Stormy sessions in Senate, House of Reps

•P.35•P.21 

$179m debt: Nigeria’s investment in WAGPCo threatened 

By Michael Eboh 

ABUJA— UNLESS 

something urgent is 

done, Nigeria’s multibillion 

dollar investment 

in the West African Gas 

Pipeline Company, 

WAGPCo, is set to go 

down the drain as 

management of the 

company, yesterday, 

raised an alarm that it 

was in a precarious 

financial situation that is 

threatening its existence 

and which had put the 

commercial viability of 

the West African Gas 

Pipeline, WAGP, project 

Kainji, Jebba power plants operators lament 

N20bn unpaid invoices 

•P.8 

in jeopardy. 

Through the Nigerian 

National Petroleum 

Corporation, NNPC, 

Nigeria owns a 24.9 per 

cent stake in WAPCo, 

Continues on page 19 

...towards a better life for the people 

VOL. 25: NO. 63070 

COLUMNISTS: 

** 

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

IMMUNITY FOR LEGISLATURE LEADERS: 

ONLINE | www.vanguardngr.com 

Stormy sessions in Senate, 

House of Reps 

•Senators threaten Buhari with impeachment 

•Senators Tinubu, Melaye in shouting match 

•Legislatures not immune anywhere in the world – Gbajabiamila 

•Immunity for presiding officers overdue —TSAV 

CONDOLENCE: General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, with 

family of late Mrs Eunice Olawale, wife of the Parish Pastor of the Divine Touch Parish, NEPA Road, Kubwa, Abuja, yesterday. 

Avengers blows up another crude export pipeline 

•P. 12 

N200 

By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political 

Editor, Henry Umoru, Dapo Akinrefon, 

Charles Kumolu, Gbenga Oke, Joseph 

Erunke & Johnbosco Agbakwuru 

ABUJA — STRONG 

indications emerged, 

yesterday, that the 

alleged forgery case of 

2015 Standing Order 

involving the Senate 

President, Bukola Saraki, 

and his deputy, Ike 

Ekweremadu, has taken 

a different dimension as 

the Senate reportedly 

threatened President 

Muhammadu Buhari 

with impeachment. 

Consequently, the 

executive session of the 

Senate went rowdy as it 


Oshiomhole 

makes up 

with Odubu; 

donates 

N10m to 

dep gov's 

orderly 

•P. 16 

Mr & Mrs 

Nnamdi Kanu, detained 

IPOB leader awarded 

Great Liberator of 

Ndigbo 

See inside 

Should I 

report my 

boss to•P. 40 

personnel? 

A country without 

enlightened 

self-interest•P. 17 

The Saraki- •P. 31 

Ekweremadu 

Senate and its 

proxy battles 

Constitutional 

immunity as 

sanctification of 

moral turpitude in 

governance •P. 31 

C 

M 

Y 

K

C 

M 

Y 

K 

2—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016—3

4—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

POCKET CARTOON 

TOWN HALL: From left, Senator Solomon Adeola, Senator representing 

Lagos West; Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebula, Deputy Governor of Lagos State and 

Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, during the 2nd Quarter of Year 

2016 Town Hall meeting of Lagos State Governor in Badagry, yesterday. Photo: 

Bunmi Azeez. 

Stormy sessions in Senate, House of Reps 

Continues from page 1 

almost became a free for 

all between the chairman, 

Senate Committee on the 

Federal Capital Territory, 

Senator Dino Melaye 

(APC,Kogi West), and the 

Chairman, Committee on 

Women Affairs, Senator 

Oluremi Tinubu, APC, 

Lagos Central. 

A similar situation was 

equally underway in the 

House of Representatives, 

where a row broke out 

over the amendment of the 

constitution to provide 

immunity for presiding 

officers of the National 

Assembly and state 

legislatures. 

The row was ignited 

following the decision of 

the Speaker, Yakubu 

Dogara, to refer the issue 

to the Constitution 

Amendment Committee 

for deliberation, instead of 

being debated on the floor 

of the House. 

Senate in closeddoor 

session 

Soon after resumption 

from its two weeks break, 

the Senate went into a 

closed door session which 

lasted for an hour to 

discuss, among others, 

how to move the red 

chambers forward, devoid 

of crisis. 

The meeting was 

designed to get senators 

with court cases against 

the Senate leadership to 

withdraw the cases and 

return peace to the Upper 

Chamber. 

At the meeting, 

yesterday, the mood of 

well over 90 percent of the 

senators was to suspend 

those ‘ erring’ members in 

the Senate Unity Forum, 

SUF, who dragged the 

Senate President, Senator 

Saraki, his deputy, 

Senator Ike Ekweremadu 

and others to court over 

alleged forgery of the 

2015 Senate Standing 

Order. 

A senator, who spoke 

with Vanguard, said the 

mood of the Senate was to 

suspend those senators 

and for the upper 

chambers to prove the 

supremacy of the 

legislature and teach the 

Presidency and the 

executive a lesson that the 

National Assembly and 

the Senate, in particular, 

be left to carry out its 

legislative duties 

effectively without any 

interference. 

According to the 

senator, the Upper 

IT'S UP TO YOU 

BY AYO ADIO - 08104802192 

MIRACLES are great, but we must not only 

believe in miracles but that we can also work out 

miracles. You are the greatest miracle of creation. 

TAKE HEART 

BY ELLA RANDLE- O8084919482 

Never judge a book by its outer covering...there’s is 

more to a person than you see outwardly— Take Heart 

Quotes. 

IF you can love something more than yourself, it 

comes with more awareness spiritually of being a better 

channel of love to all of life. The heart centre is open to 

more of everything; more love, compassion, 

understanding, wisdom, and freedom...to embrace the 

inner child is to come into constant light and be the 

beautiful you. Feel the spontaneity of love and healing. 

Take self a little less seriously. Flow with the gentle rhythm 

of life. 

SAYINGS OF OUR PEOPLE 

If you are in hiding, don't light a fire. 

Chamber resolved that 

there is no case of forgery 

of the Standing Orders 

and asked that those 

involved should withdraw 

the case from the court. 

The source told 

Vanguard that the move to 

suspend the senators was 

arrived at on Monday, 

preparatory to yesterday’s 

resumption. 

According to the senator 

who pleaded anonymity, 

shortly 

after 

commencement of the 

executive session, some 

senators called on their 

colleagues, led by 

Senators Suleiman 

Hunkuyi (APC, Kaduna 

North) and Kabir Marafa 

(APC, Zamfara Central), 

to sheathe their swords 

and withdraw the petition 

that led to the criminal 

prosecution of Senate 


and his deputy, Ike 

Ekweremadu. 

The senator said: 

“Senate resolved today 

(yesterday) to suspend 

those who dragged the 

Senate President and 

others to court over 

alleged forgery of the 

2015 Standing Order. 

‘’The Senate moved to 

suspend the erring 

senators and resolved that 

there was nothing like 

forgery. The mood of the 

Senate was to suspend 

them and 90 percent of 

the senators, both of PDP 

and APC, agreed to 

suspend them. Senators 

wanted to prove the 

supremacy of the 

legislature. “ 

Following their refusal 

to adhere strictly to the 

report of the senate 

Committee on Peace and 

Reconciliation, led by 

Senator James Manager 

(PDP, Delta South), there 

was a motion by Senator 

Dino Melaye that they 

should be suspended. 

Senator Manager’s 

report which urged 

senators in court to 

withdraw their lawsuits for 

the sake of peace and 

unity in the Senate, had 

also recommended that 

all factional groups in the 

Senate be disbanded 

forthwith. 

Those billed for 

suspension, it was 

gathered, include 

Senators Abdullahi 

Adamu (APC, Nasarawa 

West); Suleiman Hunkuyi 

(APC, Kaduna North); 

Kabir Marafa (APC, 

Zamfara Central); Abu 

Ibrahim (APC, Katsina 

South), as well as other 

members of Senate Unity 

Forum, SUF. 

According to the source, 

the executive session, 

which was chaired by 

Saraki, also reminded the 

Senate that a committee, 

led by former Senate 

President, David Mark, 

had been set up to 

“reconcile” members. 

Curiously, Mr. Mark 

stood and said he was not 

informed that he chaired 

such a committee and that 

he didn’t know any of the 

members. He was 

simply told to do his 

“work”. 

Melaye, Tinubu 

in shouting 

match 

According to the source, 

the shouting match 

between Senators Melaye 

and Tinubu ensued when 

the former called on the 

senators to fight the 

Presidency to a standstill 

and was said to have 

issued threats. 

It was at this point that 

Senator Tinubu asked 

Melaye why he should 

call for the suspension of 

the senators and confront 

the President. 

Senator Tinubu was said 

to have warned the 

Senate to guard against 

being reduced to a 

kindergarten court where 

senators could just issue 

childish threats, and 

called on senators to close 

ranks and seek 

reconciliation among 

themselves. That was 

when Melaye flew into a 

rage. 

“You can’t talk to me the 

way you talk to other 

people; you must respect 

yourself,’’ Melaye was 

said to have roared. 

The statement caused a 

commotion on the floor as 

senators in her support 

gathered to protect her. 

The source further told 

Vanguard that Senator 

Barnabas Gemade (APC, 

Benue North-East), who 

sensed that he would be 

affected if the suspension 

move sailed through, 

stepped in to plead with 

his colleagues to embrace 

peace. 

The source told 

Vanguard that senators 

were, however, not happy 

with Senate President 

who reportedly begged 

and called for peace, 

against the decision of the 

senators to suspend those 

with cases in court. 

Row in House of 

Reps 

Away from the Senate, 

the House of 

Representatives rowed, 

yesterday, over the 

amendment of the 

constitution to provide 



Assembly and state 

legislature. 

The row was ignited 

following decision of the 

Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, 

to refer the issue to the 

Constitution Amendment 

Committee for 

deliberation, instead of 

being debated on the floor 

of the House. 

Like the lawmakers, a 

host of eminent Nigerians 

were also sharply divided 

on whether or not the 

Senate President, Deputy 

Senate President, House 

of Representatives 

Speaker and his deputy 

as well as speakers and 

deputy speakers of the 

state Houses of Assembly 

should enjoy immunity as 

the President, Vice 

president, Governor and 

Deputy governor. 

Those who spoke on the 

issue, yesterday, included 

Chairman of the 

Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against 

Corruption, Professor Itse 

Sagay, SAN; former 

Nigerian Bar Association 

President, Dr Olisa 

Agbakoba, SAN; former 

Lagos 

State 

Commissioner of Police, 

Alhaji Abubakar Tsav; 

Senators Magnus Abe 

and Lee Maeba; Mr 

Kayode Ajulo and the 

Pan-Yoruba Socio-Political 

Organisation, Afenifere. 

Ogor’s 

amendment bill 

Minority Leader of the 

House, Leo Ogor, had in 

the Bill for an Act to alter 

the 1999 Constitution (as 

amended) canvassed the 

inclusion of the Senate 

President, the Deputy 

Senate President, the 

Speaker and his deputy 

in the immunity clause. 

He called for the 

amendment of Section 

308 of the Constitution, 

which only gives 

immunity to the President, 

Vice President, Governors 

and their deputies, to also 

include the presiding 


Assembly. 

Ogor, who represents 

Isoko Federal 

Constituency of Delta 

State, in the bill, which 

passed through second 

reading, though in a 

‘controversial’ manner, 

wants an enactment by the 

National Assembly of the 

Constitution, Cap C23, 

Laws of the Federation of 

Nigeria, referred to as the 

Principal Act. 

The bill proposes the 

alteration of Section 308, 

Subsection 3 of the 

Principal Act to add the 

Senate President, 

Speaker, Deputy Senate 

President, Deputy 

Speaker after the Vice 

President as well as the 

speakers and deputy 

speakers of state Houses 

of Assembly immediately 

after the word, deputy 

governor. 

He further explained 

that by providing 

immunity for the 

leadership of the National 

Assembly, the 

independence of the 

legislature would be 

guaranteed. 

According to him, “the 

amendment is straight 

forward but it needs clear 

explanation; the 

amendment seeks to 

strengthen the National 

Assembly, they 

(leadership) should be 

protected in the period 

they are in office.” 

Exemption from 

criminal offences 

He said the presiding 

officers, which the bill 

sought to include in the 

immunity clause, should 

be exempted from 

criminal offences during 

the period of the four 

years they serve in office, 

but should answer for 

their offences immediately 

they step down from their 

positions. 

Legislatures don’t 

enjoy immunity 

anywhere in the 

world 

— Gbajabiamila 

But Majority Leader, 

Femi Gbajabiamila, 

opposed the idea, saying 

there was no democracy 

in the world where heads 

of the legislature enjoyed 

immunity, adding that 

even if it would work, the 

timing was wrong, 

especially now that the 

Senate President, Bukola 

Saraki, was facing trials. 

He said they 

(lawmakers) were in the 

chamber to legislate 

Continues on page 5

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016—5 

Stormy sessions in Senate, House of Reps 


because of the support of 

the people and that from 

reactions of the people, 

Nigerians did not support 

the bill because of the 

timing. 

He further stated that 

the assumption was that 

the National Assembly 

embarked on the 

amendment because of 

what was happening in 

the Senate as regards the 

prosecution of the Senate 


and his deputy, Senator 

Ike Ekweremadu over 

allegations of forgery of 

the Senate Standing 

Rules for the election of 

presiding officers of the 

Senate. 

Recall also that the 

Senate President, Bukola 

Saraki, is being tried at 

the Code of Conduct 

Tribunal for alleged false 

assets declaration. 

Gbajabiamila said there 

was no country in the 

world where the 

legislature was shielded 

from prosecution by 

immunity. 

He said: “We must feel 

the pulse of the people we 

represent. Timing in any 

piece of legislation is very 

important. There are 

issues in the Senate and I 

pray it is resolved so that 

we don’t send wrong 

signals or message to the 

public. 

“I don’t know any 

democracy in the world 

where the head of the 

legislature has immunity. 

I am not aware that the 

Chief Justice of Nigeria is 

under any immunity by 

constitutional provision.” 

The constitution 

must protect the 

legislature—Ossai 

Supporting the bill, 

Ossai Nicholas Ossai, 

who represents Ndokwa/ 

Ukwuani Federal 

Constituency of Delta 

State, said the 

constitution, as it was 

currently, only protected 

the executive. 

He said: “We have to 

include the National 

Assembly. The legislators 

need protection to do their 

work. When you protect 

the legislature, you protect 

the people.” 

Rowdy session 

The House went rowdy 

when the Speaker, 

Yakubu Dogara, abruptly 

ended debate on the 

matter, as he referred it to 

the Special Ad-hoc 

Committee on 

Constitutional 

Amendment, headed by 

the Deputy Speaker, 

Yusuff Lasun. 

Some members, who 

had complained of not 

being paid their June 

salary and had planned to 

shun the plenary, found 

an opportunity to express 

their anger. 

They told the speaker 

that the immunity issue 

should be discussed on 

the floor, rather than by 

the ad-hoc committee. 

The confusion, which 

lasted for about 30 

minutes, nearly divided 

the House along party 

lines between members of 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, who 

made spirited efforts to 

kill the bill and those of 

the opposition party, the 

Peoples Democratic Party, 

PDP, who wanted the bill 

debated. 

The majority leader had 

a herculean task 

convincing Obinna 

Chidoka, representing 

Idemili Federal 

Constituency of Anambra 

State, who had a contrary 

view to the position of the 

leader. 

When calm was finally 

restored to the House, 

Dogara said the bill would 

be sent to the special 

committee on constitution 

review, in accordance 

with the House rules, 

even as he explained that 

“the bill can die even at 

the committee.” 

Guiding the House, 

Ayorinde Olabode, 

Deputy Chairman, Rules 

and Business, cited Order 

8, Rule 98 of the House 

rules, which provides that 

any bill that seeks to alter 

the constitution must be 

sent to the special 

committee. 

It’s grossly 

improper 

— Sagay 

Kicking against the 

agitation, Professor Itse 

Sagay said the move was 

grossly improper. 

He said: “I have said it 

before that it is grossly 

improper because if you 

are not planning to 

commit crime, why are 

you anxious to be 

protected against your 

crime? 

"So, immunity must not 

be increased by one inch 

and those who currently 

NABBED: Suspected kidnappers of Deputy High Commissioner of Serra 

Leone to Nigeria and others being paraded by the Police in Abuja, yesterday. 

Photo: Gbemiga Olamikan. 

have immunity should be 

the only ones to enjoy it, 

there should be no 

expansion. For once, the 

Senate should go and sit 

down and plan something 

beneficial for Nigerians, 

instead of always 

promoting personal 

interest of themselves and 

their leadership.” 

Immunity for 

presiding officers is 

overdue 

—Tsav 

However, a retired Police 

Commissioner, Alhaji 

Abubakar Tsav, said: 

"What is happening in the 

country now regarding 

the trial of the Senate 

President and his deputy 

suggests that those offices 

should be protected. 

"It is not because of them 

that we need immunity, it 

is because of the 

importance of the offices. 

It will be wrong if those 

offices are rubbished for 

political reasons. 

"The lawmakers should 

have done this a long time 

ago because those 

positions are important to 

our democracy. The 

experience we are having 

now is very bad and if 

those offices are not 

protected, it would not 

mean well for our 

democracy. 

"If there can be immunity 

for those offices, the nation 

must always ensure that 

credible people occupy 

those positions." 

It’s massive 

impunity 

Immunity for Legislature in some countries 

By Clifford Ndujihe, Deputy Political Editor 

ACROSS the globe, many countries have a measure 

of immunity for the legislature to ensure stability 

of the polity and sustenance of democracy. 

United Kingdom 

In the United Kingdom, lawmakers enjoy 

Parliamentary privilege, which is a legal immunity 

enjoyed by Members of the House of Commons and 

House of Lords. It is designed to ensure that 

Parliamentarians are able to carry out their duties free 

from interference. The privileges are freedom of speech, 

freedom from arrest on civil matters, freedom of access 

to the sovereign and that ‘the most favourable 

construction should be placed on all the Houses’s 

proceedings.' 

Turkey 

Turkey is one of the countries where lawmakers enjoy 

immunity. However, last May, Turkey’s parliament 

ratified a bill that stripped some legislators of immunity 

from prosecution. Championed by the ruling Justice 

and Development Party (AKP), the bill amended the 

constitution, adding a temporary clause to remove 

immunity from a total of 138 deputies - the exact number 

who are facing criminal investigations. The bill allowing 

criminal charges to be brought against legislators was 

signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on June 7. 

India 

The Indian Parliament also has “privilege and 

immunity” that signify certain special or exceptional 

rights of Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha or its individual 

members which are generally accepted as necessary 

for the exercise of their constitutional functions. 

There are privileges that are enjoyed by members 

individually and these include: Freedom of speech, 

Freedom from arrest and Exemption from attendance 

as jurors and witnesses. 

Under Freedom from Arrest: no member shall be 

arrested in a civil case 40 days before and after the 

adjournment of the House (Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha) 

and also when the House is in session. 

It also means that no member can be arrested within 

the precincts of the Parliament without the permission 

of the House to which he/she belongs. When a member 

of the House is arrested or detained, the authority 

concerned should immediately inform the speaker or 

the Chairman regarding the reasons for such arrest. 

A member can be arrested outside the four walls of 

the House on criminal cases under the Preventive 

Detention, ESMA, NSA, POTA or any other such Act. 

Philippines 

In Philippines, Article VI, Section II of the 

Constitution grants lawmakers immunity. It provides: 

“A Senator or Member of the House of Representative 

shall, in all offences punishable by not more than six 

years imprisonment, be privileged from arrest while 

the Congress is in session. No member shall be 

questioned nor be held liable in any other place for 

any speech or debate in the Congress or in any 

committee thereof.” 

Australia 

The principal parliamentary immunity in Australia is 

the immunity from civil or criminal action, and 

examination in legal proceedings, of members of the 

houses and of witnesses and others taking part in 

proceedings in Parliament. 

This immunity is known as the right of freedom of 

speech in Parliament, because it has the effect of 

ensuring that members, witnesses and others cannot 

be sued or prosecuted for anything they say or do in 

the course of parliamentary proceedings. This freedom 

of speech has always been regarded as essential to 

allow the houses to debate and inquire into matters 

without fear of interference. 

—Agbakoba 

Former NBA president, 

Dr Olisa Agbakoba, poohpoohed 

the moves and 

urged the lawmakers to 

retrace their steps. 

According to him, 


officers of the legislature 

is "wrong and massive 

impunity." 

Lawmakers are 

proposing anarchy 

— Ajulo 

A legal practitioner, Mr 

Kayode Ajulo, said the 

move would only lead to 

anarchy, adding that it 

would not augur well for 

the country. 

Ajulo said: “Immunity 

all over the world is only 

enjoyed by the executive. 

For the legislature to 

claim and to ask and to be 

contemplating immunity 

means that they are 

contemplating that they 

are sovereign. 

"The kind of constitution 

we operate never 

envisaged that legislators 

will ever have immunity. 

What they are proposing 

is anarchy. 

“What lies ahead now is 

anarchy because the 

legislators are not 

thinking about the people, 

they are only representing 

themselves. 

"For the past one year, 

we are yet to see any 

people-oriented 

legislation. If they are not 

fighting for allowance, 

they will be fighting for 

offices.” 

We abhor it 

—Afenifere 

The Pan-Yoruba sociopolitical 

organisation, 

Afenifere, said it abhorred 

the clamour for immunity, 

saying the National 

Assembly would only 

pitch itself against 

Nigerians. 

Its National Publicity 

Secretary, Mr. Yinka 

Odumakin, said: “The 

National Assembly should 

forget about having 

immunity. In fact, we are 

canvassing that the 

immunity clause should 

be removed. 

"We abhor what they are 

trying to do. They should 

forget about immunity 

because they can only 

pitch themselves against 

the people by talking 

about immunity.” 

Immunity should 

not cover criminal 

acts —Abe 

Senator Magnus Abe 

said the issue of immunity 

for National Assembly's 

presiding officers was 

something Nigerians 

needed to look at very 

critically because the 

National Assembly 

already enjoyed 

immunity that enables 

lawmakers to do their job 

and on the floor of the 

National Assembly.


08023019505 

08034073107 

Woman 

moving 

suspiciously 

around 

schoolchildren 

nabbed in 

Lagos 

By Elizabeth 

Uwandu 

BARELY 24 hours 

after a woman was 

almost lynched by a mob 

for allegedly attempting 

to kidnap a child in 

Okokomaiko area of 

Lagos State, another 

woman was allegedly 

apprehended in same 

area, yesterday. 

The woman, whose 

identity could not be 

ascertained at press 

time, was sighted 

pacing around Tipper 

Garage, location of three 

private schools, 

yesterday afternoon. 

An eyewitness said her 

movement became 

suspicious after the 

close of school, when 

pupils were leaving for 

their respective homes, 

as she was sighted 

walking behind some of 

them. 

A curious resident was 

said to have approached 

her and demanded to 

know what her mission 

was and she allegedly 

claimed to be living 

around the area, but 

when inquisitive 

residents followed her to 

the street she said was 

hers, no resident could 

identify her. 

This created a scene as 

she was subjected to 

interrogation. 

Another eyewitness, 

who gave his name 

simply as Chionye, said: 

“She was asked to sit on 

the floor. And when she 

did, someone removed 

her cap, only to discover 

that some naira notes, in 

different denominations, 

were hidden there. 

“People around 

descended on her and 

asked her to confess 

what she came to do, but 

were shocked when she 

started licking the blood 

that was gushing out of 

her bruises.” 

The eyewitness said 

some people later 

suggested she should be 

taken to the station. 

However, when this 

reporter contacted 

policemen at 

Okokomaiko, they 

claimed that no such 

person was brought to 

the station. 

N60m from missing bullion van found 

supermarket premises 

By Davies Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT—THE 

display of N60 million, 

reportedly recovered by the 

Rivers State Police Command, 

after a bullion van conveying 

over N100 million went 

missing on Friday, left many 

dumbfounded. 

The command said the 

money, belonging to one of the 

new generation banks in the 

state, was recovered on 

Monday after it was 

abandoned at the premises of 

a popular supermarket in a taxi 

car within GRA, Port 

Harcourt. 

The bullion van, which 

conveyed the over N100 

million to Rivers State from 

Aba in Abia State, was 

declared missing on Friday, 

last week, and a formal 

complaint was allegedly 

lodged at Rivers State Police 

Command, leading to an 

investigation. 

Addressing pressmen 

yesterday in Port Harcourt, 

Deputy Police Commissioner 

in charge of Administration, 

Mr. Uche Anozia, explained 

that the bullion van was 

contracted from a company in 

the state to convey money for 

two new generation banks in 

Port Harcourt from Aba. 

Anozia stated that the bullion 

van was declared missing after 

security escorts accompanying 

the van disembarked when it 

had delivered money to one 

of the banks on the grounds 

that they were only paid to 

escort for Zenith Bank. 

He added that the driver of 

the bullion van drove off to a 

yet-to-be-known destination 

after the escorts allowed him 

to go and deliver the N100 

million to the other bank, 

Stanbic Bank. 

He said: “On July 8, last 

Friday, we received a report by 

one Mr. Stanley Ndubuisi of 

Bankers Warehouse, about a 

missing bullion van. It was 

rented by Zenith Bank and 

Stanbic Bank, here in Port 

Harcourt to bring cash from 

Aba. 

“Arriving Port Harcourt, it 

went to Zenith Bank, 

delivered the money meant for 

the bank. According to the 

complainant, at that point the 

soldiers disembarked and left. 

Now it remained the money for 

Stanbic Bank and the driver 

alone. Consequently, the 

An SUV destroyed in an accident by two trucks that collided in Mile 2, along Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, yesterday. No life was lost. 

PHOTO: Akinwunmi Ibrahim. 

Cultists lure father of 2 to party, kill him 

By Evelyn Usman 

THE annual Egungun 

c e r e m o n y 

in Isheri, Magodo area of 

Lagos State was marred, 

weekend, after one of the 

guests, Mutiu Edunjobi, was 

allegedly stabbed to death by a 

suspected cultist. 

Late Edunjobi, a 34-year-old 

battery charger, who resided at 

3, Egbedina Street, Isheri, was 

said to have been lured to the 

party by suspected cultists, 

Sunday, who had plotted to kill 

him for being sympathetic to a 

rival cult group. 

A fight broke out between 

rival cult groups at about 8p.m., 

during which dangerous 

objects were reportedly used. 

In the process, the father of two 

was allegedly stabbed in the 

neck by one Kehinde Lawal, a 

suspected cultist. 

When news of Edunjobi’s 

attack went round, youths in the 

area reportedly went berserk as 

they attempted to carry out 

jungle justice on his assailant 

and members of his cult group. 

Eyewitnesses said the angry 

youths stormed the assailant’s 

residence at 5, Ajegunle Street, 

Isheri and threatened to set it 

The widow, and late Edunjobi(inset). 

ablaze but for the intervention 

of policemen. 

He was my 

everything—WIFE 

When Vanguard visited the 

deceased’s home yesterday, 

his widow, Mariam, was seen 

with her 41-day-old baby, 

while the elder one, aged six, 

rested her head on her 

mother’s lap. 

She said: “My husband was 

not a cultist. They just killed 

him for nothing. He was my 

friend, brother and father. He 

promised to open a shop for 

me when my baby turns one 

and half. 

“Now he is gone. Who will 

take care of me and my 

children?” 

Father of the deceased, Mr. 

Dauda Edunjobi, disclosed 

that cultists were always at 

loggerheads in the area, 

calling on Lagos State 

government to address the 

issue, as it was getting out of 

hand. 

He maintained that his son 

was never a cultist. According 

to the distraught father, “The 

person that stabbed my son to 

death is about 10 years his 

junior. They were never 

friends. My late son was an 

easy-going fellow, who was 

loved by all. 

“He was not a cult member. 

Their grievance was that he was 

sympathetic to their enemies 

and for that reason, they have 

been threatening to kill him. 

“My late son was invited to the 

party by Ipodo’s brother. He 

never knew it was an invitation 

of death, as it was a deliberate 

plan to kill him. They have 

been telling people that they 

will kill him and now they have 

carried out their threat. All we 

want is for justice to be done.” 

Police 

When contacted, 

spokesperson for Lagos State 

Police Command, Dolapo 

Badmus, a Superintendent of 

Police, said: “I can confirm that 

at about 8p.m., one Kehinde 

Lawal allegedly stabbed one 

Mutiu Edunjobi on his neck 

with a knife during a fight at 

Edum compound, Isheri. 

“Edunjobi was rushed to a 

nearby hospital, where he died. 

The corpse was deposited at the 

Lagos State University Teaching 

Hospital, LASUTH, Ikeja for 

autopsy. Meanwhile, efforts are 

on to arrest the suspect.”


08023019505 

08034073107 

in Port Harcourt 

driver absconded with the 

money. 

“We got information on July 

11, that a certain Ford Explorer 

was parked at the premises of 

Everyday Supermarket, located 

in GRA and that the vehicle 

contains sacks suspected to be 

bank property. 

“I immediately dispatched my 

DC Operations to the area to 

verify. Fortunately for us, it was 

discovered that the sacks in the 

vehicle belong to Stanbic Bank 

because of the seals on them. 

“The amount recovered, 

according to information, is 

N60,250,000. The driver that 

parked the car there is the driver 

of Everyday Supermarket. He is 

on the run now.” 

BANK ALERT: The recovered N60 million 

Dog kills cobra, saves 

family in Bayelsa 

By Emem Idio 

YENAGOA—IN Otuasega 

community, Ogbia Local 

Government Area of Bayelsa, 

a brave pet dog saved its 

owner’s family from a deadly 

cobra attack last Sunday. 

Neighbours, who had 

rushed to the scene to kill the 

reptile, fled when they saw 

how big it was. 

Narrating the incident, Mrs. 

Catherine Isiki, in whose 

house the snake was found, 

said she was awakened by her 

little granddaughter who was 

the first person to sight the 

deadly reptile and raised the 

alarm. 

According to Isiki, while the 

neighbours fled the scene due 

to its size, her pet dog, named 

Striker, rose to the occasion and 

battled with the snake and 

eventually killed it. 

Mrs. Isiki, who could not 

imagine how the snake gained 

entrance to the building, stated 

that it could have been a tragic 

story if she had not kept Striker 

as a pet, saying what happened 

was divine intervention. 

She said: “I am alive today 

because of a dog that saved me 

and my family; the neighbours 

could not kill the cobra due to 

its size. 

“The Lord can deliver His 

people through any means. My 

entire family has been saved 

through a pet dog.” 

Investigate murder of Abuja preacher thoroughly, Reps directs IGP 

By Sam Eyoboka, 

Kingsley Omonobi, 

Johnbosco Agbakwuru & 

Imanuel Jannah 

ABUJA—THE House of 

Representatives, 

yesterday, directed the acting 

Inspector General of Police, 

Ibrahim Idris, to carry out 

thorough investigation on the 

gruesome murder of the 

Redeemed Christian Church of 

God, RCCG, preacher, 

Deaconess Eunice Olawale, 

who was killed in the early 

hours of last Saturday during 

morning cry evangelism in 

Kubwa, Abuja. 

The lawmakers also urged the 

IG to ensure that all 

perpetrators of the crime were 

brought to book. 

The resolution of the House 

was sequel to a motion of 

urgent national importance 

sponsored by Babatunde 

Kolawole, APC Ondo. 

The House, in the resolution 

at the plenary, called for 

deployment of more police in 

the area, where the crime was 

committed, to prevent such 

occurrences in the future. 

The House further urged the 

Federal Capital Territory, FCT, 

administration to demolish all 

shanties across the nation’s 

capital, where miscreants were 

said to be hiding and from 

where they attack citizens. 

Kolawole, in the motion 

entitled Gruesome murder of 

Mrs. Eunice Olawale in 

Kubwa, Abuja and need to 

protect other citizens in the FCT, 

said the 42-year-old woman 

and wife of RCCG Pastor, 

Olawale Elisha, was hacked to 

death in the early hours of 

Saturday, July 9, while 

preaching the gospel a few 

metres away from her house in 

Kubwa by unidentified 

miscreants. 

He said: “Late Mrs. Eunice 

Olawale is from Ilawe, Ekiti 

State, while her husband, 

Pastor Olawale, is from Ikare- 

Akoko in Ondo State. She was 

allegedly murdered by 

miscreants who were said to be 

annoyed by her early morning 

preaching in the area. 

“This incident has caused 

ethnic tension in the Federal 

Capital Territory because some 

are claiming she was killed by 

extremists, while others say 

they are miscreants, and there 

is therefore the need for the 

House to be proactive to 

prevent the breakdown of law 

and order and further loss of 

lives.” 

The motion was 

overwhelmingly supported 

through voice vote called by 

the Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, 

who presided over the plenary 

and one minute silence was 

observed in honour of the 

deceased. 

Late Deaconess Eunice 

Elisha ,who celebrated her 15 

years of marriage on July 1 

and also preparing to celebrate 

her 42nd birthday on July 24, 

was hacked to death at a 

junction close to the Kubwa 

New Market, Gbazango. 

Vanguard gathered that 

miscreants had been on 

rampage in Kubwa, especially 

at Omega Paint Road and 

entire Arab Road and the 

miscreants erect shanties in 

most of the streets and also live 

in uncompleted buildings as 

they cannot afford the high 

cost of rent in the area. 

RCCG mourns 

Meanwhile, the Redeemed 

Christian Church of God, 

RCCG, has expressed shock 

and sorrow over the murder of 

Deaconess Olawale. 

A statement by the head of 

the church’s Media and Public 

Relations Department, Pastor 

Segun Adegbiji, said: “We are 

indeed in a sad mood in 

RCCG. As sweet as heaven is, 

death of our youths is not what 

we wish for. We shall not cease 

•We've hit a dead end—POLICE 

Deaconess Eunice Olawale 

to pray that God will end 

bloodshed in Nigeria and all 

over the world. 

“We sympathise with the 

widower, our pastor, Elisha 

Olawale and their seven 

children. Our Mother-in- 

Israel, Pastor Folu Adeboye 

and Pastor Emmanuel 

Ibitayo of Region10, Abuja, 

paid a condolence visit to the 

family on Sunday.” 

Cardinal Okogie 

cautions Christians 

Also yesterday, the former 

President of the Christian 

Association of Nigeria, CAN, 

and Catholic Archbishop of 

Lagos, Anthony Cardinal 

Okogie, empathised with the 

family of the female 

evangelist, saying it was a 

pity the lady lost her life 

evangelising for Christ. 

While calling on the 

Federal Government to 

provide adequate security 

for every Nigerian citizen 

irrespective of creed and 

ethnicity, Okogie used the 

occasion to caution all 

Christians to always apply 

wisdom whenever they have 

reasons to preach the gospel 

in hostile environments. 

According to him, he will 

be very slow to assume that 

the killing was an extension 

of an agenda to Islamise the 

nation, arguing that one has 

to use his common sense in 

the quest to win souls for the 

kingdom of God, and that the 

woman had the free will to use 

wisdom when she saw the 

young lads coming her way. 

Okogie was, however, quick 

to urge Christians to refrain 

from any act of vengeance, 

saying, “God says vengeance 

belongs to Him and no man 

should assist God to fight His 

battle.” 

He added that the current 

agitations against a purported 

plot to Islamise the nation will 

amount to nothing. 

Police free 4 

suspects, remand 2 

Meanwhile, police said 

yesterday that four of the 

suspects arrested have been 

released to go for lack of 

evidence of involvement in the 

murder act. 

According to a senior police 

officer, “though two of the 

suspects are still being 

detained for further 

investigations, the 

investigation team, led by the 

Deputy Commissioner in 

Charge Criminal 

Investigations, has so far hit 

a dead wall in the 

investigations. 

“We found out that the 

suspects in our custody knew 

nothing of the dastardly act. 

The other two in our custody 

are still with us because they 

were in the vicinity when it 

happened, though they 

claimed ignorance. But we are 

still investigating more. 

“For now, I can only tell you 

that we are not relenting in 

the investigation, but it will be 

a hard nut to crack.” 

When contacted, 

Commissioner of Police, FCT, 

CP Alkali Baba Usman, 

confirmed the release of the 

four suspects, noting that 

investigation is still ongoing.


WAR ON CORRUPTION: Obasanjo, Magu, others call for 

judicial cleansing 

By Soni Daniel, 

Northern Regional 

Editor & Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

A BUJA—FORMER 

President, Olusegun 

Obasanjo, yesterday, said for the 

country to make meaningful 

headway in the fight against 

corruption, the legal profession 

must be sanitised. 

