ONDO: PDP, AD kick as INEC names Akeredolu Gov-elect
Vanguard Newspaper 28 November 2016
Vanguard Newspaper 28 November 2016
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Crude: FG plans 1,000-km<br />
pipeline from Niger Republic<br />
9<br />
**<br />
VOL. 25: NO. 63167 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
Ondo: Final<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> results<br />
1-Ondo West<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 7154<br />
APC. 10672<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 17382<br />
SDP. 236<br />
2-Irele<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 6,710.<br />
APC. 11,138.<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 5,907<br />
SDP. 68<br />
3-Ifedore<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 4,629.<br />
APC. 10,958<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 6,747<br />
SDP. 162<br />
Continues on Page 5<br />
VICTORY: APC <strong>Gov</strong>ernor-Elect in Ondo State, Rotimi <strong>Akeredolu</strong> and his wife Betty, jubilating at his residence in Owo after<br />
declaration of the results by <strong>INEC</strong>. PHOTO: AKEEM SALAU.<br />
<strong>ONDO</strong>: <strong>PDP</strong>, <strong>AD</strong> <strong>kick</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>INEC</strong><br />
<strong>names</strong> <strong>Akeredolu</strong> <strong>Gov</strong>-<strong>elect</strong><br />
•I won’t fail Ondo people – <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
•Buhari, Tinubu, Saraki, Ambode, Dogara, others salute him<br />
•I won hearts of Ondo people —Jegede<br />
•Accept defeat in good faith – APC tells other parties<br />
Senate makes U-turn, drops<br />
already cleared nominee<br />
COLUMNISTS<br />
OWEI<br />
LAKEMFA<br />
Weaning the<br />
children of<br />
violence<br />
HENRY<br />
BOYO<br />
HIGH COST OF<br />
BORROWING:<br />
Who is<br />
fooling who?<br />
OCHEREOME<br />
NNANNA<br />
CJN Onnoghen's<br />
promising<br />
debut<br />
33 30 34<br />
9<br />
MEET<br />
THE<br />
BOSS<br />
By Dayo Johnson, Henry Umoru, Emman<br />
Ovuakporie, Johnbosco Agbakwuru & Omeiza<br />
Ajayi<br />
A KURE—WITH<br />
244,842 votes, Mr.<br />
Rotimi <strong>Akeredolu</strong>, SAN, of<br />
the All Progressives<br />
Congress, APC, w<strong>as</strong>,<br />
yesterday, declared by the<br />
Army okays 8 Div<br />
for Sokoto 8<br />
Nigeria,<br />
Australia<br />
have many<br />
things in<br />
common<br />
35<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission,<br />
Continues on Page 5<br />
Mr & Mrs
2 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 3
4 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—5<br />
POCKET CARTOON<br />
ANNIVERSARY—His Royal Majesty, Orhue 1, the Orodje of Okpe, arriving<br />
on horse back, during the 10th Anniversary of his coronation, weekend in<br />
Orerokpe, Okpe LGA, Delta State. More pictures on Page 12.<br />
<strong>ONDO</strong>: <strong>PDP</strong>, <strong>AD</strong> <strong>kick</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>INEC</strong><br />
<strong>names</strong> <strong>Akeredolu</strong> <strong>Gov</strong>-<strong>elect</strong><br />
Continues from page 1<br />
<strong>INEC</strong>, <strong>as</strong> the winner of<br />
Saturday’s governorship<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
According to the results<br />
announced by Prof.<br />
Abdul-Ganiyu Ambali,<br />
the <strong>INEC</strong> Chief Returning<br />
Officer, he won with a<br />
margin of 94,462 votes,<br />
spaking off protests from<br />
rival political parties.<br />
Mr Eyitayo Jegede,<br />
SAN, the peoples<br />
Democratic Party, <strong>PDP</strong>,<br />
candidate, his closest<br />
challenger had 150,380<br />
votes. The Alliance for<br />
Democracy standard<br />
bearer, Olusola Oke,<br />
garnered 126,889 votes to<br />
come third, while Dr. Olu<br />
Agunloye of the Social<br />
Democratic Party, SDP, got<br />
10,149 votes.<br />
Ambali gave the total<br />
number of valid votes to<br />
be 551,272 votes, rejected<br />
votes 29,615 and total<br />
number of votes c<strong>as</strong>t <strong>as</strong><br />
580,887.<br />
The council are<strong>as</strong> won<br />
by <strong>Akeredolu</strong> included<br />
the two strongholds of<br />
Jegede – Akure South and<br />
Akure North; Ifedore, the<br />
council area of the state<br />
chairman of the <strong>PDP</strong>,<br />
Clement Faboyede.<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> won<br />
m<strong>as</strong>sively in Owo, where<br />
he hails from with over<br />
32,000 votes.<br />
Other councils won by<br />
the governor-<strong>elect</strong><br />
included Idanre, lrele,<br />
Akoko North E<strong>as</strong>t, Ile<br />
Oluji-Okeigbo, Akoko<br />
South-E<strong>as</strong>t, Ose, Akoko<br />
South-West, Akoko North-<br />
West, Odigbo and Ese-<br />
Odo.<br />
Jegede managed to win<br />
in the two councils<br />
controlled by the outgoing<br />
governor, Dr Olusegun<br />
Mimiko - Ondo E<strong>as</strong>t and<br />
Ondo West council are<strong>as</strong>.<br />
Olusola Oke also<br />
managed to win in<br />
Okitipupa and in his<br />
IT'S UP TO YOU<br />
BY AYO <strong>AD</strong>IO - 08104802192<br />
PEOPLE obsessed with personal glory hardly<br />
achieve much, those who place their interest<br />
within the ambit of the greater good will always<br />
achieve far more. It’s up to you.<br />
TAKE HEART<br />
BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482<br />
The one thing that keeps us out of connection is<br />
the fear that we’re not worthy of connection— Brene<br />
Brown<br />
Often fear and uncertainty is a great<br />
enabler for our vulnerability. There is perhaps<br />
only one variable that separates the people who<br />
have a strong sense of love and belonging and<br />
the people who struggle for it. When people<br />
experience pure accepting love, they develop a<br />
strong sense of love and belonging. Know you<br />
are worthy of being loved beautifully.<br />
SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE<br />
All lizards lie flat, how can we tell the<br />
one with stomach pains?<br />
home town of Ilaje local<br />
council.<br />
However, the result h<strong>as</strong><br />
been pooh-poohed by<br />
Oke and Agunloye, who<br />
said it did not reflect the<br />
wishes of Ondo people.<br />
Jegede, who said he w<strong>as</strong><br />
still studying the result,<br />
said he had won the<br />
hearts of Ondo people,<br />
who stood by him during<br />
his battle to reclaim the<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> ticket.<br />
They spoke <strong>as</strong> President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari,<br />
Asiwaju Bola Ahmed<br />
Tinubu Senate President<br />
Bukola Saraki, <strong>Gov</strong>ernors<br />
Roch<strong>as</strong> Okorocha (Imo),<br />
Aminu Tambuwal<br />
(Sokoto);House of<br />
Representatives Speaker,<br />
Yakubu Dogara; former<br />
governor of Ekiti State, Dr<br />
Kayode Fayemi and the<br />
APC saluted <strong>Akeredolu</strong> on<br />
his victory.<br />
Shortly after the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion, Oke had<br />
complained of pre-loaded<br />
card readers, intimidation<br />
and har<strong>as</strong>sment of his<br />
party leaders and<br />
supporters <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong><br />
inducement of voters by<br />
the APC and <strong>PDP</strong> to rig<br />
the <strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
Result not true<br />
reflection of Ondo<br />
people's wish<br />
– Agunloye<br />
Speaking in like<br />
manner, Agunloye<br />
lamented that the result of<br />
the <strong>elect</strong>ion w<strong>as</strong> not the<br />
true reflection of the<br />
wishes of the people of the<br />
state.<br />
Agunloye told newsmen<br />
in Akure that reports from<br />
his agents across the state<br />
indicated that there w<strong>as</strong><br />
“distribution of money,<br />
clothes and other things<br />
at various polling stations.<br />
“The <strong>elect</strong>orate were<br />
attacked and driven out of<br />
the voting centres while<br />
the security agents looked<br />
the other way.<br />
“The figures rele<strong>as</strong>ed by<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> to me seemed to<br />
had been allocated by the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>oral body in<br />
collaboration with APC but<br />
we will await the decision<br />
of the party before we<br />
take our next step," he<br />
said.<br />
Agunloye added that<br />
this is not the end of the<br />
matter, <strong>as</strong> he will soon<br />
"take a decision after<br />
conferring with the<br />
leadership of our party."<br />
Jegede studies<br />
situation, says he<br />
won hearts of Ondo<br />
people<br />
On his part, Jegede,<br />
yesterday, said that he<br />
w<strong>as</strong> still studying the<br />
situation and would make<br />
his position on the<br />
outcome of the <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
known in due course.<br />
He pointed out,<br />
however, that he w<strong>as</strong><br />
happy that he won the<br />
hearts of the people of the<br />
state who stood by him<br />
during the travails.<br />
“I know we have won<br />
the hearts of the people<br />
and I should thank our<br />
people for standing by us,<br />
for their show of love and<br />
for their steadf<strong>as</strong>tness,”<br />
he said, adding that he<br />
w<strong>as</strong> waiting for the<br />
position of his party before<br />
taking further step.<br />
Speaking with newsmen<br />
in Akure few hours after<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> w<strong>as</strong> declared<br />
the winner of the poll, he<br />
said: “We are studying the<br />
situation and in the<br />
fullness of time you will<br />
know what the position of<br />
the party is. The events<br />
that led to the <strong>elect</strong>ion is<br />
known to us and you. We<br />
had 48 hours to prepare<br />
for the <strong>elect</strong>ion, I w<strong>as</strong><br />
cleared by the court on<br />
Wednesday and had only<br />
Thursday to campaign<br />
and on Saturday I had to<br />
go for <strong>elect</strong>ion. The<br />
request for postponement<br />
w<strong>as</strong> denied by <strong>INEC</strong> for<br />
re<strong>as</strong>ons that we are yet to<br />
fathom and these are the<br />
things in the next few<br />
days we will have to<br />
review."<br />
The Ondo State <strong>PDP</strong>,<br />
Chairman, Clement<br />
Faboyede said: “The party<br />
will meet today<br />
(yesterday)with all the<br />
stakeholders and our<br />
decision will be made<br />
public. We thank God for<br />
the litigation processes<br />
and at the end of the day<br />
we came out victorious<br />
and our heart desired<br />
candidate for <strong>PDP</strong> w<strong>as</strong><br />
cleared to contest the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion few days to the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion and there w<strong>as</strong> no<br />
time for campaign and to<br />
prepare for the <strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
We will meet soon and x-<br />
ray every angle and get<br />
across to the public."<br />
I won’t fail Ondo<br />
people – <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
A few hours after he w<strong>as</strong><br />
declared the governor<br />
<strong>elect</strong>, <strong>Akeredolu</strong> promised<br />
the people of the state that<br />
he would not fail them.<br />
Speaking with newsmen<br />
at his residence in Owo,<br />
he dedicated the victory<br />
to God and Ondo people.<br />
He commended<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari and the National<br />
Chairman of APC, Chief<br />
John Oyegun and<br />
members of the party<br />
National Working<br />
Committee (NWC).<br />
His words: “This victory<br />
is of God through the<br />
people. It is not for me or<br />
the APC alone, it is a<br />
victory for the people of<br />
Ondo State irrespective of<br />
which side of the divide<br />
Final <strong>INEC</strong> results<br />
Continues from page 1<br />
4-Akoko North E<strong>as</strong>t<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 5,367<br />
APC 13,645<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 6,496<br />
SDP. 2478<br />
5-Ileoluji/Okeigbo<br />
<strong>AD</strong> 4525<br />
APC 10681<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> 8306<br />
SDP 144<br />
6-Ondo E<strong>as</strong>t.<br />
<strong>AD</strong> 2,742<br />
APC. 4,253.<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> 7,317<br />
SDP. 48<br />
7-Ose<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 4272<br />
APC. 13454<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 6520<br />
SDP. 158<br />
8-Akure North<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 4123<br />
APC. 10710<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 6498<br />
SDP. 177<br />
9-Akoko South E<strong>as</strong>t<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 2270<br />
APC. 6384<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 4239<br />
SDP. 378<br />
10-Akoko South West<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 9359<br />
APC. 19892<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 7691<br />
SDP. 515<br />
11- Akoko North West<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 4831<br />
APC. 13048<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 6049<br />
SDP. 4032<br />
12-Okitipupa<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 16294<br />
APC. 14930<br />
you stood during the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion. For me, it is a<br />
challenge to perform. It is<br />
a call to rescue our state<br />
and reverse its fortunes.<br />
“I thank the people of<br />
my dear state for their<br />
steadf<strong>as</strong>tness. I have<br />
heard their messages<br />
throughout the campaign<br />
to all the nooks and<br />
crannies of the state.<br />
Today, you have spoken<br />
with one voice. You have<br />
walked your talk. You<br />
have voted for me <strong>as</strong> your<br />
Continues on page 41<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 8031<br />
SDP. 186<br />
13-Owo<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 2469<br />
APC. 32988<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 4241<br />
SDP. 181<br />
14- Odigbo<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 8187<br />
APC. 17581<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 8668<br />
SDP. 276<br />
15-Idanre<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 4836<br />
APC. 10981<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 7575<br />
SDP. 58<br />
16- Akure South<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 12,270,<br />
APC. 25,797,<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> 25,005<br />
SDP. 689<br />
17- Ese-Odo<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 3562<br />
APC. 10700<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 8071<br />
SDP. 202<br />
18-Ilaje<br />
<strong>AD</strong>. 22789<br />
APC.7030<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. 5007<br />
SDP. 159<br />
Total number of votes<br />
scored by parties<br />
<strong>AD</strong> - 126,889<br />
APC. - 244,842<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>. - 150,380<br />
SDP. - 10,149.<br />
Total no of Valid votes-<br />
551,272<br />
Total no of rejected<br />
votes- 29,615<br />
Total votes c<strong>as</strong>t-<br />
580,887.
6—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
Tension in<br />
Auchi Poly<br />
<strong>as</strong> 5 die in<br />
renewed cult<br />
war<br />
•Only one<br />
student died<br />
—POLICE<br />
By Simon<br />
Ebegbulem &<br />
Gabriel Enoghol<strong>as</strong>e<br />
AUCHI—NO fewer<br />
than five students,<br />
weekend, lost their lives<br />
following renewed cult<br />
war between rival groups<br />
at the Federal<br />
Polytechnic, Auchi, Edo<br />
State.<br />
It w<strong>as</strong> gathered that the<br />
killings began, l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
Friday, at a graduation<br />
party after the students<br />
completed their<br />
examination for the<br />
session.<br />
Vanguard learned that<br />
the bodies of the victims<br />
were sighted at different<br />
locations in Auchi.<br />
One of the victims w<strong>as</strong><br />
shot dead in front of<br />
Hartland Company,<br />
along Benin-Auchi-<br />
Okene highway, while<br />
the others were shot dead<br />
near the School of<br />
Engineering and Sabo<br />
area.<br />
A member of one of the<br />
cult groups w<strong>as</strong> said to<br />
have slapped a member<br />
of a rival group, which<br />
later degenerated into<br />
the full blown war.<br />
According to sources,<br />
the management of the<br />
polytechnic w<strong>as</strong> putting<br />
stringent security<br />
me<strong>as</strong>ures in place to<br />
forestall further violence.<br />
However, the<br />
Commissioner of Police,<br />
Haliru Gwandu, said it<br />
w<strong>as</strong> not true that five<br />
persons were killed in<br />
the cult-related fight in<br />
Auchi.<br />
According to him, the<br />
DPO in Auchi got a<br />
distress call in the early<br />
hours of Saturday.<br />
Commander of the<br />
Squadron 60 mobilised<br />
officers to the scene and<br />
discovered that a student<br />
w<strong>as</strong> killed.<br />
He said: “They<br />
photographed the scene<br />
and removed the corpse<br />
to a mortuary.<br />
Investigation led to the<br />
arrest of leaders of the<br />
two cult groups. They are<br />
now with the police and<br />
investigation still in<br />
progress.<br />
“More persons may be<br />
arrested this week<br />
because no stone will be<br />
left unturned in getting to<br />
the root of the matter.”<br />
Man dies in kidnappers' den after family<br />
pays ransom with c<strong>as</strong>h, drum of petrol<br />
By Samuel Oyadongha<br />
YENAGOA—THE 72-yearold<br />
retired principal, Pa<br />
Sunday Fess, h<strong>as</strong> died in the<br />
abductors’ den 12 days after he<br />
w<strong>as</strong> abducted from his country<br />
home at the riverside town of<br />
Finibiri in Boma E<strong>as</strong>t, Southern<br />
Ijaw Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area of<br />
Bayelsa State by unknown<br />
gunmen, after the family had<br />
paid ransom.<br />
Though the cause of death of<br />
the septuagenarian at the<br />
kidnappers den could not be<br />
immediately <strong>as</strong>certained, family<br />
sources told Vanguard that the<br />
dece<strong>as</strong>ed w<strong>as</strong> hypertensive and<br />
on medication when he w<strong>as</strong><br />
abducted.<br />
The kidnappers were said to<br />
have collected an undisclosed<br />
sum from their victim’s family,<br />
who believed he w<strong>as</strong> alive, only<br />
for the family to meet his corpse<br />
at the kidnappers’ den.<br />
According to a source, the<br />
family met the corpse of the<br />
victim around Azaama, a<br />
border area between Southern<br />
Ijaw and Ekeremor council<br />
area.<br />
The kidnappers, it w<strong>as</strong><br />
learned, had demanded for<br />
millions of naira, but later<br />
By Okolie Ifeanyi<br />
TEARS flowed, weekend, at<br />
Ode-Aye town in<br />
Okitipupa Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment<br />
Area of Ondo State, <strong>as</strong> the<br />
remains of Police Sergeant<br />
Felix Igb<strong>as</strong>an, w<strong>as</strong> buried.<br />
He died from bullet wounds<br />
sustained during a gun fight<br />
with a notorious gang of armed<br />
robbers terrorising the Federal<br />
Captain Territory, FCT, Abuja,<br />
Kogi, Kano, Benue and<br />
Kaduna states.<br />
Igb<strong>as</strong>an, who w<strong>as</strong> confirmed<br />
dead few days after he w<strong>as</strong><br />
admitted at Maitama General<br />
Hospital in Abuja, is survived<br />
by a widow, three children,<br />
siblings and his an aged<br />
reduced same to N500,000<br />
and further reduced it again<br />
<strong>as</strong> the family insisted they<br />
could not raise such money.<br />
They also demanded that the<br />
ransom be brought to them<br />
with a drum of fuel, warning<br />
that security agencies should<br />
not be involved if the family<br />
wanted to see the victim alive.<br />
It w<strong>as</strong>, however, gathered<br />
that <strong>as</strong> the emissary arrived<br />
with the ransom and other<br />
items, the kidnappers<br />
collected everything, pointed<br />
guns at them and then<br />
showed them the corpse.<br />
The source said: “They<br />
even forced those who brought<br />
the ransom to carry the dead body<br />
into the speedboat they went<br />
with and commanded them to<br />
leave immediately.”<br />
The corpse w<strong>as</strong> taken to the<br />
Marine Police Jetty, Yenagoa,<br />
before it w<strong>as</strong> deposited at the<br />
morgue of the Federal Medical<br />
Centre.<br />
Leigh, son of the victim, w<strong>as</strong><br />
said to have wept profusely on<br />
seeing his father’s lifeless<br />
body at the morgue.<br />
Contacted, the state Acting<br />
Police Public Relations Officer,<br />
Mr. A. Ofem, said he had not<br />
been briefed on the incident.<br />
EBUBE DIKE: Ohafia men displaying at the Ndi-Igbo cultural festival organised by Igbo Forum, Asaba, Delta<br />
State. NAN PHOTO.<br />
Robbery suspect jumps into River Calabar, escapes<br />
By Emma Una<br />
CALABAR—ONE of the six<br />
robbery suspects<br />
apprehended two weeks ago<br />
for allegedly robbing a microfinance<br />
bank in Calabar, h<strong>as</strong><br />
reportedly escaped from police<br />
custody by dramatically<br />
jumping into the Calabar River.<br />
The suspect, according to a<br />
trader at the Marina where the<br />
incident took place, police l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
Friday, took two of the ring<br />
leaders of the gang to their<br />
homes at the Bayside to identify<br />
the hideout of other suspects,<br />
who they allegedly named. That<br />
w<strong>as</strong> when one escaped by<br />
jumping into the river.<br />
“A team of policemen brought<br />
two of them here in handcuffs<br />
and four of the policemen went<br />
with one of them leaving<br />
behind the driver and another<br />
policeman to guard the<br />
remaining suspect in the van.<br />
“However, not long after<br />
others left, the one guarding<br />
the robber stepped down from<br />
the van and stood looking in<br />
the direction the other<br />
policemen went. That gave the<br />
man the chance to jump down<br />
from the van and into the<br />
river.”<br />
She told Vanguard that the<br />
policeman left behind to watch<br />
over the robber, on realising<br />
what had happened, shot in<br />
the direction of the fleeing<br />
robber. He missed his target,<br />
but stray bullets hit a man,<br />
called Uko, who sells<br />
alcoholic drinks at the<br />
Marina area.<br />
She said Uko w<strong>as</strong> taken to<br />
the Nigerian Navy Hospital,<br />
adding that the police had<br />
Tears <strong>as</strong> heroic policeman, who f<br />
Late Felix Igb<strong>as</strong>an<br />
mother.<br />
Igb<strong>as</strong>an w<strong>as</strong> described by<br />
his colleagues <strong>as</strong> a gallant<br />
officer, who had taken part<br />
in several high risk<br />
operations within the<br />
been frequenting the area in the<br />
hope of re-arresting the robber.<br />
Ms Irene Ugbo, the Cross<br />
River State Police Public<br />
Relations Officer, said she w<strong>as</strong><br />
not aware of the incident.<br />
“There is nothing like that,”<br />
she said.<br />
country, including the arrest of<br />
notorious armed robbers and<br />
kidnappers across the country.<br />
Suspects arrested<br />
Meanwhile, eight members of<br />
the robbery gang that engaged<br />
policemen in the fight that led<br />
to Igb<strong>as</strong>an’s death were<br />
arrested in Abuja and Kaduna<br />
State.<br />
Three AK-47 rifles and the<br />
gang’s operational vehicle were<br />
recovered.<br />
Igb<strong>as</strong>an had won several<br />
awards, including the Inspector<br />
General of Police Award for<br />
courage and the Lagos State<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor’s of Award for<br />
Excellence, while attached to<br />
Lagos State Police Command
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28 , 2016—7<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
MALUU: Road show during the inauguration of Olabite Abattoir, Ope-Ilu, Agbado Oja,<br />
Ogun State. PHOTO: Bunmi Azeez. (See another picture on Page 11).<br />
30-yr-old accountant absconds<br />
with employer’s $50,000<br />
By Joseph Undu<br />
A30 year old man, Olufemi<br />
Akinwa, an accountant with<br />
Eternal Oil & G<strong>as</strong> Plc, reported<br />
to have been robbed and<br />
kidnapped when his company<br />
sent him to withdraw $50, 000,<br />
h<strong>as</strong> been arrested by operatives<br />
of the Lagos Police Command for<br />
alleged phantom kidnap and<br />
robbery c<strong>as</strong>e.<br />
According to a police source,<br />
contrary to the report that<br />
Akinwa w<strong>as</strong> robbed and<br />
kidnapped, the suspect had<br />
planned his kidnap, threw his<br />
telephone into the sea before<br />
going to stay in Epe area of<br />
Lagos.<br />
Akinwa, who spoke with<br />
Vanguard, said: “I have been<br />
working with the company for<br />
five years before my arrest on<br />
November 18. I w<strong>as</strong> on my way<br />
to the bank and w<strong>as</strong> chatting with<br />
elled Godogodo, is laid to rest<br />
Special Anti-Robbery Squad,<br />
SARS.<br />
He w<strong>as</strong> said to be instrumental<br />
to the arrest of the notorious<br />
armed robber czar, Abeodun<br />
Ogunjobi, popularly known <strong>as</strong><br />
Godogodo, who terrorised the<br />
entire south western part of the<br />
country, killing over 50<br />
policemen in his 15-year reign.<br />
The l<strong>as</strong>t order<br />
Police authorities disclosed to<br />
Vanguard that Igb<strong>as</strong>an w<strong>as</strong><br />
transferred from the Lagos State<br />
Police Command to the IGP<br />
Special Intelligence Response<br />
Team, IRT, made up of elite<br />
operatives trained specially to<br />
combat robbers, kidnappers and<br />
terrorists across the country.<br />
a friend in the UK called<br />
Kingsley on phone.<br />
“He <strong>as</strong>ked me where I w<strong>as</strong>,<br />
and I told him I w<strong>as</strong> in the bank<br />
to withdraw money for my<br />
company. He then said he<br />
needed $15,000 out of that<br />
money, that he h<strong>as</strong> deportation<br />
problem.<br />
‘I don't know what came over me’<br />
“He told me he w<strong>as</strong> going to<br />
be deported and that if I helped<br />
him with the money, he would<br />
help me promote my music in<br />
the UK.<br />
“I did not know what came<br />
over me. He said he w<strong>as</strong> going<br />
to send someone to collect the<br />
money. On getting to where the<br />
person w<strong>as</strong>, the person collected<br />
the money and my phone.<br />
“When I realised that I had<br />
w<strong>as</strong>ted my company’s money, I<br />
w<strong>as</strong> scared and confused and<br />
did not know what to do. I had<br />
It w<strong>as</strong> gathered that the IGP,<br />
Ibrahim Idris, had directed the<br />
IRT to trail and apprehend the<br />
gang after they robbed the home<br />
of a senior officer of the Nigeria<br />
Immigration Service, NIS, in<br />
Abuja.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the<br />
IRT operatives trailed the gang<br />
to its hideout in Lugbe area of<br />
Abuja, but Igb<strong>as</strong>an w<strong>as</strong> not lucky<br />
<strong>as</strong> he sustained bullet wounds<br />
during the ensuing shootout<br />
between the police and the gang<br />
members.<br />
While addressing members of<br />
Igb<strong>as</strong>an’s family at his burial, the<br />
Officer in charge of the IRT, CSP<br />
Abba Kyari, said Igb<strong>as</strong>an’s death<br />
w<strong>as</strong> a very huge loss to the force.<br />
Kyari also disclosed that IG<br />
to hire a motorcyclist to take<br />
me to Bariga Primary School,<br />
where I hid the money in a<br />
block at the back of the school.<br />
“If I had taken it home, my<br />
wife would have raised<br />
questions.<br />
“I took a taxi to Epe to go<br />
and commit suicide. But when<br />
I got there, I w<strong>as</strong> like, ‘before<br />
I die, let me go and report this<br />
c<strong>as</strong>e <strong>as</strong> a robbery c<strong>as</strong>e.’<br />
“So I went to the police<br />
station at Epe and reported<br />
the c<strong>as</strong>e. That w<strong>as</strong> where State<br />
Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS,<br />
recovered the money.<br />
“When they took me to<br />
SARS, after all the torture, I<br />
had to tell them what really<br />
happened.”<br />
Akinwa, who said he w<strong>as</strong><br />
contented with his monthly<br />
salary of N120,000, denied the<br />
police report that he faked his<br />
kidnap.<br />
The widow<br />
Idris had also given Igb<strong>as</strong>an<br />
a post-mortem promotion to<br />
the rank of an Inspector.<br />
Delta Poly students, hospital trade<br />
blames over colleague's death<br />
By Ochuko Akuopha<br />
OLEH—IRKED by the<br />
death of one Miss Merit<br />
Akpotowho, a female student<br />
who w<strong>as</strong> shot by robbers,<br />
hundreds of students of Delta<br />
State Polytechnic, Ozoro,<br />
weekend, besieged the<br />
General Hospital in the<br />
community, protesting<br />
alleged negligence of duty by<br />
the hospital’s staff.<br />
The dece<strong>as</strong>ed, an ND I<br />
student of Accountancy, who<br />
only resumed studies two<br />
weeks ago, it w<strong>as</strong> gathered,<br />
w<strong>as</strong> shot at 8.30p.m. by<br />
robbers, who attempted to<br />
dispossess her of her mobile<br />
phone, close to her residence<br />
in the Orhamudhu quarters<br />
of the community.<br />
One of the students said:<br />
“She w<strong>as</strong> using her phone<br />
close to her residence and the<br />
robbers, who were riding on<br />
a motorcycle, noticed the light<br />
from her phone and<br />
immediately accosted her and<br />
demanded for the phone. She<br />
threw the phone into a nearby<br />
bush and the robbers shot her<br />
on the leg.<br />
“She w<strong>as</strong> rushed to the<br />
hospital by sympathisers. But<br />
due to negligence on the part<br />
of the hospital’s staff, she died<br />
and we are very bitter about<br />
what h<strong>as</strong> happened.”<br />
Speaking on the<br />
development, the Dean of<br />
Students’ Affairs of the<br />
polytechnic, Mr. James<br />
Ighoroje, claimed the<br />
dece<strong>as</strong>ed w<strong>as</strong> rushed to the<br />
general hospital on account<br />
of its closeness to the scene<br />
of the incident.<br />
He said: “When they<br />
arrived at the general<br />
hospital, there w<strong>as</strong> no doctor<br />
on duty. Later, they claimed<br />
that they had no blood and<br />
oxygen to resuscitate her.<br />
They left her till<br />
about 12.30a.m. the<br />
following day and when they<br />
noticed that she w<strong>as</strong> getting<br />
pale, they referred her to Oleh<br />
General Hospital.<br />
“When it w<strong>as</strong> time to take<br />
her to Oleh, they said they<br />
did not have ambulance. It<br />
w<strong>as</strong> later that the patrol<br />
vehicle of the vigilante team<br />
w<strong>as</strong> used to rush her to Oleh.<br />
The students have been<br />
complaining of similar<br />
experiences in the hospital.<br />
“Besides, the doctors have<br />
been saying we should be<br />
taking our students, who are<br />
in need of medical attention,<br />
to the health centre in the<br />
polytechnic.”<br />
We did our best—HOSPITAL<br />
Reacting to the allegations<br />
yesterday, the Medical<br />
Director of the hospital, Dr.<br />
Chuks Ossai, said the girl<br />
w<strong>as</strong> attended to and w<strong>as</strong><br />
referred to the general<br />
hospital in Oleh “when the<br />
c<strong>as</strong>e went beyond the doctors<br />
and beyond the hospital<br />
because we do not even have<br />
oxygen to resuscitate the girl.<br />
“The police, who rushed the<br />
girl here, told me the doctor and<br />
the nurses were on ground and<br />
did their best.<br />
“It is the Student Affairs Officer,<br />
who does not know his duties,<br />
that incited the students.”<br />
Customs<br />
rescues 4<br />
children<br />
from<br />
traffickers<br />
By Godwin Oritse<br />
THE Nigeria Customs<br />
Services, NCS, Seme<br />
Border Command,<br />
weekend, rescued four<br />
children from suspected<br />
human traffickers.<br />
One Mr. Porsu David<br />
w<strong>as</strong> arrested in<br />
connection with the crime<br />
and handed over to the<br />
Nigeria Immigration<br />
Service, NIS.<br />
In the same vein, the<br />
command also arrested a<br />
suspected drug trafficker<br />
with 14 wraps of<br />
suspected Indian hemp<br />
and handed over to<br />
National Drug Law<br />
Enforcement Agency,<br />
NDLEA, for further<br />
investigation.<br />
David's vehicle, number<br />
plates AGL 538 BB, w<strong>as</strong><br />
also impounded by patrol<br />
officers along Ashipa-<br />
Gbethromey axis in Seme.<br />
Speaking during the<br />
handing over of the<br />
rescued children, drugs<br />
and suspects to the<br />
relevant agencies, the<br />
Acting Customs Area<br />
Controller, Deputy<br />
Comptroller of Customs,<br />
Mulima Aminu, disclosed<br />
that the action w<strong>as</strong> strictly<br />
in line with inter-agency<br />
cooperation that existed at<br />
the international land<br />
border.<br />
Mulima said <strong>as</strong> the lead<br />
agency at the border, the<br />
NCS would continue to<br />
collaborate with the<br />
relevant agencies for<br />
effective and efficient<br />
border management.<br />
He said <strong>as</strong> an agency<br />
that worked in line with the<br />
ethics of securing and<br />
managing the borders, in<br />
line with the global best<br />
practices, it expected other<br />
agencies to reciprocate the<br />
gesture by giving<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>sified and credible<br />
information about<br />
smugglers and other<br />
unpatriotic elements involved<br />
in trans-border vices.
