Court voids charges against Nyanya bombing

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62284

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

EPZ: Itsekiri, Ijaw leaders begin talks 12

Court voids charges against Nyanya bomber

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

•For lack of diligent prosecution by Police •Gives DSS nod to retain accused in custody •As Police, DSS wrangle over case

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B U J A — A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, struck out the three-count terrorism charge preferred against Aminu Ogwuche, the alleged mastermind of the April 14, 2014 bomb blast that killed more than 75 persons and injured 120 others at a crowded motor park in Nyanya Abuja.

The charges was entered against him by the Inspector-General of Continues on page 5

Boko Haram terrorists disguise as traders, kill scores in Borno

COLUMNISTS: Tambuwal and his shameful lawbreaker supporters

8

Sultan, Oritsejafor differ on Boko Haram 9

•P.17

Madam Clinton: GOP's 44 Real •P. Nightmare

Mr & Mrs

LAGOS BUDGET 2015 — Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos (right) presenting 2015 Budget estimates of N489.690 billion to Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

PDP WARD CONGRESSES: 15 Chime loses in court •Enugu High Court Judge alleges threat to life C M Y K

Amaechi, Rivers' workhorse

ide ns I e Se

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POCKET CARTOON

How the case progressed

NYANYA BOMBING—Aminu Ogwuche, suspected mastermind of the April 14 Nyanya explosion in Abuja (middle), with security personnel as he appeared at the Federal High Court, Abuja, yesterday. Inset: Ogwuche in court. Photos: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Court strikes out charges against Nyanya bomber Continues from page 1 Police.

In his ruling yesterday, Justice Ademola Adeniyi struck out the matter for want of diligent prosecution by the police.

However, the court gave the Department of State Services, DSS, the nod to retain the accused person in its custody until December 5 when it will hear an application seeking his release on bail.

While adjourning the matter, Justice Adeniyi directed the DSS to allow a team of three lawyers representing the accused person; his wife and one of his family members to periodically visit him in the detention cell.

The court further

ordered that the accused be given medical attention and treatment in custody, adding that the DSS should not hesitate to transfer him to the National Hospital should the need arise.

Plans to arraign Ogwuche on September 26 failed because of bickering between the DSS and Police over which of them should be allowed to conduct the trial.

Following a heated argument that ensued between lawyers from the two security agencies, Justice Adeniyi adjourned to enable the Federal Government put its house in order.

The government had in its bid to expedite the

LIFEWORDS

BY PASTOR ITUAH

It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only a bad one to lose it – Benjamin Franklin. Value what you have and hold on to what you value.

TAKE HEART

BY ELLA RANDLE

“Life is not happening to you. Life is responding to you.”

A toxic relationship could be someone who complains and dumps their problems on you but doesn’t do anything to change their situation.

Someone who is not supportive. Someone who makes you feel bad. Someone who shoots down your bright ideas, big goals, or bold decisions that you need to make in order to be successful.

This is not actually intended to reprimand or paint such people in a negative light. Toxic people are usually in a place in their life where they are not open to constructive feedback or changing, so they are stuck in their current situation and don’t have the insight to see beyond their own struggles. And that’s okay. This is why if you have such people around you, try not to allow their negativity to impact your life.

process of extraditing the accused person from Sudan where he fled to shortly after the terrorist attack, entered the threecount charge that was struck out yesterday.

DSS, Police fight for control

The charge which was endorsed by the IGP was still pending before the court when the accused person was successfully extradited to the country with the help of the Interpol in Sudan.

Meanwhile, upon taking custody of the accused person, the DSS approached the court for an order permitting it to retain him in detention until conclusion of investigations into the matter.

Following the DSS application which was filed before another judge of the high court, the agency was granted 90 days to conduct and conclude its investigations.

Though Police lawyer, Mr. Oloye Torugbene, had on July 9, made frantic efforts to dock the accused person, he was opposed by the DSS lawyer, Mr. Clifford Osagie, who drew the attention of the court to the 90 days order of the sister court, noting that the investigative period had yet to elapse.

Osagie urged the Police to withdraw the pending charge, which he said was only drafted for the purpose of extraditing the accused person to the country, a request that was ignored.

Ogwuche had in an exparte application he filed through Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), told the court that since July 15, 2014, when he was arrested in Khartoum, Sudan and extradited to Nigeria, the Federal Government has neither arraigned, tried nor granted him administrative bail despite several demands.

Premising his application on Sections 34, 35, 36, 41 and 43 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, Articles 2, 6, 7(1) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Right (Ratification & Enforcement Act), Ogwuche told the court that he has been denied access to his family members, medical personnel and counsel.

“The applicant is a Nigerian citizen and a student of the International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan. The applicant is a decent young man of 29 years trying to forge ahead academically with hopes of a brilliant future. He has no criminal record.

“That on July 15, 2014, the applicant was abducted in Khartoum, Sudan, brought to Nigeria by the respondents and has since been in custody of the respondents.

“That on May 2, 2014, some officers and men of the 1st Respondent invaded the family ’s private apartment at No 7, Paul Adimagu Close, Malali, GRA, Kaduna seeking information in connection with a telephone line08163311384 owned by Jamilu Sadiq.

“Jamilu Sadiq was subsequently arrested with three other domestic staff and detained in the 1st Respondent's quarters from 2nd to 7th May, 2014. They were, however, released as nothing incriminating was credited to their record.

“The Respondents further requested to know the whereabouts of the applicant as a student of the International University of Africa, Khartoum, Sudan.

“The applicant since his arrest and detention has been denied access to his family members, medical personnel or counsel.

“That unless this exparte application is granted in the interim and as a matter of urgency (pending the hearing and determination of the originating motion) the respondent will continue to violate the applicant’s

rights which are guaranteed under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended.

“That the health of the applicant is under serious threat having not seen his medical personnel for about 12 weeks.

“That the grant of this interim application will reduce the hardship being meted out on the applicant by his continued detention by the respondents, particularly the 1st Respondent’s refusal to grant the applicant access to his solicitor, physician and family members”, Raji begged the court through an affidavit in support of the motion.

More so, he among others applied for, “an interim order granting bail to the applicant or releasing the applicant forthwith conditionally or unconditionally, pending the determination of the substantive originating motion in this matter."

Joined as 1st and 2nd Respondents in the motion were the DSS and the Attorney General of the Federation.

The charge against Ogwuche

Ogwuche was, in the charge that was struck out, alleged to have conspired with others (at large), to commit an act of terrorism by detonating improvised explosive devices at Nyanya Motor Park, which resulted in the death of 75 persons and injuring more than 100 other persons.

Count two of the charge read: “That you, Aminu Sadiq Ogwuche, Male, and others now at large, on the 14th of April, 2014 at Nyanya, FCT, Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did facilitate the activities of persons engaged in an act of terrorism, by detonating improvised explosive devices at the Nyanya motor park which resulted in the death of 75 persons and injuring more than 100 other persons.”

The alleged offences were said to be punishable under Sections 1 (2) (d) and 17 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act of 2013.

I ‘ll kill more infidels – Ogwuche Shortly after his extradition and arrival at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on July 15, the alleged mastermind of the Nyanya bomb blast had boasted that he was still lusting to shed more blood of those he described as “infidels.”

“If I am left alone, I will still kill those infidels who have refused to repent of their sins against Allah. This is my mission on earth. My mission is to wipe out infidels from the face of the earth. You call me bomb detonator, and I love that. I am ready to kill again. In fact, I enjoy killing people who are unbelievers; those deceived by western education and disobedient to Allah and His Holy Koran. I don’t care what will happen to me now because if I die, I shall go to heaven for doing God’s work. I won’t beg anybody for forgiveness but I can assure you that my socalled trial will not be an easy exercise. If I like, I plead not guilty in court to make things difficult for the Federal Government but inside my mind, I know I did the damn thing. It is my word against Federal Government evidence. I know a little bit about the intricacies of the law through the study of several law books.

Nobody can push me around because I am not a fool,” said Ogwuche who was born in the United Kingdom.

Regaling his interrogators with gory tales of his exploits in the world of violence, Ogwuche said he and hundreds of Boko Haram members were trained in Somalia and Pakistan in the science of terrorism.

6—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

UNIJOS students protest hike in fees, exams postponed

Cultists kidnap, murder Kogi varsity professor, student

By Boluwaji Obahopo

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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OS—STUDENTS of the University of Jos, UNIJOS, yesterday, protested the purported systematic increase of school fees by management of the school, saying they were already paying exorbitant fees for poor services.

President of the Students’ Union Government, SUG, Abel Nok Du, said the students were not happy with the increase of their levies, for which they had written and notified the school authorities.

He said: “We are calling for the removal of N10,000 development levies from our school fees; we are also calling for the reduction of N25,000 acceptance fees for admission.

“Our properties have been destroyed because students accused us of compromise.”

Meanwhile, management of the university has denied the increase in fees and also postponed the second semester exams slated for yesterday (Monday) to December 1 to address the issues.

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OKOJA—A lecturer with Kogi State University, KSU, Anyigba, Associate Professor Justice Olurotimi Otitolaye, has been reported killed by cult members in the institution.

Vanguard gathered that Professor Otitolaye, who had been championing war against examination malpractice in the institution, was abducted around Stadium Road, near the campus on Friday night, on his way to a supermarket.

His bullet-riddled body was found in the early of hours of Sunday at Ejule, which is about eight kilometres away from the school.

The cultists were said to have fired sporadic shots into the air to scare away people living around the area before taking the lecturer to an unknown destination.

The murdered lecturer, simply called Otis, was a renowned agriculturist, who was a former pre-degree director and a lecturer in Faculty of Agriculture in the Department of Agric Economics and Extension at the university.

Otis, who was said to be a jovial, nice and well-respected person, also held a chieftaincy title from his home town, Kabba, headquarters of Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area of the state.

The body of the lecturer has been deposited at the university teaching hospital.

Some lecturers and students expressed shock over the incident, and decried the incessant killings in the institution.

They called on the management to take urgent steps to address the ugly trend.

When contacted, KSU Chairman of Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, said the body had summoned an emergency meeting to look into the case of the murdered lecturer.

Meanwhile, a 400 level Mathematical Science student

Professor Otitolaye. of the school, Jimoh Faruk, has also been killed by the cult group.

The student was killed, according to a source, around the dreaded Stadium Road on Saturday night.

Bauchi Police probe attempted murder

By Suzan Edeh

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AUCHI—BAUCHI State Police Command has commenced investigation into an attempt to kill a traditional title holder in Bauchi Emirate, Alhaji Nuru Adamu.

According to a statement by the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Muhammad, two unknown armed men, rode on a motorcycle and shot Adamu on his leg on his way from the mosque.

It said: “On November 23 at about 7p.m., gunmen trailed the movements of a traditional title holder on his way from the mosque.

“The gunmen who were on a motorcycle failed in their attempt to kill him and shot him in the leg.”

SPILL: Well 9, a Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, facility, spewing crude oil at Ikebiri community in Olodiama clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, since last Thursday. PHOTO: Samuel Oyadongha.

Police arrest fake suicide bomber in Kano

By Abdulsalam Muhammad

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ANO—A fake female suicide bomber was taken into custody by the police in Kano yesterday, following a bomb scare.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that the incident occurred around 12.30p.m. when the police guard on duty at Kwali Police Division suspected a

strange middle-aged woman in Burqa (veil) heading to the station.

The account had it that “the strange woman refused to stop for scrutiny, when ordered by the police guard at the security post.”

The encounter at the security post drew the attention of armed personnel, who mobilized themselves and surrounded the strange woman for failing to

comply with police order.

The account added that the strange woman said: “I am ready to die. But mark you, there are two others at large in the city.”

A security source, who corroborated the eyewitness account, said: “We acted fast and got her sleeping with a substance fired at her.

“To our surprise, the woman had covered herself with used

pomade containers and sundry harmless objects.”

The security source told Vanguard that “preliminary investigation revealed that the strange women is mentally deranged, but would be confirmed by expert” Contacted for confirmation, Kano State Police imagemaker, ASP Magaji Majia, sent an SMS saying, “I am sorry, I am out of the country.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—7

4 policemen, 3 others arrested over Ondo bullion van robbery

COLLECTED: Arms recovered from robbers

by Oyo State Police Command in Ibadan, yesterday.

NAN PHOTO.

By Dayo Johnson

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Woman allegedly poisons 9-yr-old girl over N.3m business deal with father

By Abel Daniel

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AFIA—THE Police in Lafia, Nasarawa State, has arrested one Mrs. Sandra Linus, for allegedly poisoning the nine-year-old daughter of her business partner due to disagreement from a business deal.

While parading the suspect, who resides near Angwan Police Station in Masaka area of the city, alongside other criminal suspects at the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, in Lafia yesterday, Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Ugochukwu Theodore, said the suspect was arrested when information reached the officers and men of the Masaka Police station that one Miss. Nnanna Ogbonna, living near Chief palace in Masaka was reported kidnapped by an unknown persons.

The said Ogbonna Nnanna was later traced by Police to the house of one Miss Helen, a sister to the accused, Mrs. Sandra Linus, where the girl was found unconscious as she had been forced to drink sniper, an insecticide.

The victim, according to the police, was rushed to a nearby

clinic for medical attention and was confirmed to have ingested a chemical substance, which resulted in her state of unconsciousness.

When interrogated, the

suspect confessed that she administered the chemical substance on the girl because the father, who is her business partner, refused to remit to her N274,000, being money of a

business deal they earlier agreed to share.

Police added that sister of the accused, Mrs. Ann Ndidi, in whose house the girl was found, was currently at large.

Two policemen, NYSC member killed in failed bank robbery

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI—TWO policemen and two others, including a National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, member, were killed yesterday at Ikere Ekiti by armed robbers during an operation.

The bandits were said to have stormed an old generation bank located at Kajola Street in the town at about 3.25p.m.

The bandits were said to have shot indiscriminately in all directions to scare away people and attacked a police station near the bank.

In the process, bullets were said to have hit a male police officer in his office and another female police on the forehead as she ran for cover.

The NYSC member was said

to have been killed while attempting to withdraw money from an ATM. The arrival of police and soldiers reportedly prevented the robbers from gaining entrance into the bank’s vaults, as the robbers were said to have fled on sighting the security operatives.

Public Relations Officer of the state Police Command, Mr. Victor Babayemi, confirmed the story, adding that he was waiting for details from his men.

Meanwhile, police has arrested former Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, in the state, Mr. Adeniyi Adedipe, in connection with the assassination of the late state chairman of National Union

of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, Mr. Omolafe Aderiye.

At a briefing in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the Commissioner of Police said Adedipe would soon be charged to court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

Lakanu added that the command banked on available direct and circumstantial evidence to effect Adedipe’s arrest in connection with Aderiye’s murder.

The police boss also mentioned Chinedu Ugwu, Adekunle Osho, Eniola Sunday and Afolayan Segun as those in detention for alleged conspiracy and robbery and an alleged land grabber, Igimoney Oladapo, who, he said, would soon be arraigned in court.

Legal tussle on demolition of Anglican Church begins in Anambra

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

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NITSHA—LEGAL battle has at last resumed in court between Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Anglican Diocese on the Niger over the demolition of the church at Oyolu-Oze, Nkwelle-

Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area.

The legal tussle, which is now pending before Justice Diribe Amechine of an Otuocha High Court, Anambra East Local Government Area, was brought against Governor Obiano, the Attorney General of the state

and Commissioner for Justice and others by the Diocese on the Niger of the Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion.

At the end of yesterday’s proceeding, the case was adjourned to January 23, 2015, for further hearing.

When the case was called up, counsel to the Diocese, Chief Udechukwu Udechukwu (SAN), told the court that they had filed an application for prohibition against Anambra State govern-ment to stop the panel it set up on the demolition of the church.

KURE—FOUR Police officers and three others have been arrested in connection with the attack and robbery of a bullion van conveying an unspecified amount of money from Ondo town to Akure, the state capital, last week.

The state Police Commissioner, Isaac Eke, said he suspected conspiracy as he noted that the policemen who escorted the bullion van did not book with operation unit of the state Police Command.

Detectives, acting on a tip-off, rounded up the suspects, including the two drivers of the bullion van and escort vehicle and the cash officer that accompanied the vehicle.

The state command spokesman, Wole Ogodo, said: “The four officers that escorted the bullion van, the cash officer and two drivers in the bullion van are with us to help in ongoing investigation.”

2 docked for Internet scam

By Ifeanyi Okolie

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WO suspected fraudsters, who were recently arrested by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Edo State, over a €61,500 internet scam, have been arraigned in court.

The suspects, Gabriel Osereme Xavi, A.K.A. Collins Page, and Aikhaituamen Best Junior Cyril, who were accused of defrauding a 49-year-old Belgian nurse, Goryczka Janina, were brought before Justice E. F. Ikponmwen of Edo State High Court, sitting in Benin, on charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

Xavi was slammed with a 12-count charge, while Aikhaituamen was docked on a six-count charge.

They were alleged to have fleeced Janina, who they met on Facebook, of €55,500.

Ikponmwen adjourned the case to December 8 and ordered them remanded in prison custody.

8 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

FG threatens to withdraw DISCOs’ licences over rejection of loading allocations

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA — THE Federal Government, yesterday, threatened to withdraw operational licences of the electricity Distribution Companies, DISCOs, that are rejecting electricity load allocations in the country.

Minister of Power, Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, who issued the threat, while featuring at the 2014 Ministerial Platform to showcase his scorecard in Abuja, blamed some DISCOs for refusing to stock their warehouses with equipment to respond speedily to customers’ demands.

Expressing disappointment over the development, which makes it difficult for the consumers to enjoy electricity supply, Nebo therefore warned that, “from henceforth, any DISCO that rejects electricity load allocation would be sanctioned or has its license withdrawn.”

According to him, “the national grid is limited in reach. The available electricity is insufficient to meet existing power needs, in spite of shortage, government is making effort to electrify the rural communities.”

He said it was in a bid to bridge the electricity deficit in the rural areas that the President flagged off Operation Light Up Rural Nigeria (OLRN) Initiative on January 13, 2014 at Durumi, Shape and Waru in the FCT using renewable energy.

The minister added that plans were underway to replicate OLRN pilot across the 36 states of the federation.

Nebo who pegged the current power generation in the country at 4,600 megawatts said 5,500 megawatts of electricity would be achieved

by December end.

On stranded power in the country, Nebo said government, in its efforts to get stranded power unto the grid, identified a number of companies willing to generate power and export to the grid.

The Federal Ministry of Power is coordinating the process with its relevant agencies.

He explained that the companies are: Ajaokuta Steel Company, 85mw; ALSCON, 100mw; Lafarge Cement, 40mw; Obajana Cement Plc, 35mw; Kaduna Refinery, 33.5mw; Geometric 22mw and NESCO, 26mw respectively.

Insurgents disguise as traders, kill scores in fresh Borno attack

By Ndahi Marama

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AIDUGURI— SUSPECTED Boko Haram gunmen in a convoy of Toyota Hilux vehicles and motorcycles attacked Damasak town in Borno State, yesterday, with Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and petrol bombs, killing scores of residents.

The gunmen were said to have stormed the town around 7 am.

Damasak is a border town with Niger and 187 kilometres north of Maiduguri, the state capital.

The gunmen, according to Multinational Joint Task Force (MJTF) sources in Maiduguri, also torched and looted several houses and shops, before the soldiers rushed to the border town by 11.45pm, yesterday.

“I cannot give you the exact number of people killed today (yesterday) here in Damasak, but many people were killed while fleeing into the river and to Gashigar and Diffa towns for safety. The gunmen used IEDs and petrol bombs in attacking this town in the morning while most residents were still in their houses,” said the MJTF source, yesterday.

Gunmen disguise as traders Another account of the attack had it that the gunmen disguised as traders and opened fire at a crowded market in the town.

A military officer, who had direct knowledge of the raid, told AFP that “the terrorists disguised as traders and opened fire on unsuspecting traders at a market in Damasak.”

Another witness, Mohammed Damasak, who works with the local government, said the weapons were concealed in containers the gunmen brought to the market.

“They pretended to be traders but sadly inflicted horror. Many traders escaped with bullet wounds while many are lying dead at the market,” he added.

Confirming yesterday ’s attack, Senator Maina Ma’aji Lawan said one of the border towns in the Borno North Senatorial District was attacked, yesterday, by suspected Boko Haram Islamic militants with many residents killed, while others fled to Niger and into River Kumadugu for safety.

Lawan in telephone interview said: “The residents of Damasak, a border town with Niger, are in confusion

with sporadic gunshots and looting of shops and houses.

The reports I am receiving, as I speak, indicated that a lot of houses and shops there were set ablaze by insurgents that struck Monday morning. Most of the gunmen dressed in military uniform to disguise as Nigerian soldiers sent to protect

Damasak, only to launch multiple attacks on this border town with a population of over 250,500.

“The firing powers of the gunmen overwhelmed our soldiers in the MJTF, so what they did was to flee the town for safety like the residents that

fled into Niger and river this morning.”

The attack and killings in Damasak came barely 24 hours after the terrorists killed 48 fishermen and traders, weekend, at Doron Baga, 155 kilometres east of Damasak, the council headquarters of Mobbar in Borno State.

SUMMIT: From left: National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress, APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, Executive Director, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre, WARDC, and Samson Davies, Managing Director, Investcorp Medicare during a one-day male political leaders summit, in Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.

INVASION OF DATA CENTRE: APC blasts DSS •Suspends membership registration •Produce copies of cloned cards, APC tells DSS

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By Dapo Akinrefon

AGOS— THE All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday lampooned the Department of State Service (DSS) for invading the data centre of the party in Lagos on Saturday It, however, described as “plainly implausible and a witless afterthought” the reasons given by the DSS, calling the security service a shameless apologist of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Similarly, the APC in Lagos challenged the DSS to produce copies of the cloned cards and show Nigerians the copies of the cards it claimed that APC was cloning in its Data Office in Lagos.

In a statement by its Lagos State Publicity Secretary, Joe Igbokwe, the party said the present leadership of the DSS has “turned what should be a viable state security outfit to an attack dog willing and ever ready to do the dirty biddings of the PDP.” Operatives of the DSS and soldiers attached to the security unit code-named Operation MESA on Saturday stormed the APC data centre in Lagos and arrested 25 data agents and three security guards.

Addressing a press conference

in Lagos after conducting journalists round the office, APC’s National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed wondered why a self-respecting intelligence gathering agency will rely on beer parlous gossips in carrying out its onerous responsibility, especially in a politically-charged environment like what prevails in the country at present.

He also called on Nigerians and the country’s international partners to condemn the “primitive action.”

Mohammed said: “The spokesperson for the DSS said the organisation had put the building housing the data centre under surveillance, and that it only acted after it was convinced that ‘unwholesome activities’ were taking place. What hogwash! If indeed they put the place under surveillance, would they not have been able to establish that it is an APC data centre? Even if they were not sure, what prevents them from obtaining a court order permitting them to enter and search the building instead of carrying out a Gestapo-like operation? Are security agencies above the law?"

Suspends membership registration

The APC spokesperson said

following the damage done to the equipment at its data centre in Lagos, it has been forced to suspend its membership registration.

He explained that “the viciousness and barbarism of the attack on the data centre and the arrest of 26 innocent workers, which put a lie to the DSS claim, have disrupted and corrupted the continuous offline and online membership registration across the country.

“The over 50 security men who invaded our offices not only vandalised the offices, they pulled out and carted away the server and computer systems. Their activities have, therefore, affected the process of online/offline registration and data capture of APC members across the country, hence we are left with no choice than to suspend the process.”

While calling for an independent inquiry into the invasion, which he alleged has taken the impunity of the Jonathan administration to its worst level yet, he said it would determine the identity of those who sent the invading force and “meting out the necessary punishment to them, irrespective of their political status.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—9

Sultan, Oritsejafor differ on war against Boko Haram •Sultan: We’ve done enough to educate sect to stop violence •Oritsejafor: No, you’ve not done enough

Dangote, FirstBank, Elizade among Nigeria’s top 100 firms

By Soni Daniel

By Favour Nnabugwu

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BUJA— TWO prominent Nigerian religious leaders the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the National President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday, openly differed on the war being waged against Nigeria by the Boko Haram insurgents.

Although the two religious leaders agreed that the Boko Haram sect had committed serious havoc against the country and its people, they disagreed sharply on why the sect has continued to unleash unabated violence on the nation.

The two men of God spoke at a roundtable meeting with special advisers on religious affairs drawn from the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory held at the old Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The programme with the theme “Toward synergising and interfacing in the religious sector for national development” organised by the Offices of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Islamic and Christian Matters was declared open by Vice President Namadi Sambo.

In effect, Abubakar had insisted that Islamic leaders had done their best to dissuade the sect from committing further destruction of lives and property while the CAN President punctured the claim, saying that the Islamic leaders had not done enough in that regard.

Muslim leaders have tried so much—Sultan According to the Sultan, Islamic leaders have “tried so much” to preach against the activities of the sect but Oritsejafor said such effort was not strong enough to prevent the insurgents from further mayhem.

The Sultan maintained that there was no problem between Islam and Christianity in Nigeria, pointing out that if there was any problem between the two major religions, it would have been dealt with at that level.

Abubakar, however, blamed the rising level of insurgence on lack of education about religions which breeds lack of trust and sincerity.

He regretted that while Islamic leaders have continued to condemn the insurgents,

ROUNDTABLE: From left: President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III; Vice President Namadi Sambo and President, Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor during a two-day roundtable meeting with Special Advisers on Religious Affairs from the 36 states of the Federation and FCT at the Conference Centre, State House, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. they are still being accused of not doing enough. This, he said, was not fair to the religious leaders.

He said, he had personally gone across the globe to preach peace and uphold the fact that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.

In his quest for peaceful relationship between adherents of the two religions, the Sultan said he had written two separate lengthy letters to the Catholic Pope and the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

He said when people were asking Islamic leaders to sit with insurgents and discuss, they fail to note that the current situation could not be compared to the activities of militants in the Niger Delta.

Abubakar said: “In a situation where Muslim leaders condemn insurgents and they will still be told they have not done enough.

That is not fair. We don’t tell ourselves the truth.

Followers are not telling the leaders the truth, and the leaders will think they are doing the right things.

“If the governor in Sokoto is told that he should sponsor four people to Christian pilgrimage, so be it. It is government’s fund.

If a land is needed in Kano for a church, they should get it after following the due process.

“Muslim leaders have tried so much. I have gone across the globe to say that there is no problem between Islam and Christianity.

We are not going deep enough —Oritsejafor Oritsejafor said: “But if we would come together there must be sincerity, equality, fear of God and genuine love for one another. The problem with gatherings like this is that if we are not careful it becomes an occasion for good photographs, we shake hands, we talk very nicely, we are all politically correct. We don’t want to offend each other. Please let’s offend each other, we need to. Because if we don’t offend each other, we will not tell each other the truth and that is part of Nigeria’s problem.

“If you come out to say certain things, there are those who feel you are rocking the boat, but God is in the boat, the boat will not sink. Let us talk to each other, let’s tell the truth to each other and let’s not sweep it under the carpet.

When we finish the opening ceremony and you go into the close door session, lay all the cards on the table.

“It is truth your Eminence that Christianity and Islam have no problem but I’m glad you said, there could be problem between Christians and Muslims and the reason is because probably we are not

going deep enough.”

Likening Nigeria to the boat in the Holy Bible that wanted to sink with Jesus Christ on board but did not sink, he noted that many things have happened in Nigeria that have rocked the boat, but the boat has remained standing.

He said: “Some are religious, political, tribal, but different things have happened that have rocked the boat. But let me still thank the Lord that the boat is still floating.”

Querying why a church in the North in the last 30 years have not been able to get a Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) for land, he said any mosque or church should be able to get C of O anywhere in the country.

Letter to Boko Haram He charged the Sultan to also write a letter to Boko Haram to stop their attacks and not just the letter to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

He said: “His Eminence said he wrote a letter to ISIS, I have to truly congratulate you for that because that was a very good move. I didn’t know about it until today and I am so glad it happened. But I want to appeal that you also write to Boko Haram because Boko Haram is worst than ISIS. They have killed more people than ISIS, they have caused more atrocities than ISIS. They need to be written to as well, it is very important it will help.”

BUJA — The Federal Government has named Dangote Group, FirstBank, Chevron and Elizade among the top 100 companies operating in the country, even as it disqualified trading companies and those with labour issues.

The Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which revealed this in Abuja, yesterday, also named MTN, Globacom, Chi Group, Nigerian Brewery, Nigeria Flourmills, UAC, APM Terminal, Eko Supreme, Mamuda Industries, Doff Foods, Wemco, Kolawaole Enterprises and Indorama as part of the companies which have been recognised.

The FRC’s Business Assessment Committee Chairman, Mr Jim Obazee, did not specify if this development will accord the affected companies any special privilege aside dining with President Goodluck Jonathan at the villa next Monday.

However, it was learnt that this group will form the corps of the nation’s private sector operators to collaborate with the government in its Vision 20:20:20.

According to Obazee, “some of the leaders include Chevron in oil and gas industry, we have MTN and Globacom in telecoms, we have FirstBank in the banking industry, Nigerian Breweries in the food and beverage industry, among others.

"It is a business assessment issue and we are looking at the top 100 businesses in Nigeria to be celebrated for recognition which is an initiative of President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

“It has been a very tight exercise for us. Since 1960, our businesses have become global. It is important that there should be global recognition and global awards, though some countries have looked at it from the point of award but in Nigeria we are looking at it from the point of recognition.

“The celebration of these institutions will promote business enterprise in Nigeria; it will also foster economic and social development and definitely lead to the general wellbeing of Nigerians.”

10— Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

SERAP wants Nigerians to support ICPC

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By Innocent Anaba

AGOS—A civil society group, SocioEconomic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, yesterday, called on Nigerians to support the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, ICPC in fighting corruption in the country.

Executive Director of SERAP, Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, made the call at the launching of a book titled,” Citizens Guide to the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission.”

The 140-page report was produced by SERAP in collaboration with the Open Society Initiative for West Africa, OSIWA, a non-governmental organisation.

Mumuni said that despite some marginal improvements in the fight against corruption in Nigeria, high level official corruption remains widespread.

EFCC opposes Babalakin's bid to quash N4.7bn fraud charges

By Abdulwahab Abdulah,

Bartholomew Madukwe & Ebele Okafor AGOS—THE application by Dr. Wale Babalakin and his co-defendants are asking an Ikeja High Court to quash the alleged N4.7 billion fraud charges preferred against them was yesterday opposed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. At the resumed hearing of the matter before Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo, EFCC counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, opposed all the applications on the ground that the prosecutorial powers of the Federal Government, through the EFCC, was governed by the constitution.

Babalakin, his two companies, Bi-Courtney Limited and Stabilini Vision Limited (3rd and 4th defendants) alongside Alex Okoh and Renix Nigeria Ltd, are facing a 27-count charge for fraudulently transferring N4.7 billion on behalf of the convicted former governor of Delta

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PROTEST: Lagos State Governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola (right), addressing the crowd during a joint peaceful protest by Lagos and Ekiti House of Assembly members on the purported removal of the Ekiti State’s House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Adewale Omirin, at the Lagos House, Ikeja.

Fashola presents N489.69bn 2015 budget proposals

By OlasunkanmiAkoni, Ebun Sessou & Monsur Olowoopejo

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AGOS—GOVERNOR Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday presented a 2015 budget proposal of N489.69 billion to the state house of assembly for consideration.

The amount was the same as that of 2014.

The breakdown shows that education got N82.11 billion or 16.6 per cent as against N77.42 billion or 15. 81 per cent recorded in 2014.

Environmental protection got a vote of N34.95 billion or 7.1 per cent instead of N39.72 billion or 8.11 per cent it was allocated in 2014.

Recreation, culture and religion got N3.12 billion or 0.6 per cent as against N3.48 billion or 0.71 per cent in 2014.

Housing and community amenities got N49.03 billion or 10 per cent as against N50.54 billion or 10.32 per cent in 2014, while health was allocated N44.62 billion or 9.1 per cent instead of N37.81 billion or 7.72 per cent it was voted in 2014.