Obasanjo, who maintained that 

the justice sector had a lot to do, 

spoke on a day the Acting 

Chairman of Economic and 

Financial Crimes Commission, 

EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, 

alleged that lawyers constituted 

part of the problems hampering 

the anti-corruption drive of the 

COMMENTS ON CONSTITUENCY PROJECTS: Senate 

summons SGF 

•Adeosun, Udoma to appear on Thursday over budget implementation 

By Henry Umoru & 

Joseph Erunke 

ABUJA—THE 

Senate 

yesterday summoned the 

Secretary to the Government of 

the Federation, SGF, Babachir 

Lawal, to appear before its 

Committee on Ethics, Privileges 

and Public Petitions and those 

of Finance and Appropriations 

this week over comments that 

constituency projects may suffer 

in the face of declining budget 

income. 

Lawal was quoted to have said 

that the N100 billion constituency 

projects in the 2016 budget might 

suffer setbacks due to dwindling 

resources. 

Also yesterday, the Senate 

summoned the Minister of 

Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, 

and her Budget and National 

Planning counterpart, Senator 

Udoma Udo Udoma, to appear 

before the Senator Danjuma 

Goje-led Committee on 

Appropriations tomorrow to 

explain how far the Federal 

Government had gone with the 

implementation of 2016 budget. 

The resolutions of the Senate 

were sequel to a point of Order 

raised by Senator Matthew 

Urhoghide, Peoples Democratic 

Party, PDP, Edo South, who 

expressed fears over comments 

by the SGF, even as he stressed 

that with selective 

implementation of this year’s 

budget, it was already doomed 

to fail. 

Senator Urhoghide, who 

described comments by Lawal as 

unfortunate, especially with 

regard to his position in the 

society, said that nonimplementation 

of any part of the 

approved budget would amount 

to violation of the law because 

President Muhammadu Buhari 

had signed it into law and was 

an impeachable offense, if not 

implemented. 

Relying on Senate Standing 

Order 15, Senator Urhoghide, 

present administration. 

Magu said it was 

disheartening that senior 

lawyers, without qualms, collect 

as much as N870 million to 

defend corrupt civil servants 

facing criminal prosecution in 

court. 

He said the EFCC had 

concluded plans to go after 

lawyers that helped corrupt 

persons to launder public funds 

through the acquisition of 

properties, as well as those that 

aided their clients to escape 

justice. 

Former President Obasanjo 

and Magu spoke at separate 

judiciary related events that 

took place in Abuja. 

who is the Chairman, Senate 

Committee on Culture and 

Tourism, said: “I want to draw 

your attention to a publication in 

a newspaper. After reading, 

there were two portions, it was 

difficult to understand; I found 

Kainji, Jebba plants' operators cry out 

over N20bn unpaid invoices 

By Emma Ujah, Abuja 

Bureau Chief 

A BUJA—MAINSTREAM 

Energy Solutions Ltd, 

operators of Kainji and Jebba 

Hydro Power Plants, have cried 

out over the N20 billion owed it 

by the Nigerian Bulk Electricity 

Trading Plc, in unpaid invoices. 

Chairman of the company, 

Col. Sani Bello, aired the 

frustrations of his company and 

other Electricity Generation 

Companies, GENCOs, at the 

inauguration of the Mainstream 

Charity Foundation in Abuja, 

yesterday. 

He said: “Mainstream Energy 

Solutions Ltd has faced lots of 

difficulties since we took over 

the operations of Kainji and 

Jebba Power Plants because we 

While Obasanjo spoke at the 

official presentation of the book, 

‘S.T. Hon’s Constitutional and 

Migration Law in Nigeria’, Magu 

aired his views at a one-day 

workshop on Anti-corruption, 

Ethics of the Legal Profession & 

Justice Sector, jointly organised by 

the Nigerian Bar Association and 

the Presidential Advisory 

Committee Against Corruption, 

PACAC. 

Obasanjo, who spoke shortly 

after the book, written by a 

constitutional lawyer and Senior 

Advocate of Nigeria, Sebastian 

Hon, was reviewed by the Dean 

of Law Faculty, University of Jos, 

Prof. Dakas Dakas, said he 

supported calls for cleansing of 

out that my representation here 

is threatened. 

‘’What is mentioned by the 

Secretary to the Government of 

the Federation is that constituency 

projects may not be executed 

because MDAs may not find it as 

are not being promptly and 

adequately paid for the volume 

of electricity we are generating 

“For us in the Generation subsector, 

our monthly invoices have 

never been fully paid. As we 

speak today, our Company has 

accumulated unpaid invoices of 

over N20 billion Naira. 

“In addition to non-payment of 

our monthly invoices in full, our 

Company also has to grapple 

with difficulties associated with 

obtaining Foreign Exchange to 

import critical spare parts. 

Sustenance of generations not to 

talk of increasing capacity has 

become a daunting challenge. 

“I would like to appeal to the 

Ministry of Power, the Bureau of 

Public Enterprise, BPE, Nigerian 

Bulk Electricity Trading, NBET, 

the legal profession. 

While aligning himself with 

Prof. Dakas who decried recurring 

cases where courts of co-ordinate 

jurisdiction delivered rulings to 

contradict each other over the 

same matter, Obasanjo said: 

“With all the criticism that their 

has about the practitioners, I 

concur with the book reviewer 

and I add that if our country must 

make progress, the law profession 

must have a lot to do.” 

The book launch was also 

attended by the Vice President, 

Yemi Osinbajo, who in his 

remarks, commended the author 

for being clear and unequivocal 

in addressing controversial legal 

issues of law, especially the Law 

of Evidence. 

a critical part of their mandate. 

“This document is a law, refusal 

to implement it is a violation of 

the law, It is an impeachable 

offence to violate this law and we 

will not allow it. Enough is 

enough." 

WORKSHOP: From 

left: Representative of 

Chief Justice of 

Nigeria, and Justice 

of Supreme Court, 

Justice Kudirat 

Kekere-Ekun, NBA 

General Secretary, 

Mazi Afam Osigwe 

and Acting Chairman 

of EFCC, Ibrahim 

Magu, during a 

workshop on Anti- 

Corruption, Ethics of 

the Legal Profession 

and Justice Section in 

Abuja. Photo: 

Gbemiga Olamikan. 

and Nigerian Electricity 

Regulatory Commission, NERC, 

to continue to do all it takes in 

ensuring that the debt burden 

borne by the Generation 

Companies does not cripple 

them.” 

In his contribution, the Deputy 

Chairman, Alhaji Ismaila Isa, said 

the distribution companies were 

not sincere with Nigerians as they 

failed to meter consumers and 

renege in their agreements to 

promptly pay for electricity 

supplied to them by the GENCOs 

His words: “As the vice 

chairman of this company, I can 

tell you that the Distribution companies 

are not paying up after collecting bills 

from consumers but nobody bothers to 

go to the generating companies to know 

whether they have been paid what they 

have been generating." 

N200bn 

other banks' 

funds trapped 

in Skye Bank 

By Emeka Anaeto, 

Economy Editor 

LAGOS—AMIDST efforts 

to resolve the technical 

insolvency in Skye Bank 

Plc, the bank’s books have 

indicated that Nigerian 

banks and other foreign 

financial institutions are 

exposed to the bank to the 

tune of N131.2 billion in 

foreign loan bank 

guarantees, otherwise 

known as counterpart 

obligations. 

Top of the list of 

institutions which funds are 

trapped in the bank 

includes African Finance 

Corporation with total 

exposures of N17.1 billion, 

African Export-Import 

Bank (Afrexim) with N16.1 

billion and United Bank for 

Africa Plc, New York with 

N11.76 billion. 

There were also some 

significant exposures on its 

local interbank market 

involving several banks, 

though Vanguard learned 

that some of the banks had 

begun to avoid Skye Bank 

since last year. 

But a source close to the bank 

told Vanguard that the N131 

billion exposure was as at end 

2014, adding that a lot more 

had happened in 2015 

involving more Nigerian 

banks in foreign exchange 

loans guaranteed for Skye 

Bank running into several 

hundreds of millions of dollars 

which had now been worsened 

by the recent devaluation of 

the Naira, which in turn 

increased the exposure by 40 

per cent. 

Other forms of exposures, 

according to the source, relate 

to inter-bank borrowings 

running into several billions of 

Naira, a development which 

could bring the total exposures 

to other financial institutions, 

both local and international to 

over N200 billion. 

Though Skye Bank’s 2015 

result has not been released 

to the public but it had been 

turned over to the Central 

Bank of Nigeria, CBN, a 

development which had 

heightened tension in the 

industry and the stock market 

due to insider knowledge of 

the dire situation with capacity 

to adversely affect many other 

banks. 

The nature of the 

guarantees, Vanguard 

learned, were such that the 

banks involved would have to 

repay the due obligations since 

Skye Bank was unable to pay, 

CBN was forced to intervene 

directly to reassure the market 

while stemming a possible 

systemic run on banks as a 

result of the crystallized


Buhari urges departing US Ambassador, Entwistle 

to write book about Nigeria 

•Commends US role in Nigeria's democracy 

•Says former INEC chairman, Jega, was courageous 

By Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari 

yesterday urged outgoing 

Ambassador of the United States 

to Nigeria, Mr James Entwistle, 

to document his experiences in 

Nigeria, especially as it 

concerned the 2015 general 

election that brought him to 

power. 

He noted that Entwistle served 

as US Ambassador in Nigeria at 

a very strategic time in the 

country’s history. 

The President, who spoke 

while receiving the ambassador 

in his office at the Presidential 

villa, Abuja, expressed 

appreciation for the important 

role the US government played 

in the success of the 2015 

general elections in Nigeria. 

President Buhari said the US 

insistence on free, fair and 

violent-free elections largely 

contributed to the deepening of 

democracy in the country. 

“The U.S support before, 

during and after the 2015 

elections was vital to Nigeria’s 

stability and I will never forget 

the role they played in the 

stability of Nigeria. 

“We were lucky to have had an 

INEC chairman who was 

competent and courageous. Mr 

Ambassador, you occupied a 

position at a very strategic time 

in Nigeria’s history and I hope 

our historians will record this 

because it meant so much for our 

stability. 

Tension in Police over postings, reversal of squadron 

commanders 

By Our Reporters 

ABUJA—THERE is palpable 

tension in Nigeria Police 

Force, following what officers 

have described as outright witchhunting 

of officers and open 

favouritism from a particular 

section of the country. 

Also, it was learned that over 

70 per cent of the postings of 

officers carried out by the last 

administration of the force are 

allegedly being reversed, against 

the Police Act and rules which 

stipulates that such reversals can 

only be carried out after a 

minimum of six months in their 

new positions. 

Sources told Vanguard that a 

worrying aspect that could be 

counter-productive, with regards 

to fighting the myriad of security 

challenges confronting the 

country which Acting IGP 

Ibrahim Idris promised, is the 

aspect of the reversal of the 

posting of Squadron 

Commanders and other senior 

police officers to strategic 

positions across the country, a 

“I hope you write a book on 

your experience in Nigeria. The 

commitment of U.S in 

supporting Nigeria has been 

unprecedented,” he said. 

President Buhari also thanked 

the US government for the 

military, intelligence and 

humanitarian support to Nigeria 

on the ongoing fight against 

Boko Haram insurgency. 

He said Nigeria also valued 

U.S contributions to promoting 

regional peace and stability 

through the instrumentality of 

the G7. 

Responding, the US 

Ambassador, James Entwistle, 

posting that takes specialization 

and competence into 

consideration. 

“Though the new 

administration is at liberty to 

carry out postings and 

appointments, in line with the 

policy objectives of the new IGP, 

it behoves on the Police 

hierarchy to consider federal 

character principles and 

competence while performing 

these functions because the 

force is Nigerian Police. It is not 

a police of one region of the 

country. 

“If this trend continues, there 

is no gainsaying that fact that 

moral in the police force and the 

progress recently reinvigorated 

would revert to zero level and 

the vibrancy that was restored 

would be gone,” a source said. 

Meanwhile, a group of police 

cadet inspectors have petitioned 

the Presidency and the National 

Assembly alleging 

lopsidedness in the recent 

promotions from the ranks of 

Inspectors to the ranks of 

Assistant Superintendents of 

Police released by the Police 

said the bilateral relationship 

between both countries had 

remained very vibrant and cordial. 

“I had a marvellous three-andhalf 

years in Nigeria and I am 

grateful to have been involved in 

the memorable elections in 2015,” 

he said. 

President Buhari also received 

in audience the outgoing High 

Commissioner of Canada to 

Nigeria, Ambassador Perry 

Calderwood. 

He commended the 

government of Canada for its 

humanitarian assistance to 

Nigerians displaced by 

insurgency in the North East, and 

Service Commission. 

In a petition, titled ‘A Cry For 

Justice, Fairness and Equity/ 

Complaint’ and copied the Acting 

Inspector General of Police, the 

officers said: “We the concerned 

members of the Nigeria Police 

Force Course 38/2009, Course 39/ 

2010 are crying for justice, fairness 

and equity in just concluded 

promotions of Inspectors to the 

rank of Assistant Superintendent 

of Police II released on the 11th 

January 11, 2016, with Letter 

No.SH:4650/FS/FHQ/DSB/2015/ 

VOL.1/34 dated 11th January, 

2016 and letter NO. SH: 650/FS/ 

their commitment to polio 

eradication in the country. 

He assured of the Federal 

Government’s effort to facilitate 

voluntary return of displaced 

persons, in addition to ensuring 

that conditions in North-Eastern 

Nigeria improved significantly 

before the next farming season. 

Calderwood, in his response, 

conveyed Prime Minister Justin 

Trudeau’s desire to strengthen 

ties with Nigeria in Canada’s 

quest for partnership on 

international engagements, 

including its bid for a nonpermanent 

seat in the UN 

Security Council, 2021-2022. 

VISIT: From left: Country Representative of the World Health Organisation, WHO, Dr. Rui 

Vaz; Regional Director, WHO, Dr. Rebecca Moeti; President Muhammadu Buhari, and Minister 

of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, during the visit of the WHO's Regional Director to the 

Presidential Villa, Abuja, yesterday. Photo: NAN. 

FHQ/DSB/2015/T3/4 Dated 

08133/06/2016. 

“These two promotions have 

cost some of us tears and loss of 

confidence in ourselves as we do 

not have a voice in the affairs of 

Nigeria Police Force. 

‘’We were recruited into Nigeria 

Police Academy, Wudil, Kano in 

2009/2010. It was done in batches, 

Batch “A” Course 38/2009, and 

Batch “B” Course 39 /2010. 

“This recruitment was done in 

quota system per state. Some state 

were 10 in number, while some 

where 15 and 20 respectively. 

Nigerian 

varsities fail 

to make list 

of world's 

top 1,000 

ABUJA—THE Centre for 

World University 

Rankings, CWUR, has 

released its 2016 ranking of 

universities across the world, 

with no Nigerian varsity 

making the top 1000. 

The ranking, released on 

Monday, placed Harvard 

University, United States, on 

top as the best higher 

institution in the world, 

followed by Stanford 

University, also in the U.S, 

while another school in the 

U.S, the Massachusetts 

Institute of Technology, is the 

third best in the world. 

Two universities in the 

United Kingdom, University 

of Cambridge and the 

University of Oxford, are 

ranked fourth and fifth 

respectively. 

Five other American 

universities are also ranked 

within the top 10 – they are 

Columbia University, sixth 

position; University of 

California, Berkley, seventh; 

University of Chicago, eighth; 

Princeton University, ninth; 

and Yale University, 10th. 

The U.S has 224 universities 

among the top 1,000, followed 

by China, with 90, just as 

Japan had 74, while the 

United Kingdom has 65. 

Others are: Germany, 56; 

France, 48; Italy, 48; Spain, 41; 

South Korea, 36; Canada, 32; 

Australia, 27. 

In Africa, only universities 

in South Africa and Egypt 

made the list. South Africa has 

five, while Egypt has four. 

For South Africa, the five 

universities and their 

rankings, according to the 

CWUR, are: University of 

Witwatersrand, 176th; 

University of Cape Town, 

265th; Stellenbosch 

University, 329th; University 

of KwaZulu-Natal, 468th; and 

the University of Pretoria, 

697th. 

The four from Egypt are 

Cairo University, 771st; Ain 

Shams University, 960th; 

Mansoura University, 985th; 

and Alexandria University, 

995th. 

Nov 30 deadline for metering stands —NERC 

By Ediri Ejoh 

LAGOS—THE 

Nigerian 

Electricity Regulatory 

Commission, NERC, yesterday, 

reiterated its commitment to meter 

Nigerians in electricity 

consumption. It, however, insisted 

November 30, 2016 as deadline 

to electricity distribution 

companies, DISCOs, to meter 

their maximum demand 

customers across their business 

network. 

This was even as the 

Transmission Company of 

Nigeria, TCN, engaged the 

services of Supports Sustainable 

Electricity Development in 

Nigeria, SMEC, on Strategic 

Environmental and Social 

Assessment, SESA, of 

Independent Power Producer, 

IPP, gas-fired, solar and minihydro 

power developments in 

Nigeria. 

Speaking on the metering plan, 

the acting Chairman, NERC, Dr. 

Anthony Akah, stated that 

electricity distribution companies 

were expected to provide meters 

for all maximum demand meter 

customers on their networks not 

later than November 30, 2016. 

According to him, “any 

Maximum Demand, MD, customer 

willing to subscribe to the Credited 

Advance Payment for Metering 

Initiative, CAPMI, during the 

moratorium period should be allowed.”

10 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JULY 13 , 2016 

FG vows to 

stimulate 

seamless trade 

in ECOWAS 

By Naomi Uzor 

L AGOS—THE 

Ministry of 

Transportation, yesterday 

said the Federal Government 

through the Federal 

Ministry of Transportation 

will continually spearhead 

policies, programmes and 

projects that will facilitate 

seamless trade relations 

amongst the Economic 

Community Of West African 

States, ECOWAS. 

The Minister of 

Transportation, Rotimi 

Amaechi disclosed this at 

the dialogue session on 

ECOWAS Integration 

organized by the Lagos 

Chamber of Commerce and 

Industry, LCCI, adding that, 

FG is focusing on the revival 

of the transport sector (Air, 

Maritime, Rail and Road) in 

its entire ramification by the 

rehabilitation of existing 

transport infrastructure, 

provision of new ones as well 

as ensuring relevant 

capacity building. 

Amaechi, who was 

represented by the Director, 

Transport Planning, Mr. 

Solomon Ishaya, said one of 

the determinants of economic 

growth is exposure to 

international trade and 

Nigeria as a coastal state 

under International 

Conventions and 

Agreement is bound not only 

to develop its transport 

infrastructure for its 

consumption but to also to 

factor in the interest of the 

Landlocked Neighbouring 

Nations. 

The President of LCCI, 

Chief Nike Akande, noted 

that, for too long, private 

sector organizations and 

institutions have confined 

themselves to the comfort of 

their individual countries, 

while Nigeria's counterparts 

in other parts of the world 

are advancing the frontiers 

of their economies and 

market through integration. 

She noted that with a robust 

market of over 350 million 

people, significant benefits of 

economies of scale would be 

enjoyed by businesses in 

Nigeria sub region in the 

event of full market 

integration. 

“This would lower unit 

costs and enhance our 

competitiveness. Integration 

is the main vehicle for the 

boosting of trade within the 

sub region. With integration, 

our economies would be 

stronger and their capacity 

to cope with the challenges 

of globalization would be 

enhanced,” she stated. 

MID-YEAR REPORT CARD: Lagos earmarks 

N20bn to revamp health, education sectors 

By Olasunkanmi Akoni 

& Monsur Olowoopejo 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Akinwunmi Ambode 

yesterday said his administration 

has concluded plans to massively 

revamp the health sector, just as 

he among other things, revealed 

that the sum of N10billion has 

been earmarked to upgrade 

health facilities across the state. 

Ambode, who spoke at the 4th 

Quarterly Town Hall Meeting 

held at the Muslim Community 

Praying Ground in Badagry, said 

modern equipment would be 

procured to facilitate treatment, 

while government would also 

invest massively in capacity 

building of the medical staff, all in 

a bid to provide world class health 

care for the citizenry. 

“We have commenced a 

comprehensive action to 

rehabilitate and upgrade the 

facilities in all our hospitals. 

Modern equipment will be 

procured to facilitate treatment 

and we will invest in capacity 

building of our medical staff. We 

intend to spend over N10 billion 

on our hospitals across the State 

before December this year. 

We will recruit and train medical 

professionals in areas of rare 

specialization and special needs,” 

he said. 

Speaking on the half year 2016 

budget, Governor Ambode said 

the overall performance of the 

budget stood at 70 percent, which 

according to him, was an 

improvement over the 

Chike and Cornel for eviction at Airtel The 

Voice Nigeria 

LAGOS—IT was another 

round of exciting 

performances on Sunday as The 

Voice Nigeria live shows threw up 

more surprises. 

The contestants are now down 

to 16, with four coming from each 

team. This round of live shows 

involves the four members left from 

each team performing, with the 

coach choosing to save one 

contestant and the three remaining 

contestants put up for public 

voting. This time Nigeria gets to 

save the two lucky contestants who 

amass the most votes. 

TeamTubaba kicked off the show 

with David Operah revealed as the 

Glo-sponsored Prof Johnbull 

will usher in old family fun 

times – TCHIDI CHIKERE 

contestant with the most public 

votes. Brenda, the tomboy with a 

strong voice, sang Beyonce’s if I 

were a boy whilst the shy Jennifer 

rocked the stage with some 

diversity by performing 

Evanescence’s Bring me to life. 

The saved David Operah 

serenaded with R Kelly’s classic 

I believe I can 

fly and Viveeyen 

sang When love 

takes over by 

D a v i d 

Guettaand Kelly 

Rowland. David 

Operah was two 

times lucky as 

he is saved by 

Tubaba. 

T 

HE producer of the brand new comedy 

series, Prof. Johnbull, sponsored by Globacom, 

Tchidi Chikere, has said that the new drama series 

would bring back the fun of old times when families 

used to sit together to watch television. 

Chikere spoke on the set of the new drama series 

in Enugu. He said, “Prof Johnbull is a hilarious satire 

that will appeal not only to the young at heart but 

also to everyone that can appreciate drama and its 

ability to correct social ills.” 

The producer said it was high time that Nigeria 

had more corporate bodies coming to support the 

entertainment industry like Globacom is doing. 

“Honestly, I think it is highly commendable that 

Globacom has moved from just endorsing entertainers 

as brand ambassadors to sponsoring full productions 

as Executive Producers,” the ace producer said. 

He lamented the shortage of comedy series in the 

country, saying, “The last ones we had were years 

back when Village Headmaster was running. What 

the cast and crew of ‘Prof. Johnbull’ owe Globacom is 

excellence and perfection. There is heightened love 

for Globacom brand among the cast and crew on set. 

Beyond building affinity, I think Nigerians should 

realise that Globacom is the only indigenous telecoms 

company in Nigeria and what this means is that 

whatever money the company makes, stays here in 

Nigeria as there is no capital flight”. 

A member of the cast, who plays the character 

Samson in the TV series, Oguns Baba, described 

his experience on set as fulfilling. 

corresponding period in 2015 

when the performance stood at 63 

percent. 

He said: “Revenue recorded 

73% performance for the half year 

2016 despite the challenging 

economic environment. Your 

Government spent a total of 

N115.624bn on Capital projects 

during the half year 2016 leading 

to the Capital/Recurrent ratio of 

50:50 with the plan to improve this 

ratio to 58:42 provided for in 2016 

Appropriation Law in the 

remaining half of the year.” 

The governor, who reeled out his 

achievements in the last quarter, 

said he has greater plans to make 

life more comfortable, simpler and 

safer for the people. 

For instance, on education, the 

governor said his administration 

would establish a Technical and 

Vocational School in Badagry 

before September, while 

government would also embark on 

upgrade of the infrastructure in all 

public schools starting from July. 

According to the Governor, “All 

our Primary and Secondary 

schools will be upgraded to create 

conducive learning environment 

for students and teachers. Another 

N10 billion has been earmarked 

for this facelift of our Secondary 

and Primary schools across the 

state.” 

The Governor, who recalled the 

recruitment of a total of 1,300 

teachers for Primary Schools, said 

in the next two weeks, the State 

Government will start recruiting 

another 1,000 teachers for 

Secondary Schools across the 

state. 

Speaking on his plans for Youth 

and Sports for the quarter, the 

Governor said government would 

embark on upgrade of sports 

facilities and would also support 

and promote age-grade 

competitions and sponsor 

outstanding athletes to national 

and international training and 

competitions. 

Governor Ambode also 

disclosed that his administration 

would pay greater attention to the 

issues concerning the elderly 

especially by establishing three 

Elderly Care Centres across the 

State. 

He said: “We will sponsor 

bills to the House of Assembly 

which will make specific 

provisions for the elderly in our 

society and create a framework 

for care for the aged.''

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 — 11 

Adeleke varsity finds drug for damaged liver 

By Gbenga Olarinoye 

O 

S O G B O — 

ADELEKE University, 

Ede, Osun State, has recorded a 

medical breakthrough when a 

team of medical researchers in 

the institution produced a mixture 

for the treatment of patients with 

damaged livers. 

The Vice Chancellor, Professor 

Oluwole Amusan, who disclosed 

this to pressmen yesterday during 

a press briefing ahead of the 

second convocation of the 

university scheduled for July 17, 

2016, said that a human volunteer 

had been cured of a liver problem 

when the drug was tested on him. 

Though Prof. Amusan did not 

say much on the development, he 

however stressed that the medical 

research breakthrough borders on 

antioxidant and hepatoprotective 

potentials of lemon 

juice and sorghum mixture 

against paracetmol-induced liver 

damage in rats. 

He attributed the feat to the 

academic staff’s deep 

commitment to discipline, 

professionalism and respect for 

By Rotimi Ojomoyela 

ADO-EKITI—EKITI State 

government has 

described as trial and error the 

investigation style of the 

Economic and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, against 

opponents of the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, 

government of President 

Muhammadu Buhari, 

especially the State Governor, 

Mr Ayodele Fayose. 

The government disclosed that; 

“Officials of the EFCC sealed a 

AWARD PRESENTATION: From left; Senior Group Head, Reignite Public Affairs, Tola 

Odusote; Speaker Ecowas Youth Parliament, Ghana, Hon Mensah Fred; MD/CEO, CMC 

Connect, Burson Marsteller; Yomi Badejo -Okusanya; ED, CMC Connect Burson Marsteller, 

Raheem Olabode, and Deputy Speaker, Ecowas Youth Parliament, Liberia, Rt. Hon. Varney Maxwell, 

during the Ecowas Youth Parliament Award Presentation to Yomi Badejo -Okusanya, held in Lagos. 

ONDO GOV POLL: Akoko APC stakeholders fault elders 

STAKEHOLDERS in the All 

Progressives Congress, APC, from 

the four local governments in Akoko, Ondo 

state yesterday warned some leaders in the 

party not to divide governorship aspirants 

from the councils along local government 

or geopolitical lines. 

They said in as much as they are in support 

of consensus arraignment, they are not in 

support of any move to divide Akoko along 

local government line, saying Akoko is one. 

Already, a group consisting of elders in 

Akoko APC led by Pa. Felix Ayegbusi has 

the quality standard that the 

university stands for. 

According to him, out of the 266 

students who would graduate 

from different faculties with first 

degrees, 23 came out with First 

Class Division, 143 finished with 

Second Class Upper, while 97 

made Second Class Lower 

Division. 

The VC also announced the 

award of honorary degrees to 

EFCC conducting investigations through ‘trial and error' 

— FAYOSE popular Guest House on Gana 

Street, Maitama, Abuja 

yesterday, believing that 

Governor Fayose owned it only 

for the officials to be confronted 

with the fact that operator of the 

Guest House leased the property 

from its owner for ten years.” 

In a statement signed by the 

Special Assistant the State 

Governor on Public 

Communications and New 

Media, Lere Olayinka, the 

government said it was only 

in Nigeria that anti-corruption 

agency will first arrest suspect 

before looking for evidence to 

prosecute him. 

The statement reads in part; 

“Today, the EFCC demonstrated 

that it has been lying against 

Governor Fayose and other 

Nigerians all along by the failed 

attempt it made to seal off a 

property located on Gana Street, 

Maitama, Abuja that is being used 

as Guest House just because the 

governor used to lodge there. 

“It was at the point of sealing 

off the property that the owner of 

the Guest House told the EFCC 

officials that he only leased the 

property for ten years from its 

owner, a former Chief of 

Defence Staff, who was also a 

one-time Minister of Defence.'' 

already picked one of the aspirants from 

Akoko North East eyeing the party ticket as 

the only person allowed to participate in 

the yet to be fixed primary election. 

Akoko indigenes contesting for the APC 

ticket include, Senator Ajayi Boroffice, Victor 

Olabimtan, Tunji Abayomi, Segun 

Abraham, Foluso Adefemi, among others. 

But the stakeholders faulted the elders 

for narrowing the consensus arrangement 

to aspirants from Akoko North/Akoko North 

East rather than researching on all aspirants 

from the entire Akoko and pick the best. 

deserving personalities, 

including the Timi of Ede, Oba 

Munirudeen Lawal, who will be 

offered the Honorary Degree of 

Science in Public Administration 

and Leadership. 

Osinbajo advocates introduction of state police 

•Says Buhari has implemented some confab resolutions 

By Emmanuel Aziken, 

Political Editor & Levinus 

Nwabughiogu 

VICE President Yemi 

Osinbajo yesterday gave 

his support for the introduction 

of state police just as he affirmed 

that the Muhammadu Buhari 

administration has 

implemented some of the 

recommendations of the 2014 

Constitutional Conference. 

The vice president spoke 

through his Senior Special 

Assistant on Media and Publicity, 

Mr. Laolou Akande in a radio 

programme. 

He spoke against differing 

interpretations of the vice 

president’s intervention in the 

ongoing debate about the 

restructuring of the country. 

The vice-president’s assertion 

that restructuring of the country 

would not make any difference 

had recently come under attack 

by some bodies in the country 

including Afenifere, the Yoruba 

socio-cultural organisation. 

Clarifying the position of the 

vice president on the issue of 

restructuring, Akande in the radio 

programme on Orange FM in 

Akure, Ondo State explained that 

while the Vice President 

questions whether the allocation 

of more funds to states from the 

federal would be helpful at this 

time considering the dwindling 

revenues from oil and taxes, he 

wholly supports the idea of having 

state police across the country as 

articulated in the APC’s Roadmap 

to a New Nigeria. 

Details of Akande’s clarification 

on the radio programme made 

available by the vice-president’s 

office said Osinbajo desires a 

deeper debate on the issue of 

restructuring which he said should 

not be restricted at the level of 

resource allocation. 

He said the administration has 

implemented some of the decisions 

listed in the 2014 Confab report, 

not because it was in the report 

but because they were sound 

decisions. He listed two of such 

decisions to include the merging 

of Budget Office with National 

Planning as one ministry and 

also the adoption in the 2016 

budget of a 60-40% recurrent 

and capital expenditures. 

S-WEST PDP 

PARLEY: 

Mimiko, zonal 

chairman 

harp on 

discipline 

By Dayo Johnson 

A KURE—CHAIRMAN 

of the Peoples 

Democratic Party PDP, 

Governors Forum, Dr 

Olusegun Mimiko 

yesterday expressed 

worries over indiscipline 

within the party which has 

been responsible for 

incessant legal suits in the 

courts. 

Mimiko spoke in Akure 

during the inaugural 

meeting of the South West 

Zone of the party. 

He lamented what he 

described as the “high-level 

of indiscipline in the party 

that culminated into series of 

leadership crises at the 

national level and challenges 

that also have overbearing 

effects in some states”. 

“There is no question 

about the fact that recent 

event within our party can 

challenge anybody no matter 

how strong-hearted you are. 

Recent event in our party can 

set people thinking whether 

the party really jinxed. 

“One of those weaknesses is 

this demonic propensities to 

rush to the court for issues that 

can be settled within. I think 

the level of indiscipline in PDP 

is the number one challenge 

we have. 

“As divisive as APC is, 

inspite of all the different 

tendencies working 

themselves out in APC, I 

have not heard of their cases 

in court, but PDP has 

endless cases in court. 

Indiscipline is the demon we 

must exorcise from PDP if 

this party must progress.” 

Chairman of the party in 

the South West, Dr Eddy 

Olafeso spoke in the same 

vein, saying that indiscipline 

needed to be be exorcised in 

the interest of the party and 

its members. 

Dr Olafeso preached unity 

in the party, adding that; “In 

unity the party will surmount 

all problems including 

anything that is cancerous.”

12—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13 2016 

Avengers blows up another crude export pipeline 

•As SPDC shuts Trans Niger Pipeline following leakage 

By Emma Amaize, 

Regional Editor, South 

South, Egufe Yafugbrhi 

& Perez Brisibe 

WARRI—THE Niger 

Delta Avengers, NDA, 

which vowed on Monday to 

continue to obstruct all 

avenues by President 

Muhammadu Buhari to 

export crude oil because of 

his refusal to address its 

demands, blew up the Qua 

Iboe 48-inch oil crude oil 

export line belonging to 

Exxon Mobil in Akwa Ibom 

State in defiance of him. 

Que Iboe returned to 

operation after a month long 

force majeure in June, 

buoyed by the now aborted 

ceasefire between the Niger 

Delta Avengers and 

government, but the 

militant group, which 

claimed responsibility for 

the attack, wondered why 

the International Oil 

Companies deceive 

themselves with 

government’s false sense of 

security. 

Spokesperson of the group, 

self-styled Gen. Murdoch 

Agbinibo, said: “At 7:30p.m., 

the Niger Delta Avengers 

blew up ExxonMobil Qua 

Iboe 483 crude oil export 

pipeline. When will these 

International Oil companies 

learn to listen, we (Avengers) 

said no export.” 

Qua Iboe which crude oil 

grade stood at a $0.90 per 

barrel premium had 

witnessed strong trade 

interest since the release of 

its provisional August 

programme on June 27. 

Same day, Shell Petroleum 

Development Company, 

SPDC, shut down the Trans 

Niger Pipeline, one of the 

two major pipelines that 

carries the Bonny Light 

crude grade for export 

following an outflow in Gio, 

Ogoni land, Rivers State. 

The company had only last 

week resumed export on the 

pipeline after almost two 

months of force majeure, 

following the restoration of 

production to Bonny 

Terminal. 

Officials said the company 

was working on a joint 

investigation into the leak on 

Trans Niger Pipeline. 

However, the militant 

group, which said it was 

closely monitoring repairs on 

damaged pipelines, attacked 

the Nembe 1, 2 and 3 Tedeba 

Brass trunk lines in Bayelsa 

and Rivers states on June 8, 

after the company carried out 

repairs on leaking Nembe 

Creek Trunk Line, NCTL. 

It also bombed the 

Forcados 48-inch Crude 

Export Terminal in Delta 

State afresh, last month, 

because Shell flouted its 

order not to carry out repairs 

of any sort on its installations 

damaged by the militant 

group until government 

addressed its demands. 

Series of deliberate attacks 

on facilities of Chevron 

Nigeria Limited and Nigeria 

Agip Oil Company, by the 

militant group to stall export 

had also hampered oil 

production by the companies. 

Vanguard learned that the 

gain of the temporal ceasefire 

by militants, which saw an 

increase in oil export, has 

disappeared with the recent 

attacks. 

The militant group, it will be 

recalled had said: “Until 

President Buhari takes our 

demands seriously and set up 

a genuine framework to 

address the Niger Delta 

question, we will continue to 

obstruct all avenues to export 

our crude oil to develop his 97 

per cent (95 per cent). In fact, 

whenever we have any contact 

to establish a genuine 

negotiation and dialogue, we 

will not hesitate to let the world 

know that we are in dialogue 

with the government and her 

representatives.” 

Military consider action 

against militants 

The armed forces are 

reportedly considering the 

next line of attack against the 

Avengers. The Chief of Army 

Staff, Lt-Gen Tukur Burutai, 

and other security chiefs are not 

disposed to dialogue with 

militants. They are supposedly 

mobilizing for a combined fresh 

offensive by all the relevant 

security agencies. 

EDO GOV: INEC waits 

on PDP candidate 

By Omeiza Ajayi 

A BUJA—THE 

Independent 

National Electoral 

Commission, INEC, 

seems to be in a 

quandary as to which of 

the two candidates 

proposed by the two 

factions of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

to accept at the 

deadline of submission 

of candidates, 

yesterday. 

