Jonathan to present n4 4tm budget today

...towards a better life for the people VOL. 25: NO. 62300

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ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Exhausting search for Buhari's running mate >>4

Jonathan to present N4.4trn budget today

By Ben Agande, Emma Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru, Joseph Erunke & Levinus Nwabughiogu

•Pegs oil benchmark at $65 •Puts exchange rate at N165 A •Capital expenditure slashed to N627.16bn •Reps bicker over non-approval of MTEF

B U J A — PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan will today present the 2015 budget proposal of N4,357.96 trillion to the National Assembly.

President Jonathan in a

letter to both the Senate and the House of Representatives which was read on the floor of the two chambers also Continues on Page 5

COLUMNISTS:

The dilemma of a radical progressive in Nigerian politics •P.19

Between Buhari and Jonathan: A straight race to 2015 •P.19

What the next governor of Lagos State should do for us (10) •P.24

Mr & Mrs WARSHIPS—Six Motor Torpedo Boats (MTB) said to have been acquired by Niger Delta ex-militant, High Chief Government Ekpemupolo, a.k.a Tompolo. INSET: A Norwegian made warship allegedly bought by Tompolo. HNoMS Horten (A530) was a Norwegian support vessel built at Karljohansvern in Horten, the city from which the ship was named, in 1977. She was in service with the Royal Norwegian Navy until her retirement in 2008 and played a number of roles while in service. Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Patrick Akpobolokemi, said that the five warships allegedly acquired by Tompolo’s company, Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, was done on behalf of the agency.

Expectations high as Adeboye visits Vanguard tomorrow >>52 C M Y K

Jonathan's eligibility: S'Court dismisses Water scarcity bites PDP stalwart's in Ebonyi joinder appeal >>9 harderSee Pull-out inside

2— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—3 —3

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4— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Exhausting race to pick Buhari’s running mate

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole

•Governor Rotimi Amaechi

NEWS AN AL YSIS ANAL ALY

By Emmanuel Aziken, Political Editor & Levinus Nwabughiogu

•Gen. Muhammadu Buhari strength of the affinity among the people of the Old Western Region.

“It is difficult but we can manage to sell Oshiomhole; after all we were all part of the same Western Region but Amaechi is damn too far,” one Tinubu aide told Vanguard, yesterday, before the commencement of the caucus meeting.

Fears in some sections that Oshiomhole may be too vibrant for Buhari were also being played down by Buhari aides with one of them saying, yesterday, that “the General is not one that wants to compete with others for the limelight if the person is doing his duty.

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EADERS of the All Progressives Congress, APC, were last night locked in a meeting in a race against time to present a running mate to the presidential candidate of the party, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari.

National chairman of the party, Chief John OdigieOyegun, was nevertheless, confident when he addressed reporters, yesterday, that Buhari would present his running mate ahead of tomorrow’s deadline.

"It is not delayed, the candidate will speak to you. I have a feeling he will speak to you tomorrow(today). The party has consulted with the candidate and we have reached some agreement and he will address you on it,” OdigieOyegun said.

A caucus meeting of senior party figures which was deliberating on the matter was on-going as at press time.

Party insiders The choice of a vicepresidential candidate had virtually been ceded to party leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu by Buhari but the choices reportedly made by him to Buhari and party officials were said to have been rejected. Tinubu, according to party insiders, had projected three names, with himself, his wife, Senator Remi Tinubu, and former commissioner for justice in Lagos State, Pastor Yemi Osinbajo. All three were rejected by party stakeholders and Buhari. Bola Tinubu was said to have been turned down on account of the party's resolution on ethno-religious balance, while Senator Remi, even if well qualified was said to have been turned down for C M Y K

•Sen. Bola Tinubu yet unspecified reasons.

Buhari and his associates were said to have turned down Professor Osinbajo on account of what one source said was his lack of electoral weight. As the meeting dragged on Monday night, the name of BrigadierGeneral Olagunsoye Oyinlola, (ret) former governor of Osun State also briefly came up but there was said to have been no consensus on it.

The mention of Oyinlola, it was learned, came after the Buhari camp raised the bar on the choice of a running mate to a person with sufficient electoral weight in the form of a serving governor or former governor.

The inclination of the Buhari camp was also suggestive of the major influence of governors who are playing a large role in the unfolding Buhari campaign.

After the frustrations of picking an acceptable running mate from the South-West, party officials alongside senior Buhari aides were said to have taken the searchlight towards the South-South with Governors Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers State) and Adams Oshiomhole (Edo State) again under the radar.

Meanwhile, Team Tinubu was, yesterday, also said to be warming up to the prospect of presenting Oshiomhole as the choice of Asiwaju Tinubu on the

Socio-cultural differences

•Remi Tinubu

•Mamora

•Oyinlola

"You saw him with Idiagbon (late Major-General Tunde Idiagbon). So long as the work is done he doesn’t mind if his subordinate gets all the shine,” the Buhari associate said.

Party officials were saying that should Oshiomhole be invited to the ticket, the national chairman, Chief John OdigieOyegun, who is from Edo State would have to step down.

Beneath the veneer of sociocultural differences in pushing Oshiomhole ahead of Amaechi, was the assertion among stakeholders of a beef between

the Rivers State governor and Asiwaju Tinubu.

However, as the NWC meeting progressed last night, a senior Buhari aide confided in Vanguard that the permutation had again switched to the South-West as senior campaign officials showed a determination to push the bounce gotten from the South-West at the national convention into a momentum ahead of the general election.

One of the intrigues that unfolded, yesterday, was the revelation that some stakeholders in the party had presented one of the early names mentioned as a running mate, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora as a Muslim. Mamora, a member of the Baptist Church, it was gathered, yesterday, was one of the persons presented by Asiwaju Tinubu to guide the Buhari campaign. There were suggestions last night that he too may have come under consideration.

Irrespective of the procrastination, party stakeholders were saying, yesterday, that they were determined to get a running mate that would add value to the ticket that has pressed the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to an unprecedented pressure in what promises to be the toughest presidential election since the advent of the Fourth Republic.

•Odigie-Oyegun

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 —5

POCKET CARTOON

DINNER—From left: Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria

Plc, Mr. Sesan Sobowale; President of the Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye and Chairman, Omolayole & Associates, Dr. Michael Omolayole at the Annual President’s Dinner/Induction ceremony of the Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria held yesterday in Lagos.

Jonathan to present N4.4trn budget today Continues from Page 1 showed a revision of the oil benchmark from the initial $73 per barrel to $65 per barrel.

President Jonathan informed the National Assembly that the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala will lay the budget estimate on the floor of the Senate.

This is the second time the Minister of Finance will be presenting the national budget to the National Assembly on behalf of President Jonathan. The first time the development was recorded in the history of Nigerian national budget presentation was last year when the President delegated his power to the Minister to represent him.

According to the revised budget estimates, N627.16 billion will be spent on capital expenditure which includes N380.70 billion for the Ministries, Departments and agencies; N144.42 billion will be capital expenditure in statutory transfers and N102.03 billion for the Subsidy Rei n v e s t m e n t E m p o w e r m e n t Programme, SURE-P. A total of N2,622.42 trillion was earmarked for the recurrent expenditure which also includes personnel costs for MDAs that stands at N1,801trillion, Overheads, N216,56 billion, pensions N228,81 billion and N376.05 billion budgeted for other service wide votes.

Service on domestic debt is expected to gulp N894.61 billion while that of foreign debt will take N48.39 billion.

Budget revised

thrice President Jonathan had earlier in October, presented to the National Assembly a budget proposal of N4.817 trillion with the oil benchmark put at $78 per barrel. It was later cut down to N4.7 trillion with the benchmark at $73 per barrel. The President has now for the third time revised the oil benchmark to $65 per barrel with the total budget size of N4.4 trillion against N4,724.69 trillion budgeted in 2014.

Besides, the previous budget estimate had N1,208.37 trillion for capital expenditure but it has been reduced to N627.16 billion which the President explained was as result of the sharp reduction in global oil price while the recurrent expenditure remained N2,622.42 trillion.

The budget, going by the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF, and the Fiscal Strategic Paper, FSP, was also predicated on the production of 2.2782mbpd for 2015, 2.3271 mbpd and 2.4067 mbpd for 2016 and 2017 respectively.

On the revision of the MTEF, FSP, President Jonathan explained that “given further developments in the international oil market which have necessitated further revisions, amendments have been made to some parameters as well as to some fiscal estimates in the MTEF. "I hereby forward copies of the revised 2015-2017 MTEF for the kind consideration of the Distinguished members of the Senate and hope that it will be considered and approved expeditiously in

order to bring 2015 Federal Government of Nigeria budget preparation process to a quick closure.”

Okonjo-Iweala to lay budget before Senate

On the authority letter for the Minister of Finance to lay the budget estimates, he said: “In consonance with the provision of Section 81 Sub-section 1 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, I write to request that the Distinguished Senate grant the Minister of Finance the slot of 11 am on Wednesday December 17, 2014, to enable her lay before you the 2015 budget estimates."

President Jonathan in his letter said: “I am cognizant of the fact that the budget estimates are being presented before the passage of 2015-2017 Medium Term Expenditure Framework, MTEF. This is due to the extra-ordinary global circumstances that confronted us in the latter quarter of the 2014 fiscal year.

“As you know, the first MTEF with the budget benchmark of $78 per barrel was submitted to the National Assembly on September 30, 2014, and discussion on the MTEF and budget construction based on those estimates began with the relevant Committees of the National Assembly.

“However, shortly after that first submission, oil prices began to fall precipitously leading to a revision of the oil benchmark price in the MTEF to $73 per barrel which was resubmitted to the National Assembly on November 18, 2014.

“Following this, the decision of OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries) on their meeting in Vienna on November 27, 2014, not to cut production to support the price led to further precipitous fall in the oil price to below $70 per barrel.

“This led, one more time to another downward revision of the benchmark price to $65 per barrel and the revised MTEF which was again submitted to you on December 2, 2014.

The uncertainty surrounding the global price of crude oil and its continuous fall has occasioned delays in both the submission of the final MTEF and budget estimates and we thus request your kind consideration of both these items together in view of our national budget calendar.

“We would like to confirm that having submitted these budget estimates, we are not proposing further revision of the oil benchmark price. Though prices continue to be extremely volatile and trend further downwards, there are indications based on price intelligence we have this time that prices may range between US$65-US$70 per barrel in 2015.

“Nevertheless, we will like to emphasize that there is no iron clad guarantee where oil prices are concerned due to numerous underlining global geo-political factors that are outside our control and unpredictable.

“Should prices fall below the range; the country would have to make further adjustments.

We hope that despite these circumstances, the Distinguished Senators will give kind and due consideration to the budget estimates in sufficient time for us to implement the 2015 budget starting early next year.”

Reps bicker over non approval of MTEF

At the House of Representatives, immediately the Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal finished reading the president’s letter, the Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila raised a Point of Order, telling the House that it was out of known traditions since the history of the budget presentation in Nigeria for the president to keep doing the ritual by proxy.

He said that the practice prior to now and the world over had been for the president to lay the budget before a joint session of the Legislature, saying “it has been the practice of the parliament over the years the world

over”.

He argued that “a situation where the President is given the liberty to send his aides to present the nation’s budget which is the most important fiscal document

is setting a bad precedent before the international community.”

But in what appeared to be a swift riposte to Gbajabiamila’s remarks, Deputy Majority Leader of the House, Leo Ogor cited the provisions of Sections 68 and 81 of the constitution, saying that the president was not compelled by the provisions to lay the budget in person. "I rely on the provision of the constitution which is supreme. The constitution did not stipulate that the president shall lay the budget before the House.

So, the issue is totally inconsequential. This is not the first time the Finance Minister is laying the budget before the House”, Ogor said.

At this juncture, Tambuwal waded into the matter, reminding the opposition leader and the general House that his knowledge and understanding of the relevant provisions of the constitution on budget presentation was that the President was not mandated to lay the budget himself if he had chosen otherwise.

The Speaker, at this juncture, ruled Gbajabiamila out of other.

“Honourable members, I do not think we should debate this matter. To my understanding of the provision, there is nowhere this provision stipulates that the President shall personally present the budget. Of course, traditions may be respected. Therefore, under this basis, I want to rule you out of order.”

Tambuwal hit the gavel.

Meanwhile, amid the moving of the motion by Leo Ogor to suspend the relevant sections of the House rules to accommodate the laying of the budget today came a shout of Point of Order

by Ali Madaki, (Kano State, APC).

Recognized by the Speaker, Madaki said that it was not in the nature of the House according to its rules to allow for the

presentation of the national budget on the floor of the House before debating and approving the MTEF. “It is the rule of this House that we must approve the bench mark before seeing somebody to lay the budget. We are going against the rules”, he echoed.

This, again, prompted the Speaker to speak in defence of the novel practice.

He said: “Honourable members, if you listened to the letter of Mr. President, he admitted that we ought to have approved the MTEF before receiving the budget. My plea is that we will first deal with MTEF before attending to the budget. That is my plea, please. We have received the MTEF. I plead that we receive the budget.”

Having succeeded in convincing his colleagues, Tambuwal then asked the deputy minority whip of the House, Samson Osagie to second Ogor’s motion.

Budget consideration to wait till next year Meanwhile, it appears that the consideration of the budget may not commence this year as the lawmakers are expected to proceed on Christmas holiday today.

Vanguard investigations revealed that should this happen, Nigerians would have to wait until the lawmakers resume plenary in January, 2015.

Meanwhile, President Goodluck Jonathan, yesterday evening, met with some principal officers and members of the House of Representatives over the 2015 Appropriation Bill which is due to be presented to the National Assembly today by the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

The two-hour closed door meeting which was held at the new Banquet Hall of the State House in Abuja was attended by the

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Emeka Ihedioha and the leader of the House, Mulikat Adeola-Akande among others.

The meeting was also attended by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Adamu Muazu.

6—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

How mobile policemen killed, buried driver in Lekki

By Ifeanyi Okolie & Esther Onyegbula

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AGOS—RELATIVES of a 25-year-old driver, Aondona Tavershima, who was allegedly killed and buried in a shallow grave at a beach by a team of mobile policemen attached to Lekki Residents Associations in Lekki area of Lagos State, have called on police authorities to bring their brother’s killers to justice.

Tavershima died last Wednesday when policemen from Mopol 23 Squadron Command, Lagos, accosted him on Folaoshibo Street, off Emma Abimbo, Lekki, on a bike and opened fire on him. He reportedly died on the spot.

The policemen, five in number, were said to have hurriedly taken the deceased for burial in a shallow grave at Jakande New Kuramo beach.

Vanguard gathered that eyewitnesses alerted relatives of the deceased, who was said to be a native of Benue State.

The matter, as gathered, was immediately reported at Maroko

We want justice— FAMILY Police Station and the Divisional Police Officer mobilized his men to Lekki, arrested the five officers and exhumed Tavershima's corpse, which was deposited at a mortuary.

Brother’s story

One of Tavershima’s brothers, Tersoo Tavershima, who narrated how he was killed and buried in a shallow grave by the mobile policemen, said: “My brother is a driver working here in Lagos and the person he works for travelled abroad.

“I was not present at the scene of the incident, but was told by eyewitnesses that the team of mobile policemen attached to Lekki Resident Association, accosted my brother on a motorbike on Folaoshibo Street, off Emma Abimbo, Lekki.

“They tried to stop him, but he did not stop and they shot him. He rammed a gate by that street and the mobile policeman went after him and shot him again. The owner of the

building insisted that the policemen take him away.

“They took him to New Kuramo Beach, Jakande, paid the Omonile (touts) some money and buried my brother.

News came that my brother had been killed and we went in search of him.

“A man, who witnessed my brother’s burial, contacted me on phone and I mobilized some of my relatives and we went to the beach to search for him. One of our in-laws, who took part in the search, found the grave.

“We dug a little and saw my brother ’s leg. One of my brothers and I quickly ran to Maroko Division and insisted on seeing the District Police Officer, DPO.

DPO's intervention

“When we reported the matter, he was furious. He led a team to Lekki and arrested all the mobile policemen on ground.

“He brought them to his

station and asked them why they killed my brother. The leader of the team, an Inspector, explained that he shot my brother because he refused to stop when he asked him to stop.

“The DPO asked them why they took my brother for burial without bringing him to the station and the Inspector could not say anything.

“He then ordered that they be detained and later transferred the case to the State Criminal Investigations Department, SCID, Panti.

“I am happy with the way the DPO handled the case, but I am troubled that we may not get a similar treatment in Panti, because as I speak with you, I have been informed that the mobile policemen are denying that they buried my brother in the shallow grave we found his corpse.

“I want police authorities to ensure that my brother’s killers, whose duty it was to protect him, are brought to justice.”

A TALE OF TWO S E L L E R S : Commercial motorcycles (Okada) and tricycles (Keke Napep) queue for fuel at Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, mega filling station in Bauchi, yesterday. INSET: Black market on Ahmadu Bello Way, Kaduna, yesterday.

NAN PHOTOS.

Fire razes house in Lagos

By Lucky Nwanekwu

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AGOS—PROPERTY were, Monday night, destroyed by fire at Ijesha area of Lagos State.

Though no life was lost, occupants of the affected building, situated at 221, Ijesha Road, Agunlejika, were rendered homeless, as the building was completely razed.

The occupants wept openly as they watched all they had laboured for go up in the inferno that started around 2.30p.m.

It was learned that the fire started from an air conditioner in one of the rooms in the one-

storey building due to a surge in power supply.

One of the occupants of the building, who identified himself as Segun, said he was in church when he got a call from his neighbour that his house was on fire.

He appealed to government and individuals to come to their aid.

Another eyewitness, who did not disclose his name, said he knew when the fire started and tried to put it out but failed as he and his boys could not access the building.

He said fire fighters from Ijesha Fire Service arrived the scene very late.

‘How I bought human head for N12,500'

By Esther Onyegbula

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human parts merchant, identified as Olorunto Dipe, aged 35, currently in the custody of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Lagos State Police Command, has explained how he became a dealer in human parts.

He said: “I bought a human head for N12,500 from Cotonou, Benin Republic, and intended to sell it to one man called Asiwaju, whom I knew from Oba Ishegun from Atan in Ogun State, for N20,000 before I was arrested.”

Vanguard gathered that the suspect was arrested by a SARS decoy team.

Olorunto said: “Asiwaju asked me to bring a human head. He said he will use it to help me.

“I went to Cotonou and bought it for N12,500 with the intention of selling it for N20,000 to him before I was caught by SARS operatives.”

On the help he was expecting from the said Asiwaju, he said: “I am suffering from Ete (leprosy). He promised to cure me with a human head, but he did not succeed. It was at a hospital that I was cured.”

It was learned that although the said Asiwaju was also arrested, he was granted bail because he claimed that he did not know Olorunto.

Man allegedly caught with 589 voter's cards

By Ebele Okafor

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29-year-old man, Animashaun Lukmon, was yesterday arraigned before an Ikeja Magistrate’s Court for alleged unlawful possession of 589 pieces of permanent voter’s cards.

Police alleged that Lukmon committed the crime on November 20 at 5p.m., and was caught with the cards at Itire Primary School, Itire, Lagos.

The prosecutor, Edet Okoi, said Lukmon was unlawfully in possession of the 589 pieces of the permanent voter’s cards belonging to various persons, which he claimed was the property of Independent

National Electoral Commission, INEC, but could not explain how he got them.

The prosecutor argued that the offence contravened

Section 23 (a) of the Electoral Act, 2010.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was admitted to bail

by Magistrate Dan Oni.

13-year-old allegedly kills boy over N500

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13-year-old boy has been arrested by the Police in Bauchi State on allegation of killing a six-year-old boy, while trying to snatch N500 from him.

The Police, in a statement, yesterday by its spokesman, Mr. Mohammed Haruna, said the incident occurred at Runtum Village in Nabordo District of the state.

The statement said that the

six-year-old boy was sent by his mother with the money to buy firewood, when the suspect allegedly stabbed him on the neck and stomach.

The statement said the victim was rushed to General Hospital, Toro, where he was certified dead by a doctor.

It said the suspect would be charged to court as soon as investigation was concluded.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—7 —7

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8—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

OIL SLUMP: Fitch sees harder times for Nigeria in 2015

By Jonah Nwokpoku with agency reports

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AGOS — GLOBAL rating agency, Fitch Ratings, yesterday predicted tough times for Nigeria in 2015, saying that Nigeria and Angola will witness slowdown in their growth profile next year.

The slow growth, according to Fitch, will be as a result of the continuous decline in the prices of crude oil in the international market.

Fitch’s 2015 growth projection for Nigeria was revised down to 5.2 per cent from 6.4 per cent, Carmen Altenkirch and Richard Fox, Londonbased sovereign analysts at the ratings company, said in a statement yesterday.

According to the statement, Nigeria, along with Angola and Gabon, will also suffer from worsening current account and fiscal balances.

Recall that as a measure to cushion against the effect of falling oil price, the Federal Government proposed some spending cuts and devalued the naira last month amid declining foreign reserves. The naira has depreciated 9.4 per cent against the dollar this quarter, the worst performance in Africa this year.

However, analysts predicted that Nigeria’s losses as a result of the crashing oil prices will benefit other countries in sub-Saharan Africa this year. This, they say, will boost the region’s growth to five per cent in 2015 from 4.5 per cent this year.

“Most sub-Saharan African countries are significant oil importers,” they said. “Oil makes up around 20 percent of the import bill in Kenya, Cote d’Ivoire, Seychelles and Ethiopia.”

Coordinating Minister of the Economy and the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, had a couple of weeks ago, warned that Nigerians should brace up for the impact of the declining price of crude oil in the global market.

DSS parades ex-aide to Borno gov, 6 other fake Boko Haram members

By Chris Ochayi

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BUJA— THE Department of State Services, DSS, yesterday, paraded a former aide to Governor Kassim Shetitma of Borno State, Junaid Idrissa Khadi, and other six fake Boko Haram members, who served as accomplice to the self acclaimed Australian negotiator for Boko Haram, Mr. Steven Davis.

Parading the suspects, yesterday, at the service’s headquarters in Abuja, spokesperson of the DSS, Marilyn Ogar, said the suspects were arrested following investigation into allegation made by Steven Davis that former Governor of Borno State, AIi Modu Sheriff and former Chief of Army Staff, COAS, Lieutenant General Azubuike Ihejirika, respectively were among chief sponsors of the Boko Hararn sect.

The suspected fake Boko Haram members are Junaid Idrissa khadi, Abubakar Yusuf (a.k.a Baba Sani), Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim (a.k.a Liman Ibrahim), Abdullahi Saleh (a.k.a Babadale), Nurudeen Ibrahim; Mubarak Adamu (a.k.a. Molo), and Mustapha Maidugu (a.k.a. Musty/Small).

Ogar said Junaid Idrissa Khadi, a 45-year-old Kanuri man from Borno State, was an aide to Borno State Governor, Kassim Shettima. He confessed to knowning Davis since 2006; that he introduced one Aisha Wakil to Davis as a credible link to top members of the Boko Haram sect.

She said: “That he and one General Ashafa went with Davis on a journey to a remote part of Marte LGA, Borno State, on a false mission to rescue the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

“That he deliberately conspired to blackmail and implicate Ali Modu Sheriff (Sen.), former Governor of Borno State and one Mala Othman, former state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as sponsors of the Boko Hararn sect.

“This he did by mounting pressure on the fake Boko Haram Commanders, particularly Abubakar Yusuf (a.k.a Baba Sani) to affirm that Sheriff was indeed a sponsor.

A claim that would give weight to their own seam and compel the Federal Government to negotiate with the fraudulent group. However, when the attempt failed, he sold the idea directly to Davis; “That Davis singlehandedly conjured the indictment on Ihejirika based on allegations that the military under the former COAS was responsible for several failed attempts by

BOKO HARAM MEMBERS: From left: Abubakar Yusuf (A.k.a. Baba Sani ), Saleh Alhaji Ibrahim (a.k.a Liman Ibrahim), Abdullahi Saleh (a.k.a Babadale), Nurudeen Ibrahim, Mubarak Adamu (a.k.a Molo), Mustapha Maidugu (a.k.a Musty/Small) and Junaid Idrissa Kahdi, alleged Boko Haram members who associated with the Australian self-styled negotiator, Steven Davis, paraded by Department of State Services, yesterday in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan.

Davis to make contact with the Presidency; “He denied ever discussing with Davis that Ihejirika was a Boko Haram sponsor. He stressed that at no time during their interactions were such allegations made against Ihejirika and wondered why this should arise; “That he organised several meetings between the purported Boko Haram Commanders and Davis in Abuja and was privy to a YouTube video, an interview on Voice of America (VOA) and he (Khadi) also used Davis camera to capture snapshots of Davis in a group photograph with some fake commanders of the sect;

Abubakar Yusuf (a.k.a Baba Sani).”

According the spokesperson, “recall that on August 29, 2014, one Steven Davis, an Australian self-styled negotiator for the Boko Haram sect had alleged that AIi Modu Sheriff (Sen) and Azubuike Ihejirika, former Governor of Borno State and former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) respectively were among chief sponsors of the Boko Hararn sect.

“Based on the allegation, this service initiated an in-depth investigation into the matter.

Consequently, seven associates of Davis were arrested and it has been established that they were

part of a well orchestrated plan to spread falsehood, undermine and discredit efforts of government to end terrorism.

“It is necessary to state here that Davis and his cohorts are among several other local and international groups who are out to make merchandize of the Boko Hararn insurgency through concocted and fabricated stories.

“These subversive campaigns are also aimed at permeating and shaping political discourse as well as challenge the integrity of our national security and stir is content among Nigerians and our esteemed allies in the war against terror.

OIL WORKERS’ STRIKE: DSS indicts Total

By Victor Ahiumayoung & Chris Ochayi

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AGOS — THEDepartment of State Services, DSS, yesterday accused the multinational oil firm, Total Plc, of culpability in the industrial crisis in the oil sector that led to the current nationwide strike by oil workers.

Already, the strike has disrupted fuel supply in parts of the country as there were long queues of vehicles in petrol stations in Abuja, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Bayelsa, among other states in the South-South and SouthEast.

At a briefing on the development, Marilyn Ogar, a Deputy Director, Public Relations, DSS, blamed the industrial action on the management of Total Plc, which reneged on its earlier promise

to reinstate and post a union leader, Elo Victor Ogbonda, back to Port Harcourt after she was posted to Lagos State.

Ogar urged Nigerians who had good relationship with Total Plc to appeal to the firm to have a change of heart and stop subjecting Nigerians to further suffering, warning: “We will not stand aloof and see Nigerians suffer.”

According to the DSS, “on the ongoing strike by NUPENG and PENGASSAN which is biting hard on all Nigerians, we want to state that in November 2014, PENGASSAN had written to the serivce to make a formal complaint about the transfer of Elo Victor Ogbonda to Lagos from Port Harcourt by Total, after she was elected as a zonal executive of the union.

"The transfer was seen as a design by Total to frustrate her

from performing her functions as the union executive in Port Harcourt.

"Consequently, this service summoned the Managing Director of Total, Elizabeth Proust, on November 5, 2014, to resolve the dispute. It was agreed that Ogbonda would be re-instated, posted back to Port Harcourt and granted leave of absence for the period she would serve as an executive of PENGASSAN. “However, PENGASSAN was later to inform this service that Total had reneged on its promise to recall Ogbonda and that she remains sacked.

"Consequently, the service contacted Total and was informed that the company will not go back on its order. All entreaties to the company failed, thus culminating in the current strike and the attendant scarcity."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—9

Big names shun book launch on Jonathan’s an old plane parked for too long — Ahmadu Ali achievements Buhari, Gana urges govt to change strategies in fighting Boko Haram

By Henry Umoru

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BUJA—VICE President Namadi Sambo; Senate President David Mark; National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mua'zu; Chairman, Board of Trustees, BoT, of PDP, Chief Tony Anenih, governors elected on the platform of the party were among prominent Nigerians who, yesterday, were absent at the public presentation and launch of a book on the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Also absent at the event which took place at the well decorated Ladi Kwali Hall, Sheraton Hotels, Abuja, with fireworks to usher in the 112-page book entitled “Profile of achievements" put together by PDP Youth Network, were the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, Senator Bala Mohammed; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim; members of PDP National Working Committee, NWC; the chief launcher, Chief Prince Arthur Eze, among others.

Jonathan, who was expected at the launch of the book which chronicled his achievements, was absent without sending any representative just as ministers, senators, House of Representatives members as well as other prominent Nigerians were absent and did not send representatives.

Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum and Akwa Ibom State governor, Godswill Akpabio, was absent and was also not represented. Governor Murktar Ramallan Yero of Kaduna and Ibrahim Shema of Katsina, however, sent representatives.

Buhari, an old plane parked for too long — Ahmadu Ali In his speech at the event, former PDP National Chairman, Dr. Ahmadu Ali who took a swipe at the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, General Muhammadu Buhari, however, likened him to an old plane that has been parked for too long, whose functionality cannot be guaranteed, just as he boasted that Nigerians will,by 2019 celebrate the successes of President Jonathan when he must have completed his tenure.

Represented by Akeem Atojoko, Ali who is the DirectorGeneral, PDP 58- member National Campaign Council, NCC however likened President Jonathan to a plane that has been working for ten years, which in aviation rules, would be better and well guaranteed than a new

one that has just been purchased.

According to him, critics of President Jonathan take advantage of his taciturn nature to always insult him but if he were a garrulous person and he attacks them regularly, they would have for long stopped the insults.

He said: “The book is a must read, if our President was lousy, there will be no avenue for the opposition to trade words and blames at him. He is easy going and quiet and he is digital.

“We will be here in 2019 to celebrate the successes of President Jonathan when he must have completed his work. With the course I did on Aviation, we were told that a 10-year plane which has been working is far better than a brand new one you buy today. Buhari is an old plane that has been parked for long, we have a plane that has been flying; if you have a plane that has been flying for 10 years, it is better and trusted than a new one.“

Gana advises govt on fight against B'Haram Reviewing the book, former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, who

AWARD: From left: Christopher Moore, Publisher and CEO, EMEA Finance; Michael Oyebola, Managing Director, FBN Capital Asset Management who received the Best Asset Manager in Nigeria Award, and Tim Burke, Editor, EMEA Finance at the EMEA Finance African Banking Awards 2014, in London. hailed the PDP Youth Network for coming up with such a research material on the achievements of the president, however urged the Federal Government to, in 2015, review its strategies on how to fight the Boko Haram sect, adding that there was the need for all hands to be on the deck to nip in the bud, the security challenge in

some parts of the country.

Represented by Prof. Sam Andii, Gana who noted that the youths must be supported and encouraged to get there, stressed the need for the government to put in place measures of regulating and monitoring of its policies to ensure that the aim and objectives of putting them in

place were realised.

On the book, he advised the organisers to ensure that they balance the write up not only highlighting the achievements, but the challenges for adjustment, even as he said what the President had done would be a template for what he would do come 2015.

JONATHAN'S ELIGIBILITY: S'Court dismisses PDP stalwart's joinder appeal

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Supreme Court, yesterday, struck out an appeal lodged by a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, from Adamawa State, Dr. Umar Ardo, seeking to be joined in the substantive suit to stop President Goodluck Jonathan from vying for a re-election next year.

A seven-man panel of Justices of the apex court presided over by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed, struck out the appeal.

Delivering the ruling yesterday, the CJN accused Ardo of inviting the Supreme Court to arrest a proceeding pending before the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal.

He noted that the substantive suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility is currently before the appellate court, stressing that Ardo

lacked the locus-standi to move the apex court to either take over hearing on the matter or compel the appeal court to join him as an interested party in the pending appeal.

The CJN maintained that no law stopped the appellant, Ardo, from participating in the just concluded convention of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, where President Jonathan was nominated as the presidential flag-bearer of the party for the impending general election.

“You are appealing against the ruling of the Court of Appeal that refused to join you. We cannot sit down here and step into the shoes of the Court of Appeal,” the CJN stated.

He held that the Supreme Court lacked the requisite powers to arrest and assume jurisdiction on an appeal pending before the court of appeal.

Therefore, the Supreme Court yesterday upheld the decision of the appellate court in refusing to join Ardo in the

substantive appeal that was filed against Jonathan by a chieftain of the PDP in Abuja, Mr. Cyriacus Njoku.

“The matter does not require many people to be joined as parties. Njoku’s interest can be used as every other person’s interest in the matter.

“Nobody would have even prevented you from contesting, if really you are serious with your claims that you are interested.

“I cannot see the relevance of this appeal anymore, primary election has been concluded, you did not participate in the primary, even if you want to contest it, you cannot, because you did not participate in it.

“It is clear, you are delaying the substantive appeal. The decision of the Court of Appeal was correct”, the CJN added.

President Jonathan had through his lawyer Mr. Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, urged the apex court to dismiss the suit, even as he contended that he

is legally qualified to contest in the 2015 general elections.

The President said he had already supplied before the Supreme Court, plethora of legal authorities backing his re-election bid.

He argued that Ardo had no strong case against him since the 1999 constitution, as amended, permits him to go for a second tenure in office.

Ardo had through his lawyer, Dr. A. Amuda Kannike, argued that President Jonathan lacked the legal imprimatur to remain in office beyond 2015.

He took the case to the Supreme Court following the refusal of a three-man panel of Justices of the appellate court to allow him to join in Njoku’s suit challenging Jonathan’s eligibility.

He argued that the outcome of that case would affect him personally since the PDP had already adopted the 1st Respondent, Jonathan, as its sole candidate for the impending Presidential poll.

10— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

LASUTH doctors donate blood in Lagos

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AGOS — NO fewer than 50 doctors yesterday, donated blood at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja, for those in need.

The donation was part of the programmes lined up for the Annual General Meeting of the Association of Resident Doctors, LASUTH chapter.

The President of the association, Dr Abdulsalam Moruf, said that 50 pints of blood were donated by the doctors.

“Each person donates about 500 millilitres which is equal to a pint of blood and so if 50 people have donated; it means that 50 pints have been collected.

“If at the end of the programme, more doctors or other volunteers donate, we may have enough blood for the blood bank,“ he said.

Moruf said doctors had been able to identify that there was shortage of blood at the hospital, adding that this informed the donation. He said that the exercise was a way of encouraging people to voluntarily donate blood to those in need.

2015: Lagos

too big for beginners to govern —Fashola

By Monsuru Olowoopejo

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AGOS—AHEAD of the 2015 election, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State yesterday warned that the state was too big for beginners to experiment with, saying; “The state needed someone who already understands the system of governance in Lagos.”

Fashola, however, allayed the fears of residents on the effect of the falling oil price on Lagos economy, that; “The dwindling oil price will not affect the state economy.”

The governor made the statement at the public presentation of Lagos State Development Plan, LSDP 2012-2025 held in Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, which also had in attendance the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in 2015 Lagos governorship election, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode.

He stressed that he was able to improve on the legacy left by the former governor, Bola Tinubu because “I was already part of the government.”

According to him; “I can reveal to you today, one of the things that helped me the first day I resumed office was that the day I arrived I knew the Head of Service, HoS and Permanent Secretary, PS by name and face. And I knew how the government worked because I was part of the team that made it work.”

The governor noted that the state had commenced construction of several projects but could only be completed by someone who understands the mode of governance in the state because the tenure of the present administration will end on May 29th, 2015.

Fashola explained that some of the projects-the 70 million gallon per day Adiyan Phase II Waterways, the ongoing light rail and others-were parts of the developmental plans for the state.

He said: “And he (Ambode) was part of this development plan in the state. He helped to commence the plan because the plan started in his office when he was the Accountant-General of the state between 2007 and 2012. With this plan, it shows that this state is too important to be left in the hand of those who want to experiment with it. We must keep it in very safe hands.”

On dwindling oil price, Fashola said that the state economy was not built on extractive (oil) resources, “but on very strong immigrant capi-

tal that make up the human resources of the state. Our development partners feel at home because they bring value to our table.

