2015 unannounced candidacy.

Gumi merely wrote a slap-onthe-wrist to Buhari, while spitting venom at the President. How I wish the sheikh had spent a little more space to substantiate what he called Jonathan’s “partiality” against Islam. The President participates in Ramadan fasts and breaks fasts with Muslims, all the time wearing their toga. Which Muslim president has done the same with Christians? He built 300 al majiri schools in the North. Not even Muslim presidents have done that. I have never witnessed a regime that has been youthfriendly in Nigeria, including that of Buhari in 1984/85.

Jonathan has been womenfriendly. I don’t know if he has done anything for the youth.

Now, what does Sheikh Gumi

NFF as a metaphor for Nigeria I

N Nigeria today, the 90 minutes of le gal violence, which they call the game of football has come to dominate all other revenue-yielding sports. That’s Nigeria for you. The moment we discovered football, every other sporting endeavour was relegated to the background.

Of course, that’s what we do all the time.

As soon as oil was discovered in Nigeria, all other money-yielding endeavours were neglected. Agriculture, which was the mainstay of our economy, was virtually buried.

As happened with oil where we failed to harness the tremendous advantages abound, football also came and we ignored all the benefits it brought along.

Most countries that love football as we pretend to do, develop the industries around football. But Nigeria must import everything – from the football boots to footballers’ jerseys. It is also understandable that the tickets for the games are printed abroad.

Admittedly, no organisation grows higher than the environment in which it exists. That explains how the Nigerian Football Federation, NFF, has become a perfect metaphor for Nigeria.

From the perspective of the coach: He is hired today; fired tomorrow; and hired again the next day on half contract. To the NFF, the members take office today and the next day, they are booted out! From the courts handling the cases to the footballers in their goal scoring abilities and their selection process, they are simply reminiscent of the episode of the Chibok girls: the news comes that they have been kidnapped by Boko Haram,

no, they were not kidnapped; they are hiding somewhere in Government House; no, they were indeed kidnapped! Agreement has been reached to release them “on Monday”; no, no agreement has been reached!

For how long are we going to live with these deceits and pathological lies? Ad infinitum? Ad nauseam?

For how long are we going to live with the type of theatricals currently playing out at the Glass House? Up to July 2014, Alhaji Maigari glued himself to the Glass House as NFF President, even long after his tenure had expired.

By whatever means, Maigari was forced out, but not before Nigeria had a taste of FIFA’s ban. On August 26, 2014 Chris Giwa was said to have emerged NFF President in a highly disputed election process that took place in Abuja. The world football governing body, FIFA, did not recognise the election of Giwa.

On September 20, 2014, there was an extraordinary meeting of the NFF in Warri, which was followed by an elective congress on September 30, 2014 at which the Delta State FA Chairman, Amaju Pinnick, emerged President of NFF. The Pinnick-led Executive was quickly recognised by FIFA, which warned that should anything hinder this newly-elected NFF Executive Committee, they will move for an automatic ban for the country till the next FIFA congress in May 2015.

Meanwhile, some of Giwa’s loyalists maintained

Everything must be done to avert jeopardizing the chances of these amazons of the field – the Falcons!

,

mean by the President “being involved negatively with the Boko Haram saga”? Is President Jonathan also one of the Boko Haram sponsors? If that is what Sheikh Gumi means to say, he should have been more explicit about it so that we take due note and put it on his record. Even if that is what he means, it will not be something new. Ex-Governor Murtala Nyako said worse. The Northern Elders Forum, with Professor Ango Abdullahi as its spokesman, is always on the rooftops with it. Dr Junaidu Mohammed gives interviews every two weeks swiping at President Jonathan, Ijaws and in the latest instance, the Igbos, all because they are not in the bandwagon to stop Jonathan’s legitimate quest for second term.

Sheikh Gumi appears to have bought into the grand design to sow the seeds of fear and stoke tensions in the polity as we move closer to the general elections next year. That is highly irresponsible and unpatriotic. We are in a democracy; a constitutional order. Gumi is wrong to say it is not a question of constitutional right. It is. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, at all levels has come together to present President Jonathan as their sole candidate. They are not fools. They cut across all religions, tribes, regions and geopolitical zones. They want to remain in power. For some reasons, they believe with Jonathan as their flag bearer they will win and remain in power.

If truly the opposition and its supporters, including the sectional “Elders” and those who are firing from religious parapets, believe Jonathan is not

good enough, they should be glad that the ruling party is putting him forward. They should rejoice, rather than mount an incitement campaign to force him not to contest at all. It is a waste of time, because Jonathan will contest. They should go and meet him at the polls with their best candidate. Let the people decide.

The law enforcement agencies should take note of these individuals who are whipping up religious and ethnic sentiments in case they lose the general elections of 2015. This was how it started in 2010, when in a similar manner, some desperate Northern politicians threatened to make governance impossible if Jonathan won. At the end, the Northern electorate did not listen to them. They voted their choice in one of the best elections we have had. And yet, thugs and urchins were mobilised to murder innocent youth corps members whose only sin was that they were deployed to serve the nation by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Till date, the killers have not been brought to book and the bereaved families were abandoned to bear their pain. Those killed were Southerners.

We must all be vigilant. There are people among us who are determined to destroy this country unless we abandon the presidential seat for them. We will not abandon it. That seat belongs to ALL NIGERIANS. Let us be ready. The enemies of Nigeria will lose again. Losing has already become a way of life for them!

that Giwa was validly elected NFF President on August 26, 2014. They took the matter to court, in utter defiance of the FIFA statutes, which clearly outlaw football matters being handled in civil courts.

On Thursday, October 23, Justice Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court, Jos, annulled the NFF elections held in Warri on September 30, 2014 as well as the congress preceding it. Hear the Hon. Justice Allagoa: “I have set aside all the proceedings and decisions of the Warri extra ordinary meeting of the 20th September and the elective congress of 30th September which were direct contravention of the orders of this court as granted on the 19th September… Nobody should foist on the court a complete case of hopelessness so that the principles of law and justice can be upheld. It’s not enough to say that the order of court was wrongly made, no matter how unorthodox, its subsisting orders, unless set aside, remain law and must be respected”.

The court, therefore, ruled that Giwa should return to the seat of power at the Glass House. This is thoroughly Nigerian. We now have multiple NFF Executive Committees in place: the Maigari executive might still be hanging in the wings; the FIFA-recognised Pinnick executive is on ground; and the court-resurrected Giwa executive is also there!

The Federal Government wallows in this type of confusion. This is what it has successfully fuelled and foisted on Edo and other states where its party is not in power. Perhaps oblivious of the fact that what goes around comes around, they are today enjoying their contrivance of the par-

allel PDP and APC legislatures. Some day soon, they will contrive separate PDP Government House and APC Government House in the same state.

In the ensuring confusion at the NFF, Stephen Keshi has been asked to go home – whatever language was used. That is also Nigerian! In other places, people resign but in Nigeria no one resigns. They stay put until they are sacked.

In football, the rule is clear – nobody wants a coach that has outlived his usefulness. Keshi should have known that his record of five defeats, five draws and one lousy victory in the last 11 matches cannot be a pass mark anywhere. Let him take that to Illah market and see how much fish will follow him home; instead of hanging around, repining over whether he was sacked or not!

And see who is leading the team that is replacing Keshi, even for one day, as a stop gap – Amodu who was sacked and stopped from leading the country to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Is this not the same man who has been hired four times and fired four times? Come on! This is a worse mistake.

Nigeria must rise above this rumble in the jungle. If the unserious men choose to be banned ten times over, that is their kettle of fish. But, for goodness sake, everything must be done to avert jeopardizing the chances of these amazons of the field – the Falcons! And when is the devolution of interest from football to other areas going to begin?

20 — Vanguard, THURSDAY THURSDAY,, OCTOBER 30, 2014

In memory of Nightingale, young optician’s lifeline for the visually impaired

BY OLA AJAYI, Ibadan

T

HE situation is one that will leave any concerned Nigerian truly worried given its far-reaching implication.

Indeed, it came as a rude shock to young optician, Mr. Olamide Oladayo, when he learned of the alarming influx of Nigerians with eye defects into the neighbouring Benin Republic and other African countries due to the outrageous fees charged for eye surgery in their country, Nigeria. But Olamide soon got over the shock and decided to do something about the unfortunate development. He has started the construction of a maternity hospital and eye clinic in the Saki area of Oyo State in memory of Florence Nightingale, the pioneer of modern nursing who died several years ago.

Nightingale was a celebrated English social reformer and statistician. She came to prominence while serving as a nurse during the Crimean War where she treated wounded soldiers.

Oladayo, who is the founder of Florence Nightingale Maternity Hospital and Eye Clinic, said he was moved to take steps to alleviate the rigour and sufferings that Nigerians, especially those in Saki, go through to get medical eye services in neighbouring African countries where they pay about N20,000 or less for eye surgery.

Some opticians in Nigeria are said to charge as much as N50,000 for eye surgery.

The optician explained that the revelation is not an attempt to vilify his counterparts in the profession.

He noted that when the high cost of equipment and other logistics are considered, nobody should point any accusing fingers at them. He appealed to wealthy Nigerians to assist these indigent people to procure eye treatment in view of the

importance of the eye to the whole body.

As part of his widow’s mite, Oladayo has conducted free eye test for hundreds of residents of Oyo State, staff of higher institutions like the Polytechnic, Ibadan; Federal College of Education, Oyo; civil servants, staff and teachers under the State Universal Basic Education Board, and many others.

He told Vanguard Metro, VM, that he tried to put his meager resources together to build the hospital which is nearing completion.

Overwhelmed by the capital intensive nature of the project, he has called on President Goodluck Jonathan, governors, senators, business men and women, traditional rulers, international donor agencies, sports men and women, private and public companies and nongovernmental organisations to buy into the vision of bringing comfort to others by contributing to the project.

Oladayo said the project would gulp at least N150 million. He said the project which he started about seven years ago was borne out of the passion he has for people in the area. He is optimistic that it would be completed with the support of people who have the same vision of making life worth living for others.

The vision, he informed, was a product of his trip overseas where he read several selfless services of F l o r e n c e Nightingale, adding that he intended to keep the memory of the kind-hearted woman alive by building a hospital where people would be catered for just like Nightingale did years past.

To him, money is not everything and one should try as much as possible to help mankind in a way that would put smiles on them.

Some opticians in Nigeria are said to charge as much as N50,000 for eye surgery

C M Y K

*The uncompleted eye clinic at Saki. INSET: Olamide Oladayo attending to patients

Insecurity: Assisting the police in style

BY CHIDI NKWOPARA, Owerri IGERIA has a lot of ugly stories to tell about the escapades of armed robbers, kidnappers, baby factory operators, insurgents, child traffickers, assassins, arsonists and a host of other serious crimes perpetrated by criminals.

But for divine intervention, Imo would have joined the league of states that have recorded death and destruction through improvised explosive devices supposedly planted by the

N

dreaded Islamic insurgents, Boko Haram.

The insurgents’ target was the Winners Chapel, Owerri.

This naturally jolted the citizens, particularly the business community, who know that their investments would crumble in the face of insecurity.

One of such worried investors is Mr. Chukwudi Ofoha, the owner of Ibari Ogwa Entertainment Village, Owerri. He recently donated two Toyota Camry cars, fitted with relevant gadgets, to the Imo Police Command.

*Chukwudi Ofoha(r) hands key of patrol vehicle to Imo CP, ABDUL Majid Ali

Handing over the vehicles to the Commissioner of Police, CP, Mr. Abdulmajid Ali, the owner of Ibari Ogwa said the gesture was his own little way of assisting the Command to save life and property in the state.

“I am moved to make the donation after a thorough assessment of the high level of security achieved in the Command since the new CP took over from the immediate past CP, Mr. Mohammed Katsina,” Mr. Ofoha said.

While saying that there was the need for all hands to be on deck in the fight against crime ad criminals, Mr. Ofoha also reasoned that business can only thrive in a secure atmosphere.

Responding, the CP said that Ofoha’s gesture was a proof that the citizenry were appreciative of the little efforts of the command in combating crimes in the state. He said in the light of many people shying away from assisting the police, the donation of two vehicles by Mr. Ofoha means a lot to the force.

“Patrol vehicles are very vital to the execution of our constitutional duties. This donation would surely give a boost to the police work in the state and I urge other business men and women to emulate the kind gesture of Mr. Ofoha,” the CP said.

Vanguard, THURSDAY OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 21

From left: Jide George, Director HealthPlus; Bukky George, CEO HealthPlus; German Vegarra, Regional Industry Head IFC; Paul Mukasa andTomiwa Williams, Investment Officers IFC and the HealthPlus Management Team at the Signing Ceremony between HealthPlus & CasaBella International Limited and International Finance Corporation (IFC).

2015: OPEC sees little output change, says don’t panic O

PEC’S oil production is unlike ly to change much in 2015 and there is no need to panic at the crude price drop, OPEC’s secretary general said yesterday, adding to indications the exporter group is in no hurry to cut output. Abdullah al-Badri also said output of higher-cost oil supplies such as shale would be curbed if oil remained at around $85 a barrel, while the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries enjoys lower costs and will see higher demand for its crude in the longer term.

Oil’s drop below the $100-mark, the level many OPEC members had endorsed, has raised the question of

190.7

-0.8

2,960.00

-90.00

16.04

-0.34

USD 85.52

USD -0.61

USD 80.84 USD -0.17

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

154.76 249.3184 196.2666 162.734 1.4347 0.2796 229.0948 25.2991 41.2473 26.3628 229.8341

155.26 250.1239 196.9007 163.2597 1.4393 0.2896 229.8349 25.3813 41.3806 26.4479 230.5766

155.76 250.9294 197.5348 163.7855 1.444 0.2996 230.5751 25.4635 41.5139 26.5331 231.3192

CBN Exchange Rate as 28 /10 /2014

whether OPEC will cut supply when it meets in November. Badri said OPEC’s output was unlikely to change much next year, adding to signs a decision to cut in November

is unlikely.

“I don’t think 2015 will be far away from 2014 in terms of production,” Badri told reporters in London at the annual Oil & Money conference.

AFC secures N16bn facility for infrastructure devt in Nigeria, others

By Michael Eboh

TAFC, has secured a $100 million,

he Africa Finance Corporation,

about N16 billion, long term loan facility from the United States of America’s (USA) development finance institution, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), and the global investment banking leader, J.P. Morgan to support infrastructural development in Nigeria and other countries in the African continent.

Andrew Alli, President and Chief Executive Officer, AFC, said $75 million of the facility will be provided by OPIC while the remaining $25 million will be provided by JP Morgan.

According to him, the facility is intended to further deepen AFC’s resources to support infrastructure development on the African continent.

He explained that the AFC has established a world class team of African infrastructure and investment professionals to support the project development, deal structuring and early stage investment that are critical to delivering bankable projects.

He further stated that the AFC will leverage OPIC’s and JP Morgan’s

support to further the development of its infrastructure portfolio across Africa.

He said, “We are delighted with OPIC’s and JP Morgan’s show of faith in the AFC business model and support for our commitment to providing an African led, private sector driven contribution to bridging Africa’s infrastructure divide.

“Over the last 18 months we have established financing partnerships with a broad range of Development Finance Institutions (DFI) and private sector partners, with credit facilities in excess of US$850 million.

“With an investment deficit of over US$40 billion per annum over the next ten years a co-ordinated approach based on strong private and public sector partnerships is vital.”

Also speaking, Elizabeth Littlefield, OPIC’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “When effective financial leadership catalyses investment to create significant development impact, we in the DFI community take notice.

Recognition for AFC’s work has been rapidly growing as they spur private sector investment in African power and infrastructure projects.

“There is nothing wrong with the market.” Brent crude LCOc1 has dropped more than a quarter from above $115 per barrel in June as abundant supplies of high-quality oil such as U.S. shale have overwhelmed demand in many markets, filling stocks worldwide.

But lower prices pose a threat to supply outside OPEC. While OPEC’s oil production costs are low, as much as half of shale output would be under threat if prices remain at current levels, Badri said.

“If prices stay at $85, we will see a lot of investment, a lot of oil, going out of the market,” he told the conference. “About 65 percent of the producers, they have high costs. Not OPEC.” Badri did not predict the outcome of OPEC’s meeting on Nov. 27, saying the decision was up to the group’s oil ministers, and appealed for calm over the decline in prices.

“We do not see much change in the fundamentals. Demand is still growing, supply is also growing. OPEC is reviewing the situation,” he said.

The most important thing is we should not panic,” he said. “Unfortunately, everybody is panicking. We really need to sit, and think and see how this will develop.”

He dismissed suggestions that OPEC countries, in setting lower official selling prices for their crude oil, have embarked on a price war to preserve market share.

Badri declined to specify a level at which oil prices might find a floor, saying OPEC did not have a price target but would instead leave that to the market.

“OPEC’s average price will still be $100 at the end of this year so we are fine for 2014,” he said. “The fundamentals do not reflect this low price. OPEC does not have a price target. We must let the market settle down.”

Brent LCOc1 was trading around $87.30 by 10.30 a.m. EDT after reaching a four-year low of $82.60 two weeks ago. Badri said last month that he expected OPEC to lower its oil output target when it meets in Vienna, which would be its first formal output cut since the 2008 financial crisis. OPEC has a production target of 30 million barrels per day (bpd) and Badri suggested last month that this should be cut to around 29.5 million bpd.

Since then, OPEC members Iran and Kuwait have said a cut in output at the meeting was unlikely. Top producer Saudi Arabia has yet to comment publicly.

Badri reiterated that supplies from rival producers, such as shale oil, were not a threat to OPEC long-term and said OPEC had to be ready to pump far more in future.

“In the longer term, OPEC must be ready to produce. Around 2018-2020, U.S. tight oil will slow down,” he said. “By 2040, OPEC must be ready to produce 40 million bpd of oil, and 50 million bpd of liquids, that’s crude and natural gas liquids.”

22—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

,

Entrepreneurial traits of Aliko Dangote A lhaji Aliko Dangote, owner of Dangote Group, is the richest man in Africa and the 24th richest in the world, according to Forbes, with a networth of $24.6 billion as of May, 2014.

Following are some entrepreneurial traits of Dangote which could empower entrepreneurs to be more effective in running their business, whether for startups or those already in operation.

Start out young Dangote’s passion for business dates to when he was in primary school. He would buy and sell cartons of candies to make money. He knew what he wanted early.

He studied business in the university and started learning early in life the processes of entrepreneurship.

He surrounded himself with

Manufacture, don't just trade.

There is money in manufacturing even though it is capial intensive

,

family and friends who where in business.

Own your business No one becomes wealthy on a salary. Dangote started his business at the age of 21, with a loan of N500,000 from his uncle, Sanusi Abdulkadir Dantata. It pays to start your business early in life. This generation is witnessing an explosion of younger billionaires on the rise. Mark Zuckerberg, Dustin Moskovitz, Eduardo Saverin and Aliko Dankote started out young and are great today.

Leverage on other people’s assets Maybe you were born broke or no member of your family member is rich. Don’t let that stop you. You can leverage on other people’ money.

Dangote got a loan of N500,000 from his uncle, Sanusi Abdulkadir Dantata.

Someone out there is ready to part with some resources for that idea of yours. Go look for it.

Start local, go global As the saying goes, charity begins at home. Dangote started his business locally with a global outlook. Today, it is a multi-billion dollar conglomerate with many of its operations in Benin Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Cameroun C M Y K

and Togo. You may not have the resources to start global.

Start where you are, with what you have.

Network with those in authority As an entrepreneur, you must connect with personalities in authority.

Dangote had a strong tie with people in politics, he played a very prominent role in the funding of Olusegun Obasanjo’ re-election bid in 2003, to the tune of over N200 million. With the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority in July 2012, he leased an abandoned piece of land at the Apapa Port where he built facilities for his flour company. His network with the Central Bank of Nigeria in the 1990s paved way for his transport company to manage their fleet of staff buses.

Produce, don’t just sell

,

In his own words, Dangote said, “Manufacture, don’t just trade. There is money in manufacturing even though it is capital intensive. To achieve a big breakthrough, I had to start manufacturing the same product I was trading on, which is c o m m o d i t i e s . ” Manufacturing gave his business greater profit margin.

Diversify Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. As soon as your finances allow you, branch out into other sectors.

Dangote diversified into businesses like food processing, cement manufacturing, and freight.

There is Dangote Sugar Refinery, Dangote Cement and Dangote Flour.

Position for growth Not all businesses succeed in every location. There is an environment for business success, you must locate it and properly position yourself there for success.

Dangote started his business in Kano in 1977. He moved to Lagos in June of the same year, trading in cements and commodities. There are so many businesses that are wrongly positioned.

Culled from wealthresult.com

BUSINESS NAIRA EXCHANGE RATES Date Currency 28/10/14 DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA RENMINBI RIYAL KRONA SDR

P

iggery is an aspect of farming in Nigeria that brings huge returns to smart investors. Pig farming is a lucrative business with minimum risk. Pigs are omnivorous animals, they can eat anything. They valuably utilize any byproducts and waste from human feeding. They are very prolific because they can litter at least two times in a year with an average of 6 or more piglets per litter. Pig meat (pork) is very nutritious, palatable and high in protein and caloric content.

There are currently two piggery estates in Lagos State. They are at Oke Aro and Gberigbe in Alimosho and Ikorodu Local Government Areas, respectively, with a total of 250 pens being managed by 1,200 farmers. Lagos State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr. Gbolahan Lawal, noted at a recent forum that pig production in the state alone has the potential to generate about $2 billion (N320 billion) annually.

According to Funsho Adisa, CEO of Folorunso Farms, Arigbawonwo Village in Ogun State: “Pig farming is a very profitable venture from my personal experience as the market in Nigeria is very large with a population of about 160 million. Pigs mature very fast, attain market weight if well fed. For me 70kg weight is ideal to sell.”

A feasibility study on pig farming, by Darlington Omeh of Wealthresult.com, shows that a budget estimate of about N600,000 is needed to start with 50 piglets. A piglets cost between N3,000 and N4,000 (that is N150,000 – N200,000 for 50 piglets). Payment of one

Buying(N) 154.76 249.4267 196.5762 162.9053 1.431 0.2796 229.0948 25.3136 41.2462 26.4023 230.1281

Central(N) 155.26 250.2325 197.2113 163.4316 1.4356 0.2896 229.8349 25.3958 41.3795 26.4876 230.8716

Selling(N) 155.76 251.0384 197.8464 163.9579 1.4402 0.2996 230.5751 25.478 41.5128 26.5729 231.6151

Explore the lucrative business of pig farming

BY YINKA KOLAWOLE, with agency report staff needed to take care of the pigs (to begin with) over six months, N90,000. Feeds for pigs include yam/cassava peels, groundnut or groundnut cakes (kuli kuli), bone feeds, rice bran, palm kernel, maize, etc. The estimated cost of feeding for six months is N150,000.

Cost of the outdoor pen (for beginners) goes for N150,000, all these amount to between N540,000 and N590,000.

On the other hand, a pig sells for up to N30,000, amounting to N1.5million for 50 pigs. This gives around N1 million profit on an investment of N600,000, a 200 percent return.

Considering how fast pigs reproduce, this can come up to 100 pigs (or more) within a year, returning N3 million However, despite the potential for high profitability in pig farming,

,

,

There is an environment for business success, you must locate it and properly position yourself there for success

Pig production in Lagos State alone has the potential to generate about $2 billion (N320 billion) annually

,

many Nigerians have not embraced it because of ignorance of how it works.

Following is a guide on how to set up a pig farm.

Secure a breeding ground: Land is the biggest investment in pig farming.

Once you have it, you’re half way done. For a small scale starting, a plot of land may just be okay. But if you can acquire a large farm land (from 5 plots) that will be better so that the pigs can graze in the open and retire to the pen where they will continue feeding and playing.

Look for land in a rural area where you can get it cheaper.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—23

,

& YOU

Organizations that are thinking differently want to make a difference in the lives of their customers and employees

,

COMMODITIES (29/10/14) Commodity Light Crude

Last 82.24

Natural Gas

3.69

+0.04

+1.07

Sugar

16.37

+0.24

+1.49

Coffee

190.55

-1.80

-0.94

Cocoa

2,906.00

-17.00

-0.58

Build standard pens (pig house): It is important to have a big pen so that the pigs don't injure themselves.

A good and spacious pen is also important to keep the pigs healthy and free from diseases and contamination.

Proper drainage is needed to avoid water becoming stagnant in the pen which could attract insects and other harmful pets to harm the pigs.

To avoid the pigs getting overly dirty, there is need to build a water pool where they can play and swim as pigs like swimming, and cool themselves which is important for their well being. Changing the water and refilling the pool as frequently as possible will ensure that they are clean all the time. If the pigs are kept outdoor, shelter should be provided for them.

Buy healthy piglets: To ensure healthy farm, it is absolutely important to start the farm with healthy piglets.

Buy from trusted sources and make sure to buy piglets with history of vaccination.

Buy as much as you want to start with but don’t start with too many. It is advisable to start with small number and increase gradually. This way, you will be able to learn the rope and grow. And if

% Change +1.01

Learning the ar artt of doing things differently

anything goes wrong at the initial stage, the risk will be minimal.

Consult a veterinary doctor: You need the services of vet doctors for regular check up and vaccination as well as feeding and nutrition advice. Pigs generally eat what human beings eat and do not present much worries when it comes to feeding.

Workers: If you are starting on a small scale, you may just need one or two workers who will be assisting in the cleaning of the pigs and the pens, feeding the pigs and making sure they are well taken care of. However, for a farm of about 100 pigs, up to 4 or 5 persons would be needed.

Arrange for feeding: Just like human beings, pigs eat a wide variety of foods.

Anything humans can eat, they can eat. They also need balanced diet such as fibre, energy, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals to thrive. Feeds take the major chunk of spending in pig farming.

It is important to note that passion and patience are required for anyone who wants to venture into pig farming. In all business, passion is needed to give the tonic that will drive achievement of profit goals.

In like manner, passion is the soul of the business of pig farming as it pushes the desire to understand the market and business. Patience is also needed, especially for those doing the business for the first time. It could really be tiring or frustrating to keep putting in resources financial, emotional, human etc. - for close to 8 months without getting anything back for that period.

BY ‘UJU ONWUZULIKE

"Our world is not shaped by those who think similarly, but by those who dare to think differently"...Rashida Rowe

I

t is possible for people to have different reasons for setting up businesses. The same applies to small businesses or big corporations. Regardless of whatever reason(s) any business was established, the desire to achieve better result will always play out. Then, again, achieving better result to most organizations is characterized by increase in profitability. Desiring an increase in profitability is an acceptable proclivity for organizations as a result of the services being rendered and paid for.

But, the disappointing truth is that no organization can achieve increased profitability by desiring or wishing for it alone except by doing things differently.