While the Ahmed 

Makarfi-led faction has 

Pastor Osagie-Ize 

Iyamu as its candidate, 

the Ali Modu Sheriffled 

faction has Matthew 

Iduoriykem as its 

candidate. However, the 

commission only 

monitored the primaries 

organised by the 

M a k a r f i - l e d 

mainstream of the party. 

INEC had said the 

July 4 Federal High 

Court ruling on 

leadership crisis in the 

PDP would determine 

whether to recognise 

the Ahmed Makarfi or 

Modu Sheriff faction 

along with their 

candidate for the 

governorship election. 

The courts have since 

ruled in favour of Mr 

Makarfi. Sheriff had 

since announced his 

desire to head to the 

Appeal Court, 

insisting that he 

remains the national 

chairman of the PDP 

Deputy Director, 

Public Affairs at 

INEC, Mr Nick 

Dazang, however, 

said he could not 

immediately confirm 

whether the 

commission has 

received any notice 

from the appellate 

court as a result of 

Sheriff ’s planned 

appeal. 

Dazang said he 

was attending a 

workshop in Lagos 

and would need to 

get in touch with 

INEC’s Legal 

Services Department 

and consequently 

revert to our 

correspondent. 

Meanwhile, the date 

for the submission of 

names of candidates to 

INEC by political 

parties has lapsed. 

INEC had fixed July 

12 as the last day for 

parties to submit 

names of their 

candidates. However, 

there is still room for 

submission of 

candidates within 15 

days from yesterday. 

Oshiomhole 

urges FG 

to fix failed 

portions of 

Benin-Okene 

road 

By Simon 

Ebegbulem 

BENIN 

CITY— 

GOVERNOR Adams 

Oshiomhole of Edo State has 

appealed to the Federal 

Government to fix the failed 

portions on the Benin- 

Ekpoma-Auchi-Okene 

highway which has turned to 

a nightmare for motorists in 

the state. 

Speaking during a visit by 

the Minister of Power, Works 

and Housing, Mr Babatunde 

Fashola, SAN, to him in his 

office, Governor Oshiomhole 

said that the last government 

which worked on the road left 

it far worse than it met it. 

He said: “Right now, I have 

difficulty going home to my 

village because of what your 

predecessor did. I have tried 

to explain it and it is 

important we explain it, not 

because anybody believes in 

what they call blame game, 

but the truth is that if the road 

wasn’t touched at all, it 

would have been better than 

it is now, because it was better 

better." 

N-DELTA: 

Itsekiri group 

sends 

warning 

signal to FG 

By Godwin Oghre 

SAPELE—THE Iwere 

Peoples’ Congress, aka, 

Agbukumasa, the self 

defence arm of the Itsekiri 

ethnic nationality, which 

came into existence during 

the Ijaw and Itsekiri 

communal crisis between 

1997-2003, yesterday, warned 

that the fact that the Itsekiri 

people were not known for 

violence should not mean that 

they cannot carry out 

violence. 

It subsequently called on 

the Federal Government and 

oil companies in Itsekiri land 

to stop divide and rule antics 

and modern day slavery of 

the people, or be prepared to 

face their wrath. 

The group, through its 

National Coordinator, Prince 

Ekwejunor-Etchie 

Okorodudun, said: “The 

Nigerian State and its 

administrative component 

called Delta State have 

abandoned their 

constitutional role towards an 

ethnic nationality that is part 

of their geographical and 

constitutional authority – the 

Itsekiri nation."


Provide power, repair roads in your host 

communities, Wike tells Agip 

By Jimitota Onoyume 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

GOVERNOR Nyesom Wike 

of Rivers State has enjoined 

Nigerian Agip Oil Company, 

NAOC, to provide electricity to 

residents at Mgboshimini , Obio 

Akpor Local Government Area of 

the state where it has its 

administrative headquarters. 

The governor spoke when he 

embarked on facility tour of the 

administrative building. 

The governor also urged the oil 

company to rehabilitate the road 

leading to the office complex of 

the multinational , saying they 

should deliver these projects as 

part of their corporate social 

responsibility to their host 

community. 

He commended the oil giant for 

its various projects in the state, 

promising that he will continue to 

make the state safe for their 

operations. 

“I commend NAOC for its 

numerous corporate projects 

across the state. But the state of 

this road to the administrative 

headquarters of the company 

gives the company a negative 

image. 

“I urge the company to 

reconstruct this road. I also call 

on the company to ensure that it 

provide electricity to the host 

community of its administrative 

headquarters as it had done 

elsewhere.” 

He said he will demolish 

Itsekiri Education Trust awards 

scholarships to 13 undergraduates 

WARRI—TO 

bridge 

the gap in education in 

Warri Kingdom, the Itsekiri 

Education Trust, IET, has 

awarded scholarships to 13 

Itsekiri undergraduate students 

studying in various universities 

across Nigeria. 

Presenting cheques for the 

scholarships in Warri, the Olu of 

Warri, His Majesty Ogiame 

Ikenwoli, charged the awardees 

to key into the vision of IET by 

making judicious use of 

scholarships given to them and 

continue to be law abiding 

students in their various 

institutions across Nigeria. 

The Olu of Warri, who was 

represented by the Ewolufun of 

Warri Kingdom, Chief Rowland 

Omagbemi, charged the 

shanties around the office 

complex to rid the area of 

hoodlums. 

Group Managing Director of 

the oil company, Mr Marco 

Rotondi said Agip has been 

involved in several corporate 

awardees to maintain good 

grades in their academic work, 

and shun activities that will 

distract them from their academic 

pursuit especially cultism which 

is prevalent in our universities. 

“The scholarship given to you 

is not meant for frivolous things, 

it is meant for the purchase of 

books, research and academic 

endearvous that will enhance 

and improve academic studies 

that will enable you excel in your 

various areas of study and stand 

out as good ambassadors of the 

high moral value of Warri 

Kingdom. 

“Our forebears blazed the trail 

in education as a result of early 

contact with the Western world, 

we can not be lagging behind 

in education, therefore, use this 

social projects in its host 

communities, adding that it will 

continue to focus on developing 

agriculture, health, education 

and train people on various 

skills for human development. 

scholarship wisely.” 

Earliar in his welcome 

address, acting Chairman, IET, 

Gbesimi Akperi stated that 

pursuit of total education of all 

Itsekiri sons and daughters will 

be the vehicle for development 

and transformation of Warri 

Kingdom. 

“This vision is achievable if all 

Itsekiri sons and daughters 

contribute to the funding of IET. 

We call on prominent Itsekiri 

sons and daughters home and 

abroad to come together to 

support the trust. 

“The objective of IET is to own 

educational institutions on 

behalf of all Itsekiri at secondary 

and tertiary level research 

centres as well as skill training 

centres." 

‘How 

appointment 

of NDDC 

board'll 

tackle 

militancy' 

By Gabriel Ewepu 

N ATIONAL 

SECRETARY, 

Phase Three Amnesty 

Group of ex-agitators, Mr. 

Tam Odogwu, has said that 

appointment of board 

members for Niger Delta 

Development Commission, 

NDDC, will go a long way 

to address the resurgence 

of militants’ activities in the 

region. 

Odogwu, who expressed 

concern over recent attacks 

on oil and gas facilities in 

the region, said that the current 

agitation in the region by some 

armed groups was partly fed by 

the handicapped situation the 

NDDC finds itself, which left many 

youths idle. 

He said: “When NDDC had 

board members, a lot of 

infrastructural development was 

going on and most of the youths 

in the region were engaged in 

their various communities and 

they earned salaries and wages 

from projects."


Expert 

takes 

Buhari to 

task on Mo 

Ibrahim 

Prize 

By Dayo Adesulu 

LAGOS—EXPERT in 

Strategy and 

Development, Dr. 

Imonitie Imoisili, 

yesterday, charged 

President Muhammadu 

Buhari to work towards 

winning the Ibrahim 

Prize for Achievement in 

African Leadership. 

He said that winning 

Ibrahim Prize of $5 

million over 10 years and 

$200,000 per year for life, 

thereafter, were enough 

motivations for African 

presidents to jettison 

corruption and meet the 

criteria for the award. 

Speaking while 

delivering a lecture on 

Nigeria for All Nigerians: 

Resetting Nigeria’s 

Development Default 

Mode, at the University of 

Lagos yesterday, Imoisili 

said: “Is the money 

involved in the award not 

much better retirement 

funds than a self-award of 

corruption and bribery?” 

According to him, the 

aim of the Ibrahim Prize 

is to change the 

perceptions of African 

leadership by showcasing 

exceptional role models 

from the continent. 

The Ibrahim prize, he 

noted, will ensure that the 

African continent continues 

to benefit from the 

experience and wisdom of 

exceptional leaders once 

they have left office, by 

enabling them to continue 

in other public roles on 

the continent. 

In 2009, 2010, 2012 and 

2013 the prize committee, 

after a review of African 

Presidents, did not select 

a winner. 

Meanwhile, Imoisili 

also urged the Economic 

and Financial Crimes 

Commission, EFCC, to 

employ modern strategy. 

He said because of the 

connivance between 

corrupt politicians and the 

citizenry, EFCC needs to 

go extra mile for 

additional evidence, so 

offenders cannot escape 

the wrath of the law. 

Some of the modern 

gadgets to prosecute 

crime, he said, include 

Bank Verification 

Number, BVN; National 

Identification Number, 

NIN; e-Passport, Card 

Reader, surveillance 

cameras, among others. 

CCT shifts Saraki’s trial, others to September 

By Ikechukwu 

Nnochiri 

ABUJA—THE Code of 

Conduct Tribunal, CCT, 

sitting in Abuja yesterday, 

deferred further hearing on all 

the cases pending before it till 

September. 

Prominent among the cases 

are the 16-count criminal 

charge the Federal 

Government slammed against 

the Senate President, Dr. 

Bukola Saraki. 

The tribunal had fixed today 

to deliver ruling on a fresh 

application seeking to 

disqualify its chairman, 

Justice Danladi Umar, from 

presiding over Saraki’s trial. 

However, the CCT, via a 

statement by the Head of its 

Press and Public Relations 

Department, Mr. Ibraheem Alhassan, 

said it had adjourned 

all sittings scheduled for this 

week. 

It read: “The decision was 

taken due to the ongoing 

roundtable involving CCT and 

other critical stakeholders 

within and outside the country, 

to develop the Code of Ethics 

and Practice Directions for the 

Code of Conduct Tribunal to 

ensure fair and speedy trials, 

sponsored by European 

Union, EU, and implemented 

by United Nations Office on 

Drugs and Crime, UNODC.” 

Justice Umar, however, 

assured litigants currently 

with cases before the court that 

they would be given new 

dates at the end of the 

vacation in September. 

He said the new dates 

would be communicated to 

those whose cases were 

pending before the tribunal. 

The tribunal had, on June 

22, adjourned to rule on 

Saraki’s fresh bid to disqualify 

Justice Umar from presiding 

over his trial. 

Saraki, in the application he 

filed through his consortium 

of lawyers, led by a former 

Attorney General of the 

Federation, Chief Kanu Agabi 

(SAN), asked Justice Umar to 

hands off his trial, saying 

remarks the judge made in 

the open court on June 7, 

indicated his bias against the 

defendant. 

He noted that Justice Umar had 

threatened that the defendant 

would face the full consequences 

of charges against him despite 

whatever delay tactics he chose 

to employ in the course of the 

trial. 

It was the contention of the 

defence that the threat by Umar 

was a clear indication that the 

tribunal had made up its mind to 

convict the defendant at all cost. 

Meanwhile, government 

vehemently opposed Saraki’s 

motion, even as it urged the 

tribunal to dismiss it for want of 

merit. Through its lead counsel, 

Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), 

government accused Saraki of 

attempting to use “frivolous 

motions” to frustrate his trial. 

WORKSHOP ON TRANSPORTATION: From left— Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, 

Alhaji Sabiu Zakari; Emir of Kano and Chairman of the occasion, Muhammad Sanusi II, and Minister of Transportation, 

Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, at the stakeholders' workshop on Road Transport Management and Mass Transit Operations in 

Nigeria, in Abuja, yesterday. NAN PHOTO. 

RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION: 

CAN accuses FG of nonchalance 

By Caleb Ayansina & 

Imanuel Jannah 

ABUJA—THE Christian 

Association of Nigeria, 

CAN, yesterday, accused 


Buhari’s administration of 

displaying lackadaisical 

attitude towards 

discrimination against 

Christians, saying the 

situation had assumed a 

dangerous dimension. 

CAN’s accusation came 

against the backdrop of the 

murder of 42-year-old mother 

of seven, Mrs. Eunice Elisha, 

on Saturday, July 9, while she 

was preaching at Kubwa area 

of Abuja, FCT. 

This came as the General 

Overseer of the Redeemed 

Christian Church of God, 

RCCG, Pastor Enoch 

Adeboye, yesterday, visited 

the home of the late preacher. 

•… as Pastor Adeboye visits family of slain Abuja preacher 

Adeboye met with late 

Eunice's husband, Pastor 

Olawale Elisha, and the entire 

family at about 6a.m. to 

commiserate with them. 

CAN kicks 

CAN, the national Christian 

body chronicled the killing of 

Nigerians on the basis of 

religion. 

CAN, in a statement by the 

General Secretary, Rev. Musa 

Asake, said: “About a month 

ago in Kano, Mrs. Bridget 

Agbaheme, a 74-year-old 

Christian was murdered at 

Wambai Market after an 

altercation with a Muslim man, 

who came to the front of her 

shop to perform ablution. 

“Just last week, a clergyman 

of the Evangelical Church 

Winning All, ECWA, 

Reverend Zakariya, was killed 

by attackers suspected to be 

Fulani herdsmen in Obi Local 

Government Area of 

Nasarawa State. 

“They attacked him on his 

farm, and cut off his limbs and 

head. Another fresh news 

reaching us is that of the 

Fulani herdsmen that is back 

on rampage, killing 81 people 

in multiple attacks in Logo 

and Ukum Local Government 

areas of Benue State. 

“The recurring murder of 

innocent Nigerians on the 

basis of religious intolerance 

demands specific and 

relevant response from all 

concerned citizens in the 

country.” 

He said this was necessary 

“when the government in 

power seems to have adopted 

an attitude of lukewarm 

response to the evils being 

perpetrated in Nigeria in the 

name of religion. 

“The discrimination against 

non-Muslims in Nigeria under 

the Buhari administration is 

assuming a dangerous 

dimension that should not be left 

to the vagaries of time and 

circumstance to resolve. 

“Before the situation escalates 

into an unmanageable crisis, 

Christian Association of Nigeria, 

CAN, is calling on authorities at 

the states and federal levels to 

do everything possible to bring 

the perpetrators to justice. 

“These attacks on Christians 

and the authority’s inaction is 

becoming unbearable and may 

not be tolerated anymore. 

“We pray that God, in His mercy, 

shall comfort and strengthen the 

families of all Nigerians affected 

in these unwarranted murders 

unleashed upon the nation by 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Gov Ikpeazu petitions NJC, CJN; 

alleges ‘irreparable injustice’ 

THE embattled Governor 

Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia 

State has called on the Chief 

Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice 

Mahmud Mohammed, and the 

National Judicial Council, NJC, 

to investigate what he 

described as “irreparable 

injustice” meted on him by 

Justice Okon Abang of the 

Abuja Division of the Federal 

High Court. 

In a letter to CJN and NJC, 

Governor Ikpeazu said that 

Justice Abang’s acts of abuse of 

office and denial of justice has 

thrown Abia State into turmoil, 

adding that there was grave 

political uncertainty and total 

breakdown of law and order in 

the state. 

He, therefore, called on NJC 

to investigate and take 

necessary disciplinary action 

against Justice Abang. 

The letter, entitled Abuse of 

Judicial Power and Injustice 

Meted to Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu by 

Hon. Justice Okon Abang of the 

Abuja Division of the Federal 

High Court, signed by one of his 

lawyers, Mr. Emeka Eze read 

in part: “I am one of the legal 

counsel engaged by Dr. 

Okezie Ikpeazu in the 

prosecution of the above 

matter and have his 

instructions to bring to your 

attention and that of the 

esteemed members of the 

National Judicial Council the 

irreparable injustice meted to 

him by Hon. Justice Okon 

Abang. 

“On June 27, Hon. Justice 

Okon Abang delivered oral 

judgment in the said suit with 

a pronouncement in court that 

copies of the judgment will be 

made available to parties 

within seven days. 

“A few hours after delivery 

of the judgment, we sent 

formal requests for the written 

copies of the judgments, filed 

a notice of appeal and an 

application for stay of 

execution of the orders of the 

court. 

“The filed copies of the 

notice of appeal and 

applications for stay of 

execution were duly served on 

all parties, including INEC, on 

the same day. 

“On receipt of our notice of 

appeal and application to stay 

execution of the orders of the 

court, Justice Abang 

surreptitiously and without our 

knowledge enrolled a sevenpaged 

order signed by him 

and delivered same to the 

plaintiff to enable him enforce 

the orders contained in his 

enrolled judgment, thereby 

truncating the petitioner’s 

rights to appeal against the 

judgment. 

“I make bold to state, with 

due respect, that the enrolled 

Nigeria ranks 124 on Global 

Competitiveness Index—World Bank 

By Prince Okafor 

WORLD 

Bank, 

yesterday, said Nigeria 

recorded slight improvement 

in Global Competitiveness 

Index ranking, GCI, from127 

to 124. 

The report 

a l s o 

attributed 

16th position 

of the bottom 

2 0 

economies in 

the Global 

Competitiveness 

Index, GCI, 

to sub- 

Saharan 

African. 

The World 

Bank Group 

Governance 

Specialist 

and coauthor, 

African 

Competitive 

report, Mr. 

B a r a k 

Hoffman, 

made this 

known at the 

Nigerian 

Economic 

Summit 

Group and 

World Bank 

workshop on 

Economic 

competitiveness 

in Nigeria in 

Lagos. 

IN continuation of its tax 

enforcement exercise, 

the Federal Inland 

Revenue Service, FIRS, 

yesterday, sealed off the 

office of AMG Petroleum 

Energy Limited, located at 

41, Usuma Street, 

Maitama, Abuja. 

order signed by Justice 

Abang, apart from being 

prepared without a written 

judgment, did not emanate 

from the reliefs being sought 

by the plaintiff in the matter, 

but intended solely to remove 

our client from office and 

replace him with the plaintiff, 

Uche Ogah. 

“It is important to state here 

that despite Justice Abang’s 

zeal in enrolling his order for 

enforcement, he has up till 

this moment as we write 

(which is four clear days after 

delivery of the judgment) 

refused to release the court file 

to the registry of the Federal 

High Court for compilation of 

records and has not made 

available signed copies of the 

judgment to us despite 

repeated demands.” 

According to the report, 

“Nigeria, as at 2005, was 

ranked 94; but further 

dropped to 124 out of the 140 

countries in the Global 

Competitiveness Index, 

GCI, in 2015/2016, between 

Gambia and Zimbabwe. 

“The country rose from 127 

in 2014/ 2015, as Mauritius 

remains the region’s most 

competitive economy rated 

46, while Côte d’Ivoire at 91 

is the most improved country 

in Sub-Saharan Africa, 

followed by Ethiopia ranked 

109.” 

He listed institutions, 

policies, and factors of 

production to determine the 

level of productivity of a 

country. 

He explained that Nigeria 

performed well on market 

size, macroeconomic 

environment, and labour 

market efficiency, but had 

challenges in health, primary 

education, higher education, 

training and infrastructure. 

Challenges 

He said: “Poor infrastructure, 

corruption and access 

to financing are the most 

problematic factors for doing 

business in Nigeria. Tax 

rates and complexity, and 

crime are not very problematic, 

by contrast.” 

FIRS shuts AMG Petroleum over N27m tax debt 

The FIRS Enforcement 

team, led by Assistant 

Director of Enforcement 

Unit, Anita Erinne, sealed 

off the premises after 

directing and allowing all 

the staff of the 

organisation to leave the 

oil company’s premises. 

Enugu needs 

no other 

party, says 

PDP 

ENUGU State chapter 

of the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, 

has declared that the 

people of the state has no 

need for another political 

party, saying Governor 

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has 

wiped away their tears, 

having kept his campaign 

promises. 

Speaking at Ikem and 

Nkwo Nike during the 

inauguration of newlyelected 

PDP executives in 

Isi-Uzo and Enugu East 

Local Government areas, 

respectively, state 

Chairman of PDP, Mr. 

Augustine Nnamani, 

praised the efforts of the 

state government, saying 

the governor’s 

unprecedented 

developmental strides 

and peace initiatives had 

made the repositioning 

process of the party easy. 

Nnamani noted that 

Governor Ifeanyi 

Ugwuanyi had kept his 

campaign promises to the 

people through massive 

roads construction with 

drainage, brand new 

classroom blocks for 

public schools as well as 

other infrastructure, 

especially in the rural 

areas. 

The party chairman 

enjoined the newlyinaugurated 

party 

executives to remain 

steadfast and deploy their 

effort to mobilise and 

sensitise the people at the 

grassroots on the good 

works of the governor 

ahead of 2019 elections. 

He said: “In Enugu, we 

do not have need for 

another party because the 

governor has put smiles 

on the faces of the people. 

We believe in what we 

see; nobody will bring 

propaganda here because 

the government is doing 

well.” 

In their various 

speeches, the council 

chairmen of the two local 

governments, Benjamin 

Edoga, Isi-uzo and Prince 

Cornelius Nnaji, Enugu 

East, praised the 

development efforts of 

Governor Ugwuanyi. 

According to the FIRS 

enforcement warrant, the 

company has a tax debt of 

N27,350,579.66, incurred 

between 2009 and 2015. 

Erinne said the 

company would be reopened 

as soon as it pays 

its tax debt.

16—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

Oshiomhole makes up with Odubu 

•Donates N10m to Odubu's orderly 

•Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and his Deputy, Dr Pius Odubu hug after their 

reconciliation meeting at the Government House, yesterday. 

By Simon Ebegbulem 

GOVERNOR 

Adams 

Oshiomhole and his 

deputy, Pius Odubu reconciled 

yesterday with the governor 

donating N10 million to a 

police officer attached to 

Odubu, who lost his eyes from 

a gunshot attack at the peak of 

the face-off between the 

governor and his hitherto 

estranged deputy. 

Besides the N10 million and 

the pledge to take care of the 

officer and his family, the 

outgoing governor at a peace 

meeting with Odubu also 

announced the reinstatement of 

his deputy’s loyalists who were 

sacked from the administration 

in the wake of the crisis. 

One of the highpoints of the 

peace meeting at the 

Government House which also 

attracted party leaders in the 

three senatorial districts of the 

state, was when Oshiomhole 

and his deputy hugged one 

another and vowed to bury 

their differences and focus on 

the forthcoming governorship 

election. 

In his response, Odubu 

directed all his supporters to 

forget the past and work for the 

victory of the party in the 

election. 

The crisis between the 

governor and his deputy 

emerged after the governor 

gave his full support to Mr. 

Godwin Obaseki upon his 

assertion that as an individual 

he had a right to make a choice 

on who would be his successor. 

His action was followed by what 

supporters of Odubu, who was 

a leading rival to Obaseki 

described as a witch-hunt 

against them in government 

and in the party. 

Speaking at the reconciliation 

meeting “As a governor, I at a 

point took some decisions some 

of which clearly affected some 

of the supporters of my brother 

the deputy governor. In line 

with the spirit of our party and 

the desire of our people and the 

teachings of our religion, both 

of us being Catholics, to 

actualise this if Pius had 

wronged me in any way, I have 

already forgiven him, and he 

too has told me that he has also 

forgiven me. As part of the 

demonstration of this total 

By Gabriel Enogholase 

THE National Union of Road 

Transport Workers 

(NURTW) and the Drivers 

Welfare Association in the state 

yesterday jointly adopted the 

PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie 

Ize-Iyamu, saying it is their 

payback for past indiscretions 

of the outgoing governor, 

Comrade Oshiomhole. 

Chairman of the State 

NURTW, Comrade Warriman 

Erhengbo, who led the state 

president of the Drivers’ 

Welfare Association, Comrade 

Sunday Eke, and 12 other local 

government chairmen of the 

reconciliation and reunion and 

shared commitment to 

maintaining the unity of our 

party which since 2008 against 

all odds over threw the PDP, 

what God has put together 

internal party primaries will 

never put asunder” he stated. 

In his reaction, Odubu, who 

expressed joy over the 

reconciliation, asserted “I am 

now back home.” 

While thanking the governor 

for reinstating his loyalists to 

their jobs and the N10 million 

donated to his police orderly, 

Odubu said “Yesterday belongs 

to the past, and we have 

decided to put the past behind 

us. I want to reaffirm my 

commitment to this party APC 

NURTW, Drivers’ Union give full 

support to Ize-Iyamu 


THE 

INDEPENDENT 

National Electoral 

Commission (INEC) in Benin, 

has commenced capacity training 

for its staff on relevant ICT 

programmes and devices ahead 

of the governorship election. 

National Commissioner of 

INEC, Muhammed Lecky who 

said that the training exercise was 

a nation- wide exercise added 

that it was aimed at familiarizing 

staff with the latest ICT 

equipment that would help them 

to function efficiently in the course 

of their duties. 

•Ize-Iyamu 

NURTW to the PDP state 

secretariat accused Governor 

Oshiomhole of promoting 

division among transport 

workers upon his assumption 

INEC commences capacity training 

He emphasised that all staff 

both senior and junior were 

undertaking the training for five 

days to adequately prepare them 

for the use of the various devices 

for the forthcoming elections. 

Meanwhile, the Head of 

Department, Voters Registration, 

and ICT, in Edo State INEC office, 

Mr. Lawrence Etuk, said 200 

INEC staff were currently 

undergoing the training, saying 

that it was the commission’s 

expectation that the training 

would improve them in the 

discharge of their official 

functions. 


THE crisis in Accord Party 

over the governorship 

ambition of Dr. Don Pedro 

Obaseki has taken a new twist 

as the Edo State Chairman of the 

party, Dr. Samson Isibor, and two 

others have approached the 

Federal High Court in Benin for 

an order of interlocutory 

injunction restraining Obaseki 

from parading himself as the 

governorship candidate of the 

party in the September 10, 

election pending the 

of office in 2008 when he 

proscribed the operations of the 

NURTW and introduced the 

Road Transport Employers 

Association of Nigeria 

(RTEAN). 

He said the governor lacked 

the power to ban NURTW, 

pointing out that the NURTW 

was an affiliate of the Nigeria 

Labour Congress (NLC) and 

not a creation of the governor. 

He said after a careful 

consideration of the 

governorship candidates that 

the NURTW concluded that 

Pastor Ize-Iyamu was the best 

for the union and Edo State. 

Speaking about Ize-Iyamu, 

he said, “he is a man of the 

people. He loves everyone and 

does not discriminate. He is a 

son of the land. We can’t wait 

for him to become the next 

governor of Edo State. 

Ize-Iyamu, who received the 

joint delegation in the company 

of the state party chairman, 

Chief Dan Orbih described as 

illegal the proscription of 

NURTW and Drivers’ Welfare 

Union adding that the 

NURTW members have been 

victimized by the state 

government. 

He warned that any attempt 

to rig the forthcoming 

governorship election would 

be resisted by his party. 

and its victory at all elections. 

“One of my police officers that 

was shot during my attack at 

Auchi, the governor saw him 

now and seeing his deplorable 

condition that he has lost his 

eyes permanently, Mr 

governor not only donated 

N10million he also said he 

would rehabilitate him.” 

ACCORD crisis goes to court 


THE PDP in Edo North 

Senatorial Zone has 

determination of the suit. 

They also want the court to 

restrain Alhaji Lawal 

Muhammad Nalado, Nureni 

Adisa from parading themselves 

as National Executive officers of 

the party and from convening any 

meeting, convention, printing 

and further sales of nomination 

forms, expression of interest to 

any aspirant seeking for any 

public office of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. 

No date has been fixed for the 

hearing of the suit. 

We 'll give Oshiomhole an 

embarrassing send off — EDO NORTH PDP 

promised to handover an 

embarrassing send forth gift to 

their kinsman, Comrade 

Oshiomhole in the form of an 

upsetting defeat for his chosen 

successor in the area. 

The party’s Vice- Chairman for 

Edo North Senatorial District, Mr. 

Segun Saiki, who said this 

affirmed that the fact that 

Governor Oshiomhole hails from 

the area would not in any way 

give the APC any added 

advantage. 

“On the September 10, 2016, 

governorship election, I want to 

assure you all that Edo North is 

already in the hands of PDP in 

spite of the fact that it is the home 

of a sitting governor,” he said. 

Shuaibu is victory 

tonic for Obaseki 

By Boluwaji Obahopo 

AYOUTH mobilizer and onetime 

All Progressives 

Congress, APC, chairmanship 

aspirant for Etsako Central local 

government in Edo State, Moses 

Momoh has hailed the 

emergence of Rep. Philip 

Shuaibu as the running mate to 

Godwin Obaseki, describing it as 

the needed tonic for victory. 

Momoh, who stated this in 

Lokoja yesterday, described 

Shuaibu as a bridge builder 

whose wealth of experience will 

bare positively on the party at the 

election. 

He said Shuaibu's political 

experience as a onetime Majority 

Leader of the Edo State House 

of Assembly coupled with his 

wide acceptance by the party 

caucus, as running mate to 

Obaseki, was a right step taken 

in the right direction.

I 

’VE continuously argued 

that there doesn’t seem to be 

any real ideology guiding popular 

or public thinking in Nigeria 

today. By ideology I mean a belief 

system based on something more 

than money or the unscrutinised 

lines of super pastors. There 

seems to be no desire for rational 

thought, period. We also, as a 

people, seem unable to decipher 

what is truly good for us as 

opposed to what offers only 

immediate yet fleeting benefits. 

The so-called restructuring or 

constitutional reform discussion is 

merely about sharing public 

funds among politicians: where 

is the impact on the life of the 

average Nigerian? Intelligent 

discourse on public affairs is 

practically dead in Nigeria, all 

because we’ve forgotten, in our 

short-sightedness, the notion of 

enlightened self-interest. Indeed, 

very few of us, in this country, are 

in the business of telling each 

other the truth, all because we no 

longer believe it benefits anyone. 

Interest of the 

majority 

“Enlightened self-interest” is an 

idea within the study of ethics 

which says that people whose 

behaviour furthers or prospers the 

interests of others also serve their 

own interest in the end. It is the 

belief that doing the right thing 

in the interest of the majority 

serves one's individual interests 

as well. 

Very few people within the 

business or political elite in 

Nigeria would probably agree, in 

a country where injustice is so 

unfortunately profitable. What we 

practise here in Nigeria is 

“unenlightened self-interest” or 

basic, self-destructive greed which 

beyond destroying our society, 

eventually consumes individuals 

in the end. 

Indeed, what is currently 

branded a witch-hunt, could also 

be labelled the consequence of 

unenlightened self-interest, or 

simply put, the fact that for every 

action there is a reaction and that 

whatever we do will ultimately 

catch up to us. Greed, the 

selfishness behind corruption and 

grand larceny, is fundamentally 

myopic. 

Nigerians when in power do 

not see (or care to see) that their 

actions cause conflicts in the larger 

society and that the loss of 

efficiency and productivity which 

they encourage by sabotaging our 

tprincewill@yahoo.co.uk 

A country without enlightened 

self-interest 

Intelligent discourse 

on public affairs is 

practically dead in 

Nigeria, all because 

we’ve forgotten, in 

our shortsightedness, 

the 

notion of enlightened 

self-interest 

economy and society, by stealing 

the funds meant to revitalise and 

sustain them both, ultimately kills 

their own businesses and 

investments, therefore defeating 

their reason for stealing in the first 

place. After all, if a man owns 20 

houses which he can no longer 

rent (as is now the case in many 

high-brow areas of Nigeria) 

because too few people can afford 

the rent (and even more are afraid 

of having to explain where they 

got the money from), what was the 

point of stealing in the first place? 

Corruption has destroyed the 

fabric of our society, made us 

unwilling to cooperate for the 

good of all: we’ve used the notion 

of “tribe” to segregate and contest 

for resources in an unending duel 

which benefits no one and makes 

it virtually impossible for wellmeaning 

people to make it to the 

top of any field, therefore ensuring 

that corrupt acts and the worst 

possible practices remain 

unchallenged whilst being 

simultaneously (and curiously) 

defended by those outside of the 

circle, who gain nothing, but 

argue till the death in favour of 

whatever politician from their 

area, no matter how un-impactful 

or corrupt. How ironic that 

Nigeria’s stolen resources 

obtained by a mixture of 

uninventive, unexposed, near 

illiterate persons, never seem to 

uplift or impact any one political 

family beyond a generation. Once 

the patriarch or initial “looter” is 

gone, his children struggle, both 

financially and socially, without 

their father’s money to buy them 

relevance. And all that money is 

gone, spent on girlfriends and 

private jets—another wasted 

opportunity to do something great 

and meaningful in Nigeria. 

The words “opportunity”, 

“freedom” or “independence” 

which feature heavily in the 

American Constitution and in the 

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 —17 

which define their well-being are 

non-starters in Nigeria, replaced 

by nonsensical political 

arrangements which benefit only 

the elite. How is Nigeria 

preparing for the future? In a 

world where entrepreneurship, 

self-employment, is fast becoming 

the dominant mode of business, 

where the labour market is 

revolutionised by technology, 

where oil is being shunned for 

renewable energy, do we realise 

just how dangerously obsolete and 

archaic both our ideas and models 

are? In this new world, reliance 

on family support and politicking 

won’t be enough to survive. 

Our elites fear displacement and 

the loss of relevance too much to 

allow Nigeria become a country 

where the best and the brightest 

can rise to the top, one where 

meritocracy truly works. What is 

most disheartening, however, is 

that the ordinary Nigerian is too 

often sucked into the defence of 

such a system which is totally 

against his or her own interest. 

The average Nigerian admires 

the elite to the extreme, giving 

undue attention and praise to 

many whom, quite frankly, in 

other climes, would be facing 

fraud charges and jail terms for 

either defrauding the state or 

colluding to cheat consumers. 

laws of most developed countries 

around the globe have no bearing 

on life in Nigeria, they are not 

part of our identity. Neither is 

fairness. From the rich to the poor, 

we’ve endorsed injustice; simply 

put, we refuse to collectively see 

or understand just how much 

corruption has destroyed, how 

much it has denied us the 

freedom, opportunities and 

independence which other 

citizens in other nations take for 

granted. Not only that, we refuse 

to fight for the modern society we 

deserve. We’re barely asking for 

it, not many of us even understand 

it. Mediocrity is what we’ve 

known; so tragically, it is what we 

think we deserve. 

Do Nigerians rise above their 

parents’ socio-economic status? 

How is our middle class faring? 

Is it possible in Nigeria to dream 

and pursue goals without family 

connections? The questions 

which matter in other societies, 

Congratulatory 

messages 

The media is perhaps most at 

fault. The birthdays, marriages, 

deaths of the rich and powerful 

come and go, so do the many 

congratulatory messages and 

fawning articles or interviews, 

without much thought as to how 

these individuals became rich and 

powerful in the first place. It is all 

too common to lie about how one 

attained success because one is 

so confident that no one would 

dare contradict the story which has 

now become the mainstream or 

accepted untruth. 

With a robust, independent 

media, one unafraid of telling the 

truth, Nigeria would be a different 

place. People would have facts to 

debate rather than paid for, 

sentimental advertorials. We are 

a nation that doesn’t allow its 

people to fulfil their potential, one 

where few are ashamed of this, 

because most benefit in one way 

or another, from holding the 

majority back. We are, in essence, 

a nation of unenlightened, 

competing, thoroughly selfish, 

interests. 

Probe lawmakers constituency projects 

NIGERIANS across the 

country, according to 

recent reports, find that despite 

the N300bn Federal Government 

released for constituency 

projects in the past four years, 

communities remain unchanged 

and underdeveloped. 

The legislature, first and 

foremost, it has to be said, has 

no business undertaking 

functions of the executive. 

Digging boreholes and 

distributing meaningless 

trinkets like sewing-machines 

isn’t lawmakers’ prerogative. 

Furthermore, if we realised just 

how much individual lawmakers 

received for their constituency 

projects, people would probably 

burn the sewing machines or 

motorcycles in anger! Nigerians 

are waking up to the injustices 

done to them over the years and 

should be warned that those 

who’ve enjoyed our collective 

slumber won’t give up their 

advantages without a fight. 

Nigeria, besides being a 

fantastically corrupt country, is 

also phenomenally rich. If all the 

money leaving our coffers was 

spent for its original purpose, i.e. 

development, what a country 

this would be. 