Public order and safety got N15.55 billion or 3.2 per cent instead of N17.98 billion or 3.67 per cent it got in 2014, while social protection recorded N1.59 billion or 0.3 per cent as against N2.47 billion or 0.50 per cent in 2014.

Fashola said that the budget size was retained in order to keep zero deficits for the incoming government.

Fashola will be leaving office in May 2015 after completing two terms.

“We have retained the same budget size of 2014 to keep zero deficits.

“This will give the administration the room to start up very quickly,” he said.

He said that the 2015 budget would focus on payment of contractors’ liabilities to enable the government to complete as many projects as possible before handing over to the next administration.

“For example, out of the 400 roads that we promised, we have completed over 190 in the last three years, with 210 at various advanced stages.

“The on-set of dry weather provides the opportunity to complete all of them,” he said.

Fashola said that the government had started compiling a list of another 400 roads that would be handed over to the next administration for consideration, adoption and implementation.

He said that this would help to accelerate reconstruction of inner city roads.

The governor said that the highlight of the budget would be settlement of outstanding pension liabilities.

“Without consultation with the states, the Federal Government has reviewed pensioners’ entitlements upwards by 142 per cent without a corresponding 142 per cent upward review of states’ revenues.

“Our government’s compassion for these pensioners has weighed more heavily on our minds than the legal misfeasance of the Federal Government.

“Our government now budgets for the 142 per cent arrears in addition to 12 per cent and six per cent recent reviews.

“This is the least that we think these public servants deserve.

“Apart from this, our contributory pensions have been largely up-to-date except for a few parastatals for which we are also making provisions.

“We want to substantially reduce pension difficulties in Lagos before the next administration comes in; even if we cannot totally solve them, we intend to leave behind a sustainable plan for their final resolution,” Fashola said.

Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, the Speaker of the assembly, said that when passed into law, the 2015 Budget Bill would receive strong and consistent fiscal management.

Ikuforiji noted that Nigeria was experiencing a fall in oil price.

“As legislatures, we recognise that some economic externalities greatly affect socio-economic growth and are sharp enough to influence budget reprioritisation,” he said.

The event had in attendance various personalities such as the

First executive Governor of the state, Alhaji. Lateef Jakande and his deputy, Alhaja Rafiu Jafojo.

Others were Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu; All Progressives Congress, APC, members and stalwarts led by party chieftain, Chief Henry Ajomale; Senators Anthony Adefuye and Olorunnimbe Mammora.

Lawmakers approve N2b small scale enterprises loan

Earlier, the House through a resolution granted an approval to Governor Fashola to access the sum of N2 billion loan for small scale enterprises out of the N220 billion intervention fund made available for states by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN in response to an earlier request from Governor Fashola.

As each state in the federation has opportunity to access a maximum of N2 billion of which Delta state has benefited.

2015: Buhari returns nomination

form

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—FORMER Head of State and presidential aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Gen. Mohammadu Buhari, yesterday, returned his completed nomination form to the party secretariat.

At a very brief ceremony that followed, Buhari expressed gratitude to the leadership of the party led by its national chairman, Mr. John Oyegun for receiving him.

He also reacted to the fracas at the National

Assembly last week, saying that the police had no right to fire tear gas at the lawmakers.

He said: “It is a distressing situation where those who are supposed to protect the constitution are the ones that are undermining it.

"The House of Representatives and the Senate are sacred places, they shouldn’t go there as members of law enforcement agencies much less fire teargas. By doing so, they are undermining the Constitution.”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 —11

ALLEGED MURDER: Court stops re-arrest

of Ekiti APC leaders

By Gbenga Ariyibi DO EKITI—A Federal High Court sitting in Jos, the Plateau State, capital, has restrained the police from rearresting the State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Jide Awe, and four other members over alleged murder of Ayo Jeje and Juliana Adewumi during a political crisis in Erinjiyan-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

Others granted relief are Faboro Ojo John, Aniramu Basiru, Falayi Busuyi and Owonifari Sefiu.

Defendants are the Inspector General of Police, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Plateau State Commissioner of Police and Ekiti State Commissioner of Police.

In a motion under the enforcement of their fundamental rights and fundamental rights enforcement procedure brought before Justice A. Lewis-Allagoa, the plaintiffs in suit no. FHC/J/CS/102/2014 prayed the court to declare as unconstitutional the planned and threatened re-arrest, detention and arraignment in connection with the fact leading to their previous arrest and arraignment for the murder.

Ruling on the exparte motion, Lewis-Allagoa granted all the reliefs sought by the applicants pending the determination of the originating motion on notice before the court.

He ordered the motion to be served on the respondents not less than seven days before the hearing of the Originating Motion on Notice and adjourned the matter to December 3, 2014 for hearing.

Meanwhile, the Publicity Secretary of APC, Taiwo Olatubosun, has praised the ruling by the court, saying the judiciary remains the last hope of the people, noting that this

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ruling would have been unnecessary if not because of the state of siege the country has found itself.

APC lawmakers fail to resume sitting

The embattled APC lawmakers in Ekiti State House of Assembly yesterday failed to resume their legislative duties at the state House of Assembly, just as the purported speaker Dele Olugbemi blasted the Nigeria Speaker’s Forum for condemning the process which resulted in Omirin’s alleged impeachment.

Olugbemi who spoke in Ado Ekiti yesterday, cautioned the forum against dabbling into what he described as purely internal problem of Ekiti lawmakers.

In a related development,the embattled Speaker, Hon Adewale Omirin has said the APC lawmakers are staying away from the assembly because the state was not safe for them.

“We will only resume when the coast is clear,nobody is ready to lose his life.’’

Omirin who spoke through a telephone yesterday said he got an information that the state government intends to eliminate two or three of their members “We were duly informed they are targeting two or three of our members, they wish to do that so that they will reduce our number in order to could conduct bye election where they could have majority in the assembly.’’

On the implication of staying outside the state beyond the stipulated number of days by the House Rule, ,Omirin said the House has a right to regulate its rule.

Olugbemi says he remains speaker

But speaking with newsmen in Ado Ekiti, yesterday, Olugbemi said he remained the authentic speaker of the assembly, adding that he was

dully elected by 10 of the 26 members of the assembly having impeached Omirin.

He said: “The so called speakers forum is a committee of friends, a speaker in Edo or Sokoto or anywhere in the country cannot dictate to us in Ekiti Assembly who to elect as the speaker.

“They have to recognise me, if they don’t recognise me, I will stop the money that go from here to the forum. Anyway, we are not aware that they said so.”

Olugbemi, while justifying his election, said the issue of election of the speaker does not require any specific number adding that nine forms the quorum for sitting.

“Section 11 of the Standing Order of the house allows one third to be the quorum of the house. Section 10 of the 1999 constitution as amended empowers the house to suspend the standing order at any time to discuss a serious issue,” he said.

SUBMISSION OF FORM: Lagos State governorship aspirant on the platform of All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat (middle) submitting his governorship Nomination and Expression of Interest forms to the National Organizing Secretary of the Party, Senator Osita Izunaso (right) and Director of Organization, Mr. Abubakar Kari, at the party's National headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.

SDP in race to win Ogun —SEN KAKA

By Daud Olatunji

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BEOKUTA—THE Senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Senator Adegbenga Kaka yesterday said that contrary to insinuations within the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state, the Social Democratic Party is genuinely interested in contesting and winning the 2015 elections in the state.

The lawmaker who also denied insinuations that the SDP had forged an alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state for the 2015 elections, said the SDP was not interested in spoiling the chances of the ruling APC. The lawmaker who stated this

while speaking with newsmen during the commissioning of two blocks of three classrooms he donated to the Moslem Primary School, Imodi-Ijebu in Odogbolu Local Government Area and Zumurat-ulIslamiyyah Primary School, Ojumele-Makun, Sagamu as well as the foundation laying at St. Paul Primary School, Ijoku, Sagamu Local Government Area.

Three senators, five House of Representatives members and other APC members loyal to former governor Olusegun Osoba recently defected to the SDP following the crisis that rocked the ruling party during the conduct of its last congresses.

Kaka who stated that their

defection to the SDP was to ensure that the wish of the aggrieved former members of the APC was preserved assured that the SDP in the state would present candidates for all the elective positions in the 2015 general elections.

According to Kaka, the SDP would contest and win elections in 2015 to the chagrin of those he accused of “destroying the state.”

While commending former governor Osoba for leading them to the new party, Kaka said, all of them would have disappeared to political oblivion if the former governor had not taken the bold step.

Corroborating the Senator, the Deputy Governor, Prince

Segun Adesegun hinted that those currently exhibiting over-confidence about winning next year ’s elections in Ogun should be prepared for a shocker.

PDP blasts N700m budget for Aregbesola's inauguration

By Gbenga Olarinoye

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SOGBO—OSUN state chapter of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, queried what it called “bogus budget” for the inauguration of Osun state governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola for a second term Governor Aregbesola is due to be inaugurated for another term on Thursday, November 27, but the opposition party in a statement issued in Osogbo by Prince Diran Odeyemi, the party ’s spokesperson, said the budget of N700 million for the swearing-in ceremony “amid hunger by workers, who have not been paid salary in the last three months tells much about the kind of leaders holding the reigns in Osun at the moment.”

The party reminded the governor on what he said in November, 2012, while addressing some bankers that “I can pay workers salary every 25th day of the month without monthly allocation from the federation account and I will not owe them a penny ” but regretted that just two years after, the governor has found it hard paying workers, even when statutory allocations due to the state are still being given to him.

In another development, the Chairman, Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa has condemned the All Progressives Congress APC led government in the state for what it described as its lackadaisical attitude towards the plight of teachers in the state.

12—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

AHEAD FG’s DEADLINE: Itsekiri, Ijaw leaders begin talks on EPZ

By Emma Amaize & Egufe

Yafugborhi

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A R R I — T W E N T YFOUR hours to the expiration of the deadline given to Ijaw and Itsekiri ethnic groups in Delta State to resolve their disagreement over the $16 billion Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project in Ogidigben, Warri South-West Local Government Area, the leaders have opened a line of communication.

The Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, last week, gave Ijaw and Itsekiri leaders up till Wednesday, to sort out their grievances or the project may be relocated to another place. Both sides are expected to meet tomorrow in Abuja to update the minister.

Meanwhile, a lawyer and development expert, Mr. Robinson Ariyo, has called for the disarmament of Ijaw communities of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, alleging proliferation of weapons among youths in the area.

Ariyo who reacted in Warri to the recent threats by Gbaramatu people, which aborted President Goodluck Jonathan’s planned groundbreaking for the Ogidigben EPZ project as well as the harassment of 14 journalists by youths in the area days later, described the events as constituting great danger to the security of their Itsekiri

neighbors, Ariyo, Legal Adviser to the Itsekiri National Youth Council, demanded urgent clamp down on those allegedly wielding sophisticated weapons to intimidate their neighbours.

He said: “The youths have weapons the least of which is the AK47as attested to by the journalists that were kidnapped. We are asking the government and the security agencies what these arms are doing in the hands of private people.”

Chairman of Ogidigben EPZ Interface Committee, Mr. Austin Oborogbeyi, who led the Itsekiri

delegation to the meeting, last week, with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC authorities, told Vanguard “We have started discussions, though at individual level.”

A member of Ijaw delegation to the Abuja talks, who spoke to Vanguard, weekend, however, said: “The minister gave us one week to resolve issues but as at Sunday, the two ethnic groups have not met formally. I think it is the Itsekiri people that have to reach out, they are the ones kicking over the project, and they should call

for a meeting, not us.”

Asked if that meant the Ijaw would be going to Abuja for tomorrow’s meeting without an agreement on the way forward with the Itsekiri, he said: “I told you that it is left for the Itsekiri, the buck is on their table. We stand on the NNPC proposal that the Free Trade Zone should be named after Ogidgiben and the Deep Sea Port after Gbaramatu because the projects are two.

“We have accepted that one of the projects be named Gbaramatu Deep Sea Port and the other, Ogidigben EPZ. That is the position we have adopted."

SEMINAR: Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa ibom State (right); representative of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court (left); Justice Bozimo, Administrator, National Judicial Institute (2nd left) and Akwa Ibom State Chief Judge, Justice Idongesit Ntem Isua, during the third seminar for judges on regulation in the Electric Power Sector.

Disregard petitions against us —Rivers PDP gov aspirants

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— SIXTEEN aggrieved governorship aspirants of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Rivers State, yesterday, urged the screening committee of the party in Port Harcourt to dismiss petitions alleging that some of them were not members of the party.

The committee screening Assembly and governorship aspirants of the party in the South-South zone commenced work at the party ’s South South zonal secretariat in Port Harcourt on Saturday.

Professor Israel Owate, who spoke for the aggrieved aspirants at the venue of the screening exercise, said the petitions were allegedly sponsored by one of the governorship aspirants of the party, claiming that most of the 16 aspirants were not members of the party.

Urging the screening

committee to disregard the petition, Owate said it was regrettable that one of the aspirants could make such allegations against the other aspirants.

“Just yesterday, at the governorship screening panel, most prominent aspirants were confronted with

spurious, trumped up petitions alleging that the aspirants are not members of the PDP in Rivers State.

These are the same aspirants who had been certified as members of the PDP by the National Working Committee, which issued the interest and nomination forms and from

whom the state and the South South zonal secretariats had collected N3 million and N2 million respectively as dues and administrative costs. We are, however, hopeful that the screening committee shall take the appropriate position by dismissing these petitions,” he said.

Amaechi bids to fix federal road in Etche

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OVERNOR Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State has promised that his administration will fix a federal road, the Umuechem/ Chokocho Road, in Etche Local Government Area of the state.

The road is in a very deplorable state.

Amaechi, at the 2014 adult harvest thanksgiving service of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Province of the Niger Delta in Okomoko, Etche, said although the road is a federal road, the Umuechem/ Chokocho Road was in a very

deplorable state and must be fixed to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

“We will fix Umuechem/ Chokocho Road. The road is a federal road including the Igbo Road. I will try and fix the bad spots before elections,” Amaechi said.

He told the people that his administration has provided infrastructures such as road networks, model schools and health facilities, including the ongoing construction of a general hospital at Okehi.

Governor Amaechi also

enjoined the people to support him in the 2015 general elections by voting for All Progressives Congress, APC. “We have done more roads in Etche. The roads that are bad are federal roads. We have built health centres in Etche, we have also built model schools in the area. We have agreed to build three more hospitals according to senatorial districts but because of distance I have asked them to build one at Okehi.

“You owe me your vote because I have fought for you."

More Edo indigenes benefit from govt/BoI micro credit scheme

By Simon Ebegbulem

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ENIN—MORE beneficiaries have emerged from the Edo State Government and Bank Of Industry Micro Credit Scheme.

Aside the 102 who had benefited earlier from the scheme, 19 persons yesterday, benefited from the scheme, totaling over N343 million so far disbursed to the beneficiaries, making the total number of beneficiaries 121 persons.

It will be recalled that the Governor Adams O s h i o m h o l e government signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, with , BOI, wherein the scheme was funded with N500 million, contributed by both parties.

NDDC urged to complete Uzere/Patani Road

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—THE people of Uzere in Isoko South Local Government Area, Delta State, have called on the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, to fulfill the agreement it entered into with the oil rich community by completing the ongoing Uzere/Patani Road project without further delay.

The community, in a letter to NDDC Managing Director, by its President General, Chief Emeakpor Owhe, urged the commission to keep “faith with a standing resolution to fast track the completion of the on-going UzerePatani Road which has dragged on for almost 10 years.

“During a meeting at the commission’s headquarters in March this year, it was resolved among other things that the Uzere-Patani Road be placed on fast track while a special project implementation panel will monitor and oversee the prompt release of funds to the contractor on regular basis," he said.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—13

Explosion rocks Cross River PDP secretariat zAs party holds successful ward congresses

By Ike Uchechukwu

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ALABAR—DESPITE a bomb blast that rocked the Cross River State secretariat of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, the ward congresses were successfully conducted across the 196 wards in the state.

The explosion, which reportedly occurred following a dynamite thrown into the secretariat by unknown persons, was said to have shattered some windows in the three-storey building. No life was lost The Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Hogan Bassey, who confirmed the blast to Vanguard, said he could not say specifically whether it was a bomb explosion or not, as investigation was on.

“We had an intelligence report earlier that some hoodlums were going to cause problem at the PDP secretariat and we mobilised our men and cordoned off the area. Yes, a device was thrown into the premises from the back of the building which did not cause any damage except that it shattered some windows,” Bassey said on phone.

He added that no arrest had been made but that security had been tightened around the area, while investigation had commenced.

Also speaking, the state Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr. Fidelis Egoro, said although he was not around, he heard that there was an explosion at the party's

secretariat.

Attempts to speak with both the state Chairman of the party, Ntufam John Okon and the state Secretary, Mr. Goddy Etta, yielded no results as their telephones were unreachable.

Vanguard investigations revealed that the exercise was conducted under peaceful atmosphere as security agencies including the police, DSS, Civil Defence as well as Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC,

officials were seen at various locations across the state as delegates turned out in their numbers to vote for candidates of their choice.

According to a delegate, Mr. Augustine Ekuri, who spoke with Vanguard shortly after voting in Ajaso Ward, Etung Local Government Area, it was a free and fair exercise, noting that no obstacle was experienced in his ward “People came out and queued behind who they

CONFERMENT: From left: Bishop of Ughelli Diocese, Anglican Communion, Bishop Cyril Odutemu and Prof. Wole Soyinka, during Odutemu's conferment with the Doctor of Philosophy, (Ph.D) degree in Biblical Studies, by the University of Ibadan.

Fresh oil spill hits Bayelsa community

By Samuel Oyadongha

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ENAGOA—IKEBIRI community in Olodiama clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, has been hit by a fresh oil spill from a Nigerian Agip Oil Company, NAOC, facility.

The latest spill, which was noticed last Wednesday, occurred at Well 9 in the deep mangrove swamp and is still spewing crude oil, polluting the immediate environment and creek of the predominantly fishing and farming settlement.

Though the cause of the spill is yet to be ascertained, the incident, it was learned, is the second in less than two weeks.

The earlier spill, Vanguard learned, occurred along the company’s pipeline before last Wednesday's incident which has pitched the community and Agip at loggerheads.

It was learned that the spewing crude oil has spread far into the

wanted to vote for and the atmosphere was peaceful as security agents manned the locations properly to check activities of miscreants. Some people could not go to farm and other businesses because as law abiding citizens, we have to obey the law.”

Member representing Abi/ Yakurr federal constituency, Mr. Bassy Ewa, said that the ward congresses were peaceful as party members turned out in their numbers to elect their delegates.

creeks and rivers over one kilometre from the spill site due to the tidal movement, ebbing and returning currents.

According to a source, disagreement between the community and the company over the cause of the spill was stalling the Joint Investigation Visit, JIV, to the spill site and possible containment of the spewing crude.

Lamenting the plight of his people, an indigene who spoke under anonymity, said: “Our people who used to fish around that axis cannot fish anymore, due to the spewing of crude oil into the air and water.

“The whole river and air are polluted. Economic trees and aquatic lives have been impacted.

As it is now, we are helpless and we need the help of government

and environmental groups to ensure that a JIVis carried out to determine the cause of spill.”

Disturbed by the impact of the spill on the environment, the group, Environmental Rights Action team, which visited the area led by its Bayelsa Field Coordinator, Alagoa Morris called on Agip to take immediate steps by placing booms around the spill environment to prevent the crude oil from spreading further while negotiation lasts.

PDP c'ttee clears Gbagi, Okubor for Delta gov primaries was cleared by the party to contest business investment in our state.

By Jimitota Onoyume

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ORT HARCOURT— OLOROGUN Kenneth Gbagi and Dr. Festus Okubor, immediate past Chief of Staff to Delta State governor, have been cleared by the Screening Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the South-South zone.

Gbagi, who spoke to Vanguard in Port Harcourt shortly after he

its governorship primaries in Delta State, appealed to delegates to vote for him, assuring that he will secure victory for the party at the general polls.

The former minister and industrialist, said he will serve creditably as governor.

“My appeal to Deltans is that we are about to see another era in our state. Don’t allow anybody influence you to vote wrongly. I have been a minister and I have

People who have no stake in our state have no business in politics.

Delegates should be mindful of who they vote for. A vote for me will give our state a secured future,” he said.

Gbagi who noted that most governorship aspirants were uncomfortable with the N2 million fee as condition for the screening exercise, said he was grateful to God that he had been issued a certificate of clearance.

Eschew divisive campaigns, Obuh tells Delta gov aspirants

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GOVERNORSHIP aspirant in Delta State on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Sir Tony Obuh, has appealed to other aspirants to eschew all forms of divisive campaigns capable of derailing the peace and security of the state but strive to work for the common interest and good of all Deltans.”

There was jubilation on the streets of Asaba and beyond as news filtered in that Sir Obuh had been cleared by the PDP South-South zonal governorship panel in PortHarcourt, yesterday.

Obuh, who made the appeal after collecting his clearance certificate in Port Harcourt following his screening said: “I thank God for making today (yesterday) possible. This is a victory for Deltans and I wish to thank all my supporters for their steadfastness, dedication and total support. I can assure you that come December 8, we will be victorious by the grace of God.”

EPZ: FG told to respect rule of law

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N Itsekiri youth leader, Mr. Godwin Tuoyo, has urged the Federal Government to be guided by the principle of rule of law and historical evidence rather than ethnic sentiments in adopting an acceptable name for the multi-billion dollars Export Processing Zone, EPZ, project, stressing that it was the only way to guarantee justice and fairness as enshrined in the constitution.

Tuoyo, in a statement in Warri, said taking a decision based on ethnic bias in resolving the ownership claims by the Ijaw and their Itsekiri neigbour on the name of the gas project would be counter-productive as both ethnic groups would continuously have issues among themselves should the Federal Government fail to make clarifications based on facts and figures available.

14 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Air Force promotes 110 officers, 16 AVMs

Violence mars PDP ward congress in Oyo, Lagos

By Clifford Ndujihe &

By Kingsley Omonobi

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BUJA—THE Nigerian Air Force has elevated 110 officers to the next ranks.

These include 16 Air Vice Marshals and 35 Air Commodores.

A statement signed by the Director of Airforce Public Relations, Air Commodore Dele Alonge, noted that, among the officers promoted were 33 group captains and 26 wing commanders.

Institute holds induction, workshop

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HE Corporate Institute of Risk and Safety Management have concluded plans to induct new Fellows, Associates and Members at the institute’s Mandatory Workshop and 4th Induction/Investiture ceremony taking place at the University of Lagos on November 27, 2014. The theme for this year event is titled, “Industrial Safety in st the 21 CenturyChallenges and Prospects” and papers will be presented by experts in Occupational health Safety and Security.

The workshop, according to the Registrar served as ''A platform where Risk, Safety and Security professionals take up the challenges to shape the future of our country and her citizens on risk reduction and management.''

Ola Ajayi

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HE re-scheduled ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party in Lagos and Oyo and states were again enmeshed in violence, yesterday.

In Oyo, 10 persons were seriously injured in the violence that erupted midway into the rescheduled exercise.

The national body of the party had directed that the congresses be re-fixed in all the 351 wards across the 33 local councils of Oyo State following the avalanche of petitions against the initial one.

It was the quick intervention of the security agents that prevented the fracas from escalating.

Apart from heavy presence of security agents, an Armoured Personnel Carrier was stationed at the PDP state secretariat where several party supporters were seen loitering.

The atmosphere became riotous when some loyalists of some of the governorship aspirants stormed the party secretariat trying to hijack the electoral materials meant for the exercise.

Resistance from other supporters of aspirants led to confrontation during which dangerous objects like machetes were used.

Some members of the

T

OKUNBO Wahab Campaign Organisation has dismissed insinuation that Wahab Dosunmu was withdrawing from the Lagos State governorship race.

The refutal came against the backdrop of reports that the governorship aspirant, on the platform of All Progresives Congress, APC, was stepping down for others.

The group, in statement signed

by Head of Publicity, Lekan Lawal, said that there was no iota of truth in the insinuation.

It said: “This is to state C M Y K

In Lagos, a similar scenario played out as unruly members of the party unleashed mayhem, a development that paved the way for Police intervention, which brought the congress to a premature closure.

Following police tear gas and gun shots the troubled session was quieted but the congress, which was meant to select delegates across the 245 wards of the state for the party ’s primaries ended unfulfilled.

PRESENTATION: Wife of the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibril and National President, Naval Officers Wives Association, Mrs Lami Ohiama Jubril, presenting a hamper to a patient at the Nigerian Navy reference hospital, Navy town, Lagos, yesterday, during her visit to the hospital.

NBA warns politicians, condemns police attack on Reps

By Abdulwahab Abdulah

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HE Nigerian Bar Association has warned politicians not to allow personal interest override the collective purpose for which the country was founded.

The NBA, reacting to the invasion of the Federal House of Representatives by the police last

‘Wahab still in Lagos gov race'

By Moses Nosike

National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW, who had remained peaceful for about three years were seen trying to cause problem at the party secretariat.

Vanguard gathered that the collation forms at Oluyole Local Council were forcefully taken at gun point from the Party

Chairman, Balogun Ayuba.

According to sources, the materials were snatched in front of Challenge-Orita Police station around 4pm.

Speaking with newsmen on phone, the party ’s spokesperson, Kehinde Salawu, said they did not expect any of the aspirants at the secretariat at that time. But, he said all aspirants were there and that was how the confusion started.

categorically that Barrister Tokunbo Wahab has not stepped down and has never contemplated rescinding his decision as a governorship aspirant under the platform of APC. “Ideally, we would have ignored this cheap rumour as we consider it a desperate action of desperate people, however, the deluge of telephone calls and SMS messages have necessitated the need for us to respond and assure our teeming supporters and the press that our aspirant will not jettison the call to serve.”

week by its President, Mr. Augustine Alegeh, SAN, condemned the manner the police invaded the National Assembly and its attack on the lawmakers.

Besides, the NBA queried the argument canvased by the police over security reports, which it claimed, informed the invasion.

According to the association, the selective treatment of some of the lawmakers on the day of the incident “raises doubt in respect of the authenticity of the alleged security reports. The implementation of the security measures also lacked transparency and good faith.”

It also condemned the attitude of some of the lawmakers who scaled the gate of the National Assembly, saying “their acts raise serious questions about the character of persons we elect to represent us and constitute a serious embarrassment to our Country.

“As we approach the 2015 General Elections, all our politicians must not engage in any conduct capable of truncating our nascent democracy.

“Political differences may exist but must be resolved with

civility and in accordance to law. Our collective interest as Nigerians must not be sacrificed for personal interest.”

The NBA urged political leaders to always conduct themselves maturedly and responsibly, adding that “their acts raise serious questions

about the character of persons we elect to represent us and constitute a serious embarrassment to our country.

“As we approach the 2015 general elections, all our politicians must not engage in any conduct capable of truncating our nascent democracy.

Prof Osundare bags 2014 national merit award

By Laide Akinboade

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BUJA—PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has awards Professor Niyi Osundare 2014 Nigerian National Order of Merit, NNOM. Chairman of the Governing Board of Nigerian National Merit Award, NNMA, Prof.

Etim Essien, made the announcement yesterday in Abuja.

He described NNOM as a separate Order of Dignity in the high honours category, meant for intellectual of note who made outstanding original

contributions in his or her area of knowledge.

Prof. Essien said: “One result of situation was that various Nigerian scholars tended to concentrate their researches on problems and issues which were not usually directly relevant to the needs and aspirations of the country.

“Therefore, the establishment of the Nigerian National Merit Award Scheme, as Nigeria’s highest and most prestigious prize for outstanding intellectual and academic attainment has encouraged a highly significant number of the best Nigerian minds to seek accolades at home.''

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 15

Chime loses as Abuja court validates Enugu PDP ward congresses .... Judge withdraws from leadership tussle, alleges threat to life

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, upheld the results of ward congress election the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, conducted in Enugu State on November 1.

The faction loyal to Governor Sullivan Chime, has continued to insist that no ward congress took place in the state.

Ruling on a suit filed by Mr. Orji Chinenye Godwin, Cletus C. Akalusi and Orji C. Orji on behalf of themselves and all delegates elected at the said congress, Justice Ademola Adeniyi said he was convinced that the election was validly conducted in line with both the constitution and guidelines of the PDP. The court held that a valid ward congress for the election of three-man man delegate from the 260 Electoral Wards of Enugu State took place in Enugu State on November 1, saying the list before it remained the valid list of candidates returned at the election.

The plaintiffs had cited the PDP, its National Chairman, the National Organising Secretary of the party and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as defendants in the suit.

The plaintiffs, among other things, prayed the court to declare that the list of delegates containing their names, is the only valid list of PDP delegates for primaries in Enugu State to the exclusion of all other lists.

They also sought an order restraining INEC from accepting any other list of delegates for the PDP primaries in the state.

Objections Preliminary objections raised by the defendants against the suit were dismissed by the court yesterday.

The defendants had challenged the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter they said was purely an internal affair of a political party.

In his ruling, Justice Adeniyi said the court had jurisdiction to hear the suit because the issues in contention were not simply the internal affairs of the PDP. He stressed that the delegates having been duly elected, they have certain vested rights and could therefore ask the court to protect their rights as delegates.

It will be recalled that the high court had in a judgment delivered on November 18 by Justice Evoh Chukwu, declared one Elder David Aja as the authentic Chairman of the Enugu State chapter of the PDP pending the appointment of another Chairman from the area where the immediate past Chairman of the party hails from.

The judge maintained that C M Y K

having regard to the provisions of Sections 24, 35(1) and 45 of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party 2012 (as amended), and following the resignation of Engr. Vita Abba, as the Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the PDP, any meeting of the State Executive Committee (SEC) of the Enugu State Chapter, could not be valid unless summoned by Elder Aja on his own, or at the request of two thirds of the members of the SEC. He held that Chief Asogwa was not entitled to hold himself out or perform the function of the Chairman of the Enugu State Chapter of the PDP “not having been validly appointed”.

The court, therefore, ordered Chief Asogwa not to carry out the functions of a Chairman or interfere with Elder Aja in the course of carrying out his duties as the Chairman, while also declaring all acts of Chief Asogwa as Chairman of the Enugu State PDP as illegal, null, and void.

Tussle Meanwhile, the leadership tussle in Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, took another dramatic twist, yesterday, as an Enugu High Court Judge declined further hearing in a suit challenging the claim by the deputy chairman, Elder David Ajah, that he ought to be the acting Chairman of the party in the state, citing threats to his life from some undisclosed persons.

This came as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja also, yesterday, upheld the November 1, 2014, ward congresses conducted by Enugu State chapter of the party. Justice Raymond Ozomena, who was to rule on a motion on notice in the matter, said he could no longer go on with the case, following persistent threats to his life and ordered that the matter be transferred back to the court registry for reassignment.

The Judge had earlier issued an order restraining Ajah from parading himself as the Acting Chairman of the state chapter of the PDP, following the resignation of the former chairman, Vita Abba, pending the appointment of a new chairman from the Enugu North senatorial zone where Vita Abba hailed from.

Ajah was served with a notice of consequences for disobedience to a Court Order, popularly known in legal circles as “form 48,” following his refusal to comply with the order.

Reacting to the development, counsel to the State PDP, Vin

Ene and Tochukwu Maduka, described the development as unfortunate, adding that it was “shocking and unwholesome” that a judge discharging his lawful duties could be subjected to such threats to his life as to compel him to decline further hearing in a suit before him.

The lawyers also pointed out that the court order was not in conflict with the later ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja presided over by Justice E.S Chukwu, which upheld Ajah’s claim of being the acting chairman of the party in Enugu State.

According to them, the Abuja order was “merely declaratory and did not command Ajah to hold himself out as acting chairman, whereas the Enugu order positively commanded him not to hold himself out as acting chairman.”

They added that the Abuja order was also not binding on the acting chairman of the party, Chief Ikeje Asogwa, as it was based on a matter that had been overtaken by events.