“Our megacity status indicates the reality of today that we are a large population. And we have turned the burden of large population to asset. And that was why we can say that whatever happens to oil today, we will survive.”

Fashola enjoined residents to buy into the plan as their own and work with the government to ensure the successful implementation of the plan.

PRESENTATION: From left: Mr. Ben Akabueze, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Governor Babatunde Fashola of Lagos State, presenting Lagos State Development Plan 2012-2025 to Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, during the public presentation of the 2012-2025 LSDP, by the governor, at Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday. Photo: Bunmi Azeez.

Chief Ogunbiyi for burial Dec 19

S-West 'll vote Jonathan in 2015 —Mimiko

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HIEF ADEYEMI Olusegun Ogunbiyi, a former Aviation Commercial Manager of the then National Oil, and pioneer Chairman, Lagos Pig Farmers Association of Nigeria, is dead, aged 74 years.

Service of Songs/Christian Wake holds Thursday, December 18, 2014 at his residence, Temple of Peace, 3/ 5 Temple Avenue, New OkoOba, Agege, Lagos.

Burial service holds 10.00am on Friday, December 19, at the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Dominion Sanctuary, 1, Vori Close, off Acme Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos, to be followed by interment in Lagos.

Late Adeyemi Ogunbiyi

By Ben Agande BUJA—THE governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko has said that voters in the south western zone of the country would not be swayed by the propaganda of the opposition All Progressives Congress but will vote for President Goodluck Jonathan based on issues.

He spoke on a day that the governor of Benue state, Gabriel Suswam accused some politicians who cross carpeted to other parties because the failed to get ticket of being self serving and selfish.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the official launch of Youth Employment in Agriculture Proframme, YEAP, and Fund for Agricultural Finance in Nigeria, FAFIN, by President Goodluck Jonathan at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Governor Mimiko said the resort by the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, to pick a vice presidential candidate from the South West with the hope of securing its bloc vote would not work.

According to him, the people of the area are too enlightened to be hoodwinked by such insignificant consideration, adding that the people of the region will demonstrate that they are capa-

ble of voting along issues as they concern the interest of the people. “Well, we are waiting for APC to get their candidate but there is no question about the fact that in terms, and I am say-

ing this with all sense of humility, of enlightenment especially in appreciation of issues of politics, in terms of long history of progressive political engagement, you give it to south west that they know their onions."

‘Sahara Reporter’s story on Tinubu malicious, false’ —Abayomi Inspector-General of Police,

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HUMAN rights lawyer and activist, Olatunji Abayomi, has demanded a retraction of a report against the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu by an online journal, Sahara Reporters titled: “Threat of perjury trial: How Jonathan Blackmailed Bola Tinubu before 2011 Presidential election”. In his letter, Abayomi argued that the report is not only false, but defamatory.

“We demand a statement acknowledging your error of trying to damage our client’s reputation as well as a statement regretting the same.

“Please this matter must be attended to immediately otherwise you run the risk of

multiple civil suits all over the world in defence of our client, “Abayomi wrote.

The lawyer said the report attempted to defame Tinubu’s reputation by spreading old, utterly false gossip in hope of wrongly destroying his prospects. Sahara Reporters, he said, failed to inquire diligently about Tinubu’s educational records to know that he was an award-winning alumnus of the Chicago State University. Also, there was no charge at the Federal High Court numbered FHC/ABJ/ CR/04/2011, nor was Tinubu tried or convicted.

Besides, Abayomi noted that the United States Embassy, in its February 4, 2003 response to an inquiry by the

stated that there is “no criminal arrest, records, wants or warrants for Bola Ahmed Tinubu.” “If you had checked readily available records, you would have found that he travels periodically to the United States. Had he been engaged in criminal wrongdoing, he would have been ineligible for entry into that country,” Abayomi wrote.

Abayomi also recalled that the Code of Conduct charge against Tinubu was dismissed. “Sahara Reporters appears to have surrendered itself to propagate old allegations to serve the same old failing antagonists who can find no serious grounds beyond their noisy interests,” the lawyer added.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 —11

Ogun APC picks Onanuga as Amosun's running mate May unofficially takeover dep gov's duties A

By Daud Olatunji

BEOKUTA—THE All progressives Congress, APC, in Ogun State, yesterday, announced a Deputy Director in Lagos State’s Ministry of Environment, Mrs.Yetunde Onanuga, as the running mate for its governorship candidate in the state, Governor Ibikunle Amosun.

Apparently, Onanuga will serve out what is left of Amosun’s first term as the deputy governor as incumbent, Prince Segun Adesegun, has fallen out irredeemably with the governor and has pitched his tent with the Social Democratic Party, SDP. State Chairman of the party, Chief Roqib Adeniji announced Onanuga, 54, as the running mate to the leaders and members of the party during a stakeholders meeting held in Abeokuta.

He said the choice of Onanuga was carefully made by the party.

Mrs.Onanuga holds a master’s degree in Business Administration from the former Ogun State University now, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-iwoye in Ijebu-North Local Government area of the state.

The running mate also holds Higher National Diploma in Business Administration from

the Lagos State Polytechnic, Isolo, Lagos among others.

She is a daughter of late Alakaka of Akaka in IjebuNorth Local Government Area while she is married to a prominent chief in Ijebu-Ode, Chief Abiodun Onanuga.

According to Adeniji who was flanked by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, the party believes

that the choice of Onanuga will enhance the victory of the party at the poll.

“I want to present Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga to you all as the running mate to the incumbent governor of the state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, she will run alongside him in the 2015 governorship election.

“She is well accepted by the

governor ”, he said.

Speaking shortly after his running mate was disclosed, Amosun described the event as long expected.

Amosun said: “Today is a special day to me. All the points raised by the elders in the party are well taken, when the time comes we will do the needful.”

PRESENTATION: Mr. Afeez Ajibowu, Regional Sales Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc (left), and Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, Alaafin of Oyo, during the blessing and official presention of Orijin herbal drink to the Oyo monarch in his palace in Oyo, Oyo State, yesterday.

Fayose's aide defends budget presentation to 7 PDP lawmakers

By Gbenga Ariyibi

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DO EKITI—EKITI State Governor, Mr Ayo Fayose has defended his action for presenting the 2015 budget without the presence of All Progressives Congress, APC, lawmakers, saying he would not allow anyone to derail the progress of the state.

In apparent response to the APC's criticism of the manner of the presentation of the budget without the presence of other APC lawmakers, Fayose said the assembly

men should be blamed for abandoning their constitutional responsibility.

In a statement issued in Ado Ekiti yesterday, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor, Mr Idowu Adelusi, said the APC members should engage themselves in productive venture, rather than playing the role of busy bodies.

Adelusi said the claim by the APC that Governor Ayo Fayose presented the 2015 Budget to the House of Assembly in an illegal and unconstitutional manner was frivolous.

The CPS said the statement by APC state Publicity Secretary, Mr Taiwo Olatubosun, was not only mischievous but misleading.

His words: “It is amusing that the APC described the presentation of the budget as illegal, let them tell the whole world what is illegal in that. The APC lawmakers, who have voluntarily left their official jobs undone, have gone to court.

“Are they saying state matters and governor’s official

assignments and duties be suspended until their matter in court is decided? The governor, as the leader of the good people of the state, cannot and will never allow anybody or group to hold the state to ransom.

“The governor has no business with the internal affairs of the House of Assembly. If the APC lawmakers boycotted their lawful duties, that is their problem."

The governor’s aide also faulted the claim that reporters were not allowed into the chamber of the Assembly, saying,”Why are APC leaders thinking that people are fools? Has the APC interviewed the reporters and they said they did not witness the proceeding? No reporter was hindered from covering the assignment.

“We are advising APC leaders and members to quickly get over the bashing they got in the June 21 governorship poll and put the interest of the state at heart,”he said.

OGUN PDP:

Isiaka a fake candidate —Bankole

By Daud Olatunji

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B E O K U TA — Former Sepaker of House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole has described Gboyega Isiaka as a fake People’s Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate.

Bankole stated this yesterday through a statement issued by the Dimeji Bankole Movement, signed by Kayode Akintunde in Abeokuta, Ogun State capital.

Bankole was reacting to the protest by the people from Ogun State against alleged plan by the national leaders of the party to upturn his victory as the party governorship candidate during the primary held recently. Ogun West people led by Chief Ayo Otegbola had staged a protest, warning the party against replacing their kinsman with Bankole who they alleged did not obtain any form.

Jonathan congratulates Buhari on 72nd birthday

By Ben Agande, Abuja

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RESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan has congratulated General Muhammadu Buhari on the occasion of his 72nd birthday anniversary which comes up today.

In a statement yesterday, the special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr Reuben Abati said President Jonathan in a congratulatory letter addressed to the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in next year’s presidential election prayed that God Almighty should grant him many more years of good health and personal fulfilment.

“As you mark your 72nd birthday anniversary, I write on behalf of my family, the Government and people of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, to extend warm felicitations to you. I join your family, friends, and well-wishers to thank God for your life and to pray that He continues to guide, guard and prosper you even as He blesses you with many more years of abounding health and personal fulfillment,” President Jonathan wrote.

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Governorship primaries strengthened PDP —Okowa ...as party inaugurates campaign council in Delta

By Festus Ahon

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SABA—GOVERNORSHIP candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the outcome of the governorship primary election would further strengthen the party in the state.

Okowa, Monday night, during the inauguration of the party’s 2015 campaign council in Asaba, described the PDP governorship primaries as the best in the country and thanked God, Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and the PDP family for the peaceful conduct of the primaries, adding that the state was a shining example in the country.

Thanking all those who contested with him for their level of cooperation, he said that his emergence was by the grace of God and expressed confidence that God will also deliver him and the PDP in the February general elections.

He appealed to those he might have offended prior to

the primary election to forgive him and unite with him and other members of the PDP to move the party forward.

Insisting that they have a great task ahead, Okowa expressed hope that the party

will surmount all the challenges ahead and produce the best result for the presidential election in 2015.

Governor Uduaghan, on his part, said that Okowa was now the property of the party,

having won the primary election, adding that the PDP in the state has been able to put its house together after the election, as nobody has moved out of the party as a result of the primary election.

INAUGURATION: From left: Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State; the state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, Chief Edwin Uzor and the PDP Delta State governorship flag bearer, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, during the inauguration PDP Campaign Council by the state chairman in Asaba, Monday. Photo: Henry Unini.

I'll revive failed govt institutions in Rivers —WIKE

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IVERS State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Chief Nyesom Wike, has said that he

is on a mission to revive institutions of government destroyed by the outgoing administration in the state and

to set democracy on the right path.

Speaking, yesterday, during a meeting with officials of the United States of America Embassy in Nigeria, led by the ConsulGeneral of the Embassy, Mr J e f f r e y Hawkins, Wike accused the outgoing administration of deliberately destroying the legislative and judicial arms of government to deny the ordinary people access to the core dividends of democracy.

He said: “The judiciary and the legislative arms of government have been crippled by the outgoing administration in the state.

One of the very first assignments that I will handle is to restore the

integrity of these two arms of government. and ensure effective separation of powers.”

He said that the failure of the two arms of government had given the outgoing administration free hand to misgovern and misappropriate resources of the state at will as checks and balances have taken flight from the state.

According to him, the repeated failures of the outgoing administration have led to a disconnect between the administration and the people. He said that only members serving at the various levels of government belong to the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers State, as the majority of the people are PDP members.

“The 2015 elections in Rivers State will be peaceful, free and fair, despite the sponsored negative propaganda by the outgoing administration. APC is raising unnecessary alarm about plans to rig the election, so that they can justify their impending loss," he said.

Earlier, United States Embassy Consular General, Mr Jeffrey Hawkins said that the United States was concerned over reports of anticipated violent polls in Rivers State.

He urged all key political players to work towards peaceful elections in Rivers State come 2015.

Ohanaeze applauds Okowa’s victory

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HE Igbo sociopolitical forum, Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo, has congratulated the Anioma people of Delta State on the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in the state.

In a statement by its spokesman, Prince Tonnie Oganah in Lagos, it described Okowa’s emergence as a welldeserved victory.

“We are happy that despite several betrayals and obstacles, an Anioma person picked the PDP ticket,” it said.

It called on the people of Delta State to support power shift in the state.

Ohanaeze also called on Okowa to treat all parts of the state fairly and equally if he emerges as the governor of the state in 2015.

Ogana said: “Anioma people of Delta North senatorial district have for long agitated for power shift in the state to reflect equity and fairness.”

A-Ibom holds 9,999-man carol night

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LL is set for the 2014 edition of the annual Akwa Ibom State Government carol night, slated to hold on December 20, at the new Ibom International Stadium, Uyo. In a statement, the state Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Aniekan Umanah, said that “The 9,999 Carol Night, apart from being a record-breaking gathering of carol singers, has become a major source of spiritual tourism that attracts pilgrims from around the world. The event will give the Christian community and general public a compelling need to be in the city of Uyo to celebrate Christmas and honour the birth of Jesus Christ.”

According to him, since its inception in 2008, “The Akwa Ibom State Christmas Carol Night has enjoyed the support and passion of the state governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio."

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—13

IOCs aiding crude oil theft —HOUSE OF REPS

By Emman Ovuakporie & Levinus Nwabughiogu

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BUJA—THE House of Representatives yesterday accused International Oil Companies, IOCs, operating in Nigeria of aiding crude oil theft, an allegation earlier levelled against the IOCs by the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin.

Jibrin, at a meeting on September 3, with oil companies operating in the country, threatened to expose some IOCs which are allegedly aiding and abetting crude oil theft in Nigeria’s coastal waters.

Adopting a motion promoted

by Rep. Hassan Saleh on oil theft, the House called on the Chief of Naval Staff to name the oil companies aiding oil

theft.

Towards this end, the House directed its Committees on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), (Upstream), and Justice to, within 30 days, investigate the veracity of the allegations by the Chief of Naval Staff.

According to Saleh (Benue/ PDP), “the international oil companies are not giving the

much desired cooperation to the Nigerian Navy, and this is disturbing as the Chief of Naval Staff has also accused some of those oil companies of creating an enabling environment that aids oil bunkering, crude oil theft and piracy by leaving their wells open for years, rather than having them sealed, an action that is clearly against all

known international best practices.

“For the Chief of Naval Staff to have aired his frustration in such matter, calls for serious concern from all, particularly with the nature of information at his disposal."

Nigeria loses $20 billion annually to crude oil theft, according to the Nigerian Navy.

Tompolo purchased war ships on behalf of NIMASA —DG

By Godfrey Bivbere

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HE Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Mr. Patrick Akpobolokemi, has said that the five war ships allegedly acquired by Tompolo’s company, Global West Vessel Specialist Ltd, were purchased on behalf of the agency.

Akpobolokemi, who disclosed this in Lagos yesterday at a press briefing, said the ships were acquired for the use of the Nigerian Navy and other relevant government agencies in the fight against piracy and other related crimes on the nation’s maritime domain.

He said: “It is the Navy that has fitted their guns on the vessels to aid their policing of the maritime domain. The Agency is made up of civilians who are professionals in various fields and who have no political affiliations or interests at all. As an arm of the government responsible for maritime safety, security and regulations among others, we work in conjunction with the Nigerian Navy and other relevant security agencies to use their men and arms to patrol and provide safety of the country’s water ways."

C M Y K

INAUGURATION: From left: Group Chairman, Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mr. Akin Opeodu; Group Managing Director, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi; Senior Special Assistant to Lagos State Governor on Housing, Mr. Michael Akindele and Representative of National lnsurance Commissioner, Mr. Monday Adaji, at the inauguration of Mutual Alpha Courts in Lagos, yesterday. Photo: Joe Akintola Photo Editor.

Delta PDP Elite Forum warns against moves to drop nominee

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OMADI—PEOPLES Democratic Party, PDP, Elite Forum, PDPEF, has warned that the alleged move in Bomadi Local Government chapter of the PDP to substitute the state House of Assembly flag bearer for the 2015 general elections, Mr Pius Labo, was an attempt to destabilise the party in the state.

PDPEF, while reacting in Asaba to an alleged fresh move by a group of persons to alter the PDP state House of Assembly candidate list, called on the state and national leadership of the party to disregard such a move, which it described as “a plot to rubbish the democratic process that threw up Labo. Labo remains the party’s authentic candidate who emerged through a democratic process in the free and fair primaries conducted by the party’s returning officer, Mr. Tony Ndanenu and witnessed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as security agencies.”

PDPEF said that Labo, a former chairman of the party at the council who resigned to contest, was declared winner after polling

42 votes to beat his opponent, was now confronted with a substitution plot against his candidacy “for not just reason.”

Leader of the group, Mr Godbless Keneke, said: “We want to draw the attention of the national chairman of the party, Adamu Mua’Azu to watch against plots by some leaders,

whose candidates failed at the polls, that they have resorted to a covert move, to substitute Labo, the rightful winner of the party primaries held on November 29, 2014 for not just reason. To the extent that such move is a fraudulent maneuvering, we want the party to disregard them."

No crisis in FUPRE over NEEDS fund —REGISTRAR

By Egufe Yafugborhi

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ARRI—THE management of Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun, FUPRE, Delta State, has denied reports of an internal crisis rocking the institution over funds purportedly donated to it by the National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy, NEEDS. In a statement by its acting Registrar, Mr. Amiso Isiowuari, the school yesterday, said: “At no

time was there fighting or crisis in the University or any imbroglio between the management and the Governing Council over NEEDS fund.

“It is believed that the orchestrated crisis is crafted out of the figment of the imagination of sponsors who thrive in initiating evil machinations.”

The university denied claims that the Vice-Chancellor of FUPRE, Prof. John Etu-Efeotor had been forced out of office, clarifying that he was rather on medical vacation.

Check divisive politics in Akwa Ibom, leaders urge PDP

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KWA Ibom State leaders have urged the national leadership of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to resolve the discord over the December 8, 2014 governorship primaries in the state, so as not compromise the peaceful atmosphere enjoyed in the state.

Speaking on the banner of Ibom True Leadership Forum, ITLF, after presenting a letter at the national headquarters of the PDP, they pleaded with the leadership of the party to rise to the occasion and address the grievances of the 22 governorship aspirants who are protesting alleged irregularities and lack of transparency in the Akwa Ibom State governorship primaries.

They said in a statement by their Chairman, Dr. Uwem Effiong: “We plead with the PDP, under the leadership of Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to exhibit responsible leadership by addressing the grievances of the 22 aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state in order not to jeopardize the peace and unity that we enjoy in Akwa Ibom State."

Okpamen assures Esan North on democracy dividends

By Simon Adewale

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HE Senior Special Assistant on Public Affairs to Governor Adams Oshiomhole, Prince Henry Okpamen, has promised the people of Esan North constituency in Edo State of abundant dividends of democracy if given the opportunity in next year’s election to represent the area.

Okpamen, who will fly the All Progressives Congress, APC, flag at the February 28 poll for Edo State House of Assembly, said his desire to represent his people was to serve humanity with passion towards others' wellbeing and to serve their interest as he has done with his current position, promising more dividends to his people if elected.

14 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—15

Maritime workers begin indefinite strike today

By Victor Ahiumayoung

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ARITIME WORKERS Union of Nigeria, MWUN, will today begin an indefinite strike over lingering disputes with government, following inability of government to resolve the issues.

President of the Dockworkers branch of MWUN, Mr. Adewale Adeyaju, confirmed last night that the strike would commence as planned because government had failed to meet the union’s demands.

Recall that ahead of the commencement of today's strike, the union had, weekend, notified NPA Nigerian Maritime

Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, and the Terminal Operators on the looming shut-down of all ports' formations nationwide.

The workers are asking the government through the NPA to address the lingering issue of Tally Clerks/On-board Security, minimum standard for dockworkers and NPA staff welfare matters, among others.

It was gathered that despite several ultimatums and agreements, the government had concluded plans to do away with the tally clerks/on-board security despite their importance to ports' operations and national security.

According to the union, the latest ultimatum to government

to address the issues of the tally clerks/on-board security, among other pending issues, expired Monday, December 15, and had decided to put operators on notice so that they would not be caught unawares.

An officer of the union confided with journalists that the strike would commence today after the President-General and some other leaders of the union would have come back from a foreign trip.

In a letter to NPA by the union dated December 12 and signed by Mr. Edwin Sambo, Deputy Secretary General (Admin), entitled “Notice to shut down the seaports,” the union wrote: “Please, be informed that the Union will be forced to close down

the nation's seaports if the underlisted issues which are affecting our members are not addressed before Monday, December 15, 2014 - Tally Clerks/On-board Security, minimum standard for dockworkers and NPA staff welfare matters.

“These unresolved issues that mostly affect the take-home pay of our members have been pending, and consultations and meetings to date have not yielded any positive result. There are even situations where ultimatums have been issued and agreements reached at meetings were not respected for implementation.

"We also wish to inform you that our members are restive and no longer hold the leadership of the

Union in confidence. We strongly believe that your management will give the Union’s notice the deserved attention to forestal the closure of the ports after Monday, December 15, 2014.

Nigeria won't break up in 2015 — CAN

By Ikenna Asomba

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H R I S T I A N ASSOCIATION of Nigeria, CAN, has said despite the rising insecurity in the nation, Nigeria will not break up in 2015, insisting that those who want Nigeria to break will be shamed.

Speaking at the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols, organised by Victory Baptist Church, VBC, Ajah, Lagos, to commemorate the forthcoming Christmas celebration, CAN Vice President and President, Nigerian Baptist Convention, Rev. Supo Ayokunle, said the raging insurgency in the NorthEastern part of the country, was only a passing phase that would soon end and would not break up the country.

In his exhortation at the event with theme, 'Joy to the world,' Ayokunle said: “One of the wonders Nigerians should expect as we celebrate the Christmas is the fullness of time. Though peace has currently eluded this nation, in 2015, Nigerians should expect accomplishment as this nation will never fail or break up.

"The Bible made us to understand that significant things began to happen in the life of Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, our saviour, when the angels of God visited her. In the same way, the angels of God will visit Nigeria in this trying moment for peace to reign supreme.”

The cleric added that “next year, Nigeria will never break and those people who want this country to break will bite their fingers in shame. In 2015, it is forward ever and backward never.”

According to the VBC's pastor, Rev. Olurotimi Taiwo, the ceremony, which started five years ago, was aimed at bringing together the church’s neighbours and decisionmakers of the country to share the good news of Jesus Christ, not minding their religious inclinations.

16—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, yesterday, gave the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, 24 hours to appear before it to adduce reason why the governorship primaries it conducted in Enugu State on December 8, 2014, should not be cancelled.

In a ruling, Justice Evoh Chukwu summoned both the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to appear before him on tomorrow to show why the outcome of the said primaries should not be voided.

The court order was sequel to an ex-parte application filed before it by a chieftain of the PDP in Enugu State and owner of Peace Mass Transit Ltd, Samuel Maduka Onyishi.

Dr. Onyishi had through his lawyer, Chief Chris Uche, SAN, prayed the court to declare that the primaries conducted by the PDP in Enugu State was in clear violation of the Electoral Act, saying it was in contempt of a subsisting suit challenging the election of delegates for that primaries.

He wants the court to nullify

C M Y K

Court summons PDP over Enugu gov primaries the primaries for breach of sections 87(4)(b)(I) of the Electoral Act and for non compliance with the electoral guidelines for primary elections 2014 of the PDP and its constitution.

Prior to the primaries, Justice Chukwu had in another suit

instituted by Orji Godwin and two others, against the PDP and 4 others, with reference number FHC/Abj/CS/830/2014, approved and sanctioned a list of delegates for the said primaries.

The list okayed by the court consisted of all the delegates duly elected at the party’s ward

congress for Enugu State.

However, Dr. Onyishi alleged that the Enugu State Electoral Panel, in breach of the court’s decision, discarded that list of duly elected delegates approved by the court, and brought a different list of delegates which they claimed

was handed over to them by the leadership of the party.

He further told the court that no valid governorship primaries of the PDP took place in Enugu State on December 8, as no votes or results could have been recorded from the flawed delegates list.

...As another extends injunction restraining Ayogu Eze

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NUGU—AN Enugu State High Court presided over

by Justice R. O Odugu has extended the order it earlier granted restraining a governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, Senator Ayogu Eze, from parading himself as the governorship candidate of the party.

Justice Odugu, who granted the application by the Plaintiff/ Applicant, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who is the state governorship candidate recognised by the party, adjourned the case to December 22 for further hearing.

The court also restrained the PDP from recognising or submitting any name other than Ugwuanyi's as PDP governorship candidate for the state.

At the resumed hearing, the plaintiff through his counsel,

Ogochukwu Onyekwuluje, interlocutory injunction against brought a motion on notice for the defendants.

Imo gov: PDP, INEC to appear in court over Ihedioha, Ararume

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

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BUJA—THE Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Peoples Democratic Party to appear before it on December 19 to explain why the name of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume should not be submitted as the governorship candidate of the party for the 2015 general elections.

Araraume had through his counsel, Damien Dodo, SAN,

prayed the court to restrain the PDP from forwarding the name of Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chukwuemeka Ihedioha to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as its governorship candidate for the 2015 governorship election for Imo State.

He urged the court to declare that he was the authentic candidate of the PDP for the impending poll.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed

gave the order after listening to a motion ex-parte by Dodo yesterday.

Dodo told the court that his client duly obtained the expression of interest form and nomination form to contest for the Imo State governorship primary election of the PDP. Though Justice Mohammed declined to grant the ex-parte application, he directed Ararume to go and put the defendants on notice to enable them to appear before him.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—17 —17

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18 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 OUR country is in more danger each day.

Every move to pull her from the brink is set for ruination by those who think that the country is all about them. They have narrowed issues to a few politicians, instead of the larger interests of Nigerians, without which the country would remain mired in its many challenges.

The latest scheme, bereft of agenda to improve Nigeria, is to project the personalities of President Goodluck Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari as the issue in the 2015 elections. Little is said about how any of them would be the better person to pull Nigerians out of the limbo strings of poor policies have dumped them.

Blames, name-calling, and sheer abuses have become the new order of campaigns.

Everything is wrong with the other person.

Every action is subjected to scrutiny that gives the impression that we are searching for saints as President. If we were, we would not find one, for there is none, at least in Nigeria, or willing to bear the burden of leading Nigeria out of these precarious times.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and

Not About Buhari Or Jonathan… the All Progressives Congress, APC, have focused their attention on the personality of the each other ’s presidential candidate.

Nigerians are only of fringe interest to both parties. Where does the everlasting namecalling and blame sharing place Nigerians?

How do troubles politicians cause benefit Nigerians?

Political parties, one of the more outspoken politicians has said, are in the business of winning elections. It is the most forthright offering from a politician, a remark that all Nigerians should take

serious as they make their choices in 2015, not only for the President, but through all the legislatures to the executives.

Sentiments would be unhelpful.

Nigeria’s challenges run through every stratum of the power rungs. Rot at the local governments affects the people more than decisions in Abuja and state capitals. The castration of the local governments through constitutional lacunas on their status has pushed governance away from the people. The politicians are delighted at the fact that they hold power without being accountable to anyone.

Our concerns, as a people, should be the agenda for 2015 and beyond. Politicians are obsessed with power. They do anything to get it. From the sharp divisions that emerged at the party primaries, it is clear that politicians are ready to grab power at any cost. The people are an inconvenient baggage in this journey.

It is time Nigerians re-directed attention to basic issues affecting us. Jonathan and Buhari are not the issue; they are mere images politicians conveniently cling to in their collective mission to claim Nigeria again - for themselves.

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By Abdulrazaque Barkindo

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WO candidates have finally emerged to run for the governorship of Adamawa State in the forthcoming 2015 elections. Let’s face it, the difference between Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the flag bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APCs, candidate, Senator Bindowo Jibrilla is same as six and half-a-dozen, to many people who are awaiting the governorship contest of the State.

I am one of them. And I am awaiting this contest sincerely eagerly. On a personal note, whoever wins, to me, is very likely to remain approachable and accessible.

Perhaps, it is the reason several people have called to ask which among the two politicians is my choice for governor.

Indeed I have known both men from home and seen them play big Abuja politics. I have known Nuhu since our secondary school days when he was at Aliyu Mustapha while I went to Murtala College, even though he was two years ahead of me in class. I have written so much about Nuhu, with scathing remarks sometimes and supporting commentaries at others.

Bindowo has been a benefactor, for me, in several ways. When I started a newspaper in Abuja he offered me a very centrally located office at the Central Business District. Ordinarily the office would have cost me a fortune, which I probably wouldn’t have been able to afford. But he let me and the staff sit there gratis.

There is nothing I can do, to repay him for the kind gesture. So you can call me C M Y K

OPINION Adamawa:Of Ribadu and Bindowo whatever name you like after reading this piece, but the truth here is an inescapable one. It will be foolhardy to mortgage the future of our children on the altar of personal friendship or even selfaggrandizement.

I know from their tone that some of those who call me to know where I stand do so more for than altruistic reasons. I even smell mischief in others. But as I always tell friends, my vote as well as my opinion is only but a drop in the ocean. I have retained a vehement passion though for my state to play catch-up. Adamwa State was created in 1991 but it has not risen beyond the hamlet that it was before that epoch. Most other states created along with it like Jigawa, Zamfara and Nasarawa, to catch the rhyming scheme bug have grown to become municipalities, at least larger than the localities that surround them. But Adamawa has refused to develop. I have searched for a cause of the problems of Adamawa state, the constitutional laboratory of Nigeria, here, there and everywhere, since the start of democracy in 1999. And I have found no reason at all except the influence of rapacious god fathers who would not let the people benefit from their hard days sweat. I have also set forth to develop a survey on the way forward preceding this election that awaits the people. The wise answers to myquestionnaires have been very few and far between. Some give hope

high enough to wave and smile at angels there above and some bring as much depression as a Goth funeral.

However, this matter is beyond Barkindo’s little wishes. It is about the people of Adamawa State who have lagged behind in dividends of democracy, stomach infrastructure and the general uplift of the human development index, when compared to other parts of the country. It is about the thousands of civil servants who have, month after month, been walking to their offices because they have been denied their transport fares and their wages. It is about the universal human suffrage. It is also not a question of what party ideology would do the magic. In the case of the two contestants, when it comes to party affinities, I would say that Nuhu and Bindowo just played the reality TV show, “wife-swap.”

Nuhu was presidential candidate of the Action Congress in 2011 which metamorphosed into the All Progressives Congress, APC, when Bindowo contested and won his senatorial seat on the platform of the PDP. It is therefore irrelevant for the people of Adamawa to put the two candidates in any party hour glass. Both are Muslims so, leave religion out of it.

Both are Fulbes, whether half, quarter or simply by birth place. Both can also not be judged by the vehicle that brought them to this race as some things are better left unexposed. Indeed, APC,

by all indications, is only “PDP-light”, if it were to be a drink.

However there are three compelling issues that Adamawa must reconsider when choosing a governor. They are corruption, insecurity and god-fatherism. The corrupt public officials who operated along with Nyako to corner the state's resources and deny workers their legitimate earnings must be tackled. Today, they populate both parties in search of cover but we know from Nuhus background and antecedents that there is no hiding place for them, should he become governor. Bindowo on the other hand may be too encumbered by his political IOUs that he may find fighting corruption a little too obstructive because of the preponderance of the Nyako community in the APC today. In security, Senator Bindowo is a serving senator whose action against insurgency that has bedeviled his constituency has not been vociferous. He may be close to Senate President David Mark and the Defence Minister, Aliyu Gusau but their disposition to stopping the killings in the north east have been less than impressive and have therefore constituted more of a liability to Bindowo's security credentials than assets. In clear text, Nuhu Ribadu, a former AIG and one time anti corruption czar who approaches every assignment with a no-defeat-no surrender mindset is more favourably disposed to winning the war on corruption and halting the senseless killings that currently pervade •Mr. Enewaridideke, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Akparemogbene, Delta State.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—19 —19

Between Buhari and Jonathan: A straight race to 2015

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HE crowded field of presidential aspirants has been cleared up for a straight contest between two individuals, with the emergence of candidates for the two leading parties in the land, the APC and the PDP. The contest for Aso Rock Villa has come to a two horse race between Gen. Mohammadu Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan.

The 14 February, Valentine’s Day presidential battle, will be far from being a lovers’ affair when the two combatants square up for action. If anything, it promises to be full of intrigues, surprises, suspense and a lot of tension. It couldn’t possibly be otherwise because what Nigerians will be witnessing is a reprise action, literally a return bout between Buhari and Jonathan, who slugged it out in the 2011 election. In that previous encounter, Goodluck Jonathan carried the day, and remained in office after first using up Umar Yar’Adua’s unfinished term. In addition to the questions raised with regards to the integrity of the election by the Buhari camp, not a few northerners thought Jonathan

ought not to have contested at all or, in the alternative, give up his position for another northerner to utilize the ‘northern’ slot, albeit on a fresh note. The consequence of the differing perceptions of the result of that election and the propriety of Jonathan remaining in office was the widespread violence that gripped many parts of the north in the immediate aftermath of the election. Our hope and prayer is that the February election should be rancor-free and conform to civilized standards.

The narrowing down of the field of candidates began when Buhari trounced other contestants at the APC primaries last Thursday in Lagos. He got more than half of the delegates’ votes on a day that was made more intriguing with the downgrading of Atiku Abubakar, earlier seen as Buhari’s main adversary, to the third place. Jonathan who emerged his own party candidate on the same day did not have to contend with any opposition. He was the sole candidate, anointed well before he finally chose to buy his party ’s presidential nomination form. Even this was

The leader Nigeria needs today must be sure of his place and able to stand to the demands of the office reserved for him alone until one or two other interested persons were grudgingly accepted into the contest after loud protestations. It was, nevertheless, very clear for whom the PDP ticket was meant and, indeed, reserved. What’s left now but to look ahead to the elections and the chances of the two candidates?

Based strictly on the scorecard, Goodluck Jonathan ought to lose the election. He has failed on the scores that should ordinarily matter to Nigerians. He makes no pretence about fighting corruption, Nigeria’s major problem, or plugging those avenues through which Nigerians are pauperized. His management (or is it mismanagement?) of the country’s security situation signposts his unsuitability as a leader in a time of grave crisis, even war. His leadership temperament is made for and belongs in a different epoch. To be sure, he did not create these problems. Indeed, the Nigerian situation is programmed for failure and only a leader with the right frame of mind and grit of character can make things work.

These are obviously not Goodluck

The dilemma of a radical progressive in Nigerian politics

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HAD intended my post-primaries statement as the last word on my rude initiation (baptism of fire, if you like)into our country’s rough-and-ready politics.

But the main aim of my statement — to congratulate my opponent on his victory and to thank my supporters — did not allow much room for critical reflection.

The closest to a post-mortem was my closing remark: “In the final analysis, however, we must find an answer to the question why credible citizens who everyone agrees would be pillars of selfless service to country, who would be nationbuilders and not nation-wreckers, continue to fail to make it into the corridors of power. The list is long, but just a few: Obafemi Awolowo (in the limited and obvious sense, of course), Balarabe Musa, Tunji Brathwaite, Pat Utomi, Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, Olisa Agbakoba, Sylvester Odion-Akhaine, etc.”

I have received numerous responses to my statement ranging from “I told you so,” “You can’t stop [and] we won’t stop,” congrats-for-a-courageous-start-andbetter-luck-next-time, we-need-the-likesof-you-in-our-politics, to inconsolable disappointment and outrage. In this column, however, I will focus on the two that stirred me towards further reflections on the meaning of my defeat. But before doing so, I must mention that some considered my statement hasty. The primaries election, they insist, couldn’t be as free and fair as I claimed.To them I say only that I very deliberately limited myself to what transpired in the voting hall. Whatever else happened outside the hall, days or weeks or a minute before voting,is irrelevant. The point is not

whether the delegates made an informed choice but that they made a choice.