Mud houses 

EDERAL Government 

Fis preparing to phase 

out mud houses across the 

country. This is laudable yet 

at the same time saddening in 

2016, for a country such as 

Nigeria. Nigerians have no 

business living in mud houses, 

given the huge amounts 

successive governments had 

at their disposal. 

By now, we should be 

exporting the materials which 

other nations use to build their 

homes. Only guilt or 

complicity could determine 

anyone calling fighting 

corruption a witch-hunt. 

*Tabia Princewill is a 

strategic communications 

consultant and public policy 

analyst. She is also the cohost 

and executive producer 

of a talk show, WALK THE 

TALK which airs on 

Channels TV.

18— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

The renewed hostilities by militants 

in the Niger Delta and steps 

being taken by the Federal Government 

to resolve them have, once 

again, sparked off debates over the 

national question. 

President Muhammadu Buhari responded 

to this threat by warning 

the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and 

other upstart militant groups currently 

blowing up our oil infrastructure 

and demanding self-determination 

that Nigeria’s continued existence 

as one country is not negotiable, 

and that to keep Nigeria one 

remains a task that must be done as 

decreed by General Yakubu Gowon 

during the Nigerian Civil War. 

This national unity debate was 

given a new lease of life after our 

former colonial rulers, Great Britain, 

recently voted to exit from the 

European Union. Many interests, 

including some separatist groups in 

Nigeria, started demanding for a 

similar referendum to determine 

whether Nigerians wanted to remain 

together in one country. 

Nigeria’s unity is sacrosanct 

but negotiable 

We are of the view that until (and 

if) such a referendum takes place, 

the susbsisting consensus is that 

Nigeria remains one indivisible 

and indissoluble entity. This much 

is acknowledged in Chapter I Section 

1(2) of the Constitution of the 

Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 

(as amended). It is the operational 

consensus, and we stand by it. 

We strongly believe that it is in 

the national and individual group 

interests of all Nigerians to commit 

all our efforts towards making 

Nigeria work for all Nigerians. A 

successful Nigerian enterprise will 

be a blessing to all Nigerians, Africans, 

the black race and mankind 

at large. Nigerians should not lose 

heart due to the ephemeral challenges 

we currently face economically 

and socio-politically. These 

are surmountable, and will be surmounted 

with our collective resolve 

and efforts. 

However, we also believe that to 

create the Nigeria of our collective 

dreams, we must not rebuff any opportunity 

for dialogue or even negotiation 

whenever necessary. The 

truth is that Nigeria remains a mere 

geographical expression, much like 

it has always been from the days of 

our founding fathers. The great 

ethnic, religious, regional and sectional 

divides remain just are they 

were even before our independence 

and the civil war. 

The only peaceful way of closing 

these gaps is through constant dialogue. 

It cannot be achieved or 

maintained through the force of 

arms. We cannot afford to re-enact 

the civil war just to remain one. We 

cannot afford “gunpoint” national 

unity. 

Those who feel that the unity of 

the country can always be maintained 

by force should have a rethink. 

There should be a reorientation 

of attitudes by the hawks 

and extremists among us, both in 

the leadership and among activists. 

We must live together as brothers 

and sisters and learn to iron out 

our differences through peaceful 

dialogue. 

Abia and the flip-side of ambition 

By Godwin Adindu 

WE all are witnesses to this fact: our 

teachers, right from kindergarten, 

advise us to be ambitious. They consistently 

hand out that counsel as a mantra of life, with 

less talk on the flip-side of ambition – the inordinate 

ambition. There is no doubt that Uche 

Ogah, the main protagonist in the failed Abia 

civilian coup, heeded his teachers’ counsel. He 

is a very ambitious man 

His pedigree in business presents a man who 

set out very early to ride on high dreams. Indeed, 

he can beat his chest and mention his 

conglomerates and his wealth profile, in spite 

of whatever legal issues hanging over him 

like the sword of Damocles. And since the 

Edinburgh Professor of Ethics, William 

Barclay, argues that Right Plus 

Wrong(R+W=W) can never be right, his purported 

acts of philanthropy have availed little 

to cleanse an image of the flip-side of ambition 

subsumed under the name: business. 

Yet, the truth remains immortal: ambition is 

a two-edged sword. There is the positive and 

the negative, all fixed into one generic name. 

It is ambition that drives a thief, a prostitute, 

an assassin, a terrorist, a tyrant and a coupist. 

It is also ambition that drives the inventor, the 

scientists, the humanitarian and all wellmeaning 

people of the world. Driven by the 

ambition to balance the economic disparity 

in the livelihood of his English people, Robin 

Hood, the moral thief and the Prince of 

Thieves, orchestrated the most historic robberies 

England has ever witnessed and returned 

the loot to the poor. Driven by the ambition 

to rid the world of his perceived danger and 

menace posed by Jewish blood, Hitler drove 

the Third Reich to execute the world’s most 

horrible genocide in the guillotines of the Holocaust. 

He was being kind, in his imagination 

and ambition, to a world that was helpless 

in the face of the “menace” of the Jews. 

Indeed, Ogah, was playing with the flip-side 

of ambition when he attempted to jump into 

the Abia State Government House on that fateful 

Thursday through the window. From the 

well-rehearsed Abuja High Court drama 

wherein Justice Okon Abang declared his sentence 

against Governor Okezie Ikpeazu with 

the caveat – ‘with immediate Effect” – to the 

INEC’s haste in handing a certificate of return 

and the desperation to swear in Ogah, what 

came to play is a macabre dance of shame 

which will stand as a historical sarcasm on 

power play in Nigeria and the desperation of 

one man lamentably living on the flip-side of 

ambition. In the high-wire power play, he 

becomes the burden bearer of a conscience so 

seared that ambition, for him, becomes an 

end itself and not a means to an end. 

Yet, history is replete with records of men 

who lived on the other side of ambition. The 

picture is gory and often nightmarish. The flipside 

of ambition is selfish, anti-social and antithetical 

to human progress . It is a dangerous 

hallucination of the mind which alters the 

normal cognitive reasoning and places self 

above the world. It naturally contravenes 

social order, social justice and even conflicts 

OPINION 

with the cosmic order of cause and effect. The 

danger is that it is a ready recipe for violence 

and anarchy. History has shown the bestial 

nature of man in the men and women who 

exhibited the flip-side of ambition, from our 

own Sani Abacha, Frank Nero, Stalin, Osama 

Bin Ladin, Jezebel, Idia-Amin, to our own local 

students who sliced the throat of their fellow 

students in the name of campus cultism. 

The flip-side of ambition is 

selfish, anti-social and antithetical 

to human progress 

In the failed coup to unseat Governor Ikpeazu 

of Abia State, what was afoot was the 

flipside of ambition that ignored the grave 

implications to law and order and the concomitant 

anarchy and bloodshed. The masterminds 

obviously must have anticipated a 

possible resistance. Surly, on that fateful Thursday, 

Abia youths, in their thousands, milled at 

the gate of the Government House in Umuahia 

ready to defend their elected Governor 

with their lives and their souls. They stayed put 

all day and kept vigil all night until they were 

convinced the coup has failed. What would 

have been the peace and happiness of Ogah if 

he had sat as governor over the blood of numberless 

youths of Abia State? With which conscience 

could he have ruled over a state that 

would have been thrown into anarchy and war? 

By his plot, Ogah and his cohorts wanted 

to hold back the hand of the clock. They 

wanted to drag Abia backward. They wanted 

to cut short a youthful energy that 

found expression in 65 road construction 

works in one year. They wanted to cast a 

spell over a new dawn of hope characterized 

by the dynamism which Governor Okezie 

represents in governance and which is vindicated 

by an excellent scorecard of one year 

stride. Nigeria would have helplessly 

watched as Ogah traversed the dangerous 

landmine of the flip-side of ambition with 

reckless courage and drag an otherwise 

peaceful state into an ethnic fratricide. 

Thank God for the good people of Abia 

State who rose to the occasion and tamed 

the Shrew and halted a dangerous drift 

into the cesspit of pandemonium. And 

kudos to the Abia Elders who couldn’t sit 

back at home while the little goat strangles 

itself on the string. 

Indeed, there is good ambition. There 

is an ambition that amounts to a day-dream, 

a kind of wish-wash fantasy. There is also a 

terrible and precarious ambition. Abia almost, 

nearly witnessed the mischief of a terrible 

ambition. Abia would have opened a 

dark page for Nigeria on the results of one 

man’s flip-side ambition. Uche Ogah, in his 

hackneyed ambition, would have distorted 

the lives and history of our people. Thank 

God I am only discussing it in a mere prose. 

Mr Adindu is the President-General of the 

Abia Renaissance Movement. 

C 

M 

Y 

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$179m debt: Nigeria’s investment in WAGPCo threatened 

•We won’t allow WAGP dream to die — Kachikwu 

CURRENCY BUYING SELLING 

US 

DOLLAR 

POUNDS 

EURO 

FRANC 

YEN 

CFA 

WAUA 

RENMINBI 

RIYAL 

KRONA 

$145.70 1. 05 

$3,155.00 17.00 

$ 19.63 -0.65 

0.56 

$47. 30 1.05 

$45.61 0.85 

281 281.5 282 

365. 7248 366. 3744 367. 024 

311. 1138 311. 6664 312. 219 

286. 2227 286. 7311 287.2395 

2.7482 2.7531 2.758 

0.4551 0.4651 0.4751 

390.6209 391. 3147 392. 0085 

42.0705 42.1457 42.2209 

75. 0547 75.188 75.3213 

41.8285 41.9001 41.9744 

391. 1724 391 8672 392. 562 

CBN Exchange rate as at 12/07/2016 


making it the second largest 

shareholder, after Chevron West 

African Gas Pipeline Limited, 

which owns a 36.9 per cent stake. 

WAGP was conceived to make 

gas available across the West African 

sub-region, transporting the 

commodity from gas-producing 

hubs in the region to localities 

and industrial hubs in the region, 

especially for power supply. 

Speaking at the opening ceremony 

of the Committee of Ministers 

of the WAGP Project, in 

Abuja, Managing Director of 

WAPCo, Mr. Walt Perez, stated 

that the company faces significant 

risks because of its financial 

health engendered by low gas 

volumes, huge indebtedness totaling 

about $179 million and 

dwindling cash flows. 

According to him, although 

WAGP has sometimes been technically 

capable of transporting 

volumes of natural gas up to contractual 

levels, actually many receipts 

have remained below contracted 

levels and are now 

putting the commercial viability 

of the WAGP project in significant 

doubt. 

He added that the problem with 

low gas volumes was exacerbated 

by the force majeure declared 

in 2013 and which still remains 

in effect today., declaring that as 

long as the direct and indirect 

effects of low volumes and force 

majeure persist, WAPCo’s business 

planning and immediate 

prospect for growth in the foreseeable 

future would not materialize, 

unless conditions change. 

He further lamented the huge 

debts owed the company and its 

troubling cash flow situation, stating 

that since August 2014, WAP- 

Co had not been receiving full and 

consistent payments for gas delivery 

from its biggest customer, the 

Volta River Authority, VRA. 

This, Perez said, had led to a huge 

backlog of unpaid invoices, totaling 

$104 million that is due to WAPCo’s 

account, plus an additional $75 million 

to N-Gas. 

He said: “The company initially 

appears to be resilient in the face of 

drastically reduced revenue flows 

Under current 

condition, WAP- 

Co is unable to 

service its debt; no 

more undertaking 

critical maintenance 

schedules 

because gas transmission and other 

operational activities continue. 

The reality, however, is that WAPCo 

has been floundering. In fact, we 

have been conserving cash in order 

to prolong our time and operations, 

and as a result, WAPCo is now operating 

under extreme austerity conditions. 

“Under current condition, WAPCo 

is unable to service its debt; no more 

undertaking critical maintenance 

schedules. With the much reduced 

Slow growth, earnings inequality, others worsening global 

economic crisis —ILO warns 

VISIT: From left, Director General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Yakubu 

Mohammed; Director General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mounir Gwarzo; 

Executive Commissioner, Corporate Services, SEC, Zakawanu Garuba and Executive Commissioner 

(Legal and Enforcement), SEC, Sa’adatu Bello when management of SEC visited 

NTA, in Abuja. 

capacity to pursue growth of any 

kind at this time.” 

He called for the support of the 

Committee of Ministers to reverse 

the declining financial condition of 

WAPCo and to help create the right 

environment for the re-emergence 

of WAGP as a regional tool for energy 

integration for which it was 

envisioned. 

Speaking in the same vein, Minister 

of State for Petroleum Resources, 

Mr. Ibe Kachikwu, disclosed that 

inadequate supply of gas is one of 

the challenges faced by the company, 

while he added that dwindling 

volumes and numerous other 

factors had served to hamper the 

company’s growth prospect. 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

I NTERNATIONAL 

Labour Organisation, ILO, 

has warned that continuous 

sluggish growth, earnings 

inequality and labour 

market insecurity could 

worsen global economic 

crisis. 

Director General of ILO, 

Mr Guy Ryde, while addressing 

the G20 Labour 

and Employment Ministerial 

meeting in Beijing, 

yesterday, contended that 

the G20 countries faced 

difficulties in supporting 

the aspirations of large sections 

of their working population, 

especially youths. 

According to him, “continuing 

sluggish growth, 

earnings inequality and 

labour market insecurity 

are weighing on global aggregate 

demand and 

could lead to a self-reinforcing 

circle of diminished 

business expectations 

of market growth, low investment, 

poor growth and insufficient 

recovery in the labour market.” 

Ryder noted that global GDP 

growth had averaged 3.8 per cent 

annually in the period of recovery 

from the 2008 crisis, lamenting that 

“this was below the trend in the 

pre-crisis years. In 2015 growth 

was 3.1 per cent and no improvement 

is expected for 2016 and 

2017.” 

The Director-General said there 

was a wide convergence on the 

understanding of the challenges 

facing global and G20 economies. 

He cited among them demographic 

trends, technological 

change, continuing globalization 

and intensifying competition, labour 

demand and supply mismatches, 

persistent poverty and 

increasing inequality. 

Despite this awareness and 

subsequent policy responses, 

“concern about the risk of a slow 

growth trap is rising,” he added. 

According to Ryder, “the 

post crisis surge in number of 

However, despite the challenges 

faced by the company, Kachikwu 

disclosed that Nigeria is very committed 

to the ideas of the founding 

fathers of ECOWAS. 

He said, “Unless we can begin to 

cooperate on infrastructure development 

all across the region like 

what we see in Europe; unless we 

can begin to cooperate even in development 

of roads, total integration 

of the effort of the founding fathers 

of ECOWAS, the whole essence of 

ECOWAS will continue to be a 

dream. 

“There is no better opportunity 

than this project to sound as pivot to 

help open opportunities that exists 

in this country in terms of energy 

young people who are neither in 

employment nor in education 

and training (NEETs ) has, with 

some exceptions, yet to be turned 

around in the majority of G20 

nations. He said that rates range 

from around 30 per cent or higher 

in Turkey, India and South Africa 

but some countries, such as 

Japan and Germany have managed 

to reduce rates to less than 

10 per cent 

Despite most emerging economies 

having experienced longterm 

declines in the incidence of 

informality among youth, there 

are signs of stagnation (Indonesia) 

or even reversal in this trend 

(Argentina, Brazil, South Africa). 

The scale of challenge remains 

significant in almost all emerging 

economies, ranging from just over 

a third of youth in South Africa to 

over 60 per cent in Mexico and 

even more in India.” 

He applauded the education 

and training and support systems 

many countries had provided for 

youths, as well as those aimed at 

supplies, electricity supply, road 

transportation, infrastructural development 

and in terms of truthful development 

that will develop villages 

and centres that we have in the 

west Africa. 

“This project is key , the ideals 

remains the same; the dreams the 

same, but I assure you that during 

my time as minister of State for 

Petroleum Resources, I will do everything 

that considerable I can, 

through the president, to deepen 

this relationship, infrastructure, this 

resolve and indeed deepen the 

services that this body was meant 

to provide.” 

improving job opportunities. 

Noting that many countries had 

adopted new measures on promoting 

gender equality including 

the easing of family responsibilities 

borne by working women 

and encouraging female entrepreneurship, 

Ryder told the 

ministers that much work remained 

to be done to reach the 

G20 target of reducing gender 

gaps in participation by 25 per 

cent by 2025. 

Progress too, has been seen on 

the simplification and clarification 

of legislation and regulation of 

Occupational Safety and Health, 

OSH, in many nations, commonly 

with a deliberate focus on improving 

the OSH performance of 

SME’s. 

Ryder noted that countries were 

pursuing a range of policies including: 

measures to increase labour 

force participation, active 

labour market policies such as 

skills development, improved labour 

market efficiency and inclusivity. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

20 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

Grains: IDRC, AGRA roll out $2.155m project 

to curb post harvest loss 

•Mechanized threshers, airtight storage bags introduced 

GlLOBALLY, one-third of food 

produced for human consumption 

is lost or wasted, the 

equivalent of1.3 billion tons of food 

per year. In Sub-Saharan Africa – 

home to over 230 million people 

suffering from chronic 

undernourishment – the majority 

of these losses occur after grains 

have been harvested, but before 

they reach the consumer. 

About 30 percent of the grains 

produced in the continent are lost 

due to inadequate post-harvest 

management, lack of structured 

markets, inadequate storage, and 

limited processing capacity. 

With more than 70 per cent of 

Africans drawing their livelihoods 

from agriculture, finding 

sustainable solutions to this 

problem holds tremendous 

promise for enhancing inclusive 

economic growth, food security, 

and nutrition. Over the last decade, 

many actors have developed 

a set of innovative technologies to 

reduce post-harvest agricultural 

loss across the value chain –from 

the farm to the consumer. 

A 36-month project to scale up 

the use of these technologies 

across Sub-Saharan Africa was 

launched last week in Nairobi. 

Financed by the International 

Development Research Centre 

(IDRC) and implemented by the 

Alliance for a Green Revolution in 

VISIT: From left, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Export Promotions Council, Mr. Olusegun 

Awolowo; Chairman, Wells-San Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., Dr. Idahosa Okunbor; representative 

of Wells-San Carlos Agro Farms Ltd., Carlos Cabal Peniche; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo 

and Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, during an audience at the 

State House, Abuja. Photo: Abayomi Adeshida. 

Africa (AGRA), the CAD 2.889 

million (USD 2.155 million) project 

will support applied research to 

bring effective, field-tested 

innovations for reducing postharvest 

loss of soybeans and 

cowpeas to thousands of small- 

Stakeholders’ fault rice importation through land borders 

holder farmers in Mozambique 

and Burkina Faso. Speaking at 

the launch, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, 

President of AGRA said that the 

moment has come to roll out these 

technologies across the continent 

to ensure that smallholder farmers 

reap maximum benefit from 

their investment and hard labour. 

“Scaling up of simple technologies 

like hermetic storage bags can 

reduce post-harvest losses by up 

to 50 per cent and significantly increase 

farmers’ income. 

The deployment of mechanized 

threshers will also reduce the 

drudgery of farming, which is 

especially important among women 

who are the majority of farmers 

in Africa”, added Dr.Kalibata. 

With Burkina Faso and Mozambique 

as pilot countries, the project 

will help drive these known solutions 

to scale and could benefit 

millions of farmers. In the short 

term, the innovations have the 

ability to directly benefit the lives 

of at least 10,000 smallholder 

farmers and up to 60,000 by 2020. 

Dr. Simon Carter, Regional 

Director for Sub-Saharan Africa at 

IDRC, hailed the project as a 

partnership aimed at increasing 

food security and farmers’ incomes, 

and helping build a stronger 

agricultural sector in Africa. 

“Reducing post-harvest losses, 

increasing the quality of produce 

and improving farmers’ access to 

markets are key to sustaining the 

productivity driven transformation 

of the agricultural sector”, said Dr. 

Carter. 

Reducing these losses is 

increasingly becoming important 

as the demand for food increases 

with population rise; as part of the 

push to strengthen farmers’ resilience 

in the face of a changing climate; 

and to take full advantage 

of the continent’s food demand, 

which the World Bank projects will 

triple from $313 million in 2010 to 

$1 trillion by 2030. Soybean and 

cowpeas were selected for this 

project as they are a critical secondary 

food, providing essential 

affordable proteins as well as calories 

to the diets of the poor. 

By Gabriel Olawale 

STAKEHOLDERS in the 

l o c a l 

rice industry have faulted 

the importation of the product 

into the country through land 

borders. 

Executive Director, Nigeria 

Agriculture Development Watch, 

Dr. Johnson Idowu, one of the 

stakeholders, noted that the decision 

by government to open 

land borders for the importation 

of rice was a colossal error because 

it has increased smuggling 

of the commodity and made the 

growing of the crop 

unprofitable. 

“Let us do some elementary 

geography. Nigeria is bounded in 

the North, West and South by 

Niger Republic, Republic of Benin, 

and Cameroon respectively. 

None of these countries is a rice 

producing nation per se. So what 

is the rationale behind opening 

the borders for rice importation 

from these countries? Why would 

Nigeria want to continue to 

favour neighbours in terms of job 

creation and revenue generation 

from rice import by adjusting its 

policies in order to drive revenue 

generation, and to make 

businesses return?”, he added . 

He urged government to first 

allow CBN approve FORM M, then 

revisit the benchmark, duty or 

levy, or do all, adding that this 

would ensure that genuine business 

men can continue to import 

rice while the backward integration 

program of the government 

runs concurrently. 

Coordinator of Nigeria Agribusiness 

Group, Mr. Emmanuel 

Ijewere, said that the story of 

smuggling of rice in Nigeria is 

historical because it has been 

going on for a very long time and 

has destroyed the country's industries. 

“Because it has destroyed 

our local industries and 

the kind of story we are hearing 

now that the business of smuggling 

of rice has increased is a bad 

omen. 

Neighbouring 

countries 

Let the Customs take decision, 

should we destroy our industries 

and provide jobs for our neighbouring 

countries or to provide 

jobs for our own people in 

Nigeria? 

“We cannot run away from that, 

it is simple as that, Nigeria needs 

to take a decision. Nigerian farmers 

have suffered for long and are 

getting tired”, he said. 

General Manager of Ebonyi 

State based rice company, Oyus 

Brown Rice, Mr. Francis Okpani, 

said smuggling of rice into the 

country has affected the genuine 

business people who are willing 

to contribute to the growth of the 

economy. “Now, we are not 

producing enough to feed 

ourselves, we need more rice in 

the country but not through 

smuggling. The imported rice is 

not cheaper and affordable for 

some people in the country as 

price has gone up to N20, 000 

per bag from N8, 000”, he said. 

Managing Director of Abibcom 

USAID trains Osun poly staff on Apiary, honey 

production 

tural technology in Nigeria 

through trainings and workshops 

for officials of tertiary 

institutions and local farmers in 

the country. 

The institution’s Media 

Relation’s Officer, Mr. Tope 

Abiola, said participants at the 

workshop were trained on 

modern technology of Bee 

Keeping and Honey 

Production which the USAID 

official described as a veritable 

venture that could be used to 

provide jobs for unemployed 

Nigerians. 

Bee keeping 

specialist 

Mr. O’biren, an American 

based apiary and bee keeping 

specialist, declared that “apiary 

is a good venture that could be 

done in local communities with 

a little capital to produce honey 

in large quantity”. 

By Gbenga Olarinoye, 

Osogbo 

AS part of the efforts at 

improving the 

entrepreneurship skills of staff 

and students of Osun State 

Polytechnic Iree, a five-day 

workshop was organised for 

the polytechnic community on 

apiary, bee keeping and honey 

production. 

A volunteer of the United 

States for International 

Development (USAID) to 

Nigeria, Mr. Caleb O’Biren 

described the apiary farming 

and bee keeping as a panacea 

to poverty, saying it is a 

veritable venture that could 

boost the nation’s economy. 

The apiary workshop was 

packaged by USAID and 

Winrock International, a Non- 

Governmental Organisation, 

as a stable of the farmer-tofarmer 

programme of the 

organisation to boost Agriculfarms, 

Mr. Habib Stephen Temitope, 

urged government to intervene 

now or the effect would be 

unbearable for Nigerians who 

have invested hugely in the rice 

industry. 

While explaining the importance 

of honey and demand for 

it in all parts of the world, 

O’biren explained that “honey 

production is not capital intensive, 

its production can survive 

a country, because it is what is 

needed by all homes in a country". 

"It is a daily need that is used 

for treatment of certain 

ailments. It is also used to 

prevent certain deceases which 

could cause damage to some 

cells in our bodies”. 

Explaining why the Osun 

State Polytechnic Iree 

organised the training for 

staffers of the institution and 

farmers in Iree Community, the 

Rector of the institution who is 

the facilitator of the workshop, 

Dr. Jacob Olusola Agboola 

stated that it was part of the 

capacity building and skills 

acquisition program embarked 

upon recently by the institution.

VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016—21 

Africa: Broadband speed to 

increase by 240% in 2020 

•Nigeria to benefit from sale of 2.6GHz spectrum 

By Emmanuel Elebeke & 

Laju Iren 

EFFORTS to increase 

broadband penetration 

across Africa might finally be 

yielding some results as 

Broadband speed across the 

continent is set to increase by 

240% in 2020. This is according 

to the Cisco Visual Networking 

Index (VNI) Complete 

Forecast for 2015 to 2020. 

According to the report, 

Africa’s Internet Protocol (IP) 

traffic will grow 6-fold and 

fixed broadband speed will 

increase 2.4 fold with an 

average mobile speed 

connection of 5Mbps. Internet 

traffic in Middle East and 

Africa in 2020 will be 

equivalent to 527 times the 

volume of the entire Internet in 

the region in 2005. 

Nigeria is apparently not 

oblivious of this fact as it has 

recently licensed a 2.6GHz 

spectrum band touted to have 

the power to unlock the 

potential broadband speed 

available in the country. 

The 

Nigerian 

Communications Commission, 

NCC in whose auspices the 

spectrum auction was carried 

out, is now claiming that the 

country’s broadband 

penetration would blossom 

tremendously as the bid winner 

rolls out services 

Meanwhile from the Cisco 

Report, it is expected that 

growth in IP traffic will be a 

global phenomenon and 

support up to 10 billion new 

devices and connections, 

increasing from 16.3 billion in 

2015 to 26.3 billion by 2020. 

Mobile 

centric hub 

Within Africa, a renowned 

mobile centric hub, there will 

be approx. 1, 5 networked 

devices per capita in 2020, 77% 

of which will be mobileconnected. 

Advancements in the Internet 

of Things (IoT) are continuing 

to drive IP traffic and tangible 

growth in the market. 

Applications such as video 

surveillance, smart meters, 

digital health monitors and a 

host of other M2M services are 

creating new network 

requirements and incremental 

traffic increases. Globally, 

M2M connections are 

calculated to grow nearly threefold 

from 4.9 billion in 2015 to 

12.2 billion by 2020, 

representing nearly half (46 

percent) of total connected 

devices. Within Africa however, 

M2M modules will account for 

22% of all networked devices 

by 2020. 

Video services and content 

continue to be the dominant 

leader compared with all other 

applications. Internet video will 

account for 79 percent of global 

Internet traffic by 2020—up 

from 63 percent in 2015. The 

world will reach three trillion 

Internet video minutes per 

month by 2020, which is five 

million years of video per 

month, or about one million 

video minutes every second. 

HD and Ultra HD Internet 

video will make up 82 percent 

of Internet video traffic by 

2020—up from 53 percent in 

2015. 

“The digital transformation 

is happening now for billions 

of consumers and businesses 

users across the globe,” said 

Olakunle Oloruntimehin, 

General Manager for Cisco 

Nigeria. “Innovation is 

imperative for Cisco and its 

service provider customers to 

deliver scalable, secure, highquality 

services and 

experiences over all types of 

broadband network 

infrastructures.” 

It is not all good news 

however, as Distributed Denial 

of Service, DDoS, attacks 

which can paralyze networks 

by flooding servers and 

network devices with traffic 

from multiple IP sources are 

projected to increase from 6.6 

million to 17 million attacks. 

These initial findings 

underscore the need for more 

comprehensive security 

measures to protect data and 

reduce network exposure to 

such risks. 

How 2.6GHz spectrum'll deepen broadband 

penetration 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

ALTHOUGH the recent 

licence acquisition of the 

2.6GHz spectrum by MTN 

Nigeria has been met with 

much debate, the Nigeria 

Communications Commission, 

NCC, believes that it will give 

a boost to the country’s current 

Broadband Drive. 

According to the NCC, the 

deployment of the spectrum by 

MTN will trigger another 

revolution in the nation’s 

telecoms space and will further 

unlock the full opportunities 

inherent in the sector. 

Recently, the Executive Vice 

Chairman of the Commission, 

Prof. Umar Dambatta pointed 

out that the band will “provide 

an opportunity to meet rapidly 

rising demand for capacity to 

deliver mobile broadband 

services on a widespread, 

common basis across the 

world.” 

The deployment of the 

spectrum in the view of the 

NCC is also expected to bring 

in a lot of ease in roaming and 

inter-operability of services on 

a global basis. The 2.6GHz 

band is said to be unique as it 

includes a substantial amount 

of spectrum that has been 

allocated on a primary basis in 

all three ITU regions for 

terrestrial mobile 

communications. 

Other benefits expected from 

the spectrum are: offering the 

potential for economic reuse 

and sharing of the substantial 

existing physical and proven 

operational infrastructure of 

3GPP and 3GPP2 mobile 

operators; support service 

neutrality to facilitate 

innovation in services for the 

benefit of customers; facilitates 

effective and efficient 

competition between 

equipment, device and 

applications and service 

vendors to the benefits of 

customers. 

The spectrum guarantees 

superior performance for 

wireless networks, especially 

fourth-generation (4G)/longterm 

evolution (LTE) services. 

Nigeria is one of the 28 African 

countries that offers 4G/LTE 

services but suffers very low 

rate of penetration in major 

parts of the country. 

MTN said it complied with 

the provision of the bid 

agreement for the 2.6 GHz 

auction, paid N18.96-billion to 

the NCC and had 

subsequently been issued a 

letter of award.


CCMON: Local OEMs unite to 

pursue local content policy 

By Emeka Aginam 

THE Federal Government’s 

push to promote local 

content in Information 

Communication Technology, 

ICT, has started yielding 

expected results as leading 

computer manufacturing 

companies in Nigeria have 

come together to establish an 

organization tagged Certified 

Computer Manufacturers of 

Nigeria, CCMON. 

The OEMs, including Brian 

Integrated Systems, BETA 

computers, OMATEK 

computers, VEDA technologies 

THE Delta State Innovation 

Hub, DS-IHUB, has said 

that it will honour the 

Communications Minister, 

Barrister Adebayo Shittu, late 

Publisher of the Guardian, 

Alex Ibru among others for 

their contributions to Science, 

Technology and Innovation. 

The lifetime achievement 

award will also be bestowed on 

the Chairman of Zenith Bank, 

Mr. Jim Ovia, Chair of Open 

Media, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, 

Chief Executive Officer of 

MainOne, Ms Funke Opeke, 

founder of CVL, Prof. Patrick 

Utomi, and Sir Alfred Okoigun 

of ACRO Petrochemical 

Engineering Company Plc. 

The Director General of the 

Hub, Mr. Chris Uwaje told Hi- 

Tech that “Our task is to create 

a world-class knowledge factory 

through a Public-Private- 

Partnership (PPP) 

development model. We aim to 

strategically harness all 

knowledge attributes, 

potentials and ICT processes in 

and outside the Delta State 

Region as the core accelerator 

for leadership, public policy, 

inclusive governance, state 

and ZINOX Technologies said 

the aim of the union was to 

aggregate and champion their 

support of the government’s 

local content in ICT policy. 

The PC manufactures stated 

that with CCMON there will 

be a unified platform to drive 

their operations to the highest 

international quality standards 

that will lead to increased 

capacity to meet local and 

export demands. 

The coordinator of CCMON, 

Mr. Bode Pedro, who is also the 

Chief Executive Officer of 

VEDA technologies at the 

weekend said that the coming 

together of local OEMs has 

been in the pipeline for quite 

some time, adding that now is 

the right time for the synergy 

because of the renewed 

impetus of the government 

towards the support and 

growth of local Nigerian 

content in ICT. 

“The main objectives of 

CCMON include working with 

all relevant stakeholders to 

grow the capacity of Nigeria 

Computer manufacturers that 

will generate increased 

employment, strengthening 

the Naira and grow our local 

economy”, he said. 

In meeting these objectives, 

he said that the group had 

pledged to work closely with 

NITDA, Office for Nigerian 

Content in Information 

Technology (ONC), the 

Ministry of Communication 

and the office of the Vice 

President (VP) that heads the 

nation’s economic team to 

ensure that the laudable 

objectives of the governments 

guidelines on local content 

adoption in ICT is properly 

implemented to the benefit of 

the country. 

Shittu, Ndukwe, Ovia, others to enter DS-IHUB hall of fame 

By Emeka Aginam & 

Laju Iren 

•Adebayo Shittu •Dr. Ernest Ndukwe •Mr. Jim Ovia 

security, entrepreneurship, 

youth and women 

empowerment, creativity, 

innovation and wealth creation. 

“The Hall of Fame would 

establish an Endowment Fund 

whose content will focus on 

insightful perspectives and 

strategies on how to effectively 

engage the challenges of 

Technology Innovation in Delta 

State and Nigeria on: 

Technology Leadership, State 

Policy & Strategy, e- 

Government, Education, 

Industry & Entrepreneurship, 

Research & Development, 

Software Development Smart 

City Initiative Start-up and 

Incubators, E-Health, 

YouthEmployment, Women 

Empowerment, Technology 

Funding, Venture Capital & 

Angel Investors, State Security 


ORGANISERS of the 

forthcoming National 

conference of the Nigeria 

Computer Society, NCS, have 

disclosed that IT innovation will 

take centre stage at the event 

next week. 

Speaking at the weekend to 

further unfold details of event, 

Chairman, Conferences 

Committee, NCS, Mr. Jide Awe 

said that the annual IT 

conference with the theme, 

“Information Technology for 

Award: Adewale Adeyemi, Product Manager, Cloud Services 

(left); Chidinma Iwe, Chief Information Security Officer 

(right), both of MainOne and Deji Ajibola, Human Resource 

Director, Microsoft Nigeria with the Country Manager’s 

Partner of the Year Award, won by MainOne, at the recently 

held Microsoft Partner Network Awards. 

MainOne emerges Microsoft 

partner of the year 

By Prince Osuagwu 

PREMIER connectivity 

and data center solutions 

company, MainOne, has won 

the Microsoft Country 

Manager’s Partner of the Year 

(POY) Award for Nigeria, 

during the Microsoft Partner 

Network Awards held in 

Lagos recently. 

The company beat other 

nominees to clinch the award 

at a Gala Dinner organized to 

celebrate Microsoft partners 

that have demonstrated 

excellence leveraging 

Microsoft technology over the 

fiscal year. 

The Country Manager 

POYaward recognizes a 

among others.” 

Partner that was fully aligned 

to Microsoft’s priorities during 

the 2016 financial year and has 

over achieved in one or more 

of the transformational pillars 

of Microsoft: Personal 

Computing, Intelligent Cloud 

and Reinventing productivity. 

Director, Small Midmarket 

Solutions & Partners, Microsoft 

Nigeria, Oluwawemimo 

Adeniyi said: “We are pleased 

to recognize MainOne as this 

year’s Winner of Microsoft 

Country Manager’s Partner of 

the Year award. MainOne is a 

classic example of the excellent 

resource we see in our 

Microsoft partner ecosystem to 

deliver innovative and 

transformative solutions to our 

mutual customers.” 

In his comments while 

receiving the award, 

MainOne’s Chief Information 

Security Officer, Chidinma Iwe, 

said “We’re honoured to be 

recognized by Microsoft as 

Country Partner of the Year. 

Since January 2015, when we 

launched our Tier III data 

center, we have worked with 

Microsoft to provide cloudbased 

solutions to our 

customers. 

This award cannot have come 

at a more opportune time than 

this, as it demonstrates the 

value we bring to our customers 

by helping them improve 

organizational efficiency at 

competitive costs during these 

challenging times” she added. 

IT innovation to take centre stage at NCS conference 

National Safety and Security” 

will combine several innovation 

statements throughout the event. 

He said that the conference 

will also lay emphasis on 

innovation in national safety and 

security. 

“The theme aligns with the 

security priority of the Federal 

Government. NCS salutes the 

successes recorded by the 

defence authorities of Nigeria. 