After hearing for the first time that: •"you don't need to think more, you just need to think differently", I had a different worldview about thinking. It made me to realize that we do not need to think more (haphazardly) just for thinking sake, we need to think differently with the result in mind – we need to think strategically. The same applies to organizations, to achieve better results, we may not necessarily do so many things for our customers in terms of quantity, but we need to begin to do things

differently for them. We might just focus on doing one particular thing differently for them. The other time I was discussing with an executive whose company has spent so much money on transformation, and I realized one key thing that was lacking – attitudinal change. For an organization to think differently and achieve its transformation goals, attention must be paid to develop the right attitude of its workforce first and foremost. This is

,

Do the stuffs there and transport the goods to town.

Some butcher will even be coming to the farm to buy, saving you cost of transportation.

It is good to raise pigs in pasture by leaving them occasionally to root around in the fields where they can find plants to eat, and that can only be achieved in a large farm land (pasture ground). As they mature, care must be taken so that they do not wander away.

Change ($) +0.82

Building worldclass organization requires that leaders should utilize everybody's contributions

,

because one person with a wrong attitude can sabotage and make a mess of all the transformation effort. Yes, I know I am not writing about attitudinal change, but then right attitude is like a lubricant that will oil the wheels of •"thinking differently".

Unbelievably, and despite the fact that most organizations are doing the same thing year in year out, using the same business strategy and initiatives that have not worked, and yet they expect to have different and better results (that is impossible). With the stiff competition in the business world, if you keep doing your business the same way you have done it for five years; you will never even achieve the old results that you are used to, but rather below what you have been achieving.

That goes to show that to desire improved results in all facets of business operations, we must have a paradigm shift, and that comes by thinking differently. The truth of the matter is that sometimes, we know why our organization is performing so badly, but we are stuck to the old ways of doing things – and we are not ready to try something new.

All organizations that are stuck to the old ways of doing things that have not yielded them better results will end up becoming •"Defenders of Decline" instead of•"Architect of the future" (example is Apple Inc. vs others). Apple succeeded in becoming the “architect of the future” while others are busy defending the decline, little wonder Apple’s slogan is “Think Different”.

To paint a clearer picture of what thinking differently should mean to organizations, we need to realize that in our various organizations, there are strategies that are not working, marketing initiatives that are not producing the numbers, activities that are not worthwhile and generally things that are not working for the organization. Thinking differently starts when we begin to question the old ways of doings that that have not yielded expected results and begin to push the boundaries and think in new ways that lead to improved results.

Thinking differently is akin to committing to make a difference. In order words, organizations that are thinking differently want to make a difference in the lives of their customers and employees. It is this committing to make a difference that brings improved and sustainable results for the shareholders.

C M Y K

24 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Why Sterling Bank pioneered lending via social media — Igbodo Social Lender is a social media based banking product introduced by Sterling Bank. It allows customers of the bank to access cash loans via social media websites like the Facebook. In recognition of the pioneering status of the product, Sterling Bank was recently awarded “The Most Innovative Bank” by the Nigerian Telecoms Award. In this interview, Mr. Kelvin Igbodo, Head Social Media of Sterling Bank Plc explains why the bank introduced the Social Lender saying it would soon be made available to everybody. Excerpts

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

T

HE use of social media to disseminate information to our target audience seems to be the order of the day both by individuals and organizations.

What is responsible for this trend?

In this information age, it is only a man devoid of knowledge of the times that fails to realize that conventional methods of living and transacting business are quickly fading. What we have these days are ‘faster’ means of living; we’ve got fast food, instant messaging, fast cars and a whole lot. For one to remain relevant therefore, it is imperative that one upgrades or moves with the times. The world has simply become technologically driven and we must move in tandem.

What are the potential risks in the increasing use of the social media?

Risk is a concept that exists with any venture. A simple

routine walk can lead to a dangerous situation just as easy as being caught up in a robbery.

What we have done however is put in place mitigants.

Sterling Bank is very active on the social media. Why this?

Our active participation and presence on Social Media is strategic. While we realize that the youth today are social media savvy, we also deem it necessary to position our organization to make sure our footprints are firmly planted in an emerging channel. In a time where business is moving away from the four walls of the banking hall to the comfort of a mobile phone, it became necessary to ‘speak the language’ of our customers.

Our foray into and activeness on Social Media is all part of a bigger plan to dominate the space.

What does the Social Lender Award mean to your Bank?

This award is recognition for innovation; a crystal clear reward for pioneering change

Entrepreneurs report improvements in regulatory environment—World Bank

E

NTREPRENEURS around the world have reported improvement in regulatory environment says a World Bank report.

Titled, “Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency”, the report finds that local entrepreneurs in 123 economies saw improvements in their regulatory environment in the past year.

From June 2013 to June 2014, the report, covering 189 economies, documented 230 business reforms-with 145 aimed at reducing the complexity and cost of complying with business regulations, and 85 aimed at strengthening legal institutions.

Sub-Saharan Africa accounted for the largest number of reforms.

“An economy’s success or failure depends on many variables; among these, often overlooked, are the nuts and bolts that facilitate enterprise and business,” said Kaushik Basu, Senior Vice President and Chief Economist of the World Bank. “By this I mean the regulations that determine how easy it is to start a

business, the speed and efficiency with which contracts are enforced, the paperwork needed for trade, and so on. Making improvements in these regulations is virtually costless, but it can play a transformative role in promoting growth and development.”

Doing Business has captured more than 2,400 regulatory reforms making it easier to do business. These efforts have led to tangible results for small businesses all over the world. For example, 10 years ago, importing key inputs from overseas took 48 days for a Colombian entrepreneur; now, it takes only 13 days-the same as for an entrepreneur in Portugal.

Similarly, starting a business took 57 days for a budding entrepreneur in Senegal 10 years ago; now that process requires just six days—just one more day than in Norway. And in India a little over a decade ago, an entrepreneur seeking a loan to grow his business would have had little luck, because financial institutions lacked access to information systems to assess creditworthiness.

Igbodo, Head Social Media, Sterling Bank

in the Banking sector. It recognizes us as the first in Nigeria to launch out to an untested terrain and it’s refreshing to know that our services are not going unnoticed.

What is the product all about?

Social Lender is a solution that enables both Sterling Bank and non-Sterling Bank account holders to have access to quick cash based on their social media reputation. What this basically

means is that with your facebook or twitter accounts and by registering on the social lender website, you can get instant cash for your immediate needs.

Why did you introduce the Social Lender product?

If we look closely, it can be seen that most Banking processes are being remodeled for online use. We find that, traditional methods such as interbank payments can now be effectively done via Internet banking transfers, in the same way, account balances need not

be sourced from account officers as these are easily obtained via mobile short codes.

What we did was to seek further methods of simplifying routine Bank processes and acquiring cash to meet needs was one issue we could tackle.

We set up a technology framework, has discussions with a developer, of BINCOM ICT and with their amazing expertise, Social Lender was birthed.

Is it restricted to a segment of the market or any one active in social media?

For this phase of the project, Social Lender is available to all customers of Sterling Bank; those with active Bank accounts. Of course, having a facebook or twitter account is part of the requirements. Going forward though, the solution will be open to all interested individuals.

One major issue about such avenues is that people are never willing to pay back. What is your experience with Social Lender?

We have seen with our customers a surprisingly positive attitude as beneficiaries of the scheme have been faithful in repaying the funds. Not all monies have been remitted but the payback tradition is encouraging.

Sterling Bank in the last three years has become a domineering factor in the social media circle, what is responsible for this?

We have leadership with a plan, a goal and a clearly mapped out route detailing how this goal will be achieved. We have only scratched the surface, our targets surpass the present achievements and we can assure you that more user friendly applications, innovations and experiences will be deployed in the not too distant future.

Diamond Bank empowers women with business management skills T he need to continue to coach women and rightly position them to be major drivers and influencers of the economy came to the front burner last week, as Diamond Bank trained and helped sharpen the entrepreneurial skills of businesswomen and those aspiring to own one.

Diamond Woman, a woman friendly proposition from the Bank, in its second edition of the Diamond Woman Enterprise Series that held in Benin City, exposed the attendees to simple business management tactics, business idea

generation and development and several other business skills that will help them grow their businesses and profitability.

The Diamond Woman Enterprise Series is a women only seminar series focused on promoting capacity building opportunities, financial literacy, access to industry specific training and business advisory services to women.

Welcoming participants to the event, Ogbonnia Okereke, Regional Manager, Benin Region, Diamond Bank Plc, noted that the bank was motivated to train women because of the enormous entrepreneurial potential in them.

Pointing the numerous

achievements of women like the IMF President, Christine Largade and Nigeria’s Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala, Okereke said that women are emerging key influencers of the economy and therefore needs to be fortified with the necessary entrepreneurial skills.

“Recent studies show that women are opening their own businesses at a faster rate than men. This means that they will be the major employers of labour in the near future. This is why Diamond Bank has decided to provide them with the requisite financial skills and networking opportunities that will position them to be better leaders of the economy.”

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 25

INDUCTION: From third left, Janeth Iyabo Jolaoso, Vice President, NITAD; Sixth, President NITAD, Dr Kayode Ogungbuyi; Eight, Modupe Oyekunle, Guest Speaker; Ninth, Rev Tunde Salau; 10th, NITAD past president, Barr. Femi Kolajo; 13th, Mr. Ola Azeez, Chairman of Members and Mrs. Mofe Akinbanji, Registrar NITAD during NITAD's 19th AGM and 14th Induction Ceremony held at NECA House in Lagos.

Memories of Chibok girls loom as Borno reopens schools •Parents may not send wards to schools •I am married now says, female student

By Amaka Abayomi & Ndahi Marama

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S schools in Borno State are about to reopen after 200 days, due to incessant attacks and abduction of 278 girls from their hostels at Government College, Chibok, by members of the militant Islamist group, Boko Haram, the questions on the lips of all are: how realistic is the prospect of opening the schools, considering the fact that the Federal Government is yet to secure the release of over 200 girls?

Will parents allow their children and wards go back to school? Are the students, especially girls, still willing to go back to the classroom? Do the present socioeconomic and environmental factors in Borno communities encourage a return to school?

These and many more are questions that must be answered by a concerned government and other stakeholders.

Education cures all societal ills David Mark Pg. 27 C M Y K

On the night of April 14, dozens of Boko Haram members invaded Chibok and abducted more than 200 schoolgirls who were writing their final year S.S.C.E exams at Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok.

Of the 278 girls who were kidnapped, 14 escaped while in transit, while another 39 escaped from captivity two weeks later.

Also, on February 24, 59 students were killed in Federal Government Colleges at Monguno and Lassa, Borno State. This prompted the Federal Government to, as an emergency precautionary measure, order the immediate closure of both schools to safeguard the lives and property of the over 115,000 students and their teachers.

Reptiles and other wild animals promptly made some Borno schools their home. Others in Maiduguri became home to over 12,000 Internally Displaced Persons from Damboa, Gwoza, Bama, Konduga, Dikwa and

NUC approves Int'l certification entrepreneurship in varsities Pg. 28

Gamboru Ngala council areas, which were under the control of insurgents.

Lost cases Aside these discouraging facts, most students do not seem to care about schools re-opening. Some have been married off while others, especially the boys, are engaged in small businesses.

One of such is 18 year old Ali Abba Shuwa, who is supposed

to be a final year student of Government College, Maiduguri. Right now, Shuwa, who considers himself a businessman, has no intention of going back to school.

Shuwa said: “Since the closure of schools, I was advised by my father to engage in something that will assist me economically.

I am happy to inform you that I am now a perfect car washer and I do make brisk business.

“Even if government reopens schools today, I am not going back because I am contented with this job as I go home with nothing less than N2,000 daily. I can now boast of over N100,000 in my bank account. So why do I have to bother about going back to school?”

Aisha Ahmed Abdullahi is an S.S. 1 female student of Continues on page 26

Lack of training, development causes of education decay — NITAD President

By Dayo Adesulu

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HE President and Chairman of Council, Nigerian Institute of Training and Development, NITAD, Dr. Kayode Ogungbuyi has heaped the decay in the education sector at the door step of lack of training and development on the part of key players.

He said: “People do not take things serious that is why we are having the problems we have now in Nigeria. The decay in education, the decay in the health sector, the decay you see everywhere is because people do not take training and development seriously.

Ogungbuyi who spoke with journalists during NITAD's 14TH induction ceremony and AGM held at NECA House, Ikeja, Lagos said that personal commitment has to be made right.

According to him; “Uncle Sam was in Daily Times, he left to Punch then left to start Vanguard. Because he was full of something better to do than the others, that is why Vanguard is where it is today. Initially, there was no finance to start it, but he was able to attract the best to do what he is doing today. Until you find out what you can do better than the other person, you are nowhere.”

Ogungbuyi who slamed parents that go about buying forms for their children in the university when they know they did not even pass JAMB, said that is the genesis of poor performance for students.

He averred: “Parents are part of the problems in Nigeria. They go and buy admission slots for their children who did not pass JAMB; instead of them to sit the child down

Continues on page 26

26 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Lack of training, development causes of education decay — NITAD President Continues from page 25

*From Left; President, Ilupeju Diamond Lions Club, Lion Noimot Olatunji; Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mrs. Omolara Erogbogbo and Director, Basic Education Services, Lagos State Ministry of Education, Mr. Semasa Bamidele during a courtesy visit and donation of Ebola prevention apparatus by Ilupeju Diamond Lions Club to Lagos State Ministry of Education.

Memories of Chibok girls loom Continued from page 25 cope. I am appealing to Gordon Government Secondary School, Brown Foundation and other Mafa. She succumbed to her organizations to assist us.”

Borno prepares parents’ advice and got married However, despite the breach in to a 50-year-old Mallam.

Unsure if she’ll continue her the ceasefire deal between education, Aisha said: “My Federal Government and Boko husband is in the best position Haram, the Permanent Secretary, to answer this question because Ministry of Education, Alhaji he is the only person that has Mohammed Kauji, said control over me. If he says I preparations are in top gear as should go back to complete my the state government is making education, I will do so. But I frantic efforts to make the schools doubt he will because I am the conducive for teaching and third wife and he cherishes me learning purposes when schools reopen in November. much.”

To actualise his promise, Borno Overstretched private schools The prolonged closure of public State Governor, Kashim Shettima schools led to the over-stretching inaugurated a 19- man of facilities in many private committee on the resuscitation of schools as parents, who still want primary and secondary their wards to continue with their education in the state.

Aside purchasing and education, had to enrol distributing 78 buses to them into private schools across the state, schools. the outgoing state Appealing to Commissioner of corporate and well Education, Comrade meaning individuals Musa Inuwa Kubo, said to help salvage the contracts have been situation, the awarded for the Proprietor of Future construction of 20 twoProwess Islamic bedroom bungalow flat Foundation, a school staff quarters in several for orphans and schools across the state vulnerable children, as well as the drilling of Barrister Zanna boreholes in select Mustapha, said the schools. school cannot Also, the state accommodate more government disclosed orphans as their that it is going to spend facilities are being N100 million on 51 of the stretched thin. escaped schoolgirls to He said: “This school complete their secondary was established eight school in another state as years ago to give plans have been support services to The truth concluded to send them orphans and vulnerable children, is that those to Kaduna or Jos to continue their studies, but unfortunately, our guys are while six of them have facilities are now secured overstretched as the not human already number of orphans beings and scholarship to complete secondary keep increasing due to how many their education at the activities of Boko American University of Haram and the closure of them Academy, Yola. of public schools. have their Nigeria Parents react “We have over 2,000 Vanguard sought to orphans on our children in know from parents what waiting lists, but we such they ’ll do if their cannot admit them daughter(s) was among now because we can’t schools?

those abducted by the militant group and these are their responses.

Speaking in a separate interview, a mother of one of the Chibok girls, Mrs Rebecca Samuel, said: “Government should not be ashamed to ask for help from other countries to rescue our daughters, since they can't do it alone. Until we see our daughters, we don’t trust government and all their claims of a ceasefire because Boko Haram has proved that they can agree on a ceasefire today and change their minds tomorrow.

“I will be thankful to God if I wake up tomorrow to find out that my daughter is back. I don’t care if she comes back pregnant, the important thing is that she is alive so that she can return to school and complete her education.”

Completing her education Praying that she doesn’t live to experience her child being abducted, Mrs. Tarilla Adefe said; “the truth is that in Nigeria, you will be on your own when something like that happens to you. I just pray I do not live to witness something as horrible as my kids being abducted by people without conscience who would not blink at the thought of sleeping with children.

“But should something so horrible happen, after reporting to the relevant authorities, you will pray and hit the road and the public with every arsenal available and keep praying until that nightmare ends.”

For Mrs. Tina Obijeh; “what can anybody do because Boko Haram have all it takes to secure their children. I can’t do anything even if I have the powers. Even the girls that have been missing, has anybody been able to rescue them, even with the protests and prayers.

The truth is that those guys are not human beings and how many of them have their children in such schools?

to study the subjects, they go and pay for someone to write exams for the child. When the child gets admitted on fake results, they become cultists that beat lecturers who fail to pass them.”

Asked how can the government encourage the Body which has 24 members, 25 associates, 6 graduates and one affiliate said that they do not need government’s encouragement. He explained that if you are waiting for government to encourage you, you will not get anything done.

His words: “How was Ebola

controlled in Nigeria? People had already done what was needed before the government stepped in. Government did not even recognise some persons that gave their life to save Nigeria but gave some people who have been involved in one crime or the other national honours. So, it is for you and I to do what we need to do to get to where we want to get to.

“In the next five years we would have doubled our numbers because we are getting our charter next year. Upon getting our charter our number will triple because people will take this field serious.”

JAMB approves four computer centres in Nasarawa

By Desmond Okon

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CTIONS against e x a m i n a t i o n malpractice have been strengthened as the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, approved four computer centres in Nasarawa State for the registration of candidates for the 2014/2015 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME. This was revealed by Shehu Salihu, Nasarawa Administrative Officer, JAMB, who told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, that the centres were to save the candidates from fraudsters.

Salihu outlined the centres as; Ejade Computer Training Institute New-Nyanya, Bingham University, Karu, Federal University, Lafia and Federal Polytechnic, Nasarawa.

The administrative officer, JAMB, Nasarawa, counselled

prospective candidates against patronizing cyber cafés to register, stating clearly that only the four centres and JAMB’s office were approved for registration.

“Candidates who flout the instruction and register elsewhere will face the repercussion should there be any problem,” he warned.

Stressing that the approved centres were to ensure the authenticity and genuineness of every candidate’s registration.

Salihu also said that the 2015 UTME examination would be mainly computerbased and warned that operators of cyber cafés that dupe candidates would face the complete wrath of the law; assuring that the board would work in collaboration with security agencies to contain illegal practices of cyber cafés.

We are committed to impacting our students positively, says AAUA VC

By Williams Covenant

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HE Vice C h a n c e l l o r , Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, Nigeria, Prof. Femi Mimiko, has said that the Institution would continue to evolve policies and programmes that would ensure that students stay is memorable and impactful.

Prof. Mimiko stated this at the maiden edition of the University’s Leave a Legacy programme organized by the Institution through the University Advancement Office, UAO, for all the leaders of Student Associations and Groups in the University last week.

He said; “Here at AUAA, we are trying and committed to

making your stay as students as exciting as possible. We want you to have positive experiences as students so that when you graduate, you will be eager to give your University support without which it will not survive."

He thanked the University Advancement Office, under the leadership its Acting Director, Prof. Francis Oyebade, for the good sense it had demonstrated over the years in delivering its mandate.

The VC, who lamented the dwindling state of proprietary funding to universities across the nation, said Universities must begin to come up with creative ideas directed at expanding their revenue base in order to meet with their most crucial responsibilities.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 27

•From Left: Representative of the Lagos East Senatorial District at the National Assembly, Senator Gbenga Ashafa; Lagos governorship candidate on the platorm of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Akinwunmi Ambode; and a member of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Bayo Osinowo, at a meeting of APC political leaders from the Lagos East Senatorial District

Education cures all societal ills —David Mark

By Obiora Amarachi

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OR a scheme that was conceived primarily to assist indigent students in Benue South Senatorial Zone, the transformation of David Mark Scholarship Scheme, DMSS, to a foundation, has generated so much interest in Benue State.

Conceived in 2005 by the Senate President, Senator David Mark, to drive home his passion for education, the success recorded so far has prompted the need to expand its scope, so as to respond to the growing educational needs of the people.

Against that backdrop, DMSS which was recently renamed David Mark Scholarship Foundation, DMSF, has enlarged

its various categories of scholarship. The groupings include; students of tertiary institutions, children of immediate past board members of DMSF, vulnerable children, among others.

Speaking on the impact DMSF has made in the past nine years, Mr. Enenche Oche, told Vanguard that many have found themselves in schools courtesy DMSF. ‘’For David Mark, the greatest thing a people or nation can bequeath to the succeeding generation is education which he believes remains the bedrock of development in any society. He believes education cures all societal ills including but not limited to violence, avarice, corruption,

terrorism or kidnapping. A well educated man craves for a better society for all to live in peace and harmony.’’ He noted.

Accordingly, Oche said: ‘’His contemporaries may invest their resources and energy on sky scrappers, mansions or choice cars but he believes that no empowerment is greater than education. For Senator Mark there is no alternative to Education which is concerned with the act or process of acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgement in preparing oneself or others for greater good."

Lagos 2015: Unity Schools old students drum up support for Ambode

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SOCIAL organisation com prising old students of Unity Schools in Nigeria, the Continuity Group, is drumming up support for Akinwunmi Ambode to become the next governor of Lagos State when the tenure of Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) comes to an end. The group insists that Ambode is the best candidate to continue the good work started by Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Fashola in Lagos.

In a statement signed by the Coordinator, Lanre Williams, the group said: “Ambode’s pedigree of excellence, innovation, experience at all levels of government and character makes him stand head and shoulders above all other aspirants. His academic record is excellent. His professional achievements are impeccable. To crown it all, he is a man of unquestionable character.”

The group pointed out that Ambode scored the second-best result at A’ Levels in West Africa in 1981, graduated with honours in Accounting at the age of 21, completed his Masters Degree and became a Chartered Accountant at the age of 24.

These, it said are feats which only exceptionally intelligent and hard-working individuals can achieve.

The Continuity Group stated that if the All Progressives Congress (APC) wanted to maintain the high standard of governance in the state and build on its current achievements, Ambode is the best candidate to carry the party’s flag. The group argued that Ambode is one of the brightest stars Lagos has who can move the state to the level of an international social and economic hub.

Well rounded perspective "Ambode is an accomplished professional who has been involved in governance in Lagos for many years and his wellrounded perspective will undoubtedly prove to be a major plus for the state."

The group further stated that despite his glowing academic record and professional excellence, Ambode has maintained a humble and wonderful personality which has endeared him to everyone who comes in contact

with him.

According to Williams; “Ambode is very humble and kind. He will always go out of his way to help people, no matter who they are. Ambode does not care about your tribe, religion or gender. He will always listen and even if he cannot help you at the time, he will offer advice that will help your situation. He has a lot of compassion and finds joy in assisting people. This is very important in a leader.

He believes in enabling people achieve their dreams and be what they want to be.”

Ambode is credited with reviving Federal Government College Warri Old Students Association in Lagos. He was part of the founding fathers of the Association of Unity Schools of Nigeria.

This association played a major role in ensuring that Unity Schools were not sold to private individuals when the motion was moved some years ago. He was the recent past National President of the Federal Government College Warri Old Students Association.

Why Africa might never catch up with the world

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F you want to cry, read this. Napoleon Bonaparte, 17691821, once described the Great Britain as “a nation of shopkeepers”. Nigeria, today is a nation of shopkeepers, football players, musicians, lousy actors and actresses and dressmakers.

While some Britons, in 17-1800, manufactured what others merchandised, we produce none of the inputs into our trading, acting, sports, and fashion. Everything necessary is imported. And the reason is not hard to discover. We have no indigenous scientists, no technologists, few world class engineers and damn too few mathematicians. There is hardly any research being undertaken in any of our universities which can be regarded as leading edge.

That is what makes the report summarized below by the World Bank and Elsevier so depressing. Our failings are widespread, but they are most acute in the sciences – where most of our professors merely profess what others, elsewhere, have already pronounced through independent research.

“Research in the physical sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics accounted for only 29 per cent of all research in SubSaharan Africa excluding South Africa.”

World Bank and Elsevier (Global provider of scientific information).

The report went on to add that most of that research, as minimal as it is, came as a result of global collaboration with advanced countries. Two obvious conclusions can be drawn from that report.

One, Nigerian scientists are uniformly unimaginative and cannot, on their own, conceive of a new departure from conventional work.

Two, because they always depend on collaboration with scientists and technologists, from advanced countries, to succeed, they give away secrets to foreign partners on the few occasions when they come up with a brilliant idea. Let me illustrate with an example from the field of medicine.

Conventional wisdom Back in the 1970s, when China was still mostly a closed society to the West, especially the United States, the Chinese developed, undoubtedly through a long and painful process, acupuncture.

Acupuncture challenged all the conventional wisdom in medicine known to the European community. It was at first treated with disdain, then, it was classified as voodoo medicine and for years no practitioner could be licensed in the US to practice it. But, as China opened its gates wider and as curious scientists visited the country, they discovered that the Chinese had revolutionized medicine without the help of the Europeans.

It is quite possible that if the Chinese had first of all gone to the West to seek assistance or “collaboration” they might have been discouraged or their invention might have been stolen by the more advanced countries before they had a chance to perfect it.

The Japanese are the people to consider when thinking of how a nation takes basic technology, developed elsewhere, rework it, based on innovative thinking and come up with several superior products providing them with a competitive advantage.

Until the Japanese started sending Toyotas, Nissans, Datsuns and Mitubushis into the world, Americans had convinced the world that a car had to be as large as a battle ship and be powered by eight cylinder engines to move at 100 kph. But, Japanese Technology Institutes, manned by individuals out to challenge the status quo, set out to develop smaller, compact, fuel efficient cars, with lighter engines which still left the Americans biting the dust. And, they did not stop there. They proceeded to make everything (televisions, radios, computers etc) developed by the West smaller, lighter, more durable and less expensive. Each and every time, they set out to outperform the West in everything that the Europeans pioneered.

And they did it by funding education, especially scientific and technological education better than anyone else. The brightest and the best students were encouraged and drafted into the elite tertiary institutions and were placed in challenging jobs once they finish – especially if they have a idea that could be developed.

By contrast, Nigeria has no indigenous technology incubator and none of our universities or colleges of technology is dedicated to promoting anything uniquely Nigerian. Nothing is more pathetic that the fact that when people point to the products from Aba and Nnewi as examples of our ability to innovate, they fail to notice that all the products are poor imitations of imported goods.