8—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
Army<br />
Council<br />
approves<br />
8 Div in<br />
Sokoto<br />
CHIEF of Army Staff,<br />
COAS, Lieutenant<br />
General Yusuf Buratai,<br />
h<strong>as</strong> disclosed that the<br />
Nigerian Army Council<br />
h<strong>as</strong> approved the<br />
establishment of the 8th<br />
Army Division in Sokoto.<br />
He disclosed this in<br />
Sokoto, yesterday, when<br />
he paid a condolence<br />
visit on the governor of<br />
Sokoto State, Aminu<br />
Tambuwal, over the<br />
death of late Sultan of<br />
Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim<br />
D<strong>as</strong>uki.<br />
The COAS, however,<br />
said that the officers and<br />
men that would be<br />
posted to the new<br />
Division were currently<br />
operating in the North<br />
E<strong>as</strong>t.<br />
According to Buratai,<br />
“As soon the security<br />
situation in that region<br />
is fully stabilised, the<br />
Division will move to<br />
Sokoto. The move is part<br />
of efforts to provide<br />
sustainable peace and<br />
unity of Nigeria, and the<br />
Nigerian Army is fully<br />
committed to ensuring<br />
this.”<br />
Commending<br />
Tambuwal for his support<br />
to the 1 Brigade and<br />
other security agencies<br />
in Sokoto, the COAS also<br />
commended the<br />
governor for the existing<br />
cordial relationship<br />
between the Army and<br />
the people of the state.<br />
Burutai reiterated the<br />
commitment of the<br />
Nigerian Army and the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment to<br />
ensuring sustainable<br />
national security, peace<br />
and unity.<br />
He described the late<br />
Sultan Ibrahim D<strong>as</strong>uki <strong>as</strong><br />
a national icon whose<br />
legacies would remain<br />
indelible.<br />
Responding, Tambuwal<br />
commended the<br />
Nigerian Army for<br />
establishing a Division<br />
and two Command<br />
Secondary Schools in<br />
Sokoto and Shagari.<br />
Also pledging to<br />
continue to support the<br />
military <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> other<br />
security agencies in the<br />
state, Tambuwal further<br />
commended the<br />
Nigerian Army for its<br />
efforts to restore peace in<br />
the North E<strong>as</strong>t and other<br />
parts of Nigeria.<br />
Senate moves to upturn Odili’s perpetual injunction<br />
•As EFCC seeks reopening of c<strong>as</strong>e<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
A BUJA—STRONG<br />
indications emerged,<br />
weekend, former governor of<br />
Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili, is still<br />
a long way from heaving a sigh<br />
of relief following plans by both<br />
the Senate and the Economic and<br />
Financial Crimes Commission,<br />
EFCC, to reopen investigation<br />
into his alleged misappropriation<br />
of N100 billion.<br />
To actualize this, the Senate h<strong>as</strong><br />
moved to amend the EFCC Act.<br />
It will be recalled that former<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Peter Odili had secured<br />
a perpetual injunction restraining<br />
the EFCC from prosecuting or<br />
arresting him.<br />
Speaking in Port Harcourt,<br />
weekend, when he led other<br />
committee members on a surprise<br />
oversight visit to the South-South<br />
regional office of the anti-graft<br />
agency, Chairman, Senate<br />
Committee on Anti-Corruption<br />
and Financial Crimes, Senator<br />
Chukwuka Utazi, explained that<br />
with the amendment bill of the<br />
EFCC Act and when p<strong>as</strong>sed, it<br />
would upturn the injunction.<br />
This would reopen<br />
investigations into alleged<br />
misappropriation of N100 billion<br />
by Dr. Odili when he w<strong>as</strong><br />
governor of Rivers State between<br />
1999 and 2007.<br />
Senator Utazi, who noted that<br />
it w<strong>as</strong> wrong for one arm of<br />
government to stop another from<br />
performing its constitutional<br />
US oil firm accused of<br />
anti-workers policies<br />
N IGERIANS<br />
working with an<br />
American oil and g<strong>as</strong><br />
service firm, Weatherford<br />
International, have<br />
accused the Nigerian<br />
subsidiary of the<br />
company, Weatherford<br />
Nigeria, of m<strong>as</strong>s sack,<br />
demotion and poor pay,<br />
all targeted at Nigerians<br />
in violation of the Local<br />
Content Act.<br />
Sources at the<br />
company, who spoke on<br />
condition of anonymity,<br />
said the company sacks<br />
Nigerians over flimsy<br />
excuses, denotes others<br />
and ensures that<br />
Nigerians earn far lower<br />
than expatriates, who<br />
are not better qualified.<br />
Giving an example of<br />
the appointment of a<br />
foreigner, Manuel<br />
Hernandez, from<br />
Venezuela, <strong>as</strong> Country<br />
Manager, while the<br />
former incumbent, Femi<br />
Akarikiri, w<strong>as</strong> demoted,<br />
the sources said<br />
foreigners earn <strong>as</strong> much<br />
<strong>as</strong> $20,000 monthly, far<br />
above the $1,000<br />
Nigerians are paid,<br />
roles, stressed that the<br />
amendment would give the<br />
anti-graft agency the power to<br />
by-p<strong>as</strong>s the injunction.<br />
The decision of the Senate<br />
committee came up, following<br />
a request by the South-South<br />
regional coordinator of EFCC,<br />
Mr. Ishaq Salihu, that the<br />
Senate should <strong>as</strong>sist in<br />
reopening the investigation<br />
and possibly prosecuting Odili.<br />
Utazi said: “The House of<br />
Representatives h<strong>as</strong> done its bit<br />
on the amendment of EFCC<br />
making nonsense of the<br />
company’s claims of<br />
inability to pay wages.<br />
One of the sources said:<br />
“This is not an industry<br />
where you can claim that<br />
there are no qualified<br />
Nigerians for the job.<br />
Again, how can you<br />
afford to pay expatriates<br />
if you have laid off<br />
Nigerians, who earn a<br />
fraction of what the<br />
expatriates earn?”<br />
The source said the<br />
Nigerian Content<br />
Development and<br />
Monitoring Board,<br />
NCDMB, h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
notified of the<br />
development, but that<br />
the m<strong>as</strong>s sack of over 100<br />
Nigerians and other<br />
deliberate plots against<br />
Nigerians were<br />
alarming.<br />
At press time, several<br />
calls to the Company<br />
Secretary/Legal<br />
Counsel, Lara Fal<strong>as</strong>he,<br />
and text messages for<br />
reaction were<br />
unanswered, while the<br />
calls were not returned.<br />
Act. It h<strong>as</strong> come to us. The<br />
amendments effected in the<br />
House of Representatives were<br />
not exhaustive. We are going<br />
to look into this (issuance of<br />
perpetual injunction) issue<br />
with a view to correcting it.<br />
“Nobody should stop an<br />
organ of government from<br />
performing its duties. We want<br />
to empower them (EFCC) to<br />
work. They cannot work with<br />
one hand tied to the back.<br />
‘’We are going to ensure that<br />
everything is done in<br />
accordance with the rule of law.<br />
Nobody should be<br />
shortchanged.”<br />
South-South regional head of<br />
EFCC, Mr. Ishaq, had revealed<br />
that the injunction w<strong>as</strong> affecting<br />
the morale of operatives in the<br />
area, <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> prosecution of<br />
other suspects fingered in the<br />
matter.<br />
“The perpetual injunction of<br />
Odili is a problem for us. Because<br />
of that injunction, it means we<br />
cannot invite anybody related to<br />
the c<strong>as</strong>e to give any testimony."<br />
VISIT: Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai, with <strong>Gov</strong>ernor Aminu Waziri<br />
Tambuwal when he visited Sokoto State <strong>Gov</strong>ernment House, Sokoto, yesterday.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 9<br />
Lawyers petition<br />
US emb<strong>as</strong>sy,<br />
insist IMN is<br />
threat to peace<br />
in Nigeria<br />
By Ikechukwu<br />
Nnochiri<br />
ABUJA—A group of<br />
legal practitioners in<br />
the country, under the aegis<br />
of Lawyers Initiative For Civil<br />
Rights Advancement in<br />
Nigeria, h<strong>as</strong> petitioned the<br />
United States Emb<strong>as</strong>sy in<br />
Nigeria, alerting it of the<br />
imminent security threat<br />
posed by the Islamic<br />
Movement in Nigeria, IMN.<br />
The group, in the letter it<br />
addressed to the United States<br />
Amb<strong>as</strong>sador to Nigeria,<br />
insisted that members of the<br />
IMN, otherwise known <strong>as</strong><br />
Shiite sect, had posed several<br />
security threat not just to<br />
Nigeria, but also to other west<br />
African countries.<br />
The letter, which w<strong>as</strong> signed<br />
by LICRAN Director of<br />
Research & Advocacy, Mr.<br />
Unande Terrace, yesterday,<br />
described the IMN <strong>as</strong> an<br />
Iranian-backed rebel group.<br />
Tersagh, who described<br />
LICRAN <strong>as</strong> an umbrella body<br />
of pro-democracy lawyers<br />
dedicated to the advancement<br />
of civil rights, justice, equality<br />
and rule of law in Nigeria, said<br />
it w<strong>as</strong> within public domain<br />
that the Islamic Republic of<br />
Iran had been har<strong>as</strong>sing<br />
Nigeria using members of the<br />
IMN.<br />
According to the group,<br />
buoyed by Iran backing, IMN<br />
members, in October and early<br />
November this year,<br />
unle<strong>as</strong>hed violence across<br />
several Nigerian cities in the<br />
north under the cover of<br />
Ashura procession.<br />
It said activities of the sect<br />
had led to several deaths in<br />
Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna and<br />
Katsina states, adding that<br />
members of Iranian<br />
Revolutionary Guards Corps<br />
were previously named in<br />
illegal shipment of weapons<br />
into Nigeria.<br />
“There have also been<br />
reports that the IMN<br />
members visit Iran under the<br />
cover of academic<br />
scholarships to be trained <strong>as</strong><br />
terrorists by the same<br />
Revolutionary Guards Corps.<br />
‘’This will be consistent with<br />
recent revelations by Salar<br />
Abnoush, Deputy<br />
Commander of Iran’s<br />
Khatam-al-Anbia Garrison, a<br />
branch of the Revolutionary<br />
Guards Corps that his country<br />
is sending out sleeper cell<br />
<strong>as</strong>sets to infiltrate other<br />
nations,” the group said.<br />
LICRAN urged the<br />
amb<strong>as</strong>sador to prevail on the<br />
US government to declare the<br />
Islamic Movement in Nigeria,<br />
IMN, <strong>as</strong> a terror organization.<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
CRUDE: FG plans 1,000-km pipeline from<br />
Niger Republic<br />
By Prince Okafor<br />
K<strong>AD</strong>UNA—AGAINST the<br />
challenges in moving<br />
crude oil from South-South<br />
Nigeria to Kaduna Refinery and<br />
Petrochemical Company (KRPC),<br />
the Presidency h<strong>as</strong> turned to<br />
Niger Republic for supply of the<br />
commodities to bring KRPC into<br />
full operation.<br />
Group Managing Director,<br />
Nigerian National Petroleum<br />
Corporation (NNPC), Dr.<br />
Maikanti Baru, weekend<br />
disclosed ongoing plans by the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment to construct<br />
about 1, 000 kilometer crude oil<br />
pipelines from Niger Republic to<br />
Kaduna Refinery.<br />
Baru made this known during<br />
a town hall meeting with<br />
management and staff of KRPC<br />
in Kaduna.<br />
He said: “Due to challenges<br />
with the aged refinery and crude<br />
oil pipelines that had been<br />
breached severally, the operations<br />
of the refinery h<strong>as</strong> been epileptic.<br />
This we are determined to resolve<br />
through various intervention<br />
methods, including evaluation of<br />
alternative crude oil supply from<br />
Niger Republic through building<br />
of a pipelines of over 1, 000<br />
kilometers from Agadem to<br />
Over 90% of 200,000<br />
N-Power beneficiaries<br />
have BVN clerance<br />
— PRESIDENCY<br />
By Levinus Nwabughiogu<br />
ABUJA—THE Presidency said yesterday that<br />
over 90% of the 200,000 unemployed<br />
graduates s<strong>elect</strong>ed in the first batch of the N-Power<br />
Volunteer Corps, NPVC, have been verified using<br />
the Bank Verification Number, BVN.<br />
Senior Special Assistant on Media & Publicity in<br />
the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Laolu Akande,<br />
who disclosed this, said any untrue information<br />
submitted in the process of application w<strong>as</strong> a good<br />
ground for disqualification.<br />
He said the programme w<strong>as</strong> now advancing with<br />
<strong>as</strong>signment of beneficiaries to their places of<br />
deployments in their states of residence.<br />
Akande, who referred to a BBC report l<strong>as</strong>t week<br />
regarding the testimonials of some of the s<strong>elect</strong>ed<br />
graduates, noted that “it is most gladdening that<br />
those who were s<strong>elect</strong>ed are now telling the stories<br />
of how they have not been employed for years, but<br />
now grateful to the President for this initiative.”<br />
He stated that all the states and the FCT, through<br />
the focal persons they appointed, had since received<br />
the list of the 200,000 beneficiaries, and were now<br />
working on deploying them to their places of<br />
<strong>as</strong>signment.<br />
He also explained that by using the BVN, which<br />
is one of the most viable means of identification in<br />
the country at present, there w<strong>as</strong> hardly any way<br />
anything fraudulent could sail through in the<br />
process.<br />
“We are confident that the s<strong>elect</strong>ion process, all<br />
the way through with BVN, and physical verification<br />
at the points of deployment in the states and the<br />
local government are<strong>as</strong>, are both transparent and<br />
impossible to abhor ghost beneficiaries, or any kind<br />
of fraud,” he <strong>as</strong>serted.<br />
He noted that 93% of those s<strong>elect</strong>ed had been<br />
screened through the BVN.<br />
Kaduna. That effort is being<br />
championed by Mr. President<br />
himself.<br />
“It w<strong>as</strong> important to explore<br />
alternative crude supply to<br />
KRPC, which h<strong>as</strong> been affected<br />
by vandalism of pipelines and<br />
obsolescence, <strong>as</strong>suring that<br />
the initiative will reduce<br />
downtime of the plant and<br />
ensure optimal utilisation.<br />
“The Corporation h<strong>as</strong> already<br />
started engagements with the<br />
Nigerien Minister of Petroleum<br />
and the Chinese that are<br />
operating the field at Agadem<br />
(The Agadem Block is located in<br />
the E<strong>as</strong>t Niger Rift B<strong>as</strong>in.)''<br />
Baru pledged to drive the<br />
energy supply project to<br />
power industries in Kaduna by<br />
ensuring the completion of the<br />
Ajaokuta-Abuja-Kaduna-Kano<br />
(AKK) g<strong>as</strong> pipeline.<br />
On his part, Managing<br />
Director of KRPC, Malam Idi<br />
Mukhtar, said the Fluid Cracking<br />
Catalytic Unit (FCCU) of the plant<br />
w<strong>as</strong> restreamed in June.<br />
“The Kerosene Hydrotreating<br />
Unit (KHU) rehabilitation is<br />
ongoing with the equipment<br />
overhaul and integrity checks.<br />
When operational, the margin of<br />
value addition on kerosene and<br />
Aviation Turbine Kerosene (ATK)<br />
will provide millions of naira in<br />
revenue, even at a throughput of<br />
60 per cent,” Mukhtar <strong>as</strong>sured.<br />
Senate makes U-turn, drops already cleared Buhari’s<br />
nominee<br />
By Henry Umoru<br />
ABUJA—TWELVE days<br />
after the Senate cleared<br />
Chief Okoi Ofem Obono-Obla,<br />
Cross River, South South, <strong>as</strong> a<br />
non-Executive Commissioner on<br />
the governing board of the<br />
Nigerian Communications<br />
Commission, NCC, it h<strong>as</strong> made<br />
a dramatic turn by dropping his<br />
name from the list of successful<br />
nominees sent to President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari.<br />
Obono-Obla’s name w<strong>as</strong><br />
removed in the letter transmitted<br />
to Buhari <strong>as</strong> one of those<br />
confirmed by the legislature.<br />
In the letter dated November 22,<br />
signed by Senate President<br />
Bukola Saraki, a copy of which<br />
w<strong>as</strong> obtained yesterday, Obono-<br />
Obla w<strong>as</strong> listed <strong>as</strong> one of the three<br />
whose nominations were rejected<br />
by the Senate.<br />
It would be recalled that Oboni-<br />
Obla w<strong>as</strong> among the five whose<br />
nominations by President Buhari<br />
were approved by the Senate on<br />
November 17, 2016, while two of<br />
the nominees were dropped.<br />
Obono-Obla, who is the Special<br />
Assistant to the President on<br />
Prosecution, attached to the<br />
Ministry of Justice, protested in<br />
an email sent yesterday<br />
against what he described <strong>as</strong><br />
back-door removal.<br />
The nominee, who <strong>as</strong>ked why<br />
he w<strong>as</strong> removed after the Senate<br />
had confirmed his nomination,<br />
simply said: “The entire major<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ronic and print media organs<br />
in the country, on November 17<br />
and 18, 2016, carried the<br />
confirmation by the Senate of the<br />
Board of Nigerian<br />
Communications Commission.<br />
“Surprisingly and curiously,<br />
the Senate President, Senator<br />
Bukola Saraki, in a letter<br />
dated November 22, 2016, to<br />
President Muhammadu Buhari,<br />
titled ‘Confirmation of<br />
Appointments,’ falsely stated<br />
that the Senate did not confirm<br />
the following nominees: Aliyu<br />
Saidu Abubakar; P<strong>as</strong>tor<br />
Ezekiel Yissa and Chief Okoi<br />
Ofem Obono-Obla.”
10 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
NASS should<br />
publish<br />
details of<br />
alleged<br />
N500bn<br />
running cost<br />
— SERAP<br />
By Abdulwahab<br />
Abdulah<br />
S<br />
O C I O -<br />
ECONOMIC<br />
Rights and Accountability<br />
Project, SERAP h<strong>as</strong><br />
requested the leadership of<br />
the National Assembly to<br />
publicly account for how<br />
lawmakers spent N500<br />
billion <strong>as</strong> running costs<br />
between 2006 and 2016, <strong>as</strong><br />
well <strong>as</strong> the monthly income<br />
and allowances of each<br />
Senator and member of the<br />
House of Representatives.<br />
In a request made under<br />
the Freedom of Information<br />
Act, SERAP in the letter by<br />
it’s Executive Director,<br />
Tokunbo Mumuni, noted<br />
that; “Secrecy in<br />
parliamentary spending<br />
h<strong>as</strong> resulted in lapse of<br />
accountability for Senators<br />
and members of the House<br />
of Representatives, and this<br />
could ultimately endanger<br />
the healthy development of<br />
the rule of law and good<br />
governance in the country.”<br />
The body, which h<strong>as</strong><br />
threatened to drag the<br />
parliaments to court, if its<br />
request w<strong>as</strong> ignored, said<br />
the step w<strong>as</strong> taken after<br />
reviewing the disclosure by<br />
Abdulmumin Jibrin that,<br />
“Nigerian Senators and<br />
House of Representatives<br />
members have pocketed<br />
N500 billion <strong>as</strong> ‘running<br />
cost’ out of the N1 trillion<br />
provided for in the National<br />
Assembly budgets between<br />
2006 and 2016, and<br />
<strong>as</strong>sertion by former<br />
President Olusegun<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>anjo that each Senator<br />
goes home with nothing<br />
less than N15m monthly<br />
while each member<br />
receives nothing less than<br />
N10 million monthly.”<br />
The letter dated<br />
November 25, 2016 states in<br />
part that, “We are seriously<br />
concerned that details of the<br />
National Assembly budgets<br />
and income and allowances<br />
receive by its members over<br />
the years remain shrouded<br />
in secrecy, and hidden from<br />
Nigerians. Alleged stealing<br />
or mismanagement of N500<br />
billion of public funds may<br />
be responsible for the<br />
economic crisis and<br />
hardships being faced by<br />
millions of Nigerians.<br />
“Transparency in the<br />
spending by the National<br />
Assembly and income of<br />
its members is a key<br />
element of justice.''<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
340, 634 voters for Saturday's Lagos<br />
bye-<strong>elect</strong>ion — <strong>INEC</strong><br />
L<br />
A G O S — T H E<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission (<strong>INEC</strong>)<br />
says it h<strong>as</strong> 340, 634 registered<br />
voters for next Saturday’s bye<strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
in Ifako-Ijaiye Federal<br />
Constituency of Lagos State.<br />
Clement Oha, <strong>INEC</strong><br />
Administrative Secretary in<br />
Lagos State said that the<br />
distribution of Permanent Voter’s<br />
Card (PVC) w<strong>as</strong> ongoing ahead<br />
of the poll.<br />
“We are distributing PVCs so<br />
eligible registered voters can still<br />
go to <strong>INEC</strong> office in Ifako Ijaiye<br />
Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment and pick up<br />
their PVCs,” Oha said.<br />
He urged registered voters in the<br />
constituency to collect their PVCs<br />
at the local <strong>INEC</strong> office.<br />
Oha said <strong>INEC</strong> w<strong>as</strong> ready to<br />
conduct a free and fair <strong>elect</strong>ion and<br />
urged politicians and their<br />
supporters to be peaceful before,<br />
during and after the poll.<br />
According to him, Ifako/Ijaiye<br />
Federal Constituency had 335<br />
polling units and 687 voting points<br />
where accreditation and voting will<br />
be conducted simultaneously.<br />
Lagos launches 16-day fight against sexual, gender violence<br />
By Ol<strong>as</strong>unkanmi Akoni &<br />
Monsur Olowoopejo<br />
LAGOS—THE<br />
Lagos<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment through the<br />
State’s Domestic and Sexual<br />
Violence Response Team,<br />
DSVRT, is partnering with<br />
Access Bank to commemorate 16<br />
Days of Activism to end all forms<br />
of violence against women and<br />
children.<br />
DSVRT Coordinator, Titilola<br />
Vivour-Adeniyi, in a statement<br />
yesterday, said the team, in<br />
partnership with the Financial<br />
Control and Strategy Group of<br />
Access Bank, will embark on<br />
series of events aimed at<br />
incre<strong>as</strong>ing people’s awareness on<br />
CRIMINALITY: Security experts canv<strong>as</strong>s<br />
better intelligence gathering<br />
By Joseph Undu<br />
LAGOS—THE Inspector General of Police,<br />
IGP, Ibrahim Idris and the Comptroller-General<br />
of Nigeria Immigration Service, CGI, Muhammad<br />
Babandede have said that Nigeria will only win the<br />
war against criminality, when intelligence gathering<br />
among security agencies is strengthened.<br />
The IGP, who w<strong>as</strong> represented by the Assistant<br />
Inspector General Of Police, AIG, Zone 2 Police<br />
Command, Onikan, Lagos, Mr Kayode Aderanti, at<br />
this year’s Annual Lecture and Award ceremony of<br />
Crime Reporters Association Of Nigeria, CRAN, which<br />
took place in Lagos with the theme, “Solving Security<br />
challenges through intelligence” said; ‘’Our intelligence<br />
gathering would make us proactive, rather than<br />
reactive. We need to work together with sister agencies.<br />
We must share intelligence.''<br />
In his own remarks, the Comptroller-General of<br />
Nigeria Immigration Service, CGI, Muhammad<br />
Babandede, said that through intelligence, our porous<br />
borders would be better manned and child trafficking<br />
and arm proliferation checked.<br />
CONVOCATION: From right; Pro Chancellor and Chairman of the <strong>Gov</strong>erning Council,<br />
University of Benin, Senator Effiong Bob; Chairman, UBA Plc, and 2015 recipient of the University<br />
of Benin Honourary Doctor of Science, Mr Tony Elumelu; Chancellor, University of Benin and<br />
Emir of Kano, His Highness Muhammadu Sanusi 11; Representative of President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari, Dr Raman Yusuf and Vice Chancellor, University of Benin, Professor F.F.O Orumwense,<br />
during the University of Benin 42nd Convocation in Benin City, Edo State, at the weekend.<br />
The commission had concluded<br />
the training of 50 Supervisory<br />
Presiding Officers and 3, 440<br />
corps members for the <strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
The six political parties that<br />
would contest in the poll are:<br />
sexual and gender-b<strong>as</strong>ed violence<br />
<strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> taking practical steps to<br />
rid the society of the menace.<br />
As part of the enlightenment<br />
programs, she said there will be a<br />
workshop with the theme:<br />
“Safeguarding The Rights For A<br />
Child,” while a Symposium<br />
tagged “It’s On You And I To End<br />
Violence Against Women And<br />
Children.”<br />
She said the workshop will focus<br />
on children within the region of<br />
primary 3 and 6, saying that this<br />
became imperative in view of the<br />
recent statistics which revealed<br />
that children within this age range<br />
are most vulnerable.<br />
Vivour-Adeniyi said over 1,500<br />
children drawn from both public<br />
Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for<br />
Democracy (<strong>AD</strong>), African<br />
Democratic Party (<strong>AD</strong>P) and the<br />
All Progressives Congress (APC).<br />
The rest are Peoples Democratic<br />
Party (<strong>PDP</strong>) and Social Democratic<br />
and private schools in Mainland,<br />
Eti-Osa and Apapa axis of the<br />
state will receive age appropriate<br />
sex education, tips on being<br />
sensitive about their body parts,<br />
and also a critical education on<br />
Party (SDP).<br />
Mr Elijah Adewale, who<br />
represented the constituency in the<br />
House of Representatives, died on<br />
July 20 and <strong>INEC</strong> had fixed Dec.<br />
3 for <strong>elect</strong>ion into the vacant seat.<br />
how to detect and avoid the<br />
process of grooming which is a<br />
process most predators adopt.<br />
She also said the symposium<br />
would be held at Access Bank<br />
Head Office, Victoria Island.<br />
Ambode to present 2017 budget<br />
tomorrow<br />
L AGOS—GOVERNOR<br />
Akinwunmi Ambode of<br />
Lagos State will tomorrow present<br />
the 2017 appropriation bill to the<br />
Lagos State House of Assembly,<br />
for approval.<br />
A statement signed by Miss<br />
Bose Lambo, the Director, Public<br />
Affairs of the Assembly, said the<br />
presentation would commence at<br />
10a.m., and urged invited guests<br />
to be punctual.<br />
She said: “Year 2017 Budget<br />
Estimates Presentation by His<br />
Excellency, Mr Akinwunmi<br />
Ambode, <strong>Gov</strong>ernor of Lagos State<br />
will hold on Tuesday, November<br />
29 at the Assembly Chambers,<br />
Alausa, Ikeja.”<br />
Ambode presented the 2016<br />
budget of N662.58 billion to the<br />
Assembly for approval on<br />
December 17, 2015.<br />
The 2016 budget w<strong>as</strong> made up<br />
of capital expenditure of<br />
N383.678 billion and a recurrent<br />
expenditure of N278.909 billion<br />
in the ratio of 58:42 respectively<br />
<strong>as</strong> against 51:49 in 2014 and 2015.<br />
The 2016 budget represented<br />
an improvement of 26 per cent<br />
over the budgets of 2014 and 2015<br />
respectively, which stood at<br />
N489.69 billion.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 11<br />
LG POLLS: APC<br />
chieftains allege<br />
impositions by<br />
Ajimobi<br />
By Ola Ajayi<br />
IB<strong>AD</strong>AN—THE alleged<br />
imposition of chairmanship<br />
and councillor <strong>as</strong>pirants by<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo<br />
state in the forthcoming local<br />
government <strong>elect</strong>ion billed for<br />
next February h<strong>as</strong> created<br />
cracks within the All<br />
Progressives Congress, APC,<br />
in the state.<br />
The planned imposition may<br />
have led to the non-conduct of<br />
primary <strong>elect</strong>ion that w<strong>as</strong> fixed<br />
for l<strong>as</strong>t week Saturday.<br />
Vanguard gathered that<br />
several members and chieftains<br />
of the party are not happy with<br />
the governor for the unilateral<br />
decision, they believe, portends<br />
great danger for the party.<br />
One of the aggrieved<br />
members who pleaded<br />
anonymity for fear of being<br />
victimized told Vanguard that<br />
the move, if not checked, could<br />
lead to the party’s defeat in the<br />
council and subsequent<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ions.<br />
According to the source, all<br />
members of the party except<br />
the governor are at a loss <strong>as</strong> to<br />
what the future holds for the<br />
party.<br />
“We don’t know what is<br />
happening now in the party. It<br />
is a pity we found ourselves in<br />
this situation. There w<strong>as</strong><br />
supposed to be primary <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
for the councillor <strong>as</strong>pirants at<br />
the weekend and later for<br />
chairmanship <strong>as</strong>pirants but it<br />
never came up. The governor<br />
seems not to be interested in<br />
the primaries.”<br />
Agbaje died at<br />
LUTH, not in<br />
London—Chambers<br />
By Abdulwahab<br />
Abdulah<br />
CONTRARY to reports<br />
that the late human<br />
rights lawyer, Fred Agbaje died<br />
in London, it w<strong>as</strong> clarified<br />
yesterday that he breath his l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
at the University Teaching<br />
Hospital, LUTH, Idi-Araba,<br />
Lagos after a battle with an<br />
undisclosed ailment.<br />
An official statement from his<br />
law chambers, signed by Prince<br />
Kennedy U. Osunwa and<br />
Adeniyi Pokanu, while<br />
regretting the untimely death<br />
of their principal, said that the<br />
family will soon come out with<br />
programs for his burial rites.<br />
The lawyers described him <strong>as</strong><br />
“A resolute defender of the<br />
oppressed, a law lord, legal<br />
authority of our time.''<br />
''A legal colossus h<strong>as</strong> p<strong>as</strong>sed<br />
unto glory leaving a yearning<br />
gap to be filled in the legal<br />
jurisprudence. A rare gem is<br />
gone,” the chamber said.<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
FUNAAB: VC, Pro-Chancellor in custody<br />
over failure to perfect bail conditions<br />
By Daud Olatunji<br />
ABEOKUTA—THE Vice-<br />
Chancellor, Federal<br />
University of Agriculture,<br />
Abeokuta, Prof. Olusola<br />
Oyewole and Pro-Chancellor of<br />
the institution, Senator Adeseye<br />
Ogunlewe have spent three<br />
days in Ibara Prisons following<br />
their failure to perfect their bail<br />
conditions.<br />
The Economic and Financial<br />
Crimes Commission on Friday<br />
arraigned them and the Bursar<br />
of the institution, Moses<br />
Ilesanmi before an Ogun State<br />
High court sitting in Abeokuta<br />
on an 18-count charge<br />
bothering on stealing and<br />
fraudulent conversion of the<br />
institution’s funds .<br />
The trial Judge, Justice O.O<br />
Majekodunmi who could not<br />
hear the bail application of<br />
Ilesanmi since the counsel failed<br />
to perfect it remanded him in the<br />
EFCC custody pending the<br />
determination of the matter today.<br />
He however granted Ogunlewe<br />
and Oyewole bail in the sum of<br />
N50 million each and two sureties<br />
in like sum.<br />
The judge, who insisted that the<br />
two sureties must be owners of<br />
landed properties within the<br />
judicial division of the court and<br />
must deposit their title documents<br />
with the court.<br />
She also ordered that the<br />
sureties must be on a minimum<br />
of salary grade level 15 with the<br />
Ogun civil service and also<br />
deposit their international<br />
p<strong>as</strong>sports with the court.<br />
•As whistle blowers approach Industrial Court over sack<br />
Majekodunmi also ordered that<br />
Ogunlewe and Oyewole be<br />
remanded in prison custody<br />
pending perfection of the bail<br />
terms.<br />
Immediately, the court rose, the<br />
family members of Ogunlewe<br />
and Oyewole made frantic efforts<br />
to get the sureties but could not<br />
which prompted the prison<br />
officials to whisk them away to<br />
Ibara prisons.<br />
Vanguard exclusively gathered<br />
that the duo were still being<br />
remanded in the prison by<br />
yesterday evening.<br />
It w<strong>as</strong> gathered that the family<br />
and church members of the<br />
embattled VC who thronged the<br />
state High court on Friday<br />
Directorate moves to sanitize pension admin<br />
•220,000 captured, 9000 ghost pensioners dropped<br />
By Soni Daniel, Northern Region Editor<br />
THE Pension Transitional<br />
Arrangement Directorate, PT<strong>AD</strong>,<br />
h<strong>as</strong> adopted a tough policy to sanitize<br />
the administration of pension in the<br />
country and give a new le<strong>as</strong>e of life to<br />
pensioners nationwide.<br />
To this end, the new leadership of<br />
PT<strong>AD</strong>, led by Sharon Ikeazor, h<strong>as</strong> opted<br />
to make the use of Biometric Verification<br />
Number, BVN, an indispensable<br />
instrument in the processing and<br />
payment of pensions to retirees<br />
nationwide.<br />
Ikeazor, who is the Executive Secretary<br />
of PT<strong>AD</strong>, told media heads in Abuja at<br />
the weekend that BVN had been adopted<br />
<strong>as</strong> one of the compulsory requirements<br />
that retirees must possess to be captured<br />
in its datab<strong>as</strong>e and be paid their entitlements.<br />
Ikeazor disclosed that no fewer than<br />
9, 000 questionable <strong>names</strong> had been<br />
dropped from the PT<strong>AD</strong> datab<strong>as</strong>e <strong>as</strong> a<br />
result of the absence of BVN during<br />
verification and that more of such<br />
doubtful <strong>names</strong> would be removed <strong>as</strong><br />
the agency moved to consolidate its<br />
datab<strong>as</strong>e for efficient pension<br />
management in Nigeria.<br />
He also disclosed that from the<br />
verification so far carried out by PT<strong>AD</strong>,<br />
a total of 220 ,000 pensioners had been<br />
established on the datab<strong>as</strong>e <strong>as</strong> efforts<br />
were being made to extend the exercise<br />
to the North E<strong>as</strong>t, South South and other<br />
parts of the country next year.<br />
STROKE: Early symptoms identification prevents<br />
death — EXPERT<br />
LAGOS—A cardiologist, Dr<br />
Afolabi Akinkunmi, yesterday in<br />
Lagos said that early identification of risk<br />
factors of stroke remained the best way of<br />
preventing the life threatening illness.<br />
Akinkunmi, President, Association of<br />
Residents Doctors (ARD), Lagos<br />
University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-<br />
Araba, said that stroke w<strong>as</strong> also known <strong>as</strong><br />
a cerebrov<strong>as</strong>cular accident.<br />
According to him, the risk factors of<br />
stroke include high blood pressure,<br />
high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking <strong>as</strong><br />
and advancement in age and heart<br />
valve dise<strong>as</strong>e. He said: “Stroke occurs<br />
when a part of the brain loses its blood<br />
supply to a part of the body; blood is<br />
deprived of that area and brain cells<br />
control stops working.<br />
betrayed emotions when it<br />
dawned on them that the Vice<br />
Chancellor would p<strong>as</strong>s some<br />
nights in prison.<br />
Meanwhile, the three whistle<br />
blowers and 10 executive<br />
members of the Senior Staff<br />
Association of Nigerian<br />
Universities, FUNAAB chapter<br />
dragged the VC and Ogunlewe<br />
to the National Industrial Court<br />
in Ibadan over their sack.<br />
Those sacked include L<strong>as</strong>un<br />
Somoye, Abdusalaam Sobbor<br />
and E.A. Bankole.The trio were<br />
said to have written a petition<br />
against the management of the<br />
institution to the anti graft<br />
agency which it relied upon to<br />
charge the Vice-Chancellor and<br />
others to court .<br />
Others relieved of their jobs<br />
include three medical doctors -<br />
Dr Ajayi A.O., Dr Olaniran I.O.<br />
and Dr O.O. Salami, two health<br />
workers - Mr Oyero, a<br />
laboratory scientist and Miss<br />
K.O. Adeyemi, a medical record<br />
officer.<br />
The affected staffers were said<br />
to have filed a c<strong>as</strong>e against the<br />
FUNAAB management led by<br />
Ogunlewe and Oyewole.<br />
Vanguard gathered that the<br />
matter will be heard today.<br />
It w<strong>as</strong> also gathered that the<br />
governing council w<strong>as</strong> divided<br />
into two over the legality of the<br />
sacking of about 23 staff by the<br />
management.<br />
INAUGURATION: From left: Chief Johnson Famuyiwa, Mr. Ogundare Adisa, Mr. Gbenga<br />
Adefaye, GM/Editor-in Chief, Vanguard Newspaper and Mr. Oladiran Famuyiwa, Chairman/<br />
founder, Olabite Livestock Limited, during the inauguration ceremony of Olabite Abattoir,<br />
in Ope-Ilu, Agbado Oja, Ogun State on Saturday. Photo by Bunmi Azeez.
12—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
:Vanguard News<br />
:@vanguardnews<br />
10TH ANNIVERSARY OF HRM<br />
ORHUE I, ORODJE OF OKPE<br />
KINGDOM<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Ifeanyi Okowa (left) and His Royal Majesty, R.L. Ogbon, Ogoni-<br />
Oghoro I, the Ohworode of Olomu Kingdom.<br />
HRM Abe I, the Ovie of Uvwie Kingdom, HRH Oba Rufus Olarewaju, Oba<br />
of Ebomina-Ekiti and others.<br />
Gen. Paul Omu (retd) (left) and Prof. Saliba Mukoro.<br />
Cross section of members of Okpe Union.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—13<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
N-Delta govs accused of hijacking over N1trn<br />
annually<br />
By Michael Eboh &<br />
Jimitota Onoyume<br />
OIL and solid minerals<br />
producing communities,<br />
weekend, accused the political<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>s and state governors in the<br />
Niger Delta region of hijacking<br />
funds meant for the development<br />
of the region, totaling over N1<br />
trillion annually.<br />
The communities, under the<br />
aegis of Oil and Solid Minerals<br />
Producing Are<strong>as</strong> Landlords’<br />
Association of Nigeria,<br />
OMPALAN, disclosed that the<br />
region’s <strong>elect</strong>ed representatives<br />
have betrayed the trust of the<br />
people they are representing by<br />
persistently short-changing host<br />
communities with impunity.<br />
In a statement in Abuja, on<br />
behalf of the communities,<br />
Chairman, Board of Trustees,<br />
OMPALAN, Mr. Udo Azogu,<br />
stated that respite can only come<br />
to oil producing are<strong>as</strong> when the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment musters<br />
enough courage to stop the<br />
growing recklessness and<br />
lawlessness of governors of oil<br />
producing state who mismanage<br />
oil-related palliative<br />
programmes.<br />
He said: “Robust palliative<br />
programmes such <strong>as</strong> the Niger<br />
Delta Development Commission,<br />
NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta<br />
Affairs, 13% Oil Derivation Fund<br />
Commission, Ecological Fund<br />
and Amnesty packages, among<br />
others, worth trillions of Naira<br />
annually, established by the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment in quick<br />
succession to cushion the harsh<br />
effects of acute environmental<br />
challenges in host (oil producing)<br />
communities have been<br />
hijacked by the tiny but,<br />
influential political cl<strong>as</strong>s in the<br />
oil-rich regions to the extent that<br />
simple survival in these<br />
communities had become a<br />
me<strong>as</strong>ure of success.”<br />
He maintained that President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari must tell<br />
oil producing state governors to<br />
stop tampering or meddling<br />
with 13% Oil Derivation Funds<br />
that accrue to their states.<br />
Azogu argued that the<br />
governors must give the NDDC<br />
and Ministry of Niger Delta<br />
Affairs the free hand to deliver,<br />
adding that open diversion of<br />
huge mitigation funds running<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>eki faults sending children to foreign universities<br />
By Gabriel Enoghol<strong>as</strong>e<br />
B E N I N —<br />
GOVERNOR Godwin<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>eki of Edo State, h<strong>as</strong> said the<br />
billions of naira spent by<br />
Nigerians to educate their wards<br />
and children in universities<br />
abroad do not add value to the<br />
country’s economic growth either<br />
in the short or long term.<br />
This came <strong>as</strong> he urged<br />
Nigerians to embrace change<br />
and come up with innovative<br />
ide<strong>as</strong> capable of revolutionizing<br />
the way they think for the country<br />
to move out of recession.<br />
He spoke yesterday at Okada,<br />
Ovia North E<strong>as</strong>t Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment, during the 14th<br />
convocation of Igbinedion<br />
University, Okada.<br />
According to him, recent<br />
developments in Nigeria had<br />
shown that the educational policy<br />
had reduced the quality of output<br />
of the educational system, noting<br />
that Nigerians could not continue<br />
to work at the level of the current<br />
economic challenges and expect<br />
solutions that could turn around<br />
its fortunes.<br />
The Edo governor, who<br />
disclosed that his administration<br />
short and medium terms."<br />
Okowa t<strong>as</strong>ks traditional rulers on peace building<br />
•As Orodje of Okpe celebrates 10th anniversary<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
A SABA—GOVERNOR<br />
Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta<br />
State h<strong>as</strong> told communities and<br />
other stakeholders, particularly<br />
traditional rulers, to engage in<br />
peace building in their are<strong>as</strong> to<br />
promote development in all<br />
parts of the state.<br />
Speaking, weekend, in<br />
Orerokpe, Okpe Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area, during the<br />
grand finale of the 10th<br />
Coronation Anniversary of<br />
HRM Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe<br />
kingdom, Okowa held that only<br />
a peaceful environment could<br />
attract development and<br />
into millions and billions of Naira<br />
with impunity, hiding under the<br />
m<strong>as</strong>querade of immunity, must<br />
stop.<br />
According to him, these<br />
governors constitute a great<br />
threat to both security and<br />
democracy <strong>as</strong> they sack <strong>elect</strong>ed<br />
local<br />
government<br />
administrations and take over<br />
their funds, divert 13% oil<br />
derivation funds to the detriment<br />
of impacted communities, use<br />
ecological funds at their whims<br />
and caprices, while the rubberstamp<br />
state parliaments watch<br />
with consuming admiration.<br />
He further stated that while the<br />
group believes that it is<br />
justifiable and proper that oil<br />
blocks be allocated to the<br />
regions that produce oil, it must<br />
be properly considered to meet<br />
the ends of justice to the benefit<br />
of the common man and not<br />
allocated to the same vicious<br />
oligarchy that shortchanges the<br />
system with impunity.<br />
But reacting, Dr Austin Tam-<br />
George, Rivers State<br />
Commissioner for Information<br />
and Communications, said oil<br />
bearing communities were part<br />
of an integrated development<br />
plan of the Rivers State<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment.<br />
According to him: “<strong>Gov</strong>ernor<br />
Nyesom Wike spends every<br />
kobo in developing Rivers<br />
State."<br />
VISIT: From left: Deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu; Chairman, House of<br />
Representatives Committee on Power, Daniel Asuquo and other members of the committee,<br />
when they paid a courtesy visit to the deputy governor, weekend, in Benin City.<br />
would be driven by knowledge,<br />
data and established b<strong>as</strong>e lines,<br />
said he w<strong>as</strong> committed to<br />
reforming the educational sector<br />
of the state with a view to<br />
creating knowledge-driven<br />
economy where Edo people<br />
could unlock their potentials.<br />
He said: “One of the key<br />
midterm strategies to return<br />
Nigeria to the path of inclusive<br />
economic growth and<br />
sustainable development is to<br />
reform our educational sector<br />
in such a manner that can<br />
unlock the creative potentials<br />
of our youths. We must<br />
embrace change. We must<br />
come up with innovate ide<strong>as</strong><br />
capable of revolutionizing the<br />
way we think and work. One of<br />
the imperatives of my<br />
investment to the society.<br />
Urging the traditional<br />
institutions to partner<br />
government to ensure peace and<br />
security in their domains and the<br />
state at large so that investment<br />
and development would thrive,<br />
he appealed to the youths in the<br />
various communities to desist<br />
from pipeline vandalism.<br />
He decried that pipeline<br />
vandalism w<strong>as</strong> impacting<br />
negatively on communities and<br />
the state and lamented that it<br />
had hampered meaningful<br />
development in the various oil<br />
bearing are<strong>as</strong>.<br />
He said: “I urge all<br />
administration is to ensure<br />
that governance is driven by<br />
knowledge, data and<br />
established b<strong>as</strong>e lines. Nigeria<br />
<strong>as</strong> a country cannot afford to<br />
continue to import human<br />
resources from foreign countries<br />
while we spend billions of naira<br />
to educate our youths outside<br />
the country that do not add value<br />
to our economic growth in the<br />
stakeholders to join hands in<br />
ensuring peace and security in<br />
our various communities. I<br />
particularly thank His Royal<br />
Majesty the Orodje of Okpe for<br />
his commitment, not only in<br />
ensuring peace in Okpe<br />
Kingdom, but extended same to<br />
the state by his fatherly advice.<br />
Today, Okpe Kingdom h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
relatively peaceful in the l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
one and a half years and this<br />
h<strong>as</strong> secured oil activities in this<br />
axis.<br />
“Deltans have suffered<br />
enough of pipeline vandalism.<br />
We should give peace a<br />
chance."<br />
Ibori: UK<br />
launches new<br />
investigation<br />
THE UK Independent<br />
Police Complaints<br />
Commission, IPCC, h<strong>as</strong><br />
launched fresh investigations<br />
into the original London<br />
Metropolitan Police c<strong>as</strong>e officers<br />
involved in the James<br />
OnanefeIbori c<strong>as</strong>e.<br />
Officers in the c<strong>as</strong>e were DC<br />
Peter Clark, DC John<br />
McDonald, DC Ben Irons, DC<br />
Mathew Hurding-Jones, DC<br />
David Cocks, DS George<br />
Simpson, DI Gary Walters and<br />
AFI Paul Gardiner.<br />
The revelation w<strong>as</strong> made by a<br />
lawyer, Lambertus De Boer, in<br />
his Twitter account at the<br />
weekend, according to Tony<br />
Eluemunor, Ibori’s media<br />
<strong>as</strong>sistant , in a press statement,<br />
yesterday.<br />
Eluemunor said: “These<br />
officers, some with the National<br />
Crime Agency are believed to<br />
have been served with anticorruption<br />
notices. Surprisingly,<br />
they remain on active duty while<br />
the investigation continues.<br />
These same officers, who<br />
worked for the Department of<br />
Foreign Investment and<br />
Development, DfID, funded<br />
‘Proceeds of Corruption Unit<br />
with the MPS were investigated<br />
in 2012, after Bhadresh Gohil<br />
alerted the authorities of police<br />
corruption at the heart of the<br />
James Ibori investigation and<br />
prosecution.<br />
Unknown to Gohil, the<br />
Metropolitan Police Service,<br />
MPS,had themselves<br />
independently suspected deep<br />
rooted corruption in relation to<br />
these officers and had itself<br />
conducted a covert surveillance<br />
operation, code-named –<br />
“Operation Limonium”. Despite<br />
substantial evidence, the MPS<br />
whitew<strong>as</strong>hed its investigations<br />
because making such public<br />
before Ibori’s trial w<strong>as</strong><br />
concluded could shoot down the<br />
conviction of Ibori and his<br />
<strong>as</strong>sociates. Now, that whitew<strong>as</strong>h<br />
h<strong>as</strong> become a bullet in the<br />
armoury of Ibori’s lawyers <strong>as</strong><br />
they head to the Court of<br />
Appeal, where that failure will<br />
be pleaded <strong>as</strong> yet another<br />
infraction against the Police.<br />
Retired generals<br />
charge Nigeria on<br />
unity<br />
ASSOCIATION<br />
of<br />
retired army generals,<br />
weekend, at the palace of the<br />
Orodje of Okpe, Okpe Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area, Delta State,<br />
charged Nigerians to embrace<br />
unity for the purpose of one<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The retired generals with the<br />
code name, Association of<br />
Nigeria Defence Academy,<br />
NDA, Regular Course Number<br />
5, 1968-1971, also presented a<br />
horse to the traditional ruler <strong>as</strong><br />
a token of their oneness and sign<br />
of brotherhood.<br />
Addressing newsmen at the<br />
palace of the Orodje, secretary<br />
of the <strong>as</strong>sociation Brig-Gen. D.<br />
O. Idada Ikponmuwen (retd.,)<br />
said Nigerians should go back<br />
to the old days when citizens<br />
knew no boundaries or tribes.