However, through the 

conference, NCS is calling for the 

application of innovative IT tools 

and strategies for improved 

effectiveness and performance in 

all aspects of national security 

including border security, 

military, Cybersecurity, policing, 

among others”, he said. 

He said that the National 

Information Technology 

Development Agency (NITDA), 

under the leadership of the 

Acting Director General, Dr. 

Vincent Olatunji, has 

announced that it will host a 

plenary session during the 

conference.


Samsung, Softcom, Mountain Top University 

to implement mobile learning solution 


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○ 

GLOBAL Trends 

TANZANIA 

Tanzania orders mobile operators 

to serve remote areas 

TANZANIA’s government has warned 

mobile phone operators of heavy 

penalties for delays in extending 

telecommunication services to remote 

areas through the Universal 

Communication Services Access Fund 

(UCSAF). The fund subsidises 

telecommunication companies to 

expand services considered 

uneconomical. 

MAURITIUS 

How Nucleartech helps growing crops 

in Mauritius 

INTERNATIONAL 

Atomic 

Energy Agency (IAEA) has given 

Mauritius a new irradiator that would help 

it to beat fruit flies. The € 283 000 (R4.8 

million) which the IAEA partly funded, 

would play a role in helping Mauritius to 

more than double its capacity to use the 

Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) – a kind of 

birth control for such pests – to suppress 

USA 

TECHNOLOGY giant, 

Samsung Electronics 

West Africa, in partnership 

with one of its Information 

Technology partners, 

Softcom, has collaborated with 

Mountain Top University to 

implement a mobile learning 

solution for teaching and 

learning in the university. 

The mobile learning program 

is designed to create a 

more conducive and easily 

accessible learning environment 

for both teachers and students 

by providing educational 

content that can be accessed 

by any user in any location, 

thereby breaking learning 

barriers. 

Accordingly, the collaboration 

is expected to see Samsung 

and Softcom make available 

learning applications and 

tablets to the University while 

providing the security component 

that enables the University 

to enforce school policies 

on the tablets and still ensure 

that the students have access 

to relevant educational content. 

It would be recalled that 

Mountain Top University recently 

admitted its first 300 

students into its undergraduate 

programs. 

Speaking on the collaboration, 

Vice Chancellor, Mountain 

Top University, Prof. Elijah 

Ayolabi said “It is very 

important to us as an institution 

of higher learning to offer 

only the best to our students 

and what better way can 

we do so than to introduce the 

mobile learning program at 

the inception of this institution. 

Mountain Top is an ICT 

driven institution and we are 

glad to have the opportunity 

to collaborate with the big 

players in the technology industry 

on the project. ”. 

Earlier in his remarks, the 

Director, Business to Business, 

Samsung Electronics West Africa, 

Olumide Ojo said that, 

“through the mobile learning 

program, the University is able 

to enforce school policies on the 

device of students by permitting 

access to only educationally relevant 

content per time. 

This program also guarantees 

time reduction in continuous 

assessment, easier class 

management, easy access to 

learning materials, among others. 

However, a number of legislators have 

complained that even as the companies 

were provided with funds, they were 

dilly-dallying in implementing the 

projects. This prompted the Minister for 

Works, Transport and Communication, 

Makame Mbarawa, to warn that the 

government will not hesitate to penalise 

mobile operators who fail to implement 

the projects on time. 

fruit flies. There are eight species of fruit 

flies in Mauritius and four of these attack 

vegetables, while the other four attack 

fleshy fruits. According to Minister of 

Agro-Industry and Food Security, Mahen 

Kumar Seeruttun, annual losses comprise 

around € 4 million. The irradiator would 

help Mauritius produce and release up 

to 1 million sterile flies a week, up from 

400 000. 

T-Mobile lists Facebook as content partner 

T-MOBILE US is reportedly working with Facebook to add the social network 

giant to the growing list of content partners on Binge On, the operator’s zerorated 

video streaming service. 

The two companies are said to be collaborating to add Facebook video to the list of 

services that T-Mobile US supports for some time. 

T-Mobile US announced new partners had joined the service last month, naming 

12 additions, giving it more than 80 in total. 

From left” Love Akinlabi, Thatcher Okuegha, Maureen 

Orebanjo, Saka Abiola, and Saka Fayidat, all winners of the 

Huawei Share A Date competition, with Music superstar 

Dbanj, at the Huawei Share A Date with Dbanj event held 

recently in Lagos. 

Aratek appoints Center Point Network on biometric 

products 

ARATEK 

Biometrics 

Technology Co. Limited 

has appointed Center Point 

Network Limited as a strategic 

partner and Sole distributor of 

its biometric products in 

Nigeria and sub-Saharan 

Africa. The agreement was 

signed last week in Abuja by 

the representatives of the two 

companies. Mrs. Joy 

Chukwureh Offor, Managing 

Director/Chief Executive 

Officer, Center Point Limited 

Growing ‘Appy-tite’ as one third 

of Nigerians increase data usage 

By Laju Iren 

ONE in three Nigerians have 

increased their data packages 

within the last six months. The reason? 

An increased appetite for mobile apps 

and entertainment services. 

This is according to a recent study 

carried out by the Mobile Ecosystem 

Forum, MEF, in association with 

telecommunications giant, Etisalat. 

The study identifies apps, music and 

video as the biggest drivers for the 

increase in mobile data spending as a 

third of Nigerian mobile media users 

have paid to increase their data 

packages in the last six months in order 

to access these services. 

MEF ‘s study of the behaviours and 

attitudes of 1,000 Nigerian smartphone 

users showed that 45% of respondents 

already buy more than 2GB of Data 

per month. When consumers pay to 

increase their data bundle, it is mainly 

to consume more mobile apps and 

content such as video and music. 

“The growth of the mobile ecosystem 

from more established areas like 

entertainment and messaging to the 

uptake of health, reading, transport 

and foods apps, along with the uptake 

of mobile Commerce and banking is 

encouraging and demonstrates the 

continued rise of the mobile economy 

in Nigeria”, said Chief Executive of 

MEF, Mr. Rimma Perelmuter. 

Perelmuter explained that while the 

Mr. Michael Shao, Chief 

Executive Officer of Aratek 

Biometrics Technology Co. 

Limited. 

According to Mrs. Offor, the 

signing is in furtherance of the 

relationship between Center 

Point Network and Aratek. 

report shows strong growth 

in data consumption with 

34% purchasing additional 

data, it also highlights 

that nearly three 

quarters of 

respondents 

which is 

73%, are still 

held back from 

downloading 

popular services such as video 

& using more apps, due to a lack of 

trust. 

“Therefore in order for the mobile 

opportunity to truly take off, not only 

do the networks need to continue to 

improve their service, but data and 

pricing models need to be more 

affordable, transparent and better 

understood as the study shows that 

where this is the case, consumers are 

more willing to pay for content and 

services as long as the value is clear” 

She said. 

The Director, Digital Business, 

Etisalat Nigeria, Ms Adia Sowho, 

who spoke on the outcome of the 

study said that “the diversity in 

consumers’ data usage is 

encouraging but a key enabler that 

drives usage is the use case. The 

study tells us where opportunity has 

been captured, can be deepened and 

in some cases, is untouched.” 

She added that Etisalat is 

committed to offering innovative 

solutions that would enhance the 

lives of consumers even as the 

consumers’ behaviours continue to 

evolve. Sowho revealed that the 

study shows that Mobile Learning 

and Reading Apps both perform well 

in Nigeria while consumer 

confidence in banking apps and 

mobile money solutions is growing 

remarkably.Healthcare is found to 

have the highest future potential 

according to the mobile media users 

studied, alongside localised services 

such as taxi apps and food delivery.

24—Vanguard, WEDNESDAY JULY 13, 2016 

Our battle with ghost 

pensioners 

— Cross River NUP 

COMRADE Bassey Okosin is the Chairman of Local 

Government Pensioners in Cross River State. In this interview 

with Emmanuel Unah, he speaks on the welfare of pensioners 

in the state, among others. 

HOW are your members faring in 

terms of payment of pensions by 

the Cross River State Government? 

Comparatively, I can say we are better 

than many other states, especially with the 

emergence of the Senator Ben Ayade 

administration. A few things that we 

suggested to government were accepted. 

So far we are owed pension for the month 

of June and I think efforts are in top gear 

to pay, only that the ongoing screening 

is what is holding the payment. We are 

the one insisting that the payment should 

be put on hold so that a lot of phony names 

are screened out before payment is done. 

Our presence in the system has 

contributed so much towards eradication 

of the malpractices we had before now. We 

identify our members monthly before 

payment and send the fictitious names for 

deletion which has also helped to save 

some funds for the government. 

What about payment of gratuities? Are 

your members being paid? 

There has been improvement. We have 

made efforts that brought some marginal 

improvement on gratuity payment. When 

we came into office, the sum made 

available to the Local Government 

Pensions Board for the payment of 

pension and gratuity was N200 million 

and later to N220 million. That has 

increased now to N300 million. 

Payment of 

full gratuity 

But the increase in pensioners on 

monthly basis means that the available 

money cannot sustain the payment. 

After pension is settled each month, what 

is left is very little. So, what we do is to 

pressurise the Pensions Board to pay 

whatever money is left as gratuity. The 

problem we have now is that no single 

pensioner has been paid his full gratuity 

at one time because the money is not there. 

What is done is that payment is done 

installmentally so that a number of people 

can have some money at one time while 

others get next time and gradually 

through that way everyone will be paid. 

Besides payment of pensions, what are 

you doing as an association to assist your 

members? 

We are running a number of activities 

like free medical treatment for our 

members across the state. We also have 

skills acquisition programmes which help 

pensioners to run income generating 

activities instead of waiting endlessly every 

month for pension to be paid. 

They have ways of generating income 

outside the monthly pension. Also we 

grant soft loans to members in between 

payments of pension because sometimes 

pension takes a month or two before it is 

paid. So, we give them funds to solve 

immediate needs and solve other pressing 

problems. When the pension is paid the 

money is recovered so that other members 

can benefit because it is a revolving 

scheme. 

There was protest earlier this year 

where some pensioners said their 

gratuities were still outstanding since 

2012. What is your response? 

Well some people protest out of ignorance 

and sometimes government creates the 

fertile ground for protest. For example, 

we are the body charged with the 

responsibility of relating with government 

to address issues affecting our members. 

So, if the pensioners trust us who they 

have given charge of managing their 

situations, they should understand and 

believe us when they are told the true 

position of things. But there were lots of 

misleading information. Most pensioners 

were high-level personnel before they 

retired so you cannot hide anything from 

them. 

But when you tell them that even with 

We are conducting 

our own 

screening 

separately and 

government is 

doing its own 

and at the end we 

shall compare 

results 

the poor situation of the state and the 

governor has strived to pay some 

gratuities, we should understand with the 

governor. 

Efforts are being made to settle gratuity 

gradually too. We have drawn up a chart 

for payment and we tell people to be patient 

and look at the programme and know that 

this year the payment is starting here 

and stopping there. 

So, from the chart, God keeping me alive, 

I will benefit this year or later. If anybody 

decides to protest after agreeing with 

managers of pension that this is the chart 

for payment of gratuity, then something 

is wrong. We should know that there are 

other issues that the government is 

addressing. If the government makes 

efforts by paying us some of our benefits, 

we should understand with it. 

*Okosin 

We were not part of the protest. 

How many local government 

pensioners do you have? 

There were 5,208 pensioners as at 

May,2016 before the commencement of the 

verification exercise. 

How many ghost pensioners did you 

fish out during the screening exercise? 

We are still collating result. We are 

conducting our own screening 

separately and government is doing its 

own. At the end we shall compare results. 

We have actually lost faith in most of the 

activities going on there. Some people take 

advantage of what is going on and 

manipulate a lot of things. Though we 

have so far enjoyed the cooperation of 

government officials especially those of 

By Victor Ahiuma-Young 

NATIONAL 

Pension 

Commission, PenCom, is 

engaging critical stakeholders in the 

informal sector of the economy ahead of 

the take-off of the Contributory Pension 

Scheme, CPS, in the sector. 

Already, comments of the Pension 

Funds Administrators, PFAs, Pension 

Fund Custodians, PFCs, and 

recommendations from the study of the 

informal sector pension in Kenya has 

been incorporated into the draft 

guideline preparatory for the take off the 

micro pension scheme. 

Speaking at a presentation to the 

House Committee on Pensions on the 

level of compliance on the Contributory 

Pension Scheme, CPS, at the National 

Assembly, Director-General, DG, of the 

commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu- 

Amazu, said the coverage of the formal 

sector had been successfully 

accomplished and the focus now was on 

the informal sector. 

According to her, “Already a draft 

framework for the participation of 

persons engaged in the informal sector 

had been developed. The framework set 

out the modalities for enrolment, 

contributions management and 

them that have the fear of God. They 

are partnering with us. Maybe the 

leadership has genuine intentions but 

some people in between have their own 

agenda. The days of sitting down and 

expecting things to be done by 

government alone are over. The pensioners 

have to go out and tell government this is 

the right thing to do and if you doubt 

go and put it to test. 

Do you have enough officials to conduct 

the exercise going on simultaneously in 

all the local government areas? 

The exercise is going on simultaneously 

in all the local government areas of the 

state alongside side the Pensions Board 

and at the end we will compare results. 

PenCom steps up launch of micro pension scheme 

withdrawals taking into consideration 

the peculiarities and needs of the sector. 

Comments of the PFAs/PFCs and 

recommendations from the study of the 

informal sector pension in Kenya had 

been incorporated in the draft. In 

addition, the views of some key informal 

sector stakeholders had also been 

obtained through research. 

Further efforts would focus on 

engaging major players in the informal 

sector for eventual enrolment into the 

Contributory Pension Scheme. 

While soliciting the support of the 

lawmakers, she said: “ There is no gain 

saying the fact that all stakeholders in 

the pension industry contributed towards 

ensuring compliance and enforcement 

of the provisions of the PRA 2014. 

The success recorded in the 

implementation of the pension reform 

from 2004 are the direct result of these 

efforts. There is therefore a need to 

consolidate these gains. 

“Accordingly, the Commission would 

like to request the Chairman 

and members of the House Committee 

to note the dire need for 

all stakeholders to continue to 

cooperate and support the 

Commission in ensuring compliance with 

the PRA 2014. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Stories by 

Jonah Nwokpoku 

N 

IGERIAN consumers 

are increasingly comfortable 

with online shopping, both 

from local retailers and foreign 

online stores and are some of 

the world’s most prolific users 

of mobile devices to do 

shopping. This is according to 

a new study conducted in 

Nigeria by Ipsos, a global 

market research company, on 

behalf of electronic payment 

provider, PayPal. 

According to findings from 

the research, Nigeria is home 

to some of the keenest mobile 

shoppers on the African 

continent, and is also the third 

largest mobile commerce 

market in terms of the incidence 

of mobile shoppers amongst the 

countries that participated in 

the research. 

Consumers 

shopping 

Nigeria surpassed the 47 per 

cent global average across the 

29 markets surveyed with 72 

per cent of online consumers 

shopping on a smartphone. 

China and India led with 86 

per cent and 82 per cent 

respectively, in terms of 

incidence of shopping via 

smartphone. 

According to the study, “A 

large majority of consumers 

pick smartphones to shop 

online both when shopping 

cross-border and locally in 

Nigeria. In terms of the value 

of this spend, consumers 

PROFESSIONAL services 

firm, Deloitte and Lagos 

Business School, LBS will use the 

maiden edition of Business 

Insights Roundtable, taking place 

this year, to empower businesses 

on how they can respond to the 

increasing challenges of disruptive 

innovations. 

At a press conference to 

announce the initiative and sign 

the memorandum of 

understanding between Deloitte 

and LBS in Lagos, West Africa 

Clients and Industries Leader, 

Marie-Theresa Phido, told 

journalists that the discussion on 

this year’s Business Insights 

Roundtable will explore the 

challenges of disruptive 

innovations faced by many 

established businesses and how 

they can navigate their way around 

the trend. 

According to her, “This year’s 

topic is, ‘How new businesses are 

disrupting traditional businesses 

in Nigeria’. We are going to be 

looking at how established 

businesses are being displaced by 

innovators in the Nigerian market. 

Companies need to leverage 

innovation to implement 

incremental changes that will 

differentiate their organisation 

from the competition. These days, 

each time we go to talk with our 

PRESS CONFERENCE - From left: Gbonju Akingbade, Programme Director, TechPlus; Tunji 

Adeyinka, MD, Connect Marketing; Abiona Babarinde, General Manager, Marketing and 

Corporate Services, Coscharis Group and Richard Iweanoge, General Manager, Consumer 

Marketing, MTN at the TechPlus 2016 press briefing in Lagos. Photo: Lamidi Bamidele 

Online shopping: Mobile remains 

king in Nigeria, says new study 

estimate that mobile shopping 

accounts for 38 per cent of their 

total online spend, and 36 per 

cent of cross-border 

purchases.” 

The study further said that 

this trend is likely to continue 

clients, we realise that a lot of them 

are struggling with innovation. A 

lot of them have grown so big that 

they do not know what next to do 

because the small firm down the 

road is thinking faster than them 

and looking at their business model 

and trying to displace them by 

bringing in innovation. 

“So this year we will be looking 

as mobile spend is forecast to 

increase by 39 per cent to N78.3 

billion in 2016, and by 31 per 

cent to N102.2 billion by the end 

of 2017, from N56.2 billion in 

2015. Speaking on the research, 

PayPal’s General Manager 

Deloitte, LBS empower businesses to manage 

disruptive innovations 

We are going to be 

looking at how 

established 

businesses are 

being displaced by 

innovators in the 

Nigerian market 

at how leading innovators within 

the Nigerian economy have 

applied some levels of innovation 

in their organisations by looking 

at the strategic alignment and 

approach they decided to take, the 

structures and processes within 

their organisations, how these 

structures are working, their 

accumulation and use of the 

knowledge that they have within 

their organisations.” 

Earlier, in an opening remarks, 

Deloitte West Africa Chief 

Operating Officer, and Risk 

Advisory Leader, Anthony 

Olukoju, said: “Recently we came 

together to sign a memorandum 

of understanding on what will be 

a mutually beneficial journey in 

the Nigerian business community. 

This is an offshoot of the recent 

agreement between Deloitte and 

LBS to provide a platform for 

captains of industry to discuss 

trending and emerging business 

issues. This initiative clearly aligns 

with Deloitte’s strategic interest of 

being in client’s market and 

maintaining business relationship. 

It is also a veritable opportunity to 

make an impact. 

The discourse will take place 

annually and the topic of will be 

jointly selected by Deloitte and 

LBS. The audience will be 

executives only, selected from all 

sectors of the economy. The topics 

and content will be conceptualised 

and facilitated by both LBS and 

Deloitte. This yearly collaboration 

will culminate in jointly developed 

thought leadership for the 

Nigerian business environment.” 

Africa and Israel, Efi Dahan 

said: “Nigerian online 

shoppers have realised that the 

world is their shopping mall 

when it comes to buying what 

they need and want. They are 

no longer limited to what they 

can buy domestically, and are 

confidently scouring the globe 

for great deals, more choices, 

high quality and premier 

brands. 

Essential 

shopping tool 

And, they are doing so 

wherever and whenever they 

want to, using their mobile 

devices as an essential 

shopping tool.” 

On the online spending 

trends in Nigeria, the survey 

noted that, “Overall, online 

shopping in Nigeria is growing 

rapidly with six out of ten 

Internet users in Nigeria 

shopping online in the 12- 

month period the survey 

covered. 

Total online spend is 

predicted to increase from 

N128.1 billion in 2015 to N172 

billion in 2016, up by 34 per 

cent from the previous year. 

This growth continues to 

N217.7 billion in 2017, about 

27 per cent more than in 2016.” 

The research also showed 

that, “70 per cent of Nigerian 

online shoppers indicated that 

they had purchased on 

international websites in the 

past 12 months, 6 per cent of 

which shopped online only 

internationally. 

Meanwhile, just a quarter of 

the online shoppers, 30 per 

cent, exclusively shopped 

locally online.” 

Red Star 

deploys Saddle 

to drive pay on 

delivery 

COURIER and logistics 

firm, Red Star Plc, has 

launched an electronic 

payment solution for e- 

commerce firms to drive pay 

on delivery. 

Known as Saddle, the 

application facilitates instant 

payment on delivery 

reconciliation, and allows 

customers monitor and track 

the movement of ordered 

products until items are 

delivered . The application 

also allows e-platforms and 

partner companies to 

seamlessly receive notifications 

when orders are placed. 

Speaking on the solution, 

Head, Projects and New 

Ventures, Red Star Plc, Jayson 

Oyarekhua, said the 

application has been 

customized in such a way that 

it enables organizations 

especially those in e- 

commerce, track orders from 

clients, monitor activities prior 

to delivery and generate report 

after delivery or as at when 

due. He said: “The application 

will drive transparency on all 

sides of the e-commerce chain, 

from Red Star Express Plc, the 

e-commerce platform and the 

end user who ordered the 

product.” 

Logistics 

management 

According to Jayson, “The 

features are meant to change 

the way online retailing is 

conducted as it will impact on 

logistics management, 

provides cash and card 

payment solution, act as frontend 

app for delivery agents, 

back-end tool for dispatch as 

well as monitoring and 

reconciliation. The solution 

will also provide pick-up and 

drop-off tools, provide tracking 

information for consumers and 

provide industry solution for 

multiple e-commerce sites/ 

platforms.” 

Explaining how it works, 

Jayson said its starts with a 

customer (an e-commerce 

patform provider) receiving an 

Application Programme 

Interface,API to integrate 

Saddle into his/her website. 

Once integration is done, the 

customer will have visibility to 

the Saddle logistics 

management. When an order 

is made on theplatform, the 

transaction is sent and logged 

in Saddle where it becomes 

available for pick-up and 

delivery. For delivery, Saddle 

will be linked to a mobile POS 

solution which every delivery 

agent can use to receive 

payment upon delivery. 

Payment (cash, card) will be 

logged into the account of the 

merchant with proper 

reconciliation and settlement 

process in place.

26 — Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016

VOL. 1 NO 74 Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

By Emeka Mamah 

ENUGU — The 

recognition of the detained 

leader of the Indigenous People 

of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi 

Kanu, as the “Great Liberator,” 

of Igbo by the Igbo Youth 

Movement, IYM, during the 

17th Annual General Convention 

of the umbrella association of all 

Igbo youth socio-political unions 

has continued to elicit hope in 

the youths that their dream of 

their new nation would be 

realised someday. The award 

from the IYM was jointly received 

on behalf of Kanu by Emma 

Powerful of IPOB and Uchenna 

Madu of MASSOB amidst 

thunderous ovation. 

The convention was attended 

by the former Vice President, Dr 

Alex Ekwueme, a Yoruba leader, 

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, former 

Minister of Information, Professor 

Jerry Gana (both of who 

received the Great National Icon 

awards in recognition of their 

consistent contribution to national 

growth), former Governors of 

Anambra State, Dr 

Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Peter 

Obi (Okwute Ndigbo), the leader 

of Igbo Women's Assembly, IWA, 

Chief(Mrs) Marie Okwo as well 

as and the National Leader of the 

Niger Delta Self- Determination Nigeria might burst at the their old and archaic thoughts 

Movement, NDSDM, Mrs seams. 

about Nigeria, clashes with the 

Annkio Briggs among other “The truth about our dear reality on ground, they 

notable Nigerians who had Country is that some people 

asked President Muhammadu have a post 1970 mind-set. They 

Buhari to implement the 2014 want to take back Nigeria to the Killing those 

National Conference report to heady days in the early 1970’s, 

young men in 

ensure fiscal federalism in the when their word was law; when 

country. 

everybody trembled at their cold blood have 

presence; when they shared 

suddenly earned 

Wild jubilation 

our patrimony according to their 

in the hall 

whims, while the whole country them so much 

worshiped them as the victorious sympathy and 

Ayo Adebanjo, Jerry Gana, army of conquest. 

Ezeife and Mrs Briggs among “They find it hard to see, that popularity they 

others had received various the unitary structure they are seen as 

awards but none elicited more instituted cannot carry us 

wild scenes of jubilation in the through. They refuse to accept heroes down here 

hall than Nnamdi Kanu’s. the fact that the present 36 state 

erroneously resort to brutal 

The Founder of IYM, structure is unsustainable. As 

suppression of the truth, in the 

Evangelist Elliot Uko, who 

summarised the reactions of 

earlier speakers on the occasion 

expressed optimism that the 

Federal Government would 

listen to the voice of Nigerians 

By Anayo Okoli 

by restructuring Nigeria which 

he said was practicing a UMUAHIA — A prominent 

“unitary” system of government 

nonagenarian monarch, Eze Demond 

against the wishes of the Ogugua has decried the position of Ndigbo 

generality of the people. 

in Nigeria today, lamenting that Ndigbo are 

Uko said, “I am pleasantly now treated as slaves in their country. 

surprised that speaker after 

According to Eze Ogugua, abandoned 

road projects are littered all over Igbo land 

speaker, spoke the truth for all to 

and he called on President Muhammadu 

hear, that is; that Nigeria should Buhari to send a team of trusted and sincere 

urgently restructure along the aides to Igbo land to see things for 

lines of true fiscal federalism. The themselves. 

delay in implementing the 2014 

He said that despite the contribution of 

confab resolutions is dangerous. Ndigbo in the development of Nigeria the 

The centrifugal forces pulling on South East region has been neglected. "We 

all sides, clearly indicates that have no roads. We are now slaves in Nigeria,” 

he said. 

C 

M 

YK 

From left: Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Mrs Maria Okwor, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr Alex Ekwueme and Prof 

Jerry Gana 

Nnamdi Kanu, detained IPOB leader 

receives Great Liberator of Ndigbo award 

false hope that the people would 

be cowed into submission. 

“The result is endless massacre 

of compatriots in cold blood, like 

we saw in a school compound in 

Aba, Abia State on February 9, 

2016 and in a church at Nkpor, 

Anambra State, on the night of 

May 29 and early morning of 

May 30, 2016. 

“They still believe that this 

genocidal killing will help them 

hold down Nigeria by force and 

sustain this unworkable unitary 

structure. 

The truth is that this unitary 

structure is unworkable and 

Nigeria will never know peace, 

unless we restructure Nigeria 

along the lines of true federalism. 

He particularly condemned the Niger 

Delta Development Commission which he 

said abandoned most of the projects in Abia 

and Imo States, which are members of the 

commission, saying it shows that Ndigbo 

are not regarded by the Government. 

Eze Ogugua, who is the traditional ruler 

of Eziudo, Ezinihite, Mbaise, spoke 

weekend, in his home in Umuahia. 

According to him, NDDC has abandoned 

the Mbaise ring road and other projects in 

Imo and Abia State. 

“They [NDDC] abandoned all the projects 

in Igbo land, the Mbaise ring road, which 

is now a no-go area. Last two weeks, I went 

to Obehie area in Ukwa West council area, 

there is no road, no light, nothing to show 

that we are members of the NDDC”, the 

nonagenarian monarch lamented. 

“Killing young people in cold 

blood, just because they say they 

are tired of the iniquities of 

oppression and litany of 

injustices that abound in Nigeria 

is despotic, to say the least. 

Scottish nationalists went out of 

UK, marched in the streets with 

their Scottish flags; nobody killed 

them in cold blood. 

“In Canada, Spain and 

elsewhere self-determination 

movements demand their 

separate states; nobody orders 

their killing in cold blood. If a 

section of Ghana or South Africa 

were to root for selfdetermination, 

we know that 


Igbo now slaves in Nigeria — 90-year-old monarch 

“South East region has been neglected. 

We have no roads. We are now slaves in 

Nigeria. We cannot talk about Niger Delta 

Development Commission, that one has 

done nothing in Igboland. They hate 

Ndigbo. They have abandoned all their 

projects in Mbaise, in Imo and Abia States. 

“They are stepping on our fundamental 

rights. I urge President Buhari to send a 

team of his sincere aides to the South East 

to assess the infrastructural facilities in the 

area. We have suffered a lot, enough is 

enough, Buhari should order all the 

contractors on the abandoned projects to 

return back to sites and resume work on 

them," Eze Ogugua said. 

He also warned against dragging 

Ohaneze Ndigbo into politics, saying it 

would spell doom for Ndigbo.


Nnamdi Kanu, detained IPOB leader 

receives Great Liberator of Ndigbo award 


John Mahama or Jacob Zuma 

will not order their cold blooded 

killings. 

“Killing those young men in 

cold blood has suddenly earned 

them so much sympathy and 

popularity that they are seen as 

heroes down here. About 99 

percent of Aba people; old 

eastern region are angry and very 

bitter about the Nkpor massacre 

of May 30. 

"This government has slowly 

alienated itself from the people. 

Refusal to restructure Nigeria 

now, simply means that the 

future is very bleak.” Other 

speakers including Ekwueme, 

Adebanjo and Gana had 

insisted that there was need for 

fiscal federalism in the country 

adding that different regions 

should be allowed to operate 

their own different constitutions 

which should however, be 

annexed to the Nigerian 

constitution as was the case in 

the First Republic. 

Civilian 

administration 

Speaking on the theme of the 

convention, “Still in Search of 

True Federalism,” Ekwueme 

relived his incarceration by 

Buhari as a military Head of 

State, shortly after the overthrow 

of Shehu Shagari’s civilian 

administration, pointing out that 

“every disappointment was a 

blessing,” as the detention in 

1984 at Kirikiri prisons by the 

military afforded him the 

opportunity to reflect deeply on 

the country’s problems. 

According to Ekwueme. he 

came out of detention with the 

idea of six geo-political zonal 

structures, which he pushed for 

in a national conference much 

later and it became a convention, 

as it had taken care of minorities 

in both the south and the north. 

Ekwueme stated that what 

THE TEAM 

Supervising Editor: 

Chioma Gabriel, Lagos 

(08052201257) 

Editor: 

Emeka Mamah, Enugu 

email: 

emekemamah@yahoo.com) 

Anayo Okoli, Umuahia 

Vincent Ujumadu, Awka 

Austin Ogwuda, Awka 

Chidi Nkwopara, Owerri 

Peter Okutu, Abakaliki 

Chimaobi Nwaiwu, Nnewi 

Francis Igata, Enugu 

Nwabueze Okonkwo, Onitsha 

Ugochukwu Alaribe, Aba 

Enyim Enyim, Onitsha 

Chinoso Alozie, Owerri 

Chinenye Ozor, Nsukka 

Eric Ugbor, Aba 

Nigeria negotiated for and 

agreed with the colonial masters 

before independence was a 

regional government where each 

had a constitution, which was 

annexed to the Republican 

constitution of 1963, adding that 

the said Republican Constitution 

then provided for 50 per cent 

revenue sharing formula for the 

regions, 30 per cent to a 

distributable pool, and 20 per cent 

to the centre. “There is need for 

us to return to the basics from 

what we inherited from our 

founding fathers,” he added. 

Also speaking, Chief Adebanjo, 

had gone down memory lane to 

trace the origin of federalism in 

Nigeria to various pre-and postcolonial 

constitutional 

conferences, insisting that 

Nigeria must be restructured to 

correct the immense damage 

done to the nation’s constitution 

by the military and to put a stop 

to the various acts of uprising in 

the country today, including those 

of Niger Delta Avengers, NDA, 

Movement for Actualisation of 

the Sovereign State of Biafra, 

MASSOB, and IPOB. 

On his own, Prof Gana stated 

that the nation’s founding fathers 

were right by agreeing to a 

federal structure, which he 

described as the best structure to 

guarantee peace, equity and 

justice. 

Annkio Briggs, who received 

Don’t import grass to feed Nigerian cattle, Bishop’s wife begs FG 

By Vincent Ujumadu 

AWKA- THE controversial 

plan by the Federal 

Ministry of Agriculture to import 

grass from Brazil for the feeding 

of Nigerian cattle has attracted 

the attention of the Anglican 

Church in Nigeria, with the wife 

of the Bishop of Ihiala Diocese 

in Anambra State, Mrs. 

Chinyere Okafor, calling on the 

Federal Government to shelve 

the idea. 

Mrs. Okafor, who is also the 

President of Ihiala Diocesan 

women's ministry, argued that 

instead of importing grass from 

Brazil, government should 

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Prof Jerry Gana and Ex-Gov Peter Obi 

the award of “Amazon of Truth” 

by IYM, also stated that true and 

fiscal federalism must be truthful 

and justifiable, adding that she 

believes in resource control and 

that as much as she doesn’t 

believe that Nigeria must break, 

she believed that if the nation 

continued on the current path, 

then disintegration would be 

inevitable. 

The various speakers insisted 

that restructuring the country 

would go a long way in 

addressing the myriads of 

problems confronting the country, 

adding that the current protests 

and demands for separation by 

various groups in the country, as 

well as other socio-economic 

crises would reduce by half if the 

national conference report was 

considered and implemented. 

Former governor Obi stressed 

that he supported the 

restructuring of the country on the 

basis of fiscal federalism, but 

stressed that while that was being 

addressed, there was a need to 

urgently address the high cost 

of governance in the country. Obi 

said that any governor who said 

he could not pay salary should 

develop a scheme for local grass 

cultivation focusing on the 

southern part of the country 

where there is an abundance of 

grass for the feeding of Nigerian 

cattle. 

Delivering her presidential 

address at the annual women 

conference of the Diocese held 

at St. Mary’s Anglican Church, 

Isseke, Mrs. Okafor, an 

Engineer, observed that if 

implemented, the scheme would 

provide employment for the 

restless youths in the forest -bell 

of southern Nigeria as well as 

boost earning of farmers. 

According to the Bishop’s wife, 

grass from the southern part of 

give way to other persons with 

better ideas. 

Ezeife, who also received the 

“Igbo Peoples General award” 

stated that the 2014 national 

conference report recommended 

an additional 18 states to bring 

into being a 48 state-structure in 

order to address some 

inequalities created by the 

military. In his view, all the six 

proposed zones would have the 

same number of states to ensure 

that none was cheated. 

Contractual 

agreements 

Briggs said that the country was 

so-lopsidedly run that the 

Federal Government which 

should depend on taxes from the 

regions was now giving the 

crumbs from the very regions 

which fed it fat. 

She also lampooned the 

Federal Government for 

threatening to destroy the 

Gbaramatu Community in the 

Niger Delta Region if the people 

of the area failed to produce 

General Tompolo over alleged 

civil offence having to do with 

Nigeria would be enough for 

ranch operators in the North to 

feed the cows, adding that by so 

doing, the existing rancour 

between herdsmen and farmers 

in parts of the country would be 

reduced drastically. 

To her, there is no justification 

for vehicles and other road users 

to be struggling for the right of 

way with cattle, as she advised 

the federal and state 

governments to ban movement 

of cattle on the roads and 

establish cattle ranches across the 

country. She also condemned the 

menace of the herdsmen in the 

southern part of Nigeria, arguing 

that time has come for the Federal 

contractual agreements while 

turning a blind eye to those who 

beheaded an Igbo woman in 

Kano for alleged blasphemy. 

According to her, the Federal 

Government should ask both the 

Governor and Emir of Kano to 

produce the killers of the Igbo 

woman in their domain instead 

of purportedly arresting suspects 

for the heinous offence. 

“A governor blasphemed Jesus 

Christ in the north but he is still 

serving in that office today. 

Blasphemy is not part of our 

national law. How can the ruling 

government say that it will work 

for 95 percent of Nigerians who 

voted for it with the resources 

from the five percent that did not 

vote for it? We are asking for 

resource control. 

“Why should somebody who 

has never drank the polluted 

water in the Niger Delta ask us 

to account for 13 percent 

derivation when he cannot 

account for the 87 percent 

allocations that he takes?” she 

said adding that any change 

mantra that was not based on 

truth was deceptive. 

government to fully address the 

socio-economic malady by 

courageously curtailing the 

criminal activities of the 

herdsmen. 

She was, however, full of 

praises for the Federal 

government for using dialogue 

as a 0means of resolving the 

insecurity crisis in the country. 

The wife of the Bishop also 

called on Federal Ministry of 

Education and the Nigeria 

Educational Research and 

Development Council (NERDC) 

to rescind their decision to merge 

Islamic studies with Christian 

Religious Knowledge in schools.




Send Opinions & Letters to: 

opinions1234@yahoo.com 

The Saraki-Ekweremadu Senate 

and its proxy battles 

NOW that the Abuja High 

Court trying the case of 

forgery brought against the 

Senate President Bukola Saraki 

and Deputy Senate President, Ike 

Ekweremadu, has adjourned 

hearing of the suit to September 

2016, it may be reasonable to ask 

if the promised shutdown of the 

Senate by supporters of these 

principal officers of the Senate 

would still go ahead. In other 

words, can we still expect the ‘Like 

Minds’ senators, all 80 of them 

we hear, to disavow their legislative 

responsibilities in sheer solidarity 

for their leaders? I guess 

the principal reason they offered 

themselves to serve Nigerians 

was so they could keep their allegiance 

to other politicians rather 

than work for the good of the 

country. 