According to him, the ruling of the Federal High Court was based on a suit filed by Ajah, challenging Asogwa’s appointment at a meeting of the State Executive Committee on October 25, 2014.

They noted that the State Executive Committee had on its own nullified the appointment it

made on that date but had at another meeting held on October 31, 2014, again appointed Asogwa to the position in line with the provisions of the party’s constitution.

Vain judgment He said: “As you can see, this is a vain judgment because there are two different situations here with one overriding the other. Ikeje Asogwa was appointed as the Acting Chairman of the PDP in Enugu State on October 25, Ajah went to court to challenge it but the SEC met again on of October 31 and acting on the powers conferred on it by the party’s constitution, overruled the appointment it made on October 25 but again appointed Asogwa as the Acting Chairman.

“The ruling of the Federal High Court was based on the appointment made on the 25th of October, 2014.

“Asogwa is Acting Chairman of Enugu PDP on the account of the appointment made on the 31st of October and not that of the 25th October, 2014 in respect of which Ajah had sued. That suit has been overtaken by events.

“The appointment made on the 31st of October, therefore, remains valid and it is worthy of note that there is no process whatsoever before any court in Nigeria challenging it, not to talk of any court order having been issued against it.”

House of Reps aspirant promises quality representation

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LEGAL practitioner and distinguished daughter of Anambra State, Chief Edith Nonye Mike Ejezie, yesterday, said Anambra East and West Federal Constituency would receive premium quality and enlightened representation from June 2015, if she was elected as member of the House of Representatives.

Ejezie, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, also said her quest to represent her people was motivated by the desire to ensure that her “constituency is reckoned with as the nation’s food basket through mechanized farming” by engaging in robust legislative activities on issues and matters of agriculture, health, education, among others, which are people-oriented and add value to the ordinary.”

Ejezie said she would attract the establishment of agro-allied industries to engage the unemployed youths in the constituency and champion the vanguard of empowering rural women to embrace the need for proper and comprehensive education of our children.”

2015 BUDGET: Anambra State governor, Willie Obiano, submitting 2015 budget of N164.

496 billion to the Anambra State House of Assembly, yesterday.

Abia South gr oup ffaults aults Ukw a Pr of essionals group Ukwa Prof ofessionals

By Emmanuel Aziken & Anayo Okoli

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BIA SOUTH Unity Forum has faulted the call for the zoning of Abia State governorship ticket to the Ukwa bloc, saying the call lacked logic.

The Abia South Unity Forum made the call in response to a call

by Ukwa Professionals and

Political Stakeholders on the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which had called for the zoning of the governorship ticket to Ukwa on the ground that the incumbent senator for Abia South, Senator Enyinninya Abaribe, had been granted an automatic return ticket.

Abia South Unity Forum in a statement issued by its

President, Chief Ogbonnaya Nwankwoala and Secretary Chief Hyacinth Ngwakwe, described the call by Ukwa Professionals as absurd and bereft of merit.

“Is it not a contradiction that a group which can hardly be said to represent the Ukwa interest, will be shouting and gloating over a political matter that is yet to happen? the group asked

16 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Peace Motors boss, Onyishi joins Enugu gov race

Obiano presents N165bn budget for 2015 fiscal year

By Vincent Ujumadu

By Francis Igata

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NUGU—A leading transporter in Enugu and Managing Director of Peace Group of Companies, owners of Peace Mass Transport, Samuel Maduka Onyishi, yesterday formally declared his interest to contest for the Enugu State governorship position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. Speaking after being cleared by the PDP governorship screening committee, Onyishi said he had the needed experience to attract huge investments to the state and manage its resources efficiently.

He said: “I started my business from the scratch but today, we are a force to reckon with in the country. It doesn’t really matter the amount of money you have but your ability to utilize the little you have. ''Our assurance to Enugu people is we are not only going to make judicious use of the State’s allocation but use our business contacts to bring local and international economic investment here,” he said.

“Even though I am still rendering service to the people through my business, I will do more as a governor. I also believe that God has prepared me enough to be useful to Enugu State people.''

A

WKA—GOVERNOR Willie Obiano of Anambra State, yesterday presented a budget estimate of N164.496 billion before the state House of Assembly for the 2015 fiscal year.

The amount represents a marginal increase of 3.17 percent over the figure for 2014, which stood at N159.459.

Details of the estimate showed that N110.979 billion or 67.5 percent is for capital expenditure, while N53.517 billion or 33.5 percent is for recurrent expenditure.

The high percentage allocation for capital expenditure, the governor said, was consistent with the broad policy thrust of providing adequate support investment in his economic pillars and enablers, aimed at ensuring that the cost of governance was adequately provided for.

Road infrastructure received the lion share of 48 percent of the capital expenditure, followed by education, which has allocation of 45.6 percent of the total expenditure of the social sector.

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MUAHIA—A Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain and former Aviation Minister, Chief Femi FaniKayode has decried the deplorable state of federal roads in the South east, particularly in Abia State.

He called on the Federal Government to pay more attention to its roads in the zone.

Fani-Kayode, who spoke to journalists in Umuahia, after a two-day private visit to Abia State, said federal roads in the south east zone required urgent attention.

He promised to speak with the Minister of Works on the need to do something urgent C M Y K

terms of importance would remain the guiding principle in the allocation of funds to sectors and sub-sectors.

The speaker, Chinwe Nwaebili promised that the Assembly would speed up the passage of the budget and used the occasion to debunk insinuations in the social media that the lawmakers were planning to impeach the governor.

CORPORATE ELITE NITE: From left; Popular TV and radio presenters, Dayo Adeneye and Kenny Ogungbe, and Dr. Faye Iketubosin, Medical Director, George’s Memorial Centre, at the Corporate Elite Nite, co-sponsored by MTN to fete its customers, at Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Okorocha condemns harassment of contractors by Ohaji Egbema youths

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W E R R I — GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State yesterday decried the frequent community clashes and ceaseless harassment of contractors by youths in Ohaji

Fani-Kayode decries deplorable state of federal roads in south east

By Anayo Okoli

Also, health sector has 32.5 allocation, while trade, commerce and industry was allocated 4.7 percent.

Similarly, agriculture has 4.1 percent with Obiano promising that his administration would develop more agricultural land

across the state to enhance food security and encourage farmers to form cooperatives to enable them access required funding from financial institutions.

Obiano said his government was determined to make capital expenditure more purposeful and impactful, explaining that henceforth, qualification of projects in

about the deplorable roads in the South East zone, particularly those in Abia State.

“The Federal Government has to pay far more attention to roads in the South East. I know of the environmental problems of the zone. The Federal Government is making effort. I will talk to the Minister of Works on the roads in Abia and South East,” Fani-Kayode promised.

The former minister also commended Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State on the projects he had executed in the state and wondered why some people from the state were accusing the governor of underperforming.

Egbema Local Government Area of the state.

Okorocha, who spoke when he received the leadership and members of Ohaji Egbema Council of Elders, OECE, at the Government House, Owerri, blamed leaders of Ohaji/Egbema for the woes existing in the area.

He, however promised that the state government would collaborate with OECE to restore peace and foster rapid development in all the communities of Ohaji Egbema Local Government Area.

The governor, who expressed joy that the elders council was championing the course of peace, unity and progress at Ohaji Egbema, noted that the area was one of the priority areas of the “Rescue Mission” government and restated his resolve to ensure rapid infrastructure and human development of the council.

He charged the elders council to broker peace among the conflicting communities while assuring government’s support in improving the socio-economic wellbeing of the people.

Governor Okorocha assured that all communities in the area would be connected to the national grid as government had embarked on total electrification project in the area which was

about 90 per cent completion.

Earlier, the President General, OECE, Prince Gill Ogbenna, said the council was an inter-faith based association for the promotion of peaceful coexistence among various communities in Ohaji/Egbema.

He said members of the council

were drawn from all the 20 autonomous communities and 12 Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, wards in the council and registered in November 2013, to champion the enthronement of better welfare for the people of Ohaji/Egbema.

PDP clears Ogah for Abia primaries

By Charles Kumolu

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HE Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, screening committee yesterday gave a clean bill to a governorship aspirant, Dr. Uche Oghah, to contest the forthcoming governorship primaries in Abia State.

Speaking after he was issued a clearance certificate, Ogah promised to make Abia a state of excellence.

His words: ''What we are saying is that the time has come and this is the moment because there is always what we call a defining moment in the lives of a people and now is our time to reposition ourselves for the future of our generation.’’

In his remarks, a party chieftain, Chief Linus Mbaoguru, said:

''Ogah is not in the race for selfish interest. His interest is focused on transforming people's lives.

That is why members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, the Road Transport Employers Association and various associations and groups in the state had urged him to come out and contest to liberate the state from the abyss of underdevelopment. ''Look at the state of infrastructure decay in the state, we should not sacrifice competence on the altar of zoning. Dr Ogah has excelled as an entrepreneur and has received accolades beyond the shores of this country, and it is this great idea that he wants to brings to bear so that Abia would be envied like other states that are making progress.''

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 17

H

AVE you ever heard the parable of a man who stole a goat and was arrested and prosecuted? When brought before the judge, his line of defense was that others had stolen goats in the past but had not been prosecuted.

How does that absolve him of guilt? The man is a thief, pure and simple.

When one talks of the treachery of Aminu Tambuwal’s defection from the PDP to the APC, his apologists trot out opposition-party legislators and governors that also defected to the PDP in the past. So what? All such defections are equally treacherous and morally indefensible. What we have today is the glorification of treachery for political reasons.

The honorable thing for any defecting politician to do is to resign his or her seat in the legislature and then seek a fresh mandate under the new party through a by-election.

Dishonourable politics.

In 1983, Abubakar Rimi resigned as Governor of Kano State when he defected from the Peoples’ Redemption Party, PRP, to the Nigerian Peoples’ Party, NPP. He did this because he was an honorable man; a true progressive. In 2014, Aminu Tambuwal defected from the PDP to the APC but has refused to relinquish his seat in the National Assembly. He did this because he is not an honorable man; neither is he a true progressive. Tambuwal has been Speaker for four years, and yet he has not championed one single piece of progressive legislation in all that time.

With his defection, some busybody parliamentarians with N27.5 million to burn bought the APC nomination papers for Tambuwal so he can contest for the party’s presidential ticket.

Almost immediately, he was touted as a spoiler for Muhammadu Buhari’s presidential ambition and was shamelessly courted by the Tinubu brigade in the APC. Realising that his hopeless candidacy would only be used to foment problems within the APC, Tambuwal wisely resigned from the contest, forfeiting the millions paid.

As a face-saving device to camouflage his signaled readiness to ditch Buhari for Tambuwal, Bola Tinubu went public to congratulate Tambuwal for deciding not to contest for the APC presidential nomination.

He said: “This sacrifice you have made will not be in vain. It must be noted by all democrats across the country as an act of great patriotism.”

Tr o u b l e - m a k e r Tambuwal

This is really neat. Tinubu’s definition of patriotism applies to the APC and not to Nigeria.

Tinubu forgot to mention that while Tambuwal decided not to C M Y K

Tambuwal and his shameful law-breaker supporters cause trouble in the APC; at the same time, he decided to be a trouble-maker at the national level. Should this man who has the good sense to withdraw as APC presidential candidate “as a sacrifice for the cohesion and unity of the APC” not also have the good sense to resign from the National Assembly now that he has defected from the PDP for the sake of national peace and cohesion?

Apparently not!

According to the godfather of the APC, a patriot can be a trouble-maker at the national level, as long as his troublemaking is in the interest of the APC. That, in a nutshell, is the crux of the problem with the APC. It is a party of troublemakers. The APC does not really believe it can win the 2015 elections. Therefore, it is determined to cause as much mayhem as possible; even threatening to create a parallel government when and if it loses the election.

The Tambuwal saga is the latest example of APC mischief. The party’s strategy is to achieve power immorally and illegally. It is a party of treacherous defectors. It even went to Obasanjo, a former PDP president, asking him to defect to the APC. Instead of attracting its own membership, it gathers together a coterie of treacherous defectors. All its

The APC did not win any seat whatsoever in the House of Representatives in the 2011 elections; therefore, it cannot provide the Speaker of the House

presidential candidates have jumped from party to party.

It is now encouraging Tambuwal in his treachery of attempting to defect to the APC with the position of Speaker.

However, the APC remains a minority party in the National Assembly. The position of Speaker belongs to the majority party. The APC cannot receive by subterfuge what rightly belongs to the majority PDP. Tambuwal knows he can no longer be Speaker. He knows that APC cannot win a majority of the seats in the legislature in the coming elections. He knows the mago mago he used to become the Speaker cannot be duplicated in the next House of Representatives.

Therefore, in defeat, he has picked up the nomination form to contest as Governor of Sokoto under the APC ticket.

Show of shame Since this is the new reality confronting Tambuwal, the man should stop causing trouble and simply resign his seat in the House. But rather than resign, and with his security detail removed, Tambuwal drove with a convoy to the National Assembly. This led to a show of shame that was televised and broadcast to the whole world. The fact that Tambuwal led this brazen display of lawlessness at the National Assembly shows that he is unworthy of being the number four citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Emmanuel Ojukwu, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, had this to say: “The speaker came with thugs, refused to be searched and six of the hoodlums attacked a police man, after which the police tear-gassed the Speaker and his riotous crowd so as to restore order. Everybody has seen that somebody was even beating somebody; somebody was pushing a policeman from the car. Somebody was removing road blocks mounted by police.”

Those “somebodies” are supposed to be Nigeria’s law-makers.

In effect, championed by

Tambuwal, our law-makers became law-breakers.

Impeded by the police from entering the House, some climbed the gate. The Speaker himself flouted the directives of the police. He forced his way inside. Later, in disgrace, he sent his media aide with the statement that: “The honorable speaker wishes to state that he is a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria who has no immunity against arrest and prosecution.” This is what is called “campaigning after failure to be elected.” The video of his lawlessness had already gone viral on the internet.

Time to resign

There is nothing left for Tambuwal to do now than to resign from the House of Representatives and save Nigeria from all this wahala he has created. Defecting from one party to another is against the spirit and the letter of the Nigerian Constitution.

Section 68 (g) of the 1999 Constitution says: “A member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected…”

Tambuwal’s name did not even appear on the ballotpaper when he was elected to the House of Representatives from his constituency in Sokoto. It was the PDP that was on the ballot. That is how Rotimi Amaechi became Governor of Rivers State. He was not even the candidate who ran for the office.

However, the courts ruled that he should have been the PDP candidate. Since the PDP won the election, Amaechi became the Governor of Rivers State even though he did not campaign in the election for the post.

The only proviso in the Constitution for Tambuwal to remain in the House is if his defection to the APC is as a result of a division in the PDP

or the merger of the PDP with another political party, or the faction of another party. This situation does not exist, except in the imagination of APC supporters. The courts in Nigeria have ruled that the PDP is not divided and is not bedeviled by any factions.

Everyone in Nigeria knows this in any case.

Some people say it is not the business of the executive to determine if Tambuwal should remain as Speaker or not: it is a matter for the courts.

However, the courts don’t execute laws: the executive does. The Constitution says if a man defects from his elected party to another party, he automatically loses his seat.

Tambuwal resigned; therefore he has lost his seat. The executive has implemented that loss.

If Tambuwal has a problem with that, the onus is on him to go to court. The onus is not on the executive. Until the courts say otherwise, Tambuwal can no longer be a member of the House of Representatives; and someone who is not a member of the House cannot be the Speaker.

We borrowed our political system from the United States where it is well understood that the Speaker of the House cannot belong to the minority party.

Attempted coup Tambuwal, the Speaker, is APC. Emeka Ihedioha, the Deputy Speaker, is PDP. This situation is unacceptable, especially given the fact that the mandate for leadership in the House was freely given by the electorate to the PDP and not the APC. You cannot have a situation of minority rule, when in actual fact it is the majority that has the mandate.

Indeed, at the national level, the APC is unknown and has yet to be recognised by the Nigerian electorate. The APC has never presented a candidate to the electorate at the national level. Therefore, the APC cannot come out of nowhere to commandeer the major office of the Speaker.

These shenanigans have gone on for too long. The APC did not win any seat whatsoever in the House of Representatives in the 2011 elections.

Therefore, it cannot provide the Speaker of the House.

Tambuwal should have known that by resigning from the PDP while hanging on to the position of Speaker he is bound to generate unnecessary political tension. If he did not know this before, he knows this now. Failure to resign from the House now only portrays him as a troublesome opportunist.

Tambuwal needs to redeem his battered image soonest. He should do the honorable thing and resign from the House without further delay.

18 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 DEBATES about the barricade of the National Assembly are more about the infringement of the rights of one arm of government to assemble.

What some consider offensive was that the executive invaded the territory of the legislature. People are aghast. We are anticipating various consequences to this abuse.

We tend to forget a couple of things, majorly, the extent the same police go, mainly, to prove our inequality before the law with their unaddressed daily abuses of peoples’ rights. We are forgiving when the rights of ordinary people are ignored; democracy is not threatened.

Daily, the gates of the National Assembly are shut to ordinary people whether they are protesters who want to use the huge forecourt of the National Assembly, created as free space for us to en-

Our Inequality Before Police joy our right to free speech, or those bringing constituency matters to the attention of their representatives. It is never an issue.

If any of the above groups scaled the gates of the National Assembly like mere felons, police bullets would have felled them. If they survived, they could be charged for terrorism. When legislators exercised their right to enter the premises by jumping the gates, the police watched, demobilised by the barbarity of the action and the realisation that they were dealing with people who are above the law – the lawless.

We do not support acts that erode

the law and law enforcement. We are against failure of the powerful to realise that reckless law enforcement affects lives of Nigerians daily. When rights of ordinary people to health, welfare, speech, liberty, security, residency, property are abridged, the powerful ignore them.

Unfortunately, the incident at the National Assembly is being promoted as the biggest threat to our democracy. It is rated above the violation of our rights, at home, and on the streets through self-serving governments.

According to Section 215 (3) of the Constitution, “The President or

such other Minister of the Government of the Federation as he may authorise …may give to the Inspector-General of Police such lawful directions with respect to the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order.” It is not too difficult to find out who ordered barricade of the National Assembly.

However, our Constitution forbids us from finding out the reasons for such orders. Section 215 (5) states, “The question whether any, and if so what, directions have been given under this section shall not be inquired into in any court.” Will the National Assembly consider amending this section for their case?

We condemn flagrant abuses of democratic tenets by those who should uphold them and their agents, and the bold belief that these violations have no consequences.

OPINION

By Usman Abudah

I

wonder everyday each time I read articles credited to political analysts, writing on issues certainly and usually outside their bases of locations and specifically the colourless one credited to one Mr. Tamuno West Greene (Vanguard, Monday, October 27, 2014, page 47) on view point and is stated to be writing from Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Mr. Greene lectured readers about state governors as being Chief Security Officers in their respective states.

I am amazed really if Mr. Analyst Greene actually resides in PortHarcourt and if he does, he should provide answers to the nomadic behaviours that the former Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu meted out to Governor Rotimi Ameachi, who is supposedly the Chief Security Officer of his state as recalled in Mr. Greene’s opening paragraph of his opinion quoting Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution: his presentation is as mundane as a dead vegetable bunch soaked in a high temperature boiling water that usually destroy the contents that ought to be helpful to the body.

I suppose Mr. Greene ought to know his siblings, particularly his direct ones, better than outsiders and even if he was an Edo State citizen and resides in Edo State, and specifically he is from Razat Momoh’s place, then he is being unfair to his conscience not to

C M Y K

Edo conflict: Re Oshiomhole and paradigm shift know the embattled sick legislator better.

I shouldn’t have bothered further to ask “Mr. Analyst Greene” his interest in Edo politics if he is not a “busy body”.

I won’t even bother to analyse the situation in Edo State free of charge to him if really he knows about what is playing out in the state other than to ask these few questions.

Who is effecting the resolutions of the nine-man State Assembly? Who has showed up before that clique of political rascals who summoned Commissioners periodically? To which state Governor do the clique send its decisions?

T

here is a proverb in Afenmai land (also in Etsako land where Razak Momoh hails from) “that when a fowl that is toothless purses one, such one has to double one’s strides to escape, not knowing if it has grown a set of teeth overnight”.

The nine-man State Assembly in Edo State is an offshoot of the PDP’s controlled Federal Government; otherwise, where is the clique getting its prodding from to become absolute thick-headed?

To make Edo State ungovernable and

which, in their thinking, may lead to a state of emergency, is being maturely straightened out by the sitting Governor, who had, from the onset, battled them to a standstill to reclaim his genuinely won election: Edo State is a place of realistic citizenry who are more in numerical strength than the unsettled hustlers, whose purpose is to grab the key to the state treasury.

A realistic father knows his children more than his wife who may due to sentimental attachment tolerate or overlook the shortcomings of such children. The public may also be too aware of the unbecoming behaviour of these children more than their mother.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole is like the epilepsy, who won’t, when to strikes, spare even his own child in the market square.

What is known to be bad is bad.

The scenario playing out in Edo State is a lesson all politicians should learn from, if they so care. The realists are teaming up with Governor Oshiomhole in enhancing a pattern of pragmatic governance through the lenses of a focused leader. When he hands over, posterity will be the judge if the baton is dropped by the new team when the time is due.

What is on ground in Edo State can been seen by a realistic observer: that the present team of Comrade

Oshiomhole is fixing the state towards a progressive growth and not to be analysed through the lenses of unrealistic fortune seekers.

T

he periodic advertorials on birthday celebration is unveiling another deceitful propaganda format of the unserious clique and I want to hope that they are certainly pre-paid for, as this would really enhance the print media production financially.

The acting scenes of the analysts are nothing other than an inner workedout stuff to misinform those who are on ground and they see what is playing out.

Perhaps Mr. Greene, may in his next outing, claim to be writing from Canada or Jamaica.

The print media has the last say on which material to be used and I sincerely hope that this is considered for usage as I speak from the position of one in the witness box, who is current.

•Mr Abudah, a journalist, wrote from Benin City, Edo State.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 19

My fear for PDP and the rest of us

By Sunny Ikhioya

F

OR there to be peace and order in the society, the collective do subsume their individual freedom under one body that will provide for the overall interest. It started centuries ago through customs, traditions and enthronement of divine kingship. Overtime it has taken several modes and forms, the latest of which is democratic ruler ship. This is a process where who gets to rule is determined by the absolute majority of the people. It is tritely referred to as ‘the government of the people, for the people and by the people.’

Not everyone agrees on a common path to governance. That is why we have ideological groupings like the communists/socialists who believe in collective sharing as against the capitalist/conservatives who believe that you benefit according to your input. We have the welfarist/labour/democrats who are, sort of, in the middle of the divide and believe in the dignity of labour and a portion to all of mankind.

Parties are formed along these divides and come rain or sunshine, people stick to the ideology of the party; they stay put, whether they win elections or not. Yet, they meet regularly, plan and strategise on how to win over the people and

when the people are dissatisfied with the status quo, they try the party in the waiting, that is when upsets are recorded.

In the US the republicans have just routed the democrats in the November elections for national assembly membership. When they lost the presidential election of 2012, they did not sulk or jump ship; those who participated and lost congratulated the winners and then went back to strategise. Today, the Republicans are back in control; that is the beauty of democracy.

It is over 15 years now that the present civilian dispensation took off, with much expectations and yearnings after the serial blunders of various military regimes. Fifteen years is a long time in the life span of an individual and even of a nation. For most professions, 10 years experience qualifies you to the top level.

After 15 years, our political structure is still floundering. The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, is the party in government and anything that affects the PDP invariably affects the government and by extension, all of us. That is why I fear for the PDP and for all of us.

The PDP sets the standard of politics in Nigeria and with the standard they have set, every other party is copying from them. People come

together without a common purpose, ideology and dream for the country; it is an all comers affair, that is the way of PDP and the All progreseeives Congress, APC, has caught the bug.

Ideally, every party must have a stand or say in all aspect of governance; in some places, they call it ‘shadow government’; the focus is picking holes, howbeit objectively, at the activities of government, without rocking the boat, bringing out the weaknesses of government and offering a better alternative.

Today, because of the way that

I fear for the PDP because after so many years in government, it has been unable to set up proper democratic structures

we have managed our politics, the country has become more divided along ethnic, regional and religious lines, as against, ideology and party manifesto. There are no democratic structures along ideology and party line from the grass roots to the top; that is why there is confusion anytime an election year is around the corner.

After 15 years, this should not be the case with Nigeria; because of the confusion created by politicians, a major crisis- Boko Haram- that everyone is supposed to view at from one prism, has been blown out of proportion by the activities of our politicians and today, everyone is running helter skelter, the politicians having not learnt any lesson.

I fear for the PDP because after so many years in government, it has been unable to set up proper democratic structures for smooth transition and propagation of the party’s ideology.

I fear for the PDP because, looking around now, I cannot find the youths of yesterday who are supposed to be leaders of today. All that I see are septuagenerians and octogenerians dictating the pace of the party. Whereas, in other parts of the world they have handed over the baton to the younger generations.

I look around PDP and I see dissatisfaction with the status quo: in

Rivers, Bayelsa, Delta, Oyo, Kwara and many other states. Why is this rumour that the First Lady has interest in who becomes governor in some of these states? What concerns the First Lady with the politics of these states? If the party has been well structured and institutionalised, such rumours will not crop up.

In a democracy, it is the people that decides. Why will the collective of PDP members not subject themselves to the common will of the people? Why must there be imposition? Why should state governors be dictating on who takes over from them? Is that how democracy is practised? Why should party structures be left in the hands of state governors? Why should senators and members of the House of Reps not subject themselves to the democratic will of the people? Why should they be given automatic tickets? Are they not supposed to render account of their stewardship to the people? Why must there be imposition of candidates based on directives from the top? Why is everybody afraid of playing clean politics?

The whys are many but the correct answers to them will determine the future stability of the nation's politics. The people in positions of authority must not think for themselves alone, they should remember tomorrow. *Mr. Ikhioya, a commentator on national issues, wrote from Lagos.

Oshiomhole’s assessment of Jonathan

By Francis Ehigiator

I

N Nigerian politics, there appears to be a new definition of “opposition” which, in absolute terms, admits of nothing good or positive. By this definition, a government in power is never given any credit by opposition politicians, even when the government’s policies and actions have been confirmed to be beneficial to society and the people. Call it extreme cynicism or what you may, but that, unfortunately, is the bizarre reality of the current political firmament in the country.

The kind of reports that came from the gathering of the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Benin City, on Wednesday, November 12, 2014, in celebration of the 6th Anniversary of Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s administration in Edo State, was to be expected. The event was an endless recitation of what the opposition politicians referred to as the failures of the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

The list of celebrants included Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, General Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and APC’s new found hero, Aminu Tambuwal. One after the other, the politicians reeled off a litany of “inadequacies and failures” by President Jonathan, as reasons he must give up the Presidency now or not seek reelection in 2015.

To massage Oshiomhole’s ego, Bola Tinubu, the self-acclaimed Leader of the Yoruba race, called on President Jonathan to resign for having “failed Nigerians in every respect.” Tinubu also seized the occasion to lash out at the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which he accused of being “an arm” of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. As if it was of any consequence, he, then, threatened President Jonathan that C M Y K

he would sweep him away with the APC broom, should he refuse to leave office voluntarily. And, to complete the circus, Tambuwal and some other opposition chieftains, including the party National Chairman, Chief Odigie-Oyegun, added their voices to the Jonathan bashing.

The highlight of the celebration was the Oshiomhole show! Those familiar with the ComradeGovernor know very well that he would not let such a golden opportunity pass, without rehashing what had been his past-time for many years as a trade unionist before becoming Governor. In his usual theatrics, Oshiomhole tried to discredit the person of President Jonathan in the guise of criticising his administration. Too clever by half! Oshiomhole’s disingenuous craft of trying to separate the person of Jonathan from his administration was all too hypocritical, and too obvious to hide.

Political enemies In fact, Oshiomhole has always sold the impression that politics aside, he is a friend and supporter of President Jonathan. That way, he has been eating from Jonathan as well as from his political enemies.

During the 6th Anniversary, Oshiomhole’s main criticism of President Jonathan and the PDPled Federal Government was anchored on the Sure-P programme of the administration which he described as a “Sure fraud”, referring to the Ofosu-Benin Road Project, commissioned by the President in September, 2014, as the only thing ever done for Edo State during PDP’s 16 years of rule at the federal level.

The rest was the usual incoherent ranting of Oshiomhole, aimed at manipulating the psyche of the Edo people.

The tragedy of Oshiomhole’s assessment of the Jonathan

administration is his utter disrespect for facts. It was convenient for him not to mention the on-going 450MW Azura Power Plant in Edo State; he also found it convenient to gloss over the N4.4bn Edo/Delta Link Bridge which Vice President Namadi Sambo commissioned on behalf of President Jonathan in October, this year. In March 2014, Oshiomhole, the revisionist, commended President Jonathan for the completion of the Ukpoke irrigation project in Benin-City.

Juxtapose these with his claim that the Jonathan administration has done only one thing in Edo State and you will appreciate his dishonesty.

Now, take a look at the Governor’s own record of performance across Edo State for the six years he has been in power. It is obvious that in the areas, constitutionally covered by the Governor’s mandate, there has been no appreciable improvement in physical infrastructure, nor development in social amenities, nor in the people’s standards of living. It is a known fact that Oshiomhole’s development strategy has been to embark on cosmetic projects, such as the dualisation of the Airport Road, the beautification of a few areas, refurbishment of a number of schools and resurfacing of some popular highways.

In contrast to the acclaimed achievements announced to Nigerians at the celebration event, Edo State today remains a story of massive underdevelopment. In the capital city of Benin, most roads are still impassable while many areas of the city lack the rudimentary infrastructure of modern urban existence, with poor drainage, lack of sewage system, shortage of potable water, poor garbage disposal system and inadequate street lights. Of course, the story is far worse in most of the rural towns of the State. The people of Edo State know about these massive

failures of Oshiomhole, but they have been manipulated into silence by his powerful propaganda of development.

Listening to President Jonathan’s declaration speech, just a day before Oshiomhole’s celebration, the difference between honesty and hypocrisy was clear. President Jonathan’s scorecard enumerated all he had done nationwide, sector by sector, state by state, including Oshiomhole’s Edo State. For instance, the President talked about major achievements in agriculture, resulting in a huge drop in food importation; he referred to the education sector, the establishment of 14 new federal universities, the almajiri and girl-child schools etc; he talked about the massive infrastructure development, roads, railways, water transportation, electricity, women and youth empowerment and the national economy, which is now growing at the rate of over 6.5%. The President was honest enough to admit that there were challenges such as in the area of security, but expressed the determination of the Federal Government to tackle the problems.

Listening to President Jonathan’s declaration speech, just a day before Oshiomhole’s celebration, the difference between honesty and hypocrisy was clear

The question, then, is: Does Oshiomhole have the moral authority to criticise President Jonathan, given the wide gap in the scorecards of the two? Well, it might be argued that in a liberal society such as ours, everyone is entitled to the freedom of speech. However, what is worrisome to many Nigerians is Oshiomhole’s lack of decency and decorum in his manner of criticising President Jonathan, who is the number one citizen of this country and Commander-in-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He deserves the respect of us all, including Oshiomhole.

Oshiomhole’s penchant for boasting in the most insipid manner is a familiar trait, but that should not be an excuse for him to peddle falsehood such as: “The PDP Federal Government controls 52.8% of declared federal collections and Edo State share of that 52.8% and all they have to show in 16 years is the resurfacing of Ofosu-Benin old carriage way.” Not only is this statement blatantly false, it is misleading, mischievous and deliberately calculated to incite the peace-loving people of Edo State against the Federal Government.

But why would Oshiomhole, a State Governor in the Federal Republic of Nigeria, play such an ignoble role? Two quick answers offer themselves: First, Oshiomhole knows that he has failed the people of Edo State and that the time for reckoning in fast approaching; he is aware that sooner than later, he will be called upon to account for the billions of naira he has drawn from the national treasury (both Federal and State) in the name of the people.

So, he is desperately searching for a escape-goat; and he seems to be doing this by deploying methods that tarnish and disparage President Jonathan and his administration.