14 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
Foreign consortium/NNPC to build<br />
$340m Ethanol plant in Benue<br />
By Peter Duru<br />
M AKURDI—A<br />
consortium b<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
in the United Kingdom, in<br />
collaboration with the<br />
Nigerian National<br />
Petroleum Corporation,<br />
NNPC, plans to invest over<br />
$340 million on the<br />
establishment of an ethanol<br />
plant in Benue State.<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Samuel Ortom,<br />
who made this known in a<br />
state-owned radio<br />
programme monitored in<br />
Makurdi, said the project<br />
would be executed to further<br />
boost the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment’s renewable<br />
energy policy.<br />
He said: “The stage is<br />
already set for the signing<br />
of an agreement among<br />
major stakeholder,s<br />
including the state<br />
government and the<br />
Consortium.<br />
‘’The fe<strong>as</strong>ibility studies for<br />
the project h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
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concluded and the<br />
Consortium h<strong>as</strong> consented<br />
to invest over $340 million<br />
into it.<br />
“Even President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari is so<br />
p<strong>as</strong>sionate about the project<br />
and he h<strong>as</strong> agreed to come<br />
to the state to flag it off.”<br />
The governor said<br />
another foreign company<br />
from the United States<br />
had also expressed<br />
willingness to invest in<br />
food processing in the<br />
state, explaining that<br />
the state government had<br />
decided to dedicate<br />
parts of Gwer West and<br />
Agatu Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment<br />
Are<strong>as</strong> for the purpose.<br />
He said government<br />
had signed Memoranda<br />
of Understanding with a<br />
lot of foreign investors<br />
who had indicated<br />
interest to invest in the<br />
state, saying his<br />
administration w<strong>as</strong><br />
determined to develop<br />
Primate condemns Kaduna killings, t<strong>as</strong>ks FG<br />
on security<br />
By Imanuel Jannah<br />
A BUJA—THE<br />
Primate of All<br />
Nigeria Anglican<br />
Communion, Most Rev.<br />
Nichol<strong>as</strong> Okoh, h<strong>as</strong> urged<br />
the federal government to<br />
investigate and prosecute<br />
those responsible for the<br />
Ortom bags best crime<br />
fighting governor award<br />
LAGOS—THE Crime<br />
Reporters Association<br />
of Nigeria, CRAN,<br />
yesterday conferred the<br />
award of best crime fighting<br />
governor on Samuel Ortom<br />
of Benue State.<br />
He w<strong>as</strong> among 75<br />
individuals, groups and<br />
corporate bodies who<br />
received similar awards in<br />
several categories at the<br />
ceremony which held in<br />
Lagos.<br />
President of the<br />
<strong>as</strong>sociation, Mr Odita<br />
Sunday, stated that the<br />
recipients were chosen<br />
after careful evaluation of<br />
their contributions to the<br />
fight against crime in<br />
Nigeria in general and<br />
their localities in particular.<br />
He stated that <strong>Gov</strong>ernor<br />
Ortom’s carrot and stick<br />
amnesty program had<br />
contributed immensely in<br />
mopping up illegal<br />
weapons in Benue, while<br />
his involvement of all the<br />
conventional security<br />
barbaric attacks in several<br />
Christian communities in<br />
Southern part of Kaduna<br />
State.<br />
Okoh made the appeal on<br />
the sidelines of the 2016<br />
Carnival for Christ,<br />
organized during the<br />
weekend, by the Abuja<br />
Diocese of the Anglican<br />
Communion to mark its<br />
apparatus in combined<br />
onslaught against criminals<br />
w<strong>as</strong> exemplary.<br />
The organizers stated that<br />
the non-interference of the<br />
governor in criminal<br />
investigation of government<br />
officials w<strong>as</strong> unprecedented<br />
in the annals of Nigeria.<br />
According to the<br />
organisers, his<br />
recommendation of<br />
ranching <strong>as</strong> a permanent<br />
solution to the herdersfarmers<br />
incessant cl<strong>as</strong>hes<br />
w<strong>as</strong> a major contribution to<br />
peace efforts in the country<br />
just like his engagement<br />
with Taraba and N<strong>as</strong>arawa<br />
counterparts.<br />
Special Adviser on Media<br />
and ICT, Mr Tahav Agerzua,<br />
who represented <strong>Gov</strong>ernor<br />
Ortom at the ceremony,<br />
received the award on his<br />
behalf.<br />
Benue State Command<br />
Police Commissioner, Mr<br />
B<strong>as</strong>hir Makama, received<br />
merit award in Police<br />
leadership.<br />
the industrial capacity<br />
and promote the<br />
processing of primary<br />
agricultural products in<br />
order to boost the economy<br />
of the state.<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Ortom further<br />
said that Russian investors<br />
had also indicated interest<br />
to invest in the<br />
development of the<br />
agriculture value chain in<br />
the state and that he had<br />
already consented to their<br />
request to send<br />
representatives to Benue to<br />
further interface, with the<br />
hope that a Memorandum<br />
of Understanding would<br />
then be signed.<br />
“These are good signs<br />
and I have continued to<br />
keep to the promises I<br />
made to Benue people,<br />
which is to encourage<br />
investment in Small and<br />
Medium Enterprises, <strong>as</strong><br />
well <strong>as</strong> promote agriculture<br />
driven industrialisation,’’<br />
the governor said.<br />
27th anniversary.<br />
The Primate, who also<br />
called for incre<strong>as</strong>ed security<br />
across the nation, described<br />
the spate of killings in<br />
Southern Kaduna <strong>as</strong><br />
embarr<strong>as</strong>sing to the nation.<br />
He said the renewed<br />
killings perpetrated by a<br />
faceless group of murderers<br />
were a mark of the federal<br />
government’s inability to<br />
rise to the essence of<br />
governance which,<br />
according to him, is the<br />
protection of the people.<br />
“The government is<br />
responsible for the<br />
protection of the people.<br />
That is the essence of<br />
governance. So, I call on<br />
the leadership of the<br />
country to bear in mind that<br />
protecting the people from<br />
external and internal<br />
aggressors is the re<strong>as</strong>on<br />
people voted for them. So<br />
they should rise to that<br />
mandate and protect the<br />
people,” he said.<br />
The cleric also said that<br />
the Christian Association of<br />
Nigeria, CA, w<strong>as</strong> worried<br />
that the government w<strong>as</strong><br />
not doing enough, which<br />
w<strong>as</strong> why the <strong>as</strong>sociation<br />
requested, through its<br />
President, Rev. Samson<br />
Ayokunle, that President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari<br />
redouble his efforts towards<br />
ending the incessant<br />
killings.<br />
He added the killings<br />
were unacceptable, saying<br />
“we cannot continue to<br />
have these incidences<br />
repeat themselves over<br />
and over again.”<br />
JUBILATIONS OVER AKEREDOLU'S<br />
VICTORY IN OWO, <strong>ONDO</strong> STATE,<br />
YESTERDAY. Photos by Akeem Salau.<br />
Former Ekiti State governor and Minister for Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode<br />
Fayemi (left) celebrating with the <strong>Gov</strong>ernor-Elect of Ondo State, Chief Rotimi<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong>, at his Owo hometown, yesterday.<br />
A jubilating crowd.<br />
An ecstatic supporter.<br />
...Even this aged woman w<strong>as</strong> not left out.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—15<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
OKO: Achuzia raises alarm, <strong>as</strong> flood threatens Alex Ekwueme's home<br />
By Chioma Gabriel &<br />
Austin Ogwuda<br />
FORMER Secretary-General<br />
of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the<br />
apex Igbo socio-cultural group,<br />
and Biafran warlord, Chief<br />
Joseph Achuzia, h<strong>as</strong> called on<br />
the Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment and<br />
relevant authorities to<br />
immediately come to the aid of<br />
Oko community, where he said<br />
gully erosion is about sweeping<br />
away the house of the former<br />
Vice President, Dr. Alex<br />
CALABAR<br />
QUEEN:<br />
The wife of Cross<br />
River State <strong>Gov</strong>ernor,<br />
Dr. Linda Ayade (left),<br />
crowning the maiden<br />
queen and winner of<br />
Miss Africa Beauty<br />
Pageant, Calabar 2016,<br />
Miss Angola, Neurite<br />
Mendes, in Calabar.<br />
With them is the second<br />
runner-up, Miss<br />
Cameroon, Jencey<br />
Anwifoje (right).<br />
Ekwueme.<br />
Speaking to Vanguard in<br />
Asaba yesterday, Achuzia<br />
lamented that despite the fact<br />
that Ekwueme had<br />
sufficiently drawn the<br />
attention of the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment to the threat,<br />
nothing positive had been<br />
done to save the situation.<br />
According to him, “I w<strong>as</strong><br />
with him (Ekwueme) for four<br />
hours two days ago at Oko. I<br />
saw things for myself. It is a<br />
big problem.<br />
“Oko community is faced<br />
with serious problem of<br />
erosion. Erosion h<strong>as</strong> created a<br />
big ch<strong>as</strong>m; houses are<br />
disappearing.<br />
“The big ch<strong>as</strong>m is over 400<br />
feet wide, stretching for miles.<br />
The people now sleep with one<br />
eye open. I guess that by the<br />
next rainfall, if nothing is done<br />
urgently, erosion might sweep<br />
away the community.<br />
“As I speak with you, it is not<br />
only the former Vice<br />
president’s house that is<br />
under threat.<br />
“His brother, the traditional<br />
ruler, Professor Lax<br />
Ekwueme, is less than 55 feet<br />
from the ch<strong>as</strong>m. It so bad that<br />
another spate of rainfall might<br />
see that palace disappearing.<br />
“Also, Nanka, within<br />
Ekwulobia in the same Aguata<br />
Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment <strong>as</strong> Oko<br />
is also being threatened by<br />
the erosion. The most<br />
regrettable thing is that<br />
Anambra State government is<br />
not looking at the problem.”<br />
Angolan wins<br />
Miss Africa<br />
crown in<br />
Calabar<br />
A23-year-old Angolan,<br />
Neurite Mendes,<br />
emerged winner of the<br />
maiden edition of Miss Africa<br />
beauty pageant organised by<br />
the Cross River State<br />
government, yesterday.<br />
She defeated 17 other<br />
contestants, carting home an<br />
SUV and a c<strong>as</strong>h prize of<br />
25,000 dollars at the grand<br />
finale, held in Calabar.<br />
Refilwe Mthimunye of<br />
South Africa w<strong>as</strong> the first<br />
runner-up, while Jencey<br />
Anwifoje of Cameroon w<strong>as</strong><br />
the second runner-up.<br />
They carted home 15,000<br />
and 10,000 dollars,<br />
respectively.<br />
The event made box office<br />
record with over 365 million<br />
people watching it live on<br />
television.<br />
Imo youths<br />
stop Catholic<br />
priest from<br />
celebrating<br />
m<strong>as</strong>s<br />
Hearing in<br />
Nwosu's suit<br />
against Ikpeazu<br />
for Dec 5, 6<br />
By Ugochukwu<br />
Alaribe<br />
ABA— A five-man<br />
panel of the Court of<br />
Appeal sitting at the Owerri<br />
Division<br />
h<strong>as</strong><br />
fixed December 5 and 6 to<br />
hear an appeal filed by<br />
Sir Friday Nwosu against<br />
the July 8 judgment of the<br />
Federal High Court,<br />
Owerri, which cleared<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Okezie Ikpeazu<br />
of alleged submission of<br />
false information and<br />
forged tax documents.<br />
Nwosu, who contested<br />
the December 8, 2014 <strong>PDP</strong><br />
governorship primaries in<br />
Abia State had accused<br />
Ikpeazu of submitting<br />
forged tax certificates and<br />
false information to his<br />
party.<br />
A notice by the Court of<br />
Appeal read: “Take notice<br />
that the appeal between<br />
Sir Friday Nwosu and<br />
People Democratic Party<br />
and three other respondents,<br />
had been fixed for<br />
hearing, ruling/mention,<br />
judgment, before the Court<br />
of Appeal sitting at Port<br />
Harcourt Road, Owerri, on<br />
Monday and Tuesday,<br />
December 5 and 6.”<br />
Military carrying out<br />
ethnic cleansing—IPOB<br />
By Vincent Ujumadu &<br />
Chimaobi Nwaiwu<br />
THE Indigenous People of<br />
Biafra, IPOB, and its<br />
Directorate of State, DOS,<br />
yesterday, alleged that the<br />
military is involved in ethnic<br />
cleansing against the people<br />
of South-E<strong>as</strong>t and Biafrans in<br />
general in the name of<br />
maintaining security.<br />
The group wondered why<br />
the military will be killing<br />
non-violent agitators who do<br />
not carry arms, when they are<br />
not using the same arms and<br />
level of force on killers like<br />
Boko Haram insurgents.<br />
IPOB, in a statement by its<br />
Media and Publicity Officer,<br />
Mr. Emma Powerful, said:<br />
“The military h<strong>as</strong> exhibited<br />
the greatest level of cowardice<br />
by denying that they did not<br />
shoot and kill peaceful IPOB<br />
protesters.<br />
“The blood of the people<br />
they killed will continue to<br />
hunt them. They are restless<br />
and that is why they are<br />
denying the evil and<br />
senseless killings.”<br />
Says Army’s denial laughable<br />
IPOB described <strong>as</strong><br />
laughable the denial by the<br />
Nigerian Army, saying the<br />
incident w<strong>as</strong> contained in<br />
video recordings currently<br />
circulating all over the world.<br />
Powerful said that IPOB could<br />
supply the Nigerian Army<br />
copies of the video if<br />
requested, instead of making<br />
unnecessary denials.<br />
He said: “The Indigenous<br />
People of Biafra condemns the<br />
relentless denial of the killing<br />
of the members of IPOB by<br />
soldiers and other security<br />
agencies.<br />
“The denial that they did not<br />
shoot and kill peaceful IPOB<br />
protesters means that the<br />
entire Nigerian Army<br />
By Emeka Mamah<br />
A BAKALIKI—THE<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment<br />
says it is in support of the ban<br />
on the sale of foreign rice in<br />
Ebonyi State.<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor David Umahi of<br />
Ebonyi State had banned the<br />
sale of imported rice in the<br />
state, saying that this w<strong>as</strong> to<br />
encourage local production of<br />
the commodity.<br />
The Minister of Agriculture<br />
and Rural Development, Chief<br />
Audu Ogbe, who spoke when<br />
pretended that it did not see<br />
the barbaric crimes committed<br />
against members of IPOB<br />
during the peaceful<br />
demonstrations in Biafraland.<br />
“Prominent leaders and<br />
countries in the world and<br />
those who don’t have the<br />
videos for the killings should<br />
go online and watch the<br />
heinous crime against the<br />
peaceful members of IPOB<br />
during the peaceful rallies<br />
and demonstrations in all the<br />
Biafra cities of Aba, Onitsha,<br />
Owerri, Igweocha (PH),<br />
Calabar, Uyo, Asaba, Enugu,<br />
Bayelsa and other cities.”<br />
FG backs ban on foreign rice in Ebonyi<br />
he visited Ettem Amagu Rice<br />
Farm in Ikwo Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area, said the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment w<strong>as</strong> in<br />
support of the ban on sale of<br />
foreign rice in the state.<br />
Ogbeh w<strong>as</strong> on an<br />
<strong>as</strong>sessment tour of the rice<br />
farm in a bid to <strong>as</strong>certain the<br />
agricultural potentials of the<br />
state.<br />
The minister w<strong>as</strong><br />
accompanied by the Chairman,<br />
Presidential Committee<br />
on Rice Production, Abubakar<br />
Bagudu and the Central<br />
By Chinonso Alozie<br />
OWERRI—A Catholic<br />
Priest, Rev. Fr.<br />
Jonathan Ezenwoke, w<strong>as</strong>,<br />
yesterday, prevented from<br />
celebrating Sunday m<strong>as</strong>s at<br />
his parish, Our Lady of Good<br />
Counsel, at Imerienwe in<br />
Ngor Okpala Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area of Imo<br />
State.<br />
Trouble started when the<br />
gate of the Church w<strong>as</strong><br />
collectively locked by<br />
different societies in the<br />
Church, calling for “the<br />
removal of the priest.”<br />
They alleged that they<br />
were uncomfortable with the<br />
policies introduced by Fr.<br />
Ezenwoke, and that such<br />
were “strange” to them.<br />
Meanwhile, when<br />
Vanguard called the priest,<br />
he said: “Ple<strong>as</strong>e go and meet<br />
the Archbishop,” and he then<br />
hung up the phone.<br />
Bank of Nigeria, CBN,<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Godwin Emefiele.<br />
He commended Umahi for his<br />
agricultural policy, which h<strong>as</strong><br />
ensured m<strong>as</strong>sive production of<br />
rice in the state.<br />
He said: “<strong>Gov</strong>ernor, I hear you<br />
banned the sale of foreign rice<br />
in your state; God bless you for it<br />
“I also hear you invited young<br />
men to come back from Lagos and<br />
work here. God bless you also for<br />
it. They will be happier here in<br />
this state than living under the<br />
bridge or substandard accommodations<br />
in Lagos and Abuja.”
16 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 17
18 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
Political parties are defining institutions<br />
in a democracy. They provide<br />
the platforms for engaging the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>orate on the different perspectives<br />
of politics and governance.<br />
They serve <strong>as</strong> the channels for citizen<br />
participation in choosing those<br />
that govern them.<br />
Today in Nigeria, there are about<br />
40 registered political parties, but of<br />
the lot, only the People’s Democratic<br />
Party (<strong>PDP</strong>), the All Progressives<br />
Congress (APC) and the All Progressives<br />
Grand Alliance (APGA) control<br />
all the <strong>elect</strong>ive offices in the three<br />
tiers of government. The APC (the<br />
ruling party) and the <strong>PDP</strong> (the main<br />
opposition and former ruling party)<br />
dominate the political landscape.<br />
It is, however, regrettable that<br />
none of the major parties is in sound<br />
health. All are in one form of crisis<br />
or the other.<br />
While the <strong>PDP</strong> remains factionalised<br />
at the national level, the bulk<br />
of the party at the states and the local<br />
governments remain united behind<br />
the Senator Ahmed Makarfiled<br />
group. However, the crisis in<br />
Pitiable state of our political<br />
parties<br />
Abuja h<strong>as</strong> affected some states <strong>as</strong> is<br />
evident in the unfolding developments<br />
in Ondo State.<br />
The APC, while sustaining a united<br />
national executive is challenged,<br />
with its failure to hold regular National<br />
Executive Committee (NEC)<br />
meetings <strong>as</strong> stipulated in its constitution.<br />
Even though it is the ruling<br />
party, its national officials have been<br />
acting at cross-purposes. Pathetically<br />
for a party in power, it h<strong>as</strong> for the<br />
p<strong>as</strong>t year, not been able to produce<br />
a substantive national spokesperson<br />
since the appointment of Alhaji Lai<br />
Mohammed <strong>as</strong> a minister.<br />
APGA is also mired in factionalisation<br />
with stories of uprisings<br />
against its national officers now commonplace.<br />
The main re<strong>as</strong>on for the lack of cohesion<br />
in our political parties is that<br />
our politicians place more emph<strong>as</strong>is<br />
on the struggle for positions and<br />
power than on building virile institutions.<br />
The jostling for power overshadows<br />
the need to evolve strategies<br />
for sound governance and making<br />
the country a better place for<br />
its citizens.<br />
This also accounts for the nearuniformity<br />
in their manifestos, constitutions,<br />
organisational processes,<br />
attitudes to <strong>elect</strong>ions and approach<br />
to governance when they find themselves<br />
in power. This does not provide<br />
the <strong>elect</strong>orate with any credible<br />
choice.<br />
We expect the political parties to<br />
seize the remaining period before<br />
the next general <strong>elect</strong>ions to re<strong>as</strong>sess<br />
their modus operandi, close<br />
ranks or realign properly to give<br />
Nigerians worthy political platforms<br />
to choose from.<br />
It is only when people of political<br />
like-minds come together that they<br />
can build great political parties<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ed on Grand National ideals<br />
which can stand the test of political<br />
turbulence.<br />
The cheap shallow mentality of<br />
our politicians h<strong>as</strong> made our seventeen<br />
years of ren<strong>as</strong>cent democracy<br />
not to count in terms of making our<br />
political parties veritable vehicles<br />
for national development. Rather,<br />
they remain the instruments for<br />
personal aggrandisement.<br />
Reality of Nigeria’s bad dream<br />
By Godwin Etakibuebu<br />
IN another six months, by May 29, 2017<br />
precisely, Muhammadu Buhari and the<br />
ruling Party, All Progressives Congress, APC,<br />
would have been in office for two years. And if<br />
the truth be told, it h<strong>as</strong> been years of agony.<br />
There are more bad news from all facets of life<br />
for all of us that we even found it most difficult<br />
to understand how we got ourselves to this jam.<br />
Worse is that genuine criticism is becoming a<br />
suicidal venture for most patriotic citizens. Yet,<br />
this exercise is in my conviction that “the man<br />
would always die in him who kept silent” at<br />
tyrannical times like this – no apology to Wole<br />
Soyinka.<br />
The latest manifestation of bad dreams<br />
happening in Nigeria which provoked this<br />
work is the sad story that all p<strong>as</strong>t Presidents,<br />
ditto p<strong>as</strong>t Heads of State, have not been paid<br />
their salaries and allowances for the p<strong>as</strong>t ten<br />
months. I am most perturbed about one<br />
outstanding man, of all the lot, albeit President<br />
Shehu Shagari, because of his age [he is 91<br />
years old] and his life style while serving this<br />
country [w<strong>as</strong> never suspected of stealing one<br />
Naira and he never did – at le<strong>as</strong>t there is no<br />
evidence of it anywhere in the whole world].<br />
This is not to say that others; General Yakubu<br />
Gowon, General Olusegun Ob<strong>as</strong>anjo, General<br />
Ibrahim Babangida, Chief Ernest Shonekan,<br />
General Abdulsalam Abubakar and President<br />
Goodluck Jonathan are not worthy of<br />
sympathetic consideration in this scandalous<br />
revelation. Though there are some perimeter<br />
of differences to me<strong>as</strong>ure the life style of these<br />
“victims” while in office, fact remains that nonpayment<br />
of their salaries is an act of “Man’s<br />
inhumanity to man”, <strong>as</strong> documented by Robert<br />
Burns in his 1784 poem.<br />
As pointed out above, Shehu Shagari, being<br />
the first Executive President of Nigeria [1979 –<br />
1984], came out clean without evidence of him<br />
being a thief. Same can be said of his<br />
There shall be<br />
automatic<br />
irrevocable curse on<br />
whoever and<br />
whatever that makes<br />
President Shagari go<br />
hungry<br />
predecessor in office; General Yakubu Gowon<br />
[1966 – 1975]. I think Interim Head of State,<br />
Ernest Shonekan [only three months in 1993],<br />
falls within the category of the duo above. He<br />
w<strong>as</strong> clean <strong>as</strong> there w<strong>as</strong> no evidence whatsoever<br />
to put his integrity in doubt. But subsequent<br />
successors, amongst the living [after Shehu<br />
Shagari], till date are not too lucky to have<br />
this attestation of “holiness”. They might not<br />
have been probed and indicted but God knows<br />
them in the “other side of incorruptibility” and<br />
we [Nigerians] know whom they are.<br />
Suffice to say that if l can have a farm <strong>as</strong><br />
OPINION<br />
good <strong>as</strong> Ob<strong>as</strong>anjo’s farm in Ota or even “a<br />
small” farm in Daura and “few buildings” here<br />
and there, like the Asset Declaration Form of<br />
Muhammadu Buhari attested or attained the<br />
lifestyle of an Ibrahim Babangida, l would have<br />
saved enough. On Abdulsalam Abubakar,<br />
evidence of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha; late<br />
Head of State’, General Sani Abacha’s Chief<br />
Security Officer, at the Justice Oputa’s Human<br />
Rights Tribunal, revealed that there were<br />
movements of vehicles with different<br />
denomination of c<strong>as</strong>h in different currencies to<br />
the country home of the General during the<br />
closing hours of his tenure in office.<br />
Besides, these military Heads of States [or<br />
President <strong>as</strong> the c<strong>as</strong>e with Ibrahim Babangida]<br />
are entitled to their military pension and<br />
allowances for life time. To them, the salary<br />
and allowances <strong>as</strong> Presidents [either <strong>elect</strong>ed or<br />
enforced] is just “additional bonus”. But this is<br />
not so with thorough-bred civilians like Shehu<br />
Shagari, Ernest Shonekan and Goodluck<br />
Jonathan. Back to these three, albeit Shagari,<br />
Shonekan and Jonathan, the c<strong>as</strong>e of Shagari<br />
remains the most sympathetic. While<br />
Shonekan had made his wealth [legitimately]<br />
<strong>as</strong> a Boardroom guru [having risen to the<br />
position of Chairman of the UAC Group of<br />
companies] and Jonathan’s “sleeping attitude”<br />
while the tre<strong>as</strong>ury of the Nigerian State suffered<br />
a dev<strong>as</strong>tating looting [which itself could bring<br />
the man some illegal wealth if the allegations<br />
can be proven] <strong>as</strong> presently being insinuated,<br />
there is nothing on ground, visible or invisible,<br />
giving Baba Shehu Shagari anything to live<br />
on apart from his salary and allowances.<br />
This is why there shall be automatic<br />
invocation of eternally irrevocable curse on<br />
whoever and whatever that makes this old man,<br />
President Shagari, go hungry. It shall remain<br />
the naturally law of God; the creator of heaven<br />
and earth, to punish without mercy those who<br />
pave the way of this old man with hunger,<br />
shame and reproach.<br />
How on earth, can a Secretary to the<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment of the Federation rationalise this<br />
act of wickedness? Will the incumbent SGF;<br />
Dr. David Babachir Lawal, who spoke to the<br />
Senate Committee on Federal Character and<br />
Inter-<strong>Gov</strong>ernmental Affairs, led by Senator<br />
Tijjani Kaura (APC, Zamfara North) that<br />
visited him in his office, say that President<br />
Buhari does not receive his salary/allowance<br />
hundred per cent from the budget? Or can he<br />
say that he [the SGF] does not receive all<br />
allowances from the national budget?<br />
Here is a government that h<strong>as</strong> no plan [it<br />
lacked any] for the good and welfare of<br />
Nigerians. Since its inception, the Naira h<strong>as</strong><br />
suffered a colossal devaluation in the annals<br />
of this country history. A bag of rice that sold<br />
for Seven Thousand Naira in May 2015 now<br />
sells close to Thirty Thousand Naira. Under<br />
its watch, over fifty per cent of the<br />
manufacturing sector of the Nigerian<br />
economy h<strong>as</strong> closed shops. The public sector<br />
sacks daily. For the first time in Nigeria’s<br />
history, people from all over the country are<br />
selling their own children to buy garri and<br />
rice – selling children to buy food. Foreign<br />
airlines are vacating Nigeria for other<br />
countries in Africa because of lack of foreign<br />
exchange.<br />
There are too many calamities for the<br />
citizenry – yes, we cannot itemise them<br />
without writing a whole book. Now, added to<br />
this long list is the revelation that p<strong>as</strong>t leaders<br />
have not been paid their salaries. With this,<br />
do we need a soothsayer to tell us that Buhari<br />
and the APC are Nigeria’s bad dream coming<br />
to fruition?<br />
*Mr.Etakibuebu,a veteran journalist,<br />
wrote from Lagos.
INTEVIEW<br />
Nigerian<br />
insurance<br />
industry capital<br />
is highest in<br />
Africa<br />
>21<br />
BANKING<br />
FINANCE &<br />
Deposit Insurance:<br />
64% of mortgage<br />
banks yet to meet<br />
premium<br />
obligations<br />
HOMES &<br />
PROPERTY<br />
FG reveals<br />
plans to solve<br />
Nigeria’s<br />
18m housing<br />
need<br />
>22 >24<br />
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
ALL FOR RICE: From left, Chairman, Abakaliki Rice Millers Association, Joseph Ununu, Chairman, Presidential<br />
T<strong>as</strong>k Force on Rice Production and Kebbi State <strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Alhaji Abubakar Bagudu, <strong>Gov</strong>ernor of Ebonyi State,Engr.<br />
David Umahi, Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Central Bank of Nigeria <strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Godwin Emefiele(right)<br />
at a rice mill in Abakaliki l<strong>as</strong>t Friday.<br />
CBN sl<strong>as</strong>hes dollar supply to<br />
BDCs by 46%<br />
•Naira falls to N473/$<br />
•As DSS intensifies raids<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
The Naira h<strong>as</strong> come under<br />
fresh pressure in the parallel<br />
market having depreciated<br />
to N473 per dollar following the decision<br />
of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to<br />
sl<strong>as</strong>h dollar sales to Bureaux De Change<br />
(BDCs) by 46 per cent.<br />
Financial Vanguard investigations<br />
revealed that l<strong>as</strong>t week, the CBN sold<br />
$8,000 to each BDC through Travelex<br />
Nigeria Limited. This represents 46 per<br />
cent decline when compared to $15,000<br />
usually sold per week to each BDC.<br />
Confirming this development to<br />
Financial Vanguard, Chief Executive<br />
Officer of H.J Trust BDC, Mr. Harrison<br />
Owoh said the reduction came <strong>as</strong> a<br />
surprise to the market. He said this w<strong>as</strong><br />
contrary to the general expectation that<br />
the dollar sale will be incre<strong>as</strong>ed to $20,000<br />
per BDC. “That is why the currency is<br />
under pressure with the rate going up.”<br />
Why CBN reduced dollar sales<br />
Also confirming the development to<br />
Financial Vanguard, Chairman, South<br />
West Zone, Association of Bureaux De<br />
Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON),<br />
Mr. Taiwo Ebenezer said that the<br />
reduction in dollar sales w<strong>as</strong> done to<br />
accommodate BDCs in other zones of the<br />
country. He said: “The dollar sales have<br />
been limited to BDCs in Lagos and Abuja,<br />
but ABCON recommended to CBN to find<br />
a way to accommodate BDCs in other<br />
zones. That is what the CBN h<strong>as</strong> done<br />
though the reduction in supply in Lagos<br />
and Abuja h<strong>as</strong> prompted the exchange<br />
rate to go up.” He added that the CBN<br />
will definitely consider the impact on the<br />
rates and take a decision on whether to<br />
keep it at $8,000 per BDC across board<br />
or incre<strong>as</strong>e the quantity sold per BDC.<br />
DSS intensifies raids<br />
Financial Vanguard investigations also<br />
revealed that the operatives of the<br />
Department of State Securities (DSS)<br />
have intensified raids on illegal currency<br />
traffickers in Lagos and Abuja, thus<br />
driving the parallel market further<br />
underground.<br />
Speaking to Vanguard on condition of<br />
anonymity, a top BDC operator told<br />
Financial Vanguard: “They now come<br />
regularly to locations where these people<br />
usually operator from. About five of them<br />
(DSS operatives) recently visited this<br />
area but they didn’t come into the<br />
offices of licensed BDCs. They are<br />
targeting the unlicensed and illegal<br />
operators. But everybody is careful<br />
now. You only deal with people you<br />
know except where they have their<br />
documentation. The only problem is<br />
that it is difficult to get the exchange<br />
rate that reflects the true position of<br />
the market. People quote different rates<br />
depending on the person they are<br />
dealing with and the source of the<br />
dollar. That is how we now operate”.<br />
Financial Vanguard investigation<br />
reveals that due to the intensity of the<br />
DSS raids, some licensed BDCs have<br />
issued letters warning their staff<br />
against any form of interaction with<br />
street currency hawkers or involvement<br />
in such transactions. “We don’t deal<br />
in parallel market transaction; we don’t<br />
even know what the parallel market<br />
rate is. We have issued letter to our<br />
staff against such transactions, that it<br />
is against company policy to be<br />
involved with or even discuss parallel<br />
market transactions”, a top official of<br />
an Abuja b<strong>as</strong>ed BDC told Vanguard.<br />
CBN justifies raids<br />
Recently, the CBN <strong>Gov</strong>ernor justified<br />
the DSS raids on illegal currency<br />
traffickers saying the nation’s foreign<br />
exchange laws forbids street trading<br />
of foreign currency. Addressing the<br />
press at the end of the meeting of the<br />
Monetary Policy Committee (MPC),<br />
Emefiele said that the DSS had the<br />
right to enforce the law and make sure<br />
that currency hawkers were forced out<br />
of the “illegal trade.”<br />
The <strong>Gov</strong>ernor, who said it w<strong>as</strong><br />
demeaning for traders to hawk currency<br />
on the streets, urged the traders to<br />
legalise their business by applying for<br />
Bureau De Change (BDC) license.<br />
In the communiqué issued at the end<br />
of its meeting the MPC called on<br />
security agencies to sustain the raids,<br />
saying: “The MPC believes that the<br />
security agencies should sustain their<br />
checks on the activities of illegal foreign<br />
exchange operators in order to bring<br />
sanity to that segment of the market.<br />
“The Committee reiterated that the<br />
extant foreign exchange regulation<br />
outlaws the trafficking of currency on<br />
the streets <strong>as</strong> some unlicensed operators<br />
currently do. Thus, to evolve an<br />
appropriate Naira exchange rate that<br />
stabilises the foreign exchange<br />
market, BDC operators must strictly<br />
observe the terms and conditions of<br />
their licence.”<br />
C<br />
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20— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
COVER<br />
FORUM -From left: Ade Adeyemi, Group Chief Executive Officer, Ecobank Transnational<br />
Incorporated (ETI); Mrs Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance; Bode Agusto, Founder, Agusto<br />
and Co; Emmanuel Ikhazoboh, Chairman, ETI and Charles Kie, MD, Ecobank Nigeria Ltd at<br />
the Ecobank Corporate and Investment Customer Forum on Nigeria Economic Outlook held in<br />
Lagos.<br />
Nigeria records over $200m FinTech<br />
investment in 2 years – KPMG<br />
By Prince Okafor<br />
KPMG, a global network<br />
of professional firms<br />
providing audit, tax and<br />
advisory services, h<strong>as</strong><br />
revealed that investment in<br />
Nigeria Financial services<br />
Technology, FinTech, over<br />
the l<strong>as</strong>t two years h<strong>as</strong><br />
exceeded $200 million.<br />
This is even <strong>as</strong> it called on<br />
the Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment to<br />
provide incentives and<br />
regulatory support that would<br />
strengthen the ecosystem<br />
and allow the country to<br />
compete favourably in global<br />
space.<br />
Partner & Head, Financial<br />
Services Technology, KPMG in<br />
Nigeria, Boye Ademola, said<br />
that FinTech opportunities in<br />
Nigeria are significant and<br />
could potentially redefine the<br />
financial services landscape<br />
over the next five years.<br />
Speaking during the 2016<br />
FinTech Summit and the<br />
launch of its in-house<br />
publication tagged, ‘FinTech<br />
in Nigeria: Understanding<br />
the value proposition,’ he<br />
explained: “Countries like<br />
China, United States, United<br />
Kingdom, Hong Kong among<br />
others have used this<br />
technology to better their<br />
ecosystems to mature<br />
markets.<br />
“In the first quarter of 2016,<br />
two Chinese FinTech; Lu.com<br />
and JD Finance raised $1.2<br />
billion and $1 billion<br />
respectively, in record Asian<br />
deals. Lu.com is a wealth<br />
management platform while<br />
JD Finance is redefining the<br />
lending space in China.”<br />
Ademola added that<br />
currently, Nigeria's<br />
performance w<strong>as</strong> not bad <strong>as</strong> it<br />
lines up along Egypt and<br />
South Africa <strong>as</strong> top recipients<br />
of the technology investments<br />
in Africa over the l<strong>as</strong>t two<br />
years, “Our prognosis is that<br />
the FinTech opportunities in<br />
Nigeria are significant and<br />
could potentially redefine the<br />
financial services landscape<br />
over the next five years.<br />
“The f<strong>as</strong>t growing young<br />
population of about 115<br />
million, below the age of 35<br />
years, exponential growth of<br />
mobile phone lines estimated<br />
at 150 million <strong>as</strong> at July 2016;<br />
huge financial inclusion<br />
potential and relatively<br />
strong talent pool are<br />
pertinent indicators to<br />
opportunities of the<br />
technology.”<br />
Ademola pointed out that<br />
FinTechs focused on payments<br />
were the forerunners <strong>as</strong> they<br />
planned to see more traction<br />
on lending, financial<br />
inclusion, block chain, and<br />
Employees of First Bank<br />
of Nigeria Limited have<br />
volunteered to provide relief<br />
materials and donations to<br />
persons in need <strong>as</strong> part of its<br />
Employee Giving and<br />
Volunteering Scheme. This is<br />
<strong>as</strong> hundreds of companies<br />
around the world are<br />
involved with #GivingTuesday<br />
- a global movement which<br />
connects diverse groups of<br />
individuals, communities and<br />
organisations around the<br />
world to celebrate and<br />
encourage giving.<br />
In a remarkable gesture,<br />
which will linger for long in<br />
the consciousness of those<br />
reached, FirstBank staff<br />
members will on Tuesday,<br />
29 th November, 2016 and for<br />
the rest of this festive se<strong>as</strong>on<br />
that symbolises ‘giving and<br />
sharing, mobilise gifts and<br />
donations in collaboration<br />
with NGOs to lend a hand of<br />
digital bank in the next wave,<br />
“Wealth Tech and InsurTech<br />
are already emerging and we<br />
expect these FinTechs to<br />
question the status quo in the<br />
wealth management and<br />
insurance sectors.”<br />
On his part, KPMG Global<br />
FinTech Co-lead, Warren<br />
Mead, called for government<br />
incentives and regulatory<br />
support to strengthen the<br />
ecosystem.<br />
“The right mix of technical<br />
skills, capital investment,<br />
government incentives,<br />
regulatory framework and an<br />
entrepreneurial and<br />
innovative mind-set is the<br />
catalyst needed to establish<br />
FinTech <strong>as</strong> a key enabler of<br />
financial services in Nigeria,”<br />
he added.<br />
FirstBank promotes ‘Giving Back’<br />
with #GivingTuesday<br />
support and care to humanity<br />
at orphanages and IDPs<br />
across Nigeria.<br />
Explaining why the Bank’s<br />
staff took the initiative, the<br />
Group Head, Marketing and<br />
Corporate Communications<br />
for FirstBank, Mrs. Folake<br />
Ani-Mumuney stated that “As<br />
a nation builder and<br />
responsible corporate citizen,<br />
we are aware of our<br />
responsibilities towards<br />
enhancing the quality of life<br />
of the people in our<br />
community, protecting our<br />
environment and ensuring<br />
the growth of our business.<br />
We are determined to achieve<br />
this through sustainable<br />
business practices, while<br />
expanding the world of<br />
possibilities for all our<br />
stakeholders and host<br />
communities, by contributing<br />
positively to their lives on a<br />
daily b<strong>as</strong>is.<br />
Why Nigeria needs to focus on<br />
entrepreneurial development<br />
In Nigeria, shaping the future beyond oil is a critical<br />
part of the national agenda. The current economy is<br />
dominated by the oil industry. The labour force of 47<br />
million is growing, <strong>as</strong> is the unemployment rate currently<br />
at 20%, with millions of workers underemployed. Nigeria<br />
h<strong>as</strong> the largest domestic market in Africa, a wide range<br />
of natural resources, and a diversely skilled labour pool.<br />
Given these economic realities, the country must<br />
constantly create new jobs, and diversify the industrial<br />
and commercial sector to take advantage of human and<br />
natural resources.<br />
The entrepreneurial activities have been found to be<br />
capable of making impact on the economy of a nation and<br />
quality of life of the people through economic growth;<br />
employment generation and empowerment of the<br />
disadvantaged segment of the population, which include<br />
women and the poor.<br />
Entrepreneurial development will encourage<br />
entrepreneurs to create new enterprises, new commercial<br />
activities, and new economic sectors. They will generate<br />
jobs for others; produce goods and services for society;<br />
introduce new technologies and improve or lower cost out<br />
puts; and earn foreign exchange through export expansion<br />
or the substitution of imports.<br />
Entrepreneurial development will mobilise domestic<br />
savings and utilisation of local resources. The SMEs will<br />
serve <strong>as</strong> good agent for disposal of industrial products and<br />
some services and contribute immensely to production of<br />
raw materials in the form of Semi – processed goods for use<br />
by bigger Industries.<br />
Entrepreneurial Development is also a b<strong>as</strong>e for<br />
development of appropriate technology which will provide<br />
a veritable ground for skilled, unskilled, semi – skilled<br />
workers; it will also provide productive self - employment to<br />
a number of educated and less educated young men and<br />
women graduates.<br />
As Nigeria pursues the National Economic Empowerment<br />
and Development Strategy (NEEDS), the millennium<br />
Development Goals (MDGs), and Vision 2020, a core part<br />
of the national strategy must be to grow and strengthen the<br />
vibrant elements of the MSME, largely informal business<br />
sector. As a nation Nigeria cannot afford not to – invest in<br />
MSMEs. The country’s economic future depends on it.<br />
Much of the activities in the informal economy go<br />
unreported. There are already existing governmental policies<br />
and activities which have helped spur entrepreneurship.<br />
Elements of SAP policy (1986), The National Directorate of<br />
Employment (NDE) and the Enterprise Development Agency<br />
of Nigeria (SMEDAN) have all contributed to<br />
entrepreneurship and enterprise growth in Nigeria.<br />
SMEDAN sponsors and supervises entrepreneurship<br />
ventures while the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) provides<br />
financial support to entrepreneurs through the Small and<br />
Medium Enterprise Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEDS)<br />
of 2001. In addition, amendments to the indigenization<br />
decree in 1988, 1989 and 1995 boosted the development of<br />
indigenous Entrepreneurship.<br />
Entrepreneurship h<strong>as</strong> many multiplier effects on the<br />
economy, spurs innovation, and fosters investment in people,<br />
which is better of competitive advantage than other natural<br />
resources, which can be depleted. Though the rate of<br />
unemployment is still high, suffice to say that<br />
entrepreneurial development h<strong>as</strong> helped in providing a<br />
safety net for some group of people, especially in the hidden<br />
economy or informal sector.<br />
It is noted that currently “at 69% of GNP the country’s<br />
informal economy is estimated to be one of the ten highest<br />
in the world, along with such countries <strong>as</strong> Georgia, Bolivia,<br />
Tanzania, Peru, and Azerbaijan and 21st in the world on<br />
GDP” It is estimated that 90% of all new jobs created in the<br />
informal sector are SMEs. Oil contributes about 9% to the<br />
GDP, though Nigeria produces about 2.7% of the world oil<br />
supply (In comparison, Saudi Arabia produces 12.9%, Russia<br />
produces 12.7% and United States produces 8.6%. The<br />
government still heavily rely on it for revenue generation.<br />
This heavily dependence on oil h<strong>as</strong> killed our local<br />
industries, frustrated our Agricultural sector and caused us<br />
economic recession, we can’t continue like this, we need to<br />
focus on entrepreneurial Development.