Nigerians may recall that some 

senators who would rather not 

have their names mentioned in 

print have been telling the press 

that they are all for Saraki and 

Ekweremadu and would have 

nothing to do with anyone talking 

about alternatives. They would 

also not have anything to do with 

any idea of some pro tempore 

president of the Senate. For them, 

it is either Saraki and 

Ekweremadu or nothing else. 

They hinge all of this on their socalled 

fight for legislative 

autonomy. But as I said here last 

week, the issue is one of selfpreservation 

for these senators. 

They know what they are up 

against. They know once their 

shepherd is struck down it’s a 

matter of time before they too 

become prey to the very forces 

chasing Saraki and 

Ekweremadu. The issue is not 

about fighting for legislative 

independence. It is about 

covering their dirty rump from 

scrutiny. 

The Senate is in fact a conclave 

of cowards, bull dogs that are all 

loud barks but no teeth to effect 

their threats. Which is why those 

senators who have been shadow 

boxing, issuing threats of a 

shutdown are too weak-kneed to 

have their names put down in 

print. They go about grumbling 

about some attempts to 

compromise their independence 

while the real truth is that they 

have a lot to cover about their 

lives and how they got to their 

present status. Their boast about 

shutting down the Senate is actually 

a pathetic cry for attention. 

They want a deal and are dying 

to be asked for one. These are 

wheeler dealers out to bargain. 

They’ve been asking for nothing 

but a deal ever since their leaders 

became estranged from their 

friends in the executive arm, especially 

the Presidency. In hearing 

and endorsing the ministerial 

list submitted to them without 

asking questions, they were conscious 

of scratching the back of 

the executive and expected some 

payback. 

It’s incredible how Nigerian 

politicians, when accused of 

Today people are 

struggling just so 

they can take care 

of their survival 

needs and all our 

so-called law makers 

can think of is 

how to make life 

even unbearable 

for them 

some malfeasance, talk so eagerly 

about looking forward to 

their day in court while doing 

everything within their might and 

beyond it to frustrate the court 

process. This is what we have so 

far seen in the manner both 

Saraki and Ekweremadu have 

responded to the charges brought 

against them. They are neither 

willing nor ready to give up what 

they are accused of acquiring 

illegally nor are they ready to 

prove their innocence as they 

claim. They’ve tried subterfuge, 

coercion and blackmail and are 

now watching from the sides as 

their supporters make a mess of 

their role as law makers, threatening 

to shut down the Senate. 

Instead of working to clear their 

names as they claim they’ve been 

invoking all kinds of forces both 

national and international to 

come to their rescue. They’ve 

written to all kinds of Western 

agencies, organisations and 

leaders in their foolish bid for 

help. 

Yet they only need to take one 

step, just one that would 

demonstrate their readiness to 

truthfully have their names 

cleared. They only need to step 

aside as Senate leaders and allow 

those entrusted with the task 

of investigation to do their job. 

We need not call the attention of 

the Senate duo to the examples 

of other public figures accused 

of one misdemeanour or another 

elsewhere. Those are examples 

that make no impression on 

them. But since they’ve turned 

politics into a career, it makes 

sense for them to bring down the 

entire house, literally, than yield 

to the demands of decency. These 

senators give people the 

impression that outside politics 

there is simply no life for them. 

And it’s in the same boat we must 

put their supporters who have 

vowed to shut down the Senate. 

Now that the court has adjourned 

hearing, I hope they set the 

fireworks off in earnest so 

Nigerians can have an idea what 

reprobates they elected or 

allowed to wangle their way into 

power. 

This class of legislators in both 

the upper and lower houses have 

spent more time on recess than 

decency demands. At a time 

when Nigerians are groaning 

under the strains of making ends 

meet, many of our legislators are 

content to show off the latest 

automobiles in their garage. The 

likes of Dino Melaye are hardly 

off social media where they post 

photographs of their baby toys 

they want the whole world to hear 

about. In age Melaye is probably 

older than David Cameron but 

while the latter grapples with 

more fundamental issues of 

governance and disdains the kind 

of graft that has transformed our 

country into a ‘fantastically 

corrupt’ polity, Melaye and his 

ilk go about playing the one-eyed 

king in the country of 

impoverished beggars. They 

cling to power as if their lives 

depended on it when Cameron 

who offered to step down in the 

wake of the referendum that saw 

the United Kingdoms leaving the 

European Union has moved 

forwards his planned departure 

as Prime Minister to this week 

instead of October. That’s what a 

leader does- take responsibility 

for both his actions and inaction. 

Our present legislators are not 

proposing new laws that would 

bring succour to the blighted 

existence of the citizens of this 

country. They are not working 

hard to actualise their electoral 

mandates. They are talking 

instead, even boasting about 

abdicating their responsibilities, 

just so they can continue with the 

culture of impunity that fetched 

them their present status. For if 

truth must be told, in what way 

are many of these vain 

individuals who parade 

themselves as leaders in the 

legislature, in what ways are they 

better morally or intellectually 

than many of the Nigerians they 

lord it over and pretend to be 

better than? Today people are 

struggling just so they can take 

care of their survival needs and 

all our so-called law makers can 

think of is how to make life even 

unbearable for them. It’s their 

likes that go around complaining 

about the slow pace of 

development under the present 

administration. But what are they 

doing to speed things up? Shut 

down the government and send 

the country into yet another 

tailspin. 

Constitutional immunity as sanctification 

of moral turpitude in governance 

WHATEVER good intentions the 

framers had in enshrining a 

sweeping immunity clause in Section 

308 of the Constitution, it is now 

beyond doubt that it constitutes a clear 

and present danger to the political and 

moral health of Nigeria. The 

immunity clause not only sanctifies, ab 

initio, criminal behaviour by the said 

public officials but also gives them 

every incentive to be vile and depraved 

to their heart’s content—to turn 

immunity into impunity. A president or 

a governor could be the very 

embodiment of moral turpitude and 

remain in office, the hands of justice 

nailed to the floor under his desk. 

Moral turpitude is defined by the 

Oxford English Dictionary as “Wickedness 

or depravity of character.” An 

act of moral turpitude, according to the 

Merriam-Webster dictionary, is one 

that “gravely violates the moral 

sentiment or accepted moral standards 

of the community,” adding that crimes 

involving moral turpitude have“an 

inherent quality of baseness,vileness, 

or depravity with respect to a person’s 

duty to another or to society in 

general.”Such as rape,forgery, 

robbery,theft and perjury. Normally, a 

person adjudged to have committed 

any of these acts would be considered 

unfit to hold public office. 

The same Constitution disqualifies from 

election as president, governor, senator or 

representative any person who has been 

“convicted and sentenced for an offence 

involving dishonesty” or has been 

“indicted for embezzlement or fraud.” 

Why then a seemingly impregnable shield 

of immunity from prosecution while such 

a person is in office, at the time it matters 

most? The untenable answer is that a 

president or governor ought to be shielded 

from the distractions of frivolous charges 

or malicious prosecution, the sort likely 

to be trumped up by political enemies. But 

Normally, a person 

adjudged to have committed 

any of these 

acts(rape,forgery, 

robbery,theft and perjury) 

would be considered 

unfit to hold public 

office 

criminal charges are unlikely to be filed 

against a president or governor without 

reasonable cause, without prior 

investigation and the establishment of a 

prima facie case. Or it is said that the 

people, through the legislature, would 

promptly impeach a wicked and depraved 

president or governor. 

The abject failure of this hope has led to 

the parade of presidents and governors 

who looted or loot the treasury to the 

ground, sometimes with the active 

connivance of compromised legislators. 

And to the feeble efforts of the courts to 

prevent the catastrophic effects of a 

purblind interpretation of the clause. 

Giving his 

rationale for the 

claw-back 

decision that 

Section 308 

does not confer 

immunity to 

investigation in 

Fawehinmi v 

Inspector-General 

of Police, Supreme Court Justice 

Samson Uwaifo said 14 years ago that to 

“hold otherwise is to create a monstrous 

situation whose manifestation may not be 

fully appreciated until illustrated". 

"Suppose,” he said, “it is alleged that a 

governor, in the course of driving his 

personal car, recklessly ran over a man, 

killing him; he sends the car to a workshop 

for the repairs of the dented part or parts. 

Or that he used a pistol to shoot a man 

dead and threw the gun into a nearby bush. 

Or that he stole public money and kept it 

in a particular bank or used it to acquire 

property. Now, if the police became aware, 

could it be suggested in an open and 

democratic society like ours that they 

would be precluded in section 308 from 

investigating to know the identity of the 

man killed, the cause of death from 

autopsy report, the owner of the car taken 

to the workshop and if there is any 

evidence from the inspection of the car 

that it hit an object recently, more particularly 

a human being; or to take steps 

to recover the gun and test for ballistic 

evidence; and generally to take statements 

from eye-witnesses of either incident or 

killing [?]. Or to find out (if possible) about 

the money lodged in the bank or for acquiring 

property, and to get particulars of 

the account and the source of the money; 

or the property acquired?” 

Let me add one more scenario. Suppose 

a governor has been carrying out an 

adulterous relationship for two years with 

the wife of his personal driver. And for fear 

of losing his job, the driver, who is aware 

of the affair, unknown to the governor, 

suffered in silence. Until one day, enraged 

by yet another trifling lapse in 

concentration, the governor berated then 

threatened to sack him. And in the evening, 

back in the state house, the governor does 

actually sack the driver amidst another 

round of merciless scolding. At which 

point the driver snaps and seeking to 

salvage his dignity threatens to expose the 

governor. And the governor, enraged and 

panicky all at once, shoots the driver dead 

as he turns to leave. We may agree now 

that the police can investigate the crime 

but what sense does it make to shield the 

governor from criminal proceedings? 

The case of one Peter AyodeleFayose, 

impeached former governor of Ekiti 

State, allegedly rigged into office through 

a military operation the second time, but 

who remains in office because of the licence 

for impunity given him by the accursed 

immunity clause speaks of the 

worst possible form of moral turpitude. If 

the clause cannot be repealed, it must at 

the very least be amended with the introduction 

of the qualifying phrase: “In the 

performance of the duties of his or her office, 

the president, governor . . .” Else, we 

might as well do without a constitution.

32 —Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

YOUR LUCK TODAY 

By Joshua Adeyemo Phone 08056180139 

LIBRA; Take note that others may break promises made 

before early afternoon period; that is to say you should 

not take anybody for granted before 12.43pm. 

SCORPIO; Although friends are willing to assist you 

circumstances may not allow complete help as expected. 

9.46am to 12.43pm can be a bit sensitive….. 

SAGITTARIUS; Emphasis will continue to be on career 

related issues. However you will not be wrong if you 

take matters-of-the-heart more seriously now. Be more 

loving. 

CAPRICORN; Mid-morning till early afternoon period 

may bring more promises than it can actually deliver; 

your being clever will see you through. Be very practical. 

AQUARIUS; Continue to attach necessary importance 

to your family values. Here is a day when joint ventures 

can bring you under pressure between 9.46am and 

12.43pm. 

By Richard Eromosele 

‘Do not count 

your chicken before 

they are 

hatched’ is a 

p o p u l a r 

saying.However, 

in these days and 

time when one 

L E I S U R E 

THOUGHT FOR TODAY 

Count your chicken... 

need to be ahead 

most of the time , 

we must strive to 

count our 

chicken before 

they are hatched 

otherwise,we 

would find ourselves 

constantly 

falling short of 

expectations.We 

should be able to 

predict the return 

TERROR MUDA in “Never say goodbye” 

on our 

investment.This 

will encourage us 

to give our best 

.Count your 

chicken.......It is 

one sure way of 

attaining success. 

By Kola Fayemi 

PISCES; Other people will continue to feature in your 

activities; that is to say you will need to be as co-operative 

as reason permits. Watch it between 

9.46am&12.43pm 

ARIES; You will be in good position to consolidate on 

progress made yesterday. However you will need to watch 

your mood from 9.46am to 12.43pm. 

TAURUS; It is important you don’t take things for 

granted around mid-morning and early afternoon period 

so that you will not run into avoidable disappointments. 

GEMINI; If you are in position to control your actions 

you would fare better if you can wait till after 12,43pm 

before you make an important move. Be family minded. 

CANCER; Your being receptive can enhance your prospects 

but that is not to say you have to be naïve, especially 

during mid-morning and early afternoon periods. 

LEO; Success is boldly printed on your cards and like 

yesterday if priority attention is given to money the scope 

of your success will be wider. 

KAPTAIN AFRIKA in “Pretty Lunatic’ By Andy Akman 

VIRGO; Although things may be happening around 

you, you are the right person to make things happen and 

give others opportunities.. Be wise. 

ASTROLOGICAL COUNSELLING 

Send your date and place of birth to the Astr 

trological 

Counselling, P.M.B 100 

007, Apapa, Lagos 

What about Sagittarius? 

Dear Joshua, 

I want you to tell me characteristics of my Star; Sagittarius 

as you have done to others. 

Lucky, Ibadan. 

Dear Lucky, 

BASIC CHARACTERISTICS OF SAGITTARIUS 

Sagittarius is a mutable sign by its quality. It‘s element is fire, 

symbolised by half horse half man and/or an Archer aiming at 

the sky. Mutable means changes and experimentation, while 

fire is all about enthusiasm, taking of the initiative and 

leadership ability. Thus, you are the type that will exhibit strong 

interest in an important project that catches your fancy and you 

will not mind to experiment with ideas just to achieve your 

objectives and aims. Sagittarius is the 9th sign of the Zodiac 

that rules philosophy, RELIGION, law, foreign land, higher 

mind/higher institutions, lawyer, long (distance) travelling, inlaws, 

future, optimism and bluntness. Major problem or weak 

points of Sagittarians are excessive openness/bluntness and 

sometimes fanatical approach to religion. 

Being a born adventurer, you are not afraid of exploration 

and new beginning. Sagittarians are incurable optimist and 

ever ready to listen to and eager to believe others; you are not 

an exception. Honesty is truly in your inner self You are a tolerant 

person but you are not ready to compromise your FREEDOM 

Sagittarius as a fire sign can make you a quick tempered 

person. Half horse half man as the symbol, of Sagittarius 

indicates dual (double) personalities known in different circle 

with different personalities. Yet, you are not a pretender. As the 

Archer aims arrow into the sky also Sagittarians have many 

lofty ideas and ambition. But sometimes their ideas and/or 

ideals are not practical enough for realisation. Many times, 

they start too many things at a time only to either forget or lose 

view of their 

original targets. 

Development of practical approach is more important for 

Sagittarians, this is in order to make success of many of their 

brilliant ideas, otherwise they tend to become dreamers. In 

reality, Sagittarians are dreamers (by this 1 mean real dream 

many use to have at night) and many of their dreams usually 

come to pass. Sometimes their dreams are vividly prophetic. 

Sagittarians are born philosophers, that is why they have 

well developed minds indispensable to rare wisdom. Then, you 

are humorous, lively, sports loving out going, energetic, good 

hearted, in love with experimentation, ever willing to co-operate, 

socially inclined, enthusiastic and highly intelligent. As 

intelligent as you are, you can surprisingly appear fanatical 

about your believe and/or views. 

VIRGINIA 

HOME & ABROAD 

dadadekola@yahoo.com 

By Lawrence Akapa


N-DELTA CRISIS: Why we can't bring NDA into 

Amnesty programme —BOROH 

•Says parties have commenced dialogue 

By Emmanuel Elebeke 

ABUJA—SENIOR Special 

Assistant to the President on 

Niger Delta Matters and 

Coordinator of the Amnesty 

Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul 

Boroh (retd), has said that the 

Federal Government has no plan 

to bring in more Niger Delta 

militants into the amnesty 

programme, including the Niger 

Delta Avengers. 

He also said that the Federal 

Government had commenced 

dialogue with the Avengers 

through the dialogue committee 

with a view to halting the 

lingering hostility and bombing of 

oil facilities in the region. 

Boroh, who disclosed this on a 

television programme monitored 

in Abuja, explained that his 

mandate was to reintegrate only 

30,000 ex-agitators captured in the 

amnesty programme and cannot 

go beyond the limit to bring in 

more agitators into the 

programme. 

He blamed the current economic 

meltdown as one of the reasons 

that made it difficult for 

government to extend the 

amnesty programme to more 

agitators. 

“Amnesty programme 

worldwide has a limit because it 

is a master piece strategy to 

resolve militancy. When that of 

Nigeria was established in 2009, 

ALLEGED NEGLECT: Okowa should apologise to 

oil-bearing communities —IJAW LEADER 

By Emma Amaize 

WARRI—IJAW leader and 

activist, Apostle Clement 

Tonfawei, has asked the Delta 

State governor, Senator Ifeanyi 

Okowa, to apologise to oilbearing 

communities in the 

state for his alleged failure to 

develop riverine areas in his 

first year in office. 

Tonfawei, who lambasted the 

governor over the manner he 

conducted the last 

stakeholders’ meeting in Warri, 

said: “I expected him to first 

apologise to the oil-bearing 

communities that he has 

wronged in the past one year 

because he constructed and 

inaugurated projects in the 

upland areas without anything 

in the riverside. 

“In the past one year, I know 

how much that had come to the 

state from the Federal 

Allocation and I also know 

about several projects that he 

had commissioned in Asaba 

and other parts of the state. Yet 

Governor Okowa did not deem 

it fit to put any project in the 

oil bearing communities. 

“This is the highest level of 

injustice I have ever seen since 

it was supposed to exist for a 

particular time. 

“I do not intend to bring in 

more into the programme 

because that is not my mandate. 

My mandate is to reintegrate 

30,000 ex-agitators into the 

programme that are already in 

the programme. But this number 

I was born. I am speaking on 

behalf of my people because 

I am a leader in my 

community and I have 

involved myself in the 

struggle for a very long time,” 

he added. 

On the governor’s 

complaint that allocation to 

the state had dropped, he 

said: “I will advise him not to 

complain to us that allocation 

coming to the state has 

Rivers Assembly approves N9bn loan for Wike 

By Davies 

Iheamnachor 

PORT HARCOURT—THE 

Rivers State House of 

Assembly has approved a 

request permitting Governor 

Nyesom Wike to borrow N9 

billion from Zenith Bank. 

The Assembly gave its 

approval to the request of the 

governor, yesterday, during 

an emergency sitting 

convened by the Speaker of 

the House, Dima Dabotoru. 

Wike had sent the request 

to the Assembly demanding 

is bloated because communities 

affected during the conflicts, 

government is also taking care 

of them. Some of them are 

undergoing skills acquisition 

and training. 

“I do not think that the Federal 

Government is going to have 

another amnesty programme, it 

is very expensive and presently, 

our economy is not in the right 

dropped. He has been part of 

the government for the past 

17 years. What did he do 

when the state was receiving 

over N20 billion as allocation? 

He has been a part of this 

injustice because he did not 

do anything to address the 

injustice done to our people. 

I will advise him to address 

this injustice now if he wants 

peace to reign in the state. 

“The stakeholders’ meeting 

its approval to allow him 

access the said loan. 

He also noted that the 

money would be used for 

capital projects. 

Wike added that the loan 

would be repaid from money 

the state earns from 

Indorama Company, 

Petrochemical Eleme in the 

state. 

Ruling on the governor’s 

request, the Speaker of the 

Rivers State House of 

Assembly, Dabotoru 

enjoined 8th Assembly to 

status. So, it should not be a 

permanent programme. 

“It is better to gain an 

employment than wait for 

amnesty prograame. Let us 

think of how to create jobs and 

develop the country. It is better 

to work than think of a 

programme that will give you a 

stipend every month.” 

COMMISSIONING: From left: Representative of Rivers State governor/Spacial Adviser to 

the Governor on NDDC Matters, Mr Aribitonye Okiri; Acting Managing Director, Niger Delta 

Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs Ibim Semenitari; Paramount Ruler of Port Harcourt, 

Eze Victor Nnanna, and Director, NDDC, Rivers State Office, Mr Benson Udo-Asubop, during 

the commissioning of the NDDC's Rivers State Office Complex in Port Harcourt, yesterday. 

Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke. 

convened by Okowa is one of 

the disappointing 

government functions I have 

ever attended. This is a 

governor believed to know 

the pains of the people in the 

oil-bearing communities, yet 

he is still adopting the same 

method that previous 

governments used to 

shortchange the same people 

they claim to be fighting for.” 

support the state governor 

to get the loan. 

While adjourning till July 

19, Dabotoru said the loan 

would be used for the 

development of the state. 

“There is need for this 

House to grant the request 

of the governor of the state, 

which stands as a request. 

I call on this Assembly to 

support the state governor 

to allow him access the loan. 

The loan if obtained will be 

used for developmental 

projects in the state.” 

DTHA 

approves 2 

weeks leave 

for Okowa 

By Festus Ahon 

ASABA—DELTA State 

House of Assembly has 

approved two weeks vacation 

for the state governor, Dr 

Ifeanyi Okowa, and his 

deputy, Mr Kingsley Otuaro is 

to act, while the governor is on 

leave. 

The approval was sequel to 

a letter from the governor 

notifying the House of his 

intention to proceed on his 

annual leave from July 5 to 20, 

2016 and for his deputy to act 

on his behalf. 

Okowa in the letter to the 

House read at plenary by the 

Speaker, Mr Monday Igbuya, 

said he will resume office as 

governor of the state on July 

21, 2016. 

The governor in the letter, 

said that the notification was 

in line with section 1990 of the 

constitution of the Federal 


The letter entitled “Notice of 

Vacation” was unanimously 

adopted following a motion to 

that effect by the Majority 

Leader, Tim Owhefere. 

The speaker, thereafter, explained 

that the letter was forwarded to the 

House on July 4, 2016 but could not 

take it at plenary due to the three 

days Eid-el-fitri public holidays 

declared by the Federal Government. 

Wike assures 

on war against 

cultism, others 

PORT 

HARCOURT— 

RIVERS State governor, 

Mr Nyesom Wike has declared 

that his administration will 

continue its anti-cultism and 

anti-kidnapping war until all 

criminals are flushed out of the 

state. 

Speaking after he supervised 

the demolition of two hideouts 

used by suspected cultists and 

kidnappers at Mini-Okukwu 

and Mini-Ihunwo suburbs of 

Port Harcourt , Governor Wike 

also announced that an 

aggressive prosecution 

scheme of suspected cultists 

and kidnappers had been 

instituted by the 

administration. 

He said that nobody will be 

allowed to slow down the pace 

of development in the state 

through criminal activities. 

Governor Wike said : “We 

have zero tolerance for crime 

and criminality. We are 

determined to make this state 

safer for residents and 

investors. 

“Therefore, government will 

always take action on credible 

intelligence gathered by security 

agencies. We will root out the spots 

where criminals use as hideouts 

across the state.”


Ebonyi gov 

disowns 

social media 

accounts 

By Peter Okutu 

A BAKALIKI- 

GOVERNOR 

David Umahi of Ebonyi 

State, yesterday, 

disowned cloned social 

media accounts bearing his 

name and pictures. He said 

they were being used to 

defraud unsuspecting 

members of the public. 

Umahi, in a statement by 

his Chief Press Secretary, 

Mr. Emma Anya, advised 

the public to disregard such 

accounts on Facebook, 

Twitter and other social 

media platforms. 

The statement said, ''the 

attention of Engr. David 

Umahi, the governor of 

Ebonyi State has been 

drawn to the existence of 

accounts on Facebook, 

Twitter, etc operated by 

unscrupulous individuals 

asking unsuspecting 

people to apply for jobs and 

contracts on the social 

media by paying for forms. 

One of such accounts on 

Facebook asks people to pay 

to one Dr. James with 

mobile telephone number 

0813 939 3872. 

''Governor Umahi does 

not directly or indirectly 

operate accounts on 

Facebook, Twitter and other 

social platforms. When he 

decides to, the public 

would be informed 

accordingly. He will never 

ask anyone to pay for jobs 

or contracts as being 

demanded by the 

impersonators.'' 

Okougbo, 

ex-NUPENG 

scribe is dead 

IMMEDIATE 

past 

General Secretary of 

the Nigeria Union of 

Petroleum and Natural Gas 

Workers, NUPENG, 

Comrade Elijah Okougbo, 

is dead. The late labour 

leader's son, Israel 

Okougbo, said his father 

died after a brief illness in 

Lagos. The late Comrade 

Okougbo was NUPENG 

General Secretary between 

2004 and 2012. He retired 

in 2012 and went into 

consultancy services. 

Okougbo was one of the 

leaders that sacrificed to 

build the NUPENG brand. 

The late Okougbo 

Biafra agitation product of frustration, says APGA 


AWKA—ALL Progressives 

Grand Alliance, APGA, 

has said the continued agitation 

for the actualization of Biafra by 

members of the Indigenous 

People of Biafra, IPOB, and 

Movement for the Actualisation 

of the Sovereign State of Biafra, 

MASSOB, is the result of 

frustration over perceived 

injustices in the country. 

Addressing reporters at the 

NUJ Press Centre, Awka, 

yesterday, as part of activities 

lined up to mark his 60 th 

birthday and 30 th anniversary 

of his marriage, national 

chairman of APGA, Chief Victor 

Oye, claimed the agitation 

would definitely cease, once the 

glaring imbalances and 

marginalization against the 

Igbo were addressed. 

He said: “The Igbo man does 

not believe in destruction. They 

suffered so much during the 

Nigeria civil war and they have 

not recovered from effects of that 

war. They believe in the unity 

of Nigeria, but the inequitable 

distribution of amenities, which 

is not in their favour, is what is 

driving the agitation. Once 

they are properly recognized 

and given a sense of belonging 

in the country, the whole world 

will see that Igbo people love 

Nigeria. 

“If they are given good roads, 

jobs and treated fairly and 

equitably in the distribution of 

By Nwabueze Okonkwo 

ONITSHA — THE 

Indigenous People of 

Biafra, IPOB, has said that 

the May 30 remembrance day 

for Biafra fallen heroes cannot 

be reduced to an Igbo affair. 

In a statement by its Deputy 

Leader, Uche Mefor, IPOB, 

maintained that the spirit of the 

dead victims of alleged state 

killings in Igbo land had been 

invoked to haunt their killers 

and accomplices. 

The statement said, “The 

souls and spirits of 140 

unarmed, defenceless, nonviolent 

and innocent citizens of 

Nigeria of southeast and southsouth 

extractions, mostly 

composed of Igbo sons and a 

number of Igbo daughters 

between the ages of 20 and 35 

years, who were brutally 

massacred in broad day light 

on May 30, 2016 have been 

invoked to eternally go after 

their killers and enemies of the 

Igbo nation as well as those 

who aided and abetted the 

gruesome massacre until they 

pay for their heinous crimes and 

atrocities committed. 

“Other victims of Igbo killings 

in Igbo land including those 

killed during the IPOB nonviolent 

protest and jubilation 

marches on December 2 and 

December 17,2015 in Onitsha; 

appointments, there would not 

be any agitation and this is 

certain. When the people 

drive on the dilapidated 

Onitsha - Enugu road, Oba - 

Nnewi - Okigwe road, Aba - 

Port Harcourt road, Owerri - 

Port Harcourt road, Enugu - 

Umuahia - Aba road which are 

all federal roads and watch 

the way appointments are 

being made in the country, 

naturally they should be 

agitated.” 

Oye also spoke on the muchpublicized 

rift between 

Governor Willie Obiano and 

his predecessor, Mr. Peter Obi, 

describing it as a figment of the 

imagination of some people who 

did not mean well for Anambra 

State. 

According to him, the two 

prominent sons of Anambra 

State had a cordial relationship 

and called on those he 

described as “busy body people” 

to leave them alone in the 

interest of the state. 

He, however, called on former 

Governor Obi to return to APGA 

because, according to him, that 

was where he rightly belonged. 

The APGA chairman said 

“Obiano and Obi are the same. 

It is the political turncoats that 

are making the situation look 

as if there is a rift between 

them. Obi laid a solid 

foundation for the 

development of the state and 

Obiano has continued to build 

the structures. As far as we are 

concerned, there is no rift 

between the two great sons of 

this state.” 

He observed that the former 

governor, who had since 

defected to the Peoples 

Democratic Party, PDP, was not 

where he should be, advising 

him to return to APGA which 

he helped to build because that 

is where he should be. 

Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Enugu State, Hon. Augustine Nnamani 

(left) flanked by the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Edward Ubosi (right) 

and others during the flag-off ceremony of the inauguration of the Local Government Area 

Party Executives in Enugu East LGA, Enugu State, yesterday 

Biafra fallen heroes' day not an Igbo affair—IPOB 

and IPOB peaceful protests in 

Aba on January 18 and 29, 

February 9, 2016 as well as the 

Ukpabi-Nimbo massacre of 

April 25, 2016 by the Fulani 

Janjaweed; were also 

remembered using the Igbo’s 

four sacred traditional market 

days/birthdays of Nkwo, Eke, 

Orie, and Afor.'' 

The statement added that their 

spirit and those of Mrs. Chika 

Ibenemewere, have been 

invoked to go after their killers 

from generation to generation 

with afflictions of their own 

choice until those who 

massacred them or conspire to 

massacre them paid for then 

heinous crimes and atrocities. 

Fitch downgrades credit ratings of First Bank, UBA 

•Says outlook of Nigerian banks stable despite threats 

By Babajide Komolafe 

GLOBAL credit rating com 

pany, Fitch Ratings has 

downgraded the credit ratings 

of First Bank of Nigeria Limited 

and United Bank of Africa 

(UBA), citing the recent downgrade 

of the nation’s sovereign 

credit rating. 

Fitch said that while the outlook 

for Nigerian banks remain 

stable, recent devaluation of the 

naira, sustained low crude oil 

pricing and rising non-performing 

loans remain major 

threats to the industry. 

In a statement announcing the 

result of its latest ratings of Nigerian 

banks, the Company 

said, “Fitch Ratings has downgraded 

First Bank of Nigeria 

Ltd’s (FBN) and United Bank 

for Africa’s (UBA) Long-Term 

Foreign Currency Issuer Default 

Ratings (IDRs) to ‘B’ from ‘B+’. 

The Outlooks are Stable. The 

agency has also downgraded 

the National Long-Term Rating 

of FBN Holdings Plc (FBNH), 

the parent holding company of 

FBN, to ‘BBB+(nga)’ from 

‘A(nga)’. 

“Fitch has at the same time 

affirmed the IDRs of eight other 

Nigerian commercial banks and 

affirmed the Viability Ratings 

(VR) of all the banks. 

"The Outlook on the Long-Term 

Foreign Currency IDR of one of 

the banks, Guaranty Trust Bank 

(GTB), has been revised to 

Stable from Negative due to continuing 

strong earnings and 

stronger-than-expected liquidity. 

Our rating actions follow the 

downgrade of Nigeria’s sovereign 

ratings on 23 June 2016. 

“The IDRs of UBA, Access 

Bank (Access) and Wema Bank 

(Wema) are driven by both their 

stand alone strengths, reflected 

in their VRs, and by the likelihood 

of sovereign support, reflected 

in their SRFs." 

Their VRs and SRFs are at the 

same level. The IDRs of FBN, 

Diamond Bank (Diamond), Fidelity 

Bank (Fidelity), Union 

Bank (Union) and First City 

Monument Bank (FCMB) are 

driven by their SRFs. 

“Fitch has revised the SRFs to 

‘B’ from ‘B+’ for the systemically 

important banks, FBN, UBA, 

Zenith and GTB following the 

downgrade of Nigeria’s sovereign 

ratings. As a result, both 

FBN’s and UBA’s IDRs have 

been downgraded to ‘B’ from 

‘B+’. The IDRs of both Zenith 

and GTB are affirmed at ‘B+’ and 

are now driven by their respective 

VRs of ‘b+’. 

"The systemically important 

banks’ SRFs remain a notch below 

the sovereign rating, reflecting 

the sovereign’s weak foreign 

currency position,"the statement 

concluded.


MALNUTRITION: NEMA takes over feeding of 

1.6m IDPs 

By Ndahi Marama 

M AIDUGURI— 

N A T I O N A L 

Emergency Management 

Agency, NEMA, North-East 

zonal office in Maiduguri, has 

taken over the daily feeding of 1.6 

million Internally Displaced 

Persons, IDPs, at various 

resettlement camps and other 

satellite centres across Borno 

State with a view to addressing 

malnutrition and other related 

humanitarian issues. 

This was disclosed yesterday by 

the North East Coordinator of the 

agency, Mallam Mohammed 

Kanar, during the flag-off of the 

distribution/presentation of relief 

items to officials of State 

Emergency Management 

Agency, SEMA, for onward 

delivery to IDPs in the state. 

Recently, officials of Medicine 

San Frontiers, known as Doctors 

without Borders, reported that 

there was acute malnutrition and 

food crisis at various camps in 

Borno State, leading to deaths, 

but the state government through 

Governor Kashim Shettima 

denied the report. 

The governor insisted that those 

VISIT: From left, (front row); Former Chairman, Church Leaders and Ministers Fellowship of Nigeria 

(CLMFN), Kwara State Chapter, Rev. Joseph Agbenike, Chairman, CLMFN, Rev. Emmanuel Adeosun, 

Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, Former Treasurer, Pastor Mrs. Opadeji, Church Elder, 

Dr. David Akinyemi and others during a courtesy visit to the governor at Govt House, Ilorin, yesterday. 

HERDSMEN/FARMERS' CLASHES: Lalong supports setting-up of ranches 

By Lawani Mikairu 

L AGOS—GOVERNOR 

Simon Lalong of Plateau 

State, yesterday said his 

administration was in support 

of Federal Government's decision 

to introduce ranches as a means 

of developing and growing 

N81BN DEBT: MRS not indebted 

to AMCON 

MRS Holdings yesterday 

dismissed reports that it 

was indebted to Asset 

Management Corporation of 

Nigeria, AMCON,to the tune of 

N81 billion. 

The company said in a 

statement yesterday: ‘’Our 

attention has been drawn to a 

recent publication by the Asset 

Management Corporation of 

Nigeria alleging that MRS 

Holdings Ltd is indebted to it to 

the sum of N81 billion and that 

the Corporation has instituted Suit 

No: FHC/L/CP/923/2016 to wind 

up the company over the inability 

of MRS to pay the alleged debt. 

‘’MRS challenges in the 

strongest possible terms the false 

claim by AMCON that MRS is 

indebted to AMCON to the sum 

of N81 Billion or any sum at all. 

The correct position is that MRS 

obtained a loan from a consortium 

of banks in Nigeria for a viable 

project. AMCON took over the 

loans. 

‘’However it became clear to 

AMCON that MRS was paying 

down on the loan and agreed to 

that suffered severe malnutrition 

in Bama and other camps were 

some hostages freed from 

insurgency, who spent over two 

years in captivity without enough 

food and access to health care 

delivery before they were taken 

to IDP camps. 

Kanaar however said, “The 

decision to resume 100% feeding 

of IDPs by NEMA is to 

livestock in the state and end the 

crisis between farmers and 

herdsmen. 

Speaking with newsmen at the 

General Aviation Terminal of the 

Murtala Muhammed 

International Airport, Lagos, the 

governor said his administration 

had sustained peace in the state 

restructure the loan on agreed 

terms of N74 billion. The said debt 

has since been fully settled. The 

terms of settlement was entered as 

Judgment of Court on 29 June 

2015, in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1365/ 

2015. 

‘’MRS is shocked that in spite 

of having fully settled the debt, 

AMCON has decided to relitigate 

an already concluded 

matter. MRS Holdings Limited 

understands AMCON’s statutory 

function to recover debts but by no 

stretch can this mean harassment 

of companies. AMCON has 

declared a new aggressive debt 

recovery drive. 

‘’MRS has no problem with that 

but this does not give AMCON a 

licence to embarrass and harass 

companies. It is not a crime to 

obtain loans for viable projects. 

Execution of viable projects leads 

to job creation and growth of the 

economy. 

‘’However, when companies 

obtain loans for legitimate 

businesses are being harassed and 

embarrassed in the name of 

aggressive debt recovery, it signals 

danger for economic growth.'' 

complement effort of the state 

government and other 

humanitarian agencies. With 

sustained effort by the military in 

liberating many communities, 

more IDPs are now willing to go 

back to their communities to 

continue their normal lives.” 