28 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Entries Open for 2014 UBA Foundation National Essay contest

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*From left: Mallam Muhammad Sani Aliu, Director Academic Programmes, National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE); Mrs Olufunto Igun, Executive Director, Corona Schools’ Trust Council (CSTC); Prof. Muhammad I. Junaid, Executive Secretary, NCCE; Mrs Ifueko Thomas, Director, Corona Teachers’ College(CTC); Prof. U.T. Muhammad, Chairman, Accreditation Panel, NCCE and Mrs Joan Omole, Head, Business Development, CTC at the handing over of Provisional Approval to mount the Nigerian Certificate in Education(NCE) programme in Abuja.

NUC approves Int’l certification for entrepreneurship in varsities

By Emeka Aginam

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R A D U A T E unemployment in Nigeria will soon become a thing of the past as NUC approves the integration of comprehensive end-to-end Entrepreneurship curriculum into the Nigerian university academic curricula.

Universities graduates coming out from 2015 will have acquired vital entrepreneurship skills regardless of discipline, which will make our graduates become job creators rather than job seekers, as we currently have.

Everyone will be expected to undergo relevant general and specific programs in entrepreneurship which will help them in setting up profitable business ventures along their professional line or

on a new different idea entirely, after graduation.

Undergraduates will acquire, in addition to their university academic qualification, skills like: Developing new ventures or Start-Ups, Innovation and creativity, Business planning, Franchising, Partnership Funding, Product development, Branding & Advertising. Others are; purchasing materials, marketing, developing business plans and hiring strategies, Business management, Business law, Human Resource Management, Financial management, Operations management, e-commerce, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality, Information Management System, economic prediction, evaluation of new ventures and

Entrpreneurial marketing.

Students will be encouraged to construct, design, develop and operate their own businesses.

Hands-on work through on-campus training, offcampus internships, employment opportunities and classroom simulations of the business environment will be key elements in the new entrepreneurship programs.

ABE is an examination and membership body.

ABE’s core objective is to provide affordable, highquality business qualifications worldwide.

ABE is recognised as an Awarding Body by the UK.

Rotaract Club pledges support for schools, vocational training

Muyideen Gbadegesin

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OTRACT Club of Ikoyi District 9110 has pledged to implement a range of projects geared towards improving education and youth empowerment, through vocational skill acquisition. The club’s new president for the 2014/2015 service year, Rotaractor Muyideen Gbadegesin, revealed this while speaking with newsmen recently.

C M Y K

Throwing light on the range of projects in the offing, Gbadegesin said they include: donation of first aid boxes to schools situated in Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA and environs, facilitation of career talk and donation of exercise books to pupils of Obalende Primary School. The club plans to donate mathematical sets to JSS 3 students of Boys’ Academy Secondary School, Lagos Island. It also plans to equip the adult literacy school at Falomo, Ikoyi with stationery and conduct a deworming exercise for children in Ijeh community, Obalende.

“In the course of the 2014/ 2015 service year we would also be working with our esteemed partners to facilitate a vocational training programme that would offer youths the opportunity to

acquire skills in a range of vocations including; soap and bead making, fish farming and rudiments to start importation business,” the club’s president added.

By December Rotaract Club of Ikoyi, would be partnering with its twin club Rotaract Club of Adentan, Accra Ghana to raise awareness on cancer as part of its international project. To achieve these goals, the club’s president, said it would be banking on support from corporate bodies and well-meaning individuals.

A leadership and community service organization for young men and women between ages 18–30, Rotaract Club started off as a Rotary International youth program in 1968 at Charlotte North Rotary Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

TUDENTS in senior secondary schools across the country have been invited to submit entries in the 2014 UBA Foundation National Essay Competition. UBA Foundation is the corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiatives arm of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc and uses this annual competition to challenge the reading, research, writing and critical thinking skills of Nigerian students.

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

increasingly global world.

“The Essay competition is a follow up to our Read Africa initiative, which involves giving out literature books to secondary school students to help rekindle the reading culture. With the essay competitions, we are seeking to further challenge the students” she explained.

Eligible senior secondary students willing to participate in the competition are expected to send in handwritten entries on the topic Is Social Media a safe place to make friends?, to the UBA Foundation’s office in Lagos. Entries for the Nigeria competition close by November 14, 2014.

A distinguished panel of judges made up of professors from reputableNigerianUniversitieswill review the entries and select an initial shortlist of 12 for further assessment until the overall three best candidates emerge. The top threewinnersofthecompetitionwill win educational grants to study in anyAfricanuniversityoftheirchoice.

Princeton College goes digital

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

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

laptop computer for classroom presentations.

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

On his part, the Principal of the school, Sylvester Obiakor, said in its commitment to achieving this technological advancement; “all the students have received specially made laptops with classroom management software for more effective classroom interaction."

It is believed that this further step will surely make learning easy and interesting, convert the time spent in writing notes to class activities, make learners study ahead.

Senator Obanikoro receiving the Texas Southern University Distinguished International Alumnus Award 2014 from President of the Texas Southern University, John M. Rudley on Friday 24th October 2014 at the Westin Galleria Hotel, 5060 West Alabama - Houston, Texas, United States of America (USA).

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 29

BY TUNJI OLAOPA

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Being Keynote Lecture Delivered at the 4th International Conference of the Faculty of Administration, Nasarawa State University, on ‘A century of Public Sector & Corporate Governance in Nigeria, 1914-2014’ held at the Assembly Hall, Keffi on the 8th of October, 2014.

Continued from last week If government fails to recruit and retain the best in the labour market, then how can it achieve the objective of building a Human Resources Management structure that will backstop its vision of a world class public service institution?

Back to Shakespeare: To be or not to be?

For sixty years now since the inauguration of the Nigerian Civil Service, NCS, we have suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Isn’t it time to take arm against a sea of troubles, and by opposing, to end them?

It took a while for Hamlet to resolve his indecision and that came by chance. On the contrary, the Nigerian Civil Service cannot leave anything to fortune. From what point can we begin to undermine our hesitancy?

The imperative of professionalising the Nigerian Civil Service (2)

NCS is through changing despite its compromised institutional growth trajectory. When the wave of democratisation began in the early 90s, Nigeria had to decide whether it still wanted to be a hesitant reformer or make the urgent push for advancement in reform management.

From 1985 to date, we have had five specific reform attempts aimed at refurbishing the professional status of the Nigerian civil servant — the 1985/1988 Phillips Commission, the Ayida Reform of 1995, the Obasanjo Renewal Programme, Yar’Adua Civil Service Reform Programme and the present Jonathan Transformation Agenda.

Put together, all these reforms had a very simple objective: Reconstructing the persona of the Nigerian civil servant through professionalising the NCS and its HRM architecture. Some of the essential steps taken in this direction include: (a) To reprofessionalise as a means of creating a new generation of officers and technocrats with sufficient skills, knowledge and Democratic motivation for institutional state innovation; (b) the conduct of vigorous and systematic To be or not to be? That is the evaluation and reporting of essential question that the NCS professional performance to must necessarily answer if it must make policy-makers accountable indeed earn the epithet of a for resources used and for results; functional democratic state that (c) modernizing core operations is committed to an efficient and and systems of the NCS using effective service delivery to its ICT; (d) creation of a number of citizens. more specialized cadres; (e) In the first part, we saw how putting in place a system of since its inauguration, the capacity utilization wherein core evolution of the NCS constitutes skills are better matched with the sum total of outstanding jobs; (f) injection of high skills starts; evolving, immature and and competencies available in weak structures; ambivalent other sectors of the economy into decisions; bold steps; the public service, using a range compromised reforms and of incentives; and (g) f o r t u i t o u s strengthening policy breakthroughs. This and research synergies evolution simply through enhanced implies that the collaborative projects, organisational including public-private growth of the NCS partnerships. has failed to reach a Yet, reconstructing the point of maturity modus operandi of the from which it could NCS requires more commence a than just token attention reformulation of its to the imperative of original objectives. reform. It requires, Thus, most of the essentially, a paradigm reform efforts since shift. The simple reason its inauguration is that we can never have been mere hope to continue at this attempts at damage hesitant rate and hope control. Hence, to achieve a world class when Prof. status with the same Reform Adamolekun indecisive level of categorised Nigeria must create administrative as a hesitant functionality. the reformer, it is not Transforming into a difficult to see the government ‘new public service analogy with context for involves answering two Shakespeare’s simple but basic agencyHamlet. questions: How do we It is often said that level want to be seen as an when a person or an administrative institution is through systemic institution? What must changing, then it is changes to we do to achieve this through. It doesn’t new perception? really appear that the take root C M Y K

Dr. Tunji Olaopa, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Communication Technology The National Strategy for Public Service Reform, NSPSR, provides a straight forward answer to the first question: The Nigerian civil service ought to be perceived and to function as A world-class public service, delivering government policies and programmes with professionalism, excellence and passion.

Its mission statement is also simple: To efficiently and effectively implement the policies and programmes of government, operating collaboratively and transparently with other stakeholders to ensure quality delivery of public services.

The answer to the second question follows automatically: To achieve this large vision of a world class and democratic public service, we need to urgently get the basics of reform execution and management right. Getting the basics right implies the need to build the fundamental strengths of our public service institution before deploying best practices to ignite the changes we desire.

Government context Consequently, reform must create the government context for agency-level systemic changes to take root. In a 2008 essay titled The Public Service of 2025, Jocelyne Bourgon outlined five fundamental trends around which the vision of the NSPSR can coalesce if its mission statement is to become a reality for Nigerians.

These paradigmatic trends include: Trend One—Hybridisation of Public Human Resource Models.

This would involve a civil service system exploring the possibility of a mixed regime that combined the career-based and positionbased models of recruitment into the civil service.

Trend Two—A Reduction of Protection, Immunity and

Privilege. In this regard, there has been a serious encroachment on the traditional permanent tenure of the civil servants in favour of flexible and fixed-term contract appointments.

Trend Three—Emphasis on Individual Performance. Such a future civil service would also be concerned with how its HRM framework can been capacitated enough with pay, compensation and incentives to build individual and unit performance that would result in organisational progress.

Trend Four—Decentralisation of HRM Policies. This involves achieving flexibility and freedom in HRM policy implementation through devolving powers to implement to MDAs. Such a decentralisation would be done within several frameworks that could have no central agency, a single agency or multiple agencies facilitating the implementation.

Trend Five—Cultivation of a Senior Civil Servant System.

This would be an attempt to separate a top echelon of intelligent and competent administrative officers that would focus the leadership of the civil service and direct its policy formulation and implementation capacity.

If the NSPSR provides the vision and the mission statement, and Bourgon gives us a framework within which the vision and mission can be calibrated into a dynamic futuredefining new public service anchored on a functional HRM architecture, then McGregor identifies a further underlining component that motivates the paradigm shift. This involves challenging existing bureaucratic behaviour.

Since we are basically concerned with the persona of the Nigerian civil servant, it becomes inevitable that we transit from an administrative behavioural framework that Douglas

McGregor calls Theory X to another he calls Theory Y. Theory X, for McGregor, derives from a very strict administrative regimen and gloomy picture of human nature at three levels: first, management involves the deployment of people, material and money as means towards the achievement of particular economic objectives; second, that organisational objectives require the control and motivation of people; and, third, that without a strict organisational regimen, humans are usually unproductive and resistant to organisational needs.

On the other hand, Theory Y has at its base a picture of a transformational leadership and a philosophical insight which insists that that humans are motivated by the need to satisfy the higher-order needs like social relationship, the search for esteem and dignity as well as the need to exercise their creative genius especially with regards to organisational performance. The responsibility of a Theory Y leader is therefore to provide the atmosphere that unleashes these potentials of his already motivated employees.

Dynamic framework The paradigm shift in HRM framework therefore demands an ingenious mix of components of Theory X and Theory Y to achieve a dynamic framework for creating a new generation of neoWeberian professionals sufficiently capacitated and incentivised to function differently and outside of all existing bureaucratic pathologies afflicting the Nigerian civil service.

These new professionals will be dedicated to the demands of a new productivity paradigm undergirding the performanceoriented dynamics of the NCS. And they will be backstopped by the evolution of management competencies, values and ethics necessary for the successful management of the reform processes in the public services.

This takes issue with the HRM policy and framework of the NCS. A dynamics HR framework isn’t just personnel management or even HRM. It involves a strategic framework that goes beyond mere people management to coordinating HR practices and policies with the need and requirements of the organisation itself. The strategic human resource Protection, Immunity and Privilege. In this regard, there has been a serious encroachment on the traditional permanent tenure of the civil servants in favour of flexible and fixed-term contract appointments.

Concluded

30 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

14 students bag FG scholarships

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Ministry of Education inaugurates Nigerian Education Website

By Desmond Okon

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TTEMPTS towards improving the education sector in Nigeria has developed into a giant stride in the Ministry of Education as the Minister of Education, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, in Abuja, recently inaugurated www.nigeria-education.org as the Nigerian Education Website designed in partnership with the UK Department for International Development, DFID. According to Shekarau, the website would ensure that access to education information is easy and the quality in Nigeria.

The minister, who was represented by Dr. MacJohn Nwaobiala,Permanent Secretary in the Ministry said that the website was reckoned as a tool in gathering and making information available to planners and researchers.

In his words: “I anticipate that this valuable new resource will inform and contribute to the important work that we are all doing in securing improved access to quality education in Nigeria. Our future success is not only based on the quality of our education system but also on the ability to generate information about it.”

He also added that: “The website covers information on diverse areas of education, including access, gender, governance, quality, and particularly teachers.”

The minister encouraged practitioners in the sector to make appropriate utility of the site to improve their work, not forgetting to urge all government agencies to make maximum use to the giant development to facilitate the achievement of their objectives.

The Country Director,

Don advises FG on rapid industrialization

By Kelechukwu Iruoma

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ROFESSOR Carolyn Afolami of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta has called on the Federal Government to focus its attention on rapid industrialization to reduce unemployment for sustainability national development.

Delivering the 47th Inaugural Lecture of the university titled: Multidimensional Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria and National Development: The Inseparable Siamese Twins, Prof. Afolami revealed that rapid industrialization could be achieved by giving agriculture its pride of place by engendering good policies, particularly, those that would make agriculture attractive to the teeming unemployed youths in the country.

She also lamented that despite the effort made at the national and international; levels to eradicate poverty and hunger in line with the Millennium Development Goals, about 1.2 billion people, which constitute about one eighth of the the world population still live in extreme poverty around the world. The Prof. Of Agricultural Economics described poverty as; “synonymous to not having a job or a means of livelihood creating the fear of the future and having to live from hand to mouth as a result. Poverty is losing a child to a curable and preventable illness brought by unclean water or inability to afford medication."

Poverty is powerless: it is the lack of representation and freedom. She however revealed that as a way out, agriculture remained the key to industrialization and national development and therefore could liberate the country from its precarious situation in that Nigeria was yet to tap fully into the benefits acruable in agriculture still remain very low, contributing less than 10 percent of the nation’s economic output.

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Education Data, Research and Evaluation in Nigeria, EDOREN, initiatd by DFID, Prof, Oladele Akogun, said in a speech that every data regarding education in Nigeria was on the website and EDOREN worked with the Nigerian Bureau of Statistics and other stakeholders in mobilizing data.

He also asserted that the website provides a literature review of basic education in Nigeria and sorts out information according to states for easy accessibility.

By Ahmed Ibrahim

ECTOR Federal Polytechnic Offa, Kwara state, Dr. Mufutau Olatunde Olatinwo, said that 14 students from the institution are among the beneficiaries of a scholarship award by Federal Government.

Dr. Olatinwo said that among the institutions in kwara State, Federal Poly, Offa has the highest number of awardees.

Dr. Olatinwo said this at the 21st matriculation ceremony for 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 sets, who were admitted into the institution for their National Diploma (ND) and Higher National Diploma (HND).

The ceremony which was done at the 1000 seaters capacity of the main campus, had in attendance the school registrar, deputy rector, academic, deputy rector, admin, the school lawyer and other

principal officers of the school.

The rector said that the school's management has, in compliance to Federal Government’s directives, instituted Entrepreneurship Development Centre (EDC) to make sure that students are well trained in all kinds of small scale production, which is one of the aims to reduce unemployment among the graduates.

He urged them to be embedded in entrepreneurship development programmes setup by the school in order to be self employed after their programme.

Olatinwo, while addressing the students, warned the new students to be industrious and patriotic that the Polytechnic Academic Board will not hesitate to withdraw any student who performs below expectation in his or her academic work.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 31

PCN inducts Uniport trained pharmacists Bells University holds sixth convocation

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HE sixth convocation of Bells University of Technology, Ota for award of first degrees and presentation of

prizes holds, Saturday, November 1. A statement by the Institution said the ceremony, which is expected to hold at the

*From left: President Port Harcourt University Dental Students Association (PUDSA), Enyinnaya Ukaegbu, Secretary, Amarachukwu Okafor, Dean Faculty of Dentistry, Professor Chukwudi Onyeaso, Vice Chancellor, University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka, Winner National Dental Competition, Miss Evi Addos and Vice President PUDSA, Miss Ekene Abamba, during the presentation of the award to the Vice Chancellor.

Bellstech Convocation Grounds will be the highpoint of a series of activities lined up for the weeklong festivities.

The statement said the minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga will deliver the Convocation Lecture titled “Emergence of Nigeria as Africa’s Leading Economy: Challenges for the Future” at the MultiPurpose Hall of the Institution, Friday, October 31, followed by a Convocation Play “This is our Chance”. A Technology Fair featuring research posters and product exhibition by colleges and industries from various sectors of the economy will kickstart the convocation programme.

By Kelechukwu Iruoma, Unn

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OT less than 27 new pharmacists trained by the University of Port Harcourt were inducted into the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, at the third oath taking andinduction ceremony of the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences held on Friday at the Ebitim Benigo Auditorium.

Presenting the inductees to the Council, the ViceChancellor of the University, Professor Joseph Ajienka congratulated them for meeting the stringent requirements specified by the Senate of the University for award of the Bachelor of Pharmacy degree, which qualified them to obtain

provisional licence of the Pharmacist Council of Nigeria.

He however charged the inductees to be worthy ambassadors of the University by striving towards the ideal of diligence and excellence in service delivery to humanity as well as ensure that the best industry practices are maintained at all times.

In his keynote address titled Pharmaceutical Care: a Paradigm Shift, Professor Azuka Opara of the University of Benin, who revealed that drug related problems posed serious challenge all over the world, disclosed that the problems were however preventable with the right attitude from practitioners through quality pharmacy education, competency-based training and proper caregiving service to patients.

Speaking before formally inducting the graduands, new Registrar of the Council, Mr. Elijah Mohammed, who also congratulated them for completing the first phase of their pharmacy training advised the new pharmacists to get themselves acquainted properly with the code of ethics which prescribed professional and moral responsibilities to the patients and other care-givers in the health sector, stating that strict compliance to the code of ethics is indispensable for practice of the pharmacy profession.

Uniport student emerges dental competition winner

By Kelechukwu Iruoma & VictorAgi, UNN

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FINAL year student of Dentistry, University of Port Harcourt, Miss Evi Addoh emerged overall winner of the first National Dental Competition organised by the National Association of Dental Student (NADS).

Miss Addoh won the Young Investigators Prize for student research at the just concluded NADS Annual Scientific Conference hosted by University of Lagos.

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt, Professor Joseph Ajienka commended the Faculty for the laudable achievement, urging others to emulate the good example.

His words: “We are not expecting anything less than excellence from the Dental School since it has one of the best equipment in the country. To emerge first at the maiden national competition means we are doing very well.”

He enjoined students and lecturers to maintain the high academic standard already set by the faculty. The Dean of the Faculty, Professor Chukwudi Onyeaso described the achievement as very encouraging, adding that the university has the youngest Dental School in Nigeria.

He said: “It would serve as a motivation to younger colleagues, while encouraging academic excellence and research culture because only the research works not previously published are acknowledged in the Faculty.”

According to the winner, whose research on Oral Hygiene Status and Practices among Dental students in the university of Port Harcourt beat other competing universities said she emerged the winner based on the positive impact and good academic training she has so far received from the university.

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32 — Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

President Jonathan’s economic strategy

By Bernard Okumagba

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NE of the serious challenges the Nigerian economy has faced over the years is creating and exploiting linkages in the economy to maximize employment and economic output. The country is still largely a primary products producer and still depends on imports for our consumer goods.

Our tragedy of this absence of linkage is best seen in the petroleum sector where, in spite of our huge oil and gas reserves, we are still a net importer of petroleum products. So, the benefit of our endowment is only seen in the petrodollars we receive from the export of oil and gas.

The entire value chain between oil and gas extraction and final products is so massive that we virtually lose out in the value President Goodluck Jonathan added in terms of employment and industrial growth. Even in oil on food imports annually. The extraction, until the Local Content imperative to aggressively tackle Development Act of 2010 was local production and reduce passed, foreign firms handled imports was therefore clearly much of the services in the oil defined.

Nigeria is better placed than industry. The same problem is seen in the agriculture sector most countries on the African where harvest waste on account continent to create strong valueof insufficient storage and added outlets for its primary products. This is because the processing facilities.

In many ways, it is not just a country has a huge population, Nigerian tragedy; it is a serious skilled human resources and an problem across much of the entrepreneurial business class. To developing world. Cocoa is the talk of Nigeria’s population mainstay of the economy of Cote advantages is to state the obvious; d’Ivoire. The country a n o t h e r produces about onecommonplace is our third of the world’s propensity to cocoa, according to consume. Both are figures from the Food key ingredients in and Agricultural building the Organisation; another demand for one-third is produced consumer goods. by other countries in However, for a long West Africa, yet there time, the policies to is negligible value harness, or force, added in processing. local production of All the processing is consumer goods has done in foreign not been followedcountries, and the through. Policies finished product have been comes back more fashioned to push expensive. local production but In the last three for whatever reasons years, a robust attempt they failed to gain has been made by the traction. There federal government seems to be an under President attempt this time Goodluck Jonathan to around to build the curb huge bills spent policy template for Most banks on food and auto local capacity not imports. A report in today have just in areas we The Vanguard robust have comparative newspaper of advantage such as February 17, 2014 consumer in Agricultural quotes the Director- loan production but in General of the industrial goods.

National Automotive departments, A bold project to Council as claiming encouraging address food that Nigeria spent production from the N1.2 trillion in 2013 on people to Federal Ministry of the importation of cars, take facilities Agriculture has trucks, spare parts and been fashioned over for vehicle tyres. Up until 2012, the last three years according to the purchases, to reduce Nigeria’s Agriculture minister, among huge food import Nigeria spent an bills by encouraging average of $11 billion others local production.

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Fiscal policy and agricultural incentives have been directed to curtail import and encourage local production of food such as rice.

This has been hailed in some quarters. On the industrial scene, a policy to encourage local car assembly plants is receiving attention from carmakers. What the Jonathan government is doing is not reinventing the wheel; it has been tried and exploited in several developing economies to great success.

China, India, Singapore and some others have created policies to encourage local production and thereby create scale and multiplier economies and build the basis for industrial growth.

Many of these countries have done well, especially the ones with a huge population.

Industrial development Nigeria has travelled this road of import-substitution before.

Beginning from the national development plans of the 1970s, there was a realization that industrial development needed a push, through policies that encouraged local production. The setting up of assembly plants, steel companies and a few other companies by the governments then was informed by this thinking but, sadly, these companies did not succeed and they were either privatized or liquidated. Part of the reason for this failure was inconsistency in fiscal policy from the late 1980s to recently. Another is the transition the economy has taken in the last three decades, which saw mixed fortunes in unemployment and economic growth. Today the economy is not totally out of the words but there are some new growth sectors, like telecommunications, even if the economy is still underperforming in some other sectors.

There is a reason to believe that positive economic numbers are

coming back, thereby encouraging the federal government to seize the moment.

Most banks today have robust consumer loan departments, encouraging people to take facilities for vehicle purchases, among others. What is more important is that the new enterprises are private sector driven. The ability to drive policy to support private sector is key to long – term sustainable economic growth. The linkage between the auto industry and road transport is potentially huge given the significant road haulage in Nigeria.

Today, the efforts of the Nnewibased Innoson Motors, ASD Motors in Kaduna and Stallion Motors in Lagos, among others, are like small drops in the ocean but they may be the beginning of a renewed effort at growing an automobile sector to service the transport sector and household consumers.

The next important thing to do, almost immediately, is to get the support industries for them. A successful automobile company needs marketing and service outlets. Many of these players are investing so much in facilities.

But there is scant linkage with dealers and maintenance outlets.

They lack the capacity to drive those investments and create incentives for the dealers. To create a successful linkage, Government must play a role, with incentives and policies that will help sustain and grow the new auto policy, among others.

Hopefully, these policies would translate into sustainable economic benefits. But the challenge is how to sustain the policies to generate sustainable positive outcomes in creating employment, building local capacity and reducing foreign exchange outflows.

It is important that consumers knowtheycangetpartsandservices for the cars, so that they can be assured of maintenance of the vehicles. Most of the vehicle models being made are not popular and may not have parts readily available for buyers. They also need to have trained auto mechanics to handle them. It is not clear if the manufacturers have the capacity to invest and address these issues.

Government can work with producers and dealers in these regards by providing incentives that can help redirect economic activity toward the new products. If that is not done, a combination of smuggling, inadequate marketing support infrastructure and sabotage may snuff out the dream.

In the end, for economic linkages to work and deliver results, Government agencies must play a central role by guiding economic interest groups to work in a desirable direction.

Chief Bernard Okumagba is a former Delta State Commissioner for Finance

BRIEF IFC gives $5m loan to CasaBella on health services

By Ebun Sessou

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NTERNATIONAL Finance Company, IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has signed an agreement with CasaBella International Limited and Healthplus to provide a $5million loan facility that will help the companies expand pharmaceutical and personal care services in Nigeria.

The project will support Nigeria’s drive for delivery of quality pharmaceutical and personal care products, create more jobs, and contribute towards the improvement of health and wellbeing in the Country.

Under the agreement, IFC will assist HealthPlus and CasaBella to establish a central distribution center in Lagos and expand their combined retail business network from 38 to 120 stores across Nigeria within four years.

Speaking on the agreement, Chief Executive Officer of HealthPlus Limited and CasaBella, Olubukola George said, partnering with IFC will help us expand our reach and will give us access to global industry best practices.

"With support from IFC and our other stakeholders, we will be able to achieve our vision of bringing quality health and wellbeing to more Nigerians."

LCCI unveils ambassadors for 2014 trade fair

By Monsur Olowoopejo HEAD of 2014 Lagos International Trade Fair coming up between November 7 -16 at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, in Lagos, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has unveiled some Nigerian celebrities as goodwill Ambassadors as part of its novel development.