And now the two thought-provoking responses. The first was by Innocent Chukwuma, my good friend and former colleague at the Civil Liberties Organisation, now West Africa director of the Ford Foundation. He wrote as follows: “You gave it your best shot and ran a clean election!I am interested in following up on the issue you raised about the chances of good people winning elections in Nigeria. Any ideas on how to mainstream discourse around it as the phenomenon is becoming alarming and poses a great danger for our democracy, if you could call it that?” The second comes from Ogbeni Aregbesola, still licking the financial wounds of his hard-won reelection victory in Osun State. He neatly summarises the dilemma of radical progressives in liberal politics: “Comrade, I must congratulate you for the zeal with which you pursued the objective of representing your constituency in the

The dilemma will not be fully dealt with if progressive parties do not insist on disciplined and credible leaders, especially at the state and local government levels

Jonathan’s strongest points. Even though the electoral field now looks a little unpredictable and a Jonathan victory dicey (depending on how the opposition manages Buhari and his choice of running mate), Jonathan might yet win the election.

The reason is that Nigerian politicians hardly ever win on account of their performance in office. When they lose, it is also hardly on account of their performance or nonperformance. Electoral victories or failures are most often settled on account of ethnicity and religion. On this score, the candidates are expected to fare best in their respective geopolitical zones- Buhari in the north and Jonathan in the south, particularly in the South-south and south-east. The West where APC is relatively stronger than PDP might hold the ace for who emerges president. A lot depends though on the religious inclination of who Buhari picks as his running mate. Which brings me to the second deciding factor in a Nigerian electionreligion. A Christian running mate for Buhari would be reassuring for millions of Nigerians who loathe a muslimmuslim ticket at a time when Islamic fundamentalists have made the religion anathema in places outside the north. The fact that Buhari has, since his first coming as a military leader, been portrayed as an Islamic fundamentalist and lackey will do little to help his electoral chances especially in the Southeast where APC is viewed, as it has been portrayed there and elsewhere, as a party of islamists.

This fact may partly explain the wholesale adoption of Jonathan as a son of the soil in the South-east.

Federal House of Representatives.

Y o u r determination is commendable a n d expected. Your g r a c e f u l acceptance of the outcome deserves praise. On the issue of resources for politics, it is a worthwhile debate.

However, the entire process of liberal politics is against radical and progressive ethos. Decency, honour and integrity prevent access and accumulation of a huge wealth for such projects. The alternative is a long involvement, participation and engagement with the people either in a liberal progressive party or radical revolutionary party. Time and effective mobilisation will compensate for the huge resources required for a short time work, unless there are sponsors.You have started very well. I can only wish you greater success in the future.”

I have already pledged not to quit. Given that a revolutionary party is not an option for now, the need to get progressives in effective numbers into government leaves us with the burning question of money.

Thinking out loud, here is an idea worth considering. I believe that the time has come for a “liberal” think-tank or foundation, some organisation outside the shadow of the (progressive) political party,that would combine ideas for positive electioneering and governance with year-round fund-raising for political action towards electing “good people” into office at all levels—local, state and federal.

Such a foundation, served by a visionary and unimpeachable governing board, would deploy funds to vulnerable but patriotic individuals right from the primaries stage.

In practical terms, to speak today of the APC to Nigerians of particular ethnic backgrounds or religious bent is to be supportive of the insurgents that have made life unlivable for many Nigerians in the North-east. In other words, it is to espouse an agenda for the islamicisation of Nigeria.

While Buhari’s antecedent as an uncompromising leader in the mould of an islamist has been invoked against him by his opponents, his reputation as an incorruptible leader should count for much in our choice of a president in 2015. This is certainly the very score, including widespread insecurity of life and property, on which Jonathan has failed to discharge his remit. One must include the high unemployment rate in the country among issues bordering on insecurity of life. Many Nigerians are simply hungry and without any means of sustenance. You only need to look around and not the statistics from Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala’s office to appreciate the level of pain and hopelessness that has pervaded the land. It is deeply painful to see just how little Nigerians are asking for to survive amid the mindless brigandage and wastages by their leaders.

Jonathan’s make-up portrays him as a leader for another era and time. The leader Nigeria needs today must be sure of his place and able to stand to the demands of the office. Such a leader cannot and must not continue to feed Nigerians vacuous hopes of a better future while the present looks unlivable. Nigerians need a determined and focused leader.

While this cannot eliminate the basic problem of liberal politics that Aregbesola highlights, it would ameliorate substantially the perennial failure of progressives at the polling booth. But first, we as a people must change the default stance of alienation and cynicism towards government and the people who offer themselves for service. This attitude prevents many who are in a position to offer financial help to good candidates from doing so, some even saying without a sense of irony that they would help only after the aspirant has won the primary election. It is like pledging to underwrite an orphan’s university education but not offering a kobo to see him or her through primary school!

Moreover, the dilemma will not be fully dealt with if progressive parties do not insist on disciplined and credible leaders, especially at the state and local government levels. Or if they do not embark on massive re-orientation campaigns to change the povertyinduced consciousness of the masses who, conditioned to believe that serving and would-be politicians will only serve themselves, demand their “dividends of democracy” before voting.

Whichtranslates as no more than N500N1000 in many instances. The Nigerian voter, in general (for there are exceptions), has become a pitiable victim of the cumulative dehumanising effects of our governments since independence.

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY WEDNESDAY,, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Hoodlums cash in on traffic snarl, rob victims at gunpoint •As Gani Adams proffers solutions to stem their activities

Suspects paraded for allleged robbery leader of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress OPC, Otunba Gani Adams. The Ondo State -born OPC leader blamed parents and the government for not providing the enabling environments for youths to be properly brought up. “The bulk of the blame falls on the government for not providing the amenities needed by the citizens. In some developed nations, the government makes provision for social security, job security and food security to alleviate the sufferings of the unemployed in their countries until they

By Bose Adelaja

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ALE Ogunjimi and his fiancee, Roseline Barnabas recently got what they never bargained for. Two weeks to their wedding, they were robbed at gun point at the popular Idumota market where they had gone to do the shopping for their wedding, The windscreen and windows of their Honda Civic car were smashed by the die-hard robbers who dispossessed them of their phones, I-Pad and ATM cards.

The sad story of the new couple is synonymous with what happens on daily basis in virtually all parts of Lagos where hoodlums and thieves brandishing crude and sophisticated weapons, rob hapless people of their valuables.

Daylight robbery Wale and his fiancee were in fact lucky to have escaped unharmed. This is because apart from being dispossessed of their property, some innocent citizens have been maimed, raped, kidnapped or killed, even in broad day light The unending traffic jam in virtually all parts of Lagos due to the dilapidated state of Federal, State and Local Council roads, has only helped to worsen the matter as the thieves hide under the cover of the traffic snarl to rob and disappear into thin air.

(unemployed youths) secure jobs. But in Nigeria, the reverse is the case, you are on your own. People can easily be driven into crime especially when they are hungry. The politicians also have a stake in this as they have succeeded in impoverishing the masses using them for their selfish interests. Food should not be beyond the reach of the common man because these are some of the factors that could lead to criminality,” he said..

Continuing, Gani Adams said: ‘’The Nigerian system is

ill-organised especially as regards shelter which is one of the economic essentials of life. The government has failed to provide council flats for the basest Nigerians. The means of transportation is also another militating factor which is also affecting many Nigerians. For instance, road, air, water and rail transportation are not affordable and accessible to many. For some decades now, the rail system was deliberately killed by some selfish capitalists in the government to enable their interest thrive.”

Making allusions to Europe and South Africa ‘’where the unemployed is given a monthly upkeep of about N100,000 and the elderly are taken care of by the government to the tune of N30,000 monthly, the OPC leader asked: ‘’How will he or she think of doing evil or engaging in witchcraft or spiritual battles against fellow human beings ? The bottom line is that we should be disciplined and God fearing.

“In our organisation, a lot of reorientation has taken place whereby the idle minds have been engaged in more profitable ventures and this has minimised the initial alarm of people accusing our the organisation of one crime or the other,” he said Gani Adams advocated the mounting of Close Circuit Televisions CCTVs at strategic places, asserting that this measure will help in curtailing the rising occurrence of crimes in the cities.

Gani Adams Notorious spots in Lagos where commuters and pedestrians have been robbed include Mile Two Oke, Third Mainland Bridge, Oshodi Oke, Akwongwo -Idumota axis in Lagos Island, LagosIbadan expressway as well as Anthony and Gbagada ends of the Oshodi-Oworonsoki road.

Firearms which some decades ago, were exclusively carried by soldiers and other law enforcement agents and hunters in the villages, are now being freely used by hoodlums and political thugs to harass, maim or kill innocent citizens. This ugly scenario is giving goose dimples to many Lagos residents and concerned stakeholders. They have there called on the relevant security agencies to put an end to this criminality.

One of the concerned stakeholders is the factional

NEMA recovers diverted relief materials in Gombe

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HE National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA has recovered relief materials allegedly diverted by a transporter in Gombe state. The Agency said it has distributed the materials directly to victims of windstorm in Bangoba community of Kakara in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State for whom they were meant.

NEMA’ Director-General, Muhammad Sani-Sidi has also constituted a committee to investigate the attempted diversion as well as unravel likely internal collaboration for appropriate measures and sanctions against the culprits.

Addressing the beneficiary community in Taraba after the distribution of the relief materials, NEMA’s Assistant Director, (Training), Mr. Iyiola Akande said there was an attempted diversion of relief items which was successfully intercepted by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC following a tip off.

He said that the prime suspect, who was the transporter is under investigation.Akande

said “It is difficult to divert relief materials from NEMA because beneficiary states do receive advance copies of the list of items before arrivals of the trucks. In fact, a notification letter containing details of quantities of the items is usually sent to the state officials for acknowledgment.” He therefore urged state officials to always cross check items delivered to them to ensure they correspond with the list submitted to them for the benefit of victims of disasters.

He said although the relief items in the two trucks were recovered and found to be intact, the agency has decided that henceforth officials of the agency would accompany such trucks of relief materials to their destinations.

A leader of the benefitting community, Jauro Yaya who was also a victim of windstorm said they heard the story of diversion of the relief materials meant for their community to another place, but commended the Federal Government for the eventual delivery of the relief assistance.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 21

By Ediri Ejoh & Hope Ofobike

T

HE Federal Government has directed all Electricity Distribution Companies, Discos, in the country to patronise local manufacturers in line with the policies put in place by government, designed to strengthen local content development and accelerate growth of the industrial sector.

Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga, made this call at a one day stakeholders’ forum on meter/transformer manufacturing in Nigeria, organised by the Federal Ministry of Industry, in collaboration with Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, in Abuja.

Represented by the Director Industrial Development and Inspectorate, Engr. Awobokun Omotanwa, the Minister noted that the ministry had received series of complaints on nonpatronage and the influx of meters and transformers into the country by local manufacturers of these assets.

He said, “The misconception

by Nigerians that locally made products are of sub-standard even when it is obvious that imported ones are inferior, needs to be addressed using procurement regime as a tool to develop local patronage.

“Let us collectively ensure that we use local patronage as anchor to improve standards of Nigerian goods and services, for the Industry to thrive, we need to support a strong and growing local demand.

FG directs DISCOs to patronise local meter manufacturers “It is essential to know that our local market provides a strong base, from which Nigerian products can refine their standards, build a strong base, and then subsequently proceed into the global export markets,” he stated.

Moreso, Omotanwa, lauds the efforts of the local manufacturers for its commitment and

resilience towards ensuring a growing economy, however urged manufacturers to continue producing quality products, adding that government is all out to provide extensive infrastructure to ameliorate the challenges facing the sector.

Also speaking, Secretary, Electricity Meters Manufacturers Association of Nigeria,

EMMAN, Mr. Muideen Adebayo, said members of the association has undertaken undaunted risk with borrowed funds on high interest rate, to establish world class factories.

He added that local manufacturers have production capacity of 1.2 million meters per annum with room for future expansion.

Adebayo urged the federal government to create and make available at two per cent special intervention fund in form of soft loans to the local electricity meter manufacturers in order to create more jobs for Nigerians, boost the annual revenue earnings of Nigeria and curb capital flight to their counterparts from China.

From left: Executive Director/Chief Finance Officer, UAC Plc, Mr. Abdul Bello; Special Guest, Mrs. Taba Peterside; Group Managing Director/CEO; UACN, Mr. Larry Ettah; and Managing Director, UACN Property, Mr. Hakeem Oguniran, at the commissioning of UACN Property Development Company’s Cameron Green Estate, Ikoyi Lagos. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU

... Steps up industrial accidents preventions

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

W

ORRIED by increasing cases of industrial accidents at workplaces in the country, the Federal Government has stepped up efforts at preventing and minimizing industrial accidents, towards ensuring safety of workers.

As part of the efforts, through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, FMLP, the government has begun organising training, revalidation and certification of authorised inspectors for inspection of steam boilers nationwide.

Speaking at a four-day training and certification exercise for authorised inspector and approved person for pressure vessel, held at the Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Lagos, Director of Factories, FMLP, Mrs. Nofisat Abiola Arogundade said “Safety and health at work C M Y K

is synonymous with productivity quest. Every effort must be made to ensure safety and health centre on plant and process integrity, which is the main requirement for efficient production. Equally, production done with minimum loss due to damage sickness, injuries, absenteeism and compensation, signals improved productivity.

Well maintained and examined pressure vessels perform optimally and pose less risk to the investment.

“The objectives of this training and certification exercise, set in line with the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government in the Labour Sector include; to improve and strengthen the preventive safety culture in the operation of pressure vessels in Nigeria, to update the knowledge base of Authorised Inspectors and Approved Persons on the examination and testing of Boiler and

Pressure Vessels in line with global best practices and standards, to conduct written and practical examinations for the revalidation of existing Certificates and issuance of fresh Certificate to successful candidates, and to review and publish the Register of Authorised Inspectors and Approved Persons in line with the provisions of the Factories Act, 2004.”

According to her, “this fourday programme comprises 2day training and 2-day assessment exercise to be conducted in collaboration with the Guild of Authorised Boiler Inspector Association and National Industrial Safety Council of Nigeria with Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, International Labour Organisation, ILO and IOCs as observers. It is my hope that at the end of this exercise, these objectives would be achieved

and qualified Authorised Inspectors and Approved Persons would emerge woth due certification by the Ministry according to the Factories Act, 2004.

“This reform is certainly going to be sustained as the Ministry is determined to continue to collaborate with the local stakeholders and international organisations, particularly the International Labour Organisation, ILO, for an improved regulatory framework.

Our Inspection System shall reflect global standard and best practise for an assurance of safe use of the plants at all times.

The Ministry is working closely with these willing partners as well as our traditional social partners; the employer’s and the employees’ associations.”

$174.0

-$1.4

$2,899.00

$11.00

$15.0

-$0.15

$61.65

-$2.03

$57.49

CURRENCY BUYING DOLLAR

167 261.9562 EURO 208.0653 FRANC 173.1467 YEN 1.4108 CFA 0.2964 WAUA 242.9445 RENMINBI 26.982 RIYAL 44.4918 KRONA 27.9755 SDR 244.4045 STERLING

$2.14

CENTRAL 167.5 262.7405 208.6883 173.6651 1.4151 0.3064 243.6719 27.0633 44.625 28.0593 245.1363

168 263.5248 209.3112 174.1835 1.4193 0.3164 244.3993 27.1445 44.7582 28.1431 245.868

CBN Exchange Rate as 15/12/2014

22 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 We have set industry records by proffering attractive insurance packages for all Nigerians irrespective of factors such as age, occupation, income and location

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,

Africa Re reaches out to Ebola torn nations

By Favour Nnabugwu

A

FRICA Reinsurance Corporation, Africa Re, has announced donations to the three worst hit Ebola countries to aid the fight against the dreaded disease in those nations.

The donation, running into thousands of Dollars was presented by a team of Africa Re ‘s management led by the Group Managing Director, Mr Corneille Karekezi, before the Dean of Ambassadors at the Embassy of Uganda to the worst hit countries - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea.

According to Karekezi, “The donation is an affirmation of Africa Re’s unshakeable commitment to the continent and a message that Africa can triumph over the terrible affliction.”

The occasion which was witnessed by majority of the 48 African Ambassadors, rattled the three countries that have lost over 5,000 lives to

the epidemic.

Karekezi told the Ambassadors, “The first reason why we came here to support the countries affected by the Ebola virus is because of identity; our DNA, the company belongs to Africa so we cannot sit down idle and not contribute to the effort to fight the deadly disease.

“The Africa Re is created by faith; African faith and today there are people and state that are in need of assistance that is why we are here to show solidarity and also to remember that we belong to the African Re who had the greater view to create a company which is today a pride of the continent.

“Today, by making its modest contribution to the fight against the Ebola virus, Africa Re is giving back to Mama Africa a small portion of what she has lovingly given the institution for close to 40 years.

Mansard, Guinness, Skye Bank win 2014 Nigerian risk awards

M

ANSARD Insurance, Guinness Nigeria and Skye Bank, among others, have emerged winners in the 2014 edition of the Nigerian Risk Awards (NRA) organized by Conrad Clark Nigeria Limited in partnership with Business Day, Thomson Reuters and the Institute of Risk Management UK (IRM).

NRA recognizes and honours organisations and individuals who have achieved measurable results through effective implementation of good governance, effective internal controls and risk management systems.

The Business Day Risk Manager of the Year was won

by Mr. Adewale Akinwale of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company, with Mr. Omokayode Oluwole (Mansard Insurance) and Mr. Olaniyi Olalemi (Enterprise Bank Ltd.) being 1st and 2nd Runner-Ups respectively. Mr. Kunle Odetola-Odeleye of Old Mutual Nigeria carted home the Young Risk Manager of the Year award and the 1st RunnerUp was Mr. Jolaolu Fakoya of Africa Reinsurance

Corporation.

Mansard Insurance emerged as winner in the Insurance and Pensions category for the second time running, with Goldlink Insurance Plc and Africa Reinsurance Corporation as 1st and 2nd Runner-Ups respectively. Guinness Nigeria Plc won the Manufacturing, Production and Industry category and the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company was 1st Runner-Up. The banking and Investment Services saw Skye Bank Plc emerged as winner and Sterling Bank Plc 1st RunnerUp. In the Special Recognition Awards category, Dr. Victor Odozi, former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria and Prof. Joseph Ajibola of Babcock University were honoured with the award for promoting Risk Management Culture in Nigeria.

Channels TV received the Special Recognition Award for Risk Leadership in Media Coverage.

INSURAN Insurers now target all, irrespective of age, location W

HILE insurance penetration remains low, Nigeria’s population is growing rapidly and is forecast to reach 209 million in 2021. 50% of that population will be younger than 25 years. This presents an opportunity for underwriters in Nigeria to explore the untapped potential of a larger retail market with the largest population in Africa and the eighth largest in the world.

Factors such as, income level and consumer behaviour will continue to shape the attractiveness of the country’s retail market because economic growth will translate into rising disposable income for many Nigerians which will strongly influence social classification.

Based on the identified trends and opportunities, FBN Life Insurance has hinged its go-tomarket strategy on deepening their footprints in the retail insurance space and expansion into the non-life insurance segment.

According to Managing Director of FBN Insurance, Mr. Val Ojumah, “Our key objective is to stabilise and sustain our growth through our disciplined approach to underwriting and conservative investment strategy; this means we maintain a focused approach in the execution of our long term strategy while positioning ourselves to exploit emerging opportunities in the insurance industry. We have set industry records by proffering attractive insurance packages for all

Nigerians irrespective of factors such as age, occupation, income and location. Despite the sustained apathy and cautiousness of customers to the insurance industry in Nigeria, our gross premium grew by 35% over a period of 12 months. Our corporate, retail, credit life and alternative business lines contributed 19%, 59%, 20% and 1% respectively to premium income for the year 2013 and our profit before tax grew by 22%.

This growth is attributed to our disciplined underwriting practices, cost optimisation

We are carving a niche in the retail insurance market through the provision of best-in-class, innovative and solution-driven products that create value for all stakeholders

initiatives and improved returns on strategic investments,” he said.

Ojumah said that FBN Insurance leverages on the knowledge of its local partner FBN Holdings and the international expertise of its foreign partner – Sanlam Emerging Markets (“Sanlam EM”), one of the largest financial institutions in South Africa.

Sanlam EM, a part of Sanlam Group, is one of Africa’s foremost insurance providers, with over nine decades of experience managing life insurance businesses in a number of Sub Saharan African countries as well as Europe, Asia and the United States. These partners provide technical implementation assistance and on-going management support to the company’s operations.

“Our enduring commitment to our core values, coupled with the overwhelming support of our shareholders, experienced board members, competent management team, professional employees has propelled us towards ensuring best practices are implemented and sustained across the organisation.

Furthermore, we conduct regular extensive market research that guides our business strategy and policy direction.

This provides distilled insights from macroeconomic and industry trends, helps estimate the size of emerging opportunities and understand customer buying patterns and motivations; our customer

From left: Sierra Leone Ambassador, Major-General Alfred Nelson-Williams (rtd); Liberian Ambassador, Prof. Al-Hassan Conteh; Group Managing Director, Africa Re, Mr. Corneille Karekezi and Guinea Ambassador, Gaoussou Toure and guest after Africa Re handed the financial support to each of the worst hit Ebola countries in Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014,

and the continuity of the living standards of a family when the bread winner is gone. In many homes in Nigeria, the death of the bread winner has brought about a total decline in the living standards of the dependants.

Even critical illness or the permanent disability of the bread winner has led to children dropping out of school and engaging in anti-social activities because there were no funds to continue their education or lead their once normal life.

Celebrities as well as ordinary citizens have had to turn to the government or the general public when hit by an unexpected illness such as stroke or a permanent disability, because they were not covered by insurance policies that could have borne such unexpected costs.

•Managing Director of FBN Life Insurance, Mr. Val Ojumah centricity influences our approach to innovative product development and drives tailoring services to the key customer segments. The launch of our mobile insurance product, the first of its kind in the Nigerian insurance industry is a testimony to our commitment to championing innovation in the industry and the promotion of insurance penetration through efficient and low cost channels.

We are convinced this will gradually drive financial inclusion by granting access to simple, affordable and convenient life protection plans through mobile phones,� he said.

Product and service delivery In a highly competitive sector, such as the insurance industry, the tendency exists for key players to appear very similar in terms of product and service delivery. “At FBN Insurance, we ensure that we focus on and exploit our competitive advantages in the industry.

We are convinced that the brand strength of our owners and commitment to excellence and innovation are key factors that differentiate us from the rest.

Particularly in an industry plagued by a persistent lack of trust and confidence from customers, the reputation of an insurer in Nigeria is critical to its success.

We are proud that the brand strength of our owners echoes stability, financial strength, expertise and reliability.

Consequently, we believe customers who truly want to protect the people they love will put their trust in the reliability we offer. Our products and services are competitively priced without

sacrificing quality. As we design products we ensure flexibility by carefully considering the unique needs of our customers to develop fit-for-purpose products. As the pioneers of mobile insurance in Nigeria, we will continue championing innovation in the industry. “In line with our expansions strategy, FBN Insurance is finalising the acquisition of a general insurance license. This will stretch our product range to include insurance services such as household, motor, marine, oil and gas. The Organisation’s existing products, which include Group and Individual Policies, are designed to accommodate differing consumer needs. These products are categorised as Risks, Savings and Hybrid Plans. These products are in consonance with our commitment to deepen market penetration by providing low cost insurance products through multiple distribution channels that would benefit the mass market in Nigeria. “We are particularly concerned about what happens after a death

Financial upheavals It is therefore essential that high net-worth individuals, the political class, schools, religious organisations, professional bodies, affinity groups, open markets and market associations, cooperative societies and government institutions embrace insurance to avoid financial upheavals and the potential disruption of lives and businesses in the wake of the unexpected because time and events have shown that it is important for families to provide now for the continuity of their lifestyle even after their bread winner is gone.

We are carving a niche in the retail insurance market through the provision of best-in-class, innovative and solution-driven products that create value for all stakeholders and despite the many challenges brimming in the macro environment and the unique demands of doing business in today’s evolving economy, we will continue to stay true to our aspiration as bastions of stability delivering gold service standards and fit- for-purpose offerings that will address every Nigerian’s insurance needs.

From left: Mr. Peter Adegor, Marketing Manager, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited; Prof. John Ndanusa Akanya, Deputy Chairman, Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology; Mr. Kojo Nunoo, Managing Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited and Mr. Sam Osafo, Sales Director, Kasapreko Company Nigeria Limited receiving award conferred on Alomo Bitters as the Medical Herbal Drink of the year 2014 by the Institute for Government Research Leadership Technology, in Abuja.

,

CE & YOU

— 23

PenCom issue regulations and guidelines, maintain national data bank on pension matters, receive and investigate complaints against PFC, PFA and employer, as well as enforce sanctions and penalties

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Erase your fear and join the CPS A

RE you an employer and you are yet to comply with the Pension Reform Act, 2014, due to fear that the massive corruption that hampered the success of previous pension schemes in the past could creep into the Contributory Pension Scheme, (CPS)?

Well, be rest assured that the CPS will not record any sort of embezzlement because the scheme is well managed.

First, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) is the sole regulator and supervisor of the pension industry in Nigeria with mandate to regulate and supervise pension schemes, formulate, direct and oversee the overall policy on pension matters in Nigeria, approve, licence and supervise Pension Fund Administrators, (PFA) Pension Fund Custodians, (PFC) and other institutions relating to pension matters.

Also, PenCom issue regulations and guidelines, maintain national data bank on pension matters, receive and investigate complaints against PFC, PFA and employer, as well as enforce sanctions and penalties.

On the other hand, the Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) opens Retirement Savings Accounts, (RSAs) for all employees in liaison with PenCom; appoints a PFC for receipt of contributions and safe

,

custody of pension funds and assets; invests pension funds and assets; administers retirement benefits to retirees; as well as provides customer support services including account statement.

Meanwhile, the Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) receives pension contributions and informs PFA within 24 hours; holds pension assets in safe custody in trust for RSA holders and beneficiaries; as well as executes transactions and other related activities on behalf of the PFA. Despite the separation of functions, PenCom still regulate and supervise all operators and schemes to ensure that there is separation of the function of management from that of custody of pension assets; guarantee of assets in custody by owners of the PFCs and mandatory statutory reserve requirement by PFAs; meticulous investment limits and risk rating; daily monitoring of pension fund investment; fit and proper persons requirements for pension funds management; as well as strict corporate governance and disclosure requirement.

Safeguards of the CPS Under the strict supervision of PenCom, pension assets can not be used to meet the claim of any creditors or be sold, or granted as loan.

24 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Eczellon Capital launches $250m Private Equity Fund

By Nkiruka Nnorom

E

CZELLON Capital, an investment bank operating in the Nigerian and other West African markets, has announced the launch of its $250 million (about N42 billion) West Africa focused Private Equity Fund for projects in its sectors of focus.

Eczellon’s sectors of focus include energy, infrastructure and a few other active sectors in the evolving West African economy.

The Fund will be managed by Eczellon International, with activities overseen by an Investment Committee that has Professor Florin Vasvari, a nonexecutive director of Eczellon Capital, as one of its members.

Professor Vasvari teaches private equity, finance and accounting at the London Business School, United Kingdom.

Fund raising for the Fund is expected to close by Q4 2015 with first close occurring in Q2.

The Fund, which will be administered in tranches over two-year period, will be for identified investment opportunities and already packaged deals in energy, infrastructure and a few other high growth sectors, even as it expects a strong deal flow beyond the already identified portfolio. In the main, the Fund will invest in and support unlisted enterprises with high capital growth potentials over the medium to long-term (ranging from three to five years).

Commenting, Mr. Diekola Onaolapo, Chief Executive Officer, Ezcellon Capital, stated that the firm has already assisted Nigerian companies in securing over $140million US Dollars in committed capital in 2014 alone and seeks to further expand access to finance for its

focus sectors in the coming years with the launch of the new Fund.

According to him, the firm believes in and solidly supports the African Dream, saying that this will come when businesses, large corporations and small enterprises alike, can flourish and deliver the much needed fundamentals like power, energy and other developmental needs of the continent.

“This is why our company seeks to contribute to the alleviation of socio-economic deficits in Africa by providing needed solutions to businesses and governments in areas of suitable financing and expert advice.

Our goal is to aid the proliferation of global growth companies across Africa and to support governments in achieving the developmental objectives of their mandates.

From left: Mr. Emmanuel Ugwuanyi, Head, Marketing, West Africa, Reckitt Benckiser; Ejiro Iku, Brand Manager, Mortein; Mr. Tayo Ojuri, Managing Director, Tee One Ventures Ltd and Mr. Abayomi Shittu, Regional Sales Manager, Reckitt Benckiser at the launch of the new Mortein Authomatic Insect Control System, in Lagos.

Afrinvest partners Serengeti Capital for portfolio expansion

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FRINVEST (West Africa) Limited, one of Nigeria’s leading wealth advisory firms, has entered into a partnership agreement with Serengeti Capital Limited of Ghana to further expand its business portfolio and strengthen its capacity to execute transactions within the West African investment market.

According to a statement from Afrinvest, the company shall, under the new partnership, act as a Nigerian partner for Serengeti and be responsible for the origination, general coordination, management and implementation of any transactions for Serengeti in Nigeria, and vice versa.

The business relationship involves principal subsidiaries of Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited viz Afrinvest Asset Management Ltd. and Afrinvest Securities Ltd, as well as key subsidiaries of Serengeti Capital viz Serengeti Asset Management and New World Securities, and covers all areas of mutual interest including C M Y K

Investment Banking, Asset Management, Brokerage and Investment Research.

Ike Chioke, Managing Director/CEO, Afrinvest described the partnership as a positive development for both companies. In his words, “The partnership with Serengeti portends huge potential for clients and investors of both firms, and we will leverage on our combined experience and deep insight of the Nigerian and Ghanaian financial markets to our clients’ benefit.”

In the same vein, Francis Kalitsi, Managing Partner at Serengeti Capital Partners said, “We, at Serengeti, are pleased to enter into a business relationship with Afrinvest and subsidiary firms. We are confident that with our rich experience and track record of excellence within our respective markets, the partnership will offer greater opportunities for our individual clients and investors.”

What the next governor of Lagos State should do for us (10)

T

he second flood type mentioned last week is brought into Lagos State by the River Ogun system. Persons and properties in Lagos State and Ogun State who are in areas adjacent to the River Ogun are at considerable risk from floods.

There were substantial economic losses, disruption to livelihoods and communities from the floods in these areas in 2007, 2010 and 2011. Floods were only averted through timely community action in 2012. The floods usually occur during the months of August, September and October following on the release of water from Oyan Dam by the Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, OORBDA. This dam is located 20km northwest of Abeokuta on the River Oyan, a tributary of the River Ogun.

The magnitude of water released in 2010 was such that the floods persisted for about 8 weeks from late August into October.

Road traffic on the Ikorodu Road between Mile 12 and Ikorodu Town was almost cut off. The water released from the Oyan Dam in this magnitude travels down the River Ogun, a lake is created on the river between Magbon and Ilate from which lake a second channel takes off to the east of the main river channel. This second channel carries water directly to the concrete viaduct on the Lagos to Ibadan expressway otherwise called the long bridge. The flood path from the main channel of River Ogun and the lake covers Ogun State and Lagos State, it is over 27km long and up to 4km wide in places.

The communities have brought the situation to the attention of the Federal Government, FGN, through open letters to President Jonathan on 11 July 2012 and more recently on 27 October 2014. Subsequent to the letter of July 2012, the management of OORBDA met with members of the affected communities on 17 July 2012. At this meeting, there was a promise that there would be no floods during the rest of 2012.

However, there was a breach of OORBDA’s promise towards the end of September 2012 when there was a sudden rise of water levels in the main river channel. A concerted media campaign by the affected communities compelled the OORBDA to stop the water release.

As we cannot control rainfall occurrence, the only flood control measure available on the River Ogun system is through proper management of the water levels and of water release from Oyan Dam. There is abundant evidence that the proper thing to do in the present circumstances is to keep the gates of the dam open from November of one year into July of the following year and to keep the gates closed during August, September and October of each year. People always ask if the actions required to keep the floods away are this simple. My response is that the gates of the dam are kept open or closed using generators and in the first place adequate funds have to be provided by the FGN to the OORBDA for the specific purchase of diesel/maintenance of the generators. The other important factor is that if and when funds are provided they should be utilized for gate operations.

The communities have had to take proactive steps in which one of its members visits the Oyan Dam for first-hand knowledge of dam operations each month. This member also meets with officials of the OORBDA at their headquarters. The next governor of Lagos State should lead the efforts to keep floods away by establishing a joint government/community body that would visit the dam and meet with the officials of the OORBDA at least once a month. Next week, we shall start with town, urban and regional planning.

The communities have had to take proactive steps in which one of its members visits the Oyan Dam for firsthand knowledge of dam operations each month

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 25

DIARY z ARTEMIS &ITEA Cosummit Berlin Mar 10-11, 2015 zTelecoDays

Prague Marriott HotelPrague Czech Republic Mar 23-24 2015

Preview From left: Charles Ibonye, Project Manager, CWG Plc; Mr. James Agada, Chief Technology Officer, CWG Plc; Tayo Oduwole, Head, Innovation; Success Nmerife, Head, Marketing Communications and Adriana De la Cruz Duffo, Business Manager, Openshopen at the maiden e-commerce workshop for merchants held in Lagos.

CYBER SECURITY:

Over 1m IT professionals needed to tackle cyber threat — Cisco

By Emeka Aginam

A

Smart Trash can

A

Japanese engineer has created a trash can that moves on its own to catch your trash.

Developed by Minoru Kurata, the device features a wallmounted sensor that detects which direction the trash is coming from. A computer then calculates the thrown trash’s trajectory and moves the trash can so the item will land inside the can. The invention won an Excellence Award at the Japan Media Arts Festival

C M Y K

s systems, applications and per sonal networks become increas ingly vulnerable to cyber-attack, up-to-date cybersecurity defences are crucial to the health and reliability of the digital systems.

This development, experts warn must be addressed head-on otherwise no success story will be recorded in the fight against cyber security challenges.

While unprecedented growth of malicious traffic continues to cause more harm than good to both organizations and service providers around the world, latest Cisco 2014 annual security report has revealed shortage of over one million security professionals across the globe in 2014 to tackle the growing security threats.

The report’s findings offer a vivid picture of rapidly evolving security challenges facing businesses, IT departments and individuals.

Attacker's methods, according to the report, include socially engineered theft of passwords and credentials, hide-in-plainsight infiltrations, and exploitation of the trust required for economic transactions, government services and social interactions.

The 2014 annual report further reveals that threats designed to take advantage of users’ trust in systems, applications and personal networks have continued to grow in geometric progression.

According to the report, the sophistication of the technology and tactics used by

online criminals and their nonstop attempts to breach networks and steal data have outpaced the ability of IT and security professionals to address these threats.

Most organisations, the report indicated, do not have the people or the systems to continuously monitor extended networks and detect infiltrations, and then apply protections, in a timely and effective manner.

Key findings Overall vulnerabilities and threats reached the highest level since initial tracking began in May 2000. As of Oct. 2013, according to the report, cumulative annual alert totals increased 14 percent year-over-year from 2012.

One-hundred percent of a sample of 30 of the world’s largest Fortune 500 company networks, the report indicated generated visitor traffic to Web sites that host malware.

Ninety-six percent of networks reviewed communicated traffic to hi-

I N SSmartphone may I replace purse by D2020, Ericsson Ereport predicts

jacked servers. Similarly 92 percent transmitted traffic to Web pages without content, which typically host malicious activity.

According to Cisco findings, Java continues to be the most frequently exploited programming language targeted by online criminals.

According to the report, Data from Sourcefire, now a part of Cisco, also shows that Java exploits make up the vast majority (91 percent) of indicators of compromise (IOCs).

Most affected sectors Specific business sectors, such as the pharmaceutical and chemical industry and the electronics manufacturing industry, historically, the report said have had high malware encounter rates.