INTERVIEW<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 21<br />
Nigerian insurance industry<br />
capital is highest in Africa<br />
The Chairman of the Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA), Mr. Eddie Efekoha in this Interview with<br />
Favour Nnabugwu in Abuja, talks about the problem of one price fits it all, the position of NIA on risk<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ed capital and the plan to move the industry forward.<br />
Excerpts<br />
What do you think the<br />
insurance industry<br />
and the NIA in particular can<br />
do to moderate the excesses<br />
of insurance brokers?<br />
I would not say excesses of<br />
brokers, No. It takes two to<br />
tango. Whatever wrongs,<br />
whatever malpractices that<br />
may be perceived; believe me,<br />
all parts and segments of the<br />
market are involved. I’d<br />
rather think that we will take<br />
on them one after another. At<br />
the moment, we know that we<br />
are not disciplined when it<br />
comes to pricing our<br />
products or services.<br />
The use of the brokering<br />
slips or proposal forms have<br />
been largely jettisoned. But,<br />
you see, those were<br />
approaches that were adopted<br />
to giving us information. And<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ed on the information,<br />
underwriters will be better<br />
equipped to give the right<br />
rates or put the right clauses<br />
and all of that. But all that h<strong>as</strong><br />
evaporated.<br />
So what we need to do right<br />
now is to strategize how to<br />
bring back that practice. So,<br />
that is why the joint<br />
committee, made up of NCRIB<br />
members and the NIA, came<br />
up with a business<br />
procurement guideline. And<br />
because we want some<br />
enforcement behind it, we<br />
want NIACOM to approve of<br />
it before the implementation<br />
can commence. That is,<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ically, why we are waiting.<br />
Otherwise, there is a template<br />
to correct the issue of rating<br />
so that people don’t get<br />
involved in products of risks<br />
only at the time of placement.<br />
To do that, first of all, you<br />
have to start obtaining quotes<br />
from insurance companies. If,<br />
<strong>as</strong> a broker, your quotes are<br />
good enough, they are sent to<br />
a prospective client. Again, if<br />
the client says ‘I am okay with<br />
it,’ he or she will then<br />
empower the broker to place<br />
the business. Of course, once<br />
the broker gets that mandate;<br />
he goes back to those<br />
insurance companies that<br />
provided the quotes in the first<br />
instance to do the necessary<br />
placements. And we are<br />
saying that if you have not<br />
participated in that process,<br />
you cannot wake up to<br />
participate in the placement.<br />
With that in place<br />
everybody will quote and<br />
quote rightly. That way, we<br />
will know the exact loss<br />
experience of a given policy<br />
and not quote blindly,<br />
because what we do most<br />
time is blind quoting.<br />
What is NIA doing to<br />
ensure that government<br />
institutions collaborate with it<br />
or NIACOM when executing<br />
government businesses?<br />
The point is that the Head<br />
of Service, in my opinion, can<br />
meet with the insurance<br />
companies because they are<br />
already providing services to<br />
government institutions.<br />
If your client calls you, I<br />
don’t think the regulator<br />
would need to be involved,<br />
but it depends on the subject<br />
of discussion. If the matter to<br />
be discussed bothers on a<br />
contract that is ongoing, I<br />
don’t think it requires a<br />
regulating body. But if it is<br />
something that is completely<br />
different from the usual<br />
practice, then the regulator,<br />
NAICOM, which is an<br />
adviser to government on<br />
insurance, would then be<br />
needed to get involved.<br />
The insurance sector had a<br />
template which the<br />
insured followed for a<br />
while and then forgot<br />
about it. How do you<br />
think this one would<br />
work?<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment h<strong>as</strong> not<br />
imposed a rate. It only<br />
advised that underwriters<br />
should come up with rates,<br />
and that is still being<br />
collated. When that is<br />
done, underwriters will<br />
come up with a position.<br />
The market-conduct<br />
guideline actually<br />
specifies that shortly<br />
before the end of the<br />
year, against the<br />
forth coming<br />
y e a r ,<br />
underwriters<br />
Mr. Eddie Efekoha<br />
should submit their rates but<br />
that h<strong>as</strong> not been fully<br />
practiced or implemented.<br />
Once that is implemented; it<br />
does mean that; once you<br />
have given your rate, you<br />
cannot go outside it when you<br />
We had a riskb<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
capital<br />
lecture in Lagos<br />
for all of us in<br />
which Alexander<br />
Forbes, from<br />
South Africa, said<br />
that Nigerian h<strong>as</strong><br />
the highest<br />
minimum share<br />
capital or capital<br />
requirement for<br />
the business in<br />
Africa, so it is not<br />
the issue of<br />
capital.<br />
are quoting for any new<br />
business.<br />
There won’t be ratecutting<br />
this time around?<br />
No, there shouldn’t be. You<br />
see another way of trying to<br />
address the problem of ratecutting<br />
which I don’t really<br />
see is rate-cutting, and that<br />
is why I run away from the<br />
issue of rating-cutting. I<br />
prefer to call it appropriate<br />
pricing, because the issue is<br />
that; if you have been<br />
insuring with me for 10years,<br />
and you have not made a<br />
claim, there is no re<strong>as</strong>on why<br />
I should not lower my<br />
premium and give you some<br />
generous discounts. But; if<br />
you have been making<br />
claims, there is no re<strong>as</strong>on<br />
why I should charge you the<br />
same <strong>as</strong> somebody who h<strong>as</strong><br />
not made any claim at all.<br />
That is why rate must be<br />
appropriate. I think this is<br />
the issue, but we are using<br />
one price fit it all. It doesn’t<br />
have to work that way.<br />
We are just using, one price<br />
fits it all. It doesn’t matter<br />
whether a vehicle, for<br />
instance, is parked in a<br />
garage and locked up<br />
overnight or, it is parked by<br />
the road side and anybody<br />
p<strong>as</strong>sing by just scratches it<br />
or damages the windscreen.<br />
These are the differentiation<br />
that needs to come into the<br />
pricing of our products.<br />
What, exactly, is the<br />
problem with insurance<br />
companies’<br />
data<br />
template?<br />
The template, particularly,<br />
that of revenue account will<br />
have to change a bit because;<br />
for instance, if you take when<br />
you look at most revenue<br />
accounts of some<br />
underwriters, you will find<br />
general CS. But within the<br />
general CS, you have fidelity<br />
guarantee, theft etc. So,<br />
you cannot really<br />
process the data<br />
written there in<br />
order to arrive at<br />
what would be the<br />
right way to<br />
compensate for a<br />
debt format or a<br />
residential or a<br />
b u s i n e s s<br />
promises. These<br />
have been very<br />
difficult. That<br />
w<strong>as</strong> the<br />
challenge<br />
when we were<br />
looking at the<br />
motor cl<strong>as</strong>s.<br />
It is difficult,<br />
which raises the whole thing.<br />
Is it on owner damage or on<br />
fire? Is it because of the<br />
colour? Or, is it because the<br />
car w<strong>as</strong> driven by a female or<br />
by a male? So, it h<strong>as</strong> been very<br />
difficult because our data<br />
records have not followed any<br />
strict pattern. I do know that<br />
the revenue account need to<br />
be formatted in a manner that<br />
the data we would find can be<br />
useful in determining the<br />
rates.<br />
Generally, I think the issue<br />
of professional underwriting of<br />
our risk is not a problem. We<br />
are only saying that when we<br />
have the business<br />
procurement guideline, it<br />
would help but that does not<br />
remove the burden from us <strong>as</strong><br />
brokers. We need to look at<br />
risks. A broker is a<br />
professional. So, a broker can<br />
tell his client ‘sorry this rate<br />
cannot be lower than this;<br />
because of the policy of an<br />
underwriter I am going to get<br />
will not be good enough to<br />
support my brand.’<br />
I don’t think we have capital<br />
issue from my position. We had<br />
a risk-b<strong>as</strong>ed capital lecture in<br />
Lagos for all of us in which<br />
Alexander Forbes, from South<br />
Africa, said that Nigerian h<strong>as</strong><br />
the highest minimum share<br />
capital or capital requirement<br />
for the business in Africa, so it<br />
is not the issue of capital.<br />
The issue is that some of us<br />
who have solvency issues, who<br />
have not been able to meet the<br />
solvency margin requirement,<br />
are the ones who should be<br />
forced by the commission to<br />
shore-up to be in the same<br />
level with others so that when<br />
they have claims they are able<br />
to pay.<br />
In c<strong>as</strong>es where underwriters<br />
have failed to make their<br />
claims, there is the minimum<br />
deposit in CBN. The<br />
commission should be<br />
empowered, if it is not<br />
empowered already, to dip<br />
hands into those funds to<br />
settle those claims. We are<br />
talking of capital because<br />
some people have been unable<br />
to pay for claims. When you<br />
are unable to meet your<br />
liabilities, it is a function of<br />
whether you have the right<br />
funds in place or you are just<br />
generally unwilling to pay.<br />
However, it is not<br />
unwillingness in some of the<br />
c<strong>as</strong>es. What h<strong>as</strong> happened is<br />
that people don’t have the<br />
money, and this is not because<br />
the whole market lacks capital.<br />
The capital is sufficient.<br />
Meanwhile, there is a riskb<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
capital that is ongoing.<br />
When that time comes; it<br />
depends on which risk you are<br />
trading in, that would<br />
determine what capital you<br />
carry. Like we were told<br />
yesterday, if you have<br />
N3billion, and you then decide<br />
that you want to trade with<br />
100million in the motor cl<strong>as</strong>s<br />
and when you trade in motor,<br />
you are expected to have 20<br />
Continues on page 25<br />
C<br />
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22 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
BANKING & FINANCE<br />
By Babajide Komolafe<br />
Nigeria Deposit<br />
I n s u r a n c e<br />
Corporation<br />
(NDIC) said that 64 per cent<br />
of mortgage banks in the<br />
country are yet to meet their<br />
premium obligations for<br />
deposit insurance.<br />
Managing Director/Chief<br />
Executive, NDIC, Alhaji<br />
Umaru Ibrahim disclosed<br />
this in Lagos at a<br />
sensitisation workshop for<br />
operators of primary<br />
mortgage banks (MPBs).<br />
NDIC insures depositor’s<br />
money in commercial banks,<br />
mortgage banks and<br />
microfinance banks. Each<br />
insured institution is<br />
mandated to pay an annual<br />
deposit insurance premium<br />
to the corporation. The NDIC<br />
on the other hand pay<br />
depositors of liquidated<br />
insured institutions the<br />
stipulated Maximum Insured<br />
Deposit (MID), which is<br />
presently N500, 000 for<br />
depositors of commercial<br />
banks and mortgage banks.<br />
Ibrahim however said:<br />
“Our records indicate that 15<br />
out of 42 PMBs are yet to<br />
meet their premium<br />
obligation. I therefore wish<br />
to appeal to you all to pay<br />
your premium promptly.”<br />
Represented by the<br />
Executive Director,<br />
Corporate Services, Omolola<br />
Abiola-Edewor, Ibrahim said<br />
that the recent incre<strong>as</strong>e in<br />
the maximum insured deposit<br />
of PMBs w<strong>as</strong> aimed at<br />
bridging the dichotomy<br />
between them and<br />
commercial banks and<br />
engender public confidence<br />
in the mortgage bank subsector.<br />
He said the need to<br />
complement this decision<br />
and boost risk management<br />
practices in the sub-sector,<br />
prompted the Corporation to<br />
deploy Differential Premium<br />
Assessment System (DPAS)<br />
in pricing the deposit<br />
premium of PMBs.<br />
He said: “The creation of<br />
Nigeria Mortgage<br />
Refinancing Company<br />
(NMRC) <strong>as</strong> a wholesale<br />
funding window which<br />
refinances mortgage<br />
portfolios of PMBs and<br />
Deposit Money Banks (DMBs)<br />
is targeted at providing a<br />
robust Liquidity for the subsector.<br />
NMRC and Other<br />
Lenders could only continue<br />
to play their statutory role in<br />
a space where the Operators’<br />
exhibit market discipline <strong>as</strong><br />
specified in the banks’<br />
Enterprise<br />
Risk<br />
Management Framework<br />
(ERMF).<br />
“On its part, NDIC <strong>as</strong> a<br />
risk minimizer obtained the<br />
approval of the Honourable<br />
Minister of Finance on the<br />
4th august, 2016 for the<br />
deployment of DPAS in<br />
computing the deposit<br />
insurance premium of PMBs<br />
to encourage market<br />
discipline.<br />
Deposit Insurance: 64% of mortgage<br />
banks yet to meet premium obligations<br />
LISTING - From left: Executive Director, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman; Managing<br />
Director/CEO, FMDQ, Mr. Bola Onadele Koko and Partner, Constant Capital Partners Limited,<br />
Mr. Niyi Omojola, during the listing of Sterling SPV bond on FMDQ in Lagos.<br />
The creation of<br />
Nigeria Mortgage<br />
Refinery Company<br />
(NMRC) <strong>as</strong> a<br />
wholesale funding<br />
window which<br />
refinances<br />
mortgage<br />
portfolios of PMBs<br />
and Deposit Money<br />
Banks (DMBs) is<br />
targeted at<br />
providing a robust<br />
Liquidity for the<br />
sub-sector<br />
BRIEF<br />
“DPAS speaks to strong<br />
ERMF. The computation<br />
trajectory incorporates<br />
sound strategic planning<br />
and transformative business<br />
model. It also implicitly<br />
addresses the issue of moral<br />
hazard which guarantees<br />
caution and avoidance of<br />
excessive risk taking in the<br />
interest of both operators<br />
and subscribers.<br />
“To the operators in<br />
particular, the Risk B<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
Premium System (DPAS)<br />
allows the institution to pay<br />
much less premium than<br />
would have been the c<strong>as</strong>e<br />
had the alternative, flat rate<br />
system, been adopted. Little<br />
wonder that many<br />
jurisdictions have opted for<br />
DPAS in Deposit Premium<br />
Pricing.<br />
“In most jurisdictions that<br />
practice explicit Deposit<br />
Insurance Scheme, the<br />
starting point for deposit<br />
insurance system pricing is<br />
usually the Flat Rate<br />
approach before migration<br />
to the DPAS. However, the<br />
Flat Rate method failed to<br />
compensate for effective Risk<br />
Management and engenders<br />
moral hazard. On the other<br />
hand, DPAS incorporates the<br />
benefits of effective risk<br />
management.<br />
“From the forgoing, DPAS<br />
compensates the Mortgage<br />
Sector since PMBs’ with<br />
better Enterprise Risk<br />
Management pay less<br />
premium, while, PMBs with<br />
weak risk practices pay<br />
more. The major benefits of<br />
implementing the DPAS are<br />
fair pricing of insurance<br />
premium and reduction in<br />
premium.”<br />
CeBIH retreat examines disruptive<br />
technology & future of payment<br />
Deputy<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor,<br />
Operations, Central<br />
Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr.<br />
Adebayo Adelabu and<br />
chairman of First Bank<br />
Nigeria Limited, Mrs.<br />
Ibukun Awosika will lead<br />
banking and <strong>elect</strong>ronic<br />
payments executives to<br />
examine the impact of<br />
disruptive technology and<br />
future of payment at the 2016<br />
annual retreat of the<br />
Committee of Electronic<br />
Banking Industry Heads<br />
(CeBIH).<br />
The theme of the retreat is:<br />
“Disruptive Technology and<br />
the Future of Payment”, and<br />
it will hold from this week<br />
in Abuja.<br />
While the CBN Deputy<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Mr. Adebayo<br />
Adelabu and Chairman<br />
Senate Committee on<br />
Banking, Insurance & other<br />
Financial Institution, Senator<br />
Rafiu Ibrahim, are the<br />
Heritage Bank launches exclusive<br />
PMAN biometric identity card<br />
Heritage Bank h<strong>as</strong><br />
launched an<br />
exclusive biometric identity<br />
card for members of the<br />
Performing Musicians<br />
Employers’ Association of<br />
Nigeria (PMAN).<br />
A statement from the bank<br />
said: “The PMAN<br />
Membership Biometric<br />
Identity Card (PMBIC), is<br />
aimed at driving<br />
accessibility, security, trust,<br />
convenience and cost<br />
effectiveness, which are the<br />
defining features of a new<br />
partnership blossoming<br />
between Heritage Bank Plc<br />
and the Performing<br />
Musicians Employers’<br />
Association of Nigeria<br />
(PMAN).<br />
PMAN Membership<br />
Biometric Identity Card<br />
(PMBIC), a multipurpose<br />
card specially designed for<br />
Nigerian artistes and allied<br />
operators in the<br />
entertainment industry, thus<br />
making Heritage Bank,<br />
Nigeria’s most innovative<br />
banking service provider, a<br />
pioneer in the biometric card<br />
services in the industry.<br />
Renewable annually, the<br />
PMBIC will serve <strong>as</strong> the<br />
official PMAN identification<br />
card that qualifies the<br />
holder <strong>as</strong> a genuine member<br />
of the <strong>as</strong>sociation and<br />
entitles the artiste to enjoy<br />
the myriad benefits and<br />
privileges due to registered<br />
members.<br />
Special Guests of Honour,<br />
Chairman of First Bank<br />
Nigeria Limited, Mrs.<br />
Ibukun Awosika is the<br />
Keynote Speaker.<br />
The retreat will feature<br />
presentations by chief<br />
executives of leading<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ronic payment service<br />
providers in Nigeria and the<br />
United Kingdom including<br />
Mr. Risto Savolainen,<br />
Managing Director, iAxept<br />
United Kingdom Limited;<br />
Mr. Ade Shonubi, Managing<br />
Director, Nigeria Inter-Bank<br />
Settlement System Plc; Mr.<br />
Mitchell Elegbe, Group<br />
Managing Director,<br />
Interswitch Nigeria Limited;<br />
Mr. Agada Apochi,<br />
Managing Director, Unified<br />
Payments Services Limited;<br />
Mr. Valentine Obi,<br />
Managing Director,<br />
eTranzact International Plc;<br />
and Mr. John Obaro,<br />
Managing Director,<br />
SystemSpecs Limited.<br />
Other speakers are:<br />
Oluwole Oyeniran,<br />
Technology & Digital Leader,<br />
West Africa- Akintola<br />
Williams Deloitte; Mrs. Adia<br />
Sowho, Digital Director,<br />
Etisalat Nigeria; and Mr.<br />
Ade Atobatele an e-<br />
Commerce Expert.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
K
CORPORATE FINANCE<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016— 23<br />
Stories by Nkiruka Nnorom<br />
The Securities and<br />
E x c h a n g e<br />
Commission, SEC,<br />
h<strong>as</strong> said that N29.3 billion out<br />
of about N90 billion<br />
outstanding unclaimed<br />
dividends h<strong>as</strong> been paid out<br />
to investors in 11 months<br />
(November 2015 to October<br />
2016) since it began<br />
aggressive campaign for<br />
elimination of unclaimed<br />
dividend in the market.<br />
The Commission also said it<br />
h<strong>as</strong> achieved 98.9 percent<br />
compliance in share certificate<br />
dematerialisation and hoped<br />
to hit 100 percent compliance<br />
in the next three months.<br />
The Director-General, SEC,<br />
Mr. Mounir Gwarzo, who<br />
disclosed these at the post<br />
third quarter Capital Market<br />
Committee, CMC, meeting<br />
press briefing in Lagos, said<br />
the number represents 37<br />
percent reduction in the<br />
volume of unclaimed<br />
dividends in the Nigerian<br />
capital market.<br />
The SEC had l<strong>as</strong>t year in<br />
collaboration with the Central<br />
Bank of Nigeria and the<br />
Nigeria Inter-Bank<br />
Settlement System, NIBSS,<br />
launched the e-Dividend<br />
Mandate Management<br />
System, to address the<br />
lingering problem of<br />
unclaimed dividend in the<br />
market. The portal allows<br />
investors to register and<br />
supply their bank details<br />
where dividends from their<br />
investment are credited<br />
directly, including the<br />
outstanding dividends.<br />
Gwarzo, who hailed the<br />
development <strong>as</strong> first of such<br />
breakthrough in the capital<br />
market, said that there h<strong>as</strong><br />
never been any initiative that<br />
h<strong>as</strong> reduced unclaimed<br />
dividend in this manner. He<br />
said that to-date 1.4 million<br />
investors have mandated their<br />
accounts, adding that the feat<br />
w<strong>as</strong> made possible through<br />
the cooperation and support<br />
of the registrars.<br />
“Apart from so many other<br />
benefits of e-dividend, one<br />
major benefit also is that if you<br />
key into it e-dividends<br />
management portal, and there<br />
are unclaimed dividends you<br />
have not been able to get,<br />
registrars were compelled to<br />
pay all the are<strong>as</strong>.<br />
“We think this is a major<br />
game changer. In this country,<br />
we have never had any<br />
initiative that h<strong>as</strong> reduced<br />
unclaimed dividend like this.<br />
Apart from getting dividend<br />
directly credited into their<br />
designated account, the<br />
investors will be able to get<br />
unclaimed dividend that h<strong>as</strong><br />
been outstanding for five to 10<br />
years. That is why we said that<br />
e-dividend must work; it is for<br />
the interest of investors. That<br />
is why SEC since we started<br />
implementing the M<strong>as</strong>ter<br />
Plan, our focus h<strong>as</strong> been on<br />
the retail investors,” he said.<br />
Gwarzo also stated<br />
stockbrokers that have not<br />
keyed into direct c<strong>as</strong>h<br />
settlement programmes have<br />
been mandated to do so<br />
except in instance where the<br />
EXERCISE - From left: Ms. Omotayo Azeez, Public Relations Manager, Power Oil; Alh.<br />
B<strong>as</strong>hir H<strong>as</strong>san, Councillor, Mariri community, kumbotso, Kano State; Hajia. Amina Mohammed,<br />
Regional Sales Manager (North), Power Oil; Alh. Saminu Garba, District Head, Mariri<br />
community, kumbotso, Kano State, during the Power Oil Health Camp exercise in Kano State.<br />
Unclaimed dividends down by<br />
N29.3bn in 11 months — SEC<br />
•As investors lose N70bn<br />
investor indicates otherwise.<br />
He further stated that the<br />
Commission is working<br />
towards stratifying the listing<br />
BRIEFS<br />
boards in the stock exchange<br />
to allow more Small and<br />
Medium Enterprises, SMEs,<br />
that are finding it difficult to<br />
meet the current listing<br />
requirements to access the<br />
market.<br />
Meanwhile, investors lost<br />
N70 billion at the end of<br />
trading session on the<br />
Nigerian Stock Exchange,<br />
NSE, l<strong>as</strong>t week. This<br />
represents 0.79 percent<br />
decre<strong>as</strong>e from N8.791 trillion<br />
recorded the previous week to<br />
N8.721 trillion. The All Share<br />
Index, ASI, fell by the same<br />
margin, dropping to<br />
25,333.39 points from<br />
25,537.54 points.<br />
Similarly, all other indices<br />
finished lower during the<br />
week with the exception of the<br />
NSE banking and NSE<br />
consumer goods indices that<br />
appreciated by 0.02 per cent<br />
and 0.42 per cent respectively<br />
while the NSE ASeM Index<br />
closed flat.<br />
The oil and g<strong>as</strong> sector fell<br />
the most, dropping by 5.05 per<br />
cent, followed by the<br />
industrial goods sector that<br />
returned -1.59 per cent and<br />
the insurance sector that with<br />
0.32 per cent. Forte Oil Plc led<br />
24 other decliners by 24.04<br />
percent to close at N19.87,<br />
followed by Okomu Oil Palm<br />
Company with 13.81 percent<br />
to close at n5.80 per share,<br />
while Neimeth International<br />
Pharmaceuticals Plc<br />
depreciated by 12.79 per cent<br />
to close at N0.11. Airline<br />
Services and Logistics, ASL<br />
Plc’s shares went down by<br />
11.88 percent to close at<br />
N0.36, while UACN Property<br />
Development Plc closed <strong>as</strong><br />
the l<strong>as</strong>t on the top five losers,<br />
depreciating by 11.79 percent<br />
to close at N0.33 per share.<br />
FCMB declares N14.2bn profit, 315% retail growth in Q3<br />
FCMB Group Plc h<strong>as</strong><br />
reported a profit before<br />
tax, PBT, of N14.2 billion for the<br />
nine-months ended September<br />
30, 2016. This represents an<br />
impressive incre<strong>as</strong>e of 453 per<br />
cent from N2.563 billion<br />
recorded in the comparative<br />
period of 2015. FCMB Group<br />
Plc, the holding firm with<br />
subsidiaries including First<br />
City Monument Bank (FCMB)<br />
Limited, FCMB Capital<br />
Markets Limited, CSL<br />
Stockbrokers Limited and CSL<br />
Trustees Limited, attributed the<br />
result achieved partially to its<br />
soundness of ratios, steady<br />
buffers against the subsisting<br />
adverse operating<br />
environment, in addition to the<br />
bank’s sustained revenue<br />
momentum combined with its<br />
cost optimization programme.<br />
Details of its unaudited<br />
financial results rele<strong>as</strong>ed on<br />
the floor of the Nigerian Stock<br />
Exchange, NSE, showed that<br />
the bank grew its retail banking<br />
business by significant 315<br />
percent, while its gross revenue<br />
rose to N140.7 billion, a 29 per<br />
cent incre<strong>as</strong>e over N109.3<br />
billion recorded in the same<br />
period in 2015.<br />
The Group also recorded noninterest<br />
income of N44.8 billion<br />
which is an incre<strong>as</strong>e of 128 per<br />
cent Year-on-Year (YoY), from<br />
N19.6 billion for the same<br />
period prior year. This incre<strong>as</strong>e<br />
h<strong>as</strong> been predicated on a 612<br />
per cent YoY incre<strong>as</strong>e in foreign<br />
exchange income from N5.0<br />
billion for the nine-months<br />
ended September 2015 to N35.3<br />
billion for the nine-months<br />
ended September 2016.<br />
The Managing Director,<br />
FCMB Group Plc, Mr. Peter<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>eki, commenting said:<br />
“The audited nine months<br />
results for the period ended<br />
September 2016, reflects our<br />
focus on key soundness ratios<br />
and the need to maintain<br />
buffers against a sustained<br />
adverse operating<br />
environment.<br />
Accordingly, capital adequacy<br />
May & Baker profit up in Q3 to N489m<br />
May & Baker Nigeria<br />
Plc h<strong>as</strong> recorded<br />
growth in its profit to N489<br />
million for the third quarter,<br />
2016.<br />
The company grew its<br />
sales by 12.5 per cent to<br />
N5.94 billion within the<br />
nine-month period to<br />
leverage on its improved<br />
production capacity and<br />
incre<strong>as</strong>ingly efficient cost<br />
management to mitigate<br />
the tough operating<br />
environment.<br />
The nine-month report for<br />
the period ended<br />
September 30, 2016<br />
rele<strong>as</strong>ed on the Nigerian<br />
Stock Exchange, NSE,<br />
showed that turnover rose<br />
to N5.94 billion in 2016 <strong>as</strong><br />
against N5.28 billion<br />
recorded in comparable<br />
period in 2015. While higher<br />
cost of sales dropped gross<br />
profit from N1.75 billion to<br />
N1.70 billion, the company<br />
took advantage of its internal<br />
cost management to boost<br />
operating profit from N470.4<br />
million in third quarter 2015<br />
to N489.5 million in third<br />
quarter, 2016.<br />
Also, finance costs reduced<br />
considerably from N425.39<br />
million in third quarter 2015<br />
to N377.93 million in third<br />
quarter 2016. Profit before<br />
tax rose to N66.24 million in<br />
2016 <strong>as</strong> against N60.63<br />
million recorded in<br />
corresponding period of<br />
2015. Profit after tax also<br />
grew to N44.4 million in<br />
2016 compared to N41.2<br />
million in 2015. With this,<br />
earnings per share<br />
improved from 4.21 kobo in<br />
third quarter 2015 to 4.53<br />
kobo in third quarter 2016.<br />
The third-quarter results<br />
further reinforced the<br />
steadiness of the<br />
company’s performance,<br />
after the leading<br />
healthcare company braced<br />
the odds to improve<br />
performance in the full-year<br />
2015 and the first-half of<br />
this year.<br />
and liquidity ratios have held<br />
up at 17.6 per cent and 36.8 per<br />
cent, respectively. Overall,<br />
profit before tax came in at<br />
N14.2 billion, a 453 per cent per<br />
cent growth, translating to an<br />
earning per Share, EPS, of 87<br />
kobo, up 30.6 per cent, YoY,<br />
Underlying revenue<br />
momentum remains strong<br />
while cost optimization<br />
programme led to a two per<br />
cent YoY drop in operating<br />
expenses, despite inflationary<br />
spiral respectively.<br />
The macro economic<br />
conditions in the final quarter<br />
remains challenging; we will<br />
keep up a conservative<br />
stance.”<br />
Mr. Ladi Balogun, Group<br />
Managing Director, FCMB Ltd,<br />
while also commenting on the<br />
Group’s results said: “The<br />
audited results of the bank<br />
reveal that the extraordinary<br />
performance of Q2 2016 offset<br />
the loss recorded in Q3 of N2.4<br />
billion, thereby resulting in<br />
strong year-on-year profit<br />
growth of 913 percent. In order<br />
to avoid an unsustainable, nonc<strong>as</strong>h,<br />
spike in earnings from<br />
further revaluation gains in Q3,<br />
the bank also significantly<br />
stepped up its loan loss<br />
provisions. The macroeconomic<br />
climate is taking a significant<br />
toll on the bank’s borrowing<br />
from customers across all<br />
segments. Accordingly, the<br />
bank will maintain high<br />
provision coverage ratios<br />
(currently 131%), continue to<br />
strengthen our capital<br />
adequacy ratio currently at 16.9<br />
per cent and our liquidity ratio,<br />
which is currently at 36.8 per<br />
cent.”
24— Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
HOMES & PROPERTY<br />
Stories by<br />
Kingsley Adegboye<br />
Minister of Power, Works<br />
and Housing,<br />
Babatunde Raji F<strong>as</strong>hola, h<strong>as</strong><br />
revealed how the federal<br />
government intends to solve<br />
Nigeria’s 17 million housing<br />
need, disclosing that in 2017,<br />
the government plans to build<br />
more houses to stimulate jobs.<br />
F<strong>as</strong>hola who made this<br />
known at a press conference <strong>as</strong><br />
part of activities to mark his one<br />
year in office, added that the<br />
government equally plans to<br />
<strong>as</strong>sess the affordability and the<br />
acceptability of the designs of<br />
the houses to be built, just <strong>as</strong><br />
the government plans to<br />
industrialize the production of<br />
the most affordable and<br />
acceptable designs.<br />
According to the minister<br />
who listed the gains and<br />
achievements of the ministry<br />
under his watch in the p<strong>as</strong>t one<br />
year, further noted that “We will<br />
then incre<strong>as</strong>e supply using<br />
private sector <strong>as</strong> developers<br />
while government will then<br />
concentrate on strengthening<br />
institutions like the Federal<br />
Mortgage Bank to deliver on<br />
its core mandate of providing<br />
mortgages to workers to own<br />
their homes.<br />
“It is my belief that if we can<br />
achieve this, the size of our<br />
housing deficit will not appear<br />
that daunting again, because<br />
it will be a system that can<br />
respond every year, instead of<br />
once in a while, to repeat<br />
housing construction, delivery<br />
and acquisition.<br />
“How much we can then<br />
deliver will be defined by the<br />
size of our resources and our<br />
ambition, and not by the<br />
absence of a workable plan.<br />
We have identified inputs like<br />
doors, windows, tiles, paint,<br />
roofing materials that can be<br />
made locally and we have<br />
resolved to use only made in<br />
Nigeria inputs unless there is<br />
no local production capacity.<br />
“We have done some<br />
inventory of quantities of<br />
materials needed in order to<br />
provide investment information<br />
for local manufacturers to<br />
position to respond and supply<br />
in order to create employment<br />
Low-cost housing estate in Abuja<br />
BRIEF<br />
Eko Atlantic City unveils Pearl Tower, first residential building<br />
Eko Atlantic City, the unique and innovative development,<br />
in a vibrant environment with 21st Century facilities<br />
on the co<strong>as</strong>t of Lagos, is set to celebrate a client’s major<br />
development with the unveiling of the first completed<br />
residential building, Eko Pearl Towers.<br />
The development comes in addition to the commissioning<br />
of the Eko Boulevard, Nigeria’s first eight-lane city road l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
year.<br />
Eko Pearl Towers, the first residential development in Eko<br />
Atlantic City, is a set of high-rise buildings, privately owned<br />
and developed by the leading Eko Pearl Construction<br />
Company. The development which is situated about 500 metres<br />
away from the financial centre of Lagos on Eko Atlantic City,<br />
consists of five high rise residential towers, each topped with<br />
deluxe penthouse types, two and three bedroom apartments<br />
exuding a luxurious home experience with a view of the Lagos<br />
co<strong>as</strong>tline. It will be unveiling the first tower; the Black Pearl<br />
with the second Champagne Pearl scheduled to be completed<br />
in 2017.<br />
FG reveals plans to solve Nigeria’s<br />
18 million housing need<br />
•Says more houses will stimulate job creation<br />
and get factories back to work.<br />
While our planning and<br />
research continues, the above<br />
is at le<strong>as</strong>t indicative of the kind<br />
of attention and dedication we<br />
are demanding of our staff and<br />
the response we are getting.<br />
At another forum earlier,<br />
F<strong>as</strong>hola had disclosed that<br />
changes will be made to the<br />
relevant policies and budget<br />
under the current<br />
administration in order to make<br />
housing provision a reality in<br />
Nigeria, pointing out that the<br />
housing sector presents an<br />
enormous opportunity for<br />
positively impacting the<br />
economy to promote not only<br />
growth but inclusion.<br />
He said “There have been a<br />
couple of National Housing<br />
policies and we intend to<br />
appraise the most current one<br />
to make changes only if<br />
necessary. <strong>Gov</strong>ernment will<br />
lead the aggressive<br />
intervention to incre<strong>as</strong>e<br />
supply, by undertaking<br />
construction of public housing<br />
and formulate policies that will<br />
invariably lead to private sector<br />
participation and ownership to<br />
reduce our housing deficit.”<br />
He also announced that the<br />
model of ‘Jakande and<br />
Shagari’s housing estates will<br />
be studied in order to develop<br />
affordable housing units, with<br />
the help of the governors.<br />
According to the minister,”If<br />
we achieve this, we will move<br />
from where we are now, start<br />
construction in all 36 States<br />
and the FCT and sustain this<br />
<strong>as</strong> we go along. In the housing<br />
sector, if we complete our ongoing<br />
projects, and we get<br />
land from the governors in all<br />
states and the FCT to start what<br />
we know, using the Lagos<br />
Home model, we should start<br />
Regardless of the ongoing<br />
economic recession in<br />
Nigeria, the country is believed<br />
to be an amazing potential<br />
market in Africa for sanitary<br />
wares and finishing products.<br />
Making the submission l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
week in Lagos at a two-day<br />
seminar for professionals and<br />
stakeholders in the nation’s<br />
building and construction<br />
industry on new sanitary wares<br />
and finishing products<br />
organised by QMB Builders’<br />
Mart, a building solutions<br />
provider, Mr. Jaime Quintana,<br />
Export Manager of Ceramics<br />
40 blocks of housing in each<br />
state and FCT.<br />
“We expect State <strong>Gov</strong>ernors<br />
to play a critical role here, by<br />
providing land of between 5-<br />
10 hectares for a start, with title<br />
documents, and access roads<br />
or in lieu of access roads, a<br />
commitment that they will build<br />
the access roads by the time the<br />
houses are completed.”<br />
“We have not yet started<br />
constructing houses. But<br />
tenders have been considered<br />
and over 500 contracts are now<br />
ready to be issued for work to<br />
According to a statement from the developers and<br />
promoters of the multi-billion dollar project, South<br />
Energyx Nigeria Ltd, the Eko Pearl Towers ranges<br />
from 24 to 33 floors comprising four apartments per<br />
floor, two apartments on the royal penthouse floors,<br />
a technical floor, terrace floor, a ground floor and a<br />
b<strong>as</strong>ement floor.<br />
Speaking on the development, the Vice<br />
Chairman, South Energyx Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Ronald<br />
Chagoury Jr. said the completion and unveiling of<br />
the Eko Pearl Towers marks a significant milestone<br />
for the Eko Atlantic project. “We are very excited to<br />
see the city come to life, with the first set of residents<br />
moving into the city and we look forward to the<br />
completion of other landmark projects within the<br />
city,” he said.<br />
Eko Atlantic City is expected to provide homes to<br />
about 450,000 residents, and 300,000 commuters.<br />
start in earnest. However, we<br />
have received land from 27<br />
states <strong>as</strong> at 24th October and<br />
more are still responding.<br />
“We have completed simple<br />
designs of one, two and threebedroom<br />
bungalows for the<br />
northern states to respond to<br />
the cultural, climatic and land<br />
use peculiarities. We have<br />
completed simple designs of<br />
one, two and three bedroom<br />
blocks of Flats for Southern<br />
states also in response to<br />
similar peculiarities”, F<strong>as</strong>hola<br />
revealed.<br />
Sanitary ware manufacturers see potential in Nigerian market<br />
Gala S.A, an Italian company<br />
that manufactures sanitary<br />
products, said I am sure it is<br />
going to be the leading market<br />
in Africa absolutely.<br />
“First of all, we are coming<br />
to do the export to create the<br />
brand awareness and we want<br />
to grow with the market in<br />
Nigeria. Gala h<strong>as</strong> a good<br />
distribution network in<br />
Northern Africa such <strong>as</strong><br />
Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria.<br />
Before the problem in Libya, we<br />
had a very good market there<br />
and in the sub-Saharan market.<br />
Nigeria is the main market.<br />
The company also h<strong>as</strong><br />
presence in South Africa,<br />
Tanzania, Kenya, with small<br />
business in Benin Republic,<br />
Congo. The African continent<br />
is the main target for the<br />
coming years.<br />
Infact, we have actually been<br />
working in Nigeria for some<br />
years now and we have been<br />
trying to satisfy every segment<br />
of the market in collaboration<br />
with our partner, QMB<br />
Builders’ Mart, which takes<br />
care of distribution. We believe<br />
in quality, and we try <strong>as</strong> much<br />
<strong>as</strong> possible to ensure that only<br />
quality products are brought<br />
into the country.<br />
“It is not e<strong>as</strong>y to find<br />
companies with the highest<br />
quality, but in this c<strong>as</strong>e, Gala<br />
is controlling 100 per cent of<br />
the pieces, inspecting them<br />
one by one before delivery. Our<br />
products are of the highest<br />
standards. We offer products<br />
from the economic segment,<br />
middle segment and the<br />
highest segment and we try to<br />
satisfy every market”,<br />
Quintana noted.<br />
He said they guarantee the<br />
long-life of the products with<br />
five years warranty because<br />
they are sure of what they offer<br />
and that they have been<br />
working on this for many years<br />
in Nigeria with QMB Builders’<br />
Mart, their partner in the<br />
market that takes care of<br />
distribution.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—25<br />
Ogun plans to raise IGR to N114.3bn in 2017<br />
By Omoh Gabriel<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Ibikunle Amosu of Ogun State<br />
OGUN State <strong>Gov</strong>ernment<br />
said it h<strong>as</strong> put me<strong>as</strong>ures in<br />
place to raise its internally generated<br />
revenue in 2017 to N114.34<br />
billion from the N105.67 billion<br />
it projected in 2016. But the state<br />
in 2013, internally generated the<br />
sum of N13.77 billion, in 2014<br />
N17.49 billion and in 2015 it w<strong>as</strong><br />
raised to a total of N34.59 billion.<br />
At the end of the current fiscal<br />
year, the state would have<br />
generated about N51 billion.<br />
Similarly the state in 2013 got the<br />
sum of N56.8 billion from the<br />
federation account. This fell to<br />
N48.9 billion in 2014 and went<br />
further down to N34.3 billion in<br />
2015. It is likely to fall further in<br />
2016 making it imperative for the<br />
state to look inward.<br />
The state revenue drive will<br />
enable it in 2017 to meet its financial<br />
obligations to its workers without<br />
recourse to the federation account<br />
allocation. The budget indicates<br />
that the state will pay a<br />
total of N62.73 billion <strong>as</strong> salaries,<br />
N11.2 billion <strong>as</strong> pension and gratuities<br />
giving a total personnel<br />
cost of N73.93 billion. The state<br />
overhead cost for the year will<br />
gulp N28.89 billion leading to a<br />
total recurrent expenditure of<br />
N102.62 billion. This will be less<br />
than the projected N114 billion internally<br />
generated revenue of the<br />
state.<br />
According to the state budget<br />
provisions, the sum of N118.3<br />
billion about 53.5 per cent of the<br />
total budget figure of N221.12 billion<br />
is earn mark for capital<br />
projects. The state h<strong>as</strong> promised<br />
its citizens that it will complete all<br />
projects embarked upon by this<br />
administration before leaving office.<br />
Ogun state Commissioner for<br />
Finance, Mr. Wale Oshinowo, in<br />
an interactive session with a s<strong>elect</strong><br />
journalist in Abeokuta said alread,<br />
the strategy to fully realize<br />
the provisions of the 2017 budget<br />
in the state h<strong>as</strong> started yielding<br />
result. He said the state government<br />
h<strong>as</strong> implemented a Revenue<br />
Harmonisation Scheme that<br />
h<strong>as</strong> helped to block leakages in<br />
Ministries, Departments and<br />
Agencies of government MDAs.<br />
This, he said, h<strong>as</strong> enabled the<br />
state to avoid multiple taxation<br />
of businesses between the state<br />
and the local government that<br />
h<strong>as</strong> boosted the state revenue.<br />
Oshinowo said the state in 2017<br />
will introduce new revenue lines<br />
to bolster the state internally generated<br />
revenue. Such new line of<br />
revenue include the Home Owners’<br />
Charter in which over 600,<br />
000 applications are being processed<br />
for reduced certificate of<br />
occupancy fee. This fee would not<br />
have been realized if the scheme<br />
w<strong>as</strong> not introduced. He said the<br />
state will also embark on the -<br />
Land Use Act, which will enable<br />
the state to collect land use<br />
charge, a ground rent from companies<br />
and individual land owners<br />
in the state.<br />
Oshinowo said there is huge financial<br />
potential for the state to<br />
realize its 2017 internally generated<br />
revenue projection. The<br />
state, the commissioner said, h<strong>as</strong><br />
already started to collect from<br />
Okada riders permits which in<br />
matter of nine months h<strong>as</strong> yielded<br />
a revenue of almost N1billion.<br />
He said by the time the scheme is<br />
extended to other transportation<br />
means, the revenue b<strong>as</strong>e would<br />
have expanded and the state<br />
would have achieved a lot more.<br />
He however said that a number<br />
Those who<br />
live in the state<br />
and work in<br />
Lagos must let<br />
their employers<br />
know that they<br />
have to pay<br />
their income<br />
tax to Ogun<br />
State. He said<br />
this is what the<br />
residency rule<br />
stipulates<br />
of Nigerians who live in Ogun<br />
State and work in Lagos needed<br />
to do two things to empower the<br />
state financially to cater for their<br />
infr<strong>as</strong>tructural demand. He said<br />
those who live in the state and<br />
work in Lagos must let their employers<br />
know that they have to<br />
pay their income tax to Ogun<br />
State. He said this is what the residency<br />
rule stipulates. He also<br />
said that they should also make<br />
their every day purch<strong>as</strong>es in<br />
Ogun to boost the state economy.<br />
According to him most residents<br />
in the border towns of the<br />
state do their shopping in Lagos.<br />
He said by so doing, they are depriving<br />
the state where they live<br />
the needed revenue from sales tax<br />
that would enable the state build<br />
infr<strong>as</strong>tructure.<br />
While presenting the budget to<br />
the house, the <strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Senator<br />
Ibikunle Amosu, said: “the<br />
2016 “Budget of Optimisation”<br />
w<strong>as</strong> N200.20 billion with approved<br />
recurrent expenditure of<br />
N100.91billion representing 50.4<br />
per cent of the budget, whilst the<br />
Capital Expenditure Budget w<strong>as</strong><br />
N99.29billion, representing 49.6<br />
per cent. The approved revenue<br />
budget w<strong>as</strong> N200.20 billion,<br />
with N105.67billion expected<br />
from IGR and N42 billion from<br />
the Federation Account. The<br />
Capital Receipts were expected<br />
to be N52.5billion. As at 31st October,<br />
2016, the overall budget<br />
performance w<strong>as</strong> 56.2 per cent.<br />
In the l<strong>as</strong>t six years, we have<br />
made clear our commitment to the<br />
delivery of affordable and qualitative<br />
education. This h<strong>as</strong> invariably<br />
led to a series of reforms and<br />
it is encouraging to see that our<br />
efforts have been yielding positive<br />
results. For instance, the innovation<br />
of Termly Unified Examinations<br />
in our public primary and<br />
secondary schools <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> <strong>Gov</strong>ernment<br />
Science and Technical<br />
Colleges h<strong>as</strong> greatly enhanced the<br />
standard of education in our<br />
schools such that enrolment is<br />
steadily rising <strong>as</strong> is the higher<br />
education potential of our learners.<br />
“I am aware, however, that despite<br />
the significant annual investments<br />
in education, more still<br />
needs to be done to improve the<br />
quality of education. The global<br />
perspective in the education sector<br />
<strong>as</strong> declared under the Sustainable<br />
Development Goals focuses<br />
on ensuring inclusive and equitable<br />
quality education and promoting<br />
lifelong learning opportunities<br />
for all by the year 2030.<br />
We are glad to note that our agenda<br />
is in tandem with this global<br />
agenda; and we remain resolute<br />
that no child will be left behind.<br />
“Several of our Model Colleges<br />
are ready to come on stream<br />
having already commissioned<br />
them in February, 2016 when<br />
our State celebrated her 40th<br />
anniversary. The Akin Ogunpola<br />
Model College, Ewekoro commenced<br />
operations for the 2016/<br />
2017 academic year with the acceptance<br />
of 84 students into junior<br />
and senior secondary school.<br />
Our administration is poised to<br />
open six more colleges in 2017”.<br />
Dry ports concessionaires risk revocation<br />
of licence<br />
By Godwin Oritse<br />
FEDERAL <strong>Gov</strong>ernment h<strong>as</strong><br />
warned concessionaires of<br />
the Inland Container Depots,<br />
ICDs and Container Freight<br />
Stations, CFSs, to sign and return<br />
the new agreement it h<strong>as</strong><br />
prepared for the operation of their<br />
faculties or have their licences<br />
revoked within two weeks. In a<br />
renewed move to ensure that the<br />
dry port projects, which have<br />
been stagnated for over 13 years<br />
are completed and made<br />
operational nationwide, the<br />
federal government had<br />
through the Nigeria Customs<br />
Service, NSC, issued a new<br />
agreement to the<br />
concessionaires to sign and<br />
return under two weeks.<br />
Consequently, they have been<br />
called for another meeting at<br />
the headquarters of NSC to<br />
ensure compliance in line with<br />
the directive of the Minister of<br />
Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi,<br />
who h<strong>as</strong> shown serious<br />
discomfort with the near failure<br />
stages of the projects.<br />
Some of the dry port<br />
concessionaires who spoke with<br />
Vanguard have agreed to sign<br />
Adewale Oshinowo<br />
the new agreement which h<strong>as</strong><br />
the clause of job delivery within<br />
2017.<br />
It , w<strong>as</strong>, however gathered that<br />
some of them might <strong>as</strong> well lose<br />
the project because of varying<br />
issues arising from their states of<br />
location.<br />
Already, some have blamed<br />
their inability to perform not<br />
only on sourcing technical<br />
partners, funds, political<br />
vagaries, frequent leadership<br />
changes at the Federal Ministry<br />
of Transport, but stated that the<br />
current minister of transport h<strong>as</strong><br />
declined to grant them special<br />
status of port of origin and that<br />
of destination.<br />
One of thje inland container<br />
depot owners who spoke to<br />
Vanguard on the condition of<br />
anonymity said that all w<strong>as</strong> set<br />
for work to commence at the<br />
port but Amaechi had declined<br />
to grant them the needed<br />
privilege.<br />
This further raised the question<br />
by observers on whether if this<br />
w<strong>as</strong> what had been delaying the<br />
project for 13 years now and<br />
why other ministers were not<br />
approached for the same re<strong>as</strong>on.<br />
In Ibadan, Oyo State,<br />
Catamaran Logistics Limited,<br />
operators of Ibadan ICD, may<br />
have lost their project location<br />
on account of delay and internal<br />
political and personality<br />
squabbles and so may lose their<br />
licences soon.<br />
The company’s Managing<br />
Director, Mr. Lai Are , said that<br />
“We have agreed in principle<br />
with the provisions of the<br />
agreement.”<br />
Meanwhile, the federal<br />
government h<strong>as</strong>, at l<strong>as</strong>t,<br />
resolved to fund the emerging<br />
new national shipping fleet with<br />
a part of the Cabotage Vessel<br />
Finance Fund(CVFF) proceed.<br />
In what sounded rather<br />
amusing t o logistics and<br />
transport professionals, l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
week, the Senate directed the<br />
Nigerian Shippers’ Council, to<br />
carry out fe<strong>as</strong>ibility studies on<br />
the establishment of dry ports<br />
in the country.<br />
This w<strong>as</strong> after the Senate had<br />
called on the Federal government<br />
to ensure that dry ports were<br />
established urgently in Onitsha,<br />
Enugu, Aba, Maiduguri, Bauchi<br />
and states that are landlocked <strong>as</strong><br />
a way of accelerating trade and<br />
industry.<br />
The Senate w<strong>as</strong> of the view that<br />
the fe<strong>as</strong>ibility studies earlier<br />
carried out on the projects<br />
should be revisited.
26 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 27
28—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
Wanted: <strong>Gov</strong>ernors who can<br />
do more with less<br />
“Federation Account<br />
allocation dips by N31.8bn in<br />
October”.<br />
NATION, November 21,<br />
2016, p 8.<br />
“GDP growth rate drops<br />
further to -2.24%.”<br />
PUNCH, November 22,<br />
2016, p 1.<br />
Newly-<strong>elect</strong>ed <strong>Gov</strong>ernor<br />
Godwin Ob<strong>as</strong>eki of<br />
Edo State struck the right note<br />
in his maiden address to the<br />
people of Edo State when he<br />
declared that “there is more<br />
free lunch”. He h<strong>as</strong> his<br />
re<strong>as</strong>ons which the tables<br />
below will pertly explain.<br />
Contrary to what some<br />
consider an early rebuke of<br />
his immediate p<strong>as</strong>t<br />
predecessor, it w<strong>as</strong> nothing<br />
more than a bow to reality.<br />
Facts remain the eternal<br />
enemies of illusions which<br />
still drive most of our<br />
politicians promising free<br />
everything under the sun.<br />
Meanwhile, Ondo State is<br />
heading for the polls to <strong>elect</strong><br />
a successor to out-going<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Segun Mimiko.<br />
Irrespective of who eventually<br />
emerges <strong>as</strong> the new governor,<br />
he h<strong>as</strong> a tough t<strong>as</strong>k awaiting<br />
him. It is doubtful if there is a<br />
single governor serving<br />
second term now who does<br />
not occ<strong>as</strong>ionally wish he had<br />
bowed out gracefully at the<br />
end of the first term – while<br />
there w<strong>as</strong> still loud ovation.<br />
Few will enjoy that<br />
endorsement now.<br />
Oil producing states<br />
illustrate the calamity best:<br />
Akwa Ibom: N14bn to<br />
N8.7bn; Bayelsa: N18bn to<br />
N6.3bn; Delta: N16bn to<br />
N5.6bn. While all the 36<br />
states are in varying degrees<br />
of distress and will probably<br />
remain so in 2017, Osun State<br />
is in a cl<strong>as</strong>s by itself. (See<br />
tables below). The current<br />
governor will end his second<br />
term before 2019. But, if the<br />
monthly allocations from<br />
Abuja continue at this rate,<br />
anybody running for<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor of Osun state, after<br />
this one, might need to<br />
consult a doctor. Only a born<br />
m<strong>as</strong>ochist would be eager to<br />
take on that <strong>as</strong>signment. The<br />
state in October 2016 took<br />
home less than ten per cent<br />
of what it received in 2006<br />
before Minimum Wage rose to<br />
N18,000 per month!!!<br />
The re<strong>as</strong>ons are not hard to<br />
discover. Few owed their staff<br />
unpaid salaries in 2013 and<br />
early 2014. The signs of<br />
things to come first appeared<br />
in the second quarter of 2014,<br />
when crude oil prices started<br />
their steady decline from over<br />
$100-plus per barrel and over<br />
1.8 million barrels per day<br />
exported to where they are<br />
today. VANGUARD must<br />
have published at le<strong>as</strong>t four<br />
articles warning the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment, the Council of<br />
States and the economic<br />
policymakers that the<br />
downturn in crude prices<br />
and volumes w<strong>as</strong> not<br />
temporary, but, will persist<br />
for several years. Nobody<br />
paid heed to the warnings;<br />
le<strong>as</strong>t of all the states whose<br />
fortunes depended on<br />
federal allocations. Even<br />
when crude prices and<br />
revenue fell dr<strong>as</strong>tically, the<br />
state governors still went on<br />
with business <strong>as</strong> usual.<br />
Today, the consequences<br />
stare them in the face.<br />
Worse than the present<br />
hardships faced by people in<br />
the states is the fact that with<br />
Gross Domestic Productivity,<br />
GDP, declining, Value Added<br />
Tax, VAT collections, which<br />
had helped to cushion the<br />
impact of sharply reduced oil<br />
earnings will also start to<br />
shrink. Many companies<br />
which declared and paid taxes<br />
in 2016 on their operations in<br />
2015 might also be declaring<br />
losses in 2016 and pay no<br />
taxes in 2017.<br />
States face a more difficult<br />
future than most of the<br />
governors realize. Ob<strong>as</strong>eki’s<br />
no free lunch might become<br />
no lunch at all. We need<br />
governors who can manage<br />
relative poverty. Our period<br />
of affluence is gone for now.<br />
Interview<br />
Continues from page 19<br />
percent for instance,<br />
meaning that what is the risk<br />
there, you are expected to<br />
have 20 percent of it <strong>as</strong> a<br />
capital to support it.<br />
But; if you are trading in oil<br />
and g<strong>as</strong> or some of the other<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>ses, you are expected to<br />
have 50 percent of the<br />
particular cl<strong>as</strong>s which<br />
means that all of that would<br />
guide how much capital you<br />
have. You will then find out<br />
that for the one of 20 percent<br />
you can only generate<br />
N500million premium and<br />
you will keep 20 percent of<br />
it <strong>as</strong> capital. But for oil and<br />
g<strong>as</strong>, to do the same for 50<br />
percent and you want to<br />
trade <strong>as</strong> much <strong>as</strong> that one,<br />
you would require capital<br />
that is close to N1billion to<br />
trade there for you to get the<br />
same premium.<br />
So the question is that<br />
you want to say to yourself<br />
‘which one do I want to put<br />
my money into?’<br />
That is why it is riskb<strong>as</strong>ed,<br />
because you are<br />
going to determine which<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>s would give you the<br />
highest return and less of<br />
trouble.<br />
Nigerian insurance industry capital is highest in Africa<br />
What is NIA doing about<br />
the allegations against<br />
the insurance industry?<br />
We have not and the issue is<br />
that our members feel that we<br />
have not done anything<br />
wrong. If when we agree that<br />
we have done some things<br />
wrong then we will see them<br />
and talk with them. We are<br />
watching the development<br />
very closely and at the<br />
appropriate we would seek to<br />
have a discussion. But for<br />
now, there is no need.<br />
The members may not see<br />
anything wrong, but the<br />
image of the insurance<br />
industry is been dented?<br />
Yes, to an extent, we have<br />
mandated the management<br />
of the <strong>as</strong>sociation to interface<br />
so that they investigate the<br />
negative publicity until the<br />
facts are properly<br />
<strong>as</strong>certained before they come<br />
out into the open. But for now<br />
I think it shouldn’t be.<br />
This is three to four<br />
months gone since you<br />
<strong>as</strong>sumed office, how far<br />
have you gone with<br />
implementing your<br />
agenda?<br />
Yes, it is all stakeholder<br />
engagement for now. We have<br />
done quite a lot of that. And<br />
of course, between that period<br />
when we had our investiture<br />
and now, we have interacted<br />
with so many stakeholders.<br />
Because, we have to make<br />
ourselves relevant, and<br />
making ourselves relevant is<br />
not the kind that involves you<br />
seeing yourselves block on<br />
block, no. It is about how we<br />
have been able to engage<br />
people.<br />
At the moment, we have so<br />
many things ongoing. As we<br />
speak, you just made<br />
reference to the House of<br />
Representatives<br />
investigation on insurance.<br />
There is the issue of the riskb<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
capital which the<br />
commission is working on,<br />
there is a financial reporting<br />
council code, and there is<br />
general indiscipline in the<br />
sector.<br />
So there are a number of<br />
issues. But, those are not<br />
issues we really want to<br />
address in the public sphere.<br />
But we are having the<br />
necessary engagements and<br />
at the right time we will<br />
announce only solutions. So,<br />
that is what I actually want<br />
to do. I do not want to engage<br />
in things just on the pages of<br />
newspapers, no.<br />
We have<br />
mandated the<br />
management of<br />
the <strong>as</strong>sociation<br />
to interface so<br />
that they<br />
investigate the<br />
negative<br />
publicity until<br />
the facts are<br />
properly<br />
<strong>as</strong>certained<br />
before they<br />
come out into<br />
the open<br />
We are working on our<br />
image through the<br />
insurance committee; that<br />
is, the umbrella publicity<br />
arrangement within our<br />
structure. We are working on<br />
that and it is something the<br />
insurance committee is<br />
doing. We will do a broader<br />
campaign for the whole<br />
industry and that is almost<br />
taking off.<br />
What is the take home<br />
from the NCRIB<br />
conference from NIA<br />
angle?<br />
The tax issue h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
clarified. That is, the stamp<br />
duty tax or the stamp duty<br />
and the section 16; so I<br />
think that for me and the<br />
NIA people that is a major<br />
take home.<br />
What are the banks up to<br />
with insurance policies<br />
and the captive<br />
companies?<br />
Banks, they have some<br />
relationship with insurance<br />
companies. It h<strong>as</strong> come to<br />
our notice concerning<br />
customers that often times<br />
the banks and their<br />
subsidiaries compel
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 29
30—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
(08052201997)<br />
Why<br />
do<br />
manufacturers<br />
decry high cost of<br />
borrowing?<br />
There is a limit to which<br />
you can grow a business with<br />
personal savings; invariably,<br />
sustained growth and<br />
expansion require additional<br />
capital, which may be<br />
subscribed or borrowed. It is<br />
less risky, for example, to<br />
borrow, if loanable funds<br />
come with cheaper rates<br />
below 5%, especially where<br />
gestation is necessarily<br />
extended; besides, e<strong>as</strong>ier<br />
access to cheap funds<br />
generally stimulates<br />
businesses to create more<br />
job opportunities.<br />
Furthermore, material<br />
inputs, similarly financed<br />
with low interest loans, will<br />
also reduce production cost,<br />
and sustain consumer<br />
demand with affordable<br />
prices.<br />
Conversely, when loanable<br />
funds cost 30% plus, <strong>as</strong> is<br />
currently the c<strong>as</strong>e, investors<br />
will naturally shy away from<br />
the risky gamble of providing<br />
their own infr<strong>as</strong>tructure and<br />
paying N30 interest on every<br />
N100 borrowed. The<br />
investment climate, and<br />
productive sector will shrink,<br />
and imported products<br />
financed with much lower<br />
cost will flood our markets.<br />
Ultimately, m<strong>as</strong>sive labor<br />
layoffs will result, <strong>as</strong> once<br />
viable industries close shop.<br />
CBN h<strong>as</strong> been widely<br />
blamed for sustaining high<br />
interest rates, how does<br />
CBN enforce such rates?<br />
The CBN h<strong>as</strong> statutory<br />
responsibility to ensure that<br />
prices of goods and services,<br />
<strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> cost of funds<br />
remain within levels that<br />
would successfully drive the<br />
economy. So yes, by its<br />
actions and policies, CBN<br />
h<strong>as</strong> the capacity to induce<br />
higher or lower cost of funds.<br />
The Monetary Policy Rate<br />
(MPR) is the prime<br />
instrument for this purpose,<br />
<strong>as</strong> it is the rate at which<br />
commercial banks borrow<br />
from CBN to cover<br />
temporary c<strong>as</strong>h shortfalls.<br />
Thus, with MPR at 14%,<br />
banks are inclined to lend to<br />
ECONOMY<br />
Fidelity Bank Plc h<strong>as</strong><br />
disclosed that its<br />
customers b<strong>as</strong>e h<strong>as</strong> grown in<br />
excess of 2 million since it<br />
commenced its on-going<br />
customer loyalty scheme,<br />
Get Alert in Million Promo’.<br />
Mrs. Chijioke Ugochukwu,<br />
Executive Director, Shared<br />
Services, Fidelity Bank,<br />
disclosed this at the prize<br />
presentation ceremony to the<br />
lucky winners that emerged<br />
in the second draw of the<br />
promo.<br />
High cost of borrowing: Who is<br />
fooling who?<br />
customers, including real<br />
sector operators, at well over<br />
20%. Conversely, in<br />
successful economies where<br />
MPR is 2% or below, banks<br />
would be encouraged to lend<br />
to customers at below 10%.<br />
So, why is CBN sabotaging<br />
the economy with high<br />
MPRs?<br />
A low MPR should<br />
expectedly stimulate<br />
borrowing and consumer<br />
spending which would be<br />
welcome if the annual<br />
inflation rate is sustained,<br />
below say, 2%. Conversely, if<br />
inflation spirals closer to<br />
20%, stimulating additional<br />
spending with e<strong>as</strong>y access to<br />
cheap funds will invariably<br />
instigate general price<br />
volatility. Consequently, with<br />
the prevailing high inflation<br />
rates, any additional c<strong>as</strong>h<br />
injection or e<strong>as</strong>ier access to<br />
cheap funds, may ultimately<br />
induce the Zimbabwe<br />
experience, where spiraling<br />
inflation and unarrested<br />
excess printing of Zimbabwe<br />
currency compelled an<br />
inflation rate that drove the<br />
exchange rate to over $1=<br />
1,000,000,000 Zimbabwe<br />
dollars.<br />
But some experts have<br />
advised that the best<br />
antidote to our comatose<br />
economy is to spend our<br />
way out of the recession?<br />
Such experts are obviously<br />
either wickedly mischievous<br />
or regrettably ignorant.<br />
Evidently, additional<br />
injection of Naira liquidity,<br />
where, much too much<br />
money already outstrips<br />
production output, will spike<br />
inflation through the roof, to<br />
create serious challenges to<br />
productivity, talk less of<br />
economic resuscitation.<br />
President Buhari will be well<br />
advised to be wary of experts<br />
who advocate incre<strong>as</strong>e in<br />
spending <strong>as</strong> the way out of<br />
the current recession.<br />
Are you suggesting that<br />
the series of CBN c<strong>as</strong>h<br />
interventions and billions<br />
of Naira government bailout<br />
funds are actually<br />
counterproductive?<br />
Well, the answer is evident;<br />
so far, these serial<br />
interventions have not<br />
arrested the inflation spiral,<br />
and it is most certain that<br />
future interventions will only<br />
worsen matters so long <strong>as</strong> the<br />
undeniable presence of<br />
‘Surplus Naira Liquidity’<br />
continues to be a nightmare<br />
for CBN to manage.<br />
How can surplus Naira be<br />
a problem, when<br />
manufacturers are literally<br />
howling that they are<br />
institutionally denied access<br />
to cheap funds; besides, why<br />
should any commodity with<br />
a market surplus, become<br />
more expensive to borrow?<br />
The naked evidence of the<br />
distortional and oppressive<br />
burden of Excess Naira is<br />
when CBN regularly pays<br />
upto 15% interest rates to<br />
restrain private borrowers<br />
So, inexplicably,<br />
the cost of Naira<br />
loans will<br />
paradoxically<br />
become higher<br />
when systemic<br />
surplus Naira<br />
liquidity remains<br />
CBN’s albatross<br />
from e<strong>as</strong>y access to the<br />
Excess funds, in order to<br />
curtail liberal spending and<br />
thereby keep inflation from<br />
spiraling out of control and<br />
wrecking the economy.<br />
Incidentally, commercial<br />
banks, primarily, will earn<br />
over N500bn this year <strong>as</strong><br />
interest charges when CBN<br />
borrows surplus Naira<br />
supply to mop up excess<br />
liquidity, by selling Tre<strong>as</strong>ury<br />
bills to banks with very high<br />
yields.<br />
So, inexplicably, the cost of<br />
Naira loans will<br />
paradoxically become higher<br />
when systemic surplus Naira<br />
liquidity remains CBN’s<br />
albatross.<br />
With such bountiful e<strong>as</strong>y<br />
returns from CBN’s Tre<strong>as</strong>ury<br />
bills, why would commercial<br />
banks lend to the real<br />
sector; besides, what is the<br />
prime cause of excess Naira<br />
supply that persistently<br />
challenges a more<br />
responsible economic<br />
management?<br />
You are absolutely right; it<br />
is highly unlikely that banks<br />
will service the real sector<br />
with cheaper funds, when<br />
government itself is<br />
borrowing from them at such<br />
ridiculously high and<br />
oppressive interest rates; it<br />
is certainly less risky to lend<br />
to government than the real<br />
sector. Perennial Excess<br />
Naira supply is the<br />
cumulative product of CBN’s<br />
regular creations of<br />
substituted Naira allocations<br />
for distributable dollar<br />
denominated oil revenue.<br />
Thus, <strong>as</strong> dollar earnings<br />
incre<strong>as</strong>e, the greater also h<strong>as</strong><br />
been the threat from excess<br />
Naira supply and its train of<br />
regressive consequences.<br />
Is the Naira exchange rate<br />
also a victim of Excess Naira<br />
supply?<br />
Yes of course, Excess Naira<br />
supply is the prime cause of<br />
a weak Naira, because the<br />
Naira exchange rate remains<br />
threatened so long <strong>as</strong> CBN<br />
persists in regularly<br />
auctioning small rations of<br />
dollars in a money market<br />
that is, undeniably,<br />
embarr<strong>as</strong>singly suffocated<br />
with Naira surplus.<br />
Regrettably, the process of<br />
reducing the surplus Naira<br />
burden from the system<br />
attracts a distortionally high<br />
interest burden and also<br />
crowds out the real sector<br />
from access to cheap funds.<br />
Is there a more progressive<br />
way of dealing with the<br />
Excess Liquidity problem?<br />
There are two plausible<br />
obvious strategies which can<br />
work together to reverse the<br />
distress in our economy.<br />
First of all, the mandatory<br />
C<strong>as</strong>h Reserve Requirement<br />
(CRR) for banks must be<br />
gradually modulated to an<br />
equilibrium level that would<br />
eliminate the need for CBN<br />
to compulsively borrow to<br />
remove excess Naira supply<br />
from the custody of<br />
commercial banks. CBN will<br />
ce<strong>as</strong>e to borrow at such<br />
equilibrium level, so that<br />
banks will ultimately have no<br />
choice but to enthusi<strong>as</strong>tically<br />
court the real sector with<br />
modest interest rates, if they<br />
must stay in business.<br />
Alternatively, banks can be<br />
directed to pay a token fee<br />
below 2% for CBN to<br />
warehouse their surplus<br />
funds, <strong>as</strong> is currently the<br />
practice in successful<br />
economies.<br />
Secondly, the CBN should<br />
ce<strong>as</strong>e replenishing the pool<br />
of systemic excess liquidity<br />
by persistently substituting<br />
Naira allocations for<br />
distributable dollar income to<br />
the constitutional<br />
beneficiaries of the<br />
federation pool.<br />
SAVE THE NAIRA!!<br />
SAVE NIGERIANS!!<br />
Fidelity Bank millionaires promo pushes customer b<strong>as</strong>e to 2m<br />
She stated that the promo<br />
h<strong>as</strong> proven to be one of the<br />
most successful in the series<br />
of promos the bank h<strong>as</strong><br />
conducted in the l<strong>as</strong>t nine<br />
years, saying that the bank<br />
hoped to open additional<br />
500,000 new accounts by the<br />
time the promo comes to an<br />
end.<br />
Six customers of the bank<br />
drawn from the six<br />
geographical zones went<br />
home with the sum of N8<br />
million, while another 12<br />
were rewarded with<br />
consolation prizes.<br />
The prize presentation took<br />
place simultaneously across<br />
the six geographical zones in<br />
the country.<br />
Ugochukwu said the bank<br />
decided to give out c<strong>as</strong>h to<br />
help its customers cushion<br />
the effect of the economic<br />
recession.<br />
“Fidelity Bank is committed<br />
to giving our customers<br />
better value; we don’t want<br />
to repeat an old theme.<br />
Savings is a culture which<br />
people develop over time. In<br />
more advanced countries, it<br />
is e<strong>as</strong>ier due the power of<br />
high par capita income, but<br />
in less developed economies<br />
like Nigeria, the regulator,<br />
which is the Central Bank of<br />
Nigeria, CBN, tries to<br />
promote the financial<br />
inclusion strategy and<br />
savings strategy, which the<br />
banking institutions are<br />
trying to key into. This promo<br />
is Fidelity Bank’s way of<br />
raising that awareness about<br />
the importance of savings in<br />
the life of every single<br />
person.<br />
One of the customers, Mr.<br />
Nse Stephen Usen, an<br />
Engineering student in Yaba<br />
College of Technology, Lagos,<br />
who won N2 million, thanked<br />
the bank and said that it<br />
would help him to further his<br />
education.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 31
32 —Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
YOUR LUCK TODAY<br />
By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139<br />
VIRGO; As Saturn enters your Star Sign today it is<br />
important you are more practical and seek all important<br />
supports of the influential people around you.<br />
Be more loving.<br />
LIBRA; The more ambitious you are today the better<br />
for your cause. And here is a good day to plan for<br />
the future but you must do away with whatever can<br />
not be placed above board. Yong-at-heart among you<br />
may be in for a romantic day.<br />
SCORPIO; Even if you are tempted to gamble by<br />
whoever and/or whatsoever re<strong>as</strong>on you must resist it<br />
or else you would be the loser. Being aggressive may<br />
help<br />
SAGITTARIUS; Provided you are willing to cooperate<br />
with other poople things will not go out of<br />
hands but exhibition of inordinate ambition can earn<br />
you avoidable trouble.<br />
By Richard Eromosele<br />
L E I S U R E<br />
THOUGHT FOR TODAY<br />
About relationship?<br />
LIFE is all<br />
about relationship.<br />
It is all<br />
about how you<br />
relate well with<br />
the other man or<br />
woman. For example,<br />
a successful<br />
father<br />
should be able to<br />
relate well with<br />
his children, a<br />
successful leader<br />
TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye”<br />
should be able to<br />
relate well with<br />
his followers.<br />
Similarly, a good<br />
manager should<br />
have a good rapport<br />
with members<br />
of his<br />
workforce.How<br />
well you relate<br />
with people could<br />
determine how<br />
far you will go in<br />
life.Think about<br />
it.<br />
By Kola Fayemi<br />
CAPRICORN; Element of luck will <strong>as</strong>sist you.<br />
Those of you who are more hard working will have<br />
more positive things to show for your efforts. Take<br />
care of your health.<br />
AQUARIUS; Many natives of this Zodiac sign will<br />
be excited either because of romantic interest within<br />
your working arena or practical advancement at work.<br />
PISCES; Re<strong>as</strong>on with those you can take <strong>as</strong> veterans<br />
within your b<strong>as</strong>e of operation because if you want<br />
to force your way without carrying necessary and<br />
more experienced people along it would back-fire<br />
now or soonest<br />
ARIES; The more creative you are the better for<br />
your cause. However is typical day when too much<br />
expectation can bring disappointment. Be more family<br />
minded.<br />
TAURUS; If your priority is financial success you<br />
may not be disappointed provided you prepare for a<br />
few challenges. For now both your mental energy<br />
and physical attributes are enough to win you love<br />
not MONEY. Be more receptive.<br />
KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman<br />
GEMINI; This is your day when both good luck<br />
and your personal efforts will bring you success. Try<br />
to be <strong>as</strong> caring <strong>as</strong> possible to those within your b<strong>as</strong>e.<br />
CANCER; Although there will be challenges at the<br />
end of it all you will have genuine cause to smile.<br />
The more secretive you are the better for your cause.<br />
This is not the right time to ignore your sex life. Do<br />
away with unnecessary argument.<br />
LEO; This is not the right time for you to either<br />
gamble with money or take friends for granted. Secret<br />
lovers may be in for an exciting day.<br />
ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING<br />
Send your date e and place of birth th to the Astr<br />
trological<br />
Counselling, P.M.B 100<br />
007, 7, Apapa, Lagos<br />
Should I remain hopeful?<br />
Dear Joshua,<br />
I want your in-depth analysis and tell me<br />
about my social life, and the time I am likely<br />
to have my Should I remain hopeful?<br />
much desired break-through in life. I am<br />
hopeful though.<br />
Anonymous Nigeria.<br />
Dear Anonymous,<br />
Yes be very hopeful. And what you will find<br />
here-under will answer your questions. Social<br />
life will always bring you attention good<br />
luck envy opposition and possibly fame. The<br />
best way for you not to be constant loser in the<br />
social world is to always study situation practically<br />
and know that your finance will not<br />
suffer (if it can not be beneficiary) from the<br />
setting before taking responsibility.<br />
As for influential friends you will have them<br />
but never always take them for granted.<br />
Sudden SUCCESS will come your way during<br />
your 44th year on earth and will serve <strong>as</strong> a<br />
break-through year you can build great foundation<br />
of endless success on. But the same 44th<br />
year will bring love related challenges you<br />
must manage with all maturity or else it will<br />
linger till after your 48th year on earth.<br />
VIRGINIA<br />
HOME & ABRO<strong>AD</strong><br />
dadadekola@yahoo.com<br />
By Lawrence Akapa
Weaning the children of<br />
violence<br />
VIOLENCE<br />
rampages<br />
large parts of Nigeria and<br />
most of Africa. Generations are<br />
born into violence who grow<br />
from innocence to stoking its<br />
wild fires. A cross section of<br />
people including diplomats,<br />
intellectuals, journalists,<br />
retired generals and<br />
representatives of the Chief of<br />
Army Staff and the Inspector<br />
General of Police gathered in<br />
Abuja, seeking a solution.<br />
Professor George Obiozor, the<br />
74-year old former Nigerian<br />
High Commissioner to Cyprus<br />
and former amb<strong>as</strong>sador to<br />
Israel and United States, led the<br />
discussion. He argued that<br />
Nigeria is paying too much<br />
attention to critics and not<br />
enough to its admirers. He<br />
defined international relations<br />
<strong>as</strong> “a game of s<strong>elect</strong>ive<br />
morality, outrageous paradox<br />
and double standard, where to<br />
win you must continuously<br />
recognise your own interests<br />
and protect them with ruthless<br />
courage.”<br />
He said the most important<br />
objective of Nigeria’s detractors<br />
is to lure the country and its<br />
leadership into controversies<br />
abroad and at home “in order<br />
to precipitate a synchronized<br />
national crises within Nigeria.”<br />
He advised the country to<br />
reduce the level of serious<br />
threats to its survival by<br />
reducing the level of its<br />
national crises that attracts<br />
international attention.<br />
Professor Thom<strong>as</strong> Akhigbe<br />
Wailings of a m<strong>as</strong>ter planner<br />
By Paul Bebenimibo<br />
NIGERIA is facing severe economic<br />
challenges that have made life<br />
brutish for virtually everybody.<br />
Nigerians labour daily to overcome<br />
these economic challenges. Beyond the<br />
obvious economic challenges, there are<br />
agitations in the South-E<strong>as</strong>t led by<br />
MASSOB, challenges of herdsmen in<br />
different parts of the country, the<br />
scourge of the ‘technically degraded’<br />
Boko Haram in the North-E<strong>as</strong>t and the<br />
resurgence of violence in the Niger<br />
Delta over calls for rapid development,<br />
resource control, resource ownership<br />
and restructuring of the Nigerian<br />
Federation. These turbulent issues and<br />
the lack of corresponding problemsolving<br />
mechanism from government<br />
quarters have created terrifying waves<br />
in Nigeria.<br />
The energies of every patriotic<br />
Nigerian ought to be deployed and<br />
harnessed towards pointing problemsolving<br />
ways or mechanism for the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment of Nigeria because<br />
there is no other country for us to run to<br />
when Nigeria sinks like the TITANIC.<br />
Any emerging signs of shipwreck should<br />
be the greatest worry to patriots. This is<br />
where I am alarmed by the activities of<br />
some individuals who are working hard<br />
to instigate and worsen the turbulent<br />
situation in the Niger Delta. These<br />
individuals do this through covert plans<br />
and falsely accusing persons of trying to<br />
destroy oil and g<strong>as</strong> installations.<br />
Imobighe, Director, Centre of<br />
Strategic Studies and<br />
Development, Ambrose Alli<br />
University, Ekpoma, delivered<br />
the lecture titled “Weaning<br />
Africa from violence: Nigeria’s<br />
contributions to Peace and<br />