According to a statement by LCCI Public Relations Manager, Ms Tope Oluwaleye, the Ambassadors for Trade and Commerce Development include: Chief Executive officer, Main One, Ms Funke Opeke, Managing Director KAYMU, Ms Evangeline Wiles, General Manager Multichoice, Mr. Martin Mabutho, CEO Hyperlink Digital, Mr. Matthew Ohio, as well as popular musicians like Tuface Idibia, Ice Prince, Brymo and Vector. Others are; On-air personalities Miss Toolz Oniru, Toke Makinwa and Mr. Olisa Aduba, film writer and actor Kunle Afolayan and Mr. L’erin Davis, a Venture Capitalist.

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Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—33

Frontline female PDP leader to contest Rivers guber election P

Barr. Abieatedoghu Bob-Abbey Hart

By Jimitota Onoyume

ORT HARCOURT:—A frontline female leader of the Peoples Democratic Party in Rivers State, Barr.

Abieatedoghu Bob-Abbey Hart, has declared her intention to contest the 2015 governorship election in the state.

The governorship hopeful who is also a development consultant said she would tackle challenges of unemployment, insecurity and also guarantee better life for people of the state if elected governor.

Bob-Hart who was elected into the House of Representatives in 1997 to represent Bonny/Degema federal constituency said her motivation to

contest the governorship election stemmed from the burning passion to deliver quality governance to people of the state.

She said as a development consultant, she already had a blueprint to tackle the problems of housing, transportation and also develop the agricultural sector in the state.

Bob-Hart who said she was the first leader of the PDP in 1998 in Bonny local government area and contested the April 2011 governorship election, assured that she was going to come up with several empowerment programmes for youths and women in

the state, adding that she would focus on developing the education sector, creating industries and also strengthening the health sector.

The governorship hopeful who expressed optimism that she would clinch the party’s ticket for the election said she had built political bridges across the state.

She said, “I am a practising lawyer, graduated from University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, Rivers State in 1991, 23 years ago, a development consultant and an intellectual in the business of developing strategies and concepts for nation building.

“I was elected to the House of Representatives in 1997, in a keenly contested election in Rivers State to represent Bonny/ Degema Federal Constituency.

My political career started in 1987 when I attempted to contest the councillorship election of my Ward in Bonny Local Government Area of Rivers State.”

Political career Bob Hart who recalled how she received the sponsorship of Chief Rufus Ada George, a former governor of Rivers State at the beginning of her political career, added, “I was the first Peoples Democratic Party political leader of the Party in 1998 for Bonny Local Government Area, a respected and responsible elder and stakeholder in the Party, and a high ranking political leader.”

Giving an insight into her career in the legal profession, she said: “I started my law practice in 1994 from the Law Office of Senibo & Senibo & Co, and in 1995 set up my law firm Abie Atedoghu Legal C o n s u l t a n c y, specializing in Petroleum and Gas Matters. In the course of practice, I carved a niche for myself in legal drafting.

“I became involved with defending and fighting for the rights of oil producing communities of the Niger Delta region. Experience led me to set-up the Lifeline Project Centre involved in providing needed legal support to neglected oil producing communities in Sangamabie, Kalaibiama, Bakana, Ndoni, Baen etc in Rivers State”, she added.

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34—Vanguard,THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

No payment of gratuity for Cross River State pensioners

By EMMA UNA

…As pension board explains how it stopped fraud by e-payment

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very month, Cross River State Pensions Board, CSPB, receives N180 million from the government to pay pensions to over seven thousand pensioners.

Pension and You investigations revealed that though the pension payment has been regular, but most of the pensioners have not been paid their gratuities.

The practice, investigation, has revealed, is that once a staff retires, he or she is immediately enrolled into the pension scheme to start receiving his or her pension, without gratuity.

While some have received part of their gratuities, most of the seven thousand pensioners have not been paid their gratuities till date.

The explanation is that after the payment of pension, not much is left from N180million for the payment of gratuity to those leaving service and unfortunately, for years, the pensioners are made to wait for their gratuities. A lot of them have reportedly died without receiving their gratuities.

Explaining CSPB

Governor Liyel Imoke predicament, Mr. John Adie, its Director, said the state government, because of paucity of funds, ensures that the moment a person retires from service, he is enrolled into the electronic payment system of the pension’s board to start receiving pensions while waiting for the gratuity.

According to Mr. Adie, the pension office does not originate files for payment, but the local government councils that know who their retired teachers or civil

Mr. John Adie servants are. The files are forwarded to the Ministry of Local Government Service Commission, MLGSC, and from there to the Accountant General Office, AGO, for the affected persons’ gratuities and pensions to be worked out.

He said, “We insist that all the files must go through the Local Government Service Commission for their authentication before any action is taken by the Pensions Board and after that the Auditor General

has to confirm the figures computed for each pensioner.”

Mr. Adie disclosed that pension payment system introduced by the Cross River State Pensions Board, has led to the recovery of 26 million Naira between 2012 and 2013 to the state coffers.

The sum of 17 million naira was recovered in 2012 while 9 million naira was recovered in payments made in the first and second quarters of 2013.

Adie, told Pension and You, that in 2012, the office came up with the novel idea of paying pensioners in the state through the e- payment system; a process where the accounts of the pensioners are credited without cheques being lodged into the accounts of the pensioners in banks across the state.

“In the past, our staff would have to travel to all parts of the state to deposit cheques in banks for subsequent crediting to each pensioner’s account.

But in 2012, we came up with the idea of paying the pensioners electronically through their banks here in Calabar.”

The Director of CRSPB said it was in the process of the e-

payment that it was discovered that some pensioners had more than one account that cheques were paid into, noting that this discovery led to the recovery of the huge sum of money.

According to him, “The epayment made it impossible for one pensioner to be credited twice so some payments bounced back. But for the avoidance of doubt, we kept releasing monies to those accounts for three months and when nobody came forward to make any claims, we knew that those accounts were phony so we had to stop releasing money to them and went ahead to recoup the money in the banks which gave us the figure we had as recovered funds.”

He lamented that “some pensioners perfected the act whereby their children were also signatories to their accounts such that when they pass on, the son automatically begins to sign and collect the pension from the bank. But we have checkmated all those illegalities that is why some people are fighting us to bring in their own persons to continue their past deals.”

We‘ve not received federal share of our pensions since 2009, laments Ojiho

By EMMA UNA

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ENSIONERS in the country have continued to lament unpaid pensions in what they described as the Federal Government share of their Pension.

In the words of Mr. Alphonsus Ojiho, who retired from the Cross River State Ministry of Health in 2004, since 2009, pensioners have not received a kobo from the federal government as its share of the pension.

This, Mr. Ajiho, said has inflicted untold hardships on the pensioners.

Hear him: I retired from the Cross River State Ministry of Health in 2004 and I have been getting my state share of pension but since 2009, I have not been paid my federal share of pension.

What do you mean by federal share of pension?

You know, in those days before the new pension regime, the pension scheme then was handled by both the state and federal governments such that when you retire, the payment C M Y K

was handled by both the federal government and the state government. So what I am saying, is that the state has been paying me the deductions made from my salary as pension savings while the deductions made by the federal government are not being paid.

Are you the only one going though this nonpayment by the Federal Pension Board?

Many of us have similar experience .

Has the Federal G o v e r n m e n t advanced any reasons for stopping the payment?

Sometime in 2009, they asked us to go to Agric Bank through which we were receiving our payments for screening and after the screening, we were asked to open accounts with a commercial bank and we went to Union Bank and opened the

accounts. But, since then no payments have been released to us through Union Bank and nobody has told us anything.

So, what has the government or Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, said about the non-payment of the federal share of pension?

The government has not said anything , our union is also not doing anything apart from collecting the monthly dues which is deducted right at source at the pension’s office.

Even with the small sum of money we are paid by the state government, the union still deducts the dues regularly from our payments and we have complained that the deduction should be yearly or quarterly but they still insist on collecting the dues every month.

How much does the union collect monthly from the

payment?

We are not told how much, because the money is regularly increased. I have been retired for about 10 years now and in the early days, the union was deducting N200.00 but the money has increased now to about N2000.00 a month. They collect the money right from the State Treasury before the remaining sum is sent to us through the bank.

Is the money paid you by the state government enough to sustain you?

How can N15, 000 sustains a man who still has children in the University and in secondary school and has to buy food and other items to keep life going?

Apart from pension, what else have you done since you retired from the ministry of health?

I am not doing anything apart from occasionally going to the farm otherwise, I do not do anything.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30 , 2014—35

BY GABRIEL ENOGHOLASE Edo line workers have been protesting that government owes them salaries. What is your take on this?

It is not true because they are not direct employees of the government. They are employees of Edo Line. It is like Bendel Breweries . They have to work for the money and pay themselves.

They have a different condition of service from the civil service.

At what point did you realize that Oshiomhole would be good for the state as a governor that made you to support him?

As a member of the Central Working Committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and National Executive Council, NEC, we discovered one thing and that was; we would go to fight, negotiate and with one stroke of the pen, everything we fought for became zero either through funny government policy or otherwise. We later asked if governance was a difficult thing.

Why can’t we go into government and see what we can do to rescue the country. People felt we were born to be agitating and others to be in government. Who were those in government?

Contractors, military retirees and others were those in government.

They mismanaged and ruined the economy while we kept struggling and going to prison.

We decided to use a state as a example of what we could do about governance. We asked one of our best brains, Oshiomhole, to go for presidency but he debated it and decided to go for governor. We both come from Edo State and decided to take the plunge.

We knew that Oshiomhole was a good product the Nigerian people would not reject. He is our brand as a labour.

We fought to make sure he became governor.

We campaigned telling people what we could do. Many villages we entered, the people said they would vote for us only for a different result to be announced.

Oshiomhole remained a brand of NLC. When we came in to campaign, people asked us who your father was. Who was your leader? He said God is my father, the Nigeria workers are my fathers and they are the ones who have sent him. They spoke in arrogant manners offering senatorial seats but we said governorship. We decided to take them on. We have lost battles, we have won many. In losing battles, we are never ashamed. You can see that if the governor makes a wrong policy, he reverses it and apologizes to the people. In labour, we never felt that we knew it all. Out of the fact that you are turning the wheel, you are going to crush anything that will impede you progress.

Oshiomhole has succeeded and he is now on reality chair.

With all these, why do Edo workers go on strike?

When you are sitting on the reality chair, you have to balance different things. Oba of Benin asked Oshiomhole once if he C M Y K

Comrade Didi Adodo

Why workers go on strike in Edo State — Commissioner THIS is the concluding part of edition Labour Vanguard interview with Comrade Didi Adodo, Edo State Commissioner for Establishment and Special Duties. The first part was published on Thursday, October 9, 2014. Excerpts would not give all Edo money to the workers, Oshiomhole said he would do his best to balance things. Coming into government, we saw that there was nothing on ground either capital or human development. What do we do?

We decided to do capital development

and faced the roads, schools and general infrastructure. In doing that, we had the support of the workers and they supported us for a second term. If he had failed, we would not have been able to talk anywhere. They would have laughed at us.

The reason you now see strikes and

protests are because the workers asked to be taken care of since we have performed. The reality chair is about balancing.

Oshiomhole has said he will do more for the workers. He has been able to allow children of the poor to aspire for any position.

To contest elections before, you have to look for one godfather, join secret cult but now a child of the poor can now say I want to be this. Oshiomhole has created the atmosphere. In our labour days, when people see your sticker they would hail us and say greet Oshiomhole for us. There was a time if you put NLC sticker on your car, police would beat you on the road. What we now have is that many of our comrades are contesting and now winning. Many governors come to ask Oshiomhole how he made it. Oshiomhole has something he wants to live for.

People are cross carpeting because water is finding its level.

People thought when Oshiomhole comes in it will be business as usual. It is not business as usual. We have to work to make sure the people are happy. We go out today and see that everybody is a comrade.

People now know that comrades are achievers and we have achieved.

I attended University of Benin where we fought for the students.

I had to graduate through the court because as students’ union leaders, we fought for students. I was a member of the league of patriotic students. I was the only member of student solidarity for Southern Africa.

That time, Zimbabwe and others were under oppression and we needed to fight for them. From here we were sending relief materials to South Africa. We had to confront people like Professor Grace Alele Williams. We had league of Vice Chancellors that were irresponsible.

Minimum Wage: Senate is wrong

BY FUNMI KOMOLAFE and Victor Ahiuma-Young

T

HE decision of the Senate to delist the national minimum wage from the Exclusive List is the greatest disservice done to Nigerian workers.

It is clear that the Senators do not understand the concept of minimum wage and also failed to consult widely . It would appear that the Senate decision was based on a selfish class gang up to tame the unions but this will fail.

First is that the Senators failed to appreciate that the concept of the minimum wage is to protect the most vulnerable worker.

Secondly, Nigeria became a member of the ILO at independence in 1960 and is therefore not unaware of Minimum Wage Fixing Convention ,No. 131 of 1970 and the Minimum Wage Fixing Recommendation , No. 135 of 1970.

Perhaps , the confusion arose from the inclusion of the other allowances in the national minimum wage package but this can be sorted out and the national minimum wage be retained as BASIC SALARY ONLY. Even then, this should not and cannot be done by legislative fiat. There

must be collective bargaining.

Nigeria at independence ratified ILO Convention 98 on Collective Bargaining and Tripartism. It appears the distinguished Senate is ignorant of this.

In 2000, President Olusegun Obasanjo ‘s government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association ( NECA) after negotiation arrived at N5,500 basic national minimum wage and this was passed into law.

For this, the ILO singled out Nigeria for commendation.

According to an ILO report on “Definitions and objectives of the minimum wage standards” considered at the 2014 International Labour Conference ”minimum wage may be understood to mean the minimum sum payable to a worker for work performed or services rendered, within a given period, whether calculated on the basis of time or output, which may not be reduced either by individual or collective agreement, which is guaranteed by law and which may be fixed in such a way as to cover the minimum needs of the worker and his or her family, in the light of national economic and social conditions”.

Did the Senators forget that as stated

in the National Minimum Wage law passed in 2000, that there are exceptions? An employer with fewer than five employees is exempted from paying the national minimum wage.

Perhaps unknown to the Senators, the implication of what they have done is that they just passed a vote to make the poor poorer. It means that workers will be exploited not just by Nigerians but by foreigners referred to as “ foreign investors”.

The ILO study shows that the definition of National Minimum Wage varies from one country to another. Whereas in some countries it is simply the “ Basic pay”, others define national minimum wage as total emoluments.

Nigeria has a choice.

The first national minimum wage of N100 per month was signed into law in the second republic of President Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari after a national strike in 1981.

It will be recalled that then Governor Abubakar Rimi of Kano state was the first to introduce a minimum wage in Kano state in 1980.

It is an irony that another civilian administration in 2014 wants to keep Nigerian workers in perpetual penury.

36 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

*JB Daudu

*Aloma-Mukhtar

JUDGES' DISCIPLINE:

Is out-going CJN high handed?

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

T

HE Nigerian judiciary by its very nature is the most reserved organ of the Federal government.

Most of its secrets and scandals are meticulously swept under the spacious carpets of history.

Unlike what obtain in both the Executive and Legislative arms of governance in the country, the judiciary, has a peculiar way of shielding the skeletons behind the veils of the temple of justice, from the ever probing glare of the public.

This was exemplified in the way the scandal that trailed the action of an erstwhile Chief Justice of Nigeria who attempted to turn the Constitution upside down by unilaterally elevating a sitting President of the Court of Appeal, PCA, to the Supreme Court bench, was smoothly buried in the dust of history.

Till date, nothing happened in the issue involving former CJN, Justice Aloysius KatsinaAlu, who the erstwhile PCA, Justice Ayo Salami, accused of handing him a “Greek gift”, in total disregard to the Constitution of the Federal

Republic of Nigeria Yes- like always, the National Judicial Council, NJC, always has one or two things to say with a view to persuading Nigerians to look the other way- after all, something is being done!

However, this time around, it seems the war is brewing within the “house” itself- as even a member of the NJC is

The tenure of Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar has witnessed commendable strides in the fight against corruption within the system

INSURGENT: FG should explain terms and condition of ceasefire Alegeh C M Y K

threatening to go to court in a bid to ensure that the law is strictly obeyed by those who are supposed to ensure that the law is obeyed.

This move has further highlighted the level of hypocrisy within the judiciary.

Was it a mere happenstance or what, that a former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, chose to open the can of worms just few weeks to the retirement of the incumbent CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar.

Right from when she took over the mantle of leadership in the judiciary, Justice Muhktar, being the first female CJN in the annals of the country, vowed to tackle corruption, laxity and indiscipline both within the Bar and the Bench, headlong.

Upon July 16 when she took over from ex-CJN, Justice Dahiru Mustapha In line with the express provisions of section 291(1) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Justice Muhktar, warned all the indolent judges to sit up.

Nobody actually took her serious until two judges got the boot followed by suspension of

Justice Abubakar Thalba of the Abuja High Court who was suspended for one year for giving a slap-on-the-wrist sentence to an acclaimed pension thief.

Subsequently, she introduced a monthly assessment programme that helps to monitor the work rate and actions of judges across the federation.

However, it has emerged that the CJN, in her burning bid to achieve results in a field that was hitherto dominated by men since the inception of the country, probably stepped on certain provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

Overbearing headmistress In a recent press briefing he held in Abuja, the former NBA President, Daudu, SAN, accused the CJN who is due to retire on November 20, of conducting the functions of her office like an overbearing headmistress.

Daudu specifically accused the outgoing CJN of treating Judges like kindergarten children.

He further vowed to go to

court with a view to ensuring that the constitutional misnomers that were committed by the outgoing CJN are not repeated.

Daudu who is the Chairman of the Rule of Law Foundation, maintained that a repetition of such illegal acts by the CJN would not only portend bad for the country, but adversely affect the administration of justice.

According to him, “An independent judiciary must not only be independent of external and internal influences, but also it must be seen to be impartial. It is necessary to address this issue as the leadership of the Nigerian Judiciary is in a transitory state, with the incumbent retiring on or about the 20th of November, 2014.

“The tenure of Justice Mariam Aloma Muhktar has witnessed commendable strides in the fight against corruption within the system.

For that we commend her. But there have in the process of this battle against corruption been certain actions that are clearly and unmistakably unconstitutional and which if left unchecked will destroy the entire foundation on which the Continues on page 37

GOOD GOVERNANCE: Legal and regulatory framework for capacity building —Page 39 — PG.38

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 37

Is out-going CJN high handed?

Continues from page 36 independence of the judiciary is erected.

“It is common knowledge that before the emergence of the present leadership, some judges were wont to be truant, leaving their jurisdictions without permission and thereby affecting output or productivity in a very negative manner. To arrest this debilitating trend, the outgoing CJN had issued directives requiring all Justices and Judges of all courts (Federal and States) to seek her approval before travelling outside the country for any reason.

“So judicial officers had to seek approval from the CJN through their Heads of Courts before travelling for medical or personal reasons.

“In a number of cases, the CJN has refused permission for a judge e.g. in the Federal High Court despite positive recommendation from the head of that court. Of late, this situation has degenerated to the point where Heads of Courts, Justices of the Court of Appeal and State High Court Judges have been queried by the office of the CJN because they were sighted at conferences in which the Chief Justice was herself attending.

Disciplinary action “It must be stated that a query to a judicial officer is the commencement of disciplinary action. The Chief Justice has no power to initiate disciplinary action except in accordance with the Code of Conduct and Rules for the discipline of judicial officers, which stipulates that such process cannot commence without a petition received from a person complaining against the conduct of a judicial officer.

“Where the CJN issues a query in the circumstances referred to above, it is a

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

needless dent on the record of the officer. It also has a direct negative bearing on the independence and impartiality of that judicial officer especially where for one reason or the other there have been historical or other issues between the latter and the former.

“However the real issue here is whether the Chief Justice of Nigeria possesses any constitutional or statutory power to interfere in the administration of other courts set up by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In reality, should any judge of a State Court, the Court of Appeal, the Federal High Court or National Industrial Court of Nigeria go beyond their Head of Court for approval on administrative issues such as the movement of that Judge or a Justice?

Titular head “The Foundation notes that no provision of the Constitution or the Supreme Court Act or any other statute provides for functions and duties of the CJN. Item 20 of the 3rd schedule only makes the CJN the Chairman of the National Judicial Council. By that office, the Chairman of the NJC is not the titular head of all the courts in Nigeria.

The powers of the NJC are set out in item 21 of the 3rd schedule of the 1999 Constitution and none of the items therein vests the CJN with powers to interfere in the administration of any court in Nigeria apart from the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

This foundation emphatically and categorically states that the CJN is only the head of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.

“By the principles of federalism entrenched in our Constitution, it is anathema (forbidden) for the CJN to wish to control the administration of Federal and State Courts. That Function is left to the Chief Ju

*Cross section of Judges dges of the Judiciaries of those CJN before travelling. While States and the Heads of the the foundation agrees that other federal courts such as the there needs to be discipline in President of the Court of the system as it relates to the Appeal, the CJ of the Federal movement of judicial officers, High Court and the President such discipline must not be at of the National Industrial the expense of the Rule of Law and independence of the Court of Nigeria.

“Where those Heads of judiciary where Judges can be Courts find it difficult to curb subjected to witch-hunt on the conduct or misbehavior of account of other reasons any judicial officer under their unconnected with their charge, it is their duty to bring movement.

“The Foundation is of the it to the attention of the NJC not the CJN such considered conduct or view that the misconduct. practice or Where the latter convention initiates a query that obtained directly even during the under the excellent imprimatur of the tenure of his NJC, he becomes Lordship the a judge in his Hon. Uwais own cause and CJN, which aside from the was that Heads unconstitutionality of Court of the entire merely notified By the process it is an the office of the u n j u s t i f i e d principles of CJN as intrusion into the Chairman of c o n s t i t u t i o n a l federalism the NJC functions of these entrenched in remains the courts. method of our Constitution, best “It is indeed a monitoring the movement of matter of great it is anathema surprise and (forbidden) for j u d i c i a l shock that some officers.

“It is for the Heads of State the CJN to wish head of court Courts and to control the indeed other to give courts were administration of p e r m i s s i o n s e e k i n g Federal and State and the CJN to permission from b e the office of the Courts appropriately

notified. To operate in the current manner is to reduce Nigerian Judicial Officers to kindergarten children under the supervision of an overbearing headmaster.

“If this approach is left unchecked, it might lead us to the situation where in the not too distant past, a former CJN, in the exaggerated belief in the powers of his office sought to ‘promote’ the then President of the Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court as a way of removing him from office.

“We resisted the subterfuge and brazen unconstitutionality.

We must continue to resist the expansion of the powers of the CJN at the expense of constitutionalism and due process of the law. The Foundation will not hesitate to file public interest litigation for a judicial ascertainment of what has been stated above if this interference with the independence of the judiciary continues”, he added.

Independence of the judiciary Even though the ex-NBA boss has raised germane issues worthy of consideration, Nigerians would wonder why he specially chose to come forward with the observations at this period when the CJN’s tenure is about to expire.

Could he be dancing to a special tune by a special people that chose to elect someone to cry louder than the bereaved?

Will the CJN just fold her hands and allow her tenure to end with the issues raised against her tucked inside the cupboard where the dirty laundry of her predecessors were also laid to perpetual rest? Posterity will certainly be the ultimate judge.

38 — VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Mr. Austine Alegeh, SAN, is the President of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA. In this interview, he spoke on the released abducted former NBA President, Mr Okey Wali, SAN, among other national issues, as well as those affecting the NBA. Excerpts:

By INNOCENT ANABA AFTER 12 days your predecessor in office, Mr. Okey Wali SAN who was abducted by kidnappers in Port Harcourt has just been released. What was the experience like and what does it say about the security of members of the legal profession in Nigeria?

It was a very sad, harrowing and traumatic experience for the entire Nigerian Bar. It shows the vulnerability and the level of insecurity of Nigerian lawyers.

Okey Wali SAN is a man of peace, a man who has served this country and the legal profession. Sadly, we have also received the news that a lawyer has been kidnapped in Sapele Branch. Lawyers in other parts of the country had been kidnapped, even judges and magistrates. But the kidnapping of our past president shows the level of insecurity the nation has descended.

It is shocking that we now have people in this country who believe that the only way they can make a living is to toy with the lives of other people, inflicting pains and hardship on fellow Nigerians.

Some people said ‘Okey Wali is so high up there, why didn’t he get police security?

But I tell you this; there was a business man in Benin City who had six policemen protecting him.

But when the kidnappers came, they took out the policemen and kidnapped him.

INSURGENCY: FG should explain terms and condition of ceasefire – Alegeh

a truce and ceasefire had been reached with members of Boko Haram. What is your assessment of that truce, especially now that we hear that it has been broken?

We were not involved in any way in the process of the ceasefire agreement. We don’t know the terms of the ceasefire. But like all other Nigerians we just heard the news.

As peace-loving Nigerians we welcome the truce. Anything that will end the hostilities in that part of the country is welcome.

But we now hear that Boko Haram has again commenced attacks during the period of that ceasefire. It makes one to wonder if truthfully there was such an agreement. If there was that agreement, why was there a breach of it? We also heard that the Chibok girls will be released that same week, surprisingly this has not happened. So I call on the federal

Kidnap of policemen It shows where we have reached, where kidnappers can now confront armed policemen.

They know the person is being protected by armed police men, and yet confront them, shoot the policemen and kidnap their victim.

Nigeria over the years has constituted the second largest delegation to any International Bar Association Conference. But you were conspicuously absent at this year’s conference in Tokyo, Japan, when you were supposed to have led Nigerian lawyers?

I had made all arrangements to be at the IBA Conference in Tokyo.

I had bought tickets for my wife and I, paid for hotel accommodation and concluded every other arrangements. But it would have been irresponsible for me to travel out of the country when the immediate past president of the Bar was in captivity. I was in contact with members of his family and with the security agencies and I needed to be physically present in Nigeria to do that. So, I could not travel to Japan for that conference.

On national security, Nigerians received with cheers, the news that

We don’t know the terms of the ceasefire. But like all other Nigerians we just heard the news. As peace-loving Nigerians we welcome the truce.

Anything that will end the hostilities in that part of the country is welcome

government to please disclose to Nigerians the terms and the basis of this ceasefire. And we’ll encourage the cessation of hostilities that will assist in the final resolution of this crisis which has lingered for too long.

We have also heard that the leader of the Boko Haram sect, Shekau has been killed. But we have heard that in the past too. What should we believe now?

Again we do not have the full details of Shekau’s death or how he died. However, killing the leader of the insurgents does not stop insurgency. This is because any other leader can arise in the group. A new leader can emerge and they may have other commanders.

Amnesty International recent report alleges massive violations of human rights in the North East by the Nigerian military in its efforts to curb insurgency.

America also gave it as the main reason it refused to sell arms to Nigeria. What is your assessment of the situation as president of the bar?

We have always condemned human rights violations in any shape or form. Even in a situation of war, the rights of people must be respected. However, we have asked our branches in those areas to be on the watch and report such violations of human rights to us.

Also, we have the Human Rights Watch which has been monitoring rights violations for us in those areas.