•Mr Ehigiator sent this piece from Benin City

20 — Vanguard, TUESDAY TUESDAY,, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Bad roads: At last, relief comes to Alaba International Market

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

A

FTER many years of ne glect, motorists and traders around the ever-busy Alaba International Market Road, Ojo, are soon to heave a sigh of relief as the Lagos State Public Works Corporation has commenced maintenance work on the road. The Alaba International Market which is famous for a wide range of electronic products sold there is always a popular destination for customers who throng the place from far and near. Businesses in billions are transacted on weekly basis in the market.

But for years, one terribly sore point that marred the popularity of the market was the deplorable state of the roads there. While the situation lasted, it was always hell for motorists, including customers and drivers of vehicles bringing goods to the market.

What usually obtained then was chaos arising from traffic congestion caused by the deplorable state of the road to the market.

But it would appear that the authorities have at last taken heed of the lamentation of business operators at Alaba and have decided to do something about their plight by carrying out a maintenance of the road. The extensive work which is to cover critically all the failed sections of the road started on November 15, 2014, following a directive from the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola. This entails addressing the deplorable state of the

*Motorists usually have a hard time driving through the waterlogged, pothole filled road at Alaba market. road by direct labour approach, pending major reconstruction work in the nearest future.

Speaking at a stake holders forum attended by the Alaba Market representatives and key officials of Ojo Local Government and other leaders in the community, LSPWC chairman, Mr. Gbenga Akintola, hinted that the work has been planned as night operation owing to the high volume of human and vehicular move-

*It’s always hell on a rainy day at Alaba International market C M Y K

ment in that axis.

Akintola explained that the stakeholders forum was necessitated by the need to seek the co-operation of road users, shop owners and others whose activities might slow down the pace of work if necessary steps were not taken.

He, therefore, used the opportunity to charge traders and residents in the area to take ownership of the road after the maintenance work by waging a collective war

against habits that could lead to avoidable damage such as dumping of refuse in drains and excess axle load, among others.

He also explained that it took the corporation some time to commence repair works due to the new Badagry Asphalt Plant which’s completion was being awaited. He added that with the plant completed, asphalt and other necessary materials would be easily sourced in a more efficient way rather than bringing them from the Ojodu-Berger Plant.

In her remark, the Council Manager, Ojo Local Government, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Salami expressed her apprecia-

What usually obtained then was chaos arising from traffic congestion caused by the deplorable state of the road to the market

tion to the LSPWC boss and his team for their intervention on the road, which, according to her, is most strategic within the Ojo community.

She also promised to work with leaders of the market to ensure that the safety of men and equipment deployed by the corporation is guaranteed, adding that efforts would also be made to ensure that articulated lorries which are regular features on the road are removed in order to prevent delay and logistic challenges during the maintenance work.

Also speaking, Chairman, Amalgamated Traders Association, Alaba International Market, Paul Okenwa, assured that no action to jeopardise the smooth running of the work will be tolerated from its members or any persons, since it is in the interest of their businesses that the roads are in good condition.

He, however, urged the corporation to finish the repair on schedule in the interest of the public, particularly as the Christmas and New Year ’s shopping will soon begin.

A call was also made to motorists and other road users to use alternative routes to their destination during the maintenance work which is anticipated to take about two weeks.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 21

Chinese, Nigerian firms to invest $40m in tractor assembly plant

By Michael Eboh

A

Chinese firm, Xiamen XGMA International Trade Company Limited, has entered into partnership with a Nigerian firm, Richbon Group Nigeria Limited, to invest $40 million, about N6.4 billion, to set up a tractor assembling plant in Nigeria. This will lead to the local manufacture of XGMA tractors, heavy duty machineries and equipment.

XGMA, founded in 1951, is a Chinese national large-scale backbone enterprise, which specialises in manufacturing of wheel loaders, excavators, road construction machinery, forklift trucks and mini-machinery.

Speaking in an interview announcing the partnership in Lagos, Mr. Sahm Yap, Vice President Xiamen XGMA, said the assembling plant, which will be built in Anambra State, will be used for the manufacture of majority of its earth-moving machineries and will also provide job opportunities for about 5,000 Nigerians when completed.

Yap explained that Nigeria is an important market to XGMA and it is hoping to make it a centre for sales, after-sales, spare parts supply, financing and manufacturing.

He further stated that the company is currently in discussion with the relevant authorities and is about getting the necessary clearances for the assembling plant, adding that immediately the necessary approvals are secured, work will commence in earnest on the plant. $189.5

He said Xiamen XGMA is one of the major supplier of earth moving tractors and equipment in China and the world and has been eyeing the Nigerian market because of the opportunity it will afford the company to deploy its high quality products in Nigeria, and also look for other investment opportunities, especially in areas related to manufacturing.

He said, "Our machines are

$17.00

$16.11

$0.01

$80.36

$1.03

$76.72

$0.66

CBN, Dangote, others seek entrepreneurship revolution

CURRENCY BUYING

CENTRAL

SELLING

DOLLAR STERLING EURO FRANC YEN CFA WAUA YUAN RIYAL KRONA SDR

157.91 247.6503 197.956 164.72 1.3354 0.2883 228.297 25.785 42.0869 26.5873 231.6224

158.41 248.4344 198.5828 165.2514 1.3396 0.2983 229.0199 25.8671 42.2201 26.6715 232.3558

157.41 246.8661 197.3292 164.2082 1.3312 0.2783 227.5742 25.7029 41.9536 26.5031 230.889

CBN Exchange Rate as 24/11/2014

Nigerian and will help attract the much-needed investments into Nigeria."

He said the company is ready to transfer its technology to Nigerians and cooperate with Nigeria in achieving economic development, adding that the memorandum of understanding it signed with Richbon will serve as the starting point towards achieving these goals.

On its partnership with Richbon, Yap disclosed that it took

From left: Managing Director, Richbon Nigeria Limited, Mrs. Assumpta Muonagolu; Vice President, Xiamen XGMA International Trade Company Limited, China, Mr. Sahm Yap and Chairman/CEO, Richbon Nigeria Ltd, C. J. Chike Muonagolu, at an interactive forum on the memorandum of understanding between Xiamen XGMA and Richbon, in Lagos.

$1.80

$2,862.00

of the highest quality and the price is highly affordable, this is what we believe will give us an edge against other competitors in the Nigerian market.

"With the partnership with Richbon and when the assembling plant is concluded, our products will be an household name in Nigeria, especially in the area of civil engineering and construction.

"The partnership will create enormous job opportunities for

the company a long time before it could get a company to partner in Nigeria, due to its commitment to quality and high standard.

"When we had the opportunity to partner with Richbon, we discovered that we had a lot in common and that our interests match. Since we started the cooperation with Richbon about a year ago, last year, we have seen a very good and long term partner and we believe it will be beneficial not only to both companies, but also to the Nigerian economy.

Also speaking, Mr. Chike Muonagolu, Chairman/Chief Executive officer, Richbon Group, said both XGMA and Richbon have signed an assembling agreement with two vehicle assembly plants in Nigeria, as regards the tractor assembling plant in Nigeria, adding that within the next 18 months, they intend to employ between 1,500 to 2,000 Nigerians in the initial stage of the project.

He expressed optimism that that the partnership will bring about increased patronage of the products by governments at all levels, corporate organisations and individuals. "Knowing that the products one is using is made in Nigeria will endear the products to Nigerians, especially as they will know that they can easily get spare parts, after-sales service among many other benefits," he said.

By Providence Obuh & Juliet Ejidike

T

HE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN); Chairman, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman, Honeywell Group, Oba Ayoola Otudeko; Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa and other eminent Nigerians have called for ways to pursue revolutionalising entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

They argued that entrepreneurial development in Nigeria remains a far cry when compared to other developing countries in the world noting that for the economy to grow, there should be more focus on the private sector and less reliance on big corporations.

They said this in Lagos during the African Centre for Business Development, ACBD, summit titled ‘National Summit on Entrepreneurship and Innovation.’

In his address, CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, said that without entrepreneurship skills being developed for the youths, it will be difficult to develop the economy.

Emefiele, who was represented by the CBN Deputy Governor, Corporate Serv-

ices, Mr. Adebayo Adelakun, said, “We are over 170 million in population, if we add it together, all the employees of big corporates that we have is less than half a million but if you go to a place like China, on a particular street, you can see over 500 small companies employing 20 to 100 and if you add all these together, it is a large number.”

He, however, said “SME businesses anywhere in the world serve as potent force for job creation, poverty alleviation and healthy economic growth. A key example is the Chinese economy where SMEs actually led their industrial revolution. For an economy to grow, sole reliance should not be placed on big corporations alone. It is the cluster of small businesses that can provide the level of employment required in our kind of economy. If government is able to provide the kind of atmosphere that is required for establishment and growth of this kind of small companies, I believe the rate of unemployment will be reduced in Nigeria.”

In addition, he said “in most developed economies of the world and even emerging economies, the major drivers

of job creation, employment is the private sector through the efforts of individuals and corporate. The role of government is limited to creation of social infrastructure and conducive environment that will facilitate entrepreneurship and corporate in establishing industries,” he said.

On his part, Dangote, who was chairman of the summit argued that despite Nigeria’s economic status, “the level of unemployment in the country is high.”

According to him, Nigeria has an attractive market but barriers to entry are high causing challenges for investors.

“He said “MSMEs drive job creation and innovation, however, access to finance for growth have hindered their growth over the years. Over 80 percent of MSMEs in the country are funded from personal savings and this is not helping for the growth of our economy.

There is urgent need to address the constraints on SMEs to ensure they flourish.

Advising entrepreneurs to build competences , he said “beyond every challenge is a great opportunity waiting to be received.”

22— Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

,

The implication of the above is that the bank customer or prospective bank customer is assured of an authorised arrangement to complain against poor services, and get reprieve

INVESTORS ,

UBA, Vitafoam, 84 others get recognition for consistent dividend payment

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

A

S part of efforts to encourage more quoted companies to imbibe the culture of rewarding their shareholders with dividend payment, United Bank For Africa (UBA Plc), Vitafoam Plc and 84 other quoted companies have been pencilled down to be rewarded for their consistent dividend payment history by Bodmas Foundation.

The affected companies are to receive Bronze, Silver or Gold award at the Maiden Awards Presentation Ceremony of Dividend Payment Awards (DP – Award) scheduled to hold on Friday, December 12, 2014.

The list of the 2014 DPAwards winners indicates that only UBA Plc and Vitafoam Nigeria Plc are in the Gold Award Category for achieving dividend payments of 41 years and 36 years respectively to their shareholders.

14 companies are in the Silver Award category for achieving dividend payment years of between 20 and 30 years to shareholders. The companies include- Unilever Nigeria Plc (17 years dividend payment history), Flour Mill of Nig. Plc, (23 years), John Holt Nigeria Plc (26 years); Cadbury Nigeria Plc (33 years); Nigeria Breweries (21 years); Cutix Plc (25 years); University Press Plc (25years); Scoa Plc (28 years); FBN Holdings Plc (17 years); GlaxoSmithkline Consumer Plc (22 years), Mobil Oil Plc (21 years), Seven-Up Bottling Co. (18 years), Julius Berger Nig. Plc, (18 years) and Nestle Nig. Plc, (17 years).

Bronze Award winners comprise 70 companies that have achieved dividend payment years of between five years and 15 years to their shareholders as their available published Annual Reports show. The Bronze Awardwinning companies include Roads Nigeria Plc, Forte Oil Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc, Continental Reinsurance Plc, Nahco Plc, Cement Company of Northern Nig. (CCNN Plc), GT Bank Plc; Zenith Bank PLC; FCMB Group PLC; Dangote Cement Plc, Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc, and Red Star Express Plc among others.

A statement by Executive Director, Bodmas Foundation, Mr. Abiodun Ayodele, said: ‘’The respective DPAwards winning companies are by their awards, indicating to their shareholders, investors, regulators, and the public at large that they are premium companies that hold a great prospect for continuous wealth creation

for their investors / shareholders, and the Nigerian economy at large.

The listed companies have by their collectively impressive dividend payments to shareholders to date, added hundreds of billions of naira to the Nigerian economy and given a good account of themselves to justify their shareholder investments in the Nigerian capital market.”

He further said that the 2014 edition of DP-Awards presentation ceremony signifies the commencement of the yearly DPAwards for listed companies on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, that achieve a minimum cumulative dividend payment of five years to their shareholders at any given time after listing on the Exchange.

Ayodele noted that the 2014 DP-Awards Presentation event would afford Nigerians the opportunity to view the details of dividend payments by the DPAwards’ winning companies, which the Foundation has compiled and used to select the 2014 winners among the over 200 companies listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

According to him, the dividend payment details would enlighten the Nigerian public, particularly the retail investors, to give more attention to the regular collection of their dividends as against their present prevalent lukewarm attitude that has seen the amount of unclaimed dividends rise to a staggering N60 billion.

The event will be chaired by a former Nigerian Defence Minister, Chairman of TY Holdings Limited and May & Baker Plc, Lieutenant Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (rtd), with their Excellencies, Governors Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State and Babatunde Raji Fashola of Lagos State, and the Honourable Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, expected as Chief Guests of Honour.

The chairperson of the Board of Trustees of Bodmas Foundation, Dame Priscilla Kuye, will be the event’s chief host.

The 2014 DP- Awards ceremony will also be graced by Board Members of both the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange including other stakeholder groups; company registrars, stockbrokers, auditors, solicitors, shareholder associations, and other professional bodies that render services to the Nigerian capital market.

When you are not satisfied with your bank (2)

By BABAJIDE KOMOLAFE

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NCIDENCES of poor quality service cannot be completely eliminated from any business offered by human beings. The most important thing, however, is to ensure there is an arrangement to reduce the occurrence of such incidences, and ensure that such incidences when they occur are resolved to the satisfaction of the victims of the service failures.

In the banking industry, all banks are mandated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to have such arrangement. This mandate was given via a circular issued August 16th 2011, titled, “Circular directing Deposit Money Banks to expand the existing ATM Help Desk to handle all Consumer Complaints and for Discount Houses and all other financial Institutions to establish a Consumer Complaint Help Desk”. In the circular, the CBN directed that: “All deposit money banks, discount house and other financial institutions establish e-mail addresses, dedicated to customers’ complaints handling; Henceforth, customer complaints against banks, discount houses and other financial institutions must first be filed with the bank or other financial institutions for resolution. A copy of the

complaints should be forwarded to the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation department of the CBN. Such complaints should be resolved within two weeks from the date of receipt (now30 days); Any financial institution unable to resolve a customer’s complaint within the 14 days (now 30 days) time frame should forward such complaints, with evidence of action taken to the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation department immediately after the 14 days (now 30 days) deadline, and advise the complainant accordingly; All financial institutions must submit monthly returns on all customer complaints received (whether resolved or not) to the CBN starting from 31st October, 2011.

The monthly returns should be submitted to the Director, Financial Policy and Regulation department, CBN not later than five days after the end of each month; and financial institutions are required to report the number of complaints

MARKET NEWS

Mansard’s corporate governance practice gets NSE’ approval ...Wins 2014 Nigerian Risk Awards & Marketing World Awards

By NKIRUKA NNOROM

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HE Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, has named Mansard Insurance Plc as one of the companies quoted on the Exchange with outstanding good corporate governance practices. Mansard received the accolade alongside seven other pilot companies that were announced at the launch of the NSE’ newly introduced Corporate Governance Rating System (CGRS), designed to rate companies listed on the Exchange based on their corporate governance and anticorruption culture.

According to the CEO, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, upholding high level of good corporate governance is mandatory for all quoted companies, even as he said that the practice would improve the overall perception of and trust in Nigeria’s capital markets and businesses.

The NSE’s recognition comes on the heels of two other outstanding awards the company added to her growing list of 2014 awards and recognitions, which came in just one week.

Specifically, the company emerged the first place overall winner in Insurance & Pensions category at the 2014 Nigerian Risk Awards which held on the 5th of November.

Also, Omokayode Oluwole of the Enterprise Risk Management Unit of Mansard emerged the 1st Runner Up for the Risk Manager of the Year award. The Nigerian Risk Awards organized by Conrad Clark Nigeria Ltd. in collaboration with Business Day and UK Institute of Risk Management is dedicated to rewarding organizations and individuals who have achieved results through the effective implementation of enterprise risk management principles.

Winners of the Nigerian Risk Awards were chosen by a panel of 18 high caliber judges from Risk Management Consultants background in the UK, USA, Cyprus, Germany and Nigeria.

Initiatives deployed by the company which were key to its emergence as the first place overall winner in Insurance & Pensions category include, reinforcement of risk culture & awareness and building of capacity through communication and training, both local and overseas.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 23

received during the period, number resolved, number not resolved; but referred to the CBN for intervention and total disputed amount in their approved Annual Reports and the published abridged financial statements”.

The directive above was in recognition by the CBN that incidences of poor services do occur in the banking industry, and also the need to protect customers from such poor services.

According to the CBN, “We have observed, with concern, the significant increase in the number of complaints the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) receives from customers of financial institutions especially deposit money banks’ customers on various banking products and services. To this end, it has become necessary for banks and other financial institutions to adopt appropriate and effective mechanisms to address

Also, at the fourth edition of Marketing World Awards, which held on November 7, 2014 in Lagos, Mansard Insurance Plc was adjudged Insurance Brand of the year.

The Marketing World Awards is an annual event organized by Instinct Wave Group to reward, recognize and celebrate companies with outstanding marketing initiatives.

Mansard Insurance Plc was incorporated in 1989 as a private limited liability company and is registered as a composite company with the National

customers’ grievances reduce spate of customer complaints, enhance public confidence and customer satisfaction.”

The implication of the above is that the bank customer or prospective bank customer is assured of an authorized arrangement to complain against poor services, and get reprieve. For example, between March 2010 and May 2014, the CBN received 4, 141 petitions/complaints against poor services, which were resolved and resulted to refund of N14.69 billion, and $1.1million.

Note that the customers would not have gotten such refund if they had not complained or if there was no arrangement/directive put in place by the authorities to ensure that their complaints were received and resolved.

Insurance Commission of Nigeria (NAICOM). The company offers life and non-life insurance products and services to individuals and institutions across Nigeria whilst also offering Investment Management and Health Maintenance solutions through its two subsidiaries, Mansard Investments Limited and Mansard Health Limited respectively. The company also recently received NAICOM’s approval for Micro Insurance Operations.

From left: Controls Compliance & Ethics Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Debola Falade, Director, Risk Management, Central Bank of Nigeria, Folake Fatogbe and Head, Enterprise Risk Management, Nahco Aviance, Ona Peters at the 2014 Nigeria Risk Award Ceremony in Lagos.

,

FORUM

This is because the stock exchange says they are protecting the investors, and the same companies that have no money to pay the dividend to these investors will as a matter of force be made to cough out money to service fines

,

INVESTORS SPEAK Delay in dividend payment by quoted companies and intended penalties is understandable. In that case, the company should not be penalized. What the ery soon, the Nigerian Stock Nigerian Stock Exchange should do is not Exchange (NSE) will begin to to penalize because the penalty will imply that they have to part with additional money sanction companies that fail to pay regardless of the fact that they declared dividend within the timeline specified in dividend and have not been able to pay it. the resolution passed by the shareholders Anytime a company delays in caring out at the Annual General Meeting, AGM, this resolution, shareholders assume that it with five per cent fine on the total is having liquidity problem. And the dividend payable by such companies . question will then be why such company is This is part of the existing General going to be sanctioned if the cash is not Undertaking in the Exchange’s Listings there. Where will the money to service the Requirements executed by every Issuer fine come from when the shareholders have before their securities were approved for not been paid what the company promised?

These are the issues, but what we think listing on the Exchange, and it is believed it will enhance market they should do is to emphasize to companies performance and growth while that when they declare dividend at that date set out, it must be paid. You sustaining a strong investor also work with the registrars protection framework. so that they can furnish you Contrary to this believe, with information on whether some shareholders of the cheque has been deposited. companies listed on the This is because the stock Exchange who spoke with exchange says they are Vanguard Investors Forum, protecting the investors, and on the matter believed the the same companies that have move was avaricious with no no money to pay the dividend good intention for the to these investors will as a investors. matter of force be made to cough out money to service Excerpt: fines.

For me, without threat of Williams Adebayo, sanction, a company should Chairman , Greenwich carry out their obligations to Shareholders Association of Nigeria (GSAN): This has been •Williams Adebayo shareholders especially after approval of dividend at the in existence for long, but the AGM. Sanction should be out truth of the matter is that we of the way. What they should must give the stock exchange do is to make it unlawful for kudos for this. A situation any company to withhold the whereby companies do not pay money if the money is there. their dividend after declaring Also, some of the registrars and promising shareholders are not up and doing; they also they will is not good and they need to sit up because even till should be penalized for that. today, we are still having As soon as this law is problem with e-dividend. For promulgated, efforts should be instance, I have had course to made to follow it up to the letter call some of the registrars to because most of the companies credit my account even after are known for this bad attitude, the payable date. In such making it very imperative that situation, they will tell you that any company that is found •Boniface Okezie the money has not been culpable should be dealt with released, or that they are having problem accordingly.

You find out that after the AGM, the dates or that the money has been paid into a you find in the Annual Reports for payment wrong account.

The registrars are not the service of dividends are not kept to. This implies that the financial controllers of such companies provider; they are just third parties helping are very funny human beings caring out to channel the payment. But if those who subscribe for e-dividend cannot receive dubious acts with those dividends. their dividend after a week of the approval at the AGM, then it will take those that did Boniface Okezie, Chairman, Progressive Shareholders not subscribe to e-dividend up to a month Association of Nigeria: It is important for before they will receive theirs. Or if you are companies to honour the obligation to pay within Lagos and you did not receive on dividend after it is declared. And because you time, then there will be more problem for don’t have to borrow money to pay dividend, those who are in the other states.

Registrars must update shareholders’ since it is a product of the company’s good performance in terms of profit made during names and accounts before the closure date a financial year, payment of dividend should so that they don’t run into problems.

The regulator needs to also do more to be at the Board’s discretion. A company can make all the money in the world and still ensure that they are not only concerned with the sanction but ensure the enforcement of decide not to pay dividend.

If a company does not have money, it does the laws on the operators’ side so as to make not have to pay, but once it has proposed sure that they deliver.

If the regulators are more concerned such dividend, why the delay in crediting the shareholders’ account. Expect today when it about the money, it shows that they are more has to do with the third party, the clearing particular about getting better allowances houses that help in the processing of the e- and salary at the expense of the investors. dividend through the registrars often cause This is contrary to their promise of protecting us whereas they are only fighting delay.

If there is something that brings about for their pockets. delay, for instance, a system breakdown, that

By WILLIAM JIMOH

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24 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Nigeria loses N27bn to gas flaring in one month

By Michael Eboh

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IGERIA lost about $170.166 million, around N27.227 billion to gas flaring in one month, as oil and gas companies flared 39.07 billion Standard Cubic Feet (SCF) of gas in the month of August 2014.S Quoting data from the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX), Bloomberg put the price of natural gas at $4.27 per million British Thermal Unit (BTU) of gas. A Standard Cubic Feet of gas is equal to 1,020 BTU of gas.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, in its latest report on activities in the oil and gas sector for the month of August 2014, revealed that the oil and gas companies produced a total of 226.255 billion SCF of gas, utilised 187.85 billion SCF and flared 39.070 billion SCF. Specifically, the quantity flared represents 17.27 per cent of the total quantity of gas produced.

Marginal Fields operators were the worst offenders in the month under review, flaring 81.58 per cent of their total gas production. Specifically, Marginal Fields produced 1.223 billion SCF of gas, utilized 805.424 million SCF and flared 997.587 million SCF of gas.

Sole Risk/Independent oil companies followed with the production of 14.139 billion SCF of gas, utilizing 2.81 billion SCF and flaring 11.33 billion SCF, representing 80.12 per cent of the total quantity of gas produced.

Production Sharing Companies recorded gas production of 27.828 billion SCF, utilized 18.558 billion SCF and

flared 9.27 billion SCF of gas, representing 33.31 per cent of the total gas produced in the sector.

Joint Venture companies were the least offenders, flaring 9.86 per cent of the total gas produced in the sector.

Specifically, companies in the sector jointly produced 183.066 billion SCF of gas, utilized 165.011 billion and flared 18.055 billion SCF. On a company-by-company basis, Seplat Petroleum Development Company and Niger Delta Western, were the worst offenders, with each

flaring 100 per cent of their total gas production of 830.26 million SCF and 2.682 billion SCF respectively.

Allied Energy/Camac Energy followed, flaring 94.44 per cent of their total gas production of 961.37 million SCF, while Midwestern Oil and Gas produced 22.685 million SCF, flaring 21.185 million SCF, representing 93.39 per cent.

Chevron Texaco flared 379.192 million SCF, representing 90.98 per cent of its 416.774 million SCF gas production; Pillar Oil produced 20.65 million SCF,

EXHIBITION:

utilized 2.29 million SCF and flared 18.36 million SCF, representing 88.91 per cent of its total gas production, while Naconde Energy flared 84.24 per cent of its 40.837 million SCF gas production.

Energia Limited produced 290.52 million SCF of gas, utilized 72.19 million SCF and flared 218.33 million SCF, which is 75.15 per cent of its total gas production; Oriental Energy flared 72.3 per cent of its total gas production of 183.35 million SCF, while Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, flared 71.85 per cent of 8.932 billion SCF of gas it produced in the

From left: Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power; Otunba Francis Meshioye, Executive Director, JMG Limited and Tayo Balogun, Managing Director, Powercell Limited, during the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) pre-conference workshop, in Lagos.

period under review.

The NNPC, had in its Annual Statistical Bulletin for the year 2013, declared that Nigeria lost about $1.705 billion (N272.8 billion) to gas flaring, as oil and gas firms operating in the country flared 409.311 billion Standard Cubic Feet, SCF, of gas between January and December 2013.

According to the NNPC, oil and gas firms produced 2.325 trillion SCF of gas in the 2013, but were only able to utilise 1.917 trillion SCF, flaring 409.311 billion SCF, representing 17.6 per cent of the total gas produced.

Shell shuts 200,000bpd Trans Niger Pipeline

By Sebastine Obasi

N

IGERIA’S oil exports were disrupted after Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, yesterday, shut the Trans Niger Pipeline, after it discovered a leak on the pipeline.

The pipeline carries one of Nigeria’s main export grades, Bonny Light .

About six cargoes of the crude are exported each month, or around 180,000-200,000 barrels per day.

A Shell spokeswoman in London, however, stated that force majeure had not been declared on the grade.

“SPDC is investigating the source of a leak at Okolo Launch in Eastern Niger Delta which occurred near the 24-inch and the 28-inch TNP (TransNiger Pipeline),” a spokesman at Shell said in an e-mailed statement.

“The leak occurred near where one of our contractors was preparing to remove crude theft connections on the line. On noticing the leak on November 22, we deployed booms and also shut

in the 28-inch TNP.” The 24-inch pipeline has been shut since Oct. 18 last year for repair and integrity checks, the spokesman added.

Nigeria’s oil industry suffers from

rampant oil theft. A report by a national conference convened by President Goodluck Jonathan in March, said the country was losing an estimated $35 million (22 million pounds) a day to oil theft.

In March this year, Shell said it lost nearly $1 billion in 2013 through theft and various disruptions to its Nigerian oil and gas operations.

The oil major has since sold some of its onshore producing fields in part due to these problems.

Canadian oil firm to sue Kenya over licence revocation

A

Canadian oil exploration company expelled from Kenya last year has restructured in what it terms “preparation” for a fight with government for Sh13 billion in compensation for illegally terminating its license.

Vanoil, a Canadian firm that was exploring for oil and gas in Kenya, retired its president Sam Malin and replaced him with Don Padgett, who is said to have a wealth of experience in dealing with investment in “troubled countries”.

“The board of directors has instructed management to conduct an immediate review of all company operations. The

priority goal is to eliminate non-essential costs, dispose of non-productive assets and secure sufficient funding to enable Vanoil to aggressively pursue its legal arbitration against the Republic of Kenya,” reads a statement posted on Vanoil’s website.

Vanoil disputes the revocation of its licence for blocks 3A and 3B located in Garissa which was ordered by Energy and Petroleum CS Davis Chirchir in February on the grounds the company had failed to carry out minimum exploration work in the blocks as required under the production sharing contract.

Vanoil has already written to the government about its intention for

arbitration, and it is understood that the government has already started preparing its response to the issues raised by the exploration company. Its only known assets are in Kenya and Seychelles.

The production sharing contract, which all firms exploring for oil and gas must sign with the government, sets out the minimum work such firms should carry out within the tenure of the contract.

In its notice of arbitration, Vanoil said it was unable to drill at the sites because “operations were significantly impaired by incidents of local disturbance and unrest.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 25

Estimated billing: Nigeria needs 8 million new meters — Nebo

By Sebastine Obasi

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HE Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo has attributed the estimated bills given to Nigerians by distribution companies to the eight million meter shortage in the country.

Speaking at the just concluded West African Power Industry Convention, WAPIC, in Lagos, the Minister said the only way to check estimated and exorbitant bills is by providing meters to electricity consumers in Nigeria.

“The metering gap in Nigeria is so huge and there is no scientific way of looking at people’s faces and estimating the amount of electricity they are consuming.

The only way to do that is to install meters.

“The DISCOs have received matching orders. In fact, they have gotten the riot act read to them. They need to meter everybody. But it is not going to be done over night. The metering gap in Nigeria ranges from 3 million to 8 million. That is a huge quantity.

“Where are you going to find that kind of capacity anywhere? They are working to make sure that this is done.

Also, the regulator, NERC is working very hard to ensure that these things are done. So, metering is the answer. Again, there are many who are not paying anything. They are

stealing energy, consuming energy, illegal connections and the only way to these things is metering. That is why we emphasise metering as a saving grace for consumers,” he said.

Speaking on renewable energy, Nebo attributed its slow development in the country to low education, technology and wealth. He however enjoined Nigerians to expect a revolution in the sub-sector.

He said, “Wealth, education, technology availability in Nigeria is what is holding the renewable energy difficulty.

What I am expecting or what

I anticipate is that in the next 12 months to 24 months, there is going to be a revolution with regard to application and deployment of renewable energy and it is going to be mostly solar.

“The reason is that virtually every part of Nigeria is amenable to solar energy. We are also going to be doing some biomass and a few wind turbines in areas that have the wind velocities which are very and far between in Nigeria.

We are working on hydro too, a very few hydro for rural areas, a few 100 kilowatts, just 1 to 10 megawatts and things like that.

“With regard to renewable, the knowledge base needs to be established.

The technology needs to be established. The education of the people to understand how to use and deploy this technology is very critical.”

Nebo also explained that the government has signed memoranda of understanding with some companies to develop coalfired turbines, as a means of diversifying the electricity base of the country.

“Presently, we have coal

CHNEIDER Electric, a global specialist in energy management has announced the graduation of 30 Nigerian students from its Isaac Boro Energy Training College (IBETC) Grenoble, France.

The graduating students are the first batch of beneficiaries of the training programme which is a multilateral partnership between the Nigerian government, the French Education Ministry and Schneider Electric, designed to address the dearth of trained engineers in electrical and energy fields, especially in emerging economies like Nigeria. The 30 trainees flew to France in November 2013 and followed an intensive 12-month program in electrical installations and equipment, medium and low voltage and

Powercell, ABB, others partner for UPS investment in Nigeria

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CONVENTION: From left: Sola David-Borha CEO, Stanbic IBTC Nigeria; Tony O. Elumelu, CON Chairman Heirs Holdings; Hon. Minister of Power Chinedu Nebo, OON; and Kunle Elebute, Head of Advisory Services, KPMG Nigeria; at the West African Power Industry Convention (WAPIC) in Lagos.

Schneider Electric’s IBETC graduates 30 Nigerian students

S

being mined in Nigeria now by Zuma Company. We have other coal blocks that have been giving out. We have signed memoranda of understanding with companies that want to do coalfired turbines.