In 2012 and 2013 respectively, the report indicated that there was remarkable growth in malware encounters for the agriculture and mining industry for-

Continues on page 27

NITDA is committed to making Nigerian economy IT based, Jack reassures

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

By Emeka Aginam

B

arely two weeks to the close of 2014 , Ericsson ConsumerLab in its annual trend report has released ten consumer trends, identifying the most important trends for 2015 and beyond.

While mobile money is gaining ground across many markets, the report among predicted that 48 percent of smartphone owners would rather use their phone to pay for goods and services.

Accordingly, 80 percent, the report indicated believe that the smartphone will replace their entire purse by 2020.

Meanwhile, the report has a special focus this year on smartphone owners aged 15 to 69 in Johannesburg, London, Mexico City, New York, Moscow, San Francisco, Sâo Paulo, among others.

It represented the views of 85 million frequent internet users.

Speaking on the highlights of the report, Michael Björn, Head of Research, Ericsson ConsumerLab, in a video conferencing last week told IT Journalists in Lagos that, “The cumulative effect of smartphones becoming part of mainstream society is astonishing. As consumers, we try out new apps and keep the ones we think improve, enrich or even prolong our lives at such a rapid pace that we don’t even notice that our attitudes and behaviors are changing faster than ever.

"With only five years until

2020, the future really does seem closer than ever before.”

For Rebecka Cedering Ångström, Senior Advisor, Ericsson ConsumerLab, said that the report is changing the mentality of the consumers in the digital economy.

The streamed future According to her, media use patterns are globalizing, adding that viewer are shifting towards easy-to-use ondemand services that allow cross-platform access to video content.

She explained that 2015 would be historic as more people would watch streamed video on a weekly basis than broadcast TV. Helpful homes Consumers, based on the study she said showed high interest in having home sensors that alert them to water and electricity issues, or when family members come and go.

Mind sharing New ways to communicate, she explained would continue to appear, offering us even more ways to keep in touch with our friends and family.

According to her, many smartphone owners would like to use a wearable device to communicate with others directly through thought and believe this will be mainstream by 2020.

Smart citizens Speaking further, she said that the idea of smart cities is

Smartphone may replace purse by 2020, Ericsson report predicts Jogging apps, pulse meters and plates that measure our food, in the report were believed to help prolong our lives by up to two years per application.

intriguing, adding that a lot of that intelligence may actually come about as a side effect of the changing everyday behaviors of citizens.

Consumers, according to the report believe traffic volume maps, energy use comparison apps and real-time water quality checkers would be mainstream by 2020.

The sharing economy As the internet enables us to efficiently share information with unprecedented ease, the idea of a sharing economy, she said is potentially huge.

Half of all smartphone owners, she explained in the report were open to the idea of renting out their spare rooms, personal household appliances and leisure equipment as it is convenient and can save money.

My information Although sharing information when there is a benefit is fine, smartphone owners, she further explained in the report see no point in making all of their actions open to anyone. 47 percent of smartphone owners would like to be able to pay electronically without an automat-

i c personal

transfer of information.

Longer life From the report findings, smartphone owners see cloudbased services of various kinds giving them the potential to live healthier and longer lives.

Domestic robots.

Although Nigeria was not among the countries used in the report, she said that consumers were welcoming the idea of having domestic robots that could help with everyday chores. 64 percent also believe this will be common in households by 2020.

Children connect everything Children, according to the report would continue to drive the demand for a more tangible internet, where the physical world is as connected as the screens of their devices.

Minecraft now embedded in Windows Phone 8.1

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INECRAFT is now available across the world as a $6.99 download in the Windows Phone Store for Windows Phones running 8.1.

Players can play block-byblock building adventures with two modes from the full Minecraft game Survival mode and Creative mode.

With Survival mode, players

must find the resources to build their world. And with Creative mode, they have unlimited resources and the ability to fly.

On a local Wi-Fi network, players can even have some multiplayer fun and team up with friends to build new worlds together and fight nocturnal monsters.

Improving customer’s lives in experience centres: Etisalat example E

tisalat Nigeria recently opened its world class flagship Etisalat Experience Centre at the heart of Lagos Island. The center is designed in line with the company’s constant drive to deliver innovative and outstanding customer service at every touch point.

Oluwaseun Ayebiwo, Etisalat Flagship Experience Center Manager in this interview with Emeka Aginam assured that the Telecoms company operator will continue to improve the lives of every Nigeria.

Excerpts Focus of the center Our focus is to always create world class environments that will enable our customers explore the latest innovations and discover great ways to get more out of the Etisalat network. The Marina flagship Exeperience Centre offers our customers an experience of our brand essence and the services of the Etisalat Geeks – our tech savvy retail consultants who can guide them on the right technology that fit their lifestyle.

Offerings Any customer who visits the Etisalat Experience Centre, Marina and other experience centres nationwide, this Christmas will get discounts on all devices purchased.

There is also provision of free instant data to customers who purchase devices and 100% bonus on data recharge for the

next 12 months.

The Centre also has Self Service Points where customers can easily get served with quick transactions such as airtime purchases.

Uniqueness of the center This center is very unique because of its ambiance and the way it is so interactive with the customers, such that when customers come in, we have all the equipment to resolve all their issues and make sure they are happy at the end of the day.

It starts from the interactive counters for devices, where customers can come around, decide on what device they want to use.

Outside that, we have other dedicated counters. We have a place like the easy business subscribers and easy business fund to attend to customers with easy business inquirers and issues.

We have service points that are strictly quick service, where you come in to do something quickly without wasting time.

We have service points that take care of that.

When you move from that, we have different original equipment manufacturer, like Samsung, Nokia, Apple, Techno, among others, every one of them has their dedicated section with

their promoters. They have their stands here and they are all available to ensure that every customer’s complaints are sorted out.

We also have a VIP launch where customers can come in with a fully equipped library for those who wish to read. You can come in, take some time out after passing through the stress of the day and relax.

While doing this, we have also put in place some amenities like; free internet services, Wifi, where we give customers ticket to be connected to the internet for browsing.

•Oluwaseun Ayebiwo

At the Etisalat Experience Center there is always something or the other to get. Right now, when you walk into the center to recharge from N1000 upward, you are entitled to a bottle of coke for refreshment.

Besides that, we have incentives that we give out to customers when the customer buy device. We have the lowest price because from time to time, we match up with the market prices.

As a matter of fact, you get the least prices in the market here and also you get 1.5GB data plan as soon as you sign it up and you are using Etisalat with the device you are buying. You don’t have to buy a device of hundred thousand naira to qualify for the benefits. Once the device is over fifty thousand naira, you get this and if it is not up to that amount, you get 500MB and this runs for twelve months.

Etisalat Experience Centre across the country This is the only flagship center we have. Although we have other series of shops in Adeola Adeko in Lagos, Robb House in Abuja. All the centres have most of these facilities but this is the major Experience Center.

The refreshment center appeals to customers who have worked tirelessly during the day get them refreshed.

Innovative and customer services programme In terms of innovation, right from the inception, Etisalat has always been innovative and you can experience this from the variant of products and services we have rolled out from time to time. We have the cliqlife for the teens, easycliqe for the youths, easybusiness for a particular set of people, and various innovative products.

When it comes to customer service, Etisalat is a customer centric company where we have the customers as our focus. Anything we do, are for the customers; we cherish our customers so much that we meet with them from time to time. Of course you are aware of our Customers Forum.

Assessment of 2014 services and what to get from Etisalat in 2015 For the year, we have not done badly as a company. Recently, towards the end of October, we hit the 20million subscriber base and that is in less than six years since we came on board.

This is a great fit for any company and I don’t think other companies in the world have done that. We have grown so fast and we will maintain that height.

In 2015, you are going to see a lot more innovative programme from the company. In terms of services, we will take it higher.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—27

NITDA is committed to making Nigerian economy IT based, Jack reassures

By Emma Elebeke

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s the nation’s economy continues to nose-dive due to the dwindling oil price at the international market, the Director General of the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, Dr. Peter Jack, has said that the agency is determined to make the economy IT-based and dependent.

To achieve this, he said the plans are already in the offing to deploy the required IT across the country.

The idea, according to him is to ensure that IT will be deeply rooted and embraced

by Nigerian people.

Jack who made the declaration at a function in Abuja, expressed optimism that IT would take a dominant place in the Nigerian economy when given the rightful place and avert the challenjges usually ocassioned by the frequent fall in the oil price in the international market.

He said the plan had become necessary in view of the redemtion role IT is playing in the developed and emerging economies in the world and vowed to replicate same in the Nigerian.

Jack said a situation where the nation would depend only on oil and gas would no longer suffice, in so far as IT could be deployed to bridge that yawning gap, saying that

gone were the days when IT would take the back seat in the developmental process of the economy.

He noted that the agency has initiated several initiatives to ensure the implemenation of the plan in line with the national policy on local content development.

According to him, among them are the plans by NITDA to take about 21 local information Technology, IT companies to the Silicon Valley in the United States to enable them explore possibilities that are open for them in the IT world.

The NITDA boss, said the estured was in continuation of NITDA’s effort to discharge ts mandate as the nation’s IT regulatory agency, tasked with the role of ensuringspeedy IT development in the country.

Jack said: ‘’what we decided is to have a long and medium term plan. We are taking 21 local IT companies to Silicon Valley in US and this is just the beginning of the total training programme that we are going to have, capacity building and empowerment we are going to have for the local IT manufacturers. “ What we are trying to do is to develop IT park, incubation centres, software development centres, all of these are meant to ensure that we capture all the

Huawei launches big data solution

By Peter Egwatu

I

•Peter Jack, NITDA DG young It developers. So, at any stage they are, they will somewhere to be incubated, so that sometime, they are exposed to investors, in some cases, for those who need capacity building, we give them training.

“The truth of the matter is that, we are exposing young Start Up to modern IT, some of them to Silicon-

Valley in US. At the just concluded IT event in D u b a i , Tw o N i g e r i a n s were prominent among six top exhibitors. With that, we are playing a big role already in the global stage. “We are making effort to ensure enforcement of local content law to encourage locally manufactured IT products,” he added.

N line with the requirements of the fast-approaching big data era, Huawei has launched a three-in-one big data solution, the N9000 storage system capable of handling analytics, storage, and archiving -a trinity solution.

Speaking at the just concluded Huawei Western Europe CIO Forum 2014 in Amsterdam, Kevin Tao, President, Huawei Western Europe said: “The digital world and physical world are converging, Information Communication Technology , ICT systems are transforming from supporting systems to value-generating systems, bringing dramatic changes to our daily lives and our business. Europe is the leading ICT market and our customers are full of innovative ideas. As a strategic partner, Huawei is committed to continuous innovation based on customers’ demand as well as joint innovation in collaboration with them. We consistently invest in big data, Software Defined Network (SDN) and wireless network technologies with the aim of helping our clients achieve business success and building a better connected world with our partners and customers” He further emphasized that the N9000 storage system consolidates three functions: data storage, data analysis, and data archiving.

Smile introduces new promo Industry lacks 1m skilled professionals to for yuletide season tackle cyber attacks cyber-attacks, but rather Continues from page 25 merly a relatively low-risk sector.

Similarly, the report revealed that Malware encounters also continued to rise in the energy, oil and gas sectors.

Highlights of the report Simple attacks that caused containable damage have given way to organized cybercrime operations that are sophisticated, well-funded, and capable of significant economic and reputational damage to public and private sector victims.

Increased complexity of threats and solutions due to rapid growth in intelligent mobile device adoption and cloud computing provide a greater attack surface than ever before. New classes of devices and new infrastructure architectures offer attackers opportunities to exploit unanticipated weaknesses and inadequately defended assets.

Cybercriminals have learned that harnessing the power of Internet infrastructure yields far more benefits than simply gaining access to individual computers or devices.

These infrastructure-scale attacks seek to gain access to strategically positioned web hosting servers, nameservers and data centers with the goal of proliferating attacks across legions of individual assets served by these resources.

By targeting Internet infrastructure, attackers undermine trust in everything connected to or enabled by it.

Speaking last week in Lagos to unfold the 2014 security report, the , General Manager, Cisco Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra-Leone. Mr. Dare Ogunlade told Technology Journalists that it was time organizations must be proactive to tackle cyber security challenges.

“Organizations across Africa must realize that it is no longer if they will targeted by

when,” “Chief Information Security Officers face growing pressure to protect terabytes of data on an increasingly porous network, manage information safely especially on the cloud, and evaluate the risks of working with third-party vendors for specialized solutions – all in the wake of shrinking budgets and leaner IT teams.”, he explained.

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ccording to him, “Al though the Cisco Annual Security Report paints a grim picture of the current state of cyber security, there is hope for restoring trust in people, institutions and technologies and that starts with empowering defenders with real-world knowledge about expanding attack surfaces.

“To truly protect against all of these possible attacks, defenders must understand the attackers, their motivations and their methods – before, during and after an attack.

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ROADBAND service provider, Smile Communications Nigeria Limited has announced a 25-day promo titled: “The Smile Countdown Promo.”

Perceived by industry observers as a worthwhile yuletide offer, Smile is giving more value for the duration of the promo by offering a Wifi Router with 20GB and 12 months validity for just N23,000.

This is against the original offer of Wifi Router with 10GB and one month validity for the same amount of N23,000.

Announcing the new promo in Lagos recently, the company ’s Chief Marketing Officer; Mrs. Alero Ladipo, said the offer would give individuals the opportunity to stay connected during the festive season with family and friends by receiving value for the right price. She further disclosed that those who buy the 20GB within

the promo period for N17,000 would get an extra 10GB. The original offer was only 20GB for N17,000.

“Also customers stand to benefit from the out of bundle rate that would apply to their respective bundle for the 12month period of the promo, which will remain the same as the in-bundle rate, giving customers consistent value all year round. A good way to start the New Year,” Ladipo said.

It would be recalled that Smile was the first company in Nigeria to introduce new validity period across all 20GB, 50GB, 100GB and 200GB bundles. The extension of the validity period, according to Ladipo, would be beneficial to frequent data users at work and home. This again will ensure value for the fast, reliable service Smile consistently provides.

The promo is part of efforts by the company to make internet service available and affordable to all Nigerians.

28 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

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VANGU ARD, WEDNESD A Y, DECEMBER 17, 2014 —29 VANGUARD, WEDNESDA

Crisis looms in Foursquare •as District Overseer challenges dismissal

By Olayinka Latona

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HE end might not be heard yet of the purported suspension of a district overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church for allegedly shunning a leadership conference organised by the church headquarters. Addressing newsmen in his church office in Ikorodu, Lagos, Rev. Isaac Adeyemi of Livingspring Tabernacle, Ikorodu, described the letter of suspension allegedly published in national dailies and the various allegations heaped on him as “outright lies, maliciously concocted and baseless."

Five months ago, the leadership of Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria announced the suspension of the host pastor of one of the churches under the control of Foursquare Gospel Church, the Livingspring Tabernacle, Ikorodu, Lagos, Rev. Isaac Adeyemi.

According to the church leadership, the cleric was suspended for six months for allegedly shunning a leadership conference organised by the church headquarters. The matter got to a head when the church leadership came for the arrest of Adeyemi during a Sunday service, the action was resisted by Adeyemi's

local church members.

Explaining his position, Adeyemi maintained that his ordeals began when he contested for the position of general overseer in the last election with the present leader, alleging victimization.

He averred that the said publication is an act of intimidation and oppression designed by the leadership to tarnish his image and “forcefully and illegally take over the church he had pioneered to maturity.” Adeyemi noted that the matter has been reported to the police and investigations are ongoing, stressing that “the said publication alleg-

ing misconduct against my person, and my dismissal from the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria is a charade, a devious, wicked and calculated device to destroy my ministry without just cause.” According to the District Overseer, he had decided to remain calm over the issue which has lingered for a long time culminating into the arrest of his son

by Zone 2 police station, Onikan, Lagos where he was detained for three days, but has now decided to come out and put the records straight in the wake of the publication.

In his words: “In 2010 I was one of those who contested for the position of General Overseer

(G.O) that brought the current G.O. to office. When he came into office in November 2010, the next month, we had what we call National Key Leaders’ Retreat.

At that retreat, he requested to meet with District Overseers (D.O). We met with him and after the meeting, he singled out three of us and said: ‘Eyes are on you, you must be very careful, I will take no nonsense from any of you’.

Adeyemi revealed that the church leadership has refused all Godly entreaties to settle the matter amicably, instead was determined to unseat him, noting that the petition by the leadership to the police zonal command is still under investigation before they took laws into their hands. He therefore called on the public to disregard the publications in their entirety, describing them as baseless pieces of rubbish stating that he remains the host pastor of the church.

Unable to have him arrested, Foursquare leadership recently published in two national dailies disclaiming and dismissing Rev. Adeyemi.

RCCG donates equipment to Gbagada General Hospital

By Olayinka Latona

F

EW days after the Lord's Chapel, an area under the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Lagos Province 23, donated a street light to the Gbadaga community, the Province has donated a series of life-saving medical equipment to the neighboring General Hospital, Lagos as part of the church corporate social responsibility.

Some of the equipment donated include two Phototheraphy machines, two Suction machines, two Oxygen Concentrators, two Autoclaves, two Nebulizers, 100 Bed spread and 100 pillows amongst others.

Presenting the equipment to the Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Idowu Daudu, the Pastor-in-charge of the province, Pastor Brown Oyitso explained that the gesture is in consonance with the mandate of the church's General Overseer, Pastor Enoch Adeboye to impact the communities because government alone cannot provide all facilities.

According to Pastor Oyitso, impacting lives and reaching out to the less privileged is something the church has been doing with the objective of promoting good governance and

complementing government efforts in its capacities.

The cleric enjoined Nigerians to do good and influence their community positively when it is within their capacity to do so, stressing, "we are here in furtherance to the instruction our General Overseer gave to us that we should make our impact felt in our various communities, noting that government alone cannot provide all the social amenities needed by the masses.

“It is also part of giving back to the society apart from preaching the gospel. Our neighbour is that person who needs our help and we render such help,” he stated.

Receiving the equipment, Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Idowu Daudu, commended leaders of the church for the laudable gesture, acknowledging that the church had been of tremendous assistance to the hospital in the past.

He said: “The last time the church visited us they gave us washing machines and other useful materials but this time around they have gone a step higher by bringing in all these life-saving equipment and I do not understand what qualifies us for this generous donation.

I think we and our patients are simply lucky.

R-L: Pastor E A Adeboye, General Overseer, Redeemed Christian Church of God; his wife, Pastor (Mrs) Folu Adeboye; Pastor M O Ojo, Assistant General Overseer and other Senior members of the church during the just concluded 2014 Holy Ghost Congress held at the Redemption Camp, Kilometre 46, LagosIbadan expressway, Lagos. Photo: LAMIDI BAMIDELE

KUMUYI: God packages blessings, miracles at Deeper Life retreat

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ENERAL Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi has urged Nigerians to lessen their apprehensions and fear about the coming year, declaring that God will pull the country through peacefully and successfully.

In a press release signed by the church secretary, Pastor Jerry Asemota, formally announcing the national 2014 December retreat and monthly revival programmes with the theme; “Lifted up to higher ground" and

"Enrichment through God’s visitation,” Pastor Kumuyi assured that God has a blueprint for the country which transient events such as elections and election seasons can never obliterate.

He urged all Nigerians to take advantage of the ministry’s December programme to plug into God’s divine masterplan and appropriate the best God has over the years prepared for mankind.

He added that God has designed packages, through the annual camp meeting, because of the critical stage in the nation’s life

Thousands converge in Warri for the Feast of Tabernacles

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HE city of Warri in Delta State has since Sunday been charged with spiritual activities as the God’s Kingdom Society (GKS) flagged off activities marking this year's Feast of Tabernacles with sermons, processions, quarter to quarter announcements and holy convocations.

The eight-day spectacle which the GKS started in Lagos since

1935 provides a grand opportunity to draw attention of the people to the imperative of exclusive and true worship of God Almighty, the Owner and Possessor of the entire universe and His son, Jesus Christ, the King of Jehovah’s universal Kingdom now set up on earth and growing by the grace of God. Explaining the significance of the festival, a statement by the

church said in time of old, the Jews, following the law of God celebrated the Feast of Tabernacles, also known as the Feast of Ingathering, from the 15th day of the Jewish 7th month (Ethanim or Tishri). It lasted a full eight days (Leviticus 23:3343).

According to the statement, it should be pointed out that there

is a prophetic command that all peoples of the earth should keep the feast of Tabernacles in these last days as it is written: “And it shall come to pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles..."

so that as many as are willing might enjoy sacred divine direction and intervention in their lives even as God’s Saints collectively pray for God to yet again, weigh-in in the affairs of the nation.

According to the release, the retreat which starts tomorrow to December 21, will help the participants to operate on a higher spiritual frequency, especially as the nation and indeed the entire world is experiencing turmoil and uncertainties, noting that people will not be able to overcome the current situation without a divine visitation, hence, the theme.

While disclosing that the Lagos’ programme would hold at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC), Kilometre 42, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the statement recalled that in January 2013, Pastor Kumuyi, began the monthly special programme, aimed at pulling out the oppressed and the harassed from the dungeon of affliction through divine interventions.

30 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—31 —31

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32 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Pillars want N600m for next season T HE government of Kano State is now grappling with how to source a whopping N600 million tabled before it by the management of Nigeria Premier League Champion, Kano Pillars Football club. That is the amount the club intend to spend in its local and continental campaign next year.

The General Manager of the Club, Alhaji Babangida Umar confirmed that the club has made a submission of the amount to the state government for consideration.

He said in line with the preparation for the CAF Champions League and the defence of their local league title, the club’s management had sent a N600million proposal to the state government through the supervising ministry for consideration.

Umar said of this amount N400million will take care of the remuneration of the players and technical crew, the recruitment of new players as well as the running cost of the club while over N200million is required for the CAF Champions League campaign.

r a m y e N y h W n turned dow Man City

Warri Wolves retain 23 players

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ARRI Wolves Foot ball Club has sent 23 names to CAF for registration towards the forthcoming CAF Confederation Cup assignment while 12 others have been asked to look elsewhere to ply their trade as the Club prepare for the coming season.

Rising from a meeting which was chaired by the Managing Director, Davidson Owumi on Monday, management also concluded that there would be no screening rather, the Club will upgrade two players from the feeder team who are adjudged to be good enough to play in the Premiership, recruit three young players from Delta State, and sign five players who have been invited for discussions.

The Club also agreed not to release the names of those who have been asked to go and also those who are coming in until a later date but

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•Egwuekwe they should be informed that their services are no longer required. “ It was a crucial meeting where we took some drastic decisions. We are going to retain 23 players and their names have been sent to CAF for registration while we have asked 12 to look elsewhere to ply their trade.

ANCHESTER City will host Barcelona and Neymar in the Champions League, two years after trying to sign the demanding Brazilian from Santos The Barcelona forward Neymar will return to the Etihad Stadium to face Manchester City in the Champions League round of 16 on Feb 24 – two years after demanding boots specially designed for “English mud” in order to sign for the Premier League champions.

Neymar, 22, completed a transfer

Rodgers rubbishes unrest reports

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rendan Rodgers has reject ed reports of unrest in the Liverpool dressing-room, despite previously admitting ‘issues’.

Rodgers was speaking before Liverpool’s Capital One Cup

•Rodgers

quarter-final tie at Bournemouth.

After the 3-0 defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday, Rodgers admitted that there were “issues” within his squad.

“In every dressing room there have always been been issues, but it is not something I discuss outside of the dressing room. The players are honest but we are not getting results,” Rodgers said after the Manchester United defeat.

However, Rodgers has now moved to reject any problems at Anfield.

worth up to £71 million from Santos to Barcelona in June 2013 after emerging as one of the most soughtafter players in world football in his native Brazil.

However, before his move to the Nou Camp, City had made attempts to convince Neymar to leave Santos for Manchester, with Txiki Begiristain, the director of football, leading efforts to clinch the player’s signature.

Senior figures at City were stunned, however, by Neymar’s claim that he would require special football boots in order to play in the Premier League as a result of his belief that the weather and pitches in England would be too heavy for traditional footwear.

It is understood that the Neymar camp suggested to City that the forward would need new footwear capable of enabling him to keep his footing on the muddy pitches of the Premier League.

Giroud warns Arsenal about Monaco threat

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livier Giroud has warned his Arsenal team-mates to ex pect a tough encounter when they take on Monaco in the last 16 of the Champions League next year.

The Gunners were paired with the Ligue 1 club in Monday’s draw, with Arsene Wenger’s side avoiding ties with the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid.

But striker Giroud says that Monaco will represent a significant test for the north London club.

“I’m not relieved, no. But it’s true that we had not been spoiled by the draw in recent seasons,” Giroud told L’Equipe.

“Since I arrived at Arsenal, we have come up against Bayern twice in the last 16. That was a very tough draw.

“I have a friend who called me and said: ‘Oh, it’s good, a French team, you’re lucky!’. Meaning, ‘it’s going to be easy’. Well, we’ll •Giroud have to see after the game.

VOL. 1 NO 16

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Artisans, labourers groan over diminishing work opportunities in Ebonyi

8 YEARS ON: Water scarcity bites harder in Ebonyi ...as govt moves to complete mega water scheme

By PETER OKUTU

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BAKALIKI—LACK of potable water for domestic use has been one of the major challenges facing the residents of Ebonyi State in the last eight years.

The quest for drinking water once led to the death of three girls last year. The deceased drowned at Umuigboke community of Oriuzor, Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State as they went in search of water from an abandoned ditch in the area.

Those who died included Chinonye Peace Mgbada, an Ordinary National Diploma, OND, graduate of the Institute of Management and Technology, IMT, Enugu, Alice Nwokwu, and Uzoamaka Nwinyima. They drowned in the ditch despite concerted effort by the people of the area to rescue them.

Their death exemplified the hazards some rural dwellers face in order to get drinkable water at every point in time.

However, due to the scarcity in Ebonyi which used to be notorious as a ‘’guinea worm’’ state, the present administration of Governor Martin Elechi C M Y K

began the construction of one of the biggest water schemes in the country at Oferegbe in Ikwo and Ukawu, Onicha Local Government Residents with jerry cans waiting for the elusive water. (INSET).

Area of the state as Water tanker to the rescue. Governor Martin Elechi. a way of putting a final stop to the issue of water scarcity and its commenced about seven years releases water to residents ago in 2008, is now nearing within the urban setting, what attendant consequences.

The project which completion as pipes are now is usually noticeable is the being laid to ensure proper sudden emergence of reticulation of the water across unending long queues at the 13 local government areas different locations across the of the state. state as individuals make haste Meanwhile, residents of to get the scare commodity Abakaliki, the state capital are before the taps dried up. not left out of this crises of The popular sachet water, getting potable water Aqua Rapha from the especially during this Yuletide neighbouring Enugu State is as the water supply from the on high demand even as it is water corporation hardly costly to buy.

A resident of Abakaliki who satisfied the ever-growing population. spoke to South East Voice, Each time Water Board Mr. Orji Ekuma said: “My

Each time Water Board releases water to residents within the urban setting, what is usually noticeable is the s u d d e n emergence of unending long queues

PAGE 2

brother, we are suffering in this state. We are complaining that power supply is epileptic but what of water? We can hardly get drinking water in this state.

Anytime water flows from the state Water Board, long queues from nowhere would appear everywhere within the city.

“This scenario is not funny.

Okay, the normal sachet water we used to buy for N65 (a pack of 20) will soon rise in price because people will be buying it to survive the Christmas season. We know government is doing something about it, but they should hasten up before the festive period starts; they should hasten up with the reticulation because the hardship is too much.”

Elechi speaks Reacting to the acute water scarcity, Governor Elechi said that with the current 60 million litres of water being generated across the state in addition to the anticipated 200 million litres expected from the two ongoing water schemes, the state would soon start supplying over 260 million litres of water per day for the use of the populace in the state.

“We have two ongoing water schemes and each has a 100 mllion litres water capacity and we can imagine that if you add it to the 60 million litres currently being supplied across the state, that it will amount to 260 million litres per day; and in the next 40-45 years the population will be adequately carted for.

“The reticulation we are doing is very expensive; we are connecting all the local government areas and communities. From the engineering designs available, it will translate to about 590 kilometres of pipe laying and this indeed is an expensive programme”.

South East Voice gathered that the giant pipes numbering 4,168 for the reticulation of water from the Oferekpe Water Treatment Plant to Abakaliki, the state capital would cover a distance of about 52 kilometres.

It was learnt that after the primary reticulation of the

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ALSO IN THIS EDITION Catholic group moves OSAKWE INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER: to eliminate Industrialists accuse corruption in politics govts of neglect — PAGE 4

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2— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Graduates undergo SURE-P training in Enugu

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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•Jobless youths waiting endlessly for menial jobs in Abakaliki.

Artisans, labourers groan over diminishing work opportunities in Ebonyi BySUNDAY OGBU

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BAKALIKI— THESE are hard times for artisans and other labourers in Ebonyi State as a good number of them are now faced with the h a r r o w i n g experiences of spending several days without finding •Some young men and women waiting for menial jobs in any work to do.

Abakaliki.

The artisans who They said that they were usually reside at the suburbs of Abakaliki constitute engaged by contractors or individuals the first set of people who leave their homes who had houses to build, or engaged in at the early hours of every morning in any other type of work that required extra search of menial jobs. hands, adding that most of them had been They are old and young men and staying hungry due to lack of jobs. women,boys and girls of school age seen One of them who gave his name as in clusters in strategic round-abouts or Nwafor Victor, however, appealed to the road intersections in Abakaliki, the state government to provide alternative jobs capital. They are also found in front of for them. ‘’Government can sub-let the Abakaliki township stadium, Vanco, contracts to us and give a supervisor. We Ugwuachara, Ishieke, Onuebonyi and can do such jobs in groups and collect Ebebe junctions among others waiting our pay to feed our families. We will be patiently under the scorching sun for thankful to the government if it can unavailable prospective builders and engage us in the various contracts it is contractors. executing in the state,’’ he said.

The reason for their idleness is however, According to him,he had spent over 15 not far-fetched; alarming poverty, years doing menial jobs without anything deprivation, failure in government policy to show for it. He said providing the need execution and bad economy among others. for his family had been a herculean Some of the labourers who spoke to the challenge,as he could not afford to give South East Voice, lamented what they his children the needed education. described as lack of business, saying that they now stay for days without finding any menial jobs to do.

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NUGU—OVER 100 graduate interns have benefited from the Federal Government’s Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme,SURE-P under the Graduate Internship Scheme,GIS, in Enugu State.

The graduates from different tertiary institutions were subjected to a three-day intensive training programme at the Barcelona Hotel, Enugu.

The training was to enable them develop useful skills and positive habits in their places of internship.

In his address on the occasion, the Project Director, GIS, Mr. P Papka said: “SURE-P provides critical safety nets to deliberately create a critical bridge that will enable the Nigerian graduate cross from graduation to workplace with ease. This gap has been responsible for the claim that the graduates are unemployable because they have few skills and no experience to enable them hit the ground running in the workplace.

“The training provides instruction on personal and team effectiveness, skills, etiquettes and ethics of the workplace. It will assist the interns to adapt, build career path development, bridge the gap between school and labour market and provide the graduates with something to do and somewhere to go.

“Windows will open to committed interns and we want to assure you that the

scheme will support any intern that plans his own future after internship.

Opportunities in agriculture, Information Communication Technology, ICT, power, construction, health, environment and sanitation as well as financial literacy will be provided to interns during this training.”

Consultant speaks Head,Tochian Consulting, Mr. Anochie Okereke told South East Voice that the training would make the graduates from the communities in Enugu State to be self employed, create wealth and jobs especially in the rural areas.

“As a major interventionist agency, SURE-P is determined to bridge the gap of equipping our teeming youths with the requisite skills and knowledge to enable them embark on self reliant ventures and have good work ethics.”

Beneficiary comments Miss Chioma Nzeagu,26, from Iga community in UzoUwanui Local Government Area of Enugu State said that the training was rewarding, adding that it should however be a continuous exercise.

According to her, “the knowledge acquired during this training cannot be quantified. Such skills and knowledge are veritable tools any prospective graduate should arm him/ herself with, in this 21st century.”

•Participants at SURE-P training in Enugu

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 —3

Flood threatens Catholic church in Imo

Accident occasioned by one of the bad roads

...on the verge of being submerged

A rowdy scene caused by impatient road users

YULETIDE & BAD ROADS: Ebonyi commercial bus drivers brace up for more revenue

By SUNDAY OGBU

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The hole dug to reduce effect of flood

By CHINONSO ALOZIE

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WERRI—ST. Joseph Catholic Church, Umunna in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State is currently on the verge of being submerged again, by flood anytime there is a heavy downpour.

When South East Voice visited the church recently, the House of the Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Bede Idimogu, was undergoing renovation, due to the havoc caused by an earlier flood just as damaged valuables were also being removed.

A side view of the church building, showed that a pit was dug as a temporary measure to control the flood and mitigate the level of any devastation that could be caused by the flood.

Some parishioners who spoke on the issue confirmed that, the area is usually flooded each time it rained adding that the church’s sacramentals were also damaged by flood.

Presently, the swampy area of the church does not encourage for smooth organisation of church activities, neither does the slippery nature allow the faithful to move freely within the church premises.

Some members of the laity who pleaded with the government of Imo State to fast track the ongoing C M Y K

roundabout construction and drainage along the road, where the church is situated, also advised that the erosion challenges would be maximally reduced if the construction was completed before the next rainy season.

The Assistant Parish

Priest, Rev, Fr. Chinonso Okoroichi, also pleaded to the state government to expedite action on the construction of the road to avert any further erosion challenges, adding that so far, the effect of the last flood had not been forgotten.

•Priest’s House under renovation.

BAKALIKI —HOPE has started rising for commercial bus drivers in Ebonyi State over possibilities of making extra cash during the Yuletide as most rural access rods are inaccessible.

The Christmas season attracts massive return of people to their villages which usually led to increase in fares.

However, such fares could be higher this year with most of the rural roads that lead to the hinterlands in Ebonyi State are in deplorable conditions.

Investigation by South East Voice showed that the residents of Effium autonomous community in Ohaukwu Local Govern-ment Area of Ebonyi State were finding it difficult to visit their kiths and kin in other areas due to the poor conditions of their rural roads.

Also, the deplorable condition of the EzzamgboEffium road which has not only made the transportation of goods and passengers difficult, had remained a nightmare for the people of the area.

Commuters and traders have decried the impassa-ble nature of the road with the attendant unpreceden-ted loss they had recorded from fallen lorries conveying their agricultural products to the townships for sale. Lorries which fall or had mechanical

faults along the bad roads stay there for weeks as mechanics were hard to come by. The pitiable condition of the road which leads to one of the largest market and economic hubs in Ebonyi State was occasioned by its abandonment by the various administrations in the state.As a result of the poor condition of the road, armed robbers had often taken the advantage to waylay commuters and dispossess them of their money and other valuables.

A lot of excuses had also, been adduced by the present government for not fixing the road.

Governor Martin Elechi in a statement once stated that the road was a ring road spanning through the three senatorial districts of Ebonyi State pointing out that the construction of such roads would be undertaken holistically.

In another occasion, Elechi had blamed his predecessor for failing to fix the roads in his senatorial district adding that if this had been done, other incoming regimes would have been expected to also fix the roads in their own areas.

A resident of Effium who spoke on the condition of anonymity told South East Voice that he had been robbed of a huge amount of money along the Ezzamgbo-Effium road.

He said: “I have been robbed more than three times on my way to Effium”.

Water scarcity bites harder in Ebonyi

•Drainage under construction overgrown with weeds.

Continues from page 1 water from Oferekpe plant to Abakaliki, the state government would need additional N36 billion to reticulate the water to the

secondary and tertiary points which were the 13 local government headquarters and other communities in the state.