Monitoring of rights violations You can be rest assured that we’ll do our best to ensure the rights of persons in those areas are protected. It must be further noted that those figures that Amnesty International has been parading are quite doubtful. One is not sure it’s as high as that.

A few weeks after you were sworn in as NBA President, some lawyers filed an action against you and Mr. Jide Koku, SAN over the chairmanship of the NBA Section on Legal Practice. They are challenging the chairmanship of Mr. Koku, yet the NBA is going ahead to hold the SLP conference in Uyo in a fortnight. What is your comment on this? Would that not be subjudice?

Firstly, I would say that as an

association of lawyers we must practice what we preach. We preach due process and democracy. We preach obedience and observance of the rule of law.

As I said in my inaugural address, SPL had nominations and elections where scheduled to be held at the last annual general conference.

But no elections held. Rather than hold elections, some people were allegedly coroneted. Under the bye-law, there must be nominations and there must be an election before anyone can become the chairman of a section. But this never happened in SLP. In the NBA-AGC programme of events in Owerri, the election was scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

But that election didn’t hold. So, to prevent a lacuna and to prevent an illegality, I took a decision that we must have somebody coordinate the activities of the Section until a proper election is held.

A shameful act occurred in Oshogbo recently where lawyers engaged in fusty cuffs at the election tribunal. Ekiti State also just witnessed the desecration of the temple of justice when a judge was physically manhandled by hoodlums. What is the NBA doing about this?

I must confess that we have challenges. In any association there are touts and there are charlatans. In the case of the Oshogbo incident, we have identified those involved and we have written to them. We are awaiting their responses, after which we’ll take the necessary actions. In the case of Ekiti, we have set up a high power committee to investigate the incident and we’ll do all that is necessary to ensure that proper action is taken against whoever is indicted.

What are your comments on the ongoing moves by the National Assembly to remove or modify the Immunity Clause in the Constitution?

I have always said that immunity is for the office. The holder of that office shouldn’t be jumping from one court to the other defending cases against him at a time when he is supposed to be doing the work he is elected to do. If you look at the number of people who have immunity, it’s just few. We have the 36 state governors (the president and vice president). If you multiply that by two, we have just 72. In a country of 170 million people, I don’t think 72 persons

with immunity should be such a cause for worry. I believe immunity is not necessarily to cover up the office holder, to enable him to do the work he was elected to do.

What are your views on the provision of 180 days to conclude election petitions?

Some have continued to criticize it. That it has occasioned injustice in many instances. I don’t agree with that position. I was involved in the Adam Oshomole petition and we went from trial to Court of Appeal, to Supreme Court within the stipulated time. The issue of dragging election petition interminably should be discouraged and stopped. It should be made a thing of the past!

Returning to tribunal If you use your 180 days wisely, you can finish your petition. I was involved in another petition when after they gave judgment at the Court of Appeal, the petitioner waited for 42 days before returning to tribunal. These are 42 days he could have used to start and finish the case. So, he went to the Court of Appeal and he was told that he was out of time and he still lost.

You have just inherited a huge project, the building of the NBA National Secretariat. Looking at the enormous financial outlay that would be required to complete the project, how do you intend to raise such funds and still run the programmes of the association successfully in your two-year tenure?

When there is a will, there is a way. We’ll do all within out power to ensure that the project is completed on schedule. The present place the NBA uses as its National Secretariat is not befitting of our association. It’s too cramped up and inadequate.

Result of the Nigerian Law School’s Bar Final examination released is quite disappointing. Out of 6000 students who sat for the exam, only 2000 passed. Part of your campaign promises is that you will declare a state of emergency when elected president. What do you intend to do about this?

I have looked at the results and the campus by campus analysis.

I must confess that it gives one cause for alarm. The failure rate is really high.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 39

GOOD GOVERNANCE: Legal and regulatory framework for capacity building Continues from last week such as food, clothing, housing, The need for a re-calibration of health and education amounts to our national priorities and a gross understatement. This emplacement of round pegs in explains why the people look up round holes is self-evident if to government to deliver them Nigeria is to occupy its rightful from poverty, ignorance, hunger, place among the nations of the squalor and disease and other world and be opportune to debilitating indices of their discharge its historical duty to deplorable existence.

Africa and the black world.

It needs be understood that the However, it should be right to democracy and good emphasized that the change governance has since become a envisaged here would not occur fundamental right under automatically. contemporary international law.

The framework that would This means that the people are facilitate this must be envisioned perfectly entitled to expect to be and put in place by an well governed by public officeenlightened leadership. This task holders installed, by and large, would, ultimately, be entrusted to through their ballots in a free, fair, the law which has been credible and transparent process. universally acknowledged as the Nevertheless, what is not most viable instrument of social frequently stressed is that engineering. However, before governance operates via a twoevaluating the role of law in this way traffic. Just as the electorate endeavour, it is apposite to supposedly put the government consider the scope of in power, of greater improved service importance is the delivery in relation to role of the democracy dividends as electorate to put the postulated especially, by government on its It is only proponents of toes by checking transformation under the when the the excesses of current dispensation. people are those in power. The government must shielded Good Governance as a from the be responsible and Special Delivery Vehicle accountable to the for Transformation in vagaries of people who must life that they be ready, willing Nigeria Nigerians, like people can be and able to protest all over the world, yearn considered as arbitrariness and for democracy and good beneficiaries misrule and governance. For far too ultimately kick out of good long have our people oppressive and been hoodwinked and governance ineffective shortchanged by all or what is governments. manner of fake democrats now A docile people masquerading as popularly who are amenable messiahs of the people’s known as to dictatorial cause. To aver that the tendencies of those preponderant majority of “democratic in power forfeit Nigerians endure dividends” or their right to manifold privation in “stomach democracy and terms of basic needs of life infrastructure good governance.

•Prof. Akin Oyebode The admonition of Joseph de Maistre rings true that a people get the government that they deserve. Therefore, if the people allow the government to ride roughshod on them, they are stopped from complaining about the situation. As they make their beds, so shall they lie on them.

Thus, true and effective transformation implies that the people become empowered and are able to challenge and confront their niggardly circumstances.

For, any transformation that fails to put food on the tables of the people or ensure that they are provided with employment, affordable housing, adequate health and education for their kids should be seen for what it really is— an empty charade or subterfuge aimed at taking the people for a ride and rendering them impotent and irrelevant onlookers in the scheme of things.

Sovereignty belongs to the people and transient powerwielders should realize that they are not masters but servants who should be ministering to the betterment of the lives of the people. Shorn of this ideal, democracy cannot be considered as delivering good governance.

Accordingly, it is not enough to

or the ends to which law is employed or envisaged to perform. Without this agreement on the goals or purposes of law, it becomes highly problematic to apprehend the role of law in bringing about social transformation. What is called for here is an assembly of the multiplicity of competing wants, demands or interests in society at any given point in time, with a view to synthesizing these interests and extrapolating from same the most optimal among these, giving rise thereby to a scheme of interests which would form the basis of identifying and accepting any new interests pressing for recognition. As postulated by the great American jurist, Roscoe Pound, the jural postulates in the society become the touchstone for recognizing the parameters of law as an instrument of transformation in the society. Thus, it needs be emphasized that jural postulates are not postulates of law, stricto sensu, but postulates for law or what an aggregation of members of the society want the law to do for them.

For Nigeria, an avid follower of trumpet neo-classical human Pound, Dr T.O. Elias had, way rights while the people go to bed back in 1972, formulated four hungry and are bereft of the critical ends to be performed by wherewithal for a meaningful law, viz., existence.

1.

To promote economic It is only when the people are growth and social well-being, shielded from the vagaries of life 2.

To elevate man’s moral that they can be considered as nature, beneficiaries of good governance 3.

To unify the several or what is now popularly known ethnic communities into a as “democratic dividends” or Nigerian society, and “stomach infrastructure.” The 4.

To evolve a common extent to which a framework can law for the country out of the be established which is capable existing bodies of law. of ensuring political and socioYet, we must admit that the jury economic transformation is the is still out on a common vision or next issue that would be mission in this country as each examined. seems to be pursuing his or her interests while the nation Re-thinking Law as an continues to dither and differ Instrument of Social regarding its destination. To some, Engineering Nigeria’s jural postulates are American pragmatism, it is well- located in Ch. II of both the 1979 known, gave rise to sociological and 1999 Constitutions, that is to jurisprudence which extols the say, the Fundamental Objectives role of law as an instrument of and Directive Principles of State social engineering and social Policy which can be said to be the change in contradistinction to the ideological underpinnings of fossilized conceptualization of law Nigeria’s basic or fundamental as merely the command of a law, more especially as the said sovereign addressed to a people provisions of the Constitutions who obey such commands had been rendered nonbecause of fear of punishment. justiciable which, therefore, make However, for law to perform them postulates for law and not effectively as the mechanism of postulates of law in conformity social change there has to be a with the enunciation by Pound. consensus on the jural postulates To be continued.

How not to implement National Lottery Act

By GBOLAHAN GBADAMOSI Continues from last week Pursuant to section 55 of the Act, the National Lottery Regulations 2007 was promulgated. Clause 10(2) of the regulators provides that “Lotteries with short durations, periodic life span, seasonal existence and promotional lotteries of less than 10 years duration shall be operated pursuant to value permit granted by the commission.”

Two acts of illegality come to fore here. Firstly, it altered the provision of the Act by creating another class of lottery not known to the law and secondly, it is against the provision of the Act to confer on the NLRC the power to grant lottery permits. The attempt to expand the scope of coverage of the commission by the instrumentality of the regulation

to include granting permit or a licence is not within the contemplation of the Act and therefore it is illegal and invalid.

Hence, there is no power to seal up premises in the Act. Realizing the lacunae in the 2005 Act, the commission is now proposing a parliamentary amendment of the Act that set it up instead of fully executing the mandate reposed in the act. A look at Section 5.7 (1)(b) of the proposed amended Act shows an intention to include in the act as part of the functions of the commission, “Regulate the operation and business of promotional lottery in whatever form and whatever name called in Nigeria”.

This clearly shows that presently, the commission does not possess such powers. This is a ploy to legalize all their illegal

acts like writing to corporate a clear No according to Lord bodies for violating Law on Denning (Master of Rolls) in the Lottery. Several of the new areas celebrated case of UAC V Mcfoy being sought by the proposed when he held that, “If an act is amendment are already covered void, then it is in law a nullity. It by already existing is not only bad, but incurably bad. institutions created by There is no need for an law including the CBN order of the court to set Act, National it aside. It is Communications automatically null and Commission , the void without more National Institute of ado; though it is Marketing of Nigeria, sometimes convenient the National Agency for You cannot to the court declare it Food and Drug to be so. And every Admnistration and put proceeding which is Control(NAFDAC), something founded on it is also Consumer Protection bad and incurably Council (CPC), to on nothing bad. You cannot put name a few. and expect it something on nothing Flowing from the expect it to stay to stay there. and above submissions, the there. It will collapse”. question is, Can It will It is my humble view something be put on collapse that all acts of the nothing? The answer is

National Regulatory Lottery Commission which are not consistent with the law that established it should be reversed.

For example, it is unlawful for the commission to compel companies engaging in CSP to pay levies to it as well as closing their business premises. It has no such powers.

Short promotional sales is not a lottery, it is a way of rewarding loyal customers. The Commission should be told in clear language that it needs to restrict itself to the mandate of the Act. It will do well for all to call on the supervising ministry to compel the commission to refund all fines it had forced some of the corporate bodies involving in CSP. This is the minimum to accept while it desist henceforth from illegalities .The Commission should restrict its powers to casino operators and others who are selling tickets for lottery purposes.

40—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Senate:

The girly battle in Anambra North THE battle for Anambra North senatorial seat has virtually become an all- female affair in the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as three prominent female politicians have lined up to pick the ticket.THOSE in the race are the former senator representing the zone, Senator Joy Emodi, who also served as the presidential adviser on National Assembly Matters, former minister of aviation, Ms. Stella Oduah and Senator Margery Okadigbo, wife of the late former Senate President, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo who herself, is the incumbent senator. The three ladies are the leading aspirants in a contest that also has a number of men who, however, have been seemingly dwarfed by the carriage of the three women. It is thus not surprising that the bookmakers choice of the line up of candidates favours one of the women against the candidates that would emerge from the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and All Progressives Congress, APC, in the February, 2015 Senate election.

Until few weeks ago, it was almost like a two woman contest with Oduah pitched in battle against Okadigbo, who has had a fairly but not totally eventful ride in the Senate. That was until some stakeholders within and outside the constituency mobilised to coerce Senator Emodi who occupied the seat between 2005 and 2010 into the race.

BY VINCENT UJUMADU

•Emodi: Depending on her legacy

•Oduah: Strong financial muscle

Joy Emodi

Stella Oduah

MRS. Emodi represented the zone between 2005 and 2010 and in that time won praise for her robust representation of the people both in the constituency and in the Senate. Many pair her time with that of the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo as the best periods that Anambra North had in the Senate.

It was no surprise that in the run-up to the PDP Senate primaries that some stakeholders started canvassing for her return, but she was understood to have initially flatly rejected the pleas mainly on account of the divisions in the party and the circumstances surrounding her exit as the presidential adviser on National Assembly Matters when she was forced out despite a global acknowledgement of her efforts in smoothening relations between the presidency and the National Assembly.

However, some concerned PDP stakeholders were said to have urged it on the presidency that the PDP could lose the Senate contest, a development that it was claimed could negatively affect the party in the presidential election as both polls are taking place on the same day.

It was partly on account of this that stakeholders in the zone were said to have brought pressure on Emodi to enter the race to retain the seat for the party.

Stakeholders from the seven local government areas

THE former minister of aviation, began mobilization for the contest soon after she was removed from the Federal Executive Council.

Since then, she has been visible in public gatherings, including the churches where she donates large sums of money.

The aspirant is considered to be very rich and as is the practise with professional politicians in the state, many of them have been flocking to her.

Though the airport rehabilitation project gives her some mileage in the opinion of some, however, the circumstances surrounding her removal may count against her as her opponents are likely to bring the issue of the aviation bullet proof car scandal to tarnish her image.

Besides, before her disengagement she was known to be largely an Abuja based politician who did not as much flock with her people at home.

Another issue that political operatives in the area are also taking against her is the fact that she is the only one of the three ladies married outside the zone, given her marital links to Edo State.

During one of her recent outings, she said the zone would be restored to its pride of place where the people’s creativity and entrepreneurial skills would top her priority, if voted into power.

Continues on page 30

•Okadigbo: Incumbent Margery Okadigbo MARGERY spent two years after the election on litigation and was only sworn in as a senator in July, 2012, a situation that maybe dulled her profile.

Her recent empowerment programme at the Oyi local government headquarters at Nteje was her first major outing and she did it in a big way.

Before then, some of the people of the senatorial zone were already becoming disenchanted with a pledge to punish her at the polls. However, many changed their minds after receiving the packages at the empowerment programme saying it was better late than never.

The Senator said she was using the occasion to mark her two years as a senator and commended all those who stood by her during the protracted legal battle in her journey to the senate.

Apart from the items distributed to the people, the senator has also facilitated employment of many people from the zone in various federal establishments and offered scholarship to deserving people in the area. Senate president, Chief David Mark who attended the ceremony described Senator Okadigbo as a good representative of the people, adding that she is toeing the footsteps of her late husband, Senator Chuba Okadigbo. He said: “Mrs. Okadigbo has only been in the senate for two years and look at what she has attracted to her senatorial zone. If she could do this in two years, one can imagine what she can achieve if she is given another opportunity to represent the zone.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—41

Delta 2015: Yes, I am involved — Okowa THE declaration for the Delta State governorship election by Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, did not leave anyone in doubt that the lawmaker is a force to contend with in the race.

BY CHARLES KUMOLU

T

HE vehicular traffic on the road leading to Oshimili Arcade, the venue of the event, was a signal that Asaba was going to stand still for Okowa.

Indeed, that was the situation inside the venue, as the arena was crowded with supporters from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the platform he is using to nurse his aspiration.

For a contest that has mainly been clouded by zoning, the presence of PDP chieftains was enough to address worries over the matter.

Whatever is considered, Okowa it was assumed was magnetic enough to draw a significant proportion of party chieftains drawn from across the different political zones of the state.

Prominent among those present were; Prof Sam Oyovbaire, former Information Minister, Chief •Senator Ifeanyi Okowa flanked by his wife and Professor Sam Oyobvbaire during his governorship declaration in Asaba, Williams Ibori; Chief Ovie Delta State.

Agas, Chief Emmanuel Amid these goodwill improve on the good work he Ogidi; ex-chairman of Delta race as “a historical milestone remain steadfast in your support. I therefore appeal to messages, which has started. We have always PDP, Chief APJ Okpakpor; in the affairs of Delta State.” elicited worked together as friends, I former Attorney General of He hinged his stand on the delegates to vote for him on spontaneously thunderous applause and was the first Director General defunct Bendel State, Chief argument that the various account of his pedigree.”

Ochonogor Agas was not alone in the cheers from the attendees, of his campaign and the elected and Ossai, Mr. a p p o i n t i v e submissions about Okowa’s Okowa was invited to the relationship has been there.”

Michael Diden p o s i t i o n s competence, as Oyovbaire microphone at 12: 45 pm.

Still in his upbeat mood, (aka Ejele), Mr. Okowa had also expressed confidence in Flanked by his wife and some Okowa added that: “At the Michael Tidi, progressively the aspirant. Okowa, he said, party stalwarts, Okowa said end of my tenure as governor, Captain Pius held since 1993, is accepted across the his vision is to make Delta Delta state will be one in Sinebi ,rtd; gave him “the different ethnic groups in the State a pacesetter. To achieve which there are gainful former PDP describing the this, he pledged to build an employment opportunities, a competence and state, chairman in the relevant acceptability as an asset. “If enduring legacy of wealth and flourishing agriculture and Delta, among experience to you look around you will see prosperity. Specifically, agricultural business sector, others. take Delta State people from all the ethic Okowa disclosed that he was effective health and The event which to the next level nationalities in the state. I am going to work on a five-point educational systems and commentators of growth and very confident, that Okowa as agenda which included renewed urban infrastructure had looked development,” governor will lead our people strategic wealth creation, and security that would forward to as a adding that his well. He is the only aspirant provision of jobs for all enhance continued economic Sounding game changer in profile in that I know is at home with Deltans, meaningful peace growth and the prosperity of confident, he politics and all the tribes in this state,” building platform aimed at all Deltans. the ensuing contest formally political/social stability, “No one can doubt my deep said:Uduaghan p u b l i c Oyovbaire submitted. commenced with The former information agricultural reforms and knowledge and commitment administration is my the entrance of him the minister added: “The Okowa accelerated industrialisation, to my people of Delta State, governor, my makes Okowa amid right man for the project has been put together relevant health and education to all the communities, the friend and rapturous ovation by all Deltans. His knowledge policies as well as transformed aspirations of the people and job. at 10: 45 am. In Furthering his and experience is an asset environment through urban the tremendous challenges leader. No his opening optimism about that will compliment Nigeria’s renewal. facing us.” matter what remarks, which the capability of political class. If the gathering Senator Okowa used the While urging support for the you hear, our the legislator is to be broken down into age occasion to dispel fears that re-election bid of President p r e c e d e d endorsements friendship r e p r e s e n t i n g brackets, you will see that Uduaghan’s alleged Goodluck Jonathan, Okowa and messages of every age grade is Delta North in disposition to one of the paid glowing tributes to the can’t be support from the Senate, he represented. aspirants had made his administrations of former washed stakeholders, the “Indeed, he believes in the relationship said: “I have no with the Governors of the state, Chief away. I will Director General iota of doubt that people and the people believe governor frosty. Sounding James Ibori and Uduaghan, of the Okowa’s he will place in him as well. Dr. Okowa is confident, he said: saying that he would develop and c a m p a i g n focused and honest with his Delta State in an “Uduaghan is my governor, consolidate on the improve on organisation, e n v i a b l e core interest as the well-being my friend and leader. No achievements of the two the good Agas described position. On of the people. He would do a matter what you hear, our previous administrations.

O k o w a ’ s work he has this premise, I lot that would benefit the friendship can’t be washed entrance into the urge all of you to people of the State. away. I will develop and started

42—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

By Clifford Ndujihe

T

HE BONNY people of Rivers State are making strong claims to the governorship of the state after Governor Rotimi Amaechi in 2015 because they are the most politically marginalized part of the state.

Noting that the people had never produced governor, deputy governor, speaker, deputy speaker, chief judge, secretary to the state government and ruling party state chairman among others since the creation of the state and given the power sharing arrangement between Riverine and Upland Rivers, they said equity and justice demand that Bonny people should produce the next governor.

Speaking on the banner of Bonny Consultative Movement (BCM) after an emergency meeting last week, the people said they could not be political underdogs in the state. They said Bonny people have taken a position over the political slavery the community is sentenced to and are determined to change the storyline and history to make Bonny adequately relevant in the political equation of Nigeria.

A BCM Leader, Mr. Spinola Ezekiel Hart said it is the turn of Bonny to produce the governor going by the prevailing rotation principle.

According to him, because of this rotation arrangement it will be the turn of the Ikwere people to produce the next senator from the East Senatorial District.

He said the Federal Government applied the same principle in the appointment of ministers, a reason the state had Upland and Riverine ministers until few days ago when the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike resigned.

He disclosed that last week’s emergency meeting was convened to set up a machinery to reach out to appropriate quarters to redress the injustice “Bonny people vote in elections and their votes count. The excuse that Bonny is a minority is used to deceive the public.

And even if so, Nembe and Ogbia minority groups in Bayelsa State produced a governor, and in Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili hails from a minority group and he

•Amaechi

•Bob - Abbey Hart

Rivers 2015: Bonny people insist it’s

their turn •Say we’re not political underdogs became the governor of Rivers State. The minority theory is the most uncooked argument of our time, used as a tool for discrimination.”

Speaking at the event, a governorship aspirant Barr.

(Mrs.) Abie Atedoghu Bob Abbey Hart said: “Bonny people are not political under dogs, they are entitled to have equal opportunities as other ethnic groupings, they have

T h e minority theory is the m o s t uncooked argument of our time, used as a tool for discrimination

the capacity to e x p r e s s themselves, and if we agree that democracy is the allocation of resources and values then the chance and political space of Bonny people must be respected and not reduced to a mere article of trade to other people far from Bonny and having no relationship to Bonny.”

She said Bonny people have waited long enough for this time to come and cannot lose the chance to anyone for anything. She said “Nigeria cannot take from us everything we have including our lives which

we are sacrificing for Nigeria and also rob us of our political well - being. Bonny people are politically strong to run for the office of the governor of Rivers State.”

Zoning and power sharing arrangement According Bonny people, power sharing and devolution in Rivers State has been along the Upland and Riverine political divide “and a clear understanding of the zoning order shows that this is the turn of Bonny Local Government Area which has not been considered in any power order in Nigeria since 1914 to

produce the governor of Rivers State.

“The Kalabari bloc of the Riverine under West Senatorial District of Rivers State has dominated the House of Assembly offices of deputy speaker (eight years) and speaker (eight years).

The Ogoni of the Upland divide have dominated the deputy speakership for (eight years), they also have held the South East Senatorial District in the last seven years as well as the office of the Secretary to the Government of Rivers State.

“Just as in the same South East Senatorial District, Opobo /Nkoro and Andoni Local Government Areas of the Riverine have in 15 years produced deputy governors to two Upland Governors -, Odili,

Celestine and Amaechi.

“Also, the Judiciary has been in the past 15 years the exclusive preserve of the Ikwere people where Celestine and Amaechi hail from.

The executive arm of government table in the last 20 years or so in Rivers State is as follows, Okilo and Frank Eke and Dominic Anucha, Ada Rufus George and Peter Odili that is Riverine chiefs and Upland deputies.

Then Peter Odili and GTG Toby, Celestine Omehia and Tele Ikuru and now Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and Tele Ikuru that is Upland chiefs and Riverine deputies. Even in the Military era Late Chief Dagogo Jack served as deputy governor under a Military arrangement.

The girly battle in Anambra North Continues from page 29 in the zone met last Monday in Onitsha for the purpose of mounting pressure on her to join the race to represent Anambra North in the senate in 2015.

The Onitsha meeting was attended by her former coordinators, some of her diehard supporters from other political parties and leaders of many Non Governmental Organizations, NGO, operating in the zone. At the meeting, the stakeholders passed a resolution urging her to join the race immediately because, according to them, the zone was missing her quality representation in the senate.

Coordinator of Senator Joy

Emodi Campaign Organization, Mr. Chuks Onyeizugbe said they had to urge Emodi to vie for senate because Anambra North has been feeling her absence for the past four years.

Another stakeholder, Mr. Anthony Onyejekwe from Onitsha said Emodi touched many lives, adding that people of the zone would work hard to ensure that she returns to the senate in 2015. “This is one person who never discriminated.

She could interact with anybody irrespective of her position in the society and the rural women who she touched their lives have vowed to vote massively for her if she secures the PDP ticket,” he said.

Senator Emodi is remembered

for her efforts in lifting the status of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, rehabilitation and strengthening of Niger Bridge, revitalization of the Onitsha Port project and repositioning of agricultural areas to align them with Anambra /Imo River Basin Development Authority for better yields.

She also embarked on poverty alleviation programmes through which she gave micro credit grants to widows and youths, scholarship award to youths for secondary and tertiary education, as well as for ICT and other skill acquisition, provision of portable water and rehabilitation of rural roads.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2014—43

NDDC’s exclusion of M.Sc in public health Dear sir latched on her and turned the interview NE notes with utmost into a quarrel with our daughter whom amazement the NDDC advertise- she had never seen or met before. ment in the Vanguard and Nation Our daughter ( a born-again type) was Newspapers of Tuesday, 28 January, completely taken aback and embar2014, calling for applications for post- rassed by the bizarre comportment of the graduate scholarships but which sur- lady in the panel who surely was out to prisingly excluded M.Sc in Public intimidate (or even jealous of ) her from Health. the very start of the interview.

With epidemics all over Nigeria, cholOur daughter returned from the inera, typhoid, HIV/AIDS, lassa fever, terview dumbfounded, not knowing ebola fever, malaria, polio, measles, TB, what to worry about – is it about the small pox, chicken pox, yellow fever and huge cost of travelling to attend the inmany children coughs, one is at a loss terview or the otherwise useful time so to explain the reason why public health callously wasted to attend the unfriendly is excluded from the NDDC’s list of dis- interview. ciplines to be studied.