“Many of them are really progressing in that regard. Very soon, coal-fired turbines will be very many in Nigeria. These turbines take a long time to be manufactured, eventually deployed and commissioned. We are working on them right now, but they are all private-sector driven,” he added.

renewable energies.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Kingsley Kuku said that Nigeria needed more companies like Schneider Electric to drive the development of indigenous capacity.

“This is a proven commitment towards manpower skill enhancement in Nigeria’s energy sector and we call on other companies to do same” Kuku said.

With their Certificate of Professional Competencies for Electrical Networks and Installations, specialising in Design and Operation, the technicians have become part of the much sought after skilled workforce that industries are on the lookout

for, to car r y out implementation tasks, commissioning and maintenance of electrical installations and equipment up to international standards.

Also speaking, the Director of Schneider Electric France Energy Training Mr Francois Milioni said, “This has been a ver y successful year.

Students have made outstanding progress and have shown great enthusiasm to learn and reinforce their technical skills.

They have demonstrated exemplary behavior throughout the course and will be valuable assets for any organization.”

In his response, JeanPascal Tricoire, Chairman and CEO of Schneider Electric, who also expressed satisfaction at the competence and expertise

demonstrated by the graduating students, said “ Our goal is to overcome the shortage of skilled manpower in the sector and this is why we are constantly identifying partnerships that aim to improve the skill sets of personnel in the sector and improve emerging economies”.

Responding on behalf of the graduating students, Master Ojoye said, “This training has placed me and my colleagues on a higher pedestal of productivity and professional competence and we are grateful for the opportunity provided by Schneider Electric, Nigerian government and the French Education Ministry to acquire skill in energy management.”

OWERCELL, a back-up and uninterrupted power supply company in partnership with ABB of Switzerland, Newave and Ashley Edison of United Kingdom, has said that it is working to ensure that Nigerian citizenry is served with the best UPS, back-up, support and maintenance services.

The Managing Director of Powercell, Mr. Tayo Balogun, who stated this at the West African Power Industry Convention, WAPIC, in Lagos, said that his company entered into partnership with reputable European companies in order to give Nigerians the best technology to check power surge and erratic power supply.

“We are currently servicing sectors like oil and gas telecoms, banking, among others. A lot of fake products are in the market today. They appear cheaper. Nigerians should consider online, realtime response and online protection,” he said.

According to him, “Newave Energy is one of the leading manufacturers of UPS in Europe.

It is based in Switzerland. In 2012, the company was bought over by ABB. All over the world, mergers and acquisitions are common these days. The marriage between ABB and Newave came into being in June 2, 2012.

“We signed our partnership as sole representative of the ABB UPS on September 24, 2012.

Newave is a member of the ABB Group. We opted to market ABB brand of UPS in Nigeria because the company is well known in Nigeria. It has been around for a long time.

“Our products are affordable.

If you compare them with others in their class, you find out that they are the cheapest.

26 — Vanguard, TUESDAY,

NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Gas to power: CBN offsets PHCN N36.9bn legacy debt

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ITH the decline in the global prices of oil, workers in Chevron under the aegis of Chevron Branch of Petroleum and natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have emphasised the need for the employers of labour and workers unions in the country to collaborate on ways to mitigate the effects on the employee, companies’ operations and the economy at large.

Speaking during a two day training organised by the Chevron Branch of PENGASSAN in Lagos, the Branch Chairman, Frank Esanubi, said that the collaboration will enable both workers and management to fashion out ways to deal with the challenges that accompany the free fall in oil prices.

He noted that it will be unethical for management to unilaterally and unprocedurually implement decisions that are anti-workers in their bid to cut operational costs as a result of the dwindling oil prices.

Esanubi called on the

By Chris Ochayi

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•Crude oil production facility

Crude price decline: PENGASSAN seeks labour, employers collaboration

government to mandate employers to obey legal frameworks that encourage decent employment and unionisation of workers, adding that it is only decent work that can guarantee robust industrial harmony and improved productivity.

He stated that the training was necessary to equip the members with relevant modern knowledge and information that can make them confront challenges pose by the ongoing reforms and the dwindling oil prices.

In his remarks, a past President of PENGASSAN, Peter Esele, said that the collaboration between the employers and labour in the oil and gas industry will engender industrial harmony and enhance productivity as both parties will be seeing issues from mutually beneficial positions.

By Ediri Ejoh He therefore enjoined employers to respect the provisions of the Nigerian Constitution on the Right to Freedom of Association and lawful Assembly, as well as the Trade Union Act and the international conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) on the right to collective bargaining and unionisation.

Speaking on “ILO Conventions and The Nigeria Labour Laws,” Hyginus Chika Onuegbu noted that the Nigerian labour laws right from the colonial period seemed largely designed to facilitate the commercial and economic objectives and interests of the masters, adding “despite the 54 years of independence, this attitude of the

colonial masters towards labour and industrial relations matters is very much enshrined in our labour laws.

“We appeal to the Government of Nigeria to ratify many of the ILO conventions not yet ratified. We particularly appeal to the Federal Government to ratify ILO Convention 158 concerning termination of employment at the Initiative of the Employer which came into force on 3rd November 1985, as this will provide some succour to employees whose employments do not have statutory flavour.

He appealed to the National Assembly to review the Nigerian labour laws and bring them up to date with current reality and international best practice, saying that many of the laws are outdated.

Global energy demand to rise by 60% — Report

By Sebastine Obasi

T

HE falling oil prices will probably be temporary going by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC report just released.

The OPEC report as contained in the World Oil Outlook for 2014 stated that by 2040, energy demand is expected to increase by 60 percent to 256 million barrels oil equivalent per day (mb/d).

The report which examined the main issues and drivers that could affect oil and energy markets in the medium to long term between 2014 and 2040, stated that while energy demand is expected to increase by 60 percent by 2040, global oil demand is expected to increase by over 21 mb/d by 2040, to reach 111 mb/d.

The developing countries’ demand is to be 67 mb/d while the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, or OECD, is to account for 38.2 mb/d.

Rising costs, insufficient work-force and new

technologies, such as advancements in drilling technology and downstream processes, will affect future demand and supply in the oil market, the outlook said.

It also explained that oil will still have the most shares in the energy mix by 2020 but coal and gas will outpace it by 2040. The cost of oil per barrel is predicted to be $110 for the rest of the decade, similar to last year ’s outlook for the OPEC reference basket price — a mix of oil prices produced

by OPEC members.

Real value, in 2013 prices, of oil per barrel is foreseen to be $100 by 2035 and $101.6 by 2040. Nominal prices are expected to be $157.3 by 2035 and $177.4 by 2040. Total energy supply will reach 410.2 million barrels oil equivalent per day in 2040 and oil supply is expected to rise from 81.8 mboe/d in 2010 to 99.6 mboe/d in 2040.

Although oil will still be in the lead in 2020, by 2040 coal and gas

will become the leading energy supplies. “Many regions are expected to register supply increases, primarily crude oil from Latin America, mainly Brazil and Columbia, Middle East and Africa, the Caspian, Kazakhstan’s Kashagan oil field should add to robust growth, and Russia,” the outlook added.

A total of $10 trillion of investment in energy is needed by 2040. Over the medium-term, the outlook said that non-OPEC will invest over $300 billion each year while OPEC would need to invest an average of close to $40 billion annually in the remaining years of this decade, and over $60 billion annually in the longer term. The Middle East will continue to dominate oil trade with exports at 22 mb/d by 2040.

Also commenting on renewable energy, the outlook sees continued growth at a fast pace, partly as a result of government support, although their share in the global energy mix is expected to remain modest

HE Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has offset the N36.9 billon legacy debt owed to gas suppliers by the power sector under the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, over the last few years.

This debt settled through the CBN was part of the N213 billion intervention fund initiated by the Federal Government to address the hiccups, which characterised the postprivatisastion of the power sector of the economy.

The Federal Government had on September. 13, 2014, announced a N213 billion intervention facility to offset gas legacy debts and address the revenue shortfall in the electricity market.

While the N36.9 billion was disbursed to settle gas supplies, the balance will go to Generation and Distribution companies, to complement the revenue shortfall.

The agreement was signed between the Federal Government and Generation and Distribution companies, Independent Power Producers, International Oil Companies, and the Nigeria Gas Company, for the supply of gas in order to clear the hiccups.

The oil companies involved in the agreement signed in Abuja, include Agip, Oando, Pan Ocean, Chevron, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, SEPLAT Petroleum, and Total.

The Minister of Power and that of Petroleum Resources, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Chairman of Nigeria Electricity Regulatory Commission, signed on behalf of the Federal Government.

Addressing the stakeholders during the ceremony, the Minister of Petroleum Resources Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke, explained that the intervention was initiated to move the sector forward.

According to her, “In the last few weeks, the CBN, NERC and Federal Ministries of Petroleum as well as Power, have been collaborating to develop lasting solutions to the challenge of gas supply.

The interventions started with an increase in gas to power price to levels considered more commercial than before and at par with export parity. Gas transmission tariff for gas supplied to power was also increased to reflect commercial rates and enable private investment in infrastructure.

Mrs. Alison Madueke recalled that, “In our last press engagement, a further intervention aimed at addressing legacy debt owed to the gas sector was also announced.

“Today, I am pleased that we are formally consummating our last intervention. Legacy debt of about N36.9bn owed to gas suppliers by the power sector (PHCN) over the last few years is now being settled through the CBN led intervention scheme”

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 27

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28 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Developer of world’s tallest building unveils plans to build

5-star hotel in Abuja

BY JUDE NJOKU

E

MAAR Properties, developer of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, has made a bold entry into the Nigerian real estate market.

The company last week, unveiled plans to develop a fivestar premium hotel named The Address Hotels + Resorts in Abuja’s Centenary City.

Abuja Centenary City is aligned with the vision of President Goodluck Jonathan to create a smart urban city hub which would be a fitting tribute to the country on its 100th year of formation. The City which would be built on 1,300 hectares of land, is being developed by Eagle Hills, a private investment and real

Hospitality Group (a subsidiary estate development company as part of a joint venture of Emaar Properties), Philippe agreement with the Federal Zuber explained why the companies is making inroads into Government and would on completion, be the the Federal Caplargest of its kind in ital Territory, Africa.

Abuja. “Nigeria S p e c i f i c a l l y, is one of the fastEmaar Properties est growing marwhich also built The Our goal is to set kets in Africa.

Dubai Mall, touted a new benchmark The hotel serves as the world’s largas a perfect fit to est and most-visited in the hospitality complement our retail and entertain- sector of Nigeria international exment destination, pansion stratedescribed The Ad- through our gy. Abuja Centedress Hotels + Re- unique ‘one-sizenary City offers sorts as its flagship an ideal and fits-one’ approach hotel brand. The high-growth enhotel is managed by of creating excep- vironment for us its subsidiary, tional lifestyle to establish our Messrs. credentials as a The Chief Operat- destination in premium hotel ing Officer of Emaar Abuja operator in the

country,” he said “We see a strong growth opportunity in Nigeria, particularly in Abuja Centenary City, to introduce our hotel brand that is defined by the philosophy of ‘Where Life Happens. This means a focus on providing a more personal and approachable experience to guests, whether business, leisure or group travellers, in a vibrant lifestyle environment,” he said.

According to Zuber, “Our goal is to set a new benchmark in the hospitality sector of Nigeria through our unique ‘one-sizefits-one’ approach of creating exceptional lifestyle destination in Abuja Centenary City. The Address chooses central locations to offer its customers the best in entertainment, leisure and overall convenience. Abuja

FG pledges to collaborate with AUHF to solve housing challenges

BY JUDE NJOKU

T

he Federal Government has pledged to partner with the African Union for Housing Finance, AUHF with a view to addressing the challenges constraining the building and construction industry from serving as a key driver of growth in virtually all African Countries.

Minister of Lands, Housing and Urban Development, Mrs Akon Eyakenyi who gave the pledge at th the just concluded 30 anniversary conference of the Union in Cape Town, South Africa, explained that “events around us have underscored the importance of

enhanced access to affordable housing in the building of strong, healthy and equitable societies”.

Mrs Eyakenyi described the theme of the conference, Alternative Building Technologies for Affordable Housing Construction as apt given the need to ensure greater access to home ownership in African countries through the adoption of new building systems.

Besides, she said the theme is apt because of the need to address the effects of rapid urbanisation on the continent and the acute shortage in the housing needs of the low-income and medium income segments who constitute the vast majority of the national population of each country in Africa.

Mrs Eyakenyi outlined measures taken by the Nigerian government to reduce the housing deficit in the country. “We in Nigeria are conscious of the need to deliver affordable homes both at a reduced cost and on the right scale.

Accordingly, we have developed the national housing and urban development policies for the realisation of this strategic national imperative. The two policies have been further consolidated with the development of a 30-year Roadmap for the housing and urban development sector which is aimed at addressing all the ramifications of the challenges presently facing the sector.

Centenary City, therefore, is a perfect fit to our brand philosophy.”

He said The Address promises a bouquet of unique lifestyle experiences for all travellers within its properties. “Diverse on-site food and beverage options, premier health and wellness facilities and iconic attractions in close proximity enhance the overall experience, differentiating it from its competitors,”he said.

Business and leisure visitors With five prestigious properties in Dubai that are preferred by business and leisure visitors from Nigeria, The Address Hotels + Resorts he said, has marked its global expansion with management contracts to operate The Address Marassi Golf Resort & Spa in Egypt.

Additionally, the brand will operate The Address Masai Mara in Kenya, a retreat highlighted by the natural beauty of Kenya.

Vanguard Homes & Property learnt that bilateral relations between Nigeria and Dubai has grown in the last few years. A report by Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry said nonoil trade between Dubai and Nigeria accounted for almost NGN 257 billion (AED 5.6 billion) in 2013. Inbound tourism from Nigeria to Dubai is also increasingly led by increased airline connectivity.

Only recently, Emirates Airline, the city’s global carrier, signed a MoU with Arik Air to expand operations in Nigeria and West.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 29

How safe is this water?

WaterAid, NMA, others write UN Scribe •Want govts to step up access to clean water, toilet facilities

BY JUDE NJOKU

S

even in ten children in Nigeria do not have access to a basic toilet, which alongside unsafe drinking water and a lack of hygiene services, contributes to three of the main killers of children.

The main killers of children were identified as under nutrition, pneumonia and diarrhoea. This claim was contained in an open letter to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki Moon by 36 prominent international health and development experts which included

representatives of WaterAid and Nigerian Medical Association, NMA. Other signatories to the letter were representatives of AMREF Health Africa, the World Medical Association, Commonwealth Medical Association, Global Health Council, International Confederation of Midwifes, Nigeria’s National Primary Health Care Development Agency, the Health Reform Foundation of Nigeria, the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the Nigerian Medical Students Association.

The signatories who said

they represent over 620,000 health professionals globally, highlighted the desperate waste of life caused by people not having access to a basic toilet. According to them, without basic sanitation, children have no choice but to live and play in areas contaminated by human waste.

The letter, coordinated by WaterAid was published to coincide with World Toilet Day which held last week. It also highlights that the sanitation ‘crisis touches every moment of every child’s life, from birth to adulthood, if they are lucky

enough to make it that far‘.

The Country Representative of WaterAid in Nigeria, Dr. Michael Ojo summed up the dangers of poor sanitation thus, “The dangers of poor sanitation and dirty water have been known for around 150 years, yet 121 million people (about 72% of the population) do not have a basic toilet to use in Nigeria and nearly 40 million still defecate in the open. This lack of access to basic sanitation harms the health of children and often leaves a lifetime legacy of disease and poverty.” He called on the government to step up and commit thatso that by 2030, no home, hospital or school will be without a toilet and clean water.”

The open letter to the UN Secretary-General coincides with a new briefing released by WaterAid: ‘Child of Mine’ which states that sanitation ‘remains one of the most neglected issues in developing countries and international development aid’ The release of the letter to the UN SecretaryGeneral and the publication of the ‘Child of Mine’ briefing come at a crucial time, as governments work to complete the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that run from 2000 to 2015, and negotiate the new Sustainable Development Goals, which will replace them.

FHA, FRSC set to collaborate on provision of staff housing T

he Federal Housing Authority, FHA will collaborate with the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC to ensure that the Corps oneman, one house policy for its staff, is effectively implemented. This was the highpoint of decisions reached between the acting Managing Director of the FHA, Mr David Kpue, an engineer, and the FRSC Corps Marshall, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi in Abuja.

Kpue said he came with his management team to the FRSC headquarters to explore ways of partnering with the Corps in the provision of affordable housing for its staff.

He told his host that the FHA had developed a PublicPublic Partnership, PPP housing delivery model to assist ministries, departments and agencies of government to execute their staff housing programmes.

He regretted that many MDA’s, without the requisite skills and competence, were dissipating their time, energy and resources on the execution of housing projects which he said had become an avoidable distraction to them.

The FHA boss said the

authority had over the past three decades, perfected its machinery for cost effective housing delivery and was willing to make it available to other government establishments.

Apart from housing schemes which could be designed to

meet the peculiar needs of FRSC staff, he said the Authority had completed housing estates in Lagos, Calabar, Yenagoa, Kaduna, Makurdi, Awka and Gombe from which the FRSC could acquire houses for its staff.

FCTA, JICA partner on non–revenue water project

BY FUNMI OLASUPO

I

n a bid to strengthen the capacity of the water board in the delivery of potable water, the Federal government in partnership with Japan International Cooperation Agency JICA, has launched the Federal Capital Territory Reduction of Non – Revenue Water Project.

The project is expected to enhance the technical and managerial capacity of the staff of the FCT Water Board to adequately and efficiently operate, manage and extend urban water supply. It will also reduce unnecessary waste of water.

Speaking during the lunch of the project in Abuja, Minister of FCT, Senator Bala

Mohammed said the main purpose of the project is to eliminate non-revenue water, which has to do with waters that are not accounted for.

Represented by the Director, Department of Economic Planning, Research & Statistics, Mr. Ari Isa Muhammad, the Minister noted that, the potential of the project will be to collect more revenues for water services and build the capacity of the staff for more productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.

“The project is coming at the time when FCT water board is looking at having prepaid water metres which will enhance not only our revenue but will make residents to be more careful with the amount of water they waste,” he said.

Expert seeks practice oriented engineering training

By Kingsley Adegboye

A

gainst the backdrop of recurring failures in engineering and architectural projects in the country arising from shoddy jobs by engineers and architects handling the projects, a construction expert, Uwe Erich Halpick wants the country’s educational system to focus more on practicals than the theoretical aspects of education.

Halpick, an engineer and architect is the project director at Spezial Bau, a Nigerian construction company with international presence which cuts Europe, Africa and Asia. He stated that emphasis on practical experience of Nigerian engineers and architects will ensure the delivery of quality engineering and architectural projects in the country.

The German who said he has over 30 years experience in the construction sector, also called for training and retraining of housing and construction professionals. He noted that regular training and retraining of engineers to update them on current construction techniques which are obtainable in other parts of the world will further guarantee quality and perfect job delivery by construction professionals in Nigeria.

The construction guru who spoke to Vanguard Homes & Property at the weekend, noted that with his vast knowledge in construction, he has realised that emphasis on practicals will better equip engineers rather than class work. He pointed out that the emphasis at Spezial Bau is regular training and retraining of engineers which explains the high quality of jobs being delivered by the the Lagos-based construction company.

Services offered by Spezial Bau, according to Halpick include construction of roads and housing projects. Others are construction of cinemas, resorts, office buildings, school buildings, service stations, hotels, airports, canalization and hospitals. “Our brand represents high-quality, remarkable, efficiency, affordability, creativity, innovation and precision,” he said.

Standout projects executed by the company include the newly constructed mega filling station with truck park along LagosIbadan Expressway, eight units of four-storey buildings in Arepo, Ogun state, five-storey building in Abuja and the newly commissioned FCT VIO computerised vehicle inspection centre.

30 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

By Emma Ujah, Abuja Bureau Chief

W

HAT did you meet on ground and how are you tackling the challenges in the road sector?

At inception, the level of failure was high. Most of our roads had actually passed the maintenance stage in terms of age, in terms of degree of dilapidation. So you find that the agency was grappling with the recovery of the roads before maintaining them. In fact, the norm is that maintenance is expected to start immediately a road is commissioned. It is called periodic, routine or rehabilitation depending on the condition. So, in pavement management system, you are supposed to have pavement graded according to their age and when a pavement is due for resurfacing, you do it comprehensively.

Maintenance outfit That is the international practice. But here in Nigerian, we had an experience where after the civil war, a lot of roads were built and the maintenance outfit was not put in place.

Therefore, we had roads that exceeded their lifespan and became very weak. With the establishment of FERMA, we started grappling with the maintenance.

Today, the Federal government has well over 30,000 kilometres of roads and we must attend to all of these collectively in spite of what you know that is obvious; the funding lapses and challenges.

In 2011, this management took over and by the time we came, there were already calls to declare a state of emergency on Nigerian roads. What we did at FERMA was to move on to study the roads and we started the process of developing a strategy that will enable us recover a greater length of the roads and make them passable in line with Mr. President’s directive. It was called Rapid Road Recovery Programme (RRRP), which was approved by the Minister. Under that programme, we commenced to get preventive maintenance initiative in place.

What did that entail?

In the past, a road will start to fail if the funding and the enablement to get that road repaired is not there, you leave it because it may not become too big immediately while you are tackling very big failures. Over the period, what you call minor failure would have enlarged and it will become another challenge.

The preventive maintenance initiative is a corrective effort and we are doing things like that. We also found out that the agency had bought seven major asphalt plants but they were not cleared from the port.

As I speak to you, we were able

How we made Nigerian roads motorable — FERMA boss to remove all plants from the port and distributed them to the seven regions of the country and they have already been installed and operational. These major asphalt plants make it possible for you to access material at every given time.

At the inception of this management, we had over 80 per cent of the roads that were bad.

So, we needed to work critically to ensure that we reduce that number and what we did was to identify routes that we refer to as critical alignments. For instance, the number of vehicles that move from Abuja through Kano to Katsina will be less than the ones branching off Zaria. The number of vehicles moving from Lagos to Benin made the road a high concentration one. By the time they get to Benin, some go to Warri and some others go to Onitsha. So, we took those routes as critical routes and started a programme of ensuring that the preventive maintenance and zero potholes initiative worked throughout on such routes and also, we needed to get more asphalt patchers. We inherited about six patchers. These patchers are state of the art equipment from the United States of America. You put all your tools in a patcher and it carries

These are roads you can go today and you won’t find any potholes

•Engr Gabriel Amuchi, FERMA MD not doing anything. Government, your asphalt too.

It carries the compactor, the I must stress, belongs to all of us cutter and even the priming including the man who cuts the equipment and in one go, it goes road. It is the same attitude you to the highway and begins to seal find with some of the people potholes. We later arranged with installing optical fibres. the suppliers and we got Sometimes, when they get to a additional 31. Today, we have 38 bridge, they reduce the width of such patchers distributed all and pass their pipe, what matters over the country. These are the to them is their money. We found programmes we flagged off to see out that no one is particularly how we can tackle the taking charge of our roads and dilapidated nature of our we got approval from highways. We also found out government to establish the that, in some remote sections of Federal Road Committee on the country, we did not have Surveillance and Action against access to the road construction Road Abuse. The committee materials such as asphalt. And, includes a member of the Armed in other states, it will surprise you Forces, the Nigerian Police to know that you may not find an Force, the FRSC, FERMA, ministry of works and Civil asphalt plant.

Defence representatives.

Towards the end of each year, Asphalt when Nigerians travel a lot, we plant push them all over the country With that background in mind, to minimise and possibly stop we commenced a research entirely, road abuses, illegal use programme to produce what we of roads, traffic offences and help call cold asphalt for quick patch the FRSC to decongest critical rather than waiting for an asphalt road. It will interest you to know plant complete. Our staff here are that sometimes when they say a producing and distributing cold road is fully blocked because of asphalt in bags. It is the first in traffic grid, you will find out that this country that some states have it is just one irresponsible user even come to study the process of the road that is responsible. A and technology. All our engineers tanker driver will park somewhere have them in their offices and if with the excuse that his battery there is any pothole, they don’t is no longer working and he have any excuse not to seal it up. w a l k s That has helped us to reduce the a w a y rampant cases of dangerous causing potholes on our roads. serious We also acquired light t r a f f i c s equipment like slashers, and this backhoes. These are light is what equipment used the world over t h e for maintenance of roads committee regularly. has been What is the cause of constant helping road failure in the country? us to do.

We have found Nigerians shift What from places designated as w o u l d markets and start marketing on y o u the road. We have found that consider Nigerians deliberately block as the drainage structures to put market impact of stalls. Sometimes, somebody who y o u r wants to connect water pipe to his e f f o r t s house would damage the road on road without taking any action to repair users? the damaged section. He will Today, simply watch as the road fails and t h e the moment the road fails, he will question be the first to say government is of road

accident occurring because of road failure has reduced. I have even read that sometimes, accidents occur because of bad manipulation, which could be caused by the driver’s attitude or equipment failure.

It is important to highlight that the agency has come out of the state where they were calling for the introduction of a state of emergency to a state where people are saying at least, it is fair. The challenge is still there, the work to do is still there but a lot has been done. We have carried out maintenance on these roads— Katsina to Kano road, Kaduna to Zaria road, and Abuja Keffi road, Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, Ilorin to Egbe and Omuaran road.

On the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, there was a time they said the surface was wearing, what we did was to reinstate and strengthen the surface and then we provided reflective coating and now it is no longer dark as it used to be.

We have also worked on the Benin Bypass. These are roads you can go today and you won’t find any potholes. The Sagamu interchange and then sections of Lagos to Badagry, we repaired it and made it conducive for driving since last year.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—31

Charles Inojie set to surprise fans!

S

•Yemi Blaq

•Gideon Okeke

Dora Akunyili

TAR-actor, Charles Inojie has finalized plans to produce his first movies after years of directing and acting. “Yes, I am going to try my hands on producing from early next year. So your information is very correct, but we are keeping the details very close to our hearts just yet. Discussions have reached top gear with potential sponsors and I do not want to preempt anything at the moment. Let me assure my fans that they are in for a great experience.”

The Edo State comic-actor who has been very busy in recent times said, “Everyone knows me as the writer cum movie director. But in the last four years, I embarked on a journey to unveil the other side of me that I was actually a lead role material. So, I got to that point in my career when I could no longer continue to suppress my acting talents. I had to take the bull by the horn by going all out in front of the camera as a full-fledged actor, and believe me, the experience has been awesome.”

resurrects in movie

•Charles Inojie h

By JULIET EBIRIM

M

emories of late Professor Dora Akunyili’s tenure as the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, re-echoed recently when the highly anticipated blockbuster movie, ‘A Place in the Stars’ premiered in Lagos.

The movie, which premiered at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island Annex, tells a story of illicit drug trafficking, violence and dilemma inspired by the tenure of late Professor Dora Akunyili as the Director General of NAFDAC. It was indeed a night of glamour and fun as celebrities came out in their numbers to part of the premiere of the movie which took the producer 6 years to complete. The night had Jeremiah Gyang perform the official soundtrack of the movie on stage. The guests were also enlightened on how to participate in the #AplaceintheStars social media campaign.

Produced and directed by Steve Gakus, the movie, a crime thriller written by Ita Hozaife and J.K. Amalou features Gideon Okeke, Segun Arinze, Pa Dejumo Lewis, Matilda Obaseki,Yemi Blaq and Femi Branch. Guests at the event include Sound Sultan, Nkiru Anumudu, Funmi Iyanda, Gbenro Ajibade, Segun Arinze, Gideon Okeke, Yemi Blaq, Segun and Julie Arinze, VJ Adams, Pa Dejumo Lewis, Tee-Y Mix, Funlola Awofiyebi-Raimi, Femi Jacobs, Obumneme Akunyili, son of Late Dora Akunyili amongst others in attendance. The much awaited movie thrilled a grateful audience and enjoyed a rapturous and unending standing ovation.

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...as Yibo Koko joins Africa Magic R

•Yibo Koko

ENOWNED theatre practitioner, film director and writer, Yibo Koko has joined the Africa Magic family as Head of Productions for M-Net West Africa. His appointment takes immediate effect.

Prior to joining Africa Magic, Mr. Koko served as the Creative Consultant to the Rivers State Ministry of Culture and Tourism and also as the Sub Committee Chairman for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 17th National Sports Festival in Rivers State. He has also participated in key local and international stakeholder functions including the 2013 Technology, Entertainment and Design (TEDx) conference where he was a speaker, and the Arts Council of WS80 London, where he was the guest speaker. He has also appeared as a judge on the popular talent show, Nigeria’s Got Talent.

Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu, the Regional Director for MNet (West) says: “We are extremely pleased to have Yibo Koko on board. He brings with him over 24 years of indigenous and international entertainment industry knowledge and experience and I am positive that he will achieve even greater heights in his new position as Head of Productions for Africa Magic. His addition to the team bodes well not just for existing and future Africa Magic productions, but also for the various entertainment industries across the African continent.”

32 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

By Theodore Opara

Toyota Fortuner, rugged, Sleek SUV T

HOUGH not as popular as the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and RAV4 in Nigeria, the Toyota Fortuner is one of the most practical sport utility vehicles, SUV, from the Toyota stable. It combines the comfort of luxury sedan with the capability of SUV. According to Toyota, “luxurious, advanced and dynamic, Fortuner provides fresh leadership in the SUV world.”

The Fortuner, from a distance, shares the rugged looks of Toyota Hilux pick-up, but at close look, one would see the beautiful athletic design of SUV that has one of the highest ground clearance.

A genuine 4WD, designed and built to deliver excellent driving performance both on and off road, Fortuner's capabilities are based on a refined chassis frame, full-time 4WD system and good road clearance to tackle rough terrain.

A ‘Torsen’ LSD on the centre differential gear varies the torque distribution automatically and instantly in response to driving conditions, contributing to excellent vehicle stability.”

Also, the double wishbone front suspension and 4-link rear suspension, both coil springs, contribute to the excellent stability, control and ride comfort. The high-rigidity frame structure provides a strong platform for the Furtuner’s rugged performance.

It also helps to reduce noise and vibration from the engine and road coming into the car, thereby ensuring one of the most quiet ride in its class.

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A powerful SUV, the Fortuner is powered by a 2.7 litre gasoline engine that features electronic fuel injection, EFI, which optimises fuel injection in response to driving conditions.

This engine is mated to an automatic transmission for ride comfort.

... interior

Though sleek from the outside, the Fortuner boast quite very roomy interior with three rows of seats that accommodates up to seven adults comfortably. It a multi-functional space that can be quickly re-arranged to accommodate changing combinations of people and gears.

For instance, the second and

third row seats can be quickly folded and stored away to create a large luggage space with room for big or long loads. Slide and recline adjustments and lifter on the sports style driver seat enable the driver to tailor a position of comfortable control.

Fortune’s modern interior stands it out. The sporty threeeye option combination meter provides excellent visibility in varying light, while the multifuction steering wheel put every control on your finger tips.

The steering wheel switches enable you to adjust the audio system among other functions, while multi-information display shows the status of various driving information.

Leather or fabric

A choice of leather and fabric seat is available to suit customers personal preference, while the audio system incorporates a radio, DVD player and six speakers. The USB mini-jack enables a portable music player to be connected and enjoyed

over the vehicle speakers.

The powerful air conditioning system gives you control of the comfortable cabin climate.

Fortuner possesses outstanding safety features including anti-lock brake system, airbags, crash safety body, low began discharge, headlamps, side turn signal light, among others.

Coscharis rewards Ford customers with four years free service T

HIS year’s Yuletide season promises to be an interesting one for vehicle shoppers as Coscharis Motors, a foremost automobile dealer and representatives of Ford Motor Company in Nigeria, has announced that it will run the Extended Service Plan, ESP, sales promotion until January 2, 2015.

The ESP package offers free service for four years or 120,000 kilometres, whichever comes first, to customers who purchase qualified variants of Ford brand from Coscharis Motors or any of its accredited distributors na-

tionwide.