4 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Catholic group moves to eliminate corruption in politics

By VINCENT UJUMADU

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WKA—WORRIED by the corrupt tendencies in the political process in Nigeria, the Justice, Development and Peace Commission, JDPC, of the Catholic Diocese of Nnewi, Anambra State has established groups of volunteers that would penetrate the various communities in the Diocese to educate people on the need to discourage voters from falling into the trap of politicians whose objectives were often to buy the conscience of people before elections.

An arm of JDPC, the Voice to the People, which collaborates with DFID and anchored by the Christian Aid, assembled people from all the parishes in Nnewi Diocese to brainstorm on how to sanitize the voting process in the country, ahead of the 2015 general elections.

At the gathering, issues such as registration of fake voters by politicians, bringing people from outside to vote in polling units meant for voters in the locality, snatching of ballot boxes, bribing of voters, among others, dominated discussions.

Executive Director of JDPC in Nnewi Diocese, Reverend Fr. Damian Obi said it has become necessary for the Church to take a bold step to educate the people on their rights ahead of the 2015 general elections, adding that the volunteers would move round all the parishes in the Diocese, including the markets and other public places to tell prospective voters that their votes would go a long way to placing the country where it should be. Fr. Obi said all JDPC members in the various parishes would be inaugurated as facilitators to take up the issue of voter education in their areas to inform voters’ things they should do to avoid throwing up people whose main aim is to shut them out once they found themselves in elected offices. He said: “These volunteers should be reminding people that it is immoral for them to be collecting money and other items because once you collect such money, you have sold your conscience. Often times, those who share C M Y K

•Participants at the JDPC Nnewi seminar on voter education and training. money to the voters are people who are not qualified to be elected.

“Besides, whatever you collect from politicians will finish before long and you may not see that politician again until the next election comes. You should therefore be telling your people that

they should insist on not collecting anything and voting according to their conscience.”

In a paper titled, ‘Key issues in voter and civic education’, the programme manager of JDPC, Nnewi, Mrs. Ugochi Ehiahuruike suggested that voter

education should be incorporated into the country ’s educational system so that children would understand the basis of the national and local political electoral systems when they reach the voting age. According to her, voter

and civic education were even more critical in a fluid country like Nigeria where the people were divided along many faulty lines.

However, some of the JDPC members who were assembled at the Nnewi Cathedral for the workshop said it would also be better for them fight malpractices in electoral process from within. For instance, they argue that JDPC should endeavour to recruit its members as ad hoc staff because they cannot be induced of influenced by corrupt politicians.

The reason for this suggestion, they said, was because politicians sometimes found a way of getting their cronies employed by INEC as ad hoc staff and it is this set of people that perpetrate electoral fraud.

Also, the issue of permanent voter card, PVC, came up at the workshop following observation of many JDPC members that large numbers of PVCs were yet to be collected from the various local government headquarters where they were dumped after their owners failed to collect them during the official period allocated for it by INEC. In the words of Mrs. Ehiahuruike, “people should be made to know that they can only vote with their permanent voters’ card and by failing to get the cards meant that they would deny themselves the right to vote.”

Excitement in Awka as state capital takes new look ...urban renewal in progress as govt completes 3 flyovers

By VINCENT UJUMADU WKA—THERE is so much excitement in Awka, the Anambra State capital, following the increasing tempo of work by the state government to give the city a major face lift.

The work, which began shortly after Governor Willie Obiano was sworn in, was in line with the promise he made to the people of the state on the day he took over the reigns of governance in the state on March 17,2014. The Awka project is progressing simultaneously with other on going road projects the governor inherited from the administration of former Governor Peter Obi. The major aspect of the urban renewal project is the construction of three flyovers at strategic locations in the heart of Awka. One of the flyovers is at the popular Aroma junction; the other is at the Kwata junction, while the third is at the Amawbia junction.

The flyovers lie on the Awka portion of the Enugu- Onitsha Expressway and the design showed that the Expressway will be increased to 12-lanes from Amansea border town with Enugu State to Amawbia.

Already, the street lights in various parts of the city are being

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•Urban renewal: Construction work now a constant feature in Awka. repaired to light up the town at night, while the state government recently launched the city taxi service that will operate in the major cities in the state.

Some residents of Awka who spoke to South East Voice expressed joy at the pace of work by the contractors handling the job and were of the opinion that Awka would compare favourably with other major cities in the country by the time the Obiano administration executes his plan for the capital city.

Mr. Michael Okeke, a civil servant and an indigene of Awka, hoped that the urban renewal project would lead to the expansion

of the city to such places as Mgbakwu, Amansea, Ntokoh, Isiagu, Enugu Agidi, which are all part of the Awka Capital Territory.

According to him, the problem with the development of the state capital over the years was the compact nature of the town, adding that the only way to improve the ecstatic of the town was by extending development to cover the entire capital territory. He said: “I am happy with the decision of the state government to develop Awka to become a big city. I appeal to the neighbouring communities in the capital territory to donate their land to government for development. If people frustrate government’s efforts to expand the city, there would be a time movement in the town would become very difficult.”

Mr. John Ogbu, a Keke operator said if the governor maintains the tempo of work he has started, Awka will surpass other older cities before long. He, however, war ned against using overzealous task forces to harass innocent people in the name of revenue drive in the city.

Governor Obiano, while launching Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, OCHA, which is an enforcement unit with the mandate to facilitate improvement in the quality of life of the people recently, said the unit would ensure environmental cleanliness, healthy living habits and general orderliness.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 5

•Some Nkporo youths dancing on the occasion

•Some Nkporo youths on the occasion

Abia community worries over abandoned NkporoOhafia-Abiriba road project … as Nkporo youths association marks first anniversary

By CHIMOBI NWAIWU —THE people of Nkporo Community in Ohafia Local Government Area, Abia State are now grumbling over the abandoned Nkporo, Ohafia, Abiriba, Oso road project said to have been originally awarded by then Federal Military Government, FMG, led by General Ibrahim Babangida but rewarded by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking with South East Voice during the first anniversary of Nkporo Youths Association, at Onitsha Holiday Resort, the National President of the association, Chief Arunsi Uka said that the youths had resolved not to keep quiet again when any federal or state government project was abandoned henceforth.

He said that the anniversary celebration was to bring the youths together and make them think home by helping to develop their community since successive administrations at both the federal and state levels had been neglecting them in the scheme of things.

He said the youths had also diagnosed the major ailment of Nkporo and found out that the major problems were poor

leadership and unity, adding that the next challenge was to identify and administer the necessary drugs for their cure, hence they had come together

with the spirit of oneness to move the community to the next level of development.

“Unity as a strategy for survival in Nkporo cannot be

over emphasized as the community was founded on unity, indivisibility and we must live together as brothers and sisters among ourselves.

“We want to use this occasion to bring all Nkporo sons and daughters together for the development of our community. We also want to draw the attention of the Federal Government to the Nkporo- Abriba Ohafia -Oso road which they reawarded on June 22, 2012 at the cost of N2,739,105,600. The road has not yet been done, contrary to the belief that the project has been completed.

“One of the things the youths of Nkporo want to achieve is to make the community roads motorable for other developmental projects to follow. We are also appealing to the representative of Abia North Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Prince Arua Arunsi to use his position to attract good things for our people,” he said.

Uka further asked the

OSAKWE INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER: Industrialists accuse govts of neglect

By CHIMOBI NWAIWU

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NEWI—SMALL scale industrialists who came together to grow their industries at the Osakwe Industrial Cluster, Nnewi have accused both the federal and Anambra State governments of neglect.

The small scale industrialists who specialise in production of paper bags and plastic cans and chairs for export to some West African countries said that the various governments were not encouraging them by giving them constant electricity.

According to the former Chairman of the Industrial Cluster and Managing Director of Johnson Poly Industries Limited, Mr. Johnson Okolo, the origin of industrial cluster was traceable to the former landlord of the place, Ambassador Osakwe, who purposely provided the place for people to develop their business several years ago.

He said: “That time we had some foreign companies operating there but Osakwe asked those companies to leave and turned the place to warehouses. People were coming to hire the warehouses; the place

started expanding to the extent that it became one of the biggest private industrial areas in the country.

“However, the issue of being the biggest cannot be meaningful without it functionality. We need a lot of assistance.

This place is no more capable of containing the ever expanding industries.

We need a place that can contain all of us comfortably and we also need funds; governments are not forthcoming with funding or financial assistance.”

Speaking with South East Voice, Okolo said the industrialists in the cluster were managing with ‘’their own personal fund which they were able to generate over the years, although sometimes we get loans from banks but not without the high interests they charge.

“The cost of buying diesel for our production is eating deep into our working capital and some of our generators use at least one drum in less than six hours.

Electricity companies are not helping our situation as power supply seems to be even better when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, was in charge of electricity supply.

continues on page 7

Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano to allocate land for use by the people as a motor park so as to enable them travel home directly adding that, “presently there is no place we can entre direct transport from Onitsha to Nkporo rather, we break the journey up into three points before we get home.”

REACH US DO you have any news of neglect or abandoned projects or your representative at the local, state or federal governments are not representing you well?

Do you have unique cultural activities coming up or any community news to tell us?

Emeka Mamah (Co-ordinator): 08033218645 Austin Ogwuda(Enugu): 08037136440 Francis Igata 08033387069 Vincent Ujumadu(Awka): 08035804090 Anayo Okoli(Umuahia): 08034046839 Chidi Nkwopara(Imo): 08033391108 Peter Okutu (Abakaliki): 08032680756 Chinenyeh Ozor (Nsukka): 08185664011 Nwabueze Okonkwo (Nnewi): 08037794782 Enyim Enyim (Onitsha): 08169297179 Or: e-mail us: easternvoice@yahoo.com

6 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

WORKSHOP: From left: Assistant Corp Marshal, FRSC, Samuel lawoyin, Sylvanus Onyishi of Peace Mass Transit, and FRSC official, at the FRSC, Peace training for the 4,000 drivers in Enugu.

XMAS: Transport firm partners FRSC to train 4,000 drivers in Enugu

BY FRANCIS IGATA

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NUGU—L ACK of good roads and other infrastructure has over stretched the land transportation system which is responsible for the movement of over 70 million Nigerians to their various destinations, leading to avoidable road accidents.

However, in a bid to reduce accidents during the Yuletide and subsequently, a leading transport company in Enugu State, Peace Mass Transit, PMT, has organised a one-week training exercise for its 4,000 drivers in the company ’s fleet at the company ’s headquarters, Destiny Layout, Emene, near Enugu, the state capital.

PMT, a subsidiary of Peace Group Limited, popularly referred to as a “national career ” because of the huge volume of passengers that patronise it across the country, partnered the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, in the training programme which came at a time the FRSC was campaigning for defensive driving to reduce road carnage to the barest minimum, especially during the ‘’ember ’’ months.

The training of the drivers had been on quarterly basis every year.

Tagged: “safety consciousness as a driving habit”,” the training serves as a continuous reminder to C M Y K

drivers on the need to imbibe high safety driving standards while plying the highways.

Declaring the exercise open, the , Assistant Corp Marshal,FRSC, Samuel Obayemi Olawoyin said: ‘’FRSC has a vision of making roads safe in Nigeria. Road Transportation plays a very important role in

the socioeconomic development of Nigeria, but like other developing economies of the world, the national efforts of economic development are being thwarted by threats of road traffic crashes, most of which are caused by human factor.

“Road crashes and fatalities have become a common sight

on our highways and cities.

The waste of human and material values which generally characterizes accidents may constitute a great deal of problems/ concern to the employer.

“Road safety you will agree with me is a shared responsibility better achieved when all the key group share

a culture of road safety. Road users must take responsibility for complying with traffic laws and engaging in safe road behaviours/culture.

Unfortunately, this level of commitment is yet to be achieved.

“Accidents are predictable, and very few indeed are the fault of either the road or the vehicle, in most cases, it has been found that the causes of the road traffic crashes was due to ‘human error ’ or in other words, ‘the driver failed to cope with situation which confronted him.”

He however revealed that the aim of the training therefore was to enable PMT drivers to drive to such acceptable standard that they cannot be criticized or faulted by others pointing out that their methods of driving could set an example and gain the respect and cooperation of other drivers and the general public.

“In addition to driving to high standard, PMT drivers at the end of this training, must exercise restraint, patience, tolerance, discipline and show consideration towards other road users and most importantly drive at all times to the recommendations of Highway Code” he further said.

Responding, the Managing Director/CEO, Peace Group, Chief Samuel Onyishi, represented by the General Manager, Sylvanus Ozioko, maintained that, “the company was determined to ensure the safety of its passengers as a leading transport company in the country.

“We equally have an inhouse safety department that ensures the continuous training and re-training of our drivers.

House owners to join govt, Obosi monarch in fight against crime ...commission multi-million ultra-modern secretariat built by ACLA at Awada

The new office of the landlords 12/12/2014 (Idemobi (middle) cutting the tape to open the new secretariat, while Igwe Iweka III (right) and Oyeduba (left) watch with admiration

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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N I T S H A — L ANDLORDS in Awada area of Obosi Community, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, under the aegis of Awada Central Landlords Association, ACL A, at the weekend,

restated their commitment to team up with the traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Chidubem Iweka III and the local government authorities to fight criminals to a standstill. Chairman of the Council, Chief Emmanuel Idemobi made this known while commissioning a multi-million ultra-modern

secretariat built by ACLA, at Awada, saying that the council would consider the procurement of a patrol van for the local vigilante operatives in the area for effective crime control, particularly within this Yuletide.

Idemobi who was flanked by the Chairman of the occasion, Chief Sam Mendu and the traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Iweka, then warned criminals to steer clear of the area in their own interest. On infrastructural development in the area, he said that with the establish-ment of the secretariat which was also housing a health centre, the council would soon commence the distribu-tion of healthcare equipment.

The council boss further disclosed that the state government had concluded arrangements to commence rehabilitation work at Mgbemena and Nwaziki roads in Awada early next year; the roads having been

identified as the most deplorable among all the roads in the area, adding that the council on its own part would carry out palliative repairs to ensure free flow of traffic during the Christmas.

In his speech, Igwe Iweka expressed satisfaction that having operated from a rented apartment, he was highly elated that the landlords have been able to pool their resources together to put up the ultra-modern edifice. Iweka also commen-ded Governor Willie Obiano for fighting robbery and kidnapping to a standstill, adding that nowadays, violent crimes are hardly noticed in Obosi in particular and the state in general, as a result of security measures put in place by the state government.

He pledged to throw his weight behind the state, local government and the landlords to ensure that their programmes were properly implemented in the community.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 —7

OSAKWE INDUSTRIAL CLUSTER: Industrialists accuse govts of neglect continues from page 5 “Export Promotion Council must have to come in and help us market our products outside the country, small scale industries like ours have so many problems that the government need to come and help, the money the government provides should be monitored, all the things we import we can do them here if we are encouraged.

“Nigerians are very intelligent people, we can manufacture anything we need if we are provided with all we need in terms of encouragement from the government, look at how we fought Ebola Virus Disease, if Ebola has something to do with politics, we would have failed, but see the spirit of oneness we used in fighting Ebola Vir us disease the Americans could not fight, the same spirit of oneness is what we need in improving our industries.

“Train us, help us get loans and also help us market our goods, if we produce and consume, then we are not producers because our goods are not exported outside our country, we need direction in this area. Governments in this country have neglected this cluster for a very long time and we are not happy about that.

The funds that are supposed to be made available to us are not getting to us, last time NERFUND gave N3 million to 16 of us out of 30 that applied for the funds, when some of us have spend half of the money processing the loan documents, they will ask you to bring Certificate of Occupancy and if you don’t have they will give you N2 million and those they managed to give N3 million could not achieve anything with it, as it went into buying diesel, there is no way you can run this type of our industry with such amount of money” he said.

He said the “ way forward, is for the government to come up with funds that will help us have all the necessary things we need to work with; help us with marketing our products to other African countries and beyond; monitor how the industrialists are utilizing the funds made available as well as help us expand the cluster. We are growing on daily basis and our present place can no longer accommodate us. We are over 2000 people here.

“Some of us have gone beyond small scale industries C M Y K

•An electric generator at the industrial cluster because we use almost the same machineries those classified as big industries use and we consume the same electricity capacity and pay the same amount as well.

“The government should

ensure that the roads to our industry are in good shape for easy evacuation of our products. Government should give Nigerian Export Promotion Council a marching order to help in

marketing our products to other countries … ‘’Government knows what to do because their officials travel to other countries and they see what happens in

those countries, so when they do all these things, the government will benefit and we will benefit and taxes will be paid to the government.”

Group donates classroom blocks, empowers students, widows in Idemili ...donates mobile clinic to Red Cross

BY NWABUEZE OKONKWO

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NITSHA—THE Zikora C h a r i t a b l e Initiative,ZIKOCHIN has donated cash, sewing machines, electric generators as well as grinding machines worth millions of Naira to students and widows in Idemili North and Idemili South Federal Constituency in Anambra State.

The ceremony which took place at Umuota Central School, Obosi in the area saw several of the beneficiaries smiling home with their empowerment materials even as ZIKOCHIN also handed over a bus to Choice De Immaculate Demonstration School, Obosi.

Apart from this, ZIKOCHIN further donated a mobile clinic to

the Nigerian Red Cross Society, NRCS, Idemili Division, as well as cash to beneficiaries of its scholarship scheme.

Other items donated by the organisation include treated mosquito nets and other valuable materials as part of the empowerment programmes associated with the foundation.

In his welcome address, the founder of the orgarnisation, Mr. Ken Obi said the aim of empowering the students was to use education to fight poverty and diseases such as STDs, HIV/ AIDS. Obi further said that the foundation also aimed at organizing and carrying out intervention programmes, commissioned action/operation research on quality of life and other topical issues on education, health, environment, good governance,

gender equality, poverty reduction and social justice.

Obi, an Abuja-based businessman said ZIKOCHIN has its guiding principles which were based on transparency, accountability, partnership, integrity and trustworthi-ness as enshrined in its vision statement; which was to provide sustainable development, social security and economic empowerment.

In his speech, the traditional ruler of Obosi, Igwe Iweka III, commended Obi for setting up the foundation and urged others to emulate the gesture by taking up other development projects in the area even as he also asked them to help the less privileged in the society.

8 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

•One of the several bad roads in Aba

•Refuse dump blocking Port Harcourt road at Crystal Park Junction, Aba

Motorists, commuters, refuse compete for space on failed PH road in Aba

By FELIX OGBONNA BA—MOTORISTS plying the Port Harcourt road in Aba, Abia State are grumbling over the poor condition of the road in the commercial nerve centre of the state. Apart from the pot holes that dot the road, motorists are also, made to meander through the ‘’mountains’’ of refuse dumps along the major junctions of the ever busy road. One of the heaps of refuse dumps are noticed particularly at the Crystal Park junction.

The road which also serves as the main route into Aba town from Rivers and Bayelsa States, also hosts commodity markets like Ohabiam Electronics Market, Alaoji Motor Spare Parts market, Uratta Food Materials Market; making it one of the busiest in the commercial city.

Apart from these, the road also serves as the link to the Ugwunagbo Local Government headquarters at OsusuAku. The refuse dumps on the road are the major causes of the regular traffic gridlocks at the Uratta, Cemetery, Ohabiam, Mechanic village and Hollywood junctions, hence turning the road to a source of nightmare for motorists.

It is usually an ugly experience for a motorist to be trapped on any of the bad spots by heavy duty trucks as they always claim right of

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C M Y K

way.

South East Voice visited the road and noticed tricycles (Keke NAPEP) and other motorists navigating through the flood and big craters at most of the mentioned junctions with passengers raising their legs to avoid being stained by the muddy water.

Even as the dry season has set in, the level of water at Uratta Junction could swallow a tricycle. A tricycle

rider who gave his name as Maduabuchi told South East Voice that commuting through Port Harcourt road had become a nightmare to motorists. He added that they have resorted to diverting through major streets to cut the Uratta Junction which he said was the most dilapidated spot on the road.

A group of traders at the popular Orie Ohabiam Electronics Market who

spoke to South East Voice blamed the pitiable condition of the road over the low patronage being witnessed at the market.

“We hardly sell goods these days because our customers no longer come due to the bad state of this road. The situation becomes worse whenever it rains. Last time, some potholes on the road was filled up but they soon became worse than they were before. We are appealing to

the government to rehabilitate this road to save our businesses.”

It was further gathered that the stretch between Uratta and Crystal Park junctions was rehabilitated last year but went bad again due to the shoddy job done.

At other junctions like Crystal Park, Ohabiam and Hollywood, heaps of refuse competed for the available space with motorists, South East Voice noticed.

HIGH COST OF BEVERAGES: South East women turn to Biafran tea

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s the cost of beverages The new brand of tea is popular in most continue to increase by towns in the east, including Onitsha, Aba, the day, the people in the Nsukka, Enugu, Abakaliki and Owerri South East, especially among others. women, have now devised a In Lagos, most Igbo women purchase the system of making the food tea materials from Mushin. A big tin of supplement available on the Bournvita costs about N1,200 while same breakfast table of their amount of money could be used to get twice children at very cheap price. the quantity of tea Nkwota.

Popularly known as tea A female trader, Mrs. Joy Ugwu who spoke nkwota or Bifran tea, the on the issue said that she did not know how •Materials for tea materials used in preparing the local preparation of the tea started. ‘’The Nkwota or Biafran tea the beverage include Igbo man can survive any type of hardship. displayed on a tray powdered milk, cocoa, You must realise that our people once granulated sugar, malt experienced war. During the war, we extraction, vanilla oil, milk discovered that there were many things that could be prepared flavour and bicarbonate of soda. The materials were as food items. Our people also refined palm oil and used same usually mixed and ground together to produce a to drive vehicles those days. brownish colour like the normal Milo or Ovaltine. ‘’So, each time there is austerity, the people would easily South East Voice gathered that the materials for adjust. I think it was the high cost of beverages that forced tea could be purchased with amounts ranging from N100 our people to resort to the consumption of Biafran tea or tea to N,2000 and above, but the quantity prepared with Nkwota. I also believe that those who refer to it as Biafran tea about N1000 could last for a family of five for over a do so, referring to their war experiences when people ate raw month, while same amount would not purchase cassava and used their leaves to prepare either stew or soup,’’ Bournvita, Milo or Ovaltine that could last for the Ugwu told South East Voice. same period.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 33

Thierry Henry:

Moments that defined a genius north-London neighbours, winning six of his 10 matches against Tottenham, also managing five goals.

His greatest came in a comprehensive 3-0 Highbury victory, picking the ball up inside his own half before surging through midfield - where Matthew Etherington was powerless to halt the Frenchman’s momentum - turning Stephen Carr inside out and whipping a low left-footed shot past Kasey Keller.

FTER hierry Henry ended his glittering career on Tuesday, we look back at the peak of his playing days as Arsenal’s lethal frontman.

Inspiring an Inter demolition - November 25 2003 Though silverware on the European stage eluded Henry through his time at Arsenal, he still managed to rack up a number of career highlights in UEFA Champions League action.

The first came at San Siro as an Inter side containing the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Javier Zanetti and Marco Materazzi were torn to shreds

by Henry’s direct pace. The striker netted two sublime efforts as well as creating those scored

by Freddie Ljungberg and Edu in a memorable 5-1 thrashing of the Italian giants.

THAT volley against Manchester United - October 1 2000 Still one of the Premier League’s most iconic strikes.

Gilles Grimandi rolled the ball into the feet of Henry, who - with Denis Irwin tight at his back flicked it up and swivelled in one movement before arcing a wondrous volley beyond a helpless Fabien Barthez.

The goal introduced Henry’s ability to create moments of magic from nowhere, as well as helping Arsenal to a 1-0 victory over their bitter title rivals of the era.

Keeps the unbeaten dream alive - April 9 2004 Arsenal’s stunning 2003-04 campaign had hit a rocky patch as Liverpool visited Highbury in April with Arsene Wenger ’s side having suffered consecutive defeats to eliminate them from the FA Cup and Champions League, while the Merseysiders went 2-1 up at the break to threaten an end to their unbeaten league run.

Henry had other ideas, though. After Robert Pires equalised, Arsenal’s talisman received the ball 60 yards from goal, leaving Dietmar Hamann and Jamie Carragher floored as he slalomed towards the target before clipping a trademark right-footed finish past Jerzy Dudek.

Henry raced clear late on to complete his hattrick and inspire Arsenal to end the season as undefeated champions of England.

‘Tearing’ Tottenham apart - November 16 2002 Henry never lost a game against Arsenal’s bitter

History beckons with cheeky backheel - October 2 2004 Arsenal’s unbeaten run ran deep into the following

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Rooney set for title challenge M

•Rooney

ANCHESTER United for ward Wayne Rooney says a Premier League title bid is very much on the agenda at Old Trafford.

United made a somewhat shaky start to life under new boss Louis van Gaal but made it six wins in a row with a 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Old Trafford on Sunday.

They are still eight points behind leaders Chelsea but, with a lot of points up for grabs in the coming

campaign, and they made it 48 games without defeat with a 4-0 thrashing of Charlton, which showcased a cheeky Henry goal - inside the penalty area, facing away from goal, the striker firmly backheeling through the legs of his covering defender and past the goalkeeper.

Equals Wright with Prague perfection - October 18 2005 It would barely have been befitting of the man had Henry not moved to the top of Arsenal’s goalscoring chart in style.

The moment arrived in a Champions League match at Sparta Prague as Henry plucked a high ball out of the air before turning and dispatching an effort with the outside of his right boot that curled from outside the far post and back around into the net - moving Henry level with Ian Wright’s tally of 185.

Henry took top spot for his own later in the same game, with his record unlikely to be broken for many years to come.

Bernabeu brilliance sees off Real Madrid - February 21 2006 Another inspirational performance on the continent came later in the same season’s Champions League as Arsenal faced a daunting last-16 meeting with Real Madrid with a threadbare squad affected by injury.

With a 17-year-old Theo Walcott - at the time in many eyes, Henry’s successor up front - watching on from the bench, Henry once again displayed his incredible dribbling power, shrugging off four challenges before slotting beyond Iker Casillas to seal a 1-0 success - the first for an English side at the home of the Madrid giants.

Hat-trick on Highbury farewell - May 7 2006 Nobody has scored more goals on one Premier League ground than Henry at Highbury, and - by now Arsenal captain - he supplied the old stadium with a fitting send-off in its final game against Wigan Athletic.

A quick Wigan double cancelled out a Pires opener, but Henry levelled before half-time, going on to secure a match-winning hat-trick with a clinical penalty, which he celebrated by kissing the turf that had served him so well.

weeks, Rooney thinks United could quickly erode that deficit.

“I think we have to believe we can win the title,” said the United skipper.

“We are eight points behind and coming into a busy period.

If we can win our games and the others have one bad result, then there is nothing there.

“We have to keep winning our games, hopefully get back to the top, and you never know.

“We won the league two years ago and we weren’t great in a lot of those games but we got the results.

“We have shown a great resilience this season. Some of the games haven’t gone the way we would like but we are winning them and that is a great quality to have.

“We have been here before but we have a lot of new players and this is where the experience of myself, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher can rub off on the other players.”

Def eat har sh Defeat harsh on QPR - Redknapp

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arry Redknapp felt hard done by after QPR’s miserable away form continued with a 3-1 Premier League defeat at Everton on Monday.

The London club are still without a point on their travels in the 2014-15 season, and remain in the relegation zone following yet another defeat on the road at Goodison Park.

A stunning strike from Ross Barkley put Everton in front and Roberto Martinez’s side doubled their lead when Kevin Mirallas’ freekick took a wicked deflection off Eduardo Vargas and beat Robert Green before halftime.

34—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2014

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala T

he Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has distanced her office from the devaluation of the naira from N155 to N168 to the US dollar, occasioned by the falling oil price.

Writing on Twitter, Okonjo-Iweala, through her Special Adviser on Media, Paul Nwabuikwu, argued that the apex financial regulatory institution took the decision on the naira d e v a l u a t i o n independently.

Devaluation is part of the monetary policy which is CBN’s duty. The institution is independent, Okonjo-Iweala stated.

Blogosphere considers this laughable, apparently.

Aisha Jummai Al-hassan

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his lawmaker had been little known beyond her sphere of influence until last week, when she won the chance to become first elected female governor in Nigeria and was extensively celebrated on the Nigerian blogosphere. For those who like to stereotype, it was interesting to note that this would be in a northern state.

She had been Attorney General of Taraba State and refers to the north eastern Region of the country as being conservative. She said that women from that part are by upbringing very shy and laid back because of religion and culture.

A commentator writes, Senator AlHassan reminds me of tough women politicians and statesmen we have seen in conservative Muslim dominated countries in Asia such as Bangladesh and Pakistan such as late Benazir Bhutto.

Patti Davies

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t was from a first daughter to first daughters as a letter purportedly written by President Ronald Reagan’s daughter to Malia and Sasha Obama, went viral on cyberspace.

Apparently, PR professional named Elizabeth Lauten had taken a swipe at the current first daughters and the former first daughter waltzed in to save the day.

Lauten, a young Republican congressional aide, resigned Monday after her Facebook post berating President Obama’s daughters for their attitude and outfits during the annual White House turkey pardon became a sensation on the Internet.

On Friday, the aide, Elizabeth Lauten, 31, who has more than 14,000 followers on Twitter, wrote an open letter to Sasha and Malia Obama on her Facebook page, saying they should “try showing a

C M Y K

Kate Henshaw Nuttal

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ou win some, you lose some appears to be the case as Nollywood diva turned politician Kate Henshaw Nuttal lost her bid for the House of Rep Calabar Municipal/Odukpani 2015 ticket under PDP at the party’s primary election which held this week in Cross Rivers state

The All Progressives Congress (APC) made history in the country when a woman emerged as its Governorship Candidate for Taraba State in the 2015 general elections in the primaries; Senator Aisha defeated four males to emerge the winner.‘

She had tweeted after her loss: The primaries (were) conducted in an orderly manner. It was fair and transparent. Sadly, I did not make it. Congrats to the winner.

Blogosphere hails her for being a gallant loser, if there is any such thing.

little class” and “dress like you deserve respect, not a spot at a bar.”

Patti writes, Dear Sasha and Malia, As First Daughters, you can’t win. There will always be bitchy people sitting at their keyboards, seething with anger at their own lives, ready to take it out on you. But in this case, I think you did win. The internet exploded with rage at Elizabeth Lauten and in defence of you. People have suggested she should lose her job, be exiled to a desert island…And while there isn’t anything normal about the life you are living right now, you still can be. An adult woman attacking you the way she did is despicable. Trust me; you’re light years ahead of her.

What seems weird, though, is that Patti even remembers such an uneventful incidence.

Stella Oduah

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nd for all those who thought they had seen the end of former Aviation minister Stella Oduah, they have another thing coming, as the ‘cat’ with the proverbial lives appears to be going from strength to strength, having picked up the Peoples Democratic Party senatorial ticket in the primary elections which held in Anambra North Senatorial zone. Stella won with a landslide victory of 259 votes to defeat other contestants in an election credited to be free, fair and peaceful.

Oby Ezekwesili

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eanwhile former Vice-President of the World Bank, Oby Ezekwesili, is once more blogosphere ‘man of the moment’, having described as unfortunate the Federal Government’s belated response to oil price fall, naira devaluation and austerity measures it introduced.

Ezekwesili stated that despite raising the alarm on the management of the country’s foreign reserve during her 2013 convocation lecture of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka the Federal Government failed to address the issues raised.

M House of Reps superstar after Abike spending 12 productive years in the of Representatives, she has Dabiri-Erewa House decided to bow out when the ovation

eanwhile, fans of former

is loudest.

Dabiri-Erewa, who has served for an impressively long period shows her distaste for political sit-tight syndrome, distinguishes herself as a virtuous woman and a respected government functionary as she vacates her seat for other potentials to take the reins.

Dabiri-Erewa, 52, a third term member of the House of Representatives at the National Assembly maintains the status of the most prominent female politician in Lagos State and Nigeria.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 35

The Runway has taken my business to the next level — CD Bajola

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debambo Emuleomo is the Creative Director and organiser of Lekki Fashion week, as well as the Creative Director, Bajola fabrics and leathers.

She holds a BSC in Psychology and a masters degree in Information Systems, University of Portsmouth, United Kingdoma trained IT specialist.

Her contributions in the sector have not gone unnoticed as she has won several awards such as Fashion Icon of the year!

Although her husband gave her the initial start-up capital to establish her business, she has taken the lace fabric business to a whole new level in Nigeria.

In this interview with Esther Onyegbula she talks about how she channelled her passion into business, went into lace fabric importation and sales, the journey so far, challenges and the future.

Impact of participating in and organizing runways on the brand?

It allows models to show off my stuff on the runway. I want people to see my work and fabrics on the runaway.

It is a way of advertising my brand to the Nigerian market. Remarkably, the runway has made my brand known to so many people; we have lots of clients that start patronizing us after shows.

It is an eye opener for me; it has exposed me to a lot of things in the industry. The runway has taken my business to the next level. At the moment I am thinking of having a clothing line.

Over the years you have won several awards- how do you feel about them?

These awards keep me constantly on my toes, they make me strive for excellence in all I do knowing that people see and appreciate our works and contributions. The appreciation makes me feel great and gives me strength to do more.

What is the future of this business?

In the future I would have spread my tentacle all over Nigeria and in some West African countries. I am also working towards my clothing line. The sector is a vast sector with lots of opportunities; I am currently putting necessary structures in place.

Genesis Actually I started the beads over ten years ago after my youth my service but I started the fabrics aspect of the business a few years back after I came back from aboard. After I started the importation and sales of luxury lace fabric I decided to incorporate my beads into the business, in order to make the outfit a one stop outlet for women’s fashion needs. We stock high end products like, Swiss and Austrian laces, Atiku polished laces, French laces, Italian shoes and bags at affordable wholesale and retail prices. Apart from these we offer training in bead works as a way of empowering. My beads have put me in the lime light and helped me to sell my fabrics. When clients come in for their lace fabrics they are like do you have a matching bead?

Sometimes if I don’t have it I take their orders and make for them.

So far so good?

The business has grown more than how I started; it has been a learning process all the way.

Business so far has been good, sometimes it is quiet, and sometimes it is not, especially during festive seasons because lace fabrics are not food stuff.

Our lace fabrics are the regular ones but of high brand, we do more of Swiss and Austrian lace fabrics because our brand is exclusive, not for everyone. We make beads based on what my client want. Most times I create my designs; I try to improve on basics and regular designs you find around. Over the years this has paid off.

What are the challenges peculiar to the terrain?

Sometimes sales is very dull because of the brands we stock which are expensive. The lace fabric business strives on having a strong contact base for you to make good sales, because Nigerians want to know your brand quality before identifying with peculiar brands, not things that are mass C M Y K

For every business to strive and succeed, you need quality dose of passion, and if you are passionate about what you are doing you will go places

produced The exchange rate affects the business, as it is now. The falling rate of the naira is not good for the business. We still buy at the same price outside the country but the exchange rate makes the price to go up when they get here, and clients complain; and it takes a lot of conviction.

Do you think that the fashion industry offers Nigerians more opportunities than football?

These are two different sectors, with varying impact on Nigerians, at the moment, I believe fashion is taking Nigerians to places- we have various fashion weeks abroad; we have Nigerian fashion entrepreneurs participating in different runways Europe. We have renowned Nigerian designers generating wealth, creating employment opportunities. The future of the sector is very bright because it has enormous capacity of significance contributing to the economy and it’s viable if only the government would invest in the sector. Our designers are competing favourably with their foreign counterparts.

Factors hindering women from venturing into business Most times the hindrance is lack of passion. For every business to strive and succeed, you need quality dose of passion, and if you are passionate about what you are doing you will go places.

Women must be creative in harnessing their passion and turning it into a money making venture. Some women don’t want to leave their comfort zones. You know every business has its risks; most women are laid back when it comes to taking business risk. For a start women should start leaving their comfort zones to venture into what they are passionate about and launch out.

Although the economy too is not friendly for small and medium scale business owners, we have businesses established and run by women that are doing well while we have women who run down their business.