It may be useful to recall a Ironically, till tomorrow, similar questionable adverthe UK, USA, France, Gertisement nearly two years ago many, South Africa, Japan when the same NDDC adverand many other countries tised for law officers. The have continued to increase venue was the I.T. Facilities of their public health budgets the University of Science and year after year, inspite of Technology, Port-Harcourt. By their high level of personal the nature of the online test, and public hygiene comevery candidate got his/her pared to us in Nigeria. Curscore on the spot. rently, public health preHowever, at interview time, dicament in Nigeria has some weeks later, some canbeen complicated and much didates with lower scores were enlarged by the duo of cli- The invited. The consultants who mate change and recent were paid to organise the test tendentious flooding experienced in and perhaps shortlist the sucmany parts of the country. report of cessful candidates seem to forIt is completely mischieget that many of the scores wooing vous and dangerous of the were already public knowlofficers who designed this workers with edge and thanks to the GSM, advertisement to exclude salaries is candidates also knew the public health in Nigeria of scores of their friends and today. It is a reflection of ei- innocuous even of other candidates. So, ther their ignorance or even except that it manipulating the interview pettiness. Pettiness is one of list was unjust. the problems killing Nige- was done The NDDC should stop frusrians and Nigeria today. trating our youths looking for with the Just over a year ago, a jobs as well as wasting public similar advertisement was intention of money “piously” advertising placed by the NDDC for portraying for scholarships and employpostgraduate scholarships. ment opportunities which at At great costs in cash and the governor the end of the day, are not on time, my daughter who as using level playing ground. holds a UK Masters Degree salaries as in Public Health, recently S.A. Okereke returned to Nigeria for the campaign bullmarkx2009@yahoo.com NDDC interview. But to her instrument greatest embarrassment, a lady in the interview panel

O

Calling Fashola on Coker Village roads Dear sir ERMIT me a space in your widely read newspaper to draw the attention of Governor Babatunde Fashola to the deplorable state of roads in Coker Village in the Coker/Aguda LCDA. I am sure that the Governor knows Coker Village very well since I understand that his family house is somewhere in Orile which Coker was carved out from Virtually all the roads in Coker are in parlous conditions. The road from WEMA Bank (Opere Street) to Orile is littered with gullies and is usually over flooded and impassable, even at the slightest rain. Similarly, the road from Alafia Bus stop to Coker Bridge is not motorable. Residents of Coker who drive small vehicles, have become regular

P

customers of motor mechanics because their vehicles break down almost on daily basis.

Permit me to also draw the attention of our amiable Governor to the deplorable state of the road from Savage Street to Toll Gate (Doyin Orile to Bode Thomas Road). Vehicles including four wheel drives get stuck in the deep gullies on daily basis. The road from Doyin to Bode Thomas has also become a death trap and would require the Governor’s attention.

Surulere LGA (Coker/Aguda) should wake up to its responsibilities by fixing the roads under its jurisdiction.

Chinonye Uzoma Coker village

National Conference

I do not really expect anything spectacular from the recommendations of the 2014 National Confab. The confab was a gathering of those who work for their pockets and not those who work for the country. I find it difficult to believe anything worthwhile will come from the long jamboree.

Uduebor Osaro +2348059826021

2015 general election

If what happened in Ekiti and Osun states are litmus tests of what to expect come 2015 general elections, the opposition parties need to buckle up to face that ultimate challenge. The ruling PDP has the capacity to buy and influence the electorate but the opposition party can enlighten voters on what is expected of them as their civic responsibility and how this can help in the choosing their leaders. For now, let’s celebrate the victory of the people of Osun.

Ugonwanne 08064091428

ing they don’t deserve a share but to dictate to the whole nation is not patriotic. The elder statesman has said it all.

C hukwuma Dioka.

2347054911808

Gowon @ 8O

We salute General Gowon, Great Commander, you are welcome. That was part of the syllable we were taught to memorise in 1970 as a primary three pupil. At 80 and precisely 45 years, we still sing”we salute you” and thank the Almighty God for the life given to him. Happy birthday sir!

AnthonyO.Obi Esq 2348056009586

Full implementation of budget

As long as the recurrent expenditure exceeds capital expenditure, full budget implementation will remain impossible. If this style of expensive democracy continues, Nigeria will never get to the promise land. Our over aged leaders should Balarabe Musa’s comments leave the scene for the younger genon Confab eration to positively transform our First, he said delegates at the country.

National Conference shouldn’t have Kelly 07057006736 been hand picked. And I agree with him on this. I also agree with him that the result of the confab cannot help Insurgency and Jonathan’s the situation in the nation, even if some administration I don’t think Jonathan and his people remain optimistic that it will be to our benefit. Alhaji Balarabe Musa party, PDP , want the insurgency to is a man of integrity that the leaders end since the three states affected by the Boko Haram menace are in should seek advice from. the firm control of the opposition.

Dedemo : 2348074490347 It might be their thinking that if the insurgency persists, elections Insurgency Terrorism has been in existence for may be put on hold in those states a long time. And for us in Nigeria, we in 2015, to the detriment of the opare facing our own share of it pres- position and to the gain of the ruling PDP. What a hollow and shalently through the Boko Haram.

Unfortunately, it is not going to be low thinking, if indeed the insinuaan easy battle to fight because of Boko tion is correct!

Bazakey 08060768946 Haram’s link with the deadly ISIS, and alleged covert support from sponsors from abroad. How then are we to Ebola virus It is unimaginable that in this 21st rid the country of this devilish campaign of killing and bombings, and century, we still have a professor of medicine that is reactive instead of where do we go from here?. being proactive. Where was the Clem Eruke 08153089490 Minister when Liberia and other West African countries were being Revenue Control A major obstacle to finding a last- devastated by the Ebola virus?

Who stopped him from introducing solution to revenue derivation foring control measures to stop Ebola mula is to first eliminate the victim posture capitalised upon by Niger carriers from entering Nigeria? He Deltans. They are not victims in this has succeeded in embarrassing government for their levity. In other case.

They should regard the natural re- climes he should have resigned by sources within their land as being of now. What a shame.

Anonymous +2348074490347 benefits to all Nigerians. I am not say-

SAYINGS OF OUR ELDERS The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deed and words return back to us sooner or later. Be kind to get kindness back in return.

Simon Adewale08056180103, Send us your Sayings of Our Elders. They must be African sayings or proverbs. Biblical or English proverbs are unacceptable.

Address your sayings to: The Co-ordinator, Sayings of Our Elders,Vanguard Media Ltd., PMB 1007, Apapa,

44— Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Chief Chike Ofodile, SAN, OFR (Onowu): A phenomenon TRIBUTE

By Frank Ike Chude

Ugwuanyi and support for the President

By John Paul Ezeaku

A

T times of intense politics and politicking like these, what would you, if you were President Jonathan’s adviser, have the President do? Canvass popular support from all and sundry for his reelection bid, or develop a long memory and seek to avenge his alleged failure to install the leadership of the House of Representatives?

Or better still, should it matter more to the President that even after the House Members had elected their own leadership, majority of the Members still remained staunch allies and supporters of the President and have been instrumental to his having his way most of the time in the House?

Or that whosever participated in that election is dealt with for such silly derring-do? These are questions that have arisen in the light of a recent publication in one of the national dailies where ‘sources’ claimed that those PDP Members who voted for Tambuwal to emerge as Speaker might be disqualified from vying for any elective position by the party.

Copious references were made in that report to Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, who is seeking PDP ticket for Imo governorship election, and Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the presumptive PDP candidate for the 2015 governorship election in Enugu State, having beaten 13 other aspirants in a party caucus election to emerge as the consensus candidate for the race.

Ugwuanyi

and supporters of the President who have been very instrumental to his having his way in the House most of the time? Or that whosever participated in that election is dealt with for such silly derring-do?

Personally, I would simply have advised the President to remember the story of Lot’s wife in the Bible: never look back. When God gives you victory, you do not go looking for those who fought with you to punish, you look for ways to add their strengths to yours so you become Consensus stronger and better and forge ahead. Which is exactly what the President did: the House may candidate not be led by a PDP-anointed but the president Since that report came out, there has been a has as many strong supporters in the lower deluge of reactions to it, mostly from the two chamber as he has in the senate.

And incidentally, among those most invaluable Honourable Members’ constituents who believe that the ‘malicious’ report was targeted foot soldiers and strategists of the Big man in specifically at the two of them, apparently with the House are the same people some aggrieved intent to cause disaffection for them in the politicians want the public to believe their party Presidency and among the party hierarchy. If and the president are after because of their role that’s the intent of the sources that gave out (not in Tambuwal’s emergence as House Speaker. to say planted) that story (and it may well be Pray, is that what the President of the Federal their intent), then that’s bad enough, to say the Republic would be occupied with at this point in time? I fail to understand why some who claim very least.

For me, it simply says a lot about to love the president and the the quality of contemporary politicians party more than the rest of us that in their bid to outflank their do would want to invest him opponents and protect their selfish with a long memory he is not interests, they wittingly or unwittingly known to possess (figuratively say or do things that not only question speaking, that is). the democratic credentials of their Anyone who has followed party or the nation’s leadership, for Deputy Speaker, Emeka that matter but also ridicule them.

Ihedioha’s career in the House Should any politician worth that since 2011 would wager that he name, just to get at an opponent, put has gone about his duties with out a piece of information (which is so much maturity and loyalty to even false) to the fact that his party or party and country. Under the President of the country is angry Ihedioha’s watch as a Jonathan with some party faithful for not supporter, the House cannot be aligning with the president in a said to have done anything purportedly failed bid to install a detrimental to the President’s rubber-stamp leadership in the interests. national assembly?

On several occasions, we have Is nothing held sacrosanct at all in seen how attempts to censure a political ‘war’, not even the name president or his subordinates When God gives the and image of the President? But no on one or two issue have been matter. you victory, you deftly smothered by the Now, back to the questions I raised President’s men, marshaled, I do not go looking at the outset. So, what would you have dare say, by DS Ihedioha. Ditto the president do? Would you advise for those who for DS’s colleague Hon. Ifeanyi him to just go ahead and canvass fought with you to Ugwuanyi. A quiet, smooth and popular support from all and sundry efficient organizer, Ugwuanyi as for his reelection bid, or develop a long punish, you look Chairman of the House memory and seek to deal with those for ways to add Committee on Maritime, has who allegedly caused his alleged worked closely with the failure to install the leadership of the their strengths to President’s men and the party House of Representatives? hierarchy to stabilize the yours so you Or better still, do you think it should nation’s maritime sector, which matter more to the President that even become stronger is one of the most profitable after the House Members had elected and better and sectors of the Nigerian economy their own leadership, majority of the today.

Members still remained staunch allies forge ahead.

Ezeaku writes from Enugu

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HE phenomenon in question is a father, mentor, teacher, benefactor and I dare say (friend) former Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Federal Republic of Nigeria, a legal luminary par excellence and encyclopedia of knowledge. “A highly unusual fact or occurrence, a person or thing that is very successful or impressive” For over 20years now, I have had the privilege of working closely with this great institution and encyclopedia of a man who had taken many of us as his children with all sense of responsibility, legal discipline, care and concern.

My relationship with him was such that whenever I went home, my late mother and siblings will always ask me, hope you have gone to see your father referring to Ofodile. On several innumerable occasions I appeared with him in court as his junior, after each court session, it was indeed apparent to all including the judges that he was an astute legal icon that had the uncanny ability to hold two contradictory views at the same time or to distort an opposing argument into a way favourable to him.

To Ofodile, law was a science. He was indeed an oracle of law. His fife was law and the practice of law. He dreamt law, he ate law, and he played law and talked law.

Nothing excites him like any discussion of law, and forensic arguments. He was charismatic, charming, lively, debonair, suave, oratorical, creative, affable and absolutely urbane. Law was the air breathed and the food he ate.

It was his way of life and he lived it to the full. He liked the variety of cases on every subject of law there ever was. He liked the pressure of work and companionship of minds as quick and alert as his own.

Legal issue A particular Federal High Court judge; Okeke O.J told the story in the open court how as a young boy and student, he was always going to court just to witness how Ofodile presents his case. His admiration for him made him dream of becoming a lawyer.

From my close observation of him whenever you want to draw his attention or distract his attention from an issue, just bring up legal issue and he is profoundly listening to you against any other subject or issues at stake. To that effect I must now confess that at anytime I had any short-coming with him in what I ought to do which I have not done, I cleverly gave excuses with some legal engagements and law related matters, and he is suddenly interested in knowing what the matter is all about, and your sins are forgiven if your excuses are legal issues. He has legal genius and he has had a laudable mission to make the law accord with justice.

He actually made me realize that “to be humble to one’s superior is duty; to one’s equals courtesy; to one’s inferiors, nobility”. I vividly recall a chat I once had with Late Professor Okay Achike (JSC) as he then was, of blessed memory, then a serving Supreme Court Judge, when he told me about his experience with Ofodile.

Recalling how when he decided to venture out of teaching law to acquire experience of law practice, he chose to understudy Ofodile. That on his first appearance accompanying Ofodile to court, he sought to carry his briefcase and Ofodile politely declined his assistance, choosing rather to treat him as equals.

She then passed the phone to him; the sage was concerned about my welfare and the need to check on me. It was indeed most gratifying as usual. As all Ofodile’s children and we are many what he did for one he did for all. So when qn the following Sunday I received another call from Nneka that our papa had just passed on, I had no doubt that choirs of angels will beacon

Chike Ofodile him to the bosom of the Lord. Reechoing the words of Thompson, Francis, (SJ, d. 1907): Does the fish soar to find the ocean, or the eagle plunge to find the air That we ask of the stars in motion, if they have rumours of thee there?” His was an exemplary life worthy of emulation, a hero in the real sense of the word.

As the Onowu of Onitsha kingdom (the source of the great river) the words in the Holy Scriptures Job 14:11-12 comes to mind. “Like rivers that stop running and lakes that go dry, people die, never to rise. They will never wake up 1ike the sky endures; they will never stir from their sleep”. And like Socrates (d.

399 Be) will say “Death is either annihilation or migration of the soul elsewhere”.

The Law reports from the 1960s to date are replete with Ofodile’s inputs ranging from the decisions of the Privy Council, to West African Court of Appeal, and to the present Supreme Court. He left indelible prints in each life he touched. Although in his 90’s his mind was never saddled by age. His people will miss his words of wisdom, grace and candour. The legal profession and humanity has indeed lost a rare gem.

Frank Ike Chude Esq., is a Legal Practitioner in Abuja

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014—45

Warri North boss swears in lawmakers

I'll use my connections to develop Warri Constituency, Barlow vows

By Gabriel Enogholase

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HE newly-elected Chairman of Warri North Local Government Council, Eyituoyor Maku, has sworn in his deputy, Sunny Abilo, and 20 councillors.

Speaking after administering the oath of office on the councillors at the legislative chambers, Maku called for unity from the lawmakers, stressing that with oneness, they could move mountain.

Maku, who restated Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s warning that all elected council chairmen and councillors must reside in the council headquarters, rather than govern from exile, also warned against corruption.

Responding on behalf of the councillors, Sylvester Aduwenye said he and his colleagues would ensure that the new government delivered on its promise to bring dividends of democracy to the people.

Okolugbo commissions solar-powered water projects

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HE commissioner representing Ndokwa on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Area D e v e l o p m e n t C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, Sir Kenny Okolugbo, has commissioned no fewer than four projects in his constituency.

The projects include solar-powered street light projects at Umuebu, Okuzu and Umuaja; and 40,000 litres solarpowered water project at Eziokpor, among others.

While commissioning the project at Umuebu, Okolugbo assured the people that ObiarukuUmuebu road project would soon be completed, adding that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, would ensure that the dividends of democracy got to Ukwuani, as witnessed by the various ongoing and commissioned DESOPADEC projects.

C M Y K

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CARNIRIV: From left— Deinbofa Ere, Carnival Route Procession Coordinator; Dr. Sam Dede, Director General/CEO, Rivers State Tourism Development Agency, RSTDA; and Deacon Vincent Erinwo, Chairman, RSTDA, during the unveiling of Carniriv 2014 in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

DSIEC appeals for time over Ndokwa East fresh polls

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—DELTA State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, has asked the people of Ndokwa East Local Government Area to give it time to conduct fresh election in the council.

DSIEC’s Head of Legal Services, Bright Igbako, spoke while addressing indigenes of the council, who protested to DSIEC headquarters in Asaba.

Meanwhile, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state agent in last Saturday ’s council polls, Mr. Funkekeme Solomon, has said the landslide victory of the party in the elections was the result of hard work.

Solomon, who spoke in Asaba, said the party campaigned massively across the state. He commended Deltans for what he described as their unwavering support for PDP. Solomon, who is the state Commissioner for Works, said the party’s candidates were returned unopposed in two

chairmanship positions and 91councillorship positions, which, he said, revealed that Delta was a PDP state.

He insisted that the party would continue to win elections in the state.

On elections in Ndokwa East, Igbako told the protesters that DSIEC could not have announced results for election that did not hold, hence the

earlier clarification by DSIEC’s Chairman, Moses Ogbe, that there were no elections in Ndokwa East.

He said a new date for the election would be announced.

Earlier, leader of the protesters, Okwudili Ijoma, said they were at DSIEC's office to commend it for its stand as election did not hold in Ndokwa East.

Delta governorship 'll be about the people's will—EDEVBIE

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HEAD of 2015 governorship elections, Deltans have been advised not to be scared of rumours about imposition of aspirants against the popular wish of the people.

Olorogun David Edevbie, a Delta State governorship hopeful on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said this after collecting expression of interest and nomination forms at PDP national secretariat, Abuja.

He said Governor

Emmanuel Uduaghan and the national leadership of PDP had consistently assured that there would be a level playing field for all aspirants.

Edevbie said: ”The party leadership and stakeholders have assured aspirants of a level playing ground.

“Deltans should not be scared. Just go out and perform your civic responsibility, vote for the candidate of your choice and defend your vote,” Olorogun Edevbie added.

Only popular candidates can win for PDP, says Urhobo Mandate

U

RHOBO Mandate Group, UMG, has lauded President Goodluck Jonathan’s directive to governors and those seeking elective offices on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to field popular candidates.

In a letter to President Jonathan, copied to the National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, by the group's National Coordinator

and Secretary, Chief John Umukoro and Mr. Odafe Unuata, respectively, the group insisted that if PDP must retain the state, Urhobo governorship ticket was the answer.

Umukoro said: “President Jonathan has shown that he is ready to conduct free and fair election next year. Nigerians are wiser now as they have resolved to vote for credible people in next year’s general elections.

“President Jonathan realized this when he advised outgoing PDP governors to field credible and popular candidates.

“Some politicians, who are talking zoning and other spurious agenda at the expense of fielding credible and popular candidates from areas of high voting strength, are not interested in PDP's victory in the forthcoming governorship election.”

HOUSE of Representatives aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alero Barlow, has promised to use his connections to assist Deltans and take Warri Federal Constituency to the next level, if elected.

Barlow, who is eyeing War ri Federal Constituency seat in 2015, spoke in Warri North Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secretariat in Koko, while declaring her political intention in the presence of party leaders, her supporters and other stakeholders.

The House of Representatives hopeful, while describing herself as a grassroots and community person, said she was proud to be an Itsekiri.

Barlow said: “Abuja is not a place for people without vision, but for those with the right contacts.”

An environmentalist and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince David Omaghomi, in a remark at the ceremony, declared that PDP was the only party “that will deliver Itsekiri,” and called on the people not to cast their votes based on sentiments.

He said: “The voice of Itsekiri ethnic nationality in 2015 lies in the Senate, House of Representatives and the Delta State House of Assembly.”

Responding, the Warri North Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Mr. John Okoroloko, described Alero Barlow as a qualified for the House of Representatives seat, adding that “she is in the right track.”

He challenged politicians seeking reelection to first tell the people what they had done with their earlier mandate before campaigning for reelection in forthcoming 2015 elections.

46 —

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

Enugu PDP leadership crisis worsens

Philanthropist counsels politicians

zAs Nnaji resumes legal battle

By Nkiruka Nnorom

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By Austin Ogwuda & Francis

A G O S — A philanthropist and founder of Nero Asibelua Foundation, Mr. Nero Asibelua, has called on Nigerian politicians to eschew bitterness and embrace love, saying it was the only way the country could move forward.

Speaking at a social gathering for some widows and orphans in Lagos, Asibelua commended President Goodlock Jonathan, for positively saffecting the common man, and called calling on Nigerians to support who ever was eventually elected as president in 2015.

“Let nobody undermine his or her fellow human, let’s support one another with love. It’s only with love that we could progress, let us stop cynic criticism; either to ourselves, others or the government.

"Let us all accept and work in love with whoever is elected, so that we will move this country forward together," said.

Igata NUGU—THE leadership tussle in Enugu State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has taken a dramatic twist as Mr. Raymond Nnaji, claiming to be the party's chairman in the state, has resumed the eight years lingering legal battle to claim his purported mandate.

Following last week's resignation of Mr. Vita Abba as chairman of the party, the party has been battling with leadership crisis.

While the party’s Publicity Secretary, Dr. Okey Eze, in a communiqué issued at the end of the State Executive Council, SEC, meeting named Chief Ikeje Asogwa as the new chairman, the party’s deputy chairman, Mr. David Ajah, rejected Mr. Asogwa, claiming that his appointment was not “in strict accord with sections 35 and 45 of PDP Constitution.”

To compound the crisis, Mr. Nnaji resurrected his legal matter that had passed through three different judges when he appeared before Justice D.V. Agishir of Federal High Court 2, seeking to reclaim his alleged mandate.

E

The suit

argued that he (plaintiff) “2008 was elected as the chairman of the PDP, Enugu State, and other members of the executive committee of the party at the designated venue situate at Macdavos hotel Enugu.

“That unfortunately, when the then national chairman of the PDP, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor, took over leadership of the party from Col. Ahmadu Ali (retd) as the chairman, he decided not to respect the decision of the party before his assumption of office hence suit No. FHC/EN/ CS/83/2008 against him and others.

“Surprisingly, one Engr. Vita Abba who equally claimed elected as chairman of the party in Enugu State at a venue designated himself and his collaborators was joined as the 3rd defendant in that suit had to file a preliminary objection challenging the jurisdiction of the court” Mr. Nnaji is now praying the court “for a legal interpretation of certain sections of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the Peoples Democratic Party 2012 (as amended) against the backdrop of the principle of lis pendens and the pending suit No FHC/

In a suit before the court, he

Youth leader hails new Warri South West LG boss, DSIEC ELECTION:

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ARRI—A prominent youth leader in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West local government, Comrade Timi Oluba, has congratulated Hon. George Ekpemupolo for emerging chairman the council.

Oluba, who spoke shortly after the election at Okerenkoko, also commended

Delta State Independent Electoral Commission, DSIEC, for conducting a credible election.

He thanked the people of Warri South West for having confidence in Ekpemupolo and also commended the Delta State government, led

by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, and the

leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for creating the enabling atmosphere for the commission to conduct a credible election.

He also urged the people to maintain the prevailing peace in the state, saying “ those who won in the election should endeavour to reach out and run people-oriented government.”

EN/83/2008 i.e. Barrister Raymond Nnaji & ors vs Prince Vincent Ogbulafor & ors for primary purpose of the protection and guidance of the rest of that matter.”

Case adjourned till November 12

The case has been adjourned to November the 12 hearing.

Meanwhile, the state PDP has dismissed claims by Mr. David Ajah, that he was the constitutionally empowered acting chairman of the party, following the resignation of Abba.

PDP dismisses Ajah's claim

In a statement by Dr Ezeh, the party said: “Our attention has been drawn to the false and mischievous claims by the Deputy Chairman of the Party in the State, Elder David Ajah, that he is the authentic Chairman of the Party in Enugu State following the

resignation of Engr. Vita Abba and appointment of Chief Ikeje Asogwa as the new Chairman of the Party in Enugu State.

“The erroneous impression being created by some disgruntled elements in the State who are desperately looking for any opportunity to create crisis in the Party for their selfish political ambitions, in an attempt to misinform the public and discredit the legitimate process that was followed by the State Executive Committee, SEC, of the Party in appointing Chief Ikeje Asogwa ,as the Chairman of the Party in Enugu State, pending the conduct of election into the said office at a State Congress as provided by the Constitution of the Party.

"In a media report, it was also falsely alleged that Enugu PDP is in crisis and that ‘INEC may reject Enugu PDP Candidates’ over the unfounded and baseless allegations by the Deputy Chairman of the Party that due process was not followed in the replacement of the former Chairman, Vita Abba who resigned to stand for election in the forthcoming primaries of our party."

2015: Group makes case for

credible primaries

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AGOS—ACTIVISTS for Good Governance, AGG, has faulted the use of money, religion, and other primordial sentiments to choose candidates for elections in Nigeria.

At a briefing in Lagos, the leader of the group, Declan Ihekaire, said: “In the past our democracy threw up different characters of leaders, in most cases some of these leaders had emerged through exercises that were undemocratic; many aspirants had been handpicked rookies, some had been god-sons of self-serving god-

fathers, and unfortunately leaders with questionable characters were foisted on us.

“We maintain that the process that produces candidates must be transparent and democratic. AGG is definitely against delegates’ conferences that produce candidates. We want card carrying members of the parties to be fully involved in the selection process.”

Among other steps for ensuring compliance with their demands, Ihekaire saidtheywouldcollaboratewith civil society organisations to sensitise the electorate on the need for emergence of credible candidates in 2015 through grassrootsprimaries.

What is your view on Keshi’s sack?

I

T is becoming clear er by the day that a lot of stakeholders had always wanted Keshi to fail despite his success at the nation’s cup. I hope all the superstars can come and play now.

Mr Emmanuel Iredia — Worker C M Y K

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HERE is no need employing a foreign coach where we have somebody like Daniel Omokachi, J.J. Okocha, Sunday Oliseh and others.

Let us get one of these guys to do the work.

Mr. Odoemena Uwakwe — Project Director

I

T will be very difficult for any foreign coach to succeed here. Let NFF pay the players well and give them the tools they need to succeed. Also, they should revamp our league.

Mr Ben Onyekachi — Graduate

T

HE sack is not something to celebrate because he tried.

NFF should not hire a man who knows nothing about the Nigerian football scene.

Miss Kubura Aremu — Model

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HE present leader ship of NFF is not patriotic. They are interested in the foreign coaches for the money they will make out of it and not for the good of Nigeria.

Rev. Godwin Ikechukwu — Clergy

P

LEASE NFF, a for eign coach is what Nigeria Super Eagles need for now. The likes of Siasia or Oliseh, are good coaches but they are not better than keshi.

We should hire a foreign coach.

Mr Tony Ovie — Businessman

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 47

2015: JNI tasks INEC, political parties on transparency D

UTSE—THE Jigawa chapter of the Jama’atul Nasrul Islam, JNI, yesterday, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, political parties and their candidates to ensure transparency in the forthcoming 2015 general elections.

The state Secretary of JNI, Malam Muhammad Ahmad, made the call while delivering the 1436 Islamic new year goodwill message in Dutse, the Jigawa State capital.

He said there was a need for INEC and politicians to consider the current political situation in the country and ensure peaceful, free and fair elections.