The ESP is a package which allows the buyers of a qualified Ford variant to own the vehicle for four years or 120,000 kilometres, whichever comes first, without worry as he need not spend a kobo to service the vehicle throughout the life span of the ESP. What this means is that for four years or 120,000 kilometres, Coscharis Motors will service the vehicle for the buyer free of charge. All the customer need do is drive the vehicle to any Coscharis Motors service cen-

tre nationwide to get the vehicle serviced and drive away thereafter without paying a kobo.

The freebies to be enjoyed by customers for the four years/ 120,000 ESP package periods are free oil change, free tyre rotation, free brake pads, free wiper blades, free belts and hoses, free shocks.

According to the Group Managing Director of Coscharis Motors, Mr. Josiah Samuel, “the free ESP promo was extended till January 2, 2015 as a gift from us, Coscharis and

Ford, to our customers who might be willing to purchase any of the qualified Ford variant within this Yuletide season.”

Samuel explained that ESP promo, which first came up in 2011, has become one of the longest running promos in the Nigerian automobile arena due to persistent demand for its rerun by customers.

He further explained that the free ESP only strives to achieve the continued realization of the vision Henry Ford had over 100 years ago, which seeks to make automobile available and afford-

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 33

By Theodore Opara

Ford Mustang unveiled on world's tallest building F

ORD Motor Company, underscoring its growing ambitions in the Middle East and Africa, introduced the all-new Mustang on the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building.

Ford Executive Chairman, Bill Ford, capped the live-action event by delivering the iconic pony badge to the 2015 yellow Mustang on the 112th floor of the skyscraper. The event was viewed live around the world on YouTube as well as by approximately 10,000 people gathered in the Dubai Downtown area, overlooking the Dubai Fountain and Burj Khalifa.

Ford said: “Today we planted the Ford flag in the Middle East and Africa, an exciting, vibrant region that represents the final frontier for growth in the auto industry.

“We also sent a message to the world that Mustang is going global after 50 years as America’s greatest motoring icon.”

Ford established its new Middle East and Africa business unit this year, which covers the company’s automotive business in 67 Ford markets in North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, South Africa and Middle East regions.

Industry sales in Middle East and Africa are expected to grow 40 percent to 5.5 million vehicles by 2020. To meet new customer demand, Ford pledged to launch 25 vehicles in region by 2016, including the all-new Mustang debuting next year.

Viewers of the lighthearted action spectacle witnessed a dramatic journey that started with a hero atop a cliff in Arizona taking an urgent call. The unknown protagonist raced on horseback, airliner, car, helicopter and jet ski to Dubai to deliver the iconic pony badge.

Only in the final scene on the 112th floor of the Burj Khalifa— 399 meters (1,300 feet) above the ground— was the protagonist revealed with a wink and a nod as Bill Ford, the great-grandson of Henry Ford.

“A century ago, Henry Ford had a vision to open the highways to all mankind,” said Jim Benintende, president, Ford Middle East and Africa.

“Placing our regional headquarters in Dubai lets us tap the innovation and imagination that is flourishing here, helping us to bring our founder’s vision

T

to this part of the world.”

In addition to the new Mustang, Ford also previously announced a plan to introduce such new vehicles as Ford Focus, Ford

Fusion and Lincoln MKC in the Middle East and Africa.

The company also announced the accelerated rollout of many new tech-

nologies to the region, including EcoBoost engines, SYNC in-car connectivity, inflatable rear seat belts, MyKey and other driver assist technologies.

NEW AUTO POLICY: FG to partner used car dealers

T

HE Federal Government has announced its plan to carry along the motor vehicle dealers in its new auto policy implementation.

Mr. Aminu Jalal, Director General of the National Automatic Council, who disclosed this at a meeting with motor vehicle dealers in Lagos recently, noted that motor vehicle dealers are integral to the success of the auto policy.

According to him, “currently, most vehicle dealers trade in used cars and it is the intention of the council that they become dealers in locally manufactured vehicles.”

He explained that the council will introduce companies to manufacturers and offer support to those that met the requirements of becoming motor vehicle dealers in the registration guidelines.

The National Automotive Council boss further noted that “it is expected that in the nearest future, used vehicles sold in the country will be those generated locally and not from abroad.

Meanwhile, Jalal has said that to improve the quality of cars sold, all the vehicles imported into the country must have roadworthiness from their

countries of origin.

Also the importers are to ensure that their vehicles obtain SON CAP, adding that these measures will ensure that only cars in good condition are imported into the country.

On the fate of imported used cars, Jalal said government will not ban importation, but will give Nigerians a better alternative which is brand new vehicles at affordable price.

“We will not ban tokunbo cars, but we will give Nigerians better alternative and will put a condition that will make Nigerians prefer new cars,” he said.

2015 Ford Mustang

HE all-new Mustang is the most advanced version yet of the iconic pony car, offering more advanced driver-assist technology than any other car in its class.

The sleek new design of Mustang fastback and convertible is backed up by world-class performance from a range of available engines, including a new turbocharged EcoBoost 2.3-litre and an upgraded 5.0-litre V8 with more than 420 horsepower. In addition to state-of-the-art connectivity systems, Mustang features available track apps, launch control and more.

Ford Mustang was revealed to the world with a television advertising campaign on the evening of April 16, 1964, before being shown to the public at the New York World’s Fair on April 17. The car officially went on sale that day, and Ford dealers accumulated a record 22,000 sales and orders that first day on the way to more than 418,000 sales in the first year and a million sales in less than two years. Over the past five decades, more than nine million Mustangs have been sold.

“Almost 50 years ago, Ford captured the world’s attention by placing a 1965 Mustang Convertible atop what was then the world’s tallest building— the Empire State Building in New York City,” Bill Ford said.

“This event in Dubai, home to the world’s current tallest building, completes an incredible global journey for Ford and Mustang,” he added.

A team of six engineers travelled with the special Mustang from Ford’s world headquarters in Dearborn, Michican, to Dubai aboard an Emirates Airlines flight. Once the car arrived in Dubai, it was transported to the base of Burj Khalifa and carefully separated into six sections that could be transported to the 112th level via the building’s elevators. The team reassembled the vehicle over approximately 12 hours.

“We’ve taken the new Mustang to new heights of technology and refinement. So taking it literally to new heights atop the Burj Khalifa is an amazing achievement for our team,” Benintende said.

“There are no cranes that would reach that high, and helicopter delivery is out of the question. Making this happen is truly an example of Ford engineering expertise at work.” Ford partnered with several organizations to bring this event to life, including Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, Dubai Chamber of Commerce and Emaar Properties.

His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Dubai Tourism, said: “Dubai is a destination which offers a remarkable range of breath-taking experiences. So Ford’s ambition for this event was a natural fit.

“It was a privilege to work with Ford and our partners and to demonstrate once more that Dubai is a city which continues to push the boundaries of possibility.”

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34 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—35

At last, health insurance for the masses

By Sola Ogundipe

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VER the years, the need to always dip into your pocket or reach for your chequebook or passbook at the point of access to healthcare, has effectively denied access to even the most basic healthcare services especially for the masses, thus restricting any potential for economic productivity and diminishing the impact of social welfare.

For decades, out-of-pocket payment has been the Achilles’ Heel of access of healthcare services in Nigeria. Financial incapability is one barrier that tends to classify the delivery and uptake of essential healthcare services as a “luxury” that is restricted from all but a handful of Nigerians with deep pockets. But nowadays, even those blessed with deep pockets have come to realise their pockets may not be deep enough to sustain such payment indefinitely.

If pointers from the National Health Insurance Scheme, NHIS, are anything to go by, the out-of-pocket payment phenomenon is set to end for good.

Nigerian masses that constitute about 70 percent of the populace, can now heave a sigh of relief as access to comparatively adequate health services may be no farther away than a phone call or text message.

Prior to this development, news gained ground within the nation’s teeming populace that healthcare is not for the poor - a perception the official launch of the Formal Sector Social Health Insurance Programme did little to assuage.

Introduced as a social health security system strictly for employees in the formal sector, the Programme is financed from funds created through pooling of contributions of employees and employers.

Arguments have been put forward in various circles that Nigerians outside the public sector, or the Organised Private Sector, are not covered under this health insurance programme.

Removing financial barriers

So in attempting to balance the odds and guarantee Universal Health Coverage, the NHIS is removing financial barriers.

Explaining the strategy, Executive Secretary of the NHIS, Dr Femi Thomas, explains that the NHIS is saddled with “responsibility to remove financial barriers and at the same time ensure quality

•Beneficiaries of NHIS at a clinic. Inset: Executive Secretary, National Health Insurance Scheme, Dr. Femi Thomas through accreditation, reaccreditation and visitation.”

Guided by emergence of Universal Health Coverage, UHC, as a new global objective set for all nations by the World Health Organisation, WHO, towards enhancing the economic prosperity and social well-being of humanity, Thomas who gave his score card for the last year, said the conceptualisation and development of new initiatives with the potential to help frog-leap health insurance coverage in Nigeria.

National Mobile Health Insurance Programme

Designed to strategically increase health insurance penetration particularly in the hard-to-reach areas of the country, the National Mobile Health Insurance Programme, NMHIP, a novel concept, and first of its kind anywhere in the world, provides a platform for subscribers of mobile network operators to register on the Scheme, select an HMO and provider, choose payment options and plans, at their convenience on their mobile phone.

“The pilot run for this was launched in Lagos on the 21st of July, 2014, on the platform of MTN, while network operators, including Glo, Etisalat and Airtel are waiting in the wings for roll out, as soon

as President Goodluck Jonathan officially launches the programme. “Its weaknesses and advantages are being studied. When fully launched, it is expected to give coverage to no less than 20 million lives on that platform,” Thomas stated.

Adoption tree

An outstanding component of the Mobile Health Insurance Programme is the Adoption Tree. On this platform, well to do and well-endowed individuals and corporate bodies with the spirit of charity contribute to a pool of funds from which the poor and the vulnerable will enjoy health insurance coverage. There is the Specific Adoption in which the donor specifies who he wants coverage provided for, and the Non-specific platform that could provide care for any set of deserving beneficiaries.

Public Primary Pupils, Health Insurance Prog

Also on hand is the Public Primary Pupils Social Health Insurance Programme, PPPSHIP, designed to provide cover for about 24 million pupils of public primary schools nationwide. To accomplish this, the NHIS is bearing responsibility for the programme in the rest of the year, while by 2015, state

Self sufficiency in drug manufacture is national security— PMG-MAN

By Chioma Obinna

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N the wake of the recent outbreak of Ebola Virus Diseases, EVD in the country, local manufacturers of pharmaceutical products have called for urgent critical intervention in sustaining pharmaceutical manufacturing, saying, self sufficiency in medicines is now a national security.

The call comes as manufacturers under the auspices of the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, PMG-MAN, convene in Abuja for the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Forum with the theme:

“Production of Medicines in Nigeria – Time for Critical Interventions”.

Speaking in Lagos, Chairman of PMG-MAN, Okey Akpa said: “PMGMAN recognises the fact that drugs are key elements in the treatments needs in healthcare it is just one of the elements but very essential. Our concern is to provide quality and accessible drugs. For us it is a national security. Take a scenario of what happened during Ebola. Drug is so critical because it is at the root of the health of the citizenry. So if drug supply is affected just like food supply is

affected there is crisis immediately in the country,” he noted.

Akpa who cited the disappointment Nigeria got when the country requested for Zmapp from the US in the heat of the Ebola outbreak said: “For us, countries use what is at their disposal to achieve their own means. We do not wish that the drug need of Nigeria is controlled by any other country and to meet our drug needs based on importation is a risk we must think about.”

He said the Nigeria Pharmaceutical Industry has the

Continues on page 38

governments will absorb 60 percent of the cost of implementation, with NHIS bringing up the balance of 40 percent.

Already, 20 states have made provision for this activity in their 2015 budget.

Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance

Debuting as a very cheap programme specifically designed for those in the tertiary institutions nationwide, the Tertiary Institutions Social Health Insurance Programme, TISHIP, with a restructured and revised blueprint has potential to add three million lives. About 900, 000 are currently covered under the programme.

According to Thomas, “All they need is N2,000 per year to be covered while in school and during the holidays. It also covers two live deliveries for the ladies while in school so there will be no case of dropping out of school. Already, the National Universities Commission, NUC, has directed all public and private universities to participate in the programme as a matter of policy even as the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE, and the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria are set to key in Community-Based Social Health Insurance Also thriving is the Scheme’s flagship programme in the informal sector, the Community-Based Social Health Insurance has been thriving and various communities around the country are set to flag off of their home-grown CBSHIP programmes. In the last one year, CBSHIP programmes in Emoriko and Egbe in Kogi state, Nkana West Ward II of Akwa Ibom state and Lamodi-Offa in Kwara state have been inaugurated.

Enhanced enrolment

Within the last one year, enrolment figure has gone up by about two million lives, about 40 percent of total figure for the preceding eight years. As at today, total enrolment figure stands at about 7.2 million lives. The NHIS appears firmly on ground as the major hub for attainment of Universal Health Coverage by 2020, even as the accomplishment of the target of 40 percent coverage by 2015 remains in sight.

36—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Temitope seeks N0.6m to complete jaw surgery

By Gabriel Olawale

By Sola Ogundipe

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EMEMBER Temitope Oshoba, the young Nigerian female that lived in pain for six years as a result of a rare malignant tumour in her jaw described as Amealoblastoma by medical doctors at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH. Temitope lived with the tumour until a good spirited Nigerian like Controller General of Nigerian Custom Cervice, Alhaji Abudullahi Dikko responded to her plea for assistance following Vanguard’s publication entitled: “N400, 000 will save Temitope from 6 years pain.”

Thanks to that response, she had the first stage of the corrective surgery.

Recently, Temitope was at Vanguard Corporate Head Office to say thank you to Nigerians who contributed towards her surgery.

In tears she said: “What would I do without you good people of this country? Just saying thank you will never repay your kindness. For all you did, wherever you may come from, I will be forever grateful to you all.

Words cannot express my feelings towards you all. I pray that someday I will also give back to the community.”

However, Temitope’s plight is far from over. The next phase of the series of surgeries is due, and doctors at LUTH are worried without the next phase of

A

• Temitope after the first surgery. the surgery, Temitope may return to square one. This surgery is estimated at N600, 000.00.

Temitope who admits she is playing the Oliver Twist, urged Nigerians not to get discouraged. “I have nowhere else to go for help. I have no father or mother to run to. You, the good people of Nigeria, are my hope and the father and mother I see.

“Before the first surgery, it was difficult for me to sleep. I couldn’t eat

most of the time because my mouth was bleeding. But now, I feel relieved a bit.

What remains now is the final surgery to correct the remaining part “I specially thank the official of the Nigerian Customs who God used to help me. He paid the bulk of the cost of the surgery. God bless you sir.” If you are touched by Temitope’s plight, ALHAJI ABDULLAHI please call 08185463481 or send DIKKO your donation to UBA account number; 2061392566 and Temiptope Oshoba.

Experts call for review of medical education curriculum

By Chioma Obinna

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EALTH Professionals have called for review of curriculum of medical education in Nigeria in line with trends in medical education as well as the changing conditions in the healthcare delivery system of the country.

The experts are also of the view that the mission and objectives of medical education should be determined by priority health needs and health problems prevalent in the community and the country at large.

Making these recommendations during the 35th Reunion Banquet/Lecture of the College of medicine University of Lagos, CMUL, “79 Class” in Lagos, the Vice Chancellor, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Prof. Benjamin Ozumba posited that medical education needs to be planned and implemented with full awareness of the aims and demands of the health care services.

Ozumba noted that the review has become necessary as greater numbers of medical institutions in Nigeria are currently experiencing difficulties in providing the right quality and quantity of education due to underfunding, inadequate and obsolete facilities, absence of experienced and dedicated teachers, increased cost of schooling, lack of update training for teachers and rapidly deteriorating good morals and core values.

He said the necessary shift from traditional approach to a needs-based approach requires a fundamental change of the roles and commitments of educators, planners and policymakers. Ozumba who stressed that the current trends in medical education cannot be overemphasised explained that it helps preparing doctors

20 benefit from free cleft lip and palate surgery

to fulfil the expectations of society, cope with the exponential growth of medical and scientific knowledge, inculcate physicians’ ability for lifelong learning and ensure they are mastery in information technology.

In his lecture entitled: “Wanted: A New Medical School Curriculum that is holistic, Competency-based and Patient Centered for Nigeria”, Ozumba said the design and implementation of the curriculum should demonstrate that content and balance of the curriculum and its assessment matches the explicit objectives of medical education.

“The core curriculum should be system based and integrated, to break the rigid pre-clinical/clinical and departmental boundaries. Community health care should feature prominently in the curriculum, encompassing health promotion and disease prevention, assessment and

targeting of population needs, and awareness of environmental and social factors in disease. Special emphasis should be given to priority community health needs and issues. Medical colleges should have continuous and inbuilt curriculum evaluation mechanism to receive feedback from the stakeholders and to bring changes accordingly. ” In her remarks, the Provost of the University, Prof. Folashade T. Ogunsola who was represented by Prof. Jane Ajuluchukwu lamented the dilapidated facilities of medical colleges and called for the review of medical education curriculum.

Stressing that many of the students are indigent, Ogunsola appealed for assistance in a way of scholarship for such students as well as support for teachers’ development through medical education.

•L-R: Mother of one of the beneficiaries, Mrs. Fatimah Niniola with her son, Hawael Niniola; Clinic Governance Lead, SPDC, Dr. Rita Akintola, during the HEWS Foundation Free Cleft Lip and Palate Surgery mission, sponsored by the SPDCand its Joint Venture Partners, at LASUTH, Ikeja, Lagos last week.

medical team of plastic/reconstructive and oral maxillofacial surgeons and other health care professionals led by Consultant plastic surgeon and Head of Burns/Plastic Unit at LASUTH, Prof Idowu Fadeyibi, has left a lasting smile on the faces of 20 indigent infants and children in Lagos and environs challenged by cleft lip and palate deformities.

The patients are beneficiaries of the 12th free surgery mission provided by the Health, Education, Work and Shelter, HEWS, Foundation in partnership with the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Ltd, SPDC, and its Joint Venture Partners, in collaboration with the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH. At the signing of the partnership agreement for the HEWS FoundationSPDC free cleft lip/palate Mission at the LASUTH, last week in Lagos, President/ Founder HEWS Foundation, Mr. Aderemi Adeseun, said providing free surgeries for children born with cleft lip and palate is the mission of the Foundation.

“The first thing you see on a human being is the face so if anyone is unfortunate to have a face that looks different from others but becomes an object of negative attention because very soon the stares become sneers and in young people might be a reason for laughter and derisive comments. “Soon such people tend to start feeling self conscious and even their families are embarrassed about them.

Beyond the surgical correction, we also want to provide prevention and correction of social stigma to let people know that the fact that people look different should not mean they are not human.”

Rule for cleft lip patients Adeseun explained that the “10-10-10” rule set for cleft lip patients by surgeons is usually applied. What this translates into is that at 10 weeks, 10 kg body weight and about 10 PCV blood count value, a baby is ready for surgery. This simply means that the surgery should not be rushed.

“We wait till the child is about three weeks and strong enough, for palate surgery the child needs to be up to 10 months old to withstand the rigor of the surgery.”

“Our flagship project in the Health sector is in the area of providing Free Cleft Lip/ Palate and Benign Jaw Tumour surgeries to indigent Nigerians especially children with congenital defect of Cleft Lips and Palate,” said Vive President, HEWS Foundation. Ms. Sola Soji-John. ”There are few of hundreds of thousands of children in Nigeria struggling through life with a cleft lip/ palate. Most of these children will never be able to speak or eat properly and some will go through their entire lives without being able to smile.

“The greatest tragedy is that virtually every one of these children can be helped with surgery that takes as little as 45 minutes but for the fact that the majority of them are too poor and cannot pay for the surgery,” she remarked In four years of successful repair and reconstruction surgeries, 130 patients comprising 70 children and 60 adults in Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Gombe and Edo States have benefited from the initiative.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 37

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38—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Harpic targets 1 m homes on World Toilet Day

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GAINST the backdrop of 34 million Nigerians not having access to clean and safe toilets, Reckitt Benckiser, has mapped out awareness creation strategies to reach one million homes with its campaign against open defecation in the country.

Using the World Toilet Day, WTD, platform, the company highlighted the importance of clean toilets both in homes and communities; Marketing Director for West Africa, Mr. Oguzhan Silivrili disclosed at an awareness creation campaign tagged; “Harpic Experience Moments” for market women in Lagos, that the “Harpic Experience Moments” – which began November 19 - is a set of activities to reach one million homes across 16 cities on how to keep a clean and hygienic toilet.

“The Harpic train would kick off in Lagos state which has only 45 percent access to flush toilets in the following communities, Lagos Island, Mushin, Agege and Ikotun where residents will be sensitised on the need to maintain clean toilets. During these ‘Harpic Experience Moments,’ consumers – especially women - would be taught the simple methods of keeping their toilets clean using Harpic.”

The Lagos State Commissioner for Rural Development, Cornelius Ojelabi , represented by Engineer Akinwumi Babatunde, said one of the ways to tackle open defecation is to provide more toilets and make sure they are kept clean and they are gender sensitive to those using it, especially for physically challenged individuals.

The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris represented by Mr.

Sobowale Abayomi, Deputy Director, Environmental Health Services, urged people in the state to discourage open defecation. In her comments, the Iyaloja of Oke-Arin provision market, Alhaja Kuburat Osho enjoined women to focus on taking very good care of this very important part of their home as the toilet and kitchen are essential parts of a healthy family. She applauded Harpic for bringing the initiative to them and also by going to the grassroots with sensitisation exercises of this nature which she noted, would impact positively on the populace.

Self sufficiency in drug manufacture is national security— PMG-MAN Continued from page 36 in terms of what it represents to the well being of Nigerians and healthcare of Nigerians. We will wish to be looked at differently from other business, because health is wealth. Without health every other thing comes to a stop,” he added.

Akpa explained that the proposed forum in Abuja would feature three panels comprising key opinion leaders and experts in the selected subthemes: Production of medicine-critical policy interventions and incentives, production of medicines in Nigeria – critical quality imperatives and production of medicines

• L-R: Council Manager, Lagos Island Local Government, Olaide Atunrase,Sanitation Officer, Engineer Akinwunmi Babatunde,Marketing Manager HomeCare for West Africa Reckitt Benckiser, Bamigbaiye-Elatuyi Omotola, Marketing Director For West Africa Reckitt Benckiser, Oguzhan Silivrili and the Chief Executive Ofiicer Teeone Ventures Limited, Tayo Ojuri at 2014 Harpic World Toilet Day Celebration in Lagos. Pix by Lamidi Bamidele

capacity to meet 70 percent of Nigerian medicines need in line with the national drug policy and improve access to treatment in general. While noting that many interventions were needed urgently to ensure regular supply of essential medicines, he listed the areas to include; the local manufacturers need to be supported in the areas of making designating pharmaceutical manufacturing as a priority sector, preferential patronage of local manufacturers by the implementation of domestic preference of the public procurement Act 2007, special incentives for processing international certification and WHO prequalification and implementation of Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Policy on foreign exchange.

“The guidelines require that importation of finished products should be through Inter Bank system of sourcing foreign exchange not through CBN direct option of foreign exchange. Our members have experienced so much.

Some critical items that we use in production have been classified by commercial banks that are implementing this policy as finished goods. All packaging materials are now being seen as finished products.

“We are asking the CBN to carefully direct the banks on these elements so that they will be exempted. The implication is that if we source these raw materials from interbank rates the cost will immediately will spill over to finished goods and cost of medicines will become much higher.”

He called for tax exemption of pharmaceutical raw materials and packaging materials. “Pharma industry

COMMON SEXUAL PROBLEMS AND THEIR NOVELTY BASED SOLUTIONS (ADVERTORIAL)

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ELLO everybody. This week, we will be reviewing new products for the festive season with a special focus on women’s needs. Often we discuss very powerful sexual supplements usually for the men. Rarely do we have supplements for women that are that potent but today, we have discovered a very strong supplement for women called kangaroo for her. kangaroo for her is a super supplement designed to help women with arousal, lubrication, reaching orgasm and multiple rounds. What makes it unique is the potency. One pill of kangaroo for her works for three days! This is revolutionary. So if you are a woman that struggles to get aroused or has difficulty wanting sex or even enjoying sex, kangaroo for her will transform your sex life beyond imagination. But before you take it, be sure that you have a man who is up to the task, otherwise you just might grab a guy from the street and jump him.

The second new novelty for women this festive season is the Cherry Bomb Clitoral Arousal Gel. This product is perfect for vaginal lubrication and will make you reach orgasm easily and multiple times.

When you are single, a stable sexual life is hard to find and you will have to rely more on masturbation for sexual relief. Whether you are single or not, the following erotic novels for women will get your imagination fired up and your glands working overtime. They are titles such as They Wanted to be Watched, The Forbidden Cure, One Hell of a Ride and All Star Slut. There are others too.

Instructional adult videos are also available with titles such as Incredible Orgasms and Toys for Better Sex. Whereas men focus mainly on sex when they want intimacy, women generally want a variety of things. They love the flirtation, the dirty talk, the adoration and sense of anticipation. Women simply want more and men don’t always know what ‘more’ means. So to help the men folk out with bedroom romance ideas that their women will love are new adult games for the festive season.

They are Cosmo’s Kinky Sex Games, Luv at First Bite,

The Game Made Me do It and Bedroom Commands.

The above games will definitely give you lots of ideas.

When you are a woman, feeling sexy is directly linked to looking sexy and that is why appearance is very important. The following new lingerie are guaranteed to thrill. They are the Sheer Seductive Dress, Halter Gartered Chemise & G String, Pink Lipstick Seamless Halter Dress and the Short Butterfly Sheer Dress. These four night dresses are unique and will turn any woman into the desirable sex pot they crave to be.

So when viewed in totality, the above novelties for women go a long way in giving females a love life they will be proud of. But not forgetting the men, below are some new products for their sexual improvement as well.

The first of these novelties is the Stiff in a Jiffy supplement. It is a great supplement that enables men perform effectively by giving them boundless performance energy, quick recovery between erections, hard erections and a bigger and fuller penis. Stiffy in a Jiffy also comes with different pricing options to make it easier for men to buy half of it instead of the full pack. So men will love this product. It can also be taken with alcohol.

We also have the Reusable Vibrating Cock Ring which is a great toy to help men maintain their erections. So whether you experience sudden erection loss during intercourse or you worry that each time you ejaculate, you lose your erection and struggle to get it back, the Reusable Vibrating Cock Ring will help your erections firm for as long as you desire. However, you are advised to only use it for up to twenty at a stretch.

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, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—39

I won't soil my hands — Ndudi Elumelu REP. Ndudi Elumelu, a member of the House of Representatives is one of the aspirants seeking the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Delta State. An insurance executive turned lawmaker, Elumelu came to national limelight as the chairman of the House ad-hoc committee that investigated the investments made by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration in the power sector. He was the chief hunter who later became the hunted as the echoes of that investigation ebbed as he was

named in an alleged scam in the rural electrification project. He, however, stoutly defended himself and was discharged and acquitted.

Mr. Elumelu who is serving his second term in the House of Representatives recently met with Vanguard’s senior editors during which he responded to issues that have shadowed his political life and again robustly defended himself of the allegation of turning against his friends, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Chief James Ibori. Excerpts:

By Gbenga Oke

On the power probe in the House of Representatives HE first thing I faced was when the then President, Yar ’Adua summoned me and requested he has an assignment for me and that was the issue pertaining to the power sector.

Yar’Adua said he felt because of my family background I will not be influenced by anybody.

He said he needed me to look at the sector very critically.

During the hearing, a lot of revelations came up and we had to go on assessment tour after the hearing and we made our report known and of course there were insinuations, there were counter accusations, but we were not bothered because we had to do what needed to be done in that circumstance because the country had no electricity.

We did that and of course when you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back.

At the end of the exercise, some cabal and some people who felt that I stepped on their toes came after me and there were allegations in which they took me to the court.

Omoku phase 1 and 2, Alaoji phase 1 and 2, Gbarain station in Bayelsa, Calabar, Ihobo in Benin, Ughelli, Sapele, these were the new sub stations under the NIPP projects and the essence of it was to increase the generation to a particular percentage.

Let me tell you, I have the record of the Auditor General of the federation who audited the system and his own is worse than mine. Was that a disservice? I can publish all these things, it is because I have children that are yet to grow up which is why I am minding what I do.

They burnt down my house during the probe in Abuja because they offered me money and I refused. I had to take my family out of the country, they were virtually living abroad during my probe and as I speak to you, my mother is abroad. Is not taking bribe a disservice?

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Whereabouts of contractors Let me clear this, first I never wrote any statement, I was in the United Kingdom and I was invited by the EFCC because I was already working with them based on our report being the person who chaired the panel.

So when I got the EFCC’s invite, I thought it was a follow up on giving them information as to the whereabouts of those contractors who were not performing.

As a matter of fact, when we started the probe all the contractors rushed to the site to ensure they fast-tracked the project. So when I got to the EFCC, I was asked to wait for the chairman because he was not in. I waited till about 7pm and the next thing I was told

•Elumelu: was to wait and we were taken underground and there we stayed for two days and thereafter, I was told I will be taken to court. And I asked what was my offence and some one told me I stepped on toes and that was why I was invited to the EFCC. It was when we got to Gudu Court that they read out charges that 10 of us conspired and stole $5 billion and they also went to my brother to tell him I lodged the money in Zenith Bank, that was to get my brother to be against me.

Eventually, verifications were done and the late President Yar ’Adua was also told we actually took the money, for him he felt disappointed but he never had the opportunity of investigating.

Eventually we got bail and I began to investigate and I was able to get volumes of what happened in REA even though that was not under my purview.

I had to find out whether there was a fraud in the agency and my answer was no. Contracts

were duly awarded to contractors and monies were paid to them. So I had to fight back and I sued them because I needed them to show me

They burnt down my house during the probe in Abuja because they offered me money and I refused

where my name came up in the course of alleging what was claimed we did.

I was taken to two courts, Gudu and Federal High Court, Abuja and in those two courts, I challenged them and defeated them and afterwards, I sued the Federal Government for N10 billion but some leaders prevailed on me to withdraw the case.

It is alleged that your probe stalled the power projects and was more of a political weapon to hound former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

I wonder how they would have asked me to witch-hunt. Go and check my report and see what I wrote on President Obasanjo, check whether there was anything to say we were witchhunting Obasanjo. People ill advised Obasanjo not to appear before us, that was the only thing. I can tell you that we did well for Nigerians by providing an avenue for us to be given uninterrupted electricity. During Obasanjo’s time, he set up many power stations like Geregu,

Power station Today, are you not using generator in a land of plenty, was that a disservice? Chinese people used briefcase to come to Nigeria, they collected our money and ran away.

Look at Omotosho, Papalanto, go there and check the power station, was that a disservice by us that we made you to see what has happened. I have too much information and that is why I don’t talk because there is a stage you will get, when you see rot, what you will do is keep quiet so that it does not kill you.

I know of a man from Lagos State who was my colleague, when we went to Shiroro and he saw injustice and disservice to the nation, the man started peeing in his trousers out of pain and agony that can this can’t be true? That in Nigeria where he is managing what he gets,

Continues on page 40

40—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Continues from page 39

I won't soil my hands — Ndudi Elumelu

somebody is bringing briefcase and collaborating with Nigerians, steal money and contract is not done.

In fact, when I was doing that probe, I used my personal money to do it, Dimeji Bankole who was speaker then is still alive. When we finished, I wrote a bill and up till today, it has not been paid. Was that a disservice? Who was I witchhunting? I don’t want to go into so many things because I had to cover many things. That probe was meant to straighten things and how can it be disservice when almost all my recommendations is what they are using today. The President understood and the present permanent secretary in power told me my brother, it is now I am seeing what you saw in the power sector.

that all of us may not be able to control and we needed good counselling and we went to Chief Clark who is a nationalist in all ramifications.