Stability on the Continent.” He<br />
posited that given the rapid<br />
ph<strong>as</strong>e sophisticated arms are<br />
being made and sold, violence<br />
must be minimised if humanity<br />
is to survive.<br />
Imobighe, author of a number<br />
of books including Nigeria's<br />
Defence and National Security<br />
Linkages argued that it is a<br />
badly managed conflict that<br />
snowballs into violence. He said<br />
peace <strong>as</strong> a concept h<strong>as</strong> no precise<br />
meaning but that to some, it<br />
means the absence of war. He<br />
posited that peace must start<br />
from meeting the b<strong>as</strong>ic<br />
necessities of life.<br />
He said a major problem in<br />
many African states, is the<br />
perpetuation of unhelpful force<br />
and the unrelenting strive to<br />
acquire power. Nigeria he said,<br />
must abandon its concept of<br />
security b<strong>as</strong>ed on arms, and<br />
embrace the concept b<strong>as</strong>ed on<br />
human needs adding that the<br />
strategy to ‘fight to finish” h<strong>as</strong><br />
not led to the elimination of<br />
opponents, rather, it h<strong>as</strong> led to<br />
the spread of violence.<br />
He said while no African<br />
country is in the league of the<br />
first one hundred highest arms<br />
producers in the world, by<br />
2013, the continent spent<br />
$402 billion on arms purch<strong>as</strong>e,<br />
Lines of communication on how to<br />
resolve the Niger Delta agitation have<br />
been opened with the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment of Nigeria. President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari’s meeting with<br />
PANDEF representatives at which a 16-<br />
My greatest fear is<br />
that, having falsely<br />
accused Tompolo of<br />
bombing and of plans<br />
to bomb oil and g<strong>as</strong><br />
installations, Johnny<br />
is likely to set in<br />
motion the mechanism<br />
for bombing of<br />
installations and come<br />
out to tell the world<br />
that his words have<br />
come to p<strong>as</strong>s<br />
point demand w<strong>as</strong> presented to him, and<br />
the recent meeting between Vicepresident<br />
Yemi Osinbajo and Niger<br />
Delta People Congress where meaningful<br />
additional reinforcement of the 16-point<br />
demand w<strong>as</strong> given are all attempts to<br />
resolve the Niger Delta Crisis. Though<br />
no clear picture h<strong>as</strong> yet emerged from<br />
the <strong>Gov</strong>ernment by way of setting up a<br />
committee to handle the pressing issues,<br />
that is one fifth of its GDP. He<br />
said that while two thirds of<br />
African states are experiencing<br />
incre<strong>as</strong>ed military spending,<br />
the European Union is<br />
experiencing reduction in such<br />
spending. To demonstrate the<br />
destructive nature of violence<br />
in Africa, the lecturer said that<br />
in 2013 the continent produced<br />
12.5 million refugees or a third<br />
of the global total.<br />
Imobighe cited the examples<br />
of post-<strong>elect</strong>oral violence in<br />
Kenya, Zimbabwe and the<br />
Nigeria of 2011 when people<br />
just engaged in violence with<br />
While no<br />
African country<br />
is in the league<br />
of the first one<br />
hundred highest<br />
arms producers<br />
in the world, by<br />
2013, the<br />
continent spent<br />
$402 billion on<br />
arms purch<strong>as</strong>e<br />
that is one fifth<br />
of its GDP<br />
any prior discussion. He also<br />
mentioned the herdsmen and<br />
farmers circle of violence in<br />
Nigeria. He wondered how<br />
Africans are always able to raise<br />
funds to buy arms and why the<br />
arms producers are always<br />
eager to trust their weapons in<br />
our hands.<br />
The defence and security<br />
expert said anytime people are<br />
involved in conflicts, what they<br />
really need is negotiations,<br />
more negotiations and more<br />
negotiations. He expressed his<br />
strong believe that if peace is to<br />
be achieved in our life time, we<br />
must engage in concrete<br />
engagement with other people.<br />
He quoted Martin Luthr King<br />
Jnr who in his 1963 , ‘Letter<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—33<br />
from a Birmingham Jail’,<br />
wrote:<br />
"Men often hate each other<br />
because they fear each other;<br />
they fear each other because<br />
they don't know each other;<br />
they don't know each other<br />
because they cannot<br />
communicate; they cannot<br />
communicate because they are<br />
separated."<br />
Imobighe wondered whether<br />
there is absence of peaceful<br />
mechanism, or people no longer<br />
have confidence in it. He said<br />
there is need to subscribe to a<br />
new global coalition for peace<br />
and development.<br />
In his lecture, Imobighe had<br />
made a critique of the<br />
Presidential Amnesty<br />
Programme claiming that its<br />
youth empowerment<br />
programme w<strong>as</strong> restricted only<br />
to those who bore arms while<br />
those who did not engage in<br />
violence were left out. This he<br />
argued, gives the wrong<br />
impression that violence pays<br />
and that this is responsible for<br />
the rise of new militant groups<br />
in the Niger Delta. I made a<br />
gentle correction of his<br />
hypothesis pointing out that in<br />
the conception of the Amnesty<br />
Programme, care w<strong>as</strong> taken to<br />
also empower youths in the<br />
Region who were not involved<br />
in the armed conflict. I gave <strong>as</strong><br />
an example the statistics of<br />
Niger Delta youths who were<br />
empowered by being given<br />
scholarship to local and<br />
international tertiary<br />
institutions. It showed that of<br />
the 3,042 youths given<br />
scholarship by the agency, only<br />
1,242 amnesty beneficiaries<br />
while the balance 1,800 were<br />
youths from communities<br />
impacted by the violence but<br />
who were not engaged in armed<br />
struggle. Imobigbe accepted<br />
the correction.<br />
Dr. Wilson Ejide, a retired<br />
Army Colonel who w<strong>as</strong> the<br />
discussant, said the continued<br />
use of violence merely<br />
multiplies violence.<br />
Rear Admiral Tony Isa (Rtd)<br />
said unfortunately, the<br />
country’s institutions are weak<br />
there are visible attempts at tackling<br />
the resurgence of violence in the Niger<br />
Delta.<br />
While everyone eagerly awaits<br />
pragmatic solution from the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment, one Mr. Michael Johnny<br />
once correctly c<strong>as</strong>t <strong>as</strong> ‘verbal distortionczar’<br />
and ‘buzzy showy creature’ in<br />
Ekanpou Enewaridideke’s articles ‘Jesus<br />
and the Criminals’ (28 October 2015,<br />
vanguard), ‘Sunset and a coronation’ (2<br />
February 2016, vanguard), h<strong>as</strong><br />
deliriously gone to town with the claim<br />
that Tompolo is behind the bombing in<br />
the Niger Delta. This is a fictitious claim<br />
meant to smear Tompolo’s name and<br />
instigate Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment of Buhari<br />
against him. Johnny would be only<br />
happy when Tompolo is maligned and<br />
hunted down through lies and<br />
systematic propaganda.<br />
The stands and comments of Johnny<br />
on Tompolo are always predictable, <strong>as</strong><br />
they always border on the negative side.<br />
His delirious outburst on Tompolo no<br />
longer disorientates me but I am only<br />
alarmed that his mouth still leaks when<br />
there are signs towards the curtailment<br />
of the menace in the Niger Delta<br />
through dialogue. This is the time for<br />
any patriot to key into this crisisresolution<br />
mechanism gradually<br />
emerging.<br />
My greatest fear is that, having falsely<br />
accused Tompolo of bombing and of plans<br />
to bomb oil and g<strong>as</strong> installations, Johnny<br />
is likely to set in motion the mechanism<br />
for bombing of installations and come<br />
out to tell the world that his words have<br />
come to p<strong>as</strong>s. This falsehood may become<br />
his platform to actualise his evil<br />
schemes against Tompolo whose desire<br />
revolves around Legal Means to fight his<br />
Send Opinions & Letters to:<br />
opinions1234@yahoo.com<br />
and that Nigerians must decide<br />
what positive values they want<br />
to project. Professor Warisu<br />
Oyesina Alli argued that the<br />
resurgence of violence is the<br />
result of unmet social<br />
expectations. He said in the<br />
p<strong>as</strong>t, this could result in<br />
revolution, but that now, it is<br />
disorganised violence.<br />
Amb<strong>as</strong>sador Gregory Okon<br />
argued that the balance of<br />
power between the state and<br />
non-state actors which used to<br />
be in favour of the former, is<br />
now tilting towards the latter.<br />
He advocated military training<br />
for the National Youth Service<br />
Corps members so they can<br />
provide some security where<br />
they are posted.<br />
Emeritus Professor, Anthony<br />
Ashiwaju wondered “How do<br />
we talk about weaning Africa<br />
of violence when we have not<br />
weaned ourselves?” The<br />
country he said must address<br />
the issues of m<strong>as</strong>s<br />
unemployment and illiteracy<br />
<strong>as</strong> part of the process.<br />
Major General L.P. Ngubane<br />
(Rtd) regretted that <strong>elect</strong>ions<br />
in Africa are more of a s<strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
process. He said American<br />
President Barack Obama’s<br />
admonition that “Africa doesn't<br />
need strongmen, it needs strong<br />
institutions” rings true.<br />
Professor Nuhu Nuhu Yaqub,<br />
the Chair of the Society for<br />
international Relations<br />
Awareness, SIRA, organisers of<br />
the event, said it h<strong>as</strong> become<br />
the organisation’s tradition to<br />
make available to the general<br />
public, current issues in the<br />
Nigerian Foreign Policy. He<br />
said attention should not only<br />
be on the commercialisation of<br />
violence, but more on the cost<br />
to the people who are the<br />
victims.<br />
Mr. Ulrich Thum, Resident<br />
Representative of the Friedrich<br />
Ebert Stiftung,FES, which<br />
facilitated the event, said<br />
Nigeria is facing security<br />
challenges from within and<br />
outside its borders and that<br />
protagonists like SIRA are<br />
required to contribute to its<br />
resolution.<br />
way through, not VIOLENCE. Already,<br />
a suspect in the custody of Security<br />
Agencies had made confessional<br />
statement of Johnny’s involvement in<br />
the bombings in the Niger Delta<br />
. In whose doorstep does the issue of<br />
bombing now lie? Michael Johnny or<br />
Tompolo?<br />
With the recent outbursts of the<br />
‘distortion-czar’, I hereby suggest two<br />
things: first and foremost,<br />
psychopathologists, psychiatrists and<br />
psychologists should penetrate Johnny’s<br />
mind and evaluate the functionality of<br />
his mentality through special diagnosis.<br />
Any result from this psychopathological<br />
penetration can help us know the<br />
re<strong>as</strong>ons for his delirious outbursts. These<br />
outbursts from a man who w<strong>as</strong><br />
Tompolo’s boy are questionable.<br />
On the psychopathological and<br />
psychological findings of specialists<br />
about Michael Johnny, the society<br />
knows where to place his outbursts .<br />
However the findings of the specialists<br />
about Johnny, the public should discard<br />
<strong>as</strong> falsehood his delirious outburst that<br />
Tompolo is behind the bombings and that<br />
there is a plan by him to resume<br />
bombing over his travails. By and large,<br />
it is Michael Johnny’s plot to destroy oil<br />
installations and attribute it to Tompolo<br />
so <strong>as</strong> to invoke federal might upon him.<br />
The moment he successfully does this,<br />
these wailings of a m<strong>as</strong>ter planner would<br />
have ended. Who h<strong>as</strong> not heard Johnny<br />
say he will not stop wailing until<br />
Tompolo goes to jail <strong>as</strong> that would mark<br />
the end of his wailing <strong>as</strong> a m<strong>as</strong>ter<br />
planner?<br />
•Mr.Bebenimibo, a public affairs analyst,<br />
wrote from Warri, Delta State.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y
34—Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
THE Gestapo-like raids of the judges<br />
by operatives of the State Security<br />
Services,SSS, coming at the time a<br />
change of baton w<strong>as</strong> about to take place<br />
in the Judiciary, <strong>as</strong> objectionable <strong>as</strong> it<br />
w<strong>as</strong>, must have had its positive side,<br />
after all. It woke everyone up, especially<br />
the leadership of the Judiciary. Even<br />
death does have its, perhaps unintended,<br />
positive effects. If all the people born since<br />
the creation of the world were to have<br />
lived, there would be no space for anyone<br />
to stand, let alone move around. Life<br />
would be meaningless. Despite that,<br />
people will still cry when death, which<br />
h<strong>as</strong> no respect for “due process”, comes.<br />
Towards the tail end of former CJN,<br />
Mahmud Mohammed, the Judiciary<br />
had lost much of its self-correctional<br />
reflexes, which made it possible for<br />
traducers of that arm of government to<br />
mount a frontal attack on it. As<br />
Mohammed w<strong>as</strong> retiring, the next in<br />
line according to the seniority rule<br />
which had been followed for over forty<br />
years, w<strong>as</strong> Justice Walter Nkanu<br />
Onnoghen, the first Southerner to<br />
‘“smell” the post since Justice Ayo Irikefe<br />
gave way for the first CJN of Northern<br />
extraction, Justice Mohammed Bello in<br />
1987.<br />
Rather than send Onnoghen’s name to<br />
the Senate for confirmation, President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari courted<br />
controversy by swearing him in <strong>as</strong><br />
Acting CJN, which means he is not sure<br />
he would be allowed to stay out his<br />
tenure till retirement at seventy. Faced<br />
with such uncertainty, many lessendowed<br />
mortals would be predisposed<br />
to so many frailties.<br />
They could choose to “make hay while<br />
the sun shines” by being corrupt. Since<br />
many corrupt individuals who have<br />
thrown their lot with the ruling All<br />
Progressives Congress,APC, Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment have tended to be shielded<br />
from the ongoing anti-corruption “war”,<br />
a CJN who chooses to be corrupt can<br />
thrive if he becomes a tool in the hands<br />
of the ruling party, its agents and the<br />
government in power. That is probably<br />
why a particular notorious Abuja High<br />
Court judge who h<strong>as</strong> outrageously and<br />
relentlessly shambled the law with<br />
impunity in favour of those seeking to<br />
destroy the Peoples Democratic Party, <strong>PDP</strong>,<br />
remains on seat, unaffected by the SSS<br />
“sting operations”.<br />
The fear then w<strong>as</strong> that this relatively<br />
quiet Onnoghen might become a tool in<br />
the hands of the regime, much like the<br />
Independent National Electoral<br />
Commission,<strong>INEC</strong>, under Professor<br />
Mahmood Yakubu, which appears to<br />
have thrown away the independence<br />
which his predecessor, Professor<br />
Attahiru Jega, cultivated under the<br />
CJN Onnoghen’s promising debut<br />
regime of former President Goodluck<br />
Jonathan.<br />
All eyes were on Acting CJN<br />
Onnoghen <strong>as</strong> he embraced his first t<strong>as</strong>ks:<br />
determining (a) the appeals over the<br />
leadership tussles between the two<br />
factions of the Peoples Democratic Party,<br />
<strong>PDP</strong>, and (b) the authentic governorship<br />
candidate of the party in the Ondo State<br />
governorship poll, which the <strong>INEC</strong><br />
insisted must hold over the p<strong>as</strong>t<br />
weekend. Onnoghen did not p<strong>as</strong>s the<br />
buck to someone else to do the “dirty<br />
work”; he took it on personally!<br />
The Supreme Court authorised the<br />
Court of Appeal to rele<strong>as</strong>e its judgement<br />
on which faction of the party in Ondo<br />
OPINION<br />
Attack on Aladja, attack on Urhobo nation?<br />
By Ekanpou Enewaridideke<br />
ARE we in the weird se<strong>as</strong>on when only weird<br />
things happen? Do weird things deserve solution?<br />
Are we in the se<strong>as</strong>on when conflagration is quenched<br />
by conflagration? Is there any logicality in the<br />
illogicality that only fire can put out fire, not water<br />
from firefighters? Then why have Chief Engineer Joe<br />
Orode Omene, the president-General of Urhobo Progress<br />
Union, Sunday Subi the president of UPU Youth Wing,<br />
Udu kingdom chapter, and Chief Boro Opudu the<br />
Chairman of Delta Waterways and Land Security<br />
Committee adopted weird strategies in the recent<br />
outbreak of communal war between Isaba Community<br />
in Warri South-West Council and Aladja Community<br />
in Udu Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area of Delta State?<br />
It is destabilising, weird and provoking that a<br />
communal cl<strong>as</strong>h recently broke out between Isaba (an<br />
Ijaw Community) and Aladja (an Urhobo Community).<br />
Nothing could be more barbaric and chilling than a<br />
communal armed struggle between persons who share<br />
ties of consanguinity in many ways. Consequent upon<br />
the sudden communal war between the two<br />
communities, Chief Boro Opudu called a peace meeting<br />
between the communities on 22 November 2016 in<br />
Warri. The meeting which w<strong>as</strong> attended by<br />
representatives from both communities ended with a<br />
peace accord; this w<strong>as</strong> a sign that both communities<br />
saw the need to ce<strong>as</strong>e hostilities and continue to live<br />
together <strong>as</strong> usual prior to the sudden outbreak of war.<br />
Chief Boro Opudu’s prompt intervention h<strong>as</strong><br />
I also hope by this<br />
exemplary proactive<br />
action taken by<br />
Justice Onnoghen,<br />
judicial officers will<br />
no longer be pushed<br />
around by<br />
politicians,<br />
government and its<br />
agents or any other<br />
persons in society<br />
without the wrath of<br />
the Third Am of<br />
government<br />
descending heavily<br />
on them<br />
State had the right to produce its authentic<br />
governorship candidate. The pro-Makarfi<br />
group, led by Clement Faboyede, had<br />
produced Mr. Eyitayo Jegede <strong>as</strong> its<br />
candidate in a primary duly observed and<br />
certified by the <strong>INEC</strong> <strong>as</strong> the law requires.<br />
But the pro-Sheriff faction, which<br />
produced a member of the Accord Party,<br />
Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim (who is seen,<br />
rightly or wrongly, by some to be working<br />
for the interests of the APC) succeeded,<br />
through the Justice Okon Abang Federal<br />
High in Abuja, to get the <strong>INEC</strong> to replace<br />
Jegede’s name with Jimoh Ibrahim’s <strong>as</strong><br />
the candidate of the <strong>PDP</strong>.<br />
This w<strong>as</strong> not just another routine<br />
factional fight for the control of a<br />
political party. Rather, it w<strong>as</strong> a fight<br />
between a faction that wanted to retain<br />
control of the <strong>PDP</strong> and another which<br />
appeared more interested in destroying<br />
the party to give way for a rival party<br />
to take over Ondo State. The latter (the<br />
Sheriff/Poroye/Ibrahim faction) used<br />
every dirty trick in the book to smear<br />
anyone standing on its way just to<br />
achieve its horrible objective.<br />
They took their c<strong>as</strong>e to a controversial<br />
Abuja High Court judge, Okon Abang.<br />
The Court of Appeal, in its Wednesday,<br />
23 rd October ruling, essentially said<br />
what took place in Okon Abang’s court<br />
w<strong>as</strong> a cheap fraud. Abang had cleared<br />
Jimoh Ibrahim and forced the <strong>INEC</strong> to<br />
put him on the ballot <strong>as</strong> the governorship<br />
candidate of the <strong>PDP</strong> in Ondo State.<br />
Jimoh Ibrahim accused the acting<br />
Director of Legal Services of the <strong>INEC</strong>,<br />
Mrs. Toyin Babalola, of demanding one<br />
million US Dollars bribe from him before<br />
implementing Abang’s order, a charge<br />
the Commission stridently denied. Still,<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> granted Ibrahim’s demand despite<br />
another High Court order in Akure<br />
issued the same <strong>as</strong> Abang’s, that Jegede<br />
must be maintained <strong>as</strong> the <strong>PDP</strong><br />
candidate.<br />
At the Court of Appeal, Jimoh Ibrahim<br />
relatively doused the tension between the two sister<br />
communities. As commendable <strong>as</strong> Chief Opudu’s<br />
intervention is, it would have been more commendable<br />
if he were psychic <strong>as</strong> it would have enabled him to<br />
walk on the preventive path of communal war, rather<br />
than the curative path which the exigencies of the<br />
situation demanded.<br />
Soon after the<br />
outbreak of the<br />
communal cl<strong>as</strong>h<br />
between Isaba and<br />
Aladja, Chief Omene<br />
w<strong>as</strong> categorical in his<br />
outburst that a<br />
Chief Omene<br />
should see Isaba<br />
and Aladja <strong>as</strong><br />
engines knocked<br />
down which<br />
demand<br />
immediate<br />
functional<br />
coupling through<br />
his age-long<br />
professionalism<br />
communal war<br />
against Aladja w<strong>as</strong><br />
tantamount to<br />
declaration of war<br />
against Urhobo<br />
nation. This warinfused<br />
categorical<br />
statement which<br />
featured in the Urhobo<br />
Voice newspaper of 26<br />
November 2016 edition at page 3 w<strong>as</strong> soon followed by<br />
a 14-day ultimatum given to the Ijaws resident in Udu<br />
Local <strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area to leave the territory. The 14-<br />
day ultimatum given on the 17 th of November 2016 at<br />
Otor-Udu in a press conference w<strong>as</strong> issued by Mr.<br />
Sunday Subi of UPU Youth Wing, Udu chapter. Chief<br />
Omene verbally beat the ethnic drum of war while<br />
and Poroye continued their onslaught of<br />
blackmail against public officials by<br />
accusing the three-man panel appointed<br />
by the President of the Court, Justice<br />
Zainab Bulkachuwa of being greedy and<br />
compromised. In particular, they<br />
accused the Chairman of the panel,<br />
Justice Jumai Sankey, of being “so ill<br />
and poor” that she w<strong>as</strong> susceptible to<br />
bribery and inducement! The panel<br />
promptly resigned from the c<strong>as</strong>e, and<br />
the Court had to reconstitute another<br />
one, this time, led by Justice Ibrahim<br />
Saulawa.<br />
Again, Poroye, some of his factional<br />
officials, aided by their lawyer, Beluolisa<br />
Nwofor (SAN), engaged in cheap and<br />
brazen abuse of court processes, all<br />
aimed at ensuring that Jegede never got<br />
justice. Even when the Court of Appeal<br />
panel led by Justice Saulawa ruled that<br />
Jegede w<strong>as</strong> the rightful <strong>PDP</strong> candidate,<br />
Jimoh Ibrahim described it <strong>as</strong> a “one<br />
day ruling which w<strong>as</strong> paid for from the<br />
state tre<strong>as</strong>ury”.<br />
Onnoghen’s verdict of Tuesday, 22 nd<br />
of November 2016 w<strong>as</strong> clearly meant<br />
to serve two purposes: (a) ensure justice<br />
w<strong>as</strong> given to whom it w<strong>as</strong> due and in<br />
time for it to count, and (b) protect<br />
judicial officers unfairly abused by<br />
adventurous, self-seeking politicians.<br />
Apart from clearing the way for the<br />
Justice Saulawa panel to decide who w<strong>as</strong><br />
the genuine <strong>PDP</strong> flag-bearer, he slapped<br />
m<strong>as</strong>sively punitive costs on the person<br />
of Barrister Nwofor (SAN), forcing him<br />
to pay over N10 million for filing c<strong>as</strong>es<br />
that constituted abuse of court processes.<br />
I want to believe that Justice<br />
Onnoghen is sounding a note of warning<br />
to all politicians (including those in<br />
power today and their opposition<br />
elements) that the Judiciary under him<br />
will no longer condone the perversion of<br />
justice. Justice according to the rule of<br />
our laws is all that the people want from<br />
the Judiciary.<br />
I also hope by this exemplary proactive<br />
action taken by Justice Onnoghen,<br />
judicial officers will no longer be pushed<br />
around by politicians, government and<br />
its agents or any other persons in society<br />
without the wrath of the Third Arm of<br />
government descending heavily on<br />
them.<br />
If this is Onnoghen’s mission <strong>as</strong> our<br />
new CJN, then ahoy! The Judiciary is,<br />
indeed, the l<strong>as</strong>t man in the defence of<br />
the ordinary citizen. With the <strong>INEC</strong><br />
already seemingly compromised by the<br />
government of the day, the Judiciary is<br />
the only remaining hope. If it also<br />
knuckles under Executive intimidation<br />
or the lure of corruption, then, it is “To<br />
thy tents O Israel” for our democracy.<br />
Sunday gave it a practical extension by giving 14-day<br />
ultimatum to Ijaws. By what arcane logic does he come<br />
to the simplistic conclusion that an attack on Aladja is<br />
an attack on Urhobo nation? How would Chief Omene<br />
have explained the destruction of farmlands by herdsmen<br />
during grazing in the North if he were from the North?<br />
Would he have declared war against the Fulanis <strong>as</strong> a<br />
nation whose herdsmen routinely destroy farmlands<br />
while grazing?<br />
It sounds weird by every standard that a common<br />
soluble communal cl<strong>as</strong>h between two communities is<br />
enlarged, magnified, transformed and coloured <strong>as</strong> a<br />
war between Ijaw and Urhobo through individually<br />
hyperbolised metaphors of instigation. And now ethnic<br />
drums of war are being systematically beaten by the<br />
ignorant who have been wrongly fed with<br />
misinformation. Is this weird outbreak of communal<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>h a product of our dwindling economy?<br />
UPU h<strong>as</strong> a solid reputation built over the years from<br />
prompt and creative response to issues relevant to the<br />
progress of Urhobo nationality. UPU is never known<br />
for beating of ethnic drums of war over a communal<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>h. Engineering <strong>as</strong> a profession repairs, re-orders<br />
and restores a badly damaged engine and perfects it’s<br />
holistic functionality. The pride of an engineer lies in<br />
the proper functioning of an engine, not when the<br />
engine is knocked down. Chief Omene should see Isaba<br />
and Aladja <strong>as</strong> engines knocked down which demand<br />
immediate functional coupling through his age-long<br />
professionalism gathered from the University.<br />
Continues tomorrow on pg. 18<br />
*Mr.Enewaridideke,a public affairs<br />
commentator, wrote fromAkparemogbene,Delta<br />
State.<br />
C<br />
M<br />
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Nigeria and Australia have<br />
many things in common<br />
Paul Lehmann, High Commissioner,<br />
Australian High Commission<br />
Australia and Nigeria have enjoyed beneficial diplomatic<br />
ties since relations were established in 1960. Both<br />
countries have worked jointly in the Commonwealth and<br />
the United Nations to actively encourage peace, prosperity and<br />
democracy on the United Nations Security Council. Australia<br />
and Nigeria are also partners on counter terrorism and<br />
combatting violent extremism. In November 2015, Paul Lehmann<br />
w<strong>as</strong> named Australian High Commissioner to Nigeria with a<br />
non-resident accreditation to Benin, Cameroon, Gabon, Niger<br />
and The Gambia. Prior to that, he had been a senior career officer<br />
with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade,<br />
Assistant Secretary of the Consular Operations Branch<br />
and Minister Counsellor (Development) at the<br />
Australian Emb<strong>as</strong>sy in Kabul.In this interview, he shares<br />
his thoughts on the current state of the bilateral<br />
relationship.<br />
What do Nigeria and<br />
Australia have in common?<br />
We have many things in<br />
common. We can start with<br />
something b<strong>as</strong>ic like a shared<br />
language; which is English.<br />
We also have shared<br />
institutions which derive in<br />
large part from our shared<br />
colonial heritage and<br />
<strong>as</strong>pirations for our people<br />
when it comes to peace and<br />
prosperity. Nigerians and<br />
Australians love to travel<br />
overse<strong>as</strong> and if you go to many<br />
places overse<strong>as</strong> the two types<br />
of foreigners you’ll likely find<br />
are Australians and<br />
Nigerians. Australians are<br />
famous for spending time in<br />
the U.K <strong>as</strong> they grow up and<br />
Nigerians like to do the same<br />
thing. More importantly, we<br />
share that spirit of wanting to<br />
get out and explore.<br />
What is the level of trade<br />
between the two countries?<br />
It fluctuates from year to<br />
year. Historically, Nigeria h<strong>as</strong><br />
always been one of our largest<br />
trading partners on the<br />
continent. And the trade<br />
balance h<strong>as</strong> been in Nigeria’s<br />
favor, by a long way, with oil<br />
imports from Nigeria and the<br />
rest of the Gulf of Guinea. So<br />
far, our major export to<br />
Nigeria at the moment is<br />
wheat. In the l<strong>as</strong>t year or so,<br />
we haven’t imported any<br />
crude oil from Nigeria; but<br />
Nigeria h<strong>as</strong> imported a little<br />
bit more from us.<br />
What is the level of interest<br />
Australian companies have<br />
in Nigeria?<br />
I think Australian investors<br />
are very used to looking far<br />
and wide for opportunities.<br />
What we are starting to see<br />
now is an interest from<br />
Australian mining companies<br />
looking at how they can work<br />
with Nigerian operators to<br />
bring value. If I were to pick<br />
one particular sector that h<strong>as</strong><br />
potential, it would be solid<br />
minerals and extraction where<br />
both countries could do much<br />
more work. As you might<br />
know, Australia h<strong>as</strong> a strong<br />
tradition in the development<br />
of solid minerals and our<br />
expertise and experience<br />
could be used here in Nigeria.<br />
And even in my short time<br />
here, I’ve seen quite a degree<br />
of progress in that area with a<br />
number of active Australian<br />
firms in that space and across<br />
the West African region.<br />
There’s what is known <strong>as</strong><br />
the Australia–Nigeria Trade<br />
Investment Council? What<br />
happened to it?<br />
That w<strong>as</strong> announced a few<br />
years ago and we are looking<br />
at ways in which we can really<br />
reinvigorate that body. And it<br />
may require us to look at how<br />
we can position that for the<br />
future given some of the<br />
strategic changes that I’ve<br />
identified particularly with the<br />
emergence of potential<br />
investment in the mineral<br />
sector. We are also looking at<br />
what might be the most<br />
appropriate vehicle for that<br />
sort of dialogue but I’m<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>ed to say that our<br />
dialogue and interaction<br />
remain strong even outside of<br />
the framework.<br />
With the current level of the<br />
economic relations between<br />
both countries, what more<br />
can be done for further<br />
development of the<br />
cooperation?<br />
I’d like to see more<br />
interaction and exchange that<br />
would help Nigeria develop its<br />
own agricultural production of<br />
commodities such <strong>as</strong> wheat.<br />
So, it’s not just all about the<br />
export of commodities such <strong>as</strong><br />
wheat, but it’s also about<br />
where we can look for<br />
opportunities to share and<br />
exchange knowledge and<br />
expertise to broaden out and<br />
deepen our trade investments<br />
and links. Already, both<br />
countries are commodities<br />
exporters so that’s always<br />
Australia and<br />
Nigeria have<br />
shared institutions<br />
which derive in<br />
large part from<br />
our shared<br />
colonial heritage<br />
and <strong>as</strong>pirations<br />
going to be important but<br />
there’s an enormous talent<br />
and energy here and Australia<br />
does have a lot to offer in<br />
terms of expertise and<br />
knowledge.<br />
In terms of education, how<br />
strong is the partnership<br />
between both countries?<br />
There’s a great deal of<br />
cooperation which is<br />
happening now through the<br />
growth of the number of<br />
Nigerian students who are<br />
studying in Australian<br />
universities. Over the l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
three or four years, there’s<br />
been a quadrupling of that so<br />
we are now looking at 2,000<br />
Nigerian students who are<br />
studying in Australia. That<br />
number is growing every year.<br />
However, Australia w<strong>as</strong>n’t<br />
such a big market for<br />
Nigerian students but over<br />
the l<strong>as</strong>t few decades, Australia<br />
h<strong>as</strong> emerged <strong>as</strong> the country<br />
with the third highest number<br />
of international students of<br />
any country in the world<br />
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—35<br />
afield and with growing<br />
middle cl<strong>as</strong>ses across the<br />
African region, because that’s<br />
where we think there’s<br />
potential for growth in the<br />
future. Our tourism sector is<br />
one of our largest industries<br />
which have been growing very<br />
quickly for many years now<br />
but we would like to see that<br />
growth sustained by<br />
welcoming people from nontraditional<br />
markets, if I could<br />
put it that way.<br />
What future plans does the<br />
Australian government have<br />
to incre<strong>as</strong>e the number of<br />
Nigerian tourists visiting<br />
Australia?<br />
The marketing of Australia<br />
is very broad and is often<br />
web-b<strong>as</strong>ed. Incre<strong>as</strong>ingly<br />
using those sorts of channels<br />
around social media, limits<br />
budgets so you don’t get<br />
to see large scale<br />
promotional<br />
campaigns here<br />
because they are often<br />
targeted at the markets<br />
that are closer to home.<br />
For example in China<br />
and parts of Asia where<br />
the bulk of tourist<br />
growth is coming. But<br />
because we welcome the third<br />
obviously, part of my job <strong>as</strong><br />
largest group of international<br />
amb<strong>as</strong>sador is to sell Australia<br />
students making us a<br />
<strong>as</strong> a destination whether itbe<br />
dominant player in that<br />
for tourism, business,<br />
particular market. We’re<br />
education, cultural exchange<br />
looking to grow that and<br />
or people to people links. It’s<br />
encourage more Nigerians<br />
all about relationships and<br />
students to experience the<br />
deepening the connections<br />
high quality of education that<br />
that we have between<br />
they can acquire in Australia.<br />
Australia and the world.<br />
There are many links<br />
What is Nigeria looking<br />
obviously, between<br />
like in your view in recent<br />
educational institutions in<br />
times? What h<strong>as</strong> taken a<br />
Australia and Nigeria. We also<br />
favorable turn?<br />
have an annual scholarships<br />
Most noticeably for me is<br />
program- Australia Awardsthrough<br />
which we provide<br />
the incredible wealth this<br />
country possesses in its<br />
bursaries for Nigerian<br />
human capital. The talent and<br />
students who are looking to<br />
energy of Nigerians is really<br />
undergo m<strong>as</strong>ters’ courses in<br />
something you have to<br />
particular priority are<strong>as</strong> that<br />
experience first-hand to really<br />
would give them the skills to<br />
appreciate and I’ve being<br />
then come back to Nigeria<br />
fortunate to do that since been<br />
and contribute to<br />
here. Also, I think that<br />
developments here.<br />
whatever difficulties the<br />
In the area of security, what<br />
country encounters whether<br />
is the extent of cooperation?<br />
they are on the security front<br />
Australia is very much<br />
or having to do with the<br />
committed to cooperating<br />
economic situation, there’s<br />
with partners like Nigeria to<br />
always a great spirit of hope<br />
eliminate the scourge of violent<br />
and resilience and energy in<br />
insurgencies across the globe.<br />
this country which h<strong>as</strong><br />
By many me<strong>as</strong>ures, Australia<br />
sustained it through difficult<br />
is the largest NATO contributor<br />
times in the p<strong>as</strong>t and I’m sure<br />
to military efforts to curb<br />
it’ll continue to be so in the<br />
insurgency in Syria and Iraq.<br />
future.<br />
And we are doing that because<br />
And what h<strong>as</strong> taken a turn<br />
we want to eliminate that<br />
for the worse in your view?<br />
scourge there but also to any<br />
Well, I think it’s pretty hard<br />
further spread in other parts of<br />
to ignore that the country is<br />
the world. So we stand very<br />
in recession. And it’s a<br />
much with Nigeria and other<br />
pressing issue for the<br />
partner countries in efforts to<br />
government, people, and<br />
eliminate insurgencies because<br />
business to get the economy<br />
it’s a multi -national<br />
back on its feet. I think now<br />
international problem that<br />
that there’s been some<br />
needs a multi-national<br />
advances with the security in<br />
international response.<br />
North-E<strong>as</strong>t , although there are<br />
With the surge of Nigerian<br />
plenty of security challenges in<br />
tourists that is growing<br />
the Niger-Delta , what the<br />
higher every year, what h<strong>as</strong><br />
government is doing to correct<br />
Tourism Australia done<br />
that economic trajectory is<br />
about this to further promote<br />
certainly timely and would be<br />
this lovely country?<br />
beneficial once that situation<br />
Tourism Australia is very<br />
turns around. Australia is<br />
active in looking at expanding<br />
looking to continue on its path<br />
our in-bound markets .But<br />
in developing our<br />
there’s also a growing<br />
relationships across the<br />
appreciation of looking further<br />
continent.<br />
•Paul Lehmann, High Commissioner,<br />
Australian High Commission<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
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36 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 37
38 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—39<br />
:Vanguard :@vanguardnews :@van<br />
Tribute to an<br />
unforgettable<br />
revolutionary icon<br />
EKPO<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Miss<br />
Imaobong Ekpo Okon,<br />
now wish to be known<br />
and addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs.<br />
Imaobong Emmanuel<br />
Okon John Otoyo. All<br />
former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
Public ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
ONWUJIOBI<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Miss<br />
Onwujiobi Chinonye<br />
Emmanuela, now wish<br />
to be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs.<br />
Ufoegbunam<br />
Chinonye Emmanuela.<br />
All former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
Public ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
NWABUOKU<br />
I, formerly known,<br />
called and addressed<br />
<strong>as</strong> Miss Nwabuoku<br />
Ngozi Rosemary, now<br />
wish to be known,<br />
called and addressed<br />
<strong>as</strong> Mrs. Ossai Ngozi<br />
Rosemary. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. The general<br />
public and to whom it<br />
may concern to ple<strong>as</strong>e<br />
take note.<br />
AMAECHI<br />
I, formerly known <strong>as</strong><br />
Eberechukwu<br />
Constance Amaechi,<br />
now wish to be known<br />
and addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Eberechukwu<br />
Constance Nwaogbo.<br />
All former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
public take note.<br />
SAMSON<br />
Confirmation of Names<br />
This is to confirm that the<br />
name Onyejindu<br />
Ezinwanne Samson and<br />
Ozurumba Ezinwanne<br />
Samson refer to one and<br />
the same person, but now<br />
wish to be known <strong>as</strong><br />
Onyejindu Ezinwanne<br />
Samson. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
The general public should<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
OMONIGHO<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Miss Joy<br />
O m o n i g h o<br />
Onogbichere, now<br />
wish to be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs. Joy<br />
Omonigho Okam. All<br />
former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
Public ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
RAHEEM<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Obinnaya Taofeek<br />
Raheem, now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Nwevo<br />
Obinnaya. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General Public<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
K<strong>AD</strong>IRI<br />
I, formerly known <strong>as</strong><br />
Miss Kadiri Blessing<br />
Omoakinswah and<br />
Mrs Augustine<br />
Blessing now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs<br />
Ederefo Blessing. All<br />
former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
public take note.<br />
OGWARA<br />
I, formerly known <strong>as</strong><br />
Miss Emmanuella<br />
Ogwara, now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs<br />
Akemu Emmanuella<br />
Ogwara. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
OTOMEW<br />
OMEWO<br />
I, formerly known <strong>as</strong><br />
Miss Kindness Orume<br />
Otomewo, now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs.<br />
Kindness Orume<br />
Otunyo. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
PHINA<br />
Confirmation of Names<br />
This is to confirm that<br />
the <strong>names</strong> Phina<br />
Joseph and Joseph<br />
Oby Phina refer to one<br />
and the same person,<br />
but now wish to be<br />
known <strong>as</strong> Joseph Oby<br />
Phina. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. The general<br />
public should ple<strong>as</strong>e<br />
take note.<br />
ALAYINDE<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Miss<br />
Alayinde Ronke<br />
Beatrice, now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs.<br />
Atoyebi Ronke<br />
Beatrice. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General public<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
GANRENYEI<br />
I, formerly known<br />
<strong>as</strong> Miss Ganrenyei<br />
Dauebide Agnes, now<br />
wish to be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs<br />
Ologe Agnes<br />
Dauebide. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General public<br />
take note.<br />
EJIROGHENE<br />
I, formerly known<br />
a s Miss Koje-keghe<br />
Joy Ejiroghene, now<br />
wish to be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs<br />
Uwuseba Joy<br />
Ejiroghene. (Nee<br />
Koje-keghe. All<br />
former documents<br />
remain valid.<br />
General public take<br />
note.<br />
OGBIYE<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Ogbiye<br />
Love and Ogbiye<br />
Uyoyou Macaulay,<br />
now wish to be known<br />
and addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Double Love. All<br />
former documents<br />
remain valid. General<br />
public ple<strong>as</strong>e take<br />
note.<br />
THIS SPACE IS<br />
FOR SALE<br />
JOSEPH<br />
Confirmation of Names<br />
This is to confirm that the<br />
name Uzoeghelu Uchenna<br />
Joseph and Uzoeghelu<br />
Uchenna refer to one and<br />
the same person, but now<br />
wish to be known <strong>as</strong><br />
Uzoeghelu Uchenna<br />
Joseph. All former<br />
documents remain valid.<br />
The general public should<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
NWIBO<br />
I, formerly known<br />
and addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Nwibo Fidelis<br />
Ofoke, now wish to<br />
be known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Miracle Peter<br />
Fidelis. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General<br />
public ple<strong>as</strong>e take<br />
note.<br />
OLATUYI<br />
I, formerly known and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Olatuyi<br />
Anuoluwapo Blessing,<br />
now wish to be known<br />
and addressed <strong>as</strong><br />
Awoniyi Anuoluwapo<br />
Blessing. All former<br />
documents remain<br />
valid. General Public<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
DICKSON<br />
Confirmation of Name<br />
This to confirm that<br />
Temisan Dickson and<br />
Falodun Tunde Dickson<br />
is one and same person<br />
<strong>as</strong> appear in my document<br />
that i now wish to be<br />
called Falodun Tunde<br />
Dickson <strong>as</strong> stated in the<br />
Affidavit. Zenith Bank ,<br />
Union Bank and General<br />
Public ple<strong>as</strong>e note.<br />
ARAWORE<br />
I, formerly known<br />
called and addressed<br />
<strong>as</strong> Miss Arawore<br />
Esther, now wish to be<br />
known called and<br />
addressed <strong>as</strong> Mrs<br />
Otoku Esther. All<br />
documents bearing my<br />
former name remain<br />
valid.General public<br />
ple<strong>as</strong>e take note.<br />
By Rauf Aregbesola<br />
“Died in beauty, like a<br />
rose blown from its parent<br />
stem” –Charles Doyne Sillery<br />
AT l<strong>as</strong>t the curtain fell on<br />
the exemplary life of the<br />
Commandante of The Army<br />
of the oppressed and disinherited<br />
people worldwide.<br />
Fidel Alejandro C<strong>as</strong>tro<br />
Ruz h<strong>as</strong> p<strong>as</strong>sed on after 90<br />
eventful years, 49 of which he<br />
held sway <strong>as</strong> the Prime<br />
Minister and later President<br />
of Cuba. Indeed, C<strong>as</strong>tro h<strong>as</strong><br />
become a permanent feature<br />
of political and ideological<br />
discourse for more than five<br />
decades, such that we almost<br />
thought he would live forever.<br />
The feeling is mixed. Yes<br />
mixed! To lose such an<br />
inspiring and profound<br />
personality is eternally painful<br />
but for such a legend<br />
to depart at the ripe old age<br />
of 90, deserves a huge<br />
celebration in a world where<br />
the average life span hardly<br />
surp<strong>as</strong>ses 50 years, and not<br />
more than 70 years for men<br />
in the most advanced nations<br />
on our planet.<br />
He holds the<br />
unenviable record<br />
of the man who<br />
h<strong>as</strong> had the most<br />
<strong>as</strong>s<strong>as</strong>sination<br />
attempts on his<br />
life, with none<br />
succeeding<br />
On behalf of the<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment and people of<br />
The State of Osun, and in<br />
recognition of the historical<br />
and cultural bond between the<br />
Cubans and Yoruba in the<br />
State of Osun in Nigeria and<br />
worldwide, we salute the<br />
courage, determination,<br />
vision, resilience and<br />
revolutionary zeal of Fidel<br />
and his companions, the<br />
indomitable spirit of Cubans,<br />
and Solidarity of all people<br />
of the world, committed to<br />
human dignity, freedom and<br />
happiness.<br />
Gargantuan spirit<br />
of internationalism<br />
From the July 26 movement<br />
of 1953, the Granma<br />
Expedition of November<br />
25,1956, the ultimate victory<br />
of the revolution on January<br />
1, 1959 and to his final<br />
departure from our realm<br />
yesterday night at about 10<br />
pm, November 25, 2016, we<br />
are sure that our<br />
Commandante had lived a<br />
fulfilled life that history will<br />
never forget.<br />
Millions of people –<br />
students, academics, poets,<br />
politicians, trade unionists,<br />
artisans, revolutionary<br />
cadres and humanists –<br />
including my humble self,<br />
drew inspiration from him, his<br />
rhetorics, writings,<br />
reflections,dedication,<br />
integrity and commitment to<br />
building socialism.There is no<br />
doubt that the world is a better<br />
place because of him,<br />
consequently a gem h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
lost indeed.<br />
A gem lost<br />
He w<strong>as</strong> a symbol of<br />
resistance to injustice and<br />
oppression <strong>as</strong> all the oppressed<br />
people of the world drew<br />
inspiration from him. He<br />
holds the unenviable record<br />
of the man who h<strong>as</strong> had the<br />
most <strong>as</strong>s<strong>as</strong>sination<br />
attempts on his life, with none<br />
succeeding. He stood for what<br />
he believed in and not once<br />
did he flinch in the face of the<br />
most formidable military<br />
encirclement and daunting<br />
economic and financial<br />
strangulation. Ironically, the<br />
man that the greatest powers<br />
on earth could not break,<br />
finally succumbed to illness<br />
and ultimately the cold hands<br />
of death, in the way of all<br />
mortals.<br />
As Africans we remember<br />
the solidarity, partnerships,<br />
high level of discipline and<br />
sense of duty of the Cubans to<br />
the liberation struggles,<br />
health care delivery,<br />
education, sports and youth<br />
development and political<br />
consciousness in Africa under<br />
the leadership and direction<br />
of Fidel and his<br />
administration.<br />
Nevertheless, even in<br />
death, C<strong>as</strong>tro h<strong>as</strong> joined the<br />
pantheons of immortals<br />
whose ide<strong>as</strong> and praxis<br />
dominated and influenced<br />
their world and will therefore<br />
live forever in the hearts of<br />
people, in literature and<br />
politics and in the physical<br />
monuments that will be<br />
named after him all over the<br />
world. Millions will carry on<br />
the struggle, from where he<br />
left it.<br />
Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
rightly described by The<br />
Guardian of London <strong>as</strong> a<br />
‘revolutionary icon’. It is<br />
expected that well deserved<br />
encomiums and heartfelt<br />
tributes will pour in for a life<br />
of struggle, Spartan<br />
discipline, selflessness and<br />
sacrifice that he lived.<br />
As we mourn and celebrate<br />
the p<strong>as</strong>sage of<br />
this international<br />
revolutionary legend, hero of<br />
the oppressed, fighter of<br />
oppression and exploitation,<br />
promoter of social justice,<br />
soldier and Commandante<br />
of ide<strong>as</strong>, we join the people<br />
of Cuba in their national grief<br />
and urge them to renew and<br />
redouble their commitment<br />
and duty to the struggle and<br />
ultimate victory of socialism.<br />
Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro h<strong>as</strong> completed<br />
his earthly <strong>as</strong>signment but the<br />
ide<strong>as</strong> for which he struggled,<br />
defended, sacrificed, lived and<br />
died like his other immortal<br />
colleagues, will live forever.<br />
Long Live Cuba !<br />
Long live the revolution !!<br />
Till Everl<strong>as</strong>ting Victory !!!<br />
Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor, State of Osun.