In what ways can the government empower the sector?

I think the government can do so much by creating an enabling environment that allows small and medium scale business to flourish; provide incentives for entrepreneurs in the sector, and also create regulatory policies that are business friendly. Also the government should regulate the influx of Chinese products into the country.

In the aspect of women empowerment, the government must aggressively reach out to women entrepreneurs through its women empowerment scheme, with specifically tailored projects.

Corporate organisations like banks should make it a little bit easy for female entrepreneurs to access financial facilities with moderate interest rates.

36—WEDNESDAY Vanguard, DECEMBER 17, 2014

SECURITY AT DELTA PDP GUBER PRIMARIES:

How CP Alkali excelled •and Generals trekked to venue

By Emma Nnadozie, Crime Editor

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HE just concluded Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship primaries which sent shock waves in some states should, comparatively, be said to be hitch-free considering expectations that hell would be let loose in volatile areas.

Though the high-wire battle for supremacy which led to the upstaging and unexpected downfall of political giants still lingers, what remains to be told is the world class security arrangements put in place by the police.

Delta as litmus test: In Delta State, particularly, where one of the greatest upheavals was recorded, all eyes and attention were focused on how the police would control the seemingly tension-soaked atmosphere that heralded the primaries.

The situation was so tense that rumour was rife that militants had amassed heavy weapons in preparation for total onslaught if their anointed candidate failed to scale through. In fact, the security report few days to the primaries was considered ‘highly volatile’ by the authorities hence, the litmus test was precariously hung on the neck of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Alkali Baba Usman.

highly at alert waiting to be provoked. Unfortunately, they were highly disappointed on the D-Day following the security personnel on the ground as put together by Usman and his team.

The D-day: As early as 5am on the D-Day, heavily armed conventional and unconventional policemen were seen at strategic locations in the state capital, Asaba, in preparation for the battle ahead.

As they were taking positions, siren-blaring police patrol cars raced round almost all the nooks and crannies of the city as if forewarning trouble makers to beware because they were battle ready. Spectacularly, plain clothed policemen took positions discreetly at major eateries, joints and popular centres which abound at every corner of the city, feeling the pulse of the people and reporting directly to the police boss.

Major road cordoned off Interestingly, the main team saddled with the responsibility of cordoning off the major road, Okpanam,

Security agencies While other security agencies were also saddled with equally onerous responsibility of ensuring a hitch-free election, that of the police seem more demanding going by insinuations that they must toe the line of their paymasters in Abuja in selecting an anointed candidate.

Expected showdown: So, the stage was set for a showdown if the contrary became the case, even as all the contenders to the exalted governorship seat and their teeming supporters were

The situation was so tense that rumour was rife that militants had amassed heavy weapons in preparation for total onslaught if their anointed candidate failed to scale through

leading to the venue where the primaries was to take place, was personally led by Usman himself, who was glaringly kitted in battleready camouflage outfit.

While the large number of both participants in the primaries and others involved in one way or the other in the exercise were trooping to the venue, eagle-eye policemen were busy screening them.

Screening: The screening was so tense that both the high and the low were treated equally and subjected to thorough screening after which they were directed to where they were supposed to be. They were, however, treated with utmost gentility by the courteous but firm policemen on duty under the watchful eyes of their boss.

Retinue of supporters While the state Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan was allowed into the venue with his escort, all the aspirants were barred from entering with their retinue of supporters and cars. The police ensured that none of them entered with their escort cars or aides.

Rather, they provided three clean Prado SUV which took all the aspirants, very important persons, V.I.Pees and old men and women, to the venue after thorough screening.

Likewise all hawkers were also barred from the convention site. Rather, people were advised to come with their necessities including water.

The Press too: Members of the fourth estate were not also spared from the scrutiny of the police. They were screened and barred from entering with any object except cameras.

At the venue: At the venue of the convention, all aspirants were stationed in one place while only their agents were provided seats where they can see all the electoral boxes which were also cordoned off. Only two boxes were provided during

•CP Alkali counting and agents were called to authentic them.

Generals trekked: The security situation was such that even retired Army generals were frisked and thoroughly screened. One of them was reportedly so shocked when he was courteously told that he would be screened that he alerted the police boss who also humbly told him to obey his boys.

Those of them that refused to use the SUV provided by the police had no option than to walk to the venue which was about a kilometre from the police check point.

Arrests: Reports said the preparedness paid off at the end of the exercise as only 15 arrests were made on the first day of the exercise. That was when a member of the state House of Assembly arrived w i t h t h u g s whom he promised to pay N5000 e a c h .

Unfortunately, t h e i r leader underpaid them and t h e y started trouble at t h e secretariat.

It was also gathered that one other person was arrested with fake delegates accreditation papers.

CP’s comment Contacted for comments over the excellent performance of the state police command, CP Usman simply told Crime Alert: ‘’We had to checkmate some unruly delegates because we got information of plans by some disgruntled elements to frustrate the election if they lost. Our presence was overwhelming and impact seriously felt.

My boss, the IGP simply directed me to do my job without minding whose ox is gored and after the event, we all can relate as friends. This, we did, to the best of our ability and glory of God.’’

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—37

EPZ CRISIS, INSECURITY:

Our disappointment with Jonathan — Prof Afejuku PROF.Tony Afejuku is a professor of English and Literature at the University of Benin (UNIBEN). The Itsekiri nationalist in this interview with Vanguard, declares that the Itsekiris may secede from Nigeria if President Goodluck Jonathan fails to handle the issue of Export Processing Zone (EPZ) properly. He further declares that the president lacks all it takes to run for a second term in office just as he warns that 2015 may not be a reality.

Excerpts:

By Simon Ebegbulem

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HAT is your take on the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) tug-of-war in Ogidigben between the Itsekiris and the Ijaws?

I align myself fully with the position of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought. Let President Jonathan tell his Ijaw folks without reservation to obey rule of law. He has disappointed a lot of Nigerians in particular the Itsekiris.

Clearly, we are happy to be underrated. As a minority ethnic nationality, we are weaklings, we agree, but we own our land, and we will not allow customary tenants to take over our territory and include them in phantom kingdom-less kingdoms.

and pertaining to all Nigerians.

The choice is for him and his fellow Ijaw brothers.

Presidential election, APC aspirants and Jonathan First, let me state that it will be an interestingly boisterous presidential election, if the election holds. But if I were Jonathan, I would not attempt to run not to talk of running.

What he is aiming to go for is a third term. What for? Why? Technically speaking, he completed the PDP first term when he succeeded the late Yar’Adua.

So if I were Jonathan I would not run. What does he have up his sleeves going by what is going on in Nigeria? What does he want to achieve? Electricity zero, all tariffs in all sectors, including taxation, are very high, excessively so. He has

Favourable court judgment We know all the lands in which we have got favourable court judgments as far back as when the grandparents and great-grandparents of troublemakers on and in our territory questioned the generosity of our ancestors to them.

Of course, I must add here that then, after all said and done, the ancestors of the current troublemakers accepted their real status. We have necessary documents to back us up. We are people of peace.

We are not war mongers. When the time comes peace shall overcome war, peace ultimately shall triumph over war. Peace shall defeat war. I affirm this as an ardent peace activist.

Believe it or not, this shall and must be. For now, it is up to Jonathan to talk some sense into the war minds of his fellow Ijaw people. May he be as broadminded as the sky on the EPZ matter and all matters pertaining to Ijaws and Itsekiris

Let President Jonathan tell his Ijaw folks without reservation to obey rule of law.

He has disappointed a lot of Nigerians in particular the Itsekiris

•Afejukwu: We're weaklings, we agree, but we own our land not achieved anything substantial with all the money generated from these tariffs and from petroleum wealth. Are the universities better? Has he kept his promises to that sector?

And look at our roads, look at the East-West Road, how long will it take for that road to be completed? Eternity? The PDP told us long ago that there was a document to the effect that Jonathan would not go beyond one term, but they kept denying, those in the political camp of Jonathan. The late Abacha who tried to succeed Abacha and the majority of the politicians who are working today with and for Jonathan, happened to partake in that regime. The sycophants should tell Jonathan what became of the hard man of black goggles. Obasanjo wanted to do a third term but he was clever enough to kick out himself because he knew what would have happened to him.

Even IBB, why did he step aside? So let me tell you, it will be a miracle if 2015 is a reality.

Let the babalawos be working for them, but God is God because they have been given much time to repent but they have refused to repent. So let us wait and see.

Ijaw/Itsekiri problem and amnesty This amnesty programme, I never believed and still do not believe in it. The amnesty programme, the amnesty thing was specifically designed as a bribery tool. Secondly, these are not militants, I said that before, and I am saying it again. They are pirates, oil-robbers, vandals

and plunderers, criminals capitalizing on the foolishness and selfishness of the political gladiators running and ruining the polity. Simple. And the press is flattering them with flattery tales of their murderous exploits.

The tensions we witnessed, and the war and casualties we are still witnessing everywhere now in the land arose as a result of the tension between Ijaws and Itsekiris, tension that came as a result of greed, those who always want to grab things that don’t belong to them from one group.

Group of minorities A group of minorities that own what they rightly own and given to them in their homeland by the Almighty God, and this group and its people happen to be a minority group.

Because you are in power, power that is transient, you are using every means of violence and terrorism to get what does not belong to you. You don’t run a nation that way.

Violence and terrorism will always beget violence and terrorism if not now but certainly tomorrow. So this so called amnesty is a kind of lull to retrain and retrain and equip and re-equip for tomorrow’s war but God is God. If we were the majority, for the purpose of argument, by numerical number this rubbish against Itsekiri would not be born. How many Itsekiris have benefited from the so called amnesty programme? How many Urhobos, how many Isokos, how many none-Ijaws from the

Niger Delta have benefited from it? And who are those running it? Answer: Ijaws. So they know what they are doing, they are buying time. If Jonathan happens not to be in power today or tomorrow you will see their true colour. But they will be caged and made colourless by the coming one.

You will see.

We have three Warri Local Governments, now they want to share everything but Itsekiris don’t share their areas. We have Itsekiris in some Urhobo lands but we don’t go there to say we own their property.

What is destroying us is greed even in Itsekiri-land as well.

The tension that is being generated is the tension of greed. If you look at the papers, Jonathan has set up a campaign team, you will not find any Itsekiri name there.

You will not find any Urhobo there. Outside Ijaw nobody is in existence. It is just a question of time.

Northern threats to Jonathan presidency There was an agreement and the agreement should be given its full meaning. If they agreed on rotation, why not? The North deserves it. Persons of worth do not unsay what they said yesterday for whatever reason. Yes, the North deserves it but the counterargument is that the Northern people have been in power for several years, what did they do with it, with all the power over the years? But the real fear is that if they get back power they will deal with the South.

Continues on page 38

38—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Why Jonathan candidature offers stability Sambo, in 2015, Jonathan has shown again that he is a man that believes in, and rewards loyalty.

A Jonathan and PDP’s victory will mean that there will be no major policy reversals and that new initiatives can build on the foundations that have been laid in areas of success. This is the advantage of continuity and stability.

It will be unlikely that the Nigerian voter who has seen several thousand of kilometres of roads tarred in the past three years under Jonathan would cast a vote for the reversal of this good fortune and return to the days when our roads were highways

By Uche Ugboajah

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T was an emphatic “Yes” that the Nigerian President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, received in the early hours of Thursday, December 11, 2014, from more than the required twothirds of the delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had gathered at the Eagle Square Abuja, to ratify his candidature as PDP’s flag bearer in the February 14, 2015 presidential elections.

Free from the adversarial politics and rancorous spirits all too evident across the channel in the opposition party’s convention in Lagos, delegates of the ruling PDP were indeed in convivial mood – with hugs, laughter and backslaps as they voted and confirmed President Jonathan as their presidential candidate in the forthcoming general elections.

Just like all good stories, the matter that started with an overwhelming endorsement of President Jonathan by virtually all the major organs of the PDP as the party’s flag bearer in 2015, ended on a joyous note.

The peaceful and successful PDP Convention speaks eloquently to how much the ruling party has learnt, and how deep the values of presidential democracy have taken roots in the land. It also gives a dizzying hint of how the personal charm of President Jonathan have

•Jonathan galvanised a party that a few months ago was virtually written off as imploding and on the precipice.

The ruling PDP has once again shown its tenacity and unbelievable ability to bounce back as a united and truly national party. Make no mistakes about this; the emergence of President Jonathan as the PDP presidential candidate without

the usual bad blood that follows the morning after the primaries has been a blessing for the PDP. Swiftly naming the President’s running mate has also put to bed another potentially knotty problem. There have been some reports of scheming to drop the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, for a new running mate. By announcing that he will run again with his ever loyal deputy,

The emergence of President Jonathan as the PDP presidential candidate without the usual bad blood that follows the morning after the primaries has been a blessing for the PDP

Our disappointment with Jonathan — Prof Afejuku Continues from page 37 But the fear and question and arguments they generate are justified particularly with what a big minority President has been doing. If I were Jonathan I would govern and rule in such a manner that people would beg me to stay on.

And everybody would see me hence as a model of good governance and the Northerners would not be saying what they are saying now. The Northerners would instead be saying if we got power back we would beat your record, the North will not be agonizing the way they are agonizing today.

Let us face it: the man has let the us down, he has let the South-South people down, he

has let even his Ijaw folks down, he has let the Niger Delta people down.

The people, some people, at least, will even tell you that he is not in control of the country, that they are just using him as a shield to cover their inefficiencies.

When we talk about nepotism, the first thing the President did was to establish six new universities and put one in his own village. So when he leaves office and power tomorrow as President he will go to the place and they will make him a Professor that he did not work for.

It is ridiculous. We are not saying you should not help your people but there should be some sort of responsibility,

•Afejuku some modicum of integrity, some modicum of fairness and fair play in so doing so that we cannot say ah! ah! This man is a nepotistic president. Our

founding political fathers never did what we are seeing now before our very eyes. He has over done it.

to the land of no return.

Another area in which Nigerians will benefit from continuity and stability when President Jonathan is re-elected is the diversification of the economy through agriculture.

For so long, past governments, both military and civilian, have been paying lip-service to the problem of the mono-cultural economy of Nigeria as a cheap deliverer of crude oil to the developed world.

Apart from the laudable commitment of this government to the policy of saving for the ‘ rainy day ’, Jonathan has embarked on an irreversible policy of transforming agriculture from the subsistence drudgery it has been over the years to a profitable business engendering food security and farmer prosperity.

Today, Nigeria is set to transform from being the biggest importer of rice in West Africa to the biggest exporter of the commodity in Africa. Even private individuals and groups are publicly testifying to the quiet revolution on-going in the Agriculture sector under Jonathan.

The emergence of the former military dictator, General Muhammadu Buhari, as the APC presidential candidate, has placed human rights and civil liberties as a major issue in the choice of a leader, given the General’s unrepentant record of severe and deadly breaches of human rights during his military regime.

Human rights community Nigeria has made significant progress in the area of free speech and personal liberties since, and the thought of another Buhari presidency is already sending chills and shivers down the spines of citizens, civil liberties organisations and the human rights community in general. For many Nigerians, Jonathan has been most tolerant of criticisms and opposing ideas; in fact, he has continued to encourage citizens to speak out as part of their inalienable rights under the Constitution by assuring them that under his watch, no one will be sent to jail, exiled or murdered for expressing his/her opinions as has been witnessed in Nigeria previously.

Finally, the PDP argues that the choice before Nigeria is a choice between yesterday and tomorrow, a choice between advancing or reversing. Its position is: we must not hire yesterday’s man to resolve tomorrow’s problems. That will not be salutary to the narrative of stability which Jonathan’s candidature offers.

•Mr Ugboajah, political scientist, sent this piece from Abuja.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—39

crush the Boko Haram insurgency?

Nigeria is well recognised for peace keeping operations in the world generally. I personally participated in peace keeping operations in other parts of the world and we did exploit but what we have now in this Boko Haram saga is a terrorist type of operation which Nigeria never prepared for. Even when we served outside, it was not to contain terrorism but to contain broken down peace politically, but not that terrorism was the problem.

Why I'm marking time on politics — Wuyep, former Chief of Air Staff AIR Marshal Jonah Wuyep, a former Chief of Air Staff under President Olusegun Obansanjo in this interview speaks on sundry issues ranging from his life in service, security situation, terrorism, and politics amongst others. Excerpts:

By Marie-Therese Nanlong

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HAT do you think is missing in the training of military men in your days compared to now?

The Air Force is a dynamic service, there have been changes since I left, and there have been new developments on equipment used by the Air Force in terms of combat platform like the aircraft.

The Air Force has also grown because it was not as big as it is today. There was high professionalism but somehow, the military incursion into politics affected not only the Air Force but the other two services professionally.

What is your take on the issues that led to the disruption of the training agreement between Nigeria and the United States?

The standard of the Air Force has not dropped; it is just that America has refused to sell some of these equipment to the Nigerian government. It is an

issue of their own policy and there is a lot of international politics involved.

Recently, America was talking about the military maltreating prisoners of war; if I may put it that way because we are now at war. I am talking about their claims that the Nigerian military abuse of human rights; because of that, they may not want to deal with any issue involving the military.

That is government to government issue, I do not have the actual details of what might have caused have caused the refusal of the US to sell the equipments that the Nigerian government is asking for.

President Obasanjo unexpectedly removed you as the Chief of Air Staff in 2006, what was the feeling then and now, do you think he was justified taking such action?

Yes, I think President Obasanjo was very fair to us. You will remember that in his second coming as President of Nigeria;

Correct policy

•Wuyep as a civilian not in uniform he came out with a policy that service chiefs should serve for a period of four years but if there is any reason why he will have to retain any of them or all of them; it should not be more than a year.

So, I served for four years, he gave me an extra year and I served for five years, he was very fair to almost all the Service Chiefs then, none served for less than four years. He tried to keep to the policy and I have no regret that he asked me to leave, we left at the right time.

Why do you think that the Nigeria military despite being acclaimed abroad has failed to

I do not have any aspiration to be the governor of Plateau State

We found ourselves not really prepared on this kind of operation but they are working hard now to readjust and contain it today. It is not that the military cannot but we have to get the correct weapon, we have to get the correct policy, we have to get the correct intelligence network.

It is a localized issue and terrorism is just hit and run, they hit and run into the people and hide there. You can’t just keep firing anyhow because the colossal damage will not be accepted by the world.

I was telling you something about America blaming our military in the treatment of the Boko Haram prisoners of war.

It is something that we have to be very careful about it so you don’t just go about bringing down every place simply because there is one or two Boko Haram elements inside such a place.

Buhari, the legend at 72

By Osita Okechukwu

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ERMIT me to join millions of Nigerians in saluting Major General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), GCFR, the man we fondly call GMB, as he clocks 72 years in our clime where the official life expectancy is more than two decades below his age.

And to top the celebration, he is healthy, agile and alert. This was vividly demonstrated penultimate week, when at the middle of the rally of our great party - All Progressives Congress (APC) at Eagle Square, physical strength was tested.

We set out with GMB, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, Dr Ogbonniya Onu and host of other party leaders on mass action, a road walk which took us from Eagle Square - Ministry of Justice - Eagle Square - Nigeria Police Headquarters back to Eagle Square. While some of us were panting, he remained unnerved and when we were rushing for water, he refused to drink, until he got home.

GMB caught public attention

as Minister of Petroleum Resources, when he commissioned Warri and Kaduna refineries and when it was rumoured that N12 billion was siphoned out in raw cash, a story that turned our a farce.

This means that today he will rather construct new refineries than expend billions of Naira on importation of refined petroleum products. A drain pipe that killed our textile industries and impoverished our economy.

The second time he caught public attention was when as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) the 3rd Armoured Division based in Jos, he chased away the Matastine an insurgent and extremist sect similar to Boko Haram, beyond Chadian border.

That was when incidentally I was serving the National Youths Service Corps, at 2nd Mechanised Division Ibadan.

The news among the officer corps then is how come the GOC of 3rd Armoired Division moved troops without express approval by the C-in-C. It generated mixed reactions, but

the solace was that the insurgents were subdued.

I am one of those who sincerely believe that he has the political will to crush Boko Haram and overhaul our defence architecture.

When eventually the 31st December, 1983 military coup de’tre took place and the masterminds invited GMB to head the government, his signs of being a man of the masses started staring us in the face with the War Against Indiscipline and the Andrew’s advert appeal to stem the mass exodus enveloping the country.

Singular feat To confirm his inclination to the down trodden and the middle class, news filtered out that he had rejected the International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditionality.

In another singular feat, he wore Major General in rank, when he became head of state and against all prodding s,

refused to promote himself to full General, arguing that he cannot promote himself.

Our cynicism was allayed during the campaign for 2003 general elections, when we arrived at the palace of Obi of Onitsha, Agbogidi, Igwe Alfred Achebe, the Onowu of the palace, Chief Chike Ofodile of blessed memory in introduction, narrated how democratic GMB is. Chief Ofodile was Attorney General in GMB’s twenty month regime. He said he will collate all opinion before any major decision is reached and adheres strictly to any decision taken by the Supreme Military Council and never imposed his will on them.

To further summarize his knowledge of GMB, Chief Ofodile told us a story when some friends went to complain that the late Major General Tunde Idiagbon was taking shine out of the head of state. GMB’s reply was, hope Idiagbon is executing agreed Programme of the regime and the people said yes, but he is taking the glory. He thanked

•Buhari them and said that all he needs from all his lieutenants is action success as he never competes for limelight.

This is the hallmark of GMB, he delegates power and supervises and never competes for limelight. This is one of the misconceptions a lot of people have of him, but in close contact one can concur. He is an introvert and rarely interferes until one fails him.

In one of those relaxed sessions with him, I told him that a point his traducers have against him is that those under him steal, while he looks the other way and he asked for an example.

•Mr Osita Okechukwu, sent this piece from Abuja.

40—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

I fancy this comedian Dear Bunmi,

I

My brother is betraying his best friend Dear Bunmi,

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Y elder brother is currently having an affair with his best friend’s girlfriend, who is also a close friend. My brother confided

in me and I don’t want to confront her about it. She would get angry with my brother for telling me what they did if she knew, and I’d feel bad about spoiling the friendship between them.

My jealousy might destroy my relationship Dear Bunmi,

I

am a jealous person, have no confidence as I think I’m ugly. I am 28-yearsold and have a girlfriend who tells me she loves the person I am, yet if she as much as glances at another man, I get paranoid.

The thought of her finding someone else attractive makes me feel sick. I think I’ll drive her away with my insane jealousy, but I love her and don’t want that to happen.

Do you think I can change?

Nickolas, by e-mail.

Dear Nickolas, ost men wonder if their women will find

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someone else. But if you feel sick over it, you’re suffering from something more serious.

Maybe as a kid, you got the message you weren’t good enough, that people didn’t love you. Or you’ve had one or two broken relationships and now that something good’s happened to you, you go back to being that unhappy person.

You need to overcome this jealousy by trying to trust your girlfriend. Even the most handsome of guys get their hearts broken. It’s part of life.

Trust in your ability to give and receive love.

Even when love ends, a more beautiful chapter opens.

But I get really mad that such a disgusting thing could be going on in a group as close as ours. I swore to my brother I wouldn’t tell anyone, not even my own boyfriend.

They’re still sleeping together and I don’t know for how long I could conceal their shameful lust.

Anne, by e-mail.

Dear Anne, t’s a fact that secrets and doubts such as you’re experiencing corrupt friendships and families, as a result victims prefer to keep quiet. Your best bet is to talk to your friend about a hypothetical case and show her how despicable such an act could be.

Have a word with your brother too because if his friend finds out, it might be the end of a beautiful friendship.

Seriously, he shouldn’t have lumbered you with such a secret when he doesn’t seek a solution.

Unfortunately, betrayals such as this happen all of the time - you can’t vouch for other’s indiscretion!

I

In my 30s and still a virgin Dear Bunmi,

I

know it sounds strange that at this time and age, there could be a virgin in her thirties but that’s exactly what I am. I’m currently dating a man that’s a few years older than I am and it will be a matter of weeks for sex to be on the cards.

In the meantime, we send each other steamy text messages on what we’d like to do to each other and we’ve even had oral sex.

I'm however nervous about full penetration. I once tried sex with a previous boyfriend but he had trouble entering me as I wasn’t fully relaxed or aroused. I am worried the same thing would happen with the new man.

Please help!

Kehinde, by e-mail.

Dear Kehinde, he most important advice is to take this new relationship slowly. For you to be completely relaxed you need to trust and strike a

T

rapport with this boyfriend.

You don’t have to go straight for penetration, but get comfortable with intimate foreplay like oral sex and close body contact before taking the plunge. Worries about sex and penetration can make it difficult for your body to perform.

According to sexologists, if the mind is occupied with them, the muscles of the vagina go into spasms when penetration is attempted - it is as though your body is protecting you. This is called vaginismus. You need to retrain your vagina muscles

to relax if this seems to be your problem. A professional could put you through the routine.

But if you think your worries are down to nerves, try to relax and maybe use a sex toy privately before you sleep with him. This way, you’ll be able to chase away any fear of pain before you get together.

Finally, if you trust your man, you need to tell him about your fear. Sharing your concern will ease your nerves and you can gently build your new sex life together. Good luck.

My husband and I discussed her recently and wondered if the girl she had when they both had the affair could be his

work in a high-class restaurant that also has a night club.

There’s this comedian who comes to the night - club once a week to entertain customers and I’m crazy about him.

I know he’s single. He flirts with me all the time but has not taken things further.

Should I let him know I fancy him?

Tosin, By e-mail.

Dear Tosin, t’s flattering to be chatted up by a charmer who also flirts with you but I wouldn’t read too much into it if I were you. He sounds charismatic and exciting andja great sense of humour is a turn-on. But he's also a performer and he may not be taking the flirting that seriously.

Why not leave him a note with your number on it? Let him know how much you enjoyed his shows and to give you a call. The ball is then firmly in his court!.

I

Married to a love rat Dear Bunmi,

I

’VE been married to a man I thought was caring and loving for seven years and we have two children. A few years into our marriage, my husband went to work in one of his firm’s branches for three months. When he returned, I discovered he had been phoning and texting one of my friends, making sexually explicit comments and arranging to meet for sex.

When I confronted him, he said nothing physical had happened and begged flac for forgiveness.

Lately, I found out he’d met up with a few women for sex.

I’m really fed up with him as it’s obvious he is a sex addict.

I’m stuck with the children all day after work whilst he fools around. I don’t think I can

take any more. I would rather be a single mother than be made a laughing stock by a shameless husband.

Tolu, By e-mail.

Dear Tolu, ou need to take one step at a time. When you’re convinced your husband’s addiction couldn’t be cured, tell him once again of your decision to leave if he’s not ready to change.

If you’re fif with him, he might realise all he has to lose. If he doesn’t, then you’re definitely better off without him.

It is unfortunate that men in your husband’s shoes have a gift of deceiving thenspouses until it becomes too traumatic for them to leave.

Seek counselling if you think it will help.

Y

Did my husband have this love child?

Dear Bunmi,

Y

EARS back, my husband had an affair with one of our daughter’s friends. The girl was married at the time, became pregnant and had a little girl who is now an adult.

Over the years, this girl divorced her first husband, remarried, then divorced again. Now she lives with a new man who doesn’t know the type of tramp she is.

My husband and I discussed her recently and wondered if the girl she had when they both had the affair could be his. Should we really try to find out?

Susan, by e-mail.

Dear Susan, hat is there to find out? You may get a sense of grim satisfaction from exposing the woman who tried to steal your husband, but what about the other woman at thecentre of it all - her daughter?

How do you think she would react to rinding out that the man she calls Dad might not be her father?

What are you going to gain by digging up the past? If you still feel bitter and angry after all these years, you need to talk to your husband. A young woman’s future is at stake here, so keep your emotions in check before you go demanding tests.

Your children might not even be on your side!

W

Share your problems and release your burden. Write now to Dear Bunmi, Vanguard Newspapers, P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk

How Corrupt is Nigeria?

By Kolawole Olaniyan

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OW corrupt is the government of President Goodluck Jonathan? The answer may vary depending on who is interpreting the latest global corruption index from Transparency International.

According to Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2014, Nigeria is up eight places to 136 out of 175 countries ranked by the index.

The government has unsurprisingly interpreted this to mean that Nigeria is “winning the war on corruption under President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch.” The government has also said in a rather celebratory tone that, “It may not be immediately apparent to those who do not understand the dynamics of applying creative techniques in upturning an age-old habit that has cost this country a lot in terms of financial resources; but to those like the officials in Transparency International knowledgeable in the nuances of fighting corruption, a lot of grounds have been covered.”

Two central observations become clear; firstly, the statement seems to take a dig at government’s critics for lacking “creative techniques” in the fight against corruption. But creative techniques? I’m sorry; no serious observers of the government’s record will succumb to this cheap shot.

Political opportunism Secondly, the government also may be accused of inconsistency and political opportunism because having previously questioned the validity and credibility of the index, now seems to be its strongest ‘apostle’ by suddenly acknowledging the ‘knowledge’ of Transparency International “in the nuances of fighting corruption.”

The government’s response is nothing more than a standard public relations tactic. But this triumphal tone needs to be moderated; and the government’s real record in the fight against corruption has to be placed in proper perspective. The country’s current ranking is clearly better than its scores for 2013 but it doesn’t really tell us something we don’t already know. Nigeria shares 136th position with wellknown corrupt countries like Cameroon, Kyrgyzstan, Iran, and Lebanon.

The CPI ranks countries on a scale from 0 (perceived to be highly corrupt) to 100 (perceived to be very clean). More than twothirds of the 175 countries surveyed, including Nigeria, scored below 50. Nigeria is clearly not the country with the lowest score on the index (its score was 27%), but according to

Tr a n s p a r e n c y International, any country that scores below 50% on the index is still considered “highly corrupt.” This shows that corruption is rife as it ever has been in the country.

This is, therefore, no time to feel comfortable with Nigeria’s sheer mediocrity on the index.

But the government’s response says Map of Nigeria something about diminished expectations for a This government has to come country that is endowed with clean and be straight with the enormous human and natural Nigerian people on its record in resources and should be doing fighting corruption. But Nigerians much better in terms of socio- are not fooled, as they are very economic and infrastructural aware of the lack of integrity, trust development to see the 27% on and credibility of their political the index as good news. institutions and the lack of quality For many years President behaviour from their politicians Jonathan has devoted dozens of generally. They know pretty well speeches to rooting out corruption. that corruption is still a major For example, the President once problem in Nigerian politics, with promised to “fight for justice, for various government agencies all Nigerians to have access to becoming deeper and deeper power, for qualitative and involved with the widespread use competitive education, for of political appointments even at healthcare reforms, to fight the highest level of government. corruption, and to fight for your The simple fact of the matter is rights.” But it is now another that Nigeria’s corruption is now election time and he has not even institutionalised into the political published his asset declaration (to system and where democracy has show the way in the fight against been replaced by corruption) let alone “fight for “Nairaraincracy” (or more your rights”! accurately “Dollaraincracy”, as Under the President’s watch, no most of the country’s politicians high-ranking public official has consider US dollar as the legal ever been brought to account for tender) and where politicians are corruption, despite widespread elected to provide self-serving and increasing allegations of favours to donors and corruption at the highest level of “godfathers.” It is clear that the government. By celebrating a government is still largely run for marginal movement on the index, the benefit of the very rich and the government isn’t focusing on socially and politically connected. the job of fully and effectively When people say, ‘it is not what combating corruption by high- you know but whom you know’, ranking public officials. Instead, there is a problem. it is downplaying the magnitude of the problems, and seems to be Corrupt kidding itself and kidding millions of Nigerians. This is judiciary unwarranted, counterproductive, Corrupt judiciary and weak and on balance, does more harm anti-corruption mechanisms well than good. illustrate the damaging lack of political will by this government to confront corruption and impunity of the corrupt. Serious human rights violations, including poverty, crimes against humanity and the environment are now considered normal. Yet, lack of prosecution of highranking government officials for corruption has created an impression that they are above the law. No wonder, then, that corrupt officials are so unfazed in their wrong doings, they are all doing This it openly and lavishly and don’t even bother to hide their government has misdeeds. to come clean and Unfortunately, the more corrupt be straight with the country becomes, the less motivated its leaders and the Nigerian politicians are to end it. This people on its doesn’t present much hope for the future. But we can’t simply throw record in fighting our hands up in the air in corruption frustration. Progress is not only

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—41 possible but necessary as it is Nigeria Extractive Industries simply unacceptable to continue Transparency Initiative (NEITI) with ‘business as usual’. The audit report, which exposes 10 government will need to get to years of corruption in the work and move swiftly to improve upstream and downstream sectors the independence and freedom of the oil and gas industry; of action of the anti-corruption ‘pension funds corruption report’; agencies to genuinely fight ‘corruption report’ in the capital corruption. These agencies market, and of course the case of should be free to investigate and the missing $20 billion from the prosecute any allegations of account of the NNPC. Some level of transparency and corruption, not just those the government has a partisan accountability won’t hurt the country. In fact, it will ensure interest in seeing pursued.

It is time for the government to better governance and the returns let the country’s anti-corruption for effective enjoyment of human agencies off the chain and allow rights by the citizens will be huge.

Olaniyan, author of ‘Corruption them to prosecute those indicted by the KPMG report, involving and Human Rights Law in Africa’, large-scale corruption in the is Legal Adviser, International of Amnesty Nigeria National Petroleum Secretariat Corporation (NNPC); the International, London.

Edo 2016: Osunbor as an agent of change

By Ohis Akhigbemudu

S

ENATOR Oserheimen Osunbor, a household name in the heartbeat of the nation, Edo, once again has signified his intention to govern the state he tried to rebrand within 18 months. In those 18 months Edolites knew that there was a man at Denis Osadebey House that gave governance a human face.

But the abrupt stoppage of the Osunbor reign via the courts stopped the rebranding process that would have taken Edo to greater heights of excellence. Osunbor could have been regretting if Comrade Adams Oshhiomhole had done otherwise, instead Oshio continued and got accolades for a job well done in the state. Within those 18 months the short lived Osunbor administration left behind indelible marks that cannot easily be erased from the minds of Edolites.

Within the said period Osunbor touched virtually all the major economic sectors of the state abandoned since the Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia days.

If Osunbor had remained in office till second week of December of 2008, Edolites would have found bags of rice produced by the four farm settlements revamped by his administration in their homes.

This was never to be because his administration was truncated when his efforts were been crystalised into reality.

He did not stop at that he looked at the transport sector and decided to pump life into the then moribund Edo state transport service by providing more than 32 brand new coastal buses. He equally extended this laudable gesture to Edo

Osunbor

Line another government owned outfit. Barely two weeks after that he bought tractors for all the farm settlements in the state to further boost agriculture in the state.

Osunbor being the son of a teacher and a parliamentarian in the First Republic knows where it pinches. He too as a teacher, the professor of law never owed teachers for those 18 months he worked as the chief servant of Edo people.

He did not stop at that as he made sure pensionerswere not owed a dime in those months he sat on the saddle.

Pensions for teachers The records are there for all Edolites to check as there was no time teachers and pensioners queued to collect their legitimate stipends.

Security took a new shape and it is record that for the first time in 15 years not even a gun shot was heard in Benin City in the 2007 Christmas period.

What the professor of law simply did then was to arm the Nigerian Police to the hilt and the police surprised Edo people by displaying the arms and amoured vehicles round the city of Benin that they were ready for anything in 2007. Osunbor saw the roads when he emerged and he wept vowing to touch all parts of the state. In 18 months he renovated, refurbished and constructed 32 roads across the heartbeat of the nation. A landmark that is rare in such a short period. Like a senior editor in Vanguard once told this writer, even my street in Benin was tarred by Osunbor and for that singular reason anything Osunbor touches I will be part of it. There was no segment in Edo that did not feel the hand of Osunbor so his second appearance in government is just a matter of time as he remains a major agent of change in the heartbeat.