Then he advised that being a father for all, that if there are things we feel we do not like, we should pass it.

Some said it is difficult reaching out to my governor, I don’t have such scenario because there is no week my Governor and I don’t communicate but I cannot single myself out. What we needed was guidance and that is what we met Chief Clark for and we said let us be careful so that we don’t overheat the place.

You are one of the Delta guber aspirants that met with Chief E.K Clark and came out with a communiqué chiding Governor Uduaghan and his predecessor, Chief James Ibori. Given your past relationship with the two men why did you do that?

Yes aspirants met at Chief Clark’s house and they put up some write ups. We must avoid being personal when there are collective decisions.

We went there because we felt that the state was going into a situation

I think people should appreciate the fact that all aspirants are coming together to chart a common goal, it was never done before. I do call virtually all of them and fortunately we are three aspirants from my local government and we have this slogan that it must Aniocha North that will produce.

I think people should appreciate that for the first time, all the aspirants are coming together, I call virtually all of them, I communicate with virtually all of them and we have this

Charting a common goal •Elumelu slogan that it must be Aniocha North and I think that should be commended. It is like when men are chasing one women together, it is impossible to communicate with each other. But today, it is possible because the grace of God is there and we are looking beyond personal interest to think of collective interest and the interest of the people and that is why we have all come together.

On the issue Ibori being my friend, I have never served in James Ibori’s

government, Okowa served, Omo Agege served, David Edevbe served, Ofuani and Ochei, all these people served under Ibori. So it is not a personal thing, I have never collected one Naira contract, anybody can go and verify from the government in Delta state.

You claimed not to have done contract with government or been bribed by contractors, so how have you been funding your high flying campaign?

Let me quickly tell you that it is my family that is responsible for this my venture and a lot of my friends are also involved.

They have been doing it and they are still doing it. Secondly, that I did not take money or contracts from successive governments, yes because prior to when I went to the House, I was an insurance expert.

So I don’t need to soil my hands, I have an insurance company and my wife is the one managing it on my behalf now. On daily basis, the company runs itself without my being there, so I don’t need to go to anybody because God has been so good to my family. When my mates were thinking of how to survive, my family got me a house and I had not even dreamt of becoming a politician before having my first house in London.

Rivers PDP: The unfolding drama

By Folu Adegoke

I

T is understandable that Emmanuel Tubotamuno Georgewill is seeking the governorship of Rivers State for after all, he was part of the initial team put together by Governor Rotimi Amaechi to draw a blueprint for the development of the state long before Amaechi’s eventual ascension to power.

With Amaechi on his way out now, it would in the opinion of some almost look natural for Georgewill to take over considering his knowledge of the successful blueprint drawn up for Amaechi.

Since the race has so far been influenced by debates on zoning, Georgewill comes as a likely game changer to pundits.

But with other formidable names on the list of aspirants eyeing the top position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party,PDP, the race may not be as unchallenging as some of his supporters think.

One aspirant, whose ambition looms larger than others, is the former Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Nwike.

For the right and wrong reasons, Nwike’s name had dominated most discourse patterning the primaries, putting most analysts at the risk of concluding that he was a C M Y K

preferred aspirant.

However, that perception does not seem to hold much promise anymore, following the outcome of the recent ward congress in the state.

Surprisingly, it turned out to be an exercise that altered the direction of public opinion as to who emerges the party ’s candidate.

With most aspirants commencing the exercise in an upbeat mood, the outcome was such that positioned Georgewill as a leading aspirant in the race.

Leading aspirant Emerging more hopeful in an exercises that was nearly boycotted by sixteen aspirants, has not ceased from exciting some party faithful, especially those, who had kicked against the party’s likely candidate coming from Ikwere extraction.

On the strength of his The New Dawn Group, the governorship hopeful and his supporters, made a loud statement with their outing at the exercise, resulting to the victory of some of his supporters.

Accordingly, with the surprising triumph of his group over, those touted as favourites, it was easy for observers to reckon with him in the intriguing contest

•Georgewill for the PDP ticket.

But that did not come without opposition, as the camp of one of the hitherto conspicuous aspirant, were reportedly uncomfortable with the development.

Following the need to ensure that the PDP goes into the governorship election as one, notable party elders, reportedly convened a meeting, where the need for power shift was emphasised.

Allegedly, held at the Abuja residence of a top party elder, the leaders were said to have agreed to urge President Goodluck Jonathan and the party leadership to make zoning a key determinant of who becomes the next governor of the state. It was gathered that the elders were worried that handing over the ticket to an Ikwere person, would amount to the Ikwerre governing the state for 16 years-a situation that negates the spirit of equity

among ethnic groups.

Accordingly, they reportedly recommended that the riverine/ upland section of the state be key considered in the arrangement.

Sequel to that unanimous agreement, Georgewill is believed to have been more favoured to emerge as the PDP standard bearer.

Notwithstanding, opinion abounds that Georgewill comes to the race with requisite experience and skills needed to take the state to the next level.

His supporters are united in their belief that he is the only candidate that can pull the kind of crowd needed against the APC. Buttressing that in his vision for the state, George disclosed plans to administer Rivers like a limited public liability company. He also hopes to bring his private sector experience and entrepreneurial skills to bear in public service.

Georgewill, also wants to develop the economy of the state as an agro-energy state , in addition to making Port Harcourt City the oil capital of the Gulf of Guinea.

These, he hopes to achieve through an open system of government where every citizen of the state has a stake.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—41

DELTA 2015: I am the best man for the job — Tony Prest GOVERNORSHIP candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, for the 2015 election, Tony Prest, spoke to Vanguard in Warri on why he wants to be the next governor of Delta state and his plans to transform the state.

For those, who know the business mogul and son of the former deputy leader of defunct Action Group, the late Chief Arthur Prest, he is a man of ideas. In this interview, he said he would pay N8,000 to every single unemployed Deltan above 18 years and N10,000 to the unemployed head of every Delta family resident in the state if elected in 2015 from the 13 per cent Derivation fund.

By Emma Amaize, Regional Editor, South-South

WHY I ‘m qualified to rule Delta FUNDAMENTALLY, I am qualified as a Delta indigene to contest the Delta state governorship position.

When you add this to my wide experience in business and understanding of the positive impact good governance will have in the development of Delta state, I would deem it a crime against the good people of Delta state for me not to present myself for service to my people.

I want to challenge the existing primordial system of recruitment of political offices based on ethnic, religious, federal character, zoning, catchment area and other atavistic considerations instead of ability and merit.

If or when I succeed, it will be a turning point for our coming generations as we would have established merit and ability as the vital ingredient for achieving political success. Another reason why I am contesting the Governorship election of Delta state is because in my sincere view that Delta State has not achieved its full potentials looking at the resources that abound in the state.

Hence I am presenting myself to my people for service. I know what it means to create jobs as this has been my major pre-occupation from my days as a student at the University of Benin in the 80s till date.

Can you give insight into your plans for the state if elected?

Through good governance, transparency and a strong anti-corruption orientation, we shall create the enabling environment for the private C M Y K

sector to drive our economy.

We shall create a government enabled, private sector driven economy for Delta State.

Monthly social security for Deltans In Delta state, our first move regarding providing for people in our society, who are unable to work and earn a living due to no fault of theirs will be to enact a legislation to make it possible for our governments now and in future to pay Social Security Benefit.

This Social Security Benefit will be paid from the 13 per cent Resource Control Derivation wealth of the state.

Unemployment benefit is still alien to our political economy, but we intend to make it a

Deltans only care about who will bring about the best possible change, a person with innovation to implement the projects that will greatly and massively improve the lives and living standards of the people

•Prest reality for the unemployed segments of our society while we work vigorously to create jobs and pursue a zero percent unemployment strategy and create the necessary conditions for the private sector to create jobs as well.

We will immediately implement a monthly social security payment of N10, 000 to 500,000 Deltans from our 13 per cent God- given oil wealth.

It is clearly the responsibility of government to establish a Social Security system that will provide relief to the good people of Delta State who have been suffering all these years in spite of their 13 per cent oil wealth derivation.

During the reconstruction and development period, which we will commence as soon as we are in Government House, I, Tony Prest, promise to pay N8, 000 to every unemployed single adult above 18 years and N10, 000 to the unemployed head of every family of resident Delta indigenes monthly. This social security system will be funded from our constitutionally provided 13 per cent derivation.

How do you plan to use your experience in business to develop Delta State?

With the huge resources of almost $4b that Delta State gets annually and my experience in business, I will turn Delta State into an Investors’ haven through a zero tolerance for corruption and massive infrastructural development in for example , railways, sea ports enhancement, good roads, electricity, security, human capital development, etc.

I shall expose our raw materials and agricultural products in a way that will attract the right investors to set up processing and manufacturing industries in Delta State.

All these steps will create the enabling environment for industries to thrive in Delta state and thus create job opportunities for our teaming youth population.

We will also encourage the production of goods and services by making funds accessible to medium and small scale enterprises.

We will, therefore, set up a Business Development Bureau to provide advisory, financial, logistic and business support to ailing businesses.

Financial support The Bureau will also help package the businesses to access local and international credit facilities and expertise.

The Bureau will also have a database of professionals who may be chosen to sit on the board of businesses which require revival or state financial support.

The Bureau shall also provide support to patent owners, manufacturers, franchisees and manufacturers’ representatives of various goods and services to set up businesses in Delta and employ Deltans.

Don’t you think the issue of zoning will affect your aspiration?

Like I said above I want to challenge this primordial consideration in the process of leadership selection in our country and my starting point

is Delta state.

The issue of selecting a candidate by zoning is a lie as it is nowhere in the constitution and the constitution does not speak any language but English .Lack of electricity does not know zoning, tribe, Delta North, South or Central.

When PHCN takes light, it does not know the tribe of the person.

Bad road does not know tribe or zoning, Bad health does not know tribe or zoning, kidnapping does not know tribe or zoning, bad/killer mass transportation does not know tribe or zoning.

Deltans do not care about the tribe or zone that the governor comes from, they only care about who can deliver the goods. That is why power shift or zoning is not recognized by the constitution, power shift or zoning is not in the Nigerian constitution. Power shift or zoning is a fraud.

Deltans just want the best person for the job. Deltans only care about who will bring about the best possible change, a person with innovation to implement the projects that will greatly and massively improve the lives and living standards of the people.

A man with the right education, be it from the university, secondary school, experience from travels round the world, experience from business, experience from the streets, pedigree, wealth, track record of wealth creation, private sector employment creation, innovative background, entrepreneurship and ability to ensure that the needs of the people are met and that development is a sure thing.

42 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

By IKENNA ASOMBA

T

HE race to the Alausa Government House, come February 28, 2015 in Lagos State, has taken a dramatic dimension, as aspirants across the political parties have begun to device new campaign strategies to sell themselves to the electorates.

Just like their counterparts in the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, aspirants under the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are also not resting on their oars in taking their brands (names), with whatever means, to the state’s teeming eligible electorates, recently put at 4.8 million by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Earlier this November, residents in Lagos, were inundated with the desperate ‘innovation’ taken by one of the front-line aspirants of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who took his campaign strategies ahead of other aspirants with the launch of N100 and N200 recharge cards of one of the major telecommunication companies.

The voucher has the picture of the aspirant in white agbada and blue cap, holding a broom with his watchword which reads: “Strong Vision, Strong Leadership.”

Also, the official website of the aspirant was inscribed on the voucher, even as the flip-side has a piece of advice for voters which reads thus, “ATTENTION ALL VOTERS: “Please ensure you pick your Permanent Voters’ Card (PVC) as announced by INEC.” This is even as the APC logo, a hand with a broom lifted high appeared on the branded voucher.

Non partisan

Following the controversies that this campaign strategy has steered over the last few weeks, the telecommunication company had in a statement dissociated itself from the branded vouchers, adding that it was not consulted before the vouchers were printed by one of its franchised dealers.

The telecommunication giant added that it would take appropriate steps to correct the branded vouchers that has continued to elicit criticisms from other aspirants and many Lagosians, who have opined that it is now involving itself in partisan politics, despite being a national carrier.

The statement signed by one of its top officials and circulated to the media reads thus: “As a corporate organisation, we are non-political and non-partisan.

We do not have any

•Branded recharge cards

LAGOS 2015: Political campaigns shift to recharge cards arrangement with any political party to produce specially branded recharge cards or merchandise. We also do not have any affiliation with any political party or organisation, either in Nigeria or in any of the 22 countries where we operate across Africa and the Middle East.

“Operators and their authorized partners are allowed to sell logical PINs to dealers and trade partners, who in turn retail them to third parties and members of the public who may also wish to reprint them for their private/ commercial use.”

“We will take all prudent steps to ensure that dealers conform to agreed trade practices consistent with statute and policies governing the Industry.”

Branded breads, rice surfaces

Aside branded vouchers, aspirants from across the political parties have also taken their campaigns to branded loaves of breads, bags of parboiled rice, kegs of groundnut oil, stationery such as books and pens, face caps, umbrellas, kitchen utensils such as plates and cups, table waters among other items, where their below-the-line adverts are targeted at.

However, this is not to say that the usual campaigns through the use of posters and banners

have stopped. use of campaign posters and It is against the backdrop of banners in Lagos State. the indiscriminate pasting of Noah added that the parley posters and banners, that would seek to ensure that the spurred the Lagos State use of campaign posters and banners is done Signage and with proper Advertisement consideration for Agency, LASAA, to the environment convene a meeting under enabling with political laws. parties in Lagos on Throwing light November 7, 2014. on challenges According to the We wish to being faced by the A g e n c y ’ s a g e n c y ’ s Managing Director, restate our enforcement team, Mr George Noah, commitment in its bid to rid the meeting became to our earlier Lagos of the visual imperative so as to spell out modalities directive to the blights posed by indiscriminate use guiding the use of effect that of outdoor political campaign posters posters will and banners for the not be allowed c a m p a i g n materials, Noah forthcoming lamented that “Our general elections, within officials are being thus checkmating unauthorized attacked and the indiscriminate places

harassed daily whenever they set out to discharge their statutory duties across the state.

Despite repeated appeals and warnings, we have noticed an increasing trend in this ignoble act. This has to stop.”

The LASAA boss added that “We wish to restate our commitment to our earlier directive to the effect that posters will not be allowed within unauthorized places.

These are: high streets, highways, major roads, loops bridges, pillars and triangulars.”

Despite this warning from LASAA, aspirants’ campaign posters and more recently banners continue to dot the landscape in the state.

However, barely three months to the general elections, political observers in the state are thus keeping their fingers crossed on what next aspirants will introduce as their campaign strategies.

Okada ban: Taskforce renews enforcement with power-bikes

By OLASUNKANMI AKONI

T

HE Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences Enforcement Unit has vowed not to relent in its task to ensure that commercial motorcyclists, popularly called “Okada” keep-off the 477 restricted roads in the state.

To further boost enforcement of the state traffic

law, signed on August 2, 2012, particularly on restriction of motorcycles in banned routes, the taskforce recently added over 150 200cc power bikes into its fleet to make arrest of okada riders easier in traffic situation.

It will be recalled that the Federal Government is presently considering placing a total ban on motorcycles as a means of transportation across Continues on page 43

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

— 43

AOCOED: Fashola orders audit of accounts

By MONSURU OLOWOOPEJO

T

HE crisis rocking the Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Ijanikin, Lagos, has deepened with the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola ordering the state Auditor General, Mrs. Helen Deile, to immediately vet the institution’s accounts.

Activities in the institution was completely paralysed on September 22, 2014, after aggrieved staff unions under the aegis of Representatives of AOCOED Joint Staff Union, RAJSU, locked the two entrances into the institution.

Three weeks after, the aggrieved staff unions stormed the Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, in a protest to express their displeasure over the issues that had been bedevilling the the institution.

Some of the issues raised by the striking workers were: unpaid 18 months salaries; non-payment of pensioners’ benefits for three years; nonremittance of 7.5 percent deducted from worker’s salary for 17 months into the Retirement Savings Account, RSA under the new pension scheme; over N150 million unremitted fund deducted from the co-operative funds; poor funding of the institution among others.

Vanguard gathered that Fashola was furious with the development in the college and how the aggrieved workers disrupted activities at the State House, Alausa inspite of the N2, 770, 407, 577 approved for the institution in the 2014 budget, as well as the over N1 billion realised through dedicated revenue specifically through the services the institution renders.

The letter dated October 31, 2014 and obtained by Vanguard titled “Request for audit of finances and debt of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin,” with reference number SAE/ HED/S.12/Vol.T/61, reads: “For some time, the management and staff Unions of Adeniran Ogunsanya College of Education, Otto-Ijanikin, have been embroiled in some controversies over the finances and debt of the college.

“The logjam has resulted in the locking of the college gates since September 22, 2014, crippling academic activities in the college. To resolve the controversies, I have the directives of His Excellency to request that you (Auditor General) conduct an immediate audit exercise of the finances and debt of the college. The accompanied report with his Excellency’s comments therein is for your perusal.”

•AOCOED main gate According to a source in the office of the Auditor General, the audit team “is expected to check the subvention given to the institution and how it was spent. It is also to know if they are in tune with the extant laws and regulations guiding financial management practice of the state especially the institution.”

Another source told Vanguard that after the audit, there could be retrenchment of some staff over mismanagement of the college fund, adding that the lay-off was necessary as the institution had employed more than the stipulated standard of employment in college of education.

Why we demand audit-LASG

We give them N125 million monthly. First, what was their normal monthly salary

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the governor on Education, Otunba Fatai Olukoga said that the Auditor-General will assist the state government to investigate how they (AOCOED management) had spent the subvention released by the state government to them, adding that it will also help the government to uncover what the actual figure of their dedicated revenue was and how it was spent.

According to him, “Though I cannot say when they will come out with their findings because they have several books- account,

dedicated revenue, personnel and others to audit.

“We give them N125 million monthly. First, what was their normal monthly salary? The audit team will check their personnel whether they have more than what they were expected to have or it conformed to the total staff strength they claim.

“Ideally, they were expected to have a workforce of ratio one to two. The latter is the lecturers while the former is the nonacademic staff. But in some of these institutions, what one will find is amazing. The workforce is ratio three to two. The former is the non-academic staff while the latter is the lecturers. They need to look into their institution and look at how they could reduce their workforce,” said Olukoga.

Reacting, the Chairman, Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, AOCOED chapter, Mr. Michael Avosetinyen, said “If the government believes that all the issues raised could be resolved first with the visit of the auditing team. That is well with us. We want the school reopened, so whatever the government feels that would help resolve the issues that is well with us. If the governor who appointed the Provost of the college said he wants to audit him, we believe he has his reasons. With this audit, a leeway will be provided for government to either increase the school’s subvention or do otherwise.”

Okada ban: Taskforce renews enforcement with power-bikes Continues from page 42 the states of the federation.

At least over 5,000 motorcycles impounded by the Lagos taskforce have been destroyed since enforcement on restriction for contravening various traffic rules.

Recently, over 200 motorcycles were impounded and the suspected offenders prosecuted accordingly at the Alausa Magistrate Court.

The Task Force Chairman, Chief Superintendent of Police, Bayo Sulaiman, said the state was leaving no stone unturned towards ensuring total sanity on Lagos roads.

He said that the unit would not relent in its clampdown on indiscipline, adding that routine inspection of flashpoints, especially under bridges to arrest miscreants would continue to ensure the state is totally rid of criminal hideouts.

According to the taskforce boss, “It became necessary to procure the power-bikes as it was becoming increasingly difficult to effect arrest of erring okada riders with the regular motorcycles.

“With these power-bikes added to our fleet, we have

been able to scale up enforcement, as those difficult terrains have been made easier to patrol.”

Sulaiman stressed that impounded motorcycles are dismantled into pieces and spare parts auctioned at regular intervals for members

•The newly purchased 200cc power bikes

of the public, saying the move was to discourage nuisance perpetrated by the operators.

“We will continue the arrest and not allow sentiment to set in, because if we do that is the beginning of failure. We have to enforce the law effectively,” Sulaiman added.

44—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Madam Clinton: GOP’s Real Nightmare

T

HE Republican Party may have performed beyond the expectation of its most optimistic members and supporters in the mid-term elections held earlier this month, but the nightmare for the party isn’t yet over. The chieftains in the Grand Old Party (GOP) as the Republican Party is both officially known and pejoratively referred to, do not have a clue about how to tackle the political phenomenon called Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Despite being faced with a hostile House of Representatives and the Senate as from January next year, President Obama appears to underscore this GOP nightmare last week when he made what might appear to be a mild political statement, but which has a lot of explosive power. He said in an ABC interview that Hillary had the qualities to be a

“formidable” and “great” president and described her as a friend with whom he chats from time to time. This is about the clearest indication yet that Hillary will soon come out of the closet and announce her candidacy for the 2016 election. That announcement is expected sometime in January next year.

Earlier last week, Arizona’s grand old man, Senator John McCain, apparently spoke for the Grand Old Party when he told an interviewer (on MSNBC) that “It’s well known that Hillary Clinton and I have a good relationship….(however) if you said, Secretary Clinton, tell me a concrete accomplishment during your tour as secretary of state? I think she may have trouble answering that….She traveled to a lot of countries. She’s a great representative of America. Kind

of a rock star status; visited more countries than any other Secretary of State. But what concrete policies – either a decision or

I see Senator McCain’s recent attack as the way the GOP will launch its political campaign against Hillary whenever she formally announces her intention to run for office

whatever it is – was she not say is that as secretary of state, responsible for? And I think she’d Hillary was in no position to make U.S. foreign policy; her duty was have trouble answering that.”

McCain’s attempt to undercut to carry out U.S. foreign policy as Hillary is the polite version of assigned to her by her boss, the such attempts to discredit her president, who is the person that even before she declares her calls the shots on the country’s intention to run for the foreign policy.

The trouble for the GOP is that presidency. Other bizarre and crude forms of attack have come the party cannot, for now at least, from people like Senator Rand find a piece of political mud they Paul who has not hidden his can hurl at Hillary and see it stick intention to run for the White on her. So far, all of their political House. One of the latest political gimmicks against Hillary have “missiles” he recently fired was failed to record any appreciable when he openly tried to make a result. If there was an oracle to case for Hillary to be politically consult, I guess the GOP would dumped by the electorate because love to consult it to know what of the years-old affair her they can do about Hillary. It will husband had with Monica not be out of place to expect the Lewinsky, a young White House GOP to seriously begin to link intern. So, how can her Hillary to her former boss, the husband’s marital infidelity be counted as a sin against Hillary, according to Rand Paul? The senator had no logical or reasonable argument to support his assertion. It looked like it was more important to use anything to attempt to tarnish Hillary.

This political strategy to “hang anything around Hillary’s neck” in Hillary Clinton order to fight her at the elections has also been used president. The belief is that such

by GOP congressmen who have links, which helped defeat held uncountable “Benghazi” Democratic Party Congressmen public meetings to and women in the mid-term focus attention on election, are necessary to Hillary. The aim of campaign against Hillary. So, we these meetings is to may begin to see GOP strategists blame Hillary for the trying to bring Hillary into the attack on the U.S. loop of the so-called Obama’s consulate in Libya, failed policies. an incident which Another failed tactic which the led to the killing of GOP might resurrect is to make four U.S. diplomats, Hillary’s age a campaign issue. including the She is 67 years old. They had tried ambassador. it several months ago when the I see Senator conservative media began McCain’s recent dropping hints that she will be attack as the way the too old to be an effective president, GOP will launch its especially as a lay. political campaign against Hillary Conservative whenever she pundits formally announces her intention to run That sort of petty talk did not for office.

The gain traction. But, there is no strategy is to indication that they might not try hoodwink and it once more. The fact that Hillary convince the more was expecting her first grandchild gullible electorate through her daughter Chelsea, that Hillary did not had also been used against her achieve anything in by conservative pundits who see office as Secretary of her role as a doting grandma State, as if occupying interfering with her job as that position is the Madam President. And, same thing as being speaking of the notion of Madam a governor of a state.

President, it might be something Senator McCain and that also haunts some people in his GOP stalwarts the GOP. know that it is far To them, the idea of a woman in easy to confuse more the White House might not be ill-informed and adequate to project U.S. power non-informed voters on the global scene. The fact that and make them the world had seen such believe that Hillary formidable national leaders such merely gallivanted as Israel’s Golda Meir or Britain’s across the globe, Margaret Thatcher, might not burning America’s mean much to such GOP faithful; money on her neither will it mean anything to fruitless trips. What them that in U.S. neighborhood McCain and his Brazil and Argentina - female legion of GOP presidents are in charge of the politicians and their ship of state. media allies would

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014—45

Ijaw monarch’s kidnap: UPU tasks Ijaw on peace

By Godwin Oghre

T

HE Urhobo nation has advised Ijaw militants who issued a threat of war with Kokori community last week to withdraw the threat and sheathe their swords in the interest of peace.

Speaking through its umbrella body, Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, they said that any war between Urhobo and the Ijaw, should Ijaw militants take war to Kokori, the heart land of Urhobo nation, will cause chaos of unimaginable magnitude.

President General of UPU, Chief Joseph Omene, also condemned in strong terms the kidnap, a week ago, of the spiritual leader of the worshipers of Ijaw deity, Egbesu, who doubles as the Pere (King) of Oporomor Kingdom in Bayelsa State, HRM, Augustin Ebikeme, Pere Ekere.

Omene, who addressed journalists in his Mosogar country home, Ethiope West Local Government Area, Delta State, urged the Ijaw nation to maintain the existing peace between the two ethnic

Delta LG boss swears in supervisors

K

O K O — T H E Chairman of Warri North Local Government Area, Delta State, Mr. Francis Eyituoyo-Maku, has sworn in five Supervisory Councillors to co-ordinate the various departments in the council.

Speaking shortly after the event at the chairman’s office in Koko, headquarters of the council, Maku-Eyituoyo congratulated the supervisory councillors on their appointments and charged them to be committed to the tasks which shall be assigned to them in their respective departments.

He urged the supervisors to work harder to add value to what might be on ground in their respective departments so that the people can feel the impact of the administration to justify their appointments.

The five supervisory councilors include Mrs Emily Diden, Mrs Florence Bisina, Mrs Aboneje Rose, Mr Jolomi Esiategiwa and Mr Tene Tsitse.

groups, adding that he was optimistic about the release of the king if he was actually held anywhere in Urhoboland.

He said that the kidnap of the royal father has political undertone and advised the Ijaw nation to beware of the prevailing politicking within the state, adding “Politicians

can do any thing including kidnapping, to sabotage the existing peaceful relationship between the Urhobo and the Ijaw nation, with a view to truncating the 2015 agenda of the two ethnic groups, to their advantage.

“We have to advise our Ijaw brothers not to try anything

like war with the Urhobo nation as that would result to chaos. We should all exercise restraint as the security agencies do their job. It is all about politics. I am sure that all the victims of political kidnapping in Urhobo and Ijaw nations will regain their freedom.”

AWARD: From left: Trustee and Project Administrator, DAME, Lanre Idowu; Chairman, DAME Board of Trustee, Moses Ihonde, and Chairman Troyka Group, Biodun Shobanjo, during the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Shobanjo at the 23rd DAME Award in Victoria Island, Lagos. Photo: Akeem Salau.

EPZ project: Ogulagha communities vow to resist exclusion

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HE people of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities in Ogulagha Kingdom, Burutu Local Government Area, Delta State, have vowed to resist with the last drop of their blood, any attempt by Delta and Federal Governments to leave them out in the process of acquisition of land and naming of the Export Processing Zone, EPZ project.

They warned that no portion of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities’ lands would be allowed to be used for the project without their consent.

The people of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities, during a protest said that they were forced to take to the street because they were left out of those invited for a dialogue at Abuja to proffer

Delta SUBEB boss tasks workers on diligence

By Festus Ahon

A

SABA—CHAIRMAN, Delta State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Mr. Elijah Ologe, has warned staff of the board to take their jobs seriously.

Addressing workers of the board in Asaba on assumption of office, he said that the board will not tolerate lateness to work and closure from work before official closing hour, insisting that anyone caught flouting the directives would be dealt with accordingly.

Ologe said that the changes in the board and directives

from the new management were not meant to witch hunt anybody, but to correct the impression of some persons that SUBEB was an unnecessary parastatal of government.

He said that the changes already made were to put the workers in check and assured that those found culpable of any misdemeanor would be sanctioned.

He charged them to be dedicated to duty and solicited that the support given to the previous board members should be extended to the current board.

solution to the problems bedeviling the EPZ project.

Mr Abanre Friday and Mr Samuel Powoide, Chairmen of Sokebolou and Yokiri communities respectively, said: “The Sokebolou and Yokiri Federated Communities of Ogulagha Kingdom, along with their other communities of Agbromagbene, Bomoupetepete, Oloseimo-ere and Adedegbene are important stakeholders whose lands are part of the area for the proposed EPZ project.

“We want to inform the whole world that the officials of the Delta State Government of Itsekiri origin have failed to perform their duties and rather continued to pursue an Itsekiri agenda capable of upturning the existing peace in our area.

“We are, therefore, opposed to the naming of the EPZ project after only the Itsekiri enclave without the necessary recognition of the right of the Ijaws of Ogulagha and Gbaramatu. We the people of Ogulagha Kingdom are equal stakeholders and want everybody to know that any decision taken on the naming of EPZ without our input shall not be binding on us."

We've no partnership with NLNG on Ajaokuta Steel—Hitech System

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ENAGOA—THE management of 3D Hitech Systems Limited, has described as “misleading” the reported partnership between the company and the Nigerian Liquified Natural Gas Company, NLNG, in its present gas acquisition arrangement to reactivate the Thermal Plant at Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited.

3D Hitech Systems in a statement by its Principal Secretary Officer, Mr. Alphine Ogoh, said that the reports in some national dailies attributed to the company ’s Chairman, Chief James Jephathah that the company had acquired gas assets partnered with NLNG and other gas companies to boost supply to all power plants in the company with 10 million scores a month was false and misleading.

TAC sends 49 professionals to Uganda

By Emman Ovuakporie

A

B U J A — B A R E LY three months after the Technical Aid Corps,TAC, sent 48 Nigerian professionals on volunteer services to Uganda, another batch of 49 left the country yesterday on the same mission to Kampala University in Uganda.

Speaking at a brief ceremony in honour of the volunteers, Director General of TAC, Dr. Pius Osunyikanmi, said: ”This will bring to 250 the number of volunteers sent to Uganda alone to lecture and garner more experience.”

The DG explained that ”the volunteers went through a vigorous process before they were selected.

“They are eminently qualified and like I told the previous volunteers, they must be good ambassadors of Nigeria.”

46—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

‘Why Igbo can't produce President'

NUJ honours Okolugbo

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HE commissioner representing Ndokwa on the board of Delta State Oil Producing Areas 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 received Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, distinguished service award.

Sir Okolugbo was honoured alongside other dignitaries in Asaba, during NUJ, Delta State Council, Press Week.

Presenting the award to Okolugbo, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Ovuzourie Macaulay, said: “On behalf of NUJ, Delta State council, I present this distinguished service award to you for your outstanding contributions to community development and socioempowerment in Delta State.”

By Chris Onuoha

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HE President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, yesterday in Lagos, said an Igbo man cannot be President

By Chidi Nkwopara

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WERRI—IMO State Chapter of Nigeria Union of Teachers, NUT, has ordered immediate closure of Obosima Secondary Technical School, following the brutalization of a female teacher by students of the institution.

Vanguard had reported, last Friday, that the teacher, Mrs. Mary-Ann Oguezuonu, was attacked with machetes and other dangerous weapons in the school’s staff room by students, for cautioning a female student said to have formed the habit of wearing skimpy uniform to school.

Imo NUT gave the directive in a statement by the Assistant Secretary and the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Dr. Reginald Anyadike.

The directive, which was equally aired on Imo Broadcasting Cooperation, IBC, Owerri, ordered teachers in the school to stop attending classes until further notice.

The statement, however, directed the teachers to be reporting daily at the NUT state Secretariat along Owerri-Port Harcourt Expressway, Owerri, for briefing.