40 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—41<br />
Continues from page 5<br />
governor for the next<br />
years.<br />
“Today, change h<strong>as</strong><br />
come. I hereby make a<br />
solemn pledge that this<br />
collective mandate shall<br />
address all issues with<br />
keen determination. The<br />
welfare of our people<br />
alone shall be the directive<br />
policy of the government.<br />
“Today’s victory is a<br />
confirmation of the<br />
willingness and readiness<br />
of the people of Ondo<br />
State to change and seek<br />
a better life. I thank you<br />
for your faith and<br />
confidence in me. I thank<br />
all those whose<br />
uncommon sacrifice,<br />
contributed in no small<br />
me<strong>as</strong>ure to the success of<br />
the exercise. A special<br />
show of gratitude must be<br />
extended to our security<br />
agents for their patriotic<br />
duty.<br />
“I shall in few months be<br />
saddled with the t<strong>as</strong>k of<br />
providing responsible<br />
leadership, a leadership<br />
that would take our<br />
people from poverty and<br />
stagnation to productivity<br />
and prosperity, from pains<br />
and lamentation to joy and<br />
laughter. It is the sole<br />
re<strong>as</strong>on you have voted for<br />
me and by the grace of<br />
God, I will not fail you."<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> rigged Ondo<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion in advance<br />
for APC — Fayose<br />
Ekiti State <strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Mr<br />
Ayodele Fayose lamented<br />
the outcome of the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion, saying that<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> connived with the<br />
APC and its collaborators<br />
in the <strong>PDP</strong> to rig the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion before it w<strong>as</strong><br />
conducted.<br />
“Just <strong>as</strong> I would have<br />
loved to congratulate the<br />
winner, Mr Rotimi<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> (SAN),<br />
because in every contest,<br />
there must be a winner<br />
and a loser, the role of<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> in awarding victory<br />
to him in the <strong>elect</strong>ion left<br />
much to be desired,” he<br />
said in a statement issued<br />
by his Special Assistant<br />
on<br />
Public<br />
Communications and<br />
New Media, Lere<br />
Olayina.<br />
According to him, the<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> gave the APC<br />
victory in the <strong>elect</strong>ion by<br />
deliberately replacing the<br />
name of Mr Eyitayo<br />
Jegede, the <strong>PDP</strong><br />
candidate, thereby,<br />
creating legal logjam that<br />
l<strong>as</strong>ted till three days to the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
He said the <strong>PDP</strong> went<br />
to the <strong>elect</strong>ion with its<br />
hands tied to the back<br />
because of the<br />
uncharitable actions of<br />
<strong>INEC</strong>, which h<strong>as</strong> become<br />
an arm of the APC.<br />
He maintained that<br />
apart from the APC,<br />
political parties in Nigeria<br />
are now contesting<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ions against <strong>INEC</strong>.<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor Fayose<br />
lamented that “to sustain<br />
the ‘see and buy’ strategy<br />
and legalise money<br />
politics, the APC-led<br />
federal government<br />
GUINNESS AGM—From left: Company Secretary, Mr. Rotimi Odusola;<br />
Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Peter Ndegwa; Chairman, Mr. Babatunde<br />
Savage; Vice-Chairman, Mr John O'Keffe and Non Executive Director, Mr.<br />
Bismarck Rewane all of Guinness Nigeria Plc at the 66th Annual General<br />
Meeting of the company held at the Flamingo Hall of the Best Western Hotel,<br />
Benin, Edo State l<strong>as</strong>t Wednesday.<br />
<strong>ONDO</strong>: <strong>PDP</strong>, <strong>AD</strong> <strong>kick</strong> <strong>as</strong> <strong>INEC</strong><br />
<strong>names</strong> <strong>Akeredolu</strong> <strong>Gov</strong>-<strong>elect</strong><br />
deliberately created<br />
poverty in the country so<br />
<strong>as</strong> to continue to enslave<br />
the minds of Nigerians<br />
with peanuts to get their<br />
votes on <strong>elect</strong>ion day,<br />
saying; “Dibo ko sebe<br />
(vote and cook soup) w<strong>as</strong><br />
the slang used by the APC<br />
in the Ondo State <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
and that only worked<br />
because the APC federal<br />
government h<strong>as</strong> put<br />
Nigerians in abject<br />
poverty.”<br />
He said: “Even though<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> allowed what<br />
appeared like a free and<br />
fair atmosphere on the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion day, the <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
had been won and lost<br />
before it w<strong>as</strong> held. For<br />
instance, <strong>INEC</strong> that<br />
witnessed the <strong>PDP</strong><br />
primary <strong>elect</strong>ion that<br />
produced Mr Eyitayo<br />
Jegede succumbed to<br />
pressure from the APC<br />
cabal to replace him with<br />
Jimoh Ibrahim, who did<br />
not take part in any<br />
primary <strong>elect</strong>ion known to<br />
the Electoral Act.<br />
“What could anyone<br />
have done under 72 hours<br />
in an <strong>elect</strong>ion that w<strong>as</strong><br />
heavily monetised by the<br />
APC? The whole process<br />
w<strong>as</strong> a deliberate sabotage<br />
by <strong>INEC</strong>, which h<strong>as</strong><br />
totally b<strong>as</strong>tardised the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>oral process.<br />
Obviously, all these<br />
shenanigans are geared<br />
towards turning Nigeria<br />
to a one party state by<br />
weakening all opposition<br />
parties ahead of the 2019<br />
general <strong>elect</strong>ions but I<br />
can <strong>as</strong>sure Nigerians that<br />
this will not l<strong>as</strong>t because<br />
the people will always<br />
defeat tyranny.”<br />
Accept defeat in<br />
good faith, APC<br />
tells other<br />
contestants<br />
Celebrating its victory,<br />
the APC called for calm<br />
and appealed to<br />
opposition parties and<br />
their candidates to accept<br />
their defeat in the Ondo<br />
poll in good faith.<br />
APC National<br />
Chairman, Chief John<br />
Odigie-Oyegun, in a<br />
statement issued by Mr<br />
Edegbe Odemwingie, the<br />
party‘s <strong>as</strong>sistant director<br />
of publicity, congratulated<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> and and his<br />
running mate, Mr<br />
Agboola Ajayi on their<br />
victory.<br />
Thanking Ondo people<br />
for voting <strong>Akeredolu</strong> and<br />
APC, it said: “The Ondo<br />
<strong>elect</strong>orate had voted for<br />
the candidate with a<br />
proven track record of<br />
performance who will<br />
bring about the kind of<br />
focused leadership and<br />
multi-faceted<br />
development the state<br />
deserved,’’ <strong>as</strong>suring that<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> will deliver on<br />
their expectations.<br />
Buhari felicitates<br />
with <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
President Buhari while<br />
congratulating <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
<strong>as</strong>ked him to put behind<br />
the acrimonies that trailed<br />
the campaigns.<br />
A statement issued by<br />
the President’s Special<br />
Adviser on Media and<br />
Publicity, Mr Femi<br />
Adesina, read: “Buhari<br />
rejoices with the good<br />
people of Ondo State who<br />
aligned with his own<br />
belief that <strong>Akeredolu</strong> with<br />
his pedigree possesses<br />
the qualities to transform<br />
the state into the Ondo of<br />
their dreams.<br />
“From the beginning,<br />
this <strong>elect</strong>ion set out to be<br />
a different kind of<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion. The unity and<br />
resilience of the party w<strong>as</strong><br />
tested. I am happy we<br />
came out of this victorious.<br />
This is a huge win. The<br />
mood today is against<br />
corruption, insecurity and<br />
for the restoration of the<br />
economy and the creation<br />
of jobs. This is where the<br />
party stands and I am<br />
happy that the <strong>elect</strong>orate<br />
have read the situation<br />
correctly.”<br />
He called on other<br />
contestants in the <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
to see the triumph of<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> <strong>as</strong> the wish of<br />
God and enjoined them to<br />
work together with him to<br />
make “the state a truly<br />
progressive and<br />
economically prosperous<br />
one for all.”<br />
The President<br />
commended the<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission<br />
(<strong>INEC</strong>), the security<br />
agencies and the voters<br />
for the peaceful and<br />
successful conduct of the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
All disaffected APC<br />
members must<br />
come together<br />
– Tinubu<br />
National leader of the<br />
APC,<br />
while<br />
congratulating <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
on his victory urged all<br />
“disaffected” members of<br />
the party to come<br />
together.’’ His words:<br />
“Following the<br />
announcement by the<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission<br />
(<strong>INEC</strong>) with regard to the<br />
governorship <strong>elect</strong>ions in<br />
Ondo State, I extend<br />
congratulations to Mr.<br />
Oluwarotimi <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
SAN on the outcome of the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion and for his<br />
perseverance and<br />
persistence in seeking that<br />
office,” he said in a<br />
statement he personally<br />
signed.<br />
“I must also congratulate<br />
the people of Ondo State for<br />
their generally exemplary<br />
conduct on <strong>elect</strong>ion day and<br />
for demonstrating their will<br />
to shun the regressive<br />
politics of yesterday by<br />
returning to the progressive<br />
brand of politics that h<strong>as</strong><br />
been the trademark of the<br />
people of that state.<br />
“I congratulate all party<br />
members in the state,<br />
particularly the party<br />
leadership in the South-<br />
West.<br />
“Finally, I must express<br />
profound congratulations to<br />
President Muhammadu<br />
Buhari, the national leader<br />
of the party, whose stature<br />
and dignity helped guide<br />
the APC to another victory<br />
that should advance the<br />
progressive aims of the<br />
party and the people. To all<br />
the people and parties in<br />
Ondo, your <strong>elect</strong>ion h<strong>as</strong><br />
been had and held. Now is<br />
the time that all must work<br />
for the continued<br />
development, prosperity<br />
and peace of your state and<br />
our beloved country.<br />
“I appeal to all party<br />
members including those<br />
who have been disaffected<br />
from the primary until today<br />
to come together for the<br />
good of our party and it’s<br />
progressive ideals.”<br />
Ondo could not have<br />
made a better choice<br />
– Saraki<br />
Senate President Bukola<br />
Saraki also hailed<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong>, saying that<br />
Ondo could not have made<br />
a better choice.<br />
In a statement by his<br />
Special Adviser, Media<br />
and Publicity, Saraki who<br />
noted that <strong>Akeredolu</strong>’s<br />
victory did not come to him<br />
<strong>as</strong> surprise going by his<br />
excellent credentials and<br />
years of preparedness for<br />
the business of governance,<br />
however urged the<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor-<strong>elect</strong> to be<br />
magnanimous in victory by<br />
ensuring that he works with<br />
all relevant stakeholders in<br />
the arduous t<strong>as</strong>k of moving<br />
the Sunshine State to the<br />
next level.<br />
Ondo people made<br />
the right choice<br />
– Fayemi<br />
In the same vein,<br />
Fayemi, in a congratulatory<br />
message signed by his<br />
Special Assistant on<br />
Media, Mr Yinka Oyebode,<br />
said <strong>Akeredolu</strong>’s victory at<br />
the poll w<strong>as</strong> victory for<br />
democracy <strong>as</strong> well <strong>as</strong> the<br />
people of Ondo State, who<br />
have long clamoured for<br />
change.<br />
The Minister said the<br />
people of Ondo State have,<br />
through their votes,<br />
demonstrated their<br />
preference for<br />
transformative leadership<br />
and progressive<br />
governance, which<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> represents.<br />
Fayemi urged them to<br />
cooperate fully with the<br />
soon-to-be- inaugurated<br />
APC-led government<br />
which will usher the state<br />
to a new era of all-round<br />
development.<br />
He urged all the relevant<br />
stakeholders in the state to<br />
accept the verdict of the<br />
people and work with<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> to move the<br />
State forward.<br />
The minister enjoined<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> to commence a<br />
process of reconciliation<br />
aimed at uniting the party<br />
in the state.<br />
Fayemi noted that he w<strong>as</strong><br />
certain that <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
would run a responsive<br />
and people-oriented<br />
government in the State.<br />
He saluted the<br />
contestants for their<br />
maturity which contributed<br />
to the peaceful atmosphere<br />
under which the <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
held.<br />
Be father to all,<br />
Tambuwal urges<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
<strong>Gov</strong>. Aminu Tambuwal<br />
advised the <strong>Gov</strong>ernor-<strong>elect</strong><br />
to be a father to all.<br />
In a congratulatory<br />
message to <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
issued by his spokesman,<br />
Malam Imam Imam, he<br />
said that <strong>Akeredolu</strong> must<br />
become a father-figure to all<br />
irrespective of political<br />
differences, adding that the<br />
onus lies on <strong>Akeredolu</strong> and<br />
the political cl<strong>as</strong>s in the state<br />
to work together to propel<br />
the state to growth and<br />
development.<br />
“At the risk of sounding<br />
repetitive, let me reiterate<br />
what I have always said that<br />
there is time for everything.<br />
There is time for politicking<br />
and time for governance.<br />
Now that politicking is over<br />
in Ondo, I urge all<br />
stakeholders to tailor their<br />
energy towards ensuring a<br />
successful transition<br />
leading to the swearing-in<br />
of Mr Rotimi Akeredole <strong>as</strong><br />
the new <strong>Gov</strong>ernor of Ondo<br />
State,” he said.<br />
Dogara<br />
congratulates<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
Speaker of the House of<br />
Representatives, Yakubu<br />
Dogara while<br />
congratulating <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
via a statement signed by<br />
his Special Adviser on<br />
Media and Public Affairs,<br />
Turaki H<strong>as</strong>san, said that the<br />
outcome of the result w<strong>as</strong><br />
an indication that despite<br />
the hardship Nigerians<br />
were p<strong>as</strong>sing through,<br />
APC, w<strong>as</strong> still loved by the<br />
people.<br />
“The <strong>elect</strong>ion of Barrister<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> and the APC in<br />
Ondo State is a clear<br />
indication of the popularity<br />
of our political party. I<br />
would like to congratulate<br />
my learned colleague on<br />
his victory at the poll."<br />
Ambode<br />
fetes<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
Lagos State <strong>Gov</strong>ernor,<br />
Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode,<br />
in a statement by his<br />
Chief Press Secretary, Mr.<br />
Habib<br />
Aruna,<br />
congratulated <strong>Akeredolu</strong>,<br />
President Buhari, the APC<br />
and the people of Ondo<br />
State on the outcome of the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
Congratulating<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> specially for his<br />
hard-fought victory, he<br />
wished the governor-<strong>elect</strong><br />
well <strong>as</strong> he prepares to take<br />
the mantle of leadership of<br />
Ondo.<br />
He also urged <strong>Akeredolu</strong><br />
to use his tenure to forge<br />
ahead with the quest to<br />
unite the Yoruba nation<br />
especially through regional<br />
integration and economic<br />
transformation of the South-<br />
West geo-political zone.
42 —VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
<strong>ONDO</strong> POLL: Power shifts to Owo,<br />
33 years after Adekunle Aj<strong>as</strong>in<br />
* Babatope, Mohammed, Peterside, others react<br />
By Clifford Ndujihe, Dayo<br />
Johnson, Charles Kumolu &<br />
Gbenga Oke<br />
WITH the victory of<br />
Ondo State<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor-<strong>elect</strong>, Mr<br />
Rotimi <strong>Akeredolu</strong>, SAN, in l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
Saturday’s <strong>elect</strong>ion, power will<br />
return to the Owo axis of the<br />
state when <strong>Gov</strong>ernor Olusegun<br />
Mimiko, quits in February<br />
2017.<br />
The l<strong>as</strong>t time an Owo person<br />
governed the state w<strong>as</strong> in 1983<br />
during the era of late Second<br />
Republic and first civilian<br />
governor of Ondo, Chief<br />
Michael Adekunle Aj<strong>as</strong>in.<br />
The Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission, <strong>INEC</strong>,<br />
yesterday, declared <strong>Akeredolu</strong>,<br />
who ran on the platform of the<br />
All Progressives Congress,<br />
APC, <strong>as</strong> the winner of the Ondo<br />
State governorship poll. He<br />
polled 244,842 votes to beat his<br />
closest marker, Mr Eyitayo<br />
Jegede of the Peoples<br />
Democratic Party, <strong>PDP</strong>, who got<br />
150,380 votes. He emerged<br />
victorious with a margin of<br />
94,462 votes and won in 14 of<br />
18 local councils. Jegede won<br />
in two local councils. Alliance<br />
for Democracy, <strong>AD</strong> candidate,<br />
Chief Olusola Oke, garnered<br />
126,889 votes and won in two<br />
local councils, according to the<br />
final results announced by the<br />
Vice Chancellor of University<br />
of Ilorin, Professor<br />
Abdulganiyu Ambali, the<br />
returning officer.<br />
Dr Olu Agunloye of the Social<br />
Democratic Party SDP polled<br />
10,149 votes to come fourth<br />
without winning any of the 18<br />
council are<strong>as</strong> of the state.<br />
When <strong>Akeredolu</strong> <strong>as</strong>cends to<br />
power in February, it will be<br />
coming 13 years after Ondo<br />
North held power through late<br />
Chief Adebayo Adefarati.<br />
Ambali gave the total number<br />
of valid votes to be 551,272<br />
votes, rejected votes 29,615,<br />
total number of votes c<strong>as</strong>t<br />
580,887.<br />
The council are<strong>as</strong> won by<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> include the two<br />
strongholds of Jegede – Akure<br />
South and. Akure North and<br />
Ifedore, the council area of the<br />
state chairman of the <strong>PDP</strong>,<br />
Clement Faboyede.<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> won m<strong>as</strong>sively in<br />
Owo, where he hails from with<br />
over 32000 votes.<br />
Other councils won by the<br />
governor-<strong>elect</strong> include Idanre,<br />
lrele, Akoko North E<strong>as</strong>t, Ile<br />
Oluji-Okeigbo, Akoko South-<br />
E<strong>as</strong>t, Ose, Akoko South-West,<br />
Akoko North-West, Odigbo and<br />
Ese-Odo.<br />
Jegede who w<strong>as</strong> betrayed by<br />
his people in both Akure North<br />
and Akure South managed to<br />
win in the two councils<br />
controlled by the outgoing<br />
governor, Dr Olusegun<br />
Mimiko - Ondo E<strong>as</strong>t and Ondo<br />
West council are<strong>as</strong>.<br />
Olusola Oke also managed to<br />
win in Okitipupa and won<br />
m<strong>as</strong>sively in his homet own of<br />
Ilaje local council.<br />
How parties induced voters<br />
– Situation Room, YIAGA<br />
Meanwhile, a Civil Society<br />
group, Situation Room,<br />
yesterday, said the just<br />
concluded governorship<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion in Ondo state, recorded<br />
incidents of vote buying by<br />
political parties.<br />
Speaking at a Press<br />
Conference in Akure, the<br />
Coordinator of the group,<br />
Clement Nwankwo, said the<br />
group observed that political<br />
parties openly paid voters to<br />
induce them saying this<br />
portends a great threat to free<br />
The l<strong>as</strong>t time an<br />
Owo person<br />
governed the state<br />
w<strong>as</strong> in 1983 during<br />
the era of late<br />
Second Republic<br />
and first civilian<br />
governor of Ondo,<br />
Chief Michael<br />
Adekunle Aj<strong>as</strong>in<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion in the country.<br />
The group noted some<br />
isolated incidents of misconduct<br />
by some security operatives,<br />
who it said were collecting<br />
envelopes from party agents.<br />
He said: “While observing<br />
that the Police responded to<br />
some incidents of Electoral Act<br />
violation such <strong>as</strong><br />
impersonation, we observed<br />
however that c<strong>as</strong>es of vote<br />
buying were not adequately<br />
responded to”<br />
The group however<br />
commended the <strong>elect</strong>oral<br />
umpire over early distribution<br />
and deployment of materials,<br />
and the simultaneous process<br />
of accreditation and voting,<br />
describing it <strong>as</strong> a significant<br />
improvement on the part of<br />
Independent National<br />
Electoral Commission, <strong>INEC</strong>.<br />
“There were, however,<br />
challenges with receiving<br />
collated results from local<br />
governments that were distant<br />
from Akure, the State collation<br />
headquarters. This created<br />
delay in the announcement of<br />
results from all the local<br />
governments at the same time.<br />
There is need for further work<br />
to improve collation time in<br />
future <strong>elect</strong>ion,” he said.<br />
Nwankwo commended the<br />
security me<strong>as</strong>ures put in place<br />
to ensure a peaceful poll<br />
adding that security personnel<br />
carried out their duties in a<br />
civil and professional manner.<br />
Also,the Youth Initiative for<br />
Advocacy Growth and<br />
Advancement, YIAGA,<br />
identified vote buying and<br />
bribery, card Reader<br />
malfunctions, public display of<br />
ballots by voters before placing<br />
it in the ballot, intimidation and<br />
har<strong>as</strong>sment of voters <strong>as</strong> some<br />
of the incidents that were<br />
witnessed during the poll.<br />
The group, which employed<br />
“Watching The Vote”<br />
observation method during the<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ion said some incidents that<br />
took place during the <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
such <strong>as</strong> accreditation of people<br />
without PVC, accreditation of<br />
voters without the Card Reader,<br />
poll officials not posting results,<br />
partisan poll officials among<br />
others were enough to<br />
undermine the credibility of the<br />
overall process of the <strong>elect</strong>ion.<br />
The leader of the group,<br />
Samson Itodo,said that the<br />
result rele<strong>as</strong>ed by <strong>INEC</strong><br />
reflected the will of the people<br />
of the state.<br />
Itodo said that the turn out of<br />
Itodo <strong>as</strong>ked the governor<br />
<strong>elect</strong>, Rotimi <strong>Akeredolu</strong> to be<br />
magnanimous in victory and<br />
urged the losers to accept the<br />
results with maturity.<br />
Nigerian Judiciary should be<br />
blamed over Jegede’s loss —<br />
Mohammed<br />
Speaking on the poll, Second<br />
Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid<br />
Mohammed, said those<br />
looking for who to blame in the<br />
just concluded Ondo <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
should blame the Judiciary.<br />
“As far <strong>as</strong> I am concerned,<br />
nobody should blame APC or<br />
any other person for Jegede’s<br />
travails. The judiciary should<br />
be blamed for not rising to the<br />
occ<strong>as</strong>ion at the right time. I feel<br />
strongly that <strong>INEC</strong> tried its best<br />
in this <strong>elect</strong>ion and it seems to<br />
have improved.The violence in<br />
the <strong>elect</strong>ion w<strong>as</strong> minimal<br />
knowing fully well what Ondo<br />
used to be during the first and<br />
second republics. This <strong>elect</strong>ion<br />
going on without much of<br />
violence is a sign of relief.<br />
“Those looking for people to<br />
blame should blame the<br />
Judiciary but APC or any other<br />
party should not be blamed for<br />
Jegede’s inability to get his<br />
candidature until two days<br />
before the <strong>elect</strong>ion”.<br />
Ondo people have spoken<br />
with clear voice – Peterside<br />
Rivers APC governorship<br />
candidate in the 2015 <strong>elect</strong>ion,<br />
Dr Dakuku Peterside, said for<br />
the umpteenth time, the APC<br />
would win any free, fair and<br />
credible <strong>elect</strong>ion devoid of<br />
violence and intimidation<br />
because of the credibility of its<br />
candidates and general<br />
acceptance of the party.<br />
“The people of Ondo State<br />
have spoken in loud and clear<br />
voice. They have chosen the<br />
candidate of their choice in a<br />
free and fair manner. I have<br />
always said that APC will win<br />
any free and fair contest. I<br />
congratulate the people of<br />
Ondo State and Chief Rotimi<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong> for this victory. I call<br />
on Chief <strong>Akeredolu</strong> to see his<br />
victory <strong>as</strong> that of the entire<br />
Ondo State people,” he said.<br />
He urged the governor-<strong>elect</strong><br />
‘’to be humble in his victory<br />
and see his emergence <strong>as</strong> the<br />
wish of Ondo State people to<br />
chart a new course in the<br />
realisation of their hopes and<br />
<strong>as</strong>pirations.”<br />
<strong>INEC</strong> and APC manipulated<br />
the <strong>elect</strong>ion — Babatope<br />
Former Minister of Transport,<br />
Chief Ebenezer Babatope, said<br />
the <strong>INEC</strong> and APC connived<br />
to manipulate the <strong>elect</strong>ion in<br />
favour of <strong>Akeredolu</strong>.<br />
“I cannot say much right now<br />
because we are waiting for the<br />
National Headquarters of the<br />
<strong>PDP</strong> to issue a statement on<br />
behalf of the party. However, I<br />
must point out that <strong>INEC</strong> h<strong>as</strong><br />
not been fair to the <strong>PDP</strong> but I<br />
believe strongly that APC may<br />
not suffer now but they will<br />
suffer in the end.”<br />
Time for Yoruba governors<br />
to rally round <strong>Akeredolu</strong>—<br />
ARG<br />
Chairman of the Afenifere<br />
Renewal Group, Mr. Wale<br />
Oshun said: “We charge<br />
<strong>Akeredolu</strong>, <strong>as</strong> the guardian of<br />
the people’s mandate, to<br />
continuously and consistently<br />
prove himself <strong>as</strong> a leader<br />
worthy of his people’s trust, by<br />
constantly communicating his<br />
vision and managing the<br />
resources of the state towards<br />
the development and wellbeing<br />
of Ondo State. We also<br />
charge the people to cooperate<br />
with the governor-<strong>elect</strong>, be alert<br />
to their civic duties and keep<br />
the government on that path of<br />
straight and narrow,” he said<br />
in statement.<br />
“We trust that <strong>Akeredolu</strong>’s<br />
administration will prioritise<br />
good governance over<br />
partisanship, in the noble and<br />
progressive tradition of<br />
Awolowo and Aj<strong>as</strong>in, which is<br />
the main re<strong>as</strong>on he earned our<br />
endorsement.''
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016—43<br />
:Vanguard News :@vanguardnews :@vanguardnews NEWS HOTLINES: 08052867023, 08052867058<br />
N-Delta govs accused of hijacking over N1trn<br />
annually<br />
By Michael Eboh &<br />
Jimitota Onoyume<br />
OIL and solid minerals<br />
producing communities,<br />
weekend, accused the political<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>s and state governors in the<br />
Niger Delta region of hijacking<br />
funds meant for the development<br />
of the region, totaling over N1<br />
trillion annually.<br />
The communities, under the<br />
aegis of Oil and Solid Minerals<br />
Producing Are<strong>as</strong> Landlords’<br />
Association of Nigeria,<br />
OMPALAN, claimed that the<br />
region’s <strong>elect</strong>ed representatives<br />
had betrayed the trust of the<br />
people they were representing by<br />
persistently short-changing host<br />
communities with impunity.<br />
In a statement in Abuja, on<br />
behalf of the communities,<br />
Chairman, Board of Trustees,<br />
OMPALAN, Mr. Udo Azogu,<br />
stated that respite could only come<br />
to oil producing are<strong>as</strong> when the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment mustered<br />
enough courage to stop the<br />
alleged recklessness and<br />
lawlessness of governors of oil<br />
producing state who mismanage<br />
oil-related palliative<br />
programmes.<br />
He said: “Robust palliative<br />
programmes such <strong>as</strong> the Niger<br />
Delta Development Commission,<br />
NDDC, Ministry of Niger Delta<br />
Affairs, 13% Oil Derivation Fund<br />
Commission, Ecological Fund<br />
and Amnesty packages, among<br />
others, worth trillions of Naira<br />
annually, established by the<br />
Federal <strong>Gov</strong>ernment in quick<br />
succession to cushion the harsh<br />
effects of acute environmental<br />
challenges in host (oil producing)<br />
communities have been<br />
hijacked by the tiny but,<br />
influential political cl<strong>as</strong>s in the<br />
oil-rich regions to the extent that<br />
simple survival in these<br />
communities had become a<br />
me<strong>as</strong>ure of success.”<br />
He maintained that President<br />
Muhammadu Buhari must tell<br />
oil producing state governors to<br />
stop tampering or meddling<br />
with 13% Oil Derivation Funds<br />
that accrued to their states.<br />
Azogu argued that the<br />
governors must give the NDDC<br />
and Ministry of Niger Delta<br />
Affairs the free hand to deliver,<br />
alleging that open diversion of<br />
huge mitigation funds running<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>eki faults sending children to foreign universities<br />
By Simon Ebegbulem &<br />
Gabriel Enoghol<strong>as</strong>e<br />
B E N I N —<br />
GOVERNOR Godwin<br />
Ob<strong>as</strong>eki of Edo State, h<strong>as</strong> said the<br />
billions of naira spent by<br />
Nigerians to educate their wards<br />
and children in universities<br />
abroad do not add value to the<br />
country’s economic growth either<br />
in the short or long term.<br />
This came <strong>as</strong> he urged<br />
Nigerians to embrace change<br />
and come up with innovative<br />
ide<strong>as</strong> capable of revolutionizing<br />
the way they think for the country<br />
to move out of recession.<br />
He spoke, weekend, at Okada,<br />
Ovia North E<strong>as</strong>t Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment, during the 14th<br />
convocation of Igbinedion<br />
University, Okada.<br />
According to him, recent<br />
developments in Nigeria had<br />
shown that the educational policy<br />
had reduced the quality of output<br />
of the educational system, noting<br />
that Nigerians could not continue<br />
to work at the level of the current<br />
economic challenges and expect<br />
solutions that could turn around<br />
its fortunes.<br />
The Edo governor, who<br />
Okowa t<strong>as</strong>ks traditional rulers on peace building<br />
•As Orodje of Okpe celebrates 10th anniversary<br />
By Festus Ahon<br />
A SABA—GOVERNOR<br />
Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta<br />
State h<strong>as</strong> told communities and<br />
other stakeholders, particularly<br />
traditional rulers, to engage in<br />
peace building in their are<strong>as</strong> to<br />
promote development in all<br />
parts of the state.<br />
Speaking, weekend, in<br />
Orerokpe, Okpe Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area, during the<br />
grand finale of the 10th<br />
Coronation Anniversary of<br />
HRM Orhue I, Orodje of Okpe<br />
kingdom, Okowa held that only<br />
a peaceful environment could<br />
attract development and<br />
into millions and billions of Naira<br />
with impunity, hiding under the<br />
m<strong>as</strong>querade of immunity, must<br />
stop.<br />
According to him, these<br />
governors constituted a great<br />
threat to both security and<br />
democracy <strong>as</strong> they sacked<br />
<strong>elect</strong>ed local government<br />
administrations and took over<br />
their funds, divert 13% oil<br />
derivation funds to the detriment<br />
of impacted communities, use<br />
ecological funds at their whims<br />
and caprices, while the rubberstamp<br />
state parliaments watch<br />
with consuming admiration.<br />
He further stated that while the<br />
group believed that it w<strong>as</strong><br />
justifiable and proper that oil<br />
blocks be allocated to the<br />
regions that produce oil, it must<br />
be properly considered to meet<br />
the ends of justice to the benefit<br />
of the common man and not<br />
allocated to the same vicious<br />
oligarchy that shortchanged the<br />
system with impunity.<br />
But reacting, Dr Austin Tam-<br />
George, Rivers State<br />
Commissioner for Information<br />
and Communications, said oil<br />
bearing communities were part<br />
of an integrated development<br />
plan of the Rivers State<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment.<br />
According to him: “<strong>Gov</strong>ernor<br />
Nyesom Wike spends every<br />
kobo in developing Rivers<br />
State."<br />
VISIT: From left: Deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu; Chairman, House of<br />
Representatives Committee on Power, Daniel Asuquo and other members of the committee,<br />
when they paid a courtesy visit to the deputy governor, weekend, in Benin City.<br />
disclosed that his administration<br />
would be driven by knowledge,<br />
data and established b<strong>as</strong>e lines,<br />
said he w<strong>as</strong> committed to<br />
reforming the educational sector<br />
of the state with a view to<br />
creating knowledge-driven<br />
economy where Edo people<br />
could unlock their potentials.<br />
He said: “One of the key<br />
midterm strategies to return<br />
Nigeria to the path of inclusive<br />
economic growth and sustainable<br />
development is to reform our<br />
educational sector in such a<br />
manner that can unlock the<br />
creative potentials of our youths.<br />
We must embrace change. We<br />
must come up with innovative<br />
ide<strong>as</strong> capable of revolutionizing<br />
the way we think and work. One<br />
of the imperatives of my<br />
investment to the society.<br />
Urging the traditional<br />
institutions to partner<br />
government to ensure peace and<br />
security in their domains and the<br />
state at large so that investment<br />
and development would thrive,<br />
he appealed to the youths in the<br />
various communities to desist<br />
from pipeline vandalism.<br />
He decried that pipeline<br />
vandalism w<strong>as</strong> impacting<br />
negatively on communities and<br />
the state and lamented that it<br />
had hampered meaningful<br />
development in the various oil<br />
bearing are<strong>as</strong>.<br />
He said: “I urge all<br />
administration is to ensure<br />
that governance is driven by<br />
knowledge, data and<br />
established b<strong>as</strong>e lines. Nigeria<br />
<strong>as</strong> a country cannot afford to<br />
continue to import human<br />
resources from foreign countries<br />
while we spend billions of naira<br />
to educate our youths outside<br />
the country that do not add value<br />
to our economic growth in the<br />
short and medium terms."<br />
stakeholders to join hands in<br />
ensuring peace and security in<br />
our various communities. I<br />
particularly thank His Royal<br />
Majesty the Orodje of Okpe for<br />
his commitment, not only in<br />
ensuring peace in Okpe<br />
Kingdom, but extended same to<br />
the state by his fatherly advice.<br />
Today, Okpe Kingdom h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
relatively peaceful in the l<strong>as</strong>t<br />
one and a half years and this<br />
h<strong>as</strong> secured oil activities in this<br />
axis.<br />
“Deltans have suffered<br />
enough of pipeline vandalism.<br />
We should give peace a<br />
chance."<br />
Ibori: UK<br />
launches new<br />
investigation<br />
THE UK Independent<br />
Police Complaints<br />
Commission, IPCC, h<strong>as</strong><br />
launched fresh investigations<br />
into the original London<br />
Metropolitan Police c<strong>as</strong>e officers<br />
involved in the James<br />
OnanefeIbori c<strong>as</strong>e.<br />
Officers in the c<strong>as</strong>e were DC<br />
Peter Clark, DC John<br />
McDonald, DC Ben Irons, DC<br />
Mathew Hurding-Jones, DC<br />
David Cocks, DS George<br />
Simpson, DI Gary Walters and<br />
AFI Paul Gardiner.<br />
The revelation w<strong>as</strong> made by a<br />
lawyer, Lambertus De Boer, in<br />
his Twitter account at the<br />
weekend, according to Tony<br />
Eluemunor, Ibori’s media<br />
<strong>as</strong>sistant , in a press statement,<br />
yesterday.<br />
Eluemunor said: “These<br />
officers, some with the National<br />
Crime Agency are believed to<br />
have been served with anticorruption<br />
notices. Surprisingly,<br />
they remain on active duty while<br />
the investigation continues.<br />
These same officers, who<br />
worked for the Department of<br />
Foreign Investment and<br />
Development, DfID, funded<br />
‘Proceeds of Corruption Unit<br />
with the MPS were investigated<br />
in 2012, after Bhadresh Gohil<br />
alerted the authorities of police<br />
corruption at the heart of the<br />
James Ibori investigation and<br />
prosecution.<br />
Unknown to Gohil, the<br />
Metropolitan Police Service,<br />
MPS,had themselves<br />
independently suspected deep<br />
rooted corruption in relation to<br />
these officers and had itself<br />
conducted a covert surveillance<br />
operation, code-named –<br />
“Operation Limonium”. Despite<br />
substantial evidence, the MPS<br />
whitew<strong>as</strong>hed its investigations<br />
because making such public<br />
before Ibori’s trial w<strong>as</strong><br />
concluded could shoot down the<br />
conviction of Ibori and his<br />
<strong>as</strong>sociates. Now, that whitew<strong>as</strong>h<br />
h<strong>as</strong> become a bullet in the<br />
armoury of Ibori’s lawyers <strong>as</strong><br />
they head to the Court of<br />
Appeal, where that failure will<br />
be pleaded <strong>as</strong> yet another<br />
infraction against the Police.<br />
Retired generals<br />
charge Nigeria on<br />
unity<br />
ASSOCIATION<br />
of<br />
retired army generals,<br />
weekend, at the palace of the<br />
Orodje of Okpe, Okpe Local<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment Area, Delta State,<br />
charged Nigerians to embrace<br />
unity for the purpose of one<br />
Nigeria.<br />
The retired generals with the<br />
code name, Association of<br />
Nigeria Defence Academy,<br />
NDA, Regular Course Number<br />
5, 1968-1971, also presented a<br />
horse to the traditional ruler <strong>as</strong><br />
a token of their oneness and sign<br />
of brotherhood.<br />
Addressing newsmen at the<br />
palace of the Orodje, secretary<br />
of the <strong>as</strong>sociation Brig-Gen. D.<br />
O. Idada Ikponmuwen (retd.,)<br />
said Nigerians should go back<br />
to the old days when citizens<br />
knew no boundaries or tribes.