According to him, in recent past, 

NEMA was solely feeding the 

IDPs, but it stopped doing so in 

through efforts aimed at 

promoting good neighbourliness 

and tolerance. 

According to him, “What is on 

in Plateau is the policy on 

ranches, which is quite different 

from grazing. Although all of them 

have been there a long time ago. 

Grazing has been there and 

ranches have been there, owned 

by individuals and organizations. 

But the security problem we have 

across the nation and the need to 

diversify into agriculture, make it 

necessary for the production of 

livestock in large quantities. So, 

you cannot leave that to only 

traditional grazing. That is why 

we introduced this policy of 

having ranches. The ranches 

are everybody’s business for 

the last two to three months 

following coordinated effort by the 

federal and the state government 

and other international donor 

agencies in managing the crisis. 

He noted that with concerted 

efforts of President Muhammadu 

Buhari towards the plight of IDPs 

and victims of insurgency, NEMA 

had been mandated to resume 

and take care of feeding of IDPs. 

growing livestock and not restricted 

to any ethnic group.” 

On the efforts to sustain peace 

in the state, Lalong said the 

people from diverse ethnic groups 

had been living together before the 

crisis that erupted some years ago, 

and his administration had done 

some things to maintain peace in 

the state. 

“Plateau people have been 

living together and shared a lot of 

things in common before crisis 

started. But we have been able to 

enthrone peace now. When we 

came in, we gave everybody a 

sense of belonging and looked at 

the ways people could live 

together in peace and ways to 

sustain peaceful co-existence 

in the state,'' he added. 

Buhari appoints Hadiza Usman as NPA boss 

By Favour Nnabugwu 

A BUJA—PRESIDENT 

Muhammadu Buhari has 

approved the appointment of Ms. 

Hadiza Bala Usman as the 

Managing Director of Nigerian 

Ports Authority, NPA, and three 

executive directors. 

A statement yesterday by the 

Director, Communication of the 

Federal Ministry of Transport, 

Mrs Yetunde Sonaike, also named 

three other appointments taking 

effect from July 11, 2016, as Mr. 

Mohammed Bello-Koko, 

Executive Director (Finance); 

Professor Idris Abubakar, 

Executive Director (Engineering); 

Dr. Sekonte Davies, Executive 

Director (Marine Operations). 

Born on January 2, 1976 in Zaria, 

Kaduna State, Hadiza Usman 

holds a B.Sc. degree in Business 

Administration from the Ahmadu 

Bello University (ABU), Zaria and 

a post graduate degree in 

Development Studies from the 

University of Leeds, United 

Kingdom in 2009. 

She started her career with 

Centre for Democratic 

Development and Research 

Training, Zaria, a Non- 

Governmental Organization in 

June 2000 as a Research Assistant. 

She worked at the Bureau of 

Public Enterprises (BPE) from 

July 2000- August 2004 as an 

Enterprise Officer. 

90 houses 

submerged, 

million naira 

property lost 

in Makurdi 

rain 

By Peter Duru 

M AKURDI—OVER 

90 houses in 

Makurdi, the Benue State 

capital have been submerged 

and property worth millions of 

Naira destroyed following an 

eight hour rainfall that left most 

parts of the town flooded. 

Affected were residential 

buildings, churches, schools, 

business places and hotels 

which were swept away. 

Areas worst hit by the 

devastation included, Wadata 

Rice Mill, Daniel Amokachi 

lane, opposite the Benue State 

University Teaching Hospital, 

Demekpe, Agbohoul village, 

Akpehe vilage, opposite Zone 

4 Police Headquarters and 

Kashio village along Makurdi- 

Otukpo road. 

When Vanguard visited 

some of the affected areas, 

residents were seen making 

frantic efforts to salvage some 

of their property from the flood 

while others wre trying to 

relocate from their places. 

Capt Abayomi 

Clinton for burial 

THE family of Oludele 

Clinton has announced 

the death of Capt. Charles 

Abayomi Clinton (retd), who 

died on June 6, 2016. Born 

into the family of late Mr. and 

Mrs J. V. Clinton on 15 

January 1948, Capt Clinton 

enlisted into the Nigeria Army 

on April 15,1967 and retired 

in 1979. 

According to the family, 

wake-keep is on Wednesday, 

July 27, 2016 at 4, Ogunnowo 

Avenue, Makun Station 

Sagamu, Ogun State by 5 pm. 

Funeral service holds on July 

29, 2016 at St. Paul Military 

Church, Ojo Military 

Cantonment, Barracks Bus 

Stop, Ojo, Lagos by10:30am. 

Interment is at the Military 

Cemetery, Ojo Cantonment, 

Barracks, Ojo. Reception 

follows immediately at 149 

Battalion Officers Mess, Ojo 

Cantonment. 

Late Capt. Abayomi Clinton

36— Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

As Eder rose from the 

bench to produce a 

superb extra time strike 

and secure the Euro 2016 

title for Portugal, Swansea City 

fans could have been forgiven 

for rubbing their eyes in 

disbelief. 

The 28-year-old striker hit a 

stunning long-range effort to 

break the deadlock at the Stade 

de France, his effort proving to 

be the only goal of the game. 

But at the start of the year, 

Portugal’s new hero was an 

unused substitute as the Swans 

were knocked out of the FA 

Cup by Oxford United and left 

the club in January without a 

goal to his name. 

Here is how a man who 

flopped so emphatically in the 

Premier League turned things 

around to seal tournament 

glory for his country... 

Who is Eder? 

Born on the west coast of 

Africa in Guinea-Bissau, Eder 

moved to Portugal as a child 

and has been a Portuguese 

international since 2012. 

He first rose to prominence in 

the Primeira Liga with 

Academica, earning interest 

from some of the country’s 

bigger clubs. He eventually 

secured a deal with Braga in 

the summer of 2012 but it was 

his move to Swansea City 

which catapulted him into the 

attentions of Premier League 

fans. 

Why were Swansea 

interested? 

Swansea paid £5million to 

sign Eder last summer as he 

penned a three-year deal. 

Initially a back-up to Garry 

Monk’s first-choice striker 

Bafetimbi Gomis, things 

nonetheless started well for 

Eder as Monk’s team drew 

with Chelsea on the opening 

day of the season and went 

on to beat Manchester 

United 2-1 at home. 

Eder replaced Gomis 

in both of those 

games, with Monk 

keen to praise 

the impact he 

believed he 

could have 

in 

England’s 

top-flight. 

‘Eder is the type of striker 

we’ve been looking for. He has 

excellent attributes - he’s 

strong, quick and technically 

sound with the ball,’ Monk 

said at the time. 

‘He has a good pedigree and 

is a full international with 

Portugal. He fits our profile 

because he’s young, hungry 

and eager to prove himself in 

the Premier League.’ 

What about his time with 

Swansea? 

As Swansea’s impressive 

early season form fell away and 

Gomis struggled for goals, 

Monk gave Eder his chance to 

impress from the off. 

He started both the 2-2 draw 

with Bournemouth and the 

defeat to Liverpool at Anfield in 

November, but failed to cut the 

mustard when it mattered most. 

From there on and with Monk 

under increasing pressure, 

Eder looked to be on his way 

out. The striker proved to be a 

rare flop at a club who have a 

superb record in the transfer 

market. 

So why did he fail in the 

Premier League? 

After losing their star striker 

Wilfried Bony to Manchester 

City in January 2015, Swansea 

were keen to bring in someone 

to replace the Ivorian. 

Gomis, who had joined the 

club the summer before, was 

promoted as first choice but 

there were high hopes Eder 

would at the very least compete 

for a starting spot or make a 

significant impression from the 

bench. 

That never happened, 

despite the striker possessing 

all the attributes of a player 

capable of succeeding in the 

top-flight. Monk’s preference 

for Gomis as his only striker in 

a 4-2-3-1 formation left him 

marginalised and he simply 

never impacted off the bench in 

the way he would have liked. 

Where did he go after 

Swansea? 

Eder’s time in SA1 came to a 

head in January when with the 

club’s form at a real low - 

Monk had been sacked at the 

beginning of December - the 

striker was an unused 

substitute in Swansea’s 

embarrassing third round FA 

Cup defeat to Oxford United at 

the Kassam Stadium. 

His last appearance for the 

club was a brief spell as a 

substitute in a 2-1 win at 

Everton, before he moved on 

loan to Lille. 

Leaving the club at the end of 

January, Eder cost the Liberty 

Stadium outfit £18,500 a minute 

in his time with the club. 

Hang on, how did he earn a 

Euro 2016 call-up then? 

From a Swansea flop, Eder’s 

move to France seemed to 

EDER: From a Premier 

League flop to 

European 

Championship 

winner 

reinvigorate him and he 

suddenly found his scoring 

boots once again. 

Six goals in Ligue 1 and a 

runners-up medal in the 

French Cup saw Lille opt to 

sign him on a permanent fouryear 

deal earlier this summer. 

His performances in France 

clearly caught the attention of 

Portugal boss Fernando Santos, 

who picked him as the only 

real out-and-out striker in his 

23-man party. 

How did he come to score 

the winner in the final ? 

Eder might have only just 

slipped into the Portugal 

squad, but he failed to make 

much of an impression at Euro 

2016 before his flourish in the 

final. 

He made just two brief 

appearances in his team’s run 

to the last two, coming on for 

the final few minutes in the 

draws with Iceland and Austria. 

It meant that not much was 

expected of him when he 

replaced Renato Sanches in the 

79th minute of the final at the 

Stade de France. 

From nowhere though, he 

produced a stunning goal to 

win a tournament for his 

country, shrugging off French 

defender Laurent Koscielny in 

the first-half of extra time and 

firing past Hugo Lloris from 

outside the box. 

His effort has made him a 

national hero in Portugal and 

means he’ll go down in the 

country’s history books as the 

man who scored the winning 

goal in their first ever title 

triumph. 

‘The ugly duckling went and 

scored,’ said Santos after his 

team’s biggest ever success. 

‘Now he’s a beautiful swan.’ 

For Swansea fans, that 

particular quote is tinged with 

irony. 

• EDER 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Referees threaten to boycott NPFL over incessant assaults 

Nigeria Referees 

Association President 

Tade Azeez has hinted 

that they might pull out of 

Nigerian leagues owing to 

unending assaults on match 

officials. 

In less than few days after 

vowing to boycott games in the 

Nigeria National League due to 

maltreatment of referees. 

Angry fans clamped down 

heavily on referee Daniel Akure 

and his assistants after Wikki 

Tourists clawed back to force hosts 

Warri Wolves to a 1-1 draw in a 

Nigeria Professional League 

encounter on Sunday. 

Condemning this attack, the 

NRA boss revealed that the act will 

no longer be tolerated from club 

supporters and players . 

“The attack on referees has 

surprisingly continued with 

An-attacks-assistant-referee-george-mwangi-at-the-final-whistle 

Jordon Ibe seals £15m 

transfer to Bournemouth 

Jordon Ibe appears to have left Liverpool’s training 

base for the last time as the winger prepares to seal 

his £15million move to Bournemouth. 

The 20-year-old winger took part in training on 

Tuesday before he was pictured leaving the Reds’ 

Melwood ground with his packed belongings. 

Ibe, who joined Liverpool as a 16-year-old from 

Wycombe Wanderers in 2011, cut a glum figure as he 

made his way towards his Porsche sports car. 

The England Under 21 international was soon on his 

way out of what has been his home for four years and 

shook hands with a security guard. 

Among the belongings Ibe, who broke into the 

Liverpool first-team under former manager Brendan 

Rodgers, had with him were a number of boxes 

containing football boots. 

Ahmed Musa enjoys 

first Leicester City 

training session 

Ahmed Musa took part in his first training session 

as Leicester City player on Monday as he was 

begins his journey to start in English football. 

The Nigeria international who joined the King 

Power Stadium on a four-year deal, would be hoping 

to win laurels with Claudio Ranieri’s men following 

his impressive spell with Russia’s CSKA Moscow. 

Alongside Danny Drinkwater, Jammie Vardie, 

Ron-Robert Zieler, Luis Hernandez and Nampalys 

Mendy, Musa Musa was among the group for 

the first day of training in Austria. 

And Drinkwater believes the Super Eagles’ vicecaptain 

and other new signings can settle quickly 

into the squad. 

“They’re (the new signings) looking good; nice and 

sharp. As a bunch of lads we make sure that every 

player who comes in here feels welcome and I’m 

sure they’ll agree that it’s a pretty easy squad to fit 

into,” he told Foxes Player HD. 

“So hopefully they all fit together and start to impress. 

I’m not too sure how people will approach us 

[next season], we’ll have to see. 

“ I think we’ve gained a lot more respect 

from other teams and that showed towards 

the end of last season, definitely.” 

•Ahmed 

Musa 

•Ibe 

Sunday’s attack on the referee 

who handled the Warri Wolves 

versus Wikki Tourists game,” 

Azeez said in a statement 

By Chinwe Okeke 

Coach Stanley Eguma has 

warned his Rivers United 

players against making errors 

when they come up against 

Shooting Stars in a Round of 16 

Federation Cup tie in Kaduna 

today. Rivers United defeated 

Papilo FC 4-3 in Uyo in the 

round of 64 of the Federation 

Cup, before putting paid to the 

ambitions of Nigeria National 

League (NNL) club Kaduna 

United in Makurdi in the round 

of 32 with a 4-0 spanking. 

United and 3SC go toe-to-toe 

at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium in 

Kaduna in the stand-out tie of 

the round as the two Nigeria 

Professional Football League 

(NPFL) clubs go in search of a 

quarterfinal ticket. 

Eguma said he is looking 

forward to the game and 

predicts that concentration levels 

amongst his players will be at a 

very high level. 

“It is another big game (for us 

because) Shooting Stars is 

Sissoko unhappy with 

Newcastle asking price 

Newcastle United’s reluctance to 

allow him to leave the club 

ahead of the 2016-17 campaign. 

The France international 

impressed during the country’s 

run to the Euro 2016 final and has 

been linked with a number of clubs, 

including Manchester United, 

Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund. 

Newcastle have no intention of 

letting him go on the cheap, 

though, and have reportedly set an 

asking price in the region of 

•40million for the 26-year-old, 

despite claims of an earlier 

promise that Sissoko could 

leave for around half that fee. 

“We do not understand 

Newcastle. We agreed last year 

that Moussa would stay for 

one more year to help the team. 

He has given his all for the 

club,” the midfielder’s 

representative is reported to 

have told Foot Mercato. 

“We never even talked about a 

higher asking price. The club 

always said they would allow 

Moussa to leave for a fee between 

•18m and •25m. 

“We hope Rafa Benitez and 

Newcastle will be more reasonable 

again so we can resolve Moussa’s 

future. He has always been loyal 

and respectful toward the club. 

•Eguma 

released by the body. 

“The NRA has considered it 

necessary to boycott all matches 

involving any team where 

referees are either harassed or 

physically assaulted by them and 

their supporters.” 

Federation Cup: 

3SC scares Eguma 

•Sissoko 

another big name in Nigerian 

football,” he said. 

“We cannot underestimate their 

strengths. They may not be in a 

very good position in the NPFL 

but the Federation Cup is a 

different ball game entirely. 

“That is the reason why we 

have to be very well prepared 

and work above our capacity so 

that victory and nothing else 

comes our way.” Eguma also took 

the time to discuss the choice of 

Kaduna as venue of the game 

explaining that his players may 

have some adapting to do 

playing up north. 

“It will not be easy playing in 

(an unfamiliar terrain - 

Kaduna),” he said. “We have to 

quickly adapt to the weather 

conditions up north but I hope 

we will be ready for it. 

GOtv Boxing Night 

8: Fijabi, Skoro, 

others return 

The eighth edition of GOtv 

Boxing Night will hold at the 

Indoor Sports Hall of the 

National Stadium in Lagos on 30 

July. This was disclosed by the 

organisers on Tuesday at a press 

conference held at the Old Skool 

Restaurant, National Stadium 

Complex. 

Jenkins Alumona, CEO of 

Flykite Sports, promoters of the 

event, told journalists that the 

coming edition, tagged GOtv 

Boxing Night 8, will be more 

explosive than the previous 

editions. “We have high-calibre 

match-ups in every fight. This 

edition will feature a national 

middleweight boxing title 

defence by Sunny “King” 

Hammer who is the reigning 

champion, taking on West 

African middleweight champion 

Rasheed “Afonja Warrior” 

Abolaji. We have also brought in 

other big names and rising stars 

of boxing in Nigeria,” said 

Alumona. 

He added that GOtv Boxing 

Night 8 is being held in honour 

of Muhammed Ali, the boxing 

icon who died recently. 

Apart from the title fight, the 

event will also see national light 

welterweight champion, Olaide 

“Fijaborn” Fijabi, slug it out with 

Joseph “Blacky Joe” Adeniji in 

a challenge contest. In the 

welterweight category, Stanley 

“Edo Boy” Eribo will fight Dele 

“Lagelu” Adeleke, while Waidi 

“Skoro’ Usman will duel with 

David “Lucky Boy” Ekpeyong in 

the featherweight category. 

There is also a super 

middleweight challenge contest 

between Matthew “Wizeman” 

Obinna and Samuel “Lion 

Heart” Igbokwe. The sixth fight 

of the night will be a national 

light welterweight challenge 

between Rilwan ‘Baby Face” 

Babatunde and Shakiru “No 

Shaking” Lateef. 

C 

M 

Y 

K


Hawkers selling their products on a Lagos highway 

BAN ON STREET TRADING IN LAGOS: 

The issues, emotions, 

possibilities 

By Charles Kumolu& Bose 

Adelaja 

WE will be watching 

out for buyers and 

sellers; all we need is just a 

scapegoat. Don’t buy plantain 

chips or any other items in traffic 

from July 1, buyers beware. The 

issue is we need to enforce our 

laws because we already have a 

law in respect of that and then 

there is a clause in it which says 

the buyer and the seller are both 

liable and that we are going to 

fine them either N90, 000 or a 

six-month jail term. ” 

It was on this definitive note 

that the Governor of Lagos State, 

Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, 

recently outlawed street trading 

in the state. Contrary to the 

impression that the action was a 

knee-jerk response to what the 

state considers a problem, it was 

done in line with the Lagos State 

Street Trading and Illegal 

Markets Prohibition Law, 2003. 

The law, VanguardFeatures, 

VF, gathered, restricted street 

trading and hawking in the 

metropolis. 

Specifically, sections seven and 

eight gave jurisdiction and power 

to the Special Court to order the 

seizure and public auction of 

items impounded from street 

traders. Section 10 of the law, also 

prescribes a N5000 fine or three 

months imprisonment upon 

conviction. As punitive as the 

penalties are, the law has been 

hardly observed and loosely 

applied 13 years after; making 

street trading in Lagos to grow 

in leaps and bounds at the 

expense of human lives and 

public good. 

It was this failure that resulted 

in the incident of July 1, 2016, 

when a street hawker who was 

trying to escape from 

enforcement officials of Kick 

Against Indiscipline, KAI, was 

run over by a BRT bus. The 

incident led to the destruction of 

dozens of BRT buses by a mob. 

Since the symbolic revival of the 

law by the state government, VF 

observed that concerns bordering 

on the fate of street traders, 

supposed social effects, public 

mood and feasibility of the law 

had been freely expressed. 

Of these, the application of the 

law in the face of pockets of 

sympathy for the hawkers seems 

more overriding to many who 

had long expected the 

government to curb the menace 

posed by street trading. 

Reputation for 

making laws 

While there are agencies 

statutorily empowered to push 

through this policy, VF, learned 

that many are concerned about 

the ability to make the framework 

very functional now, especially 

when previous attempts yielded 

poor results. 

‘’The law in itself makes a 

whole lot of sense because the 

dangers that come with street 

trading are quite devastating, 

but one is in doubt about the 

ability to enforce the law. Already 

some are surprisingly 

condemning the government for 

doing what is right,’’ Chief Silas 

Ogbangwor, President Alliance 

for Credible Governance, ACG, 

told VF. 

In fact, the growing sympathy 

by some for street trading and 

traders in spite of the latest 

development, suggests that the 

state government may face a 

Herculean task as it tries to 

sanitise the streets and roads. 

For instance, since July 1, 

2016(the date of commencement 

of the law) the media has been 

awash with articles expressing 

empathy for those affected and 

as well wanting the government 

to have a rethink. 

Consider this: ‘’The Coalition 

Against Corrupt Leaders is 

opposed to the promulgation of 

the anti-street hawking law in the 

first place because Nigeria, and 

Lagos in particular, has a 

preponderance of poor people 

who live on less than a dollar a 

day. The situation even gets worse 

when you realise that there are 

people who live on less than 50 

cents a day. We said that all the 

facilities that are available for the 

people are far beyond their 

May be we 

shouldn’t really 

attach much 

importance to the 

Governor’s 

statement; Lagos 

State government 

has a reputation of 

making laws it has 

neither the capacity 

nor desire to enforce 

reach. We educated the previous 

administration on the need why 

such a law should not be 

promulgated.’’ 

This statement which 

represents a microcosm of the 

barrage of criticism trailing the 

development was made by the 

Executive Chairman of Coalition 

Against Corrupt Leaders, Mr. 

Debo Adeniran. 

Similarly, in a piece titled: 

“Ambode’s War Against the Poor: 

Why Lagos Street Trading Ban 

is a Terrible Idea”, Mr. Cletus 

Offor observed thus: “But one 

thing is sure in all of this-the ban 

will not work. Every government 

in Lagos, in one way or the other, 

tried to ban street trading. And 

every time they failed. If anything 

at all, just like the ban on Okada 

on some roads in the state, this 

will only enrich dodgy 

policemen and other officials of 

law enforcement agencies. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t really 

attach much importance to the 

Governor’s statement. Lagos 

State government has a 

reputation of making laws it has 

neither the capacity nor desire to 

enforce.’’ 

Feelings like this, VF, 

discovered, portray the kind of 

difficulty the government may 

encounter as it goes ahead with 

this policy which some termed 

humane in spite of its attendant 

mixed feelings. 

Obviously disregarded, 

resisted: However, it was 

gathered that the following 

agencies are expected to be 

pivotal in making the law 

effective: The Lagos State Task 

Force on Environment and 

Special Offences, KAI, the Police 

and the Lagos State Transport 

Management Authority, 

LASTMA ,among others. 

Notwithstanding the number of 

these agencies,VF finds a big 

doubt on the workability of the 

ban. In dismissing fears about 

the capacity to make the policy 

effective, the Lagos State 

Taskforce on Environment and 

Special Offenses said a total 

enforcement on street trading 

across the state as directed by the 

governor had commenced. 

On his part, the Marshal- 

General of KAI, Mr. Amusat 

Jimoh told VF thus: “All we are 

doing are normal activities where 

suspects are to pay between 

N2,000 and N3, 500 or engage 

in community service. By the 

time our operations start fully, the 

information will spread round. I 

am less than four months in 

office but we will not rest on our 

oars till Lagos is rid of gridlock.’’ 

Notwithstanding, findings 

across the state showed that the 

regulation is still being obviously 

disregarded and resisted, 

increasing doubts about the 

possibility of having an 

appreciable level of compliance 

from those who engage in such 

activities. 

Since the commencement of the 

ban, it was discovered none of 

the agencies have arrested 

traders who carry out their 

activities on the highways and 

other prohibited places. 

In places like Ikeja, 

particularly along the railway 

lines, Agege , Abule-Egba, 

Iyana-Ipaja, Mushin, 

Ojuelegba, Surulere, Yaba, 

Oyingbo, Fadeyi, Berger, 

Onipanu, Ikorodu, Mile 12, 

Lagos Island and Ajah, VF 

found that street traders and 

highway hawkers were still 

carrying out their activities. 

Business 

as usual 

In places like the Lagos/ 

Badagry Expressway; Agboju, 

Alakija, Barracks, Volks, Iyanoiba, 

Igboneri and Iyanaira, VF 

observed that it was still business 

as usual. Across the major 

trading streets in Lagos Island 

and Ebute Ero, noncompliance 

was quite evident, as the roads 

were still occupied by traders 

whose activities impeded the free 

flow of traffic. 

At Ikorodu, Oshodi, Ikeja and 

Iyana-Ipaja, Abule Ado, Alakija, 

Finiger, it was observed that the 

situation has not changed, even 

as the traders appeared to be alert 

to the possible arrival of KAI 

officials. Once alerted by their 

appointed look-outs, the traders 

quickly disappear with their 

products only to resume their 

activities after the officials had 

gone. 

However, most of the street 

traders, who spoke to VF at some 

of the places visited, simply 

dismissed the law as the usual 

posturing by the government, 

adding that they were not 

worried about current attempts to 

take them off the roads. 

Traders ready to go to jail: 

Amusingly, they noted that the 

same government that 

implemented the law created the 

conditions that forced them into 

street trading. As far as they are 

concerned, trading on the streets 

and roads, remain the available 

alternative in the face of alarming 

unemployment rate. A certain 

John Nwokedi told VF in Abule- 

Egba that the demolition of 

Tejuosho Market and the high 

cost of rent at the rebuilt shops at 

the same market left him with no 

option but to take to trading on 

the road. “I owned a big shop 

where I was selling textile 



Officials of KAI arresting a hawker in Lagos 

The issues, emotion, possibility 


materials but after the 

demolition and reconstruction of 

Tejuosho Market, the shops were 

taken away from us as we could 

not afford the new price. I used 

to pay N5000 monthly for my 

shop before the place was 

transformed to an ultra- modern 

market. Since I could not afford 

to rent a shop at the exorbitant 

amount they were charging, I 

resorted to street trading and 

petty business to keep body and 

soul together.’’ 

At Oshodi Bus-stop, traders 

and hawkers have almost taken 

over a large portion of the service 

lane forcing vehicles to negotiate 

their way out of the resultant 

maze. Same is the case in 

Mushin and Agege where the 

presence of the KAI Brigade 

means nothing to roadside 

traders and hawkers. 

A hawker, who identified 

himself as Lukman Dawodu in 

Mushin, insisted that nobody 

can stop him from street trading 

which is his source of livelihood. 

The father of four who said he 

was a former commercial 

motorcycle rider, added that it 

was after the state task force 

impounded his bike that he 

started trading on the road. 

‘’I bought the bike on hire 

purchase and had not completed 

the payment before it was 

impounded and the owner 

insisted on collecting his money. 

A friend introduced me to 

hawking to enable me eke out a 

living out and pay my house rent, 

LAWMA bill, electricity and cater 

for my family. Whoever tries to 

stop me from trading will regret 

the action because this is the last 

bus-stop for me to survive,’’ he 

stated angrily before 

disappearing into the crowd. 

At Iyana-Ipaja, a roadside 

trader, Mrs. Monsurat 

Omosanya, said government 

ought to have made necessary 

provision for traders before 

proposing the ban. 

Patronising 

a hawker 

She said: ‘’This ban is not 

realistic because all of us know 

the economic situation in 

Nigeria. I am a widow with three 

children. I lost my husband three 

years ago and have been 

struggling since then, I cannot 

afford to rent a shop and 

somebody is telling me to leave 

the road. I am ready to go to jail 

provided he will take care of my 

children.’’ 

At Ojota motor park, a hawker, 

who identified herself as Bisi said 

she could not afford to rent a shop 

as the total value of her goods is 

less than N7, 000. “ All my goods 

are less than N7,000. Yet everyday 

I pay N150 to the garage touts; I 

also pay for tickets issued by local 

government officials, while law 

enforcement agents are also 

settled,’’ she lamented. 

A commuter, Mr. Lekan 

Olayiwola, when asked why he 

was patronising a hawker on the 

road considering that both the 

buyer and seller are liable, 

exclaimed thus: ‘’Haba! 

N90,000 fine is killing. Is that 

what we get in this Buhari 

administration?’’ 

Not done, Olayiwola asked: 

“How much do they make that 

you expect them to pay a fine of 

N90,000. The government is not 

being fair. What do they mean? 

When in traffic, do they expect 

us to disembark and start 

entering shops to buy snacks or 

water? This is a serious matter.’’ 

But another commuter who 

pleaded anonymity commended 

government for trying to enforce 

the ban, noting that some criminal 

elements now masquerade as 

hawkers to rob people at the 

slightest opportunity. 

Narrating a personal 

experience, he said: ‘’I was 

buying gala(sausage) from a 

hawker who asked me to take my 

pick from a carton he was 

carrying containing different 

sausages. But surprisingly my 

hand touched a metal in the 

carton and on close examination, 

I noticed that it was a pistol 

tucked inside the carton. The 

hawker took to his heels and 

disappeared.’’ 

C 

M 

Y 

K

40—VANGU 

ANGUARD, ARD, WEDNESDAY, , JULY 13, 2016 

Dare I trust my father this time 

around? 

Should I report my boss to personnel? 

Dear Bunmi, 

MY BOSS is 22 years older 

than I am and is married. He’s 

always laughing and flirting 

with the women in the office, 

including me. Then, towards 

the end of last year, his 

behaviour towards me 

changed. Whenever he 

hugged me, he would hold on 

for a moment too long. He 

also started sending me e- 

mails telling me personal 

things. I told myself he didn’t 

mean anything by it, but at an 

official party last Christmas, 

he put his hand up my dress. 

The following week, he 

called me into his office and 

told me that he was unhappy 

with my work. He said that if 

I didn’t improve, I’d lose my 

job. My work has never been 

called into question before 

Friends advise I have more girlfriends 

Dear Bunmi, 

I’m in my late 20s and enjoy 

visiting friends, reading and 

watching movies, yet my 

friends tell me to be more 

adventurous and have more 

girlfriends and more sex. 

Admitted, I am a bit 

introverted, but I’m contented 

with my life and love- life and 

I am happy. The problem is 

that I don’t seem able to show 

If you have to 

resort to reporting 

him, go to 

personnel armed 

with any evidence, 

such as e-mails. 

You may find it isn't 

the first such 

complaint they've 

had. Why not try 

talking to him first 

and see if it gets 

you anywhere? If it 

doesn’t, then report 

him. 

my feelings, so, people tend 

to think I am cold. How can I 

be more happy-go-lucky? 

Daniel by e-mail. 

Dear Daniel, 

Hang-on, why are you 

trying to be happy-go-lucky? 

And, why should you try to 

act the casanova you’re not? 

Looks to me as if you want to 

please your friends. But you 

and I’m very upset. Do I try 

to talk to my boss about what 

happened or should I just 

report him to personnel? 

Miriam by e-mail. 

Dear Miriam, 

I’d be wary of reporting him. 

Once you do, there’s no going 

back. Though he shouldn’t be 

allowed to get away with this 

abuse of office and sexual 

harassment, you want to 

tackle this problem with a 

clear head. If you have to 

resort to reporting him, go to 

personnel armed with any 

evidence, such as e-mails. 

You may find it isn't the first 

such complaint they've had. 

Why not try talking to him 

first and see if it gets you 

anywhere? If it doesn’t, then 

report him. 

really don’t need to. You 

enjoy what you do and are 

happy when good things 

happen to you. So, what if you 

don’t show your feelings? Be 

proud to be who you are and 

not what your friends want 

you to be. Look around you 

and you’ll discover people 

who value you for just being 

you. 

By now she should be over being dumped 

Dear Bunmi, 

MY PARENTS split 

up when I was 

three years old and my 

dad moved back to his 

home-town. He would turn 

up from time to time to see 

us, but then he’d 

disappear again, 

sometimes for months, 

sometimes for years. 

It made me sad, 

especially when I got 

married five years ago and 

now have two children of 

my own. My husband is a 

responsible provider and 

loves his children. 

Recently, I got a 

message from a relative of 

my dad, saying he loved 

me and would like to get 

to know me and my new 

family. Having him in my 

life would be good for me 

and the children, but I’d 

be devastated if he did a 

runner again. I want to trust 

him, but I’m scared he 

would break my heart if he 

visited and then 

disappeared again. 

‘Lara by e-mail. 

Dear Lara, 

I suggest you take things 

slowly. Don’t take your 

dad’s promises at face 

value, instead, wait for him 

to show you by his actions 

that he means what he 

says. Thank goodness your 

kids are still too young to 

be involved in any 

problems that may evolve. 

I’m sure your husband is 

already aware of the type 

of father he was. So both of 

you should seat back and 

either watch him shape up 

or make a fool of himself 

once again. Only, don’t put 

too much hope on this 

‘reunion.’ 

Wait for your dad to show you by his 

actions that he means what he says. 

I’m sure your husband is already 

aware of the type of father he was. 

So both of you should seat back and 

either watch him shape up or make a 

fool of himself once again. Only, 

don’t put too much hope on this 

‘reunion.’ 

He cares more for his first family 

Dear Bunmi, 

MY YOUNGER sister 

has been on her own 

since her husband left her 

for his pregnant and much 

younger mistress. They 

had no children, so I’m 

happy for her to join us on 

my birthday which I always 

celebrated. She lives in 

another state and usually 

stays a couple of days. The 

problem is, she always 

drinks too much and ends 

up crying and showing 

herself up. 

Last year, she made a 

pass at my son’s 22-yearold 

best friend, and it took 

the two of us to get her 

away from him and up to 

bed. When she finally left 

for home a few days later, I 

found two empty brandy 

bottles under her bed. No 

wonder she was off her 

head. My next birthday is 

in a few weeks and she’s 

already indicated her wish 

to attend. Now, I pray she 

get a better offer for that 

date! 

Lara by e-mail. 

Dear Lara, 

It’s unlikely she’ll get a 

better offer, so be prepared, 

because she’s coming! 

First, you need to find 

somewhere to hide all the 

booze you’ll need for the 

party. If you think she’ll 

She’s only acting this way because 

she’s lonely and hurting. If you see 

her drinking, take her aside and say 

it might be a good idea if she had 

some exotic juice instead, as it will be 

more difficult if you leave it until 

she’s actually drunk. When she’s 

back on her feet, the problem may 

well cure itself 

bring some with her, make 

some excuse to get into the 

bedroom when she’s 

unpacking, grab the 

bottles and say, ‘Thanks, 

you’ve brought the 

brandy!’ Since she’s your 

sister, and you obviously 

care a lot for her, don’t you 

think it’s better that ‘she’s 

behaving badly in your 

house and not in any Godforsaken 

pepper soup joint 

where someone could 

easily take advantage of 

her? 

She’s only acting this 

way because she’s lonely 

and hurting. Try talking to 

her and telling her how 

worried you are. We all 

need a good shoulder to 

cry on from time to time. 

If she feels she can let it 

all out, then maybe she 

won’t resort to booze. 

If you see her drinking, 

take her aside and say it 

might be a good idea if she 

had some exotic juice 

instead, as it will be more 

difficult if you leave it 

until she’s actually drunk. 

She won’t be lonely 

forever. When she’s back 

on her feet, the problem 

may well cure itself 

Dear Bunmi, 

I 

’VE BEEN with my 

partner for 15 years 

and comfortable with the 

fact that he keeps in touch 

with his ex-wife. Now, his 

ex lives just a few minutes 

walk from us and I’m not 

happy. He’s always 

dashing round to do jobs 

for her and gives her lifts 

most of the time. They 

have three children 

together and they often 

come to their mother’s, 

making the whole 

atmosphere as cosy as if 

they‘re a family again. 

But, we have a daughter 

of our own who needs him. 

Why can’t he spend more 

time with us? 

Sylvia by e-mail. 

Dear Sylvia, 

You didn’t say it, but you 

seem to think your partner 

is being unfaithful. And, if 

there’s a whiff of an affair, 

you would be right to feel 

angry and betrayed. But 

ifhe’s simply giving his ex 

a helping hand and being 

a good father, then he 

needs your support. Talk to 

him about it all - tell him 

you’re concerned for your 

own daughter, but don’t 

turn his love for his 

children into a contest. 

They all need him. Discuss 

ways of sharing his time 

and let him know you could 

find this problem melts 

away. Maybe if you were 

married, you would feel 

more secure. 

Share your problems and release 

your burden. Write now to 

Dear Bunmi, 

Vanguard Newspapers, 

P.M.B 1007, Apapa, Lagos, or 

bunmsof@yahoo.co.uk




44—VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

By Francis Igata 

IN the days leading to the 2015 

general elections,the APC had 

in a bid to woo the electorate who 

had been endeared to the PDP 

since the advent of the Fourth 

Republic in 1999, tried to 

puncture the political milestones 

recorded by Ekweremadu’s 

representation of Enugu-West 

senatorial district since 2003. 

The APC wanted to snatch 

power from the former ECOWAS 

Speaker, who they said, apart 

from monopolizing the seat, has 

been under performing as a 

senator. 