F

E D E R A L Government College, Ugwolawo Old Students Association will celebrate the college’s 36th year of existence next Saturday in Abuja.

A statement by Sule Musa, the association’s National Secretary, said the event would be a forum to connect, discover, network, foster better togetherness, execute projects and reorientate the current students for a better Nigeria.

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ethics and discipline.

Enwo-Igariwey, who was the guest speaker at the public presentation of the Igbo centenary book, 100 Years of Amalgamation: Igbo, What Hope in Nigeria, by a Lagos-

Labour shuts down Imo school over teacher's attack

FGCU old boys meet

nfact, the Nigeria Football Federation and indeed Nigeria must learn to plan, organise and implement better programmes. Litigation here and there cannot help football grow, it rather kills it. Mr Adebayo Owoeye- Electrical Engineer

of Nigeria because of lack of unity in leadership roles.

According to him, Igbo are hardworking, resilient and law abiding, but fall short of leadership role because of lack of recognition of leadership

At press time, a team of medical personnel was still battling to save the life of the teacher, who sustained several machete cuts from the students.

When contacted, the

teacher’s relation, Mr. Francis Moore, said: “The matter has been reported to the police and some arrests have been made.

But the main suspect, Chimaobi Precious Agu, is still at large as we speak.”

Jonathan committed to transformation agenda—WIFE

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

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NEWI—DAME Patience Jonathan, yesterday in Onitsha, assured Nigerians of President Goodluck Jonathan’s commitment to total transformation of the country.

Dame Jonathan said this in a speech as the special guest of honour at the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 19th Joint Council of Knights’ Delegates Conference on tagged Occupy Till I Come, held at All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha.

Speaking through the wife of Governor Willie Obiano, Ebelechukwu, the First Lady said: “The transformation of the country in all departments of its national life calls for commitment of all and sundry, because it is only when everyone plays his part well that we can flourish as a nation.

“Transformation, as a concept and process, implies healing, because it entails movement from an undesirable condition to a state of higher quality. It, therefore, imposes an obligation on us to subscribe to government’s philosophy of transformation.”

based journalist, Peter Anosike, said every Igbo wants to be leader at the same time.

According to him “if we can solve this problem by trying to learn from our mistakes and believe that there can only be one leader at a time, then we can succeed as a people.”

He said Igbo had huge investments all over the country and that with all the respect and recognition they had earned, they still lacked unity over leadership tussles, as could be seen even in town union meetings.

He said: “It does not have to be the strongest or the richest.

Anyone can be supported to succeed. If we unite, people will be afraid of us.”

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Nwabueze Obi, Executive Director, Cabotage, Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, said: “We are nomadic. Over 90 percent of our investments are outside Igboland.

“If you go anywhere and do not see an Igbo man, then it is not habitable. If we can channel these gifts to have a united front, we can succeed.”

He appealed to all Igbo to be submissive to authority.

Retrieval of firearms begins in Anambra

By Enyim Enyim

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NITSHA—ANAMBRA State Police Command has begun the withdrawal of firearms from vigilance groups, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

Speaking to reporters yesterday, President of the Private Security Proprietors of Nigeria, Chief Kenneth Okonkwo, said the action followed a directive from the

Inspector General of Police that firearms should be withdrawn from vigilance groups.

He added that the action was welcome following the indiscriminate use of firearms by untrained members of some vigilance groups in the state.

He said a committee had been set up and was currently training vigilance members, issuance of uniforms, identity cards among others.

What is your view on Nigeria’s failure to qualify for AFCON 2015?

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e are supposed to qualify in that group because it was an easy group for Nigeria. However, our players and the coach messed up everything and we found ourselves out of the competition.Mr Christopher AsonyeBusinessman

F

irst, let me start by saying that Keshi does not know how to make good selection and does not know the players to use.

Although the fault is not from the coach alone, the players were not serious with the match. Mr Abayomi Usman- Student

I

did not watch the last qualifying match with South Africa, so I will not want to comment on that one. But on other matches, Nigeria did not start well. The players and the coach were always in disagreement. Mr John Marseil- Bricklayer

I

t is really painful that Nigeria as a defending champion will not be at the Nations Cup to defend the cup.

Keshi should put things together to ensure things work differently this time with the team. Mr Isaac Obiyor- Worker

T

hat is the type of coach we are having, that cannot read a game and adjust, even when he knew they needed to win. He allowed his defence to be porous. Good for the president for bringing him back. Mr Musa Bamaiyi- Worker

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014— 47

WAIVER: Plateau PDP shuns Tapgun, Dariye,

Tallen

By Marie-Therese Nanlong OS—THE former Deputy Governor of Plateau State during the Jonah Jang administration, Mrs. Pauline Tallen, Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, Senator Joshua Dariye and their supporters were yesterday shunned by the state branch of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The three political gladiators were among 61 others who came with their supporters expecting to be received by the party, having earlier been given waivers as former members.

Their colleagues were, however, not ignored as they were welcomed back to the PDP. Addressing a large crowd which gathered at the Nefur Arena, Pankshin Local Government Area of the state, the acting state chairman of the party, Raymond Dabo charged the returnees to be faithful to the party.

However, reacting to the development, Mrs. Tallen said no one could stop them from belonging to the PDP as the national leadership of the party had recognized them and given them waivers which were communicated to the state chapter.

She stressed that politics was a game of number, adding that she

J

had a meeting earlier with Governor Jonah Jang who assured her that all was well.

“I am suspecting foul play here and it is funny; it is laughable and we are watching to see what will come out of this because the umbrella is big enough for everyone and we had followed due process in returning to the party,” she stated.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner for Education,

Dr. Paul Wai who represented Jang on the occasion, has urged the returnees to respect the leadership of the party and work in harmony with everyone.

According to him, “We welcome every returnee to the party. PDP is a progressive party which accommodates all. The party doesn’t operate like a secret cult; that is why we are receiving our members in the open.

“No one enters his or her

house through the back door.

As you return, bring your experiences and join hands in moving the party forward.”

Responding on behalf of the returnees, Mr. Pam Gyang expressed happiness, saying, “nothing is better than home.

We have come back to stay.

Most of us are founding members of the party and we will continue to sacrifice to add value to the party.”

VISIT: Abia State Governor, Chief Theodore Orji (middle), when the prelate of All Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Nicolas Okoh (on cap) when he led other top bishops of the Church on a courtesy visit to the governor in Umuahia.

Useni emerges new Taraba Assembly speaker

By John Mkom with agency

report ALINGO—A new Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly has been elected. He is Mark Useni who emerged following the resignation of the former Speaker, Mr Josiah Kente in the early hours of yesterday.

Kente told newsmen yesterday morning in Jalingo that he had forwarded his resignation letter to the Clerk of the assembly.

The speaker said he took the decision in the interest of peace in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, recalls that Kente was elected speaker in November 2013, following the death of his predecessor, late Mr Haruna Tsokwa.

He thanked the people of the state and members of the seventh assembly for their cooperation during his one year tenure as speaker.

The deputy speaker of the house and member representing Gasol I Tanko Maikerfi presided over the House during the election of the new speaker.

The member representing Zing state constituency Kizito Bonzena moved a motion for the election of Useni to fill the

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vacuum created the by the resignation of Kente and was supported by the member representing Bali II constituency, Hon. Hama Adama.

Other members of the House present at plenary supported the motion for Useni to emerge as the new speaker.

Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that Kente tendered his resignation following the sacking of the former Acting Governor of the state, Alhaji Garba Umar by the Supreme Court, last Friday and his replacement with Sani Abubakar Danladi.

Sources said that there

were earlier plans to impeach Kente by majority of the members of the House prompting his sudden resignation.

Kente was said to be among the arrow heads that removed the new acting Governor, as the deputy governor of the state.

PDP screens 17 gov aspirants from Adamawa, Bauchi, Taraba, Yobe in Bauchi

B

AUCHI—THE Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, on Sunday in Bauchi screened 17 governorship aspirants from Bauchi, Yobe, Taraba and Adamawa seeking to contest on the platform of the party in the 2015 general election.

The News Agency of

Nigeria, NAN, reports that the aspirants had appeared before the screening panel chaired by a former governor, Achike Udenwa, who assured them of fairness.

He said any of the aspirants that felt dissatisfied with the panel’s decision was

free to appeal.

The four governorship aspirants that appeared before the panel from Taraba include immediate former acting governor, Garba Umar, former minister for Niger Delta, Darius Isiaku, Mr David Kente and Ambassador Musa John.

ZAMFARA GUN ATTACKS: NEMA distributes relief materials

to victims' families

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USAU—THE National Emergency Management Agency,NEMA, on Sunday distributed 26 trailer loads of relief materials to families of those killed in various attacks by gunmen in Zamfara.

The News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, reports that the materials were distributed to families of 1,622 persons killed in various attacks across the 14 local government areas of the state.

The distribution was supervised by the Minister of

State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda.

Speaking at the event in Gusau, Yuguda said the gesture was in fulfillment of the promise made by President Goodluck Jonathan six months ago, to assist the families.

I'm not Lamido's anointed candidate —Gov aspirant

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UTSE—ALHAJI Aminu Ringim, one of the four gubernatorial aspirants on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Jigawa, said on Sunday that he was not anointed

by Gov. Sule Lamido as insinuated in some quarters.

He spoke in an interview with newsmen in Dutse shortly after his arrival from Kaduna where he attended the PDP North West zonal screening.

“I think, as someone who served as Chief of Staff to former Gov.Saminu Turaki for five years and served as in similar capacity to Gov. Sule Lamido for about eight years, it is an experience enough to enable me consolidate on such gains and to continue from where my principals stopped.

“After all, there are four of us contesting. I don’t think there is any one of us that was anointed by the Governor.

“If you say anointment, you can go and ask the people because they are the ones that anointed candidates not the governor.”

2015: 2,000 youths back Olejeme

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ARRI—THE gubernatorial ambition of Mrs. Ngozi Olejeme to succeed Governor Emmanuel Uudaghan received a major boost as more than 2000 youths have endorsed her as the best aspirant to govern Delta State in 2015.

Comrade James Arigbe, national coordinator of Delta Force for Ngozi Olejeme, at a briefing yesterday in Warri, said, the 2000 members have endorsed Olejeme as their sole governorship candidate for the 2015 election.

At the briefing, the youths also appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan and the national leadership of the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP, to give Olejeme the party ticket, saying she is the most competent to rule Delta.

48—Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

AWARDS: From left, Director-General, National Information Technology Development Agency, Engr. Peter Jack; representative of First Lady, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, wife of Vice President, Dr. Amina Sambo, and Vice President, Nihilent, Mr. Ravi Teja, during the presentation of NITDA - Nihilent e-governance awards to recognize and promote excellence in implementation of e-governance and ICT initiatives, in Abuja.

PARADE: Deputy Governor of Delta State, Professor Amos Utuama, SAN, (2nd right); Delta State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs. Olive Essien Etukudo, (2nd left); Aniocha North Local Government Area Chairman, Hon. Chuks Eseme, (left), and Vice Chairman, Aniocha North Local Government Area Chairman, Arch. Udoka Elue, during passing-out parade of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, Delta State 2014 Batch 'C,' at IsseleUku Orientation Camp, Aniocha North LGA, Delta State.

EXERCISE: From Left, Group Head, Risk Management, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Femi Aribaloye (left); Directorate Head, IT and Channels Delivery Services, Mrs. Markie Idowu; Deputy Managing Director, Mrs. Amaka Onwughalu, and Head Human Capital Management, Mr. Taiwo Olupeka, at the skye Bank monthly fitness exercise for staff, to build a healthy workforce, at Yaba College of Technology, in Lagos, weekend.

INVESTITURE: From left, New President, Ilupeju Diamond Lions Club, Lion Noimot Olatunji; District Governor, District 404 B-2 Nigeria, Lion Abiodun Adediji, and the former President, Diamond Lions Club, Ilupeju, Lion Margaret Ajaja, at the investiture of the new President for the year 2014-2015, in Ikeja, Lagos.

CONFERENCE: From left, Dr. Mashhud Adenrele Fashola, Amir (Head); Maulri Abdul Khalique Nayyar, Missionary in charge, and Dr. Saeed Timehin, National Tabligh Secretary, all of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria, and lecturer, Department of Languages, Lagos State University, during the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jamaat Nigeria press conference on State of the Nation and fothcoming of 63rd Jalsa Salalana 2014 Annual National Conference, in Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

PROGRAMME: From left, Mrs. Stella Egbokun, Unilever Retailer; Adetoun Adegbite, Brand Manager, Sunlight Dish Washing Liquid, Unilever Nigeria Plc; Mr. Timothy Tersur, and Mrs. Henry Achogbuo, Retailers, being presented with their weekly prizes from Unilever in the ongoing Sunlight Dish Washing Liquid Retailer Reward Programme, at Oniwaya Market, Agege, Lagos.

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CONFERENCE: From left, Mr. Femi Adesina; Managing Director,The Sun Newspapers/President, Nigeria Guild of Editors; Sunday Akere, Osun State Commissioner for Information and Strategy; Dr. Grace Achum, Special Assitant to NIPR President on Media, and Goddie Ofose, Chairman, Brand Journalists Association of Nigeria, BJAN, during BJAN 2nd Annual Brand and Marketing Conference Osun 2014, entitled, 'Tourism Marketing As Catalyst For Economic Develoment in Osogbo.' Photo: Akeem Salau

AWARD: From left, Yeye Shola Benson-Oladeinbo, PDP Women Leader lagos State, receiving an award on behalf of Dr. Kema Chikwe from Dr. Dafe Akpocha, DG, Centre for Democratic Governance in Africa, CDGA, and Amb Ovie Oghenekaro, chairman of the occasion, and Lolo Babra Anyamah, during CDGA's annual lecture/award, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Ikeja, Lagos.

ARRIVAL: From left, United States pop star, Mario; Soulful singer, Freddie Jackson, and CEO, Upfront and Personal, Paul Okoye, when the US artistes arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport for the Corporate Elite Nite Concert, weekend, in Lagos.

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Nuclear talks extended seven months

I

RAN and six powers failed on Monday for a second time this year to resolve their 12-year dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, and

gave themselves seven more months to overcome the deadlock that prevented them from clinching an historic deal.

Hagel resigning as Defense secretary

D

EFENCE Secretary Chuck Hagel announced Monday he is stepping down, leaving under pressure following a rocky tenure in which he has struggled to break through the White House’s insular team of national security advisers.

During a White House ceremony, Obama said he and Hagel had determined it was an “appropriate time for him to complete his service.”

Hagel is the first senior Obama adviser to leave the administration following the sweeping losses for the president’s party in the midterm elections. It also comes as the president’s national security team has been battered by crises including the rise of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria and Russia’s provocations in Ukraine.

The president praised Hagel, a Republican who grew close to Obama while they both served in the Senate, as an “exemplary defense secretary” who

forged a strong bond with troops stationed around the world. Hagel, who served in the Vietnam War, is the first enlisted combat veteran to serve as defense secretary.

Western officials said they were aiming to secure an agreement on the substance of a final accord by March but that more time would be needed to reach a con• sensus on the all-important technical details.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said “many gaps were narrowed and our positions with the other side got closer ” at the Vienna talks, state TV quoted him as saying.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry gave a more sombre assessment, saying “real and substantial progress had been made but adding that “some significant points of disagreement” remained.

“These talks are not going to get easier just because we extend them. They ’re tough.

They ’ve been tough.

And they ’re going to stay tough,” he told reporters.

Israeli Cabinet moves to define Israel as Jewish

I

N a move likely to fur ther inflame tensions with Israel’s Arab citizens, the Israeli Cabinet on Sunday approved a bill to legally define the country as the nationstate of the Jewish people.

The decision, which set off a stormy debate that could bring down Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s brittle coalition government, followed weeks of deadly ArabJewish violence and was denounced by critics as damaging to the country’s democratic character and poorly timed at such a combustible mo-

ment.

It now heads toward a full parliamentary vote on Wednesday.

Israel has always defined itself as the “Jewish state” — a term that was contained in the country’s declaration of independence in 1948.

The new law seeks to codify that status as a “Basic Law,” Israel’s de facto constitution.

While many critics derided the measure as unnecessary, Netanyahu told his Cabinet the bill is a response to Israel’s Arab critics both inside and outside Israel who question the country’s right to exist.

Francis meets Egyptian president on European trip need for dialogue and

T

HE Vatican says Pope Francis emphasized Egypt’s role in establishing Middle East peace during a meeting with the country’s president.

Francis and Abdel Fattah al-Sisi met privately for about 20 minutes at the Vatican on al-Sisi’s first visit to Europe since taking office, exchanging gifts before parting: a papal medallion for alSisi and a silver box for Francis.

The Vatican said the pope emphasized the

negotiation to bring an end to regional conflicts.

US broadens Afghan mission

U

.S troops in Afghanistan may once again engage Taliban fighters, not just alQaida terrorists, under new guidelines quietly approved

by President Barack Obama, administration officials say.

The armed forces were to limit their operations in Afghanistan to counterterrorism missions

against al-Qaida after this year, until Obama broadened the guidelines in recent weeks.

The plan comes as the U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan draws to a close, thousands of troops return home and the military prepares for a narrower counterterrorism and training mission for the next two years.

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 61

Enyimba shift focus to Champions League, says Thomas E

N Y I M B A goalkeeper Femi Thomas has said his team have now shifted their focus on winning next year ’s CAF Champions League after they landed a fourth Federation Cup Sunday.

Enyimba secured the Champions League slot after they finished second in the league behind Kano Pillars and Thomas said he believes Enyimba are still the best club in Nigeria and they will prove that by winning a third CAF Champions League trophy next year.

“Our target now is to perform better and probably win the Champions League,” disclosed the goalkeeper.

Both teams (Enyimba and Pillars) who represented Nigeria in the competition last year didn’t do well.

“And now Enyimba want to prove a point with the Champions League that we are still the best team in Nigeria.

“That was why we fought hard to secure Champions League spot.”

Enyimba have won the Champions League twice, in 2003 and 2004.

on ensuring the Eagles prepare well for the 2017 AFCON and 2018 World Cup qualifiers by sending the team handlers to new courses abroad to broaden their scope and knowledge.

“In the short term package to reposition our football we will send some of our coaches and ex internationals to England for refresher courses in match reading,” said Pinnick.

“They will also receive orientation abroad on crisis management and other related courses

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HE Port Harcourt Club Golf Section and the Heritage Bank Limited have concluded plans to host the 2014 edition of the Port Harcourt Amateur Open Golf Championship tagged ‘The Heritage Cup.’ The championship has been slated to tee-off on December 5 at the Golf Section of the Port Harcourt Club 1928, while the closing ceremony has been fixed for December 7.

The event described as the most coveted golf trophy in Nigeria by the Chairman Organizing Committee of the Championship, Abiye Amakiri, would see top amateur golfers from across the country storm the Force Avenue, Old GRA venue of competition.

Don’t blame President Jonathan for Eagles’ failure — Odua tells Kojo

BY JACOB AJOM

A

ONE time member of the Nigeria Football Association, Prince Isidore Odua has frowned at the statement credited to Kojo Williams who was reported to have said President Jonathan should be held responsible for Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

NFF Continues from B/P

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CHAMPIONS: Enyimba players display the Federation Cup won on Sunday.

Golf: Heritage Cup Tee-off in P/Har cour t Dec. 5

that would help us improve on the quality of information to be given the coaches before, during and after games.”

He also confirmed the Eagles will play most of their friendly games at home starting with the 25 March 2015 friendly against Brazil at the Uyo township stadium.

The idea of playing most of the proposed friendly games in Nigeria is to showcase the county ’s huge tourism potential and culture as a way of putting the country on a positive footing in the eyes of the world.

Odua who was at Sports Vanguard yesterday, said if there was anybody who should be credited with Nigeria’s 2013 Afcon title in South Africa that person should be President Jonathan. “No,” Odua started bitterly. “President Jonathan should be the one to feel the most pain as Nigeria cannot defend the title he spent sleepless nights to ensure the Eagles won in South Africa.”

The former Vice

Chairman of the Anambra State Football Association said he was sure Kojo was misquoted. “If not, how could he blame the President for Keshi’s return. When Keshi accepted to come back, there was no Nigerian coach ready to take up the job. I don’t want to make it sound political but I hate it when everything that goes wrong people will start blaming it on the President.”

NFF pledges support for APFON

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HE Nigeria Football Federation has promised to strengthen and empower the Association of Professional Footballers of Nigeria in the coming years.

Speaking at the association’s 2014 Annual General Assembly in Lagos yesterday, President of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick who was represented by First Vice President Seyi Akinwumi told the gathering that the first step taken by the football house to ensure APFON

functioned effectively was the constitution of the Players’ Statute Committee, which the Apfon secretary, Austin Popo is a member.

He however demanded the union must be one indivisible entity. “We demand unity in the players’ union because our peculiar situation demands that there must be unity and as far as the NFF is concerned, we will do everything to ensure we strengthen you and ensure things work.”

Odua who was once a member of the Lagos State Football Association challenged Kojo to say which former leader had surpassed the achievements of President Jonathan in Sports.

“Nobody comes close,” he said, adding, “after him then Abacha, who was a great lover of football. I know what I’m talking about because I have been in the system for long.”

Eduok Continues from B/P

five goals to finish as the MVP of the 2014 Federation Cup after his club Dolphins fell 2-1 in the final to Enyimba on Sunday.

“I was disappointed not to win the cup with Dolphins. It was really disappointing to get to the final and then lose the cup,” lamented the 23-year-old striker.

Keshi Continues from B/P

AFCON 2015, saying they might as well get foreign players to play for the team. ‘’If they want to hire a foreign coach for the Eagles, they should also hire foreign players to play for them’’, he hit back.

Despite his failure to qualify Nigeria for next year ’s AFCON defence of the title he won in 2013, Keshi still wants to remain as coach.

He is yet to be offered a new deal and the NFF have been silent on his

future, a situation which a board member of the NFF said was out of their control.

“The last time we did what we thought was best, we were forced to revert the changes by people in high places.

This time around we are helpless,” the source lamented.

“We are scared of announcing we won’t renew his deal due to what happened last time and unless he resigns or walks away we can’t help out.”

62 — Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Champions League Splash ... Champions League Splash ...

City seek lifeline against Bayern M

ANCHESTER City are teetering on the brink of a third Champions League group-phase elimination in four seasons ahead of Bayern Munich’s visit to the Etihad Stadium tonight.

City will be knocked out if they fail to beat Bayern and there is a winner in the Russian champions’ home game with Roma.

City have been weakened by suspensions to Yaya Toure and Fernandinho, both sent off - the former for a petulant shove -

Wilshere ready for Dortmund

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ACK Wilshere has been given an allclear after his injury scare - but is still set to miss Arsenal’s Champions League showdown with Borussia Dortmund. Wilshere suffered an ankle injury in the Gunners’ defeat to Manchester United but X-rays have shown there was no break but the England midfielder has got potential ligament damage.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says Wilshere “has very little chance” of facing Dortmund.

during the defeat by CSKA Moscow.

And although City came from behind to beat Swansea City 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday, midfielder Samir Nasri knows that Pep Guardiola’s ruthless Bayern side will be a very different proposition.

“We are really lucky to still be in with a chance of qualifying for the next round because, with two points and two games left, normally you are out,” said the former France international.

“Now is our chance.

We have to take it and play with nothing to lose. We can take a lot [from beating Swansea], but a game against Bayern Munich will not be the same as a game against Swansea,” he added.

— AGAINST ALL ODDS — Bayern's Arjen Robben (l) battles for the ball with City's players.

Roma eye win in Moscow R

OMA Coach Rudi Garcia says his side will not be aiming for a draw when they take on CSKA Moscow in the Champions League tonight.

“Just because we won the first game [5-1] that doesn’t mean we come here lacking humility Even a draw would be a useful result for us, but that doesn’t mean that we’ll play for the draw. As usual, we play to win. We haven’t done everything perfectly, but we’ve done well enough to be in the running”.

•Musa

•Gervinho

We won’t spare Ajax — PSG despite having already

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AURENT Blanc insists Paris St Germain will not ease up

Chelsea revisit glorious past against since taking charge of Schalke Schalke, it is not me Schalke last month and against Di Matteo.”

J

•Wilshere C M Y K

OSE Mourinho comes up against the only coach to have steered Chelsea to the Champions League title when the Blues travel to Roberto Di Matteo’s Schalke 04 tonight.

Victory will confirm Chelsea’s place in the Champions League’s knockout phase, but the focus will be on Mourinho’s opposite number on the Schalke bench.

Di Matteo has won all four of his home matches

is in his first role since being sacked by Chelsea in November 2012, just six months after winning the Champions League title.

“I don’t play against him,” said Mourinho dryly.

“If I play against him, he wins because he plays better than me.

Unless I am fitter, which I don’t know, but normally he wins because he is much better than me.

“It is Chelsea against

•Di Matteo.

secured qualification for the Champions League knockout stages.

“Before thinking of Barcelona, we first have to think of the match against Ajax. If we want the game against Barcelona to be decisive, we need to win.''

•Mourinho

Vanguard, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 — 63

Don’t delay league resumption •Pillars, Enyimba tell LMC

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LAYERS of both Kano Pillars and Enyimba have said they will hope the new Nigeria league season begins before they are involved in next year ’s CAF Champions League.

Isaac Loute of Pillars and Femi Thomas from Enyimba have told AfricanFootball.com that it would be better if the Nigeria league began before they are involved in the Champions League because then they will be in a good fighting shape.

“We fought hard to get the Champions League slot and we are in it to prove that we are still the best in Nigeria. I am praying and urging the league organisers to see that the league starts before Champions League so that it can help the teams who are representing Nigeria on the continent next year,.”

Thomas said.

Pillars left back Isaac Loute said it will put the

players in match fitness.

“Lack of league action affected the teams who represented Nigeria in the African cups last season. It would therefore be great if the LMC could do everything to see that we start playing the league before the continental matches start,” advised the Benin Republic international defender.

“It will give the players match fitness. League fitness is different from friendly games. It will do the team and the country a world of good to start the league in good time.”

BATTLE ... Enyimba's Chinedu Udoji (r) heads the ball from the reach of an unidentified opponent.

Obi dedicates derby goal to Mancini J

OEL Obi has praised Inter Milan manager, Roberto Mancini, for playing him in his ideal position during their 1-1 draw with AC Milan on Sunday night.

The game saw Obi occupying a somewhat different role than he is usually accustomed to, as he was part of a central midfield trio along with Zdravko Kuzmanovic and Fredy Guarin, just behind Mateo Kovacic.

“It was an important moment for me personally [the goal] and I was very happy to get that goal for Inter. We know that the most important thing for us as we look to improve is to listen to what the coach tells us, follow his ideas and work hard,” he added.

Eze wins First Bank golf

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ONDAY Eze has emerged winner of the 53rd First Bank Lagos Amateur Golf Championships which took place at the Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos.

Eze who came close to winning last year had a total gross of 152 to beat Milo Ajah of the Ikeja Golf Club to the second place.

Ajah’s total gross was 155; Uche Eze of Ibadan Golf Club with a gross of 155 came third.

The championship which started on Friday and ended Sunday evening with a dinner party where winners in all categories were presented with beautiful prizes.

About a 100 amateur golfers from all the nook and crannies of Nigeria participated in the championship.

C M Y K

It’s time to go abroad—Udoji

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APTAIN of Enyimba Int’l, Chinedu Udoji has said that his chances of staying back at Enyimba next season are very slim.

Udoji who played in 37 league games said he’s got offers from Africa, Asia and America.

“I’ve got a couple of offers but it’s important I go back home to study them and see which is best for me, but at this point I’m not sure of where I’ll play next season,” Udoji told sl10.ng “I’ve got offers in Egypt and Algeria and also some from Asian and American leagues. I’ll keep my fingers crossed to know what awaits me.”

Federation Cup: Glo hails Enyimba

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SUPER GOAL... Inter's Joel Obi celebrates his goal against Milan on Sunday. It ended 1-1.

AT I O N A L

Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n operator, Globacom, has congratulated two-time African Champions, Enyimba Football Club of Aba for winning the 2014 Federation Cup at

the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.

“We congratulate the management, technical crew and players of Enyimba for their resilience ” Globacom said in a statement.

VANGUARD, TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

City seek lifeline against Bayern •P.62

NFF to send Keshi on refresher course abroad P

RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Amaju Pinnick has given a hint that Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi won’t be fired by his board, but rather would send him for a refresher course abroad.

Upon announcing the sacking of Keshi a month ago, Pinnick revealed the coach and his assistant turned down the opportunity to go for refresher courses to be sponsored by the board.

However, events took a different turn when an order from the country’s president, Goodluck Jonathan forced the NFF to reinstate the coach and his technical crew.

According to Pinnick, his board is fully focused Continues on Page 61

•Keshi

Today's Champs League matches BATE v Porto 6 p.m.

CSKA v Roma 6 p.m.

Apoel v Barcelona 8:45 p.m.

City v Bayern 8:45 p.m.

PSG v Ajax 8:45 p.m.

Schalke v Chelsea 8:45 p.m.

ShakhtaR v Bilbao 8:45 p.m.

Sporting Lisbon v Maribor 8:45 p.m.

Eduok to quit Nigerian league

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NE of the leading scorers in the justended Nigeria league Emem Eduok has revealed he is likely to quit for a club overseas.

“I don’t think I will be playing in the Nigeria league next season. I will be seeking greener pastures so as to take my career to the next level,” said Eduok, who finished as second highest scorer in the league with 20 goals.

Eduok’s club have already slapped a million US dollars price tag on the left-footed striker.

The other highlight of his season was scoring the first goal at the

•Eduok brand-new Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo earlier in November.

His lone strike beat Ghana’s U23s to the Transformation Cup. The former Flying Eagles star also scored Continues on Page 61

Keshi attacks NFF over foreign coach

O

UT of contract Super Eagles coach Stephen Keshi has replied to the Nigeria Football

Federation (NFF) over talks of a foreign coach for the Super Eagles.

Keshi’s reinstatement on the orders of Nigeria

president failed to spark the team after a poor start to the qualifiers as they miss out on next year ’s AFCON which re-

ignited talks of a foreign coach.

In an interview on Radio, Keshi hits back at suggestions the NFF

might opt for a foreign coach following his failure to qualify for the Continues on Page 61

QUICK CROSSWORD

TODAY'S

PUZZLE

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

ACROSS 2 Elevate (5) 7 Hell (5) 8 Dribble (5) 10 Blossom (5) 12 Spike (3) 13 Entertainment (5) 15 Diplomatic (7) 17 Revised (6) 19 Regret (3) 20 Uncomplaining (7) 23 Cut (4) 25 Platform (4) 26 Twisted (7) 30 Nothing (3) 31 Live (6) 34 Abraded (7) 37 Material (5) 38 Twitching (3) 39 Liability (5) 40 Repulse (5) 41 Attain (5) 42 War-horse (5)

DOWN 1 Stunned (5) 2 Refute (5) 3 Slumbering (6) 4 Aperture (4) 5 Feign (7) 6 Market-place (5) 9 Lout (3) 11 Sailor (7) 13 Respond (5) 14 Call on (5) 16 Prompt (3) 18 Swung (7) 21 Implicit (5) 22 Pale (5) 24 Cure-all 27 Pinch (3) 28 Wish (6) 29 Performed (5) 32 Satisfied (5) 33 Trench (5) 35 Tear (3) 36 Adroit (4)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 2, Based 7, Shoe 8, Imbibe 9, Grate 11, Din 13, Rod 15, Eros 16, Gap 18, Here 19, Arrived 20, Avid 22, Nude 23, Nervous 25, Eden 27, Ewe 28, Mere 30, Doe 31, Did 33, Adopt 36, Cosmos 37, Open 38, Spent.

DOWN: 1, Chair 2, Beg 3, Sea 4, Die 5, Ebb 6, Abhor 10, Tear 11, Debated 12, Nominee 13, Reduced 14, Deleted 16, Grave 17, Pique 18, Hen 21, Den 24, Owed 26, Donor 29, Rider 32, Imp 33, Ass 34, Ode 35, Tot.

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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