He said that the call was imperative to prevent post election violence, adding that “ we hope this will not be repeated as in previous elections, especially after the announcement of the results”.

The secretary said INEC should do everything that would bring lasting peace in the country.

“INEC should be transparent as it promised to, and the politicians should also ensure orderliness in everything they

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CONFERENCE: From left; Vice Chairman, Christian Elders Forum of the Northern States, Dr.Michael Ango; Representative of Benue State Governor, Secretary to the State Government, Dr. David Salifu; Chairman, Christian Elders Forum of the Northern States, Olaiya Phillips and His Royal Highness, Osana of Keana, Emmanuel Elayo during the Christian Traditional Rulers Conference organized by the forum in Makurdi, Benue State. do before, during and after elections,” the secretary said.

According to him, it is only when there is peace and unity among citizens that a nation can develop.

Ahmad, therefore, called on the general public to pray for

peace, unity and stability in the country as the 2015 elections approach.

He urged Nigerians to play politics with patriotism and ensure they lived in peace and harmony with one another, to

move the nation forward.

“So there is a great need to urge the people to do politics with patriotism and according to the law, to ensure peaceful coexistence; this is our major message to Nigerians,” he said.

My CON award'll help Nasarawa if I'm elected gov — MAKU

By Abel Daniel

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AFIA—FORMER Minister of Information and governorship aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Mr. Labaran Maku has said that the award of the Commander of the Order on the

Niger, CON, on him by President Goodluck Jonathan would enable him champion the crusade for peaceful co-existence in Nasarawa State if elected governor in 2015.

Maku, who was received by a large crowd of supporters across the state asked the All

Progressives Congress, APC, to get ready to pack out of the government house as its time was over.

Maku spoke in an interview with newsmen, shortly after attending the party’s stakeholders meeting at the party secretariat in Lafia yesterday.

APC gov aspirant decries monopolisation of power by southern Bauchi

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—THE All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship aspirant in Bauchi State, Ibrahim Zailani has kicked against what he described as the monopolisation of power by the southern part of the state, saying that the area had held on to power in the last 20 years to the disadvantage of other areas.

Zailani spoke in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi, the state capital, shortly after declaring his intention to contest the 2015 governorship race, in the state.

He lamented that Bauchi South had held sway over various elective positions, particularly that of the governorship for a long time, pointing out that “there is a clamour that the next Governor of the state should come from Katagum zone which consists of C M Y K

Kwara gov aspirant raises alarm over alleged fake delegates' list

Katagum, Shira, Giade, Jama’are, Itas Gadau, Zaki, Gamawa, Misau and Damban.

Zailani stressed for example that the former governor of the state and National Chairman of

the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Adamu Muazu handed over power to his fellow southerner, Governor Isa Yuguda, adding that both had ruled the state since 1999.

UGWUANYI: Forum moves to reconcile aggrieved Enugu PDP members

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—THE Enugu Unity Forum, EUF, has begun moves to reconcile all the aggrieved members of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to rally support for the consensus candidate of the party, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi towards the 2015 governorship election.

Some governorship aspirants, who had shown resentment over Ugwuanyi’s endorsement on September 26 were said to have

been reached by EUF, to sheathe their swords.

Addressing newsmen at the end of a civic reception organized in honour of Ugwuanyi, the national Chairman of EUF, Mr. Tahil Ochi said,”the forum has agreed to move to the grass-roots in order to mobilize voters for our party and sensitize our people to support Ugwuanyi’s candidature.

“We will reach out to all aggrieved members of the party to settle any dispute arising from Ugwuanyi’s candidature.'' The

“I am very convinced that the peace which has eluded the state since APC took over the mantle of leadership is about to be restored. The national award of the CON is a sign of authority vested in me to champion the restoration of peace if elected as governor,” Maku said.

He said he had been a loyal party man since he joined the party, and was among those who had stood with the party through thick and thin and asked the party to stand by him to become the next governor of the state.

According to him, the PDP would win the governorship race in the state going by the outcome of the recent local government election where the party won 12 out of the 13 local government councils, although the APC hijacked six of the local governments where certificates of returns were issued to PDP but APC members were sworn in.

“I am fully loaded with the wealth of experience I got right from when I was a school teacher to when I became a national students’ union leader in the university. As a journalist and a political editor with the Champion newspaper, I know all about the state. I appeal to my colleagues in the media to give me their support as one of their own so that at least out of the 36 states it won’t be bad if a journalist controls one.

I have all it takes to fix the state again,” Maku assured.

L O R I N — A governorship aspirant in Kwara on the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, platform, Sen. Makanjuola Ajadi, has expressed concern over alleged circulation of fake delegates lists among the party members.

Ajadi, who recently resigned his appointment as Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters, said this on Wednesday in a statement signed by his Media Assistant, Alhaji Abdulmajeed Olokooba.

According to the senator, some members of the party are going around with a concocted list of delegates different from the authentic one from the PDP National Headquarters.

He urged the leadership of the party in the state to be alert and resist attempt to impose unpopular candidates on the people.

Water scarcity bites harder in Bauchi

B

AUCHI—WATER vendors in Bauchi metropolis are making brisk business as a result of acute water scarcity being experienced in the town.

A Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, monitoring the situation, reports that most of the public taps in the town, had gone dry in the last one week, just as the cost of a Jeri can of water increased from N20 to N50.

Malam Umaru Ali, a water vendor, told NAN that they had to pay huge amount of money to fetch water from private bore hole owners, as such were forced by the situation to effect 100 per cent increase in the price of jerican .

“The public boreholes where we fetch water had gone dry and the commercial borehole operators charge us exorbitantly due to the cost of diesel.

“Since we are in business to make profit and feed our families, we have no option that to transfer the cost to our customers,” he said.

48—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

AWARDS: From left: Snr. Brand Manager, Star, Ita Bassey; Marketing Manager, Gulder, Life & Legend, Emmanuel Agu; Snr. Brand Manager, Fayrouz, Nnena Ifebigh-hemeson; Brand Manager. Gulder, Seun Lawal; Marketing Manager, Non-Alcoholic, Samson Olochie; Asst. Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, Phoebe Larry-Izamoje; MD/CEO, Nigerian Breweries, Nicholaas Vervelde; Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, Hanatu PARTY: From left:, Annie Idibia, Ngozi Nkwoji, Heineken Ageni-Yusuf; Marketing Director, Walter Drenth; Brand Manager, Star, Biyi Fagade; Brand Manager, Star, Senior Brand Manager, and 2Face Idibia, during Heineken Omotunde Adenusi, and Marketing Manager, Star, Goldberg & Exports, Tokunbo Adodo, holding their Green Light Party, at Spice Route, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Advertising Agencies of Nigeria, ADVAN, awards.

NOMINATION: From left, PDP Ward G2 Chairman, Surulere Local Government, Ayodele John; Chairman, PDP, Lagos State, Olatunji Shelle, Engr. Hakeem Gbajabiamila; Chairman, PDP Surulere Local Government, Mobolaji Onibudo, and his Lagos Island counterpart, Ali Balogun, at Lagos State PDP secretariat, as Gbajabiamila picked nomination form to run for the Senate in the Lagos Central senatorial zone on PDP platform, weekend.

COMMISSIONING: From left, Chairman of Livestock Feeds, LSF, Plc, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mr. Larry Ettah, shaking hands with the representative of the Project Contractors, Mr. Bernd Luellmann; Managing Director of LSF, Mrs. Modupe Asanmo, and a Director of LSF, Mr. Joe Dada during the commissioning of a new LFS feed mill plant, in Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday.

CONFERENCE: From left, Mrs. Elizabeth Ayodele, wife of Nigerian Ambassador to Greece; Mrs. Funsho Lawal, Solicitor General, Kwara State; Rev. Christie Ogbeifun; Princess Adejoke OrelopeAdefulure, Deputy Governor of Lagos State; Pastor Siju Iluyomade, Convener, Arise Women; Dame Abimbola Fashola, wife of Lagos State Governor, and Mrs. Angela Adebayo, wife of former Governor of Ekiti State, during the 6th Annual Arise Women Conference, at City of David, Redeemed Christian Church of God, Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo Lamidi Bamidele

BRIEFING: Founder, Body Enhancement Foundation, Princess Modupe Ozoula (middle); Head, Social Media, Nigeria Customs Service, Michael Achimugu (left), and Head, Corporate Communications Dana Group, Samuel Ogbogoro, during a press briefing on the activities of the foundation, in Abuja.

SWEARING-IN: From left, Hon Sunny Abilo, vice chairman, Warri North Government Council, Hon. Eyituoyor Francis Maku, Executive Chairman, Warri North Local Government Council (2nd left); Mrs. Mary Eyituoyor Maku,wife of Warri North Council Chairman, and Hon. Godwin Ebosa, former chairman, Warri North Local Government and President , Awaritse Conglomerates, during the swearing-in ceremony of councillors in Koko, headquarters of Warri North Local Government council.

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AWARD: From left, Engr. Olalekan Salami, Engr. Joseph Eghwru dje, Engr. Peter Oginni, Engr. Lawrence Ajuyah (with his award), Engr. Donald Okeke and behind is Engr. Valentine Igbinidu, after the presentation of an award of excellence to the Pioneer Division Coordinator of Nigerian Society of Engineers, Warri Branch.

VISIT: From left, member, Kadiri Obafemi Hamzat Campaign Organization, Arc. Adesina Soyebo; former Secretary to Lagos State Government, Princess Aderenle Ogunsanya; former Commissioner for Establishment, Dr. Ebenezer Akinbobola; APC governorship aspirant in Lagos State, Dr. Kadiri Hamzat; former Commissioner for Rural Development, Lagos State, Hon. Lanre Balogun, and Hon. Rasheed Jayeisimi, during a consultation visit by Dr Hamzat, in Ikorodu, Lagos.

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World Food Day

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N case you missed it: World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on October 16, to comemmorate the founding date of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1945.

The day is celebrated widely by many other organisations concerned with food security, including the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development. This year's World Food Day motto: Family Farming: “Feeding the world, caring for the earth” More and more people including prominent ones are joining into the canon of a more sensible way on how we eat –

Hakeem Jimo’s

Ve ggie Victory

veggienaija@gmail.com especially regarding our ressource wasting and environment damaging consumption of meat.

Flamboyant personality and business tycoon Richard Branson gave up beef earlier this year. He wrote in a blog about producing food for future generations as part of World Food Day. "More and more people recognise that conventional meat

production can have truly devastating environmental impacts. It's one of the reasons I gave up eating beef earlier this year, and it looks like I am not the only one. Surprisingly, for myself, I haven't missed it at all.

"If we could get many other people to do the same, we would be healthier, and we would help sustain the beautiful biodiversity we are losing

Richard Branson became a vegetarian this year. in the rainforests."

“As more people come out of poverty in emerging markets, the worst thing that could happen is that demand for cattle continuing to rise. If that happened we would soon have little rainforest left in the world, little biodiversity and

climate change would accelerate.“ Branson is referring to the increasing demand for meat as the world's population of 7 billion grows and the impact this has on the environment. About 40 per cent of the the world's land is used to support livestock, driving deforestation.

And with livestock responsible for between 15 and 18 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, there may be no other single human activity that has a bigger impact on the planet than the raising of livestock. One study earlier this year found that eating less red meat would be a better way for people to cut carbon emissions than giving up their cars.

As the World Food Day just passed, let’s think about how future generations are going to be able to produce enough food without doing irreversible damage to the environment.

336 genetic counselors graduate

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•Dr. Motunrayo Adekunle (left), receiving the '1st Best Participant Award' from Chairman, SCFN, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, and Dennis Okoro, Director, MTN Foundation, during the graduation of the 17th Genetic Counselling Training Course, sponsored by the MTN F last week in Lagos.

TN Foundation, the Corporate Social Responsibility vehicle of Nigeria's leading Information and Communication Technology Company, MTN, has facilitated the training of 336 sickle cell disorder genetic counsellors nationwide.

The Foundation, in partnership with the Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, provides training for health care givers in order to enhance delivery of specialised care in the management of sickle cell disorder in Nigeria. Speaking at the graduation ceremony of the 17th batch of trainee healthcare counsellors comprising medical doctors, nurses and other caregivers, MTN

Foundation's Director, Dennis Okoro, said that prevention of the disorder through carrier identification, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis, remains the best measure to stem sickle cell anaemia.

"We are pleased to have introduced this training and to have secured the partnership of MTN Foundation in seriously addressing sickle cell disorder in Nigeria. Genetic counselling has been widely identified as the most cost effective intervention for combating sickle cell disorder, particularly in resource poor countries, Chairman, Sickle Cell Foundation of Nigeria, Prof. Olu Akinyanju, stated.

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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ELLO everybody and welcome. Today we will like to introduce to you new products that can also help with some of your sexual challenges.

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It is a powerful erection enhancer that makes weak erections strong and if you cannot get an erection at all, it will enable you get one. It is also very effective in giving men the stamina to perform and the ability to have several rounds of intercourse. Magic Mike is a natural supplement and can be taken by adult men of all ages. One capsule of it works for up to 72 hours and when taken, it starts working in less than one hour.

There is also the Baxter Vibrating Cockring. It is a rubberlike device worn at the base of an erect penis during intercourse to prevent sudden erection loss.

Cockrings also help men with premature ejaculation problems to maintain their erections after ejaculation for up to twenty minutes, to encourage prolonged and meaningful intercourse. It vibrates as well to give females pleasure.

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Guarding against infidelity and adultery is quite difficult especially as many men complain of inadequate sex from their partners. But thanks to the new masturbators Sex Please Mouth Stroker and Sex Please Vagina Stroker, adult men are able to get some satisfaction to help them remain faithful to their partners.

These toys feel like the real thing and are easy to use and maintain.

For women, we have the Doki Breast Massager, a vibrating pair of devices designed to help females with low sexual arousal get in the mood for intimacy. The Doki breast Massager fits nicely within the female bra when worn and can also be used for clitoral stimulation if desired.

There is also the new vibrating underwear for women called the Bound by Diamonds Vibrating Panties and it can be combined with the Doki Breast Massager above for simultaneous breast and genital stimulation. These are all unique adult toys to enable females get the best out of their love lives. A third vibrator in this category which can be used by both women and men is the Flex waterproof Anal Beads for prostate massage. Anal toys are growing in popularity among adults and users are advised to take proper care of them after use by disinfecting them during cleaning.

Last for today are three new books for adults. Married men and women often complain about inadequate intercourse in their sex lives especially after child birth. If you are facing similar challenges in your own life, then you need to read the The Sex Starved Marriage. This book contains helpful tips that couples in turmoil can benefit from.

If you are a female who was circumcised or for some reason is unable to enjoy intercourse, then you will like the Smart Girl’s Guide to the G Spot. Many women don’t know where the G spot is located and if they did, they will be thrilled by the amount of pleasure they can get from skillful massaging it.

For couples who complain that their sex lives have become boring, predictable and unexciting, comes the book Kamasutra of Sexual Positions. With over a hundred sex positions discussed in this book, the reader will never complain of boredom or a lack of ideas ever again.

Life is hard. Men and women in relationships can certainly do more to help each other alleviate the day to day grind of modern life. So we hope the above new products can help you help yourselves.

That is all for today. Adults in need of these treatments/ novelties can call 07086754515 or 08051924159 or any other number here to order or they can order online at www.zeevirtualmedia.com.

Zee Virtual Media delivers to you wherever you are in Nigeria. For enquiries, send your emails to custserv@zeevirtualmedia.com - Uche Edochie, MD, Zee Virtual Media.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 53

Kudos, as 2014 LIMCAF art competition ends in grand style

National Troupe holds maiden Stakeholders Forum

cash prizes to them.

At the well HEY are doing good job attended event, S part of plans to because I am happy today which was chaired encourage broad and and I think someone else will by prominent art effective stakeholders work hard so that he/she will win loving monarch engagement in the next time.” These were the and patron of implementation of the words of the excited mother of LIMCAF, Igwe objectives, plans and two, Ngozi Omeje, who became Alfred Nnaemeka programmes of the National N500,000 richer when her Achebe, the Obi of Troupe of Nigeria (NTN), the installation work titled Placenta Onitsha, with other leadership of the Troupe will was declared overall winner of art patrons like the on Thursday October 30 at the the 2014 Life In My City Art founder of Banquet Hall of the National Festival (LIMCAF) during the LIMCAF, Robert Theatre, Iganmu, Lagos host prize presentation and award Orji, French a stakeholders forum. The night held at the Nike Lake Ambassador to forum scheduled to begin at Resort Enugu.

N i g e r i a 10am, is the first since the For the average young art represented by the formal establishment of the graduate artists in Nigeria, the Cultural Attache, Troupe in 1991. According to fear of getting the required Monsieur Jacques a statement from the Public resources that will enable them M o n t o u r c y , Igwe Alfred Achebe (2nd L) presents the cheque to the winner Ngozi Omeje, Relations Unit of the NTN, the to get established in the art Nkeoma Nmazili, while the husband and representative of Diamond Bank watch. stakeholders forum, which is industry has become a who represented expected to attract nightmare. This is due mainly to Diamond Bank, the major chairman of the board who personalities with strong the level of art appreciation in sponsor and others, the central thanked all the supporters said, interest and experience Nigeria and the tendency to message was the need to "that we have survived this far relevant to the growth and patronise only established ones. encourage the young artist so is an indication that the labours development of the performing The situation has forced many that they will be established. And of the founder and others have arts as well as patrons of the art graduates to abandon the that idea was practised as a not been in vain." He then tasked Troupe will feature a keynote trade for other business and it young mother of two Ngozi all to support the young artists speech and a command was in a bid to arrest this ugly Omeje received a cheque of Five by supporting LIMCAF. performance of ‘Ajoyo’, a dance situation that Enugu based Life hundred thousand Naira as the drama created by the CoreThe event also featured a in My City Art Festival overall winner while three performance by Hycinth Ogbuu Artiste of the Troupe. The (LIMCAF) was Keynote speech titled ‘The o t h e r s - B r e n d a and his African Vocals who established and ever Performative Expression in a Emmanuel Chinonso, thrilled the audience with since, its inception 8 Conflict Environment’ is to be Mgbeahuru C. Peter and wonderful renditions in many years ago all the delivered by the President of Okonkwo Onyedika languages. It also featured stories have changed. the Society of Nigerian Theatre went home with Two Sopuru and his quitar, who sent Artistes (SONTA) and Head of hundred and fifty the audience nodding with his Commercialising the Department of Theatre Arts thousand Naira each for quitar. The 2014 festival started productions of the University of Maiduguri being the best in with the opening of the Limcaf Placenta, the winning work Professor Sunday Enesi Painting/mixed media/ 2014 grand finale featuring top Ododo.

The body whose aim drawing, Photography/ 100 artworks selected from a total Meanwhile, the National is to promote panmultimedia/video and of 138 works that qualified from Enugu at Alliance Francaise, Troupe is to perform at the Nigerian art through G r a p h i c s / Te x t i l e the 8 zones at the National Enugu on October, 21. On Armed Forces Remembrance an annual respectively. There were Gallery of Art, Enugu on October October 23, there was a photo Day Banquet scheduled for competition that also consolation prizes 20. exhibition that featured 30 best November 4, 2014 at the offers opportunity for for 23 others whose This was followed by the photographs from Limcaf Pan Presidential Villa. young people to works were shortlisted Children's art workshop for African photography competition showcase and for the finals. selected secondary schools from at same value. commercialise their In his address, the productions, win special guest of honour, handsome prizes and Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka interact with the larger Achebe, disclosed that art community on a the festival had come of national platform has age, survived 8 years lived up to its bidding and is becoming TUDENTS of Government Secondary Consolation prizes that included books and as it has really stronger every year, Schools in Abuja Municipal Area Council mathematical sets were also given to those that changed the profile of adding that the (AMAC) had cause to smile last week as some finished from fourth position to tenth. According many young artists. brochure is classic and of them won laptops, desk top computers and to Igwebuike, a lawyer, who is undertaking her To the organisers, it the zones have cash prizes in the Read and Write on FCT, a National youth service with Nigeria Customs, the has been a success story increased to 11, competition for Government Secondary Schools competition is her little way of encouraging as in spite of the showing positive organized by Rebecca Igwebuike, a youth corper students, especially those in public schools to read, paucity of funds, they achievements.

The with the Nigeria Customs Service, Abuja. and also an avenue to examine the impact of have continued to "African art has come Orjiakor Faith of Government Secondary information technology on the reading culture of keep the flag flying so festival of age in the School, Nyanya won the first prize of a Laptop Nigerian youths. that the dreams of the art has come contemporary and one hundred thousand naira, while her The first stage of the competition kicked off with founding fathers will world. African art has school won a desktop computer and fifty a donation of 210 copies of Things Fall Apart by not be defeated. And of age, has broken into the world thousand naira worth of books, Adejoh Ann from Chinua Achebe to 21 schools in AMAC. Nine last weekend, it was survived 8 view, so also in music Government Day Secondary School Karu came schools qualified for the finals. another feast of arts at and literature," he said, second, she won a Laptop and fifty thousand Molara Wood, an award winning writer who the Nike Lake Resort, years and c o m m e n d i n g naira and her school got a desktop and thirty was special guest of honour and speaker at the as the dream of many is organisers of the festival thousand naira worth of books, while Dangana occasion urged the students to take reading and young artists for their tenacity. He Peace who was third also went home with a laptop writing seriously as it will help improve their becoming continuing in the art thanked the and thirty thousand naira cash prize and her vocabulary. Ms. Wood also argued that unlike business was stronger participating artists for school also got a desktop and twenty thousand watching films, reading will help them to visualize rekindled with the their works. On his part, naira worth of books. every year their environment. presentation of various Elder Kalu Uka,

By Japhet Alakam

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Pupils win laptop, cash prizes at read and write competition

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54—Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014

NASS sends health bill to Jonathan for assent

Fall in oil price, blessing for Nigeria, says National Planning Minister

By Emmanuel Elebeke

By Emman Ovuakporie

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BUJA—THE National Assembly has transmitted the National Health Bill to President Goodluck Jonathan for assent, it was disclosed yesterday.

The bill will establish a basic health care fund through deduction of an additional one percent of Nigeria’s Consolidated Revenue Account, CRA, for primary health care, if assented to by the President.

This is in addition to the expected counterpart funding contribution from the states and local governments.

Special Assistant to the President on House of Representatives Matters, Saudatu Sani, described the bill as ‘an important crossroads’ in the development of the country’s health sector.

The former lawmaker hailed President Jonathan for his non-interference in the affairs of the National Assembly and canvassed cordial executivelegislature relations.

Speaking on behalf of the Health Sector Reform Coalition, Executive Secretary, Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, HERFON, Dr. Muhammed Lecky, said implementation of the bill will save the lives of three million women and children over a five year period.

He said the bill would increase funding; address inequities and respond better to the health needs of Nigerians.

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INISTER of National Planning, Dr. Abubakar Sulaiman, has described the fall in the international price of oil as a blessing in disguise for Nigeria, assuring that the development would impact positively on the country’s economy.

The minister, who is also Deputy Chairman, National Planning Commission, gave

the assurance at an institutional lecture for Block 3 participants of the National Defence College, NDC, in Abuja in a paper, entitled National Planning and Vision 20:2020: An Assessment.

He said the drop in the price of oil would challenge the leadership of the country to bring out its best to break even, stressing that Nigeria was equal to the task.

Sulaiman said: “All we need

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ENATOR Gbenga Ashafa has donated solar streetlights to the Magodo Residents Association as part of effort to further curb the activities of miscreants in the area.

Ashafa, who represents Lagos East senatorial district, said at the handing over ceremony: “The solar street lights we are commissioning, would to a great extent curb many nefarious acts during dark hours, thereby contributing to the security measures already on ground in this estate as provided by the Magodo Residents Association.

through its policies and programmes in various sectors, agriculture inclusive.

“Government is diversifying.

It will affect us, but not to the extent people think. There are areas the country can still explore.

“It is a challenge. We should not be lazy; we should prepare for the future. Oil will not be there eternally.”

Meanwhile, the minister has blamed Nigeria’s multifarious challenges on the peoples' disconnect from their culture.

Jonathan re-appoints Akpobolokemi NIMASA DG

By Jimoh Babatunde

WORKSHOP: From left— Dr. Kenneth Osanebi, VP, Amaigamed Chemicals Nig; Mr. John Akhabue, President, Nigerian Association of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Practitioners; Mr. Sikiru Olowo, Deputy Dir I/C Agrochemicals and Controll Chemical and Pastor Adedeji Akinwunmi, Dep Dir I/C Chemical Evaluator and Research Directorate, both of NAFDAC, at a training workshop in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: Biodun Ogunleye.

Lack of parliamentary books affects legislative process—EKWEREMADU

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—DEPUTY Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has said that the dearth of reference materials on legislative processes was a setback to the performance and development of legislative practice in Nigeria and the entire African continent.

Ekweremadu, who stated this yesterday in Abuja at the presentation of a book,

Legislature in Changing and Challenging Times: An Analysis of the Nigerian National Assembly, also blamed inadequate parliamentary culture, structures, and educational curricula that support legislative development on long years of military rule.

He, therefore, said the book authored by Okechukwu Okoh, the Director of Legislative Support Services, National Institute for Legislative Studies, Abuja,

Ashafa donates solar streetlights to community

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

do is explore other areas. The Customs has surpassed its target, same with FIRS. We need to block all loopholes which are what we are doing as a government.

“We can do without oil to survive, because there are nations who do not have oil and are pretty surviving.

So, what are we talking about?

“The present administration is one that has foresight and had long prepared for this

“It is worthy of note to also state here that this is just one of the year 2013/2014 federal constituency projects I have facilitated to my constituency.

“Some other similar installations of solar street lights are already on Market Street and George Street in Shomolu, and Oba Omolaja Ogunlewe Road, Igbogbo/ Baiyeku LCDA, among other 73 constituency projects facilitated to the district.”

A few minutes after the handing over of the solar street lights, Ashafa also presented a complete set of computer system with

printer, photocopy machine, 2.5 KVA power generating set, UPS and a stabilizer, among other accessories, to Lagos State University chapter of the Federa-tion of Epe Division Students’ Association to assist them in their educational pursuit.

Chairman of Magodo Residents Association, Mr. Kunle Fashogbon, lauded the initiative of the lawmaker.

He said: “The fact that Senator Ashafa facilitated this solar street lights to our estate is simply an indication that he is sensitive to our plight and the project would go a long way in illuminating our roads.”

was a critical intervention towards the development of the nation’s legislature in particular and those of Africa in general.

He said: “This book, coming from a distinguished Professor of Law, who has also had practical experience since coming to the institute where he interacts and networks with parliamentarians on a daily basis, is in my honest estimation, about the best attempt to capture the structure, organization, problems, and challenges of the legislature in emerging democracies.

“It is a brilliant and insightful expose of the legislature, admirably providing a fresh, empirical, and in-depth vista to understanding and rating of the Nigerian legislature.”