Now, the party’s emergence at 

the centre has given impetus to 

APC in the state especially the 

chieftains in Enugu-West, to 

begin moves to get the senatorial 

seat. Leading APC chieftains in 

Enugu-West include the Director 

General,Voice 

of 

Nigeria,VON,Osita Okechukwu 

and Minister for Foreign 

Affairs,Godfrey Onyema. 

Colour of water passing under 

the bridge shows that the APC 

in Enugu is bent on capitalising 

on the alleged forgery trial of 

Ekweremadu’s to gain political 

grounds at the 2019 general 

elections. With the alleged 

forgery trial in place, political 

trenches are being dug from 

where major offensives would be 

launched between now and 2019. 

Political 

persecution 

A peep into what may happen 

manifested last weekend 

following the PDP stakeholders 

meeting at Awgu, Enugu-West 

senatorial district to show 

solidarity to Ekweremadu, one of 

their illustrious sons, over what 

they tagged,”political 

persecution by the APC-led 

Federal Government”. 

We ‘ll hold FG responsible if 

anything happens to 

Ekweremadu – PDP 

A communique issued at the 

end of meeting, which was 

signed by the Traditional Ruler 

of Okpanku,Aninri Local 

Government Area,in Enugu 

State, Igwe Samuel Ukpabi, read: 

“Ekweremadu is a senator of the 

Federal Republic elected with an 

overwhelming mandate of his 

people and has remained one of 

Nigeria’s brightest lawmakers, 

who enjoys the confidence of his 

colleagues on account of which 

he was re-elected the deputy 

senate president for an 

unprecedented third time. 

“His re-election into that 

position did not violate any 

known convention, practice and 

the constitution of the Federal 

Republic of Nigeria. The 

desperation of the cabal in the 

APC-led Federal Government to 

get rid of him by all means is 

hugely counter-productive and 

hold ramifying consequences for 

Nigeria’s political stability and 

unity. 

“We would hold the Federal 

Government squarely 

responsible should anything 

SENATE RULES 

FORGERY ALLEGATION: 

Enugu APC, 

PDP in 

battle of 

wits 

FOLLOWING the arraignment of Senator Ike 

Ekweremadu representing Enugu-West 

senatorial district in Enugu State on June 27, 

alongside three others for alleged forgery of 

the Senate Standing Rule of the 8th Senate, the 

Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All 

Progressives Congress, APC in Enugu State 

are locked in a battle of wits to gain political 

mileage ahead of the 2019 general polls. 

untoward happen to 

Ekweremadu. We therefore 

condemn the kangaroo trial of the 

Senate presiding officers and 

National Assembly bureaucracy 

in continued contempt for the 

rule law, revered democratic 

•Emecheta: Obiano has a great vision 

for this state 


THE Obiano Support Group 

you formed two years ago 

appears to be in limbo. What is 

happening, especially with the 

2017 governorship election 

drawing near? 

•Ekweremadu: In stormy waters? 

principles of separation of power, 

court orders, which constitute a 

dangerous muscling of the 

judiciary and ‘abuse of legal 

process’ (in the words of Justice 

Kolawole) by the APC-led 

Federal Government”. 

APC demands retraction of 

letter to international community 

However, the Vice Chairman, 

APC, in Enugu State, Chief 

Anike Nwoga, at the weekend, 

insisted that Ekweremadu must 

retract his letter to the 

international community over his 

ongoing forgery trial alongside 

Senate President, Bukola Saraki 

and two others. 

Nwoga told his party men that 

by the letter, Senator 

Ekweremadu had tarnished the 

image of Nigeria and by 

extension, the President. 

He spoke at a rally held by 

members of the APC in Awgu 

town, Enugu State. 

Notable among other top APC 

chieftains at the rally were the 

Deputy State Chairman, 

Comrade A.C. Ude, Woman 

Leader, Lolo Queen Nwankwo, 

Chief Flavour Eze, who 

represented the Minister of 

Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey 

Onyeama, Special Assistant to 

the President on Justice Reform, 

Barrister Julie Ibekaku, Director 

General, Voice of Nigeria, Mr. 

Osita Okechukwu and Barrister 

Sharon Ikeazor. 

Addressing the rally, Nwoga 

warned Senator Ike Ekweremadu 

to stop insulting President 

Muhammadu Buhari. According 

to him, Ekweremadu should 

With Obiano, 

Anambra has 

great future 

— EMECHETA 

CHIEF Jude Emecheta is the national chairman of 

Governor Willie Obiano Support Group, an 

organization that promotes the ideals of the Anambra 

State governor, Chief Willie Obiano. In this interview, 

Emecheta speaks on why Obiano deserves to be reelected. 

We are working. We are 

building capacity at the ward and 

local government levels. The 

latest place we carried out our 

activity was in Orumba South 

where we had in attendance the 

former deputy government of the 

state, Chief Emeka Sibendu. We 

formed the Support Group 

because we saw the vision of 

Governor Obiano and we believe 

that he needs support to be able 

to execute his programmes and 

take Anambra State to the next 

level. 

What will you tell people about 

retract the “desperate” letter he 

wrote to the international 

community because it is 360 

degrees at variance with the oath 

of office he solemnly swore, to be 

faithful and bear true allegiance 

to the Federal Republic of 

Nigeria and always act in the 

interest of the sovereignty, 

integrity, solidarity, well being 

and prosperity of the Federal 


“By this unwarranted letter, he 

has desecrated the Constitution, 

tarnished the image of Nigeria 

and by extension our dear 

president. As a senior lawyer, we 

had expected him to maintain his 

earlier statement that he has faith 

in the Almighty God and the 

Nigerian courts” the APC 

chieftain said. 

Obiano’s performance in his 

first tenure to deserve second 

term? 

When he came on board, he 

told the people that one of the 

ways he would revolutionize 

Anambra State is through 

agriculture. Is he doing it? 

Everybody knows that he is 

doing it and he is therefore 

keeping his vision. He is putting 

in place structures that help to 


VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016—45 

•Adegbonmire: Aspires to become Ondo governor 

By Gbenga Oke 

ONE can say you are 

relatively new in politics. 

Where have you been? 

I was born into a political 

family, and I have been quite 

involved in politics even though 

I have never run for any office. I 

am a member of the APC and 

vying to be the next Governor of 

Ondo State. I strongly believe 

that God willing, it will happen. 

During the time when Chief 

Olu Falae was running for the 

Presidency of this country, I was 

the assistant secretary of his 

campaign organisation. I think 

now is the time to give back to 

the society. 

I have gotten to the pinnacle of 

my career, and I feel strongly 

there must be a paradigm shift 

as to how we govern this country. 

I think people must begin to see 

governance beyond themselves. 

One of the greatest problems 

we have had so far is the lack of 

ingenuity of the political class, 

majority of the politicians see 

politics as an occupation. 

You must have something doing 

before you venture into politics, 

it is when you don’t have 

something doing that you see 

politics as a do or die thing. 

If you look at politics in the 

second Republic, Awolowo, Sam 

Aluko, Ajasin, Adegbonmire and 

Senator Fasanmi, all these 

people had an occupation before 

joining politics which they could 

go back to when there was no 

political office to hold. But now, 

what do we have? People are 

moving from one political party 

to the other, why. Because they 

see politics as the only way to 

survive. I think we must change 

that. 

Why do you want to govern 

Why I'm the 

best to 

govern Ondo 

— Adegbonmire 

ADENIYI Adegbonmire, SAN, is a lawyer 

and son of former Secretary to Ondo State 

Government, the late Chief Wumi 

Adegbonmire. He is contesting for the 

ticket of the All Progressives Congress, 

APC, in the yet to be scheduled party 

primary to decide the candidate of the 

party for the forthcoming governorship 

election in Ondo State. 

In this interview, he bares his mind on the 

motivation driving his ambition, his 

programmes for the state and how he 

intends to achieve his governorship 

ambition. Excerpts. 

Ondo State? 

I think apart from Lagos State, 

the richest south-western state in 

terms of mineral resources, 

human capital and opportunity 

is Ondo state. 

The state has no business not 

being able to pay civil servants if 

its resources are properly 

deployed. Unfortunately, we 

have refused to tap into those 

resources. 

My attitude is that government 

must be run like a business but a 

business that does not make profit 

because if you go into 

governance to make profit, you 

will not do anything. 

You must run the government 

as a business but in an effective 

manner. Effective in such a way 

that anything you do is geared 

towards development. 

Presently, the state cannot even 

pay salaries, and Ondo State has 

serious potentials. You can ask 

what is the Internally Generated 

Revenue, (IGR) of Ondo State? 

Does Ondo State have the 

potential to pay salaries and 

stand on its own? Yes. We have 

got oil, cocoa, cashew, bitumen, 

timber, cassava, name any cash 

crop today; it grows in Ondo 

State. We have got granite, why 

has somebody not sat down to 

see how IGR could be generated 

from all these things? 

Re-investing and 

and creating wealth 

Must we rely only on the 13 

percent derivation? We have 

gotten all of that over the years, 

but we have not invested it, we 

must re-invest and create wealth 

for the people. Creating wealth 

or re-investing is not about 

employing more civil servants 

into the civil service, it is about 

policy. You must bring a policy 

that enables the private sector to 

invest in the economy of the state. 

But there are almost 40 persons 

in the APC saying the same 

thing, how will you overcome 

them to become the party 

candidate? 

Even if the APC has 100 

aspirants, there will just be one 

governor. And why does the APC 

have so many? It is because it is 

the platform that offers an 

alternative. For me, there are 

With Obiano, Anambra has great future — EMECHETA 

Continue from page 44 

attract investors in agriculture. 

He is creating the enabling 

environment and training our 

youths to develop interest in 

agriculture. To date, over 200 

youths have been trained. 

In the main agricultural belt of 

Anambra North, the governor is 

providing social activities to 

enable the trained youths stay 

with the farmers. 

Besides, those investing in 

large scale agriculture in the 

Northern part of the state are 

people from the Southern part, 

which means that employment 

being generated is not limited to 

the North. Two examples are 

Cosmas Maduka from Nnewi 

and Emeka Okwuosa from 

Oraifite. 

To date, the governor has 

attracted more than $1 billion 

investment in agriculture. Some 

of the investors have big plans 

for the area which include 

establishment of shopping malls, 

food processing factories and 

others. Agriculture is already 

booming and Anambra Rice will 

soon be exported. A company in 

Amichi won the prize as the best 

rice miller in Africa. 

What is the governor doing in 

the other two zones? 

The governor is planning to 

execute multi million naira 

projects in all the 21 local 

government areas from 

December this year. This is aside 

the N20 million projects he is 

executing in all the 177 

communities in the state. The 

system is that each local 

government will decide the kind 

of project it wants and where it 

wants it. 

With the election drawing 

near, what kind of opposition 

are you expecting? 

We expect stiff opposition but 

the governor’s performance will 

be his selling point. He is very 

popular with the grassroots. 

In the election, the issues will 

be what has the governor done 

and what will he do further? 

Anambra people are not blind. 

The people are happy that the 

governor is working and so, we 

are waiting for the opposition. 

Are you mindful of the likely 

impact of the immediate past 

governor of the state, Mr. Peter 

Obi in the forth -coming 

election? 

Yes, we can’t take it away from 

him. Obi is popular in this state. 

He governed this state for eight 

years and empowered some 

people and made friends. But 

one should not forget that his 

influence in the polities of 

Anambra State is now limited. 

It is no longer what it was when 

he was the governor. He also has 

some enemies in PDP, some of 

them are not happy that he is 

overshadowing them. Many 

people are still aggrieved that he 

left APGA. 

Are you aware that many 

APGA members are not happy 

with the Obiano administration? 

We expect stiff 

opposition but the 

governor’s 

performance will be 

his selling point. He 

is very popular with 

the grassroots 

I know that some may not be 

happy. There are people who 

feel they should be 

commissioners or advisers but 

they are not. We can only have 

few commissioners. We know 

that there are some people who 

feel they contributed so much 

only two parties that can present 

candidates in Ondo State and 

they are the PDP and the APC. 

The PDP is shut. And why do I 

say so? It is because whoever will 

run on the platform of the PDP 

must have the backing of the 

present governor, except we are 

deceiving ourselves. 

The only platform that is open 

is the APC, so you have people 

coming to it. My duty is to sell 

myself to the delegates that I have 

what it takes to win victory for 

the party. 

What do you consider as your 

selling points? 

I bring youth into governance. 

And like I said, government must 

be run as an efficient company, 

but one that is not geared 

towards making profit and it is 

only people of my age think 

government should be run that 

way. 

What is your take on the issue 

of zoning as being projected by 

some aspirants? 

Coming to the issue of zoning, 

my party has said several times 

that there will be no zoning, that 

everybody should go into the 

primary. 

If zoning had been applied, 

some of the people who were 

governors would not have been 

governors. Even if there are 

people to agitate, it should be the 

South and the Central, but I don’t 

believe in that. My party said no 

zoning. Let the best person win! 

Do you a chance to win? 

Yes and it is because I bring 

youth, I don’t have baggage, and 

I come from an exceedingly 

respected political family. My 

father was a politician from 1952. 

You ask people who have 

interacted with me as a lawyer; I 

am straightforward person, and 

I am very honest, even if I say it 

myself. 

I have also gone round the 

state, and I don’t know any 

aspirant that is not taking Adeniyi 

Adegbonmire seriously. 

during the election and are not 

recognized now, but there is no 

way he can satisfy all of them. 

However, he has been going 

round all the local governments 

to thank them for their support 

and he is using the projects he 

is executing in all parts of the 

state to appreciate their support. 

What is your advice to 

Anambra people? 

I want to tell our people that 

Obiano has a great vision for this 

state. He is creating conducive 

environment for investors. 

By the time the investments he 

is making mature, this state will 

be very buoyant. The state is 

already exporting vegetables 

and more products will follow. 

Opposition people will come up 

with stories, but I want our people 

to know that Obiano means well 

for them. He has already 

provided security thus making 

Anambra the safest state in 

Nigeria.

46 — VANGUARD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

22 dead in head-on train 

crash in Italy 

Several carriages were completely destroyed in the collision on a singletrack 

line near Andria 

AT least 22 people 

were killed and 

dozens more injured 

yesterday when two trains 

crashed in a head-on 

collision in the southern 

Italian region of Puglia. 

The two trains collided on 

a stretch of isolated track 

surrounded by olive trees 

around 11.30 a.m. between 

the towns of Ruvo di Puglia 

and Corato, around 25 miles 

from Bari. 

Dramatic images of the 

crumpled carriages showed 

how the violent impact of the 

crash forced them off the rails 

and debris was strewn across 

the countryside. 

Mayor of Corato, Massimo 

Mazzilli, compared the 

devastation at the scene of the 

accident to a “plane crash”. 

“It’s a disaster, it’s as if a 

plane has crashed,” Mazzilli 

said on his Facebook page 

as he posted shocking 

pictures of the accident. 

Emergency workers, 

firefighters and police 

worked throughout the day 

in blistering temperatures 

above 90f (33C) to free 

survivors trapped beneath the 

twisted metal. 

Around 50 injured were 

transported by helicopter and 

ambulances to hospitals in 

nearby towns including 

Bisceglie, Barletta and 

Andria, as local officials 

appealed for urgent blood 

donations. 

“An incredible, shocking 

scene,” one police officer at 

the scene told the Italian news 

agency ANSA. “I saw dead 

people, others who were 

crying for help. It was the 

most terrible scene I have 

seen in my life.” 

Tributes at Cameron's last 

cabinet as PM 

DAVID Cameron has 

chaired his final cabinet 

meeting, with some 

"wonderful tributes" paid to 

the outgoing PM. 

Theresa May is preparing 

to take over from Mr 

Cameron, who will hand in 

his resignation to the 

Queen today. 

Mrs May, home secretary 

since 2010, said she was 

"honoured and humbled" to 

be taking over as Conservative 

Party leader and 

Prime Minister. 

SOUTH CHINA SEA: China defiant 

as tribunal backs Philippines 

CHINA has firmly re 

jected an international 

tribunal ruling 

that its claims to rights in 

the South China Sea 

have no legal basis. 

President Xi Jinping 

said China’s “territorial 

sovereignty and marine 

rights” in the seas would 

not be affected by the 

ruling “in any way”. 

But he insisted China 

was still “committed to 

resolving disputes” with 

its neighbours. 

The Philippines 

brought the case to the 

Permanent Court of Arbitration. 

The tribunal, based in 

the Hague, ruled that 

there was no evidence 

that China had historic 

rights to the waters or resources 

that fell within 

its “nine-dash line”, and 

was violating the 

Philippine’s sovereign 

rights with its operations 

there. 

The ruling was made 

by an arbitration tribunal 

under the United Nations 

Convention on the 

Law of the Sea 

(UNCLOS), which both 

countries have signed. 

It is binding but the Permanent 

Court of Arbitration 

has no powers of enforcement. 

Austria moves to seize 

Hitler’s birth house 

AUSTRIA’s government 

is to seize the 

house where Adolf Hitler 

was born in 1889 to prevent 

it becoming a site of pilgrimage 

for neo-Nazis. 

The owner, a retired local 

woman, has refused repeated 

offers to buy the house in 

Brunau am Inn in the past. 

However, there is disagreement 

over what to do with the 

house next. 

The interior minister wants 

it demolished but others say 

a museum or even a supermarket 

would more effectively 

“depoliticise” it. 

“The decision is necessary 

because the Republic would 

like to prevent this house 

Speaking after Tuesday 

morning's cabinet, Health 

Secretary Jeremy Hunt 

said there were some "wonderful 

tributes" to Mr 

Cameron led by Mrs May 

and Chancellor George 

Osborne. 

"There was a feeling 

across the cabinet of great 

pride at what David 

Cameron has achieved 

over the last six years, sadness 

that it has ended, in a 

way, perhaps much 

quicker than people 

thought," he said. 

Culture Secretary John 

Whittingdale described the 

meeting as "quite emotional", 

saying there was 

"sadness" about the PM's 

departure, while Commons 

leader and Brexit campaigner 

Chris Grayling 

spoke of a "very warm sentiment 

around the table." 

from becoming a ‘cult site’ for 

neo-Nazis in any way, which 

it has been repeatedly in the 

past, when people gathered 

there to shout slogans,” Interior 

Minister Wolfgang 

Sobotka said. 

“It is my vision to tear down 

the house,” he added. 

However, Vice-Chancellor 

Reinhold Mitterlehner said 

a project with “educational 

value” such as a museum 

would be a better use of the 

site, Die Presse newspaper 

reported. 

Under the new proposal, 

the owner will receive compensation 

similar to that 

awarded when homes are 

demolished to make way for 

railway projects. 

Zimbabwe charges preacher over 

protests 

A 

Zimbabwean 

preacher leading the 

biggest protests against 

President Robert Mugabe 

in a decade was charged 

on Tuesday with inciting 

public violence but, in a 

video recorded before his 

arrest, urged supporters 

to go ahead with demonstrations. 

Baptist minister Evan 

Mawarire has become a 

household name in Zimbabwe 

since he started a 

social media campaign in 

April that has tapped into 

mounting public anger 

over corruption, high unemployment 

and economic 

woes. 

Africa’s oldest leader at 

92, Mugabe has led the 

former British colony 

since independence in 

1980. Since then it has 

gone from being one of 

the continent’s most promising 

countries to an economic 

basket case with a 

reputation for rights 

abuses. 

After initially ignoring 

his grainy online videos, 

shot on a cellphone and 

calling for a mass ‘stay at 

home’, Mugabe’s administration 

has started to 

push back, especially after 

they attracted support 

from thousands of unpaid 

civil servants. 

Ceasefire holding in South Sudan 

Aceasefire appears to 

be holding in South 

Sudan’s capital, Juba, 

after four days of heavy 

fighting between rival 

forces left more than 270 

people dead. 

The city is quiet, with 

no reports of helicopter 

gunships in the sky or 

tanks on the streets but 

shops remained shut. 

President Salva Kiir 

and his rival, Vice-President 

Riek Machar, announced 

a ceasefire 

which came into force on 

Monday at 15:00 GMT. 

Clashes between 

troops loyal to the two 

men had threatened a 

recent peace deal. 

South Sudan became 

independent from Sudan 

in 2011 but its short history 

has been marred by 

civil war. 

Mr Kiir and Mr 

Machar are under intense 

diplomatic pressure 

to end the violence. 

Nobel winner Malala promotes education 

at Kenya 

President Yoweri Museveni 

of Uganda, chatting on the 

phone while sitting on a chair 

on the side of a village road 

NOBEL 

laureate 

Malala Yousafzai 

visited the world’s largest 

refugee camp on her 

19th birthday Tuesday 

and voiced concern that 

Kenya’s plans to close it 

could create “a generation 

lost.” The government 

announced in May 

that it plans to close the 

camp in eastern Kenya 

near the Somali border by 

the end of the year, citing 

it as a security liability. 

Malala said returning 

any of the more than 

300,000 refugees to Somalia, 

which is still 

plagued by extremist violence, 

should be voluntary. 

“They should not be 

forced to move,” the advocate 

for girls’ education 

said in an interview. 

Mozambique certified polio free 

MOZAMBIQUE has 

been certified free 

of polio, the health ministry 

said, comparing the 

achievement to the 

country’s elimination of 

leprosy in 2008. 

The announcement, 

made on the state news 

agency, follows a meeting 

of the Africa Regional 

Certification Commission 

for Polio Eradication, the 

body that advises the 

World Health 

Organisation (WHO), in 

Algeria last month, which 

reviewed the certification 

progress of Mozambique, 

Niger and Chad. Experts 

say polio could be eradicated 

worldwide by next 

year, completing the mission 

begun in the 1980s 

against the virus which 

invades the nervous system 

and can cause irreversible 

paralysis. 

Ugandans poke fun at President’s 

phone call stop 

THIS photo of Uganda’s 

President Yoweri 

Museveni, chatting on the 

phone while sitting on a 

chair on the side of a village 

road, has raised questions 

- such as whether the 

cowboy hat-wearing leader 

was pulling off a cheap 

publicity stunt or was dealing 

with urgent matters of 

national importance. 

The photo was released 

by his press officer Don 

Wanyama who said on 

Facebookthat his 71-yearold 

boss had stopped his 

motorcade to make the 30- 

minute call while returning 

from World Population Day 

celebrations in remote 

western Uganda on Monday. 

C 

M 

Y 

K

Don’t waste £100m on Pogba, 

Petit tells Mourinho 

PAUL Pogba would be 

a “waste of money” 

for £100 million and is not 

a “big star” yet, according 

to former France and 

Arsenal midfielder 

Emmanuel Petit. 

Petit, who won 1998 

World Cup and Euro 2000 

as a France player, told 

Yahoo Sport UK: “Imagine 

what you can do with 

£100m. Imagine you have 

given away your best car 

and, after a couple of years, 

you miss it so you want it 

back. Would you be happy 

with that? It’s a waste of 

money for me. For £100m, 

I would buy [Luis] Suarez. 

“Pogba has a great 

future, but it is too early. I 

don’t like the situation 

Continues from BP 

Presidential Villa. 

The team requires 

additional sum of N2 

billion and NOC 

believes the President 

will use his good office 

to solicit for support 

during the fund raising 

dinner inside the Aso 

villa. 

Although, the 

government has 

approved the sum of 

N500 million for the 

team, but the Sports 

Minister felt the money 

will not be enough to 

take care of the 

expenses of about 95 

already qualified 

athetes. 

Dalung stated this 

during the press 

Okagbare 


4x100m relay. 

For the women 400m 

flat and relay, Patience 

Okon George, Regina 

George, Margaret 

Bamgbose, Omolara 

Omotosho, Yinka Ajayi, 

Rita Osai, Blessing 

Mayungbe and 

Ekundayo Sogbesan 

made the list. 

The other women are 

Oluwatobiloba Amusan 

(100m hurdles), Amaka 

Ogoegbunam (400m 

hurdles), Doreen Amata 

(high jump) Ese 

B r u m e ( l o n g 

jump),Okoro Chinwe 

(discus), Nwanneka 

Okwelogu (shot put). 

Ogunlewe, Egwero 

Ogho-Oghene and 

Edward Monzavous are 

in for the men 100m. 

Tega 

Odele 

Oghenetega, Divine 

Oduduru (200m), 

NOC 

around him all the time. We 

are making him out to be a 

big star, but he is not a big 

star for me.” 

Pogba’s agent cast doubt 

over the player’s future at 

Juventus but says 

Manchester United are not 

the only club interested in 

the France midfielder. 

United are said to be 

leading the race to sign 

Pogba, 23, with Sky Sports 

News having reported at 

the weekend that Real 

Madrid had withdrawn 

from the race for financial 

reasons, but agent Mino 

Raiola told The Times on 

Monday that Juve are 

keen on offering him a 

new contract. 

briefing on the official 

handing over of Team 

Nigeria to President 

Muhammadu Buhari by 

NOC and Investiture of 

President Buhari as 

Grand Patron of NOC, in 

Abuja. 

Dalung said: “The 

vision of the event is to 

assist the NOC in its 

quest to provide 

Nigerian Athletes with 

better opportunities, 

resources, and financial 

aid in order to achieve 

competitive excellence 

in Rio. 

The minister appealed 

to all Nigerians to stop 

predicting doom for 

Nigeria, adding that 

nothing will stop the 

country from going to 

Rio for the Olympics. 

Orukpe Eraiyokan 

(400m) Anthon Hicks 

(110m hurdles), Ukaoma 

Miles (400m hurdles), 

Oke Tosin, Olamigoke 

Olumide (triple jump) 

and Mozia Stephen 

Shot Put. 

African heptathlon 

champion, Uhunoma 

Naomi Osazuwa 

expressed her joy being 

on the list. She initially 

was out of the picture, 

but was later reinstated 

following her inclusion 

on the IAAF best ranked 

list of qualifiers based 

on her 6153 points mark 

she achieved at the 

Africa Championships. 

The Olympic standard 

was 6200 points. 

“I was disappointed 

after Durban 

performance. But it’s 

definitely a blessing to 

be on the list,” said the 

US-based 

Toriola 

Continues from BP also inscribed the 

appearances between 

1972 and London 2012. 

country’s name on the 

Olympic Games record as 

Evergreen performers the feat of the most most 

with seven games to their decorated table tennis 

name is legendary player in Africa being 

sprinter Merlene Ottey. recognised by the 

Meanwhile, this most international Olympics 

select club is about to committee 

welcome a new member in It added: “Toriola was 

Nigerian table tennis only 18 when he made his 

player Segun Toriola, who Olympic debut at 

booked his place at Rio Barcelona 1992, teaming 

2016 in February,” IOC up in the doubles with 

stated. 

Oluyomi Bankole. The 

As published in one of Nigerian pair scored a 

IOC magazine, Toriola solitary win in the group 

was described as a record phase, over Cuba’s Ruben 

breaking athlete who is Arado and Santiago 

Africa’s most successful Roque. After further firstround 

exits in both the 

table tennis player of all 

times. 

singles and the doubles at 

Just like Aruna Quadri Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 

put Nigeria on the world 2000, Toriola reached the 

map,segun toriola has third round of the singles 


Rangers out of 

Federation Cup 

NIGERIA Profes 

sional Football 

League (NPFL) title contenders 

Enugu Rangers 

have been knocked out 

of the 2016 Federation 

Picture of happiness: The couple kept close on the boat, cuddling up as 

they enjoyed their first minutes as husband and wife 

Rio Olympics: Doom awaits Nigeria 

in boxing – Lasisi 

By Jacob Ajom 

FORMER African and 

Commonwealth 

boxing champion, Joe 

Lasisi has advised the 

Nigerian Boxing 

Federation to withdraw Efe 

Ajagba, the lone boxer that 

qualified for the Rio 

Olympics from the games. 

•Lasisi 

Speaking with reporters 

at the National Stadium 

Lagos yesterday, Lasisi said 

it is a disgrace that a nation 

like Nigeria with a robust 

history in boxing would be 

fielding only one boxer at 

the 2016 Rio Olympics. 

“It’s a shame. A very big 

shame that a country that 

has reached the peak of 

boxing at the Olympics in 

the 1980s will be courting 

disgrace and 

embarrassment in 2016 with 

a lone boxer. What can he 

achieve. It’s a clear 

jamboree because he could 

be knocked out in the first 

bout. Of what use will one 

boxer be to a country like 

Nigeria than disgrace?” he 

asked, insisting, “we are 

going there for a jamboree 

because with one boxer 

what are we going to do 

there? Do you know our 

population?” 

A bitter Lasisi who is now 

a boxing coach challenged 

the national boxing coach, 

Tony Konyegwachi of not 

doing enough for the 

advancement of the sport in 

the country. “I challenge 

him to show me how many 

medallists he has produced 

since he took over as coach. 

It is not enough to occupy 

an office but what matters 

is how one uses that office.” 

Lasisi said poor 

administration of boxing in 

the country was the bane of 

the sport as amateur boxing 

was practically dead. 

“Without a good amateur 

culture, boxing cannot grow. 

It is also sad that most 

boxers of these days put 

money first before working. 

In our days, we work and 

wait for money to pursue 

you.” 

at Athens 2004. 

It however acknowledged 

the former African 

champion as one of the 

best performers at the 

Olympic Games. 

“In Beijing four years 

later, he produced the 

best performance of his 

lengthy Olympic career 

to date, scoring back-toback 

wins over former 

world No1s David 

Zhuang of the USA and 

Belgium’s Jean-Michel 

Saive, and then taking 

the Republic of Korea’s 

Oh Sangeun to a seventh 

set. Appearing at London 

2012 at the age of 37, 

Toriola went out in the 

second round to 

Sweden’s five-time world 

champion Jörgen 

Persson.” 

Cup. 

Rangers were beaten 

2-1 by Nigeria National 

League (NNL) club 

Crown FC yesterday in 

Kaduna. 

Second-half substitute 

Bello Owello netted the 

winner for the Oshogbo 

club after Peter Michael 

scored the game’s opener 

in 28th minute at the 

Ahmadu Bello Stadium 

in Kaduna. 

Godwin Aguda had 

temporarily equalised for 

Rangers but it turned out 

to be purely academic in 

the end as the Flying 

Antelopes bowed out of 

Nigeria’s oldest football 

competition with a whimper. 

“We underrated Crown 

from the beginning and 

we opened up ourselves 

too much in defence. 

“We also failed to take 

the chances that came our 

way at the other end. 

“It was a strange game 

and we just did not play 

to our usual level. We 

were not organised 

enough. 

“It is a disappointing 

day for all fans of our 

great club, but right now 

we just have to lift ourselves 

up and concentrate 

on the league,” Rangers 

head coach, Imama 

Amapakabo, said. 

Enugu Rangers are currently 

in second place on 

the NPFL standings. 

•Amapakabo 

Siasia 


Oboabona has been 

included in Nigeria’s 

35-man provisional 

squad for the 

competition in Rio de 

Janeiro and it was 

earlier thought that 

coach Samson Siasia 

listed him as one of the 

overage players because 

he received assurances 

from the player that 

Rizespor will not be a 

spoilsport. 

“I am not joining the 

camp in Atlanta because 

Rizespor refused to 

release me, “ said 

Godfrey Oboabona. 

“Yes I can confirm I am 

not playing in the 

Olympics because my 

club refused and I think 

they have sent a letter to 

the NFF that they won’t 

release me. “ 

The former Sunshine 

Stars skipper has 

reported for pre-season 

training at Rizespor.

Vanguard, WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 

Rio Olympics: NOC to present Team Nigeria to 

Buhari July 19 

BY CALEB AYANSINA 

THE Minister of 

Youth and Sports, 

Barrister Solomon 

Dalung, 

Okagbare, Ogunlewe top 

yesterday 

disclosed that Nigeria 

Olympic Committee 

(NOC) would formally 

present Team Nigeria to 


Buahri on July 19th at 

Continues on Page 47 

•President Buhari 

RARING TO GO: Nigeria’s medal hopeful, Blessing 

Okagbare. 

TODAY'S PUZZLE 

How to Play Sudoku 

Place a number (1-9) in each blank cell. (No line can 

have two of the same number). 

Each row (nine lines from left to right), column, (also 

nine lines from top to bottom) and 3 X 3 block within a 

bold block (nine blocks) contains number from 1 

through 9. This means that no number can appear twice 

in any block, column or row. 

No mathematics is involved – no adding, subtraction, division 

or multiplication, just plain logic and your imagination. 

Rio 2016 athletics list 

BY BEN EFE 

A THLETICS 

Federation of 

Nigeria yesterday 

released the names of 

the athletes selected to 

represent the country at 

the Rio 2016 Olympics 

even as there was no 

sign the Sports ministry, 

is ready to provide funds 

to transport and keep 

the Nigerian team in 

Brazil. 

Blessing Okgbare who 

did 11.02 seconds and 

Seye Ogunlewe whose 

10.15 seconds earned 

him a back to back win 

of the trials, topped the 

list of 35 athletes picked 

Don’t waste 

£100m on 

Pogba, Petit 

tells 

Mourinho 

— Page 47 

YESTERDAY'S ANSWERS 

at the Olympic trials in 

Sapele, Delta State last 

weekend. Okagbare and 

Ogunlewe ran their 

season’s best at the trials. 

Okagbare will perform 

in the women 100m, 

200m and long jump. She 

will be joined by Gloria 

Asumnu, Jennifer 

Madu, Agnes Osazuwa, 

Sanni Zainab, Cecilia 

Francis, Khadija 

Suleiman and Olivia 

Ekpone for the women 


More trouble 

for Siasia 

Rio 2016 Olympics: IOC 

celebrates Toriola 

BY FAVOUR ELIOKU 

AFTER appearing 

at every Olympic 

games since his début at 

the 1992 Barcelona 

Games, Segun Toriola 

has been lauded for 

being the first athlete 

from the African 

continent that will be 

ACROSS 

3 Composition (5) 

9 Objective (6) 

10 Interfere (6) 

11 Language (5) 

12 Parched (4) 

15 Denomination (4) 

17 Erased (7) 

20 Beam (3) 

21 Devil (5) 

23 Thought (4) 

25 Need (4) 

26 Inflexible (5) 

28 Colour (3) 

30 Soared (7) 

33 Revise (4) 

35 Eat (4) 

36 Municipal (5) 

38 Overseas (6) 

39 Hidden (6) 

40 Twelve (5) 

•Oboabona 

making his seventh 

appearance at the 2016 

Olympic Games 

Seven is the number of 

athlete who have 

appeared at seven 

Olympic games the first 

record holder being a 

Canadian jumper, Ian 

Millar,who made ten 


QUICK CROSSWORD 

DOWN 

1 Place (5) 

2 Track (5) 

3 Fish (3) 

4 Said (6) 

5 Among (4) 

6 Longing (3) 

7 Viper (5) 

8 God (5) 

13 Withdrew (7) 

14 Postpone (5) 

16 Dining-room (7) 

18 Liability (5) 

19 Intimidate (3) 

22 Nude (5) 

24 Tune (3) 

27 Submissive (6) 

28 Royal (5) 

29 Journal (5) 

31 Mature (5) 

32 Demise (5) 

34 Swimming pool (4) 

36 Rotter (3) 

37 Tin (3) 

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTIONS 

ACROSS: 1, Step 4, Rut 6, Trip 8, Patent 9, Fright 

10, Elf 12, Sleep 14, Stump 15, Death 18, Divert 

20, Around 24, Enter 26, Essay 28, Dared 30, 

Spy 32. Degree 33. Elicit 34, Stay 35, Map 36, 

Need. 

TURKISH Super Lig 

club Rizespor have 

made a U-turn and will 

not permit Nigeria 

international Godfrey 

Oboabona to represent 

the Dream Team at the 

Olympic Games, the 

defender has revealed. 


•Toriola 

DOWN: 2, trail 3, Precede 4, Rite 5, Tiff 6, 

Twist 7, Inhuman 11, Lit 12, Sad 13, Per 16, 

Ate 17, Hat 19, Inspect 21, Red 22, Oration 

23, Did 25, Nip 27, Array 29, Elite 30, Seem 

31, Yelp. 

Printed and Published by VANGUARD MEDIA LIMITED, Vanguard Avenue, Kirikiri Canal, P.M.B.1007, Apapa. Phone: Newsroom: 018773962. Deputy Editor: 01-4548355. Advert Dept Hotline: 01- 

4544821. Abuja Advert Hotline: 09-2921024. E-mail: editor@vanguardngr.com, news@vanguardngr.com, letters@vanguardngr.com. Advert:advertproduction@yahoo.com 

Website: www.vanguardngr.com (ISSN 0794-652X) Editor: MIDENO BAYAGBON. Phone: 01-7742861, All correspondence to P.M.B. 1007, Apapa Lagos.

Stormy sessions in Senate, House of Reps

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