42 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014,

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44—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Community Pharmacists advocate access to Unpaid salaries: Lagos doctors stage protest safe medicines

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OMMUNITY pharmacists have stressed the need to entrench access to safe medicine as a human right in the country, saying “it is a major way of guaranteeing better access to quality medicines for all Nigerians. The pharmacists who gathered at the 2014 Continuing Medical Education, CME, Conference of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria, ACPN, Lagos State branch, with the theme: “Patient Safety Issues in Nigeria: Community Pharmacists Perspective”, maintained that access to safe medicines remains a human right of all citizens of Nigeria.

In a chat, the President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, PSN, Olumide Akintayo, said pharmacists have been working with the National Human Right Commission to come up with a policy that would cover access to medicine as a human right.

“What community pharmacists are simply saying is that they want to be in the vanguard of creating an environment whereby Nigerians will consume safe medicines at an affordable cost and accessible at all time even in the remotest part of the country.

“This is also inconsonance with the National Drug Policy in Nigeria. They are just working in perfect tandem with that

• Experts say access to safe medicines will help thousands of Nigerians who depend on prescription medication for life and health. philosophy at this year ’s continuous education programme,” he added.

Earlier, the State Chairman of ACPN, Aminu Abdulsalami Yinka said Continuous Medical Education, CME, programme in Lagos has been very consistent over the years because of the importance ACPN placed on knowledge and effective service delivery.

“There are new trends even in the management of ailments, new medicines and in order to cope with the new trends; we need to regularly update ourselves so that we can impact positively in the lives of the public that actually need our service. So the education programme is a sine qua non in our policy and in

conjunction with the regulatory authority, it is also mandatory.

He noted that this year ’s programme was approved by their regulatory body because of the consistency and quality over time.

He said a two – unit credit would be awarded to all pharmacists that attended the programme.

On the theme of the conference, the Registrar, Pharmacist Council of Nigeria, PCN, Pharm. N.A.E Mohammed maintained that the patient is the bottom line of safety issues in healthcare and it is what makes a health professional.

“Their focus on patient safety is what distinguishes them from business men who are into the practice for the sake of money but they are in the practice to take care of patients.”

EDICAL doctors under the employment of the Lagos State Government yesterday staged a peaceful protest over unpaid three months salaries by their employers.

The doctors under the auspices of Medical Guild, who expressed displeasure over the non payment of their salaries, also protested non employment of resident doctors in the state.

Carrying different placards, they appealed to the State government to temper justice with mercy and waive its “no work no pay rule”.

Addressing journalists at the rally, Chairman of the Guild, Dr Biyi. Kufo said the decision has left its members heartbroken.

Kufo alleged that doctors were owed salary for the period it joined the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, to embark on national strike in April and May of 2012 and September this year when Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, broke out in the country. “The government said we didn’t participate but we were at work and our members were part of the volunteers who treated those who were isolated,” he said.

Kufo said they staged the protest to appeal to stakeholders and Lagosians to intervene in the crisis order to resolve the dispute. “The protest is also to bring to the notice of the public,

the various acts of victimisation and intimidation against doctors under the employment of the Lagos State government.

“Our strike is justified; we informed Lagos state government two months before the strike about the directive from our National body, NMA, to join the strike.

Unfortunately, after the strike the government refused to pay our August and September salaries in addition with the one month salary they owed us since May 2012.”

“It will interest you to know that they paid other health workers that went on strike, the question is why are they not willing to pay us? All what they want is a situation where we would embark on another strike but we care about our patients that is why we are holding this protest, the third time today.”

“We want the government to pay those withheld salaries of August and September 2014, to stop employing doctors as casual workers which they have been doing since 2012,” the Guild chairman stated.

Secretary, NMA Lagos State branch, Dr. Babajide Saheed said the state government did not apply the same rule when the Judiciary and teachers went on strike. “We consider this selective justice. A father should never treat his children differently. There should be equality, fairness and justice,” he noted.

Thanksgiving and Tailbones T

HANKSGIVING, that special Thursday where America stands still, has come and gone.

Friends and family gather from all corners of the world to celebrate and give thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year.

It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada.

Traditionally, if you believe the financial pundits, the day after, known as Black Friday, is a major shopping day in the country. The prices of TVs, electronics, computers and "everything" is, supposedly, slashed.

This buying frenzy is said to then continue till the following Monday whereby buyers, supposedly flock to online shops and besiege the internet with transactions.

This day is "Cyber Monday".

Thanksgiving is NOT celebrated in the UK. Well, that has changed.

A few days earlier, I had read in an obscure line in a UK newspaper, of Thanksgiving presents, gifts and turkey sales rising in the Queen's own country. The article labelled the Borough of Lambeth in South London as the leading cheerleaders (my label) for Thanksgiving in the UK. The day after Thanksgiving, on CNN in Atlanta, I was surprised to see pictures of shoppers wrestling, sprinting, shouting and employing mixed martial arts techniques to snap up Black Friday bargains in....London!

Where am I going with this story? Sipping coffee as I watched this early morning pandemonium on TV, the scenes prompted a recall of a patient of mine a few years ago.

She was in her late twenties, athletic built, and not the typical demographic of a chronic pain clinic.

She presented in mid February, in the thick of winter, with a history of pain in her "bottom". coccydynia.

She said she had difficulty sitting or leaning against the buttocks.

When I examined her there was exquisite tenderness at the tailbone area.

"Been there about three months," she reported. "It's a bit better now but sometimes its agony."

After reviewing her story and excluding other possibilities, I told her she had coccydynia.

"Cocksi who!" She said eyes and mouth wide open.

In these days of "diagnosis by Google", whereby individuals comb the virtual world for symptoms and signs that lead to their own self-diagnosis, I explain diagnoses to my patients.

Coccydynia is inflammation of the tailbone (coccyx or bony area located deep between the buttocks above the anus). It is associated with pain and tenderness at the tip of the tailbone between the buttocks. The pain is often worsened by sitting.

It is often caused by an injury, butmay occur seemingly spontaneously. There are many causes of tailbone pain that can mimic coccydynia, including sciatica, infection (including shingles of the buttocks), pilonidal cysts, sacroiliitis, and fractured bone (broken tailbone or tailbone fracture).

"What now?" She asked.

Rest, avoiding reinjury to the affected area, antiinflammatory medications, and pain medications can relieve symptoms. Sitting on a pillow, cushion, or buttock support can help. Some patients with persistent coccydynia are treated with local cortisone

doctor@lagospainclinic.com injection. This injection is simply performed in the doctor's office and can potentially dramatically relieve the pain and even resolve the symptoms for many.

Physical therapy with exercises can be helpful in the recovery. Rarely, when patients have unrelenting pain, a surgical resection of the coccyx (coccygectomy or surgery to remove the coccyx bone) can be performed to remove the irritated bony prominence.

We spent many minutes trying to determine if, how and when she may have injured her tailbone.

Finally, with a conclusion of "idiopathic cause", which means the doctor does not know, the consultation ended.

As she got up to leave, she said " I'm heading straight back to the gym. Maybe if I tighten those glutes, the pain will be more tolerable."

This was contrary to my advice to rest. "You workout a lot?"

"Yes, I do. Comes in handy when you gotta fight your way through bargain hunters sometimes....."

She stopped. She suddenly remembered last Thanksgiving.

And the 55in TV she badly wanted. The only one in store.

She turned to me at the door...mouth and eyes wide open....."Doc!!"

We both burst into laughter.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—45

Leave Tompolo alone —IJAW YOUTH LEADER W

ARRI—NIGERIANS have been charged to see the good things so far achieved for the country by Chief Government Ekpemukpolo, alias Tompolo, and stop the damaging agitations against him.

An Ijaw youth leader from Ogbe-Ijoh community, Warri South-West Local Government Area, Delta State, Deacon Arex Akemotubo, who addressed newsmen in Warri, noted that it was not true that Tomplolo had nominated some persons in the state to be Senator Ifeanyi Okowa's running mate in the coming government election in the state.

He said that Tompolo has come a long way in the struggle to free the Ijaw nation from the oppressive system that held them captive for many years, while their oil and gas rich land accounted for the huge federal revenue used in running Nigeria.

Akemotubo said that Tompolo, as a Nigerian and leader of his people, has the inalienable right to nominate any qualified person from any part of the state or country to any position of responsibility, maintaining that Tompolo, like his nominees, were tax payers

Niger Delta youths honour Okitiakpe

U

GHELLI—NIGER Delta Youth Council, NDYC, has honoured Chief Patrick Okitiakpe with an award as an Icon of Excellent Leadership.

Presenting the award to Okitiakpe at his Ekakpamre, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State country home, President of NDYC, Mr. Christopher Bakporhe, noted that the recipient had displayed excellent leadership style and empowerment strategy particularly in the area of education.

Receiving the award, Okitiakpe thanked the group for the gesture and urged members to be steadfast in their role as leaders of a brighter tomorrow.

He also urged them to support President Goodluck Jonathan in his 2015 re-election quest.

like other Nigerians.

He said: “The fact that his younger brother is Chairman of a council and another a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, House of Representatives flagbearer did not preclude him from making further

nominations to other positions.

Tompolo only nominates while those in authority are at liberty to make appointment as deemed appropriate."

He said that Tompolo’s pipelines surveillance efforts have led to a drastic reduction

in oil theft in the region, thus resulting in greater income to the federation account, adding that the achievement was no mean feat in the region in the face of threats from powerful and interested illegal oil bunkering barons.

LAUNCHING: From left: Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; Founder / CEO, Centre for Values in Leadership, Prof. Pat Utomi; Representative of the Chairman of the occasion, Mr. Ifeanyi Ozor; and President, Association of Esan Professionals, Mr. Matthew Egbadon, during the official launch of the Association of Esan Professionals’ Education Foundation Trust Fund, in Lagos.

PDP primaries: Bayelsans lambast Sylva's aide over comment on Dickson

By Samuel Oyadongha

Y

ENAGOA—ANGRY reactions, yesterday, trailed the poor rating of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State on the conduct of the state and National Assemblies primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Bayelsa West senatorial district of the state.

Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr.Daniel MarksonIworiso, the former state Chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Mr Sunday Frank-Oputu and the Ofoni Democratic Youth Forum, ODYF, through its Spokesman, Mr. Francis Adjerebe, said that the rating of the governor done by Prince Lucky Youbougha, an aide to former Governor Timipre Sylva was deceitful, criminal and did not represent the opinion of the people of the state.

While the state governor's CPS denied the claim that the aide to Timipre Sylva was ever appointed by Governor Dickson as a Special Adviser, ODYF said that the rating by Youbougha did not represent the true outcome of the primaries in Bayelsa West senatorial district of the state.

ODYF, in a statement by Adjerebe, said that the PDP primaries conducted in Bayelsa West senatorial district, which produced Evang Foster Ogola as the senatorial candidate of the party, was the true reflection of the votes of the delegates from the district.

“Yuobougha is not a competent person to speak and rate the governor on the outcome of the party primaries. Youbougha,

whose membership of the PDP is under probation as a decampee from the All Progressives Congress, APC. “The so called primaries conducted by Senator Lokpobiri had no party election panel member nor state or local government party representatives in attendance. The so called primaries were conducted in the minds of narrow minded people like Yuobougha.”

2015: Botu drums support for Okowa, Manager, Pondi

T

HE councilor representing Seimbiri Ward 4, in the Burutu Local Government Legislative Arm, Mr Churchill Botu, has said that the emergence of Senator Ifeanyi Okowa as Delta State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, Senator James Manager for Delta South senatorial district and Julius Pondi for Burutu federal constituency, was a direct reflection of the wishes of the people to inject fresh air into governance in order to attract more practical development.

Botu, in Warri, said that the emergence of the trio at the different levels, was a clear demonstration of the PDP to field the best candidates through delegates for the 2015 general elections.

He added that Pondi won the Burutu federal constituency primaries because of his wide support based on his antecedents and commitment to service delivery, stressing that Burutu people will witness a new wave of robust and purposeful representation with his emergence.

New UNIBEN V-C bags Best Engineer of the Year Award

B

By Simon Ebegbulem

ENIN—THE Benin branch of the Nigerian Society of Engineers,NSE, has bestowed the Engineer of the Year Award on the new Vice Chancellor of the University of Benin, UNIBEN, Prof. Faraday Orumwense.

According to the Benin branch Chairman of the NSE, Engr. Edwin Omoregbe, the award was in recognition of the achievements of the Vice Chancellor in the engineering profession in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Omoregbe has called on the Federal Government to enact laws that would enable engineers to enforce regulations that affect engineering practice in the country with a view to bringing sanity to engineering practice.

He spoke on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee, induction/annual luncheon, fund raising organised in Benin City by the body.

Omoregbe who said that the NSE was not surprised by the appointment of Prof.

Orumwense as VC of UNIBEN, noted that the award was in recognition of his contribution to the growth of engineering in the country.

Elumelu Foundation awards Legacy Prize to UNIBEN student

D

ETERMINED to recognise and reward academic excellence among students in the University of Benin, Mr Henry Idogun has been awarded the Tony Elumelu Legacy Prize as the Best Graduating student, Masters in Business Administration, MBA, in the University of Benin.

The award was conferred on him by the founder, Mr Tony Elumelu, represented by the Leadership Development and CRS Manager, Mr Katja Nwafor, during the 2014 convocation of the university in Benin City, Edo State.

46 — Vanguard, WEDNSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

DESOPADEC commissioner makes case for science subjects

T

HE commissioner for Delta State Oil Producing Area D e v e l o p m e n t C o m m i s s i o n , DESOPADEC, in charge of Ughelli North and Ethiope East Local Government areas, Mr. Ominimini Obiuwevbi, has donated scientific equipment to Ibru College Agbarha Otor in Ughelli North.

He promised to do more to promote the study of science subjects in secondary schools in his jurisdiction.

Obiuwevbi noted that it was necessary to do everything possible to encourage learning of science subjects since life depended on science and technology, just as he awarded one Edeguare Prosper, a Senior Secondary School 2 science student, scholarship for correctly providing an answer to a Mathematical question he asked.

The commissioner also inspected some ongoing projects, including a National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, lodge, science laboratory block under renovation, a sixclassroom block, among others.

The principal of the school, Mrs. Ajobo M. K. O., expressed gratitude to the commissioner for his gesture.

Chime presents N96.7bn budget

By Francis Igata

E

NUGU—GOVERNOR Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has presented a budget estimate of N96,735,300,000 for 2015 to the state House of Assembly for approval.

This represents a N2,987,300,000 or three percent increase from the 2014 budget of N93,748,000,000. A total of N54,939,980,211 was earmarked for capital expenditure, representing 56.8 percent, while N41,795,319,789 is for recurrent expenditure.

Works and infrastructure received the lion share of N14.9 billion to be deployed mainly for the completion of ongoing projects and payment of liabilities to contractors.

Education sector got N6.1 billion, while health and agriculture received N4.9 billion and N4.3 billion, respectively. N2.9 billion went to the water sub-sector with commerce and industry, tourism, sports, security, environment, housing, transportation, rural also receiving substantial allocations.

Review

Reviewing last year ’s budget, Governor Chime said the state recorded remarkable successes in all sectors, noting that the 332 kilometres of rural roads constructed by the government had enhanced inter-connectivity and drastically reduced travel times from the 17 council headquarters to Enugu as they could now be easily accessed by road.

He said: “With 295 kilometres of roads completed in Enugu and Nsukka urban cities, not many of our people,

today, remember the pains of moving around some seven years back. We were voted in to bring about good times and we have done our best to do just that.”

Noting that the budget presentation was the last he would make as governor of the state, Chime said: “When I took office in 2007, we visited all the 472 communities in the state and identified the key

development needs of our people as chosen by them.

“The good news is that all the communities have had some or all of their chosen projects executed. We are committed to completing and handing over the various ongoing urban and interlocal government roads, which are currently at various stages of completion.”

He thanked the state

Hearing on N50m rights suit against Police for today Kwale Division from further Police Officer, DPO at Kwale, Mr.

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

O

NITSHA—A Kwale High Court in Delta State, presided over by Justice Jalogho Williams, will today begin the hearing on a N50 million suit against the Nigeria Police by an Anambra State-based human rights activist, Chief Eloka Obinani, for alleged breach of his fundamental human rights.

Justice Jalogho Williams fixed the date after ruling in an ex-parte motion filed by the applicant seeking a court order to restrain the police from

arresting, harassing, molesting and detaining him over a petition he wrote to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, against officers and men of the Division.

Granting the order, Williams said it would subsist for the next two weeks, noting that in the interim, respondents were to be put on notice as the case was fixed for today for hearing.

In the suit, brought pursuant to Sections 34, 35, 36, 41 and 45 of the Constitution, the applicant is asking the court to compel the respondents, the Divisional

UR registered voters stand at about 70 million. I think we can work with the network providers to allow Nigerians vote electronically using GSM. The voter’s cards and the ballot papers can be made out as recharge cards to allow user vote from the comfort of their homes.

—Miss Mabel Nnenna, Graduate.

Umeh Udofia, Constable Adjekughele, Constable Odeh, Supol Nnacho, DCO, Mr. Sam, DC State CID, Asaba and Commissioner of Police, Delta State, to pay him N50 million for the breach of his human rights.

In the motion filed on his behalf by his legal counsel, I. W. Agholor, the applicant is seeking, among others, a declaration of the court that the respondents have no legal and or constitutional right whatsoever to break and enter his house at 1, Adaeze Bakery Close, Kwale, at about 11p.m. on November 23, to arrest him without a search warrant and warrant of arrest.

Foundation to partner Delta on healthcare

T

HE Isioma Okobah Foundation has made a commitment to assist Delta State government in repositioning the health sector through the provision of affordable, accessible and qualitative health care in conformity with globallyaccepted standards.

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the foundation, Dr. Isioma

Okobah, disclosed plans to upgrade the Stephen Uche Okoh Snr. Memorial Community Health Centre, Igbodo in Ika North-East Council Area, which it built, equipped and donated to the Igbodo community.

She said under the arrangement, new state-ofthe art medical equipment would be procured and installed at the health centre

PEOPLE SPEAK

O

House of Assembly for the support given to his administration adding, “today’s event fills me with immense pride of what we have achieved as a united team stitched together by destiny.

“The credit belongs to all of us: the executive, legislature and judiciary. More importantly, the bigger credit goes to all our people. All I can offer is to say thank you to all concerned.”

to promote the health needs of the people at no cost, explaining that her ultimate goal was to make the hospital a centre of excellence in medicine.

The Okwelegwe of Igbodo Kingdom, Chief Robert Agwaife, commended the initiative of Dr. Okobah in establishing the medical centre, which he said was addressing the health concerns of the people in rural communities of Delta State.

By Bartholomew Madukwe (08102479985) nwamad@yahoo.com

will urge Nigerian On 2015 general elections Imasse youths to come out en and vote during ECAUSE of the ROFESSOR Jega’s the 2015 general HE process is highly HE 2015 general Bpresentin thesecurity Pprompt handling of elections. This is Tsuspicious against the Telections will hold, challenges North- electoral malpractices, background of available information that the PDPled Federal Government is working to disenfranchise voters in opposition strongholds in the forthcoming polls.

—Mr. Nonso Azudiefe, Graduate.

though North-East is at war. To that effect, INEC, stakeholders and security agencies are working hard to deliver credible elections. However, all hands must be on deck.

—Mr. Emmanuel Nwachukwu, Student.

East, I will advise that Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states should get more security operatives.

We all know that insurgents target places where people congregate.

—Miss Ilokoli Augusta, Businesswoman.

regardless of where they occur, shows there is hope in the electoral process. He should continue with his good work and ignore distractions.

—Mrs Loveth Chekwube, Worker.

because the future starts from those we choose to lead us today. Since the youths have numerical strength, we can very simply make the change we want. That is just all I have to say.

—Miss Sophia Osuji, Graduate.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014— 47

ACF not against Jonathan's re-election —Useni

By Marie-Theresa Nanlong

J

OS—A former Chairman of the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, Lt. Gen. Jeremiah Useni has debunked insinuations that the body is against the re-election bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, saying officials were only canvassing personal opinion.

Useni who is also the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Plateau South Senatorial candidate in the forthcoming senatorial elections has also expressed joy that insinuations that the state would be torn to pieces during the recent primary elections did not come to pass.

He spoke during an interactive session with newsmen in Jos during which he sympathised with victims of the recent twin bomb explosions in the city.

Affirming that the ACF is not against the administration or reelection bid of President Jonathan, Useni said: “What we hear are personal opinion of individuals.

ACF has no candidate, we will support whoever Nigerians elect.

“I am happy with the conducts and results of just concluded PDP

primary elections. People thought Plateau will be torn into pieces by the result of the exercises but Plateau people showed their true peaceful nature.

“I urge the electorate to continue to exhibit same conduct in the general elections in 2015. I sympathize with the

victims of the unfortunate bomb blasts in Jos. I appeal to the perpetrators of these evils to desist from such.

“I also urge all citizens to support President Jonathan in his re-election bid so that he can continue and complete the good works he has started.”

Useni also commended

President Jonathan for picking the incumbent vice-president, Namadi Sambo as his running mate and called on citizens to continue to pray for Nigeria and the troops combating insurgency so that the nation can overcome and come out stronger than ever.

OPENING: From left: Mrs Nkiruka Ogboruche, Mr Chinenyem Anyanwu, CEO, Dependable Securities Ltd, Mr Timothy Ogboruche, CEO, Teleworld Integrated Services Ltd, and Mr Trevor Akindele, Partner, Kruxland Petrogas Nigeria Ltd, at the opening of Geek Plaza in Lagos.

ZAMFARA 2015: 10 political parties, PDM gov candidate

drag Shinkafi to court

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By Salisu Maradun

USAU—TEN political parties in Zamfara State under the platform of the Interparty Advisory Council, IPAC, and a governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Movement, PDM, Alhaji Aminu Mainasara have dragged the former Governor of the state, Alhaji Aliyu Shinkafi to the Federal High, Gusau asking the court for an interpretation on whether or not his election as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2015 has not violated the 1999 Constitution or the 2010 Electoral Act as amended.

Joined in suit are the PDP, and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. The plaintiffs claimed through their Counsel, Mr Lasco Pwahomdi that Shinkafi’s participation in the election would

amount to a gross violation of the country’s electoral laws.

In a writ of summons supported by a four page affidavit, the plaintiffs asked the

court to determine; whether given the provisions of Sections 178 (1) and (2) of the Constitution (as amended) and provision of Section (30) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as

A

SABA—Concerned Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, members of Aniocha/ Oshimili federal constituency have cried out to the national leadership of the party in Abuja over the alleged plans by some high ranking officers of the party to impose the incumbent House of Representatives member for Aniocha/Oshimili federal constituency, who also contested the recent governorship race in the state and lost to be given the ticket to

represent them in 2015 at the National Assembly.

In a statement, Chief Clement Osafiana on behalf of the group, expressed dissatisfaction with the development, saying it was a thing of surprise that the PDP could allow any of its members who had already purchased nomination form, screened and cleared to contest a particular position to also be issued form for another political position.

Osiafiana, a stalwart of the party also noted that such an action was illegal and not in line with the guidelines of the PDP

A

BUJA—THE Federal Government yesterday in Abuja signed a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with three different companies for solar power across the country.

The companies are: Solius NGPC, Peoples Home Association and Solar Force Nigeria Ltd. This is contained in a statement signed by Mrs Patricia Deworitshe, Assistant Director in charge of Press in the Ministry of Power.

Deworitshe said that Prof.

Chinedu Nebo, Minister of Power, who signed on behalf of government, assured the companies of government’s commitment to deliver power to Nigerians.

“President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to giving power to the grass roots, therefore, his government is ready to support and encourage genuine investors in the power sector," he said.

Group drums support for Okowa

A

Constitution.

The group stated that during the last inconclusive election of the House of Representatives for Aniocha/ Oshimili federal constituency in Asaba, there was a misconception of the rules and regulations as the electoral officer for the election, apart from starting late, did not begin the process of voting by calling the names of eligible delegates in alphabetical order, rather he started with Oshimili North and South which later resulted in Aniocha North and South delegates not being able to vote.

GROUP, Delta Concerned Patriots, DCP, has called on the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa to be magnanimous in victory by ensuring that all aspirants who contested with him at the primaries are carried along so as to ensure that the party emerges victorious at the polls.

It also called on the defeated aspirants to support Okowa, noting that Okowa’s victory is a testament to his wide acceptability in the state.

This was contained in a statement by its Secretary, Board of Trustees, BoT, Dr. Iyke Odikpo.

His words: ‘’Okowa’s victory is for all Deltans. It cuts across every section of the state because people from every senatorial zone contributed to his success.

"That is why we urge everyone to eschew sentiments and work for the success of our party at the polls."

Speaking at the official fundraising for the project, Alhaji Jakande while describing the Ilupeju PCRC as pacesetter in supporting the police to fight crimes, condemned the lukewarm attitude of corporate bodies and industries, particularly the banks, towards financing WCCTV security project.

Jakande reminded the corporate bodies, banks and industries operating in area that

stressing the need for all hands to be on deck to fight crime in the society, adding that the government could not do it alone.

In his welcome address, Primate Michael A. Aniyikaiye who is chairman of Ilupeju PCRC, described the launching of the fund as marking a milestone in the history of Ilupeju Police Division in that, theprojectwouldhelpthePolicetomonitor events and crime within the community and nib crime in the bud.

amended), the party has legal competence to nominate a governorship candidate outside the time table and schedule for general elections.

NASS: PDP members kick against planned

imposition of candidate

FG signs MoU with 3 firms on solar power

Middle Belt youths decry rising region have become solitary, insecurity Jakande lauds Ilupeju PCRC over N50m security nasty and too short.

By Marie-Theresa Nanlong Addressing newsmen at the they would be most beneficiaries private initiative in the country. project OS—THE United Middle Belt NUJ Press Centre in Jos, the of the project when completed,

J

Youth Movement has decried the prevailing political and security challenges facing the region saying that its people were constantly being attacked and killed just as their property were being destroyed, triggering mass exodus of people from their homeland.

The group, however, asked President Goodluck Jonathan to take urgent steps by addressing the challenges as lives in the

group’s National Leader, Emmanuel Zopmal also urged the federal and state governments to set up camps with adequate medical care for displaced people who had no homes to live.

His words: “Over the years, we have been under intense pressure of attacks and killings which have led to mass exodus of our people from their homeland."

L

AGOS—FORMER Governor of Lagos State, Chief Lateef Jakande, JP, has commended the Ilupeju Police Community Relations Committee, PCRC, for embarking on N50 million Wireless Closed Circuit Television, WCCTV, to enable the police detect crimes in the area.

The project is the first of its kind to be initiated through

48—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

SERVICE: From left, Mr. Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works and Infrastructure; Mrs. Bimpe Bamgbose-Martins, Founder/CEO, Strategy for Mentoring Initiatives and Leadership Empowerment, SMILE; Dame Abimbola Fashola, Special Guest of Honour; Mrs. Sarah Adebisi-Sosan, former deputy governor of Lagos State, and Mrs. Eniola Yonwvren, former Permanent Secretary in Lagos State, during memorial service in honour of Dr. Myles Munroe, Founder of Bahamian Evangelical Christian evangelist and ordained Pentecostal minister, who died in air crash with his wife, at Grandeur Event Center, Ikeja, Lagos. Photo: Bunmi Azeez

INTERNATIONAL DAY: From left, Director Rehabilitation, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Ms Mojisola Akintaro; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dr. Ezekiel Oyemomi, and Executive Secretary, MTN Foundation, Nonny Ugboma, during 2014 International Day of Persons with Disabilities, in Abuja. Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan

INDUCTION: From left, Ms. Bose Adebayo, Mr. Gabriel Oladayo, Mrs. Gertrude Akawo, Dr. Chikezie Nwankwo, Dr. Chuks Akawo, Registrar, Institute of Chartered Portfolio Management of Nigeria, ICPMN; Malachy Ugwummadu, Legal Adviser, Professor William Igbuta, Professor Joseph Mba, Dr. Sylvester (UNILAG), Mr. Adebayo Ojo, DMD, Fountain Insurance Plc; Mr. Olufunminiyi Adebayo, Sir Cyril Ozor, Director of Membership Services, during induction of council members.

PARTY: Board member, Mouka Limited, Mr. Hasib Moukarim (right); Platinum Category winner and winner of a brand new Toyota Corolla car, Chief Jude Onyedun (middle), his wife, Chief Kizita Onyedun,Executive Director, Evergreen International Services (2nd left), and Acting Managing Director, Mouka Limited, Mr. Femi Fapohunda, during the 2014 Mouka Distributors’ End-Year Party, at Time Square Event Centre, Adeniyi Jones, Ikeja. Photo: Akeem Salau

PRESENTATION: From left, Marketing Manager, Mrs. Bola Adeniji; Regional Sales Manager, South West Nigeria, Mr. Rakesh Kumar, both of Olam Sanyo Foods Limited; winner of N50 000 in the promo, Rachael Ighouwemerehor; Head, Consumer Protection Council, Lagos, Tam Tamunokonbia, and Chief Executive Officer, Olam Sanyo Foods Limited, Siddharth Suri, at the Cherie Noodles Naira Hunt Promo Prize Presentation, at Ikotun Market, in Lagos.

C M Y K

LAUNCH: From left, Vice President of Fisheries Society of Nigeria, Dr. Agbabiaka Adegbite; Director, Livestock Feeds, LSF, Plc, a subsidiary of UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide; Managing Director, LSF, Mrs. Modupe Asanmo, and Director, LSF, Mr. Joe Dada, at LSF’s launch of its Aquamax Fish Feed, in Lagos.

HONOUR: From left, Lagos businessman, Mr. Mike Osime; Works Minister, Arc Mike Onolememen; Mrs. Magaret Unubun, and Construction mogul, Chief Lee Ikpea, after being honoured and decorated as Esan Ambassadors by the Association of Esan Professionals, at the Oriental Hotel, Lagos.

VISIT: From left, Registrar/CEO, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, CIPM, Mr. Sunday Adeyemi FCIPM; President & Chairman of Council CIPM, Mr. Victor Famuyibo FCIPM; Country Managing Director, Accenture, Mr. Niyi Yusuf; CIPM’s Strategic Planning and Implementation Committee Vice Chairperson, Mrs. Titilayo Akisanya, and SPIC Chairperson, Mr. Udom Inoyo, during CIPM’s courtesy visit to Accenture, in Lagos. Photo: Diran Oshe

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—49 —49

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•Kuku with the USPP female students in their hostel

FROM CREEK WARLORDS TO EXPERTS IN OIL & GAS:

The story of ex-Niger Delta militants THEY had a background enmeshed and defined by violence and aggression. They were the arrowheads behind the restiveness that took its toll on the Niger Delta region between 2007 - 2009. Today, however, these “bad boys” who terrorized the creeks of the oil-rich Niger Delta region, have turned a new leaf and are now specialists in several fields of human endeavor, thanks to the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP initiated by Late President Umaru Musa YarÁdua.

A foremost Ijaw son, Mr. Kingsley Kuku who was always in and out of the creeks to bring about the needed truce in the course of the arms struggle, was appointed by the government to stand in the gap and join other leaders of the Niger Delta to champion the disarmament programme.

He got the youths emotionally involved to appreciate the essence of the amnesty programme and what they stood to gain. They gave him their ears and today, the ex-agitators have a new song to sing.

Having undergone proper demobilization, the creek boys who were hitherto seen as never-do-well chaps are today, in large numbers, specialists in different fields of human endeavour.

By Kingsley Omonobi

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PECIALISTS in oil & gas Vanguard Features, VF investigations showed that several of them, having acquired ‘first class’ trainings in reputable institutions and facilities particularly outside the country, have become Under-Water Engineers, Commercial Marine Divers, Crane Operators, Aircraft Pilots, Seafarers, Marine Engineers, Marine Mechanics, Auto Mechanics, Boat builders, Safety and Health Officers, Oil and Gas Drillers and ICT C M Y K

Specialists.

Thousands of the beneficiaries of the Amnesty Programme have also been placed in globally renowned schools to pursue formal education. Records available to VF show that the Amnesty Programme currently has about 700 students studying in reputable universities in the United Kingdom, UK alone and about 300 in reputable universities in the United States of America.

Some of the ex-militants are also studying in schools in Canada, Ukraine, Russia, South Africa, Philippines and Malaysia.

No fewer than 2,000 of them are currently in studying private universities in Nigeria.

Records at the Amnesty office indicate that out of the 19, 112 ex-agitators that have been placed in either universities or vocational skills acquisition facilities within the country and offshore, 14, 596 of them have

When these people are fortified with skills especially as it concerns the economic realities of their environment, the region would not depend on crude oil alone as a source of foreign exchange

successfully completed their training and have received certifications on graduation from these institutions.

A total of 2,072 ex-agitators have since secured gainful employments or have been empowered to set-up their own businesses.

VF learnt that globally renowned energy solutions provider, the French Institute of Petroleum, IFP facilitated the immediate employment of 14 of 40 Niger Delta youths who completed their training at the IFP Training School in Paris, France. IFP offered direct automatic employment to a trainee who emerged as the best graduating Nigerian student. He is slated to take up full time employment at IFP’s headquarters in France.

The French firm also confirmed that it will facilitate the placement in full employment of the other 13 youths who also excelled in character and in learning in two of its partner firms in Nigeria, namely: Total Nigeria and Halliburton.

The French Institute of Petroleum trains high-level professionals who can respond to today and tomorrow’s energy challenges. Out of the 40 trainees deployed to the French school by the Amnesty Office, 20 were given advanced training in Geo Sciences and Reservoir Engineering while the other 20

were trained in Oil & Gas Production Engineering.

Another French firm, Schneider Electric Industries of France also recently facilitated the employment 29 Amnesty Programme’s trainees who completed their training in Power Generation in one of the firm’s training facilities that was named after the late Nigerian nationalist, Major Isaac Adaka Boro, in Grenoble, France.

Of the 29 Niger Delta youths, 15 were offered direct employment by Schneider Electric to work in their facilities in Nigeria while six of them were placed in gainful employment in firms currently partnering with Schneider to execute projects in Nigeria.

The remaining eight who voluntarily chose to become entrepreneurs, are being assisted

by Schneider through the firm’s internal micro-credit scheme to become contractors and services providers in the critical power sub-sector.

In the same vein, Proclad Academy in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, over a year ago, facilitated the placement of 30 Amnesty Programme beneficiaries in gainful employments in the Middle East.

The 30 beneficiaries were trained

by Proclad Academy in such fields as Welding, Fabrication and Building Construction.

Overriding objective Speaking on the feat achieved so far, Kingsley Kuku said the overriding objective of the amnesty program is to train an army of middle and high calibre manpower who will provide services in the various oil, gas and agro-allied industries.

He posited that when these people are fortified with skills Continues on page 51

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Continues from page 50 especially as it concerns the economic realities of their environment, the region would not depend on crude oil alone as a source of foreign exchange.

Kuku who has been honoured by several institutions both in the country and abroad for his numerous contributions to the growth and development of the Niger Delta region and Nigeria at large, further explained that some Niger Delta youths are undergoing their postgraduate courses in Russia, Ukraine and the United States of America.

“A sizable number of youths have been sent to South Africa while a substantial number were also sent to Israel for agricultural training. Others were sent to India for ICT and to Poland for specialised officer cadre training in seafaring. These are skills that are of strategic economic interest to the nation and the oil-rich Niger Delta Region,” he said.

VF observed however that it is in the area of training young person’s to fill the huge gap in the Nigerian aviation sector that the Amnesty Office under Kuku, has excelled more

•Nelson Mandela Students in South Africa

Aviation training Since commencement of aviation training for beneficiaries of the programme in 2011, the Amnesty Office has so far produced 66 commercial pilots and 61 aviation maintenance engineers. The pilots had their initial trainings and earned their Private Pilot Licenses, PPL and Commercial Pilot Licenses, CPL in reputable flight schools in South Africa, United Arab Emirates, UAE, Jordan and Greece.