In his remarks, the author of the book, Professor Okechukwu Oko, said the book was inspired by the need to tell the true story of the Nigerian democracy to the world.

He said: “The impression you get out there is not exactly the reality on ground.

I, therefore, thought it necessary to present our challenges, progress and how we could do better.”

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has approved the re-appointment of Ziakede Akpobolokemi as the Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA. In a letter by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Pius Anyim, dated October 13, the appointment takes effect on December 23.

Anyim said: “I am pleased to inform you that President Goodluck Jonathan has approved your re-appointment as Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, for a second and final tenure of four years.”

The re-appointment, according to Anyim, is in accordance with Section 11 (1) & (2) of the NMASA Act, 2007.

Transition

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RS. Leticia Eyim Glad Obene (nee Graham Selema Lawson) of Buguma Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State, is dead.

She died August 11.

Burial rites are scheduled for tomorrow, Friday and Saturday.

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 55

Court aborts Abia PDP congress ...Senators petition Mu’azu, PDP NWC

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri & Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA—A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, yesterday, stopped the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from going ahead with its plan to conduct ward congress election in Abia State on November 1.

This came as the three senators of the party from Abia State raised the alarm over alleged composition of illegal Congress/ Primary Election Committee, led Charles Ogbonnaya.

The Senators, Uche Chukwumerije, Enyinnaya Abaribe and Nkechi Nwaogu, who rejected the composition, petitioned the party’s National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, and the National Working Committee, NWC, insisting that “the committee is a body not known to the constitution of the party.”

However, the court, following a suit filed by two aggrieved party members in the state, Chief Igwe Chukwu and Eche James, directed that the proposed election of 3-man ad-hoc delegates from the different wards in Abia State, be put on hold, pending the determination of the matter before it.

The congress election was originally scheduled for Saturday in line with the recommendation of an 11-man committee headed

by Chief Charles Ogbonna.

Justice A.B Muhammed granted the interim order after listening to counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr. Nwoke Kalu, who moved the motion ex-parte that was filed under order 31 Rule 1 (2) of the rules of the high court.

The plaintiffs had in their substantive suit, prayed the court to sack the committee which they accused of bias.

They told the court that the 11man committee was bent on frustrating certain persons from participating in the election.

Joined as defendants in the suit were the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, its National Chairman, Alhaji Adamu Muazu [for himself and as representing members of the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP, Senator Emma C. Nwaka, [for himself and as representing the State Working Committee, SWC, of PDP, Abia State chapter) and Chief Charles Ogbonna (for himself and as representing other committee members for the election of 3-man ad-hoc delegate).

They are therefore praying the court to determine, “whether the 11-man Electoral Committee headed by the 4th defendant has, in spite of its endorsement and approval by the 1st and 2nd defendants, the lawful powers to conduct the election of the 3-man ad-hoc delegates from the different wards in Abia State, who

will participate in primaries for the election of candidates of the party, considering jointly and severally, the provisions of the 1999 constitution (as amended), constitution of the 1st defendant and the guidelines issued for the primaries.

“Whether the 1st and 2nd defendants can endorse and approve the setting up of such a committee and use or allow the use of the outcome of the work of such committee in the conduct of the special committee for electing candidates for the 2015

elections.”

Moreover, they are praying the court for an “order setting aside the endorsement and approval and the setting up and inauguration of the said committee headed by the 4th defendant on record as same is unconstitutional, null and void being inconsistent with the 1999 constitution (as amended), the constitution of the party and guidelines of the 1st defendant” Justice Muhammed adjourned till November 10 to commence hearing on the main suit.

Meanwhile, three senators from Abia State have raised the alarm over alleged composition of illegal Congress/Primary Election Committee led by Charles Ogbonnaya.

They declared as illegal, the committee which was inaugurated by the state Chairman, Senator Emma Nwaka, claiming it contravened the party’s laid down guideline for the primary elections.

The petition, dated October 28, and signed by the three senators, reiterated that composition of the party contravened sections 31 (1), (2, J), (3), 25 (1) of the PDP’s constitution (2012, as amended).

DISTRIBUTION: Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and his wife, Ebelechukwu handing out insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to rural women in Ebenebe, Awka North Local Government Area to mark the opening of the Rollback Malaria Programme in the state, yesterday.

22 APGA aspirants jostle for Assembly, Reps seats in Anambra According to him, “ The former

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—NO fewer than 22 aspirants for House of Assembly and House of Representatives, on the platform of All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, yesterday picked nomination forms.

Briefing journalists at the party secretariat, the state chairman, Chief Mike Kwentor, who described the insinuation that APGA died with Obi’s exit as laughable, said the party was rather growing in leaps and bounds since Obi joined Peoples Democratic Party ,PDP.

Ex-UNTH Governing Council chairman joins Imo gov race

By Sebastine Obasi

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O R M E R Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, UNTH, Enugu, Dr. Charles Amanze, has formally joined the contest for the 2015 Imo State governorship seat.

Amanze, who is the Clinical Director of Pamo Hospitals and Clinics, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said he “is in the race to revive and rebrand Imo State.

Imo is in dire need of a re-

direction. As an accomplished medical doctor, I have all it takes to lift Imo to greater heights. My records speaks for me. ''I have served in both the public and private sector without blemish. Imo therefore needs a man of integrity and honour to pilot its affairs in 2015.”

The medical practitioner also said he would make Imo State the number one state in terms of industrialization/job creation, infrastructural development, education, health and security if he becomes the governor in 2015.

governor, Mr Peter Obi walked into APGA alone and he left the party alone. APGA is a mass movement. People leave individually but people join our party with their supporters.”

He said since the party started the sale of nomination forms on Monday, aspirants had been responding in their scores, noting that the exit of the former governor would not affect the party’s electoral fortunes.

The nomination forms, according to Kwentor, stand at N3.5m for senate, N2.5m for House of Representative and N1.2m for House of Assembly.

Kwentor said the sale of forms which started on October 27, would end on November 4, while the party primaries would hold on November 24, 2014.

One of the aspirants, who addressed reporters after picking the party nomination form, Chief Ernest Elochukwu, said he decided to contest Nnewi North/ Nnewi South Federal Constituency in the 2015 general election on the platform of the party because of its internal democracy.

Monarch slams N30m suit on Enugu govt over unlawful removal

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HE deposed traditional ruler of A m a n d i m - O l o Autonomous community in Ezeagu Local Government Council of Enugu State, Igwe Harford Agana, has instituted a N30 million, challenging his unlawful removal from the throne by the state government.

With file number E/422/ 2014, the suit is at the Enugu State High Court.

The royal father, who listed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Enugu State, Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs, Enugu and Mr. Emeka Nwankwo, as defendants in the suit, is claiming among other things, N20 million from the state government for the embarrassment caused him by the withdrawal of his recognition as the traditional ruler of his community.

He is also claiming N10 million damages against the 3rd defendant (Emeka Nwankwo) for “falsely parading himself” as the traditional ruler of the community to his detriment.

Igwe Agana, through his lawyers, asked the court to declare that the second defendant, Mr. Abugu “does not have the power under the provisions of the Traditional Rulers Law of Enugu State to suspend from office or withdraw the recognition of the plaintiff (Igwe Agana) as the traditional ruler of Amadim-Olo community”.

SON arrests 25, shuts two factories over substandard goods in Onitsha

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NITSHA—THE S t a n d a r d s Organisation of Nigeria, SON, yesterday shut two factories and a shop for allegedly producing and selling substandard goods in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, and arrested 25 suspects.

The suspects included nine males and 17 females.

VANGUARD, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2014 — 56

BRIEFS Succession: Mugabe blasts feuding ZANU-PF members

Whiteman rules Zambia as Sata dies in office ZAMBIAN Vice President Guy Scott, a white Zambian of Scottish descent, became the country ’s acting president yesterday, making him the first white leader of a subSaharan African nation since 1994 when South Africa moved to majority rule.

This came after the death of President Michael Sata, once dubbed “Mr. King Cobra” for his sharp-tongued remarks, who died in a London hospital after a long illness. Sata, 77, had largely dropped out of public view months ago as his health deteriorated.

The government did not divulge details of his condition, but some Zambian media outlets said he suffered multiple organ failure.

President Sata is the second Zambian sitting president to pass away in office in the past six years.

The smooth transition of power that followed former President Levy Mwananawasa’s death in 2008 has observers confident that the process of replacing Sata will be peaceful in this copperrich southern African nation of 15 million.

“We are a strong constitutional democracy and we expect to have a presidential election before Jan. 28, 2015,” says Vernon Mwaanga, a veteran politician and political commentator.

“We did that in 2008, and I have great confidence that … the integrity of the constitution will be respected.”

Zambia gained independence from Britain in 1964, and has peacefully transferred power between each of its

five presidents since then. Regionally, it is viewed as a progressive democracy (though it is ranked as “partly free” in the Freedom House 2014 democracy rankings, meaning there are still restrictions on political rights or civil liberties).

Mr. Mwaanga says the government wants to preserve that reputation.

“We will follow the constitution to the letter to ensure that we continue to enjoy the admiration of the world, which we have enjoyed the past 50 years,” he says.

The constitution dictates that if a president passes away in office, a snap election must be held within 90 days. The vice president – whose parents are Scottish, which constitution bars him from running for the

•Late President Michael Sata nation’s top seat – will serve as interim president until elections take place.

Zambia’s first postindependence leader, President Kenneth Kaunda, played an important role in unifying the nation and giving it the stability it enjoys today. His administration coined the motto, “One Zambia, One Nation,” in

Ebola crisis: Infections ‘slowing in Liberia’, says WHO

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HE World Health Organization (WHO) says there has been a decline in the spread of Ebola in Liberia, the country hardest hit in the outbreak.

The WHO’s Bruce Aylward said it was confident the response to the virus was now gaining the upper hand.

But he warned against any suggestion that the crisis was over.

He said the new number of cases globally was 13,703 and that the death toll, to be published later on Wednesday, would probably pass 5,000.

‘Pet tiger’ The figure of 13,703 is a significant leap on the

previous WHO situation report on Saturday, which showed cases rising above 10,000 for the first time - to 10,141.

But Dr Aylward, the WHO’s assistant director general, said that this increase was due to data being updated with old

URKINABES remain adamant in their protest to stop sit-tight Blaise Campaore from committing a constitutional coup against the country. After presiding over the West African country for 27 years, Campaore has perfected his plot to amend the constitution for a fifth time which has

re-enacted the spectre of uprising witnessed in Burkina Faso in 2011.

Under the present constitution, Blaise Campaore is not eligible to contest the 2015 election but the proposed fifth amendment will see Campaore, who killed Captain Thomas Sankara in October 1987, to become president plans

cases, rather than new cases being reported.

Saturday ’s situation report put the death toll at 4,922.

Liberia’s Red Cross said its teams collected 117 bodies last week, down from a high of 315 in September.

French troops, Islamists clash in Mali

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RENCH forces engaged in a fierce clash with Islamist militants in a mountainous region of northern Mali on Wednesday, France’s Defense Minister JeanYves Le Drian said.

“A violent clash

Burkinabes insist on Campaore’s exit

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its approach to nation building.

President Kaunda created policies that encouraged ethnic and regional integration.

This, analysts say, was a building block upon which Zambia’s democracy grew.

It’s under this slogan that politicians are encouraging Zambians to come together today as they mourn their leader.

to extend his reign beyond 30 years. This has provoked mass protest in the land locked country.

The political class which has tolerated Campaore for the past 27 years are urging the international community to mount pressure on the Burkina Faso president to step down.

between the Barkhane (French) forces and a large number of armed terrorists took place in the Tigharghar valley,” Le Drian said during a parliamentary hearing.

He said the fighters were possibly linked to al Qaeda’s north African wing, AQIM, and the clashes had just finished.

A French army spokesman could not immediately give more details on the clashes.

France dispatched thousands of troops to its former colony early last year to retake control of northern towns that had been overrun by separatists and rebels linked to al Qaeda in 2012 following a coup in the capital Bamako.

Z

IMBABWE’S ageing President Robert Mugabe has blasted succession feuding threatening to split his ruling party, declaring he was still in control just weeks ahead of a crucial party meeting.

“Some war is going on in my party. People want positions. They •Mugabi even want to push senior people out,” Mugabe said in a speech delivered to lawmakers on Tuesday but broadcast on national television only on Wednesday.

“Some are saying ‘Mr Mugabe is old so he should step down’,” he said in his strongest condemnation yet of the factional fight for his and other top posts.

“Who brought the party to where it is now? Who experienced colonial rule jail and was in the bush alongside the freedom fighters?

Libyan militia surround Niger’s embassy

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IGER said Tuesday its embassy in Libya was surrounded by heavily armed militias, possibly in response to unfounded rumours that Nigerien forces had entered the Libyan embassy in Niamey.

The militias encircled the mission in the capital Tripoli in the early hours of Tuesday, resulting in “diplomatic personnel, including the ambassador, being confined,” the secretary general of Niger’s foreign ministry, Abani Sani Ibrahim, told reporters.

He said the gunmen, who drove up in “military vehicles” fitted with heavy machineguns, did not attack the embassy, but he qualified the situation as “extremely serious”.

Ibrahim did not identify the militias.

The official said the incident could be linked to “false” rumours that Nigerian armed forces had entered Libya’s embassy in Niger.

Democrats hopeful in mid-term poll A l a s k a - b a s e d

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N the sprint to next Tuesday’s US midterm elections, new polls show some besieged Democrats holding their own, complicating the narrative that Republicans are on track to seize the Senate majority.

Alaska in particular bears good news for President Barack Obama’s party: two recent surveys show incumbent Senator Mark Begich with a substantial lead, the first polls in a month to put him ahead of Republican challenger Dan Sullivan.

•Obama

Republican-leaning firm Hellenthal and Associates released a poll Friday putting Begich ahead by 10 points.

Late Monday, Ivan Moore Research group released an October 2426 poll on Facebook showing Begich with 48.3 percent and Sullivan 41.6 percent.

Polling is unreliable in Alaska, a remote, sparsely populated state with a large percentage of independent voters.

But the results were significant enough for The New York Times to shift Alaska from likely Republican into the “toss-up” column, joining Georgia, Iowa and Kansas.

In Iowa, a Loras College poll of 1,121 registered voters put Democrat Bruce Braley up by one point against conservative Joni Ernst, countering a recent trend showing Ernst ahead in their tight race. A YouGov poll put the pair even at 44 percent.

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Mbachu retires S

UPER Falcons striker, Stella Mbachu has announced her retirement from football.

Mbachu, who was a member of the Namibia 2014 African Women Championship-winning Super Falcons, said she is calling time on her football career at club and country.

The 36-year-old had first national team appearance and scored in the Super Falcons’ 20 win against Ghana in Abeokuta in the maiden African Women Championship in 1998.

The Most Valuable Player at South Africa 2010 African Women Championship, who had

SCORING MACHINE: Oparanozie

I want to score in every match in Canada – Oparanozie

BY JACOB AJOM

T

OP scorer in the African Women Championship, Desire Oparanozie has promised to score more goals and propel the Super Facons to a respectable finish at the 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Oparanozie who led charge to Nigeria’s record 7th African title in Namibia said her goals will come in torrents in Canada. “”Expect good performance from the team, expect me scoring in every game and expect that as a team we exceed all our previous performances.”

The France based player said as a striker, she always felt awful if she failed to score in a match. “It is always a delight to score goals. In

Canada, I am going to score goals because that is my main task in the team.”

She was happy Nigeria reclaimed the AWC trophy, which is Oparanozie’s second continental title. “It is my second title and it

will boost my CV and attract more teams to me.”

More than being a personal glory, Oparanozie said the Falcons deserved special praise for their efforts and sacrifice.

“They are all great

players who have shown a lot of patriotism. They deserve the support of all,” Oparanozie said.

Although the fleetfooted striker would not predict how long the Falcons can hold on to the trophy, she declared

that having dominated the continent for so long, it won’t be easy for any team to shove them aside.

“We have been there and are still there for now. In present form, we are number one in Africa and we, as players will do our best to keep being number one in Africa,” she said.

Seattle extension delights Obafemi Martins N

IGERIA striker O b a f e m i Martins has revealed he agreed a contract extension with MLS side Seattle Sounders because he is happy and feels at home at the club.

Seattle Sounders on Tuesday announced that they have signed a multi-year contract extension for Obafemi Martins who clock 30 on

same day.

“I’m glad I’m still going to be with the team for a long time,” Martins told reporters following Seattle’s Tuesday practice. “I feel at home here so I hope to continue doing well and helping the team.

“I enjoyed the time I played in Europe,” Martins said. “But the

fact I’m here, I think I’m enjoying my game more. The fact that I’m doing well, scoring goals, I’m glad. I’m happy.”

The former Levante of Spain striker set a club record this season with 17 goals and also tallied 13 assists, making him a vital allaround component of a Seattle attack that has emerged as one of the most dangerous in all of MLS.

Man U sign deal with Nigerian fruit juice company

E

N G L I S H Premiership giants, Manchester United, have signed a deal with with Chi Limited to become the club’s official soft drinks partner in Nigeria.

The multi-year deal allows Chi Limited to use

United’s crest and club imagery on their products in Nigeria.

The deal is reportedly worth between 1-2 Million pounds a year, as they continue to boost their income signing lucrative deals with the aid of their

global appeal.

Man United boast a huge fan base in Nigeria and paraded their 2008 champions league trophy in Nigeria when they came on tour. At a colourful ceremony, held at the prestigious Old Trafford

Stadium in Manchester UK, the management of Chi Limited signed the sponsorship deal with at an event attended by leading players of the club like Angel Di Maria, Robin Van Persie, Valencia and Anders Lindegaard.

ROARING: Martins

•Mbachu 89 appearances and scored 20 goals for Nigeria, said she is fulfilled after winning lots of laurels for her country and club in her trophyladen football career.

The former Rivers Angels forward, who is the only remaining member of the Super Falcons that played at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States, also announced plans to venture into coaching as she felt the time is right to take a bow.

“This is complete, I’ve completed everything about football both for national team and club football. I’m not playing anymore,” Mbachu said.

“I just want to rest and give the younger ones the chance. I know they will do it because they are already doing it,” she explained.

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Mourinho: Mikel's a true professional C

HELSEA manager Jose Mourinho has praised the professionalism of Super Eagles midfielder John Obi Mikel for keeping up his performance when needed despite losing his spot in the team.

The manager in his post-match conference after beating Shrewsbury 2-1 highlighted the Nigerian and Goalkeeper Petr Cech as players who should ordinarily be regulars in the team for big games, but were not bothered and put up a good showing in the game against the team from league two, the fourth tier in English football.

“I had people like Petr Cech and Mikel people with lots of years at the club, who would prefer

to start the game at Old Trafford,” said Mourinho.

“They didn’t and they came here today and gave a fantastic example. After that there are the young boys and they have to follow the spirit and the professionalism of the others.

“Today even if I lost I would have the same kind of words for my players – their respect for the competition, for the opponent, for Chelsea and the Chelsea fans was fantastic.’

John Obi Mikel has been at Chelsea since 2006 making a total of 214 Premier league appearances with one goal since joining from Lyn Oslo in Norway.

Kalu tasks Pinnick on unity

A

S controversy con tinues to envelop the Nigeria Football Federation, former Governor of Abia State and Pillar of Sports, Dr. Orji Kalu has made a passionate call for calm.

Kalu spoke on Wednesday when NFF President Mr. Pinnick Amaju led members of the board to his Abuja residence.

“Please, we cannot continue like this. I call on all stakeholders to consider national interest above everything else. Our country is too fragile now for any individual or group to threaten the only cord that gives all of us joy. Whatever it will take to achieve peace, I am ready to play a huge role,” he told the officials.

The former governor

added that what should pre-occupy the stakeholders is how to earn a ticket to the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

“The Eagles are defending champions and we are just one leg away from elimination. Nigerians cannot afford to watch other countries do battle in their darling team’s absence. Politics is around the corner. It is only football than can douse the tension,” he pointed out.

Kalu also took time to comment on Stephen Keshi, whose contract was not renewed after a string of poor runs.

“Well, Keshi is my friend and I advised him severally. I had wanted him to take Ike Uche to the last World Cup but he had his reasons."

Court

Continues from BP

jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter in the first instance.

The counsel to NFF during Wednesday ’s hearing argued that if the appellants had rode on the NFF status which provides for its matter not to be brought before any civil court, then the court should not entertain the matter.

Habila Arzard, counsel to Yahaya Adama and

Obinna Ogba, both members of the Chris Giwa faction, however argued that any status or law which seeks to oust the jurisdiction of the court or deny any citizen access to justice is in direct contravention of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Fifa has given Nigeria up till noon tomorrow to withdraw the case or face a lengthy

TRACKING . . . Chelsea’s Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel ( R) runs with Shrewsbury’s forward James Collins during their English League Cup round four match at the Greenhous Meadow stadium in Shrewsbury, West Midlands.

Photo: AFP

Danagogo Continues from BP received the team as the NFF President – an event which has led to accusations of Danagogo disobeying court orders.

But Danagogo, a Doctor of L aw, has defended his actions, saying he will never obey a court order that wasn’t served on him.

“I will never obey a court order based on what a newspaper or television is telling me.

You can come and tell me the court has said Amaju is President or the court has said Giwa is President, I will not obey that,” said Danagogo.

“You obey or disobey a court order based on order of court, duly endorsed by the court and served on you.”

The sports minister also says he has no right to stop Amaju Pinnick from parading himself as the NFF President until he

receives a formal order from the court ordering him to do so.

“If I have not received any such formally enrolled order of court and then I go to either a football function and then I see Amaju (Pinnick) there, I will have no right whatsoever in this world to tell him to leave, I cannot,” he added.

“It is only when a court enrols a mandatory order and serves on me and says that ‘don’t ever do this with this man’, that’s when I can say ‘let me be careful’.

“But that has not happened.”

The factions led by Chris Giwa and Amaju Pinnick held a closed door meeting with the Sports Minister in his office on Tuesday.

Both factions were encouraged to sit down with each other and iron their differences out.

They will meet again with Danagogo on Wednesday afternoon.

Toure backs Balotelli L

IVERPOOL defend er Kolo Toure has no doubt team-mate Mario Balotelli is one of the best players in the world and is backing the striker to go on a scoring run following his goal in Tuesday night’s Capital One Cup win over Swansea.

On an eventful evening for the striker, Balotelli helped his side secure a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory in the fourth-round tie at Anfield, notching their equaliser in the 86th minute - only seven minutes after his introduction as a substitute.

With it being just his second goal in 12 games since his move to Liverpool and first in nine, the close-range finish was a welcome boost for Balotelli, although he was also involved in a couple of moments of controversy.

Akwa Ibom inaugurates stadium commissioning committee excitement that will

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O WA R D S g u a r anteeing a hitch free opening ceremon y, t h e A k w a I b o m State Government Tuesday in Uyo set in motion a Central Planning Committee to deliver “ a unique commissioning ceremony” for its 30,000 capacity Akwa Ibom International Stadium.

Major features of the committee include responsibilities that cut across Technical, Logistics, Media and Publicity, Sports content, Venue and facilities, security, protocol and ceremonial, Medical and secretariat.

Billed for Friday November 7 2014, the event that will have the President of the Federation His Excellency Goodluck Jonathan in attendance promises a lot of

showcase the best of Akwa Ibom Culture and tradition all projected in a Transformation theme to be highlighted in songs, music and dance.

There will also be an international friendly encounter between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and their Ghanaian counterparts.

Plans are also in advance stage to invite world renowned sports stars to grace the occasion.

•Akpabio

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I won’t obey court order based on hearsay – Danagogo

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PORTS Minister T a m m y Danagogo says he will ‘never obey’ any court order that is not explicitly served on him,

Court decides on NFF case today J

USTICE Ambrose Allagoa of the Federal High Court sitting in Jos yesterday adjourned to today, to rule in the case of preliminary objection filed by the counsel to the Nigeria Football Federation, Damon Dashen.

The court had ruled on the 23 October nullifying the War ri General Assembly and the subsequent elective congress that brought in the current NFF board led by Amaju Pinnick as president.

Counsel to NFF had on Monday filed a preliminary objection challenging the Continues on Page 62

amid accusations of disobeying a court order after appearing in public with Amaju Pinnick, whose election as the Nigeria Football Federation President was annulled by the Federal High Court in Jos. The Sports Minister was with Pinnick in Lagos when the Falcons arrived in Nigeria with the AWC trophy, and Pinnick

Continues on Page 62

•Danagogo

Jonathan receives AWC trophy RESIDENT

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Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Captain of Super Falcons, Evelyn Nwabuoku; Minister of Sports, Dr Tamuno Danagogo; President Goodluck Jonathan and Coach of the Team, Edwin Okon, at the presentation of African Women Championship Cup won by the Falcons in Namibia on yesterday In Abuja.

G o o d l u c k Jonathan was yesterday, presented with the African Women Championship trophy Nigeria won at the just concluded AWC tournament in Namibia.

The Minister of Sports and Chairman National Sports Commission, Dr Tammy Danagogo led the victorious Super Falcons to the Presidential Villa for the presentation.

The President received the trophy and thanked the Falcons for making Nigeria proud and promised to host them formally early in November.

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 1 Conquer (6) 5 Bough (6) 8 Fiesta (8) 9 Talon (4) 10 Girl’s (3) 12 Crawl (5) 15 Tree (3) 17 Stray (3) 18 Finish (3) 19 Spring (3) 20 Correct (5) 21 Immerse (3) 22 Lettuce (3) 23 Expert (3) 24 Consume (3) 26 Inn (5) 29 Colour (3) 33 Blaze (4) 34 Incurable (8) 35 Decay (6) 36 Rubbish (6)

DOWN 2 Astound (5) 3 Flavour (4) 4 Wanderer (5) 5 Protrude (5) 6 Cunning (4) 7 Grade (5) 10 Hurry (5) 11 Respond (5) 12 Accident (5) 13 Happening (5) 14 Foot-lever (5) 15 Viper (5) 16 Trusted (5) 25 Living (5) 27 Alternative (5) 28 Eject (5) 30 Follow (5) 31 Skin (4) 32 Even (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Taxi 4, Peg 6, Deep 8, Ignite 9, Outlet 10, Row 12, Bread 14, Whine 15, Tower 18, Serene 20, Untold 24, Deter 26, Agree 28, Wagon 30, Get 32, Ignore 33, Office 34, Idle 35, Run 36, Cord.

DOWN: 2, Anger 3, Imitate 4, Peer 5, Grow 6, Ditch 7, Eternal 11, Ode 12, Bus 13, Don 16, Wed 17, Rut 19, Engaged 21, New 22, Traffic 23, Din 25, Ewe 27, Evoke 29, Occur 30, Gear 31, Town.

How to Play Sudoku

P

lace a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can have two of the same number).

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 through 9. This means that no number can appear twice in any block, column or row.

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.

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