44 — VANGUARD, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
The late Cuban President Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro attends a Mercosur trade bloc summit<br />
in Cordoba, Argentina, July 21, 2006. (Inset) People celebrate after the<br />
announcement of the death of C<strong>as</strong>tro in the Little Havana district of Miami<br />
C<strong>as</strong>tro’s death divides Cubans<br />
CUBA’s<br />
most<br />
prominent dissident<br />
group called off its weekly<br />
protest march for the first<br />
time in 13 years on Sunday<br />
following the death of its<br />
nemesis Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro, the<br />
revolutionary leader whose<br />
p<strong>as</strong>sing h<strong>as</strong> c<strong>as</strong>t a pall over<br />
World leaders react to<br />
ex-communist leader’s exit<br />
the island.<br />
C<strong>as</strong>tro, a world figure<br />
who built a communist state<br />
on the doorstep of the<br />
United States and defied<br />
half a century of U.S. efforts<br />
to topple him, died late on<br />
Friday at the age of 90.<br />
The Cuban government<br />
WORLD leaders offered condolences and expressed<br />
their feelings over Cuban dictator Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro’s<br />
death Saturday morning.<br />
President Obama said: “Today, we offer condolences<br />
to Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro’s family, and our thoughts and prayers<br />
are with the Cuban people.”<br />
“For nearly six decades, the relationship between the<br />
United States and Cuba w<strong>as</strong> marked by discord and<br />
profound political disagreements.<br />
During my presidency, we have worked hard to put the<br />
p<strong>as</strong>t behind us, pursuing a future in<br />
which<br />
the relationship between our two countries is defined not<br />
by our differences but by the many things that we share<br />
<strong>as</strong> neighbors and friends — bonds of family, culture,<br />
commerce, and common humanity.”<br />
He w<strong>as</strong> a brutal dictator —Trump<br />
PRESIDENT-<strong>elect</strong> Donald Trump struck a more<br />
defiant tone in his statement: “Today, the<br />
world marks the p<strong>as</strong>sing of a brutal dictator who<br />
oppressed his own people for nearly six decades,”<br />
Trump said. “Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro’s legacy is one of firing<br />
squads, theft, unimaginable suffering, poverty and<br />
the denial of fundamental human rights,” he said.<br />
C<strong>as</strong>tro symbolized an era of history—Putin<br />
VL<strong>AD</strong>IMIR Putin, the Russian president, sent a<br />
telegram to Raúl C<strong>as</strong>tro, hailing Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro <strong>as</strong> a<br />
“symbol of a whole era of modern world history” saying he<br />
w<strong>as</strong> “a wise and strong person” who w<strong>as</strong> “an inspiring<br />
example for all countries and peoples” and a “sincere and<br />
reliable friend of Russia.”<br />
Russia’s prime minister, Dimitry Medvedev, said, in part,<br />
“Without exaggeration, a whole era of history is gone with<br />
Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro.”<br />
Pope Francis sent a telegram to Raúl C<strong>as</strong>tro <strong>as</strong> well,<br />
writing, “Upon receiving the sad news of the p<strong>as</strong>sing of<br />
your beloved brother, the honorable Fidel C<strong>as</strong>tro Ruz, former<br />
president of the state council and the government of the<br />
Republic of Cuba, I express my sadness to your excellency<br />
and all family members of the dece<strong>as</strong>ed dignitary, <strong>as</strong> well<br />
<strong>as</strong> the government and the people in that beloved nation.”<br />
He made immortal contributions to<br />
socialism—Chinese President<br />
CHINESE President Xi Jinping also sent a telegram<br />
to Cuba on Saturday, mourning the loss of a “dear<br />
comrade and true friend” of the Chinese people who<br />
made “immortal contributions to the development of<br />
socialism around the world.” China’s official Xinhua<br />
News Agency eulogized a man who “resisted the<br />
American superpower for half a century” with the headline:<br />
“Old Soldiers Never Die.”<br />
h<strong>as</strong> declared a nine-day<br />
period of mourning and<br />
suspended alcohol sales<br />
and even b<strong>as</strong>eball games.<br />
The Ladies in White<br />
dissident group decided to<br />
avoid creating tensions this<br />
week.<br />
“We’re not going to march<br />
today so that the government<br />
does not take it <strong>as</strong> a<br />
provocation and so that they<br />
can pay their tributes,” the<br />
group’s leader, Berta Soler,<br />
said on Sunday. “We respect<br />
the mourning of others and<br />
will not celebrate the death<br />
of any human being.”<br />
The group, originally<br />
formed in support of<br />
husbands jailed for political<br />
opposition, h<strong>as</strong> called<br />
protest marches in Havana<br />
following M<strong>as</strong>s at a Roman<br />
Catholic Church each<br />
Sunday for the p<strong>as</strong>t 13 years.<br />
It h<strong>as</strong> been the rare<br />
expression of dissent to be<br />
largely tolerated by the<br />
Communist government,<br />
although police have<br />
clamped down over the p<strong>as</strong>t<br />
several months, stopping<br />
protesters in their homes and<br />
preventing the<br />
demonstrations from taking<br />
place. The difference this<br />
week is that dissidents<br />
themselves have opted<br />
against even trying, three<br />
opposition leaders said.<br />
The streets of Havana<br />
have been calm since<br />
C<strong>as</strong>tro’s death, with people<br />
expressing national pride by<br />
hanging more Cuban flags<br />
than normal.<br />
Lysset Perez, a 44-year-old<br />
peanut vendor, dressed in<br />
the national colors with a<br />
single-starred, blue, red and<br />
white flag on her head on<br />
Sunday. “It’s calm but a little<br />
dark because Cuba is music<br />
and for nine days of<br />
mourning there will be no<br />
music,” Perez said. “There<br />
is calm and sadness. If it<br />
weren’t for Fidel and the<br />
revolution, the people<br />
wouldn’t be <strong>as</strong> they are:<br />
educated and cultured.”<br />
As Zimbabwe’s money runs out, so<br />
does Mugabe’s power<br />
IN Zimbabwe, where<br />
worthless $100 trillion<br />
notes serve <strong>as</strong> reminders of<br />
the perils of hyperinflation,<br />
President Robert Mugabe<br />
is printing a new currency<br />
that jeopardizes not just the<br />
economy but his own long<br />
grip on power.<br />
Six months ago, the 92-<br />
year-old announced plans<br />
to address chronic c<strong>as</strong>h<br />
shortages<br />
by<br />
supplementing the<br />
dwindling U.S. dollars in<br />
circulation over the p<strong>as</strong>t<br />
seven years with ‘bond<br />
notes’, a qu<strong>as</strong>i-currency<br />
expected at the end of<br />
November.<br />
According to the Reserve<br />
Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ),<br />
the bond notes will be<br />
officially interchangeable<br />
1:1 with the U.S. dollar and<br />
should e<strong>as</strong>e the c<strong>as</strong>h<br />
crunch. The central bank<br />
also promised to keep a tight<br />
lid on issuance.<br />
After a 2008 multi-billion<br />
percent inflationary<br />
meltdown caused by<br />
rampant money-printing,<br />
many Zimbabweans are<br />
skeptical. The plan h<strong>as</strong><br />
already caused a run on the<br />
banks <strong>as</strong> Zimbabweans<br />
empty their accounts of hard<br />
currency.<br />
Internal intelligence<br />
briefings seen by Reuters<br />
raise the possibility that the<br />
bond notes, if they cr<strong>as</strong>h,<br />
could spell the end of<br />
Mugabe’s 36 years in<br />
charge.<br />
A Sept. 29 Central<br />
Intelligence Organisation<br />
(CIO) report revealed the<br />
powerful army w<strong>as</strong> <strong>as</strong><br />
unhappy <strong>as</strong> the rest of the<br />
population with the new<br />
notes and had told Africa’s<br />
oldest leader to “wake up<br />
and smell the coffee”.<br />
“Top security officers have<br />
told Mugabe not to blame<br />
them if Rome starts to<br />
burn,” the report said.<br />
Reuters w<strong>as</strong> unable to<br />
determine the author of the<br />
report. It is also unclear if<br />
Mugabe h<strong>as</strong> seen the<br />
report, whose final<br />
audience is not specified.<br />
Mugabe’s spokesman did<br />
not respond to requests for<br />
comment, nor w<strong>as</strong> the CIO<br />
available.<br />
UGANDA: Police arrest king over deadly cl<strong>as</strong>hes<br />
POLICE in western<br />
Uganda have arrested<br />
the king of Rwenzururu over<br />
cl<strong>as</strong>hes between officers and<br />
militia which have left at<br />
le<strong>as</strong>t 55 people dead.<br />
Charles Wesley Mumbere<br />
is accused of inciting<br />
violence after militiamen<br />
reportedly attacked a police<br />
post in his hometown of<br />
K<strong>as</strong>ese.<br />
Security forces stormed his<br />
palace amid claims he w<strong>as</strong><br />
harbouring fighters. The<br />
king h<strong>as</strong> denied any<br />
involvement.<br />
At le<strong>as</strong>t 14 police officers<br />
and 41 militants have died<br />
in the cl<strong>as</strong>hes.<br />
A Ugandan government<br />
spokesman accused the<br />
militia of seeking to break<br />
away from Uganda.<br />
“These militiamen have<br />
set up camps in the<br />
Rwenzori mountains from<br />
where they train and come<br />
to attack government<br />
installations,” Shaban<br />
Bantariza said.<br />
Police spokesman Andrew<br />
Felix Kaweesi said the<br />
attackers were fighting to<br />
create a new republic on the<br />
border with the Democratic<br />
Republic of Congo.<br />
Zuma to face ANC's integrity panel<br />
SOUTH<br />
African<br />
President Jacob<br />
Zuma will be questioned<br />
next week by the African<br />
National Congress’ (ANC)<br />
integrity commission<br />
following persistent<br />
allegations of corruption<br />
and poor <strong>elect</strong>ion results,<br />
the party said..<br />
Zuma’s appearance<br />
before the panel could<br />
deepen divides within the<br />
ANC <strong>as</strong> it gears up for a<br />
national conference next<br />
year when the 74-year-old<br />
leader is expected to stand<br />
down <strong>as</strong> party leader.<br />
Several senior members<br />
of the ANC have called for<br />
Zuma to resign in recent<br />
months after scandals<br />
Members of the Nzima tribe in Ivory Co<strong>as</strong>t carry<br />
their king <strong>as</strong> he arrives for the annual traditional<br />
fe<strong>as</strong>t of the Nzima people<br />
rattled markets in Africa’s for a judge to investigate<br />
most industrialized allegations Zuma provided<br />
economy and cost the party special favors for wealthy<br />
votes.<br />
friends and allowed them to<br />
A constitutionally choose ministerial<br />
mandated anti-graft appointments. Zuma denies<br />
watchdog this month called any wrongdoing.<br />
Egypt denies military presence in Syria<br />
EGYPT’s Foreign<br />
Ministry h<strong>as</strong> denied<br />
what it said were Arab<br />
media reports about an<br />
Egyptian military<br />
presence in Syria.<br />
Egypt is committed to not<br />
intervening in other<br />
countries’ internal affairs,<br />
the ministry’s Sunday<br />
statement said, adding<br />
that deploying any<br />
military personnel or<br />
equipment would have<br />
required public legal<br />
me<strong>as</strong>ures.<br />
The ministry’s statement<br />
didn’t specify outlets, but<br />
most regional media<br />
carrying the story referred<br />
to a report by Lebanese<br />
daily As-Safir, which said<br />
Nigeria tops Africans studying in US<br />
By Prince Okafor<br />
I NTERNATIONAL<br />
Educational<br />
Exchange (IEE) report<br />
h<strong>as</strong> revealed that<br />
Nigeria still maintains<br />
the number one spot in<br />
Africa among countries<br />
studying in the United<br />
States of America.<br />
that an Egyptian military<br />
unit comprising 18 pilots<br />
had joined an air b<strong>as</strong>e in<br />
Hama earlier this month.<br />
The report further<br />
stated that the country’s<br />
students in the US rose<br />
by 12.4 percent.<br />
The report reads:<br />
“Students from Nigeria<br />
study primarily at the<br />
undergraduate level<br />
averaged 50.8 percent,<br />
undergraduate is at 35.6<br />
percent, and graduates<br />
are 11.5 percent.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 45<br />
Banyana brace up for Falcons showdown<br />
B<br />
A N Y A N A<br />
B a n y a n a<br />
stalwart Nompulelelo<br />
Nyandeni says it will feel<br />
like a final when the<br />
team faces Nigeria in the<br />
semi-finals of the<br />
Women’s Africa Cup of<br />
Nations on Tuesday.<br />
The rivals will meet at<br />
Stade Limbe Omnisport in<br />
Cameroon, with <strong>kick</strong>-off<br />
set for 7pm.<br />
Banyana booked their<br />
place in the l<strong>as</strong>t-four with<br />
a 5-0 demolition job of<br />
Egypt, while Nigeria<br />
secured their spot<br />
following a 4-0 victory over<br />
Kenya.<br />
The result ensured the<br />
Nigerians finished top of<br />
Group B, which meant a<br />
meeting with South Africa.<br />
“It is always a battle of<br />
Pinnick<br />
Contd from Page B/P<br />
Super Eagles.<br />
Pinnick h<strong>as</strong> never<br />
hidden his optimism that<br />
some young Nigerians who<br />
are plying their trade in<br />
Europe especially in the<br />
English Premier League<br />
(EPL) will one day play for<br />
the Super Eagles.<br />
A reliable source at the<br />
NFF told Sports Vanguard<br />
at the weekend that the<br />
president had in his official<br />
memo to the federation indicated<br />
that he w<strong>as</strong><br />
embarking on what he<br />
described <strong>as</strong> ‘VIP scouting’<br />
of players.<br />
However, this<br />
development may not have<br />
gone down well with some<br />
people who questioned<br />
whether the NFF boss h<strong>as</strong><br />
now become the chief coach<br />
of the national team that<br />
should embark on such<br />
scouting.<br />
“Well the president h<strong>as</strong><br />
gone on his now famous<br />
‘VIP scouting’ but if you <strong>as</strong>k<br />
me, I will say it is ill timed<br />
Ronaldo<br />
Contd from Page B/P<br />
by moving to the top of<br />
La Liga’s scoring chart<br />
with two goals on Saturday.<br />
Ronaldo’s ninth and<br />
10th goals of the<br />
campaign in a 2-1 win<br />
over Sporting Gijon<br />
moved him ahead of<br />
Barcelona rivals Lionel<br />
Messi and Luis Suarez,<br />
who have both found the<br />
net eight times.<br />
It is a ple<strong>as</strong>ing<br />
turnaround for the<br />
Portugal captain, who<br />
faced heavy criticism at<br />
the start of the se<strong>as</strong>on<br />
when he still appeared<br />
to be reeling from a knee<br />
injury suffered in the<br />
Euro 2016 final.<br />
He made his worst<br />
the best when we face<br />
Nigeria. The rivalry<br />
between us started long<br />
before our days in the<br />
national team, and<br />
playing against the Super<br />
Falcons is always like a<br />
cup final, regardless of the<br />
stage of the tournament.<br />
In any c<strong>as</strong>e once you are<br />
in the l<strong>as</strong>t-four you can’t<br />
pick and choose. Those<br />
teams did not get there by<br />
fluke, and to get to the top<br />
you have to go p<strong>as</strong>t them,”<br />
said Nyandeni.<br />
“It is not going to be an<br />
e<strong>as</strong>y game and I am<br />
confident we can walk<br />
away with victory. We<br />
have beaten them before<br />
and, to do that again, we<br />
will have to play <strong>as</strong> a<br />
team."<br />
because this a time the federation<br />
is said to be going<br />
through some financial<br />
stress. You saw what<br />
happened to the Falconets<br />
who were stranded after<br />
they returned from the<br />
world cup because the<br />
NFF could not even give<br />
them their local fares not<br />
to talk of their backlog of<br />
allowances and bonuses”<br />
said a source who preferred<br />
anonimity.<br />
Pinnick had told the<br />
journalists in Abuja that the<br />
dream of the present NFF<br />
board had been to build a<br />
young Super Eagles squad<br />
that will go on to conquer<br />
the world by 2022. He<br />
further added that they are<br />
already monitoring several<br />
Nigerian players that are<br />
doing well in the various<br />
leagues abroad.<br />
“The initial plan w<strong>as</strong> to<br />
take our players in the<br />
various clubs but now what<br />
we are trying to do is what<br />
we call VIP scouting, talking<br />
to these young players<br />
that are playing abroad to<br />
play for their father land.<br />
ever goalscoring start to<br />
a se<strong>as</strong>on with Real,<br />
scoring four goals in his<br />
first eight games in all<br />
competitions, but h<strong>as</strong><br />
since returned to his<br />
usual form.<br />
He scored his first hattrick<br />
of the se<strong>as</strong>on for<br />
Real in a 4-1 slaying of<br />
Alaves at the end of<br />
October and returned<br />
from international duty<br />
with another treble in a<br />
3-0 win over Atletico<br />
Madrid l<strong>as</strong>t week.<br />
That w<strong>as</strong> Real’s first<br />
league win over their<br />
city rivals in more than<br />
three years, and<br />
Ronaldo made it five<br />
goals in his l<strong>as</strong>t two<br />
league games with his<br />
double against Sporting,<br />
the first a penalty, the<br />
second a diving header.<br />
•Ikeme<br />
Ikeme fit again<br />
N<br />
I G E R I A<br />
goalkeeper<br />
Carl Ikeme h<strong>as</strong><br />
recovered from a hip<br />
injury which kept him<br />
out of a World Cup<br />
qualifier against<br />
Algeria, but he w<strong>as</strong><br />
benched today by his<br />
English Championship<br />
side Wolves.<br />
Wolves lost 2-0 at home<br />
Giwa<br />
Contd from Page B/P<br />
the race if the Federal<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernment fails to take<br />
decisive steps to end a long<br />
running court battle<br />
capable of inviting<br />
suspension by FIFA.<br />
Who could be pushing<br />
this? Lawyers said at the<br />
weekend that with the<br />
volume of c<strong>as</strong>es waiting to<br />
be heard at the Supreme<br />
Court, it is a shock that<br />
Giwa’s fresh motion h<strong>as</strong><br />
been listed so soon after<br />
the mishap of the previous<br />
two.<br />
It would be recalled that<br />
in July this year, FIFA<br />
President Gianni<br />
Infantino, during a two –<br />
day working visit to<br />
Nigeria alongside the<br />
FIFA secretary general,<br />
Fatma Samoura, declared<br />
unequivocally that the body<br />
only recognises Amaju<br />
Pinnick <strong>as</strong> President of<br />
to Sheffield Wednesday<br />
with Ikeme an unused<br />
substitute, while compatriot<br />
Dominic Iorfa played<br />
the entire game.<br />
Wolves are now flirting<br />
with relegation under new<br />
manager Paul Lambert.<br />
They are 21st on the 24-<br />
team table with 18 points<br />
from <strong>as</strong> many matches.<br />
Osaze faces lengthy ban after<br />
red card offence<br />
OSAZE Odemwengie<br />
faces a lengthy ban<br />
after he w<strong>as</strong> sent off for an<br />
elbow against a Leeds defender<br />
in an English Championship<br />
game on Saturday.<br />
He will later apologise, but<br />
he still faces a hefty sanction<br />
for that rush of blood to the<br />
head.<br />
Osaze elbowed Liam<br />
Cooper in the face and w<strong>as</strong><br />
deservedly dismissed.<br />
He tweeted an apology and<br />
after the game saluted the<br />
effort of his teammates in the<br />
second half.<br />
Rotherham United lost 2-1<br />
to Leeds to remain stuck at the<br />
bottom of the English Championship.<br />
Osaze w<strong>as</strong> signed <strong>as</strong> a free<br />
agent after he w<strong>as</strong> rele<strong>as</strong>ed<br />
by Stoke City.<br />
He also featured for West<br />
Bromwich Albion in the<br />
Premier League.<br />
Nigeria Football<br />
Federation, and will only do<br />
business with him.<br />
On 25th July, the final day<br />
of the FIFA chieftains’ visit,<br />
the Federal Court of Appeal<br />
(Jos Division) told the world<br />
that Giwa and group had<br />
no c<strong>as</strong>e and threw out their<br />
matter.<br />
L<strong>as</strong>t month, the Supreme<br />
Court threw out two motions<br />
brought by Giwa’s lawyers<br />
against the NFF, and this<br />
coming after the Appeal<br />
Court threw out his c<strong>as</strong>e,<br />
Nigerian football fans<br />
heaved a sigh of relief that<br />
the song had stopped for<br />
Giwa and his group.<br />
It is therefore a surprise<br />
that the highest court in the<br />
land h<strong>as</strong> again agreed to<br />
listen to another motion (of<br />
injunction against the NFF<br />
Board) so soon after it told<br />
the same Giwa and his<br />
group that they had no c<strong>as</strong>e.<br />
Oyo win Etisalat U-15<br />
School Championship<br />
TOBI Ikotun scored<br />
the winning penalty<br />
<strong>as</strong><br />
Asegun<br />
Comprehensive lifted the<br />
Etisalat U-15 School Cup<br />
Competition at the<br />
expense of Fosla<br />
Academy after a<br />
pulsating regulation time<br />
ended 2-2.<br />
The<br />
Abuja<br />
representative missed<br />
two spot <strong>kick</strong>s <strong>as</strong> opposed<br />
to the Oyo side’s one to<br />
end the shoot-out 4-3.<br />
The aura at the Campos<br />
Mini Stadium w<strong>as</strong> bright<br />
and lively <strong>as</strong> the 1500<br />
capacity arena w<strong>as</strong><br />
packed with students in<br />
colourful Etisalat regalia.<br />
After a goalless first<br />
half, the second period<br />
Terry<br />
Contd from Page B/P<br />
from him.”<br />
Also heaping praises<br />
on the Chelsea’s wingback,<br />
defender John<br />
Terry, who did not feature<br />
in the game, took to<br />
Instragram to pay his<br />
homage to Moses, who<br />
he said is becoming a<br />
more important player,<br />
not to mention a<br />
favourite of the Stamford<br />
Bridge crowd.<br />
“Another great win from<br />
the boys today (Saturday).<br />
Unbelievable goal<br />
from from Pedro to get<br />
us back in it before half<br />
time and another goal<br />
from Victor Moses, who<br />
is on roll at Chelsea FC”<br />
And the BBC’s, Chief<br />
football writer, Phil<br />
McNulty h<strong>as</strong> praised<br />
Moses for his stellar contributions<br />
to Chelsea FC<br />
this se<strong>as</strong>on, after suffering<br />
three years in the<br />
Mourinho<br />
Contd from Page B/P<br />
the Premier League.<br />
Mourinho received his<br />
marching orders for the<br />
second time in three<br />
home league games after<br />
<strong>kick</strong>ing out at a water<br />
bottle on the touchline<br />
at Old Trafford.<br />
The Special One, who<br />
w<strong>as</strong> sent to the stands<br />
during l<strong>as</strong>t month’s<br />
goalless draw against<br />
Burnley, reacted after<br />
Paul Pogba w<strong>as</strong> booked<br />
for diving.<br />
Mourinho felt Pogba<br />
should have been given<br />
a free-<strong>kick</strong> but referee<br />
Jon Moss got the<br />
decision right and<br />
showed the French<br />
international a yellow<br />
card.<br />
Pogba will now miss<br />
United’s next game, an<br />
EFL cup cl<strong>as</strong>h with West<br />
Ham, while Mourinho is<br />
started with the Federal<br />
Capital Territory boys<br />
controlling the game,<br />
albeit momentarily <strong>as</strong><br />
Asegun Comprehensive<br />
got the curtain raiser in<br />
what turned to be a goal<br />
frenzied half.<br />
Qudus opened the<br />
scoring via an header off<br />
a Odeniyi Ibrahim free<strong>kick</strong><br />
from inside the Oyo<br />
representative half. In<br />
what would be the<br />
‘keepers’ tradition for all<br />
the set piece goals,<br />
Aluko w<strong>as</strong> rooted to the<br />
spot.<br />
Moments later, Fosla<br />
got an equaliser from<br />
another free-<strong>kick</strong>, but<br />
this time direct and a<br />
beauty.<br />
wilderness.<br />
Writing yesterday, the<br />
BBC’s man said, “Victor<br />
Moses seemed destined<br />
for life away from<br />
Stamford Bridge after a<br />
succession of loan spells<br />
following his £9m move<br />
from Wigan Athletic in<br />
August 2012.<br />
‘’The 25-year-old had<br />
only made 23 appearances<br />
and scored one<br />
goal for Chelsea before<br />
this se<strong>as</strong>on and had<br />
stints at Liverpool, Stoke<br />
City and West Ham<br />
United before Conte took<br />
charge at Stamford<br />
Bridge.<br />
‘’Conte’s tactical<br />
reshuffling saw Moses<br />
employed <strong>as</strong> a right<br />
wing-back in his new<br />
defensive system, the<br />
catalyst for an unlikely<br />
revival that h<strong>as</strong> seen<br />
him emerge <strong>as</strong> one of<br />
Chelsea’s most<br />
important players.<br />
likely to face further<br />
punishment from the<br />
Football Association for<br />
his outburst.<br />
The United boss, who<br />
served a one-game<br />
touchline ban against<br />
Swansea City for his<br />
reaction to Mark<br />
Clattenburg’s decision<br />
not to award United a<br />
penalty against<br />
Burnley, received a<br />
£50,000 fine earlier this<br />
month for comments<br />
about the appointment of<br />
Anthony Taylor to<br />
referee their game<br />
against Liverpool.<br />
Mourinho, 53,<br />
previously had a run-in<br />
with Moss during the<br />
final weeks of his tenure<br />
<strong>as</strong> Chelsea manager 12<br />
months ago when he<br />
w<strong>as</strong> also sent to the<br />
stands during a 2-1<br />
defeat to the Hammers<br />
and handed a one-game<br />
ban.
46 — Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
Sanchez fires<br />
Arsenal to win<br />
over Bournemouth<br />
ARSENAL battled to<br />
a 3-1 home victory<br />
against<br />
AFC<br />
Bournemouth thanks to an<br />
Alexis Sanchez double.<br />
Sanchez seized on a<br />
first-half error by Steve<br />
Cook on 12 minutes to<br />
round goalkeeper Adam<br />
Federici and slide the ball<br />
into the empty net.<br />
CONTE:<br />
Moses is<br />
important<br />
for Chelsea<br />
CHELSEA manager,<br />
Antonia Conte says<br />
Victor Moses “is a good<br />
player” who deserves his<br />
moment in the spotlight.<br />
Conte w<strong>as</strong> quizzed by<br />
ITV about Moses’ great run<br />
of form and the Italian did<br />
not hold back in his words<br />
of adulation for the Super<br />
Eagles man.<br />
“Victor is a good player. I<br />
saw him during the prese<strong>as</strong>on<br />
and I wanted to<br />
keep him in the squad.<br />
“It is the same with Pedro,<br />
he (Moses) deserves to<br />
play.<br />
“And he is playing some<br />
fant<strong>as</strong>tic football for us. He<br />
is very important for us,”<br />
Conte said shortly after<br />
Chelsea’s 2-1 victory over<br />
Spurs.<br />
Federer plans<br />
return from<br />
injury<br />
ROGER<br />
Federer<br />
w i l l<br />
make his<br />
comeback from injury by<br />
playing for the Indian<br />
Aces in next month’s<br />
International Premier<br />
Tennis League<br />
The Swiss ace h<strong>as</strong> been<br />
sidelined since July with<br />
a knee problem that<br />
required surgery, with<br />
his l<strong>as</strong>t competitive<br />
appearance coming at<br />
Wimbledon, when he lost<br />
in the semi-finals at SW19<br />
to Milos Raonic. The 17-<br />
time major winner is now<br />
in line to make his<br />
competitive comeback in<br />
next month’s IPTL, which<br />
h<strong>as</strong> been reduced to four<br />
teams and three venues<br />
for 2016. Federer is one<br />
of the headline <strong>names</strong> for<br />
the event alongside<br />
Serena Williams, Kei<br />
Nishikori and Tom<strong>as</strong><br />
Berdych, with the likes of<br />
Andy Murray and Novak<br />
Djokovic not competing<br />
in the tournament.<br />
But AFC Bournemouth<br />
refused to roll over, and<br />
Callum Wilson levelled<br />
from the spot on 23 minutes<br />
after Nacho Monreal<br />
w<strong>as</strong> adjudged to have<br />
fouled the Cherries’ striker.<br />
Eight minutes after the<br />
break, Theo Walcott<br />
headed Arsenal back into<br />
the lead from Monreal leftwing<br />
cross.<br />
Petr Cech had to make an<br />
excellent point-blank save<br />
with 14 minutes left from<br />
former Arsenal man Benik<br />
Afobe and visiting substitute<br />
Lys Mousset<br />
missed a golden chance to<br />
level in the final minute.<br />
As AFC Bournemouth<br />
continued to push for an<br />
equaliser, Olivier Giroud<br />
set up Sanchez for the late<br />
goal that puts fourth-placed<br />
Arsenal four points clear of<br />
Tottenham Hotspur in fifth,<br />
and drops Eddie Howe’s<br />
side to 11th.<br />
•Sanchez<br />
Emmanuel, Agugbom win Dala Hard Court<br />
•Ndanusa welcomes Dangote to tennis<br />
By John Egbokhan<br />
S YLVESTER<br />
Emmanuel and<br />
Christy Agugbom have<br />
won the men’s and<br />
women’s singles titles<br />
respectively of the 30th<br />
Dala Hard Court Tennis<br />
Championship in Kano.<br />
Neymar suffers accident<br />
in his Ferrari<br />
NEYMAR<br />
w<strong>as</strong><br />
involved in a car<br />
accident on Sunday<br />
morning, but the<br />
Barcelona forward but he<br />
still played against Real<br />
Sociedad.<br />
According to TV3,<br />
Neymar w<strong>as</strong> on his way<br />
to Barca’s Ciutat<br />
Esportiva training<br />
ground, where the squad<br />
w<strong>as</strong> scheduled to meet<br />
before flying to San<br />
Seb<strong>as</strong>tian.<br />
However, pictures<br />
then emerged of his car,<br />
a Ferrari 458 Spider,<br />
facing the opposite<br />
direction of the side of the<br />
road he w<strong>as</strong> driving on.<br />
Club members<br />
Emmanuel defeated<br />
Moses Michael 7-6, 6-4 in<br />
the men’s final while<br />
Agugbom defeated<br />
Blessing Samuel 6-2, 6-7,<br />
7-6.<br />
For this effort,<br />
Emmanuel earned a cool<br />
sum of N800, 000 for his<br />
achievement while<br />
Agugbom bagged N500,<br />
000 for emerging the best<br />
women’s player in the<br />
tournament.<br />
Impressed with the<br />
performance of the<br />
finalists, Kano State<br />
<strong>Gov</strong>ernor, Abdullahi<br />
Ganduje promised that<br />
his administration will<br />
continue sponsoring the<br />
tournament. Interestingly,<br />
the governor w<strong>as</strong><br />
represented at the final by<br />
a former boss of the<br />
Nigeria Football<br />
Federation, Ibrahim<br />
Galadima, who is the<br />
Chairman of the Kano<br />
State Sports Commission.<br />
The tournament also got<br />
a big boost following the<br />
emergence of the<br />
Dangote Group <strong>as</strong> one of<br />
the major sponsors. A<br />
immediately arrived at<br />
the scene to escort the<br />
Brazilian, who<br />
fortunately escaped<br />
unhurt, leaving him<br />
available for s<strong>elect</strong>ion at<br />
Anoeta.<br />
representative of Dangote<br />
Group, Danladi Hamza<br />
said the multi-million<br />
conglomerate w<strong>as</strong> keen to<br />
support<br />
the<br />
championship.<br />
Moved by the comments<br />
of the governor and<br />
Hamza, President of the<br />
Nigeria Tennis<br />
Federation, Sani<br />
Ndanusa welcomed<br />
Dangote’s decision to be<br />
part of tennis, stressing<br />
that the partnership will<br />
take tennis to new<br />
heights.<br />
“The Dangote Group is<br />
a global brand of high<br />
repute and by backing the<br />
Dala Hard Court Tennis<br />
Championship, they have<br />
demonstrated their desire<br />
to empower more youths<br />
across the country.<br />
Dangote’s involvement<br />
in tennis can only<br />
guarantee success for the<br />
game in Nigeria at<br />
regional, continental and<br />
international levels, and<br />
we are grateful for the<br />
privilege that they are<br />
<strong>as</strong>sociating with Nigerian<br />
tennis through this<br />
tournament,” Ndanusa<br />
submitted.<br />
Juve lose to Genoa<br />
GENOA utterly an<br />
nihilated Juventus<br />
in the first half and<br />
sent the leaders cr<strong>as</strong>hing<br />
to a 3-1 defeat, with<br />
two added injury woes.<br />
It w<strong>as</strong> a remarkable<br />
start, <strong>as</strong> Leonardo Bonucci<br />
w<strong>as</strong> caught in possession<br />
to spark a<br />
counter, Gigi Buffon<br />
managed three reaction<br />
saves, including one<br />
with the aid of Alex Sandro,<br />
but could do nothing<br />
on the fourth from<br />
Giovanni Simeone.<br />
Neymar<br />
Buffon desperately<br />
scrambled to get a loose<br />
ball under control, despite<br />
the efforts of his<br />
teammates, and moments<br />
later Genoa added<br />
a second goal.<br />
Darko Lazovic skipped<br />
p<strong>as</strong>t Alex Sandro on the<br />
left and his cross w<strong>as</strong><br />
met by a Simeone diving<br />
header from six yards.<br />
Cholito hadn’t found the<br />
net in six games, but<br />
had a brace in the opening<br />
13 minutes.
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016 — 47
Vanguard, MONDAY, NOVEMBER 28, 2016<br />
silenced the doubters<br />
Terry, Cahill hail ‘fant<strong>as</strong>tic’ Moses<br />
C HELSEA’S<br />
stand-in captain<br />
in l<strong>as</strong>t weekend’s game<br />
against Tottenham, Gary<br />
Cahill h<strong>as</strong> said that<br />
Moses h<strong>as</strong> been fant<strong>as</strong>tic<br />
this se<strong>as</strong>on. He said<br />
this much after the Nigerian<br />
scored the second<br />
goal in the 2-1 win at<br />
Stamford Bridge.<br />
Speaking to the club’s<br />
website, Cahill said, ‘I<br />
am delighted for Victor<br />
to get the second goal,.<br />
He h<strong>as</strong> been fant<strong>as</strong>tic<br />
this se<strong>as</strong>on and it is another<br />
important goal<br />
Contd on Page 45<br />
Pinnick<br />
embarks<br />
on ‘VIP<br />
scouting’<br />
in Europe<br />
BY JUDE OPARA, ABUJA<br />
APPARENTLY in a<br />
bid to identify more<br />
talented Nigerians playing<br />
professional football<br />
abroad, President of Nigeria<br />
Football Federation,<br />
(NFF) Amaju Pinnick h<strong>as</strong><br />
embarked on a tour of some<br />
European countries ostensibly<br />
to convince them to<br />
pitch their tent with the<br />
Contd on Page 45<br />
TODAY'S PUZZLE<br />
Tanzania<br />
name<br />
squad<br />
for<br />
Eagles<br />
Sudoku<br />
How to Play Sudoku<br />
Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can<br />
have two of the same number).<br />
Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also<br />
nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a<br />
bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1<br />
through 9. This means that no number can appear twice<br />
in any block, column or row.<br />
No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division<br />
or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination.<br />
Giwa returns to court to draw<br />
FIFA’s hammer on Nigeria<br />
EVEN <strong>as</strong> they are<br />
presently top of their<br />
group and appear<br />
comfortable for a place at<br />
YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS<br />
Ronaldo overtakes<br />
Messi, Suarez<br />
REAL<br />
Madrid’s<br />
Cristiano Ronaldo<br />
ROARING . . . Chelsea’s wing back Victor Moses roars in celebration after<br />
scoring against Tottenham<br />
•Pinnick<br />
the 2018 FIFA World Cup<br />
finals, the Super Eagles<br />
may still be thrown out of<br />
Contd on Page 45<br />
Ikeme fit again<br />
Page 45<br />
Across<br />
2 Burst (5)<br />
7 Carried (5)<br />
8 Decoration (5)<br />
10 R<strong>as</strong>cal (5)<br />
12 Sister (3)<br />
13 Outcome (5)<br />
15 Feign (7)<br />
17 Pester (6)<br />
19 Be indebted (3)<br />
20 Thrive (7)<br />
23 Yearn (4)<br />
25 Minus (4)<br />
26 Snatched (7)<br />
30 Sicken (3)<br />
31 Decipher (6)<br />
34 Ravage (7)<br />
37 Beaten (5)<br />
38 Skill (3)<br />
39 Bird (5)<br />
40 Collier (5)<br />
41 L<strong>as</strong>so (5)<br />
42 Condition (5)<br />
Down<br />
1 Trunk (5)<br />
2 Follow (5)<br />
3 Niche (6)<br />
4 Plimsoll (4)<br />
5 Refined (7)<br />
6 Shrewd (5)<br />
9 Owing (3)<br />
11 Advance (7)<br />
13 Insinuate (5)<br />
14 Hurl (5)<br />
16 Sheep (3)<br />
18 Acrobat (7)<br />
21 Fiend (5)<br />
22 Enquired (5)<br />
24 Given (7)<br />
27 Help (3)<br />
28 Proper (6)<br />
29 Simple (5)<br />
32 Boat (5)<br />
33 Thick (5)<br />
35 V<strong>as</strong>e (3)<br />
36 Rave (4)<br />
who were writing him off<br />
at the start of the se<strong>as</strong>on<br />
Contd on Page 45<br />
•Giwa<br />
QUICK CROSSWORD<br />
YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS<br />
Across: 2, Essay 7, Mean 8, Elicit 9, Draft 11,<br />
Cue 13, Sot 15, Only 16, Low 18, Fete 19,<br />
Fighter 20, Save 22, Ever 23, Article 25, Rota 27,<br />
Tee 28, Once 30, Tie 31, Tar 33, React 36, Defile<br />
37,<br />
Omit 38, Dummy.Omit 38, Dummy.<br />
•Ronaldo<br />
Tomorrow’s AWC Fixtures<br />
Cameroon v Ghana 4pm<br />
Nigeria v South Africa 7pm<br />
Results - NPL<br />
Watford 0 Stoke 1<br />
Arsenal 3 Bournemouth 1<br />
Man Utd 1 West Ham 1<br />
Southampton 1 Everton 0<br />
Serie A<br />
Palermo<br />
Bologna<br />
0<br />
0<br />
Lazio<br />
Atalanta<br />
1<br />
2<br />
Cagliari 2 Udinese 1<br />
Crotone 1 Sampdoria 1<br />
Genoa 3 Juventus 1<br />
Laliga<br />
Villarreal<br />
Os<strong>as</strong>una<br />
0<br />
0<br />
Alaves<br />
A/Madrid<br />
2<br />
2<br />
CONTE: Moses is<br />
important for<br />
Chelsea -Page 46<br />
Sent-off<br />
Mourinho<br />
snubs<br />
media<br />
JOSE Mourinho w<strong>as</strong><br />
sent to the stands<br />
during Manchester<br />
United’s cl<strong>as</strong>h with West<br />
Ham in<br />
Contd on Page 45<br />
Down: 1, Begun 2, End 3, Sea 4, Yet 5,<br />
Big 6, Bigot 10, Flog 11, Consort 12,<br />
Elevate 13, Servant 14, Terrier 16, Limit<br />
17, Whole 18, Fee 21, Era 24, Cede 26,<br />
Oiled 29, Cabin 32, Wit 33, Red 34, Aim<br />
35, Toy.<br />
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