Nine of the commercial pilots are currently undergoing their jet-type rating at the world famous CAE Oxford Aviation Academy, Kidlington, Oxford, UK, while another batch of 23 commercial pilots are doing their jet-type rating at the Lufthansa Aviation Academy, in Germany.

Jet-type rating is a necessary further training for the already qualified commercial pilots aimed at getting them acquainted with the latest aircraft and international accreditation prior to their entrance into the highly competitive global aviation labour market.

The Office of the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta said it carefully chose CAE Oxford and Lufthansa Aviation Academy for the jet-type rating for the Niger Delta youths given that virtually all the leading airlines across the world pick their commercial pilots from these two Aviation Academies.

Kuku said plans are currently afoot to place another set of 32 already trained commercial pilots in the jet-type rating programmes at both CAE Oxford Aviation Academy in the UK and the Lufthansa Aviation Academy C M Y K

•Coventry University graduands

in Frankfurt, Germany. In a related development, VF learnt that 11 ex-militants are currently undergoing trainings as helicopter pilots at the AirsterEllicotteri Flight School in Italy.

Among the many Nigerians who have celebrated Kuku’s achievements is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman.

Abatemi-Usman stated that peace has returned to the restive region, noted that nobody saw this level of success coming.

Senator Usman described Kuku as a courageous, fearless and brave young man who having been deeply involved in the Niger Delta struggle, has turned around to prove his mettle in the discharge of his duty as the Coordinator of PAP.

Why amnesty was initiated In 2008, it was estimated that Nigeria lost over three trillion Naira as a result of the

restiveness in the Niger Delta arising from the operations of the militants in the creeks of the region.

By early 2009, militancy in the Niger Delta had reached its zenith and had virtually brought Nigeria’s economy to its knees.

Investors looked elsewhere as the inflow to the upstream sub-sector of the oil industry had declined significantly.

The frequency of hostage taking and violation of oil facilities had

The principal terms of the amnesty included the willingness and readiness of militants to surrender their arms unconditionally

also threatened the Nigerian state. Foreign investors felt that since Nigeria’s capacity as Africa’s highest crude oil producer had been threatened, Angola, Ghana and South Africa were preferred as investment destinations to Nigeria.

Intense militancy reduced Shell Petroleum Development Company’s production and its output dropped from one million bpd to about 250,000 bpd. Major oil companies like TotalFina, Elf, ExxonMobil and Nigerian Agip Oil Coy were not left out in the violation of their facilities. Illegal oil bunkering rackets and kidnappings of oil workers were the order of the day.

This development compelled Late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua to grant unconditional amnesty to combatants in the Niger Delta. That was on June 25, 2009.

Sequel to this proclamation, President Goodluck Jonathan who was then the Vice President, had given his principal all the support and encouragement by personally going to the creeks to educate the militants on the need

to embrace peace and drop their arms.

He was fully supported in this regard by then Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (retd), Major General Godwin Abbe (retd), then Minister of Defence and the Coordinator of the disarmament programme, Air Vice Marshal Clement Ararile (retd).

The principal terms of the amnesty included the willingness and readiness of militants to surrender their arms unconditionally, renounce militancy and sign an undertaking. The government however pledged to institute programmes to assist the disarmament, demobilisation, rehabilitation and reintegration of repentant militants.

At the end of the deadline, 20, 192 persons initially came out from the various states and camps in the Niger Delta. They were led by the likes of Chief Government Ekpemupolo (Tompolo), Chief Ateke Tom, Ebikabowei VictorBen (Boy Loaf), Fara Dagogoand Chief Bibopre Ajube (Shoot-AtSight).

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Expectations high as Adeboye visits Vanguard tomorrow

By Sam Eyoboka

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S MANAGEMENT and staff of Vanguard Media Limited, publisher of Vanguard Newspapers put finishing touches to arrangements to host the most influential religious leader in the country, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye tomorrow, expectations are high for superlative blessings for the new year.

Barely four days after the Holy Ghost Congress was held at the Redemption camp, Vanguard Media Limited will play host to Pastor Adeboye at its annual

thanksgiving service, where members of staff of the company offer thanksgiving to the Almighty God for His wonderful works in the life of the company, management, and staff in the outgoing year.

The company ’s Assistant General Manager, Brands, Mr. Fred Odueme said, yesterday, that it is indeed a great privilege to host an eminent man of God of Pastor Adeboye’s calibre, and expectations are high because “we are preparing to tap from the monumental anointing from the just concluded Holy Ghost Congress.

“There is no doubt that every member of the Vanguard family is expecting superlative blessings

that propel us into the new year and of course, you can be sure that the company will definitely move to greater heights,” he noted.

He stressed that when the heavens open there is bound to be a rain of blessing on the people who have been part of the Vanguard success story.

According to him, “the staff of the company are ready for the programme and many friends of the company have been calling to make enquiries if they can be part of the annual revival. So, we are expecting a lot of people at the programme who are eager to thank God and tap from the anointing of the man of God.”

It will be recalled that Pastor Adeboye was in Vanguard four years ago as the guest speaker at the company’s end of year’s thanksgiving service where he declared that Vanguard is one of the three Nigeria newspapers he takes delight in reading for its incisive presentation and unbiased reporting of news.

PDP PRIMARIES: Why alleged plot to impeach Mark won’t work

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru

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BUJA — IT was revealed, yesterday, that the alleged plot by the aggrieved Peoples

Democratic Party, PDP, senators to commence impeachment move against the Senate President, David Mark was not going to succeed as Mark was said to have made frantic efforts to ensure that many of his colleagues returned in 2015 but was not successful.

Some of the senators that lost their re-election bid had blamed their woes on the Senate President, claiming that he did not do much to protect them when the party structures were handed over to the state governors by the National Working Committee, NWC, of PDP. But a senator close to the Senate President said that Mark did all he could, including going to some of the state governors to plead for his colleagues to be given the tickets to return which the governors rejected.

The senator said it was unfair for any senator that failed to clinch the ticket to now put the blame on the Senate President, who he said, did much to protect his colleagues.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the senator said, “some of the senators who may be up-in-arms against the Senate President are not being fair to him.

“If those who are angry for failing to survive at the primaries are truthful to themselves, they should also disclose how the Senate President took time off preparation for his own primary election to plead the cases of most of the senators both at the PDP headquarters and at The Presidency.

“It is on record that the Senate President personally led some of the interventionists meetings held both at the party level and at the Presidency.

“It is also on record that the Senate President spoke to most of the PDP governors to

accommodate the senators in their states at the primaries.

He said though the reach of the Senate President was wide, “the Senate President did not just sit idly by without mounting the necessary lobby for the return of most senators.”

He specifically explained that in the case of a particular senator from South South, “the Senate President took him to the party headquarters, the Senate President also took him to The Presidency and spoke several times with his governor and even sent a close friend of the governor to plead with him to allow the senator to return, but his governor was adamant in giving his seat to another person.”

Besides, he stated that in some cases, the Senate President was holding meetings with some of the governors to persuade them, but most of them maintained hard position over the matter.

He noted that in the case of another senator from the South East, “the Senate President took steps to ensure his return in 2015, but he insisted on going ahead with his governorship ambition even when it was obvious that the coast may not be clear for him.”

The source also cited the case of another senator from Bayelsa State whose case Mark took to The Presidency and to the party headquarters.

“It is not fair for some people to attempt to make anybody scape-goat in this matter. If anything, anybody who is aggrieved over the conduct of the PDP primaries should take their fight to their governors.”

He said that it was clear for the majority of the senators that the Senate President did his best for his colleagues and was still making efforts to see the possibility of having more senators pick the party’s tickets.

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Kaduna govt, SMEDAN to set up business support centre

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ADUNA—THE Kaduna State government has commenced the process of establishing a business support centre with the collaboration of the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency, SMEDAN. Governor Ramalan Yero made this known while flagging off the training of 1000 unemployed graduates under the Graduate Vocational Entrepreneurship Skills Training, GVEST, programme.

Yero said the centre would provide support services to Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs, in the state saying “contract for the construction of the centre has already been awarded by government at the cost of N70 million, being its own counterpart obligation in the partnership and work is presently in progress. The SMEDAN is expected to provide technical support as well as furnish and equip the centre when it is completed.”

He further said that the GVEST was aimed at reducing the rate of unemployment especially among graduates adding that “under the programme, we are targeting to train 1000 unemployed youths from across the 23 local government councils, who will be formed into 100 viable cooperative groups supported with capacity building and access to finance to establish businesses that will generate 5,000 jobs (that is a minimum of 5 employments per MSME). And thus mop up 5,000 unemployed graduates from the job market.”

According to him, the present

administration in the state was committed to ease the process of accessing capital for citizens adding, “In addition to this, government in partnership with the DFID through its funded programme; the ENABLE (Enhancing Advocacy for a Better Business Environment in Nigeria) is working with some MDAs in creating a conducive climate for businesses to thrive in the State through the removal of encumbrances to doing business in Kaduna State, with a view to fast tracking access to services, permits and approvals.”

Yero said his administration had also provided skills to 7,650 youths and provided them with starter packs as well as start-up capital.

COMMISSIONING: From left; Mr John Udofa, Director of Credit Direct Ltd; Mrs Yemisi Edun, Director of Credit Direct Ltd/Chief Financial Officer, First City Monument Bank, FCMB; Mr Akinwande Ademosu, MD, Credit Direct Ltd; and Mr Shiba Ghosh, Director, Credit Direct Ltd/Group head, Retail Banking, FCMB at the commissioning of four mobile offices of Credit Direct Limited, a subsidiary of FCMB in Lagos. Pic: Akeem Salau.

Kogi Assembly votes in favour of LG autonomy, others

By Boluwaji Obahopo

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OKOJA—KOGI State House of Assembly yesterday approved the creation of new states in the country as well as for local governments’ autonomy.

The House which met to consider the 2014 Alteration Bill forwarded to it by the National Assembly however, rejected the scrapping of the State Independent Electoral Commissions, SIECs as part of the constitution amendment.

Those against the sustenance of the state electoral commission said that it was a duplication of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC. Other clauses ratified by the House included boundary adjustments, Police Reforms and Protection of Persons with Disabilities against Discrimination among many others.

Speaker of the House, Momoh Jimoh Lawal while introducing the bill said the harmonized version was passed in October

Phase3 Telecom lifts children with disabilities

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EST AFRICA’S largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider, Phase3 Telecom, as part of its corporate social responsibility banner has announced its partnership with Star Children Development Initiative (SCDI) to raise awareness and promote digitally enhanced and good quality of life for children with disabilities.

This the firm, shared with the public at the unveiling of its yuletide season program line-up in Abuja.

Speaking with newsmen, the Chief Executive Officer - Stanley Jegede highlighted the great challenges faced by children with physical or intellectual disabilities and indeed their immediate families.

He maintained that these gifted children are gravely marginalised the world over and in Nigeria, perhaps three times more.

This is unacceptable as they have the right to respect, dignity

and good standard of living as every human should.

He also said “no matter the severity of their impairment or disability; it must be ensured that children and of course all persons with disabilities are able to meaningfully participate in all aspects of their lives from social, economic to political.

The prejudice against these children and persons must be

totally eradicated and we all must collectively ensure their social and digital inclusion. A clear indication of such discrimination in the area of digital inclusion is the fact that despite the extraordinary growth in mobile and internet use worldwide, very little has been done to ascertain that persons with physical and intellectual disabilities are included in the technology (0-21

by the National Assembly in line with Section 9(2) of the 1999 Constitution.

Lawal in his Progress Report on resumption said voting had taken place on all the sections forwarded to the House for its consideration.

“The job of this House on the constitution alteration bill is completed. I hereby direct that the resolution of the House be forwarded to the National Assembly for necessary action,” he said.

Speaking at the assembly complex shortly after the plenary, President of the National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Tom Abutu commended the House for being on the side of the people.

Also speaking, the Executive Director, Centre for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, CHRCR, Maliki Abdul, applauded the House for the timely passage and their peopleoriented legislation saying that posterity would judge them right as legislators that felt the pains of the people.

APGA Assembly aspirant promises good leadership

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HE All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, aspirant contesting for Lagos State House of Assembly, Ojo constituency 1, Chief Mrs Florence Ejimudo, has said that the nation is dire need of women leaders, who will reduce the level of poverty in the country.

Ejimudo noted that the huge population of the Igbos in Ojo Local Government needs a change and will vote for her.

Speaking at at the sensitisation meeting with party faithful and

residents of Ojo on the need for eligible voters to get their Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, and cast their vote, Ejimudo stated that she will be a voice for the voiceless people and improve the lives of women.

“Why I have come out at this time is to go there to serve the people of my community. I want to be a voice to the voiceless. There are so many challenges they face daily and I want to correct it. More importantly, I am going there

to champion the cause of women in the society. That is my mission.

I know that all things are possible, so by the help of God, I will scale through'', she said.

“Some of the challenges our people are facing are bad roads; there are no jobs for them, they don’t have access to basic and necessary infrastructure. ''I want to make sure that things are put in order. That is why I am running. Despite the opposition’s presence, I believe I will win,'' she added.

Obsequies for Amb Ashiru

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service of songs for the late Ambassador Olugbenga Ayodeji Ashiru, former Nigerian Ambassador to North Korea and South Africa, former Minister of Foreign Affairs (20112013) and Otunba Tolumogboye of Ijebuland, comes up on Sunday, December 21st, 2014, at All Souls Anglican Church, Kayode, Animashaun Road, Lekki Peninsula, Phase 1, Lagos.

Christian wake-keep follows at Harbour Point, off Ahmadu Bello Way, Victoria Island on Monday, December 22nd, 2014.

Funeral Service is at Our Saviour’s Church, Tafawa Balewa Square on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2014.

Reception follows at Harbour point Victoria Island, Lagos.

He is survived by his wife Dr. Kehinde Ashiru (Nee Dina), children and a grandson. Announced

by Prof Oladapo Ashiru, Chairman of S. Ade Ashiru Dynasty.

.Late Amb Ashiru

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BOKO HARAM: Senate directs INEC to establish polling

units for IDPs

By Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Joseph Erunke

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BUJA — THE Senate, yesterday, directed the Senator Andy Uba-led Senate Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to liaise with the authorities of INEC to establish special polling units for the Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, who were victims of the on-going insurgency in the North East.

The Senate's directive was sequel to a bill brought by Senator Ali Ndume representing Borno

North for the amendment of the Electoral Act 2010.

Ndume’s bill was seeking an amendment to section 42 of the Electoral Act to make provisions for the enfranchisement of the IDPs in their various camps nationwide.

He argued that the quality of elections was not only measured by the extent to which the franchise was guaranteed and elections impartially administered for the majority of voters, but also by accommodations to enfranchise voters who are marginalised in polity.

Senator Ndume who said that he was one of the displaced persons as his community was sacked by the Boko Haram terrorists argued that since countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Cuba, and Iraq among who suffered serious conflicts that led to the displacement of many of their citizens, had incorporated the IDPs in their electoral system, Nigeria too should do the same.

According to him: “Elections are an important means which IDPs can have a say in the political, economic and social decisions affecting their lives. As citizens of the country in which they are

uprooted, IDPs are entitled to vote and participate in public affairs.

“Disenfranchisement of IDPs calls into doubt the legitimacy of the forthcoming elections. Let us borrow examples from Afghanistan, Syria, Cuba, Iraq and so on, who have all incorporated IDPs into their electoral system.”

But most of the senators who contributed to the debate agreed that the passage of the bill may not be necessary since the process of the amendment it was seeking might not be completed before the 2015 general elections.

The senators, however, suggested that the Senate should pass a resolution that would mandate INEC to ensure that the interests of all the displaced persons were taken care of during the 2015 polls.

Speaking after a long debate on the bill, the Senate President, David Mark, who presided over the session, said: “When we have a large internally displaced persons, they should vote irrespective of their locations.

However, the process of amending the Electoral Act as being suggested by the bill is long.”

Police IG okays promotion of men with varsity degrees

By Evelyn Usman

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HE INSPECTORGENERAL of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba has given approval for the consideration of Inspectors and rank and file policemen with university degrees and others for elevation.

The approval, according to a statement signed by the Force spokesman, Emmanuel Ojukwu, was in line with the IGP's resolve to boost the moral of Police workforce.

The circular to this effect was reportedly issued Monday, December 15, 2014. Consequently, all Police commands and formations across the country have been directed to compile and forward names of all serving Inspectors and Rank and File with higher certificates such as University degrees , Higher National Diploma HND, Ordinary National Diploma OND and National Certificate of Education NCE for necessary processing.

When news of the approval filtered into the Lagos State Police Command, yesterday, those affected expressed joy and optimism that the development would to a large extent ameliorate their financial situations.

Some of them, however, wore expressionless faces, as they were not sure how soon the proclamation would start yielding the necessary result.

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Israel, US in abortive missile defence test

Children massacred in Pakistan school attack A

T least 142 people, including 132 children, have been killed in a horrific attack by Pakistani Taliban fighters (TTP) on a military-run school in Peshawar in Pakistan’s northwest.

Several explosions and gunfire rung out as six armed men attacked the Army Public School yesterday morning, in oneof the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan’s history. Ten staff members of the school were also killed, including the school principal, and more than 120 students were wounded.

Officials told Al Jazeera that all seven attackers were killed in the operation.

Al Jazeera’s Kamal Hyder, reporting from Peshawar, said “most of the younger pupils escaped the school, but the senior students were not so lucky”.

The deadly attack triggered shock and outrage across the world. Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said it was a “national tragedy” and said those killed were “my children”.

Shell-shocked survivors described the attack as

nothing short of mayhem.

The attackers came dressed in paramilitary uniforms looking for people to kill.

One survivor, Shahrukh Khan, 16, shot in both legs said he managed to survive after playing dead.

I

srael and the Unit ed States yesterday tested the Jewish state’s Arrow 3 ballistic missile interception system, the defence ministry said, with local media reporting the trial was cut short.

“A target missile was successfully launched and tracked by the Arrow Weapon System, as part of the planned joint testing programme,” the ministry said in a statement, providing no further details.

A defence ministry official was quoted by the Jerusalem Post website as saying the test was “neither a success nor a failure”.

“The first part of the launch involved tracking the target missile, which was fired over the Mediterranean Sea towards Israel” in a simulated attack on Israeli airspace, Yair Ramati told the Post.

But it was decided midtest not to fire the Arrow 3 interceptor missile, he said, citing unsuitable

test conditions.

“This is not the first time that not all conditions are met for a trial,” Ramati said.

The two countries carried out similar tests in September and January, and in 2013 as Washington was considering military action against Syria.

The Arrow Ballistic Missile Defence System, designed to counter long-range missiles, has successfully intercepted missiles similar to Iran’s Shihab-3 in a variety of test conditions.

Congo M23 rebels ‘on the run ahead of handover’ M

ORE than 1,500 Congolese exrebels have gone on the run in Uganda ahead of their handover to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the group’s leader, Bertrand Bisimwa, has told the BBC. The M23 president said they had left a camp where they were being held because they feared returning home.

They had fled to Uganda a year ago after being defeated by the Congolese

army and UN forces.

However, Uganda’s army spokesman has denied that most of them are missing.

‘Neighbouring hills’ The BBC’s Catherine Byaruhanga in Uganda says a Congolese government delegation was in the capital, Kampala, earlier this month to negotiate the former fighters’ return to DR Congo, where the authorities have said they will be demobilised and reintegrated into so-

ciety.

They are not believed to be armed, she says.

Mr Bisimwa said the estimated 1,600 ex-fighters who had been staying at the military training school in western Uganda since November 2013 were due

to be handed back to the authorities in DR Congo yesterday . But when Ugandan army trucks arrived to pick them up in the morning they ran away into the neighbouring hills, leaving only a handful who were sick, he said.

Congolese government spokesman Lambert Mende told the BBC that he did not know how many of the former fighters had escaped, but a number of them were on their way to Kampala to be transferred.

Hundreds of former M23 fighters fled to camps in Uganda and Rwanda after their defeat in November 2013

West Bank clash: Israeli troops kill Palestinian

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SRAELI soldiers yes terday shot and killed a Palestinian during an arrest raid in a refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the military and Palestinian witnesses said.

The Palestinians want to establish a state in East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and Gaza, territories Israel captured in the 1967 Middle East war. U.S.brokered peace talks between the sides broke down in April.

Witnesses said residents of Qalandia refugee camp threw stones at the Israeli soldiers and the man killed, Mahmoud Adwan, 20, was watching from the roof of his home when he was shot.

Explosive devices were also hurled at the troops, the military said.

“Special forces came under attack in overnight operation in Qalandia,” Israeli military spokesman LieutenantColonel Peter Lerner

said on social media website Twitter. “In the exchange one terrorist was killed and another wounded and detained.”

Australia mourns Sydney cafe siege victims

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USTRALIANS have been laying flowers at the scene of a deadly hostage siege that ended with a police operation and the death of three people, including the hostage-taker, in Sydney.

Crowds have gathered at the site of the incident in Martin Place as social media have been flooded with expressions of fear and dismay and pictures of the city harbour and skyline.

Most of the hostages

escaped but the cafe manager, 34, and a 38year-old barrister and mother-of-three died in Monday ’s operation while six more people were injured, including three women with bullet wounds.

The attack was staged

by Iranian-born Man Haron Monis, who also died in the incident.

Andrew Scipione, New South Wales (NSW) police commissioner, said there had been 17 hostages in total.

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NTTF President’s Cup serves off T

HE maiden edition of the end-of-the-year Nigeria Table Tennis Federation (NTTF) organized top 16 Championship tagged President’s Cup serves off today (Wednesday) December 17 at the Molade Okoya Thomas Hall of Teslim Balogun Stadium.

The N2m prize money two-day tournament has players within and outside the country competing for top spot.

Over 48 matches will be played with foreignbased duo of Seun Ajetunmobi and Olaide Atinuke competing against local stars like Rashidat Ogundele, Kazeem Makanjuola as well as junior sensations - Tosin Oribamise, Ajoke Ojomu, Alimot Ayinla and Onyinyechi Mbah taking part in the championship.

The matches will be played in a round robin format with the top two players progressing to the next stage of the championship. The top eight players will also be drawn into two groups of four each with the top two advancing to the semifinal stage.

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HE President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Amaju Pinnick has appointed AIT Sports Correspondent, Calistus Ebare his Special Assistant on Media.

Disclosing this yesterday at a meeting with the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria, Abuja Chapter, Pinnick said that his administration was keen to deepen its ties with the vibrant sports media, a desire which informed the choice of Ebare.

Reacting later, Ebare said that he was humbled with the appointment and promised to be of good service to his professional colleagues and the NFF boss.

NFF Cecilia Otu-Akpan returns a serve during a match.

Bassey, Ojo-oba, Uchegbulam appointed CAF instructors

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N a bid to promote and improve the quality and level of all football aspects in Africa, especially at club level where clubs must be licensed to participate, CAF Monday appointed instructors to help drive the criteria that will ensure that clubs have appropriate infrastructure, knowledge and application in respect

Henry Continues from B/P his coaching badges, which could eventually see him return to the Emirates.

The former Arsenal, Barcelona and France star admitted it was not an easy decision to call time on his playing days, adding that he is now keen to offer his insight on the game.

“It’s hard to leave the game you love behind,” he said. “But I’m at peace with what I’ve done in the game; I’ve got no regrets.

“I still think I can give a lot to the game. I’m retiring and I’m not yet involved in any team so, in the meantime, why not give back to the game on TV and make people understand some stuff they don’t understand?

“The job of an analyst is to put your message across and make people understand how the game is. It will be our job to try to make sure we can bring the game closer to people at home.”

Henry - who left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007 ended his playing career at New York Red Bulls,

Pinnick names Ebare SA(media)

despite rumours he would make a return to the Emirates.

But the 37-year-old says that wasn’t an option, despite his love for Arsenal.

“You never leave Arsenal Football Club. Everyone wants to know about the playing side but we didn’t talk too much about that,” he said.

“If you moved back it would have turned out to be a bad move at one point.

We all loved the first Rocky, but I don’t know about the last one. You come back once but I don’t see going to Arsenal as a comeback. I feel like I never left the place. I had one comeback and I guess it was enough.”

Henry lifted more than 35 major individual and team trophies including the World Cup and European Championship for France, the Champions League and La Liga with Barcelona, the Premier League and FA Cup at Arsenal, the French League at Monaco and the MLS Shield with the New York Red Bulls.

of management and organization.

In Nigeria, the Continental football ruling body has picked Paul Bassey, Bolaji Ojo Oba, Gen Dominic Oneya, Samson Adamu and Solomon Ogba as Instructors for Competitions and Stadia Management.

For Youth and Grassroots CAF has put forward Amodu Shuaibu, while Amanze Uchegbulam has been nominated as an Instructor on

Administration,Legal and finances.

From the next football season in 2015, clubs engaging in CAF Inter Clubs competitions need to fulfill the minimum required criteria at the national level. “…...they must obtain their licenses prior to their participation in those competitions. The Club Licence is now obligatory for the participation in CAF Inter Club competitions” A CAF circular ordered.

Zambia Continues from B/P player was one of three Zambia call-ups injured in the accident together with defender Nyambe Mulenga and goalkeeper Satchmo Chakawa who also sustain serious injuries.

“Changwe Kalale sustained a spinal injury that has left him paralyzed from the waist going downwards,” Zesco United spokesperson Katebe Chengo said.

“He also sustained a right broken thigh and broken leg.

His condition has been described as stable and is admitted to the University teaching Hospital (In Lusaka).”

Kalale was expected to be one of Zambia’s top prospects at the 2015 CAF U17 Cup in Niger in February when the

Junior Chipolopolo will make its tournament debut.

He has one senior cap from Zambia’s friendly against Cote d’Ivoire that ended 1-1 in Lusaka on October 25.

The defensive midfielder from FAZ Division One North club Chambeshi FC was given a lift to Lusaka on a Zesco club minibus that was involved in the accident in a head-on collision with another vehicle.

Meanwhile, Nyambe plays for Zesco while Choma Eagles goalkeeper Chakawa was guest of the 2014 FAZ Super Division champions who are chasing his signature.

Nyambe has a fractured right leg while Chakawa ruptured his spleen and bladder.

Continues from B/P Wolves FC and Dolphins FC in the CAF Confederation Cup) on Monday, the NFF stated categorically: “The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) seriously warns that your club should be ready to face any sanction the organizer (CAF) will give erring clubs.”

While reminding the four clubs that other clubs representing other countries in next year’s club competitions have already finished the registration process, the NFF gave the four clubs until Wednesday, 17th

December, 2014 to submit their players’ details or face the prospect of disqualification.

Kano Pillars and Enyimba finished as the top two teams in the Nigeria Professional Football League to qualify to represent Nigeria in the dollar –spangled CAF Champions League, while Warri Wolves finished third in the League and Dolphins FC finished second behind Enyimba FC (already qualified for CAF Champions League) in the Federation Cup, to be eligible for the CAF Confederation Cup competition.

Amodu Continues from B/P on the matter was anchored on the fact that ‘a coach is as good as his last game’ hence the former national team captain having failed to qualify the country for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has no business hanging onto the job.

Amodu who described the embattled Keshi as a thorough bred professional added that retaining him as the Super Eagles coach will send a wrong signal because a precedence had been set when Samson Siasia was sacked after failing to qualify the country for the 2012 AFCON. “I am of this opinion because as a coach you are as good as your last game but only Keshi alone should decide what to do.

If he has a reputation he should walk out of the job but if he does not have it, he should hang on to the job. The truth is that he has failed and to keep him is a bad precedent because when Siasia failed instantly, they told the whole country that he had

failed and he left and President Jonathan could not save him. What is good for the goose should also be good for the gander.

That is my personal opinion”.

The former BCC Lions of Gboko tactician further advised that with the failure of the Super Eagles to qualify for the Equatorial Guinea 2015 AFCON, the best option for the NFF is to give the National U-23team, the Dream Team all the support to succeed because the next crop of national team players will come from there.

“Let me also advice that the best thing for us is to support the Dream team 6 because that is where our next set of players will come from. I am not saying that we should throw away everybody in the Super Eagles but that is the way to go” Amodu added.

He however revealed that he will be resuming officially as the NFF technical director in the next two or three weeks.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014 — 61

I’m getting closer to my best, says Ideye N

IGERIA internation al and West Bromwich Albion forward Brown Ideyehas said he is getting closer to his best.

Ideye was on from start to finish in the Baggies 1-0 defeat at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

Ideye is yet to score in the English Premier League since his £10million move from Dynamo Kiev and has since struggled for fitness making just three starts this season.

According to him, he is working very hard towards giving his best for the team he joined in the summer.

“I would say I have been working very hard,” Ideye told reporters.

“The gaffer (Alan Irvine) said he wanted me to work hard and at times it has been difficult for me to adapt to the system the team plays.

“I have to adjust to what I have to do when the team is playing, but right now I think I’m there and I am just working hard now.

•Ideye

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ATIONAL Youth Service Corps, Lagos Secretariat has commended Promasidor Nigeria Limited, makers of Cowbell Milk, for consistently sponsoring the female volleyball competition among the youth corps members in the state.

The commendation was given as Platoon 1 won the gold medal in the tournament organised for the ‘Batch D’ of the corps members deployed to the Lagos Orientation Camp located at the Iyana-Ipaja area of the state.

Mrs Bose Akinrele, the Camp Director, who gave the commendation, described Promasidor as a pace setter that every other responsible corpo-

HE Chief Technical officer of the Nigeria Football Federation, Siji Lagunju has endorsed the process that allowed over 600 footballers to participate in the selection process of the of the new U17 National team, insisting it will allow for the selection of a super team.

Lagunju, former Nigerian International, was on hand to monitor the exercise which started on Monday.

According to him, ‘it would allow the Golden Eaglets’ coaching crew a large pool of players to cast their eyes upon.’

The coach of the side, Emmanuel Amuneke also promised that all those who show up will be given a fair chance: “We are going to give everybody equal opportunity whether old or new players since we want only the best,”

noted Amuneke.

“We hope to see more players in the coming days.”

The screening exercise continues on Tuesday up to early next week when the

rate entity should emulate in terms of giving back to the society where businesses operate from.

She said the company has consistently created excitement for the Corps Members lodged at the Orientation Camp and that it has continued to make their stay there enjoyable. Apart from this, Mrs Akinrele said the tournament has

helped to bring the sporting skills of the corps members to the fore.

Meanwhile, the Head of Platoon 1, Mrs. Kehinde Soniyi, who coincidentally emerged the most valuable player in the tournament, applauded the team spirit exhibited by the platoon 1 players throughout the various stages of the competition.

Pinnick inspires referees at fitness Speaking to the refertest ees at this year’s physi-

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RESIDENT of the Nigeria Football Federation, Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick has told the nation’s elite and upcoming arbiters to do their job professionally and see how far they will go in their vocation.

Eaglets: NFF guarantee fair trials T

NYSC extols Promasidor as Platoon 1 clinches trophy

pool of players would be pruned to a manageable size.

cal fitness exercise ongoing at the main bowl of the National Stadium, Abuja, Pinnick encouraged them to be courageous, disciplined, diligent and God –fearing in the discharge of their duties.

“I believe we have very good referees in this country, which is why I have faith that come 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup, at least one Nigerian referee will be in action.

•Pinnick “I want to charge you to do your duties fearlessly, with truth as your watchword. If you do your work diligently, you will rise to the zenith of your profession.”

Yabatech wins 2014 NIPOGA Games •

ISAAC SUCCESS: He was part of Nigeria's success story at the 2013 U17 World Cup

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ABA College of Technology has won the 18th Nigeria Polytechnic Games held in Bida Niger state.

Yaba amassed a total of 34 medals made of 17 gold, 8 silver and 9 bronze medals.

They won gold in Athletics, Taekwando, Scrabble and Chess. Second position went to The Polytechnic Ibadan who finished ahead of Abia State Polytechnic, Aba. Defending champion, Lagos State Polytechnic, Ikorodu came fourth.

This victory marks the Seventh time Yabatech has won the title making, them the most successful school in NIPOGA history They won the overall

title at Yaba 85, Bauchi 90, Nekede 92, Kaduna 99, Auchi 2003 and Yaba 2001.

Meanwhile, Rector of the school, DR Mrs M. K. Ladipo has congatulated the school contingent for making the school proud.

Ladipo said winning the title has proven Yabatech to be great in both academics and sports. She showered encomiums on the contingent led by the Chief Coach, Fredrick Yamala with a promise that management will soon roll out the drum to honour them.

The school currently have the best sporting facilities among Nigeria Higher institutions.

62 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014—63 —63

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Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

NFF warns Enyimba, Kano Pillars T

HE Nigeria Football Federation has warned clubs representing the country in continental competitions next year

Go, Keshi Go!

that they would bear all sanctions imposed by the Confederation of African Football for their late registration for those competitions.

Zambia midfielder paralyzed I T has emerged that promising Zambia midfielder Changwe Kalale suffered a spinal injury in Sunday’s car accident on his way to join Chipolopolo’s pre2015 Africa Cup training in Lusaka that began on December 15.

The Zambia Under 17

•Amodu opens exit door for embattled coach

,

If he has a reputation, he should walk out of the job but if he doesn’t, he should stay like a begger

•Amodu

BY JUDE OPARA, Abuja

N

EWLY appointed technical director of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Shuaibu Amodu has told the out-of-contract chief

TODAY'S

Henry retires, signs £25m Sky deal

F

•Keshi

PUZZLE

Continues on page 60

•Kalale

,

coach of the Super Eagles, Stephen Keshi to honourably resign whatever working relationship he has

In a letter sent to the four clubs (Kano Pillars FC and Enyimba FC in the CAF Champions League, and Warri Continues on page 60

with the NFF so as to give the country the opportunity to reposition its football.

Speaking to journalists

YESTER DAY'S YESTERDAY'S

ANSWERS

in Abuja yesterday, Amodu said his position

Continues on page 60

ORMER Arsenal captain Thierry Henry, has announced his retirement from playing football and has signed a contract worth around £25million with Sky television as football expert and ambassador from the start of 2015.

The deal, however, will allow him work on

Continues on page 60

•Henry

QUICK CROSSWORD ACROSS 3 Last (5) 9 Container (6) 10 Hand-gun (6) 11 Bordered (5) 12 Skin-trouble (4) 15 Region (4) 17 Delighted (7) 20 Rug (3) 21 Old-fashioned (5) 23 Encounter (4) 25 Departed (4) 26 Wandered (5) 28 Wager (3) 30 Twist (7) 33 Spoken (4) 35 Sharpen (4) 36 Doctrine (5) 38 Menace (6) 39 Slumbering (6) 40 Thwart (5)

DOWN 1 Fragment (5) 2 Inclined (5) 3 Enemy (3) 4 Really (6) 5 Imitated (4) 6 Cover (3) 7 Tempest (5) 8 Fold (5) 13 Climb (7) 14 Keen (5) 16 Oriental (7) 18 Stupefied (5) 19 Solidify (3) 22 Demise (5) 24 Hill (3) 27 Dreary (6) 28 Stall (5) 29 Linger (5) 31 Seeped (5) 32 Entice (5) 34 Duty-list (4) 36 Fish (3) 37 Enquire (3)

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS ACROSS: 1, Carpet 5, Sacred 9, Dower 10, Eaglet 11, Winced 12, Named 14, Scum 17, Lad 18, Here 20, Eaten 22, Rated 23, Rotated 24, Beard 26, Defer 29, Eddy 30, Mob 32, Sole 33, Mural 35, Odious 36, Saddle 37, Tenet 38, Evened 39, Debris.

DOWN: 1, Crease 2, Ragout 3, Eden 4, Total 5, Sewed 6, Arid 7, Rocket 8, Dodged 13, Matador 15, Caged 16, Merry 18, Hades 19, Revel 21, Nod 22, Red 24, Become 25, Admire 27, Fodder 28, Recess 30, Mused 31, Based 33, Mute 34, Late.

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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